Chapter 21 – The Culprit

The last candidate was massacred.

It was an expected sequence of events, but Rashid and Akard could not stop it even though they knew.

They clearly voiced their opinions, but they were ignored by the higher-ups.

Right after the Arcane Flower exploded.

Everything changed.

The order’s forces, which had been focused only on escort duties, had to monitor key buildings and prepare for another explosion, and in particular, defending the Holy See became the highest priority.

The escort of the candidate, who had not yet become a saintess, was bound to be pushed to the back burner, and due to this, the number of knights protecting the candidate plummeted from dozens to just a few.

The commander did not lack effort to defend the honor of the knighthood, but those efforts were completely shattered by the fierce nagging of the higher-ups.

They openly asked whether the honor of the knighthood and the safety of a mere candidate, who was not even a saintess, were important, or whether the safety of the entire Basilica and the high-ranking members of the order was more important.

The commander had no choice but to condone the weakening of the candidate’s escort, and as a result,

The culprit, as if he had been waiting, subdued the knights and massacred the last candidate.

‘Everything went according to his will.’

Under the leadership of the Honorary Cleric.

Having entered the defense of the Holy See, Rashid thought while looking at the empty street where not even a single mouse could stir.

‘Is the only one left now the candidate who was said to be missing?’

She, who had been kidnapped and whose life and death were unclear, still remained.

Rashid was certain that she was definitely alive.

‘His goal is not simply to stop a vampire saintess.’

‘He wants hatred toward vampires to bud within the order as well, using this incident as an opportunity.’

Ostracizing and hostile actions toward vampires were not limited to the order.

Right now, anti-vampire sentiment was prevailing throughout the empire.

The faction leading this was a political party called the Golden Age Party.

‘He, too, was probably influenced by the Golden Age Party. He would have been enticed by the story that vampires are the root of all evil. At the same time, he must have thought the order also needed to change. Perhaps he even concluded that the holy blood was defiled because of vampires.’

Were there only one or two people who were swayed by the authoritative noble vampires who were steeped in a sense of superiority?

Of course, there must have been bad vampires who persecuted and harassed humans.

However, the problem was over-interpreting some stories and applying them to all vampires.

‘The public is always vulnerable to propaganda. He was just swayed by it.’

That did not mean he intended to show leniency.

‘For that, the crime he committed is too great. He must receive his due punishment.’

Right on cue.

There was someone who came looking for Rashid.

“Here you were.”

Lion, the Honorary Cleric, approached.

He was accompanied by several clerics under his command.

“I am sorry about what happened then. I should have listened more carefully to your talk about them targeting the candidate.”

“No, it is fine. If you look at it, what is more important than the candidate is the Holy See building here and the other Excellencies. And His Holiness is also here, is he not?”

“The vice-commander was looking for you. There are enough other clerics here, so go ahead. It seemed to be an urgent matter.”

“The vice-commander?”

“He should be at the knighthood headquarters. There will be many eyes watching along the way. Go as quietly as possible.”

Lion, who left after saying those words,

Rashid watched in silence.

His gaze was complex and subtle.

‘The role model of all clerics. That position must be honorable no matter what happens.’

Only then, when he also reached that position,

would he naturally inherit everything he had achieved.

Also,

‘A quantum jump is practically impossible in this order, which is more old-fashioned than expected. But if I step on that position and jump, I might even be able to aim for the Heresy Inquisitor. It is completely possible.’

Rashid immediately went to find the vice-commander.

Akard, who was waiting for him right then, handed over a letter of unknown sender and said,

“Take a look. I think the culprit sent it.”

Checking the contents,

it was written that because the kidnapped candidate was burdensome, they abandoned her in the basement of a warehouse close to the Basilica.

“They are releasing her? Just releasing her suddenly without a reason?”

“It seems so. I do not know the reason either. It is not like they demanded a ransom; they just suddenly said they would release her.”

“Anyway, it is a relief. It is not that all the candidates were massacred.”

“Should we call this a relief…”

“More importantly, did you find the kidnapped candidate?”

“I dispatched the knights as soon as I received the letter. The Imperial Capital Security Agency said they would help, so we will find her soon.”

Akard, who answered the phone call that came right on cue, delivered the good news.

“Fortunately, it seems they found her. There are only a few warehouses around the Basilica, so they must have found her quickly.”

“That is a relief. Then is that candidate the only one left now?”

“That is how it is. The commander will probably be pleased as well, but…”

There was a reason why he was not happy despite the good news.

Rashid pointed this out.

“It has turned out strange. Only the vampire candidate went missing and then suddenly appeared, while all the other candidates were massacred in the meantime.”

Akard spoke up to prevent any possible misunderstanding.

“I am saying this just in case, but we are completely unrelated to that matter. At least, I absolutely know nothing about it.”

“I think so too. Perhaps the culprit intended it. The culprit might be hoping that other people will think similarly, just as I thought just now.”

“I do not understand.”

“What do you mean?”

Akard had an expression of finding it hard to understand.

“If they plotted such a thing because they disliked us, why are they ultimately doing something we would like?”

The birth of the first vampire saintess.

It was the long-cherished desire of all vampires.

“If only that child returns safely, the competition will probably be meaningless. Because there will be no new candidate who can defeat her. Then that child will unconditionally become the next Saintess. Why on earth…”

Rashid asked.

