Paladin of a Fallen Order (Novel) - Chapter 10 - The Shantytown

Chapter 10 – The Shantytown

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Translated by Pratt

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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Viscount Dickens looked extremely confused and seemed to have many things he wanted to say. Baron Riverford also appeared to want to hear about what had transpired in the Dickens Viscountcy in slightly more detail.

However, Baron Riverford guided Viscount Dickens and his knights inside the castle.

“I have many curiosities, but for now, it seems you must rest. Please tell me the detailed story later.”

Elbridge understood what it meant for Baron Riverford to be a good person. Unlike typical nobles, Baron Riverford had consideration for others deeply ingrained in him.

Viscount Dickens and his knights, who were utterly exhausted, could not refuse Baron Riverford’s suggestion. On the side, Baron Riverford even sent his own son to the bedroom.

Elbridge, Baron Riverford, and the Baron’s three knights. Only the five of them returned to the reception-room-cum-dining-room. Before they knew it, the food had grown cold.

Until they had left the reception room, they had been in sharp opposition over who caught the magic beast.

However, now that they realized there had been a mutual misunderstanding, there was no reason to squabble over who caught the magic beast.

“Sir Walter. I am sorry.”

Oswald apologized to Walter with his ears flushed red.

It seemed that having hastily blamed Walter earlier weighed heavily on his mind.

Walter shook his head.

“It was a situation ripe for misunderstanding. Inwardly, I also thought you were shameless… Let us just consider it a result created by each other’s foolishness and move on.”

“Understood. Thank you.”

Once the dispute was settled reasonably peacefully, Baron Riverford began the conversation in earnest.

“What do you think happened to Viscount Dickens’s fief? Surely Viscount Dickens and his knights didn’t all see illusions at the same time.”

Neither Walter, Oswald, nor Eberhart spoke.

Just as Elbridge was about to bring up the suspicion of a demon’s doing, the Goddess’s faint voice drifted into his ears.

– Elbridge. Do not say anything right now.

Bowing his head, Elbridge likewise whispered very softly.

“For what reason?”

– If you speak hastily, there will be more loss than gain. The detailed story at Solenion…

The Goddess’s voice grew fainter and fainter, then cut off. She seemed to have squeezed out the very last of her usable authority to speak to him.

Elbridge did not disobey the Goddess’s words.

*

The next day, Elbridge received the promised horse as a gift from Walter. It was a brown horse with glossy fur.

“Sir Elbridge. I owe you a great debt. If you happen to pass by this area, please drop by at any time. I will treat you properly then.”

“Understood.”

Just as Elbridge was about to leave the Riverford Barony, Oswald came running in a hurry.

“Sir Elbridge. You said you are going to the Holy City Solenion, correct?”

“That is correct.”

“Our lord requested that you deliver this letter to the Temple of the Golden Platter.”

Oswald held out a letter to Elbridge. Seeing that the letter was not sealed with wax, it did not seem to be a letter whose contents needed to be hidden from Elbridge.

Elbridge unfolded the letter and read it. Inside the letter, the events that occurred in the Dickens Viscountcy were recorded.

Only now did Elbridge’s mind ease a bit.

Since having been unable to bring up the story of the demon yesterday had been bothering him all along.

‘If I deliver this letter, people will realize that a demon has appeared.’

Elbridge wore a satisfied smile.

“Understood. I will deliver the letter as soon as I arrive.”

“This is the travel expense our lord gave you. And this is a gift from me.”

Inside the pouch the Baron gave him, there were two gold coins. It was a very generous amount to use as travel expenses.

The gift Oswald prepared pleased him even more. It was a sword of seemingly decent quality.

Oswald spoke embarrassedly.

“Yesterday, you mentioned that you did not have a sword. It will surely be of help.”

“I will put it to good use.”

“May you have a peaceful journey. And I look forward to the day we meet again.”

Elbridge nodded and departed from the Riverford Barony.

*

Elbridge arrived at the Holy City Solenion without any major trouble.

“…Finally.”

The Holy City Solenion was the largest city in the eastern part of the continent, and a city that could be called Elbridge’s hometown of the heart.

Elbridge caught a passerby and asked.

“Which way is the horse market?”

“Go that way.”

Elbridge looked around downtown Solenion as he went toward the horse market.

‘The city has grown much larger than before.’

In the past, high fortress walls used to surround the Holy City Solenion.

However, now buildings had sprouted in abundance even outside the fortress walls, creating a state where the buildings, conversely, seemed to protect the walls.

It was not just the city that had grown. The people also seemed to have multiplied several times compared to the past, and the vitality flowing through the entire city was beyond comparison with before.

Elbridge sold the horse gifted by Walter at the horse market.

“It’s a good horse, but it’s too old. I will give you three gold and ten silver.”

Because he did not know horse prices well, he could not bargain.

Still, since that merchant proposed the highest price in the horse market, it would not be an absurd amount.

‘With this much, it should be a help to the order’s finances…’

After purchasing a bottle of the most expensive and high-quality fragrant oil in the market, Elbridge headed toward the hill.

