Paladin of the Dead God

“… It seems you still haven’t given up on reclaiming Midas’ Hand.”

Isaac had clearly warned her, yet it seemed she still hadn’t abandoned the idea of acquiring Midas’ Hand.

Well, after all, she had already wasted too much money and time to give up just because of a few words from Isaac.

Isaac, tearing off a piece of pork leg, spoke again.

“Since I’ve been treated to such a fine meal, I suppose I should repay the favor. But let’s make one thing clear—if you manage to secure Midas’ Hand, I’ll be the first to inspect it. Once I’m certain there’s no issue, I’ll hand it over.”

“

“This isn’t something to negotiate. I’ll confirm for myself whether my concerns are unfounded before I hand it over. After all, even you don’t really know what kind of relic it is, do you?”

Leonora shrugged, as if admitting she had no argument there.

They only knew that Midas’ Hand was a “relic that grants wishes,” but its origins and true nature were unknown. If it turned out to be something as cursed as the “Monkey’s Paw” Isaac knew of, he planned to destroy or bury it immediately, regardless of their relationship with the Golden Idol Guild.

“You’re saying you hold the hilt of the sword. Fine. But don’t forget that you’re still a member of the Platinum Society.”

“Yeah, sure.”

Isaac knew that Leonora would never be satisfied with just that. She would certainly try something behind his back. Whether by planting a spy or bribing someone, she’d make an attempt to steal Midas’ Hand. That was just her nature.

Her misfortune was that Isaac knew her far too well.

“I’ll have to take care of it as soon as it’s in my hands.”

But whatever the outcome, it was still a matter for the distant future. Before they could get their hands on Midas’ Hand, they first needed to reclaim the Holy Land.

And before that, they had to cross that nightmarish sea.

***

The Dawn Army of Issacrea was diligently loading the necessary supplies onto the ships.

There had been some concern about how to board Elil’s warhorses, but since they had already crossed the sea once when moving from the kingdom to the continent, the knights efficiently secured the horses on board. There were no unruly incidents from the horses.

While Isaac watched the loading process, someone approached him.

“Master, at last, I find you alone.”

“Your Majesty.”

It was Edelred.

He had been one of the people most delighted when Isaac had emerged from Milishar Monastery. Though he had maintained a solemn facade in front of his subordinates, now he approached with a bright smile.

“I always believed you would return alive. There’s no way someone like Dera Heman could stand against Elil’s grand warrior.”

For a moment, Isaac was unsure whether to feel insulted as a Paladin of the Codex of Light or to feel pride as a warrior of Elil.

He replied with a serious expression.

“Dera Heman was strong. I nearly died.”

“Truly? Was he really that powerful?”

Edelred asked with a concerned expression.

“In truth, I was more worried about the Inquisitor’s treacherous schemes than Dera Heman himself. I know that there are honorable warriors within the Codex of Light, but I’ve heard many stories of those who were wrongfully accused and met unjust deaths rather than falling honorably in battle…”

Isaac thought about how he had nearly died at the hands of the angel, rather than Dera Heman, which made Edelred’s worries not entirely unfounded.

Even Ashen, the Archangel of Elil, had been a distinguished Holy Grail Knight in life, only to be burned at the stake by the Inquisitors.

However, Edelred soon smiled again.

“But here you are, having escaped unscathed. It reminds me once again that a warrior needs not only strength and skill but also wisdom.”

“Please make sure Reyna Hilde hears that.”

Isaac muttered, thinking of the famous “Boar Knight” of the Aldeon Knights.

“Still, hearing you say that only piques my curiosity about Dera Heman’s strength. Everyone spoke so highly of him, yet here you are, having defeated him without so much as a scratch…”

Isaac found Edelred’s uncharacteristic curiosity somewhat surprising. Wasn’t Edelred known to despise the chivalric way, finding things like strength competitions tedious? Yet, as Isaac observed him more closely, he could see what lay beneath the surface.

Isaac smiled and faced Edelred directly.

“How about we spar lightly for old times’ sake, Your Majesty? I can give you a small demonstration of Dera Heman’s skill.”

Edelred’s face brightened instantly.

It seemed that what he truly wanted was a chance for some “training” from Isaac. Though it wasn’t so much a lesson as a chance for him to show how much he had grown and improved in front of his teacher. His body had grown larger, and his skills had progressed rapidly, so it was only natural for him to feel that way.

‘At this stage, he’s a Swordmaster. He’s at that age where he wants to show off,’ Isaac thought to himself.

Isaac drew Kaldwin, and Edelred unsheathed Kaldbruch.

As soon as Edelred unsheathed Kaldbruch, his eyes began to glow a faint green. It seemed he had finally learned to release the sword’s power at a ‘moderate level.’ He would need more than moderation to face Isaac, but they couldn’t exactly risk breaking the ship.

Isaac, too, had to hold back his strength. Both were bound by similar restrictions in this fight—neither could use their full power.

‘Let’s see how far he’s come,’ Isaac thought.

He was the first to move.

Rather than an offensive stance, Isaac adopted a defensive one, as it would allow him to observe more. He aimed a clean, straightforward slash from top to bottom, fast but not overly complex. Edelred, though slightly surprised by the speed, managed to block it cleanly. Then, using the rebound, he immediately executed an advanced sword technique.

Crack!

Three streaks of energy suddenly appeared on the deck, surging toward Isaac. He was momentarily taken aback.

‘Three paths? Not eight yet? I see…’