Chapter 116 – Rendezvous with the Second Holy Knights

The members of the Second Holy Knights arrived at the border patrol outpost and began filing into the conference room, filling it to the brim.

“Sir Heart, what is going on here?”

The knight commander, who knew nothing of the situation, looked baffled at being surrounded by enemies while still locked in full battle formation.

He also seemed thrown off by the fact that we were stuck at the outpost.

“The bandits crossed the border.”

“Crossed the border?”

The Holy Knights erupted into a noisy murmur.

They must have grasped that the situation was far worse than they’d imagined.

The room buzzed for a moment before the commander silenced them with a hand gesture, and quiet gradually fell.

Heart waited it out patiently before speaking in a steady voice.

“I’ve already sent word to His Holiness the Pope about that. Now give me whatever intel you have.”

“Lady Saintess was abducted by the bandits you were chasing, Sir Heart. If they’ve crossed the border…”

“So Marie crossed the border too…”

Heart bit his lip in frustration.

“Yes. And at the research lab, Lady Saintess’s younger sister had collapsed after being poisoned.”

Heart, for once openly showing his emotions, stared in shock.

“Lily?”

“Yes. At first, even Sir Gain mistook her for Lady Saintess, but once first aid stabilized her, Sir Sid realized it was the sister…”

“Gain mistook her?”

Heart muttered the same question I had, his face twisting in suspicion.

No way.

“Indeed. Sir Gain said she had ‘disguised herself flawlessly.'”

That grubby woman?

It was hard to swallow at first, but if Gain said it, it must be true.

Heart looked just as skeptical, but he seemed to accept the facts.

“What about Marie’s escorts?”

“They pulled through, so Sir Sid used the powerful recovery potion Lady Saintess had been developing… It fixed them right up.”

Ah, that stuff. The Third Knights had been testing it.

Still in prototype phase, with that throat-burning numbness…

The commander, Heart, and I all pulled bitter faces imagining it.

“Anything else?”

“No, sir. We pursued right after you, so we have no further details.”

The commander snapped to attention.

“Good work. We’re waiting on orders from the Church now. Let the knights rest until then.”

“Yes, sir!”

I hurriedly instructed the patrol guards to prepare light snacks, water pitchers, and such, then distribute them to the Holy Knights.

“Please use these.”

The guards brought armfuls of blankets.

The knights each took one, and they cleared the outpost tables, stacking them in one spot.

“Listen up—this is gonna be a long one! Rest properly!”

“””Yes, sir!”””

At the commander’s order, the Holy Knights split off and settled down to sleep.

“Ted. Once you’re done eating, get as much rest as you can.”

“Yes, sir.”

Heart handed me a plate piled with a few snacks, then started picking at some himself.

“Who would’ve thought Marie’s sister was involved…”

“Same face means free access anywhere. Security didn’t stand a chance.”

I see.

Even that grubby woman could serve as a master key to anywhere.

“There’ve never been any major crimes by the adult Saintess’s relatives before, right? What happens this time?”

“Beats me. Depends on what Marie wants. Cruel to make her pick the punishment, though.”

There had been minor offenses, but nothing that left a criminal record. Without a record, a woman with no combat skills could scrape by alone. Was execution the kinder option instead?

“Quit overthinking and get some sleep.”

Heart tossed a blanket my way. I pulled it over me and shut my eyes.

Tired…

Clattering footsteps jolted me awake as a guard rushed into the conference room with a letter.

Come on, already. Just let me sleep for once.

My head was spinning.

“Sir Heart. From His Holiness the Pope.”

Head still fuzzy, I dragged myself up and peered at Heart’s face, trying to read it.

Heart scanned the letter, then stared at the attached decree for a long moment, frozen.

What the hell…

“Everyone, on your feet!”

Holy Knights and guards snapped to attention with a clatter at Heart’s command.

I scrambled into line beside them.

“Orders from His Holiness. Listen up!”

“Yes, sir!”

“Second Holy Knights, you’re under my command now.”

“Yes, sir!”

“Third through Fifth Holy Knights will arrive shortly. Handle their support and intel sharing.”

“Yes, sir!”

“And… a ‘Divine Oracle’ has been issued to me. Time to plan the operation. Get the map!”

“Yes, sir!”

A Divine Oracle?

The words “Divine Oracle” made everyone draw a sharp breath.

After a brief pause, the Holy Knights burst into motion.

The guards hurriedly unrolled a map across the large table.

A guard placed several stones on it.