Volume 1, Chapter 16 – The Holy Knight Commander

“Too arrogant.”

Oslo, the Holy Knight Commander with a longsword at his waist, stood up from his seat and snorted coldly. Though he had risen from commoner status to become the Holy Knight Commander, never since his appointment had he been left waiting in a reception room for over an hour. Of course, if it had been a diocesan bishop, he wouldn’t have minded—but the one who had slighted him was that damned vampire bitch. The mere thought of it made his blood boil.

“Commander Oslo, please calm your anger,” the captain of the guard responsible for the mansion’s security hurried forward. “If the High Priestess learns you came here privately, once the bishop returns, you may be reprimanded for neglecting the safety of tens of thousands of citizens…”

The guard’s words made Oslo’s thick brows furrow.

“Neglecting their safety? She burned down the entire Niru Forest! If we don’t teach her a lesson, what’s to stop her from targeting Niru City next?”

What Oslo didn’t say was that he didn’t believe the fire in Niru Forest was the vampire’s doing at all. Even an ordinary forest fire, given the vastness of Niru Forest, would have taken at least three days and nights to burn out completely. Yet the forest had vanished overnight—or rather, in just a few hours. There was no explanation other than magic.

And if it was magic, to instantly obliterate an area spanning over a hundred square kilometers… even a seventh or eighth-tier spell, surpassing the human limit of sixth-tier, would be insufficient. Eighth-tier magic had only appeared once in the entire history of the continent.

If this vampire truly had the power to cast eighth-tier magic, why would she remain in human territory as a hostage? If he had such power, he’d rain destruction across the vampire homeland of Hyurent, turning the entire bloodline to ash.

Of course, that would mean the arsonist was an unknown force—but that wasn’t Oslo’s concern. The Templar Knights only carried out orders; analysis and decision-making were the Inquisition’s duty. As for why he was demanding compensation from the Count’s eldest daughter despite knowing she wasn’t responsible for the fire… Well, he was simply picking a fight.

He rolled his broad, armored shoulders—his imposing physique was proof of his prowess as a warrior.

Just as he was about to lose his temper, a servant approached Oslo.

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“Lord Holy Knight Commander, Lady Pescia has agreed to see you. Please follow me.”

Oslo glanced at the servant—no vampire wings, meaning this was a human servant assigned by the temple. His fury softened slightly.

“You’ve had a hard time.”

“Not at all, Lord Commander. You’re too kind.”

Guided by the servant, the Holy Knight Commander soon arrived at the dining hall on the first floor. The Count’s eldest daughter was seated at the head of the table, preparing to dine, accompanied by an extraordinarily beautiful human girl with golden hair and crimson eyes.

Oslo had heard rumors that the Count’s eldest daughter had a human stepsister, but seeing her in person was still surreal. Though humans and vampires hadn’t gone to war in a long time, their mutual hostility was undeniable. In Oslo’s imagination, the human girl should have been suffering terribly—yet that didn’t seem to be the case.

Seated at the head of the table, Yisi gestured to Oslo with a “please” motion.

“Sir Holy Knight Commander, have a seat.”

“Hmph.”

With a cold snort, Oslo unceremoniously took the seat to Yisi’s left, though he had no intention of dining. Sharing a meal with a vampire was, in his eyes, a blasphemous act—even if the church’s doctrines didn’t explicitly forbid it.

Naturally, Yisi didn’t mind. Knowing Oslo was among those who opposed granting the Count’s daughter favorable treatment, she already had a rough idea of how things would unfold. His hostility was expected. Her goal was to maintain her comfortable lifestyle and keep the church wary of her, so she wasn’t about to nitpick over trivialities. Since the Holy Knight Commander had come here, he undoubtedly had something to say. All she had to do was wait for him to broach the topic.

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Sure enough, Oslo wasted no time. Yisi pretended to focus on her breakfast, feigning indifference.

“Yesterday, I heard from Vice High Priest Owen that you burned down Niru Forest.”

“Indeed. Some in the church doubt my capabilities. For my own safety, I had no choice but to prove it with actions.”

In fact, it was unintentional. Yisi stuck out her tongue internally, her expression remaining impassive.

If not for the guard captain quietly restraining him, Oslo—whose beard was practically bristling with rage—would have flipped the table.

