Paladin of a Fallen Order (Novel) - Chapter 33 - Mountain City Barkuntol (Part 3)

Chapter 33 – Mountain City Barkuntol (Part 3)

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Translated by Pratt

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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If one were to choose the single most widely known bill on earth among the laws known to have passed the Heavenly Council, it was by far the Revenge Prohibition Act.

The contents of the Revenge Prohibition Act were simple.

That one must not inflict harm upon a believer for having left a religious order. Thanks to the existence of this law, people were able to change their religious orders freely.

However, the Revenge Prohibition Act did not contain any clause stating that one must not inflict harm upon a believer remaining in the order.

Was it because it was justifiable for a god to inflict harm upon their own believers?

Most likely, that was not the case.

It was simply that because there was no god who committed such an act, there was no need to regulate it.

The God of the Steel Anvil was probably the only god who had killed warriors who were the most brave, dedicated the most, and had not even turned their backs on the order.

Elbridge muttered.

“Goddess. Do the gods in the heavens know of this fact?”

—No one would have known.

“Goddess. Is the God of the Steel Anvil an evil god?”

The goddess’s voice was bitter.

—Elbridge. The opposite of an evil god is not a good god, and the standard that separates an evil god from one that is not is not goodness.

Just then, Marcus spoke.

“Mr. Rombel. Are you saying that the God of the Steel Anvil murdered the dwarf warriors?”

A reaction as if he could not accept the conclusion he had reached, even though it was clear under the circumstances.

“It is almost certain.”

“Why on earth the most outstanding warriors…”

“Because they saw too much of the outside world. Because they saw believers of other orders living in harmony. Furthermore, because they possessed the quality to become the focal point of change.”

“But aren’t they the core combat force of the order?”

“He probably didn’t know a situation like this would occur. Or he might have thought that even if such a situation arose, he could handle it somehow…”

Rombel stopped mid-explanation and let out a deep sigh. Hoooo—

“When the mayor said that the warping-type magic beast had reached its late stage, I couldn’t understand how on earth such a thing happened.”

The danger of a warping-type magic beast that has reached its late stage. That was something any experienced warrior knew.

That was why the guideline to eliminate a warping-type magic beast immediately upon discovery, no matter what it took, was made.

Fortunately, an early-stage warping-type magic beast is much weaker than the extremely common enhanced-type magic beasts. It is only when it enters the middle stage that it becomes troublesome.

Even if it was discovered a bit late, once it was found, it could be eliminated before reaching the late stage.

That such a warping-type magic beast was not eliminated and reached the late stage signified the absence of seasoned, experienced warriors.

Marcus’s voice turned anxious.

“…Mr. Rombel. Did you not say that you planned to fight along with the dwarf warriors?”

“I did.”

“Since there are no warriors to help us now, shouldn’t we go back? Although that magic beast is less dangerous than a demon, did you not say it was comparable to a demon? If the three of us attack, it is obvious we will die.”

However, Rombel rejected that proposal.

“No. If we retreat here, that Steel Anvil fellow will continue to maintain his religious influence in the future.”

“Are you saying the three of us should fight against magic beasts whose numbers we don’t even know?”

Rombel did not answer. However, sometimes silence is an affirmation.

Marcus spoke as if pleading.

“Mr. Rombel. You said your wish was to bring down the God of the Steel Anvil, right?”

“Yes.”

“Let’s speak frankly. The easiest way to achieve that wish is to run away from here.”

If they stood and fought the magic beasts here, it was as clear as day that they would die.

Even if they miraculously survived and won, there was not much they could obtain.

Planting a small doubt toward the God of the Steel Anvil in the dwarves. And a certain amount of reward. That was all.

However, if they fled, they could survive.

In exchange, the Mountain City Barkuntol would perish, but the God of the Steel Anvil would also fall.

How could the God of the Steel Anvil, having lost his believers, maintain his seat? Rombel’s dream would surely be realized.

It was an argument that felt downright vicious at first glance.

However, there was nothing wrong with Marcus’s words.

Furthermore, even if the Mountain City Barkuntol perished like that, there was no one who could hold Elbridge’s party responsible.

To dump the fate of a race and a city onto three outsiders. Was that not an incredibly irresponsible act.

