READ NOVEL FREE Chapter 3: Expedition
Taki's Discipline and Serene's Adventures
After leaving the council chamber, Serene found Taki waiting outside with a stern expression.
The moment Serene stepped out, Taki grabbed her ear.
"You…"
"Wait, wait, Sister! I can explain!" Serene pleaded.
"Alright, then explain. Did you forget something important?" Taki asked, her tone sharp.
"I forgot to tell you what I saw. But that's because you were up all night working! I didn't want to burden you further," Serene replied with a sheepish grin.
Taki released her grip, surprising Serene by pulling her into a tight hug.
"It's not about that, my dear sister. I'm worried because you're dealing with such dangerous matters. I'm proud of your courage and amazed by your abilities," Taki said warmly.
"But…" Taki's tone suddenly shifted. "Explain why you left behind the carcass of the monster you hunted, letting it rot and pollute the nearby lake, hmm?"
Serene's face turned pale, and Launcent, overhearing the conversation, began to back away slowly.
Taki's sharp gaze turned to him. "Paladin Launcent and Paladin Serene, your punishment is to run around the Paladin Headquarters 100 times a day—for six months!"
"No! My beloved sister, please spare me!" Serene dramatically pleaded.
Taki smirked, playing along with Serene's theatrics. "Oh, no can do, my dear sister. As your elder sibling, I must set a good example. Little Irene will be joining the Paladin Order soon, and we must be role models for her… Now, both of you, start running!"
"This sibling dynamic is just… something else," Launcent muttered, resigning himself to his fate.
A New Mission for Serene and Launcent
Two weeks later, as Serene and Launcent finished their daily runs, they were summoned to meet Grand Master Michael Anderson.
Still drenched in sweat, the pair reported to Anderson's office.
"Uh… why do you two look like you've been boiled alive?" Anderson asked with a chuckle.
"Our punishment, Grand Master," they replied in unison.
"Ah, Captain Taki is strict indeed. Very well, I have a special mission for you two. I'll inform Captain Taki that your punishment will be shortened by three months while you undertake this mission," Anderson said.
After cleaning up and donning fresh gear, Serene and Launcent joined their team for a briefing. Martyr Gonzales, a seasoned leader, explained the details:
"The Numen Kingdom has seized a large cache of dangerous weapons, including 200 mana bombs, 5,000 cursed spears, and at least 1,000 enchanted suits of armor.
"This is not an isolated act of terrorism," Gonzales continued. "It's preparation for a full-scale assault on the Numen Kingdom."
The entire team, including Taki, was shocked.
"An organized military attack?" Taki asked.
"Precisely. Whoever is behind this has amassed a substantial arsenal," Gonzales confirmed.
The Expedition Begins
The Paladins, equipped with full armor, weapons, and magic catalysts, boarded a massive Land Traverser to transport their supplies. From Katya Port, they crossed the Aria Strait aboard a cargo ship and arrived in the Numen Kingdom, where they were greeted by General Gaterkal, a white-haired orc.
General Gaterkal's face was filled with worry as he shook hands with Gonzales.
"I've heard the details. Don't worry; my Paladins and I will investigate this thoroughly," Gonzales assured him.
The team split into three groups and headed to Rune City, the Numen Kingdom's capital, posing as guards to blend in.
While patrolling the city, Taki and Serene walked side by side.
"Taki… I mean, Captain…" Serene started.
"This isn't headquarters. Just call me Taki," she replied, slightly flustered.
Serene grinned. "Sister… may I ask you something?"
With a warm smile, Taki replied, "What is it, Serene?"
"Do you think it's possible that a nation would intentionally provoke war with another?" Serene asked, her expression serious.
Taki pondered for a moment.
"It seems unlikely in these conditions. Most nations are struggling to recover. However… Whiteford might be an exception," she said thoughtfully.
"Whiteford is the largest and strongest kingdom on the Ivovnia continent, with a formidable army and powerful champions. But even they wouldn't need to resort to such underhanded tactics to invade other nations. A straightforward assault would suffice for them," Taki explained.
As they continued their patrol, a parade at the town hall caught their attention. The King of Numen and other leaders were present.
Amidst the crowd, Serene accidentally bumped into a nomadic man.
