Order of Spring Rain and Moss
Order of Spring Rain and Moss
***
Before Elbridge left, Rombel opened the storage room.
"Elbridge. Pick out whatever you like from here and wear it."
Inside the storage room, Magic Tower armors equipped with self-repair functions were displayed.
Of course, Elbridge wasn't trying to purchase ready-made armor.
Since it would take about fifteen days for the ordered item to be finished, he was just borrowing armor he could use temporarily. Even for free.
"Does the Magic Tower originally do things like this?"
"It's the Magic Tower's business policy. We should show this much sincerity to a customer buying an expensive item."
It didn't seem like a service the Magic Tower was providing out of simple goodwill.
Looking at it a bit cynically, wasn't it lending dead stock to a customer wealthy enough to come buy expensive armor? If they were lucky and even one or two pieces sold, it was a profit for the Magic Tower.
Still, since it was free, he had no intention of refusing.
While Elbridge was seriously choosing a breastplate and gauntlets, Rombel said.
"In principle, it's right to only lend you the same parts you ordered, but... just take a whole set."
"Is that okay? Won't that cause problems for you?"
"I'll take care of that."
"It's fine by me, but... are you really sure?"
"I'm not just giving it away. I'm trying to repay a debt."
Elbridge narrowed his eyes and glanced at Rombel.
"A debt? Have you ever owed me a debt? I don't remember well."
"Every person in this era owes you a debt. There are no exceptions."
Elbridge's hand stopped.
Because he realized that was a slightly blunt expression of gratitude.
After waking up from the seal, Elbridge had met people who knew his name.
The knight Walter of the Barony of Riverford, and the paladin Felix of the Order of the Bloody Spear knew Elbridge's name.
But this was the first time he had received an expression of gratitude.
And that greeting left a deep impression on Elbridge.
"...Is that so."
Typically, men rarely express gratitude. Even more so if they are close acquaintances.
As soon as Elbridge finished choosing his armor, Walter practically pushed him out.
"Alright. If you've picked it all out, hurry up and go. Come back in fifteen days."
"Got it."
Unlike when he entered the Magic Tower, Elbridge left the Magic Tower dressed in shining armor. The heavy weight unique to armor satisfied Elbridge.
And the Rusted Shield Goddess was even more satisfied than Elbridge.
- Elbridge. It is an item borrowed temporarily, but it suits you well.
"Thank you. My Goddess."
Because of the armor, his body became a little heavier, but Elbridge's heart rather became lighter.
'Is it because I heard an expression of gratitude from Rombel?'
No. It was a similar yet slightly different reason.
After waking up from the seal, Elbridge would implicitly feel a sense of distance whenever he met people. Because unlike them, Elbridge was a person of the past.
But Rombel was different. Rombel was a person of the past who could fully understand Elbridge.
Bringing up age was also in that context.
That was a joke one could only throw at someone they were unreserved with.
'...By the way, was that really a joke? How should I treat other people?'
Elbridge still didn't know how old he was, or what kind of person he was.
He had experienced too few things to say he was well over two hundred years old, and he had lived too long to say he was twenty-six.
He could treat Rombel, who was nearly three hundred years old, like a friend, but he couldn't treat a seventy-year-old human old man like a friend. That gap confused Elbridge.
And in these cases, one mostly comes to a similar conclusion.
'...Well, what can you do? I just have to live as my heart dictates.'
<><><>
It wasn't just Elbridge who had many thoughts because of Rombel.
While Elbridge was climbing the slope leading to the Moon Village, the Goddess delivered an oracle full of regret.
- It is a deeply regrettable thing. If that dwarf named Rombel had become the third follower of our order, it surely would have been a great help to the order, and to you as well. He seemed like he would be persuaded, yet he was not.
"Third follower? Who is the second?"
The Rusted Shield Goddess answered somewhat boastfully.
- It is Walter, the knight of the Barony of Riverford. He offered a prayer to me for the first time last night. In my heart, I wanted to deliver an oracle immediately and welcome his conversion, but... I was worried Walter might notice that there are only two followers, so I could not deliver an oracle.
Ambivalent emotions blossomed in Elbridge's chest.
The joy of expanding the order's influence for the first time, and the regret that the Goddess's gaze might turn elsewhere.
The Goddess seemed to have guessed Elbridge's heart.
- Do not worry. Elbridge. I do not think I will deliver an oracle to Walter in the future either... Did not the other gods also only deliver oracles to their archbishops, except in extremely exceptional cases? My archbishop is solely you, Elbridge.
"I have never worried."
Elbridge deliberately lied calmly.
However, he somehow felt that the Goddess would be smiling up in that heaven.
- Then that is a relief. For the number of followers to double at once, this is thanks to your great deeds. Commendable. Elbridge.
Since Sir Walter had become a caught fish, Elbridge's thoughts turned to the fish that got away.
Rombel, whom he had just met a moment ago.
'By the way, why did Rombel enter the Magic Tower?'
When Elbridge asked Rombel 'why are you here', Rombel answered that he became a blacksmith because it became an era where warriors were not needed.
But that was only the reason Rombel became a blacksmith, it couldn't be the reason he entered the Magic Tower.
Because the Magic Tower was a heterogeneous space that could not be compared to an ordinary smithy.
There are three types of humans who possess martial prowess surpassing that of ordinary humans.
Paladins.
Knights.
Mages.
Paladins serve gods and strengthen their bodies with holy power.
Knights also serve gods, but they handle mana instead of holy power.
Mages handle mana just like knights.
But there is one crucial difference between mages and knights. The fact that the majority of mages do not serve gods.
Mages can be further divided into three types.
Those who wish to escape the interference of gods, or those who wish to ascend and become gods themselves, or the minority of mages who serve gods.
