“May the blessing of Djeem the accursed be upon your journey.”

In front of me was the newly appointed Bishop and Leader of the Local Church of Beaufort.

“Thanks, It is very appreciated, Bishop Romani.”

It's been a month since he was appointed as the leader of the Local Church of Beaufort; the previous one apparently vanished without a trace, but I've heard rumors about him being involved in the Night Ecarlate event, which cost him his life and several of his subordinates who vanished with him.

Due to the church's complete lack of response, that rumor spread even further among those in the Beaufort church. It has been nine months since the event, and there have been no investigations. It was clear that the church, or to be more precise the church was involved in their sudden disappearance, or is at the very least attempting to conceal information regarding their sudden disappearance.

That being said, I couldn't care less what these clergymen are doing; this has nothing to do with me, a captain of the paladin order under the authority of his Grace the Holy Paladin Miran.

I was here for a reason to extradite a prisoner from the Beaufort Church to the holy capital.

I know very little about the prisoner except that he is extremely dangerous; she was extradited inside an armored carriage, bound with magical handcuffs, the face hidden behind a mask,

I haven’t even seen him yet, so I have absolutely no idea what he could possibly look like after all, I was just here to guard the extradition convoy. I-We were only here to make sure it got to its destination; I was sent here accompanied by my squadron, a group of 21 paladins by his Grace, only here for that purpose.

I climb up to my horse and proceed with my subordinate and the package to leave the main city of the Duchy of Beaumont. As we rode, we pass through a road that gave us a good sight of the Lower district of the city.

“It was once a beautiful city but now…”

“Sorry… captain, you said?

The man who answered was the one who seconded me for this mission, the Vice-Captain Daniel.

“I said that this city was once but these, you see these.;.” I pointed in direction of the lower district.

What I was pointing at was the visibly overcrowded lower district. There was a time where the lower district where lived the commoner were clearly separated from the noble district, now the lower district has expanded so much that it was impossible to ignore them.

Commoner, they were everywhere.

The Duchy of Beaumont is one of, if not the, largest duchies on the entire human continent, encompassing almost the entire southeast territory of the human continent. Unlike most duchies of the Altaira kingdom, which are made up of one main city and several smaller cities, the Duchy of Beaumont is made up of countless towns scattered throughout.

And due to that fact, when the Night Ecarlate occurred, it not only reduced the superficies of the duchy, but it also caused people from countless smaller towns relatively close to the barrier to emigrate here in the capital, that exodus was beyond what the noble in charge of these towns could handle, which led to the current situation of Beaufort.

“I… suppose it was bound to happen, with the event of the night Ecarlate, I can understand why commoners would try to find shelter here…I mean the barrier break and all....”

“Where are you coming at?”

“Nothing captain… it’s just that something like this was unheard of.”

I must admit that something like this was completely unheard of; when I was told the news, I couldn't believe my ears; as someone who participated in the previous Crusade, I knew very well how powerful that barrier was; no matter how powerful the monster, none of them had ever managed to pass through it, but when I saw it with my own eyes, I had no choice but to swallow this reality.

“It is completely as you said Vice-captain.”

“I think it would’ve been better if the Church…. at least gave an explanation of what caused the event. Even if it wouldn’t make the people’s angst disappear, it would at least …”

“Vice-captain, we are paladin, it is not our job to question the Church decision… I’m sure they have a good reason for not revealing it.”

That being said, it wasn’t like I didn’t agree with him, Beaufort’s situation would be a lot better if there were any explanation given for the event of the Night Ecarlate.

For the time being focus only on our mission: Delivering that prisoner to the holy capital.”

“Yes, Excuse me, Captain.”

***

A few days later, somewhere on the road.

“Hey, Vice-captain Daniel does something matter?”

I've noticed something strange about him since the beginning of this journey, no, in fact, it was even before that, right before we were sent here, he's been awkward with me, at times even gauche.

“Euh~ … Nothing Captain, it’s just… that I’m a little bit tensed by this mission.”

“Then loosen up a little bit, there’s no need to be this tense, and come on it’s not like this is your first mission right?”

