Chapter 23

Chapter 23
## Chapter 23: The Peerless Warrior, Gracia

The tension in the room was palpable as Kim Hana conducted her interview with the golden-haired man.

Gracia.

He was a figure of absolute reverence among the Dimension Warriors. The sheer scale of power he had exhibited during the events in America was almost impossible to fathom. He truly earned the reputation of being the world’s most formidable individual.

However, in the middle of their conversation, he unexpectedly shifted the topic to a different person.

“……Phantom. If the rumors regarding his Korean heritage are accurate, I am eager to cross paths with him. We would likely function as a powerful duo. I possess a wealth of data concerning ‘interests’ that I’m prepared to discuss with him.”

“Who exactly is Phantom?”

“He was among the eight champions who stood against the Demon King alongside my ‘incarnation’ in a parallel world. Some know him by the name Wilhelm. It is imperative that we reunite our strengths here on this planet.”

“He sounds like a truly remarkable individual.”

“Indeed. Now, this is strictly confidential, but Ms. Kim Hana, I have a personal inquiry for you.”

Kim Hana scanned the surroundings, and the recording equipment was powered down. This was a private exchange; she would ensure his words remained secret.

Gracia’s expression shifted, becoming more solemn than she had ever seen it.

“What is your connection to the individual who owns ‘Hydragon’? Are you aware of his current location?”

Kim Hana took a sharp, nervous breath. Under the weight of Gracia’s intense, focused stare, she felt her throat tighten with anxiety.

—

The Garden of Knights.

This was the gateway city through which all must pass to earn the title of a formal knight within the Ballan Kingdom. The area was adorned with a modest lake lined with marble and statues commemorating legendary warriors. Its aesthetic was one of elegance and high-born romance.

“……It feels like a place of mourning.”

Despite the beauty, the mood within the city walls was heavy and dejected. At the heart of the main plaza stood a towering stone monument. It was carved with rows of names, the base buried under layers of commemorative wreaths. These were the names of every knight who had fallen during the Great Expedition.

‘The entire order was decimated.’

Those five hundred knights had been men of immense bravery and integrity. They had charged into the depths of the demon territories without a hint of cowardice. While Wilhelm’s leadership was legendary, their own noble spirits were what truly fueled the charge.

Yet, every one of those brave souls who rushed to the front lines had perished. In the end, I was left to confront the Demon King alone, and I shared the exact same destiny as those knights.

“Do you happen to recognize any of the names listed here?”

“……I do not.”

Did I see familiar faces on that stone? Not a single one. I had no reason to commit the name of every rank-and-file knight to memory. To me, that life had been a game. Aside from the significant, named figures, I remained ignorant of the rest. Not a single name etched into that rock sparked a memory.

Nothing.

“Wilhelm! You heartless monster! Give me back my boy! Bring him home!”

A sharp, wailing voice made me turn. Close by, an elderly woman was frantically striking her own chest in grief.

“Sion, you promised you’d return! You told me there was nothing to fear! How could I let you—how could—ugh!”

She grabbed at her neck and began to tip over. Before she could hit the ground, I had already moved, catching her and supporting her weight.

“Star Awakener?”

Hudson’s eyes went wide, stunned by my sudden burst of movement. Isabella also looked quite taken aback by the intervention.

I lifted the frail woman onto my back and looked toward my companions.

“……We’re heading to the infirmary.”

—

The infirmary, managed by the clergy, functioned as a medical ward for the common people. The specific branch here in the Garden of Knights was overseen by the most dominant religious group on the continent, the Church of the Goddess.

“The pain is too much!”

“Please, help me!”

The place was packed to the brim with the suffering. Every inch of the building, inside and out, was occupied by patients. It was a clear sign that they were drowning due to a lack of staff and medical kits.

Hudson looked over the chaotic scene and scowled.

“Should I step in and provide healing?”

“It wouldn’t help.”

The Water Guardian ability is designed for physical trauma. It lacks the power to mend a broken spirit or a mind plagued by grief. However, the head of this sanctuary possessed a different kind of power.

“Hey.”

I addressed a man wearing a robe marked with the number two on his shoulder—the insignia of the Church of the Goddess. He seemed to be a low-level deacon. He turned to me, his face slick with sweat.

“If you require treatment, you must join the queue. My apologies!”

“Is Priest Andrew on the premises?”

“He is, but—Hey! I told you not to touch those supplies!”

“This is a crisis.”

“……The queue still applies. Unless, of course, you wish to provide a donation of 50 gold!”

