Paladin of the Dead God - Chapter 280



Only Krnovel

Episode 280. The Opponent (1)

As Isaac entered the monastery chapel, he saw a priestess who looked to be in her early twenties praying. She got up and turned her head when she heard the clinking of armor.

“You are a Knight of the Holy Grail.”

Isaac was speechless for a moment when he saw the messenger priest’s eyes sparkling like glass beads. It was not that he had truly clear eyes, but rather that it was a remarkable abnormality that had developed since the proclamation of the ‘Gertonia Holy Empire’. This phenomenon was especially noticeable in priests with excessive religious faith.

‘For such a young age, he must be a fanatic who has burned many people.’

The emergence of the lighthouse keeper and the paradigm shift of the Holy Empire may have brought about some changes in the priests. To be honest, it was a bit creepy to look at, but they were proud of these eyes.

“I am Isaac Isaacrea, a disobedient believer. Your Majesty… … ?”

“This is Yuri Otter. Although I am lacking, I have come here on the message from Cardinal Rohen.”

He had the same last name as Cardinal Rohen Otter. I don’t know how close they were, but judging by their age, it seemed unlikely that they were members of the Watchtower.

The priest named Yuri took out the imperial edict with his bead-like eyes sparkling.

“Please, Isaac Isaac, the Resurrection Saint, listen reverently to the words that have come down from the House of Light. For the heavenly authority has finally clearly illuminated the light and darkness of this land with light, and in the name of the Holy Empire of Gertonia, I convey the message of the lighthouse keeper to all who stand in the sun, in the upright order… … .”

“Wait, wait.”

“Why are you doing that?”

Yuri seemed offended when the reading of the imperial edict was interrupted.

Isaac sighed and said, crossing his arms.

“In fact, I have already heard about the contents of the imperial edict. As soon as you arrived, you read it three times: in the street, in the monastery, and in the chapel. I guess you were quite pleased to be entrusted with the role of herald.”

Yuri blushed slightly at Isaac’s words.

“This is my first mission… … and I thought it would be good for as many people as possible to hear the lighthouse keeper’s voice.”

“It is usually right for the recipient to hear the imperial edict first. However, this is not a problem, and since it is something you have already heard, it would be better to move on quickly. There will be no problem, right, my lord?”

“Ah… … I can’t help it.”

Yuri seemed to have high hopes for delivering a message to ‘that’ Grail Knight, but Isaac had no intention of listening to the entire length of the edict.

There was already a lot of work to do in the Isacre territory.

“Are you saying that we should send soldiers and supplies to the Yeomyeong Army, Father Yuri?”

“Yes. His Holiness the Pope believes that if all the followers of the Light Code unite and rush to the Holy Land at once, the Immortal Church’s struggles will be meaningless. And if the renowned saint of the Resurrection is with them… … .”

“Okay, I will do that.”

Yuri nodded with a bright smile at Isaac’s cool answer.

It seemed as if she had not even the slightest thought of rejection. For her, the Dawn Army was an honorable mission that she deserved to participate in.

But Isaac simply answered like that because he didn’t want to fight the fanatic.

“As you know, the Isacre territory is a monastery territory. I heard that you are sending supplies and soldiers to the monasteries and churches in each region to gather them before going on an expedition. Is that correct?”

“Yes? Oh, that’s right.”

“Then I don’t need to send supplies and soldiers elsewhere right now?”

“Yes? Um, I don’t know the details, but I think so, right?”

“This is truly an honorable mission. We were already planning to set out soon, but now that His Holiness has spurred us with his sacred words, we will run like a spurred warhorse. However, coincidentally, there has been a problem with the eastern route, and our departure has been delayed. Could you, Father Yuri, please look into the situation in the east?”

“Yes? But I am a messenger… … .”

“As you can see from my hesitation, I am a feeble and weak paladin. I just want to rely on a faithful and strong guide like Priest Yuri. If Priest Yuri were to command, ‘The East is fine! Go!’, I would simply follow faithfully.”

Fanatics who display a reckless attitude at a young age are usually driven by only one desire.

Desire for recognition.

