Paladin of a Fallen Order (Novel) - Chapter 19 - Goddess of Spring Rain and Moss

Chapter 19 – Goddess of Spring Rain and Moss

===================

Translated by Pratt

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

===================

Before Elbridge departed, Rombel opened the warehouse.

“Elbridge. Choose and wear whatever you like from among these.”

Inside the warehouse, Mage-Tower-crafted armors equipped with a self-repair function were on display.

Of course, Elbridge did not intend to purchase a ready-made armor.

Since it would take about fifteen days for his ordered piece to be completed, he was merely renting an armor to use temporarily. Even for free.

“Does the Mage Tower usually do this sort of thing?”

“It is the Mage Tower’s business policy. We have to show this much sincerity to a customer who buys an expensive item.”

It did not seem to be a service that the Mage Tower offered out of simple goodwill.

To look at it a bit cynically, were they not just lending dead stock to a customer wealthy enough to come buy expensive armor? If they were lucky and managed to sell even one or two, it would be a profit for the Mage Tower.

Still, since it was free, he had no intention of refusing.

While Elbridge was seriously choosing a breastplate and gauntlets, Rombel spoke.

“In principle, it is only right to lend you the same parts that you ordered… but just take a whole suit.”

“Is that alright? Won’t it cause trouble for you?”

“I will take care of that.”

“It is fine by me… but is it really alright?”

“I am not just giving this to you. I am trying to pay back a debt.”

Elbridge narrowed his eyes and glanced at Rombel.

“A debt? Did you ever owe me a debt? I do not remember well.”

“Every single person in this era owes you a debt. There are no exceptions.”

Elbridge’s hand stopped.

This was because he realized that it was a somewhat gruff expression of gratitude.

Since waking from the seal, Elbridge had met people who knew his name.

Indeed, Walter, a knight of the Riverford Barony, and Felix, a paladin of the Order of the Bloody Spear, knew Elbridge’s name.

However, this was the first time he had received an expression of gratitude.

And that gratitude left a deep impression on Elbridge.

“…Is that so.”

Men, as a rule, rarely express gratitude. This is especially true between those who are close.

Rombel chased Elbridge out, almost pushing him, as soon as Elbridge finished choosing the armor.

“Right. If you have finished choosing, get going quickly. Come back in fifteen days.”

“Understood.”

Unlike when he had entered the Mage Tower, Elbridge stepped out of it clad in shining armor. The distinct, heavy weight of the armor pleased him.

And the Goddess of the Rusty Shield was even more satisfied than Elbridge.

– Elbridge. Even though it is a temporarily borrowed item, it suits you well.

“Thank you, Goddess.”

Though his body became a bit heavier because of the armor, Elbridge’s heart grew lighter instead.

‘Is it because I heard an expression of gratitude from Rombel?’

No. It was a similar, yet slightly different reason.

After waking from the seal, Elbridge would unconsciously feel a sense of distance whenever he met people. Unlike them, Elbridge was a person of the past.

But Rombel was different. Rombel was a person of the past who could fully understand Elbridge.

Bringing up age was also in that context.

That was a joke that could only be made to someone with whom one was on familiar terms.

‘…But was that really a joke? How should I treat other people?’

Elbridge still did not know how old he was or what kind of person he was.

To say he was well over two hundred years old, his experiences were too few, and to say he was twenty-six, he had lived for far too long.

He could treat Rombel, who was close to three hundred years old, like a friend, but he could not treat a seventy-year-old human elder like a friend. That gap confused Elbridge.

And in these cases, one usually arrived at a somewhat similar conclusion.

‘…Well, what can I do? I should just live as my heart leads me.’

*

Elbridge was not the only one whose thoughts were occupied because of Rombel.

As Elbridge climbed the slope leading to the shantytown, the Goddess delivered an oracle full of regret.

– It is a matter of great regret. If that dwarf named Rombel had become the third follower of our Order, he would surely have been of great help to both the Order and to you. He seemed on the verge of coming over, yet did not cross.

