Chapter 77: 77

"Don't listen to this guy, Sister!"

"Ye-, yes!?"

Maria was shocked out of her daze.

"Just listen to me. I'll show you something interesting."

"Uh, what do you…"

"Hold on tight."

"Damn it!"

Whiiiiiish, thud thud thud!

"Kyaaaaaa!"

Embracing the pilgrim, Maria, Callius whirled into the air, his feet finding purchase on the walls and catapulting them both up to the roof.

Step.

"Wow, that was a surprise…"

"Callius!! Give her back!"

But he was still being chased.

Callius was looking down, thinking how they were sticking to him like a leech, and saw Bruns waving from where he’d been buried inside the collapsed wall.

‘Crazy.'

Did he have no idea what situation they were in?

Or so Callius thought, but then he noticed Bruns was holding Vivi by his side.

Meaning, he didn’t need to worry about Vivi.

"… I guess he’s got some use."

So what to do now?

Killing them all was a bit of a tricky proposition.

These were all women who said they liked him, so killing them all would be a tad weird, right?

"Hey, what are you going to do now?"

Maria asked cautiously.

Because she was still in his arms, her face was red as a beet, and she was trembling so much that it was as if he could hear the crazy beating of her heart.

"What would you like to do?"

"Ru-, run away. Many of the sisters are gathering at the news of your appearance, Master Callius. More paladins will be coming."

"How cute."

"Ye-, yes?! Ahaha…"

Maria, whose face was already blushing so hard it looked like she could explode any moment, was so dazed by the sudden compliment that she fainted dead away.

Even Callius himself was taken aback for an instant by the words that’d slipped out of his mouth.

But he soon regained his composure.

This was probably because of the characteristics.

In the North, the characteristic of the scapegrace had bothered him off and on, but here the trait of the prodigal son seemed to be the culprit.

"I hadn't considered the characteristics in my plans."

While becoming a heretic inquisitor, he hadn't considered his own sinful characteristics. It was a disaster.

Stab!

"Callius, you bastard!!"

It was the same polite paladin as before.

As soon as she managed to climb onto the roof, she rushed at him and swung her sword.

Claaang–!

Callius dodged, still hugging Maria, and the blow smashed on the roof.

"What have you done to Maria!"

"I haven’t done anything."

I just called her cute.

"Don't lie! Then why did she faint like this!"

"I'm sorry."

However, it was unlikely that she would believe his story, so he again wielded Maria's sword.

Not a life sword, just a plain carcass.

The pale blue blade was proof of that.

A longsword with no special features.

However, the paladin facing him was using a greatsword with far longer reach. It was shaped like a sabre, with the blade slightly curved upwards.

"Callius. It seems you’ve really gotten your hands on a relic. You’re moving completely differently compared to three years ago."

Was there such a rumour already out and about?

It didn't really matter, though.

Rumours don’t last more than a few days.

"You're really interested in me, I see. You should’ve just tried confessing with all your heart. Although, I wouldn't have accepted it."

Craaack.

"Shut up!! It's a shame that I couldn't kill you three years ago. But even if you’ve beem empowered by the relic, your dull swordsmanship can't touch me!"

"You have a different kind of charm than Maria. Did you come to my bedroom too?"

Unintentional nonsense kept coming out of his mouth.

The paladin, shamed, smashed the roof again and rushed in close.

"Die!!"

A momentary burst of power.

The purity of her spirit power wasn’t bad, and the sword she wielded was clean.

It wasn’t bad, per se, but –

Craaaack.

It wasn’t something that would work on Callius.

Her sword, as it came to entangle with Callius’, suddenly turned in a circle, the aim of the blade’s tip moving from the top to the bottom.

The paladin, startled, stepped back.

"!"

Her eyes widened as if what she’d seen didn’t make any sense.

“I was sure I hit something…”

"Then you would’ve heard something, no?"

Actually, there had indeed been a sound.

It was just hard to hear.

Callius hadn’t used his strength or divine power to parry.

He’d just drained his opponent's power away with a gentle nudge.

Facing the orc warlord, with not a single drop of strength remaining, Callius had managed to parry his axe.

