Episode 112: The Holy Order (1)
“Even seeing it again, it’s an impressive place.”
The outer walls were already towering and formidable, but inside, two even larger walls stood, forming a triple-layered defense around the fortress. The moat surrounding the walls made any siege a daunting task. It was more like a river than a moat.
In his past life, Dorogo had to deploy his entire undead army to breach the main stronghold.
“Shall we go in?”
Damian led his horse toward the main compound, stopping at the bridge over the moat in front of the gate. On either side of the gate stood two colossal statues holding spears.
As Damian approached, the eyes of the statues glowed, and they crossed their spears to block his path. The spears were so massive that it felt like a wall had been erected before him.
Surprisingly, these statues were not mere structures but a type of golem.
“It’s been a while.”
These statues were known as the Golems of Achilles, a gift from the saint Achilles, who had spent his life creating them. They were one of the war machines possessed by the Order, known for their formidable combat power and mass production capability. In his past life, a single statue had been worth thousands of undead.
“Halt. The main compound does not welcome strangers.”
A voice emanated from the statues. Damian addressed them.
“I am Damian Haxen. I’ve come to claim the reward promised by the Order.”
“Wait a moment. We will find someone to verify your identity.”
The statues fell silent for a while, then suddenly withdrew their spears. The massive gate creaked open slightly, and someone stepped out through the gap.
With short-cropped hair and striking beauty, it was Agnes, the first disciple of the Order’s revered Saint of Blue Flame.
“Damian!”
Agnes hurried over, her usually stoic face now alight with joy.
“What took you so long? We’ve been waiting for your arrival.”
“I had a lot on my plate.”
“I heard you rooted out the dark mages infiltrating the Apple royal family? And you fought a cursed sword in the process.”
Agnes’s eyes flickered with anger.
“Those pests are like cockroaches, spreading disease wherever they go. It’s a relief you dealt with them. The gods will be pleased.”
Agnes crossed herself.
“Please, follow me. I’ll guide you inside.”
Damian followed Agnes into the main compound.
As they walked together, eyes turned toward them from all directions.
“Who is that man?”
“He doesn’t seem to have any divine power. Must be an outsider.”
“What? How did an outsider get into the main compound?”
Most of the gazes were filled with suspicion. The main compound of the Holy Order was generally off-limits to outsiders.
“How is an outsider walking with Lady Agnes…?”
“I’ve never seen Lady Agnes look so relaxed.”
“Damn, it’s annoying.”
Ignoring the murmurs of the knights, Damian took in the sights of the compound. The marble roads and the ancient, stately buildings were all familiar. He had visited the main compound once in his past life, though not for a good reason. He had come under Dorogo’s orders to conquer it.
Despite deploying his entire undead army, Dorogo couldn’t breach the compound, and the casualties only mounted. In the end, he had to urgently recall Damian from a distant mission.
Following Dorogo’s orders, Damian had taken the compound in a single day. The cries of the Order’s members, massacred by the undead army, still echoed vividly in his mind.
“Damian?”
Agnes, walking ahead, turned with a puzzled look.
“You don’t look well. Are you tired?”
“It’s nothing…”
Damian forced a smile. Agnes looked at him with concern.
“To access the inner sanctum, you’ll need to meet with His Holiness and get permission.”
In this world, there was only one person referred to as His Holiness—the leader of the Holy Order, the Holy Pope.
“His Holiness is currently away for a consecration ceremony. In the meantime, would you be willing to meet my master?”
Agnes’s master was none other than the Saint of Blue Flame, one of the Order’s five great saints.
“My master wishes to thank you personally…”
During his time as a Death Knight, Damian had faced many master-class opponents, but the Saint of Blue Flame had been particularly formidable. He couldn’t help but be curious about meeting him as an ally rather than an enemy.
“Let’s go.”
With curiosity piqued, Damian followed Agnes.
Following Agnes, Damian arrived in the northern part of the compound.
“All the buildings here are used by members of our sect.”
The aura emanating from the knights walking around was anything but ordinary.
“Isn’t that Lady Agnes?”
“Who’s that with her? How dare someone walk with Lady Agnes?”
“He looks like an outsider. Could he be… no, that can’t be.”
The knights of the sect reacted similarly to those outside, wary of Damian.
