Act 64

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“You’ve worked hard, Bayron. Now, why don’t you go back inside?”

“Thank you, Sir Julian. But… given the recent events, could there be a reduction in my…?”

Before Bayron could finish his futile attempt at negotiation, I had him sent back to confinement. After receiving salutes from the guards who manned the prison, I exited the royal palace. On my way out, I brought the sleeve of my coat to my nose to smell it.

The intense fragrance of Mingyue Hall was enough to give me a headache, and I was not pleased by its persistence.

‘I wish I could go back and change my clothes right now.’

My body was rejecting the smell in an almost bizarre fashion. I’ve never been fond of strong perfumes, and fortunately, it seems ‘Julian’ shares that trait.

‘Was it too hasty of a decision?’

Suddenly, the favor I left in Trale’s hands began to worry me. Although the likelihood of her animal-based surveillance being discovered was low, the possibility of ‘just in case’ still existed.

‘The current Hayden Reich is nothing like his character in the original story.’

I’ve never actually seen him, but his actions so far are too erratic to fit the mold of a ‘protagonist.’ He has neglected his duties as the ‘Black Knight,’ abandoning both the royal court and the rites of the heirlooms, as if he’s not the ‘main character’ at all.

‘I need to understand his intentions.’

If I’m not careful, the story I know might take an unexpected turn.

“Julian.”

While lost in thought, I heard someone call my name. Turning around, I was surprised to see a familiar face in such an unexpected place.

“Sir Pintel, you look terrible.”

It was Pintel Agrath, who had recently had a rough encounter with the Black Knight.

His appearance under the flickering streetlamp exuded an air of exhaustion. Unlike before, there was no hostility in his demeanor.

It seems he hasn’t yet realized that I am the ‘Black Knight.’

“It appears the matter you mentioned before hasn’t resolved well. I heard you were dragged off by the military police.”

“Yes, I just got released. That’s why I look like this…”

“You were released quite quickly for someone who was caught at the scene.”

“It’s because I’m a noble. There was no evidence linking me to the ‘Dawn Society.'”

Noble.

That word alone conveyed so much, painfully so. The ‘Dusk Flame’ is the empire’s finest forge, run by the top craftsmen, but after all, he’s still a commoner.

‘Given the situation, it’s impossible to think of Pintel as a member of the Dawn Society.’

They would just think of it as another example of noble tyranny.

“That aside, ‘the scene’… Julian, you talk as if you were there.”

Oops, I slipped up in my words.

I circumvented by adding, “I had to stop by there momentarily. Sir Pintel, your ordeal seemed to cause quite a stir. Anyway, it seems you have failed again.”

“Damn it, not him again.”

“Him?”

“The one who took my ‘soul stone’ before!”

“Who might that be?”

I knew exactly who he was talking about, but I feigned ignorance and asked again.

“The Black Knight, that’s who!”

I sighed internally.

‘Hearing that name directly makes me feel somewhat embarrassed.’

Artur did the same, and why does the tone intensify every time they mention ‘The Black Knight’?

Is the real person not supposed to think about it?

Surely, he wouldn’t think I am right beside him.

“Damn it, I get that he has a grudge against us, but why is it always me who has to suffer these humiliations?”

Pintel was fuming, his hands trembling.

‘Well, his grievances are somewhat understandable, sorry.’

Currently, ‘The Black Knight’ is bizarrely interfering with Pintel’s affairs.

And the reason is…

‘He doesn’t know that he’s openly talked about it right in front of me.’

I felt a twinge of sympathy.

But what can I do?

Originally, he should have died but survived, so he must overcome this ordeal, though he doesn’t know that.

“Next time we meet, I’ll make sure he’s dead!”

Pintel muttered with eyes ablaze, unable to contain his boiling rage.

I’m sorry.

I’m right in front of you.

“Next time, huh? Sounds like something only a defeated trash would say.”

I turned my head as this rough interjection cut through our conversation.

Looking into the eyes of the speaker, I inwardly cursed.

‘Gérard Ocléan.’

Several members of the Dawn Society possess risks comparable to the current Arch Bishop, ‘Tenellon.’

One of them is ‘Gérard Ocléan’, who would later be discussed as a potential leader of the Dawn Society after Tenellon’s death at the hands of ‘The Black Knight.’

‘Originally, he should be managing the western division of the empire’s Dawn Society, so what is he doing here?’

After a moment of thought, I realized why.

In the western part of the Adratan Empire lies ‘The Holy Nation of Fernand.’

Recently, for reasons unknown, the ‘Sword Saint’ headed towards ‘The Holy.’

‘Perhaps he came to the capital to avoid direct friction with the Sword Saint.’

Given Gérard’s aggressive nature, he likely planned to confront the ‘Sword Saint’ directly. However, his appearance in the capital could also mean that ‘Tenellon’ himself had summoned him.

“Indeed, that’s something a defeated trash would say, right? Hahaha!”

Gérard laughed loudly, his gums fully exposed, showing several gold-plated teeth as he looked around at his followers.

“Be careful with your words, Sir Gérard. Unlike before, I hold a ‘Bishop’ rank now.”

“A Bishop? This fool hasn’t heard the news yet! Are you that deaf?”