They were soliciting funds? While the Church of the Goddess technically ran the place, it actually survived on local municipal funding. The quality of these centers usually matched the prosperity of the city. As one of the three largest hubs among the thirteen major cities of the Ballan Kingdom, the Garden of Knights should have been well-funded. The fact that they were shaking down patients for money suggested the situation was dire.

‘Local funding must have completely evaporated. The city’s treasury is likely empty.’

Now they were shamelessly demanding “donations.” And fifty gold was no small sum. The city’s financial collapse meant the infirmary was left to rot. They were forced to survive on whatever they could squeeze from the public.

In a place like the golden city of Arcana, people might burn through hundreds of gold a day, but for a regular person, fifty gold represented a full month’s income.

‘They don’t even have the resources to clean their own robes……’

I watched the deacons as they scrambled between patients. Their eyes were sunken with exhaustion, and their clothes were caked in grime. They were oily and unwashed, clearly lacking the time for sleep or basic hygiene. There was no one to take over their shifts.

“If you aren’t here to donate, then wait your turn!”

The deacons tried to walk past us.

*Clink!*

The sudden sound caused one of the deacons to whip around, his eyes nearly popping out of his head.

“Gah!”

Gold coins were scattering across the floor. An immense, staggering amount of wealth lay there. I reached into the pile and held up a single gold bar worth ten thousand.

“Is ten of these sufficient?”

“Th-thank you for your incredible generosity, brother!! We are at your service!!”

—

A man with a sprawling white beard and a face etched with deep lines appeared. Priest Andrew rested his palm against the old woman’s chest. A soft blue radiance emanated from his hand, and the tension finally left the woman’s face.

“P-Priest Andrew? Why am I……?”

The woman, Meira, blinked her eyes open and looked at the priest in a daze. Andrew offered her a gentle, comforting smile.

“Sister May, these kind souls brought you here after you collapsed. It could have been quite tragic if they hadn’t acted so quickly.”

“I am so sorry. I’ve become such a nuisance……”

Meira bowed her head toward me in gratitude. Andrew gave her a look of mild scolding.

“Did you go back to that monument again?”

“……I can’t help it. It’s the only thing I think about.”

“And what of the foundation? You have a quota of garments to finish before the winter chill sets in.”

“I just…… I can’t find the will to work.”

“You must persevere. If I have to, I will come by daily to check on your stitchwork.”

“P-Priest Andrew, please don’t do that! The neighbors will think I’m a burden on you. You have so much work here…… I couldn’t allow it.”

“Then will you commit to your work so I don’t have to check in?”

“I will……”

As May agreed, Andrew gave a satisfied nod. It was just as I suspected. As the head of the city’s primary infirmary, Andrew was deeply connected to the heart of the community.

‘He was the source of quests that boosted one’s reputation.’

Many of the quests known for building “honor” were issued by Andrew. He was a vital figure for anyone playing a class that relied on social standing. I understood exactly what his influence meant in this town.

“I am truly grateful……”

She thanked me once more before departing. Once she was gone, the room was left to just Andrew and me.

“……”

The air grew heavy with a profound silence. Andrew was the one to break the quiet.

“Sister May’s only child vanished not long ago. He took part in the Great Expedition. She has been consumed by a fever of regret ever since. She blames herself for not stopping him.”

“……It seems that way.”

“Her boy, Sion, idolized the Knight King. He was convinced he would help drive back the Demon King, brimming with passion. He never came home. Not even his remains were recovered. That tiny, impossible hope that he might still be out there is what’s destroying her.”

In reality, he is gone, Andrew noted with a heavy heart.

“May isn’t alone. Countless families here lost their loved ones. The only one who made it back, Serengeti, refuses to utter a single word……”

“Why are you sharing this with me?”

“I felt it was something you needed to understand.”

Andrew let out a weary sigh. He was a man of wisdom—one of the few clerics truly regarded as a sage. He had likely deduced my motives simply by looking at me. My composure was absolute, showing no flicker of emotion thanks to the Iron-Blooded Lord’s Heart.

“You didn’t hand over one hundred thousand gold for no reason. So, tell me, what does a man like you want from an old priest?”

That amount of money would save the infirmary. It was enough to provide care for a year without needing to charge a single copper. It was a miracle for them. But in this life, nothing is truly free.

‘If his request is absurd, I will walk away, regardless of the cost.’

The money was vital for his work, but Andrew wouldn’t compromise his principles. He served the people. If the request went against his mission, he’d decline it.

‘Merchants often come seeking religious favors.’

