RD | Chapter 49

Two horses galloped down the boulevard, catching the attention of people who had drawn their curtains and bolted their doors. Curiosity got the better of them, and one by one, they peeked outside. What they saw was a holy knight clad in white armor and a priest in a robe charging forward.

Everyone recognized the knight leading the way. In this Vatican, there was no one who didn’t know him.

Their savior. The beloved of God. “The Agent of God,” Sir Keith.

The Pope had excommunicated him, but the people found it hard to understand why. After all, wasn’t Sir Keith still… Sir Keith?

“He’s not God. He must’ve done something terribly wrong,” some loudly proclaimed, but when asked what exactly he had done, they fumbled for an answer and changed the subject.

Sir Keith was different from others even as a child. He couldn’t turn a blind eye to injustice and loved helping people. When his exceptional courage and divine power were recognized, and he entered the path of a Holy Knight, the orphanage that raised him and the surrounding community simply said, “Well, we always knew he was special.”

By the time he became the commander of the Holy Knights, everyone in the Vatican knew he was extraordinary.

Half the Vatican’s population had likely been blessed by him in some way. Even if he hadn’t directly saved them, their family, lovers, or friends owed their lives to him.

He truly seemed like a knight deserving of God’s love.

But what could it mean that he had abandoned God?

The people were aware that he had been cast out of the Vatican. The Pope had dispatched the Holy Knights to pursue and kill him—or so they’d heard.

Afterward, black clouds hung over the Vatican’s skies, and demons roamed the streets. When the people whispered among themselves, the Pope explained it was all because Keith had forsaken God.

Still, the people were skeptical.

This was Sir Keith they were talking about.

“Sir Keith is back.”

“Sir Keith has returned.”

Unconsciously, they leaned out of their windows. Keith was riding his horse with unflinching determination. The streets were empty except for demons, and Keith crushed them under his horse’s hooves and slashed them apart with his sword, moving with unstoppable momentum.

Keeeeek!

The hideous demons were reduced to mere ashes by Keith’s sword, which gleamed with a radiant white light, leaving trails of brilliance wherever it passed.

Keith was using divine power.

‘Didn’t they call him a heretic? How is this possible?’

The people were puzzled.

A brave soul opened the door and stepped outside. Keith didn’t so much as glance at him and rode past. That brave person didn’t stop at just watching; he began to follow Keith.

“What are you doing?”

“Sir Keith is heading for the Vatican.”

The hidden townsfolk already knew: the only direction he could be going was toward the Vatican.

The brave man asked, “Did Sir Keith really summon these demons? Then why is he killing them?”

“You shouldn’t call him ‘Sir.’ He’s a heretic. An excommunicated man.”

“But why is Sir Keith a heretic? God hasn’t forsaken him.” This was the question on everyone’s minds.

Another person, curious, opened their door and stepped outside. It had been so long since they had ventured out, hiding indoors in fear, unable even to see their neighbors.

Hesitant, they began to follow Keith. Though he was on horseback, his progress was slowed by the demons he was cutting down, so they could keep up on foot.

One by one, more people emerged from their homes and joined the growing crowd trailing behind Keith.

Sir Keith had returned.

But why?

He had always been their savior.

Could it really be true that these demons were summoned by Sir Keith?

Wasn’t he here to save the Vatican from its corruption?

‘Why are they following us?’

Ian could sense the movements of the crowd.

“The people are following.”

“Yes, I am aware. I am dealing with the demons to ensure their safety.”

“They’re following because of you. Isn’t that dangerous?”

“They are Vatican citizens. Who could stop them from walking in their own city?”

Keith gave a principled response while cutting down another demon.

Ian spoke bluntly. “It looks like you’re going to end up killing the Pope.”

“I’m on my way to have a conversation with him.”

“Will it really end with a conversation?”

Keith fell silent for a moment.

“I hope so.”

“If it doesn’t, don’t hesitate.”

“……”

Ian had said all he wanted to.

‘Make up your mind—flee or fight.’

It would be a problem if Keith hesitated at a critical moment. Ian was already considering the possibility that the following crowd could become enemies. Even if they weren’t hostile, they could still become obstacles, which would be just as dangerous.

In that case, Ian might have to stay behind to deal with them. After all, in the later stages of Keith’s route, Vatican mobs relentlessly attacked him to break his resolve. Those mobs, though, came from inside the Vatican buildings, not from the streets like this.

‘Wait a second…’

Ian turned to look at the people again. They weren’t armed or hostile. Their gazes toward Keith weren’t filled with malice.

This reaction was unexpected. Even though the Pope had labeled Keith a heretic, the Vatican’s people weren’t treating him as an enemy…?

Suddenly, Ian realized something.

‘The timeline is different.’

The Pope was cunning and skilled at manipulation. In Keith’s original route, the Pope had had enough time to turn the people against him. He’d implanted the idea that “Keith is the enemy.”

But now, that wasn’t the case. Keith had been excommunicated only recently, and he’d just slain a Demon Duke. The demons the Duke commanded were ravaging the Vatican, leaving the Pope with no time to spin his narrative.

The Pope might not have been able to brainwash the people yet.

This game really paid attention to those kinds of details.

‘Wait, what does this mean?’

At the Vatican’s gates, soldiers barred the way. Keith, brandishing his sword, commanded them. “Move aside.”

Ian tensed, but the soldiers hesitated before stepping aside.

The same happened inside. There were many people within the Vatican, but none stopped Keith. Even the crowd following him didn’t waver.

Keith strode toward the Pope’s chamber like a knight leading a rebellion. Before the chamber stood a lone knight, young and almost boyish in appearance. Keith addressed him.

“Maverick.”

‘Keith’s squire.’ Ian recognized him immediately.

Maverick blocked the door. “Sir Keith, do not come any closer. Have you forgotten the respect due to His Holiness?”

“It was he who first disrespected me. Maverick, stand down and lay aside your sword.”

Maverick clutched his sword tighter, biting his lip. “I cannot.”

“The Pope you serve has been offering people to demons. He’s made pacts with the demon tribe and sold our people. Do you not know this?”

“I do.”

“And yet you still protect him?”

Keith’s voice rose in fury. Maverick shouted back.

“It’s all for the people! Who do you think has ensured our safety and happiness? Isn’t it thanks to His Holiness’s sacrifices? If a tiny sacrifice is necessary for the greater good, isn’t it a price worth paying? Or are you saying that everyone should die and suffer instead? I disagree!”

“Foolishness!” Keith’s voice boomed.

“God commanded us to protect the weakest among us. Can you call yourself a knight who serves God?”

“You yourself once said the Vatican is always right!”

“Maverick!”

Boom!

In the next moment, their divine auras clashed. Both had decided words were no longer enough.

To Ian, it looked like two fanatics butting heads.

When had reasoning ever worked on fanatics?

What surprised Ian more, though, was the squire’s skill.

‘Why are you struggling against him?’

Ian wasn’t assisting, yet the squire was being pushed back. He couldn’t match Keith in strength or speed.

Was this the result of clashing with the squire at an earlier point in time?

It seemed plausible.

After all, Maverick was Keith’s squire because he was still learning the ways of a knight and honing his swordsmanship under Keith’s guidance.

If Maverick’s skills were not yet fully developed, it made sense. Plus, this was before he’d received the Pope’s buffs.

Still, that didn’t mean Keith could easily defeat the squire on his own.

‘The weapon difference is too much.’

Keith had brought several swords from the dungeon and was using them one by one against the squire’s holy sword. Already, several of Keith’s swords lay on the ground, their edges dulled or cracked.