Moon Village
***
Viscount Dickens seemed extremely confused, and he appeared to have much he wanted to say.
The Baron of Riverford also seemed eager to hear in more detail what had happened in the Viscountcy of Dickens.
However, the Baron of Riverford guided Viscount Dickens and his knights into the inner part of the lord's castle.
"I have many questions, but for now, it seems you must rest. Please tell me the detailed story later."
Elbridge understood what it meant for the Baron of Riverford to be a good person. Unlike a typical noble, the Baron of Riverford had a deeply ingrained consideration for others.
The utterly exhausted Viscount Dickens and his knights could not refuse the Baron of Riverford's offer. While at it, the Baron of Riverford sent his son to his bedroom as well.
Elbridge, the Baron of Riverford, and the baron's three knights. Only five people returned to the reception room cum dining room. The food had already grown cold.
Until they had left the reception room, they had been in sharp opposition over who had caught the magical beast.
But now that they knew there had been a misunderstanding, there was no reason to argue over who had caught the magical beast.
"Sir Walter. I am sorry."
Oswald apologized to Walter, his ears turning red.
It seemed to weigh on his mind that he had rashly criticized Walter a little while ago.
Walter shook his head.
"It was a situation that could be misunderstood. I also secretly thought you were being shameless... Let's just consider it the result of our respective foolishness and move on."
"I understand. Thank you."
As the dispute was settled more or less peacefully, the Baron of Riverford began the main conversation.
"What do you think happened in Viscount Dickens's fief? It can't be that Viscount Dickens and his knights saw a hallucination at the same time."
Walter, Oswald, and Eberhardt were silent.
Just as Elbridge was about to bring up the story that the work of a demon was suspected, the faint voice of the Goddess reached his ears.
- Elbridge. Do not say anything right now.
Elbridge bowed his head and whispered just as quietly.
"For what reason?"
- If you bring up the story hastily, there will be more harm than good. The detailed story will be in Solenion...
The Goddess's voice grew smaller and smaller, then cut off. It seemed she had squeezed out every last bit of her usable power to speak to him.
Elbridge did not disobey the Goddess's words.
<><><>
The next day, Elbridge received the promised horse from Walter as a gift. It was a brown horse with a glossy coat.
"Sir Elbridge. I am greatly indebted to you. If you ever happen to pass by this area, please stop by anytime. I will treat you properly then."
"Understood."
Just as Elbridge was about to leave the Barony of Riverford, Oswald came running in a hurry.
"Sir Elbridge. You said you were going to the Holy City Solenion."
"That is correct."
"The lord has asked you to deliver this letter to the temple of the God of the Golden Tray."
Oswald held out a letter to Elbridge. Seeing that the letter was not sealed with wax, it did not seem to be a letter whose contents needed to be hidden from Elbridge.
Elbridge unfolded the letter. In the letter was a record of what had happened in the Viscountcy of Dickens.
Only now did Elbridge's mind feel a little at ease.
He had been bothered all along that he could not bring up the story of the demon yesterday.
'If I deliver this letter, people will realize that a demon has appeared.'
Elbridge smiled with satisfaction.
"Understood. I will deliver the letter as soon as I arrive."
"This is the travel money the lord has given you. And this is a gift from me."
In the pouch the lord had given, there were 2 gold coins. It was a very generous amount for travel expenses.
The gift that Oswald had prepared was even more to his liking. It was a sword that seemed to be of quite good quality.
Oswald said awkwardly.
"Yesterday, you said you didn't have a sword. It will surely be of help."
"I will use it well."
"I wish you a comfortable journey. And I look forward to the day we meet again."
Elbridge nodded and left the Barony of Riverford.
<><><>
Elbridge arrived in the Holy City Solenion without any trouble.
"...Finally."
The Holy City Solenion was the largest city in the eastern part of the continent, and to Elbridge, it was a city that could be called his spiritual home.
Elbridge grabbed a passerby and asked.
"Which way is the horse market?"
"Go that way."
Elbridge looked around the city of Solenion as he went to the horse market.
'The city has gotten much bigger than before.'
In the old days, a high city wall surrounded the Holy City Solenion.
But now, so many buildings had been built outside the city wall that it was a situation where the buildings seemed to be protecting the city wall instead.
It was not just the city that had grown. The number of people seemed to have increased several times over compared to the old days, and the vitality flowing throughout the city was also incomparable to the past.
Elbridge sold the horse he had received as a gift from Walter at the horse market.
"It's a good horse, but it's too old. I'll give you 3 gold and 10 silver."
He did not know the price of horses well, so he could not haggle.
Still, since that merchant had offered the highest price in the horse market, it probably was not an absurd price.
'This should be a help to the order's finances...'
Elbridge purchased a bottle of the most expensive and high-quality perfumed oil in the market, then headed for the hill.
Unlike other cities situated on flat land, there was a hill in the center of the Holy City Solenion.
