Chapter 582: Some Things Cannot Be Hidden
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 582: Some Things Cannot Be Hidden
Encrid believed the Holy Church was in the wrong. He didn't care if they refused to admit their mistakes or eventually turned against him, but things didn't play out that way.
To be precise, the one-eyed monk who had saved Seiki would not allow it.
"From today on, I will take responsibility for the monastery."
Encrid had rescued the monk and freed the child locked in the basement. Having lived in captivity since a very young age, the boy seemed to find the current situation even more terrifying than his imprisonment.
Squeezed among the crowd, the boy couldn't even speak, staring at Encrid’s group with trembling eyes.
To any observer, Encrid and his companions were the perpetrators of violence—the ones currently in control.
Encrid couldn't help that. It wasn't as if Sinar was the type to soothe a child, and the same went for Seiki. The boy only clung to the one-eyed monk. It seemed the monk had occasionally looked after him even while he was locked away.
The other woman who had saved Seiki had fainted and had yet to recover. While she hadn't been tortured in the traditional sense, she had been subjected to a "beating to atone for sins," which was practically the same thing. Still, she wasn't going to die.
Although she had no intention of becoming a Saintess, Seiki—born with innate divine power—had already bestowed a white light upon the woman's body. Since Seiki couldn't control her power properly yet, the wounds didn't heal instantly, but everyone saw that the light had restored the woman's energy, making it much easier for her to breathe.
Watching the boy cling to the monk's leg, Seiki spoke up.
"I think he'll take good care of him even if we leave him behind. We don't need to worry about that child, do we? That man helped me even though it could have cost him his life."
In some ways, Seiki had a cold side. Because she acted according to the standards she set in her own mind, her attitude was that she couldn't help what happened afterward. It was a habit of accurately grasping the reality of a situation—a trait developed from living the way she had since childhood.
The person Seiki referred to was the one-eyed monk.
The monk, speaking of responsibility, stroked his bald head. He pulled and smoothed his worn, tattered clothes to make them presentable, then placed a hand on the boy's head.
The boy peeked out from behind the monk's thin legs, only half his face visible. He looked to be about seven or eight years old. He was merely a child the cult intended to raise as a saint because of his talent; he wasn't someone who could emit Holy Light or brew potions yet.
This alone proved that the Cult of Abundance was breeding children with such talents. It was something they couldn't simply stand by and watch.
"I feel like we should kill them all before we leave," Sinar said to the new abbot.
It was rare for her to express such interest. She was not an elf who typically cared about the business of others.
Almost no one had died at the hands of Encrid or Sinar during the raid. The only exception was a man who had struggled to survive until the end and tried to take a hostage. It had been an absurd move. Encrid had exerted sudden force while hiding his true purpose—deliberately not stating he was there to save anyone—yet the man who fled ended up trying to pull off a hostage situation just to save his own skin.
Other than that, Encrid had planned to rescue the people first and deal with the rest later. He was even willing to let those who wanted to run away go.
But no one was running.
It was then that the bald monk stepped forward, speaking as if shouting to the entire assembly. If it were a matter of pure force, there were several martial monks who could have oppressed him once Encrid’s group left. That was why Sinar had suggested taking more permanent action.
"You do not need to do that," the monk replied to Sinar.
He offered a faint smile. Even in this chaos, his gaze did not waver. He was a man of firm mind.
No one had expected things to turn out like this. But for someone who lived in reality while chasing ideals, this was a monumental opportunity. And opportunity was something only the prepared could seize.
The monk, who had lost an eye but welcomed the hero sent by the messenger of God, was exactly that—a prepared man.
He knew exactly what he would do and how he should act if the Church were to find its path and walk in the light. He also knew that most of those remaining in the monastery were people who blindly followed orders from above without knowing any better.
That was the reality.
Just like the behavior of the Archbishop whom Overdear and Audin had gone to hunt down—even if the upper echelons were corrupt, not everyone they led shared that malice. Among them were those who were righteous and those who had realized the truth. There were those who steeled their hearts upon seeing the change, and those who repeatedly prayed for their sins to be forgiven.
Is a person perfect just because they believe in God? Surely not. Everyone makes mistakes.
Encrid himself believed he had reached this point through an accumulation of mistakes and failures. Perhaps there was no point in nitpicking every single error they had made—especially since the man who wanted to become the new abbot desired it so.
"My name is Noah."
After stating his name, the monk quietly began to wrap up the matter.
"The messenger of God came and rebuked us, and I have decided to uphold that rebuke. As for Shilma, the former abbess... she repented of her sins, felt them deeply, and died."
