Chapter 53

Tsk. I clicked my tongue.

The knights surrounding us were clad in black armor and dark uniforms.

The Black Holy Knights.

They were the division within the Order tasked with investigating and arresting fellow members.

I figured this might happen…

Still, I’d expected to find Bennett first, or maybe that lunatic Usher would show up in person.

“All individuals with the potential for berserk tendencies must comply fully with investigations—no exceptions. You know this well, Hero of the Order!”

Berserk threat.

It was the term used to describe corrupted holy knights on the verge of losing control.

Sure, it’s understandable they’re cautious, but they’re treating him like a criminal.

Maybe it was thanks to the heads-up I’d given Daddy about this possibly happening.

Daddy didn’t resist. He just stood still, frowning slightly.

Of course, there was no helping the ominous aura emanating from him.

The tense expressions on the knights’ faces said it all.

“What is the meaning of this?! Sir Derek, a berserk threat? I’ve been with him the entire time—there hasn’t been the slightest sign. I vouch for him!”

Laura thankfully stepped forward to defend him, but no one paid her any mind.

“The investigation will be conducted by us, Dame Laura Assis.”

They were clearly trying to separate Laura and the other candidate from us.

I tugged on Daddy’s cloak.

“Dame Assis, we’re fine.”

Daddy caught on to my intent and stepped back, making sure no fallout would reach Laura or Mel.

“It’s best if you step back here. This isn’t something a child should witness. Shouldn’t we… try to be good parents?”

“Goodness…”

Laura let out a quiet laugh, momentarily forgetting the situation.

“…I didn’t know the great Hero could crack a joke. I wish I’d known sooner… very well.”

Reluctantly, and likely thinking of Mel, Laura allowed herself to be ushered away.

“Candidate Nemesia! If anything happens, please send word to our candidate’s room—or a servant! I swear on my name as a holy knight, I’ll be there for you!”

“M-me too! I swear on my name too!”

Oh, looks like coming here wasn’t a complete mistake.

I held back a grin.

Once the two of them, chirping like baby chicks, were gone…

The real standoff began.

Of all places, we’d been surrounded right at the entrance of the Order’s main building, so onlookers had started to gather.

…This isn’t good.

A scoff escaped me.

Usher, you damn fanatic. So this is your move.

He must have finally made his play.

Got a taste of Daddy’s fist last time and realized brute force wouldn’t work, huh?

I didn’t know exactly how Bennett had ended up ratting to him, but…

Since Usher was the one who found out the truth, I figured he’d immediately try to take Daddy out of the picture.

He probably thinks everything will go smoothly if he just removes Daddy. So predictable.

Though I had assumed he’d use the notoriously brutal Inquisition or some other infiltrated fanatic to do it…

But the Black Holy Knights?

That bastard really had his hands everywhere.

Daddy adjusted his hold on me.

“Step aside.”

The pressure radiating from him was palpable.

“Naturally, we can’t comply with that request.”

The knights surrounding us visibly tensed.

The one standing at the front clenched his teeth.

“Do you still think of yourself as the Hero of the Order?”

Judging by the venom in that knight’s eyes, Daddy must’ve made some enemies over the years.

Classic. Probably jealous of how good he was.

Even the Order, humanity’s last hope in a dying world, had its factions and politics.

Or maybe because the world was falling apart, the power struggles were even worse.

Those from long-established holy knight families loathed meteoric stars like Daddy and tried to exclude them from power.

[Game Category] [Post][Casual Chat]

Title: Smells like home… even in this game…

Hey, fellow Saviors…

I just took down a monster… and they stole the credit.

Why does this remind me of the time my team lead at that sh*tty company stole my ideas and took over the project…

IS THIS EVEN A GAME?!

❤️ Likes: 813

Comments

👤 Savior 1
Dev Interview: “Haha, we wanted players to feel a sense of realism.”
└ Savior 2: Oh, we feel it alright… real life’s already bad enough, why bring it here?!
└ Savior 3: Just patch it, you bastards.

👤 Savior 3
Am I playing a game or politicking in parliament…
└ Savior 2: I’ve learned more about life through this game than school.

