Proselytizing
Every year at the Grand Tournament, the biggest topic of conversation was the name of the order that won the friendly tournament between the various religious orders.
But this year, there was one order that drew even more attention than the actual winner. The Rusty Shield Order.
People are naturally drawn to new and intense experiences.
The explosive performance and subsequent forfeit by Elbridge left a far deeper impression than the usual yearly champion. So it was only natural that public interest would focus on the Rusty Shield Order.
The fact that the Bloodied Spear Order had taken the championship was actually good news for the Rusty Shield Order.
The gossip lovers of the Holy City Soleneon gathered in small groups, chattering away.
“As expected! I knew the Bloodied Spear Order would win this year.”
“Can you really call that a win? They nearly lost in the second round of the main bracket. No, they basically did lose.”
“Who doesn’t know that? The important thing is that I picked the winning team and made money.”
“By the way, I only heard about the Rusty Shield Order for the first time during this Grand Tournament. Are they from another region? If a western or southern order performed that well at the eastern Grand Tournament, I’d be pretty disappointed.”
“That’s not it. Apparently they have a temple in the slums. And that temple is their main headquarters.”
Whenever the Grand Tournament came up in conversation, it was impossible not to mention the Bloodied Spear Order as the winner—and impossible to mention them without thinking of the Rusty Shield Order.
Elbridge’s goal of spreading the name of his order far and wide had, ironically, been exceeded precisely because he had chosen to forfeit.
Just as Elbridge and the Goddess of the Rusty Shield were greatly satisfied with the tournament’s outcome, the Spring Rain and Moss Order was also pleased. They had achieved their objective of suppressing the Flowing Water Order.
At first glance, it looked like a tournament that had left everyone satisfied.
However, in Elbridge’s opinion, there was one group that might be unhappy with the results of the Grand Tournament. The Bloodied Spear Order.
Elbridge asked the Goddess for advice in a worried voice.
“Goddess. The God of the Bloodied Spear hasn’t lodged any complaints against you, has he? I must have caused them quite a loss of face.”
A divine revelation came immediately.
The God of the Flowing Water was somewhat displeased, but the God of the Bloodied Spear showed no particular reaction.
“That’s unexpected.”
He has always been difficult to read. Still, I suppose he must be satisfied enough with this outcome.
“…Pardon?”
The God of the Bloodied Spear symbolizes a hard-fought victory, does he not? In the end they claimed victory, and thanks to you the process was genuinely difficult. It is the most fitting result imaginable. If anything, the God of the Bloodied Spear should be thanking you.
Judging by the tone of the revelation, the Goddess of the Rusty Shield seemed rather amused by how Elbridge had performed against the paladins of the Bloodied Spear Order.
‘Last time, when Felix tried to recruit me… it seemed like she protested to the God of the Bloodied Spear and was ignored. Maybe she’s still holding a grudge.’
Elbridge thought this, but since it felt somewhat disrespectful, he kept the thought to himself.
“Even if the God of the Bloodied Spear feels that way, I’ve made things awkward with the paladins of his order. Especially since our temples are right next to each other…”
Elbridge. If it truly bothers you, go and explain the situation yourself. In the meantime, your Goddess will be busy teasing the God of the Bloodied Spear.
“…”
Deciding to pretend he hadn’t heard the Goddess’s last remark, Elbridge headed straight for the Bloodied Spear Order’s temple.
“Oh! If it isn’t Sir Elbridge! Come in, come in!”
Contrary to Elbridge’s expectation of receiving cold glares, the paladins of the Bloodied Spear Order welcomed him warmly.
Even the senior paladin of the Bloodied Spear Order cracked a joke.
“It’s not uncommon for paladins to defect to the winning order after the Grand Tournament. Are you here to join the Bloodied Spear Order?”
“…That is not the case.”
“If you ever change your mind, just say the word. A man of your skill would always be welcome.”
Unlike his solemn and serious demeanor on the tournament stage, the senior paladin seemed to be quite a generous and cheerful person. That was a relief.
Elbridge spoke awkwardly.
