The Butter Knife
The results of the year-end vote are delivered to the order that secures the most seats. It is customary for that order to record the election results on paper and distribute them to every other order.
The order that claims the seats proudly posts the voting results in front of its temple. Those papers become a point of pride for every order within the assembly.
In this process, mistakes born of haste have occurred before, but fraud has never taken place. If the announced results deviate from reality, the heavens immediately issue an oracle demanding correction.
This year as well, the Golden Platter Order was responsible for publishing the vote tally. Just as it had been for the past several decades.
Yet this year carried one difference from ordinary years. The moment the sun rose, countless people came looking for Heinz, the vice-bishop of the eastern diocese.
“Vice-Bishop Heinz, Eastern Diocese. Are the published results accurate?”
“Was there anything strange?”
“Yes.”
Oracles descend from the heavens, but recording those results on paper is a human task.
Because the work is done in such a rush, small errors are often discovered.
This year, in particular, had seen unusually large shifts. Hadn’t every combat order made significant gains across the board?
Nearly every combat order had either increased its seats or successfully defended them, while non-combat orders had declined overall.
The larger orders had fared relatively better, but mid-to-small non-combat orders had taken a heavy blow. The person who had come to see Vice-Bishop Heinz today was the archbishop of one such order.
“I am not here to complain that our Cracked Mirror Order has dropped from two seats to one. No matter how I look at it, there are abnormal parts. For example…”
The archbishop of the Cracked Mirror Order spread out the paper and pointed at the order tied for nineteenth place in seats: the Rusty Shield Order.
Heinz answered.
“Sir Elbridge displayed remarkable skill in the Grand Tournament and then again in the battle against the black giant, did he not?”
“Gaining seats from that is understandable. The problem is that the scale of the increase is simply absurd. If the Goddess of the Rusty Shield had possessed even a single seat beforehand, I might have accepted it.”
Most gods who lose all their seats and are pushed outside the assembly never return to it; they simply fade from people’s memories.
Some do return, but the vast majority come back with only a single seat.
“I have never once heard of a god who was driven outside the assembly returning at once as a mid-tier power with four seats.”
“Just because there is no precedent does not mean it cannot happen in the future.”
“This is impossible. Vice-Bishop Heinz. The votes for the Rusty Shield Order could only have come from Soleneon… If we reverse-calculate using the number of votes allocated to the east, the Rusty Shield Order cannot possibly hold more than two seats. So where did the other two seats come from?”
“Hmm.”
Even Archbishop Heinz had not considered that far.
“Moreover, there is another strange point. The God of the Steel Anvil, who reliably takes three or four seats every year, is missing from the list…”
“Is that so?”
Vice-Bishop Heinz looked visibly flustered.
He had noticed that the Rusty Shield Order’s sudden rise was unusual, but he had completely failed to realize that the God of the Steel Anvil had been omitted from the list.
“…Even I must admit this looks strange.”
“Unless every dwarf in the world suddenly died or they all converted at once, this makes no sense.”
Of course, both possibilities were extremely unlikely. If anything, the former seemed slightly more plausible.
“If there is a problem with the published results, a new oracle will descend to every order by the end of today. Please wait patiently until then.”
“Understood. I leave it to you.”
Yet even as the sun set, no new oracle arrived.
As the new year began, Elbridge found himself busier than he could keep up with.
All sorts of people came to the temple.
Simple sightseers, those wishing to join the order, representatives from other orders who had grown curious about the Rusty Shield Order…
Even invitations from nobles arrived one after another.
He politely declined most of them, but there were some he simply could not refuse.
Such as an invitation from the Lord of Soleneon.
When Elbridge tried to decline even that, Matilda offered advice.
“Sir Elbridge. If you don’t want to be hounded by noble invitations in the future, perhaps you should accept the lord’s at least?”
Naturally, this was not a welcome suggestion for Elbridge.
“Of all the invitations I’ve received so far, this is the one I want to refuse the most.”
“The Marquis of Soleneon is one of the most powerful figures in the city. Of course he doesn’t outrank the major orders, but… since your temple is in Soleneon, refusing the lord’s invitation will bring no benefit. On the other hand, if you maintain a good relationship, it will help you for a long time. Don’t you want to expand the order’s influence, Sir Elbridge?”
