Paladin of the Dead God - Chapter 78



Only Noblemtl

Episode 78 Fisherman’s geography (1)

“How dare the bishop speak!”

When Delia raised her voice, a paladin got angry and came forward. But at the same time, other nobles and knights came rushing out. They were already dissatisfied with Delia’s lack of active will to collect her debt. However, in the meantime, he exploded when he saw the church’s actions of arbitrarily disposing of the Hendlock territory.

However, the marquis is not inferior to the bishop.

“How dare you tamper with the empire’s fief!”

“No matter how religious you are, you can’t do it this way!”

“Hey, these guys… … !”

The other priests’ faces also turned red. They didn’t have much greed since the church was responsible for their livelihood anyway, but they couldn’t stand the loss of the church’s reputation.

Even more so if it was in front of imperial nobles.

Moreover, in reality, the benefits were significant. This means that if a monastery is established, one of them may become the abbot. Most of the church’s expenses were funded by donations, but depending on the region or policy, the monastery sometimes enjoyed a status equivalent to that of a lord.

However, the problem is that this is the territory of nobleman Hendrak.

In other words, it is territory granted by the emperor to his vassals.

Although there were many problems, the denomination could not accept it arbitrarily.

Isaac suppressed the corners of his mouth that were about to rise and waited for the chaos that would soon unfold. And he expected how infinitely higher his ransom would become in the meantime.

“stop!”

At that time, Bishop Juan gave a stern reprimand. The Marquis of Delia was also trying to stop the nobles to prevent their opinions from becoming more heated.

“The monastery is just an example. But isn’t that the only way to stop the evil energy coming from here?”

“Since the Holy Grail Knight has already defeated the curse, the true nature of the evil energy has not been confirmed… … .”

“The very same Holy Grail Knight asked for the energy to be pressed down. Moreover, if the Red Flesh Prophet tried to take over this place with the intention of using the fallen angels, there is no way the same thing could not happen.”

Juan looked at Delia with displeased eyes and spoke as if scolding her.

“Even if you don’t do anything. So what are you going to do with this territory? Which of you will manage this estate? Or are you going to sell it? A territory cursed by an angel?”

The nobles became quiet. They only came to collect the debt by somehow disposing of or splitting up the territory. However, if it is true that they are cursed, and if there is something so sinister that the church will give up and leave, then who will they sell the territory to? Even if I sold it, there was no way I could get the full price.

Delia said through gritted teeth.

“But this is an imperial fief. “Wouldn’t it be the seeds of unnecessary conflict that the religious order disposes of as it pleases?”

“I don’t think the Emperor will have a conflict with the Church over something like this.”

“But it sounds like the church is only trying to cause conflict with His Majesty the Emperor over this matter.”

“Ruthless… … .”

“Now, just a moment.”

Just before it became an emotional battle, one person opened his mouth.

It was Aidan, a merchant who came with the central nobles who had kept quiet all this time.

“Right now, it seems like we are talking without the opinions of the most important people.”

“The most important person?”

Delia looked at Aidan with suspicious eyes and suddenly thought of Isaac. I recalled the conversation we had just before he went out today to exorcise the curse.

A story about having something to do.

It was clear that Isaac had hinted something to Delia at that time.

“yes. I almost left out the Holy Grail Knight. It was the Holy Grail Knight who restored this territory, and the Holy Grail Knight who eradicated the curse. “He shouldn’t talk about it without mentioning the most important people.”

In fact, he was the one who should have the biggest say. Delia gave Isaac the right to speak, hoping he would take her side. But before Isaac could open his mouth, Aidan spoke to someone completely unexpected.

“no. “I am not the Holy Grail Knight.”

“No? “Then who is it?”

“Kyle Hendlock. “I am the current owner of this estate.”

***

Kyle Hendlock had already been out of his mind for the past few days, but has now recovered enough to speak. No, Isaac recovered it.

Because it was Isaac who was deliberately distracting Kyle.

As Kyle entered the hall, almost being dragged by the paladins’ hands, all eyes were focused on him. The nobles looked a bit anxious.

Kyle Hendlock was a major sinner, but the charges mostly focused on heresy and apostasy. The sin of contacting a pagan angel, the sin of attacking the Holy Grail Knight, and the sin of hiding a fallen angel have just been added.

The crime of attacking Lehart’s knights and soldiers had been laid against Raella and Owen through the testimony of survivors. However, the crimes that occurred before Owen’s rebellion were inevitably Kyle’s fault.

If Kyle begged the church to save his life and offered up his territory, the nobles’ position would inevitably fall apart.

“Kyle Hendlock.”

thud. The paladins kneeled Kyle on the floor of the hall. Juan stared at Kyle with deeply wrinkled eyes and examined her condition. She still looked dazed, but she was not incapable of conversation.

“Since this is not an official trial, I will skip reciting the charges. However, I would like to take this opportunity to reveal any hidden sins through the Sacrament of Confession.”

“yes… … .”

Kyle answered weakly and then slowly opened his mouth.

“I confess my sins… … .”

Kyle began reciting his crimes.

“I embezzled the funds of the estate and committed an act of speculation, was unfaithful to God, governed the estate unfaithfully and failed to fulfill the duties entrusted to me by His Majesty the Emperor, and attended worship unfaithfully… … .”

“for a moment.”

Juan opened his mouth as if he was displeased.

“Let’s skip the little things. “It’s not because of those things that you’re here.”

Kyle looked blankly at Juan.

“What are you saying…?” … .”

“Contacting a pagan angel, attacking the Holy Grail Knight, and hiding a fallen angel! Things like that!”

A priest shouted angrily from the side. At those words, Kyle’s eyes widened and she quickly shook her head.

“no. That doesn’t happen to me! A pagan angel, I have never met such a thing! How dare I!”

