Chapter 224

However, this conversation could not take place in front of Dietrich. As the Duke of Brant, he was among the highest ranks in society, second only to the Emperor. Dietrich wasn't just an observer in this situation; he was someone who needed to take responsibility.

He often blamed the ignorance of the poor, speaking condescendingly, but that was because he was well-fed and his living conditions were more than adequate.

Thus, Isaac had no choice but to keep his mouth shut.

Since he decided to accept Isolde, he had inevitably become part of the same group.

By accepting one side of this world, Isaac too had become a part of that world. The more he intervened, the more he became entangled in it.

***

From one of the execution platforms where the flames had died down, a charred skeleton still trembling was retrieved, and a new victim was brought forth. The new victim, dragged by the soldier, was a girl who seemed barely over ten years old.

"Wait."

Isaac approached them. As an armored figure drew near, the soldiers flinched, but the priest, consumed by madness, did not. The priest glared at Isaac and shouted.

"Who are you? Do you dare to interrupt the sacred purification ritual?"

Instead of answering, Isaac sighed and climbed onto the platform. The blackened logs crumbled under his feet, but the foundation, made of stone, remained intact. The priest, initially startled by Isaac's calm demeanor, grew even more enraged.

Soon, soldiers and knights began to gather, as if they were accustomed to such confrontations. It seemed that similar disputes had occurred before.

Among those who approached was a paladin. Standing at two meters tall, the paladin had a cold expression and wore a silver helmet. The priest, reassured by the presence of the paladin behind him, sneered at Isaac.

"This is Sir Leohen Ostara, the Chief Paladin of the Ostara Knight Order! The Skull Destroyer, the Hammer that Crushes Atheists, the Herald of Dawn! And you, a mere wanderer knight, dare!"

Isaac was secretly pleased with the drawn-out introduction.

"I am Isaac."

Having become part of the ruling class, it wasn't a bad idea to wield that authority freely. After all, he had aimed to rise to power to do as he pleased.

The priest thought he had heard the name somewhere before, but before he could recall, Isaac swung his sword, slicing through the execution platform in an instant. The sword energy from Kaldwin reduced the platform to sawdust.

The priest's thoughts about Isaac's name vanished.

"Sword energy, sword energy! It's the heresy of the Supreme King!"

Isaac was satisfied. He had deliberately used Kaldwin instead of the Luadin Key to reveal his identity slowly. However, it seemed the priest didn't even recognize Isaac as an ally of the same White Empire faction.

As the girl, who was about to be hanged, stared blankly at Isaac, the paladin named Leohen stomped forward and swung his mace at Isaac.

His body was surrounded by various miracles, emitting a dazzling light. Seeing his quick reaction, it was clear he knew what a swordmaster was and how strong they could be.

'Now that I think about it, I've never properly fought the paladins of the Codex of Light.'

Isaac had sparred with the paladins of the Briant Knight Order led by Rotenhammer but had never fought them in battle. Now, this opponent was definitely trying to kill him. Leohen's mace fell with the ferocity of a meteor.

Bang. Instead of taking it head-on, Isaac lightly deflected it. Leohen, wary of the swordmaster's energy, also sneered at him.

Thinking a mace's weight would slow its movement was a common misconception. Paladins could swing their weapons twice as fast as other knights and could handle them even faster with skill.

Especially if using advanced swordsmanship.

Leohen aimed to crush the swordmaster's head with a swift strike.

His body spun like a whirlwind, closing in on Isaac in an instant.

In contrast, Isaac's attack seemed lazy, almost slow. His sword had just begun to move.

It seemed certain that Isaac's head would be shattered by Leohen's advanced swordsmanship.

That would have been the case if Leohen's wrist hadn't suddenly been pierced by Isaac's sword.

"Ugh!"

Even hidden under armor, the blade accurately struck the artery. When Leohen hastily pulled his arm back, the wound, slashed by the sword energy, tore even wider. Blood flowed profusely through the gaps in his armor, soaking the dry logs.

Isaac shrugged as he watched.

'I was just mimicking it, but it turned out pretty well.'

He had merely imitated part of the swordsmanship that Elil had used to mock him.

A technique that targeted the weakest point before the opponent's attack began.

Isaac introduced unpredictability in his movements, making it impossible for the opponent to anticipate.

This technique had two effects.

It imprinted on the opponent that he was overwhelmingly faster and allowed him to claim that he only meant to threaten while the opponent brought the injury upon themselves.

"Uoooo!"

However, true to his size, Leohen wasn't discouraged by a single attack and swung his mace again. Isaac calmly received the attack. His movements were small, seemingly focusing solely on defense.

As a result, those watching felt as if they were hallucinating.

Leohen was clearly the one attacking, yet he was the one accumulating wounds and bleeding. To them, it looked as if Leohen was voluntarily throwing himself onto Isaac's sword.

The priest, unable to believe his eyes, was about to shout.

"Ma, magic...!"

"He's the Holy Grail Knight! Sir Isaac!"

A soldier belatedly shouted. At those words, the priest was about to explode in anger but then looked at Isaac's face and snapped back to reality.

