Paladin of the Dead God
chapter-140

“Ah, I see.”

Isaac’s calm response somewhat perplexed Dietrich.

He had expected even a renowned Grail Knight to be flustered upon the sudden mention of the Emperor. It was supposed to be a startling revelation, and Dietrich felt slightly disappointed by the lack of reaction.

Meanwhile, Isaac, who had been deep in thought, quickly explained after noticing Dietrich’s reaction.

“Ah, actually, I was somewhat expecting it.”

“Expecting it? You anticipated that His Majesty the Emperor would come?”

“Yes, since Duchess Lyon was here.”

Dietrich looked confused, but for Isaac, it was a predictable sequence of events.

Delia Lyon was a staunch imperialist and a representative of the central nobility, deeply loyal to the Emperor’s faction. It was no small matter that she attended the Rougeberg banquet despite her busy schedule.

At first, Isaac didn’t think much of it. However, as he eliminated the Red Chalice Club’s conspiracy and saw the influx of spies in Rougeberg, he changed his mind.

Someone very important was coming to Rougeberg.

And the only person who could influence Duke Lyon and was close enough to Duke Brant was Emperor Waltzemer.

“…But I never imagined he would summon me. Why would he suddenly seek me out?”

Only then did Dietrich respond with the eagerness he had anticipated.

“His Majesty finds your existence quite fascinating. A Grail Knight returned from death—who wouldn’t be curious?”

It was no secret to Isaac that Duke Lyon knew of his return; the Emperor must have been aware as well. There could be many reasons for the Emperor’s sudden visit to Rougeberg, but the rumor of the resurrected Grail Knight must have played a significant role.

“It’s an informal visit, and His Majesty isn’t one for much ceremony, so you can meet in a relaxed atmosphere.”

Yet, the Emperor himself.

Isaac had thought he might meet him someday, but this was skipping several steps ahead of what he had envisioned.

On one hand, if you think about it, it’s not too surprising since Duke Brant is among the closest to the Emperor in the empire.

“But are you sure this is alright? As I mentioned, the spies of the Red Chalice are still swarming, and not all have been dealt with. Anything could happen…”

Isaac was initially worried.

Whether it was because of the banquet or the Emperor, the number of suspicious individuals in Rougeberg had surged. Most were insignificant, and those who needed attention were under surveillance, but it still seemed risky for the Emperor to visit.

The safety of the Emperor wasn’t really Isaac’s concern. However, if anything happened to him in Rougeberg, Dietrich would face significant political repercussions.

“It’s fine. His Majesty is a living testament to the Codex of Light. Besides, the Imperial Guard and the divine beast Haltaba are always by his side. Who would dare harm him?”

Isaac reconsidered the Emperor’s security and realized that he need not worry after all.

At this point, Emperor Waltzemer was the strongest in the White Empire.

Moreover, the forces he commanded were formidable.

To harm even a finger of the Emperor, it would take more than a single angel. A few human hunters couldn’t possibly manage it.

“I was worried over nothing.”

“No, it’s not unfounded. Our enemies are not to be underestimated.”

Isaac realized that he should have been more concerned about his own safety first.

“…I’m worried about what His Majesty might have heard about me.”

Dietrich laughed at that.

“You worry too much. What unsavory rumor could possibly exist about a Grail Knight? If there were any, they would have been thoroughly erased by the Order. You are now a symbol of the Order.”

Isaac forced a smile.

“Shall we go then? I don’t want to keep His Majesty waiting too long.”

“Of course.”

Isaac nodded and followed Dietrich, smiling secretly to himself.

‘The Salt Council worked out well. It’s a rapid development but it’s going as expected.’

The rumor that the deceased Grail Knight was actually alive and staying in Rougeberg had been spread by none other than Isaac himself.

***

Hearing the rumor that he had become a saint and a symbol for the Dawn Army, the first thing Isaac did was announce his return.

This was contrary to Dietrich’s request for maximum security.

Dietrich was doing everything he could to keep things secure.

But his request for security was to prevent scandals about Isolde. Now that her wellbeing was publicly known, there was no need to insist on secrecy.

The primary reason Isaac spread the rumor was for safety.

The Codex of Light Order would find the rumor of the Grail Knight’s return most troublesome.

They had been portraying the dead Grail Knight as a ‘honorably martyred saint’ for their convenience. The problem was that Isaac was very much alive. Dead

heroes are easy to manipulate, but living ones, not so much.

Perhaps the Church would feel pressured to ‘correct’ this ‘error’ instead. That would be cleaner.

Of course, they might also venerate him extensively as a resurrected saint.

‘That might happen, or it might not.’

However, Isaac disliked the idea of anyone else having control over his life and death.

So, he decided to simplify his options.

Isaac had instructed the Salt Council to spread the rumor of his return at every port they visited.

The Grail Knight has returned.

He was recuperating from his injuries at Red Mountain, waiting to resume his noble quest.

It was precisely this rumor that had brought Delia Lyon to him.

