Paladin of a Fallen Order (Novel) - Chapter 54 - Oracle

Chapter 54 – Oracle

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Translated by Pratt

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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When Elbridge arrived at the temple, a plump middle-aged woman greeted him.

“Archbishop. You are back?”

“It has been a while. Have you been well?”

“Yes. Thanks to you.”

The woman’s name was Matilda. She was a freelance administrative priest hired by Elbridge before he left Solenion.

A freelance administrative priest referred to a person who took charge of handling the administrative affairs of small religious orders and received compensation. Of course, it was a profession that did not exist two hundred years ago.

In the days when Elbridge was the only believer, a freelance priest had not been necessary.

But now, a freelance priest was absolutely necessary for the Order of the Rusty Shield. Though it was only a few hundred, they now had believers in eastern Solenion as well. They could not show their believers a temple with no one inside and filled only with dust.

Elbridge asked as he put down his luggage.

“Matilda. Nothing special happened while I was away, right?”

“Well···. The entirety of Solenion was noisy with various problems, but nothing much happened in our order.”

“I see. Have many believers departed in the meantime?”

Matilda answered immediately.

“After the last Grand Festival, the number of believers was a little over a thousand, right? It should be slightly less than that now. Roughly···. Seven or eight hundred must be left.”

– Eight hundred people?

The Goddess of the Rusty Shield seemed to find Matilda’s words quite appealing.

Naturally, to Elbridge, it was an incomprehensible reaction.

‘···Does she wish to deny reality?’

There was no reason for a goddess, who should know the current status most accurately, to be enticed by the words of Matilda, who worked for a monthly salary.

Though he did not know for sure, the number of believers of the Order of the Rusty Shield residing in Solenion was likely closer to three hundred than eight hundred.

“Matilda. Is there a possibility that the believers are fewer than that?”

“Well, that could be. But do not concern yourself too much. It is not a problem that can be resolved by worrying.”

“Ummm···.”

“By any chance, is there a reason?”

“It is because of the seats.”

As Elbridge answered without much thought, Matilda burst into laughter reflexively.

“Pfft.”

“···.”

However, there was no malice in Matilda’s laughter. It was merely a reflexive reaction.

Matilda composed her expression as quickly as possible and apologized.

“Ahem, ahem. I am sorry.”

“···It is alright.”

“Archbishop. You know that since the day the Chief God examined a neighboring dimension and introduced the council system, the number of seats in heaven has been fixed at three hundred, right?”

“Yes. I know.”

“Among the numerous orders, the ones that occupy even a single seat are a tiny minority. To be cold, even if the Order of the Rusty Shield gathers dozens of times its current believers, you cannot win a seat.”

Naturally, Matilda did not know what had occurred in the Mountain City Barkuntol.

What kind of reaction would Matilda show if she learned that Elbridge had absorbed more than half of the Order of the Steel Anvil’s strength?

Of course, Elbridge had no intention of telling her that story.

It would certainly make for a long talk, and it was almost certain that Matilda would not believe Elbridge’s words. Of course, he did have a slight desire to see Matilda look surprised.

Matilda spoke calmly.

“I heard that the Chief Paladin and Archbishop is an outstanding knight. And you are young. You will surely be able to achieve many things. But there are things in this world that require time. The expansion of religious influence is a representative example.”

“I suppose so.”

“I think now is the time to compose your mind while facing the ordinary majority, rather than growing impatient while looking at the radiant heights. For when expectations are high, disappointment is also bound to be great.”

“I understand. By the way, you mentioned that Solenion was noisy while I was away? What is that about?”

“All sorts of things happened. Rumors regarding magic beasts were heard day after day, and a demon even appeared···.”

At the mention of a demon, Elbridge’s ears perked up.

“A demon appeared?”

“Yes. Have you ever heard that the people of Viscount Dickens’s territory completely disappeared around spring of this year? It was revealed that that was the work of a demon. And not long ago, a demon appeared in a village not far from Solenion, causing an uproar. What is this world coming to···.”

“Could I hear a bit more detail about that demon?”

“I do not know the details either. The atmosphere is so serious that it’s difficult to ask around.”

“I understand.”

