Chapter 15: You all know this is a lie!?

Had I ever slept so soundly? Seraphina slept until late afternoon.

“…Isabel…”

She murmured his name in her sleep. She awoke with a sense of unease.

“…Isabel?”

The clock ticked, indicating late afternoon.

Isabel should have woken her by now.

She sat up and rubbed her eyes.

As she reached for a glass of water, she noticed a letter on her desk.

She picked it up and read the contents.

________________________________________________________________________________

To Seraphina Fires,

Grace Field is now at peace, and you are recognized as a wise and respected ruler. You have resolved your family issues and found happiness. Therefore, I must leave. I am the Black Hound, a harbinger of misfortune. My presence would only endanger you and Grace Field. The nobles at the conference, and House Tempest’s investigation, are proof of that. I must leave for your own good. I apologize for leaving like this.

Isabel Leonhardt.

________________________________________________________________________________

“What…?”

Seraphina ran her hands through her hair, a sense of dread washing over her.

“Isabel…!”

She threw on a robe and rushed out of the room.

“Mistress! Where are you going?!”
“I have to find Isabel! Isabel!”

Her servants were shocked by her uncharacteristic behavior.

The usually calm and composed Countess was frantic.

A maid approached her cautiously.

“M-Mistress, please calm down. The butler said he went out to buy some things this morning…”

Seraphina froze.

“…That irresponsible jerk.”

He had promised to stay with her forever.

She sank to her knees, overwhelmed by despair.

“Mistress!”
“Get a doctor!”

Why had he left? Was he afraid of her? Did he hate her? She remembered their conversation from last night.

“Could it be…?”

A wave of regret washed over her.

He left because I didn’t accept his proposal…

If she had just said yes, he might have stayed.

She had treated it as a joke, but he had seemed…sincere.

Had he misinterpreted her hesitation as rejection? She should have accepted his advances.

But it was too late for regrets. She had to find him.

“Find Isabel Leonhardt!”
“W-what?!”
“Find the Black Hound! Bring him back to Grace Field! Hire mercenaries, send messengers, do whatever it takes! Bring him back to me!”

The servants nodded and hurried away. Seraphina whispered, her voice filled with despair,

“…Isabel, I’m sorry. I should have… I should have said yes. Please come back.”

Shine City.

The City of Lights. Neon signs adorned the buildings, streetlights illuminated every corner, and the city never slept.

To outsiders, it seemed like a vibrant and prosperous metropolis.

But beneath the surface, it was a breeding ground for cults, all worshipping a false god named Etherion.

And the leader of the largest cult was Belladriel Dresia, a fallen saint turned heretical witch.

She had once been a true saint, but something had corrupted her.

She used her powers to perform miracles, deceiving the masses and gaining their devotion.

She healed the sick, turned water into wine, and made the poor rich. Shine City was built on her lies.

I opened the interface and reviewed Belladriel’s profile.

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[Status Window]

[The Fallen Saint, Belladriel Dresia, Once a Shining Star, Now a Witch.]

Belladriel Dresia dreamed of becoming a saint. She dedicated herself to her faith, enduring rigorous training and countless trials. She achieved her goal, becoming a powerful saint. But her faith was tested when she encountered a wicked witch who tempted her with promises of power and twisted her beliefs. Accused of heresy, she was cast out of the church. Disillusioned and betrayed, she decided to become a god herself, creating Etherion and Shine City, manipulating her followers with false miracles. Her once radiant light had become a shadow, threatening to consume everything.

Black Hound, Mediator, free her from the darkness. Restore her to her former glory. Redeem her.

[Reward: 10,000pt]

________________________________________________________________________________

To approach her, I needed to infiltrate her cult.

I would perform my own miracles, drawing her attention. I entered a dark alley.

“Cough… cough…”
“Are you alright?”
“Who…who are you…?”

An elderly woman, frail and sickly, sat huddled in the corner.

She was clearly too poor to afford medical care.

“You seem ill. Shall I take you to a hospital?”
“Cough, cough… No… I’ve prayed to Etherion. I’ll be fine.”

She placed her faith in prayer, a common practice in Shine City. I smiled.

“Did the Saint say so?”
“Y-yes… Who are you? What do you want?”

I bowed slightly.

“My apologies. I am Isabel Leonhardt, sent by Etherion himself.”
“Isabel…?”
“I will heal you.”

She had a common cold, easily cured with Fires’ Purification, the skill I had received for redeeming Seraphina.

“Excuse me.”

I placed my hand on her head.

A red light emanated from my hand, a fiery effect flickering around us.

Warmth spread through the alley, and the woman’s pale face regained its color.

“How do you feel?”
“I…I feel fine! The pain is gone!”

Her eyes widened in surprise.

“Ha ha, are you alright?”
“Who…who are you?”
“I am Isabel Leonhardt, a humble servant of Etherion.”

She looked at me with awe.

My words had convinced her. Time to spread the word.

“If you know anyone else who is ill, bring them to me. I will heal them.”
“Y-yes! I understand!”

She stood up, her energy restored, and hurried away to gather more people.

I smiled. This would reach Belladriel eventually.

Several days passed. I continued to heal the sick, my reputation spreading like wildfire.

“Thank you, Lord Isabel!”
“Etherion lives!”
“Praise Etherion!”
“Isabel, the messenger of Etherion!”

Crowds gathered around me, mostly commoners and the poor.

I healed them and preached the word of Etherion.

“Etherion says, ‘Have faith, and your prayers will be answered!’”
“We believe!”
“Etherion asks, ‘Who shall I heal next?’”
“There’s a young man who hasn’t been able to walk for days! Please help him!”
“Have mercy!”
“Very well. Lead the way.”

I was growing tired of this charade.

I hated deceiving these people.

They looked at me with reverence, as if I were a divine being.

It was unsettling. Surely, Belladriel had heard the rumors by now.

“Stop!”

A stern female voice called out.

I turned and saw a group of women in armor, resembling paladins.

The symbol on their armor was a star, the mark of Etherion’s knights. I smiled. It was time.

“…What’s so funny?”

One of the knights glared at me. I shook my head.

“I just…smile a lot.”
“You’re Isabel Leonhardt, correct?”
“Yes.”
“I am Rebecca, Captain of the Holy Knights, protectors of Etherion and this land. We serve Saint Belladriel Dresia.”

It was time to end this charade.

“Is that so? And to what do I owe the honor?”
“You are under arrest for disrupting the peace and inciting rebellion in Shine City!”

The crowd erupted in protest.

“How dare you!”
“You don’t know who he is!”
“He’s the messenger of Etherion!”

The knights drew their swords. Rebecca pointed her blade at me.

“Step aside! Or you’ll be arrested, too!”
“Try it!”
“We will protect Lord Isabel!”

The crowd formed a protective barrier around me. I raised my hands.

“Please, calm down. These knights serve Etherion, just as I do. I’ll go with them willingly.”
“Lord Isabel!”
“No! They’ll hurt you!”

Hurt me? They would likely burn me at the stake.

But I was Isabel Leonhardt, the Black Hound.

My mission was to redeem Belladriel.

“Don’t worry. Etherion will protect me.”
“We believe!”
“He will perform a miracle and save me from the flames!”
“We believe!”

I smiled.

“Do you believe in Etherion?!”
“Yes!”
“Then I will return safely. Be well, and may Etherion’s blessings be upon you.”

The crowd knelt, bowing their heads in reverence. I approached Rebecca and offered my hands.

“…What are you planning?”

She frowned suspiciously. I smiled gently.

“Nothing at all. Now, put these on.”
“You’re a strange man. Fine. Come with me.”

She shackled my wrists and led me away.