Chapter 12

The signet ring is both the family’s treasure and its heirloom.

In other words, under normal circumstances it would never pass into anyone else’s hands but the head of the house.

“Could it be that you…?”

Hamel replied flatly to the lord, who seemed to have something come to mind.

“I am Hamel Gilmore. I’m also the second son of House Gilmore.”

“Ah, so you’re the one who joined that order…”

The lord recalled an old incident in the neighboring domain.

Along with it came the horrible rumors tied to that matter.

But the lord kept his composure and nodded as he spoke.

“I’ve heard. That you were recognized by the order and became an Exorcist priest. Impressive.”

“It was nothing.”

Hamel answered curtly again, though a slight hesitation showed.

Noticing it, the lord smoothly changed the subject.

“More to the point, why didn’t you show the ring sooner? If you had, Sir Daniel wouldn’t have been able to stop you.”

“Ah.”

Only then did Hamel realize that was an option.

“I forgot.”

It had been a long time since he had abandoned his identity as a noble.

Hamel had long since become a cleric to his core, unable to assert noble authority.

The lord sighed at that answer, and Daniel, who had been listening, adjusted his helmet.

“If you’d been a noble you should’ve said so…”

Even an Upper Knight, of whom there were only a hundred in the Empire, could not disregard the authority of a noble.

Of course, it would be different for a knight belonging to the Empire’s orders.

An Upper Knight would certainly have such standing.

But Daniel was a wandering knight with no affiliation, so he couldn’t be presumptuous toward noble Hamel.

A brief awkward silence passed, then the lord laughed and changed the mood.

“Ha. Still, that’s good. I won’t be short of things to ask of you.”

“…?”

“If you have the signet ring, doesn’t that mean you’ve been made the successor?”

“Yes?”

“Hm?”

Hamel and the lord exchanged puzzled looks and stared at each other for a while.

After a moment, the lord’s expression changed drastically and he spoke.

“You’ve inherited the family’s signet ring. Is there any other way to read it? Sending someone instead of coming in person seems to suggest they’ve renounced the cloth and returned to lead the house.”

“…The situation was urgent, so I couldn’t think of that.”

Why did Gail bring the ring to him in the first place?

It wasn’t that he hadn’t thought about it at all.

But he hadn’t imagined it would mean that.

He had only guessed that something extremely urgent was happening.

Hadn’t his father consistently treated him coldly since childhood?

The heir to a mage family without mana could not exist, after all.

Hamel’s mind grew cluttered.

What was his father thinking?

Where was my elder brother to begin with?

‘I don’t know.’

Hamel shook his head lightly to dispel the distracting thoughts.

Even if he worried now, it wouldn’t change anything.

“That gives me one more reason to go to the domain.”

The surest course was to visit his father and ask him directly.

The lord seemed to agree, nodding reluctantly.

“Yes. That would be best. It’s been years since I’ve seen that fellow too. Please convey my regards.”

“I will.”

“And take this.”

“What’s this…?”

The gold medallion the lord handed over was engraved with an oak shield and axe.

“It’s a token proving you are our benefactor. Show it to the people of our domain and most favors will be granted. And if you ever truly need great help, return the medallion to me; I’ll help you even if it costs my life.”

“That’s excessive.”

Hamel tried to step back, but the lord was insistent.

He grabbed Hamel’s hand and pressed the medallion into it as he spoke.

“Take it. What you did for us is worth that much.”

“…Very well.”

Hamel accepted it resignedly and tucked the medallion into his garments.

“I’ll be on my way then.”

Just as Hamel was about to leave.

“Wait.”

Daniel called him back and said.

“I’ll come along.”

“What do you mean?”

Hamel was bewildered by the knight’s unexpected declaration.

Daniel crossed his arms and said.

“Give me a chance to make amends for my mistake.”

“If you mean you’re still bothered by attacking us earlier, that’s fine.”

“No. I caused trouble for everyone with my misunderstanding, so I want to repay that. I also want to repay the debt of saving my life.”

Hamel felt awkward at Daniel’s words.

He had heard that, though temporarily hired by the Rengbaster family, Daniel was already a knight who served a master.

It would be improper to take him along like this.

As Hamel glanced at the lord for guidance.

The lord met Hamel’s eyes, smiled, and nodded.

“Let him join you. He’s already asked permission.”

“…Is that so.”

Hamel sighed lightly.

Daniel’s past, which seemed tied to the order, was at stake.

He wasn’t used to people repaying favors in this manner.

Still, having an Upper Knight accompany them on the journey was more reassuring than anything.

If he could channel auras, he would be more capable of demon hunting than many paladins.

He didn’t ponder for long.

Hamel extended his hand and said.

“I look forward to your support.”

“Likewise.”

Daniel clasped his hand.

Through the gauntlet came a steadiness and a solidity like a great oak.

A terrifying foe, but the most dependable ally if on your side.

And he was one of only a hundred Upper Knights in the Empire.

Was this too the arrangement of the gods?

Hamel could only tilt his head at the unknowable will of the divine.

─Clatter

Three horses appeared, breaking the village’s silence.

From the rearmost came Antonio’s trembling whisper.

“This is Haidern…”

“That’s right.”

“We’ve finally arrived.”

Antonio choked up at Hamel’s answer.

For a week they’d saved time for eating, sleeping, even relieving themselves to hurry here.

They had even fought a life-risking battle in the Rengbaster domain, so it wasn’t an exaggeration to call them exhausted.

Antonio had nearly fallen off his horse from dozing.

“We can rest here a bit, right?”

“That’s the plan. First, let’s go to the order.”

Daniel, their new companion eavesdropping on the conversation, interjected in puzzlement.

“The order? Not the lord’s mansion?”

Hamel is the second son of House Gilmore.

