Benefits
Benefits
***
'No. This situation might be okay.'
Magical beasts and demons possessed fragments of the Evil God.
Since the fragments of the Evil God also held a kind of divinity, hunting magical beasts and demons and absorbing the divinity contained in the fragments was the fastest way for a paladin to increase their capabilities.
The problem was that the probability of dying while hunting a magical beast was considerably high, and it was a common occurrence for problems to arise from improperly absorbing the fragments of the Evil God...
'It's all stuff I've done before, so it doesn't matter.'
Furthermore, Marcus and Rick had spoken as if magical beasts were not common in the world these days.
'Unlike in the old days, this is a world where opportunities to absorb the fragments of the Evil God are not common. Facing a magical beast should be seen as a rare opportunity. An opportunity to regain even a little bit of my strength.'
On top of that, the person coming to exterminate the wolf pack was not a paladin, but a knight.
Unlike paladins, who accumulate divinity to build strength, knights gather magical power like mages to build strength.
In other words, a knight did not compete with a paladin over the divinity possessed by a magical beast.
'This is a rare opportunity. An opportunity to comfortably hunt a magical beast and gain strength with the assistance of a knight who does not covet divinity.'
The God of Sunshowers whom Marcus served often brought crisis along with it to make the good fortune stand out.
However, there was no rule that said the crisis had to be a misfortune for everyone around. Crisis always came hand in hand with opportunity.
<><><>
The knight that Marcus's fellow mercenary had gone to fetch arrived much earlier than expected.
The merchant and the knight exchanged lengthy greetings.
"It has been a while, Sir Walter."
"You look well. Have you been well?"
"Yes. Are Sir Oswald and Sir Eberhardt well?"
"They are living vigorously. For rust is bound to form on a person's body if they remain idle."
Elbridge, who was listening to the conversation from the side, smiled silently.
At a glance, it sounded like an ordinary greeting, but that was not just a simple greeting.
When the merchant asked after the knights Oswald and Eberhardt, he meant, why did you come alone and not with them?
Conversely, the knight's reply that they were living vigorously meant that they too had duties to attend to and could not come.
The merchant had expected at least three knights to come, but his expectations were splendidly off the mark.
Sure enough, the merchant's expression was not very bright. However, the knight did not pay attention to the merchant's mood. Because he was a knight.
Elbridge looked at the knight.
A wrinkled but quite handsome face and pure white hair. Armor that was well-polished and shiny, though it had shallow scratches here and there. He was the very model of an old knight.
'An old knight is probably better than an inexperienced brat. Especially since they said it's not common to fight magical beasts in the world these days...'
Sir Walter, the knight, talked a little more with the merchant and then approached Elbridge.
"Are you the one who they say caught a wolf with a pocketknife?"
"I was lucky."
"I do not think that is something possible with mere luck. I heard you were a mercenary?"
Unlike his blunt attitude when talking to the merchant, the old knight's attitude towards Elbridge was noticeably gentle.
"There was a time when I lived by my sword."
"Humble. By any chance, are you interested in learning the sword from me?"
It was, in effect, an offer to become his disciple.
For Sir Walter the knight, it was a bold offer to make upon their first meeting, but Elbridge refused the offer as if it were a matter of course.
"That would be difficult."
"Why? You would be able to live a much more comfortable life than now."
"I have my reasons."
"Reasons..."
Sir Walter the knight did not press further.
"If you change your mind, come to the Barony of Riverford anytime and ask for Sir Walter the knight."
"I am grateful for your kindness."
"By the way, what is your name?"
"El..."
Elbridge was about to say that, but added one more word.
"...Elbridge."
In an era where demons had become mere tall tales, there was no need to hide his name.
However, Walter's reaction was different from what Elbridge had expected.
"Elbridge. Which god do you follow?"
"I serve the Rusted Shield Goddess."
"Hoh. Your parents must have been very devout."
"...Pardon?"
"Otherwise, they would not have given that name to their child. It seems you do not know the origin of your name?"
The name Elbridge had been taken from the name of his village, so there was nothing that could properly be called an origin.
However, Walter interpreted Elbridge's reaction in his own way.
"Then again, it is a name that one wouldn't know unless they were an old man like me who is interested in folklore. Your name is that of the legendary paladin who sealed the Great Archdemon. The Silent Paladin. Sir Elbridge of the Order of the Rusted Shield."
Although it was closer to being sealed rather than sealing, it was not incorrect to say that he had sealed it.
However, the name 'Silent Paladin' felt a bit strange. Elbridge was not a particularly taciturn person.
Elbridge, having become thoroughly intrigued, subtly probed Walter.
"I heard that demons are just legends."
"They are not legends."
Elbridge held his breath and waited for Walter's next words.
It seemed like some concrete story was about to come out.
"...That is what I believe. If you look up old documents, there are quite a lot of specific records about demons. My grandfather said that my great-grandfather had experience fighting demons in his youth..."
Somehow, the story was flowing vaguely.
But even that was enough to make Elbridge's heart race.
Did it not mean that even though many people had forgotten, the name Elbridge remained in history, and someone remembered that name?
Elbridge resolved to rummage through old records when he got to the Holy City and thoroughly search for his own name.
'Numerous historians must have praised me in unison...'
Walter continued his story.
"In any case, I did not know that the Order of the Rusted Shield still remained. This is the first time I have met a follower in person."
"It is a nearly ruined order."
