Chapter 57: The Scent of Blood (1)
‘It’s probably someone from the Gulmar ducal family or a high-ranking priest following orders.’
Isaac didn’t see the chaos caused by Hesabel as a big deal. Actually, it was kind of a welcome change. They were in the territory of the Gerthonian Empire, packed with priests and holy knights from the Empire of Light.
Revealing themselves here? It’s like stepping into bright sunlight.
‘A surprise attack would be interesting.’
Hesabel could handle herself, so her safety wasn’t a worry. Annoyances like trolls or barriers were no big deal.
In fact, Isaac hoped the enemy would show up soon, digging their own hole right in front of him.
Contrary to Isaac’s hopes, there were no more obstacles in their way. That made it easy for Isaac to stroll right into the entrance of the Hendrock domain. Once they crossed the bridge, they’d be in Hendrock territory.
Isaac felt a bit let down that they made it without any fuss.
‘The enemy must be smart. Were they testing me?’
While a surprise troll attack wasn’t impossible, ignoring this weird situation would be foolish.
It was clear the enemy wasn’t planning to hurt Hesabel right away.
A troll wouldn’t be much trouble for her.
‘A simpler way would be…’ To just use Hesabel as bait outright. Sending her off to some far-off place might just lure the enemy out. Isaac thought about it but then realized he’d have to deal with the pursuer all by himself.
He was ready to face a crowd with the power of the Codex of Light, but going up against a mysterious enemy solo wasn’t his idea of fun.
As Isaac pondered over these thoughts, a group of figures showed up in front of the bridge.
An older guy leading the group was yelling at a soldier guarding the bridge.
“Tell Kyle to get ready for guests right now!”
“But, we’ve already got orders…”
The Hendrock Knight Order slowed down as they took in the scene.
“Is that… Count Reinhardt?”
Confusion and tension spread among the Hendrock knights. Reinhardt and his crew, including a few knights, were the first to arrive.
Reinhardt looked over at Isaac’s group.
The first thing he noticed was Isaac, standing out front with Owen. Isaac’s charisma always drew eyes wherever he went.
“Isaac! You’re here. Who are these folks with you?”
Reinhardt looked puzzled seeing the knights with Isaac; he’d never known Isaac to travel with a group.
Before Owen could reply, Isaac chimed in.
“The Black Bear Knight Order, also known as the Hendrock Knight Order.”
“Hendrake Knight Order?”
A murmur spread quickly. The Hendrake Knight Order members, as well as Reinhardt’s crew, seemed uncomfortable.
The Hendrock knights knew their territory was in trouble. Rumors suggested an outside invasion, possibly by Reinhardt.
Reinhardt’s soldiers were wary too. Why would Reinhardt bring an army just to scold his friend’s son?
Though not enough for a full invasion, the numbers were too much for a simple visit.
Meeting unexpectedly on the road, the worry of a fight breaking out overshadowed any aggressive intentions.
Nobody wanted to get caught in a noble feud and spill blood for no good reason.
As all eyes turned to Isaac and Reinhardt, both Owen and Reinhardt spoke at once.
“Why are you with them, Isaac?”
“Isaac, have you met Count Reinhardt?”
The questions came at the same time, but Isaac answered like it was no big deal.
“I helped them out when they needed it.”
Isaac casually led the way forward, with Reinhardt and Owen following behind, a bit unsure.
Isaac thought this situation was working out just fine.
He was the ace up their sleeve.
If things got ugly, he could determine which side justice was on.
To avoid ticking him off, nobody could start any trouble.
“Let’s go in. If talking can solve the problem, that’s the way to go.”
Reinhardt and the Hendrake Knight Order walked with an awkward space between them as they entered the heart of the domain. The village in the Hendrake domain was set in between huge valleys, with a scenic view and a village depending more on livestock than crops due to the lack of arable land.
‘This seemingly poor village is where it’s all gonna go down…’
In two years, something in this village would set off the 13th Dawn Army.
The event was like the almost-successful birth of a new deity.
The one trying to make a new faith happen was Calzen Milter.
Calzen Milter ditched the Codex of Light to try and be the deity of the ninth faith, getting help from the Red Chalice and the Immortal Order. With folks like Elil and the Immortal Emperor making it to godhood in human form before, his dream wasn’t crazy.
‘But Calzen didn’t make it.’
In the end, Calzen didn’t become a deity.
Using tons of powers and stuff from the Hendrake domain, Calzen ran off to the Black Empire. The White Empire was mad about trying to start a new faith in their turf.
Panicked and mad, the White Empire started the 13th Dawn Army in a rush.
‘But with Calzen gone…’
No more shot at a new deity popping up.
Isaac figured this might stop the Dawn Army from forming, but he didn’t think it was likely.
Things tend to happen no matter what.
Reclaiming holy places is a big deal for the White Empire folks, and the angrier and more unfair society felt, the louder the cries for the Dawn Army got.
The deity attempt was just the start.
So, Isaac aimed to keep that start in check.
Heading up to a big castle on the hill, with the village below, Owen hurried to let the lord know about the guests.
“Hey, gotta tell the lord to get ready for guests. Thanks.”
With that, Owen and the knights took off without waiting for a reply.
Owen seemed worried about Isaac but figured dealing with Reinhardt in the center of the domain was more urgent.
