Crownless Reincarnation: New World? Nah I'd win-Chapter 28: First Servent [1]

Taking out the egg, he carefully placed it on the table in front of him.

Nayomi floated above the floor, arms crossed. "Do you really trust her?"

Akamir raised an eyebrow. "Zia? She's my maid."

"What type of maid keeps an eye on whatever her master is doing?" Nayomi scoffed, looking at him like he was an idiot.

'Yeah, she isn't wrong.'

As much as Akamir wanted to deny it, he wasn't foolish enough to not be wary of her now.

'I want to confront her now, but that wouldn't be a great idea.'

What if she was really an enemy?

Worst-case scenario, he might die because of it.

'Anyway, how strong is she?' Akamir wondered, looking at Nayomi.

Demigod? God?

Akamir really wanted to know how powerful the ghost in front of him was.

Nayomi tilted her head. "You're thinking about testing me, aren't you?"

Akamir didn't answer.

His silence said enough.

"I wouldn't recommend it," she said, floating a bit closer. "You'd lose. Badly."

"I didn't say anything."

"You didn't have to," she said, looking into his crimson eyes. "But if I wanted you dead, I'd have done it already."

"You can't do that," Akamir replied, glancing at his chest where the crimson thread had faded. "If I die, you die as well."

Nayomi glared at him before she looked away, folding her hands.

Zia also came back from the kitchen with a glass of water.

"Here," she said, passing him the glass.

"Thank you."

Zia quickly noticed the egg lying on the table. "What's this?"

"A beast egg," Akamir replied, standing up and placing the glass down. "I will be in my room. Don't disturb me."

"What about dinner?"

"I'm not hungry," Akamir said, smiling. "Eat without me."

"...Alright, good night."

Akamir picked up the egg as he walked upstairs to his room.

As soon as he entered, he dropped the egg gently on the bed and rubbed his temples.

Nayomi phased through the wall like mist, floating above the floor.

"So, no privacy for me," Akamir said, glancing at her.

"You can't push me away," she said. "And I don't like being around you as well."

They stared at each other for a moment, then Akamir moved.

"I'm going to the church," he said.

"What?"

"I have a feeling. We might find what happened with the wards."

She didn't argue this time.

Opening the window, Akamir jumped out of the room and rolled to cushion his fall.

The streets were empty, as he expected. Most townsfolk were still hiding from the night, afraid of monsters.

The cold wind brushed his face as he passed quiet houses and old market stalls.

There weren't many light sources, making everything more eerie.

The air grew colder with every step he took.

Akamir looked at the church as it loomed closer.

A structure of pale stone and black-tinted glass, it looked more like a mansion than a place of worship.

Statues of a lady holding a lamp warped into unfamiliar symbols adorned its arched windows.

'It's still creepy to look at.'

Akamir thought as he walked towards the door.

The doors were shut, but not locked.

He pushed them open just enough to slip inside.

Candles flickered on stone pillars, giving him the way to move.

He moved quietly along the side wall, toward the hallway behind the altar.

Nayomi followed, silent for once.

"Where would he be?" she whispered.

"Sleeping quarters," Akamir muttered. "Or the prayer room."

They checked a few doors—storage rooms, old chambers, all empty.

Then, finally, Akamir stopped.

He reached a long corridor where a door near the end creaked open.

Priest Elore stepped out, holding a lantern in one hand and a scroll in the other.

He wore a soft smile, but something about him felt... wrong.

Akamir ducked behind a pillar.

Elore looked around, then moved toward a set of stairs leading below.

Akamir followed quietly.

They descended into a stone basement.

The air grew colder. Rows of bookshelves and old relics lined the walls.

Elore stopped in front of a locked cabinet and began muttering something under his breath.

'Guess I've seen enough.'

Akamir stepped out and moved quickly.

Elore was too late to respond.

With a swift motion, Akamir grabbed the back of his robe and slammed him into the wall.

The priest let out a short gasp before his head hit the stone.