“That’s not why I came. I’m here to apologize.”
“Apologize?”
“Yes. My forfeit must have made things rather difficult for you. The subsequent matches must have carried a heavy burden as well.”
The senior paladin burst into laughter.
“Sir Elbridge. What do you think when a knight from a clearly losing order declares forfeit?”
“It would be better if they fought to the end… but I would respect their judgment and choice. Isn’t that their right?”
“Exactly. Even the loser has the right to forfeit. So why do you think the winner shouldn’t have that same right?”
It was a truly fresh perspective.
“I had never thought of it that way.”
“Sir Elbridge. Remember that the rights of a victor are far more numerous than you might imagine. Besides, our order does not quibble over such petty matters. There is no need for you to feel sorry.”
The senior paladin smiled gently and continued in a calm tone.
“I know the public is calling it a half-victory. But even a half-victory is better than a complete defeat.”
“I suppose that’s true.”
“If you truly feel bad about it, you could help train our order’s paladins a little in the future. There is much we could learn from you.”
“Understood.”
“Until we meet again.”
It seemed their relationship as neighbors would not become awkward after all. Only then did Elbridge feel relieved.
*
Until recently, the slums had seen very few visitors. Most of the people who came and went were affiliated with religious orders, with the occasional believer stopping by the temple.
But after the Grand Tournament ended, the number of people climbing the hill to the slums increased noticeably. Those who couldn’t forget the excitement of the event were showing interest in the combat orders.
The Goddess of the Rusty Shield was excited.
Elbridge. People’s interest is like the ebb and flow of the tide. This heat will surely die down soon. It is only right to welcome as many new believers as possible while the opportunity lasts.
“I will certainly fulfill my duty, Goddess.”
Elbridge boiled a large pot full of tea, then poured it into a teapot.
He set up a table and the teapot in front of the temple and sat down. The people who spotted him quickly gathered like clouds.
“Look over there! It’s Sir Elbridge!”
“Sir Elbridge! Your performance was incredible!”
Elbridge responded with a much gentler smile than usual.
“Thank you. Would you like a cup of tea?”
“I’d love one!”
Invite the person next to them as well, Elbridge.
“You there, sir, please join us. We have plenty of tea leaves and cups prepared.”
“Really? Thank you!”
“By the way… while you enjoy your tea, would it be alright if I shared a few words from our Goddess?”
Elbridge spent the day boiling tea and greeting guests without a moment’s rest.
It demanded a great deal of stamina in a direction entirely different from combat, and even for Elbridge it was exhausting.
‘If only I had one or two people helping me…’
But in this city where the only believers were Elbridge and Walter, there was no one to help him.
And so the proselytizing continued from morning until late at night.
Only after the world had been swallowed by deep darkness could Elbridge finally finish receiving guests and sit down.
Exhausted, he offered a prayer to the Goddess.
“Goddess. Your paladin has completed a long and arduous battle.”
You showed no sign of panic in an unfamiliar situation and carried out your duty with dignity. It was truly an excellent performance, Elbridge.
Receiving the Goddess’s praise made strength surge through his entire body.
But what excited Elbridge even more was something else. With a heart full of anticipation, he asked the Goddess.
“Goddess. May I ask how many new believers offered prayers to you today?”
The Goddess of the Rusty Shield answered in an extremely proud voice.
More than a hundred, Elbridge.
Considering that the only existing believers had been Elbridge and Walter, welcoming a hundred believers in a single day was an achievement beyond imagination. It meant the order’s influence had grown more than fifty times in one day.
At the same time, however, a hundred was fewer than Elbridge had hoped for.
Today he had boiled tea in the large pot twelve times and served nearly eight hundred people. Yet only a hundred of them had offered prayers to the Goddess?
Do not be disappointed, Elbridge. People do not change their faith as easily as you might think. The fact that a hundred of those who came today offered prayers is actually quite surprising. Besides, believers will continue to flock here for the time being, so there is no need to feel discouraged by today’s results.
