Paladin of the Dead God - Chapter 280:

Isaac entered the monastery chapel and saw a young priestess, likely just over twenty, praying. She turned her head when she heard the clinking sound of armor.

“You must be the Holy Grail Knight.”

Isaac momentarily lost his words when he saw the priestess’s eyes, which were so clear they seemed to gleam like glass. Rather than being genuinely clear, this was a phenomenon that had become noticeable after the proclamation of the “Gerthonia Holy Empire.” The more religiously devout the priest, the more pronounced this phenomenon seemed to be.

‘She’s young, but with eyes like those, she’s probably a fanatic who’s burned more than a few people.’

The appearance of the Blind Sentinel and the paradigm shift to a Holy Empire may have sparked some change in the priests. Frankly, it was a bit creepy to look at, but they seemed to take pride in their eyes.

“My name is Isaac Issacrea, an unworthy servant. And you are…?”

“I am Yurie Otter. I may be lacking, but I have come here to deliver a message from Cardinal Rohen.”

Her surname was the same as Cardinal Rohen Otter’s. Isaac didn’t know how closely they were related, but given her age, it seemed unlikely she was part of the Watcher’s Council.

The priestess named Yurie, eyes shining like marbles, immediately took out a decree.

“Please, Isaac Issacrea, the Resurrected Saint, accept this message from the House of Light with reverence. The heavenly authority has finally illuminated the land with light and shade under the name of the Gerthonia Holy Empire, and we bring the Sentinel’s message to all who stand in the sunlit order…”

“Wait, wait.”

“Yes, why do you interrupt?”

Yurie seemed displeased at the interruption of her recital.

Isaac sighed and crossed his arms.

“In truth, I have already heard the contents of the decree. Didn’t you recite it thrice already? Once in the streets, once in the monastery, and once more in the chapel as soon as you arrived? You must have been quite excited to play the role of a messenger.”

Yurie’s face flushed slightly at Isaac’s words.

“This is my first dispatch assignment, and I thought the more people who heard the voice of the Sentinel, the better.”

“Normally, the addressee is the first to hear a decree. I won’t make an issue of it, but since I’ve already heard it, let’s skip ahead, shall we? No problem with that, right, Priestess?”

“Oh… If you insist.”

Yurie seemed to have hoped to deliver the message to “the” Grail Knight personally, but Isaac had no intention of listening to that long decree in its entirety.

Besides, there was much to be done in Issacrea.

“The decree is to dispatch soldiers and supplies to the Dawn Army, correct, Priestess Yurie?”

“Yes. It is the Holy Father’s judgment that if all the believers of the Codex of Light unite and march toward the Holy Land, the struggles of the Immortal Order will be decisively crushed. And with the famed Resurrected Saint participating…”

“Understood. I will do so.”

Yurie’s face broke into a radiant smile at Isaac’s straightforward answer, nodding eagerly.

It seemed she hadn’t considered the possibility of refusal. To her, joining the Dawn Army must be a glorious duty.

However, Isaac agreed merely to avoid the hassle of arguing with a fanatic.

“However, as you know, the Issacrea estate is monastery land. As I understand it, the supplies and soldiers are to be gathered at various monasteries and temples before deployment, correct?”

“Oh? Yes, that’s correct.”

“Then I suppose there’s no need to send them elsewhere immediately, right?”

“Well, I’m not entirely sure, but perhaps that’s the case?”

“It’s a truly honorable duty. I was planning to depart soon, and now, with this sacred message from the Holy Father urging me on, I must run like a horse whipped. However, it just so happens that there are issues on the eastern routes, causing delays in departure. Perhaps Priestess Yurie could assess the situation in the east?”

“Well, I am just a messenger…”

“I’m just a humble and weak knight. I wish to rely on a steadfast and devout guide like yourself. If you command, ‘The east is fine! Go forth!’ I shall obey without hesitation.”

Young, impulsive zealots typically act on a singular drive: the desire for recognition.

When the renowned Grail Knight lowered himself and said, ‘I will follow,’ Yurie seemed elated, clenching her fists in excitement. The Nephilim’s allure played its part in stoking the zealot’s fervor.

“Understood! It would be an honor to be part of a Dawn Army expedition with the Resurrected Saint! I shall go ahead as a scout of the light!”

“Thank you. I trust only you, Priestess Yurie.”

Yurie babbled on about religious zeal a few more times before leaving the chapel. A little while later, Hesabel slithered over.

“Who was that creepy girl? Just making eye contact with her made me scared enough to want to run away.”

“She scares me every time I see her too. Prepare yourself, as the Empire is full of strange priests like her now.”

Isaac strode out of the chapel, and Hesabel followed.

“But the east is crawling with the Olkan Code, isn’t it? Is it okay to send her there?”

“She wouldn’t have come alone; she probably has a knight escort. If she’s captured and killed, it’s fate. If she returns alive, she’ll be a witness to testify how messed up things are in the east. Judging by her eyes, she’s burned more than a few people. I don’t feel much sympathy for her.”

Isaac had seen priests who, under the guise of enlisting for the Dawn Army, would hand weapons to anyone who could walk. No, some would send people east without weapons, telling them just to go.

In these insane times, a fanatical priestess in her twenties being killed somewhere is just dying of natural causes.

***

Isaac’s next concern was the sentiment and stability of the refugees.

A sudden population surge was bound to cause incidents. Fortunately, being late autumn and with the refugees bringing some food supplies, there seemed to be no immediate threat of starvation. However, if a riot broke out, Issacrea would collapse from within rather than from the Olkan Code.

“That shouldn’t be much of a worry.”

The one who responded to Isaac’s concern was Claire.

