Paladin of the Dead God - Chapter 53



Only Noblemtl

Episode 53. I accept your debt (1)

‘Faith’ is an ambiguous concept in reality, but it is a practically usable resource in this world.

When believers offer their faith to God, it accumulates into divine power. This accumulated divine power is used as a medium that allows priests and bishops to use miracles. In other words, if God allows it, the more believers he has, the more powerful the priests can be.

‘At least it’s just tentacles… … If you infuse it with divine power, you will be able to create much stronger power.’

When dealing with Goluwaru, the reason the tentacles were miraculous but could not use their power properly was because there was almost no divine power in them. However, if you build up enough faith and manifest it as power, it will immediately become Isaac’s power.

There were no plans to allow the nameless miracle of chaos to anyone else, unless they were loyal servants like Zihillet. However, I had an intention to provide simple physical strengthening or miracles that would not be detected.

Of course, it would be difficult if an apostate emerged among those with a high ‘class’. However, starting from the bottom, Isaac first needed to expand his power quickly. In addition, the doctrine was relaxed to the point where there was no need to apostatize.

‘Other faiths did not attach much importance to universal morality and equality, which were put forward as doctrines… … A greedy guy wouldn’t be interested in this in the first place.’

The marginalized, the runaways, the abandoned… … It was a faith that only those living in the lowest class could be interested in.

There were many lives like this in Soeur, whose foundation was destroyed by the Lorecus crash. Isaac planned to secretly spread the faith among these people. Additionally, dissatisfaction with existing beliefs.

Isaac never thought that he would be able to completely control his followers 100%. All he had to control was the close associates he had by his side. And Isaac had no intention of allowing these close associates to apostatize.

Those with the nameless miracle of chaos had no choice but to be loyal to Isaac.

And Jacquelet is the first saint.

Of course, compared to other priests and priests, their knowledge and abilities are considerably lacking, but in any multi-level company, the early members were bound to enjoy greater benefits.

Moreover, considering the ability and influence Jacquelet showed throughout the Rockers surge, it was not lacking. And since she sided with Isaac early on, she will have a lot of room to become stronger in the future.

Because luck is also a skill.

I never thought that Jacquelet would betray me. Because, befitting her life at the bottom, she had the eye to recognize and rise to the top.

And above all, people who have succumbed to fear have a psychology of wanting to choose to be on one side with the fear rather than living under that fear. People quickly forget good deeds, but they cannot easily forget fear.

Anyway, I just hoped that Jacquelet would do well in his role as a saint in Soeur.

“Hmm, about that… … “Did you get that item back?”

“yes. Thanks to.”

Heshabel looked visibly happy and took out a mottled rag from her bosom.

It looked like a dirty rag, but Isaac immediately recognized it as a holy relic.

[Carlisle Seonghaepo (B)]

[If it touches a wound, it immediately heals bleeding and injuries in that area, but consumes blood.]

[When she was named a famous angel at Carlisle Abbey, she cut out her own breast, wrapped it in cloth, and offered it to the Red Grail as a final proof of her faith. The Red Grail was delighted and peeled off her skin and reorganized her flesh, and a prophet of red flesh was born.]

‘After all, it’s an item related to the Red Flesh Prophet.’

It contains an eerie record of touching, and although it is an item of inferior quality compared to the division ceremony, it was a sacred relic related to the Myeongcheonsa Temple.

Hesabel held out this Holy Seacloth and seemed to be expecting something. She thought of Isaac as an agent of the Prophet of Red Flesh, so it was natural for her. However, Isaac never said that he was the Prophet of Red Flesh, and he had no intention of lying. It just takes advantage of the other person’s illusion.

“Good.”

Isaac held out his hand without showing any sign. Hesabel flinched, but eventually presented the Carlyle Holy Seacloth to Isaac. The sacred object that had been pawned by Yukhar was now handed over to Isaac.

[The ‘Carlisle Sacred Cannon’ relic has been acquired.]

[The effect of the noble journey becomes stronger.]

With this, it seemed like all the business that could be done in Soeur had been resolved. He paid off debts so that he could utilize most of the assets of the Golden Idol, and even obtained the blessings of the Golden Idol, the Apostles of Carlisle and Hesabel Gulmar.

It was an unexpectedly large harvest.

‘I wonder what Hezabel will do if she finds out my identity later… … .’

