~Chapter 137~
After that, his mood and daily life became a mess. Words just spilled out carelessly.
“I always thought you were annoying, Elaine Pascal.”
“Oh, don’t worry. I thought the same about you, slippery guy.”
“When you were kicked out of the Order, I’ll admit—I felt relieved.”
“For the record, I quit on my own. And I was glad. I’d wanted to for a long time.”
Her words carried truth. Thinking back, she had always been like that.
“Don’t overdo it, slippery one.”
While he was struggling desperately to win, she just patted his shoulder lightly, tossing out words of comfort without a second thought.
Not realizing that was even more maddening.
Not realizing it made him feel even more pathetic for sometimes being comforted by it.
Her attitude, as if she had no regrets at all, made something boil inside him.
“Anyway, when you said you were leaving, I was really happy.”
“Well, I said I was happy too—”
“That was until I found out you were a woman.”
“……”
“Until it came out that someone who should never have been allowed to join the Holy Knights in the first place… was one of us.”
Elaine’s brow furrowed. Across from her, the black-haired man’s gaze grew heavy and dangerous.
Benji broke into a cold sweat but forced strength into his voice.
“After finding that out…”
“……”
“…I felt like a fool for competing against you.”
Elaine’s lips twisted into sarcasm.
“Oh, so your pride is hurt because you were competing with a woman?”
Immediately, a crushing pressure surged from the black-haired man, choking Benji’s throat.
“Ghh!”
It only stopped when Elaine tapped the man’s knee gently.
Benji, who had been holding his breath, hurried to explain.
“…M-misunderstanding.”
“Misunderstanding?”
“I didn’t mean my pride was hurt because you’re a woman… not at all.”
Benji carefully chose his words.
If he answered wrong, that man might pierce his forehead next time.
Finally, he said:
“…I just realized I never truly knew you.”
He had heatedly competed without ever really knowing who his opponent was.
He had even once spread rumors mocking her body, trying to break her concentration. Of course, that had never worked.
In the end, he knew nothing about her.
“…And I realized I built up all that hostility for nothing.”
He had sworn before God to be a knight. Even his arrogance came from pride in the 4th Order.
But as things stood, he was nothing but a fool—one who fought blindly without knowing his enemy.
“I can’t remain a knight that foolish.”
Benji let out a bitter laugh.
Even this realization—he wouldn’t have gained it without Elaine. That’s why he had come here.
“…You really are an insufferable person.”
“Sure.”
“But you’re not the kind to plan treason. That Duke, maybe… but not you.”
“Hey! My husband would never plan something like that either. He’s a really good man.”
At those words, the black-haired man leaned into Elaine, fluttering his eyes playfully.
Elaine glanced away and asked Benji:
“So, you truly believe I’m not involved in treason?”
“Yeah. As your one and only rival, I can guarantee it.”
“Rival?”
Elaine’s wide eyes showed she had never thought of him that way. That alone was irritating.
But it no longer mattered.
He would defeat Elaine Pascal fairly, one day. For that to happen, she had to live.
He had also read the treason letter the Emperor had sent—it had already circulated through the Orders.
“…Even if you or the Duke had done something wrong, I don’t believe this way of handling it is right.”
The accusations were too forced, too unreasonable. Surely others secretly thought the same.
If Saint Portu fell, the capital would be next.
Even if the Duke was descended from demons, he was still a shield against them. To remove him made no sense.
Benji drew a deep breath and spoke with courage.
“That’s why I came to talk to you. If there’s a way I can help, I will.”
For a moment, he even felt he looked cool.
But then Elaine’s lips curved into a sly smile.
“….”
Why is she smiling like that? Why are her eyes like that?
Suddenly, she gripped his shoulder tightly and said:
“Thank you.”
Just as Benji tried to pull back, feeling a bad premonition—
“Then can I ask you a favor right away, Benji?”
It was the first time she had spoken his name.
Benji froze, and at that moment, the black-haired man’s fiery gaze pierced straight into his forehead.
“Captain!”
“How could you?!”
“You went to Saint Portu without taking us with you?!”
Ista looked at the 3rd Order knights clinging to him with a faint smile.
Returning to the Holy Knights’ building after weeks away should have felt like coming home… but instead, it felt like he had come to the wrong place.
‘How did it end up like this?’
He shouldn’t even be here.
It all started a few hours ago, at the capital gates.
‘We need to check your identity.’
While he had stepped away, the gate inspections had gotten stricter. He had disguised himself, even covered his face.
‘Your name?’
“I… Iletta.”
He almost slipped and said his real name.
‘Without an ID, you can’t pass.’
“….”
Damn it.
All his careful preparation was useless. He couldn’t show an ID under his real name.
So he left quietly… and made a decision.
‘Might as well just climb the wall.’
With a strong body, he didn’t need to use his head too much.
Feeling refreshed, he vaulted the high wall—
‘Who goes there?!’
‘What crazy man climbs a three-story wall with holy wards on it—huh?’
‘Captain?’
He had run right into the 3rd Order patrol hunting cultists.
By the time he realized, he was already dragged back to the Holy Knights’ building.
Sweat beaded on his back as the 3rd Order peppered him with worried questions.
“How’s Saint Portu?”
“What about the Vice-Captain, or rather… the Duchess? Is she well?”
“You didn’t already shoot the Duke, did you?”
“And what’s this talk about treason? We’re all confused…”
“…You’re the ones confused, not me.”
He tried to dodge their questions, but then—
“Captain Ista.”
The Chief Captain of all the Orders entered.
‘…I’m caught.’
Ista stiffened, but the Chief’s stern face suddenly softened into emotion.
“You must have escaped secretly to bring us news of the traitors!”
“…That is…”
“And you left early for Saint Portu because you suspected treason already?”
“….”
“And you left the other knights there to keep watch over the traitors?”
Before he could even make excuses, the Chief had already made them for him, patting his shoulder.
“You’ve always been a faithful captain. I knew it.”
…To think his reputation for seriousness and honesty would save him here.
Ista only rolled his eyes quietly.
The Chief returned to a stern face.
“Come. Even His Holiness the Pope awaits your report.”
“…His Holiness?”
“He’s waiting.”
Nervous, Ista followed.
But instead of leading him to the Pope’s office upstairs, their steps led… underground.
‘The basement?’
At last, they arrived before the door to the sacred relic vault.
“Go inside.”
The Chief left, and Ista stared in confusion.
Then Elaine’s words suddenly came back to him:
“In the capital’s temple vault… there may be something connected to dragons.”
If he could find it, maybe it could help.
Even if he could no longer deliver his true feelings, perhaps he could at least deliver this.
Resolving himself, Ista stepped forward—
“Uh… uhh…”
A faint groan reached his ears. A soft, fragile woman’s voice.
“…What?”
Startled, Ista threw open the vault door.
“Don’t come any closer!”
On the altar, a silver-haired woman wept, bound in chains.
Behind her, a glowing, mysterious gate shimmered.
“What in the world—!”
He rushed toward her.
“You’ve come.”
A cold, strange voice whispered at his ear.
The voice was unmistakable.
“My son.”
“……”
“You’ve come to serve as the perfect bait for me.”
It was the voice of someone who had never once called him son before.
“W-what…?”
“It begins now.”
The whisper faded as his consciousness slipped away.
