30 Years After Reincarnating, It Turns Out This World Was A Rofan?!-Chapter 259: A Knight Never Forgets a Grudge (2)

It hardly needed saying, but Pendragon was currently in a state of war.

The repeated terrorist attacks by the heretics had been devastating.

The damage they inflicted on Pendragon was catastrophic—most recently, the collapse of the Great Cathedral and the destruction of half of House Offen’s estate.

The scale of their threat had finally sent chills down the spines of the ruling elite.

But the most laughable part of all this was—

No one knew exactly who these heretics were.

Their organizational structure, their numbers, their leaders, and the true mastermind behind them—

Everything was a mystery.

The only thing they knew for certain was that the heretics originated from the Blood Crusaders, a long-defeated army crushed by the God of War.

However, the current iteration was completely different from its predecessor.

Their scale, composition, and methods bore no resemblance to the past, rendering any old intelligence utterly useless.

Even when the apostates within the Great Cathedral—who had maintained hidden ties with the Blood Crusaders—were discovered, they were nothing more than expendable pawns who were swiftly discarded and burned alive by their own organization.

With that, any remaining sources of information were seemingly lost.

But then—

“You’ve probably already guessed this, but the Blood Crusaders are structured in a cell-based system. Most members don’t even know their own direct superiors. There are even merchants and nobles unknowingly assisting them.”

There was a saying—even when the sky collapses, there’s always a way out.

The discarded leaders of the Blood Crusaders—abandoned by their own people—started spilling everything they knew.

And some of it was invaluable information.

“So if you think you can capture one of their cell members and squeeze out useful intel, you’re dreaming. They don’t know anything worth knowing.”

“Don’t worry. We already wasted manpower and money confirming that firsthand.”

“...Y-you already tried, huh?”

“If you’re curious about what happened to those cells, I can share the details.”

“...I’ll pass. I’d rather not make an angry beehive even angrier.”

“Wise choice.”

“Thanks for the compliment.”

The woman—Dyna, once known as one of the Seven Apostles—shrugged.

However, her expression was grim.

Because as she spoke—

The person sitting across from her was terrifying her to her very core.

And sure enough—

“But no organization survives purely on a cell-based structure. There has to be a leadership hierarchy. Who are the ones at the top?”

“...I was about to get to that.”

Dyna, overwhelmed by his calm yet chilling gaze, hesitated for a moment before finally moving a piece on the chessboard in front of her.

She pushed forward three knights.

Click.

“[Brass Knights]. They handle the organization's military force. They were the ones who spearheaded the research into ‘Demonic Beasts.’ From what I’ve heard, their greatest achievement is the creation of ‘Half-Demons.’ They have a leader called ‘Commander,’ and beneath him, a group of elite knights called the Brass Order. Their whereabouts? No idea. Don’t even bother asking why—I don’t know because we don’t trust each other. At any moment, one group could betray another, so locations are always kept secret.”

Click.

“[Torn Wings]. The brains of the organization. They’re the ones who issue commands and devise strategies. This faction is made up of sorcerers and black mages who have forged contracts with the demons of hell. The summoning of the Demon King and the Hellspawn creatures the other day? That was their doing. They have a lot of members with strange abilities. Also, they’re even more secretive than the Brass Knights. Apparently, they use some kind of mystical magic to share their thoughts with each other. Because of this, they’re scattered throughout various cells, lurking in the shadows, orchestrating schemes.”

Click.

“[Black Apostles]. The intelligence unit. They handle infiltration, assassination, and espionage against enemy nations. Once known as the ‘Black Moon’ assassins, but in truth, they were a front for human experimentation—an illegal facility dedicated to creating warriors for the Blood Crusaders. Unlike the Brass Knights, they focused on physically modifying humans. However, their cover was blown before they could fully operate, and most of their warriors scattered. Even so, their remaining members continue to operate under the Apostles.”

Huff.

Dyna let out a long sigh after finishing her explanation.

She had betrayed her former comrades, and now, after revealing everything, she felt... strangely relieved.

“...As you can see, it’s a dysfunctional mess of an organization. Only the leaders of each faction know who the real mastermind is. They’re all constantly at odds with each other. It’s only their individual power and authority that keeps the whole thing from crumbling.”

