178
badge of rank
Knock knock.
As soon as I woke up from a heavy sleep to the monotonous knocking sound, I hurriedly looked for my sword.
‘There’s a sword.’
He took a deep breath and drew his sword.
As I touched the pitch-black blade, my spirit that had been soaring calmed down. The dregs of the remaining night became blurred.
‘I slept well.’
As always, I felt as if I had been soaked in water, but my body felt light.
As I was putting my sword back in, there was something by my head.
‘sporran?’
It was a rough leather pouch that was well-worn. It was quite heavy. It contained quite a few silver and gold coins.
I took it and thought about its source.
‘I was so tired that I slept soundly.’
I couldn’t sleep properly for about a week while traveling with the Devil Candies. I was so nervous that I would wake up at the slightest sound, so all I could do was sleep lightly.
So when I got to my accommodation, took a bath, and lay down on the bed, I slept deeply because all the tension had been released.
‘If anyone comes into my room… I’ll do it.’
Hannah was the only one who had so much money. Why did Hannah leave her wallet behind?
‘Is it time for the money to come out already?’
Hannah gave me a cut of the bar’s profits in exchange for lending me her name.
There was no need to do so, but I didn’t necessarily refuse it either. It was likely to be a price for the stake.
‘It’s gotten bigger than last time. Is business going well? Oh, and there was a top too.’
Even considering the upper limit, it was a fairly large amount, but complaining that more was given was not good socially or morally.
‘I can’t help it.’
I nodded, patting my full pockets.
Knock knock.
I got up at the characteristic hard knock and opened the door. It was the abbot with his hair up without missing a single strand.
“It’s a good morning for worship.”
The soft voice was the same as usual, but the content was strangely different. I was able to notice it right away because it was a sensitive part.
“Worship?”
“You are now an honorary vice-abbot. Dawn service is mandatory.”
“I quit my job.”
Just as I was about to quickly close the door, the abbot stepped in.
“Please take your foot off. It will hurt.”
“Do you know that donations are coming down from the Honorary Vice-Abbot?”
As we paused, the abbot stuck his arm through the crack in the door. It looked funny, but the abbot’s face was as serious as ever.
He was a dangerously religious person.
“I have a lot of money.”
I almost fell for his clever tongue-twisting.
I quickly came to my senses and pushed away the abbot’s arm. The skinny gentleman had quite a bit of strength, as if he had eaten something.
I could never understand why the abbot was pushing with such force.
“Did you know that if you remain as the vice-abbot, your children will receive benefits when they enter the academy. The school will cover all the expenses, and there is a separate admission process.”
The abbot’s stiff voice sounded very sweet.
‘···Academy?’
The academy was a symbol of a smooth road to life. Once she was admitted, the rest of Kanna’s life would be······.
Gulp. I swallowed without realizing it, and the abbot’s feet went in even deeper. The door opened slightly more.
“It won’t be much different from now. There will just be a few more minor worship services. And don’t you have quite a lot of accumulated worship services?”
The abbot raised his finger like a merchant. It matched the abbot’s serious face quite well.
I thought I would get really tired, but-.
‘I can’t just throw away my religious position… so it’s better to at least receive some benefits.’
When I think about it calmly, the abbot was right. I was already deeply involved in the religious cartel.
If you can endure just a little bit of pain, you will receive a series of pretty good benefits.
Gulp. However, I pushed the abbot’s foot as if something more was coming out.
A look of urgency appeared on the abbot’s face. I couldn’t understand why the abbot was so desperate.
“Isn’t there also abbess Joanna there? You won’t have much to do. You can just assign a direct successor. It’s like a guard.”
It was a plausible story. Since he went in wearing a hat, he could push small things to the hat.
Instead, there will be quite a bit of cake in it.
‘The money coming from the church is enough. ······What’s left?’
After seriously reviewing it a few more times, it was definitely a gain. My body was tied up anyway. So I relaxed my grip.
As the door opened wide, the abbot smiled for the first time. It was not a pretty sight.
“Worship is held a maximum of three times a week.”
I spread my fingers firmly.
“Huh-, worship isn’t something you can negotiate. If you put a condition like that······ Ahem.”
As I squinted my eyes, the abbot coughed and averted his gaze.
“Even so, shouldn’t I offer it five times? It’s almost a sacred day, and I’m going to be busy.”
The abbot spoke stiffly, his eyes hardening.
“Then let’s help out a little more. Since it’s a sacred day, the guards are free.”
“Sacred days are the main event. What a profane metaphor! Then, six times during busy times. How about four times during normal times?”
