Chapter 124
Chapter 124
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 124
Chapter Title: The Path of Penance
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The abbot’s heart sank.
His mind was a tangled mess.
He had only faithfully followed Bishop Matthias’s will. And yet, Loan’s words seemed right again, leaving him unable to muster a rebuttal.
“Why are you looking for the Bishop?”
His voice and expression were filled with worry.
However, the worry was not for himself.
“I fear I may have misinterpreted his will and made a mistake. If so, it is all my fault. It would be better if you held me responsible…”
He was worried that Bishop Matthias would get into trouble.
Without a word, Loan began to walk slowly toward the gate.
The abbot scurried to his side, trying to talk to him, but Loan remained silent.
Finally, just as the knights parted to make way for Loan, the abbot spoke.
“I will let in as many people as possible before the gate is fully closed. And even after it is closed, I will find a way to let people in.”
He had softened his stance.
Only then did Loan meet his gaze.
“What you’ve said was no different from what Bishop Matthias would say. I should have seen them as having the potential to become warriors of God and done my best to save every single one in preparation for the holy war…”
Loan cut himself off with a sigh, shook his head, and turned away from the abbot.
He met the eyes of a priest and asked.
“Could you arrange a room for me to rest for a day? I will pay for it.”
The priest glanced at the abbot before guiding Loan.
Feeling the stares on his back, Loan passed through the monastery entrance that served as the gate.
“Oh…”
The sound escaped him unconsciously.
It was because of the unique sense of space.
The rugged rock of the gorge formed the inner walls of the monastery, with a roof built over it, stretching far into the distance.
It was an artificial tunnel.
It was so wide and long that he couldn’t readily see the end. It was reminiscent of an underground city.
“You’ve turned the entire gorge into a monastery.”
Buildings were constructed on both sides of the tunnel.
He could tell from the different signs. Each building had its own purpose and role.
The monastery itself was no different from a small town.
“Yes. That’s why we’re usually very careful about who comes in. Though it has become a bit excessive lately.”
The blue-eyed priest leading the way answered, his voice trailing off.
Despite the torches brightly illuminating the surroundings, his expression was dark.
“I dare not judge the Bishop or the abbot, but speaking as a fellow believer who serves the same God… I have nothing to say but thank you, and I am truly sorry.”
“You have nothing to be sorry to me for.”
“Not everyone agrees with the abbot, so I hope you won’t be too disappointed.”
“I didn’t like the reason the abbot changed his mind, but at least he won’t be shutting the gate so cruelly anymore.”
Their words brought comfort to each other.
And so he was guided to a humble room.
“If you need a meal, I will bring it to your room.”
“Thank you.”
He leaned against the bed, letting his weary body relax for a moment.
Not long after, the priest returned. He was carrying a tray with bread and soup, but he had come with quite a large group.
Knights. Priests. In their hands, they held apples, tomatoes, and other things.
The blue-eyed priest spoke.
“As I said, there are many who think as I do.”
“I don’t know if it’s alright for all of you to come like this.”
He was worried they might face repercussions.
“It’s fine. We have that much autonomy.”
A red-haired knight stepped forward and continued.
“We’ve long had deep doubts about whether this was right. Seeing you today, Runner, made us reflect deeply. We will submit a petition to our headquarters.”
“A petition?”
“Like the abbot, many here in the monastery were personally inspired by Bishop Matthias, so other voices have been silenced. It’s no exaggeration to call it a new sect. We intend to warn them of the danger.”
It was impressive how they used honorifics even while talking about a petition.
It was also refreshing to know that diverse opinions existed within the Orthodox Church.
Loan added a thought.
“If the abbot is that stubborn, it must have had a great influence on others as well.”
“Yes. That is why it must be based on evidence. We have logs from that time, so the first step is to use them to formally request a heresy investigation. We will also raise the issue of replacing the abbot.”
They were more proactive and decisive than he’d expected. It seemed they had just been waiting for an opportunity.
From Loan’s perspective, their initiative was welcome.
He had no authority to do anything about the abbot.
Of course, in that respect, a Bishop was no different. No, if anything, the position was far too high for a Runner to handle.
Nevertheless, he wanted to meet him, if only to resolve a nagging sense of unease.
Just then, the blue-eyed priest asked about it.
“You said you wished to meet Bishop Matthias, correct?”
“Yes.”
“That is our wish as well. It would be good if you could see what kind of person he is, Runner. Although you are a non-believer, you have colleagues from the Orthodox Church, so we thought you could provide an objective view.”
There was a hint of fear in his eyes, but it didn’t seem to be for fear of any repercussions that might befall them.
If that were the case, they wouldn’t have planned a petition.
“What kind of person is Bishop Matthias?”
“None of us here have met him, but those who have heard his sermons become completely inspired.”
The red-haired knight added, venting his frustration.
“It’s not just inspiration. People change to a dangerous degree. My colleague, Alain, was not like that. He was warmer and more compassionate than anyone, but I don’t know why he’s become so cold.”
The blue-eyed priest patted the shoulder of the knight, who was struggling to hold back the rest of his words.
“Bishop Matthias is at a place called the Chapel of Penance. It’s located midway along the Path of Penance that leads to the temple.”
Early the next morning.
Loan passed through the Monastery of Reception.
