Chapter 72: Designation of a Saint (3)
“A saint?”
Isaac tensed a bit.
Isolde spoke as if it was all sunshine and rainbows, but Isaac wasn’t feeling too peachy about it.
Being a saint was one thing. He had hidden his saintly status before, not because he wasn’t technically one according to the Codex of Light, but because he was too young back then. Now, with power and fame on the rise, he couldn’t just sit back and let others decide for him.
Becoming an adult though, that was a whole other story. Sure, he wanted to shine as a star paladin, but being labeled an adult was a bit much.
A saint is chosen by God, but what they do with it is their own gig.
An adult, on the flip side, is like a human recommendation to the big G upstairs.
It’s like saying to the gods, “Hey, check this person out! Pretty cool, right? Wanna throw in some divine perks?” Naturally, this spotlight from angels or gods made Isaac squirm, considering his stash of secrets.
“Getting tagged as an adult has its perks, but it’s not the best timing right now.”
In his contemplation, Isaac suddenly had a thought.
With a modest grin, he said, “Me, an adult? It’s all just a stroke of luck and divine favor. Can’t be that simple, right?”
“Oh, I did mention it before. I’m planning to put you up as a contender for adult status. But yeah, it’s not like an immediate thing.”
Isolde’s cheerful words eased Isaac’s nerves, but internally, he was panicking. Being a candidate for adult status and actually achieving it were worlds apart. Only a handful of candidates were selected each year across the land.
But Isolde didn’t let up, piling on more pressure on poor Isaac.
“But taking down an angel is major, huh? If even the bishop himself is coming to check it out, the church must be dead set on this.”
“…,” Isaac chose to stay silent.
Local big shots trying to boost their street cred, or small-town folks thinking miracles are their ticket to grown-up land, were pretty common. Isaac, though, he’d actually pulled off something legit.
But, guess what? Being deemed an adult ain’t all about a big accomplishment.
Saintly status is all up to the big guy upstairs, but becoming an adult? That’s a whole human-made deal.
Basically, it all comes down to politics and where you stand on the issue. And Isaac? He was knee-deep in trying to figure out this whole adulting business.
“Is the church in a rush to crown me an adult to parade me around as the Dawn Army poster child? Or maybe to keep a handy paladin in their pocket? Nah.”
The last saint, Calzen Miller, had a tragic end. It was a real embarrassment for the church.
So, there was a mad scramble to cover up the tainted adult title. And the rush was all because of one thing…
Boom! It hit Isaac like a lightning bolt.
“The church is throwing down with the emperor.”
See, the whole shebang wasn’t really about whether Isaac was adult material. The Light Codex crew were just looking for a foil to the emperor of Gerthonia, Waltzemer.
***
As the churchy bunch did their snooping, Isaac sat in his room, dissecting his thoughts.
Gerthonia, aka the White Empire, was all about that Light Codex life.
Like in most places, there’s a strong religious vibe in Gerthonia. Even the bigwigs can’t easily cross the church.
“But all that changed when Waltzemer took the throne…”
Waltzemer, the current emperor, was a total saint.
His glowing horns, insane strength, and epic miracles were the real deal.
He put an end to all the internal empire drama right quick, balancing out the Codex’s power grip.
The Codex crew weren’t too happy, but they had to swallow it. “Can’t diss a saint, can ya?”
A saint is like a walking embodiment of God’s will. Their power shows how strong that divine connection is. And Waltzemer? Yeah, undeniable powerhouse of miracles.
The church couldn’t just go against such a holy display.
But Waltzemer couldn’t just squash the church either. His power came from light’s code, after all.
So, you get this weird balance in the White Empire where everyone’s kinda wary of each other.
“And into this mess walks a Holy Grail Knight, who’s knocked down the Red Chalice angel. Could he be a saint too? Real or not, they’re gunning to make him an adult.”
Isaac felt the weight of it all crushing down. The church wanted to pit him against the emperor, turning him into a barrier between power plays by the throne and the bigshots.
Yeah, his status would shoot up, but if the nobles caught wind of his soft spots, his whole ‘secret’ stash could get blown wide open.
Would the church actually have Isaac’s back? Doubt it. They’d likely push him to keep fighting, and if his secrets got out, they wouldn’t hesitate to spill the beans.
But the real issue was Emperor Waltzemer.
‘Waltzemer… basically the big bad boss on the light side.’
In the game world, the final boss for the Immortal Church is Emperor Besherk. But if we don’t count Besherk as a god, then Karlsen Miller could be the final boss.
On the flip side, Waltzemer’s the big boss for the light side crew.
Even though Isaac chowed down on Calzen, it was mostly luck, and it was before Calzen went full warrior mode for the Immortal Church. Waltzemer was at the top of his game throughout the Dawn Army, so getting close to him now would be a challenge for Isaac.