“Well, that’s true, but…”
Judging that his response lacked enthusiasm, Matilda continued her persuasion.
“Besides, there is an even more important reason you should accept this invitation.”
“What is it?”
“The lord surely knows that you have rejected every noble invitation so far. If you accept his, he will invite the other nobles as well, if only to flaunt his authority. You would be able to meet every noble who has already sent you an invitation—and every one who plans to—in one place.”
“…If I must be beaten, it’s better to take all the blows at once. I understand.”
That conversation had taken place only the day before yesterday.
Today, Elbridge arrived at the lord’s castle wearing what he considered his most presentable clothes.
However, his attire did not earn a passing grade from the lord’s fastidious steward.
“Tsk… It is fortunate we still have time. Would you come this way for a moment?”
That was how Elbridge had ended up being tormented by the maids inside the lord’s castle.
“It looks wonderful on you!”
“…”
The maids fussed excitedly as they dressed him, but Elbridge felt as if he were dying.
I’d rather wear armor. At least that’s familiar.
Armor might be heavy, but he was used to it. The tight sensation around the neck and shoulders that came with formal attire, however, felt completely foreign.
Could he really exchange pleasant conversation with unfamiliar nobles while dressed like this?
No. It was impossible.
As he followed the steward toward the banquet hall, Elbridge began making plans the way he would before a battle.
There will be at least a hundred people inside the hall, no matter how few I sense. With the music playing, they won’t pay much attention to me. If I stay quietly in a corner, not many will bother me. I’ll greet the lord as quickly as possible and slip out. Tomorrow should be much easier.
But the moment he stepped into the banquet hall, Elbridge realized his plan had been fundamentally flawed.
Everyone in the hall—except for him—knew one another.
When a stranger suddenly joins such a group, there is no way to avoid drawing attention. Especially when that stranger happens to be the main topic of conversation.
Like a pack of monsters spotting defenseless prey, the nobles naturally and swiftly gathered around Elbridge.
“Is this not Sir Elbridge?”
“I saw your battle against the demon. I thought you were incredible during the Grand Tournament, but this time you were truly…”
“I heard your ancestor was the famous Silent Paladin. Is that true? Ah, I am from the House of Viscount Sion…”
People introduced themselves in their own ways, each striking up conversation. This baron, the eldest son of that viscount’s family… His mind grew dizzy in an instant.
Elbridge let the nobles’ self-introductions wash over him with one ear while quietly repeating to himself.
…I just have to endure today.
After enduring their attention for quite some time, the music suddenly grew louder and faster.
As if on cue, the nobles took a step back from Elbridge and began conversing among themselves.
Am I finally free?
Of course not. The moment Elbridge regained his freedom, the steward approached and whispered to him.
“The lord is looking for you.”
It seemed the change in music had been a kind of code understood among the nobles.
Elbridge followed the steward to a private room. Inside waited a large, somewhat plump middle-aged man. It was the lord he had glimpsed briefly when he first entered the hall.
Elbridge offered a simple greeting.
“I am Elbridge, paladin and archbishop of the Rusty Shield Order.”
“I am the Lord of Soleneon, the Marquis of Soleneon.”
The lord answered and, unlike the other nobles, extended his right hand for a handshake.
Elbridge took it.
And immediately realized.
This was the hand of a man who had trained with the sword.
Before he could stop himself, Elbridge muttered.
“…You were a knight.”
The lord, who had maintained a solemn expression the entire time, broke into a warm, genuine smile.
“You can tell just from shaking my hand?”
His expression looked less like that of the most powerful noble in the east and more like an excited young boy.
There was none of the artificial polish typical of nobles, so Elbridge’s own heart relaxed considerably.
“Any man who has trained with the sword would recognize it. These are not the hands of someone who practiced for only a year or two.”
“Then… could you also tell how long I trained?”
There was a hint of playful mischief in the lord’s voice.
Elbridge recalled the sensation at his fingertips and answered.