Gérard’s venomous tone turned Pintel’s face bright red, and he clenched his fists tightly.

Gérard seemed unfazed by Pintel’s reaction. Despite being a noble, Gérard’s demeanor was more akin to that of a street thug than that of nobility.

“Your Bishop position has been revoked.”

“What?”

“Did you think there would be no consequences for failing to secure the soul stone, and for proceeding alone without reporting to Sir Tenellon on your operations?”

Gérard chuckled briefly.

Insulted by Gérard’s remarks, Pintel’s fists trembled even more. Observing this, Gérard shrugged his shoulders and then shifted his gaze to me.

“Speaking of which, a late greeting! The laughing executioner! I am Gérard Ocléan, responsible for the western division.”

“Yes, I’m well aware, Sir Gérard. I didn’t expect to see you here.”

“Haha, I never imagined you would join us.”

Gérard approached with a completely different demeanor than he had with Pintel, extending his hand for a handshake, which I, of course, did not accept.

This man, ‘Gérard Ocléan’, uses all sorts of cowardly tactics as a Bishop in the Dawn Society, and he’s notably one of the worst.

There’s a story where ‘Linne’ was rendered immobile when she accepted a handshake from him, unaware that his gloves were laced with paralyzing agents.

“Sorry, but I have no interest in shaking hands with men.”

Unintentionally, my tone was laced with disdain.

“Ha, you’re as harsh as ever.”

Gérard spoke as if he knew me, although there’s no recollection in the game of Julian and Gérard being acquainted, except for the incident in the Holy Nation.

“Is that truly a word from the mouth of an Arch Bishop…?”

In the middle of our conversation, Pintel interjected, his face filled with confusion. Dark circles were prominent under his eyes, which were visibly agitated.

“It can’t be! Such a thing can’t be possible…”

“Face the reality, Pintel, haven’t you failed twice now?”

Before Pintel could finish his incredulous question, a sharp murderous intent began emanating from Gérard.

In an instant, he drew a dagger from his waist.

Clang!

I parried Gérard’s dagger with my scabbard. Sparks flew, casting a brief light that illuminated Pintel’s darkened face.

“Hi, hiik…!”

Startled, Pintel couldn’t stand properly and collapsed onto the spot. Gérard, seeing this, scoffed and then turned his attention to me.

“Unexpected?”

His face, bulldog-like, truly seemed to carry an air of surprise.

…Uh…

I felt the same way.

This reaction was likely due to the aversion to ‘Gérard’ as a character and a body sensitive to murderous intents.

“I might have overlooked it if it were Elenora or Dantes, but I didn’t expect you to just let it pass.”

“Even so, I do take great care of my colleagues. Regardless of how lacking Sir Pintel may be, he’s still a ‘colleague’, isn’t he?”

“Just for that reason? The Laughing Executioner?”

“Heh. It seems you’ve forgotten that I am affiliated with the ‘Closed Eyes’. I can’t just ignore ‘a noble being murdered’ right on the streets of the empire, can I?”

Thus, I spun my reason for blocking his surprise attack.

It was clearly an action not typical of ‘Julian.’

“Clever lad.”

Watching me, Gérard added a comment before shifting his gaze back to Pintel.

Pintel, who had a stunned expression until a moment ago, bit his lip hard when his eyes met Gérard’s.

“You, you bastard, what are you…!”

“What’s the matter, Pintel? It was just a harmless joke, haha!”

With a hearty laugh, Gérard left the scene with his soldiers.

Watching his back, Pintel slowly got up and staggered off towards a dark alley, powerless.

‘I feel somewhat guilty.’

If Gérard was right about the bishopric being revoked, then I probably played a significant part in that.

***

“Sir Julian, did you happen to visit the slums?”

The next day, while I was handling some minor paperwork for the ‘Closed Eyes’, Razlot cautiously asked me.

“How did you know?”

I was momentarily taken aback.

This guy, was he tailing me? No, I can assert with certainty that there was no one following me after I entered the slums yesterday.

So, how did he find out?

“Ah, Eren told me about it. He’s a child who stays at the Genmel Orphanage, and occasionally becomes my informant.”

Ah, that must be the kid who guided me to Mingyun Hall.

“Yes, I have visited. I had some personal matters to attend to.”

“By personal matters, you mean…”

Razlot opened his mouth, seemingly flustered for reasons unknown.

“Is it related to the rumors circulating within the Dawn Society recently?”

…

Rumors within the Dawn Society?

I wasn’t entirely sure, but the mere mention of ‘rumors’ by Razlot caused a slight tremble under my eyes.

Recently, there were several rumors of note within the ‘Dawn Society’, but the one most closely related to me was undoubtedly ‘The Black Knight’.

“I asked if it has to do with the rumors?”

“Are you talking about the Black Knight?”

“Yes.”

Razlot cautiously nodded in response to my question.

Trying to maintain my composure, I opened my mouth again.

“I’m curious about what my visit to the slums has to do with the Black Knight.”

“That is…”

Razlot hesitated slightly in his response. At that moment, I felt my hands becoming clammy.

“It is said that the identity of the Black Knight has been discovered.”

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