Paladin of a Fallen Order (Novel) - Chapter 2 - Vagabond or Paladin

Chapter 2 – Vagabond or Paladin

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Translated by Pratt

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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Elbridge spoke haltingly.

“Goddess. I am foolish and could not understand those words correctly. There is no way Your Order, the Order of the Rusty Shield, has disappeared…”

The returning voice of the Goddess was oddly lacking in confidence.

-Strictly speaking, though it has greatly declined, it has not disappeared. Do we not still have you…?

There was a subtle difference between being ruined and disappearing.

And the Goddess’s remark, ‘since you are here, it has not disappeared yet,’ implied a great many facts.

Put the other way around, did it not mean that without Elbridge, the Order would have disappeared?

Flustered, Elbridge asked the Goddess back.

“Goddess, if I may ask a presumptuous question, might I inquire how many seats You currently hold in the Heavenly Council?”

To Elbridge’s question, the Goddess did not answer.

However, what that silence meant was clear: it was certain that the Goddess of the Rusty Shield had failed to secure even a single seat in the Heavenly Council.

‘To think that the Goddess of the Rusty Shield would be pushed out of the council in the span of two hundred years…’

Elbridge swallowed a groan and spoke again.

“Goddess. How did things turn out this way? Even two hundred years ago, did You not hold more than twenty seats in the Heavenly Council? You were expanding the Order’s influence every year and steadily increasing Your seats…”

In the very distant past.

It was said that the ancient world, so far back that Elbridge could hardly even imagine it, was overwhelmingly chaotic.

That chaos originated not from demons, but from the gods themselves.

Since gods with immense power intervened in earthly affairs at their own whim, the lifelong aspirations of the continent’s intelligent beings, carried over generations, would often turn to dust in an instant.

To put it a bit coldly, there was no meaning to the lives of the intelligent beings living on the earth. What meaning could there be in a life where anything could happen at a god’s whim?

The Chief God, who could be called the God of gods, took pity on the earthly beings.

Therefore, the Chief God restricted the total amount of power that the heavenly gods could exert on the earth.

Thanks to this, the tragedy of earthly beings becoming the playthings of the gods was greatly reduced. Instead, a new problem arose. Conflict broke out among the gods over which god would exert how much power.

At this, the Chief God fell into deep thought once more and finally suggested an exquisite solution after observing other dimensions.

It was decided that the gods would form a Heavenly Council, and seats would be allocated to each god through the faith of their followers.

The reasoning was that a god with many followers would need greater power to look after them, while a god with few followers could look after their believers with relatively less power.

The Goddess of the Rusty Shield, whom Elbridge served, was a deity who had occupied a whopping twenty-two out of three hundred seats in the Heavenly Council two hundred years ago, a deity worthy of being called a true bigwig.

Although two hundred years had passed since then, how could the Goddess of the Rusty Shield fail to secure even a single seat in the Heavenly Council? For Elbridge, it was hard to understand.

The Goddess replied with some hesitation.

-It is difficult to explain right now. Just remember that you are my most cherished child. Anyway, as for the details, come to the Holy City and we can talk…

The voice of the Goddess of the Rusty Shield gradually grew quieter until it was cut off. The Goddess’s power had reached its limit.

“Ah…”

It was not simply a matter of being pushed out of the council; since Elbridge was the only follower left, even conversing with her believer must be a taxing task for the Goddess.

At this rate, her plight was likely among the worst even among the many gods who had been unseated from the Heavenly Council.

‘What should I do?’

After a brief contemplation, Elbridge reached a conclusion.

‘Just as the Goddess said, I must first go to the Holy City and find out what happened.’

Elbridge rose from his seat and headed out of the forest.

*

Because the landscape of the world had changed so much, Elbridge could not find his way at all.

Therefore, Elbridge just walked wherever his feet led him. If he walked in one direction, a village would surely appear sooner or later.

Even though he was walking without knowing the way, and moreover, had heard the shocking news that the Order was ruined, Elbridge was in a fairly good mood.

Was he not released after being sealed for a full two hundred years? Elbridge desperately hoped that this situation was not a dream.

On the second day of walking aimlessly like that.

Elbridge reached a fairly large village, or perhaps a small city.

The city was surrounded by walls that were not very high, and the city gates were wide open, allowing people to come and go freely.

There were guards, but they did not seem to have any intention of stopping people.

‘I don’t think there was a city around here in the past… Well, whatever. There must be someone who knows the way to the Holy City Solenion.’

The Holy City Solenion was one of the largest cities in the eastern part of the continent.

It was populous, commerce flourished, and above all, it was famous for being the city where the most temples of various gods were located in the eastern continent.

