Hiding the Fact That We Are Dating From the Amnesiac Villain - Chapter 44

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 44
Decklin Caesar could snap the bonds restraining them whenever he wished.
He held the title of the Empire’s strongest Knight, after all.
…What are you really doing?
“…I have attempted to subdue them.”
Decklin Caesar’s expression was weary.
“Then why are you just letting them keep you bound—”
“The moment I tried to restrain them, they immediately bit their own tongues and attempted to take their own lives.”
…What? They tried to kill themselves?
“I crawled into this forsaken place to save them, and when they attempt to end their own lives, what choice do I have? For now, I must simply endure it.”
“…But sir, this is strange. No matter how corrupted their minds are by Magi, they shouldn’t normally behave this way.”
According to records, the behavior of those living who were corrupted by Magi was relatively consistent.
Dominated by destructive instincts, they killed people with calculated intent.
Self-inflicted death, as Decklin mentioned, was also common.
But….
“The Knights are different. They’re consumed by excessive faith. And while they act aggressively toward you… they treat me with such reverence, thinking I’m a Priest.”
This was an unprecedented case.
“This situation is certainly unusual. I’ve never seen anything like it either.”
“Let me purify them with my holy power right now—”
“No.”
Decklin Caesar shook his head firmly.
“We cannot purify them immediately.”
“…Why not?”
Decklin Caesar exhaled a sigh, as if deeply troubled.
“First, we need to find the ‘remaining two’ who disappeared with them.”
Right. So far, Decklin Caesar and I had only found five. We were searching for seven.
Where could the remaining two be?
“If you purify the Magi corruption with your power right now, they may not be able to remember where the remaining two are.”
“But sir, they might not even know where the missing Knights are.”
“They do.”
Decklin Caesar spoke without the slightest hesitation.
“Those two—they must have imprisoned them somewhere.”
“…How do you know that?”
What was he seeing that made him so certain?
“A reconnaissance team returned from Morteba. Two of them suffered fatal wounds, and one regained consciousness but remained delirious, unable to provide a complete report. However, they said that these five suddenly became possessed by some sort of fanaticism and dragged away the remaining two people.”
…These five madmen dragged away the remaining two somewhere?
“I thought then—perhaps they were already corrupted by Magi and not in their right minds. But as you say, the manifestation does seem somewhat different from typical Magi corruption.”
Leaning against the wall, Decklin Caesar closed and opened his eyes slowly, as if deep in thought.
He slowly parted his lips, which were crusted with dried blood.
“Miss Freena, these are Caesar’s finest and most capable elite. It would be a great loss to Caesar to let them die like this.”
A loss.
In terms of human lives.
It was a coldly pragmatic assessment, befitting Decklin Caesar, but….
The way he had endured the Knights’ one-sided beating without resistance stirred a different sentiment in me.
‘Come to think of it, seven Knights participated in Decklin’s first campaign, didn’t they?’
The Purifiers had chattered about it during our meal in the private chamber of the Morteba Grand Temple.
It had been over a decade since Decklin first stepped onto a battlefield.
‘At that time, Decklin would have been barely fourteen? Fifteen? Around that age, I suppose.’
The Battle of Ascendark. That was the name given to his first battlefield.
It was a miraculous yet devastating victory worthy of being recorded in the Empire’s historical records.
A Knight Order of barely three hundred—little more than raw recruits—had achieved victory against an enemy regular army more than ten times their number.
Naturally, our own forces had suffered losses approaching annihilation.
Those who survived that hellish predicament to the very end were….
Only the young Decklin, those Knights, and a handful of others.
I found myself thinking that perhaps these Knights were extraordinarily precious to Decklin—irreplaceable comrades-in-arms.
‘If we were truly counting only losses, he should have left the Knights to their fate.’
It would have been proper to conclude the matter as a case of insubordination.
In the first place, the fact that the Grand Duke himself had come to rescue seven Knights was already beyond reason.
If it were discovered that the Grand Duke had illegally trespassed into the Sacred Ground, which the Religious Order strictly controlled….
It was obvious that an immense political shockwave would ensue—one beyond our capacity to manage.
“Miss Freena.”
Despite having just endured merciless violence, his crimson eyes remained remarkably composed.
‘…I don’t understand how Decklin somehow turned the Knights into a zombie legion.’
But that was a future that hadn’t happened yet, wasn’t it?
For now, I needed to address the immediate problem.
“In ancient faith, a Priest bearing the Sacred Mark was the highest being who touched divinity itself. Therefore, they will believe whatever you say to be divine revelation and follow blindly.”
I couldn’t fathom why five Knights had collectively become possessed by ancient zealotry.
But it was fortunate for me, at least.
“If their lives seem to be in danger from reaching the limit of Magi corruption, or if they attempt to harm you….”
“…”
“Then I’ll purify them immediately. But until then, we need to find out where the remaining Knights are.”
“Understood, sir.”
For now, I had to find the remaining two, as Decklin had judged.
Come to think of it, the Knights should be returning about now….
Why haven’t they come back yet?
“Sir, the Knights are taking far too long to return. I’ll go take a quick look outside.”
“Will you be alright alone?”
I nearly let out a hollow laugh at those words.
‘Are you worried about me now?’
It was utterly absurd and ridiculous. And yet this same man casually walked into the Magi Storm?
Of course, now that I’d regained my composure and thought back on it….
Decklin Caesar must have known. That neither he nor I would die in that place.
But I didn’t know. I had resigned myself to death, utterly and completely despairing.
‘If he’d at least respected me… shouldn’t he have given me some warning?’
To this man, the fear I felt was nothing but a joke.
Ha. I let out a self-deprecating sigh.
“Miss Freena?”
Noticing something amiss in my state, Decklin called out to me.
‘Right. I should hope for what’s worth hoping for.’
Why was I even entertaining such pointless thoughts?
“I’m fine, Your Excellency. There’s nothing to worry about. And if you came along with me, they’d find it suspicious.”
Perhaps because we were in a place saturated with magi, my nerves felt equally on edge.
‘I should carry as many purification stones as I can manage.’
At this rate, I’d soon lose my composure and start shouting at Decklin.
I turned my back to Decklin and stepped out of the ruins.
* * *
Outside the ruined temple.
A faint dawn light was seeping through. At last, the sun was rising.
And beneath that pale shaft of light.
The Knights stood in a perfect line, their hands clasped toward the sky in blind devotion.
Squelch—
With daggers in their bare hands, they drew deep cuts across their own palms without hesitation.
“Great and merciful Lord, inscribe this gracious breath that flows through us upon the wretched hides of beasts….”
“Wash the Sacred Ground clean with the blood of the impious and sinful, and grant us to offer the most perfect sacrifice….”
…Of all the mornings I had witnessed in my lifetime, this was undoubtedly the most grotesque and chilling sight.
‘…What are they doing?’

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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