The Former Holy Knight. Having Lost My Job and Childhood Friend, I Decided to Start a Dark Guild - Chapter 59

When was the last time it was just Cecil and me? It shouldn’t have been that long ago, yet the memory of the morning Cecil departed on her expedition feels like it belongs to the distant past.

It appears she’s suppressing the characteristic intimidating aura of a Saintess with some kind of holy magic. However, facing Cecil, her long golden hair billowing, inevitably heightens my sense of nervousness.

Given the risks involved, I’ve prohibited entry to my master bedroom from other families. Naturally, to avoid the risk of being recognized as Leon Stein, I’ve disguised myself using the “Hidden Face” skill. Although I have a promise with Lilith, meeting Cecil as Don Michino should not be an issue.

Upon entering the room, Cecil looked me over before saying, “Today, I am deeply grateful that your family has aided our Holy Knight. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

“I’ve wanted to have a direct conversation with you, Don Michino, for quite some time now.”

I was unsure how to speak with Cecil, but I responded with respectful language, befitting the leader of the Dark Guild.

“It’s an honor. To think that the strongest Holy Knight Commander in the history of the order, Saintess Cecil Wave-sama, would take an interest in me.”

“Yes, you are a strange person. Until a few months ago, you were completely unknown in the capital. Then suddenly, you took over as the bouncer for a brothel in the Gambino Family’s territory called La Bohème. Moreover, now you’ve gained the backing of the LeBlanc family. It’s only natural to be curious.”

As I found myself unable to reply, Cecil continued, “Who exactly are you? We’ve looked into your background, but there’s no record of you until you started running the Dark Guild.”

“First, our organization is not a Dark Guild but a regular commerce guild. As for my background, nothing would interest you, Cecil-sama.”

Cecil stared at me intently as if scrutinizing my face. After a while, she briskly walked towards me and grabbed my left arm.

Cecil’s sudden action sent a chill through my heart. I was exhausted from a battle with Grittz. If she had any suspicions and used a binding spell, I would be immediately subdued.

Although it seems my ability to detect heretical skills hasn’t been triggered, if the name of the heretical skill engraved on my left arm was seen, I would be sent to a heresy inquisition immediately.

Cecil asked, “Don Michino, what is this?”

“What do you mean?”

“It looks like you’ve sustained a severe injury.”

“Injury?”

Cecil murmured a holy word while still holding my arm. Memories of being bound by Cecil’s holy magic flashed through my mind, causing my body to stiffen.

However, my worries were unfounded. After a while, the pain in my body began to fade. Cecil was healing me with her holy magic. Then, she touched the thigh wound I had received from being impaled by Grittz.

“While healing, Cecil said, “It’s strange for the head of a commerce guild to have wounds like after a deadly battle.”

Cecil and I locked eyes at close range, her gaze as if piercing through to something hidden within me. As I grew anxious, Cecil finally released her hold on me.

“I’ve administered first aid, but these are deep wounds, so it’s not enough. You should avoid straining yourself for a while.”

“Thank you for your concern. So, Cecil-sama, what brings you here today? Surely, you didn’t come all this way just to heal someone like me.”

“I have something I want to ask you.”

Cecil took out a photograph from her breast pocket. “Do you know this man?”

The photograph captured Cecil and me. It was taken during a rare occasion when we went on a picnic together on a day off from our duties as holy knights. Cecil, who seldom showed her emotions while on duty, smiled gently in the photograph.

“The man in this picture is a former Holy Knight named Leon Stein. There have been sightings of him in Loser’s District. Since you control this area, I thought you might know something about him.”

“I must say, I have no memory of this man.”

“Today, Leon faced off against Grittz Mars of Capone in collaboration with your family members, Kano Rainwood and Seneca Forest. And yet, you’re saying you’re unaware of this?”

As I shook my head in denial, Cecil fell silent and stared intently into my eyes.

“Understood. I formally request the Michino Family’s assistance if that is what you say. I want you to find Leon Stein and bring him to me. As for the reward, let’s start with at least one hundred gold coins.”

I was at a loss for words. Then, I remembered what Lilith had told me: “When it comes to you, Cecil-sama’s intelligence quotient drops to that of a toddler’s level.”

Lilith was right. Cecil is acting quite out of the ordinary.

After all, offering a vast sum of one hundred gold coins for finding someone is utterly preposterous.

Besides, I cannot accept such a request. There’s the promise I made to Lilith, and as a heretic, I am not someone who can present himself before Saintess Cecil. I considered declining firmly, but the words wouldn’t come out.

Cecil was looking at me with a pleading gaze, a look of utter desperation on her face.

“You will accept, won’t you, Don Michino? There’s no one else in the capital I can ask for such a favor.”

“To place such trust in someone you’ve just met is quite something.”

Cecil looked into my eyes and said, “I’m puzzled myself. Why would I trust someone whose background I know nothing about?”

“What do you intend to do with this Leon Stein once you’ve found him?”

After taking a moment, Cecil said, “My intention is to eventually make him the commander of the Royal Holy Knights in the capital. There’s no one but Leon Stein who can turn around this thoroughly corrupt capital.”

Two months have passed since then. The deadline for the request is approaching, but I still struggle to make a decision.

The idea of me becoming the commander of the Holy Knights is absurd. Cecil probably thinks Leon Stein has developed a powerful skill because I captured Grittz. However, she’s got it completely wrong. My skills are heretical, not the kind that would qualify someone to be the commander of the Holy Knights.

Moreover, every time I meet with Cecil, I’m reminded of a future that will never be, stirring emotions I thought I had forgotten.

I am already the Don of a Dark Guild, responsible for the lives of more than a dozen heretics. I cannot afford to entertain such half-hearted feelings.

I should probably just send a letter stating that Leon Stein could not be found. Just as I reached that conclusion, there was a vigorous knock on the door. Entering the room in a rush was my right-hand man, Kano.

“Don! It’s serious!”

Kano handed me the capital’s newspaper. The headline screamed, “Extra Edition.”

Kano said, “Someone attacked Duke LeBlanc! And I heard that Viscount Luka LeBlanc is severely injured!”

“Duke LeBlanc was attacked?”

I turned my attention to the freshly printed extra edition. The paper confirmed everything Kano had told me.

Soon after, a letter arrived at our guild’s headquarters from the LeBlanc family. It was a request for around-the-clock protection for Miss Elena LeBlanc. The letter also mentioned that the First Holy Knight Order, led by Cecil, was already providing special protection to the LeBlanc estate and requested that we handle the situation tactfully.