Paladin of a Fallen Order (Novel) - Chapter 42 - Liar (Part 3)

Chapter 42 – Liar (Part 3)

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Translated by Pratt

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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The next day, Elbridge visited the site along with Town Chief Thibault.

The chief had turned the ground over with magic to check the roots of the plant-type magic beast, but he could not be certain whether the magic beast was dead or alive based on the condition of the roots alone.

However, it was certain that the magic beast looked listless compared to the previous day. The chief seemed to consider even this much a relief.

“I think just the fact that it hasn’t regenerated yet is already a relief.”

“Did you say it regenerated in just a day last time?”

“Yes. It was to the extent that anyone could tell it was perfectly fine. Now, the situation is much better than back then. Nine times out of ten, it seems it will die… Still, I think we should watch it for a few more days.”

Things were going well.

However, Elbridge hesitated before bringing up the story he had kept in his heart.

“To receive an elixir after helping for barely a day. I think I’ve received a bit too excessive a reward… That is what I’m thinking.”

It was a statement he could make because Marcus was not there.

Of course, Elbridge also had no intention of returning the elixir. However, he felt that if he could help with something more, his mind would be at ease.

However, the chief shook his head.

“What is important is not how long it took to handle the work, but how difficult a task you accomplished. The knowledge of water hemlock and the skill to inject its sap. If you lacked even one of the two, it was a task that could not be handled even if you clung to it for ten years. Do not feel burdened.”

“Will it really be alright?”

“Yes. If your mind is truly uncomfortable, while staying for the next few days, you could lend a helping hand to the townspeople’s chores… Or no. It would be good if you play with the bored little kids. Since the adults are busy, we cannot give the children enough attention.”

“Will that much be alright?”

“It is more than enough.”

“Understood.”

Only then did Elbridge feel at ease.

*

Elbridge returned to the town intending to play with the children with all his heart, but that mission was already being performed by Rombel. The children were half-enchanted by the dwarf they were seeing for the first time in their lives.

‘If this is the case, I don’t particularly have anything to do…’

Ultimately, Elbridge tried teaching Marcus the sword utilizing his spare time.

However, the speed at which Marcus learned the sword was beyond expectations.

Despite usually displaying a random swordsmanship without even the basics established, he followed the movements Elbridge taught him quite well.

“You said you have never learned the sword, right?”

“Yes. Just fighting randomly in real combat and acquiring it through my body is all.”

Marcus’s reflexes were decent enough. However, the true value was Marcus’s brain.

Marcus rarely forgot what he learned once, and he used to grasp the meaning or key point of a movement on his own even before it was explained.

‘He is clever. I thought he was just a common mercenary, but he was an unpolished gem that no one had cut.’

At this rate, his talent was superior to that of any ordinary paladin.

Of course, his age was not young, and the bad habits created by fighting randomly were not few either. However, Marcus was too precious a talent to end his life as a common mercenary.

“Let’s stop at mastering up to this movement today.”

“I understand the other movements, but… I have no idea what this last movement is for. It’s not like it can be used in real combat either.”

“It is to erase bad habits. Since Mr. Marcus’s shoulders and upper body shake too much whenever you move your steps.”

Since the instructor’s authority was overwhelming, Marcus continued the training without a word of complaint.

And there was one person who watched Elbridge intently after the instruction ended.

The boy for whom Town Chief Thibault had created a frog with magic when Elbridge’s party arrived at the town on the first day.

‘His name was Osric, probably.’

Osric approached Elbridge and said,

“Mister. Can’t you teach me too?”

In fact, it was rare for a boy of that age not to long for the sword.

“I can teach you. But I do not teach half-heartedly just because you are young.”

“It’s fine. Because I can accomplish all of it.”

Most of the people who talk like this drop out quickly.

And that was the same for Osric as well.

For a kid barely over ten years old to overcome hard training, setting aside persistence, a powerful motivation to overcome that training must exist. For instance, something like a severe trauma.

However, because Osric was an ordinary child who had never experienced anything special, he quickly grew tired and sat down.

“Can’t we continue the training later and you tell me an interesting story now?”

It was a reaction typical of a young child.

For Elbridge too, this was more comfortable than training Osric.

“An interesting story? Let’s see. What would be good…”

Elbridge decided to tell the story of the Holy City Solenion.

When Elbridge’s story, which began calmly, reached the Grand Festival, Osric was filled with admiration.

“Wow. There are all kinds of gods in the world.”

