Chapter 260
Chapter 260
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: EP.58 – The Knight Does Not Forget a Grudge (2)
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Needless to say, Pendragon was currently in a state of war.
The terrorist attacks by heretics, repeated countless times already, were a grave threat, and Pendragon had suffered massive damage as a result.
Recently, the grand temple had even collapsed, and the Oppen family estate had been half-destroyed—an event that now made the heretics' danger level send chills down the necks of those in power.
...The ridiculous part was that no one knew the true identity of these extremely dangerous heretics in detail.
Their organizational structure, numbers, key executives, and the leader guiding them—all mysteries.
The only thing known was that the heretics' origins lay in the [Blood Crusaders], crushed long ago by the War God. But they had reformed on a completely different scale and composition from those old ghosts, making past information useless. Later, it was discovered that apostates in the grand temple had maintained connections to the Blood Crusaders, but they turned out to be mere hunting dogs—discarded and burned alive, just as expected.
This had all but eliminated any means of obtaining information...
"—The Blood Crusaders are what you all expected, but they're maintained as a compartmentalized organization. Even members often don't know their superiors, and there are ordinary merchants or nobles unknowingly aiding the Blood Crusaders."
They say even when the sky falls, there's a way out.
The heretic executives, abandoned by their organization, had willingly spilled everything they knew.
Highly valuable information, at that.
"So if you think you can catch compartmentalized agents and learn something, forget it. You'd get nothing from them anyway."
"Don't worry. We've already wasted manpower and money confirming that."
"Y-You've already done it...?"
"If you're curious how the compartmentalized structure turned out, I could tell you."
"...I'll pass. My fierce wife might get even fiercer."
"Wise choice."
"Thanks for the praise."
The woman once called the 7th Apostle shrugged lightly.
However, Dina's expression remained stiff.
Just looking at the person before her made her chest grow cold.
And sure enough.
"But if they're calling it an organization, it can't be sustained by compartmentalization alone. There must be brains running it. Who are they?"
"...I was just about to say."
Overwhelmed by the opponent's calm gaze, Dina found herself shrinking again as she moved pieces on the chessboard atop the table.
Three knights.
Clack.
"[Brass Knight Order]. They handle the organization's military might. They're the ones who led the demon research. By the way, I hear half-demons are their masterpiece. They have a 'Captain' at the top, supported by elites called Brass Knights, but I don't know their exact location. And don't scold me for not knowing—relations between groups are bad, and they could betray each other anytime, so locations are kept secret."
Clack.
"[Torn Wings]. The organization's brains. They relay actual orders and plot schemes. Mostly shamans and black mages contracted with demons from hell. They uncovered the previous Ghost King summoning and hell beast summoning. Lots of them have unique powers. They're even more shrouded in secrecy than the Brass Knight Order. They use some special magic or mystery to share thoughts. That's why they're said to be hiding throughout the compartmentalized network, scheming in secret."
Clack.
"[Black Apostles]. The organization's intelligence arm, handling enemy infiltration and assassinations. Once known as the 'Black Moon Assassins,' but actually a breeding facility raising Blood Crusader warriors through countless human modifications and illegal procedures. They pursued military power differently from the Brass Knight Order. Anyway, their true nature was exposed before full operation, scattering all their nurtured warriors. Still, the apostles and their members are active now."
Hoo!
Dina exhaled as she finished her long explanation.
Though she'd betrayed them, spilling it all felt surprisingly refreshing.
"...As you can see, it's a mess of an organization. Only each group's leader knows the current Blood Crusaders' head, and secrets abound. Relations between groups are poor, and they could self-destruct fighting each other, but the leaders' power and control keep it together."
It was exactly as she said.
What kind of organization operated like that?
A miracle it even held together.
"...But why were you part of that mess? Doesn't sound like you were poisoned or blackmailed, and you don't seem like a fanatic."
"......"
For the first time, Dina was at a loss for words.
She stayed silent for a long while, but the opponent patiently sipped tea, waiting for her to speak.
When the teacup finally returned to the table,
"...There are five main reasons. Good pay, lifetime wealth for those with families. Excellent support. For those wanting strength, even inhuman methods to grow stronger. And no retaliation for betrayal. That's why I joined—no other reason."
"......"
The one who spoke was Yan, former 11th Apostle and shaman.
Unlike Dina reminiscing on her complicated past, it was an objective, Yan-like wise answer.
And the listener's response...
"Unbelievable... It sounds less like a heretic group and more like a normal company."
"It is a company. They even take responsibility for families if you die, so loyalty is common."
"...And people stay loyal despite the inhuman acts?"
"Well, doesn't the grand temple, Pendragon, the Empire, and the Magic Tower commit plenty of inhuman acts too?"
"...Poor question."
Yes, it was a poor question.
Their experiments were inhuman, but unfortunately, not something a ruler like her could criticize.
The grand temple had slaughtered innocents under the guise of witch hunts and heretic purges, while the Empire and Magic Tower had toyed with imperial citizens for centuries...
"Of course, this employee welfare only applies to 'full-timers.' Criminals in the tunnels or grand temple apostates? They're disposable pawns. Less valuable than this pawn."
"......"