The abbot spoke firmly. I followed the abbot and continued to try to negotiate. But the abbot was stubborn.
“Then the main point… no, five times during busy times, three times during normal times.”
The abbot said, “That’s a big deal,” then cleared his throat and corrected himself.
I nodded because it seemed like negotiation was no longer possible. It seemed like I could somehow make it work if I put on a brace.
‘In addition to the academy benefits, you can also donate to the staff and purchase potions… It’s a great deal.’
It was certainly a good deal. Plus, the position of Vice-Abbot would allow him to later exploit the sectarian cartel.
For example, it felt different for me to blow up a water tower than for the Honorary Vice-Abbot to destroy it.
Moreover, the honorary monks and honorary vice-abbots had different weights.
‘It was a good deal.’
He nodded with satisfaction.
“Stay here. I’ll bring it over right away.”
On the way to the synagogue, the abbot stepped aside. I yawned deeply and looked around. It was still dark, as the sun had not yet risen.
The snow was still falling heavily. There was quite a bit of snow on the streets. The pure white snow covered the mud, so it didn’t smell like shit and was nice to look at.
Of course, it was a bit of a headache because I had to clean it all up later.
A little later, the abbot returned with the monk. The monk’s eyes were swollen, as if he had been brought in from a deep sleep.
Nod. Lunggeup yawned and nodded. He was still half asleep, so his reaction was softer than expected.
The old man, who had been shaking his head for a moment, ran over and poked my neck.
“There is no cake.”
The lung doctor didn’t believe me, so he stabbed me a few more times before giving up.
I followed the abbot to the synagogue. It was early in the morning, but the monks were already cleaning up the area around the synagogue.
It was the face of a clean-cut priest, worn out and lifeless.
“It will be enough to do it later. Everyone, come in. It is time for the dawn prayer.”
The abbot took care of them as usual. Some of the monks insisted that they worship first, saying that they had to clear the snow.
When the abbot suggested that they clear the snow and hold an outdoor service, everyone was startled and went inside.
The old man, who had been yawning, confidently walked in a different direction. When I turned his head, he obediently headed toward the chapel. Judging from his half-opened eyes, he seemed to be half-asleep.
I sat in the back row of the chapel as usual.
The abbot seemed content with our sitting in the service and didn’t make any particular remarks.
It wasn’t too bad, since the chapel was quite warm. I took out a cushion and put one around Lung-gyeop’s neck and put it on my neck too.
Nodding. Lunggyeop lowered his head, his eyes smaller than before, and lost his strength.
I’ve felt sleep deprivation before, but the speed at which I fall asleep is extraordinary.
The moment I was about to close my eyes-.
“Do not despair because there is no darkness. Darkness does not mean the absence of light. Night is only a time to wait for day.”
The abbot’s soft prayer was heard. It was a dull sound, no different from usual, but-.
A strange sensation brushed my back.
‘The connection was lost.’
An indescribable emptiness came over me. The source of the emptiness was the connection with the tenants that had existed since I received the handprint.
‘···The connection with the tenant was lost?’
The absence has been more evident recently because the connection has been so evident.
The sleep I had left behind suddenly disappeared in an unexpected situation.
‘why?’
Why is the connection with the tenant now cut off?
I held the hilt of my sword and looked around. It was an ordinary service. A boring service where the abbot would talk and the rest would nod their heads.
Just in case, I poked the lung-level’s cheek, and the lung-level’s head turned in the opposite direction.
‘I’ve never lost my connection with the devil…’
I thought back to when I had lost touch with the devil.
The knights were also part of the devil. He remembered that the knights’ aura had been cut off on Park Daegari’s birthday.
The instigator, Guobarou, explained that he simply mixed the liquid he received from the Gray Tower into a stew and fed it to them.
‘···What did I eat?’
I didn’t eat anything today. If I had eaten anything yesterday, it would have been Hannah’s food, but there was a time difference to doubt that.
Considering that the effect was immediate at the time, that didn’t seem to be the case.
My mind became complicated because of the unexpected situation.
I considered all the possible scenarios. When I was doubting the theory of the dark curtain, the abbot finished his prayer.
Then the connection became clear again.
There was only one variable.
‘There’s something wrong with the abbot.’
He muttered while looking at the abbot who was scolding the praise vending machine.
Knock knock.
I tapped the handle of the knife as if it were a habit.
***
“Please pray there.”
The Abbot of Brighton could not believe his ears at Aaron’s words.
“What did you just say?”
“I told you to pray.”
Aaron’s answer was clear, cocky and blunt.
Brighton placed his right hand on his forehead and sought God.
“Please try to do it quickly.”