Elbridge, who had been listening silently, answered instead of Rombel.

“That will not do.”

“Why not? Dying here would be a dog’s death!”

Elbridge smiled faintly.

Because he saw the image of apprentice paladins in Marcus.

The image of apprentice paladins who opposed battle with cold reason, pleaded to retreat even for the sake of the greater cause, and ultimately fled after failing to shake off their fear.

Apprentice paladins all experience moments like that. Marcus, who was half a paladin, was no exception.

“If we escape from here, what will happen to the dwarves?”

“They will die. However, if they abandon the city and flee, they might be able to live.”

“The dwarves probably didn’t remain here because they didn’t know that.”

“But that is a matter that depends on their choice! Besides, even if we fight here claiming to save the dwarves, aren’t we just helping the God of the Steel Anvil.”

“Mr. Marcus.”

Marcus took a deep breath and calmed his excitement.

“…Speak.”

“Leading the one you hate to ruin. And helping those in need of help. Which do you think takes priority?”

“…”

“It is not a question with a single correct answer. However, I have my own answer.”

*

After some time passed, the atmosphere settled down.

Marcus asked.

“So. What are you going to do?”

Despite acting as if he would flee at any moment, Marcus remained clumsily by Elbridge and Rombel’s side.

It was probably not simply because of the oracle sent by the God of the Sunshower. Since Marcus had acted that way even when he first met Elbridge.

Rombel answered.

“First, we must observe the situation of the magic beasts.”

“Observe them? Bron… Bronzim? Anyway, wouldn’t it be the end if we opened the gate heading there.”

“No. There is a side door next to the iron gate leading to Bronzimmar. Follow me.”

Rombel took the lead, and Elbridge and Marcus followed behind him.

As they approached the vicinity of the massive iron gate, a heavy vibration was felt along with banging and thumping sounds.

And panting breaths could also be heard faintly.

“The magic beasts are struggling to break through the iron gate.”

“Mr. Rombel. Is this really safe?”

“It won’t be breached immediately.”

“Are you sure?”

“Probably.”

“…”

Indeed, next to the giant iron gate, there was a stairway extending along the cliff.

Elbridge asked.

“Why on earth is this stairway here? It doesn’t even stretch to the end of the cliff.”

“It’s a stairway that was used when constructing the iron gate connecting Barkuntol and Bronzimmar. There is an identical stairway on the opposite side. When I was young, I used to play by going back and forth to the other side through this side door.”

“…Is such a game fun?”

“Because kids are bound to like high places.”

The three climbed all the way up along the stairs.

At the end of the stairs hung the rusted side door Rombel had mentioned, and above that side door, a small sliding hatch was attached, allowing them to look to the other side.

Unlike the red-rusted side door, the sliding hatch opened smoothly.

It meant that the other dwarves had also observed the opposite side through this door.

“Let’s see…”

Rombel observed the opposite side first.

Rombel’s impression was simple.

“There are a bit more than expected.”

“Move aside.”

Elbridge and Marcus checked the other side together.

A city similar to Barkuntol but much smaller was visible.

‘So that is Bronzimmar…’

The first thing seen was several bulky magic beasts ramming the iron gate with their bodies.

Subsequently, they could also verify other magic beasts loitering about the city. Their number was at least two or three hundred just from what was immediately visible. If those not currently visible were included, they couldn’t know how far that number would swell.

The pressure coming from the numbers was so immense that even the slight confidence remaining in Marcus’s voice vanished.

“As expected, running away seems to be the right choice…”

Elbridge looked at the far end on the opposite side of Bronzimmar.

There stood a single bizarre magic beast.

It possessed two arms and two legs like a human and stood on two legs.

Its skin was slender and pure white like snow.

However, it did not look similar to a human. Because the proportions of its body were different from a person’s.

The length of its legs was roughly similar to an ordinary human’s. However, the length of its torso was longer than an ordinary person’s height, and its two arms were more than three times longer than its torso.

Short legs and long arms.

Naturally, its two arms were dragging on the ground, and in all likelihood, it looked as if it would swing those arms like whips.

Finally, the head.

On its pure white face, which had no eyes, nose, or ears, only a massive maw was attached.

