Paladin of a Fallen Order (Novel) - Chapter 14 - The Crow

Chapter 14 – The Crow

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Translated by Pratt

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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Of course, even in Elbridge’s eyes, the way the chubby paladin fought was quite impressive. To obtain temporary, powerful strength by offering an immense amount of gold and to fight with a sense of weight that ordinary knights or paladins could not possess.

Seeing that sight made him wonder if even the chubby physique had been put on intentionally.

However, aside from the exhilarating and refreshing appearance, the problems were also clear.

Elbridge casually asked the hedge knight Richard.

“Sir Richard. Are those five paladins all that the Golden Platter Order has?”

“How could that be? Just in the eastern region alone, there are several groups like this one. There are five or six groups that set out earlier than us… A senior paladin leads and teaches paladins who have never fought before.”

The first problem was that no matter how wealthy the Golden Platter Order was, they could not offer that much gold in every single battle.

The second problem was that the paladin of the Golden Platter Order did not seem to have chosen not to avoid the lizard magic beast’s attack, but rather, he seemed unable to avoid it.

As proof, blood was flowing from the forearm of the paladin who had just killed the magic beast. Of course, it was not a deep wound. However, it was clearly an unnecessary injury.

‘It was masked because his way of fighting was so exhilarating… but it was an attack an experienced paladin would have easily avoided. If the goal was to teach inexperienced paladins, he should have avoided it all the more. The paladin acting as the instructor also seems to have next to no combat experience.’

The third problem arose from the second one.

‘If they fight in that manner, it will be difficult for them to survive a battle against demons.’

Of course, facing demons required no small amount of strength as well. However, if one fought relying solely on strength, there was a very high probability of death.

‘The high command of the Golden Platter Order must have kept the existence of demons in mind… But why on earth?’

The answer could be realized quickly. The problem was a lack of experience.

Every individual demon had different abilities and behavioral patterns.

Neither the advice of senior paladins nor the divine revelations of combat orders could perfectly prepare one for a battle against demons.

If even the experienced combat orders of the past struggled, there was no way the leadership of the Golden Platter Order, who were unaccustomed to battle, could properly prepare for a battle against demons. It would be the same even if revelations were added.

‘They merely prepared earlier than others. Reacting skillfully was impossible from the start.’

Looking back, even in the old days, there was only one way to become a seasoned paladin:
Surviving many battles and accumulating experience.

*

The third day since the request began. The Golden Platter Order’s magic beast hunting practice continued smoothly.

They met up with a person who had located a magic beast and confirmed its position. The paladin whose turn it was made a massive offering of gold coins, then beat the magic beast to death with overwhelming divine power and authority. That was all.

In that manner, four out of the five paladins took turns hunting a magic beast each. The final turn belonged to the youngest paladin in the group, Charlie.

“Sir Richard. Is hunting magic beasts like this a good choice?”

Since the other paladins of the Golden Platter Order were imbued with a strange arrogance, they treated Marcus, Elbridge, and the two hedge knights like invisible people.

Nodding their chins to direct miscellaneous tasks was the absolute most they did.

But Charlie was different. Like a youth of barely twenty, curiosity preceded arrogance, and he possessed a desire for improvement as great as his curiosity.

The hedge knight Richard replied.

“Sir Charlie. Do you have some worry?”

“Hunting magic beasts is a rare opportunity. If all we do in this situation is receive authority and show off our strength… I don’t think throwing away the opportunity like this is a good judgment.”

“There is no need to rush. Isn’t getting accustomed to magic beasts the first step?”

“But I want to become a paladin superior to my seniors. Enough so that I won’t fall behind even the paladins of the combat orders.”

“A goal that is not easy.”

“But it is worth the challenge. Even with just authority and divine power, it is this much, so it would be tremendous if we could fight as well as the paladins of the combat orders.”

Charlie knew very well that while the paladins of his order enjoyed powerful authority, their actual capabilities as knights were mediocre.

Therefore, Charlie would approach not only the two hedge knights but also Marcus or Elbridge to seek their opinions.

Richard and the other hedge knight spared their advice to avoid upsetting their employers, but Marcus was slightly different.

“Come to think of it, Sir Elbridge said something similar yesterday.”

“Sir Elbridge? Wasn’t he a mercenary?”

“He is a paladin. And an incredibly skilled one at that. I’ve acted as a mercenary for nearly fifteen years, and among all the knights and paladins I’ve seen so far, Sir Elbridge was by far the most skilled. I’ve never even seen a knight of a comparable level.”

