The Paladin Owns the Relic

147 – Ancient Forest (7)

“…It was too cruel.”

“What is cruelty? I just kept my promise.”

“They will fear Ra all their lives.”

“That’s a good thing. Whenever they sin, the name of Ra will watch over them. Besides, even if the Empire were to investigate the truth, wouldn’t they open their mouths because they were involved? It’s a happy ending – these words. It has the side effect of her memory being a bit fuzzy thanks to Eve’s efforts… But rather nice. Children will quickly forget the horrific scene.”

Arpina, who was riding in the wagon without a word, murmured.

“Is this…Really God’s will?”

“You mean me?”

“Eh?”

“If you lose, you have to pay back tenfold. Pulling out the root is my motto. It means Ra… Well. I don’t know. After all, wouldn’t God be interested in humans? They are beings looking down on us from afar.”

“Ha, but…”

“In the end, human laws are determined by human beings. Everyone’s moral standards are wrong. Even the great Bible of Ra is nothing more than what those who tasted the power of God wrote down according to their own taste.”

“Poetry is blasphemy!”

“Blasphemy or whatever…”

I stroked Amar’s clinging hair.

“I do not forgive those who touch mine. Kill them all.”

“…Zahard is strangely…Obsessed with ‘his own’.”

“I am fed up with being stolen. What I once had, no one can take away.”

“Why… Are you so afraid of being taken away?”

“Rather than being afraid of being taken away…”

Remembering the unpleasant past. A lot of failed memories.

The feeling of hopelessness when I was deceived by others and lost everything I had.

“I can’t accept that someone else controls my life. Never.”

“……”

Arpina was silent. Amar, who was rubbing his cheek in my hand, asked quietly.

“Zahard. Are you mad?”

“Huh? No?”

Are your emotions a bit intense? I turned my head away from the wagon.

But Amar grabbed my face right away. Turned to himself

Smiley face.

“Look at me.”

“…Why?”

“You can think of pretty things when you see pretty things.”

“Pooh-oop.”

Camilla spat out the water she was drinking. She laughed and then, as if she had been heard, giggled.

“You…You taught me…? I’m not someone who only read love novels…”

Eve’s face turned red.

“Chu, it’s a line that can be eaten!”

“Eve is a bit silly.”

“No! Tsubaki! I don’t grow anything like that! I’m smart! That’s wise!”

Amar looks at me amidst the clamor. She doesn’t take her eyes off her even for a moment.

Until she quietly sticks out her mouth.

“Oh no!”

Arpina screamed her voice.

“What are you doing in front of others!”

“Maya. My ears hurt.”

Vulcan clicked his tongue outside the carriage.

“I’m fed up. Isn’t it? Rock much.”

“Youth. By the way… Zahard.”

“Yes?”

“There is something ahead.”

Rakkeom twisted the reins. The famous horses bought at high prices slowly stopped.

Overturned wagon and blocked road. Those who didn’t know what to do looked at Rock Keum.

“…Lizard?”

“Yeah. See me first.”

“They are a mysterious species…”

“Isn’t there a wolf beast next to you?”

Among the people who were chatting among themselves, a man with a sickly image made his way through the crowd.

“Ah, how are you!”

The long ears pricked up.

…Elf?

I poked my face out of the carriage.

“What’s going on?”

“As you can see, the wagon overturned. One of the wheels is off… No, I’m not asking for any help! Could I get some parts related to the wagon wheel? Of course, I will pay for it.”

I jumped off the wagon. Those who looked like mercenaries gasped for breath.

“Yeah. Waiting for the top shelf is killing me.”

“Is it boring?”

“Who are you? Hey. Move. You can’t see my face.”

“If I stand next to you, I will look like a squid. Hey.”

“Can’t you shut up?”

I glanced at the wagon wheels.

The spokes are completely broken. It’s not like it was broken on purpose, but it looks like it’s broken because it’s really worn out…

They weren’t the ones waiting for us.

“Rock Kum. How is it?”

“I don’t know how to repair a wheel.”

“Get out of the way. I cant do a little I kept a few parts in my luggage just in case.

Vulcan, who rummaged through the luggage hung on top of the wagon, started to fix the spokes by clicking.

The elf let out a sigh of relief and smiled broadly.

“Thank you very much! Oh, the introduction is late. I am a pellet. It’s insignificant…But I have a place in the red magic tower.”

“It seems to be a street where people don’t go often… Are there people from this area?”

“Ah. No. We are now heading to the fairy forest.”

“Ah. Hometown visit?”

“It’s not because of my hometown… It’s because my blood is very thin. It’s like a mutation. There is very little elven blood in the actual mix. They are so-called half-elves.”

A person who mixed with humans and inherited almost no elven blood.

A man who broke through the mercenaries looked up at me at an angle. He was rather short, but his sharp eyes seemed to be calling out, ‘Mercenary!’

“Who are you?”

“I am a priest of the Sun God Church.”

“Cult of Ra? Why did you come so far from there? And I know that there are prisoners in the Church of Ra, but it’s the first time I’ve accepted Lizard? Why are you taking someone who even went to war with the empire?”

