Moon Village - 2
Moon Village - 2
***
Until the time Elbridge was trapped in the seal, the Rusted Shield Goddess was a heavyweight who occupied a staggering twenty-two seats in the celestial council.
To talk about being a moon village big shot with a mere two seats in the temple of such a Rusted Shield Goddess? It was a laughable situation.
"..."
However, Elbridge could not bring himself to voice his thoughts.
Was it because the Rusted Shield Goddess currently did not hold a single seat?
No.
The problem was that two hundred years ago, even during the most prosperous period of the Order of the Rusted Shield, the Order of the Bloody Spear had been more successful.
At that time, the God of the Bloody Spear had occupied nearly forty seats, a literal giant among giants.
As far as Elbridge knew, the Rusted Shield Goddess had never once beaten the God of the Bloody Spear.
The young paladin continued his proselytizing.
"I'm not forcing you. But you should take this opportunity to rethink things from scratch. Are you planning to spend the rest of your life just cleaning the dust in the temple by yourself?"
Before Elbridge could answer, the Goddess gave an oracle in a trembling voice.
- Elbridge. Hearing such lawless talk, your Goddess's heart feels as if it is tearing apart. Please delight your Goddess with a sharp remark.
Elbridge, like a faithful paladin, followed the Goddess's oracle.
"If I had any intention of serving another god, I would have gone to a large order like the Order of the God of the Golden Tray or the Order of the Goddess of the Olive Tree. Is there any reason to go to the Order of the God of the Bloody Spear, which is like a precarious little boat?"
At that, the nameless paladin replied in an utterly serious voice.
"Although I may be on a precarious little boat, if I discover a shipwreck, it is my duty to rescue the survivors."
Elbridge was at a loss for words.
However, the person who received the greatest shock from that remark was clearly not Elbridge, but the Rusted Shield Goddess.
Because the Goddess, who had been excitedly showing off her presence since arriving at the temple, was at a loss for words for the first time.
Elbridge called out to the Goddess in a voice as small as an ant's.
"...My Goddess. My Goddess?"
- Elbridge. Please wait a moment. I will go and lodge a stern protest with the God of the Bloody Spear right now...!
The Goddess's presence disappeared.
The paladin of the Bloody Spear, unaware of what he had done, continued his story.
"And, from what I can see, you don't seem like the type of person who would go to the Order of the Golden Tray or the Order of the Olive Tree."
"Why?"
"Those two orders have temples everywhere. If you had intended to go, you would have gone long ago."
"That's just what you think."
"More important are the calluses and scars on your hands. Those are not traces left on an ordinary person's hands. They are marks engraved on the hands of a person who considers their sword and spear as their own body."
Elbridge's eyebrow twitched slightly.
To have checked his hands in that short time. He had a pretty good eye.
"It's not just the level of a year or two of training. You... what did you originally do? When I first saw you, I thought you were a mercenary, but your atmosphere is different from a mercenary's. And there's no reason for a mercenary to serve the Rusted Shield Goddess."
"I am a paladin."
Until now, when Elbridge claimed to be a paladin, people either did not believe him or laughed at him.
However, the paladin in front of him now was different. His expression became even more serious.
"I have confidence in my judgment. You are not a hollow shell who obtained your position through offerings. You are a rare, true paladin. There is no reason for such a paladin to go to the Order of the Golden Tray. If you are looking for a new order to join, the Order of the God of the Bloody Spear would be the most suitable."
The young paladin said so, then held out his hand to Elbridge.
"I am Felix. What is your name?"
"Elbridge."
"That's a grand name."
"Do you know the meaning of my name?"
"The Silent Paladin, Elbridge. The paladin who fought the Great Archdemon two hundred years ago and volunteered for the heaviest duty."
In Elbridge's mind, his evaluation of Felix was revised upwards quite significantly.
And Felix even went one step further.
"...And even the Order of the Rusted Shield. You, do you have some kind of relationship with the Silent Paladin?"
The desire to tell him the truth began to creep up.
The Silent Paladin Elbridge you speak of is here, having leaped over two hundred years of time.
If he said that, Felix might prostrate himself on the floor and express his respect.
However, the problem was that he had heard an oracle just a moment ago.
Was it not just a moment ago that the Goddess had warned him not to reveal his identity carelessly?
'What should I answer? Should I say our names happen to overlap by chance?'
No. The problem was that the name Elbridge was not common enough to make that excuse.
At that moment, a thought flashed through Elbridge's mind.
"Sir Elbridge, the Silent Paladin, is my ancestor. My sixth... no, seventh-generation ancestor."
Felix replied calmly.
"A prestigious family. I also understand why you have remained in the Order of the Rusted Shield until now."
The corners of Elbridge's mouth lifted slightly. Although the Rusted Shield Goddess symbolized hidden honor, wouldn't it be alright to enjoy this much pleasure...
Felix said.
"Elbridge. Your family must have carried on the faith for generations. For at least two hundred years."
"Yes."
"I don't know the policy exactly, but I'm sure someone like you can receive the maximum benefits for changing orders. I'm certain of it."
"..."
Sure enough, the proselytizing began again.
Felix raised his right hand and showed the gauntlet that covered the back of his hand and forearm. On that gauntlet was engraved the symbol of the God of the Bloody Spear.
