Chapter 217

With the authority of Kaldwin in his hands, Isaac found it hard to deny it. He pondered what to say upon returning to the Gerthonia Empire.

'Should I just pretend it's a new sword?'

Holding the Holy Sword of Elil, he knew he had to follow the pretense to avoid becoming sword fodder. Though thinking about it made him feel that he might truly become Elil's Grand Warrior, so he decided against it.

Isaac reassured himself that he was a rational and logical person. Surely, he could find a reasonable solution.

He looked at the gemstone embedded in Kaldwin, the Dragon Heart of Calurien, and spoke to it.

"Exile Calurien. How does the air of the ground feel?"

The Dragon Heart of Calurien buzzed and glowed. His thoughts flowed into Isaac's mind.

Calurien seemed just as bewildered by the current situation.

[Was this your intention as well?]

"I hoped I could return by extracting your Dragon Heart. Carrying Kaldwin was not part of the plan. This gift is a burden even for the receiver."

Moreover, he had brought back the Rite of Division he had intended to return. He wondered if there was anyone other than Elil who had carried two of Elil's Holy Swords.

[You can't blame him. Having been dormant for so long, he was bound to spring up in rebellion. How starved he must have been, stuck on this remote island, having once shouted for victory, glory, and courage.]

Though Calurien spoke as if he understood Elil, he couldn't hide his complicated emotions.

Elil's orders implied that if the Elil Order acted unfaithfully, they might as well go to the battlefield and die.

His angels would also struggle to escape Elil's intentions now.

The suicide option attached to Kaldwin might have been an order imbued with Elil's will.

'Is this a ploy to revoke my Grand Warrior status and make me stab my own neck if I disobey later?'

Isaac suspected Elil's intentions anew, but the Dawn Army would rise regardless.

Isaac could only do his best.

"By the way, why did other orders cooperate when Elil was exiled to the island? It's natural for the Codex of Light, but I saw the Salt Council, the World's Forge, and even the Olkan code involved."

Considering that the Olkan Code was now part of the Black Empire, Elil was essentially a 'public enemy' of that era, more than even the Immortal Order now.

Given Elil's achievements, it seemed understandable, though Elil hadn't committed mass genocide or resurrected the Dead God as an undead, nor exterminated a third of humanity. So why such extreme measures?

Calurien's answer was calm.

[The gods never liked Elil from the start.]

Isaac felt he knew the reason even before hearing it.

Elil was like an ancient deity occupying half the world without being one of the nine faiths. And he revealed divine secrets too easily. Gods likely didn't appreciate a loose-lipped deity.

However, Calurien's reason was unexpected.

[Divine beings are never lenient towards those who give birth to Nephilim.]

Hmm, Nephilim is indeed a sin... Isaac nodded, then felt something odd.

"...One who gives birth to Nephilim? Not the Nephilim themselves?"

[Nephilim? Gods don't make much of the Nephilim themselves. They're the result of sin, not the sinners. But the act of giving birth to Nephilim is the greatest sin a divine being can commit. If discovered, any faith would ensure they fall from grace.]

Fallen angels have their names and angelic status stripped, as if they never existed. Although rare, fallen angels appeared often enough in Issacrea territory, indicating many had lost their wings throughout history.

And their original names remained unknown.

They must have been significant figures in their time.

'Was the order to kill Elil's pregnant wife because the dancer was a Nephilim?'

But it seemed strange upon reflection.

'Why is giving birth to Nephilim considered a sin?'

Isaac found it troubling.

Though relieved he wasn't a major offense to the gods, he couldn't help but think of his biological parents.

Elil had to defy and become a god to protect his Nephilim child, even giving his heart to his daughter. Isaac's parents must have paid a great price as well.

Procreation and growth are natural instincts. From a god's perspective, more thriving beings should be a joy. So why consider it a sin and control it?

As Isaac pondered, his arm suddenly dropped Kaldwin.

"Huh?"

He tried to lift Kaldwin, but his arm lacked strength. Then he realized he was completely drained. An immense hunger hit him.

Pouring everything into the fight with Elil had left him utterly spent.

'Why now?'

[The divine power of Urbansus within you seems to have drained away, adjusting to the surrounding pressure.]

Calurien sensitively detected Isaac's condition.

[Your body, once full of divine energy, has returned to its original state. You're not in mortal danger, so don't worry.]

'Ah, I see.'

But Calurien spoke of ordinary people, not Nephilim.

Isaac wobbled and fell to his knees, finally managing to steady himself.

He had maintained his health with numerous blessings, but now, with the 'Intestines of the Dead God' growling in hunger, even moving in his armor was hard. Despite the lightweight enchantment, without his well-trained muscles and stamina, he might have collapsed long ago.

Groaning, Isaac struggled to remove his armor, eventually giving up and lying down. It felt like he was suffering from both low blood pressure and low blood sugar.

'...I'll have to leave the return to Hesabel and Edelred.'

***

When Isaac opened his eyes again, he saw a familiar Hesabel and an unfamiliar ceiling. It had become almost routine to see Hesabel each time he woke in a strange place.

Hesabel quickly descended from the ceiling as she noticed Isaac's eyes open.

"Are you alright, Isaac?"

