Paladin of the Dead God

“Does the Codex of Light normally have conversations that revolve around deciding whether to chop off someone’s head or burn them alive? I mean, seriously, what kind of conversation happens when two Archangels show up and start burning things up? You do realize everyone, including Dera Heman, almost died back there, right?”

Tuhalin, the master of the forge, had been utterly terrified when he sensed the descent of the Archangels.

In fact, Tuhalin’s reaction was typical for most humans. Archangels could kill with mere incidental movements—not out of cruelty or a lack of empathy, but simply because they paid as much attention to humans as one does to ants when walking.

Though Isaac acted as if the presence of two Archangels was no big deal, Tuhalin, who had received the formal notice of their names, had been rightfully alarmed.

‘If I told him those two Archangels almost fought while possessing Dera and me, he’d probably faint.’

Isaac decided to take that secret to the grave. If word got out, the Burning Maiden would surely hold a grudge against him. Tuhalin’s anger quickly subsided, and he began patting Isaac’s back, his frustration fading.

“Don’t ever get yourself stuck alone with those fanatics again! I followed your lead, not to babysit those crazies! What in the world are they even thinking?”

“Haha, I’ll be more careful.”

Despite his gruff tone, Tuhalin was showing concern in his own way.

The other commanders shared similar concerns. If Dera Heman had executed Isaac through “proper procedure” or sent him away, the Dawn Army of Issacrea would have been impossible to merge into the larger alliance.

‘Well, I can’t say I don’t understand the Church’s position.’

Isaac acknowledged the Codex of Light’s perspective.

While the Dawn Army was officially part of the White Empire’s alliance, at its core, the Issacrea faction was essentially a private military force that brought in foreign warlords—operating without central control.

If Isaac were in the position of the Pope or an emperor, he might have tried to destroy the Dawn Army first, before even dealing with the Immortal Order.

But with the angels’ intervention, that was no longer an option.

The “blessing of the angels,” which had previously been a silent protection over Isaac, was now publicly recognized. The Church would no longer dare to openly obstruct him, at least not directly.

The Burning Maiden’s attempt to kill him wasn’t because she was unwilling to see the bigger picture—it was simply that her focus lay more on enforcing doctrine. She was more like a tailor removing lint than someone shaping the larger fabric.

Her uncompromising, rigid nature was perhaps precisely what made her suited to be an inquisitor.

“Either way, I apologize for causing concern. But this should clear things up—the Codex of Light will no longer interfere with me.”

“They’d better not! Being held up over nonsense like this…”

“Um, Holy Grail Knight.”

At that moment, Lianne raised her hand hesitantly. She had been fidgeting for a while, looking visibly anxious, and Isaac cast a curious glance her way.

“What’s the matter?”

“So… did you defeat Dera Heman?”

Lianne’s question brought the room to a sudden hush. Her words carried a clear implication.

For the followers of Elil, who could hardly resist a challenge, it was one of the most important issues.

Isaac nodded quietly.

“Yes.”

A roar of cheers and excitement immediately followed.

While they had suspected as much when the Golden Lion Paladins withdrew, they had wanted to hear it directly from Isaac. Unlike with Kalsen, Isaac’s victory was undeniable, making the celebration all the more fervent. ṟ

“Our Holy Grail Knight bested the Golden Lion!”

“I knew he would!”

Though they were all on the same side, the soldiers still took great pride in their commander being the strongest. Even among the officers, there was a similar sentiment. While a general didn’t need to be the strongest, people naturally gravitated toward leaders who were.

Lianne, with a pleased smile, muttered to herself.

“As expected of someone who held their own against me. If only Emperor Edelred hadn’t interfered back then…”

“Would you like a rematch now?” Isaac teased.

“My old wound from that fight is still acting up…” Lianne deflected with a grin.

Though the followers of Elil never shied away from battle, Lianne wasn’t the type to dwell on it. However, the knights who had heard about Isaac’s victory over Dera Heman were eager for a fight, itching to challenge him.

The one to put a stop to the brewing brawl was Tuhalin.

“You bunch of thugs! Issacrea’s Knight just got tossed around by fanatics and barely made it back! He needs rest, not another fight! Now get out of here!”

Isaac was relieved that Tuhalin had intervened at just the right moment, as the exhaustion had indeed started to weigh on him. Though the Elil knights grumbled, they eventually withdrew. Isaac, too, wanted to reflect on the lessons he had learned from his battle with Dera Heman.

But before that, there was something far more pressing.

“First, let’s get something to eat. I’m starving.”

***

The Golden Idol Guild provided the Dawn Army with enough food to sustain them. On top of that, Leonora, the guild leader, ensured they received the necessary supplies for their campaign. Of course, all of this was put on Isaac’s tab as “credit.”

“It’s good if you repay it, but you don’t really have to,” Leonora said.

Isaac had been specially invited to dine with Leonora. Though he had considered eating with his soldiers, showing his monstrous appetite in front of them felt inappropriate. While Leonora was surprised by his enormous intake, she didn’t display much curiosity.

“Why wouldn’t I need to repay it?” Isaac asked.

The Golden Idol Guild wasn’t known for giving anything away for free, not even to the Codex of Light. Whenever they made donations, they always extracted payment—be it material or otherwise. Isaac eyed her with suspicion, knowing they wouldn’t show kindness without a reason.

“As you know, we can’t just give away supplies for free. So, technically, this is marked as an ‘investment.’ Luckily, the Holy Grail Knight has excellent credit, so there’s no problem.”

While Isaac devoured an entire roasted pig, Leonora delicately picked at a few pieces of fish as she continued.

“And besides, this was issued in the name of the Platinum Society. Even our internal audit team won’t question losses under their name. Whether you repay it or not, it will simply be written off as a loss. No interest, either.”

Isaac looked down at the platinum ring on his finger with newfound respect. To think that such a small object could carry the extraordinary miracle of “no interest, unlimited credit, and unlimited repayment time…”

“This might be the most valuable artifact I own.”

Though he meant it sincerely, Leonora burst out laughing, as if he had just told an amusing joke.

Apparently, even sociopaths find jokes about money amusing.

After some time, Leonora looked at Isaac and said with a more serious tone.

“Great power always comes with a great price. I trust you understand what the Platinum Society is paying for with this immense expenditure.”