Chapter 229

"Such a headache. Fine. I'll take care of it."

Isaac had thrown the burden at Bashul, but ultimately, Bashul would pass that burden down the line. No one would dare touch the budget sent directly from the Emperor's personal guards. Moreover, the Emperor would augment the amount Isaac donated from his own treasury.

"Is that all you needed?"

"Hmm, is there anything unusual happening around Ultenheim?"

"Unusual? Apart from the crazies who claim the Millennium Kingdom is near, setting fires everywhere, and the maniacs from the Golden Idol Guild trying to plunder under the guise of heresy?"

"Precisely that cult."

At Isaac's words, Bashul's face hardened as he quickly looked around. He knew there were no ears listening in thanks to the superhuman senses of the guards, but it was a reflexive action.

Bashul's face twisted as he snapped at Isaac.

"If you value your life, watch your mouth."

"I'm asking because I value my life. Nothing unusual, right?"

The main task of the Imperial Guard was to detect and prevent any plots of rebellion or assassination.

Because of what happened in Rougeberg, they were undoubtedly on high alert for any changes within the cult.

Bashul squinted his eyes but answered.

"Nothing unusual with them yet. They're still driving people as if the world will end after the Dawn Army. I wonder what their plan is after they conscript everyone, from farmers to merchants to tailors."

It seemed the Emperor wasn't planning to replace the Pope, nor was the Pope planning to replace the Emperor. After all, the Pope had an easier job compared to the Emperor.

"If there were any significant issues around Ultenheim, the Imperial Guard would've already intervened. Why?"

"Hmm, nothing important."

Bashul sighed and nodded.

"Please watch your words. For Miss Isolde's sake."

Isaac nodded. Bashul returned to the palace to deal with the new burden he had received.

'Bashul really doesn't know.'

In truth, Isaac had other intentions in assigning the tedious task of handling donations to Bashul. After the Dawn Army declaration, incidents were bound to occur around Ultenheim. If Bashul didn't know, then the signs of the incident had yet to appear.

'In that case, I should take preventive measures now.'

***

The Gerthonia Empire was vast.

From snow-covered mountain ranges to plains devoid of a single tree, to deserts where even stones crumbled to dust.

However, when people thought of the 'Empire,' they generally envisioned Ultenheim, a place with layers of intertwined history.

Many empires and dynasties had risen and fallen under the name of the Codex of Light, but the perception that whoever controlled Ultenheim ruled the continent persisted. Everything else was considered mere periphery. Even the Holy Land, where Luadin brought the Dawn Tablet, couldn't be the center of the Empire.

Thanks to this, Ultenheim, with its layers of history, looked picturesque from a distance but chaotic up close. No matter how great the capital of the Empire was, this remained unchanged.

"From here on, it's the old city. The roads are messy, so please be careful."

Isaac nodded as he followed the monk guiding him. The monk, dressed plainly, walked briskly over the broken and puddle-filled roads.

Isaac, currently drawing too much attention in the capital and being widely recognized, wore the gray robe of a monk. Beggars and the poor along the way paid no heed to the two robed figures.

'Living in such a hidden place.'

Isaac looked around. Buildings, bearing the weight of centuries of history, were piled upon each other like layers of sediment. They leaned against one another, forming high, extended structures and creating a maze of dim alleyways.

Naturally, this made the area dangerous and filthy, a shadow of Ultenheim.

Unable to improve the place unless it was entirely demolished, rulers hundreds of years ago had moved the capital's center north of the river, where the current new city stood. Thus, clean and good facilities flowed into the 'new city' of the north, while dirty and squalid ones remained in the 'old city' of the south.

However, the place that built the capital's history and legends was this old city.

Amidst all this, there was a traditional building that had stood in its place for nearly a thousand years.

When they reached the heart of the old city, the building suddenly came into view.

The Ultenheim Cathedral.

Like other buildings, it had undergone numerous renovations and repairs, making it look patched together, but the grandeur built by history alone gave it authority.

After guiding Isaac there, the monk bowed and disappeared, leaving Isaac to handle the rest. He seemed unimpressed by the Holy Grail Knight Isaac.

Well, compared to the countless great figures and heroes who had left their mark here, a single Holy Grail Knight was nothing.

With a bit of humility, Isaac stepped into the cathedral.

***

"Um, it was too heavy to carry, but could you sign here...?"

When Isaac was asked to sign a book as big as the monk's upper torso while walking down the hall, he couldn't help but smile.

After Isaac left his diligently practiced signature, the monk left happily.

"Brother Isaac."

As he turned around, an elderly priestess appeared without a sound. Seeing the sash draped over her shoulder, Isaac realized she was the one who had called him.

"Cardinal Camille Saréa."

She was one of the three cardinals among the countless priests of the Codex of Light.

And she was the overseer of this dilapidated cathedral, responsible for the Ultenheim region.

However, considering Ultenheim's importance and standing, she played more of a role as a politician or diplomat than a priest.

Following protocol, Isaac approached Camille, knelt on one knee, and kissed her fingertips. Camille laughed gaily at his actions.

