Paladin of the Dead God
chapter-108

“Has the council decided to exclude the Drowned King?”

“No. As always, the council will drag its feet with vague and ambiguous conclusions and will likely muddle through the demands. But those fools don’t understand the situation on the ground. For the sake of the sailors’ livelihoods, we can’t continue to have ships detained here.”

Hyanis answered solemnly.

“The Drowned King’s demands are not the kind that can be quietly rejected. The fate of the Salt Council is at stake. It’s better for us to cut the seraph’s lifeline than to watch it sever the Salt Council’s.”

In essence, the council’s opinion was split.

Whether to comply with the Drowned King’s demands or not.

Hyanis seemed to be part of the faction that insisted on refusal. In fact, he had gone beyond merely being part of a “hardline faction.”

He had decided not to wait for the council’s decision and instead aimed to decapitate the angel himself.

“So, just as Bishop Juan and a Grail Knight, known for defeating an angel, happen to appear willing to help?”

“It turned out that way, coincidentally.”

Isaac chuckled.

Perhaps Isaac’s appearance had indeed hastened Hyanis’s decision.

The bustling movement of the sailors and the disorderly cargo on board were preparations for battle.

“Do you think Bishop Juan will cooperate properly?”

Hyanis smiled bitterly.

“I’m aware that Bishop Juan didn’t come with that intention, but having declared his involvement, he can’t run away now. Especially since the ship has already set sail. He’ll have no choice but to cooperate if he wants to return alive.”

“Smart move.”

“All the money we’ve given to Bishop Juan up to now has to count for something.”

In truth, Hyanis placed more hope in Isaac than in Bishop Juan.

He had already heard about Isaac through Eidan. Isaac had defeated an angel and vanquished ancient gods, amassing countless achievements and rising as a new holy figure.

Momentum plays a role in success.

Hyanis knew that confronting an angel was no easy task.

But perhaps with this Grail Knight’s momentum, they could manage somehow?

“Are you planning to let a wicked and corrupt angel continue demanding human sacrifices, just because it’s considered a heretical faith?”

Isaac took a moment to gather his thoughts.

“So, Captain Hyanis is heading out to execute their own angel without the council’s decision. Do all the crew members agree?”

“Not just me, but all captains who share my conviction have decided to set sail. It’s an earlier decision than planned, but there’s no better time than now. I may be the first, but others will follow.”

Hyanis murmured resolutely.

“If I meet my demise, we’ve agreed to be considered as human sacrifices offered to the Drowned King. It’s to prevent the followers from being retaliated against by the king.”

“Captain Hyanis…”

Eidan murmured, seemingly moved.

Even though he had been dragged into this situation somewhat unwillingly, being on the same ship meant he shared some level of agreement.

‘To think the person who was afraid of making a blunder in front of the bishop and had Eidan wear the captain’s coat to delegate tasks is showing quite bravery. Or was it to somehow drag Bishop Juan onto the ship?’

“Can I know exactly what the Drowned King said?”

Normally, this would be information that shouldn’t be disclosed outside the council. But since they’ve already revealed their intent and set sail, there’s no concern of the information leaking until the issue is resolved or they all perish.

Hyanis cleared his throat and relayed the Drowned King’s words.

“Offer up those who shall drown. With their blood, I shall moisten my throat with wine-colored seas. Offer up those who shall be salted. Their flesh shall be the feast that welcomes the deity in the sea breeze.”

“You didn’t translate that exactly, did you?”

Hyanis’s eyes widened at Isaac’s remark.

“How did you know? Um, there was a lot of archaic language, so a lot was changed in the process of translation and smoothing out the text. But after heads of priests and councilors came together, it’s the interpretation that most closely matches the original text.”

Upon hearing Hyanis’s explanation, Isaac couldn’t help but click his tongue inwardly.

“The Drowned King isn’t asking for human sacrifices.”

Silence fell upon those in the corridor upon hearing Isaac’s words.

After a pause, Hyanis spoke up.

“What do you mean? If this isn’t a demand for human sacrifices, then what is it?”

“The words mean he’s looking for someone to perform a ritual. It’s a warning that the ritual is extremely dangerous, so he’s asking for someone with sufficient faith and agreement to come forward.”

Isaac had a rough idea of the situation.

‘The Drowned King… has quite the dialect, it seems.’

A seraph that might wake once in hundreds of years.

Without communication through the afterlife, it’s natural for their knowledge, concepts, and even their manner of speaking to remain centuries to a thousand years old. Such archaic speech could easily be mistaken for the eerie voice of an ancient deity demanding sacrifices.

‘Of course, requesting someone for a potentially lethal mission is problematic in its own right.’

But this mission was a crucial storyline for the Salt Council faith. Players who chose the Salt Council would have the opportunity to meet the Drowned King. Those who awaken him assist him and receive rewards in return.

It was a quest with great risk but substantial rewards, one that Isaac remembered. Somehow, that story quest had become active now. However, the idea of the angel directly sending someone to the afterlife could easily be mistaken for human sacrifices.

Hyanis and Eidan shared a look of confusion.

“I’m sorry, but this is a difficult tale to simply accept.”

Hyanis finally spoke up.

