Chapter 255

Isolde pondered how the Empire had fallen to this level. No, she might lament that the Order had fallen to this level.

Because those blocking and yelling at her carriage were not bandits or robbers, but the Dawn Army.

"Hey, you're riding a pretty nice carriage!"

"We're on our way to fight the great holy war, wearing tattered clothes and hole-ridden shoes, and you nobles think you can just sit back and watch? How about a 'donation'?"

"There's no need for us to shed the blood of fellow believers, so show some generosity!"

Isolde sighed deeply at the voices coming from outside. At her sigh, the girl entrusted to her by Isaac, Angela, turned her head.

Isolde patted her head to reassure her.

"I don't know how the noble Dawn Army has come to this. Don't be scared."

Isolde had encountered such Dawn Army members several times before. They were civilian volunteer Dawn Army members who had risen voluntarily under Priest Ciero's speeches and incitements.

They called themselves 'Ciero's Dawn Army,' but the majority of the Empire had a different name for them.

'Beggar's Dawn Army.'

They claimed to have risen at the call of the Dawn Army, wielding only a sickle, heading out to reclaim the Holy Land, but everyone knew their real goal was plunder. Even if it wasn't, without supplies or logistics, they'd have no choice but to resort to looting on their long journey.

The group blocking the road now was one of many such beggar Dawn Army factions. Ultimately, they would join the large forces led by Priest Ciero and head to the Holy Land, but before that, they had already become a band of bandits.

More than a hundred people blocked the road, shouting and preventing the carriage from moving. Ignoring them and pushing through might turn them from mere threats into a mob of robbers in anger.

"Miss, what should we do?"

The man sitting in the coachman's seat asked calmly, showing no sign of fear. Despite Isolde's skills, the coachman was also one of the guards dispatched by the Brant family. Although he couldn't handle over a hundred people, he was not in a situation where he couldn't escape either.

Isolde slightly opened the window to observe the ones blocking the road.

Their emaciated appearances suggested they wouldn't let them go easily. Moreover, if they knew there were only women and children in the carriage, who knew how they might change. Anyway, this ragtag group would scatter if a few were cut down, but that would bring the political burden of having harmed the Dawn Army.

"Let's give them some money..."

Just as Isolde thought it reasonable to hand over some money and send them away, a sudden thud was heard from above the carriage.

"What is it?"

"A crow..."

As the coachman spoke in surprise, the crow suddenly opened its beak.

"Stay still."

Isolde knew that crows could speak human language, so she wasn't too surprised. But she held her breath as she saw crows starting to gather all around. The group surrounding the carriage also seemed uneasy, noticing the growing number of crows.

"Stay still, stay still, stay still."

The crow repeatedly murmured the same words. When a single crow murmured, it was one thing, but when dozens of crows murmured the same words, it was enough to frighten even the beggar Dawn Army.

"What is it saying, this damned crow!"

The moment one of them picked up a stone to throw at the crow, the crow flapped its wings and flew up. At the same time, all the other crows took off as well. They circled once in the air and then swooped down on the Dawn Army.

"Ahhh! Run away!"

"It's a curse! The curse of the Immortal Order!"

A crow is not a small bird.

A small one is about the size of a forearm, while a large one has a wingspan as big as a person's upper body. When such birds peck and claw, it's almost like an attack with daggers. The beggar Dawn Army quickly broke apart and fled. They were remarkably coordinated when fleeing.

The flock of crows chased after the fleeing Dawn Army.

The coachman prepared to swing a knife at the crows approaching the carriage, but Isolde hastily stopped him.

"Stay still!"

When the coachman stopped, the crows ignored him and flew away. The last remaining crow circled once over the carriage and then perched on a nearby tree, watching them. It fluttered its wings once more and said,

"Stay still."

Isolde stepped out of the carriage and stared blankly in the direction where the beggar Dawn Army had disappeared.

The coachman looked around at the surroundings that had been quickly cleared with an incredulous expression.

"...This is really strange. Is the end of the world really coming?"

"It's not the end of the world, but it seems someone is very angry."

Isolde had a hunch about who had done this. This place was not far from his territory.

Looking at the crow murmuring "stay still," Isolde said,

"Wait a moment. It seems we have a guest coming."

***

Flap.

As Isolde had predicted, not long after, Nel appeared, flapping her massive wings. The sight of the translucent dragon left the coachman, already stunned by the crow flock, even more intimidated. However, Isolde, having been forewarned by Isaac, waited calmly.

Thud. Isaac landed heavily and immediately approached her.

"Isolde. Are you hurt anywhere?"

"I'm fine. They were just a hungry mob..."

But Isaac knew well how dangerous a hungry mob could become. That was why he had hurried Hectali to summon the crows and attack.

"More importantly, the beggar Dawn Army... no, the Ciero's Dawn Army, headed towards the Issacrea estate. Will it be okay?"

"Ciero's Dawn Army? So those beggars were part of the Dawn Army."

Isaac had heard of Ciero before.

While in Syracusa, Dietrich had mentioned him as one of the 'extremist priests,' a character depicted quite significantly in the game.

