The directive to fend off monsters drawn by the curse essentially implied battling the curse itself until it dissipated, as monsters would continue to assail as long as the curse remained.

Just as I expected.

Isaac had anticipated such orders since the curse on the domain was first mentioned. Without dispelling the curse, the achievement of vanquishing the celestial could not be fully recognized.

Failing to eradicate the curse would delay Isaacs saint designation indefinitely, and his feat would not be fully acknowledged.

Isaac aimed to have his achievement fully recognized while avoiding the designation of a saint.

I will faithfully execute the commands of the Codex of Light.

Isaac knelt on one knee, drawing his sword, eliciting discomfort from Delia and satisfaction from Bishop Juan.

However, Isaac wasnt one to kneel without cause.

However, Bishop Juan. The sword suffered some damage while I was combating the prophet of the red flesh.

Ah!

Isolde let out a soft gasp.

The sword of judgment was lent to him by her, and seeing it rusted and damaged was naturally shocking.

Bishop Juan glanced at Isolde before examining the sword.

This is an Inquisitors sword.

The swords engraving made it easy to identify its original owner.

Were you acquainted with Inquisitor Isolde?

Yes, yes.

Isolde, visibly embarrassed, lowered her head. Juan looked at her intently before continuing.

Why didnt you mention this earlier?

I was concerned that involving my personal feelings in the inquisition would lead to suspicions

It was a valid concern.

If they were close enough to lend swords, personal feelings were bound to interfere with the inquisition. Technically, she shouldnt have been involved in the first place.

However, Juan silently examined the sword, then ran his wrinkled fingers along the blade.

Bright light emanated from his fingertips, heating the sword until it glowed red. The rust fell away, and a new edge formed on the blade.

Isoldes name also vanished from the sword.

Your judgment was accurate, Inquisitor Isolde. Your sword played a role in slaying the wicked celestial, which is cause for celebration. Henceforth, this sword shall have a new owner.

Yes.

Isolde seemed relieved to have escaped with just a mild reprimand, clearly not fitting the typical Inquisitor mold.

Juan handed the newly forged sword to Isaac.

This should be more useful than the sword of judgment.

Isaac accepted the sword. It pulsed with heat like a living breath, and next to his engraved name, mysterious characters glowed with white light.

The Luadin Key?

Isaac muttered in surprise upon reading the characters, causing Juans eyebrows to twitch.

You can read the ancient language?

Ah, a bit

Isaac wondered if he had made a mistake, but Juan seemed to take a liking to him, perhaps tired of dealing with less intelligent knights. Regardless, Isaac couldnt help but be astonished by the weapon he had inadvertently received.

[The Luadin Key (S)]

[The sword of judgment has shed its former guise to reveal its true form. A key that unveils and liberates what is hidden and trapped, forged in celestial heat, beyond the craft of mortal smiths. Continuously grants warmth and vitality to its wielder. Capable of unlocking intermediate seals.]

The Luadin Key was referred to as the true form of the sword of judgment. Although named a key, it naturally maintained the form of a sword. The name implied a purpose of liberating what is hidden or confined, whether a treasure chest shrouded in darkness or entrails trapped beneath the skin.

Essentially, it was a wordplay describing a very sharp blade as a key.

But true to its name, it could unlock seals of a considerable level, naturally imbued with light and heat.

It seems theyre determined to push me towards sainthood, giving me a weapon fit for a high-ranking Inquisitor or chief knight.

The Inquisitors and knights present also appeared quite surprised, indicating the gift was indeed from Juan, a clear message not to get sidetracked. While it was a generous gift, Isaac couldnt help but feel burdened.

I will carry out the command.

Isaac bowed his head but inwardly apologized.

Sorry, grandfather. The truth is, Im a knight of tentacled monsters But thank you for the gift.

Some knights and holy knights were dispatched for troll hunting, with a group moving out together.

Considering trolls could also approach the empty fortress, half of them stayed behind to guard it. After all, there was no guarantee that monsters drawn by the curse were only trolls.

Damn it

The knights heading out to hunt trolls were clearly frustrated. They had come for honorable victories and loot, not to sweat in the woods hunting trolls. However, sending Isaac alone would look bad, and with holy knights present as well, there was little they could say.

Moreover, with Duchess Delia Lyon herself joining them, the knights had no choice but to keep their complaints to themselves.

This, too, didnt look very good.

Even compared to a bishop, a duchesss status was not to be underestimated. It seemed as if the duchess was executing the bishops orders, which wasnt a good look.

Duchess, theres no need for you to partake in such rough tasks. Surely you could rest inside

Its for the safety of His Majestys subjects. Should we shy away from hardship?

Delia chuckled, stretching her arms dramatically.

And having come all this way, we might as well twist a trolls neck or two. Cant go back empty-handed, can we?

