My Wife Is the Devil

Chapter 1

view cover

Heading to the northwest of the Kingdom of Liriam, famous for the Kingdom of Abundance and Peace,

The small village of Kente, set in the background of the large mountain range surrounding the kingdom, welcomes travelers.

Looking at the golden rye fields swaying in the wind while the warm sunlight was shining, it was a place where even the hearts of travelers with a long way to go could find peace.

If you go a little further after passing the rich rye fields, the bustling village shows off its charm with a lively atmosphere that is completely different from the quiet atmosphere before.

If you go a little deeper, past the street vendors and noisy inns that smell delicious, go a little deeper.

A large church on the hill you can see.

The church of the Telmere denomination that serves the state religion of Liram Kingdom, the Lord Rom, is standing in a state of majesty.

Julius Tafnell, a man with long blonde hair in neat ponytails, standing in front of the front door of the large church, politely knocked twice with his characteristic expressionless face.

Not long after, a buzz was heard from inside and the door slowly opened.

“…Oh my, who is this? Long time no see! Julius How much is this?”

The orphan woman in a neat priestly robe showed a welcome look at Julius.

Julius looked at her and bowed his head respectfully.

“May the blessings of Rome be with you, long time no see, Priest Emily. It’s nice to see you again after 10 years.”

“I heard that you were coming, but you came sooner than you thought, so come in. Wasn’t the trip difficult?”

“I thought of seeing my hometown after a long time, so my steps were light. This is all a blessing from God.”

“You’ve grown a lot while we haven’t seen you, Julius, you’re saying everything you didn’t want.”

The priestess looked at him bitterly for a moment, who had changed so much that he had changed in 10 years, then smiled and started saying something else.

“I heard that he made an outstanding performance as a heresy inquisitor in the capital. You even got the choice of the holy sword,

You should have seen Priest Brookin fell down by surprise when he first heard about it.”

“Priest Brukin is surprised, so I want to show it to me as a child.”

A faint smile spreads across his expressionless face. But as soon as he saw him returning with a stiff expression, the priestess sighed and said:

“You look very bad, Julius. It doesn’t seem like you’re suffering from heartache, but now that you’ve returned to your hometown after a long time, how about relaxing your shoulders a little?”

Even with the priestess’ worried words, there was no way to relieve Julius’s hard expression. She was left speechless at the sight of her so different from the one she had as a child running around the village with a bright smile.

After walking like that, I arrived in front of Priest Brookin’s room.

Emily smiled with all her might, patted Julius on the back once, and said vigorously.

“I don’t know the details, but Priest Brookin and I are always on your side. Aren’t we a family? In the future, if there is anything you need, you will always depend on us. Then talk to the priest, because I have to go out to buy 20,000.”

Seeing Emily walk away with a mischievous smile, he nodded once more, then politely knocked on the door twice again.

“Priest Brukin, Inquisitor Julius Tafnel has just arrived.”

“Come in.”

Julius opened the door and entered the room at the profound voice he heard from beyond the door.

A simple room that does not fit into a large church.

He is welcomed by an elderly priest, Brukin, with his gray hair behind him, leaving behind a bookshelf full of Bibles containing the word of the Lord and an old desk that used to be a luxury item.

“It’s been a long time. Welcome back to your hometown, Yul. It is truly an honor to have a proud heretic inquisitor from the Kingdom of Liriam come to our church.”

“It’s overrated. “Priest Brookin”

Seeing the man with his head bowed bluntly, Brukin shook his head twice and continued speaking.

“The atmosphere has changed a lot while we haven’t seen each other. You, who was an idiot, became a very serious man while I didn’t see you… I saw the official letter from the church. An order from my superiors to cool my head for several years and come… No, I have a fervent request.”

“… … .”

“Looks like you were working hard in the capital. The slayer of Telmere who slaughtered the demons like mad,

The Lord’s First Guillotine, the Terror of Liream, the First Inquisitor chosen by the Holy Sword

“Julius Tafnel, a terrifying heretical interrogator who says that even a crying child will stop crying if he hears his or her name.”

“…I have only faithfully followed your will.”

“Where did the playful alley manager go and he became a boring adult, what has happened to him since he hasn’t contacted me in 10 years?”

“… … .”

“It’s okay if you don’t want to say it. You must have something to do with it.”

“…Thank you for your consideration. Priest Brookin.”

“Do not stand stiffly with your arms crossed like that. Sit down. Can I have some tea?”

“Yes, thank you.”

Seeing Julius who had become hard at the end of 10 years, Brookin did not express his feelings, but he was very confused.

Until he went to the capital, he was so playful that it would be a shame if he was the second in the village.

Now that 10 years have passed and he has transformed into a completely different human being, it was a very worrying thing from the standpoint of raising him like a child since childhood.

Brukin, who put the tea down in front of Julius, sat down on the old sofa he bought with great enthusiasm when he first came here 20 years ago and continued talking.

“So, have you decided where you will live in the future?”

“I heard that the church had bought a house in front of me. It was the house Milla used to live in.”

“He went comfortably as if he slept three years ago. I put it right next to the Lord.”

“I’m glad you went well. I am only sorry that I came here to hear the news.”