In a way, it was a series of absurd stories, but if they insisted on this version of events, there was nothing the Church could do immediately. What could they say when a member of the Church and the entire monastery stood in agreement?
But the Church wouldn't just sit still. Encrid worried about that.
"You can say Encrid of the Border Guard did it."
He was telling Noah to shift the blame. Why? Because if a monk named Noah stepped forward to take responsibility, the Church would likely punish him with force.
"No. I cannot do that. Are you greedy for the credit? Even so, please yield it, brother. I lost my eye and saved the Saintess."
Noah said it with a smile. Contrary to the literal meaning of his words, he was insisting that the responsibility was his alone. Encrid could not break his stubbornness. Instead, he left only a promise.
"If a problem arises, contact the Border Guard. If I hear the name Noah, I will send troops."
It was not a light promise. Both Encrid and Noah knew this.
"On the path you walk, fallen fruit shall always drop so you will not starve, and abundance shall be with you so your heart will not grow sick."
Encrid nodded.
Afterward, Noah told him not to worry and briefly discussed the reorganization of the monastery. Just because he was devout and purposeful did not mean he would blindly push his beliefs. He intended to fortify the monastery itself, taking advantage of the narrow path leading into it.
"You're bolder than I thought," Encrid remarked.
Noah smiled brightly. "Surely not as bold as you."
Wasn't it better than beating everyone up with a club—not even a sword—just because they displeased him, and then threatening to kill them if they didn't listen?
Of course, Noah actually liked Encrid's boisterousness. Encrid said he did it not because he weighed right and wrong, but because it annoyed him, which sounded incredibly cool to the monk.
"Well then."
"I would like to ask you to rest for even a day before you go, but it is a pity that you cannot."
"I'll come back later."
"Please do. Brother Encrid of the Border Guard, we will always welcome you as a friend."
"Next time I come, serve me some good tea."
When Encrid said this, Noah smiled and nodded. Among those who had been beaten, a few martial monks were seen bowing their heads after gauging the atmosphere.
"Thank you for the labor of gathering the fallen fruit."
They, too, offered their blessings.
Encrid immediately set off. To reach the Border Guard, they would have to walk with haste. Since it was a path she had traveled before, Seiki stepped forward as the guide. Regardless of whether monsters appeared, she prepared a short route to minimize their travel distance.
"You're really good at fighting, aren't you? I don't think even the monsters where I used to live would stand a chance against you."
"What kind of monster was it?"
"It breathes fire."
It seemed to be a flame lizard monster that had settled in the land after the summoning of the Salamander.
"Right. If I get the chance sometime, I'll kill that one for you too."
Killing monsters was always an exciting prospect.
"No, I'm going to kill it. Later. So I'd prefer if you didn't touch it, but if you insist on doing it, I can't stop you."
As Seiki replied, Encrid thought the more he talked with this child, the more peculiar she became. She had her own intentions and told him not to interfere because she would do her own work, yet her attitude was also that she couldn't help things that were out of her reach.
"Fine, then you kill it."
"Ah, while we're at it, can you teach me some swordplay?"
"Shall I?"
Encrid was someone who faithfully adhered to the idea that one learns by teaching. Moreover, he believed he had a decent talent for instruction. It was only natural; he had crawled all the way up from the very bottom to become a knight.
Whether organizing sword techniques or anything else, there was probably no one who had experienced the step-by-step grind as much as Encrid. Furthermore, who else had stayed at each stage for so long, repeating the same day? No one.
Was it Lionesis Oniak who had established swordsmanship through Jeong-Jung-Hwan-Kwae-Yu? If he continued like this, Encrid might one day create a systematic training method for knights. It was as if, beyond carefully walking a path no one had trodden, he had walked while touching the dirt, smelling it, and even chewing it.
Of course, that was a matter for the distant future. Right now, Encrid couldn't even think of such things. Just pushing forward step by step was overwhelming enough. Becoming a knight wasn't the end; there was still much to learn, master, and realize on his own.
"As expected, you have a soft spot for young girls," Sinar said, overhearing their conversation. It was a trivial joke.
"Yes, let's go with that," Encrid brushed it off.
Hearing that, Sinar added, "Once you fall for the charm of an older woman, you won't be able to escape."
"If that older woman is not three or four years older, but over a hundred, isn't it a bit much to just call her 'older'?"
"You rascal, that was a joke."
Encrid was about to ask how old she was again but stopped himself. Then, Seiki asked without a trace of laughter, "Mister, you're not popular, are you?"
