## Chapter 1016 – The Aristocrat Kim Katte

“Yes. I can feel it too.”

Hilde said, lowering her voice.

Ari gave additional explanation, saying they were about 1 kilometer away. If we moved carefully from here, we could discover them before they discovered us.

Honestly, even I, who had reached the level of a superhuman, wasn’t sure, but as expected of an Alraune and a Succubus. Even with expanded senses, I couldn’t tell if there were humans nearby. I could sense if someone was trying to attack me, though.

A different species from humans.

Their abilities were clearly different.

“Cloudy. Can you feel anything?”
“Hmm? This place is completely a jungle, so I can’t feel anything at all.”
“Yeah.”

Anyway, we discreetly sent the Dryads away, hid the wagon, and then headed in that direction. Ari guided us, so it was incredibly convenient.

It was when we got quite close.

From the lowlands, we began to see structures built by humans. We immediately hid ourselves among the dense bushes and vines to observe.

“…”

It was a fairly well-decorated village.

I had been expecting a jungle tribe village deep in the jungle, but the wooden buildings were quite neat, and people in proper work clothes were moving around.

The palisade was excellent too.

It was a proper village built for habitation.

We had arrived here after diligently moving for a day and a half, `exactly` in the right direction. We had found it by moving straight ahead very quickly.

For a chasing party that doesn’t know the direction to find a place like this? It would be very difficult. It’s normal not to find it. Even the Order’s chasing party would have a hard time.

But they were living by building such a proper village. Of course, there are people who live in the jungle, but are those who do this kind of thing ordinary people?

I don’t think so.

Only those with specialized knowledge of this jungle and those who can withstand the various threats scattered throughout the jungle can build a village and live here.

“Father? Shall we subdue them all at once with vines? Binding their bodies should be easy.”
“Oh.”

That would be very convenient.

“Really. Our Ari is so capable.”
“It’s possible because it’s in these mountains.”

To subdue dozens of people with vines at once. It wouldn’t be impossible. I had seen something similar when fighting the Otherworld Lord. Moreover, it’s all green here. It would be possible.

“Still, let’s wait. We need to find out if they are heretics or just residents of an isolated village.”

If they are heretics, we can show Ari’s power.

Because they are beings we will kill anyway.

But if they are a village of professional hunters or hermits, we must never expose Ari’s power.

It’s absurd to kill innocent people. Showing Ari’s power to such people will never bring good results. So, we must first find out who they are and then act.

Because there’s always a chance.
We should find out and then act.

“No, Katte. I’m sure.”
“Hmm? Hilde?”
“I can feel a power like divine power. Those Cabalstro brothers? They receive power by worshiping evil gods, right? Then wouldn’t it be certain?”

Ah.

“That’s right.”

That’s right.

They were said to have divine power, so if Hilde felt it, it was certain. Even if it’s an evil god, they can still grant divine power.

Still, it’s better to be careful.

“Still, there’s a chance they might be a priestly group living in the backwoods. Let’s investigate once and then act.”
“That might be the case. If we’re being cautious, there’s no harm in considering that too. Let’s do that.”
“Right?”

I had already memorized the heretics’ symbol itself. If we find such items by searching the village or the people, the chances of them being heretics will increase.

We should try to find evidence and then act.

“Ari. Not just the village. There are guys outside the village too, right?”
“Yes. There are. I think they’re probably hunting or scouting.”
“Good. Then when I signal, capture all of them.”
“I will.”

Anyway, let’s assume these guys are heretics.

They know this jungle very well.

So, this wouldn’t be the only village, and they would definitely have their own secret places or escape routes.

Above all, they have been continuing their lineage while avoiding the Order’s pursuit for over a hundred years, so they must have such abilities. They probably use these jungle villages as bases to hide from pursuit, escape, move across the mountains to other places, recover from damage, and increase their power.

So, we must not miss them.

We must capture and kill them all and extract information.

It’s so good that there are no paladins around.

“Wait here for now. When I shout loudly, use your vines to subdue all the humans in the area. Can you do that with the Dryads too?”
“I think the three of us can do it without any problems.”
“Very good.”

Three of them can do it without any problems.

“Cloudy. They said there are skilled people like paladins, so if there are such guys, they can quickly destroy the Dryads or vines and escape, right? If such guys escape, can you track them down and catch them?”
“Yeah. If Ari specifies the location, it’s an easy task. I’ll do as Katte says.”
“Good.”

We divided the roles and began to camouflage ourselves.

“But the village’s defenses are quite strict.”
“Katte. Then it would be good to catch the guy who went outside the village first and interrogate him.”
“That’s a good idea too. Let’s do that. Ari. Please guide me.”
“Um… I’ll have a Dryad guide you. I need to concentrate a bit…”

She would need to concentrate to cast a wide-area binding spell.

“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”

After waiting for a moment, a Dryad arrived, and I followed her. The moment I decide they are heretics, I will signal, and Ari will cast a wide-area binding spell. Cloudy will stop the guys who break free and run away, and if Hilde assists, it will be perfect.

Then we will slaughter all the guys in the village, select the useful ones, and interrogate them to solve the case.

“…”

The Dryad didn’t speak, but she moved while maintaining perfect camouflage. I silently followed her.

ㅡ…

Before long, the Dryad stopped. Then she lowered her posture and pointed her finger to indicate the direction.

“Hehehe, we caught a big one.”
“It is the sacred nourishment given to us by our god.”
“Indeed. Absolutely.”

