Paladin of the Dead God
chapter-57

‘It must be someone from the Gulmar ducal family or a high-ranking priest acting under orders.’

Isaac didn’t see the emerging hassle due to Hesabel as a problem. On the contrary, it was almost welcome. This was the territory of the Gerthonia Empire. Even on the frontier, it was a land teeming with priests and holy knights of the Empire of Light.

To reveal themselves here? It would be like throwing themselves into the sunlight.

‘A sneak attack would actually be appreciated.’

Hesabel could take care of herself, so there was no concern for her safety. Minor nuisances like trolls or roadblocks were inconsequential.

Isaac rather hoped the opponent would soon reveal themselves, eagerly digging their own grave under his watchful gaze.

***

Contrary to Isaac’s expectations, no further checks came their way. Thanks to this, Isaac easily reached the entrance to Hendrake domain. Crossing this bridge would lead them into Hendrake territory.

Isaac felt a bit disappointed to have arrived without incident.

‘The foe isn’t foolish, it seems. Or did they just want to test my strength?’

While a random troll attack wasn’t entirely out of the question, overlooking such a suspicious circumstance would be foolish.

It seemed clear the opponent didn’t intend to harm Hesabel immediately.

A troll wouldn’t pose much of a threat to her.

‘A simpler method would be…’

To use Hesabel as bait outright. Sending her off to some remote location might just lure the enemy out. Isaac considered this but realized he’d then have to confront the pursuer alone.

Although willing to face a mob with the power of the Codex of Light, Isaac wasn’t keen on battling an unknown enemy solo.

As Isaac mulled over these thoughts, a group of figures appeared before the bridge.

A middle-aged man at the front of the group was shouting at a soldier guarding the bridge.

“Tell Kyle to prepare for guests right this instant!”

“But, even if you say so, we’ve already received orders…”

The Hendrake Knight Order slowed their pace upon noticing the scene.

“Is that… Count Reinhardt?”

Confusion and tension quickly spread among the Hendrake knights. The first to arrive were Reinhardt and his private soldiers, including a few knights.

Reinhardt turned his head upon noticing Isaac’s group.

The first thing he noticed was Isaac, standing prominently at the front with Owen. Isaac’s high charisma always caught attention anywhere.

“Isaac! You’ve arrived. But who are these with you?”

Reinhardt looked puzzled at the knights accompanying Isaac, having never heard of Isaac traveling with a group.

Before Owen could respond, Isaac spoke up.

“The Black Bear Knight Order. Also known as the Hendrake Knight Order.”

“Hendrake Knight Order?”

A murmur quickly spread. The Hendrake Knight Order members, as well as Reinhardt’s soldiers and knights, showed visible discomfort.

The Hendrake knights were aware of their domain’s dire situation. Rumors had circulated that an external invasion, specifically from Reinhardt, might occur.

Reinhardt’s soldiers were also concerned about potential conflict. Although Reinhardt claimed he was merely visiting to reprimand his friend’s son, who brings an army for a simple scolding?

Though their numbers were insufficient for an outright invasion, it was too many for a mere visit.

Now, unexpectedly meeting in the middle of the road, concern over who might draw their sword first overshadowed any aggressive intentions.

None wanted to be dragged into a noble’s quarrel and shed blood unnecessarily.

As everyone looked to Isaac and Reinhardt for cues, both Owen and Reinhardt spoke simultaneously.

“Why are you with them, Isaac?”

“Isaac, you’ve already met Count Reinhardt?”

The questions were thrown at the same time, but Isaac responded as if it were nothing unusual.

“I helped them out of a tight spot.”

Isaac casually led the way forward, with Reinhardt and Owen hesitantly following behind.

Isaac found the situation quite agreeable.

He was the trump card.

Should a conflict arise, he could declare which side justice favored.

To avoid provoking his displeasure, neither party could afford to initiate hostilities.

“Let’s go in. If it’s a problem that can be solved with dialogue, it’s best to talk it out.”

