Episode 89. Heresy? You want to get kicked by a heretic?
After all the sinners who had turned into lycanthropes were subdued, no further incidents occurred.
And perhaps because the main event was over, nothing out of the blue happened on the way to Kreuz.
In addition, as we went further and further away from the snowfield, the temperature dropped rapidly. Up until now, I had been wearing all kinds of cold-weather gear, but it was to the point where I didn’t need it anymore.
The parka was taken off my already heavy top, so the road was not stuffy at all. There was no other smooth journey like walking on flat ground.
There are now about three days left until we reach Kreuz.
Normally, it would take just one day to get there via warp gate, but that wasn’t possible right now.
The church is investigating the cause, but it is said that someone intentionally destroyed it.
-It must be the work of someone in cahoots with Chandler.
Just because it’s a warp gate doesn’t mean it’s a panacea.
It takes a lot of horsepower and money to maintain it, and it is difficult to accommodate a lot of people at once.
Overloading occurs so easily that it often impedes movement.
There is an anecdote about a traveler who boarded the gate to Flanders, a hot resort in the southern part of the continent, but ended up in Alahan, a desert area.
The Empire is also pursuing higher-level transportation methods to address these issues.
It is a magic locomotive project, and it is the railway that we saw at Silvertown Estate during summer vacation some time ago. It is scheduled to be put into practical use starting from the second year.
‘The magic train… I hope it gets completed quickly.’
The procession of carriages stopped for a moment, for they still had a long way to go. It was beginning to get dark, and the ship was starting to shake and rumble.
This time, it wasn’t that cold, so there was no need to set up a tent. All I had to do was spread out my sleeping bag and have dinner.
“I’ll prepare the ingredients, you just set the dishes.”
“Then who does the cooking?”
“Of course I should do that too.”
The crew members couldn’t believe Ruska’s declaration that he would do everything from hunting to cooking.
That way, there is no need to blame one person for everything.
“Don’t be so upset. I’ll help you out a little.”
“Help me? You?”
As Jenny began to jokingly tease her, Ruska’s expression became serious.
“Yeah! What are we going to become if we just stay still? We have to help where we can.”
“Then I have a favor to ask.”
“What is it? Tell me anything.”
Jenny shrugged her shoulders and gave her a confident look. Ruska grabbed her shoulder and said.
“Just stay still. That’ll help.”
“What! How does that help?”
“Then look at this and reflect on it. Okay?”
“Ugh…!”
The cooking had already been finished a long time ago. This time, unlike yesterday, Mary was absent and Jenny cooked alone.
It was better than yesterday, but the fact that it was poisonous still remained. When I looked at it again, I thought it was a bit like a fairy, but it wasn’t even that.
During the past few days of traveling, Ruska felt that she could no longer trust her crew.
He lamented the fact that he was the only one in the group who was good at cooking.
If other guys get involved, the same unfortunate incident might happen.
Rather than having these poisons continuously pouring out, it is better to do it alone.
“And Radon! Don’t let that guy go until I’m done with him! Got it?”
“Okay.”
Next to me was a little girl with pink hair tied up with a thick rope. I had tied her up with the fishing line because Ruska had asked me to do so.
“Wooooooooooooo!! Woooooooo!”
Mary groans because her mouth was covered with a cloth.
It seems like she’s asking for something to be released, but that’s not the case. Mary’s travels over the past few days have resulted in several terrible hybrids being born at her hands.
How bad must it have been for them to restrain his entire body and even cover his mouth?
“Then let’s go.”
“Have a nice trip.”
The crew greeted each other with bitter expressions.
The sight of him from behind reminded me of a senior student who had returned to college and led a group of free riders while completing 99% of their homework.
And the poison Jenny made felt like it was research done by copying and pasting data from the Sprout Wiki.
It seems like I’m living off Ruska, just doing housework.
And the food Jenny made ended up in the stomachs of sinners. No matter how poisonous it was, there was a place where it could be used.
“Am I just not able to do anything?”
Jenny, with a haggard expression, was squatting with her knees pulled up to her face.
It was like a poor test taker holding his failed report card and wondering whether or not to go home.