“Yes, captain… I’m extremely sorry.”

“Why are you apologizing to me for?”

“Sorry.”

“As I said, you know what, just forget about it. How are your family?”

“My… family?”

“Yes, didn’t you went to visit right before we were assigned to this mission?”

“I believe they are fine...I believe, thank you for your concern, Sir.”

“What is that supposed to mean? Anyway, if there you- What the hell is that?”

On the road were four abandoned carriages disposed of as a barrage blocking the road, there wasn’t anyone outside, but I had the feeling that there were many people lurking inside waiting.

“I don’t know what the meaning of this but I feel that this is an ambuscade. I will inform the-” I turned around my horse to alert my paladins to what was going on when I felt an acute passing through my chest, revealing the blade of a sword that easily passed through my chest.

I immediately tried to fight back against my assailant, but the moment I reached for my sword, my assailant pulled his sword from my wound, severing my arm before I could even draw mine.

My horse startle by what happened turned on itself, allowing me to see clearly the face of my assailant.

“What was the meaning of this Vice-captain Daniel… ”

He trusted his sword a second time in my chest. “I am sorry Captain, I didn’t have the choice.” He said with a voice full of empathy as he retrieve something from my waist.

It was the key of the carriage transporting the prisoner;

Not being able to bear with the pain any longer, I fell from my horse, scorching pain was coming from both my chest and my severed were engulfing my entire body in pain. I felt like passing out, but I heard a fight coming from my paladin.

I tried to open up my eyes and saw paladins fighting against paladins, they were fighting between themselves. No to be exact it was paladin that was under my order and those under Daniel’s.

Then suddenly I heard countless footsteps from the carriage barrage, I saw a dozen men wearing a black outfit armed to the teeth joining the fight, providing Daniel’s man backup.

What the hell is going on here.

After a while, the commotion stopped, the fight ended, I knew, I saw all my men being slaughtered before I could do anything.

I heard two calm footsteps pass right next to me, not paying any attention to my body, lying on the ground.

I finally saw the face of those who passed next to me.

One was a man and the other was undoubtedly a woman,

If there were a word to describe the man, it would be white, white hair, white gloves, white robe that was similar to those worn by Archbishop.

In contrast to the man, the woman was dressed entirely in black, in a gown reminiscent of those worn by noblewomen in their fifties, with a jet-black veil completely concealing her face as if she were mourning someone's death.

Daniel, who was visibly waiting for them said “I have done as you said. Now my…” but was cut short by the woman.

“The key.”

“My family first- What happened to them. I did all as you wanted.”

“The key.” The woman simply repeated, but her intonation transported a venomous threat.

Daniel gave obediently her the key, which she then passed to the man in white; the man then opened the carriage and entered in.

I couldn’t see what he was doing inside but I heard the woman saying “It’s her.” with a voice full of relief.

A few minutes later the man came out of the carriage holding a woman of around thirty years old barely conscious in his hand. I couldn’t see well but I saw burn all other the left side of her face.

“It’s been … a long time … Madam… Mathilda.” The woman said so weakly that it was barely audible.

“Glad to see that, you are safe Vicar Serena, I’m deeply sorry for not having come earlier.”

“I know you’re weak right now but I have something, I absolutely have to ask you. Is he alive?” The veiled woman asked in a voice filled with angst.

“Yes… He is still alive.”

“I see… He is still fighting…” She said in a voice filled with relief, even without seeing it I could picture a smile plastered on her face. “You can rest, We will take you to a safe place... we’ll talk of it when you’ll be in better shape.”

With a sign from the woman, the man in white brought her to, I suppose, their carriage.

“You’re done, Where are my wife and my child?” Daniel asked.

The woman retrieved an envelope from her dress, then threw it at Daniel, then she shift her hidden behind the veil gaze to me.

“Your wife and child are inside the fourth carriage. They are completely safe and unhurt.” She said as she slowly approached me. “Unlike a certain organization, I do not attack helpless mother or sinless children.” She said with a voice full of hatred and disgust as she looked at me.

And that was the last thing I saw, and the last thing I heard.