It’s a rather aggressive tone. Rock Kum snorted.

“That is none of your business either. Bald head.”

“No bald head! Can’t you see the few strands of hair?! In the first place, it’s the same as that one that’s smooth!”

“I belong to the scaly side. From a human point of view, it is like a long-haired man.”

“What bullsh*t is that?!”

The growling mercenary let out a sigh. He glanced at me

“…That. Can I see your ID? I hope you understand. Because it’s not just once or twice that we’ve been stabbed in the back.”

There is no specific reason for refusal. I showed my ID. After seeing the badge of the Church of Ra, the mercenary scratched his head.

“I’m sorry. I’ve been attacked by bandits a few times before coming here. Damn Calvide guys.”

“Kalvid?”

“Didn’t you know? This area is the territory of a great bandit called Calvid. They’re sick guys. It’s so new and rare that even the Imperial Army can’t catch it.”

Calvidra. You know

Are they a band of robbers led by a guy called Bunny?

“You managed to survive?”

“Well, actually, the main unit rarely moves. At least, they’re talking about what they’re talking about. That Lizard seems to be using quite a bit of strength too… Is that the guy you hired?”

“Ask me directly.”

“Are you hired?”

“Belongs to the church.”

“Eh? Really? Lizard… That the Sun Gods accepted it?”

The bald mercenary looked at me and Rock Kum several times.

“Couldn’t that be… forbidden love… or something like that…?”

“Brother. Can I kill you?”

“Stay still. Rock. I will kill you.”

“Just kidding! Joke! What the. Anyway, I am Rococo, the leader of the mercenary group ‘Sword Hammer’. It’s a mix of dwarf blood.”

“Somehow he was short.”

“Muscles are tighter. If you measure it from the sky, I’m the tallest. So do the other guys.”

Come to think of it, I was a bit short overall. It’s a dwarf mercenary.

I shook my back.

“I am Zahard, a priest of the Sun God Church.”

“I see. How many do you have?”

“Including myself, there are a total of 8 people.”

“Are you going to the fairy forest too?”

“Why is that…?”

“Eh. I thought we were the same kind, but weren’t we?”

Rococo asked back.

“You mean the story that the delegation led by the third princess is heading to the fairy forest this time. The story that the other guys are also putting spoons on each other. Judging by the look on his face, he must have not heard. Starting from the top, there are many people who secretly want to join the delegation. Originally, a group of about 500 quickly grew to about 2,000.”

“…The delegation allowed it?”

“Of course I heard that there is a participation fee. Now, it’s like a large-scale expedition directly commanded by the Empire. We are diligently on our way to join him.”

The guy who left the Church of Ra because he didn’t want to receive support is now calling for an expedition…?

Did something go wrong on the way?

I exchanged glances with Rock Kum. Lizard whispered.

“Rather, things can be solved comfortably.”

“That’s right.”

If you naturally join the expedition, you will be able to legally grant Ashwal’s request.

However, in this case, the name of the Sun Godism rather interferes. Because of Ashwal’s tangent, my face was already caught.

As long as we don’t run into each other in person, I think it’ll be fine, but…

The very name of the Sun Godism could lead to suspicion of Ashbal’s involvement.

“Rococo. What are the conditions for joining the expedition? Is money enough?”

“It can’t be. To the end, money is just an additional factor, and in order to join the expedition, you have to prove that you are at least an ‘organization’ and have the ‘force’ to protect yourself. That’s why the merchants who join the expedition in order to profit from the fairy forest are hiring mercenaries on a large scale.”

“A mercenary.”

Isn’t this the world’s easiest identification card to pick up?

“It’s nice to hear that.”

“What is nice…”

Crispy.

An arrow stuck in his feet. Startled, Rococo immediately made use of the overturned carriage as a shield.

“A raid!”

“What the f*ck!”

“It’s a town where bandits come out when you’re bored!”

“Who are you again this time!”

I grabbed the arrow that was aiming for the head and grabbed it with my hand.

I didn’t forget to spread the holy power. Sweeping divine aura. Rococo opened her eyes wide at the fluttering sparks.

“What, how amazing is this…?”

Oh. Did you feel He was a warrior who had awakened his magical powers.

I checked the size of the guys.

Dozens…A number close to a hundred.

Rakkeum straightened his back.

“I will take care of it. Brother.”

“No. Are you okay.”

Look at this. There is poison on the tip of the arrow.

This…Isn’t it the same as the poison on the dagger we saw last time? What those thieves sowed.

“Looks like a stalker has been chasing you.”

I dropped the heavy ax. Hung over the shoulder.

Sacred relics are a luxury for those guys.

“I will finish it. Never mind.”

Innumerable arrows densely covered the sky. Rococo exclaimed urgently.

“Su, hide!”

“Who are you worried about?”

Vulcan snorted.

I grabbed the axe.

Sparks flew.

“That guy is a monster. Bald head. He is a child who has the same common sense as us.”