Paladin of the Dead God

[You have returned the ‘Rite of Division’ relic to the Red Chalice Club.]

[The Dancer blesses your noble journey.]

[Your regeneration ability has significantly increased.]

[Your physical abilities have significantly increased.]

Isaac turned his head at the sudden messages.

“Returning the Rite of Division, huh? It seems Hesabel has chosen Plan B.”

It wasn’t surprising. Plan A was for Hesabel to devour Hastel, but if that didn’t work out, they had agreed to tempt her with the Rite of Division instead. After all, the Rite of Division was intended to be returned sooner or later, so there was nothing to regret.

Of course, the Rite of Division was a highly useful relic in many ways. But in exchange, Hesabel had gained something equally valuable. She now had enough of the ‘Blood of the Red Chalice’ that it wouldn’t be strange for her to aim for the title of Duchess.

Isaac, too, had gained his fair share of benefits.

[‘Crimson Supplication’ has been strengthened.]

[You can now use ‘Crimson Supplication’ to devour opponents.]

Isaac recalled the time when Hastel Gulmar had dissolved his human hunters into a mist of blood, absorbing their essence. Perhaps it would feel something like that.

“…I’m acquiring more and more abilities that make me less human.”

Still, Isaac was more surprised by the fact that the Red Chalice had ‘officially’ granted him a miracle.

Up until now, when relics were returned, the rewards were limited to physical, mental, or spiritual enhancements. Occasionally, they would bless the relic itself.

But allowing a miracle was a completely different matter.

Miracles were only bestowed upon true believers.

“They said they’d treat me as a collaborator and share hardships and rewards with me, didn’t they? Is this part of that?”

Isaac didn’t particularly care. The Crimson Supplication was already an impressive miracle in itself, and how powerful it would be when combined with the new predation ability remained to be seen later.

Right now, there were more pressing matters.

Isaac and Leonora stood at the edge of a stormy dock.

Dawn was breaking. The horizon beyond the sea was already glowing with a bluish hue.

“The reprieve from death will end soon. We can’t hold the Reaper for much longer.”

Once the Reaper was released, Leonora would pay her due. Isaac still didn’t understand how Leonora planned to pay her ‘taxes.’ Especially since he couldn’t, but only she could. ⱤαℕỖＢÈs̩

Yet Leonora showed no intention of explaining.

“The curse, ‘Taxes and Death are Unavoidable,’ is powerful but not omnipotent. If it were, the heads of the upper echelons of other orders would all have been lopped off by now.”

“I suppose that’s true.”

Isaac was well aware of the curse’s limitations. It only activated against those who had caused explicit harm to the Immortal Order. Its sole function was to bring death, and in some cases, a tax could be offered as a substitute for death.

And there was another limitation.

“Also, the curse cannot affect beings who are immune to the Reaper’s ‘harvest’ from the start. That’s why those protected by powerful angels or gods are immune to the curse’s activation in the first place.”

This wasn’t exactly a weakness—it was more a matter of power against power. No matter how strong the Reaper was, they couldn’t be stronger than the most renowned archangels. Of course, Isaac was also under the protection of a powerful god, but the extent to which that power manifested in the world was limited.

Leonora then revealed yet another limitation.

“The tax must be something the target is capable of paying. You cannot demand something of greater value than the target possesses. Death must always be fair.”

This, too, wasn’t so much a weakness as it was a fundamental truth—one that made perfect sense. The saying “Taxes and Death are Unavoidable” was rooted in the belief that everything in the world has a price. To violate that basic doctrine would be absurd.

Isaac pondered what he could offer that he both possessed and valued less than himself. Shalok had said it was a person, and Leonora had stated that Isaac couldn’t pay it.

In other words, even if Isaac learned the nature of the tax, he wouldn’t be able to pay it.

“…What exactly is this tax?”

The sea breeze whipped Leonora’s hair into a wild dance. As the sun rose, its rays engulfed her. Bathed in the intense backlight, Isaac couldn’t see Leonora’s face clearly.

“Shall we discuss the terms of our deal now, Holy Grail Knight?”

Isaac nodded.

He hadn’t expected lifting the Reaper’s curse to come without a price. But he wasn’t about to let himself be manipulated just because his life was on the line.

“What’s the price? And for the record, Angela is non-negotiable.”

“…I’m so happy that the Holy Grail Knight has come to me, asking for help, depending on me, and risking his life with this request. Overwhelmed, even.”

Leonora responded with irrelevant remarks instead of answering.

Isaac frowned.

“But once this deal is over, we’ll be nothing to each other, right? You might forget about me entirely or just ignore me.”

“…Just tell me what the price is.”

Leonora sighed deeply before finally speaking.

“A special relationship.”

Isaac sat in brief silence, only managing to spit out a few awkward words.

“I’m married, you know.”

“Ha, what nonsense are you spouting? Do I look like a woman who would stoop to wanting that sort of thing? A woman who craves love and affection, groveling at the feet of a man?”

Leonora turned and strode toward Isaac, rapidly closing the distance between them until he could see the fire in her eyes.

Crack, crack. A splitting noise echoed from the air as if reality itself was being torn apart. Isaac saw a pale scythe starting to emerge through the rift in space, illuminated by the sunlight.

His expression tensed.

But Leonora paid no attention to the sound, as if she didn’t even hear it, continuing to direct her sharp words at Isaac.

“Lovers? Husband and wife? You can’t define us by such shallow, confused, and misguided relationships. We must be bound by something much deeper and stronger than that.”

Finally, the Reaper’s scythe began to manifest fully, tearing through its invisible restraints. Isaac shouted at Leonora.

“What the hell do you want?!”

“A partner!”

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