Chapter 34: Judgment of Hilton

A blue aura shimmered across Hilton’s entire body as illusions began to form.

Once he was ready, Hilton’s illusions rushed at Evan, with the real Hilton blending in and closing the distance quickly.

Clang!

The sword aimed precisely at Evan’s neck, but he blocked it with ease.

‘H-How isn’t he fooled by the illusions?’

What was even harder to understand was that Evan withstood the blows empowered by aura.

That should be impossible.

No matter how hard he tried, Hilton couldn’t make sense of the situation.

He steadied his breathing, trying to remain calm.

Pulling back, he summoned more aura to create additional illusions of himself.

Of course, Evan continued advancing toward Hilton without hesitation.

[Paralysis Venom has been applied: all of your opponent’s physical abilities are reduced by 30%.]

[Sword of Jormungand’s Fang attack has stacked 5 times.]

[Predator’s Rush effect: Movement speed increased by 150%.]

At the start, Evan had seized a moment of Hilton’s carelessness and succeeded in striking him five times with his sword.

After quickly stacking up five hits, Evan pressed Hilton with unrelenting force, like a snake eyeing its prey.

With Evan’s rapid approach, the status-afflicted Hilton couldn’t shake him off.

Hilton didn’t even realize why his body felt so heavy.

Cutting through the illusions’ attacks, Evan instantly reached the real Hilton.

He swung his sword with all his strength, the blade drawing a sharp arc.

Slash~!

“Urgh!”

Hilton’s waist was cut, and as the poison damage continued to eat away at him, his strength gradually faded.

“H-How did you find the real one?!”

Hilton shouted in panic.

But Evan ignored him, preparing for his next attack.

There was no reason to answer.

At this level, as long as your Mana sensitivity was high enough, you could easily see through this kind of illusion sword technique.

On top of that, with the effect of Predator’s Rush, Evan’s speed increased only when he got close to the real one.

So distinguishing the real Hilton wasn’t difficult at all.

Hilton gritted his teeth, drawing out every ounce of aura he could muster.

‘Damn it! I can’t believe I have to go all out against this bastard.’

He still thought Evan was beneath him.

No, in Hilton’s mind, he refused to accept the idea of losing to someone like Evan.

But that thought ended here.

Hilton only realized how blinded by emotion he had been when he closed in on Evan.

Evan released his Mana suppression, drawing aura into every fiber of his being.

“W-What?!”

Hilton tried to retreat, but Evan was faster.

He activated the First Form of Ihan, maximizing the density of aura throughout his body.

His strength exploded, but his body grew sluggish and heavy.

However, with Hilton already within reach, attacking wasn’t a problem.

Clang—!

Hilton tried to block Evan’s sword, but the moment their blades met, a deafening crash rang out.

Hilton’s sword shattered, and Evan’s blade slashed straight across Hilton’s chest.

Evan knew it was over—his sword had sunk deep.

“Guh! Y-You…”

Hilton’s eyes widened, bloodshot and wild.

He collapsed to the ground, powerless.

Clank!

Chains made of light shot out from all directions, binding Hilton’s body.

Strange symbols appeared on Hilton’s forehead.

[You have judged Hilton Kerthen.]

[The Mark of the Sinner has been branded.]

[Judgment has been successfully completed!]

[Divine Power increased by 5.]

The scene before Evan’s eyes shifted instantly, and both he and Hilton returned to the original training hall.

Thud!

Evan checked on the collapsed Hilton.

He was unconscious, looking perfectly uninjured.

‘The sentence has been carried out? What happens now?’

At that moment, Alan and Reynold rushed over.

“M-My lord!”

“Sir! Are you alright? You vanished all of a sudden—we were terrified!”

“My lord, where did you go? Why did you disappear?”

“I don’t know, either. Hilton must have done something with his illusions.”

There was no point explaining.

Even if they knew, it would only cause trouble.

Evan gave a brief reply, keeping his eyes on Hilton.

Then—

***

[Resetting the body of the sinner Hilton Kerthen.]

[The Judge will be branded upon the sinner as the Absolute’s Mark.]

‘Reset?’

Evan looked surprised and checked Hilton’s status window with his spiritual sight.

< Hilton Kerthen >
[Tendency: Evil]

[Race: Human]

[Gender: Male]

[Affinity: 0%]

[Potential: Sinner]

[Possessed Skills: None]

[All evil memories of the sinner have been suppressed.]

‘All of his skills are really gone.’

Amazingly, Hilton’s body was now no different from an ordinary person.

‘He can’t even feel Mana.’

He was in the same state as Evan had been at the very beginning.

But there was still something important Evan hadn’t figured out.

‘If I speak of what happened in the Judgment Hall, Heres will definitely not stay quiet.’

He needed to investigate Hilton further.

Letting him live was troublesome, but killing him would cause even more problems.

“O…”

Hilton began to stir, regaining consciousness.

Evan issued an order.

“Don’t just stand there—help Hilton up.”

“Yes, sir!”

Reynold supported Hilton, helping him to his feet.

Evan brought his face close, inspecting Hilton’s condition.

“Hilton. Are you awake?”

Hilton’s face turned deathly pale in an instant.

It was the look of someone who’d seen something truly terrifying.

“G-Get away! Please… Don’t come any closer!”

He flailed his arms, struggling weakly.

Evan frowned.

“Reynold, hold him tight!”

“Yes! Leave it to me!”

Now no stronger than a regular person, Hilton couldn’t resist Reynold’s brute strength.

