The Successor of the Saint Does Not Fight - Chapter 23

Chapter 23: The Echoing Song from the Other Side Part 5

I relayed to my mother, from one ear out the other, that the White Wolf had sniffed out the whereabouts of the children.

Even my mother, who could easily sense the presence of demons, obviously couldn’t track human scents. This information was incredibly valuable for a swift resolution to the case.

“Thank you~. Good job, Wolfie~”

However, the White Wolf, being praised by my mother, was visibly dissatisfied.

On our way to the mine, with my mother, the White Wolf, and Yuno in tow, the wolf would slickly dodge every time my mother tried to pet him, using me as a shield.

“I had no intention of helping you. I only lent my assistance to this girl.”

“But since Meril-chan told me about it, it counts as everyone’s cooperation, right?”

“Don’t make such a tasteless joke. It sends shivers down my spine.”

The streets of Luzgarta, usually bustling with people, were now as deserted as a ghost town. Not knowing when a demon might appear again, the majority of the residents were gathered in the square in front of the station, over which my mother had cast a protective barrier.

This ensured that no new victims would arise, should any unforeseen events occur.

“My daughter. Are you really planning to leave everything to that Grim Reaper?”

“Eh, well, yeah…”

With my mother around, any unnecessary action from me would only get in the way.

If we proceed to rescue the children, and then my mother eliminates the demon afterward – everything would be resolved, so I just need to silently observe.

“…I can’t help but feel that woman isn’t seriously trying to rescue the children.”

“Eh?”

I made a puzzled face.

What a nonsensical thing for this dog to say. The embodiment of love and compassion, the Holy Saint, abandoning children? That’s unimaginable.
“Wolfie. That’s a bit harsh on Mama. After all, just earlier, didn’t she hesitate to kill the demon out of concern for the children?”

“Hmm… that was indeed a bit surprising to me as well…”

I puff out my chest triumphantly, having won the argument.

Despite the White Wolf’s knack for verbal sparring, he is no match for the ingenious Meril Klein.

As we reach the edge of the town, the cobblestone paving gives way, revealing a bare gravel path. The coal mine, which usually sees mine carts going back and forth, now looks as deserted as an abandoned mine shaft with no one around.

“Is it inside that mine shaft?”

My mother asks the White Wolf, who pointedly turns away.

Receiving a resigned smile from my mother, I ask again, internally grumbling about the troublesome dog.

“Wolfie. Are the children inside that mine shaft?”

“This way. Follow me.”

With a springy step, the White Wolf dashes off.

He heads not towards the mine shaft entrance we can see directly ahead but rather towards the edge of the mine, or more precisely, its perimeter.

And the White Wolf was moving too fast.

He quickly becomes a speck in the distance, barely visible. My mother can easily keep up, but I cannot. At this rate, I’ll be left behind.

Gasping for breath as I run on the unfamiliar gravel path, I almost twist my ankle. I regret not wearing more suitable shoes for movement.

Thud.

Behind me, someone stumbles and falls.

It was Yuno.

Even I, a mere mortal, had put a significant distance between us, and to make matters worse, he had fallen.

It was an unthinkable embarrassment for someone who is supposed to be an exorcist.

“Um… are you okay?”

I approach and ask.

“I’m sorry. This is truly shameful.”

“You mentioned earlier that you couldn’t unleash your power… Is it because of that?”

“Yes. My physical abilities have reverted to those of a normal child. It’s probably because God is disappointed in me.”

“Maybe resting a bit could restore them…?”

Yuno silently shook his head.

It seemed he was certain it wasn’t something that could be fixed so easily.

(Is this bad… So, because I showed off too much of a difference in class, this kid ended up powerless…?)

This wasn’t about God being this or that; it was probably a psychological slump.

I don’t think God is a being so petty as to be disappointed over one or two failures.

When I was young, my mother attempted to make a cake for my birthday and ended up with a disaster beyond words. Yet, God wasn’t disappointed.

My mother regretted her failure and vowed never to step into the kitchen again. What matters isn’t avoiding failure, but how you use those failures afterward.

I lend a hand and help the fallen Yuno to his feet.

“…Yuno? I don’t think there’s a need to be so down. It’s natural that you can’t compete with the daughter of the Holy Saint and the child of God. You just need to do your best within what you’re capable of.”

“I understand that, but…”

This is really bad. If Yuno doesn’t regain his strength, he’s just an 11 or 12-year-old kid. He’d be useless not just as an exorcist but even as a fallen knight. A valuable asset who could take over my duties would be lost.

“Come on, you two, hurry up!”

Suddenly, my mother, who had been running far ahead, silently floated back.

In the blink of an eye, it seemed my mother had flipped herself over, and before I knew it, both Yuno and I were being carried under her arms.

“We’re going to make a big leap, so be careful not to bite your tongue, okay?”

“Wait, Mom, hold on!”

Thud!

With a kick that sent gravel flying, my mother leaped high into the air. The massive coal mine dropped rapidly from view, then quickly loomed closer again.