“I see. If I may ask one more thing—how many of those who prayed were paladins?”
This was what Elbridge was truly hoping for.
Among those who had visited the Rusty Shield Order today, the number of paladins had been unusually high. Combining small, medium, and large orders, at least thirty paladins had come to the Rusty Shield temple in a single day.
As a paladin of an order that had once struggled greatly to recruit new members, Elbridge hoped even one more paladin would become a believer.
But the Goddess’s revelation was completely unexpected.
There were no paladins.
“…?”
Elbridge sat there in confusion for a moment before belatedly offering another prayer.
“…I see. I will strive to welcome even more believers tomorrow.”
Do so, Elbridge.
The Goddess’s presence vanished.
Elbridge immediately stood up and headed for the Bloodied Spear Order’s temple.
There he spotted Felix loitering in front of the building.
“Felix. I heard an incredible number of people visited the Bloodied Spear Order today.”
“I think even more went to the Rusty Shield Order, though.”
“Did they? By the way, I have a question… May I ask?”
“Anything.”
“When you proselytize like this, roughly how many of the visitors actually become believers?”
“Hmm. I don’t know the exact number, but I’ve heard it’s about one in ten who joins the order. Some of them change their faith again later, though…”
Elbridge nodded.
Today the Rusty Shield Order had welcomed roughly one new believer for every seven or eight visitors. Their results were better.
“Felix. Can I ask one more thing?”
“What is it?”
“It looked like quite a few paladins visited the Bloodied Spear Order today.”
“About a dozen or so? Yeah, that sounds right.”
“And how many of them joined your order?”
Felix shrugged.
“Not sure exactly, but at least ten, I’d say.”
“That many?”
“When a paladin—not just an ordinary believer—visits another order, how often do you think it’s without the intention of changing their faith?”
Elbridge grew even more confused.
‘I couldn’t recruit a single one out of thirty-some paladins, but the Bloodied Spear Order recruited ten out of fifteen?’
But he couldn’t ask Felix for the reason behind the difference.
“…See you later, Felix.”
Elbridge returned to the temple, still bewildered.
The Bloodied Spear Order was a normal order that offered practical benefits. If that were the case, he could understand the gap.
But the Bloodied Spear Order was a combat order, just like the Rusty Shield Order. Joining it didn’t bring any tangible benefits either.
‘Is he exaggerating? No. Felix wouldn’t lie about something like this. Then why…?’
Staggering slightly, Elbridge returned to the temple.
Yet inside the temple, which should have been silent, he sensed someone’s presence.
‘Who is it?’
It was Viveka.
Viveka had been cleaning up the temple, which had become messy after receiving guests all day.
“Lady Viveka? What brings you here?”
When Elbridge asked, Viveka replied with a slightly pouty expression.
“I heard from Sir Hakon. The reason you forfeited.”
Elbridge recalled the short, stocky Hakon.
He didn’t seem like someone who could keep a secret.
Viveka smiled contentedly and folded her arms.
Then she strode right up to Elbridge and stopped a few steps away, staring straight into his eyes.
Inside the dimly lit temple, only a few candles illuminated her figure.
Viveka said,
“Sir Elbridge. Don’t you have anything you want to say to me?”
“Something I want to say?”
“Anything is fine. I’ll listen seriously, so speak honestly.”
Elbridge could clearly read a strong sense of anticipation in Viveka’s eyes.
But while he could recognize the anticipation, he had no idea what it was directed toward.
“…I’m not sure.”
Viveka twirled a lock of her hair around her finger and said,
“I heard everything from Sir Hakon…”
He had no idea what she could have heard.
As Elbridge stood there awkwardly, Viveka took one more step closer.
“Then… is there anything you’d like to ask of me?”
Ask of her.
Thinking back on everything that had happened today, Elbridge’s eyes suddenly lit up.
“It’s a bit much to handle alone. Would you be able to help me with proselytizing for the next few days?”
Viveka stared at him for a moment, then let out a small laugh.
“Alright. I can wait that long, so take your time thinking it over.”
Elbridge had obtained free help.