Episode 132
“What? Those damn bastards.”
Clone grabbed her mace, ready to charge outside.
Zeke stopped her just in time.
“And what exactly do you plan to do?”
“What do you think? I’m going to kill every last one of those paladin scum.”
“And if you die, who’s going to get us back to headquarters?”
Clone pushed past Zeke, shouting, “Then help me take them down!”
Zeke shook his head as he watched Clone storm out, cursing under his breath.
Liam approached Zeke quietly. “What should we do, sir?”
Zeke pulled out a mask and put it on. “We intervene just enough to keep our identities hidden. If it looks like we can’t stop the paladins, we get Clone out of there immediately. Felix, whatever you do, don’t use paladin sword techniques.”
“Ugh. Got it.”
With masks on, Zeke and his team followed Clone.
The entrance to their hideout was already a battlefield.
A secret paladin unit, disguised as mercenaries, was attacking their members with swords.
Clone charged into the fray, swinging her mace wildly.
“Die, you bastards!”
Thud!
Paladins were knocked back by Clone’s fierce blows.
Watching her wield the mace with such ferocity, it was hard to believe she was a nun.
As Clone’s battle cries echoed, the paladins began to retreat.
One paladin stepped forward, raising a shield from his back.
“In the name of the Sun God, we will purge these heretics!”
They weren’t even trying to hide their allegiance anymore.
The paladins all drew their swords and raised their shields.
Though not as skilled as the Empire’s, the Holy Kingdom’s paladins were well-trained in shield combat.
Especially in chaotic skirmishes like this, shields were highly effective.
Thump! Thump!
The paladins advanced slowly, blocking arrows and swords with their shields.
Zeke, having faced the Holy Kingdom’s paladins in a past life, knew all too well how tenacious they could be.
‘They’re more troublesome than regular knights on the battlefield.’
Even when Clone disrupted their formation with her mace, more paladins quickly filled the gaps, forming a solid defense.
In a prolonged fight, the Rose Society would be at a disadvantage.
Zeke turned to Liam and Felix. “I’ll go around and disrupt their defenses. You two get Clone out when you see an opening.”
“Ugh, do you think that sister will listen to us?”
“Do your best to convince her.”
Leaving Felix and Liam behind, Zeke used stealth to circle around the back.
The rear was also heavily guarded by paladins with shields.
Zeke drew his sword and unleashed a radiant strike at the paladins.
Boom!
A massive wave of light crashed into the paladins.
“Damn it! It’s the magic of the Luverne!”
As the paladins struggled to regain their footing, Zeke unleashed a lightning skill.
Crackle!
The paladins, clustered in the narrow space, were electrocuted all at once.
“Argh!”
Those caught in the lightning attack foamed at the mouth and collapsed.
Zeke drew his Bahamut and charged at the remaining paladins.
Boom!
With a swing imbued with power, even a glancing blow from Bahamut split the floor and ceiling.
A paladin who clashed with Zeke’s sword had his wrist twisted and fell.
“Ugh! It’s the heretic’s magic!”
More disguised paladins with shields poured in from outside.
‘They brought quite a few.’
Given the proximity of Tempel and the Holy Kingdom, and the fact that the Turn family didn’t strictly monitor city entries, it seemed many disguised paladins had infiltrated the city.
Zeke struck at the paladins’ shields, then conjured a shield of light.
Whoosh!
A massive shield of light formed in front of Zeke.
The paladins struck it with swords imbued with aura, only to be repelled by its force.
Zeke pushed the shield forward.
Crash!
The shield exploded, sending a wave of light in all directions.
Taking advantage of the chaos, Zeke toppled the paladins and broke through the defensive line facing the Rose Society.
Zeke approached Clone, who was fiercely swinging her mace, and shouted, “More paladins are coming! We need to leave now!”
Despite her fiery temper, Clone was a key leader in the Rose Society.
She managed to calm herself and agreed with Zeke.
“Everyone, retreat!”
At Clone’s command, the members scattered efficiently.
They set fires throughout the hideout as they retreated.
The flames spread rapidly, as if pre-planned.
Clone gestured to Zeke and his team.
“Hey! This way! If we don’t hurry, we’ll get caught in the explosion!”
Following Clone, Zeke and his team descended into the hideout’s underground.
It was a secret passage leading to an old sewer system.
Not long after they entered the sewer, a massive explosion echoed above.
Boom!
The sound of the building collapsing followed.
Zeke realized how the Rose Society had evaded the Holy Kingdom’s eyes for decades.
‘They’re true guerrillas.’
Clone gestured to Zeke’s team.
They had to navigate the filthy sewer to reach the exit.
Having undergone similar training at the academy, Zeke and Liam entered the sewer without hesitation, but Felix couldn’t handle the stench and retched.
“Ugh!”
Clone shook her head at Felix’s reaction.
“He’s got a lot to learn.”
It took the group over two hours of crawling through the sewer to reach the exit.
Felix’s face was pale.
Clone clicked her tongue at Felix’s condition.
“This one needs some toughening up.”
“If the Rose Knights have a training exchange program, I’d like to send him.”
“Oh, that sounds fun.”
Clone laughed and kicked at the ground, revealing a hidden wooden panel.
She removed it and pulled out a backpack from the hole.
“We’ll hike over the mountain to headquarters. Grab your basic supplies.”
Zeke shook his head.
“No need for extra supplies. I’ve already prepared everything.”
Clone looked puzzled as Zeke opened his bag and pulled items from his inventory.
