Chapter 9
Chapter 9
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Translator: Ruby
Chapter: 9
Chapter Title: He Must Have Fought and Fought Alone
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In the game, winning was everything.
But in reality, the situation was a bit different.
Even if they had won, as long as there were casualties, pure joy didn't exist.
Someone had lost a brother-like comrade, someone had lost a close friend.
Since everyone here was a knight, no one cried out loud.
Still, the overall atmosphere of the monastery becoming subdued couldn't be avoided.
Therefore, Diocese Head Haint personally moved around fixing various parts of the monastery.
If he, as the leader, remained still, the monastery's overall recovery would be even slower.
Monted approached him.
"Diocese Head. You can rest a bit."
"Ah. Sir Monted. No. I can't do that. I'm still this lively. Haha!"
"......"
Monted knew well too.
What feelings Diocese Head Haint was moving so diligently with right now.
Probably the guilt about the holy knights who had died because of his inadequacy was the greatest.
He would step forward in place of those who had died.
That would be his inner feelings.
As he aged, things that weren't visible before began to show.
To him with bitter eyes, Diocese Head Haint subtly changed the subject.
"Is Sir Monted leaving now?"
"Yes. Lord Gauriel hasn't finished his work yet. I should join and assist him, shouldn't I? Actually, we're already behind schedule. We need to move quickly."
"Of course. That's right. That's correct, but how is Sir Monted's physical condition?"
Monted had several scratches from ghoul claws in various places.
It wasn't that he lacked skill, but avoiding any damage in a large-scale battlefield was that difficult.
"They're light wounds. The brothers also prepared recovery medicine, so there shouldn't be any problems."
Monted patted the small bag at his side.
"That's fortunate. Alright. Then hurry and go."
"Understood. But, Diocese Head."
"Yes?"
"About what you said yesterday."
"Yesterday? What did I say?"
"About Sir Rohan......"
"Ah. Why do you ask?"
"Are you serious?"
At Monted's cautious question, Diocese Head Haint smiled as if it was nothing.
"Of course I'm serious? We went through that incident together yesterday, didn't we? You must have felt that Sir Rohan isn't unqualified for that. Or do you think I'm doing something too excessive? I'm someone with that level of authority. Haha."
"You know I'm not saying you don't have the authority. Isn't this something that might be too hasty? Bringing Sir Rohan in as an inquisitor."
Diocese Head Haint straightened up from his hunched posture from working.
"Ugh. Now that I'm getting old, I can't do this for long either."
"Diocese Head."
"That's why I'm doing this. I've gotten old now. I can't......do the work of an inquisitor anymore."
"......"
Diocese Head Haint nodded.
"Sir Monted's concerns. This diocese head knows them well too. Although the time observing him wasn't long, it's a judgment I made with considerable effort."
At that moment, Diocese Head Haint's eyes changed briefly but clearly.
To those eyes from when he was active as an inquisitor in the past.
"Hatred toward demons. Anger, obsession with punishment. I felt that. Those are the most important things for an inquisitor."
Monted felt his spine grow slightly cold.
"Sir Rohan already possesses all of that. Plus formidable skill on top of it. What reason would there be for him not to be an inquisitor?"
"But, both the Seven Knights Order and a church inquisitor. No one has ever held those two powers simultaneously."
An inquisitor had power truly above that of nobles when it came to matters concerning demons.
Even powerful nobles would have quite a headache if they got on the wrong side of an inquisitor, let alone ordinary nobles.
Moreover, all five kingdoms of the continent that jointly operated the Seven Knights Order followed the Arlem Church.
That meant the power of an inquisitor shone everywhere in those five kingdoms.
With just the reputation of the Seven Knights Order, one would receive VIP treatment anywhere, but an inquisitor on top of that?
There had never been a case in history of holding both positions concurrently.
"Just because it hasn't happened before doesn't mean it won't happen in the future."
"That's true, but......"
To Monted, who was still skeptical, Diocese Head Haint added one more thing.
"Sir Monted. What did you think when you saw Sir Rohan yesterday?"
"Well......I could tell his skill was good."
"Yes. His skill was truly excellent. He knew the attack patterns and habits of demons well. And he also knew how to deal with large demons like Hellfire Busters."
"Yes."
He couldn't deny it.
Even in that chaotic situation, Rohan hadn't allowed a single attack to hit him.
Moreover, that strike that split the Hellfire Buster.
Unlike cutting down multiple ghouls at once, to cut such a large demon with one stroke required knowing exactly where the weak point was.
He understood even the anatomical structure of demons?
At that level, he was already no ordinary person.
"Watching that, I felt something stirring inside me."
"Because of what aspect......"
"Someone fighting demons for the first time yesterday couldn't possibly have such skill. Then what would be the remaining possibilities?"