Although it had only been possible due to Death Verse Composition, he wanted to make that ability his own.

‘Not yet.'

This wasn't how he’d parried at that time.

When fighting the warlord –

With a body that really didn't have any strength, he’d weathered the enemy general’s mighty axe blows.

The feeling he had at that time –

He wanted to get it back, but it seemed like it was still unreasonable.

It wasn’t very satisfying.

"What did you do!"

"Nothing."

Sensations different from before were invading his body and controlling his head.

A lot of information had overflowed like a wave the moment their swords had met.

The paladin’s disposition, for example.

Her swordsmanship, and her habits while wielding the sword.

He could guess how many years she’d been practicing with which of the movements.

No, he could tell right away.

It was a strange feeling, but that was why he’d lost his enthusiasm.

The paladin’s level was lower than the first orc warrior he’d faced in the North.

Although, it was only to be expected.

In game terms, Carpe was quite a low-level area.

"Need a hand?"

It was a familiar voice.

"Helena. You haven't left yet?"

"No, I was doing my business and heard the commotion, so I came to see what the fight was about. How about it? Want me to help, same as three years ago? This time will be a special sale, only a thousand gold coins for my help! Anyway, you have a lot of money now, right?"

"Not required."

Callius wasn’t troubled to the point where he’d need help.

He was just annoyed.

"Paladin Helena!! Do you know how hard it was for me, because I couldn't kill him last time! Because of you!"

"Aren’t you being too bloodthirsty? And everyone has their own circumstances, you know. Got it? So here's a suggestion! I won't help him if you give me a thousand gold coins. How about it?"

A thousand gold coins.

How could a paladin spend such a large sum of money at the drop of a hat?

"I don't have enough money…"

"It's a pity. If it's now, I can shave it down to eight hundred."

The paladin, worried, finally threw a pouch she’d taken out of her sleeves.

"I only have this much!"

Swish. Helena snatched the bag of gold coins out of the air, and sticking her tongue out, guessed its weight.

"Hey, just a hundred?"

"I'll finish it in ten minutes!"

"Oh, so I just have to wait for ten minutes? That's fine then."

However –

"Callius isn't here anymore though?"

Suddenly, Callius had disappeared.

"Damn it!!"

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The paladin spat out a curse and looked back at Helena.

She was also gone.

With all her gold coins, too.

Pit-a-pat, pit-a-pat.

Step, step.

Brushing the dust off his shoulders, Callius left the alley, put on a hooded robe, and slipped into the crowd.

"It'd be nice to get rid of the old grudges, but now the enchanter comes first."

Approaching the area bordering the forest on the outskirts of Karradi –

The smell of all sorts of potions hit his nostrils.

This was the area where all the alchemists in Karradi were gathered.

Callius had to find an alchemist here. One who'd later become a pillar of the Carpe Kingdom and create all kinds of powerful sacred artifacts.

"Beatrice."

If it were her, she’d certainly be able to solve his problem.

"Eh, isn't it Lady Esther!"

"It’s an honour!!"

The soldiers who guarded the capital, burst into exclamations.

There was no one in Carpe who did not worship the sword. They’d all grown up from birth watching the dazzling radiance of swordsmen, and hearing stories about their fights with the spear bastards.

So, strong knights –

As well as paladins, enjoyed a certain level of courtesy.

No matter how bad the reputation of the Church might, all were equal before the sword.

So they could not hide their respect for Esther, who was called the genius of the century.

"I was so impressed seeing you win against a paladin with a spirit sword, with just a normal carcass, in the royal tournament!"

"Everyone in the kingdom in looking forward to how high you will soar, Lady Esther…"

"Yes."

Esther was very uncomfortable with their interest, but the soldiers would latch on to any excuse to drag out their conversation even a little.

"So why are you…"

"I was just passing by and heard the commotion."

A cacophony of blades.

As she was passing through the streets, her aura sense had caught the energy fluctuations and had led her to this place.

"What happened here?"

“Uh… well. We also just arrived, so we still don’t know exactly what’s going on.”

But –

"From the traces, it seems that there was a small-scale battle. We did get testimonies from some people passing by."