She wasn’t wrong.

By all logic—

A group like this should have collapsed a long time ago.

Its continued survival was nothing short of a miracle.

“...But why were you in such a mess of an organization? From what I’ve heard, you weren’t poisoned, blackmailed, or a fanatic.”

“......”

For the first time, Dyna was at a loss for words.

She remained silent for a long while—

But the man sitting across from her waited patiently, sipping his tea.

And when he finally placed his cup back down—

“...There are five main reasons. The pay was good. They provided a lifetime of wealth for those with families. They offered extensive support. They taught those who wanted power how to grow stronger—even through inhumane methods. And finally—there were no consequences for betrayal.”

“......”

The one who had answered wasn’t Dyna.

It was Yan, the former Eleventh Apostle and a master of sorcery.

Unlike Dyna, who had complicated emotions about her past, Yan was detached and pragmatic.

And upon hearing his words—

“...This is absurd. This doesn’t sound like a cult. It sounds like a well-run corporation.”

“It is a corporation. Even if ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) you die, they take care of your family. That’s why people stay loyal.”

“...Even after all the inhumane experiments and atrocities?”

“Well, let me turn that question back on you—didn’t the Great Cathedral, Pendragon, the Empire, and the Magic Tower commit inhumane acts themselves?”

“......”

It was a fair point.

The Blood Crusaders’ experiments were undeniably horrific.

But unfortunately—

He wasn’t the right person to judge them.

The Great Cathedral had conducted witch hunts and massacred innocent civilians under the guise of purging heresy.

The Empire and the Magic Tower had spent centuries manipulating and enslaving their own people.

“...That said, their ‘employee benefits’ only applied to official members. Criminals and apostates were just disposable pawns. They weren’t even as valuable as this chess piece.”

“......”

“...Did you know? The Half-Demon Project and the Mystic Extraction Project weren’t started by our organization. It was actually the Great Cathedral and the Magic Tower. They worked together, abducting slaves and orphans for their experiments. Of course, we eventually got our hands on those research documents too, which makes us no better.”

“...So the world was full of beasts wearing human skin. No, monsters walking among us, huh? Ha....”

For the first time, she let out a bitter laugh.

But it wasn’t amusement—

It was a hollow chuckle of disbelief.

Because the more she listened, the more sickening the truth became.

She—

Isis—shook her head.

“...Well, it doesn’t matter anymore. The beasts are already dead.”

The Great Cathedral had fallen.

The underground laboratories had been destroyed.

As for the Magic Tower...

‘I heard the entire mage race is on the verge of extinction.’

Day by day, Imperial mages were dying off—as if paying the price for centuries of sins.

And soon enough—

The Empire itself would collapse.

In the Empire, mages were being expelled from their homelands—or worse, sold into slavery.

At this rate, for at least several decades, mages wouldn't even be able to set foot in the Empire.

‘So, the Empire is collapsing after all...’

Ever since two knights had torn down the Magic Tower, the entire Imperial territory had been thrown into chaos.

Warlords and vassal kings, once held in check by the Empire’s central authority, had finally risen in rebellion.

It was almost laughable.

A nation that had once stood as Pendragon’s greatest threat, alongside Britannia, was now crumbling to dust.

With the Empire’s collapse, a major enemy was gone.

And considering that the Empire had originally taken over a century to unify its lands, it would likely take even longer to rebuild.

‘Maybe it won’t recover at all.’

For Pendragon, this was a golden opportunity.

While the Empire and the Central Continent remained chaotic, the kingdom could absorb refugees, increasing its population and solving its chronic labor shortage.

With no external threats, they could focus entirely on development.

And yet—

‘—it could all come crashing down just as suddenly.’

That thought poured cold water over her initial optimism.

"It's frightening... how every place touched by your organization's malice is now collapsing."

"We weren’t the ones who brought them down. Your knights did."

"And yet, it was your organization's influence that made it possible. Do you really think Pendragon will be spared?"

"...I won’t deny it."

Yan nodded, openly impressed.

‘So this is the one who will lead Pendragon in the future...’

The woman known as Isis—

She never let her emotions cloud her judgment.