It was a hill that was quite large in size but not steep, so even a child could climb it without difficulty, and on top of that hill were numerous temples of the gods.
From the entrance of the hill, there was no room to set foot due to the followers and priests who had come to visit the temples.
After delivering the Baron of Riverford's letter to the temple of the God of the Golden Tray, Elbridge puffed out his chest and headed to a high place on the hill. There was a reason for Elbridge's confident attitude.
The reason the temples of the Holy City Solenion were located on the hill was to get a little closer to the gods.
Naturally, the more followers and the greater the power of an order, the higher up on the hill they could build their temple.
A temple in a high place was a subtle source of pride among priests and paladins.
And the temple of the Order of the Rusted Shield was located quite high up on the hill.
In human terms, it was roughly at the shoulder, or perhaps the ear.
As he climbed the hill, he saw several temples with a thick layer of dust and spiderwebs here and there. They were the temples of gods who had fallen into ruin over the years.
However, there were no vanished temples. Even if a god had fallen into ruin, no one would want to incur the wrath of a god by demolishing their temple.
As a result, the scenery on the hill had not changed from two hundred years ago, with the exception of just one difference.
In the past, the higher up the hill the temples were, the more followers they had, but now, the opposite was true.
Now, the temples located at the entrance of the hill were bustling with people, and the temples at the top of the hill were deserted.
Elbridge inwardly lamented.
'The world is turning upside down. It's the end of days. The end of days.'
Finally, Elbridge arrived at the temple of the Rusted Shield Goddess.
Without a doubt, it had the thickest layer of dust among all the temples he had seen while climbing the hill. At a glance, it looked as if a gray carpet had been laid down.
'First, I should clean up some of the dust.'
Elbridge roughly cleared away the dust on the temple floor and tables, then wiped the statue of the Rusted Shield Goddess on the altar with the high-quality perfumed oil.
Elbridge offered the remaining perfumed oil before the statue. And he knelt and offered a prayer.
"My Goddess. I have come."
As if waiting, the Goddess's voice was heard.
- You have come. Elbridge.
Perhaps because it was a temple, or perhaps because he had offered the perfumed oil to the Goddess, her voice was much louder and clearer than before.
The Rusted Shield Goddess continued her oracle.
- For over a hundred years in the past, there were no followers, and nothing was offered. The power permitted to me each year was so small that it could be compared to a grain of wheat, so can you imagine how difficult it was to convey even a simple intention to you?
The Goddess grumbled. Depending on how one heard it, it almost sounded like she was whining.
Elbridge felt strangely pleased.
"As I too was trapped in the seal for a long time, I can understand the Goddess's hardships, even if only a little."
- Yes. That must be so. You have truly suffered greatly. My most cherished child.
It was a pleasant thing to converse with someone who understood one's heartache. A smile hung on Elbridge's lips without him realizing it.
At that, the Rusted Shield Goddess said,
- I do not know the reason, but it is good to see you smile.
"In the past, one had to be at least an archbishop to receive the Goddess's oracle, did they not? I too have heard the Goddess's voice only twice. It feels strange to hear the Goddess's voice as if it were a matter of course."
- It was partly to save the permitted power... and at that time, it was the trend. To be aloof and solemn, to maintain a distance from the followers and act mysteriously.
"I... see. It seems the trend in the heavens has changed now."
- Actually, that is still the trend now. But as you know, I am not in a position to care about such things right now...
"..."
Elbridge wanted to bring something up, but if he just blurted out what came to mind, there was a high possibility that a very irreverent remark would come out.
Therefore, Elbridge tried to change the subject.
"My Goddess. For what reason was I released from the seal?"
- I do not know for sure. Surely, a large or small change must have occurred in a place that my sight did not reach. For instance, the power of the seal might have run out...
"Was the Great Archdemon also released along with me?"
- I cannot know for sure. However, the recent incident caused by a demon was the first to occur after the Great Archdemon was sealed, so it might be related to the Great Archdemon.
The Rusted Shield Goddess was not the supreme god, so she was not omniscient and omnipotent.
Still, this was considerable high-level information.
Now that the biggest question was resolved, it was time to resolve the most recent question.
"My Goddess. For what reason did you stop me from mentioning the demon in front of the Baron of Riverford?"
- If you mentioned the demon in that place, people would come to guess your identity, and I was worried that a calamity would befall you.
"A calamity?"
The Goddess said euphemistically.
- Elbridge. You were a dike that stopped the Great Archdemon by sacrificing your own body. However, people, even while looking at a dike, do not easily realize the preciousness of the dike that protects them from the overflowing river.
"That much is fine. I'm used to it."
- The biggest problem arises when the dike breaks. People, even while looking at a dike that has broken after hundreds of years, do not thank the dike for its long service. Rather, people are bound to complain about the flimsiness of the dike. For people tend to feel the coming inconvenience more greatly than what they have enjoyed until now.
"I am lacking, so I have not realized what that analogy has to do with me."
