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Chapter 226:

“…It’s overwhelming.”

“Indeed. Even though I rehearsed, I felt like I was being swept along.”

Isolde murmured, looking somewhat fatigued.

“But what brings you here? I heard the Duke said the Inquisitor, no, you, would be protecting the Brant territory.”

“…Surprised to see me here, Isaac?”

Isolde whispered with a sly smile.

“If your partner goes off for months without seeing you, wouldn’t you follow them to check?”

Isaac felt a pang of guilt at Isolde’s words and tried to explain himself. But she burst into laughter and patted his shoulder.

“I’m joking. His Majesty also summoned me. My father probably knew and wanted to surprise you.”

“…”

Isaac felt a strong urge to smack the back of Dietrich’s seemingly kind head, but his inner Confucian persona barely restrained him. More than that, Isolde’s words troubled him.

The emperor wouldn’t summon the Duke’s heir from such a distance merely to surprise Isaac with a gift.

“Why did His Majesty call for you…?”

“Hmm, he’s considering establishing a special audit organization. He suggested I join the expedition, leveraging my experience from the Inquisition.”

Isaac’s expression hardened.

A special audit organization? That meant creating something akin to an imperial inquisition. Such positions wielded great power but were also perfect targets for resentment.

The emperor intended to assign Isolde, who had seen all kinds of horrors as an Inquisitor, to a similar role.

Moreover, the emperor didn’t need to establish a new special audit organization or intelligence agency. The Imperial Knight Order already performed similar roles. So, if he still planned to create a new special audit organization and appoint Isolde, it could only mean one thing…

“Does he intend to investigate the Church?”

As an Inquisitor, Isolde knew many of the Church’s weaknesses.

The Inquisition’s role was precisely to cover up such weaknesses. If the emperor exposed the Order’s corruption to the public, he could undermine its authority and power without directly antagonizing it.

“Isolde, you should refuse.”

“Because it involves pointing a sword at the Church?”

Isaac was taken aback by Isolde’s awareness. But he couldn’t back down now.

Exposing the Church’s corruption was not just a matter of being disliked; it was a life-threatening task. The Church housed many powerful individuals, and the Inquisitors themselves were skilled in assassination and information manipulation.

Isolde could be killed by her former colleagues.

“I know what you’re worried about, Isaac. But that’s why I have to do it. No, I requested it. As the only daughter of the Brant family, formerly of the Inquisition, and… the companion of the Saint of Resurrection. Who else could do it?”

“No…”

Isolde blushed slightly at the last title but remained resolute.

“Do you remember what I said in Issacrea territory?”

Isaac was at a loss for words. He suddenly recalled that Isolde was a staunch radical reformer. In Issacrea territory, she didn’t judge Isaac as a heretic upon seeing his tentacles.

She judged him based on his results, actions, and character.

“I believed you were a messenger sent by the Codex of Light to restore broken order.”

“…Indeed.”

Isolde still knew Isaac’s secret. Yet, she continued to keep it hidden, hoping he would bring reform to the Church she loved.

Isolde gripped Isaac’s hand tightly.

“If someone else tries, they might not last long. But I know all the tricks of the Inquisition. There’s no one else who can do this.”

“Haa…”

Isaac sighed deeply. Even when he was in the territory, he had thought that getting involved with this crazy Inquisitor could lead to big trouble.

But now that they were deeply entangled, Isaac had no choice but to support her.

More than anything, he also wanted to see the world of faith that Isolde envisioned.

The world he desired, where the ‘Codex of Light’ ruled, was one filled with the warmth of a hearth and the light shining on crops. Not a world where people burned at the stake and bowed under blinding flashes.

Perhaps only someone like Isolde could create that world.

“Very well. But I have one request.”

“A request?”

“It’s natural to worry as a couple, even if we’re not formally bound yet, right? Trust me and allow me to take the necessary precautions to protect you.”

Isolde seemed confused by what Isaac meant.

Isaac knew that what he was about to do could pose a fatal threat to Isolde’s faith. But he couldn’t leave his companion defenseless against the sharp fangs and claws of the Order.

Isaac wanted to help Isolde realize the world she envisioned.

To do so, they had to dismantle the existing one.

***

After a long waiting period, Isaac finally managed to enter the emperor’s office.

The dwarves, who had entered with grim faces, grumbled as they exited immediately after the door opened. Isaac was surprised to see that they were forge artisans from the World’s Forge Order.

‘Forge artisans? It seems even the World’s Forge Order has decided to join us!’

He had heard that an envoy was sent to them, but seeing the forge artisans here indicated the presence of a highly capable person. The emperor’s office, a space frequently visited by forge artisans, was strewn with ominous weaponry that seemed out of place amidst the documents that had just been signed.

“Isaac!”

As soon as Waltzemer saw Isaac, he welcomed him with open arms. However, he quickly noticed the weapons scattered around and awkwardly leaned them against the wall to tidy up.

“Sorry about the mess. The equipment supplied to the knights was far below expectations, so I had to act quickly. These are not the kind of people one can afford to keep waiting.”

“So, the World’s Forge Order has also decided to join the Dawn Army?”

“Indeed, Duchess Lyon did an excellent job. It cost a fortune, but being able to hire forge artisans is already a significant gain.”

Isaac thought of Ulsten, who was probably enthusiastically hammering away at fallen angel fragments in the Issacrea territory. He hadn’t seen him for a long time and hoped he had achieved the research results he desired. Soon enough, Ulsten would be busy with another of Isaac’s requests.

However, Waltzemer’s expression was not good.

