Paladin of a Fallen Order (Novel) - Chapter 87 - Ghost Knight

Chapter 87 – Ghost Knight

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Translated by Pratt

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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“I don’t think I can be of any help from this point on. If you ever need my assistance with other matters, feel free to visit me at any time.”

Vice Archbishop Heinz left after simply checking the situation.

It was a wise decision. Since Vice Archbishop Heinz had no talent for physical combat, he was far more likely to be an obstacle rather than a help in battle.

On the contrary, the old knight Walter remained by the side of Elbridge’s party.

“My skills may not match yours… but I might be of some small help. Isn’t that right?”

*

The next day.

Sonya gathered Elbridge’s party together and then spread out a map.

“This is the lord’s castle.”

Elbridge had thought that Sonya’s map would be a crudely drawn piece relying on her memory.

However, the map currently spread out before Sonya was remarkably precise. It was even made using high-quality parchment.

“Where did you get this map?”

“I grabbed it from the guardhouse, so you can trust it. Anyway, that is the lord’s castle… The areas hatched in charcoal are where we have finished searching. Up to this point, we can move while avoiding the Ghost Knights.”

She called it a search, but in reality, she must have been going back and forth to ransack empty houses. Since the people gathered here, excluding Elbridge’s party and Sonya, had assembled for the purpose of looting.

At any rate, the area Sonya and the people had finished searching was roughly one-third of the territory.

“And this is the inner wall.”

Unlike the Riverford Barony, the Dickens Viscounty possessed a decent inner wall. It was of a scale that could be clearly seen even from outside the territory.

However, to Elbridge’s party, the inner wall was not much of an obstacle. As long as there was a tiny place to grip or step on, they could easily scale it.

Elbridge pointed to two large circles drawn on the map.

“What are those circles?”

“The patrol routes of the Ghost Knights.”

Unexpectedly, the Ghost Knights had designated areas they were responsible for.

‘Many must have died to obtain this information.’

However, he did not feel particularly sorry for them.

Since they were people who had gathered harboring dreams of a sudden fortune, they should naturally be prepared to bear the risks.

Elbridge gazed quietly at the map.

However, Elbridge was not a genius who could memorize an unfamiliar map in a single glance.

Noticing Elbridge’s intention, Sonya nudged him with her elbow.

“No need to push yourself. I’ll take charge of guiding the way.”

“That’s a relief. Sonya, tell us what you know about the Ghost Knights.”

“As you probably know from facing them… the Ghost Knights are ethereal entities. Instead of a body made of flesh and blood, there is black smoke inside their armor. If you are enveloped in that smoke, your body rots away. I could give you a more professional explanation… but I doubt you want that?”

Elbridge nodded, slowly clenching and unclenching his right hand.

He could still clearly remember the tingling sensation.

“Even putting aside the fact that they are ethereal entities, the Ghost Knights are highly skilled. Ah, this isn’t my evaluation, but the mercenaries’. Quite a lot of mercenaries came to loot the territory, you see. A single Ghost Knight easily handled four or five mercenaries. Even when I cast enchantment magic on them, it was the same.”

“…For some reason, you sound rather proud of the Ghost Knights’ skills.”

When Marcus pointed it out, Sonya laughed awkwardly.

“Those Ghost Knights seem to be the knights who were under my dad’s command. The shape of their armor was familiar.”

“Hmm.”

“It’s a bit embarrassing to say it myself, but the knights of our territory were the most skilled in the vicinity.”

Elbridge looked at Walter. Walter nodded.

“The knights of the Dickens Viscounty were famous. Since Viscount Dickens himself was a diligent knight, the knights under his command could not afford to be lazy.”

Hearing Walter’s praise, Sonya smiled contentedly. She did so even though the situation was not something to be happy about.

Perhaps Walter’s story had brought back memories of better times.

“Anyway, there should be five Ghost Knights. If we include my dad in the worst-case scenario, six.”

Elbridge corrected Sonya’s words.

“No. There will be one less than you think.”

“Why?”

“Because I have met your father and the knights in the Riverford Barony. They said one of them died while hunting a magic beast.”

“Is that so? I don’t know whether to be happy or sad about that… Anyway, let’s assume there are four Ghost Knights. Out of them, only the patrol routes of two have been accurately confirmed. The other two, not yet. Because of that, we haven’t been able to enter the inner wall.”

