## Chapter 970 – The Sea

The last incident made me realize my helplessness.

What the hell is a Sea Fiend…!

No matter how strong I become, there’s nothing I can do as long as those bastards are messing around in the sea! Unless I have modern battleships or submarines, there’s no way to strike the merfolk’s base.

Even if I raid the assembly with the paladins and arrest them, I can’t control the concept of the sea faith that’s already spread throughout the coastal cities.

I’ve only caught the tail.

I’ve figured out the merfolk’s conspiracy, but I have no way to stop it. It’s the same as knowing that demons are invading from Pandemonium, but we can’t march there and wipe them out.

“Inhuman rage!!!!”

While doing a windmill spinning ten times per second, I seriously think about this situation. No kidding, the merfolk were preparing to invade to get a piece of the pie. Those merfolk bastards think it’s okay to just kill humans, but what if they join hands with demons?

It’ll become very dangerous.

The more I think about it, the more these thoughts come to mind.

You might say it’s unnecessary worry, but if those bastards all invade and the world goes to hell, it’ll eventually affect me.

ㅡWhoosh!

Still doing the windmill, I spring off my back and jump high, then land using only the index finger of my right hand. Power overflowing from my body. This level of skill is very simple. In that handstand position, I sprint using only the index finger of my right hand.

ㅡWhoosh!
ㅡWhoosh!
ㅡWhoosh!

“Kieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek!!!!”

Like a one-legged ghost, I push my body with my finger and shoot my body forward. Then land again with my finger. Repeating the motion, I run and think.

My strength plays in tons.

Even with this kind of power, can’t I even look at the sea?

The great swordsman Moses split the sea with one sword and made the beings of the deep kneel. With that, he gained the absolute right to cross the sea. Moses was able to exert that kind of power even outside his territory, the land.

In other words, to deal with the merfolk, I have to do at least that much.

ㅡLiterally a mythical figure.

I have to become a mythical figure to conquer that sea. So, what should I do?

“Become a mythical figure.”

I’ve been too complacent lately, just working.

I’ve neglected the extreme training to gain greater power. At least, I have to become as strong as Liztina. That’s how I can surpass Karin.

I’m so pathetic, helpless before the sea…!

So, I’ll put down the title of Sea Fiend for a while.

“Ugh…!”

That makes me very angry.

While doing the finger sprint of rage, I flick my arm and shoot my body into the air, rotate, and stick to the wall of the lodging like a gecko. Moving my body made me feel better, but it’s a shame that there’s nothing to do right now.

With that feeling, I landed on the ground and entered the lodging through the front door with dignity.

I almost went in through the window.
I’m not a thief.

“Katt?”

When I returned to my room, Cloudie saw my face and came to me.

“Katt… don’t blame yourself too much. The sea isn’t Katt’s stage. Humans can’t breathe underwater, right? This is a different kind of thing.”
“Ah.”

She must want to comfort me, she comes and touches my face. She already knew my feelings.

“Katt is good at things on land, so that’s enough. Just focus on that. You don’t need to worry too much about this.”
“That’s true, but. No. You’re right.”

Cloudie is right.

For now, I just need to think about getting stronger rather than worrying about the sea. I have that freedom. Unlike the black people who were confined to cursed sugarcane fields and forced to do murderous labor until they died, I have the freedom they longed for.

The freedom I enjoy today.

Is the freedom that the black people who were sacrificed to imperialism and died horribly so desperately wanted.

With that kind of freedom, I’m complaining like this?

The black people who died didn’t even have time to complain like this, they were tortured and labored…! I already have what they longed for! I’ve always been determined to fight for the black people, and I’m making such weak noises!!!

ㅡI can’t forgive such a useless person.

Flames ignite in my heart.

The merfolk’s atrocities have made me a slightly stronger person. Good. From today, I will become a man who will make even the sea kneel.

“Thanks for the comfort. Cloudie is right. Right now, I just need to think about myself.”

I put that energy into grabbing Cloudie’s shoulders.

“Hehe, have you already cheered up? You were gloomy until you went out a while ago.”
“It’s all thanks to Cloudie’s comfort. I won’t forget today’s feelings and turn them into my power…!”
“Yeah… that’s what you should do.”
“Alright!!!”

Let’s do what I can do now.

* * *

That’s how the time in the sea passed.

While I was attending the assembly and gathering information, Liztina, who had successfully negotiated with the lord, brought a bag full of money and made us happy.

She received the price for killing the Sea God and protecting the city, and the price for using the Sea God’s corpse as much as possible. However, in the latter case, after deducting all the labor costs for disposing of the corpse, we agreed to split the net profit in half.

Selling the corpse is also work.
It seems like she negotiated well.

“Hehe, I came to play and made a lot of money. I almost wish more Sea Gods would appear?”

I hugged Liz-nun’s calf and rubbed my face against it, praising her. Yes, there are good things like this.

Anyway, that’s how we were spending our time peacefully.

One day, a soldier came to me.

“Paladin! The paladins have arrived!”
“Oh, they’ve finally come. Thank you for letting me know!”

The paladins have finally come.
Now I can finish work and go back.