The Goddess's next oracle followed a little late.
As if a person were hesitating a little before bringing up an awkward topic.
- ...Elbridge. People utter blame more easily than thanks. The difficulties that people will have to endure as demons run rampant will be great, and the people who remember the peaceful times will surely want to create a target for their blame. That target will most likely be you.
Elbridge did not understand that oracle.
"I have done nothing wrong. I had no way to commit a wrong either. You know that, my Goddess."
- Of course, I know it well. Elbridge. I believe that most people will think the same as I do. But at the same time, there will be many who will doubt whether you have not been negligent in the duty you carry.
"..."
In other words, it meant that there might be people who thought that the demon had reappeared in the world because Elbridge had refused to remain cooped up in the seal.
It was absurd. But Elbridge knew well that the Goddess's worry was quite realistic.
There were many people in the world who respected and revered paladins.
However, there were not a few who hated paladins. They were jealous of the respect people had for paladins.
Those who were blinded by jealousy would often come up with delusions suitable for disparaging paladins.
As time passed like that, such people would come to believe their own delusions, thinking that they, unlike the foolish others, had realized the truth.
There was no need for rational and reasonable grounds for such delusions and beliefs.
Because deciding on a result that one liked, and imagining the grounds to fit it, was such an easy and enjoyable thing to do.
What was more terrible was that when such people gathered, the suspicion and delusion would snowball.
They always demanded an explanation, but they had no intention of accepting the explanation itself.
The Goddess's voice that followed was full of sorrow.
- Furthermore, there will surely be people who think that the demon will also disappear only if you disappear. Just as in the distant past, there were people who shouted that the demon would disappear only if the paladins disappeared.
"...I understand."
- Yes. Be careful not to reveal your identity unless it is a absolutely necessary situation.
The results of devotion and sacrifice were not always sweet. Just as it was in the distant past.
<><><>
While Elbridge was cleaning the temple with a sorrowful expression, the faint sound of footsteps approached the inside of the temple.
Jeobeok, jeobeok.
Elbridge's heart pounded fiercely.
'There shouldn't be anyone who would visit this temple... Don't tell me, has a prospective convert already come?'
If the rumors related to the demon had already started to spread, it was a sufficiently possible thing.
It was a welcome thing for Elbridge. If the number of followers increased, the Goddess's power would grow that much, and the power that Elbridge could handle would also grow that much.
Of course, even if he recruited a few members in the current situation, the Rusted Shield Goddess would not be able to occupy a seat in the celestial council... but hadn't they said that a good beginning is half the battle?
The Rusted Shield Goddess also gave an oracle in a very excited tone.
- Paladin, Archbishop, and Chief Cardinal Elbridge. If a prospective convert appears, be sure to hold on to them. Your Goddess is ready to joyfully accept even a single follower...
"Understood, my Goddess."
- As it happens, your Goddess has learned a method of holding on to followers from the Goddess of the Olive Tree in preparation for this moment. It is something called a pyramid, and although it may not look like much for now, by promising a great reward according to future performance...
Jeobeok, jeobeok.
The footsteps grew closer and closer, and then the owner of the footsteps revealed themselves.
Unexpectedly, the opponent was a paladin in armor. Moreover, a paladin as young as Elbridge.
The Rusted Shield Goddess became even more excited.
- It is even better if you can recruit a paladin. For an era that needs strength is approaching.
Business, as they say, begins with the first impression.
Elbridge, in order to meet the Goddess's expectations, asked sweetly.
"Hello. For what reason have you come to the hall of the Rusted Shield Goddess?"
At that, the nameless paladin looked around the inside of the temple and said.
"Well, I just came to see if a new guest had come to the moon village for a change..."
"...Moon village?"
"I'm talking about the temples at the very top of the hill. People rarely come around here. Oh, I came from the temple right next door. From the temple that serves the God of the Bloody Spear."
Elbridge was a little disappointed. Of course.
"Ah. So you didn't come to join."
"Join?"
"Yes. It's the new follower recruitment period."
"Hmm."
The young paladin looked Elbridge up and down and then said.
"How about you come over to our side?"
"...Pardon?"
"The Rusted Shield Goddess has been pushed out of the celestial council for well over a hundred years, hasn't she? Wouldn't it be better for both of us if you served the God of the Bloody Spear instead?"
The Goddess's anxious voice was heard in his ear.
- Elbridge. Do not listen to the whispers of the devil. I will surely protest firmly to the God of the Bloody Spear. How dare that lawless one proselytize to my archbishop in my temple...
Elbridge stood there blankly, flustered by the unexpected offer.
At that, the young paladin, perhaps interpreting Elbridge's appearance in his own way, added a word in a suggestive voice.
"As you know, our God of the Bloody Spear has occupied a whopping two seats in the celestial council this year. He's one of the big shots in this moon village. How about it? Isn't it a tempting offer?"
Elbridge thought.
'...What's with this guy now?'
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