“Niru Forest is a vital economic resource for the hunters in the region. To burn it down without explanation or compensation… the church will have to reconsider your current privileges.”

Is that so?

Yisi carefully recalled the map’s details and even reopened her Omniscient Map to confirm. While the default display range was ten kilometers, the maximum wasn’t fixed—it expanded with her level. Ten kilometers was just the baseline.

Locating Niru Forest, she searched for keywords like “hunter” or “trapper.” No such families appeared nearby. Moreover, Niru Forest lay far beyond Niru City and Anno Town, completely untouched by development.

The Holy Knight Commander was lying—or, more bluntly, trying to extort her.

Had she not met Owen yesterday, Yisi might have believed this was the church’s official stance. But Owen had made it clear: as long as she remained in human territory, the church wouldn’t mistreat her. No mention of compensation. This Oslo was clearly just here to pick a fight.

Of course, Yisi couldn’t outright say, “You’re just here to cause trouble.” First, it would be too confrontational. Second, if Oslo denied it, she couldn’t exactly refute him by revealing her “Omniscient Map” cheat skill. Without knowing this world’s power levels, exposing her trump card was a death sentence.

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“Oh? Should I take this as the church’s official position?”

“The compensation will naturally go to the church.”

“And if I refuse?”

“Then you can kindly return to the prison where prisoners belong. This mansion was originally reserved for those who’ve made outstanding contributions to the church.”

Oslo crossed his arms, radiating smug confidence. He never expected the Count’s daughter to pay up anyway. This outcome was precisely what he’d anticipated.

Setting down her chopsticks, Yisi let out a soft chuckle. Given the Count’s daughter’s icy demeanor, the smile carried a chilling edge.

“I never imagined the human church could be so blind to reality—no, perhaps ‘stupid’ is the better word. To demand compensation from someone capable of annihilating a city in an instant… Sir Holy Knight Commander, are you still half-asleep?”

She could have phrased it more diplomatically, but that wouldn’t fit the Count’s daughter’s caustic image. In truth, a gentler approach might have de-escalated things, but openly insulting the Holy Knight Commander was a calculated risk.

Of course, Yisi had her reasons for speaking so boldly. Oslo was only Level 24, with strength stats barely in the triple digits. Even without magic, she could send him flying into the stratosphere with a single punch.

Unable to contain his fury any longer, Oslo slammed the table and stood, his armor clanking.

“Don’t push your luck! Your lies might fool the priests, but not me! If you could destroy a city so easily, why haven’t you done it yet? The explosion in Niru Forest wasn’t your doing—claiming credit for someone else’s work? Have you no shame?!”

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If this were a comic, Oslo’s eyes would probably be bulging out of his skull from rage. Yisi maintained her composed facade, though inwardly, she was mildly surprised.

“My, what a pity. I’m only here because I find your human world amusing. Otherwise, I could simply teleport back to Hyurent right now.” She cast a deliberately disdainful glance at Oslo. “Or did you truly believe these flimsy guards could stop me?”

Oslo laughed instead of growing angrier.

“How pathetic. Lacking real power, you resort to empty threats. If I fell for such tricks, I’d have died on the battlefield long ago.”

“If you refuse to believe me, then I suppose I’ll have to prove it with this ‘power’ you speak of. But as I told Owen, those who witness my magic die in the aftermath. While the Holy Knight Commander may be willing to accept that risk, if the church comes after me—”

“Hah! A pointless concern. If you can actually do it, my death means nothing.”

Hook, line, and sinker.

Yisi inwardly sighed in relief. She’d worried Oslo might back down, but this outcome was perfect. Her goal was to deter the hardliners he represented, securing her freedom to move about the city. And when it came to persuasion, nothing was more effective than overwhelming force.

Better yet, this was her chance to test all the spells she’d learned—legitimately—while gauging Oslo’s reactions to determine how different tiers of magic were perceived in this world. As for the possibility of disappointment? Unthinkable. If a first-tier “Explosion” spell could reduce an entire forest to ashes, then higher-tier spells like “Storm of Crows” that are capable of obliterating fortresses in the game would be downright terrifying, wouldn’t it?

In high spirits, Yisi leisurely dabbed her lips with a napkin and rose gracefully.

“Very well. Since you insist… allow me to show you what true magic looks like.”