Mainly for his incitement and madness.

Priest Ciero was an extremist who first advocated for the formation of the Dawn Army. Outwardly, he appeared as an ordinary priest, but he had a talent for incitement, amassing a massive force and becoming a core figure of the Dawn Army.

At that moment, Angela opened the carriage door and stepped out. She trotted over and hugged Isaac without a word. Isaac, who had no intention of forming an attachment to this orphaned girl, was taken aback by her gesture but patted her head nonetheless.

Isolde smiled at the sight, but her smile didn't last long.

"Along the way, I witnessed several groups of Ciero's Dawn Army. They were nearly begging through looting, asking for aid on their way to join the main army. There were so many of them that we couldn't act recklessly, and it was awkward to provoke those who call themselves the Dawn Army. His Majesty the Emperor also considered them a nuisance."

"Rightly so."

A rogue armed force moving unchecked by the state would undoubtedly be a source of frustration for the Emperor. While the paladin orders were a small, elite force leading by example, these ragtag groups heading for the Holy Land would soon leave the Empire desolate.

"And Ciero is a problem. From what I've heard from those who joined his Dawn Army, they claim he's a wise prophet, blessed by the Codex of Light. It seems the Church is indeed protecting him..."

Isaac knew some secrets about Ciero but saw no benefit in revealing them. It was a useless secret for him.

"They even spread rumors that he was proclaimed an Archangel."

Isolde's next words made Isaac cough in surprise. After clearing his throat, he asked her to confirm.

"An Archangel?"

"I couldn't verify the truth of it. Rumors often get exaggerated among the villagers. He hasn't accomplished anything significant, so it's hard to believe he'd be made an Archangel..."

Isaac hadn't heard about another person being named an Archangel so soon after his own proclamation. Could the title of Archangel be handed out so easily? Although it didn't concern Isaac directly, he wondered if Horhel might have approached Ciero as well.

'To rein in a rogue priest, there's no better bait than the title of Archangel.'

After all, the proclamation itself was an empty promise. Even if it was retracted later, it wouldn't matter to Horhel. But it was a perfect tool to exploit someone until their dying breath. Perhaps Kalsen had been driven in the same way.

***

"Anyway, it's good to see you. Let's head to the estate and talk more."

"No, I've been thinking about that."

Isolde appeared to be in deep thought for a moment before speaking.

"It's good we met here. Could you take Angela to the estate, Isaac? I was delayed because I was investigating Ciero. Besides, I need to look into the candidate for the cardinal recommended by His Majesty."

Isaac realized his mistake upon hearing Isolde's request. She was the successor of Duke Brant and a royal investigator appointed by the Emperor. She wasn't someone who could run errands to take a child to an estate.

Isaac hurriedly apologized, realizing his mistake.

"I'm sorry. You must have had no time for such things..."

Isolde shook her head with a smile.

"No. Angela was adorable, and I had to meet Bishop Katyn anyway, so our routes overlapped. But it's better to part ways here. I'm short on time because of Ciero's Dawn Army..."

Isolde rubbed her temples as if she had a headache.

"His Majesty asked me to expedite the investigation. The royal family and the Church are on the verge of exploding because of Ciero's Dawn Army. They've been looting supplies, including military supplies delivered by the Golden Idol Guild."

"Even military supplies? That's no small matter."

The Empire's regular army was also joining the Dawn Army. However, if these ragtag groups started interfering with military supplies, they would hinder the regular army's ability to show their 'true' strength. The Emperor, who was trying to support the Church, would be understandably furious as these actions would be a hindrance rather than a help.

"His Majesty might overlook a bit of food being taken. The problem is the threat to the Golden Idol Guild..."

"The Golden Idol Guild, being primarily merchants, would value stable security above all."

"Yes. They've organized a regular mercenary corps to protect the merchants. But if blood is shed, the Dawn Army's anger might turn towards the Golden Idol Guild, derailing the entire expedition. The Golden Idol Guild is worried about that..."

Isaac suspected that the recent increase in visits by the Golden Idol Guild's trade caravans to the Issacrea estate was not just because the estate was developed. It was likely the only place nearby where they could trade safely. But now, with Ciero's Dawn Army encroaching on the estate, there was a risk of trade being disrupted.

"Everything's in turmoil because of the war."

"I don't understand why this is happening. Reclaiming the Holy Land won't end the world..."

Isolde muttered worriedly. However, Isaac had a different thought.

The Codex of Light believed that the Millennium Kingdom would arrive after this Dawn Army campaign. The arrival of the Millennium Kingdom meant the end of the current era.

In Isaac's original world, it would be akin to the Rapture or Judgment Day. When that time came, worldly values would mean nothing.

"But didn't that Dawn Army flee towards the estate? I'm worried they might harass the residents."

"Hmm, no. It'll be fine. Don't worry about that."

Isaac assured Isolde of her concern.

He had already prepared a way to ensure that this beggar Dawn Army wouldn't trouble his estate. For that, he needed survivors and loose-tongued witnesses to spread fear.

'Those beggars will be just right.'