Monted nodded at Diocese Head Haint's question.
"It would mean he's fought many battles so far."
"That's right. It has to be that way. In unknown dark nights like yesterday, that no one acknowledges. Sir Rohan must have fought and fought alone."
"That can't be......"
"Yes. That's exactly it. No one would have treated him well, no one would have praised him. Just fighting. We might have slept comfortably with our legs stretched out thanks to him without even knowing it."
"Alone in the shadows......he must have endured for long years."
"He didn't greatly covet power, nor did his eyes sparkle at wealth. He simply punishes evil!"
Monted felt his throat tighten.
'Could I have done that?......'
Well.
He couldn't answer definitively.
How many long years had Rohan endured, gritting his teeth?
He couldn't even begin to fathom it.
And that deep inner strength was tongue-numbingly impressive.
"What would a hero be, really? He is a hero, Sir Monted. That's what I thought. If Sir Rohan, someone like him, can't receive hero treatment in this world? That would truly be the church's crisis. If Sir Rohan can't receive such treatment, who else would dare receive it? Even if God looks down upon him, we should repay him in our own way."
"......My thinking was short-sighted."
In the end, Monted too had no choice but to agree with Diocese Head Haint's words.
"Hehe. That's understandable. Because I was an inquisitor who fought quietly for long years without anyone knowing, I could barely peek behind the curtain of Sir Rohan's life."
"I see."
"Therefore, I'm certain. He has sufficient qualification."
Monted also affirmed.
"Now I think I understand why Lord Gauriel pointed him out."
"Haha. Lord Gauriel's high insight is indeed hard to follow, isn't it?"
"Even serving by his side, I'm often surprised."
"Now Diaz will have such experiences frequently too."
"Yes. Being by Sir Rohan's side......it seems it would be like that."
Monted felt he wanted to observe Rohan a bit more.
But it was difficult right now.
He had to hurry and join Gauriel.
"I'll depart now."
"Yes. Please do."
He left Straun Monastery, looking back one last time.
'We'll meet again. Sir Rohan.'
His feelings now were completely different from when he had brought him to this place.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
I scratched my ear.
"Is someone talking about me?......"
Perhaps because I had used my stamina and unique skill too recklessly at once, I barely opened my eyes when the sun was high in the sky.
Thanks to rampaging in an excited state, my whole body was covered in bruises.
"Uggghhh!"
Each step I took was hell.
Still, it was something that I hadn't died.
Outside, memorials for the dead holy knights were still continuing.
"Phew......"
It was my first large-scale battle in my life.
For something like that, I evaluated that I had done quite well.
'Right. Where else would this be.'
In my own way, not only in combat, but I had also saved several holy knights whose lives were in danger.
Thanks to that, unlike at first, the way the holy knights looked at me had changed a lot.
Well, it wasn't particularly important.
'Since I decided to leave today.'
Although there had been intense fighting yesterday, I didn't change my plans.
No, rather, I became more urgent.
'Yesterday, even without me, they would have blocked it. Though the damage might have been a bit greater.'
This Straun Monastery hadn't collapsed that quickly.
It collapsed just before the full story began.
I had racked my brain a bit to grasp that timing, and thanks to that, I could get a rough sense of time.
'When Diaz first appeared, she was already famous as a demon hunter.'
And there was also a note that it was an achievement accomplished in 3 years.
If she turned to being a demon hunter right after this incident......
'3 years left.'
It meant that a really big war would break out in 3 years.
The great invasion when Paogat's story began.
To survive then, even moving diligently from now wouldn't be enough.
'If there are 3 years left, I should go to Oliton first rather than the ruins.'
The unique skill in the ruins still had time to sleep.
On the other hand, the unique skill in the Laderun Kingdom would soon have an owner.
'I'll steal it first.'
Even if it looked a bit risky, it would definitely be possible time-wise.
It was content I had already calculated several times.
I made my decision with some confidence.
And the unique skill sleeping in Oliton was also a high-grade unique skill that was quite regrettable to give up.
It was an ability valuable enough to make Jobaton, an insignificant villain, into a named character.
Even if it didn't work out, it was worth trying.
Just as I was simply contemplating my future movements.
Knock knock knock.
A knocking sound was heard.
I forced my stiff legs to move and headed to the door.
When I opened the door, I saw Diaz in front of it.
"Sir Rohan. The preparations you mentioned are finished."
"Mm. Good work."
I briefly nodded without showing my muscle pain.
She bowed her head to me and disappeared.
Fortunately, she too hadn't suffered major injuries, so there were no disruptions to the plan.
I turned around, packed my few belongings, and left the room.
Now it was time to leave this Straun and head to Oliton.