Betrayal Knight's Joyful Faith

Chapter 102

It didn’t seem like something one could say to someone as strong as Blake. but the reason it was difficult to add anything more to that was because the speaker was Arendt.

Even the arrogance of speaking as if his opponent were in the palm of his hand, and the cockiness of speaking to his captain in an orderly manner, could mostly be explained simply by the fact that he was that guy.

Arendt never talked nonsense in such situations.

The moment Blake chose to run away, Arendt must have started drawing a new picture in his head.

“…I get it.”

Finally, Laius gave up and sheathed his sword, instead taking a step closer to Arendt and extending his hand.

“Are you okay?”

“Do I look okay?”

Laius’ outstretched hand was slapped away.

The captain took a step back as if he had expected that reaction and asked the next question.

“Where are you hurt?”

“There’s a lot of places. There were bumps and explosions and chaos. It seemed like some bones were broken.”

“Judging by your temper, it seems like there aren’t any major problems.”

“What are you two doing?”

Warren, who had been watching the two people talking nonsense, finally couldn’t stand it anymore and said something.

Tsk, Arendt clicked his tongue and sat up.

“Did you have enough time? Were there any other problems?”

“That was enough.”

Thanks to Arendt’s risky adventure, the original purpose of buying time was sufficiently achieved. If the two had not engaged with Blake, it would have been impossible for the Knights to secretly blend in with the mercenaries.

Laius sighed deeply as he looked at his tattered subordinate.

This incident was also noisy from beginning to end, as expected from Arendt’s plan.

It was quite an adventure just to seek the cooperation of the merchants and servants.

After asking Neumann to bring some trustworthy and a reasonable amount of people to the palace, he swapped the knights with them.

The knights went out of the castle disguised as merchants, and the merchants stayed in the barracks dressed in knight uniforms.

It was because it would be troublesome if the enemies noticed that the Imperial Knights’ quarters were empty.

Naturally, the knights protested.

They complained that the merchants and servants would be forced to stay in the residence for several days, which was off-limits to outsiders, and that the fighting would not be a fair fight, but rather an attack from behind.

Of course, if the captains had stepped in, the complaints would have disappeared quickly, but surprisingly, it was Helen of the Second Division and Benjamin of the First Division who stepped forward and silenced the knights.

“What does our honour matter when it comes to slaying the enemies of His Majesty the Emperor and God Luce?”

Diana and Kendrick quietly applauded behind Helen as she scolded the knights who were reluctant to carry out the operation.

“Sir Diana, Sir Helen seems to have been greatly impressed by Sir Arendt.”

“I hope she doesn’t get any bad habits…”

Helen probably never knew that such a conversation had taken place between Kendrick and Diana.

Benjamin also played a part in persuading the First Knights. The youngest one was running around here and there, so the seniors had no choice but to respond.

While the First and Second Knight Divisions were scuffling, the Third Knight Division, which had already finished preparing to sortie, had already swapped their clothes with the merchants and carried the loads they were carrying on their shoulders.

Laius turned his gaze towards Warren.

“The village is also safe. The commander of the First Knights personally dispatched an army and succeeded in subduing all the mercenaries stationed there.”

Of course, the process was also quite difficult.

Kendrick had accomplished the feat of covering a considerable distance in just two days, kicking the butts of his men. It was a forced march that would have completely exhausted the famous horses of the Imperial Knights, to say the least.

Warren lowered his eyes for a moment, then slowly exhaled and lowered his head.

“…Thank you for your consideration.”

“It’s what it was.”

Instead of saying anything, Laius gave Warren an encouraging pat on the shoulder.

Warren, who had been blankly staring for a moment, realized the meaning of the small encouragement and let out a snicker. He probably meant it as gratitude for working with that difficult apprentice knight.

Arendt, who had been watching the two people blankly, changed the subject.

“Let’s go down first. It looks like the lower area will be cleared up soon, so we should start by looking for Rebecca.”

“You just rest.”

“Okay.”

Arendt flatly agreed and, without even waiting for an answer, staggered forward and went down the stairs first.

Arendt and Warren’s hard work was quite rewarding, as the interior was also taken over by the knights who had forced their way in.

“There is no way to rob a completely empty house.”

“…Please don’t say that.”

“Why? It’s not exactly wrong. When they heard that Commander Laius was coming in person, all the troops would have been outside ready for battle.”

Arendt said indifferently, looking around.

As he said, the only people left in the castle were non-combatant servants and a minimal escort to protect Rebecca.

“It’s foolish to fall for such a simple operation.”

“…”

Well, could they really call this a simple operation?

He wanted to say , but Laius held back.

Warren also seemed to have the same thoughts, and had a trembling expression. He didn’t open his mouth hastily, since he had been through so much.

While they were having such a pointless conversation, Glenn happened to spot Laius and came running towards them in a hurry.

“Sir! Hey, Arendt. You’re still alive and not dead?”