👤 Savior 4
Listen up, Saviors! A dog who’s been in school for 3 years can quote Confucius—and if you survive 3 years in Salvatore, you can run for president!
└ Savior 4: Don’t stop me. I’m running in the next election, I swear.

That damned “realism” feature the devs had proudly bragged about—game politics meant to add spice—was the same one that gave players daily headaches.

I’d been through it myself, eyes bleeding from all the reading.

So many bad endings…

There was no need to panic.

I looked up at Daddy.

He caught my silent signal and immediately spoke.

“I’m the guardian of the pope candidate.”

“When it comes to berserk threats, we are obligated to investigate everyone—no exceptions.”

The knight didn’t back down an inch.

“Even if you’re the guardian of a pope candidate!”

Daddy frowned.

Ooh, that’s intense.

Scary… but hot, honestly.

Daddy slid one foot back. A stance ready to draw a sword at any moment.

“…Ridiculous. Just because I was buried underground doesn’t mean I forgot the rules.”

His voice darkened.

“The guardian—at all times—places the pope candidate’s safety above any Order rule.”

If Daddy was taken away, there’d be a massive hole in my protection. That was obvious.

He growled through clenched teeth.

“You’d better think hard about what you’re doing. Surrounding us like this, threatening a child… can you really say you’re not endangering the pope candidate?”

Go, Daddy!

“And I’m sure you’re also aware that anything involving the current pope or a candidate supersedes any of the Order’s rules.”

Daddy’s gaze turned icy.

“And don’t tell me a holy knight doesn’t know that.”

The knight at the front flushed red.

“…Y-you still think you’re all that? Still think you’re the hero who once led all the holy knights?”

Honestly, no matter who Usher sent, there was no way I’d be separated from Daddy.

But in this world where probability meant nothing…

“These are special orders from His Eminence, Cardinal Caleb!”

Which is why… I had a backup plan for the rare case we were forced apart…

Wow. So this is how it plays out?

My jaw dropped slightly.

Cardinal…?

Let me explain: in this world, a cardinal is equivalent to a minister, prime minister, or even a speaker of the national assembly in Korea.

This Order doesn’t even have a president—the pope is basically missing.

So a prime minister-level figure gave direct orders to someone equivalent to, like, a level 7 or 9 civil servant?

In this world?

You obey or you die.

Just how far does that bastard Usher’s reach go?! We’re still at the start of the damn story!

How rotten is this Order, seriously? I wanted to bang my head against a wall.

But there was no other option.

Time to shift to the next plan.

While I was silent, the knight ahead of us smirked like he’d already won.

“Surely you’re not suggesting that His Eminence Cardinal Caleb gave this order carelessly, without considering the safety of the pope candidate?”

A twisted sneer.

“Let’s not make this harder than it needs to be. Cooperate willingly.”

…And who’s the villain here, again?

They didn’t even realize they were being puppeted by a fanatic.

Sigh.

Knowing and feeling are two different things.

My daddy—who had nothing now but his old “hero” title—was being treated like this?

Because of one fanatic bastard?

I scanned the faces in front of me, eyes wide and memorizing every detail.

The same skills I used to pixel-scan game screens hadn’t dulled one bit.

Got all your faces memorized… you pathetic rice-roll bastards.

Hell hath no fury like a gamer scorned.

But since fighting here would only make things worse in the court of public opinion, I was about to nudge Daddy and suggest we—

“D-daddy…?”

I reached for Daddy’s hand, but his grip only tightened.

I flinched as I noticed the veins bulging on the back of his hand.

Wait… what?

I looked up and froze.

His face was terrifying.

For the first time, Daddy’s lips curled into a chilling half-smile.

“So this is what it’s come to. You’d really go this far to separate me from the pope candidate? The nerve of you lot.”

Fsshhhhh!

The hand holding mine didn’t hurt—but the dark-blue aura rising from him was intense.

He looked like a mob boss straight out of a noir film.

“Go ahead. Try taking me by force.”

…Daddy?

Who even are you right now?
 

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Translator: Japchae