“This is the building our sect uses.”
Agnes led Damian to a building, opening the gate and guiding him into the garden. There, an old man was watering the flowerbeds.
His back was hunched, and his limbs were thin and frail. His face was lined with deep wrinkles, like an ancient tree on the verge of breaking.
“Master, I’ve brought Sir Damian.”
Agnes bowed to the old man, who slowly turned his head. Damian was struck by a strange feeling. Despite the old age, the man looked exactly as Damian remembered.
This was the Saint of Blue Flame, Brigidine, one of the Order’s five great saints.
“Oh, Agnes. You’ve gone through a lot to fulfill this old man’s request.”
The old man smiled kindly as he approached them. He looked like any ordinary grandfather, not the formidable figure of a great saint.
“You must be Damian Haxen.”
“Yes, it’s an honor to meet you.”
The Saint of Blue Flame extended his hand for a handshake. Damian took it.
“Strong grip.”
The saint’s palm was covered in calluses, and even a light squeeze felt like being caught in a vice.
“Seeing you in person… you’re quite handsome. No wonder our Agnes is so taken.”
“M-Master! Please don’t say such things! Sir Damian might misunderstand!”
“What misunderstanding? It’s already the talk of the town. Agnes, you…”
“S-stop! Please stop!”
Agnes shouted in embarrassment. The saint clicked his tongue.
“Yelling at your old master over a man. What a rebellion.”
“Master!”
“Alright, alright. Go fetch us something to eat.”
Agnes flinched at his words.
“Master… you’re not planning anything, are you?”
“Don’t worry. Sir Damian is a benefactor of our sect. I wouldn’t dare treat him poorly.”
The saint spoke firmly. Agnes, still suspicious, reluctantly left the room.
“Please, have a seat.”
Once Agnes was gone, the saint sat at a wooden table in the garden. It seemed to be set up for receiving guests.
Damian took a seat across from him, and the saint began to speak.
“I wanted to meet you to express my gratitude. Thanks to you, my disciples returned safely.”
The saint bowed his head.
A great saint, akin to a king within the Order, was showing his gratitude so openly.
“My disciples… they’re truly special to me. They’re my entire life.”
The saint spoke with a tender expression.
“There’s no need to thank me. Anyone would have saved them in that situation.”
“Such humility. You truly are as remarkable as Agnes described.”
The saint nodded, seemingly moved. Then he handed Damian a silver badge.
The hexagonal badge bore a complex seal.
“This is my personal seal. If you ever need my help, present this badge at any church. They will contact me immediately.”
A great saint was a force far beyond a master class, often mentioned alongside the Empire’s greatest swordsman as one of humanity’s strongest.
Such a powerful figure was offering his assistance to Damian.
“I’ll keep it safe.”
Damian pocketed the badge. His philosophy was always to prepare for the worst. This badge might prove invaluable someday.
Suddenly, Damian noticed the saint studying him intently.
“You’re quite an intriguing person. I’ve never encountered someone so difficult to read.”
The saint examined Damian’s face with interest.
“I’m confident in my ability to read people, but with you… I see nothing.”
As expected of a master class.
Demian had been concealing his true abilities, presenting himself as just another middle-class individual to those around him.
Even Cheongyeom hadn’t discerned Demian’s real skills, but he wasn’t fooled by the facade either.
“Pardon me for being so forward, but could you do me a favor?”
“What is it?”
“I have a rather peculiar hobby. When I encounter young people with exceptional talent, I can’t resist the urge to test them myself.”
A sense of foreboding crept into Demian’s mind.
In an instant, Cheongyeom kicked at Demian’s head.
It was a swift and powerful kick, astonishingly so for someone in a seated position.
Demian reacted immediately, crossing his arms to block the attack.
The impact sent him flying backward, crashing into a flowerbed.
“What on earth are you doing?”
“My apologies. I was just too curious about your skills.”
Cheongyeom grinned, baring his teeth like a predator.
‘That temper of his never changes.’
Cheongyeom was known as the fiercest among the Five Great Sages.
Even among dark sorcerers, he was a figure of fear and dread.
“Well, now that things have come to this, we might as well see what you’re really made of.”
Before he even finished speaking, Cheongyeom charged forward.