A desperate need for recognition to prove one’s beliefs and prove one’s superiority over others.

When the famous Grail Knight bowed and said, “I will follow,” Yuri clenched his fists in excitement. The charm of the Nephilim also played a part in stoking the fanatic’s excitement.

“Understood! It would be an honor to join the Dawn Army’s expedition with the Saint of Resurrection! I will stand first as the scout of light!”

“Thank you. I will just trust in Father Yuri.”

Yuri then left the chapel after rambling on about her religious fervor a few times. A moment after she left, Hesabel approached her, groaning.

“What about that girl who just looks at me and I get goosebumps? Even if we just made eye contact, she would run away trembling in fear.”

“I also get scared every time I see it. There are a lot of strange priests like that in the empire, so prepare yourself mentally.”

Isaac also strode out of the chapel. Hesabel followed behind him and asked.

“But isn’t there a Olkan Discipline camp in the east? Is it okay to send one of them there?”

“That child couldn’t have come alone. He must have been escorted by a knight. If he gets caught and dies, it’s his fate. If he returns alive, he’ll be a witness to how messed up the East is. Judging by the look in their eyes, there were more than a few people who were burned to death. I don’t feel particularly sorry for him.”

Isaac saw a priest who gave weapons to anyone who could walk, under the pretext of recruiting for the Dawn Army. No, there was even one who simply told them to go east without any weapons.

In these crazy times, a twenty-year-old fanatic priest can die a natural death no matter where he goes.

***

Isaac’s next concern was the refugees’ well-being and stability.

With the population suddenly increasing so much, it was inevitable that something would happen. Fortunately, it was late fall and the refugees had brought a lot of food, so there was no immediate concern that starvation would begin. However, if there had been a riot, the Isacre territory could have collapsed from within, not because of the Olkan discipline.

“I don’t think you have anything to worry about.”

It was Claire who answered Isaac’s concerns.

Of all the changes that had occurred in the Isacre territory, the one that Isaac found most surprising was the revival of the nameless Chaos Faith centered around Neria and Claire.

Of course, it was called the ‘Isacra Dawn Prayer Meeting’ instead of the nameless chaos, but it seemed that almost a quarter of the territory’s population attended this meeting. If you counted those who were affected but did not attend, it would be even more. It was especially popular among refugees and immigrants, not the original territory residents.

The priests who originally stayed in the territory suspected that the dawn prayer meeting was a suspicious folk belief. However, since what they were saying was not much different from the stories Isaac often told, and Claire, a priest from the capital, joined them, they accepted it as a somewhat strange ‘different interpretation’.

This was especially the case with some priests and the Knights of Brienne, who were not swept up in the madness outside, but rather felt aversion to it.

They even attended, impressed by the presence of such a ‘rational’ doctrine in the Isacre estate.

‘Hmm, honestly, I thought it wouldn’t be popular because the doctrines are boring and it’s a faith that doesn’t really have any responsibilities.’

“You just thought it was unexpected, right?”

Isaac turned his head, hiding his trembling expression at Claire’s smiling words. In order to reinforce the story that this dawn prayer meeting greatly contributed to the stability of the residents, Isaac was walking along the streets and helping with distribution. Isaac felt his popularity anew as he saw people expressing gratitude to Claire as much as they respected him.

“Honestly, compared to the faiths that burn enemies, spew out sword energy, or turn them into immortal skeletons, Neria’s story is a bit boring.”

Of course, if you go deep enough, you can shoot out tentacles, but Isaac was planning to monopolize this for himself.

“But most of the refugees are those who have been disappointed with or have fled the Church of the Light’s Law. They have a hard time believing in the Light’s Law any longer, but they seem to be more afraid of the fact that they no longer have a faith to rely on.”

“So that’s why you wanted something to believe in and lean on, and that’s why you came to me.”

“Weak people are easily open to small favors. But I think Isaac’s reputation also played a big part. Without that background, it would have been difficult for us to grow like this.”

“But I don’t think they would have shown any real miracles.”

“Why wouldn’t there be a miracle?”

Claire answered with a smile.