Red wings still sprouted from Hesabel's back. Cleverly, she folded them like a cloak over her shoulders, making them look like an exotic robe adorned with feathers.

"Hmm, I'm fine. Where are we?"

"Ellion Fortress. That child king insisted on carrying you, but his legs dragged, so I carried you instead. Lianne Georg, as well as the Knights of Aldeon, have declared their protection, so you can rest assured."

"Lianne? So, she revived?"

"Yes! She woke up the same day as us. As soon as she emerged from the crystal, she sent people to guide us to the Holy Land. We almost had to carry you all the way to Ellion Fortress! Do you know how long we were in Urbansus?"

Isaac squinted and looked out the window. It had been late spring when they entered, but now it looked like full summer.

"Forty-eight days?"

"Oh, how did you know?"

It had also been forty-eight days when they entered and exited Urbansus through the Moonwell ceremony of the Salt Council.

The number forty-eight might have some significance, or it might be impossible to stay longer. Perhaps, once inside Urbansus, one must complete that number of days to return.

Isaac tried to get up but was overwhelmed by intense hunger.

The 'Intestines of the Dead God' threatened to consume all the muscles Isaac had painstakingly built over the years if he didn't feed it soon. However, he lacked the strength to lift a spoon. Cold sweat broke out.

'Are all Nephilim originally in this state?'

That couldn't be the case. It wasn't this bad during his monastery days. Isaac was currently like an over-tuned engine. If fuel was sufficient, it showed immense power, but if lacking, it was weaker than an average engine.

"...Hesabel, I'm sorry, but..."

"Ah, yes! I anticipated this and prepared!"

Hesabel had dealt with Isaac's hunger before in Issacrea territory. Isaac noticed a whole roasted pig, cold but ready, next to him.

It wasn't the time to be picky.

Isaac gave Hesabel a thumbs up and reached for the pig with his left hand instead of a fork.

***

After avoiding what felt like imminent starvation, Isaac decided to take stock of his situation and gains.

He had obtained Kaldwin, the title of Elil's Grand Warrior, and Calurien's Dragon Heart. What he lost was the meat he had stored in his belly. As a result, all temporary perks were gone. Losing the rotten angel's poison was unfortunate, but he had used it enough.

With the title of Elil's Grand Warrior, Isaac had, in terms of symbolic authority, become an entity even greater than King Edelred.

Of course, this didn't mean Elil's knights would defy Edelred's orders to follow him, but they wouldn't be able to ignore him either. As for the Nameless Chaos, it was undoubtedly furious about this, but it was uncertain how the Codex of Light would react.

"May the Sword of May, please come forth."

Isaac called out, hoping the Sword of May, which had disappeared for a while, would now reappear. But the Sword of May did not show itself.

After some thought, Isaac lit the Lighthouse of the Watcher. A gentle light spread, fixing order. Only then did something respond.

A small flame in the shape of wings appeared before Isaac. Two old, chipped swords stood vertically, spinning around it. Isaac recognized this modest flame as the Sword of May.

"Sword of May, are you alright?"

[Yes, I am alive. Judging by the surroundings, you met Elil and returned.]

"You didn't expect failure, did you?"

[Everything goes according to the grand plan set by the lighthouse keeper. There can be no failure.]

She spoke calmly, adding,

[Given your skills and resourcefulness, I didn't think you'd fail with just Calurien. You're someone who would find a way to climb out of hell itself.]

Isaac was both surprised and embarrassed by the unexpected compliment and bowed his head.

"Thank you for the praise. Anyway, I've met Elil and returned from Urbansus. But I've run into a bit of a problem and wanted to seek your opinion."

The Sword of May turned its small form around to survey the surroundings.

[Speaking of which, that sword.]

Then, the Sword of May blinked as it looked at one of Isaac's hands. Its gaze fixed on Kaldwin, lying on Isaac's lap. Isaac felt nervous, wondering if the Sword of May would recognize the Dragon Heart embedded in Kaldwin.

[That's the Holy Sword Kaldwin. Was it used as Elil's sealing catalyst?]

"Uh, yes."

The Sword of May pointed out the Holy Sword instead of the Dragon Heart, either not noticing or not caring. Calurien's presence in the Dragon Heart was almost non-existent.

"Elil gave me this sword and appointed me as the Grand Warrior without asking my opinion."

[A Grand Warrior?]

The Sword of May sounded somewhat surprised.

[That's a prestigious honor. Congratulations.]

"It doesn't seem to be a problem?"

[I was appointed during the first Dawn Army.]

"...Do they appoint many at once?"

[No. Only one at a time. But Grand Warriors have short lifespans, so in a large war, multiple may appear in the same era. I, too, relinquished my duties as a Grand Warrior only after dying.]

Elil seemed to appoint Grand Warriors from any religion or group as long as they fought well and served his purpose. Ultimately, a Grand Warrior was one who carried out divine commands directly, so it wasn't strange for anyone to receive it. However, it was certain that Isaac was the only one to receive the title of Grand Warrior in the past hundred years since Elil's long silence.

[And it's the first time I've seen someone receive the Holy Sword along with the title. Usually, it's just the title. Perhaps Elil is giving you special treatment.]

Isaac hoped Elil's special treatment wasn't anything too worrisome.