《The Medieval Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset》


 Chapter 1

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 1


    1. Possession, Not a Dream


    I had a dream. The setting was vaguely medieval Europe.


    In the dream, I was a king.


    Though a king of a ruined nation, with even my support base being feeble and precarious. The advice to cut down on gaming was right. It seems I¡¯ve been gaming too much lately, even my dreams are about it.


    Yet, in the dream, I became a king. For once, doing what a sovereign should, I tried to enjoy myself¡­ Being a king. It¡¯s not easy. Being a king was more demanding than my days as an unemployed shut-in.


    Troubles were bursting at the seams.


    ¡°Your Majesty, this land has been the territory of our family since my great-great-grandfather¡¯s time. Even if you are the king, it¡¯s urgent that I came upon hearing the news of you bestowing land with rightful owners to just anyone.¡±


    ¡°Do you have a deed?¡±


    ¡°Ha, the fact that our family has been ruling is evidence enough.¡±


    A scoundrel trying to deceive without even a forged land deed.


    ¡°Your Highness! I am concerned for your safety, so please ensure that the food is first tasted by your servant Kemi before you eat!¡±


    ¡°You want me to eat something someone else has already taken a bite of?¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty, you are the pivot in these perilous times. There are barbarians plotting to take your life and cause division nearby! It¡¯s hard to count the heroes who have died from poison. Please heed this old servant¡¯s worries!¡±


    ¡°Do you even brush your teeth?¡±


    A leftover disposal for a glutton. Even Kemi, the servant, wouldn¡¯t brush his teeth before coming to take a bite, so I tied him up and whipped him. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But isn¡¯t there a saying about unexpected surprises? I experienced more than I could imagine.


    ¡°Your Majesty! Hearing of your toothache, I¡¯ve brought a renowned torturer!¡±


    ¡°So, you finally reveal your treachery. Strike him!¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty! Please, hear my defense first. The torturer is an expert in extractions!¡±


    ¡°Are you spouting nonsense?¡±


    This man is either a madman or an assassin. That was my conclusion, but surprisingly, there was a valid reason behind this madness.


    ¡°When physically torturing prisoners, the most effective methods are driving spikes under the nails and forcibly extracting teeth. The torturer has studied how to inflict pain with a careful touch to ensure the prisoner doesn¡¯t get hurt!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°An extraction is painful anyway! Who better to perform it quickly and without harming the surrounding gums than a torturer skilled in such matters?!¡±


    ¡°Discussing state affairs is also a headache. I shall live with this toothache as I bear the crown.¡±


    At that moment, I understood the feelings of Cao Cao when he met Hua Tuo. If someone offered to cure a headache by slightly cracking open the skull with an axe, execution would be justified. Asking a torturer to perform an extraction without any tools or anesthesia was torture in itself.


    But the most painful thing was yet to come.


    ¡°Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°Let me guess. You lost again? Have you been completely wiped out this time?¡±


    ¡ª


    ¡°Haah¡­! To see through the truth from this distant palace in a single breath, truly, you have the bearing of a sovereign!¡±


    ¡°By my count, it¡¯s 32 battles, 32 defeats. With an unbroken streak of losses, what hope is there?¡±


    I acknowledge the strength of the foreign hordes that pillage and invade. But if we cannot win, should we not flee to preserve our soldiers? It burns me up inside that the chivalry we never uphold is only paraded out at times like this.


    ¡°Do our knights not know the meaning of retreat?¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty! How can one who serves God and King retreat in the face of the enemy? A brave and faithful knight must charge honorably, even against an unbeatable foe!¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re saying not to retreat, but to counter-charge!¡±


    ¡°Indeed, indeed!¡±


    It was a frustrated outburst, but a blunder nonetheless. Realizing it wasn¡¯t a retreat but a counter-charge, the commanders began their bold assault. With the commanders like this, the soldiers couldn¡¯t possibly be in their right minds.


    The news brought by my sole loyal retainer forced me to let go of much.


    ¡°Your, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°What is it now. Have we been annihilated again?¡±


    ¡°The troops decided to pre-emptively counter-charge before setting out, and so they disbanded¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    With such behavior, the downfall of the country was inevitable. The foreign hordes rushed towards the capital as if on an open highway. By then, the powerless king forcibly installed by the group had long since scattered like rats.


    Despite my efforts, I was left with no one but an aged loyal retainer. The rest, unable to flee, trembled and remained in the city.


    Now, without a knight to fight in my stead, I tightened the straps of my helmet to the ceaseless tolling of bells. Girding the sword brought by the old retainer around my waist, I said,


    ¡°I have come to a realization.¡±


    ¡°Speak, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°It is fortunate that this is but a dream.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°Even in dreams, I shall never be king again.¡±


    Thus, the destruction of the nation came to pass. Not due to a single grave mistake, but as a result of everyone¡¯s indifference. Like thoughtlessly thrown trash piling up until it fills a room.


    It was akin to a dog¡¯s dream, yet there was a lesson to be learned. I resolved, smelling the stench of blood rising beyond the barred door,


    ¡°When I wake, I shall start with a meal of soybean paste stew.¡±


    ¡°And perhaps, I should cut down on my gaming time.¡±


    ***


    When I awoke from the dream, I found myself in another dream.


    The first clue was the ceiling; it was not as I remembered our house¡¯s. The second was the state of the blanket. The sky-blue, spotted blanket was gone, replaced by one embroidered with elegant stitches covering me.


    But above all, the reason I was certain it was a dream was the polite knocking and the voice that followed.


    ¡°Young master, it is time for the morning prayers.¡±


    My parents burst through the door. They might say let¡¯s go hiking at dawn, but they¡¯ve never suggested praying. Naturally, their voices aren¡¯t that young either.


    At this point, another possibility began to surface. A possibility I hadn¡¯t seriously considered because it was too abrupt.


    Could it be¡­ possession?


    Have I received divine punishment for playing too many games? Certainly, as soon as I got off work, I remember vividly locking my door against my parents¡¯ pleas to please put on some clothes, as I sat in my underwear with a beer can beside me, gaming away.


    Could it be that the dream, no, the last possession where I was enthroned as a powerless king, was a punishment meted out to me, intoxicated with a sense of liberation?


    As I was deep in such serious contemplation, an intruding voice broke in.


    ¡°Your Highness?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m awake. Don¡¯t fuss and wait.¡±


    For a moment, I thought about appealing to the people¡­ but I stopped myself.


    Even if this isn¡¯t medieval Earth, it¡¯s certainly similar. In such a place, claiming ¡®Actually, I¡¯m not the owner of this body, I¡¯m so-and-so¡¯ would only lead to predictable reactions. I can see a future where I¡¯m thrown into boiling water under the guise of exorcism.


    Of course, there was a way to deal with it. The important thing was not to miss any religious events.


    There¡¯s a huge difference between saying a person has changed due to demonic possession and saying they¡¯ve had a religious epiphany.


    With resolve, I flung open the door.


    The maid who had called me since dawn had a bold yet cute demeanor. Her long black hair braided from behind her ears flowed down. Her neatly arranged bangs softly framed her face.


    The maid, with eyes like beads, looked at me and then startled.


    ¡°¡­?! Yo, Your Highness!¡±


    ¡°Lead me to the chapel.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not that¡­! Your, your clothes!¡±


    ¡°What about them?¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t those pajamas!¡±


    The braided-haired maid covered her face with her hands, stammering.


    I couldn¡¯t help but tilt my head. Though they called it pajamas, I was fully dressed in a baggy shirt and pants. Considering I used to lounge around in underwear and a tee, this was a significant improvement.


    But it¡¯s difficult to change people¡¯s minds just because I feel confident. It was time to employ the peculiar medieval logic that allows even the most absurd arguments.


    ¡°What matters more than appearance is a sincere heart. I wish to see that humble servant after an epiphany last night, so don¡¯t worry about it too much.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not Your Highness I¡¯m worried about¡­¡±


    This was an opportunity. Whether this was a dream or possession, it was a chance to gather information.


    ¡°How old do you think I am to be so peculiar?¡±


    ¡°Th, there are rumors that could spread about awakening carnal desires at an age when you should be focusing on your studies¡­!¡±


    Two clues emerged. An age to focus on studies. Awakening carnal desires. The age to focus on studies suggests a perception of not being ready to take the lead, and the carnal desires part implies I¡¯m not yet of age to know a woman¡¯s body.


    Combining these clues with my knowledge, the answer becomes clear. In places where life is tough, the age of adulthood is recognized as lower. Mostly, it¡¯s around 16 years old where the line is drawn between being an adult or not. This world probably isn¡¯t much different.


    ¡ª


    To sum it up, this body seems to be that of a boy not yet hit by puberty, before the age of 16. Not that it¡¯s incredibly small, roughly around 10 to 12 years old. Even if I use an old-fashioned tone, it¡¯s likely I¡¯ll seem like a precocious child imitating adults.


    It¡¯s not that my strange way of speaking immediately makes people suspect me of being an evil spirit, but rather they think, ¡®Ah, a young child mimicking adults.¡¯ There was even no suspicion of homos*xuality for not holding women.


    Having organized all these elements, I spoke without hesitation.


    ¡°What I want to know is not carnal desires or women, but the enlightenment I gained last night. Stop the nonsense and lead me to the chapel.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    The maid, saying nothing, lowered her hand from covering her eyes. With her indifferent expression and tightly closed lips, she seemed colder than the ice on a mountaintop, except for the rosy flush that adorned her cheeks.


    From that moment, the maid remained silent. She waited quietly until I emerged, then took the lead with a lantern, walking through the corridors of the castle. Though it was dawn, the darkness was similar to midnight.


    The only difference was that the sky was gradually brightening, and occasionally, dim light squeezed through the windows. As I followed the maid down this dim corridor, it slowly began to sink in.


    I¡¯ve been thrown among savages again.


    The Middle Ages may have rolled on its own rationality, but by the standards of the time. I, with my delicate nature, who lived among highly developed ethics, began to worry if I could do well among these barbarians.


    ***


    As soon as I emerged from the dark corridor and arrived at the chapel, what greeted me was a voice startlingly surprised.


    A man with black hair, gentle eyes, and a neatly trimmed beard was clutching the cross around his neck and shouting.


    ¡°Narba, what in the world is that attire? Have you been tainted by barbaric customs!¡±


    Good heavens. Such a statement was shockingly offensive to a witness of advanced modern civilization. Who is calling whom a barbarian? It was the moment I was about to retort amidst shock and anger.


    The man with the gentle eyes soon sighed deeply and lowered his voice.


    ¡°Is that a childish way to show your rebellion against an unwanted marriage?¡±


    ¡°¡­Marriage?¡±

 Chapter 2

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 2


    2. The Prospective Groom


    Marriage.


    A magical word that fills some with happiness and makes others think their life is ruined. One thing is certain: marriage is never an easy decision. That was true even for me, who had lived a life unacquainted with marriage.


    So naturally, when I heard the word ¡®marriage,¡¯ all my curiosity was drawn there. I looked at the man with the gentle eyes and asked what he meant.


    ¡°Don¡¯t think to employ such shallow tricks.¡±


    He turned his head away with a dismissive attitude. I thought about probing further but then let it be. People were gathering in this cramped chapel. I could see servants blinking slowly and maids with their faces covered by veils.


    In front of them all, raising my voice could risk exposing my identity. Surely, you don¡¯t know such basic things¡­? Such thoughts shouldn¡¯t be provoked. Suspicion often starts from such trivial triggers.


    My silence was a decision based on this judgment. I continued to observe the people who entered the chapel for similar reasons. I stealthily rolled my eyes, stealing glances at how others prayed.


    How they sat on the chairs, how they clasped their hands, everything.


    Fortunately, following the pastor¡¯s son to church had been helpful. The point is to maintain the details without being too obsessive.


    In a situation where you don¡¯t know properly, trying to force a hand-clasping posture can easily twist the hands into an unsightly shape. Even if it looks loose, it¡¯s better to appear natural. No need to exert too much effort.


    When people murmured their prayers, I just opened and closed my mouth, lip-syncing. After all, everyone was muttering to themselves, so it wasn¡¯t obvious whether they were really speaking or just lip-syncing. If someone complains about just moving your lips, they¡¯re not concentrating themselves.


    ¡ª


    Thanks to that, I was able to get through the morning prayers in the chapel without incident.


    However¡­ The sight of adults gathered together, murmuring in the still dimly lit chapel of the castle, was far from lively, even as an understatement. People say they feel devout when communing with God, but all I felt was drowsiness.


    It seems the gods of this world have no intention of communing with me. Knocking on the door of someone who has bolted it shut is nothing but a nuisance. Instead of continuing such futile attempts, I chose to spend my time more meaningfully.


    For example, yes.


    It would be good to think about how to acquire information about my surroundings.


    ***


    I have come to realize a steadfast truth through the stale prejudices of the modern age and my first dream, or rather, possession.


    The rationality and standards of the medieval era seem ¡®primitive¡¯ to me.


    To put it more culturally relativistic¡­ I can respect them, but they did not suit me well. Even if the Middle Ages were to fly or crawl, they were mostly subpar to someone who has lived in modern civilization. There¡¯s a big difference in common sense, to begin with.


    Even in modern times, there are people who do not believe in science. What about a world similar to the Middle Ages? Superstition precedes scientific thinking.


    If I were to change suddenly, they would believe that I was possessed by a demon. It was ultimately a problem of storytelling. A certain impetus was needed to transform a person who has changed.


    Just as I was guided back to my room by a maid, memories of this body began to surface.


    Yes. If it were a real possession, there should be something like this¡­


    ¡°Young master?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing. I just felt a little dizzy for a moment.¡±


    I must have looked odd, standing there blankly in the room. I dismissed Edwina¡¯s, the braided-haired maid¡¯s, question in a breath and sighed inwardly. It was a mistake to take the memories of the body¡¯s owner lightly as a solution to the problem.


    The name of this body is Narba. As I guessed, I am twelve years old.


    The man with the gentle eyes I met in the chapel was my father, Aeselton, the Duke who rules over the surrounding lands. I am the third son of the Duke, a noble of high standing, but that¡¯s all. With two older brothers and even nephews, the likelihood of inheriting the Duke¡¯s position is close to zero.


    Even with partible inheritance, once the shares for the eldest and second sons are taken out, it¡¯s doubtful how much will be left. There was never a competition for succession. All three of us are full brothers, and the family is in a stable situation with no bad blood.


    Therefore, this body has never received an heir¡¯s education. I knew very little, having spent my time freely running around, surrounded by the love and attention shown by my parents and siblings.


    ¡­So who exactly am I supposed to marry?


    To find out this fact, I had to persuade people first. That a twelve-year-old child who only wanted to play had changed. The process might involve some coercion, but twelve is an age when it¡¯s natural to be coercive.


    I let out a deep sigh and sat up on the bed, then lifted my head. That¡¯s when I met those bead-like eyes. Edwina began to complain, letting her shoulders droop a little.


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    ¡°Young master. Even if you don¡¯t like it, you should be mindful of your behavior. Just now, the head of the household glared with bulging eyes.¡±


    ¡°Who at?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ Naturally, it was a maid of lower status than you, young master.¡±


    Scolding is a time-honored tradition. Now the manager overseeing the castle¡¯s affairs will be scolded. Next, the senior will be reprimanded for not properly managing the junior, and finally, the maid before me will be thoroughly chastised.


    A maid expressing her troubles. She was the perfect choice for a twelve-year-old boy forced into an unwanted marriage to commiserate with.


    ¡°You¡¯re grown up.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°Even though I dislike it, I persevere. I couldn¡¯t do that. I thought acting maturely would earn me adult treatment. This morning was my last attempt.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    Edwina¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. Everyone has their worries. Even the noble boy, naive to the ways of the world, had concerns he couldn¡¯t easily express.


    -If that¡¯s what you think, I¡¯m relieved.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been deliberately ignoring it, but no more. Bring me the story of my marriage partner. I need to know who I will be with.¡±


    Edwina was a truly emotional friend. After listening to my story, her eyes welled up before she replied with a clear voice.


    ¡°Your Highness¡­ Yes, I will find out immediately!¡±


    ¡°Wait.¡±


    Edwina dashed out of the room. I reached out too late. I could only retract my hand, grasping at thin air.


    I had hoped she would find out quietly, but seeing her fuss, it¡¯s better not to expect it. Instead, I decided to use the time I had to reflect. Naturally, my thoughts lingered on the marriage.


    An unwanted marriage.


    It¡¯s not unusual. For medieval nobility, marriage was a powerful political tool to forge alliances. It¡¯s not much different in modern times among powerful families.


    But even strategic marriages vary greatly depending on status and position. A prince ruling over the surrounding lands should be courted, not the other way around. The situation was indeed strange.


    To send off a mere third son, only twelve years old, to marriage, not just an engagement?


    I would never do such a thing.


    Breaking an engagement is easy, but canceling a marriage is arduous. I could see the other party¡¯s intention. They must want to form a solid alliance with us¡­


    If they were weak, we would have dismissed them unpleasantly; if strong, there would be no need to rush into marriage. They could engage and then break it off when it¡¯s no longer beneficial.


    There must be a reason the prince was so easily swayed.


    Fortunately, I had a very passionate informant by my side. Edwina, the maid with braided hair, brought results that matched her zeal. Just as my contemplation was coming to an end. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Edwina approached confidently, tucking her bangs with her fingertips. It wasn¡¯t arrogance. It was the satisfaction of fulfilling her lord¡¯s request.


    The confident smile that a worker flashes after a hard day¡¯s work while sipping a cup of coffee.


    That was proof enough.


    ¡°I¡¯ve found out, Your Highness. The rumors are already rife among the castle¡¯s servants.¡±


    ¡°Rumors?¡±


    ¡°Miriam Orin Ubass. Known for her beauty, with snow-white hair and warm, auburn eyes that exude inclusiveness. However, there is one fatal flaw.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m relieved she¡¯s beautiful¡­¡±


    ¡°The rumor is that she¡¯s already with child.¡±


    I was taken aback.


    ***


    Miriam. The woman who might become my wife.


    ¡ª


    And the woman rumored to have conceived before marriage.


    Naturally, the body¡¯s owner has never met Miriam. In fact, the body¡¯s owner was of an age barely on the cusp of puberty. It was impossible for a boy who had not even reached maturity to impregnate a woman he had never met.


    I don¡¯t particularly hold a prejudice against single mothers, but I couldn¡¯t remain indifferent in this situation. No matter how much of a political marriage it was, why was such a proposal made to a twelve-year-old? Why single out this body¡¯s owner?


    To find out the truth, I skipped breakfast and wandered around the castle. I had no leisure to care about the gazes around me. Alongside Edwina, I walked the dim corridors, repeatedly questioning everyone I met.


    Thanks to that, I could roughly outline how this marriage proposal came about.


    A guard clad in chainmail armor.


    He spoke of the might that Yubas possessed.


    ¡°Of course, Yubas is the most powerful force in the vicinity. With them, this place will become safer.¡±


    According to the guard, the Yubas family had amassed a force strong enough to claim a kingdom in this region. He added that there was no army among the neighboring duchies that could contend with Yubas.


    ¡°In a situation where peace cannot be guaranteed, Yubas¡¯s army will be a sufficient assurance.¡±


    A priest carrying holy scriptures.


    He succinctly summarized Yubas¡¯s weakness.


    ¡°Yubas may have a powerful army, but they do not have steadfast citizens.¡±


    The priest said this: the origins of Yubas are obscure.


    They could claim descent from someone, but they do not. Even in the genealogies of the old nobility, the name Yubas cannot be found. People living well under Yubas may accept this, but those with grievances feel differently.


    ¡°If they continue to succeed, there will be no problem, but if failures become prominent, it will be like a castle built on sand, easily overturned. Yubas is aware of this fact.¡±


    ¡°Father, may I ask you about married life?¡±


    ¡°Ha ha. It seems even the young master is concerned. Well, it is a time when bad rumors are circulating¡­¡±


    Out of curiosity, I asked, and the faith here was similar to that of Earth¡¯s Middle Ages. Monogamy was the norm, and children born out of wedlock were considered sinful. Those with power could suppress it, but not the disdainful looks.


    Moreover, the fact that a twelve-year-old getting married is a precedent of pedophilic behavior.


    Combining these testimonies with my own conjectures, three reasons emerged.


    First. The body¡¯s father, Aselton, is wary of Yubas¡¯s powerful army.


    Second. Yubas is diplomatically isolated due to their lack of legitimate authority, and they want to marry me to Miriam to break through this.


    Third. Miriam is truly pregnant and on the verge of having an illegitimate child. Marrying before that happens could at least reduce the gossip.


    The fact that they want to marry off to a child who hasn¡¯t even matured is evidence of this. If it were a rumor spread by other forces, it would resolve itself over time.


    Just delaying the marriage to see if the belly grows is simple and easy. They¡¯re not past the age of marriage, and at twelve, an engagement would suffice. It¡¯s directly related to the honor of the family, so the father¡¯s thoughts must be close to this.


    Yet, the rush to marry is suspicious.


    Unless she is truly pregnant.


    After inquiring around, I had a sense of the situation. Now it was time to attend to the last matter. I looked at Edwina, who hovered like a shadow at my side. It was time for medieval navigation to come into play.


    ¡°Edwina. Lead me to father¡¯s office.¡±


    ¡ª


    ¡°¡­I must have heard wrong.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s head to father¡¯s office. I need to hear the full story.¡±


    On the internet, married men are mockingly called ¡®Bubble Men¡¯. But they are men who have met their partners face-to-face, felt love, and devoted themselves.


    I am a cheerful twelve years old.


    Even for a noble, it¡¯s crossing the line to bear pleasureless responsibilities for a faceless counterpart.

 Chapter 3

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 3


    3. A Bold Move


    In front of the office where Prince Aeselton resides, Edwina approached the door and, with a polite demeanor, opened her mouth to speak.


    ¡°Your Highness, I will knock now.¡±


    ¡°Ah. Go ahead.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m really going to knock.¡±


    ¡°Edwina. Shall I do it instead?¡±


    ¡°¡­No. I will do it.¡±


    The statement ¡®If you won¡¯t, I will¡¯ held power even here. Edwina fidgeted with her fingertips, bit her lower lip slightly, then took a deep breath. Only then could she finally muster the courage to knock.


    Knock knock.


    I intently watched Edwina¡¯s back.


    ¡°Will you be able to hear with that?¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    ¡°Try a bit louder.¡±


    It seems she couldn¡¯t bring herself to increase the volume of her knock. Instead of knocking louder, Edwina chose to open her mouth slightly and make a sound. Her eyes, like beads, were rolling restlessly, alternating between looking at the office door and me.


    ¡°Your Majesty, His Highness wishes to see you.¡±


    My father, Prince Aeselton, responded with a cool voice.


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    ¡°Your Highness, then I shall take my leave.¡±


    ¡°Bring the maid as well.¡±


    Edwina suddenly stopped moving. Her expression remained indifferent, but her complexion turned deathly pale.


    Her pink lips trembled, indicating she was incredibly nervous. Indeed, meeting someone of high status is always an uncomfortable affair. I comforted Edwina, who was shivering like a duckling thrown into a storm.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Father won¡¯t be paying attention to you.¡±


    ¡°Your Highness¡­¡±


    Warmth returned to Edwina¡¯s face, which had been growing cold. A gentle moisture gathered in her bead-like eyes.


    ¡°He¡¯ll be too busy being angry with me to spare you a thought.¡±


    ¡°Master!¡±


    Like a drop of water flung onto the sands of the desert, I had dried up in an instant. Yet, the gloomy atmosphere had lifted. Pushing Edwina behind me, I swung open the door to the office.


    The first impression was¡­ smaller than expected?


    As I entered through the door, I found myself in a small room with several windows. Bright and clean natural light streamed through the bars, illuminating the interior. Thanks to this, the neatly and stylishly crafted furniture seemed to soak up the sunlight, creating a radiant atmosphere.


    In the center of it all was a desk, atop which lay an extinguished candle, a long piece of charcoal, and stacks of tough paper, all neatly arranged.


    Prince Aeselton let out a small sigh and set down the charcoal he was holding.


    ¡°Narba. I¡¯ve come because there¡¯s something I need to discuss.¡±


    The prince tried to maintain a robust appearance, but it was futile. It was not the sigh but the gaze that was more problematic. The eyes that should have greeted the visitor with a firm and resolute attitude were sneakily looking elsewhere.


    He must have guessed why I had come. It wasn¡¯t that the body¡¯s owner hadn¡¯t heard the rumors. It was just that he hadn¡¯t gone around on foot to hear them from those nearby.


    It was clear that Prince Aeselton knew this marriage proposal was not a normal case.


    ¡°Your Highness, since you¡¯ve questioned my noble responsibility, I shall duly fulfill it.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°But please give me a valid reason. The reason why you¡¯re rushing this marriage proposal as if you¡¯re selling off your youngest son.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s none of your business.¡±


    The response that came back was chillingly cold, enough to make Edwina, who had followed, flinch. Hmm. It was somewhat the answer I had expected. What would a twelve-year-old child understand, after all?


    In medieval times, children were not considered subjects of persuasion. But I was confident I wouldn¡¯t lose out in stubbornness.


    ¡°Then I shall split the belly.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m talking about the daughter of Yubas. After we¡¯re married, as her husband, don¡¯t I have the right to check if she has remained chaste? If I split her open, I¡¯ll know whether the rumors are true or not.¡±


    ¡°Are you out of your mind? To do such a thing to Yubas¡¯s daughter?¡±


    ¡°If Your Highness cannot persuade me, then I will find the evidence to convince myself.¡±


    The provocation was very successful. Prince Aeselton was not a man weak enough to forgive his child¡¯s brutality. The eyes that had been looking far away began to burn fiercely in my direction.


    ¡°How dare you threaten your father!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Yubas who is threatening. Is this marriage proposal a show of force?¡±


    It was indeed a critical situation. Prince Aeselton pushed his chair back and stood up, ready to unbuckle his belt at any moment. He was probably thinking of using it as a whip instead of his hand.


    But it seemed he hated Yubas, who made such unworthy demands, more than his insolent son. The prince¡¯s face, which had been red with anger, turned pale. He collapsed onto the chair as if falling.


    ¡°There¡¯s not only loss in this. Even though they act dishonorably, there is indeed something to gain.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s something you need to explain to me, Father.¡±


    ¡°Do you think you can understand?¡±


    ¡°I just want to share a bit of your burden, Father.¡±


    ¡ª


    A guy who occasionally shows beauty after being hateful is more admirable than one who only does pretty things. After a moment of hesitation, Prince Aeselton spoke in a subdued voice, sharing various things. Of course, there was no feeling of an actual exchange.


    Prince Aeselton¡¯s story felt less like a clear opinion and more like a complaint.


    But when the prince¡¯s lengthy grievance was over, I could come to a conclusion.


    ¡°This marriage alliance must be annulled.¡±


    Not because I don¡¯t want to take responsibility, but for strategic reasons.


    ***


    I mistook possession for a dream because of the game I usually played.


    Fantasy Monarch.


    A game that cleverly dodges criticism by adding a touch of fantasy to a medieval history simulation. It was a truly wise attitude. Among the many game developers recently, these guys would be the best at making excuses.


    In the face of recent controversies sweeping the gaming world, some argue about ¡®historical authenticity¡¯ and complain about its lack, while others invoke ¡®fantasy¡¯ to counter. To users blaming the game¡¯s completeness, the response was ¡®then quit the game.¡¯


    Sadly and frustratingly, there was no substitute for Fantasy Monarch.


    Fantasy Monarch is an RPG-heavy, self-proclaimed strategy game where the player becomes a lord in a medieval European fantasy world and does various things. Clearly, no capital or company wanted to invest in a game that only a limited audience would enjoy.


    Instead, it gained a cult following because it made its players engage in cunning schemes and tricks. The essence of this was maximized in multiplayer. Users trained against the bound AI in single-player now faced each other on a stage of pure malice.


    From the perspective of someone who has stepped into that place, Yubas was a very villainous guy.


    ¡°Yubas is not only using us as a shield but also trying to take away our family¡¯s honor and lineage.¡±


    From Noble mtl dot com


    ¡°¡­Do you have a reason to believe so?¡±


    ¡°If you allow, I would like to explain with a map.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    The map was at the very bottom of a stack of tough paper. Of course, compared to modern maps, it was crude. No contour lines, proper symbols, or even measurements, the coastlines were blunt, and without a scale, it was a mess.


    It was good enough to reference where things roughly were. Despite many flaws, it wasn¡¯t problematic for explaining.


    ¡°Surrounding Yubas, there are four duchies including ours. Each force is small, but each is an old and prestigious family deeply rooted. The local faith and centuries-old family connections are assets Yubas does not possess.¡±


    As is typical of elite groups, the nobility takes pride in being different. They are not open enough to warmly welcome unknown upstarts. Naturally, the local noble cartel thoroughly excluded Yubas.


    ¡°However, we are not receiving support from the other duchies. This is not for any other reason but because Yubas has targeted us specifically, intimidating us with his formidable military force.¡±


    It¡¯s more effective to target one rather than many at once. It¡¯s a valid method when facing an alliance that has not yet united. A gang formed out of fear of a solo run tends to watch idly, reassured by the thought that only one will be attacked.


    Prince Aeselton seemed to feel this painfully, as he washed his face with dry hands.


    ¡°Narba. The honor among nobles is ultimately just a facade. It¡¯s a mirage that disperses quickly when someone bares their teeth.¡±


    ¡°What if this is a strategy to sow discord?¡±


    ¡°¡­Discord?¡±


    Yubas is a capable man. To surpass the existing families that have thrived on their ancestors¡¯ legacy, he had to be far more superior, whether in strength or cunning.


    ¡°It¡¯s natural to target the weaker side rather than confront a powerful enemy head-on. If Yubas raises an army to subdue the duchies that do not recognize him, what will become of us?¡±


    ¡ª


    Having said this much, it seems that even Prince Aeseolteon has come to a realization.


    One does not harbor animosity towards an overwhelmingly strong opponent. Instead, it¡¯s the one clanging by your side that becomes more detestable. Just as the saying goes, a meddling sister-in-law is more annoying than a mother-in-law.


    When Yubas sets out for a full-scale conquest, the anger directed at Yubas will turn towards us. And Yubas, rather than dispersing his forces, will quietly observe as he takes a beating.


    ¡°I understand your concerns. But they are unnecessary worries. Even if there are suspicious rumors circulating, Yubas is also a corner of the nobility. It¡¯s unlikely that he would not assist the alliance¡­¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s more to gain by not helping than by helping. There¡¯s no need for that.¡±


    What Yubas¡¯s ultimate goal is, I do not know. What¡¯s important is his intent to expand. Whether they will devour everything or simply enshrine and end it moderately, the intentions behind this marriage proposal are crystal clear.


    ¡°I wish for the death of my father, brothers, and nephews, or at least for them to dawdle until such a time comes. Or perhaps for them to fall from grace. They might even prefer the country to crumble once. For then, they could swallow it whole in one bite, using me, who is tied to their daughter.¡±


    ¡°¡­Surely not to such an extent.¡±


    Despite saying so, he seems quite shocked. Prince Aeseolteon, while doubting, twists his eyebrows as he rests his chin on his hand. Now is the opportunity. I decided to drive the final nail here.


    ¡°The reason they¡¯ve attached a pregnant woman to you must be because of that.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°Should I die suddenly before seeing my child, they must prepare a child in advance to claim legitimate rights.¡±


    -In the world of Fantasy Monarch, raising an army doesn¡¯t mean you can conquer mindlessly.


    One must have a right to the land, or a grand cause, to conquer. Only then will the local people quietly welcome the new ruler. Thus, the players pondered how to obtain a just cause.


    And the method they came up with was utterly ruthless.


    In a society where monogamy is the norm and illegitimate children are considered sinful, a user was troubled by his daughter who got pregnant before marriage. He found an innovative solution.


    [I¡¯ll marry her off to the landowner¡¯s child I¡¯m eyeing, cuckoo them, and then claim the rights through that child!]


    First, take the land in the name of the cuckoo. Next? Claim the land while citing guardianship. If they resist, since they¡¯re not my blood anyway, I¡¯ll gladly chop off their heads.


    It¡¯s a strategy that protects the family¡¯s honor, increases land and wealth, and marries off the daughter¡ªa three-birds-with-one-stone ruse.


    Upon hearing the full extent of the plan I surmised, Prince Aeseolteon sighed.


    ¡°Narba. Even if what you say is true, if we refuse, Yubas will consider it an insult to his honor and will invade.¡±


    Such is the sorrow of a powerless nation. Prince Aeseolteon, with a pained expression, hung his head and let out a groan. It must feel utterly hopeless. However, there is a fatal flaw in this method.


    I conveyed this fact to Prince Aeseolteon, who seemed far removed from schemes and plots.


    ¡°As it¡¯s a sophisticated and grand ruse, it¡¯s easy to disrupt. If we can simply induce a broken engagement, the scheme falls apart easily.¡±


    ¡°Yubas knows this fact and will interfere, but how¡­¡±


    Prince Aeseolteon¡¯s worry is valid. Those types won¡¯t break off an engagement easily. They¡¯ve put so much into it, they¡¯ll desperately try to prevent a breakup.


    But the success of a conspiracy lies in its swiftness and being unreadable. Since it requires a long time and has become predictable, thwarting this scheme is truly an easy task.


    ¡°I have a trump card. I can gauge who the child in the womb belongs to and induce a breakup. However, it seems we cannot avoid going through with the marriage.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    I looked at the worried Prince Aeseolteon and smiled confidently. Fortunately, it seemed that Prince Aeseolteon was deeply impressed by my thoughts and arguments.


    ¡°I thought she was just frolicking with a bright smile.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    The fact that the body¡¯s owner was playing leaves me speechless¡­


    ¡°However, to deceive even a father to such an extent shows a deep cunning. Do as you will. If you need help, you may use my name.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°It would be better to call me ¡®father.¡¯ If a lowly noble dared to act so insolently towards me, I would have his head.¡±


    ¡°Yes, father.¡±


    He immediately changed the way he addressed him. Then, Prince Aeselton lifted the corners of his mouth and nodded his head.


    ¡°How sly.¡±


    ***


    Only after stepping out of the office did Edwina, who had been mute, speak again.


    ¡°Your Highness, honestly, I was really surprised.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you? He¡¯d be too busy being angry at me to pay attention to you.¡± S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    His body may be like this, but his heart is that of a man. He keeps his word as much as possible. He learned not to use the word ¡®definitely¡¯ lightly. As he shrugged his shoulders confidently, Edwina¡¯s eyes, like beads, gently closed.


    ¡°Your Highness¡¯s insight, and the confidence to express your opinions boldly before His Majesty.¡±


    It was the moment a faint smile settled on Edwina¡¯s blunt face. With a slightly trembling voice, she threw a teasing remark.


    ¡°The strong move you mentioned, Your Highness, I trust you¡¯re not really going to split the belly.¡±


    ¡°Ha-ha, why would I split the belly.¡±


    As if a mother and child are to blame, to be thrown in front of a medieval surgical blade, sticky with flesh. Edwina, now that I see it, your thoughts are somewhat eerie.


    And there was the most important reason.


    ¡°If you split the belly, it leads to war.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    The response was a bit strange. Looking at Edwina, she had already turned her head far away.

 Chapter 4

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 4


    4. The Little Consort


    The logic of power is always useful. Enough to enforce a nonsensical marriage.


    About two weeks after my private audience with Prince Aeselton, I cautiously welcomed a visitor. The visitor was a man with a robust body, dressed in shabby clothes.


    At first glance, one might think he came from hard labor in the fields, but the way he knelt with discipline changed my mind. Judging by his unusual demeanor, he must be an informant working under Prince Aeselton.


    ¡°His Highness the Prince has ordered you to report the details.¡±


    ¡°Proceed.¡±


    The story delivered by the informant was as Prince Aselton had said. Yubas had already deployed a considerable force near the border. Roughly 1,000 to 2,000. A number seemingly insignificant compared to the tens of thousands that would clash in larger battles.


    But it¡¯s not just about the numbers. The informant detailed why Prince Aselton had no choice but to accept the marriage proposal.


    ¡°According to the frontline scouts, it is estimated that nearly a thousand are cavalry, including knights and armed soldiers.¡±


    ¡°A thousand cavalry alone.¡±


    I stroked my chin, understanding the extent of Prince Aselton¡¯s agony.


    Yubas must be truly wealthy as they say. Horses eat more and tire quickly than one would think. To manage at least two warhorses per heavily armored knight is no small feat.


    Moreover, the reason cavalry is used less isn¡¯t due to their performance but because of the exorbitant cost of raising and maintaining them. In terms of performance, they could easily crush an equal number of infantry. And to think, about a thousand of such cavalry are stationed at the border.


    In essence, it was a threat that if the marriage proposal fell through, they would cross the border and plunder. They planned to use their superior mobility and overwhelming force to ravage the neighboring territories.


    The main goal was to shake Prince Aselton¡¯s position, to provoke a war or to coerce him into accepting the marriage proposal.


    I tapped my cheek with my index finger and looked down at the kneeling informant before speaking.


    ¡°Yubas¡¯s desperation for this marriage proposal. Do you have any other suspicions?¡±


    ¡°How could I¡­¡±


    ¡°Even a rumor will do. Bring up anything.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t just a harsh interrogation of an innocent person. Yubas had shown clumsiness in execution despite having a plan in place.


    The success of a conspiracy lies in how swiftly and secretly it is carried out. However, what a conspirator needs is patience and the thoroughness to prepare a Plan B.


    In that regard, Yubas was a contradictory existence. I sensed haste and anxiety in Yubas¡¯s actions.


    An army is not something that can be raised carelessly, even with an abundance of money. Mobilizing vassals and knights for a forced marriage proposal doesn¡¯t add up financially.


    No matter how important the marriage proposal is. I was certain there was another reason behind the marriage proposal surrounding me.


    But the informant, perhaps due to strict training, hesitated to speak, fumbling with his words. It seems he was purely tasked with collecting and delivering information.


    He took a breath, parted his lips, then paused and closed his mouth repeatedly, wary of contaminating the information with personal opinion. Still, as I waited patiently, he eventually spoke.


    ¡°Yubas comes from a lineage where it¡¯s unclear if the founder was of noble birth. Despite this, they were able to claim kingship through vigorous conquest activities, backed by the holy city of Aidea and the support of the Papacy.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    Well, these are names I¡¯m hearing for the first time, but I can guess what kind of places they are, given the medieval European setting. The combination of religious and secular power is not uncommon. Even if it¡¯s just a rumor, it sounded quite plausible.


    The Papacy, wanting to expand its influence in this region, and the baseless house of Yubas. Their alliance would have helped crush the influence of non-cooperative houses and aided the rise of a new power.


    After saying this much, the informant took a deep breath and cautiously observed my reaction before continuing.


    ¡°However, there are rumors that the relationship between the two has cooled recently.¡±


    ¡°Is there a rift in the alliance?¡±


    ¡°The details are still unclear. The only confirmed information is that a bishop who should have appeared at the Saint Elenio festival was absent.¡±


    I adjusted my posture and clasped my hands together.


    It¡¯s entirely up to the receiver to judge whether the information is true or false. And I found the story brought by the informant to be very ¡®plausible.¡¯


    In my opinion, it goes like this.


    Yubas had been able to fight recklessly, thanks to the solid backing of the Papacy. But when their relationship soured, fear crept in. Yubas. Their power was a sandcastle, permitted under the tacit consent and support of the Papacy.


    Yubas, realizing this too late, was now trying to somehow dismantle the local noble cartel. To gain the bloodline legitimacy that could replace the protection of the Papacy or to preemptively strike against potential hostile forces.


    A young boy, untrained in proper heirship, must have caught their eye.


    Hmm. Though mixed with speculation and leaps, this is the realm of intuition. Once I grasped the background of this marriage negotiation, I was confident the plan would proceed smoothly.


    I flicked an eyebrow at the informant and let out a pleased smile.


    ¡°Yubas has made a very fatal mistake.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. You may go.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes.¡±


    I smiled warmly as a sign of appreciation, but the reaction was odd. The informant, pale-faced, rolled his eyes in panic and hurriedly left the room.


    Upon reflection, he must have worried that his personal opinions had tainted the information. Oh dear. I dislike such a rigid atmosphere. When I meet my father, the Duke of Aesulton, later, I must speak a word.


    It¡¯s good to train informants, but they should do so in moderation.


    ***


    Now, it was a foregone conclusion that the twelve-year-old boy would become a married man.


    Even if the match and family were not to one¡¯s liking, the time had come to bite one¡¯s tongue and call them in-laws. Strategic marriage was also a noble¡¯s duty. Even if the prospective in-laws threatened with swords, it was safer to comply meekly.


    But even if the marriage negotiations were hurried, they took time. The dowry the bride¡¯s side would bring and where the ceremony would be held were also very important issues.


    Of course, the most important thing in this marriage negotiation was the truth behind the rumors. The Duke of Aesulton insisted on verifying whether the malicious rumors targeting the bride were true, but¡­


    What returned was a cold declaration.


    ¡°How dare you doubt the daughter of Yubas.¡±


    Sunlight split the bars and warmed the office.


    The Duke of Aesulton tossed aside the reply from Yubas with a thud and turned his head sharply. The tender look of a father, with slightly drooping eyes and a soft gaze, was nowhere to be found.


    The Duke of Aesulton looked at me as a leader demanding clear answers and as a sovereign regarding his subject.


    ¡°You said you realized Yubas¡¯s fatal mistake.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°What was the reason for uttering those words in front of the person I sent?¡±


    ¡°I thought it would make Your Highness call for me.¡±


    I had no intention of keeping secrets. Rather, I wanted it known. After all, since the person was sent by the Duke of Aesulton, it was right to be loyal to the Duke, not me.


    Thanks to that, I was called back again. For a child to seek out the Duke casually was to challenge authority. The last time I wasn¡¯t whipped with a belt was because I had earned a stack of merit.


    If I did it again, I¡¯d be beaten until death. Of course, the Duke of Aesulton was a gentle father. That¡¯s the problem with medieval standards. The Duke of Aesulton, too, was a medieval man who valued the authority of a patriarch and a noble.


    Certainly, he was not a man to let insults slide by without consequence. Rather, he was an aristocrat, tightly bound by the pride of his noble lineage. That is the Prince of Aeselton I saw.


    As expected, following the unreasonable marriage proposal, his disdain for the slight against his family was apparent. The Prince of Aeselton, with fiery eyes, looked this way, urging for an answer.


    ¡°Since you¡¯ve called, speak.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±


    I readily conveyed my opinion. What was the fatal mistake Yubas had made? It lay in the message sent to the Papacy. Relationships are, indeed, simpler and yet more complicated than one thinks.


    And as soon as relations with the Papacy soured, Yubas immediately sought another lifeline. Having said this much, I deliberately paused, gauging the Prince of Aeselton¡¯s reaction.


    The Prince of Aeselton, now a bit more composed than before, listened quietly to my words. Gaining confidence from his demeanor, I adjusted my posture, careful not to be too presumptuous.


    ¡°Yubas¡¯s military might is strong, but the resolve of his people is not. Yubas has forgotten that it was the support of the Church, led by the Papacy, that quelled the dissatisfaction of his people. He believed that their prosperity was achieved solely by their own strength.¡±


    ¡°Narba. It seems you are right about the mistake. But is it truly so fatal?¡±


    From Noble mtl dot com


    ¡°If Yubas had an overwhelming advantage, the Papacy would have bowed their heads. However, in this vicinity, duchies with long histories have united their strength to check Yubas. The Papacy, disappointed by Yubas¡¯s attitude of seeking another lifeline instead of mending relations, has fertile ground to seek new allies.¡±


    I laid out the clues I had gathered one by one, painting a new picture over the one Yubas had drawn. This is why the conspiracy must proceed in secret.


    If intercepted midway, it would benefit the enemy, wasting not only money and time but also passion.


    ¡°We must turn this into an opportunity.¡±


    ¡°If you have a plan, I¡¯m all ears.¡±


    ¡°From the unprecedented marriage proposal to questionable chastity. Everyone agrees on Yubas¡¯s brutality. Although they are silenced by force for now, if there¡¯s a chance to expose this, they will readily act. At least, there¡¯s a consensus that Yubas cannot be left unchecked.¡±


    What comes next is most crucial. I took my time once more, stealthily observing the Prince of Aeselton. The Prince was groaning with a complex and inscrutable expression.


    ¡°To seize that opportunity¡­ I may act somewhat like a madman.¡±


    ¡°?¡±


    It was the first time the Prince of Aeselton¡¯s eyes shook greatly. He was so taken aback that I almost felt embarrassed. But as time passed, it became clear.


    After all, what parent would nod in agreement when their child declares an intention to do something insane? The Prince of Aeselton, despite appearances, must be clutching at his torn heart.


    The Prince of Aeselton asked urgently with a grave expression.


    ¡°Do you really intend to cut open the belly?¡±


    ¡°Your Highness, how could you speak of such a dreadful act.¡±


    Now I see that Edwina was not the only problem. Those medieval folks, indeed, have a chillingly peculiar way of thinking. Once the topic of cutting open the belly was mentioned, they fixated on it. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But I was prepared for this. Understanding the mindset of ancient people was the best I could do, having lived in a more advanced society.


    ¡°There will be no knife involved.¡±


    ***


    About a month later, the marriage proceeded in haste.


    Only a few immediate family members gathered in a small chapel, clapped their hands, and it was over.


    Even if they wanted to celebrate grandly, the groom was only twelve years old. Gathering guests would only worsen the gossip, or so Yubas¡¯s side argued. But the real reason lay elsewhere.


    Miriam ascended Yubas.


    A woman with skin soft as downy rabbit fur,


    Snow-white hair like freshly fallen snow,


    Eyes the warm, comforting hue of hearth flames.


    Indeed, she was as beautiful as the rumors claimed.


    The problem lay beneath.


    ¡°I entrust myself to your care, young lord.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    The voluminous dress was futile in its attempt to conceal.


    Regardless of status, all who saw her guessed immediately.


    Not a paunch, but a distinctly protruding belly.


    The rumors of her premarital conception were true.


    To hold a grand wedding in such a state would spread gossip far and wide,


    So Yubas had pressed the matter down. I, greeting Miriam with a radiant smile, uttered just one phrase.


    ¡°Is the pregnancy unintended?¡±


    Miriam then cast her gaze downward, murmuring as if to reassure herself,


    Her tone even, without a tremble, yet it conveyed much.


    ¡°¡­I am aware of the unfavorable rumors about me. Surely, they must be malicious slanders against our family. I will strive to win the young lord¡¯s favor.¡±


    ¡°I am not at ease to share a chamber. Let us use separate rooms for a while and gradually close the distance.¡±


    Miriam quietly nodded in response. Of course, she had no intention of sharing a room. I deliberately kept my distance from Miriam, spending time meeting those I needed to.


    As time passed, Miriam¡¯s belly swelled further. Most did not sympathize with her. She was nothing more or less than a spy, intent on stealing the honor and lineage of the family.


    Surprisingly, the one who sympathized with her the most was my maid, Edwina. Twirling the end of her braided hair with her finger, she spoke from a distance.


    ¡°Regarding Lady Miriam, surely there must be some circumstances? If we could persuade her, she might be turned to our advantage.¡±


    ¡°That might have been considered as well.¡±


    I cut off that possibility swiftly. In the fantasy monarchy rife with intrigue, ironically, the most threatening entity was a woman in love.


    In the fantasy monarchy, there was a strategy to enchant countless married men and women by maximizing one¡¯s s*xual allure. Those beguiled by the honey trap became faithful puppets, aiding the court¡¯s conspiracies.


    Without turning to face Edwina, I murmured quietly.


    ¡°Once sent here, she cannot return to Yubas. Had she been deeply involved in the affairs of the family, she would have been used more cautiously. Even if we were to win her over, she¡¯s an asset without value. Yubas, having secured the marriage, will not care how she is treated henceforth.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°The child within her is innocent; I have no intention of causing harm. As for Miriam, aside from seeking to disgrace her enough to break the engagement, I will not touch her. With her beauty, she could at least be the wife of a lesser manor.¡±


    Truly, this would be the welfare of the medieval upper 1%. A chaotic conspiracy of usurpation, yet they spare her life? Were I not a modern person but a local, she would have already been executed.


    ¡°My lord, had you anticipated even such matters?¡±


    ¡°Of course¡­¡±


    For a moment, I blinked, wondering if I had misheard.


    ¡°Unexpected?¡±


    No answer came. Turning abruptly, I found Edwina with pursed lips, staring blankly at the wall.

 Chapter 5

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 5


    5. The Madman


    Becoming a married man at twelve changed nothing.


    Even if he were perfectly sound, much less a magistrate, what good would it do to have a wife? If I were to indulge in s*xual pleasures, I would only end up bankrupt. Is she planning to squander the family fortune?


    No matter how reckless a man may be with other women, he would exercise self-restraint when it came to matters that involved his family¡¯s wealth. In order to give Yubas no cause for suspicion, it was imperative that I completely eliminate the possibility that the child in Miriam¡¯s womb could be mine.


    However, one could argue that I was continuously and cruelly rejecting my wife. If I pushed her away too much, her family might come looking for me with swords in hand.


    I needed to find a way to reject her gently, yet firmly. Fortunately, I had a capable assistant by my side who could help me with this. The ones who always spout all sorts of tedious nonsense about norms and rules.


    The Church.


    They had begun to interfere in the marital affairs of a twelve-year-old bridegroom, mainly to prevent Miriam from demanding consummation. Without fail, the priest would block Miriam¡¯s path as she came rushing in with hasty steps around the time the evening glow began to dim.


    The priest would not speak at length. He would simply observe Miriam silently, a faint smile playing on his lips beneath his graying hair and calm eyes. Miriam would stare back at the priest with equal determination, but the outcome was always the same: Miriam¡¯s defeat.


    Once Miriam had left, the priest would turn to me, give me a meaningful smile, and take his leave. However, it seemed that Miriam was finally reaching her limit. After several days of exchanging hostile glances, Miriam finally opened her mouth and addressed the priest.


    ¡°Father, I only wish to see my husband. Is it wrong of me to feel the need to communicate with him in order to maintain a harmonious relationship?¡±


    ¡°Your intentions are certainly honorable, my lady. However, that is precisely why we must postpone consummation.¡±


    ¡°How can you say that? Distance will only lead to estrangement.¡±


    ¡°Regrettably, the prince is still too young to distinguish between carnal desire and pure affection. If you were to understand that the marital life advocated by the Church is not one of indulgence in lust, but rather a relationship of mutual support and growth, then you would comprehend my concerns.¡±


    The priest rattled off his prepared responses as if he had rehearsed them, then turned his head slightly to look at me. He winked one eye, causing the wrinkles around his eyes to bunch up. I chuckled to myself at the sight.


    He truly is a master of his craft. He had been observing from the sidelines for a while, reading the underlying circumstances of this marriage proposal, and had decided to extend a helping hand. He must have seen this as an excellent opportunity, especially since Yubas was attempting to secure his own survival.


    In any case, I needed the Church¡¯s assistance for my plan. I gladly accepted the priest¡¯s offer of help. At this point, I needed to strongly emphasize my immaturity.


    ¡°I apologize, my lady. However, listening to the tales of great heroes is just as important to me as being a good husband.¡±


    ¡°¡­How very childish of you.¡±


    She was not amused. But I held my ground, firmly maintaining the stance that I was an innocent child who had never even seen pornography. Miriam had no choice but to give up.


    Miriam retreated silently, her expression slightly sullen. There was one peculiarity I noticed. Whenever Miriam uttered the word ¡°child,¡± it seemed as if her jaw clenched involuntarily.


    I stood there with the priest until Miriam had completely disappeared from sight. Then, I opened the door to my room and invited the priest inside.


    ¡°I have already dismissed the maidservant. Would you care to stay a while so that we may speak freely?¡±


    ¡°I am grateful that Your Highness has informed me in advance. Had I seen the true nature of the prince first, I fear I would have been possessed by a demon!¡±


    The priest entered the room, chuckling heartily. I suppose he was trying to be funny. If I were to look in a mirror right now, I am certain that my expression would be twisted with disgust.


    If I were to indulge in such jokes, I might truly become a demon. I offered the priest the chair I had prepared for him and sat down on the bed. I silently resolved to get this conversation over with as quickly as possible.


    ¡°I trust in the goodwill you have shown me, Father.¡±


    ¡°Of course, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°I have heard that the bishop from Yubas¡¯s side was absent during the feast of Saint Illenio. Was this a mere coincidence, or was it due to some political discord, as the rumors suggest?¡±


    ¡°My, my. It seems the prince enjoys following idle gossip. Such rumors are nothing more than the chatter of those who seek to attach great significance to trivial matters.¡±


    My direct question was met with an evasive answer. A person with less patience might have been greatly disappointed at this point. However, I could sense a strange emotion lurking beneath those calm eyes.


    He was testing my reaction to hearing an answer that was completely different from what I had expected. His exaggerated gestures and the way his gaze quickly scanned my body were evidence of this.


    ¡ª


    As expected, silence prevailed. As I continued to gaze silently, the priest slowly began to compose himself.


    ¡°Of course¡­ this is but the church¡¯s superficial rhetoric. The true intent is as you surmise.¡±


    ¡°I dare not guess why Yubas has disappointed the holy and the church, being young and lacking in insight. But what is clear is that instead of repenting and seeking forgiveness for his sins, Yubas attempted to turn his back on the church¡¯s light.¡±


    I fully employed my honed sensitivity and empathy. I, who once joined a military service event just for a Choco Pie and sang hymns. I was confident that I could be a pastor¡¯s son¡¯s friend in a church or an unshaven monk in a temple.


    ¡°The recklessness of Yubas is not solely their problem. ¡®Leave what is secular to the secular,¡¯ they say, but how can things flow just so? When secular rulers chase their desires and forget their duty to lead, the holy and the church have no choice but to step in. That is what I believe.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    ¡°The problem is that the secular powers resent the church¡¯s inevitable intervention. The duchies around here insult Yubas, calling them ¡®rootless¡¯¡ªnot simply because they are a new house, but because the secular rulers indirectly deny the church¡¯s intervention.¡±


    The priest was, by my estimate, in his tearful forties or fifties.


    In the gloomy, drab grey brick castle, the priest began to nod, wiping away tears with his finger, having met a sympathizer for the first time.


    ¡°Your Highness, I did not expect such humility despite your cultivated discernment. Indeed, if the secular rulers acted before the church needed to intervene, the church would not need to step in at all.¡±


    In the Middle Ages, clergy also served as the intellectual class, and it seems similar here. A profound sense of mission to lead the uncivilized and barbaric contemporaries weighed heavily on the priest¡¯s shoulders.


    In my view, our priest is also a semi-barbarian. But since the arm bends inward, I decided to keep any bad thoughts and words to myself, as he is someone I must win over to my side.


    ¡°Father, I believe that the steadfast light of the church can do more than the secular powers swayed by personal desires. We cannot stand idly by as Yubas turns away from the church and seeks autocracy.¡±


    ¡°You speak the truth, Your Highness. However, Yubas is already so powerful, and the surrounding duchies cannot unite, leaving the holy without recourse.¡±


    ¡°I intend to create that opportunity. I plan to use the bait thrown by Yubas to stir up resistance.¡±


    I conveyed the outline of the plan I had been crafting to the priest. It seemed Yubas was scheming something, so I asked for help when the time came to break off the engagement. The main content was a promise of full support.


    Of course, it wasn¡¯t for free. I had prepared a fitting reward for the church. This part of the plan had not yet been shared with King Aeselton. One must be honest when seeking cooperation, even if intentions are explored in ignorance.


    I faithfully followed this principle, and the priest, having heard everything, clasped his hands together with a moved expression.


    ¡°Lux Stella, starlight of this world. Now that I understand Your Highness¡¯s will, I too shall reveal why the church has excommunicated Yubas. Since the matter is connected to the plan you mentioned and is of great importance, please forgive me for consulting the bishop first.¡±


    ¡°Is it as I expected?¡±


    ¡°Most likely, Your Highness.¡±


    If I truly despised religion, I wouldn¡¯t have eaten a Choco Pie at a military service event. By now, my soul must be mortgaged to all sorts of gods. As long as it benefits me, what does it matter what religion does?


    And time flew like an arrow. The priest brought an important truth when Miriam¡¯s belly was full-term.


    Upon hearing it, I couldn¡¯t help but applaud.


    ¡°I thought as much.¡±


    ***


    1208 years since the star of this world set and the star of humanity rose.


    The birth of new life is mystical. A child¡¯s birth is indeed a blessing. Joy and jubilation should naturally overflow.


    But here, within these walls, people were different. The mother¡¯s screams echoed for a while until finally, the baby¡¯s cries filled the air. It should have been a blessed birth, yet no one cheered. The people of the inner sanctum all looked at each other with pale, ashen faces.


    ¡°Where is His Highness?¡±


    ¡ª


    ¡°You still do not know.¡±


    The servants were at a loss, wondering whether to inform or not.


    ¡°What is it that I do not know?¡±


    ¡°My lord, the young master.¡±


    From beyond the corridor, a 12-year-old boy appeared. His black wavy hair and eyes like obsidian. Though not called beautiful enough to stir hearts, his features were pleasant enough to win favor. And this was also why the servants could not celebrate the birth of the child.


    ¡°I heard the baby¡¯s cries. The lady had a hard time, and I am worried.¡±


    Narba Orin Streagos Glerio Forwis.


    He is the third son of the Forwis Duchy that rules these lands. Unlike his older brothers who matured quickly and took on responsibilities, Narba was still childlike. He was a boy originally loved by all for his lively and bright smile.


    That perception changed over time, probably after the unwanted marriage talks began. The smile remained, but the look in his eyes changed.


    After the innocent sparkle in his eyes gained the sharpness of a quivering blade tip, no one could approach him easily anymore. The clumsy imitation of adult gestures also became refined and sharp over time.


    Narba stood with his back turned, hands clasped behind him, accompanied by his maid Edwina, whose eyes were like beads, and a single braid draped over her shoulder. All the while, he looked up at the small, elongated windows in the corridor.


    ¡°Seeing that the stork has already delivered, it must be a child sent by the gods for a great purpose.¡±


    ¡°It must be so¡­¡±


    Under normal circumstances, everyone would have rejoiced. The problem was that the lady, who had not even consummated the marriage, let alone been with a man, had given birth. No fool would believe in a virgin birth.


    This was why the servants could not meet Narba¡¯s pleased smile and turned their gazes away. Before they could stop him, Narba, with a pale face, headed towards the room where the mother was. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°I received reports of the baby¡¯s cries. Are both the mother and child safe?¡±


    Clatter, clatter. A noisy sound came from inside. The midwife¡¯s voice was trembling thinly.


    ¡°They are safe. But you cannot meet them right now!¡±


    ¡°The noise is unusual. I must see for myself, open the door.¡±


    ¡°Oh dear, the child is unclean!¡±


    At that moment, Narba¡¯s eyes, which had been smiling, sharpened.


    ¡°Does that mean I will never be able to see my child? That I can never face them for the rest of my life?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Open it.¡±


    Without a word, the midwife opened the door. Narba did not approach the child and mother right away. Instead, he looked at the midwife fumbling in front of the screen.


    ¡°A precious child. Midwife, you also clean your hands when you receive a child, do you not? I shall also receive with a pure heart.¡±


    The midwife brought a boiled cloth and kept bowing her head.


    ¡°My lord, please regard this child kindly.¡±


    ¡°Which father in the world treats his own child so coldly?¡±


    From Noble mtl dot com


    After cleaning his hands, Narba moved beyond the screen. Miriam, his wife through a political marriage, was smiling warmly. Her expression was clean, showing no sign of guilt or hesitation.


    ¡°My lord, look at this child. Isn¡¯t he just adorable?¡±


    ¡°Let me see.¡±


    The child, wrapped in a swaddle, was handed to Narba. Narba held the child and smiled brightly. Abuaou. The midwife inadvertently let out a sigh of relief at how brightly he smiled at the babbling child.


    But suddenly, Narba¡¯s face hardened.


    It was hard to believe he had been smiling just a moment ago. Narba carefully passed the child back to the midwife.


    ¡°It seems you¡¯ve taken me for a fool.¡±


    ¡°My, my lord.¡±


    ¡°Seed.¡±


    The midwife, who had hastily taken the child, immediately closed her eyes and turned away.


    ¡°To receive such a lowly seed!¡±


    The sound of a backhand slap filled the entire room.


    ***


    That day, Narba was summoned by the Duke of Aselton.

 Chapter 6

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 6


    6. The Aftermath


    It was after dark when I was called to the Duke of Aselton.


    The Duke¡¯s office looked very different from during the day. The sunlight had disappeared, and the once vibrant furniture now looked like withered, twisted old trees. The Duke¡¯s expression contributed to this effect.


    The Duke, with his gaze lowered, pressed his right hand firmly against his eyelids. He looked like a chief mourner in front of a coffin. It was only when the wax from the flickering candles began to drip down that the Duke parted his lips.


    ¡°Is this the secret weapon you spoke of?¡±


    ¡°It was a crucial element.¡±


    ¡°Narba. You have insulted the daughter of Yubas. Severely. If, as you say, they have conspired, they will use every trick to have you acknowledge the child as yours. I have a duty and a will to protect you as your lord and father, but¡­¡±


    The Duke lowered his right hand from his eyelids. He slightly bowed his head and looked up sharply, his eyes holding a candle flame sharp as an arrowhead.


    ¡°If you cannot present adequate evidence, I will have no choice but to impose a punishment that will satisfy Yubas and make them retreat.¡±


    If it were truly his child, one might feel a slight resentment. But I, as an understanding modern person, comprehended the Duke¡¯s judgment. There¡¯s a limit to indulging a child because they are dear.


    Yubas, the family into which one marries, commands the most powerful army in the vicinity. Protecting the child¡¯s honor would only invite ridicule, as the daughter already bears a blemish.


    Moreover, the Duke of Aselton had more than just me to protect. A ruler must be responsible for the lives of all those living under him. Decisions made solely for family are insufficient for a leader.


    Fortunately, the Duke of Aselton was a rare example of someone who possessed both the awareness of a ruler and the love for his family. A medieval standard father would have taken up a whip and lashed out at a speed surpassing sound if his child behaved like me.


    It was time to persuade. What¡¯s important here is unwavering confidence. I nodded and then, putting a bit of strength into my stomach, spoke out more clearly.


    ¡°I have previously suggested to Your Highness that there may be a rift between Yubas and the Church. Whether it¡¯s speculation or truth, I thought, what if we could take the Church¡¯s hand in place of Yubas?¡±


    ¡°¡­Continue.¡±


    ¡°So, I have been meeting continuously with the priest residing in the fortress, confirming each other¡¯s positions and reaching a compromise.¡±


    Even when cooking rice, one must let it simmer slightly. It¡¯s similar with words. The important parts should not be blurted out in passing, but rather, one should pause mid-sentence to capture attention. That way, you won¡¯t hear ¡°What was that again?¡± later on.


    Don¡¯t drag it out too much, just a little bit. Just that much is appropriate.


    ¡°I was able to understand why the church excommunicated Yubas, both before and after the fact.¡±


    Just like now.


    ***


    Around the time when Miriam was full-term. My overtures to the Vatican and the church seemed to have been ignored for a while.


    It wasn¡¯t that meetings with the priest became scarce. On the contrary, they increased, but that was all. As if by mutual agreement, we did not engage in conversations about what had happened or how things were going.


    The priest continued to talk about the facts I was curious about. For instance, he only talked about doctrines or local saints. Perhaps because the world was similar to medieval Europe, the doctrines rarely had any outstanding aspects.


    The stories of the local saints were also mundane, like someone cutting down a tree and blood spurting from the stump, after which the drought disappeared. However, such folklore inevitably permeates people¡¯s perceptions and ways of thinking.


    That¡¯s why, even when slightly sleepy, one had to bite their tongue and forcibly stay awake. There were, after all, some mysterious and interesting parts. Namely, the stories about magic and the various races that once roamed the world.


    ¡°The gods bestowed miracles upon their favored followers, and the followers offered sacrifices for the gods. This period, when many old gods generously granted miracles to their favorites, is called the Age of Ys. Many races thrived under their favor, but¡­ for us humans, it was a time of suffering.¡±


    The Age of Ys, a time when non-human beings flourished. It is said to be the era inhabited by fantasy creatures like elves, dwarves, beastmen, or giants made of rock. Naturally, coexisting with such beings was a great pain for humans.


    Especially since the old gods of the Age of Ys didn¡¯t particularly favor humans. Being mediocre was the main reason. From the gods¡¯ perspective, humans were like a thorn in their side. Not the worst, but not the best either, kind of a ¡®why bother?¡¯ attitude.


    The war-loving god of war favored the orcs, with their impressive muscles and ferocity. The nature god, who valued harmony with surrounding life, favored the elves. The arrogant dragon god favored the kobolds, who he thought resembled him a bit.


    In this way, each had their own favorite race, leaving humans alone and abandoned. Humans, receiving no favor from anyone, were left to desperately grovel for divine attention, and the vast majority became slaves to other races.


    The problem was that humans were not a despised race. If they had been utterly abandoned, they might have enjoyed a primitive life in some remote wilderness. But that was not the case.


    The gods considered humans to be somewhat decent offerings. As a result, the races of the Age of Ys used humans without restraint as sacrificial offerings for human sacrifices. For thousands of years, the earnest pleas of humans were thoroughly ignored.


    From this point, the priest recited the scriptures with an elevated voice.


    ¡°However, after a long period of pleading, Lux Stella, the starlight of the Age of In, rose. An extraterrestrial god of entirely different origin appeared and led humans to the starlight.¡±


    It was here that I first learned whom the church served.


    Lux Stella, the starlight of the Age of In.


    The extraterrestrial god, who arrived from outer space, chose the mediocre humans as his favorite race. It was probably just to expand his domain, but for the humans of that era, it must have been a moment of deep emotion.


    When humans eventually rallied under the name of Lux Stella and revolted, the old gods of the Age of Ys just scratched their bellies and accepted it. There had been rebellions throughout the long years, and they never ended with just one or two. Humans had always been defeated, and the gods believed it would be the same this time.


    But Lux Stella led humans to victory.


    As numerous races of the Age of Ys fell, the old gods hurriedly chose humans, but it was too late. Lux Stella had long been established as the dominant faith among humans.


    The followers of Lux Stella thoroughly rejected the faith in the old gods, demonized them, downgraded their miracles to mere magic, and suppressed the opposing forces.


    After listening to the myth told by the priest with interest, I asked a question.


    ¡°There must be a reason you chose to share this story now, not during worship, but in private.¡±


    If this bastard had just wanted to tell the story for the sake of it, I was ready to pull his tongue out. Fortunately, our priest is a civilized barbarian who knows better. The priest¡¯s face hardened, and he slightly bared his teeth, showing his anger towards Yubas.


    ¡°For us, who follow the starlight of the Age of In, the relics of the Age of Ys are utterly detestable. Considering that most of their mysterious artifacts were obtained through human sacrifice, it wouldn¡¯t be enough to smash them all! Yet Yubas has been eyeing the objects of the Age of Ys!¡± sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Is that really true?¡±


    ¡°It is a fact confirmed by the monks who were moved by suspicious rumors. Yubas has been secretly excavating and studying the relics of another world!¡±


    Caught up in the sensibilities of a medieval clergyman, I unwittingly slapped my knee. Ah, this is quite significant. It¡¯s more than enough reason for the church to turn its back on Yubas. But it seems that¡¯s not all there is to it.


    ¡°The absence from the feast day of Saint Ilenio was due to such reasons. How can one who handles the blood-stained cultural artifacts of another world wish to stand under the starlight of this human world? Of course, it would have been proper to repent and seek atonement for my sins.¡±


    The priest, who had been fervently speaking until just now, suddenly began to mumble. His words trailed off as he fiddled with the nape of his neck and repeatedly cleared his throat. This was not merely a pause.


    It means that the deeds committed by Yubas are too grievous to be spoken of. Perhaps it¡¯s so shocking that he needs to compose himself¡­ While matters of this world and another may be the domain of the clergy, this part is my domain.


    My intuition, honed in the game Fantasy Monarch, tells me how the situation has unfolded.


    ¡°Instead of repenting, Yubas sought his own survival, choosing to disgrace our family as his method. But that was not all, I¡¯m sure.¡±


    ¡°¡­Your Highness, could it be?¡±


    A look of astonishment is directed at me. It¡¯s a natural reaction for a boy who¡¯s barely twelve years old, too explicit and vile a scheme for him to know.


    But for me, who has dipped my toes in the grand battle of pure evil, the multiplayer of Fantasy Monarch, it was a fact I could easily guess.


    ¡°The Yubas sent Miriam, my wife, to the right. Wasn¡¯t it the head of the Yubas family who impregnated her?¡±


    ***


    I have previously mentioned that such schemes exist in Fantasy Monarch.


    [Send a pregnant daughter to the landlord to cause confusion, then claim guardianship over the child as a pretext to seize the land.]


    When I first spoke of it, I called it a triple-strike strategy, but this plan had a fatal flaw. It was extremely difficult to meet all the prerequisites.


    The importance of swiftness in a conspiracy is not for nothing. A conspiracy is a strategy, and so is life. If you miss the moment, it¡¯s meaningless to contrive it later. A little thought brings the answer immediately.


    If the landlord already has a partner or children, marriage is out of the question, invalid. If you manage to marry and think of having a child, but the landlord dies suddenly, the inheritance becomes chaotic before you can have the child, invalid. If the daughter fails to get pregnant in the first place, it¡¯s simply invalid.


    Users who initially slapped their knees at this strategy soon realized its fatal flaws and began to give up. There were more than one or two problems, after all.


    Then some madman thought of a way to improve this strategy.


    [Why not just send a pregnant daughter who got into trouble before marriage?]


    After all, a confused child is doomed to be beheaded or live under house arrest for life. Who cares whose seed it carries? That was the logic of the improvement. The key to the plan was that even if the child¡¯s paternity is unknown, it won¡¯t be treated as illegitimate if born after marriage.


    But still, a critical problem remained.


    The honor of the family.


    Role-playing users who felt antipathy to the idea of treating their daughters so carelessly pointed this out. My family is such that we cannot act in this manner, they continued to say.


    The fierce debate among these computerized medieval lords eventually led to the completion of the improvement as VER.2.


    [If the father impregnates and sends her, there¡¯s no dispute over lineage, and the problem is solved.]


    A truly vile and inhuman strategy.


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    The young prince, having heard my entire story, seemed to have completely forgotten the strict etiquette of the nobility, his mouth agape. Even by the faint candlelight, his wide-open eyes were discernible.


    Trembling hands filled with horror,


    Shaking so fiercely, anything held would have dropped to the ground.


    ¡°Father¡­ he is my father?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe it.¡±


    The Prince of Aesulton was shaking more than a kitten shivering in the spring chill. I understand his disbelief. But the Prince of Aesulton is my lord and the ruler of the duchy.


    As repulsive as it was, I had to know why Yubas made such a choice.


    ¡°Secrecy is crucial in a conspiracy. And the fewer people who know a secret, the better it is kept. There might have been thoughts of not letting just any man in, but more so, it was deemed risky to involve a man with no connections to the plan.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    ¡°With already lacking legitimacy and the discord with the church, it¡¯s a chaotic state. For the unestablished heirs and the sons prepared for unforeseen circumstances, there must be no flaws; hence, a head of the family with authority would have stepped in. It was arranged so that succession would proceed smoothly in case of any eventuality.¡±


    ¡°Not out of lust, but for rational reasons?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I cannot say there were no base desires like lust or treachery¡­¡±


    It wasn¡¯t for no reason that I acted like a madman, insulting the mother and child. It was during my probing, with a vague suspicion, that the church¡¯s cooperation turned it into certainty.


    ¡°Your Majesty. My insult, questioning the lowliness of my seed, was not merely targeting the mother. To the unknowing, it may seem an attack on her chastity, but those within Yubas who are aware will think differently. The head of Yubas and his close associates will be too busy doubting each other to act.¡±


    ¡°Did the church reveal all this to you?¡±


    The Prince of Aesulton kept wiping his face dry. The shock must have been strong. His voice was weary and slightly hoarse. I answered the Prince of Aesulton¡¯s question affirmatively.


    ¡°The church too had been reluctantly hiding it, unable to find a force to represent Yubas. They feared that revealing the truth about Yubas would lead to their military might expelling the church¡¯s influence. However, if we could gather a force to pressure Yubas, this truth could become a powerful weapon to shake Yubas both internally and externally. Or it could enforce peace.¡±


    ¡°Even knowing the truth, annulment may be difficult.¡±


    The Prince of Aesulton was in agony as a powerless father. He had roughly uncovered the full extent of the vile scheme behind this marriage, yet he felt helpless to act.


    But preparations for annulment had long been underway.


    I looked at the Prince of Aesulton with a confident smile, hands clasped behind my back.


    ¡°To those unaware, my actions may seem excessive, no matter the suspicion. And everyone knows Your Majesty fears Yubas¡¯s wrath.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Please strip me of all my inheritance rights, expel me from the family, and send me to take monastic vows.¡±


    At that moment, the Prince of Aesulton¡¯s head, weighed down by fatigue, suddenly lifted. He stared at me for a while, then covered his face with his left hand and said,


    ¡°You would go to such lengths.¡±


    ¡°Father, there¡¯s no need for sorrow. In fact, it¡¯s a cause for celebration.¡±


    ¡°Celebration?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Naturally, there¡¯s a benefit to taking monastic vows. One might think becoming a monk means no more pleasures, no money, and a boring life¡­ but that¡¯s only half true.


    Clerics also indulge in luxuries, earn well, and live as they please. If they were all incorruptible, there would be no term for corrupt officials. Living by the doctrine is similarly challenging for clerics.


    Moreover, my attempt to court the capital¡¯s monastery to forge ties with the church was not without other reasons.


    ¡°Who do you think would appear more commendable in the eyes of the holy: one who is supported by the church or one who is part of the church?¡±


    I will become an unwavering entity, carrying the church¡¯s support on my back, in place of Yubas.

 Chapter 7

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 7


    7. The Tyrant Toddler


    It¡¯s been three days since I slapped Miriam¡¯s cheek. The atmosphere within the castle has definitely changed.


    If before it felt like stepping onto a cracking sheet of thin ice, now it¡¯s¡­ as if plunging straight into icy water. Everyone inside the castle was the same.


    They all layered on expressionless faces as if donning thick clothes against hypothermia. The rigid movements and postures alone were enough to reveal their tension.


    My deliberate sauntering down the corridors made it all the more apparent. The servants, who whispered to each other upon crossing paths, would widen their eyes and turn away or press themselves against the wall at my approach.


    They might as well become more concave than the wall hangings. At this point, it¡¯s hard to feign ignorance. Rumors have spread throughout the castle, and everyone is desperately avoiding me.


    The person known as me.


    Today, too, I had to click my tongue in disappointment as I surveyed the deserted corridors. Before a word could be exchanged, either their legs would buckle, or they¡¯d clutch their stomachs and run to the restroom. The castle has become a ward, a mere ward.


    As if these pre-modern ethical beings weren¡¯t enough, they shun a twelve-year-old. These uncivilized brutes don¡¯t realize the negative impact of neglecting a young boy.


    Thankfully, as a modern person with a generous understanding, I can overlook their physical immaturity, for my mind is reasonably aged. Of course, the thought that the servants are overreacting hasn¡¯t left me.


    I¡¯m not prone to self-consciousness, but their reactions are embarrassingly excessive. At least the sturdy maid, Edwina, stays by my side. It¡¯s a relief not to be alone because of her.


    But even Edwina seemed a bit different than usual. She fiddled with the end of her braid, sneakily avoiding my gaze. Even now, she did the same.


    ¡°Edwina.¡±


    ¡°Yes?! Oh¡­ Yes, my lord.¡±


    Just calling her name made her jump like a startled cat. Realizing her state, Edwina neatly clasped her hands and struck a respectful pose.


    If not for her faltering voice, fidgeting fingers, and hesitant eyebrows, she would be the perfect maid. It¡¯s quite pitiable. But there was no one else to ask at the moment.


    I casually threw out a question to lessen Edwina¡¯s burden. It wasn¡¯t an important question, just something to ease the atmosphere. As always, a relaxed environment was crucial for gathering opinions.


    ¡°Did I behave too much like a madman?¡±


    Edwina¡¯s eyes, beneath her long lashes, looked at me. After blinking for a while, she spoke slowly and clearly.


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    ¡°That¡­ No, not at all.¡±


    Look at that, just look. A typical medieval noble boy would have been content with that answer. But catching such nuances is the finesse of a modern person. It was clear Edwina had much to say, but the context had been cut off.


    I exerted my full empathy, offering a kind and comforting smile to put her at ease. Thanks to this effort, I was able to significantly soften Edwina¡¯s wariness.


    ¡°You can speak honestly.¡±


    ¡°It was a bit so.¡±


    ¡­Perhaps I softened her up too much.


    But since I was the one who broached the subject, I couldn¡¯t criticize. What could I do if others felt the same way? Threatening them with a sword would only lead to whispers behind my back, so I just laughed it off.


    After all, I expected such a reaction from Edwina and acted accordingly. I nodded, agreeing with Edwina¡¯s opinion.


    Certainly, a punishment more severe than house arrest would be warranted.¡±


    ¡°You knew, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    Edwina¡¯s gaze was scorching. Half of it conveyed ¡®knowing and yet,¡¯ and the other half ¡®so you did know.¡¯ I can¡¯t even guess how far my image has plummeted in Edwina¡¯s mind.


    But having decided to commit the deed, I must ensure it¡¯s done so thoroughly that no other words can be spoken against it. It must not seem like I¡¯m groveling too much before Prince Aeselton, inviting scorn.


    It¡¯s a blatantly disturbed case. Even for a young boy, it was enough to be considered a severe insult. The act of slapping a mother¡¯s cheek was enough to be seen as a youthful outburst of anger and shame.


    I must prevent it.


    Even if Prince Aeselton were to disown me, a convincing reason would be needed for everyone to accept it. And I had a way to convince everyone.


    Honestly, to proceed with the plan, my villainy feels too weak.


    If I brought someone else¡¯s child claiming it as my own, wouldn¡¯t it be normal in the Middle Ages to just start whipping and dancing the Bongsan mask dance? To have only ended up here, when it wouldn¡¯t be enough even to dance joyfully after putting a noose around someone¡¯s neck.


    Even as a modern person, I feel this way; to the more macho medieval people, it must seem like a lenient treatment. Ha. How far does one have to go to appear ¡®barbaric¡¯ in their eyes?


    I¡¯ve decided to share this great concern I¡¯m feeling now with Edwina.


    ¡°But isn¡¯t it too weak to be expelled from the family?¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡±


    ¡°?¡±


    ¡°¡­I apologize. I misheard.¡±


    While I was lost in thought, Edwina also seemed to have lost focus for a moment. It¡¯s understandable, given how often she¡¯s been out and about lately. Even a well-trained maid would naturally be tired. After all, a maid is also a wage earner.


    As a former wage earner myself, I felt a strange sense of solidarity and explained it to Edwina once more, more clearly and concretely.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t the intensity of my misdeeds too weak to be expelled from the family?¡±


    ***


    The church and I dealt with each other on equal terms. Or rather, it would be more accurate to say we were in the same boat.


    The gist of the plan exchanged through the presiding priest was this:


    As a naive child, I would insult and provoke Yubas to make an irreversible mistake. It had to be a mistake so grave that Yubas, who would normally let things slide, couldn¡¯t bear it and would be compelled to apply pressure.


    Next, Prince Aeselton, disappointed by his son¡¯s mistake, would take an ultra-hardline response to appease Yubas. Disinheritance and expulsion from the family, followed by a monastic vow, were key. This was to throw a wrench in Yubas¡¯s plans.


    Yubas are ones who wouldn¡¯t hesitate to wield power. Everyone had to keep quiet when threatened with a sword by someone claiming a clearly disturbed child as their own.


    If they could have raised an army to fight back, they wouldn¡¯t have received such a marriage proposal in the first place. Even a sturdy bamboo will split in two if it resists an axe.


    Disinheritance and the monastic vow were measures for this.


    First, Prince Aeselton would cut off the sympathizers siding with Yubas by revoking the inheritance rights using his authority as the head of the family.


    Second, if Yubas deployed an army to deny the decision to revoke the inheritance rights made by the head of the family, the monastic vow would be used to deny it once more, borrowing the religious authority.


    These two were measures to prevent support from internal sympathizers and the ignorant public in advance. No matter how recklessly Yubas acted, if they forcibly proceeded with land seizure without the support of internal sympathizers or the public, they would truly be overturned.


    To the outside world, it might seem like Prince Aeselton is throwing himself naked against Yubas. But Yubas would be in a very difficult position. To let it go would be to remember the insult to their daughter, and to dispute it would risk losing the coveted inheritance rights.


    My inheritance was denied, and to my child? It¡¯s unlikely to reach that far.


    Once the safety measures are in place, the final part of the plan was simple.


    It was about me, who had taken monastic vows, being reborn as a close associate of the Vatican after being fully indoctrinated with the church¡¯s teachings. There is a noble cartel that disdains the church¡¯s intervention, but I am that cartel scoundrel.


    Our ¡®are we not all brethren?¡¯ spirit was enough to laugh off any superficial opposition.


    In the end, as everyone shed tears over the church¡¯s achievement of reforming a reprobate, I, the reformed, would lead the anti-Yubas faction and take revenge on those who dared turn their backs on the church, then live well as the end.


    It¡¯s a life drama, complete with lessons and emotions, all tied up neatly.


    But to turn this true-story-in-waiting into reality, dramatic staging was necessary. It¡¯s essential to plant the belief that this wretch is beyond redemption, so when the reformation comes, the tear ducts are stimulated.


    For these lengthy reasons, I had no choice but to torment people¡­


    ¡°Rumors have it that I¡¯ll be sent to the monastery.¡±


    ¡°I, I¡¯ve never heard such a thing.¡±


    Of course, you haven¡¯t. It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve mentioned it. I scrutinized the servant, prostrated before a twelve-year-old boy, before continuing.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter where I go. I need entertainment wherever I am. Even during the journey, there must be laughter.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Prepare amusements that bring forth natural laughter. They must be enjoyable enough to shake off any misfortunes. But, only when I¡¯m sober.¡±


    From a subordinate¡¯s perspective, from the position of having to meet a client¡¯s demands, what¡¯s the most dreadful? After several experiences, I could answer that. It¡¯s the vague and abstract ¡®something¡¯ that can¡¯t be quantified or objectively measured¡­


    It¡¯s most dreadful when asked for ¡®something.¡¯


    Especially when verbose flattery makes it seem concrete, but it¡¯s actually not. It seems this rule applies even in a medieval otherworld.


    The servant, forgetting any rudeness, inadvertently raised his head. His facial muscles twisted in all directions as he fretted over the difficult problem.


    I drove the point home once more.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to pass by a lakeside suitable for a rest stop, wherever the destination may be. There must be no damage to the goods due to moisture.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes. And I¡¯d like something to hunt small game with along the way.¡±


    ¡°Something¡­ you mean?¡±


    Tsk. I clicked my tongue loudly, clearly enough to intimidate the servant in an instant. I slightly furrowed my brow and deliberately breathed heavily, signaling my displeasure in all directions.


    ¡°Bows and crossbows. I¡¯m not yet strong enough to draw them, so I¡¯ll need a crossbow that another can load. It¡¯s frustrating. Do I really need to explain every single word, every single reason to you in detail? Is that why I employ servants?¡±


    ¡°No, not at all!¡±


    ¡°Get it ready. Since my father forced through that marriage proposal, and this is the result, I¡¯ll also force some issues.¡±


    ¡°Of course! I, I will go right now!¡±


    Seeing a chance to escape, the servant pounded his chest with his fists and hurried away. Though lacking talent in acting, it seems life experience has inflated his demeanor.


    If an unnamed servant reacts like this, the quality must be sufficient. I stared blankly at the door through which the servant disappeared, immersing myself in satisfaction. Of course, if such a person were truly my superior, I would have taken care of him long ago.


    But what kind of society is the Middle Ages? It¡¯s a society of feudal classes. In those times, a man with nothing could challenge an armored knight to a duel without a judge or jury.


    I bitterly felt the absurdity of the unequal class society and secretly wiped away my tears.


    ¡°Alright, next.¡±


    Yet, shedding tears doesn¡¯t mean one cannot work. I had to harshly push my tender heart for the perfect execution of my plan.


    As I resolved, a girl with golden hair tightly gripped in her dress hem entered.


    At a glance, her tension was evident. The golden girl was breathing heavily, her eyes wide and mouth slightly open. Her face was flushed with forced concentration, and her proud golden locks were slightly tangled with sweat.


    I then realized that my villainy was put to the test. In a world similar to the Middle Ages, the mindset must be alike. In the patriarchal and macho medieval society, there was an unwritten rule not to mistreat women.


    That is¡­ not just any woman, but noblewomen.


    Of course, the top 1% of men in the Middle Ages treated even low-born women well if they were pretty. And the average medieval man would lose his mind over a woman. I had to become a man worse than the medieval average¡­


    ¡°There¡¯s a rumor that I¡¯ll be sent to the convent.¡±


    ¡°¡­Is that so?¡±


    She hesitated before barely managing to open her mouth, looking quite frail. But I was a man determined to be below the medieval average. How could I discriminate by gender when committing villainy?


    I chose a different method to torment the girl.


    ¡°First, I¡¯d like something sweet on my journey. I¡¯ll have to hurry the beekeepers to prepare a few jars of honey in advance.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    ¡°Just honey won¡¯t do. I need a taste that¡¯s crunchy, not too salty, sweet but not cloying.¡±


    ¡°I, I¡¯ve never heard of such a thing¡­¡±


    Of course, it was the first time I mentioned it. Could such food exist at the primitive culinary level of the Middle Ages? The standard of this era is to preserve food in salt to prevent spoilage.


    But would explaining this gently be considered villainy? I pondered seriously about villainy while lifting the corners of my mouth.


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    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t do it?¡±


    ¡°No, no, that¡¯s not it¡­¡±


    I¡¯m different from the real scoundrels who breathe villainy. To follow in their footsteps requires relentless effort.


    How difficult it is to come up with a demand that¡¯s out of the blue yet not irrelevant after serious consideration and understanding the context. I looked down on the girl, who was tearfully responding, with arrogance and secretly gave myself a thumbs up.


    ¡°If you understand, then go. Next.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±


    The girl left the room with dragging steps. Of course, I could hardly compare to the GOATs, the masters of villainy. It¡¯s a tough job to catch up to those whose life is villainy through acting.


    But with consistent and faithful buildup¡­ perhaps I can follow a little.


    ***


    The build-up was complete about a week later.


    It was when I had laid out all the items I had prepared under the guise of a mid-term check in my room. The gathered servants huddled together, crouching as much as possible to avoid my gaze.


    I could see them groaning, perhaps worried about potential problems. I resolved to neatly solve these concerns.


    Just then, there were glass bottles piled on the table that would help with an impactful presentation.


    I approached and swung my arm.


    ¡°Clear it all!!!¡±


    -So that the sound of shattering could fill the entire room.

 Chapter 8

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 8


    8. All Tickets Sold Out


    There¡¯s one fact that people surprisingly fail to realize.


    It¡¯s that insulting others is not so easy. When the stage is set, they tend to turn away. Why does this happen? After much contemplation and salary theft at the company, I came to my own conclusion.


    Insulting someone when you¡¯re alone is no big deal. But when you¡¯re with others, it becomes a problem. The listener might have different thoughts and run off to tattle to the insulted person.


    What if you did this to someone of higher status than yourself? Your life becomes harder. Especially in a class society, your life could end before it even gets tough.


    Therefore, to freely insult someone, a strong consensus is needed that encompasses a wide range of ages and status differences. Only then will the voices opposing my expulsion disappear, even if reluctantly.


    That¡¯s why I shattered the glass bottles filled with wine or honey with a single swing. To instill the perception that I could smash even expensive things if they irked me. That was the intention.


    But if you suddenly break a glass bottle in madness, you¡¯re not a rascal but a lunatic. I glared with bulging eyes at the servants who covered their mouths and faces with both hands, gasping for breath.


    ¡°I ordered entertainment for my amusement.¡±


    ¡°I, I¡¯ve prepared it with all my might.¡±


    Then, a clueless servant spoke up at just the right time. Overcoming fear with a surge of injustice. However, this was not the attitude to show to someone who was ready to scold without reason.


    ¡°Who asked you to prepare such a thing!¡±


    It¡¯s important to act frustrated, thumping your chest. I actually pounded my chest and pointed fingers at the servants. But the wall of talent was too high. Who would be nervous about a mere twelve-year-old acting like this?


    Ah¡­ If I were truly mad, I would have subdued them all with a fierce glare. No choice. Those who lack must speak more. Humbly recognizing my insufficient talent, I glanced around.


    As someone who wasn¡¯t a genius rascal, I had no choice but to ruminate on my experiences.


    ¡°So, there¡¯s a rumor that I¡¯m going to the monastery! Instead of shedding tears or feeling sorry, you seem eager to send me off, preparing all these items? Despite making difficult and finicky requests!¡±


    ¡°Yo, Young Master. We didn¡¯t intend that.¡±


    ¡°Then! How did you get these items in just a week! I haven¡¯t caught or held back anyone, so why should I believe what you say!!!¡±


    It¡¯s a story I experienced during a company dinner.


    After running through three rounds, the drunk manager shook off all hands and decided to call a cab. Innocent and naive, I took his words seriously and called the driver.


    Without knowing what would happen the next day.


    ¡°Heh, I was startled to see a stranger holding my car¡¯s steering wheel.¡±


    Some say you should decline three times to save face. Accepting an offer too readily appears greedy. And our manager, who valued face, needed to decline twelve times¡­


    Yes. From the beginning, the demand for hard-to-find items was all for this buildup. Our department head, though he takes care of his subordinates, made sure we were fed, but I am different.


    Choosing only the craziest tasks, this guy doesn¡¯t take care of us and even acts haughty. This was another method I pursued after realizing how difficult and exhausting it is to surpass medieval people with brute force.


    It was indeed a rascal¡¯s deed that leaped over the gap between the medieval otherworld and modern Earth¡¯s civilization. I glared with veins popping in my eyes, pointing accusingly with my index finger.


    One by one, meeting their gazes straight on.


    ¡°You say you brought these items out of loyalty? Good. I¡¯ve seen your loyalty, very impressive! Such devoted people would always want to stay by my side!¡±


    Fortunately, this time too, there was no servant foolish enough to act up. It¡¯s normal to fear that saying ¡®no¡¯ would lead to something very unpleasant. One tried to speak up like a gasping goldfish, but it ended as a meaningless attempt.


    I saw someone pinch the thigh of the one who opened his mouth with all their might, stopping him before he could make a sound. I let it pass. Thinking in line with my rascal concept, I continued.


    ¡°That request you couldn¡¯t voice, I will certainly grant it. From today, you are exclusively mine, always by my side.¡±


    ¡°Your Highness, I have laundry piled up in the castle¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, is that so? Then I shall stay by your side as you do the laundry. My loyalty will surely help you with your work, won¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    A quick-witted maid looked for an escape, but to no avail. She paled, pressing her lips tightly and stealthily averted her gaze. She would later gain fame as the summoner who brought the prince to the laundry site.


    But as a modern person with excellent empathy and understanding, I fully understand. Being swept away by such unreasonable demands and unable to complete their assigned tasks would be against their professional ethics.


    It was my coercion, so it¡¯s only right that I make time for the servants. I brushed off the feigned anger from moments ago and smiled as brightly as possible.


    ¡°Others must have work to do too, but they can¡¯t say it because of the mood. Rest assured. I will consider your schedules and stay by your side without hindering your work.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    ¡°There must have been some misunderstanding since we didn¡¯t talk. But of course, you loyal ones wouldn¡¯t do that. I¡¯ll have to walk a bit, but it¡¯s for you, so I¡¯ll bear it! hahahaha!¡±


    I forced a hearty laugh, thinking it was time to laugh, but there was no response. I stopped laughing in surprise and looked around at the servants. Sure enough, they were all pale as if they had just breathed their last.


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    I couldn¡¯t help but feel pity as I saw them lose their laughter.


    ¡°You¡¯ve all lost your laughter.¡±


    ¡°That, that¡¯s because.¡±


    ¡°The events inside the castle were quite shocking¡­¡±


    Watching the servants, who had been silent, start to speak up one by one, I nodded involuntarily. Indeed, it was understandable. What joy could there be under this dreary, gray brick pile?


    They had lost their laughter, always crushed by hard work.


    But fortunately, I had thought of a very innovative solution for them.


    ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s suggest to father to prepare even a small bell.¡±


    ¡°A bell¡­ sir?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Ah, do these uncivilized medieval people not know-.


    The essence of wisdom built by modern civilization.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we just laugh whenever we hear the bell ring in the future?¡±


    They¡¯re talking about the ¡®laughter bell¡¯.


    ***


    My all-out effort in playing the fool had an enormous ripple effect throughout the castle.


    Leading the servants in a procession through the corridors, it was impossible not to be noticed. And with the incident in my room spreading, the act of deliberately smashing the glass bottles seemed worthwhile.


    Especially since the servants, having heard the rumors, often missed footsteps due to their heated conversations. Their exclamations let me gauge my reputation.


    But not all the talk was bad.


    ¡°The young master has gone mad! Have you heard?!¡±


    ¡°I have. They say we must laugh every time the bell rings, right? What a world.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not all. The terrifying part is that he lies flat on his back and shakes the bell until he¡¯s rolling on the floor laughing. He doesn¡¯t go anywhere, just stares blankly and keeps ringing¡­!¡±


    ¡°Good heavens!!!¡±


    Among the people, the story of the laughter revolution I caused was more widespread than the tale of the broken glass bottles. Surely, for the medieval folks, it must have felt like their worldview was shattering.


    But I am a modern person from an advanced civilization. I have no obligations, but I do have the goodwill to improve their lives. Now, I was a laughter missionary for those living through harsh times.


    The sound came from around the bend in the corridor.


    As I appeared, the expressions of those who had been talking seriously just moments before hardened in an instant. The only exception was one servant who hadn¡¯t seen me because he was turned away. He sighed, reminiscing about the past.


    ¡°I can guess why the young master is doing this¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s with everyone?¡±


    ¡°Yo, young master.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    I steeled myself with a solemn resolve, my hand reaching into my bosom. It was time for the laughter missionary to bring joy to the grey world.


    Jingle jingle.


    Moments later, I headed back to my room, leaving behind the servants rolling on the ground, laughing heartily. It was a truly fulfilling task. I wondered if my daily routine could be this gratifying.


    But as they say, where there¡¯s a meeting, there must be parting, and it was time for the loyal servants to return to reality from their joyful time. It was regrettable and sad, but the moment had come to part with our faithful servants, even if just for a while.


    I stopped in front of my room and looked around at the servants. Surely, because they¡¯ve been laughing more often lately, the corners of their mouths were turned up. A small but significant change that I had initiated. I felt a surge of emotion and secretly wiped away a tear.


    ¡°Lately, everyone¡¯s laughter has increased.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true, young master!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to you, young master!¡±


    Look at their neck veins bulging as if they¡¯re gritting their teeth. Here was the proof that they had regained their energy. I almost joined in their laughter, influenced by the positive effects of laughter therapy.


    ¡°How could I have doubted your loyalty? I am ashamed of myself. I¡¯ve been too harsh on you.¡±


    ¡°Master¡­¡±


    ¡°No, Master!¡±


    I¡¯m glad everyone laughed along with my foolish antics. It must have been tough to play along. In the warm atmosphere, I resolved to give them ample opportunities.


    ¡°I shall give you an opportunity. I am recruiting servants to accompany me to the monastery.¡±


    ¡°¡±¡­.¡±¡±


    ¡°Take your time to think it over. You don¡¯t have to answer right away. Everyone has their own tasks, so feel free to leave. If it¡¯s tough, come back. I¡¯ll make sure to bring a smile to your face again.¡±


    ¡°No, thank you, Master!¡±


    The servants, energized by laughter, scattered like arrows. The crowd, easily numbering in the dozens, emptied out. That¡¯s when my door swung open on its own.


    Edwina glanced around the deserted corridor a few times before looking at me with a stoic expression.


    ¡°Master. I trust you haven¡¯t lost your mind.¡±


    As a devoted maid, she knows how to flatter her lord well. But such blind praise, though pleasant to hear, was too embarrassing. I waved my hands, cutting off Edwina¡¯s flattery.


    ¡°Don¡¯t praise me too much. I¡¯m well aware of my shortcomings. Even if I acted the fool, to others, it might have seemed clumsy and somehow kind. It¡¯s a role that inherently doesn¡¯t suit me.¡±


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    Edwina chose to remain silent and avert her gaze slightly. I regretted it instantly. Perhaps I had been too harsh in cutting off her flattery. Yes, if Edwina felt it was genuine, that was enough.


    Only after entering my room and flinging off my top could I finally feel satisfied.


    ¡°Anyway, thanks to you, I¡¯ve bought a lot of time. Father will be calling for me soon.¡±


    ¡°Actually, someone came looking for you before you arrived, Master. They left a message to visit the office when you have time.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    It¡¯s time to get dressed again. A noble is a lonely being who can¡¯t wander around his own house in just his underwear. I had to regain the dignity of a noble.


    ¡°But Edwina.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Master.¡±


    ¡°Why do you cover your eyes with your hand but spread your fingers apart?¡±


    ¡°¡­To prevent sweat on my hands.¡±


    Well, if the nobility won¡¯t nag me about dressing properly, that¡¯s fine. I straightened my clothes and stood confidently in front of the door.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Edwina. It¡¯s time to see Father.¡±


    ***


    Anyone could easily guess from my clumsy and inadequate acting, but my foolish performance wasn¡¯t just to seek a reason to be disowned.


    The act of playing the fool to draw attention was a move to buy time for Prince Aeselton. It was part of a plan to completely thwart the conspiracy hatched by Yubas and seize control.


    As the sun set, Prince Aeselton¡¯s office was bathed in the crimson glow of twilight. That alone changed the atmosphere. Of course, it might also be due to the figure standing behind Prince Aeselton.


    The man had a gloomy appearance, with curly hair like wet seaweed covering his forehead and a bristly beard. The only thing that stood out in his reclusive demeanor was his gaze.


    Eyes smoldering with a heat veiled like a flickering candle flame gazed at me. Just as I had scrutinized him. The Prince of Aeselton, noticing our exchange of looks, mediated between us.


    ¡°This is the intelligence officer, Obert, who led this search. He¡¯s also a vassal who has highly regarded your opinion.¡±


    It seems there was another reason they took the opinion of a twelve-year-old child seriously. Obert, still young, showed me an abundance of courtesy with a bow.


    ¡°¡­Pleased to meet you, my lord.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Sir Obert. It¡¯s hard to hide my joy at your generosity for considering the little one¡¯s conjectures.¡±


    ¡°¡­No, it¡¯s not that. ¡­The concerns of the lord were also possibilities I had considered, albeit vaguely. I just lacked a concrete method, so it remained a guess. ¡­I never imagined they would resort to such vile trickery.¡±


    That was enough of the pleasantries. Obert silently looked at the Prince of Aeselton. Only after the prince nodded did Obert begin to explain the detailed situation.


    ¡°¡­Thanks to the lord stalling for time, we were able to secretly inspect the servants¡¯ quarters.¡±


    Obert pulled out a bulging purse from within his clothes. It was a pouch with visible stitching marks.


    ¡°These are the dubious gold coins we secured.¡±


    It was as if all the tickets to prison for our servants had sold out.

 Chapter 9

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 9


    9. Gold Coins Carry the Truth


    Anyone would have guessed upon seeing my clumsy act of a ruffian.


    That there was some ulterior motive. Indeed, as people suspected, I wasn¡¯t just acting the fool to get expelled from the family.


    The starting point was before I began my ruffian act, during a private meeting with my father, the Prince of Aeselton. It was when the Prince of Aeselton was shocked upon hearing the true nature of the conspiracy hatched by Yubas.


    I proposed a way to turn the tide to the deeply worried Prince of Aeselton. To use Yubas¡¯s plan against him, lead the annulment, and then seek the church¡¯s protection in their stead.


    It was a win-win strategy for both the Prince of Aeselton and me. If I joined the church and became an aide to the Pope, the Prince of Aeselton would play the role of mediator between the church and the local nobility.


    Being the third son, I¡¯d only inherit scraps of land anyway, so it was better to comfortably become a clergyman and lead a moderately corrupt life. After all, nobility is nothing without money.


    The only concern was whether the church would accept me, but considering the split with Yubas, the chances were high.


    The Pope, wanting to expand his influence in the area, would surely take note of my political value, such as my willingness to join the clergy despite being of noble blood. It was a very good story for the church, looking for a power to replace Yubas.


    Of course, not everyone would like this plan. There was already someone who would openly hate it. Yubas. Yubas would do whatever it takes to prevent my expulsion and entry into the clergy.


    And I suspect¡­ Yubas¡¯s ¡®prevention¡¯ wouldn¡¯t be something gentlemanly or mild, like diplomatic pressure or a show of force. I had a vague, no, a clear guess of what it could be.


    As I¡¯ve always said when hatching a conspiracy, one must prepare a Plan B. So, what would be the Plan B in a scheme to claim inheritance rights through a troubled child? I calmly conveyed to the Prince of Aeselton the fact I had realized.


    ¡°But father, there is one critical variable in the plan I mentioned.¡±


    ¡°A variable? What kind of variable?¡±


    The Prince of Aeselton still looked confused. Clearly, he lacked understanding in this area. The Prince of Aeselton, kind to his family and proud as a noble, didn¡¯t know how vile the top 1% of the medieval society could be.


    I shared my speculation with the Prince, who sighed with a mix of lament.


    ¡°If Yubas, who has been expanding his power with the church¡¯s protection, doesn¡¯t know the church¡¯s strength, he will by now. What would he do if someone else tried to wield that power? Especially if it disrupts his grand scheme of usurpation?¡±


    ¡°¡­Are you suggesting he would start a war?¡±


    Yubas, who had forced a marriage through a show of military strength, would likely raise an army again. The Prince of Aeselton said this, stroking his beard as if squeezing out the words. It wasn¡¯t that he hadn¡¯t thought of it; he just didn¡¯t want to think about it.


    Perhaps Prince Aeselton already knew the answer. But it was such a shocking response that he must have unconsciously turned away from it. And as a subject who had devised a strategy, it was my duty to inform him of what I suspected.


    ¡°I insulted Yubas and denied my child, claiming it wasn¡¯t mine, but it is a child born after our marriage. Moreover, at twelve years old, it¡¯s an age where one could have been intimate. It¡¯s enough to insist on it. From their perspective, I have outlived my usefulness.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Now, even if I were to indulge in debauchery, it¡¯s too late. Before the family decides to expel me, I must preserve my inheritance rights, controversial as they may be. Or I must not be left to join the church and raise a power to replace Yubas.¡±


    Having said this, even Prince Aeselton could no longer hide his agitation. With a pale, sickly complexion, he looked at me and let out a groan mixed with the sound of metal.


    ¡°Narba.¡±


    ¡°We must prepare for assassination, Father.¡±


    It was pitiful to see Prince Aeselton in pain, but the truth had to be told. Yubas would be preparing assassins.


    And I would be the first target.


    If one thinks that assassination is far-fetched¡­ then they are already a walking corpse. It¡¯s true that there are some sloppy aspects to the conspiracy Yubas has woven. However, the plan itself was incredibly complex and meticulous.


    Starting with the targeting of the third son.


    In a stable succession where the eldest son grows up without issues, it¡¯s rare to worry about the third son. The second son might be educated as a contingency, but not the third. It would be like creating another competitor for the heir.


    For this reason, the third son is usually managed more loosely. Unless the ones above him die in succession, there¡¯s little chance of inheriting, so it¡¯s natural. Sometimes, even a slightly mismatched marriage is encouraged. It¡¯s to prevent the in-laws from bringing in external forces to aim for the heir¡¯s position.


    But if the third son were to inherit, it would be like hitting the jackpot for the in-laws.


    Think about it. What has this kid learned to rule as a king? Sitting on the throne, looking at his subjects, and then what? Imagine the in-laws saying, ¡°Oh dear, our son-in-law is struggling, we¡¯ll take over for him~¡± and then they take everything.


    And in our medieval fantasy strategy life simulation game, Fantasy Monarch, waiting for the lottery to hit is the lowest of the low. It¡¯s something only fit for the sewers.


    A true first-class creates opportunities. And usually, those opportunities arise when one stabs with a knife. This is the part I¡¯m worried about.


    Considering Yubas¡¯s meticulousness, there must be more than one or two spies already in collusion. Perhaps they had been digging holes since the alliance with the church.


    It¡¯s somewhat similar to cockroaches.


    Sometimes, in the shadows of dawn, you see a black object moving. You grab whatever you can to smash it, but by the time you get there, it¡¯s gone. It¡¯s definitely there, but it¡¯s daunting to figure out how to find it.


    That¡¯s exactly the situation now.


    What¡¯s needed at such times is a change of perspective. You can¡¯t catch it because you¡¯re trying to smash it. The saying ¡°Don¡¯t burn down your house to catch a flea¡± also means that if you burn down the house, you¡¯ll catch the flea.


    I had to put in a lot of effort to persuade Prince Aeselton with this argument.


    ¡°Are you suggesting we suspect the servants? Those who have served loyally here.¡±


    ¡°The loyal ones reveal themselves without a word when their faith is questioned. Father, Yubas¡¯s assassination is much more realistic than you think. If Yubas kills me right away, our family will also be suspected.¡±


    ¡°Suspected? Us?¡±


    ¡°During the ongoing reluctance to agree to the marriage proposal, if the son engages in debauchery, it¡¯s an opportunity to execute him. If such baseless rumors spread, it could provoke Yubas¡¯s intervention over the unjust death of his son-in-law.¡±


    This is Yubas¡¯s Plan B that I¡¯ve deduced.


    Even if I¡¯m expelled from the family and sent to a monastery, if I die along the way, naturally, our family will also be under suspicion. At this point, it¡¯s a mud fight. People move not by truth, but by public opinion.


    And in a mud fight, the one with the stronger fist has the advantage.


    ¡ª


    But strength alone does not always win a fight.


    ¡°First, you must employ strategy.¡±


    Sometimes, it¡¯s the dirtier side that prevails.


    ***


    This was the latter part of a private meeting called by the troubled King immediately after striking the midwife¡¯s cheek.


    It was a rough explanation of why my rascal deeds were necessary. In the midst of discussing the opaque truths surrounding the mother and child, a suspicious gold coin of unknown origin was found in the servants¡¯ quarters.


    At first glance, they seemed like separate incidents, but those with rich imaginations were already running their mental graphics cards at full speed. Edwina, my ever-present maid with her braided hair and confident demeanor, was no exception.


    Edwina slightly furrowed her brow as she watched the procession of servants, linked together like dried fish, trudging down the corridor. Had it not been for the soldiers gripping their spears with stern looks, she would have pestered them with questions long ago.


    ¡°Who exactly received the gold coin? Was it that man with the slightly balding head who wanted to order a hair growth potion from the alchemist? Or was it that lady who has taken a liking to a man other than her husband and has been taking care of his various needs?¡±


    ¡°Edwina, are you that curious?¡±


    I asked, impressed by her inquisitive nature. Edwina turned her head towards me with a blunt expression and continued to nod.


    From Noble mtl dot com


    ¡°Yes. I am truly curious.¡±


    Our Edwina may seem expressionless, but she¡¯s actually a very honest maid. Far better than those who twist their words and sulk when misunderstood. I valued Edwina¡¯s curiosity and decided to give her an opportunity.


    ¡°Would you like to join me later in interrogating them with Sir Overt, the intelligence officer?¡±


    I offered her the best seat for immediate questioning, but her reaction was puzzling. Edwina looked at me with indescribable eyes and slowly turned her head away.


    ¡°¡­No.¡±


    ¡°Edwina, you seem to struggle when given the stage.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    Well, there¡¯s no point in insisting if she¡¯s not inclined. I watched the backs of the servants heading towards what seemed like a medieval horror attraction and pointed to a corner of the corridor with my index finger.


    It was a very safe place, thanks to the silver-armored soldiers with bulging eyes resting their hands on the hilts of their swords.


    ¡°Then Edwina, stay there for a while. We¡¯ll talk after I¡¯ve interrogated the servants.¡±


    ¡°What? ¡­You mean over there, where the soldiers have their hands on their sword hilts?¡±


    ¡°I trust you, Edwina.¡±


    I meant it sincerely. Edwina had no emotional debt or motive to betray our family. After all, she served a lord who deeply cared for and looked after his subordinates.


    I believed Edwina would never betray us. Even though I had said to burn down the thatched houses, how could Edwina be compared to mere thatched huts? The thought of having to suspect my loyal Edwina weighed heavily on my heart.


    But if that was Sir Overt¡¯s judgment, what could I do? He had decided to send her to the solitary cell, and the corridor had been cleared, so Edwina would understand my feelings.


    ¡°Our intelligence officer thinks differently than I do. He¡¯s checking all the servants, so stay quietly by my side. If you need to use the privy, just tell the soldiers, and¡­¡±


    ¡°I will go, to the prison!¡±


    It was an utterly absurd statement for someone who believed in Edwina¡¯s innocence more than anyone. I stared at Edwina with wide eyes.


    ¡°Why would you go to prison?¡±


    ¡ª


    Sometimes, faith can move people. My sincere belief in Edwina¡¯s innocence was no different. Edwina looked at me with eyes slightly brimming with tears, biting her lower lip to hold back the welling sobs.


    ¡°Gonzanimul gyeoteso mohigo siseumnidaa¡­¡±


    ¡°Goodness. There¡¯s no need for such words. Why would we need them between us?¡±


    Indeed, people are the true wealth that remains. I couldn¡¯t help but nod at Edwina¡¯s faithful demeanor. I turned my gaze, sharper than an arrow, towards the soldiers who were glaring at us, or more precisely, at Edwina.