These guys, who were moderately armed, were moving through the vines and bushes. It seemed they had hunted a boar-like monster, as one of them was carrying it on his back.

An ordinary person couldn’t possibly move so comfortably with a monster of that size on their back, so they must be using divine power.

But nourishment given by God?
Suspicious.

They seemed to be returning to the village, so I stopped tracking them and immediately kicked off the ground.

ㅡKooong!

The place I landed was in front of them.

“…!”
“…!”

As soon as I appeared, they quickly dropped their prey, drew their swords, and took a fighting stance, advancing three steps towards me.

This is the reaction of a skilled warrior.

A very skilled warrior at that.

ㅡ…

I could feel a murderous aura that made my skin tingle. These guys’ level of vigilance is considerable. And the movement of drawing their swords, the posture of aiming their swords. They are quite skilled.

Of course, they are no match for me.

“…Who are you?”
“To suddenly appear like this, you don’t seem like an ordinary person.”

They said that with a fairly normal reaction.

“Nice to meet you.”

I’ll go with the direct approach here.

“I am a paladin from the Bronze Celestial Order. I am also a Baron of the Kingdom, and I am here to legitimately exercise the heretic investigation rights that the royal family formally transferred to the Pope and Saintess of the Bronze Celestial Order. I ask for your cooperation, even if it’s surprising. I heard that heretics escaped into this jungle.”

I recited a perfectly legitimate speech while raising both hands.

No matter how you look at it, these guys are heretics, but there’s a chance that coincidences are making them look that way, so I must find legitimate evidence. Anyway, it’s something that can be quickly revealed with a little cooperation. I should try to investigate in a good way if possible.

“…What? A paladin?”

In that moment.

I caught them exchanging glances briefly.

“Baron of the Kingdom? Isn’t that too absurd? To suddenly appear and say such things…”
“Isn’t he just a con artist? Brother. Should we just cut him down?”
“Calm down. Would that be right? It’s right to find out the situation and then act.”
“Still, I think it would be enough with just you and me, brother.”
“You know that the warriors of the Royal Church are strong, brother. If he mentioned that name, we need to be careful.”
“You’re always like that, brother.”

The conversation itself wasn’t very suspicious. They are people living in the jungle. This level of vigilance is natural. I took out the documents and seals I had prepared in advance from my pocket and showed them.

“Here, this is the proof. Please trust me for now? I’m exercising legitimate investigation rights, so just disarm temporarily. It will be over soon, so don’t worry.”

ㅡ…

A moment of silence.

“…What makes you think we’ll disarm? Is this guy crazy?”

The one who spoke first was the younger guy.
He’s rude, like a young guy.

“You’re not normal. How do we know you’re not trying to disarm us with lies? You might attack the moment we drop our swords.”

In contrast, the guy who looked a little older answered properly.

“If that were the case, we would have just ambushed you. Why would we bother showing ourselves, spout such nonsense, and try to induce you to disarm? Especially against such cautious people?”
“That’s.”
“We didn’t ambush you, and we legitimately showed ourselves and informed you of the situation. Doesn’t that give you some trust? I’ve revealed my intentions, so please reveal yours. I’ll say in advance that this is not coercion. It’s a legitimate investigation.”
“…”

The middle-aged man seemed cautious.

As I waited for an answer, the young guy shouted.

“Ah, damn it! How can we trust that, you con artist! Do you think we’ll believe that kind of thing in a jungle where you die if you’re careless! Would you believe it if you were us!”
“Brother. Calm down.”
“No, brother. This guy keeps saying ridiculous things! Mister! If you were a mister, would you believe it if someone suddenly appeared and said they were going to investigate and told you to drop your weapons! Would you believe it!”

He shouted very boldly.

Well, yeah.

He has a point.

“Hehehe, I’d have a hard time believing it too. It’s a bit much, even I think so. A noble paladin suddenly appearing in the jungle, using the excuse of heretics to investigate? Who would believe that?”
“He knows it too! Then get lost!!!”
“Ah. But I have to investigate this. Heretics escaped here. You guys were the ones who were found. People of the Kingdom are dying, so we must catch them.”
“Heretics my ass!”
“Do you perhaps have something to hide?”
“It’s not about having something to hide, anyone would react like me if you came at them like that, you con artist! Get lost while I’m being nice! That kind of trick won’t work on us! If you want to investigate, come with the village chief down there!”

The village chief?

Do they have a connection with him?
Or are they just saying it?

“Hey, aren’t you being too harsh?”
“Why do you keep smiling? Do you think it’s funny that we’re being cautious?”

But does this guy not know he’s about to die?
Or is he deliberately provoking me to kill him to eliminate information?

Anyway, it seems like talking won’t work.

In fact, talking has never worked even once.

This is enough.
I can start enforcing it by force.

“Calm down, brother!”

At that moment, the middle-aged man shouted at the young guy.

“Brother! Are you going to keep listening to that guy!”
“Why do you keep picking fights, brother! That’s your weakness, as… that person said!”
“There’s no one without weaknesses! It’s just my personality! You’re too soft! Look! What if that guy calls his companions while we’re wasting time like this? We’ll all die, why don’t you understand that! Don’t talk to strangers! Do you know who they are! It’s bad luck!!”
“This guy…! Be quiet! Haven’t you been taught not to do that!”
“Ah, damn it, do whatever you want! You’re always nagging me!”

Now they’re fighting each other.