Chapter 28
Chapter 28
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 28
Chapter Title: They Pray and Regret (1)
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Vice Captain Verter led the Holy Knights.
The Holy Knights, including him, advanced cautiously, ever vigilant.
The place they were now was a mountain range near the Sail Kingdom—one particular cave among them.
Traces of the targeted vampire leading into this cave had drawn them in as well.
Under Verter's command, the Holy Knights were searching the cave interior for the vampire.
"Stay focused, everyone!"
They had already confirmed this wasn't a dungeon. No dungeon energy was detected, but the Holy Knights couldn't relax for even a moment.
Above all, their foe was a vampire.
Even a rat in a trap was still a monster.
To prepare for any contingency, two Holy Knights had been stationed separately at the cave entrance.
The group that had entered the depths numbered eighteen, including Vice Captain Verter.
No matter how fiercely the vampire fought, escaping through so many Holy Knights was impossible.
Especially since another reason had Verter on high alert.
"It's too clean. Someone's been maintaining this place."
Verter muttered softly.
The torches lining the walls as they walked the passage so far.
They were packed tightly against the stone, without a speck of dust.
And every torch burned steadily, none extinguished.
Proof that someone was regularly tending the flames.
"Vice Captain!"
Holy Knight Eric, scouting ahead, called out.
Verter hurried forward at Eric's shout to check.
An unexpected variable had appeared ahead.
"A three-way split."
The path they'd been following smoothly split into three directions.
Unlike appearances, the cave interior was far more vast.
Verter pondered for a moment.
'What to do.'
The best option now was to divide their forces and search.
Clumping together in one direction only risked the vampire slipping away elsewhere.
This opportunity had come after days of pursuit.
Letting it escape here would render all their efforts for naught.
And that would mean losing not just the vampire, but the demon sword he sought—the worst outcome.
'We'll have to split up.'
The silver lining was that this wasn't a dungeon.
Splitting up felt less burdensome as a result.
Though the signs of maintenance nagged at him, he pushed it aside.
'Who would dare touch the Church's Holy Knights?'
Who were they?
The sole church on the Eldorado Continent.
No bold fool would challenge their sacred Holy Knights.
But Verter had one more concern.
The others might spot the vampire and realize the demon sword's existence too.
Even those without greed might lose their minds at the sight of it.
'Once I have the demon sword, it's all over.'
Verter gripped his sword tighter, steeling his resolve.
If anyone stood in his way, he'd end them himself—even if it was the Church.
With that thought, Verter began dividing the group.
Eighteen including himself, three paths.
Six per team, each taking one route.
Capturing a single young vampire? Simple.
Six Holy Knights per target? More than enough—overkill, even.
Verter assigned them one by one.
"First team: Eric, Thomas..."
Team 1, as ordered, took the leftmost path of the three.
"...up to Kabel—that's Team 2!"
Team 2, next, claimed the center path.
"...and my team including myself is Team 3!"
Team 3, with Vice Captain Verter, headed rightmost.
"No slacking—give it your all to the end! Dismissed!"
Celia, enjoying tea and dessert with Aren, fell into thought for a moment.
It wasn't a major dilemma.
Just how to handle the Holy Knights who had entered her dungeon.
She had already heard the story from Aren.
They probably came in pursuit of Aren.
'It's a dilemma.'
First, her own role.
If she stepped in personally, defending the dungeon would be effortless.
But would Master truly want that?
Lately, Celia had often been away on Master's orders.
Her constant involvement meant fewer chances for others to step up.
And that spelled trouble for dungeon defense.
What if this happened while she was absent?
To prevent that, she needed to minimize direct intervention.
'Best I stay out of this one.'
Celia decided to observe from afar instead.
Perhaps her master also wanted this direction.
Her second concern was Master's command.
Initially, her master had instructed all the knights to show mercy.
What did that mercy mean, exactly?
Celia had pondered deeply.
Concluding it meant Master's embrace.
That's why she planned to turn them into ghouls and keep them in the dungeon—Master's domain.