In fact, attracting the heir of the Gulmar duchy to the same side is quite risky. Right now, she doesn’t really know who she serves, so she doesn’t seem to be treating it as a complete apostasy, but there will eventually come a moment when she has no choice but to turn around.

At that time, Isaac thought that the chances of Hesabel choosing him were not very high.

But despite this, the reason why we put in the effort is because there is a good example called Carlsen Milter.

‘It’s quicker to take away believers raised by others than to raise them one by one.’

It is said that the most painful apostasy is committed by the most faithful believers.

Hesabel Gulmar was an opponent worth working on just considering his growth potential. Being a vampire wasn’t even a concern.

First of all, Isaac was a monster that ate people.

Heshabel did not know what Isaac was thinking and quietly waited for orders.

“Where are you going now? Isaac?”

“hmm.”

Isaac already had a few places in mind. But instead of leaving right away, he waited for the right moment.

‘Someone will come find me sooner or later.’

Isaac had no intention of solving the problem first.

If it’s a problem that needs to be solved anyway, it’s more profitable to have someone ask you to do it.

***

“How much is the loss?”

“Well, that…” … .”

After hearing the report, Kyle Hendrak, the lord of Hendra, felt dizzy.

“how… … why? “Didn’t you say that you are also purchasing the upper part of the golden idol?”

“It is said that the Golden Idol Association also suffered great losses due to this incident.”

The investment behavior of the top of the golden idol is the issue of most interest at the bottom and evidence of credibility. Because economic activities protected by God cannot easily fail. If, despite this, the top of the Golden Idol suffered great losses, this cannot be explained other than by terrorism or provocation against the belief in the Golden Idol.

‘But why at this timing?’

Hendrak Territory is located on the outskirts of the Gertonian Empire.

It’s too far from the central capital, and it’s not a place where you can stick to the front lines and make a name for yourself.

Depending on the period, there was a time when it was doing well, but now it is just a fiefdom in a rural corner, located in an average place.

But Kyle was an ambitious man. Ever since his own father died of an unexplained illness, his ambition has grown noticeably. Kyle had no doubt that the Lower Curse surge in his nearby city of Soeur was a great opportunity to increase his power.

‘I even sold the name of the Duke of Brandt and borrowed money from other nobles!’

In order to entice nobles to invest, they spread a rumor that the Brandt family, a great noble family of the Baekje Empire, was interested in this investment. It was pretended to be a rumor of unknown origin, but the nobles knew that Kyle was actually behind it. However, the reason they turned a blind eye was because the more nobles who would participate in the investment, the better.

However, this investment failed.

Now they will put all the blame on Kyle.

‘Are you going to catch me because I can’t pay it back?’

Kyle assumed the worst possible move. But that too was impossible.

He had already signed a contract several months ago to purchase the grown Lorecus from the neighboring lord, Lehart. The higher the price of Lorecus went up, the more Lehardt felt happy, thinking that his stomach would hurt, but when the price suddenly plummeted, his position was reversed.

Now, it was clear that the more Lehart brought in a mountain of Lorecus, the more Kyle would fall into the abyss of bankruptcy. And if they decided to take the money, it was clear that Lehart would lead his army and attack instead of Lorecus.

Whether they were apostles of the same faith or not, there was no business in the face of bankruptcy. Lehart will also suffer a lot of damage from this incident. Moreover, other nobles will also support Lehart in order to get something.

Kyle’s legs lost strength and he almost collapsed. He stumbled for a moment, but managed to avoid falling thanks to the help of a woman standing next to him.

“My lord.”

The red-haired woman who supported him whispered. Kyle finally regained his senses when he smelled the scent coming from her woman.

“Laella.”

Raella was a maid who always gave him wise advice. Even when her father showed indecisiveness and hesitated to invest in her, Raella advised her Kyle to make a bold investment.

So, as soon as his father died from an unexplained illness, Kyle announced his first move as a lord to invest in Lorecus. Then, about a month ago, Raella again recommended selling Lower Curth, but she ignored her advice because the stakes she had already made were too big and it seemed unlikely that the price would go down.

“I should have listened to you. how… … “How can this happen?”

“It’s already too late. Rather, let’s look at the cause of the problem. Why did Lorecus suddenly plummet?”

Kyle came to his senses at her words.

Why did the price of Lorecus, which was constantly hitting new highs, drop? The market that invested up to the top of the golden idol?

