REAPER SCANS
Monarch of Death
[Translator – Darkraider ]
[Proofreader – Harley ]
Chapter 50 - King’s Order (2)
Serati's contact was someone both Karnak and Baros knew.
“There’s Reverend Alleus,” she revealed.
There was a reason the duo had dismissed him as a possibility.
“But isn't the King's Order directly under the royal families?” Karnak questioned.
“I thought it was a separate entity from the Church of the Seven Goddesses,” Baros added.
Serati clarified their misconception.
“It is independent from the Church, but not entirely unrelated.”
Even if each royal family wished to hunt cultists independently, they couldn’t remove the Church from the equation. Necromancers demanded the presence of powerful priests.
Therefore, each royal family sought to have a high priest of the Church under their direct command.
Naturally, this put the Church in a troublesome position.
The authority of heretic inquisition had to be wielded in the name of the Great Goddesses. Only members of the clergy held the right to perform these sacred duties.
Granting inquisitorial power to a non-clergy, and even placing clergy under their command, presented a significant doctrinal dilemma.
Fundamentalists displayed opposition, but it was hard to ignore the reality of the situation.
The Church was already overwhelmed by escalating necromancy incidents across the continent. Political powers of the world combating the Cult of the Dark God would be a welcome relief.
“The Church has actually struggled considerably with cases involving the Dark Cult,” Serati explained.
Because the Church was normally detached from politics, becoming intertwined with political problems would lose them valuable time. So, the royal families taking the initiative on such matters was something the Church welcomed.
And so, a compromise was reached.
The King's Order would be directly under the authority of royal families, but its members would be chosen through Church recommendation. And, in cases of direct royal appointment, they required Church review.
This prevented rulers from abusing inquisitorial power and partially masked the doctrinal transgression. Each nation's royal family accepted these terms.
The necessity of support from the Church’s priests left them little room to be firm in the negotiations.
“…And that's why Reverend Alleus has the authority to recommend candidates. He is a Rank 1 Inquisitor, after all,” Serati concluded.
Karnak's curiosity piqued. “How do you know all this, Serati?” he asked.
This wasn’t common knowledge you could simply attain from rumors. It was a secret that only insiders would be privy to.
“Reverend Alleus told me himself,” Serati replied with a sweet smile. “Mr. Liltain and I were supposed to be recommended for the King’s Order.”
The Trist City incident was meant to serve as a test. As an aura user and a 6th Circle mage respectively, Serati and Liltain possessed ample skill. Not to mention, they had proven field experience.
“I was told that resolving matters with Bishop Shutraff would solidify our qualifications for the King's Order,” she continued.
The Trist City incident was more than a simple heretic hunt. Since it involved a political figure controlling an entire city, it fell under the jurisdiction of the King's Order.
“However, since it was a scandal for the Order of Hatoba, they tried to handle it internally. Their plan was to recommend us to the King's Order afterward, providing capable individuals and justifying their overreach. We had no reason to refuse since it would allow us to go to the capital and take on even bigger jobs.”
Karnak nodded in understanding, “I see. So you had a head’s up…”
Baros, however, remained confused. “Why didn't we hear anything about this?”
“Well, it's a little awkward to say now, but…” Serati grinned. “You two seemed… weak.”
“Weak?” Karnak echoed.
“Us?” Baros added, incredulous.
“On paper, at least,” Serati clarified.
She now knew their true monstrous strength. Even Alleus and Liltain, despite not knowing their secrets, recognized their extraordinary abilities after witnessing them in action.
But how could they explain this to others? Karnak was only a 4th Circle mage, and Baros was an ordinary knight without battle aura. They appeared utterly average on paper, despite their exceptional true capabilities.
“But that's why you two were deliberately chosen for the Trist City incident. To demonstrate that despite your average skills, you were specialists against necromancers,” she explained.
“So the plan was to persuade us after business was handled?” Karnak asked.
“Yes.”
“Then why didn’t he mention anything afterward?” Karnak pressed.
“You didn't give Reverend Alleus the chance,” Serati explained.
Karnak had declared his return to his territory before Alleus could broach the subject.
“Oh, right,” Karnak remembered.
Baros muttered, finally understanding, said, “No wonder he seemed so disappointed.”
Alleus's reaction had seemed excessive for simply losing capable collaborators.
“Wait, so can we just go back to Alleus and ask?” Karnak asked.
“Yes,” Serati answered confidently. “He’ll surely write us a recommendation letter on the spot.”
* * *
Reaper Scans
[Translator – Darkraider ]
[Proofreader – Harley ]
Join our discord for updates on releases! https://dsc.gg/reapercomics
* * *
With their objective clear, there was no reason to delay. Karnak, Baros, and Serati began their preparations to travel.
However, they could not depart to Deratt City as intended.
“Oh, no, you can't!”
They were thwarted by Taffle's vehement protests.
The old butler exclaimed, “Who will govern the territory while you are away, my lord?”
This was an unforeseen complication for Karnak.
“What are you talking about? Why are you stopping me now…?” Karnak asked.
He had been away for months, even over half a year before.
It was standard practice for rural nobles to entrust their territories to stewards while engaging in politics in the capital.
Except for those in the most remote borderlands, almost no lord personally managed their territory year-round. The typical pattern involved a few months in the capital and a few months in their territory.
Karnak faced no issues with such an arrangement—that is, until now.
“They were not life-or-death situations!” Taffle argued.
Leaving to find an answer to the threat of the Deventor viscountcy was unavoidable. He genuinely had no alternative back then.
But later, when he left for Deratt City, it was done under the guise of studying magic at the capital. There was no reason to object to it.
