Paladin of the Dead God
chapter-218

“……Anyway, if the Codex of Light doesn’t have an issue with you becoming the Grand Warrior of Elil, then it’s fine.”

He figured if anything happened, the Sword of May would defend him. Surely they wouldn’t work him this hard and then turn a blind eye. However, for that to happen, the Sword of May had to remain intact. In its current small and cute form, it was difficult to show any authority.

“How is your physical recovery? Wouldn’t it be better to return to Urbansus to recover?”

[Hmm, I suppose that would be best. While I was anchoring you to my horizon coordinate system, I was so focused on recovery that I didn’t realize I had returned to the surface.]

What on earth was a horizon coordinate system? Isaac had no idea what the Sword of May was talking about but understood it roughly as meaning it had been attached to him. As the beacon of the Watchman started to dim, the Sword of May blinked drowsily and muttered.

[I’ll return to Urbansus for now. When you report to the Church, I’ll grant an oracle at the same time, so…]

Whoosh. The Sword of May disappeared before finishing its sentence.

The light blazed up and then melted away like it was dissolving into the sunlight.

***

After sending back the Sword of May, Isaac prepared to leave.

Of course, a single pig was far from sufficient to cover Isaac’s physical condition. As a result, he was in a state of extreme inefficiency. In this state, he would probably lose even if he fought Edelred.

However, Isaac forced himself to go outside.

It was safer to go hunting himself if he wanted to consume something, and he needed to explain what had happened in Urbansus to the nobles of Elil.

‘Given the situation currently unfolding in the Gertonia Empire, this has taken too long.’

Of course, in return, he had obtained the mighty authority of being the “Grand Warrior of Elil,” but the Dawn Army was now right in front of him. Isaac needed to cross the sea as soon as possible.

“Holy Grail Knight.”

When Isaac appeared in the hall, Edelred approached him with a surprised look. Edelred seemed stronger and more resolute than before. It seemed that the events in Urbansus had brought significant changes to him even without using Kaldbruch.

“Are you alright? You don’t look well.”

“I’m fine. What about His Majesty…?”

“Holy Grail Knight! Are you really okay? You look like a walking skeleton, barely holding on!”

Even Rosalind was alarmed and fussed over him. Though it sounded like something an old woman would say, the approaching Mors, Reyna, Delfric, and others echoed similar sentiments.

When Isaac had checked in the mirror before coming out, he hadn’t felt much different, but they described his appearance as if he were a gaunt skeleton.

“My condition isn’t important. More importantly…”

“Let’s talk while you eat!”

Apparently, for these muscle-bound knights, muscle loss was a more pressing issue than the secretive conversations with the gods in Urbansus. Isaac, also too hungry to argue, complied easily.

Isaac was half-dragged to the banquet hall, where he was seated at the head of the table and provided with unlimited servings of roasted pork, pickled salmon, smoked lamb, and more. As he chewed on the meat stuffed into his mouth, he thought, ‘If I ate with my tentacles, I wouldn’t even need to chew, and it would be done in an instant,’ but decided against it, feeling he was losing his humanity.

“You’ve already spoken with His Majesty Edelred?”

Isaac asked, noticing the nobles’ attention was focused solely on him.

Edelred nodded first.

“Yes. Sir Hesabel and I woke up first and met General Lianne, so we spoke first. I never imagined I’d have the adventure of an audience with the Supreme King in my life…”

Edelred was still tearfully moved, as if the experience had been unforgettable.

Considering Edelred’s usual disdain for knights, his reaction showed how deeply affected he was by the meeting with Elil.

But Isaac felt puzzled, wondering if Edelred had met a different Elil than he had.

‘I only grew more repulsed by Elil.’

A god who wished for his own followers to be massacred wasn’t worthy of worship, in Isaac’s opinion.

Just in case, Isaac asked Edelred what kind of conversation he had with Elil.

As expected, Edelred’s conversation with Elil consisted of simple compliments and commendations, along with brief inquiries about the current situation in the Kingdom of Elil. And questions about Isaac as well.

‘Hesabel, what about you?’

Thinking she might have asked about the Red Chalice, Isaac inquired discreetly.

Hesabel’s answer was similar.

