The Female Knight of Doom - TFKOD 20: Situation In the Royal Capital

From the time of the Special Class Mercenary

promotion ceremony, the nobles in the royal capital had been engaged in discussions about this intriguing topic.

Allen, a Third Class Mercenary associated with the Mercenary Union, was elevated to the rank of Special Class Mercenary due to her exceptional performance on missions.

During the ceremony, it was revealed that Allen, with red hair, had actually let her hair grow long and announced that she was a woman.

Her master, the renowned mercenary Immortal Rom, verified her gender and indicated that, in order to shoulder responsibility, he willingly resigned his title of Special Class Mercenary and departed from the Mercenary Union to fend for himself.

The Mercenary Union was displeased by the situation where they appeared to be foolishly deceived by a woman, but they had to acknowledge her status as a Special Grade Mercenary due to recent casualties among others of the same rank on missions.

The loss of Silver Helmet DeWitt, a promising candidate for promotion, had left only a handful of top-ranking mercenaries on the roster, incapable of meeting the demands of their clients.

Moreover, the resignation of the renowned Special Grade Mercenary, Immortal Rom, came as a blow to them, as his departure could not be prevented since he was not in debt.

If they were to dismiss the red-haired Allen, it would mean losing two high-ranking mercenaries at once, one of whom was highly esteemed.

Such a loss was unsustainable for the Mercenary Union, leading the decision-makers to reluctantly recognize the young woman’s qualifications as a Special Grade Mercenary and make efforts to persuade Immortal Rom to stay.

After some negotiations, Immortal Rom eventually relented and agreed to maintain his title as Special Grade Mercenary, offering to assist the Mercenary Union in training Third Grade mercenaries to enhance their chances of survival in battles and their potential to become Special Grade mercenaries.

The condition was that the Mercenary Union would provide him with an annual allowance and that he would not be obligated to accept missions he was not interested in.

As for the red-haired Allen, she revealed her true name, Alice, and her gender. Despite her slim physique, she carried an enormous word on her back, leaving a lasting impression on others.

Consequently, following the promotion ceremony, she was bestowed with a new, more resounding title, being referred to as “Alice of the Great Sword”.

This event brought amusement to the princes and nobles in the royal capital who enjoyed spectacles, and the story quickly made its way to the palace, resulting in even His Majesty the King having a good chuckle.

The king had long been dissatisfied with the Mercenary Union, believing that they were partially responsible for the ongoing wars in the continent by instigating conflicts between nobles and supplying mercenaries to both sides.

If he had the power, he would have disbanded the organization altogether.

However, the Mercenary Union serves some purpose. Firstly, they pay substantial taxes to the king, which helps fill the treasury.

Secondly, their presence can weaken the nobles’ military power by fueling conflicts, thus preventing them from posing a threat to the king.

Additionally, the Mercenary Union has promised to prioritize providing the king with mercenaries at a competitive price in times of war, which gives him some leverage.

Despite his dissatisfaction, the king is reluctant to sever ties with them easily.

Certainly, if feasible, the king would prefer to have control over the Mercenary Union. Alternatively, he would like to have more knowledge about it.

However, despite the fact that the king sent numerous spies each year, they were never able to gain deep insight into the workings of the Mercenary Union.

The current leader of the Mercenary Union is Earl Rachel, who is akin to three formidable beasts guarding the entrance to the underworld, concealing the union’s secrets effectively.

In addition to the enigmatic figure of Earl Rachel, his own background is shrouded in mystery. He hails from a long-established family with a complex genealogy, surpassing even that of the king.

During the change of reign, Earl Rachel’s family managed to retain their land and noble title by pledging allegiance to the new monarch. Their territory is situated in the northern region, with little contact with the outside world.

Rumors suggest that they once followed an ancient belief system, but later converted to worship the God of Light after the formation of the new kingdom, constructing shrines within their domain.

Nonetheless, the newly appointed nobles view them as heretics and maintain minimal interaction with them.

From a very young age, Earl Rachel decided to leave his family’s estate and move to the royal capital. He was a regular visitor to the temple and made sizable donations every time he visited.

In an act of generosity, the late king set aside a place in the palace for Earl Rachel, which the Earl appreciated deeply.

Despite this, he rarely visited the palace and instead became heavily involved in leading the Mercenary Union, which gained widespread influence throughout the continent, making it difficult for anyone to challenge it.

This individual was akin to a hidden king, operating in the shadows behind the scenes. No ruler would tolerate the presence of a rival king within their realm.

Initially, the king openly showed his displeasure towards Earl Rachel after ascending to the throne.

However, as time went on, the king learned to conceal his true feelings and refrained from mentioning Earl Rachel’s name again.

Earl Rachel appeared unfazed by the king’s disapproval.

However, he did acknowledge once, in a humble manner, that if there truly was a monarch in the shadows of the kingdom, it was not him but rather he was simply that monarch’s steward and janitor.

This acknowledgment could be seen as a concession, but it also confirmed the existence of that mysterious monarch.

Even the God of Light had to tolerate the presence of the God of Darkness, looming over him. Despite any displeasure the king may have felt about this, he had no choice but to endure it.