Fortunately, Elbridge had a neighbor he could ask for news.

The Order of the Bloody Spear right next door.

However, Elbridge did not need to go to the Order of the Bloody Spear. Because there was someone entering the temple before Elbridge could even finish organizing his luggage.

“Elbridge!”

Turning his head, Felix was there with his left arm wrapped in bandages.

“I heard rumors that you had arrived, and it was true.”

“Does that even spread as a rumor?”

“Of course. Where did you go for so long, leaving the temple empty?”

“Something came up in a slightly distant place.”

The Goddess of the Rusty Shield showed an displeased reaction.

– Hmmm.

The Goddess of the Rusty Shield was not particularly favorable toward Felix.

This was because his previous remark, “the Order of the Rusty Shield is a shipwreck,” had left a deep wound in the goddess’s heart.

The Goddess of the Rusty Shield delivered her oracle.

– Elbridge. If your goddess has one dream, it is to surpass the seats of the Order of the Bloody Spear even just once.

However, in Elbridge’s opinion, the likelihood of that dream coming true this year was low.

Since the Order of the Bloody Spear already possessed two seats.

Felix said to Elbridge.

“I happened to have something to convey to you, so it’s a relief you arrived without being too late.”

“Something to convey?”

“Right now, there is a bit of friction between the Shantytown orders and the lower village orders.”

In other words, it meant a conflict between combat orders and non-combat orders.

“Elbridge. You know that the appearance of magic beasts has become frequent lately, right?”

“Naturally I do.”

“Thanks to that, trade between cities has become difficult too···. Up to that point, it was tolerable. But at the end of last month, a demon appearing to the east of Solenion became a major problem.”

It seemed to be the story of the demon that Matilda had spoken of.

Felix’s left arm and shoulder were particularly conspicuous. Nine times out of ten, Felix must have fought in a battle against the demon.

“The result?”

Felix silently shook his head. A vague reply.

Under other circumstances, it might be fine, but a matter related to a demon must not be explained in such a way.

Elbridge frowned and demanded an explanation.

“Felix. If you brought it up, speak until the end.”

“We were defeated.”

“More details.”

“It was a demon whose skin was pitch black like the night sky, and its height was as tall as the temple’s steeple. Its limbs, where black flames burned furiously, were several times thicker than an ordinary person’s torso. The moment I saw it, I thought we were done for.”

It was a description that was somehow familiar.

When they encountered the warping-type magic beast in the Mountain City Barkuntol, had the demon that showed its power through that beast not looked exactly like that?

“We were miserably defeated in the battle. Many died, and there were countless injured people. But there was also something gained. We broke through the barrier created by the demon and let the villagers escape.”

“Hum.”

In Elbridge’s eyes, that was quite a decent result.

The ancient paladins also frequently lost in battles against demons. There were many cases where defeat was guaranteed from the very start of the combat.

There was only one reason why the paladins did not avoid such battles. For the rescue of survivors.

The Order of the Bloody Spear had done its part despite the defeat. Though Felix himself did not seem to realize that fact.

“···However, the problem was that a brand about the size of two finger joints was engraved on the bodies of about half of the rescued people.”

“A brand.”

“Every night, the brand burned down bit by bit from top to bottom, and each time that happened, the people suffered to death. The pain was so severe that they could not snap out of it even if slapped across the face.”

“What happened when the brand burned out completely?”

“They all died.”

Felix let out a deep sigh.

“If we had arrived at the scene a bit faster, we might have found a way somehow. We might have resolved the issue by requesting help from other orders. But the Order of the Golden Platter made the timeframe tight.”

“The Order of the Golden Platter?”

“Yeah. Whether those fellows intended to handle the situation themselves, they did not immediately notify other orders that a demon had appeared. They summoned the paladins belonging to their own order and spent days dawdling.”

Elbridge recalled the paladins of the Order of the Golden Platter.

The sight of the five of them struggling, unable to slay even a single crow magic beast, came vividly to mind.

Although their skills must have improved since then, no matter how he thought about it, it did not seem likely they could fight proudly against a demon.

Felix’s opinion was the same as Elbridge’s thoughts.

