“There is still one problem.”
After the old man finally stopped crying, Hamel clapped his hands to draw everyone’s attention.
“It’s that the demons will no longer be fooled.”
“…!”
People stared at Hamel in surprise.
Especially Aznos, visibly shaken, who stammered, “W-why is that?”
“The cat god is dead. Its power is probably waning.”
At Hamel’s words, the group released a single, collective sigh.
The scene they’d witnessed earlier in front of the cave—demons hesitating to turn away—had been convincing.
Weren’t there even some who, after seeing the monster’s shape, actually moved toward the cave?
“Do not underestimate the demons.”
Humans fled at the sight of the monster, but the demons did not.
One day, two days, three days.
Like scouts, the demons prowled, gathering information quietly.
“…T-then what should we do?”
Confusion spread across Aznos and the others’ faces.
At that moment, an answer came from a completely unexpected place.
“Leave.”
The old man who had been listening spoke calmly.
“What? But you elders…”
“We’ll manage. Now that we know the cat has passed, if others agree, leaving the village is an option.”
“…”
Aznos shut his mouth with a dark expression.
It was a lie.
The elders would not leave the village.
Even if they truly tried, they’d be caught by the demons before they got far. Many of the elders here could hardly move.
Worry hardened Aznos’ face, and he forced himself to speak.
“W-we could buy at least one more day…”
“That’s impossible.”
Hamel cut him off, speaking firmly.
A heavy silence settled.
Breaking it, Hamel continued, “But if we help, it’s possible.”
“…!”
Aznos’ face brightened at once.
The old man, however, shook his head.
“Do not overdo it. Didn’t you see how many demons there were earlier?”
“It’s not really overreaching.”
“…?”
The old man sensed something odd about Hamel’s quick reply.
Not only that.
‘Why…’
When Hamel declared he would fight the demons, the others showed no surprise.
No, they merely nodded as if to say, “Of course.”
Hamel addressed the old man. “I am late with introductions. I am an Exorcist priest from the imperial order. Hamel Saint Gilmore.”
“…Exorcist priest!”
The old man gasped.
Even in the western regions where the order’s influence ran thin, rumors about Exorcist priests traveled. Tales of those who faced demons were popular everywhere.
“I have a plan. With this method, you’ll be able to remain in the village going forward.”
“How on earth…”
He wasn’t merely saying he’d defeat the demons—he claimed the villagers could continue living here.
“If the traveling troupe helps, that is.”
“Huh? M-me, you mean us?”
The troupe blinked, baffled.
The old man couldn’t read Hamel’s intentions, but Hamel’s words carried weight.
A weight that suggested this man would keep his promise.
Just as a fragile hope began to rise.
“I object.”
“…?”
A man who had been listening silently from the back spoke up.
“…”
Leo Benedictus, leader of the purification garden, smiled faintly and continued, “I agree with the proposal to rid the demons… but I cannot agree to the punishment for that troupe.”
“P-punishment?”
Aznos asked, his face going pale.
Leo Benedictus replied flatly, “Regardless of reason, they imitated demons and served heresy.”
“But wasn’t that to protect the village?”
“No. From the start you can’t allow a heretical village like this to continue.”
“Watch your words. Unless it’s an evil god, you can’t punish someone just for following a different religion.”
Hamel shot back, and Leo shook his head.
“You won’t punish them, of course. That’s not the role of an Exorcist priest. Our Inquisition operates differently.”
Leo Benedictus smiled and rested his hand on the dagger at his belt.
At that moment.
“If you draw it, I’ll cut.”
Without hesitation, Hamel drew his sword and pointed it at Leo Benedictus as he spoke.
Leo froze his hand.
“You were the ones who asked for help. As long as you accompany me, follow my principles, not the Inquisition’s rules.”
“…And if I refuse?”
“Then we have nothing more to do here. If you don’t yield now, blood will be spilled.”
“…”
After a brief, awkward silence—
Pat.
Leo raised both hands, then grinned. “Very well. I will follow Hamel’s instructions.”
“Yes. Good.”
Hamel sheathed his sword with a short reply.
As the tension finally eased, everyone relaxed.
In that calmer air, Hamel turned to the trembling troupe. “There is something you must prepare.”
The next night.
“Geuruk.”
The demons appeared as always, one by one, and began approaching the village with cautious steps.
Then, in the stillness of the forest—
Kiiiiiik.
A piercing cry split the night as the giant shape of a monster emerged from the cave.
Thud!
A roar that made eardrums ache rolled out.
But the demon pack that had fled in alarm before did not flinch this time.
“…Geuruk.”
One of the demons, testing the waters, let out a throat-tearing cry.
The others answered in kind.
“Geuruk.”
“Gererreuk!”