Since it was certain that annoying things would arise, Elbridge turned his head stealthily.

However, Charlie immediately approached Elbridge’s side and asked.

“Sir Elbridge. Are you truly a paladin?”

Elbridge was about to make an excuse that he was a mercenary and that Marcus had been joking. However, the Goddess’s revelation descended immediately.

– Elbridge. My most cherished child. There is no need to falsely lower yourself even in this situation.

The Goddess of the Rusty Shield had once urged Elbridge not to reveal his identity.

However, at the same time, the Goddess of the Rusty Shield wished to witness the situation where her sole paladin received recognition.

“…I am a paladin of the Order of the Rusty Shield. Though I am not as grand a paladin as Mr. Marcus makes me out to be.”

At that, Charlie lowered his voice and whispered.

“Still, your skills must be better than my order’s seniors, right?”

“Well.”

“I have ears too. I know that our order’s paladins’ skills are nothing to write home about.”

“There is no need to be swayed by rumors in the air. Have pride in your order.”

“What rumors? I am a living witness. I became a paladin after barely three months of training. If not for our order exceeding sixty seats, Sir Rob wouldn’t have been able to hunt magic beasts either.”

Rob was the name of the fat paladin who acted as the instructor for the Golden Platter Order’s paladins.

At any rate, there were occasionally people like Charlie who possessed thorough self-objectivity.

A person who, instead of being swept here and there, looked at himself coldly and set out to find a better path.

Charlie asked Elbridge once more.

“Sir Elbridge. What should I do to become a more skilled paladin?”

“You could set a goal that is just slightly higher than others.”

“What kind of goal would that be?”

“…How about trying to evade the magic beast’s attacks?”

The paladins of the Golden Platter Order fought just like Sir Rob, who had demonstrated first.

Knowing that even if they were attacked by a magic beast, it would end with minor injuries, they did not even think of evading the magic beast’s attacks and pushed through with force, believing in their overwhelming authority and divine power.

Consequently, although they dispatched the magic beasts in an instant, they could not subdue them without sustaining wounds.

“Evasive action… Good. I will try it.”

Less than half a day later, the turn for Charlie to hunt a magic beast last finally arrived.

The magic beast discovered this time was one resembling a deer. Its size was easily three or four times larger than any ordinary deer, and while it had no antlers, a pair of long fangs had grown.

Even though the length of those fangs appeared to be nearly a span, it did not feel particularly threatening. The problem was probably that its appearance resembled a deer.

Charlie muttered.

“Since it has no antlers and its claws are blunt, it will definitely attack with those fangs… I just need to avoid the fangs.”

He did not know if fangs were the only thing to watch out for, but it seemed certain that fangs were what he must guard against most. For how else would a deer without antlers or sharp claws attack Charlie?

Charlie muttered “fangs, fangs…” several times, then prepared to fight just like his senior paladins.

“I offer these gold coins to God!”

The gold coins vanished like smoke, and a white haze rose from Charlie’s body.

Charlie ran toward the magic beast with all his might.

Beast-type magic beasts that had not been mutated for long preserved their past instincts.

Upon spotting an animal running toward them, they would naturally flee immediately or lower their posture and prepare to fight.

However, the magic beast Charlie faced now was different.

“Squeeeak!”

The deer-like magic beast let out an unfitting shriek, then stared at Charlie with pitch-black eyes that revealed nothing of its thoughts.

And it began running directly toward Charlie.

Elbridge watched Charlie. Charlie’s gaze was still fixed on the magic beast’s fangs. He was probably waiting for the moment when the deer magic beast opened its mouth wide to bite him.

However, the deer magic beast’s actions defied everyone’s expectations.

Instead of opening its mouth to bite Charlie, it simply ran toward Charlie without any other plan until the very last moment.

Even considering it was a magic beast, it was a truly reckless action, but paradoxically, it worked quite well against Charlie.

Having missed the timing to evade the attack, Charlie likewise missed the timing to swing his weapon and the timing to dodge to the side.

The deer magic beast and Charlie collided noisily.

Crash!

The deer magic beast and Charlie were sent flying.

Charlie stumbled to his feet, then struck the deer magic beast—which was still sprawled out and stiff—with his iron club.

Thud, thud, thud!

Consequently, Charlie subdued the deer magic beast.

However, the outcome was not very satisfactory. Setting aside the unseemly display, Charlie’s left arm swelled up to a degree that anyone would find abnormal.

Elbridge clicked his tongue.

‘…A fracture.’

