Return of the Calamity-Class Death Knight

Chapter 126

Chapter 126: An Unwelcome Guest (1)

***

As soon as the paladins returned from the Mandarin Kingdom, the Church was turned upside down.

“Are you saying that the group that attacked the central branch of the Mandarin Kingdom were not humans, but chimeras?”

Combining different life forms was nothing special in itself.

After all, the dark mages of the Monstrum sect had been creating chimeras for a long time.

However, the chimeras were nothing more than low-intelligence monsters that had been fused together. Even then, there was only one monster that played a central role.

On the other hand, the chimera that the paladins encountered this time had two intelligent beings coexisting in one body.

In such cases, the two intelligent beings would usually fight each other or the body would reject them.

“It’s not like they just combined two ordinary humans. They say they combined a dark knight and dark mage.”

“I heard that they were using swordsmanship and dark magic at the same time during the battle.”

Dark knights and dark mages only had the use of dark mana in common, but their methods of using it were completely different.

Combining the two was not enough, and making them use swordsmanship and dark magic at the same time was impossible with ordinary techniques.

Even more shocking was the dark magic that the chimera used.

“I heard it’s a dark magic that draws people into their dreams and shows them nightmares.”

“I heard that even a 1st-grade paladin couldn’t resist this dark magic.”

The Church took this incident very seriously and came up with a countermeasure.

For Damien, it was a welcome development.

In his previous life, the Church had not realized Dorugo’s true identity until the war of destruction had begun.

As a result, they were helpless against the dark magic and magical artifacts that Dorugo had prepared.

However, this time it was different. Although Dorugo himself had not been revealed, the Church had seen a glimpse of him and was feeling a sense of crisis.

“But who is this Victor the Woodcutter?”

The next thing that shocked the Church after the chimera was the dark mage named Victor the Woodcutter.

“I heard he put all the paladins of the Bound Winds to sleep with a sleep curse?”

“And to turn the chimera into such a miserable state… …”

One of the chimeras was left with only bones as if a bomb had exploded inside it, and the other was turned into a dried fish as if it had been dried in the sun.

The Church had never seen such a horrific murder method before.

“Victor the Woodcutter. This is also a name that has never appeared before.”

“Victor… … If we search the territory, there are bound to be one or two people with that name.”

“What does the alias Woodcutter mean?”

The priests muttered about the name Victor for a long time.

“Anyway, there’s no doubt that he’s a dangerous man. We’ll have to add him to the Kill List.”

And so, a new name was added to the Church’s Kill List.

***

While the Church was in chaos, Damien was at the ‘The Incinerator’ sect building.

“I, Cheongyeum, am greatly disappointed in you.”

The Great Elder ‘Cheongyeum’ spoke, carrying himself with dignity.

In front of him, the four paladins who had recently traveled to the Mandarin Kingdom were all prostrating themselves on the ground.

“I sent you to punish the dark mages, but you came back after being caught by dark magic and sleeping?”

Thanks to Damien’s killing of the Hangar couple, the paladins of ‘The Incinerator’ were able to survive.

Of course, they had nightmares after being affected by the Nightmare Slaughter, but there were no major problems.

It was true that the Nightmare Slaughter was a formidable dark magic, but it was not enough to kill 1st and 2nd-grade paladins.

“Paramond.”

“Yes, master!”

“Especially you, what am I supposed to do if my disciple can’t do anything?”

“I-I’m sorry! This unworthy disciple has disgraced your honor!”

“You’re saying you’re sorry, but your ass is getting lower and lower?”

“I-I will correct it!”

Paramond hurriedly straightened his posture. The other paladins also straightened their postures in unison.

“You almost died to such insignificant guys… In my time, even if I was caught by such strange dark magic, I would have overcome it with my willpower.”

As Cheongyeum’s lecture began, the faces of the paladins turned pale.

‘This is starting to get uncomfortable.’

Damien sat nearby and watched the scene. As an outsider, he was exempt from Cheongyeum’s storm of corporal punishment.

However, Damien felt a little awkward being the only one who was comfortable.

“Everyone, get your butts down.”

As soon as Cheongyeum’s words fell, the paladins collapsed to the floor. They sat on the floor and gasped for air.

“I will start the power enhancement training tomorrow.”

At the next words, the paladins’ eyes widened as if they were about to pop out.

“M, Master. D-did you just say power enhancement training?”

Surprisingly, even Agnes, who was always calm, stuttered and asked.

“Why? Do you have a complaint? Do you want me to hit your head again?”

“No, master! I’m so happy!”

“I, I’m happy too!”

“I feel like I’m going to die of happiness!”

At Agnes’s words, the other paladins shouted in unison. Cheongyeum smiled at their response.

“You can all look forward to it. Unlike before, the danger level has been lowered and the intensity has been increased. There will be no incidents like your leg bones being crushed.”

At Cheongyeum’s words, Damien couldn’t help but stick out his tongue. What kind of training was it that caused bones to be crushed?

“Sir Damien, I’m sorry for putting you in danger.”

Cheongyeum turned to Damien and said. Damien shook his head.

“No, it was something we all volunteered for.”

“Indeed… Sir Damien is a sincere man. He is prepared to give his life for God.”

Cheongyeum nodded as if he was impressed.

“In that sense, how about Sir Damien also joining the training?”

Damien’s mind flashed. He raised his head and saw Cheongyeum’s face filled with anticipation.

