Hendrake Knight Order?

Isaac asked with a bemused expression. Owen, seemingly embarrassed, fiddled with the bear-shaped brooch pinning his cloak and explained.

Yes. It was originally named the Black Bear Knight Order, but nobody recognized it, not even our lord. He calls it the Hendrake Knight Order, so we just go with that.

Why is the Hendrake Knight Order here of all places?

If its the Hendrake Knight Order, they are the knights of the Hendrake estate that Isaac and Reinhardt were planning to confront.

He had anticipated a high chance of conflict, yet here he was, having just saved that very knight order.

Its too late to start a fight now.

Owen Renly, the knight who had introduced himself, cautiously observed Isaac before speaking up.

Excuse me, but arent you the Holy Grail Knight, Isaac?

Isaac considered pretending ignorance for a moment, but concluded it was futile. The Holy Grail Knights were too distinctive and few to hide his identity.

Thats correct.

Isaac admitted straightforwardly, and a wave of excitement swept through the knights.

As I thought! I knew it from the courage you showed by fearlessly leaping into danger to save those in distress, the honorable grace you afford even your enemies, the skill to swiftly end their breath, and above all

Isaac, listening to the lavish praise, looked at Owen when he suddenly stopped speaking. Owen seemed hesitant to continue.

Above all, what? Why stop mid-sentence?

Well, its, um, a bit too worldly to mention

Worldly?

People say its like beauty carved by an angel

That damned appearance.

He might have chosen a Nephilim for their aesthetic appeal, but receiving such compliments was still unfamiliar. He was just glad he hadnt created a female character.

Its fine, you can praise me all you want.

Ah, I apologize if it was inappropriate Eh? What?

More importantly, what brings the Hendrake Knight Order here?

Owen seemed pleased that Isaac used their formal name.

He confidently relayed the order given by his lord, Kyle Hendrake.

Yes. Our mission is to bring Holy Grail Knight Isaac to our domain. I believe its to celebrate your noble journey and offer whatever assistance we can!

***

The command given to Kyle was simple: Bring Isaac. However, the underlying complexity was significant.

The Hendrake domain was in a worse state than Reinhardt had indicated. The knightly wages were overdue.

The knights, believing a lord with such expansive lands wouldnt default on payments, speculated that delayed wages might lead to the grant of small fiefs.

But Isaac saw it differently.

On the verge of bankruptcy.

It seemed futile for Reinhardt to hurry; Kyles salvage seemed unlikely.

The best Reinhardt could do was to sell off the Hendrake estate at a somewhat reasonable price before the vassals inside started a revolt to liquidate its assets.

Nonetheless, Kyle sought out Isaac.

Isaac suspected the reason might align with his own predictions.

To fall with dignity.

To leave a foundation for a possible comeback.

But Reinhardt arrived first.

Had the Hendrake Knight Order been faster, Isaac would have been on his way to the Hendrake estate with them. However, Isaac had already accepted an advancealbeit in the form of a horsefrom Reinhardt.

Truthfully, it didnt matter much to Isaac whom he followed.

Whomever he helped, Isaac could get what he wanted from them. Maybe Kyle Hendrake could offer more.

He was bound to fall anyway, so if Isaac were by his side, he might carve the biggest piece from the Hendrake domain.

Not that its what Kyle Hendrake would want.

Nevertheless, Isaac was tempted by this new proposition but eventually dismissed it.

Breaking a prior agreement with Reinhardt and siding with a bankrupt noble wasnt particularly honorable.

Besides, honor aside, Isaac was one of the hyenas aiming to take a bite out of the Hendrake domain during this opportunity.

Alright. Ill go.

Yet, Isaac nonchalantly nodded.

There was no need to discard the option prematurely. There was no point in antagonizing the Hendrake Knight Order when the situation was still unclear.

Once he arrived at Reinhardts domain, the outcome would be decided.

Owen beamed with joy.

Its an honor to have such a noble Holy Grail Knight accompany us! We will gladly join you!

Though Owen was clearly older than Isaac, his respect and politeness were evident, likely influenced more by the weight of the title Holy Grail Knight than Isaacs personal achievements.

In this era, children grew up on tales of knightly heroes rather than superhero movies.

Despite their poor performance against the troll, the knights were still a knight order. As Isaac began to move, they formed a protective formation and started a formal march. Their skill in handling horses suggested they were competent at serving high-ranking individuals, if nothing else.

Are you planning to move with them?

Hesabels expression was one of dissatisfaction, almost contempt, as she looked at the knights.

These individuals possess mediocre skills. Its astonishing they claim to be knights with such abilities.

Her gaze occasionally met with the knights, who were sneakily glancing at Hesabel beside Isaac, fascinated by her striking beauty.

Hesabel, true to the Red Chalice Clubs ethos of valuing beauty, could not hide her stunning appearance even under a hood.

Isaac was also noticeable, but naturally, the knights were more drawn to a woman. They couldnt outright ask who she was, but their curiosity was understandable.

Having more people in the group has its advantages. Its easier to find food, safer, and theres no need for night watch.

Do you truly believe that? It might be challenging during the day, but at night, even if those knights set a few guards, it would pose no problem for me.