“The third follower? Who is the second?”

The Goddess of the Rusty Shield replied somewhat proudly.

– It is Walter, the knight of the Riverford Barony. Last night, he offered a prayer to me for the first time. In my heart, I wanted to deliver an oracle immediately to welcome his conversion, but… I was worried Walter might realize there are only two followers, so I could not deliver the oracle.

Elbridge’s chest swelled with conflicting emotions.

The joy of expanding the Order’s influence for the first time, and the regret that the Goddess’s gaze might turn elsewhere.

The Goddess seemed to have guessed Elbridge’s mind.

– Do not worry, Elbridge. I do not think I will deliver an oracle to Walter in the future either… Did not other gods also deliver oracles only to the archbishop, except in extremely exceptional cases? You, Elbridge, are my only archbishop.

“I have never worried.”

Elbridge lied with feigned composure.

Yet for some reason, he felt that the Goddess would be smiling with her eyes up in heaven.

– If so, then it is a relief. Our followers have doubled in an instant, and this is thanks to your active efforts. You have done well, Elbridge.

Since Sir Walter had become a caught fish, Elbridge’s thoughts turned toward the fish that got away.

Rombel, whom he had met just a moment ago.

‘But why did Rombel enter the Mage Tower?’

When Elbridge asked Rombel, ‘Why are you here?’ Rombel answered that he had become a blacksmith because the era no longer required warriors.

However, that was only the reason Rombel became a blacksmith; it could not be the reason he entered the Mage Tower.

For the Mage Tower was an alien space that could not be compared to a normal blacksmith shop.

There were three categories of humans who possessed combat power surpassing that of ordinary humans.

Paladins.

Knights.

Mages.

Paladins serve a god and reinforce their physical bodies with divine power.

Knights also serve a god, but they handle mana instead of divine power.

Mages, like knights, handle mana.

However, there was one decisive difference between mages and knights. The vast majority of mages do not serve a god.

Mages, in turn, could be divided into three categories.

Those who wished to escape the interference of the gods, those who wished to directly become gods and ascend, or the minority of mages who serve a god.

Since the mages’ goals were incredibly insolent when viewed from high in heaven, almost all gods did not look kindly upon mages and Mage Towers.

Had they not been backed into a corner by the appearance of demons, interaction between paladins and mages would still be forbidden.

‘However, what was permitted was only interaction…’

Generally, interaction with mages meant cooperation in dealing with demons.

Slightly more tolerant gods would permit private interaction between paladins and mages, but no god allowed their follower to belong to a Mage Tower.

Elbridge asked the Goddess.

“Goddess.”

– What is the matter, my most precious child?

“If I were to say that I want to become a mage of the Mage Tower, how would you receive it?”

The Goddess of the Rusty Shield replied a little sadly.

– If you wish, then do so.

This was a reaction that even Elbridge had not anticipated.

“Are you serious? If I go to the Mage Tower, I will no longer be your paladin.”

– Elbridge. While it is true that you are my only paladin, it is not because you are the only paladin that I cherish you. That is merely one of the countless reasons why I hold you dear. But I am curious, Elbridge. For what reason do you wish to rely on the Mage Tower?

Since the Goddess’s reaction was much more serious than he had thought, Elbridge replied in a hurry.

“Goddess. I have not the slightest intention of relying on the Mage Tower. It was merely a question that popped out because my thoughts were occupied with Rombel’s matter. I am sorry.”

– That is a relief, Elbridge. Remember that your Goddess would prefer, if possible, for you to remain by your Goddess’s side.

…As far as Elbridge knew, the Goddess of the Rusty Shield had become the only god to permit a follower to enter a Mage Tower.

But it did not seem like the God of the Steel Anvil would be like that either.

Not much was known about the gods in heaven, but the fact that the God of the Steel Anvil was a stubborn deity far removed from generosity was famous.

‘Just what on earth happened to Rombel?’

Elbridge pondered for a long time, but could not think of a proper answer.

