Episode 52
Daren, Hailon’s aide, had witnessed every step of Hailon’s ascent from the lowest ranks to the position of Inquisitor.
From the moment they entered the temple together as apprentice knights, Daren had sensed it.
That doll-like, impassive boy would one day become someone extraordinary.
So he stuck to him like glue, and sure enough, Daren’s investment paid off.
Hailon had ultimately risen to the head of the Inquisitors, second only to the Holy King himself.
Among the most exceptional Holy Knights, only thirteen could ever claim the seat of Inquisitor.
One had to possess overwhelming prowess even among the countless Holy Knights to qualify.
Hailon had ascended to the position in the shortest time in the history of the Holy Empire.
Yet no one raised an objection.
It was because he was the sole being capable of wielding the holy relic “Chains of Condemnation,” which had long languished in storage, its true master unknown, causing the Holy King no small amount of impatience.
Though the relic demanded an immense outpouring of divine power to activate, Hailon manipulated the chains without the slightest strain.
The cardinals touted as candidates for the next Holy King went out of their way to curry favor with him.
For it was no exaggeration to say that he currently held the military might of the Holy Empire in his grasp.
Such was the greatness of this Inquisitor.
Yet Hailon had one singular blemish.
The demoness Lichesia.
[Have pity on the weak and bestow kindness.
Punish the wicked and condemn their misdeeds.
In the name of God, for His honor and glory.
I vow to uphold justice and goodness.
This is a sacred oath.]
Every Holy Knight was required to memorize it by heart and engrave it deep within their soul.
But though Hailon could recite it from memory, he always harbored doubts.
Punishing and condemning came effortlessly to him.
Showing pity and kindness, however, proved difficult.
“I don’t really get it. I’ve never once done it with true sincerity.”
Hailon followed the oath mechanically, nothing more.
Then one day, after vanishing for several days without warning, he reappeared out of the blue and declared,
“I think I understand what pity and kindness are now.”
He had met someone he wanted to cherish and protect, and in doing so, he had extended pity and kindness.
Despite being confined to solitary for a week for unauthorized absence during a mission and sentenced to three months of cleaning the sub-temple, Hailon’s eyes sparkled with an odd gleam.
‘If I’d known it was that demoness Lichesia, I would’ve stopped him long ago.’
Still, Daren tried to think positively.
No one could be perfect, after all.
A flaw like this might even make Hailon seem more human.
‘…I want to kill the me who thought that.’
Daren smacked his lips with a tsk.
The demoness had vanished.
She had caused trouble every single day, then suddenly went quiet, and he’d thought perhaps she’d finally matured.
But no—she had truly evaporated, leaving not a trace.
And ever since the demoness disappeared…
Hailon had become a little strange.
He had always been rational, cold to the point of seeming emotionless—an Inquisitor through and through.
Yet lately, he kept trying to do utterly absurd things.
He mobilized the Holy Knights to search for the demoness, and not long ago, he even exposed his identity as a Holy Knight in the underworld.
Thanks to that, they learned the demoness wasn’t dead—she was simply in hiding.
But the Holy King had, for the first time, roared at Hailon in fury.
It only passed because of the Spear of Rubius the demoness had relinquished; otherwise, it would have been a disaster.
Daren had thought confirming she was alive would settle Hailon’s mind…
But ever since that trip to the underworld, he seemed even stranger.
Hailon acted as though he wanted to cause an even bigger incident.
At this point, Daren almost missed the demoness.
‘To think I’d live to miss Lichesia.’
When she was around, all he had to worry about was her.
Lately, Hailon was utterly unpredictable.
Even today, he suddenly did something bizarre again.
“To the capital.”
The moment he heard the Basilian count’s mansion had caught fire, he immediately took Daren and a handful of knights and headed straight for the capital.
The Basilian count’s family was currently under investigation by the Inquisitors.
They had been watching them for some time, but the adoption of a child to attend the Little Saints’ Prayer Assembly had fully classified them as a target.
