Paladin of the Dead God

Chapter 85:

Isolde was a concern, but Isaac had plenty to do before the Salt Council approached again.

Isolde, the Salt Council, domain management—it all seemed like a tangled web of complicated issues, but in reality, they were interconnected.

The most visible and fundamental problem was the devastation of the domain.

This devastation was multifaceted.

Kyle Hendracke had been managing the domain almost entirely with the profits from Loracus trade. Since the income from Loracus trading was much greater than the domain’s earnings, he had no interest in managing the domain. It was found that he had plans to eventually leave the domain empty and move to the capital if he could make enough money.

Naturally, the domain was devastated, and the population decreased. Moreover, due to recent events, the atmosphere was unsettled, and even the few fields that were available missed the sowing season.

“Are we running out of food?”

“Yes, my lord.”

The village headman couldn’t even look at Isaac and bowed his head as he spoke. Despite being much older than Isaac, whether because of the social hierarchy or faith, he could not meet Isaac’s eyes.

Especially since he had seen Isaac defeating the prophet of the red flesh on top of the walls. Most of the simple villagers regarded Isaac as an incarnation of a god. But hunger made even a mere villager dare to speak to the incarnation of a god.

“It is indeed a time of scarcity in spring. But haven’t you prepared at all?”

“Originally, this domain does not produce much food. So we hunted or supplied manufactured goods to the lord’s castle, and in exchange, the former lord would release food, but now hunting is also not going well…”

Isaac understood the situation. The only way for the domain to secure food was to buy it from the outside. There were some crops and animals from the small farmland and mountains, but it was far from enough.

However, the Loracus situation, Kyle’s mismanagement, war, and even the appearance of angels made it a place merchants avoided.

The problem could be solved when Caitlin from the Golden Idol Guild arrived, but the immediate issue was that the residents were starting to run out of food. Considering the increasing population in the future, it was a serious problem.

‘When the upper echelons create chaos, it’s always the lower classes who die first.’

Isaac decided to distribute the remaining food in the castle to the residents. Since the number of people had significantly decreased, there was some surplus of food. But it was not enough to last a year.

Fortunately, there was Reinhardt, a neighboring lord who had become a devoted follower of Isaac, with a fertile domain.

“Do not worry. I am willing to support you.”

Reinhardt’s trust originated from believing Isaac was a paladin of the Codex of Light. However, after a series of events, his devotion became almost entirely personal to Isaac.

Isaac, now essentially embodying nameless chaos, was gradually shifting Reinhardt’s faith towards this nameless chaos.

***

With Reinhardt’s help, the immediate crisis was averted, but Isaac still had to deal with the myriad of problems in the domain in the long term.

Food was not the only issue.

After securing immediate sustenance, issues with administration and justice became apparent.

The world’s administrative and judicial systems did not operate according to Isaac’s common sense.

If the occasional display of over-technology could be considered a miracle by the gods, the technological level of this world was similar to the Middle Ages.

However, the administration was even worse. Whenever one wondered how it functioned, the saying ‘pray if it doesn’t get resolved’ would inevitably appear.

It was a universal language that filled every gap.

Eventually, it seemed there was no reason to develop further since priests would be dispatched to miraculously solve any problem that arose. The Hendrack domain was also haphazardly managed by bureaucrats’ quick fixes and stopgap solutions.

Isaac, sensible enough not to force 21st-century administration on a medieval domain, first looked for an existing manual in this world.

Surprisingly, there was a manual.

It was of no help at all.

‘The lord’s goal is to expand the farmlands, increase the population, defend against external threats, implement the law fairly, and act in a manner that is not shameful under the name of the Codex of Light.’

It was difficult to know exactly what to do with only abstract principles to go by, but Isaac started by unfolding a map. The population living in the domain, including those in the mountains, amounted to only about 500 people, which was not large considering the size of the domain. This was due to Kyle’s indifference to managing the populace, as he was focused on making money.

Every laborer was valuable at this time. Isaac first ordered a census and updated the map. Thanks to the effects of the sanctuary, it was possible to accurately determine the correct and incorrect parts of the map even from within the castle.

A large water source was located in the southeast of the domain, from which water flowed down to form a valley, passing through the domain and flowing to the northern sea. To the north, there was an abandoned mine where an angel was buried, and to the west, there was a road connecting to the central region, which had been left neglected after a landslide.

The domain itself was beautiful but had become desolate due to recent events.

Reviving the devastated farmlands was an urgent issue. Although the current population was not large, there were plans to bring in many more people in the long term.

It was necessary to reach at least a level of self-sufficiency.

However, the domain had abundant water but not many flat areas, which was disadvantageous for growing crops.

Isaac thought of a crop suitable for this terrain.

‘Now that I think about it, aren’t potatoes not eaten in this region yet?’

During Isaac’s time in the monastery, potatoes were an indispensable staple at every meal. Yet, in the Gerthonia Empire, potatoes were not commonly used as food. The reason was that potatoes, being root vegetables that grow in the dark soil, were considered ominous by the Codex of Light.

It was a strange logic considering that the monastery where Isaac stayed had no issues consuming them. However, the monasteries on the frontier were too impoverished. If they hadn’t eaten those, perhaps half of the monks would have starved to death, so it might have been an unavoidable choice.

‘The priests living here probably see no reason to eat potatoes when they can have white bread, cheese, and meat on their tables at every meal…’

But there was no better crop to grow in the harsh mountainous regions than potatoes. Isaac began to inquire about the availability of potatoes in the area.

