Paladin of a Fallen Order (Novel) - Chapter 9 - Oswald

Chapter 9 – Oswald

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Translated by Pratt

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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As the atmosphere became strange, the knight who had presented the magic beast’s forepaw asked Baron Riverford.

“My lord. What is the matter?”

“Sir Eberhart. That…”

Only now was the knight’s name mentioned. Was the middle-aged knight who grew a stylish mustache Eberhart, and the young knight in his mid-thirties Oswald?

However, Baron Riverford could not clearly explain the current situation to Oswald and Eberhart, and merely hemmed and hawed. He seemed to find the awkward situation burdensome.

Baron Riverford’s son spoke without reading the room.

“I heard that Sir Walter and Sir Elbridge hunted the wolf magic beast… What is going on?”

Oswald and Eberhart’s bodies stiffened.

Walter crossed his arms and thought.

‘I figured as much.’

Walter thought they would feel ashamed. However, the reaction that followed differed from his expectations.

The relatively young knight, Oswald, furrowed his brow and spoke to Sir Walter.

“Sir Walter. I did not think you were that kind of person.”

“…What does that mean?”

“I know you eagerly wished for achievements these past few years. However, do not forget that what is even more important than achievements for a knight is honor.”

Walter understood the meaning of those words and gasped, his mouth agape.

“Do you think that I snatched away your achievement?”

Oswald did not deny those words. In the end, Walter could not bear it and leaped up from his seat.

“I will speak frankly. I am starting to think that you merely brought back the forepaw of the magic beast that Sir Elbridge and I caught.”

“…Sir Walter. I will ask you just one thing. Earlier, the young lord said that you and that Elbridge…? At any rate, that fellow. The two of you hunted the magic beast. Is that the truth?”

“It is the truth.”

“Common-sensically, do you think that makes any sense?”

Walter hesitated.

Even to Walter himself, it was a tale that did not feel very realistic. For only two people to hunt a magic beast.

And wasn’t it true that no one died or ended up disabled?

Walter raised his voice.

“Whether you believe it or not, it is a clear fact that Sir Elbridge and I hunted the magic beast. There is a witness as well. Look for Marcus at the Mercenary Guild. Because he is the witness.”

“Are there no other eyewitnesses?”

“…None.”

“The sole witness is a mercenary who moves for money… Hmph. I see.”

Oswald sneered at Walter.

Walter wanted to swing a fist right then and there.

However, unlike the agitated Walter, Elbridge was peaceful from start to finish. Because Elbridge regarded hunting a magic beast as no grand achievement. It made little difference to Elbridge whose possession the credit for hunting the magic beast became.

Rather, Elbridge was continuing his meal with the feeling of watching an exciting play.

At that moment, the knight Oswald pointed at Elbridge.

“You said you are Sir Elbridge. Which fief’s knight are you?”

Elbridge replied indifferently.

“I am not a knight bound to a fief.”

“Were you a knight-errant?”

A knight-errant referred to a knight who wandered without any proper affiliation.

Because they often did not settle down to evade duties, they tended to have a poor reputation among knights. Of course, it was a story unrelated to Elbridge.

“I am not a knight-errant, but a paladin. A paladin who serves the Goddess of the Rusty Shield.”

At that, Oswald let out a snicker and burst into laughter.

“A paladin? Goodness, how absurd.”

“Is there a problem?”

“If you were a knight-errant, I would have at least pretended to believe you. But a paladin? Who doesn’t know that anyone can become a paladin as long as they offer a generous donation? In the first place, I do not even consider a paladin to be a knight. And such a knight hunted a magic beast?”

Elbridge was taken aback. That one could become a paladin simply by donating?

Because it was a story hard to believe, Elbridge looked around.

However, not to mention Oswald and Eberhart, even Walter and Baron Riverford showed no inclination to deny that statement.

Elbridge let out a hollow chuckle.

“Hah.”

The knights and paladins Elbridge remembered had a relationship of mutual respect.

However, if people asked which side was more respected between knights and paladins, that was definitely the paladin.

Because becoming a paladin was far more difficult, and the duties a paladin had to shoulder were much heavier.

To become a knight, one merely needed to prove their aptitude, receive the lord’s financial support, and train while accumulating mana. However, paladins were not made in such a manner.

One must train for years and have their aptitude recognized to become an apprentice paladin. Only after becoming an apprentice paladin could one follow paladins to accumulate real combat experience.

One must hunt magic beasts three or five times alongside a paladin to be recognized as a novice paladin.

In this process, roughly half of the apprentice paladins died.

For a novice paladin to be recognized as a paladin, they had to survive a battle with a demon.

There was no need to win. They merely had to survive, even if they had to receive the protection of other knights. However, even that was no easy feat.

Novice paladins of typical orders died at a rate of seventy to eighty percent in the final stage.

The Order of the Rusty Shield was in an even worse situation. Because the paladins of the Order of the Rusty Shield mainly roamed battlefields with terrible conditions, only about one out of ten novice paladins survived.

