Chapter 53
Chapter 53
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 53
Chapter Title: Applause After the Devotion (1)
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I was walking around with my robe's hood pulled low over my face.
It felt like I was some kind of criminal who had to hide my identity.
And for good reason.
"His name is Chris, right?"
"Hey, how dare you casually utter the saint's name!"
"Do you want to get chewed out by the knights?"
The barony was in this state.
I was the topic of every single conversation.
That's why I was wandering around like this.
"But if you old folks take off your hoods, wouldn't everyone quiet down?"
Astor Closel chuckled at my words.
"These are men who fought through the night. We don't want to inconvenience them."
Parmon nodded in agreement.
"..."
Considerate old men.
It wasn't wrong, so I couldn't complain.
"The barony's gotten quiet."
"Everyone evacuated, so of course it has."
Only soldiers and knights remained here.
A few territory folk who had stayed behind voluntarily to help, as well.
I pulled my hood even lower as more stories reached my ears.
"The gods surely helped us."
"If it weren't for Chris, I'd be..."
"My son survived thanks to him too. He was on death's door."
I absolutely could not take off this robe.
That was my thought.
"You're quite popular, lad."
"..."
I finally reached the ramparts amid endless praise.
As soon as the old men removed their hats, the path cleared.
Not that it stopped the intense stares zeroing in on me—they'd clearly figured out who I was.
"Won't you take yours off now?"
"...Yeah, guess it's fine."
It was already obvious, so what did it matter?
I removed my hood and lifted my head.
The soldiers flinched.
"Gasp...!"
"Uh... what's wrong?"
Everywhere I turned, soldiers trembled in shock.
Parmon quietly lifted my hood and placed it back on.
"Lad... can't you do something about those eyes?"
"My eyes? Oh, don't tell me...?"
I had a pretty good idea.
Shamans visit the mountains every year to perform devotion rituals.
They offer worship, begging their patron spirits to look upon them with favor.
The problem was this:
A shaman fresh from such a devotion radiates tremendous divine power.
And my patron spirit was an incredibly mighty one.
"This is troubling..."
So right now, I was overflowing with divine power.
The devotion had amplified my own spiritual energy as well.
That must be why my eyes were gleaming so fiercely.
"I... can't control it right now."
Having shed my novice status so quickly left me inexperienced in spots.
Nothing to be done about that...
The two old men nodded as if they understood.
"You need time to get a handle on your new power. I was the same when I became a Sword Master."
"I couldn't control my mana either."
"...Yeah, kinda similar."
But a shaman couldn't afford to be intimidating.
I could feel even the surrounding spirits watching me warily.
Honestly, this was a big problem.
A shaman comforts both the living and the dead.
How could a scary person do that?
"Gonna have to practice controlling it."
I wonder if I can rein in this intense energy...
In any case, I approached the ramparts and peered down.
Serena was doing something at the main gate.
"Serena! All done?"
Serena shook her head, indicating it wasn't.
"Mind if I ask what she's doing? I can't make heads or tails of it..."
Astor Closel's question left me a bit troubled.
I knew once he heard, he'd stick to me like glue for a while.
"...Hmm."
Still, better to tell him.
"She's watering the totem poles."
"...The guardian poles?"
"Yeah. They only drink the water Undine made..."
"The poles drink water...?"
"Water makes them grow."
"..."
The two old men gaped as if they'd heard something absurd.
And who could blame them? Watering carved totem poles and having them grow?
"Must be because they're made from the World Tree."
"Whoa..."
"Never heard of such a thing. Care to explain in detail?"
Sure enough, Astor Closel latched on, but I easily ignored him and turned away.
"It's been ages since she started watering them, and she's still at it..."
"Look here, Chris."
Parmon pointed at the totem poles.
"These are what blocked the undead, right?"
"Yes."
"How large a force can they handle?"
"Hmm..."
It was ambiguous.
If I was with them, they could repel most undead advances...
"Right now, just the poles alone couldn't match yesterday's horde. But they could still keep enemies from getting too close to the gate."
"That's help enough. But you said 'right now'...?"
"Once they grow bigger, two of them should be plenty, don't you think? They're still young totem poles."
"Whoa..."
What did "young" or "big" even mean for totem poles? But it applied to these ones.
They were actually growing, after all.
They looked bigger than before we arrived, their faces more defined.
Almost fiercely sharp features now.
"If only we'd brought them here sooner..."