“So, are you dissatisfied?”

“Yeah, I’m so frustrated I’m going crazy. No, that’s not it.”

Glenn, who had been exchanging banter between his seniors and juniors, suddenly came to his senses and straightened in front of Laius.

“We’ve already taken control of the interior. The mercenaries and staff who were holding out have surrendered. However, the woman presumed to be Rebecca has not been found.”

“What?”

Laius frowned.

“Did she run away?”

“It’s highly unlikely since we blocked the escape route as soon as we entered, and she has almost no combat capability. Maybe she’s mixed in with the servants…”

“Probably not.”

At that moment, Warren cut off Glenn’s words.

“Have you searched the entire castle?”

“Uh, yeah. I also checked the back door that you said you couldn’t access.”

“There is another place.”

Warren glanced sideways at Laius and Arendt.

“Just bring a few people and follow me.”

“Okay.”

Laius stared at the werewolf’s calm face for a moment and nodded.

Warren took the lead and started walking.

The knights who were subduing the remaining mercenaries and running around to secure evidence quickly lowered their heads when they discovered Laius, then opened their eyes wide when they saw Arendt following behind him.

“You’re still alive? I thought you died a long time ago.”

“Looking at your face, you look like you could die if I hit you. Why are you wandering around?”

“What a shame. If they had offered me a higher salary than the Imperial Knights, I would have been willing to transfer.”

Arendt waved his hand at the seniors who passed by and made a few comments.

“…Is that how you say you’re glad the Imperial Knights are safe?”

“I’m sorry. We’re all so immature.”

Laius awkwardly replied to Warren’s disbelieved muttering.

He didn’t think it was like this until recently.

As expected, the negative influence of a certain someone was very serious.

Warren chuckled, then closed his mouth again and focused on walking.

Arendt, who had been tussling with Glenn a few steps away, glanced at Warren and frowned slightly.

Warren led them to a hidden back door. The door, which had been locked, was wide open and broken, as if the knights had already turned it over.

Beyond the door was a small room with only a small desk, a chair, and a nearly empty bookshelf.

Warren strode inside without a moment’s hesitation.

“It smells like her.”

The fact that the scent still lingered in this mess meant that Rebecca had been in this space just recently.

Swish.

Warren’s footsteps faltered again. He began to slowly circle the small room as if possessed by something. The group held their breath without realizing it and just followed his movements with their eyes.

And after a while, he stopped walking in front of a blank wall.

“Here it is.”

Warren clenched his fist and slammed it hard against the wall.

Kuuung!

An empty echo filled the room.

Warren slammed into the wall again.

After a few repetitions of this, the pure white wall began to crack and split.

And finally, when Warren’s fist hit the wall for the third time, BUANG! With a loud noise, the thick wall was ripped away, revealing a hidden staircase.

Warren looked at the dark space where only a few lights were swaying with complicated eyes.

Arendt, who had been just watching blankly until now, blurted out.

“Is Rebecca there?”

“She’s there, below.”

But before Warren could even get the words out, Arendt had passed him and stepped on the stairs before anyone else.

Since no one spoke, the only sound was the sound of footsteps descending the narrow stairs. As they went lower and lower, the knights began to smell the subtle scent of blood.

And when they finally reached the end of the stairs, Glenn let out a short groan.

What greeted everyone was a large door leading to another space. Statues holding torches stood firmly on either side of the door, guarding the entrance, and Rebecca lay collapsed right in front of them, with a dagger stuck in her stomach.

It felt like her breath had already stopped.

Lying in a pool of her own blood, she looked like a pitiful sacrifice offered on the altar of a god.

Warren was the first to move. He took one step, then two steps, toward the fallen Rebecca.

Splash.

A small ripple occurred as his feet touched the pool of blood.

Warren bent down and knelt before her.

Rebecca’s face, sleeping forever, was peaceful, without any pain or despair.

Warren hesitated for a moment, then carefully stroked her cheek.

It was cold.

It was really all over.

He had lived as her lover and slave for a long time. He had suffered and hated her as the years had passed, but at the same time, it is true that he had satisfied his instinct to want to be in a pack and had become content with that bond.

It was because of the little bit of stability she gave him that he couldn’t run away and give up everything.

“…Goodbye.”

After a brief farewell, Warren picked up Rebecca’s body and placed it in a corner. He then took off his outer garment and covered her chilled body.

He sat up again and met Arendt’s eyes, who had been quietly watching him.

Arendt asked calmly.

“Are you done?”

“Okay, thank you.”

He thought that perhaps that guy had already guessed how upset he was. That’s why he waited quietly.

Arendt shrugged his shoulders in response to Warren’s brief thanks and turned his gaze back toward the door.

“I think we found the right place.”

The ornately carved stone door had patterns engraved on it that he had seen many times before.

Three swords piercing one heart, and the snake that climbed up that sword.

It was the symbol used by the ‘Sword of the Broken Heart’.