Juan looked at the Heretic Questioner with an expression of astonishment. The Heretic Questioners, including Isolde, who had remained silent, exchanged looks with perplexed expressions and then spoke cautiously.

“It’s true.”

“what?”

“No traces of mental contamination or drugs were found on Juan. We searched through the items in the lord’s castle and found no evidence that Kyle Hendrak was stained with the Red Grail. “The survivors’ testimonies were the same.”

The Inquisitors can find out almost anything with a little rudeness and pain. Through Isolde, Isaac knew how reckless they were in pursuing evidence of heresy. If they couldn’t find the evidence, they really didn’t find it.

Rather, the fact that it was this clean despite direct contact with an angel could have been a testament to Kyle’s faith.

“There are circumstances where Kyle was manipulated by incompetence, but it does not appear that he intentionally attacked the Holy Grail Knight or Count Lehart.”

“what… … .”

Juan’s face began to redden. Conversely, a smile of conversion began to appear on Delia’s face. If important crimes are brought to light on Raella, the credit will be transferred to the nobles.

The moment I thought it would be troublesome if the old man collapsed from high blood pressure, Kyle opened his mouth.

“With all due respect, Bishop Juan. “Can I tell you something?”

“Shut up, you bastard!”

Juan got angry, but Delia stepped forward as if to protect him.

“Bishop Juan, no matter how guilty you may be, you have not yet been formally tried. “You should be given a chance to defend yourself.”

Juan tried to grind his teeth, but he only had so many teeth that his gums hit each other.

Delia was quite happy to see that.

“Now, if you have something to say, say it.”

Just being able to give the cult a beating was enough for her. Of course, even if Kyle preserves the territory, it will be the noble faction that will steal the territory next. Still, it might be better than having her life taken away.

Although without Juan’s permission, Kyle began his defense.

“I was manipulated by Raella. However, this was because I was not able to properly govern the fief that was given to me by His Majesty the Emperor, and my faith in the Code of Light was poor. “If I had acted sincerely in all my trusts and kept my faith firm, no pagan angel would have dared contact me.”

The gaze of the people watching the trial became subtle. This was especially true of the expressions on the faces of the subjects and servants who had served Kyle for a long time and helped him with his work at the castle.

Was Kyle always that kind of person who spoke well?

“If you are trying to defend your own crime by citing incompetence… … .”

“no.”

Just as Juan was about to urge him, Kyle opened his mouth.

“All this incompetence proves that I am not suitable for this position. I want to give up all my titles and fiefdoms and live the rest of my life in regret. And I hope that God will take this territory.”

“what?”

Delia, who had been happily watching Juan’s reaction, was startled by the last words and turned around a beat late.

I even expected him to give up his fief. If you hold on to it anyway, the nobles will tear it to pieces. If I had just let it go, I could have lived the rest of my life without going hungry.

But why did it go well and then suddenly fall off like this?

Juan was equally surprised.

“Are you dedicating the territory to the Code of Light?”

“no.”

Kyle said, bowing his head.

“I would like to dedicate this to the person I sinned against, the Grail Knight Isaac, who gave me the opportunity to repent and enlighten me.”

***

At Kyle’s words, the hall fell into chaos again. Does dedicating the land to Isaac mean dedicating it to the Code of Light? However, Isaac is only a wandering Grail Knight, and he does not belong to any particular order or parish.

“Can a Holy Grail Knight have territory?”

“It’s not unprecedented.”

In the past, the Holy Grail Knight would travel around everywhere, exterminating monsters and making great achievements. The places where monsters were exterminated were often uninhabited or barren places, and the local lords or guardians sometimes donated them to the Holy Grail Knight as a sign of praise.

However, there was no case where a single decent territory was given in its entirety.

“You’re going to hand over the entire Hendlock territory to Isaac?”

“yes. Since he is the one who drove out the pagan angels and defeated the curse, I think he is the most suitable person that the local residents can understand. If Isaac builds a monastery and suppresses the evil energy here, everyone will be at ease.”

“Not bad.”

Juan was bothered by the idea of ​​giving it to Isaac personally rather than the Code of Light, but he thought it was a nominal expression. Isn’t Isaac the Holy Grail Knight anyway? Moreover, since he was scheduled to be canonized as a saint, any monastery owned by that saint was clearly the territory of the Law of Light.

Delia, whose head was spinning in confusion, spoke quickly.

“Wait. There’s still a problem. Kyle has a large amount of debt. “I cannot freely dispose of this territory while the debt has not been resolved.”

“If it’s a debt, I’ll let the church settle it.”

“Can you also settle the debt owed by Hendlock Estate? Kyle’s debt grew like a snowball due to the Lorecus incident. “It’s not just our debt that needs to be repaid.”

Juan instructed the priest to find out how much Kyle owed. They came to check the debt the church owed Kyle and Isaac’s achievements, so they did not know the specific situation. After a while, a priest with a pale complexion brought a ledger from Hendrak’s estate.

When Juan saw that amount, he looked like he wanted to hit Kyle on the head with a ledger.

It’s not something you can’t handle. However, it was too much of a sum for Juan to bear alone.

Of course, it was important to make Isaac a saint, but it wasn’t enough for Juan to risk his political and financial life. Moreover, if a territory rumored to be cursed were disposed of, there was no way it would be sold at its fair price.

“Then what do you want to do?”

Finally, just as the story was about to wander again amidst the tense battle of wits, Delia made eye contact with Isaac. At that moment, she suddenly remembered something.

It doesn’t really matter who owns the territory.

What was important to her was something other than money.

“The Empire will settle the debt. instead.”

Delia’s choice was to turn Hendlock’s territory into a gray area.

“It is said that Isaac, the Holy Grail Knight, will receive a fief from His Majesty the Emperor.”