She had listened to everything they said with cold, unwavering composure, analyzing and assessing it objectively.

And more importantly—

She never viewed the situation with blind optimism.

If anything—

"They commit inhumane acts without hesitation, abandoning morality for their goals—yet they also provide unwavering support to their own. Even as they fight among themselves, they still work together toward a common objective. They are neither entirely mad nor entirely evil; in fact, they possess just enough goodness to make them all the more unsettling... What kind of absurd organization even functions like this?"

"That doesn’t make it a good organization, though."

"No, an organization that engages in human experimentation and abduction could never be good."

"......."

"What I mean is, you are unlike any enemy I've ever faced. For the first time, I have no clear strategy to deal with an opponent."

"......."

"You will stop at nothing to destroy us. And because of that, conventional approaches are useless against you. I never expected to encounter an enemy like this...."

Isis admitted that the Blood Crusaders were fundamentally unpredictable.

On top of that, Pendragon itself was far from unified.

The royal family and the great noble houses were barely acknowledging each other, let alone working together.

"...This is serious. Truly serious...."

"......."

"So, I have an offer. Would you consider working for me?"

"??"

...Just like that?

One moment, she had been lamenting the kingdom's dire state, and the next, she was recruiting criminals?

But Isis’s reasoning was clear—

If her enemy refused to play by conventional rules, then she, too, had to step outside the boundaries of conventional thinking.

Thus—

"You said you’re currently at the Academy, correct? That doesn’t suit you. Shed that ill-fitting disguise. The best place for you is by my side. If you work for me, I will provide unlimited support. Whatever salary you desire, I will pay double. Just name your price."

"B-but... we’re criminals...?"

"These are times of war. Rather than locking away talent, it is more practical to put it to use. Serve Pendragon for ten years, and I will guarantee your freedom afterward."

It was a bold decision.

By taking them in, Isis would undoubtedly expose herself to political scrutiny, but she deemed the potential benefits worth the risk.

However—

"W-well... actually, Galahad already made us the same offer...."

"And Lionel as well...."

SLAM!

"—Those shameless bastards!!"

Her political rivals had moved faster than her yet again.

They already had plenty of talented subordinates—why were they so greedy?!

Isis felt utterly wronged.

But then—

"Well, at least you have No. 8, don't you?"

"...?"

"The one who goes by the name Ihan now."

"......"

The moment she heard his name, a smile spread across Isis’s lips.

That name—

It had the strange ability to ease her frustrations.

"My proud sworn brother."

"......."

"What is he up to now? The Academy is officially on break starting today, isn’t it? Is he training again?"

"...You don’t know?"

"?"

"Well... I think he said he was going hunting with the Hao Clan Leader... for vampires?"

"??"

"More specifically, he’s hunting Hensel, the Second Apostle. And judging by how he's tearing through every suspicious hideout, the entire kingdom is probably going to be in chaos for a while...."

"—That ungrateful bastard!!"

She was furious.

"If he was planning something like that, he should have invited me!"

...Her sworn brother had gone hunting without her, and that was unacceptable.

***

Guildmaster Simon was experiencing a strange sense of déjà vu.

‘I feel like... this has happened before?’

He distinctly remembered—

“Thanks for the help. As expected of the Hao Clan. It’s been a while since I last heard a mage scream. Very satisfying.”

—a battle axe once being pointed at his throat.

...Thankfully, this time, it was directed at someone else.

Simon glanced at the man before him—the one soaked in blood, standing casually amidst the chaos.

And he was genuinely unsure if this man was a knight or a butcher.

Eventually, he voiced a small, simple question.

"I’ve been wondering... why do you keep calling the Guild ‘the Hao Clan’?"

"Oh, it’s just a nickname. Don’t think too much about it."

"...Hah. I see."

"Now, Hao Clan Leader—where’s the next mage?"

"...You make it sound like I’m some criminal mastermind."

"That’s exactly the kind of position the Hao Clan Leader holds."

"......."

...Simon had been bothered by this for a while now.

Updat𝓮d from freewēbnoveℓ.com.

What exactly did this knight think the Guild was?

‘We’re not that bad... are we?’

Ever since their first meeting had gone terribly wrong, everything seemed permanently off-course.