The Saint of Resurrection, known for his angelic appearance and saintly mercy.

He had appeared like a comet, slaying ancient gods and banishing heathen angels, overcoming death, and returning with an oracle from heaven as the Holy Grail Knight.

The priest couldn't be unaware of the famous Holy Grail Knight.

Isaac had already revealed his name, making it impossible to claim ignorance because of his notable appearance.

***

Leohen, meanwhile, staggered before collapsing to his knees. It seemed less like he was quickly submitting to the call of the Holy Grail Knight and more like he had lost too much blood and fainted. The bleeding was too severe for blessings to handle any longer.

Isaac, with the authority of the victor, calmly kicked Leohen off the platform, sending him tumbling below. The gathered paladins and soldiers looked up at Isaac with frozen expressions.

Isaac addressed them nonchalantly.

"He'll die like that. Treat him."

Only then did the paladins and priests hurriedly rush over.

Honestly, it didn't matter if he died, but if the Holy Grail Knight killed a paladin right after returning, the church might mistake him for an imperialist. To wield authority, one must also know how to respect it.

"W-we greet the Saint of Resurrection..."

To see the slaves of authority bowing down on their own like this.

The priest trembled, waiting for Isaac's words. He had long forgotten about the sword energy.

Isaac pondered what to do with this priest, who must have burned dozens of people by now. Just like with the paladins, he couldn't harm the priest. Although the priest's personal power might be weak, his authority far surpassed that of a paladin. The repercussions would be much greater.

However, he could prevent him from doing such mad acts again.

"Priest."

"Y-yes."

"What is the usual procedure for those who voluntarily confess to subscribing to life insurance and request to cancel it?"

The priest flinched and replied with difficulty.

"The, the punishment for apostasy is, always burning at the stake..."

Isaac exercised patience once more.

"I'm talking about those who voluntarily confess and request to cancel their life insurance."

"...We conduct a cancellation ritual."

"Right. We bless their return to the light and erase the evil traces of the Immortal Order in exchange for the cost of the sulfur and juniper used as sacrificial materials."

"Th-that is..."

The priest desperately tried to offer an excuse. Of course, Isaac understood that there was some meaning behind what seemed like mere madness.

Life insurance policyholders were long-term enemies and potential spies whose identities were hard to gauge while alive. Moreover, people suffering in life might be tempted to become undead. This procedure sent an early warning to such people before they joined the Dawn Army. It showed them what happened to the undead they wanted to become: unable to die and burning in eternal agony.

Seeing that, even those who feared death would reconsider subscribing to life insurance. Isaac, recalling the chaos life insurance policyholders almost caused in the Kingdom of Elil, couldn't blame the "procedure."

However, if those who confessed and wished to cancel their contracts met such a fate, the remaining ones would have no choice but to turn to the Immortal Order.

It was a shortsighted and foolish act.

Above all, he could not agree with burning children as examples.

"I understand. But don't you think it's a bit excessive?"

"We will be more cautious in selecting apostates."

Only then did Dietrich approach, sensing the situation had calmed down.

He seemed to be pondering how to handle the aftermath, yet he looked somewhat amused.

Isaac fiddled with his sword before drawing it. The priest, relieved to be alive, lifted his head.

In that instant, Isaac's sword shot upward. The priest's head, severed without resistance, spun and crashed into one side of the platform.

'Come to think of it, the reason I obediently followed authority was to ensure no backlash when cutting down people like him.'

Until now, Isaac had complied with the Codex of Light to survive.

However, with the celestial authority recognizing him as "useful," there was no need to cater to the church.

A much higher authority than any on earth acknowledged him.

'If I'm a useful tool, you must also show your usefulness to establish a give-and-take relationship.'

Having become a part of the ruling class, Isaac decided to exploit that authority to his advantage.

"It was as light as cutting grass."

Isaac muttered as he kicked the headless priest's body, ensuring everyone remembered his name.

"I am Isaac Issacrea."

He made sure they wouldn't forget by toppling the headless corpse.

"Remember what you saw and spread the word. Faith doesn't justify everything. Divine punishment might not come as lightning but in the form of a wandering knight."

***

Dietrich swiftly boarded the ship with Isaac and departed immediately. The priest's beheading was shocking, but they feared the immediate arrival of enraged local lords, abbots, or paladin orders.

"What can a mere local abbey do to the Saint of Resurrection who fulfilled an angel's command?"

"That's a story that works in the capital or the holy city! Unless an angel descends to give a warning, the local folks value their relationships more!"

Dietrich retorted, exasperated.

"If the abbey priests gather to argue or attack, what will you do then? Will you behead all of them?"

Reflecting on Dietrich's words, Isaac also felt some regret.

One priest could be punished for violating doctrinal principles, and the church would overlook it.

But beheading a hundred abbey priests would undeniably label him a heretic.

Dietrich's quick move to get him on the ship was precisely because of this.

"I thought you were a clever son-in-law, but I never imagined you'd do something so insane."

"I did it because I'm clever."

Isaac responded with a faint smile.

It wasn't just for the satisfaction of beheading the priest.

-TL Notes-