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[The east would be nice. It rains a lot there.]
[I like rain.]
Thud thud-.
I woke up to the sound of rain and looked for my sword.
I came to my senses at the cold blade.
‘It’s been raining for a long time.’
There was no soundproofing at all, so I had to catch my breath to the lively sound of rain falling right next to me.
It was only after I got up and grabbed my sword that I felt a sense of uneasiness.
‘The abbot hasn’t come.’
Today there was no knocking like a bell.
That reminded me of the abbot who used to do shows alone in the rain.
‘Did you get struck by lightning?’
If I had been struck by lightning, I might have been able to go to the fan meeting with him as I wished.
Otherwise, it was unimaginable that such an old-fashioned person, who would not shed a single drop of blood, would break his routine.
After relaxing my body a bit, I went to Choco’s room and woke him up.
I blocked Choco’s sword with my usual technique as he woke up with a seizure and took him to the backyard.
However, there was an ugly guy there.
“promotion.”
Berman called me with a serious look on his face.
“What is it?”
I asked him back, briefly stretching my body.
Choco yawned deeply and swung his body away from me.
Berman looked at him for a moment, then looked at me with a stern look and opened his mouth.
“I want to become strong.”
It was a great line that any protagonist would say, but it didn’t sound all that great when Berman said it.
“Okay, follow me.”
Berman hesitated for a moment and then clumsily followed my movements.
Berman was a bright spot among the guards.
Unlike those guys whose daily routine included running to prostitutes after work or drinking and playing dice, he trained well and was quite perceptive.
Being able to wield a sword, however clumsily, without being influenced by those around him was an advantage that outweighed everything else.
Of course, it would be more efficient to just shoot a crossbow, but I didn’t say it out loud.
Even Kanna, who came out with sleepy eyes, joined in, and the full-fledged morning exercise began.
“One, two, one, two.”
After a quick gymnastics session, I faced Berman.
“What are you planning to teach me···.”
Berman asked with an awkward smile, perhaps remembering the training he had received before.
“Of course it’s swordsmanship.”
More than anything else, imprinting it on the body was the most effective.
In those split-second moments between life and death, a response that was instinctual rather than thought-provoking was needed.
That doesn’t mean the theory is useless, but when it comes to increasing your skills in a short period of time, the fastest way is to learn while doing.
‘It’s a bit unfortunate that there are no medical staff.’
I took out my sword from its scabbard and aimed it at Berman.
Berman, whose face was pale, hesitated for a moment before rushing forward first.
Since I had taught him several times before, he seemed to know that he would be punished if he stayed still.
Of course, nothing would change if I rushed in first.
“The posture is upside down.”
Bam-.
Berman’s back bent with a cheerful sound.
Berman spat a long stream of saliva from his mouth and made a gasping sound, but he still held the sword.
That’s because the first thing I taught them was that if they put down their swords, they would die.
Since humans are animals too, whenever they put down their swords, they would never put them down if they were to strike again. Just like now.
“The sword has been lowered.”
“Ugh-.”
I continued to educate him diligently, kindly explaining to him why he was right.
Berman was originally very persistent, but today he lasted much longer than last time.
‘I guess you worked hard on your own.’
I roughly pushed the overturned Berman away.
Meanwhile, Choco was sparring with Kanna.
Choco was facing Kanna with a serious expression, half of his bushy beard was burnt and the rest was covered in small ice cubes.
This time, Kanna spewed lightning from her mouth.
“When shooting lightning, aim for the enemy’s eyes!”
Choco offered practical advice and split lightning with his sword.
If it had been pure lightning, it would have climbed up the sword, but it dispersed, either because it was based on mana or because the amount of mana was insufficient.
Kanna thrust her sword through the gap, and her stance was quite good.
Of course, Choco’s simple stomping of his foot threw the ball off course and it went astray.
“It’s not bad. But the center is too shaky. A man must have his center exactly right.”
‘I understand why my daughter ignored me.’
I clicked my tongue at the same stiff attitude he used when teaching soldiers.
“···thank you.”
Kanna glanced at me, put both hands together in front of her, and gave a polite thank you.
“Keep on working hard. That way, you can take the opponent’s breath before your own head is blown off. Remember, lightning strikes the eyes.”
Choco spoke again firmly.
Still, compared to the desert days, his attitude was much more docile.
At that time, he was a guy who would beat me up for no reason.
Kanna stuck her tongue out and came to me to show off the pose she had learned.
