encounter (9)
At Zerel’s words, Elika glanced down at the small sentence engraved on the back of the rosario.
Those who seek salvation, the miracle you have in mind will not fade in vain.
A handful of light will not be extinguished even in eternal darkness.
Tom, who was standing next to him, also glanced at Rosario and said.
“Isn’t that one of the words the hero left in the final battle with the demons? Sir.”
Among them, the most famous phrase was the sentence engraved on Elica’s Rosary.
Those who seek salvation, the miracle in your heart will never fade.
A handful of light will not be extinguished even in eternal darkness.
Zerel nodded his head strangely as if recalling the past and asked Elika.
“I didn’t expect to see a rosary with his words engraved on it. Do you respect the warrior?”
It was a meaningless question.
At least if it was a human being, who would not respect the warriors who defended their land, this continent?
Elica put Rosario in her arms in silence without answering.
Tom, who was standing next to him, giggled.
“Of course. He’s a hero who saved the continent. He’s not always a kid, and he says he’s not, but inside he really likes him.”
“Hey… do you want to die?”
Elika, her face slightly red, glared at Tom as if he were going to kill him.
Tom flinched and said to Zer-El, who quickly burst out laughing.
“And I respect Zerel tremendously! Sealing the Demon King together with the hero is a great achievement!”
“Haha, thank you. But sealing the demon king was an achievement accomplished by the hero alone, and I didn’t play a big role.”
In the final battle, the person who dealt with both the demon king and the original demons was the warrior, and the rest of the members of the death squad simply dealt with the miscellaneous demons.
Zer-El was telling the truth as it was, but Tom and Heron thought even that was humility.
He looked back at Elika and said.
“Rather than that, child, can you tell me your name?”
“… Yes? Elika.”
Elika answered with a puzzled expression.
He then asked calmly.
“Yes, Elika. Do you have any intention of learning the sword from me?”
That startled Tom and Heron.
Both of them doubted their ears for a moment, as if they had misunderstood.
Elika also widened her eyes at his completely unexpected words, then asked again.
“······Does that mean you should become a disciple?”
Jeriel nodded as if it were natural.
“Yes, I’m asking if you intend to become my disciple.”
“My, disciple…”
Tom muttered in a muffled voice in disbelief.
It had to be.
It was because the Knight of Radiance, the highest and noblest paladin in the Order, was now asking her to become his disciple.
Heron also stared blankly at Zerel, then suddenly came to his senses and looked back at Elika.
Rather, she, the person who received the offer, had a calm expression unlike the two.
“Why?”
Elika asked Zerel.
It was a natural question.
Establishing a relationship with a priest is not something light like teaching children in a monastery where paladins come and go.
It means that I will pass on the proper teaching and help you grow.
Right now, Zerel was proposing to become a disciple to the girl he had seen for the first time in his life, who knew nothing.
Jeriel replied.
“I watched your sparring earlier. It’s because I noticed your talent there.”
Elika put on a slightly puzzled expression.
Of course, she was aware of her own talents.
But is that enough to interest a great person like him? She didn’t think so.
“You must have seen many people with much greater talent than me.”
Jeriel let out a laugh.
Usually, it’s not strange to lose my mind when I hear a suggestion like this, but rather, I’m suspicious and looking at myself.
It wasn’t that he didn’t recognize how big of an opportunity this was because he still lacked a sense of reality.
Thinking that he was also an unusual child, he spoke frankly.
“Yes. But I’m not making this offer based solely on your talent.”
“·······?”
“I don’t know how it sounds, but… I have a pretty good sense, so I often act according to my senses.”
······persimmon?
The three of them blinked, wondering what this meant.
“That’s why I didn’t just pass by this monastery and stopped by. I had a sudden feeling that I would have a nice meeting here. But watching the couple from earlier… I somehow thought it might be you. That’s why I’m making this suggestion.”
It was an absurd reason that made me wonder if he was joking.
But Elika, quick-witted, could tell that he meant it.
Zerel smiled and asked again.
“So, can you tell me the answer?”
“······.”
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Heron, who swallowed his saliva, turned to Elika.
Tom also urged her with his gaze.
Whatever the reason, this was a really absurd proposition. It will change her whole life.
To become a disciple of a knight of radiance, what believer would turn down such an incredible opportunity? but······.
“sorry.”
After a moment of silence, the words came out of Elika’s mouth.
Zerel widened his eyes as if he hadn’t expected that rejection would return.
