Paladin of the Dead God - Chapter 299



Only Krnovel

Episode 299. On the other side of the scale (6)

“Ugh… … Sob.”

Leonora’s face twisted as if trying to resist, but her expression quickly relaxed when she met Isaac’s eyes.

He must have succumbed to the overwhelming charm of the Nephilim.

Then the coachman, who saw Leonora being caught, ran over.

Isaac easily stopped the groom by simply activating the Eye of Chaos.

The moment his eyes turned purple, the coachman was seized by an indescribable and indescribable fear.

There was nothing the coachman could do except barely hold on to the carriage to keep it from collapsing.

It seemed as if only Isaac’s purple eyes were floating in the pitch-black darkness.

He looked down at the coachman and spat out coldly.

“Take your master and go to the city. If you are afraid of your life, don’t even think about coming back. I will take care of Angela.”

It was like the voice of a devil crawling up from the depths of the underworld. The coachman was panting and saying nothing. Not because he didn’t want to answer, but because even breathing was difficult.

Isaac’s ability was overused for him, given his ability to sense threats.

Isaac decided that this was enough of a threat and disappeared into the darkness with Angela.

It was a long time after Isaac disappeared that the two were able to move again.

The coachman barely regained his strength and stood up.

The only thought on his mind was to get Leonora to the city before she came to her senses again.

At that moment, Leonora, who had come out of the carriage first, threw something to the coachman. It was a potion that would restore stamina and awaken the mind.

Leonora drank the potion first and came to her senses. The coachman smiled bitterly and drank the potion with her.

The coachman tried to advise Leonora before she suggested they pursue Isaac.

“Miss, it’s a shame you lost the item… … .”

“Let’s go back to Lenheim.”

“yes?”

“Since the Grail Knights have decided to compete with us, our strategy must change. We should regard the Grail Knights as an enemy group of the Golden Idol Upper Group and implement a strategy accordingly. We cannot leave the future of the Upper Group to outsiders.”

Leonora muttered, staring into the darkness where Isaac had disappeared. The coachman thought her fighting spirit was burning, but it was the opposite.

Leonora was feeling a passionate love like never before.

‘A person who cannot be persuaded by money, recognition, or fame? That such a person has the natural talent of a king who can control all things in the world?’

Her heart was pounding.

Leonora’s target was no longer Angela.

She coveted the being called Isaac Isacre. She wanted to monopolize him and keep him under her. However, the opponent was an arrogant knight who was not bound by anything.

So let us teach him about lack and regret, hunger and loss.

Let’s show them that without confidence, they can’t do anything properly.

After that, you can just hold him and take care of him.

Let’s prove how important you are in Isaac’s life.

‘Angela doesn’t matter anymore. I have to beat Isaac to get her anyway.’

The day Isaac comes into her arms, Leonora will have everything she ever wanted in the world.

She was sure.

***

Isaac returned to the estate, unaware that he had been captured by a capitalist sociopath and a woman with obsessive-compulsive tendencies.

‘I wouldn’t give up just like this.’

I didn’t know Leonora’s condition, but I knew she wouldn’t give up easily. If there was something she had to get, she would get it, and if there was a deal she had to make, she would make it.

It doesn’t mean she’s stubborn, but it means she’s confident in her own judgment. In fact, she never touches on any plans that are too adventurous or too ambitious.

But this time is different.

‘If it’s the hand of Midas… … it’s a business I can’t give up. I’ll definitely come back.’

We still don’t know what other abilities Midas has besides the ability to mass-produce gold. But in any case, it’s something that could be a victory condition for the top of the Golden Idol. She would never give it up.

It was difficult to estimate how much of a hindrance it would be if the Golden Idols decided to interfere. If the flow of goods to the Isacre territory was immediately cut off, and if the supply of funds was stopped, even just blocking trade would severely limit what could be done.

We had to move quickly before that happened.

“Teacher! You’re back.”

