Paladin of the Dead God
chapter-168-2

Although the beginning was dramatic, except for the nobles who had joined the Georg rebels, nearly all had responded to the summons.

The nobility outwardly showed no significant resentment or tightrope-walking behavior against King Edelred, complying with his authority. This was a success beyond expectations given the tense preparations. If all the nobles of Aldeon united, even crushing the Georg rebels could be possible.

However, Isaac did not consider this entirely good news.

“What kind of person is Lady Rosalind?” he asked Mors during a banquet meant to lighten the atmosphere. Mors, who had been tearing into a leg of lamb, put down his meat with a tasteless expression, as if reminded of the corpse from earlier.

“She’s hardly a modest lady. Think of her as somewhere between Elil and the Council of Salt. Before marrying Count Saltain of Saltain, she was rumored to be a pirate terrorizing the kingdom’s western regions.”

“Pirate…”

“Well, she claims she was a ‘righteous outlaw,’ but it’s true she formed an armed group and attacked the armies of the king and nobility on her own initiative.”

“So Count Saltain allied with a pirate, or rather, a maritime warlord, for peacekeeping?”

“No, it’s not like that. Count Saltain, then a mere heir, fell head over heels for her. I heard he even risked his life several times following her around for three years, even engaging in looting as part of her crew.”

“…”

“Hmm, but honestly, these are just stories I’ve heard indirectly. But seeing her today, bringing her husband’s corpse like that to the court, makes me believe those tales might be true.”

Isaac didn’t know much about Rosalind; she was hardly mentioned in the game.

The Saltain territory wasn’t well-covered in the game either. Given her age, Rosalind didn’t seem like she would pose a significant threat.

‘But her influence can’t be ignored.’

Saltain Island was considered one of the four major factions splitting Elil’s kingdom due to its extensive land and naval power, despite the massacres it had suffered. The Council of Salt might back them, but they could still influence the coastal and riverside nobility.

“It seems Lady Rosalind wanted to disrupt this assembly.”

“That’s likely. Just her appearance here has shocked everyone. It’s good that His Majesty handled it maturely.”

Had it been King Alfred, he might have reacted by cutting Rosalind’s throat or beating her and dragging her out. However, if Edelred had responded that way, it could have instantly fostered resentment among the nobility.

‘Many nobles are sympathetic about the massacres in Saltain.’

Not just out of pity but because they feared it could happen to them too.

Rosalind came prepared to incite and exploit such sentiments. Isaac clearly remembered those nobles who seemed particularly disappointed.

They had either been coerced or hoped to see Edelred’s authority undermined.

‘National unity isn’t achieved overnight…’

King Alfred had left Edelred a secure legacy, but also many enemies outside the fence. Now, maintaining that legacy was entirely up to Edelred.

***

As the banquet atmosphere warmed up, knights began tapping their scabbards on the floor. King Edelred stood up from the dining platform.

He addressed the quiet hall.

“Thank you to everyone who has traveled from far to respond to the king’s call.”

Clunk, clunk, clunk! The nobles responded by tapping their beer steins on the table.

“There are many things you may be curious about or want to hear, but I will skip the trivialities and get to the point. I intend to reclaim the Holy Land of Elion.”

The hall fell silent. This was not an unexpected statement; losing the Holy Land was a disgrace for the head of the Elil church. Moreover, leaving the rebels unchecked would perpetuate treason throughout the kingdom.

“Of course, the Georg family is there. But here, I have my knights, my army, and all of you. During this campaign, you are not just my subjects but also my friends, my teachers, my comrades.”

Clunk, clunk, clunk, clunk! The sounds of beer steins became louder, and beer overflowed the tables. For the nobles who remembered the tyranny and mismanagement of the previous king, Edelred’s approach was appealing.

“And most importantly, we have a sacred artifact that must be returned to our god, the eternal champion of the battlefield, Elil.”

Edelred took out the Rite of Division, which he had borrowed from Isaac.

As soon as the Rite of Division was in Edelred’s hands, it hummed loudly, sensing the holy power of Elil’s faith in him. The ominous red patterns imbued with Elil’s blood shone eerily.

“This dagger split Elil’s heart, Garagaldia. The infidels called it the Rite of Division, meaning

a ‘divisive wedding.’”

The nobles couldn’t take their eyes off it. Their faith seemed to resonate spontaneously with the Rite of Division, stirring their emotions.

“That vile entity chose betrayal despite receiving the king’s favor and fled with his heart! Thus, we could only watch as our god left our side!”

Bang, bang, bang, bang! The clinking of steins grew louder.

“After a long time, the return of Garagaldia to our hands signifies that it is time for our god to return! Garagaldia is just the beginning! We will reclaim all holy lands and holy swords, and bring back the Holy Grail to complete the return of Elil!”

Bang, bang, bang! The response from the nobles was nearly frenetic.

No knight raised without hearing legends of Elil’s ascension and resurrection. Supporting this speech was akin to proving one’s patriotism; to do otherwise would be nearly treasonous.

Then Edelred pointed to Isaac and shouted.

“The greatest Holy Grail Knight since the Ashen Knight will aid our journey!”

“Holy Grail Knight! Holy Grail Knight!”

Isaac, caught off-guard by the sudden reference, nevertheless raised his glass. The nobles, initially puzzled, joined in as the Aldeon knights cheered. Edelred declared loudly.

“We must return to the Holy Land!”

“To the Holy Land!”

The nobles shouted in unison.

‘Well played.’

Isaac was quietly impressed. Edelred had skillfully woven an allegory about Lianne Georg into his speech. While the history between Elil and the Muses was true, he had directed the hatred for the Muses towards Lianne, despite various justifiable reasons for the Georg family’s actions.

It was remarkable that Edelred, despite his youth, was using such cunning tactics for agitation.

Isaac couldn’t help but smile bitterly.

‘It seems he has decided to accept it after all that deliberation.’

With this, Edelred took a step closer to becoming a true king.

Isaac felt somewhat regretful about it.