Chapter 23

After finishing my discussion with Cardinal Keller, I was heading towards the Great Church.

The cardinal had given me a rosary and a parchment detailing various matters.

The Great Church, located on the outskirts of the Imperial Capital, takes half a day to reach on foot from here. Naturally, I can’t use my lightning sword in the middle of the city.

Even though I’m fairly well-trained, there are limits.

I shouldn’t have brought the armor… It’s heavy and cumbersome.

As I continue running without slowing my pace, the area suddenly becomes deserted.

Unnaturally so.

I immediately drew my lightning sword.

A group, clad in red hoods and armed, surrounded me.

“Identify yourselves. State your names.”

The group in red hoods didn’t utter a single word.

Each of them was armed with either swords or daggers, and they all directed their killing intent at me.

Killing or wounding someone in the Imperial Capital is strictly forbidden, but… the marquis and others are quite bloodthirsty.

Are these cult assassins?

But why target me?

Even though their allies are about to be wiped out at the Great Church.

Could they have overheard my conversation with the cardinal?

Do they think they can buy time by killing me, the acting knight of the church?

How foolish… But to think they could eavesdrop right under the cardinal’s nose.

It’s possible she intentionally let it happen. I’ll have to interrogate her later.

I infused my lightning sword with magic power.

They will learn the folly of targeting me.

The cult assassins were coordinated, but sadly, they and their weapons were too weak to deal with me. They weren’t even prepared for a lightning sword. It’s laughable.

They might have been enough for an average adventurer, but they underestimated a top-tier one.

As I dealt with those who couldn’t keep up with my accelerated movements, the group was halved and then fled, dragging their dead with them.

I wanted to capture one alive to interrogate, but I’m too busy right now.

They might come after me again, or I might need to prepare something for them.

As I resumed running, the number of people and buildings gradually decreased. Eventually, a massive church came into view, surrounded by troops.

I saw the marquis’s flag. His troops were visibly ready for a fight.

Under the flag stood a middle-aged man in splendid armor, glaring at the Great Church with folded arms.

Beside him, Nia was trying to talk to the marquis, but she seemed completely dejected.

Her normally perky ears were drooping.

As I approached, several knights tried to stop me.

I showed them the cross and parchment with the cardinal’s signature that I had received from the church.

The marquis took it and examined it thoroughly.

“So you’ve come… You’ve gone to great lengths.”

“My apologies for the wait, Marquis. The church has ordered me, the acting knight, to exterminate the heretics, with your support.”

“Understood. My knights, show those who have sullied our name their due punishment!”

With the marquis’s command, the knights stormed the Great Church.

The sound of clashing swords soon echoed, and then silence followed.

A knight in earnest is terrifying—a hulking mass of muscle clad in full armor. I wouldn’t want to fight one.

Facing a large magical beast would be easier.

The marquis, who had rushed in with them, emerged wiping blood from his sword.

The foremost martial force of the empire is no joke.

“Thank you. With this, the honor of my family and my daughter is preserved. We tried to take one alive, but they committed suicide. We couldn’t trace their backers…”

The perpetrators are all dead. Investigating further likely won’t yield anything. They were probably just expendable pawns.

Judging by their outfits, the ones who attacked me were likely connected.

The inside of the church was… gruesome.

Blood was splattered everywhere, but otherwise, it looked the same as it did before. I never thought I’d step here again.

The holy sword trembled. Perhaps it’s reacting to this place of enmity.

I stepped outside and looked up at the Great Church.

The repaired cross was shining.

Somewhere in the kingdom

The marshal had his head in his hands.

“The assault team is completely wiped out. They were so close to withdrawing.”

“The marquis’s troops moved unexpectedly fast… and the assassin we sent to deal with that adventurer was easily repelled.”

“Damn, we’re falling behind. The princess’s faction is starting to influence the military. If this continues, they’ll begin exposing our corruption. Isn’t there anything we can do?”

“There is indeed.”

A ghostly man responded to the anxious voice of the kingdom’s marshal.

“Is that true? We have no more pieces to play.”

“No need to worry. I will move directly. The preparations are complete except for the sacrifice.”

“Another kidnapping? But it’s difficult to capture that girl suitable for the sacrifice again.”

“There’s another candidate. A royal with great blood and youth. We’ll use Princess Her Highness.”

“What are you saying! Even if we are opposed, using a royal as a sacrifice… If it comes to light, it will be our heads!”

“No need to worry. I appreciate your cooperation thus far.”

The ghostly man said, slicing off the marshal’s head.

“What!?”

With a reverse cut, he also slashed a general beside him diagonally.

The general died without even drawing his sword.

The ghostly man created a black hole and threw the corpses into it.

“Now, let’s begin, despite the deviations from the plan.”

There was no one left to respond.

When the man left the room, even the traces vanished.

News of the princess’s disappearance reached the empire ten days later.

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