Chapter 250
Chapter 250
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 250
Chapter Title: The Knights' Secret Weapon 4
-----------------------------------------------------------------
“Kyaaak!”
“Help! Somebody save me!”
Chaos erupted in the middle of the market.
“What’s this? What’s going on?”
Azadin glanced around, trying to spot the source of the commotion.
Something to climb on... That’s when his eyes fell on the Fireglyph victory stele.
‘That’s a cultural heritage site—no good. It’s already melting from where people touch it.’
Azadin brushed aside the impudent thought that had crossed his mind and, in a pinch, resorted to using Arael’s voice.
Arael’s voice appeared in the sky overhead, scanning the ground with the eyes of a hawk in Azadin’s stead.
*********
The attack on the Salvation Knights’ pilgrimage group had naturally sent shockwaves through the entire order.
In response, the Salvation Knights’ core chapter, the Knights of Wisdom, immediately convened an emergency countermeasures meeting. The practical leaders from each chapter gathered to discuss their options.
“Since Lady Izmila is being targeted, we must protect her deep within the church’s inner sanctum.”
That was the stance of the Knights of Wisdom, but the other chapters thought differently.
The Knights of Courage stepped forward in opposition.
“Are you saying we went through all that trouble just to keep the Celestial hidden away like some pampered pet? Now is the time to reveal her glory to the world and prove to all that the Salvation Knights are once more the true faith and salvation of this land—not that fallen Yaegras Church, but us, the true apostles of truth!”
“The Celestial’s power hasn’t been fully deciphered yet.”
“Real combat is the best teacher.”
“No one calls a teacher good if they kill their pupil during training.”
“It seems our approaches to interpretation differ.”
“That’s precisely why you’re the Knights of Courage and we’re the Knights of Wisdom. In cases like this, set aside your courage and heed the words of wisdom.”
“Hmph. It’s because we yield every time that you’ve grown arrogant, chasing personal gain. Aren’t you the chapter producing the most degenerates...?”
As the mood between the Knights of Courage and Knights of Wisdom grew hostile, the Knights of Mercy intervened to call for calm.
“For now, the damage to the Salvation Knights’ reputation can be smoothed over by unleashing Nisrap for patrols and distributing more relief supplies. More importantly, we need to figure out who the traitors are. The identity of the Celestial wasn’t even information we had from the start, was it? I only learned that Lady Izmila is the Celestial because of this incident.”
The Knights of Mercy subtly criticized the Knights of Wisdom for hoarding all information and cloaking themselves in secrecy.
“Exactly. We need proper information sharing just to identify the traitors. On top of that, we, the Knights of Courage, should take custody of Lady Izmila’s safety. So we can protect her.”
“No, that won’t be necessary. We’re conducting our own independent investigation into the traitors. We’ll share the information as soon as their outlines emerge. And we’ll have Lady Izmila participate in that investigation.”
“Why?”
“Her identity as the Celestial has already been exposed to the enemy. That makes her an excellent decoy. Of course, it’s dangerous... but Fireglyph should be fine.”
“Fireglyph?”
“Isn’t that the gateway to the Chadra Highlands? You’re sending the Celestial there?”
The other chapter masters were taken aback, but the Knight of Wisdom raised a finger adorned with a golden claw ornament to his lips.
“The enemy won’t be able to resist revealing their hand. But Fireglyph is deep within the knights’ territory—far from an easy place for them to touch the Celestial.”
The chapter master of the Knights of Wisdom declared it with certainty.
*********
Izmila and the investigation team from the Knights of Wisdom headed to Fireglyph’s library to trace signs of the alchemist Giacomo, a former knight who had committed murder and vanished.
But after confirming that Giacomo’s records had disappeared, and as they rested at an inn after leaving the library, armed Fireglyph soldiers suddenly surrounded them.
“Pardon the intrusion, Lady Izmila. There’s been a murder inside the fortress.”
“We’ve been ordered to verify the identities of all entrants and exits, inspect possessions, and check for armament.”
“What? Murder? Who was killed?”
“A jurist named Pallos.”
“The weapon? The location?”
“A dagger. One with a curved blade, like the one Lady Izmila is carrying.”
The soldiers said this while pointing to the dagger at Izmila’s waist.
“Please disarm and come with us. We’ll escort you to the investigation room in the citadel.”
“Wait a moment.”
However, the investigators rejected the soldiers’ proposal.
“Lady Izmila is special. She’s being targeted by the forces of evil, so we who protect her cannot disarm.”
“A murder occurred inside the fortress, and you refuse to cooperate with the investigation? That leaves us no choice but to suspect you as culprits.”
“We’ll cooperate with the investigation. But we can’t be confined to an investigation room or underground cell. We’ll stay on the second floor of this inn, so station soldiers to watch us and conduct your inquiries.”
