Paladin of the Dead God

“Protective doctrines? On a child, of all things…”

After listening to the explanation, Isaac realized that the issue wasn’t the death insurance at all.

Angela was under a miracle of protective doctrines designed to seal specific knowledge. This protection didn’t just prevent her from speaking about the knowledge; it also blocked any mental access, including thinking or considering that knowledge.

The reason Angela couldn’t speak was because of a miracle cast by the Immortal Order.

“What kind of knowledge could a child have that they’d go to such lengths to block it?”

“I’m not sure. It’s quite an advanced doctrine. At least bishop-level or higher. It’s impossible for her to speak about the knowledge, and we can’t extract it either.”

Isaac didn’t think the Immortal Order had gone mad from living too long and decided to pull off something crazy.

Even the oldest member of the Order, the Immortal Emperor Beshek, was only about 300 years old. While there were certainly insane undead, there was still a common understanding among members of the Order.

Children were to be protected and safeguarded.

It would be nice to think this was the minimum level of conscience that any human should have, but in reality, they believed that the souls and bones of children were too immature to become undead.

When one becomes undead, their personality and skeletal structure remain as they were at the time of death. Unless someone has a distasteful hobby of cultivating young bones, it’s more like an angler releasing a young fish with the sentiment of “grow up and come back.”

‘Regardless of their intentions, it’s still a sort of benevolence on their part. Protecting children is a basic decency that any community should uphold, after all.’

The Immortal Order’s approach just happened to be more obsessive.

Isaac considered the possibility that Angela had somehow accessed secret knowledge related to the Immortal Order. Something had gone awry during this process, catching the attention of a high-ranking member—likely a lich. Instead of killing the child, the lich opted for rigorous protective measures and sent her back.

It was entirely plausible.

Still, Isaac needed to figure out how Angela had gotten involved in such matters.

He thought it unlikely that Angela had gone to such a place alone, and considered the possibility that her parents might have been with her.

‘Angela was found in Syracusa, at the site where they were about to burn a group of death insurance holders…’

Most death insurance holders were people who had illegally crossed into territories controlled by the Immortal Order. Contrary to the terrifying rumors spread by the Codex of Light, simply stepping foot in those deserts doesn’t cause people to freeze to death or have their souls devoured.

In areas not dominated by undead, the land could be surprisingly fertile, with an abundance of flora and fauna. Some people lived there in a semi-wild state, akin to being left to graze under the protection of a benevolent undead.

Naturally, all these inhabitants were death insurance holders.

Even if one did encounter members of the Immortal Order, the interaction could be as simple as exchanging a casual greeting. Not every member of the Codex of Light is a fanatic who burns people, just as not every walking skeleton is a deranged individual eager to strip flesh from bones.

In some ways, it was even safer than dealing with vampires or orcs—creatures driven by scarce desires.

Surprisingly, the Immortal Order’s lands were still places where people lived.

‘Let’s assume Angela’s original parents crossed into the Immortal Order’s territory and then returned together to Syracusa…’

There were many possible professions, but one stood out as both the most common and the most likely to come and go.

Isaac, following a hunch, instructed the priest to bring someone in. People were confused when they heard the name of a person who seemed completely out of place, but they did as they were told.

Soon, Caitlin arrived, delivering the response Isaac had expected.

“Yes, this child belongs to the Golden Idol Guild.”

***

Like many faiths, the forms of doctrines and beliefs vary according to region, culture, and tradition. Among these, the Golden Idol Guild has no fixed home country, and most of its members are traders who constantly travel.

“There are people known as Selmons. Originally from a family belonging to the Salt Council, these displaced individuals never settled in one place, instead wandering endlessly. Over time, they came to believe that no faith could be trusted, and that money was the only means of protection, leading them to devote themselves to the Golden Idol as a family unit.”

“Selmons? You’re talking about Selmon traders?”

The priest questioned, and Caitlin nodded.

“Yes, that’s what many people call them. Thus, they’ve earned a reputation for being willing to do anything for money.”

Isaac, who had been quietly listening, suddenly spoke up.

“They’d go as far as smuggling into the Immortal Order’s territory.”

Caitlin nodded in agreement.

It wasn’t necessarily dangerous or a death sentence to enter the Immortal Order’s land, nor were they forced into death insurance contracts, but trading still required meeting members of the Order.

Negotiating with a skeleton exuding an icy chill was not something that could be done by anyone without a strong constitution. After all, the undead always had the option of “killing the troublesome merchant, taking their goods, and using the body as a slave to polish my ribs.”

In other words, it was a task only those utterly consumed by the pursuit of money could undertake.

Of course, even the Immortal Order wouldn’t resort to such measures easily, as they needed certain goods. And considering the Dawn Army’s own raids on Golden Idol merchants, it was a case of the pot calling the kettle black.

“Selmon traders mark the inside of their wrists with tattoos from a young age to identify themselves as belonging to the same bloodline wherever they go. They usually hide these marks with bracelets or bindings…”

As she spoke, Caitlin flipped Angela’s wrist to reveal a small tattoo of a broken anchor. Because they often traveled in family units, Angela’s family had also ventured into the Immortal Order’s territory.

Isaac nodded.

“Angela’s parents were Selmon traders, then. That explains the death insurance; it’s not unusual if the Immortal Order requested it as a condition for trading.”

It was an easy option to agree to, as it could be canceled without much difficulty.

However, something went wrong, resulting in Angela having her knowledge sealed and being expelled to Syracusa.

Isaac was curious about what had happened, but with the protective doctrines in place, finding a way to uncover the sealed knowledge wouldn’t be simple.

He decided to ask a slightly roundabout question to gauge how much Angela could speak about.

“Angela, can you tell me who you met from the Immortal Order?”