"Ah, I'm sorry, miss," the man said, extending his hand to help her up.
As Serene looked up, she froze in shock. "Prince Okavarin?!"
"Shhh! Keep your voice down. I don't want anyone to know I've snuck away," the prince said, gesturing for her to stay quiet.
Taki approached them, recognizing the man immediately.
"Ah, Prince Okavarin," she said with a smile.
The prince nodded and motioned for them to follow him.
They all then arrived at a restaurant and sat down there.
"You two are the ladies from the Eleison family, aren't you?" Okavarin asked.
This surprised both of them.
"Haha, I guess our disguise wasn't very good, huh?" Seren said with an embarrassed smile.
"Well... how should I put it? Your faces are quite well-known, especially Taki, the Paladin Captain who's famous for her strictness," Okavarin remarked.
Taki, hearing this, simply gave both of them a sharp look.
Seren noticed her brother's sharp gaze. "Hah? No, no... my brother is the kindest paladin," Seren said with a mischievous smile.
Okavarin picked up on this. "Oh, so I got the wrong information."
"By the way, what are you two doing here?"
"We're just exploring Rune City as part of the convoy for Grand Master Michael Anderson," Taki replied coldly.
"Hm..." Okavarin became suspicious but quickly realized Taki and Seren's intentions.
"You must be investigating the weapons discovered by the Numen Kingdom, right?" Okavarin said.
Taki remained silent, averting her gaze from the prince,
while Seren was at a loss for words.
"Well, honestly, there's no harm in telling you. In fact, I'm also investigating this matter," Okavarin said.
This shocked Seren and Taki.
"You mean the Balrog Empire knows about this?" Seren asked.
"Yes. It's embarrassing to admit, but the merchant is one of our own people, Vokard Stoner, a well-known trader. However, Vokard is suspected to be a cultist. We tried to pursue him, and after capturing him, he ended his life by transforming into a strange creature.
Our soldiers tried to gather all the information. We managed to warn the Numen Kingdom and prevent one shipment, but we couldn't get information about the other shipments.
Our intelligence indicates that Vokard Stoner received supplies of weapons and magical equipment from Krest, the world's oldest magic city, located on the Arkhari continent," Okavarin explained.
"Arkhari... Could this be the work of Utakata?" Seren asked.
"No... Even Utakata hates the Cultists. They don't even have a military campaign at the moment. The surrounding countries have formed the Eastern Alliance and the Desert Champion Block, two alliances focused on targeting Utakata. They won't have the power to attack Ivovnia," Taki replied.
"Miss Taki is right. Anyone who wants to attack Ivovnia could come from the Merk continent, the North, or even one of the countries within Ivovnia itself.
That's why my father, King Okazar, has sent all five princes to investigate this issue.
Our country is on the brink of destruction, and international trade is only making things worse for us.
Now, this problem arises. If chaos occurs, we will have nothing left," Okavarin said.
"Sorry," Seren said, looking sad as she heard the grim condition of the Balrog Empire.
"It's alright. We're trying to stop international trade, but it looks like we're trying to dominate it.
Miss Seren, Miss Taki, if I may ask, could you help us? Although the clues we have are scarce, please take a look at this," Okavarin said.
"This is..." Taki analyzed the paper Okavarin had handed her.
"This is the trade route of the smugglers from Krest. One of these routes is likely leading to the suppliers of the illegal weapons," Okavarin explained.
"You mean one of these places is the target we need to go to?" Taki asked.
"I think it's more about blocking the weapons suppliers. Because if we reach the vendor, they are neither the producers nor the perpetrators. They only supply weapons to our enemies," Seren offered.
After thinking it over, Taki took the paper.
"Alright, for now, it's best if this conversation never happened," Taki said.
"I agree," Okavarin replied.
Taki and Seren immediately reported back to Martyr Gonzales.
Soon, the paladins were gathered, and Taki and Seren shared the information they had gathered.
"For now, we leave this to the Blade of Mercy Paladins. We must focus on locating the enemy forces. Weapons of such quantity... we can't imagine a war in the state the kingdoms are in now," Gonzales explained to his team.
After several days of operations, the team gathered again and received news from the Balrog Empire. They had information on the next shipment.
Gonzales and his team were assigned to raid the location.