As if they’d expected it, they laughed in their throats and shook their necks while crying.
Realizing they’d been tricked until now, the demons surged forward.
Thud thud kururuk thud.
The closer they got to the cave, the more furious the pounding grew, but the demons no longer hesitated.
Then one demon stepped into the cave.
Fwoosh.
Blue flames burst from within.
“Geuruk?”
For a moment the demons froze, bewildered.
Moments later, a charred demon corpse lay smoking before them.
“…Gerererreuk!”
One demon screamed like one seized by fits.
That scream was the signal; others flinched and tried to flee.
But—
Crack.
Those fleeing were crushed or burst apart as if under some crushing weight.
Blue flames swept from the cave again, cutting through the ranks.
In the blink of an eye, the demons were nearly annihilated. Only a handful staggered away and managed to escape.
“…”
After a short silence.
“Wow!”
A carefree child leaped from the bushes and cried in admiration.
No adult scolded him.
“…It really was here.”
Even the adults rose, spellbound, watching the being that had slain the demons.
They were all village residents.
Earlier that morning, when they fled from the cave monster, a man from a strange traveler’s party had found them, offered food, and asked about the village.
The man who called himself Ono had sounded annoyed when he spoke.
‘Your guardian has returned. The village will be safe from now on.’
‘Yes? What do you mean?’
‘If you don’t believe me, go see for yourself. Come to the cave tonight and see.’
‘How can we trust you and return…’
‘Your parents are waiting in the cave. The choice is yours.’
The young people who had left the village pondered and then turned back.
And now—
Hwaak.
On the cave wall, the image of the monster that had slain the demons shimmered.
The terrifying creature had sharp teeth, pointed ears, and three swaying tails.
Just as the elders had said.
The three-tailed cat.
The guardian that protected the village.
“Ah, the three-tailed cat!”
Elders who had stayed behind wept at the sight.
The village chief watched silently.
‘It’s true.’
The old man’s eyes trembled with joy.
Everything had unfolded exactly as the Exorcist priest had promised.
With the three-tailed cat’s return, the village felt whole again.
“We should at least thank the cat…”
Just as one old man stepped toward the cave, the chief urged him back.
“Stop. The cat must be tired from fighting the demons.”
“Ah, yes.”
“I’ll go as a representative.”
The chief scanned the villagers’ faces as he spoke.
No one doubted him; after all, he had met the cat and announced its return.
When the chief returned from the cave.
“Nyaang.”
A small kitten pawed at a lantern’s light. Two strands of decorative fur swayed on its tail.
The chief breathed in awe. “It’s settled. The villagers all believe the three-tailed cat has returned.”
“That’s good. You may now extinguish the lanterns.”
“Yes, sir.”
Aznos, who had been holding the lantern while following the kitten, snuffed out the flame.
His troupe members, tense until then, relaxed and set down their instruments.
“Phew.”
“…This really works.”
Lena murmured in astonishment; the others reacted similarly.
Only Hamel nodded as if it were only natural.
“From the start, both the demons and the villagers were fooled by your traveling troupe’s performance.”
The demons had remained suspicious, but they had been deceived up until now.
It took little to convince them of a three-tailed cat’s existence.
Hamel’s Azure Flame masqueraded as the cat’s power, and Lena’s magic completed the illusion.
“Some got away—will that be all right?”
Hamel answered the village chief’s worried question. “That’s intentional.”
Letting some escape would spread word among other demons about this place’s protector.
The escaped demons would carry the rumor.
The villagers regained the faith they had been losing, and the demons gained fear.
The village would enjoy peace for a while.
And above all—
‘Is it not yet?’
If Hamel’s expectations were correct, surely…
“Eh?!”
Aznos, feeling the kitten rub against his foot, froze.
The kitten’s tail had once been a single strand.
Now it had grown—no less than three tails.
“Could it be…”
The old man’s voice trembled noticeably.
“It’s done.”
Hamel looked at the kitten and let out a short sigh of relief.
The kitten had truly become a three-tailed cat.
A child descended from the three-tailed cat once worshiped as a god.
It was, in a way, a sacred creature.
And now, with the villagers’ faith swelling.
Hamel believed the kitten could ascend to divinity.
This result came from knowledge he’d gained through encounters with many old gods.
“It’s still young, but it possesses divinity.”
“…Ah.”
“Now those sordid demons won’t dare come near the village.”
The old man wept at Hamel’s words, as if nothing could bring greater joy.
“How can we ever repay this favor…”
“Enough. That sound is repayment enough.”
Voices of excitement and joy rose outside the cave.
Laughter, long absent from the village, filled the night.
“Nyaang.”
When the kitten mewed happily, a few onlookers chuckled quietly.
Laughter in the cave did not cease for a long while.