“Judging by the condition of your hands, it seems you have not held a sword for at least ten years recently… I would guess you trained for somewhere between fifteen and twenty-five years.”
“Exactly. Hahaha! To think a hero like you would recognize my effort. I am grateful.”
“Hero? You flatter me.”
“No, no. I doubt anyone would consider it flattery. What other paladin could display such martial prowess and courage? Ah, please sit. I got carried away and kept my guest standing far too long.”
In the private room was a small table where two people could sit facing each other. On it were plenty of simple foods.
Saliva gathered involuntarily in Elbridge’s mouth. Until now he had only smelled the banquet hall’s dishes while dealing with the nobles.
“Don’t stand on ceremony. Eat comfortably. Truth be told, I haven’t had dinner yet either.”
“Understood.”
Thanks to the lord’s relaxed demeanor, Elbridge was able to reach for the food with an easy mind.
The lord spoke while eating soft bread.
“In truth, I was away from Soleneon for a short while at the end of the year on personal business. It was only after the new year that I heard about the black giant and you. Just hearing the story made my blood boil.”
“The other paladins played a major role. The paladins of the Bloodied Spear Order in particular were outstanding.”
“Such modesty… Anyway, do you know what I thought when I first heard of your feats?”
“I do not.”
“I thought that since the Rusty Shield Order had obtained four seats, its paladin must have performed some incredible feat. That was what I assumed.”
The lord took a sip of wine.
“But then I learned it had happened at the end of last year, not the beginning of this one. That changes the story. It means you suppressed a demon while possessing no seats at all, relying only on limited divine power.”
“It was not I who suppressed the demon, but the paladins of the Bloodied Spear Order. It was a powerful thrown spear.”
“Just because I take bread out of the oven does not mean I baked it.”
The lord said this as he spread butter on a piece of soft bread.
“The reason the nobles sent you invitations is because they are eager to see what you will show them next. You displayed such majesty with zero seats. Now that your order has four, how magnificent will your future deeds be?”
“The pressure is becoming enormous.”
“Since you have already shown so much, it is only natural that expectations grow.”
“Haha.”
Elbridge gave a small laugh and popped one of the cookies from the platter into his mouth.
Though plain in appearance, they were far softer, crispier, and sweeter than anything available on the market.
Suddenly he thought the Goddess would be quite pleased if he offered her these cookies.
The Marquis of Soleneon said, “It seems you like those cookies. I will have the steward prepare some for you separately.”
“Thank you for your kindness.”
“In any case… I became curious about the Rusty Shield Order. A name I had only vaguely heard suddenly obtains four seats. Anyone would find that unusual. So I looked into the Rusty Shield Order. They say you are its only paladin. High Paladin and archbishop, I believe…”
“It is a very small order by nature.”
The Marquis of Soleneon paid no mind to Elbridge’s answer and continued.
“In truth, having only one paladin in a combat order is strange. If something were to happen to that sole paladin, the situation would become irreversible.”
Elbridge nodded silently and spread butter on soft bread with a blunt butter knife.
“So I wondered. Why does the Rusty Shield Order—why does the Goddess of the Rusty Shield—feel no need for other paladins? One absurd answer came to mind. But I took that absurd answer as my premise and reconsidered everything. Then something miraculous happened.”
“What miraculous thing?”
Elbridge asked as he brought the bread in his left hand to his mouth.
Yet the butter knife remained firmly in his right hand.
“The reason that eccentric dwarf blacksmith from the Magic Tower uses an axe instead of a hammer when you are near. The reason you could fight a demon with no seats. The reason you, who suddenly appeared, could display overwhelming skill in the Grand Tournament. Everything became clear.”
At some point, Elbridge’s butter knife had come to rest against the Marquis of Soleneon’s throat.
Whether the butter knife had an edge or not was of little importance to either Elbridge or the Marquis of Soleneon. Elbridge was a man who could kill a seasoned knight with his bare hands.
Yet the Marquis of Soleneon maintained a calm demeanor and spoke.
“O hero. Having crossed two hundred years of time, how have you returned to this place?”
Elbridge asked in return.
“Besides you, who else knows this truth?”