The place the group was guided to was an office on the third floor of the King's Order headquarters. A man in his 40s, with a dignified appearance, greeted them.
"Welcome. I am Erantel, the commander of the King's Order."
Erantel von Naiad.
He was a well-known knight, one of only two Purple Knights in the entire Yustil Kingdom, along with Sir Alonde, the Royal Knight Commander.
Originally, he was the vice-commander of the Yustil Royal Knights. Known for his honorable and just character, he was well-regarded by the public and held deep trust from King Wiscot I.
The fact that he was appointed as the commander of the King's Order signified that the royal family considered this matter extremely important.
The group introduced themselves.
"I am Karnak Jestarad."
"I am Serati, serving Baron Karnak."
"I am Baros, serving Baron Karnak."
Erantel nodded as he gestured to the recommendation letter they handed him.
"All three of you seem qualified. Your identities are clear, and more importantly, you come highly recommended by Inquisitor Alius, so you are trustworthy."
Karnak and Baros exchanged a subtle glance.
'Alius seems to be quite famous, huh?'
'Indeed. Even well-known in the capital, it seems?'
Though they hadn't realized it, Alius was actually quite a renowned figure.
Despite being only in his 20s, he had ascended to the rank of first-tier, wielding powerful divine power, and his accomplishments as an inquisitor were remarkable.
In Derat City alone, the Hatoba Religious order had dealt with over 50 necromancers. This was an achievement that ranked among the highest across all religious orders in the Yustil Kingdom.
"If you were carefully selected by Inquisitor Alius, you are more than worthy to join the prestigious King's Order..."
Suddenly, Erantel's expression became stern.
"But you do realize that this alone does not grant you entry in the King's Order, correct?"
Karnak replied as if he expected this.
"I've heard a bit about it."
Even after being admitted, one does not immediately become a full member of the King's Order. For a while, they would be in a probationary period as new members.
During this time, they would work under senior Order members, facing the cultists and learning the field, while also undergoing a final evaluation to determine if they were truly trustworthy.
"Until that time, you cannot yet be considered part of the King's Order. You will merely be carrying out tasks under our orders."
In simple terms, they wouldn't be given any authority that could be misused, such as summary execution rights or broad interrogation powers. They would only be judged on their ability to handle tasks.
"All new members must go through this process, not just you."
Karnak had no objections.
In fact, he would have been uneasy if they were accepted too easily. It would mean that even cultists could infiltrate without much difficulty.
"By the way, your group is quite an unusual combination, isn't it? A lord and his knights joining together..."
"Is that a problem?"
At Karnak's question, Erantel waved his hand.
"No? Oh, not at all. It's not unprecedented."
In fact, there had been cases in the past where a lord had joined with their knights. The most notable case was that of Viscount Roland, the captain of the 3rd Battalion.
For great nobles, it would be considered irresponsible to risk their lives in such dangerous endeavors, but for rural nobles, it was an opportunity to elevate their family's prestige.
Especially if the lord was a young man burning with ambition.
From the family's perspective, they couldn't just send someone as important as the lord into peril alone, so they would naturally attach a strong knight to his side.
Of course, that didn't mean someone without qualifications would be admitted to the King's Order just because they had strong knights with them, so most of such cases would still be rejected. However, the combination itself wasn't particularly unusual.
What Erantel was truly concerned about was something else.
'...Was the Jestarad Barony capable of producing an Aura user?'
He had chosen his words carefully, but Serati's skill level was far beyond that of an ordinary knight from a rural noble family.
With talent strong enough to awaken battle aura at such a young age, she would be an asset even to an archduke's family.
'Is it the Goblin Hand's famed sword, or is there something more to it?'
According to Alius's letter of recommendation, Baron Karnak possessed exceptional magical potential that far exceeded his current abilities, suggesting boundless possibilities for future growth. Had Serati perhaps sensed this with his unique Aura user's intuition?