“It’s nothing!”
“Can you guide me right away?”
“Of course!”

So, I immediately headed to the barracks following the soldier’s guidance. It seems they’re waiting here.

When I entered, three paladins and four priests stood up from their seats. Seven people came to support? That’s enough.

“Welcome, paladins!!”
“Welcome, Paladin. We have come in response to your call.”
“Thank you!”

I greeted them happily.

“As I’ve already introduced myself, I’m Kim Katt, a paladin directly under the Saintess.”
“I’m Myles from the Canchester branch. I’m the representative of these people.”
“Oh!”

Looking at them, they were all fairly young paladins. They felt like young men just before becoming middle-aged men.

“Anyway. You’ve come a long way, would you like to have a meal first? I’ll treat you!”
“It’s alright. There’s no need for that, let’s start with the story about those heretics…”

They’re already full of thoughts of working.

I put the documents I had already brought on the table and sat down.

“Then let’s talk about work. This is a very serious matter.”

When I set the mood appropriately, they sat down and focused on me. I told them what I had found out. That the merfolk are very dangerous and that they are spreading their faith to the sailors.

“Hmm… such a thing… it’s a very terrible thing. You’ve done a very good job investigating. Thank you.”
“It’s my duty.”

The other paladins and priests looked through the documents and muttered seriously.

“This has enough heretical potential. As the Paladin already knows, according to the doctrines of our Bronze Celestial Angels, if a race hostile to humans, such as the merfolk, is spreading their religion, that alone is grounds for summary judgment.”
“That’s right.”

I didn’t know that.

“Similarly, it is strictly forbidden for elves to proselytize the World Tree faith. It seems similar to that.”
“That’s right, Paladin. We have to catch all those guys.”

He smiled satisfactorily at my words.

“But it is not stated that you have seen them transform into merfolk.”

Since attending the first assembly, I have continued to attend and watch the situation. The nuns and their guards entered the sea under the cover of darkness after the assembly. I’ve confirmed it, so it’s certain.

“I think we need to see it directly.”
“We have to. Would you like to go arrest them together?”
“Yes.”

He nodded and continued.

“But I think we need to consult with the lord here and investigate. The sea goddess Shamaelreina… I knew that there was a being called the sea goddess, but she is not on the church’s list of public enemies.”

I didn’t know that either.

“So, in order to investigate, we must be granted investigative rights from the lord here. We haven’t seen them transform into merfolk yet. According to the doctrine, if there is material evidence, the church will handle the investigation even without the lord’s permission, but if there isn’t, it’s an act of overreach. We must respect the authority of the nobles.”
“Wow. Yes. That’s right.”
“Still, unless it’s an investigation that needs to be kept secret from the lord, we have to consult with him about everything we do.”

There’s a normal paladin like this.

I thought he would be furious.

But in fact, this is probably a typical paladin. They go crazy when they see proper evil evidence in front of them, but in other situations, they are extremely rational and reasonable.

To summarize, if there is material evidence, or if the subject of the investigation is on the church’s list of public enemies, the church will resolve the issue even if they act without the permission of the lord who rules the territory.

But if there isn’t, it’s just an act of overreach.

I’ve done a lot of overreach myself, but I learned about it properly this time. Of course, even if there is material evidence, you should talk to the lord if possible.

“Then I’ll apply for an audience right away. Anyway, there will be some time until then, so I’d like to treat you to a meal.”
“Then I’d be happy to.”

They smiled at my words, and I gladly treated them to a meal. After all, they came right away at my request. I have to tell the Saintess about this properly.

On the way out, I told a soldier.

That the paladins had come. So they requested an audience with the lord with me. Tell the officer the contents of the message.

* * *

The lord already knew that the paladins were coming. Of course. I asked the officer directly to send a letter. The report went up.

Anyway, when I explained the situation to him, he readily acknowledged the investigation.

“To be honest, I’m a little uneasy. There was the Sea God incident, and there are rumors that there may be heretics… If possible, I would like to build a church here as well. I can’t live in peace.”

He subtly created an atmosphere asking to build a church.

“I understand. I will remember the lord’s will.”
“Can I expect good news?”
“This paladin is only conveying the will.”
“Hmm… well, that’s it. Here. It’s an investigation permit. You can freely arrest and interrogate anyone who has a reasonably convincing suspicion, and you can use the prison without limit. You can also give orders to some of the guards and soldiers.”
“Thank you.”

After receiving the investigation permit, I changed into shabby clothes with the paladin and patrolled the port city.

“This is the place.”
“There is an assembly scheduled for this weekend as well. Please infiltrate with me then. I’ve already attended three times.”
“I understand. I’ll leave that part to you. I’ll attend the assembly, look at the scene, and make a judgment.”
“Yes.”

First, we had the priests infiltrate around the tavern building, and the three of us, me and two paladins, decided to go in together. It was confirmed that they don’t strictly check the goddess statue needed to enter, so I decided to forge the paladins’ ones.

But I wonder if they’ll suddenly have a seizure at the assembly.

That’s a little worrying.

That’s how the day came, and we, disguised as sailors, headed to the assembly.