Unlike typical cities situated on flatlands, there was a hill in the very center of the Holy City Solenion.

Although it was quite large in size, it was not steep, so it was a hill that even a young child could climb without difficulty; on that hill, temples of numerous gods were filled.

From the very entrance of the hill, there was no room to step due to the believers and priests who had visited the temples.

After delivering Baron Riverford’s letter to the Temple of the Golden Platter, Elbridge puffed out his chest and headed toward the higher parts of the hill. There was a reason for Elbridge’s confident attitude.

The reason the temples of the Holy City Solenion were situated on the hill was to be even a little closer to the gods.

Naturally, the more believers and the greater the influence an order had, the higher up the hill they could build their temple.

A temple located high up was a subtle source of pride among priests and paladins.

And the temple of the Order of the Rusty Shield was considerably high up on the hill.

If compared to a human body, roughly around the shoulder or ear.

As he climbed the hill, he saw several temples where dust had gathered thickly and spiderwebs were spun here and there. They were temples of gods who had fallen into ruin as time flowed.

However, there was no temple that had disappeared. Even if it was a ruined god, no one would want to tear down a temple and incur the god’s wrath, after all.

As a result, the scenery on the hill had not changed from two hundred years ago, with the exception of just one difference.

That in the past, temples further up the hill had more believers, but now it had become the reverse.

Now, the temples situated at the entrance of the hill were packed with people, while human presence was scarce at the temples higher up the hill.

Inwardly, Elbridge lamented.

‘The world is turning upside down. It’s the end of days. The end of days.’

Finally, Elbridge arrived at the temple of the Goddess of the Rusty Shield.

Without a doubt, of all the temples he saw while climbing the hill, the thickest dust was piled here. To the extent it briefly looked as if a gray carpet had been laid out.

‘I should clean up the dust first.’

After roughly brushing away the dust spread across the temple floor and tables, Elbridge wiped the statue of the Goddess of the Rusty Shield, situated on the altar, with high-quality fragrant oil.

Elbridge offered the remaining fragrant oil in front of the statue. And he offered a prayer while kneeling.

“Goddess. I have arrived.”

As if waiting, the Goddess’s voice drifted in.

– You have come. Elbridge.

Perhaps because it was a temple, or perhaps because he consecrated fragrant oil to the Goddess, the Goddess’s voice was far louder and clearer than before.

The Goddess of the Rusty Shield continued her oracle.

– In the past, for over a hundred years, there were no believers, nor did I receive any offerings. Since the power permitted to me every year was so minuscule as to be comparable to a wheat grain, can you guess how difficult it was even to convey a simple message to you?

The Goddess grumbled. Heard in a certain way, it also sounded like she was acting like a spoiled child.

Somehow, Elbridge felt gratified.

“I also was trapped inside the seal for a long time, so I can understand your difficulties, however slightly.”

– Yes. It must be so. You truly suffered a lot. My most cherished child.

Conversing with someone who understands one’s mental suffering is a pleasant thing. Unbeknownst to himself, a smile hung on Elbridge’s lips.

Then, the Goddess of the Rusty Shield asked.

– I do not know the reason, but it is nice to see you smile.

“In the past, one had to be around the rank of Archbishop to receive your oracle, did they not? I too had heard your voice exactly twice. Hearing your voice as if it were natural makes me feel strange.”

– It was partly to conserve my permitted power… and at the time, that was the trend. Acting haughty and solemn, keeping a distance from believers, and behaving mysteriously.

“I… see. It seems the trend in the heavens has changed now.”

– Actually, that is still the trend even now. But as you know, since I am not in a position to care about such things right now…

“…”

Elbridge wished to bring up some words, but if he spat them out as they came to mind, there was a high possibility a highly impious statement would leap out.

Therefore, Elbridge struggled to shift the topic.

“Goddess. For what reason did I end up released from the seal?”

– I do not know well either. Surely some large or small change occurred in a place out of my gaze. For instance, the seal’s power running out…

“Has the Great Demon also been released along with me?”

– I cannot know precisely. However, because the incident caused by the demon recently was the first to occur since the Great Demon was sealed, it might be related to the Great Demon.

Since the Goddess of the Rusty Shield was not a principal deity, she was not omnipotent.

Even so, this was a considerably high-level piece of information.

Since he had resolved his biggest question, it was now time to resolve the most recent question.

“Goddess. For what reason did you block me from mentioning the demon in front of Baron Riverford?”

– If you mentioned the demon at that place, people would naturally guess your identity, so I was worried a calamity would befall you.

“A calamity?”

The Goddess spoke euphemistically.

– Elbridge. You were a dike blocking the Great Demon by sacrificing your single body. However, even while looking at the dike, people do not easily realize the preciousness of the dike protecting them from the overflowing river waters.

“I do not care about that much. I am used to it, after all.”

– The biggest problem arises when the dike collapses. Even when seeing the dike collapsed after hundreds of years, people do not feel grateful for the dike’s long labor. Rather, people are bound to feel dissatisfied with the dike’s laxity. Since people tend to feel the coming discomfort more greatly than what they have enjoyed so far.

