NOVEL NEXT Chapter 237: Epitaph Palazzo
New chapter of The Demon King is out! (2/2 chapters)
That day, I headed towards the burnt remains of the Witch’s Forest. In the burnt remains, houses turned into black charcoal mountains were still left abandoned. The bodies were buried, but the remnants were deliberately not cleared.
‘Coming here reminds me of the day they were burned. Is the last remaining Epitaph Palazzo really fortunate? He will live on. Even if he wants to die, he cannot take his own life. To die or to be alive in hell. There are various opinions on which is more fortunate.
If humans had no survival instinct and a painless method of dying was available, making death easier, I think more people would quit life. This world is not an easy place for everyone to live in. Why am I doing this without any remaining motivation? Maybe I’m just alive. Perhaps it’s because I have money, no reason to die, and nothing else enjoyable. Or maybe because I want to make my daughter’s life better. If I work hard, my daughter, whose name I haven’t even decided yet, won’t have to live a life crushed by heavy responsibilities like Simonei.’
I stared at the charred remains of the Witch’s house. I probably just wanted to fill the hole in my heart. After recalling the feeling of that day, I headed to the Marmaset’s mansion.
—
All of the Great Witch’s houses have a back entrance opposite the front entrance, which leads directly to the Witch’s Forest. Entering the Marmaset’s mansion directly from the back door, I was guided to the room of the prison cell. I entered the room.
Though it was on the ground floor, there was nothing but a toilet and a bed on the wooden floor. There was only one window, lower than knee level. The iron bars had no horizontal bars. Surprisingly, the upper part of the door, which would normally require horizontal bars, was made of thick boards. In other words, there was no place in the cell to hang a rope. With only one part made of boards, it must be intentional.
‘Even if you try to tear clothes to make a rope, you can’t hang yourself without a place to bear your weight.’
There was nowhere to hook a rope above knee height. On the other side of the iron bars, there was a large fireplace that shouldn’t have been in a prison. There was also a large window for ventilation. Measures were taken to ensure that health wouldn’t be compromised. In actual use, it seemed they put hostages kidnapped for business or insane relatives in here. It was perfect for housing crazy religious fanatics.“Hey.” (Yuri)
I sat on a luxurious chair in front of the iron bars. I had notified them of my visit in advance, so they must have brought it from another room.
“Did I mishear? A lowly demon speaks sacred words.” (Epitaph)
Epitaph Palazzo, though with a scraggly beard, still acted high and mighty. He was still wearing the dark purple military uniform he had on when captured. It was dusty and stained with blood, but he seemed particular about it. Alfred and others like him would normally have their clothes washed, and in some cases would even request new underwear.
“I am Yuri Hou. Does that sound familiar?” (Yuri)
I introduced myself.
“You… The embodiment of evil. Begone quickly.” (Epitaph)
He seemed to think I came to gloat, and he was not welcoming.
“I came to talk to you.” (Yuri)
“My ears are defiled.” (Epitaph)
Epitaph sat on his bed with his back against the wall and looked away.
“Haven’t you read the Book of Yore? God converses with the devil. Are you afraid your small faith will be threatened that your ears will be polluted?” (Yuri)
“What did you say–” (Epitaph_
When I provoked him, Epitaph easily took the bait.
“It seems you tortured us thoroughly in Vaticans. What reason did you have for doing that?” (Yuri)
“Heh, I was granting devil the grace of God.” (Epitaph)
“Hmm, being skinned alive and crushed from the feet is God’s grace. Well, fine, as long as you remember it.” (Yuri)
‘Humans are animals that seek to justify themselves. When people suffer what they once inflicted on others, they want to justify their actions by claiming there were special circumstances. I won’t allow that.’
“Do you intend to do the same to me? Go ahead. Martyrdom is my desire.” (Epitaph)
“I’m not going to do that. You’ll be returned unharmed.” (Yuri)
“Then, why have you come? I don’t like listening to demons. Get the hell out of here.” (Epitaph)
“I came to make it clear that you are a heretic.” (Yuri)
At my words, Epitaph’s face twisted.
“Fear God and hold your tongue, you demon. To think you would speak such words to me, the Grand Master of the Catholic Volunteering Knights.” (Epitaph)
“Arnola 23:3 ‘The Lord said: When you kill a living being, at least kill it mercifully. If you kill it cruelly, the sacredness of the deity will be defiled’.” (Yuri)
These words were spoken by Isus when he saw animals being slaughtered cruelly in a slaughterhouse.