He likely suspected I was one of them. High-ranking priests of the Goddess could grant three indulgences in their lifetime. Andrew had only ever granted one.

‘I have only ever bestowed an indulgence upon one man.’

That man was the Knight King, Wilhelm. Because of this, wealthy traders often assumed that a large enough bribe could buy their way into his good graces.

“I have already gotten what I came for.”

Andrew’s brow furrowed in confusion. He had achieved his goal? It wasn’t about the indulgence? Was the treatment of Sister May the actual objective?

“……I don’t understand. What goal are you referring to?”

I simply smiled at the bewildered priest. At that exact moment, the peace was shattered.

“Move aside!”

“Clear the path!”

The area outside became chaotic. I heard the distinct ring of armor and heavy boots. As I expected, a group of knights had arrived.

“Andrew! The Lord of the city demands an audience with your guest!”

As they attempted to force their way in, Isabella and Hudson stood their ground, blocking the entrance. A tense standoff ensued.

“What…… what is the meaning of this……”

Andrew was in a panic, but for me, this was all part of the plan. I knew they would come. The ruler of the Garden of Knights, Marquis Wyzer, was currently desperate for capital. He was bound to be curious about the identity of the person who just dropped one hundred thousand gold at the infirmary. By making the donation so publicly, I ensured the news reached him instantly. It was far more effective than a private meeting.

“It is good to see you once more, Priest Andrew.”

I stood up unhurriedly, opened the door, and stepped out.

“Once more……?”

I left Andrew behind, lost in his own complicated thoughts.

—

The estate of Marquis Wyzer.

I was escorted by the knights into a grand, traditional mansion. We were led to a reception hall and seated at a lavish table. A tea service had already been prepared. It was a formal welcome for a guest of interest.

‘He doesn’t seem particularly impressive.’

Marquis Wyzer looked over the three individuals he had summoned. His gaze lingered on the man in the middle—the one responsible for the massive donation.

‘Is he a traveling trader? He’s not carrying any wares. Perhaps a wealthy heir on a journey.’

Whatever the case, he was clearly loaded. The equipment worn by his two companions was of the highest quality and extremely expensive. Wyzer offered a plastic smile.

“I must apologize for the suddenness of this invitation. Please, forgive my intrusion.”

The Marquis was a stout, heavy-set man. He ruled this city and had once been a figure of inspiration for many knights. Now, he was nothing more than a gluttonous shadow of his former self. Seeing him made Hudson shake with suppressed rage. He gripped his hands tightly under the table, struggling to remain calm.

“Consider this a small gesture of my regret.”

Wyzer didn’t even recognize Hudson. He probably never cared enough to remember him in the first place. It didn’t matter.

*Slurp.*

I took a sip of the tea and spoke plainly.

“Let’s skip the pleasantries and get to the reason I’m here.”

“……The reason?”

Wyzer’s smile vanished instantly.

‘……Is this brat insane?’

The young man was speaking with total informal ease in the presence of a Marquis. Wyzer was the absolute authority in this city. With a single word, he could make these people disappear.

‘If he turns out to be a nobody, I’ll make him regret this.’

Even if the boy left the mansion alive, he wouldn’t leave it on his own two feet. Wyzer watched him, waiting to see how far this boldness would go.

“I am here to settle a debt, Marquis Wyzer.”

“……A debt?”

Wyzer’s expression soured. He was buried in various debts.

‘Tch, I made a mistake.’

He thought he was bringing in a benefactor, but it turned out to be a collector. Normally, his guards would have turned such a person away at the gates, but his curiosity had led him to bypass his own security. Bringing this man inside had been an error in judgment. However, he soon realized this wasn’t a standard financial dispute.

“Knight King Wilhelm.”

Why was that name being brought up now? Everyone in the room was momentarily stunned.

*Thud.*

Slowly, I moved.

I leaned back into the chair, crossed my legs, and unceremoniously slammed my feet onto the expensive table. It was a display of utter contempt for etiquette.

“……!”

The room turned ice-cold.

*Shing!*

The knights stationed at the entrance drew their blades. Wyzer’s face turned a deep shade of purple. Putting feet on his table? To his face? This was no longer about a lesson. This was a death sentence. Wyzer began to raise his hand. The moment he dropped it, the knights would lunge forward and decapitate the arrogant fool.

Talking about the Knight King and demanding a debt? It was a joke that even a common dog wouldn’t find funny.

But as Wyzer started to lower his hand to give the order, I spoke.

“I am the one who carries his legacy.”

…………………………………………What?