“Do you seriously think that is the end of it?”

“What?”

That it is not over until it is over.

Why did he not know this?

“The culprit assassinated the Director of Foreign Affairs and even carried out terror attacks in the Basilica to carry out his goal. Would that culprit, who uses any means and methods, really leave the returned saintess candidate alone?”

“Releasing her and then killing her? Why? If so, why not just…”

It seemed Akard had realized.

“Did they hate us that much? Come to think of it, even if we want to protect her, there is no way to do so.”

The returned vampire candidate.

Regrettably, the candidate whom the vampires had to risk their lives to protect could no longer be protected by them.

“We can no longer escort the candidate. Since our previous escort failed, they will not give us another chance.”

“Everything was probably intended. That is why they boldly released her instead of killing her. Because they must have had the confidence that they could kill her unconditionally.”

The phone rang.

Who could be calling at a time like this?

Answering it, Akard’s face quickly stiffened.

“It is a summons from the Director of Palace Affairs. I must go.”

The skill of shaking things up to the very end was truly a work of art.

Since the commander would not step forward directly due to saving face, if they just tied up the vice-commander, the knighthood would lose its power.

Even if they did not tie up the vice-commander, the knighthood itself could not escort the candidate, so it could be said that they were all playing in the palm of the culprit’s hand.

‘But they probably did not think of a variable like me.’

Akard, who had become busy with the summons from the Director of Palace Affairs, stood in front of Rashid.

Never had his presence been so desperate.

“We will no longer be able to take on the candidate escort mission. The knighthood has already failed.”

“They will not give any more chances. I would do the same.”

“We have become unable to protect the candidate we want to protect the most. Bearing the title of a knight, we can no longer protect that candidate. But the clerics would be an exception.”

His voice was calm, but his gaze looked more desperate than ever.

“You are one of those clerics. Please protect the remaining candidate… no, the next Saintess. I am not saying this because I am a vampire. Now she is the only candidate left, and other than her, there is no candidate suitable for that position anymore. Because they are all dead.”

A certain level of sincerity was mixed in his subsequent words.

“Although I hope a vampire Saintess will emerge, apart from that, I do not want an unqualified person to ascend to that position more than anything else. So, I make this request. Please protect her at all costs.”

“Even if you do not make such a burdensome request, I was planning to do so. That is also important for me.”

It had to be that way.

Only then would the position of Honorary Cleric be guaranteed.

Knock, knock!

“Vice-commander. The candidate has arrived.”

The two soon headed to the front of the headquarters.

In front of the headquarters, several escort vehicles from the Imperial Capital Security Agency and the barely rescued saintess candidate stood under the escort of numerous knights.

The red-haired, red-eyed saintess candidate.

Adria Nightbloom.

Seeing her, Rashid narrowed his eyes.

‘Is she the first vampire saintess?’

If he protected her, she would certainly become so.

But if he failed, she would disappear without even leaving a name in history.

‘Here they come.’

But as if they had been waiting,

there were those who barged into the knighthood headquarters.

It was the Director of Palace Affairs and a large group of clerics following him.

The majority of the knights, including Akard, had expressions of being displeased with their visit.

The Director of Palace Affairs spoke toward everyone with a sly smile.

“I heard the news that the missing saintess candidate has been found. It is truly a relief. I was deeply worried that there might be a problem with electing the next Saintess.”

Akard stepped forward.

“We will do our best to protect her so that we do not cause any further trouble.”

“No, you all are finished.”

Befitting the Director of Palace Affairs who held a core position in the Sacred Affairs Election Committee,

he created the situation according to his authority and natural flow.

“Did you not fail the previous candidate escort mission? And yet you ask to be entrusted with it again? You must have some shame.”

The commander, who had rushed over upon hearing the news, entered the headquarters.

Stepping out of a luxury vehicle, the commander soon faced the Director of Palace Affairs.

“We will take charge of that child’s escort from now on.”

The Director of Palace Affairs’ voice sank low.

“Commander. What does that mean? It seems you have already forgotten the promise we made.”

“That… since the situation was what it was, we had no choice either.”

“Enough!”

Having a justification,

the Director of Palace Affairs, who had nothing to fear, pushed harder.

“Since it is a promise already made, we cannot undo it now. With what face are you blabbering such words when you could not even protect a single candidate? As promised, I will take charge of the candidate’s escort from now on.”

The commander did not seem inclined to back down easily either.

“Other than the knights here, who on earth will take responsibility for the candidate’s escort?”

“To be precise, the clerics here will protect her.”

If it were a group consisting simply of clerics, the opposition from the knighthood would have been severe, but

among them was a cleric wearing magic armor.

None other than Lion, the one and only Honorary Cleric of this era.

“The Honorary Cleric here will risk his life to protect that candidate from now on. Isn’t that right, Lion?”

“Yes, Your Excellency. Even if it costs my life, I shall protect that candidate.”

At that moment,

the saintess candidate, who did not even know the culprit’s voice, trembled unconsciously.

An inexpressible anxiety and fear assailed her.

Everyone thought lightly of it and brushed it off,

but Rashid did not.

‘Did she recognize the culprit?’

Rashid’s gaze directed toward Lion, the Honorary Cleric clad in magic armor.

‘Releasing her and trying to kill her again. You are indeed a nasty person.’