“Didn’t you say that instead of a dazzling miracle, we should be miracles to each other? We wanted to be that miracle, and it seems that the refugees also experienced their own ‘miracles’ while coming here.”

Claire talked about the countless experiences of refugees there.

They must have faced many crises and hardships while living as refugees. However, what saved them each time was not a miracle or an angel, but their neighbors who had been with them. Even when the great plunder came to Soer, they experienced the miracle of uniting and repelling the powerful enemy.

They had already become the performers of miracles rather than the beneficiaries of miracles.

“And after the incident of the Emperor’s excommunication, it seems that people began to believe that they should not rely on the mercy of God, but that they should be able to control and protect themselves. And when things fall apart, the only people they can ultimately rely on are their neighbors and friends… … .”

In short, the more the Code of Light reveals its madness, and the more brutal the Olkan Discipline becomes in its plunder, the greater the power of those in lower places to unite.

Isaac felt strange that the current was going in the opposite direction from 300 years ago. Back then, religious fanaticism was growing and countless people were persecuted. But why did people then wish for destruction, and now they want solidarity?

“It is all thanks to the Holy Grail Knights that we are able to create a foundation for survival like this.”

Isaac wondered if Claire’s words were really true, but soon shook his head.

“No, I’m not that kind of person.”

He has simply been pursuing his own interests while trying not to go beyond the limits. Of course, he may have had some motivation of his own, but he is by no means an admirable person.

“but…….”

“If people are still helping each other and sticking together, it’s because people like to help each other in the first place. It’s not because I’m setting an example.”

Isaac spoke with confidence.

He is not a person worthy of emulation, and he has never tried to be one. But if such a phenomenon were to occur, it would be because people naturally like to help one another.

“The reason weak humans survive in the ecosystem, form villages, and build large buildings is because of the instinct to die if they don’t unite. The very idea of ​​faith in this world is like that. Miracles that cannot be accomplished alone can be accomplished through the prayers of many believers.”

Isaac muttered as if the knowledge he had gained over the years was flowing out naturally.

“But because of this, the distinction between ‘us’ and ‘they’ has become stronger, and we have learned how to kill and fight without guilt. The point at which that conflict will ultimately explode is now.”

“Isaac… … .”

“And this place has become a swamp of people who have fled madness, war, and slaughter. People are having a hard time awakening to the most basic concept of faith. Faith was originally created to survive and unite in a fearful and terrifying world.”

Isaac explained calmly that what was happening here right now was not because of anyone excelling, but rather something that happened naturally.

Of course, I didn’t think that only good things would happen. The Isaac Crea Dawn Prayer Meeting was unfinished and weak. As the scale grew, there was no way that something like the Light Code wouldn’t happen.

Claire looked at Isaac with a blank expression.

“Isaac, I never expected you to be so deep in thought.”

“What? No, how do you usually… … .”

Isaac was about to lose his temper when a strange thought suddenly occurred to him. He had been thinking similar thoughts inside him, but he wasn’t able to express them so easily.

But when he actually started talking, his tone of voice changed as if someone had organized the content in his head.

For a moment, Isaac felt an eerie feeling.

He realized that the words he had spoken were flowing from the knowledge in the book written by the snowy owl. The knowledge he had chewed and swallowed was naturally being embodied in Isaac’s head.

‘What the hell, are you trying to brainwash me?’

Isaac couldn’t hide his embarrassment, but his anger subsided when he realized that her account was not different from what he had originally thought.

He thought of Urbanus. The accumulation of countless hours, knowledge, and history. They constantly press upon and fill the inner self of modern humans.

Isaac wondered how much of his modern self remained.

As long as the modern man’s ego remains, the nameless message of chaos constantly reminds him that he is a stranger in this world and makes him look at the world objectively. However, there may come a time when that message means nothing to Isaac.

Only then will he be able to truly accept this world.

“… … Anyway, it’s fortunate that Yeongji is running smoothly. I can finish my work.”

Claire looked up as Isaac stood up from his seat.

“Where are you going?”

“To meet the Manseongja. They will already know I have arrived, so if you hesitate any longer, I will send the army.”