    ¡°Did you hear? Tell the intelligence officer later.¡±


    The soldiers¡¯ refusal came back when I hinted they could leave. Several of them hung their heads in shame, thumping their chests with their fists.


    ¡°Your Highness, our duty is to escort you safely. Until we join Sir Overt, we cannot leave your side¡­ especially when there is a suspect present.¡±


    ¡°It must be awkward for you. Very well, escort me.¡±


    I realized then that if I had simply sent them away, they would have been relentlessly scolded. Considering their position, I allowed them to escort me. Only then, as we were about to move towards the prison, did I notice Edwina had turned deathly pale.


    ¡°Your, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    ¡°¡­If I had gone to those soldiers earlier.¡±


    I thought something serious had happened, but it was just Edwina worrying too much again. I gave her a reassuring smile to ease her mind.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You don¡¯t need to know. It¡¯s no longer your concern.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    By that time, the soldiers who had gathered around me had long since lowered their hands from the hilts of their swords. I surveyed the burly soldiers and Edwina, who kept her gaze fixed on the ground, pale as a ghost, and then said,


    ¡°Let¡¯s go. Sir Overt must be waiting for us.¡±


    ***


    The medieval horror attraction that is the prison was tagged with numerous labels, some of which people easily overlook.


    Even I, who had spent thousands of hours enjoying the medieval fantasy strategy game, Fantasy Monarch, had forgotten them. #More important than gore. Those were #unhygienic #filth.


    As soon as I entered the prison, I was struck by the pungent stench and an indescribable foul odor that forced me to grimace. Even the local medieval people found it hard to bear.


    I covered my nose and mouth with my sleeve, shaking my head in disbelief. It was truly otherworldly. I was fortunate to be a neat noble of a medieval fantasy world. I hurried to find the local guide, fearing the smell would cling to me if I stayed any longer.


    Fortunately, the news of my arrival had spread, and the jailer prepared by Sir Overt approached, covering his mouth with the hem of his shirt.


    ¡°Your Highness, it¡¯s an honor to meet you. Just in time, a man has confessed to taking bribes.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°Sir Overt is over there. I will guide you to him.¡±


    The jailer explained what this place was all about with utmost care. I respected his professionalism and listened attentively to his explanation¡­


    Modern prisons vary greatly in how they care for the rights of criminals. How much more so for a prison in a world similar to the medieval era? I looked through the bars at the crowded people and clicked my tongue.


    ¡°There¡¯s a new reason to end this quickly. Jailer, I¡¯ve enjoyed your story. But we must hasten our steps. There might be innocents among them.¡±


    ¡°Indeed¡­! I understand, I will guide you to Sir Overt as quickly as possible!¡±


    A single word of praise was desperately desired in this profession, it seems. The guard¡¯s face noticeably brightened as he shrugged his shoulders and strode briskly down the cold prison corridor. At the end, what appeared was not bars but a heavy iron door, seemingly forged from a single piece of metal.


    With his forearms, veined and flushed, the guard swung open the iron door, grinning broadly. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Sir Obert, the prince is here!¡±


    It must have been a torture chamber, given the room I entered. As soon as I stepped inside, an unpleasant odor filled the air. It was a sticky atmosphere, a mix of blood, decay, and the stench of death.


    Anyone with a weak stomach would have vomited immediately. But Sir Obert, unfazed, looked at me with a composed expression and bowed respectfully.


    ¡°The weak-willed confess quickly.¡±


    ¡°It was me, I did it¡­! Please, I beg you!!!¡±


    The man tied to the chair had a slightly peeled scalp. He was the servant who, according to Edwina, wanted to buy a hair growth potion from the alchemist. Tears and snot streamed down his face as he screamed.


    Indeed, as weak-willed as they say. There were no signs of torture yet¡ªno crushed fingernails, no needles under the nails, nor had he been submerged in water until he was gasping for breath.


    Just as we were about to begin, he confessed to his crimes. I looked at this pitiful man and clicked my tongue.


    ¡°You know you¡¯re innocent, and yet you dare to confess falsely?¡±


    ¡°?¡±


    The fear and resignation vanished from the face of the man who intended to buy the hair potion. Instead, bewilderment and questions filled his expression. It seemed Edwina, who stood by, felt the same.


    ¡°Your Highness, how did you know this man was innocent?¡±


    ¡°Well.¡±


    I locked eyes with Sir Obert, the intelligence officer. Sir Obert nodded, indicating it was okay to speak. Only then did my hesitant mouth continue.


    ¡°We knew because we had planted the gold coins in their luggage.¡±


    There were spies among the servants. To identify each one would mean missing the opportunity.


    ¨C Extreme measures are for times like these.

 Chapter 10

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 10


    10. Learned from a Friend


    What do people consider most important when they witness an event?


    Some say it¡¯s a touching lesson, others claim it¡¯s the truth. A marketing department colleague I met at work once said:


    ¡°A story alone isn¡¯t enough. Storytelling that connects each event and element, and the subtle appeal in dramatic production can stimulate customers¡¯ needs.¡±


    He failed to appeal to the executives during salary negotiations, but he certainly left a deep impression on me. His words still resonate clearly. It was as if I had finally grasped what I had only half-listened to in university lectures.


    Events, when isolated, are just a list. It¡¯s only when separate events are connected that they become a ¡®story¡¯. How these events are linked¡ªthat¡¯s ¡®storytelling¡¯.


    There was a hint in this storytelling technique. Sometimes, human imagination can foster greater conviction than lengthy explanations filled with truth and evidence. My mischievous friend, the son of a pastor, would scoff at this phenomenon.


    ¡°Truth can be contradicted by another truth, but faith, even if opposed, cannot be refuted.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why strong beliefs are powerful.¡±


    ¡°Cut the crap and add more MSG to the noodle soup. Why does it taste so bland?¡±


    ¡ª


    He who follows the truth can be persuaded, but he who follows faith cannot be swayed, so spoke the preacher¡¯s son, fittingly interpreting the words. Of course, at that time, I simply slurped up the feast noodles provided by the church, thinking, ¡®There he goes again, spouting his catechism.¡¯


    But now I understand. The fellow was a pastor in the making.


    He had learned to appeal to emotions with thorough reason and logic, contemplating the church operations he would inherit from his father. Had I known I would become a king or noble, I would have paid more heed to these golden words.


    And now, here I am, having realized the word ¡®reticence¡¯ in this uncivilized, barbaric, medieval-esque other world.


    True secrets can be applied anywhere, regardless of the field. Even if they originated from the soft modern era, they are adaptable enough for this harsh medieval-esque other world.


    This is why I stuffed gold coins into the servants¡¯ bundles, only to be met with immediate protest.


    ¡°No! Where do you hear such fanciful nonsense!!!¡±


    The unconvinced one was a man tied to a chair with leather straps, thrashing about. He was a servant who recently worried about his thinning hair and wanted to buy a hair growth potion from the alchemist. He was lodging a complaint, dissatisfied with my explanation.


    His behavior reminded me of myself, copying answers rather than solving math problems, stirring a strange sense of kinship as I was about to continue explaining. But Sir Overte, the silent intelligence officer beside me, spoke first.


    ¡°¡­Firstly, it¡¯s about Lord Confucius¡¯ wife, Miriam Right Yubas. She wishes to reveal to the world the dubious aspects of the child she bore. Even the slightest suspicious circumstance can give significant hints to the discerning, without publicizing rumors related to the birth.¡±


    Sir Overte, the one-hit wonder strategist, fiddled with his seaweed-like hair covering his forehead as he explained softly. Of course, it was impossible for the illiterate servant to comprehend all that.


    The unfortunate servant, recalling rumors from within the castle, convinced himself. Yet, his sense of injustice didn¡¯t seem to dissipate completely, as he began to weep, looking back at Sir Overte and me.


    ¡°Are you saying I¡¯m falsely accused?! It was truly terrifying!!!¡±


    Then he burst into loud sobs, spilling all the water he could. If this were an act, I could never trust anyone again. Sir Overte seemed to share my thoughts, staring intently in our direction.


    ¡°¡­This man¡¯s shallow thoughts and faint-heartedness make him unsuitable as a spy. Persuasion is easy, but so is his spilling of secrets. Even if approached, he wouldn¡¯t have revealed anything of importance. Further interrogation is worthless.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. If he were thoughtful, he wouldn¡¯t have asked for an explanation.¡±


    He may be short on thought, but his intuition seems sharp. The servant stopped crying and lifted his head as soon as he heard the conversation between Sir Overte and me. His eyelids trembled, and his bloodshot eyes darted about.


    ¡°What, what do you mean?¡±


    Sir Overte, without a hint of irritation, explained clearly once more. It was thanks to his considerate nature, whether the servant understood or not. He did sigh, but it wasn¡¯t because of the servant.


    He seemed dissatisfied with his damp, limp forelock, sweeping it to the side. No matter how much he fiddled, it was as useless as explaining everything to the servant.


    ¡°¡­Secondly, it¡¯s not about a non-existent crime. There¡¯s certainly a spy within the castle, but revealing or even hindering them is not easy. It was necessary to warn the enemy.¡±


    Those who sensed the situation weren¡¯t the servants before me but others. The soldiers who accompanied me as guards and Edwina¡¯s demeanor grew increasingly tense. Some soldiers shut their eyes tightly, and Edwina, at some point, clung to my back, trembling.


    ¡°¡­Thirdly.¡±


    Just as Sir Overte was about to continue.


    ¡°Stop.¡±


    I raised my hand, interrupting Sir Overte¡¯s speech. It wasn¡¯t to reprimand Sir Overte. Rather, it was to save the unfortunate servant, the innocent soldiers, and the fiercely loyal Edwina.


    The only one who didn¡¯t catch on was the unfortunate servant. He knew danger was imminent but not what kind. I wasn¡¯t sure if this was specialization or just insensitivity. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    I burst into a hearty laugh, facing Sir Overte¡¯s fiery gaze, and maintained the utmost courtesy.


    ¡°Sir Overte, with such a performance, it¡¯s only right to be fooled once. I¡¯m impressed by your thoroughness, even though you¡¯ve decided no interrogation is needed.¡±


    ¡ª


    ¡°Your Grace.¡±


    ¡°I am deeply grateful for Count Overte¡¯s passion and determination to thoroughly settle matters this time. However, as much as I understand your concerns, time is of the essence. Please reconsider.¡±


    A brief exchange of glances ended with Count Overte¡¯s concession. He fiddled with the buckle of his cloak unnecessarily and took a step back, his voice tinged with embarrassment.


    ¡°¡­Indeed, you are correct. I was so focused on the task at hand that I nearly missed an important aspect. Thank you for your caution, Your Grace.¡±


    ¡°What is light or heavy in such matters? It¡¯s merely a difference of deadlines, but all are of great importance.¡±


    ¡°Such words from you are truly moving.¡±


    Count Overte, our fervent spy, and I exchanged warm words, significantly easing the atmosphere. Soldiers and Edwina sighed in relief, while the unfortunate servant still looked around, puzzled.


    ¡°Eh? What?¡±


    For the first time, a hint of expression appeared on Count Overte¡¯s stern face. He seemed to take a dislike to the unlucky servant, his eyebrows furrowing. He growled as if a fierce beast raising its spirit before its prey.


    ¡°¡­Be thankful to His Grace. Had he not intervened just now.¡±


    ¡°That will be all, Count Overte.¡±


    The mood, which had been carefully relaxed, was on the verge of becoming tense again. I held back Count Overte and smiled at the servant. Ignorance is bliss, as they say.


    ¡°Just continue without trying to understand anything and faithfully do as you¡¯re told, and you won¡¯t have any problems.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ thank you?¡±


    ¡°In that sense, you¡¯ve passed.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°What is your name?¡±


    ¡°Call me John, John of Brookside!¡±


    The reason why the ruthless spy Count Overte recited his reasons to this servant was clear.


    From the moment one enters the torture chamber, the chances of survival converge to zero. Count Overte¡¯s earlier explanation was simply a long-winded way of saying he would make sure the servant faced his end unless he gave the desired response.


    It¡¯s excessive to strip the scalp off someone who¡¯s already sad about losing their hair. And even if we let him go now, could he really engage in proper job-seeking activities?


    There¡¯s a theory called the stigma theory. Once someone returns from prison, they must endure people¡¯s narrow-minded views, knowingly or unknowingly. It¡¯s a truly dreadful thing.


    I wanted this innocent and blameless man, John of Brookside, to continue living a healthy life. So, I decided to make him an offer he couldn¡¯t refuse.


    ¡°John of Brookside.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes!¡±


    ¡°You will accompany me to the monastery.¡±


    I would have liked to take Edwina with me, but alas, the monastery is off-limits to women, just as the convent is to men. I had been pondering how to procure a trustworthy person.


    But as if sent by heaven, a servant to faithfully assist me to the monastery, our John of Brookside, fell right into my lap. I¡¯m not particularly religious, but I was certain.


    This was fate.


    ¡°¡­I must have heard wrong.¡±


    ¡ª


    And sometimes, fate is met with personal defiance.


    At this moment, John stood against destiny with the most brilliant heroic will of his life. The tragic part was that this place was a workshop of medieval experts who turned heroes into battered warriors.


    From Noble mtl dot com


    There was no time to admire the heroic spirit John had summoned. A jailer, who had been quietly waiting, leaning against a wall stained with bloodstains, picked up a pair of tongs while humming a tune.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see. How many rotten teeth do we have here~.¡±


    With a brutal force that seemed ready to extract even healthy teeth after breaking them, claiming they were decayed.


    As soon as John saw the jailer fiddling with the tongs and licking his dry lips with his tongue, he hurriedly turned his head to look this way.


    ¡°Your Highness! I will ensure your comfortable journey to the monastery!!!¡±


    ***


    I had quite a good rapport with Sir Overton, the confidant and spy of Duke Aestleton.


    But no matter how good the rapport, a clash was inevitable. As soon as Overton left the torture chamber, he turned his gaze away and spoke.


    ¡°¡­If you have devised a strategy, you must also know how to justify cruelty. If others knew the truth, they would say you¡¯ve gone mad.¡±


    I understood clearly what Overton meant. In these times, it¡¯s more important to root out a single criminal than to save an innocent person. Even if it means turning a blind eye to the deaths of nine innocents to catch one culprit.


    Such a barbaric and primitive notion¡­ It was I who had said to burn down the whole house to catch a flea. Naturally, I felt cornered by those words, especially since my own life was at stake.


    -If I had been a romanticist who appealed only to emotions, that would have been the case. I shared my thoughts with Overton, who was timidly expressing his complaints, to console him.


    ¡°Unusual events raise questions, and those questions stimulate the imagination. This is a measure to show Yubas.¡±


    It¡¯s the technique of storytelling, of implication. A deadly method for those who love to twist thoughts. Think about it. It¡¯s natural for torture to lead to a funeral procession, but it didn¡¯t.


    If it were just that, one might think it went unnoticed, but.


    ¡°We move after the interrogation ends simply without any other torture. We act based on a conclusion we¡¯ve already drawn, regardless of the truth, but from their perspective, with so many events happening in a short time, they need to sift through the information, it will seem different.¡±


    ¡°¡­Surely not.¡±


    A spy is ultimately an entity maintained by a relationship of trust. They function on the premise that there are such and such reasons to be trustworthy. In other words, if you nudge that premise, you can make the enemy shrink back.


    ¡°The easiest way to defeat an enemy.¡±


    The key to plotting a conspiracy is swiftness. The reason is simple. If you take the time to think calmly, you can find something that doesn¡¯t add up.


    It¡¯s similar to why con artists mix all sorts of bizarre terms to hinder understanding. Since there¡¯s a commonality in deceiving people, the strategies here weren¡¯t much different.


    ¡°There may be various factors, but if we talk about ease, isn¡¯t it about making them lay down their weapons themselves?¡±


    You induce them to be certain through imagination, not giving them time to judge with truth and evidence. That¡¯s the crux. ¡­I wonder if I¡¯ve rambled too much off-topic. Fortunately, Overton was nodding his head, not showing displeasure.


    ¡°Your Highness¡¯s insight. I have taken it to heart.¡±


    I¡¯m embarrassed to be flattered too much as the son of the lord I serve. Such flattery isn¡¯t bad, but it makes my cheeks red. I waved my hands and accepted Overton¡¯s praise.


    ¡°It¡¯s embarrassing to be praised so highly. Next, it¡¯s Overton¡¯s turn to take charge.¡±


    ¡°Of course. ¡­I will do my utmost to ensure that nothing tarnishes Your Highness¡¯s plan.¡±


    ¡°hahahahaha! Well then, shall we go?¡±


    ¡ª


    ¡ª


    Praise is said to make even a whale dance, and here I am, the very picture of it. I couldn¡¯t hide my bright smile as I strode out of the prison, continuing the conversation.


    ¡°To find the gold coins given as real bribes.¡±

 Chapter 11

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 11


    11. Preparing for the Journey


    Though I spoke of going to plunder the gold coins, I never actually set foot on the streets myself.


    It¡¯s only logical. Being the number one assassination target of Yubas, stepping outside the fortress would spell real trouble. I couldn¡¯t commit the folly of considering my era as the average of the human world.


    This isn¡¯t the safe haven of South Korea, where one can visit a convenience store in the middle of the night without harm. Here, even a stroll down a sunny path could lead to unlicensed tollgate workers thrusting rusty blades at you.


    Therefore, both Prince Aselton, who knew all the circumstances, and I, along with Sir Overt, the intelligence officer, came to the same conclusion. We must minimize my external activities. That¡¯s why Sir Overt took over the task of tracking down the gold coins.


    Of course, being cooped up in my room didn¡¯t make me blind or deaf. After the nominal house arrest was imposed, Edwina continued to bring news from the outside.


    The Edwina who used to tremble like a frightened hamster when visiting the prison was long gone. A day passed, and she regained her composure, returning to her original indifferent expression by the second day.


    And today, the fourth day, Edwina proudly displayed her braided hair flowing down her collarbone, wearing a confident smile.


    ¡°Sir Overt¡¯s work is progressing smoothly. He has already roughed up several money changers, reclaiming their illicit gains for the national treasury.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but admire Sir Overt¡¯s remarkable action. Although he wasn¡¯t before my eyes, I clapped my hands, wanting to convey even a fraction of the emotion I felt.


    ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s Sir Overt. I knew I could trust him to handle everything once the stage was set.¡±


    Prince Aselton didn¡¯t assign the role of intelligence officer for nothing. Sir Overt might get distracted with various concerns, but he is a man of fiery passion and meticulous perfectionism.


    Give him clear instructions, and he¡¯ll exceed his assigned role. The fact that he¡¯s already cornered the key money changers in just three or four days is proof of that.


    A toast would be fitting for such a joyous moment¡­ but looking at the wooden cup placed on the table, I could only smack my lips in disappointment. The drop felt steeper from having used poorly crafted glass cups until recently.


    ¡°Edwina. But why has my cup been changed to wood?¡±


    ¡°As you know, my lord.¡±


    Edwina closed her eyes gently, then delivered the harsh truth in a soft voice.


    ¡°The glass cup you used was broken during the last commotion. Hence, His Highness the Prince ordered that you use a wooden cup for the time being.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­However, the lord I serve is not His Highness but you, my lord. If you share with me the story I¡¯m curious about, I plan to be a bit audacious as your maid.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at Edwina¡¯s words. She was certainly different from the typical maids. Rather than feigning ignorance and turning away, Edwina was the type to open her eyes and sneak a peek even if her heart raced.


    For this curious maid, I was more than willing to open up. After all, Edwina is my person. It¡¯s said that the fewer people you share secrets with, the better, but clinging too much to mystique would prevent me from making allies.


    ¡°What¡¯s the big deal about that? Fine. This plan was entirely a ruse to cut off the money changers, or more precisely, the enemies¡¯ funding.¡±


    ¡°Are you talking about the gold coins secretly placed in the servants¡¯ quarters after causing a ruckus?¡±


    ¡°It sounds like an excuse when you put it that way.¡±


    Anyone would think it¡¯s the rantings of a spoiled brat attaching any reason to his misdeeds. But there¡¯s a difference, and tone is an important element. I patiently explained to Edwina, aiming to correct her slight misunderstandings and prejudices.


    ¡°Edwina. Do you know why it had to be gold coins?¡±


    ¡°Do people need a reason to like gold? If I had to say¡­ it¡¯s probably because it¡¯s so precious.¡±


    ¡ª


    ¡°Yes. Gold coins are indeed precious. That¡¯s why they are such valuable metals, almost to the point of being impractical for everyday use.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    Indeed, such matters can cause one to tilt their head in confusion if not considered. Edwina¡¯s response wasn¡¯t due to stupidity or ignorance, but rather because she had never thought about it before.


    Upon reflection, it¡¯s a simple story. Consider the fantasy currency standard: copper, silver, gold. Copper and silver are small denominations, while gold is highly valued, set as the standard for a family of four¡¯s monthly living expenses.


    This is exactly why money changers were outsmarted.


    ¡°Most goods aren¡¯t precious enough to compare to a single gold coin. In fact, those who receive gold often have nothing of equal value to give in return. Silver, too, is valuable, so it¡¯s often made smaller or mixed with copper. What would happen if you gave gold?¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­!¡±


    With that said, Edwina quickly caught on to what was being said. Gold coins are, after all, more distant from everyday life than one might think.


    If you¡¯re curious, try going to a convenience store or a soup restaurant, order something, and then pay with a 50,000 won bill. It¡¯s rare to find someone who appreciates such a precious currency. More often, they¡¯d refuse to give change because they don¡¯t want to.


    Ultimately, if you want to use a 50,000 won bill widely, it¡¯s much more advantageous to exchange it for smaller denominations. The same was true for medieval otherworldly currencies. Unless you¡¯re hoarding gold coins like sacred treasures, you have no choice but to seek out a money changer.


    This was the most important point. Gold coins, while somewhat removed from daily life, are valuable and convenient for concealment and transport. For those using gold to entice others, it reduces the risk of being caught mid-deal and ensures that those ensnared continue to depend on them without actually giving them substantial economic power.


    Silver bundles are heavy and conspicuous once circulated, and they need to be used within one¡¯s own territory, hence the use of gold for persuasion. Money changers, caring little whether our lord prospers or fails, would suck the spies dry.


    The way to break this peculiar symbiotic economy was to build a strong justification for taking down the money changers.


    The false charges laid upon the servants almost simultaneously with Miriam¡¯s childbirth were meant to suggest that something tremendous had happened within the castle, building up to the revelation.


    ¡°The key is to make gold coins useless. Lord Overt¡¯s overly aggressive stance against the money changers, even resorting to force, serves as a warning to refrain from illegal currency exchange in the future. It¡¯s to instill the notion that if they¡¯re caught hiding double books, it won¡¯t end simply.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already thrown countless clues into the chaos. Yubas is busy trying to understand the significance of the insult I inflicted on his daughter. Add to that the hasty interrogation following the discovery of gold coins from an unknown source and the sudden attacks on the money changers.¡±


    I said this much and then paused, glancing slyly at Edwina. She had already clasped her hands over her mouth, her eyes sparkling with realization. Having heard much while traveling with me, she quickly understood.


    I smiled at Edwina and picked up a wooden cup.


    ¡°By provoking Yubas to take drastic actions, we also intimidate the spies that have taken root here. There¡¯s some risk involved, but for a short time, at least, it¡¯s a way to ensure we hold the reins.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Edwina, if you¡¯re satisfied with the story, switch to a glass cup.¡±


    Without a word, Edwina nodded and took the wooden cup I offered. She seemed moved by the realization that I was not the scoundrel she thought I was. I let out a sigh of relief.


    If she understood that I didn¡¯t enjoy tormenting people, that was enough. I watched Edwina, slightly dazed and with her mouth slightly open, as she stepped back and made one more request.


    ¡°And when you go, call John from the creek and tell him to prepare for the monastery.¡±


    ***


    If the loyal maid Edwina supports my life in general, then John from the creek, a new acquaintance, has fulfilled his duties with exceptional passion.


    He came to me personally on the day I was confined to my quarters, reciting a list of items he had prepared. With such fervent loyalty, he even tried to cram items I hadn¡¯t asked for into the carriage.


    ¡°Two barrels of wine brewed by the monastery of Ilenifoot, a clear glass cup to hold it, a jar of honey set just right for eating, three pieces of dried meat that have been salted and rinsed to reduce the alkalinity, and wild herbs to spice up the soup¡ªI¡¯ve prepared everything.¡±


    ¡°No, there¡¯s no need to go to such lengths.¡±


    ¡°And just in case you find the road tedious, I¡¯ve been fervently practicing a simple instrument!!!¡±


    His desperate efforts left me more bewildered. John by the brook. The fragile figure I saw in the torture chamber was gone, replaced by a diligent workhorse. It was somewhat disconcerting, but how could one despise someone so dedicated to their work?


    I bestowed upon Brookside John a generous smile, acknowledging his ample efforts.


    ¡°Ha ha ha, it seems you took the words I had the servants spread to heart.¡±


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    ¡°It was spite, a ploy to make you hold onto me. Now that I know your sincerity, there¡¯s no need for it. Share the preparations with the other servants who¡¯ve had a hard time. If you¡¯re worried, consider them gifts given in my name.¡±


    Only then did an expression emerge on John¡¯s face, which had been harder than iron. I expected a smile filled with joy and elation, but John, surprisingly, was brimming with shock, his eyes wide open.


    ¡°My lord, is that¡­ really true?¡±


    ¡°Indeed. But it seems you¡¯ve forgotten to pack the most essential item.¡±


    ¡°If you tell me, I will prepare it immediately!¡±


    Relieved by my words, John regained his composure and nodded repeatedly with a detached air. One cannot detain a person dedicated to their work for too long.


    I cut to the chase.


    ¡°Pack a crossbow and plenty of arrows. Practice loading the crossbow, not playing the instrument.¡± S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll hunt along the way to avoid boredom, won¡¯t we?¡±


    ¡°Am¡­ am I to shoot?¡±


    His desire to clarify uncertainties was commendable. I immediately dispelled the doubts harbored by John.


    ¡°I¡¯ll shoot. You load. Hunting requires division of labor, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±

 Chapter 12

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 12


    12. Consultation Time


    Prince Aeselton was a man who lacked nothing in caring for his family and state affairs.


    Not necessarily likable, but hard to hate. This was the general sentiment towards Prince Aeselton. Although his beloved wife had languished and passed away after giving birth to their youngest, he never resented the child.


    Instead, he considered his youngest son a legacy left by his wife and did everything to ensure a bright childhood. The youngest, as if recognizing this devoted effort, grew up healthy and worry-free.


    Prince Aeselton took pride in having lived an honorable life during his peaceful reign. He could think so until now. Had Yubas not revealed his vile fangs, it would have continued thus.


    Yubas, having grown rapidly with the church¡¯s backing, was now eyeing the Duchy of Forwis, established by Aeselton¡¯s ancestors. This was why he had repeatedly made decisions he wouldn¡¯t normally consider.


    A profound sense of duty to not end his ancestors¡¯ legacy in his generation, and the repulsion towards Yubas¡¯s petty and dreadful schemes, propelled Prince Aeselton. All to keep the shame deeply entrenched in his heart from surfacing.


    Yet, there was someone who dared to bring forth the truth Aeselton had tried to ignore.


    ¡°Are we ultimately succumbing to them?¡±


    At the moment when the hottest issue within the castle walls had reached a conclusion, a man openly showed his defiance. It was an act that dared to question the authority of the family head, yet no one could point it out.


    The opposition to King Aeselton¡¯s decision came from none other than his own son. It was his second son, who had inherited King Aeselton¡¯s chivalrous traits.


    Terbear, the right hand of Streagos Glerio Forwis.


    With black hair grown just enough to brush his shoulders and eyes gleaming like a lean hawk. A man with a sharp nose, pointed chin, thick beard, and robust muscles visible even beneath his loose clothing.


    ¡°My brother, who used to cry in fear of riding, has finally realized he is a man. Had he remained silent after such grave insult, I would have been the one to scold him.¡±


    And even though everyone was angry, the only one who spoke favorably of Narba¡¯s misdeeds, which everyone else hushed, was Terbear. His words were so shocking that they made the courtiers of King Aeselton gathered in the audience chamber frown.


    No one dared to voice it, but they all felt that Terbear¡¯s defense was excessive. Even those who sympathized with Narba could not condone his atrocities.


    Some avoided Terbear¡¯s gaze, whispering among themselves. Only after taking in this strange atmosphere did King Aeselton respond to Terbear¡¯s challenge.


    King Aeselton, rubbing the armrest of his throne, spoke.


    ¡°Is this why you abandoned your duty to fend off the raiders?¡±


    ¡°To protect the weak and speak for the innocent. I have come to advocate for my brother¡¯s grievances, which no one else will hear.¡±


    Terbear, the second son, was a true knight in appearance and path. Unlike his elder brother, who was preparing to inherit the title and inspecting his domains, Terbear was only interested in martial arts and war.


    Thanks to this, the succession was very stable. Terbear even renounced much of his rights, saying he¡¯d rather live as his brother¡¯s knight than as a lord. At that time, it felt both admirable and grateful¡­


    King Aeselton felt a suffocating frustration, like looking at a bottle clogged with dregs, and closed his eyes tightly.


    ¡®It was your brother who asked for this!¡¯


    It was fine to entrust him with the task of repelling raiders swimming upstream due to his exceptional martial skills and biased interests. He thought it would be okay even if the rest was substandard.


    Even if the eldest son died unexpectedly, he believed the courtiers would be sufficient to assist. ¡­It was a mistake. Terbear, consumed by fighting, had no contemplation or understanding of why King Aeselton had made such a decision.


    And Terbear, immersed in chivalry and family love, began to show fierce anger, sympathizing with his brother who had suffered a painful tragedy. Since he couldn¡¯t blame his father, King Aeselton, he targeted the courtiers who were with him.


    ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking. I¡¯ve heard the rumors that Narba takes out his anger on the servants in the castle.¡±


    Terbear, standing straight, pointed at the courtiers one by one with his well-groomed index finger, glancing at them with bloodshot eyes. Each time his daunting gaze landed, the courtiers subtly bowed their heads.


    But Terbear seemed even more displeased with this, baring his teeth slightly as he growled.


    ¡°But from my perspective, it seemed like a child who has realized he is a man is still lamenting his powerless self, crying for someone to mourn the tragedy with him.¡±


    ¡°¡­Sir Terbear. You still say this after hearing the rumors about Prince Narba?¡±


    ¡°People say this and keep their distance. That¡¯s why Narba struggles with loneliness and walks an even more twisted path! A man cannot cry out loud! It¡¯s only when someone is with him that he can truly cry in his heart!¡±


    Despite the hostile atmosphere, his resolute statement was trampled by a thunderous outcry. Terbear, as if choking, pounded his chest with his fists, exhaling sighs filled with lament.


    The courtiers could only look up and watch silently. Their expressions held many unspoken words. Some even showed contempt through their faces.


    From Noble mtl dot com


    ¡®Really making a fuss.¡¯


    Terbear, the distinguished knight of Forwis Duchy and King Aeselton¡¯s pride.


    He was a man with a sensitivity far greater than that of middle-aged men going through a midlife crisis, his eyes reddening at the mere sight of falling leaves. He was so empathetic that he assumed the role of guardian for his lonely, often scorned brother.


    King Aeselton, watching Terbear¡¯s tantrum in the audience chamber, felt a throbbing headache. It was painful to think of disowning his beloved youngest son, and now his second son was behaving like this.


    King Aeselton, pressing his forehead with his left hand and feeling dizzy, slowly nodded his head.


    ¡°Terbeare. I acknowledge there¡¯s reason in your words. However, Narba has not been without thoughts on the matter either. He¡¯s sorting out his feelings and is currently in a private meeting with Yubas¡¯s daughter. Once it¡¯s over, arrange to meet with Narba.¡±


    ¡°Father¡­ Your Majesty! I knew you would understand my counsel immediately!!!¡±


    Terbeare¡¯s voice, filled with emotion, resonated throughout the audience chamber. The King of Aesulton merely nodded in approval, continuously and without a word. The atmosphere in the audience chamber did not grow any colder, thanks to the wisdom the King of Aesulton had accumulated as a ruler.


    The easiest way to solve a headache-inducing problem.


    ¡®Narba, since this is your scheme, see it through to the end.¡¯


    It was a passing of the buck.


    ***


    There was one thing I never omitted while preparing for my monastery journey. Today was the day for it.


    Miriam of the right hand of Yubas. The path to meet the woman who had been legally my wife for about seven months was unbearably heavy. It wasn¡¯t because of the people who murmured and cleared the way as I passed.


    It was because of John, who clung to me and trembled like an electric massager. John by the brook would grab the hem of my clothes, roll his eyes around, and emit bizarre moans.


    ¡°Heeek! My lord, the gaze! I feel the gaze!!!¡±


    ¡°Be at ease. It¡¯s just a painting.¡±


    ¡°Hikkyaaak! The birds outside the window are watching us!!¡±


    ¡°People are watching you too.¡±


    ¡°Who, who speaks?!¡±


    Instead of answering aloud, I slowly turned my head to meet John¡¯s gaze. I had picked up somewhere that making eye contact is crucial for calming someone down.


    Often, information from unknown sources ends up being nonsense, but not this time, it seems. John by the brook regained his composure remarkably quickly, even letting go of my clothes and straightening his posture.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ I¡¯m so sorry, my lord. I had forgotten the being I should fear the most.¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    There was a slightly dubious aspect, but it was fine as long as he regained his composure. Edwina, who had been quietly leading the way, seemed to change her pace. Edwina, with an expression that could enjoy the silence filled with white noise.


    The noisy John must have been irritating her. After a while, only footsteps echoed in the silence we had finally found. Edwina, in front of our destination, spoke with a voice full of solemn resolve.


    ¡°Miss Miriam, your husband is here. He requests a private audience.¡±


    Knock, knock, knock. The clear sound of knocking cut through the quiet corridor. But no sound came from beyond the door. The most flustered by Miriam¡¯s non-response was, as usual, John by the brook.


    ¡°It¡¯s been seven months since you¡¯ve shared a bed; perhaps she feels slighted?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Our John¡¯s head is attached, probably because it¡¯s okay to be attached. I was too busy with grim imaginings to die. Could Yubas have moved on to Plan C? Could he really be that mad?


    ¡­Thinking about it, he was mad from the moment he impregnated the daughter. With the possibility becoming a reality, I couldn¡¯t just stand by. I directed Edwina, who was standing still in front of the door.


    ¡°Edwina. If there¡¯s no response, call the soldiers. If necessary, we¡¯ll break down the door.¡±


    If Plan A was to usurp power through convoluted means, then Plan B was to kill me to preserve the inheritance rights. But if it¡¯s difficult to secure the inheritance rights, then the last resort, Plan C, could be considered.


    Considering Yubas¡¯s actions to avoid war, it¡¯s not a method he would choose lightly¡­ but he¡¯s not the type to completely dismiss the option of turning an assassin¡¯s blade away from me to Miriam, fabricating a casus belli for war.


    Fortunately, it seems that is not the case. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The firmly closed door opened lightly. And through the opened crack, a woman with a gentle demeanor appeared, her snow-white hair and warm auburn eyes reminiscent of snowflakes.


    ¡°¡­I did not expect your highness, who has already guessed the situation, to come here.¡±


    Miriam Oren Yubas.


    It was she who responded to my words, having shown no reaction when Edwina knocked and spoke. John by the brook had his strength sapped from his eyes upon seeing Miriam¡¯s beauty, only known to him through rumors.


    But it was still too early to be relieved. Perhaps this was the last resort prepared by Yubas, a natural assumption. I looked over Edwina and John once and raised my hand to signal them to stop following.


    ¡°If I cannot come out by the time the sun touches the window frame, call the soldiers immediately. However, no one should approach this place in the meantime. You two, keep your distance and dare not eavesdrop on my conversation.¡±


    ¡°Of course, your highness!¡±


    John, if nothing else, was very good at following orders. As soon as the command was given, he immediately stepped back to create distance. It was impossible to tell who understood the heart of their lord better, John or Edwina.


    Even Edwina seemed to worry about me, her lord. She stepped back with measured steps, then turned to look this way, her eyes full of concern.


    ¡°Your highness, could it be that you are now feeling emotions for Lady Miriam¡¯s beauty?¡±


    ¡°I have felt emotions from the beginning.¡±


    ¡°Your¡­ highness.¡±


    The fear that Miriam might be an assassin prepared by Yubas. As I put it into words, Edwina, who caught the meaning, bit her lower lip. Clearly, she felt shame as a subordinate who had to send her lord into a potentially perilous place.


    I gave Edwina an encouraging, confident smile.


    ¡°The rest is up to you.¡±


    ¡°Yes, your highness. Certainly. I will do as you have commanded.¡±


    With those words, I cheerfully turned my back. To the room where Miriam and that child were staying. Miriam was gesturing into her room with a wan smile, her complexion more haggard than when I first saw her.


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you already guessed everything?¡±

 Chapter 13

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 13


    13. Countermeasure Reflection


    A life without respect is terribly arduous. The loneliness felt in isolation cannot be escaped, even by nobility.


    Miriam Oren Yubas was no exception. Her room had a sentimental and desolate atmosphere, like autumn with layers of red maple leaves. The narrow windows made it difficult for light to enter, making the corners look damp and gloomy.


    In a box placed in that shadowy corner, baby clothes clumsily sewn together were mixed with sewing tools. It was a room hard-pressed to find a decent piece of furniture. If there was anything notable, it was the baby¡¯s crib.


    At least the crib was placed where the sunlight was ample. The baby, having fussed for a while, seemed to have fallen asleep, clutching a smoothed piece of wood in its tiny hand, breathing softly.


    After a brief, awkward silence, Miriam carefully approached the baby¡¯s crib and neatly placed her hands above her belly button. She was desperate to maintain the etiquette of nobility. However, even her warm auburn eyes could not hide the deep signs of fatigue. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    I quickly surmised the reason.


    Miriam had come as an enemy of our family, whether by her own will or not. We were wary of her, and her accompanying servants were isolated early on due to concerns of collusion. She was exposed to hostility from all sides, with no one to rely on.


    Ultimately, Miriam was isolated in the cold treatment, forced to do things she had never done before. From simple sewing to taking care of the baby. This was why, despite her light makeup and efforts to smile, she could not hide the redness around her eyes and the salty tear stains.


    When she first arrived, Miriam chose the playful title of ¡®little lord¡¯ for me. But as leisure disappeared, all that remained was resignation. Tired, Miriam looked this way with a faint smile.


    ¡°Your highness, there¡¯s no reason for you to come looking for me, is there?¡±


    ¡ª


    But even in downfall, nobility remains nobility. Though Miriam spoke with a polite demeanor and a gentle voice, she did not lose the pride that dwelled within. She was a woman of remarkably strong resolve.


    I felt the need to take a detour rather than confront her head-on.


    ¡°Miriam, there was no reason for you to come to me. If not for the ambitions of that proud Yubas.¡±


    ¡°¡­If you¡¯ve come to provoke, please leave, my lord. I have already lost everything, so there is no honor left for me to protect.¡±


    Is this not so? Miriam¡¯s eyebrows twitched slightly. But she showed no more reaction than that. Should I prod further, or should I soften the mood for a moment?


    After some thought, I chose the latter.


    ¡°Have you decided on a name for the child?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Is there nothing else you need? Taking care of a child is no easy task.¡±


    ¡°¡­Why really have you come?¡±


    Miriam¡¯s gaze was like the last fierce stand of a dying beast. Even in the bright light of day, it shone intensely. I watched Miriam in silence for a while before giving her the answer she wanted.


    ¡°Miriam of the right Yubas. Now that the original plan has failed, I do not know what you are plotting. Whether you wish to live or die, I do not care to know.¡±


    They say you can know the depths of the waters but not the hearts of men. I had no intention of committing the folly of being swayed by beauty and jumping to conclusions. It was not impossible that Miriam had sabotaged the scheme devised by Yubas.


    Ambition and greed are such things. Knowing that there are heroines who endure all hardships to wield power even in a woman¡¯s body, I did not let my guard down. Of course, it is Miriam, with her gentle beauty and pitiable plight, who better stirs the compassion and emotions of people.


    But I was more confident in my ability to persuade and intimidate others with practical benefits.


    ¡°I am merely here to offer you a proposal that would be beneficial to you as well.¡±


    ¡°Beneficial? ¡­To me?¡±


    I nodded slowly, pausing for effect as I began to speak. I resolved to start by discussing a realistic future. I also put effort into my non-verbal expressions.


    Hand gestures large and smooth. A smile as confident as possible. Eyes firm and unwavering.


    ¡°Understand that the future left to you is not very bright. Shaving your head and joining a convent to live a life of chastity might be the best you can hope for.¡±


    ¡°If joining a convent is the best, what, my lord, do you consider the worst?¡±


    Eyes sometimes speak more than words. To anyone, it was clear that Miriam was cornered. But beneath the resignation in her eyes, something sparkled deep within. A flame that would not be extinguished was targeting me.


    I confronted that ominous flame head-on.


    ¡°The worst would be if you decide to kill me. Whether you succeed or fail, you die. And the life of the child cannot be guaranteed. Your family, the Yubas, would suffer damage from having to mobilize their army.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°To save thousands with the life of one may be a decision that incurs blame. But who would understand or defend the choice to push thousands to their deaths by killing one? There is no cause, no justice, no benefit. That is why it is the worst.¡±


    A deep melancholy cast a shadow over Miriam¡¯s haggard face. In this lonely room, devoid of space to share emotions, the only thing she could look at was the baby sleeping peacefully.


    Now was the moment to drive the point home. I dropped the pretense of a smile, stood with my hands behind my back, and looked at Miriam.


    ¡°Miriam, lay down the burden your father has given you.¡±


    Miriam did not respond immediately. I understood. Choosing between the family she had trusted and followed all her life and the in-laws who glared at her was naturally a difficult decision. It was a little while later, just as I was beginning to feel a cramp in my leg, that Miriam spoke again.


    ¡ª


    ¡°Not yet.¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t heard a proposal that benefits me yet, sir.¡±


    Miriam was still looking down at her child. I chuckled softly and willingly answered.


    ¡°That child, not of my blood but surely of Yubas¡¯ lineage.¡±


    I had mentioned that in Fantasy Monarch, there is a strategy [to send a pregnant daughter to marry and claim land rights through her offspring].


    It¡¯s the path of the inhuman strategy, refined through heated discussions among medieval lords within our computers. In fact, this strategy proved to be extremely powerful against AI opponents in single-player.


    Even those who found AI opponents too bland and moved on to multiplayer were frequently caught off guard by its impact. It was so influential that alliances through marriage among players became scarce.


    Yet, someone saw an opportunity amidst such a detestable scheme.


    The downfall of this strategy was an unforeseen flaw: a terrifying plan to kill all the landowner¡¯s heirs and inherit everything.


    ¡°Miriam, I will give Yubas to you and your child.¡±


    -Instead of bursting with rage, someone changed their thinking.


    [If I can kill the opposing family faster than my own dies, can¡¯t I eventually take over their land?] they thought.


    Of course, if it had remained just a thought, it would have ended as a mere speculation.


    But the user who conceived this revolutionary method didn¡¯t stop at thinking; they acted. As a result, the user who tried to gain land through cunning tricks quickly faced the destruction of their lineage.


    Their heirs died one after another, and ironically, the daughter they had married off inherited everything.


    At this point, the tables turned. Even if you deny it, it¡¯s still my seed, it¡¯s still born from my heart, they insisted, leaving no choice. They lost all their territories and faced game over.


    Even if it¡¯s not discovered, the moment one of my family dies, I¡¯ll kill all of yours, they threatened, leading to mutual destruction.


    Some even changed the inheritance laws, preferring to give it to another player rather than you.


    After this fatal failure became known, the strategy essentially became a concept for entertainment play. The risk was simply too great compared to the effort involved.


    It¡¯s such a simple method, yet reaching such a thought is difficult. Everyone was appalled by this cruel absurdity, yet they used it wisely. It¡¯s why alliances through marriage among players became popular again.


    If things seemed to go wrong, they¡¯d just give up and help each other out. People immersed in computer games were shocked when they first heard it, but what about the locals?


    Miriam¡¯s eyes widened, and she lifted her neatly folded hands from her belly to cover her mouth, trembling as she did.


    ¡°Really. That¡¯s a truly terrifying idea.¡±


    But this felt unfair. Yubas intended to annihilate an entire family, and now I¡¯m the terrifying one? No, it¡¯s more than unfair. My words were sharp because of this.


    ¡°Why? It was fine when it was against our family, but now that the blade points at you, you finally realize how vile the plan was?¡±


    She seemed to know shame. With her face flushed red, Miriam hung her head and couldn¡¯t meet my eyes again. I extended my right hand, palm showing, and struck a pose of supreme arrogance.


    ¡°After all, the only way for you to return to Yubas is through my proposal. You must be feeling what life is like for a woman without power. Choose. Will you live and die as a daughter of Yubas.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Or will you return as the master of Yubas?¡±


    Miriam felt a great deal. Although she couldn¡¯t see her face with her head bowed, the slight trembling of her hair and shoulders showed she harbored heavy emotions. Soon after, a loud clanging noise struck the floor.


    Looking down, a dagger and a glass bottle filled with ominous colors were rolling on the ground. Plan C. As expected. Miriam was the last assassin prepared by Yubas for any unforeseen circumstances.


    Miriam was to either kill me or commit suicide. If not either, then she was arranged to be the one to kill the child and ignite the fuse of war. Such was Miriam, now kneeling and kissing my hand.


    ¡°Miriam of the right hand of Yubas. Live quietly in seclusion until I possess the rightful power and status. I will call upon you when needed.¡±


    ¡°As you wish, my lord.¡±


    ***


    As soon as the private meeting ended and I stepped out, what awaited me was Edwina¡¯s sharp gaze, as if she was reproaching me. I couldn¡¯t help but wear a bitter smile.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure I told you to keep your distance and not eavesdrop on the conversation.¡±


    ¡°Your Highness, shall I call the soldiers now?¡±


    ¡°To protect Miriam?¡±


    ¡°Your Highness!¡±


    It was the first time Edwina raised her voice like this. I pretended to cover my ears and frowned, then burst into a hearty laugh. There was no need to be too harsh on Edwina, who was concerned about my well-being.


    ¡°There¡¯s also a purpose to monitor and guard her. But now that Miriam has changed her heart, it¡¯s true that she¡¯s in danger too, so she must be escorted. I will ask my father to assign trustworthy soldiers.¡±


    ¡°You once said she wasn¡¯t worth winning over.¡±


    ¡°When did you ever tell me to pity Miriam?¡±


    ¡°I never did. I just suggested it might not be bad to persuade her.¡±


    I straightened my clothes with a stiff expression, looking at Edwina grumbling honestly.


    From Noble mtl dot com


    ¡°It¡¯s the same now. It¡¯s not Miriam I pity, but that child.¡±


    ¡°Miriam is beautiful. Isn¡¯t that reason enough?¡±


    ¡°A fool is one who cuts himself with a beautiful sword he holds.¡±


    That¡¯s the feeling. There¡¯s a woman who spells trouble if embraced. Miriam was a prime example of such a woman. What trust could there be to keep an assassin who was ready to stab me at any moment by my side?


    Some might find thrill and betrayal in that, but I¡¯m someone who feels pain when stabbed by a knife, so I couldn¡¯t possibly do that. I gestured to John by the distant brook and continued.


    ¡°My thoughts remain the same. She¡¯s not worth winning over.¡±


    ¡°Really? But¡­¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not a woman who would accept unmerited kindness.¡±


    Even if Miriam was just an attempted murderer, the child born was in danger of dying before even reaching an orphanage. The death of just one child would disturb my sleep, let alone the fact that their death could spark a war.


    One of the things I said to Miriam was a word filled with my genuine heart. To kill one to prevent future conflicts, only to stir up unrest if the truth is known, and to kill for war?


    There¡¯s no chance for redemption. I clicked my tongue and left Miriam¡¯s room behind.


    ¡°Well. Perhaps she¡¯ll be of use someday.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Regardless, the possibility of Miriam escaping with Yubas¡¯ help or conversely being murdered was prevented in advance. The act that could ignite the war has been averted. Now, I can finally go to the monastery with peace of mind.¡±


    At last, the final safety check was complete. It was a moment of light-hearted relief, smiling broadly, when I noticed John approaching with a grave expression on his face.


    ¡°Sir, Sir! Lord Terbear is looking for you!¡±


    ¡°¡­Who?¡±


    ¡°Lord Terbear! Your brother, sir!!!¡±

 Chapter 14

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 14


    14. I¡¯ve Never Been Married


    Returning to my room after meeting with Miriam, I was greeted by an unexpected visitor.


    A man with the keen gaze of a hawk, a sharp nose, and a thick beard, his muscular physique outlined beneath his clothes. I racked my brain to remember who this man was.


    As soon as he saw me, he filled the room with his vigorous and spirited voice.


    ¡°Narba! Have you been feeling neglected lately? Dismiss the maid. We need to talk, man to man.¡±


    Terbear, the right hand of Streagos Glerio Forwis.


    My second brother and the second son of our Duchy of Forwis, a knight in every sense, repelling marauders with his exceptional martial skills and the trust of his subordinates. Given his heavy responsibilities, it was natural that we hadn¡¯t met until now.


    Even when only close family gathered for a modest wedding ceremony, he was too busy fighting marauders to attend. I had erased him from my mind, thinking we¡¯d never meet¡­


    No matter how hard I thought, I couldn¡¯t fathom why he would be here. I nodded to Edwina, and she had no choice but to leave.


    To save time for Edwina, who would be standing outside, I asked directly and frankly from the start.


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you busy?¡±


    ¡°Busy? The marauders by the coast are too busy fleeing on their ships when chased on horseback. But taking care of my younger sibling is more urgent!¡±


    After exchanging a few words with Terbear, I learned a shocking truth. He really had come for that reason. I had thought something monumental must have happened for him to abandon his duty guarding the coastline and come here.


    ¡°Brother, are you sure it¡¯s alright? If you leave your post, the raiders will come plundering.¡±


    ¡°Narba¡­ Are you worried about me? You ungrateful rascal. You¡¯re finally showing some manliness.¡±


    I was afraid to ask what Terbear thought a man should be. Regardless, I couldn¡¯t ignore someone who had abandoned his duties out of concern for me. I was held captive by Terbear¡¯s persuasion for a long time.


    Especially when I mentioned my intention to pursue a clerical path, he was taken aback, and his reasons were quite something.


    ¡°Narba! To devote yourself to the clergy, what are you saying as a noble son! To forget the childhood oath to become a great knight and elevate our family¡¯s honor on the battlefield with me!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±


    I almost made an excuse before giving it some serious thought. I had inherited all the memories of the body¡¯s original owner. Instead of memories of valor and chivalry, all I had were memories of crying at the mere touch of a sword hilt.


    Eventually, I had to hide away from Terbear, who promised to forge me into a great knight. Before being a great knight, I couldn¡¯t even be a diligent servant. I questioned to clarify the facts.


    ¡°I don¡¯t recall ever saying I wanted to be a knight?¡±


    ¡°What weight do words carry? You don¡¯t need to say anything. Every noble son swears in his heart to become a great knight!!!¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    Perhaps the reason our succession was stable was not because the second son was a hopeless case. Terbear was a person who should remain a mere knight for everyone¡¯s benefit. His bizarre certainty made him very tiresome to deal with.


    ¡°I know your concerns well, Narba. The petty insult committed by Yubas was enough to wound a man¡¯s pride. But that¡¯s no reason to give up on the dream of knighthood. As a knight of Forwis, I assert this: you have talent!¡±


    Every nobleman should become a knight and go to battle. It¡¯s ingrained like the common sense that the sun rises, and it was impossible to persuade otherwise. But I won¡¯t lose to prejudice and stubbornness.


    Especially after my first possession, which I thought was a dream, I encountered the race of knights and even acquired an unchanging conviction. That most of the knights who cry out chivalry are nothing but despicable trash.


    I¡¯ve added the name Terbear to the list of people I don¡¯t want as my subordinates or colleagues in my heart. Of course, instead of saying I disliked my brother, I fleshed out the reasons for wanting to join the clergy.


    ¡°I¡¯ve learned a lot from this experience. Above all, I realized I¡¯ve been living too idle a life.¡±


    ¡°Oh, is that so? Then how about joining me for morning training¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been quite irritable even towards the servants. I see it as evidence of losing my composure. Even if you were to help me hone my skills, brother, it wouldn¡¯t allow for such spiritual cultivation.¡±


    ¡°Narba, is the place you¡¯re thinking of the Knightly Order?¡±


    At this point, Terbear, who had been consistently negative about the clergy, changed his attitude for the first time. In fact, it was he who had brought up the Knightly Order, and now his eyes were sparkling with excitement.


    I nodded slowly, affirming his words.


    ¡°For now, I aim to join the local monastery and seek the abbot¡¯s recommendation. The Knightly Order doesn¡¯t just accept anyone.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. That¡¯s true. It¡¯s not a place for just anyone.¡±


    Where had the man gone who was just now confident he would train me strictly? Terbear began to boast about the strict rules of the Knightly Order, which I hadn¡¯t even asked about, shrugging his shoulders with pride.


    ¡°It¡¯s a place that won¡¯t accept you without exceptional skill or a strong spirit. If you lack either, it¡¯s hard to endure. Unlike the clumsy nobles who strut around as knights just because they¡¯ve got some land, it¡¯s filled with those who have consistently trained and truly honed both body and mind in real combat.¡±


    ¡°When did you say that every nobleman should be a knight?¡±


    ¡°You need to know how to ride a horse and wield a sword to be a noble! Narba, I thought you were content to live like those serf peasants, unable to even properly throw a spear. But to think you had the Knightly Order in your heart¡­¡±


    He cries. Not jokingly, but truly crying. Terbear wiped away the tears welling up with his index finger, sniffling.


    ¡°How did you know to volunteer to do what this brother couldn¡¯t? Ahem, ahem!¡±


    ¡°What? Were you rejected from joining? Why?¡±


    Terbear is simple-minded, but he¡¯s a decent person. He was an outstanding knight, proven by his many victories against raiders washed up on the shore.


    If even Terbear was rejected, how stringent must the standards be? I felt the shock of a high school student who had vaguely dreamed of going to Seoul National University and then faced reality.


    Then, watching my shocked reaction, Terbear suddenly stopped crying. He turned his head slightly and began to fiddle with his beard.


    ¡°The thing is, during my vigorous youth, I frequented the red-light district, and the rumor spread so far that¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Narba, I can explain. Listen before you tell my family. I only sought out craftsmen with exceptional skills.¡±


    Terbear¡¯s excuse went like this:


    The life of a knight full of vigor. If you can¡¯t soothe the heat that rises on the battlefield, you can¡¯t sleep properly. And you can¡¯t just call your wife who¡¯s not here right now.


    But whispering love and embracing any woman would be betraying my wife. So I sought out professional experts in s*xual technique, who were committed to their job ethics without any personal feelings involved.


    I immediately noticed the flaw in his excuse.


    ¡°How often did you go there that the Knightly Order refused your membership?¡±


    ¡°¡­three times.¡±


    ¡°Just three times? That can¡¯t be.¡±


    ¡°Three times a day. Well, of course, that was back in my prime, so it¡¯s a story of no consequence now.¡±


    Sigh. I couldn¡¯t bear to listen to Terbere¡¯s excuses any longer and covered my face with my hands. Perhaps our family line won¡¯t come to an end after all.


    ¡­Or so I¡¯d like to think.


    Thanks to this, convincing Terbere turned out to be much easier than expected. When I mentioned targeting the Knights¡¯ Monastery, he even encouraged our younger brother to do whatever he wished.


    Moreover, Terbere¡¯s affection for his family was profound. With a heart full of love for his sibling, he boldly promised to grant a favor. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Narba, whatever happens, I¡¯ll help you once, but you must never tell anyone else, especially your sister-in-law or your nephews. Understand? Never!¡±


    ¡°Brother, then please visit the monastery if I send a letter. There¡¯s a hierarchy even within, and I¡¯m worried about harassment amidst the bad rumors since I decided to join.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s this, Narba¡­ I thought you were being unreasonable. But there¡¯s no need to ask for what¡¯s already expected. Don¡¯t worry, just send the letter. I¡¯ll come right away and teach a lesson to those who dare insult my brother and our lineage!¡±


    Yes, everyone has flaws. Amidst his busy life, to care for his brother like this, where would one find such a sibling? It wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say this brotherly love ranks in the top 10% of the medieval era.


    ¡°But don¡¯t rely too much on me being there. If you¡¯ve chosen a tough path, try to endure as much as you can. Got it? I¡¯ll be cheering for you from the battlefield whenever I get the chance.¡±


    ¡°Yes, brother.¡±


    With that, Terbere left as suddenly as he had appeared, with a pure smile of delight for his brother¡¯s growth.


    ***


    After that, everything proceeded swiftly. Even the unexpected opponent, Terbere, changed his mind after hearing my resolve.


    With the last objector gone, there was no hesitation. The moment Prince Aeselton announced the revocation of my inheritance rights, disownment from the family, and subsequent dispatch to the monastery, all the vassals and retainers unanimously agreed.


    The vehement protest that Yubas was about to reveal was resolved by the pressure from the church, which had joined hands with me. It was because the Bishop of Eleniput, who had been absent from Yubas¡¯s side during the Feast of Saint Elenio, stepped forward.


    [Miriam of Yubas¡¯s chastity had been doubted before, and the church also considered it a valid question, though they turned a blind eye to the injustice out of pity for the child in the womb. However, they were appalled by the cruel actions of her husband, Narba of Streagos Gleryo Forwis, and decided to protect the mother and child.]


    The conclusion drawn by the Bishop of Eleniput regarding this incident was as follows:


    [The church is confident that there has never been a union of light between them and declares the marriage null and void.]


    With this, the marriage record was erased. I was no longer a twelve-year-old married man but reverted to a clean boy who had never been married. I could finally smile with satisfaction after hearing the news through Edwina.


    ¡°I¡¯ve shed a heavy burden.¡±


    ¡°Do you plan to stay at the monastery for a while?¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not sure if I can stay for long.¡±


    ¡°¡­?¡±


    Edwina tilted her head with a question mark. I couldn¡¯t help but give a bitter smile as I looked at her. The Bishop of Eleniput clearly harbored resentment towards Yubas. His readiness to show such a stern stance at the first opportunity was proof.


    My concern was elsewhere.


    The church in this world is similar to a fantasy genre religious group. Each diocese has a bishop, and under him, priests, and so on. Eleniput¡¯s strong influence, despite its small territory, is because it¡¯s directly under the Vatican.


    The problem is the bishops of other dioceses. For example, the bishops in each duchy. Yubas¡¯s bishop could have his neck sliced if he spoke ill, but what about the others? They might not care, but I understand¡­


    ¡°I think there¡¯s one more enemy.¡±


    Even the bishop of our Powys Duchy didn¡¯t say anything, which felt a little strange.

 Chapter 15

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 15


    15. The First Battle


    People tend to imagine things about places they¡¯ve never experienced.


    For example, the nunnery in the Golden South or the monastery in the Golden North. Since they were called Golden South and Golden North, one couldn¡¯t help but expect them to be full of some kind of strange, decadent atmosphere. It seemed like there would be plenty of incidents.


    Half of that is wrong, but the other half is right. As a child, I was able to enter the nunnery as a man because my parents were close to the Mother Superior, so I can say this with certainty.


    Monasteries are incredibly boring. Basically, silence is enforced, so no one speaks. They even tiptoe around because loud footsteps are noisy, and they just work. To be honest, I can understand to some extent why they just work.


    It¡¯s just that¡­ there¡¯s nothing to do in a monastery except work. If you live according to the rules of the monastery, your real life is bound to become as dull as a city covered in a smoky haze. There was only one thing.


    s*xual relationships that people enjoy in secret.


    There¡¯s not a single proper form of entertainment or recreation, but it¡¯s a place where people who are in the prime of their s*xual desire are gathered together.


    As a result, homos*xuality is rampant in the monasteries of the Golden North, and there¡¯s even a rumor that in the nunneries of the Golden South, nuns who sleep with visitors for one night end up killing and burying their illegitimate children, so there are piles of children¡¯s bones.


    Of course, this was something that the monasteries brought upon themselves to some extent. They let in wastrels who had no interest in monastic life so that they could receive donations from nobles, so it¡¯s only natural that things would go awry.


    I have nothing to say since I¡¯m a wastrel who¡¯s going to stir things up¡­ When a noble is sent to a monastery, it usually means something like this: You don¡¯t have any property to pass on to you, so crawl into a monastery quietly and live and die peacefully. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In fact, monks aren¡¯t even clergy like priests in principle. Monks are just ordinary people who live in monasteries and continue their religious life. Unless they study separately and receive ordination as priests, it¡¯s difficult for them to gather influence, so it was almost like a death sentence for nobles.


    Perhaps that¡¯s why all of my immediate family came to see me off on the day I boarded the carriage. That is, King Athelston and Terbear. None of the vassals showed up.


    Sir Aubert, the intelligence officer I was close to, was worried that our honeymoon relationship might be discovered, so he deliberately stayed with the vassals¡­ and everything was going according to plan. I smiled with satisfaction as I watched the servants load my belongings into the carriage.


    On the other hand, King Athelston was frowning as if he couldn¡¯t understand.


    ¡°Narva. Are you really set on the Order of the Knights?¡±


    ¡°Who said that?¡±


    ¡°Your brother goes around bragging about how proud he is of you.¡±


    It seems that my eccentric second brother has been spreading rumors. According to Terbear, I was a passionate noble who hadn¡¯t given up on my dream of becoming a knight, even though I was going to take monastic vows.


    However, dreams and reality are different. I was determined to completely destroy the perception of me as Narva, the boy who dreams of chivalry.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have a fief to govern.¡±


    ¡°Even if you don¡¯t have a fief to govern, you can still govern people. Narva, a knight¡¯s dream can be fulfilled anywhere! I believe in you and guarantee it!!!¡±


    ¡°There are freelance knights who just travel around with their men.¡±


    Freelance knights who usually lead their own followers are often referred to as bandits. It¡¯s the origin of the word ¡°freelancer,¡± and you can think of it as someone who just sticks a lance in whatever they see on the road.


    They¡¯re living proof that freedom doesn¡¯t always have a positive meaning.


    ¡°Brother, I don¡¯t want to put my shoulder to the wheel right now when I might be able to become a monk knight. I have to be humble and diligent if I¡¯m going to have any chance at all.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. It seems you have the mindset of a warrior to some extent. If that¡¯s your resolve, then.¡±


    Of course, I had no intention of actually becoming a monk knight. According to the memories of this body, knights are largely divided into three categories: ordinary knights with manors, freelance knights who wander around, and monk knights who have sworn eternal holy war against pagans.


    ¡ª


    Even a cursory glance would tell you, the most grueling and arduous role is that of a water knight. It¡¯s the profession most akin to the fantasy staple, the holy knight, yet I¡¯ve heard no rumors of them wielding holy power or performing miracles.


    A holy knight without divine power? Their swordsmanship must be exceptional from sheer practice, but not for a moment did I consider taking on such a fool¡¯s errand myself. Who would choose such a ludicrous job?


    ¡°Anyway, once I arrive safely, I¡¯ll write and send a letter. I hope you can visit early on to help me establish dominance.¡±


    ¡°Of course! I¡¯ll come to boost our little brother¡¯s spirits.¡±


    ¡°Terbear, do not neglect your duty to eradicate the marauders¡­¡±


    Terbear stood tall and proud, while the young Prince Aselton clicked his tongue in disapproval. No cracks showed in their facade. It¡¯s a good thing the likelihood of dying in one¡¯s sleep screaming is low.


    And so, I boarded the carriage bound for the monastery.


    ¡ª


    Hours into the carriage ride, a deep regret began to coil around my body.


    As we approached the edge of the forest, the delayed aftereffects I had been forcefully suppressing hit me all at once. It was an unforeseen obstacle. Reflecting on it, I realized my motion sickness was quite severe.


    ¡°Ugh¡­ Blargh¡­¡±


    In the 21st century, it was so bad that just the smell of a car seat would make my body shiver, and saliva with a sour taste would well up. I turned pale and trembled, vomiting more than once.


    From Noble mtl dot com


    Even in an era of asphalt roads and smooth rubber tires, I suffered. What about now? The carriage jolted over unpaved dirt roads, shaking so much that even using my bedding as a cushion, I occasionally felt my body lift off.


    Eventually, my stomach turned so many times that the party had to stop.


    Sir Topa, the knight in charge of our safety, with his spiky goat beard, looked at his attendants with a troubled expression.


    ¡°Is the young master always this ill?¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not sure. I¡¯ve never heard of him going outside before.¡±


    ¡°This is troubling¡­ Even though the young master has been disowned under dubious circumstances, he is still of the Poise lineage. It¡¯s unsettling to see him suffer like this. We should stay put for a while. Everyone, prepare to make camp.¡±


    Gasping for breath, I raised my hand. It was a silent gesture telling them to stop. I chewed on my saliva mixed with bile, spat it out, then spoke.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright. I¡¯ll just catch some sleep inside the carriage. Let¡¯s continue on.¡±


    ¡°Young master, are you sure you¡¯re okay?¡±


    ¡°Disowned and yet you still call me ¡®young master.¡¯¡±


    ¡°If you were in your right mind after such an insult, that would be strange. If it were anyone but the barbaric Yubas, and I were your husband, I would have slapped you senseless. Or perhaps even drawn my blade.¡±


    It seems Sir Topa pities me. He is a noble who values honor, and as a knight, he even harbors the concept of honor killings. His grinding teeth at the thought of killing both wife and child were chilling.


    ¡°And yet you endured, young master. All of Poise owes you a debt. It¡¯s suffocating to see them criticize you without knowing the truth.¡±


    ¡°Owe me a debt?¡±


    ¡°It could lead to war if it went any further. Whether you realized it or not, you must have made that judgment and held back.¡±


    It¡¯s like interpreting dreams. I accidentally stumbled upon the correct answer, but I can¡¯t fathom why they would think so deeply about it. Seeing that Terbear thought similarly, it¡¯s likely that the knights are favorably disposed towards me.


    After rinsing my mouth with water from a leather pouch and spitting it out by the roadside, I continued.


    ¡°Let¡¯s hope that¡¯s the case. Tell them to move out. We have a long way to go.¡±


    ¡ª


    ¡°Yes! Everyone, get moving!¡±


    But that didn¡¯t mean the seasickness was cured instantly. At best, vomiting once lessened the dizziness. There was no room to spare a thought for others. Perhaps that¡¯s why my expression remained sour, or maybe it was because John, who was with me, seemed restless.


    ¡°If you¡¯ve got nothing to do, practice loading the crossbow.¡±


    ¡°But, that¡¯s¡­ Sir Topa ordered not to do anything that might endanger your safety.¡±


    ¡°Just practice pulling and setting the string without the bolts. That should be enough.¡±


    By the time I had said this, I caught a strange change in John¡¯s expression. True to his oddly intuitive nature, he seemed to sense that something was amiss.


    ¡°Sir.¡±


    John, while pulling the crossbow¡¯s string, slowly returned it to its place and began to sneak glances this way.


    ¡°Now that I think about it, I¡¯ve heard that using a crossbow for hunting damages the prey too much to be useful.¡±


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you doing it for fun? It¡¯s the kind of hunt where you don¡¯t need to worry about such things.¡±


    Hunters need to skin and sell the meat, so it makes sense for them. But if it¡¯s a hunt not for leather or meat, focusing on power is fine. Yet, our John seemed to have conjured up some bizarre fantasy.


    Suddenly, he was teary-eyed and bowed his head deeply.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter? If you have any worries weighing on your mind, I¡¯m more than willing to listen.¡±


    ¡°I miss the exclusive maid who used to serve by your side¡­¡±


    ¡°Why would you miss Edwina? For a moment, I wondered if John had taken a liking to Edwina.


    ¡°If the maid were here, I could have gotten off the carriage and walked outside.¡±


    ¡°John, you¡¯re enjoying a privilege. Isn¡¯t it a benefit to be riding in the carriage while everyone else walks?¡±


    This guy, warm and well-fed, was spouting nonsense. I listed the facts in a calm voice, appealing to John¡¯s reason. Objectively speaking, John, you¡¯re indulging in tremendous luxury.


    Then John wiped his tears with his sleeve and looked up at me with sparkling eyes.


    ¡°Then, may I switch places with that friend outside?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    After that, John continued practicing loading the crossbow without a word. I too surrendered to the rocking of the carriage and danced to my heart¡¯s content. And so, an awkward silence lingered for a while.


    Bored with pulling the crossbow¡¯s string, John inadvertently looked outside. Following his gaze, I saw the sun setting over the dense, dark blue forest.


    Just then, a flock of birds took flight from the forest, becoming the highlight of the scene. John gaped in pure admiration.


    ¡°Wow. It¡¯s a magnificent sight, the birds flying together.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re coming.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    Birds took flight from the forest as the sun set. It was a scene you might see in a nature documentary, but from the perspective of a hunter, it couldn¡¯t be viewed without a hint of paranoia.


    Just before the sun sets, bathed in the backlight, moving within the forest¡¯s shade, it would be difficult to discern the exact location even if one were marching now. Once it¡¯s completely dark, the noose will be swiftly tightened.


    ¡°John, go and tell Lord Topaz. The enemy will come from the west.¡±


    ¡°Sir? ¡­The enemy?¡±


    ¡°After you report, you¡¯ll load all the crossbows in the carriage.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t there five of them?!¡±


    I returned a simple answer to John, who was revealing his strange doubts.


    ¡°So. Should I be the one loading them?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°If you want to live, get it done.¡±


    The most important thing in a fight is to set a clear goal. I have set the goal of this fight to hold out for a set period of time. The problem is the level of the opponent.


    I tapped my forehead with my index finger while looking at the forest swaying in the wind.


    Yubas.


    Finally, the moment to confront them head-on has arrived.

 Chapter 16

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 16


    16. Division of Roles


    A knight with hollow cheeks, prominent cheekbones, and a pointed beard.


    Lord Topha raised his voice on purpose as he looked at the servant, John, who was looking at him with anxious eyes. It was the moment when they stopped the carriage and were about to settle down for the night. There were too many people eavesdropping in the open space.


    ¡°Enemy? An ambush is coming?¡±


    ¡°Th, that¡¯s it.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re disturbing those who are setting up camp with nonsense. Follow me. I¡¯ll give you special treatment.¡±


    John hesitated, looking flustered, but when Lord Topha turned around and started walking away, he had no choice but to follow. John followed Lord Topha with a frown on his face, the wrinkles between his eyebrows as thick as a file.


    Just before sunset, as the dim twilight shed its last light upon the world.


    Lord Topa finally looked back at John after reaching the forest where the campsite was faintly visible. And before starting a conversation, he struck his cheek with the back of his hand with all his might.


    There was no way a mere servant could withstand the blow of a trained knight. John could only collapse on his butt and burst into tears. Along with a scream mixed with a groan.


    ¡°Ack!¡±


    ¡°I held back. Stop overreacting and get up.¡±


    It was a miracle his teeth were intact. John hurriedly got up, clutching his already swollen cheek. Lord Topa clicked his tongue at the sight.


    ¡°You have become a man. Shouldn¡¯t you train a little?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°So. How did you, who served the young master, come to utter such words?¡±


    ¡°Hi, his lordship only told me to pass on the message.¡±


    If he hesitated, he might get hit again. John desperately explained the situation with that thought in mind. John spoke only the truth, without any exaggeration, about the experience he had.


    He was practicing loading a crossbow in the carriage as the young master had instructed when he saw a flock of birds flying up from the forest. Then, he suddenly became convinced that the enemies were coming. So he ordered me to relay this to Lord Topa .


    After finishing his explanation, John appealed to him about his unfair treatment in a tearful voice.


    ¡°I really didn¡¯t do anything wrong.¡±


    Lord Topa stroked his twitching goatee and clicked his tongue. He looked at John with eyes full of pity.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you fathom what would happen if you said an ambush was coming in front of everyone?¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°How do you think the servants who haven¡¯t been properly trained would react if they heard that an ambush was coming? If they run away at that critical moment when they should die in place of the young master, it would put us at a disadvantage. Even if they run away, now is not the time.¡±


    ¡°Oooooh.¡±


    John was briefly impressed by Lord Topa¡¯s logical words. John, who had been clapping his hands like a seal without thinking, suddenly felt something strange. John had an excellent intuition that had helped him overcome life-threatening crises.


    John gulped as he watched Lord Topa place his hand on the hilt of his sword at his waist.


    ¡°¡­At that critical moment?¡±


    Clank.


    The sound of chains clanging under Lord Topa¡¯s surcoat was particularly clear. Lord Topa¡¯s hand, which had only been placed on the hilt, was now gripping the entire thing.


    ¡°M, my lord.¡±


    ¡°Listen carefully. If the young master dies, you will all die too.¡±


    Lord Topa glared at John as if he would kill him and quietly muttered. John, who received the knight¡¯s murderous gaze, nodded with a pale face. Only then did Lord Topa ease his momentum.


    Lord Topa patted John on the shoulder, creating a warm atmosphere.


    ¡°You simply overstepped your authority because you were worried after hearing rumors that there was a group of bandits near here. If you add even a single word of your own opinion, things won¡¯t go well for you.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes.¡±


    ¡°Still, I will accept it because I think your opinion is valid. We will distribute more than the standard amount, so don¡¯t take it to heart. Let¡¯s go back.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord.¡±


    John was barely able to hold back his tears and repeated his soulless answer, half out of his mind. When they finally returned to the campsite, his fellow servants chattered as they saw John¡¯s swollen cheek.


    ¡°Oh my, you get what you deserve for speaking to the knight first.¡±


    ¡°His head must have gone crazy from serving the young master.¡±


    John walked back to the carriage with a limping gait, lamenting to himself.


    ¡®I only relayed the message because I was told to¡­¡¯


    It¡¯s not like he could relax just because he returned to the carriage. As soon as John got into the carriage, the boy who had caused all this to happen him with an arrogant smile.


    ¡°How dare you speak before the noble has given you permission?¡±


    Narva Orn Stregos Glerio Fowis.


    Black, semi-curled hair, and obsidian-like eyes that sparkled sharply. A pale, transparent skin with visible veins, a decadent atmosphere, sharp eyes, and a boy with a slightly raised mouth seemed to be confident even when he was still.


    John quietly frowned and muttered to himself as he looked at that nasty smile.


    ¡°Did you properly convey what I said?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Thanks to you, I got hit.¡±


    ¡°You should have drawn first. Even if there is a knight from a commoner¡¯s background, most of them are the last of the nobles who have ties with the nobles. If you don¡¯t have the etiquette of nobles, you¡¯ll get even more annoyed.¡±


    ¡°My lord doesn¡¯t read books for such things.¡±


    ¡°I am special. This body.¡±


    ¡°I understand now, now.¡±


    John admitted that Narba could be reevaluated. John by the stream, he¡¯s a coward, but he¡¯s a man who admits what he admits. Even the famous scoundrel had some advantages.


    Narba smiled contentedly as he looked at John, who reluctantly admitted it, and then turned his gaze out the window. At that moment, Lord Topa, who had received the order, was building defenses while urging his servants.


    ¡°There is a rumor that there are ignorant bandits nearby. Move now if you don¡¯t want to be killed by them. Quickly!¡±


    Suddenly, the servants who were faced with a disaster moved their eyes towards the inside of the carriage. To be exact, it was towards John, who was pulling the crossbow¡¯s trigger. It was fortunate that John was in the carriage for the first time, and this was the moment.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s get off too.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Yes, what.¡±


    When the bewildered John turned his head unconsciously, it was already too late. Narba calmly got out of the carriage and stared at John.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you use the wheels of the carriage as a rampart?¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s going to take the wheels off?¡±


    What came back was a silent, unspoken instruction in his sleek eyes. John breathed at the fate he had been given and followed Narba.


    *** S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As soon as I got out of the carriage, I was met with the resistance of Lord Topa.


    ¡°My lord, it¡¯s really dangerous. It¡¯s much safer to stay inside!¡±


    It would be crazy to jump up and down in a position where you have to protect me. But I thought a little differently. If Sir Topa and the soldiers were pushed back, they would die.


    I decided that it would be better to have one carriage that could protect our backs. However, when persuading our knights, such rational and reasonable opinions alone would not suffice.


    An emotional remark was needed to move their abundant sensibility.


    ¡°Lord Topa, from your actions, I can guess that my father told you something. However, even though I am young and weak, I cannot fight with you, but I can walk on my own two feet.¡±


    ¡°My lord¡­!¡±


    ¡°If I can¡¯t trust those who protect my life, how can I be safe in a carriage? Lord Topa, I am safe when I am with you.¡±


    In the first place, it was a matter of a child¡¯s life. Unless King Athelstan was a madman who thought of getting rid of his naughty children on this occasion, I guessed that he would give me a proper escort.


    In that sense, Lord Topa was a good fit. I didn¡¯t know about his skills, but he was a man who was definitely loyal. Sometimes, trustworthy loyalty is more valuable than any ability.


    Lord Topa seemed to like what I said, so he met my gaze with a resolute face and said.


    ¡°I will protect you with my life.¡±


    ¡°My father has already foreseen such a thing and has prepared support. If we focus on holding out rather than defeating the enemy, we will be able to buy time even if we are outnumbered.¡±


    ¡°Really¡­! Yes, my lord!¡±


    After that, it was a breeze. The carriage I was riding in was instantly reduced to a piece of junk. There was no need to protect the horses as the goal was to hold out as much as possible. Human life is the most precious thing , and now is the time when soldiers are more precious than horses.


    Except for one horse, all the horses were tied to stakes and became bunkers. The only one who objected to this decision and cried was the coachman.


    ¡°Oh my babies! How can I do that to those precious horses?! Tie me up instead!¡±


    I closed my eyes tightly at the sound and looked at the coachman.


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°¡­Sometimes horse thieves come in when the stables are neglected.¡±


    This makeshift camp was half in the forest and half on the roadside with its back to the west. This was to minimize the amount of light from the campfires inside reaching the other side.


    From Noble mtl dot com


    The crossbows I had brought with me on the pretext of hunting were also distributed. Three were still mine. Giving them to servants who hadn¡¯t held a sword properly would be a waste of bolts, and giving them to soldiers would reduce the number of troops to defend the front line.


    John, who had to continuously load the three crossbows, spoke frankly.


    ¡°My lord. I think we¡¯re screwed.¡±


    ¡°Just practice.¡±


    At this point, the group was largely divided into two categories. One was Lord Topa and his soldiers. They were tense with the intuition that an ambush was imminent, and they kept looking around nervously.


    The other was the servants who still didn¡¯t feel the gravity of the situation. They did as they were told, but they couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that they were floating somewhere. It was clear that they were wondering if the ambush would really happen.


    And as time passed, the latter group grew in number. As the sun set and the night sky darkened, and the people huddled around the campfire started nodding off, the soldiers also began to let out languid sighs one by one.


    Someone even made a very optimistic observation. Some of the servants were making useless assertions in this quiet night. They seemed to have completely forgotten that it was so quiet that everything could be heard.


    ¡°Even if it¡¯s rude, who would dare to touch a member of the Povis County¡¯s royal family?¡±


    ¡°Shhh. Just pretend to agree with whatever the knights say.¡±


    ¡°Haaah¡­ Why are we even doing guard duty?¡±


    On the other hand, John, the human alarm, was definitely different. He suddenly started chattering his teeth and pulling and releasing the crossbow string faster than anyone else. Although it wasn¡¯t with bolts, the desperate determination in his gestures was definitely loaded evident.


    ¡°Pull and load, pull and load, pull and load.¡±


    It was a quiet but not as quiet as expected time in the camp. I couldn¡¯t help but laugh as I sat with my back to the carriage and looked at the distant campfire. I could hear the sound of leaves rustling on the ground.


    No matter how quietly one walked, there were sounds that a human could not help but make. It was because of the unnatural silence that the presence of people inevitably created.


    ¡°They¡¯re here.¡±


    ¡°Pull and¡­¡±


    ¡°I said they¡¯re here.¡±


    I snatched the crossbow from John, who had reached a state of absent-mindedness, and immediately aimed it forward. At that moment, the sound of something cutting through the wind resounded throughout the camp. The result appeared immediately.


    One of the servants huddled around the campfire suddenly dived into it. The other servants, who had not yet grasped the situation, thought he had just fallen asleep and collapsed, and they panicked.


    ¡°Hey, hey! What if he¡¯s really asleep!¡±


    ¡°F¡­ First, get him out!¡±


    ¡°What? What¡¯s going on?¡±


    The sleeping people also started to get up at the sound of the commotion. However, John, who saw the arrowhead stuck in the fallen servant¡¯s head, reacted a little differently.


    ¡°My lord?!¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t shoot. Can¡¯t you see it¡¯s not loaded yet?¡±


    ¡°Th, then who¡­¡±


    They realized the situation after a few more arrows flew. This time, the shots weren¡¯t as precise as before. Most of them missed and hit completely random places, and even when they hit a person, they hit relatively less fatal areas like the arm or leg.


    However, the servants didn¡¯t see it that way.


    ¡°Ambush! Ambush!!!¡±


    ¡°R, run away!¡±


    Their lives were in danger. It was typical of an average person to run away without thinking about the consequences. I wanted to save them, but¡­ I looked up and met the gaze staring intently at me.


    Lord Topa.


    The knight, who had deliberately hidden himself in the shadows where the light didn¡¯t reach, was nodding his head slightly. And soon after, exactly what I had predicted happened. The voices of the servants who had abandoned me and ran away began to cut off one by one.


    They either collapsed with a gurgle or crawled around while grabbing their necks and wheezing. A few with tenacious vitality crawled on the ground and approached the other side of the carriage, looking at me with desperate eyes.


    ¡°M¡­ My lord¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Unfortunately, they had already been cut too deeply. I couldn¡¯t save them even if I wanted to. Instead, their deaths weren¡¯t completely in vain. While the servants were being killed as they ran away, Lord Topa and his soldiers hadn¡¯t ¡®t been idle either.


    Among the death throes that began to spread through the forest were those of the ones who had ambushed us. However, there was a clear limit. The attack that had taken advantage of the ambush was soon cut off by the sound of swords clashing.


    The sound of metal scraping against flesh intensified the pungent smell of blood. When I felt the human breath behind me, I turned around immediately.


    ¡°Do you think I wouldn¡¯t notice you glaring at me?¡±


    ¡°!¡±


    The bolt pierced the opponent¡¯s glabella without hesitation. The opponent was dressed in a shabby robe over a gambeson. Just by looking at his attire, one would have thought he was a real bandit. However, the black sword that he did not let go of even as he fell was not something a mere bandit would possess.


    I raised my body and crushed the wrist of the fallen man under my foot. When I forcibly picked up the sword in his hand, I knew right away that it was not of poor quality.


    It had an excellent weight balance that even a child would find only slightly heavy. It was of a moderate length that would allow for close combat in narrow spaces. I could feel the surface of the steel even as I lightly caressed it with my hand.


    It wasn¡¯t a famous sword, but it was durable. I threw the crossbow back to John and gripped the sword tightly with both hands.


    ¡°John, you¡¯re the ranged damage dealer from now on.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll tank, and you¡¯ll deal ranged damage¡­ with the crossbow.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯ve never used a crossbow before? Ah, no! More importantly, do you know how to use a sword!?¡±


    Originally, ranged damage dealers should be fed by the team. Even if they only land killing blows, or even just provide check fire, they earn their keep.


    And one more thing.


    It¡¯s not baseless confidence.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t too bad when I used it last time.¡±


    I think I handled a sword decently in the first dungeon.

 Chapter 17

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 17


    17. Tank


    It¡¯s extremely difficult to hear footsteps in a forest filled with piercing screams and the gurgling of blood. It was even harder to determine the direction from which they were coming.


    That¡¯s why I intentionally distanced myself from the campfire. If you have a bright light nearby, it¡¯s hard to deal with those who have already adapted to the darkness. When facing someone hiding in the darkness, you must also enter the shadows.


    That¡¯s the only way your eyes, which have adapted to the darkness, can see the enemy. Just like right now.


    I gripped the sword I had taken from the attacker with both hands and adjusted my posture. Then, I took a step forward while blocking the reddish light of the campfire reflected on the blade with the back of my hand.


    At the same time, I didn¡¯t spare any advice for John, who was about to shoot a crossbow for the first time in his life.


    ¡°Just pretend to aim. Don¡¯t shoot until I call out your name.¡±


    ¡°Y-Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re coming.¡±


    I felt like cheering on John, who was as nervous as a cat on hot bricks. However, the enemies who had attacked with clear hostile intent would not miss this opportunity. All the servants who had come with us were dead, and most of the escort troops were tied up.


    In this situation, it would be easy to achieve their goal by sending just one or two spare soldiers. As expected, a thick outline began to emerge under the pitch-black night sky, where even the moon was hidden by clouds.


    The opponent was a man wearing a hooded cloak over a gambeson. At first glance, he looked so poorly armed that you might think a militia or a group of bandits had come. That made sense, since a gambeson is essentially thick padding.


    However, considering that he was a twelve-year-old boy who hadn¡¯t fully grown yet, it was by no means easy. Moreover, it was clear that he had received relatively intensive training, despite his equipment.


    The firm, centered steps he took. The way he gripped the sword hilt as if he was wrapping his fingers around it. The unwavering, rigid tip of the sword. And the steady breathing he maintained even in this tense situation.


    I could sense Yubas¡¯s sincerity in that figure. He was no pushover. It seemed he had been driven into a corner. I pointed the tip of my sword straight at the opponent and gave John my final piece of advice.


    ¡°John, you¡¯re taller than me. That means you can shoot over my shoulder at the enemy.¡±


    ¡°Gasp. Huff.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll hold him back, so just shoot.¡±


    Just then, I heard the sound of a powerful running leap. I took a step back while keeping my eyes on the opponent and pulled back my sword hand. So that I could thrust it out in one breath.


    I wouldn¡¯t be able to block it with just the raw physical strength of a child. If I tried to fight head-on, I would run out of stamina first. Right now, I needed a refined technique that would supplement my lack of strength.


    And when the opponent swung his sword with all his might, I also swung my sword around in a half-circle and thrust it out with all my strength. My sword tip was the first to hit the blade that was slashing diagonally. If I had stopped there, my sword would have been deflected.


    But my sword tip kept moving forward. The recoil generated by turning my sword around provided enough force to deflect the opponent¡¯s sword strike. The opponent¡¯s blade temporarily lost power and slide down my blade.


    Seeing this, I instantly shifted my weight to the pommel and kicked the opponent¡¯s sword up.


    This entire process took only a few seconds. Without adding any further explanation, let¡¯s just say what happened as it happened-.


    With a single counterattack, the opponent faltered with a jarring clang. Of course, my strength was still lacking, so I failed to disarm him completely. But it was enough to unsettle my opponent.


    The look of astonishment from the assailant, who had been slashing away without a word, was proof of this.


    ¡°Wh-what the¡ª!¡±


    A bewildered tone cut through his pained groan and reached my ears. Indeed, he must have let his guard down after seeing a mere child brandishing a sword. I could fully understand and sympathize with his sense of incongruity.


    But that¡¯s one thing, and this is another.


    I shifted my stance to regain my balance, retrieving my sword and planting the tip into the ground.


    ¡°John.¡±


    A resounding crack echoed as I did something. John was a much better shot than I had anticipated. The bolt had shattered the opponent¡¯s teeth and continued straight through his neck.


    Only then did the opponent finally relinquish his sword completely. He fliled his arms about like he was swimming, touched the fletching of the arrow protruding from his mouth, and then stared at me intently. It was as if he was trying to say something.


    But I was the only one who could speak for the dying assailant. Strictly speaking, John could too¡­ but it wasn¡¯t the right atmosphere for talking. I offered a heartfelt consolation to the assailant.


    ¡°Consider yourself unlucky. Don¡¯t feel wrong. You must have thought the same of me when you came to kill me, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Otherwise, even if you died, you wouldn¡¯t deserve to be comforted, being a worthless wretch. It¡¯s truly fortunate. You won¡¯t feel wronged either way.¡±


    The assailant spat out a mouthful of blood-tinged foam after hearing my warm consolation and collapsed. He had apparently let go of his worldly attachments and achieved enlightenment just before dying. It was then that I heard John¡¯s voice from behind me.


    ¡°Is he, is he dead?¡±


    ¡°He was a dead man walking anyway. Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡°Huh? But just now.¡±


    ¡°He was a dead man the moment he came to kill me. Go on. Load your crossbow, or pick up a pre-loaded one if you have one.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t an idle suggestion. As soon as one failed, another showed up. The new guy was dressed identically. However, his sense of camaraderie seemed to be unwavering, and he couldn¡¯t take his eyes off the body of his fallen comrade. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He seemed like he¡¯d be easy to deal with if I provoked him a little¡­ I spoke to him in a soft voice. Judging from the sound of swords clashing that continued in the forest beyond the campfire, Topha¡¯s knights and soldiers must still be alive.


    Seeing them appear one or two at a time, I could roughly guess the situation we were in.


    ¡°I wondered why you mobilized the army. It must have been urgent, but from the moment you forced the marriage proposal, you must have infiltrated people disguised as mercenaries. You used the military tension to your advantage, gathering mercenaries looking for work. may have had your sights set on this place from the beginning. You must have planted your forces in advance, ready to move when the time was right.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°However, the shots that initially signaled the start of the attack were inaccurate, and there was quite a gap before the next shots. You were focused more on causing chaos and rounding us up than on killing. Moreover, this is the territory of Powys . If you moved with too many troops, you would have been caught and the attack itself would have failed.¡±


    At this point, my opponent could no longer bear to look at his comrade¡¯s body. From shock to admiration, and from admiration to murderous intent. It took a mere three seconds for his gaze to change drastically. Still, I felt a twinge of regret and decided to provoke him a little more.


    ¡°Your numbers aren¡¯t that great. At most, less than twenty, maybe around fifteen. Are the rest left in reserve to cover your tracks or tie up Topha¡¯s forces? But that¡¯s not the important thing.¡±


    I raised my sword and forced a haughty smile. It was just enough to get under his skin.


    ¡°My body can also guess who the liaison is who¡¯s relaying Yubas¡¯s orders to you. What do you think?¡±


    This guy had a pretty good reaction. He responded instantly when I rubbed him raw like a washboard. He bared his teeth as he drew his sword with a certain amount of composure.


    ¡°¡­The third son of Powys. You¡¯ve just given yourself another reason to die.¡±


    ¡°hahahahaha!¡±


    This kid is kind of funny.


    ¡°Why? If I only had one reason to die, would I die less?¡±


    Our pleasant conversation ended there. My opponent charged forward with heavy steps and swung his sword with all his might. This wasn¡¯t something I could easily parry. I had to deflect it as much as possible.


    I gripped the handle of the sword with my right hand and the blade with my left. And the moment his blade touched the surface of my sword, I twisted my body with all my might, deflecting the blowing and shouting.


    ¡°John, just aim!¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    John¡¯s strength lies in the fact that he¡¯s a coward who can¡¯t even run away on his own. John was a passive man who wouldn¡¯t do anything unless he was told to. But if he was told to do something, he would do it without thinking.


    That was why I had brought John to this place. Despite his shortcomings of being short and weak, he could hold his own to some extent with his ranged weapon. The sharp tip of the bolt that was aimed at him, wobbling back and forth, distracted my opponent.


    Every time his sword swung, every time the tip of the blade was aimed and shot, I was able to deflect it thanks to John, the pseudo-ranger. My opponent and I clashed swords relentlessly, our fierce conflict like a well-rehearsed dance .


    As one hand desperately fended off the enemy¡¯s attacks, the other unleashed a flurry of strikes.


    ¡°Povis, it seems you have mastered strategy but not honor!¡±


    There was no time to retort to such nonsense. I pushed back, my sword constantly clashing against theirs, sweat dripping down my face. My sword was starting to feel heavy. I couldn¡¯t hide the fact that my strength was waning.


    The trembling of my sword tip was clear evidence. My opponent was not one to miss this fact. This cunning attacker¡¯s eyes gleamed with newfound confidence.


    ¡°For the cause! Your blood, for all this land!¡±


    As their blade descended, my strength finally gave out.


    Clang¡­ With a deafening sound, my hand let go of the sword. I looked down at my trembling arms and hands, and laughed at myself.


    I had defended well enough, well enough.


    I collapsed onto my knees. My opponent raised their sword with all their might, intending to kill me before any interruptions could occur. I couldn¡¯t tell if they were going to stab or swing.


    One thing was clear.


    ¡°John.¡±


    The fact that the bastard had turned their head to find their target. Even in this chaotic scene, John didn¡¯t miss my voice. A trigger was pulled, and a bolt, wrapped in smoke, shot forth.


    And this attacker¡¯s martial arts skills were not so exceptional that they could deflect arrows or bolts with their sword.


    ¡°Ack!¡±


    The bolt pierced the opponent¡¯s right eye. They couldn¡¯t even scream properly in pain, and their posture wavered. Only then was I able to pick up my sword, which had fallen to the ground.


    I thrust the sword, its tip aimed directly at the bastard¡¯s neck. The gruesome sensation of tough muscle tearing under steel, of bone scraping¡­ I pushed the bastard down with all my might, thrusting deeper.


    Until the tip of the sword pierced through their neck and touched the ground. Only then was I able to pull myself up and straighten my clothes. Of course, I didn¡¯t forget to give a short speech to John, who was staring at me with a bewildered look.


    ¡°Good job, John. Thanks to you, we¡¯re both alive.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°John?¡±


    ¡°¡­Didn¡¯t you collapse from exhaustion just now?¡±


    It seemed he had been desperate, thinking I was going to die. I couldn¡¯t hide the laughter that escaped me, and replied in a bright voice. Even though our John was an idiot, he was a really good person.


    ¡°Feigning a crisis is the easiest way to cloud your opponent¡¯s judgment.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°It seems they¡¯ve finished up over there as well.¡±


    At some point, the sound of clashing swords had stopped. The survivors were Lord Topa and his soldiers. Of the eight soldiers, only two remained, but the important thing was that they were alive.


    Lord Topa wiped my bloodstained sword on his surcoat and bowed his head.


    ¡°These are the reinforcements you spoke of, Your Grace.¡±


    ¡°Reinforcements?¡±


    As Lord Topa and the soldiers parted to the sides, the reinforcements appeared. They were three monks, with menacing hairstyles that were shaved except for a small patch on the crown of their heads, wearing black robes. They had no accessories, and each carried a single sword at their waist.


    However, judging from the faint smell of blood emanating from beneath their sword hilts, they must have played a significant role. The one with a gentle face and outstanding appearance among the three monks stepped forward and spoke.


    From Noble mtl dot com


    ¡°It has been done as you instructed, Lord Narva.¡±


    ***


    The monk with the gentle face introduced himself as Surtel.


    He then prowled around the campsite like a hunting dog, and stopped in front of the horses that were tied to stakes. Surtel the monk stared silently at the horses, who were calmly eating grass and hay, with a grave expression.


    ¡°This is the power of the Yisei.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Someone has used the power of the Yisei to calm the horses. No, to render them insensible would be a more accurate description.¡±


    I blinked, wondering what the Yisei was, and another monk approached and whispered.


    ¡°The Yisei refers to the era of the old gods who ruled this land before the humans, and their followers.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    I¡¯ve definitely heard this story before.


    I figured it was just some fairy tale or myth.

 Chapter 18

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 18


    18. Fantasy National Rules


    The ancient era where the old gods favored the alien races or something like that¡­


    I pretended to nod, letting the boring old story from the priest of Sertel flow in one ear and out the other. It¡¯s really discouraging to review a story you already know. So, I just picked out the important parts.


    For example, the reason why the priest of Sertel thought that the power of Yese was involved in this incident.


    ¡°If you look closely, you¡¯ll see a whitish membrane covering the horses¡¯ eyes.¡±


    The priest of Sertel pointed to the docile horses, his voice 100% certain. Of course, to me with my modern knowledge, it seemed like a really weak argument. Of course, now that he mentioned it, I could definitely see it.


    There was a thin membrane like a amniotic sac covering the horses¡¯ eyes. But isn¡¯t it a bit too much to conclude that this was the influence of a divine being? After petting the horses, I came to my own conclusion.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t they just sick?¡±


    The priest of Sertel nodded as if he had expected that, and replied decisively.


    ¡°That¡¯s what the remnants of Yese often do.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°They realize that the church will track them down if they use the power of Yese or magic recklessly, so they intentionally make it look like a natural phenomenon. Their magic has evolved to be more focused on concealment than flashy effects.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­Yes¡­¡±


    Come to think of it, no matter how enlightened the people of this era are, they still live in a world with different common sense and social norms than me. To put it nicely, it¡¯s primitive and barbaric. And it would be incredibly naive to try to convince someone with a different worldview.


    What would they think if I started talking about microscopic creatures that are too small to be seen, and how they can enter the body and overcome the immune system?


    Tsk, tsk. They¡¯d probably just say something like, ¡°Oh, a kid who doesn¡¯t even know anything is trying to lecture us. Yes, yes, it¡¯s all the work of evil demons.¡± Of course, it¡¯s also possible that this incident was caused by real magic.


    But I think that people who praise these things as magic or miracles are fools. What¡¯s so romantic about a spell that makes animals docile by putting a membrane over their eyes?


    I sincerely admire the priest of Sertel, who can find romance in even this kind of magic and talk about the old gods of Yese and the remnants of Yese. I have plenty of other complaints, but¡­ huh? To these people, the intellectual of this world is the priest of Sertel, not me.


    I needed to follow the priest of Sertel¡¯s opinion in order to fit in with the medieval fantasy average. I stroked my sword and glanced at the horses, trying to fit in with the barbaric average.


    ¡°So what should we do? Should we just get rid of the horses?¡±


    ¡°Senseless killing also corrupts the human heart. Here¡­ we must use the miracle granted to us by Lux Stella.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but be indifferent to the word miracle. My expectations were naturally low, since the first magic I had ever encountered was incredibly crude. At best, I thought it would end with them sprinkling some white powder and saying a prayer of healing.


    But my thoughts changed the moment Sertel reached inside his robe and pulled out a cross necklace. The strange characters engraved on the cross shone with a bright blue fluorescent light.


    The priest of Sertel grabbed the necklace with his left hand and recitated a prayer in a small voice.


    ¡°Lux Stella, you who cast Yese into twilight and brought forth the dawn of humanity. Please banish the sunset of the bygone era with your starlight.¡±


    The night sky was pitch black, with even the moon hidden by clouds. The reddish light of the campfire was the brightest thing around. However, the moment the cross necklace emitted light, the entire campsite was bathed in a bright blue light. Even the campfire turned blue.


    It was a soft starlight, gentle enough not to be dazzling, yet bright enough to change the surroundings.


    When this mystical light touched the horses¡¯ eyes, I finally understood why the priest of Sertel had claimed it was the power of Yese. The whitish membrane that had been covering the horses¡¯ retinas melted away like a candle in the blink of an eye, flowing down and evaporating into nothingness.


    I looked around in a panic, and saw that everyone had fallen to their knees, their hands clasped together as they muttered.


    ¡°This is the starlight of humanity¡­¡±


    ¡°The miracle is with us. It¡¯s proof that we are doing the right thing.¡±


    Even Lord Topa, the coward John, and the barely alive soldiers were all busy muttering. Only I couldn¡¯t hide my bewilderment. No¡­ to be honest, if I had known that divine beings really had an influence, I would have lived my life without any blasphemous thoughts.


    Unable to hide my feelings of injustice, I looked back at the priest of Sertel. The priest of Sertel, with his generous expression, met my gaze only after he had hidden the necklace inside his robe.


    ¡°I can see the devout faith growing in the eyes of our Prince Narbar.¡±


    ¡­He was smiling contentedly. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ***


    Originally, I had planned to use the horses that were pulling the carriage at the time of the attack as a temporary tactical defense.


    Tactical makeshift defenses are livestock that would nobly sacrifice their lives for their master without question. That didn¡¯t mean servants who escaped while abandoning me were any less than livestock.


    Horses are much more timid creatures than you might think. If not for the strength of this world, they would have bolted in fear the moment they were tethered to the post. But humans, the primates of all things, are different from mere beasts.


    If I had put iron chains around the servants¡¯ necks, would they have run away? I don¡¯t think so.


    I once heard a famous quote regarding leadership. Rather than blaming your subordinates, blame yourself. I resolved not to make the mistake that those in power often make.


    To do that, I had to seek the cause within myself. The conclusion was simple. The servants failed to play an active role, not because they were cowardly, but because of my negligence in not putting chains around their necks in the first place.


    If I had done so, they would have diligently served me just like our surviving mounts from the previous ambush. But what good is it for a man to regret the past? I decided to send them away without a second thought.


    ¡°Gather them in one place and burn them. I don¡¯t want to leave them as food for the beasts and disturb my dreams.¡±


    ¡°They are disloyal servants who dared to abandon Your Highness. Would it not be fine to leave them for the beasts to devour?¡±


    Lord Topa thought my choice would be a waste of precious time and manpower. The fact that he disliked the servants was probably a factor as well. However, when you looked at it closely, they were people who died because of me.


    I couldn¡¯t take care of them while they were alive, so I should at least take care of them after they died. I gently calmed Lord Topa¡¯s opposition with a composed voice.


    ¡°There is no reason for them not to receive the minimum respect after death.¡±


    ¡°¡­If that is Your Highness¡¯s will. However, should we not prepare for a surprise attack?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll be fine for the time being.¡±


    Lord Topa didn¡¯t argue any further after my mysteriously confident reply. As our group began to collect the bodies, the monks, who were supposed men of faith, couldn¡¯t just stand by.


    ¡°If the mortal world cannot accept them, when will they be accepted? Your Highness, we will lend a hand as well.¡±


    Looking at his broad, muscular shoulders and back, he looked more like a day laborer than a monk. Judging from the way he carried several bodies by himself, I could guess what kind of physique was hidden beneath that black robe.


    However, even in a situation where everyone else was working silently without complaint, there was one person who diligently voiced his dissatisfaction.


    ¡°Ugh. Why do I have to go through all this trouble for these guys?¡±


    It was none other than our John.


    It was because I, who was of noble birth but still young and lacking in strength, couldn¡¯t drag the bodies around. John carried the bodies in my stead, all the while groaning and complaining.


    Eventually, he stopped carrying the bodies and patted his back while glancing at me.


    ¡°Y¡­ Your Highness¡­ My back hurts so much¡­¡±


    ¡°My heart aches too.¡±


    ¡°Pardon? Why is Your Highness¡¯s heart aching?¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better for me to accompany you since I can¡¯t leave you alone with your back pain?¡±


    It was the moment when John¡¯s and my gazes subtly shifted somewhere. Seeing the people who had forgotten their conflicts and grudges in life and were now lying side by side, John burst into a bright smile, revealing his gleaming white teeth.


    ¡°I knew this would happen, so I¡¯ve been training my back muscles.¡±


    ¡°Oh, really?¡±


    Like that, we barely managed to take a break after piling up the bodies, burning them along with some firewood, and finally starting a fire. The crimson flames filled the void left by the blood that had seeped out of the bodies. We watched the flickering flames in silence for a while.


    Then, Lord Topa was the first to speak. He silently stared at the bloodstains on his surcoat.


    ¡°Your Highness, I will teach you horsemanship on this occasion.¡±


    ¡°Now?¡±


    ¡°Yes. So that you can escape if I fail.¡±


    It seemed that he had truly realized his limitations during this ambush. Lord Topa had a strange conviction that he would not survive this mission. From my perspective, I could only be grateful.


    ¡°I will accept your offer of horsemanship training, but don¡¯t worry about fighting.¡±


    ¡°¡­Is there something more?¡±


    ¡°We will be safe for the time being. For the time being.¡±


    I said, quietly watching the monks praying with their hands together.


    ***


    The path to the monastery was safe, as expected.


    The raiders, let alone the ferocious beasts, would avoid us on sight. I spent this time productively with Topha¡¯s riding lessons. I would also approach Brother Setel and try to pry information out of him.


    ¡°I heard that the old gods of Ise would grant numerous miracles¡­ magic to their favored ones.¡±


    ¡°Heh heh. You are very interested in the old Ise, Lord Narva.¡±


    Brother Setel created a warm atmosphere as he wore a kind, benevolent smile. That is, until his face suddenly hardened.


    ¡°Before that. Not the old gods of Ise, but the demons of the human world.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    I wanted to retort but I held back. Oh, how different, how very different. I understood that this might be a really important issue to the priests. After all, what mattered wasn¡¯t whether it was a demon or an old god.


    ¡°What I would like to know is, does Lux Stella, the god of mankind, not grant such miracles?¡±


    It was a very materialistic question, but I couldn¡¯t help but ask. Judging from the way Brother Setel briefly gave me a look that said, ¡®What is this kid saying?¡¯, he must have thought the same. However, as a patient priest, he quickly regained his composure.


    ¡°Lux Stella, of course, and most demons categorize their favorites into five levels. I¡¯ll give you an example of a demon that the church is tracking down. Sangui Ori Silva, a demon presumed to be located deep in the forests of this territory.¡±


    Brother Setel recited haltingly what the church could release to the public. He even mentioned the miracles one could obtain if they met the required level of devotion and standards.


    ¡°Sangui Ori Silva demands human blood. I cannot tell you the details of the ritual, but it is known that if you satisfy Sangui Ori Silva, you will receive various favors within her domain. In the first stage, it is said that the smell of your blood changes.¡±


    The demon Sangui Ori Silva was nothing special, but other gods were different. For example, there were those who would strike lightning down on the battlefield, or give you two lives. He refrained from mentioning which god granted what, but that was enough.


    I couldn¡¯t hide my growing expectations and got to the point.


    ¡°Then what does Lux Stella give?¡±


    ¡°Lux Stella.¡±


    Brother Setel continued with an expression full of pride.


    ¡°He grants eternal health.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±

 Chapter 19

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 19


    19. Prison Without Bars


    It was almost 10 days after we left on our journey that we arrived at the monastery.


    Unlike when we first set out, everyone in the group looked haggard. Even though we had managed to maintain some hygiene. Our friend John told us what the monastery that we had arrived at after all this suffering was like.


    John blinked his eyes several times and looked at me with his head tilted. The first impression of the monastery was quite different from the usual quiet and idyllic atmosphere that came to mind.


    ¡°It¡¯s like a fortress?¡±


    Yes. The monastery was built like a small fortress. The monastery I arrived at was located on a gentle hill, with stone walls surrounding it on all sides, wooden fences, and watchtowers of considerable height.


    Of course, the walls weren¡¯t very high, but they were high enough that three or four men would have to stack up to climb over them. The watchtowers were relatively close to the inner part of the walls, near the center of the monastery , so they were in an optimal position to keep watch over all sides.


    That wasn¡¯t all. The priests who climbed up to the watchtowers also wore swords at their waists. This was so that they could defend themselves right after ringing the bell in case of an emergency. Even though I only glanced at it briefly, it was clear that it would be difficult to challenge.


    Looking at it this way, the monastery was essentially no different from a quasi-military organization. When I looked at Brother Setel with a trembling gaze, he seemed to understand and opened his mouth with a gentle smile.


    ¡°The monastery possesses numerous knowledge and holy relics refined with piety. However, in the eyes of the raiders, they are nothing more than mere treasures, so they are likely to be targeted.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t raiders mainly operate along the coastline?¡±


    ¡°Those who are vulnerable to defense go against the current, and the bolder raiders abandon their ships altogether and go deep into the interior. The Powys area has been quiet lately thanks to the efforts of Lord Terbaire, but¡­ it is still a time when it is essential to have the power to protect ourselves rather than relying on knights who we don¡¯t know when they will come.¡±


    Since the state is crippled, self-defense is essential. That was the gist of what Brother Setel said. The raiders were so ferocious and powerful that it was better to just let them take everything and leave rather than resist awkwardly.


    After suffering so much, they eventually came to the conclusion that it was better to send them away quickly. When they realized that the raiders were coming, they would gather their household belongings in one place. They even provided a quick delivery service for the raiders .


    However, this only happened once or twice. The raiders who had got a taste for quick delivery would come back every other day as if they were going to a neighborhood bar. They would wander around the village with axes or swords.


    Eventually, several lords who couldn¡¯t hold out any longer actively requested support from King Aethelsan while strongly giving up considerable rights. This was the reason why King Aethelsan began to respond, sending his second brother, Terbaire, to the forefront.


    After telling me all this, Brother Setel tapped the hilt of the sword at his waist and raised the corners of his mouth. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°This is why most priests excel at martial arts.¡±


    ¡°No, aren¡¯t priests forbidden from killing and only use blunt weapons?¡±


    Where did the fantasy rule that priests couldn¡¯t use sharp weapons go? I thought that only the knightly orders wielded swords, so I was surprised to see that ordinary priests also used them.


    This question seemed quite funny to him. Brother Setel burst into laughter.


    ¡°Even if there really is such a restriction, monks are ordinary people, not clergy, so it won¡¯t matter. Moreover, it¡¯s not a prohibition against killing, but self-restraint. And the doctrine of restraint from killing also includes not giving up your own life easily. Not defending yourself is also considered killing yourself. So, it¡¯s not a matter of principle that carrying weapons is prohibited. Besides.¡±


    ¡°Besides?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine to kill the pagans who turn away from the light of Lux Stella.¡±


    ¡­I quietly turned my head away from Brother Sertel. At that moment, John was also rolling his eyes like me. It was only natural that our eyes met.


    John stretched his neck back to look at me on horseback, and whispered in a low voice.


    ¡°They don¡¯t know women, can¡¯t drink, and live only to work. They¡¯ve been strange ever since then. Aren¡¯t all those noble monks a little crazy?¡±


    ¡°The cause and effect are reversed.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°They must be crazy, that¡¯s why they became monks.¡±


    Then, John¡¯s gaze became even more mysterious. John nodded his head as if he had realized something, with a mixture of curiosity, fear, and unfathomable doubt.


    ¡°Indeed, the words of Confucius are correct.¡±


    ¡°?¡±


    After some time, we continued our conversation and moved on. Finally, we arrived at the monastery, and we could hear a voice stopping us. Two monks in black robes came up side by side on the castle wall.


