Divine Protection of Many Gods - Chapter 55

Translator: Pengu
TLC/Editor: Darknari
Proofreader/Cleaner: Raizu

Chapter 55

Seeing Flora thrust the dagger into Frey’s stomach after she managed to win the duel with Evin, I knocked Flora away.

“Kyaa!”

Flora let out a small scream, but I don’t give a damn.

“Frey!! Get a grip.”
“ A, u, Hi-biki.”

She’s still conscious. I splashed a potion for treatment over the wound and cast recovery magic. When I turned my attention to confirm her status, 【Poison】 seems to have stacked up.
I began to use detoxification magic as well at once. Good, the wound is closed. I will mend the insides later.

“Miss Flora!! What in the world!?”

Giren questioned Flora.

“It might be better if I explain things.”

Evin cuts in between Flora and Giren when he woke up; Giren stopped.

“She is a pawn of the demons.”

Evin began to explain an unbelievable thing. I had a dumbfounded face, Giren had the exact same face.

“It isn’t unreasonable that it’s unbelievable. However, did Giren-sama not say it, too? [She is so strong].”
“C-Certainly, I did say that, however, her father was also a knight that I came to be acquainted with?”
“Right, perhaps, the demon’s minion likely changed places with her while she was travelling to this town.”

Certainly, the guards besides Frey and Flora were also missing. Perhaps, they were dead. However, I confirmed Frey’s status and it was human.
I immediately noticed that Evin’s insistence was strange.

“The biggest reason that I accepted this duel was to make sure whether or not she was the pawn of the demon.”

Evin proudly stuck out his chest and continued talking.

“Now, Hibiki. Will you hand over that one to me?”
“I refuse. When did you conclude that [She is a demon] when there is no reliable evidence? I hear only the whining of a sore loser.”

Evin glared at me with a terrible face. When I returned the glare back, he abruptly turned his eyes away and began to talk to Giren.

“The demon is already captured. Well, Giren-sama, let’s hurry. And then Hibiki, wait to restrain that woman, but don’t take her out from this courtyard.”

Is Giren also somewhat doubting it? It was requested of me to follow Evin.
The first aid was now finished, but because moving her body might be bad, I obeyed the instruction.
Evin leads Giren and Flora away from the courtyard.
There are many inconsistent points in that guy’s story.
Perhaps, was the reason for the duel to win over Flora and be a hindrance? I felt a sense of incongruity about the brainwashed Flora, because he bothered to show off with a duel to kill her.
Still, I don’t understand the reason why Flora swallowed Evin’s instruction.
How much of a flower garden is stuck inside Flora’s head? It was strange to stab Frey who she spent time with not too long ago.

“I will run after them. Amy, I leave Frey to you.”
“Yes, leave it to me.”

I leave Frey to Amy and ran after them. Amy was the most well acquainted with potions; they will be saved by Amy if it becomes a battle.
If they get attacked they will manage because I left 2 goblins with Musashi for guards.

“Master such detestable timing, but I hath found Miss Latia.”

I heard Zir’s report while chasing Evin’s group.

“Where is she? Is she related to this disturbance?
“It hath said that the lady is not involved, but hath been involved.”
“Clearly!!”

I seemed to be a little irritated when Frey got stabbed. I did not think that I became to have such feelings because Frey got wounded, certainly not. (EN: Someone’s in denial :D)
I apologized to Zir immediately and heard the story in detail.

“Perhaps, most likely, the swordsman’s destination is Latia.”
“What…Shit, I see now!!”
I noticed it on the way after hearing it. What had Evin said? [The demon is already captured] he said.
Then, the reaction in the detector is the [Half-demon] Latia. There was no other person who was better as a sacrifice.
I must increase my speed to catch up with them.
That guy’s aim must be the church on the main street. Latia was being held there.
When we arrived at the square in front of the church, the place was already flooded with people.
Adventurers, merchants, believers, various people had gathered here.

“Hear me~! I arrested the mastermind of the [Night of Nightmare] when the memory was still fresh.”

On a platform in an open space, Evin carried out an impassioned speech.
The gathered people were discussing in whispers.
Didn’t [Annihilation] catch the necromancer?
To begin with, isn’t the necromancer a man?

“As for this woman here, she is the true leader who pulled the strings of the necromancer in the shadows. This woman is a demon!!”

To Evin’s words, the clamors became louder.
When Evin issued an instruction to a nearby man, a cart was being carried onto the square.
A big square box was on the cart.

“This is a [Demon Detector].”

When said so, he inserted a demon stone into the detector machine and started it. Then, the detector went *ping—–* with a piercing sound and a reaction was indicated.

“See, it is clear that this person here is a demon!!”

As expected, he will kill Latia to cover his crimes.
Certainly, Latia is a [half-demon], however, I can’t think she was a criminal by any means.
Furthermore, the suspicion on Evin swells bigger with Frey’s case.
On the platform with Evin, was Giren who couldn’t follow the situation, and Flora with a smiling face.
Immediately, I checked Flora’s status.

Flora Caprice (Human ― Demonic Possession)

[Demonic Possession]
One is fused with a demon’s purpose.

