Paladin of a Fallen Order (Novel) - Chapter 56 - Eve of the Festival

Chapter 56 – Eve of the Festival

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Translated by Pratt

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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“If you sealed a demon… surely it is not the story of Ashpen?”

Elbridge replied to Deputy Bishop Heinz’s question.

“Is the name of the town where the demon appeared in autumn Ashpen?”

“Indeed.”

“I only heard that a demon appeared. But I heard that they were defeated by the demon.”

“You are well aware. Then where are you saying you sealed a demon?”

“It was Middlemarch.”

One of Deputy Bishop Heinz’s eyebrows arched crookedly.

“Are you speaking of Middlemarch in the central region? The city where all roads meet?”

“Yes. I went to Middlemarch and arrived in Solenion yesterday.”

Deputy Bishop Heinz’s expression turned serious.

“If it is a lie, leave; if you are serious, have a seat.”

“If you are doubtful, make contact with the Central Mage Tower.”

The Mage Towers were capable of communicating with each other.

Although it was an absurdly expensive price for ordinary people to use, it would not be that much of a burden for the Order of the Golden Platter.

Deputy Bishop Heinz said.

“The mages of the Central Mage Tower are famous for their outstanding skills. Though they have no paladins, the capabilities of their knights are also known to be excellent.”

Elbridge chuckled softly. It was because he realized the underlying meaning of Deputy Bishop Heinz’s sudden praise.

“You think I am subtly piggybacking on the achievements of the central mages and knights.”

“Because dealing with a demon alone is impossible. The important thing would be how much weight you carried.”

“Contact the Central Mage Tower and request confirmation from the Deputy Tower Lord. And tell them to describe what Elbridge showed them without exaggeration. The Deputy Tower Lord will surely do so.”

“Hmm.”

There were a few truths that Deputy Bishop Heinz had realized while meeting countless people.

That liars and braggarts were anxious to show themselves off was one of those truths.

And in Deputy Bishop Heinz’s eyes, Elbridge’s tone was too plain to be the boasting of a braggart.

“I will contact the Central Mage Tower within today. Not because I doubt you, but to grasp the extent of your achievements.”

“Please do so.”

Heinz said as he stood up from his seat.

“By the way, you have arrived at an exquisite time.”

“Since I came during the Year-End voting period, the timing is indeed excellent.”

“No. That is not what I meant. You said you heard the story of Ashpen, right?”

“As I said earlier, I only know to the extent that they were defeated by the demon.”

“Do you know of the incident in the Viscountcy of Dickens?”

Elbridge nodded.

“You received a letter from Baron Riverford saying that the Viscountcy of Dickens had fallen to a demon, did you not? The one who delivered that letter was none other than me.”

“Ah, that was you… Then the explanation will be quick.”

Heinz pointed to the map on the wall with his cane.

“This is the Viscountcy of Dickens, and this is Ashpen.”

Red circles were drawn in the two places Heinz pointed to.

“What is the meaning of the red circles?”

“The cities where a demon appeared.”

“Then, what is the circle between the Viscountcy of Dickens and Ashpen?”

That was precisely the reason Elbridge asked even while guessing the meaning of the red circles. There were three circles, not two.

“It is the same. A merchant who went there for trade discovered the bodies of the people and reported it to the order.”

The light in Elbridge’s eyes turned serious as he gazed at the map.

The reason was that the three red circles were aligned in a straight line.

For a significant number of demons, their appearance points could not be estimated. Once they appeared, one had to run as fast as possible to respond. Just as the paladins of the Order of the Rusty Shield had done in the past.

However, there were also some demons whose appearance points could be estimated. Like the red circles marked on the map now, in cases where there was a certain regularity between the appearance points.

Demons do not appear in places without people.

By connecting the red circles in a straight line, one would be able to estimate the location where the demon would appear next.

Elbridge murmured as he stared at the map.

“The next place the demon will appear is Solenion.”

“You are quick-witted.”

However, Elbridge’s words were not finished yet.

“Are the dates next to the circles the dates when the demon appeared?”

“Although they are estimated dates… yes.”

Elbridge placed his hand on the map and began to compare the dates and distances of the circles.

Deputy Bishop Heinz was slightly taken aback.

“You. Do you know how to predict the time a demon will appear?”

“Yes.”

“How? This is information that was barely found in ancient texts…”

Elbridge answered half-heartedly.

“Somehow.”

