Paladin of the Dead God
chapter-187

“As you know, if someone you know has fought with the Dawn Army, there’s a high chance they’ve made a pact with the Immortal Order.”

The words Isaac left echoed in Lianne’s ears as she returned to the castle. Naturally, she was not foolish enough to take the enemy’s words at face value and be shaken by them. Yet, the reason she could not rebuke Isaac’s statement was because she herself harbored similar suspicions.

“There are external forces within the Georg household.”

After the death of her father, Vio Georg, numerous clansmen and nobles had flowed into the Georg territory from outside. In fact, Lianne herself was one of those people, completely unsuspected.

She had to avenge the dishonored Vio Georg and restore his honor. It was a value and purpose that was quintessentially Elil.

However, the method was quite different from what Lianne had imagined.

She remembered the traditional method.

On a vast plain, countless flags and soldiers lined up, and the fate of the battlefield was determined by the duels of brave young knights. An epic of heroes born from unexpected tactics and critical crises… Romantic, if put nicely, and barbaric if not.

Lianne, while casting her vote for being called barbaric, respected and loved the tradition.

Thus, she listened to the stories of the clan elders and gathered many opinions. However, the first war she engaged in against the former king Alfred was filled with hatred, vengeance, and slaughter. The elders said it was because of Alfred’s cruelty and the Georg family’s loss of honor.

But if one must engage in dishonorable fights to regain honor, where exactly does honor lie?

Should honor be regained by killing Alfred? Was honor just hanging on the head of that vulgar fat man?

Moreover, Lianne hadn’t even managed to kill Alfred. Alfred, despite being a swordmaster, had died of hypertension from indulging in rich food and excessive drinking. Perhaps, it was a historically unprecedented event for a swordmaster.

As the war fizzled out, Lianne harbored many doubts.

“Among the elders of the Georg family… there is someone inciting hatred.”

And that person had particularly stood out among some factions during this war, and Lianne had already narrowed down her suspects to one. It was something she did not want to believe and it did not help boost the morale of the Georg troops either.

“Dawn Army veteran.”

“Contract with the Immortal Order.”

“Death insurance.”

The words left by Isaac spread in her mind. Amidst a desire to scream, Lianne crossed the drawbridge leading to the castle.

At that moment, cheers erupted.

“Lianne! Lianne! Lianne!”

Despite expecting a subdued atmosphere due to the severe losses, Lianne felt bewildered as she observed the soldiers. As she dismounted from her horse, Villon Georg was the first to rush forward. He embraced her tightly, pride evident in his gesture.

“Thank you, clan leader! Thanks to you, we’ve saved the Georg troops!”

“Uncle.”

She could see the returning cavalrymen cheering in her view. The soldiers were also sending their praises to them. Having stirred the kingdom of Ellil and incessantly harassed the Aldeon troops outside the castle for a long time, they had become heroes.

In a situation where they could neither eat properly nor rest, these men had dramatically appeared and saved the Georg troops when they were in crisis. They rightfully deserved the acclaim of war heroes.

And Lianne was the hero who had saved that cavalry.

“Uncle, may I have a word…”

“Lady Lianne, I know you’re tired, but please, just a moment.”

Villon’s earnest expression made Lianne close her mouth.

“Today, our troops were essentially defeated and barely managed to retreat. We need to boost morale, or else everyone will go to sleep anxious.”

Since his point was valid, Lianne responded to the soldiers. Villon raised her hand to answer their cheers, and the cheers of the soldiers grew even louder. At that moment, Villon shouted.

“Today, we faced a great crisis!”

Villon’s booming voice quieted the soldiers. Lianne was surprised by the sudden speech but decided to stay quiet for morale’s sake as he had suggested.

“The enemies have desecrated the battlefield of Ellil by bringing in foreigners and heretics! Our troops wavered momentarily due to their cunning and desperate schemes, but that was all!”

Villon continued his thunderous roar.

“It’s because we have heroes they do not!”

“Lianne!”

A soldier, unable to contain his excitement, shouted. Simultaneously, similar shouts of other renowned knights or someone’s name erupted from various places. Names of the cavalry captain and Villon were also mentioned. Villon waited for the cheering to die down before continuing.

“Now, with the return of our heroes, we are made whole! There is no defeat in our army now!”

A sinister smile flickered across his face.

“Under the leadership of General Lianne Georg, we will annihilate the usurping Aldeon troops and reclaim our lost honor! Not one of the Aldeon seeds will remain!”

The soldiers’ cheers erupted again. Amidst the overwhelming cheers, Lianne found it hard to breathe. She felt as though she might drown in the cheers, praise, and excitement.

The whole world was pressing her.

To be more heroic, sharper, crueler.

That’s where honor lies, they said.

“Ellil! Ellil! Ellil!”

Yet, Lianne managed a forced smile and waved her hand.

Her gaze turned towards Villon. She had many questions for him.

Had he truly betrayed Ellil, did he forsake honor to retrieve honor, was he really enrolled in the death insurance of the Immortal Order?

However, Lianne did not want to start a trial against a senior member of the clan during wartime.

Wasn’t it true that Villon fought for the Georg troops? Moreover, the cavalry faction he led was treated as heroes. In this situation, revealing Villon’s faults was not wise.

‘It won’t be too late to ask after the war is over.’

More in hope than rational thought, Lianne chose to remain silent.