When first meeting in the goblin’s village, though she was a natural airhead she was an ordinary human.
In other words, she was ruled by the [Demon] after coming to this town. Therefore, she stabbed Frey calmly.
And the most suspicious one was Evin.
However, that guy’s status was human. I don’t know whether it was possible to camouflage it, but Ruby didn’t show any reaction.

“How did the demon approach Flora?”

I noticed the possibility that was thought here.
The information was that the fellow who had manipulated the necromancer was a demon.
But, what about if, for instance, there was a demon but that demon doesn’t get detected by the detector, but in exchange, it is in a state where they can’t mobilize freely?”
Similar to the necromancer, no, it was worse that Evin wasn’t being brainwashed and was cooperating with the demon with … pleasure … If that’s the case is he human?

“I see.”

It’s too late, the surroundings have already been stirred up and are agitatedly burning. It wouldn’t be strange if Latia was killed.
In such a state, even if I say that Evin and Flora are the demons, no one would believe it.
On the contrary, I would surely be made out to be a pawn of the demons.
I must think of something.
I found something when restlessly looking about in the surroundings.

“This.”

I hit upon a strategy to help Latia; I told Zir and Ayla immediately.

“Both of you, I have a task for you.”

I, with Evin on the platform, spoke to Flora.

“Hibiki, you’re not believing me are you?”
“Yes, there is still that time in the courtyard. However, it is the truth that you guys captured a demon.”

I passed empty silver cups to Evin and Flora while talking.

“It’s not an apology, but wine was prepared. Will you drink?”
“Though it is wonderful…”

I looked at him and Evin had a plainly distrusting face.

“There is no poison in it.”

I pour the wine into my silver cup while saying so and drank it at once.

I appeal to them when I emptied the contents of the silver cup. I poured the cups to the brim full of wine for the two people, I also pour wine into my own silver cup again.

“To be honest, I was also requested to searched for the demon. However, this is the conclusion. If possible, I also want to cooperate to be able to capture the demon, too.”
“I see, however, such an exploit cannot be handed over.”
“Yes, however, if we decide to cooperate I can stand tall and save face.”
“There is one condition.”
“What?”
“Hand Frey over to me.”

“Don’t worry. I just only want to hear what happened a little.”
“I understand.”
“Then once again, cheers!!”

We 3 people gulped down their cups. First of all, Evin and I drank up.
However, Flora’s appearance was strange. With the cup half empty so far, she began to tremble.

“Young lady Flora?”

Evin also seems to have noticed Flora’s state. But it’s too late.
The effect of the wine which was mixed with the [Anti-Demon Killer] had begun to tear the consciousness of the demon away from Flora.

“*Snap*, *whomp*, this is!?”

Flora uttered out a low frightened voice, while being muttered at that volume it had reached all the people who had gathered in the square.
However, it was strange. Flora had already fell down on the platform and had lost consciousness.

“Fucker, what did you do!?”

A voice still echoed even though Flora lost consciousness.
A scream went up from the spectators who had been looking at the platform expecting that there was something by my entry on the platform.
Flora might have concealed it somewhere, the dagger that pierced Frey had begun to shine suspiciously.

“Well then, did everyone understand who the real demon is with this?”

I threw away the silver cup and drew out my sword at my waist.

“How dare you do this!!”

Evin, who in this place was the only ally of the demon, approached Flora and collected the dagger.
Evin points the dagger at me and surveys the distance. Then…

[It’s fine already, Evin. I will take your damn body.]

The voice a little while ago was heard from the dagger. Is it because it talks with its own mouth? I hear it more clearly than the time it talked through Flora.

“P-please wait. I!? What’s happening to me!?”

[You should be proud that you will become a part of my body.]

Something was invading from the left side into Evin from the handle of the dagger. Evin groans while shaking his left hand with the dagger, but it does not separate and remains firmly in his grasp.
Probably to escape from the pain, Evin grips the flamberge with his right hand and swings it down on his left wrist.
*Slash* fresh blood splattered from the opened end. Naturally, the cut from the flamberge was sloppy and it was not possible to sew it up.
Probably, an unimaginable pain should be attacking Evin. Still, Evin, who had a relieved expression on his face, was in some respects severely insane.

“*Gasp*, GYAA, Haa, Haa, KUKUKU.”

The left hand was cut off admirably, Evin was relieved when it was done. However, his tragedy had not ended yet.
This time something started invading from the flamberge on his right hand.

[Fool, did you forget who gave that sword to you, fucker?]

Something sinously creeped out from the cut on the left wrist that was lying on the ground. This seems to be the identity of that thing that had afflicted Evin.
Evin, who was not able to chop off the arm, had already soiled his pants while standing in place, he then collapsed to his knees.
The left hand joined and fitted into it’s original place immediately.
Evin was still alive, *shudder* his body occasionally went into convulsions.
When the convulsions had completely settled, he abruptly stood up and laughed grimly.

[I have kept you waiting, human. Was it [Hibiki]? How dare you serve me that kind of medicine.]

It seems it was in a state where it was completely locked on to me.

Evin Kruger (Demon)

【Demon】
Obtain the abilities of a demon.

Apparently, it seems to have accomplished fusing with the body.
I can do nothing but give up on Evin. Well, I did not have any intention to help him from the beginning.
I held my sword in my right hand and once again engage in combat with the demon.