Reinhardt and the Hendrake Knight Order maintained an awkward distance as they entered the heart of the domain. The Hendrake domain was nestled between large valleys, offering quite a scenic view with a village that seemed mainly to rely on livestock rather than agriculture due to the lack of arable land.

‘This seemingly impoverished village is where that incident will unfold…’

In two years, an event in this village would trigger the 13th Dawn Army’s commencement.

The event was the near-successful birth of a new deity.

The person who attempted to create a new faith was none other than Kalsen Milter.

Kalsen Miller had renounced the Codex of Light in his quest to become the deity of the ninth faith, seeking assistance from the Red Chalice and the Immortal Order. With predecessors like Elil and the Immortal Emperor, who had ascended to godhood in human form, his ambition was not unfounded.

‘But Kalsen failed.’

Ultimately, Kalsen Miller failed to become a deity.

Utilizing the countless powers and resources hidden within the Hendrake domain, Kalsen Miller eventually fled to the Black Empire. The White Empire was furious over the attempt to create a new faith within their territories.

Engulfed in fear and anger, the White Empire hastily declared the 13th Dawn Army without proper preparation.

‘But with Kalsen Miller dead…’

The event leading to the birth of a new deity would no longer occur.

Isaac thought this might prevent the Dawn Army’s formation, but he deemed it unlikely.

Events tend to unfold regardless.

The reconquest of holy sites is a historic mission for the followers of the White Empire, and the more society is filled with anger and injustice, the louder the calls for the Dawn Army become.

The attempted deity birth was merely a trigger.

Thus, Isaac intended to keep that trigger under his control.

Upon reaching a grand castle atop the inclined valley, with the village sprawled below, Owen hurried forward to announce their arrival.

“Excuse me, but I must inform the lord to prepare for the guests. Thank you.”

With those words, without waiting for a response, Owen and the knights dashed ahead.

Owen seemed still to harbor concerns for Isaac but evidently decided that Reinhardt’s presence within the domain center posed a greater issue.

Reinhardt watched the Hendrake Knight Order dash away, his eyebrows twitching, but ultimately took no action, seeming rather relieved that Isaac remained.

“Isaac, I can’t make sense of this situation.”

“You came here intending to resolve things peacefully, didn’t you?”

“Of course, that was the intention, but…”

Even Reinhardt seemed aware of the implausibility of his own words. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have brought such a large force.

With the stakes of the ducal family’s survival on the line, he likely anticipated that if talks failed, swords might clash.

Reinhardt probably thought a few casualties were acceptable if he could reprimand them and receive some form of compensation.

Kyle, on the other hand, would be bracing not to give up a penny.

“Then let’s proceed my way. After all, Hendrake is the more anxious party. Thanks to them, we’ve come this far without shedding a drop of blood.”

If Reinhardt had harmed anyone, Hendrake would have justification for retaliation, possibly as an excuse to avoid repayment.

Ultimately, the resolution depended on who would draw their sword first.

However, Isaac didn’t truly believe a peaceful resolution was possible.

‘Hendrake domain is already struggling to pay its vassals, and Reinhardt could face bankruptcy without seizing the domain… Most murder cases stem from money or love affairs, right?’

Bloodshed seemed inevitable, regardless of the outcome.

Isaac needed only to decide whose side to take.

When Isaac and Reinhardt reached the castle gates, they found them firmly shut, with no guards in sight. As one of Reinhardt’s soldiers stepped forward to shout, Reinhardt himself intervened and took charge.

“I am Count Coven Reinhardt! Open the gates!”

But the castle walls remained silent.

The siege seemed improbable, given the absence of soldiers on the walls.

Reinhardt shouted a few more times, trying to provoke a response from Kyle, but eventually lost his patience.

“Open up, you piss-stained brat! Think hiding under your bed like when you wet it will make everyone ignore you again? Open!”

Whatever the past incidents were, Reinhardt, as a neighboring lord, seemed well-acquainted with intimate details. He continued to loudly recount Kyle’s embarrassing past while banging and kicking at the gate.

Eventually, whether out of concern for the lord’s dignity or for Reinhardt’s throat, someone peeked out from the castle.

“Count Reinhardt.”