Even if ten or twenty young people with excellent aptitude gathered, only one would survive to become a paladin.

For what reason did those with outstanding aptitude willingly accept such a harsh fate?

The answer was simple. Because they had lost everything to demons and magic beasts.

Demons and magic beasts leave fear and anger in survivors. The majority forget their anger due to fear.

However, those who overcame fear through anger walked the path of a paladin to burn down the demons along with themselves.

It was an era where even those who crossed the line between life and death to be called paladins died one after another in battles with demons and vanished.

If they grew exhausted from repeating endless battles and refused to fight demons, they could no longer even be called paladins. Such was the case for the paladins of all orders.

Everyone’s respect and admiration for a paladin originated from the paladin’s endless devotion and sacrifice.

That was why not only knights but also high nobles could not commit such rudeness toward a paladin.

Elbridge put down his fork and knife.

“Did you say you are Sir Oswald?”

“That is so.”

“Actually, I have no interest whatsoever in where that magic beast’s forepaw came from. Likewise, I have no interest in the paltry honor that forepaw will bring.”

Looking back, it was something he couldn’t have missed.

It was a world where demons had become a tall tale.

In such a world, who could possibly be called a paladin simply for surviving a duel with a demon?

The paladins of the current era were bound to differ from the paladins of the past.

Just as they said, they might have obtained the status of paladin thanks to a fat donation.

Perhaps they claimed to be paladins because they needed a decent status to show off in front of people.

However, Elbridge was a person of the past.

Although he lived in this era, he was a person of the past, and there were just too many paladins he remembered vividly.

Elbridge could not pretend to ignore statements that insulted paladins as a whole and just pass it over.

Since that would be an insult to the countless paladins who fought prepared for death.

Elbridge rose from his seat and pointed at Oswald.

“However, I must correct that speaking habit of yours. Step outside.”

*

The people who had been in the reception-room-cum-dining-room gathered in the cozy courtyard inside the castle.

Unlike Baron Riverford’s son, who was highly expectant, Baron Riverford was extremely restless. There were occasionally such people in the world. People who found all conflicts between individuals burdensome.

When Oswald drew his sword and laid down his scabbard, Elbridge approached and picked up Oswald’s scabbard.

“Why are you taking the scabbard?”

“Because I don’t have a sword. I will use it instead of a sword.”

“…”

Oswald let out a deep sigh, then spoke to Elbridge.

“At least put on armor. Even if it is a duel, I have no intention of harming our lord’s guest.”

“I do not have armor either.”

“No sword, no armor… You really have it all, don’t you.”

Oswald spoke as such, then went to the back of the castle and brought a blunt practice sword.

“I was going to bring yours as well, but there was only one practice sword. You may use a real sword. I will lend you my sword.”

“I will decline.”

“…”

Unlike Walter or Elbridge, Oswald had just arrived, so he had not yet removed his breastplate.

As Oswald was clumsily attempting to remove his breastplate, Elbridge stopped him.

“Do not remove your breastplate.”

“Shouldn’t we both be without armor to be fair?”

“I do not have much experience sparring or dueling with humans.”

Hearing Elbridge’s words, Oswald let out a chuckle.

“You requested a duel so spiritedly, and now you are gradually getting scared? Really…”

“I am saying I lack confidence in finishing this without Sir Oswald getting hurt. Just wear the armor.”

“Hah.”

Hearing such words, there was no way he could bear it.

Oswald threw off his breastplate as if tossing it away.

“Now then, let’s see the skill of our grand paladin.”

Oswald tapped the ground twice with his sword, then kicked off the earth.

Swish!

Explosive acceleration befitting a knight. Along with it, Oswald’s practice sword aimed at Elbridge’s shoulder.

No, it had attempted to aim. While the tip of Oswald’s sword was finding its direction, Elbridge’s scabbard, shooting forward half a beat faster, twisted the tip of Oswald’s sword away.

At the moment his balance slightly wavered, Elbridge’s scabbard flew in, aiming at the space between Oswald’s eyebrows.

“…!”

Oswald twisted his head to dodge the scabbard. It was a reaction fast enough that he admired it himself.

However, at the very next moment, Oswald felt a powerful impact at the side of his knee and collapsed to the ground.

Crash!

“…?”

Oswald did not immediately realize what had occurred to him. Therefore, Oswald looked down at his knee where the pain was felt.

On the outer side of his right knee, Elbridge’s footprint remained.

“Take it.”

Elbridge extended the scabbard to Oswald with an indifferent expression.

Oswald pushed the scabbard away with his hand and spoke.

“I merely made a slight mistake.”

As he spoke, Oswald’s ears flushed red.

Because even to his own thoughts, that was an excessively clear statement of a loser.

Inwardly, the thought that Elbridge might differ from a typical paladin crept up.

However, he had no intention of admitting defeat so helplessly. Although it was Elbridge who requested the duel, wasn’t it himself who snapped at the opponent first?

Even if his face was slightly damaged, he needed a second chance.

“I see.”