***

“Please don’t undertake such reckless operations again, teacher.”

Edelred, lying in bed next to Isaac, spoke in disbelief. The tent was filled with food, swords, and shields. The story of Isaac leading only a few soldiers to halt the Georg cavalry had become legendary, and these were gifts left by numerous nobles.

There were also letters wishing for Isaac’s swift recovery from his many injuries.

“Actually, the wounds have all healed.”

However, it would seem strange if he were to start walking around immediately after sustaining such injuries, so for now, he was pretending to convalesce.

“There’s no need to worry, Your Highness. My life is the most precious to me. I wouldn’t have done it if I thought my life was in danger.”

“Is that so? I was surprised, thinking you might be ready to sacrifice yourself for the sake of the Aldeon army.”

When Edelred had agreed to deploy his troops upon hearing Isaac’s plan, he thought it was merely a feint. He never imagined that Isaac would personally dive in and slit the cavalry commander’s throat.

“Anyway, I am the most precious person to myself, so you need not worry. Besides, there are things I have come to realize today that I must discuss with Your Highness.”

Isaac relayed to Edelred the same information he had shared with Lianne.

There is a possibility that the Immortal Order is involved within the Georg cavalry, likely with a high-ranking official resurrecting dead knights…

“And there’s a high probability that it’s not just one or two people. Likely, there is one person in a high position, and factions under him are derived in succession. Probably those related to the Georg cavalry.”

Edelred’s expression hardened upon hearing that the Immortal Order might be involved.

“The Immortal Order, you say? Those creatures that walk around as nothing but skeletons? Are they really within the Georg army? I haven’t seen such things.”

“Huh? Ah, Your Highness must have never seen the Immortal Order. This place is one of the furthest from the Black Empire… Not all members of the Immortal Order turn into skeletons right away. They can look quite alive until they undergo decomposition.”

Of course, such undead, still with flesh, are considered a ‘lowly and smelly’ class within the Immortal Order. Isaac suspected that at least half of the cavalry were undead.

“The force was almost fully intact.”

The Georg cavalry had been fiercely clashing at the front lines, in conditions where it was difficult to replenish supplies and manpower. Under normal circumstances, their numbers should have been much lower. However, the Georg cavalry Isaac fought today appeared almost entirely intact.

This meant that the Georg cavalry could essentially all be members of the Immortal Order or have signed death insurances.

However, the concept of the Immortal Order still seemed foreign to Edelred.

“Why would the Immortal Order interfere in our affairs? We last participated in the Dawn Army over a hundred years ago and have had no involvement in such matters since…”

“Your Highness, you are unaware, but the Immortal Order has consistently shown interest in Elil. I know of a lich who dragged a knight of the Elil order around as a Dullahan. They might have come to offer ‘immigration’ due to a constant shortage of people, or perhaps their aim is to deplete forces to ensure that there are no future participations in the Dawn Army.”

Unlike Edelred’s thoughts, the Immortal Order had ample reasons to meddle. Strong humans lead to strong undead.

Recruitment of talents was always a significant concern for the Immortal Order.

Edelred, lost for words, then protested.

“Why are you telling me this only now? If they are instigating our wars, perhaps we could have avoided this conflict!”

“I only became certain of it today. But what would have happened if I had accused the Georg army of harboring spies from the Immortal Order without any evidence before?”

“Well…”

Edelred pondered the future consequences and then fell silent. The Kingdom of Elil had accepted Isaac, the bearer of the Codex of Light, because he was from the White Empire, sharing the same roots and a similar culture.

However, the Immortal Order was different. By the standards of Elil, they were an evil that must be eradicated, deserving of disdain. In the early days of the Dawn Army, the Kingdom of Elil had eagerly sent its most knights to exterminate them.

Immortal Order spies in Georg? Then this war was heading towards a situation where one side must be completely annihilated, with the Georg side rightfully being the one to suffer.

It’s unrealistic to expect the Georg army to respond with, “Ah, I see. Then we will surrender half of our knights.” They would likely react angrily, dismissing it as a baseless slander.

Naturally, the Georg family would fight desperately to survive.

“That’s why we absolutely needed proof.”

“…But sooner or later, wouldn’t the outcome be the same? If this becomes known, there will be calls for the extermination of the Georg family. Unless it is known who belongs to the Immortal Order…”

“No. Our task hasn’t changed. Do you remember what our objective was?”

“Huh? Capturing the fortress of Elion… Oh, could it be!”

Isaac nodded.

“Returning the division ritual and receiving an oracle at the Holy Land of Elion will solve everything. Elil will send down his messenger to sift through the impure.”

***

The next day, the Georg army did not move from the fortress.

As usual, there were taunts and challenges to duels, but perhaps due to the severe losses from the day before, or maybe some new orders had been received, the Georg army did not respond and firmly locked their gates. Although a siege seemed inevitable, the Aldeon army was undisturbed.

Delfric muttered as he observed the immobile Georg army.

“Just as the Holy Grail Knight said, they don’t move an inch.”

“Given the severe losses they suffered yesterday and the lack of cavalry to disrupt our rear, it’s understandable.”

Then how would the Aldeon army conduct a siege against them?

Isaac’s conclusion was simple.

Just don’t.

That afternoon, the Georg army realized that the Aldeon army had lifted the siege and withdrawn completely.

–TL Notes–