Chapter 122
Chapter 122
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 122
Chapter Title: The Star That Pierces the Truth (7)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Hendark's face clearly showed signs of fluster. A mix of doubt over how he knew that person and reluctance at the fact that he had to tell.
But he had already promised to do anything as repayment. The Arch Paladin, who pierced truth and spoke only truth, harshly rubbed his dry face before barely managing to open his mouth.
"……There isn't much known about 'Gordon Who Turned His Back on the Light'. In the records, his existence itself was erased, so only archbishops and top Knights of Elga know bits and pieces passed down in whispers."
"……."
"Even I only know what my late master told me, so forgive me for not being able to go into detail. Of course, you mustn't share this story elsewhere……."
As Kadim accepted the firm warning, the tale began.
"As you said, about three hundred years ago, he was a priest serving the Church. Though his holy rank was just that of an ordinary priest, he was respected by many for his devout faith and exceptional holy power. Then one day, he received a grave mission from someone and set off on a long journey."
"……."
"All I heard was that he received the mission…… I had no idea it was to slay a great demon. Is that really true?"
Kadim slowly nodded in affirmation. Piercing the truth, Hendark stroked his chin and let out a groan. After mulling over the doubt for a moment and catching Kadim's urging gaze, he continued.
"Anyway…… he successfully completed the mission, and the Church praised him grandly. A monument was erected in honor of his feat, and he was even canonized as a saint while still alive. Even now, three hundred years later, canonizing a living person is an exceedingly rare event."
"……."
"But for some reason, he wasn't happy at all. Instead, claiming an injury from the journey wouldn't heal, he secluded himself in the Church's ancient library and shut himself away. He didn't even appear at his own canonization ceremony."
"……."
"I don't know how long that strange seclusion lasted. Then one day, during a major Church event…… he suddenly appeared at the grand cathedral. And before numerous priests and Knights of Elga, he made a shocking declaration."
A beat of pause, followed by a faintly trembling voice.
"The god the Church serves, Elga…… is 'fake'. A 'false being' masquerading as Elga."
A fierce ripple stirred in Kadim's eyes.
He could hardly believe his ears.
He had already heard those words once from Ilenia. But this time, the shock was incomparable. It was hard to accept that not just anyone, but that devout priest of Elga, had said such a thing himself.
Eventually, Kadim's gaze flicked toward the sun. Just in case divine punishment might fall again. But this time, since it wasn't a declarative assertion but a recollection from the speaker himself who doubted it, Elga's eyes did not unleash punishment.
Even so, Hendark seemed troubled to have voiced such words. Only after crossing himself and heaving a regretful breath could he continue the story.
"Why a hero canonized even as a saint would commit such blasphemy…… the full story isn't known. My master speculated it was corruption from the mission's harshness, but my intuition tells me it wasn't that simple. Well, if he truly slew a great demon as you said, perhaps demonic thoughts clung to him during it……."
"……."
"Ahem, anyway…… such blasphemy couldn't be overlooked, even for a hero revered as a saint. The former emperor and the archbishops of the time unanimously agreed to defrock and execute him."
However, the Church at the time lacked the power to subdue that fallen priest.
Gordon had shattered the prison seals and leisurely escaped, they said. How a priest who abandoned his god wielded such miracles was unknown. Legend had it he left for the opposite side of the sun, unwilling to face the eyes watching the mortal world any longer, earning him the epithet 'Gordon Who Turned His Back on the Light'.
"After that, 'Gordon Who Turned His Back on the Light''s whereabouts are unknown. With all records erased, there's no basis for speculation, and only his infamy and tale are secretly passed down……."
"……."
"That's all I know. The ultimate fate of the hero who denied his god…… only Elga, gazing upon the world with those brilliant eyes, would know the truth……."
The Arch Paladin ended with a tone laced with bitter aftertaste. The warrior glanced at the sun with disdain and nodded slowly.
Thus, one of the greatest mysteries from his second playthrough was resolved.
The reason the priest who slew a great demon three hundred years ago was forgotten. Through some process, Gordon realized the god he served was fake and exposed the truth, leading to his defrocking by the Church and erasure of all records.
But Gordon's traces after that remained unknown. Could he really have fallen to demonic thoughts…… and set off to unleash demons? To take revenge on the Church that abandoned him?
'……No, that can't be.'