Tom let out an involuntary sigh and grabbed Elica’s shoulder with an expression of great urgency.
“Hey…! Are you crazy?!”
Elika removed her hand with an annoyed face and continued.
“I don’t intend to become a paladin. So I’m grateful, but I don’t think I can become a disciple.”
Zerel asked him questioningly.
“I thought the sparring you had earlier was a test to select apprentice paladins, but did I get it wrong?”
Elika answered a little shyly.
“It just got hot… I didn’t really want to become a paladin after taking the test.”
Zerel couldn’t understand what he was saying, but he didn’t bother asking in detail.
“Anyway, it’s a pity. Can you tell me why you don’t want to become a paladin?”
Elika hesitated for a moment before speaking.
“Aren’t paladins people who can fight with their lives for the sake of the gods?”
“yes.”
“······My faith doesn’t seem to be that great. That’s why I wondered what it meant even if I became a paladin.”
Heron closed his eyes and put his chin on his forehead.
It would not be strange if he accepted it as blasphemy, even if it was to the people of the monastery to say that he was devout in front of a knight of brilliance.
Fortunately, however, Zerel did not pour out his rage or scold her.
“Because of faith…”
He just looked at her with strange eyes and said.
“I guess that’s fine anyway.”
“······yes?”
“This is my honest personal opinion, but I don’t think belief in God should be blind.”
The three of them were momentarily at a loss for words.
Are these the words from the mouth of the Knight of Radiance, who can be said to be the norm for all paladins?
Zerel smiled and asked Elika further.
“Have you ever felt this kind of question? The world is still overflowing with pain and despair, so why doesn’t God provide salvation one by one? If you do, what does it mean?”
“······.”
“I couldn’t understand it, so I always thought about it. And I tried to find the answer.”
Elika asked while listening to the story as if possessed.
“So did you find the answer?”
“I haven’t found it yet. I’m still looking for it.”
“······yes?”
“To me, that’s just enough. Whatever it is, he saved mankind once, and I believe there must be some hidden meaning to it. That’s what my piety is. No wonder it’s considered blasphemy. , haha.”
Jeriel chuckled.
“I intend to stay at this monastery for three days. The offer is still valid, so if you change your mind within that time, come see me. Then…”
So he left only those words and turned around and left.
***
Ten days had passed since I had stayed at the monastery.
I was finally getting ready to leave.
His body wasn’t fully recovered, but he couldn’t move anymore, and he couldn’t feel any residual energy from the mana left inside his body.
‘It will really take a year.’
The destination was to go straight to Calderic.
Even if he went back to the scene where he fought Detrodemyan, there was no way Asher would still be there, so there was nothing else to do.
Since it was a long distance to move from here on the outskirts of Saintea to Calderic, they had to move diligently.
And the problem wasn’t just the distance either.
‘I don’t have anything right now.’
He said he would leave tomorrow, so Priest Tane offered to pack some security and food, but that would obviously not be enough to travel to Calderic.
I was thinking of stopping by a nearby city and somehow raising more money to cover my expenses. There were no specific plans beyond that.
Should I go to the real adventurer’s guild and get a request…?
smart.
While I was thinking about it, a knock rang.
The door opened and it was Elika who entered.
I want to know what to do, she asked.
“I heard you’re leaving tomorrow?”
I only told Priest Tane, but he seemed to have heard it from somewhere.
I nodded. did you come to ask that?
“You couldn’t even move properly until how long ago, so your body has fully recovered?”
“Yes, Eolchu.”
“Um… just to say goodbye. I’m here to say hello.”
She rubbed the nape of her neck and said something like an excuse, then said something else.
“By the way, did you know that? A very great person came to our monastery yesterday. A knight of brilliance.”
“know.”
Of course I know because I’ve been watching it all.
I wanted to ask why, but her unexpected words continued.
“But that person asked me if I had no intention of becoming a disciple.”
“·······?”
student?
I tilted my head.
It’s true that he’s talented, but was it enough to be of interest to a mogul?
“That’s great. So what did you say?”
“······I’m still thinking about it. Originally, I was going to decline, but he said something strange.”
“A strange word?”
“The other day I said God and all. Strangely, he said something similar to that. He was a really strange person.”
If you were talking about God and all, you mean the story that you don’t really have any faith in yourself?
I wondered what it was that the knight of brilliance said something similar to that.
she asked me
“What do you think, uncle?”