‘Or maybe…?’
Isaac’s grin grew wider.
The church versus the emperor, with him caught in the middle.
‘Got a trick up my sleeve, don’t I?’
If he played his cards right, he could come out ahead of the game.
Then, a message popped up for Isaac.
It was from Hesabel.
‘[Central nobles are here.]’
Isaac’s smile got even bigger. The perfect balance had arrived.
***
The sound of horse hooves pounding reached Hendrake Castle’s entrance. Reinhardt and his crew rushed over to the gates. A group of cavalrymen rode in, kicking up a storm of dust.
“Reinhardt? Count Reinhardt!”
A woman, looking a bit beat up but still fierce, leaped down from her horse. Her armor, though grand, was coated in dust.
“Lady Lyon? Why the rush?”
“Where’s the Holy Grail Knight? Inside still?”
Lady Lyon wasted no time and demanded to see Isaac. She grabbed a knight’s shoulder and asked, “This one? Or that one?”
“Here, this one.”
Reinhardt hurriedly introduced Isaac before any chaos broke out.
Lady Lyon sized up Isaac, clearly impressed.
“You’re young! And not too shabby!”
“I’m Isaac.”
Isaac stayed cool amid the commotion. Lady Lyon composed herself and greeted him properly.
“I’m Delia Lyon. Holy Grail Knight! I’ve heard about your exploits!”
Delia shook Isaac’s hand vigorously, leaving it dusty. She tried to clean it on her clothes, but they were just as dirty. A servant finally helped her out with a handkerchief.
“You came in a rush.”
Isaac knew the folks from the central area weren’t due for another four days. So, for someone from the order to show up this quick, they must’ve raced here.
Delia vented.
“I had to sprint! That old coot…”
She hushed up as a servant guided her away.
Isaac was totally puzzled by how such a straightforward noble could hold their own in the central region, where fierce secret battles raged on.
“Yep, that old Red Chalice angel stirred up quite a fuss around here. Thanks for rushing in for a good cause,” Delia casually remarked.
Isaac managed to smooth things out, and Delia’s eyes sparkled with curiosity. He couldn’t ignore that look. Maybe her earlier words weren’t just a slip of the tongue. Perhaps her nonchalant attitude was a front.
“I was planning to come after organizing some mercenaries and scouts. But then the news of the angel showing up, a Grail Knight defeating it, and priests from the order rushing over changed my plans. So, I came with just my escorts,” Delia explained.
Isaac understood how she got there so quickly. Without preparing for a siege, they could travel much faster. But it was no easy journey, as the knights and nobles with her looked like they could collapse at any moment.
Among the group, Delia was the only one chatting eagerly.
“Enough standing around. Let’s head inside! Grab a bite to eat and check out where the angel got booted!” she suggested, leading the way with Reinhardt following close behind.
“You really should freshen up first. And the angel wasn’t killed, it was banished…” Isaac interjected.
“Same thing!” Delia replied with a shrug.
Isaac observed as the knights disappeared through the castle gates.
‘Interesting.’
Initially, both the order’s priests and central nobles had come to collect debts from Kyle Hendrake. But now, it seemed like there were bigger concerns at play.
Of course, they were confident in getting their money back, so maybe they were ready to move on to the next step. But it was obvious that debt collection wasn’t their top priority.
‘Let’s see what I can get out of this situation first…’
Becoming a saint could wait for another day.
There are always ways, after all.
***
Hendrake Castle was a bit beaten up and in need of a good clean, but most parts were still functional.
The meeting room, doubling as a chapel, was a good example. Despite Kyle not being too religious, the chapel appeared to have escaped the worst of the Red Chalice’s influence.
It was here that Juan, a Codex of Light bishop, and Delia, a duchess from the central region, met. Delia, having quickly freshened up and changed, tried to hide her smirk upon seeing Juan.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Bishop Juan Liard. I’m Delia Lyon, just a simple believer,” she greeted, approaching Bishop Juan confidently, kneeling and kissing his ring finger in greeting.
“Nice to meet you too, Duchess Delia,” Juan replied, his words relayed by a young priest. Although it seemed like a polite interaction, Isaac could feel the tension between them.
The unease was palpable among the other knights and nobles with Delia.
And Isaac found himself at the center of this tension. Aware of the delicate position he was in, he decided to bask in the spotlight.
It was his call whether to diffuse or heighten the tension.
Isaac took the lead.
“Alright, folks. Since we’re in a bit of a rush, let’s tackle the important stuff first.”
“Important stuff?” Delia and Juan perked up, further raising the tension.
Isaac, reveling in the charged atmosphere, began to speak.
“Yep.” Isaac casually tapped the table in the chapel and said, “So, we gotta figure out what to do with the Hendrake territory.”