Erantel soon set his curiosity aside.
'Hmm, time will tell.'
After all, they still had to go through the probationary period.
If Karnak truly was an unpolished gem, he would have the opportunity to prove his abilities during this time.
If he couldn't prove himself, then there would be no need to worry about him any further. He would either die or be sent back home—one of the two.
Erantel leisurely spoke up with his hands behind his back.
"Very well, then. I will assign you your first mission."
Baros and Serati were taken aback and asked in surprise.
"What? Right now?"
"But we just arrived here today."
The middle-aged man smiled as if he had anticipated their reaction.
"That's how our work is. There's always something happening, and we're always busy. You'll have to get used to it."
His smile carried the implicit meaning: Brace yourselves; the hard work begins now.
"Welcome to the King's Order."
***
The King's Order was organized into seven battalions, with Sir Erantel as its commander. Each battalion consisted of a small, elite group of 8 to 10 members.
Karnak and his companions were assigned to the 4th Battalion, where they met the senior members they would be working with on their first mission.
These included Tarman, a mage of the 5th Circle and the second son of the renowned noble house of Count Albarn.
There was also Cald, a swordsman who had joined the King's Order after previously working as a Darkness Hunter.
Lastly, there was Alice, a second-tier Inquisitor of the Sea Goddess Atima.
The next day, before dawn, they left the capital, Drunta, heading southward in the kingdom.
As they traveled along the main road, Serati grumbled.
"I didn't even get a chance to explore the capital before we had to leave."
Karnak and Baros, who had both grown tired of seeing Drunta in their previous lives, felt a similar sense of disappointment.
"Tch, I had a whole list of must-visit restaurants ready."
"Yeah, I was planning to tour the city starting from the west."
As they continued to grumble, Baros turned to the group leading the way and asked.
"Is the King's Order always this busy? Do you never get any breaks?"
"Surely not always."
Tarman, the 4th Battalion's captain, a man in his 30s with a stocky build, replied with a good-natured smile.
"You just had bad timing. You arrived on the very day we received a mission."
"So it was just a matter of bad luck."
"Or you could say it's good luck. A long probationary period isn't exactly something to look forward to, is it?"
Cald, the swordsman, chimed in from the side.
"Even with good timing, you'd only have waited a few days at most. But it's true that we have a lot of work."
He was a young man with a sharp, blade-like demeanor.
He was known for his unique dual-wielding swordsmanship, using both a short sword and a longsword, and was said to be an unmatched warrior in the Delim region.
"Of course, within the King's Order, that's still pretty standard. After all, I haven't even awakened my battle aura yet."
As he muttered this, Cald shot a glance at Serati.
As expected from someone dedicated to the sword, it seemed that the newly inducted Aura user, Serati, had caught Cald's attention.
On the other hand, the cleric Alice seemed more interested in a different aspect of Serati.
"Ms. Serati, your skin is remarkably smooth, especially for an Aura user."
"…What does skin have to do with being an Aura user?"
"We have two Aura users in our battalion, and both of them are covered in scars. I just assumed all Aura users were like that."
Baros, who had been listening nearby, suddenly found something odd.
"Did you say there are two Aura users in the 4th Battalion?"
For reference, the captain of the 4th Battalion was the mage standing before them, Tarman. So, that meant...
"Are you saying an Aura user is just an ordinary member?"
Baros had expected that an Aura user would naturally be the captain.
Tarman chuckled.
"Why? Is it strange that an Aura user is serving under me when I'm just a 5th Circle mage?"
"Oh, no. I didn't mean to say that Lord Tarman is weak."
"You're not wrong, though. I'm not yet at a level to be compared to an Aura user."
Typically, a Red Knight is considered equivalent to a 6th Circle mage.
Of course, comparing combat power is a bit tricky.
In a small-scale battle, a red-level Aura user would likely overwhelm a 6th Circle mage, while on a large battlefield, a 6th Circle mage would be more valuable to victory.