*

For three days after that, whenever he had spare time, Elbridge went down from the shantytown and strolled the streets of Solenion.

It was not an action simply to pass the time. He merely wished to learn the advanced missionary methods of other religious orders.

The Goddess of the Rusty Shield also carefully examined the missionary methods of other orders.

– As expected, giving and serving is the most common method.

Now, there was no one starving in Solenion. If a gaunt person was even spotted, the priests of each order would rush over in a hurry to press food into their hands, so starving was not an easy task either.

Had he been as gaunt as when he first awoke from the seal, Elbridge would surely have been gifted a mountain of food.

However, since Elbridge had recovered his physique quite a bit in a short period, no priest gave him food as charity.

Among the countless missionary methods, the most impressive was the counseling centers of each order situated right in the center of Solenion’s bustling district.

On the street where the counseling centers were concentrated, the priests of each order were continuing their zealous sales pitches.

“If there is a sick person in your household, come along with them to the side of the Goddess of Spring Rain and Moss! Their illness will noticeably recover in fifteen days! An amazing effect proven by countless cases!”

“Those whose homes are not peaceful! Those who are not abundant materially or spiritually, do not hesitate to join the Order of the Olive Tree, which symbolizes abundance! Just listen to the joining testimonials of senior believers and you will receive a generous free gift…”

This much was on the normal side.

There were also orders that offered even more direct and unconventional terms.

“The Golden Platter Order does not require long-term membership! Just join the Golden Platter Order for exactly five days at the end of the year and cast your vote, and good fortune in wealth will follow for at least three months!”

Elbridge sighed inwardly.

For that chaotic scene was too clear an evidence that religion had entered the realm of transaction rather than faith.

But apart from that, since competing against such people and winning seemed exceptionally difficult, Elbridge walked listlessly back toward the shantytown.

‘As expected, hunting magic beasts while preaching is the most certain way. However…’

Elbridge looked up at the sky and asked the Goddess of the Rusty Shield.

“Goddess. What benefits can be given to someone who joins the Order of the Rusty Shield? I mean benefits unrelated to combat.”

– When a follower faces the most difficult moment in their life, your Goddess can give them the strength to keep from breaking down mentally.

Even to Elbridge, who was the archbishop and chief priest, it was not a very enticing condition.

Because rather than an order that helped one endure a difficult situation, an order that helped one avoid difficult situations would be far more appealing.

Elbridge arrived at the Temple of the Rusty Shield in a somewhat depressed mood.

And inside the temple, he felt a presence.

‘Did Felix come? To take me to the Temple of the Bloody Spear?’

No. The person currently inside the Temple of the Rusty Shield was not Felix.

It was not even a male. It was a female with brown hair, round eyes, and a firm mouth.

Elbridge moved with astonishing speed and approached the woman.

“Hello. Welcome to the Temple of the Rusty Shield. Do you wish to join the Order?”

Then, the brown-haired woman replied.

“…No. I have come looking for the Great Warrior.”

What kind of out-of-the-blue statement was this?

“Have you not come to the wrong place? The Order of the Bloody Spear is right next door, and the Order of the Laurel Wreath is on the other side.”

Then, the woman shook her head.

“No. I have indeed come to the Order of the Rusty Shield. I was told that the Order of the Rusty Shield would lend us their Great Warrior.”

It was a confident attitude, like a debt collector seeking out a debtor.

But since Elbridge had never owed a debt to anyone, his attitude naturally became cynical.

“Who exactly said that?”

Then, the brown-haired woman replied.

“An oracle was delivered. Our deity told us to ask the Order of the Rusty Shield for help.”

A memory came to mind.

Elbridge had never owed a debt to anyone else, but the Goddess of the Rusty Shield had owed a debt to another deity. Just a short while ago.

For some reason, his right arm felt itchy.

“By any chance, which order did you come from?”

“I came from the Temple of Spring Rain and Moss.”

…The time had come to pay back the debt.