The Former Holy Knight. Having Lost My Job and Childhood Friend, I Decided to Start a Dark Guild - Chapter 87

In the calm of the night in Nasheem, alarm bells resounded as I recalled the story Shia Sairen and her group had shared just moments ago in the guest room they had vacated.

The tale told by the young chieftain, Shia Sairen, differed greatly from what was written in the Royal Capital Newspaper. The paper had declared Shia Sairen, the chieftain of the People of the Sun, as the mastermind behind the uprising. However, the truth, as she revealed, was that the Holy Knights had incited a faction of the frontier people, leading them to assault the Order of the Holy Knights.

Shia Sairen had tried to persuade her people and quell the uprising, but the deep-seated resentment from years of persecution had transformed into fierce anger, engulfing the People of the Sun like a raging torrent.

A minor riot escalated into a full-scale uprising, eventually leading to the capture of a dispatched unit from the Royal Capital’s Holy Knights.

I picked up the projected image left behind by Shia Sairen.

In a cave-like setting, three nearly naked female Holy Knights were being forced to serve a man from the Bernard Order of Holy Knights, named Glenn Dees. I remembered him as a promising young member from the Bernard Order who had come to the Royal Capital’s Holy Knights for what was termed an exchange program.

My memories of Glenn Dees’ exchange were not particularly glorious. Even as a promising figure from the Bernard Order, he was not physically fit enough to survive among the elite of the Royal Capital’s Holy Knights.

He was often defeated by the stronger members of the Royal Capital’s Holy Knights during training and would sit alone, dejected. I had sparred with him once; his skills were barely on par with the requirements for recruitment into the Royal Capital’s Holy Knights.

Now, this same man was reveling in obscene acts with a female Holy Knight of the Royal Capital, whom he had overpowered. Dressed in her torn holy garments, he yanked at her golden hair.

Occasionally, Glenn Dees, flanked by women, would viciously kick a crawling male Holy Knight on the ground, as if avenging past grievances.

Glenn Dees was planning to marry Shia Sairen on the night of the next new moon, officially becoming the chieftain of the People of the Sun. He had managed to persuade the tribe’s elders, and even Shia Sairen herself could not refuse this marriage. At the marriage ceremony, the People of the Sun were to execute the captured Holy Knights, according to Shia Sairen.

“As you may have guessed, Glenn Dees isn’t orchestrating the manipulation of our people alone. There’s a larger, more sinister force behind this, driving us toward ruin,” she deduced.

Naturally. A single man couldn’t possibly manipulate the frontier people into capturing a squad of the Royal Capital’s Holy Knights.

“Who’s backing this man?”

“The involvement of several individuals within the Bernard Order of Holy Knights is confirmed. Of course, there’s undoubtedly someone higher pulling the strings,” she added.

If this were a local issue, I might have some idea of who the mastermind could be, but being in a foreign land made it impossible to grasp.

Shia Sairen made an odd remark.

“I’ve heard that the King of the Eastern Capital, that is, His Majesty of the Royal Capital, is bedridden. Do you think the succession to the throne will proceed without issues?”

That wasn’t an easy question to answer. With Prince Raymond effectively absent, it was unclear who would inherit the throne.

“One thing is certain: the struggle for succession will be decided by whom Saintess Cecil chooses to support.”

At that moment, the city’s noise was further shattered by more intense alarm bells. Outside, the Holy Knights of the Bernard Order began to stir visibly. From their movements, it was clear that a state of alert had been established. Shia Sairen shook her head, seemingly regretful.

“Perhaps our movements have been noticed. Needless to say, I am not free to act as I wish.”

Shia Sairen placed a letter on the table.

“You may burn this immediately if you wish. However, if you decide to accept the request, please read it. It details the task at hand.”

Then, standing up from the chair, she said, “Ideally, we would host a feast and show our gratitude,” and along with the two men behind her, knelt to the ground.

“As a descendant of the People of the Sun who once ruled this land, we welcome the visit of the king.”

With those words, the three figures vanished, and soon their presence dissipated into the streets of Nasheem.

Half a koku had passed since then. Had Shia Sairen and her companions managed to escape successfully? With the current state of alert, it was hard to tell, but the fact that they had risked their lives to meet me spoke volumes.

Yet, here I am, still the same immature man.

Back in the Royal Capital, a massive amount of work awaits me. Yet here I am, entangling myself in such troublesome affairs. I know why.

Throughout Shia Sairen’s story, the image of my childhood friend, who was raised to the top of the organization at a young age and suffered greatly, kept flashing through my mind. Back then, I was just a lowly Holy Knight and could do little more than stay by Cecil’s side.

“Don, aren’t you going to sleep?”

Lost in thought, the noisy streets seemed to have awakened Nina, who sat up yawning.

“We’re traveling again starting tomorrow, so I can’t sleep in a bed. You should get plenty of rest too.”

While opening the letter, I replied,

“No, change of plans. It seems we’ll be staying in this land a bit longer.”