Encrid's heart wavered for a moment. It was the first time in his life he had heard such a thing. But should he discuss with this child how handsome his face was or the people who had courted him in the past? Nothing could be more pathetic.
So, he just did what he had to do.
"Let's start with the basic training of the Border Guard," Encrid said. His tone was gentle, and a faint smile of subtle anticipation appeared on his face.
"Okay."
Seiki nodded, her eyes shining. Her interest had been piqued by watching Encrid fight, and she thought learning would be enjoyable.
"Drop into a half-squat and walk with both arms hanging down toward the ground. Hold your breath and apply force to your abdominal muscles so your upper body doesn't sway."
"Huh?"
"You'll feel tension in your glutes. You just need to walk like that all day today."
"But that will make me walk slowly."
Did it matter if they arrived at the Border Guard a little late? Training was what was important. Besides, the lower body was the foundation of all martial arts.
"Begin."
Encrid picked up the club he had used at the monastery. He was glad he hadn't thrown it away yet. He lifted it, tapping her shoulders and waist to correct her posture.
"Keep it steady."
Sinar watched them from behind and smiled. The smile came naturally; she imagined that if she had a child, it would be fun to teach them like that. Of course, it was an unlikely fantasy. Whether she had feelings for Encrid or not wasn't the issue.
"It is a fine day."
Rumble.
As soon as Sinar spoke, the sky roared.
"I think it's going to rain," Seiki said.
Encrid nodded. "Posture."
Rain or shine, the lower body was important.
Through her life in the monastery and her past experiences, Seiki knew how to choose her words. However, the innocence of being born and raised in the mountains made her reveal her true thoughts.
"I made a mistake. You're not unpopular. Your face is decent enough."
"I'm not doing this because of that."
Encrid silently explained how important this training was—that a strong lower body was the absolute foundation of foundations. Sinar was still laughing.
The rain fell, but Encrid did not bend his stubbornness. Seiki had to walk while getting drenched, performing that grueling lower body training. They diligently traveled on foot all the way to the Border Guard.
Seiki was still awkward at emitting divine power, but she could shoot light at Encrid's injured areas. However, it was still so clumsy that it didn't feel like the wounds were healing. Since that was something Encrid couldn't teach, he told her to focus on her lower body training while he did his own work.
It was a review. Encrid walked while reflecting on his fight with Overdear. He pondered as he walked, and on some days, he spent the time sparring with Sinar. On other days, he taught Seiki how to handle weapons. She said she wanted to learn, but it didn't seem like she had set her heart on swordsmanship yet.
"Isn't it good to be good at fighting?"
When asked for a reason, that was her only answer. A reason wasn't important when it came to learning. Still, she did her best, and in Encrid's eyes, Seiki's talent was extraordinary. Even things he had mastered through countless repetitions, Seiki grasped in no time. He explained techniques for clashing blades and simple wrestling moves, and she managed to mimic them closely.
It was a talent that made him wonder if Ragna's childhood had been like this. The problem was that she had a greater interest in how Encrid had built his current physique than in the techniques themselves. She coveted a trained body more than flashy moves.
Audin would be pleased if he saw this, he thought as they walked.
Encrid also calculated all variables in an instant while reflecting on the fight with Overdear. What was possible, what was impossible. The opponent's movement path, the range of his own limbs, the opponent's reaction to his movements, patterns, and countless other factors.
There were moments when he judged he could seize an opportunity to strike a blow, but he couldn't. He had failed. Was that solely because of Holy Penetration? Or was the reason for his defeat due to his own weaknesses? Because he couldn't emit Will all at once?
Surely that wasn't the only reason.
Overdear was flawless.
Strength, technique, will. He was a man with not a single flaw in any of them. If asked what was exceptionally outstanding about Overdear, it would be hard to answer. That was the characteristic of a paladin.
Then what about me?
What am I outstanding at? What is it that I must resolve right now?
As he pondered day and night, facing his weaknesses with Sinar’s help, Encrid had roughly found a direction by the time they arrived at the Border Guard. It was a technique to increase the amount of Will he emitted. Of course, it wasn't something that would be resolved immediately; it would require countless repetitions to master.
Anyone else would shudder at such an endless task, but Encrid was simply glad that a path was visible.
As they entered the Border Guard...
"Are you crazy?"
Krais welcomed him with a hollow laugh. In that laugh, there was plenty of resentment mixed with relief.
Encrid shrugged his shoulders.
"Are you pretending not to know? The Holy Church, the Theocracy..." Krais said, trailing off.
No matter how much one tried to hide and conceal, there were some things that simply could not be hidden. What Encrid had done was exactly like that.