“A spatial backpack? I knew the Draker family was wealthy, but do they supply those too?”
“It’s personal. Let’s wash up and change into these clothes. The pursuers will be on us soon.”
The group washed off the grime in a nearby stream and changed into the clothes Zeke provided.
Then they headed up the mountain.
For the Rose Society, accustomed to guerrilla warfare, fighting individually in the mountains was advantageous.
Clone was surprised at how well Zeke’s team handled the terrain.
“Does Draker teach mountaineering too?”
”…You seem quite interested in Draker.”
Clone chuckled at Zeke’s comment. As they climbed the mountain, exchanging light banter, they chose a spot under a rock for their camp before nightfall.
Zeke expertly set up the camping gear.
Liam and Felix gathered stones and wood to create a concealed fire pit.
Zeke poured water into a pot and heated up some ready-to-eat meals from his inventory.
With warm soup, bread, and even jerky, it was a meal far too good for camping.
“Wow, even soup from Draker…”
“Not at all, so stop it.”
After a satisfying meal, the four took turns keeping watch while the others rested.
Zeke and Clone took the first watch.
Zeke asked Clone a question he hadn’t had the chance to earlier.
“Why were you surprised to hear about a healer class outside of Luverne?”
Clone looked at Zeke as if he were stating the obvious.
“Because the Blessing of Light is only bestowed upon the Luverne bloodline.”
“Blessing of Light? Is it like the Blessing of Aura or Magic?”
“Not exactly, but it’s somewhat similar. We don’t know everything since many records are lost, but the Blessing of Light is believed to be a hereditary ability of the Luverne.”
“A hereditary ability, huh. What exactly is this Blessing of Light? Does it refer to healing abilities?”
“That’s one aspect of light magic. The Blessing of Light is like a talent for learning and using light magic. The magic in my mace and your sword is light magic.”
In quests, it was noted that light magic could only be passed down to descendants of the Luverne bloodline.
‘A hereditary ability like the Blessing of Light… I didn’t know such a thing existed.’
Clone chewed on the jerky Zeke had given her, speaking with a hint of frustration.
“Ha, I spent nearly ten years mastering the Breath of Light, and this Draker guy uses it the moment he picks up a mace.”
Zeke asked another question to the lamenting Clone.
“But is it possible to train in this holy power? It seems like mastering it allows one to use light magic.”
Clone shook her head.
“Only the descendants of Lubern can wield the magic of light. Knights like us have no choice but to channel their power through divine energy,” Cloné explained.
“Hmm, what exactly is this divine energy? It seems different from aura,” Zeke inquired, curiosity piqued.
Cloné hesitated, pondering how to articulate it. “How should I put it? It’s hard to explain. It’s about loving the divine with all your heart.”
”…I still don’t get it,” Zeke admitted, perplexed.
“It’s difficult to describe in words, but it’s something like this: as you meditate and call upon the divine, you feel a warmth rising from deep within. That’s what generates divine energy.”
Listening to Cloné, Zeke couldn’t help but draw a parallel to how he summoned mana from his core. ‘Could divine energy be another form of mana?’ he wondered. But he quickly dismissed the thought, recalling that he hadn’t sensed any mana or core activity when Cloné used her light magic.
It seemed the only way to resolve his questions was to meet the Lubern descendants themselves.
As dawn broke, the group set off again, making their way through the mountains toward the Rose Order’s headquarters in the northern region of Tempel. Their journey was a complex one, involving a mix of mountain paths and detours by carriage to avoid leaving any trace.
After two days of travel, they finally arrived at their destination. Felix was taken aback by the sight of the headquarters.
“This is the headquarters? It looks like a farm!” he exclaimed.
Without a word, Cloné kicked Felix in the shin.
“Ouch!”
“Stop saying ridiculous things and follow me. Especially in front of the princess, keep your mouth shut,” Cloné warned, her tone sharp.
Felix rubbed his shin and whispered to Liam, “Liam, I’m telling you, she’s not a nun. She’s a witch.”
Liam, embarrassed, edged away from Felix.
Following Cloné, the group entered a dilapidated mansion next to the farm. While they waited in the parlor, Cloné went to fetch the head of the order. Felix took the opportunity to explore the mansion, while Liam remained vigilant for any potential threats.
A few minutes later, Cloné returned, accompanied by a woman dressed in a pristine sister’s habit. The woman was strikingly pale, with snow-white hair and skin, and wore a white dress adorned with a blue rose brooch. Zeke noticed that her eyes seemed unseeing.
The woman sat across from Zeke, with Cloné standing behind her. She greeted them with a serene smile.
“Welcome. I am Arina Lubern, the leader of the Rose Order.”
Despite her delicate appearance, which suggested she had never seen battle, her voice carried an undeniable authority.
‘No wonder the Rose Order has endured for so long,’ Zeke thought, impressed.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Zeke Draker,” he introduced himself.
Arina covered her mouth with a hand, laughing softly. “Cloné has told me all about you. She was so excited to have met a real Draker. She said pureblood Drakers have horns, sharp teeth, and always laugh like…”
“Like demons, with a sinister chuckle,” Zeke finished, amused.
“Yes! I can’t see your face, but your voice tells me you’re nothing like that. It’s calm and strong, with a powerful resonance. I can tell you’re a formidable person.”
Zeke found himself drawn to Arina’s words, but he quickly refocused on the purpose of his visit.
“I’ve come to see the princess because…”
“You’re here to return the long-lost Book of Light to Lubern, aren’t you?” Arina interjected, her eyes twinkling with anticipation.