I’m a Holy Knight, but I Contracted with an Evil God - Chapter 22

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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 22.
After borrowing Gregory’s key and stealing a glimpse of classified documents in the Archive, Leon’s training intensity became incomparably brutal.
The other candidates training alongside him were bewildered enough to wonder aloud “why push it that far,” but this severity served largely as misdirection—a way to divert their attention.
Of course, there was a genuine purpose to conditioning his body, yet Leon’s true work began only after the day’s formal training ended.
Leon made full use of the Permission Slip he’d received as a reward from Ayla, spending his entire evening free time after training in the Archive.
This version of Leon was perfectly packaged as “a diligent candidate who gives his all in both martial and scholarly pursuits.”
Yet what Leon sought in the Archive was no ordinary training manual.
The lessons learned alongside other candidates in the White Night Corridor were merely rehearsals of things he already knew; so while appearing to search for materials to supplement his individual training time, Leon devoted himself entirely to tracking down references related to Chaos.
By comparing his own memories against what was yet to come, Leon began to sift through the carefully concealed documents in Zone 2, extracting the true facts hidden beneath.
As expected, once he grasped the crucial clues, countless hidden truths came into focus, and he was able to piece together the genuine facts beneath them.
Thus, roughly a year passed after the events in Acalon.

The fourteen-year-old mountain boy Leon had been was now a fifteen-year-old youth who bore the unmistakable bearing of a knight.
His youthful face had been honed sharp, and his sudden growth spurt meant the old greatsword imbued with Ekrise no longer felt burdensome to wield.
The changes over the past year did not belong to Leon alone.
Other candidates, including Ilbar, had also sharpened their respective abilities through grueling training.
Yet among them all, Leon’s growth stood apart, unrivaled.
Despite being five or six years younger than the other candidates, creating an obvious weight class difference, Leon had doggedly narrowed that gap.
And now, a year later, he had climbed to a level that threatened even Ilbar, the top candidate.
Of course, beneath it all lay bone-grinding years of perseverance.
‘It was pure hell.’
【Was it not worth the reward?】
‘Of course it was. Why bother with something that yields no results?’
The grueling trial-and-error of his past life had been more than sufficient as a foundation.
The experience of throwing himself into physical conditioning to compensate for lacking talent had become an excellent bedrock for his clandestine training now.
Thanks to this, Leon’s evaluation over the past year had solidified into “a monstrous fellow who can do anything.”
Compared to Leon’s circumstances before his return, the shift in assessment was nothing short of earth-shattering.
‘Being called a genius. As if.’
【So, do you resent it?】
‘Not a chance.’
Even as he answered thus, Leon felt a faint smirk cross his face.
How desperately had he struggled to keep pace with other candidates who possessed superior talent and years of advance training besides?
There was a reason effort was best left unseen.
The placidity that seemed set to continue was shattered right around that time.
“You’re all aware that the Order occasionally accepts external commissions.”

At Ayla’s words, the mood among the candidates stirred.
It wasn’t false, but such work was rare enough to be considered a minor curiosity.

“Aren’t external commissions limited to cases involving Contaminated Beings?”
“In principle, yes.”
Ayla answered thus, then smiled wryly.
That uncommon smile made it abundantly clear this commission deviated significantly from such “principle.”

“What sort of commission is it?”
“You’ve likely heard of the Silbaren Forest in the Ilseran Region—the place better known by its nickname, the Ashen Wood. There have been a series of disappearances in that vicinity recently.”
“Disappearances?”

Bercello, positioned furthest back, uttered the words in a tone of exasperation.
Though Bercello was one to voice discontent openly, Leon’s own thoughts were no different this time.
Disappearances?
They would dispatch elite knight candidates for a mere disappearance case?

“Don’t be hasty. Only one of you will be included in the search party. The squad leader will be Cepian, a senior knight.”

The murmuring swelled louder.
Again, it was Bercello who voiced his objection without restraint.

“Why? Why such a waste of resources…?”
“Because among the missing is the only son of the Count of the Ilseran Family.”

A brief explanation made everything clear.
With that short explanation, every candidate in the room instantly grasped how matters stood.
The Ilseran Family was a powerful force that held sway over the region surrounding the Silbaren Forest.
Moreover, the Ilseran Region bordered the Arsela Mountain Range where The Order had its seat, which meant it fell loosely under The Order’s jurisdiction.

“That old man’s fussing around…”

Bercello clicked his tongue, grumbling as though he and the count were already acquainted.
The loudness of his muttering made Leon remember that Bercello hailed from the Belota Family.