Fortunately, Elbridge accepted Oswald’s re-challenge.

Oswald spoke.

“…Terms are: you may attack first.”

In reality, that was a statement closer to a request than permission. Everyone except Oswald felt that way.

‘Block the first attack, and calmly counter.’

Oswald thought Elbridge would charge at him with explosive acceleration.

However, Elbridge walked up with large strides and swung the scabbard. It was not particularly fast either. Oswald blocked the scabbard with ease.

The scabbard flew in again. Likewise, it was not fast, so he managed to block it. However, he did not yet have the luxury to counter.

A third attack followed. It was still not fast, but this time he felt somehow a little endangered. A fourth attack, which rushed in before he could even counter, aimed at Oswald. He thought he had blocked it this time as well. However, the sword slipped from Oswald’s hand and was sent flying.

Clang. The edgeless practice sword rolled on the ground, letting out a metallic ring.

Elbridge spoke calmly.

“Do not be conceited, and if you practice steadily, you will become a finer knight than now.”

The strongest knight Oswald had implicitly thought of was a knight possessing the strongest power and the fastest speed. He thought skill and experience were matters of next priority.

And Elbridge was the first person Oswald faced who stood outside the logic of strength and speed.

It was only natural. Oswald was a knight who had only now experienced his first magic beast hunt and was thoroughly excited.

On the other hand, Elbridge was a person who had fought dozens of battles with demons where one couldn’t know from where what attack would fly in, so from the very beginning, it made no sense for Oswald to fight and win against Elbridge.

“That…”

Even if Oswald was a hot-tempered person, he was not someone devoid of even the minimum pride as a knight.

And he was also a knight possessing a strong competitive spirit and desire for improvement.

Therefore, Oswald could not help but admit that Elbridge’s sparring was an opportunity that would never come again in his lifetime. The grievance related to the wolf magic beast was already forgotten.

With a face red enough to burst, Oswald spoke to Elbridge.

“…I admit defeat. I also apologize for my rude remarks. Therefore…”

Oswald bowed his head deeply.

“May I try attacking you once more?”

Oswald knew that even if he had to bend his pride, he had to gather the crumbs of skill and experience Elbridge possessed. Because the pride bent now might save his life in the future.

Elbridge replied with a slightly softened voice.

“Sure.”

It was at that moment.

Creeeeak—

Just as the duel with pride on the line was stealthily transforming into sparring, the cozy gate of the castle opened.

And five people revealed themselves.

All five were mounted knights.

The physical build of the person standing at the lead was the largest, and judging by his attire, his status seemed higher than the other four.

Baron Riverford was startled.

“Viscount Dickens!”

‘If it is Viscount Dickens…’

It was the name of the neighboring lord whom Oswald and Eberhart had reportedly gone to help.

At the sudden appearance of Viscount Dickens, everyone except Elbridge was considerably surprised.

“What brings you here on a visit? You seem to be a little too tired…”

That they seemed tired was Baron Riverford’s euphemistic expression.

The appearance of the five knights resembled defeated soldiers. They were utterly exhausted, their eyes seemed possessed by ghosts, and blood and dust were smeared all over their improperly maintained armor.

Viscount Dickens spoke in a dazed voice, as if dreaming.

“On the way back to my fief, another wolf magic beast appeared.”

“Oh!”

Listening to the story, Elbridge organized his thoughts.

‘Elbridge and Walter hunted one wolf magic beast.’

‘Oswald and Eberhart claimed they helped Viscount Dickens catch a wolf magic beast.’

‘And Viscount Dickens said he discovered one “more” wolf magic beast on the way back to his fief.’

‘…Three magic beasts?’

If there were two magic beasts, it could be a tall tale or a lie, but if there were three, the story changed.

Baron Riverford consoled Viscount Dickens.

“Viscount, do not worry. My three brave knights are prepared to help Viscount Dickens at any time.”

However, Viscount Dickens shook his head.

“…Sir Neria died, but the magic beast hunt was successful. Because it was a fellow almost identical to the one we faced once, we were able to win even while exhausted.”

In that case, why did Viscount Dickens come to the Riverford Barony instead of returning to his own fief?

“We arrived at the fief like that, but.”

Inside Elbridge’s chest felt ticklish.

Somehow, he felt like he knew what this situation was.

“There was no one in the fief.”

“Pardon? What do you mean there was no one?”

“Literally. There was no one. Adults, children, men, women, farmers, merchants, even my vassals and family members, absolutely everyone. What was even stranger was that there were no bloodstains, no signs of fire, and no signs of people having departed.”

In a world where magic beasts were rare, three magic beasts were suddenly witnessed.

People who vanished without a trace.

In Elbridge’s experience, when such a bizarre situation occurred, one never went wrong by assuming it was a demon’s doing.

Hard times create strong people, and strong people create peaceful times.

Peaceful times create weak people, and weak people bring hard times.

The peaceful era of those who had grown weak,

the era when demons had become legend, was coming to an end.

Elbridge thought.

‘…Life.’