“Bexter!”

An aged knight appeared.

Reinhardt recognized him instantly and stepped back.

“At last, someone sensible shows up. I’d rather talk to you than that youngster. Where is Kyle now?”

“Lord Hendrake is currently indisposed and resting. Could you perhaps return tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow? You must be jesting. Unless gold starts raining from the sky, how is his feeble body supposed to recover?”

“If you’ve come as a guest, please show the appropriate respect, Count Reinhardt.”

Bexter, the knight, glanced up briefly at Isaac.

“In the presence of the esteemed Holy Grail Knight, under the just and clear Codex of Light, the truth shall be distinguished.”

Mentioning Isaac, Reinhardt had no choice but to back down grudgingly.

Having promised not to drag Isaac into a conflict, outright aggression would complicate Reinhardt’s stance.

Reinhardt climbed back on his horse and shouted towards the castle walls.

“Tomorrow then, Bexter! I’ll leave for today trusting your word, but be ready for a conversation tomorrow!”

“Certainly. If circumstances don’t allow, I will intervene.”

Reinhardt quietly led his soldiers away after that. Isaac, observing Reinhardt easily swayed by a single knight’s words, became curious about who he might be.

“Bexter seems quite capable, doesn’t he?”

“Hmm, he’s a retired Imperial Knight. Respected for his dignity and skill. When he retired, the previous lord of Hendrake brought him here. Old, but an Imperial Knight’s experience doesn’t just fade away…”

Reinhardt’s tone carried respect and trust, suggesting long-standing acquaintance.

The Imperial Knight Order directly serves the Empire, distinct from the Royal Knight Order that prioritizes the royal family’s protection. Imperial Knights are elite agents dispatched across Gertonian territory for the Empire’s survival.

‘If Owen mentioned being the vice-captain of the Hendrake Knight Order… Bexter must be the captain.’

The young knights probably were Bexter’s trainees.

‘Have I finally met a real knight?’

Isaac glanced back.

Bexter still stood watching them leave.

Though it was a distance where faces were not clear, Isaac felt as if he locked eyes with Bexter for a moment.

***

“The Holy Grail Knight really came with that wolf, Reinhardt?!”

Kyle slammed his desk, shortly after Bexter sent Isaac and Reinhardt away.

The other knights murmured anxiously, but Bexter remained calmly focused on Kyle.

“Why?! Owen, didn’t you say you came with the Holy Grail Knight? Then you should’ve stayed till the end!”

“Yes, yes. But it seemed like Count Reinhardt had already struck some deal, and if we continued, we would’ve ended up letting the count’s soldiers and knights into the castle…”

“Wait… But why did the Holy Grail Knight come to our domain in the first place? Owen, did I mention why I invited him? That I admired his deeds and wanted to support his journey?”

“Yes. You did. You said you admired him.”

Kyle was thrown into confusion by Isaac’s appearance. Why? He merely wanted to converse with the revered Holy Grail Knight, share his dire situation, and seek advice. Surely, a wise and kind Holy Grail Knight would point him in the right direction, just like a saint in the stories.

Yet, all this situation did was perplex him.

Then, a simplifying voice reached him.

“Do you remember what I told you about the Holy Grail Knight, my lord?”

“Raela.”

Raela whispered quietly, comforting Kyle’s shoulder.

“Do you still not understand the Holy Grail Knight’s purpose? Even when it’s so evident?”

“Is he here to rebuke me for my foolish desires and avoidance of responsibility?”

“No, it’s not that.”

Raela closed her eyes momentarily before continuing.

“You’re entangled in a wicked plot. It’s clear that scoundrels covet this beautiful domain. He’s joined hands with Reinhardt to come rushing here. Even the Loracus crash might have been part of their scheme to bring you down!”

Kyle felt tempted by the notion that all this wasn’t his fault but a result of a malevolent conspiracy. Thus, his downfall wasn’t due to his foolish decisions or lack of insight but a plot.

Yet, a sliver of reason within him whispered.

“Could it really be because of me that they went to such lengths?”

“That’s how important you and this domain are.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes.”