Isaac, after a moment’s thought, realized that what the emperor was saying didn’t quite add up.

“Forge artisans of the World’s Forge Order made them, yet the quality is below expectations?”

“Correct. While I may not be skilled in smithing, I have a keen eye for weapons. They produced some decent weapons, but what I seek is not merely ‘decent’ weapons. Especially considering the gold we paid, it’s akin to robbery.”

It seemed that a complaint had been lodged regarding the quality of the supplied products, causing the forge artisans to leave with grim expressions. Only the notoriously grumpy dwarves could dare to show such expressions even in front of the emperor.

Isaac approached the equipment leaned against the wall and examined them. They had a good balance, even weight, and the blades were sharp. These were weapons any knight would be proud to wield.

“What kind of items did you request to warrant such dissatisfaction?”

“I requested holy weapons capable of battling paladins. But given the tight deadline, they brought subpar items.”

“……”

Isaac remained silent. Indeed, forge artisans of the World’s Forge Order had the capability to create holy relics, even those of other faiths. Though a priest would need to imbue them with miracles to complete them, these weapons were undoubtedly powerful holy relics. However, Isaac was curious about the emperor’s ‘intent’ behind requesting holy relics.

Seeing Isaac’s expression, Waltzemer chuckled.

“Why, do you think I plan to attack the Church just because I asked for weapons capable of battling paladins? I would never dream of such a thing.”

“I’ve heard that your relationship with the Church is not very good.”

“The Church’s zealots might try to blind me, but my faith is unwavering.”

Though he spoke calmly, a person of the emperor’s stature saying such things was practically the same as openly declaring, ‘Let the Pope and his men all perish.’

“Don’t take it too seriously. As you know, the Church is not properly cooperating with the Dawn Army. On the battlefield, the likelihood of their support being inadequate is high, so we need to find our own ways to deal with the undead of the Immortal Order. We can’t face Death Knights or Liches unprepared.”

The only way for a common person to stand against a paladin or priest was either to be a holy being themselves, like Waltzemer, or to possess even a modest holy relic. It seemed that Waltzemer was planning something like the ‘mass production of holy weaponry.’

However, the artisans, dedicated to their craft, had failed to meet the military’s essential demands for ‘mass production and low cost.’

‘This isn’t something I can help with.’

The emperor would have to either give up or drive the artisans hard.

“Hmm, that’s not the main issue. I want to hear about your accomplishments in the Kingdom of Elil.”

“Haven’t you already received the report?”

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“Do you think I delayed my schedule this much for nothing? I wanted to hear the exhilarating story of what you achieved in Elil directly from you. By the way, your meeting is the last on today’s schedule, so we have plenty of time.”

Waltzemer reclined on the sofa, urging Isaac to start his tale.

Isaac, amused, began to speak.

***

“…And that’s how I came to witness his true swordsmanship. I don’t even know how to describe it. It was like the impact of a star falling.”

“Ha, indeed, his titles of the War God and the Conqueror are well-deserved.”

Waltzemer listened intently, repeatedly expressing his admiration. Despite expecting some political discourse, the emperor was genuinely engrossed in Isaac’s tale. Even Dietrich had been deeply concerned about how to leverage Isaac’s accomplishments in Elil for political and diplomatic gains.

Thanks to this enthusiastic listener, Isaac could delve into his story in detail. Of course, he kept secrets about the god Elil whispered to him and the swordsmanship to himself. The ambitious emperor didn’t need to know such things.

Naturally, he also omitted any comments about resembling his daughter.

“Fortunately, Elil recognized my sword and appointed me as a Grand Warrior. This recognition from the Kingdom of Elil significantly bolstered the Dawn Army’s participation.”

“Oh, so the sword you brought with you is the holy sword Kaldwin, bestowed by Elil?”

Isaac had received special permission to bear arms when meeting the emperor. The Luadin Key was his official armament as a paladin, and Kaldwin was a symbol of his role as a Grand Warrior of Elil. The emperor’s unrivaled strength in the empire also contributed to the lenient weapon restrictions.

As a result, none of the imperial guards stopped Isaac from drawing his sword.

“May I see it?”

“Of course.”

Isaac placed Kaldwin on the table. Waltzemer reflexively reached out to examine it, but Isaac stopped him. Should the emperor accidentally stab himself, the Pope would be delighted, but Isaac preferred the current precarious balance.

“Be careful. Holy swords will stab anyone not chosen as their master.”

“Hah, so the tales of holy swords being imbued with both divine power and curses are true.”

Waltzemer, though disappointed, scrutinized Kaldwin closely. Despite being a warrior, he had a strong desire for fine weapons. His spear, too, was a high-level holy relic. After he finished observing, Isaac sheathed Kaldwin again.

A satisfied smile spread across Waltzemer’s face.

“Seeing that, I feel even more confident in declaring myself the emperor of the White Empire once more. Delia Lyon did well in the Svalbard Islands, but not as well as you.”

“…Considering the alliance, it would be best not to appear too arrogant. It’s better to ensure the young subjects can think of Your Majesty as such.”

“Of course. That’s something for after the Dawn Army is finished. For now, internal consolidation comes first.”

Internal consolidation? Isaac cautiously observed Waltzemer.

The emperor had now secured cooperation within the White Empire, including the Kingdom of Elil and the World’s Forge Order. This meant he could now begin ‘consolidation’ against the Codex of Light Church without any opposing forces.

The Immortal Order always defended but never launched offensives.

“I’m considering proposing Cardinal Juan Liard as the new pope.”

–TL Notes–

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