Gordon realizing Elga was 'fake' seemed unrelated to the great demon. If it were, then Ilenia, whom he'd met before, should have been possessed by demons too.
Moreover, if Gordon had fallen to the great demon, his other companions wouldn't have stood idly by. Neither Cyril nor Melissa would have busied themselves with ruins or the Magic Tower; purifying or sealing Gordon would have been their top priority.
But upon reflection, a vague guess emerged about where Gordon might have gone.
"……."
A guess sparked by the epithet 'Gordon Who Turned His Back on the Light'. It was just a hunch for now…… but Kadim resolved to verify it if the chance arose later.
Snapping out of his thoughts, he found the Arch Paladin staring intently at him. Eyes expectant of an explanation on how he knew about Gordon. But Kadim had no intention of spilling the full story.
"I heard you out. Then as promised, if I learn anything from the Magic Tower, I'll let you know."
"……."
Explaining his connection to the questioned figure wasn't part of the deal. Hendark showed regret but reluctantly nodded.
At least he'd gained a thread about the priest's fate after he left in the first playthrough, without much loss. Now it was time to seek clues about the mage. The genius girl mage Melissa, who meticulously recorded everything—her records would hold the key.
Before that, some matters to settle with the Knight of Elga remained. Kadim set the contact method post-information gathering and requested the Church refrain from intervening for the time being. He also briefly mentioned another issue.
"That demon you killed—for dealing with the mages, I needed its blood, so it's a bit tricky now. Got anything that might help counter their magic tricks?"
The 'Mysterious Species' demon's blood granted a buff boosting resistance to curses, magic, and other mystic arts. Kadim had planned to collect it for the clash with the mages, but the demon vanished without a trace, ruining everything.
Of course, needing the blood was his issue alone; blaming the Knight of Elga would be unfair. Unexpectedly, though, Hendark readily offered something.
"I was going to give you this anyway. Take it. It's a holy relic called 'Lantern That Burns the Blackest Night'. If friction arises with the mages, lighting it will be a great help. But it breaks after two uses, so only when absolutely necessary……."
Hendark pulled out a small lantern and handed it over. Examining it, Kadim instinctively grasped the relic's effect and realized how it would help.
And that realization linked to another.
"So the Elga Church knew what the mages use for their magic?"
"……Yes. The energy is faint and hard to detect easily, so it's not widely known. But high Knights of Elga like me and bishops are extremely sensitive to demonic energy……."
Kadim sneered.
"Unbelievable. Weren't you all obsessed with hunting demons and heretics? Why leave the ones blatantly using 'demonic qi' alone?"
"That's…… the same reason I don't treat you as an enemy."
Because they couldn't win without heavy losses, and even with minor casualties, they provided great overall benefit.
"……No wonder the former emperor granted the Free City Alliance autonomy. The Church's Knights of Elga alone couldn't handle all the demons on the continent……. Mages who use a bit of demonic energy but recycle it wholly into demon subjugation were an indispensable necessary evil that couldn't be eradicated……."
Hendark muttered excuses.
No matter how he dressed it up, it amounted to bending religious conviction to harsh reality. Seeming aware of how lame it sounded, his voice shrank like into a mouse hole, his face tinged with penitence.
But to Kadim, it was perfectly understandable.
This too boiled down to power. All problems could be solved with power, and unsolved problems meant lacking power.
So he must keep growing stronger.
……Until the Elga Church bent even their religious convictions and couldn't touch him.
There was no more to discuss. Hendark resummoned the Radiant Horse. Slashed once by the axe and reverse-summoned before, it reared up on hind legs and whinnied at the sight of the barbarian.
- Whiiiin! Whiiiin!
"Whoa, whoa, calm down……. Whoa……."
"……."
Moment of farewell. Hendark wished him luck and prayed Elga's blessing upon him. Hearing that, Kadim felt deeply uneasy and pondered whether to tell this Knight of Elga.
That 'Elga' was fake—that it was true.
If he truly pierced truth, he'd recognize that too as truth.
But with the eyes above shining so brilliantly, blurting it out recklessly felt unwise. Unsure what distortions the stigmata—another of Elga's blessings—might bring, Kadim swallowed the words and asked something else instead.
"Hey, one last question."
"Mm, go ahead."