“I am dull-witted, so I have not realized what relation that analogy has to me.”

The Goddess’s next oracle followed slightly late.

Just like a person hesitating a bit before speaking of an uncomfortable story.

– …Elbridge. Humans spit out blame more easily than gratitude. Because the difficulties humans must experience as demons ravage will be massive, people who remember the peaceful era will certainly want to create a target to blame. That target will surely be you.

Elbridge did not understand that oracle.

“I did nothing wrong. I had no way to commit a wrong either. You know that, Goddess.”

– Of course, I know it perfectly well. Elbridge. I believe the majority of people will think the same as me. However, at the same time, there will also be many who will suspect whether you neglected the duty you shouldered.

“…”

To put it differently, there might be people who think that because Elbridge refused to remain shoved inside the seal, demons reappeared in the world.

It made no sense. However, Elbridge knew very well that the Goddess’s worry was quite realistic.

In the world, there were many people who respected and honored paladins.

However, those who hated paladins were also not few. They envied the respect people held for paladins.

Those blinded by envy used to conjure up delusions suitable for running down paladins.

As time flowed in such a manner, unlike other foolish people, those individuals would think that they had realized the truth and come to believe their own delusions themselves.

For such delusions and beliefs, rational and logical evidence was not required.

Deciding a favorable result, and imagining and fitting in evidence was such an easy and enjoyable thing, after all.

What was even more terrible was that when such individuals gathered, suspicions and delusions snowballed.

They always demanded explanations, but they actually had no intention to accept any explanation.

The Goddess’s voice that followed was filled with grief.

– Furthermore, there will certainly appear people who consider that only if you disappear will the demons also disappear. Just as in the distant past, there were people shouting that only when paladins disappeared would demons also disappear.

“…I understand.”

– Yes. Unless it is an absolutely necessary situation, take care not to reveal your identity.

The results of devotion and sacrifice are not always sweet. Just as it was in the distant past.

*

While Elbridge was cleaning the temple with a heavy expression, a faint sound of footsteps approached toward the inside of the temple.

Step, step.

Elbridge’s heart beat wildly.

‘There shouldn’t be anyone visiting this temple… Could it be, a prospective initiate has already visited?’

If rumors related to demons had already begun to spread, it was an entirely possible thing.

For Elbridge, it was a welcome thing. Because if believers increased, the Goddess’s authority would grow that much, and the authority Elbridge could handle would also grow that much.

Of course, recruiting a few believers in this situation would not allow the Goddess of the Rusty Shield to occupy a seat in the Heavenly Council… but still, wasn’t a well begun half done?

The Goddess of the Rusty Shield also delivered an oracle in a thoroughly excited tone.

– Paladin-cum-Archbishop-cum-Chief Cardinal Elbridge. If a prospective initiate appears, make sure to hold onto them. Your Goddess is prepared to joyfully accept even a single believer…

“Understood, Goddess.”

– Conveniently, your Goddess has learned a method to hold onto believers from the Goddess of the Olive Tree in preparation for this moment. It is precisely what is called a pyramid scheme, where though it looks like nothing much right now, you promise great rewards according to future performance…

Step, step.

The footsteps grew closer and closer, and the owner of the footsteps revealed his appearance.

Unexpectedly, the opponent was a paladin clad in armor. What was more, a paladin as young as Elbridge.

The Goddess of the Rusty Shield grew even more excited.

– It is even better if we can recruit a paladin. Since an era requiring strength is approaching.

Surely, marketing begins with the first impression.

Elbridge asked gently to satisfy the Goddess’s expectations.

“Greetings. What brings you on a visit to the sanctuary of the Goddess of the Rusty Shield?”

Then, the nameless paladin looked around the temple interior and spoke.

“No, I just came by wondering what brought a new guest to the shantytown…”

“…Shantytown?”

“I mean the temples at the very top of the hill. People rarely come to this area, after all. Ah, I came from the temple right next door. The temple serving the God of the Bloody Spear.”

Elbridge was slightly disappointed. Of course.

“Ah. You did not come for initiation, then.”

“Initiation?”

“Yes. Since it is the recruitment period for new believers.”

“Hmm.”

The young paladin scanned Elbridge up and down and spoke.

“How about you come over to our side?”

“…Pardon?”

“The Goddess of the Rusty Shield was pushed out of the Heavenly Council over a hundred years ago, wasn’t she? Wouldn’t it be better for both of us if you served the God of the Bloody Spear instead?”

The Goddess’s anxious voice drifted into his ears.

– Elbridge. Do not listen to the devil’s whisperings. I will certainly protest resolutely to the God of the Bloody Spear. How can that insolent fellow proselytize to my Archbishop inside my temple…

Elbridge stood blankly, taken aback by the unexpected proposal.

Then, having interpreted Elbridge’s reaction in a certain way, the young paladin added a word in a subtle voice.

“As you know, our God of the Bloody Spear occupied a whopping two seats in the Heavenly Council this year. He’s one of the prominent big shots in this shantytown. What do you think? Isn’t it an enticing offer?”

Elbridge thought.

‘…Who on earth is this guy?’