‘Yeah, you won’t be able to do anything. Not even kitchen work, that is.’
Then Trisha patted Jenny on the back and said,
“Then I’ll keep the fire going, and Jenny, can you make some ice for me? My throat is parched from walking for so long.”
“yes.”
It was something only she could do. Maybe that was why Jenny’s face seemed to come back to life.
“And Mary…”
“Waaa …
I decided to just leave it alone. Sorry, just wait until dinner is ready.
“Then I’ll get some water from the river nearby. Oh! I’ll catch some fish while I’m at it.”
“Please.”
As I walked west from the carriage, I heard the sound of water trickling. As I pushed through the branches, I saw a stream flowing in a mountain valley.
As it was autumn, there were signs of it gradually fading away, but the silhouette of a fish caught my eye. As I took out my Leviathan and swung my fishing rod, someone came out of the grass.
“Huh? You…”
The leader of the procession was the commander Gamur Brutus.
After a day, most of the aftereffects seemed to have completely subsided and he was walking around normally.
“Are you here to catch fish?”
“Yes.”
“Hehehe. Just like me.”
He too was holding a fishing rod. Like me, he swung the rod and cast it into the river.
The fishhooks floated and bumped into each other. For a moment, there was no conversation between them, so the sound of the falling stream sounded as loud as a waterfall.
“I’ll say thank you one more time.”
It was Gamur who broke the silence.
“If you hadn’t noticed their plan, I would have been controlled by that sinner for the rest of my life. And I could have seen you fight, too.”
“Those who use the method of cursing their opponents to create advantageous situations for themselves will never be welcomed at their future destination.”
Gamur’s advice sounded cold.
For me, who deals with curses, to go to Kreuz would not be a good thing, as it would be like shouting ‘Praise Satan!’ in the Vatican, where the Pope resides.
“But you, didn’t you have long hair like a woman before? Now that it’s short, I guess you must have been under the influence of a flash of consciousness.”
“Yes. I didn’t want any friction while carrying out the mission.”
“I understand. But even if we perform another ritual, it will be useless. That level of ritual alone won’t be enough to avoid the eyes of the saints of Kreuz.”
As it is the headquarters of the religious order, the search to distinguish impure foreign substances will be no easy task.
No matter how much cold weather precautions you take, it’s hopeless once you reach the North or South Poles.
“So you’d better be careful. Especially recently, there’s been a sharp increase in the number of extreme factions.”
As with all large religious groups, there are bound to be sects, many of whom are extremists who absolutely do not tolerate the concept of ‘evil’.
The moment they sense even the slightest hint of a curse, they will shout ‘Heresy!!’ and chase me out with the intent to kill me.
“Of course, if you return to Aligieri without going to Kreuz, your evaluation score will suffer.”
The mission is complete if you lead the criminals to Kreuz, but you will be properly evaluated only if you are acknowledged for your role in the escort there.
My performance could have been quite good. I can’t just blow it like that.
“I will not return to Alighieri.”
“So, are you planning to wander around the city with the cursed seal on you?”
“There is a way to walk around with your head held high even if that seal is stuck on you.”
Gamur’s eyes lit up as he asked what that was. That method is impossible for me to accomplish on my own.
“Can I ask you a favor?”
“If it’s your request, I can certainly grant it.”
“Then, could you please send a letter to the room of the saints of the upper echelons of Kreuz? Is that possible?”
“It is possible, but…”
His position as the leader of a unit of knights would allow him to send letters to figures such as saints or cardinals.
As he whistled, a white eagle flew in and landed on his shoulder. Then he wrote down the name I was calling and tied it to his leg.
[I’ll take a rice ball right now. If you want to eat it, wait at the entrance of Kreuz.]
by – Radon Crowler
* * * * *
After dinner, the ride was very comfortable.
There were no monsters or suspicious groups attacking us. The temperature was just right, so it felt like walking on a flat road.
At the two-week mark of our journey, the panoramic view of Kreuz finally came into view.
Beneath the corridor, a large star-shaped wall was visible, and inside it was a large city.
That is Kreuz, the headquarters of the Order of the Holy Cross.