Rob, the paladin acting as the instructor, approached Charlie and bellowed.

“Charlie! Why didn’t you do as I taught you!”

“The… magic beast’s reaction was different from my expectation, so I missed the timing. I’m sorry.”

“Predicting a magic beast’s reaction is completely meaningless! Magic beasts are not ordinary beasts!”

Rob scolded Charlie for a long while after that, then approached the two hedge knights as if realizing something.

“Charlie wouldn’t have acted like that for no reason. You two there. Did you say something strange to Charlie?”

“There was nothing of the sort.”

“I saw Charlie hanging around you guys several times, though?”

“It is not a lie, so do not make hasty assumptions.”

Rob glared at the two hedge knights, then soon approached Marcus as well.

“Then, is it you?”

Instead of saying it was not his fault, Marcus merely stammered. He had absolutely no intention of saying it was Elbridge’s fault.

In the end, Elbridge stepped forward.

“It was me.”

“You?”

“I suggested to Sir Charlie that he try evading the magic beast’s attacks. Sir Charlie’s situation got tangled while trying to avoid that magic beast’s attack, resulting in his injury.”

Rob gritted his teeth and glared at Elbridge with angry eyes.

‘Is he going to swing a fist?’

Any ordinary paladin might have done so. However, because Rob was a merchant before being a paladin, he did not rashly resolve interpersonal problems with physical force.

“You said your name is Elbridge? We will clearly determine the liability for this matter. In all likelihood, the reward to be given to you will go toward Charlie’s treatment costs, and if the treatment costs exceed five gold coins, they will be billed to you. If protests come from Charlie’s family later, you will have to handle that on your own as well.”

The Goddess encouraged Elbridge.

– Elbridge. Pay no mind to such a fellow’s words. Your Goddess does not need even a single drop of fragrant oil.

They were encouraging words. However, the fragrant oil was not what was important right now.

Elbridge said to Rob.

“I am sorry. But in the long run, it is actually better to make a mistake and get hurt now.”

“Ah. So you’re saying we should thank you for breaking his arm? Listening to you, you’re speaking absolute nonsense…”

“It is a matter of the probability of survival. Instilling a habit of fighting while evading the opponent’s attacks yields a higher probability of survival than instilling a habit of fighting in a flawed manner.”

“You. Are you saying the way I teach paladins is wrong?”

Elbridge stared quietly at Rob, then replied calmly.

“Yes.”

Rob bellowed.

“Do you think I am some thoughtless fool? Anyone knows it’s better if you can fight while dodging! Even a three-year-old child knows! But it isn’t an easy path for the paladins of the Golden Platter Order to choose! If they obtained a sturdy body and great strength through divine power and authority, utilizing that fully is the way to yield the safest outcome!”

At first glance, it was a plausible argument. However, Elbridge had to ask one more thing.

“Do you believe that will hold true even in the moment you must face demons?”

“Demons, not even magic beasts? There is no way such a thing will happen, so do not meddle presumptuously!”

Elbridge let out a deep sigh.

For he had only now realized that the leadership of the Golden Platter Order had not disclosed the information regarding demons to their own paladins, let alone outsiders.

“…Understood.”

*

After the clash between Rob and Elbridge, the party’s atmosphere sank noticeably.

The saving grace was that with Charlie as the last, all five paladins had hunted one magic beast each.

The mission was finished after a fashion, and now they only needed to return to the Holy City Solenion.

Marcus stealthily approached Elbridge and nudged Elbridge’s flank with his elbow.

“Hey, Sir Elbridge. Don’t pay it too much mind.”

“I don’t mind.”

“Telling tales. I will share about two gold coins with you.”

“…?”

“When we fought the wolf magic beast last time, you saved my life once, didn’t you? I can easily share about half of the reward from this mission.”

It was an unexpected remark. To think he would offer to share his pay when he had taken a potentially dangerous mission because he was blinded by the reward?

However, there was a separate part that concerned him more.

“If you are going to share half the reward, shouldn’t you give me two gold coins and ten silver coins?”

“I didn’t run away and fought with you last time as well, didn’t I? Even though it amounted to nothing more than falling off my horse while riding… surely that was worth ten silver coins. Isn’t that so?”

Elbridge burst into laughter without realizing it. For the thought occurred to him that the God of the Sunshower had a believer who was hard to pin down just like him.

“It is fine. Do not keep that matter in your heart.”

“Are you telling me not to even repay the person who saved my life?”

“If it bothers you, just buy me a meal.”

“A meal. Will barely that suffice?”