“There’s no way fellows who cannot even hunt magic beasts properly could fight a demon. Those bastards wasted time like that and then requested help from our order.”

Felix’s face was already flushed red with anger.

“···I know. The Order of the Golden Platter probably did not want to lose their vested interests. But they shouldn’t do that in a situation where people’s lives are on the line. We didn’t even have time to take proper measures···.”

“Hum.”

“Eventually, our Chief Paladin went to the Order of the Golden Platter and made a request. To leave the combat to our combat orders, and for them to support the combat orders with the White Hands···.”

After some reasonably understandable talk, an unfamiliar term popped up.

“What are the White Hands?”

“You don’t know what it is?”

As Elbridge nodded, Felix showed a slightly uncomfortable expression.

“People who hold out without voting until the final moment of the Year-End, and then declare support for the order that promises the most money. Those people are called the White Hands.”

Elbridge could guess the reason why such a nickname was attached to them.

On the backs of the hands of people who declared support for the deity they served, the emblem of each order was engraved and shone.

If they did not declare support until the end while weighing the conditions, the backs of their hands would remain pure white until the night of the final day.

“Are there many such people?”

“There are many. In Solenion alone, it would amount to five or six seats. It is to the point that those fellows form groups and even elect representatives. Representatives to negotiate on their behalf.”

A trace of disgust was even present in Felix’s tone.

It meant that even the people of this era, where faith had entered the realm of commercial activity, thought that the ‘White Hands’ had gone too far.

“What does it mean to support with those people?”

“It means that wealthy orders like the Order of the Golden Platter or the Order of the Olive Tree pay the price, but they declare their support for us instead of them.”

As in, non-combat orders buy their votes and pass them to the combat orders.

‘···Oh my goodness.’

It was even more amazing that they could think of such a transaction.

Yet, at the same time, it was quite a rational transaction. What other way was there to so simply increase seats and strengthen the authority of the paladins?

Of course, there was one prerequisite.

“Will the Order of the Golden Platter agree?”

“If they do not cooperate, we must also act uncooperatively. We will clearly show them that they can only be protected if they accept our terms.”

From that story, Elbridge felt an inexplicable ominousness.

“···In what way?”

“Even if a demon or magic beast appears, we will not help them. Whether they die or not···.”

Elbridge felt an intense repulsion.

Did it make any sense for the expression “whether they die or not” to come out of a paladin’s mouth?

Felix noticed that Elbridge’s expression was unusual and added an explanation.

“Not only our Order of the Bloody Spear, but also the Order of the Laurel Wreath and the Order of the Staghorn agreed. Oracles were delivered to each order, and almost all combat orders decided to act together with us.”

It meant that even the gods agreed to that countermeasure.

Elbridge became confused.

“···I do not know if that is the right behavior, Felix.”

“I know what you are thinking. Heartbreaking news might be heard for the time being. But this is the way to reduce sacrifices in the long run. If we do not occupy seats quickly, even more people will have to suffer in the future.”

Felix spoke thus and looked at Elbridge with an expression devoid of a single speck of shame.

It was certainly a persuasive story, and it seemed like it would benefit the future of the order. However, he could not know if this was a correct decision.

Felix reached out his hand to Elbridge.

“Our combat orders must seize much power as quickly as possible. For the sake of the people of this world.”

However, Elbridge was ultimately unable to take that hand.

“···I must think about it a bit more, Felix.”

“Sure. Tell me when you have made up your mind.”

That night, Elbridge tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep.

*

The next day, a welcome face visited the Temple of the Rusty Shield. It was Marcus, who had come to distribute the earnings obtained in the center.

Marcus raised his right hand high and asked Elbridge.

“Sir Elbridge. Why is your expression like that?”

Elbridge agonized for a moment and then conveyed the story he had heard from Felix to Marcus.

To this, Marcus asked back with a serious expression.

“Sir Elbridge. I don’t know well what is right or wrong, but I have one question.”

“What is it?”

“If the combat orders receive votes as support like that, into which order do those votes go?”

“Well···. They will probably divide them fairly.”

“Fairly. On what basis are they dividing them fairly? We mercenaries do not use such vague expressions.”

This was a problem Elbridge had not thought of. What in the world could be a fair standard?

