The Return of the Iron-blood Sword Hound

Chapter 266: Seasonal Discount on Sin (3)

A quiet weekend morning.

Vikir ventured out into the streets. The midday streets were bustling with people. On the café terraces, ladies of the court or professionals meeting for business chatted away, while young folks walked, laughing and joking with clenched fists.

Beautiful women and handsome men hurriedly walked by, and as they passed, the gazes around briefly followed before turning back ahead. The air was filled with the scent of flowers from the flower shop and the sweet and savory smell of eggbread from a nearby bakery.

At the busy front railway station, where a carriage loudly conveyed urgent news, the sound of hammers announcing expansion construction echoed loudly.

“…”

Suddenly, Vikir stopped at the outskirts of the street. A narrow alley between red-brick buildings. At the narrow entrance, ropes marked with the insignia of the royal guards indicated restricted access.

This was the location where Vikir had carried out the assassination just a few hours ago. Two changes were noticeable. Firstly, the body had been removed, and only white lines marked the spot on the ground. Secondly, deep indentations were present on the ground.

“…”

Vikir examined the traces left on the ground from a distance. It was as if a snake had passed by. Something that was undoubtedly not there when Vikir carried out the assassination.

The crowd gathered, murmuring about the bloodstains on the walls and ground.

“Somebody died there overnight.”

“He was poisoned to death after being horrifically tortured.”

“It’s terrifying. Could this be the work of Night Hound again?”

“No, the culprit this time is that woman, Miss Ouroboros.”

“What? Another villain besides the Night Hound?”

“Come on, catch up with the news, buddy.”

Vikir quietly listened to the surrounding conversations mixed in with the crowd. Since he left no clues, there was nothing to worry about. He moved through a complicated route and even transformed into a dog at times, making it impossible for humans to trace him.

However, the fact that Miss Ouroboros had arrived at the scene after he left was a bit surprising.

“…Strange woman.”

Vikir heightened his vigilance towards Miss Ouroboros. She had transcended the realm of mere imitations. A terrorist with unknown motives, seemingly chasing the Night Hound, required careful attention.

…But today’s outing wasn’t about Miss Ouroboros. Vikir pressed down his brimmed hat and moved away from the crowd towards the city center.

“…So many people.”

Arriving at the bustling heart of the Venetior, Vikir marveled at the busy square. The crowd was so dense that it felt like observing a tightly packed bean sprout dish.

“No one would notice if I blend in.”

Indeed, the saying about hiding a tree in a forest seemed fitting, Vikir thought.

Blending with the flow of the crowd, Vikir naturally moved forward. Soon, the emblem of the Saints announcing the headquarters of the Quovadis Clan, the ‘White Shield,’ came into view.

In front of the temple entrance, numerous people were standing in line. A priest in white robes stood on a pedestal, passionately preaching.

“Repent now! Special discount today only! A golden opportunity to absolve your sins at half the price! Come on, this chance doesn’t come every day! Today, it’s 50% off for minor sins! And we offer a 30% discount for moderate sins! For real serious crimes, please consult with the bishop. Come on, it’s indulgence! Only today, a special sale! Purchase now and enjoy tax benefits too! This promotion may not happen again anytime soon, starting tomorrow!”

The hawking of indulgences by the priest blended with the sales pitches of cotton candy vendors, roasted corn sellers, and bubble toy vendors.

People exiting the temple had bright smiles and walked away with lively steps.

All of them were individuals who had purchased indulgences.

Vikir overheard a conversation between a couple.

“Ah, buying the indulgence this time makes me feel relieved. I’ve been tormented with guilt for so long.”

“Oh, because of that incident where you accidentally hit a child while driving the carriage after drinking?”

“Yeah, because of that. I couldn’t sleep properly all this time, but I came to repent after hearing about the big discount on indulgences.”

“But didn’t the child die? Did you apologize and compensate the grieving family?”

“No? I didn’t. I bought the indulgence, and since it was quite expensive, it should be fine, right?”

“Well, whatever. It’s done then. Anyway, you insist you’re a genuinely good person.”

Vikir turned his head to glance at the couple for a moment.

“No scent of the demons from them.”

Surprisingly, they were not individuals who had made contracts with demons. However, similar kinds of people overflowed in this Venetior.

Even in just this branch of Quovadis, numerous people were lined up to buy indulgences, and on the opposite side, those who had bought indulgences were streaming out. It was dizzying to think that these people had committed sins and those had received forgiveness.

“How nasty.”