Just as seen on the game map, it was a city that seemed to shine dazzlingly even at night, regardless of its shape or color.
The procession descending the hill finally passed through the walls and entered Kreuz. Cheers began to flow from all over the town, celebrating the return of the First Star.
“This is Kreuz.”
“This is my first time here too.”
Jenny and Mary looked around curiously. I had seen the place so many times that I couldn’t help but picture what was ahead.
As we passed the wall, there was an unmanned identification device guarding the entrance to Kreuz. It looked like a small tunnel, and there were red and blue lights on top like traffic lights.
As each person passed through the identifier, the blue light stayed on. And when the carriage carrying the criminals passed, the red light came on.
‘If they’ve dabbled in strange magic, they won’t react like that.’
As Jenny, Ruska, Mary and Trisha passed through one by one, the light returned to blue.
Finally, it was my turn.
“That guy is suspicious!”
As I passed, a red light came on, and the soldiers waiting beside me came running.
Even though I am an arrested criminal, they are looking at me suspiciously because a red light came on while I was in the line.
“Radon. Why are you suddenly doing this?”
“I think it’s probably because of the focus. It seems like it’s difficult to just let it go.”
As I let out a worried voice, I heard the sound of footsteps of many people.
Thud thud thud thud thud! –
Armed knights and priests with fierce eyes rushed in and surrounded me in an instant. In addition, the magic cannons installed on the walls began to aim at me.
It was a maneuver that anyone who saw it could mistake for futuristic technology.
“Calm down! Radon is part of our group!”
“Okay. He’s not a suspicious guy, so just let him go.” ㅠㅠㅠㅠ
“My friend is not a weirdo!”
My classmates took turns protesting against me, but no one backed down.
“You don’t think it’s strange? The identifier flashed a red light as if it were nothing more than a joke. What nonsense are you talking about?”
A man wearing blue priestly robes walked out from the crowd of holy men.
Considering that the regular priests who make way for him are white, it seemed to symbolize a special status.
“Lord Gamur! You said to bring in the criminals, but what are you going to do if you mix the criminals into the procession of the saints?”
“He is not a sinner, Archbishop of Delos! He helped us redeem sinners…”
“Shut up! I can feel the aura of the curse, what is this? Did you intentionally escape one of the criminals without arresting him?”
What Gamur said was true.
Extremist believers are more problematic than sinners. I’ve actually seen them a few times while playing.
At the time, it was easy to solve because I was playing as Lyman, but when I was directly blocked like this, I felt really blocked.
“Excuse me.”
“What are you!”
Trisha came between me and the Archbishop of Delos.
“My name is Trisha Marelin, and I am a student at the Alighieri Academy’s Magic Department. I am the leader of the group she belongs to.”
“I see. I heard that the 1st Squadron was assigned a joint mission with you. But does it make sense that Alighieri, the best in the Empire, would accept such a blasphemous being as a cadet?”
“Excuse me, but could you please refrain from being disrespectful to my crewmate? He may be a troublemaker, but he’s not the type of guy to be gossiping about in a place like this.”
I was moved to see Trisha embrace me. But the leader of the cult, Delos, blushed as if he had a hot temper.
“Ugh… This looks even more suspicious. Arrest all these guys! And then throw them into those iron bars and transport them away!”
“Lord Delos! Please tell me what you want…”
“Shut up! Gamur. If you continue to rebel, not only you, but the entire 1st constellation will be considered heretics.”
Perhaps because of the difference in rank, even the leader, Gamur, had no way to do anything.
“These guys, now… AAAAAH!”
At that moment, Delos, who had been hit in the cheek by something, flew towards the believers he was leading. Instead of accepting him, the believers fell down like dominoes.
There is no one among them who has the authority to strike him, who could even immobilize Gamur.
“Why did you tell me to wait at the entrance? It was for this reason.”
A girl with nine tails on her back suddenly barged in. It was one of those tails that struck Delos.
And then they saw something with silver hair and beast ears. Jenny and Mary’s faces lit up with bright smiles as they saw its appearance.
“It’s been a while, everyone.”
Angela Greenwhite smiled brightly at me and them.
Surviving as an Academy Fraudster