“Understood. You’re certainly making a simple matter complicated.”
The soldier said this and tossed something at Izmila’s feet. A bloodstained dagger.
“Huh?!”
“Argh! Murderer!”
“Everyone, stand back! In the name of Fireglyph and the Salvation Knights, we execute justice!”
With those words, the soldiers swung their weapons, ambushing the investigation team.
“Gah?!”
“Y-You bastards!”
The investigators were knights too, no strangers to swordsmanship. But inside the bustling Fireglyph inn, thrusting halberds posed a greater threat than swinging longswords. Moreover, these soldiers’ skills were no joke.
An armored knight blocked a thrusting halberd with his longsword, but his body lifted off the ground, on the verge of smashing through the door and tumbling into the alley outside.
“You lot!”
Izmila grasped the situation and drew her sword.
“To an open area first! Let’s retreat!”
Izmila fled out the inn’s back door with the investigation knights, breaking into a run. The soldiers blew horns in pursuit.
“Traitors! By order of Lord Hexenmeyer! Drop your weapons and surrender!”
“Anyone who captures these traitors will be rewarded!”
The ordinary townsfolk in the market dared not block the armored, sword-wielding knights, but they tripped them with outstretched legs or deliberately scattered trash, blatantly obstructing the path.
“This won’t do! I’ll have to use it!”
“N-No, Lady Izmila! Not here...!”
An investigation knight tried to stop her, but in that moment, halberds flew from behind, threatening the knights, and the lead knight tripped over a small chair someone had casually left by the roadside.
“The traitors are those ones!”
Izmila’s body began to glow.
*Light of Truth!*
A powerful spell that shattered illusions and revealed the true forms of shapeshifters.
As the light spread in all directions, the false appearances of the soldiers who had been relentlessly attacking the investigation team peeled away.
Monsters with glossy, mercury-like skin strutted about in soldiers’ armor, helmets, and halberds.
“Eek?!”
“M-Monsters!”
“R-Run!”
The people finally realized these “soldiers” were beasts and tried to flee. But in the crowded midday market, escape was no easy feat.
“Doppelgangers?!”
The soldiers’ true identities were doppelgangers—vile shapeshifters who stole specific humans’ forms to infiltrate society.
These wicked creatures, whose very purpose was to usurp the essences of formed beings, had cunningly shouted lies to paint the true holy knights as rebels.
But even after exposing their disguises with the Light of Truth, the situation was far from good. The people’s panic had trapped Izmila and the investigation team with no path of escape.
In her panic, Izmila unfurled wings from her back.
In truth, her own Light of Truth had shattered her disguise as well.
Angelic wings emitting a soft glow spread from her back.
“Kekeke. The Celestial!”
“So that’s the Salvation Knights’ secret weapon?”
“Let’s see just how delicious her blood tastes!”
The doppelgangers circled left and right, slowly closing in on the investigation team. With each step, their forms shifted—man, woman, elder, child—bewitching all who beheld them.
“You vile things!”
As Izmila roared, a black shadow stretched long from beneath her feet, reaching her body.
Reflexively, she emitted light from her wings. A spear of light pierced and erased the shadow...
But other shadows ensnared the investigation knights’ ankles.
Suddenly, black shadow tentacles erupted from the ground, binding the knights.
“Gah?!”
“What the—!”
The startled knights struggled, but to no avail.
Now that their true natures were exposed, the doppelgangers unleashed their dark magic without restraint.
“Ah!”
As Izmila faltered at the sight of her comrades ensnared, a doppelganger charged at her, thrusting its halberd.
But in that instant, Izmila swung her Seramite longsword.
The blade ignited, tracing a brilliant arc of flame that shattered the doppelganger’s halberd and severed its arm.
“Gaaaah!”
The mercury-like arm stump sprayed as the doppelganger screamed.
Golden flames leaped onto its body, and the doppelganger writhed in agony as if burning alive. Suddenly, it shifted into the form of a child.
“Waaah... Big sis, why are you doing this?”
An obvious ploy.
Yet Izmila, inexperienced as she was, wavered at the trick. For a split second, she wondered if it wasn’t a doppelganger but a hostage they held.
That fleeting gap was all they needed.
The doppelgangers sprang into motion.
Two long shadows lanced toward Izmila’s ankles.
She knew this magic already and slashed the ground with her Seramite longsword to keep distance from the shadows...
*Shadow Tentacles—disperse!*
A caster doppelganger adjusted its incantation.
The straight-charging shadows veered sideways, dodging her sword stroke and leaping onto walls, pillars, and shop awnings before sprouting tentacles from there.
Tentacles lunged from both sides, coiling around Izmila’s body.
Terrifying strength. No ordinary trained knight could budge if ensnared by these massive, muscular tentacles.
However... Izmila was no ordinary knight.