Chapter 52
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Chapter 52
Daren, Hailon's adjutant, had witnessed every step of Hailon's ascent from the lowest ranks to his position as a Heresy Inquisitor.
From the moment they entered the Holy Temple together as apprentice knights, Daren sensed it.
That emotionless boy, doll-like in his indifference, would one day become a figure of great consequence.
So Daren had clung to his side without wavering, and his investment had proven remarkably successful.
Hailon had become the supreme leader of the Heresy Inquisitors—a position second only to the Holy King himself.
Among the most exceptional Holy Knights, only thirteen could ever ascend to the rank of Heresy Inquisitor.
One had to possess the overwhelming strength to dominate countless Holy Knights to achieve such a station.
Hailon had reached the rank of Heresy Inquisitor in the shortest span of time in the entire history of the Holy Empire.
Yet no one had raised a single objection.
A sacred relic that had long gone unclaimed, leaving the Holy King anxious for its rightful master.
He alone could wield the "Chain of Condemnation."
Though it was a sacred relic that demanded an enormous outpouring of holy power to use, Hailon handled the chain without the slightest strain.
Cardinals being considered as candidates for the next Holy King had desperately sought to befriend him.
It was no exaggeration to say he currently held the military authority of the Holy Empire in his grasp.
For all his greatness and magnificence as a Heresy Inquisitor.
Hailon possessed one singular blemish.
That blemish was the enchantress Lichesia.
[Pity the weak and bestow benevolence.
Punish the wicked and condemn their transgressions.
In the name of the Divine, for the honor and glory of the Divine.
I swear to uphold justice and goodness.
This is the oath of holiness.]
Every Holy Knight had to recite this oath by rote and engrave it deeply in their hearts.
Yet Hailon, though he had memorized it, had always harbored doubts.
Punishment and condemnation came effortlessly to him....
But pity and benevolence were far more difficult.
"I don't truly understand it. I've never performed either with genuine sincerity."
Hailon merely followed the oath mechanically.
Then one day, that Hailon suddenly vanished for several days before reappearing and declaring.
"I think I finally understand what pity and benevolence are."
He had met someone he cherished and wished to care for, and through them, he had learned to show compassion and kindness.
Though he was confined to solitary for a week for unauthorized absence during a mission, and punished with three months of cleaning the Grand Holy Temple, Hailon's eyes had gleamed with a peculiar brilliance.
'If I had known it was that enchantress Lichesia, I would have talked him out of it immediately.'
Still, Daren had tried to think positively about it.
How could anyone be flawless?
With such a blemish, Hailon would at least appear human.
'...I wish I could kill my past self for thinking such things.'
Daren clicked his tongue in frustration.
The enchantress had disappeared.
He caused trouble every single day, and when he suddenly went quiet, I thought he'd finally matured.
But he vanished as if he'd evaporated entirely.
And ever since that woman disappeared, Hailon had become somewhat... strange.
He was originally a Heresy Inquisitor—rational, coldly analytical, seemingly devoid of emotion.
Yet recently, he kept attempting things that made no sense.
He mobilized the Holy Knight Order to find that woman, and not long ago, he even exposed a Holy Knight's identity in the Underworld.
Thanks to that recklessness, I learned the woman wasn't dead—she was simply hiding.
But the Holy King erupted in anger at Hailon for the first time, his voice thundering with rage.
We barely escaped disaster because of the Spear of Rubeus that woman had given us; otherwise, it would have been catastrophic.
I thought he'd regain his composure once he confirmed she was alive, but...
Instead, he seemed to grow even more unstable after returning from the Underworld.
Hailon acted as though he wanted to cause even greater chaos.
I'd reached the point of actually missing that woman.
'In all my years, I never thought I'd long to see Lichesia.'
When she was around, managing her was the only concern.
But this recent version of Hailon—there was no predicting what he'd do next.
Even today, he'd suddenly done something bizarre again.
"We're going to the Imperial Capital."
Upon hearing that Count Basilian's Residence had caught fire, he immediately set out for the Imperial Capital with his aide Daren and several knights.
House Basilian was currently under investigation by the Heresy Inquisitors.
We'd been monitoring them for some time, but they were fully classified as investigation targets after adopting a child to attend the Pure Child Prayer Ceremony.