    ¡°Brother Sertel, who are the people you¡¯re with?¡±


    ¡°Narva Orn Stregos Glowis, the third son of King Athelstan and a man of the church.¡±


    Brother Sertel spoke loudly enough for everyone to hear. Then, the monks on the castle wall began to show noticeable signs of confusion. They glanced at each other and mumbled incoherently, as if they hadn¡¯t been informed in advance.


    ¡°Ah¡­that¡­¡±


    ¡°Brother Sertel, did that person really come here with us?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if he will be admitted until we see the abbot.¡±


    ¡°¡­Understood.¡±


    After a while, the heavy iron gate that had been blocking the way between me and the monastery was lifted up. Humility is important here. I got off my horse and walked in slowly, as befits someone who wishes to be admitted.


    From Noble mtl dot com


    However, the moment I crossed the castle wall, I felt gazes shooting at me from all directions, and I changed my mind. I might have made a big mistake in my monastic debut.


    ***


    I had always thought that the life I had lived under King Athelstan was gloomy and dull. I realized how shallow that thought was when I came to the monastery.


    A whole new world. There is always something beyond everything. The life of nature could not compare to the monastery in terms of its gloom and darkness. Just looking at the monks I met on the street made me gasp for breath.


    They all wore dark brown or black robes and walked carefully so as not to make any noise. They even wore their hoods down, so if you saw them at night, you wouldn¡¯t be able to help but scream.


    The only places where the lighting was good enough to breathe were the ones that were well-lit. Sometimes, I would walk down a corridor where the windows were so narrow that they were intended to block arrows, and I would understand why it was called a prison even without bars.


    If a wastrel who had lived as he pleased came to a place like this, he would have truly felt like he was in prison. The fact that it was surrounded by walls made it even more so. I guess other people felt the same way, because everyone was just rolling their eyes.


    Of course, that included John, Lord Topa, and the soldiers.


    Brother Sertel and his party seemed relaxed, as if they were used to it¡­ but those who had come to the monastery for the first time were overwhelmed by the silence that made the sound of their clothes brushing against each other echo in their eardrums , and they cowered.


    My meeting with the abbot took place after I had overcome all these obstacles. In front of a luxurious, finely lacquered wooden door, Brother Sertel knocked on the door without saying a word, and from inside, something was knocked on without a word.


    I gasped when I saw Brother Sertel finally open the door. Why bother with words when you can do it this way? It was like a preview of what life would be like here.


    Just when I was starting to regret my choice, I followed Brother Sertel inside.


    A room of moderate size, with the characteristic smell of old books and a faint smell of incense. The abbot sat on a chair with his back to the stained glass, looking at me intently.


    The abbot was a thin man who could be called plump and slender when standing next to the corpulent Brother Sertel. He spoke in a slightly hoarse voice, making no effort to hide the fatigue that was deeply etched under his eyes.


    ¡°The third son of Powys. And one who sees a new opportunity in the schism between the church and Yubas.¡±


    I stared at him, thinking it was some kind of test, but he didn¡¯t even flinch. He was very good at hiding his expression. I decided to ask him honestly rather than deal with him clumsily.


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t that the end of the story? You know that I planned this, so the people of the church must all know.¡±


    I had already heard everything, so I didn¡¯t know what the point of this was. I thought about it and spoke with a harshness that could be considered somewhat arrogant, but all that came back was a deep sigh from the abbot.


    ¡°You think so too. The church is one body.¡±


    ¡°What is that?¡±


    ¡°Repel the men. Then I will answer.¡±


    When I turned my gaze, Earl Topa, the soldiers, and even John all nodded their heads. They must have judged that it would only put their lives in danger if they continued to listen. I also nodded my head, granting them permission to leave .


    After a while, even Father Surtel left, and only the Abbot and I remained in the room. Only then did the Abbot finally explain the detailed situation.


    ¡°The Church is not as united as you think.¡±


    ¡°I ask the reason for that.¡±


    ¡°You are only twelve years old. Prince Narva, your plan was a plan that would be difficult to devise even for someone of an older age without considerable insight. There were many expectations within the Church that it would be of great benefit if it were to be included.¡±


    At that moment, the Abbot showed his emotions for the first time. Now that I looked at him, I could see that he was not skilled at hiding his emotions, but that he was simply too exhausted to even bother.


    ¡°That was the problem.¡±


    ¡°Problem?¡±


    ¡°The one who leaked the information about the heretical acts that Ubas committed to you was Bishop Powys. The chaplain who assists King Athelstan informed you with the permission of Bishop Powys.¡±


    The Abbot rubbed his forehead with his right hand and barely continued speaking.


    ¡°If you are as clever as you seem, can you understand why Bishop Powys told you about a fact that the Church has not made public?¡±


    ¡­I had a bad feeling. I had a bad feeling that things had gone wrong.


    The arguments I had made when persuading King Athelstan and the chaplain in the castle were now attacking me in a different way. The words that there were forces that did not want the idea of a saint or the intervention of the Papacy.


    An example of that was right next to me.


    ¡°Ubas was the man chosen by the Papacy, so you attacked him, but when the situation changed and someone appeared who wanted to join forces with the Papacy, you interfered? Why on earth would someone from the Church do that?¡±


    ¡°¡­The rift with Ubas started a long time ago. Studying the relic of the Otherworld was just the last straw.¡±


    Considering the way Ubas behaves, that is believable. Did he perhaps tell him to stop the incest and then get on his bad side? While I was thinking about the very likely guess that he had done something truly despicable,


    The rift between the Church and Ubas that the Abbot mentioned was a much more realistic and important topic.


    ¡°The cause was the right to appoint bishops.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Ubas wanted to appoint people suitable for his rule as bishops, and the Church, led by the Papacy, recommended that he appoint more religious figures as bishops. The reason the debate intensified was because it was the bishop¡¯s seat of Illenfoot, where Saint Illenio , the only saint of this system, is said to have stayed. In the end, the logic that it was right to respect the footsteps of Saint Illenio won, and it was done according to the will of the Papacy, but it is also true that this caused Ubas to change his mind.¡±


    Listening to him, I could fully understand the background of why Ubas came to study the relic of the Otherworld. As a newly established family, he had paid a heavy price for borrowing the authority of the Papacy. Ubas only knew that there is no such thing as a free lunch, but he had not realized it.


    ¡°Ubas was not the only one who changed his mind. But is that why Bishop Powys is going this far?¡±


    ¡°The Papacy has a principle of preventing the inheritance of clergy. However, there are always those who find a way around the principle. If the right to appoint bishops lies with the secular monarch, wouldn¡¯t it be possible to appoint their own flesh and blood as the next bishop if they just coaxed the secular monarch?¡±


    ¡°On the other hand, if the authority of the Papacy overwhelms them.¡±


    ¡°The inheritance of the bishop¡¯s office will be blocked. Along with the inheritance of the priesthood, which is secretly practiced.¡±


    I could not help but swallow my saliva. I had got caught in the middle of a dazzling confrontation between turning a blind eye to the inheritance of clergy and raising the power of the clergy. There is no fight as dirty and nasty as a fight over rice bowls.


    Anyway, seeing him recite this important fact, it seemed that the Abbot had something up his sleeve. I pointed out that fact.


    ¡°So what is the conclusion?¡±


    As expected. The Abbot tapped the desk with the index finger of his right hand and opened his mouth.


    ¡°Prince Narva. Bishop Powys is pressing all the nearby abbeys and local churches, saying that he should not be allowed to enter the monastery or become a priest.¡±


    ¡°Are you telling me to go somewhere else?¡±


    ¡°He does not hesitate to say that he should be killed to prevent the possibility of him becoming a representative of the Papacy.¡±


    After saying this, the Abbot looked at me with half-opened eyes and said,


    ¡°I will not kill you. But you will stay here as a guest.¡±


    ¡­I thought the monastery looked like a prison, but it really did become a prison.


    ***


    When I went outside, it was already too late.


    After Subtel¡¯s monks had completely disarmed Lord Topa and his men, the portly monk met me with a warm smile and a friendly wave.


    He did so while holding the tip of his sword against the back of Lord Topa¡¯s kneeling neck.


    ¡°Your Grace is most fortunate. Your men are fiercely loyal. They surrendered their swords only after I reminded them of your presence within.¡±


    ¡°¡­My apologies, Your Grace.¡±


    He spoke so casually that I wondered if I had misheard him. I stared at Subtel for a moment before turning to offer a word of encouragement to the kneeling Lord Topa.


    ¡°You will not be doing yourself any favors if you give up on life when there is still a path to survival. You have much service left to give, Lord Topa. Do not despair.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±


    It was a bit more than a single word, but it would have to do since Lord Topa had responded. I turned my attention back to the portly monk.


    ¡°I would have preferred that you had simply ignored my earlier request for assistance. It would have saved you from getting your hands dirty.¡±


    ¡°hahahahaha! Your Grace, who knows when King Aethelstan¡¯s wrath for the loss of his son might be directed at our monastery? Besides, our Abbot is more interested in protecting you.¡±


    ¡°Protecting me?¡±


    Not imprisoning me? I thought about it for a moment before the answer came to me.


    ¡°He wants to see who comes out on top, even at this late date. Does Lux Stella grant miracles to the likes of you?¡±


    ¡°I am ashamed to say that I have yet to receive a miracle. Instead, I rely on the power of relics to drive away the demons of this world.¡±


    That was a bit disappointing. If even that bastard could receive a miracle, then my chances would have been much higher. The only one who seemed untroubled by the situation was, of course, John.


    John looked around, still kneeling, before looking up at me, the only one he could talk to.


    ¡°Um¡­ Your Grace.¡±


    ¡°What is it.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re going to be a monk now, does that mean I¡¯ll have to stay here too?¡±


    I looked down at John.


    ¡°You might as well cut your hair while you¡¯re at it.¡±


    It might be better to change professions while I had the chance, even if it was under duress. John was lucky that I was keeping him alive. Any other employer would have had him executed by now.

 Chapter 20

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 20


    20. A Believer in People


    I have always tried to make the most of my time.


    Nothing too extreme, just enough to earn enough leave to go on holiday thanks to the qualifications I earned while I was in the military. For someone like me, being confined to a monastery was a far better option than the worst-case scenario.


    In this medieval world, there was no better place to acquire a wide range of knowledge than a monastery. My interest had been piqued ever since I had celebrated the miracles performed by Subtel.


    Despite my confinement, I searched for any writings related to miracles, and the Abbot allowed me to study, on the condition that I was accompanied by Subtel. I suppose he was trying to make it seem less like a forced detention.


    I gladly took advantage of the Abbot¡¯s hypocrisy. There was danger and opportunity here, and if I could gain access to information that was hard to come by in the secular world, then it would not be a complete waste of time.


    Of course, the face of Subtel, who now had to follow me around like a servant, was twisted in frustration.


    ¡°You¡¯ll be spending the rest of your life here anyway, so what use is it to you to know such things?¡±


    ¡°Are you regretting your choice? The monks are the ones who will be spending the rest of their lives here.¡±


    ¡°Do not compare the prisoners in a dungeon with their jailers, Your Grace.¡±


    ¡°I appreciate the advice. As you say, I will be living here for the rest of my life, so I might as well read some books since there is nothing else to do.¡±


    Subtel could not persecute or kill me. The Abbot¡¯s cautious nature was key to this. The moment he killed me, he would be completely at odds with King Aethelstan, and I doubted that he would take such a risk.


    Those who are short-sighted might think that they would benefit by doing as they were told, but that was not necessarily the case. The most powerful people were the best at cutting off loose ends. This was especially true for those who were supposed to be morally pure.


    Was it any wonder that the actions of a few or the bigotry of the lower classes were used as an excuse?


    Bishop Powys, who had orchestrated this whole affair, was the kind of person who would sit back and do nothing even if King Aethelstan blamed the monastery. He would only point out that King Aethelstan had overreacted after the monastery had already been destroyed.


    He would keep his mouth shut after giving the order, and then he would turn the tables on King Aethelstan by accusing him of ¡®ignoring the authority of the Church¡¯. As a result, the condemnation within the Church would be directed at King Aethelstan, who had seemingly undermined the authority of the Church.


    At that point, Bishop Powys would secure his future appointments by allying himself with King Aethelstan, promising him his support.


    That was the big picture that I had imagined for Bishop Powys. Of course, the monastery would be completely destroyed in the process. That was why the Abbot was using me as a hostage.


    Thus, I am a nobleman. Even prisoners with money and influence can bribe the guards.


    ¡°So, if there are any books related to the miracles of Lux Stella, I would like you to pile them up here, nicely.¡±


    ¡°Do not be so presumptuous. Master, it is nice to call you a guest, but you are a prisoner. I cannot harm you, but your escorts are nothing special.¡±


    When I gestured for them to bring me some books, they could not control their temper and bared their teeth. Of course, I am important to them; the others are not. Abbot Surtel was trying to restrain my actions by holding their lives hostage.


    Do not think of them as gentle monks like the ones in my dream. They are not greedy at all; they are lunatics who enjoy accumulating power and money because they have nothing better to do. If they say they will do it, they will.


    Thinking of Sir Topa, the surviving soldiers, and our poor John, my heart ached. If I could save them, I should. I opened my mouth, thinking so.


    ¡°Yes. You are right. I am not worth your concern. Should I catch and threaten those kinds of people?¡±


    ¡°Do not bluff. As long as we follow the cause of Lux Stella, we will not lose our light even in the shadows.¡±


    ¡°You speak of turning people upside down in a very noble way. Do it. Whether you flay them alive or not, do as you please. Before that, bring me the books.¡±


    If I give them the impression that I am trying to protect them, it will only become more dangerous. From then on, I will become a pawn of the monks, be manipulated here and there, and become a tribute to the winner.


    Even if I become a pawn, it does not guarantee the safety of the hostages. It is easier and more convenient to kill them than to keep them alive.


    If they are alive, there is a possibility of impulsive action, but the dead do not have any possibilities. Therefore, if there is something you really want to protect, sometimes you have to know how to give it up first.


    The most reliable way to hide a treasure is not to build an iron wall, but to put it in an insignificant place so that no one will pay attention to it. Of course, there is a possibility that this bluff will not work and they will really kill me.


    Well, then I have to get revenge.


    I sat on a chair in the library, crossed my legs, and tapped my index finger on the desk.


    ¡°I really can¡¯t bear to inconvenience the monastery, so please tell them to take out any books that you think are not important. Is it really okay for me to take them all out?¡±


    ¡°What makes you so arrogant?¡±


    Unable to bear it any longer, Abbot Surtel asked, his forehead wrinkled. Abbot Surtel must think that I am a little strange. I have no swordsmen under my command, and I am in confinement, so there is nowhere to ask for help.


    Even though I have enemies who are after my life, they look at me like I am crazy. Rather, the ones who should be treated like crazy people are Abbot Surtel and the entire monastery.


    ¡°What makes you think you can catch me?¡±


    ¡°The monastery is the home of religious life. It is the center of this region and the place where various knowledge and relics are located. Even the raiders cannot easily ignore it, so those who follow the light of Lux Stella will not be able to easily defeat it.¡±


    ¡°Aha.¡±


    I pretended to be convinced and changed my mind a little. These guys had a garden in their heads. Abbot Surtel seemed to have interpreted my answer in a completely different way, but he smiled mockingly.


    ¡°Are you finally realizing it? Now I must hear how you can be so arrogant.¡±


    It must have been a question he asked to mock me, but I was able to answer with a bright smile without any ulterior motive.


    ¡°I trust people. Just as you trust in the safety of the monastery.¡±


    ¡°We will act before the hand of salvation reaches us.¡±


    ¡°Of course, you will.¡±


    Abbot Surtel arbitrarily decided that I trusted King Aethelton. Surtel thought of me as a child who believed that his father would somehow help him because he was angry about his son¡¯s crisis.


    I decided to change that perception just a little bit.


    ¡°Now that you have your answer, why don¡¯t you move the books? If I nag the abbot to read me a fairy tale instead of a textbook before I fall asleep, whose side do you think he will take? Will he not just Leave me alone and be quiet?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Move them. When I read them myself.¡±


    ***


    I received the kind help of Abbot Surtel in this way.


    Thanks to him, I was able to access a lot of knowledge that the church was reluctant to release. Among them, finding out how to gain the favor of Lux Stella was a great harvest.


    As I learned more, I realized that Lux Stella was a little different from other gods. According to the scriptures, while the old gods of the Otherworld wanted offerings, Lux Stella wanted life.


    I wondered what this meant and examined it in detail, but I could not help but shake my head. The old gods of the Otherworld liked one-time cool deals. If we offer this much of what our God likes, he will give us that much favor! If you make an offering in this way, you will be favored just that much.


    In the process, even if you break a few rules set by God, he will laugh heartily and let it pass if the offering is hot. On the other hand, if he does not like the offering, he tends to leave a bitter aftertaste.


    On the other hand, Lux Stella receives ¡®vows¡¯ instead of offerings. It is a vow to God to keep or fulfill only one thing for the rest of one¡¯s life. There were many types of this vow.


    Vow of Abstinence. The more you endure an ascetic life, the more your devotion is recognized. It doesn¡¯t sound like much, but of course it¡¯s difficult to keep. However, there are many who make the Vow of Abstinence, not knowing this fact.


    Our monks, who aren¡¯t far away, are typical examples.


    Next is the Vow of Tradition. The more you spread knowledge and leave records, the more your devotion is recognized. Records are not limited to books, but also recognized in the form of rumors circulating among people.


    Vow of Honesty. If you don¡¯t lie, your devotion is recognized. It is said that your devotion is recognized even more if you remain honest in situations that are harmful to you.


    Vow of Diligence. The harder you work, the more your devotion is recognized. It is said that your devotion is recognized when you feel like you have worked really, really hard. That¡¯s why it is said to be the vow that lazy people surprisingly choose the most.


    However, lazy people are the ones who just let things slide, thinking, ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± Naturally, there are very few cases where their devotion is recognized.


    The last of the much-anticipated vows is the Vow of the Temple. It is the simplest, but surprisingly the most avoided vow. The more you drive out heresy and spread the faith of Lux Stella, the more your devotion is recognized.


    It is a really simple vow, so why is it not popular? So, I looked into the reason and it is said to be because the heretical groups who serve the old gods of this world are really unbelievably strong.


    The heretics who have survived up to now are the real tough guys who have been filtered and filtered again, so instead of wiping them out, you end up getting beaten up. Because of this, it is said that even among the Templar Knights who have sworn an eternal temple to the heretics, there are very few cases of making the Vow of the Temple.


    After learning about all these vows, I fell into thought.


    The miracle that Lux Stella bestows is immunity to disease.


    From Noble mtl dot com


    Considering the toothache I had during the first conference, it is a pretty good miracle. No matter how high you rate the level of surgery in this era, they are probably people who accidentally killed people left and right, so it was a better deal to pray while pouring cold water.


    It lacks a bit of impact, but in fact, what great miracle is needed for people to live?


    To be exact, it seems that it doesn¡¯t go as far as being completely disease-free, but rather raises your immunity¡­ Considering the level of this era, it is indeed a great benefit. What¡¯s more important is the fact that there are more miracles depending on your devotion.


    This immunity to disease is just the first miracle that Lux Stella bestows. If the first miracle is wide-ranging and powerful enough, how great will the second miracle be?


    The church has cleverly not described this second miracle at all. It¡¯s like saying, ¡°You have to get the next one yourself.¡± It seems to have motivated people who have experienced the effects of the first miracle to live more fervently.


    And the miracles that Lux Stella bestows were the reason I was drawn to the vow.


    Ha¡­ A vow. I think it would be fine if I could do it. Looking at the way things are going, it doesn¡¯t seem like the monastery will allow me to make a vow, let alone anything else. Well. I wonder who would watch over me with their eyes open when I can gain God¡¯s favor just by living my daily life quietly.


    While I was worrying like this, there was a man who generously shared my worries.


    ¡°Your Highness, why are you so relaxed! We might all die!¡±


    John of the stream. He realized the situation very late and was crying in a broken voice.


    If Bishop Topa were here, he would have said something bitter¡­ Bishop Topa and the soldiers were isolated separately, saying that there was a risk that they would conspire to escape. John was left here because it was considered harmless to leave him alone.


    He only realized the situation then, and he cries like that every day without rest. It¡¯s really terrible as a roommate who shares the same room, but the monks are even more terrible, so they just leave him alone.


    ¡°Your Highness will be fine because you are a precious person, but a lowly person like me doesn¡¯t know when I will die! I was dragged here only because of Your Highness¡¯s stubbornness!!!¡±


    It hurts my heart to see him cry so much. John, who doesn¡¯t add a single lie and only murmurs the truth, touched my heartstrings. He must be suffering from the fear of death, as he has forgotten all about his superiors and inferiors.


    I decided to put down the book that I had written about the vow for a while. Knowing that this would happen, I had prepared a few warm words to comfort John in advance.


    ¡°John, I believe in people.¡± S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°No¡­ No! Your Highness! Now you believe them and look what happened!¡±


    ¡°Tsk, tsk, tsk. Not that.¡±


    ¡°Another lie!!!¡±


    Looking at him burst into tears, he must have been quite cornered. I couldn¡¯t help but click my tongue as I watched John, who was cornered and his mind was blocked.


    ¡°John, think about it. Those who are extremely reluctant to intervene with the Papacy are Bishop Yubas and Bishop Powis, these two. The two of them have prepared numerous means in case of any unforeseen circumstances and are earnestly hoping for my death.¡±


    ¡°Just tell me the main point, the main point!¡±


    ¡°But the abbot is keeping me alive because he is watching the mood of my father, His Majesty the King. He must be aiming for neutrality in other ways, but how will that look to those who want me dead?¡±


    ¡°¡­Uh.¡±


    Only then did John¡¯s excitement subside. I was able to smile brightly at John, who had calmed down a bit.


    ¡°I believe in the cruelty of people. This monastery will be attacked by both sides for daring to aim for a half-hearted neutrality.¡±


    ***


    In the dark night, the footsteps of guilt-stained monks echo through the shadowy corridor, where even the moonlight is torn into thin strips.


    The monks covered their bodies with black robes, preventing light from touching their skin, and wore sharply sharpened swords around their waists. Their wide-open eyes, trying to suppress the trembling of their hearts, only projected a murderous glare.


    As the monks took each step towards their goal, the darkness of the corridor seemed to thicken, as did the shallow guilt. The echo of their footsteps, heavy with fear and guilt, rippled through the otherwise silent monastery in the dead of night.


    A monk, carrying a lantern in his hand, appeared from the opposite direction, breaking the stillness. His hair, graying at the temples, framed a gentle smile that hid the sinister intentions lurking in the shadows.


    ¡°Brothers, what brings you here at this ungodly hour¡­¡±


    The monks¡¯ hands hesitated over their swords before settling on the hilts. In that moment, they remembered the men they once were, bound by strict codes and oaths. But the memory of their past selves was not enough to deter their resolve.


    The flash of steel, momentarily replacing the moonlight, met the nape of his neck. It was only then that the patrolling monk realized the situation, his urgent cry for help coming too late for anyone to hear.


    The innocent monk clutched at his neck, trying to stem the flow of blood, but his feeble attempts were no match for the gaping wound. He collapsed onto the growing pool of his own blood, life ebbing away.


    The monks stood in silence for a moment, stunned by the fact that they had killed one of their own, a man who had done them no wrong. Then, one of them spoke, breaking the trance.


    ¡°There is no turning back now. Move, brothers. We must take this monastery for ourselves, in place of the power-hungry abbot.¡±


    He spoke, deliberately ignoring the blade in his hand and the incriminating evidence it bore.


    ¡°It is time to act, to replace those who fear retribution with those who will deliver justice.¡±

 Chapter 21

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 21


    21. The Power of Faith


    I was deep in slumber when it happened.


    Suddenly, my body began to shake violently, and I could hear the sound of someone crying nearby. It sounded like a death wail. I forced my eyelids open, thinking I had somehow been transported back to the present.


    ¡°Master, what are we going to do?¡±


    Sitting right next to me, John was bawling his eyes out. What was wrong with the boy? I was so taken aback that I couldn¡¯t speak for a moment. I raised my hand and waved it dismissively, getting up.


    ¡°John, I¡¯ve put up with your incessant whining ever since we came to the monastery, but now you¡¯re disturbing my sleep? I swear, I¡¯ll end your miserable existence with my own two hands!¡±


    ¡°Ah, ah! M-Master! This is no time for that!¡±


    ¡°Oh, really?¡±


    I¡¯d have to give him a good smack on the head if he kept spouting nonsense. With that in mind, I opened my ears, my expression stony. John, seeing my demeanor, gasped and whispered, unable to hide the tear stains on his face.


    ¡°The atmosphere in the monastery is strange. Something, something terrible is happening!¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    There were two main reasons I had brought this annoying fellow with me. Firstly, it was rare to find a servant willing to follow me to the monastery, and secondly, because of his unique and uncanny ability to sense danger.


    When John sensed a threat to his own well-being, he would become restless and extremely paranoid, even though he didn¡¯t know the source of the threat. Perhaps he knew the reason but was unable to express it properly.


    However, if one didn¡¯t expect too much of him, he was a valuable asset. He was fiercely loyal, reasonably kind, and made no attempt to pry into my secrets. As a human alarm, I couldn¡¯t have asked for better .


    And now, this human alarm was blaring. I sensed the gravity of the situation and got up at once.


    ¡°Block the window if you can. Bring the candlestick too. We¡¯ll use it as a last resort. You, grab a book and be ready to deflect any strikes sword.¡±


    ¡°W-won¡¯t you run away?¡±


    ¡°Not yet.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t make any rash moves until I knew more about the situation. If I tried to escape clumsily and alerted the abbot, any future contact with the outside world would be impossible. Above all, it would be tantamount to throwing my own life away.


    ¡°John, you stay put as well. The fact that they¡¯re causing a commotion at this hour suggests that they¡¯re not here with good intentions.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    ¡°Once you¡¯re ready, we¡¯ll wait for a while and see what¡¯s going on outside.¡±


    John and I decided to prepare for any eventuality. We overturned a table to block the door, tore up a blanket to make a rope, and lit the end of the candlestick with a candle. I gave John some advice on how to outsmart our potential attackers.


    ¡°When I knock them down, you throw that blanket over their head and strangle them. You have to choke them until they can¡¯t breathe. Got it?¡±


    ¡°St-strangle?¡±


    ¡°What? Are you hesitating?¡± S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°What¡¯s strangling?¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    I had to explain to him how to cut off someone¡¯s air supply, and only then did he nod. We spent some time like this, preparing ourselves. After a while, I realized what it was that had made John so uneasy.


    It is said that when one enters an abandoned house or a haunted house, one¡¯s body shivers and feels cold. One cannot be sure whether there are really ghosts in the house, but one is convinced that something dangerous will happen if one stays there for long .


    The particular atmosphere that lingers in places where people have stayed and then disappeared unnaturally. Clothes rustling in the eerie night air, a desolate chill hidden beneath them. To that, the sound of gurgling blood faintly echoed as it hit the wall.


    I was certain. I nodded and broke the silence.


    ¡°That¡¯s the sound of someone dying.¡±


    ¡°Someone?¡­ In the monastery?¡±


    ¡°Do you think it¡¯s easy for people to scream out loud when they¡¯re dying? It is easy, of course.¡±


    The screams of those who feel like they are going to die are different from the sounds they make right before they die. Both are equally creepy enough to send shivers down one¡¯s spine. The important thing is the part about ¡®feeling like¡¯.


    ¡°They¡¯re dying without being able to scream even once. If they had felt threatened, they would have tried to escape or defend themselves, somehow protecting their vital areas, mainly their face and neck. Judging from the silence, they caught the victim off guard.¡±


    ¡°How is that possible? If they came to kill, wouldn¡¯t they be holding weapons?¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t there plenty of people who usually carry weapons without arousing suspicion?¡±


    John made a puzzled expression as if he had heard a riddle. Yeah, just living keep without knowing. Anyway, as I guessed, a massacre is happening inside the monastery right now.


    The ones carrying out the massacre are fellow monks. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s because their positions are different or if their interests are intertwined. I have a hunch¡­ If there¡¯s one thing I¡¯m sure of, it¡¯s that my concerns were right.


    The scheme of Yubas who is after my life.


    Right now, this carnage unfolding in the monastery is the real main attack.


    ***


    Once again, I silently applauded Yubas¡¯ meticulousness.


    The monastery surrounded by walls is safe from raids. The monks themselves are powerful warriors, making it easy to defend. So being inside the monastery would be safe. This common sense has lulled the opponent¡¯s vigilance and led them to let their guard down.


    In particular, they mostly aimed at the vague imagination that monks who are diligently practicing their faith, isolated from the secular world, would not be tempted by material desires.


    The moment the inside and outside are reversed, the walls become bars that cut off outside help. The monks, who are powerful warriors, become a threat, and the vaguely imagined image of monks transforms them into excellent assassins.


    Yubas¡­ They¡¯re impressive. You need consistent effort to be this despicable. They¡¯re that sincere about expanding their power. However, I wasn¡¯t just going to sit still and take it.


    Especially when my life is at stake.


    At that moment, the echo of life, the gurgling of blood, began to walk down the hallway and knock on the door. John, who was already scared, started chattering his teeth at the sound of something heavy leaning against the door and sliding down with a thud.


    ¡°hhhhh-holy moly.¡±


    No matter how restrained, there was an unmistakable presence beyond the door. However, I wasn¡¯t as flustered as John. That¡¯s because the newcomer knocked on the door very politely.


    Moreover, it was a familiar voice.


    ¡°Lord Narva. Are you safe?¡±


    A monk with a plump face and a gentle voice, bearing a contrasting symbol. He maintained a calm and collected tone, proving that his swordsmanship skills were not ordinary.


    There was no sign of his breathing being ragged either. I carried the luggage and stood between the door, exchanging words with the monk.


    ¡°Thanks to you. What about the attackers?¡±


    ¡°I see you¡¯ve guessed the situation. It¡¯s as if you already knew something like this would happen.¡±


    ¡°I told you, didn¡¯t I? Why on earth did you lock me up? Are you telling me you really didn¡¯t know that those who wanted me dead would make a move?¡±


    ¡°¡­Fellow monks. They were my brothers.¡±


    Aha. You knew there would be an attack, but you didn¡¯t know it would be by fellow monks? It¡¯s funny how they think there¡¯s no politicking within the monastery when they themselves have hit people in the back of the head because of politics.


    I cut off the monk¡¯s remorseful voice abruptly.


    ¡°They must have wanted to be above you, your brothers. Even in a monastery, there are positions and implicit statuses, so why wouldn¡¯t they aim for it if they had the backing?¡±


    ¡°My lord, please stop mocking us. We should put aside our past grievances for now. Your Highness is in danger. I will guide you to the Chief, so please cooperate, however reluctantly.¡±


    ¡°If I die, His Majesty King Aethelstan will be furious.¡±


    The monks who were persuaded by Yubas or Bishop Powys probably thought this way. They thought that before King Aethelstan¡¯s anger, one of the two would take action. They must have thought that the monastery would remain safe that way.


    It¡¯s probably the opposite, with a high probability.


    It is more likely that they will use King Aethelstan¡¯s anger and the destruction of the monastery as a [pretext] to make a move. That way, it would be perfect for appeasing the backlash from the local church and winning their favor.


    However, instead of reciting this fact in a roundabout way, I gave a much more certain answer.


    ¡°But Sertel, isn¡¯t it recompense, not anger, that matters to you?¡±


    ¡°Master, are you¡­ doubting me now?¡±


    ¡°Not doubting, but offering a more certain proposal.¡±


    This punk really thinks he can trick me. If Sertel had come charging through the enemy lines like General Zhang Fei of the Three Kingdoms to save my life, there would have been at least some sound of swords clashing.


    Moreover, if he had been a proper man, instead of rushing to me, he would have rung the bell or responded to alert us to the attack. I don¡¯t know who Abbot Sertel has been persuaded by.


    ¡°Is there any need to go to the abbot¡¯s office? There are those here who, in their delusion, would murder the abbot.¡±


    ¡°Master, do not try to deceive me with such words.¡±


    ¡°Even if you try to blame my death on the raiders, His Highness King Athelstan will not believe it. If you frame the abbot for murder, you may face the wrath of King Athelstan, or Bishop Evesham or Yubas may silence you to destroy the evidence.¡±


    He doesn¡¯t take any drastic action despite saying such things. He¡¯s a coward. Now was the time to drive the wedge in. I pointed out the part that would have fooled both Yubas and Bishop Povis and made a tempting proposal.


    ¡°Sertel, think about it. Even Bishop Povis has to grovel before His Highness the King for the right to appoint. If the King frowns upon him, he will have to bow to the Pope, but he will never do that. If Yubas rules this land, he will use his own people, so why would he need you? However, if you can use this incident to denounce the current bishop, the bishopric will become vacant.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°For a while, they will watch each other for the position of the next bishop, and the abbot who can support a candidate at that time will play a major role. The one who testifies to the current bishop¡¯s wrongdoings and receives the support of His Highness King Athelstan.¡±


    Those who are too protective of their own property tend to give out IOUs sparingly. That¡¯s why they give their newly acquired people room to waver. It¡¯s no use for the acquired person to whip themselves with words like, ¡°Is it really possible?¡±


    For a monster of humanity who has already abandoned their beliefs for gain, things like reality or danger are irrelevant. They only look at the possible gains, the theoretical numbers.


    Abbot Sertel was a prime example.


    ¡°Master, what on earth makes you speak like that?¡±


    ¡°I believe in people.¡±


    Ambiguous words make the listener think. It was perfect for leading them into a trap of self-contradiction. I said that Sertel could not overcome his own greed, but Sertel interpreted my words differently.


    He understood that I believed in King Athelstan¡¯s love for his children. Then, for a moment, there was a silence as if one could hold their breath. A moment later, the sound of a blade sliding out of its sheath like a snake was heard .


    It was then that someone else than Sertel spoke urgently.


    ¡°Brother Sertel. Surely not now¡­¡±


    Abbot Sertel may be skilled in swordsmanship, if nothing else. Or maybe he is skilled in ambushing his opponents. I could clearly imagine his fellow monks falling one after another before they could even react.


    The sound of boiling blood, the sound of drops of blood falling, and occasionally the sound of something deflating could be heard, but no screams. The doctrine of refraining from killing seems to be real enough at this point.


    I clicked my tongue and turned around. Even our dull-witted John seemed to have realized what was going on and was trembling.


    ¡°John, that¡¯s enough. Remove the table blocking the door and let Abbot Sertel in.¡±


    ¡°Bu¡­ bu¡­ but, Master. I¡­ it¡¯s crazy. Yo¡­ you must be crazy!¡±


    ¡°Oh, dear. What are you talking about to someone who understands what true justice is? Hurry up and open the door.¡±


    When someone is really scared, they can¡¯t see what¡¯s in front of them. Is it something to say to Abbot Sertel that he seems crazy? There are times when it is possible to tell the truth. I scolded John sternly, and soon after , I looked beyond the door that opened with a creak.


    Abbot Sertel was bowing deeply at the waist with an air of deference I had never seen before. Thanks to this, I could see how much his robe had absorbed. Fortunately, it was a black robe, but if it had been pure white, it would already have been stained crimson.


    ¡°Prince Narva. Where shall I take you?¡±


    Sertel, the plump monk, celebrated John and me with a benevolent smile. His face was splattered with blood up to the edges after dealing with the wicked attackers.


    I smiled with satisfaction and mentioned the place I had already chosen.


    ¡°The main hall.¡±


    ¡°The main hall has a wide entrance and is not easy to defend. Is there another reason?¡±


    ¡°It is where the altar of Lux Stella is located. If you haven¡¯t completely abandoned your faith, you won¡¯t draw your sword right away.¡±


    In the end, in a world with gods, the last place to rely on is faith. I felt a deep faith rising from the depths of my heart and made a decision as a devout believer.


    ¡°I will pretend that I fled in the chaos and took refuge there, seeking the protection of God. Sertel, you will hide among the crowd in disguise and, when the enemy lowers their swords, you will cut them down in one breath.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    John¡¯s mouth hung open, probably because he never thought I was so devout.

 Chapter 22

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 22


    22. Devout Believers


    Sometimes, when I see John getting all worked up, I wonder why I brought him along.


    From Noble mtl dot com


    However, John by the stream, while a bit cowardly, is a man who does what he has to do. The more I got to know him, the more he seemed like a person with real guts. Despite all his fuss, he does a good job when asked.


    Like now, as he¡¯s whining and shaking his head.


    ¡°You want me to act as a monk? And you want me to go ring the bell by myself?!¡±


    This reaction shouldn¡¯t be mistaken for a strike or refusal to obey at all costs. Just as a great leader sets clear goals and processes to achieve results, a great colleague often demands motivation to boost their work performance.


    I suppose I have the duty to motivate John and get him fired up. So, pointing to the monk¡¯s corpse sprawled outside the door, I explained as concisely as possible.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you wear a hood? Even if they see you without it, they¡¯re a bunch of guys who walk around with their heads shaved anyway, so you, with a hole already in your head, will be able to infiltrate without arousing suspicion.¡±


    ¡°No! Master!!!¡±


    ¡°Do you have any basis for refuting my clear argument?¡±


    ¡°Master¡­ You¡¯re overestimating me. In the first place, with the monks killing each other, do you think just dressing up like a monk will do the trick?!¡±


    It was something I said without much expectation. But surprisingly, John pointed out something I hadn¡¯t mentioned. Was he hiding his abilities, or had he learned something by being around me for so long?


    Perhaps it was because he was desperately racking his brains, considering the threat of death. Whatever it was, I was almost moved to tears by this new side of John.


    Fortunately, of course, John¡¯s worries turned out to be for nothing. This was because a newly joined figure approached us with a shrug.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Fortunately, Monk Sertel, who has agreed to cooperate with us, will give us detailed instructions.¡±


    It seemed that my introduction had put some wind in his sails. Sertel, with a gentle fatherly smile, as if he were about to serve a hearty soup full of dumplings in a warm bowl, spoke in a cheerful voice.


    ¡°Those with swords at their waists, especially those on the right. If they¡¯re allies, they¡¯ll point the hilt of their sword towards their belly, and if there¡¯s no response, consider them an enemy. If you consider them an enemy , immediately draw your sword and kill them.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°This is a way to distinguish the bloodthirsty horde that plotted this. I can¡¯t believe I can use what they forced me to do under duress like this. It¡¯s truly the arrangement of Lux Stella.¡±


    This Sertel¡­ he¡¯s really something. If you were to grind his face on a steel plate, the steel plate would be the one to wear down. But even a son of a b*tch is my son of a b*tch.


    You can only be a true master if you can laugh even when you hear a dog bark. I gave a satisfied laugh and even clapped my hands softly.


    ¡°You heard him, John. Go put on any of those monk¡¯s robes you like and head to the belfry. Monk Sertel, you keep an eye out for any approaching enemies nearby for a while.¡±


    ¡°Won¡¯t you save those who came with you?¡±


    Sertel¡¯s suggestion was perfectly reasonable, given the need to increase our numbers in this time of chaos, but this was no time for reason. I deliberately avoided Sertel¡¯s gaze and snorted.


    ¡°If you go with them, they¡¯ll think you¡¯re escaping and they¡¯ll either change their attitude and kill me or try to kill you. It¡¯s not an act of increasing our numbers but of increasing our enemies. Rather, Sertel, it would be safer for you to rely on me in many ways.¡±


    ¡°Indeed.¡±


    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll ask you to keep watch while this friend of mine changes his clothes.¡±


    ¡°I understand. Master, please prepare without worry.¡±


    Sertel nodded in agreement, but his voice was refreshingly dry. It was a deliberate trap. Monk Sertel was a man sensitive to his own interests and quick to judge.


    He knew that if he were to save Abbot Topa and the soldiers here, his own position would be diminished. If I had gone to save them here, the blade would have been pointed at me.


    There would be no witnesses anyway, so he would have thought it better to kill me and achieve his original goal rather than share the credit for nothing. It was only after the grim swordsman had moved a little distance away that I could finally get to the main point.


    It was just when John was patting the blood-soaked robe and grimacing.


    ¡°John, listen carefully. When the bell rings, the entire monastery will turn into a battlefield. There¡¯s a high probability that enemy troops disguised as looters are nearby. Sertel doesn¡¯t seem to have noticed yet.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡± sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    I tapped John on the back of the head, deliberately creating an agitated atmosphere. I made it look like I was reprimanding John for not doing his job properly. I took advantage of this opportunity to avoid Sertel¡¯s gaze and have a long conversation.


    To summarize, it went like this. Judging from the fact that the monks were moving in an organized manner, targeting the abbot and me, it was a meticulously planned operation. This meant that someone had set the timing or deadline in advance.


    If so, why set a time and deadline? It could simply be used as a way to urge and press, but the other party was Bishop Yubas and Bishop Powys. Since it was presumed that there was a common interest between the two and that they were cooperating with each other, it couldn¡¯t be easily dismissed.


    Moreover, those who earnestly desired to gain something from my death would not want to tarnish their cause with an assassination whose motive and perpetrator were clear¡­ It was highly likely that they had prepared a real attack in order to gain a solid justification and my certain death.


    I shared everything I had guessed with John, leaving nothing out.


    ¡°This massacre that¡¯s happening now is the real main act of Yubas. To be exact, it¡¯s more like a preparatory stage for the real main act. They intend to weaken the defenses with the chaos inside the monastery and break through in one breath.¡±


    ¡°Oh, my God.¡±


    ¡°In that case, we would need a simple and clear signal that everyone knows. And if there¡¯s a signal that the monastery would understand¡­there¡¯s no signal that¡¯s more definitive than the sound of a bell. The moment the bell tolls, those who have been concealing their true intentions amidst this chaos will open the gates and welcome the raiders outside.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­then isn¡¯t it useless as it is now?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    I flashed a confident smile, encouraging John who was about to give up.


    ¡°Have I ever let you die?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    John seemed to be feeling a lot of emotions at this moment. He pursed his lips and tried to say something, but he ended up trembling all over and looking away. John, you¡¯re so touched by just a few words.


    Now that I look at it, he¡¯s a man full of sensibility like our second brother, Terver. No, it would be more accurate to say that he¡¯s full of loyalty and romance. I patted John¡¯s shoulder and slowly stood up.


    ¡°I believe in you. Do your best. Then you¡¯ll live and see the sun rise with me.¡±


    ***


    ¡°John, you must ring the bell!¡±


    ¡°My luck¡­¡±


    After seeing off John who was whining, I walked through the eerie corridors of the monastery with Surtel.


    Since there were corpses of people here and there, it was like a haunted house without needing a ghost. However, even at this point, those who were being attacked didn¡¯t just give up. At some point, the loud sound of footsteps started to echo little by little.


    Soon, as the footsteps intertwined, a terribly sharp clashing sound shook the shadows cast over the monastery. Surtel and I noticed the changed atmosphere and made eye contact.


    ¡°Shall we proceed with the plan?¡±


    ¡°As planned. If they¡¯re fighting with swords even inside the main hall, we can escape while they¡¯re at it.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    There were times when we ran into Surtel¡¯s former colleagues. Since the main hall and the abbot¡¯s office seemed to be a bit far, they frowned as soon as they saw me. Even though they were in the shade.


    ¡°Your Highness, what is the reason for your presence¡­?¡±


    ¡°¡­It is very dangerous in the middle of the night, Your Highness.¡±


    As they said that, they subtly placed their hands over the hilts of their swords, which was quite ominous. Surtel¡¯s eloquent response shone in this situation. Surtel glanced at his fellow monks and even shivered.


    ¡°The abbot had me summon Your Highness, but on my way, I saw people with ill intentions. I found it dangerous, so I am on my way back.¡±


    ¡°Have you already gone that far?¡±


    ¡°It seems that there were people with malicious intentions.¡±


    ¡°What the. I will go there right away and take care of it.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your understanding, brothers.¡±


    The malicious bastards these guys are talking about are probably the monks who got their necks cut while they were sleeping. I must have looked like someone who had already had their neck cut in their eyes. The fact that they weren¡¯t openly revealing their murderous intent was because they had to take me to the abbot¡¯s office to kill me.


    The monks with swords turned their bodies after hearing Surtel¡¯s excuse, their eyes filled with annoyance. In an instant, I saw Surtel placing his hand on the hilt of his sword. I raised my hand and stopped Surtel¡¯s action.


    After a short while. As the monks who had interrogated us disappeared from sight, Surtel tilted his head.


    ¡°¡­Your Highness, isn¡¯t this an opportunity?¡±


    ¡°There could be a group cooperating with them nearby. If a corpse suddenly appears, our actions will be suspected. The fight will intensify once the bell tolls anyway. We can just use someone else¡¯s hand to get rid of them then.¡±


    ¡°Indeed¡­!¡±


    Indeed, my foot. This bastard would cut my neck off first if he were suspected, so what¡¯s he admiring? Even if Surtel were to rush in, the only one in danger would be me. Surtel¡¯s thinking so lightly because he¡¯s the one with less risk.


    I continued to walk down the corridor, grumbling to myself. I met corpses, headless corpses, and sometimes even dying people. It was such a ridiculous sight that I couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    ¡°Is there a doctrine of refraining from killing?¡±


    ¡°Do not hesitate to kill when necessary.¡±


    Hearing the answer, Lux Stella might be a more fearsome god than I thought.


    ¡°It¡¯s my personal belief.¡±


    Or maybe this bastard is just crazy.


    I realized it again. I¡¯m not made for these medieval savages. I had no choice but to stick out my tongue at the madness that was far beyond my comprehension. I already miss the cozy modern times.


    But this body belongs to someone.


    ¡°I hope you do the same in the main hall.¡±


    ¡°Of course, master.¡±


    As a modern man who respects diversity, I decided to show tolerance and understanding so that even a punk like this could be put to good use in the right place. Fortunately, this world was an age of barbarism where seeds like Surtel could thrive.


    When we finally arrived at the main hall, I was able to see the altar of Lux Stella for the first time beyond the open door.


    The main hall was a typical church structure with a high ceiling and an elongated shape. Stained glass depicting a bright blue cross. A crucifix modeled after the cross was placed respectfully in the center of the altar.


    The crucifix that embodies the bright blue cross is the idol of Lux Stella. I looked at the cross and instructed Surtel.


    ¡°Do you happen to have a sharp blade like a dagger?¡±


    ¡°A dagger¡­ you mean?¡±


    ¡°We are one now. I can¡¯t just pass all the danger on to you.¡±


    What is that? Even warts or corns are part of the same body until they are removed. Surtel seemed to have taken these words to heart, as he immediately pulled a dagger out of his pocket.


    ¡°If that is your will, master, then I will gladly do so.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    I took the dagger that Surtel handed me and began to take a step, then another, towards the cross. As it happened, the sound of footsteps echoed from all around.


    The monks who had visited my room and the director¡¯s office must have noticed the situation. And with everyone¡¯s attention now on me, John would be able to head to the bell tower much more easily.


    Finally, all the preparations were complete.


    I held the dagger in reverse as I approached the cross. My target was my own forearm. As the cold sensation of the blade¡¯s tip ran up my skin, I naturally opened my mouth.


    ¡°Lux Stella, starlight of humanity.¡±


    I was finally able to say what I wanted to say most to the person I wanted to talk to most.


    ¡°O¡¯ God, who cast Yser into twilight and brought forth the dawn of humanity.¡±


    When the old gods of Yser demand offerings, Lux Stella demands a life to come.


    Thanks to Lux Stella, humans have gained strength in a different way and from a different source than other races. By making a vow to restrict their own actions, they receive miracles without having to make precious offerings.


    It is a more difficult way to miracles than one might obtain, but it is an easier way than being prepared. That was the vow. The reason I targeted the main hall was not only for the reason I told Surtel. Strictly speaking, this was closer to my real intention.


    ¡°Is an era bewitched by the relics of Yser truly your will?¡±


    -I will take this opportunity to make the vow that everyone will interfere with.

 Chapter 23

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 23


    23. Hand in Hand


    While I was confined, I had a growing question as I studied the vows.


    Vows are the biggest difference between the old gods of Yser and Lux Stella. It¡¯s not just a matter of making an offering once and being done with it, but of making a commitment to how you will live your life going forward.


    The key here is the nuance. Lux Stella doesn¡¯t end everything if you break one, but gives you strength if you keep even one. Of course, the criteria seemed to be very strict.


    The fact that Surtel, who had been a monk for several years longer than me, still couldn¡¯t perform miracles without a relic is proof of that. Well¡­ even if the criteria were more lenient, Surtel would probably have a hard time . Anyway, the key is in the type of vow.


    Abstinence, evangelism, honesty, diligence, chastity.


    After learning a bit, it became clear to me. There are a few vows that can be fulfilled without living like a good person as is commonly known. There was not even a restriction that only one vow should be made.


    Do it if you can. Lux Stella seemed to say that, and I couldn¡¯t help but laugh. There¡¯s probably no one who can live by all five of those and not be a bit crazy.


    In the position of not knowing what penalty would come if a vow was broken, there was no choice but to avoid the risk of a heavy burden. Of course, that doesn¡¯t mean that someone who only makes one real vow is a fool.


    I thought about it from the point of view of someone who is in a different position. Would someone who wants to gain the favor of God carefully choose only one, worrying about not being able to keep the vow from the start? If I were a god, I would have inspired, ¡°Oh, you wrap, get out of here.¡±


    There are times when you need confidence wherever you go. Excessive humility is not humility, but only irritates the people around you. This moment, when I am making a vow before God, was the perfect time to boost that confidence.


    I acted according to the procedure written in the book.


    The first step to making a vow. Prove your minimal resolve by drawing blood from your own forearm with a blade. As it says, I held the dagger in reverse without hesitation¡­ and stuck out my tongue and cut my forearm just a little , just a little.


    My resolve is to torment others while shedding tears in my heart. I didn¡¯t have the shallow thought that I could prove my faith by merely harming myself. If it feels like an excuse, it¡¯s a really shallow thought.


    Tears of the heart and tears of the flesh. Even a god like Lux Stella would know which is more precious. I raised my bleeding forearm and exclaimed with confidence.


    ¡°Lux Stella, what I show you is not arrogance but self-confidence!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    I could feel gazes piercing the back of my head. The priests¡¯t shouldn¡¯t have arrived yet, but the gaze of Surtel, who had been slowly retreating, was clear. It seemed he never dreamed that I would suddenly attempt to take the oath.


    Surtel was so flustered that he didn¡¯t even try to stop my oath. Thanks to that, I was able to continue advancing toward the altar where the idol of Lux Stella, the Holy Cross, was enshrined.


    ¡°Lux Stella, look upon me with the starlight that illuminates the dawn of humanity!¡±


    According to the book, the most important things when taking the oath are self-confidence and honesty. The book¡¯s author had solemnly warned that one must show sufficient determination when taking the oath.


    I didn¡¯t take the book¡¯s warning lightly. Rather than getting caught up in petty formalities and distorting my original intentions, I decided to reveal myself honestly. I had shown my determination, so all that remained was to decide what to swear.


    I took a step, then another, toward the altar and expressed with all my might.


    ¡°I swear to devote myself to everything I do without being ashamed of myself!¡±


    The Oath of Diligence. As I understand it, one¡¯s devotion is recognized when one does one¡¯s best.


    For me, who had always lived my life doing my best, this was a very simple task. Even when I was a freeloader sucking up to my parents and got kicked out once for doing my best.


    ¡°I swear to pass on everything I have learned to future generations!¡±


    The Oath of Oral Tradition. One¡¯s devotion is recognized the more one disseminates knowledge and leaves records.


    This is a piece of cake. This world is full of barbarians who would rather draw their swords than think. As a modern man from Earth who has lived in a more advanced society, all I have to do is enlighten this uncivilized, medieval-like isekai world.


    Isn¡¯t that easy?


    ¡°I swear to cast this isekai, which has been pushed into the twilight, beyond the horizon!¡±


    The Oath of the Temple. One¡¯s devotion is recognized the more one eradicates paganism, which worships the old gods of isekai, and spreads the faith of Lux Stella.


    Well, if I had dreamed of living in a utopia where different faiths coexist, or if I were an atheist who hated religion, I would never have done this. I¡¯m the kind of guy who goes to church because they give out Choco Pies in the military, goes to a cathedral because they give out hamburgers, and even gets a Buddhist name because they give out pizza.


    Besides, the Lux Stella faith is going to be my meal ticket in the future. For me, who will soon live as a priest of Lux Stella, the pagans who worship the old gods of isekai are absolutely intolerable beings. If my meal ticket is broken, they¡¯ll just go away quietly, right? Why would they dare to gather around my rice pot and try to eat with their hands?


    Furthermore, those who fortunately had their meal tickets broken had some really awful brats. In such cases, an example is necessary, this world does not tolerate religious freedom.


    ¡°All of you, seeds of isekai, those who are possessed by the power of isekai!!!!¡±


    There are no exceptions for those who are after my rice pot. I¡¯ll wipe them all out.


    When I inspired with the purest and most unadulterated determination, I had arrived right in front of the altar. I had only just realized it because I was so intoxicated by my own words. Now all that remained was Lux Stella¡¯s decision.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Um¡­ are you taking a bit long? Is your connection not very good? Well, I¡¯m not in such a hurry that I can¡¯t wait for Lux Stella. I waited for God¡¯s choice, even humming a little tune.


    It was then that I heard the sound of many footsteps overlapping. The priests had finally arrived in the main hall. Those stragglers had arrived just as I had poured my all into the oath and was feeling a bit lazy.


    As I was catching my breath in front of the Holy Cross, the door of the main hall was thrown open as if it were being smashed, and they entered violently.


    Before long, the sound of their robes rubbing against each other filled the air, and soon a low voice could be heard, as if it were bubbling up.


    ¡°My lord¡­ please come down peacefully.¡±


    ***


    From Noble mtl dot com


    It was a voice I had never heard before.


    Judging from the fact that I didn¡¯t hear any screams or the sound of swords being drawn, Surtel hadn¡¯t been caught. Or maybe he had run away after seeing the numbers. Either way, it didn¡¯t matter.


    I slowly turned around and looked at the priests. The pitch-black robes they were wearing were all soaked, as if they had been completely drenched. It was the middle of the night and the color was dark, so it was hard to tell, but it was obvious that they were soaked in blood.


    The main hall, which had been filled with a faint scent of incense until just a moment ago, was now filled with the smell of iron. I opened my mouth as I looked down at the priests from in front of the altar.


    ¡°It seems you have enough faith to restrain yourselves in front of Lux Stella.¡±


    ¡°If you come down now, I swear by Lux Stella.¡±


    ¡°You swear?¡±


    ¡°I will let you go without a single ounce of pain.¡±


    ¡°Die with a prayer to your god on your lips, will you?¡± one of the monks said, placing his hand on the pommel of his sword. His eyes were bloodshot and wild, and his snarling, savage expression made him look like a true zealot. If you ask me, these fellows had chosen the wrong profession.


    ¡°You begrudge even a moment¡¯s prayer to one about to die?¡±


    ¡°Master, your glib tongue will avail you naught. By now, you must realize there is no escape for you.¡±


    ¡°If you are so anxious to see me dead, why not join me in?¡±


    ¡°Master¡­!¡±


    ¡°I bear you no grudge, for I know you have your reasons for doing as you do. But grant me this one request: allow me to pray with you, a man who cannot escape death, a man who stands on the very precipice of death. Of course¡­¡±


    I let my gaze sweep over these would-be barn-burners.


    ¡°¡­if you still have any faith in Lux Stella.¡±


    ¡°Blasphemy!¡±


    ¡°Until the bell tolls. Dawn is not far off. I would die in the light¡­ in the sunlight.¡±


    I might as well die with the sun on my face. At these words, a strange atmosphere began to spread among the swordsmen. It seemed that even among those who had condemned a twelve-year-old boy to death, there were a few who some shred of humanity.


    More than a few of the monks who had placed their hands on their sword pommels furtively shifted their postures and looked up at the altar of Lux Stella. Now, at long last, they hung their heads in shame.


    Finally, several of them spoke to the monk who seemed to be their leader.


    ¡°Brother Bathys, grant him this last indulgence.¡±


    ¡°What is this? Why should we show mercy to one who has slain our brethren?¡±


    ¡°Too much blood has already been shed. We, your brothers, may have earned our place in Lux Stella¡¯s light through a lifetime of piety, but that boy has not lived long enough to do so.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Even in the cause of justice¡­ remember that only human hands can grant absolution.¡±


    Only then did the monk called Bathys slowly lower his hand. Of course, judging by the look in his eyes, he was far from convinced by their pious drivel. He had merely taken a step back to prevent his followers from splintering into factions and had forcibly stitched them back together.


    Don¡¯t be fooled by their show of compassion here.


    Those bastards never said a word about sparing my life. The monks who had lowered their swords were merely seeking an excuse to salve their consciences with a show of clemency.


    Bathys realized this too, and a look of disgust crossed his face, but it was gone in an instant. Instead of his companions, Bathys turned his gaze on me, his loathing and hatred laid bare.


    ¡°Until the bell tolls. After that, you will walk out on your own two feet. If not, we will drag you out.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    An oppressive silence descended. I turned back and knelt before the altar, adding one more name to the growing list of the damned: Surtel. He was the swordsman who should have drawn his blade and caused a diversion by now.


    But despite all this stalling, there was still no reaction. Surtel¡­ that opportunistic bastard must be bidding his time, waiting to see how things play out. He¡¯ll keep waiting until he¡¯s caught between a rock and a hard place.


    I was still wondering who else I should add to the list of the damned when¡ª


    ¡°!¡±


    I gasped in surprise as a sharp sting pierced the backs of both my hands. I thought I had accidentally stabbed myself with my dagger and checked my left hand, but the dagger was lying on the floor.


    What the¡ª? I thought, lifting the back of my hand.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    A lacerated wound appeared on the back of my hand. It was too jagged to have been caused by a scratch¡ªit looked as if someone had deliberately carved a symbol into my flesh. A cross-shaped laceration. Drops of blood oozed from the wound .


    The drops of blood trickled down, and then, as if by magic, they began to take shape on my forearm, as if it were a canvas. At first, I had no idea what it was, but after a moment, it became clear .


    These are¡­ words. The blood flowing down my right forearm had formed a sentence.


    [Do as you will.]


    I turned my head, just in case, and saw that the same had happened on my left forearm.


    [As you will.]


    Unconsciously, I looked up at the crucifix on the altar. It was an idol made of what looked like burnished brass. As I looked closer, I saw that a faint blue light was flowing over its smooth surface.


    That was when the long-awaited sound of the bell rang out.


    It was still the dead of night. The fact that the bell, which was supposed to announce the break of dawn, was ringing now was highly significant. It meant that the entire monastery was under attack.


    The monks who had kept silent until then began to move busily. Some of them even stood up, forgetting that they were in a sanctuary, and began to approach me.


    The one leading them was the monk who had been in the forefront, Bathis.


    ¡°Your Highness. As promised, the bell has rung.¡±


    ¡°I said that I will wait for the sun to rise.¡±


    ¡°But a promise is a promise. You made the promise, so you must keep it.¡±


    ¡°Do you always keep your promises?¡±


    ¡°¡­I will help you keep it.¡±


    The monk named Sertel had once said that indiscriminate killing would corrode one¡¯s heart. Sertel had proven this well by bringing countless cases in addition to what he had shown me himself.


    They had already drawn their swords in the blink of an eye, like madmen who had slaughtered their fellow monks. There was no choice. I couldn¡¯t just stand there and be stabbed, so I decided to follow them obediently.


    ¡°Well, you¡¯ve already wasted enough time.¡±


    ¡°?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t fall for his Highness¡¯s nonsense. It¡¯s just a bluff¡­¡±


    Bathis, who had been rebuking his skeptical colleagues, suddenly shut his mouth. The sounds that had been buried by the loud bell had finally reached his ears. Those who had been slow to react at first began to widen their eyes.


    The monks were looking at each other, not paying any attention to me.


    ¡°Are there still so many brothers alive?¡±


    ¡°That can¡¯t be¡­ It was a successful plan. There¡¯t be enough survivors to fight back now!¡±


    Can you really say that you slaughtered people in such an elegant way?


    I clicked my tongue at their pitifulness¡­ and quickly picked up the dagger that was lying on the floor.


    Clang!


    The noisy ringing sound came from nearby. The dagger had deflected the flying blade and was stuck in the wrist. The owner of the wrist, Bathis, was glaring at me with his lower lip raised.


    ¡°You filthy bastard, how dare you talk back in the temple of Lux Stella.¡±


    There seems to be some misunderstanding. I can¡¯t tolerate being misunderstood as someone who would set fire to a house just to catch a rat.


    ¡°You fools. It¡¯s not me, but Bishop Powis and Yubas.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t give me that nonsense again!¡±


    ¡°The surest way to keep a secret is to reduce the number of people who know it.¡±


    Now it couldn¡¯t be hidden even by the bell. This time, even vivid screams could be heard. It was circumstantial evidence that they had died fighting back, not in a surprise attack.


    When the occasional sound of swords and shouts mixed together, everything became clear. Even Bathis, who had tried to kill me, seemed to be a little slow-witted, and his face was gradually turning pale.


    I gave these guys a little jab.


    ¡°You beasts, didn¡¯t you know that if you eat too much of what you¡¯re fed, you¡¯ll be dragged to the slaughterhouse?¡±


    Now he seems to have realized that the line he had caught had been cut from the beginning. Bathis started to step back without even thinking about covering the wound on his wrist. The other monks were just as bewildered by the unexpected commotion.


    ¡°W, what is this.¡±


    ¡°Brother Bathis, do you have any idea what¡¯s going on?! W¡­ What should we do!¡±


    ¡°T¡­ That¡­ Surely not.¡±


    ¡°Brother!!!¡±


    Sometimes a harsh situation can cloud a person¡¯s judgment. Bathis¡¯ choice, when cornered, was irrational. It was clear that he had turned around in confusion. Bathis¡¯ target was none other than me.


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s you. It¡¯s your fault and the fault of the king who sent you! You, I¡¯ll kill you!¡±


    ¡°Tsk.¡±


    I gasped at the sight of him looking for something to grab in his hand with clumsy movements that were completely different from before. Even the monks who were standing next to him stepped back because it was obvious that he was not in his right mind.


    I looked at the monks who were still sane and gave them a piece of advice.


    ¡°Do you know why I came to the sanctuary?¡±


    ¡°Hey, Your Grace.¡±


    ¡°The entrance is so wide, it¡¯d be incredibly difficult to defend.¡± S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Screams grew louder, along with the grating of metal against metal.


    ¡°If you want to live, you¡¯ll have to fight your hardest.¡±


    Amidst all that, I raised my scarred hand and chuckled.


    ¡°Well, then I¡¯ll have to live.¡±


    We¡¯re on the same side now.

 Chapter 24

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 24


    24. Bell Tolling


    Every so often, we witness the spectacle of a person with a significant secret being manipulated by someone who has discovered their weakness.


    Are you really okay with this? Aren¡¯t you afraid of what might happen later? The moment they hear these clich¨¦d words, they can¡¯t help but see the future bearing down on them, even if they try to ignore it.


    If they¡¯ve committed a crime, they can see a future where they¡¯re thrown in prison; if they¡¯ve been secretly engaging in illicit activities, they can see a future where they¡¯re ostracized by society. Most of them end up either suffering in silence or turning to others for help.


    I often similar situations in the game I used to play, [Fantasy Monarch]. People who encountered had discovered my secret would approach me and threaten to expose it unless I did what they wanted.


    Newbies who had just started playing would tremble as they complied with their demands. The secrets they had accumulated in the game were usually evidence of crimes that would be condemned by society, such as murder. The newbies would just cry and give in to the blackmail .


    However, once you gain a little experience, your perspective changes. One day, when a jerk approached me with evidence that I had killed an entire family and demanded that I obey him, I suddenly thought to myself,


    Who is this guy to be blackmailing a mass murderer?


    If I were a true tyrant, I wouldn¡¯t have been caught in the first place. However, among the users who played [Fantasy Monarch], I was known for playing as a despotic, tyrannical character.


    Of course, I was different from your average tyrant. I was also a kind, modern human being with the advanced morals and ethics of the 21st century. If the blackmailer had simply revealed the truth, I would have let him go. But because he tried to use it for his own selfish gain, I punished him.


    That said, taking his life would have been excessive. Punishment is meant to serve as a warning, to make people more cautious in the future. After much deliberation, I finally figured out how to resolve this complex issue.


    To those who threaten me with my secret, I cut off their tails to prove that they¡¯re serious about their claims.


    As a result, countless criminals who would have otherwise met their demise survived thanks to my humane judgment. Even so, for some reason, the people in the game feared me and called me a family-murdering monster.


    Perhaps it was the retribution for my tyrannical past.


    In any case, the moral of this humanitarian anecdote, which came to me only after a long reign of tyranny, is this: Those who trust in others give them a chance at a new life. And those who don¡¯t trust others get their tails cut off, not their heads.


    From where I stand, Yubas and Bishop Powys seem to be the latter type.


    The cacophony that had been echoing throughout the monastery had now reached the front of the church. The earsplitting sound of metal scraping against metal and the stench of iron filled the air.


    The moment I had been waiting for had arrived. I closed my eyes and stood quietly in front of the altar, my body trembling. I couldn¡¯t help but shrug my shoulders in excitement, which must have looked very strange to the monks.


    After a while, one of the monks who had remained in the back row gnashed his teeth and echoed,


    ¡°Your Grace! Have you finally lost your mind?!¡±


    ¡°Lost my mind? What are you talking about all of a sudden?¡±


    ¡°If we fall, we¡¯ll all die!!!¡±


    His voice was clear enough to hear even amidst the screams. And his face was unfamiliar. The monk I had been somewhat acquainted with, Batis, was rolling around on the ground like a maggot, having lost his mind.


    This monk seemed to be trying to emphasize the fact that we were all in this together.


    ¡°So? Should I weep for you and shed tears over your impending deaths?¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s your life that¡¯s at stake?!¡±


    ¡°Why should I care if the people who tried to kill me are fighting with the people who are trying to kill me? Do you think I¡¯ll feel more motivated if the people who tried to kill me are cheering me on?¡±


    I don¡¯t see why we have to be friendly just because we¡¯re on the same side. We¡¯re just in a temporary alliance. My plan was to let both sides suffer. I couldn¡¯t understand why the monks were acting so resentful, as if I had wronged them, when they knew that they wouldn¡¯t survive if they killed me.


    The monk couldn¡¯t find any words to refute my statement. Then, looking at the scar on the back of my hand, he forced himself to speak.


    ¡°¡­If you could perform the miracle granted by the Stigmata of Lux Stella.¡±


    ¡°My miracle will be your absolution.¡±


    These guys were asking for too much, considering they had just tried to kill me. They kept asking for more than we had agreed on, and I couldn¡¯t help but frown.


    ¡°If we all survive, that will be the real miracle. I¡¯ll completely forget that you tried to kill me.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ***


    The monks and I struck a deal in the face of the sudden crisis.


    The monks had no choice but to be taken aback by the sight of the Stigmata. If the monks protected me and survived until the end, I would accept their repentance and grant them absolution.


    Of course, it is true that if I performed a miracle for the monks, their chances of survival would increase. But to me, the Stigmata was everything. I still couldn¡¯t use Lux Stella¡¯s miracles properly.


    This is a kind of intuition. Some kind of feeling that I would never be able to use it was throbbing in my head. Lux Stella¡­ As the world says, it is so strict about vows that it really only gives me the Stigmata .


    But the monks who are seeing the Stigmata for the first time do not know this fact. There was no reason to tell the truth. If they noticed that I couldn¡¯t perform a great miracle, they would immediately turn their swords upside down.


    One more thing.


    I pointed at the monks who were struggling to block the oncoming people with their swords in front of the main church door and expressed with all my might.


    ¡°Oh, oh. Hey! Hey, over there, over there, isn¡¯t that holey? Seven of you should be blocking it, but one of them is in front of me and it¡¯s getting through!¡±


    ¡°Master¡­.!¡±


    ¡°You idiot who got a hole in your crown, I told you that if you get through, you¡¯ll all die, so why are you still standing in front of me? Was it a lie that you were after my miracle?¡±


    It¡¯s really funny how our monk is whining. He¡¯s biting his lower lip so hard that it¡¯s bleeding, and he¡¯s shaking, but he can¡¯t do anything about it. Because he knows that if he touches me, he will eventually die even if he survives.


    Since both Yubas and Bishop Powys are rotten, I was their only lifeline.


    Maybe that fact was quite annoying. Our monk¡¯s eyes were bloodshot. I seriously raised the back of my hand with the Stigmata engraved on it and gave him a bright smile.


    ¡°Our monk, did you vow to be honest and decide to be punished rather than be pardoned?¡±


    ¡°?!¡±


    Only then did I wave my hand at the monk who turned his back and gave him plenty of motivation to live. Our monks are really naive. It¡¯s just that it¡¯s sad that being naive is different from being kind, giving, and not bothering others.


    What¡¯s even sadder is the monks¡¯ level of armament and skill.


    As you can see from the fact that they were pushed all the way to the main church, the monks¡¯ chances of surviving this attack were very slim. There were several reasons for this. The first was that they were divided and killing each other.


    The second is the fact that they are wearing robes without a single piece of armor. This greatly increased their mobility and stealth, but on the other hand, it was a choice that completely lost their defensive capabilities. In other words, it means that they will die if they get hit anywhere.


    The last third reason was much simpler.


    From Noble mtl dot com


    The attackers fought better than the monks. To be exact, they were showing better skills in group battles where they formed a formation and clashed. In particular, they were good at pushing with mass so that they could not be stopped with their mediocre swordsmanship skills .


    The attackers moved like a giant turtle, with their shoulders close together and their shields raised in the shape of a circle. The monks had no way to deal with them as they pushed forward with their shields.


    ¡°Brothers, we must not be pushed back! Block it with force!¡±


    ¡°Grrr¡­¡±


    The monks are definitely much better at swordsmanship. If they had clashed one-on-one, they would have been swept away by the monks long ago. However, the attackers never fought alone.


    When a monk swings his sword, the one in the center blocks it with a shield. When the blade is blocked by the shield, the attackers on both sides stab the sword between the shields. If you get stabbed once, that¡¯s the end of it .


    The attackers often dropped their shields and rushed in to finish them off without missing an opportunity. When the monks rushed to save their comrades, the attackers in the back or next to them appeared and raised their shields.


    They have the advantage in numbers and formation.


    All I could do was lick my dry lips with my tongue. I don¡¯t think the raiders on the coastline would be of this level. The way they marched in unison¡­ it was the kind of atmosphere that only a regular army could have.


    It¡¯s really useless in the modern army of the 21st century, but at least in this medieval-like world, the situation was different.


    As the monks defending the main church were gradually swept away and collapsed like a sandcastle in front of the waves, I looked at the man who was leading the way to the altar.


    A man with a masked helmet and a rattling chain mail. The man with an exotic sword on his waist was quietly meeting my gaze.


    ¡°Yubas. Why do you desire my death, Powys¡¯ land, and power? What is it for?¡±


    Usually, if an assassination or scheme fails, it is common to quietly go into hiding. This is also the case with the multiplayer of [Fantasy Monarch]. It means that you are worried about retaliation from your opponent and are switching to defense.


    But Yubas rushed in. It is hard to understand even if the farewell from the Vatican was a blow. Yubas was doing all fatal sorts of tricks as if he was being chased by something.


    If you consider the thoroughness, it is clear that it was a plan that had been planned a long time ago, but it seems as if it is distorted as if it can¡¯t wait to be heated. I wondered where their impatience came from.


    Then the man dismissed the question briefly in a low voice.


    ¡°The people who have been scattered for 600 years are brought together as one. Only the national power possessed by Yubas can unite the people of this system instead of the kingdom that perished 600 years ago.¡±


    ¡°Ah. Unification.¡±


    Well¡­ I don¡¯t really have anything to say about wanting unification in my generation. Unification doesn¡¯t always have to be peaceful. It wasn¡¯t anyone else¡¯s business if I dreamed of unifying all five duchies by force and establishing a new dynasty.


    However, I couldn¡¯t support Yubas¡¯ dream for personal reasons.


    ¡°It¡¯s a wonderful dream, but unfortunately, it¡¯s not going to happen.¡±


    ¡°The third son of Fowys. Your blood will be the cornerstone of the cause. There¡¯s no need to regret it.¡±


    My heart warmed at Yubas¡¯ warm words of comfort. It must have warmed up to exactly ten degrees. I shook my head excitedly at Yubas¡¯ mouth, which was drawing a sword.


    ¡°No. I¡¯m sorry because I don¡¯t think that dream will come true.¡±


    ¡°How dare you say it won¡¯t happen, you little brat?¡±


    The leader of the attackers approached, taking my words as a joke. Thanks to that, I was able to gauge how great the assassins Yubas had sent were.


    The priest, who had been watching for an opportunity, ran quickly to make his own appeal.


    ¡°Lux Stellarsis! My wandering is finally over!¡±


    The sword dance between the priest and the captain of Yubas¡¯ raiding party reminded me of the sound of a snake hissing. They crossed their blades as if they were scraping each other¡¯s scales, and sometimes tripped each other.


    ¡°Ugh, pfft.¡±


    The winner was the raid leader Yubas had sent. He stabbed the priest¡¯s throat with the tip of his sword, grabbed his neck, and spat out contemptuous words as he looked down at the priest who was bleeding.


    ¡°You tried to block Yubas¡¯ cause with a heart weaker than a reed.¡±


    The surviving priests did their best to confront the attackers Yubas had sent. It seemed meaningless as they were cut down one by one, but surprisingly, it wasn¡¯t a completely useless sacrifice.


    Just when the victory or defeat seemed to be decided, the bell rang.


    In the gradually diminishing screams, the distorted sound of the bell rose. It was still a long time before sunrise, but there was some kind of magic in the sound of the bell that made everyone shudder involuntarily.


    The only exceptions to that magic were me and the raid leader. Yubas¡¯ raid leader flicked his wrist and shook off the drops of blood on his blade. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. It¡¯s just a bell. Finish it.¡±


    ¡°Well.¡±


    I laughed at the raid leader¡¯s words.


    ¡°You should think again.¡±


    ***


    A bell tower built in a separate house next to the watchtower of the monastery.


    There, under the slightly distorted bell, sat a man gasping for breath. A man with a bloody robe and bangs that fell past his forehead, John of the stream.


    John was shedding tears and snot as he watched what happened the moment the bell rang.


    ¡°Oh my god, my life. How did it come to this?¡±


    It took a long time to break through the cordon while showing the priests who doubted him his pierced head. He barely reached the bell tower and started ringing it, and shadows began to squirm under the night sky.


    At first, I wondered if I had seen it wrong, but it was exactly as the Duke of Narva had said. As soon as the bell rang, the heavy iron gate of the monastery rose.


    It was expected that the attackers would rush in through the gap. John survived only because he was under the bell tower, out of everyone¡¯s attention, during the fierce melee.


    It was nothing to be happy about. John¡¯s life was so fragile that it would end if even one of the attackers came to the bell tower. More sensitive than anyone else to his own danger, John realized this fact at once and rolled on the floor .


    ¡°Your Highness¡­ I can¡¯t survive if you come that far. You said I could live if I did as I was told¡­!!!¡±


    The target of his resentment may already be dead. John twisted his whole body, groaning strangely.


    If.


    [Booooooooo-]


    If he hadn¡¯t heard the faint sound of a horn, he would have continued like that.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    John forced open his swollen eyes from crying. He was bewildered, wondering if he was hallucinating, but he turned his head toward the sound of the horn. Then the moonlight illuminated the place where the sound of the horn had come from.


    ¡°Oh, my god.¡±


    John no longer cried. Instead, he grabbed the rope to ring the bell again. He had to ring the bell to death, whether his palms got worn out or not. John moved with all his might, putting all his weight on the rope, with no time to spare.


    The crumpled bell rings.


    Loud enough to hide the sound of the chains colliding.


    Once more, the crumpled bell rings.


    This time, loud enough to hide the sound of approaching horse hooves.


    The last.


    [Booooooooooo-]


    So that the enemies could hear the sound of the horn a little late.


    ¡°We¡­ can¡­ survive!!!!¡±


    John inspired, pulling the rope so hard that his tendons were popping out.


    The sight under the night sky illuminated by the moonlight.


    There was a flag with the raven symbolizing the Powys family drawn on it.

 Chapter 25

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 25


    25. The Strongest Knight in the Duchy


    This is the story of the day Narva, the third son of the Powys Duchy, was exiled to the monastery because of the misconduct he had committed.


    It was around sunset when King Athelston called his second son, Terbear, to the office. And Terbear¡¯s attitude in response to the king¡¯s call was unusually different.


    Terbear, who used to be so bold and lively, was now dragging his feet in front of the office, killing time. There was only one reason why he was groaning. It was because of his father waiting beyond the door.


    Terbear let out a sigh and muttered to himself.


    ¡°If my father called me at this hour, he must be really pissed off.¡±


    King Athelston had been devoted to his children ever since his wife was alive. After her death, his respect and affection for his children grew even deeper. He tried his best to refrain from scolding or reprimanding his children in front of others.


    Even if it meant slightly tarnishing his authority and dignity.


    Instead, the moment the eyes of others were averted, usually around sunset, he would have his subordinates call the child who had done wrong to the office. Naturally, the one who was called the most among the brothers was the second son, Terbear.


    Terbear, the problem child who made King Athelston, who had never raised a whip to his children, unable to hold back and raise the whip. That was Terbear¡¯s nickname. It was the memories of his childhood that made Terbear hesitate.


    In the end, what made the hesitant Terbear move was the low voice of his father, King Athelston.


    ¡°Terbear. We must leave tomorrow to deal with the raiders.¡±


    ¡°¡­Ugh!¡±


    Terbear opened the door with his eyes tightly shut, worried that he might have done something wrong without knowing it. But Terbear¡¯s worries were for naught.


    It was not King Athelston, but someone else¡¯s voice that called Terbear.


    ¡°¡­Greetings, Sir Terbear.¡±


    Terbear opened his eyes slightly and checked that there was someone else in the room before straightening his posture. The owner of the voice was the intelligence officer, Aubert, with his gloomy face and seaweed-like bangs hanging down.


    Terbear was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief. King Athelston would never physically punish his children in front of others. If he hadn¡¯t been called for wrongdoing, there was no problem.


    Terbear asked, being conscious of the intelligence officer Aubert, and observing etiquette.


    ¡°What is it, Your Majesty?¡±


    ¡°I would like to hear about the conversation you had when you met Narva.¡±


    ¡°Narva¡­ you mean?¡±


    Terbear blinked his eyes and soon curled the corners of his mouth upward. King Athelston in Terbear¡¯s head was already showing a sullen interest as a father who had to send his child away.


    ¡°There wasn¡¯t anything special. He was just worried about the internal strife within the monastery, so he asked me to visit him once. But I don¡¯t plan on going right away when he calls me. I¡¯ll go when I feel like raising Narva¡¯s spirits a little.¡±


    A man is truly complete only after being tempered through trials and tribulations. Terbear planned to take his time until Narva suffered a little, as per his usual principle. He thought he couldn¡¯t raise his only younger brother as a weak man.


    If King Athelston and the intelligence officer Aubert hadn¡¯t shown strange reactions, it would have been so.


    ¡°Terbear. You must go before he calls you.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Your Majesty, a man shouldn¡¯t whine, but be able to do it himself.¡±


    Terver¡¯s argument, presented with a tilted head, troubled King Athelstan. The king began to sweat, rubbing his forehead with his right hand.


    ¡°¡­Your Majesty, I must inform Sir Terver of the truth. He needs to know all the circumstances to succeed in this mission.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­Even if he is a little. No, somewhat. Perhaps even considerably¡­unworthy.¡±


    Without the persuasion of the intelligence officer, Aubert, it would have continued for a long time. Eventually, King Athelstan accepted Aubert¡¯s words. After a very long silence and a painful struggle, he decided to confide in Terver.


    ¡°Terver, listen carefully. The fate of our duchy and¡­your brother¡¯s life depend on it.¡±


    King Athelstan¡¯s explanation was long. However, Terver listened intently to every word the king said.


    The situation of the Duchy of Powys and the numerous machinations of Yubas. Twelve-year-old Narva, the youngest, who became the target of political intrigue. The reason why Narva was exiled to the monastery.


    And the reckless gamble that put Narva¡¯s life on the line.


    ¡°I will go right away.¡±


    The foolish second son had already disappeared. Before King Athelstan stood Sir Terver, a strong warrior reassembling a slender hawk, determined to fight to the death. But King Athelstan had no choice but to stop Terver¡¯s words.


    ¡°The reason why Narva risked danger and volunteered to go to the monastery was to buy us time. Don¡¯t you understand that yet?¡±


    ¡°Time? Your Majesty¡­are you saying that you sent your own child as bait?! We should gather an army right now and wipe out that wicked group!¡±


    King Athelstan seemed to be deeply hurt by those words and pressed his lips together tightly. Soon, just as Terver was about to press his advantage, the intelligence officer, Aubert, who was standing next to him, spoke up.


    ¡°Sir Terver, we¡­don¡¯t have an army to gather.¡±


    ¡°What? We have vassals who serve His Majesty.¡±


    ¡°Do you really think your father didn¡¯t try anything about the military threat of Yubas? Is that what you believe?¡±


    Terver realized the reality of the duchy and how powerful Yubas was only after the intelligence officer, Aubert, explained the situation in detail. It wasn¡¯t that King Athelstan had given up on responding strongly to the rude marriage proposal.


    ¡°Sir Terver. Yubas had already laid out the framework for the plan a long time ago. Even though the execution itself was sudden, it means that the foundation was laid long ago. The vassals did not respond to His Majesty¡¯s summons, and judging by their attitude, it is highly likely that they have already been won over by Yubas. Those who have not been won over must have noticed the situation and chosen to stand by.¡±


    King Athelstan had also tried to gather an army to confront Yubas. Perhaps he was even prepared to go to war.


    The problem was that it was only the king¡¯s own idea.


    King Athelstan summoned his vassals to confront the threat of Yubas, but no one responded. Everyone knew how powerful Yubas was, so they guessed that the outcome of a fight would be clear and delayed the day by making all sorts of excuses.


    Some even ignored the summons.


    King Athelstan was concerned about the authority of the duchy and ignored this fact, but the rumors were already spreading little by little. There must be a reason why the surrounding duchy were watching the situation. The truth hidden behind the incident was truly horrifying.


    When Terver lost his words, Aubert touched his bangs and supported King Athelstan.


    ¡°However, even if the vassals don¡¯t know, the retainers are faithfully assisting His Majesty. While Prince Narva draws the attention of the enemy, His Majesty plans to use all his strength to weed out the traitors and collaborators within. Our goal is to reorganize our stance while the enemy focuses on the succession or the fight for legitimate. However, the only thing we are worried about is¡­¡±


    ¡°Narva¡¯s safety.¡±


    It was King Athelstan who continued Aubert¡¯s words, letting out a painful groan. Terver, who had learned the whole truth, could no longer blame King Athelstan.


    Vassals who watched the power of Yubas, a monarch who was forced into marriage because of this. And a miserable father who had to use his son¡¯s life as bait to seize the opportunity to revive the knights.


    King Athelstan said, worried about the safety of the child he had sent away.


    ¡°Narva expected Yubas to attempt two attacks. Once on the way, and once after he arrived at the monastery. He thought that if he had too many escorts, they might give up on the assassination and turn their attention here, so he took only a minimum number of escorts.¡±


    ¡°The monastery¡­? Your Majesty, that¡¯s. Even for Yubas.¡± S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°They will most likely disguise it as the work of raiders. If the attack takes place, it will be when the monastery accepts outside merchants for trade. They will infiltrate traitors disguised as merchants and neutralize the defenses. Narva said he would send a signal because he predicted that Yubas would target a regular time, but¡­I think differently.¡±


    Even though he was cornered by the powerful national power of Yubas, he was a dignified adult monarch. As an experienced monarch and a concerned father, King Athelstan pointed out something that Narva had not guessed.


    ¡°Yubas is moving so impatiently. The attack is more likely to happen before Narva has a chance to send a letter or signal.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty¡¯s eldest brother, Sir Athelred, cannot move separately because he is preventing the defection of his vassals and persuading them. ¡­Sir Terver. You are the only knight who follows His Majesty¡¯s orders now.¡±


    Terver now understood why his eldest brother, Athelred, had not returned. Athelred had no time to spare to confirm the loyalty of the vassals who had not responded to the summons and to prevent their defection.


    If he had had the time, King Athelstan would have sent his eldest son on this mission without hesitation. However, it is not because his eldest son, Athelred, is an excellent knight. He only entrusts him because he is trustworthy.


    ¡°Terver, pretend to go down to defend the coastline and release some raiders. Make an excuse that you are changing course on the pretext of pursuing them as they flee inland. Then keep an eye on the monastery where Narva has entered. It shouldn¡¯t¡± t be too far away to be late for rescue, and it¡¯t be too close to give the enemy time shouldn¡¯t delay or retreat.¡±


    King Athelstan slowly raised his head and looked at Terver clearly as he spoke.


    ¡°It is your brother we seek. Will you lead us to him?¡±


    Terbair stared into the anguish-ridden face of the High King of Aeselton for a long moment. His reply, when it came, was brief after such an extended silence.


    ¡°Aye, Father.¡±


    ***


    Beneath the swirling moonlight, the blade carved its way through flesh, accompanied by a wet squelch.


    First through skin, then through sinew with a sharp snap, then through muscle as life was extinguished. The severed head thudded to the ground before the gout of blood could follow.


    The headless body crumpled, feeling only the chill wind and the relentless pounding of hooves that shook the earth all around. Ten knights in mail and surcoat, wielding swords and flails from atop their destriers.


    Terbair rode at their forefront, his voice a savage snarl.


    ¡°They mock the gods, cut them down! Leave not one alive!¡±


    ¡°Yaaagh!¡±


    A chain-weighted flail whirled and came down, crushing a man¡¯s skull with a sickening crunch. Again and again, the knights brought their blades down, sending headless bodies and gouts of blood spraying.


    Soon the ground near the portcullis was slick with gore, and Terbair was the first to dismount, sword in hand.


    From Noble mtl dot com


    ¡°Half here, half with me.¡±


    ¡°My Lord Terbair, who shall we send forth?¡±


    ¡°All who would leave.¡±


    The knights with him dismounted in turn, following Terbair¡¯s orders. Half moved to bar the exit, while the others followed their lord into the monastery itself, their voices soon lost in the carnage within.


    Bloodstains marred every surface, and bodies lay strewn thick upon the floor of the hallway. There had been no time for the decencies due to the dead, and the knights found themselves wading through gore that soaked the hems of their cloaks.


    ¡°Is this what it means to serve Lux Stella?¡±


    ¡°Hah, they tell us to drink less, yet they sup on the blood of men.¡±


    The knights¡¯ voices dripped with contempt, soon hardening into grim determination. For beyond the blood-soaked hallway, a force of heavily armed raiders had revealed themselves. They moved with a surprising discipline, forming a defensive line before the knights.


    Shields locked together, the raiders made a show of holding their ground.


    ¡°Raven of the Stars. The heraldry of Powys¡­ you shall go no further.¡±


    ¡°Heathen raiders, and yet you speak the heraldry of the Lux Stella nobility.¡±


    Terbair could not help but scoff at the raiders¡¯ words. He may have been ignorant of politics, but he was not entirely without the education befitting his rank. A grim smile spread across his face as he swung his flail.


    ¡°Pretend better. Raiders do not bear the heraldry of Powys.¡±


    Beneath the anonymity of their face-concealing helms, the eyes of warriors who had faced down countless foes seemed to speak.


    ¡°I, fear the knight Terbair!¡±


    With those words, Terbair charged. The knights with him followed with a thunderous roar, their charge down the narrow hallway and into the shield wall seeming like madness.


    The raiders sneered at the knights charging their shield wall, but Terbair and his knights were veterans of countless battles against the relentless heathen raiders of the marches.


    The chain-weighted flails whirled and crashed down, and only then did the raiders truly understand, as they saw the heads of their comrades crushed beneath the shattered remnants of their shields.


    ¡°What¡­!¡±


    ¡°Where do you look, heathen!¡±


    Clang!


    Terbair¡¯s chain-weighted flail shattered a shield in a single blow. The shield wall they had thought unbreakable crumpled like so much tofu before the flails, a testament not to divine intervention, but to the fearsome martial prowess honed by training and experience.


    The knights who followed could not shatter shields with the ease of Terbair, but they flailed and battered at the shield wall, creating gaps through which they could crush the heads of those behind.


    Soon the raiders who had so confidently barred the knights¡¯ path scattered in disarray, begging for their lives.


    ¡°Please, wait! I am no heathen!¡±


    ¡°You commit murder in a monastery dedicated to Lux Stella and claim not to be heathen? You are shameless! You betray your faith without a second thought, do you have no shame before the gods!¡±


    ¡°Ugh, guh, guh¡­¡±


    Clang, clang, clang.


    Begging for mercy was no exception. Terbaire lifted his chained mace with all his might and brought it down again and again. It was only after he had bashed their heads in that he resumed his march with his knights.


    Numerous monks and raiders blocked his path. Of course, the price of arrogance came around to bite him.


    ¡°Arghhh?!¡±


    ¡°R-Run away! That¡¯s the second son of Powis! Terbaire!¡±


    ¡°How could he be here when he should be stuck in front of the sea¡­!¡±


    Terbaire swung his mace every time, crushing shields and heads alike as he inspired.


    ¡°Narba, your brother is going! Hold on!!!¡±


    Terbaire didn¡¯t need to know about strategy or schemes.


    He was the strongest knight in the duchy.


    ***


    The monastery, which had been quiet, was filled with new energy.


    The people were so lively that they screamed so loudly that it sent shivers down their spines, even as they slept. So much so that the raid captain, who had been studying the monks, found it strange.


    The raid captain paused and waited for his soldiers to get into position before asking the one closest to him.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°¡­It seems like something happened in the rear. The soldiers there are rushing over here.¡±


    In that instant, it couldn¡¯t have been a coincidence that the raid captain and I locked eyes.


    Although the raid captain was a despicable man, he was certainly a loyal servant of Yubas. The moment things went wrong, instead of running away to save his own skin, he chose to point his sword at me.


    The raid captain threw himself forward in one breath and charged towards me. He ignored the monks who desperately tried to block him along the way, as if he didn¡¯t care if he got stabbed a few times, and I couldn¡¯t help but applaud the sight.


    Such an A-class talent proves Yubas¡¯s power. I felt once again that Yubas was truly a formidable force. However, even an A-class talent is bound to be blocked by a disabled obstacle at some point.


    Clang!


    The blades clashed with a loud clang. Even the raid captain, who had been charging at me with such bravery and determination, couldn¡¯t hide his bewilderment at the sight of his opponent blocking his path.


    ¡°You¡­¡±


    ¡°Your Highness, this must be the right moment you were talking about!¡±


    His plump face and sturdy physique didn¡¯t match his sharp skills. The monk, with a kind smile on his face, blocked the raid captain with my blade and glanced at me with a forced smile.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for you!!!¡±


    ¡°hahahahaha¡­¡±


    Surtel. This twenty-year-old had finally decided to step in after watching for so long.

 Chapter 26

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 26


    26. Equal Opportunity for All


    Unfortunately, humanity and ability do not always go hand in hand. Our monk Surtel was a prime example.


    Surtel was a man who salivated over wealth and listened attentively to where the power of the world was headed¡­ but he was strong. The sword-wielding monk was holding his own against the raid captain¡¯s swinging blade.


    If he attacked from below, he would strike down, and if he attacked from above, he would deflect it sideways. He also didn¡¯t give any easy openings with reckless attacks. Surtel focused solely on holding on and stalling for time. It was A clever judgment.


    ¡°Ugh, huff.¡±


    The raid captain was visibly tiring quickly. The impatience of having to complete the mission in a short amount of time was wearing down his patience and his breathing. To the point where it seemed that, at some point, he was being wielded by the sword rather than wielding it.


    Surtel didn¡¯t miss this opportunity.


    Like a predator biting down on the exposed neck of its prey and shaking its head, he charged forward in one breath and thrust his sword when his opponent was exhausted. Cha-rak. The sound of chains scraping against the blade was vivid.


    And the match was decided. Blood began to gush out from under the torn chain links. Even the raid captain, who had shown such loyalty remarkable, could not overcome his wounded flesh.


    The raid captain lifted his head with effort, even as he slowly collapsed. Then he glared at me with fiercely burning eyes.


    ¡°Your¡­ victory will¡­ bring defeat. Defeat¡­ the end¡­ to humanity¡­¡±


    I grimaced at the raid captain¡¯s last words. To be precise, it was because of Surtel, who had given the raid captain time to utter his last words.


    Surtel, this guy is much worse than I thought. He forces people into the agony and terror of death and watches in silence, taking a step back. Doesn¡¯t he even feel sorry for the raid captain, who is gasping and muttering something with difficulty?


    I could not hold back any longer and had to say something to Sertel.


    ¡°What are you doing, holding a sword?¡±


    ¡°My Lord, it seems there is an important clue in this man¡¯s statement.¡±


    ¡°If it were you, would you blabber to the bastard who cut you? You would just end up talking nonsense. Stop thinking like that and just finish him off quickly.¡±


    My logical and reasonable argument immediately convinced Sertel. Instead, it was the collapsed raid captain who opposed the battlefield humanitarianism of ending the pain quickly.


    He saw Sertel readjust his grip on the sword, raised his arm in a hurry, and squeezed the air out of his lungs.


    ¡°Yubas¡¯s¡­ cause! Are you really not going to listen!¡±


    ¡°Stop. Lower your arm. Ah, ahhh. Lower your arm.¡±


    ¡°My Lord. What should we do?¡±


    The raid captain¡¯s injury was by no means minor. Even if he received emergency treatment somehow, it was obvious that he would suffer and die. I had no intention of letting him live anyway. I could have easily let him go by just closing my eyes , but he kept making things difficult.


    I clicked my tongue at my aide Sertel, who asked what to do, and replied.


    ¡°It seems that you have lost your mind from losing too much blood. You¡¯ll have to hit him twice.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Swish, thud.


    The sound of the blade cutting through the air became like the wind and gently shook my hair. I was a little worried that the blood might splatter because the distance was a bit close, but it was a false alarm. It must have been because I had drained the blood in advance and let it settle.


    I slowly turned my head while praying for the repose of the deceased. Although the raid captain was a despicable wretch, he was a loyal retainer who served his master with a sincere heart. That¡¯s probably why he was able to unite his soldiers under him.


    But now, all that is in the past.


    I descended the steps in front of the altar, kicked the raid captain with my toe, and inspired. It was a very cautious revenge on the bastard who tried to take my life.


    ¡°Listen up! Your captain is dead. What does that mean!¡±


    My shout instantly silenced the chaotic main hall. All the raiders who had been stubbornly holding their formation looked this way, and thanks to that, they could see their captain caught at my toe.


    ¡°Captain!¡±


    ¡°¡­H, how?¡±


    The death of the raid captain put a definite end to this chaos. The formation of the raiders, which had been solid until just now, was now shaking. The raiders had all lost their will to fight, not knowing what to do in the face of this unexpected situation.


    I held out my palm and felt.


    ¡°It means that if you close your eyes and kneel down quietly, it will hurt less.¡±


    ¡°?¡±


    The raiders expressed their doubts.


    Behind them, there were already knights with chain-linked maces, their eyes shining through their face coverings, swinging them like windmills.


    ¡°Their attention has been drawn elsewhere, now!¡±


    It was effective to have briefly averted their gaze. The knights rushed into the midst of the enemies without encountering any organized resistance and began to rampage.


    With this, the outcome was clear. The individual skills of the raiders were by no means high. If they had only fought one-on-one, they would have been subdued by the priests. There was no way such guys could stand up to the knights who were the strongest one-on-one.


    ¡°BAM!¡±


    ¡°H, how did you get there!¡±


    ¡°Wait, I, I serve Lux Stella!¡±


    There were occasionally some guys who thought that believing in the same religion was like an indulgence.


    ¡°Their mouths look like heretics or heretics, kill them!¡±


    Our lady knights gave us a clear answer.


    In fact, it wouldn¡¯t matter even if it was the wrong answer. The six of them were sweeping away the raiders who had made the priests suffer. The priests who survived belatedly joined in, but the difference in their contributions was clear to anyone .


    In the end, it was the knights who had rushed in halfway who had definitively cleaned up the mess.


    The knights took off their helmets only after they had diligently crushed the heads of the squirming raiders like garlic, one by one. The knights were all different people, from the thickness of their eyebrows to their personalities.


    If there were no familiar faces among them, I might have meekly offered my neck, thinking that I was facing another assassin. A sharp, hawk-like gaze beneath a bony face, a physique that was 1.5 times more robust than average.


    As soon as he saw me, he curled the corners of his mouth and soon burst into a hearty laugh that could have filled the entire church.


    ¡°hahahahaha! Narva, you¡¯re safe and sound!¡±


    In the moment of crisis, the one who saved me was my second elder brother, Tervere. Tervere strode over as if the surviving monks were beneath his notice and patted me on the shoulder.


    ¡°I heard it all from Father before I came. You tried to defeat the enemy by risking your life¡­ This elder brother is touched!¡±


    ¡°Older brother.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I think it would be better if you polished your swordsmanship and went to the battlefield.¡±


    I was about to retort when I found myself naturally looking at the floor. Seeing the headless corpses strewn all around me, I think I have some idea of what humility is.


    ¡°Narva, that was definitely a resourceful response. You drew the attention of the enemy, knowing that we were coming.¡±


    ¡°I just used a few tricks to make your arrival a little easier.¡±


    ¡°You rascal. You speak so grandly.¡±


    Tervere¡¯s words were laced with pride, joy, and relief. However, the warm atmosphere was only between me and Tervere. The other knights were deliberately looking around with provocative postures, putting pressure on us.


    ¡°Lord Tervere, who are these people?¡±


    ¡°?. They¡¯re monks who go around drenched in human blood.¡±


    The battle was over, but not everything was over yet. Tervere¡¯s expression, which had only registered the presence of the monks, was hardening with each passing moment.


    ¡°Narva. Can you tell me all the details?¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    I had been waiting for this moment.


    I rolled my eyes slightly and saw Sertel out of the corner of my eye, his warm smile replaced by a sheen of cold sweat. As soon as Sertel noticed my gaze, he silently mouthed something that I could roughly guess the meaning of.


    ¡®My lord, I believe you.¡¯


    Any matter, no matter how trivial, must be clearly defined before it can be judged as fair. I began to ponder whether Sertel¡¯s statement was indeed reasonable.


    ¡®My lord? I helped you a lot.¡¯


    Hmm¡­


    Was that all?


    ¡°Y-your highness.¡±


    Sertel, who had finally realized that I had washed my hands of the matter, hurriedly opened his mouth. In fact, the word ¡®change of heart¡¯ was laughable. If that little brat Sertel had had his heart in the right place from the beginning , he wouldn¡¯t have had to go through all this trouble.


    However, it was also difficult to completely deny Sertel¡¯s contribution. I chose a third option.


    ¡°Brother, before we discuss what to do with these people, there are people we need to save first.¡±


    ¡°People we need to save¡­¡±


    The murderous intent in Tervere¡¯s eyes was definitely not a figment of my imagination.


    ***


    From the beginning to the end, I had only four companions.


    Among them, the one I felt most affectionate towards and who had made the most outstanding contributions was, of course, our John by the stream. As the monks, fallen by the overwhelming martial prowess of the knights, cowered like sick chicks, I headed towards the base of the bell tower with Tervere and Sertel.


    ¡°John! It¡¯s over! You can come down now!¡±


    It would be easier to just scratch my throat a little than to climb all the way up the steep stairs. It was with this thought in mind that I impressed.


    ¡°Y-your highness. You¡¯re not being held hostage, are you?!¡±


    ¡°John¡­¡±


    I thought our John was clever, but he disappoints me like this. This guy is talking about hostages after seeing the guys who were desperately trying to kill me. However, when I saw John coming down after repeated persuasion, my anger and disappointment disappeared.


    ¡°Ugh, cough. I thought, I thought I was going to die for real this time.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you got cursed.¡±


    I patted John on the shoulder as he broke down into sobs the moment I got off the horse. Terbear looked at him with utter disgust.


    ¡°What a coward. If your master is taken hostage, you should at least try to save him!¡±


    From Noble mtl dot com


    ¡°I ask you to be less judgmental. He may be a crybaby, but he is a devoted servant who will do anything I tell him to.¡±


    ¡°Narva¡­ I understand. As long as he is faithful to his role. Humph, how can he expect to be well-regarded if he acts like that after getting the job done?¡±


    Fortunately, my defense prevented him from being further humiliated. With his eyes swollen from crying, John began to follow us, sniffling. Only one of our group did not welcome this touching reunion: our plump-faced Surtel monk.


    Of course, it must have been disheartening to see his colleagues disarmed and groveling on the ground. I decided to offer a few warm words of comfort to Surtel, who was anxiously biting his lip.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I regard you as equal to a renowned knight from a distant land.¡±


    ¡°¡­Really?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    I think that¡¯s quite a compliment, considering I have more respect for my father than my mother.


    ¡°Stop being silly, honey, and show us the way.¡±


    Only then did he seem to relax a little. His previously heavy steps somehow regained their energy. Surtel guided us in silence, and soon we reached the coolest and dampest part of the monastery.


    It was then that John, who had been sniffing, smiling brightly.


    ¡°Wow! It smells like fragrant wine! Is this the legendary wine cellar of the monastery!!!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Master, did you come here to celebrate our victory?! I heard they make the most expensive and delicious wine in the monastery!¡±


    He started to dance and sing without being told. John was examining the barrels with a cheerful smile, as if he had never been depressed. However, the rest of us, including me, could not share John¡¯s cheerful mood.


    Terbear, who had been hardened by the battlefield, reacted particularly strongly. As soon as he noticed the smell, Terbear put on his helmet and gnashed his teeth. Only then did John realize that something was wrong.


    ¡°Um¡­ Master?¡±


    ¡°John. It¡¯s better not to look.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    Curiosity has both advantages and disadvantages. It can lead to new discoveries or imprint terrible memories in your mind. In the darkest and most secluded corner of the monastery¡¯s wine cellar, we found those we were looking for.


    Lord Topha, who had been escorting me, and the two surviving soldiers were all lying side by side. They were tied up in chains, their skin flayed and crimson.


    At first, no one dared to guess their identities. They had been so badly mutilated that they didn¡¯t even look human at first glance. The only parts that remained intact were their hands and feet below the chains. Even those were damaged by maggots .


    I quickly realized what I had to do here. Without hesitation, I took off my coat and approached them.


    ¡°Ugh, Master¡­ I, excuse me. Ugh!¡±


    While John, who had belatedly realized the situation, rushed over and vomited, I covered the bodies with my coat. Terbear took care of the other two bodies. Terbear silently took off his cloak and surcoat and covered them.


    ¡°I guessed they wouldn¡¯t be in good shape when I took them to be isolated.¡±


    I slowly got up and looked at Surtel.


    Surtel had long since lost his usual smile and composure. He just kept his lower lip pressed tightly together, trembling and shaking his head.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know they would go this far.¡±


    ***


    I don¡¯t like the word ¡°responsibility¡± very much. However, the deaths of Lord Topha and the two soldiers demanded accountability.


    Is there really such a thing as a warrior¡¯s intuition? Lord Topha, who had a premonition of his own death, was right to teach me horsemanship. Having fulfilled his duty as a knight, he was wrapped in a bloodstained cloak and placed in front of the altar of the main hall with the other soldiers.


    Of course, the knights could not contain their anger at this sight.


    ¡°Th, this bastard!¡±


    ¡°You serve God? You who are supposed to serve God! How, how could you do this!!!¡±


    ¡°Are these really monks!¡±


    The knights began to kick the monks with their steel boots instead of using their swords. The monks who were kicked flew away and collapsed, moaning. In fact, no one would have blamed them if they had died like that.


    However, just as an earthworm writhes when stepped on, there were monks who came back to life when the knights tried to kill them. Surtel, who had belatedly realized that he had gone too far, began to shout as if possessed, as if he had nothing left to lose.


    ¡°Those damn monks babble on and on. What¡¯s so great about being a monk?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    The low-ranking monk claimed that monks were nothing special. This was quite an interesting opinion. Sertel glared at the knights with bloodshot eyes and inspired from afar.


    ¡°When looters sweep through, they¡¯re like a band of thieves collecting taxes. They have no money, no connections, no status, and no land! So when they¡¯re on the verge of starving to death, they either starve to death or¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­they give up on begging and come crawling here on their knees, begging to be accepted. It¡¯s not because they¡¯re anything special.¡±


    The devout knights seemed shocked by these words. The flames of anger that had been raging just a moment ago had vanished without a trace, leaving them standing there in bewilderment. They looked like boys whose illusions about soldiers had been shattered.


    I recalled a conversation I had with a soldier I met at the Panmunjom Unification Observatory when I went to a retreat in elementary school.


    ¡°Mister, why did you become a soldier?¡±


    ¡°Because my country made me.¡±


    Looking back, he was an honest young man who didn¡¯t tell a single lie. I decided to be more lenient with Sertel, who had reminded me of this meaningful memory. It was also a manifestation of the modern ethical consciousness that even the most heinous criminals deserve respect.


    I spoke to Sertel on behalf of the silent knights.


    ¡°Sertel, I wonder why your gang chose the torture method of flaying. You¡¯re not the kind of people who would be good at skinning people, even if you did cut them.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Perhaps you were involved in planning this raid and the heretical acts of Yubas, who is directly related to the relics of this world. Of course, if this becomes known, you will all be burned at the stake. However, it is also true that you saved my life.¡±


    As I said this, I approached the pile of swords that the knights had gathered. I threw one sword to Sertel and grabbed another for myself.


    ¡°This is¡­?¡±


    ¡°A chance to prove your innocence by convincing your merits. I grant you a trial by combat against me.¡±


    These words astounded everyone who remained in the hall. The one who was most surprised, of course, my second brother, Terver. Terver looked around nervously and towards ran me in a panic.


    ¡°Me, Narbar! What the heck!¡±


    Of course, everyone has their own thoughts. I smiled reassuringly at Terver and showed him the trump card I had been hiding.


    ¡°The stigmata in the shape of a cross? Surely not?¡±


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s the stigmata!¡±


    ¡°The stigmata? The Lord¡¯s?¡±


    Unlike the monks who already knew about my stigmata, the knights were astonished to see it. It was as I had expected and hoped. I tapped the stigmata with the tip of my sword and smiled confidently.


    ¡°Of course, if you inflict even a single wound on me, who bears the stigmata, during the trial by combat.¡± S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In this medieval-like world where there was no soccer.


    ¡°You will all be executed.¡±


    It was a great opportunity to have a friendly sword fight without worrying about my life.

 Chapter 27

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 27


    27. Trial by Combat


    Trial by combat. It was a name that even the original owner of my body, who loved to play, remembered clearly.


    It was nothing special¡­ It was a judicial procedure carried out with the absurd logic that if one was truly innocent, God would help them. The suspect who wanted to clear their name would be subjected to various trials, and if they overcame them , they would be declared innocent.


    Modern people might feel a strange familiarity with this logic and procedure. Perhaps that familiarity and guess are correct. The witch hunts that were carried out against wealthy widows in the early modern period were also a form of trial by combat.


    Of course, the trial by combat that I proposed was not as vulgar and obscene as the witch hunts. This place was not Earth in the real Middle Ages, and my opponents were heretics who had committed heresy in a medieval-like world where God existed .


    I had given them a chance to prove their innocence when they could have been burned alive. It was like granting an appeal in this barbaric era, something that would have been absolutely impossible for anyone but a modern person.


    However, our suspects¡¯ reactions were not very refreshing. They were all hesitating and watching each other, even though they had been given a lifeline.


    Sertel, to whom I had even thrown a sword, was a prime example. The man who had been raging at the knights just a moment ago had become docile as soon as he saw a way to survive.


    Sertel did not even pick up the sword that had been thrown to the ground. Instead, he took a few steps back and cleared his throat.


    ¡°I will give this important opportunity bestowed upon me by the Lord to others. I will be the last.¡±


    Although he spoke as if he were doing me a favor, his intention was easily guessed. He had originally joined the monastery because he didn¡¯t want to starve to death. It was obvious that he intended to let the others deal with me first and wait until I was exhausted.


    The other monks, who had noticed this plan, began to glare at me. If it had been someone else, they would have flinched and lowered their heads, but Sertel didn¡¯t. He stared at me defiantly, as if he had no shame , and backed away.


    I curled my lips and accepted Sertel¡¯s proposal. I had no intention of dissuading him from falling into his own trap.


    ¡°Alright. I understand. However, if no one comes forward, I will consider it an admission of guilt and execute everyone immediately.¡±


    Only after this stern warning did the monks¡¯ hesitation end. Their bodies, which had been trembling indecisively, stiffened. However, the most significant change was in their expressions.


    Soon, when the monk who had stepped forward on Sertel¡¯s behalf picked up the sword that had fallen to the ground, I burst out laughing.


    ¡°That¡¯s not the expression a monk should have. Do you truly believe you have committed no sin and hold that sword?¡±


    My opponent was Batis, who had been stabbed in the wrist by my dagger. Batis tore off the hem of his robe and wrapped it around his wound, then gripped the sword with his other hand.


    Constricted pupils, bloodshot eyes with burst capillaries, and a distant gaze that seemed to be looking at something far away.


    However, even amidst the chaos in his mind, his murderous intent was evident. Batis, who had already killed someone, aimed the tip of his sword at me without hesitation.


    ¡°If God approves, I will win. Isn¡¯t that what the ordeal is all about?¡±


    ¡°Indeed.¡±


    There was no need for a long conversation. The moment he wounded me, Terbear and the knights would move. Furthermore, judging from the fact that he couldn¡¯t move when I revealed my stigma, it was clear that the bearer of the stigma held an important position within the religion.


    Even if you win, you will be excommunicated.


    ¡°Then let the ordeal begin.¡±


    I gripped the sword with both hands and stepped back with my left foot.


