Chapter 232
Chapter 232
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 232
Chapter Title: Crusader Army
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"Pour it!"
A bare-chested, muscle-bound zealot roared out with savage intensity.
The tavern was a scene straight out of madness. Macho types decked out in all sorts of bizarre armor had taken over every seat, belting out incomprehensible hymns or prayers while howling at the top of their lungs.
"Ah, ahaha..."
"Saint Kim Katt, our kind-hearted church folk are just welcoming you with open arms—no need to feel burdened."
And right in the middle of it all were me and Elise.
"Take the drink, friend! No matter what god you follow, if we share the goal of wiping out those evil bastards, we're as good as brothers!"
The black-panty crusader said that as he thrust a glass my way.
Everything's fine, but your outfit is way too much for me.
I took the glass anyway.
"Brother Archio may look the part, but he's surprisingly flexible."
His getup didn't leave room for any compromise in the world. Ultimate flexibility? Yeah, like his panties—transcending all rules and principles.
"R-Really?"
"Absolutely."
Elise downed the rum she was holding. Minor back home... but an adult by this world's standards. So I followed suit, knocking back the glass from the black-panty crusader—Archio, for short—in one go.
Gulp!
The rum burned its way down my throat.
That's strong.
"Gah...! It's bitter!"
"That's the spirit! Have more!"
"Hoo, am I the only one drinking? Archio, your turn!"
He was about to pour another, but I beat him to it this time.
Archio slammed his down too.
GRAAAAAH!!
For the Order God!
For the Order God!
For the descent of paradise!
For the descent of paradise!
One thing was for sure—the noise was deafening, my head pounding. Crusaders and nuns alike clustered together, shouting and reveling in drunken song and dance.
Our table was packed too, of course.
Seemed they were dying to hear Elise's updates and my tales.
So I started spilling, chugging endlessly poured drinks the whole time.
"So...! Those Ezats bastards! The second we got here, we slaughtered a ton of 'em! Right, Elise?!"
"Yes! The first ones we judged? We hacked off their ankles, tortured them, and killed them! I wanted to show you how pathetically they screamed!"
Elise was either drunk or just fired up, letting out a shriek beyond her usual as she spoke with passion. Seeing that got my blood boiling too...! Louder! Shout even louder!
Koreans are a people of passion!
Backing down from 'passion' anywhere would tarnish the honor of our nation!
"That's our Elise!"
"Seeing how you've grown so properly fills my heart with ease!"
"Ezats! Those filthy heretics worshiping evil gods deserve no less!"
I'd just exaggerated some brutal stories on the fly, but the reaction was explosive. Elise seemed to love recounting her deeds too... This place is a den of lunatics.
Only these folks could make tales of killing so damn fun.
I let the feeling pour out.
"Ha—haha! Evil scum should all be killed and turned into compost! That's the only way to recycle that trash! Grind 'em all up for fertilizer!"
"Well said! Brothers and sisters! Look at Saint Kim Katt! This is true, righteous thinking!"
"Right on, Elise! We're divine!"
"Friends! Saint, have another!"
"Yeah, yeah! If Elise is pouring, I gotta drink!"
Elise and I synced up, our energy skyrocketing endlessly!
Right now, I was Kim Katt, swept up in unstoppable impulse!
"O, oooh...! Friend, you talk sense! Fertilizer! Never thought of that!"
"Archio! If we get bodies on this pilgrimage, we'll do it for sure!"
"Oh! Naturally! All heretic corpses from this crusade—fertilizer! Got it?!"
"Yes!"
In the chaos, my offhand joke got a dead-serious response from the crusaders.
Turning people... into fertilizer?
I couldn't tell if this was booze-fueled hallucination or terrifying reality. They were actually planning to follow through on my joke—it was horrifying.
"Elise has an eye for people! Friend! Wanna join the Radiant Cross Society? I'd hook you up!"
"Haha! Appreciate it, but sadly, I follow my ancestral gods!"
"Shame! Hey, we're out of booze...? Innkeep! Booze is gone! Don't worry about money—bring whatever you've got!"
"Yessir!"
And so we drank with the Radiant Cross Society crusaders, bonding away. It felt like an all-you-can-drink buffet—no limits till my guts swam in booze. Mood was soaring.
"Shall we head to the end~!"
Caught up in the hype, I hopped on the table and belted out a tune.
I was shining at peak form. Everything got explosive cheers. I even did a quick spin like passionate dance teacher Yoon Doo-sun, then roared again!
"Death to evil! Punishment! Judgment! Let's burn every heretic off this land!"
WAAAAAH!!
Cheers erupted!
"O, oooh...! Horrid heretics! Everyone! Know what Elise and I saw?! Human stew! Human stew! Those damned Ezats-worshiping heretics were hunting and cooking people!"
Explosive rage!
"What did you sayyyyyy?!"
"Uwaaaaaah!!"
"No way, that's impossible!!"
Sloshed to the gills, faces beet-red, the crusaders twisted and screamed. The words "human stew" sparked transcendent fury... Peak frustration fuel!
