Paladin of a Fallen Order (Novel) - Chapter 1 - Prologue
Chapter 1 – Prologue
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Translated by Pratt
Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net
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A single thin ray of light pierced through the darkness of the underground stone chamber, stabbing down at an angle.
That darkness and the ray of light were the only scenery allowed to the paladin Elbridge.
Since Elbridge had to endure a very long time in a state where he could not move even an inch, let alone turn his head.
For a period well exceeding a hundred years, there were only two things Elbridge could do.
Watching the dust floating around between the rays of light, and sinking into his inner self to repeat all kinds of thoughts.
Thanks to that, Elbridge became able to estimate almost exactly what time it was now, and when the sun rose and set, through the tilt and brightness of the thin ray of light.
Thus, the years Elbridge endured well exceeded a hundred years.
The reason the period was not exact, even though he was in a state with nothing else to do, was that Elbridge gave up estimating the flow of time after counting the days for nearly a hundred years.
The reason why the young and promising—no, once young and promising paladin Elbridge came to such a state was simple to summarize. It was because when sealing the Great Demon long ago, Elbridge took on the crucial role of being the nucleus of the seal.
In other words, Elbridge was sealed together with the Great Demon in order to maintain the seal.
Occasionally, Elbridge would recall the voice of the middle-aged paladin who was the expedition leader.
‘It is a shameless request, Elbridge… Could you become the nucleus of the seal? Since the magicians who were in charge of finishing the seal have all died, someone must directly take on that role.’
Because it was a seal made half-improvisedly, there was no way to guess what state a person sealed with the Great Demon would end up in.
Whether one would age inside the seal, or if one had to fight an endless battle with the Great Demon inside the seal. Nothing could be known.
Therefore, the expedition leader selected Elbridge after considering as many variables as possible.
Elbridge’s skill did not need to be argued in detail, and at the same time, Elbridge was the youngest paladin in the expedition.
In other words, the person who could most stably endure the longest period of time would, in all likelihood, be Elbridge.
To the expedition leader’s request, which was filled with apologies, the past Elbridge answered confidently.
‘Sure, let’s do it.’
Elbridge even accepted the request to become the nucleus of the seal with a rather joyful heart.
At that time, Elbridge thought that if he could raise the name of the Goddess of the Rusty Shield in front of the paladins of other orders, and furthermore, if he could engrave his name in history, he could overcome any adversity.
It was a decision characteristic of a young paladin, somewhat reckless.
Of course, Elbridge regretted that decision countless times.
‘It was the most courageous choice of my entire life, but it was also the most foolish choice.’
As usual, today, while Elbridge was chewing over his memories, a strange thing happened.
He felt a smell.
‘What is it?’
It was only the musty smell of dust in the basement. However, to Elbridge, it was an incredibly stimulating sensation.
Since the day he became the nucleus of the seal, Elbridge had been in a state where he could not feel any sensation, except for limited sight.
Following that, a storm of all kinds of sensations wrapped around Elbridge.
The cool air unique to the underground and the texture of the hard floor. The sound of the wind that had seeped into the basement faintly humming…
‘Is it an illusion?’
There was no proper ground for it, but Elbridge was sure that this was not an illusion.
Almost at the same time, Elbridge judged the current situation.
‘The reason is unknown. But the seal has been broken.’
Did the Great Demon escape? Or did the Great Demon fail to overcome the seal and get destroyed?
Elbridge had no way of knowing the exact situation. However, such things were not very important to Elbridge right now.
‘Even if things went wrong by any chance, it is not my fault. I did as much as I could.’
Elbridge, freed from the seal, took a deep breath.
*Inhale-*
And moving his legs, which had become as stiff as wooden blocks, he approached the faint ray of light shining into the underground stone chamber.
Elbridge looked up. A gap about the size of two fingers existed in the ceiling of the underground stone chamber.
Through that gap, the bright blue sky was visible. How long had it been since he saw the blue light?
‘Sky…’
Elbridge’s heart beat like crazy.
His mind grew hurried.
After searching through the darkness for a long time, Elbridge discovered the stairs leading to the surface.
And he escaped outside through the entrance, which was hidden without a trace.
He saw a forest. The stone chamber sealing the Great Demon was underground in a deep forest.
The refreshing yet humid air unique to the forest, the chirping of an unknown bird, and the strong scent of soil.
All kinds of sensations, which had become infinitely unfamiliar, wrapped around Elbridge.
Elbridge knelt in front of a birch tree and offered a prayer to the Goddess of the Rusty Shield.
“Goddess, thank you. Finally, I have been freed from that hellish seal…”
And even before Elbridge’s prayer was finished, a voice was heard in Elbridge’s ear.
– Elbridge, paladin Elbridge. You have suffered much.
Elbridge was startled.
Unlike the vast majority of people who never heard the voice of the Goddess in their entire lives, Elbridge had heard the voice of the Goddess twice before.
And the voice heard now was definitely that of the Goddess of the Rusty Shield.
Elbridge offered a prayer while clasping his two hands together a little more tightly.
“Goddess. How much time has passed since the day I was sealed with the Great Demon?”
The voice of a merciful yet strong woman was heard.
– More than two hundred years have passed.
More than two hundred years. For Elbridge, who was a paladin in his mid-twenties, it was too long a time.
Elbridge thought. Am I still a youth in his mid-twenties? Or am I an old man well over two hundred years old?
Fortunately, it did not seem like he had become a wrinkled old man.
His clasped hands were thin unlike before, but they were not very wrinkled.
‘That is a relief, at least.’
Elbridge had many things he wanted to ask the Goddess.
What happened to the seal and the Great Demon, and how many seats the Goddess had come to occupy in the Heavenly Council due to his active role…
However, Elbridge set aside the countless questions and asked the Goddess a very honest question.
“Goddess of the Rusty Shield. Am I revered as a saint in the order?”
Elbridge was sure that it had definitely become so.
Was it not himself who took on the heaviest mission in the expedition where paladins of numerous orders, knights of monarchs, and wizards of the magic tower gathered?
If only considering how impressive it was, Elbridge thought that his dedication would be more impressive than those who died.
Surely, the priests and believers of the Rusty Shield Order sang of paladin Elbridge’s dedication. If only to save face in front of the believers of other orders…
A short silence flowed.
– …Elbridge, my most cherished child. I am worried that you will be greatly shocked to hear my story.
“I am fine, so please do not worry.”
Elbridge was confident that he would not be surprised no matter what story he heard.
Because there would not be anything more surprising than being freed from the seal after more than two hundred years, and hearing the voice of the Goddess.
However, the story of the Goddess that followed was enough to surprise Elbridge.
– Our order has fallen.