The fire stab that followed with lightning shooting out of the mouth was really cool in terms of effects.
I lightly patted Kanna’s head and headed towards Choco with the sparring sword I had set aside.
“You’ve grown a lot.”
“······Heh heh.”
Choco laughed in vain at my compliment. Then, the corners of his mouth rose and he rushed over first.
Choco kicked the ground and naturally kicked up some mud. It was a really cheap technique, but it was a standard for desert creatures.
This was not a desert, but mud instead of sand, so it was easy to block.
I extended my sword first, holding my left hand forward to block the mud heading towards my face.
The sword that Choco held with both hands and the sword that I held with one hand were entangled, but it was Choco who was pushed back.
Choco must have expected him, as she raised her sword without hesitation. My sword slid down the blade.
It seemed like he was planning to block with a guard and continue the attack, but I pressed down on my sword with more force.
Although it was blocked by a wide guard, Choco’s sword went down with the force I pressed down.
Then the front opens wide.
Choco didn’t sit still either.
He twisted his sword and turned his guard to the side. The guard was rounded, so it changed direction despite my strength.
The distance had already narrowed, so a long red line was drawn near Choco’s chest, but Choco didn’t seem to care.
Tangled Swords.
I continued the competition while controlling my strength.
After all, there was more to be gained from fighting the blood-smelling Vermunt than from fighting those knights.
‘You’re definitely back.’
The competition lasted quite a while as the strength was adjusted.
But eventually, an opening appeared. He swung his sword hard and Choco let him go without hesitation.
The bastard approached, pulling out the dagger he had stuck next to his leg.
I didn’t hesitate even though I knew that if I came any closer, a hole would be pierced in my stomach.
It was a vicious fighting method of deserters who would take the opponent’s bones even if they gave their own bones.
I examined the bastard’s dagger. It was sharp, as if it had been well-maintained, but it was just an ordinary dagger.
My breastplate wasn’t pierced. I knew they were going to aim for the seam, so I leaned my upper body out and narrowed the angle.
The dagger didn’t reach and was just lightly stabbing my black guy’s stomach.
“···hmm.”
The guy nodded, his voice cracking.
“It’s useful.”
I put my sword away, giving an emotionless review.
In terms of simple swordsmanship, there was no one in Cassidy who could match Vermunt.
It might be difficult to deal with knights who use auras.
‘Then he won’t fight me head on.’
I nodded my head as I watched Choco pondering something.
Even though Auror was a fraud, he was ultimately dealt with by humans, so if a sword was stuck in his neck, he would die anyway.
“Where did that guy go? He’s so dirty.”
Choco asked, running his hand over the wounds on his body.
There was quite a bit of blood, but Choco didn’t seem to mind.
“I don’t know.”
I answered while receiving laundry magic from Kanna.
Kanna’s cleaning magic, which even includes a drying function in the washing machine, made my clothes fluffy as if they were newly born.
It took quite some time because I didn’t have enough mana, but the comfort was better than a washing machine.
When I finished with him and went inside, the table was filled with food.
It was excessive compared to the usual meat bread.
“Captain, have you been eating this every day?”
Berman sat across from me, looking at me with a strange expression.
“Ah, the smell.”
The washing machine came and cast a spell on Berman and the foul smell disappeared.
“Washing with magic······.”
Ignoring Berman’s muttering, I picked up some things and put them in my mouth. Kanna followed me and ate the meat.
Now that I think about it, he seems a little taller.
While I was putting meat in my mouth, Ha-na sat down next to me.
“Try this, Aaron.”
Hannah winked and held out a glass of beer, the color of which was subtle.
It was a color that was somewhere between green and brown, making it more suitable for warning signs of hazardous substances than for food.
Here, when making beer, these guys added dried plant powder to give it that flavor, but as drinkers wanted more stimulation, the taste gradually became more stimulating.
Could this green beer be a monster born from that excessive competition?
Hannah’s face, looking at me from the side, resembled that of the boss who is introducing a new menu for the first time.
I shook it for a moment and then took it to my mouth. It tasted like ordinary beer, but a little bitter.
‘···I put in plant powder, but there’s no way it could taste like this?’
For those who like their beer to be strong, this was clearly a very good premium beer.
Still, it was drinkable, so I held my breath and drank it all.
“How is it? How is it?”
I looked at Hannah, who was blocked by her shoulder blades, and thought for a moment.