“Indeed. In the world, there are still plenty of gods and orders that I do not know.”

“I should visit Solenion someday. Even if only because I’m curious about how people of other orders live…”

“Other orders?”

Osric’s last statement implied one thing.

That every single person in this town served the God of the Eternal Voyage.

Of course, cases where people believing in a specific god gather to form a town are not uncommon.

However, Elbridge became cautious. Because he had recently seen the case of the Mountain City Barkuntol.

“Osric. By any chance, do you get scolded by adults if you believe in another god?”

“It’s not that.”

“And yet, there is no one who follows another god in this town?”

“Well… that’s right.”

“It seems the authority bestowed by the God of the Eternal Voyage is an authority absolutely necessary for this town?”

“That’s right. They said that if we follow the God of the Eternal Voyage, the town becomes harmonious.”

It was an authority similar to the God of the Brass Cup, which symbolized the peace of a community.

Whether it was thanks to the authority or not, in reality, this town looked harmonious and peaceful.

However, Osric’s words did not end there.

“And there is one more important thing…”

“Hmm?”

“Since you seem like a good person, mister, I’m telling you this specially. But you must not tell the adults that I said this. Okay?”

Children have a hard time keeping secrets. That was the same for Osric as well.

Elbridge realized instinctively. An unusual story would follow.

“Understood. What is it that makes you say that?”

“I heard that one day, when this world is destroyed, only the God of the Eternal Voyage can save us.”

“…?”

Elbridge found it difficult to understand what kind of story he had just heard.

“I don’t know what that means. Could you tell me a little more in detail?”

“They said a day will come when humans can no longer live on the ground. At that time, only the God of the Eternal Voyage can save us, they say.”

“…Is that so? In what way will he save you?”

“They said the God of the Eternal Voyage has prepared a town exactly like our town up in that sky. So that even if the ground is ruined, the people of our town can live peacefully in the heavens.”

Elbridge doubted his own ears.

No order spouted such a story.

Just what was the coming destruction? He had never heard of such a thing in any order.

If by any chance such a thing existed, and if a mere believer could know such a thing, Elbridge should have known it first.

The story of a town prepared in the heavens was even more bizarre.

As far as Elbridge knew, a god who could ascend believers at their own whim did not exist. It would be even more so for a god who did not possess even a single seat.

Furthermore, the story of the town in the heavens implied one more thing.

Beyond the fact that everyone in this town served the God of the Eternal Voyage, all the people who served the God of the Eternal Voyage lived in this town.

Among the gods Elbridge had seen until now, the most closed-off god was the God of the Steel Anvil. Even such a God of the Steel Anvil did not think that all believers had to stay in the mountain city. He merely blocked the influx of pagans.

Elbridge chimed in without showing it.

“He was a tremendous god. I’m starting to want to know a bit more.”

Whether that reaction was satisfying, Osric spoke with a relieved expression,

“Anyway, if it seems like the world is going to be ruined, you should also come to our town along with the other misters and believe in the God of the Eternal Voyage. Since our chief is a good person, he will accept about three more people.”

“I will surely do so. Thank you, Osric.”

Elbridge stroked Osric’s head and stood up from his seat with a stiff expression.

*

“Goddess.”

Whether the Goddess of the Rusty Shield was looking elsewhere, she did not react immediately to Elbridge’s call.

“Goddess. Goddess.”

When Elbridge called for the Goddess repeatedly several times with intervals of time, the Goddess of the Rusty Shield responded belatedly.

—My most beloved child. Your Goddess is here.

“Goddess. I have been waiting anxiously.”

The Goddess of the Rusty Shield muttered excuses.

—Elbridge. It was only that the confirmation was slightly delayed because the Goddess of Spring Rain and Moss brought refreshments she had been offered, not that your Goddess neglected her sole paladin and responded late. Because it was a gathering to pray that the seats to be occupied at the end of the year would be two instead of one, I could not refuse.

However, apart from the excuses, the Goddess of the Rusty Shield seemed slightly pleased. Perhaps she liked the situation where Elbridge searched for her so earnestly.

“I also hope that your seats will be two, and I will do my utmost so that we can even look forward to three.”

—Your Goddess will gladly accept that heart, Elbridge. By the way, for what matter did you seek your Goddess so earnestly? There was usually no such thing normally…

“It is none other than because of the God of the Eternal Voyage.”

—Ah, that small fry without even a single seat… Yes. What was the problem? Surely that fellow did not know his place and dared to pick a fight with your Goddess’s sole paladin?