The same went for the temple of the Goddess of the Rusty Shield. Although the temples of the Order of the Rusty Shield were scattered all over the continent, the main temple was in Solenion.

‘That is likely why the Goddess ordered me to seek out the Holy City.’

As Elbridge approached the city gates, a guard scanned him with a highly displeased expression. And he gave an oddly disgruntled cough once.

“Ahem.”

However, the guard did not stop Elbridge. Elbridge lightly passed the guard and entered the city.

Beyond the gate was a small open plaza, and a few groups of people were gathered.

It looked as though those who intended to head out of the city had formed groups, but naturally, there was no face Elbridge recognized.

Elbridge, with his ears perked, lingered around the plaza and heard a voice mentioning the Holy City Solenion.

‘Are they people heading to the Holy City?’

Elbridge looked in the direction the voice came from.

Several large carts and sleek carriages were prepared, and there were close to twenty workers organizing the luggage.

A plump leader wearing sleek clothes was seen giving various orders to the workers, and around the carts, five or six men who looked like they had eaten their fair share of blade-fare were loitering about. It was the typical appearance of a merchant caravan.

As Elbridge tried to approach the leader of the caravan, a man with a scar carved across the bridge of his nose blocked his path. In all likelihood, he appeared to be a mercenary escorting the caravan.

“Who are you?”

Instead of answering to introduce himself, Elbridge questioned the mercenary.

“Where is this group heading?”

The scarred-nose mercenary raised an eyebrow and asked back.

“…Heading?”

It was an unfamiliar reaction. However, Elbridge did not mind and stated his business.

“I am looking for a traveling companion to go to the Holy City Solenion.”

“It’s true that we’re going to Solenion. The important thing is what kind of guy you are.”

“A paladin.”

The scarred mercenary snorted.

“Aha, a paladin, you say. And which god do you serve?”

“The Goddess of the Rusty Shield.”

“Shield or whatever, get lost.”

At the unexpected reaction, Elbridge’s eyes widened.

In the past, when Elbridge revealed his identity, most people would show respect reflexively.

He was a paladin of a famous Order, and since Elbridge was a knight of hand-picked talent even within the Order, it was even more so.

Since becoming a paladin, not a single person had treated Elbridge this way.

Moreover, the scarred mercenary’s words did not end there.

“Good grief, a name of a god I’ve never heard in my entire life… Furthermore, a paladin? If you’re a paladin, I’m a paladin’s grandfather, you punk.”

Elbridge immediately realized the reason why the man reacted in such a way.

‘My mind must have grown stiff from being stuffed inside the seal.’

First, the problem was that the prestige of the Order of the Rusty Shield had fallen to a dreadful degree.

Did that man not look as if he had never even heard the name of the Goddess of the Rusty Shield? It was common for a follower of a low-recognition order to receive treatment worse than if they had not revealed the god they served at all.

Second, Elbridge’s appearance was a problem.

Currently, Elbridge had no sparkling armor, nor did he have a shining sword or shield. It was because they had completely rusted and decayed as two hundred years of time passed.

Additionally, Elbridge had merely not aged inside the seal; his body was gaunt and presented a pitiful appearance. To anyone looking, it was an appearance closer to a vagabond than a paladin.

Elbridge also understood belatedly the reason why the guard’s gaze had not been pleasant.

‘They probably thought that a vagabond was being added to the town.’

However the scarred mercenary took Elbridge’s hesitation, he smirked.

“You punk. I’m turning a blind eye this once because of my broad mind. If you go around talking about being a paladin elsewhere, your head will fly off, so be careful…”

The mercenary spat hard on the ground one last time and turned away.

Contrary to his rowdy attitude and rough speech, it was somewhat true that he was broad-minded. Since impersonating a paladin was usually punished even more severely than impersonating a noble.

If that mercenary had harbored malicious intent, Elbridge would have certainly found himself in a highly awkward situation.

Of course, Elbridge was not impersonating a paladin, but he had no way of proving that he was one right away.

Just then, the plump leader of the merchant caravan shouted.

“We are departing!”

The caravan’s carts and carriages moved, and the mercenaries and porters followed behind them.

Looking at the departing carts, Elbridge thought.

‘Even if I can’t join the group, won’t I be able to go to the Holy City Solenion if I follow the wheel tracks of those carts?’

Elbridge was not the only one who thought that way.

“Hey there, young man. Are you trying to go to the Holy City Solenion?”

Turning his head, he saw an elderly man standing there.

Could his age be slightly past sixty? Although his back was slightly bent, he looked reasonably healthy.

“Ah, yes. That is correct.”

“I am called Rick. If you’re heading to Solenion, why don’t you travel with us?”

“Us?”

