Paladin of the Dead God - Chapter 326



Only Krnovel

Episode 326. The sound of a crow crying (2)

Isaac had a puzzled expression.

After learning at the meeting with Bellman that the Hand of Midas was actually a monkey’s paw, Isaac took a reserved stance instead of actively trying to retrieve the relic. Bellman couldn’t help but be somewhat dissatisfied with this.

“The ‘hand’ you’re looking for might not actually be such a convenient object.”

“Why?”

This was what drove Isaac crazy.

It was clear that the monkey’s paw story would not be told here. If Isaac had refused to find the monkey’s paw until the end, it would have been seen as ‘just being stubborn because he didn’t want to give Angela up.’

“Will that powerful relic that grants wishes really lend its power without any restrictions?”

Isaac took Cachulain out of his scabbard, a new scabbard that was tailored to his unique blade shape, having absorbed the Scythe of the Harvester. This too was a gift from the Golden Idol.

“This sword is the one that Elril used on the battlefield. However, even such a powerful relic has its limits. I even once obtained the dagger that took Elril’s heart. It was useful when dealing with miracles, but it was no match for a kitchen knife when dealing with people.”

Even if it is a sacred object used by the gods, it is not omnipotent. No, not even the gods are omnipotent.

No god can control his followers 100% and wield his tyranny over the world as he pleases, because he is subject to checks and balances from other gods and angels.

But is it normal that one unknown relic can turn the world upside down?

Leonora looked at Isaac as if she found it amusing.

“Hmm, that’s interesting.”

“what?”

“Isaac, you believe in the power of the ‘Hand’. When I first heard the story from my father, I thought the old man was possessed by a spirit. In fact, I still don’t really believe it. However, if such a thing exists, I think no one else should have it.”

“… … .”

Is that so? That could be true. In fact, Leonora’s reaction is the mature attitude that a sensible adult would show when hearing about the ‘wish-granting holy object’. If there is only one sword in the world, it is safe to take it and see for yourself even if you don’t intend to hurt anyone right away.

But Isaac has no words, having seen the monkey’s hand grant his wish.

“You don’t have to think too deeply about it right now. It’s going to be a long time before you can retrieve your hand anyway, and the process of getting there will be full of adversity.”

Isaac nodded. The Hand of Midas is supposedly in the Holy Land, Lua.

Why is it in the Holy Land of Lua and not somewhere else? Perhaps it is because it is the place where the immortal emperor Beshek destroyed the boundary between Urbanus and the earth. Perhaps it is because it is a strange space where the past, present, and future have collapsed that a singularity like a monkey’s hand appears.

“Let’s have a quick conversation. If you had a ‘hand,’ what would you wish for?”

Isaac had no intention of asking for a monkey’s hand even if he died, but when Leonora brought it up, his mind became complicated.

‘It’s a wish.’

When Isaac first possessed this body, his goal was to ‘survive’. That wish is still ongoing, but now it has branched out and grown, becoming more complex.

‘Becoming stronger’, ‘Protecting my people’, ‘Recognition, honor, wealth’… … But none of them were something I desperately wanted to the point of wishing for it.

“… … Let me start with you. Why did the Platinum Squad search for the hand so diligently?”

“Leonora.”

“what?”

“Please call me Leonora. And if you keep speaking informally to me, I’ll speak informally to you too. I don’t know how old you are, but you’re definitely younger than me.”

“Yes, sister.”

Isaac spoke sarcastically, but Leonora seemed to like it somehow.

“Miss Leonora, do you have any wishes?”

Isaac chose to be polite rather than call her by her name. Leonora was still someone he did not want to get close to. Leonora smiled and said.

“I hope no one makes a wish.”

“yes?”

“I wish everyone would make a wish to no one. If I had a ‘hand’, I would definitely make that wish.”

Isaac wondered what a paradoxical wish that was. But then he realized that she was referring not only to the top of the golden idol, but to ‘everyone’.

Believers of other religions all pray with their own wishes.

It is praying to one’s own god.

Leonora was saying that she wished it were all impossible.

Like a golden idol that no one hears or grants.

Leonora’s wish sounded like a prayer for the destruction of the gods.

***

“Isaac! Our Grail Knight! As expected, you were the first to arrive!”

“Tukhalin, it’s been a while.”

Isaac smiled and greeted the first of the World’s Furnace Army to arrive in Odrif.

It was a rather odd outcome that the first to arrive were a pack of dwarves and werewolves walking across the mountains, but Isaac, knowing the hidden power of the world’s hearth, was not surprised.

‘There was probably a massive underground road and city built beneath the Gelliford Mountains.’

Although they were built hundreds of years ago, when the world’s furnaces still had influence over the continent, they still had a lot of useful stuff. They appeared here and there in the Gelliford Mountains through that underground road network, and they knocked the orcs’ heads off.

Among those who received their help were some who had a deep connection with Isaac.

“I heard you defeated the orcs that were besieging the Ariet Monastery. It was the monastery where I stayed as a child. Thank you very much.”

The Ariet Monastery was a place that Isaac had been debating for a long time whether to visit or not.

But at that time, Isaac was being chased by Sherlock, and when he finally had some free time, he was caught up in problems with the Siero Dawn Army and the Harvesters, so he couldn’t afford to relax.

But fortunately, Tukhalin stopped by the Ariet Monastery and came to their rescue.

“The abbot there was talking about you. He said you were a great talent since childhood. But your ability to perform miracles was a failing grade.”

Isaac smiled bitterly.

