CHAPTER 135……………………………………….
The Flames of the Holy War
The interrogation of the Shadow Knight took place in the secluded inn we had rented.
“I’ve been trying this the whole way here, and I can tell—you can’t take your own life anymore.”
“…….”
Even after hearing my whisper, the Shadow Knight only moved his eyes slightly, trembling a little.
When someone is petrified, divinity cannot enter their body.
Unaware of this, he had been attempting to gather divinity on the way to the inn—but, of course, nothing happened.
“The reason you’re still breathing is that I controlled the petrification just enough.”
“…….”
“You know,” I continued, “even while petrified…”
I gently pressed his cheek with my finger.
“Your senses are still alive, right?”
“……!”
His pupils trembled violently.
It meant he understood what I was saying.
“From now on, you won’t be able to scream—you’ll only feel the pain.”
I grinned and began slowly chanting the spell.
“<Flowing senses, accumulating pain, swallow it by force>.”
I tapped his knee with my finger.
“.”
A blue light flashed from my fingertip and seeped into his knee.
“……What? That’s it?”
Leonis, standing with his arms crossed beside me, tilted his head in curiosity.
“Is it working?”
“I can’t tell at all.”
“I… I don’t really know.”
Ronan, Valen, and even Ribal frowned as they watched the petrified Shadow Knight.
But aside from his still-trembling pupils, there was no other visible change.
Naturally.
is a spell that stimulates the sensory nerves directly with mana.
Depending on how it’s used, it can even heal injuries, but it is normally used as a torture method that leaves no trace.
It’s a very tricky spell to handle, which is why I personally enjoy it.
“How’s that?”
Instead of answering their questions, I asked the Shadow Knight.
“Isn’t it wonderful?”
“…….”
“The pain you’re feeling isn’t visible from the outside.”
“…….”
“Also, this spell will never kill you. It’s a safe form of torture. Just painful enough to make you wish you could die.”
I glanced at the clock and continued.
“For the next five minutes, this will repeat throughout your body. After that, you can speak. So, you have to make a decision by then. Otherwise…”
“……!”
With the blue-lighted fingertip, I tapped the other knee.
“You’ll only be able to speak after another five minutes pass.”
And so, for five minutes, a quiet yet horrifying torture continued.
Ribal instinctively covered his mouth with his hand.
…He had never heard of a spell like this.
No matter how he looked at it, it was unbelievable that Esric, someone roughly his own age, could wield such a cruel spell.
Valen felt the same.
The scene unfolding before them was so unpleasant that even a veteran knight would frown.
“Ugh… hng… urrgh…”
As soon as the five minutes were up, Esric released the petrification from the Shadow Knight’s neck only.
Immediately, the Shadow Knight vomited violently.
Drool ran down his face, and his pupils were filled only with fear and terror.
“I… I… I’ll… tell… everything…”
“He says he’ll tell everything. Ask him.”
Esric gestured cheerfully at the Shadow Knight.
Valen stared at Esric for a moment, then turned to the Shadow Knight.
“…Why is the Pope monitoring me?”
“The… the Pope… says… you are… the only… variable… who could… stop the holy war…”
Though broken, the Shadow Knight’s words were understandable.
Before Valen could ask further:
“My younger brother… who killed the Third Prince?”
Leonis asked in a low, tense voice.
“Dr-Dr… Dreivan… the Captain….”
“…The head of the Shadow Knights?”
“Ye… yes….”
The Shadow Knight croaked out his answer with a cracked, dry voice.
Crunch.
The sound of Leonis grinding his teeth echoed through the inn.
Anger and hatred swirled in his eyes as he clenched his fists.
Swallowing that emotion, he asked the next question:
“…Whose orders were these?”
Given that the Pope was the only one who could command the Shadow Knights, this question needed no further explanation.
“Lu… Lucarion… the Pope….”
The truth, which had been buried under suspicion, became clear in an instant.
Boom.
Leonis slammed his fist on the table as if to vent the fury he had been suppressing.
Shaking uncontrollably, Valen continued the questioning in his stead.
“…Is there any proof of this?”
“Pro… proof….”
The Shadow Knight shook his head violently, then locked eyes with Esric and spewed out words as if vomiting them.
“Pope Lucarion purchased poison in the Western Triple Forest! The ledgers! Recorded in the order’s ledgers!”
“The records could have been erased, though.”
“The poison remains! Poison! It’s very rare! Captain Dreivan returned the remainder to His Holiness the Pope!”
“That might have been discarded too.”
Esric pressed the trembling Shadow Knight relentlessly.
“We want more solid proof.”
“Proof, pr-proof… proof… solid… proof….”
Tick, tick, tick. The Shadow Knight, shaking violently, began chattering his teeth.
“E-enough….”