“Other risk factors?”

“None confirmed.”

After saying so, Sonya looked at Elbridge’s party with her large eyes.

“But I think it’s time to bring this situation to an end.”

Walter asked in a worried voice.

“Miss Sonya. Is there a need to rush so much?”

“The priest of the Golden Platter Order left, didn’t he? Once he reports the situation to the order, things will definitely change. And there is no way the changed situation will be good for me.”

An accurate judgment.

However, speaking coldly, Elbridge and Marcus did not have much interest in Sonya’s safety.

Since they had already become acquainted, it would be nice if she was safe, but they wouldn’t go so far as to run special risks for her safety.

Sonya’s story continued.

“…And in my experience, no matter how carefully we moved, an accident eventually happened. That’s how many casualties followed. This time won’t be an exception either. I want to go all the way into the lord’s castle in one go when our strength is prepared to the maximum.”

However, Rombel and Walter were favorable to Sonya.

Rombel expressed his agreement.

“You know a thing or two. When hunting a wild beast, you have to finish it in one go. If you miss a halfway wounded beast, it’s bound to return even more cunning.”

“Our arrival at this time must also be God’s arrangement. It seems to me as well that it would be best not to miss the timing.”

Having obtained the consent of the two, Sonya spoke to Elbridge and Marcus.

“Let’s move tomorrow night. No objections, right?”

*

The following night. Elbridge’s party and Sonya set off toward the Dickens Viscounty.

Marcus asked.

“But why move at night of all times? If they are Ghost Knights, they would probably be even more powerful at night…”

“Marcus. Don’t you remember the Ghost Knight running toward us when it saw the lantern last time? The Ghost Knights also have poor night vision.”

Sonya answered sharply. However, Marcus grumbled slightly.

“That’s all well and good, but you’re speaking a bit casually. You said you didn’t expect to be treated like a noble lady…”

At that, Sonya pretended to be surprised.

“What? I thought you were around my age, so I treated you comfortably. Marcus, are you older than you look?”

It was a substance-less, empty remark to anyone who heard it.

But even such empty words seemed to put Marcus in a good mood.

“Well, if that’s the reason, I can’t help it…”

“Great. I look forward to working with you, Marcus. Though that’s assuming I don’t end up on the stake.”

If there was a noble who would have been better off born as a commoner, it was probably Sonya.

Elbridge listened to Marcus and Sonya’s conversation for a moment before looking back.

Following behind the party were many people. They were the ones who called themselves crows.

The gaze of a middle-aged man met Elbridge’s.

His age was roughly mid-to-late thirties. Probably similar to Marcus.

The man spoke to Elbridge.

“I am Bart. Did you say your name is Elbridge?”

“That’s correct.”

“Our following along must be uncomfortable for you?”

“To be honest, yes.”

Bart shrugged.

“But we have no choice either. This might be our last big chance.”

“It will be that dangerous.”

“It’s not that we don’t know it’s dangerous. We are just doing it to make a living.”

Bart pointed to the north.

“My hometown is a small city over there. But last winter, magic beasts swept through and laid it to waste. In the chaos, my wife and son died, and only my daughter and I survived.”

“Is that so.”

Elbridge’s reply was calm.

As if he hadn’t expected a big reaction, Bart calmly continued his story. People who were exhausted and struggling tended to like telling their stories to others.

“For now, I left my daughter with a relative in Solenion. Their circumstances aren’t abundant, but they said they would look after her for a month or two.”

“Why didn’t you stay in Solenion together, Mr. Bart?”

“I wanted to, as well. But the situation is bad. As you know, there are countless towns and cities being dismantled or collapsing these days, right? All kinds of drifters are crowding into Solenion, so there’s no proper place to live and no jobs. Even day labor is so scarce that you can’t get it.”

At a glance, it was a depressing story. However, Bart’s voice was full of hope.

“But it will be different if I make a fortune here. I am a brewer, you see. If I just have the money to brew beer and three months of living expenses, I can make a brilliant comeback in Solenion.”

A few more people approached and poured out their stories.

A tanner, a silversmith, a dyer… Most were in similar circumstances to Bart. They were also similar in that they did not despair and looked toward hope.

These were not people who simply wanted to strike it rich and idle away their lives.