Elbridge looked behind Rick.

More than forty people were gathered.

Unlike the caravan that had departed just now, there were no carriages, and they had only one cart, but their headcount was actually greater than the caravan’s.

However, among the more than forty people, no robust adult male was in sight. Only women, the elderly, and young children.

‘Are they people trying to go to Solenion by following the merchant caravan that just departed?’

However, there was one questionable point.

Currently, Elbridge’s appearance was not much different from a vagabond. What on earth was the reason for Rick to request companionship from such an Elbridge?

Rick answered Elbridge’s silent query.

“I have traveled back and forth between this town and the Holy City easily thirty times. There are no bandits on the road from here to the Holy City, but occasionally wolf packs appear. Even if it’s called a pack, it’s only about six or seven of them at most…”

Rick’s explanation was that to avoid falling victim to wolves, they intended to gather enough people to start the journey so that a pack of wolves wouldn’t dare attack.

However, Rick’s business did not end there.

“Young man. Do you have money?”

“…No, I do not.”

“How are you planning to solve the food issue?”

“By hunting moderately small animals, or eating wild berries and such…”

“If that’s the case, why not act as a porter?”

“A porter?”

Rick pointed at the sole cart sitting among the people.

“That one, it’s my cart.”

Elbridge glanced at the goods loaded onto the cart. Bundles that looked like trade goods were loaded in one corner, but the remaining space was piled high with things like dried fruits or jerky that could be preserved for a long time.

Elbridge nodded slightly.

“You were a merchant as well, Elder.”

“That’s right.”

“Instead of spending money to hire mercenaries, you gather people to ward off wolves, and in the meantime, you sell food and daily necessities to the traveling companions… Not bad. It’s quite efficient.”

As Rick listened to Elbridge’s words, a strange gleam flickered in his eyes.

“…To realize that instantly. Were you also a merchant? Your wits are quite extraordinary.”

“I am not a merchant.”

“That’s a relief. One person trading like me is enough around here… It’s better to have no competitors.”

“Anyway, are you asking me to pull that cart all the way to the Holy City?”

“In exchange, I’ll provide food and lend you a blanket. Do you dislike it?”

Elbridge stared intently at Rick, then replied.

“In the first place, you have no intention of making me pull the cart all by myself, do you? It would be fine if you pull it in the morning, Elder, and I pull it in the afternoon.”

Rick wore a slightly blank expression, then soon burst into laughter.

“My friend, how did you read my thoughts?”

Elbridge glanced at the people behind Rick.

“The reason why there are only women, the elderly, and children in your group… must be because any young man could earn a wage acting as a porter on the road to the Holy City. The reason you approached me is likely because there are no other young men attempting to go to the Holy City.”

“That’s not what I asked. How did you realize I had no intention of making you pull the cart all by yourself?”

“Seeing my gaunt figure, there’s no way you would make me pull the cart alone all day. If you had thought to do that, you would not be vicious, but rather foolish.”

Rick chuckled.

“Spot on. But providing food and a blanket while taking turns pulling the cart half-and-half is out of the question. I will pull the cart for a little while before lunchtime.”

“We shall see. Let us just pull the cart in equal turns.”

Rick crossed his arms.

“That is not for you to decide. You can only decide whether to accept my terms or not.”

At that, this time Elbridge chuckled.

“Of course not. The deciding power lies with me.”

“Why do you think so?”

“Did I not tell you earlier? It is clear that I am the only adult male intending to head to Solenion. If I do not accept the offer now, you will be stranded in this town until the next merchant caravan departs for the Holy City Solenion, will you not?”

Why did Rick wait until another caravan departed? Because he didn’t know the way to the Holy City like Elbridge?

No. It was because he wanted to follow closely behind the leading caravan, hoping that if an unexpected situation arose, the caravan’s mercenaries would handle it.

There was no way such a cautious person would delay his schedule indefinitely just because he didn’t want to pull the cart a little more. Merchants, after all, were those who earned as much as they moved.

“…”

Rick was left speechless.

In the end, Rick stared blankly at Elbridge and asked.

“You. What is your name?”

“Please call me El.”

“Very well, El. Do you have any interest in learning the trade under me?”

“I must decline.”

“Mmh…”

Rick gestured toward the waiting people.

Soon, Rick and the people began to move, following the wheel tracks of the caravan that had departed ahead of them.

Rattle, rattle. Only the sound of the cart moving and the low whispering of the people could be heard.

How long had they walked like that?

Walking in silence, Rick casually called out to Elbridge.

“El.”

“Yes.”

“If you have no intention of learning under me, how about a partnership?”

“…I have no interest.”

Elbridge firmly rejected Rick’s offer.