“It’s not that. In fact, a little while ago…”

Elbridge conveyed the story he had heard from Osric to the Goddess of the Rusty Shield.

Then, the Goddess of the Rusty Shield also turned serious.

—The destruction of the earth? Your Goddess has never heard of such a story. Creating a town for believers in the heavens is even more preposterous.

“Although I have never peeked into the heavens, I also had the same thought as you, Goddess, which is why I offered this prayer.”

—I will look into it in a bit more detail. Just what kind of fellow this God of the Eternal Voyage was…

Thanks to the Goddess’s reaction, the suspicion that had gradually subsided peeked its head up again.

The name of a god heard for the first time. An alien doctrine. A highly skilled mage claiming to be an archbishop.

Everything from beginning to end was strange.

Elbridge cautiously walked around the town, examining the tracks of Town Chief Thibault.

‘There doesn’t seem to be anything strange on the surface…’

Thibault was busy all day long.

Unlike other mages with high noses, he actively worked magic to help the townspeople with their work, and when he could not use magic, he rolled up his sleeves and helped the people with their chores. When he was too exhausted to move, he would also play with the children.

Perhaps because of such deeds, the townspeople also did not find Thibault, who was concurrently the town chief and archbishop, difficult to approach, and seemed to genuinely cherish him.

However, Elbridge could read a tiny hint of guilt on Thibault’s face.

*

Elbridge called Marcus and Rombel and conveyed his thoughts.

The two also nodded their heads upon hearing Elbridge’s story.

“Thinking about it, it’s strange. Does it make sense that there is an archbishop but no temple?”

Marcus raised a counterargument to Rombel’s opinion,

“Might it not be that they are using the chief’s house concurrently as a temple? Although that is also strange… it might not be that there is no temple.”

“Letting outsiders sleep in such a temple? No way.”

Their opinions diverged, but their conclusion matched.

“Let’s examine the chief’s house first.”

Fortunately, since the three were resolving their lodging and meals at Town Chief Thibault’s house, there was no way the townspeople would suspect them.

While looking around the house, Marcus picked up a thin book and said,

“Look at this, Sir Elbridge. There is a doctrine book. As expected, it seems correct that this house is a space that doubles as a temple.”

A doctrine book was one of the representative items kept in a temple.

But Elbridge’s opinion was different.

“A more important item is missing.”

“What is it?”

“The Book of Oracles. A book in which each order records the oracles that have descended until now. That must absolutely be in the archbishop’s residence or the temple.”

Of course, the Book of Oracles of the Order of the Rusty Shield was stored in the temple of Solenion, not in Elbridge’s backpack. Because if all the oracles Elbridge received were recorded, it would become an extremely impious act in its own right.

However, this was an extremely exceptional case. Almost all other orders store the Book of Oracles in their temples.

“Did he not hide it?”

“It is an item with no reason to hide. On the contrary, there are many cases where they display it proudly.”

Rombel showed interest in a slightly different part. The numerous religious symbols placed in the house.

Bowls and pottery. Trash that looked similar to holy items.

Rombel discovered a strange point with dwarf-like observation.

“This piece of cloth is displayed as a holy relic, but it’s an item made barely twenty or thirty years ago. And this pottery… is simply an antique with the order’s emblem engraved. Here, you see the trace of it being scraped with a knife and filled with pigment?”

Suspicious. The more they looked, the more suspicious it became.

While the three put their heads together and stared quietly at the pottery, a familiar voice drifted over.

“What are you looking at so intently?”

“…!”

Elbridge and Marcus were startled.

It was Town Chief Thibault. Before they knew it, Town Chief Thibault had entered the house and was looking at the three.

However, Rombel seemed not to have even realized that Town Chief Thibault had appeared yet.

Rombel, still lowering his head and staring intently at the pottery, said,

“What do you mean, what am I looking at? Come here and look. There is a crack here.”

“There is a crack?”

“Yeah. Here…”

Town Chief Thibault bowed his head to look where Rombel pointed.

And at that moment, Rombel swung the pottery he held in his right hand like lightning, striking Town Chief Thibault’s temple.

*Thud! Crash!*

The pottery shattered into pieces, and Town Chief Thibault lost consciousness and slid to the ground.

“…”

At the sudden situation, Elbridge and Marcus were lost for words.

How should they clean up this situation?

After a brief silence, Rombel shrugged his shoulders and said,

“Honestly, it couldn’t be helped, right?”