Paladin of the Dead God

(Continued)

“Thank you. The second matter concerns Priest Ciero.”

“M-Me?”

Ciero looked up in shock, his name suddenly brought up. Though Ciero was well-known among the common folk and lower classes, he felt small in the presence of the ‘true elites’ like the King of Elil, the Holy Grail Knight, and the daughter of the Duke of Gulmar. Confidence was his greatest asset, but here, he felt it slipping.

Hesabel smiled and addressed Ciero.

“Sir Isaac said: ‘The Ciero Dawn Army is over. Priest Ciero died in the boiling water underground. The Ciero who was reborn in that boiling water should not run toward death but instead return to protect the living.’”

Edelred tilted his head, puzzled, but Ciero immediately understood the message.

Isaac was telling him to disband the Dawn Army and return.

The further Ciero, who had no talent for managing an organization or waging war, marched toward the Immortal Order, the closer he would be to his death. Isaac hoped Ciero would channel his talent into suppressing religious fanaticism rather than inciting it.

This meant Ciero would be politically opposed to the very factions that were egging on the Dawn Army. Inquisitors were bound to be lurking at his door, and there were still the vulnerabilities that came with being a Nephilim.

But then Ciero remembered the part Isaac said about being ‘reborn in boiling water’ and glanced at his hands.

Hands filled with flickering light.

Ever since he dipped them into the heavenly flames in the underground waterway, his hands were marked undeniably as stigmata and proof of a holy body.

‘If I’m a holy body, even the church wouldn’t dare to act recklessly.’

Given the enormous damage caused by the Dawn Army—many lives lost, and massive societal disruption—Ciero would undoubtedly face severe backlash. But that, too, was his penance to bear.

“…I’ll accept,” Ciero finally replied, seeing no other choice. Edelred nodded in agreement.

“I’ll allow the Ciero Dawn Army to regroup and retreat safely, but I can’t guarantee the order will be smoothly executed. The main force of the Dawn Army is approaching, and I doubt they’ll just let the remnants of your army walk away.”

“I’ll have to find a way to handle that myself…”

With the second matter resolved, Hesabel smiled and moved on to the third message.

“And the third message concerns the disposition of Batenna Kran. He has requested a burial in the style of the Codex of Light. Although his soul will return to the Immortal Order’s domain, he asks that his body be given proper respect through cremation.”

Hesabel turned her gaze back to Ciero.

“The chief mourner will be Lehena Kran, and Priest Ciero will oversee the ceremony.”

Ciero felt the weight of responsibility grow heavier.

This wasn’t a favor because Isaac liked him. He wanted Ciero to feel even more guilt while witnessing the grieving family during the funeral, adding more to his emotional debt. It was also likely because Ciero was the only available priest of the Codex of Light nearby.

“That concludes Sir Isaac’s messages. Thank you for your cooperation, and special thanks to His Majesty Edelred for bringing the army here. We shall meet again at Odryff Harbor.”

***

Courage is stepping forward to do what others avoid.

But greater courage lies in admitting you’ve taken the wrong path and choosing to turn back—especially when countless comrades and subordinates lie behind you like mountains of corpses.

“…Therefore, I deeply repent for my mistakes and failures. I overreached beyond the abilities granted to me by the Codex of Light and dared to challenge trials far beyond my calling. Many followers have lost their lives due to my dreadful failures, and I intend to seek the Holy Father’s forgiveness by asking to pay for my sins with my life.”

The followers of the Ciero Dawn Army began to murmur.

They had heard all about Ciero’s foolish blunders and idiotic missteps with their own eyes and ears.

However, recently, the atmosphere hadn’t been bad.

Ciero had shown signs of remorse, actively trying to reform the Dawn Army, and the troublemaking faction that had disrupted things in the past was nowhere to be seen. Moreover, Ciero had become close with the famed Holy Grail Knight, transformed into a mysterious holy body, and even received recognition from the King of Elil.

“No, Priest!”

A young follower suddenly stood and shouted.

“Your mistakes were the work of evil men who blocked your eyes and ears. Don’t let yourself fall victim to the schemes of demons who tried to tarnish your name!”

“That’s right, Priest! Please reconsider! We cannot stop the Dawn Army now!”

The uproar from the Dawn Army soldiers quickly spread.

Those who had grown tired of Ciero had already fled, and those remaining were either his fervent supporters or had nowhere else to go. The fervor for Ciero’s defense rapidly reached a boiling point.

Ciero smiled gently.

‘Just as planned.’

Of course, Ciero still valued his own life immensely. He had no intention of repeating past mistakes, nor of willingly offering his head to the Pope.

Tearing up, Ciero spoke.

“I am deeply humbled by your care and love. But given that the tasks before me far exceed my abilities, we cannot continue to charge forward as we are.”

“Are you saying you’re disbanding the Dawn Army?”

One follower shouted in shock. Ciero quickly raised his hand to calm the restless crowd.

“What I mean is…”

He was about to explain that he intended to return to the Holy Gerthonia Empire to deliver a message of peace and reconciliation when he noticed someone hurrying towards him through the crowd.

Ciero paused his speech, wondering what was happening.

A breathless follower with a pale face struggled to catch his breath as he finally spoke his first words to Ciero.

“The Inquisitors! The Inquisitors are looking for you, Priest Ciero!”

In that instant, Ciero decided to abandon all thoughts of a reversal movement and immediately planned his escape.