Ethelred, who had just come out into the yard, spotted Isaac and approached him with a surprised look on her face.

“We’ve all gathered again to find out what happened since you suddenly ran out of the monastery. Did you receive any intelligence?”

“Everyone is gathered here?”

“Yes. Oh, that girl is Angela. I heard she left with the Golden Idol group. Did something go wrong? Was there an attack?”

Isaac shook his head. Instead, he went into the reception room with Ethelred, saying he would go and explain.

The lineup of people present was much the same as at the evening meeting, but this time Gebel was included.

Isaac recalled the meeting they had held that evening.

“Haven’t you decided yet which of us will be second?”

“That story again?”

Tukhalin asked with a blank laugh as if he found it ridiculous. Isaac raised his lips and said.

“Come to think of it, I wasn’t the strongest so I was chosen as commander, so it seems strange to choose a subcommander because he’s strong. As His Majesty Aethelred said, even if one person is strong, it’s meaningless. What’s important is tactical judgment and command ability.”

“What are you trying to say? Do you want to have a mock battle?”

“There is no time for that.”

Isaac unfolded the map.

His finger pointed to the southern part of the continent, the land of spices where all kinds of goods and gold and silver treasures gathered, the city of pearls, and the port of Odrif, the headquarters of the Golden Idol Merchant Association.

“Let’s each lead our own units and head to Port Odrif as quickly as possible. Instead, help others as much as possible along the way, defeat enemies, and build up your reputation. Then, when we arrive at Odrif, we will choose a person who everyone can agree on as our deputy commander.”

People laughed in vain at Isaac’s words, which seemed to suggest that they should have a race.

In fact, not all of the people here are lacking in fame and honor. Even if Isaac does not crown them second in command, they have already taken the first place in their own camp.

There was nothing to regret.

But that is why they did not feel burdened by Isaac’s proposal. Rather, what made them feel frustrated was the fact that they were staying in the territory while making preparations.

“That’s a brilliant strategy. The Kingdom of Elril will accept it.”

Lyanna and Ethelred exchanged glances and accepted it confidently, while Tukhalin and Raulok also nodded with pouting lips.

“If you think that because my legs are short, my walking speed is slow, you are mistaken. Just pile up orc heads in Odrif Harbor and wait for me.”

Rottenhammer also placed the hammer on the table with a loud thud.

“I’ll show you what the rapid advance of the Knights Templar is like. We… … .”

“Ah, the Brient Knights will accompany our army. No, to be exact, the Brient Knights will be leading the Isacrea army.”

Rottenhammer looked puzzled. His plan to compete with the heroes seemed to have been shaken.

But Isaac, of course, had no intention of sending them alone.

Elril and the World’s Furnace move with the army, so maybe Rottenhammer was just trying to move with a few knights? That’s not fair, either, in terms of having to accumulate achievements.

“Instead, I will move separately. I will use Nell to scout and contact everyone.”

Actually, I couldn’t tell anyone, but there is a fourth force in this place.

They are members of the nameless Chaos faction that Isaac secretly controls. They cannot be exposed to the public, so they were to form a fourth front with Isaac.

***

But the commander-in-chief’s words that he would move separately sounded strange to them.

Rottenhammer in particular.

“No, but you should be the one in charge of the Isacrea Army, rather than us outsiders… … .”

“Then, while we’re at it, let’s change the name of the Brient Knights to the Isacrea Knights. The Isacrea Knights’ base is the Isacrea Cathedral, and their patron saint is, well, if you haven’t changed your mind, I’ll allow it.”

Rottenhammer’s mouth fell open.

But he soon realized that this was a historic moment, the beginning of the Knights of Isacrea.

You might think, “Is this just for competition?” but Isaac also thought about it for a long time and came to this conclusion.

He may already be under suspicion. So he must make it clear that there is a knighthood under Isaac’s command in the Dawn Army. And since the eyes of the sect are all focused on the Dawn Army, it is clear that Isaac will no longer receive much attention.

