I Reincarnated into a Game Filled with Mods – Chapter 189

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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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It was obvious what had corrupted, or rather, transformed, the Knight Commander of the Golden Twilight Knights.

A demon.

There weren’t any other likely candidates.

How else would the Knight Commander of the Golden Twilight Knights, who rarely left the Imperial Palace, come into contact with something like that?

Demons also desired powerful hosts, and the Knight Commander of the Golden Twilight Knights was an ideal vessel.

The stronger the host, the more power a demon could wield upon descending to the mortal realm.

If the host was weak, their body would melt down and be sent back to hell the moment they tried to use a significant amount of power.

Descending in their true form was the ideal scenario, as it removed all limitations on their power.

However, if they were “purified” while in their true form, they would be permanently destroyed, so the preference varied depending on the demon’s personality.

Those who prioritized immediate pleasure, regardless of the consequences, would seize any opportunity to manifest in their true form. Those who were more cautious would be extremely careful.

‘……That was the explanation in the in-game documents.’

The demon that had transformed the Golden Twilight Knight Commander was quite cautious.

It knew that manifesting in its true form within the Imperial Palace, where Cecilia, who could easily tear apart demons with her holy sword, resided, would be madness.

So it had possessed the Knight Commander’s body.

A powerful host who could wield a significant amount of power, and even if the host died, the demon’s true form would remain unharmed.

This was also explained in the in-game documents.

“Lady Minerva, wait a moment.”

“What is it, child?”

I raised my arm to stop Minerva. The blue light gathering at the tip of her staff dispersed. Her questioning eyes turned towards me.

“Don’t be surprised, and listen carefully. That man is possessed by a demon.”

“……A demon, you say?”

Minerva’s expression hardened.

Despite me making such an absurd claim, that a demon had manifested within the Imperial Palace, she seemed to trust my words implicitly.

This would make things easier.

“Yes. And Her Majesty is probably trapped in her bedchamber. There should be a magic barrier surrounding it.”

This demon was quite clever. It wasn’t foolish enough to cause havoc in the middle of the Imperial Palace, where Cecilia resided, without any safeguards.

It had used human magic to create a powerful barrier around Cecilia’s bedchamber. It could be broken with brute force, but that would also destroy the Imperial Palace and the capital.

Even Cecilia, who possessed unparalleled strength among humans, along with the Popes, couldn’t dispel the barrier without breaking it.

Disrupting a barrier was a completely different matter from breaking it.

‘Well, it’s just an excuse for why the player has to deal with the demon instead of the Emperor.’

The Emperor would only emerge after the player had defeated the demon.

[T/N: before y’all curse me in the comments remember that in the og game it’s an emperor not an empress]

Most demons were incredibly proud and would rather die than use human magic, so this was apparently the first time something like this had happened in the history of the continent.

“So, you’re saying that I should go and dispel the barrier?”

“The air around the bedchamber will be polluted by the demon’s presence. Even you, Lady Minerva, won’t be able to last long without holy magic.”

It wasn’t a matter of skill, but of compatibility. Even Minerva couldn’t purify an environment polluted by demonic energy without holy magic.

It wasn’t simply polluted by the demon, it was a trap specifically designed to kill anyone who approached the bedchamber.

The demon had planned things out quite well. It had trapped Cecilia with ordinary magic to prevent her from using her holy sword, and it had spread demonic energy around the barrier to prevent Minerva’s intervention.

“……I see. I understand.”

Minerva calmly accepted her limitations, without letting her pride get in the way. She seemed to realize that it would only harm her if she tried to force it.

“Her Majesty will surely be able to break through the barrier themselves. So, Lady Minerva, please go to the Holy Kingdom and inform them that a demon has appeared. Leave the rest to them.”

In the game, since the player had to do everything alone, seeking help from the Inquisitor or Interrogator wasn’t possible. But it was different here.

I could ask for the Holy Kingdom’s assistance.

I could defeat the demon alone if I had to, but I didn’t want to take the difficult path when there was an easier one available. Unless I absolutely had to fight alone.