Which was why it caused a mountain of concern when Taffle heard news of Karnak capturing necromancers. And now, he was taking a step further and joining the King's Order? That meant confronting the terrifying Dark Cult.
“Isn't that dangerous work where you could be killed at any moment?” Taffle worried.
“It’s fine. I won’t die,” Karnak reassured him.
“That's what all young people say! But death doesn’t discriminate.”
“Well, you’re not wrong, but…” Karnak conceded, then asked irritably, “What do you want me to do? Just stay holed up in the territory forever?”
“Of course not,” Taffle replied firmly.
He was a loyal servant who only thought of the good of House Zestrahd.
The old butler continued, “You must marry and produce an heir! Enjoying life can come after! That is your duty as the inheritor of the house!”
***
It had been three days since they decided to join the King’s Order.
Karnak still remained trapped in his territory.
“A successor…” he muttered, staring blankly out the study window. “Where am I supposed to find a wife right now?”
Baros, sprawled on the sofa, shook his head, “Even if you do, it's a problem. Even with an immediate marriage, a baby takes ten months.”
The current situation couldn't be delayed that long.
“I didn’t think this would be a problem I’d have,” Karnak sighed. “Should I just choose a random healthy young woman from the territory and ask her to bear my child? All I need is an heir, after all.”
“Would a commoner wife be acceptable?” Baros questioned.
“I’m half commoner myself. But thinking of my late mother, it feels wrong to do such a thing…”
“But we can’t continue to waste time like this either.”
“True. I suppose I should choose a suitable maiden and—”
“I heard Mary, the miller's daughter, is quite lovely.”
“Is she pretty?”
The fact that Karnak's first concern was appearance showed that he was also a man at the end of the day.
Baros shrugged. “I don’t know. I’ve never met her.”
“What about the maids? They might be tempted by becoming the baroness.”
“Do you have anyone in mind?”
“Nope. I’ve never paid attention. I can’t even remember their faces.”
Serati observed their conversation from across the study. They’ve been blabbering nonsense for three days now.
“It’s a bit strange, Lord Karnak,” she muttered.
Karnak turned. “Huh? What is?”
Hesitantly, Serati continued, “…that you haven’t mentioned me.”
In the current situation, she was the most suitable candidate.
As his thrall, she was obligated to obey any command, including offering her body. Not to mention, she was undeniably beautiful.
Yet, while mentioning various maidens from across the territory, not once had her name been mentioned.
Was it perhaps because he cherished her? That was doubtful. He didn’t seem that considerate of a person to begin with.
Then was it her common birth? Unlikely, given the village maidens were also commoners.
‘Or do I really lack that much charm?’ she thought.
Of course, this didn’t mean she wanted to marry Karnak. It was simply that being ignored like this had hurt her pride.
Karnak’s eyes widened. “Oh, you?”
Then he dropped a bombshell. “Serati, you’re my thrall. You can’t have children in that state.”
“…What?”
“Your soul is tied to me. So, no matter how many times you bed a man, you will never bear a child. The soul of a man and woman need to intertwine and mix for a new soul to take place, but you can’t do that.”
Serati shrieked, horrified. “Wait! You made me infertile? You never said anything about that!”
Karnak and Baros stared blankly, surprised by her violent reaction.
“Is that such a serious problem?” Karnak asked.
Baros added, “I thought it’d be an advantage since it’s a permanent birth control—”
“You idiots!” Serati staggered, her legs weak with shock.
‘I really should never let my guard down around these two…’
Pulling herself together, she asked pointedly, “So, what other ways does this damned thralldom keep me from having a normal life? Tell me honestly.”
Karnak and Baros racked their brains.
“Uh, well…” Karnak mumbled.
“I don’t think there’s anything else, is there?” Baros chimed in.
“Nope! I think that’s all.”
Serati didn't believe them. She knew better than that.
‘These two are utterly clueless about normal life! That’s why they can’t distinguish what would and wouldn’t affect someone!’ she thought.
This means that she wouldn’t know something was wrong until she had a problem.
Exasperated, she no longer wanted to entertain their stupid chitter chatter.
She said curtly, “Stop your pointless worrying.”
“What do you mean pointless? Taffle won't let me leave because of the successor issue.”
“Just leave a letter and sneak out at night. Something like, ‘Don’t worry, I won’t die. I’ll gain fame and bring honor to the family.’ You know, something like that.”
Karnak’s eyes lit up at the surprisingly simple solution.
“Can I really just do that? Isn’t it wrong?” he asked.
Of course it was. It was something no logical lord with a sense of responsibility to their house should ever do.
“The thought did occur to me, but I wasn't sure if it was wrong or not. What if I get berated later?” Karnak explained.
“You’re worried about that after doing this to me?”
“I don’t care if you berate me. You’re my thrall.”
“......” Serati gritted her teeth.
She forced a smile and stated, “Yes, it’s fine. You’ll just seem like a fool blinded by young ambition. If you return alive, it’ll all blow over. And if you die, it won’t matter anyway.”
“You’re right!” Karnak’s eyes gleamed. “Pack your bags, Baros! We’re leaving tonight!”
***
The next morning, Taffle wailed while clutching a letter.
“Lord Karnaaaaaaaak!”
The letter was remarkably simple: Don’t worry, I won’t die. I’ll gain fame and bring honor to the family.
It was the result of taking Serati’s advice literally.
Taffle despaired, ‘What in the world has happened? I thought he had changed, but he’s back to his old ways!’
There was one thing that was new and different.
‘It’s all that woman’s fault!’ Thinking of the red-haired beauty, the old butler ground his teeth. ‘That woman is corrupting our dear, good-natured lord!’
Join our discord for updates on releases! https://dsc.gg/reapercomics