While it seemed to be high-level information now, it had been common sense in the past.

Elbridge carefully examined the map.

The distances between the three circles were all different. However, when the distance to the next city was far, it appeared after a long interval. But when the distance to the next city was close, it appeared relatively quickly.

Just as Elbridge expected, the demon was moving at a constant speed.

‘The Viscountcy of Dickens in spring of this year. The second city at the tail end of summer. Ashpen about forty days ago…’

Elbridge said.

“The demon will arrive in Solenion within ten days at the longest.”

That was all Elbridge could tell.

Since the accuracy of the map was low and the emergence dates of the demon were not precise, some margin of error was bound to occur in the estimated dates.

However, it was clear that the demon would appear in Solenion by the end of the year at the earliest, or by early next year at the latest.

“Yes. That is the problem.”

Deputy Bishop Heinz let out a deep sigh.

“The things the combat orders blabbered on about as their demands? In normal times, I would not have paid them any mind. Asking us to secure seats for them with our money, does that even make sense? But the timing is bad. We need their strength.”

“If you think you need the help of the combat orders, why did you not finalize the negotiations with them?”

“Because their demands were excessive.”

Elbridge thought.

A demon would appear, and the world would fall into chaos.

Was it excessive for the Order of the Golden Platter, which occupied sixty-one seats, to concede six or seven of them to the combat orders?

“We must look selfish. Conceding seats to the combat orders quickly would be considered the right thing to do, right? In the short term, that is correct.”

“Are you saying it is different in the long term?”

“Yes. Have you ever heard the saying that supply is half of battle?”

As Elbridge nodded, Deputy Bishop Heinz continued his explanation.

“This is only the beginning. There is no telling how many years the war with the demon will last. It might be decades, or even centuries… And our Order of the Golden Platter must take charge of the supplies and financial support for numerous combat orders during this long war.”

“That is an excellent point.”

“The problem is that if our influence declines rapidly, there will be setbacks in carrying out that duty. Looking at the ancient records, the seats of the Order of the Golden Platter only decreased every year after the war with the demon began.”

“It surely must be so.”

Deputy Bishop Heinz’s words were accurate.

However, Elbridge had never seen the seats of the Order of the Golden Platter decrease. It was because the downward trend had ended before Elbridge was born.

During the period when Elbridge was active, the seats of the Order of the Golden Platter had always maintained a similar level.

“It is not that we will not concede, nor that we will not support the combat orders. But we must control the speed of the concessions. Taking away the seats of the Order of the Golden Platter too quickly is no different from devouring the seedlings to be planted next year.”

The eyes of the elderly Deputy Bishop Heinz were full of conviction.

It was the face of one who was prepared to endure the criticism of others to do what he believed was right.

Looking back, the Order of the Golden Platter in the past had also been like that.

The people of old pointed fingers at the Order of the Golden Platter, calling them selfish.

However, they had merely not participated in direct combat. They had opened their storehouses to feed and clothe the paladins of other orders, and helped them cultivate new paladins.

Of course, they often behaved like misers… but it was not to an incomprehensible degree.

Deputy Bishop Heinz added one more word.

“This is a decision for the people of the world.”

Suddenly, he remembered the story Felix had told yesterday.

Felix had said that for the people of the world, the combat orders had to occupy seats as quickly as possible.

Deputy Bishop Heinz’s words were not much different from Felix’s words. Only the conclusion was the exact opposite.

“The story has become too long. At any rate, I will not forget your request. But I still do not know whether I will negotiate with you or with the combat orders.”

“I see.”

He had intended to visit the Order of the Olive Tree as well, but it seemed there was no particular need to go.

Elbridge stepped out of the Temple of the Golden Platter and trudged along the crowded streets of Solenion.

As he walked through the marketplace like that, a loud shout was heard.

“Those who haven’t offered their prayers yet! We will finalize the deal on the best terms! The lowest commission! The largest number of gathered people currently! You all know that the more people there are, the better the negotiation terms get, right? Do not hesitate and come over!”

Looking back, some young man was standing on a platform, shouting. ‘White Hands’ must surely refer to people like him.

For some reason, he felt drained.

Elbridge plopped down on a wooden box by the roadside.

Watching the people busily coming and going, everything felt like a dream.

Elbridge mulled over Felix’s words, the Chief Paladin’s words, and Deputy Bishop Heinz’s words.

Elbridge knew better than anyone that the upcoming battle against the demon would be far from easy.