No matter the order, protocol dictated they should seek out the current lord of Haidern—his father and the head of the house—first.

“There is a reason.”

Hamel kept his words brief.

A family with many suspicious circumstances.

Two other Exorcist priests said to have been dispatched by the diocesan bishop.

Visiting the order instead of the lord’s mansion first was not optional but necessary.

“Is that so? Then we’ll go to the order.”

Daniel, ignorant of the details, did not press further.

Hamel was the party’s leader, and Daniel had only felt uneasy about the order to begin with.

“I understand your reluctance toward the order.”

“No. It’s fine. I’ve learned that not all in the order are enemies.”

On the way to Haidern.

Hamel talked with Daniel about many things.

Hamel mostly listened; Daniel’s past was full of puzzling parts.

‘A dagger-wielding, brown-haired Exorcist priest…’

It was already over twenty years ago—hardly someone young Hamel would know.

Perhaps the diocesan bishop might know.

If they finished this job safely, Hamel wanted to help Daniel with his matter as well.

Whether Daniel sensed Hamel’s intent or not, he seemed to have discarded the notion that the order was wholly hostile.

“Thank you. Then we’ll head to the order at once.”

“Excellent!”

Antonio answered cheerily, as if arrival in Haidern made everything fine.

However.

That cheerfulness did not last long.

“The village… feels a bit quiet.”

“…”

Hamel slowly surveyed the surroundings instead of replying.

Entering the village center, Hamel urged his horse on while mulling over old memories.

The clear spring that once bubbled from the village well was empty and dry.

The market that once lined the square around it was eerily deserted, as if ghosts might appear.

It wasn’t that there were no people.

He could feel gazes from inside the houses.

Occasionally he heard the clack of bolts as doors were locked.

The party was openly being watched with suspicion.

Because they were outsiders?

No, that wasn’t it.

The village had been as silent as a grave even before they arrived.

“Maybe it’s because the sun’s setting.”

“Perhaps.”

Daniel’s attempt at reassurance made Hamel murmur assent and glance around slowly.

The sunset was waning, though it wasn’t exactly night yet.

No one argued otherwise.

The village, bathed in red—no, a deep crimson—felt strange.

There was no trace of magical energy, yet it left an unpleasant, clammy feeling.

“We’re here.”

On the distant hill a large old house came into view.

The three stood before the temple doors—the village’s largest building apart from the mansion.

Hamel walked to the door and knocked slowly.

─Knock knock

A voice from inside asked them to wait a moment, and with a clatter the door opened.

A spectacled, tousle-haired deacon peered out cautiously, holding a club in his hand.

“Wh-who are you…? Hah!”

“…?”

The deacon’s eyes widened as he saw the clerical robes Hamel wore beneath his cloak.

“A priest of Azure Flame?”

“You know me?”

“Ah, no, I—I’ve heard about you from the others.”

It seemed the other Exorcist priests had already arrived.

“Anyway, please come in. The parish priest is waiting.”

“Thank you.”

Hamel and his party followed the deacon’s guidance and entered the temple slowly.

Inside the temple there was a sacred quiet, unlike the outside.

If the outside stillness pressed on the chest, the silence here offered comfort to both body and mind.

The temple was not very large, and soon they reached the main sanctuary.

The deacon rapped gently on the old wooden door.

“Father, Priest Hamel Gilmore has arrived.”

“Come in.”

At the voice from within, the deacon opened the door cautiously and bowed.

Hamel nodded in thanks and stepped inside.

The scent of incense filled the air.

A familiar atmosphere.

It was a prayer room.

As with any place, the layout of the prayer room was familiar.

At the entrance four statues of saints stood to either side, and at the front was a figure half sun, half moon.

It was Yan, the chief and principal god.

The priest who had been kneeling there slowly opened his eyes.

He rose and turned his body toward Hamel and the others.

“Welcome to Haidern estate.”

“Hmm…?”

Irene Rengbaster opened her eyes with effort and surveyed her surroundings.

The room was dark.

It seemed she had fallen asleep again after their benefactor Hamel left.

Because of it, her body felt as light as if it could float.

Just as she stretched contentedly and prepared to sit up.

Someone was beside her.

Only one person in the mansion could be by her side like that.

“Father…?”

But there was a tremble in Irene’s voice.

Something felt unfamiliar.

There was no breath to be heard.

She couldn’t even be sure it was her father—or even a person.

“Who… are you?”

Irene swallowed her fear and asked; the figure gave a light laugh.

“You’re calm. Good. Keep answering like that.”

The faint moonlight filtering through the window revealed his form.

A black robe hooded to his head, with brown hair visible beneath.

Irene was certain she’d never seen him before.

“There was a man named Daniel here. What was his family name?”

“…Tirian.”

Irene did not hesitate.

She had stood closer to death than anyone over the past few months.

So she was certain.

That at this moment she was closer to death than ever.

“Ah, I thought so.”

The man murmured, nodding as if amused.

“I was briefly fooled back then.”

He gave a small chuckle, stood, and walked to the door to pull the handle.

A gust from outside brought with it a tang of blood.

As Irene shivered, the man turned smoothly and spoke.

“Oh, and one more thing.”

“…”

“Who captured Reteil?”

The one who saved her, her family, and the domain.

But.

“…Hamel. He called himself Hamel. I don’t know his family name.”

Irene had no choice but to answer.

The moment their eyes met, her head felt shockingly blank.

The man murmured the name as if etching it and then nodded.

“Well done, Irene. Good girl.”

That was all.

The man left without another word.

Yet Irene remained frozen, staring at the door long after he had gone.

After a long while she rose from the bed and headed out.

“Father…?”

The empty corridor was cold and silent, without a single sign of life.

Irene staggered through the mansion for a long time but could find no living soul anywhere.