Of the changes in Issacrea during Isaac’s absence, the revival of the Nameless Chaos faith centered around Claire and Neria was the most unexpected.

Though referred to as the “Issacrea Morning Prayer Group” instead of the Nameless Chaos, nearly a quarter of the estate’s population seemed to attend. Including those influenced but not attending, the numbers would be even higher, especially among the refugees and immigrants rather than the original residents.

Initially, the priests of the estate suspected the Morning Prayer Group was a dubious folk religion. However, since their teachings didn’t deviate much from what Isaac often said and because Claire, a cleric from the capital, joined, they began accepting it as a “different interpretation.”

In particular, priests and the Knights of Briant who were repelled by external fanaticism found the “rational” doctrines of Issacrea attractive.

‘Hmm, I thought the doctrine was too plain to gain any real traction.’

“You’re thinking it’s unexpected, aren’t you?”

Claire’s amused comment prompted Isaac to conceal his surprise and avert his gaze. Isaac had been touring the streets with Claire to bolster the stability the Morning Prayer Group brought to the community, helping with the distribution of supplies. He realized anew the extent of Claire’s popularity, as people expressed gratitude to her as much as they did to him.

“To be honest, compared to faiths that burn enemies and emit sword energy, or turn people into undead, Neria’s stories are rather plain.”

Though if you delve deep enough, it could emit tentacles, but Isaac preferred to keep that a private affair.

“But most of the refugees have fled from or been disappointed by the Codex of Light. They found it hard to continue believing but were more frightened by the absence of faith itself.”

“So they sought something to believe in and leaned on you?”

“Vulnerable people open their hearts easily to small acts of kindness. But I think your reputation played a significant role. Without that backing, we wouldn’t have grown this much.”

“Yet you show no miracles.”

“What do you mean there are no miracles?”

Claire replied with a smile.

“You said instead of grand miracles, we should become miracles for each other, didn’t you? We aimed to be that miracle, and it seems the refugees experienced their own ‘miracles’ through each other.”

Claire then relayed various experiences of the refugees collectively.

They would have faced numerous crises and hardships during their escape. But each time, it wasn’t a miracle or an angel that saved them but their neighbors who traveled with them. When the Great Raid hit Soer, they experienced the miracle of banding together to resist formidable foes.

Already, they were no longer mere beneficiaries of miracles but participants performing them.

“After the emperor’s excommunication, people realized that relying on divine mercy wasn’t enough, and they needed to control and protect themselves. They also learned that when they fall, the ones they can truly rely on are their neighbors and friends…”

In essence, the more fanatical the Codex of Light became, and the more the Olkan Code plundered, the more ordinary people grew stronger in their solidarity.

Isaac found it intriguing that the currents were flowing in

the exact opposite direction as they did 300 years ago. Back then, religious fanaticism was rampant, and many were oppressed. But why did people then desire destruction, and now they seek unity?

“It’s all thanks to you that we have this refuge.”

Isaac thought for a moment, then shook his head at Claire’s remark.

“No, I am not that kind of person.”

He had merely pursued his interests while trying to stay on a reasonable path. Of course, he might have instilled some motivation, but he was not someone to be admired.

“But…”

“Even so, if people are helping and uniting with one another, it’s simply because they inherently enjoy doing so. It’s not because I set an example.”

Isaac stated with conviction.

He was not someone worthy of being emulated and had never attempted to be. But if such phenomena arose, it’s because people naturally enjoy helping each other.

“Humans are inherently weak, and the only way to survive in the ecosystem, form communities, or build structures is through cooperation. That’s what faith is about. Many believers praying together can achieve miracles that one alone cannot.”

Isaac murmured, as if the knowledge he had gained over time was spilling from him.

“However, this also creates a strong division between ‘us’ and ‘them,’ leading to guilt-free massacres and wars. That conflict ultimately culminates in what we see now.”

“Isaac…”

“And this place has become a sump for those fleeing madness, war, and slaughter. People are painfully awakening to the most basic concepts of faith: that it was created to survive and unite in a world full of fear and terror.”

He explained calmly that what was happening wasn’t due to anyone’s exceptional actions but rather a natural occurrence.

He didn’t assume only good things would happen. The Issacrea Morning Prayer Group was incomplete and fragile. As it grew, there was no guarantee it wouldn’t end up like the Codex of Light.

Claire gazed at Isaac with a bewildered expression.

“Isaac, I never imagined you had such profound thoughts.”

“What? Wait, what did you think of me…”

Isaac was about to protest but stopped as he realized something strange. Though he had been mulling over similar thoughts, he hadn’t expected them to spill out so smoothly.

Yet, as he spoke, it seemed like someone had organized the ideas in his mind, making them flow effortlessly, even changing his tone.

Suddenly, a chilling sensation ran through Isaac.

He realized that the words he had spoken stemmed from the knowledge of the book written by the White Owl. The digested knowledge was being naturally ingrained into his mind.

‘Damn it, is this thing brainwashing me?’

Though Isaac felt an unsettling sense of alarm, he calmed down, noting that the contents aligned with his thoughts.

He thought of the Urbansus. The accumulated time, knowledge, and history incessantly pressured the modern human mind, filling it.

Isaac pondered how much of his identity as a modern person remained.

As long as he retained his modern identity, the messages from the Nameless Chaos would continually remind him that he was a stranger in this world, urging him to view the world objectively. But there might come a time when those messages would hold no meaning for him.

Only then could he genuinely embrace this world.

“…Anyway, I’m glad the estate is running smoothly. Now I can focus on other tasks.”

Isaac dusted himself off and stood up, and Claire looked up at him.

“Where are you going?”

“To meet Manseungja. She must already know I’ve arrived, so if I hesitate any longer, she’ll send her army.”

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