He slumped to the ground, unconscious.

"Well," Nayomi said, hovering above the scene. "That was direct."

"I didn't come for a chat," Akamir said, kneeling beside the priest.

He patted him down, pulling out a ring of keys and a small silver token.

"What now?" Nayomi asked.

Akamir opened the cabinet Elore had been unlocking without a word.

There were a lot of things inside it, but something caught his eye.

...A picture of a boy with a cross mark.

...His picture.

***

"Urgh!"

Priest Elore's painful voice echoed within a closed room which was sound proof.

'W-What happened?'

He tried to remember the last thing that he was doing.

'Right, I was opening the—.'

"Huh?"

As soon as his reasoning returned, Elore found his hands bound and his body hanging upside down.

"You awake, sir priest?"

A voice made him focus on the boy sitting in front of him.

....He looked more like a female with the delicate face adorned with long blonde hair and crimson eyes.

"Asher?" Elore groaned, glaring at him. "What are you doing!?"

He writhed his body, yet he couldn't free himself.

"Alright." Akamir took out a knife, dragging his chair closer. "Let's have a talk."

'W-What is he trying to do?'

Panic crept like bile as he looked at the boy.

'No! Calm down. He is just trying to play with my mind.'

Taking in deep breaths, he glared at him. "Untie me."

"Hm?"

"Untie me, you piece of shit!" Elore barked, glaring at him. "Do you know who—."

Slap!

A crisp slap on his face made him silent.

"Better." Akamir mumbled. "Now, I ask questions and you answer."

Akamir took out the picture he got from the cabinet.

"What's the meaning of this?" he asked, showing him the picture.

Elore blinked at the photo, confused at first—then his eyes widened.

His lips trembled. "I... I don't know where you got that."

"That's not an answer," Akamir said, placing his knife at his finger.

"URGH!!"

He cleanly cut it down.

"It hurts! It hurts!"

Tears trickled down Elore's face as he tried to free himself...yet nothing happened.

Akamir placed the knife on another finger. "Answer my question."

"It was the church!" Elore cried, fear clear in his eyes. "They ordered me to kill you!"

"Who?"

"I don't know!" Elore gasped. "All I know is that they are one of the highest donors of the church."

Akamir moved back and sat on the chair again.

Leaning back comfortably, he asked, "Why did you invite the monster inside?"

Elore froze, eyes wide with terror.

"Wh-what... what are you talking about?" he stammered.

Akamir's smile didn't reach his eyes. "You heard me."

"I—I didn't invite anything—!"

"You did," Akamir said simply. "The wards were broken manually."

Elore's breath caught in his throat. His lips trembled in fear.

Akamir stood, slowly walking toward him again and grabbing his hand. "Don't make me repeat myself."

"I had no choice!" Elore shouted, his body jerking against the ropes. "I was ordered to by the church."

"..."

The boy turned silent, making Elore's heartbeat rise.

"Is he still lying?" Akamir mumbled, and Elore quickly noticed he wasn't talking to him.

'What is he doing!?'

"...Will that work?" His voice rang once again.

"W-what are you doing?"

Elore tried to talk as Akamir moved in front of him.

He didn't reply, instead closed his eyes.

A chill ran down Elore's spine as a crown slowly formed over his head.

From beside him, a portal opened up and something crawled out of it.

"N-no way."

It was the same monster Akamir fought in the first trial.

The Priest of Obsession.

'How can he control it!?'

Akamir opened his eyes, staring at Elore.

He ordered the monster. "Eat him."

"Huh?"

Elore let out a bloodcurdling voice as the creature began to move towards him.

"Wait! No! You can't do this to me!?"

He screamed, glaring at Akamir, who quietly looked at him.

"Do you know who I am!? I'm the people of the pope!! He won't let you go!!"

His threat did nothing to Akamir, who just stared at him.

'M-monster.'

The creature opened its mouth in an uncanny way.

'...I will die.'

"No!"

Elore screamed one last time before the monster swallowed his face.