Chapter 85

85

“We should discuss this in more detail…”

Despite his true identity as a fanatic priest, Ian’s main job as an investigator showed as he sought more details about what had just happened.

It was good professionalism.

He was also a clean-cut, handsome man.

The gold necklace and earrings gave off a bit of a thug vibe, but that was a minor issue.

No one would ever guess that this guy was actually a priest of the Dark Cult just by looking at him.

That made him dangerous.

If you didn’t know his true nature.

But.

I knew.

I knew very well and planned to use that to my advantage.

‘Betrayal tastes the sweetest.’

There was no need to feel guilty.

I had quite a few memories of being wronged by this guy.

It’s only fair to return the favor.

Since we met earlier than expected, I should start planning now.

But for now.

“I don’t think this is the time to be talking about that.”

“Huh?”

Instead of answering, I pointed inside.

There, humans and orcs were engaged in a fierce battle, both sides full of pride.

Though I said that, it seemed like the humans were being pushed back.

It was likely due to the influence of the corpses we had seen earlier.

“Oh? Right, I forgot.”

Ian smacked his forehead.

It seemed he had remembered why they came here in the first place.

“Let’s go.”

Sylvia said without delay.

“Let’s help them.”

I spoke up.

Hiresia nodded in agreement.

Soon, we joined the humans in the fight.

* * *

“Raaaargh!”

With the last anguished scream of the orc chieftain, the battle ended.

Thanks to our timely intervention, there were no more significant casualties.

But the prevailing emotion on the battlefield was sorrow.

And anger and helplessness.

They were sad because they had lost comrades, angry at the enemy who killed them, and felt helpless because they couldn’t do anything to stop it.

In the end, it was all because of Gulshan.

‘They were unlucky.’

They weren’t weak.

Gulshan was just that strong.

If Hiresia and I hadn’t arrived, they might have been wiped out.

That was their small consolation.

“Horrible. But this doesn’t seem like the work of orcs.”

Ian muttered as he examined the decapitated bodies scattered around.

“That was done by that guy.”

I said from behind him.

“That guy?”

“Yeah, the one from earlier.”

“Oh, him? He did all this?”

Ian blinked in disbelief.

“So, who exactly is he?”

Sylvia interjected.

“I don’t know. Not at all.”

I shook my head.

Of course, I knew.

But there was no reason to tell the truth.

Right now, Red Rain was an organization shrouded in secrecy.

If it became known that an outsider knew about them, I would become their primary target.

How would I survive that?

So, until the time was right and they came to the surface, it was best to keep the knowledge to myself.

“Hmm.”

Sylvia looked thoughtful.

As sharp as she was, she might have sensed that this incident was more dangerous than it appeared.

“Hey, don’t touch that.”

She stopped a holy soldier from approaching a comrade’s body in a businesslike manner.

The soldier hesitated but stopped.

Soon, he wore a face full of dissatisfaction.

“No matter what, this is…”

“We have the authority to investigate.”

Sylvia said, showing her investigator’s badge.

Emotion and reason.

It was fascinating how different they could be, even within the same religion and order.

“Oh, and you two, don’t go anywhere. We need to question you as key witnesses.”

Sylvia addressed Hiresia and me.

I had expected this.

Being involved in such an incident meant we wouldn’t just walk away.

‘Anyway, it seems like we managed to stop something.’

I didn’t know exactly what had happened.

But assuming a similar incident occurred.

If it weren’t for me, Hiresia wouldn’t have been here, and there would have been more casualties.

It meant we had managed to mitigate the situation somewhat.

‘Whatever happens, my reputation will surely rise.’

With my actions here, I had made a significant impression on the outsiders present, something Max could never dream of.

It’s a shame I couldn’t properly boast about hitting Gulshan with an arrow.

Clack, clack, clack, clack!

Huh?

Hearing the noise from the entrance, I turned my gaze there.

‘They are…’

Soon, paladins in shining silver armor entered with grim faces.

* * *

Rex, the commander and leader of the First Squad of the First Paladin Corps, wore a stern expression.

The situation was more severe than he had anticipated.

This was not something he could handle on his own.

“Communicator.”

“Yes.”

His lieutenant quickly handed him the communicator.

And.

“Form a barrier.”

To ensure others couldn’t overhear, they formed a human barrier.

Rex activated the communicator immediately.

It emitted a bright light.

Soon, the face of a middle-aged man appeared on the communicator.

It was Grant, the leader of the First Paladin Corps.

– What is it?

“Well…”

Rex explained the situation as quickly and accurately as possible.

Grant’s face grew increasingly stern.

After hearing the report, he spoke.

– Seal off the area and wait for further instructions.

* * *

“Hmm, this is troubling.”

Cardinal Laurencio stroked his beard with a displeased expression.

The death of holy soldiers.

It was almost unheard of during his tenure.