“Is this a terrorist attack aimed at the top of the Golden Idol?”

“Not that.”

Raella’s lips twitched and finally opened again.

“Wouldn’t there have been a bigger purpose?”

“no way… … Toward me?”

“… … yes. As you said, the intention may have been to cause an economic crisis for the aristocracy of the Baekje Empire. The nobles are the most faithful believers and guardians of the Code of Light, so it may have been an attempt to destroy the foundation of the Code of Light.”

Unbelievable.

Kyle was thrilled by the fact that he had been caught up in an unprecedented terrorist attack targeting the Code of Light, and that the full story had been revealed.

However, even with such a brilliant mind, he could not find words to persuade the other nobles. How does he prove that his investment failed not because he made a mistake, but because he was attacked by some other evil entity?

“From what I heard, there is a rumor that a Holy Grail Knight named Isaac played a big role in the fall of Lorecus.”

“Isaac? “I heard about the Holy Grail Knight, but was his name Isaac?”

“yes. It is said that the Holy Grail Knight defeated the black market villain and freed the merchants whose minds were being controlled by the evil monster, causing prices to plummet.”

“What a feat. “When you come to our territory, I will treat you with the utmost respect.”

“That’s not it.”

Raella suddenly stopped speaking and took a praying posture for a moment. Her faithfulness was amazing, but her timing was difficult for Kyle to get right.

After a brief prayer saying, ‘Please grant me patience,’ Raella opened her mouth again.

“Doesn’t it seem like a very well put together story? Are you saying that you are controlling your mind due to the skyrocketing price of Lorecus? Could it be that the lord who lives this far away from Soeur was also subject to mind control? What about other nobles? Moreover, the Holy Grail Knight suddenly appeared and defeated the monster, causing the price of Lorecus to drop… … “Isn’t it strange?”

“no way… … “The Holy Grail Knight attacked the forces of the Code of Light?”

“They say they are Holy Grail Knights, but there is no rule that says they serve the Code of Light. “I heard that the Holy Grail Knight appears in the Elil Church and in the Hearth of the World.”

Kyle was once again thrilled by this amazing story.

A Grail Knight of another faith launched an attack on the Code of Light, and he happened to be the first to be hit by the attack. Kyle now felt a sense of responsibility as a guardian of the faith beyond the simple problem of bankruptcy.

Of course, if the blame is placed on another denomination, it is not just because he has a place to live.

“You never know. “The Grail Knight named Isaac is actually serving an evil faith other than the Code of Light, and may be planning to expand his influence and increase his power by moving around while hiding his identity.”

“We’ve gone too far there. Laella.”

No matter how wise she was, Kyle thought he had to distinguish between fantasy and theory. He had to be even more strict because Raella sometimes said such strange things.

How can a Holy Grail Knight easily be recognized?

Kyle also grew up hearing the legend of the Holy Grail Knight since he was young. Kyle became curious about the Holy Grail Knight named Isaac. If Isaac takes his side, wouldn’t his debtors think twice before criticizing him?

“I guess I’ll have to send the knights.”

Kyle finally decided.

“I will send the Hendlock Knights. “I will politely ask you to bring that Holy Grail Knight to me, and then I will meet him and judge for you in person.”

“This is a wise decision. “My lord.”

Raella greeted politely. Kyle left her behind and immediately walked out of her hall to give her orders to her knights.

***

Raella lifted her expressionless face as soon as Kyle disappeared. It was not a human face, but an inorganic expression, as if it were covered in leather. As soon as she quietly revealed her will, a huge black knight appeared silently from the shadows behind her pillar.

“There is no sign of faith from the daughter of the Gulmar family.”

Raella calmly gave orders to the knight.

“The daughter of the Gulmar family eventually chased after the Holy Grail Knight named Isaac. “Let her accompany the Hendrak Knights and investigate her whereabouts.”

“Are you Hesabel Gulmar and not Isaac?”

“That anachronistic Grail Knight is not of interest to the Red Grail. What is important is the heir of the Gulmar family. If it is certain that he has committed apostasy, execute him immediately and retrieve the holy relics.”

The Black Knight was silent for a moment and then asked cautiously.

“Couldn’t he have been killed by the Holy Grail Knight?”

“if so.”

Laella answered as if it was obvious.

“This is not someone you can deal with, so run away without looking back.”

The Black Knight quietly nodded at Raella’s words.

“Yes, Prophet.”