Angela looked at Isaac with a puzzled expression, but she neither wrote anything down nor made any gestures. It seemed she didn’t even comprehend the question, let alone answer it. The miracle cast on her was incredibly thorough.

‘No wonder the kid can’t talk.’

Just then, Caitlin opened up Isaac’s map and asked Angela a question.

“Angela, where did your parents stay?”

Angela responded to that question. It seemed information about her parents wasn’t restricted.

Her finger stopped on a corner of the map. Everyone fell silent as they saw where she was pointing.

Isaac asked again.

“The Holy Land? You’re saying they stayed in Holy Land Lua?”

Even the Immortal Order only allowed trade in their capital city, Ushak, which served as their administrative center.

Holy Land Lua was so thoroughly fortified and protected that even undead couldn’t easily enter.

A fortress protected by undead who could endure without food or sleep for centuries was beyond ordinary imagination.

“That’s impossible. Even Selmon traders would find it difficult to visit Holy Land Lua…”

“She might be perceiving incorrect information due to the protective doctrines. Strong protective miracles often warp the truth rather than just concealing it; it’s safer that way…”

Amidst the murmurs of doubts and speculations, Angela’s finger moved again.

She traced a route from Bines, a hub of the Golden Idol Guild, to Mirrmia, then circled her finger over Holy Land Lua again. Finally, her finger pointed to Syracusa.

It was clear she was describing the path her family had taken.

This was evidence that her cognitive abilities were intact.

After a long silence, Isaac finally spoke.

“Let’s assume Angela did visit Holy Land Lua.”

All eyes turned to Isaac.

“What could this child have seen or learned there that warranted making her unable to speak for the rest of her life?”

A priest, perhaps eager to uncover valuable information, leaned forward and looked at Angela.

“Should we attempt to break the doctrines, even if it’s risky?”

“Risky?”

“There’s a relic at Lenheim Cathedral that can break heretical miracles. With that, perhaps…”

“No, I know the one you’re talking about. Isn’t that the relic that risks turning someone into a fool if it goes wrong? Forget it. If that’s our only option.”

“But…”

Isaac responded firmly.

“It might be valuable information, but we’re not desperate enough to harm a child over some unknown secret. If risks need to be taken, they should be taken by adults. We can manage without resorting to that.”

It wasn’t bravado. Isaac had planned to attack the Holy Land without any information from Angela. If the information she held were indeed crucial, it could reduce casualties and increase the chance of success, but that wasn’t a reason to drag a child into a warzone.

Even whoever placed the protective doctrines on Angela from the Immortal Order had sent her back unharmed; it would be absurd for Isaac to harm her now.

“But Sir Isaac, Angela can’t live as a mute for the rest of her life. Moreover, we don’t know exactly what kind of miracle she’s under. There could be additional dangerous doctrines we haven’t yet discovered.”

Caitlin’s words left Isaac momentarily speechless.

She continued, seemingly trying to find a middle ground.

“I’ll consult with the upper echelons of the guild. The Selmon traders wouldn’t have done something like this on their own, so the higher-ups might know something.”

Isaac nodded.

The Golden Idol Guild might not have a direct way to lift the bindings on Angela, but at the very least, they might know why her family had ventured to Holy Land Lua in the first place.

***

While Caitlin dispatched the fastest messenger to report to the Golden Idol Guild, Isaac resumed preparations for the expedition. If everything went according to plan, they would be able to depart before the start of the new year.

Coincidentally, it aligned precisely with the timing of the Dawn Army’s campaign in the game.

‘We’re much ahead, really. The Dawn Army had practically started much earlier…’

At that moment, good news also arrived.

“Khan Sahulan’s army is leaving only minimal forces in Seor and is moving south.”

Elil’s knights, who had been constantly scouting to ensure the Olkan Code’s army didn’t make any unnecessary movements, had finally observed a change. Whether the Khan was retreating because of Atlan or due to his own losses, no one could say.

But it was clear that Issacrea’s estate was now a difficult target, so their focus had shifted elsewhere.

“Heading south means they haven’t abandoned the Great Raid, it seems.”

Lianne nodded as well.

“I heard many cities in the south have already been overrun. The imperial borders are shifting in real-time.”

It was quite the chaotic sight, especially with the Dawn Army supposedly gathering.

However, Isaac didn’t think the Olkan Code’s maneuvers would last much longer. Eventually, they would clash with the Pope’s “true” Dawn Army, which was marching toward the Holy Land. Those forces likely tried to breach Issacrea because they wanted to avoid that confrontation, but it was ultimately impossible.

‘Then again, I suppose I’ll be seeing a lot of orc faces all the way south. So…’

Just as Isaac was about to delve deeper into his thoughts, a sudden notification sound interrupted him.

[The Nameless Chaos is pleased with your victory over other faiths.]

[The Nameless Chaos is satisfied with your achievement of enhancing its renown.]

This was a new type of message.

‘What? I increased the Nameless Chaos’s renown?’

If it were Isaac’s own name, that would make sense, but what did it matter for the Nameless Chaos?

Even the sect itself had essentially evolved into the Issacrea Dawn Prayer Group, with completely different doctrines.

Isaac was bewildered, but the Nameless Chaos seemed content with it. And the next message made Isaac feel indifferent.

[A Reward from Chaos has been granted.]

[The Nameless Chaos bestows upon you the ‘Hidden Rite’ perk.]

Isaac leaped up from his seat the moment he saw the skill’s name.

Lianne, standing nearby, looked at him with curious eyes, but Isaac paid her no mind.

Even before reading the skill description, Isaac knew exactly what it was.

It was the same overpowered skill he had repeatedly cursed and resented every time he encountered a Chaos-related boss-level monster.