[Moments Earlier]
"So… this is the place that those rats are hiding?"
Knight Lido's mood was pretty good that night as he stared down at the secluded compound that dwelled amidst the dry woods.
From the vantage point of the hill where he and his subordinates stood, they could see everything: the old building that loomed in the center of the compound, and the stakes that demarcated it from the surrounding area.
The building's dark, weathered stones were barely visible through the light fog that clung to the ground, swirling lazily among the tombstones scattered across the compound, which looked more like a neglected cemetery than anything else.
The gravestones were cracked and tilted, as though time and neglect had worked together to wear down the place.
The dry woods surrounding the compound added to the eerie stillness of the night. Gnarled trees stood like skeletal warriors, their branches clawing at the sky, silhouetted against the faint moonlight. No leaves adorned them, only jagged twigs and branches, making the forest appear lifeless. The occasional creak of a branch breaking under its own weight echoed through the night, adding to the unsettling atmosphere.
"To think the ones bothering Lord Geralt were staying in such a run-down shack… pfft!" Lido chuckled to himself.
His short blond hair danced with the cool wind as he gently stroked his well-trimmed beard. He had a clean and polished look to him, and his armor also appeared exquisite, differentiating him from the rough-looking soldiers behind.
"This must be my lucky day."
The Heresy Cult, as they called themselves, was an organization filled with outlaws and anarchists that stood against the teachings of the Church and the established order of society.
Not only did they believe in toxic notions of freedom and individual autonomy, but they also spread their ideology… converting quite a few individuals and also putting doubts in the minds of many more.
As a result, the usually compliant peasants slowly began to outwardly disagree with the Lord and even went as far as staging small-scale protests when a slight increase in tax was announced.
Such a thing had never happened before.
'It's hard to believe that such a rag-tag group of people caused Lord Geralt such trouble, to the point where he had to send me… his most reliable Knight to resolve this matter.'
Of course, he wasn't sent alone.
Behind him was an army of one hundred able-bodied men—all of whom donned full armor and wielded weapons. Lido didn't think such a palsy Cult required so many people, and he was confident that he could handle them all by himself.
After all, their group consisted of mere peasants while he was a highly revered Knight in these parts. However, his Lord was insistent in taking at least these many people in order to crush the opposition once and for all.
'He was particularly wary of the witch… what was her name again? Lyla? Lilia? No… Lili.'
Rumors were that she led the Cult and also practiced the dark arts of Spells. If the rumors were true, then that made her considerably dangerous—far more dangerous than mere peasants.
Still, that didn't mean much to Lido.
'To think I have to go all-out against a small group of outlaws led by a woman… how embarrassing.' Despite thinking this, he smirked.
It wasn't like he was complaining, especially since the task felt too easy.
However, the Lord had to think the situation was very dire since he acted with such obvious desperation. All of this meant that Lido was going to be compensated extremely well when he succeeded in eradicating the threat.
'As a Vassal to Lord Geralt, I can't possibly defy him. But… if I do this task and he speaks highly of me to Lord Fabian… I could get promoted and even have the chance to work for a Warlord.'
Just thinking about the prospects of this mission and the possible rewards he could receive after accomplishing it made him salivate a little bit.
It was no wonder why he was in such a good mood.
"Hehehe…"
"Sir Lido… our scouts have returned from searching the area. There doesn't seem to be any other structure around or hidden enemies. It seems the area is free from ambush."
"Of course!" Lido turned to look at the soldier who bowed his head to him in respect. "What do we expect from a group of lowlives who managed to gain some fame from spreading their foolish ideologies?"
Other than the Witch Lili, there was no one among them who could be considered a decent threat. In essence… they were easy targets.
"Why don't we start with a nice little greeting?"
"Pardon, Sir Lido?" The soldier beside him raised his head, a bit of confusion written on his face.
"I mean… they're clearly vulnerable right now. It would be no fun to just ransack their territory and slay all of them. Judging by the layout of the woods, the only clearing is the path we will be taking, so they have no chance of escape." He answered with a bright grin.
Just in case there were any runaways, he was going to leave about half of his forces on the hill. As long as they were constantly on the lookout, none of the prey was going to escape their inevitable demise.
"In the end, they will most likely try to protect their stronghold… since they're foolish zealots with no common sense of strategy. Their false religion has blinded them, and I can guarantee that they will keep praying to their impotent god up until their dying breaths."
"It seems you have some experience with these kinds of people, Sir Lido. Were you a member of the Inquisition or Crusade Brigade before becoming Lord Geralt's Knight?"
"Haha! You've made two mistakes in your question, soldier." Lido grinned as he looked at the ignorant soldier beside him.