They couldn't just let that slide!
Time for some sweet release!
"So Elise and I tortured 'em all and killed 'em!!"
"Good job! Damn good!!"
"Perfect!!!!!!!!"
"Kuh...! Thank god, thank god!! So glad!!"
These nutjobs!
They clapped, half in tears. Booze had fried their emotions. No way they'd be this moved by torture-and-kill stories otherwise.
"Kuh! Sob...! The victims! The victims!! U, uwaaaah!! Ezats! Hateful evil god! You fucking bastard!!"
Riding the vibe, tears welled in my eyes too. Requiem. Back then, I danced to honor the victims' souls. But that doesn't erase the pain.
How much it hurt.
How agonizing.
How sad.
"Hic... hic...! Order God! How can such atrocities exist?!"
"Paradise! Without paradise descending...! The suffering won't end!"
"Let's smash heretics right now!"
The crusaders sobbed, unleashing madness. Their tears could pass for blood. Dazed and weeping, they drew their weapons.
Click.
Shing.
Clank!
Freakish swords. Saw-toothed axes. Scissor-like knuckles, skewers for ripping hearts... More torture tools than weapons.
"Let's go."
"Let's go."
"Pilgrimage, justice."
"Death to the wicked."
They murmured solemn vows, staggering to their feet—
"Ah, wait. Everyone, calm down. Drunk as you are, you couldn't kill a heretic baby. Rest up till you're right, then we start."
Sera pressed down on the rising crusaders' shoulders, laying them back. Totally wasted, they collapsed powerlessly.
...Me too.
I was spent, face-planting the table.
Too hyped, no restraint—I'd gone overboard.
No more.
Cloudy... Winia... take me away...
"Ugh... Saint, you okay?"
"Feels like death..."
Elise had pounded plenty too—slurring as she called me.
"Elise, you look rough. Time to head back and rest. You've been hunting heretics, so recovery means more hunts."
"Sister... Blaret... I'm fine..."
"You look anything but. Take Saint Kim Katt and go. Even if you say you're okay, he looks beat."
True enough.
I'm dying here.
"Got it, Sister Blaret."
"Not 'big sis'?"
"...Sera sis."
"Hehe. Get him home safe."
Elise hoisted me up.
Sera spoke to my lolling head.
"Saint Kim Katt. Great words today. Pure righteous cry—something to emulate... If you're up for it, I'd love to hear about your ancestral faith next time. We'll meet again anyway. You're smashed—go rest."
"Hic! Thanks... Was at my limit..."
"Hehe, your tolerance is a bit low."
I'd chugged like a beast, and it's low? This woman's a monster.
"Thanks for befriending Elise. Take care."
With that, Elise supported me outside. Drunk herself, but she held me steady.
"Hey, Elise. I can walk. Let go."
"Can't even move. I'll help—just use your legs."
"...Yeah. Thanks. Body won't budge."
"Knew it. I lost control too... Hic!"
"Heh, hiccups?"
"...Embarrassing. Don't say it."
The downpour had eased. We trudged slowly under the drizzle, leaning on each other.
"Saint. Today was fun. So much to learn from your ideals. Now I'm super curious about that 'Confucianism' you follow."
No way I said anything worth learning today.
Why do these folks love this stuff?
"Confucianism... Mine's less pure Confucianism, more Kim Katt fusion remix."
Buddhism, Christianity, my takes, mixed with Central Plains Heavenly Demon Cult vibes—tailored to this world. Fusion Confucianism.
Not a cult.
"Fusion Confucianism?"
"Yeah... Hard to explain—I'll break it down situationally. Tons of it. You'll pick it up traveling together."
"...Looking forward."
Midway, Elise tired too—went quiet.
Silence fell.
Only rain pattered as we walked.
"We're here, Saint."
"Ugh... Sorry, just to the room."
Get sick and I'm screwed. Chugged free pours—vision spinning... Rain tomorrow anyway, so crash hard.
Creeeak.
"Oh, nun... blackie?"
Winia opened the door.
Saw my face, grimaced—but Elise was there, so she forced a smile.
"Ended up at a drinking party. Saint's pretty wasted."
"Ugh... Winia?"
"Agh, you stupid blackie. Thanks, nun. Brought him here? Tough job."
"No trouble. Later."
Elise handed me off and left.
Winia caught me against her chest.
"Oh, forgot to ask. You two didn't drink alone, right, blackie?"
Winia asked.
What if we did?
Don't worry, Winia. Never happening.
"Alone? Nah. Went to check out the crusaders... Got dragged into Radiant Cross Society booze-up."
"What? Why them... Oh, right—nun's one of theirs. Yeah, they're kinda nuts..."
They were.
"Hit it off fine."
"...Blackie's one too. Ugh, soaked. If you hate the floor, go wash."
"Can't move... Exhausted..."
"Then rot on the floor."
"Harsh..."
Cloudy slept on the bed.
I flopped sadly on the floor.
Winia, mercifully, threw a blanket over me.