Hailon had personally infiltrated the estate under the guise of being the adopted child's guard knight.
I'd given them a light warning—a hint that we were watching them, telling them not to cause trouble—but they seemed not to understand.
Or more precisely, they seemed unwilling to understand.
Count Basilian continued committing suspicious acts openly, while Hailon paid unusual attention to the Count's adopted child for reasons unknown.
When he said we should go to the Capital, my superior had ordered it, so I had no choice but to follow Hailon.
After arriving at the Empire's Capital.
Fortunately, there were no casualties, but a third of House Basilian's Townhouse had been destroyed.
Since a day had already passed, the Count's family was nowhere to be seen—they'd apparently moved to a hotel.
"Shall we return, sir?"
I was urging Hailon with barely concealed hope when—
Hailon slowly shifted his gaze.
A small butterfly fluttered past before his eyes.
It was an ordinary white butterfly, yet for some reason, it caught his attention.
I was thinking it was unusual when—
"Wait, wait... Hailon, sir!"
Hailon was already following the butterfly.
At the end of the butterfly's path was a flower vendor's stall.
Before the stall stood a silver-haired boy draped in a hooded robe.
The boy whispered softly to the infant cradled in his arms.
"What flower?"
"Huff, I'll pick them all!"
"Then let's go with this one."
Watching the two of them select flowers was delightful and heartwarming.
It was Hailon who shattered the fairy-tale-like, sweetly intimate atmosphere.
He strode forward, seized the Silver-haired Boy's shoulder, and forcibly spun him around.
The boy's hand immediately flew to the sword at his waist, his eyes narrowing sharply.
But upon recognizing Hailon in his Holy Knight uniform, he hesitated.
"...."
Hailon's gaze lowered silently to the baby.
Daren's breath caught as he beheld the infant.
It was a baby whose adorable features truly warranted the descriptor "fairy-like."
With plump, rosy cheeks that seemed as though they would taste sweet if bitten, the baby broke into a radiant smile the moment she saw Hailon.
Like a flower bud bursting open, she beamed with brilliant joy and cried out brightly.
"Knight mister!"
Daren swallowed hard.
'Ah, so that's the baby.'
The adopted child of House Basilian—currently the hottest topic of conversation in the Imperial Capital—and....
The infant whom Hailon suspected was the daughter of the enchantress Lichesia.
***
I reflected briefly on my past.
Why hadn't I cultivated connections with such formidable individuals who could aid me?
Kieran simply brought forth the Duke of the Palen Empire at the first sign of trouble.
'Indeed, the world runs on connections.'
Yet when I considered that I needed to seek help not as the enchantress Lichesia, but merely as the baby Chesa.
Hailon was truly my only option.
He had the pretext of being my escort knight for the Pure Child Prayer Ceremony.
It was a position perfectly suited to serve as my guardian.
And perhaps by approaching Hailon, I might gain an opportunity to investigate the Holy Temple.
'After all, I need to conduct an investigation into the Holy Empire anyway.'
It seemed worthwhile to at least gauge the atmosphere during this opportunity.
After furnishing myself with various justifications for my own sake.
I waited for Belzeon to awaken.
Because of the jasmine flowers I had left out the previous night, Belzeon woke at a time far later than planned and seemed flustered.
"I'm sorry for waking late. I've never experienced anything like this before."
"Yes! Did you sleep well?"
When I smiled brightly at Belzeon, who was muttering his apology, he hesitated for a moment before speaking.
"...It's been quite a while since I slept so soundly."
"Meow!"
Unable to bear the warm atmosphere, Hata quickly moved to disrupt it.
Belzeon, unaware that the dog was jealous, wondered if she was hungry and tossed her a piece of bread left over from the previous day.
Hata glared at Belzeon even as she didn't refuse the bread he offered.
She leaped up, caught it with a snap, and devoured it.
Belzeon promptly packed his belongings and left the Inn.
"Starting today, we'll slip out beyond the Capital's outskirts, and ultimately the goal is to leave the country. Once we cross the Empire's borders, the pursuit should loosen considerably."
Chesa watched Belzeon, who knew nothing, with pitying eyes.
Your father has joined hands with the Duke...
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