Paladin of the Dead God - Chapter 241



Only Krnovel

Episode 241. Awesome Hell (3)

Isaac headed to the quarters where the Knights of Brienne were staying. While Ian went in to call for Captain Rottenhammer, Isaac looked around the quarters where they were staying.

The Knights of Brienne were using the entire building, originally a villa of a wealthy man, as their lodgings.

The splendid facilities and decorations did not suit the Knights Templar, but there was no reason not to use them.

“Isaac! Our resurrected saint has arrived!”

Soon after, Chief Rottenhammer came out with a bright smile. He was still a large man with a thick beard, but unlike Ian, he was dressed casually, perhaps because he wasn’t on duty.

“It’s been a while, Chief Rottenhammer. I meant to come see you again sometime, but I’m late in saying hello.”

“Why should a busy Grail Knight worry about greetings when he should be concentrating on his noble journey? Your story is amazing even from what I’ve heard through the grapevine. I’ve been relaying it to Gebel from time to time.”

Isaac smiled without realizing it when the story of Gebel came up.

I remembered what happened the night I was supposed to leave the Ariet Monastery.

If Isolde hadn’t suddenly come to the monastery, I wouldn’t have had the chance to retrieve the Red Rite, and thanks to her request for support, I was able to meet the Knights of Brienne.

And thanks to being appointed as a knight by Commander Rottenhammer, I was able to begin my journey as a Knight of the Holy Grail.

“It would have been difficult if it weren’t for the consideration of Captain Rottenhammer. There aren’t many people who would appoint a child they’ve never seen before as a knight.”

“I don’t know about anything else, but I already know about the nobility of Abbot Yevhar. He guaranteed it, Gebel taught it, and above all, you have the ability to defeat even current paladins, so it would be dangerous to leave you as a commoner.”

Rottenhammer chuckled and walked away, patting Isaac on the back. Isaac could smell a faint smell of sulfur coming from him.

“It seems like you’re enjoying life here quite a bit?”

Rottenhammer lifted his arm, sniffed, and looked sheepish.

“There’s a hot spring bath in the basement of this inn. It’s embarrassing because it seems like the Knights Templar are being extravagant. But there’s no better way to recover from a day of training than to soak your body in hot water. Thanks to this, my guard duty in Baelbaden is practically like a vacation.”

Isaac’s eyes lit up.

It was a chance to see if the Brienne Knights were friend or foe.

Of course, Isaac, knowing Rottenhammer’s character and performance in the game, knows that he can’t do that, but he shouldn’t be so sure.

“Why is the Brient Knights guarding this place?”

“Well, actually, this is one of the parishes that the Cathedral of Lenheim is in charge of. But it’s not just us who are in charge, two other nearby knight orders take turns guarding it.”

“Why are you doing that? It doesn’t seem like an important place.”

“As I said, being assigned here is like being on vacation. They decided to close it down in order to punish corruption and decadence, but do you think it’s worth having the Knights guard it so that no one sneaks in and bathes in the hot springs? I think there’s a fool among the high-ranking priests of the sect.”

It was a radical statement, but on the surface, his reasoning was correct.

Isaac was relieved.

Rottenhammer was enjoying his life here, but he was a paladin who preferred to be active on the battlefield, and he seemed oblivious to what was going on here. Judging from the fact that he also left the other paladin orders to guard, it seemed like he was deliberately keeping them circulated so that they wouldn’t be able to grasp the situation.

“Are there really people who sneak in and take hot spring baths?”

“No way. Well, sometimes suspicious groups come and go, but… … .”

Rottenhammer muttered, looking uneasy.

“Suspicious group?”

“Ha, even though they are a suspicious group, they are people brought in by the priests. Perhaps they are acquaintances or high-ranking officials who cannot forget the pleasures they enjoyed in Baelbaden, so they are asking the church to admit them. The bishop told us not to leave any records. I have no interest in knowing what those guys are doing underground.”

Rottenhammer shook his head, as if he had no desire to know or mention the details of the church’s corruption.

But Isaac was able to get enough information.

‘This is it.’

Isaac knew that the group Rottenhammer had been talking about were exactly those who were excavating or studying the hidden relics here. However, given that Rottenhammer only found them ‘suspicious’, it was clear that they were not real, visible cultists.

Perhaps they are just foolish students or scapegoats like Claire.

***

Rottenhammer went into his office and took out a bottle of liquor.

There was a rule that no one followed, that ‘priests should be wary of luxury and pleasure’, but among them, drinking was a rule that no one paid particular attention to.

Isaac also accepted the glass without thinking.

He suddenly remembered that he had chosen to become a paladin because he ‘did not want to be forced to live a strict and frugal life like a priest.’

But the priests were the most debauched authors in this world… Isaac’s thoughts became complicated as he wondered if his choice was right.

‘I couldn’t become a priest since I couldn’t use the miracle of the Code of Light anyway.’

“Let’s stop talking nonsense and listen to the noble journey of the Knights of the Holy Grail! I heard that you were one of the seven most powerful men in Baekje.”

“yes?”

Isaac asked back, dumbfounded.

“I haven’t heard anything like that.”

“Really? I thought you knew it because the young guys were talking so much.”

As Rottenhammer spoke, he began to rattle off names as if he was having fun. There was a long list of embarrassing nicknames and names, and even to Isaac, they sounded ridiculous.

“That’s a ridiculous standard. It seems like they’re just listed in order of popularity rather than in order of strength… … There are also people who don’t know why they were chosen even though they’ve never heard of them.”