Looking down from the high heavens, the mages' purposes were incredibly arrogant, so almost all gods did not welcome mages and the Magic Tower.
If they hadn't been driven into a corner by the appearance of demons, interaction between paladins and mages would likely still have been forbidden.
'However, what was permitted was only interaction...'
Generally, interaction with mages meant a level of cooperation to deal with demons.
A slightly more tolerant god might permit private interaction between a paladin and a mage, but no god permitted a follower to belong to the Magic Tower.
Elbridge asked the Goddess.
"My Goddess."
- What is the matter? My most precious child.
"If I were to say that I would become a mage of the Magic Tower, how would you, my Goddess, accept it?"
The Rusted Shield Goddess answered a little sorrowfully.
- If you wish to, do so.
This was a reaction Elbridge had not expected either.
"Are you serious? If I go to the Magic Tower, I will no longer be your paladin, my Goddess."
- Elbridge. It is true that you are my only paladin, but I do not cherish you because you are the only paladin. That is merely one of the countless reasons I hold you dear. But I am curious. Elbridge. For what reason do you intend to entrust yourself to the Magic Tower?
Because the Goddess's reaction was more serious than he thought, Elbridge hurriedly answered.
"My Goddess. I have not the slightest intention of entrusting myself to the Magic Tower. It was just a question that popped out because I had many thoughts about Rombel's matter. I apologize."
- That is a relief. Elbridge. Remember that your Goddess wishes for you to remain by her side if possible.
...As far as Elbridge knew, the Rusted Shield Goddess had become the only god who permitted a follower to enter the Magic Tower.
But he didn't think the God of the Steel Anvil would be like that.
Not much was known about the gods of heaven, but the fact that the God of the Steel Anvil was a stubborn god far from generous was famous.
'What on earth happened to Rombel?'
Elbridge pondered for a long time, but could not come up with a suitable answer.
<><><>
For three days after that, Elbridge went down below the Moon Village whenever he had free time and strolled the streets of Solenion.
It wasn't an action simply to pass the time. He merely wanted to learn the advanced proselytizing methods of other orders.
The Rusted Shield Goddess also meticulously observed the proselytizing methods of other orders.
- As expected, bestowing and serving is the most common method.
Now, there was no one starving in Solenion. If even a gaunt person was seen, the priests of each order would come running in a flurry and press food into their hands, so it wasn't even easy to starve.
If he had been as gaunt as when he first woke up from the seal, Elbridge would surely have received an armful of food as gifts.
However, since Elbridge had somewhat recovered his physique in a short period of time, there were no priests giving alms to Elbridge.
Among the numerous proselytizing methods, the most impressive was the consultation center of each order located right in the center of Solenion's bustling street.
On the street where the consultation centers were concentrated, the priests of each order were continuing their passionate sales pitches.
"If there is a sick person in your family, come to the side of the Goddess of Spring Rain and Moss with the sick person! In fifteen days, the condition will noticeably recover! Amazing effects proven by numerous cases!"
"Those whose families are not peaceful! Those who are not materially or spiritually affluent, do not hesitate and come to the Order of the Olive Tree, which symbolizes abundance! Even if you just listen to the post-admission reviews of senior members, a generous free gift..."
This much was on the normal side.
There were also orders presenting even more direct and unconventional conditions.
"The Order of the Golden Tray does not require long-term membership! Just join the Order of the Golden Tray for exactly five days at the end of the year, and just by casting a vote, financial luck will follow you for at least three months!"
Elbridge sighed inwardly.
Because that pandemonium was the most certain proof that religion had entered the realm of transactions, not faith.
But apart from that, competing with those people and winning seemed incredibly difficult, so Elbridge trudged towards the Moon Village.
'As expected, proselytizing while hunting magical beasts is the most certain. But...'
Elbridge looked up at the sky and asked the Rusted Shield Goddess.
"My Goddess. What benefits are there that could be given to a person who joins the Order of the Rusted Shield? I mean benefits unrelated to combat."
- When a follower faces the hardest moment in their life, your Goddess can give them the strength not to collapse mentally.
Even to Elbridge, the Archbishop and Chief Priest, it was not a very tempting condition.
Because an order that helps one avoid difficult situations would be more attractive than an order that makes one endure difficult situations.
Elbridge arrived at the Temple of the Rusted Shield feeling a little depressed.
And, he felt a presence inside the temple.
'Did Felix come? To take me to the Temple of the Bloody Spear?'
No. The person currently in the Temple of the Rusted Shield was not Felix.
It wasn't even a man. It was a woman with brown hair, round eyes, and firm lips.
Elbridge moved at a surprisingly fast speed and approached the woman.
"Hello. Welcome to the Temple of the Rusted Shield. Do you wish to join the order?"
At that, the brown-haired woman answered.
"...No. I came looking for a great warrior."
What kind of out-of-the-blue nonsense was this.
"Didn't you come to the wrong place? The Order of the Bloody Spear is over there next door, and the Order of the Laurel Wreath is across the way."
At that, the woman shook her head.
"No. It is correct that I came to the Order of the Rusted Shield. I heard that the Order of the Rusted Shield would provide a great warrior."
It was an attitude as confident as a debt collector who had come to find a debtor.
However, since Elbridge had never owed a debt to another person, his attitude naturally became cynical.
"By any chance, who said that?"
At that, the brown-haired woman answered.
"An oracle descended. The Goddess told me to ask for help from the Order of the Rusted Shield."
There was one memory that came to mind.
Elbridge had never owed a debt to another person, but the Rusted Shield Goddess had owed a debt to another god. Just a short while ago.
Somehow, his right arm felt itchy.
"By any chance, which order did you come from?"
"I came from the Temple of Spring Rain and Moss."
...The time to repay the debt had come.