‘The Belota lands and the Ilseran Region must be neighbors. They seem to know each other.’
【Then you’ll be able to hear the story about that man’s missing son.】
‘Is that necessary?’
【Hmm? You know him too?】
‘No, it’s not that. It just doesn’t seem worth pursuing. The case has an obvious conclusion.’
For Leon, who already knew about the incident, this commission held no appeal whatsoever.
But the other candidates thought otherwise.
A chance to build connections while working alongside a senior knight—a golden opportunity.
Every eye turned toward Leon and Ilbar with that calculation in mind.
By training results and practical acumen, Ilbar should have been the obvious choice, but Leon’s recent growth had been formidable enough that giving the assignment to him seemed equally warranted.
With such clear merits on both sides, even Ayla hesitated—until Leon seized the moment.

“I believe Ilbar should go.”

The unexpected words sent a ripple through the candidates.
Even Ilbar looked at Leon in surprise.

“My recent achievements have been merely a matter of fortune and quick thinking. For a commission with as many variables as a missing person’s search, I believe Ilbar, with his richer practical experience, is better suited than I am.”

It was the most exemplary way to humble oneself while elevating another.
After a year of training together, Leon had seen how sincere and diligent a worker Ilbar was—words he could honestly speak, and they reflected Leon’s genuine regard for him.
And yet.

‘I can’t be bothered.’
【So that’s your true heart?】
‘Of course. Why waste effort on something pointless?’
【If the only son of an influential house has gone missing, wouldn’t it be worthwhile to make connections there?】
‘That would only matter if we found him. If we don’t, there’s nothing more futile.’
The disappearance of the Count of Ilseran’s sole heir was an incident whose outcome Leon already knew by heart.
The count would ultimately fail to recover his son.
This case was nothing more than an ordinary crime—unrelated to Contaminated Beings, devoid of the extraordinary.
【Has something like this happened before?】
‘Yes. More precisely, it wasn’t disappearance but abduction. The count was simply unlucky.’
【Abduction? A mundane affair.】
‘Exactly the kind of case that doesn’t require The Order’s elite knights. When the truth comes out, Ilbar will feel cheated.’
Moreover, now that time had already elapsed, it was highly probable the situation had become irreversible.
There was no point in expending effort to find the boy’s corpse instead of a living son.
‘There’s also the risk of getting caught in the fallout.’
【Fallout?】
‘Do you think a noble who’s lost his only son will keep his wits about him? He’ll find someone to vent his rage on, no matter what.’
And an orphan like Leon, with no backing, was the perfect target for that rage.
Ilbar certainly had the shield of noble birth, as did Cepian, the senior knight—but had Leon gone instead of Ilbar, there was a good chance every conceivable excuse would be used to pin responsibility on him.
Of course, the kind of situation where he bore all the blame alone wouldn’t happen as it had before his return.
His standing had changed too much since before the return.
Still, Leon didn’t want to risk even the possibility of such a bitter turn of events.
Especially not for a pointless errand with a predictable outcome.
Leon had more important matters waiting for him than serving as a nobleman’s errand boy.
For a year since the incident at Acalon, his relentless investigation in the Archive had finally neared its conclusion.
The end was within sight.
But Ilbar, unaware of these circumstances, seemed quite moved.
With an unusually bright gleam in his eyes, he bowed deeply toward Leon.

“Thank you.”
“…No, sir.”

Though it seemed he had much more to say, Leon let him depart without acknowledging it.
Unaware that this would be his last farewell with Ilbar.
After Ilbar left, the remaining candidates made no effort to hide their anxiety.
Bercello and Kyle in particular seemed to be fretting over the decision of the next elite knight’s appointment.
Only Leon, who knew the outcome of the incident, remained composed.
And that deceptive calm shattered in mere days.
“An investigation party will be selected.”
“An investigation party?”
“We’ve lost contact with Cepian’s unit.”

Confusion rippled through the room.
Cepian’s unit?
But the commission was just a search mission.
Whispers of that sort spread among the candidates.
“Lost contact on a mere search mission?”
“It seems the situation is more complicated than we thought. A full unit will be dispatched. The investigation party will move faster than the main unit to find traces of Cepian.”
Ayla’s gaze, now visibly hardened, turned toward Leon.
The next words would be obvious.
“Leon. Take command of the investigation party. Bring Sirent, Kyle, and Bercello with you. Especially—I’d appreciate it if Bercello could secure the cooperation of the Belota Family.”
The composition of the investigation party was as expected.
With Ilbar gone, it was a decision based on their regular training.
Ayla added, fixing Leon with a steady gaze.
“This time, do not push yourself too far. If you judge the situation dangerous, return at once. I will not authorize combat. Do you understand?”
Leon assented.
But it was an order that would not be kept.
Continued in next chapter ▶
A Holy Knight Who Made a Contract with an Evil God
Author
Ram Dat
Publishers
Kim Seok-hwan, Choi Se-ra
Published by
Grae Publishing
Inquiries
[email protected]
Publication Date
March 27, 2026
UCI
G720:N+A327-20260227066
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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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