‘He roughly praised my appearance and the courage to come this far, and only inquired about the current state of the Walaika Kingdom. I thought he might ask about the dancer, but he didn’t. Oh, he did ask about you, Isaac.’

It wasn’t much different from Edelred. But Isaac felt assured that this confirmed Elil had taken an interest in the world.

Elil’s interest in the world definitely signaled that a major war was imminent.

“What about General Lianne? She must have gone to Urbansus as well.”

The mention of Lianne made the knights fall silent. They exchanged cautious glances until Mors stepped forward to speak.

“General Lianne, upon hearing that you, His Majesty Edelred, and Hesabel had an audience with Elil, locked herself in her room. She said she would enter a period of fasting and prayer to atone for daring to obstruct the mission of the Holy Grail Knight.”

“Having been manipulated by the heretic Calurien to turn her sword against her own people, she should be exiled or executed, not merely fasting in prayer!”

Reyna Hilde shouted indignantly. Apart from her insistence on severe punishment for Lianne, a specific term caught Isaac’s attention.

‘Heretic Calurien? Have they already announced that Calurien was isolating Elil?’

He thought that the revelation that a holy angel was imprisoning Elil was as shocking as heresy, and might not be disclosed due to its impact. Moreover, Elil had accepted that confinement himself.

However, as he listened, something seemed off.

“Who would have guessed that the heretic Calurien, who had been sealed for centuries, would break through the seal and beguile the Guardians of the Holy Land, seeking an opportunity for liberation. Don’t blame General Lianne too harshly.”

Mors tried to temper Reyna’s excitement. Isaac realized from this conversation that ‘mental reformation’ had occurred among them.

The events of Urbansus had somehow become common knowledge among them.

Calurien, who once symbolized Elil’s wisdom, was now a heretic and an evil sorcerer sealed away.

He had deceived Elil into waging war against the Codex of Light, but was gravely wounded and sealed away by an ‘unnamed paladin’ who crossed the sea centuries ago. Thanks to this, Elil reconciled with the Codex of Light and remained a friendly neighbor as they are now… this was the reformed history.

Isaac, who had suddenly become this ‘unnamed paladin,’ realized how powerful and eerie Urbansus’s influence was. A mage who once had as much significance as the Watchman had been instantly reduced to a heretic.

Calurien, embedded in Kaldwin, remained silent, likely anticipating such a situation. Defeat in Urbansus’s battle meant accepting such infamy.

Isaac casually accepted this altered ‘common sense.’ But suddenly, he recalled the incident with Elil in Rougeberg and nearly dropped his fork.

At that time, Elil had erased Rougeberg from existence.

‘Wait a minute. Does that mean Rougeberg was erased from history too? If so, the Brant ducal family and Isolde as well?’

“What happened to Rougeberg?”

Isaac tried not to appear desperate as he asked. Mors looked puzzled at the sudden question.

“Pardon? Do you mean the Brant duchy? Ah, you must be referring to the Holy Grail Knight’s in-laws. They had sent a few messengers worried about your delayed return. They were convinced when they heard you were in the Holy Land Elion.”

Isaac sighed in relief at Mors’s nonchalant response.

Thankfully, that incident didn’t seem to be accepted as ‘official history.’ After all, the disappearance of Rougeberg would be a major event. If Elil could easily change history like that, he would have won long ago.

“So, you also met Elil, didn’t you, Holy Grail Knight? How was it? What did he say?”

The knights asked with curious expressions.

Isaac couldn’t tell them that Elil had commanded them all to go to the battlefield and die. Fortunately, he had a story they would like.

Although it wasn’t much different from their first meeting, this time it held more weight.

Isaac took out Kaldwin, which was hanging from his waist, and placed it on the table still in its sheath.

“This is the holy sword, Kaldwin, used by Elil and retrieved by Ashen.”

The room instantly fell silent.

Isaac continued, hoping they would focus more on the significance than his inadequate explanation.

“Elil handed Kaldwin to me and appointed me as the Grand Warrior.”

The dining hall exploded with astonished and admiring shouts.

***

The news of Isaac being appointed as Elil’s Grand Warrior forced even Lianne, who had locked herself in her room, to come out. Since she had been in Urbansus, she remembered what actually happened and was not affected by the altered history.

“This is Kaldwin?”