From a medieval perspective, it was a breathtaking beer. There was quite a bit of undissolved powder, but it had a spicy flavor.
“It’ll sell well.”
I couldn’t bring myself to answer that it was delicious.
“Really? It’s a beer made with oak pepper powder, which is said to be good for men… It’s said to be really good for men!”
hmm···.
I looked down at my empty beer glass for a moment as I listened to Hannah’s lively words.
At the bottom was a layer of undissolved green powder. Something that would have been very precious to some orcs…
“It’s time to go to work.”
I woke up with a rough mouth.
Kanna naturally attached herself to my leg.
“Do you think it’s good? Hot hot?!”
I left the bar, seeing Hannah off with a waving hand.
***
It was still raining, but the dark clouds had cleared a little and the sun was peeking out.
Patrols have become more important as inspections have been strengthened following the closure of pagan areas.
Because the walls were built so long, there could have been holes like a secret vault for a weasel. Or pagans could have already entered.
The outer wall guards then employed medieval search methods.
“Open the door! If you don’t open it, our leader will break it! The door! And your head!”
Kel said roughly as he kicked the door open. There was a small scream from inside, and the door flew open.
There was no concept of a room in a commoner’s house. Most were one-room houses. It was a harmonious atmosphere where beds, stoves, chamber pots, and livestock were all tangled together.
Livestock was no different from the common people’s heating equipment. They used to say that nothing made them happier than sleeping with a pig in their arms in the winter.
Straw all over the floor, filth strewn everywhere, and even two pigs, the owners of the filth. They were a great model medieval village.
“Is something wrong?”
The guy with the dark circles under his eyes asked. There was a brown tint to his cheeks, but he didn’t seem to care.
I had to speak well here.
If they said it was because of the pagans, there was a high possibility that they would try to blow things out of proportion among themselves and start a campfire.
“It’s just a normal checkpoint. Just clean up the mess. If you see any strangers, be sure to report them.”
I waved my hand roughly and left the house.
When I told him it was just a normal checkpoint, he quickly accepted and even saw me off.
“Captain, is this how you can find it?”
“I don’t know, if you tell me to do it from above, I have to do it.”
Kel grumbled for a moment, then kicked the door to the next house with a frown.
“Open the door! If you don’t open it, the captain will break your head and the door!”
I was scratching my cheek when I heard the door open and my face crumpled.
Of course, there was nothing more powerful than fear in governing medieval people.
The guy who opened the door looked at me in horror, and Kel quickly went inside to look around.
I ate the apple he gave me and scared him into reporting any strangers I saw.
“Captain, I think you should come in?”
Kel’s hoarse voice was heard from inside. The man in front of him was startled and laughed awkwardly.
‘There’s a problem.’
I clicked my tongue and went inside. It was an ordinary house. A house with a pig on one side and a brazier and a bed at the same time.
However, there was a window. Even on the inside, so it was not visible from the outside.
The reason why they built it with hidden windows was obvious.
“That··· That···.”
It was clear that he had remodeled the windows on his own without paying the tax on them. In the Middle Ages, even the smallest details regarding buildings required permission from the lord.
Each item, such as the location of the door, the fireplace, the window, etc., had a separate tax rate.
It was a ridiculous tax, but what can you do? He was already born in the Middle Ages.
‘This is becoming a nuisance.’
I stared at the guy who was scratching his cheek and smiling awkwardly.
“I tried to report it, but… the… the smell of livestock was too strong…”
If I remember correctly, he was a guy who got married when I was young. He used to give me apples and other fruits when we went back and forth.
If it were normal, even if you got caught, you would just pay a fine and get away with it, but the timing wasn’t good. It was clear that Yeongju would be looking for an example.
Since I had to maintain discipline by intertwining with heresy, it was clear that I would receive a more severe punishment than usual.
“Hey, Cedric.”
“I’m Butin… Aaron. I really wanted to report this….”
The guy who had been laughing awkwardly avoided my gaze and trailed off. It seemed like he still didn’t know the gravity of the situation.
‘hmm···.’
I scratched the ball for a moment and then slammed it into the wall.
The flimsy wall collapsed in an instant and cool rain greeted me.
“It will be well-ventilated now.”
I laughed, running my hands through my wet hair.
The guy opened his mouth as if he was grateful.
During that time, Kel caught the pig that was trying to run away, and the pig was so strong that it dragged Kel away and ran away.