"Did you know? The half-demon project and mystery theft project weren't led by these three groups—the grand temple and Magic Tower did that. For mutual benefit, they collaborated, kidnapping slaves and orphans for experiments. Well, we shared the data, so we're no better."
"...The country was overrun with beast cubs—no, walking monsters. Haha..."
She laughed for the first time.
But it was a hollow, incredulous laugh.
A blunt expression of how insane Yan's revelations sounded.
She, Isis, shook her head.
"Well, those beasts are gone anyway, so no need to worry."
The grand temple had collapsed, the tunnels too. As for the Magic Tower...
'The mage race is dying out entirely, they say?'
Mages were dying off daily, as if cleansing centuries of evil.
Plus, mages were being expelled from their homes or sold as slaves in the Empire just for being mages...
They probably wouldn't set foot in the Empire for decades.
'The Empire is collapsing too, in the end.'
With two knights toppling the Magic Tower as the trigger, warlords and feudal kings across imperial territory had risen, fragmenting the Empire.
Ridiculous.
The Empire, once a top threat alongside Britannia, was fading so pathetically.
One potential enemy gone, and reunification would take decades at least.
'No, it took over 100 years to build the old Empire, so maybe longer.'
Good news for Pendragon.
While the Empire and central continent were in chaos, the kingdom could absorb fleeing citizens, boost population, and solve chronic manpower shortages.
No enemies meant endless development, and thus...
'...It could collapse suddenly.'
...She coldly assessed the situation, dousing her optimism.
"Scary. Everywhere your organization's malice spread is collapsing..."
"We didn't collapse them—your knights did."
"Even that was touched by your hand. Pendragon won't escape unscathed."
"...I won't deny it."
Yan nodded honestly, inwardly impressed.
'Is this the next ruler of Pendragon?'
Isis never got emotional.
She listened coldly throughout, analyzing and judging objectively.
She didn't view the situation overly positively either.
Rather.
"They commit inhuman acts without hesitation, sparing no means, yet support their own generously. They antagonize allies for one goal yet unite. Not purely mad or evil, with even some decency—what kind of mismatched organization is this..."
"Doesn't make it a good one."
"An organization that doesn't hesitate on vivisections and kidnappings can't be good."
"......"
"I'm just saying you're heterogeneous. First time I'm at a loss on how to handle an enemy."
"......"
"You spare no means to destroy us. That's why normal measures don't work against you. Enemies like this exist too..."
Isis revealed her dilemma: the opponents didn't act rationally.
Moreover, Pendragon wasn't united—the royals and great nobles even ignored each other.
"...This is serious. Really serious..."
"......"
"So here's my proposal: won't you become my people?"
"??"
...So abruptly?
She'd been grumbling about the severity, then suddenly this—but Isis had made a thoroughly pragmatic decision.
If they wouldn't play by common sense, she had to act a bit irrationally too.
Thus.
"You're at the Royal Academy now, right? Shed those ill-fitting clothes. The best place for you is by my side. Become mine, and I'll spare no support—double whatever salary you want. Name your price."
"Th-That... but we're criminals...?"
"It's an age of war. Better to use talents like you than lock them away. Dedicate 10 years to Pendragon. I'll grant freedom afterward."
She made a bold judgment.
Taking them on would create political weaknesses for Isis, but it was worth enduring.
However...
"Well... we already got that offer from Galahad..."
"And from Lionel too..."
Bang!
"—You shameless opportunists!!"
Her retainers truly had different steps.
Already flush with talent, why so greedy?!
Isis felt utterly wronged.
Then...
"But you have No. 8 under you."
"?"
"The kid called Lee Han now."
"......Hoo."
The moment she heard his name, a smile naturally curved Isis's lips.
A name that instantly soothed her displeasure.
"My proud sworn brother."
"......"
"What’s he up to now? The academy's on break starting today, right? Training again?"
"...You don't know?"
"?"
"...Something about hunting vampires with the Hao Gate Leader?"
"??"
"Hunting Hansel, the 2nd Apostle, it seems. Demolishing every suspicious spot... The kingdom might be noisy for a while."
"......That shameless rascal—!"
She was furious.
"If he's doing that, he should take me too...!"
...At her sworn brother, hunting without her.
"......?"
Guild Chairman Simon of the Mercenary Union felt an inexplicable sense of déjà vu.
'Feels like this happened before?'
Back then, definitely...
"Thanks. As expected of the Hao Gate. Haven't heard a spellcaster cry like that in ages. Stress relief at its finest."
...That axe had been aimed at him, probably?
Well, this time it seemed aimed elsewhere, fortunately.
Simon tossed a casual question while wondering if the man before him was a knight or a butcher.
"Um, I've been wondering—why call the guild 'Hao Gate'?"
"Oh, just a nickname. Don't mind it."
"...Haha, got it."
"So, Hao Gate Leader. Where's the next spellcaster?"
"...Saying it like that makes me feel like the mastermind."
"That's the Hao Gate Leader's position."
"......"
...He'd felt it before, but what did this knight think of the guild?
'We're not the bad guys...'
The Hao Gate Leader—no, Guild Chairman Simon, felt their first meeting had snowballed into massive complications.