And not from illness or accidents, but in battle?

It was an unacceptable occurrence.

“So, what did you do?”

“First, we sealed off the area and are awaiting further instructions.”

Grant replied.

“Is that so? Well done.”

Cardinal Laurencio nodded once.

“This is a matter that could tarnish the entire Order’s reputation. It must not be made public.”

The paladins and holy soldiers who protect the capital are symbols of the Order’s strength.

That symbol must never be shaken.

Cardinal Laurencio knew well that any authority only exists on the foundation of strong power.

With powerful rivals like the Hyas Empire and the Kingdom of Parene, they could never show weakness for even a moment.

If they did, those greedy wolves would pounce to snatch their share.

“All of this is my fault.”

Grant said, blinking heavily.

“Oh, no, no. Who could have anticipated this? It’s not a matter of blaming anyone. So don’t blame yourself too much and focus on cleaning things up.”

“Understood.”

“I must emphasize again, this must be kept a secret within the Order.”

“I will do everything in my power to ensure that.”

With that, they decided on how to handle one part of the situation.

But there was still another part left.

“And what about the necromancer? Are you sure there were no casualties?”

“Yes, fortunately, there were no casualties.”

“God’s protection. Handle it as you usually do.”

Necromancers.

Also known as corpse sorcerers, they were clear enemies of the Order.

They engaged in activities completely contrary to the teachings of the Order.

Thus, whenever they appeared, the Order would dispatch inquisitors to track them to the ends of the earth and eliminate them.

At least, that was the official stance, though in reality, not all could be eliminated.

Necromancers were as secretive as the corpses buried in the ground.

“Understood, Your Excellency.”

* * *

“So that’s how it went down.”

I chuckled softly as I sat in the interrogation room.

How did they manage to keep such an incident from becoming public?

I thought they had silenced everyone, and it seemed I was right.

Could they do it again this time?

Probably.

Everyone involved was from the Order, except for two people.

Hiresia and me.

Hiresia was essentially unaffiliated, so they would be more concerned about me.

Since I was a noble of the Empire.

But I planned to cooperate willingly.

It was the cleanest and most beneficial choice.

“You seem quite relaxed.”

Ian, sitting across from me, squinted his eyes.

“What do you mean?”

“Well, most people get nervous when they come into an interrogation room, whether they’re guilty or not. But you seem different, Max.”

“Well, it’s all about mindset.”

I chuckled.

This wasn’t my first time in an interrogation room.

I’ve been forcibly dragged here before under ridiculous accusations.

Compared to that, this was like a picnic.

“By the way, is this going to take much longer? I don’t think there’s much more to say.”

“Oh, we’re almost done. But there’s one thing…”

“What is it?”

“I’d like to ask for your cooperation.”

Ian handed me a sheet of paper.

It was a confidentiality agreement regarding this incident.

As expected.

“Ah, this.”

“Yes, as you can see. You might find it unpleasant, but if you could cooperate, it would be mutually beneficial…”

“Sure.”

“What?”

Ian’s eyes widened.

He hadn’t expected me to agree so quickly.

He probably had various methods ready to persuade me if I refused.

But there was no need for that.

Why go through all that trouble?

“I said, sure.”

I quickly signed my name with a pen.

“Is this enough?”

“Oh, and a seal too.”

Ian hurriedly handed me an ink pad.

He seemed eager to get this done before I could change my mind.

Seeing a priest of the Dark Cult working so hard for the Order made me want to laugh out loud.

Being a double agent must be tough.

‘Come to think of it.’

That thought reminded me.

I needed to set up Ian.

It was preparation for the future.

I might as well drop a hint now.

“Hmm.”

I pressed my seal onto the paper and changed the subject.

“By the way, haven’t we met somewhere before?”

“Huh?”

Ian looked thoughtful for a moment.

But then he shook his head.

“No, this is the first time.”

“Really? Maybe I’m mistaken? Hmm, no… I’m sure I’ve seen you somewhere… Oh?”

I widened my eyes in mock surprise.

“…What’s wrong?”

Ian looked puzzled.

Instead of answering, I asked him.

“Is there any surveillance here?”

“No, there isn’t…”

“I see.”

I nodded as if I understood and picked up a pen.

Then I wrote something on my left palm.

Ian watched curiously.

I slowly showed him my palm.

-Excuse me, Father. Dark Father. Dark Father. Dark Father.

I saw the blood drain from Ian’s face.

I smiled inwardly with satisfaction.

This had to work.

Knowing he was a priest.

And the last part.

Only followers of the Dark Cult would know to chant “Dark Father” three times during greetings or prayers.

This was more than enough as a setup.

And now.

“Well then.”

I folded my hand and stood up neatly.

Leaving a lasting impression was the best way to set up the next move.

Leaving Ian, who was frozen like a statue, I walked out.