Are all Holy Knights 100% good people? That's not necessarily true; there are also 'not-so-righteous' individuals among Holy Knights.
However, now isn't the time to think about such things. Saifei'er stared at the Black Knight in front of her. Given the current situation, Ailiya was clearly no match for him. So, should she go up and help, fighting him alongside Ailiya, or find a way to escape with Ailiya and Fei?
Just as Saifei'er was still hesitating, Ailiya, who was in her arms, struggled to her feet, looking at the Black Knight with a solemn expression and asking, "You're a Holy Knight!?"
After one strike, the Black Knight seemed to have no intention of pressing his advantage. He stood still, even his right hand, which held his longsword, hung naturally. In response to Ailiya's question, he said in a hoarse voice, "What does it matter if I am or if I'm not? What does that have to do with you all?"
Ailiya's face was full of disbelief. "But how is that possible? A Holy Knight attacking innocent people everywhere?"
"Attacking innocent people?" The Black Knight paused, then seemed to recall something. "Oh, those nobles issued some kind of commission about me, and that's what they told you, isn't it?"
Then, the Black Knight chuckled, his voice like the grating noise of two rusty metal pieces rubbing together. For Saifei'er, who was particularly sensitive to sound, goosebumps were starting to rise on her skin.
The Black Knight said, "I haven't killed a single innocent person. I'm just killing all the 'demons' with the surname Brown, that's all."
Ailiya showed a confused expression. "Hunting down nobles? Why...?"
No matter what, the Brown family were the lords of Stone Pine City, the local administrators. The Black Knight's current actions were equivalent to hunting down the local police and mayor. No matter how she thought about it, this wasn't something a normal person would do.
"Why...?" The Black Knight muttered softly, then slowly took off his helmet with his left hand, which wasn't holding his sword. An unusually pale female face appeared before them.
This Black Knight was actually a woman! However, Saifei'er could see a clear scar on the other party's throat, which seemed to be the reason for her unpleasant speaking voice.
The Black Knight calmly stated, "I have a grudge against those nobles. They destroyed everything I had, so I crawled back from hell to get my revenge. It's that simple."
Holy Knights aren't bound by only one type of oath, such as the 'Oath of Devotion'. If one makes other oaths, they can also become a Holy Knight. Without a doubt, the oath this Black Knight made was one named the 'Oath of Vengeance'.
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The Black Knight's original name was Natalie Hoover. In this world, most commoners don't have surnames, so Natalie having a surname proved that her background was not ordinary.
Her father was a baron, the lowest rank of nobility. He had no land or real power, but he did have a bit of money. He ran a blacksmith shop in Stone Pine City and usually had a good relationship with the commoners in the city.
Until one day five years ago, the new city lord, Viscount Brown, who had been transferred by order of the His Majesty the King, arrived and immediately announced a 'tax increase' bill, and the amount increased was very significant.
Natalie's father, who was very close to the commoners, immediately realized that if this bill truly came into effect, a large number of commoners would starve to death. He immediately took the lead in opposing it.
Natalie's father had a high reputation. With someone leading the way, the people also resisted, and the progress of the tax increase bill became extremely slow, even stagnating several times.
Then, one day, a group of people dressed in black rushed into Natalie's home and killed her entire family, including her parents, her elder brother, her family's three servants, and even Natalie herself, who was only 13 years old. No one was spared.
Natalie had her throat slit, which should have been a fatal injury, but perhaps some deity took pity on her terrible plight, or perhaps her luck was truly good enough, she did not die immediately, but survived for a period of time longer.
But it was during that short period of extra life that she lay helplessly on the ground, witnessing the entire process of everyone being killed. Although these killers were all dressed in full, she wasn't stupid. She knew without thinking that they must have been sent by Viscount Brown!
At that moment, an indescribable immense pain transformed into hatred. Even though she was unable to speak at the time, Natalie still made an oath in her heart:
"I will kill every noble with the surname Brown, and I will show no mercy!"
"No matter what means I use! If lies can lure out the demons in the shadows, I will wear a mask of deceit; if poison can end the tyrant's evil deeds, I am willing to stain my hands."
"If my atrocities are equal to the evil I vanquish, I am willing to atone with blood after fulfilling my long-cherished wish—but before that, even if I transform into an Asura, I will not hesitate!"
At that moment, Natalie gained power from her oath and became a 'Holy Knight', immediately acquiring the common Holy Knight abilities: Light of Healing, Holy Strike, and Revenge Aura.
She healed the wound on her throat herself with magic, but because she had just gained her abilities at the time and was not yet proficient in their use, she was left with this unusually conspicuous scar.
Because Natalie was too young at the time, only thirteen years old, she took the weapons and armor from her family's blacksmith shop and secretly left Stone Pine City, only reappearing recently to begin her revenge plan.
If Ailiya's 【Holy Strike: Light】 was especially effective against undead and demons, then Natalie's 【Holy Strike: Death】 was especially effective against the Brown surname. The black magic power would continuously torment the injured until they died in agony.
Speaking of which, Ailiya's lack of sincerity, even a simple lie, could break her oath and cause her to lose her power. But Natalie was completely different; whether it was lying, poisoning, or even casually killing an innocent passerby on the street, she would not break her oath. Of course, Natalie wouldn't be so bored as to actually go and hack down an ordinary person.
The only thing that would make Natalie break her oath and lose her power was intentionally not killing someone with the Brown surname when facing them.
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Returning to the present, Natalie looked at Ailiya, Saifei'er, and Fei, and said, "Give up those nobles' commissions, and then leave this city. It won't be long before I enter Stone Pine City and wipe them out, leaving no one behind!"
Then, Natalie sheathed the weapon in her hand, appearing to have no intention of continuing the fight with them.
...