“Chief! Chief!! This little pig! Choo-choo!!”
The kel hanging from the pig’s neck rode him away.
“Ahh! No pigs! No pigs···”
Only then did the man come to his senses and chase after the pig.
I chuckled at him and headed to the next house.
***
We continued our patrol, but even after halfway through, we had not found anything of note.
I sat under a tent erected in front of a tavern, dusting the dirt off my shoulder blades.
Drinking beer while on patrol was like drinking coffee while working.
“What kind of pig is that strong? This is going to be a disaster.”
Covered in mud, Kel grumbled as he wiped his breastplate with a cloth. Some of it wasn’t mud, but it smelled bad.
‘I can’t even slaughter a single pig…’
“It must be chewy.”
I clicked my tongue and answered.
“I promised to call you later when I slaughter that pig. I’ll give you the left leg. Can I get some of the sergeant?”
Kel chuckled and gestured inside. The guy inside the bar naturally brought him a glass.
“But I didn’t catch anything. Is it really effective? It just seems to break down walls.”
He shook his head at Kel’s question.
They’ve already scared you so badly that even if a single stranger pops out, you’ll be reported.
In such a closed castle, it was impossible to move without being noticed. It was a very effective security measure, as the castle was so narrow that even informants could be caught by the hair.
I sipped some warm wine.
At that moment, someone approached from the side.
The abbot was drenched in rain, and his usually straight eyes were squinty as if he had stayed up all night.
The abbot did not come under the curtain, but looked down at me from outside in the rain.
‘I didn’t get struck by lightning.’
“···What is it?”
Is he finally going crazy? Just looking at his appearance, it was obvious that he was crazy, so I found myself shaking my fist without realizing it.
Has the day finally come to defeat the abbot?
It even occurred to me that maybe God really does exist.
The abbot, who had been silent for a moment, shook his head and opened his mouth.
“···What happens if you drink alcohol during work hours?”
Unfortunately, despite his crazy appearance, his speech was normal.
“Beer promotes blood circulation.”
The abbot squinted at my answer and washed his face with rainwater.
I watched the abbot sipping wine and washing his face in the rain.
“I am a very devout Christian. My wife Rosa is also like that. She always prays before and after receiving guests.”
Kel took the initiative to lead the abbot to the opposite side of me and spoke the words that came out of his mouth.
“You are very faithful. But does your wife run a restaurant?”
The abbot sitting there bowed his head slightly and asked.
“Oh, she’s a prostitute.”
“······I see. If you come later with your wife, I will help you with the blessing.”
The abbot hesitated for a moment and then nodded.
“Oh- Really?”
Kel was visibly pleased with him.
That’s understandable. Even though prostitutes earned a lot of money, they were considered unclean, so they had to wear conspicuous cloths when going out, and they even had to worship separately at the synagogue.
Even if you donate the most money to the synagogue, the synagogue’s gaze is cold, so it was inevitable that such a reaction would occur when someone like the head of the monastery suddenly gave a blessing.
The guys here put a lot of meaning into blessings. Maybe it was the feeling of being recognized as a real person.
“······Anyone can receive blessings.”
The abbot nodded, speaking in an unusually weak voice.
“Then let’s talk about the leader. I’ll go around the rest of the districts.”
Kel, who had noticed the situation, received the confirmation of the blessing and ran excitedly into the rain.
Every time Kel jumped, the water droplets spraying on both sides caught my attention.
When I turned my head again, my eyes met the gaunt abbot’s. Anyone who looked at him could tell that he had something to say.
“What is it?”
I asked, sipping my wine.
In response to my question, the abbot closed his eyes tightly and exhaled slowly.
When the wine was almost empty, the abbot opened his mouth.
“What would you do if you found out that what you believed was not perfect, that it was a lie?”
It was a random question that made it hard to understand whether menopause had come or not.
The eyes of the abbot asking him were more serious than ever. They were heavier than during the service.
“What should I do? Just fix it and use it.”
I poured the rest of the wine into my mouth and stood up.
If it got any longer, it was clear that it would just be another boring Bible story.
“···I see. I’ll rewrite it.”
Fortunately, the abbot paid no attention to me and just muttered to himself.
I gestured inside the gap and left the place.
The rain was slowly stopping.
***
‘······I’ll fix it and write it.’
The Abbot of Brighton muttered, clenching his fists so hard that blood flowed to his eyes.
As expected of the ignorant Aaron, his answer was short and simple.