The soldiers all looked grim. It was common for pilgrims to wield their swords at will, unheeding to laws and reason.

Esther read that expression and calmly pierced the core of the issue.

"Were they pilgrims?"

"Eh? Oh, yes. It was a group of pilgrims. We don't know what's going on, but it seems that two parties came to blows."

"Can I take a look?"

“Oh, of course. This way…”

In this narrow alley, ten people had fought a group battle?

Esther did not believe the soldier's words.

‘One was alone.'

It’d been a many-to-one fight.

More than ten people had attacked one person.

Wild sword scars were left on the buildings and the ground.

And when she looked at the footprints, she could picture the battle in her mind.

"There were two."

"Yes? What do you…”

Esther ignored the soldier and fell into thought.

There’d been two at first.

But one had fallen right away.

Where the wall had collapsed, no footprints had been left behind.

And one, remaining.

"Interesting. How curious."

“What… are you curious about?”

It was definitely a many versus one battle.

More than ten pilgrims attacked one person, but strangely, he’d left hardly any sword marks or footprints behind.

It was like they’d been fighting a ghost.

‘Of course, it’s not completely traceless.'

Starting from a point, two footsteps overlapped and fought while close together.

Capturing the enemy and toying with them while fighting. Nobody could do this unless they were a true expert.

"And…"

There.

He’d stepped on the wall and climbed up.

He’d climbed up to the roof, roughly the height of a five-story building, in three leaps.

Even Esther couldn’t do this easily.

He had great physical ability.

To the point where he could even carry another person up with him.

"Who is it?"

The pilgrims fought him, so…

An imperial knight hiding in Karradi?

There was such a possibility.

He didn't even draw his weapon.

Whiiiiish, thud, thud, thud!

"Oh! Eh, Lady Esther!"

Leaving the soldiers behind, Esther stepped on the wall like the mysterious knight and climbed onto the roof the same way.

"It's gone."

There were no more footprints.

Pilgrims were stronger than normal humans.

But naturally, if they used that superhuman power for movement, they’d leave marks on the terrain.

But that common sense was overturned here.

He must’ve fought against another person here, but no traces of it could be found.

Even after that final blow. Even though the last powerful strike from the paladin had scarred the place so terribly, there was no trace of the enemy’s attacks or movements anywhere.

Interesting.

There was a strong knight who could do things she couldn't.

For Esther, who’d only ever trained with the sword, strong people were the only interesting and entertaining existences in the world.

"Uhhhm, uhhh…"

When she was smiling with interest –

A cute voice came from somewhere.

When Esther looked down, she saw a girl climbing up carefully from the hole in the roof, carefully in case it collapsed.

"Finally!"

"Who are you?"

"Eeeek!!"

Clang! Clang clang!!

"Damn it!"

Perhaps her hands had weakened with sirprise, because she fell straight down the hole again.

"Ugg! Aah! I almost died…"

"Are you alright?"

"Ye-, yes! Uh, Esther?"

“You… Pilgrim Maria?”

"D-, do you recognize me?"

"Weren't we in the same class?"

"Th-, that's right! I just didn't expect you to remember… ah, thank you."

Maria, once Esther pulled her up to the roof, bowed her head.

"But why are you here?"

"Ah, I left something…"

She looked around, as if she’d just remembered, and looked bewildered.

She looked just the same as she used to when they were both nuns, a few years ago.

Few people disliked Maria because of her kind heart and deep consideration for others.

However, Esther was not in the mood to appreciate her warmth right now.

"Did you see a sword here by any chance?"

Sword. There was only one reason why she’d come to find a sword here.

"Are you the one who fought here?"

“Yes? Oh, that’s… it was a fight, but it was also kind of not? It’s a bit fuzzy.”

"What do you mean?"

"Ah, that's…"

Esther's eyebrows furrowed.

Because Maria's attitude was really strange. Her face was red, her fingers wiggled, and she was shuffling in place.

‘She’s like a cute earthworm.'

She looked like she was very shy about something. But only for a while.

She was starting to get restless.

"Esther, you really didn’t see a sword? It's very precious to me! I’d be lost without it!"

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