Parmon murmured regretfully.
He seemed to think it could have reduced casualties.
"I wish, but... it wouldn't have worked."
"Hm?"
"I needed a bit of the World Tree's help."
It wasn't just devotion to my patron.
The World Tree's gaze had fallen on me too.
Not intended, but unavoidable.
It had taken a little extra time because of that.
"Before the mountain trip, they couldn't have mustered that much power. Best they could've done was chase off minor ghosts..."
"I see."
Still, the dual devotions had greatly boosted the totem poles' abilities.
Being a branch from the World Tree's body probably helped.
Serena soon climbed up to the ramparts.
She looked a bit tired.
"...Chris."
"Yeah?"
"I think I need to go again."
She'd just watered them.
"The totem poles keep drinking the water..."
"Ah..."
Replenishing energy after all that work? Or for growth? Hard to say.
"Could you... help a bit?"
"...It's not like it's bad for me."
Astor Closel wedged himself between us.
"She's gotten chatty now, huh?"
"..."
"Only with you, Chris...?"
"..."
The old man ended up sticking to me with a sullen look.
"I have a favor to ask of Serena, that's all."
"...A favor?"
What favor could the old man have for Serena?
Was he planning to harass her like he did me...?
Thankfully, it was something else.
"There's a flower field in the territory. I'd like her to come with me."
"Flower field?"
Come to think of it, we'd gathered flowers in the elven forest too.
Something I could ask about.
"And stop by to see our Lucia while we're at it."
Zap.
Anything but that last bit, and it might've been possible.
"Sigh..."
Just then, knights on horseback galloped in from outside the castle.
They waved flags, and the mood on the ramparts shifted.
Dong-dong-dong—
"Enemy attack! All hands to battle stations!"
Soldiers swarmed up the ramparts in an instant.
Faces filled with dread at the thought of hell breaking loose again.
At Parmon's command, the gates opened and closed, letting the knights inside.
"Chris, what do you see? Any deaths?"
His expression was rigidly tense.
No need for that tension.
"No one's dying."
A quick scan showed no imminent deaths.
Not even injuries.
"It's an undead assault. You sure?"
"Yes. It'll be fine."
It hadn't been long, but undead appeared in the distance.
A much smaller force than before.
Honestly, the old men could wipe them out with a few swings.
The old men relaxed once they gauged the numbers.
And up front, people on horseback were racing ahead.
"Well, now."
I couldn't help chuckling at the lead rider's face.
Alard was leading a group of holy knights.
"Got chased off, huh."
They looked ragged from the ordeal—no one in proper shape.
Their armor had lost its shine.
Looked like they'd fought all night.
Soon, their shouts rang out.
Infused with holy power.
"Undead pursuit! Open the gates!"
Holy knights begging for the gates.
"Do not open the gates! Hold the defenses! We'll fight below the walls!"
Alard yelling himself hoarse against opening them.
As I'd seen from the sky, no light shone from anyone but Alard.
"Old man, handle it. Opening the gates won't kill anyone."
"Thanks."
They'd heard me loud and clear.
What those fools had done.
No wonder the spirits were so angry...
People who claimed to serve the gods pulling that nonsense.
Parmon commanded a nearby knight.
"Absolutely not. No matter what, do not open the gates."
"Yes, sir!"
Astor Closel coldly ordered the mages atop the walls.
"Conserve your mana."
Now it was my turn.
I took off my hood, letting the wind brush my face.
"Whoa..."
"Still unbelievable every time..."
The rattle's sound reached the totem poles, and the approaching undead slowed.
The holy knights seemed oblivious.
"Hurry! Open the gates! We're holy knights dispatched by the Church!"
The old men showed no sign of complying.
Petty karma, I suppose.
They'd enter unscathed anyway.
They still had sins to atone for.
Astor Closel bellowed with mana, looking relieved.
"Identity unverified! We'll open after a brief investigation!"
Parmon smiled in satisfaction.
"Closel, she's all yours."
"I'll give them a proper thrashing."
Urgent screams came from outside.
"No time for that! We broke through hordes of undead to reach here!"
The holy knights bellowed.
"We can't fight anymore!"
Pfft.
Astor Closel smirked and scratched his ear.
"Investigation's not done yet. Wait!"
"This isn't all the undead! There's a massive force farther out...!"
Astor Closel's reply was priceless.
"Investigation should wrap up by the time their reinforcements arrive."