    ***


    Narva¡¯s declaration of the ordeal shocked everyone.


    Not only Terbear, who loved his younger brother dearly, but also Sertel, who was confident in his swordsmanship. Moreover, Narva was only a twelve-year-old boy. While cunning and deceit could be honed if one had a treacherous nature, martial arts were different.


    No matter how talented one was, it was impossible to win without a fully developed body. Even great techniques were built upon the foundation of a mature physique.


    The knights were the ones who understood this fact better than anyone else. While they continued to surround the monks with contemptuous vigilance, they cautiously approached Terbear and spoke.


    ¡°Lord Terbear, we will intervene if necessary.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Even those who cared for Narva the most were like this. The only exception was John. When Terbear and the knights decided to intervene, only John looked at Narva with a dubious expression.


    ¡®My Lord¡­ I don¡¯t think your skills are ordinary.¡¯


    Batis, who faced Narva with his sword, was also filled with contempt. Although he couldn¡¯t use one of his hands properly, his opponent was just an immature child.


    Furthermore, there was another reason he had to fight.


    Batis glared at Narva, feeling the heat rising in his chest. To be precise, he was looking at the cross-shaped stigma engraved on the back of his hand.


    ¡®That arrogant bastard received the stigma of Lux Stella?¡¯


    Batis. His life had been a misery.


    Born as the fourth son of a serf, he had no land to inherit and could not even get a decent meal, so he ran away from home. After that, he wandered around, working as a day laborer, and when he became hungry enough to eat people, he voluntarily entered the monastery.


    And after a life filled with hardship, adversity, and starvation, he found hope in serving Lux Stella. He believed that if he received Lux Stella¡¯s favor through his vows, a better life awaited him.


    However, even the benevolent and great Lux Stella was resolute when it came to vows. Even Batis, who had lived as a monk for nearly a decade since taking the vow of abstinence, was not granted any miracles other than good health.


    Batis no longer clung to life. Instead, he simply faced reality.


    ¡®Is this your justice, Lux Stella? Do you cast aside those who have served you?¡¯


    Batis, who was born a lowly serf, had not received the stigma even after living as a monk for over ten years. On the other hand, Narva, who was born into nobility and raised with everyone¡¯s love, received the stigma as soon as he took his vows. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This harsh reality made Batis bare his teeth. Batis slowly paced sideways, keeping the tip of his sword pointed at Narva, like a predator waiting for its prey to let down its guard.


    Then, Narva also looked at Batis and took a calm step forward. Unlike a beast crouching and bristling its fur, he walked gracefully, as if he were going for a stroll. Narva seemed to be absolutely confident that the tip of the sword would not reach him.


    The moment he saw that, Batis completely lost his grip on reason.


    Clang!


    The first clang echoed as their blades clashed.


    Batis¡¯s black narva was striking the wrong floor, not the proper narva. It even sparked slightly. Narva, on the other hand, had lightly deflected Batis¡¯s sword and was waiting for his next attack.


    Batis gritted his teeth and regained his composure.


    ¡®He¡¯s using both hands, and I¡¯m injured and using one hand. Of course my center of gravity is easily disrupted!¡¯


    The second clang continued faintly.


    As Batis swung his sword, Narva countered by suddenly thrusting his blade. However, it was not a stab aimed at the throat or a vital point. Narva drew a large circle as he stabbed.


    And Batis¡¯s sword was attached to the circle like a magnet and blocked.


    ¡°!¡±


    The blade that had been blocked by the blade had lost its original direction. Batis¡¯s sword, which had lost its initial momentum, was dragged away without resistance. In the end, Batis could not withstand the strain on his wrist and dropped his sword.


    Clang.


    The third clang. The sound of the sword hitting the ground replaced everyone¡¯s astonishment. Narva retrieved his sword and tapped the ground with the tip, wearing an arrogant smile.


    ¡°Are you afraid to show your true abilities because you¡¯re afraid you¡¯ll die if you get hurt?¡±


    Ironically, those words moved Batis. Batis groaned and picked up the sword that had fallen to the ground. However, he no longer had any excuses to encourage himself.


    Batis knelt down and cried out in a hoarse voice.


    ¡°Lux Stella, why? Why¡­ not me, who has lived by my vows!¡±


    At that moment, a sharp sneer dominated the sanctuary.


    ¡°Have you really lived by them?¡±


    Everyone¡¯s gaze turned in that direction. It was Narva again.


    ¡°¡­You wouldn¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°What vows did you make? Abstinence? Honesty?¡±


    ¡°You little punk¡­ Are you mocking me for receiving Lux Stella¡¯s favor?¡±


    ¡°No. You made an oath to God. But you seem to take abstinence and honesty too lightly.¡±


    ¡°Th, this¡­! How frugally I¡¯ve lived!¡±


    ¡°If He were a truly great God, He would know the difference between what you don¡¯t do and what you can¡¯t do. You said earlier that you entered the monastery because you had no money or anything. So you made a vow of abstinence? Oh, please.¡±


    Narva cut off Batis¡¯s last cry and raised his sword.


    ¡°Not doing something because you don¡¯t have it isn¡¯t abstinence.¡±


    Moonlight, caught in the cracks of the bars, shines in. It was clean moonlight, untainted by a single drop of blood. Narva looked down at Batis¡¯s rolling head and clicked his tongue.


    ¡°That¡¯s just being poor.¡±


    When the headless body finally collapsed, Narva¡¯s gaze had already turned elsewhere.


    ¡°Next.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Whoever wants to prove their innocence to God, come forth.¡±


    From Noble mtl dot com


    Narva said so and raised his left hand. It was to show the stigma engraved on the back of his hand. However, it was much different than when blood had been gushing out just a moment ago.


    ¡°For your information, I am keeping my vows faithfully.¡±


    A faint light began to linger on the stigma. However, most of the monks did not notice this and rushed forward, grinding their teeth.


    ¡°How dare you act so superior when you¡¯ve set such unequal conditions!¡±


    ¡°Oh, Lux Stella, please do not punish those who harm those who have received your grace!¡±


    They were furious at the dwarf¡¯s attempt to teach them and rushed to grab their swords. Only Sertel looked at Narva with an ashen face, his heart pounding.


    Sertel pushed aside the monks who were trying to grab their swords and spoke.


    ¡°M, My Lord Narva. I will step forward now.¡±


    ¡°Oh my.¡±


    However, Narba nonchalantly spread out his surcoat.


    ¡°Surtel, I thought highly of your abilities. You had ample opportunities. And yet, isn¡¯t it you yourself who squandered those opportunities?¡±


    ¡°Y-Your Highness.¡±


    The temple¡¯s oath.


    Solidify the Lux Stella faith by annihilating the old gods of Isekai and those who are enthralled by their power.


    ¡®I shall postpone my divine trial until the end. You accepted that proposal not to spare me¡­!¡¯


    Only now did Surtel realize Narba¡¯s true intentions. Even this was possible because Surtel was the only person who knew what Narba had sworn to Lux Stella.


    ¡°F-From the very beginning¡­!!!¡±


    I suppose that from the moment Narba suspected that the monks had used the power of Isekai, he had no intention of letting them live. In that case, why did he organize the divine trial instead of simply denouncing them?


    Perhaps Surtel would never know the reason for that, even as he lay dying.


    ¡°This is what happens when you try to play it safe until the very end.¡±


    The only being who could answer his questions was mocking Surtel.


    ***


    The temple¡¯s oath.


    It was a simple enough oath, but it had a major drawback: the risk was too great. One had to engage in mortal combat with powerful hordes of pagans who had survived the invasion.


    If your mind can¡¯t keep up, your body will suffer.


    ¡°Next. Let he who will prove his innocence before God come forth.¡±


    There was no need to face those venomous traitors who had somehow survived. Of course, it would be good to strike them down if possible, but there was no need to stubbornly reject the easy path.


    Right here, there were plenty of sacrifices that would allow me to fulfill my oath.


    ¡°Ugh.¡±


    ¡°Next.¡±


    These cowards fear retribution and cannot harm me.


    ¡°H-Help me!¡±


    ¡°Prove your innocence before God.¡±


    On the other hand, I am free to swing my sword. In this way, my devotion is easily proven.


    And the proof was my Stigmata, which had begun to glow a bright blue.


    ¡°The Stigmata¡­ they¡¯re glowing¡­¡±


    ¡°Lux Stella is revealing who is right!¡±


    Terbear and the knights cheered at this sight. In contrast, the monks slowly began to realize the predicament they were in. But it was already too late.


    When the corpses had piled up by the dozen, I pointed the tip of my sword at the last survivor and declared,


    ¡°Come forth.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    ¡°Prove your innocence before God.¡±


    ¡°Y-Your Highness¡­! P-Please!¡±


    ¡°Or else.¡±


    Lord Topa. A knight who had served my father loyally and watched over me to the end. The two surviving soldiers, whose names I did not know, had also remained faithfully by my side until the end. Unlike these wretches, there were surely monks who had lived diligently.


    ¡°Do you confess your sins?¡±


    Finally, Surtel gripped his sword, his face ashen. He looked nothing like the arrogant pup who had flaunted his swordsmanship.


    To that sight, I offered up a heartfelt prayer.


    Lux Stella, one more has ascended.

 Chapter 28

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 28


    28. Come to me, oh seed


    Most people nowadays believe in the faith of Lux Stella.


    They believe in the myth that it came from outer space, ended the painful Otherworld, and opened the age of humanity, the Human Era. However, the majority of believers who cannot read the scriptures do not know how Lux Stella led humanity to victory.


    And this phenomenon was intended by the church.


    People think that the Otherworld has ended, but the leaders of the church know the reality. The horror hidden behind the euphemism of the twilight of the Otherworld, the dawn of the Human Era.


    Although they may quarrel over power, the orthodox teachings of the church have always been the same.


    The races of the Otherworld have not yet accepted their twilight. They will grow stronger where the starlight of the Human Era does not shine and seek the return of the old gods. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And on the day when the old masters return, the thin dawn of the Human Era will once again plunge into the darkness of dawn.


    The church followed this teaching and destroyed most of the records related to Lux Stella. Only a few who were devoted to priesthood or practice and recognized for their devotion could hear the erased myths.


    Setel was one of those few.


    A story he could barely hear after repeating all kinds of work as an aide to the abbot.


    ¡®The church is worried that the group serving the old gods will return, so they erased the related records to prevent the miracles of Lux Stella from being analyzed.¡¯


    The reason why humans, who were inferior and weak in all aspects, were able to defeat the races of the Otherworld, who were superior in all aspects, was only one.


    ¡®Brother Setel, you know that the miracle of the first level of devotion is the miracle of invincibility. What you are curious about must be the second level.¡¯


    ¡®¡­Are you still lacking?¡¯


    ¡®In fact, if you believe that the miracle of invincibility is a miracle of the 0th level of devotion that is granted without any vows or offerings?¡¯


    The miracles of Lux Stella were powerful enough to overwhelm other gods.


    However, Lux Stella never gives up its powerful miracles easily. Only after watching whether the vows are true and whether the vows are properly fulfilled, does it perform miracles.


    ¡®The miracle of the first level of devotion is a sacred mark.¡¯


    ¡®A sacred mark? The first level? But.¡¯


    ¡®Yes. You and I have no sacred marks. Even though we made a vow and time has passed like this.¡¯


    And if it is truly a true determination and pledge, the sacred mark will be given before the vow is fulfilled.


    Setel could never forget the moment when the abbot said this. The abbot, who was thought to be chasing only greed, first showed a regretful face.


    ¡®According to God, the vows we made were not true.¡¯


    ¡®But¡­ then, why is the sacred mark precious?¡¯


    ¡®Because there are so many people who, in the eyes of Lux Stella, are not even recognized as the first level of devotion.¡¯


    Lux Stella was a decisive god.


    Anyway, since they had no property, it was a profit to make a vow of abstinence. He thought so, and Setel recalled the words written countless times in the scriptures and teachings and finally understood them completely.


    Abstinence has meaning in its own actions. It is not cutting off desires but controlling desires. Keep in mind that not being able to do it is not abstinence but restriction.


    You, who are going to offer your life to God.


    Remember these words before making a vow.


    ¡®Who can do that?¡¯


    ¡®You can¡¯t.¡¯


    That day, the abbot sneered as he raised a glass of wine.


    ¡®That¡¯s why I¡¯m here, and you¡¯re not covered in people¡¯s blood.¡¯


    Unfortunately, reality was more brutal. Setel, who grabbed the sword, looked up and looked in front of the altar. A boy who had to be guarded from the target to be killed, and then to be looked up at.


    ¡®So the sacred mark is less than you think? A miracle of the first level of devotion?¡¯


    ¡®Hmm. All I could know was one of the effects of the sacred mark.¡¯


    ¡®Even as the abbot?¡¯


    ¡®The director was able to figure out just one thing.¡¯


    Her thin shirt and her obsidian eyes shone smoothly. Her lips curled in mockery. Her skin was clearer than still water and whiter than polished marble.


    Out of everything, the most striking thing was the aqua-colored mark engraved on the back of her hand.


    ¡®Those who possess the Stigmata are.¡¯


    Narbar wrapped the hilt with the Stigmata that emitted an aqua-colored light. She pointed the tip of the sword at Surtel, showing an air and attitude that was hard to believe for a twelve-year-old.


    Surtel couldn¡¯t make a move in front of her. Then, Narbar approached first and swung her sword.


    Once, twice, slice.


    Numerous sword strikes flew in succession.


    Narbar had completely abandoned the finesse she had shown in dealing with the other priests. Instead, she relied on strength and speed, relentlessly pressing Surtel with her sword strikes.


    Surtel calmly swung his sword as he retreated in response to this recklessness. However, the moment the steel clashed, Surtel¡¯s face hardened in an instant.


    ¡®They grow stronger as they fulfill their vows.¡¯


    A chilling sensation flowed through the hilt of his sword. A dull ringing reverberated through his stiff fingers and shoulders. He belatedly tried to sidestep, but it was too late.


    As Surtel was bewildered by the shock, Narbar was already swinging her sword.


    ¡®They don¡¯t get tired as long as they¡¯re fulfilling their vows.¡¯


    Thud! The sack on his waist exploded. Surtel grabbed the burst opening, trying to stop the spilling grains. He had already dropped the sword he had been holding.


    ¡°Ugh, ugh. Ugh.¡±


    He didn¡¯t feel any pain. He was just filled with the thought that he had to put the spilling contents back in. Surtel tried to put the spilling entrails and blood back in, but they just kept flowing out like sand slipping through his fingers .


    That was when the sharp tip of the sword stabbed his neck.


    ¡°Even with just one cut wound, you¡¯re trembling like that.¡±


    ¡°Y, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°Did you cut people¡¯s lives like this?¡±


    He wouldn¡¯t spare him. He wanted to live. His reason and emotions were at odds with each other. He didn¡¯t feel angry anymore as he looked at Narbar¡¯s contemptuous and mocking smile.


    Instead, Surtel blurted out whatever came to his mind.


    ¡°Please spare my life. Y, Your Highness. You¡¯ve received the Stigmata, so p, please.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    ¡°The doctrine of refraining from killing¡­¡±


    At that moment, Narbar took a step back, adjusting her grip on the sword. To Surtel, whose mind was clouded with blood loss, that action looked like an act of mercy.


    Surtel made a joyful expression, overwhelmed with the emotion that he could live. Surtel was smiling brightly even as the blade was stuck in his neck. He couldn¡¯t face reality even as he was separated from his body.


    ¡°Don¡¯t expect leniency.¡±


    His face showed a bit of shock only after he had fallen out of his body.


    ¡°I told you to prove your innocence?¡±


    It was when Narbar thrust the tip of her sword into the head rolling on the ground.


    ***


    I came out of the main hall that was vibrating with the smell of blood and looked up at the rising sun. It felt quite refreshing.


    It had been a really long and eventful night. I wanted to sit down and rest for a moment, but there was nothing but corpses to sit on, so I just gave up.


    Of course, it was also thanks to the fact that the damage to the monastery was clearly revealed as the sun rose.


    It¡¯s similar to the story of Monk Wonhyo and the skull soup. Monk Wonhyo, he also ate skull soup on a dark night, didn¡¯t he? But he didn¡¯t vomit during the bright day. It was fine when he couldn¡¯t see it, but his insides felt queasy as he gradually saw it.


    If I were to sit down and rest in a place like this and suddenly open my eyes to meet the eyes of a dead body, I would definitely get scared and faint. What¡¯s more, there are believers in this world, so how could there not be ghosts? I¡¯m not particularly afraid of ghosts, but I didn¡¯t want to go out of my way to hang out with them.


    If a grade school classmate I wasn¡¯t close to suddenly contact me, it would always be to sell insurance, water purifiers, or some kind of cult. I won¡¯t forgive those who bother me when I¡¯m alive and come to see me only after I¡¯m dead.


    As I was making such a resolution, a familiar voice came from behind me.


    ¡°My Lord! A splendid victory! I knew I could count on you!!!¡±


    As I turned my head, John was handing me a large tankard of ale. As I took it, wondering what this was, a rich, fruity aroma filled my nostrils. It was clear that this was an expensive wine brewed in a monastery.


    ¡°Did you raid the cellar while I was performing the Inquisition?¡±


    ¡°Oh, come now. They were all going to die anyway, weren¡¯t they? With your victory assured, it seemed better to bring you something rather than just stand around and watch.¡±


    That rascal¡­ Even though our John acts dull and clueless, I can¡¯t hate him when he shows this side of him every now and then. I was touched by John¡¯s thoughtfulness in looking after his master.


    ¡°Actually.¡±


    ¡°Ugh. I thought I¡¯d brought you a snack while you were enjoying the show, but you¡¯ve already finished them all off.¡±


    I noticed then that he was talking with his mouth full of jerky, mumbling his words. John even looked longingly toward the interior of the church, his eyes filled with regret. So much so that it made me feel guilty.


    ¡°You were so disgusted when you saw Lord Topa¡¯s body?¡±


    ¡°Oh, come on. I¡¯m so squamish I can¡¯t even watch game being butchered.¡±


    ¡°?¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but ask, taken aback.


    ¡°You cut people¡¯s throats during the Inquisition?¡±


    ¡°You mean, it wasn¡¯t the lightning that did it?¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    I had protected the dreams of simple folk even when I was in the modern world. Beliefs like Santa Claus or house elves being real. Rather than tormenting the innocent John with sarcastic remarks, I simply deafened.


    ¡°Yes. The lightning severed their necks.¡±


    ¡°Wow. I guess that¡¯s why it was all flashy.¡±


    John began chattering away excitedly like a child, his eyes sparkling with interest. I took a sip of the wine John had given me and responded appropriately.


    Then, a sudden question came to mind.


    ¡°Speaking of which, did you offer some to the knights?¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    From Noble mtl dot com


    Seeing John¡¯s idiotic reaction, I slowly lifted my mouth from the tankard. Then, without hesitation, I tipped the tankard upside down and poured the wine onto the ground.


    ¡°Oh no, my Lord! How could you waste something so precious!¡±


    ¡°I¡­ have never drunk wine before. Understand that.¡±


    ¡°Huh? But you were just gulping it down a moment ago.¡±


    ¡°Hmph. You should spit yours out too. I will discuss the next steps with Brother Terbaire.¡±


    If there¡¯s something you¡¯re worried about, get as far away from the scene as possible.


    After slapping John on the back and making him spit out the wine, I re-entered the church. However, the knights, who had only been eating, fighting, and drinking, had a keen sense of smell.


    ¡°Hmm. Sniff, sniff.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s this? Why are you sniffing like hounds?¡±


    ¡°Is it because they¡¯re monks? They can smell the wine even amidst this stench of blood. It¡¯s quite exquisite.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    My shoulders tensed up as the two knights sniffed around, their noses twitching. If only John had given the knights some too, I could have drunk it without a care in the world.


    Although I couldn¡¯t hide my regret, there was someone who regretted it even more than I did. No. It was more like an obsession.


    As soon as I entered the church, my second brother, Terbaire, glared at me with fierce eyes.


    ¡°Narba. You must become a knight.¡±


    ¡°Brother.¡±


    ¡°I told you. Your talent is exceptional. The incredible skill you displayed today, others may not have noticed, but my comrades and I saw it all. You have the potential to surpass even me.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you wanted to be a Templar?¡±


    ¡°Can you still say that after seeing what those monks have done? At least, not me. I see no reason to be bound by the Templars. With your abilities, you could join me as a mercenary and earn great deeds on the battlefield from Now on.¡±


    I could tell that Terbaire would not back down easily.


    Terbaire was the type who believed that if you were a noble, you should become a knight. Now that he had seen my skills, he was determined to drag me onto the battlefield no matter what. His words and gaze were thick with that persistence.


    However, I had my answer ready.


    ¡°Brother, I only intended to enter the priesthood to help our family. I am also studying to improve myself.¡±


    ¡°You can contribute plenty as a knight as well. That¡¯s because¡­¡±


    ¡°However, I will not receive the protection of the Papacy.¡±


    I¡¯m not going to become a knight because of some knights who can¡¯t even read or write?


    I can already see my future, exploding with laughter as I watch those who can only charge forward while wearing iron pants. Living with those savage brutes who hate to think is like torture.


    ¡°All of this is ultimately to build up forces to confront Yubas. Please remember that, Brother.¡±


    ¡°¡­Hoo, I thought I had finally found a decent seed. These days, they have neither the skill nor the talent, and even if they have both, they have no will¡­¡±


    ¡°Brother.¡±


    ¡°Ha. I understand. You win¡­ Narba, I give up. I have lost, I have lost.¡±


    Terbaire breathed like that for a long time. It seemed like he was sighing. Terbaire seemed to be collapsing, but suddenly, his eyes widened, and he raised the index finger of his right hand.


    ¡°Since I lost, I will step back one step, no, three steps. How about we have a match, and if you win, I will do as you say?¡±


    ¡°Brother, are you suggesting that to a twelve-year-old?¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±


    Terbaire began to struggle between his desire to obtain a great seed and the shame he would receive from dueling a twelve-year-old boy. In the end, the latter won by a hair¡¯s breadth.


    Terbaire exhaled deeply and slumped his shoulders.


    ¡°So. What do you plan to do now? This monastery is now worthless. Most of those who lived here are dead and cannot perform their duties.¡±


    He was right. There was nothing left in the monastery. Those madmen, blinded by greed, killed their own brothers, and the Yubas raiding party that arrived later killed them all, and Terbaire finished them off.


    Of course, there might be some sacred objects or treasures¡­ but it was a waste of time to search for them. It was unlikely that there would be any special sacred objects in a place filled with such people.


    On the contrary, the more groups that came to plunder the monastery¡¯s wealth, the better. Because they would erase our traces. After considering this, I made a decision.


    ¡°Now that the attackers have been dealt with, we must move to achieve our original goal.¡±


    ¡°What is our original goal?¡±


    ¡°To make contact with the Papacy. I originally intended to do so through Bishop Povis, but judging by his actions, he has no such intention. If we stay in the Diocese of Povis, we will surely be constantly exposed to the risk of assassination .¡±


    It seemed that the believers of Povis, not Yubas, would become potential enemies. Yubas¡¯ schemes were easy to grasp because their movements were large, but the schemes of Bishop Povis were difficult to prevent because of the mentioned characteristics.


    We should not underestimate the seclusion and exclusivity of churches and monasteries, as well as their information networks. It was an environment where it was difficult for external helpers to intervene, and since the Church was everywhere, it was difficult to avoid attention.


    Returning to King Athelstan and staying with him was also not an option. Since Yubas had attacked several times within the territory of Povis, it could not be said to be completely safe.


    After I said this, Terbaire nodded.


    ¡°Narba. Wouldn¡¯t it be safer for you to work as a seed by my side?¡±


    Perhaps he did not understand and just wanted to take me as a seed.


    ¡°There is one place that is safer than the battlefield.¡±


    ¡°Narba, I am not ignoring your dream, but I am worried about your safety.¡±


    ¡°It really exists. There is a force that will protect me from Yubas and the rebellious bishops no matter what.¡±


    ¡°¡­Where is that?¡±


    Terbaire looked as if he was about to destroy the place where I was staying. But even Terbaire would have no choice but to slap his knee after hearing it.


    I opened my mouth with confidence.


    ¡°The Diocese of Illenfoot, directly under the Papacy.¡±


    As I expected.


    Terbaire seemed to think deeply for a moment, then opened his mouth wide and slapped his knee.


    ¡°Ilenifuth is not Yubas¡¯s territory!!!¡±

 Chapter 29

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 29


    29. The Blind Spot


    Sometimes, even if a story is annoying and unpleasant, there are times when you have to listen to it.


    For example, there was a class where the only remaining seats were in the front, so I had to make eye contact with the professor and answer all sorts of questions. Other than that, there was also someone who would get upset and pout if I didn¡¯t listen to them properly, or someone who would complain to me after fighting with their girlfriend.


    Terver was one of them.


    ¡°I admit that the protection of the Holy See is valuable enough. However, before going to Ilenifuth, the current situation surrounding us¡­¡±


    Why do I, who have such great talent, have to become a knight? He began a long explanation on this topic. I had a feeling that he was going to get upset if I didn¡¯t listen and just ignored him, seeing as he was bringing up stories from a long time ago.


    So I nodded my head and listened to what he had to say.


    This place, where the five duchies of Powys and Yubas are located, is called the Dawn Archipelago. As the name suggests, it was a place made up of a large island and relatively small islands.


    It was also the last place to respond when Lux Stella descended and gathered many humans. It was said that it was only 500 years ago that the people here fully accepted the Lux Stella faith.


    Naturally, as a region that had converted relatively recently, there were many people who were hostile to the Lux Stella faith. They worshiped the indigenous faith and tried to drive out the Lux Stella faith by uniting with other pagans far away.


    Eventually, after hundreds of years of fighting, the five duchies were established and the Lux Stella faith became the dominant belief.


    ¡°However, the pagan raiders are growing stronger day by day. While the five duchies are hostile and divided, they are crossing the lush forests and oceans to attack.¡±


    ¡°Do they wear horned helmets by any chance?¡±


    ¡°?¡±


    ¡°Never mind. I was just wondering.¡±


    They were just barbarians who followed fantasy rules, more primitive than the barbarians I see now. However, their fighting skills seemed to be great.


    Terver, the human weapon, scolded me with a serious face, as if he sensed that I was taking them lightly.


    ¡°Narba, don¡¯t make fun of them. The demons they serve are still powerful. Moreover, they are battle-hardened. Even a swordsman of moderate skill is likely to be killed in an instant.¡±


    And he added, pointing to the raiders crawling on the floor with his right index finger.


    ¡°Unlike these fakes.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re pretty skilled too. The discipline to form a shield wall and counterattack is not ordinary.¡±


    ¡°Huh. It¡¯s just that the scum of Yubas have imitated it clumsily.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but nod at that. After all, if the barbarian brats can¡¯t even fight, they¡¯re just cripples. There¡¯s a reason for the rules of the game. Then Terver watched my reaction carefully and pounded his chest with his fist.


    ¡°It¡¯s a tough battlefield. Narva, we desperately need one more excellent seed or knight like you. Instead of going to Ilenifuth to receive protection, just come with me¡­¡±


    ¡°Then I will argue now.¡±


    It was a hollow argument, as Terver would not eat anything unless it was a sword callus. At least I could clearly feel his desire to take me with him.


    I took a deep breath and opened my mouth, looking at Terver.


    ¡°Ilenifuth is the territory of Yubas, but it has the special status of being directly under the Holy See. If something happens there, naturally.¡±


    ¡°Stop!¡±


    Terver raised both arms and screamed before I could finish speaking. As if that wasn¡¯t enough, he even squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head. I couldn¡¯t help but know what he was thinking when I saw this.


    ¡°I give up. Let¡¯s go to Ilenifuth.¡±


    Terver¡­ is really bad at arguing.


    ***


    There were three main reasons why I wanted to go to Ilenifuth.


    First, the dominance of King Athelston, who ruled Powys, was greatly shaken. If Yubas and his allies are trying to kill me by attacking the monastery, that¡¯s enough.


    In this situation, it is difficult to expect a proper response even if I stay here. Even Terver refrained from urging me to stay by King Athelston¡¯s side. Even if 80% of it was selfishness, 20% of it would have been because of this judgment.


    Second, it is safer because it is within the territory of Yubas. If something happens here, the responsibility is clear. No matter how much Yubas suppresses it with his authority, he cannot eliminate suspicion.


    This will inevitably further accelerate the division between the Church and Yubas. It could create an opportunity for the Holy See to completely turn its back on Yubas. Yubas also knows this, so he won¡¯t be able to make any more noticeable super moves like the recent attack on the monastery.


    Third, the Holy See knew best about the Stigmata and the miracles of Lux Stella. I was able to feel and confirm the power of the Stigmata through this inquisition.


    It¡¯s overwhelmingly profitable to believe in God. I don¡¯t know about good intentions, evil spirits, or contradictions. The miracles that were bestowed upon me were simply overwhelming. Despite doing all sorts of crazy things with my underdeveloped body at a young age, I didn¡¯t feel any fatigue in my body.


    If the miracle of the 2nd stage of devotion is this great, how great will the next stage be?


    I felt my faith burning and was filled with the determination to completely eradicate the pagans. I think that I¡¯m quite benevolent, especially when there are those who kill their own kin for food.


    Anyway, for the mentioned reasons, my next destination was Illenfoot. However, just because I had decided on my destination, it didn¡¯t mean that I packed my bags and left right away. I couldn¡¯t help but do the bare minimum of cleaning up.


    Even if it was a hopeless task. Terver, the knights, John, and I went around the monastery looking for any survivors.


    Of course, the results were as you can see.


    ¡°Those cruel bastards.¡±


    ¡°¡­There¡¯s no one else here.¡±


    It ended with a clean thud.


    Come to think of it, the attack led by Surtel and his group was a huge success. They must have been so secretive and deadly that it was hard to find any surviving monks. It wasn¡¯t a complete failure, as we found some hiding behind a small statue, but they weren¡¯t in good shape.


    Two of them. Even they were either bleeding to death or dying from infections that had developed in their wounds.


    ¡°Sir Terver.¡±


    ¡°I know. ¡­It would be better to just cut them down.¡±


    ¡°Brother, please wait a moment.¡±


    ¡°Narva?¡±


    Sometimes, death is better than life. In this hopeless, medieval-esque world, euthanasia is rampant. In this situation, there was only one thing I could do.


    I placed my left hand over the dying man¡¯s face and held the dying man¡¯s hand with my right.


    ¡°I cannot save you, for I am not God.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°However, you will die in the arms of a man, not on a cold stone floor.¡±


    Surtel had his men distinguish themselves by wearing their swords at their waists, with the pommels facing inward. And unlike these men were not sword wearings. Those who had turned on their comrades for money or status, they were different.


    I don¡¯t know how they lived their lives. But the fact that they weren¡¯t part of Surtel¡¯s men was enough for me to comfort them.


    Perhaps those who were dying huddled behind the statue had been waiting for these words. The face of the man who had been groaning in pain relaxed instantly. He tried to say something but breathed his last.


    I did the same for the other man, and he too relaxed his expression and breathed his last. After confirming that they were dead, I stood up and saw that the gazes directed at me had completely changed.


    Terver even asked in a serious tone.


    ¡°Did you know them?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Then why?¡±


    Terver seemed to have developed a deep prejudice against the monks because of this incident. I shrugged my shoulders and answered Terver¡¯s somewhat sharp question leisurely.


    ¡°Strictly speaking, they are the ones who came here and suffered. Although I don¡¯t know how much of a son of a b*tch they were when they were alive.¡±


    I rolled my eyes and saw the faces of the men who had just died. The two men who had closed their eyes peacefully looked out of place in the monastery, which was filled with faces contorted in pain and horror.


    ¡°Maybe they were just good guys who needed a little more time.¡±


    If you only see the good in people, you become naive. If you only see the bad, you become a psychopath. I decided to believe that this monastery was not a place where only lunatics gathered with swords in their hands, but a place where people of all kinds lived together.


    Terver didn¡¯t say anything after hearing this. Instead, we changed the subject. We had finished searching for any survivors, so now it was time to look for any clues.


    This time, we searched the group of attackers that Yubas had sent.


    However, Yubas, as dirty and slimy as his actions were, never gave us any reason to hold him accountable. There was plenty of circumstantial evidence, and it was obvious to anyone that this bastard was the culprit, but there was no physical evidence whatsoever .


    Terver, who was an expert in this field, confirmed this.


    ¡°This armor does not belong to those who worship Lux Stella. It¡¯s clearly pagan, and from a pagan group that lives across the sea. The swords they brought are all narrow and have round decorations.¡±


    ¡°Is there nothing from Yubas?¡±


    ¡°No. There¡¯s no sign of the lion holding a sword, which is Yubas¡¯s emblem, or the blue cross, which is the idol of Lux Stella. If I hadn¡¯t seen these bastards in action myself, I would have guessed that they were a pagan raiding party.¡±


    Now that I think about it, these brats could have died from brushing their teeth while claiming to serve Lux Stella. I don¡¯t understand what they believed in or why they called themselves followers of Lux Stella when they were decorated like pagans but didn¡¯t t have a single statue symbolizing Lux Stella.


    After several hours of searching without any results, Terver also had a change of heart.


    ¡°In that case, would it be better if we broke into the sanctuary located in this monastery and took the relics?¡±


    ¡°Brother, what¡¯s breaking in?¡±


    ¡°Hmm. Is it too much to ask?¡±


    I almost clicked my tongue in disappointment.


    No matter how bad Terver¡¯s communication skills were, I didn¡¯t know he would use such inappropriate words.


    ¡°It¡¯s not breaking in. It¡¯s protecting the relics on behalf of the monastery that has lost its ability to defend itself from the pagans¡¯ invasion.¡±


    ***


    In this cruel and savage era, monasteries also served as outposts protecting valuable knowledge and relics.


    Storing relics in one place would allow a madman to sweep them all away at once, so it was a preemptive investment to disperse them. It could also be a way to shrug and say, ¡°Oh, by the way, we have relics in our monastery.¡±


    From Noble mtl dot com


    Of course, I didn¡¯t expect much from a monastery filled with empty-headed fools who didn¡¯t have a single holy relic. No matter how miraculous the relics were, their spirituality would have been sucked away if they had been with these fools .


    Still, relics are relics.


    Items containing the power of Lux Stella would be tempting treasures even for a group of pagans who worshiped the ancient gods of the Otherworld. I don¡¯t know what they would use them for, but I guess they could be considered luxury items that you buy just because.


    People buy useless virtual currencies that they don¡¯t know what to do with. Maybe it¡¯s the same mindset: they might have thought that the relics of Lux Stella were valuable, so they would just take them and see what happened.


    Who knows, they might have had a long-term plan to put them in a museum and generate income from tourists later on. The future plans of the impious pagans are not important here.


    Relics are very valuable treasures. Even if they are of low rank.


    That¡¯s why we were rummaging through the main hall, touching everything that looked like a reliquary.


    ¡°John, we must not let the relics fall into the hands of the unbelievers. Search diligently, knowing that only those who are faithful and honest to Lux Stella, like us, are qualified to protect the precious relics.¡±


    ¡°Master, you¡¯re taking the silver candlesticks too. Are they relics?¡±


    ¡°Of course. They¡¯re the relics that will become your salary.¡± S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Master, even with my lack of insight, the sacred energy in the underground storage was extraordinary.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t have time. Let¡¯s just search¡­ and finish the main hall.¡±


    John was the most enthusiastic about the search.


    As I watched John, who was unknowingly doing well in various fields, I smiled with satisfaction. Suddenly, there was a cheer so loud that even Simmani would have folded behind us.


    I turned my head in a hurry to see a knight holding up a golden box.


    ¡°I found it! I found it, Sir Terver!¡±


    ¡°Where? Where is it? Where was it?!¡±


    ¡°The tiles in front of the altar felt strangely loose, so I poked them with my sword, and this came out!¡±


    Everyone was dancing and celebrating the discovery of the relics. One of the knights, his eyes sparkling, carefully opened his mouth.


    ¡°Well, shouldn¡¯t we open it and check the contents? Hmm? We need to see if the relics are, are safe.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    At that moment, silence fell.


    Not only me and John, but Terver and the knights were all checking each other¡¯s eyes.


    And we all realized that we were thinking the same thing.

 Chapter 30

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 30


    30. Dancia, the Path of Ruin


    We headed to Illeniput with a very solemn and desperate determination.


    It might have been more serious than when we were struggling to survive in the monastery. We marched hard with a harsh schedule, sleeping less and taking turns guarding like swords. Even so, the party¡¯s spirits were clear.


    They even had a fierce glint in their eyes at night, so much so that even ferocious beasts would cautiously approach and run away in fear. The enemies who were lurking somewhere, waiting for an opportunity, didn¡¯t touch us this time.


    There must have been many reasons, but¡­ it must have been partially due to the murderous vigilance we showed. Thanks to that, our journey to Illeniput was smooth and uninterrupted.


    Yllenfoot was a planned town in more ways than one, its neat brickwork and rigidly aligned structures giving it an air of orderliness. The only real point of interest was the multitude of bell towers crammed behind low, man-high walls.


    The bellringer in the tower nearest the gate had a crossbow, indicating that it doubled as a watchtower. Our reverie ended there as our group was met by the grim-faced guards.


    The guards in chainmail gripped their halberds a bit tighter at the sight of armed riders appearing out of nowhere.


    ¡°Halt, this is the Papal fiefdom of Yllenfoot. State your business or you shall not pass.¡±


    That was my cue. We had worked out a strict division of roles as we traveled, and I was to be the silver-tongued diplomat, making up for Terbaire¡¯s lack of eloquence.


    ¡°We are but humble pilgrims, returning the reliquary we saved from a monastery sacked by heathen raiders. We seek shelter and protection.¡±


    ¡°¡­wait here.¡±


    One of the guards hurried inside the slightly open gate. A long moment later, a priest in black robes emerged, flanked by more guards. A thick book, thicker than my fist, was strapped to his side.


    The aged priest stepped before us and opened the book at his side.


    ¡°Let me see¡­ the white background on the crest indicates an old converted family. The raven is a traditional symbol of good fortune in these parts, indicating a family of some standing. The blue cross potent in the upper left indicates a grant of arms from Saint Ideal herself.¡±


    He continued muttering to himself as he carefully flipped through the pages. He closed the book and looked up at us from his horse.


    ¡°Stregos Glerio, Povis. What business brings you to our humble town, son of Povis?¡±


    The priest had recognized us, it seemed. I glanced at Terbaire, who was staring wide-eyed in surprise, his disguise useless now.


    It seemed Terbaire was not going to take the lead on this. Instead, I stepped forward and addressed the priest myself.


    ¡°You have guessed correctly.¡±


    ¡°Family crests have more to say about a man than most realize. Especially when one looks at the surcoat of the knight beside you.¡±


    The priest had a small, mirthful smile on his face.


    ¡°A blue cross potent cannot be used without the lord¡¯s permission. Soldiers, retainers, and knights of the family usually bear a white cross potent. Where the cross potent is placed also indicates which branch of the family one belongs to¡­ but that is enough of a primer on heraldry for now.¡±


    It was, indeed. While mildly interesting, we had more pressing concerns. I gave a small nod, and my faithful retainer, who had been stoically silent up until now, bobbed his head.


    ¡°Father, this is the reliquary we saved.¡±


    John-by-the-stream bowed to the knight who had given him a ride, before carefully retrieving the reliquary from where he had been cradling it. The priest¡¯s benign, grandfatherly expression sharpened at the sight of it.


    ¡°Oh? Well, let Tebano, humble servant of Lux Stella, take a look.¡±


    We knew from the look in his eyes that this was the moment we had been waiting for. The moment of truth.


    Relics were precious things.


    It was no wonder that meeting and talking to the bishop of Yllenfoot was a secondary concern to us. Not out of disrespect or avarice, but simple fact.


    As we entered the bishop¡¯s keep, a young, fresh-faced priest gestured and announced, ¡°T-the bishop wishes to verify the relic¡¯s safety first.¡±


    The relic would be inspected first, then we would wait. We ignored the offer to unpack and rest, waiting for the moment of the relic¡¯s appraisal. Tebano, the priest who had recognized us at the gate, chuckled.


    ¡°You must be very curious, to have already opened it.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡±


    ¡°I jest, I jest. As you have protected the relic, you deserve to see it, and learn of its nature.¡±


    ***


    The priest Tebano led us to a small chapel in the keep, hidden away from the walls.


    It was a crypt, cool and musty. It was also almost completely dark save for a few flickering candles. The atmosphere was creepy enough for John to rub his arms.


    ¡°Gosh, milord. This place gives me the creeps.¡±


    His attempt at a joke was betrayed by the forced lilt in his voice. Terbaire, ever the pragmatist, touched the hilt of his sword as he replied, ¡°It should. This is the communal tomb for the unidentified and unclaimed dead.¡±


    ¡°Wha- what?¡±


    ¡°Most unidentified dead are likely heathens who worshiped the demons of the Other Side, or sacrifices to them¡­ it¡¯s enough to make a ghost.¡±


    Gulp. John clapped a hand over his mouth, his face pale. He subtly moved away from the wall of the corridor and closer to me. I grimaced.


    ¡°John, step aside. Don¡¯t get in my way.¡±


    ¡°Father, you¡¯re a Stigmatist, but you don¡¯t need to be so mean.¡±


    ¡°Do you want to see a ghost scarier than you?¡±


    I clicked my tongue and swung my arm. John, who was pushed away, stuck to the knights with a sullen expression. But all ghosts are scary. The knights were no less frightened than John, and they were all trembling.


    In the end, Tebano, who was leading the way, burst into laughter without thinking.


    ¡°I see that even our valiant knights have something to fear.¡±


    ¡°Ahem, ahem.¡±


    ¡°But don¡¯t worry. The ones enshrined here are honorable warriors who have lived their lives in the temple bearing the name of Lux Stella. They may be nameless, but they are not the remnants of this world or pagans who would harm the faithful .¡±


    Only then did everyone relax a little. Some of the knights even made the sign of the cross towards the wall with reverence instead of fear. After a long walk, a large room appeared.


    From bookcases full of books and scrolls to cabinets full of various objects, it was a room that gave off the feeling of a workshop in many ways.


    Even though it wasn¡¯t in the middle of a necropolis.


    Tebano placed the reliquary on the table in the center and took out a monocle from his pocket. He polished the monocle with a neat handkerchief before opening the lid of the reliquary.


    Click.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ a bronze necklace.¡±


    Clatter. Someone swallowed their saliva. Tebano stared intently into the reliquary and hummed. How much time passed? Tebano, who had been stroking his chin, suddenly opened his eyes wide.


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°Father, do you see something?¡±


    ¡°Were there any bones in here?¡±


    ¡°Bones¡­ what?¡±


    I blinked and looked at the others. But everyone had the same reaction. I didn¡¯t expect anything from John, and I didn¡¯t expect much from Terbear either. I thought I might know someone among the knights.


    ¡°Master, we are knights.¡±


    ¡°No¡­ I didn¡¯t really say anything.¡±


    ¡°Knights don¡¯t learn to read. We don¡¯t know what¡¯s in the reliquary.¡±


    ¡°Did you see any bones?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­.¡±


    The knights were a race that had paid too much for their strong bodies. Knights had taken a very different evolutionary path from modern humans, who had given up some abilities to gain intelligence.


    In the end, after a brief exchange of glances and some silly talk, they came to one conclusion.


    ¡°There were no bones when we looked.¡±


    ¡°Why would anyone put bones, which are blasphemously eaten, in a reliquary in the first place?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t wives usually take chicken bones to make needles? Or just give them to the dogs.¡±


    I turned my head again, wondering if John and Terbear had seen it.


    ¡°No, Master.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t see any bones either?¡±


    The result was the same.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, Father Tebano.¡±


    As soon as Tebano heard our answer, he closed the reliquary as if he didn¡¯t need to look any further.


    ¡°That monastery must not have had a single person who manifested the Stigmata?¡±


    ¡°How did you know?¡±


    Everyone was surprised that he had even noticed that there were no Stigmata bearers. He must have figured out something we didn¡¯t see when we opened the reliquary.


    Everyone showed their inflated expectations for the priest¡¯s miraculous appearance with sparkling eyes. Now all that remained was to see how much value that necklace held¡­


    ¡°This pendant is not a relic, strictly speaking.¡±


    ¡­or so he says.


    ¡°But it was in the reliquary????¡±


    A so absurd that it was hard to accept at once. Fortunately, John, who hadn¡¯t noticed, spoke up on my behalf. But Tebano shook his head animatedly, curtly dismissing John¡¯s protest.


    ¡°Strictly speaking, this reliquary made of gold is probably more valuable. If we were to rank relics and divide them into nine tiers, this pendant would be¡­¡±


    ¡°This pendant would be¡­?¡±


    ¡°Tier twelve.¡±


    ¡°F, Father. Then wouldn¡¯t a higher number be better?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no one here who would say that tier twelve is better than tier one.¡±


    A brief silence. And before long, confusion set in. A flurry of questions swept through our group.


    It had been in a reliquary but wasn¡¯t a relic? I thought the pendant was incredibly valuable, but it was less valuable than the box itself? Then why the hell had those monastery bastards shoved it in a reliquary?


    Someone pointed out a more fundamental issue. Hadn¡¯t it been a reliquary in the first place if it hadn¡¯t been used to hold relics? My anger was beginning to boil over toward those monks who were already as good as dead.


    Tebano, who had been silently holding his tongue, quietly opened his mouth.


    ¡°I hope you¡¯re not too disappointed.¡±


    ¡°No!!!! How can I not be disappointed!!! I open a golden box and it¡¯s a dud!!!¡±


    John¡¯s timeless protest, which ignored the difference in status, received the tacit support of the knights. Of course, I also offered my small support. If things went wrong, John would lose his head, but it was all of us who would have our curiosity satisfied.


    Fortunately, Tebano seemed to have seen this kind of thing often. The old priest calmly took off his glasses and told us the truth about reliquaries.


    ¡°The truth is, most reliquaries are like this.¡±


    It was like a parent telling a child who had only been waiting for Santa Claus that there was no Santa and that there would be no presents.


    ***


    Tebano led us back to the ground, explaining in a quiet voice.


    ¡°When people think of relics, they usually think of pendants, idols, or even swords. Any item that is believed to be imbued with miracles is considered a relic. Of course, that¡¯s true. However, what the Church refers to as relics is a bit different.¡±


    ¡°¡­What is that?¡±


    Tervere spoke up on behalf of the knights, who were crestfallen with disappointment. Judging by the fact that he had asked before I could, he must have been quite curious. Tebano nodded as if he understood and continued.


    ¡°The existence in which the miracles of Lux Stella are most clearly enshrined. The legacy of the most faithful and greatest who chose to confront the demons of the Other World. That is a true relic.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s vague.¡±


    ¡°hahahaha, aren¡¯t all legends like that?¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Tervere turned his head away, looking far from satisfied, but I felt differently. That was because I had a memory that had almost slipped past me as I was trying to move on.


    ¡®Were there no bones?¡¯


    ¡®The existence in which the miracles of Lux Stella are most clearly enshrined, the legacy of the most faithful and greatest who chose to confront the old gods of the Other World.¡¯


    Before I knew it, I was staring at Tebano.


    Tebano also seemed to notice my gaze, and he turned his head. Then, he said with a meaningful smile.


    ¡°There is only one young Powys¡­ Narva. You said you were interested in the priesthood.¡±


    ¡°¡­.Yes.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear that you have such a high level of understanding. I think you¡¯ll be getting some good news from the Holy See soon.¡± Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Do I really need a relic?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Just the presence of a relic has the power to drive away the demons of the Other World. hahahaha, you¡¯re so quick-witted that I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll understand that soon enough.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but find it strange to see him nodding as if he understood when he saw my displeasure. Of course, the rest of us, who didn¡¯t know the truth, couldn¡¯t hide our disappointment.


    ¡°I thought we were finally going to see a relic.¡±


    ¡°It seems they were not in possession of the relic.¡±


    Perhaps it was fortunate that they did not know the significance of the sacred object. Tebano looked at me with a strange look in his eyes as he spoke again.


    ¡°We have confirmed the relic. I shall guide you to the bishop.¡±


    From Noble mtl dot com


    Right. Let¡¯s forget about that.


    It was time to achieve our original goal after a brief detour.

 Chapter 31

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 31


    31. Burgeoning Filial Piety


    The bishopric of Illenfoot, where we arrived, was a place filled with a quiet and pious atmosphere.


    Around the streets within the castle walls were sophisticated stone structures, each window decorated with stained glass depicting mythological tales, exuding magnificence. However, there was something truly astonishing.


    Surprisingly, the streets within the castle walls were stone paths paved with uniformly sized stones. They were even cleanly finished, giving the illusion of being inside a building.


    Nevertheless, it was not desolate. Small shrubs and saplings were planted in the empty spaces between the buildings, alleviating the feeling of being in a stone quarry.


    Perhaps anyone wealthy and noble would want to live here. If not for the clean-shaven monks and tight-lipped priests milling about, the land value would have been considerable.


    The reality was more austere. Illenfoot was filled with monks and priests, literally sweaty men, everywhere you went. This place was not a town or a city, but a massive academy.


    Not the kind of academy where young and tender freshmen gather, but a military academy. Eventually, unable to bear it any longer, I asked a question to the old priest Tebano, who had volunteered to guide us.


    ¡°Are the other bishoprics like this?¡±


    ¡°Of course not. Illenfoot, under the direct control of the Papacy, is the only one that maintains such a chaste and pious appearance.¡±


    ¡°Do you not accept nuns here?¡±


    ¡°They are in a separate area in Geumnam. They are restricted from contact with the outside world until they have accumulated sufficient skills and discipline. As you know, they must be able to protect their chastity from men with wicked intentions.¡±


    As Tebano spoke, his eyes darted around, stealing glances at our group. To be precise, at the virile Terver and his knights. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As soon as the knights heard Tebano¡¯s pointed remarks, they flinched and turned their heads away, whistling. After that, I asked a few more minor questions, and each time, Tebano answered diligently.


    In this way, we passed the time until we reached the heart of the bishopric. Among the numerous buildings, there was a chapel with a particularly pointed steeple. Tebano turned around only after standing in front of it.


    ¡°This is the bishop¡¯s cathedral. Please go inside and rest for a while. Prince Narva, you may proceed to meet the bishop, but¡­ Will Sir Terver also attend the interview?¡±


    ¡°It is something my brother has decided for himself. No one else can interfere in what a man has decided to do.¡±


    Terver replied with a firm expression and a resolute tone, as befitting a knight. Of course, he did not answer solely for the heartwarming reason of supporting his brother. His gaze clearly showed his desire to relax rather than listen to troublesome stories.


    It seemed that the old priest Tebano had not expected much anyway. The old priest nodded with a faint expression and turned his attention to me.


    ¡°Hmm. I understand. Please go, Prince Narva.¡±


    However, there was one person who would not let me go so easily in this situation. John by the Stream, my loyal servant, spoke in a tearful voice.


    ¡°P-prince. What if this is a trap? What if you fall for it?¡±


    ¡°John, my boy.¡±


    It seemed that the events at the monastery had left a scar on John¡¯s heart.


    ¡°hahahaha, what a loyal servant, who cares so much for his master. Do not worry. I have prepared refreshments for you in advance, including wine and simple snacks.¡±


    ¡°I have even set aside a portion for the prince. Don¡¯t worry and go!¡±


    Or perhaps he was regretting not being able to finish off the wine in the underground storage.


    Well then. I clicked my tongue inwardly and followed the old priest Tebano. However, as the saying goes, misfortune comes in pairs. Unfortunately, Tebano wanted to take this opportunity to show off his knowledge.


    ¡°The cathedral of Illenfoot is not a place that just anyone can enter. The reliefs engraved here are the work of Jo Marmang, a great artist from about 230 years ago¡­¡±


    Needless to say, I was not interested in what Tebano was rambling on about regarding the interior of the cathedral. The only saving grace was that he did not notice my lack of interest in his replies.


    How long did we walk like that? Just when I was about to sit down and rest, Tebano opened a large door next to the corridor without knocking.


    His behavior was so unceremonious that even I, who was following him, was surprised.


    ¡°Is it okay to open it like that?¡±


    ¡°It is fine. The bishop is a generous man who does not mind such things. Come, come in.¡±


    As Tebano spoke, he began rummaging through the room. Dried fruits and fragrant herbs continued to emerge from the various cabinets.


    This priest was so shameless that even a thief would have given up his ways. I couldn¡¯t stand Father Tebano¡¯s rambling any longer, so I subtly hinted at my impatience.


    ¡°What kind of person is the bishop?¡±


    ¡°He is a very generous person. Not only does he have a strong sense of mission to evangelize this land, but he also has a close and enduring relationship of trust with His Holiness the Pope. Of course, he constantly studies the scriptures and the surrounding political climate, and he works hard to make the world a better place.¡±


    ¡°Okay, that¡¯s enough¡­¡±


    It seemed like he wasn¡¯t going to get the hint, so I was about to open my mouth when I suddenly had a premonition. I quietly lowered my outstretched hand.


    At that moment, Father Tebano was popping a piece of dried fruit from his bag into his mouth and rolling it around like candy. He was doing this while taking out his spectacles from his pocket.


    Soon, the priest opened his closet and began taking out clothes to wear.


    ¡°Tebano is my birth name.¡±


    Wearing a white cassock symbolizing his role as a bishop, a gold-trimmed cape over his shoulders, and a purple silk sash around his waist, Tebano looked even more rigid and scholarly as he gazed at me.


    ¡°The name I received when I entered the priesthood is Ganista. I am called Lux Stella, and I serve as the bishop of Illenfoot, following the calling of His Holiness and opposing heretical apostates.¡±


    As I looked at the bishop introducing himself in a serious voice, there was only one thought on my mind.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you ashamed of what you just said?¡±


    ¡°Ho ho ho.¡±


    I had thought that he was a power-hungry man who enjoyed flattery, but now I saw that he was just putting on an act. I asked him this question because I was so taken aback, but the bishop simply shrugged his shoulders as if he were proud of himself.


    ¡°For more than a decade, I have desired to be praised and noticed by others. Then I came to a true realization. What difference does it make if I praise myself?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I speak my mind. Thanks to that.¡±


    My first impression of the bishop was not good. Those who serve Lux Stella all seem to have a screw loose in their heads.


    What washed away all those doubts was this.


    ¡°I only received my stigmata after I had fulfilled my vows and turned sixty.¡±


    The bishop raised his hand, and there was a cross-shaped wound carved into it.


    ***


    When I saw the stigma carved into the back of the bishop¡¯s hand, I couldn¡¯t help but have a slightly, no, somewhat irreverent thought.


    ¡°Are stigma common?¡±


    I wondered if Lux Stella wasn¡¯t performing too many miracles. Even though it might seem like it, this is still a Tier 2 miracle. But I never dreamed that I would see another stigma right after seeing one.


    To be honest, it was purely because of my reaction. At the very least, shouldn¡¯t he have gone, ¡°Oh my god!!! Lux Stella has bestowed stigmata upon me!!!¡± and trembled with awe?


    The bishop seemed to have noticed my dissatisfaction, and he chuckled as he spoke.


    ¡°You must be thinking that Lux Stella is performing too many miracles by now.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re asking if stigmata are more common than you thought, then yes. That¡¯s right. But if you¡¯re asking if they¡¯re common for a Tier 1 miracle¡­ no. They¡¯re extremely rare.¡±


    ¡°Why is it Tier 1? Stigmata are Tier 2.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re Tier 1.¡±


    I furrowed my brow, wondering what he meant, and he gave me a detailed explanation. To summarize, it was this.


    The Church has been hiding the truth.


    The Miracle of Perfect Health is a Tier 0 miracle that is simply granted for believing in Lux Stella. The real Tier 1 miracle is the manifestation of stigmata. And those who have stigmata become stronger as they fulfill their vows without tiring.


    However, the social significance of stigmata was much greater than that. Bishop Ganista pointed to the back of his hand and explained in detail what stigmata were.


    According to the bishop, stigmata were once a qualification to enter the priesthood. It was considered blasphemous and obscene to join the priesthood without proof of one¡¯s devotion to God.


    In the early days of the Church, when it was first established, it was so strict that those without stigmata were forbidden from even crossing the threshold of the church. The problem was time. Old age was like an enemy that followed them everywhere.


    ¡°The dawn of the human era erased the fear of the Other World, but ironically, it also erased faith. 1208 years have passed since Lux Stella descended, and the fear of the Other World has long since become an old myth used to scare children .¡±


    There were cases where the people turned back to their old faith in pursuit of immediate benefits, and there were also cases where the leadership of the Church or the local churches became corrupt and suffered civil wars. They all said the same thing.


    I¡¯d rather convert to the old gods with the mindset of just offering them tribute than do annoying stuff like vows and wait for a miracle.


    Everyone must have the same mindset. Even if you don¡¯t necessarily believe in the old gods of this world, not being devout is pretty much the same. There won¡¯t be any particular punishment even if you don¡¯t follow them anyway, and most people just make vows and live their lives half-heartedly.


    At least they were nobles because they made vows. It¡¯s been a long time since people started living their lives without making any vows at all. The situation being like this, the number of those with Stigmata has begun to decrease sharply even within the Church.


    Oh, well, it¡¯s a heartbreaking story. But even in this boring and tedious story, there was excitement and lessons that thrilled me.


    ¡°Given the situation, nowadays, those with Stigmata are treated like ordained priests even if they are not clergy, and if they wish, they can apply to become bishops.¡±


    ¡°Up to the bishop¡¯s seat in one breath¡­¡±


    Just when I was about to be tempted by the words that they don¡¯t care about seniority and will just make me a bishop right away, I recalled the common sense that I almost forgot and quietly shut my mouth.


    It¡¯s something that people tend to overlook, but there is no race as politics as the clergy. Especially, there was no way that a bishop who is interested in secular affairs would have uttered such words in vain.


    I realized what Bishop Ganista was trying to say and clicked my tongue.


    ¡°¡­If there are so few Stigmata holders that you can say for sure that you will send them, it would have been difficult to operate the existing dioceses. Naturally, those without Stigmata would have taken over as bishops, and in the process , secular monarchs would have intervened and exerted their influence. They would have said that since they are people without Stigmata anyway, wouldn¡¯t it be better to have someone more capable in charge of the diocese.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    ¡°Even if there were Stigmata holders, I think that the secular monarchs would have pointed out that it would be difficult to manage the existing dioceses due to their small number and created new dioceses or split the existing ones. Perhaps it was the occasion when the right to appoint, which the Church had tacitly exercised, explicitly passed into the hands of the secular monarchs.¡±


    ¡°Whew.¡±


    ¡°After all, up to the bishop¡¯s seat in one breath¡­ That¡¯s something that only works in a direct bishop¡¯s territory where the Pope¡¯s right to appoint is recognized.¡±


    When he said that, Bishop Ganista started clapping without saying anything. He kept clapping for a long time before he finally leaned back and cleared his throat.


    ¡°My Lord. Do you intend to leave Bishop Powys, who has been persuaded by Yubas, as he is?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°Someone has to take his place anyway. If so, it would be best for you, my Lord, the son of King Aethelstan who rules Powys, to take his place. The problem is how to get Bishop Powys out of the way.¡±


    Bishop Ganista touched his pince-nez as he said that.


    ¡°With King Aethelstan¡¯s current weak control, there is a high possibility that his vassals will rebel the moment he dismisses or kills the current bishop. It is clear that he will be isolated in the future.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°On the other hand, if he is appointed in the manner of the Pope, who values Stigmata rather than King Aethelstan¡¯s right to appoint, he can receive the support of devout believers. Of course, he will also have the support of the Pope. ¡°


    Bishop Ganista spoke on behalf of the Pope¡¯s position.


    He will make me a bishop. In return, hand over the king¡¯s right to appoint to the Pope. This was¡­ a matter that required careful consideration.


    I gulped and asked a very important question.


    ¡°Bishop, if I apply for the position of bishop.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡±


    ¡°Do I have to study separately?¡±


    ¡°hahahahaha.¡±


    Bishop Ganista let out a dry laugh and replied.


    ¡°Only those without Stigmata study.¡±


    ***


    When I returned to the reception room, Terver, the knights, and John were eating porridge.


    ¡°Huh? Narva, how did it go? Your expression is strange.¡±


    ¡°Brother.¡±


    Terver put down his bowl and wiped his mouth with his sleeve after hearing my serious voice. Then, he carefully looked around in a low voice and opened his mouth.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Did something go wrong?¡±


    ¡°To Father.¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m listening.¡±


    I confessed my filial piety to King Aethelstan with a little guilt.


    King Ethelston, no.


    Father!


    ¡°¡­I do not need my share of the inheritance, Father. Please give it away.¡±


    I had originally intended to play around and eat, but I will work hard.

 Chapter 32

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 32


    32. If I Can¡¯t Even Speak


    It has been a week since I pledged to my father and family that I would work hard.


    A week ago, as soon as I had an interview with the bishop, I accepted the proposal from the Pope, but I did not expect much. I thought it would take a long time because the Holy See was far from the Holy City of Idea .


    However, it seems that giving the inheritance I received early, the duchy¡¯s right to appoint, to the Pope as a candidate for the patriarch was worthwhile. I got dressed and went to see the bishop because he called me in the morning breeze, and there was a gift.


    ¡°This is the answer from His Holiness.¡±


    ¡°Already?¡±


    I stumbled and received the letter handed to me by the bishop wearing spectacles. The letter was sealed with bright blue candle wax that looked like glitter powder sold in an old stationery store.


    I turned the letter over several times and couldn¡¯t help but speak in a trembling voice.


    ¡°I heard that it takes a long time to get to the mainland by boat from the Holy City of Idea. No matter how much you rush it, there¡¯s no way a reply could have come already.¡±


    ¡°hehehehe.¡±


    ¡°¡­Were you prepared?¡±


    After a moment¡¯s hesitation, I decided to ask bluntly. I don¡¯t like beating around the bush in the first place. I¡¯m the kind of guy who eats apple peels because I¡¯m too lazy to peel them.


    Bishop Ganista frowned at my blunt response and slowly nodded.


    ¡°The Holy See always keeps an eye on influential nobles in areas outside the succession line in order to secure the right to appoint. In addition, there are those who follow the cause of the Church rather than the power of the world. The priests under Bishop Powis are no exception.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like to say this, but it¡¯s a bit sinister. Besides, it¡¯s too vague to be the reason for the quick reply.¡±


    ¡°Espionage and tolerance are like that. Just know that the mainland was preparing for this. There is a good reason for it.¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes.¡±


    I cut him off because it seemed like the story was going to get long. It¡¯s probably an argument that the church is protecting mankind from the old gods and pagans of the other world.


    Moreover, looking at what they were doing, I thought I knew why there was a bad relationship between the church and the secular monarchs. If this guy is watching what you¡¯re doing in a sinister way and writing down heresy¡­definitely. ..burning¡­who could like him?


    Instead, I turned my attention to the letter. It was a direct letter from the Holy See sealed with bright blue candle wax. Then the bishop opened his mouth with a slightly surprised expression.


    ¡°Are you going to open the papal bull here?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re already in the same boat, so what does it matter?¡±


    What¡¯s more, what is a papal bull? It seems to be a very old-fashioned way of calling a direct letter from the Holy See. Well, I guess that¡¯s how authority is built, with each of those words.


    I scratched the candle wax with my fingernail and opened the letter. The contents of the letter were roughly as follows:


    ¡°To enter the priesthood at the age of twelve, appropriate qualifications are required, so a miracle examination will be conducted.¡±


    I blinked several times, thinking I had read it wrong. I looked up and glared at Bishop Ganista, who was laughing in front of me.


    ¡°You said I didn¡¯t have to study?¡±


    ¡°It seems that Your Highness has misunderstood. You don¡¯t have to study, that¡¯s right. You don¡¯t take the exam, no.¡±


    I didn¡¯t lie, but I hate people who cheat like that. Fortunately, the Middle Ages is a time when you can take matters into your own hands instead of filing a complaint with the police who just take their paychecks and wait to get off work.


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    The moment I turned to get the sword I had left in the room.


    ¡°It is a test to determine the authenticity of the stigmata. It is a test for which Your Highness does not need to open a book.¡±


    Hmm. It seems that the explanation was simply delayed. I felt embarrassed and blamed the bishop for nothing.


    Say it straight. I almost became a murderer with no good reason.


    I looked back at the bishop, trembling.


    ¡°You should have told me that first. You¡¯re confusing people.¡±


    ¡°Of course, you should memorize a few passages from the scriptures to testify to your faith.¡±


    ¡ª


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    ***


    Every event has its reasons. What may seem foolish to others could be a serious matter to oneself.


    Fortunately, the miracle examination led by the Vatican had a reason that even outsiders could understand. Bishop Ganista briefly explained why such an examination was necessary.


    ¡°There are those who forge stigmata. Some are merely cuts made by a knife, or in the worst cases, they claim that magic bestowed by demons of another world is a miracle of Lux Stella.¡±


    Most of the time, if a local church brings a relic, the issue is resolved. Even the 12th-grade relic we brought from the monastery is enough to expel the power of another world, which is to be expected.


    However, the story changes with truly powerful forces from another world. The surviving old gods and pagans of another world have evolved in ways to avoid the church¡¯s pursuit as much as possible.


    Their ultimate goal is to infiltrate the church¡¯s leadership by disguising themselves as miracles of Lux Stella.


    ¡°It¡¯s the same even if they¡¯re not pagans. There have often been cases where individuals canonize themselves or are promoted for political reasons or to elevate their own authority. That¡¯s why today¡¯s miracle examinations and canonizations of saints are carried out so thoroughly.¡±


    In the old days, when the criteria for sainthood were vague, anyone could claim to be a saint. As a result, over a thousand years, the church has made the criteria and procedures for designing saints very stringent.


    After saying this, the bishop looked down at me with quite excited eyes.


    ¡°It¡¯s very rare for the Vatican¡¯s direct miracle examination team to move just because stigmata have manifested. This is a very exceptional case.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Wasn¡¯t this so-called cushy job being discussed too openly? Such doubts were crossing my mind.


    ¡°Let me give you a hint¡­ The miracle examination team moves only for a worthy cause. For example, unless someone who has stepped on the path to sainthood appears, they do not act.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    That¡¯s when I realized why I had to undergo the miracle examination. It wasn¡¯t just a simple test. Rather, it was an exercise of the Vatican¡¯s influence under the guise of a test.


    And it was also the reality behind their promise to support me fully if I handed over the right of appointment. The Vatican was intent on presenting me, a third son from a venerable family with manifested stigmata, as their definitive figurehead.


    Even if they couldn¡¯t canonize me as a saint right away, they could play the media by saying, ¡°This guy has a high chance of becoming a saint in the future~¡±. It would be a powerful weapon when pulling down Bishop Porvius , who had failed to manifest his stigmata.


    The current bishop, who manipulates without manifesting stigmata, versus me¡ªa twelve-year-old who has manifested stigmata and is certified by the Vatican, not to mention being of royal blood.


    It was clear who would win this fight.


    Moreover, it was perfect for revealing that the Vatican had chosen me not just for political reasons. By emphasizing that I passed the miracle examination, they could avoid criticism that the Vatican¡¯s appointment standards were no different from those of secular monarchs.


    Indeed, it was the Vatican. No one could easily approach the experience they had accumulated over a thousand years of squabbling with secular monarchs.


    But even this seemingly perfect method had one fatal flaw.


    ¡°¡­Aren¡¯t we provoking Yubas too much?¡±


    This was nothing less than a moving declaration of war, though without any soldiers. It was a death sentence for Yubas¡¯s ambitions towards our duchy and the worst possible revenge that a forsaken outcast could take without an army.


    After all, considering that I had received my father¡¯s inheritance earlier and would serve the Vatican loyally as their confidant, it was enough to make Yubas faint.


    However, Bishop Eleniput of Ganista, upon hearing my concerns, displayed a sinister smile.


    ¡°hehehe.¡±


    He wasn¡¯t laughing out of joy. The bishop was venting his boiling anger through laughter.


    ¡°I¡¯m actually looking forward to them making a move. While we can¡¯t publicly discuss matters related to another world, we can certainly criticize any interference with the miracle examination.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Certainly, the Vatican had the ability to apply pressure in all directions when the opportunity arose. However, from my perspective as a player of [Fantasy Monarch], several disappointing aspects stood out.


    It could be because they were originally a religious organization, or perhaps they lacked experience in devising certain types of schemes.


    Normally, I would use these shortcomings to disrupt the grand plans of my opponents.


    ¡°Bishop, let¡¯s not end it here. Let¡¯s try to improve it further.¡±


    We were going to be in the same boat for a long time, so it was my turn to help, even if just a little.


    ***


    Having reached an understanding with the bishop, I headed to the restaurant where our party was waiting. I had intended to casually gather some plausible opinions over dinner¡­ but then I realized.


    Our ignorant knights and John could never understand this complex matter.


    ¡ª


    No matter how gently I tried to explain it, they were the kind of people who considered memorizing lines of text as torture, so they were only interested in enjoying their meal. At least the knights who valued etiquette and status pretended to listen.


    John held the hard bread plate in both hands, stuck out his tongue, and licked it like a dog.


    ¡°Wow. Deeelicious. Dee-li-cious, yumm.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Unfortunately, the food culture of this place was as diverse and varied as it was in the Middle Ages, but it just happened to resemble the most primitive side. I had deliberately ignored the reality that the Middle Ages were barbaric because I didn¡¯t want to be prejudiced against them.


    ¡°Huh? Oh, Your Highness! The stew here is no joke! The flavor that has soaked into the plate is so extraordinary that it¡¯s fun to lick it with my tongue!¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Eat as much as you want.¡±


    There was no such thing as eating etiquette where you stabbed it with a fork and then cut it with a knife. All they had was a spoon.


    The knights and John were all eating stew or soup in hard bread plates that were hard enough to break someone¡¯s skull if you hit them with it, and they were eating it with spoons. It was only later that John, who was even too lazy to eat with a spoon, ate in a particularly dirty way.


    The meat that was placed in the center of the table was torn apart by hand, just like the kimchi my grandmother used to tear apart and give me. At least it was comforting that there was a basin or towel to wipe your hands under the table .


    The only one who ate cleanly and moderately here was Terbear. He even roughly understood what I said about ¡°even rotten teeth are precious because they are the children of the king.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know the details, but I know that it¡¯s something that will make Yubas angry.¡±


    He was a top student among those who didn¡¯t even listen. I began to understand a little bit how the homeroom teacher feels when they see the top student in a school trash.


    ¡°Narba, how do you think Yubas will react this time?¡±


    It seemed that Terbear had put aside his prejudice about age after seeing the faces I showed him. He was a brother who was in the top 1% in the Middle Ages in terms of familial love and romance. I also respected Terbear and explained it to him as easily as possible.


    ¡°First of all, we¡¯ll get rid of the most annoying people. From that moment on, we¡¯ll start with the helpers who will become a great strength.¡±


    But this calm explanation seemed to have touched Terbear¡¯s pride. Terbear suddenly twitched his eyebrows and then burst into a hearty laugh as he looked around the dining room.


    ¡°hahahaha! Yubas with his colleagues? How dare he? Do you think you can easily defeat us, who have defeated dozens or hundreds of looters with just ten knights!¡±


    Terbear¡¯s laughter was like a plague. The knights who had been stuffing food into their mouths one after another began to put down their plates and spoons and laugh.


    ¡°Sir Terbear, it seems that His Highness has not yet heard our stories of bravery.¡± S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Ugh~. We should have some beer at a time like this.¡±


    ¡°Hohoho¡­ It would be better to see it in person than to hear stories of bravery. Sir Terbear, how about giving His Highness a day of real-time experience?¡±


    They said they would gather together, and that¡¯s exactly what happened. Amidst the hearty laughter of the knights, Terbear looked at me with a confident face and patted his chest.


    ¡°Narba, don¡¯t worry. The strongest knights in the Principality of Powys will protect you.¡±


    Maybe I wasn¡¯t the one who was most touched by these words, but John.


    John, who had seen the stout knights, stopped messing around with the bread plate that had become soggy from licking it too much and put it down, and then he expressed his overwhelming emotions.


    ¡°They¡¯re really strong. Your Highness, unless you bring an army, you¡¯ll never be able to defeat this!¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    ***


    The noisy ringing of bells celebrated us exactly three days later. That was when we had been in Illinfoot for ten days.


    And there was no one who could fall asleep even after hearing the sound of someone knocking on the door louder than a woodpecker. I opened the door with a slightly defensive feeling.


    Beyond the open door, an apprentice priest with a complex whiter than rice paper was gesturing with sweat dripping down his face.


    ¡°Y, Yubas¡¯ army has arrived. They said that cavalry appeared without being reported¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    I hate violence.


    But at that moment, I thought that I should slap John in the face.

 Chapter 33

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 33


    33. They Use Witchcraft


    When John and I went out into the street, the quiet and peaceful atmosphere of the bishop¡¯s territory had long since disappeared.


    There were no longer any monks or priests who leisurely strolled along, muttering prayers to themselves. All of them were busy running around in confusion at the sound of the bells that rang incessantly.


    I understand why the monks and priests were acting like that. It was an unprecedented situation where an army was approaching them directly. They must have been optimistic, thinking that it couldn¡¯t possibly be this bad, even as they cursed.


    It was only natural to be taken aback when the authority of the church he had believed in unexpectedly failed to work. The problem was the reaction of the guards in the castle.


    ¡°Why does this always happen when I¡¯m on duty¡­!¡±


    ¡°Assemble, assemble! Everyone to the ramparts!¡±


    These guys seemed to think the same way as the priests and monks. Their faces were filled with dismay, as if they never expected Yubas to appear in person and lead the army. As if that wasn¡¯t enough, they were running around in a panic, clumsily grabbing their spears and swords, and hitching up their sagging pants.


    Terver and the knights emerged, pushing their way through this chaotic crowd.


    ¡°It seems the soldiers of the Bishopric have grown soft in peace.¡±


    He said, his face grim at the sight of their disarray, not to mention their lack of discipline. The other knights seemed to share the same sentiment, nodding in agreement. Then one of them remembered something he had forgotten and asked.


    ¡°Come to think of it, that sharp-tongued attendant of His Highness is unusually quiet today.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°And his lips are¡­hmm. Were his lips always that thick?¡±


    ¡°John is feeling the weight of his words. I merely provided a little help to awaken his senses.¡±


    John patted his chest as if to protest, pointing to his swollen lips, but his appeal could not be granted. Anyway, it was good to see that everyone in our party was safe.


    Terver and I looked at each other and naturally began to walk. Our destination was the ramparts. It was a chance to witness the true extent of Yubas¡¯ power, which I had never seen properly before.


    We made our way through the streets filled with clamor, pushing past the screaming soldiers. As we finally climbed the well-maintained stairs to the ramparts, a cool wind blew in from outside.


    At first, it was just a cold wind. But humans have intuition.


    Not long after the wind passed, a chill came over us, not touching our skin but creeping down our spines and sweeping through our lungs. It was so cold that our breath turned visible. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Yuba¡­¡±


    Terver, who had always maintained a confident and assertive demeanor, suddenly tensed up. The other knights also shed their comical expressions and stared grimly at the scene unfolding below the ramparts.


    Lion-emblazoned flags fluttering everywhere. Armor gleaming with a luxurious sheen even from afar, and sharp, glittering spears and swords. And soldiers standing in formation, maintaining their posture as if frozen.


    This was not a small pursuit force of a few dozen men. It was an army, numbering at least several hundred, perhaps even a thousand. I pressed my right hand to my forehead, feeling a throbbing headache, and opened my mouth.


    ¡°Brother, how many do you think there are?¡±


    ¡°¡­At least a thousand. Judging by the number of horses and riders, there must be about fifty cavalry.¡±


    The majority of the army Yubas had sent were infantry. Naturally, their mobility would be poor, and it would have been impossible to mobilize an army of a thousand men and send them to the Bishopric in just ten days.


    But the impossible had happened. I realized the reason for this and clicked my tongue.


    ¡°No wonder it was so quiet when we came to Illeniput.¡±


    Yubas must have realized that the ambush had failed, so instead of ambushing us on the way back, he gathered his forces. He had chosen to demonstrate his strength instead of pursuing us in a reckless chase.


    To mobilize such a large force so frequently. I had heard he was wealthy, but he was even richer than I had imagined. Perhaps I had underestimated Yubas¡¯ power.


    But there is a reason for the saying ¡°power does not last ten years.¡± Even a conqueror who had set out with the ambition of a great empire could be killed by a single stab wound. If a power like Yubas¡¯, which had so many weaknesses, could be sufficiently challenged.


    I know Yubas¡¯ weaknesses and how to exploit them. If Yubas were a true warlord, that would be a different story, but if he were to face me with schemes and tricks, I was confident that I would not lose.


    As I was encouraging myself, one of the knights spoke up with a worried voice.


    ¡°Is it possible that Yubas will attack the Bishopric?¡±


    ¡°No, he won¡¯t. He¡¯ll just do what he did before, a simple show of force. He has an excuse to do so.¡±


    ¡°An excuse? To intimidate the Bishopric?¡±


    ¡°He can besiege and wait if there are any criminals or suspects hiding in the church. That¡¯s probably what he¡¯s thinking.¡±


    This time, Yubas had approached the situation in a somewhat sophisticated manner. Of course, mobilizing the army itself was a crude trick, but the excuse he gave was quite reasonable.


    In reality, he was intimidating his former son-in-law, but he was saying that he was chasing a heavily armed group that had crossed the border illegally. That¡¯s why he always emphasized the importance of semantics.


    Depending on what is emphasized, the perception of the recipient will change. Yubas would intentionally avoid mentioning my existence, leading this conflict to be seen as a conflict between themselves and the Papacy.


    The important thing is to know what he intends to gain from this demonstration of force. I slowly turned my head and looked at Terver.


    ¡°Brother, I think Yubas has changed his goal.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    The core of the plan for Chantel that Hubas has drawn up is the child who has the right to succeed. And from Hubas¡¯ point of view, the eldest son, Edelred, was difficult to use as a puppet as he had enough qualities as a monarch to take his father¡¯s place.


    The second son, Terbear, was not only difficult to capture because he was a powerful knight, but he was also difficult to persuade because he had no particular desire for power. In the end, after trying to manipulate the third son, Nal, I Barely managed to pull out of the crazy thing I did.


    However, Terbear would have been the best choice if he could have been captured. The reason was simple.


    ¡°If you go, it seems like you¡¯ll be able to hold women in your arms as much as you want.¡±


    ¡°Narva, this brother is a knight, not a stallion. Don¡¯t make me a man who brings shame to my wife and family.¡±


    Terbear answered while looking at me with a serious face, but it was nonsense. Even the knights who had been looking at Hubas¡¯ formation with a desperate attitude until just now were turning their heads away all at once.


    Who could blame them? The pitiful Terbear was a patient who often had to receive prescriptions from a s*x therapist. It was time to shed tears over Terbear¡¯s chronic illness.


    ¡°Ow, ow! Hey, hey!¡±


    ¡°John, didn¡¯t I tell you to feel the weight of the horse for a while?¡±


    John, who had been silent for a while, suddenly started jumping. At the moment when he was trying to quietly carry the weight of the horse in his palm, a sharp cry that seemed to tear at his throat rang out over the castle wall.


    ¡°A messenger, a messenger! Hubas is requesting an audience!¡±


    ***


    The meeting between Hubas and Bishop Illeniput did not take place immediately. This was solely because Bishop Ganista was considered of our party.


    The bishop called Terbear and me to his office and gave us a detailed explanation. According to the bishop, there was a high possibility that we would not be able to respond properly if the meeting took place suddenly. So, he bought us time to prepare .


    Bishop Ganista did not stop there. He went so far as to make some suggestions.


    ¡°If the sons of Powys agree, I will tell you what I know about Hubas.¡±


    It was a proposal he made while handing out dried fruit that he had taken out of the cupboard. Terbear devoured it, but I had to ponder, my chin in my hand. The conclusion was quite positive.


    It¡¯s definitely a good offer. What I know about Hubas is quite fragmentary.


    Sentences are lions holding swords. The current lord is an ambitious relative. He conspired with the Papacy and then broke away after fighting over the right to invest, and has recently become obsessed with the power of heresy. And he is currently the most powerful force in the Dawn Islands.


    Up until now, I¡¯ve been able to guess his intentions to this extent, but now it was the limit. To explore the other person¡¯s intentions, I needed to know more information. Of course, there was a way to leave this task to someone else.


    From Noble mtl dot com


    ¡°I only trust you, brother.¡±


    Seeing Terbear answering while fumbling with the dried fruit, I couldn¡¯t bring myself to choose him.


    I came to a conclusion by combining the guilt of receiving the inheritance early decades, the filial piety towards my father who would receive the news that I had transferred the right to invest, and the distrustful prejudice towards Terbear.


    ¡°I¡¯ll listen.¡±


    ¡°Good. Since Sir Terbear seems to have left it up to you, you should listen carefully.¡±


    Bishop Ganista¡¯s story added detail to the facts I knew. Most of the details focused on exactly how much power Hubas had, but¡­after hearing it all, I could see why the Papacy was struggling.


    ¡°Hubas must have had a real king right before his eyes.¡±


    ¡°If he had completely subjugated the other four families, that would have been the case.¡±


    As the bishop said. Hubas was a force that came close to unifying the Dawn Islands. In terms of the Three Kingdoms, he was close to Cao Cao or Yuan Shao, who had devoured Hebei and Central China.


    Traditionally, he possessed many fertile farmlands and developed cities where trade flourished, as well as an army and fleet raised on the basis of abundant finances. The bishop even estimated the extent of Hubas¡¯ military capabilities in numbers.


    ¡°Hubas has 17 warships. Judging only by the number of horses imported from the mainland, he can theoretically mobilize 2,000 cavalry. Of course, that¡¯s when all the knights under his command are called up.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°The church estimates that Hubas can gather an army of 15,000 to a maximum of 20,000 if he issues a complete call-up order. Fortunately, his dominance has weakened as believers have turned their backs on him as his conflict with the church has become more pronounced. It¡¯s only theoretically possible. In reality, it will be impossible.¡±


    ¡°Still, the number of digits is a bit different¡­¡±


    Adults are bewildered when they speak vaguely, but are surprised when they speak in numbers. That¡¯s exactly what happened to me.


    20,000? Did I hear wrong? If the church had continued to join hands with Hubas, I could clearly see a future in which the other four duchies would have been subjugated soon. If that had happened, I wouldn¡¯t have been safe either.


    However, there was no need to be overwhelmed by the numbers. I was surprised by the difference in the number of digits, but that was all. Hubas¡¯ catalog specs were high, but there were many defects in his actual specs.


    Of course, I couldn¡¯t take it lightly. It was a matter of my life, the future of the duchy, and the lives of my father and brothers. I groaned slowly after chewing on the bishop¡¯s story several times.


    ¡°Okay. I understand enough.¡±


    Bishop Ganista then let out a sigh of relief and took off his pince-nez.


    ¡°I see that Your Grace understands. Then¡­ I shall cease delaying this audience any further.¡±


    ***


    The audience with Yubas took place in the reception hall of the cathedral.


    He had readily agreed to meet us inside the church where no one would be permitted to bear arms, since the situation outside the city walls was too dangerous. At the very least, it seemed that he had no intention of resorting to treachery for the time being.


    However, that did not mean his lack of treachery implied any courtesy.


    Yubas¡¯ aide, a gaunt man with sharp cheekbones and a prominent Adam¡¯s apple, was a seasoned warrior, judging by his well-developed trapezius muscles. He was akin to our own Terbear or any other knight.


    He fixed us with a sharp gaze and declared without preamble, ¡°Reports have come in that a suspicious group has recently been spotted among the estates. They are heavily armed and mounted. Their numbers are excessive for mere travelers, and they have made no contact with our lord. It is enough to arouse suspicion.¡±


    ¡°Is that sufficient reason to trespass on the lands of a sovereign?¡±


    Bishop Ganista defended calmly.


    ¡°My lord bishop, please understand our predicament. In recent times, mercenaries who had gathered in anticipation of a war that never came have turned to banditry, causing harm to innocent civilians. Some of them even hide in churches, evading just punishment.¡±


    ¡°These are merely knights on a pilgrimage.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? Whom do they serve? Money?¡±


    Yubas¡¯s knight retorted with a sneer. He glanced at me and Terbear rather than the bishop, and began toying with the hilt of his sword.


    ¡°These are times when brigands who call themselves mercenaries and rogues who call themselves free knights run rampant. Anyone can adorn their surcoats with a crest if they have the gall to abandon their conscience and their future.¡±


    I had no knowledge of this, but it was a deadly insult to Terbear, a knight who held honor in high regard. Without waiting for me to intervene, Terbear sprang to his feet and roared, ¡°How dare you insult me, knowing who I am!¡±


    ¡°I do not know who you are. If you wish me to learn your identity, and if you are confident in your own, then hand over your men to us without resistance. Your credentials will be judged by my lord.¡±


    The knight¡¯s calm response in the face of Terbear¡¯s furious outburst sent a shiver down my spine.


    It seemed that Yubas intended to take us into custody for questioning, claiming ignorance of our identities. This was not an audience but merely a notification to provide justification to someone else.


    The problem was¡­ this notification was an act of grave disrespect toward a high-ranking noble. No matter how powerless our duchy may be, we were still nominally a royal family, and this was unacceptable. Yubas could not have been unaware of this.


    Moreover, judging by Yubas¡¯s previous behavior, he would not hesitate to cut off our tails rather than trim them. Yet, he dared to urge his own death so calmly.


    The only swordsman at my side was the cunning Sertal, but what kind of extraordinary individuals had Yubas gathered? I was filled with a sense of injustice, recalling the raid captain who had relentlessly pursued me even as I led the counterattack.


    Eventually, I rose to my feet, both to restrain Terbear from drawing his sword and to satisfy my curiosity.


    ¡°Brother, please wait.¡±


    ¡°Narva.¡±


    Terbear would draw his sword and act later. For now, I needed to understand not Yubas but those who served him.


    I winked at Terbear and turned my gaze to Yubas¡¯s knight.


    ¡°Does Yubas take good care of your family?¡±


    ¡°I am simply¡­¡±


    ¡°Look at the things Yubas has done. Why do you still honor your contract, your loyalty?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    At that moment, a subtle expression crossed the face of the knight, who had been so calm and composed. He looked down at me with complex eyes and answered honestly, ¡°I know that my lord is flawed. But I also know that he seeks to establish a nation so strong and stable that brigands and lawbreakers will not dare to raise their heads.¡±


    ¡°What if that goes against the will of the Church?¡±


    ¡°I will follow my lord, who has promised stability and peace.¡±


    His unwavering response convinced me. I placed my hand over Terbear¡¯s, which was resting on his sword hilt, and said softly, ¡°You must let them go.¡±


    ¡°Even if you ask me to¡­ this is unacceptable. How can a knight endure such humiliation?¡±


    ¡°He came here intending to die.¡±


    Only then did Terbear flinch and let go of his sword hilt. However, the knight of Yubas remained silent, showing no sign of disappointment.


    If I left it as is, he would remain as solid as a stone tablet for the rest of his life. I decided that it was my turn to be honest, as he had answered me sincerely.


    ¡°Yubas can still enjoy stability and peace. That is, if Yubas himself desires it.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    ¡°Go back. Do not waste your precious life on such things. And tell him to stop talking nonsense about conquering a mere bishopric.¡±


    Thought it was what should have been said, the interview ended abruptly.


    And I realized that Yubas was even crazier than I had imagined.

 Chapter 34

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 34


    34. My Compliments to You


    Getting on good terms with people leads to many changes. Especially so when it¡¯s with those who were trying to kill me, it was a really positive sign.


    The biggest gain was learning what the people under Yubas were thinking. It was a story that was consistent with the information about Yubas¡¯ strong authority that Bishop Ganista had told me.


    Combining it with the common sense of this world that I had seen, heard, and experienced, I finally arrived at an answer.


    The coastal raiders who invaded endlessly. The local nobles who were unable to unite and kept scattering. The conflict between the church and the secular powers over the right of investiture. The Lux Stella faith, which had gained an advantage because of its distance from the mainland where the Holy Idea was located, but was not absolute.


    All of these factors had turned the Dawn Islands into a mess. To be exact, it was closer to England during the Heptarchy period than the broken empire or ruined kingdom clich¨¦ seen in fantasy.


    The reason I say closer was because the situation in the Dawn Islands was even worse.


    In terms of power alone, Yubas was overwhelming. If he had continued his alliance with the church, he would have naturally become king. However, Yubas did not give up the right of investiture, and this led to disastrous consequences.


    As I said before, he lost both the support base and legitimacy that would have sustained him. Perhaps he didn¡¯t feel it much in the short term. After all, when you broke the law, it feels good at the time.


    But there¡¯s a reason why people talk about legitimate. When someone becomes number one, they don¡¯t need laws or traditions. Then, if I¡¯m number one, why would I bow my head and live?


    Do you think vassals will give up their lives and souls just because they signed a vassal contract? Absolutely not. The reason why loyalty is respected and treated with honor is because it is truly precious.


    If you rent land from a landlord and the landlord is about to die, you wouldn¡¯t risk your life to help them. Instead, you would wait until the landlord dies and then quietly claim that the land was originally yours. That¡¯s what people are like.


    I deeply felt this fact in the pure evil strategy game, [Fantasy Monarch].


    It was when I was playing as a vassal of a long-standing empire. Our country was invaded by a powerful foreign force, and we were on the verge of collapse as our eastern border was completely overrun. At that time, the user guarding the eastern border desperately.


    [Guys, our country is in danger of being destroyed!!!! Please help!!!!]


    At the time, I was still a naive beginner, and I vaguely thought that I had to protect our country. So I was about to gather my troops. But then¡­


    [But it¡¯s not our territory?]


    [I¡¯ve already fulfilled the military service required by the emperor, so what help is it? I¡¯m already helping?]


    [Ugh¡­ I¡¯m not going to inherit anything anyway¡­ If you give me some territory, I might think about it~.]


    That¡¯s right. Vassals are basically like company employees. If they are really dedicated employees, they will accept some losses and share the fate of the company, but most of them are not like that.


    They fulfilled the duties required by the company, but if you asked them to do more, they would just watch and see. Especially those who didn¡¯t care about honor and such were even worse.


    [Our country is going to be destroyed!!!!] sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The user on the eastern border repeatedly emphasized that we were all in the same boat.


    [It¡¯s not our country, it¡¯s the emperor¡¯s country~ It¡¯s not my country~ Good luck~.]


    [Wow, but our country is really destroyed. Should I start thinking about independence?]


    [If the emperor wants to take more of my army, he should lower taxes lol]


    Our user vassal alliance made a clear distinction. Business is business, and life is life. If they saw an opportunity to preserve their territory, they didn¡¯t care if the country was destroyed or not. Some even watched as the country was shaken and made offers to other users.


    [Guys, our country is a mess, so I¡¯ll just be the emperor. I¡¯m starting to recruit for a coup d¡¯etat. If you join me now, I¡¯ll give you each an official position.]


    [Oh, I¡¯m on my way.]


    [Sir, I want to be independent. Can I join?]


    [I¡¯ll let you be independent while I take over the country lol]


    Of course, there aren¡¯t many people who don¡¯t even know about honor. It was just an extreme example to emphasize that vassals are not people of faith. Even if such people have legitimate, they should be ignored.


    However, if the country still had enough power, represented by a strong military, they would not have dared to defy it. This was exactly what I had learned from the interview.


    I explained this fact in as much detail as possible in the bishop¡¯s office.


    ¡°Really¡­¡±


    ¡°Narva, what nonsense are you talking about?¡±


    I glanced between Bishop Ganista, who was shaking his head, and Terbear, whose face was already sullen. And then I realized that the paper that had been inked was completely black.


    To persuade Terbear, it was much better to summarize it in one sentence than to explain it in great detail.


    ¡°Youbas has chosen to wield his fist for internal control. Rather than trying to win over the Lux Stella believers, he is targeting the ruling class that is chasing power. Our powerful army can also stand up to the authority of the Church. That¡¯s the key.¡±


    Oh. As I spoke, I realized it wasn¡¯t a one-sentence summary. After thinking for a moment, I summarized this long sentence in practice.


    ¡°They want to conquer the bishopric and show that they are stronger.¡±


    ¡°Huh. So that¡¯s what it was!¡±


    Perhaps their purpose is also to target our brothers. However, if you ask what the main purpose is, it would be this. Youbas¡¯ authority is still intact, so don¡¯t think about anything else, and advertise that you plan to do so .


    I judged this to be a very optimistic sign. It was also the answer to why the plan and execution were so different. The powerless beast barks more fiercely, the one who is in a hurry runs, and the weak one is cruel.


    Youbas was now trying to hide their own poor authenticity by wielding their power.


    Plus, there was one more thing. The reason why they were rushing into irrationality, unlike the meticulous and complex plan that had been solidly built up. I turned my head slightly and looked at the bishop who was repeatedly exclaiming.


    It was a kind of intuition.


    The reason why Youbas¡¯ schemes are somewhat lacking is probably because they missed the most important addition to the plan. To be exact, the reason why my gambling-like strategy succeeded was because of the Church¡¯s help.


    Then the opposite would have been possible.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmm? Confucius, your gaze is unusual.¡±


    ¡°Okay. If you¡¯re going to pretend not to know, pretend not to know for the rest of your life. I¡¯ll pretend not to know and live.¡±


    ¡°hehehehe. I guess I misunderstood. I hope it will be resolved someday.¡±


    Although that sly Sertel was always a little short, the Church was a seasoned politician. When it¡¯s time to get on the same boat, it gets hot. I felt this fact deeply as I looked at Bishop Ganista¡¯s mysterious face.


    Yes. It seems that they themselves did not deny that they were on the same boat, so I¡¯ll let it go. Now follow me.


    I grumbled to myself and looked at Terbear. Terbear was deep in thought, stroking his beard.


    ¡°So Youbas isn¡¯t afraid of excommunication?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think he can.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t excommunicate? What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°If I could, I would have done it a long time ago.¡±


    Even if you just look at the truth that has not yet been made public, it is obvious. No matter what the mainland is like, Youbas¡¯ influence was precariously strong in the Dawn Islands.


    Right now, Youbas was researching the relics of the other world on his own without the knowledge of the Church. Nevertheless, it ended with a passive response, such as the bishop not attending the feast day, not to mention making it public. It¡¯s not that they didn¡¯t excommunicate him.


    It was because the local churches were worried that they would become completely independent from the Holy See, taking advantage of this momentum, and that the influence of the Holy See in the Dawn Islands would be expelled as a result of Youbas¡¯ declaration of a complete break.


    That¡¯s why the Holy See is now fully supporting me. The Holy See wants a new person to replace Youbas.


    And that¡¯s me.


    Now that we¡¯re on the same boat, we couldn¡¯t just bring up the Church¡¯s shortcomings. I rolled my eyes slightly and checked Bishop Ganista¡¯s complexion.


    ¡°Sir Terbear, there are some complications here. It will take some time to explain.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. That¡¯s fine. If it¡¯s for the Church.¡±


    As soon as the bishop noticed my intentions, he made the sign of the cross and smiled. Right between Terbear, who was waving his hand while taking a break.


    ***


    That night, Bishop Ganista stood on the ramparts, facing the cold night wind.


    The bishop brushed off the frost that was tangled like grains of sand on his cloak and moved his gaze. It was to watch the two brothers hug each other and pat each other on the shoulder.


    Unlike Narva, who was patting his shoulder in a daze, Terbear was shedding tears because he couldn¡¯t bear his anger. This was because Narva¡¯s proposal, which was put forward as a means of defeating Youbas¡¯ army, was so humiliating.


    ¡°Brother, those fellows intend to seize you as a pretext for armed demonstration. You cannot let them have their way. Fortunately, they have brought an army with them, so they will encounter many obstacles in their pursuit.¡±


    ¡°Surely you don¡¯t mean to let me endanger you.¡±


    ¡°Do not worry about me. I can take refuge with the Holy See.¡±


    ¡°Narva¡­ If this is all I can do for you, I must seek out even Brother Edelred.¡±


    The bishop could not help but stare at Narva, who, despite his tender years, was encouraging his elder brother, Tervere.


    Narva Orn Stregos Glevios Fowys.


    Being so young, he was in no position to take the initiative, and that was the way things were. It was to be expected, given that he was the son of Fowys, the weakest of the five duchies.


    What was more, due to the stable succession structure that had been established early on, he had not received a proper inheritance, let alone an education befitting an heir. Nevertheless, he possessed innate talent and ability.


    And it was the kind of virtue that was difficult to cultivate even with consistent education and advice. The bishop pondered, wiping the lens of his monocle with his shoulder cape.


    ¡®I thought he was merely a puppet put forward by someone, but I was wrong.¡¯


    No one would believe that a twelve-year-old boy could really pull the strings. The bishop was no exception. He judged that Narva had an excellent expert in that field attached to him.


    Moreover, there was the matter of emotion. It was only natural to feel a sense of incongruity when a child who should be innocent and naive suddenly displayed the dark shadow of human greed hidden beneath numerous virtues, the very avarice that humans themselves were shame of .


    But what if he was not a puppet? What if he was truly pursuing his own innate instincts and making judgments with conviction? The bishop swallowed his words and prepared to pay tribute to that fearsome determination.


    As it happened, Narva and Tervere had finished their preparations to part ways. Narva carried his knapsack with ease, his characteristic smirk on his face.


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    ¡°Go ahead and return. I will take my time looking around before I go.¡±


    ¡°You rascal. Ahem! Very well. This brother will¡­ go and do what he must.¡±


    Even Tervere could no longer act so superior when his younger brother was so composed. Tervere repeatedly stole glances at his reddened eyes before turning around and swinging himself onto his saddle.


    That was the signal. The other knights who had come with Tervere also mounted their saddles and bowed their heads to Narva.


    ¡°Your Grace, forgive us for not being able to escort you any further.¡±


    ¡°Why not leave one of us behind, at least?¡±


    ?Nat?Some of them suggested, looking alternately at Tervere and Narva as if they were reluctant to leave.


    ¡°They are sending my brother away in order to leave no room for doubt. What good would it do if you gentlemen were to stay behind?¡±


    ¡°¡­If that is Your Grace¡¯s wish, we will accept it.¡±


    Narva cut them off with a smile.


    And so began the escape under the cover of night. Tervere and the knights, who had been designated as the pretext, fled before Yubas¡¯ army could close in. It was a simple and reckless plan.


    Soon, the city gates opened as Narva climbed the stairs to the bishop¡¯s side. However, Tervere did not leave immediately. Instead, he looked up at Narva once more before finally spurring his horse.


    ¡°Hyaa!¡±


    The rough sound of hooves pounded the ground.


    Narva watched the knights¡¯ retreating figures from the battlements for a while before speaking softly.


    ¡°Come to think of it, I don¡¯t think Yubas has any reason to kill me, unlike the Bishop of Fowys.¡±


    His obsidian eyes were now fixed on the bishop.


    ¡°Bishop, let us move up the plan. We must release the news of my miracle examination immediately.¡±


    Bishop Ganista said nothing in response, but quietly fumbled through his robes. A moment later, a single dried fruit appeared in the bishop¡¯s hand.


    Narva looked back and forth between the dried fruit and the bishop several times before frowning.


    ¡°What is this?¡±


    ¡°It is my personal tribute. You may boast as much as you like, for this old man never shares his food.¡±

 Chapter 35

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 35


    35. A Medieval Agony Aunt


    I used to hate raids.


    Why dry out perfectly good grapes when you could just eat them fresh? In particular, the sight of a snow-white bun studded with raisins would fill me with disgust from the depths of my soul.


    Such was my aversion that, to me, a bun with raisins was no different from a bun with cockroaches. I can still picture it vividly.


    The sticky aftertaste that tickled my tongue after I chewed on the dried fruit, far from being refreshing, was more like an unpleasant sensation that ran down my spine.


    I wouldn¡¯t have taken it even if someone had given it to me. If this had been the food-abundant modern era, I wouldn¡¯t have eaten it at all.


    And I would have continued to savor it for a while longer if someone hadn¡¯t knocked on the door.


    ¡°Hwaam~. Your Highness, I came to greet you.¡±


    ¡°Ugh.¡±


    ¡°Huh? What are you eating in the morning?¡±


    The one who visited my room was John. Usually, he would come in with a grumpy expression while blinking his eyes slowly, but this time it was different. John looked at me with sparkling eyes from the morning.


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    ¡°Raisins? No, Your Highness! Where did you get that?!¡±


    ¡°Uwaaa.¡±


    ¡°Who gave it to you? Oh my god. Who was it? I¡¯ll receive it all, even the ones for Your Highness!¡±


    His intention was obvious. I stopped sucking on the fruit that I had been savoring and swallowed it with a gulp.


    ¡°You understand me well even though I¡¯m mumbling.¡±


    ¡°No, Your Highness! Of course, since it¡¯s Your Highness¡¯s precious words, I must listen with my ears wide open! So who gave you the raisins?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. The one I received was the last one.¡±


    Bishop Ganista had given me the dried fruit, a single raisin, and told me that I could brag about it. It was obvious that even if John begged him for it, he would just laugh and pat his cheek.


    John wasn¡¯t a pretty kid, and even though he was a fully grown man with receding hair, he would only get beaten up if he shamelessly whined. I seriously spoke firmly because I wanted John to be hit less.


    Then John drooped his shoulders in disappointment and began to complain.


    ¡°Oh, gosh¡­ I thought I could finally taste something sweet.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t sigh here and go drink some wine.¡±


    ¡°Oh, dear. How can I drink before the knights? I¡¯ll just wait until the ladies drink.¡±


    I guess he had learned his lesson from the beating he got before. I was pleased to see him waving his hand, saying that he wouldn¡¯t even open his mouth before the knights drank.


    Those who progress should be rewarded. I gladly told John the news that would make him happy.


    ¡°That¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll tell you some good news. From today, you can drink as much as you want.¡±


    ¡°Yes? Really?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    The sunlight streamed through the window, making for a pleasant morning. I expected John to smile brightly, so I decided to laugh first.


    ¡°Sir Terbear and the knights have withdrawn.¡±


    ¡°Oh, there¡¯s no one to drink with, so now I can drink as much as I want?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    However, contrary to my expectations, John¡¯s face began to crumble.


    ¡°Your Highness, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s good news.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t look so gloomy. You have to see the bright side. Besides, there¡¯s also one piece of bad news.¡±


    ¡°Is it that it will be difficult to be protected because the knights are gone?¡±


    The saying that even a watchdog will recite poetry after three years came to mind. John was quick-witted, especially when it came to his safety. I wanted to applaud him, but unfortunately, it was a wrong answer.


    With a regretful heart, I shook my head and revealed the correct answer.


    ¡°Yubas has created a reason to either kill or subdue me. So instead of chasing after Sir Terbear and his fellow knights who have withdrawn, Yubas will focus on keeping an eye on me.¡±


    At first, John didn¡¯t believe me.


    ¡°Oh, come on. Even so, this is a great opportunity to capture Sir Terbear, the strongest knight in the duchy. Would he let this opportunity pass?¡±


    ¡°John, I didn¡¯t know you respected Sir Terbear so much.¡±


    Even cockroaches are said to show a moment of wit when faced with a life-threatening situation. I wonder if John is in a similar situation. I didn¡¯t know John was this eloquent.


    ¡°Of course, Confucius is an important person, but he¡¯s not yet capable of replacing Lord Tervere. What kind of person is Lord Tervere? He is the greatest knight who tirelessly gallops while effortlessly wielding all sorts of weapons against the raiders who press upon the coastline!¡±


    ¡°Are you planning to promote him in Yubas Fortress?¡±


    Even the seeds that spread rumors wouldn¡¯t be this enthusiastic. I felt gratitude and satisfaction towards John, who spared no praise for Tervere¡¯s amazing martial prowess.


    John is so worried about Tervere.


    His hair, which is already thinning, will disappear soon if he worries like this. I have decided to do my best to dispel John¡¯s unnecessary worries.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡°Your Holiness, you mean what I think you mean?¡±


    Judging by John¡¯s anxious gaze, it was clear that he was preoccupied with constant worry. To persuade people like this, you need to speak with firm confidence and strong conviction.


    I answered in a clear voice, as concisely and decisively as possible.


    ¡°Yubas gave me a very important reason to kill me rather than Tervere. Lord Tervere will return relatively unharmed.¡±


    ¡°No!!!! Your Holiness!!!!!¡±


    ***


    Yesterday, after meeting with Yubas, I was convinced of one thing.


    Yubas changed his target from me, a twelve-year-old boy, to Tervere, the strongest knight in our duchy. In fact, Tervere was advantageous to the plan in many ways if he could be captured.


    Tervere is a man who loves women so much that the Order of Knights refused to admit him. He would easily fall for a honey trap because of his weakness for carnal desires, and he would be so worried about the women he had not been able to embrace that he would be preoccupied with how many illegitimate children he might have.


    My argument that Tervere should be withdrawn first was accepted because of this reasoning. However, not everyone agreed. Tervere resented the idea that he should withdraw, and even resorted to arguments he hated so much.


    ¡°Narva, embracing a woman is a virtue that is natural for a man. How can you dishonor your brother in this way?¡±


    ¡°Brother, what would you do if you received a marriage proposal related to Miriam?¡±


    ¡°Miriam¡­ She was certainly a beautiful woman. Of course, it was wrong of me to hurt your pride, but it must have been heartbreaking for her as well. I cannot simply condemn her. If it were me¡­ I might have forgiven her because her circumstances were understandable.¡±


    I can still vividly see Tervere¡¯s eyes, which were gazing into the void with a deep and hazy look.


    At that moment, Bishop Ganista and I made eye contact. The two of us probably had the same thought.


    This is the end of the moment of capture.


    I imagined a future where Tervere, who had fallen for a honey trap, would ask for some land for his children. If Yubas, who would become his in-laws, intervened, it would be more than enough to shake up the succession structure.


    As a result, the verbal battle that Tervere had waged ended in my overwhelming victory.


    My opinion that he should take all of his knights with him so that Tervere could safely break through any encirclement that might be there to prevent pursuit was actively accepted.


    Of course, Bishop Ganista¡¯s unconditional support also played a part.


    The problem was Yubas¡¯ persistence. They disguised themselves as mercenaries once and as pagans twice, trying to capture me, who had been officially expelled from the family. They even attacked the monastery.


    Yubas was the only one who could not be compared in terms of their execution ability. Even if Tervere abandoned his honor as a knight and fled, Yubas would not let him go easily.


    How can I divert the attention of these persistent bastards?


    I found the method in the Stigmata and the Church.


    On the day the Holy See handed over the right to appoint as a candidate for sainthood, they chose me as the new archbishop. They intended to control the local church by giving me, a local aristocrat with a Stigmata, the authority of a saint or something similar.


    Considering that Saint Illenio is the only saint mentioned in the morning canon, this would be a very drastic measure. The Holy See must have known this and tried to examine my miracles.


    This was the key.


    If I were simply a degenerate who had been expelled from the family, it would not be a problem to deal with me as a low priority. But what if I started to move as a candidate for sainthood certified by the Holy See, with the authority to pressure the local church?


    The fact that the bloodline of Povis, whom they had tried to swallow up, had risen to the rank of a candidate for sainthood was enormous pressure in itself. From Yubas¡¯ point of view, they would want to stop me no matter what. However , Illinifut is clearly within Yubas¡¯ territory.


    If I have a problem, all suspicions will fall on them. Even in the current situation where rumors of discord are circulating, if suspicions arise that they killed a candidate for sainthood, the believers of Lux Stella will turn their backs on them.


    That is, unless there is one way out.


    Inside the bishop¡¯s office, which I visited as soon as the morning breeze started blowing.


    In the quiet atmosphere that followed the departure of Tervere and the knights, Bishop Ganista was the first to speak. The bishop polished the lenses of his pince-nez and said,


    ¡°As His Highness instructed, we have begun spreading rumors about the miracle examination.¡±


    ¡°How long will it take for the rumors to reach Yubas¡¯s territory?¡±


    ¡°It will probably take three or four more days at the least. However, since we have spread the rumors through the refugees who have recently fled earlier after seeing the confrontation, Yubas¡¯s army that is currently stationed there will likely hear about it.¡±


    ¡°Then they will likely open the path for us. They might even escort us, so the road ahead might be safe.¡±


    It was a fairly plausible opinion, but it seemed that the listeners did not think so. Both John, who had been listening silently, and Bishop Ganista in front of him began to groan.


    The Bishop rubbed his temples with his left hand and said,


    ¡°Of course, it will be safe until we reach the port in the south. I cannot guarantee anything once we board a ship for the miracle examination.¡±


    He is such a worrier. The Bishop was on the verge of being consumed by worry, just like our John.


    I seriously spoke in a calm tone to the Bishop.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that the nature of voyage? Unexpected storms on reefs, strange epidemics, or endemic diseases.¡±


    I even added a performance of putting my neck with the back of my hand.


    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be strange if someone suddenly died.¡±


    ¡°Your Highness, how should this old man respond?¡±


    ¡°I will simply trust in the amazing speed of message delivery that you showed me when we first met.¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­.¡±


    The Church¡¯s headquarters, the Holy See of Idea, is not on the archipelago but on the mainland. You can only get there by crossing the sea by ship. Naturally, the miracle examination team, which is directly under the Pope, was also across the sea.


    ¡°One more thing.¡±


    And the sea has always been dangerous, both in the past and now.


    ¡°If possible, I would like you to continue monitoring the number of fleets that Yubas possesses.¡±


    Especially because it is very, very capricious.


    ***


    Yubas¡¯ army is strong.


    Unlike the mediocre armies of other lords, even ordinary conscripts often wore chain mail. Most people thought that the great general who had won successive defeat, bringing them abundant wealth and countless spoils of war, had created a strong army.


    However, the real reason why Yubas¡¯s army was so strong was because of its leadership by example.


    None of Yubas¡¯s blood relatives are recognized by birthright. They all had to prove themselves by meeting the strict standards set by the Lord, and were sometimes thrown into harsh environments unbefitting of nobles.