“If you have the leeway, it would be nice if you bought me a bottle of fragrant oil sometime too.”

“At first you said you needed nothing, but what you ask for keeps growing. Let’s see how far it grows.”

Elbridge and Marcus walked, chuckling.

Rob glared at Elbridge from time to time, but Elbridge did not care.

*

As they moved like that, the party’s steps halted almost simultaneously.

“What is that?”

Rob replied to a paladin’s muttering.

“It seems to be a magic beast… To discover a magic beast without even the help of a guide. We are lucky.”

It was a bird-type magic beast, which the party was encountering for the first time. Its size was also smaller than any other magic beast. At most, it was slightly smaller than an average human.

However, because four red eyes were attached to each side of its head, it was easy to tell that it was no ordinary crow.

Rob, the paladin instructor, shouted.

“Now, who will hunt one more magic beast?”

The paladins of the Golden Platter Order competed to raise their hands. However, Elbridge’s reaction was slightly different.

Unlike the magic beasts he had faced since waking from the seal, no metallic luster was visible on that crow’s feathers.

‘It’s not an enhanced-type. What type is it? No. Whatever it is, it is equally bad. All the more so since it looks like an individual capable of flight.’

What was even more ominous was its strangely small size.

In the initial stages of magic-beastification, the body would naturally grow larger. After passing the initial stage, some grew even larger, while others shrank.

What was certain was that a magic beast with such a small build had passed the initial stage.

‘Middle stage? Late stage? Or if not… No, I don’t think it’s that.’

It was not the time to leisurely conclude his judgment. Elbridge spoke in a low voice to avoid provoking the magic beast.

“Do not approach. It is dangerous.”

Although it was not a loud voice, every paladin heard Elbridge’s words.

However, Rob the instructor let Elbridge’s warning go in one ear and out the other.

“Since Charlie is injured, he will step out. Who will step forward? Sir Abe? Or Sir Magnus?”

Elbridge spoke once again.

“It is no joke. It is dangerous. Please back away.”

From the beginning, the paladins of the Golden Platter Order were arrogant and did not listen carefully to anyone who was not a paladin of the same order. It was all the more so after Charlie’s arm was broken.

However, the somehow alien and ominous shape of the crow, the sincerity in Elbridge’s voice, and instinct halted the paladins in their tracks.

Rob the instructor glared at Elbridge.

He was the instructor in charge of guiding other paladins. Assuredly, a teacher must not lose authority in front of their students.

Moreover, the person who had raised such a point was Elbridge, who was not even a hedge knight.

A paladin serving a minor god whose name had never even been heard. A beggar without even the money to procure a suit of armor. An idiot who provided the pretext for Charlie’s arm to break.

Therefore, Rob could not back down.

“If there is no one confident, I have no choice but to demonstrate once more. I offer these gold coins to God!”

Rob scattered even more gold coins into the air than before, then began running toward the crow. In his right hand, the customary iron club was held.

“Stop!”

Elbridge’s voice grew a level louder, but Rob kicked off the ground even more violently.

The crow magic beast turned its head and stared at Rob.

Rob’s eyes met the eight crimson eyes of the crow magic beast. For some reason, it sent a chill down his spine.

‘It looks a bit ominous, but… there is no sign of it moving yet. Since its body doesn’t look sturdy either, if I strike it just once—’

The distance between the crow and Rob was now barely thirty paces.

Just then,

Squeaak—

The crow pecked at the empty air.

At that exact instant, half of Rob’s vision vanished.

“…Aaaaagh!”

Following that, a severe pain felt in his left eye. His sense of distance warped.

Squeezing his left eye shut, Rob stared at the crow with his right eye. The crow was holding an eyeball of unknown origin in its beak.

However, the distance between Rob and the crow was still over twenty paces.

The crow swallowed the eyeball it was holding, then stared back at Rob with its eight eyes.

Rob thought that the crow was mocking him. That was closer to a certainty than a guess or imagination.

Squeaak—

And the crow pecked at the empty air once more.

The world of the paladin Rob lost its light.

…Crash!

Rob rolled on the ground. The crow swallowed the second eyeball.

The eye sockets of Rob, who struggled to stand while supporting himself with both hands, were deeply hollowed out, and blood flowed from both sockets.

The paladins who had been waiting for Rob’s active performance, and even the two hedge knights and Marcus, were shocked.

“Instructor!”

“His… his eyes! What happened!”

And Elbridge let out a deep sigh.

‘…It was a warping-type. This has become troublesome.’