‘By now, the internal opinions of the Brienne Knights will have become somewhat unified.’

Isaac took out the Ruaddin key.

The softly spreading warmth of white transformed the reception room, which had been a drinking party until the evening, into a sacred chapel.

Rottenhammer instinctively knelt down on one knee and bowed his head in front of Isaac, ready to accept the offer before Isaac changed his mind.

“My soul has already been given to the Law of Light. However, my body still remains on earth and walks the thorny path that God has left for me. To overcome these hardships and trials, please allow me to make Saint Isaac Isaac the light of my soul.”

There are four things needed to found a Knighthood.

A high priest to grant a blessing, permission from a nobleman with land to be the base, another paladin to observe and stand as guarantor, and a paladin to accept the patron saint.

The first three of these could all be done by Isaac alone.

Isaac first placed his hand on Rottenhammer’s head and answered.

“Isaac Isaacrea, the Saint of Resurrection, blesses the future path of Rottenhammer and allows us to accept Isaac Isaacrea as our patron saint.”

And then he said right after that.

“Isaac Isacre, Prior and Lord of Isacre Abbey. As the Earl of the lands and the master of the countship, I bless the future of Rottenhammer and promise to provide them with bread, shelter, and salt.”

And then the next one too.

“Isaac Isaac, Knight of the Holy Grail. As a fellow paladin and witness to the oath, I bless this oath. As Rottenhammer’s kinsman, friend, and comrade, those who stand before his blade will also stand before mine.”

The patron saint himself would have had something to say, but since most people who were designated as patron saints of the Knights Templar were dead, they were omitted. Isaac was probably the first living person to be designated as patron saint.

The people around them who were watching the flow of water had dumbfounded expressions on their faces, but since it was something to celebrate anyway, they all applauded.

Gebel, who had been watching the scene, smiled bitterly and approached Isaac, patting him on the shoulder.

“Who would have thought that kid would become not only the leader of the Knights Templar, but also the patron saint of the Knights Templar?”

“Even if I tell you to re-enlist, you won’t listen, right?”

“Well, I think I’m better suited to teaching fools than the Knights Templar.”

Since the swordsmanship we learned is different, it will be difficult to match up.

It seemed like the last problem was solved, but there was still one more problem. Lyanna raised her hand and pointed that last problem out to Isaac.

“I am sorry, Sir Isaac, but we are a foreign army. If we move separately from Sir Isaac, there is a possibility of misunderstanding when we encounter the Holy Empire of Gertonia. What should we do about that?”

Identification of the enemy was a critical issue, especially when the foreign troops entered without permission due to the Emperor’s absence.

Even if he had been an invited guest from the beginning, it was uncertain whether he would accept him. This was especially true if the army he encountered was the Yeomyeong Army.

Isaac answered simply, as a thought suddenly occurred to him.

“Let’s make a flag.”

As he said this, he went outside and brought a bundle of white cloth. Then he swung his kachuline and cut it into an appropriate size in one stroke. Then he brought some purple dye that was piled up on one side of the reception room and shook it on the cloth.

Tukhalin, who was watching the scene, tried to say something with a shocked expression, but Isaac did not stop.

After emptying out the dye, which contained one box of gold in each bottle and a total of five boxes of gold, there was enough to dye a white cloth. Although the dyeing was done poorly and the aftercare was not done properly, it quickly revealed a rare and mysterious luster, as if it were not an ordinary dye to begin with.

Even if someone were to clumsily imitate purple, it would be difficult to replicate this mystical luster. Perhaps because it was a dye scraped from a temple, it felt faintly divine.

Isaac waved the flag once, enough to make it flutter, then dabbed some cheap white dye on it.

White cross on purple background.

“This is the symbol of the Isacrea Army from now on. Please help me so that my flag can always fly beside yours.”

Since it was just created, isn’t it too unknown?

That’s not a problem.

Because now this flag will be known by the armies that are rampaging towards the south.