    The direct descendants who have the right to succeed are relatively safe. Yubas did not pay the ransom for his blood relatives outside the line of succession who were taken prisoner.


    Nevertheless, the only way for Yubas¡¯ blood relatives to receive proper treatment was through military service.


    This harsh family tradition has become an opportunity for Yubas¡¯ blood relatives to be evenly distributed as knights, squires, and ordinary soldiers under the standing army.


    In the process, those who have distinguished themselves in battle or proven their unwavering loyalty lead the army. If there is no such person among the blood relatives, they are willing to employ even those of humble origin.


    Thanks to this, Yubas was always able to secure ambitious and enthusiastic personnel. Even without outstanding heroes, those who were faithful to their respective roles gathered to form a strong army.


    Of course, there are two sides to everything. Behind the myth of the strong army that Yubas created, there was an equally dark and heavy shadow.


    ¡°Miracle examination?¡±


    Inside the largest tent in Yubas¡¯s military camp.


    The man sitting on the upper seat, crossing his legs and whistling, suddenly showed curiosity. The messenger who brought the news did not dare to look him in the face and answered with his head bowed.


    ¡°That¡¯s what the group that secretly escaped from the castle said. They said that there is a boy with stigmata in the Bishop¡¯s territory and that the Pope will confirm it¡­¡±


    At that moment, the knight standing next to the man spoke up. The knight was so thin that his cheekbones stood out prominently, as if he had been starving for a long time.


    He had his eyes closed, as if to hide his uniquely sharp gaze.


    ¡°It is highly likely that he is the third son of Powys that I mentioned.¡±


    ¡°Ah. That¡­ my almost-brother-in-law.¡±


    ¡°He has a face that is not befitting of his age. Considering the animosity he holds toward our family, I believe that even if he does not have stigmata, the Pope is likely to use him as a puppet.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. He is a man the Papacy will put forward, with or without the Stigmata.¡±


    The man sitting on the throne shifted his posture. Only then did his appearance become clear.


    Platinum-blonde hair that reached his shoulders, and cat-like eyes that gleamed in the darkness. The pupils, resembling a beast of prey so closely that ordinary people would freeze upon meeting his gaze, fully opened for the first time.


    ¡°Report to Father. However, not through official channels. Do it in a way that will attract less attention.¡±


    From Noble mtl dot com


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°And the warships anchored in the capital. Do you know any of their captains?¡±


    ¡°You could end up bearing the responsibility for failure alone.¡±


    The knight warned him of the risks in a monotonous voice. However, it had no effect on the man with the pupils of a beast of prey.


    ¡°I will also claim the rewards of success alone.¡± sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The knight quietly closed his mouth. The man¡¯s statement was one that ran through the entire Yubas family.


    The man who had silenced the knight looked down at the messenger prostrating himself in the heavy atmosphere and smiled fiercely.


    ¡°What will you do?¡±


    ¡°I, I¡­¡±


    ¡°Will you withdraw from here, or¡­¡±


    The man stood up as he spoke. His height was twice that of an ordinary man. The imposing presence that could be called that of a giant was contained in his every step.


    The messenger trembled and bowed his head even lower. However, the man did not allow him to look away or escape. In an instant, the messenger¡¯s helmet was removed, and the man grabbed his hair and forcibly lifted his head.


    ¡°Ack, kugh.¡±


    The messenger looked ahead with tears streaming down his face from pain and fear. It was a signet ring engraved with a black lion holding a sword. Beyond it were the eyes of a beast waiting to sink its teeth into its prey.


    ¡°Will you kiss my ring now?¡±


    Kardal Orn Yubas.


    It was the name of a young lion, of a beast.

 Chapter 36

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 36


    36. Liar


    If you cast a fishing line, you must wait until it sinks before you can catch a fish.


    It was something my father, who loved fishing, used to say. As an elementary school student, I was dragged to a boring fishing spot, and every time I tried to run away, he would spank me and say that. That¡¯s why I can remember it so vividly.


    It¡¯s also the reason why I hate spicy fish stew. I eat it well when it¡¯s given to me, but usually, when my father suggests making spicy fish stew, it means it¡¯s time to go fishing, so I never eat it.


    The lesson of this story is that you have to know how to wait.


    What if my father had taken a man who enjoyed leisurely activities instead of a playful elementary school student? My father couldn¡¯t wait for me to become a man and ended up with a son who detested fishing.


    The same goes for schemes. There are times when you have to push people, and there are times when you have to leave them alone.


    The key to all strategies was doubt. When you sow doubt, you should blow on it and make it burn brightly, and once it catches fire, you should just throw in some fuel from time to time and watch it burn.


    That¡¯s why I stayed in the bishopric instead of making hasty moves. Of course, I didn¡¯t waste the time I had.


    The diocese of Irenihut, where I am staying, is nominally under the direct jurisdiction of the Holy See.


    This means that there is much more knowledge stored in the monastery than the last monastery I visited. There are also many books that can only be found here.


    Recently, my curiosity has increased, so I started digging through the archdiocese¡¯s library. And I was amazed. In the diocese, bookshelves were filled with precious treasures that even a single piece of gold could not buy.


    ¡°hahahaha, hahahaha. Prince, I don¡¯t seem to be well suited to books. I hate the stifling smell of books.¡±


    ¡°There are many people who are dissatisfied with something that is worth thousands of dollars.¡±


    ¡°Money¡­ Come to think of it, I came this far because of money.¡±


    John was grumbling, but before he knew it, he was immersed in emotion as he stared at the dimly lit wall. He must be remembering the moment that completely changed the life of John, who was just an ordinary servant.


    ¡°Later, when you go to the bar, brag to your heart¡¯s content. How many people have had as many experiences as you?¡±


    ¡°The first time I met the prince was in a prison¡­ It was a gloomy, dark place, just like here, with a stuffy smell¡­¡±


    ¡°Shish¡±


    His expression was relaxed, and it seemed like he would stay that way for a while. I looked away from John¡¯s sigh and at the books piled up on my desk. They weren¡¯t all bound books.


    Mixed in were parchment scrolls that proved their age and tree bark that had been boiled until it was soft. If handled incorrectly, they might crumble to dust. That was why my hand was so careful as it touched the book.


    I slowly opened the ancient book and placed the dictionary the bishop had given me next to it. I read the title, going over each letter in the stiff lines and squares.


    ¡°The Sordid and Sinister Gaze Towards Human Slaves ~The Unconcealable Lewd Desires of the Elven Queen?¡±


    What the hell¡­ What is this?


    Just as I was about to tear up the book in disgust, I noticed the note written in the corner of the dictionary the bishop had given me. Only after reading the note did I understand why the title of the book was like this.


    ¡°¡­I see.¡±


    In the other world, it was almost impossible for humans to read and write. Any action was carried out under strict censorship and control, making it extremely difficult to exchange knowledge.


    So the humans in the other world shared their knowledge at the risk of their lives. They hid the contents under titles so blasphemous and sacrilegious that they would be dragged away as a sacrificial offering if caught.


    This was why there were so many intense titles. Human writings were designated as forbidden books, as reading them was considered blasphemy against the ruling class of the other world. However, thanks to this, even if they were arrested, the contents could not be read because of these vulgar titles.


    The humans of that time wrote down everything they knew under titles stained with their own blood, praying for the end of the other world and the advent of humanity.


    As I learned the context, I felt my heart grow heavy.


    I had thought the titles were just vulgar, but in reality, they were filled with grim determination and desperate prayers. I couldn¡¯t help but feel respect for the humans of that time who had given up their lives like mayflies in the hope of a future without hope.


    With a solemn heart, I turned the pages of the book to read the records of that time.


    [The Elven Queen whipped the human slave and harbored an indescribable desire. If that whip were to be turned on her, what would she think?]


    -I realized that not all the records were like that.


    ***


    Fortunately, not all the books were like that.


    I skimmed through the records of the other world that had been passed down as copies of copies and learned a lot. Most of it was about what kind of god Lux Stella was, what kind of disposition he had, and when and how he had descended .


    And I also found out why the church was so vague about Lux Stella. It wasn¡¯t like I was in the Vatican or anything, and I had only looked at the books kept in the bishopric for a few days.


    Although I couldn¡¯t tell the exact year, there was a part that was mentioned in common in dozens of records.


    [There is a rumor that the elves are tired of the gods¡¯ demands for offerings and are looking for a new god. A noble and powerful god worthy of their service.]


    [The masters have begun preparing a new ritual. More of our people are being taken away. Rumors are circulating that it is a ritual for a new god.]


    [Voices of accusation are growing louder. The masters are fighting over whether or not to worship the new god.]


    There is no proper mention, but it is highly likely that the new god is Lux Stella. However, since none of Lux Stella¡¯s characteristics were mentioned, I couldn¡¯t be sure.


    After that, the story continued about the races of the other world without anything else of note. Meaningful records were as rare as a soybean in a drought. Even when they did appear, they were only one or two lines long, but if I were to summarize them, it would be like this.


    [The starlight does not answer to the masters or to us¡­]


    After searching for a long time for records related to this, I finally got the gist of it. This [new god] never revealed his true identity or name.


    Not to the races of the other world, and not to the humans who were persecuted under them and longed for the favor of the gods. It seems clear from the circumstances that the new god is Lux Stella.


    However, even the name Lux Stella is just a pseudonym that has been distorted and twisted over time. The races of the other world offered countless sacrifices to gain the favor of a powerful god whose name they did not even know, but the result was always the same.


    In the end, the new god began to be forgotten among the races of the other world. Except for one: the humans who had not received the favor of any god. Even so, it seems that the new god did not respond for a long time.


    As the estimated date of the records approached the present, the descriptions became more desperate and grim.


    [O starlight, please look down on us who have been chosen by no one.]


    [In the next town, a prayer to the new god was discovered. The masters made an example of the people who were praying. May our flesh and spirit become a burnt offering to the new god, not to their god.]


    [Can¡¯t we win the favor of the new god with our flesh and spirit?]


    And at the end of all these records, there was one refrain that was written like a chorus. It was a refrain that had definitely been added later.


    [Weak ones, praise the starlight. He wanted life for us, not sacrifices.]


    I looked at the pale cross mark left on each record and moved my gaze to the back of my hand. The wound that had been cut in the shape of a cross was dotted with drops of blood. They didn¡¯t flow down or harden into a scab.


    ¡°He still hasn¡¯t revealed his name?¡±


    If the records are correct¡­ Lux Stella seems to be very reluctant to intervene in the world.


    I¡¯m not a fan of human sacrifice, but I¡¯m extremely reluctant to step up and overturn it myself. Rather, it¡¯s extremely unusual for a human to receive the favor of Lux Stella.


    In summary, a god who is friendly to humans, but doesn¡¯t need humans.


    Knowing this fact, the parts related to the vows also come across completely differently. Lux Stella doesn¡¯t really care whether humans believe in him or not. Then what meaning do the vows have?


    I could figure it out with just a little thought.


    Honesty, temperance, diligence, evangelism, temple.


    On the surface, they appear to be commandments telling you to live a good life, but they¡¯re different when you look closely. The five vows are specialized not so much in cultivating an individual¡¯s morality, but rather¡­


    ¡°In protecting and preserving the world and human civilization.¡±


    ¡­just as Bishop Ganista said.


    I pushed aside the records I had been looking at and stood up from my seat. The bishop was looking at me with a very pleased expression.


    ¡°Why on earth did Lux Stella choose a human? What¡¯s his real name?¡±


    ¡°Kukukuku.¡±


    Inside the library, which reeked strongly of old books, Bishop Ganista¡¯s low laughter echoed through the deathly quiet space. The bishop looked at me over his dusty pince-nez and laughed for a long time.


    ¡°You said you didn¡¯t want to study, but you¡¯re doing well on your own.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Of course it¡¯s a natural question. You¡¯re curious. The reason why Lux Stella chose a human out of countless others. His true name and identity, and the protection and miracles that are bestowed on those who believe in him¡­¡±


    The end of this long introduction was.


    ¡°You can find out once you become a bishop.¡±


    It was just like when my parents told me that I could have fun once I went to university. It was something that had happened decades ago. I couldn¡¯t help but give a cynical response.


    ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t need to study to become a bishop.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true that a bishop is made when they have the Stigmata. However, just because you have the Stigmata doesn¡¯t mean that you can just carry out your duties as a bishop. There¡¯s a difference between becoming and doing.¡±


    ¡°Oh, dear.¡±


    John was a problem because he did as he said, and the bishop was a problem because he talked nonsense as soon as he opened his mouth. I decided to ignore the bishop¡¯s habit of talking nonsense rather than engage in a meaningless argument. It was better to get to the main point instead of having a pointless verbal altercation.


    ¡°By the way, why did you come all the way to the library?¡±


    ¡°I came because I was impressed that you were studying on your own. As it happens, there¡¯s a way to resolve your questions. While you¡¯ve been studying hard for the past two weeks, everything that you¡¯ve been preparing for has been completed.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    The bishop stopped smiling and looked down at me with a very serious expression.


    ¡°It¡¯s time for you to go for your miracle examination.¡±


    ***


    Two weeks had passed since Terver and the knights had escaped under cover of darkness.


    During that time, Bishop Ganista had said that they had already fled, but Yubas¡¯ army refused to believe him and continued their standoff. It was clear that they openly doubted the bishop¡¯s cooperation.


    This action further widened the gap between the church and Yubas. From a national perspective, it would have been right to exercise some restraint in their speech. However, the person currently leading the army that had arrived at Illenfoot was Cardal Orn Yubas.


    He was one of Yubas¡¯ bloodline, for whom his own advancement was more important than the position of his family. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Cardal raised the level of pressure day by day.


    Not only did he review his soldiers in front of the castle walls, but he also repeatedly announced that he would hand over the suspects, itemizing the reasons why they had come. It was a crude method, but these efforts gradually began to bear fruit.


    From time to time, Cardal would mount his horse with some of his escort troops and circle the outskirts of the bishop¡¯s castle walls, his bestial eyes glinting. Today was no different. He sneered whenever the bishop¡¯s soldiers cowered from his gaze.


    ¡°The quality of your equipment is fine, but your posture is inferior to that of our conscripts. You dare to rebel, when you wouldn¡¯t have survived without Yubas¡¯ protection.¡±


    Then a messenger approached Cardal, who had just finished circling the outskirts of the castle walls. The messenger knelt before Cardal, a single bead of cold sweat trickling down his face.


    ¡°Your Excellency, there is intelligence that the third son of Povis, who is under the bishop¡¯s protection, is about to go for his miracle examination.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    As the messenger reported, dripping with sweat, a tiny snowflake landed on Cardal¡¯s cheek. Cardal felt the snowflake melt instantly and touched its trace with a smile.


    ¡°The winter sea will be dangerous.¡±

 Chapter 37

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 37


    37. Come to Me


    Sailors are always depicted as passionate and adventurous.


    No matter where they go or what era they live in, the sea is a perilous place. Even the calmest of seas can turn rough in the blink of an eye.


    Sailors are the ones who must stand their ground on the swaying deck, with no place to escape, even from the smallest of waves. However, the sea itself is not the only danger that lurks in the ocean.


    The rough sea surface was pounded by a cold wind. One ship was struggling to sail through it. The people on board were busy carefully navigating the intricate coastline.


    Perhaps it was because they were too busy, but the unfortunate sailors did not notice the gazes watching them from the cliff above.


    ¡°The ship is departing.¡±


    A knight with prominent cheekbones spoke, looking at the departing ship. Then, the sound of heavy footsteps began to approach.


    Platinum blonde hair that reached his shoulders and sharp, beast-like eyes. It was Cardal Orn Yubas.


    Cardal stopped the guards who were following him with a gesture and looked down at the ship¡¯s deck. In most cases, it would be useless because they would be too far away.


    But that didn¡¯t matter to Cardal.


    ¡°Oculus, Conspector Oculus. Favor to the one who offers.¡±


    His beast-like eyes shone brightly, a yellowish-green. Cardal stared at the departing ship for a long time.


    After a while, Cardal turned away with a sigh mixed with fatigue.


    ¡°There are children.¡±


    ¡°If there are children.¡±


    ¡°A flimsy excuse to hide the Stigmata bearers. Shoot a signal flare to the captain. The surrounding waters are such that the birds migrate to the opposite side of the mainland in winter, so they will have to make stops along the way.¡±


    A heavy silence passed. The knight frowned and remained motionless. However, Cardal was not one to back down, not a member of the Yubas bloodline.


    ¡°If the captain involved in this is a smart fellow, he¡¯ll wait until he¡¯s a fair distance from both the islands and the mainland.¡± sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°My, why so gloomy?¡±


    Cardal silently put his hand on the shoulder of the knight who bowed his head.


    ¡°It¡¯s the work of pirates. The sea is a dangerous place anyway.¡±


    With those words, Cardal mounted his saddle, along with his guards. Only one person, the knight who had been looking at the ship, remained silently, facing the sea wind.


    Cardal sighed and began to comfort him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t pity them because they¡¯re young, old, women, or weak. We are at war.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°There is no absolution in war.¡±


    Only then did the knight stop wandering. The knight realized that there was no one who deserved to die.


    But there were those who had to live.


    ***


    A medieval-like world where everything feels lacking. There is one thing that is particularly important here.


    From Noble mtl dot com


    I¡¯m not talking about religious relics or food. It was a build-up for an item that is more practical and used in a wider variety of places. An important item in this world as well.


    It was the map.


    Bishop Ganista spread the leather-bound scroll on the desk and began to explain it point by point. There was no sign of anyone around. A properly marked map was like this.


    The map was something that even the most loyal servant would not dare to look at.


    ¡°The Archipelago in the morning consists of three islands inhabited by the majority of humans. And four of the five duchies are located in the southwest of the archipelago, on the largest piece of land, the Sea Stag Island.¡±


    People gave different names to the island based on its size.


    In fact, the center of the system was called the Sea Crescent, the influence of the five dukedoms was strong in the Moon Crescent, and the influence of the Church was the weakest in the Star Crescent.


    The rest of the small islands were roughly grouped together as the Broken Archipelago.


    ¡°The place we need to keep an eye on here is the Sea Crescent Island, especially the ones that are a short distance from the mainland.¡±


    Following the bishop¡¯s finger, I looked at the map and quickly realized an important fact.


    ¡°The marked cities all have something in common. They are close to the mainland.¡±


    Most of the cities on the Dawn Islands developed along the southwestern coastline. Of course, that doesn¡¯t mean that all cities are in the southwest. There were a few cities that were formed along large rivers.


    The problem was that most of these lands, like Altolan, were in the territory of Yubas. The Principality of Powys, where I was born and raised, was squeezed to the west by the power of Yubas.


    The Bishop seemed to read my worried expression and groan with a grave expression.


    ¡°The Dawn Islands received military support very late due to their characteristic as islands and the remnants of scattered pagans. As a result, they have lost a significant part of the legacy of the Human Kingdom in the past, so they had no choice but to rely on the support of the mainland, especially the Holy City.¡±


    ¡°The legacy of the Human Kingdom?¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but ask a question without thinking. It had been 500 years since the faith of Lux Stella had taken a dominant position in the Dawn Islands. And as far as the body¡¯s owner remembers, there had never been a kingdom in this land.


    The Bishop, hearing my remark, smiled bitterly and pointed to the empty part of the map, the eastern part where there were no other markings.


    ¡°1208 years ago, when Lux Stella answered, uprisings of our humans took place all over the world. The place where Lux Stella first answered is now the Holy City, Idea. The rulers of Ise tried their best to suppress the Holy City, but as a result, they lost control of the provinces.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    ¡°Seizing that opportunity, some heroic humans led uprisings even in places where the light of Lux Stella had not reached. The people of that time, who did not yet know Lux Stella, often deified their leaders. Of course, the Church later embraced local beliefs by honoring them as saints.¡±


    When he said this, the Bishop, who always had a mischievous smile, sighed for the first time.


    ¡°However, the Dawn Islands are the only exception. It is clear that a human kingdom existed before the light of Lux Stella reached there¡­ 600 years ago, the kingdom of the Dawn Islands was destroyed by the remnants of pagans and the invasion of pagans from across the sea. Without leaving any proper records.¡±


    After hearing this, I noticed a contradiction. Let¡¯s say that the leaders who led the uprisings against the races of Ise are today¡¯s saints.


    Unfortunately, the human kingdom that existed in the Dawn Islands was destroyed before the Church arrived and did not leave any proper records. However, there is a local saint in the Dawn Islands, Saint Illenio.


    I wondered how such a contradiction arose.


    ¡°Then what is Saint Illenio? He must not have been the leader of the uprising.¡±


    ¡°hehehehe. Saint Illenio was the one who led the remnants of the destroyed kingdom at the time when the demons of humanity were in place.¡±


    According to the scriptures, Saint Illenio received the revelation of Lux Stella and led the remnants here. In return for refusing to serve the old gods of Ise, he suffered from terrible diseases.


    Nevertheless, Saint Illenio safely led the remnants here and was able to meet the expeditionary force from the mainland that had just landed. At that moment, Saint Illenio is said to have breathed his last, knowing that his mission was over.


    The last destination where Saint Illenio led the remnants and where he breathed his last. This was the reason why the place was named Illenfoot.


    What a religious and touching story.


    However, what I had to read from this part was not about Saint Illenio¡¯s noble sacrifice, but something else. It was the part about the expeditionary force from the mainland landing. I looked at Illenfoot marked on the map and found its true meaning.


    ¡°Illenfoot is an excellent place as a landing point. It is located in a bay, making it easy to protect ships even in rough seas, and there is a river nearby, so the supply of drinking water is smooth. If you have proper defenses , you can hold out for a long time.¡±


    If you just look at the shortest distance, there are cities with better locations. However, Illenfoot was located in the southwest, close to the mainland, and it was not a swamp, but a natural stronghold with solid ground, clean fresh water, and a bay.


    Even Yubas, who had been sucking honey in cooperation with the Church, could not easily give it up.


    I could guess how the conflict over the right of investment between Yubas and the Church was triggered. Among the many complex factors, there would be the strategic value of the Illenfoot Bishopric.


    If Yubas truly wished to establish an independent and powerful kingdom¡­ Illenfoot was a place that could never be given to the Papacy.


    ¡°The main body is actually a port located to the south, and this place, where the cathedral is located, is an outpost to block secular troops coming from the land.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    ¡°Somehow, I thought Yubas was going too far. Isn¡¯t it too much?¡±


    I didn¡¯t like Yubas, but I was beginning to understand them a little. The Papacy was not completely innocent, but it seemed to have grabbed Illenfoot as a kind of insurance, which must have seemed to Yubas like an opportunity for the lords of the mainland to intervene at any time.


    I said it as if I had stimulated too much and caused division.


    ¡°hehehehe¡­ Your Highness, what would have happened if Illenfoot had been handed over? The Papacy would have been helpless and would have become a lackey of Yubas.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    ¡°Look at Yubas right now. Secular lords are always likely to apostatize for immediate gain. His Holiness is not trying to reclaim the right of investiture simply out of a lust for power. It is only because the clergy, who serve only Lux Stella, remain in an inviolable realm, free from secular interests, that they can support the most important strongholds and protect humanity.¡±


    Now that things have come to this, in retrospect, I think it was the right decision to grab hold of Illenfoot. As the papacy would have been far more lethal had I been betrayed, it was only right to secure some form of insurance.


    Bishop Ganista, who spoke on behalf of the papacy, was not entirely wrong. Yubas has indeed apostatized, and there is no guarantee that other lords won¡¯t do the same. From the papacy¡¯s perspective, only the anointed saintly lords are safe from the threat of apostasy.


    Perhaps this is the reason why the papacy, which emphasizes the protection of humanity, and Yubas, who desires to build a powerful nation, have clashed.


    After considering all of this, I lifted my head slightly and looked at the bishop.


    ¡°In any case, I understand that Illenfoot is a truly important place for the Church, both religiously and militarily.¡±


    ¡°As expected of the prince. I was impressed just now.¡±


    ¡°So.¡±


    ¡°So¡­?¡±


    It would be disrespectful to just gloss over it. I rubbed my hands together and chuckled.


    ¡°Would it be possible for the Miracle Investigation Unit, which reports directly to the papacy, to come to this significant place?¡±

 Chapter 38

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 38


    38. Don¡¯t Do It Alone


    When do we feel the tedium of time?


    I felt the years I had lived pass by while I was on the rattling subway. I was sitting in a seat, my head drooping like a wilted bean sprout, when I suddenly realized something. As a child, I used to look out the window , eager to see even the dark underground scenery.


    I started playing the game because I wanted to regain that sense of freedom and emotion, but at some point, I seemed to have forgotten even the reason I started.


    Far from being carefree, I was obsessed with efficiency and expansion, as if someone was chasing me, trying to kill me. Even though I had the intention of healing myself, I ended up racking my brains, wondering who I should kill.


    It¡¯s the same now. Even though I¡¯m going through an experience that most people would find difficult, I haven¡¯t looked around me much. There¡¯s a lot to feel in many ways.


    For the first time in a long time, I turned my gaze to the side instead of forward.


    Towards the plains that belonged to the Illenfoot bishopric.


    Illenfoot¡¯s plains were surrounded by gentle hills, giving them a relatively open feel. It was much better than a country surrounded by mountains. The plains were dotted with natural landscapes that had been less touched by human hands, reminiscent of a village in a fairy tale .


    The sky was clear and blue, and the sunlight shone brightly, illuminating the swaying ears of wheat.


    In the middle, a large river flowed across the plains, and willow and elm trees lined the banks. The water, which seemed too clear to be true, was so transparent that one could clearly see the sand, gravel, and small stones at the bottom.


    In addition, green weeds and wildflowers filled the surroundings, creating a simple but beautiful flower garden.


    Of course, for farmers, they would be nothing but pests. In the midst of the lush nature, they would be like enemies to farmers who worked hard with sickles and plows.


    Strictly speaking, this plain was an area where human hands had touched more. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Cows swished their tails and grazed on the grass, men pulled weeds from the fields and tilled the soil with plows, and women gathered fallen fruit from the trees.


    It was a truly idyllic and peaceful scene.


    ¡°Your Highness, I think it¡¯s time to get back in the carriage.¡±


    I wanted to continue walking on foot and enjoy it all. John¡¯s voice, which had always been funny or pathetic, was approaching me for the first time with a cold and sharp edge.


    ¡°Can¡¯t we just ride the horses all the way?¡±


    ¡°There are no more horses to change to. They said the horses had to take it easy.¡±


    There is one thing that shocked me the most about living in this medieval world. Horses have less stamina than you might think. To be precise, there is a significant difference in performance depending on the breed and bloodline.


    Of course, expensive and good horses are fast and can go for a long time, but most horses can¡¯t run for long. They often get tired even from carrying a person on their backs and walking slowly, so they have to be rotated in shifts of two.


    In the end, it was much more economical to have two horses pull a carriage that could carry several people than to have two horses rotate to transport one person. This is easy for anyone to understand.


    So what¡¯s the problem?


    The answer lies in the fact that the carriages in this world are of a very low standard. They creak and rattle, and there aren¡¯t even any paved roads. Even if you try to endure it, the cocktail made in your stomach often spills out.


    I couldn¡¯t help but complain about this terrible road environment.


    ¡°What kind of carriage is this that shakes so much? Even an earthquake would be gentler than this.¡±


    ¡°Your Highness. If you say such things in front of people who have blisters on their feet from walking, they will beat you with a hoe.¡±


    John couldn¡¯t hold back his grumbling any longer and looked at me with a sullen expression, so I ended up hitting him.


    That¡¯s because I suddenly realized why the lower class people were so desperate to kill the upper class people. I was asking if I couldn¡¯t ride a horse because I got motion sickness even riding in a carriage, but for most people, there was no other way than to walk.


    To people who are always on their feet, I must seem like a rich kid who complains about sore buttocks even when riding in a carriage.


    However, I had my reasons to complain.


    Whether it was the Middle Ages or a medieval-like fantasy world, what was I supposed to do with such primitive and unpleasant conditions? Even if I were to brag about cutlery in the Middle Ages, it was all the same to a modern person who was used to buses zooming along paved roads and trains arriving at stations every five minutes.


    I gasped heavily, unable to express my grievances, and then got up.


    ¡°I¡¯ll endure it for just one day. I just have to hold on for one day.¡±


    ¡°Oh dear. I wish Your Grace could just stay in a carriage for the rest of your life. I¡¯ve come to realize how composed you are, Your Grace, all thanks to the carriage.¡±


    And what John, who was chattering like a magpie, needed to feel was the weight of the horse.


    A moment later, when he got on the carriage, John was rubbing his swollen lips while shedding a few tears. The bishop, John seeing, raised his eyebrows as he closed his shoulder mantle.


    ¡°I believe that young man has been bitten by a bee.¡±


    ¡°I bit my own tongue. More importantly, Bishop, do I really have to go all the way to the port?¡±


    That¡¯s right. I had no intention of crossing the sea just to have my miracles examined.


    I didn¡¯t dislike the Church¡¯s judgment that they would publicize the fact that my stigmata had manifested to add to my authority. It was just that the sea was so unpredictable that plans could easily go awry.


    Unless one had memorized the surrounding coastline as thoroughly as Admiral Yi Sun-sin, the pride of South Korea and a man who had never lost a battle, one should not venture out recklessly. Furthermore, if pirates existed even in the modern 21st century, what would this world be like?


    Even without pirates, there were plenty of problems. Those who romanticize sailing, especially old-fashioned sailing, should come to their senses.


    Life on board a ship is a closed society created by sailors who have no way to communicate with the mainland due to limited communication technology, who are forced to endure a poor and meager diet, and who have been driven to the brink of despair.


    It¡¯s ridiculous to think of washing one¡¯s body with precious drinking water, and one had to close one¡¯s eyes and eat wormy hardtack as if it were meat. If enduring such a life makes one a real man, then I¡¯ll just have to be a sissy.


    I¡¯m already having a hard time riding in a carriage, and I didn¡¯t think I could endure such a harsh and brutal life. Romance is only romantic if I can accept it; the moment it becomes forced, it¡¯s nothing but absurdity.


    This was the reason why I had memorized the historical and religious significance of the Isle of Elenfoot and requested special dispensation from the Vatican.


    Fortunately, the Vatican, after much deliberation, including the threat from Yubas, which I had modestly mentioned, granted me special dispensation. However, it came with one condition that they would never compromise on.


    According to Bishop Ganista, the Vatican¡¯s moderate, it was this:


    ¡°Since Your Grace has persuaded us with religious significance, the Vatican also wishes to emphasize religious significance even more. Saint Ilenio breathed his last in that southern port, you see.¡±


    Oh, just get to the point. I leaned back against the seat, my appetite returning. It seemed that the Vatican was being more meticulous than I had imagined. Well, that¡¯s why secular rulers would declare independence at the drop of a hat.


    Still, it wasn¡¯t all bad. The bishop, seeing my lukewarm response, began to unpack his news one by one, like a trying grandfather to appease his grandson.


    ¡°Speaking of the port, I heard that a few days ago, a warship was spotted following the ship we sent out earlier. It seems to have taken the bait.¡±


    The carriage had yet to depart. The attendants who were assisting the party were grumbling as they organized themselves.


    Thanks to this, I was able to organize my thoughts with a relaxed mind and a clear head.


    The sea that I had been aiming for. I had widely publicized when the miracle examination would take place, but I had deliberately kept the fact that the Vatican had granted me special dispensation a secret. This was a measure to prevent Yubas, who had its own navy, from blockading the coast.


    However, one thing that worried me was whether Yubas was really that gullible.


    ¡°How long will it take for the enemy to notice the bait?¡±


    ¡°They won¡¯t notice it easily. I have my own countermeasures in place. Yubas will definitely attack.¡±


    Bishop Ganista said with a satisfied smile, but the content was quite gruesome. I couldn¡¯t hide my trembling heart as I pointed out a few facts.


    ¡°They don¡¯t necessarily have to attack. It¡¯s enough to divert the enemy¡¯s attention to some extent. They¡¯ll notice it after they attack anyway, so why would they risk unnecessary casualties?¡±


    ¡°hahahaha.¡±


    The bishop responded to my objection with a laugh that contained complex emotions. It was such a strange tone that some might have felt mocked, while others might have felt extremely pleased and satisfied.


    The bishop laughed for a long time before finally folding his hands together in a serious and pious manner.


    ¡°If we do, we must achieve the best possible outcome. If Yubas disguises itself as pirates and attacks the bait, even the miracle examination subjects will not be safe. The Vatican will be able to mobilize the surrounding lords, knights, and religious orders under the pretext that Yubas¡¯ naval patrols are insufficient. It may not be much now, but it will lay the foundation.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    ¡°If that happens, it will be enough to fortify the major crossroads and coastlines in the future, even if it falls short of Yubas¡¯ proud army.¡±


    Our Vatican seems to have thought of everything. Mostly in a sinister way.


    Logically speaking, it was an idea with no downsides. However, it seemed that the Vatican and I had slightly different playstyles. I could kill, but there was a clear difference in our motives for killing and the results we sought from killing.


    The Vatican was using gradual attrition to slowly strangle their opponents to death.


    On the other hand, I, who had been playing [Fantasy Monarch], sought a shocking and swift assassination so that the enemy would be unable to prepare. The reason for this difference was simple.


    I crossed my arms and pointed out the parts that Bishop Ganista was trying to cover up.


    ¡°Rather than tarnishing his reputation by building up a pretext like that, it would be better to reveal that Yubas had committed apostasy at the right time after establishing a sect, and then excommunicate him. It would collapse on its own.¡±


    ¡°¡­Heh heh.¡±


    ¡°Your Holiness, it seems that you want to avoid Yubas¡¯ authority from collapsing completely.¡±


    The Vatican tended to work to consume others as completely as possible.


    I was the opposite. I tended to break things down into small pieces, chew them thoroughly, and swallow them one piece at a time so that they were easy to digest. John was cowering in the increasingly tense atmosphere when suddenly¡­


    One of the servants who had been bustling around outside approached the carriage.


    ¡°Everyone is ready. Master, is it okay to depart?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    I stared at Bishop Ganista for a while without looking away.


    ¡°From now on, I would like us to be open with each other and not do anything independently.¡±


    ¡°It seems that Your Grace is very upset. I will do as you say. After all, I cannot trifle with the heart of a valuable person like Your Grace.¡±


    It seemed that he didn¡¯t believe me just because I said it. The bishop raised the back of his hand, showing me his stigmata.


    Only then was I able to stop being annoyed. Nylon believers in this era lived carelessly, but real priests were different. I didn¡¯t know about anything else, but the words spoken while showing the stigmata were as good as a promise.


    After all, it would be like lying to his own faith.


    ***


    The raid was textbook.


    Two days since the pursuit began.


    As the land remained on the horizon, grappling hooks were thrown at a ship that was inexperienced and had its feet tied by the sea currents. Planks for boarding were placed between the ships, and blades were drawn from their sheaths.


    The close-quarters combat on the ship was overwhelming.


    The attacked ship fought back, mobilizing even the laborers due to a shortage of sailors, but their opponents were Yubas. Yubas¡¯ sailors were an elite force that had defeated pagan pirates as companions of the church, taking the place of the weak four duchies.


    From Noble mtl dot com


    Yubas¡¯ sailors cleared the deck of everything, even tearing apart the screams. And when even the panting breaths had stopped, the boys who had been hiding inside the ship were dragged out onto the deck, wailing.


    ¡°Ugh, ow. Oh, Mom.¡±


    ¡°P-Please spare me.¡±


    The boys begged for mercy from the sailors surrounding them, but it was no use. The eyes of the sailors looking at the boys had been dull for a long time, and the gaze of the captain leading them was as cold as ice.


    Finally, when the last boy had been dragged out, one of the sailors spoke.


    ¡°Eight prisoners. None of them look like nobles or have the demeanor of knights.¡±


    ¡°Stigmata?¡±


    ¡°They all have cross-shaped scars on the backs of their hands. It seems that the sailors cut them with knives every day to prevent them from healing.¡±


    Everything was clear. It would be foolish not to notice.


    The captain pulled down the brim of his hat to cover his eyes.


    ¡®Bait.¡¯


    The unstable political situation on the islands and the repeated invasions by raiders created poor drifters in the morning. Many people sold their children in order to a piece of land or a loaf of bread to satisfy their hunger.


    Eight unrelated boys could be supplied at any time. In this world, the captain was a relatively conscientious and compassionate man.


    ¡°Captain.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    After thinking for a moment, he slowly turned and instructed his subordinates.


    ¡°Kill him in one blow. Don¡¯t let him suffer for too long.¡±

 Chapter 39

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 39


    39. The Miracle Screening Committee


    We spent the whole day swaying in the carriage, which was more bumpy than a rice tub.


    By the time I had finally lost the energy to even heave, I heard some welcome news as I lay there feebly moaning. Bishop Ganista spoke to me in a slightly hushed voice.


    ¡°Your Highness, are you still sleeping? We¡¯ve just passed the city gates.¡±


    ¡°¡­We¡¯ve arrived?¡±


    ¡°Yes. This is the holy land where Saint Illenio breathed his last. Some people who want to define the area more precisely call it the Toe of Saint Illenio. We¡¯ll be at our lodgings soon, so please bear with us a little longer .¡±


    True to his words, the carriage stopped before long. As soon as it did, there was a series of long sighs and groans. It seemed the servants and retainers outside were just as exhausted.


    It took the servants a while to attend to us inside the carriage.


    Knock, knock, knock.


    ¡°Bishop, and milady. We have almost finished unloading your luggage.¡±


    The occupants of the carriage reacted to these words in their own ways.


    ¡°His Highness seems to be feeling unwell. Prepare a beverage to soothe his stomach.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir. We have some fruit in the making.¡±


    Bishop Ganista gave separate instructions, observing my complexion.


    ¡°¡­Don¡¯t bother.¡±


    I waved my hand, trying to save face, but I couldn¡¯t help but smile.


    ¡°Your Highness, may I have a sip too?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    John, who had been keeping quiet until then, licked his dry lips with his tongue.


    In the past, I would have hit him, but that was impossible now. I didn¡¯t even have the energy to wave him away. I nodded vaguely, indicating that he could do as he pleased, and got out of the carriage.


    Finally, I was outside. The first thing I did was inhale with all my might.


    ¡°Mmm. This refreshing, comforting atmosphere. It¡¯s definitely different from the stuffy, unpleasant air inside that cramped carriage.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me, Your Highness. The carriage has windows that open wide.¡±


    ¡°How can looking at each other through bars compare to experiencing it firsthand with your own two arms and legs?¡±


    As I listened to John¡¯s quip, a proverb came to mind.


    How can a sparrow the size of a millet seed understand the aspirations of a great roc? It was something a friend who used to put ten million won in a piggy bank often said. He was a true scholar, carrying the Analects under his arm and studying the words of the ancient sages.


    In the end, that kid threw away the Analects as soon as he lost his money, but his words were so precious that they stayed with me.


    However, the most important thing about words is ultimately the listener. John tilted his head with a blank expression, not understanding what I was saying. I was the fool for trying to make him understand with vocabulary and metaphors that were beyond his comprehension.


    ¡°Ugh. Never mind. When you bring the fruit water, bring three cups.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me? Why three cups?¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to drink, bring two.¡±


    It¡¯s enough for a first-class swordsman to suffer from a single bite. When I asked why he didn¡¯t just finish it off instead of taking a single bite, the answer I got so grim that I shut my mouth.


    I still vividly remember the servant¡¯s grim expression as he explained the reasons in detail.


    ¡®Do not underestimate those who attempt to poison by ingestion. There are already numerous cases where people have avoided the initial stage by applying poison only to the most delicious parts or by contaminating the utensils.¡¯


    Even when I was king, it wasn¡¯t safe to just take a bite. There were frequent cases of even the food-tasting servants being bribed, so those bastards would eat the good parts and leave me the bad, and I would be done for as soon as I opened my mouth.


    The first-bite rule was an extreme measure that meant being prepared to die yourself if you were going to kill someone. It¡¯s something I regret now.


    I should have just eaten the good food since the country was going to fall anyway¡­.


    As soon as I thought that, something started to bubble up inside me.


    ¡°John, if you dare to touch my cup with your lips to take even a single sip, there will be no mercy.¡±


    ¡°Oh my, of course! Three cups! I¡¯ll bring you three cups, exactly!¡±


    ***


    The next day, I took John out for sightseeing.


    The toe of Saint Illenio was not so much a tranquil countryside as a moderately complex tourist city.


    Starting with the narrow streets lined with shops and the bustling market where people came and went. It was full of merchants who were enthusiastic about soliciting customers, as if everyone lived there.


    ¡°Adult toenail powder made by grinding the toenails of Saint Illenio! A mysterious item with the miraculous effect of driving away misfortune and repelling curses!¡±


    ¡°The frost that was created when the last breath that Saint Illenio exhaled met the winter cold and frozen¡­ ¡­The water that melted it! I¡¯m selling it for two silver coins now!¡±


    ¡°This is the rosary that Saint Illenio gave to our ancestors. We are happy enough to give it to someone else, so please bring me exactly one silver coin, no more and no less.¡±


    Walking around this street with John, I came to one conclusion.


    ¡°Everything in the world is the same.¡±


    Wherever a famous person in the region, it seems to be the nature of merchants to disguise all sorts of things and sell them. Even though it was a street full of obvious swindlers, innocent people who didn¡¯t know anything would often open their wallets.


    ¡°Master, this is Saint Illenio¡¯s toenail powder. If I sprinkle it on my head, won¡¯t it block the evil devil who is taking my hair?!¡±


    Like the innocent person right next to me. I was about to say that it was all a lie, but I stopped.


    The merchants in the street are just trying to make a living, and John is just doing it out of desperation. After much deliberation, I chose a way to respect each other¡¯s honor and livelihood.


    ¡°Asla. Your hair loss is not the work of the devil, but the fate that Lux Stella has given you.¡±


    ¡°Master¡­ aren¡¯t you being too harsh?¡±


    I didn¡¯t say anything to John¡¯s whimpering sigh and just kept walking.


    The toe of Saint Illenio.


    From this market to the pier, it was a small but bustling and lively place. It was full of porters moving goods, sailors unloading cargo, merchants shouting loudly, and pilgrims looking around in wonder. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    There were about twenty ships of moderate size moored at the pier. Around them were pubs, inns, and women who sometimes let out strange laughter.


    Sailors often headed there as if it were natural.


    ¡°I heard there¡¯s a gambling den nearby. Let¡¯s go there. Okay?¡±


    ¡°Oh, if you say such things in the Holy Land, the priests will scold you. Call it a game of chance or an exchange of money.¡±


    ¡°Damn it. What the hell is that?¡±


    ¡°Kuk, that¡¯s what those stuffy priests are like.¡±


    ¡°What fun do priests have? They can¡¯t drink as they please, and they can¡¯t even¡­ ouch? They can¡¯t even do it.¡±


    ¡°You bastard. Just go to the pub quietly.¡±


    It¡¯s familiar to see each other nagging and making a fuss. However, not everyone took such behavior for granted. There were also those who raised their voices, criticizing the sailors who were walking in groups.


    ¡°Hey, you cursed bastards! You¡¯re whoring on this sacred and meaningful land where Saint Illenio gave his life to lead the refugees!¡±


    ¡°Drive out the whores and drunks!¡±


    When I turned my head towards the sound, there was a group that was protesting, except they didn¡¯t have any pickets. They were pointing at the street of pleasure with their faces flushed red and their necks full of blood.


    It wasn¡¯t just the zealous fanatics who had gathered. A new group had entered the situation, which was on the verge of breaking out into a fight.


    ¡°Mumble mumble mumble¡­ Lux Stella¡­ May you be praised¡­¡±


    ¡°The deeds of Saint Illenio¡­ Oh, the starlight of grace¡­¡±


    Pilgrims in black robes walked around the streets with their hoods pulled down, rolling their rosaries. They literally parted the sea between the fanatics and the sailors.


    Then, the fanatics who were about to rush in and the sailors who were thinking of going to the pub quietly turned their eyes away, overwhelmed by the real madness.


    After watching this, I turned my head without thinking. John did the same. John and I were facing each other without realizing it.


    ¡°Master, I¡¯m an ignorant man, so I didn¡¯t know that the Holy Land would be like this. Am I lacking?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I am too.¡±


    The real Holy Land was a little further away from the downtown area.


    On a hill with a clear view of the sea, a wilted wreath was laid beneath a monument inscribed with an epitaph.


    I had followed the narrow path wound that along the coastline, and despite the slightly chilly weather, it didn¡¯t feel desolate because wildflowers still remained.


    There were also no pilgrims in somber black robes, making the atmosphere even less gloomy.


    ¡°We came at a good time. John, if you have a prayer, say it now.¡±


    ¡°Saint Illenio¡­ please take pity on me and ask Lux Stella to take this cruel fate away¡­¡±


    I almost made a sarcastic remark, but I couldn¡¯t bring myself to speak as I listened to John¡¯s earnest and desperate prayer.


    ¡°Why have you even taken a single strand of my hair¡­¡±


    A person is not at their most desperate when they have nothing. They are at their most desperate when they have little. Perhaps that was the case with John.


    However, it seemed that John had the wrong person. I was certain of this after looking at the relief on the monument depicting Saint Illenio during his lifetime.


    ¡­Saint Illenio was bald.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    I turned away from John, who was making an impossible plea, and read the inscription on the monument.


    [Saint Illenio, who resisted the sweet temptations offered by the demons of mankind and led the remnants of the fallen kingdom to Lux Stella. His body suffered from illness due to the curse of the demons, but his soul was taken under the pure light.


    However, his heart still remains on this earth.


    He breathed his last with the fragments of the shattered kingdom, before the starlight could reach him.]


    It wasn¡¯t a metaphor hiding some kind of meaning. The starlight was probably Lux Stella, and the fragments were probably the remnants of the kingdom. I looked away from the inscription, feeling somewhat disappointed.


    At that moment, a ship sailing in from the horizon with the wind in its sails entered my view.


    It might have just been a ship coming to dock. But my instincts were screaming that it was no ordinary ship.


    ¡°John, that¡¯s enough sightseeing. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ***


    When we returned to the pier via the path we came, the bustling atmosphere from before had completely disappeared.


    The fanatics who had been preaching and the sailors who had been mocking the priests were all now cowering with faces drained of color. The reason for this was at the pier.


    The ship that had just sailed in with the wind was docked. And it was proudly flying a flag that had been furled until it was ready to dock.


    A white background with gold trim, and the emblem of a blue cross in the center.


    Although I had never seen it in person, I had seen something similar, so it was easy to recall.


    ¡°The Holy See.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°The Inquisition.¡±


    I didn¡¯t have time to answer John¡¯s question in detail. The Inquisition quickly disembarked from the ship, overwhelming the entire holy land. They wore black robes like the pilgrims, but there was something different about their quality.


    All the members of the Inquisition wore thin, gold-trimmed black shoulder capes, and they had straight swords at their waists.


    As soon as they got off the ship and onto the pier, they looked at the revelers who had set up shop and began to click their tongues.


    ¡°How dare you.¡±


    ¡°Brother, this is where the remnants of the pagans still remain. You can¡¯t help but have this kind of atmosphere.¡±


    The Inquisition, as expected of those directly under the Holy See, were incredibly arrogant.

 Chapter 40

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 40


    40. Returning After Gaining Prestige


    The Inquisition¡¯s unexpected appearance sent shockwaves through the holy land.


    Anyone could see that they were high-ranking and intimidating, wearing gold-trimmed black shoulder capes and swords. They walked in formation, their eyes more chilling than the tips of their swords, suppressing all dissenting voices.


    ¡°Saint Illenio¡¯s toenail powder? If what you¡¯re selling is real, your entire family will be charged with heresy for damaging holy relics.¡±


    ¡°Oh no, how could that be! This is my toenail powder!¡±


    ¡°I accuse you of counterfeiting holy relics.¡±


    The local guards didn¡¯t even show up. The priests in black shoulder mantles with gold borders smashed every stall with their swords like clubs. They smashed them so neatly that the stalls were reduced to tinder.


    The merchants could only sit down blankly, unable to cry. There was one fortunate thing, however. The merchant wasn¡¯t the only one who had suddenly suffered a calamity.


    ¡°A prostitute working in broad daylight? Have you lost all shame?¡±


    ¡°A prostitute?! I¡¯m just waiting for a wonderful encounter¡­!¡± Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Shhh, shush! hehehe. This girl is still wet behind the ears. So much so that she doesn¡¯t know the Holy See elders.¡±


    ¡°Take her away, pimp. Keep it clean, at least until the sun rises.¡±


    As everyone was running away in a panic, the only ones who resisted were the sailors who were about to solicit a woman. The sailors swallowed hard and tried to bluff their way through it.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you priests being too much?¡±


    ¡°Not only have these unsworn bastards set foot in the Holy Land without permission, but they¡¯re also frequenting brothels¡­¡±


    The problem was that the Miracle Inquisition was extremely angry.


    ¡°We consider such righteous speech and wicked nature as blasphemy.¡±


    Their wicked nature and copper-colored flesh, hardened by harsh sea work, were of no use before the Inquisition. The priests of the Inquisition didn¡¯t even draw their swords and began to beat them with the scabbards.


    Their ruthlessness made my teeth chatter. The sailors were beaten more painfully than I was when I was beaten with a broom handle for writing 30 days¡¯ worth of vacation homework on a single sheet of paper back in middle school.


    ¡°I¡­ I was wrong¡­ Please don¡¯t hit my tailbone¡­¡±


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    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. It¡¯s the fault of your lower body, which makes you have wicked thoughts even in the Holy Land.¡±


    ¡°No¡­ It¡¯s my fault¡­ It¡¯s because I¡¯m bad¡­ Sob¡­¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯ll take the beating?¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes! I¡¯ll take it!¡±


    ¡°Lux Stella, the starlight of humanity. Guide this man with your teachings.¡±


    I watched in real time as a human being was turned into a rag. The Inquisition only looked satisfied after they had turned the fierce sailors into tatters.


    They seemed very satisfied with the Holy Land, where the hustle and bustle of a moment ago had completely disappeared. The Inquisition looked around at the silent streets filled with fear and terror and even smiled.


    ¡°Now it feels a bit like the Holy Land.¡±


    ¡°Brother, our mission is the Miracle Inquisition. Let¡¯s recall His Holiness¡¯s words that we can¡¯t go around beating up every single one of these guys.¡±


    ¡°Even so, we can¡¯t conduct the Miracle Inquisition in a place where brothels and swindlers rule. My greatest concession was not to evict them all.¡±


    ¡°That¡­ makes sense.¡±


    The Inquisition smiled for a while and then suddenly turned around. Towards where John and I were standing, watching blankly. I turned my head, wondering if there was someone behind me, but there was no one.


    The people had quickly dispersed as soon as the Inquisition had looked their way. That¡¯s when I realized that the Inquisition was looking at me.


    ¡°Narva Orn Streghos Gleliov Povis.¡±


    The one who had sighed as soon as we arrived at the Holy Land spoke first.


    ¡°Are you the subject of the Inquisition?¡±


    The one who had quietly stopped him from speaking continued.


    The other priests stood silently behind these two, looking on. It was clear that there was some kind of hierarchy. I turned my gaze and looked at the two men, then slowly silent.


    ¡°Yes. I am the Stigmata bearer.¡±


    ***


    Until the Miracle Inquisition arrived, the time had passed relatively slowly and calmly.


    I would get a little nauseous looking at the scenery outside, and I would slowly kill time by chatting idly with John. You can¡¯t always be in a hurry, so you need time to relax.


    However, my time began to pass quickly again as soon as the Inquisition arrived.


    ¡°The subject of the Inquisition, please raise both your hands and show us your Stigmata.¡±


    The one who spoke in front of the monument to Saint Illenio was the priest with the quiet voice.


    He introduced himself as Marcellolanda, the deputy head of the Miracle Inquisition.


    He had a calm demeanor with curly, frizzy hair and thin lips. As I raised the back of my hand, Marcello began mumbling, propping up his chin.


    ¡°Both hands are consistent in shape. There are no noticeable calluses or anemia caused by continuous whittling. The stigmata are also clearly visible.¡±


    The one who received these words was the priest in the Holy Land uniform, the leader of the Miracle Examination Team, Chief Bonichego.


    He placed a thick book on a reading stand brought from the ship and moved his quill pen incessantly.


    ¡°First pass. Next.¡±


    ¡°I will verify if this is the power of heresy with holy relics.¡±


    Marcello rummaged through the boxes he had brought and took out a cross-shaped necklace. The other priests surrounded me in a circle, as if embracing me, but I suddenly realized why.


    The Miracle Examination Team is the one who checks whether it is a miracle of Lux Stella or not. And if the old gods of heresy are confirmed to have intervened during the examination, they immediately transform into executioners.


    As if to prove this hypothesis, the priests put their hands on the hilts of their swords and watched in silence. Marcello recited a prayer in this murderous atmosphere.


    ¡°Lux Stella, the starlight of mankind. Please drive the heresy into the twilight.¡±


    Then, the cross-shaped necklace in Marcello¡¯s hand gleamed bright blue. Just like Sertel had shown me before. But not everything was the same as then.


    The moment the cross-shaped necklace glowed, the stigmata on the back of my hand also began to glow bright blue.


    Marcello immediately put away the cross-shaped necklace and declared in a solemn voice.


    ¡°There is no intervention of heresy. As a result of the examination, the Blue Cross is confirmed. ¡­Stigmata.¡±


    At these words, the attitude of the Examination Team completely changed.


    The murderous gazes seemed to subside, and one by one, they removed their hands from the hilts of their swords. Those who had surrounded me in a circle, ready to execute me at any moment, knelt down and revered me.


    The priests of the Examination Team knelt down moving in unison, bowed their heads at the same time, and held onto the cross-shaped necklaces around their necks. Chief Bonichego, who had been his quill pen busily, and Marcello, who had led the examination, were no exception.


    The arrogant and haughty attitude they had shown at the pier had completely disappeared. Chief Bonichego spoke in an earnest voice.


    ¡°We welcome the living witness of Lux Stella.¡±


    I felt a sense of satisfaction without realizing it, but I also felt mischievous. The stigma manifested when the vow was properly fulfilled. It is very rare, but it is not extremely rare, but what about the priests in front of me?


    So I asked a slightly pointed question.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you priests have stigmata?¡±


    ¡°Please take back your words. It is difficult to compare with those who will soon take up the post.¡±


    ¡°Post?¡±


    It was a question I asked without much thought because the answer came out much more smoothly than I expected. However, at that moment, I saw Bonichego¡¯s eyes flash.


    ¡°A condition for those who serve the priesthood. To dedicate your life to Lux Stella and show the stigmata as a sign.¡±


    And I noticed that the Vatican didn¡¯t just move the miracle examination site here without thinking.


    ¡°Now that a local stigmatic has appeared, it is time for those without stigmata to step down.¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t be easy to replace Bishop Powys.¡±


    ¡°That is one of the reasons His Holiness sent us.¡±


    Bonichego stood up with a confident look. Seeing this, the other priests also stood up one after another and gathered around Bonichego, forming a line like an army.


    No, it might be more like an army than the ordinary secular army of this era. Bonichego revealed the true identity of the Examination Team with a proud expression.


    ¡°Everyone here is a Knight Templar, a monk knight, and a priest.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    ¡°We received the Pope¡¯s orders to enforce the will of Lux Stella on those who deny the results of the miracle examination.¡±


    After all, I need to have good guardianship.


    His Holiness the Pope had no intention of forgiving the wicked pastors who dared to inherit the local church as their private property.


    Of course, it wasn¡¯t just the Miracle Examination Team whose attitude had changed.


    When I returned to the inn with the Examination Team, Bishop Ganista, who had heard the news, was waiting in the reception room. The bishop, who had been sipping tea quietly, stood up as soon as he saw me and asked for a handshake .


    ¡°I greet the Bishop of Powys.¡±


    I seriously made an awkward smile because I was aware of the presence of the Inquisition following me with a murderous atmosphere. I held their outstretched hand.


    ¡°What on earth is this?¡±


    ¡°His Holiness has such high expectations for Bishop of Powys. hahahaha, in fact, he hinted to me that he would make you Bishop of Powys as soon as the miracle examination is over.¡±


    It seemed that the Pope was really desperate for an opportunity. He must have felt the absence of Yubas. Even though I was of noble descent, I could see his intention to push me hard as I was a proper priest.


    It wasn¡¯t a bad thing for me. Strictly speaking, it was a really good thing.


    It really is a good thing, but¡­


    ¡°The news will spread quickly. You should hurry back to Powys before the bishop who will soon be dismissed makes his defense.¡±


    Considering the means of transportation in this world, it was natural for my impression to turn sour. How much I had suffered to endure the whole day. I creased the space between my eyebrows and asked a sharp question.


    ¡°By carriage?¡±


    ¡°hahahahaha. Well¡­ How many horses do you think a poor bishop¡¯s territory has? Ride in the carriage quietly.¡±


    ¡°Poor?¡±


    This Holy Land, where merchants who prey on ignorant pilgrims, sailors who want to have one more chance in life, not to mention prostitutes and pimps, roam around, has no money?


    Bishop Ganista gave a clear answer to the question that contained all these curiosities with a laugh.


    ¡°Do you think they pay their taxes properly?¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    It was a much more realistic reason than I thought. I had no choice but to keep my mouth shut. However, Bishop Ganista seemed to have a lot on his mind, so he continued to talk.


    ¡°Even if you send guards, they just pass by quietly, and there were some priests who enjoyed it secretly. Rather, I feel like a burden has been lifted now that the Inquisition has come and swept them away.¡±


    ¡°Is the Church okay with this?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why we have to do it, that¡¯s why. hahahahaha¡­ Keuk, cough. Ahem.¡±


    Judging from the fact that he was coughing after laughing in vain at the end, he seemed to be suffering quite a bit. Well, if he were a proper priest, it would be right to lament the state of the Holy Land. Even Boniche, who had followed me, had been glaring at me since earlier.


    ¡°You can¡¯t even stop the brothels in the Holy Land. The situation on the island at dawn is more serious than Your Grace¡¯s worries.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ Brother. There are also brothels in the Holy City of Idea.¡±


    ¡°What? Br, brothels are rampant in the Holy City? Th, th, this! I¡¯ll burn them all down as soon as I go back and lead my brothers!!!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t want to tell you¡­¡±


    I ignored Boniche, who was jumping up and down about the deep karma of human society, and Marcello, who was sighing deeply. Instead, there was a scene that caught my eye.


    There was a man huddled between the black-caped priests and monk knights.


    ¡°John. Come to think of it, why are you so quiet and not nagging me like usual?¡±


    ¡°Oh my, Bishop! How could I do something that would invite divine punishment!¡±


    ***


    I stayed in the Holy Land for exactly three days.


    I collapsed in my room as soon as I arrived, underwent the miracle examination on the second day, and left the Holy Land on the third day. If I had to describe it, it was a place full of people like tenacious weeds that sprouted between the footprints of saints.


    It was a place that smelled much more like people than I thought.


    ¡°Whoa, whoa!¡±


    I closed my eyes tightly as I heard the urging of the coachman. It was in order to force myself to sleep in the rattling carriage. But if I closed my eyes, I would have collapsed anywhere.


    As I was about to feel nauseous, a familiar voice shook me, sounding very frightened.


    ¡°Lo¡­ No, is it Bishop? Soop. What should I call you?¡±


    ¡°Just call me like you used to.¡±


    ¡°Lord! Something terrible, something terrible has happened! L, look at the hill over there!¡±


    John was a double-sided person in many ways. Sometimes his nagging was annoying, but sometimes he was okay, and he was also good at detecting threats without knowing it.


    If John was appealing to me so earnestly, it must be real.


    I opened my eyes immediately and looked out the window of the carriage. Indeed, there was a reason for John to be flustered.


    Along the distant ridge, I could see a group of mounted men. They were not ordinary riders, but knights heavily armed with polished armor that gleamed brilliantly. The banner carried by one of them bore a familiar crest.


    A lion holding a sword in its mouth.


    ¡°It¡¯s the Yubas cavalry.¡±


    ¡°A-are they attacking?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    I looked away from the Yubas banner and turned my gaze to a nearby area.


    About twenty members of the Miracle Examination Team were already densely surrounding my carriage, escorting it. I closed my eyes again and leaned back against the seat.


    ¡°It¡¯s a little late to notice.¡±

 Chapter 41

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 41


    41. The Will to Kill Without Fail


    This is how I saw Yubas.


    Ruthless in nature, unscrupulous in their methods, but only to the extent that they could handle. And my life was no longer within the limits that Yubas could handle.


    The one who passed the Miracle Examination and received the Stigma was me.


    This Miracle Examination had much stronger authority than I had imagined. Even Yubas, who had committed all sorts of atrocities because they had a powerful army, could not easily ignore it.


    In front of the campfire at the campsite, I was able to hear this fact from the group gathered around.


    According to the head of the Examination Team, Bonichego.


    ¡°As soon as the Miracle Examination is conducted, the local bishops are obligated to announce the fact. Even in remote churches, they must be informed that a new Stigmata Bearer has appeared.¡±


    The Church, which had the most dense and systematic organization in this era, was openly promoting it. Because it was living proof that Lux Stella was still with mankind.


    ¡°Even if they neglect their duty, it doesn¡¯t matter.¡±


    Bonichego began to stare into the distance with eyes that blazed even more fiercely than the campfire.


    ¡°The will of Lux Stella and His Holiness will surely be carried out.¡±


    Vice-captain Marcello looked at the fiery Bonichego and smiled wryly.


    ¡°That¡¯s why His Holiness sent Brother Bonichego. ¡­He said that what supports broken bones is not soft cloth but hard wooden planks.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    I got a rough estimate of Bonichego. He was an ultra-hardliner who was known for tenaciously pursuing principles and doctrines even within the Holy See. He was a stubborn mule that was impossible to persuade with gentle words.


    They were a tiring group of people to live with, but I could trust them at times like this. However, it did not mean that all my doubts were dispelled.


    ¡°Rather than that, why do you keep calling me Lord Bishop? The Fowys Diocese is not ruled by an independent ecclesiastical prince, is it?¡±


    I wonder if he was going to give me an independent position because I sold the right to invest. No matter what, there were morals, and this was an act of extreme filial impiety.


    It was like dividing my father¡¯s territory in half and eating it up. However, instead of giving a clear answer to this question, Bonichego and Marcello either kept their mouths shut or gave dubious smiles. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    ¡°hahahaha, you will know when you are ordained, Lord Bishop.¡±


    I guess he didn¡¯t intend to tell me yet. I had to let it go for now. I silently, unable to hide my nervousness.


    Either way, they were my strong backing and my most powerful force. They were the Knights of the Capital, who even Terbear, who prided himself on being the strongest knight in the duchy, showed great respect for.


    However, it was a complacent thought.


    On the way back to Fowys, the moment I encountered a group of bandits who looked like they had been hired by someone, I realized that it was not Yubas who was crazy, but the Knights of the Capital.


    ¡°Five of you in a group! Disperse!¡±


    ¡°Brothers, let¡¯s join forces!¡±


    If you have ever received formal training, you will be amazed. The Knights of the Capital freely dispersed and regrouped. Even more astonishing were the formations, tactics, and amazing teamwork they displayed.


    The Examination Team dispersed, judging that they could not withstand the mass of bandits who were charging at them all at once. Instead, they formed groups of five and each rose to the top.


    While the three in front confronted the enemy one-on-one and killed them one by one, the two remaining took care of the attacks from the sides and rear. Sometimes, when their postures became unstable or their momentum was pushed back by the enemy¡¯s fierce attacks, they would naturally switch between the front and rear rows to prevent exhaustion.


    As this was being repeated, the bandits were being whittled away.


    As a result, the bandits who had attacked with a force of about a hundred were almost instantly reduced by half after the clash. The first words out of the mouths of those who had swung their swords without so much as a greeting were of bewilderment.


    ¡°H-hey, big brother! Something seems strange!¡±


    ¡°Big brother, these bastards don¡¯t get tired!!!¡±


    From Noble mtl dot com


    I guess they thought they could just overwhelm us with numbers. No matter how great a knight may be, they¡¯re still human. They thought that since they were facing priests in plain clothes, and not even wearing armor, that they could just drag this out.


    If they had known about the Stigmata, they never would have done this. I could understand a little why the Church tries to hide miracles. It¡¯s not just the Church.


    I finally understood the martial arts novel¡¯s maxim that one should hide some of their strength. I realized this as I forced one of the bandits to his knees, making him bleed profusely.


    ¡°Y-you¡­ what the hell were you doing with that swordsmanship?¡±


    ¡°Beware the old man, the woman, and the child. You die for making light of a clich¨¦.¡±


    ¡°What the f¡­ To think I¡¯d die to these guys who talk nonsense¡­¡±


    The bandit¡¯s last words were filled with hatred for the world. I pitied him, so I twisted my wrist to flick the blood off my sword. I gave him back the blood that I had taken, but it was too late for him to drink it .


    After all, he was a guy who had lived off of sucking the lifeblood of others, so he should have spat it out even as he died.


    As I was nodding my head in appreciation, the sound of swords clashing that had been coming from all around had already stopped. The Inquisition led by Bonifacio and Marcello had slaughtered them all.


    They shook off their shoulder mantles, which had become heavy with blood, and spoke in different voices.


    ¡°This is why we have no choice but to be humble. I thought our names were somewhat well-known.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a good thing. Thanks to this, we were able to catch some vermin that were sucking the blood of the innocent. Bishop, please go on ahead. We will clean up and follow.¡±


    They were surprisingly calm for people who had just been attacked. Even the coward John was unusually calm. When I got into the carriage, I could see that John was leaning against the back and dozing off.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you even a little worried?¡±


    ¡°Huh? Have you killed them all already?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    If John, the human alarm, wasn¡¯t freaking out, then the difference in our abilities must have been significant. Thanks to that, I was able to turn my suspicions into certainty. This attack was not the work of Yubas, at least.


    ¡°Our Bishop seems to be quite scared.¡±


    Then John wiped the drool from the corner of his mouth and asked a stupid question.


    ¡°But isn¡¯t the Bishop a Duke?¡±


    ¡°I said yes, didn¡¯t I? Just shut your mouth and sleep.¡±


    ***


    This attack was a turning point.


    From the moment it became impossible to stop them with force, my journey faster than a car speeding down the highway. Of course, it wasn¡¯t completely without interference. Sometimes soldiers with unclear intentions would appear and block our path.


    Whenever that happened, the conversation we had would be something like this:


    ¡°Halt! This is the domain of Count Towerd. Those without permission¡­¡±


    ¡°Inquisition of the Holy See¡¯s Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. We are escorting the newly appointed Archbishop.¡±


    ¡°P-pass! Please proceed!¡±


    It didn¡¯t matter how imposing or confident they appeared.


    As soon as the soldiers heard the words ¡®Inquisition,¡¯ they would turn pale and quickly part ways. In fact, most of them would turn white as soon as they heard the words ¡®Holy See.¡¯


    Our group sped through numerous estates and counties like that.


    However, there were some who did not back down even after we said we were the Inquisition. There were a few who were very strong and stubborn.


    ¡°We have not heard of this. You must wait until we can confirm it.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. Is this the current Bishop¡¯s doing?¡±


    ¡°I do not know.¡±


    They were trying to buy time by pretending to be ignorant of the fact that we were from the Holy See. I stepped forward here. I wanted to give them a lifeline before Bonifacio stepped forward and showed them our fangs.


    ¡°Narva Orn Stregos Glorio Powys, Third Prince of Powys, the Duke of Athelston. I have returned with the help of my elder brother, Sir Terbear, to restore my tarnished honor.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­!¡±


    Although Duke Athelston has considerably lost his influence, it is only in the aristocranic society.


    In the minds of the ordinary soldiers and civilians, Duke Athelston still holds his place. When his name was mentioned, along with the title of the strongest knight in the duchy, they showed visible agitation.


    Nevertheless, another knight put his hand on his colleague¡¯s shoulder who hesitated to make a decision.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough. Didn¡¯t the lord say that he would just pretend to do something to save Sir Etheldred¡¯s face?¡±


    ¡°Sir Etheldred?¡±


    I was startled to hear a familiar name. When I asked if my guess was correct, the knights seemed to change their minds and silent their heads.


    ¡°Sir Etheldred persuaded the neighboring lords. He said that His Majesty the Duke is working hard to establish relations with the Papacy, so please do not meddle too much in the power struggle within the Church.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°He also added that if you don¡¯t want to face Sir Terbear¡¯s visit.¡±


    Only then did I understand the situation. It seemed that Terbear, who had fled from Yubas¡¯ army, had gone to his eldest son, Etheldred.


    After hearing the whole story, Etheldred must have taken the initiative to prevent the current bishop and the lords from interfering with my return. At that moment, I felt a great emotion without realizing it.


    [Fantasy Monarch].


    In this cursed game, blood relatives were all people who had to be killed. They were worse than enemies, constantly nagging for land and inheritance, and causing rebellions.


    So, I used to play with the mindset of kicking out all my family.


    ¡°My Lord Bishop, why are you suddenly like this?¡±


    ¡°Family¡­ is such a warm existence.¡±


    Sadly, the emotion I felt was not easily shared by others.


    ¡°Servant, does the Lord Bishop often act like that?¡±


    ¡°What do you think? Of course he does.¡±


    Anyway, we were not alone.


    The strong backing of the Papacy and Etheldred, who was unknowingly helping us behind the scenes. Thanks to these two entities, the people blocking our way quickly dwindled.


    So much so that we arrived at the cathedral of the Diocese of Powys in just six days.


    ***


    And in front of the cathedral, in the luxurious square paved with mosaic tiles, there was an interesting sight.


    ¡°Allow this old man to step down from his position before his greed blinds him!!!¡±


    An old man with a sagging and obese body was lying face down, naked.


    From the situation, he was the Bishop of Powys who had set up a trap to kill me. Now that all his tricks had failed, he was trying to save his precious life or at least his illegitimate child by begging for mercy.


    It was a cheap trick to gain sympathy by looking as miserable as possible. It seemed like he was trying to sway public opinion¡­


    But he picked the wrong opponent.


    ¡°How dare you show me your wrinkled flesh, covered in mushrooms, without any filter? You really want to die!¡±


    The moment I saw the prostrated bishop, I was able to cast away all my hesitation.

 Chapter 42

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 42


    42. The Date Palm Bears Fruit


    Barnardo, Bishop of the Diocese of Powys.


    Born as the second son of a humble family, he gave up his inheritance rights at an early age and devoted himself to the Church. He spent his days and nights studying scriptures and classics, and was ordained as a priest at the age of 32.


    After that, he vowed to be abstinent and humble, and worked hard, but unfortunately failed to manifest a sacred mark. Instead, his diligence and hostility toward pagans caught the attention of the reigning Duke, Athelbear, and he was appointed as bishop.


    However, his determination quickly crumbled after he became a bishop. As Bishop, Barnardo indulged in luxury, pleasure, and promiscuity, causing countless rumors.


    In the end, when the reigning Duke Athelbear began to consider dismissing Barnardo, Athelbear suddenly died without leaving a proper heir, and the Duchy of Powys fell into chaos.


    Barnardo intervened when numerous claimants to the throne were about to emerge.


    After summoning Aethelton, Aethelberht¡¯s younger brother, to the cathedral, Barnard proclaimed the will that Aethelberht had left behind. The will stated that Aethelton was to be his rightful successor.


    Needless to say, few believed this will at face value.


    However, there was an unspoken agreement among the lords that they could not afford to go to civil war with the mighty Eowas standing by. As a result, Aethelton ascended to the throne with Barnard¡¯s backing, and the lords accepted Aethelton as their liege lord.


    For the time being.


    King Aethelton¡¯s precarious support base meant that he could not move against Bishop Barnard. There was a reason why the lords had been so quick to turn their backs on Eowas.


    King Aethelton was in a precarious position. If it were not for his eldest son, Aethelred, who was adept at charming the lords, or his second son, Theobald, who had gained enough military achievements, he would have been challenged at any moment.


    Unfortunately, one man¡¯s crisis is another man¡¯s opportunity.


    The more King Aethelton faltered, the more Bishop Barnard was able to profit.


    For example, by subtly pressuring the king when the canon law clashed with customary law or municipal law, he obtained favorable judgments. Or by using his authority to ignore petitions accusing the bishop of corruption.


    Barnard was a man who knew how to savor the sweetness of power.


    Thus, he was also a man who knew how miserable he would be if he lost his power. Especially when he had a bastard son he was grooming to inherit his bishopric.


    The reason the mighty Eowas was such an eyesore?


    Unlike the weak-based King Aethelton, they were a family that could not be trifled with.


    The reason the Holy See and its theologians were such a pain in the neck?


    Because they were the ones who brought up musty old traditions, saying that the inheritance of parishes and churches could never be tolerated.


    Barnard always acted in his own interests. He mocked abstract and sentimental things like doctrines or righteousness, walking a tightrope between the two. All for the sake of passing on what he had to his son.


    However, tightrope walking is always a dangerous act. The reason tightrope walking is thrilling because the moment you fall, your life is in danger.


    And Barnard, the former Bishop of Powys, had fallen from the tightrope.


    ¡°My, my land was originally land belonging to the church. Just because I paid rent to the lord, it¡¯s my fault for offering it up without permission.¡±


    ¡°I sent my daughter because he said he would give me the blessing of the Lux Stella, but then she got pregnant out of nowhere? Immaculate conception, immaculate conception! Her mother believes it!¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t sell it at that price. If you don¡¯t want to sell it on this street, keep doing what you¡¯re doing.¡±


    All sorts of people crowded in front of the cathedral, crying and complaining.


    Serfs in ragged clothes, fathers of (un)immaculately conceived children, and merchants who had been forced to give discounts. And it wasn¡¯t just that. As soon as they heard the rumor that Barnard had been dismissed, people from all over the streets rushed in like a cloud.


    The makeshift courtroom set up in front of the church was filled with the hateful petitions of countless people, and it was filled with uproar. Barnard could not bear to look at them and hung his head.


    ¡®Those bastards who couldn¡¯t say a word in front of me!¡¯


    The problem is not the petitions of the rabble.


    Barnard glanced sideways. There was Aethelton¡¯s third son, Narva, sitting in the chair where Barnard had been sitting, his chin raised and his mouth pursed.


    Then, at one point, Narva began to click his tongue.


    ¡°Former bishop, how come not a single person has anything good to say?¡±


    ¡°He¡­ hehehehe. I, I guess that¡¯s how it is.¡±


    Barnard, who had been briefly taken aback by the condescending tone, shut his mouth when he saw the priests guarding Narva. The black capes with gold trim were that fearsome.


    ¡®His Majesty is fully prepared. I never thought he would actually send them, not just rumors. I was too hasty¡­!¡¯


    Those who don¡¯t know might think it¡¯s a nice color combination, but those who do know are different. The black cape could only be worn by priests and monks who had martial skills recognized by the Holy See.


    To top it off, the gold trim around the cape symbolized various authorities that took precedence over the authority of the local diocese. Even if only one was sent, it would make the local church tremble.


    The ¡®Black Trim¡¯, the core members of the Holy See.


    The moment they arrived, twenty instead of one, Barnard¡¯s fate was sealed. But sometimes, you have to defy fate.


    Even if it means dragging your old body naked and prostrating yourself.


    Although he was now wearing clothes because he could not resist the pressure, Barnard could take them off at any time to save his beloved son.


    ¡°My¡­Lord Bishop.¡±


    ¡°Lord Bishop.¡±


    ¡°Oh, oh your grace. I realize my wrongdoing. Looking back, I, this old man, have lived a wretched life.¡±


    ¡°Then you shall be sent to the gallows?¡±


    Thinking of my future hanging and dangling from the noose, my head already feels dizzy. Barnardo bit his lower lip and desperately tried to stay conscious.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s true, but¡­The deacon I was looking at as a candidate for the next bishop has nooooo connection to this old man.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s strange. Doesn¡¯t the right to appoint belong to His Majesty the King?¡±


    ¡°Heh, heh heh. I meant that he was someone I wanted to recommend to His Majesty.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. Recommend.¡±


    Barnardo is now desperately trying to save his illegitimate child.


    It¡¯s a fact that everyone knows, even if they don¡¯t say it out loud.


    It was natural for the eyes of the Inquisition to become fierce. The very act of having children was a customarily forbidden act because of the risk of heredity. Among them, Narva was not openly hostile.


    For a long time, he just kept tapping the armrest of the chair with his index finger, with a faint smile on his face.


    ¡°Okay. Then let¡¯s check the condition.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°If the condition report is okay, I¡¯ll spare you both. If not, let¡¯s go together.¡±


    It was as clear as day where we were going.


    I could also see the future where two large fruits, split open on the scaffold in the middle of the square, would be stoned to death. Barnardo knelt down in a hurry with a face as pale as a ghost.


    ¡°Oh, oh your grace. At least¡­ not the guilt by association.¡±


    ¡°Sigh. If anyone saw it, they would think we were tying you up unfairly. If you¡¯re not confident, let¡¯s just go now.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ No.¡±


    ¡°Your grace! Just kill that bastard!!!¡±


    ¡°Cawww, ?! You¡¯re going down, you son of a b*tch!¡±


    As soon as Barnardo agreed amidst the crowd¡¯s heated enthusiasm, the search without any separate instructions.


    Marcello volunteered to lead some of the inquisitors to find the illegitimate child. The death was cast. Barnardo knelt down quietly and prayed desperately with his head bowed.


    ¡®My son, please be brought in with a polite and humble attitude. Please save me, your father, with the kind and beautiful character you showed me.¡¯


    But unfortunately, Barnardo¡¯s prayers did not reach his son.


    As expected of the black-edged blade that the Vatican is proud of, within a few dozen minutes of the search, a young man was caught and dragged out by Marcello.


    ¡°Let go, you church bastards! Don¡¯t you know who Bard is? My father is Bishop Powis! Do you think our father will leave you alone if you do this?!¡±


    Of course, he struggled and was impressed.


    Marcello looked down at Bishop¡¯s son, Bardo, with pitiful eyes and opened his mouth.


    ¡°It was easy to find you because you were proudly bragging about your father even when the angry crowd was swarming in.¡±


    ¡°Let go! eeek¡­ You just wait. Our father is a man who can handle the King!¡±


    In the end, Marcello couldn¡¯t stand it and threw Bardo down with an attitude of being fed up.


    Bardo, who rolled on the floor in shock, tried to glare with an angry face. Not until he saw his father, who had turned completely white, in the makeshift courtroom.


    Bardo was startedled rather than angry, and he made a fuss.


    From Noble mtl dot com


    ¡°Father? What¡¯s that shabby tunic?¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    ¡°You usually don¡¯t wear anything but silk¡­ Who¡¯s that kid next to you? Why is he sitting in your chair?¡±


    Narva, who had heard enough, could no longer hold back his laughter.


    Narva poked Barnardo¡¯s stiff side with his fingertip and laughed out loud.


    ¡°You¡¯re good at farming children. Anyone can tell they¡¯re your kids.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°But there¡¯s no way a clergyman who has risen to the rank of Bishop would have raved without thinking. Could he be an imposter pretending to be the son of the former Bishop because of their resemblance? When seen by a faithful clergyman who has the holy mark¡­¡±


    ¡°Bi¡­ Bishop.¡±


    In this world, the law of collective punishment is uncivilized, savage, malicious, and cruel. Even traitors who break their oath of allegiance to their lords are not subject to the yoke of collective punishment.


    However, there was one mortal sin to which collective punishment applied.


    ¡°Like heretics or apostates who tarnish the authority and morality of the Church and its clergy.¡±


    Following the heresy of denying Lux Stella and the Inquisition while supporting the heresy of Yubas, or acceptable Lux Stella and the Inquisition but colluding with Yubas for personal gain, heresy.


    Both of these charges are considered mortal sins of apostasy, to which collective punishment is applied.


    Narbar¡¯s statement was a threat to apply the mortal sin of apostasy. It was natural for Barnardo to feel as if he were drowning in water.


    At that moment, Narbar whispered in a voice so small that others could not hear.


    ¡°The Papal States do not intend to completely overturn Yubas. This country does not have the power to overthrow Yubas, and the other duchies are still watching and gauging the situation. In order to turn the situation around, we need an opportunity for each other to step back or come forward and compromise.¡±


    A sudden outpouring of information.


    Barnardo pondered why Narbar was saying this, vigorously turning his rusty head that had not been used for a long time. Fortunately, Narbar was a very kind person.


    ¡°I intend to pin the charges of apostasy committed by Yubas on you. Officially, it will be known as corruption and public outrage. I will continue to coordinate the details through ongoing dialogue with the Papal States, but even from Yubas¡¯s standpoint, which must secure internal stability through unreasonable force, it would not be a bad thing to restore relations with the Church. I plan to broker peace among the five duchies, taking advantage of this period to prevent each other from acting rashly.¡±


    ¡°¡­What do I get out of it?¡±


    Barnardo realized that the greatest opportunity of his life had come. Barnardo looked at Narbar with an expression of utmost sincerity.


    Then Narbar looked down at the bottom of the court with a mischievous smile.


    ¡°Father! Why are you doing this! What¡¯s going on!?¡±


    ¡°Kill that bastard!¡±


    ¡°Hang him!!!¡± S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Barnardo, the illegitimate son of the former Bishop, inspired in bewilderment, looking around him. He was just among the angry crowd, and no one paid any attention to him, so his voice just scattered like an echo.


    Narbar looked at the illegitimate son, Bardo, and said in a hushed voice.


    ¡°I will deny all ties between you and your foolish illegitimate son. The charges of apostasy will at least spare your illegitimate son.¡±


    There was silence between the two for a while.


    The angry shouts of the crowd filled the surroundings. The crowd was urging Narbar to hang him quickly as he pondered deep.


    In the end, it was Barnardo who broke the silence.


    He knew that Narbar had shown him the utmost mercy and leniency.


    ¡°Bishop, I tried to kill you.¡±


    ¡°So you will die. Your child will also be flogged for impersonation.¡±


    ¡°¡­?¡±


    And Narbar abruptly pushed away Barnardo, who was strangely moved and clinging to him.


    ¡°If you commit many sins, you will die even if it is not apostasy. Pray that your child will live a good life.¡±


    ***


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    ¡°Ah, Father! Th¡­ This is not right! Let go, let go! Ugh¡­¡±


    Thud.


    The sound of a neck breaking was particularly clear.


    If you plant beans, beans will grow, and if you plant red beans, red beans will grow.


    I looked at the two rich men hanging upside down and deeply realized that saying. Marcello recited only the charges of the illegitimate son, Bardo, beside me.


    I would rather have died honorably with the single charge of apostasy.


    ¡°She raped a woman, robbed a merchant on the road, broke into someone¡¯s house to steal, and extorted jurors and judges at her trial, claiming to be the bishop¡¯s daughter. She even got acquitted.¡±


    ¡°At least she didn¡¯t kill anyone.¡±


    ¡°There have been several reports of missing persons. It seems the searches weren¡¯t thorough enough, and the circumstances suggest the previous bishop covered it up.¡±


    Oh, how well that bastard got off. I looked at the hanging ex-bishop, my appetite whetted.


    ¡°I was going to let her off with a few lashes, but the wench was too defiant.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll have to educate her better next time.¡±


    The rabble didn¡¯t even bother to mourn, so used were they to living like animals. They were busy throwing everything they could get their hands on at the two rich men hanging there.


    ¡°You son of a b*tch!¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­ My insides are¡­ spilling out!¡±


    ¡°We should tear him to shreds!¡±


    The Middle Ages, a time of savagery.


    Even in death, the hung couldn¡¯t rest easy. They became targets for the townspeople¡¯s insults and missiles. I couldn¡¯t help but click my tongue at the sound of their bodies bursting open.


    Still, my heart felt lighter now that I had got rid of that wretch who had tormented me. The gathered crowd seemed to feel the same, their faces blooming with smiles. It was time to flatter the new man in power, rather than keep taunting the mangled corpses.


    ¡°Long live the new bishop!¡±


    ¡°So the rumors were true! The madman who¡¯d torture people for a laugh, they were all lies!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen such a fiery, satisfying judgment in all my life!!!¡±


    The sight of young and old alike dancing the shoulder dance filled me with a strange warmth.


    As I basked in my contentment, Boniface, who had been standing silently, approached me.


    ¡°My Lord Bishop, you have won the hearts of the people.¡±


    ¡°?¡±


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you go and speak to His Majesty, the High King, about the investiture?¡±


    Ah.

 Chapter 43

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 43


    43. The Return of the Prodigal Son


    Even those who usually cried heavily in the gloomy atmosphere would sometimes smile.


    King Aethelstan in his study today was one such person, much to the surprise of even his close advisor, the spymaster, Oberth. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s been a long time since you laughed.¡±


    ¡°Indeed it has.¡±


    Aethelstan was running his right hand over his desk, a satisfied smile on his face.


    ¡°Aethelred and Terbair have both fulfilled their roles admirably. And Narva has surprised me with his resourcefulness. It¡¯s good to see such camaraderie between brothers.¡±


    His eldest son Aethelred¡¯s timely assistance had been particularly valuable. Like a true heir, Aethelred had not only prevented the lords from defecting but had also helped his third son, Narva, return.


    Although he had been too busy to meet him in person and offer his congratulations, he was naturally proud of his son¡¯s actions. Of course, that didn¡¯t mean he would belittle the achievements of his other sons.


    ¡°Terbair also fought off the attackers well, but¡­ What on earth did Narva do to get that stuffy old Curia to move?¡±


    Terbair was a capable fighter, so Aethelstan was less impressed by his actions.


    What had truly moved Aethelstan was Narva¡¯s success in swaying the Curia. Had he manifested a Stigmata, earning him the protection of the Curia? Aethelstan couldn¡¯t help but grin as he recalled the rumor.


    Spymaster Oberth watched the king, about to speak, but closed then his mouth. However, as a vassal, he had a duty to fulfill. Oberth slowly opened his mouth, his fists clenched.


    ¡°¡­Your Majesty. I was going to speak to you about that very thing.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    ¡°About the deal Prince Narva made to secure the support and protection of the Curia¡­¡±


    ¡°Interesting. How did Narva convince the Curia?¡±


    In front of him was a father who longed to hear about his son¡¯s accomplishments. Aubert couldn¡¯t hold back his emotions any longer, and his eyes reddened. He was relieved that his curly bangs, which he used to hide his expressions, were in place.


    Aubert slowly parted his lips and spoke as slowly and clearly as he could.


    ¡°According to the letter from Bishop Illenfoot, the public notary of the transaction.¡±


    ¡°Bishop Illenfoot? He must be close to the Pope. That increases its credibility.¡±


    ¡°¡­What Your Grace traded was the right of investiture of the Diocese of Powys.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    It was the moment when King Athelstan, forgetting his dignity as a noble, asked back. The king blinked and looked at Aubert, then burst out laughing.


    ¡°Is it really the Pope? He must have spread such rumors to pressure me.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    ¡°However, I, Athelstan, will not be swayed by baseless rumors or intimidation from others. I will hear the details when Narva returns safely and make a judgment then.¡±


    King Athelstan was a capable man in his own right. The fact that he had preserved the state despite his weak support base and vassals who were ready to rebel at any time was proof of that.


    More than anyone else, King Athelstan knew that compromise and concession were not the only things that mattered. When he was confident that he could do it, he had to show a strong side. The same went for his full support for Narva.


    ¡°So. Narva is returning to the duchy soon? I heard he¡¯s with the special envoys from the Pope.¡±


    ¡°The identities of the envoys are not certain. Judging by their appearance, however¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like to hear it even if it¡¯s just speculation.¡±


    King Athelstan¡¯s persistent questioning eventually opened Aubert¡¯s mouth. It was difficult to tell the truth about the beings who had suddenly appeared and whose very existence was absurd.


    ¡°According to rumors, they wore black shoulder mantles with gold trim. If the rumors are true, considering the church¡¯s tradition of symbolizing status and authority with shoulder mantles¡­ You now have twenty Templar knights with the right to judge on the spot. ¡°


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    There are two major legal systems in the world.


    Canon law centered on the Pope and customary law that flows according to secular reason in each region. The two legal systems respect each other and often compromise, claiming the principle of territoriality, which means that the law of the place where the criminal is located is followed.


    For example, if a criminal who committed a crime under a secular monarch hides in a bishop¡¯s territory, the bishop would not punish him but chase him out, saying that he was not where the crime was committed.


    However, the Pope sends powerful enforcers who ignore this beautiful tradition when he considers the matter to be very serious. They are the Templar knights, who are much more skilled than ordinary knights with strong class implications.


    Of course, they were not sent lightly, as they had to endure conflict with secular power. They only moved when they were prepared to confront secular power or when they found an apostate that the local community could not subdue.


    After a while, King Athelstan looked up at Aubert with a very serious expression.


    ¡°Sir Aubert. Narva wasn¡¯t on bad terms with Edelred or Tervere, was he?¡±


    Considering his past, it was something to be wary and afraid of.


    ***


    When I left, everyone criticized me. They gave enthusiastic responses to my desperate act.


    Sometimes there were those who thought the real me was crazy, but I could understand them enough. Originally, those who were too ahead of their time were treated as crazy.


    And I was the one who lived in a modern world that was much more advanced than this one. In terms of social status, I was almost a thousand years ahead, so I must have seemed like a madman to the people of this world.


    But that was all in the past.


    Now, I was busy waving my hand to the people gathered outside the carriage.


    ¡°Long live the Bishop!¡±


    ¡°Bishop, show us the stigma!!!¡±


    ¡°Please bless my child!¡±


    People rushed over, leaving their farming and mowing, and made various requests. I granted the easiest request first. The moment I took off my glove and showed the back of my hand.


    ¡°Lux Stella, the starlight of grace!¡±


    ¡°That divine color¡­ It¡¯s real. I, I see the stigma in my lifetime.¡±


    ¡°Oh my, my money! I shouldn¡¯t have gambled! The world said that the stigma was all a lie, but who said that¡­!¡±


    Some people even collapsed and cried at the sight of the stigma, proof that God exists.


    And now, those who had admired the Stigmata firsthand no longer hesitated. They swarmed toward me in a horde, like a pack of zombies, reaching out to touch me.


    ¡°Bishop, just once! Let me touch you just once!¡±


    ¡°Get out of the way! I¡¯ll touch him!¡±


    ¡°Oh my, oh my¡­ Proof of God¡­ T-the Stigmata!¡±


    I wondered if the underground idols in that foreign country across the ocean had ever been met with such a scene. Fortunately, I had the strongest power at my disposal, one that no one could easily challenge me on.


    As soon as the Miracle Examination Team, led by Bonifacio and Marcello, glared and rattled their swords, the commotion died down in an instant.


    ¡°He is not just a bishop, but a bishop-elect. He will begin his duties of caring for the sick and the people after he has reported to His Majesty. For now, please make way.¡±


    ¡°The inspection will be done soon! Everyone, please step back for now!¡±


    Thanks to them, the path was cleared in no time, but my heart only grew heavier.


    Father, when I tried to tell King Athelstan, a corner of my heart throbbed and sank.


    It seemed that the time had finally come to pour out the truth to myself without a single lie. The truth that I had unknowingly ignored and denied. I looked out the window and slowly opened my mouth.


    I spoke to John, who was riding in the carriage with me.


    ¡°John, I will tell you this because we have come this far together.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ Bishop. Shouldn¡¯t we move away again?¡±


    ¡°Unlike how I appear, I was a mischievous child who often turned my parents¡¯ words upside down.¡±


    ¡°?¡±


    It was natural for John to be confused. This was something that happened before I possessed this medieval, otherworldly body, when I lived as a modern man. As I was on my way to see my father, King Athelstan, memories from that time came flooding back to me.


    I was a bright eight-year-old, just starting elementary school after growing up in good health.


    ¡®Are you really going to live like this? What is this, a zero on your dictation?! Come here, I¡¯m going to give you a spanking!¡¯


    ¡®Mom! I don¡¯t want a spanking! If you¡¯re going to hit me, I¡¯m going to run around the neighborhood in just my underwear!¡¯


    ¡®You, you! Fine! Go ahead and do it, Yonsuk!¡¯


    At that time, I had taken my grandfather¡¯s words, who enjoyed calligraphy, to heart.


    A man¡¯s words are worth a thousand gold!


    A man should always be aware that his words carry the weight of a thousand gold, and he should always know that once he has spoken, he must keep his word. That way, others will not ignore him easily.


    From Noble mtl dot com


    And so, I lived my life according to my grandfather¡¯s words.


    I still vividly remember my mother¡¯s face as she ran towards me, her face flushed red, spatula in hand, after I went around the neighborhood singing nursery rhymes in just my underwear. Now that I think about it, my parents weren¡¯t exactly easygoing people.


    In the end, I was able to avoid the spanking only after running ten more laps around the neighborhood, dodging the spatula.


    ¡°Unlike then, my heart is troubled because this is a serious matter.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know what it is, but wasn¡¯t it important back then too?¡±


    ¡°Anyway, thank you for listening to my story.¡±


    ¡°Yes, well. If it¡¯s okay with you for me to listen.¡±


    John tilted his head with a very nervous expression.


    I was able to smile contentedly, having discovered a new use for John.


    ***


    The reunion that followed was quite touching.


    ¡°Narbha! You¡¯re safe!¡¯


    ¡°Father, I am sorry for causing you to worry.¡±


    As soon as we arrived in front of the castle, the gates opened and my father rushed out. As if that wasn¡¯t enough, he lifted me up from the carriage in a flash and even spun me around.


    He must have been quite exhausted, as I was a twelve-year-old boy and certainly not light, but he didn¡¯t show any sign of fatigue. My father spun me around and around several times before finally putting me down.


    ¡°You have done well. The things you have accomplished are things that no one your age could have ever handled. I always thought you only liked to play¡­ I am sorry, and I am sorry again, for not understanding you.¡±


    My father, the King of Athelstan, caressed my head. His touch was gentle and warm, befitting a father in the medieval upper 1%.


    The problem was, I was a child of the medieval lower 1%.


    Of course, compared to the infamous prodigal son, I was nothing, but it was enough to instantly cool the emotional reunion between father and son who hadn¡¯t seen each other in almost a year. So, for a moment, I couldn¡¯t speak easily.


    ¡°Your Grace.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Your Grace?¡±


    I couldn¡¯t hide my complicated feelings as I looked at my father, who was showing his doubts.


    He probably knows why the Pope sent the Boniface. This kid didn¡¯t have an ounce of flexibility. Even Marcello and the other priests shook their heads in astonishment and disapproval.


    In the end, I took a deep breath.


    ¡°Father.¡±


    After inhaling as much as I could, filling my lungs to the brim.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take the inheritance first!¡±


    I declared boldly.

 Chapter 44

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 44


    44. Mortal Sin


    About a year. That¡¯s how long I¡¯ve been possessed in this body.


    Looking back, a lot has happened. I almost married a pregnant single mother, and I had to run away from several raids¡­ In the meantime, I¡¯ve killed quite a few people.


    Each one was a major turning point that changed me and others. At the end of all those hardships, I found a comfortable time to rest. I leaned back in my chair in a relaxed position, feeling emotions I hadn¡¯t had time to feel .


    It was my true nature that had returned after a year, and it was my room. It was easy to indulge in sentimentality since it was the first place I opened my eyes.


    As a civilized person who lived in the 21st century modern Earth, who was both erudite and cultured, there were many emotions that I should have felt.


    Especially the moment I broke through the bandits with the escort of the Knights Templar.


    I ruthlessly ignored the desperate voice of the modern civilized man echoing inside me, urging me to save time and think efficiently.


    In the end, it was only now, when everything was over, that I could finally regret and savor it¡­.


    ¡°I should have taken it all back then.¡±


    Was it because the bitter regret had pierced my bones? A sigh escaped my lips.


    Perhaps the opportunity to break the oath of the sanctuary had become a hidden regret. It was then that familiar footsteps approached.


    ¡°My Lord is still young. Even with your noble blood, you can¡¯t do everything from a young age.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Edwina. How have you been?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve been well while you were away, My Lord.¡±


    Edwina brought grape wine in a pale glass. I couldn¡¯t hide my joy and smiled broadly as I took the glass.


    ¡°John rarely takes care of these things himself. I¡¯m glad to be served properly after a long time.¡±


    ¡°¡­John, you mean the servant who tried to buy hair tonic from the alchemist?¡±


    ¡°Yes. He¡¯s like a clumsy oaf, but he¡¯s quite useful in his own way. He can be annoying at times, but he¡¯s not the type to betray easily.¡±


    Gulp. When I took a sip, I realized it wasn¡¯t very high-quality grape wine.


    A low-quality one with small seed fragments or grains being chewed. If I were still acting like a wastrel, I would have spat it out right away. However, even the finest ones taste like acorns to a modern palate.


    I savored the sweetness as I slowly sipped the wine mixed with lees. At the same time, I decided to appease Edwina, who was indifferent for some reason.


    ¡°Edwina.¡±


    ¡°Yes, My Lord.¡±


    ¡°Have I made some big mistake?¡±


    People can hurt others without realizing it. Even a modern man like me, who is full of consideration and understanding, is no exception.


    If I were going to live recklessly, it wouldn¡¯t matter, but Edwina was someone I wanted to get along with in the future. It would be better to ask directly like this and clear up any misunderstandings.


    It seemed to be a casually thrown question, but it must have been the right one.


    Edwina looked down at me, sitting with her round, bead-like eyes wide open.


    ¡°Your Highness¡­ Are you asking me seriously?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡±


    ¡°¡­What people call you in the castle right now.¡±


    ¡°Let me hear it.¡±


    I promised to accept any criticism with humility. It was for my own growth, after all. Of course, my pride would be a little hurt, but that¡¯s something I must endure.


    I tightly shut my eyes in preparation for the harsh criticism that would soon come.


    ¡°A patricide who knocked his father out at the age of twelve.¡±


    Even if it is a biased, fabricated story based on facts.


    ***


    Lately, there was a name that was gradually spreading throughout the Dawn Islands.


    Narva Orn Stregoz Glerio Phoebus.


    People who heard the name reacted differently, depending on their circumstances.


    ¡°Narva? I¡¯ve heard of him. He¡¯s a new candidate for Sainthood, right? When was the last time we had a local Saint?¡±


    The devout believers focused on the fact that he was the first serious candidate for Sainthood in hundreds of years since Saint Illenio.


    ¡°It seems that Cardal missed it.¡±


    ¡°His Majesty?¡±


    ¡°Cardal missed it. I will acknowledge his military achievements and the fact that he honestly reported his failure. I will end his house arrest in three months. However, give his command to someone else.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡±


    Bair Orn Yubas.


    The head of the Yubas family, the strongest force in the Dawn Islands, responded indifferently. Of course, his insides were a little different. He didn¡¯t show it to his subordinates, but he raised an eyebrow the moment he heard the name Narva .


    ¡°Leave if you¡¯ve heard enough. I have things to think about alone.¡±


    He didn¡¯t even allow a reply. The vassals bowed silently and then retreated like the tide.


    After seeing everyone off, Bair looked down at the map with his chin propped up for a while, then let out a sigh of relief.


    ¡°It¡¯s fortunate that the Pope didn¡¯t choose the path of coexistence.¡±


    And the Phoebus Duchy, which was closer to Narva than anyone else, especially the people of the main castle, were talking about Narva without a break.


    They were putting together a bunch of strange anecdotes, each of which would have been creepy enough on its own.


    ¡°Lord Narva¡­? He¡¯s the one who got angry when I packed his bags because he told me to prepare to carry his luggage, and then kicked me out?¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you mistaken? I heard that he made me follow him around until he laughed?¡±


    ¡°Stop spreading false rumors. From what I know, he spent half a day following the servants around to make sure they were doing their jobs properly.¡±


    ¡°Oh my, you people are making a big fuss about nothing.¡±


    While everyone was buzzing about his stormy return, it was John who put together these rumors, the truth of which was hard to verify.


    John patted his chest as if he was frustrated, watching the servants arguing with each other about who was right.


    ¡°Are you people looking down on Bishop Narva, the great Kirin, who knocked out His Majesty the King with just a few words!!!!¡±


    John admonished those who tried to downplay and belittle Narva¡¯s actions and told them the truth. Fortunately, John¡¯s dedicated efforts soon came to light.


    Before long, the people of the Phoebus Duchy were calling Narva this: S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The great Kirin who knocked out his father at the age of twelve.


    Fortunately, Narva¡¯s father, King Athelstan, only fainted for a short time.


    He regained consciousness the next day, looking refreshed, and showed his gentle side like a father with medieval top 1% personality and family love.


    He summoned Narva alone to his chamber and read him the riot act calmly.


    ¡°Narva. I order you to remain in confinement. Do not leave until I give you further orders.¡±


    Aethelstan, the knight who once traveled the duchy fighting off raiders.


    He stifled the boiling rage under his reddened neck. Instead, he only moved his trembling lips and gave a silent warning to his beloved son.


    Un der no cir cum stances.


    ***


    Narva¡¯s stormy return presented a great dilemma to the Duchy of Powys.


    Duke Aethelstan walked down the corridor, pressing his pale forehead, with Lord Oberth by his side. Duke Aethelstan opened his mouth with difficulty, groaning like a wounded beast.


    ¡°Is Narva quiet?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes. He is very, very quiet.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    I wish I had castrated him. I would have ended up beating him half to death.


    Duke Aethelstan was tormented by a wish he couldn¡¯t bring himself to say. The Duchy of Powys was not the only one facing a dilemma.


    Is Narva a hateful or a lovely son?


    He was proud of his son¡¯s amazing determination and quick judgment, but he was also furious that he had done it without permission and demanded his inheritance from his living father.


    ¡°What about the papal envoys?¡±


    ¡°¡­They are reportedly waiting in the reception room.¡±


    ¡°Is this any different from a show of force?¡±


    There were twenty of the Pope¡¯s own capital knights. Duke Aethelstan couldn¡¯t throw them out, saying it was rude.


    He had nominated his son Narva as a candidate for the bishop and even escorted him safely on his way. He couldn¡¯t insist on the independence of secular power, saying it was a show of force, because he had received his favor.


    He even nominated him as the next bishop.


    If the papacy had not wanted the right to invest, it would have been welcomed with open arms. If only it wasn¡¯t for the right to invest¡­


    ¡°¡­Your Majesty, it¡¯s not all bad.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Of course, it was an unplanned and impulsive decision by the prince, but even if Your Majesty had ordained another bishop, your vassals would not have recognized him.¡±


    Aethelstan regretted that he couldn¡¯t deny it. The vassals saw Aethelstan as a usurper who had colluded with the dismissed Bishop Barnard and taken his brother¡¯s place.


    When Aethelbear, who was tired of Barnard¡¯s tyranny, was about to dismiss Barnard, Aethelbear suddenly died without leaving a successor. Now, everyone was rolling up their sleeves over who would succeed him, and Barnard, the problem itself, stepped forward.


    He said he had received the will left by Aethelbear.


    The vassals had no choice but to doubt it. From Aethelbear¡¯s sudden death without a successor to the will that the bishop suddenly produced, nothing made sense.


    ¡°If we ordain Prince Narva as bishop with the authority of the papacy, they will have no choice but to accept it, even if there is some backlash. Perhaps the prince¡­ expected this to happen. I don¡¯t know if he knows the circumstances, though.¡±


    Oberth finished speaking, stroking his gloomy bangs. There was an awkward silence for a while.


    Then Duke Aethelstan suddenly burst out laughing.


    ¡°Oberth, you¡¯re right. It¡¯s already happened. Narva is very, very annoying, though!¡±


    His anger had not completely subsided yet.


    The blood vessels were still protruding from Duke Aethelstan¡¯s eyes. However, a sense of anticipation and satisfaction bloomed in his heart like a mist, obscuring his anger.


    ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to use him as much as he took without permission.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    Children resemble their fathers. Of course, fathers also have parts that are like their children. Aethelstan, who was originally a knight, was a man who charged forward like a rhinoceros¡¯s horn once he made up his mind, suffering from a lack of legitimacy. Oberth couldn¡¯t help but feel sorry for Narva.


    ¡®Prince, I did the best I could¡­¡¯


    They arrived at the reception hall after the Prince¡¯s pledge was over.


    And as soon as Prince Aestelon and Oberth opened the door, they felt a sense of breathlessness. Priests in black capes with gold borders were looking at the door at the same time, without a single inch of error.


    In the very center, Chief Inquisitor Bonichego was standing with his hands clasped together in a calm manner.


    ¡°The Raven of the Stars. We greet the descendants of Powys, who were the first to accept Lux Stella at the will of Saint Illenio.¡±


    ¡°¡­Is this the way of the Holy See?¡±


    ¡°If you wish for a secular meeting, we shall do so.¡±


    Bonichego took a step back. Instead, the tired-looking Vice-Captain Marcello came forward.


    ¡°I am Marcello, who will lead the negotiations with Your Highness.¡±


    Marcello¡¯s eyes sparkled as he placed the thick codex he was holding in his arms on the table in the reception hall.

 Chapter 45

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 45


    45. The Logic of the World


    The negotiations between the Principality of Powys and the Holy See continued to be sluggish for a while.


    This was because both sides were well aware of the significance of the right to invest. In particular, Prince Aestelon clearly showed an unfavorable attitude despite being in a disadvantageous position.


    ¡°I understand that His Holiness has given me much consideration. However, our family has held the right to invest in the Diocese of Powys for 400 years. What is the reason for asking us to give up the right to invest now, when you have not said anything for 400 years?¡±


    There was a reason for Aestelon¡¯s aggressiveness. A bishop is not merely a spiritual pillar who comforts people.


    In this era, in this world, the clergy who served Lux Stella were intellectuals with roles and missions beyond that of priests. Among them, the bishops were involved in more secular tasks.


    From Noble mtl dot com


    Administration, legislation, judiciary, charity, education, research, and pastoral care.


    One could easily guess their influence just by looking at the seven items that the bishops were involved in. The smaller the secular monarch, the greater the influence of the bishop.


    Furthermore, bishops also manage religious orders that are free from secular influence. In terms of influence alone, it was a position close to that of a prime minister appointed by a monarch who was above the rank of a king.


    Because of the great authority and symbolism that bishops possessed, Aestelon could not easily back down.


    However, the Holy See was also not one to back down easily. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Vice-Captain Marcello of the Inquisition squirmed his eyes under his dark eyebrows and launched a fierce attack.


    ¡°Originally, the right to invest bishops belonged to the Church. As time passed and faith waned, there were many cases where the basic conditions for clergy, such as the manifestation of stigmata, were not met. The situation was not favorable, so we left the judgment to the secular monarchs.¡±


    The Holy See wielded the traditions and customs of the early Church as a weapon.


    According to the Holy See¡¯s argument, originally, all clergy had to manifest stigmata. However, as faith declined and stigmata became rare, the Church had no choice but to compromise.


    Upon hearing this, Aestelon leaned back on the backrest and laughed.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to use the customs of the early Church, which weren¡¯t even codified, as an excuse?¡±


    ¡°Your Highness is too arrogant to say that. His Holiness has shown great consideration for Your Highness, who is in a precarious position due to the controversial succession, but you are burying it like this.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s only natural. Do you not know what it means to give up the right to invest? If I were to back down easily, how could I face the previous princes?¡±


    ¡°If Your Highness thought so highly of your family, you should have done everything in your power to prevent the death of your brother, Aethelbear.¡±


    At those words, Aestelon¡¯s pupils began to tremble.


    The death of the former king, Aethelbear, was Aestelon¡¯s sore spot. Oberth, who had been standing behind him and watching silently, was now trembling with a cold sweat, clenching his hands behind his back.


    ¡°Your Highness¡­¡±


    Oberth opened his mouth to calm the situation, but.


    ¡°Do you doubt me too, Your Holiness? Me, Aestelon, who killed my brother and took his place?¡±


    Aestelon, whose eyes were already bloodshot, was showing his teeth.


    However, the Inquisition, including Marcello, did not show any sign of agitation. They stood still like heavy pieces of iron and looked at Prince Aestelon.


    ¡°His Holiness believes that there is no problem with Your Highness¡¯s succession. However, Your Highness¡¯s vassals, Aethelbear¡¯s loyalists, will think differently.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t pretend to be concerned about me.¡±


    Aestelon waved his hand and put his forehead on it. The prince was deeply troubled because his sore spot had been touched. Marcello looked down at him and quietly rolled his eyes.


    At about the same time, Chief Inquisitor Bonichego also shifted his gaze. For a brief moment, the two of them exchanged simple intentions with just their lips moving.


    ¡®What is your judgment, Chief?¡¯


    ¡®He is not the kind of man who would kill his own brother to take the throne.¡¯


    The sudden and suspicious death of the late King Aethelbear had cast a shadow of suspicion over Aethelton, the current king, as a potential kinslayer. Aethelton had mourned and honored Aethelbear¡¯s death for a long time, but people did not easily believe his intentions.


    They wondered if it was all just a show.


    Perhaps Aethelton¡¯s devotion to his family was a way to atone for his guilt over failing to protect them and to clear his name from the stigma of being a kinslayer. And among the purposes for which the Inquisition was dispatched was to ascertain Aethelton¡¯s true intentions.


    Boniface, who had been watching silently, observed the king for a brief moment with his characteristic insight and came to a conclusion.


    ¡®He is not the kind of man who would oppose the Bishop of Canterbury or engage in political strife to consolidate his power.¡¯


    Self-interest sometimes warps and corrupts the human heart.


    It was a world where even blood relatives could not share wealth without secretly killing each other. A world where it was not uncommon for impatient heirs to seize power and for monarchs to be overthrown by their own children.


    It would be foolish to believe that there would be no discord simply because they were brothers. The Church, having long guarded the light of humanity, knew better than anyone the light and darkness within humanity.


    ¡®He is likely to become an ally to the Bishop of Canterbury. Instead of excluding Aethelton, he will try to win him over.¡¯


    ¡®Yes, Chief.¡¯


    Marcellus, who had received Boniface¡¯s instructions, cleared his throat several times. It was a gesture to lighten the atmosphere. It was then that Aethelton, who had been hanging his head and groaning, showed interest.