They were simply people who needed an opportunity to stand up again. Elbridge blamed himself for his rash judgment. Measuring the lives of others lightly was a foolish act.

“I hope everyone returns without any harm.”

“We won’t be of help, but we won’t hold you back either.”

It was far more trustworthy than a hollow promise to help somehow.

Elbridge took a deep breath. Now the party was entering the Dickens Viscounty.

Elbridge offered a small prayer.

“Goddess.”

It was a prayer offered out of worry that the Goddess of the Rusty Shield might have actually succeeded in changing day and night.

However, Elbridge’s worry ended up being a groundless fear.

– Speak, Elbridge.

“I simply wanted to offer a prayer of gratitude to you, Goddess.”

– Do not worry. Your Goddess will watch over you even in the darkest moment…

Could the words that day and night had swapped be wrapped in such a plausible way?

It was fine for now, but in the long run, it was not a good phenomenon. For the Goddess of Spring Rain and Moss, or the God of the Sunshower who looked after Marcus, would surely have normal daily life patterns.

“Shh.”

Sonya stopped her steps and hid behind a dark building. The crows also stopped their movement as if accustomed to it.

Sonya pointed to a main road about thirty steps away and said in a thoroughly lowered voice.

“A Ghost Knight will pass by that road. Let’s move after it passes.”

“Around what time will it pass?”

“I don’t know that well. Still, once it passes, it doesn’t return for quite a while.”

That was the end of Sonya’s explanation.

A night where even the moonlight was faint. A silence heavier than the darkness descended.

Lest the Ghost Knight hear their breathing, people even lightly covered their mouths and noses with their hands.

How much time had passed like that? From far away, the sound of horse hooves came.

Clack, clack, clack.

That sound awakened Elbridge’s head, which was becoming slightly dazed.

‘Is it right to hide here and wait?’

There were two Ghost Knights whose movement paths were grasped.

Even assuming there were four Ghost Knights, there were two more whose paths were unknown.

Would they be able to elude their gazes, which could be anywhere, and enter the inner wall, into the lord’s castle?

‘It is not certain.’

Elbridge’s goal was to confirm Viscount Dickens’s state, and if there were any demon nuclei that had not been released, to retrieve them and seal them once more.

Would they be able to conclude the matter with Viscount Dickens quietly and peacefully?

‘Although his daughter Sonya is by our side… the probability is low.’

If the Viscount were in his right mind, there was no way he would be holding out alone in a deserted territory.

Moreover, hadn’t Viscount Dickens’s subordinates turned into Ghost Knights? The probability that Viscount Dickens was in a normal state was low.

‘In a situation where lives are at stake, it is right to move assuming the worst. Hoping for a stroke of luck is an action taken only when there is no other choice.’

If so, he had to assume a situation where they would fight Viscount Dickens.

When fighting Viscount Dickens, what was the probability that the Ghost Knights would intervene?

‘High.’

Moving while leaving the Ghost Knights behind was highly likely to be a foolish act that left future trouble rather than a wise act that avoided battle.

‘When we can eliminate even one, we must eliminate it first.’

Having quickly finished his judgment, Elbridge looked at Rombel. Rombel also sensed Elbridge’s gaze.

The sound of horse hooves was gradually drawing closer. Clack, clack, clack.

Rombel said.

“We should clear it out, right?”

Elbridge nodded. That much conversation was enough.

Rombel gripped the axe behind his back in his hand.

Marcus had an ‘as-expected’ expression. However, Sonya and the crows were different.

Frightened, their eyes widened, and they whispered, thoroughly lowering their voices.

“What are you trying to do now…!”

“If you don’t step back, you will get hurt.”

Using his short body as a rotational axis, Rombel began to spin the giant axe round and round. Fearing they might be cut by the axe, the people cowered as much as they could.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—

That slightly comical gesture gradually gained speed, and now even the sound of cutting wind could be faintly heard.

Clack, clack, clack.

And the moment the figure of the Ghost Knight appeared through the gap in the buildings.

Rombel let go of the axe.

The giant axe flew through the air faster than a sling and more precisely than an experienced archer’s arrow.

And.

Slice.

With a small sound, it sliced through the Ghost Knight’s waist and the ghost horse’s neck at the same time.

And almost at the same moment, Elbridge’s two strong arms lunged out from the alley.

‘One.’

The Ghost Knight disappeared into the darkness of the alley.