But Brighton felt as if they had been hit in the back of the head when they heard him.
Brighton read the Bible a great deal.
I couldn’t count how many times I read it. So it didn’t take me long to understand the contents of the Bible of the heretics depicted in the picture. The two were very similar.
However, the part of the Bible that was questionable was expressed differently in the heretical Bible.
I could tell that Brighton was a Bible-savvy man. Only in this part did the heretics’ Bible prove to be correct.
But that doesn’t mean the heretics’ Bible was perfect.
Rather, the Bible of the heretics was far more deficient and lacking than the Bible, and was even more radical.
But the problem was that Brighton’s doubts about the Bible were resolved by the heretics’ Bible.
The two were so similar that I was certain they had the same roots, but their conclusions were different.
Fix it.
To fix something, you had to admit that it was wrong, or broken.
‘···Correcting the Bible.’
How dangerous and heretical then is the idea of changing the Bible?
Maybe he’s lost his mind or is under a spell while reading a pagan Bible.
‘Rewriting the Bible.’
Brighton muttered, looking at the tattered Bible in his hands.
As I rolled it around in my mouth, my heart started pounding like the first time I read the Bible.
Rewriting the Bible. Even the word dangerous was not enough.
A sentence that seems to be the height of blasphemy. It is an act that will not end with death if caught.
‘Rewriting the Bible.’
The wrinkles at the corners of Brighton’s mouth deepened.
Perhaps this was the answer to something he had always been asking but had never heard an answer to.
···Or to prove that heresy is wrong and erase the doubts in my heart.
Brighton stood up without giving a clear answer.
“I··· Abbot··· the calculations···.”
A man with an embarrassed look on his face asked very cautiously.
‘···calculate?’
I never ordered anything, so I didn’t understand what kind of calculations he was talking about.
At that moment, two beer mugs appeared where Aaron had been sitting.
‘Heh heh···.’
You bought the abbot some drinks and ran away.
Brighton laughed in disbelief at the unbelievable act and checked his pockets.
“How much is it?”
Brighton is someone who rarely carries money, but he was able to afford a pint of beer.
Aaron’s words there also passed on his dark clouds.
“Oh, it’s 1 silver 32 copper.”
However, Brighton’s forehead furrowed deeply at the man’s subsequent words.
“What… is this beer over 1 silver?”
Brighton’s voice rose involuntarily at the ridiculous amount.
“That… that… Aaron went with a keg of beer and asked the abbot to give it to him…”
What kind of crazy author would make the abbot pay for drinks?
No, I didn’t understand the idea of buying a keg of beer while on duty.
Brighton coughed briefly at the man’s terrified face and checked his inside pocket.
There was only 56 Cooper in his pocket.
“······Can I get a refund?”
Brighton said things he never imagined he would say in his lifetime.
The abbot who owes money for alcohol!!
Brighton hadn’t had a drop of alcohol, but his face turned red as if it was going to burst at the sight of the man’s narrowed eyes.
Behind Brighton, the dark clouds were fading away and leisurely sunlight was coming out.
***
Fullfoot was a man who knew how to be content.
That was also the reason why the adult Cassadic on the border had no intention of expanding its territory.
He who is not content will be unhappy even if he rules a kingdom, but he who is content will be happy even if he rules a remote province.
‘But··· why···.’
Fullfoot was clearly a contented man, and the only land he had was Cassidy, so why…
“The Marquis of Ethan in the western part of the Empire sends a letter to your lord…”
“Cardinal Gobert, who is known for his great virtue, has notified us of his visit···.”
“Count Behar’s eldest son threatened to straighten out the Fulpouts family’s position···.”
“A request for material support from Viscount Bonita···.”
“A letter from the third son of Count Behart asking for the support of the Pulphuts family…”
“A request for discussion on countermeasures from the Fener family, which suffered damage from paganism···.”
Apparently, until last year, no one had been looking for Cassidyck unless it was Vivian.
But why are the letters pouring in?
If he were a lord of another castle, he would have been overjoyed at the weight of the letter, but not to Pulpouts.
Fullfoot simply wanted to maintain his current Cassidy and live a peaceful life.
But why···.
‘Why is everyone so interested in the castle in the outskirts······.’
Pulpouts muttered a curse under his breath, pressing his temples to relieve his headache.
Fullfoot could not understand why the Catholic Church continued to develop and people flocked to it.
However, I was just struggling to somehow get through it.