But at the same time, Elbridge had been ignoring the fact that the battle with the demon was not everything.

Humans never unite, even in the face of a demon, at the crossroads of survival, or at the boundary of life and death.

People endlessly dispute with others to carry through their thoughts and for their respective interests.

There were times when the strife among the orders was even more violent than the battle with the demon. Force was also occasionally mobilized in battles between orders.

How wonderful would it be if everyone could cooperate with one heart and fight the demon.

As Elbridge was blankly watching the people, an oracle descended.

– Elbridge. You look listless.

“Goddess. Did you hear the conversation I just had with Deputy Bishop Heinz?”

– I heard it.

Until now, he had requested support from the Goddess of the Rusty Shield because he did not have much to say.

But now, Elbridge desperately yearned for the Goddess’s support.

“Goddess. I absolutely need your sincere support.”

– My heart feels like it is tearing apart because the only thing I can do is tell you to find strength. But Elbridge, your Goddess will always believe in you, and will be by your side.

Elbridge felt human warmth in the Goddess’s oracle. No, should he call it divine warmth?

– Elbridge. Go find Marcus and Rombel today. Eat greasy food, and drink high-quality wine until you are drunk. Speak open-heartedly. Sing at the top of your lungs, using the loud voices of the people around you as your accompaniment. And sleep soundly without thinking about anything. This is the mission your Goddess entrusts to you, Elbridge.

For some unknown reason, Elbridge became a little happier.

“Elbridge, the faithful paladin of the Goddess. I will surely carry out the mission you have entrusted to me, Goddess.”

As Elbridge offered a prayer while clasping his two hands, the Goddess of the Rusty Shield burst into a clear laugh.

For some reason, strength seemed to well up in his body.

The moment Elbridge was about to stand up from his seat, two people approached his side.

One was the person he had seen in the morning. The Chief Paladin of the Order of the Bloody Spear.

The other person was a lightly armed female knight, and a laurel wreath pattern was drawn right in the center of her chest. Judging by the decorations on her pauldrons, the female knight also seemed to be a chief paladin.

The Chief Paladin of the Order of the Bloody Spear said.

“Sir Elbridge. You seem to have had a conversation with Deputy Bishop Heinz.”

Indeed, their news was fast.

“I was talking with him until just now. What is the matter?”

Elbridge assumed a slightly crooked posture.

The current Elbridge had recovered far more strength than during the last Grand Festival.

Since he had the confidence to easily subdue them even if they drew their swords right now, there was nothing to hold him back.

The Chief Paladin of the Order of the Laurel Wreath replied.

“We would like it if you would keep pace with the combat orders as much as possible.”

Elbridge chuckled.

“Do you know that within ten days at the longest, a demon will appear in Solenion?”

“We know.”

This answer came from the Order of the Bloody Spear.

Even though they had not even brought up such a story earlier.

“That is why I came to find you, Sir Elbridge. I will not stop you from negotiating with the Order of the Golden Platter, so please promise just one thing.”

“What is it?”

“If a demon appears before the voting ends, please do not fight the demon until the year passes. The situation must become urgent for us to gain the upper hand in the negotiations.”

And the Chief Paladin of the Order of the Bloody Spear concluded with the words Elbridge had expected.

“This is for all the people in this world.”

Was this the third time hearing this story?

Elbridge burst into laughter despite himself.

He wanted to get drunk on alcohol, just like the Goddess’s oracle.

“I see.”

Elbridge walked away without answering further.

However they took that reaction, the two Chief Paladins did not hold Elbridge back.

Elbridge walked toward the Mage Tower in search of Rombel.

How long had he walked like that? The noisy voices of the people gradually subsided.

Elbridge looked around. People were looking up at the sky. Elbridge’s gaze also turned toward the sky.

Purple clouds were rolling in from the east. The familiar yet bizarre purple clouds.

Elbridge thought while looking at those clouds. That he was out of luck to get drunk today.

Standing still, Elbridge offered a prayer to the Goddess.

“Goddess. What do you think I should do?”

Elbridge left the choice to the Goddess.

However, unlike all the people he had met today, the Goddess of the Rusty Shield did not force anything upon Elbridge.

– Elbridge. Countless gods aim for seats. But to your Goddess, a seat is merely a means and a result. Of course, it would be a lie to say that I am not covetous of a second seat… Just do as you think is right.

Elbridge nodded and walked in the direction the clouds were approaching.