Isaac internally agreed.

In truth, they could forage for food using tentacles, and safety was a non-issue. Even without Hesabel, they could have Zihilrat, lurking somewhere in the woods, stand guard at night.

But there was no need to separate from the group.

Isaac was puzzled by Hesabels sensitive reaction.

Whats bothering you?

Just disdain for those unworthy of our company

Think of them as portable lunchboxes, then.

Yes.

Isaac couldnt understand her dissatisfaction. The knights might lack in skill, but werent there benefits to traveling together?

For instance, encountering a road blocked by logs.

About half a day into their journey, Isaac stopped with an incredulous look, staring ahead. Turning to Owen, he noticed a similar look of confusion. Logs piled high obstructed the path.

This wasnt here this morning.

Of course, it wouldnt be.

The road, nestled between narrow valleys, was blocked meticulously with logs, making it difficult for those on horseback to bypass. There were no signs of a landslide, indicating it wasnt a natural occurrence.

The culprits soon revealed themselves.

Oooooooh!

Four trolls stood among the trees, yelling at Isaacs group. They brandished hefty tree trunks, seemingly having blocked the road to set a trap.

But if theyre going to make noise, shouldnt they be attacking What?

Those bastards

Just as Isaac doubted the trolls intelligence, one knight cursed under his breath and drew his sword. Isaac then began to question the knights intelligence.

What was he planning to do? They barely managed against one troll on flat ground, let alone climbing up a slope to confront them.

Fortunately, Owen intervened before the knight could ascend.

It seems the trolls are behind this. Have trolls often appeared in this pass like this?

No, this is the first time something like this has happened

Owens embarrassed explanation highlighted the oddity of the situation. This was a traveled path, not the depths of a dense forest. Considering the high value of troll skin and blood, and how easily a priest could handle one, the presence of trolls here was peculiar.

Isaac projected his will to Zihilrat, who had been stealthily moving through the woods since the threat emerged. Zihilrat was in a position to immediately attack one of the trolls.

Krrrgh!

Soon, a troll vanished into the shadows of the forest, followed by a scream. The specifics of the trolls fate were unseen from the slope.

Zihilrat could handle a couple of Wallachias human hunters in non-sanctified areas.

With the element of surprise, even a troll posed no challenge.

The knights were startled by the sudden troll scream, and as they registered the disturbance, the remaining trolls noticed something was amiss. Confused at first, they quickly spotted something in the dark depths of the forest.

Oooooh!

Soon, they tumbled down the slope in a panic.

Its an attack!

The knights, belatedly interpreting this as the start of an ambush, hastily drew their swords.

Isaac swiftly plunged his sword into the neck of one of the trolls that hadnt yet risen, the Sword of Judgment searing through, burning its flesh.

He could have easily dealt with the rest, but Isaac wasnt particularly inclined to do so.

Should we see what the Black Bear Knight Order can do, Owen?

Ah, yes! Of course!

Leaving the cleanup to others was appealing, but Isaac was more curious about the trolls panic.

Led by Owen, the knights courageously engaged the two remaining trolls.

Given their struggle with just one troll earlier, it seemed a daunting task. However, the Hendrake Knight Order fought surprisingly well. The ground was even here, without slopes or logs for the trolls to use as weapons. Moreover, the trolls appeared more interested in fleeing than fighting.

Though unable to cauterize wounds like Isaac, the knights managed to inflict damage steadily.

Still, their skills leave much to be desired

Their level of competence might surpass ordinary mercenaries or guards, but it was pitiful compared to the Holy Knight orders. Even several Hendrake Knight Orders combined might struggle against a single squadron from the Rottenhammer Holy Knight Order.

Notably, no one from the Hendrake Knight Order seemed capable of high-level swordsmanship. Whether this was intentional or reflective of the general standard of regional knight orders was unclear.

Owen seems to be the best among them. Though he appears somewhat cautious

Owen, albeit somewhat defensively, landed effective strikes when he swung his sword. His prowess suggested he might be the only one close to mastering advanced swordsmanship.

Isaac shrugged at Hesabel as if to say, See, without them, youd be dealing with those trolls.

Hesabel, however, seemed unimpressed.

The Red Chalice Club doesnt necessarily harm trolls. They can be tamed, after all.

Tamed?

Yes. The Red Chalice Club treasures trolls as valuable creatures.

Because of their blood, right?

Isaac understood what Hesabel was implying. Though he hadnt paid much attention during his playthrough, the Red Chalice Club considered trolls useful livestock and guardians.

They might not understand human speech, but they werent so dim-witted as to be untrainable. Their blood was highly valuable, and their regenerative capabilities were extraordinary. It was natural for the Red Chalice Club, which revered life force and blood, to value them.

Wait the Red Chalice Club.

Something subtle nagged at Isaac.

The Red Chalice Club tames and values trolls. And here were an unusual number of trolls appearing.

There had to be a mastermind behind this.

It doesnt seem to be Hesabel More like shes attracted some unwanted attention.

A holy knight or priest turning heretic would attract all sorts of curses and pursuers. Its unlikely that a ducal heiress would just be allowed to defect without consequence.

Isaac began to speculate about who might be behind this.