In any case, it seemed that the king took some pleasure in witnessing the Mercenary Union’s downfall.

To demonstrate this satisfaction, the king planned to summon the prominent woman involved in the union’s predicament to assess her character.

However, it was later suggested that both the female mercenary and her master were individuals abandoned by the gods and deemed unworthy to face the high priest. Concerned that such a meeting could anger the high priest and lead to negative consequences, the king had to abandon the idea.

Even though the king served as the earthly representative of the God of Light, he often relied on the authority of the high priest in various situations.

The current high priest, who was also the king’s royal uncle and carried the bloodline of the God of Light, chose to forfeit his claim to the throne in order to exert influence over the kingdom in a different manner.

As a figure who had guided the king during his youth, the high priest commanded the king’s utmost respect.

Ultimately, it was deemed unwise to offend the high priest over what seemed like a trivial issue.

The king’s decision caused disappointment among the curious nobles in the royal capital, where scarce interesting events took place throughout the year. Missing out on such an event due to a seemingly insignificant reason left many feeling regretful.

His Majesty the King played a crucial role in setting the trend for fashion in the royal capital, and since he had made it clear that he would not attend, it proved challenging for the common nobles to extend invitations to their residences.

Nevertheless, the interest in the young woman within social circles persisted, and multiple rumors about her spread widely.

By chance, His Excellency Etienne, the Deputy Priest of the Temple in Poztar City, was currently in the royal capital, and upon learning that the young woman hailed from Poztar, numerous noblewomen and young ladies approached him to inquire about Alice.

The attractive young deputy priest responded with a grin, “The name Alice is quite common, even if I have seen her, it is difficult to pinpoint which one exactly.”

Some individuals were content with this response, while those who were more serious in nature were not easily satisfied, pointing out, “But that young woman has red hair, which is uncommon in Poztar, isn’t it?”

His Excellency Etienne, maintained his smile and declined to provide further information.

The chatty noblewomen were charmed by his smile and found themselves unable to think of any more questions to ask.

The noblewomen were unaware that the smile of His Excellency Etienne was a facade used to conceal his true emotions. Even before they posed their questions, he had already pondered in his mind why events had unfolded in such a manner.

In comparison to the might of the gods, the influence of a low-ranking priest like himself seemed inadequate. Etienne felt a sense of unease creeping into his heart, yet he opted to keep this inner turmoil to himself, choosing not to disclose it to anyone.

After encountering Alice at the tavern, he also considered seeking her out again. However, during that time, he was in a critical phase of vying for the position of deputy priest and could not afford to be distracted or caught off guard.

His main competitor for the role of deputy priest was the nephew of the Chief Priest of the Royal Temple, who had more experience and seniority, giving him a significant advantage over Etienne.

Despite this, Etienne relied on the local connections he had nurtured over the years to maintain his edge, being mindful of his actions and refraining from impulsive behavior.

Eventually, he achieved his goal of becoming the deputy priest, with the support of the people of Poztar City bolstering his ascent. While his competitor had more seniority, the Lord High Priest of Poztar ultimately made the decision, citing his familiarity with Etienne and the ease of collaboration between them.

When he first assumed the role of deputy priest, he had a lot of responsibilities that kept him occupied, leaving him no time to think about the red-haired maiden.

When he eventually remembered and sought her out, he found that the tavern where she worked had been demolished.

This tavern served as a bridge between the bright world and of the underworld. Its destruction led to the disappearance of all those associated with it, retreating back into the shadows without a trace.

Etienne sometimes questioned whether he had made a mistake by assisting the maiden in concealing something at that time. However, this fleeting doubt did not linger long. Despite this reflection, he felt little regret.

Initially, the Lord High Priest of the Poztar Temple had advised him that a tender heart could be a hindrance for a high-ranking priest, cautioning that kindness could at times be seen as a fault.

Etienne stored this advice in his mind, though he did not dwell on it too seriously.

The Lord High Priest of the Poztar Temple considered Etienne as his disciple, and his decision to come to the royal capital was based on the advice given by the high priest. Due to the poor health of the Lord High Priest of the Royal Temple and his contemplation of stepping down, he summoned the deputy priests from different Temples to gather in the royal capital.

The Lord High Priest of Poztar perceived this as a favorable opportunity and strongly encouraged Etienne to visit the royal capital.

Etienne did not expect to be appointed as the Lord High Priest of the Royal Temple as he had only recently defeated the nephew of the chief priest in a competition for the position of deputy priest in Poztar. The Lord High Priest was unlikely to view him positively as a result.

Additionally, while the titles of deputy priest and high priest may only differ by one word, there is a significant gap in terms of prestige.

Many individuals spend a decade or more as deputy priests without being promoted, and Etienne, who was not yet twenty-five years old and had served as a deputy priest for just three years, appeared too inexperienced in the eyes of others for the high priest position in the Royal Temple.

Nonetheless, there was no downside to seizing this chance to forge some connections. As a result, he became a part of the social scenes in the royal capital and regularly attended different gatherings.

Recognizing that numerous aristocratic families had individuals with significant roles in the temple, making an impact on the noblewomen of the royal city was consistently the most straightforward path to his progress.