Vikir raised his head along with the sighs often uttered by elderly people.

Despite doing his best to prevent the impending era of destruction, today the burden of that task felt even heavier.

Eventually, Vikir joined the long line and after a considerable wait, he entered the temple.

Passing through the massive white pillars so clean they seemed to have no price tag, Vikir encountered young priests with welcoming appearances.

“Hello. What sins have you committed? Do you need a specific indulgence?” One of the young priests approached Vikir, seemingly not with much experience.

The priest stuck close to Vikir, explaining various things without being asked.

“We have indulgences available for minor sins, and of course, we also offer indulgences for moderate sins. There’s even a special indulgence for extreme crimes worthy of capital punishment, but… our esteemed customer, I mean, believer, you seem young, and committing such heinous crimes is unlikely, right? Would you be interested in the indulgence for minor sins?”

As the priest, who was pondering a tailored indulgence quote, was about to speak, Vikir casually asked, “If one can repent for past sins, is it possible to repent in advance for sins one might commit in the future?”

In response, the priest grinned as if to say, “Of course.”

“If you purchase indulgences in advance, anything is possible. What kind of sin are you planning to commit?”

“…A truly colossal crime,” Vikir replied.

The expression on the priest’s face stiffened. How would the priest react to someone announcing a massive crime they planned to commit in the future?

After a while, the priest, with a solemn expression, spoke in a serious tone, “Uh, well, if it’s an extreme crime, the cost of the indulgence might be extraordinarily high. Are you okay with that? If you have the financial means, I can arrange a meeting with the bishop. Oh, first, would you like to go to the VVIP exclusive chapel over there, have a cup of tea, and wait?”

Instead of dissuading someone who forewarned committing a crime, the priest was preparing a quote, even suggesting it like a promotional offer.

When Vikir chuckled, the priest cautiously asked again, “…But seriously, how heavy is the sin for which you seek such an expensive indulgence?”

Vikir replied, “I’m considering killing a pig from the neighbor’s house.”

Instantly, the priest seemed to have misunderstood, raising an eyebrow. “Killing a pig… that’s considered an extreme crime?”

“Yes. Even a pig has a life. Taking any life is a sin, isn’t it?”

The priest sighed deeply. He glanced at the long line of people behind him, then turned back to Vikir.

“Hey.”

His words were now concise.

“Just go. Okay?”

Despite that, Vikir stood there, seemingly unyielding. The priest then nonchalantly tore a piece of indulgence paper, stamped it with his seal, and handed it to Vikir.

“There. It’s commendable to come this far just for the life of a pig.”

“…Thank you.”

“Yeah. Just don’t commit sins next time. Live a good life.”

The priest took a deep breath, casually handed the crumpled indulgence paper to Vikir, and said, “Go on. Next time, don’t do anything sinful. Live virtuously.”

Vikir lifted his head and said, “Money…”

“Tsk, forget it, pal.”

The priest clicked his tongue and suddenly reached into Vikir’s pocket without warning. After a moment of rustling, he pulled out a handful of jingling coins, among which was a gold coin containing a trace amount of gold.

It was 1 gold coin.

The priest draped it around his neck and let it slide into the donation box he carried.

*Clang*

“There, you’ve repented!”

The priest’s usual catchphrase echoed with a solemn tone.

And that was the end of it.

* * *

Vikir exited the temple, holding a small indulgence paper in his hand.

[Indulgence]

‘May all sins of this devout believer be forgiven.’

– Issued and guaranteed by the Old testament faction; forging may result in punishment –

“…Is it really like this?”

Vikir had gathered the information he saw, heard, and sensed when he entered the temple. The subtle but unmistakable demonic aura that lingered inside and the faint but distinct scent.

[…I can definitely sense the aura of the Sixth Corpse. It’s still faint, but it’s there.]

Decarabia, hanging on Vikir’s chest, chimed in with a non-existent nose, echoing the same sentiment.

Vikir followed the putrid smell emanating from the ‘sixth corpse’ and returned to the main road.

“It might not be inside the temple, but it’s undoubtedly related. Somewhere around here.”

As Vikir was about to leave the temple behind and head back to the academy, he suddenly froze.

“…!”

In an instant, a familiar face caught his eye.

‘…’

Quickly adjusting his brimmed hat, Vikir pressed himself against a pillar.

Although she had her hood pulled down, Vikir, with his keen eyes, could recognize her.

Dolores.

She was surveying her surroundings with suspicious movements, cautiously making her way into the temple.

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