Chapter 28
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 28
Chapter Title: The Pilgrim's Road
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The night the terrible blaze engulfed the village chief's house passed.
Waking with difficulty to the chirping of birds, Becky opened her window to an acrid smell and her eyes shot wide open.
In her line of sight was a blackened house that had collapsed in on itself. Unless she had gone mad, that was undoubtedly the home of Fran, the village chief.
A large crowd had gathered in front of the old man's house—the one who couldn’t keep his senses around Sella's skirts—murmuring amongst themselves.
She turned her head and asked in a trembling voice to Luon, who was leaning against a wall of her own ruined home.
“What… what happened last night?”
“Who knows. Maybe he received some divine punishment.”
Shaking his head as if he found his own words absurd, Luon added.
“The chief is dead. It seems he tried to grab something from the flames and couldn't get out.”
Luon gestured with his chin toward the window.
“Those people over there, as soon as the fire died down, they started grabbing anything that looked valuable, whether it was covered in soot or not. They don't seem to care much that the chief is dead. Take a good look. Those were your neighbors until now.”
“…I see.”
Watching the wry, self-deprecating smile on Becky’s face, Luon brushed himself off and stood up.
“I should get going now.”
As Luon stepped out the door, Becky followed behind him.
“I don’t want to live in a place like this anymore either.”
Seeing the faint, sad smile on Becky’s face, Luon smirked.
“Good thinking.”
Luon had been wondering how he would gently turn Becky down if she asked to follow him, but his worries were for naught. As soon as they were out of the village, Becky bowed her head deeply and spoke.
“Thank you so much. I will never forget this kindness. Someday, I will definitely… repay you.”
“You’re leaving?”
“Yes. I have to go somewhere, anywhere. And I’ll do whatever it takes.”
*What a remarkable woman.*
Luon was genuinely impressed. Becky smiled with eyes so clear it was hard to believe she was someone who had been targeted by a witch hunt and subjected to all manner of humiliating glares and torture.
At her forlorn yet composed expression, Luon found himself speaking without thinking. He wasn't even aware he was talking until the sentence had left his lips.
“If you’d like, I can take you as far as the city.”
Becky shook her head.
“No, that would be too much of an imposition. I can’t let you do that.”
Luon, belatedly processing the words he had just spoken, also shook his head.
*I have to take responsibility for what I said.*
“No, wandering around in your condition, you’ll just get torn apart by hungry wolves or become a target for roadside bandits. I’ll take you to the city, no more, no less. It’s only a few days to Nook, anyway.”
Ignoring Becky’s attempt to say, “But I don’t have any money for tolls,” Luon turned his back and said curtly.
“Follow me.”
***
People called this tranquil path, where a statue of Tivela was enshrined by the roadside every three hundred paces of a grown man’s stride, the Pilgrim's Road, or the Road of Peace and Mercy.
Whenever a statue of Tivela came into view, one was to stop and offer a silent prayer.
This was the most basic mindset required of those who walked the Pilgrim’s Road.
Igor, a priest, was also faithfully observing the age-old tradition of not passing any of the hundreds of Tivela statues lightly, paying sincere reverence to each and every one.
“Oh, Mother, who embraces all in your mercy. Your hands, dedicated to peace…”
His expression as he prayed silently was utterly solemn. Though he had passed over a hundred statues, his posture was so perfect it was impossible to tell the difference from when he had first started.
With this level of piety, it was no great surprise that Igor, who had been stationed at a church in the provinces, had been assigned to the Grand Cathedral.
“…Thank you.”
Just as Igor finished his prayer and rose with a blissful expression, someone shot past him.
*To move along the Pilgrim’s Road without praying!*
An act unthinkable by his standards. Igor whipped his head around and shouted.
“H-Hey, you!”
At his words, one of the two people already some distance away turned their head.
“What is it?”
Igor unknowingly swallowed hard at the large frame of the man who asked back in a calm voice.
But he raised his voice once more. What was there to fear? The Mother was watching right beside him!
“This is the Pilgrim’s Road!”
“So?”
The man’s indifferent expression left Igor standing dumbfounded, at a loss for words. He then saw the gaunt woman next to the man whisper something in his ear.
The man, who had tilted his head to listen, soon furrowed his brow.
“Why would I waste time on that?”
As soon as he finished speaking, the man turned and strode forward.
The gaunt woman, looking back and forth between the man and Igor with a troubled expression, gave Igor a quick bow before hurrying to catch up to the man who was walking away.
“Th-this is blasphemy.”
Trembling, Igor quickly chased after the two, shouting.
“Stop! Stop!”
*Seriously, what the hell is with that guy, suddenly throwing a fit?*
Luon scowled at the man running and shouting from behind.
Becky had just told him that while there was a tradition of praying at every statue of Tivela, almost no one observed it anymore.
Even if the tradition were still alive, Luon, who would never engage in such a waste of time, found the man charging at him with bloodshot eyes to be utterly insane.
In that time, Luon was already passing another statue of Tivela.
“N-No! Stop right there!”