    Even the anxious Oberth was able to breathe a sigh of relief. Marcellus looked at Aethelton with a much gentler gaze and smile than before and said,


    ¡°Your Majesty, of course, you may resent His Holiness¡¯s desire to use your difficulties as an opportunity to regain the right of investiture.¡±


    ¡°Resent?¡±


    ¡°Yes. You would resent it.¡±


    Marcellus smiled wryly at Aethelton, who was still scowling.


    ¡°But Your Majesty, you are by no means acting out of personal interest. Consider the consideration you have shown. Not only did you designate your third son, Prince Narva, as the next Bishop of Canterbury, but you also granted him as much authority as the Church could afford.¡±


    ¡°¡­Do you think I don¡¯t know that? I helped Yubas, but now that Yubas is running wild like an unbridled foal, I am looking for an alternative.¡±


    ¡°You have given the House of Povis the influence and presence to oppose Yubas.¡±


    Marcellus¡¯s smooth tongue was enough to evoke admiration.


    Enough to make Aethelton, whose scales had been tipped, take a step back. However, it was not as if Aethelton had lost all of his sharpness. The king straightened his posture.


    Of course, he had to resolve the inevitable question.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we just excommunicate Yubas?¡±


    ***


    His question was not solely born out of the animosity he had developed from suffering at Yubas¡¯s hands.


    The king pointed out the Church¡¯s inconsistency with a rather sharp tone.


    ¡°If you excommunicate Yubas, the other duchies that have been watching silently will raise their armies at once, and the malcontents within Yubas will join forces to tear him apart. From the Church¡¯s perspective, it would be much easier to rule over the fragmented duchies .¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    When Aethelton thought about it carefully, he realized that the best way for the Church to gain dominance in the Dawn Archipelago was to divide it. All they had to do was prevent anyone from unifying and entice those who were caught in the chaos with sweet words to join them.


    If anyone grew too strong, they would find fault with their morals, rally those who opposed them, and bring them down. By repeating this process, the Church¡¯s authority would naturally overshadow secular power.


    In fact, it was the future that the secular lords of the Dawn Archipelago feared the most. He wondered how the Church would react when confronted with this idea, but he was too afraid of the future to ask.


    However, the answer he received was unexpected.


    Marcellus dismissed it as a mere conspiracy theory with a small sigh.


    ¡°Your Majesty does not wish for humanity to be divided.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°From the previous generation and the generation before that, and even long before that, the Papacy has protected Yubas not out of any vested interest, but solely out of dedication to the unity and stability of the Dawn Archipelago. In order to protect humanity from the remnants of the Age of Darkness¡­¡±


    Marcellus trailed off because Aethelton and Oberth¡¯s reactions were so dramatic.


    Both of their faces were twisted as if they had bitten into something sour. Aethelton and Oberth showed through their words and actions the reason why secular power and the Church were bound to clash in nature.


    ¡°Your Grace, it seems that even now, you continue to exploit people¡¯s fears for your own gain.¡±


    ¡°¡­The church never changes. Still clinging to the old world that ended a thousand years ago.¡±


    It was no wonder that King Athelstan and Oberth were growing impatient.


    1208 years had passed since the twilight of the old world and the dawn of the new.


    The races that had ruled as masters in the old world were now only legends and myths, and the pagans were being hunted down one by one by the relentless church. Moreover, the old gods of the old world, vilified as demons, were gradually being forgotten after their records were thoroughly erased.


    Even in the frontier, the Isles of Dawn, where pagan influence was said to be the strongest, there were hardly any pagans left who dared to show their faces.


    As a result, for the vast majority of people who did not belong to the church, the old world had long since ended.


    However, it was different for the priests who had made enemies of the church.


    The members of the Inquisition, who had remained silent and watchful until now, all began to show signs of anger. The veins on their clenched fists bulged. The same was true of Marcello, who had been leading the negotiations, and Vonichego, who had stepped back.


    Marcello cast aside the calm demeanor he had shown until now, his eyes blazing fiercely as he raised his voice.


    ¡°The old world has waned, but it is not over. Do not misinterpret the meaning of the twilight of the old world and the dawn of the new. They are still¡­¡±


    Until Vonichego put a hand on his shoulder to stop him.


    ¡°Captain.¡±


    ¡°To worldly people, we must speak in worldly terms. As the Bishop¡¯s lord and ally, I will convey His Grace¡¯s concerns to you in a way that you can understand.¡±


    Vonichego turned to face King Athelstan, replacing the agitated Marcello.


    ¡°Yubas is a shield against the pagans from across the sea.¡±


    ¡°A shield? That rabble of savages who run wild and do as they please?¡±


    King Athelstan, who had been harboring a lot of resentment, lashed out, but Vonichego¡¯s response was unwavering.


    ¡°Yes. The church has long recognized that the political instability in the Isles of Dawn aids the pagans, and has been working to unify the region. Yubas is a group of people who, regardless of existing interests or logic, wished for the unification of the Isles of Dawn as true believers.¡±


    ¡°And this is the result? If what you say is true, then those who were slaughtered by Terbear were not pagans, but some kind of fools playing at theater.¡±


    It was a typical retort from King Athelstan, who was already at his wit¡¯s end because of the relentless raiders who were pouring into his shores.


    If he had not heard Vonichego¡¯s next words, he might have been somewhat satisfied.


    ¡°An estimated 100,000.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Across the sea, the conflict between the pagans is coming to an end. The Silver Wolf Mantle. A man who leads an army of at least 50,000. His Grace has judged that you should be prepared for up to 100,000 if the conflict ends completely .¡±


    King Athelstan and Oberth could only look at each other for a moment.


    -The order of magnitude is different.


    Even the mighty Yubas could not mobilize more than 50,000, or so the rulers of the Isles of Dawn commonly believed. And yet, they were being told to be prepared for at least 50,000 to 100,000.


    But even this was less shocking than what came next.


    ¡°And the Silver Wolf Mantle is estimated to be at Devotion Level 5.¡±

 Chapter 46

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 46


    46. A Hole in the Pocket


    In the distant past, in the days of the old world, humans lived alongside other races.


    Without any outstanding features, they were ignored by the countless gods. Abandoned by the gods, had to choose one of two ways to survive.


    First, they could swear feary to the races of the old world and live as their servants and sacrifices.


    Second, they could offer up enough of their fellow humans as sacrifices to attract the attention of the gods.


    The difference in these approaches soon became apparent. The moment the alien god, Lux Stella, descended, the world was divided into the old world and the new. However, not all humans joined the new world.


    The majority of humans who had lived as sacrifices gathered under the name of Lux Stella and dreamed of a new world. On the other hand, humans who had already gained the favor of the gods fought to expel the alien influence and protect their current world.


    However, not everyone stood on their ground.


    Among those who dreamed of a new world, there were those who were blinded by the blessings promised by the old gods of the old world and turned their backs on their faith. The same was true for those who had served the old gods. Some of they realized that as long as the old world continued, humans would forever remain the weakest, and so they converted to the new world.


    -When Vonichego had spoken this far, King Athelstan began to look at him with a suspicious glint in his eye.


    ¡°Is that why it doesn¡¯t excommunicate Yubas? Why Powys must surrender its right of investiture? And why are the heathens beyond the sea starting to gather?¡±


    Beating around the bush was a bad habit of those belonging to the Church. They were particularly adept at giving irrelevant explanations before getting to the main point. Sometimes, it was enough to make one lose focus.


    However, this way of speaking was useful for lulling the other party into a false sense of security and making them impatient first. Only thoroughly after confirming King Athelstan¡¯s patience did Bonichego finally change the subject.


    ¡°Yubas is descended from apostates.¡±


    ¡°I heard a rumor about that through Narva. They used the relics of Yise on their own accord.¡±


    King Athelstan spoke in a roundabout way, as if to ask why he was stating something he already knew. He hadn¡¯t expected Bonichego to use such a different approach.


    ¡°Yubas is a human kingdom said to have existed in this land 600 years ago, before the starlight of Inse arrived. It¡¯s the descendant of the heathens who destroyed that kingdom.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Approximately 200 years ago, they grew weary of the mutual slaughter and atrocities taking place beyond the sea, and they crossed over to the Isles of Dawn, declaring their conversion. They brought with them a wealth of information about the situation beyond the sea and the remnants of the heathens.¡±


    A myriad of rumors instantly came to mind.


    Yubas. A newly emerged house with an unclear origin. The strongest power in the archipelago, having annexed the existing local nobles while enjoying the overwhelming protection of the Holy See and amassing a powerful army.


    Before they knew it, King Athelstan and Aubert were facing each other, their mouths slightly agape. The one who regained his composure first was Aubert, the intelligence officer. Finally, the pieces of the puzzle were falling into place.


    ¡°Now I know where that crude and barbaric nature comes from.¡±


    ¡°Hm.¡±


    Instead of a long speech, King Athelstan replied with just a short cough.


    From their excessively short name for a noble house to their tendency to resort to force at the drop of a hat, they were certainly closer to barbarians than to a traditional noble family. Of course, he hadn¡¯t known that they would still be the same even after 200 years.


    King Athelstan shuddered and broke out in a cold sweat.


    ¡°To think I almost let my family intermarry with such people. It would have been an indelible disgrace to my house.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Aubert quickly reacted by closing his eyes tightly. Since there had never been a marriage, the king¡¯s words weren¡¯t entirely wrong. Sometimes, pointing out the truth had no effect at all.


    Bonichego shrugged and continued.


    ¡°In any case, Yubas¡¯s conversion was the catalyst that made the Church clearly recognize the heathens beyond the sea. Since then, Yubas and the Church have done their best to unify the Isles of Dawn and build a nation, making full use of their knowledge and power, but they¡¯ve come to a difference of opinion over the investiture of the late Bishop of Illenfoot.¡±


    ¡°A difference of opinion?¡±


    ¡°Yubas¡¯s idea was this: since the difference in power is clear, they should negotiate with the heathens on the condition that they recognize freedom of religion. The heathens would respect and preserve Yubas¡¯s territory, and Yubas would give up its unconditional defense of the Lux Stella faith outside its own territory. ¡­A very heretical and vile idea.¡±


    At first glance, it seemed like a peaceful and reasonable proposal. At least, until one grasped the intention hidden behind the carefully chosen words. King Athelstan wasn¡¯t dull enough not to notice that.


    ¡°Stalling for time. Throwing the other duchies out as bait and hoping they¡¯ll wear themselves out. Even if it works, it¡¯ll just be a treaty that¡¯ll be torn up without mercy if they don¡¯t narrow the power gap .¡±


    ¡°The Church, Your Majesty, thinks differently.¡±


    The reason the Holy See had sent twenty knights of the Order of the Capital. The main point started here.


    ¡°Your Majesty has accepted that the unification of the Isles of Dawn cannot be achieved through the opposition of the local nobles. Unlike Yubas, who still wants to annex as much as possible, you intend to maintain the existing duchy system and develop it into a single, large defensive alliance. At the same time, you¡¯ve begun stockpiling supplies on the mainland in preparation for a protracted war.¡±


    Before the unification of the Isles of Dawn, the invasion of the heathens would begin. The Holy See, convinced of this grim future, had chosen a different path from Yubas, who still clamored for a single nation.


    And at this very moment, Bonichego was speaking not as a member of the Miracle Examination Bureau, but as a special envoy of the Pope.


    ¡°For the sake of the defensive alliance system, Your Majesty intends to give up the right of investiture of every diocese in the Isles of Dawn, with the exception of a few.¡±


    ¡°¡­Except for our house?¡±


    King Athelstan blurted out before he realized it.


    ¡°Your Grace, do not dwell on the withdrawal of the right of investiture. Your Majesty has chosen Powys, the closest to Illenfoot after Yubas and the first follower of Saint Illenio, as the last bastion. At this moment, when the threat of apostasy and the invasion of heathens is becoming a reality, Illenfoot, the landing point, will become an increasingly strategically important stronghold.¡±


    Bonichego showed the grand picture that the Holy See was beginning to draw.


    ¡°Your Majesty is ultimately promoting the merger of the Diocese of Illenfoot and the Diocese of Powys, which will serve as its rear base.¡±


    ¡°!¡±


    Only then did King Athelstan, who had been acting petulant, change his expression. Intelligence officer Aubert, who was sensitive to the movement of power, also widened his eyes and looked around at Bonichego and the Miracle Examination Bureau.


    Aubert spoke on behalf of his lord.


    ¡°If the right of investiture were tied to a secular lord, then other secular lords would covet Ilenfoot by arguing that their own investiture was more legitimate.¡±


    ¡°A prince-bishop invested by His Holiness according to the ancient custom of the Church would be freer from such arguments¡­ even in the absence of stigmata.¡±


    Boniface¡¯s last remark was pregnant with meaning.


    The Papacy must have considered Narva a prince-bishop despite his lack of stigma due to several political factors. One was to merge the diocese of Powys with the bishopric of Ilenfoot, and the other was to secure a powerful local ally who could replace Ubas.


    Crucially, this was something that could sway King Athelstan.


    From Noble mtl dot com


    ¡°Above all, His Holiness will grant Your Grace the right to recommend a candidate. It is not full investment, and it will be subject to review, but it is not nothing.¡±


    ¡°There was a reason why Narva was persistently called bishop-elect.¡±


    The Papacy had sensed much in Ubas¡¯s change of heart and the threat of apostasy.


    A prince-bishop who would never apostatize, no matter what, was the key to victory in the long struggle. At the same time, he had to be of noble birth, capable of minimizing the backlash from local nobles.


    This was why Narva was called bishop-elect.


    The House of Powys and Narva were entrusted with the mission of guarding the only sanctuary in the Morninglight Isles against the pagans who might come at any time. King Athelstan could not help but smile quietly.


    He was recognized as a true believer who would never apostatize, a noble who would uphold justice. King Athelstan belatedly regained the courtesy befitting when dealing with a special envoy.


    ¡°¡­I was rude to the envoy sent by His Holiness. But if you had told me that part first, I would not have shown my immature side. Why did you tell me at the end?¡±


    It was a simple question that Tannin asked to ease the atmosphere.


    And King Athelstan realized once again.


    ¡°Because His Holiness ordered me to grasp what kind of person Your Grace is. Our actions would have been different depending on Your Grace¡¯s nature.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    There is a good reason why the Church is hated, they say.


    ***


    I was sitting on the bed, swinging my feet and munching on an apple.


    Edwina, who had placed the appetizingly sliced apple on a tray, showed curiosity again.


    ¡°My Lord, by the way, the priests who came with you called you by a different name.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Yes. They called you not a bishop, but a bishop-elect.¡±


    Oh, my. It seems they are very strict about not adding one letter at the end. Well, I knew they were extraordinary guys from the moment they decided to burn down all the brothels of the saint.


    ¡°Is there much difference between a bishop-elect and a bishop?¡±


    I swallowed a piece of apple and pondered. I got the title of bishop-elect, but I don¡¯t know what¡¯s different.


    ¡°Well, I think they do similar things.¡±


    ¡°What do bishops do?¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    It was a question I had never really thought about. I had never met a bishop in my life. A bishop. They are probably people who collect tithes and take care of others with the margin they have gained from their easy life, right?


    Or¡­ they live in self-praise like Bishop Ganista. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    For now, I had no choice but to mention the cases of Bishop Ganista and the dismissed Barnardo, whom I had encountered.


    ¡°The bishops I¡¯ve seen either hide their power while pretending to be ordinary priests and then surprise everyone, or they indulge in luxury and rape women.¡±


    ¡°?¡±


    ¡°They sometimes do nasty things.¡±


    Bishop Ganista seemed to be working. It¡¯s a problem because he¡¯s doing something on his own. But I don¡¯t know what else he does.


    The more I thought about it, the more I realized that a bishop¡­


    In this harsh world, it was a hidden honey that could be deliciously sucked.


    ¡°Still, it seemed like they didn¡¯t have much to do.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. I can hardly imagine what a bishop¡¯s daily life is like.¡±


    Fine gentlemen who never see the light of day. That was often the image medieval people had of the clergy. I felt a little smug at the thought that I might be able to enjoy such a life.


    Of course, I had said that I would do my best for my father¡­


    But without work, I¡¯d have nothing to do but play, right?

 Chapter 47

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 47


    47. A Father¡¯s Love


    The negotiation had come to a dramatic conclusion.


    After parting ways with the Commission of Miracles and returning to his office, King Aethelstan let out a sigh of relief. Of course, his sigh was not only of relief. King Aethelstan¡¯s forehead was creased with fatigue.


    ¡°How tedious.¡±


    ¡°¡­Isn¡¯t that always the way with the Church?¡±


    ¡°They act as if it¡¯s only natural to test people.¡±


    Overt¡¯s timid attempt at consolation did little to appease the king. He had suffered too much to be mollified by the consolation of a third party. The negotiation itself had been like a test by the Church, so it was only natural.


    However, it was useless to keep wasting his energy on his emotions. Overt brushed his hair out of his face and changed the subject.


    ¡°Do you think the information the Church gave us was also part of the test?¡±


    King Aethelstan recalled the countless pieces of information that the head of the commission, Boniface, had brought up.


    A great deal of information had been poured out in a short amount of time. The origins of the Yubas, the pagans across the sea, the reason for the revocation of the right of investiture¡­ Elements that seemed independent of each other were somehow connected.


    Of all this, King Aethelstan focused on the part about the pagans.


    ¡°They say the pagans are gathering in numbers close to 50,000 to 100,000.¡±


    ¡°¡­Even so, it¡¯s unlikely that they number 100,000. Especially considering that they would have to cross the sea, the actual number we would face would be even smaller.¡±


    Overt¡¯s opinion was simple. It was likely that the pagans were gathering, but the Church had been using fear to peddle indulgences for the past thousand years. Considering the unique circumstances of having to cross the sea, it would be impossible for them to invade with 100,000 troops.


    Even so, the reason they had mentioned 100,000 was probably a cheap trick to instill a sense of crisis in King Aethelstan. Overt had come to the most reasonable conclusion possible within the bounds of common sense.


    King Aethelstan¡¯s thoughts were not much different. However, even if the number was reduced, it was still a threat that could not be ignored. King Aethelstan pressed his forehead with his right hand.


    ¡°However, if they have the same strength as the Yubas, it would be more than enough. Even that number would be a formidable force. To be honest¡­ I don¡¯t think the defensive alliance that the Church is promoting will work out properly. In the worst case, there is a good chance that our duchy will be destroyed. That¡¯s how I see it.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°When that time comes, I must meet my fate with my country as a king.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°¡­As a lord and a father, I also have a duty to prevent the end of our family and the death of my children.¡±


    King Aethelstan had not simply accepted the offer after seeing only a partial picture.


    ¡®If I have the honorable title of Protector of the Holy Land, even if this land is destroyed, the ambitious lords of the mainland will take care of our surviving family.¡¯


    King Aethelstan had noticed the consideration that the Church had not explicitly mentioned out of respect for his honor and had accepted it.


    ¡®Moreover, they said they would ask our family¡¯s opinion on the investiture of the bishops, so it would be difficult for the mainland lords to ignore that. If His Majesty¡¯s consideration continues, we will be able to receive at least minimal treatment even if we flee to the mainland.¡¯


    The Church¡¯s promise was simple and clear.


    Even if the islands fell completely into the hands of the pagans by dawn, the Powys family line would be guaranteed. Both exile and life after exile would be taken care of under the protection of the papacy.


    This ensured the safety of his children and grandchildren. That was why King Aethelstan was able to uncrease his furrowed brow, if only a little.


    ¡°Your Majesty, please do not worry too much. They will have weakened during their journey across the sea, and they will be tactically disadvantaged because they have lived far from civilization¡­ I am confident that we can protect everyone if we have a well-trained army and support from the mainland.¡±


    ¡°Unless their leader is a devotion level 5, that is.¡±


    Even Overt could not speak fluently in front of the words ¡®devotion level 5¡¯.


    Devotion. An abstract measure of how much one is favored by God.


    Lux Stella grants blessings in stages to those who keep their vows, while the old gods of the underworld, called demons, grant blessings to those who offer more sacrifices. In that case, what kind of sacrifice would be required for devotion level 5?


    ¡°The priests have intentionally erased records of demons, saying that apostasy could increase if the blessings of devotion were known. They never revealed anything beyond the first level, which is immunity to disease, because even the blessings of Lux Stella could be discovered by the enemy.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°I wonder how much power the 5th devotion would give.¡±


    But there was another part that was more exciting and scary than that.


    Before the negotiations were over, Duke Aselton asked a question with a mixture of curiosity and urgency. He wondered if there were any members of the church who belonged to the 5th devotion.


    Then, Bonichego¡¯s answer stimulated his imagination in many ways.


    ¡®There can be no official believers of the 5th devotion who serve Lux Stella¡­¡¯


    Was it because no one had ever received it in history, or was it because the church seriously concealed its existence? Duke Aselton was lost in thought, excited like a young child for the first time in a long time.


    He was almost lost in thought.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not.¡±


    ¡°?¡±


    ¡°Narva will be thirteen soon. It may be peaceful for now, but as the situation becomes urgent, the responsibilities he will take on will be significant. Originally, I let him play freely because he was the third son who had nothing to do with the inheritance, but he became very annoying because of that.¡±


    Duke Aselton was originally a knight.


    However, he was a knight with a slightly different personality than Terbear, his second son. Unlike Terbear, who was easygoing and quickly forgot bad things, Aselton tended to let things go, but he was a man who would chew on annoyance that exceeded his standard.


    Moreover, he was not free enough to leave alone the annoyance of his youngest son, who wanted to receive his inheritance from his living father.


    ¡°Oberth, my dear friend. How are you doing in persuading the vassals and defending against the coastal raiders?¡±


    Spy Oberth tilted his head at the sudden question, but answered obediently.


    ¡°It seems that Lord Edelred has successfully achieved his purpose. Lord Edelred said that he will return soon, and it is rumored that even Lord Terbear has recently become so fierce that the raiders have turned their heads.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. Hmm!¡±


    In an instant, Duke Aselton recalled his loving heart for his youngest son. His eyes, which had been glaring just before, were filled with compassion.


    However, the memory of Narva¡¯s unfilial acts toward his father settled after a painful groan. The compassion disappeared from Duke Aselton¡¯s eyes, and instead, venom began to mix.


    ¡°Bring them both back. I will also send a letter to Bishop Illenfoot.¡±


    ¡°To Lord Terbear¡­ even the Bishop?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Only then did Oberth, who had noticed his true intentions, sweat profusely and ask back, but the answer that came back was very cold.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been playing for twelve years, so you have to study from now on to catch up with others!¡±


    ***


    It was when the snow was falling that the detention was lifted.


    I was walking down the hallway with Edwina and clicked my tongue at the white trash piling up on the windowsill. When I put my fingertip on it, it was neither moist nor soft, so it was real trash that couldn¡¯t even be used for snowball fights.


    Except for the advantage that it could be used well with a broom, it was completely useless.


    ¡°If it snows, we can have a snowball fight.¡±


    ¡°Were there any friends of Your Highness¡¯s age that you could hang out with?¡±


    Edwina asked, sorting her hair that fell below her shoulders. It was a strangely dismissive tone. She seemed genuinely surprised that there was anyone to play with.


    Oh my.


    Edwina found the sociality of a modern person living on Earth in the 21st century very funny.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we call the servants who are busy working and play with them? It will be a good memory for the servants too.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    It will be a very exciting event for those who live a colorless and difficult life and whose threshold of stimulation has fallen through the floor. I, a modern person of the 21st century. I could be sure of it as an event package led by the Manager in the mountain club I used to belong to.


    But for those who don¡¯t know about such a career, it might look different.


    ¡°I¡­ Your Highness. I doubt it will be a really good memory.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll see when we try.¡±


    Medieval people who valued the sense of community would have gladly accepted it. I brushed off Edvina¡¯s question lightly and kept walking.


    ¡°By the way, there are many faces I haven¡¯t seen today.¡±


    ¡°Yes? ¡­Your Grace, do you remember the faces of all the servants?¡±


    ¡°Of course. I don¡¯t know their names, but I remember their faces. That guy over there, the one who just shaved his beard, is the one who almost got hit by the glass bottle I threw.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    This is strange. This is definitely a time when she should be moved, but for some reason, Edvina¡¯s face was completely pale. It seemed that the meaning was not conveyed properly, so I explained it with a warm smile.


    ¡°I have to remember who works for me and what they did, don¡¯t I?¡±


    This is the mindset of a good boss.


    I know what kind of person you are, and you are never just a random extra. You are all equally precious to me. Let¡¯s tone down these heartwarming words a little.


    ¡°Hiccup.¡±


    ¡°?¡±


    ¡°Your Grace, please wait. I¡¯ll be right back. ¡­Until the hiccups stop. Please. I¡¯ll keep my mouth shut¡­¡±


    Edvina started hiccuping. I don¡¯t know how Edvina usually thought of me, but I don¡¯t know why she suddenly started hiccuping. I¡¯m curious, but¡­ it¡¯s too much to ask such detailed questions, so I decided to let it go.


    Anyway, this was my first outing since my close aides were released.


    I arrived at the door of my father¡¯s office and knocked calmly.


    ¡°It¡¯s Narba.¡±


    ¡°Come in.¡±


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    The voice from beyond the door was rougher than usual. It seemed that he was not alone with my father. I made up my mind to be more polite than usual and opened the door.


    Then.


    ¡°Narba, you¡¯re safe! I knew you¡¯d be safe!¡±


    Tervere, with his plump face already turning red around the eyes.


    ¡°Long time no see, Narba. You were quite the troublemaker, weren¡¯t you?¡±


    A familiar man with warm and gentle eyes was waiting for me.


    ¡°Lord Edelled?¡±


    ¡°hahahaha, it seems you¡¯ve forgotten what I look like. It¡¯s been too long. There¡¯s a lot we want to talk about, but.¡±


    Edelled definitely looked like a mediator.


    His eyes had a natural upward tilt, and his brown eyes had a gentle, rustic feel to them, reminiscent of a humble cottage. The calmness he exuded in his every move and gesture naturally eased the tension of those who saw him.


    But what did Edelled do? Edelled flicked his index finger at my father under the hem of his cloak, which he had slightly raised, out of sight of others.


    ¡°My father is very determined, so be prepared.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Determined? Prepared for what?


    I couldn¡¯t respond to Edelled¡¯s half-joking, half-serious concern. This was because my father¡¯s atmosphere had suddenly changed. My father was exuding an aura that was somehow familiar, yet terrifyingly intimidating.


    ¡°¡­Father?¡±


    ¡°Narba.¡±


    My father¡¯s eyes were unusual.


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    ¡°I haven¡¯t been paying attention to you lately. Some of it was unavoidable, and some of it was intentional.¡±


    ¡°No. I understand completely.¡±


    ¡°No. When I think about the important task you will be taking on in the future, I can no longer let you play around¡­ I can no longer let you be an idiot.¡±


    This is¡­ it¡¯s coming.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you plenty of opportunities. Stop playing around and studying, Narva!¡±


    Even if I put aside the fact that this was about 90% my father¡¯s true intentions spilling out.

 Chapter 48

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 48


    48. Our Brothers, the Private Tutors


    Thinking about it, our Powys family was bound by strong familial love.


    There were no insidious power struggles where we aimed daggers at each other, nor did anyone show any signs of envy or hatred towards anyone else. This was even though my mother had lost her life giving birth to me.


    I could have easily understood if my siblings had turned their displaced grief into hatred. It wouldn¡¯t have been an unusual occurrence.


    However, King Aethelstan and my two older brothers didn¡¯t show any such immaturity. They didn¡¯t blame their youngest brother for the death of their beloved wife and mother.


    Instead, they pitied their youngest brother who had grown up without his mother¡¯s care, and they cherished and protected him. It was a far cry from the Flour Sack household. Having someone you could trust and rely on like this was a great blessing.


    ¡­It was a blessing.


    Thud.


    I couldn¡¯t help but glare at the books that had been unceremoniously dumped down in front of me with a dull thud.


    ¡°Lord Aethelred, what is the meaning of this?¡±


    These weren¡¯t just any books.


    People who have grown up in modern times, where e-books are commonplace, might not be able to imagine it, but books that have been well-thumbed over a long period of time tend to swell up like moldy bread, as if they¡¯ re absorbing the years. They also become a murky, yellowish color.


    There was more than one of these books; there were eight of them. What was even more shocking was the fact that they weren¡¯t just empty husks. Every single one of them was filled to the brim with writing, to the point where the covers were bulging and on the verge of bursting.


    While I was still reeling in shock, Aethelred began to explain, pointing to each book with his finger.


    ¡°Volumes 1 and 2 contain a list of the major nobles known to the Isles of the Dawn, Volumes 3 and 4 contain our family¡¯s genealogy and information on our major relatives, Volume 5 is an introduction to heraldry, and Volumes 6 through 8 contain information on the vassals who have sworn feary to our family and their genealogies.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    Aethelred had dealt with vassals before. He couldn¡¯t have failed to realize why I was asking him this question, even though I already knew the answer.


    However, judging by his reaction, it seemed like he was going to ignore me unless I asked him directly. In the end, I steeled my face and asked him the question that was burning inside me, a mixture of bewilderment and desperation.


    ¡°Why are you giving these to me???¡±


    I could understand if I was the heir to the duchy or someone who was going to inherit an estate. But I was just a bishop, and I had no intention of meeting with nobles very often.


    Wasn¡¯t my future supposed to be that of a medieval counselor who simply collected tithes? That was the question I had asked.


    Aethelred didn¡¯t answer me right away.


    Instead, he narrowed his eyes slightly and stared at me intently before finally opening his mouth.


    ¡°We¡¯re surrendering the right of investiture in order to negotiate with the Papacy. Heh heh¡­ It was a difficult choice to make. It was quite a reckless plan.¡±


    It was a nuance that was difficult to tell whether it was praise or mockery. In such cases, silence was the best response. There was wisdom in the old saying that if you don¡¯t set up camp, you¡¯ll end up going halfway .


    As if to prove me right, Aethelred quickly wiped away the faint smile that had been playing on his lips.


    ¡°However, Narva. They say that reckless and impulsive actions tend to come with a much heavier price than usual. The material that is now piled up in front of you is a typical example of that.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°You took more than your share and you took it sooner than you were supposed to, so your father¡¯s intention is for you to learn as much as you can and assist him. Do you understand why you need to study now?¡±


    I understood it all too well, which was the problem. I wondered if he had taken offense at my remark about wanting to collect my inheritance. Come to think of it, King Aethelstan had a bit of a mischievous side to him. It wasn¡¯t t a big deal; his son had simply gotten his priorities a little mixed up.


    I couldn¡¯t just meekly accept this, so I carefully looked up at Aethelred.


    ¡°Um, Lord Aethelred, aren¡¯t you busy?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m not so heartless that I wouldn¡¯t make time for my younger brother.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re too busy.¡±


    ¡°Narva, this is a family matter. I¡¯ll make time even if I don¡¯t have any.¡±


    Aethelred even went so far as to scold me, his expression suddenly turning serious.


    In novels and games, brothers usually couldn¡¯t stand each other and wanted to kill each other. Our brothers were close, but they seemed to be waaay too close. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Besides, if it wasn¡¯t for me, no one else would be able to handle you properly.¡±


    ¡°Lord Tervair is your tutor, you know.¡±


    ¡°One should prioritize what they excel at. Tervair is your martial arts tutor.¡±


    It felt like he was alternately tearing me away and gluing me back together.


    Unlike his gentle appearance, Ederled sat on the chair without making any compromises. As he set down the book titled [Those Who Faced the Dawn of Heresy] from the top of the pile of books,


    Ederled¡¯s brown eyes were now burning with passion.


    ¡°Narva. Personally, I have high expectations for you.¡±


    ¡°Expectations?¡±


    ¡°Yes. As you know¡­ Tervair was truly awful at this kind of thing.¡±


    His blunt way of speaking about Tervair, unbefitting of a noble, was very natural. Ederled blew out a breath and brushed away the dust that had accumulated on the book, and then soon smiled in satisfaction.


    ¡°Tervair, who is poor with words, was good at making excuses. He would say that he would give up his inheritance to live as a knight so that he could build up military achievements. hahahaha¡­ That guy. He wouldn¡¯t even help his older brother and would run away like that. Fortunately, you are different from Tervair.¡±


    ¡°Lord Ederled, to tell you the truth, being a knight was my dream.¡±


    ¡°Narva, you must perform your duties as a bishop, so you can¡¯t run away like Tervair and live as a knight.¡±


    Only then did I recall that Ederled was also a child of King Aethelstan. With a gentle smile, Ederled began to sort through the books one by one.


    ¡°Today, let¡¯s start with the traditional noble families that have continued since the advent of the Lux Stella faith.¡±


    ¡°Today?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it the first time? It¡¯s like you¡¯ve just started walking, so let¡¯s keep the amount small. Today, let¡¯s just briefly learn about the families that occupy important positions in the five duchies, and tomorrow¡­¡±


    ¡°Tomorrow?¡±


    Questions that would cause a fight just by listening to them continued. My question, which was meant to make him stop, was met with another answer.


    ¡°Tomorrow, we must learn about the families to which the vassals of each duchy belong. At the same time, let¡¯s also study the introduction to heraldry.¡±


    ¡°Heraldry?¡±


    ¡°Yes. What symbolizes a noble is their name, etiquette, and heraldry. If you know heraldry, it¡¯s easy to know where they originated from, which family they branched off from, and whether the other party is a real noble or a fake noble . Moreover, it¡¯s easier to learn by connecting family names and heraldry together. In particular, it will make it easier to understand the surnames of nobles.¡±


    ¡°Surnames???¡±


    ¡°hahahaha¡­ Narva, your real name is Narva Orn Stregoz Glerio Powys. Just by hearing this name, you can tell how noble and old our family is. Isn¡¯t it amazing? If you know the structure and words used in the surnames of nobles, your future learning will be much easier.¡±


    I listened to the answers that came back every time I spoke. I have now learned to think to myself instead of speaking out loud.


    Ah¡­ Future learning?


    ¡°Lord Ederled, I have a calling as a bishop. I¡¯m very willing, but¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Considering your young age, the bishop of Illinifut will take care of the work for the time being. I will take care of the local affairs with the staff. You can focus on your studies without any worries.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    With all my rebuttals thwarted, I had no choice but to stare blankly at Ederled.


    ¡°Brother, are you angry because I sold the right to invest without permission?¡±


    At that, Ederled blinked and then burst into laughter.


    ¡°hahahahaha. Did I look like that?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Of course not.¡±


    Ederled smiled brightly at me.


    ¡°Quite the opposite. I thought it was wonderful how you volunteered to be a bishop.¡±


    ***


    ¡°Something like that happened.¡±


    In the castle¡¯s training ground. I sat down after beating up a straw doll for a while and told Tervair in detail about what had happened with Ederled.


    To Tervair, who had taken it upon himself to be my martial arts teacher.


    Terver rubbed the leather belt hanging from his waist and nodded carefully.


    ¡°When you were little, you used to love making me sit on a chair and show me the letters. It seems to be the same for you.¡±


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you showing me to read it?¡±


    Terver¡¯s face looked puzzled at my reasonable question.


    ¡°How could I? I can¡¯t read because I fall asleep when I see letters. You know that, too.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    ¡°Looking back, you were unusually considerate in many ways. Now that I think about it, I remember you visiting me every evening to show me letters for the day I would have insomnia.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t long because you got busy.¡±


    Terver spoke as if he were reminiscing about his mother singing him a lullaby, but I could share the despair and frustration that Edelred must have felt. Thanks to that, he must have felt a greater sense of responsibility as the eldest son.


    However, this isn¡¯t the time to feel sorry for Edelred.


    If I couldn¡¯t shake off Edelred, I had to shake off Terver too. I could never accept studying after working full-time as a fitness instructor. I subtly hinted at Terver¡¯s duty and responsibility.


    ¡°Now that you mention being busy¡­ Is it okay for Sir Terver to be here now? The raiders will still be aiming for the coast.¡±


    ¡°Huh? What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not about what.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s about knights teaching the squires. Don¡¯t worry, because the other knights understand. Rather, they told me to teach you properly.¡±


    Terver said so and tapped the ground with the wooden sword in his hand. He smiled very warmly.


    ¡°Narva, everyone is looking forward to going to the battlefield with you.¡±


    ¡°Sir, I¡¯m a bishop. I¡¯ve never been a squire.¡±


    ¡°hahahahaha! Boy. I, Terver, will persuade you with the rhetoric that I learned with the help of Brother Edelred. Listen carefully.¡±


    And I encountered a shocking and unexpected logic.


    ¡°When a monk becomes a knight, they become a monk knight. They are known for their harsh asceticism and martial arts trained in actual combat.¡±


    ¡°Well.¡±


    ¡°Then what happens when a bishop becomes a knight?¡±


    ¡°?¡±


    ¡°Since a bishop has a higher position than a monk, wouldn¡¯t a bishop be stronger if they became a knight?¡±


    Our Terver bravely knew that monks were lay positions. To be honest, I want to give him extra points for this part. It¡¯s okay to have a circle on an answer sheet that has been marked with a red line.


    ¡°Stop making that face. Narva, you don¡¯t have to worry. You have talent!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Now that you¡¯re rested, get up. Fix your posture again! What you need is not skill, but stamina and physique, so you¡¯ll quickly become a knight with the appropriate advice from this brother!¡±


    As soon as I heard that, I hurriedly took off my gloves and revealed the stigma engraved on the back of my hand.


    ¡°Sir, I don¡¯t know if you know this, but the stigma prevents me from feeling physical fatigue.¡±


    ¡°Stamina doesn¡¯t just mean the body. It¡¯s your spirit! This brother will thoroughly instill the spirit of a knight in you! Never fall, no matter what happens!!!!¡±


    ***


    Father, no.


    It seems that King Athelstone is really pissed off at me.

 Chapter 49

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 49


    49. 3 Years, Flowing Time


    I learned in the military that time is very relative.


    Time passes quickly when you are passionate or focused on something. It is especially easy to realize when you are a last-year corporal with D-100 days left until discharge. All your mind and concentration are focused on the discharge date, and all you can do is wait.


    Time passed slowly even if you tried to shirk your duties and avoid the eyes of the chief warrant officer or officers. Because you¡¯re not really resting when you rest. Your heart is already outside the damn unit you¡¯re in.


    As I rolled around hiding in the warehouse, I finally had an epiphany and put it into practice.


    ¡°Hey, you slacker. What are you doing here? You should be out there working hard.¡±


    ¡°I came out to work.¡±


    ¡°No. You should leave it to the guys downstairs. I¡¯ll treat you like a sergeant, so don¡¯t put in a complaint later. Just go over there and rest.¡±


    ¡°I really came here to dig. If not, please give me a sickle or a scythe to cut grass with.¡±


    ¡°Wow¡­ You¡¯re such a weirdo.¡±


    Since I had no choice but to wait anyway, I might as well do something to pass the time, or so I thought. Of course, the juniors who went to the front lines with me didn¡¯t understand easily.


    ¡°Sergeant, why are you working when you¡¯re the highest-ranking officer?¡±


    ¡°Because I got tired of sucking on honey.¡±


    ¡°Wow¡­ I want to suck on honey like you, Sergeant.¡±


    ¡°Just digging is the best. Sucking on honey will only make your discharge day come slower. Just don¡¯t get hurt.¡±


    Eventually, I ended up doing all sorts of chores, including cleaning the toilets in my later years, and I even received an offer to become a professional sergeant. I turned it down in a heartbeat, but the moral of the story is that time passes quickly when you¡¯re doing something.


    This was the reason my second adolescence flew by in a flash.


    -Time passed. The Starlight of Grace, or whatever, 1209, age thirteen.


    ¡°Narva. Recite the history that your first and last names hold.¡±


    Thanks to Edelred¡¯s harsh teachings, I was able to memorize the knowledge I had never known before.


    ¡°Narva is one of the names of the saints who rose up against the Heretics when the Lux Stella descended. It¡¯s a name of a local saint in the mainland, so it¡¯s rare in the Dawn Archipelago. I think my mother must have missed the mainland ¡­ and didn¡¯t give me a mainland-style name. Or maybe she was honoring her hometown.¡±


    The important thing is not the first name, but the last name.


    I heard that even on Earth in the old days, the last name was a typical yardstick for distinguishing between commoners and nobles. The nobles of this world were the same. For example, my name, Narva Orn Stregos Glerio Powys, can be explained as follows:


    The first [Narva] is my first name, which has nothing to do with my last name. It¡¯s just a name that parents, godparents, or godmothers give with meaning. Although there is a division between names that commoners often use and names that noble society often uses, there is no major distinction.


    Whether or not one is a real member of the nobility was divided by the names that followed.


    [Orn] is a middle name with the same concept as De or Von in medieval Earth. It roughly corresponds to ¡®of¡¯ when saying ¡®of where and who.¡¯ Originally, it was not a name that only nobles used, and some educated and cultured people called themselves [Orn].


    Next, [Stregos] is a name given by the church in consideration of one¡¯s contributions to the temple and the timing of one¡¯s conversion. According to Edelred, this part shows how many achievements one has made in the temple and how quickly one has converted.


    Let¡¯s organize the names distributed by the church for those who like to play ranking games¡­


    [Tribunus] for those families who converted immediately after the descent of the Lux Stella and led the Grace¡¯s uprising.


    [Honorabilis] for those families who converted late but distinguished themselves by making remarkable achievements during the temple¡¯s construction.


    From Noble mtl dot com


    [Magister] for those who impressed people and drove out heretics not through military achievements but through scholarship and doctrinal debate.


    [Stregos] for those who drove out heretics using various means and solidified the Lux Stella faith.


    Of these, the most respected is [Tribunus], but all four of your names are not easily given by the church, so they are said to be very rare. Of course, if you falsely claim to have one, you will be insulting the authority of the church and mocking the nobility, and the minimum punishment is death.


    So what is [Glerio]?


    This is the name given to families who did not believe in the Lux Stella but rose up against the Heretics, or to those who converted to the Lux Stella faith belatedly and fought against the Heretics.


    Families with the name [Glerio] can be seen as having had a deep influence on the local area even before the arrival of the church.


    Finally, [Powys] is¡­


    Just a place name.


    I recited the knowledge I had learned while studying in a soft-spoken but clear manner. However, Edelred listened expressively for a long time without any reaction.


    Then, he twitched his eyebrows and asked, his eyes half-open.


    ¡°Is that really true?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°?¡±


    Adelheid laughed as she closed the book after hearing my answer.


    ¡°If you had thought yourself lacking in education, you would have hesitated after losing your confidence there. It is fortunate that you have studied hard, Narba.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Our nephew seemed like he would have a difficult life. That was the vague feeling I had at that moment.


    Of course, learning continued even after that.


    -About 1210, when the Starlight of Ince was fourteen years old.


    I was sweating as I faced Terbear, who was ruthlessly wielding a wooden sword against a young child.


    ¡°Knights do not run away!¡±


    He was saying knightly things that almost sounded brainless.


    ¡°Because behind a knight¡¯s back are the weak who cannot protect themselves!¡±


    ¡°T, Terbear-nim. I think I¡¯m that weakling¡­!¡±


    Just looking at the thickness of the lump that had appeared on his upper arm, it was obvious who was weak. I made a very logical and rational argument, but my opponent was Terbear. He was a knight among knights, who lived and died by passion and romance.


    ¡°Narba! What kind of weak words are those!!!!¡±


    And Terbear never tolerated the words ¡®I beg you¡¯. Here, he even distinguished between ¡®gongsa¡¯ and ¡®kongsah¡¯. He was merciless even when the one who begged him was his beloved youngest sibling.


    Rather, his eyes turned bloodshot as if he disliked the attitude of appealing to the feelings of blood relatives.


    And then, finally.


    Bang-bang-.


    A piercing sound that was much more creepy than a wasp buzzing by my ear started to hit my eardrums. I received a much heavier blow with the wooden sword than before and cursed inwardly.


    Really, just inwardly.


    This¡­ damn it¡­.


    ¡°Knights and nobles fight on behalf of serfs and tenant farmers! Warriors who fight on behalf of those who are afraid to fight! Just as priests are called those who represent God, we represent the weak and powerless! Those who cannot protect themselves!! !¡±


    ¡°Ugh, eek.¡±


    ¡°Knights are their armor and swords! We become cruel on their behalf, and we bear the guilt on their behalf. We believe that by killing one, we can save dozens, and by killing dozens, we can protect hundreds of lives!¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±


    The Stigmata originally gives strength beyond one¡¯s specs, but it does not help one overcome an overwhelming difference in strength without training. My defense, which was slowly crumbling before Terbear¡¯s fierce attacks, was proof of that.


    ¡°Do not show weakness, Narba! Arm yourself with honor and chivalry! Unless you want to become a good-for-nothing who just swings a sword without conviction or faith!!!!¡±


    ¡°I¡­ Bishop¡­¡±


    ¡°A priest who mediates between God and man!!!! If such a priest says he will represent God but not man, what nonsense is that!!!!¡±


    Terbear had no answer. He was the kind of person who was determined to make me a knight, no matter what excuses I came up with. He was a truly pre-modern knight who would respond to a single rebuttal with multiple beatings.


    Rather, it felt like Terbear had evolved into a more disgusting person thanks to Adelheid¡¯s clumsy teachings.


    If I ever went back to the present, I vowed not to even look at media featuring knights.


    I wanted to burn all knightly romances and chivalry and everything.


    Anyway, after the brainwashing disguised as training was over, I was rolling around on the dirt floor of the training ground. Terbear brought me a leather bag full of water after putting away his wooden sword.


    ¡°Narba. You said you didn¡¯t want to train as a knight because you were a bishop.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°But the pagans will not treat you well just because you are a bishop. And neither will the wicked or the opportunistic.¡±


    I raised my upper body and took the leather bag. It was so cold that dew had formed on it.


    As I quietly untied the string and poured the cold water inside over my head, Terbear brushed the dirt off his pants and said in passing,


    ¡°I hope you can at least hold out until I come to your rescue.¡±


    Whew.


    Letting out a deep sigh, I rose to my feet once more.


    ¡°Brother, since you have put away your wooden sword, let¡¯s spar instead.¡±


    ¡°¡­.Of course! Narba, I knew you would say something like that!!!¡±


    -Year 1211 of the Human Era, age fifteen.


    Having been pushed around between my two older brothers, I was now starting to get chewed out by the Bishop of Illeniput, Ganista. He had personally come all the way to Powys to hand me a few thick books.


    I asked him bluntly.


    ¡°Bishop, I thought that if I were to become a bishop, I wouldn¡¯t need to study.¡±


    ¡°Ho ho ho. You don¡¯t need to study. This old man is not forcing you. Even if you don¡¯t become a bishop, it wouldn¡¯t be a big deal for the church.¡±


    Bishop Ganista said as he tapped his monocle with his index finger.


    ¡°However, if you yourself want to take the initiative to do something, you should do it yourself rather than leaving it to someone else. If someone else does it, it¡¯s their work, not yours. Of course, one could argue that all you have to do is assign the right people to the right places.¡±


    He said, taking the words right out of my mouth.


    ¡°But how do you know if that person is truly an expert, a capable individual? By listening to what others say and making a vague decision? Is that what you consider assigning the right people to the right places?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°It goes without saying, but¡­rather than considering all that, it¡¯s much easier to live as a puppet, a straw man. You can just live off of the scraps that others give you. Many people don¡¯t realize that they are just pets being raised, whining for more pocket money until they are slaughtered.¡±


    The bishop said, raising the back of his hand.


    ¡°By the way, I¡¯ll let you know now, I am bound by an oath of honesty.¡±


    Treat honest people with honesty. I decided to live by those words.


    ¡°Bishop, your personality is quite foul.¡±


    ¡°Ho ho ho, I see that the bishop-designate has also taken an oath of honesty.¡±


    At the very least, I didn¡¯t want to live a life where I received pocket money. I should be the one making the budget and having fun. I couldn¡¯t stand the idea of living off of the money others gave me and having to watch my every step. Besides, considering the inheritance I received from King Aethelstan, I had to work anyway.


    The saying ¡°crying while eating mustard¡± suddenly came to mind.


    I let out a sigh as I looked at the many books the bishop had given me.


    Bishop Ganista smiled contentedly at the sight.


    ¡°Bishop-designate, never rely on others. If you love and care for someone, you should protect them, not be protected by them.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about all of a sudden?¡±


    ¡°Those who cannot protect themselves cannot do anything. You should not only pursue strength, but neglecting strength will also come back to bite you. In any case, continue to build your strength. This old man advises you to do so.¡±


    It seems that the bishop was worried about my peaceful and gentle nature. Only then was I able to laugh, realizing the meaning behind Bishop Ganista¡¯s barbed words.


    ¡°I am a bit of a softie, aren¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°Ho ho ho.¡±


    I could guess what he was thinking after hearing about the oath of honesty.


    ¡­He probably thinks I¡¯ll spill the beans even if I¡¯m about to die.


    ***


    The Holy City of Ideas.


    The city that bears the alias of being the place where the Human Era began, and the most prosperous place in the Human Era. Idea was where the papal state was located, and countless organizations were established there, giving it a dignified and pious feel. However, if one were to venture into the back alleys, one would encounter a somewhat shabby and decadent atmosphere.


    Church spires could be seen everywhere, but that was all.


    Even in the most pious and prosperous city, poverty and destitution spread like mold, and even among churches, there were those that were lavishly decorated and those that were falling apart.


    However, just because a place is stained does not mean it is dirty or vulgar.


    In a small church located in an alleyway where people with sharp eyes wandered, there was a girl sitting on the altar, swinging her legs.


    ¡°Tee hee~.¡±


    Her humble and puffy clothes were reminiscent of a nun¡¯s habit at first glance.


    However, the platinum blonde hair that flowed down to her waist and her sweet, elegant voice combined to make her charming. Her round eyes under long eyelashes would brighten up her surroundings when she smiled.


    Before long, people began to gather despite her simple humming without any particular melody. If no one had interrupted, the church might have been packed.


    However, the people who had gathered in front of the church were forced to disperse.


    In the end, when the girl opened her eyes, there was no one in the church.


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so shameless.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just looking for a friend.¡±


    ¡°Are you referring to a peer who has received the Stigmata?¡±


    The cause was the men in purple shoulder mantles. They were priests belonging to the Holy See¡¯s Filmocracy. They were in charge of persuading people with their extensive knowledge and rhetoric rather than force.


    They sighed as they looked at the girl who was smiling happily on the altar.


    ¡°I told you that it is very rare for Lux Stella to grant the Stigmata.¡±


    ¡°But~.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a ¡®but¡¯.¡±


    ¡°But I heard there was a child who received the Stigmata at the age of twelve in the Frontier Islands.¡±


    ¡°Not the Frontier Islands, but the Islands of Dawn. And that person is already approaching the age of sixteen¡­ and has even served as a Bishop. Be careful with your words.¡±


    The girl stuck out her tongue at his words and raised the back of her hand.


    A bright blue cross.


    It was proof of Lux Stella¡¯s favor.


    ¡°Tch. I received it too.¡± S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m stuck here, playing around~. While she¡¯s running around as a Bishop.¡±


    ¡°The Bishop and the Bishop¡¯s aide¡­ are by no means positions to play around with. There¡¯s a reason why the application rate is low.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about that. I¡¯ll never know unless I try.¡±


    The priests, who were still arguing with the girl, began to look at each other.


    ¡°Are you really going to let her do it?¡±


    ¡°What crime have the Stigmata-less bishops committed?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ shouldn¡¯t we send her as a deacon? If she does a good job as a bishop even once, she won¡¯t be able to say things like that.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a tempting offer.¡±


    Whispering, muttering.


    The more the priests talked, the more their minds began to change.


    ¡°But where do we send her?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a bit harsh to make her suffer too much¡­ For now, let¡¯s ask His Holiness to send her to a place that¡¯s relatively close.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. Wouldn¡¯t it be counterproductive if we sent her to a stable place? If it¡¯s nothing special, we can crush her even more. If we¡¯re going to send her, we should definitely send her to a difficult place.¡±


    The priests had already decided where they wanted to send her.


    The girl stopped swinging her legs on the altar and instead smiled and opened her mouth.


    ¡°If I¡¯m going on a Bishop observation, there is a place I¡¯d like to go.¡±

 Chapter 50

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 50


    50. Bishop Narva


    1212 years since the star of Ise set and the star of humanity rose.


    It had been about 4 years since peace had come to the politically unstable Islands of Dawn. This was thanks to the fact that Yubas, who had threatened the surrounding lords with his oppressive and militaristic demeanor, had been subdued.


    There must have been various reasons for Yubas¡¯ decline, but the influence of the Holy See was the most significant. They had sent a large number of Holy Knights to the Principality of Powys on the pretext of examining the Stigmata of Narva, the third son of the Duke.


    Originally, the Order of the Knights Templar were targets of the vigilance of secular monarchs. The moment they moved without notification, they were likely to face fierce opposition. On the other hand, the Commission for the Examination of Miracles could suppress this by emphasizing the importance of the matter.


    The Papacy gave authority to Narva under the pretense of examining the stigmata, and at the same time, it frustrated the opposition of the secular monarchs. Moreover, it made good use of the opportunity that had been given.


    The Commission for the Examination of Miracles not only spread Narva¡¯s fame, who would become a key figure in the politics of the duchy, but also took on the role of a special envoy to persuade the surrounding duchies. And the proposal made by the Commission for the Examination of Miracles shocked the surrounding duchies.


    [The Papacy acknowledges the right of free appointment of each duchy, except for Powys, in consideration of the particularity of the Dawn Islands. In return, each duchy will form a peace alliance with each other to protect the islands from the invasion of pagans. ]


    The reason was plausible. To prevent the invasion of pagans in advance and to respond immediately, the judgment of the locals is respected. However, when it comes to cunning, the Papacy far surpasses any schemer.


    The secular monarchs, who had been wary of that ability for a long time, soon noticed another intention.


    [The peace alliance led by the Papacy is a leash to restrain Yubas.]


    There is no force in the islands that is strong enough to replace Yubas yet.


    However, now that we realize that Yubas can deviate at any time, it is foolish to leave the protection of the islands to Yubas. Each force may be weaker, but if they join forces, they should give strength to each duchy that can restrain Yubas .


    The Papacy must have judged so.


    Thinking that a peace alliance must be formed at any cost and with any means.


    Although their intentions were revealed, the dukes of each duchy accepted the proposal with pleasure, although they clicked their tongues. Each of them had different reasons in mind.


    Those who were exposed to the forefront of the pagans thought like this.


    ¡®If the pagans across the sea aim first, they will not aim for the powerful Yubas, but here. It is dangerous to ask for support from Yubas, but if His Holiness and the other duchies restrain them together¡­ we may be able to endure.¡¯


    On the other hand, those who considered Yubas more dangerous than the pagans focused on the part of restraint.


    ¡®Yubas forced an unreasonable marriage with Powys and staged a show of force. What happened in Athelstan could happen to us. Even if our circumstances are better than that of the man who was branded a usurper, it would be right to prepare some countermeasures. ¡®


    From Noble mtl dot com


    And those who were more devoted to religious causes thought differently.


    ¡®It is not the time for those who share the same faith to fight. Isn¡¯t there still the legacy of the old kingdom in this land that has not been restored? In the end, we can completely eradicate the pagans only when we develop all the empty lands and wastelands.¡¯


    The other two duchies also voted in favor.


    Yubas, who was embarrassed by the dominance that began to shake due to the conflict with the Church, felt the need to seek internal stability. They accepted the fact that their power was much weaker than they thought.


    Powys, which had barely revived the Order of the Knights, was not much different. Duke Athelstan chose a strong bond with the Papacy to ensure his own poor legitimacy, lack of close aides, and safety.


    People reacted differently to this. Some thought that Powys had chosen to be subordinate to the Papacy, while others thought that it was the emergence of a new player to replace Yubas.


    However, what is clear is that Duke Athelstan has established his support base. Everyone agreed that Powys would not collapse as easily as before. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    1212, sixteen years old this year.


    That was the reason why Narva¡¯s full-fledged bishop¡¯s ministry began.


    ***


    What does a bishop do?


    Whenever I heard such a question, I used to think about it together, as I was not particularly interested in religion. This is because even in various media that are easily accessible, I didn¡¯t see much about what bishops do.


    Most bishops in novels or games just spend a lot of money on donations, have affairs, and secretly make illegitimate children. In the most positive way, they just say a few words of virtue.


    That¡¯s why. I thought a bishop was just a priest with a miter on top.


    I thought that Edelred was just trying to tease me when he took the time to teach me while he was busy, or that he was frustrated that he had raised his second son, Tervere, as a nerd.


    I realized about that laughter when I was freed from all these studies and arrived at the bishop¡¯s see.


    It was the cathedral where the former bishop, Barnardo, who had been dismissed, had desperately gathered his wealth and was shining brightly. I walked down the hushed corridor under the stained glass window and realized.


    This will be my office and home from now on.


    After walking around for a long time, priests in white shoulder mantles appeared from across the corridor. They were carefully lifting a case.


    ¡°Your Grace, the Bishop, this is the shoulder mantle sent by His Holiness.¡±


    I went there myself and opened the case. That was the precedent. It is thoroughly my job to open the case and put on the shoulder mantle. What can I do when it is a tradition?


    When I opened the case like that, a luxurious shoulder mantle was neatly folded. A black shoulder mantle with gold trim. It¡¯s exactly the same as the one used by the Commission for the Examination of Miracles.


    I slowly reached out and stroked the gold trim.


    ¡°Gold trim.¡±


    ¡°Gold is a metal of permanence, and it is the thread that binds us. This is His Grace¡¯s prayer that under the starlight of humanity, you may bind all with unwavering faith.¡±


    He caressed the next portion of cloth, a supplement yet thick material the color of night.


    ¡°Black.¡±


    ¡°Black is the darkness, the oblivion. This is the prayer of humanity, that the twilight of this world may set below the horizon, never to rise again.¡±


    There was more to this casket than a mere mantle. I could feel something hard beneath the cloth.


    Slowly, he unfolded the mantle to reveal a necklace bearing the symbol of our church, the Azure Cross.


    ¡°Azure Cross.¡±


    ¡°As the starlight was our beginning, so shall it be their end. O starlight of humanity, may you guide us to victory.¡±


    With that, the prayer was complete.


    I accepted both the necklace and the mantle, and began to equip them. In a world largely devoid of fashion, a high-quality mantle tailored by the papacy was bound to stand out.


    I could feel the atmosphere around me grow even more solemn.


    Finally, with both mantle and necklace equipped, the priests lowered the casket and fell to their knees in unison.


    ¡°With this, you are the Lance of Humanity.¡±


    ¡°Hm.¡±


    Some might call it excessive flattery. But standing tall while everyone else prostrates themselves before you do something to a person.


    Excessive flattery¡­ Perhaps it wasn¡¯t so bad, I found myself thinking.


    Not often, but perhaps once in a while, it couldn¡¯t hurt. Just as I was about to indulge myself in the thought, the priests in the white mantles stood up in unison, beaming.


    ¡°Your Grace, Bishop, our utmost respect. To think you would already be performing the duties of a bishop at such a young age. Your diligence is simply astounding.¡±


    ¡°It is a rare sight indeed. Even among Stigmata Holders, not all volunteers for the position of bishop.¡±


    ¡°¡­Hm.¡±


    I felt my face begin to burn. For some reason, I was starting to feel uncomfortable.


    Of course, I did intend to work hard, and it felt good to be complimented¡­ But it felt forced, like they were laying it on too thick. So I held out my palm, signaling for them to stop.


    ¡°Your praise is excessive. I have yet to perform my duties properly, and yet you speak as if I have already achieved something to be proud of.¡±


    But the barrage of praise did not stop.


    In fact, the priests¡¯ eyes widened, and they continued to gush forth without pause.


    ¡°Indeed¡­ It seems Your Grace possesses both humility and integrity from the very beginning. It is no wonder that the Stigmata manifested upon you.¡±


    ¡°I fear we may be interrupting you. With Your Grace so full of zeal, we would not dare to intrude. His Grace would surely be overjoyed to see you.¡±


    ¡°Let us not tarry any longer. Your Grace, we shall take our leave. We offer our deepest gratitude for your service as a bishop.¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±


    I let out an uncomfortable groan as I sent them on their way.


    Normally, when someone flatters you so much, it¡¯s a sign of something bad to come. But for the life of me, I couldn¡¯t figure out why. Well, if they didn¡¯t want the responsibility that came with the position, all they had to do was quit.


    Just then, a familiar voice reached my ears.


    ¡°Kukuku. From the looks of that mantle, it seems His Grace has high hopes for you.¡±


    Approaching from behind me was an elderly gentleman with a monocle, the self-proclaimed genius, Bishop Ganista. Despite his many, glaring faults, he was on my side.


    I thanked Bishop Ganista for going out of his way to visit me.


    ¡°I am grateful that you would come all the way from Illenfoot.¡±


    ¡°Not at all, not at all. It is only right that this old man come to greet Your Grace. Now then, this old man shall do his utmost to ensure the success of your first bishop assignment.¡±


    Indeed¡­ I knew nothing of a bishop¡¯s duties, so the advice of the friendly and experienced Bishop Ganista would be essential if I was to perform my role properly.


    I nodded slowly, accepting his offer.


    ¡°I shall rely on you. By the way, what exactly does a bishop do?¡±


    Bishop Ganista flinched momentarily at my direct question.


    I wondered if I had hit a nerve.


    ¡°Heh, heh, heh. Don¡¯t you worry, this old man will guide you from the very beginning to the very end.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    My senses were tingling.


    Something¡­was amiss.


    ***


    It was amiss alright.


    My own office, my own space for the first time ever. I should have been overwhelmed with emotion, walking around and taking it all in, but instead, my heart was pounding in my chest.


    The cause was the priests who were wandering in and out of my room as if it were their own home. More precisely, the problem was the things in the priests¡¯ hands.


    ¡°Welp, uh¡­ So this is the famine that happened in 1202. And these are the monasteries that passed the inspection¡­¡±


    ¡°Couldn¡¯t find the 1190s parish records for the Chester area? I need to take a look at the baptismal records from that time to see if the parish records after that were properly recorded.¡±


    ¡°St-stop just handing them over. There are some missing parts in the donor list. We need to find the torn pages or someone who knows about it.¡±


    Books and parchments piled up from my navel to my head.


    The priests were nonchalantly rummaging through them, causing clouds of book dust to billow up and momentarily obscure the room, and alarm bells were going off in my head nonstop.


    Please don¡¯t let it have anything to do with me.


    But my prayer was crushed in a matter of seconds. A priest who had been walking around absentmindedly suddenly dropped a pile of books on my desk with a thud.


    ¡°Your Grace, here! This is the result of the census of the faithful in the Diocese of Powys!¡±


    ¡°Why are you giving that to me?¡±


    ¡°Huh? Well¡­ We need to know how many faithful there are in order to know how much to collect in tithes. We also need to inform the lords. And we need to check the birth and death records to reduce the poll tax burden on the faithful.¡±


    ¡°?¡±


    My confusion only grew.


    From the looks of it, it was some kind of census, but why were they bringing it to the bishop?


    ¡°Why does the bishop need to do that?¡±


    ¡°Huh? If the bishop doesn¡¯t do it, who will?¡±


    ¡°?¡±


    ¡°?¡±


    The priest and I stared at each other, our confusion growing.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t the lords be doing that?¡±


    ¡°Huh? How would the lords do something like this?¡±


    ¡°?¡±


    What¡¯s wrong with these guys?

 Chapter 51

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 51


    51. The Bishop with the Gamer¡¯s Mind


    In fantasy, there is usually one state religion.


    It¡¯s like a religious order ruled by a pope. This medieval-esque other world was similar in that respect. I¡¯m talking about the church that worships Lux Stella.


    However, what I hadn¡¯t expected was in the parts that were usually glossed over or not given much attention.


    Let¡¯s take the life of an ordinary person born into this world as an example.


    ¡°Waaah! Waaah!¡±


    A baby was born in a peaceful and quiet village.


    The mother¡¯s life was in danger as she birth, drenched in cold sweat and exhausted. The mother would hold the baby in her arms, and the father would have no choice but to watch over her, overcome with emotion.


    ¡°The baby¡¯s cries are so loud and healthy! You¡¯ve had a hard time, my lady!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a relief to hear that he¡¯s healthy¡­.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    The couple nodded at each other with stern faces, momentarily relieved that their child was born safely.


    ¡°We should go to the priest and have him baptized.¡±


    ¡°We should have him baptized.¡±


    This was related to the miracle bestowed by Lux Stella. The publicly known first stage of Lux Stella¡¯s devotion is perfect health. It is a miracle that is granted to those who believe, but unfortunately, newborn babies cannot profess their faith.


    It is common sense. How can babies who cannot even say ¡°Mom¡± or ¡°Dad¡± believe in God? Nevertheless, parents who want their children to be blessed seek out priests and ask for baptism.


    The next day, the husband takes the mother, who is barely able to move, and the baby wrapped in swaddling clothes to the church. Of course, the priest, who had already received news of the birth from the midwife, had prepared clean water and a clean cloth.


    ¡°I heard that the baby¡¯s cries were very strong. You didn¡¯t have to come right away. You could have waited until you recovered a little more.¡±


    ¡°Oh, priest. What if something happens to the baby if we wait a few more days? Please don¡¯t say such things.¡±


    ¡°Brother, if you continue to push yourself like this, it could have a negative effect on the mother and the child.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t understand, priest. It¡¯s more terrifying for my child to live a day without the miracle of Lux Stella!¡±


    ¡°Priest, I think the same as my husband. I can endure it, so please proceed with the baptism.¡±


    There is a reason why the priest dissuades the couple.


    In this world, baptism is a ceremony in which the parents and the priest make an oath to God on behalf of those who cannot profess their faith. The key is that the miracle given to the parents is shared with the child.


    However, the miracle of perfect health not only enhances natural healing powers, but also prevents curses from the other world. If the already weakened parents were to proceed, the probability of dying from illness or curse would be high.


    Nevertheless, the vast majority of people insisted on baptism. They vowed to endure the after-effects rather than let their child suffer from illness and die.


    In the end, the priest would sigh deeply and proceed with the baptism.


    ¡°Have you decided on a name for the child?¡±


    ¡°Please give the child a good name, priest.¡±


    ¡°A name with little influence from the other world¡­ Let¡¯s call him Dover.¡±


    The important thing here is the task of the priest. The priest named the child Dover, washed him with a clean cloth, and after anointing him, he immediately opened the church register and placed it on the altar.


    The priest dipped a quill into ink and recitated.


    ¡°Dover. The eldest son of the couple who live below the mill. From today, he shall live under the starlight of humanity, under his grace.¡±


    ¡°Phew. A weight has been lifted.¡±


    ¡°He won¡¯t suffer from illness anymore, right?¡±


    The priest looked at the relieved couple and raised his quill with a gentle smile.


    Scratch, scratch.


    The moment the name was written in the church register, the child was finally recognized as having been born. If that was all, it would be heartwarming and touching, but the problem was that this was not all.


    After entering the name in the church register, the priest approached the couple.


    ¡°Since the name has been entered in the church register, it is the rule that the poll tax will increase by one person this year. However, considering that he is not yet old enough to work, I will intercede with the lord so that he can receive a tax exemption. Considering that you will be short-handed in taking care of the child, this year¡¯s rent will also be reduced a little.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes?¡±


    ¡°¡­The tax will not increase significantly. If the steward points out that the yield has decreased, the church will defend you.¡±


    A harsh age of savagery and exploitation, known as the Middle Ages.


    The lords of this world also needed a lot of money to strengthen their defenses against foreign enemies. Or to make friends with other lords and prevent war in advance. Of course, that money was squeezed out of the serfs and tenant farmers below.


    ¡°Oh, priest, without you, how could we, mere peasants, have survived!¡±


    ¡°Thank you, thank you very much!¡±


    ¡°Since the two of you have been so devoted, the church must also be devoted. For now, go home and rest. You will have many after-effects from sharing the miracle.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes!¡±


    That¡¯s right. The idle good-for-nothings who don¡¯t work were the problem, there was plenty of work that the local priests and bishops of the world were originally supposed to do.


    The birth of a life was a blessing to some, but¡­ to others, it was a day of toil.


    The priest had no choice but to wave goodbye to the departing couple and let out a deep sigh.


    ¡°The lord can¡¯t collect the poll tax, so he¡¯s going to raise other usage fees, so we should keep our ears open.¡±


    Even this simple anecdote shows what kind of work a proper priest should be doing.


    From Noble mtl dot com


    A civil servant in charge of birth registration. A tax accountant pondering the application of tax exemptions for the poll tax. Sometimes a lawyer representing the parishioners.


    And even a mediator who has to prevent countless other conflicts.


    -But the tragedy doesn¡¯t end there.


    Dover, who was born in a peaceful village, grew up quickly and soon turned fourteen, an adult by the standards of this world. Then Dover had to come with his parents to receive another sacrament.


    The priest, trying his best to ignore the occasional outburst of chattering, opened his mouth, remembering Dover as a newborn baby.


    ¡°Dover of the mill house below. Do you wish to continue living under the starlight of humanity?¡±


    ¡°Yes! I wish for my mom and dad to become healthy again!¡±


    ¡°May your filial piety reach the starlight. Lux Stella, starlight of humanity. Please look after the one who has chosen to follow you and their family.¡±


    The priest anoints Dover with the holy oil he had prepared in advance and pronounces.


    Then the parents, who had been sitting behind and watching in silence, were often moved to tears by the renewed vitality and the sight of their child who had grown so well.


    ¡°To think that Dover would safely complete his confirmation.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so happy.¡±


    It is a coming-of-age ceremony in which the miracle taken from the parents is returned and they are recognized as adults in their own right. Of course, once you become an adult, responsibilities start to follow.


    Dover, who shrugged his shoulders at the fact that he had finally become an adult, the real adults had to gather unlike separately and share more worldly stories.


    ¡°Now that Dover is an adult, the poll tax will be applied normally. Military service and labor service will also be required normally. The household will suddenly have a lot of burdens, so if the rent or heating fee is too much, please come to the church and use it.¡±


    ¡°Thank you¡­! Thank you very much!¡±


    ¡°Dover is not yet old enough to be independent. Are there any families you are in talks with for a marriage?¡±


    ¡°Well, I heard that there is a match with the blacksmith¡¯s daughter¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ good. If you bring the marriage talks forward and have children early, the lord will be more generous because he will have more workers. Please consider the marriage proposal seriously if you can. If things work out, I will try to intercede to have the rent lowered.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, priest!¡±


    Dover¡¯s parents kept bowing. But from now on, even the lord will not be easy to deal with.


    ¡°I have respected the church¡¯s wishes and only collected a quarter of what I should have. But now you want me to reduce the tax because you¡¯re going to bring forward the marriage talks?¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be good for the lord to have more workers? A good reputation will lead to the serfs having more children, and those children will become excellent workers and serve.¡±


    ¡°Look¡­ my liege has demanded military service from me right now. I need twelve more chain mails to properly equip my soldiers, but you¡¯re telling me not to raise the mill usage fee and to reduce the bridge toll? Where am I¡¯m supposed to get the funds from?¡±


    ¡°Is the situation that bad?¡±


    ¡°Whew. I hear that the prince has been taken prisoner. It seems that the king is struggling to pay the ransom, so the military funds have been greatly reduced. Even minor lords like me are being asked for military service, so everyone is in a panic.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t the church persuade them this time? Shouldn¡¯t I properly equip my soldiers with armor who are going off to the battlefield?¡±


    In the end, the priest had no choice but to visit Dover¡¯s parents and explain and persuade them about the situation in the fief.


    ¡°Yes? But we¡¯ve already promised to marry?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ well¡­ things aren¡¯t going well.¡±


    ¡°Oh, can¡¯t we do something about the marriage tax?¡±


    ¡°¡­I understand. I will stop the marriage tax no matter what.¡±


    In this way, the priest was also a middle manager caught between the people and the lord.


    ¡°Father, we can¡¯t live like this. This isn¡¯t flour, it¡¯s sand!¡± S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°The Lord said to conscript at least 50 men. Can you do that?¡±


    ¡°Father, p-please save my son!¡±


    ¡°Father!¡±


    -And then time passed by and the day came for Dover to get married.


    ¡°Congratulations, Dover!¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s all grown up now!¡±


    ¡°hehehe, thank you all.¡±


    Even as a banquet was held in the village to change the gloomy atmosphere, the priest couldn¡¯t fully rejoice. He was busy talking to the village chief in the corner.


    ¡°What about the marriage tax?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid exemption is difficult. However, he managed to persuade us to allow payment in 10 years.¡±


    ¡°Whew¡­ That¡¯s a big hurdle overcome.¡±


    ¡°More importantly, how are the crops this year?¡±


    ¡°Even experienced farmers have different opinions. We¡¯ll have to wait and see before we can decide whether to plow the fields. However¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes. I¡¯ll ask the bishop for relief supplies. We have enough firewood, right?¡±


    The priest¡¯s role didn¡¯t end with just mediating.


    If the priest noticed that the local community he was in charge of was struggling, he had to quickly report it to his superiors. This was possible because of the strict vertical structure of the church.


    In principle, the organizational structure, consisting of priest ¨C bishop ¨C pope, functioned like a single nation.


    After the wedding banquet, the priest immediately returned to his room, lit a candle, and began to write a letter.


    [Bishop, due to the ongoing war and the colder-than-usual weather, there are signs of a bad harvest. I ask that you send relief supplies before the famine hits to minimize the damage¡­]


    The priest had done all he could.


    The priest continued to lead the local community through famines and various disasters. However, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn¡¯t prevent sudden deaths.


    Dover.


    This ordinary man, whom the priest had watched over since his birth, was dying after being injured by a bear while hunting in the forest.


    ¡°P-priest¡­.My, my wife and children.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. The church will take care of them.¡±


    ¡°I, I. Am I d-dying?¡±


    ¡°The starlight of humanity shines upon you. Just as the starlight watched over your birth, it will be with you in your death.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    The man died. Now, the priest would also take care of the funeral. After reciting a prayer in a solemn voice among the sobbing people, he returned to the church after saying a few words in memory of the deceased who was buried in the ground .


    However, Dover¡¯s death wasn¡¯t the real end. The priest dipped his quill in ink and opened the parish register.


    ¡°Dover, eldest son of the couple living downstairs from the mill. Taken by the starlight.¡±


    That¡¯s right.


    Even death certificates were the priest¡¯s job.


    ***


    ¡°There, the bishop reads the relief requests sent by local priests, as well as signs of pagan movements or uprisings, and cooperates with the lords to prevent them.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    I was on the verge of fainting after hearing about Bishop Ganista¡¯s overwhelming workload.


    But the workload didn¡¯t end there.


    ¡°They are also responsible for notarizing the wills of the wealthy and nobles, and managing the legacies they donate. Of course, it¡¯s necessary to memorize the family trees and crests of each family. There are frequent cases of descendants being impersonated to steal property from rightful owners.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    ¡°Furthermore, I examine the qualifications of the rampant monasteries and seal those that seem inappropriate, distribute the ecclesiastical funds sent by each region, pay a certain amount to His Holiness and the Lord, and save the rest as relief funds.¡± We use it to help the poor or relieve famine.¡±


    ¡­..


    ¡°It is also the bishop¡¯s job to make sure that the school records are properly managed. hehehe, Barnardo seems to have done it moderately.¡±


    Bishop Ganista laughed as if it was funny, but I couldn¡¯t bring myself to do so.


    ¡°Bishop.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m listening, Your Grace.¡±


    ¡°Is that it?¡±


    Bishop Ganista raised the corners of his mouth at those words.


    ¡°I also serve as a juror in the trial, Your Grace.¡±


    This¡­damn¡­.


    The bishop wasn¡¯t kidding!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


    ***


    The first task ended before I could even try anything.


    It took me a whole day to take over with the help of Bishop Ganista. I never thought I¡¯d come this far and do something like work, but the workload was beyond my imagination.


    I never thought a bishop would have so much work to do.


    I sat alone in my closet, pressing my forehead with my index finger. My dream time. How I sighed as a puppet king, unable to play properly in the first ice ceremony, thinking it was a dream.


    If I was going to eat the country, I should have eaten it for sure, but while doing it.


    I¡¯m afraid of the sunrise. I don¡¯t feel like falling asleep just thinking that there will be a lot of paperwork ver. Middle Ages piled up when I go to work tomorrow. As I repeatedly thought about this and fell into pessimism.


    Suddenly, a strange thought crossed my mind.


    Wasn¡¯t [Fantasy Monarch] like this game?


    I seem to have lived a medieval life too faithfully these days. Well, I can¡¯t help it since I¡¯ve been living with Edelred and Terbear. But¡­ I used to enjoy playing a game with a similar feel when I was in modern times.


    What kind of game is [Fantasy Monarch]?


    It is a game that aims to prosper the family by becoming a lord of the Middle Ages. The impact is strong because it sticks a knife in someone else¡¯s stomach, but in fact, it was a game that could be endlessly explored if you paid attention to the management part.


    [Fantasy Monarch] was a game where you appoint the right people while balancing intimacy and ability, think about where to spend the money you save, and cut off the sprouts, or rather, the sprouts of immature children and vassals in advance.


    I played such a game with a hehehe fun on the modern earth.


    Why is it that it was fun when I looked at it across the monitor and clicked the mouse, but now it¡¯s disgusting? After a brief deliberation, I came to a plausible conclusion.


    ¡­The shocking conclusion that I am becoming like Sir Terbear, the knight of knights.


    ¡°No. It can¡¯t be.¡±


    I muttered out loud to myself to make a pledge.


    I¡¯t be immersed in Terbear anymore. The work a bishop does is not much different from the games I used to enjoy very much. Then what is different that makes it not fun?


    Surprisingly, my thoughts flowed quickly as soon as I changed my mind.


    First, the UI is old. To be precise, the data is not intuitive.


    Who would say that it is not an undeveloped medieval society? There are no charts or graphs. There is no visual data that is easy to see at a glance, and it is all written in small letters, so my eyes can¡¯t help but get blurry.


    It¡¯s not for nothing that the elderly talk about PPT and presentations. I wondered if there was no one to cut this out, so I had to do it.


    Second, the predecessor is a mess.


    When I played [Fantasy Monarch], I did it as a new monarch, not as the successor to a ruined country. If it¡¯s 100, it¡¯s 100. I¡¯ll answer the same way. I think it¡¯s a bit¡­weird to play with a sandcastle that someone else built and collapsed.


    Third, there is still so much that I don¡¯t know.


    It is said that the fun of learning is important, but if you don¡¯t know what to do, you can¡¯t learn it. Since I don¡¯t know anything about the Diocese of Powys that I am in charge of, I can ¡®t match it and I can¡¯t memorize the place name.


    Fourth, I thought of this as a job.


    It¡¯s just like the real version of a medieval town management game. Thinking of it as a town management game really puts my mind at ease. Well¡­ Let¡¯s just gloss over the part where people die if you make a mistake managing the town.


    Those people would have died from all sorts of outlandish accidents even if it wasn¡¯t my fault anyway. Of course, I¡¯ll do my best, but even if I fail, they wouldn¡¯t dare lay a finger on me, a bishop¡¯s aide who was born into nobility and trained in martial arts.


    It means I don¡¯t have to worry about the consequences even if there¡¯s no save or load function.


    I realized that I had become very sleepy by the time I had thought about this. I also played [Earl Albert], a similar economic simulation game made by the same developer as [Fantasy Monarch], and it was fun.


    Quantify the names listed in the scriptures, check and adjust the customs and tax rates of each regional lord, adjust the balance between political forces, organize the data neatly, and then manage the town¡­


    ¡°Could it be surprisingly fun?¡±

 Chapter 52

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 52


    52. The World of a Madman


    At dawn, just as the sunlight was about to creep over the windowsill.


    When even the bell-ringer, who should have been the first to wake up to ring the bell, was still lying in bed, there was one person who was moving around busily even though it was still dark enough to rely on candles.


    ¡°I should probably go soon.¡±


    Bishop Ganista was already awake, had made his bed, and was calmly getting dressed. Normally, he would have slept for a while longer, but the bishop was driven by a desperate desire not to miss the precious spectacle.


    After finishing his morning prayers, Ganista drew the sign of the cross and chuckled.


    ¡°hehehehe. There¡¯s nothing as entertaining as watching a newly appointed bishop struggle. It¡¯s worth being here as a guest. It¡¯s not a fight or a fire, so what a noble and dignified entertainment this is. Oh, radiant star of humanity, please forgive this old man¡¯s pastime.¡±


    This eccentric nature had been foreseen from the beginning.


    A medieval person who didn¡¯t enjoy drinking, gambling, or women was bound to have some kind of sinister distortion in their nature. Bishop Ganista hummed a tune as he headed towards the library of the episcopal see of the Diocese of Powys, and the innermost part of it.


    ¡®Still, I should help him. I, as his superior, should prepare things for this old man.¡¯


    There were such cases sometimes. A newly awakened Stigmata Bearer who applied for the position of bishop out of a sense of duty but ended up fleeing due to the murderous workload.


    In order to prevent such an unfortunate incident, one had to take action in advance. Moreover, Bishop Narva of Powys was a key figure who would later rule the Diocese of Illenfoot and his own successor.


    Ganista planned to let Narva run away right away and then gradually increase the workload, like rain wetting the hem of his clothes. How long would Narva be able to endure? How much should he adjust the load so that he wouldn¡¯t give up but would burn with a desire to challenge himself?


    Ganista was pondering over the delicate criteria when he suddenly noticed something as he walked. As he walked through the silent and shadowy corridor, something caught his eye.


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    A faint light was leaking out of a cool gap in the library.


    Ganista frowned at the sight of the light, which was unusual for dawn. Candles were more expensive than people thought. Even in the church, it was repeatedly emphasized that candles should always be extinguished when there was no special ceremony.


    And yet, there was a candle lit.


    ¡®I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s a deacon or someone else, but they¡¯re wasting precious candles like this. Has everyone become so lax because of the previous bishop?¡¯


    He knew that the previous bishop of the Diocese of Powys, Barnardo, had committed various acts of tyranny.


    It was only natural that those who had worked under such a Barnardo would have a loose sense of money. They must have spent all the money that was supposed to be used for a specific purpose on entertainment or wasted it for convenience.


    Ganista twitched his eyebrows and quickened his pace. He had to stop the precious church funds from melting away in real time. If he hadn¡¯t been paying full attention, he would have continued to think that way.


    -Squeak, squeak.


    ¡°Whew.¡±


    Ganista¡¯s body stopped on its own. The melody of the paper that he had spent his whole life creating with his fingertips was reaching his eardrums. It was a time when it should never have been heard.


    If he were a naive new bishop, he might have been satisfied, thinking that a diligent monk or scribe was working hard.


    However, Ganista, a bishop who had been studying scriptures for decades, could say for sure. No matter how diligent they were, they were not precious enough to replace the melting wax of the candle.


    ¡®I guess I¡¯ll have to correct his bad habits in advance.¡¯ S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Still, it wasn¡¯t a mistake, so he would just have to reprimand him gently. Ganista opened the door of the library with a much more lenient heart. He thought that there would be no problem as long as he had a good attitude.


    However, Ganista froze as soon as he opened the door.


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    No, he was overwhelmed.


    The sound of a quill scratching paper echoed through the air, and the shadows swayed with every flicker of the candle. The sight that was revealed when the shadows, which had covered the entire wall, faded, completely overwhelmed him.


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    What Ganista saw was paper.


    They weren¡¯t ordinary white papers, but sheets teeming with geometric figures and densely written annotations.


    One entire wall of the library was covered with these papers. They were affixed to the wall with candle wax instead of pins, swaying like fish scales floundering in the wake of a wave.


    And then, the moment Ganista was overwhelmed by the sight, the scratching sound of a quill pen abruptly stopped. A sudden silence. Ganista instinctively grasped his pectoral cross and recited a prayer in his mind.


    ¡®Bringer of the dawn of mankind. I humbly ask you to drive them into the twilight with your starlight.¡¯


    It was a sight that would be considered a trace of heresy from any angle. Ganista intended to dispel the influence of heresy without hesitation, but he couldn¡¯t help but be disconcerted.


    The pectoral cross was not reacting.


    Ganista looked alternately at the papers plastered on the wall and the pectoral cross and was astounded.


    ¡®The influence of heresy¡­ No way? There?¡¯


    That was when he heard a familiar voice.


    The sound of a chair being dragged and a shadow illuminated by candlelight rose.


    ¡°Who is it? It¡¯s too early.¡±


    ¡°Your Grace? Is it you?¡±


    ¡°My Lord Bishop?¡±


    The owner of the voice was Narva. Ganista¡¯s agitation subsided only then. Although Narva was notorious for his eccentric personality, he wasn¡¯t the kind of person who would join hands with heresy.


    Ganista gasped in relief and stepped inside without hesitation.


    ¡°Oh my. You surprised me. What in the world are you doing at this hour? What are these¡­ strange drawings?¡±


    His judgment was premature. As Ganista asked his question out of curiosity, Narva revealed himself from within the library.


    With a slight face flushed with an odd exhilaration, with eyes lost in ecstasy, he pointed at the papers like Pygmalion who had fallen in love with the statue he had carved.


    ¡°What do you think? Don¡¯t you find them beautiful, Your Grace?¡±


    ¡°Yes? Your Grace, all of a sudden, what¡­¡±


    ¡°Do you see over there? I¡¯ve organized the 34 parishes within the diocese, considering their geographically and customary roles, into groups of six or seven and summarized them. From that far end to the window frame. The drawings on the upper part of the window show the records from the 1190s, before the inauguration of the former Lord Bishop Barnard, and the most recent records, and the gap between them.¡±


    The words poured out like a waterfall.


    ¡°It seems that this kind of attempt is the first among the former Lord Bishops, so there¡¯s no proper precedent. So I¡¯ve categorized them by assigning numbers towards the rising sun, with the bishop¡¯s see as the axis. I haven¡¯t finished organizing them all yet, and I¡¯ve only organized the immediate fiefdoms, centering around the bishop¡¯s see and the nature of the reigning king.¡±


    To Ganista, those words felt like a dialect spoken by those immersed in religious ecstasy.


    ¡°I feel the need to refine the division that I¡¯ve made arbitrarily for convenience, but I was going to ask Your Grace for advice on this.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s also a lot I¡¯d like to ask for advice on. Especially since the number of names registered in the church records has increased significantly since Bishop Barnard¡¯s inauguration, but the church funds themselves haven¡¯t changed noticeably. There are too many possible cases, and since the organized area is limited, it seems too early to draw any conclusions.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    ¡°Ah, to understand this trend, you¡¯ll see the third window from the left. If you look at the paper attached below the window frame, you¡¯ll see a drawing that numerically represents the names written in the church records. I¡¯ ve organized it so that you can see it all at a glance, by parish and by the year it was counted¡­ Before that, I should find the records regarding the relief request sent by the local priest. Do you know where they are , by any chance?¡±


    Bishop Ganista looked around with his mouth agape and turned his gaze to Narva.


    It didn¡¯t matter how much work had been done. It didn¡¯t matter whether the words Narva uttered were true or not, useful or not. What astounded Ganista was the expression on Narva¡¯s face as he poured out all those words.


    ¡°Th¡­ Your Grace. Why are you smiling?¡±


    ¡°?¡±


    All priests have something in common. They all handle their administrative duties with a sense of mission. From parish priests to cardinals, it was the reason they breathed deeply every single day.


    Among them, some deviants often embezzled the precious church funds, saying it was the reward for their suffering.


    Of course, it would vary from person to person, but at least Ganista had never seen anyone who approached administrative duties with a smiling face. Except for the Narva he had encountered today.


    Countless speculations ran through Ganista¡¯s mind.


    Why on earth are you smiling? Is there something you¡¯ve figured out, and are you planning to torment someone with this as an excuse? Or have you discovered another corruption within the church and are you smiling wryly?


    How could the Lord Bishop speak such words with such an ecstatic face, filled with joy?


    The answer that came to the countless overlapping questions was truly simple and clear.


    ¡°What¡­ Don¡¯t you find it interesting?¡±


    ¡°Interesting?¡±


    ¡°Oh, come on, Bishop. Why are you so surprised? Isn¡¯t it fun just to think about whether the information contained in those digital graphs is real, and if so, what measures we can take to develop it in the future? ¡°


    ¡°Heh. Heh. Heh.¡±


    Having heard the answer, Ganista turned his back without the slightest hesitation.


    ¡°Your Grace¡¯s enthusiasm has relieved my worries. Heh heh, this old man can return to his duties without any problems.¡±


    ¡°Bishop.¡±


    Then, Narva¡¯s voice, cold as a blade, grazed the back of Ganista¡¯s neck.


    ¡°Before you retire, Bishop, I¡¯ve already spoken to the stableman. You won¡¯t be going out for a while, so have the horses unsaddled and the carriage serviced for the time being.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°You must be very bored to be up so early.¡±


    Ganista, to the voice slowly approaching.


    ¡°Fortunately, I have prepared an amazing entertainment for us to together.¡±


    He squeezed his eyes shut tightly.


    ***


    Episcopal See of Powys Diocese.


    In this place that had been extravagantly managed since long ago, several monks and priests were making a bet.


    ¡°I wonder how long the new bishop will last.¡±


    ¡°Chuckle¡­ Not a bishop, but a bishop-killer.¡±


    ¡°Whatever.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. Well, nothing is more annoying and terrible than a staring contest with the clergy. He probably won¡¯t last long and will tell us to do as we please.¡±


    ¡°hehehehe. Let¡¯s keep an eye on him this time.¡±


    No matter how hard-working or dedicated a person is, they can get tired. That was the murderous amount of administrative work that the Church had to do. The workload was also one of the reasons why the previous bishop, Barnardo, had collapsed in an instant.


    If the lower ranks repeatedly neglected their duties and passed them on to their superiors, they would be overwhelmed with work and lose control. Overcoming this required tremendous effort, and there was no bishop in the provinces who was patient enough to tolerate it.


    Most of the bishops, who were appointed simply because they were on good terms with the secular lords, often had problems with their temperament.


    This time would be no different.


    The lazy monks and priests smiled with satisfaction at the thought of eating and working moderately.


    -Until a month had passed.


    ¡°Bring me the records of relief requests from each local parish during the famine of 1202. Also, the current location and personal information of the priests in charge of the parish at that time.¡±


    ¡°There seems to be a concern about the forgery of the parish records in Namchester. The number of confirmed residents in the 1190s was about 1,800, but it increased to 2,300 as soon as the 1200s began. If there had been a sudden influx of refugees or immigrants, a report should have been submitted, but this part is also blank. Summon the scribe who transcribed the parish records at that time.¡±


    ¡°The parish records of Kenneth is 800? According to my calculations, it should be up to 945. I¡¯ll review it, so bring me all the records you referred to. Let¡¯s check them together.¡±


    ¡°How much is the rate of church tax payment in Barasta? Is it only this much? Are there only beggars in a place where 3,000 people live? Fraud is suspected. Summon all those involved. I will wait here until I hear the details. ¡°


    Narva¡¯s eyes were the only ones that sparkled among the faces that were dying with each passing moment.


    In the end, one courageous monk, unable to bear it any longer, boldly suggested.


    ¡°Your Grace, it¡¯s good to be dedicated to your work, but we are terribly thirsty. Wouldn¡¯t you like to have a drink? We should relax sometimes.¡±


    ¡°Oh, grape wine. Good.¡±


    The beginning of corruption starts from the smallest things. The monks and priests looked at each other and secretly clenched their fists. They celebrated their success.


    ¡°But you¡¯re going to drink while you¡¯re still messing around?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    That is, until the next words came out.


    ¡°Sit on your butt and watch. Soon you¡¯ll learn the pleasure of seeing the numbers on this graph change positively. When that happens, I¡¯ll allow you to drink alcohol.¡±


    At that moment, the priests and monks recalled a certain rumor.


    A rumor that Narva, the third son of Powys, was crazy. A rumor that had solid evidence to support it, that he had gone mad because of the marriage that Yubas had forced upon him.


    But even if Narva had been crazy before the marriage proposal, there was a clear target for their resentment. The monks and priests avoided Narva¡¯s gaze and gritted their teeth, glaring at him.


    ¡®Yubas¡­!¡¯


    ¡®How dare he make such a man a bishop!!!¡¯


    But even that was just a drop in the bucket. Narva, who had been explaining the visual pleasures of the graph to a monk who had recklessly challenged him, suddenly showed interest in something else.


    ¡°Now that I think about it, what order do you belong to?¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes. Why do you ask all of a sudden¡­?¡±


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t be so surprised. It¡¯s nothing.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    The monk, who had been sweating profusely, was cautiously relieved for a moment.


    ¡°I was just wondering if the previous bishop had properly examined the order. If I want to confirm that, I¡¯ll have to visit you at some point.¡±


    Narva¡¯s eyes sparkled like a predator that had found its prey.


    ¡°I¡¯ll visit your order first.¡±

 Chapter 53

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 53


    53. Everyone is Honest


    If a country doesn¡¯t have money, the first thing to do is to check if there are any thieves.


    I think it¡¯s a really good saying. The reason I decided to examine the orders and monasteries was because of Barasta.


    Barasta is a coastal city located at the westernmost point of the Principality of Powys. Although it does not have a river that flows directly into the sea, it has many small and deep tributaries nearby, making it easy to transport goods by water.


    The name of the river where the tributaries meet is Seny, and there is a road connecting the river and the city, so products from nearby towns and estates are gathered in Barasta.


    The main products are transporting timber from sawmills that cut down the nearby forest and various agricultural and livestock products. In addition, because it is easy to accumulate logistics, it is also the first place where lords¡¯ tributes and church funds sent by local churches are collected.


    The population is even around 3,000.


    Of course, for someone who lives next to a country that can mobilize 100,000 people at a moment¡¯s notice, they would think it¡¯s ridiculous to make a fuss about just 3,000 people. That¡¯s what I thought at first. If I hadn¡¯t looked through the church records and estimated the average number in this world, I would have continued to think that way.


    To put it simply, in this world, at least in our principality, a population of 3,000 is quite a large scale. The population of Powys proper, where King Athelstan reigns, is estimated to be around 6,000 to 8,000.


    As you can see from this, it is a place where there should be a lot of money. But the amount of money collected was not that much. Of the 34 local parishes that I arbitrarily grouped into six or seven, the church funds paid by Barasta and the nearby local churches were particularly low.


    If I were to speak abstractly, it might not be clear, so let¡¯s objectify it with numbers¡­


    The average annual church tax revenue for each district that I have marked is around 102 gold marks. However, the church funds paid by Barasta and the nearby churches were only about 84 gold marks.


    Some people who are lenient and generous might think, ¡®Why bother nitpicking? Just give them 20 gold marks.¡¯ But let¡¯s put aside that person¡¯s kindness and convert this gold into silver, which is more commonly used and practical among the people. The story changes a lot.


    Gold is so valuable that when converted, it is not 10 to 1, but 12 to 1. Of course, 12 parts are silver, so if you convert 102 gold marks, you get about 1224 silver marks.


    However, if you convert 84 gold marks, you only get 1008 silver marks. 200 silver marks just disappeared in Barasta. According to the market price I had someone check, a cheap chain mail costs about 18 silver marks¡­


    It¡¯s like 10 soldiers who were supposed to be armed and ready to defend against raiders and ensure public safety have just disappeared.


    Does that make sense? The Principality of Powys was losing ten soldiers at a time without even doing anything. I was shocked and went through the organized materials, trying to figure it out.


    Why is such a ridiculous thing happening?


    The reason for this was the orders and monasteries. It was a conclusion I came to without any personal ill feelings or prejudice, based purely on statistics and evidence. Bishop Ganista, who had come to help me, nodded his head in agreement with my conclusion .


    The key was the numerous privileges and benefits given to the orders.


    Bishop Ganista spoke, slyly putting away the charts in front of him.


    ¡°Heh heh. I think I know where the previous bishop, Barnardo, got the funds to live in luxury. It seems that he embezzled private property in exchange for passing the order¡¯s examination.¡±


    ¡°Is there a reason to establish an order to that extent?¡±


    ¡°Hmm. It seems that it¡¯s time to tell you about the orders and the monasteries they run¡­¡±


    In this world, the origins of the orders date back to the descent of Lux Stella.


    At that time, the humans who had encountered Ise¡¯s fierce counterattack were sometimes scattered or completely isolated, facing the crisis of annihilation. And Ise¡¯s races intended to completely eradicate or exterminate the humans who had attracted the alien god, Lux Stella.


    In the end, the humans felt the need for self-sufficiency in order to survive, and they began to practice repeatedly in order to receive the miracles of Lux Stella, who was the only one who could help them.


    The isolated religious communities in this area were the origin of abbeys and monasteries.


    ¡°So they gained many privileges from the church and the secular world on the condition that they would not only have considerable autonomy, but also cultivate excellent believers and strengthen their faith. Exemption from military service and tax benefits are typical examples.¡±


    By this point, you can probably guess.


    No matter how impressive and wonderful the narrative may be, the lesson is that it often goes awry when it is linked to vested interests.


    ¡°Monasteries are good places to accumulate wealth, especially if they collude with local lords or wealthy landowners. There are frequent cases of those who want to donate their land because they are deeply religious, or who have to work hard to be recognized as heirs, colluding with local abbeys.¡±


    To explain this, you need to know about the feudal system in this world.


    Originally, land and titles were not hereditary.


    Feudal contracts can be broadly divided into two types: one is the case where a traditional local ruler swears allegiance and is recognized with autonomy and various rights in return. The other is the case where a superior lord or sovereign lends the right to govern the land in his or her own name.


    In principle, it is a concept close to [rent].


    Of course, if you act rashly, your successor may not be recognized as an heir. This led to the division of vassals who could be capricious towards their lords and vassals who had to grovel.


    The way to ambiguously distort this principle is to donate land to an abbey.


    ¡°In principle, it is the lord¡¯s land, but nominally it belongs to the vassal or his successor who received the grant, and in reality it is the land operated by the abbey. ¡­Secular and religious matters are often inviolable.¡±


    ¡°Your understanding is excellent.¡±


    The lord who lent the land, even if he is annoyed by the vassal, will not pay attention to it and will tacitly approve it, as it was not his land in the first place.


    In return for avoiding the lord¡¯s interference, the vassal is placed under the influence of the abbey, and the abbey acts as the vassal¡¯s assistant or guardian, exploiting the land and sharing the proceeds with the vassal.


    The only one who can destroy this absurd symbiotic structure is the local bishop who has the authority to examine the abbey¡­ As you know, the former bishop, Barnardo, was the one who colluded with the abbey to live a comfortable life.


    No wonder the country is in such a mess and King Athelstan is always crawling around.


    After hearing Bishop Ganista¡¯s story, I felt an extreme anger that made my whole body tremble.


    These¡­ these filthy blood-sucking bastards.


    How, how dare they!


    ¡°How dare there be a group that embezzles and misappropriates funds that are to be used for my development and efficiency daughters!¡±


    ¡°Your Grace, please say that you felt indignant when you saw the group that had lost faith and were blinded by vested interests, even if only this time.¡±


    I guess he looked too worldly for a bishop, who is supposed to be the face of the church.


    I reconsidered and rephrased my words, reflecting on Ganista¡¯s tearful voice.


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    ¡°It is truly lamentable. Even if the abbey is a pillar of power that creates high-value specialty products, preserves knowledge, and keeps the local lords in check, it cannot hide its guilt for not voluntarily paying its ecclesiastical dues.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    Of course, it is true that the abbey has tax exemption privileges. However, are ecclesiastical dues taxes? If they were truly devout believers, they would have emptied their pockets and made their offerings with joy.


    Even if they were local saints, they would be accused of heresy if they did not make offerings. It was clear that the end times were upon us when mere abbeys did not pay their ecclesiastical dues. A famous saint once said that it is very difficult and painful for a rich man to enter heaven.


    It is the mission of a shepherd to guide lost sheep to the right path, even if he has to beat them.


    I felt a passion and a sense of spirituality that I had not felt in a long time, and I rose from my chair.


    ¡°Bishop, I think I should go and relieve the karma that their souls carry.¡±


    ¡°Why do you only use priestly vocabulary when it suits you? ¡­hahahaha, but it was something that was needed someday. This old man will come with you.¡±


    Then Bishop Ganista also began to get up from his seat, grinning.


    Of course, I did not understand the bishop¡¯s sudden behavior.


    ¡°? Why are you getting up?¡±


    ¡°Your Grace, this old man must assist you. hehehehe¡­¡±


    ¡°No. You can just sit here and relax, Bishop.¡±


    I said, putting the diagrams that Ganista had put away back in place.


    ¡°¡­were you watching?¡±


    ¡°Bishop, you shouldn¡¯t feel guilty for enjoying yourself. Lux Stella, the starlight of mankind, would also like to see people with smiling faces. Please keep working hard and having fun, at least until I return.¡±


    Bishop Ganista¡¯s somewhat resentful expression was truly unfortunate. If he only knew how to enjoy himself, there would be no greater pastime. I added a word to encourage Bishop Ganista.


    ¡°Before I give the order.¡±


    ***


    -That is why I decided to become a monk.


    It was also a decision I made just a month after being ordered as a bishop, around February 2, 1212.


    Originally, I would have continued to play, but I couldn¡¯t just stand by and watch as the parasite sucked my precious funds dry. People can¡¯t just play forever, after all.


    I would have prepared plenty of entertainment for Bishop Ganista, who had come to play with nothing to do, so I was able to get to work with a light heart. Of course, it would be a terrible thing for a superior to play while leaving his subordinates to work.


    If we¡¯re going to talk about it, we should all play together to create a sense of unity.


    I called all the monks and priests of the cathedral to the chapel to share this good news. I glared at them to see if there were any unfaithful stragglers who would skip out on community life. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Fortunately, this church was a community woven together by a strong faith. Unlike the cutthroat Sertel faction that came before, they didn¡¯t seem heartless enough to turn their backs on their brothers.


    My heart warmed as I looked at the monks and priests, who had gathered as quickly as an army and were standing at attention with pious and solemn expressions.


    I skipped the boring sermon for their sake.


    I got straight to the point.


    ¡°On February 17, about two weeks from now, I plan to form a delegation to visit the diocese to learn about the local situation.¡±


    In an instant, the chapel fell silent, even the sound of breathing ceasing.


    It was the calm before the storm.


    ¡°¡­.!!!!!¡±


    ¡°!!!!¡±


    They couldn¡¯t cheer due to the rule against making noise.


    However, the joy and jubilation they expressed with their wriggling bodies strolled me that I had made the right decision. In a rigid, hierarchical structure like the Church, the presence of a superior must have been overwhelming.


    I would be satisfied if they could relax a little while I was away. I used their joy as a springboard to announce the first ever welfare policy for men, or rather, for the Church, in the Middle Ages.


    ¡°And I have prepared a variety of materials for you to enjoy during my absence, so that you won¡¯t get tired of your unchanging routine. These materials are categorized by period, and by the bishops or parishes that served during those periods. will be a useful and enjoyable time to refer to the transcribed records and check for any errors.¡±


    The people of the Middle Ages, who didn¡¯t know how precious paper was and were busy with their work, wouldn¡¯t know about it.


    The game of finding the wrong picture in the corner of a newspaper, which was enjoyed by people who had a little free time. I had given much thought to how I could adapt this simple pastime.


    The result was a medieval version of ¡°Find the Wrong Picture.¡±


    ¡°Originally, the faithful who turned their backs on the secular world had to discipline themselves¡­ but recently, I have seen many people who chase after stimulation and resort to drinking. Therefore, I have prepared a pastime that is healthier, more creative , and productive, so please enjoy it to your heart¡¯s content with Bishop Ganista.¡±


    ¡°¡±¡­.¡±¡±


    Ah-. Are they really people of the Middle Ages, too busy with their livelihoods to be sensitive to such things?-.


    It was unfortunate to see them blinking their eyes, not knowing what to make of the entertainment that had been so thoughtfully provided. I made a new vow. Just as I had once brought laughter to people with my jester¡¯s bells, I would bring them all Sorts of entertainment this time too.


    I would show them entertainment that they could enjoy even in this primitive, gray Middle Ages.


    But this wouldn¡¯t do. The people of the Middle Ages, who didn¡¯t know what ¡°Find the Wrong Picture¡± was, might give up before they even learned how to play.


    I had no choice but to add a little carrot and stick to help motivate them.


    ¡°However, anyone who feels that playing is a sin should volunteer for the delegation. I will accept applications starting tomorrow.¡±


    ***


    And the next day, everyone in the parish volunteered for the delegation.

 Chapter 54

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 54


    54. Let¡¯s Share Good Things


    I was not a person who cried easily.


    It wasn¡¯t because of the conservative macho belief that if you were born with a hunchback, you could only cry three times in your life. It was just that I was slow to recognize sadness, and there were few things that moved me.


    However, even a country like this could not remain indifferent in the face of such a heartwarming sight. Time passed slightly, and February 4, 1212 arrived. The events that had unfolded over the past day were nothing short of moving.


    I once again called the people into the chapel, both to share the emotions I had felt at the time and to reveal the results of the interview. The remarkable passion they had displayed spoke volumes, rendering any sermons or moralizing completely unnecessary.


    All that was needed for our clergy was a fiery homily. I opened my mouth, struggling to conceal my reddened eyes.


    ¡°I was truly moved by the sight of you all, casting aside the opportunity to sit comfortably and idly by, and stepping forward to take on tasks. I would like to take you all with me, but it is also the duty of a superior to plan for adequate rest. Therefore, with the exception of an entourage of 20, the rest of you shall remain at the parish.¡±


    In that instant, the emotions within the chapel became a jumble of joy and sorrow.


    A silent outcry, a stifled scream, shook the chapel. Those priests and monks who had been denied the opportunity to contribute with all their fervor wept sincerely, even going so far as to reproach themselves for not having been chosen.


    A wave of sorrow washed over me.


    Why had such sincere and dedicated individuals not received the Stigmata? Despite having taken the Vow of Diligence, their passion should have been enough to manifest the Stigmata long ago.


    The reason for this was easy to guess.


    Those who are truly diligent in this world take their diligence for granted. Moreover, if they are deeply devout, they may even shun the act of demanding recompense from God for doing what they believe to be their duty.


    This must not be allowed to continue.


    Looking at those who had been disappointed at not being able to join the entourage, I made a firm resolution. I would ensure that they too were given ample opportunity.


    ¡°But do not be disheartened.¡±


    ¡°¡­?¡±


    ¡°You too are individuals who follow the doctrine and practice its teachings. As someone who has taken a step ahead, I feel a responsibility to guide both the laity and yourselves. I ask that you look forward to my return from my apostolic journey.¡±


    The reason why a teacher or a senior is respected is nothing special.


    They are respected because they pass on to future generations the wisdom and experience they have gained by being born earlier and progressing further. And I was not stingy in sharing the enlightenment and wisdom I had gained.


    ¡°Upon my return, I shall devise a special curriculum¡­ a training plan that will allow everyone present here to manifest the Stigmata.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    ¡°!!!¡±


    Cheers that could not be expressed in words were conveyed through sheer force of will.


    But even that force of will was enough. I smiled with satisfaction as I watched the monks and priests, their eyes wide with boundless joy.


    Even in the modern era on Earth, those who yearn for religious enlightenment enter monasteries or hermitages to engage in regular acts of asceticism and prayer. Fortunately, the monks and priests of our parish were able to replace this with a more productive and enjoyable method.


    In other words, I planned to personally create countless pastimes that would follow the Find the Differences format. Of course, I also intended to provide them with enough work to justify the Vow of Diligence.


    It was at this point that Bishop Garnista approached.


    Despite his age advanced, his eyelids were slightly drooping from having enjoyed the new entertainment all night long. It was a refreshing sight to see the bishop gradually beginning to enjoy himself.


    I gestured towards our clergy and smiled brightly.


    ¡°I have left some behind, as I felt you might run out of playmates if I took them all.¡±


    ¡°Hohoho. That is fortunate, most fortunate. I am truly relieved that this old body will not be left alone. I thought that since you had sent everyone, this old man would be left behind all by himself.¡±


    It seemed that he was already excited. The bishop¡¯s eyes, as he searched for playmates, sparkled eagerly.


    ***


    And so, on February 17, I set out on a full-fledged apostolic journey with my entourage.


    My companions consisted of 15 monks and 5 priests, as well as 30 mercenaries who would serve as guards. Including myself, this made for a sizable entourage of 51 people.


    One noteworthy detail was that I did not ride in a carriage. Just before leaving the bishop¡¯s domain, I declined the carriage and, dismounting from my own saddle, took the reins in hand and looked back at our entourage.


    ¡°While my brothers walk, I cannot rest comfortably in a carriage or upon a saddle. We shall walk together, just as the monasteries we shall visit walk alongside the poor and destitute.¡±


    This was both an attempt to build camaraderie with the entourage and a political performance expressing my strong will.


    To put it bluntly, it was a declaration that while the bishop who had received the Stigmata refused to ride upon a saddle and instead walked until the soles of his feet bled, any monastery that indulged in comfort and luxury would be thoroughly defeated.


    There was also another hidden motive¡­ which I decided to keep as a surprise gift.


    Fortunately, our entourage was comprised of individuals who had been thoroughly prepared for this very purpose.


    ¡°Do not worry, Your Grace. Every penny shall flow to where it is needed.¡±


    Poros, the priest who had secretly embezzled money to provide for his family after setting up a separate household.


    This punk accepted my generous offer to employ him as a notary if he would refrain from running for bishop or other important positions and instead return to secular life. He planned to fully exploit his embezzlement and misappropriation skills to fleece the monastery¡¯s double-entry bookkeeping.


    ¡°Yes, Your Grace. Leave the wine tasting to me!¡±


    Germa, the crazy monk who wanted to laze around, eat, and drink at my expense.


    People do not change, and a damaged liver cannot be restored. So I planned to bring this guy, who already had a scarred liver, and make him taste wine.


    He was a talented person I recruited after learning that the monastery¡¯s main products were wine and various dairy products. I brought him in to cut off the trash who dared to postpone paying their religious dues while making low-quality wine that was losing value.


    Of course, there was a possibility that this punk was actually decent. In preparation for that, I threatened to cut off the tongues of anyone with low taste. After all, if they have no tongues, they won¡¯t be able to taste anything anyway, so they might as well cut them off and drink like crazy.