The end of the monastery was also where the gorge ended.
The blue-eyed priest, Samuel, who had guided Loan that far, bid him a final farewell.
“You will need to be careful again until you get close to the next way station, the Monastery of Fellowship. The distance from the Monastery of Fellowship to your destination, the Chapel of Penance, is short, but the path is very treacherous, so please be cautious. Rumor has it that the area near the Chapel of Penance has become particularly dangerous.”
Most of Sion was mountainous terrain.
With forests on all sides, it was hard to know when or how beings of darkness might slip in.
Pilgrims might not have anything worth stealing, but he’d heard that bandits and robbers were as rampant here as in any other country.
On top of that, there were things of unknown origin, like the fallen monks.
“If you are following the Path of Penance and find it difficult to reach a monastery or chapel, look for a nearby private house.”
The private houses in Sion often served as inns or lodgings for passing travelers and pilgrims.
Such places were solitary houses situated amidst the meadows. Samuel said they could be identified by a sign with a large rooster painted on it.
He kept that possibility in mind.
There was no need to insist on staying at unwelcoming monasteries and chapels.
“The love of the Mother Goddess will be with you every step of the way. She will surely be pleased to have a Runner on the Path of Penance.”
“Thank you for your kind words. I have reported the situation here to headquarters, so members will be arriving soon.”
After exchanging pleasantries, Loan left the monastery.
Immediately.
He marveled at the scene that unfolded before his eyes.
It wasn’t just because he had been inside for a day.
The Letia Mountains, which loomed suddenly before him, were majestic, and the pastoral landscape spread out below was soothing to the soul.
Still, he did not completely dismiss the priest’s warning.
He spurred his horse on, remaining vigilant.
He didn’t need a signpost to follow the Path of Penance.
A line of pilgrims dotted the path.
The smooth ground, packed down by countless people over a long time, was enough to follow by its texture alone.
Hoping he could reach the next way station by afternoon, Loan urged his horse onward.
He made it without any difficulty, just as he’d thought.
The Monastery of Fellowship.
Situated on a corner where the road jutted out, it had a low cliff behind it.
The atmosphere at the entrance was not much different from the Monastery of Reception.
Knights armed with maces and swords were warily watching the pilgrims who sought entry.
“No.”
Loan was denied entry at the gate.
The abbot of the Monastery of Fellowship himself declared that only believers could enter.
“This is the monastery’s policy, so we ask for your understanding, Runner of the Union.”
Engaging in the same argument would be a waste of time.
And from the way they were treating the pilgrims, they didn’t seem overly harsh.
“Can I entrust this horse to you? He has no faith, but he’s a good boy.”
The abbot, his face flushing red, accepted Loan’s request.
Without a second thought, Loan headed for the next path.
There was still time before nightfall.
He had conserved plenty of stamina, and his mana reserves were ample enough to continuously extend the Narrow Path.
Aul’s belly also held a good number of magic clumps, which gave him peace of mind.
*Swoosh—*
The scenery blurred past him on either side.
Between the shrubs and vines, on the gentle meadow far below, cows with large bells around their necks grazed peacefully.
He could also see private houses with rooster signs among them.
The priest’s advice came to mind.
*‘He said to use a private house like the other pilgrims if it’s not feasible.’*
Just then, the sky was scattering red light in all directions, as if to end the day.
That was likely why the thought had come to him, but he felt no need to go down and rest.
Amidst the burning scenery, Loan extended the Narrow Path far into the distance.
Loan was fast as he passed through the forest path, but the sun, determined to set, was faster.
It vanished in an instant, and the darkness of the forest came on suddenly.
For a good while, he didn’t slow down, using mana as his guide through the unusually black world.
He saw a low-lying fog up ahead.
He also saw the abnormally dense dark mana. And within it, writhing shapes.
Where did they come from? These fallen monks.
But even from a distance, he could see that the situation was different from the one at the Monastery of Reception.
Amidst the darkness, two figures, shining with exceptionally pure mana, were cutting down the fallen monks left and right.
Striking them with a verdant light.
‘That light…’
He rushed into the fog.
He approached the two, who were catching their breath after felling two fallen monks.
They used a peculiar breathing technique—short inhales and long exhales—likely to combat the dark mana.
“Ah…”
When he finally recognized the two, a wave of emotion washed over him.
Welcome faces in an unexpected place.
“Senior Nikos! Senior Bell!”
“Loan?”
They were the Runners from the Faith Division he had teamed up with while scouting the conversion facility in Barcino.
Since they hadn’t come up from below, they must have been stationed in Sion and sent as support.
Just then, behind them.
He saw a building standing as grandly as a fortress.
Nikos, noticing Loan’s gaze, said.
“Yes. That’s the Chapel of Penance. You arrived sooner than we expected.”
Loan was quietly impressed.
This was what it meant to be his seniors.
Instead of hiding inside, they were out here, doing their best to save anyone who might be in danger.
They were different from those who only looked out for themselves.
*Look at this,* he wanted to shout to the world. *This is what true believers look like. This is sacrifice. This is the Union.*
But then.
“We can’t get in.”
Nikos said in a bitter voice.
“What?”
“They locked the doors on us just for being from the Union. We have no choice but to hold our ground out here.”
“Ah…”
His seniors were in the same predicament.