"Oh my, please just call me Priest Camille. Hearing my full name from a handsome Holy Grail Knight feels like a warm spring breeze."

'...This woman?'

It was, of course, a typical joke made by elderly folks. Isaac didn't take it seriously. He'd faced more blatant flirtations at Duke Brant's banquets.

Isaac stood and apologized first.

"I'm sorry. Due to circumstances, I had to meet His Majesty the Emperor first, which delayed my report to the Order. I..."

"Oh, it's fine. The heavenly gospel already informed us of the return of the Sword of May. I heard the Sword of May was very satisfied with your achievements. Now that the kingdom of Elil has also responded to the Light's call, it's truly a blessed occasion."

'Responded to the call? More like Elil wanted to destroy everything, and Calurien stopped them.'

Isaac thought to himself but nodded with a friendly smile.

"Thank you for your understanding."

Truthfully, Isaac had been a bit worried. Though he didn't expect the Sword of May to cover up everything, he couldn't be certain. He had killed a priest on his way here, and hadn't reported to the Order since returning. Recognizing the delicate tension between the Emperor and the Order, he should have visited sooner, but the Order had to seek him out instead.

Part of the reason for Isaac's delayed report was his mentality of 'Why inform the Order when the highest authority, the angel, already knows everything?' Fortunately, Cardinal Camille didn't mention Isaac's act of beheading the priest.

Camille continued praising Isaac's achievements and appearance, just before abruptly changing the subject when he was on the verge of boredom.

"Speaking of which, the Lady Brant brought an interesting child."

Isaac, who had been replying with polite thank-yous, suddenly snapped to attention. The 'interesting child' mentioned by Cardinal Camille was the one Isaac had rescued from Syrac after beheading the priest, the death insurance child.

He had intended to leave the child with Hesabel, but the situation where everyone and their dog recognized her as the Lady of Wallaica made it difficult to send her to the church, leaving him no choice but to entrust the child to Isolde.

"I apologize for any sacrilegious incidents that occurred in the process."

"Oh my, sacrilegious? We're also concerned about some followers' excessive behavior. Despite constant warnings, controlling so many followers isn't easy."

'For something that's supposedly difficult, it seems quite passionate and systematic.'

"Hmm, it seems the child bears the spiritual mark of the Immortal Order. It's likely a death insurance contract. Forcing even children into such contracts, the Immortal Order is truly insane. Such unnatural beings resort to these absurdities."

"I agree."

This was Isaac's honest opinion.

"However, annulling the contract is simple. Considering Lady Brant's request and the child's orphaned status, why not have the church raise them? Didn't you grow up in a monastery yourself, Holy Grail Knight?"

"Ah, yes. Indeed, it is a blessed thing."

Isaac replied reluctantly but nodded in agreement.

Taking in orphans was one of the many key undertakings of the Order. The Ultenheim Cathedral wouldn't be as impoverished as the monastery where Isaac grew up.

Isaac realized anew that Cardinal Camille was well-suited for her position.

She skillfully used tedious praise to ease the atmosphere, then suddenly tightened the strings with an uncomfortable topic, creating a binding situation for Isaac.

She wielded the Order's power and position, built over countless years of history, as if it were her own without hesitation.

Though the child wasn't crucial to Isaac, he didn't want to abandon the child he had saved.

"...Speaking of which, I have one more favor to ask of you, though it may be inconvenient after your arduous mission."

Feeling that she had adequately tightened the leash, Camille finally got to the point.

"Could you investigate the sinister incidents occurring in Ultenheim?"

***

"The cemetery serial murder case investigation?"

In an alley of the old town, Isolde, who was walking with Isaac, asked in disbelief after hearing about his new assignment.

"No way, the church assigns such tasks to a Holy Grail Knight?"

"A Holy Grail Knight's primary duty is to eliminate evil beings..."

In fact, it was the second most important duty after finding holy relics.

But Isolde still seemed unconvinced.

"This smells fishy..."

Once a fervent fan turned wary, Isolde had become the head and sole member of a newly established special internal investigation unit, eagerly uncovering the Order's corruption.

She already knew enough corruption without needing to search further, but she had documented and submitted those already. What she needed now was immediate, tangible evidence. And the Ultenheim Cathedral was naturally a prime target.

"Do you know anything about the cemetery serial murder case?"

"Well, it's a common urban legend. The old town is full of such sinister rumors. Compared to rumors about butcher shops selling human meat or finding human fingers in pig dung heaps, it's not much..."

Though the rumors Isolde mentioned were terrifying, they were matters for the security forces, not a Holy Grail Knight.

"I heard the underground of the cemetery near Ultenheim is much larger than known, with cultists who survived from long ago secretly living there. They supposedly crawl out at night, abduct people from the old town, and perform dark rituals. It's not much different from other urban legends."

The idea of cultists hiding in Ultenheim, especially in a cemetery, seemed preposterous. The Codex of Light's Order would obsessively manage such places due to the Immortal Order. Even if there were cultists, the knightly orders could handle it, not Isaac.

However, Isaac recalled an incident that occurred around dawn in this area.

That incident began when a monster emerged from the underground cemetery in Ultenheim, devastating the old town.