And, unexpectedly, this bait had snagged a big fish—Emperor Waltzemer himself.

For Isaac, this was an outstanding achievement.

Now, the Church could no longer consider the option of eliminating Isaac recklessly.

They were forced to pave a ‘path of roses’ for him, having already made him a saintly figure.

Even if they sensed ‘heretical tendencies’ in Isaac.

Unless Isaac blatantly displayed evidence, they had no choice but to ignore it.

***

“Is there anything I should be wary of in front of His Majesty?”

While heading to the secretive inner chamber in Rougeberg, Isaac was nervous about the etiquette.

He was well aware of Emperor Waltzemer’s capabilities and his strength, but when it came to etiquette, he was only slightly better than a country bumpkin.

Actually, a bumpkin might even be more humble.

He would have been less nervous if he was going to confront the emperor in battle instead.

Dietrich looked at him incredulously.

“Has anyone among us ever demanded proper etiquette from you? Since everyone already knows about you, just behave as you do with me.”

Isaac wondered how he had appeared to others all this time.

He had tried to act as humbly as possible, but it might be possible that he seemed like a rude ruffian to others. Maybe they saw him as a ‘Grail Knight too busy with his noble quest to learn civility’.

Dietrich led him not to a grand guest room in Rougeberg, but to a small mansion in the city. Isaac could tell that this mansion was well-built and luxurious, and the surrounding houses and alleys were cleverly designed to make it difficult to observe those entering.

‘It must be a safe house used when hosting important guests.’

As they approached the door, they saw two people in casual attire sitting on the steps. They both wore white scarves; one held a spear, and the other a sword.

They appeared unarmed otherwise.

The pair seemed to be joking with each other and paid no attention to their approach. However, Isaac instinctively tensed up at the sight of them.

Dietrich looked at him puzzled.

“What’s wrong?”

“…No, it’s nothing.”

Isaac could feel a strange aura emanating from the pair, spreading out several meters around them. Dietrich seemed unaware of it, but Isaac could sense their readiness to strike.

He felt as if he was putting his neck on the line just stepping into that space.

Only then did they look up. They greeted Dietrich with a smile and remained seated.

“Ah, you arrived quickly, Duke. Is this the renowned Grail Knight?”

“Yes, it is.”

Isaac approached and bowed.

“Imperial Guards, it is an honor to meet you.”

As Isaac bowed, they scrambled up in surprise and returned the greeting.

“Oh, we shouldn’t be treating His Majesty’s guest like this!”

“Hurry, let’s go inside!”

Isaac was amused by their flustered reaction.

He instantly knew they were members of the Imperial Guard tasked with protecting the royal family.

Though they were few, they were among the most powerful selected from across the empire.

‘Could I win against them in a fight? …Not with swordsmanship alone.’

“While it’s good to be competitive, Grail Knight, now doesn’t seem like the right time. His Majesty has been waiting for you for quite some time.”

A guard commented, seemingly reading his mind. Isaac realized he hadn’t read his thoughts but rather his competitive spirit and alertness. These guards, sworn to die for the royal family, seemed particularly attuned to detecting murderous or combative intentions.

“And could you chase away that bat trying to find a spot under the roof? It’s rather distracting.”

“…Of course. It tends to be overly loyal.”

Isaac signaled Hesabel, who was trying to sneak in, to back off.

As an heir of the Gullmar dukedom, proud of her infiltration skills, Hesabel reluctantly retreated, nursing her bruised ego.

But the Imperial Guards only marveled at her obedience.

“So you’ve really reformed the princess of the Wallachia kingdom. So obedient.”

“There’s still much to teach her.”

Isaac apologized inwardly to Hesabel while responding. It seemed that his use of Hesabel as both a bodyguard and a servant was well known among the empire’s knights.

The guard then opened the door and led Isaac inside.

“I thought you’d be a very stiff priest from the rumors, but you’re surprisingly humble and young.”

“…That’s too generous.”

“Since you seem like a fine person, let me give you a tip for meeting His Majesty.”

The Imperial Guard whispered in Isaac’s ear.

“Don’t try to look directly into His Majesty’s eyes or read his emotions. It’s better to just act as you feel inclined to.”

Isaac looked at the guard, puzzled by the ‘tip’. It was common courtesy not to make direct eye contact with the emperor. But the guard seemed proud of his advice, leading Isaac further inside with a satisfied expression.

‘He seems to be rather oblivious, except when it comes to combat.’

Isaac stepped into the mansion.

And as he entered, he felt like it was summer.

Despite the deepening winter, the mansion was bathed in a sunny warmth.

A man emitting a sunlight-like radiance from his head was looking at a painting in the corridor.

When he turned around, Isaac internally cursed the Imperial Guard.

‘Not to look? I can’t even see properly because of the brightness.’

Without needing an introduction, Isaac knew who he was.

Emperor Waltzemer, who had unified the fragmented White Empire after winning the civil war with his brothers.

Then, the Emperor spoke.

“So, you are our famous son-in-law.”