Paladin of the Dead God
chapter-167-1

Bang. After finishing the interrogation of the prisoners, Mors closed the prison door behind him.

The prisoners captured by Isaac were immediately incarcerated in the dungeons of Aldeon.

Though traitors could have faced torture or execution, being prisoners captured by a Holy Grail Knight, they were merely isolated. This restraint also limited Mors’s ability to interrogate them harshly.

Indeed, he didn’t need to.

The captive knights had answered all of Mors’s questions without hesitation.

“Is the interrogation complete?”

In the waiting room, Edelred and Isaac were present. Mors greeted Isaac immediately, his demeanor respectful. General Mors Gideon, once filled with mistrust and suspicion towards Isaac, had changed his attitude after witnessing his valor firsthand.

His arrogance stemmed from his devotion and faith as a follower of Elil, so it was not something to blame him for.

All believers have some exclusivity towards other religions.

Moreover, by the standards of Elil’s faith, Isaac was a remarkably strong warrior who deserved respect.

“As you said, Holy Grail Knight. It doesn’t seem like Lianne Georg will suddenly emerge with an army.”

Isaac nodded.

He had thought that Lianne would immediately lead an army to ambush them once the Rite of Division was exposed. The witch hunt for Hekate had provided the perfect opportunity.

While the expedition was meant to capture Hekate, it also served as bait to lure in Lianne.

As expected, Georg’s knights had fallen for it, but they were not there to attack Edelred and Isaac. They were merely observing and gathering intelligence.

This meant that the Georg rebels were still not making any moves in the Holy Land of Elion.

“The scouts report similarly. The movements of the Georg rebels have actually decreased,” Edelred commented with a dark expression.

“Isn’t it a problem if Georg doesn’t come out?”

“It would be preferable, but staying put is the worst option for Lianne Georg.”

“Worst? Why?”

Isaac pulled out the Rite of Division from his pocket as he spoke.

“General Mors, how significant is the Rite of Division to the followers of Elil?”

Mors’s face stiffened as he could not take his eyes off the Rite of Division and finally spoke,

“The last sacred sword of the supreme king Elil, the final punctuation of a god’s demise, a symbol of division, betrayal, and remorse.”

“You’re quite the poet.”

“…It’s just a common description. The golden era of the Elil Kingdom ended with Elil’s death. It also symbolizes the betrayal and sorrow suffered by the tyrant.”

Isaac put the Rite of Division back into his pocket.

Mors’s expression turned somber.

For a devout follower like him, having such a relic in the hands of a foreigner was painful, but since the relic was to be returned by a Holy Grail Knight, he could not intervene.

“Lianne Georg is preventing the Rite of Division from returning to Elil’s embrace. The very Georg family known as the ‘Guardians of the Holy Land.’ This could cause discord not only among the nobles of this country but also within the Georg rebel ranks.”

The best Lianne could do was to bring a small commando force to attack Isaac and snatch the Rite of Division. She would solve the problem by returning it herself. However, instead, she fortified her position in Elion, preparing for a siege as if she knew Isaac would attack.

“If Georg doesn’t come out, then we use the return of the Rite of Division as a pretext to summon the lords. I think anyone who claims to be a follower of Elil couldn’t just stand by.”

This was nearly heretical. Refusing to return the Rite of Division, not cooperating in its return, all of it.

It might take more time than anticipated, but if this unifies the Elil Kingdom, that’s even better. It would reduce the time needed to gather forces.

Edelred cautiously asked after Isaac’s suggestion,

“What if Lianne Georg says, ‘Let the Holy Grail Knight come alone to return it’?”

It was a plausible scenario. She might not obstruct the relic’s return if only the Holy Grail Knight comes alone. But Georg had already provided a pretext for that.

“I’ve already been attacked by Georg’s knights. How can I ensure my safety in Elion, especially with prisoners here? It wouldn’t be proper to say that if they had any decency.”

Although it was more about him capturing them than being attacked, it was true they would have targeted Isaac and the Rite of Division if given a chance. Isaac had many reasons not to risk his life by going to the Holy Land alone. If a conflict did escalate, Lianne might request a duel under pressure. That could settle everything with one fight.

Isaac preferred that scenario.

This time, unlike what he did in the Hendrock estate, Isaac couldn’t choose to sneak in alone and kill everyone; there would be hundreds,

even thousands of witnesses, and this was not just any place—it was the Holy Land Elion.

Lianne was not the problem. An angel of Elil might appear and crush Isaac’s head.

“But…”

“Is there something bothering you?”

“Then we would have to wage a full-scale war in the Holy Land of Elion, right? To be frank, the opponent is a Swordmaster and the strongest knightly order in the Elil Kingdom. The entire Holy Land would be soaked in blood. Whether it’s them or us, a massacre would occur.”

“I don’t want that either, Your Majesty.”

This campaign would be Edelred’s first as king and a test of his leadership. While the blood of enemies was secondary, the blood of his own people was not something desirable.

However, he couldn’t afford to be overly cautious.

The enemy was provoking a siege, and there was no room for negotiation. As time went on, they would all be drenched in blood.

Edelred’s lips were tightly sealed as he pondered deeply.

Isaac did not intervene. Whatever decision was made, Edelred had to carry its consequences.

Such anguish and despair were also necessary virtues for a king.

***

Edelred’s call to arms was issued throughout the Elil Kingdom.

From the northernmost Wintercall to Saltain beyond the sea, even to the rebel-held Holy Land of Elion, messengers were sent.

This was the first call to arms since his coronation.

Edelred had not demanded a loyalty oath immediately after his accession, because demanding loyalty in a divided nation would have forced everyone to show their cards.

The Elil Kingdom was split into four: the southern royal family of Aldeon, the Georg rebel forces in the Holy Land of Elion, the barbaric and uncharted Witch’s Forest, and the island of Saltain across the sea.

The Witch’s Forest could now be ignored as a force, but most nobles remained non-committal due to lack of power or due to regional and personal ties. Demanding a loyalty oath might have revealed a weaker support for the Aldeon royal family than expected, which would have been disadvantageous.

Therefore, Edelred had pragmatically opted to collect taxes without demanding loyalty oaths. This strategy allowed the Aldeon royal family to be nominally recognized as the rulers of the Elil Kingdom.

It was time to see where Edelred truly stood.

Clang! Thud, tatak!

Edelred’s sword flew out of his hand and stuck in the ground after clashing with Isaac’s.

Edelred sighed deeply and retrieved his sword.

While waiting for the summoned nobles, Edelred practiced swordplay with Isaac almost daily. Although he despised sword fighting, his respect for the Holy Grail Knight and his zeal for reform helped him focus.

But today was different.

“Your sword is wandering. Shall we call it a day?”

“No, no. My mind was elsewhere, Teacher. I can continue.”

But Isaac sheathed his sword.

“You might end up hurting yourself. Especially since my swordsmanship is particularly deadly; a mistake could be fatal.”

“However…”