"Our order gives this gauntlet to those who have the qualifications of a paladin. It's an object of envy among the followers. But you are different. You'll be able to receive not just a gauntlet, but a full suit of armor. If you're a descendant of that Sir Elbridge, it's more than possible. How about it?"
"Umm..."
"No, I think I've put unnecessary pressure on you. Forget all that and let's just have a chat in our order's temple. Just come with the feeling of a moon village neighbor dropping by for a cup of tea. If you say you're a descendant of that Sir Elbridge, everyone will be delighted."
At that moment, the Goddess's urgent voice was heard again.
- Elbridge. Just as you endured for two hundred years in the seal, do not forget that your Goddess also endured an endless wait. Also, you are at the top of the pyramid that is the Order of the Rusted Shield, so when the order's influence expands in the future, you will have a mighty authority that cannot be compared to anyone else, and...
Elbridge turned his head so that Felix could not see and whispered quietly.
"My Goddess. My faith has not wavered in the slightest. I was merely interested out of necessity."
- What necessity do you speak of?
"I need to know what kind of benefits other orders are offering so that I can also gather followers, don't I? It's what you would call grasping the industry trends."
However, the Rusted Shield Goddess could not shake off her anxious heart.
- Elbridge. It is desirable not to even let wicked things enter your ears. For an impure thing is like a stain that is not easily wiped away, and is bound to spread to its surroundings little by little...
Since the Goddess's reaction was so firm, Elbridge could not follow him to the temple of the God of the Bloody Spear.
But it would be a foolish act to end the conversation with Felix here. Information should be dug up as much as possible when one has the chance.
"Felix. I have something I'm curious about."
"Ask me anything. We're neighbors, aren't we? Neighbors who might become one family soon."
"You said that among the gods of the orders in the upper part of the hill... that is, in the moon village, the God of the Bloody Spear is the biggest shot, right?"
From ancient times, there were many combat-related orders in the upper part of the hill.
Conversely, in the lower part of the hill, the majority were orders unrelated to combat. This was because their influence was inferior at the time, and also because the lower part of the hill was easier for interacting with the ordinary people within the Holy City Solenion.
Felix shrugged his shoulders.
"To be honest, it's not to the point of being unrivaled. We have a competitor."
"Where is it?"
"The Order of the God of the Laurel Wreath. They have a whopping three seats. But our order isn't particularly lagging behind. We're neck and neck every year."
"Is that so... Anyway, what I want to ask is one thing. There are numerous combat orders that once wielded great influence and then fell. How did the Order of the God of the Bloody Spear and the Order of the God of the Laurel Wreath manage to survive until now and occupy seats?"
Felix was lost in thought for a moment.
Not only Elbridge, but also the Rusted Shield Goddess, listened intently to Felix's answer.
"I think we survived because we were active in hunting magical beasts."
"Hunting magical beasts? Magical beasts appear very rarely."
Felix shook his head.
"If you broaden your view not just to a part of the eastern continent, but to the entire east, and furthermore, to the entire continent, the frequency of their appearance becomes much higher. Our order and the Order of the God of the Laurel Wreath dispatched paladins to exterminate magical beasts whenever they appeared. In return, we were promised the support of the local residents for five or ten years."
"...!"
At this point, it was more in the realm of a transaction than faith.
However, a method of occupying seats this intuitive and certain would be rare.
"What about the paladins of other large orders?"
Felix snorted.
"The Golden Tray? The Olive Tree? The Brass Chalice? The paladins of those money-grubbing orders are fakes who bought their positions with offerings. How much experience do you think they have fighting magical beasts? The money-grubbing orders passed the responsibility of dealing with magical beasts to us instead of going out to hunt them and losing face."
"...I see."
Elbridge's hand fiddled with the hilt of his sword.
Three magical beasts that appeared near the Barony of Riverford. And the news of the Viscountcy of Dickens, where all the fief's residents had disappeared like smoke.
It was today that he had delivered the letter containing all that information to the Order of the Golden Tray. The people of the world did not yet know that the demon had returned.
'But eventually, they will have no choice but to find out.'
As the demon disappeared and magical beasts decreased, the combat orders declined.
Conversely, if the demon returned and magical beasts increased, it was inevitable that the combat orders would seize the opportunity.
When that time came, the moon village would once again become the heart of the Holy City Solenion.
When that day comes, which order's paladin will stand at the forefront?
The paladins of the wealthy orders who were appointed by making offerings?
The paladins of the Order of the Bloody Spear who hunted magical beasts on behalf of the wealthy orders?
Or perhaps... the paladin who survived dozens of battles with demons and finally sealed the Great Archdemon?
The answer was clear.
The Rusted Shield Goddess said in a worried voice.
- Elbridge. My most cherished child. Your Goddess wishes that you do not walk a dangerous path. You have more than fulfilled your duty as a paladin, so now is the time to leave everything to others, step back, and enjoy a peaceful life. It is fine even if there are no seats, so do not worry.
Elbridge whispered to the Goddess.
"O Rusted Shield Goddess. I am too young to step back."
There were many times he had thought he had done enough.
However, because he could not forget his hatred for the demon, Elbridge had always picked up his sword again and returned to the battlefield.
In the end, it was his fate to fight.
If that was the case, there was no need to refuse the glory that would be given naturally.
Even more so since glory would bring even more power and strength.
Elbridge said, feigning a playful tone.
"You've waited for a whole two hundred years, so the Goddess should also enjoy some luxury for once."