Hailon had personally approached the count’s household under the pretext of being the adopted child’s escort knight for the investigation.
He had lightly warned them—don’t do anything foolish; we’re watching your family—but they seemed not to understand.
More precisely, the count didn’t seem inclined to understand.
Since then, Count Basilian had been openly engaging in suspicious activities, while Hailon, for some reason, was extremely focused on the adopted child.
Anyway, when the superior said they were going to the capital, there was no choice but to follow.
Upon arriving in the imperial capital…
Fortunately, there were no casualties, but a third of the Basilian townhouse had been blown away.
Since a full day had already passed, the count’s people had moved to a hotel and were nowhere to be seen.
“Shall we return?”
Daren urged Hailon with faint hope in his voice.
Hailon slowly shifted his gaze.
A small butterfly fluttered past his eyes.
It was an ordinary white butterfly, yet for some reason, it caught his attention.
The moment he thought it was somehow unusual…
“W-wait… Lord Hailon!”
Hailon was already following the butterfly.
At the end of the butterfly’s path stood a flower stall.
In front of the stall was a boy in a hooded robe.
The boy whispered softly to the baby in his arms.
“What flowers?”
“Hmm, all pwetty!”
“Then we’ll go with these.”
The sight of the two choosing flowers together was heartwarming and delightful.
It was a cozy, storybook-like atmosphere—until Hailon shattered it.
He strode forward, grabbed the boy’s shoulder, and forcibly spun him around.
The boy immediately reached for the sword at his waist, his eyes sharpening.
But upon recognizing Hailon in full Holy Knight regalia, he froze.
“……”
Hailon silently lowered his gaze to the baby.
Daren gasped at the sight.
The child was the very picture of a fairy—adorably so.
With round, rosy cheeks that looked sweet enough to bite, the baby beamed the moment he saw Hailon.
Like a flower bud bursting open, the baby bloomed into a radiant smile and cried out brightly.
“Knight uncle!”
Daren swallowed dryly.
‘Ah, that child…’
The hottest topic in the capital right now—the adopted child of the Basilian count’s family…
And the baby Hailon suspected was the daughter of the demoness Lichesia.
Chesha briefly reflected on her past.
Why hadn’t she befriended someone extraordinary who could help her?
Kierne, the moment trouble arose, casually brought in a duke of the Palen Empire.
‘As expected, it’s all about connections in this world.’
But remembering that she had to ask for help not as the demoness Lichesia, but simply as the baby Chesha…
Her only real option was Hailon.
He had the pretext of being Chesha’s escort knight for attending the Little Saints’ Prayer Assembly.
It was a perfectly plausible position to act as her guardian.
And going to Hailon might give her a chance to scout the temple side.
‘I have to investigate the Holy Empire anyway.’
It wouldn’t hurt to at least get a feel for the atmosphere this time.
After arming herself with all sorts of excuses…
Chesha waited for Belzeon to wake up.
Thanks to the jasmine flowers Chesha had left the night before, Belzeon ended up waking much later than planned and was flustered.
“I’m sorry for waking up so late. This has never happened before.”
“It otay! Sleep well?”
When she smiled brightly at the mumbling, apologetic Belzeon, he hesitated a moment before saying,
“…It’s been a very long time since I slept so deeply.”
“Woof woof!”
Unable to stand the warm atmosphere, Hata quickly interrupted.
Belzeon, oblivious to the puppy’s jealousy, assumed it was hungry and tossed it a piece of bread left from the day before.
Hata glared at Belzeon but didn’t refuse the bread.
It leaped up, caught it with a snap, and devoured it.
Belzeon immediately packed their things and left the inn.
“Starting today, we’ll slip out to the outskirts of the capital, and ultimately, our goal is to leave the country. Once we’re outside the empire, the pursuit should loosen up a bit.”
Chesha looked at the oblivious Belzeon with pity.
Your father has already teamed up with a duke…