I closed my eyes and opened them again, but it was still the same.
It wasn’t a dream.
It was clearly Aaron, judging by his ignorance and lack of knowledge.
Aaron was a person who could not stand worship and hated the Bible more than a child. How could such a person, Aaron, ask for prayer?
“Does anything hurt?”
Brighton was seriously worried.
A look of shock appeared on Joanna’s face behind Aaron. Joanna, her face becoming urgent, grabbed Aaron’s shoulder and shook him.
It was quite funny to see Aaron’s grim face move back and forth.
“There is no cake. Stop shaking.”
“···are you okay?”
Joanna, who rarely opens her mouth, even spoke.
Concern appeared on Joanna’s expressionless face. Brighton wondered why Joanna was hiding Aaron behind her and glaring at him.
“Okay, let’s do it quickly.”
Aaron pushed Joanna’s hand away and urged her again.
Brighton took a deep breath and calmed his mind.
I expected that this day would come. I was convinced that if anyone taught the Bible with sincerity and devotion, they would eventually reach the right path.
However, since the target was Aaron, the period was expected to be around 10 years, but it was sooner than expected.
What happened during the week that I was gone? Could it be that my prayers have finally been answered?
Brighton recited a prayer to make sure he didn’t miss his chance.
Aaron had the least patience of anyone he knew, so he could have run away at any moment.
“hmm······.”
Aaron took a step back, as if he was measuring the distance.
“Please don’t move.”
As Brighton instinctively tried to chase after him, Aaron raised his voice.
‘What are you doing?’
I had doubts, but I didn’t stop praying. As I was reciting the prayer, the surroundings began to disappear.
‘I’m having this feeling again.’
After I was halfway through my new Bible, I started to feel a strange sensation when I prayed or read it.
It was similar to divine power, but there was an inexplicable difference.
Brighton found him a joy in new Bible exploration.
Because it was an act of risking one’s life and doing it of one’s own will and desire, unlike the Bible that one was forced to learn from one’s family.
With each word he uttered, his throat tickled. It was rough, like chewing sand, and his saliva was dry, but Brighton did not stop praying.
The more I did that, the clearer my pronunciation became.
“It’s done now.”
“···Hmm? Oh, you were there.”
At the sound of a soft voice, Brighton stopped praying and opened his eyes. Aaron was a short distance away. It was the kind of place where one would sit during worship.
However, unlike during the worship service, Aaron’s eyes were clear.
“This is a very useful prayer.”
The corners of Aaron’s mouth turned up deeply. Brighton, who had been watching Aaron for quite some time, knew that it was a smile of his own.
Brighton forced himself to hold back the corners of his lips that were about to turn up.
“Prayer is useful. How can you speak so blasphemously, Honorable Abbess Aaron? Prayer has no use or value. No, it cannot be measured. Prayer is an appeal with sincerity and life, a longing of the soul. It can also be regret for one’s own mistakes······.”
“Oh, where did Abbot Joanna go? The Abbot is still here, so what’s the order going to be like… Tsk.”
Aaron looked around awkwardly and took a step back.
Brighton coughed and laughed as he watched Aaron run away.
***
“Hehehe… Good morning. Captain.”
“What the heck, you’re acting like shit since this morning.”
I frowned as I watched Kel laugh darkly.
“That’s right. Rosa’s child is my child.”
He is happy that his wife’s child is his own…? It took some time to understand the words of the uncivilized medieval man.
“Okay, congratulations.”
It was unclear whether it was something to celebrate that his wife’s child was his, but he congratulated her anyway. Considering the special nature of Kel and Rosa, it seemed like something to celebrate.
Kel shrugged his shoulders and let out a stupid laugh.
I ignored him and put my boots back on. The dampness of the boots touched my feet. I tapped the wall with my boots and shook off the mud.
“And Rosa says I’m cooler than the captain.”
I couldn’t understand why he was bragging to me about his wife, but I nodded because he seemed to be in a very good mood.
I wasn’t that upset because it was clear that I was objectively cooler than him. That was a lie.
The guy stayed next to me as I cleaned up the fallen mud and chattered for a long time.
‘···The abbot’s prayer cuts off the connection with the devil.’
I let the guy’s words go in one ear and thought back to the previous situation.
It was easy to deduce why the abbot had suddenly developed such abilities.
‘The revised edition must be the problem.’
I don’t know if it was because I had an epiphany while writing the Bible on my own, or if it was for some other reason, but it definitely came from there.
‘Disconnect from the devil.’
Since the knight was also a demon, the story was that it could neutralize both the demon candy and the knights at the same time.