“Alright. Be careful, child.”

Minerva disappeared without even a magic circle. I wondered what she had discovered from the Crystal Scroll to make her teleportation so different.

‘……I can ask her later. Focus.’

I turned my attention back to where the silver and gold armor clashed.

Since I had stopped right after turning the corner, and they were all focused on the Golden Twilight Knight Commander, no one had noticed me yet.

I projected my voice, putting as much force into my abdomen as possible.

“LIZE!!!”

Lize’s name echoed through the hallway, and the helmeted figures turned their heads in unison.

“Delta?! What are you doing here?”

Her voice was noticeably flustered, as if she hadn’t expected me to appear here.

“I’ll explain later. Leave this to me and fall back! He’s possessed by a demon, you can’t defeat him!”

“A demon?!”

The startled knights instinctively took a step back. Knights who served in the Imperial Palace were knowledgeable about demons.

They also knew that they couldn’t harm a demon.

In the game, the Silver Dawn Knight Commanders would try to stop the demon, only to be injured and scattered throughout the Imperial Palace.

If it weren’t for Minerva, I would have arrived much later, and the battle would have taken place in the Imperial Garden. It was proof that the initial attempt to stop the demon had failed.

“…….”

I drew Wingless Nightmare as the golden helmet turned towards me. The color of the blade began to shift.

Half of it turned gold, symbolizing the sun, and the other half turned silver, symbolizing the moon. Sunlight streamed in through the windows, further enhancing the blade’s holy aura.

I took a step forward.

Whether it was because of the divine power emanating from the weapon, or because of his inferiority complex towards me, the demon’s gaze was fixed solely on me.

The silver and gold armor parted to create a path. As I walked through, I felt their gazes on me.

“Delta… are you sure about this?”

Erica and Claudia were at the end of the path.

“Of course. You two should also take your subordinates and fall back. Secure the perimeter of the Imperial Palace, evacuate the civilians, and make sure no one approaches Her Majesty’s bedchamber. You’ll understand why when you get there. But don’t get too close. You might get caught in the crossfire.”

“But, Delta……”

“Why do you think I’m doing this? You know me. Just do as I say, Erica.”

Erica closed her mouth. Claudia did the same. Their hands, gripping their weapons, trembled.

Without holy power, all they could do against a demon was serve as meat shields. Everyone here knew that. That was why they were reacting like this.

Claudia, after a moment of silence, patted my shoulder and turned towards her subordinates. Erica whispered, “Be careful,” and followed Claudia.

Seeing Erica and Claudia relent, Lize and Iris also gathered their subordinates and disappeared down the hallway. The surroundings instantly became empty.

“Delta! Be careful!”

Lize’s voice echoed briefly, and then silence descended.

I briefly assessed the width of the hallway.

‘……It’s a bit narrow.’

No matter how wide the Imperial Palace hallways were, they were nothing compared to the garden. If the demon used a wide-area attack here, it would be difficult to dodge.

There was even a possibility that this entire section could collapse. I couldn’t avoid a collapsing building, no matter how skilled I was.

“…….”

The demon had been staring at me ever since I had appeared. It was only natural, since I was the reason it had succumbed to the demon’s temptation.

“Didn’t I tell you not to do anything foolish?”

I sighed and spoke.

“I was vague because I was worried that my words would pique your interest, but I still warned you. And look what happened.”

“…….”

The demon remained silent. I had tried to buy time by engaging in conversation, but it seemed like I would have to fight right away.

There was no need to kill it. Minerva had gone to ask the Holy Kingdom for help, so the Inquisitor of the Sun or Moon would arrive soon. I just had to hold out until then.

“Well, suit yourself.”

I gripped Wingless Nightmare with both hands.

I still had to test whether the pillar of light I had used against Behemoth was a one-time thing, or if it only activated against enemies. This was a good opportunity.

I spread my legs shoulder-width apart and raised Wingless Nightmare above my head. The blade began to glow. The golden armor was still motionless.

“You’ll change your mind after getting hit.”

I swung my arm downwards.

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