No, was it even possible to divide them fairly?

At that moment, Marcus’s face suddenly stiffened.

Subsequently, Marcus lowered his voice and whispered.

“Sir Elbridge. The God of the Sunshower has delivered an oracle saying he wishes to speak with Sir Elbridge.”

“The God of the Sunshower?”

For what reason would a deity of another order wish to talk with Elbridge?

Elbridge offered a brief prayer to the Goddess of the Rusty Shield.

“Goddess?”

However, no answer returned.

The Goddess of the Rusty Shield had a tendency not to listen to prayers the following morning if she delivered an oracle late at night.

Elbridge agonized a bit more and then nodded.

“Speak.”

“Well, I will only deliver the oracle exactly as it is.”

Marcus coughed dryly once or twice and then spoke in a slightly solemn voice.

“Elbridge. Do you think the combat orders will support the Order of the Rusty Shield?”

“They surely will. Because they clearly saw my capabilities during the last Grand Festival.”

Marcus shook his head with a solemn expression.

“No. They will either give no help to the Order of the Rusty Shield, or provide only the bare minimum of support.”

“Why do you think so? They must know that helping our order is a good choice.”

“They likely know with their heads. However, the heart is different. Humans tend to feel it is better to ruin themselves while holding power than for things to go well while losing power. And the affairs of the world roll along according to people’s hearts, not their heads.”

Elbridge answered.

“But is this matter not governed by the deities of each order, rather than ordinary humans?”

“Ancient humans ascended to heaven and became gods, so what difference is there between humans and gods? Fool···.”

“···.”

Marcus hastily cut off his words, but Elbridge could easily guess what the expression that almost came out at the end was.

“It was a slip of the tongue, Sir Elbridge.”

“···It is alright. Please continue speaking.”

“On the contrary, because they are gods, they will try all the more not to miss the opportunity. If they were not so persistent, they could not ascend to heaven and sit in high seats. Look at your dim-witted goddess···. I apologize. Look at the Goddess of the Rusty Shield. Out of the more than twenty seats she used to have, how many does she possess now?”

If nothing else, he had to agree with the statement that one could not ascend to heaven unless they possessed tenacity. Had that God of the Steel Anvil not possessed impressive tenacity as well?

Such deities compete again to occupy seats.

The tenacity of the deities who held seats, and the tenacity of the deities toward the seats, could not possibly be of a light level.

Even more so, were the deities of the Shantytown competing with Elbridge now not the very gods who had not let go of their seats until now, two hundred years after the Great Demon vanished?

The God of the Sunshower continued speaking through Marcus.

“It was the same two hundred years ago. If the gods had put down their greed, the Order of the Rusty Shield should have had at least forty or fifty seats at that time. But it stopped at barely twenty-two seats. That itself is proof that even the deities of the combat orders cannot put down their greed.”

He had not particularly had such thoughts. However, that story stimulated Elbridge’s imagination.

Had fifty seats’ worth of authority been divided among five paladins in those days, what kind of battles would the paladins of the Order of the Rusty Shield have been able to wage?

“Seeing how the Goddess of the Rusty Shield suddenly became gloomy yesterday, it seems keeping two seats has become difficult. Correct?”

“···Yes. That is correct.”

“If I were you, I would not wait for the goodwill of other combat orders.”

“Then what do you think I should do?”

“If it were me, I would overturn the board here. Do not think you must stop at two seats. Even if you have to resort to tricks, grasp more than that. Whether three seats, or five seats···.”

Elbridge’s expression grew serious.

“If one is excessively greedy, discord will inevitably arise. It has been so since two hundred years ago. And if we do not cooperate with other orders, we cannot win the war against demons.”

“That was then, and now is different.”

“What is different?”

“In those days, there were paladins comparable to you or Sir Leonhardt. But now, there are none. There is not a single paladin in the east who can replace you. For the time being, concentrating authority on you is the most rational decision.”

Marcus hesitated. He wore an expression of not knowing whether it was alright for him to convey the words that were to follow.

However, in the end, Marcus delivered the oracle to its very conclusion.

“Right now, it does not matter even if you turn all combat orders into enemies. For before long, they will all kneel before you and request help.”