    ¡°Everyone here looks familiar. I wondered what happened when Barnardo left¡­ Well, I¡¯ll do as I¡¯m told as long as I get paid on time.¡±


    Ernin, the mercenary captain who only did what he was told and nothing more. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He was a mercenary who lived and died for money, but he was also armed with the ironclad spirit of a public servant. Former Bishop Barnardo had ordered him to do many wicked things, but he only did exactly as he was told and nothing more.


    At first, I thought he had a strong conscience as a human being, but when I actually talked to him, that wasn¡¯t the case.


    ¡°If you act based on customs and conventions that are not specified in the contract, they will later become a leash around your neck. Twisting words is the specialty of nobles and priests. ¡­Oh dear. It¡¯s even more so for people like Your Grace. It¡¯s too easy for people in power to hang others on flimsy pretexts, even if they are powerless.¡±


    Judging by his speech, he seemed like a ruffian, but his thoughts were surprisingly sharp, like a professional mercenary. He was also a bit like a public servant, which was unusual for an opportunistic mercenary.


    For now, I hired him because I thought he would be useful if he wasn¡¯t a troublemaker. The cost was 12 gold pieces.


    It was an outrageously expensive price, but I valued the fact that he had done less evil under Barnardo. A disciplined and orderly army is valuable everywhere.


    Of course, there were many others who played important roles, even if their names were not mentioned.


    They were all talented people who were ready to vent their anger at the tyranny of the monastery. They were people who had been moved by me after realizing how terribly Barnardo had treated his subordinates.


    I seized the reins of my overwhelming emotions and impressed.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, my retinue. It¡¯s time to walk the pilgrimage for the poor!¡±


    Today, we will become¡­


    Monk Slayers.


    ***


    The monasteries of the cozy and quiet diocese of Powys.


    Even without the rule of silence, the sound of a bell tolling like a war bell rang out in one of the idyllic communities that had been quietly pursuing happiness. The monastery¡¯s bell ringer rang the bell incessantly without even wiping the grease and seasoning from his hands .


    ¡°Emergency, emergency!¡±


    But the monks only yawned or shrugged their shoulders at the sound of the bell.


    ¡°The bishop¡¯s successor is coming!!!¡±


    Not until they heard the bell ringer¡¯s piercing cry.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°T, the bishop¡¯s successor?¡±


    At first, no one could accept the fact. They questioned each other, and some even cursed the bell ringer.


    ¡°Why is the bishop¡¯s successor coming here?¡±


    ¡°Who is the monk in charge of the bell ringing? H¡­ Everyone who shares the same room, gather in front of the abbot¡¯s room.¡±


    But the situation changed when monks who had been out in the village came running in. Covered in mud and sweat, the monks gasped for breath and all frustrating to the same thing.


    ¡°I, it¡¯s the bishop¡¯s successor. It seems that the rumors of him leaving the cathedral a while ago are true.¡±


    ¡°He said he would be hosted by others when we offered him hospitality, and he went to the serfs!¡±


    People who have committed sins are more fearful. This was especially true for a monastery that was originally unqualified for the evaluation criteria, and even more so for a place that had committed evil deeds as soon as it passed the evaluation.


    The senior monks, who belatedly realized the seriousness of the situation, turned pale and impressed.


    ¡°Hide the ledgers first!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible¡­ How could the retinue come so secretly?¡±


    Once the incident broke out, everyone was shocked even as they hurriedly moved.


    If the bishop candidate visited the monastery, it would definitely be to check the evaluation criteria. Most monasteries were currently gathering offerings to present then.


    If they had known that the bishop candidate was coming, they would have squeezed the surrounding serfs even more to secure funds. Or, they might have embezzled the taxes that were supposed to go to the lord under the guise of putting out an urgent fire.


    However, what the monasteries who were trying to prepare bribes didn¡¯t expect was Bishop Candidate Narva¡¯s plan.


    The reason Narva intentionally refused the carriage and horses and walked, delaying the procession¡¯s speed. The reason he was able to move so covertly that the monastery didn¡¯t notice.


    The reason lay with the local minor lords and knights who owned estates.


    While the priests were busy hiding their corruption, Narva seriously toured the estates, receiving hospitality from the serfs.


    And the owner of the estate that was to receive this round of inspections, Knight Germain, knelt before Narva in full dress uniform. He didn¡¯t care that his pants were dirtied with mud.


    ¡°Bishop Candidate, the sword of Lux Stella, the pillar of faith.¡±


    ¡°It seems you hid it well, considering how surprised the priests were.¡±


    ¡°Of course. The other lords will also welcome Your Grace in the same way!¡±


    The reason the knights and minor lords were so devoted was simple.


    Bishop Candidate Narva placed his hand on Knight Germain¡¯s head with a satisfied smile and recited a blessing.


    ¡°Then, half of the monastery¡¯s wealth shall be yours.¡±


    It was slightly a worldwide prayer.

 Chapter 55

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 55


    55. Your Name


    From Noble mtl dot com


    From February 4th when the interview ended to February 17th when the procession set off.


    I spent the two-week gap looking for something to do. I had more or less figured out how to run the processing. All that was left was to wait, but I didn¡¯t want to waste precious time.


    So I pondered ¡®how can I tame the monasteries properly?¡¯


    After much deliberation, I was inspired by the classic RPGs where you form a party to defeat the bad guys and save the world. Why do such great heroes or main characters gather companions?


    At first, they need companions because they¡¯re weak, but as they grow, power inflation occurs in battle and most of them don¡¯t even participate in battle. In the end, they usually end up as cheerleaders standing next to the main character like a screen.


    I thought that if I brought companions with me, they would just end up as cheerleaders and the main character would eat everything up and monopolize everything. That way, I wouldn¡¯t have to give my pitiful companions an inferiority complex.


    If I hadn¡¯t played [Fantasy Monarch], I would have thought that way the whole time.


    The experience I gained through [Fantasy Monarch] changed my mind. The heroes and various main characters that commonly appear in RPGs have excellent political sense.


    In my opinion, the reason hero parties are formed even though the hero is a one-man army is because the hero wants to divide the attention of the people. Distributing precious honor and spoils of war was a kind of risk hedge to disperse the negative attention of the people.


    If you refuse to give to others and monopolize everything, you might end up monopolizing everything in the afterlife. It¡¯s a natural truth, since there are negative aspects to human attention, such as jealousy, hatred, or greed.


    I couldn¡¯t stop people who were blinded by jealousy and greed and were trying to cut my stomach open, no matter how kind and honorable I lived. Whether they were adults or heroes, the nature of evil people was to stab you if they didn¡¯t ¡®t like you right away.


    Even if I could crush them, flies would gather, and if I wasn¡¯t overwhelmingly strong, my life would be in danger. To prevent this, I needed comrades to share the profits with.


    That way, the weaklings who were weaker than the hero would attack, coveting their wealth.


    It was a similar mentality to the mafias or gangsters that appear in noir films. When they talk about loyalty and sharing the profits of crime, they¡¯re not sharing the bloody money, but rather passing on the karma they have to bear.


    There¡¯s a use for trash, too. Inspired by the shallow loyalty of the heroes in RPGs and criminal organizations, I immediately took action.


    [To the faithful servants of Lux Stella. I, Bishop Candidate Narva, the faithful right hand of Lux Stella, ask about your hardships in case you have any¡­]


    I wrote on the paper with a quill, paying attention to each word.


    [I once experienced an unpleasant incident at a monastery. Not all of them are like that, but it¡¯s too dangerous to be optimistic that there aren¡¯t similar incidents happening to you, who protect the people and preserve the faith against the repeated attempts of pagan raiders.]


    I had already decided who to send the letters to.


    My targets were the minor lords and knights who had donated land or acted as guardians to the monastery in order to secure their succession. The reason I targeted them was because they were easy to persuade.


    Why did they collude with the monastery? Because they were stingy with money. Because they were tired of watching their lord¡¯s shame to have their inheritance recognized.


    However, human nature is such that they can¡¯t help but feel sorry for the money that leaves their pocket right now. The grass is always greener on the other side. It had been about 20 years since Barnard, who had greatly contributed to the proliferation of monasteries, had been in office.


    And 20 years was enough time for the monasteries, who had been diligently emptying their pockets, to become more hateful than the lords who were watching to see if they would recognize their inheritance.


    Of course, I couldn¡¯t just end it by simply inciting anger and hatred. In order to draw out the enthusiasm of the knights and minor lords, I also offered several carrots to make them eat well and cut open the monastery¡¯s stomach.


    [Not only that, but recently I have heard rumors that some people are claiming to be monks in order to avoid taxes or simply because they are tired of their current profession, which is tarnishing the purity of the monastery. This not only reduces the number of farmers who are willing to go out to the fields, but also reduces the number of soldiers who are willing to fight, thereby endangering the foundation and faith of the country.]


    Humanism is always right.


    Even if this world is barbaric and uncivilized in the Middle Ages, we must still work hard to restore discipline and order. How can people take other people¡¯s lives so easily?


    As an abolitionist of capital punishment, I could not agree with the barbaric judicial and capital punishment systems of the Middle Ages.


    [I would like to return all those who have falsely claimed to be monks to their rightful place. Please help me as much as possible, even for the prodigal sons who end their wandering and return to your side¡­]


    Justice is ultimately the law for the people. I am determined to realize justice for the people.


    This is why I am sending this letter. In order for the prospective secularists to adapt safely after leaving the quiet and dreary monastery and starting a pastoral and romantic rural life under the bright sun, the close cooperation of the local lords is needed.


    I consider this to be a huge and comprehensive welfare policy.


    The prospective secularists will surely be grateful. Isn¡¯t it better to be a serf who can easily do the work of one person by plowing the fields with a plow than to be a half-baked believer who lives in a monastery without leaving a single trace?


    Fortunately, my idea has received the support of many people.


    Most of them were knights and lords who would accept prospective secularists (serf camps).


    ***


    The first place Bishop Hou Narba set foot was not a monastery.


    As Narba took the left fork in the road, what he saw was a plain of wheat fields swaying in the face of clean water and a clear sky. A cow that was chewing its cud looked at the wanderer with curious eyes.


    It was the manor of Lord Germain, with a population of 381.


    And Lord Germain had been preparing a lot since the day he received Narba¡¯s letter. Lord Germain led the manor on foot and told him about the irregularities he had identified.


    ¡°Last year, the harvest was good. So I thought I would be able to earn enough income¡­ The monastery arbitrarily collected taxes from the serfs, claiming that it was the result of their own farming methods and research.¡±


    ¡°What did you do?¡±


    ¡°What could I do? I just collected a little less than I was going to collect.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a big deal. So how much was the damage¡­¡±


    ¡°I originally thought the tax rate would be 70%, and I thought I would raise the mill fee from 8 to 1 silver coin. But because the monastery collected it first, it was only 69.5%, and I couldn¡¯t even raise the mill fee!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Knights spend as much money as they earn. Sometimes they spend a lot even when they earn less. The cost of taking care of armor and war horses, as well as providing seeds, could only lead to a steady loss of money.


    As time passed, the high tax rate, which had been rationalized with its own basis, soon became a matter of course.


    That¡¯s why serfs everywhere face harsh tax rates.


    Lord Germain was a knight in the top 30% of the Middle Ages because he had reduced taxes a little. Since he didn¡¯t make a huge profit from the mill fee, he was a conscientious knight.


    Lord Germain, an honorable knight with a petty conscience but not a villain, appealed to Narba with his emotions.


    ¡°This is the situation, Your Excellency. Please understand my grievance!¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Narba listened to Lord Germain¡¯s sincere appeal and fell into deep thought. Even if the monastery is destroyed, the serfs will live by offering 70% of their produce, but they will be able to avoid double taxation.


    Still, he opened his mouth with a glimmer of hope and put a constraint on it.


    ¡°Collect only 70%.¡±


    ¡°¡­.70%?¡±


    ¡°The monastery has been abolished, so the amount that should have been paid to the monastery has been reduced, so don¡¯t ask for more.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    A painful expression crossed Lord Germain¡¯s face. It was a fleeting moment, but Narba noticed it right away. He just didn¡¯t scold or point it out.


    In the end, Lord Germain groaned and barely answered.


    ¡°¡­I understand. I will live as Your Excellency wishes.¡±


    ¡°Good. Then bring me the serfs.¡±


    Narba rubbed his hands together and smiled as he listened to Lord Germain¡¯s answer.


    ¡°Because the slaughter of swine should be done with haste.¡±


    ***


    What followed was nothing short of a tempest.


    Narva, flanked by Lord Germain and his men-at-arms as well as his retinue, advanced upon the bolted gates of the monastery, issuing a dire warning.


    ¡°Open these doors. Or I shall denounce you all as heretics to His Holiness and demand your excommunication!¡±


    For Narva, a Stigmata, and one who bore the black-trimmed golden pallium of the papal court, to speak of excommunication was a shock of a different kind. The feeble bluster of the monastery crumbled in an instant.


    ¡°W-wait, good sir!¡±


    ¡°What are you waiting for! Open the gates at once!¡±


    Terrified by the threat of excommunication, several of the monks rushed forward to unbar the gates. Now, there was nothing to impede Narva¡¯s progress.


    In no time, Narva and his retinue began to ransack the monastery.


    ¡°My brothers, find their ledgers first!¡±


    ¡°Turn over every chest. We must find their wealth!¡±


    It was only after the place had been turned upside down that the abbot made an appearance. Drenched in sweat and with unkempt hair, the abbot approached Narva, stammering.


    ¡°Y-yes, your grace. I apologize for the delay. Here, these are the various ledgers our monastery has kept diligently.¡±


    Narva accepted the proffered ledgers with an impassive expression. Then, as if he had no need to read them, he began flipping through the pages haphazardly.


    Riiip.


    The ominous sound stopped at the section dedicated to expenses.


    ¡°Alms for the poor.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°An item that can be inflated far more easily and conveniently than physical goods or transactions that somehow leave a trail back to visited the establishment or regular trade.¡±


    Thud.


    Narva slammed the ledger shut and cast it to the ground. Not content with that, he proceeded to stomp on it with his right foot.


    ¡°Since 1202, the climate and harvests have been favorable, resulting in negligible requests for alms from the local parishes. This is not a coastal area plagued by raiders, but a safe haven deep within the hinterlands. You have not taken in any refugees, nor has there been any notable calamity. Yet, you have spent over 30 gold marks on alms for the poor¡­¡±


    His gaze held a chilling frost.


    ¡°Furthermore, it seems you have no Stigmata among you. You must be aware of what constitutes an inquisition, yet you do not one. That speaks volumes about your caliber. You demonstrate neither true poverty nor piety.¡±


    ¡°Y-yes, your grace! I have something to show you!¡±


    ¡°How fortunate. I, too, have a new life prepared for you.¡±


    The jig was up, and up good.


    Realizing the gravity of the situation, the abbot, tears streaming down his face, attempted to offer up all his hidden wealth.


    ¡°Oh dear. How dare a mere serf speak to his grace without permission!¡±


    Lord Germain, who had been bidding his time, grabbed the abbot by the shoulders and unceremoniously dragged him away.


    ¡°S-serf?! Lord Germain, have you lost your mind? I am Veritaos¡­¡±


    ¡°You still haven¡¯t come to your senses. From this day forth, your name is Hans. Hans!¡±


    ¡°eeek! Let go, let go! How dare an unskilled swordsman lay hands on a man of the cloth¡­!¡±


    At that moment, Narva spoke, cutting off the abbot¡¯s desperate cries in an instant.


    ¡°Eighty-nine members of the Order of Saint Margaret. No Stigmata, failing to meet the criteria for inquisition, yet posing as monks, stealing the authority of the Church, reaping ill-gotten gains, and rejecting the life you were meant to live . Guilty.¡±


    ¡°Y-yes, your grace!!!!¡± S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Death would be a fitting punishment.¡±


    Narva looked at the wailing abbot with a satisfied smile. Only then did he remove his glove, revealing the bright blue Stigmata etched on the back of his hand.


    ¡°However, as an act of great mercy, you shall be allowed to return to the secular world as penance. For there is one who has generously offered to sponsor and vouch for your new lives.¡±


    And just before the abbot retorted.


    ¡°Nice to see you, Hans. Luckily, there¡¯s plenty of wasteland for you.¡±


    Germain¡¯s strong hand wrapped around him.

 Chapter 56

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 56


    56. Nothing is Free in This World


    Those who live off the labor of others will inevitably make enemies.


    The monasteries that had sprung up in the Principality of Powys were no exception.


    Of course, monasteries run by religious orders served important functions. They made delicious cheeses and wines, and they taught people to read. And people who could read were useful in all sorts of ways.


    But there was less demand for clerical workers in these brutal, barbaric times than one might think.


    Peasants to till the fields were in short supply, so who needed clerks? And even those who could read and write were often barely literate. Most couldn¡¯t recite a single psalm without tripping over their tongues.


    This was no accident. The monasteries that had been founded after bribing the previous bishop, Barnard, were hardly likely to be run properly. They had been established for the purpose of feathering their founders¡¯ nests, not for prayer.


    I could easily guess why. The privileges enjoyed by the religious orders were enough to make a modern man¡¯s head spin: exemption from taxes, military service, and public duties.


    So when the Church authorized the establishment of a monastery or religious order, it carried out a thorough investigation, and the criteria for approval were extremely strict.


    In the first place, there were two kinds of religious orders, as I discovered after a thorough investigation before fleecing them. Not all religious orders were created equal. There were the ¡®real¡¯ ones, the authorized orders.


    Religious orders that had produced stigmatists, had a long tradition, and exercised a positive influence received the blessing of the Pope and were given an official name in Latin.


    The Pope chose the name based on which vows the authorized order most closely observed, and rumor had it that the names contained clues relating to the Miracle of the Stella Lux. The Church was very mystical and kept this a secret, revealing only part of it to the public.


    The meaning of this was simple enough.


    Of the religious orders that had set up shop in our Principality of Powys, very few were legitimate. Most were inhabited by perfectly ordinary people who had no religious convictions but simply wanted to eat and drink well without having to work.


    So of course they didn¡¯t pay taxes or tithes. And while it was true that literate administrators were in short supply, that was only true to a point. In a world where 381 men tilled the soil, there was no need for 89 to sit at desks.


    This wasn¡¯t a service economy or a financial center. In an era where the height of secondary industries was hammering on iron, those who didn¡¯t want to pay taxes holed up in monasteries.


    Monasteries not only enjoyed tax-exempt status but also dodged military service, which was a drain on the nation¡¯s resources. They also lured away men who should have been farming, which had a negative impact on the economic activities of local lords.


    As if that weren¡¯t enough, in the midst of repeated pagan invasions, they gathered up able-bodied men and armed themselves illegally under the pretext of evading military service and ensuring their own safety.


    And despite accumulating so much wealth and influence, they refused to pay tithes.


    They had the gall to gorge themselves while others starved. And when we came looking for our due, they tried to bribe us, which made me even angry. So I resolved to crush them thoroughly.


    To this end, I joined forces with the local lords, knights, and even serfs who were crying foul, and we staged an armed demonstration.


    The results were highly satisfactory.


    I couldn¡¯t help but laugh as we turned the monasteries upside down.


    ¡°Brothers, if you find any books that are swollen but haven¡¯t changed color, bring them to me!¡±


    ¡°Oh? You mean things like this?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s it. Well done, brother. Now it¡¯s time to remove what they¡¯ve hidden between the pages.¡±


    As one would expect from an experienced hand, Foros, a priest with a shady past, did an excellent job.


    The double-entry bookkeeping was so cleverly done that I wouldn¡¯t have been able to find it if I hadn¡¯t thoroughly examined the accounts of our diocese and checked the debits and credits.


    I still remember being impressed by the way they had spread out the manipulation so that no one item stood out.


    But I hadn¡¯t brought Foros with me simply because of his skills. I had done so because Foros had repented and completely changed his ways. Praise could make even a whale dance.


    I couldn¡¯t help but recall the time when I had realized the transformative power of language.


    ¡°I¡¯ll pretend I don¡¯t know anything¡­ Good. I¡¯ll stop suspecting you.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll skewer you and your family and roast you slowly over a sacred fire.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I will confess my sins!!!¡±


    When I looked at the changed Foros after that, I felt a pang of something.


    ¡°Brothers, it¡¯s best to keep the general market price in mind. Transactions that are significantly out of line with the market price may have been manipulated, so be careful.¡±


    ¡°Aha! ¡­But Father, you really know a lot.¡±


    ¡°Ahem! Ahem!¡±


    Poros was busy directing his comrades who had come to find the double-entry ledger together.


    Look at that upright figure. I wonder if I might have been made for priesthood or education. Yet, I lived as a mere office worker. My heart aches a little when I think of the countless lives that may have wandered because of that.


    I¡­ have lived in sin¡­


    But it¡¯s not too late yet.


    From Noble mtl dot com


    Poros and the entire entourage are my first step towards atonement. If people cannot be corrected, they should be thrown into a furnace, taken out, and re-forged.


    If they melt in the molten iron, then they will have atoned for their sins in death, so it¡¯s no problem.


    I moved to check if the other entourage members were doing well.


    It was a rapid success after that.


    As we headed to the underground storage, the monk Germa, who was confident enough to recommend wine to me, inspired confidently.


    ¡°Yes! The guys here, the wine is fine! It¡¯s delicious! I¡¯ve learned the secret recipe too!¡±


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you from the Order of Saint Margaret? I came here because it was where you were.¡±


    ¡°hehehe, since Your Grace has just declared its abolition, everyone has become mere serfs. I decided to become a monk of the Order of Saint Narva starting today.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    The Order of Saint Narva. I decided to be lenient because their will to live was admirable. Also, they were drinking under the pretense of tasting. However, there was someone who made even the passion shown by our entourage pale in comparison.


    ¡°These guys, their stout physiques show the disposition of farmers! hahahahaha!¡±


    It was Sir Germain, the knight who laughed heartily at the sight of the former monks who had returned to secular life today.


    ***


    The division of the monastery¡¯s property proceeded very, very smoothly.


    In any case, our entourage¡¯s transport capacity can¡¯t handle all of the goods. We mustn¡¯t forget that our purpose is to sweep everything clean as we make our rounds. So, we handed over all of the cherished goods to Sir Germain.


    As a result.


    ¡°Oh my, Master! What is all this?¡±


    ¡°New members have arrived. Eat, drink, and enjoy yourselves to the fullest today! Praise His Grace the Bishop!¡±


    Sir Germain, who was in a very good mood, immediately held a festival with the goods from the monastery.


    It made sense, in fact. It had been almost 20 years since he had been stockpiling wealth under the protection of the former Bishop Barnard. The amount of gold coins that came out of just one monastery was roughly 600 melks.


    That¡¯s 600 melks, and if you consider the value of other items besides gold coins, it would actually far exceed 600 melks. From the perspective of a knight who was always short on money, it was natural to be delighted since it was like swallowing almost everything in one gulp.


    However, I wonder if it¡¯s too soon. It¡¯s not good to be so happy already¡­


    I watched silently as Sir Germain gave instructions to prepare for the festival, with a bitter smile. I tried to ignore the entourage who were glaring at me with subtle gazes.


    However, how can you demonstrate leadership if you ignore the thoughts of your subordinates? In the end, I raised my hands and feet first. I approached the carriage with trembling hands and distributed the prepared items, one for each person.


    Of course, I added some warm encouragement.


    ¡°Yes. Sir Germain is so happy over there, so we can¡¯t be the only ones working. Everyone, take one each.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ Your Grace.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°This¡­ Why is the ledger from the monastery now¡­¡±


    Now that I think about it, it was the head deacon Germa, who was in charge of wine tasting, who expressed his doubts.


    Oh-. Do medieval people really not notice?


    It¡¯s sad to see how they have no idea what an amazing surprise I brought.


    Well, Germa is no ordinary person, and he has lived his life drinking without being able to play properly. I¡¯m not criticizing him. Germa didn¡¯t know because he had lived in an environment that lacked stimulation.


    I was able to smile gently because I understood fully this background.


    ¡°Hm. If you compare the income and expense items in the ledger, there will be some discrepancies. You can have fun finding that difference.¡±


    ¡°¡­Fun?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    A new product of civilization brought from the modern Earth of the 21st century, which had numerous entertainments after much progress.


    It was the advent of Sudoku ver. Middle Ages.


    ¡°Even when you play. Everyone is always drunk and can¡¯t play, so I¡¯ll issue a permanent prohibition order in the future, so be aware. Just as you do your best when you work, play your best when you play. That¡¯s all!¡±


    ¡°¡±¡­.¡±¡±


    Since there was a lot to do, I couldn¡¯t help but say more. I left my friends who were enjoying Sudoku ver. Middle Ages and approached Sir Germain. Sir Germain was laughing heartily as he watched the procession of carts carrying a lot of goods.


    ¡°Oh, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nice to see you smiling.¡±


    ¡°hahahahaha, is that so?¡±


    Apparently, Sir Germain couldn¡¯t help but smile at the thought of changing all that into money or using it somewhere.


    Laughter is contagious. I also laughed brightly and followed suit with Sir Germain.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad. Now that you have been officially recognized as the successor to His Majesty the King, there will be no problem if you solve the inheritance problem in the future.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes?¡±


    ¡°Are you going to continue playing with the land that the monastery had? Looking at the vineyards they cultivated, it¡¯s clean without a single pebble, and it¡¯s fertile farmland.¡±


    ¡°I, Your Highness. What are you talking about all of a sudden?¡±


    But the more I followed suit, the more Sir Germain¡¯s expression hardened.


    Oh. This was an unexpected setback. It seems that I am not good at flattering others. So I stopped the flattery that didn¡¯t fit and brought up the main topic in a more businesslike tone.


    ¡°According to the oath of allegiance, in order to receive the protection of the lord, you must first be recognized for the succession to the title and the inheritance of the territory, right? You can¡¯t just play with the land donated by the monastery.¡± S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°No, since the monastery is gone, that land¡­¡±


    ¡°Then it must go to His Majesty King Athelstan, the highest-ranking lord of the vassal. There aren¡¯t enough people here to leave it as a church territory. You can¡¯t play with the land, and you can¡¯t leave it as it is, so shouldn¡¯t you follow the principle?¡±


    Fortunately, Sir Germain was a knight who was very quick-witted.


    After considering the pros and cons of the proposal in my words, Sir Germain carefully opened his mouth.


    ¡°How much are you thinking?¡±


    ¡°One-tenth of the produce. I will only receive the tithe. Instead, I would like the Church to act as a guardian to help with the succession to the title and the inheritance of the territory. It¡¯s a kind of solidarity guarantee system to help protect your legitimate rights against any whims of the lord. Of course, I¡¯m not taking all the land donated to the Church, but I plan to return half of it to His Majesty the King in accordance with the principle.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    This is not a threat, but a very generous offer.


    In the end, the reason why the minor lords and knights gave their land to the monastery was because of the instability of the succession to the title. It was because they were worried that if the lord changed his mind or if the lord changed due to a coup, it would be difficult to guarantee their rights.


    This problem cannot be overcome until Lord Athelstan, the lord, has a strong foundation.


    -Unless a third party, the Church, intervenes.


    This instability is completely resolved as soon as I, who am related to King Athelstan by blood and am also the pillar of the local church, come forward. It may be a stopgap measure for now, but precedent becomes custom as it accumulates.


    Setting that precedent was the most important thing.


    However, Sir Germain was hesitant despite such a generous and wonderful offer. Don¡¯t worry. I already know what our customer¡­ no, what Sir Germain is worried about.


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°Of course?¡±


    ¡°If you can prove that you are a devout and loyal vassal, you can boldly omit some procedures or some variables. Then¡­¡±


    I smiled confidently at Sir Germain, who was agonizing over the possibility of dividing the land and the workers.


    ¡°Can you prove it?¡±

 Chapter 57

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 57


    57. Killing Three Birds with One Stone


    There is one existence that attracts attention anytime, anywhere.


    An existence that minstrels sing about as they pluck the strings of their lutes while wandering from place to place, making the hearts of many ladies flutter.


    An existence that is both a target of criticism and satire, and at the same time, an object of longing and respect.


    Knights.


    They live and die preparing to stand on the battlefield their entire lives. They fight to prove their honor, bravery, romance, and loyalty. People often call such knights foolish, but they tend to fall for their honesty.


    However, behind this honest and honorable warrior, there is anguish hidden in their arduous life. Resolute on the battlefield, tactful in the palace. The moment Germain asked if Bishop Narva could prove it, he guessed his intention in a breath.


    ¡®It has come.¡¯


    Sir Germain, the knight.


    A warrior who distinguished himself in the era of the late King Aethelbear and was granted a rich manor. And a pitiful soul who had to prove his continued loyalty and bravery in order to pass on the granted manor to future generations.


    The reason for this is the principle that the manor is not hereditary.


    It may sound absurd, but a knight¡¯s manor is a concept that is [leased] by the lord. It was never [transferred]. When a knight dies, it legally reverts to the lord.


    Because of this, knights had to prove that they were outstanding knights or loyal warriors in order to inherit the manor and serfs, or to prevent their children from being thrown out into the streets.


    Until the moment they are buried in a coffin.


    That¡¯s why he was able to be prepared when Narva asked if he would help and prove it. Germain vowed to endure it for the sake of his children, no matter what the cost.


    However, he couldn¡¯t help but be wildered when the time came for Narva, who had finished abolishing the monasteries on February 21st, to leave with his entourage.


    Germain slowly turned his head as he watched the serfs loading fruits, unleavened bread, and wine onto the entourage¡¯s wagon. Bishop Narva was standing there blankly, writing continuously in his ledger with a quill.


    His characteristic sharp, obsidian-like eyes sparkled.


    He hesitated to speak because he was engrossed, but Germain opened his mouth to dispel even a shred of anxiety.


    ¡°Your Grace, is this all right?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯m not in a position to say this¡­¡±


    Could it be that he was trying to torment him because he had not given him enough? Germain was a brave and courageous knight, but at the same time, he was a father with only two sons.


    The Bishop of Powys was a high-ranking clergyman that a knight with a manor would not dare to challenge. It was better to endure some shame than to be optimistic and make a mistake.


    However, Bishop Narva blinked his eyes wide when he heard Germain¡¯s worries and then burst into laughter.


    ¡°What do you mean? Why, would you like me to squeeze you dry like a dishrag?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°We must help each other live. I have no intention of monopolizing or exploiting.¡±


    ¡°Are you serious?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Germain breathed in relief and then admired Narva, who had just become an adult.


    He was known as a madman when he was young, and later, there were rumors that he was a prodigal son whose abilities had not been verified. When he was asked to prove it, he thought he was greedy.


    However, Narva¡¯s proposal was quite reasonable and, in some ways, even generous.


    [You may operate the church territory as a tenant. In return, you will pay 10% of the produce to the local parish as church dues.]


    [You will tell stories or give testimonies about the cases you handled while operating the manor.]


    [You will provide food and supplies for the next visitation free of charge.]


    [You will visit King Aethelton of Powys within the next three years and pledge your loyalty once more.]


    [You will be put in the back seat of the church¡¯s administrative work until you have renewed your oath of allegiance and submitted a deed with Aethelton¡¯s seal.]


    Narva¡¯s proposal was not overly coercive and had a generous deadline.


    The last of the five was not a proposal but a recommendation, but even that was convincing enough. Most of them were just a bit bothersome, but they did not ask for a huge price or do anything dishonorable.


    The sanctions that would be imposed for not fulfilling them were also a bit harsh.


    Of course, the most unexpected catalyst for Germain¡¯s high evaluation of Narva was the carrot Narva offered.


    ¡°Otherwise, would I have suggested helping the second sons and below of knightly families, who were not granted fiefs, to stand on the battlefield?¡±


    There¡¯s no one who doesn¡¯t have a finger they don¡¯t feel pain when biting.


    The same goes for knights. It might be possible to somehow divide the land up to the second son, but from the third son onward, there would be no end to the worries about how they would make a living. Narva had prodded precisely this point .


    [The Church will provide the funding, receive the approval of King Athelstan, and train, ordain, and enlist the sons of knights in cooperation with the knightly orders on the mainland.]


    Bishop Narva intended to achieve countless goals through this tour.


    Stabilizing public order and fostering reliable soldiers were among them.


    If the sons of knights were properly educated from the beginning, it would be possible to reduce the number of freelance knights who wandered around looking for fiefs to settle down on or merchants to fleece.


    At the same time, they would help to fend off the pagan raiders along with Terbair.


    Of course, this would require enormous financial resources. Money was always an issue, no matter when or where.


    Money, money, where would he get it? Where would he find the laborers to reclaim the wasteland and fill the granaries?


    This was the fundamental reason why Narva was pushing through the abolition of the monasteries, despite the anticipated backlash.


    Narva had identified the minor lords and knights as targets for persuasion, and the excessive number of monasteries as targets for elimination.


    However, even the quick-witted Germain had not noticed everything Narva intended to gain from this tour. Germain could only see that Narva was an unusual man who could accomplish multiple tasks at once and enjoyed doing so.


    ¡°Your Grace, I apologize if my question seemed disrespectful. I was merely wondering if there was anything else you might desire.¡±


    ¡°You are quite perceptive for a knight.¡±


    It was an so apology neat that even Narva, armed with a deep-rooted prejudice against knights, could not help but be impressed. Unable to overcome his regret, Narva even made a subtle suggestion. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Do you happen to have any children who dream of becoming priests?¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    At that moment, Germain rolled his eyes and looked beyond the wagon. Beyond the sight of the serfs sweating and carrying things back and forth, there was the retinue with their sharp eyes.


    Every single member of the retinue was either leaning against a tree or rolling around on the ground. They were rubbing their fingers, which were smudged with soot from the stove, on paper or scratching at the ground.


    ¡°Two golds are roughly equivalent to 24 silvers, but the record only shows 17 silvers¡­¡±


    ¡°What? Why is the type of gold listed in the ledger? Did these, these brats use gold from another country?¡±


    ¡°Does anyone know how many silvers a Stellium gold is worth?¡±


    ¡°The gold is not the problem right now¡­ are we using Strali for our usual silver coins? Does anyone know!!!¡±


    Germain concealed the clamoring and screaming retinue deep into his mind.


    Only then could he face Narva, who was looking at him with a puzzled expression.


    ¡°Unfortunately, I have no children who are interested in the priesthood¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a pity. I think you would have been better suited to the priesthood yourself.¡±


    Narva turned his back quietly, his mouth set in a thin line.


    Leaving behind a startled Germain whose shoulders were trembling.


    ***


    Narva displayed even more astonishing enthusiasm after leaving Germain¡¯s estate.


    First.


    ¡°The criterion of ¡®any group of five or more can be called a monastery¡¯ is wrong. Without a Stigmata bearer, at least twenty members are required, and without the approval of the local parish priest to attest to their purity, they will not be recognized.¡±


    He had set clearer criteria for the examination of monasteries.


    From Noble mtl dot com


    To be precise, he had more strictly defined the criteria for monasteries to which various privileges applied. Anyone was free to establish a monastery, but in order to receive privileges, they had to gather at least 20 members and obtain the approval of the local parish priest.


    It was only natural that as monasteries were abolished, the items that had previously been glossed over were now being made concrete and announced with great fanfare.


    Above all, it was significant that he had clearly defined the responsibility, which had previously been ambiguous. Several parish priests who had been critical of the abolition of monasteries stopped their protests when they were told that the responsibility would be placed on them.


    And second.


    ¡°Oh my, Bishop. What business do I have with¡­¡±


    ¡°Rest assured, I mean you no harm. I have a question for you. Village elder, this village has slaughtered pigs that fattened themselves on another¡¯s pasture without permission. Where do you think the meat from those pigs should go? If you have mediated or judged a similar case, please tell me.¡±


    ¡°My lord Bishop, what use could a great man like yourself have for such a trivial matter?¡±


    ¡°I would like to hear it. Why, can you not speak?¡±


    ¡°Oh, it is not that! I shall tell you everything I know¡­¡±


    Narva meticulously recorded various customary laws and trial records as he toured each region for his visitation.


    They were not cases with severe punishments or exciting ones like murder or apostasy, but rather dull and boring stories at first glance. They were cases related to property disputes between farmers and shepherds.


    Indeed, it was a taste far removed from the medieval average sensibility, which enjoyed stories of honor and chivalry.


    Narva would summon local notables and witnesses related to the actual case, and after transcribing for a long time, he would often smile with satisfaction.


    ¡°You must have many troubles. Wouldn¡¯t it be of great help if there were simple and clear laws that applied to everyone?¡±


    ¡°Y, yes¡­¡±


    Narva intended to use this opportunity to find out if there were any different customs in each region, and to compile the better parts of them into guidelines that would be used in all trials where the Church attended as a jury.


    Since he was going to prepare them anyway, he decided to collect as much material as possible while he was traveling. Narva smiled with satisfaction every time he piled up the various trial records he had transcribed onto his wagon.


    ¡®By the time I return, Bishop Ganista will have nothing to do and will be bored, so I should prepare in advance.¡¯


    The last third.


    Narva looked down at the abandoned monastery from a distant hill and nodded with a serious face.


    ¡®With this, I have secured a shelter that can accommodate refugees and serve as a stronghold if necessary.¡¯


    The pagan raiders were not only rampant in Powys. In the early morning, the pagan raiders were constantly plundering along the coastline of all five duchies of the archipelago.


    In the case of the Duchy of Powys, it had become quiet thanks to Terbaire¡¯s great efforts, but it was a situation where an invasion could begin at any time.


    ¡®On this land, which was originally a delicacy for the raiders, a powerful force called Yubas has emerged, and each duchy has begun to resist desperately. The alliance arranged by the Papacy has also played a role to some extent. Even our weakest Duchy of Powys has been able to thwart the plundering thanks to Terbaire¡¯s efforts, so the raiders will have to move differently than before.¡¯


    It was a world where there were more raiders who plundered for a living than there were embezzlers who lived off of it.


    If the weight that came up on the scale with conscience was not wealth and honor, but children who would starve to death right away, most of them would take the path of immorality. It was too early to give up and judge that it had become quiet.


    At least, that¡¯s what Narva thought.


    ¡®Even if an invasion occurs, we must establish strongholds everywhere to block their advance and leave room for counterattack. If the refugees simply flock in, there will be infighting over food or land to farm. If there is even the slightest chance, it would be good to prepare in advance.¡¯


    If necessary, he would have to cooperate with King Athelstan, his successor Etheldred, or Terbaire, who led the knights.


    Of course, it was a huge source of anxiety in wartime that he could not command or demand the transfer of command authority to the monastery, which had acquired strong autonomy. Narva had pulled out the seeds of discord in advance in preparation for that time.


    Even if he had to endure a new discord.


    ¡®King Athelstan, no, Father. I am working so hard to show my filial piety. Please let go of your resentment.¡¯


    Narva was keeping his promise to work hard in exchange for selling the right to appoint.


    Although he himself had no sense of working.


    ***


    It was about four months later that the visitation led by Narva was concluded.


    June 28, 1212.


    And the exact figure was revealed the moment Narva returned to his episcopal see. Out of 104 monasteries, both official and unofficial, that existed in the Duchy of Powys, 72 had been abolished, a great upheaval.


    The 32 surviving monasteries were recognized for their piety or usefulness.


    Among them were Janggi-mal, which was used for Yubas¡¯ forced marriage proposal, and the nunnery where Miriam Orn Yubas had entered. Etheldred had sent it while Narva was busy with various things.


    It was an appropriate measure taken while the world¡¯s attention was focused on Narva himself.


    Narva thought of Miriam Orn Yubas¡¯ existence in advance, and looked at the entourage unloading the ledgers from the wagon.


    ¡®Saint Ariata Convent.¡¯


    He thought about visiting¡­ but stopped.


    Narva and Miriam were not close in the first place. He only persuaded her with plausible sophistry because he felt sorry for the child and to use her as a hostage against Yubas¡¯ invasion attempt.


    ¡®Even if the Papacy has no intention of attacking Yubas, we can¡¯t handle Yubas with the national power of Powys alone. Yubas may have eyes and ears, so they must know Miriam¡¯s whereabouts. If we meet her now, it will only send the wrong signal.¡¯


    Even the child who was born was not a son but a daughter.


    There was no rumor of having a child, and Miriam was said to be close to a little nun abandoned in a convent. Given the circumstances, it was 100% likely.


    ¡®But if we don¡¯t take care of her too much, she might go back to Yubas later, so we have to take care of her.¡¯


    However, Narva was not the only one he had to take care of.


    Bishop Ganista, who he met to ask about his well-being since he had been playing well, brought shocking news.


    ¡°A girl from the Tribunus in the Holy Land wants to come?¡±


    Tribunus.


    The descendants of the leaders who first revolted against the world during the advent of Lux Stella. Narva had a faint expectation at the news that one of them was coming.


    ¡°hahahaha, it seems that Your Grace is still in high spirits. I can tell by how excited you are.¡±


    ¡°Does that girl have the Stigmata?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Otherwise, even a Tribunus cannot meet Your Grace at will.¡±


    ¡°Since she is a child of a prestigious family, she must be good at writing.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­?¡±


    Only then did Bishop Ganista realize that Narva was not paying attention to the part about the girl.


    ¡°By any chance, did you not study law?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Narva was rubbing his hands together, excited at the thought of combining the customary law of Powis and the civil law of the mainland.

 Chapter 58

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 58


    58. Be Filial


    July 12, 1212, a time of precarious peace. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    When the young boy, who had just come of age, was enthroned as a bishop, people scoffed and doubted him. Everyone in the Duchy of Powys ridiculed King Athelstan, who had granted him the right to be enthroned, and was wary of the intentions of the Papacy.


    Half a year. Just half a year was enough.


    It didn¡¯t take long for people¡¯s reactions to change.


    The most notable place of this dramatic change was the main castle where King Athelstan stayed. The horrific acts that he had vividly experienced just four years ago were being re-evaluated.


    The servants and attendants chatted without stopping while sweeping the floor and carrying the laundry.


    ¡°Have you heard the story about Lord Narva, no. Bishop?¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ I¡¯ve heard it over and over again. How could I not have heard it? There are more than one or two monasteries that have been destroyed.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t he crazy? What sins did those priests commit?¡±


    ¡°How would I know? Well, the surrounding estates and serfs seem to like it.¡±


    ¡°Why? Is that something to be happy about?¡±


    Rumors were vague and inaccurate, but sometimes they conveyed the truth. This time was no exception. The servant with a nonchalant expression said as he put firewood into the fireplace.


    ¡°The lords who lend their land and receive rent are not much different, but most lords make them work in their own fields. It¡¯s a good thing because there are more people to work with.¡±


    ¡°Huh. I guess so¡­¡±


    ¡°I heard that the serfs who cultivated the church land instead pay less than a tithe. That¡¯s why everyone is trying to get the lords to mediate for them. They even came to our family to ask for a word.¡±


    The servant deeply, as if he was quite tired. Even though he was a servant of the main castle, he was not of a high rank, but to ordinary serfs, he seemed like an untouchable superior.


    Anyway, Bishop Narva¡¯s drastic measures were being received favorably.


    In fact, from the serfs¡¯ point of view, they don¡¯t know that most monasteries fall short of the evaluation criteria. All they care about is that their tax burden has been reduced and that they have been given the opportunity to increase their wealth .


    To the serfs, Bishop Narva was already a wonderful and great person.


    ¡°Why is someone known for being crazy doing this?¡±


    ¡°My, oh my. The outstanding ones are just different, aren¡¯t they?¡±


    ¡°The outstanding ones I¡¯ve seen have always been yellow¡­¡±


    Even the servants of the royal family who were trembling at the infamous traveler¡¯s tales were shivering. Some of these servants and attendants showed unusual reactions.


    John, who happened to be between the two, was a prime example.


    His hair, which had been plucked out, had become shiny and bald, but John, who had already occupied himself to it, had sparkling, clear eyes.


    ¡°You see. I told you he wasn¡¯t someone I could dare to judge by the standards of a criminal.¡±


    ¡°John¡­ Is that what you meant?¡±


    ¡°Imma, how can you believe a guy who bought hair tonic and ended up bald?¡±


    Of course, there was someone who was the most frightened.


    ¡°Ugh.¡±


    King Athelston.


    He was frowning deeply as he listened to the report brought by his spymaster, Sir Overd. King Athelston rubbed his forehead for a while, groaned, and let out a sigh filled with exasperation.


    ¡°Sir Overd. I will take the liberty of speaking comfortably because I trust you as my aide.¡±


    ¡°As you wish, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°He did much better than expected, but something¡­ something¡­¡±


    ¡°Unsightly?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Unsightly.¡±


    Unlike the servants who had only heard rumors, King Athelston¡¯s assessment was honest and straightforward after hearing the details.


    ¡°I¡¯m proud and pleased. However, ever since I heard that he was selling the right to appoint, I had been determined to scold him someday, but it¡¯s so unsightly that he seems to know everything and does it vaguely.¡±


    King Athelston couldn¡¯t help but sigh as he thought of the main character of the rumor.


    Narva Orn Stregos Glerio Powys.


    The process of going from a cute and adorable child who was the apple of his eye to a problem child that he wanted to chew on was too dramatic. In the end, Athelston let out a sigh of affection and closed his eyes.


    ¡°He was cunning too. He encouraged the knights and lords who had been lukewarm until now to renew their vows of loyalty and postponed the church¡¯s work until I recognized him¡­¡±


    And when his eyelids opened.


    King Athelston¡¯s eyes were filled with a mixture of emotions.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this just a way to postpone it by giving a reason for the administrative vacuum that will be created by the abolition of the monastery?¡±


    ¡°As a result, the knights who have been lukewarm over the years will come to make their vows at once, and it will be a display of authority. I think it will strengthen the control over the lords and give the impression that the church firmly supports Your Majesty. I believe it will solidify Your Majesty¡¯s support base.¡±


    ¡°Sir Overd, my dear friend. Even you can¡¯t defend Narva¡¯s intentions.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    At King Athelston¡¯s sharp wit, Overd touched his bangs and turned his head away. This was what Athelston found annoying.


    He clearly had sinister intentions, but he also took care of King Athelston, making it difficult to hate him.


    It¡¯s not like he dreams of being a bishop loved by all.


    Narva¡¯s swift and decisive actions were based on a thorough distinction between friend and foe. The abolition of the monastery was just the first step. It was clear who and what Narva was targeting.


    The forces in the dark that were in league with the monastery that had enjoyed privileges.


    Narva¡¯s enemies were vassals who did not recognize the rule of King Athelston. It was a sensitive topic, so he didn¡¯t bring it up, but it was worth a try if it could appeal his lord¡¯s anger.


    With that in mind, Overd took his hand away from his bangs.


    ¡°Those who refused to be summoned when Yubas recklessly forced a marriage proposal, and the monastery that conspired with Yubas to kill the prince. There is enough reason to suspect a connection. For now, Count Pheasan, Count Oduard, and Count Gaytan all say that they don¡¯t care because it¡¯s an internal matter of the church.¡±


    ¡°Ugh.¡±


    ¡°Judging by the fact that they are raising some objections to the forced secularization of the monks, it seems certain that their limbs were cut off.¡±


    Even Athelston, the father of the medieval upper 1%, couldn¡¯t help but marvel at the performance of his medieval lower 1% son.


    As insignificant and hard to wield as the document was, he had sold his valuable authority to write official letters at the age of twelve. Who knows what he might sell later if left alone?


    Before the boy strays further, I must give him a good lashing with a belt.


    Ethelstan vowed and called the names of his other two sons.


    ¡°This is stifling. Edelred? What does Edelred think of this issue? Terbair?¡±


    He hoped that these two would find the flaws that he could not see.


    However, Oberth, who had sensed his lord¡¯s wishes, could not meet his expectations.


    ¡°Your Majesty, may I come in?¡±


    It was the eldest son, Edelred, who had knocked on the door of the office, even though he had not been called.


    ¡°Edelred? What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    ¡°Our bishop has sent a very precious gift.¡±


    ¡°A gift¡­?¡±


    King Ethelstan and Lord Oberth looked at each other in wonder. The eccentric Narva had brought a gift for his family?


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    Still, it might be a luxurious brooch, a token of his father¡¯s favor. Or perhaps, using his position as a canonized bishop to the fullest, he had sent a blessed rosary.


    King Ethelstan felt his heart, which had been frozen for so long, melting away.


    ¡°Your Majesty, look! Our precious youngest bishop has been making his rounds and has summarized the decent parts of the customs of various regions, sending us this draft of customary law!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this incredible?! He did this in just two weeks¡­ Terbair still can¡¯t even write a single line, yet our bishop has accomplished this!¡±


    And the moment Edelred slammed the bundle of papers he had been carrying onto the desk, his father¡¯s heart froze solid once more.


    Of course, Narva had not only taken care of Ethelstan and Edelred.


    Narva¡¯s gift had also arrived for Terbair, who was staying in a village near the southeastern coast, diligently polishing his sword with his fellow knights.


    ¡°A gift? From Narva?¡±


    ¡°Yes. He said it would be a gift that Sir Terbair would definitely need.¡±


    Terbair tilted his head but obediently accepted the box that his fellow knight handed him.


    Terbair, a knight who was easily moved.


    As soon as he realized what the gift in the box was, his eyes turned red.


    From Noble mtl dot com


    ¡°That punk¡­ How did he know I¡¯ve been losing sleep lately?¡±


    It was a neat document with the letters arranged in a way that made them easy to read, but the contents were not important to Terbair.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take this gift out and look at it whenever I get sleepy.¡±


    Terbair closed the box again, savoring the warm feeling of gratitude over and over.


    ***


    Sometimes, the lack of communication can make a person feel stiffed.


    This is especially true when you can¡¯t communicate with someone who is far away. This was even more so if the other person was Terbair, who couldn¡¯t read a single line. Perhaps it was a reaction to having had so much fun for a while.


    I had sent him a letter, but I couldn¡¯t help but tap my desk with my index finger, feeling stiff and impatient.


    ¡°But you have a servant who can read to you instead of writing, right?¡±


    ¡°hahahaha, why worry about that when you have this old man stuck here?¡±


    I might have worried about it for a while if our reliable Bishop Ganista had not volunteered himself. I gladly accepted the bishop¡¯s offer to help me.


    ¡°I sent a letter to Sir Terbair, and since I will be sending letters frequently in the future, I sent it in a box. I was afraid he might just throw it away and lose it if I sent it normally.¡±


    ¡°Hmph. Your Grace is truly a man of great brotherly love. Here I am, forced to stay by this old man¡¯s side day and night without rest.¡±


    Bishop Ganista could not help but admire my inherent consideration and altruism.


    Well, I can certainly understand it. Isn¡¯t it the case that in a place that is still underdeveloped, there are those who would disparage and criticize any show of consideration or warmth as evidence of weakness?


    It¡¯s only natural that those men who, fearing such a stigma, seriously acted in a harsh and savage manner, would be astounded when they see the detailed consideration of a truly civilized person. I think I understand what Bishop Ganista is worried about.


    With a kind smile, I decided to ease the bishop¡¯s concerns.


    ¡°I merely felt sorry to see you spending your time all alone. I personally think of you as a grandfather, so please don¡¯t feel too burdened by this.¡±


    ¡°Indeed¡­ It is truly unfortunate that my late father passed away so early.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your words of comfort.¡±


    ¡°Heh, heh, heh.¡±


    It is truly a happy thing to have someone to listen to my stories. Even though it was a rather shallow conversation, talking with Bishop Ganista completely washed away my worries and concerns.


    The problem was that I was brooding over what might happen after I sent a letter to Terbear.


    ¡°Bishop, then I will leave these charts in your care as well.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes, Your Grace. Where are you going this time?¡±


    Bishop Ganista was clearly touched by my words about thinking of him as a grandfather.


    As soon as he realized that I, his grandson-like figure, would once again be exposed to the uncivilized society of this medieval-like world with a fantasy twist, his face hardened.


    ¡°I asked Sir Terbear to provide protection for the Tribunus girl who is supposed to be coming this time, but since he is unlikely to read my letter, I have decided to go myself.¡±


    ¡°Then I shall also¡­¡±


    ¡°I will also bring some amusements that the Tribunus girl might enjoy.¡±


    ¡°¡­I will do my best to fulfill my duties until Your Grace returns. Heh, heh, don¡¯t worry about an old man and go have a nice trip.¡±


    I felt a warm and fuzzy feeling as I watched Bishop Ganista avert his gaze, his eyes darting around.


    I will have many more opportunities to travel around in the future, but the only people here are gloomy priests and monks who are not at all charming. Even if I try to approach them on a personal level, the vast majority of them will be uncomfortable with me as their superior, the bishop.


    This is why I was delighted to hear that a girl from the Tribunus was coming.


    My Bishop Ganista, who will be so lonely while I am out and about.


    The most pitiful people in the world are gamers who have no one to play with and end up rolling dice and playing board games by themselves. No matter how much fun it is to tinker with charts, there is a limit to how much fun you can have playing by yourself.


    What if there was a granddaughter-like girl who could keep him company at such times?


    If there wouldn¡¯t have been a cheerful and bright girl who could entertain her grandfather,¡¯t the bishop always be smiling?


    ¡°I will return soon, Bishop.¡±


    ¡°Heh, heh, heh¡­ No, you don¡¯t have to hurry back. Just take your time and go.¡±


    Even in a harsh world, there is not only cruelty.


    I made up my mind to step on the gas for the sake of the bishop who gave me such considerate words.

 Chapter 59

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 59


    59. A Ghost Story for the Hot Summer


    July 15, 1212.


    About two weeks after returning from my inspection tour for the abolition of monasteries, I was enjoying a warm and peaceful sight from the saddle of my horse.


    The shade of a willow tree swaying gently in the breeze near the riverbank. Farmers sitting beneath it, engaged in animated conversation. Ducks splashing in the water of the river flowing steadily by.


    Even as I wiped away the beads of sweat that had trickled down my face and congealed on my chin, I couldn¡¯t help but feel happy at the sight.


    The only regret I had was the size of my entourage. I dismounted and patted my horse¡¯s neck, then looked over the members of our entourage who were resting by the riverbank.


    The sight of the priests wearing their black robes, oblivious to the scorching sun, was almost unbearable. Both the monks and priests were panting heavily as they frantically drank from the water stored in their leather pouches.


    Moreover, there were only 16 of them. Considering that the entourage I had assembled to abolish the monasteries had numbered over 20, this was a significant decrease.


    The reason for this was the lack of enthusiasm among the clergy.


    Once word got out about the hardships the entourage had endured, the number of volunteers dropped off sharply. This was despite the fact that we had taken great care of the entourage upon their return.


    Even though they had completed a difficult journey, we had given them plenty of time to rest and relax, and had even assigned them separate spaces and time, but it seemed that the leisurely pace of life to which these medieval people of another world were accustomed had made our schedule too harsh for them.


    I have to admit, this was my fault for being too caught up in modern-day industriousness and not taking into account the average workload of this world. Still, I couldn¡¯t help but feel a little disappointed.


    While I had provided ample rest time during our pilgrimage across the diocese¡­


    What saddened me the most was their limitations. If they had been shirking their duties, I could have reprimanded them, but they were simply exhausted, gasping for breath, and there was nothing I could do about it.


    If people are like this, how much longer could the horses endure? Originally, horses have less stamina than humans. Aside from a few exceptional breeds of famous horses, their poor stamina meant they couldn¡¯t carry people for as long as we had expected .


    That was the result.


    I could only sigh as I looked back and forth between the collapsed priests and the exhausted horses licking at a block of salt. The horses couldn¡¯t speak, so there was nothing to be done, but the people were different.


    A special training plan to enforce the vow of diligence on everyone in our diocesan cathedral and help them manifest their stigmata.


    I felt the need to bring forward this exciting and magnificent plan much earlier than scheduled. If we had a group of tireless priests, we would still be marching.


    However, even dreaming of the future couldn¡¯t dispel all the regret and anxiety within me.


    When I finally came to my senses, I was letting out a deep sigh.


    ¡°We need to arrive in Illenfoot as soon as possible and finish Bishop Ganista¡¯s work.¡±


    Even though we didn¡¯t say a word to each other, I knew we were on the same page.


    Why would the Bishop, who had come to visit my diocese, keep trying to leave?


    Bishop Ganista couldn¡¯t rest easy thinking about the work that must be piling up in his own diocese. I could understand his feelings. Even if he left it to his aides and assistants, he must have been worried sick about whether the work was being done properly.


    As is always the case with managers, he couldn¡¯t be at ease unless someone he could trust and rely on was overseeing things.


    Although Bishop Ganista was prone to self-praise and had a mischievous streak¡­ he was my man.


    Of course, I¡¯m not a great person. But I felt a sense of responsibility as a human being to create an environment where my people could rest easy.


    That¡¯s why I had tried to quickly check on all the work before the girl from Tribunus came over, but things had gone awry.


    If the group didn¡¯t follow, there was nothing the leader could do. All a powerless individual could do was pray with absolute determination.


    I clutched my silver cross necklace and recited the prayer as my overflowing spirituality guided me.


    ¡°Lux Stella, Star of Mankind. Please answer my prayers and faith and grant them their stigmata. They have thousands of miles to walk and a destination tens of thousands of miles away¡­¡±


    Did my desperate plea reach the world as sound? The monks and priests, who had collapsed as if dead, all flinched at once. They hadn¡¯t fully recovered, but their spirits seemed to have revived.


    Thanks to that, I was able to feel hospitalized and confident. I told myself that one day my prayers would be answered and an invincible group of followers would emerge, never tiring no matter how hard they marched.


    At that moment, something strange started happening on the other side of the riverbank.


    ¡°¡­.!!!¡±


    ¡°$@#!$!!¡±


    The farmers, who had been resting comfortably, all rose at once, brandishing their sickles and plows and acting ferociously. I couldn¡¯t understand what they were saying as they responded in hoarse voices fueled by anger, but I could guess the extent of their Fury.


    Their reaction was so extraordinary that even our group, which seemed to have given up on everything in the world, was forced to rise unsteadily.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not easy for simple serfs to get so angry¡­¡±


    One of them, Foros, the embezzling priest who had also attended the last pilgrimage, approached me quietly.


    ¡°Your Grace, what should we do?¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    I pondered, my jaw clenched.


    The draft horses that were supposed to pull the carts with the people were exhausted and couldn¡¯t move properly anyway. If we stayed here, we would have to set up camp or rent a house, and the thought of the time that would be wasted made me shiver.


    Yes. Shiver.


    When I looked at our group, which was now acting arrogant and aggressive, I only felt impatience, regret, and sorrow, so it served them right.


    ¡°Send someone to call them over. We need to figure out what¡¯s going on. It would be best if we could intervene before it turns into a riot.¡±


    ***


    Serfs are simple. This meant that they were generally submissive to those of higher status than themselves.


    Just a moment ago, the serfs, who had seemed ready to plow a person under, knelt before me and began to appeal to me about the injustice and validity of their anger.


    ¡°Well, what¡¯s this freakish nonsense he¡¯s spouting? That we should flee at once!¡±


    The serf with the goatee pointed a trembling index finger at his interlocutor.


    The man in patched rags stood his ground, defiant even as he cowered.


    ¡°Well, you just don¡¯t see it because you¡¯re blind. If you did, you¡¯d be saying the same as me!¡±


    ¡°This idiot¡¯s still out of his mind! We took him in out of pity, and now he¡¯s spouting nonsense!?¡±


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    The serf with the goatee was not alone in his grievance towards the man in rags. As soon as the goatee had spoken, the others, who had been glaring silently, erupted in a chorus of complaints.


    ¡°He¡¯s been spouting nonsense to our children too. When our child came home crying and asking if we were all going to die, it gave me quite a fright!¡±


    ¡°Hey, you! You¡¯re trying to trick us into abandoning our land so you can gobble it all up, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°What age do you think this is? Are you still trying to pull off that kind of scam? You deserve to be burned at the stake, burned at the stake!¡±


    They must have been suffering for quite some time. They were all thoroughly exasperated.


    My entourage just shrugged their shoulders, looking as detached as a sack of barley. We decided that we should wait until things calmed down a bit. We couldn¡¯t risk provoking them further until they were on the verge of violence.


    ¡°I¡¯m not the only one who saw it. Over there, towards the shipyard in the east, the rumor is already spreading!¡±


    ¡°This is the western edge. How do you know if the rumor in the east is true or not? Huh?¡±


    ¡°It is true! Well, they say that ghost ships have appeared beyond the thick sea fog!¡±


    That was until the man in rags started talking about the rumor.


    ¡°Hold on. I¡¯ll conduct an interrogation.¡±


    I swiftly silenced the serfs who were about to burst into a fit of rage. I seriously rattled the hilt of my sword, knowing that they wouldn¡¯t listen if I spoke gently. Fortunately, the serfs in this area were truly simple folk.


    ¡°Yes, Your Grace!¡±


    ¡°Oh my, Your Reverence, please ask us anything you want to know.¡±


    As soon as I rattled the hilt of my sword, they all cowered submissively, as if they had suddenly become a flock of docile sheep.


    I was surprised that they would sit quietly after just one rattle of the sword hilt in this barbaric era. They were, after all, somewhat civilized people. I felt a sense of satisfaction at the possibility of their enlightenment and then directed my questions towards the man in rags.


    ¡°You said ghost ships. Not just one, but several, and apparently you and others have seen them?¡±


    ¡°Y, yes.¡±


    ¡°Tell me the details. I¡¯ll listen and judge whether it¡¯s true or not.¡±


    Gulp.


    The man in rags swallowed with difficulty, but he looked up at me with serious eyes. He was overjoyed that someone was finally taking his story seriously.


    Now was the time for judgment.


    Was this man really a candidate for the closed ward of the mental hospital ver. Middle Ages (permanent isolation, together with criminals)? I hid my curiosity behind an inscrutable expression.


    Then, the man in rags began his story with a face full of tension.


    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m a fisherman from the Penrad Principality, located above Yubas in the east. My name is Hraban, Your Grace.¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s above Yubas, why didn¡¯t you just go to Yubas? Why did you come all the way to Powys, the westernmost point?¡±


    ¡°Oh, Your Grace. Among the people of the Penrad Principality, there are many rumors about Yubas. Well, they say that people who flee there to escape the raiders¡­ disappear without a trace at some point¡­ as if they never existed.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    I have no choice but to believe this for now, as there is no one or rumor to compare or contrast it with.


    As I nodded involuntarily, the man in rags, slightly relieved, began to talk about the ghost ship rumors that were rife in the Penrad Principality.


    To summarize the man in rags¡¯ rambling, it went something like this.


    Around five years ago, starting in the autumn of 1207, sea fog began to appear frequently over the sea near the Penrad Principality.


    This unusual weather phenomenon had never been recorded before, so everyone was bewildered. The Church recommended that fishing be suspended as it could be an unholy omen, but for those who had to make a living, such advice was like water off a duck¡¯s back.


    In the end, the Church¡¯s ineffective advice went unheeded, and the people continued to cast their nets and wield their fishing rods.


    But then, at some point, ships started not returning, one or two at a time. Most of them were fishing boats that had ignored the advice and went out to fish in secret, so they were soon forgotten, without any effort being made to find out who was responsible.


    The problem started when fishing boats and fishermen started returning alive.


    ¡°Ships would appear, gliding over the water¡¯s surface from beyond the sea mist. Despite their blurry forms, they exuded a terribly ominous aura, as if they were ridden by ghosts. My lord, I swear I only survived because I knew when the sea currents would change.¡±


    If only one person had said this, it would have been dismissed as the ramblings of a madman.


    But all the fishermen who returned alive were exceptionally skilled. It didn¡¯t take long for people to realize that they were all giving the exact same testimony.


    ¡°My lord, what¡¯s more important is that we haven¡¯t had any contact with the Scattered Archipelago in about ten years. Even though they are people who like to live alone, they would still visit occasionally, but they haven¡¯t shown their faces for some time now. The ghosts must have eaten them too!¡±


    ***


    Our party decided to stay for a day.


    We had wasted too much time during the day, and more than anything, I was worried about the rumors. The party members, including the embezzling priest Poros, saw me off with grinning expressions. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Yes, sir, as you know, they¡¯re not right in the head. It must be some kind of cheap trick by madmen trying to attract attention and get some money.¡±


    ¡°It might cool us down in this hot summer heat.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir¡­¡±


    ¡°Alright. Call Hraben. I need to hear more.¡±


    The Principality of Penrad and the surrounding areas were located on the opposite side of our Powys, making it difficult to know the situation there. Even if it was just the mad ramblings of fishermen, it couldn¡¯t hurt to listen.


    What worried me in particular was the part about the sea mist.


    [The miracles of the Otherworld developed in a way that avoided the eyes of the Church.]


    From Noble mtl dot com


    ¡­Is it just a natural phenomenon, or is it a miracle of the Otherworld?


    That was what I was most curious about.

 Chapter 60

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 60


    60. Friends Across the Sea


    There was a time when the world both feared God¡¯s wrath and loved God.


    A time when people would sit around a campfire, gazing up at the countless stars scattered across the night sky, listening to stories of great heroes. People knew how to respect God, and God respected people enough.


    In the cycle of providence, nature made sense. Everyone understood the obvious laws that the one who devours will also be devoured, and that those who love God will receive God¡¯s love.


    -Until the ominous starlight came to the world.


    [Lux Stella]


    The god who came from outer space shook the laws of the world.


    The starlight from outer space bestowed its miracles even on those who did not prove their love and devotion. Those who had given themselves over to desire, those who could only prove their loyalty as burnt offerings, rose up.


    Instead of blaming their own irreverence and shallow faith, they spewed forth foolish anger.


    [Oh, starlight, guide us! We would rather perish than return to our pens as slaves!]


    They wailed, clutching the husks of their kin offered as the holy food of the gods, crying out twisted desires and vengeance.


    [Kill these monsters!]


    [Gyaaah!!!!]


    With endless murderous intent in their bloodshot eyes, their twisted lips curled back in a snarl as they screamed incoherently and brandished their swords.


    [Kill all the gods of the bipeds, and all their descendants!]


    [They are monsters born from eating the flesh and blood of my family! Don¡¯t leave a single one alive!]


    They trampled over the corpses of the Guardians, slaughtering everything in sight as they came across it.


    The blind blades made no distinction between those who could fight and the weak. The humans who were the weakest, the most despicable, and who had never loved God, unabashedly revealed their cruel nature.


    Even then, there were exceptions everywhere.


    Some noble and great heroes realized how dangerous the starlight from outer space was and joined the Guardians. They believed they had to stop Lux Stella, who was bestowing indiscriminate miracles on the unqualified and those who did not love God.


    At that moment, the humans who had served God with true hearts were able to achieve the dream they had always yearned for.


    All the heroes united to confront the Lux Stella followers who had turned their backs on the gods brought by the starlight from outer space and declared the end of the world. The humans who chose to stand against Lux Stella also stood shoulder to shoulder with them as heroes.


    Even the Elves, who rarely acknowledge the worthiness of other races, could not help but grudgingly admit their nobility.


    [There were some useful ones, even among the lowly humans.]


    [Hmph. If we did not consider them as fellow beings, we could have definitely finished them off. Then we would have been able to see each other again.]


    Only then was the deep-seated grudge between the races washed away. Orcs, Kobolds, Elves, Dwarves, Giants, Trolls¡­ countless races set aside their history of mutual animosity and joined forces.


    There was only one reason that united them.


    To protect the world from the invading human army.


    [Let us drive the Otherworlders below the horizon, for the dawn of mankind!]


    And the moment the pale starlight shone irreverently and spread over the human army, the heroes who had fought to protect the current world sensed their defeat.


    Of course, the battle did not end just because the end of the world had been declared.


    The heroes of the current world desperately fought against the invading human army, using every means at their disposal. However, it was not enough to reverse the momentum that had already turned against them.


    The human army, united under the single banner of the end of the current world, used the powerful miracles of Lux Stella to defeat the heroes, and then mercilessly slaughtered and buried alive the surviving refugees.


    There was no room for negotiation.


    Some of the heroes of the current world, harboring futile ideals, tried to meet with the human army, but the result was always the same.


    [Just as you offered sacrifices to your gods, we offer sacrifices to our god. Go back and prepare for battle. Prepare to be annihilated, just like we are prepared.]


    There were only a few noble humans who had set aside revenge and grudges in the face of a great cause.


    The majority used their own incompetence and distrust as the driving force for their misplaced anger and clamored for pointless revenge. The fighting continued unabated, and there were even those who rebelled, saying that they did not care about the current world.


    And so, the current world collapsed.


    It ended, crushed under the weight of distrust and betrayal.


    The followers of Lux Stella relentlessly hunted down the survivors, beheading them one by one, erasing the names of the gods they had once held in awe.


    And after a long time, now.


    The shaman of the tribe breathes a hopeful breath into the end of this gloomy and tragic tale.


    ¡°The heroes who fought to protect the gods all fought bravely and died. But the surviving heroes, the rising heroes¡­ there are heroes who will fight to restore the forgotten gods.¡±


    The shaman caressed the face of the child whose eyes sparkled with admiration with his gnarled and twisted hands, and smiled contentedly.


    ¡°Child, receive the wind of your ancestors and my prayers. Please become a great warrior and drive away the starlight of the outsiders.¡±


    When the shaman finally raised his hands, a pattern drawn with the rawhide of a reindeer was on the child¡¯s cheeks.


    ¡°Let us take back our world.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes, shaman!¡±


    The child clenched his fists in the wind that had been passed down through generations and replied.


    With enough vigor to bring a gratified smile to the shaman¡¯s gaunt face.


    ***


    ¡°¡­Son, Horson!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Horson! It¡¯s over. Snap out of it, huh? You need to find some land to farm.¡±


    ¡°Over? Oh, yeah¡­ Right. I need to find some.¡±


    Horson.


    Only then did the bearded man realize that he was sitting on a tree stump. He turned his head towards the sound and saw a familiar face approaching with a gratified smile.


    Abrook.


    He was a close friend who had boarded the ship before Horson, recognized for his excellent communication skills. Abrook¡¯s eyes held concern and worry behind his smile.


    ¡°As expected, you¡¯re amazing. Like you¡¯re not on your first mission. You must have cut down at least twenty of them?¡±


    The chainmail that should have been silver was now painted bright red.


    Horuson barely managed to part his lips, his gaze sliding away from the oppressive crimson.


    ¡°¡­Yeah?¡±


    ¡°Oh, look at this one. I guess you¡¯re the type to take a nap when the fight¡¯s over.¡±


    ¡°A nap?¡±


    ¡°There are various reactions after a fight. Some can¡¯t contain their excitement and rampage around like a berserker. Occasionally, there are ones like you, who become as dull as if submerged in water.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I see.¡±


    ¡°Tsk tsk. Follow me.¡±


    Unable to bear it any longer, Avrok began leading Horuson around the area. He shrugged as he pointed to a gentle slope covered in vibrant wildflowers.


    ¡°Look here. The gradient isn¡¯t steep, and it doesn¡¯t look too hard to till the soil. It¡¯d be a good spot for beekeeping, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    ¡°Beekeeping¡­?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Beekeeping. We could make mead from the honey and dip bread or meat in it.¡±


    Imagine if we planted apple trees nearby to gather apple honey. It¡¯d be even more fragrant.


    Avrok, who had always been interested in beekeeping, went on to give a detailed explanation about how each flower had a different fragrance and taste. He was already listing all the things he would make with honey.


    His enthusiasm was enough to make even the uninterested Horuson focus. When Avrok saw Horuson¡¯s reaction, he pointed to the forest with even more excitement.


    ¡°Those trees are sturdy enough to be used as timber for building ships. If we use those for the keel, we could make a pretty decent ship. It would easily withstand storms. Maybe¡­ maybe our ancestors planted them with that in mind .¡±


    ¡°Ancestors.¡±


    ¡°Yes, ancestors. Our ancestors who lived on this land before us.¡±


    The moment Avrok took a step after saying those words, Horuson was confronted with a sight he had desperately tried to ignore.


    Beneath the collapsed roof of a charred and blackened barn lay the bodies of those who had been trampled to death. Nearby, the faint cries and moans of a woman echoed through the dim shadows.


    And along with the piercing screams of a young child came roars of laughter.


    aaah¡­.


    The loud applause came as the gurgling sounds of boiling blood subsided.


    ¡°That was magnificent!¡±


    ¡°The gods must have heard. Alright, ten points! Next?¡±


    ¡°hahahahaha! Did you all see that?! Hurry and choose what you want from my spoils!¡±


    The warriors gave high scores to the child who was twitching and dying on the skewer that had pinned him to the ground.


    The warrior who had received the high score stood tall in triumph, but the others grimaced as they looked down at the child beneath their feet.


    ¡°Haah¡­ Insuk was too skinny to be any fun¡­¡±


    ¡°P-please spare me.¡±


    ¡°hehehehe, little one. Where¡¯s your god now that you¡¯re begging me to spare you? Hmm?¡±


    ¡°Spare me¡­ mister¡­ spare me¡­¡±


    ¡°Alright, that¡¯s the spirit. You got it? Scream as loud as you can, as loud as you can. So loud that even your god can hear you!¡±


    A moment later, another scream pierced the air.


    The child impaled on the skewer thrashed like a live fish, his blood and entrails spilling out. The warriors watched the sight and gave their cold assessment.


    ¡°This kid¡¯s got no guts.¡±


    ¡°Tsk, tsk, tsk. Two points. Move aside.¡±


    ¡°Ugh, why did I have to get stuck with this one? I¡¯m starving!¡± S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The warriors casually placed bets on how to divide the spoils.


    Horuson watched the betting with a face drained of color, and then he realized that one of the gazes was fixed on him. The tearful eyes of the child who was on the verge of death were looking at Horuson.


    From that distance, far away, yet so precise.


    At that moment, when Horsson saw the look in their eyes, he gasped.


    Avrok, who had quietly stepped back, once again blocked Horsson¡¯s path.


    ¡°Horsson, those who drove us out and occupied our land at will. Our ancestors suffered the same.¡±


    Avrok said as he caressed Horsson¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°This is our rightful right. There is no need to feel guilty. You heard the shaman¡¯s story. We are simply reclaiming our land, nothing more, nothing less.¡±


    Horsson couldn¡¯t answer right away.


    He didn¡¯t want to abandon the tribe¡¯s wishes just because the heroic actions he had envisioned were different from reality. Avrok knew his feelings, so instead of pushing him any further, he encouraged him.


    ¡°If you¡¯re really worried, let¡¯s at least take care of the warrior¡¯s honor. The chief has decided to introduce you to a noble after seeing your performance.¡±


    ¡°A noble?¡±


    It was a question he asked casually, more to keep the conversation going than out of curiosity.


    ¡°The Silver Wolf Mantle.¡±


    Until he heard Avrok¡¯s answer.


    ***


    A long scar running from his forehead to the tip of his chin.


    A lean figure with a fierce aura despite his thin frame, his one eye narrowly avoiding the gaze of others. Footsteps approached the man wearing a wolf fur mantle of silvery fur.


    But there was no greeting. The Silver Wolf Mantle simply sat on the terrace with a clear view of the sea, fiddling with an old box.


    In the end, it was those who approached who spoke first.


    They showed fierce, glaring eyes beneath the face guards of their helmets.


    ¡°Great Chief, it¡¯s been six years.¡±


    ¡°All you¡¯ve done in that time is conquer fragmented island crumbs¡­ Now you must explain yourself.¡±


    Some even went so far as to subtly place their hands on the ax hilts at their waists.


    However, the Silver Wolf Mantle did not panic or flinch. He looked at the petitioners indifferently, then slowly opened the old box with a leisurely gesture.


    It was inevitable that the petitioners¡¯ gazes would be drawn to it. It was a small box that the Silver Wolf Mantle cherished and never showed the inside of.


    But when they saw the contents inside, their disappointment doubled.


    ¡°Bones?¡±


    ¡°Great Chief¡­ is that all you¡¯ve been cherishing and carrying around?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s the first you¡¯ve ever cut down. Great Chief, if it is the wisdom you have shown us, I believe there is a reason why you are showing it to us now.¡±


    Thud.


    The Silver Wolf Mantle slammed the box shut with a rather fierce gesture and quietly looked away. Was he going to remain silent again? It was the moment when the petitioners could no longer bear it and drew their axes.


    ¡°The starlight of a foreign power.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Those who know nothing think that the starlight of a foreign power has left them in disappointment. However, he is still protecting them.¡±


    The Silver Wolf Mantle held out the old box to the petitioners.


    ¡°He is preventing the fog from rising to the mainland. With a few old bones that they respect and cherish.¡±


    Clatter, clatter.


    There was a loud noise from the box because he shook it on purpose.


    ¡°Find the last piece of the nameless warrior king who served the ethereal god of the fallen kingdom, and the remains of the blasphemer who served him. Send your best warriors to do this. Find them and offer them to the gods.¡±


    The Silver Wolf Mantle placed the old box on the table and looked out to sea again, at the land near the horizon.


    ¡°That¡¯s the only way you¡¯ll be able to return.¡±

 Chapter 61

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 61


    61. A Gift for a Tomboy


    On the scorching hot day of July 17, 1212.


    I had just arrived at the clean and tidy city of Illenfoot and was organizing a few things when I wondered if the staff of Illenfoot would oppose my measures. But it was all for naught.


    When I sat at the office on behalf of Bishop Ganista, flipped through a few documents, and answered them, everyone followed faithfully.


    ¡°Your Grace, you just arrived and it must be difficult to grasp the situation, so why don¡¯t you leave this to us¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not doubting the financial soundness of Illenfoot. The inspection of the religious order must have been done properly, so there won¡¯t be any loopholes. What I¡¯m worried about is whether there were any problems with Yubas due to the recent conflict. Is the church functioning properly within Yubas¡¯ jurisdiction?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Yubas has recently been trying to avoid friction with the church, and in return, the churches within Yubas¡¯ territory are doing their best.¡±


    From Noble mtl dot com


    ¡°How long has it been since you sent an inspection to grasp the situation?¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    I don¡¯t know why a question mark popped up here.


    Yubas was originally disliked by the church because they were researching the relics of the heresy on their own. Wasn¡¯t it just a few years ago that the church was divided into factions supporting Yubas and factions supporting the Papacy?


    It¡¯s strange to think that the aftermath of that would be resolved without proper measures in just a few years.


    It¡¯s scary and ridiculous, but it¡¯s part of the Five Seals for now. I recalled the story that the refugee Hraben had told me a while ago and decided to put aside the old grudge and focus on my work.


    ¡°I¡¯m saying that Yubas is unlikely to easily allow an independent inspection by the church. Since Bishop Ganista doesn¡¯t like Yubas and has been putting off investigating the church¡¯s situation while helping me, shouldn¡¯t we figure out how to cooperate with Yubas at this point?¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    ¡°As you said, it¡¯s arrogant and foolish for me, who just arrived, to grasp the whole situation of Illenfoot. However, as I hold the significant position of archbishop, I can help with negotiating and coordinating with external forces. Bring me the related precedents.¡±


    I said this because I had my own thoughts. The shoulder mantle bestowed upon me and the title of archbishop were not ordinary.


    It¡¯s obvious when you look at the black shoulder mantle with a gold border that symbolizes enormous authority and the title of archbishop that shows an independent ecclesiastical prince. It means that anything other than heretical acts that distort doctrine will be tolerated.


    As I thought about it, I realized there was one more thing I could do.


    ¡°If there are any pending approvals because Bishop Ganista is absent, bring them to me. I will review their validity and make judgments on the parts that I can.¡±


    Our bishop, who can¡¯t concentrate even though he has come to play because he is bothered by the toys he left behind. I definitely intended to clean everything up so that he could concentrate. Absolutely everything.


    The staff who came to protest to me couldn¡¯t help but be deeply moved when I said this. They stiffened their bodies as if their skulls were being crushed by a hammer and glanced at each other.


    ¡°W¡­ Your Grace. I guess it could be seen as excessive interference.¡±


    ¡°His Holiness gave me the title of archbishop and bestowed upon me the black shoulder mantle that symbolizes various authorities. I have the passion to take care of the diocese and the will to help you, but you¡¯re asking for another qualification.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Alright. Tell me what that qualification is. I will obtain that qualification and convince you.¡±


    After a while. They began to pack up various things with fumbling hands.


    When I looked through them roughly, most of them were the number of residents collected in the Illenfoot diocese, and some were about tariffs and various expenses collected by Illenfoot as an independent diocese.


    Hmm. Judging from the condition, it seems they have been diligently investigating all along. There were almost no subtle differences that would have appeared if they had just made rough estimates or forced them to fit.


    Thanks to that, it was very easy to grasp the overall situation. If it was someone who had just touched it for the first time, they would have stuck out their tongue and away, but¡­ fortunately, I was someone who could see how hard the staff of Illenfoot had worked.


    Yes. People always want to be recognized.


    The qualification that the staff of Illenfoot asked of me was nothing more than a childish tantrum and an earnest desire to know if I could recognize their efforts.


    I can feel it. The frustration of not being able to do more despite the absence of the person in charge. The disappointment and resignation of those who felt joy and satisfaction while recording the changes in Illenfoot with their own hands.


    The bishop must have been worried.


    Just thinking about such excellent people spending their time blankly would make my heart pound and all sorts of worries would arise.


    So I stepped forward.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s because of political retaliation against Yubas, but the tariffs on trade with their territories seem to be quite high. I heard that Yubas has formed a fleet¡­ But their docks and ports haven¡¯t been properly Maintenance and arranged yet, have they? Or maybe they can¡¯t guarantee safety.¡± S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    I combined the common sense and geographical information that I had learned earlier, and the new information that I had recently acquired, to come to one conclusion.


    The unholy fog that is said to bloom thickly in the sea.


    If you think that it has spread to the sea in front of Yubas, it could explain everything. The Principality of Penrad, which is located just above, is suffering from a famine, so it¡¯s hard to expect Yubas, which is adjacent to it, to be safe.


    Considering that the islands in the morning depend on the mainland in many ways, most of the luxury goods and strategic materials that Yubas needs now will be passing through Illenfoot.


    Ilenefoot would be the best landing base since it has been a developed port city since ancient times, being the closest to the mainland on the island.


    ¡°¡­!!!¡±


    ¡°Personally, I want to raise the tariff by tenfold, but Yubas is audacious and rash, and despite being uncivilized and barbaric, they are still a part of the alliance. Perhaps it would be easier to persuade them to strengthen our influence in forming a joint inspection team.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Excellency. Are you truly serious about this?¡±


    My staff was surprised by my words and asked me back.


    Of course, it is natural to react that way when you see my sublime and meaningful decision to put aside personal feelings for the sake of the cause. However, the story I heard a few days ago kept coming to my mind.


    I persuaded my staff by objectively evaluating Yubas.


    ¡°Yubas is not someone we can trust completely, but they will hold out to some extent. We can expect them to give us enough time to build up our strength, and that¡¯s enough for them to be useful.¡±


    ¡°¡­If that is Your Excellency¡¯s will, we will not argue any further. We will do our best to assist you.¡±


    Only then did the staff put aside their minor complaints and join my cause.


    ¡°By the way¡­ Your Excellency. We need you to greet Magister Tribunus Karina De Vien, who will be arriving soon¡­¡±


    ¡­If it wasn¡¯t for the fact that she was a high-ranking person from the mainland, I would have done so.


    ***


    I was only able to stay in Ilenefoot for two days.


    It was not only because of the ominous story told by Hraven, a refugee who had fled from the Principality of Penrad, but also because of the distinguished guest I had to greet soon. A distinguished guest. Yes. She was someone so precious that I , who had officially received the title of personally Bishop, had to move.


    It wasn¡¯t for nothing that I had Terbear as my escort.


    I breathed deeply on the horse¡¯s saddle, chewing over and over the meaning contained in the guest¡¯s name.


    The name I found out belatedly.


    Karina De Vien Magister Tribunus Norpeng.


    Even at a glance, the long and twisted name tells me that it is not an ordinary noble family. Just by looking at the titles [Magister] and [Tribunus], which the church does not easily give, you can tell.


    To explain the common sense of this world¡­ De Vien is a higher middle name than De, which is a common middle name for nobles. It is a middle name given to those of royal descent from the mainland.


    On top of that, why are Magister and Tribunus together? This means that the child was born from a marriage between the Tribunus bloodline, which led the uprising of the Ince, and the Magister bloodline, which drove out the heretics with achievements various and doctrinal disputes.


    Norpeng is the name of the royal family that rules a kingdom on the mainland.


    When I found out the truth, I felt like I had been happy for nothing. Our Powis family is not a pushover either, but I have to be one step, no, several steps ahead of the girl who is coming now.


    If our Powis is a true bone, then our opponent is a holy bone among holy bones.


    I already hated this filthy and disgusting blood-centric medieval world. Fortunately, I am a member of the church, which is somewhat different from a blood-centric society.


    Even though we are both Stigmata bearers, there is a clear difference in rank between me, a prince of the clergy, and a bloodsucking girl. I armed myself with a firm belief that I would prove the authority of the church and the supremacy of the Papacy against the fragile and unstable secular power.


    You, a servant of the secular world, will really lose if you mess with me.


    With this in mind, I held the reins of my horse, and the eyes of my entourage changed.


    ¡°Your Excellency, this is the first time I have seen you so serious.¡±


    Poros, the embezzling priest who became the leader of the entourage, showered me with compliments.


    ¡°We are both members of the church, but I am a prince of the clergy. The eyes of the world are upon me, so how can I disappoint His Holiness and the people by acting recklessly?¡±


    ¡°Did you know that you were being reckless¡­¡±


    Poros, this bastard, must have made a vow of honesty.


    If a bastard who didn¡¯t make a vow was blabbering, I was thinking of sending him to a medieval 4D horror theme park. With these thoughts in mind, I arrived at the toe of Saint Ilenio, the port where the arrogant merchants had set up, and I heard some surprising news.


    The priests I had sent ahead to greet the distinguished guest were drenched in sweat despite the cool sea breeze, and they said.


    ¡°Th, that way. Your Excellency. Stigmata bearer Karina is currently traveling along the coast of the mainland.¡±


    ¡°Did she encounter a strong storm?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ She said she wanted to do some sightseeing since it was a rare trip¡­¡±


    Did I hear wrong?


    When I glanced back and looked at the group, their reactions were all the same.


    ¡°Was he sent from the homeland to be trained?¡±


    ¡°His Holiness might be testing his subordinate. Since he¡¯s young, perhaps he¡¯s trying to test him this way.¡±


    My heart swelled with pride as I watched the group come up with reasonable inferences and arguments.


    But the moment I saw the priest blushing, my intuition told me something else.


    ¡°Tell me the truth.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Our honored guest changed course to play a joke on you. Am I right?¡±


    Oh, yeah.


    I had guessed it since he was about my age. How long would he be able to stand being in such a stuffy and cramped space?


    It was a good thing I had prepared plenty of things to play with while traveling on the Illefon.


    ¡°Send a message to the Pabalsun. Tell them that I have prepared a lot of entertainment for him, so he can come with peace of mind. It may be a humble place, but he¡¯ll have a fulfilling and enjoyable time.¡±


    If there¡¯s nothing to do, we can make some.


    I had countless relics that I had confiscated, or rather, retrieved, from the monastery. Even a girl who couldn¡¯t read a chart would be able to distinguish the grade of the relic, such as the stigma, so it was a toy that was designed to be enjoyed.

 Chapter 62

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 62


    62. The Secretaries¡¯ Lament


    After hearing the news that our honored guest was traveling along the coast of the mainland, I was able to recall the memories of modern times after a very long time.


    I used to go hiking with my boss and never missed a company dinner. I would go to work on time the next day with my eyes wide open. What did those days bring me?


    As a result of being recognized for my diligence and hard work, I became a secretary who served a precious family¡¯s child.


    Of course, the precious child I came to assist wasn¡¯t as arrogant as those depicted in dramas or various media outlets. He would just do some LSD, marijuana, or methamphetamine, and enjoy one-night stands while bar hopping.


    If you just looked at his actions, he seemed like a good-for-nothing, but his personality was not flavored.


    The dilemma of the underdog. On the contrary, the precious child who did drugs and slept around was more dignified and well-mannered than those who bullied the weak.


    Even though his actions were those of a good-for-nothing, it wasn¡¯t difficult to treat him as a person. Maybe it was because he had an unexpectedly kind side to him.


    [What? Why are you offering me drugs? Are you crazy? Only rich kids should do that. You¡¯ll get caught. If it¡¯s low quality, your body will deteriorate quickly. Do you think poor people can get good quality drugs?]


    [I¡¯m surprised. I thought you¡¯d be drinking and doing drugs and bringing women to you.]


    [You have to flirt to get what you want, but if you overdo it, it¡¯s a typhoon. Don¡¯t have any foolish thoughts¡­ I¡¯ll give you a bonus, so drink some cheap soju. There are drugs that the country allows.]


    Of course, he was like a typhoon in a different sense.


    He wasn¡¯t malicious or cruel, but because his common sense was so different from those who lived ordinary lives, he surprised me in small ways. One day, he brought me a popsicle while I was waiting in the car and said:


    [Hey, secretary. I bought this at a convenience store while I was out with a girl. Hold my phone for a second like you¡¯re making a call.]


    [¡­? Why the popsicle? Is there a problem?]


    [Um¡­ this¡­ how do I open the lid?]


    [¡­]


    At that moment, I could see the guy fidgeting and rolling his eyes in embarrassment as he asked.


    He had never eaten a popsicle in his entire life, and he was asking me for help while cosplaying as an ordinary person because he wanted to pick up a girl. I felt a strange sense of amusement as I opened the lid and handed it to him .


    [Oh, is that how it is? Okay. You can have the stick.]


    I watched him happily enjoying himself with the girl as he sucked on the stick like a baby.


    In addition to this, he would visit women at work during the middle of the day and say things like, ¡°If you can¡¯t come out and play, you can take a vacation. Why don¡¯t people enjoy their company life? Live your life for yourself.¡±


    Just as I didn¡¯t understand him, who was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, he didn¡¯t understand ordinary people and did all sorts of strange things.


    If there¡¯s one thing I learned from him, it¡¯s this:


    [Secretary, why are you quitting all of a sudden? Why, is there something you don¡¯t like? Is it because of the money?]


    [No. I¡¯m going to travel for myself.]


    [¡­You¡¯re also quite something.]


    He gave me some money for living expenses as he handed me my resignation letter and earnestly implored me. Drugs are something only the rich can do. Those like you, whose bodies are their entire fortune, shouldn¡¯t do anything strange and should just live eating something delicious.


    [Thank you for your hard work. I hope you have a good life in the future.]


    [Why are you suddenly being so polite?]


    [The relationship between employer and employee is over, and now we are complete strangers, so we should be careful with our words and actions. I ask you to spread good rumors about our company in Cheonjinho.]


    It¡¯s not something a criminal should say, but that¡¯s what he said. Other criminals would say similar things before going to prison.


    Of course, the company is really good in Cheonjinho, but this bastard wrote that he does drugs.


    Thanks to that, the country exploded once because of drugs, but wasn¡¯t that what the country should have done in the first place?


    Anyway, looking back now, that time was the only time in my life when I had any contact with the extremely high class. And it was clear why the memory of that time, which had just passed by, came to mind now.


    The bishop¡¯s seat of Illeiniput.


    While I was racking my brain over how to persuade Yubas, the key to the five-way blockade, shut up in the office that Bishop Ganista originally used, one of the priests knocked on the door.


    ¡°Yes, he¡¯s here.¡±


    ¡°What is your official title?¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Are you here as a royal family member from the mainland, or are you here as a stigmata bearer belonging to the church?¡±


    Just one more thing.


    If there¡¯s one thing that the rich bastard who was the only contact I had in my life taught me, it¡¯s that there¡¯s something as important as one¡¯s background and origin. For people, not only their origin and background but also their current status and position are important.


    When I hit the nail on the head, even the priest outside the door couldn¡¯t help but be embarrassed.


    ¡°Both¡­ neither?¡±


    ***


    Every time I recall the memories of a modern person living in the advanced society of the 21st century, I keep forgetting.


    The fact that this world is a primitive and backward blood-centered caste system that closely resembles the social conditions of the Middle Ages. I was trying to change my mind while leading the processing in front of that shipyard.


    It was then that the embezzling priest Poros approached me stealthily.


    ¡°Yes, it seems that the merchants have heard the news that a noble guest is coming from the mainland. They say that today is the best day and that they can¡¯t rest, so what should we do?¡±


    ¡°Leave them alone.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    The background to Poros making such an argument is as follows.


    No matter where you go, when high-ranking people with noble blood come to this world, arrogant people are dragged out and mobilized, banned from their livelihoods in order to show their hospitality.


    For me, it was something I couldn¡¯t tolerate.


    ¡°You reap what you sow. They are the ones who have not known the joy of sacred taxes¡­ offerings, under various pretenses. Bishop Ganista tormented them because he was disgusted by them, but I am different.¡±


    If you think negatively about everything in the world, everything will go wrong.


    I reinterpreted the arrival of Lady Karina de Vermeersch with an optimistic perspective and the power of infinite positivity. It¡¯s an era of savage grayness that rolls by the same every day.


    In a world where you have to worry about looters when an event pops up, it was a happy and enjoyable event just to have a precious young lady come.


    ¡°Let them work. Let them enjoy themselves. And so let their consciences fill the offering jars.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I shouldn¡¯t be the one to say this since I was embezzling, but there are guys who take offerings from the offering jars.¡±


    Then the embezzling priest Poros confessed the truth without a single lie, as befits a newly converted son. It¡¯s not bad for a person to be spotless, but I wish this bastard had a little bit of shame.


    From Noble mtl dot com


    However, if I keep picking on him because he¡¯s dirty, who will convert and repent? I decided to relieve Poros¡¯ worries first to support his first step towards the right path.


    ¡°I believe that everyone is born good. It¡¯s the world¡¯s filth and greed that makes them sin. Those who were originally kind and liked to give to others have become stingy because they have accumulated wealth.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­?¡±


    ¡°A doctor is someone who acts for patients who cannot remove the rotten parts by themselves. I will become a doctor for their souls.¡±


    I took Bishop Ganista¡¯s advice to think and act like a clergyman to heart.


    It is said that in the dark ages before the development of antibiotics, people would amputate limbs to survive the plague. Could it not be said that purging oneself of wealth, the root of all evil, in order to save a soul rotting away in greed is also a form of spiritual surgery?


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    Even the embezzling priest, Poros, looked troubled by my radical perspective and reinterpretation of spiritual surgery. I waited for a moment, hoping that Poros might present a valuable counterargument to my claim.


    At the corner of the forecastle, several shouts erupted along with the sonorous blare of a conch horn.


    ¡°The Azure Cross banner, the symbol of the Saint from the mainland! They¡¯re here!¡±


    ¡°Teehee¡­ I wonder if they¡¯re as beautiful as they say?¡±


    ¡°Oh, blasphemy! It¡¯s the Stigmata Saint, the Stigmata Saint!¡±


    Ah. So, she has arrived.


    The whimsical, rambunctious princess who had been recklessly gallivanting all over the ship finally graced us with her presence from beyond the horizon. In that instant, I made a swift decision.


    ¡°Poros. I hereby declare a three-day tax exemption.¡±


    ¡°Wha?!¡±


    ¡°But in return, you must convey that I will be observing how much the donation box fills up in those three days.¡±


    As a spiritual physician, I had resolved to observe the patient¡¯s prognosis before making a final decision.


    If the patient can recover on their own, then there is no problem. But if they cannot¡­


    ¡°Consent is not necessary when it comes to saving a person.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    It is indeed difficult for someone who is both wealthy and stingy to find favor in the eyes of God. It must be the duty of a shepherd to help such a person. I felt a profound sense of mission to accomplish this sacred task.


    ***


    Sometimes, there are people in the world who seem to have been born with everything.


    Karina de Bien Magister Tribunus Norfang.


    This beautiful girl, who possessed both a noble and illustrious bloodline and the favor of God, was no exception. She had no obstacles in her life that threatened her life or made it difficult.


    However, blessings are often taken for granted by those who receive them.


    Karina was bustling about the deck, making the sweating sailors pull on ropes until their faces turned beet red.


    ¡°Uncles, are we there yet? Huh?¡±


    ¡°W-well, miss. The sea air is harmful to women, so please go inside the cabin.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not true. The cabin is cramped and it smells funny, so I think it¡¯s more harmful than being out on deck.¡±


    Life at sea is difficult, even for ordinary men.


    It was impossible to satisfy a woman who had never wanted for anything, even on the luxurious ship that had been prepared for Karina, a woman of noble birth and high status. Fortunately, Karina¡¯s personality was not demanding.


    Karina laughed gleefully as she skipped among the flushed sailors, her gaze fixed on the sea. Even the priests in their red shoulder mantles who had come to accompany her were taken aback.


    ¡°You see, the Saint is big and all, but people are so stiff and boring. But it¡¯s totally different out on the sea. Everyone¡¯s so passionate and desperate¡­¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re desperate because of you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not true. Why would they act that way because of me?¡±


    Karina, who had lived a life of privilege, thought very humbly of herself. She harbored the idea that she was too insignificant to receive the adoration or protection of others. Because of this, only the priests and sailors were suffering.


    ¡°Captain, is it still a long way to Illinfoot?¡±


    ¡°If we had left as soon as we set sail, we would have arrived already. Even Bishop Forvis, who is waiting for you, couldn¡¯t wait any longer and sent out a search party.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ Bishop Forvis is no ordinary man.¡± Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If only Karina were a higher-ranking noble, she could have ordered them to wait. However, the problem was that her counterpart was of equally noble birth and even greater importance.


    Bishop Forvis, the Archbishop of Narva, Orn Stregos Glerio Forvis.


    A boy who had manifested the Stigmata at the tender age of twelve and was ordained as a bishop at the age of sixteen, he had since overseen major initiatives and uncompromising reforms, earning him the attention of the entire Papal Court as the next in line to represent the Church in the Archipelagic See.


    The priests in their red shoulder mantles were openly weeping.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t the Bishop already hate us?¡±


    ¡°What can we do¡­ We¡¯ll only get our backs broken if we try to mediate.¡±


    ¡°Please, Captain. Get us there a little faster. The person waiting for us is a very important figure.¡±


    ¡°Oh, really? You¡¯ve got a rough road ahead of you.¡±


    The captain said, looking at the priests with a trembling expression.


    ¡°But don¡¯t worry. What you see over there is the toe of Saint Illenio, practically the real Illenfoot.¡±

 Chapter 63

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 63


    63. Why Did You Send Them?


    As soon as the cruise ship carrying the special guests dropped anchor and began disembarking, I couldn¡¯t help but frowned at the thunderous cheers that seemed to pierce my eardrums. It wasn¡¯t just the ordinary citizens who had gathered to watch, even the entourage that was supposed to be devout was making a fuss.


    ¡°Oh, oh oh¡­!¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t she exceptionally beautiful?¡±


    ¡°A true innocent! I closed my eyes when I heard that I would be accompanying His Lordship the Bishop, but it seems that it wasn¡¯t all bad¡­!¡±


    The entourage¡¯s reaction was even more unpleasant, as if they were soldiers cheering for an idol who had come to perform a consolation concert.


    Damn them. Of all the memories from the 21st century, why did they have to bring up the ones I had tried so hard to forget? But in the back of my mind, I could understand their excitement.


    What kind of lives had these priests and monks in the entourage lived? The clergy were men who wasted away day after day in the women-only areas and the holy cathedral.


    Those among them whose brains were added by s*xual desire dared to break the precepts and walk a path that even modern 21st-century Earthlings would find difficult to accept. Perhaps¡­ it might be better for them to be excited.


    I stopped myself from scolding the entourage as I recalled the contents of the ¡®Church Incident Report¡¯ that the bishops secretly shared. That¡¯s right. It¡¯s not about turning away from desire and becoming a eunuch, but about learning to control it.


    Of course, the biggest reason for my newfound understanding was a certain type of excitement that was quite reasonable.


    Platinum-blonde hair that fell to her waist, round sky-blue eyes with an innocent smile beneath long eyelashes, and a sweet voice that seemed to the nurse the listener.


    Karina de Bien Magister Tribunus Norpeng.


    ¡°Wow. It¡¯s similar to the places we visited before, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    As soon as Karina disembarked from the ship, surrounded by priests in red shoulder mantles, she began looking around.


    I could tell from her expression.


    Karina has a natural talent for winning people¡¯s favor. You might argue that it¡¯s just based on her appearance, but the reality is the reality, no matter how horrible or uncivilized it may be.


    In this era, in this world, appearance was also a form of ability.


    ¡°Ah! What a beautiful voice.¡±


    ¡°Truly, her kind heart is evident. Such a clear and beautiful voice can only be produced by a pure and innocent maiden.¡±


    Even appearance became the standard for judging good and evil.


    And with a voice as pleasant as hers, it was no wonder that our entourage was so smitten. I just wish they would show me some respect, even if they are smitten. I¡¯m ashamed of the way they¡¯ve been spouting nonsense after spending all their time in the library, learning unusual vocabulary.


    But the ordeal was far from over.


    The people, who had caught a glimpse of Karina over the shoulders of the entourage, were also getting excited.


    ¡°What? What¡¯s with all the fuss?¡±


    ¡°Man¡­ Nobles are just different.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m doomed. I¡¯m doomed. How can I ever look my wife in the face again?¡±


    Karina, the cause of all this praise and excitement, burst out laughing, blinking her eyes. Her cheeks flushed slightly with embarrassment as she said,


    ¡°You all like to flatter me so much~.¡±


    She even waved her hand dismissively, but it was clear that she secretly enjoyed it, just like any girl her age.


    It was clear that despite her talent, she was not used to being in front of people. Karina hid behind her attendants, unable to bear the shame.


    It seemed that she had been raised with great care in her homeland. She was so shy that she felt embarrassed by such a thing. To put it nicely, she was a friend who was unusually pure.


    She truly fit the term ¡°pure white¡± that was being thrown around carelessly.


    ¡­.She even forgot the fact that I was waiting behind her, as white as a sheet.


    In order to protect this pure white girl, it seems like those who serve her also need to be pure white. As I let out a sigh filled with frustration, the priests with faces that were pale and gray from cold sweat rushed over, leaving Karina¡¯s side.


    ¡°We, we greet Bishop Forvis.¡±


    ¡°A test?¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re just trying to confirm that I am a faithful hound who follows the interests of the Holy See and the mainland.¡±


    ¡°Bishop, how dare you test us!!!!!¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but be offended. Just looking at the brat she brought along tells me that I need to teach her about the mainland¡¯s laws, let alone the customs here.


    I was so excited to devour the wisdom of the ancestors that the mainland had stockpiled, but of course that would happen when this half-wit came along. Just by looking at her, you could tell that she wouldn¡¯t be able to enjoy the real fun due to the barriers to entry, so my interest and excitement were fading away with each passing moment.


    However, unlike me who was cooling down, the noble lady seemed to be getting more and more interested.


    Karina, who had been hiding behind the priests and peeking out, stuck her head out and opened her eyes wide.


    ¡°Huh? Is he Bishop Forvis? He looks¡­ younger than me? He¡¯s not older than me, right?!¡±


    It seems like I look younger than her.


    Ah-. Is it because I¡¯ve grown up so fast that I can¡¯t face reality?


    Those who are truly loyal to others do not spare sharp and piercing remarks. Even though it¡¯s our first meeting, I¡¯ve decided to be loyal to Karina.


    ¡°Karina¡­nim. You must be mistaken.¡±


    ¡°¡­Mistaken?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    I waved away the priests whose faces were paler than a corpse and answered.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that I look young, it¡¯s that Karina-nim looks much older than her peers.¡±


    ***


    The fundraising¡­ no, the festival that I had ambitiously prepared for was met with a crisis from the very beginning.


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    When we got off the ship, our lively and cheerful tomboy was pouting with her cheeks puffed out, shaking her head from side to side.


    The first step of the great plan to travel around with a medieval idol and bring in money for the streets had started to go awry.


    Still, maybe it was because she had the guts and the gift of gab that she had developed while begging from pilgrims. Several merchants who were good at talking tried to catch Karina, but it was no use.


    ¡°Wow! Your skin is so fair! You¡¯d be perfect if you just wore this pearl bracelet!¡±


    ¡°Hmm. I think a bracelet would be too cumbersome. Not everything that glitters is gold. Miss! How about this incense pouch with a soft and gentle floral scent?¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    For a moment, I could see her ears twitching, but Karina just stubbornly turned her head away.


    At that sight, the embezzling priest Foros, who had been following me, let out an exclamation filled with 100% admiration. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Bishop, it seems like the priesthood is your true calling. It¡¯s clear that the starlight of the great incarnation has been with you since birth.¡±


    As expected of someone who has been covering up his embezzlement with endless flattery. However, even empty praise is still praise, so I couldn¡¯t help but feel a little smug at Foros¡¯s words.


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense. How can I, who is nothing more than a humble servant of the radiant church, be so proud? I still have a long way to go.¡±


    ¡°Where do you plan to go from here¡­¡±


    Look at this guy, he¡¯s surprised by just this. Foros was overwhelmed by my boundless ambition. But this ambition is what separates those who have received the holy mark from those who have not.


    In order for God to be satisfied, effort is necessary. How can one walk the path of the priesthood without the determination to become a better person each and every day?


    Even in a profession where you can just enjoy yourself and have fun, it¡¯s strange that there are those who don¡¯t. I feel like a two-eyed person thrown into a one-eyed world. From my perspective, all the priests in our parish who should be working but are instead playing are strange.


    And while I was trying to correct the mindset of a gamer, Karina, who had been pouting, was now looking around with a smile on her face.


    ¡°Is this really the finger of Saint Illenio?¡±


    ¡°U-Uhm¡­ Yes¡­ I mean¡­¡±


    ¡°Then will you cut off my finger later? Since you have to sell it?¡±


    ¡°Uhhh¡­¡±


    The merchant who was selling the fake relic glanced at the priests in their crimson capes behind Karina, who were biting their lower lips, and rolled his eyes.


    And the moment he met my gaze, he suddenly started blabbering out facts I didn¡¯t even ask for.


    ¡°Actually, this is a fake. I cut it off from a poor serf named Bess, who was starving to death because he didn¡¯t have any land to farm on a secluded estate, and gave him enough living expenses for a few months. ¡°


    ¡°?¡±


    ¡°So, there¡¯s no need to cut off your finger, my lady. Rest assured, rest assured! hahahahaha!¡±


    ¡°hahahahaha!¡±


    This time, I laughed.


    I pushed aside Karina, who was bewildered, and the priests who were biting their lower lips, and stepped forward.


    ¡°Well done. You almost ended up with the charges of counterfeiting relics and tempting an innocent serf with money as bait, which would have sent you to the gallows.¡±


    ¡°Ha, ha, hahahaha¡­¡±


    ¡°Anyone can go down the wrong path. But if you repent and turn to the right path like you did, you can find salvation again.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ Does that mean I¡¯m pardoned?¡±


    ¡°hahahahaha!¡±


    The headache I had because of Karina washed away as if it were a lie.


    As expected, you need good communication skills to sell things. I patted the converted merchant on the shoulder and told him plainly.


    ¡°Turn yourself in and hand over half of your assets.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°You probably haven¡¯t paid taxes, so I won¡¯t recognize your right to appoint a legal representative, which is a privilege given to honest taxpayers. If you had paid your taxes regularly, you could have avoided this.¡±


    Of course, if he tried to run away in the middle of the night and got caught, he would be hung.


    When I added that last remark, the merchant was able to gain confidence that the path of repentance he had begun to tread was the right one.


    ¡°I, I will turn myself in no matter what happens. I will live honestly from now on, so please¡­!¡±


    ¡°Prove it with your actions. Don¡¯t just talk about it.¡±


    I felt good as I received voluntary donations from those who were soliciting customers for relic fraud under the guise of sightseeing for Karina.


    From Noble mtl dot com


    Karina herself was looking at me with her round, sky-blue eyes as if she didn¡¯t know what had happened.


    ¡°¡­So, I don¡¯t have to cut off my finger?¡±


    Instead of answering her, I glared at the priests in the crimson capes.


    ¡°Why did you bring them?¡±


    ¡°Y-Yes, Your Grace. Please calm down. It¡¯s all thanks to Your Grace¡¯s blessing.¡±


    I suppressed my anger once more as they handed me a letter while trembling.


    If it wasn¡¯t for my blessing, there would be no saint or anything.


    I tore open the sealed wax tablet with a bright blue seal right on the spot. I wasn¡¯t generous enough to be lenient with principles and all.


    And the moment I opened the wax tablet-.


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    ¡°What are you looking at¡­ Your eyes are scary.¡±


    -I couldn¡¯t help but look at Karina with a trembling expression.


    ***


    Lost in thought, I followed behind Karina, who trailed behind our finely bred, spoiled Karina.


    ¡°How does this one look?¡±


    ¡°It suits Your Grace well.¡±


    There was something more important than the shameful behavior of the entourage, who were all talking about accessories.


    I immediately tore up the wax tablet on the spot, crushed it under my feet, and completely destroyed it, but I couldn¡¯t help but continue to chew on the contents.


    [Have Karina meet Miriam and show off her close relationship with the royal family and the church on the mainland.]


    [Miriam Orn Yubas is an important pawn to counter Yubas¡¯ sudden betrayal. I am truly grateful to you for securing her in advance.]


    [The factional rivalry within Yubas is intensifying. When the pagans and those loyal to the church clash, those who are close to the church are likely to be promoted or have strong influence beyond gender limitations.]


    [To that end, we must raise Miriam¡¯s presence from now on. I hope Bishop Powys will put aside his personal feelings.]


    ¡­ As expected, the church is the one that does politics.


    I have definitely learned a lesson.

 Chapter 64

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 64


    64. Until Our Distant King Returns


    Why is the Papacy concerned about Miriam Orn Yubas, who is confined to a convent?


    I understood this part through my experience as a gamer.


    In the multiplayer mode of [Fantasy Monarch], the pure evil confrontation that I used to enjoy, there was one very important part.


    Why do users repeatedly strengthen their internal affairs, establish a system, and create a strong army? Why do they form alliances and develop subordinates they can trust and rely on? Why do they play passively while aiming for a higher position?


    The reason is simple.


    No matter how strong a force is, it cannot handle multiple fronts.