‘Take off the aura-.’
It was a fascinating story. If I took off the demon insignia and put it on, my chances of losing were significantly reduced.
However, the performance was ambiguous after several tests.
The scope was extremely narrow and unstable, with the maximum being a small chapel, and even that was not constant.
Even within that range, the connection returned intermittently.
Considering the abbot’s combat ability, it was ambiguous to use.
‘I’m going to make a carrying case.’
I wondered what would happen if I carried the abbot on my back with a carrying pole.
However, the possibility was clear.
“······That’s why Rosa keeps the prostitute.”
I turned my head at Kel’s muttering.
Kel had a subtle expression on his face. It was a hideous expression of guilt and relief.
“okay.”
In the Middle Ages, the lifespan of a prostitute was not very long. Considering that, Rosa was in fairly good health.
“So, did you hear that Rosa decided to work at Hannah’s bar?”
“No, this is the first time I’ve heard of it.”
Since Hannah was so good at running the business, there was no reason to report on the hiring of employees. It was also Hannah’s bar in the first place.
I waved my hand roughly to stop him and headed to the captain’s office. Brick’s mother, Marsha, was now sitting there, quite naturally.
I listened to the report while sipping the wine that Marsha handed me. It was all just a trivial story, but it was pretty good when I listened to it while drinking the wine.
I felt this way before, but the captain felt a bit sorry for Marsha.
“Ahem… Since the holy day is approaching, be careful with your actions. It would be best to cut down on drinking. We are the faces of Cassadic, so be careful with frivolous words and keep your backs straight.”
The captain, who was acting all sloppy, gave us a desperate look that Masha couldn’t see.
At that, Kel and I stood up straight and cheered like soldiers who had met their lord.
As soon as I finished reporting like that, Kel opened his mouth.
“···Isn’t that shitty?”
“You too.”
I hit the back of the guy’s head and headed for the gate.
The thick pile of snow was blinding.
There were quite a few people on the street. It seemed like everyone had been called out to help clear the snow, as it would be difficult for carriages to pass when the snow piled up.
However, they were just blankly staring somewhere.
“Euryaryarya!! Euryaryarya!”
A loud voice rang out from somewhere. Soon, a huge snowstorm swept in and something approached.
Park Daegari was leading by example, energetically since morning. Park Daegari was running around, pushing away the snow, holding a huge wooden plank that he had obtained from somewhere.
The expressions on the residents’ faces were quite something to see. They seemed to be at a loss as to how to react to the noble lady personally clearing the snow.
‘···In some ways, it’s amazing.’
No matter how great his strength was, it was a different story to have to shovel snow at this early hour when it wasn’t his job.
Also, seeing the sweat on his forehead, it seemed like he had used up quite a bit of energy.
“Aaron! Good morning! Hello!”
Park Dae-gari, who had been pushing away the piled up snow, waved his hands. He was wearing pretty nice clothes, but they were all covered in mud.
‘······The child is good.’
I sent Kel to the gate first and then approached Park Daegari.
“It’s okay! I’m strong! I can do it faster than other people! Seriously! I’ll do it!”
As I approached, Park Dae-gari, startled, hid the wooden plank.
Park Dae-gari frowned as if trying to express his will, but his eyebrows trembled. It seemed like he had never made a face before.
I put my leather hat on Park’s head. Park hiccuped slightly in surprise.
“You shouldn’t hold it like that···.”
I brought Park’s head board and showed him how to clear snow efficiently.
Park Daegari’s physical specs were like a snowplow, but he had no tricks.
After repeating the movement several times, he was able to get the posture right. Park Dae-gari looked dazed, but followed along diligently.
Finally, he gave me a wooden plank after telling me how to clear the snow.
“From here to here is the most important part. It’s the route that the carriage drivers take.”
“······Yes? Yes! From this side to here! Sweep! Push! Clear! Fighting!”
Park Dae-gari, with his strange expression, hesitated for a moment and then nodded vigorously. Park Dae-gari, with his bright smile that brightened the world, was a great snowplow.
‘There’s even a snowplow.’
I informed him once more and headed towards the gate with peace of mind.
There was also a Parsi inquisitor at the gate. The Parsi was hiding in a corner.
‘···I think the child was more motivated before.’
A strangely ominous aura emanated from the man hiding in the shadows.
As winter approached, a huge barrel appeared in front of the gate. It was a crude barrel made of iron trash, and inside, a fire was burning.
I put one of the pieces of wood piled nearby into the barrel. As the heat rose, my stiff hands loosened.
‘You’ve hit the jackpot.’