“Aaahhhhh!?”

I screamed as we rapidly ascended and then descended, on the verge of passing out by the time my mother landed with a ground-shaking thud.

“Daughter, you were quite slow.”

“Yuno fell down, so I helped him up!”

“Hmm. Quite different from some reaper, showing such mercy.”

“Exactly! Meril-chan is overflowing with kindness!”

I suddenly regained my senses.

Where my mother had landed was almost the exact opposite of the town, across the mine. While the town side was flat and developed with railways, houses, and commercial buildings, this side was rugged mountainous terrain, largely untouched.

In this nearly uninhabited area stood a wooden building.

It was fairly large.

A dormitory for a dozen or so people might be about this size. However, it couldn’t be called well-built by any stretch of the imagination. It was constructed haphazardly with inferior wood, with gaps visible here and there, and parts of the roof and walls were starting to rot.

The door was secured tightly with a bolt and a lock. It seemed to be some kind of storage shed for materials or something.

“The source of the smell is here,” White Wolf said, indicating the building.

My mother asked me.

“Meril-chan, are you coming?”

But I vigorously shook my head in refusal. If a demon attacked as soon as the door opened, I would be dead.

My mother peeled back the iron bolt on the door with her bare hands and swung the door open.

Inside—

There was no one there.

In the musty building, there were only several dirty blankets spread out.

I almost clicked my tongue in annoyance.

White Wolf. What a fool to get our hopes up. There were no children anywhere.

“When children hear the ‘Song of Temptation,’ they disappear suddenly, but it doesn’t mean they’ve actually vanished.”

My mother began.

She explained about the current enemy, the ‘Song of Temptation.’

“The children who become invisible are drawn to a certain ‘place’ like sleepwalkers. And this time, that place is this building.”

With that, my mother clapped her hands together.

From there, a dazzling silver light overflowed.

“So White Wolf was right. The children are here.”

My mother declared.

As the silver light raced through the building, the scenery changed dramatically.

There, lying haphazardly, were dozens of children—presumably the ones who had gone missing.

“Hooray! Well done, Mom!”

I exclaimed, punching the air with both fists and jumping lightly.

With this, all that was left was for my mother to swiftly dispatch the demon, and our job would be done. We could return safely.

But I was the only one celebrating in that moment. White Wolf remained with a sharp gaze, unchanged, and Yuno was touching the wrists of the sleeping children.

“T-Their pulse… and breath…”

I stuttered, failing to stick the landing from my jump and falling flat on my bottom.

“Th-They… they’re dead?”

“No? Isn’t that right, White Wolf?”

I turned to White Wolf, seeking confirmation.

Despite his grumpy demeanor, White Wolf replied.

“No, there’s no characteristic smell of decay from a corpse. None of them are dead… but it’s hard to say they’re alive either. It’s like a state of suspended animation, perhaps…?”

“Yes, exactly. Correct.”

My mother chimed in, as if lecturing.

“All these children here have had their souls stolen. Their souls are inside the ‘Song of Temptation.’ That’s why I told you, didn’t I? If we defeat the demon, the children won’t return. Once the demon is eliminated, the souls inside will disappear along with it.”

The White Wolf gritted his teeth.

“So then, did you know? Coming here, rescuing the children was futile; it’s just a wasted effort.”

He asked, his tone accusing.

“It’s not futile at all,” my mother asserted firmly. “Even if they’re in a state of suspended animation, leaving them lying in a place like this is pitiful, isn’t it? Wouldn’t you want to bring them back home as soon as possible?”

“Mom, but… if defeating the demon won’t bring back the children’s souls, how do we restore them?”

Yuno asked, voicing the concern we all shared.

My mother closed her eyes briefly.

“The ‘Song of Temptation’ must willingly release the souls. Once that happens— as long as their bodies remain— the children will awaken.”

I widened my eyes in surprise.

The demon releasing the souls willingly? That seemed highly unlikely.

“Hey, Yuno. Surely you also knew the characteristics of this demon from the documents, didn’t you? But seeing this scene in front of you, what do you think?”

I inquired.

Yuno remained silent as he gently touched the children’s cheeks, feeling their coldness.

His own face had paled to almost the same degree as the children in suspended animation. His hand trembled as if frozen.

“…It’s incredibly, unfathomably evil. Unforgivable.”

He finally responded.

“Yes. That’s why there’s no hesitation.”

My mother affirmed, stepping closer to Yuno and patting his shoulder.

“You were unsure after witnessing Meril’s work, weren’t you? Whether your adoptive parents were truly evil demons? Whether it was right to kill them? That’s why you lost your confidence and couldn’t use your power, isn’t it?”

“You can rest assured—”

My mother smiled reassuringly.

“Your adoptive parents were also under the influence of the same ‘Song of Temptation.’ There was no choice but to eliminate them. Your actions are surely guaranteed by God.”

Suddenly, I recalled White Wolf’s words: “Your mother has no intention of rescuing the children.”

He was probably right.

My mother had brought Yuno here only to witness this scene.