“With all due respect, Sir Knight of the Grail, you are an outsider. You didn’t directly hear the decree from the Drowned King, nor did you participate in the council’s discussions. The council members have collectively analyzed and interpreted the message, so it’s hard to just accept it at face value.”

“I understand.”

Isaac readily accepted this.

Anyone would find it hard to simply accept when someone from the outside says all you’ve believed is wrong, especially when the fate of the organization is at stake.

But Hyanis seemed somewhat relieved.

“Still, if your words hold true, it means there’s a possibility to resolve this matter more amicably. Though the prospect of that potentially fatal ritual is concerning…”

Whether Isaac was correct or not, they had to meet the Drowned King.

If the King wasn’t demanding sacrifices but had been misunderstood, they needed to clarify that. Otherwise, it was time for a showdown.

But Isaac was confident in his interpretation.

‘This might be resolved more easily than expected.’

Ultimately, Isaac’s intention to influence the Salt Council was primarily for this ‘quest.’ He had gotten involved unexpectedly, but it was fortunate that things could proceed quickly.

However, a minor question lingered.

‘But who awakened the Drowned King?’

***

The Brave Salmon set sail with a favorable wind, quickly leaving Norden Harbor for the open sea.

As Captain Hyanis had mentioned, a few ships began to follow them from the horizon. The number was more than Isaac had anticipated, but he didn’t believe all of them were coming to assist the Brave Salmon.

“How many of those do you think are coming to catch us?”

At Isaac’s question, Hyanis laughed bitterly.

“About half, I’d guess.”

“Only half? And the other half are here to help us?”

“No. Half of the remaining will wait to see if things can be resolved peacefully before turning on us if things go sour. Still, about a quarter might actually support us.”

At that moment, Bishop Juan rushed onto the deck, followed by a young priest struggling with a gilded box under each arm.

“Wait, hold on. What’s happening? Why has the ship left the harbor?”

Juan reeked of strong alcohol. It seemed Hyanis had provided quite the potent liquor.

With a gesture of gratitude, Hyanis placed a hand on his chest, greeting, and responded.

“As per your words, Bishop, we are on our way to vanquish the evil monster.”

“Monster? Hold on, not the monster? You’re not talking about the Drowned King, are you?”

Hyanis nodded.

Juan looked at Isaac with a pale face, hoping for a denial, but Isaac’s silence confirmed his fears.

Juan staggered for a moment before grabbing the railing, and the young priest hurried to support him.

“No, damn it all. Is this true? Attacking their own angel? Have these madmen buried their sanity beneath the salt desert along with their god?”

Isaac was about to mention the possibility of resolving the situation without a fight but decided to enjoy Juan’s frightened reaction a bit more instead. Hyanis didn’t complain about the situation, unlike when he boldly accepted money in the captain’s quarters.

However, Isaac found the bishop’s lack of confidence puzzling. Angels are indeed powerful, but a bishop of the Codex of Light should not be easily overpowered. Even the Prophet of the Red Flesh would hesitate to confront a bishop directly.

It wasn’t without reason that Hyanis thought, ‘This might be manageable,’ and decided to set sail suddenly.

Realizing this, Hyanis decided not to bring up his earlier point.

“You worry too much, Bishop Juan. This ship is well-armed. Besides, we have you and the Grail Knight who has experience in defeating angels, don’t we?”

“You deceived us!”

“Deceived? We merely did not refuse an offer of help. And we’ve already paid you for it.”

“If I had known we were really going to confront the Drowned King, I wouldn’t have settled for that amount!”

Was it about the amount? Isaac was momentarily at a loss for words but whispered to Hyanis.

“Do you have more money?”

“Unless the Salt Council had decided, I can’t say. Actually, the money we’ve given you already comes from my personal funds.”

“Stop this nonsense and turn the ship around! I do not wish to encounter a heretic angel…”

Thud. As Juan continued to protest, the ship suddenly rocked from a collision, silencing everyone on deck.

Juan’s face turned even paler, if possible.

“It won’t be the Drowned King. Not yet…”

Crash, thud!

Instead of continuing, Hyanis rushed to the railing to look down at the water. He spotted dark shapes moving beneath the surface.

“Sea Monsters! All hands, prepare for battle!”

***

“Sea monsters? Is this area known for their appearances?”

As Hyanis grimly prepared for battle, he answered.

“No. But… with the Drowned King awake, it’s not surprising to see the ecosystem becoming disturbed.”

An angel’s mere presence can disrupt the local ecosystem. While the Drowned King slept, his influence was minimal and stabilized over a long time. But his awakening and subsequent activities have started to cause anomalies.

“Meeting Sea Monsters is not uncommon for seafarers. The crew is well-prepared to handle them, so don’t worry.”

“What if this is a signal from the Drowned King to attack us?”

Bishop Juan’s question was ignored by Hyanis.

The Sea monsters quickly multiplied, surrounding the ship in dozens, seeking an opportunity to attack. The crew cursed at the Sea monsters, aiming their bows and harpoons.

Similarly, the Sea monsters lacked tools to attack the large ship.

While they could sustain themselves on the water surface, they chose a more effective approach rather than risk climbing aboard and being attacked.

The Sea monsters, swirling around the ship, suddenly gained momentum and charged towards it. Seeing the bubbles trailing behind the charging Sea monsters, the crew yelled a warning.

“They’re using battering rams!”