In any case, it's true that a 5th Circle mage is generally ranked lower than an Aura user.
However, there was a specific reason Tarman was the captain.
"Firstly, it's largely because I'm of noble blood from a count family."
No matter how much of an elite group the King's Order was, status couldn't be entirely ignored.
"Moreover, in our missions, status is part of our skill set."
Once a necromancer is identified, simply killing them ends the matter.
However, cultists often wield their worldly status, especially if they're nobles or royalty, to exert power.
Wasn't the King's Order established precisely because of these worldly power players?
"For dealing with cultists, someone like me with strong backing and noble blood can better suppress those cultists who also have strong backing and noble blood. There are many in this world who value family prestige more than personal ability."
And there's a second reason—this one is actually more important.
"When dealing with cultists, what you need more than combat power is something else."
Of course, an Aura user would be incredibly powerful in battle.
But do cultists ever confront you directly in a fair fight?
"The King's Order's primary duties involve information gathering, identifying cultists, kidnapping key figures, and interrogation. High combat ability alone doesn't guarantee success."
Serati clicked his tongue.
"It sounds like all our missions involve dirty work."
Tarman laughed heartily.
"You've got it right! Our job is to do dirty work against cultists!"
Given this, a mage with various methods is more advantageous against cultists than an Aura user who simply excels in combat.
That's why most of the captains in the King's Order are mages.
While Sir Erantel, a knight with a high reputation, is ideal as the commander overseeing the entire King's Order, for actual missions, it's most efficient for a mage to lead with an Aura user as their adjutant.
"It's the exact opposite of the battlefield."
"On the battlefield, the captain needs to charge ahead, swinging a shining sword to boost the troops' morale, making an Aura user the best fit. But in our missions, we're not trying to show off to anyone."
Nodding in agreement, Serati raised another question.
"With that reasoning, wouldn't clerics also be qualified for these roles?"
When it comes to using a variety of methods, clerics are just as capable as mages. Moreover, against necromancers, clerics are even more effective than mages.
'Even Mr. Alius seems to be good at interrogations.'
Alice answered this unspoken thought.
"The King's Order was created to keep the Churches of the Seven Goddesses in check, so it's unlikely they'd ever let clerics like us take the captain's position."
There were no high-ranking clerics within the King's Order who could become captains in the first place.
All the clerics of the Seven Goddesses assigned to the King's Order were second-tier Inquisitors.
The higher ranks, special or first-tier, were too busy managing their own affairs within the Seven Church to be spared, while third-tier clerics were too low in skill to keep up with the missions of the King's Order.
"I don't really have any complaints, though. If I build up a strong record here, my chances of becoming a first-tier Inquisitor will increase."
Karnak, who had been quietly listening to the conversation, suddenly spoke up.
"By the way, isn't it about time you told us more details?"
"Hm? What details?"
"About our mission."
They had already received a brief outline of the mission.
『There is suspicion that Count Brelant, a noble in the southern part of the Yustil Kingdom, has joined the cult of the Dark God. Disguise yourselves as adventurers and head to Brelant County. Gather irrefutable evidence, and in the name of the King, punish the Count!』
However, they hadn't been given any more specific details.
"I'd like to know what exactly the Count is accused of, how reliable this information is, and what kind of evidence we need to gather."
Karnak's request was perfectly reasonable.
Even so, Tarman could only offer a wry smile in response.
"That's all there is."
"What?"
"That's all. You know as much as we do."
"Wait, so we're heading out without even knowing if the target is truly a cultist?"
"Isn't that what we're trying to find out?"
In simpler terms, the mission itself involves starting from scratch and figuring things out as they go.
"I think I'm beginning to understand why this job is so busy."
As Karnak shook his head, Tarman grinned.
It was the same smile that had lingered on Erantel's lips back at headquarters.
"Welcome to the King's Order."
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