'How foolish I was.'
But no.
Recently, Master commanded all be offered as sacrifices.
'He realized my misunderstanding.'
So he rephrased it more simply.
'...'
To Celia, mercy was still Master's embrace.
But the outcome differed.
In summary, this is what it was:
The one offered as a sacrifice becomes nourishment and becomes a part of her master.
Ultimately, even if offered as a sacrifice, being within her master's embrace was the same.
It was not about making them into sacrifices, but about her merciful master personally embracing them.
In short, her master's words about mercy and sacrifice were the same.
'Truly benevolent Master. Today, I draw one step closer to understanding him.'
Celia nodded quietly, and Aren asked,
"What are you thinking, pretty sister?"
"I was just admiring the great mercy of our noble master."
Their tea time continued.
The Holy Knights, split into three teams.
Among them, the first to arrive were the second team.
The center path group couldn't hide their shock.
"What the hell! Why are there goblins here?!"
This wasn't supposed to be a dungeon.
Yet goblins—monsters—were present.
The Holy Knights raised their weapons, heightening their guard.
"At least it's just goblins."
"Yeah! Nothing but goblins anyway."
All nodded in agreement.
Even six strong, they were the Church's proud Holy Knights!
Equipped with top-grade gear, no less.
No matter how many lowly goblins, they couldn't sway the tide.
A few goblins' unfamiliar gear caught the eye, but they ignored it.
Goblins were goblins, after all.
But the real issue was elsewhere.
There were far too many.
More kept pouring from the huts.
Their numbers swelled endlessly.
Time for a new strategy.
"Damn it! Hold out till reinforcements arrive!"
Hold.
They had to endure.
Seemed monsters were only here, in this path.
Otherwise, this many goblins made no sense.
Stall long enough, and the other teams would come.
Then, no matter the numbers, they had a chance.
So the Holy Knights faced off, buying time.
Then Holy Knight Kabel spotted one at the rear.
"That one..."
Different from the rest. Especially the golden crown atop its head drew the gaze.
"...A Goblin Lord!"
Goblin Lord—a five-star monster.
Not alone, surrounded by hordes.
No match for just six.
Even well-equipped Holy Knights faltered in numbers and momentum.
"Shouldn't we retreat first?"
Alert the others to the Goblin Lord—priority.
All nodded, backing away slowly, ever so slowly.
Turning their backs here meant death.
They retreated still facing the goblins, swords ready.
Then the Goblin Lord moved.
It grabbed a long staff and pointed it at the Holy Knights.
"What's that?"
"Poison needle launcher?"
A common goblin weapon: poison blowgun.
Perhaps the identity of the long staff the Goblin Lord was holding is also a poison needle laucher?.
"Goblin poison can't hurt us anyway! Don't worry—just keep falling back slowly!"
Fortunately, during their training, Holy Knights had also been trained to be resistant to poison..
Not all poisons, but at least enough resistance to the kind of poison goblins use.
As they were retreating.
Thud-
A heavy sound struck the air.
At the same time, one Holy Knight collapsed. Precisely with a hole in the middle of his face
In an instant, no one could move.
What just happened?
A comrade dead in a blink of the eye.
Thud-
Another boom, another fallen.
Thud-
No one could respond properly.
Thud-
As the sounds continued, one lost reason and charged a goblin.
But his sword glanced off the goblin's unfamiliar armor.
"Wha...?"
Thud-
He too couldn't escape the death knell either.
With each groan, one by one fell..
As if it was a demon's symphony of death.
It was secretive yet inflicted tragedy and suffering upon the listener.
Or despair.
The last remaining survivor, Holy Knight Kabel, cast aside his equipment and closed his eyes, clasping his hands together.
Then he prayed.
"G-Goddess... please protect this lost soul. P-Please..."
Mercifully, the sound of the demon's music stopped.
But it wasn't because the goddess answered his prayer.
The demon's music ceased, but the demons themselves were reaching out towards Kable.
Only regret and silence lingered.