Isaac was able to convince himself of Emperor Baltzemer, Lyanna Georg, Tukhalin, the most powerful warrior in the world’s Brazier Order, and Dera Heman, the commander of the Holy Knights directly under the Pope.

But the two people mentioned right before Isaac were authors he had never heard of or knew of. In particular, the real powerhouses that Isaac knew of, such as Baschle and Red Karl Lua, were not even mentioned.

Isaac was ashamed to even have his name on such a list.

Rottenhammer said with a chuckle.

“That’s right. In fact, what’s the point of standing in line like this? It depends on the situation on the battlefield, and it depends on the condition and the grace of God.”

The most important thing is actually God’s will.

Even if humans are bickering with each other while holding sticks, if an angel takes a side, a three-year-old can break the swordmaster’s arm just like Aethelred did with Lyanna. Knowing this, the truly powerful people like Rottenhammer often look down on these rankings.

“But I don’t understand why your name is on the list and mine isn’t. Do you want to go out and have a sparring match?”

“… … .”

“Haha, just kidding. Why would I care about these kids’ pranks?”

You don’t care, right? Isaac tried to smile, even though he felt uneasy.

“But there’s no need to completely ignore them. Since they’re rankings that circulate within the Baekje Empire, there’s a high chance that they’ll meet each other in the Yeomyeong Army. I’ve heard that His Majesty the Emperor, General Georg, and Captain Heman are mature, so it won’t matter, but Tukhalin is a madman, so you’d better remember that. You won’t lose, though.”

Isaac could somewhat relate to Rottenhammer’s words.

To begin with, this ranking list itself is not even mentioned in the game. So I decided to leave aside the rankings that are irrelevant.

When the conversation had gotten somewhat heated, Isaac decided to slowly get to the point with Rottenhammer.

“Chief Rottenhammer. Would you mind if I took a look around the place where those suspicious people are said to be hanging out?”

For people like Rottenhammer, it’s standard to be straightforward and honest, without hiding anything. Rottenhammer took a sip of his drink in silence and put it down on the table.

“Ian said you were here for a surprise inspection or something. You must be lying. I’ve been on guard duty here four times and never been here before. You came here because you wanted to visit the underground from the beginning?”

“you’re right.”

“It’s not like I want to support my body.”

“We have discovered evidence that there is a cult group here.”

Rottenhammer remained silent again.

Isaac simply stated that there were cockroaches here, but in reality, it wasn’t that simple. This place was closed by the cult, guarded by the Knights Templar, and the ‘cult’ Isaac was talking about was most likely a ‘suspicious group’ brought by the priests.

In other words, if Isaac’s words were true, it would be a huge scandal that would shake the entire Church of Light’s Code.

“Are you sure?”

“I am sure.”

“What’s the evidence?”

“There is no evidence, but if you go in you will find it right away.”

Isaac was no longer in a position to talk nonsense. No, in fact, he was lying and deceiving from time to time, but at least he was well aware of the repercussions of his words.

Rottenhammer thought for a long time again before opening his mouth.

“Entry is not allowed.”

“Captain.”

“You should have sneaked in. I know that the underground activities here are suspicious. But I am a knight, and a knight is the sword of the order. When your hand is not holding the sword, it is none of my business whether you hold money or a spoon. If you are sure, report it to the Inquisition and come back when they have the authority to investigate. That is order and discipline.”

Rottenhammer said sternly.

He is a knight of the Code of Light. If he does not uphold the rules, the order will be shaken to its roots.

Isaac got up quietly, knowing that further persuasion would be of no use.

“I will see you again.”

“Okay. I hope we can have a drink together next time.”

Isaac, who thought things would work out well, sighed and left the dorm. Hesabel approached him with a puzzled expression.

“It didn’t go well? I thought you were going to storm in with the Knights Templar.”

“It didn’t work out as well as I thought. But I still got permission.”

“Permission?”

Isaac nodded and looked back at the quarters where Rottenhammer had been.

“He told me to sneak in instead. He meant to pretend not to know and then go in.”

Hesabel stared at Isaac with an expression that asked if that was really true. However, Isaac strode forward without hesitation to the center of Baelbaden, to the large hot spring bathhouse.

Towards the hell boiling beneath those wonderful sulfur springs where even the emperor rested.

***

After Isaac left the cold atmosphere, Ian entered the office with a puzzled expression.

“Captain, what’s wrong? Sir Isaacrea… … .”

Just as Ian was about to ask Rottenhammer what was wrong, Rottenhammer spoke to Ian instead.

“Ian.”

“yes?”

“It’s vacation time right now. Return your armor and prepare by just taking a sword.”

“yes?”

“The vacation area is Baelbaden. Enjoy your time there without forgetting your dignity as a knight, but after your vacation, submit a post-event report to me immediately. Whatever you find there, don’t try to do anything yourself, but be sure to come back and report.”

Ian didn’t ask again. He immediately figured out what was going on and saluted Rottenhammer.

“I’m going on vacation, sir!”

After Ian left, Rottenhammer sank deeper into his chair.

He couldn’t tell if he had given the right order. He knew that the order he had just given was treading a thin line. No, if you looked inside him, you could already feel that he had crossed the line.

‘It’s a problem whether Isaac is right or not.’

If Isaac was wrong, he would blame himself for doubting the church. But that wouldn’t be a bad thing, since he would be able to restore trust in the church.

The reason Rottenhammer accepted Isaac’s words plausibly was because he thought, ‘If it were the church now, that might really be the case.’

But what if you find injustice in the church there?

Rottenhammer will have no choice but to fundamentally ponder what the Church of Light is.