Paladin of the Dead God
chapter-173-1

“No…!”

As the chanting began, Edelred tried to rush forward, but Hesabel held him back. The underground treasury began to shake violently.

Boom! The severe quake made it hard to even stand. The Holy Sword Kaldbruch, embedded in the ground, started to rise. Just the vibrations of Kaldbruch being drawn out were enough to shake the entire castle.

Isaac didn’t hesitate any longer and swung his sword. However, his blade futilely sliced through the air where Cedric was supposed to be, as if there was nothing there.

Once the ritual had begun, this place ceased to be a normal space. It had become a domain for ‘judgment.’ Isaac, Hesabel, and Cedric had instantly become mere spectators, unable to intervene.

“What sort of ritual have you conducted?”

Only the inexperienced Edelred sat down in confusion.

Isaac gritted his teeth and whispered,

“It’s a ritual of judgment.”

“A ritual of judgment?”

“It’s a plea for justice to the gods. When people suffer unbearable grief and injustice that earthly powers cannot resolve, they appeal to the gods.”

Isaac glared at Cedric and murmured,

“Lady Rosalind needed a skilled priest, not just a fine swordsman.”

When human rules and judgments can’t achieve justice,

When people want to appeal to an almighty being, risking their lives,

That’s when they seek divine intervention for justice.

That was exactly the ritual unfolding before their eyes.

Such rituals exist in all nine faiths. Swearing in the name of the gods is a simplified version of this judgment ritual.

Simple rituals might bring misfortune, illness, or at worst, condemnation to hell after death. But the ritual Rosalind was conducting was far more solemn and serious.

The current ritual seemed to be requesting direct intervention from a god or angel.

“It’s like a soldier, instead of going to his immediate superior, files a complaint directly to the Ministry of Defense… No, damn it. What am I thinking?”

Though it was a ridiculous comparison, Isaac could think of no better analogy.

Thump, thud, thud…

A breeze started to blow from somewhere.

It brought the fresh scent of a forest and gentle wind, inconceivable deep underground, and leaves began to scatter throughout the treasury.

Isaac felt a familiar presence where Kaldbruch had been.

It was the essence of Urbanus.

Under the domain of Elil, where eternal war and glory were pursued in the Crystal Battlefield. Isaac’s crystal ring worn on his finger vibrated as if resonating with the battlefield’s fervor.

Amidst the swirling leaves, a knight in green armor appeared, towering at nearly 3 meters tall, wielding the double-handed sword Kaldbruch as if it were a one-handed weapon.

His green armor was intricately etched with patterns like ancient tree trunks. Behind him, a cape made of falling leaves that seemed to have burst forth and then settled covered the ground. The leaves undulated as if breathing, and with each movement, a forest wind swept through.

An angel had arrived.

The real battle angel, who slaughtered enemies alongside Elil on the battlefield.

***

Rosalind no longer wanted to be swayed by anger.

She didn’t want to defy her husband’s will.

Yet, at the same time, she wasn’t generous enough to forgive Edelred, nor did she feel she had the strength to execute her revenge, leading her to despair.

Uncontrollable anger, compassion for her husband, an unresolved grudge, hatred for a world where justice was not served, despair over her own weaknesses… Rosalind was consumed by these relentless emotions.

She longed to be freed from these feelings.

Literally, she sought salvation.

Salvation from herself.

Thus, instead of enduring her complex and contradictory torments, she chose to delegate the judgment to an ‘objective and absolute’ entity.

It was a conclusion reached in utter despair.

But it wasn’t a wise decision.

‘It’s madness.’

Isaac muttered as he looked at the green knight.

The ritual of judgment isn’t omnipotent. If people called upon the gods to kill someone every time they felt slighted, humanity would soon be extinct. If the ritual of judgment was performed for insufficient reasons, the petitioner would be the one to burn in hell immediately.

Even if the plea was accepted due to sufficient grievances, the verdict might be based on the standards of unknowable angels and gods, not on ‘justice’ but on religious order or a grand plan beyond mortal comprehension. Even if it felt unfair to the petitioner, there was nothing they could do.

A judgment decided in the ritual was absolute to the followers of that faith.

Whoosh.

Isaac barely caught his breath as the wind surged.

The overwhelming presence of the angel was so intense that even Isaac, who had faced angels several times, found it hard to withstand. Needless to say, it was even more unbearable for an ordinary person like Edelred.

Edelred sat down completely, staring blankly at the Green Knight.

The Green Knight slowly turned his head to look at Rosalind and then at Edelred, paying no attention to Isaac, Hesabel, or Cedric.

“Indeed, a Basic Angel,” Rosalind thought.

She had invoked the angel possessing the Holy Sword Kaldbruch to plead for justice.

A Basic Angel (기천사) is a being created by the gods purely for a specific function. Unlike the Archangels, who possess emotions and can even betray, Basic Angels are like divine mechanical beings, moving exactly according to their role. They are entirely created by divine power, which is not without its burdens, but since they are made to fit their function perfectly, it’s hard to gauge their strength.

However, the power that is said to be bestowed when wielding Kaldbruch did not seem to make this angel any less formidable.

“O Angel,” Rosalind began, barely overcoming the pressure.

At that moment, the Green Knight raised a finger, and Rosalind felt as if her breath was being suffocated, forcing her into silence.

The Green Knight slowly bent down to look at Rosalind.

“I have already heard the petitioner’s plea.”

His voice was like rustling leaves, as if not just his wings but even his armored body was made of leaves. Rosalind glared at the Green Knight with bloodshot eyes.

“I have one question. Are you aware that the object of your petition is the king of Elil?”

Isaac wanted to intervene, but in this space created only for the purpose of judgment, there was nothing he could do.

[The Nameless Chaos watches over you.]

–TL Notes–