After a while, Hilton tired himself out and stopped struggling.

Evan questioned him again.

“What is the meaning of this?”

Hilton refused to meet Evan’s gaze.

Shivering, he finally managed to speak.

“S-Sorry… I… Please spare me… I can’t breathe. Please, just a little distance…”

Hilton begged Evan to keep away.

He really looked like he was about to pass out from sheer terror.

‘What’s this? He’s showing almost instinctive fear.’

Evan took a few steps back, and only then did Hilton breathe easier.

He slumped, with Reynold still holding him up.

Evan kept his distance and asked, “Hilton, do you remember anything about what just happened?”

He was direct.

Hilton weakly shook his head.

“I… I remember coming to the training hall and sparring with you, brother, but after that, my memory is blank.”

As Hilton finished speaking, a message appeared before Evan’s eyes.

[The effect of Absolute’s Mark is active.]

[The sinner cannot lie to the Judge.]

‘He can’t lie. That must be the truth.’

Hilton had no memory of what happened in the Judgment Hall.

‘Come to think of it, judgment is applied to the soul. Since I was the Judge, he must not remember anything from there.’

Suddenly, Hilton burst into tears and pleaded desperately.

“P-Please! Spare me! If I stay here any longer, I’ll die!”

Evan watched him for a moment, then shook his head firmly.

“No, I can’t allow that.”

Just because Hilton had no memory of the Judgment Hall didn’t mean it was over.

‘He can’t lie, right?’

Evan decided to use the authority of the Judge.

“Hilton, confess everything you’ve done or planned to do. And you’ll have to pay for your crimes, understood?”

Hilton nodded without hesitation.

“Y-Yes! I’ll tell you everything! And I’ll accept punishment when I return!”

“No, until I say otherwise, you’re not to leave your room. And…”

Evan took out a parchment from his inventory and handed it to Hilton.

“You probably have a lot to confess. Write everything you’ve done, and everything you planned to do, here.”

Hilton could no longer think for himself.

All he felt was pure fear of the man before him, and an instinctive understanding that Evan could not be defied.

***

After the incident with Hilton, Evan returned to his room.

He was checking through all the information Hilton had written down.

The list was full of filthy corruption and bizarre schemes.

Hilton and Heres were connected to numerous people.

They had been leaking all the Kerthen Family’s information to rival factions.

With this, Evan could uncover even more if he assigned someone to investigate further.

‘With this, I can completely destroy Heres as well.’

Knock, knock.

Someone knocked at the door.

Without looking up, Evan answered.

“Come in.”

Creak!

The door opened, and Ayra entered, her face pale and trembling.

She must have heard the news.

Hilton would pay for all his crimes.

Of course, she would have to as well…

Ayra had followed Hilton’s orders to brew Parnah Herb and give it to Evan.

She had, in effect, tried to poison him.

She could easily have been killed on the spot.

Ayra finally dropped to her knees and began to beg.

“My lord, I’m so sorry! I’ve committed an unforgivable sin. I’ll do anything.”

She had always been prepared for death, but now, worry for her family kept her clinging to life.

If she died, there would be no one left to send money home.

Though she had recently sent a large sum, it would soon be used up on medicine.

At last, tears the size of chicken eggs streamed down Ayra’s face.

She pictured her mother and younger siblings.

She couldn’t die in a place like this.

Finally, she pressed her forehead to the ground.

Thud!

Ayra begged so earnestly that her forehead bled as she struck it against the floor.

“P-Please… Spare my life… I’ll do anything! I’ll give you everything I have. I have many skills you can use…”

She knew that begging like this would be useless.

But she had no other options.

Then, unexpectedly, Evan spoke.

“Good. I like that resolve.”

He was moved by Ayra’s desperation.

“Raise your head. I have a proposal for you.”

“Huh? A proposal?”

A glimmer of hope appeared in Ayra’s eyes.

Evan nodded.

“Act as you always do, but get close to Heres. Secretly communicate with other nobles and find out what you can. You probably can’t get the originals, but a copy will do.”

He had made the offer, recalling Ayra’s ability to blend in.

Ayra swallowed hard and replied, “Y-Yes! Leave it to me.”

She had no choice.

If she wanted to survive, she had to accept.

Evan had traded her life for a chance.

“In return, I’ll give you a reward worth your while.”

Evan took out a pouch of gold coins and tossed it to Ayra.

Her eyes widened as she carefully received it.

“M-My lord, what is this…?”

“You’ll be working for me now. And depending on your results, I’ll pay you several times that. You’ll have to work hard for your family, right?”

At the mention of her family, Ayra swallowed again.

It seemed Evan’s investigation into her was already complete.

The young master she’d dismissed as a fool had prepared everything, thoroughly.

If Hilton could change so completely, there must be something more.

‘He knew everything I’d done, yet pretended not to?’

The thought sent chills down Ayra’s spine.

“Understood! I will devote myself to you, my lord!”

But she also realized this was both a crisis and an opportunity.

Living in guilt as a criminal for the rest of her life was far worse.

If she produced results, she’d be paid several times more.

‘With this, my family at home…’

Evan took out a scroll and tossed it in front of Ayra.

“That’s a copy. It contains the information Hilton confessed. If you can find any more related materials, bring them to me.”

Evan’s eyes gleamed as he looked down at Ayra.

“Now, go and start the investigation immediately. We’ll be pulling Heres out by the end of this week if we move fast. Be ready.”

“…Y-Yes, sir.”

Ayra nodded, trembling.