Fortunately, poachers and slash-and-burn farmers over the mountains were growing potatoes. Isaac sent Hesabel to buy potatoes and persuaded the slash-and-burn farmers to settle in the domain. The residents who were unfamiliar with potatoes would change their minds seeing the Paladin himself growing and eating them.

‘It’s cliché, but there’s no reason not to use what’s available.’

Fortunately or unfortunately, there was a lot of vacant land in the domain due to the departure of the residents.

Isaac was able to plant potatoes on all the empty land.

***

Next was the task of repairing the damaged castle and walls, and fixing the broken roads.

The western road, completely blocked by a landslide, was not a problem that could be solved in a day or two, so it was temporarily abandoned, but the castle needed to be repaired. Amidst the urgent need for sustenance, the notion of repairing the castle, rumored to be cursed, spread fear and anger among the residents.

Although Isaac had expelled the curse, there was still uncertainty.

Of course, no resident dared to oppose the Paladin who had even beaten an angel.

However, Isaac considered repairing the walls as important as farming. Whether it was the Red Chalice, the Immortal Order, or even, though unlikely, the Codex of Light, if they were involved in a conspiracy here, there was no law saying they wouldn’t interfere again. Isaac did not want to be left defending on precarious walls when that time came.

It was Kyle Hendracke who stepped forward then.

“If there might still be a curse, then all the more reason to repair the castle. If monsters drawn by the curse attack, will you hide behind the feeble walls of your homes? Will you leave the Paladin to reside in a crumbling castle and only call for help when you need it?”

Although anyone could argue that Kyle was the cause of the castle’s deterioration, Kyle was showing his commitment through actions.

After being brainwashed, Kyle wore only the simplest of sackcloth garments, ate only the ‘potatoes’ distributed by Isaac, and slept only in the castle’s prayer room. The transformation of the ‘lord,’ once known for his arrogance and stupidity, made people believe he had truly come to his senses, guided by the Paladin into a saint-like figure.

“Isn’t the Paladin helping us with our immediate needs? It’s a difficult time now, but we can’t let the evil gods of heresy continue to disrupt our lives. Let’s all stand against the heretic faith following our Paladin’s will!”

Kyle shamelessly incited them, creating an external enemy.

It was all the fault of the “heretic gods” that Kyle ended up in this situation and the domain became desolate.

By placing all the blame on the Red Grail and creating a sense of unity with “us,” there was also an intention to make people rely on the shadow of the giant named “Isaac.”

As their lord, Kyle personally carried stones and participated in the restoration work, leading people to believe his words were right and join in the effort. The neglected and damaged forest paths throughout the domain also began to come back to life.

Of course, the prayers Kyle offered were directed towards Isaac, the representative of nameless chaos, and people might have thought differently if they knew a giant worm had taken residence in his brain.

Isaac smiled as he saw the construction and agricultural development proceeding smoothly.

‘Not bad.’

Of course, Kyle’s actions followed Isaac’s instructions, but the details couldn’t all be dictated by Isaac, and Kyle did surprisingly well. Whether it was the intelligence of the worm or Kyle’s own talents finally finding a place to shine was unclear.

The Issacrea domain was quickly shedding its devastated raggedness, but it was still far from being fully restored. Problems would continue to arise, and eventually, Isaac would have to intervene with specific guidelines.

‘I can’t afford to attend to these minor issues one by one.’

Isaac hadn’t thought deeply when he decided to take over this domain. He simply didn’t want to leave this land, which would become the starting point of significant events in the future, unguarded. By the time Isaac absorbed Kalsen, the future he knew was already veering off course.

‘The flow of the Dawn Army itself will probably change… I need to grow stronger until then, but I can’t be held back by the domain forever.’

Fortunately, the general framework was in place. With Kyle as the figurehead, Caitlin’s Golden Idol Guild for supplies, and Jacquette’s Barbarians mercenaries for security, some stability was expected.

But that wasn’t enough.

The Immortal Order would surely cause trouble, the Codex of Light needed constant vigilance, and the trustworthiness of the Red Grail was uncertain.

‘I need a powerful backer.’

A backer solely for Isaac.

[The nameless chaos watches over you.]

***

In the deep cellar of the monastery.

Within the sanctuary of the nameless chaos, where a giant heart throbbed, Isaac was looking at an anonymous stone slab. It was the trigger Kalsen Miller had intended to use to become a god, and it was uncertain how many beings had been involved in its creation.

But now, it lay in Isaac’s hands, ownerless and directionless.

Isaac had been fiddling with the anonymous slab for a long time but had left it alone without doing anything.

‘It’s too dangerous to use recklessly.’

Isaac had not considered using the anonymous scripture to ascend to the ranks of gods, like Kalsen Miller intended. Well, maybe just a speck of thought.

It felt so absurd that he dismissed the idea as soon as it came up.

The fact that Kalsen Miller’s path was a failure was one reason, but that was secondary.

Isaac was content with leading a peaceful life without threats.

Had he dreamed of becoming a god to save people or seek revenge, his actions would have been entirely different from the start. But such grand objectives were far from Isaac’s dreams.

There was also the daunting reality that the greater and more powerful one becomes, the more responsibilities one has to bear.

‘However…’

Isaac pondered as he caressed the anonymous scripture.

‘How much stronger could I become?’