"Firstly… those Cult Members that you call people are nothing but scum. Rats… swine! Calling them people is an insult to good men like you and I."
"A-ah! My mistake, Sir Lido."
"Secondly… it's not possible to join the Inquisition or Crusade Brigade and simply leave after service. Joining them is not only difficult, but it also requires a lifetime of dedication." Lido smirked as he finished his correction.
The reason he knew all of this was because he had tried to apply for the Crusade Brigade, but after learning of the criteria, he considered the trade-off not worth it. Sure, his opportunities would be immensely more if he joined the church, but since he would have to sacrifice his freedom for the most part, it wasn't a good bargain.
Of course, there was also the problem of him possibly not having the benchmark of talent and skill to advance very high in the ranks of the Holy Army, but Lido liked to believe he wasn't lacking in the department.
His choice to swear loyalty to Lord Geralt was simply the one he made due to the benefit of freedom and security.
"Thank you for the education, Sir Lido." The gratitude of the soldier was enough to soothe his ego, which made him smile even broader than before.
"Anytime! As for how I know so much about their kind… it's simple. I have executed quite a few of their members."
"A-ahh… I see."
"Indeed. How else do you think I was able to narrow down their location?"
"That indeed adds up." The soldier bowed his head once again. "I appreciate the enlightenment.
Lido shrugged slightly and returned his gaze to the building amidst the dry woods. "Now then… why don't we kick things off with a blast?"
By 'blast', Lido was referring to one thing and one thing alone—the power that dwelled within the sword on his hip.
"You might want to stand back."
He unsheathed his sword from its elegantly designed scabbard and pointed it in the direction of the building in the distance. As the silvery blade reflected the dim moonlight that hung in the night sky, a soft white glow began to rise from it.
The soldier who saw this marveled at the energy that emanated from the blade, his childlike eyes reflecting wonder at the sight before him.
"The moment I send the first strike, we charge forward. Give the command to half of our forces to stay behind and be on the lookout for any possible stragglers."
"U-understood!"
As the soldier scurried off, Lido's eyes sharply focused on the building in front of him and concentrated his will into the blade whose previously dull light was now shining brighter than ever.
'A Blessed Weapon… my only connection to the Church.'
It was no wonder that the soldier just now assumed that he was a former member of the Church's forces. After all, those with Blessed Weapons were usually Inquisitors or Crusade Brigaders.
Lido was neither, and he only managed to get his hands on the weapon after getting in the good graces of a high-ranking member of the Holy Army.
'I had to go through a series of bootlicking and asskissings just to get my hands on this Blessed Weapon, but… it was all worth it.'
In this world, connections were everything. To reach heights that one wouldn't normally be able to, it was best to find a much stronger person and get on their good side as much as possible. The easiest way to do so was resorting to flattery.
Even the soldier just now had tried doing the same to Lido by striking a conversation and expressing excessive gratitude for basic information.
Despite Lido talking down to him, an older man, the soldier maintained an air of respect and shameless subservience. All of that was simply to forge some kind of connection with a Knight who possessed a Blessed Weapon.
'Oh well… it's not like his tactic worked.'
Lido knew the game well, and he wasn't the type to be so easily swayed by the words of people. Unless there was something in it for him, he had no intention to get used by others.
'I swore loyalty to Lord Geralt, but if the opportunity comes to advance my position and serve Lord Fabian… I will gladly do so.'
Even though they were both Lords, Geralt served as Lord Fabian's Vassal which meant there would be no problem if Lido switched masters in the eventual future.
'All of that starts from this mission…' His amber eyes flashed as he narrowed his gaze. The power within the sword was finally done charging, so he took an appropriate stance in preparation to release the power.
"Haaa!"
~WHOOOM!~
Instantly, a bright light rushed towards the building's entrance, blowing it—along with the stone walls surrounding it—away.
Even from the high slope that Lido stood, he could feel the slight tremors generated by his attack. However, before he could register the vibrations, the cheers of the soldiers behind him erupted in the air.
They began their charge towards the building, enthusiastically running to what they assumed would be an easy victory.
As long as the Knight Lido was with them… failure wasn't even a possibility.
"Hehe… look at them go." Lido grinned to himself, watching their march from behind. He turned to look at the remaining half of the soldiers that remained behind.
Leaving them with a slight nod, which they readily reciprocated by bowing their heads, he began his more relaxed march towards the partly damaged building. He was in no rush, all things considered.
"I'll kill them all, return with achievements and glory under my belt, while the soldiers will spread word of my greatness to everyone they meet." More chuckles escaped his lips as he traversed the path, ignoring the gnarled trees beside him.
He had no fear.
He had no worry.
Victory was within grasp, and he was assured of complete success.
God was on his side, after all.