Before Ribal could intervene, Valen struck the Shadow Knight’s face with a heavy punch.
Bang—!
The punch, infused with divinity, sent the Shadow Knight collapsing to the ground.
Squelch.
Blood and flesh stuck to Valen’s fist as he lifted it.
The Shadow Knight’s face was barely recognizable.
The petrification released from his body, his stiff frame slackened.
But he did not move.
“That’s enough.”
Valen looked down at Esric.
Esric shrugged and stepped back.
Leonis turned to Valen.
“…Will you help us?”
“There’s nothing to help with. I am merely following Solius’ instructions.”
Valen brushed off his fist.
“Consider it… an alliance.”
“Think what you will.”
“Then will you summon the Dawn Knights?”
“You seem to misunderstand. The Dawn Knights are not a group that can simply be summoned.”
Valen scoffed and left the inn.
Ribal bowed politely and followed him.
In the inn, only the three of us remained.
“…Hey.”
Esric clicked his tongue in frustration at Leonis.
“I’m the only bad guy now.”
There are many spells that can force someone to confess secrets.
I could name over ten right away.
Yet we resorted to torture because of Leonis’ command.
“Did it have to go this far?”
Ronan asked Leonis while looking at the Shadow Knight sprawled on the floor.
“Yes.”
Leonis nodded calmly.
“You all saw the believers. Their faith is not so weak that reason alone can persuade them.”
“That’s true, but… is this really necessary?”
“That’s because you don’t understand the significance of the Dawn Knights within the Solius Order.”
These are paladins who obey no one.
Upright, just, and independent of any outside influence.
“Within the Solius Order, the Dawn Knights symbolize true faith. So we needed to move Valen more than anyone else. Judging by how he stepped forward despite himself, your ‘torture’ was quite effective.”
“…Seems like you’ve made an enemy.”
“That can’t be helped.”
Leonis chuckled quietly.
It had been a while since I’d last seen him smile like that.
“But can one man—Valen—truly change the faith of so many believers?”
“He’s not just any knight; he’s a symbol even within the order. If he dies, he’ll be remembered as a saint. It will be hard, but… he won’t be alone, so it’ll be fine.”
“Not alone? You don’t mean that young paladin, do you? That’s only two people.”
“Valen said he couldn’t summon the Dawn Knights…”
Leonis shook his head at my remark.
“I didn’t say they wouldn’t gather.”
“So you mean they’ll gather on their own?”
Leonis just shrugged.
…Why does the prince know so little?
“Whether they gather or not doesn’t matter. We still have to stop the holy war… and you’ll do it, won’t you?”
At Leonis’ words, Ronan and I exchanged a glance and smiled confidently.
“Of course.”
“Absolutely.”
The city of the Papacy: Solanis.
Ten days have passed since the saint’s death.
Believers continued to flood in from nearby towns and villages.
All had come after hearing the tragic news of the saint’s death and the holy war.
The Papacy, as if expecting this, opened the armory and handed weapons and shields into their hands.
They were excited, as if they were about to march against the Empire immediately.
Watching these believers with unease was the captain of the Sun Knights, Lionel, leader of the largest knightly order in the Solius Church.
“Captain.”
The deputy approached Lionel and whispered quietly.
“We tried to investigate… but couldn’t find any evidence.”
“…I see. Since it’s clearly the work of the Shadow Knights, they wouldn’t leave evidence.”
“…I’m sorry.”
“It’s not your fault. This is…”
Lionel quietly glared at the Papacy building.
Rationally, the Third Prince could not have assaulted the saint.
If anyone had seen them together even once, there would be no misunderstanding.
They had respected, cherished, and loved each other for years.
But Lionel only had suspicion.
No concrete evidence.
“…Even if there were evidence now, I don’t think we could calm them down.”
“…What can we do? So many lives are at risk.”
“Haven’t you steeled yourselves for that?”
At their whispered conversation, a knight approached sharply.
Lionel frowned at the knight’s sharply spoken words.
“…Elnor.”
“If you’re not ready, step aside. You’ll only get in the way.”
“Commander of the Holy Light! That’s too harsh—!”
Lionel stopped the indignant deputy.
“I’m not unprepared. I just worry that believers’ lives will be wasted in vain.”
“No life is wasted in vain during a holy war.”
“…Anger is not justice, and fervor is not faith.”
Lionel spoke to Elnor with pity.
Since the saint’s death, she had become visibly weakened.
“Do not let vengeance blind you or abandon your faith.”
“Blind? No, I see more clearly than ever.”
“You can’t even see yourself in a mirror properly…”
“Ah, forget it. I didn’t come here to argue.”
“Then why are you here?”
“The Pope wants us to prepare the departure ceremony.”
“…When did he say that?”
“Tomorrow.”