"Haha. In that case, how about coming over to our order?"
"Which order does Sir Walter belong to?"
"I follow the God of the Golden Tray."
"...The God of the Golden Tray?"
"Yes. The God of the Golden Tray, who shines as the unshakable number one in the celestial council's seat count."
Elbridge was greatly flustered.
The God of the Golden Tray was a god who symbolized charity and wealth. Unlike the God of Sunshowers, he was a quite popular god even in the distant past.
However, the majority of those who followed the God of the Golden Tray were merchants, and he was a god that people who had to risk their lives to fight, like knights or mercenaries, rarely believed in. In a life where one did not know if they would live or die tomorrow, what meaning did wealth hold?
To make matters worse, among the powers bestowed by the God of the Golden Tray, there were almost none that would be helpful in combat.
A knight without any combat-related powers? Elbridge had never even thought of such a thing.
"Isn't it common for knights to serve the God of the Laurel Wreath or the God of the Bloody Spear? You know, those who help on the battlefield..."
"I may be old, but I am still a proper knight. I do not need the power of a god when dealing with the likes of wolves or bears."
"But, there are magical beasts, are there not?"
"Even if you live as a knight your whole life, if you encounter a magical beast three times, you've encountered it a lot. To give up a lifetime of wealth and abundance for those three times does not add up."
Suddenly, a memory surfaced in Elbridge's mind.
The day a few days ago when he had dinner with the old woman who knew the name of the Order of the Rusted Shield, Elbridge had asked the old woman.
He found it hard to understand the sudden decline of the Order of the Rusted Shield, and asked if there had been some major incident in the order.
At that time, the old woman had replied.
'Does such a change necessarily require a major incident?'
Elbridge finally understood the meaning of those words now.
The Order of the Rusted Shield did not fall because a major incident occurred.
The Order of the Rusted Shield fell because a major incident did not occur.
It was a world where demons had vanished and magical beasts had become rare.
There was no reason for followers to remain in the Order of the Rusted Shield, which symbolized things like indomitable will, devotion, sacrifice, and the courage to not give up until the very end.
And that was not even the end of it.
Walter glanced around, then lowered his voice and proposed to Elbridge.
"From the looks of it, unlike your parents, your faith does not seem deep. How about taking this opportunity to come over to this side? As it happens, this year there is an event being held to commemorate the God of the Golden Tray surpassing sixty seats for the first time in history."
"...An event?"
"The preferential benefits event for changing orders."
"..."
Even two hundred years ago, it was not uncommon for people to change orders according to the powers they needed.
Like serving the God of the Laurel Wreath, who symbolized victory and glory, while active as a knight and rolling on the battlefield, and then following the Goddess of the Olive Tree or the God of the Golden Tray, who symbolized peace and abundance, after retirement.
Of course, the elderly would sometimes call such people apostates and look down on them.
However, when Elbridge was a snot-nosed kid, a new bill was enacted in the celestial council, and the world changed a little.
It was a bill that prohibited gods from retaliating directly or indirectly against a follower who had changed orders, as all people had the right to freedom of religion.
In those days, Elbridge used to think that the era was truly free-spirited.
But even in such a free-spirited era, a fearsome concept like a preferential benefits event for changing orders did not exist.
Perhaps interpreting Elbridge's shocked appearance as wavering and conflict, Walter's voice became a little more suggestive.
"Think about it seriously. The God of the Golden Tray didn't win sixty-one seats through gambling, you know? Besides, if someone like you who has carried on the faith for generations switches orders, the benefits get even bigger. For at least the next ten, or maybe fifteen years, considerable wealth will follow you."
Elbridge's eyes trembled in dismay.
Walter saw this, smirked, and got up from his seat.
"Elbridge. Life is long. Make your decision after careful consideration. And if a priest asks who the referrer is, don't forget to answer Sir Walter, the knight of the Barony of Riverford..."
Walter left the spot.
However, Elbridge sat with his head bowed low, agonizing.
He had thought that even if he had spent two hundred years in the seal, he would be able to adapt to the world more or less.
But now, he was not confident. The span of two hundred years had changed so many things from their very foundations.
At that moment, a faint voice reached Elbridge's ears.
- Paladin Elbridge. Paladin Elbridge.
It was the Rusted Shield Goddess. His mind snapped to attention.
But at the same time, he thought the timing was a bit coincidental.
However, Elbridge knelt, piously clasped his hands, and replied in a small voice.
"Yes, my Goddess."
- Your Goddess clearly remembers the will of the paladin who did not break even in the face of harsh storms, nor in the midst of long hardships. Your Goddess does not doubt that her most cherished child can also overcome temptation with composure.
It was the voice of a Goddess that anyone with faith would be bound to be moved by.
However, Elbridge, having received an excessive shock just a moment ago, ended up raising a slightly irreverent question.
"My Goddess. Don't we have something like... benefits?"
- ...
For a moment, the Goddess's voice cut off.
The Goddess's voice that was heard again felt a little small and blurry.
- Just as you longed for freedom for a long time, do not forget that your Goddess also sweetly endured an endless wait. Also, your Goddess is full of thoughts of telling you sweet stories, but the situation is not opportune to convey a long story now, so the detailed story will be continued in the Holy City Solenion... Chk, chzzk.
"My Goddess? My Goddess?"
Elbridge desperately called for the Goddess, but her reply did not come.
***
[T/N: Bro is getting scammed]