While at the monastery, Isaac had the status of a novice priest, at least with the approval of Abbot Yevhar. It meant nothing to him now.

“The abbot there asked me to convey a message to you.”

“What did you say?”

“Well, I don’t know what it means, so I’ll just say it. ‘If you’re walking through a confusing night, look only at the distant lights and move forward.’ … … That’s what it said.”

Tukhalin muttered with a laugh.

“That’s the problem with old people. They just mumble plausible words and expect the other person to fit in.”

Compared to Tukhalin’s age, even Yevhar was like a newborn, but it didn’t seem right for him, an honest dwarf, to mutter incomprehensible words. Isaac also somewhat agreed with Tukhalin’s words, but he couldn’t help but think about Yevhar’s intentions.

‘Gebel knew that I ate rats. He didn’t know how or for what purpose. Yevhar might have known that I was no ordinary being.’

Above all, Yevhar ate his own hand while testing Isaac through the miracle of ‘Proof of Faith’. He must have realized long ago that Isaac was no ordinary being, but did he also realize that he was not a model believer of the Light Code?

There is no way to know his intentions now.

But he seems to want Isaac to ‘walk only looking at the light, no matter what dark path he wanders down.’

‘I guess this fits well?’

Isaac took Yevhar’s advice to heart and helped Tukhalin’s army settle in.

The army dispatched from the world’s furnace set up camp in a place prepared on the outskirts of Odrif. Although their numbers were not large, it was likely that a large number of armed forces would enter the city, as it was a trading city.

The second army to arrive was Elil’s army.

Aethelred was surprised to see Tukhalin arrive before them, but the visible results could not be overturned. Isaac heard the story of the Siero Dawn Army through Aethelred.

“Ciero was incorporated into the Dawn Army?”

“Yes. I heard that the Dawn Army main force recruits new recruits? I heard that they do something similar. The scattered Siero Dawn Army has also gathered together under the main force’s flag. That’s a good thing.”

Aethelred was purely congratulatory as a member of the Baekje alliance. The soldiers were freed from their incompetent commander and were incorporated into a larger army, and Siero was also given a position without being severely punished for his crimes, so it seemed like a good thing. But Isaac read the inside story.

‘Looks like he’s finally been caught.’

Isaac had hoped that Siero would be able to hold back the Dawn Army’s main force, but that now seemed unlikely. His future was good, as he would cry out for Light’s Code propaganda like a canary in a cage.

‘It’s a regrettable result, but since they were caught, it was probably the only option. If you recklessly try to counter-attack, you could get killed, and if the beggarly army of Dawn soldiers scatters around in confusion, they could be defeated individually. Those who coordinate with a large army might have a higher chance of survival… … .’

On the bright side, the Undead Cult had to deploy more forces to deal with the main force of the Dawn Army. This also meant that the pressure on the Isacrea Dawn Army was reduced.

Isaac still couldn’t like Siero, but he wanted to meet him again after some time had passed. The last time he saw him, he saw that he was trying to change a little. He wondered if that will would break again or if it would still burn.

The last army to arrive was the army of the Knights of Isacrea led by Captain Rottenhammer. Rottenhammer clicked his tongue at the sight of the advanced army already lined up, but he readily agreed.

Rottenhammer didn’t initially place importance on speed.

Instead, he focused on bringing in stragglers from the Imperial Army and retired knights and priests who had been scattered. Thanks to this, the size of the army had grown much larger than before he arrived.

“Don’t worry about your skills or character. It would be better to gather under the banner of the Knights of the Holy Grail than to be commanded by the blind men of the Dengha.”

Rottenhammer introduced the new paladins and knights. Isaac was delighted and took each of their hands, thanking them for joining him.

“Thank you so much. It will be a great help.”

Long-retired paladins, disillusioned priests who left the church, knights who had lost their lords and were wandering… … Their armor and equipment were all different, and their emblems were not unified, so they looked more like a mercenary group than a knightly order. Gebel, who was a deserter, was barely noticeable.

But Isaac was genuinely happy to have them join.

What Isaac lacks is legitimacy as a ‘Knight of the Code of Light’.

Although they gathered under the broad banner of Baekje, they were ultimately a coalition of foreign and pagan Dawn forces. If there was even one more paladin or priest from the Code of Light, they would be welcome.

Especially if you are someone who is dissatisfied with the church.

***

‘It arrived roughly in the order I expected.’

Isaac organized the ranks and power tables in the order they arrived.

The strongest of these is Tukhalin. Isaac, to be honest, would have had a hard time guaranteeing victory if he had fought Tukhalin one-on-one. And since it was not the ‘Army of the Code of Light’ but the ‘Army of the Baekje Empire Alliance’, it would have been better if the subcommander had been someone from another faith.

Tukhalin has a lot of experience, so he would not be bad as a chief of staff or commander. He is also old, so it would be easy to mediate if there is friction with other believers.

Of course, it would be a problem if Tukhalin himself revealed his fiery personality.

‘Okay. Then I guess we can organize it to this extent and move on to the next step.’

There was a reason why Isaac had come south while the main force of the Dawn Army was moving east. Now it was time to move on to the next step.

But Isaac’s thoughts did not proceed as planned.

It was because an unexpected message was suddenly delivered.

“Isaac.”

One day, Gebel came to Isaac in a hurry and said:

“The Inquisitors are looking for you. It’s a man named Saltna Culbane.”

Isaac felt a sense of uneasiness about this situation. But then again, he had a feeling that things were going to go in an ominous direction.

A flock of crows were croaking ferociously over O’Drift.