Chapter 159: Blackout and Concealment (3)
Roughly thirty minutes later. At the entrance to the road leading to House Embergreen.
“This is your final warning.”
The House of Duke Embergreen was no stranger to incidents and scandals—rivaling even the infamous Count Ringaarden’s estate—but what happened today ranked among the most intense events in years.
“Disarm yourselves and clear the path.”
Tension hung in the air as the Embergreen Knights blocked the road to their estate. Opposite them stood the First Holy Paladin Order—the greatest force of the Holy Theocracy—adorned in radiant white armor.
“Refuse, and you will all be deemed heretics.”
At the forefront of the paladins, a commanding voice rang out. The paladin raised his voice with overwhelming authority.
“This is not an idle threat. I have the legal authority to declare everyone in this area a heretic.”
While most paladins were held in high esteem as the might of the Holy Theocracy—often referred to simply as the Holy Nation—this particular man was on a different level.
The man standing at the head of the Paladin Order was the former commander who wielded authority rivaling the Pope himself—until the emergence of Saintess Hestia. Even now, despite most power being shifted to her, he remained the Supreme Commander of the Theocracy's military forces.
“Just as you say it’s no idle threat, I’ll say the same.”
Had the person standing before him been anyone other than the infamous Meredia Embergreen—renowned across both the Empire and foreign lands—the Holy Paladins likely would’ve already begun their so-called “heretic purification.”