At Delias words, the knights grimaced but nodded in agreement. Delia was as formidable a warrior as her stature suggested. Her mace was large and solid enough to injure a troll beyond quick recovery. Yet, Delias concern was not with the trolls but elsewhere.

How to deal with the Grail Knight now that weve bought some time

Isaac felt Delias gaze fixed on him.

He felt the need to talk to her but deliberately kept a distance to make her anxious. Delia, responsible for overseeing other knights, couldnt just stick to Isaac.

Isaac activated his Eyes of Chaos, observing Delias back as they moved through the dense forest shadows.

Isaacs eyes tinted purple within the shade of the dense forest.

[Delia Lyon (B)]

[Occupation: Duchess (A)]

[Abilities: Imperial Military Swordsmanship, Advanced Command]

[If I cant prevent the Grail Knight from being designated a saint, I at least need to undermine his achievements. Elimination isnt an option, not a choice. Any misstep leading to reckless actions would be on me. But how to proceed]

Delias deep thoughts were as transparent as if her innermost intentions were laid bare. Her goal was clear, so there was no need to delve into the secrets she was hiding.

Prevent Isaacs saint designation. If thats impossible, then tarnish his achievements.

When Isaac felt Delias anxiety had sufficiently ripened, he approached her.

Duchess.

Ah, Sir Grail Knight.

While the other knights and soldiers spread out in search of trolls, Delia signaled her aide to give them space as Isaac approached. The aide naturally backed off.

This wilderness is incredibly dense, and the terrain is harsh. Ive never thought of Hendrakes domain as a natural fortress But now, the thought of stepping foot here again vanishes.

Yet, it shows how His Majestys authority reaches even these secluded hills. How grand is that?

Delia grumbled more like making small talk, but Isaac quickly steered the conversation to the main point.

Delia narrowed her eyes at Isaacs natural tone, already suspecting he was far from the stern, traditional Grail Knight she had initially thought.

Delia decided to subtly probe her suspicion.

It seems you also hold a great interest in His Majestys authority?

How could I take lightly His Majesty, who appears as an avatar of the Codex of Light?

Presenting the emperor as an avatar of the Codex of Light was an exalting expression. Just as a hammer being used by a person doesnt make the hammer a persons avatar, the Holy Scripture is merely a text, not divine enough to be considered an avatar of God.

Despite this, those who supported the emperor hailed him as an avatar of the Codex of Light. However, such statements were not typical for a Grail Knight to make.

Delia asked with a playful smile, Is it alright for a Grail Knight to speak such words?

Compared to His Majestys accomplishments, my humble journey is hardly worth mentioning.

Humble? Vanquishing an angel is a feat that will be etched in history, a deed even the gods will remember.

I am merely content if my journey contributes to the empires wellbeing.

From their brief exchange, Delia could gauge Isaacs inner thoughts.

No, it was impossible for her not to catch on, given how blatantly Isaac was hinting.

It seems the Grail Knight has greater ambitions than one might expect.

Instead of responding directly, Isaac just smiled.

Having sufficiently hinted, it was now Delias turn to inflate her imagination with possibilities. Isaac had not provided a clear answer, but it was enough for Delia to conceive a new possibility.

What if I could pull Isaac to the emperors side?

With the emperor already balancing the scales, the emergence of a new hero on the emperors side could solidify their power.

Saint designation wouldnt be an issue then. If a potential adversary to the emperor could be brought under his command, it would be a significant coup.

Im not one for beating around the bush. What is it that you want?

Want? As I said, I am content if I can aid in the empires wellbeing.

Just as Delia was about to press further, Isaac continued.

Perhaps, Duchess Lyon, you could lend your strength to my journey.

Isaac couldnt outright state his demands. It was crucial for Delia to come to her own conclusions and voluntarily offer something in return.

Isaac needed to maintain a balance between the church and the emperors faction, extracting benefits from both without tilting too far in either direction.

Ultimately, it was the other party that had to offer something of value.

Just as Delia was about to inquire further, a shout came from somewhere.

Trolls!

Following Isaacs direction, Hendrake had moved the trolls.

With the conversation abruptly interrupted at the right moment, Isaac dashed towards the direction of the shout.

Delia watched his back, biting her lip before quickly moving to follow.

***

Drive them that way!

Damn it, why are they so fast?!

When Isaac arrived, the scene was filled with injured soldiers and broken trees. A severed troll arm was visible, but no bodies.

Arriving a bit later, Isaac asked, Where did the troll go?

It went into that valley. The holy knights have followed.

It was a dark valley, thick with trees. But the traces left by the pursuing holy knights showed no hesitation. Paladins, capable of wielding heat, were natural predators of trolls.

Isaac was about to enter the valley when he noticed something imprinted on the ground and bent down to examine it.

There was something Isaac hadnt accounted for.

Horse hooves?

In a place where the dense trees and rugged terrain should have made it impossible for horses to enter, there were clearly horse hoof prints.