After the victory celebration, Elliott sat in a room within the Royal Castle, staring blankly at the Holy Sword. The faint light that had surrounded it on the battlefield had faded, but the delicate Ivy Relief intricately carved into the beautiful blade shimmered under the moonlight.
About a year ago, during a subjugation operation in a forested area, Elliott and a small squad of ten had been carefully taking down Undead Beasts one by one when they were suddenly caught in a torrential downpour. Isolated from the rest of their forces, they found themselves surrounded by a horde of Undead Beasts, facing the grim prospect of death. In that moment of despair, the only face that came to Elliott’s mind was Flora’s, who was back in the Royal Capital, but his memories of what happened next were hazy.
When he regained consciousness, he stood amidst the remnants of the Undead Beasts, the softly glowing sword still in his hand.
Relieved to find that his fallen comrades still had breath in them, he joined the rescue team that had come to their aid. Everyone called the sword in Elliott’s grasp the Holy Sword and erupted in cheers of joy.
—Since that day, my circumstances have changed dramatically.
Strangely, the moment anyone other than Elliott touched the sword, it became unbearably heavy, and its ability to slay Undead Beasts without Holy Water vanished. This was universally recognized as proof that Elliott had been bestowed the Holy Sword as a Holy Knight, and he began to lead the charge on the front lines.
Just days ago, he had been treated as a mere lower-ranking knight, but from that day onward, he was regarded as an upper-ranking knight. Given the harsh conditions of battle that Elliott had significantly altered, he was often met with gratitude rather than open jealousy or disdain, which was a fortunate circumstance.
—Even now, I still don’t understand why I was chosen…
“You’ve always dedicated yourself to training without fail; perhaps that sincerity caught the attention of the goddess,” one of the senior knights who had looked after Elliott since his induction into the knight order had once advised him.
—It’s just that I, who have always been clumsy at everything, was simply obsessed with the one thing I excelled at: the sword.
Since his youth, Elliott had often been so engrossed in training that he failed to notice much around him. He sighed, furrowing his brow.
—Because of that, there were many things I didn’t notice.
As he tried to drown out the bitter feelings with a drink, a knock echoed from the door.
A few senior knights peeked in.
“Elliott, Vice Captain! Thank you for your hard work at the victory celebration! We have a report for you before you rest!”
The one who raised his voice as he entered was Marcus, the youngest of the senior knights present.
He was the third son of a well-known count family in the Royal Capital and a junior to Elliott by two years in the knight order. Blessed with talent in swordsmanship and coming from a noble lineage, he quickly rose to the rank of senior knight. Before his ennoblement, Elliott had been of lower status than him, but since they had both belonged to the same squad on the day Elliott received the Holy Sword, Marcus regarded him as a lifesaver and held him in high esteem.
Marcus approached the sofa where Elliott sat and laid several sheets of documents, resembling a report, on the low table.
“This is the interim report on the matter we discussed!”
“…It hasn’t been thoroughly examined yet; it’s merely a list of information that has come to light so far.”
A calm voice chimed in from behind Marcus—Lloyd, the oldest senior knight present. Like Elliott, he hailed from a baron family but had risen to the rank of senior knight solely through his own merit.
Elliott glanced over the documents presented to him, his expression twisting as he covered his forehead with his hand.
“A woman claiming to be the wife of the Holy Knight is borrowing money everywhere, using her husband’s fame.”
Such rumors had reached the battlefield about six months ago. Given his ex-wife’s temperament and character, it was hard to believe. Moreover, around that time, he had also heard multiple accounts of women claiming to be Elliott’s girlfriend or wife, which he initially dismissed as mere extensions of those rumors.
However, within a month, Elliott found himself plunged into despair. A copy of a promissory note signed with his wife’s handwriting had been delivered to the battlefield. The amount was far beyond what the two of them could repay with their earnings.
—Was there something that drove her to such desperation for money? At first, I was worried…
But the stories that continued to circulate on the battlefield were of her purchasing expensive jewels, dining lavishly every day, quitting her job to frolic about, and even lavishing gifts on a lover. No matter how many times he denied that she could be such a woman, the repeated whispers gradually piled up, eroding his heart.
If true, it would be a significant scandal, and only a few in the knight order had heard of it. Yet, as the seeds of doubt took root within him, they grew, ultimately causing his trust in his wife to waver.
Noticing Elliott’s silence, Lloyd spoke up to offer reassurance.
“That report is merely a compilation of testimonies from moneylenders in the Royal Capital. There’s a possibility of falsehoods or fabrications… Stay calm.”
“But Lloyd! At least one of those signatures was confirmed by the Vice Captain, right?!”
Marcus retorted, almost shouting, prompting Lloyd to shoot him a disapproving glance.
“…Well, unexpected power can drive people to madness. Even the most virtuous can be led astray by fame that exceeds their means…”
Yet Marcus still pouted, clearly dissatisfied.
“Isn’t this all the result of the accomplishments of Vice Captain Elliott and the Holy Maiden? A woman who has done nothing should not benefit in this way!”
“Marcus… Let’s leave it at that.”
To calm the impetuous junior, who was becoming narrow-minded due to his youth and admiration for the Holy Knight and Holy Maiden, Lloyd had him sit down for the moment.
Another senior knight who had been standing in the back stepped forward, laying down a different document on the low table.
“This one tracks the use of the funds. It only includes records that were kept.”
His name was Richard, the second son of a marquis family known for producing many royal guards. He was also a young knight, nearly the same age as Marcus.
The document presented contained records of donations made to the church. The dates traced back to shortly after the knight order’s deployment.
“Even after starting to accumulate debt, it seems she continued to make small donations. It’s almost cunning in a way. Perhaps she agreed to the divorce because she had resigned herself to the situation?”
Richard smirked.
“Since His Majesty the King has annulled the Vice Captain’s marriage, I suppose she’ll have to figure things out on her own. Whether she can pay it back, I don’t know.”
“I heard she fled the Royal Capital! Is she alright?!”
“Let them be; the moneylenders will come after her.”
As the two younger knights spoke with such certainty, Lloyd sighed.
“I’ve also heard that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is conducting his own investigation. Let’s not jump to conclusions just yet.”
Richard scoffed at Lloyd’s admonition.
“That disgraceful prince? He seems more intent on digging up dirt on Vice Captain Elliott.”
“Enough, that’s disrespectful.”
Though Richard fell silent, aware of their surroundings in the Royal Castle, his displeasure was evident on his face.
“…If we’re talking about disrespect, then what about that woman? I agree with Marcus. Not only is she exploiting the Vice Captain’s fame, but she’s also tarnishing the accomplishments of Holy Maiden Emily!”
“Exactly! If it weren’t for the Holy Maiden, we might not even have the Holy Sword!!”
Marcus chimed in, raising his voice once more.
Elliott, who had been silently listening, clenched his fists tightly on his lap, struggling to contain the surge of emotions within him.