Reinhardt watched the knights hurry away, his eyebrows twitching, but didn’t do anything, feeling relieved Isaac stayed.
“Isaac, this whole thing doesn’t make sense.”
“You came here to sort things out peacefully, right?”
“Sure, that was the plan, but…”
Even Reinhardt knew how unlikely that sounded. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have brought so many folks with him.
With the ducal family’s future on the line, he expected that if talks failed, there might be a fight.
Reinhardt probably thought some casualties were fine if he could show them who’s boss and get something in return.
Kyle, on the other hand, wouldn’t want to give an inch.
“So, let’s do things my way. Hendrake is the more worried side here. Thanks to them, we made it this far without violence.”
If Reinhardt had hurt anyone, Hendrake would have a reason to hit back, maybe to avoid paying up.
In the end, it all came down to who would draw their sword first.
But Isaac didn’t really think a peaceful way out was possible.
‘Hendrake is barely paying its folks, and Reinhardt might go broke without taking over the domain… Most murders are about money or love, huh?’
Bloodshed seemed on the cards, no matter what.
Isaac just had to pick a side.
When Isaac and Reinhardt made it to the castle gates, they saw the gates were shut tight, with no guards around. As one of Reinhardt’s soldiers was about to yell, Reinhardt himself stepped in.
“I’m Count Coven Reinhardt! Open up!” he exclaimed.
But the castle stayed quiet.
With no soldiers on the walls, a siege didn’t seem likely. Reinhardt tried shouting a few more times to get a response from Kyle, but eventually lost his cool.
“Hey, open up, you coward! You think hiding under your bed like a kid will make your problems disappear? Open the gates now!” he yelled, banging and kicking at the gate.
Clearly, Reinhardt knew some juicy details from the past incidents involving Kyle. Despite his loud outburst, the gate remained closed.
After a while, someone finally peeked out from the castle, saving the day.
“Count Reinhardt.”
“Bexter!”
An old knight emerged. Reinhardt recognized him immediately and took a step back.
“Finally, someone sensible. I would rather talk to you than that kid. Where’s Kyle at now?”
“Lord Hendrock is taking a rest and can’t see anyone today. Can you come back tomorrow?” Bexter asked.
“Tomorrow? Seriously? Unless gold rains from the sky, how’s he going to get better?” Reinhardt argued.
“If you’re here as a guest, at least show some respect, Count Reinhardt,” Bexter replied, glancing at Isaac.
“In the esteemed presence of the Holy Grail Knight, let’s speak with honor and truth,” he added.
With Isaac being mentioned, Reinhardt reluctantly backed down. He had promised not to drag Isaac into any conflicts.
As the group rode away, Isaac observed Reinhardt being influenced by Bexter and became intrigued by the knight.
“Bexter seems quite impressive, wouldn’t you say?” Isaac mentioned.
Reinhardt nodded, “Indeed. He’s a retired Imperial Knight. Known for his honor and skills. When he retired, the previous lord brought him to Hendrock. Even in his old age, an Imperial Knight’s experience is invaluable…”
Their conversation hinted at a long history of respect and trust between them.
Isaac learned that the Imperial Knight Order served the Empire directly, unlike the Royal Knight Order that focused on protecting the royal family. Imperial Knights were highly trained and sent on critical missions for the Empire’s safety.
‘If Owen was the vice-captain, then Bexter must be the captain,’ Isaac thought.
‘Could this be a true encounter with a knight?’ Isaac wondered, looking back.
Bexter, standing in the distance, watched them leave. Though his face wasn’t clear, Isaac felt a brief connection with the old knight.
Later on, Kyle slammed his desk in anger after Isaac and Reinhardt left the castle with Bexter. The other knights looked worried, but Bexter remained composed, focused on Kyle.
“Why?! Owen, didn’t you say you came with the Holy Grail Knight? You should’ve stuck around till the end!”
“Yeah, yeah. But it looked like Count Reinhardt had some deal going on, and if we stuck around, we might’ve let the count’s soldiers and knights into the castle…”
“Wait… Why did the Holy Grail Knight come to our place in the first place? Did I tell you why I invited him? That I admired his deeds and wanted to support his journey?”
“Yeah, you did. You said you admired him.”
Kyle was totally thrown off by Isaac’s sudden appearance. Why? He just wanted to have a chat with the respected Holy Grail Knight, share his troubles, and get some advice. A wise and kind Holy Grail Knight should steer him in the right direction, just like in the stories.
But instead, everything just left him puzzled.
Then, a calming voice reached out to him.
“Do you remember what I said about the Holy Grail Knight, my lord?”
“Raela.”
Raela whispered softly, comforting Kyle’s shoulder.
“Do you still not get what the Holy Grail Knight is here for? Even when it’s so obvious?”
“Is he here to scold me for my silly desires and avoiding responsibility?”
“No, not at all.”
Raela took a moment, then continued.
“You’re caught up in a nasty scheme. That crook wants your beautiful domain. Joining forces with Reinhardt to come swooping in here. Maybe even that Loracus incident was part of their plan to take you down!”
Kyle found himself tempted by the idea that this wasn’t his fault, but a result of an evil plot. So, it wasn’t his own foolish decisions or lack of judgment but a conspiracy.
But a small voice of reason in him whispered.
“Could it really be because of me that they went to such lengths?”
“You and this domain are that important.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
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