"You know the Elga Church's corruption better than I do, so why not leave? No matter how much you try to lead it right, few will support you."
"……."
"Is it because of that mighty power and blessing of Elga?"
The Arch Paladin closed his eyes fully.
A smile more bitter than poison on his lips, he donned his helm to shadow his face. With a weary sigh, he slowly shook his head. In a voice aching like a meteor fading in the sky, he finally answered.
"Even if all around is drowned in night's darkness, a star must shine in its place. Only then can someone see that light and find their way……."
The people of Quern, having just escaped their blockaded village, were once again forced into frantic flight.
"Hurry! No time to dawdle! Move slow and you won't even leave bones behind—everyone, make haste!"
"Mom, my feet hurt……. My legs have no strength……."
"Just a bit longer, dear……. A little further and we'll rest……."
"Village chief! C-Could we all go back to the village for a moment? We left in such a rush, I didn't even grab a spoon……."
"Don't talk nonsense! Want to go back and die? Go alone if you do! Think a Knight of Elga will let us pop in and out?"
Some suggested turning back now and then, but the village chief firmly shot them all down. The villagers sighed deeply but had no choice but to obey.
Watching the trailing procession, the chief anxiously bit his lip.
He had reason to. If it rode a glowing steed, it was surely an Elga Church Knight of Elga—a mighty high-ranking one at that. Wielding power to unleash vast natural disasters, he doubted they could fully evade the aftermath at this sluggish pace.
He could guess why the Knight of Elga came. The Empire baring its ambitions again, trying to swallow the Alliance whole.
Thus, the Knight of Elga's first target was likely the Alliance's core strength: 'Vesta', home of the Magic Tower.
So the evacuation headed the opposite way. War would leave no safe haven in Alliance lands…… but the chief judged dodging the immediate threat mattered most.
"Everyone, quicken your steps! We must go faster here to safely escape the Knight of Elga……."
Regrettably, the village chief's prediction—already scripting a war epic in his head—missed the mark.
Doong, doong-doong, doong-doong-doong—!
Hoofbeats shaking the heavens. Bluish light flared in the sky once more. No one saw it as a good omen now. Faces paled like dry wax.
"K-Knight of Elga……."
"The Knight of Elga is chasing us……."
"E-Everyone, ruuuun!!!"
"Uwaaaaaah!!!"
"Kyaaaaaaaah!!"
The Knight of Elga approached not Vesta, but them.
The chief squeezed his eyes shut. Damn, he spotted us. Before striking the Magic Tower, eliminating witnesses first—obvious.
All was lost. No escaping however fast they fled. Slumping in despair, ready to accept doom……
Doong-doong, doong-doong, doong…….
The light streaked like a meteor across the sky westward, then vanished.
And did not return.
"“……?”"
The people blinked at each other. Moments later, they slyly eyed the chief for explanation, but none came. He was just as clueless.
Then, a massive figure suddenly emerged from the brush.
"What is it. Why's everyone gathered here."
"……."
"Picnic to celebrate escaping the village?"
Kadim, the Atalan mercenary who'd gone demon-slaying. The chief approached his dumbfounded face.
"M-Mercenary? How are you here…… D-Did you already kill the demon?"
"……I didn't kill it. I just tailed it, and it crawled into its own death."
"H-How…… N-No, more importantly, did you see the Knight of Elga? The angel of death come to destroy the Alliance……."
"……No. He wasn't here to destroy the Alliance—he had business with me. Finished it and quietly went his own way."
The chief's eyes bulged. Beating his beard in disbelief, he asked in a thrilled whisper.
"Th-Then, did you, after a fierce battle and victory, drive that mighty Knight of Elga back to the Empire?"
"……."
How does my statement twist into that?
Kadim shot an incredulous look without answering. But the chief, deep in misunderstanding, couldn't contain his surging emotions and blurted out.
"Everyone, look here! He vanquished the vile demon and repelled the indescribably mighty Knight of Elga! Now we can all return to the village and rest easy!! Right before your eyes!! Without any reward, he averted war and saved our home—a great hero stands!!!"
"“……!!!”"
Shocked wide eyes slowly filled with pure admiration, regardless of age or gender. All gazes on Kadim held stunned awe and reverence.
Kadim met those stares blankly, thinking.
"……."
If I'd known he'd spew such nonsense, I'd have left that village chief locked in the tent.