“…Demons are not living beings. That is a completely a misguided citation.” (Epitaph)
“Corinthians 6:17 ‘Do not touch what is unclean. If you do not touch it, I will accept you’.” (Yuri)
“In a holy war, killing demons is permissible. That is obvious.” (Epitaph)
This was the infamous but not widely known demonic declaration by Pope Hannibal. Words spoken by the Pope using the power of infallibility were treated as unquestionable as those spoken by the Lord in the scriptures. The scriptural interpretation that the Shanti were demons was proclaimed by Pope Hannabal as an infallible declaration that could not be doubted. It also marked the convening of the First Crusade.
As a result, the Crusaders, who captured Shantinion, one of the largest cities in the world at the time, obtained immense wealth, and the legitimacy of the demonic declaration was never questioned. The Kalghi Sect, already at odds with the Papal faction, dismissed it as absurd, but it remains unretracted within the Catholic region. Claiming Shanti as demons was seen as an extremely biased interpretation, comparable to calling a bird as a horse, by scholars of Tott language. The Papal States prefer not to dwell on it.
So, even though it was an important declaration for learning history, it is being made to go as far as possible without being touched upon, like putting up a board across a river to divert the current.
“In your case, you killed for pleasure, not just in war. You willingly defiled yourself. Killing Shanti indiscriminately might be considered holy but torturing them to enjoy their screams is undeniably evil. It doesn’t align with the will of the Lord.” (Yuri)
“I acted according to my belief that demons should die in agony.” (Epitaph)
‘That’s often said. I know differently. I’ve heard it from Eisa-sensei and extracted it from captured Papal nobles.’
“That’s not it, is it? You were betrayed by a Shanti woman named Mina, right?” (Yuri)
“…!” (Epitaph)
Epitaph’s face changed color.
“You saw Mina, whom you treated like a sister, repeatedly stabbing your parents with a dagger. It drove you insane, didn’t it?” (Yuri)
“Stop it!!!” (Epitaph)
Epitaph suddenly screamed.
“Mina was raped by your father every night and even lent out to others. Your mother, who had a strong sense of chastity—” (Yuri)
“Don’t speak!!!” (Epitaph)
Epitaph stood up from the bed like a beast and slammed into the iron bars.
“Don’t speaakkkk!!!” (Epitaph)
He rattled the iron bars threateningly.
‘Well, since he is someone in such a high position, I guess people might have whispered about him behind his back, but he has never been pointed out directly like this. He has a short temper, liked to inflict brutal punishment, and is a relative of the Pope, so no one want to have him as their enemy.’
“What? You don’t want to hear it? It’s your own story from the past.” (Yuri)
“Don’t let a demon say that—! Father was a clean man—!” (Epitaph)
“Haha.” (Yuri)
I couldn’t help but laugh.
‘Is that how he sees it? As if that could be true.’
“Then, why did you buy Mina? It doesn’t add up.” (Yuri)
“Shut up!!!!” (Epitaph)
His long scream was meant to drown out my voice, but it wouldn’t last long. I waited for his scream to end and then continued.
“A party among clergy, where Shanti women are brought out… Haha, is it a gathering so pure they can call others demons?” (Yuri)
“Hah, hah, shut up, shut up!!!” (Epitaph)
“Your love for torture seems to come from your mother. Mina, forced into nightly debauchery and tortured during the day, would certainly lose her sanity.” (Yuri)
“Aaaaahhhhhhhhh!!!” (Epitaph)
‘He must really not want to hear this. Blocking his ears must feel like fleeing, which he can’t stand. Watching him, it’s clear he’s indeed unhinged.’
“Well, killing your sister was certainly extreme.” (Yuri)
At my words, Epitaph suddenly stopped speaking and knelt in front of the iron bars.
“It’s just a bonus. Don’t worry about it.” (Yuri)
‘Hmm.’
“Aaaahhhh!!!” (Epitaph)
Epitaph stood up again, grabbing the iron bars and shaking them violently.
“Aaaahhhh!!! I’ll kill you! I’ll kill you!!!” (Epitaph)
He tried to reach through the bars. It was futile.
“Is it painful?” (Yuri)
I didn’t enjoy this. However, I felt something being fulfilled. It was a familiar sensation, as if something was being thrown into the hole in my chest.