“Yes. But do not attempt to wield it carelessly. I was warned that it would pierce the throat of anyone unworthy who tries to grasp it.”

No one suggested testing it on a condemned prisoner. No one doubted the Holy Grail Knight’s credibility, and making an unworthy person touch the holy sword itself was a grave sin.

Lianne couldn’t help but reprimand herself even more for obstructing Isaac, who returned with proof of meeting Elil. She wanted to bite her tongue at the thought of nearly ruining the grand cause but knew she still had a chance to repent.

“……If Elil has entrusted you with the high rank of Grand Warrior, it means you bear great responsibility. I do not doubt Elil’s will, but I want to know what mission he has given you.”

There was no need to speak in circles or persuade. With such a clear symbol, it was just about conveying it.

“Elil wants us to join the Dawn Army.”

The god of the knights handed a sword to the paladin.

Could there be a clearer symbol?

Isaac omitted the part about the order to go and die in the war, avoiding any socially awkward statements. The news of Elil’s command to join the Dawn Army quickly spread throughout Elion Fortress, causing an uproar.

Elion Fortress was already filled with nobles from all over the kingdom, including the Aldeon army, the Georg family, and even Rosalind Saltain. It was practically a grand assembly of the Elil Kingdom. The thought of a single angel descending and wiping out the Elil Kingdom’s leadership gave Isaac chills, but it was also the best stage to unify opinions.

“The Dawn Army.”

Lianne spoke in a somewhat reluctant tone.

Naturally, there were knights who didn’t want to join the Dawn Army. Not all Elil devotees were war-crazed zealots. Non-fanatics valued their lives.

“You don’t seem enthusiastic?”

“How could that be, however……”

Lianne, in fact, leaned towards the belief that they should willingly participate in a glorious war. However, she appeared reluctant because she had seen her uncle’s transformation after joining the Dawn Army and knew many nobles didn’t want to participate.

While young knights were excited about the impending great war, older knights frowned at the sacrifices and risks the Elil Kingdom would have to bear for joining the Dawn Army.

Among them, even Rosalind Saltain didn’t seem pleased.

“Your Majesty Edelred. You promised Saltain autonomy and independence. I believe you will respect Saltain’s independent opinion regarding this Dawn Army participation.”

It was inevitable that an independent opinion would emerge right after the civil war ended. Autonomy was what Edelred had promised. But Isaac hadn’t expected such a direct response despite his high status as the Grand Warrior and bearer of Kaldwin.

Of course, only Rosalind could speak so openly.

Edelred spoke, seemingly troubled.

“Lady Rosalind. Of course, as promised, I will respect Saltain’s opinion. But as you have seen, the threat of the Immortal Order doesn’t spare this distant island. Didn’t you hear them say they’d turn our knights into Death Knights and blasphemously resurrect Elil as an undead?”

“I also saw and fought them. But Your Majesty, remember that the Immortal Order was able to infiltrate the Elil Kingdom because knights who had joined the Dawn Army returned corrupted. Those who learned the wrong things were contaminated and returned to the kingdom.”

Isaac wondered if Rosalind had always been so dogmatic and closed-minded. Then she met his eyes and subtly glanced at some nobles.

Isaac recognized those nobles as neutral supporters of her.

He realized Rosalind’s intention.

‘Ah… she’s playing devil’s advocate.’

Regardless, the Elil Kingdom might be divided because of the Dawn Army. Rosalind intended to consolidate opinions by clearly stating the anti-Dawn Army faction’s stance and creating an opportunity for unification.

“Alright. Then let’s do this.”

Rosalind made a gesture as if she had no choice after a lengthy debate.

“Let’s decide this through a duel. If this is truly Elil’s will, show us that intention again through a duel.”

“A duel?”

“Yes. We will choose Lianne Georg as our champion.”

There was no dispute about the strongest among the opposition. Lianne, who had remained silent and kept a low profile due to her guilty position, was startled by her sudden selection as the champion for the duel. However, even the anti-Dawn Army nobles would agree to her.

“Then we will choose the Holy Grail Knight…”

“No, although he received Kaldwin, he is a devotee of the Codex of Light. This must be decided within our Elil Order.”

Rosalind confidently looked at Edelred.

“We ask His Majesty Edelred to step forward as the opponent in the duel.”

–TL Notes–