Chapter 52

We were walking west on the grand avenue that runs through the capital from east to west.

This avenue is called the International Street.

It was named so because people and goods from all over the world gather here. As the name suggests, there are many shops lining the street, and it is heavily trafficked. It is the widest avenue in the capital, wide enough for ten carriages to run side by side.

On such a bustling International Street, there is a property with a troubled history.

"Near the western end, close to the harbor district... We're almost there."

I muttered this, but Elysia, looking around, tilted her head.

"Is it really in such a place...?"

Indeed, it is a bright street that seems far from being haunted.

"The building itself is supposed to be quite large, so I think we'll recognize it... Oh, isn't that it?"

A large, squat five-story building. On the first floor, there is a grand display window and a golden door with solemn carvings.

It was probably a department store that handled a wide variety of goods.

However, no one stops in front of the building. Everyone either looks up at it warily or hurriedly leaves.

"The building is quite clean... but"

The windows and walls on the first floor were defaced with posters and graffiti.

I and Elysia approached the building.

"This is..."

Elysia frowned as she looked at the posters and graffiti on the walls.

"A demon's shop, huh..."

The posters and graffiti were filled with accusations against the shop owner, calling him a demon.

The owner was criticized for having a dark emblem. As a result, customers stopped coming, and employees quit... I had already heard this from Virtus.

To be doing business in such a prime location, he must have had many business rivals. It's likely that his secret was exposed by his rivals.

Elysia said,

"...Is there someone who has turned into a demon inside this shop?"

"No, it seems that priests and exorcists from the temple came and investigated the building. However, they didn't find any demons, only an endless number of wisps. There were also living armors that had taken over the armor in the store. But they only investigated the first floor."

Virtus acquired this property at a very low price, but no matter how many times he requested the temple to send an extermination team, they couldn't defeat the endless undead. The cost of rewarding the priests and exorcists was also significant. He didn't want to spend any more money, so he decided to let it go.

Virtus probably asked me because he saw Elysia's [Holy Knight] emblem.

Preparing a hundred gold coins and heading to Tiars is not something a child like me could do alone... It was only possible because Elysia is so capable.

So, it's more about Elysia's skills than mine.

Well, in reality, dealing with the undead is a piece of cake for Elysia. She has been fighting them all along.

"So, it might be like the cemetery of the monastery where I was a gravedigger."

"Right. We don't know if the owner was actually like that, but it's possible that a dark emblem holder died and their corpse is generating the undead."

The large five-story building... and the undead inside.

To be honest, it's a bit scary.

But Elysia, with a confident look, took the key entrusted by Virtus and said,

"It's been a while since I've had a chance to act!!"

"Right... yeah..."

With Elysia, who can use holy magic, there's nothing to worry about.

I can also absorb dark magic.

However, when Elysia opened the golden door with a powerful kick, I still felt a sense of unease.

The inside of the store was completely vandalized.

Display shelves and lighting were destroyed, and there were signs that goods had been forcibly removed.

But the fact that some goods and furnishings remained suggests that the thieves who entered were attacked by the undead and couldn't take everything.

I told Elysia,

"The courtyard has the most undead. The priests couldn't even get close to it... Let's head there first."

"Yes, leave it to me."

Elysia drew her sword and led the way.

I also deployed the Holy Light around us and followed Elysia.

"The location and exterior are impressive, but the interior is also quite large."

"The height and space seem to be more than twice that of the Roubiron base."

"Indeed. It's perfect..."

We could even set up a teleportation pillar in the courtyard. There's a large workshop and a forge, and there's even a kitchen where we could sell fish.

However, it might be too large, and we might not have enough goods to fill it.

Still... thinking about the previous owner makes me feel a bit uneasy.

According to the priests, they saw what seemed to be the owner's corpse from a distance in the courtyard.

To have such a large store and be criticized for having an emblem... The owner apparently built this store in one generation. He must have worked hard to build a store in the capital while hiding his emblem.

Thinking about the owner's efforts, I followed Elysia.

Suddenly, a black mist appeared.

"– Holy Light"

Elysia calmly cast a light sphere at the mist... wisp, dispersing it.

More wisps appeared, but she was experienced.

Elysia kept defeating the wisps with holy magic, casting it as soon as they appeared.

A living armor, which was thought to be just a standing armor, suddenly moved but was kicked and stopped by Elysia, who then cast light on it.

There was no need for me to fight the undead.

However, there were many of them. So, I used a light sphere to support Elysia.

It's no wonder the priests and exorcists struggled with this number...

Anyway, I left the fighting to Elysia and focused on finding the source of the undead. We were approaching the courtyard.

There should be a place where dark magic is concentrated. That's the source of the undead.

– There it is. A clear magical reaction. Beyond that door, probably in the courtyard.

"...Elysia, it's the courtyard. I'll open the door... oh!"

Elysia kicked the door open while casting holy magic to defeat the wisps.

"Please, Sir Alex!"

"Ah, thank you."

I calmly passed through the door and entered the courtyard.

Sunlight was shining here. The grounds were spacious, like a small park.

...Even in such a place, Elysia immediately defeated the wisps that appeared.

Meanwhile, I investigated the magical reaction.

"...Is it there?"

Looking in that direction, there was a bench near the courtyard's fountain.

Two skeletons were sitting on it. One was male, the other female, both wearing high-quality clothing.

I could sense dark magic from both of them.

The source was these two...

While Elysia continued to defeat the wisps, I approached the bench where the skeletons were sitting.

The two were holding hands and leaning on each other.

There were empty bottles nearby.

They probably drank poison and died together...

"What a sad story... Ah, this is?"

I picked up a letter that the man was holding.

The letter contained a short message.

"May eternal curses be upon the Holy Order... We three are not demons, are we?"

It seems they were not only targeted by business rivals but also by the Holy Order.

They wanted to show, even in death, that they were not demons.

"Elysia... I'll purify them. Please stand back for a moment."

"Understood..."

I entrusted my back to Elysia and reached out to absorb the dark magic from the two.

But at that moment, I suddenly sensed a powerful magical reaction from above.

"– Elysia!"

"What? – Above!?"

I immediately teleported with Elysia to a slightly distant location.

At the same time, something fell near the bench like a catapult's projectile.

As the dust settled, standing in the gouged ground...

"A demon..."

A human-like figure with black wings glared at us.