‘Perhaps his obsession with Shanti was similar. Unlike me, who found some relief by killing Witches and Carya, Mina simply plunged a dagger into her chest and ended her life. He had nothing to throw into his void, so he had no way of taking revenge. His vengeance turned towards Shanti as a whole.’
“You’re killing Shanti in place of Mina, aren’t you? It’s a childish substitute. No matter how many you kill, they aren’t Mina.” (Yuri)
“Hah, hah, shut up…” (Epitaph)
“And then, you plaster scriptures to justify yourself? ‘What I’m doing is right, in line with the Lord’s will’… How laughable.” (Yuri)
“Stop it… Please stop…” (Epitaph)
He started pleading. I stood up from my chair, approached Epitaph, and looked down at him.
“What you did is the same as your father’s vile orgies, too obscene to speak of. You were just satisfying your desires. There’s nothing holy or gracious about it. You are not a child of the Lord. You’re a filthy, failed child.” (Yuri)
“…” (Epitaph)
He said nothing.
‘Crumbled from such a minor mental attack, huh? Pathetic.’
“I have a grudge against you.” (Yuri)
When I said this, Epitaph, after about ten seconds, responded,
“A grudge…?” (Epitaph)
He could hear me.
“It’s because of your damn scheme, my wife and parents were killed. It’s truly unbearable. All three of them were people I loved dearly from the bottom of my heart.” (Yuri)
“It’s only fitting punishment… for demons.” (Epitaph)
‘The term “demon” likely holds a different meaning now.’
“It’s fine. No matter what you say. But if you also had your parents and sister killed, you’ll understand, right?” (Yuri)
“What this demon…” (Epitaph)
“You’ll understand, right?” (Yuri)
A smile naturally appeared. It was the first smile of the day. I stared straight into Epitaph’s eyes.
“You’re my Mina. The suffering I’ll inflict on you won’t end so easily. I’ll kill you before you die.” (Yuri)
Saying that, I left the reception cell.
—
Afterward, inside Marmaset’s mansion, I wrote a single passage.
I am the child born of the Cardinal who indulged in debauchery.
Inheriting my father’s nature, I engage in licentious deeds.
Inheriting my mother’s nature, I tear people apart and sip their blood.
All to pursue the shadow of a woman named Mina.
I am the Pope’s nephew.
From the depths of my heart, I seek gentle days with Mina.
I oppress the long-eared people, longing for the lost Mina.
For this, I deceive even myself, and spit on God.
Comforting my deranged heart is not God’s doing.
It is the agonizing voice of the torn long-eared people.
“How’s this?” (Yuri)
I handed it to the man who had been invited into the room.
“This should be manageable.” (??)
The man responded immediately. Before him was a chart of Telor letters printed and an open printed Holy Scriptures. He was a craftsman with a shop in Sibyaku and couldn’t read Telor language, so he judged only by the size of the text.
“Can I make it smaller?” (??
‘It would be a problem if they couldn’t read it.’
“Shan language feels different, so it’s hard to say…” (??)
‘Well, that makes sense.’
“If possible, I’d like it to be easily readable at a glance. If we were standing face to face like this, it should be large enough that we could read it normally.” (Yuri)
“I think that’s doable. Based on experience, this length of line should be fine.” (??)
“Alright.” (Yuri)
‘If that’s possible, then it’s good. I’ve never seen a person with writing on their face, so I was worried.’
“Well, I will copy it onto a piece of paper the size of a human’s forehead and both cheeks and deliver it to the royal castle today. Please stick that paper on someone and check it. If you give permission, we will proceed with it.” (??)
“Oh, that would be good. Let’s do that.” (Yuri)
‘If that’s the case, there won’t be any mistakes.’
“Well then.” (Yuri)
The tattoo artist folded his bag and started to leave.
“Sorry, could I ask one more thing?” (Yuri)
“Yes, what is it?” (??)
“How long does a tattoo take?” (Yuri)
‘I’m not familiar with tattoos, I haven’t had any experience with them in my life.’
“If I’m also going to have something on the chest, it will take about six hours a day, and about three days.”
‘It’s surprisingly fast, perhaps because it’s only characters.’
“Does the color fade?” (Yuri)
“If it’s black characters, they won’t fade. Until death.” (??)
“I see.” (Yuri)
“Unless you peel off the skin.” (??)
The tattoo artist grinned. He was also someone who had lost loved ones to the Kuran.