“done. You must have been busy with your life too, but you don’t have to worry about it. Later, if you buy a bottle of wine and visit the grave, you will like it.”

“Yes, I understand.”

“Let’s do this to solve the case, as you will be tired from coming from a long way, and the unfinished stories will have to be solved gradually in the future.”

“Then let’s just go. Priest Brookin, may the light of the Lord be with you.”

“Glory be to the grace of the Lord.”

In the past, he didn’t even teach me… Seeing Julius spitting out the clergy’s greetings naturally, he felt the weight of time. For some reason, the crown seemed to be getting lighter, but…

***

“Now, I would like to thank you, senior. Greetings from this…Second Inquisitor Thalia Zipnell and Chief Inquisitor Julius Tafnel…”

When Julius came out the door, he was greeted by a black-haired girl who was trembling badly because of some pain.

“Taliana, you have grown a lot without seeing me. A long time.”

Her tone might seem rather cold, but when Julius spoke, Talia blushed, bowed her head, and wiggled her hands, then hesitated, wondering if she had come to her senses before continuing.

“While I couldn’t see you, I felt… you became dignified. From a distance, I couldn’t see it.”

“…today I hear people saying that they don’t know each other very often. To me, Talia, you seem to have changed a lot.”

“yes? Oh, I’m 20 now, so it’s been a long time since I’ve grown up.”

The black-haired girl, who smiled as if she had relaxed, slowly turned around and began to guide the way.

“…So, after the brothers left, I also worked hard to become an Inquisitor.

When I went to the capital to be baptized, I thought I would be able to see your face, but it was a pity that I could not even go near the Central Church.”

Thalia, who was talking with Julius while walking down the street, forgot all the formalities she had been practicing hard since last night, and stuck to him like a child and babbled like a lark.”

“When I was being educated by Priest Brukin, I was hit in the head so badly that I made a mistake in recitation of the Bible… Oh! I’m here!”

Thalia, who had been talking non-stop, stopped talking when she saw the mansion passing through the small path.

“When we were young, we used to sneak into Grandpa Mila’s house and steal sweets while playing.

I was terrified to see my grandfather come after me with a broom every time.”

“…Most of what Kryle did, though he’s more of a human being than he was back then.”

Leaving the words, Thalia muttered a little while looking at Julius as he opened the front door and packed his luggage as if it was absurd.

“No… Stealing sweets was always told by Julius’ brother…”

I thought that I had become very blunt while I was not seeing her, but seeing her as brazen as before, Thalia secretly sighed in relief.

***

“I want to help unpack the luggage, but I have to deal with the case of suspicion of heresy. I’m sorry, but I think I’ll have to leave, brother.”

Thalia said to Julius who had come inside the house and was unpacking the luggage he had brought from the capital.

“It doesn’t matter if you don’t help. You don’t have much luggage anyway, the sun has already set, so hurry up and go back to church.”

“Then excuse me. See you again tomorrow, come… No, senior!”

Seeing Thalia hurriedly left the house after hunching her back a couple of times, Julius felt a smirk leaking out. After that day, I thought I would never be able to smile for the rest of my life, but when I return to my hometown and meet old people again, I think I will feel more at ease without realizing it.

Julius, lost in thought for a moment, put his few belongings on the table in the living room and looked around the mansion.

The mansion that I remember often coming in to steal sweets as a child was as it was in my memory.

The mansion was in such a well-maintained condition that it felt like Grandpa Mila was going to start yelling at him at any moment.

It was good news for Julius that the furniture could be bought right away without any special preparation.

After looking around up to the second floor, Julius sat on the sofa, looked out the window and took a deep breath, then took out the rocket he had kept in his arms.

Inside the rocket was a small inscription and a portrait of a beautiful woman.

‘To my love Julius

Cecil Lionelta.’

When I still close my eyes, I can clearly remember her face, voice, and scent.

Julius looked at her cherished gift and remembered his lovely wife who had died five years ago.

Even just hearing her name, ‘Cecile Lionelta’, she was lovely, and, in a nutshell, Julius was everything.

When the fruit of love between the two of them was born, I really felt like I had everything in the world.

And when she lost her five years ago, Julius’s world also fell apart.

He worked hard to overcome the sadness. He burned and killed the heretics that traded with the devil, captured the devil, and after torture, found out their name, and purified them in the name of the Lord.

He worked like crazy and became the best heretic inquisitor in the kingdom, and was even chosen by the Holy Sword.

The scars left in his chest didn’t even seem to disappear.

It is often said that Time is medicine, and eventually, with time, the wound will heal.

Julius has been keenly aware of that statement over the past five years.

That there are wounds in the world that never heal…

Julius, who closed the locket and carefully put it back into his arms, left the messy luggage on the table unorganized and lay down on the sofa.

Being alone makes her empty space feel even bigger.

As I was thinking about buying some alcohol tomorrow, I hear a sound that breaks the silence.

-smart

It has been dark outside the window for a long time. No one will find you at this hour.

Thinking that Thalia had returned, Julius trudged over without thinking and opened the door.

When I opened the door, I saw a woman wearing a blouse and a long skirt.