At the urgent cry, Luon turned to see the man, having reached the new statue, stomping his feet in frustration before finally kneeling to offer a prayer.
Seeing this, Luon let out a breath of disbelief.
“…He’s still praying through all that.”
“He must be a very devout person.”
Luon nodded at Becky’s words.
*He’ll fall behind on his own if I just leave him.*
Having reached that conclusion, Luon immediately turned back around.
Watching him from a distance, Igor let out a cry of despair.
“W-wait.”
***
A short while later, having left the Pilgrim’s Road, Luon gazed at the sun setting in the western sky and muttered quietly.
“The sun’s setting faster than I thought.”
He turned to Becky, who was standing with her hands neatly folded below her waist.
“Is there anywhere to rest around here?”
“No, not that I know of. The villages are far apart, so there’s hardly any traffic between them.”
*Camping again.*
This was the second day since leaving the village, and it looked like another night of camping. Luon let out a low sigh.
Becky offered him a faint smile.
“Let’s find a suitable spot.”
After finding a reasonably flat piece of ground, the two immediately began to set up camp. Though she was clearly not in good condition, Becky diligently helped Luon.
Sitting before the flickering campfire, Becky spoke.
“Sir Luon.”
“Just Luon is fine.”
“Sir Luon.”
*This is driving me crazy.*
Sighing softly at Becky, who stubbornly insisted on using honorifics, Luon asked.
“What is it?”
“…May I be excused for a moment?”
Luon was about to ask, *Where to, at this hour?* but he swallowed his words when he saw Becky’s flushed face.
The way she was crossing her legs was clearly that of someone who urgently needed to relieve herself.
Only then did Luon realize that Becky hadn't once asked to be excused for a private matter the entire day. He said.
“Go ahead. Don’t go too far.”
As if she had been waiting for his permission, Becky shot up and disappeared into the bushes. Luon scratched his head as he watched her go.
*I was too harsh.*
It had happened because she was a woman who was conscious of his every minor action.
As Luon was debating whether to apologize when Becky returned, a sharp scream made him jump to his feet instinctively.
“Aaargh!”
Luon instantly dashed in the direction of the scream, his brow furrowing at the scene before him.
*What is this now?*
A pack of dozens of wolves had surrounded the fallen Becky. But the reason for Luon’s scowl was the man standing tall in their midst with his arms outstretched.
“You ravenous beasts, stand down from this woman!”
Just as Luon identified the man, who was shouting as if delivering an oration, as the same one from the road lined with Tivela statues and took a step forward,
a bright cluster of light burst from the man’s body.
The light was bright, but not blinding. In fact, it felt almost comforting.
Exposed to the light, the wolves’ snarling muzzles gradually relaxed. Soon, as if they had lost interest, they began to retreat.
Having peacefully sent the wolf pack away, the man immediately dropped to his knees and began to pray.
“Thank you, Mother. Your mercy has saved your little lamb and this woman…”
“You still feel like praying in a situation like this?”
“Gah!”
Startled by Luon’s sudden voice, the man staggered.
*What is with this guy?*
Luon shook his head, watching the man who still managed to keep his hands clasped together through it all.
“Y-You’re the one from before!”
“Quiet.”
Cutting the man off, Luon extended a hand to the fallen Becky.
“I thought I told you not to go far.”
“I-I’m sorry.”
“I wasn’t blameless either, so let’s call it even this time.”
With that, Luon looked at the man who was still on his knees.
“…You, come with us.”
A moment later, the three of them sat around the campfire, silently sizing each other up.
In reality, it was more like Becky and the man were cautiously watching Luon.
The man was the first to break the silence.
“My name is Igor. Thank you for your consideration.”
“…Thank you for your help. I’m Becky.”
“Not at all. As a proud priest of Tivela, I was merely doing what was expected of me.”
“Don’t tell me, you were on the Pilgrim’s Road this whole time?”
Igor nodded as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
“Yes, I only just finished traversing the road. I thought I’d be stuck sleeping outdoors now that the sun has set, but by the Mother’s grace, I met you both and now I am sitting before this warm fire.”
He quickly added.
“On that note, let us all offer a prayer of thanks to the Mother…”
“You can pray by yourself. Are you on your way to the Grand Cathedral?”
As Luon cut in, Igor slowly nodded with a displeased look.
Luon smirked at his expression.
Luon found the prayer-addicted Igor just as disagreeable, but he figured it wouldn't hurt to get acquainted with a priest of Tivela who could enter the Grand Cathedral with him, since he was heading there himself.
Besides, it didn’t feel right to just leave the man who had shown up at the perfect time to save Becky.
Igor asked.
“And where might you two be headed?”
“Nook.”
To Luon’s curt reply, Igor said.
“Since we’ve met like this by chance, from now on…”
Suddenly, Igor trailed off. He frowned, looking Luon up and down, before his gaze fixed on Luon’s waist, and he began to stammer.
“Wh-what is that? That sword? What in the world is it, to be so full of Tivela’s power…”
Luon lifted the holy sword, still in its scabbard, toward Igor, who had instinctively clasped his hands together.
“Your mother gave it to me as a gift.”