And behind him, he saw Agnes desperately shaking her head.

“I’m in a position where I need to go back as soon as possible… …”

“Oh! But if you send a letter saying that you want to train yourself further to serve God, your family will understand, right?”

“If it’s the sect’s training method, it’s probably a secret, so it’s not appropriate for an outsider like me to participate… …”

“Don’t worry about that either! I’m giving my permission, so who dares to object?”

As the conversation seemed to be going in a direction where no matter what he said would be accepted, Damien was sweating cold.

Knock knock.

There was a knock on the door. Agnes went to open it, and the figure of the Holy Empress appeared.

“You’re all gathered here.”

The Holy Empress entered the room with a limp. White-robed priests followed him.

“Your Holiness! What brings you here?”

Cheongyeum rushed forward to support the Holy Empress. She refused Cheongyeum’s help and said.

“I came to see Sir Damien. But… Sir Damien’s expression doesn’t look good. Did something happen?”

Damien looked at Cheongyeum instead of answering. Cheongyeum shook his head with a pleading expression.

“Elder Cheongyeum is trying to force me to participate in the sect’s training.”

Damien quickly summarized what had just happened. The Holy Empress glared at Cheongyeum with a fearsome expression.

“Cheongyeum… I told you not to… You’re doing this again…!”

“Y-Your Holiness! It’s not like that…!”

“Be quiet. I’ll have a separate meeting with you later.”

Cheongyeum’s shoulders slumped at her words.

“Sir Damien, if something like this happens again, come to me immediately.”

“Thank you.”

Damien spoke sincerely.

“But what can I do for you?”

“Ah, I almost forgot. I have something I want to give you.”

She gestured, and a woman in a priest’s robe approached and opened a casket.

Inside the casket was a silver necklace.

“This is a relic given to those who are appointed as paladins.”

Damien couldn’t help but look puzzled at those words.

“Why are you giving this to me… ?”

“I plan to appoint Sir Damien as an honorary paladin.”

Everyone in the building was shocked by those words. Damien was no exception.

The honorary paladin was a title occasionally given to knights who had made great contributions to the Church.

It was a title originally given only to those of high class or master class, such as high-ranking knights.

There had never been a case of a middle-class knight being appointed as an honorary paladin.

“After seeing Sir Damien’s performance, I thought it would be good to have a closer relationship. So I made this decision after much deliberation.”

The Holy Empress picked up the necklace.

“With this relic, you will be able to receive the protection of the Church wherever you are.”

This was a very welcome gift for Damien.

‘If I become an honorary paladin, I can suppress the conflict with the Almond Country.’

Damien was planning to go to the Almond Country to kill Gathdal.

At that time, even if there was a conflict with the Almond Country, he could just use the Church as an excuse.

“Are you sure you can give such a precious thing to me?”

At Damien’s question, she smiled and said.

“I’m giving it to you because I believe you won’t misuse it.”

Damien couldn’t help but feel a pang of guilt at those words. Because he was already full of thoughts of how to misuse it.

“I will receive it gratefully.”

Damien did not refuse the necklace that the Holy Empress offered.

***

After leaving the Church, Damien headed home.

He wasn’t going to the mansion in the Haksen estate, but to Spring Castle on the Gargari Plains. His family had moved there.

As he passed through the castle gate, he saw Victor chopping wood in the yard.

“Ha!”

With each swing of the axe, Victor neatly chopped through the thick logs.

Victor was surprised to see Damien and exclaimed.

“Young master! You’re back?”

“Yeah, was there anything wrong?”

“What could go wrong when I’m here?”

Victor said, pounding his chest with his fists. Damien laughed at his confident demeanor.

“But why are you chopping wood? You can have someone else do it.”

When they moved to Spring Castle, they decided to hire a large number of servants.

Thanks to this, people like Victor who were already working there were promoted. They didn’t have to do menial tasks like chopping wood anymore.

“Ahem, my hands were getting itchy. It’s not boring to chop wood.”

Damien couldn’t help but admire Victor’s answer.

“As expected of Victor the Woodcutter. I did a good job naming you.”

“Yes? What did you just say?”

“Nothing. Keep up the good work.”

Damien parted ways with Victor and entered the castle.

“I think we should change the curtains here.”

As soon as he entered, he saw his mother giving instructions to the servants in the hallway.

“Damien!”

His mother ran over to him, cheering, and Damien hugged her tightly.

“Mother, here’s a gift.”

Damien handed over the bracelet he had taken from the treasury. His mother took it with a puzzled face.

“Oh, it’s pretty. What kind of bracelet is it?”

“It’s something I received from the Church. It’s a relic that protects the wearer’s body, so you should always wear it.”

“This is a relic?”

His mother looked at the bracelet curiously, turning it over and over.

“I brought one for each of the family members… Where are they all?”

“Your father, Abel, and Olivia went out to look around the territory. Louise is in the music room.”

“Then I should go see my sister first.”

Damien started to walk away, but his mother stopped him.

“Damien, I think you should wait a bit. Your sister isn’t alone.”

“Who is she with then?”

His mother blushed and said.

“Ballad came to visit.”

There was only one person Damien knew named Ballad.

Ballad Hugo.

He was Louise’s fiancé.

As soon as he thought of the man, Damien frowned and said.

“That good-for-nothing is here?”

***