That maw was not for putting something in, but for spitting something out.

Just now, it had spat out a magic creature through that massive maw.

“Sir Elbridge. Is that fellow the warping-type one?”

“That is correct.”

Elbridge and Marcus closed the sliding hatch.

The three people’s modest meeting began.

Marcus spoke.

“As expected, there is no chance of winning. Running away is the right choice.”

Rombel answered.

“Why? What is the problem?”

“Did you not see how many magic beasts there are? Setting aside that warping-type fellow or whatever, there is no way to carve open a path.”

At that, Rombel chuckled.

“No. There is no need to carve it open. No matter how many magic beasts there are, Elbridge will take care of that. What’s important is whether I can strike down the neck of the warping-type magic beast while Elbridge holds the magic beasts off. In the midst of the commotion, we cross over to the other side through that side door and eliminate the boss, then we succeed.”

“Yes?”

Marcus could not understand Rombel’s words.

Yielding a hundred steps, he could understand the idea of Rombel facing the warping-type magic beast alone. Since Marcus had seen Elbridge hunting the crow magic beast.

Even if the chances of winning were slim, there was a possibility.

The problem was on Elbridge’s side.

If the gate connecting Barkuntol and Bronzimmar were small, they might have been able to buy time by dealing with the magic beasts one by one.

However, the iron gate is wide enough for several carts to pass through at the same time. It was not a situation where one could hold out like a gatekeeper relying solely on individual capability.

“How on earth is Sir Elbridge supposed to block those magic beasts? That is nonsense. No matter how outstanding Sir Elbridge’s skills are, he cannot do that.”

Marcus spoke like that and looked at Elbridge.

However, Elbridge was merely lost in thought.

‘Does he really think such a tactic is possible?’

Just then, Rombel spoke to Marcus.

“Marcus. You probably don’t know what role the paladins of the Order of the Rusty Shield were responsible for two hundred years ago.”

“Of course I don’t. I also heard the name of the Order of the Rusty Shield for the first time this spring.”

“Unlike other orders, the Order of the Rusty Shield was responsible for only two duties. Even the authorities that the Goddess of the Rusty Shield bestowed upon her paladins were specialized only in those two duties.”

“What are they?”

Rombel extended his left index finger.

“First. Running to the battlefield immediately upon hearing the news that a demon or a magic beast difficult to deal with has appeared. And holding out until other paladins finish their preparations and arrive. That is the first duty.”

“Going alone?”

“Not necessarily. They also went together with other paladins or apprentice paladins of the same order.”

Marcus imagined himself and Elbridge jumping beyond the iron gate.

No matter how much he thought about it, a desirable ending was not drawn. Wouldn’t they be crushed before reinforcements even arrived?

“…Then, what is the second duty?”

Rombel extended one more finger.

“Accompanying the paladins of other orders when a battle with low probability of victory takes place.”

“At least that is understandable.”

“And when defeat is confirmed, maintaining a retreat path for other forces to escape before escaping oneself.”

“…”

To summarize, there are two.

Leaping into a battlefield where no one is. Remaining on a battlefield where everyone has left.

The phrasing is cool, but that is…

“Mr. Rombel. Do the magic beasts or demons capture prisoners by any chance?”

“I’ve never seen such a thing.”

“If that’s the case, it is simply suicide, isn’t it?”

Marcus recalled what the Goddess of the Rusty Shield symbolized.

Devotion and sacrifice. Hidden honor. And no retreat.

The most common symbols held by combat orders are victory, and glory.

However, the Goddess of the Rusty Shield, the Order of the Rusty Shield, did not symbolize victory, nor glory.

“It is not incorrect. Actually, the survival rate of the paladins of the Order of the Rusty Shield was uniquely low. However, it wasn’t that there was no one who survived multiple times.”

Marcus glanced at Elbridge.

Since Rombel was talking nonsense, shouldn’t the person in question give him a sharp scolding?

However, Elbridge’s eyes were hazy, as if he were drowsy.

In the end, Marcus spoke on behalf of Elbridge.

“That might have been the case in those days. But that is… isn’t that something only people of those days could do.”

“Naturally it is.”

Rombel smiled faintly.

“That is why I am leaving it to Elbridge.”