As the snow fell, the number of visitors decreased significantly. When the snow was this thick, even carriage drivers had difficulty moving.
“But if it’s already snowing, won’t this winter be a mess?”
Kel nodded to her question. Snow rarely fell in the East, but when it did, it didn’t stop until the end of winter.
Even though the snowfall was weak, it continued, albeit lightly.
This year’s snow came a little earlier than last year.
“Kanna is Kanna.”
I muttered and reached out my hand to catch a snowflake. Fortunately, it was just an ordinary snowflake. It seemed to have fallen, just as Kuo Bao Rou had said.
While I was lounging around the fire like that, a group of people came toward me through the thick snow.
‘There are quite a lot of them.’
I grabbed the hilt of my sword and nodded to Kel. Kel pulled out a single burning stick and stepped inside the gate. The gate slowly closed.
The Parsi inquisitor in the corner stood up and came next to me.
Nod.
‘···Why is he nodding?’
Although I was taken aback, I nodded anyway.
“Ah, this has become a habit… You must have some urgent business to come through this snowfall.”
The Parsi inquisitor frowned.
“I guess he ordered something quick.”
Although he threw in some appropriate humor, the Parsi inquisitor tilted his head as if he did not understand.
As the distance narrowed, a convoy of carriages came into view. The procession of magnificent and large carriages was clearly that of a high-ranking nobleman, but there was no emblem anywhere.
‘···That’s strange.’
It was rather strange that there was nothing, even though it would have been a symbol of a noble or a merchant of that size.
I raised my right fist. I heard Kel coughing from behind.
As the distance narrowed a bit, the men at the front of the carriage came into view. They were dressed just like knights.
‘No, it’s a knight.’
I stepped forward. The cold wind tickled my armor.
The group that spotted me slowly slowed down.
I walked, trying to figure out who they were and how much I could take.
The form in which they stopped seemed to be well-trained. They were more precise than the knights of the nobles. I focused on the fact that each of their atmospheres was different.
Unlike the original method of escorting from the front and back, they were attached to the sides. It felt like each carriage was escorted separately.
‘···Did you join?’
I had experienced this several times when I was on a mission with the mercenary corps. When passing through a dangerous zone, if we were both clean, we would often join forces and pass through together. It was a similar feeling.
“we are···.”
The man in front of me opened his mouth to say something, but it was drowned out by the wind.
‘The sword is shorter than mine, but I have the advantage in height. If I hit the horse’s head first and lose my balance…’
I narrowed the distance and examined my opponent. The opponent’s horse’s fork was blowing wildly in the wind.
At that moment, the men stepped aside and a man riding a black horse emerged from between them.
As if he had been corrected, he had a straight posture even while riding a horse. Unlike the other guys who were all bundled up, he was lightly dressed and had an unlucky upper garment.
and-.
“See you again.”
An arrogant voice.
‘Does this kid like me?’
I clenched and unclenched my fist as I looked at the five eldest sons.
***
“It’s snow.”
The sword’s owner muttered softly.
As everything has an end, so too did the blizzard. The old man was standing at the edge of the blizzard.
The sword’s master had no destination.
I just walked aimlessly and arrived in the east.
The sword master always headed in the right direction even when he walked with his eyes closed.
It was a side effect of transcendence. Even without any intention, even if he walked with his eyes closed, there was not a single waste in his steps.
Always reaching a clear goal. That was the transcendent side effect of the sword master.
It was a pretty brutal punishment. Everything had a purpose, it felt like a tool of fate. It felt like he had no free will.
The master of the sword swore an oath to him.
Don’t go where it snows.
It was a reasonable oath, considering that the sword’s owner hated cold places before transcending.
Through this series of restrictions, the sword’s master was able to create the waste he so desperately desired. The waste was free will.
“It’s been a while since I’ve wasted my time – I’m glad.”
The master of the sword was truly delighted with the futile steps.
It was the first time in a long time that I had freedom since I was a little kid in the north.
‘This guy really annoyed me.’
The sword master felt a sense of unease when he saw someone. It was a kind of intuition. When he felt it, he couldn’t ignore it and pass it by. It was like seeing the eggs of a very ugly bug.
The little brat from the north was pretty annoying, but this one was even more obnoxious.
‘It’s strange that he’s obviously weaker than the kid.’
This step was lighter than ever, which meant it was more threatening than ever.
Seeing as how he still has no will to go the other way even though his eyes are blocked, this was a guy that had to be dealt with.
‘The Eyes of the East.’
It seemed like I’d be tied up here for a while.
The sword’s owner looked up at the falling snow.
The shabby sword at his waist rattled in the wind.