    I will say it again because it is important.


    No matter how strong a force is, it cannot handle multiple fronts alone. This is because the opponent is constantly poking, just waiting for the moment when their attention or concentration falters.


    This part is easy to understand if you think of the famous classical novel, Romance of the Three Kingdoms.


    You must have heard of the Anti-Dong Zhuo Coalition. It was an alliance of local lords who rose up to defeat Dong Zhuo, the warlord of Xiliang, after he had taken the young emperor hostage and seized power.


    Although their initial goal ended in failure, this Anti-Dong Zhuo Coalition succeeded in destroying the local control of the Han Dynasty that Dong Zhuo had seized. In the end, Dong Zhuo ruled only a small part of the Han Dynasty, not the entire country .


    The multiplayer mode of [Fantasy Monarch] is similar to that Anti-Dong Zhuo Coalition¡­ No, the users of [Fantasy Monarch] were even more advanced than the Anti-Dong Zhuo Coalition.


    Let¡¯s say a user was good at marriage planning and became a relative of the emperor¡¯s grandson. That user would purge the existing imperial family, put the grandson on the throne, and seize the country as regent, intending to seize power behind the scenes.


    The user who became regent instead of the young emperor, who was not yet able to judge properly, would take various measures to increase his power base. He must have thought that now that he had seized power, he had to act.


    However, the moment the user who became regent acted, the users who had been quietly waiting for an opportunity beneath him immediately came to a common understanding in secret.


    -That bastard has to be taken out.


    The incident that made me realize the extent of their terrifying thoroughness was an invitation. I had caught the eye of the user coalition because I had built up my power with the fame and fortune I had gained from fighting foreign forces on the outskirts of the empire .


    Although I was still a newbie in terms of scheming, I was highly regarded because I managed my territory and army soundly.


    [? What are you doing here?]


    [You have been your power in the outskirts, haven¡¯t you? Do you plan to develop it further?]


    [? Yes.]


    [Do you know that the regent is trying to strengthen the monarchy by centralizing power and forcibly dividing or revoking the titles of his vassals?]


    [????]


    Of course, the regent couldn¡¯t have announced that he was crazy. Because it would be like openly telling the users that he was going to put a leash on them. However, the users had already noticed what the regent was up to.


    [I haven¡¯t touched the NPC vassals yet, but I¡¯m currently reorganizing my jurisdiction. Some of the guys are trying to secure their finances by collecting a military service exemption tax instead of conscription soldiers, judging from their revised vassal contracts. Judging by their disposition, they will eventually break away from the users once they gain some strength.]


    [Wow¡­]


    [Moreover, although it¡¯s not very noticeable, if you look closely, the claimants to the titles that could claim legitimate in the empire are dying one by one. It seems that they are cutting the weeds in advance to prevent any possible rallying point or support .]


    The user coalition¡¯s kind explanation made even a newbie like me understand in an instant.


    [Even if all the pretenders to the throne are dead and the regent is removed from the regency, wouldn¡¯t the regent¡¯s bloodline and influence remain as an external relative? The emperor will still take 10 years to grow up, so what if they eat up all the important strategic points and all the government positions in the meantime?]


    That¡¯s right. Even in the game, 10 years was a very long time.


    It was enough time to adjust the country to their liking while in power as regent, weakening the vassals, and create an environment that would allow them to be quickly reinstated if they were ever expelled.


    As a newbie, I only realized the problem, so I was flustered and didn¡¯t know how to deal with it.


    However, our user alliance, which is made up of loyal subjects who worry about the country day and night, had already made preparations to confront the regent who dared to insult the imperial family and act tyrannically for the sake of the country¡¯s safety.


    [Among the pretenders to the throne, let¡¯s marry the one with the least bloodline to a collateral lineage to our vassal and send them to a neighboring country. The negotiations with the neighboring country¡¯s users are also over. It¡¯s a great deal to protect the pretender to the throne in exchange for a few pieces of crap.]


    [Okay, I¡¯m done making up the excuses for the commoners who belong to the Imperial Advisory Council. These kids are now our puppets lol. We¡¯re currently conspiring to assassinate the empress, that thieving b*tch lol.]


    [The scheming users are ready. I¡¯m also raising funds to arm the army. Our peasants need to understand that this is all for the sake of a peaceful world, okay?]


    [Don¡¯t create a faction and make it public yet. The regent will prioritize the weak NPC kids and won¡¯t touch them right away, so there¡¯s no need to create a faction unnecessarily and raise the regent¡¯s vigilance.]


    As you can see from these numerous chats.


    While reading their chats, I realized that I was a frog in a well. Let¡¯s call it the aesthetics of rebellion and usurpation. The user alliance knew better than anyone what was important in a rebellion.


    [The regent is centralizing power to the point that it¡¯s strange that we don¡¯t have any complaints. We need to express some dissatisfaction. We need to show the NPC vassals that we¡¯re willing to join their faction and that we¡¯ll join them if necessary.]


    [In that way, we¡¯re hiding the real pretender to the throne that we¡¯re supporting?]


    [Instead of revolting all at once as a supporting faction, don¡¯t we need a fake revolt that will attract the imperial regular army first? We need a user on the other side to respond with us when we attract the regular army to a certain extent so that it doesn¡¯t collapse right away.]


    [Okay, I¡¯ll bring one of the eastern border lords for that. They¡¯ve been raised well.]


    It was the moment when the people who had been beating drums and gongs in the chat room suddenly focused on me.


    [So.]


    [Will you join us in the coup?]


    It was the moment when my heart, which had already been half-tilted, completely fell over.


    No matter how large a bamboo tree is, it will fall if it is hit ten times with a logging ax. I knew that the tide had completely turned and answered cheerfully. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Okay¡­]


    -The coup d¡¯¨¦tat attempted by the user alliance after a long preparation was successful.


    The regent user failed to suppress the rebellion that sprang up from all sides, and when the empress, who symbolized the political alliance with the emperor, was assassinated, he lost his last base.


    When even the NPCs, who knew that the tide had turned, joined in, the regent finally lost all his power. The result was disastrous.


    The regent was blinded and castrated for daring to strengthen the centralization and authority of the imperial family in a feudal game, and he died as a commoner, stripped of all his titles.


    Of course, the reward for restoring the imperial family was sweet. The user alliance became de facto rulers of the empire and rose to the rank of prince-electors, although it was not stated in the law. The emperor had somehow become an elective office rather than a lifetime position.


    The emperor¡¯s term of office was the moment when the user alliance would have to start replacing him.


    It¡¯s a happy ending, a happy ending, because it contains a considerable amount of democracy? Republicanism? That people like in an unenlightened absolute monarchy?


    ¡­ Of course, the reason I solved this long story was that it reminded me of so many things.


    ***


    ¡°Miriam Orn Yubas? Yes, who is that person?¡±


    The reception room after finishing the shopping tour.


    Karina asked, scooping up the lemon juice with a faint steam rising from it into a teacup she had brought from her home country. As I looked at Karina¡¯s innocent face, I couldn¡¯t help but think of my young niece.


    Sometimes I want to spank her, but I just hold it in because I¡¯m afraid of where it will go.


    ¡°Miriam Orn Yubas is a member of the Yubas clan, the most powerful force in the archipelago at dawn.¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­¡±


    Even though she was obviously not interested, she sighed at the tone of her voice.


    Well, it¡¯s strange that she, a Stigmata awakener and a noble bloodline, would care about a nun from Yubas. Still, work is work. I continued my speech in the softest possible tone and calmest possible manner.


    In my judgment, Karina is not persuaded by political or practical benefits. I had to offer her a different topic¡­ for example, a benefit that benefits a young girl her age.


    ¡°However, due to political reasons, she suffered many hardships and even had an unwanted child. As a single mother, she was ostracized by the world and lives a lonely life in a convent, unable to talk to anyone.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ too much to ask.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, a very valid opinion. His Holiness seems to have thought so as well, and was troubled by it. So He sighed and gasped, and when He heard that Lady Karina would come here, He ordered me to convey His request.¡±


    ¡°Request?¡±


    Emphasize the isolated situation to evoke empathy, and then suggest it in the form of a request rather than coercion, befitting the word ¡®pure¡¯.


    ¡°If possible, I would like Lady Karina to be her conversation partner¡­ and more.¡±


    He also appeals to our Holy Father¡¯s magnanimity.


    ¡°Ahem. Hmm! That grandfather?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s grandfather¡¯s request, I can¡¯t help it~. hehehe.¡±


    ¡­.I couldn¡¯t help but swallow dry saliva.


    Just¡­ just how close is she to the Pope in private? Maybe she¡¯s showing off her personal friendship because she knows I¡¯m ignoring her? But looking at what she¡¯s doing, she¡¯s a total idiot?


    Then suddenly, my thoughts came together.


    The reason I brought up the story I experienced in [Fantasy Monarch]. When I add Karina¡¯s pure appearance to that, I can see a little bit of what the Pope is hoping for.


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    Certainly, Miriam Orn Yubas is an important pawn.


    However, it is unclear whether she is really the focal point that will unite the churchgoers within Yubas. There was also the possibility that she was a decoy that the church would put forward to protect the next candidate they had their eyes on.


    The opposition would also notice this fact and continue to harbor suspicion and wariness of Miriam. In the meantime, it is natural that Karina¡¯s words and actions, which will be sent to show off her relationship with the mainland, will be noticed.


    In reality, anyone who meets her in person will not be able to receive any impression other than that of a fool¡­ pure, but what about the potential enemies who have to rely on reports and documents?


    The answer was obvious.


    They will not give meaning to each of Karina¡¯s foolish words and actions, but rather try to figure out her true intentions. The fact that Karina¡¯s public appearances are rare also helps the misunderstanding.


    The enemies would have been able to figure this out so far, but¡­ the reason they put me with her must have been to prevent that.


    It was not strange that I, who am considered a close aide to the Holy See, followed the orders of Karina, who came from the Holy City where the Holy See is located. Rather, it is more plausible to speculate that I moved at the direction of Karina, the Holy See, rather than my own judgment.


    ¡°Indeed.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°I am impressed by Lady Karina¡¯s pure heart.¡±


    ¡°Huh, you¡¯re not fooling me.¡±


    I was finally able to fathom the Pope¡¯s blessing and his deep intentions.


    Karina¡­ not only gives me a pretext to justify my judgment, but is also a kind of shield that will cover me from showing my face too early.


    And incidentally, it could raise suspicions that Karina is actually smart and capable.

 Chapter 65

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 65


    65. Friend of the Heart, Composition


    People often underestimate the Christian-feeling stereotype churches found in medieval or medieval-inspired worlds.


    Actually, I did too. I thought these guys were just ripping off donations. I guess that¡¯s why I had some minor or major prejudices.


    The first misunderstanding. The church never has an absolute position against secular power.


    The fact that Yubas, which had been an ally, started acting on its own and didn¡¯t know what to do about it is proof of this. The church is a community united by faith, but doctrine alone cannot defeat a nation, a community united by ethnicity, tradition, or interests.


    This is a reality that will never change.


    And that¡¯s where the church¡¯s dilemma lies.


    In order to stand up to the remnants of the Other World, a strong and unified human force is needed. However, the unified human force is strong enough to ignore the control and advice of the church, and for very realistic reasons, turns away from faith.


    Yubas was a prime example.


    Interest is the driving force of human passion and the lifeline of the Other World, which has enslaved humans as livestock. It was only natural that when the locals saw that Lux Stella required annoying vows and harsh evaluations, the gods of the Other World would coolly perform miracles if they just offered sacrifices.


    The second misunderstanding. The authority of the church is maintained when it does not conflict with the secular world.


    This is my conclusion after observing and experiencing the various incidents so far. The Church knows better than anyone where its authority comes from. The moral authority that can lead the faithful, or to be precise, the people, is the true asset of the Church .


    The reason why secular lords cannot simply ignore the Church and must compromise is also because of the support that the ruled class sends to the Church.


    What does this mean?


    Paradoxically, it also means that the Church is swayed by public opinion. The moment it fails to represent the people, the influence of the Church begins to decline rapidly.


    From the stance of secular lords, there is no need to listen to the Church if the people do not follow it.


    This is why the Church is pathologically vigilant against the clamor of heresy that deceives the people, and why it has been catching the people¡¯s grievances in advance and speaking out against the lords.


    The reason for being cautious in declaring extreme measures such as the use of force or excommunication was to avoid the people saying, [What are you doing now?]


    If I say this much, you will gradually feel it.


    The Church was born with a contradictory reality from the beginning.


    It must lead the people by presenting moral principles, but it is subject to public opinion, and the more it gathers people to prevent this, the more the risk of the return of the Other World increases.


    From the perspective of the local humans, the faith in Lux Stella is declining day by day because it is noble but does not easily give power, while the gods of the Other World continue to exist because they treat humans as livestock but willingly give them power if they pay the price.


    The only way is to promote the miracles that Lux Stella can perform by saying that our God is cooler than the gods of the Other World, but even that is hidden by emphasizing mysticism.


    However, if it becomes secularized, it will start selling indulgences like a corrupt religion at the end of the real Middle Ages, and if it returns to faith as a fundamental principle, I can see a future where people will wear suicide vests, so it¡¯s really suffocating.


    In the end, considering this reality, there was no other way than to compromise with secular power to a moderate extent and to steadily produce devout leaders.


    Perhaps¡­


    Karina before my eyes is also being raised for a similar reason¡­ She is a product of the joint parenting policy of the secular world and the Church. The reason why I came to do this long contemplation and thinking was because of Karina.


    ¡°It¡¯s not fun.¡±


    From Noble mtl dot com


    I thought as I glared at Karina, who had put down her quill after scribbling on the beautifully aligned diagram with all her might.


    Just in case. It¡¯s just a hypothetical story.


    Maybe His Holiness the Pope didn¡¯t just leave Karina¡¯s education to me¡­


    I had to try my best to calm my trembling eyelids after the result of giving her a tutorial while dividing my time to review the financial situation and happily thinking about how to allocate the budget.


    Yes. It¡¯s something I expected to some extent.


    I took the diagram from Karina as gently and kindly as I could.


    ¡°It seems that we can¡¯t be friends.¡±


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±


    ¡°Well, there¡¯s no need to be friends just because we met. It¡¯s natural for people to do so when they have different interests.¡±


    There is a saying. It is a great proverb that means that those who know how to play together are friends.


    Even if I am a one-eyed person who has closed one eye to adapt to the one-eyed world, there is a line. I couldn¡¯t have a casual friendship with someone who couldn¡¯t feel joy and happiness from seeing the positive and negative charges expressed visually.


    ¡°Uh? ¡­Uh?¡±


    Then, Karina groaned strangely, alternately looking at the diagram being organized and the day it was organized.


    Oh me¡­ Shouldn¡¯t I go when I¡¯m done? I feel like I¡¯m going to explode inside when I see someone shamelessly clinging to someone who wants to have some private time.


    What are you staring at? Get lost.


    I desperately held back the words that tickled my throat.


    ¡°What are you staring at? Get out of here and stop bothering me.¡±


    At that moment, Karina made a sad face for the first time on her face that always had a smile, and snatched one of the diagrams I had piled up.


    ¡°Wow! It¡¯s so fun!¡±


    ¡°What is it? Can you see at a glance the customs revenue according to the boundary of the ministry that has been collected for almost a year? The diagram clearly shows the animosity and conflict between Yubas and the Church, the most powerful forces within the system, and on the other hand, it shows that Yubas still relies heavily on trade through Illenfoot¡­¡±


    ¡°Wow, really?¡±


    The moment I heard the question filled with enthusiasm and curiosity, I realized why His Holiness had sent this woman to me.


    This is a destiny given by God, and it is the present that everyone, including me, has wished for.


    I think I¡¯ve finally met my match.


    ***


    Karina de Bien, Magister Tribunus Norfang, was a woman of greater intelligence, culture, and ambition than I had initially given her credit for.


    I admit that when I first met her, I was somewhat narrow-minded and judgmental. I allowed myself to be blinded by the negative connotations of the word ¡°naive¡± to the many positive qualities she possesses.


    But look at her now.


    Karina was filling in the empty squares of a medieval version of Sudoku, a smile playing on her lips as she muttered under her breath about how she had wasted half her life until now.


    At times, she would look up from her game, a worried expression crossing her face as if she feared someone might interrupt our delightful time together¡­ which I could completely understand. Humans are creatures of greater pessimism than they realize.


    When we experience moments of intense happiness and joy, we can¡¯t help but fear that it might all be a dream, that someone is about to come along and spoil it all.


    I¡¯ve been there, too.


    I watched over Karina as she did, my eyes wide with amazement, much like a loyal friend who stays awake all night to protect his buddy who¡¯s enjoying a hearty breakfast.


    ¡°¡­Why are you still here?¡±


    ¡°Thanks to the diligent oath I swore to the radiant Star of Humanity. The Star of Humanity believes that even diligent enjoyment of leisure is a form of keeping one¡¯s oath. How benevolent and generous is our deity.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    From my perspective, it was hard to understand the people of this world. They have a god who blesses them with miracles and divine favor just for having fun, and they don¡¯t believe in it? The Lux Stella would strike them down where they stand.


    Yet Karina seemed to be an exception. As befitting a Stigmata wielder, she grasped the meaning behind my words in an instant and expressed her amazement at this incredible miracle.


    ¡°Th, then you don¡¯t sleep?¡±


    ¡°Karina, we¡¯re friends now. Not just ordinary friends, but bosom buddies. You can relax and be yourself around me.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t sleep?!¡±


    As a child, I used to rub my sleepy eyes and lament why people had to sleep when I could be playing computer games instead.


    Why do people have to sleep? Why do we have to succumb to slumber when we could be doing something we enjoy?


    That childhood sorrow was finally lifted when I transcended the boundaries of the world and experienced a second coming-of-age.


    ¡°Why do you sleep when you don¡¯t have to?¡±


    ¡°¡­!!!!¡±


    Karina looked genuinely shocked.


    Oh, that¡¯s right. There was something I had to ask her about since she mentioned oaths.


    ¡°By the way, what oath did you swear, Karina?¡±


    ¡°I, I swore the oath of oral tradition, not diligence¡­ and I think it¡¯s about time I¡­ got some sleep~?¡±


    My heart ached as I watched her eyes dart around anxiously.


    To not be able to fully enjoy oneself because one¡¯s body couldn¡¯t keep up¡­ it was a pain that I, who fully benefited from the blessings of the Oath of Diligence, could scarcely imagine. Fortunately, my upbringing in the 21st century had instilled in me a sense of empathy and understanding, allowing me to sympathize with her plight to some extent.


    ¡°Then I suppose we should discuss laws that are widely known and disseminated among the people, rather than the customs duty tariff.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°I happened to learn about the unique customs of various regions in the Diocese of Powys during my recent tour¡­ Since I still remember the draft of the customary law that I presented to His Majesty, we could compare it with the customary law of Illenfoot by examining case studies. It would be a productive and enjoyable way to spend our time.¡±


    ¡°Y, you remember it? You, you¡¯ve only been back from your tour for a few days?¡±


    Oh dear. This kind of exaggerated reaction is only found in isekai stories.


    If one were to indulge in such excessive praise for too long, it could warp one¡¯s perception of reality. I had no choice but to cut Karina off before she could react in a clich¨¦d manner.


    ¡°Anyone can do it if they take notes and memorize them. It¡¯s not something to get so worked up about, especially since I¡¯ll be asking His Majesty to compare my draft of the customary law with the original to make sure I remembered it correctly . So please, don¡¯t worry too much.¡±


    ¡°A copy???¡±


    And just as I was about to answer Karina¡¯s question, I realized something as my gaze fell upon her fingertips, those slender, pale fingers that created a beautiful scene.


    ¡°By the way, Karina, I see that you can read and write. Your handwriting is so neat and legible that it would be easy for anyone to understand¡­.¡±


    Hmm¡­.


    Come to think of it, even writing as a scribe is all about money. It¡¯s dangerous to show the original document to someone you can¡¯t trust. Someone who can write quickly in a neat and pretty font that¡¯s easy for anyone to read, without any room for misunderstanding, would be the perfect fit.


    ¡°My Lord Bishop!!!¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    At that moment, Karina, who seemed a little tired, suddenly jumped up from her seat with explosive potential.


    ¡°We, the woman His Grace told us to meet!¡±


    ¡°Miriam Orn Yubas?¡±


    ¡°Yes, let¡¯s go meet her! His Grace¡¯s instructions should be our top priority, shouldn¡¯t they!!!¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    If this were in the past, when I saw Karina with a narrow perspective, I might have readily agreed. But how can I think of a person as a mere trinket?


    Karina is the heroine of the times, fully capable of wielding her own power. She was a talented person who would be a great help in compiling a draft of customary law that would benefit all the people, without any additional costs¡­ unnecessary expenses .


    No matter how noble His Grace¡¯s intentions may be, my egalitarian thinking revolted at the idea of seeing a woman as a mere pawn. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, Karina continued to press her case.


    ¡°Your Grace! I think you should not confuse the importance of matters!!!¡±


    ¡°Ummm.¡±


    If our vassals were to be careful together, it would be necessary to have a written copy of the draft of the customary law¡­ if we were to compare it with the customs of other regions day by day and find a better improvement plan, it would be great to have a copy to carry around¡­.


    But if I were to throw it to the staff, Karina¡¯s enjoyment would be reduced, which would be a disservice to her as a friend.


    ¡°Your Grace!!!¡±


    ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s go.¡±


    However, I couldn¡¯t just stand in the way of a friend trying to make other friends.


    Who knows?


    Perhaps our Miss Miriam might enjoy similar hobbies.

 Chapter 66

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 66


    66. Convent


    On July 22, 1212, a day when the scorching sunlight was obscured by clouds.


    A thunderous cheer echoed through the Lordship of Illeniput, which had always been filled with the groaning of anguish. As soon as the staff of Illeniput heard the news of my departure, they ran out into the hallway barefoot and shed tears.


    ¡°There are so many places that need Your Grace! Don¡¯t worry about Illeniput, Your Grace!¡±


    ¡°We will give His Grace Bishop Ganista everything you have accomplished!¡±


    ¡°Hmm. May the Star of Grace bless you.¡±


    Although it had only been a short time of about a week, time was not important in the depth of a relationship.


    As a result of overcoming numerous difficulties together, we were able to feel a strong friendship and camaraderie and promise a beautiful farewell. Of course, it wasn¡¯t just the staff of Illeniput who cheered.


    The people who were most delighted to hear that I was leaving Illeniput were the entourage from the Diocese of Powys who had followed me. They were usually more quarrelsome than the little birds who would pout and grumble as soon as they put a bandage on their shoulders .


    The reason for this was easy to guess.


    ¡°Hmm, ahem. A¡­a convent.¡±


    ¡°Oh. A convent¡­¡±


    ¡°Tsk, tsk, tsk! You all look like idiots. The pure white hand hidden under the veil of the nun staying in the Golden District¡­ I wish I could touch it even once, that¡¯s what you little brats think.¡±


    ¡°Side dish¡­hehehehe.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but drool.


    As expected, the screws that had been tightened in their heads seem to be coming loose as they try to rewrite themselves. They were all coughing awkwardly, their eyes fixed on the ashes instead of the interval.


    Even while I was carrying things, I thought a lot about the entourage who were already thinking about the convent. Among them, the most prominent thought was¡­


    Do these guys think of nuns as prostitutes or courtesans?


    The modifier ¡®forbidden area for men¡¯ really ruined the whole image. Well, yeah, that¡¯s the thing. It¡¯s because people have fear and curiosity about an unknown area they¡¯ve never experienced, so they have distorted fantasies.


    However, as a hunchback who had actually set foot in the girls¡¯ high school and convent called the ¡®forbidden area for men¡¯ on modern Earth, I could say for sure.


    Wake up from your dream.


    ¡°Stop talking nonsense and finish moving. You won¡¯t get to meet any young nuns anyway. You, the seed who can¡¯t keep your lower body in check, keep it stiff and hard right now.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡±


    Medieval people were free from modern people¡¯s prejudice in many ways, but sometimes they were even more prejudiced.


    The part about ethics related to s*xual crimes was especially so. Even if other guys were like that because they were the medieval average, shouldn¡¯t the clergy, who should be at least better than the medieval average, not be like that?


    It can¡¯t be helped. They say it¡¯s not about cutting off desires but about controlling desires, but the vows arranged by Lux Stella are not just vows of abstinence¡­


    I put my hand on the hilt of the sword hanging from my waist and fully understood and prepared for the pain they would suffer.


    At this moment, I, who had a little bit of surgical knowledge, had no choice but to perform a castration surgery (cut a lot) ver. medieval so that they wouldn¡¯t be able to fight like crazy without any countermeasures.


    Then, the reaction of the escorts changed dramatically.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°How can a man enter the forbidden area for men? It¡¯s against tradition, customs, and doctrine, so I will never enter!¡±


    I was relieved to see them retreat in an instant.


    It seems that the moment my blade will be stained with blood clouded with lust will not come. I learned one lesson from this sight. When the screw loosens, hit it with a hammer.


    The moment I made up my mind, I heard the sound of my name being called from behind.


    ¡°¡­Does it feel like you¡¯ve been to a convent?¡±


    When I turned my head, Karina was there with a red shoulder mantle priest, her eyebrows raised. She was asking how I knew about the situation of the convent called the ¡®forbidden area for men¡¯.


    In other cases, I would have just guessed based on my experience in modern times, but to the people of this world, it is definitely a strange statement.


    I need to be more careful about this part.


    I humbly accepted that there was a problem with my behavior, and I also learned that it was easy to avoid Karina¡¯s pursuit.


    ¡°Last time, I heard about it when I was begging after several monasteries were abolished. I guess I just said what I heard then.¡±


    ¡°Hmm~.¡±


    Karina was reluctant, but she had no choice but to be convinced.


    However, unlike Karina, who was trying to somehow convince herself, the priests in red shoulder mantles looked at me with their eyes wide open, their earnest hopes in their eyes.


    ¡°Yes, yes.¡±


    ¡°?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m personally curious about how different the monastic culture of the saints and the Order of the Dawn is¡­ Would it be possible to hear the story you heard¡­?¡±


    ¡­Seriously.


    Why.


    I don¡¯t understand why they have fantasies about convents.


    I clicked my tongue and lifted my body onto the saddle.


    ***


    My parents¡¯ dream was to be a clergyman.


    It wasn¡¯t because of any great religious belief or philosophical thought, but simply because it looked cool and pretty.


    Didn¡¯t that actor look really cool in the exorcism movie that was popular for a while? The costume is cool, so would I look cool if I wore it too? It was like that. This became an opportunity to visit churches and cathedrals alternately , but somehow I found out that a friend of my parents¡¯ relative was the head of the convent.


    That¡¯s why I was able to enter the convent with a hunchback at a young age.


    Wow! A convent! A young boy! You might scream like crazy if you¡¯ve been exposed to movies, dramas, or various shady media, but the reality wasn¡¯t that easy.


    First of all, the convent is quiet.


    This is because the rule of silence is applied not only to ordinary monasteries where men are the only ones who are busy, but also to convents. Of course, the nuns are also women, so they often gather and chat, but in front of outsiders , they only whispered.


    And when nuns take off their veils, their hair looks like perilla leaves.


    Like how monks have holes punched into their foreheads to prevent them from going out and seducing women, nuns are similarly unified by their perilla leaf hair. The act of styling one¡¯s hair is implicitly forbidden, giving them the feel of quasi-nuns.


    It¡¯s just that they don¡¯t shave their heads completely.


    Above all¡­ while young monks go out to do their work, young nuns are particularly vulnerable to worldly desires, so they are confined to the deepest parts of the nunnery.


    Male monks are also confined deep within the temple when they first enter, but¡­ young nuns are even more so. It¡¯s unbearable to watch. At a young age, the nuns I encountered while running around the vast nunnery were all elderly nuns who were much older than me.


    But there are exceptions everywhere, and I did happen to see a young nun once.


    ¡°Ugh¡­ When will I ever finish salting this¡­¡±


    I remember watching her looking sad as she pickled kimchi in front of a large earthenware jar while wearing rubber gloves, and then I quietly ran away.


    From Noble mtl dot com


    As you can see, the atmosphere of the nunnery itself is far from bright and cheerful. It¡¯s not the scent of flowers, but rather the musty smell of old books piled up in the far corner of the library, like mold blooming in the dampness.


    Looking back, it was a unique experience to have entered a nunnery that wasn¡¯t a bathhouse or a men¡¯s area, but in reality, even now when I think back on it, it was a terrible memory, similar to when I was in boot camp.


    No, it¡¯s worse than boot camp, because now there are only old ladies who laugh at little elementary school boys, and you¡¯re stuck in a place where the only books are Bibles, and you¡¯re there all day long.


    I had been running around like crazy because there was nothing to do, but at some point, I was banging on the nunnery¡¯s gate with my fists and crying.


    ¡°O-pen uup-!!!¡±


    The nunnery.


    To me, that place was just another name for prison. Even the gate was thick to prevent outsiders from breaking in, and the walls were incredibly high. If they had put up bars as well, I would have thought I had been taken to a juvenile detention center.


    ¡°Inseok! Don¡¯t embarrass your mother and behave yourself!¡±


    ¡°No! I want to go out! This is a prison!!!!¡±


    I can still vividly remember how my mother, who had belatedly heard the commotion and come running out, spanked me on the behind.


    However, the experience of visiting the nunnery did not teach me any lessons. I was never taken back to the nunnery after I banged on the gate and cried that I wanted to leave.


    The lesson I learned here is this:


    Speak up. Even if violence is upon you, speak your mind openly.


    Then even the most stubborn parents will give up.


    ***


    ¡°-I heard a story from a friend of a friend.¡±


    I led the procession on horseback, appropriately filtering my experience as I told the story. Perhaps I was too engrossed in telling the story. The neat stone cityscape of Illefootnote had completely disappeared.


    But when I put it together like this, it¡¯s a great children¡¯s fable with a touching moral and a lesson about how a young boy can only become free when he stands up to unjust oppression. I was so engrossed in the suffering the boy in the story must have gone through that I even teared up.


    However, it seems that not everyone felt the same way.


    Karina, who was riding in the carriage next to me, looked at me with cold, dead eyes and gave a dry assessment.


    ¡°I think that friend of a friend would be really annoying if I actually met him.¡±


    ¡°You might make that assessment if you were someone who wielded authority to bully and oppress others.¡±


    ¡°¡­? Who are you talking about now?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just talking about general trends.¡±


    It was a result with 100% reliability, compiled by the statistics bureau in my head, so it was definitely a reliable source.


    In fact, there were people who lost their illusions about the nunnery after hearing my vivid story, which combined a highly reliable statistical result with a personal anecdote. The procession members who were following us on foot while guarding the carriage were an example.


    ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous¡­¡±


    ¡°W-when they take off their veils, isn¡¯t their beautiful natural hair supposed to flow down?¡±


    ¡°Liar! I¡¯m not falling for it! No matter how holy your words may be, how can you be sure that your friend¡¯s friend didn¡¯t exaggerate!!!¡±


    Such a dramatic reaction is clear proof that they had their doubts.


    I was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief, realizing that I had faithfully accomplished my original purpose. I was glad that I didn¡¯t have to take drastic measures with our poor procession members.


    It would have broken my heart if the name of my sword, which I had lovingly cared for, became known as a cruel joke. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Meanwhile, we soon had our destination right before our eyes.


    Traces of logging remained in the dense forest. Beyond the dirt road flattened by human footsteps, stone structures were nestled. It was as I had heard earlier.


    ¡°Lady Karina, I think that¡¯s it.¡±


    ¡°Wow. It¡¯s really rustic.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    The Convent of Saint Ariata.


    It was the convent where Miriam Orwen Yubas and her illegitimate child had entered as nuns. For me, it was a crossroads that was both awkward and made me sigh deeply. It wasn¡¯t a face I particularly wanted to see¡­


    But before personal feelings, this is a matter for our duchy.


    With that determination, I spurred my horse.


    ***


    Enon.


    Underneath the silvery white hair like a fluffy bunny that strongly resembled her older sister, the little nun with eyes full of curiosity had captured up to the bell tower today as well, avoiding the sharp-eyed Mother Superior.


    That is, because she felt bored with the unchanging daily routine of the convent.


    Enon, who was slowly swinging her legs with her hands folded over her plump breasts, had no doubt that today would be the same. She believed that the only thing that would happen was the wind occasionally blowing and shaking the forest.


    ¡°¡­?¡±


    She thought so until the sound of something hitting the ground repeatedly and a man who seemed dark from afar appeared.

 Chapter 67

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 67


    67. The Convent of Saint Ariata


    Just because it¡¯s a place where monks gather doesn¡¯t mean that it¡¯s always filled with silence.


    This was especially true for a place where young nuns of an age when they were very interested in the world gathered. The faint sound of bells awakened the curiosity that had been dormant beneath the cold stone building.


    ¡®I heard that the Bishop is coming this time.¡¯


    ¡®So what? He¡¯s just an old man, right?¡¯


    ¡®You¡¯re obviously not well-informed. I heard that the Bishop this time is just an adult.¡¯


    ¡®That young? Being a Bishop isn¡¯t something just anyone can do, you know?¡¯


    The young nuns chatted away as they walked under the stained glass, their voices echoing. Among them, the part that caught their attention was the age of the new Bishop. Certainly, the new Bishop was out of the ordinary in many ways.


    Especially considering that the position of Bishop is usually held by those in their 40s or 50s with experience and knowledge. The nuns who were interested in this surprised were to learn about the background of the new Bishop.


    ¡®He¡¯s the third son of His Majesty the King. He¡¯s also a Stigmata bearer.¡¯


    ¡®Wow¡­¡¯


    ¡®When you see this, you can understand why the Mother Superior is forbidding it.¡¯


    Not all nuns enter the order out of religious conviction. Quite a few entered because they had no choice due to their family circumstances or because they were cast out due to inheritance disputes.


    With this kind of background, it was a closed community life where they weren¡¯t even allowed to meet the opposite s*x. It was only natural that they would dream beyond the frustration that built up.


    The nuns who still had lingering attachments to the secular world had dark hopes as they looked at the young Bishop, who was at the age when he would be full of vigor.


    In a world where noble status meant having multiple mistresses and it was impossible to openly criticize them, in an era where even priests secretly fathered illegitimate children, the fact that he was a young boy from a noble family made their hearts flutter.


    However, it was a vain dream that lasted less than half a day.


    The young nuns sighed as they recalled the firmness of the Mother Superior, who had ordered them to stay away.


    ¡®The Mother Superior is also very perceptive. She must have warned us not to meet him no matter what. And she only made an exception for Miriam¡­¡¯


    ¡®Only Miriam? Did they meet?¡¯


    ¡®To be exact, with Enon. That¡¯s why the older sisters are making such a fuss¡­¡¯


    The rule that they couldn¡¯t meet the opposite s*x of a similar age paradoxically inflated their desires.


    ¡®I wonder what the new Bishop looks like?¡¯


    ¡®Since he¡¯s a noble, won¡¯t he be very fair?¡¯


    The young nuns added their own fantasies to the rumors of the new bishop, chattering excitedly. If the Abbess of Saint Arietta¡¯s Convent had seen them, she would have been aghast.


    The Abbess herself had been depressed when she met the new bishop.


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Her heart pounded with every glance, every gesture. Beneath her graying hair, the Abbess desperately forced a gentle smile, hiding her agitation and worry.


    For she knew the epithet that described the raven-haired boy with sharp eyes and a piercing gaze that seemed to see right through people, as he flashed them a meaningful smile.


    Narva Orn Stregose Foivos.


    The first convert on the morning of the archipelago, a descendant of the Foivos family, and a Stigmata bearer. A ruthless hammer of the Holy See, who wielded his authority with aristocranic flair, crushing any opposition without hesitation.


    And¡­ the Sickle of Faith.


    The Abbess swallowed hard as she recalled one of his many aliases.


    ¡®He ruthlessly abolishes monasteries that fall short of standards.¡¯


    In the Diocese of Narva, dozens of monasteries had been abolished by Narva¡¯s hand. Originally, the Church had been lenient in establishing monasteries, as they could hide genuine relics, but even that was not enough for Narva.


    He stripped any religious community that failed to fulfill its function. He stripped monks of all their privileges, reducing them to serfs and distributing them to nearby manors, while their property was divided among the surrounding lords.


    Even the nobles who patronized the monasteries remained silent, unable to speak out against the direct intervention of the head of the Church.


    Now, the existence and abolition of the Convent of Saint Arietta depended solely on Narva¡¯s whim.


    And Narva was not sitting still in the reception room, but was restlessly pacing around, examining everything.


    ¡°Abbess, the stained glass is magnificent.¡±


    ¡°I, is it?¡±


    ¡°I wonder who the glassworker was. How much did it cost?¡±


    ¡°The previous, well. It was the work of the previous Abbess, so I¡¯ll have to check the records.¡±


    ¡°The previous?¡±


    ¡°I am old, so it is only natural.¡±


    Even the transience of time, which she usually lamented, now seemed like a blessing. The Abbess fervently wished for the convent to continue to exist even after her death. After all, the nuns were constantly exposed to marauders and men with sinister intentions.


    For a helpless widow, remarriage was the easiest way to find protection. It was hard to imagine what hardships the young nuns here would face if their status as nuns, guaranteed by the Church, were to disappear.


    The only saving grace for the Abbess was that there was someone else who could restrain this fearsome bishop.


    Karina, the platinum-blonde girl with waist-length hair. She had defiantly interrupted Narva¡¯s tyranny with her sleepy eyes.


    ¡°Your Grace should refrain from speaking so much.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°You may not intend it, but people cannot help but misunderstand because of your position and background.¡±


    ¡°?¡±


    Narva glared at her as if to say, ¡®You¡¯re the one to talk,¡¯ but the Abbess roared vigorously in her heart. Narva, who seemed to sense this unspoken agreement, clicked his tongue and took a step back.


    ¡°I suppose I am a little irritable because the person I was expecting has not arrived. So, when will Miriam and her sister arrive?¡±


    It was difficult to discern the clear outlines of the tangled rumors surrounding Narva, but there was one common assessment:


    This young bishop was unusually impatient. Unlike others who were more easygoing, he would openly display his displeasure if even a moment was delayed.


    The Abbess had heard the rumors and had moved up the schedule as much as possible, but she had not expected it to be this bad.


    ¡°M, Miriam is probably collecting and moving the laundry by now. Her sister, Enone, is studying the scriptures¡­¡±


    ¡°Bring them. Now.¡±


    ¡°Ye¡­ Yes, Your Grace. They must finish their duties as members of the convent.¡±


    At that moment, Narva tapped his forehead with the index finger of his right hand and let out a chilling aura.


    ¡°Their duties are more important than my time?¡±


    ¡°Your Grace, if you speak that way, people will misunderstand.¡±


    Karina tried to persuade the Mother Superior, who had turned deathly pale, by glancing at her furtively, but the response was chillingly cold.


    ¡°What do you think, Mother Superior? If I don¡¯t go now, I¡¯d like to take advantage of the remaining free time to have a good look around this convent.¡±


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    In some ways, it was as I expected.


    Miriam Orn Yubas was a woman of noble descent who had fallen on hard times. If this had been Yubas territory, she would have received patronage as a matter of course, but this was the territory of Powys, a potential hostile force.


    Not only did she have no powerful force to back her up, but she was also more beautiful than average, and although she lied and said she was her sister, anyone who knew anything would know. That the child Enon was her own.


    In addition to her unhideable flaws, she was of noble birth and could not do housework properly. From the point of view of the nuns, she was a useless person who could not do anything properly, despite her beautiful face.


    It was obvious how such a person would be treated in a closed community.


    ¡°Oh my¡­ Look at that hand.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Miriam Orn Yubas looked quite haggard in my indifference. Her characteristically warm brown eyes had lost some of their warmth. The inside of her sleeve, which she had slightly revealed when she sat down just now, was bruised.


    Karina¡¯s eyes filled with tears at the hardships she had endured and she reached out to hold her hand, but Miriam herself was embarrassed and awkward, and she just stood there stiffly.


    Below her, a little girl who was now taller than Miriam¡¯s waist was staring at me.


    Karina fussed over Miriam¡¯s hand like that for a while.


    Miriam, who had been keeping a quiet silence, carefully opened her mouth.


    ¡°Is there a reason you have come to see me?¡±


    Four years. It was enough time for our positions to change.


    Miriam had fallen to being a mere nun and was exhausted from waiting without hope, and I had been so busy running around like crazy for four years that I had only remembered her existence much later.


    If Edelred hadn¡¯t been secretly taking care of her, I probably wouldn¡¯t have remembered her until after she was found dead.


    It couldn¡¯t be helped¡­ Even in [Fantasy Monarch], it was rare to memorize every character. It was a habit to put useless things out of my mind and not care whether they lived or died, so using elements outside the design was actively difficult.


    What is this long excuse trying to say? The fact that I remembered Miriam is proof that she has become useful.


    I smiled at Miriam¡¯s question and smiled slowly.


    ¡°The one next to me is Karina de Bien Magister Tribunus Norpeng. She is a bearer of the Stigmata and a member of the royal family of the mainland.¡±


    ¡°The royal family of the mainland¡­¡±


    Miriam flinched when she heard Karina¡¯s origin, and tried to pull her hand away.


    ¡°If you¡¯re aiming for Yubas, she¡¯s someone you should get close to.¡±


    ¡°Your Grace, if you say that, how can we become friends? I don¡¯t have any friends?¡±


    My simple and materialistic statement seemed to grate on Karina¡¯s nerves. Perhaps it was because she had a beautiful sense of consciousness that friends, regardless of status and background, should be true-hearted.


    However, it was more than enough to convince Miriam at least.


    Miriam, who had been trying to pull her hand away, suddenly changed her mind and held Karina¡¯s two hands tightly.


    ¡°Miriam Orn Yubas. The second daughter of Yubas, and if given the opportunity, a witness who will testify to their heretical acts within.¡±


    ¡°Yes? What?¡±


    ¡°Karina¡­ You have a noble and virtuous heart, as befits a noble.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    It¡¯s not a bad thing that friends start out with materialistic motives. It¡¯s just the motive, and later on, they can become truly close. I ignored Karina, who kept going ¡°Oh?¡± and ¡°Oh?¡± and tilting her head.


    From here on, it was a matter of Miriam¡¯s desperation and diplomacy.


    While I¡¯m here, I might as well look through the records in the library and see if there¡¯s anything I can find¡­. I was thinking that.


    From Noble mtl dot com


    Pinch.


    I felt someone pinch the leg of my precious pants.


    As my gaze lowered, Enon, a chubby little girl who resembled Miriam, looked up at me with sparkling eyes. The moment I tried to ignore her expectant gaze¡­


    ¡°¡­Daddy?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!!!!!!!!!!!!¡±


    I found myself shouting like a madman at a child.


    If the Mother Superior hadn¡¯t intervened, I would have punched her in the face.


    ¡°Yes, yes! E, Enon will be in my care, so why don¡¯t you go and see the relics that our order is protecting?!¡±


    ¡°Relics?¡±


    ¡°Y, yes. I¡¯ll tell you the old legend that our order has passed down. How does that sound?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    Come to think of it, Carina¡¯s original purpose was to distinguish the rank of relics.


    If the condition for distinguishing the rank of relics is the manifestation of Stigmata¡­ wouldn¡¯t I be able to do it too?

 Chapter 68

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 68


    68. Am I by Any Chance¡­?


    Saint.


    When those who were recognized for their faith in Lux Stella during their lifetime receive a miracle after death, the Church proclaims them as saints, exemplary figures to be admired.


    And saints tend to be revered according to the field they worked in during their lifetime, their birthplace, or their region of activity. In some remote areas, faith in local saints can be stronger than faith in Lux Stella.


    After all, a saint who became a great being in human form would be more familiar than the incomprehensible Lux Stella. People believed that the remains and relics of saints protected the world.


    Those with extremely secular and rational mindsets would laugh at such capricious beliefs. However, those in the Church who concealed the truth within mysticism would be wary of the unexpected insights possessed by the common people.


    The Mother Superior, who was leading the way to the vault, and I, who followed behind her, knew this fact well.


    Now was the moment when those who knew the truth had to share their secrets. Enon, who would undoubtedly get in the way, had already been handed over to Carina. If Miriam was a capable woman, she would gradually close the distance while using Enon as a pretext.


    What mattered was the relic that the Saint Ariata Order was protecting here. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Would I be able to determine if it was a genuine relic? If it was a genuine relic, what role would it play? My expression must have clearly shown these questions.


    The elderly Mother Superior tilted her head once and spoke carefully.


    ¡°How much do you know, Your Grace?¡±


    ¡°How much?¡±


    ¡°About the relic¡­ It seems you haven¡¯t received the official handover yet.¡±


    Ah. I don¡¯t particularly like this kind of roundabout beating around the bush.


    Still, I could generously overlook it since this was like getting a sneak peek at my posthumous fate. Above all, it was a secret that the Church was trying to keep hidden. If the price was respecting the other party¡¯s pride, I could pay it without hesitation.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard it¡¯s my future.¡±


    ¡°If Your Grace is canonized, then that will be the case.¡±


    ¡°You know about canonization, I see?¡±


    ¡°Yes. However¡­ Your Grace, our order may be lacking in many ways. But we have faithfully carried out the role of passing down the knowledge handed down from our ancestors. May I prove it to you?¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but click my tongue at the roundabout rhetoric of medieval intellectuals.


    This convoluted speech, more tangled than a ball of yarn, meant that they would tell me what they knew, so I should overlook any shortcomings in their evaluation criteria.


    If they had offered me some hidden wealth or a beautiful woman who was nothing to write home about, I would have dirtied my blade with their blood. But¡­ in exchange, they would reveal a secret that the Church was hiding.


    There¡¯s a saying that goes, ¡°When the time comes, you will be taught.¡±


    However, there is one thing I have already learned from my school days. When the time comes, you won¡¯t be able to keep up with those who have already prepared and moved ahead. It was the same now.


    This wasn¡¯t about uncovering a secret on a whim, but simply studying in advance what I would eventually learn anyway.


    It¡¯s not private education, but pre-learning. That¡¯s what this is.


    ¡°I permit it. Tell me.¡±


    It was then that the Mother Superior¡¯s tense face broke into a smile of relief.


    The Mother Superior sighed deeply and, placing a candle on the side table at the top of the leading stairs down to the basement, said,


    ¡°Sainthood is not something that just anyone can attain. Even if you are a Stigmatic, there is no guarantee that you will be canonized after your death.¡±


    ¡°Is that because of political reasons?¡±


    ¡°That is what the worldly scholars believe. However, there is a more important reason.¡±


    It was the first time that the unworldly and anxious nun had looked serious.


    The Mother Superior gently lifted the slowly burning candle and, from beneath the deep wrinkles on her forehead, began to pick up the fragments of a legend from her memory.


    ¡°The legend that our order has passed down by word of mouth is a story about the end of the rebellion that marked the dawn of humanity and the human kingdom that once existed on this land.¡±


    ***


    In the distant past, when various races ruled the world, there was only one among them that did not look down on humans as inferior beings.


    When the otherworldly races, who had even grown tired of the cries of humans begging for salvation, moved to exterminate all of humanity, the only one who had ever shown compassion for humans stood on their side.


    This is the introduction to the Lux Stella myth.


    In the age of humanity, the extraterrestrial god who is said to have brought about the human race, united the scattered humans and, bestowing powerful miracles upon them, defeated the otherworldly hordes. The epilogue that followed is relatively simple.


    Thanks to Lux Stella, the people lived happily ever after, the end.


    ¡­Or so I thought.


    There was more to the epilogue than I had imagined.


    Relying on the warm candlelight, the Mother Superior calmly told me about that part as she descended the spiral staircase one step at a time. Why had the Church cut out and hidden so much of the myth?


    As soon as I heard the Mother Superior¡¯s story, I understood in an instant.


    ¡°Our mighty and noble god, Lux Stella, drove out the otherworldly beings, but he did not finish them off.¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t finish them off? Why not, when he had driven them to the brink of oblivion?¡±


    No.


    Listening to the nuances, it sounded as if he had not delivered the final blow to the Silphs, who had been on the verge of complete defeat, but had simply let them go. I couldn¡¯t understand why he had suddenly decided to troll them so mercilessly after doing so well.


    When I couldn¡¯t hide my sense of absurdity, the Mother Superior replied with a look of understanding and a sigh.


    ¡°The Starlight of Humanity proclaimed himself the god of all humans. Because of that, his noble light extended even to those humans who had turned their backs on him.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°He would not decide their fate until all of humanity was in agreement. This is said to be the final revelation that the Starlight of Humanity left before he withdrew.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t bear the frustration and covered my face with my right hand. Lux Stella. I had had a feeling about him ever since he had been so strict about vows and oaths, but now I could see that he was a complete idiot.


    Just a little bit more.


    The remaining Silphs would probably just end up living miserable lives, crawling around like maggots, so it would have been better if he had just finished them off for their own good.


    ¡°However, even as he withdrew, he left behind an arrangement to prevent the otherworldly beings from making a comeback before humanity had decided their fate.¡±


    It would have been strange if I hadn¡¯t noticed after such an obvious hint.


    I wiped my face with my right hand and let out a deep sigh.


    ¡°A Saint, then. A Holy Relic, to be exact.¡±


    ¡°As expected, your insight is exemplary.¡±


    It was a suffocating story, like trying to swallow dozens of potatoes without a sip of water. Thanks to that, my steps towards the vault seemed to quicken.


    As I was unable to contain my boiling indignation and began to lightly pound my chest, a thick steel door appeared.


    The Mother Superior placed the candle on the candle holder next to it and, taking out a large key from her bosom, began to fiddle with the door.


    ¡°A Holy Relic is a miraculous object in which the starlight of Lux Stella dwells. Its mere presence brings comfort to people and repels the evil wield influenced by the demons of humanity.¡±


    Clank.


    The dull steel door, devoid of any carvings, swung open. The Mother Superior put the key away and made the sign of the cross in front of the open door.


    ¡°At the same time, because of its great power and preciousness, it is targeted by pagans as an offering for their sacrifices.¡±


    Every reliquary I had ever seen was adorned with a shimmering casket beneath an extravagant canopy. But the interior of Saint Arietta¡¯s Abbey¡¯s vault was the complete opposite. It was bare and drab, so much so that it wouldn¡¯t have been out of place with cobwebs hanging from the ceiling, save for the absence of decoration.


    The only thing in the dimly lit, dark green chamber was a plain wooden casket resting on a pedestal in the center.


    Had it not been for the prickling sensation on the back of my hand, I would have thought I was in a storage closet.


    The abbess inclined her head in the direction of the reliquary, whispering to me with the utmost reverence.


    ¡°Behold, the finger bone of Saint Illenio, which we safeguard.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Having been taken by Edelgard, chased after by Terebear, and then grilled by Bishop Ganista, I hadn¡¯t had a chance to educate myself on relics.


    But the relic before me was real.


    The warmth of the relic against my skin, like a heat pack on a cold day, and the tingling sensation that ran through my body were proof of that.


    ¡°Do you know of Saint Illenio?¡±


    ¡°I have heard that he led the remnants of a fallen kingdom and perished as soon as they arrived in Illenfoot.¡±


    ¡°Heh heh heh¡­ The church has kept his last testament a secret. Only those who are worthy may hear it.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s so secretive about it?¡±


    ¡°Because, my child, that secret is the most important element in protecting this land.¡±


    I was about to turn around and start rifling through their account books if it wasn¡¯t anything special.


    ¡°The Lonely King of the Fallen Kingdom.¡±


    ¡°?¡±


    ¡°The remains of the king who did not know of Lux Stella, whose body was gifted a miracle by Lux Stella at Saint Illenio¡¯s request. As long as a fragment of the fallen kingdom remains in this land, this land shall belong to man.


    -That is the last anecdote about Saint Illenio that the church hides.¡±


    Suddenly, I recalled the inscription on the monument I had seen when I first visited Illenfoot.


    [Saint Illenio, the refugees¡­]


    That part.


    [¡­ravaged by disease¡­]


    A bit further.


    [But his heart still bound to this land, he breathed his last, mourning his fragmented kingdom, before the starlight reached him.]


    As I chewed on the legend that had been passed down, there was certainly a meaningful part to it.


    Fragments. I had thought it meant simply the refugees of the fallen kingdom, but now I see that it also meant honoring the last king. As I recalled all this, a strange pang settled in my chest.


    Facts that I had ignored until now, thinking this was a stereotypical isekai, were starting to feel different.


    A country that was invaded and destroyed by pagans.


    The title of Lonely King.


    The remains of one who did not believe in Lux Stella, yet was designated a relic after death.


    Though the evidence was scant, my mind began to race with possibilities.


    ¡°The Lonely King of the Fallen Kingdom. If his remains were also designated as relics, then¡­ are they fragmented? Like Saint Illenio¡¯s?¡±


    The abbess shook her head sadly as if recalling the tragic end of the kingdom.


    ¡°¡­Regrettably.¡±


    ¡°Hm.¡±


    Well, of course. If the legends are true, then relics are a kind of air purifier, so it would be more efficient to break them up and place them in different locations. Since they¡¯re made from human bodies, it makes sense to use them sparingly.


    Just as I was coming to terms with it,


    The abbess continued.


    ¡°Legend has it that the Lonely King¡¯s remains were torn to pieces by the invading pagans and offered to their respective gods.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    ¡°Moreover, the relic of the lonely king is a secret that the Church holds very important. Simply put¡­ it is said that what Saint Illenio had last was only a small part. hehehe¡­ what a pity.¡±


    Sulma¡¯s suspicion ended there.


    Well, there are more than a few countries that have been destroyed by pagan invasion, and the title of the lonely king is just a bluff, a bluff. In the first place, the king is originally a lonely profession. It¡¯s a profession where you have to make decisions alone, so how can you not be lonely?


    There must be dozens or hundreds of kings who didn¡¯t believe in Lux Stella and crossed the sea because they didn¡¯t believe in Lux Stella. I¡¯m ashamed of myself for thinking that I might be the one because I had only three similar points.


    Even if it¡¯s a disease, it¡¯s a disease when self-consciousness is this excessive.


    However, I had no choice but to sigh with regret and sadness for the nameless king who had fought bravely and was torn apart and offered as a sacrifice for human sacrifice.


    ¡°Hmm. It¡¯s a pity.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­ If I had believed in the stars of grace during my lifetime, I might have been able to protect the country, but it¡¯s a tragedy that I couldn¡¯t because the time was not right.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. I agree.¡±


    Thinking about how he couldn¡¯t rest even after death.


    I¡¯m glad I decided not to be a king like that.

 Chapter 69

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 69


    69. Trinity


    I couldn¡¯t help but think about this and that on my way back to the reception room after finishing my tour of the relics.


    The lonely king of the fallen kingdom.


    What must have been the heart of the last king of the human kingdom that once existed on this land when he was on the verge of destruction? Although it was a hazy feeling, I also experienced the life of a monarch who had lost his country once .


    I felt a strange sense of kinship with the fact that there was someone else who had failed besides me.


    It¡¯s like when you finish grading the answer sheet and look up when you¡¯re sure you failed the test. It¡¯s like that feeling of inner intimacy that suddenly explodes towards a classmate whose eyes you accidentally met.


    As I recalled the last moment of the first time, a famous saying came to mind.


    ¡°Flowers are red for twenty-one days.¡±


    To put it in more modern terms, it means that a team that is going down is going down. I totally agree with that. It means that I have no reason to feel guilty about the fact that the country has fallen.


    The country was already doomed when I was king. If there are any guys who write about the future, I hope they don¡¯t blame me and blame the ancestors who passed it on, saying, ¡°Let the future generations figure it out.¡±


    Honestly, I think it¡¯s going too far to curse the backhoe who died cleaning up the poop after the guy who took a dump has passed away.


    However, not all of the monarchs of the fallen kingdom died cleaning up the poop of their ancestors. Was the lonely king a guy who sh*t like his ancestors, or was he a guy who picked up a broom and tried to clean it up like me ?


    As I imagined his appearance in life, which must now be in a casket as white bones, the Mother Superior pursed her lips and called out to me.


    ¡°It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve heard such an unfamiliar expression, Your Grace.¡±


    ¡°I meant that flowers can¡¯t always be red. It also means that when beauty is at its peak, the flower will soon wither. I don¡¯t know if it will bear fruit.¡±


    ¡°hehehehe, does the latter mean that in order to bear fruit, the flower must fall?¡±


    I wasn¡¯t so dull as not to notice the meaning in those words. It seems that our Mother Superior is really scared.


    I raised my hand with a sigh, putting an end to the Mother Superior¡¯s worries and complaints.


    ¡°The Order of Saint Ariata functions for the purpose of protecting relics. The Order is permitted to exist because it has faithfully fulfilled its purpose of protecting relics, even in the absence of Stigmata.¡±


    ¡°Please forgive me for my slight rudeness. However, Your Grace, I dared to ask because I know how resolute you are.¡±


    I was thinking of a fallen country when I recited those words, but the Mother Superior seemed to be thinking of the Order.


    The question the Mother Superior had just asked whether I was going to force the abolition of the Order after I had forced the abolition of the Order for the sake of the result I wanted, and now it was the turn of our Order. However, from my point of view, there was no reason to abolish the Order at all.


    I guess I have to make this fact clear so that the Mother Superior won¡¯t be afraid.


    I made up my mind. As soon as I passed the spiral staircase and came out into the corridor, I stopped the Mother Superior with a warm smile.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll tell you why I¡¯m not abolishing my Order.¡±


    ¡°Your Grace¡­¡±


    It was indeed the right judgment. The Mother Superior was so touched by my consideration that she even shed tears.


    ¡°Firstly, for all its armament, the Order of Sisters has apparent physical limitations unless it produces Stigmata. Even if it employs private soldiers, it has vulnerable periods due to issues like moon madness, and it has limitations clearly in enforcing strict discipline compared to regular soldiers, so it must rely on the surrounding estates and lords for defense.¡±


    ¡°¡­?¡±


    ¡°Firstly, the Order of Sisters prevents the remarriage of the laity to some extent by accepting widowed or young women with assets. Just by reducing the number of those who increase their power through marriage, isn¡¯t it of great help to His Majesty the King and the Church?¡±


    For example, starting with Miriam right now.


    Of course, if they were sane men, they might wonder if they were being ridiculed, but those who pursue only power have different emotions than ordinary people. They think like this if they can sufficiently fend off the threat that Yubas might kill them.


    [If I accept the daughter of a father I don¡¯t know as my proxy and unite with Miriam, who is an unwed mother, wouldn¡¯t I be able to take advantage of Yubas¡¯ authority or the protection of those who want to threaten Yubas?]


    It¡¯s a crazy gamble, but if it succeeds, it¡¯s possible to rise to the top in one breath. In this barbaric era where the bottom line is endlessly dug up, it was a bet worth taking.


    Even if it¡¯s not necessarily such a scheming story, the Order of Sisters is also an indispensable existence in terms of protecting women¡¯s rights.


    From Noble mtl dot com


    It¡¯s not so much that I have a strong belief in gender equality¡­


    Shouldn¡¯t the inheritance of widowed women who pass away without children be used more wisely by our Church for more people?


    ¡°Lastly, our Order of Saint Arietta is unable to contribute to the church tax fund due to our difficult circumstances¡­ but we always keep a grateful eye on the excellent believers who support and donate to the Order of Sisters.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    ¡°The devotion of devout people who have consistently supported the Order should be duly praised. As their bishop, I want to establish their honor, so I hope that the Order of Saint Arietta will also actively cooperate.¡±


    Like a father looking at his son who studies hard and humbly, I also looked at the vassals of our duchy. Upon hearing this, the Mother Superior swallowed hard.


    ¡°Ye¡­ yes, I will actively consider it positively, Your Grace¡­¡±


    ¡°hahahahaha! Actively consider it.¡±


    I burst into laughter at the Mother Superior¡¯s spirited reply.


    ¡°Should I not order it instead of expecting it?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ***


    When I returned to the reception room, I was sure that I had achieved my intended purpose.


    ¡°Yes? Even so, you slapped her?¡±


    ¡°I think she must have felt that betrayed¡­¡±


    ¡°Even so, to a pregnant woman!!! That¡¯s too much!!!¡±


    Karina couldn¡¯t hide her shock as she heard from Miriam about the time when my jerk act was at its peak. With both hands covering her mouth, her wide, round, sky-blue eyes held faint anger and contempt.


    ¡°That¡¯s too much! Are you listening?!¡±


    I guess she noticed that I had come in.


    After waving away the Mother Superior, whose face was ashen, I began to explain the minor misunderstanding that Karina had.


    ¡°Lady Karina, there was a reason for that. I treated her harshly on purpose.¡±


    ¡°Reason? ¡­On purpose?¡±


    ¡°How could I have felt comfortable treating a pregnant woman like that?¡±


    Yubas was determined to go to war, and we in Powys had to somehow annul the marriage. The easiest way was to horrify the people who had been watching me act like a jerk and gain the justification for the oath of the monastic vow.


    To this end, I desperately played the role of a jerk that went against my nature, and even Karina understood when I told her this.


    ¡°Your usual conduct is also like a jerk¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°That is an unpleasant misunderstanding. Lady Karina, it is true that my words and actions tend to rely on authority, but I do not resort to coercion and sophistry.¡±


    I only make judgments based on rationality and reason, so why do people say that I¡¯m a jerk?


    When I thought about this unbridgeable gap between the [Middle Ages] and [modern times], a sense of maddening loneliness washed over me. Perhaps the title of lonely king would suit me better.


    It was then that little Enon, who resembled Miriam, jumped down from his mother¡¯s lap.


    Enon blinked his big, brown eyes, full of curiosity, and looked up at me.


    ¡°Bishop, Bishop.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    It seemed that during my absence, the home-schooling had been carried out properly. Even though he was not a bishop but a bishop-elect, I decided to just let it slide rather than try to explain the concept of an ecclesiastical prince to such a young child.


    ¡°Then where is my older sister, that is¡­ yes. Where is my niece?¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    ¡°And our father, our uncle, brother-in-law? Do you know who the bishop is?¡±


    The child seemed to be quite intelligent for his age.


    I lifted my head slightly and looked at Miriam and Karina alternately. Both were equally embarrassed.


    Karina waved her hands, saying that it was not her place to speak about the affairs of others, and then glanced at Miriam. Miriam pursed her lips, not confident enough to explain the background.


    Of course, I couldn¡¯t say that you are that niece. How could I say that your father, brother-in-law, and grandfather are a trinity?


    Even I, who pursue truth over falsehood, found this weighty fact too heavy to utter.


    ¡°Have you ever heard of the Trinity?¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Yes!!!!!!¡±


    ¡°Uhhh¡­ I, I don¡¯t know anything¡­¡±


    Oh, I thought my eardrums would burst. Karina covered her ears and cringed.


    Miriam must have felt like I had just launched a nuclear warhead, judging by the look on her face. Miriam glared at me with a truly murderous look. She soon lowered her head, realizing her position, but she still seemed quite worried.


    Miriam looked at Enon, who was staring blankly, and distressingly, gritting her teeth.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t tell him¡­¡±


    ¡°Your love for your younger sibling is truly profound. I understand completely.¡±


    To so heartlessly dismiss the desire of a young child to know who their mother is.


    In any case, it was a fact that would have to be revealed someday in order to establish a claim against Yubas¡­ Miriam, it is truly difficult to understand her heart. Still, I have no intention of forcing the issue against her will .


    Instead, I made a proposal that would satisfy both Miriam and Enon.


    ¡°But don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a bit early to be thinking about taking religious vows?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m talking about our little nun. I have no intention of making her an abbess, but I can act as her legal guardian.¡±


    ¡°Really?!¡±


    Little Enon¡¯s eyes lit up at the thought of leaving the boring nunnery.


    ¡°¡­What are you thinking, Yeha.¡±


    Miriam, who was deeply involved in worldly affairs, regarded my generous and benevolent proposal with suspicion.


    ¡°I mean, think about it if you¡¯re planning to return to secular life. If you¡¯re going to stay, then don¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    Of course, there was a price for my guardianship. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If the price was to guide the lives of Miriam and Enon in the right direction with my good influence, then so be it. I would also work hard to find a way to put a strong enough leash on them that the Holy See would applaud, so that the failure of Yubas would not be repeated.


    One thing was for sure, little Enon welcomed my proposal.


    ¡°Sister, sister!¡±


    ¡°Enon.¡±


    ¡°The bishop is a high-ranking person, so wouldn¡¯t it be easier for you if the bishop took care of me?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Miriam, who had already been alienated once, thought that my interest would not last long. She tried to appease Enon, but the moment our eyes met, she showed a slight wariness.


    ¡°Unexpected. I thought Yeha would be worried about the scandal.¡±


    ¡°hahahahaha! Really? She looks so much like my mother that it would be hard to connect her to me.¡±


    I laughed as I placed my hand on little Enon¡¯s white hair.


    ¡°Well, isn¡¯t he the spitting image of his father?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    I looked at the silent Miriam and felt touched once again.


    It was a moment when the vocabulary that the warriors of the advanced barracks had relentlessly drilled into me during my time in the army shone.


    How many arduous years had I spent trying to continue that legacy?


    The days I spent with a corporal, and then with a sergeant, were the most meaningful moments of my life. So much so that after being discharged, I went to the place where he worked part-time and yelled at him countless times.


    As I was savoring the touching true story of a reunion between a teacher and a student¡­


    ¡°Yes, Your Grace. I believe you should spare a moment, as I have some very important news.¡±


    The head nun, who I had clearly dismissed with a gesture, rushed in with an anxious expression.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on that you¡¯re making such a fuss?¡±


    Just when people were finally strengthening their relationship, why was she interrupting like this?


    Just as I was about to express my displeasure, the head nun pushed her wrinkled face forward and whispered in my ear.


    ¡°Your Grace, it¡¯s a messenger from His Majesty the King. His Majesty urgently requests your presence.¡±


    ***


    As soon as I heard the head nun¡¯s message and went out into the corridor, a breathless messenger was waiting for me.


    The messenger gasped for breath through his parched lips and handed me a letter soaked in sweat from his pocket.


    I quickly broke the seal and couldn¡¯t help but stiffen as I read the contents of the letter.


    [Request for aid from the Principality of Penrad.]


    ¡°R, return immediately after reading the letter.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°His Majesty said to tell you to hurry¡­ gasp¡­¡±


    The phrase added at the end of the very concise letter was particularly striking.


    [Judging from the scale, it is suspected to be an invasion.]

 Chapter 70

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 70


    70. Family Ties


    All schedules and plans were canceled.


    No wonder, it was an invasion by pagans who believed in the gods of the Other World. It was such an urgent matter that I had to drop everything and rush out. It was the right thing to do, both as a member of the Church and as a citizen of the Principality of Forvis.


    It wasn¡¯t as if our pious neighbor was asking to take some land, but they were a group of people who captured people and offered them as human sacrifices. I had no choice but to leave the Convent of Saint Arietta in a hurry.


    Miriam noticed something in my sudden change of attitude and asked me about it.


    ¡°Your Grace, is it the Horde of Yubas?¡±


    I guess her ears had become dull from being isolated in the convent. I was about to ignore it, but then I remembered that Miriam could become an excellent long-range¡­ no, a dagger of the Church.


    I whispered to Miriam and whispered so that little Enon wouldn¡¯t hear.


    ¡°It¡¯s the remnants of the Other World. They¡¯re on a different scale than the previous raids and plunders. His Majesty the King has summoned me to discuss countermeasures, assuming an invasion.¡±


    ¡°The remnants of the Other World¡­¡±


    The word ¡°Other World¡± had considerable impact. Even Miriam, who could be called a tough woman considering her personality, hesitated at that. Anyway, I could only hope that the fact that I had confided in her would build trust between us.


    So I was about to leave the reception room with Karina.


    ¡°¡­Since Your Grace has confided in me, I shall also speak.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but look at Miriam with pure curiosity.


    Do you know something?


    She had only asked with her eyes, but Miriam sighed and blurted out the main point.


    ¡°The eyes. The Yubas have eyes.¡±


    What nonsense was she talking about all of a sudden?


    Just as those words reached my throat, it was Miriam¡¯s silent determination in her warm brown eyes that shut my mouth.


    ¡°The bloodline of Yubas. Only the immediate family, close to the head of the family, share this secret of the family with their subordinates.¡±


    Miriam¡¯s story, which began like that, was enough to stop me in my tracks for a moment.


    A human kingdom that had existed on the Isle of Dawn since long ago, but had collapsed hundreds of years ago.


    The human race, filled with regret and sorrow, called it the Fallen Kingdom, and the race of the Ise, filled with contempt and hatred, called it the Destroyed Kingdom.


    However, both sides shared the same respect for the last king of the human kingdom.


    I had already heard the position of the church, which represented the human race, from the Mother Superior, so let¡¯s skip that part. What¡¯s important is the position of the pagans, which is passed down through the bloodline of Yubas. Yubas was also originally a pagan and one of those who destroyed the human kingdom.


    It is said that the pagans, who had been at the forefront of the kingdom¡¯s destruction at that time, despised all humans, but praised the king above all others.


    I wondered why, and listened in silence, and it turned out to be true.


    ¡°He refused to give his name to the great warriors who demanded it, saying that the king of a fallen country needed no name. And it is said that he defeated the great warriors who had received countless blessings without any divine intervention, proving himself to be a true warrior.¡±


    He refused to give his name, saying that the king of a fallen country needed no name.


    He defeated the great warriors who had received the blessings of the gods, without receiving any protection or blessings, and proved himself to be the greatest warrior. His skills were so great that none of the great warriors of the Ise dared to harm him.


    I couldn¡¯t help but ask when I heard this part.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t he die?¡±


    ¡°According to the legend¡­ the warrior king died not because of anyone else¡¯s attack, but because he exhausted himself.¡±


    Hmm. A lonely king, no. [Nameless Warrior King].


    This guy¡­ is he the type to show off a little? I don¡¯t know who he is, but if I had met him in person, I think he would have been a pretty good guy. We might have even been able to confide in each other and become close friends.


    Anyway, the pagans were so impressed by his incredible martial arts and awesome bravado that even the gods of the Ise praised the warrior king who had resisted the blessing with his pure human body.


    It was a touching tale of martial arts that transcended religion, race, and other vested interests.


    ¡°So the tribes claimed the remains of the Nameless Warrior King as much as the great warriors who had fought each other.¡±


    The ending is a mess.


    ¡°So the eyes are.¡±


    ¡°¡­Depending on which part of the Nameless Warrior King¡¯s remains was offered to the gods, the power they gained was different. Yubas has eyes. They have eyes that can see even the most distant places as if they were close.¡±


    By this point, my thoughts of Miriam as a fool had completely disappeared.


    The power gained by offering a part of the warrior king¡¯s remains is a kind of telescope. From the nuance, it seems to be inherited through the bloodline, but considering how many tribes must have offered the warrior king¡¯s remains.


    ¡­This battle might be much harder than I thought.


    ¡°Thank you for the important information. I will surely testify to your pious accusation to His Majesty.¡±


    ¡°I have only answered the trust Your Grace has shown me.¡±


    Trust does indeed go around in circles. I groaned solemnly and stood up from my seat.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Lady Karina.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Me too?! I¡­ uh. Your Grace. If you are busy, I think I can just go back to the mainland.¡±


    Karina.


    I thought she was a simple-minded, pure white girl, but now I see that she was born with intuition.


    However, it is not always possible for people to live their lives according to their intuition.


    ¡°Lady Karina. Shouldn¡¯t you at least report to the Bishop of Illenput? It¡¯s a matter of courtesy.¡±


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    ¡°Th, that¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°Bishop Ganista will be very disappointed.¡±


    By now, Edelgard and the staff would have finished supplementing the draft of the common law I sent. All that was left was to get it transcribed. How much would it cost to hire a scribe to transcribe such a large volume in a clean and beautiful hand?


    ¡°uuugh¡­ uuugh!!!¡±


    I inwardly gasped in relief as I watched Karina clutching her hair with an expression that was a mixture of laughter and tears.


    Thank goodness that Karina-sama, who had left the mainland out of a desire to broaden her horizons, was here.


    ***


    The return trip was uneventful.


    I quickly and accurately escorted Karina to the cathedral of the bishopric, worried that something might happen to her. I had placed her next to my most trusted and reliable aide.


    ¡°Bishop, this is Karina-sama. She is the relative blood of Magister Tribunus Norfang of the mainland.¡±


    ¡°¡­Hello¡­?¡±


    Karina looked up at Bishop Ganista hesitantly, and at that moment, Bishop Ganista met my eyes.


    ¡®Do you know what she can do?¡¯


    ¡®She is an excellent scribe.¡¯


    It was then that a broad smile spread across our Bishop¡¯s face.


    ¡°Hohoho. Stigmatized Karina de Norfang, Magister Tribunus Norfang¡­ I have heard of you. Welcome, welcome. Now then, let us remove the residual poison first.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Can you do that?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Hohoho¡­¡±


    The Bishop looked at Karina for a long time with the warm eyes of a grandfather looking at his granddaughter.


    ¡°Now, this old man can return to his post.¡±


    After pretending to be forgetful, he suddenly said something completely unexpected.


    ¡°Excuse me? What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°?¡±


    We stared at each other blankly before suddenly realizing.


    That¡¯s right. I hadn¡¯t yet told him that I had returned from Illniput after accomplishing so many things. He must have been worried about the work that had piled up. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°My, Bishop. While I was in Illniput, I also took care of all the things that needed to be paid for.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see.¡±


    ¡°I also instructed the staff there that you would be staying here for the time being, and that they should send a letter if there were any really important matters. You can relax here for a while without having to worry about going anywhere.¡±


    ¡°If you were my blood relative, I might have shed some tears right now.¡±


    Men¡¯t cry easily. Bishop Ganista, a man with such an old-fashioned way of thinking, began to shake his shoulders without crying or making a sound.


    I also felt like crying.


    He must have still remembered the time I had casually said that he was like a grandfather to me. I tried to comfort the Bishop, who was regretting that we were not related by blood, by saying that our current relationship was also very precious.


    ¡°I am glad that we are not related by blood. Otherwise, we would not have been able to meet as clergy and form such a strong bond.¡±


    ¡°Hohoho¡­cough, cough!¡±


    ¡°B, Bishop!¡±


    My heart warmed as I watched Karina rush over to Bishop Ganista, who was coughing as if he were about to die, and pat him on the back.


    Now that Karina, who was like a granddaughter to him, would be here to assist him, he would be able to relax. He would never leave Karina alone, so he would be staying here for a while.


    Poros, the embezzling priest who acted as the leader of the entourage, added a comment to this beautiful sight.


    ¡°Your Grace, how long do you plan to keep using me?¡±


    It seems that the worries of a father about job instability are the same, whether on Earth or in another world.


    ¡°When have I ever used you? The Starlight of Inertia is the one who is using you.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by that¡­?¡±


    ¡°When you have no more use for me, it will not be I but the Starlight of Providence who calls you.¡±


    As I said this to myself, I realized that I was speaking like a priest.


    From the moment Poros listened to me, he kept on murmuring and mumbling, as if he was deeply contemplating my words. His demeanor reminded me of a story my pastor¡¯s son told me back when I was on Earth.


    [The church is a family bound by faith. You have to emphasize and impress upon them that they are family.]


    [Why?]


    [Because family is often more forgiving, even when you treat them like sh*t.]


    We are,


    Family.


    ***


    And so, having settled the church matters for the time being, I headed straight for the Fortress of Poros.


    I intended to take a look around the scenery since I had finally returned, but I realized that all my senses were focused on the invasion from the Otherworld, so I simply spurred my horse on. Of course, I was not the only one galloping along the road.


    Knights and lords clad in armor, each leading a small retinue, were also heading towards the fortress. They were so densely packed that it reminded me of the traffic during the Chuseok holiday.


    Thanks to this, I learned that King Athelstan had taken this matter very seriously and had issued a summons to all his vassals.


    How could I possibly make my way through this situation?


    The answer lay in the pre-modern social structure.


    ¡°Bishop Narva, the Vicar of Poros Diocese! Make way!¡±


    As soon as the herald hanging from the saddle inspired, the procession parted like the Red Sea, leaving a deep impression on me. Even an ambulance with its sirens blaring would not have cleared a path as cleanly.


    I slipped through the gap with a smile. It was worth it to bring only the herald to enter as quickly as possible.


    However, despite all my efforts, I failed to be the first to enter and wait.


    ¡°Oh, Narva. I heard the news! Did you really kick the asses of those damn heretics?¡±


    Our reliable second brother, Terver, was already there with his knights.

 Chapter 71

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 71


    71. A Plea for Salvation


    I learn common sense, but I don¡¯t always memorize it.


    I need to be able to use it right when I need it, because if I go around reciting it all the time with the intention of showing off, I¡¯ll just end up tiring everyone around me. Spouting unsolicited TMI is a surefire way to make people dislike you.


    But I think I need it now.


    Given the situation where an invasion by the heathens is suspected, I also had to get a little serious. After all, people¡¯s lives and the livelihoods of many are at stake.


    Recognizing the gravity of the situation, I pondered what I knew.


    First of all, the Archipelago of Dawn is a composed land of large and small islands. It can be broadly divided into three parts: the Sea, the Moon, and the Star. It¡¯s not particularly difficult, and they¡¯re named according to their actual size.


    The Sea Fragment Island, where the five duchies are located, is considered the most central area because it is the largest, has the strongest influence of the church, and is closest to the mainland.


    To the northwest of the Sea Fragment Island, the Moon Fragment Island is about two-thirds the size and has less development, but the influence of the church extends to some degree.


    Finally, to the northeast of the Sea Fragment Island, the Star Fragment Archipelago is a collection of small islands that form independent towns and tribes.


    The Duchy of Penrad is located at the easternmost point of the Sea Fragment Island.


    The Duke of Penrad was a considerable lord who, while not as large as the mighty Yubas, was closest to the Star Fragment Archipelago and could exert some influence over the area.


    It¡¯s a much more proper duchy than our Duchy of Poros, which is the weakest of the five duchies.


    However, everything has its pros and cons. Due to its geographical features, with most of its territory being coastline, the Duchy of Penrad was often plagued by fierce raids from the heathens.


    Our Duchy of Poros may be the weakest, but it has the supreme advantage of being the closest to the mainland and the furthest from the Otherworld, the origin of the heathens, making it relatively safe.


    That¡¯s why I wasn¡¯t surprised when the Duchy of Penrad requested aid from the Peace Alliance. I¡¯m not the only one who¡¯s indifferent.


    Right now, all the vassals and retainers who had gathered at King Athelstan¡¯s summons were nodding their heads with either nonchalant or calm expressions. Among them was Terver, the strongest knight in the Duchy of Poros.


    Terver shrugged as he walked through the crowd with me, expressing his feelings.


    ¡°Honestly, I just think it¡¯s about time.¡±


    ¡°If we were to look only at the geographical features, it might seem strange that it has remained intact until now.¡±


    A country whose coastline makes up the majority of its territory during an era when raiders would cross the sea and plunder? It is practically an open theme park, lacking only a sign that says, ¡°Come in and play!¡±


    Moreover, the guests are a race that looks down on even the average medieval person, who lived in an age of barbarism, as savage and uncivilized. They will likely regard the screams and cries of the people as lively background music to enhance the atmosphere.


    Perhaps they are already dancing after beating the strong ones into submission to the rhythm of the music.


    Furthermore, there was another fact that was more shocking than the crisis that had befallen the Principality of Penrad.


    ¡°The number of times that the pagans have appeared has decreased in recent years. It is clear that the formation of the peace alliance has put the pagans on their guard in some way. Perhaps this attack on the Principality of Penrad is a reconnaissance mission to confirm the unity of the alliance.¡±


    ¡°Te, Tervere, Sir¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°Did you study while I wasn¡¯t looking?¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but be surprised as I watched Tervere, who was deeply absorbed in the Principality of Penrad¡¯s request for help. Our Tervere, whose brain seemed to be connected to muscle fibers instead of neurons, was able to come up with such a useful idea?


    Tervere, who noticed my genuine surprise, lifted the corners of his lips and began to flash his characteristic piercing gaze.


    ¡°People think that the knights charge without any prior judgment or discrimination.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°However, knights are those who see something else amidst the blood, the battle cries, and the clashing blades. Remember, Narva. Only after closely observing the opponent¡¯s breathing, footwork, the way they hold their weapons, and the determination in their expressions do they finally spur their horses forward.¡±


    In an instant, my heart sank.


    Our Tervere, whom I had always thought to be a simpleton, was actually the possessor of such deep thoughts. And my knights during my first playthrough were not like this.


    Could it be that I had looked down on the race of knights too much, seeing only a fragmented part of them?


    I belatedly suppressed the overwhelming emotion and decided to listen to Brother Tervere¡¯s words to the end.


    ¡°So, you charge when the battle is in your favor?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Knights charge to drive the wedge that will prevent the tide of the battle from turning against their allies.¡±


    ¡°What do you do when the odds are against you?¡±


    ¡°In that case, they charge to create an opportunity for their allies to regroup and turn the tide.¡±


    ¡°Indeed¡­¡±


    ¡­?


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    ¡°What about when the two sides are at a standstill?¡±


    ¡°Battle is all about momentum, Narva. At such times, knights must believe in their lifelong training and their finely honed equipment and charge to the forefront to give their allies that momentum.¡±


    ¡­..


    ¡°Hmm. I thought you would be surprised to see this brother, but it seems you have gained the ability to hide your emotions. Is that because you have become a bishop and have had to do a lot of that?¡±


    I averted my gaze slightly at Tervere¡¯s admiration and replied.


    ¡°I have simply realized that there is a reason why people have prejudices.¡±


    ¡°There are many who have the wrong idea about knights¡­ As a bishop knight, you must have a hard time, Narva.¡±


    I don¡¯t want to be associated with the race of knights.


    It was then that a familiar voice cut in.


    ¡°Tervere, I have told you time and time again. I am not denying Narva¡¯s talent, but he is better suited to be an administrator than a knight.¡±


    Aethelred, the next successor to the Principality of Powys.


    In the midst of his gentle and mild expression, there was a hint of wariness.


    ¡°If Narva is to stand on the battlefield, we must worry about the extinction of our family. Stop your nonsense and come quietly to where His Majesty the King is.¡±


    ¡°Brother, how can you say such things when wasting a knight¡¯s talent is the greatest waste of all!¡±


    ¡°Do you know who provides your fellow knights with their estates? It¡¯s all well and good to have your own opinions¡­ but you should know that every word you utter here costs your fellow knights one of their estates.¡±


    Etheldred, a filial son who diligently supports his father, King Athelstan, in managing his vassals.


    And a man who was racking his brains over how to manage his land, particularly the issue of his knights¡¯ estates and pensions. Of course, money talks, both now and then.


    Even Terbear, the strongest knight in the duchy, didn¡¯t have the guts to ignore his fellow knights¡¯ desire for a peaceful retirement.


    ¡°We have knights in the capital, so why can¡¯t we have bishop knights¡­¡±


    ¡°Shhh!¡±


    ¡°Ahem.¡±


    Etheldred¡¯s sharp gaze silenced Terbear, then he cautiously looked this way.


    ¡°Our Bishop has so much to do already. I would hope that he has no intention of mounting a warhorse just yet¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve already brought in an excellent scribe who can copy the customary law books.¡±


    ¡°Oh, really!!!¡±


    This was a time before the printing press. Copies had to be painstakingly transcribed by hand, and it was hard work to do it alone. The cost of feeding, housing, and appeasing them all was money, money, money.


    Fortunately, I had two incredibly talented individuals who could work tirelessly and without pay, and I had brought them in as reinforcements.


    Etheldred was overjoyed to hear this. He jumped up as if he could fly and exclaimed,


    ¡°hahahahaha! As expected of Narbada!!! I knew you were going to be great when you sold me the right to appoint!¡±


    ¡°Brother, isn¡¯t it too much to use them without fair compensation?¡±


    ¡°Tut! It¡¯s a virtue to save money when you can.¡±


    The naive Terbear was horrified by the phrase ¡°tirelessly and without pay¡± and defended the two men, whose faces he didn¡¯t even know. Of course, Etheldred looked flustered.


    But my attention was elsewhere.


    ¡°Do you still remember selling the right to appoint?¡±


    After more than four years, I thought you¡¯d forget.


    ¡°Father will probably remember until the day he dies. Now, let¡¯s go to the audience chamber. It¡¯s an important matter.¡±


    ***


    When more than five people gather, there¡¯s always one who doesn¡¯t care about teamwork.


    The Duchy of Powys, which had been a family business just a few years ago, was even worse. The awkwardness and discomfort of relatives who had lived far apart for ten years meeting at the ancestral home filled the audience chamber.


    This discomfort was unpleasant when the envoy from the Duchy of Penrad spoke urgently, stating the facts.


    ¡°Your Majesty King Athelstan, I apologize for my rudeness in interrupting, given the urgency of the situation. However, the threat that has befallen our duchy is truly terrifying¡­¡±


    The envoy from the Duchy of Penrad was Sir Gavin, a knight.


    It is said that he traveled like a madman, alternating between three horses, without even taking the time to gather his retinue. As if to prove his claim, his once-fine cloak and clothing were stained and even torn in places.


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    And the reality of the Duchy of Penrad, as claimed by Sir Gavin, was far more grim than expected.


    I didn¡¯t even have time to greet King Athelstan, whom I was meeting for the first time in a long while. King Athelstan was listening intently to Sir Gavin¡¯s story, having cast aside all pretenses.


    Indeed, it was a story worth hearing.


    ¡°Mist?¡±


    ¡°Our Bishop of Penrad speculates that it is due to the unholy influence of the Otherworld.¡±


    It was as I had heard from the refugees who had fled long ago.


    About five years ago, a thick fog began to rise over the waters near the Duchy of Penrad. This fact had been kept secret for fear that Yubas would invade while Penrad was weakened, but now it could no longer be hidden.


    Furthermore, it couldn¡¯t be hidden.


    Sir Aubert, a close aide, approached King Athelstan, who had been listening silently, and stated the facts in a clear voice.


    ¡°There are rumors that the sea fog has also been seen in Yubas territory. It seems that Yubas is also a target of this invasion.¡±


    On the surface, it seemed like he was speaking to King Athelstan, but in reality, he was speaking to everyone present.


    King Athelstan cleared his throat and spoke carefully.


    ¡°So the Duchy of Penrad knows nothing more about this invasion?¡±


    King Athelstan¡¯s question was valid. The story Sir Gavin had told had focused on the dangers of the mist and little else.


    Sir Gavin seemed to realize this, and after moving his lips soundlessly a few times, he finally squeezed his eyes shut and spoke with difficulty.


    ¡°The heathens have come ashore and are raiding everywhere. Most of the vassals and lords were already isolated before they could be called up, and His Majesty¡¯s soldiers are spread too thin to even grasp the situation.¡±


    However.


    Sir Gavin added that afterthought.


    ¡°They have shown no strength beyond the mist. Assuming that no otherworldly influence is involved, we in the Duchy of Penrad estimate that the total number of heathens participating in this invasion is about 10,000.¡±


    ¡°10,000¡­!¡±


    Everyone who had been nodding off or listening half-heartedly suddenly snapped to attention.

 Chapter 72

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 72


    72. Let¡¯s Help


    In the modern world on Earth, there is one existence that has captured the romance of many people.


    Vikings.


    Vikings are famous for their image as warriors who lived freely on a barren land. In reality, they were like that. Thanks to this, many similar characters appear in various media.


    It would not be an exaggeration to say that, along with the Celts, who are often thought of as barbaric, they are the ones who wield double-headed axes. There was a similar group in this medieval otherworld.


    The heathens from across the sea are the main characters.


    Our five duchies call them heathen raiders as a group, but from what we¡¯ve heard so far and from various documents from the church, they are surprisingly humane.


    They do not simply sacrifice people as offerings. Most of them are enslaved and made to farm, or sold somewhere, and they also trade by traveling around with the goods they have plundered.


    Perhaps the term plunder is too biased. They were like delivery knights engaged in the logistics transportation business in the Middle Ages. They were merchants who had learned how to buy goods cheaply with axes.


    One more thing, they shared a trait with the Vikings: they were incredibly strong.


    ¡°10,000 heathens¡­¡±


    ¡°Even if it¡¯s half that, it will be dangerous.¡±


    Whispers grew louder in the audience chamber where the envoys were received. Their masters were all local lords who were sensitive to the safety of their regions. If this was the first time they had ever seen a heathen, they would have been complacent.


    However, our Duchy of Powys is the weakest of the five duchies.


    Before the peace alliance was formed under the auspices of the Papacy, it was the weakest, so it was attacked every few days. Now, we can be proud of the fact that we have been hit harder and more painfully than the Duchy of Penrad, which has just been burnt to the ground.


    What does this mean?


    Our lords know better than anyone that the heathens hit hard, regardless of anything else. In the first place, they were a people who had honed their fighting power by fighting among themselves, even without using the power of another world.


    Taking care of internal affairs, development, and the people¡¯s livelihoods was my only pleasure, and that was why I had been taking care of the knights¡¯ estates and local lords. How long could Hans, a farmer who had just finished harvesting, last if he picked up a plow against guys who only ate and fought?


    The Duchy of Powys, a quasi-state that had neither a professional standing army nor a proper conscription system, was no match for them.


    Unfortunately or unfortunately, the lords of the Duchy of Powys had the honesty and courage to state this fact very boldly. Among them, there was one who pressured Sir Gavin the loudest.


    ¡°I cannot help but express my regret for the crisis that has befallen the Duchy of Penrad.¡± S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Indeed.¡±


    ¡°However, I doubt that you really need our help. Your Majesty, if I may venture a guess, I think you should be wary of this man. Is it not possible that Penrad is colluding with Yubas to exaggerate the scale of the invasion and lure our forces away¡­¡±


    ¡°What!¡±


    A middle-aged man with a unique face, a long mustache that covered his lips, and thick eyelashes.


    As I narrowed my eyes at him, who had come up with such a terrible idea, Adeleth, who had been watching with me, spoke carefully.


    ¡°Fearthan Orn Barasta. A sentence is a reed that looks up at the Blue Cross Star. As a vassal of his father, he is a count who governs the vicinity of Barasta.¡±


    ¡°What is his nature?¡±


    ¡°He prioritizes the safety of his own territory above all else. That is probably why he is opposing you now.¡±


    He is an ultra-hardliner who only cares about himself. I understand that he wants to suck up the honey of mutual defense guaranteed by the peace alliance.


    Sir Gavin was about to rush toward Count Fearson, who had insulted him and his lord, but he swallowed his anger as he knew he had come to ask for help.


    What patience! If it were me, I would have punched that guy in the face, even if it meant getting excommunicated.


    Even I, who usually maintain a diplomatic approach and a friendly and cooperative attitude, had to turn my back on him.


    Count Fearson¡¯s blatant and vile conduct was enough to arouse indignation. Not because he had misappropriated church funds while ruling over a city of three thousand people, just to clear up any misunderstandings.


    I would like everyone to know that I do not have any negative preconceptions about the Barasta region, where all sorts of low-quality religious orders were rampant and would swallow up church funds.


    However, unlike his personal attitude and conduct, his words had some merit. In fact, Yubas had gone to great lengths to easily conquer Powys.


    Right now, Miriam, a living witness, was holed up in the Convent of Saint Arita. The lords, remembering this fact, glanced at me briefly before cautiously nodding at Count Fearson.


    Preaching arguments in such a public setting is a kind of group assignment. As Count Fearson took the lead and raised his voice, some who had been watching the situation joined in and added their own arguments.


    ¡°Penrad and Yubas are very close. It is certainly suspicious that they left Yubas, which is definitely nearby, and instead asked for support from the Principality of Powys, which is located on the opposite side and lacks military strength.¡±


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we find out if they have asked other principalities for help? Even if the attack on the Principality of Penrad is true, it is doubtful that sending only our forces would be of any significant help while the other principalities just watch.¡±


    Even when I didn¡¯t want to study and was just goofing off, I never had such eloquent opinions.


    They may be medieval people, but they are worthy of being called the ruling class. The arguments of experts who have studied for generations on how to avoid obligations were full of plausible logic.


    Of course, for Sir Gavin, it was like a bolt from the blue.


    ¡°Th, that¡­¡±


    Sir Gavin looked around the audience hall with a face that was slowly turning ashen, but everyone just averted their eyes.


    It was an understandable reaction. No matter how close they were in faith, they were still neighbors or outsiders.


    It is human nature to feel sorry when a cousin buys land but not to think of helping when that cousin goes bankrupt, saying things like, ¡°That¡¯s why real estate isn¡¯t for everyone.¡±


    However, there is a limit to those who only pursue immediate benefits and regret immediate losses. Especially in a situation where they need to take a broader perspective, they were lacking in many ways.


    At that moment, the eyes of those around me began to focus on me.


    Sir Gavin¡¯s desperate gaze as he searched for someone to help him, Count Fearson¡¯s triumphant attitude as he looked around and met my eyes before raising an eyebrow, and the attendees who waited for my remarks while pretending not to know.


    Even King Athelstan, who was sitting on the throne and tapping his knee with his index finger.


    ¡°Bishop of Powys. What is your opinion?¡±


    The reason there was no opposition to Count Fearson¡¯s argument was not because it was so perfect. It was because I, who should have already spoken up considering my position and authority, had remained silent and listened.


    It was clear that those who were far below me in rank would not dare to speak up without watching me.


    And now, as I remained silent, King Athelstan asked me directly.


    Of course, my answer was already decided.


    ¡°I believe that Powys, as the greatest beneficiary of the Peace Alliance, should respond to this request for help.¡±


    My words were met with snickers.


    The source of the laughter was opposite me. It was Count Fearson, who had been the most vehement in opposing the request for help.


    ¡°If you ask a man of the church about church matters, of course, he will speak from their perspective. Even if they are blood relatives, once they enter the church, they are considered outsiders. Your Majesty should be aware of this.¡±


    ¡°Bishop. Did you speak as a man of the church, representing the church, as he said?¡±


    King Athelstan¡¯s question was not reproachful. He was simply asking in a flat tone, as if he were genuinely curious. I looked at King Athelstan like that¡­


    And slowly parted my lips.


    ¡°I spoke only for Your Majesty, as one who loves Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°Oh? How shameless of you, Bishop. You took the lead in handing over the principality¡¯s right of investiture, and yet you love His Majesty?¡±


    ¡°Thanks to that, Your Majesty the King has not only come under the protection of the Papacy and allied with Illenfoot, but has also gained me as a steadfast supporter. And I, taking the invasion of the pagans seriously, can only advise you to protect your political position.¡±


    King Athelstan reacted to this part.


    ¡°Protect my position?¡±


    ¡°To be precise, it is to protect the Principality of Powys from the pagan invaders who will come in the future.¡±


    The nature of war changes depending on what you want to achieve through it. And from my perspective, Issei and Insei are like water and oil. Unless one side wins decisively, they are groups that are impossible to tolerate or reconcile.


    An abnormal fog rises above the sea, and an assault of a scale reaching ten thousand.


    One would think it¡¯s a balance disaster just hearing about it, yet so many fail to notice.


    ¡°Count Phaethon seems to have missed the true significance of this assault.¡±


    ¡°¡­Hmm.¡±


    ¡°Count, please calm yourself. Let¡¯s hear the rest of Bishop Forthwith¡¯s story. If it seems implausible, then you can step in.¡±


    Count Phaethon, twitching his eyebrows in displeasure, was restrained by Prince Aselton, who now showed curiosity.


    ¡°Can you speak of this true significance?¡±


    I nodded eagerly in response.


    ¡°The sea fog has robbed us of the chance to detect their assault. With the heretics dominating at sea and scouting now impossible, the entire coastline has essentially fallen. The only way to harm them is when they come ashore.¡±


    Let¡¯s not forget.


    This is a blockade for five.


    ¡°We must force a delay in their assault now, and in the time earned, uncover the true nature and solution to this fog. The moment the fog covers this coastline, the Archipelago of Dawn will effectively fall into the hands of the heretics.¡±


    And this place where we stand is an island.


    Dependent on the mainland for this and that, if the coast is blockaded, we¡¯re likely to be beaten until the end. If one is too proud and left to die, we all perish, and if we fail to resolve this fog that certainly seems the work of another world, we die all the same.


    Count Phaethon, already a contrarian for the sake of opposition, scoffed nevertheless.


    ¡°Fog is a natural phenomenon; is there a solution?¡±


    I brought out the ultimate argument in response.


    ¡°The Church tentatively deems this fog the work of another world.¡±


    Now is the age of barbarism and faith.


    Dare a mere believer contradicts the Church, and it¡¯s straight to heresy trials.

 Chapter 73

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 73


    73. Heart to Heart


    The most surprising thing I¡¯ve encountered living in this medieval otherworld is the authority of the Church.


    Contrary to expectation, the Church is not superior to secular rulers. Against those with little power, perhaps, but against established secular rulers, it¡¯s always a struggle. And they must even consider the public¡¯s opinion, making it more suffocating than anticipated.


    However, there is a moment when the Church holds absolute superiority over secular power.


    It¡¯s in matters related to the otherworld.


    If one commits apostasy to the otherworld, the individual is invariably burned at the stake, and even their relatives are implicated and subjected to interrogation. Even without the Church¡¯s intervention, any independent contact or defense of the otherworld is deemed heretical.


    Being classified as a heretic is somewhat better than an apostate. A heretic is still seen as having a chance for repentance, so they¡¯re not necessarily burned at the stake.


    The Church proclaimed this logic while pointing at apostates causing Maillard reactions atop pyres:


    ¨C Those who reject the world of humanity, where humans are respected, deny their own rights as humans; thus, we will not treat them as our kin.


    Note that the humans of this world ruthlessly hunt down other races and their followers, sparing neither age nor gender. The Church¡¯s slogan from the start has been the extermination of the otherworld.


    The terrifying part lies here. If one is marked as an apostate or an irredeemable heretic, they become part of the extermination target.


    And for the Church, if it¡¯s for the extermination of the otherworld, clashing with secular power is a madness they willingly endure. Normally cautious, but if they deem someone unfit, they bite and kill without hesitation.


    Yet Count Phaethon was a man of stronger resolve than expected.


    The fog rising from the sea is the work of the otherworld. Despite saying so, he did not retreat but brought forth rational grounds to assert his stance.


    ¡°Bishop, do you intend to convince everyone with just that one statement?¡±


    Authority could be used to crush opposition. But as he said, not everyone will be convinced.


    Even if they seem foolish, they are on our side. Now that the invasion of the otherworld is becoming evident, it¡¯s necessary to show a conciliatory attitude rather than hastily causing a rift.


    In the end, I had to recall the facts I had learned and explained them kindly.


    ¡°As you know, the Church compiles various records to care for the people and for posterity. Among them are important parts related to climate and agriculture.¡±


    Though a stranger, it¡¯s Bishop Penrad¡¯s judgment.


    As soon as the Bishop over there saw the ominous fog that had invaded the Principality of Penrad, he must have checked to see if anything similar had happened before. I couldn¡¯t give a definite answer since I¡¯ve never rummaged through the library of the Diocese of Penrad, but I could guarantee it.


    ¡°Even when fog rises, there is a limit. Sir Gavin said that the fog has been here for about 5 years now. For 5 years, the fog hasn¡¯t dissipated and instead of staying in one place, it¡¯s spread. This is by no means a natural phenomenon.¡±


    Even if it were an anomaly that only occurred once in a thousand years, if the enemy could use it to their advantage, then it was the enemy¡¯s doing.


    With such thoughts hidden away, each and every one of Count Fearthan¡¯s feeble excuses were exhausted as I pointed them out. Above all, the biggest factor was that the group that had been in agreement with Count Fearthan all fell away.


    Even before Count Fearthan could open his mouth, they took a step back on their own.


    ¡°If that is the Church¡¯s judgment.¡±


    ¡°It is certain that it would cause less damage if we were to stop them in the Principality of Penrad rather than have this place become a battlefield.¡±


    ¡°You all!¡±


    Count Fearthan raised an eyebrow, but he had already lost his momentum. The vassals who had stepped back shrugged their shoulders, paying no mind to Count Fearthan¡¯s reproachful gaze.


    The person who was most overjoyed at this dramatic change in atmosphere was, of course, Sir Gavin, who had come to ask for help.


    ¡°Thank you, Your Grace¡­!¡±


    The pitiful-looking knight looked at me with a moved expression, bowed his head once, and then straightened up again. However, it seemed that Count Fearthan was not the kind of person to give up easily.


    He took a step back and glanced at his followers, who were watching cautiously, and instead of spewing meaningless anger at them, he aimed it at me.


    ¡°Archbishop. Even if the Principality of Penrad¡¯s request for help is legitimate¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about pointing this out from the beginning.¡±


    Of course, I¡¯m not the one who would take that provocation head-on.


    ¡°Where are your honorifics?¡±


    What is the flower of the Middle Ages?


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    Some would recite the romance of chivalry, and others would point to the timely innocence.


    To me, it was a thorough class system and a hierarchy of power.


    No matter how young and inexperienced I may be, I didn¡¯t have the time to be called like a dog by Count Fearthan. Even if he considered my status as the third son of the High King to be insignificant, he couldn¡¯t ignore my position as a prelate sanctioned by the Papacy.


    Only then did Count Fearthan notice and become somewhat submissive.


    ¡°¡­Your Grace.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Speak, Count Barasta.¡±


    ¡°I understand that Your Grace¡¯s argument is indeed valid. However, what if they are feinting?¡±


    At those words, I couldn¡¯t help but snort.


    ¡°Those who are already sweeping through the Principality of Penrad with an army of 10,000 will mobilize more troops and force a distant expedition? Doesn¡¯t that sound strange even to you?¡± S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Ummm¡­¡±


    He called me like a dog and now his sense of numbers seems to be paralyzed.


    Of course, if it were a certain peninsula people who had experience with a really big neighbor, it could be possible. They lived next to guys who could raise an army of 100,000 on a whim and a million if they really put their minds to it , so their sense of scale could not help but be numbed.


    However, 10,000 is by no means a small number.


    If you don¡¯t believe me, try working as a cook in a training throwing camp. I still vividly remember frozen hunks of meat on the floor and smashing them to feed not even 10,000, but a mere 1,000 people.


    I had the experience of being forcibly drafted because there was a shortage of cooks, so I was able to cultivate a realistic sense of numbers.


    And this sense of numbers was [common sense] that even the medieval people of this world, who were far behind the modern era, shared. Count Fearthan seemed to realize that he had brought up a ridiculous argument, and his face flushed with shame.


    This clear answer was the decisive blow.


    ¡°Indeed, 10,000 is by no means a small force.¡±


    ¡°Your Grace is right. The mere fact that we can face 10,000 pagans somewhere else than here is a great help.¡±


    ¡°When they come ashore¡­ Hmm. I understand what Your Grace is trying to say.¡±


    The lords, who had only been mumbling up until now, began to speak up one by one.


    Even Count Fearthan was forced to answer with silence. Rather than saying that he had bowed to the prevailing trend, it seemed that he had persuaded himself that it was much better to stop them in another land than to have the unfortunate Principality of Powys become a battlefield.


    At last, the minor rift was finally mended.


    With warm words of camaraderie, both the liege and his vassals reached a consensus to answer the plea for aid. However, amidst the jovial atmosphere, there were those whose faces turned ashen.


    King Aethelstan was their foremost representative.


    King Aethelstan stared blankly at the sky for a moment before turning his gaze toward Terbear and slowly opening his mouth.


    ¡°¡­.We shall answer the plea for aid from the Duchy of Penrad. We shall willingly send the strongest force our duchy can muster. Terbear, rally the knights. We shall defeat the enemies threatening our fellow Penradians.¡±


    ¡°As you command, Your Majesty!¡±


    Terbear did not notice the agitation in that declaration, simply responding with a radiant smile.


    Indeed, he was not one to be expected to make strategic judgments. Terbear was simply overjoyed at the prospect of cracking the skulls of heathens. Lord Gavin also broke into a wide smile at the prospect of sending Terbear away, placing his fist over his heart .


    ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty! All of Penrad shall be moved by the generous and faithful decision you have shown!¡±


    ¡°Lord Gavin, you have my support!¡±


    ¡°For our fellow Penradians!¡±


    The audience chamber turned into a veritable festival as the lords applauded Lord Gavin¡¯s decorative demeanor.


    ¡°Bishop-Prince of Powys, remain here for a moment.¡±


    That was all, except for King Aethelstan on his throne and Lord Oberth standing beside him.


    And then.


    I, who had been granted an audience with King Aethelstan, could not help but be astounded.


    ¡°100,000!!!!!¡±


    ***


    King Aethelstan declared, ¡°The reason the Church has broken with tradition and elevated the Diocese of Powys to a prince-bishopric is because of the horde of the Otherworld.¡±


    A formidable leader has emerged beyond the sea, rallying heathens and amassing a horde that numbers 100,000. However, despite uttering the number 100,000, King Aethelstan and Lord Oberth seemed to be taking a somewhat optimistic view of the situation.


    ¡°It is probably just typical barbarian exaggeration. The number 100,000 is just meant to sound impressive¡­¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Such a clich¨¦.


    Unacceptable.


    ¡°We must prepare for the worst. Of course, our enemy cannot mobilize all 100,000 at once, but we must prepare on the assumption that their total strength is 100,000.¡±


    There is a saying that the devil tempts people. In reality, there have been many times when the devil has nearly devoured nations.


    A certain country that laughed at the idea of people crossing a high mountain pass, and a certain country that scoffed at the notion of people coming from across the sea in numbers of 100,000. The argument that it would only be a simple raid, as it had been before, was now wearing thin.


    I could not tolerate the prospect of my carefully laid plans for national development being reduced to naught by such a blatant and hackneyed clich¨¦. Fortunately, it seemed that King Aethelstan had also noticed some truth in it.


    However, King Aethelstan hung his head with a grim expression and replied.


    ¡°But if there really are 100,000, there is nothing we can do.¡±


    ¡°That is, if they were to attack all at once.¡±


    No. I cannot accept such a defeatist mindset.


    Even when playing [Fantasy Monarch], I never resorted to save scumming and always played as an Ironman, diligently growing my forces. I turned to the grim-faced King Aethelstan and Lord Oberth and presented them with various factors I had prepared for just such an eventuality.


    ¡°If there really are 100,000, there must be a reason why they have only committed 10,000 to this offensive. Perhaps, given their enormous size, they require a great deal of supplies. It is likely that their purpose is to plunder or establish a forward base to secure those supplies.


    The fog will aid their incursion as a power of the Otherworld. Judging from the rumors that the fog has spread as far as the realm of Yubas, there is a high probability that it will eventually reach the vicinity of our duchy if we do not resolve it.¡±


    ¡°However¡­¡±


    ¡°However.¡±


    I have prepared a way to counter the hordes of the Otherworld and the mundane.


    ¡°The heathens are strong only in regular combat, and furthermore, their cavalry is negligible. Even if they ascend the river by boat to supplement their mobility, they are dependent on plunder and have little experience in siege warfare, so they have no way to counter our forces holding out in a fortified position other than through trickery.


    We have to hit them where it hurts.


    We have to build fortresses everywhere, stock them with people and supplies, conscript the local serfs to buy us time, and keep the heathens tied down so our knights can hunt them down and destroy them.¡±


    ¡°But fortresses don¡¯t just appear out of thin air¡­¡±


    Lord Aubert began to protest, but then his eyes went wide.


    ¡°Surely you¡¯re not suggesting we¡­¡±


    ¡°We need a unified chain of command.¡±


    The abbeys are autonomous communities. What good are they if the enemy comes screaming at the gates? They¡¯ll just shrug and say, ¡°Not our problem.¡±


    When the barbarians are at the gates, we can¡¯t afford to worry about petty fiefdoms. Too many cooks spoil the broth.


    Of course, just having a place isn¡¯t enough.


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°Money, of course.¡±


    I don¡¯t have to say it, we all know it.


    I looked back and forth between King Ethelstan and Lord Aubert, swallowing back tears before nodding my head.


    ¡°¡­The Church will provide the funding.¡±

 Chapter 74

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 74


    74. Cruel Glory


    I had been thinking about the heathens across the sea.


    As a man of the Church, I would inevitably clash with these heathens who worshiped Ise. Of course, it¡¯s possible that with excellent diplomacy and persuasive words, we could win them over as allies¡­


    But I suspect that the fundamental reason they raid is because their land is not bountiful. Literally nothing grows in their land, so they steal from others.


    If this assumption is true, then war is inevitable. Of course, some may think that we should share our food with them in the spirit of warm tolerance and convert them. If possible, that would be a very warm and fuzzy story.


    However, that kind of conversion is only possible when we have the power.


    Even if they have a little bit of humanity, they are still people of a different race and a different religion. It would be overly optimistic to expect too much from people who are used to fighting with axes and cutting down people.


    The era before modern Earth is not completely irrational, but it is true that they have a more primitive and barbaric sense of ethics than modern people.


    Think about it. If you hit the head of someone who offers you food with an ax, why would you hesitate to take everything for yourself?


    Even in modern times, there are criminals who do such things for profit, let alone in the Middle Ages and in this other world?


    As an Earthling who has lived in the 21st century, I can say for sure.


    The expectation that people will be grateful and convert after you give them a piece of bread is not even a fantasy. If you don¡¯t want to get beaten up, take what you¡¯re given and be grateful. That¡¯s how the world works.


    Besides, it will also alienate the locals.


    What are these guys, giving our precious food to people who don¡¯t even believe in our gods? This is likely to send the wrong signal to the enemy. They will probably think:


    [Oh, they¡¯re not pitying us, they¡¯re just trying to appease us because they¡¯re too weak to fight us.]


    And then they look at each other and blink.


    [Well¡­ I guess we should hit them now?]


    And then they¡¯ll pull out the axes hanging from their waists.


    As I¡¯ve said many times, killing people is what they do.


    You can¡¯t even ask if warriors who pride themselves on killing would stoop so low.


    Even modern 21st-century nation-states are full of hypocrisy and exploitation, so it would be foolish to expect more from these raiders who haven¡¯t even formed a nation. Their honor lies in defeating the villagers, stealing their belongings, and sharing them with their families.


    I can¡¯t blame them for that.


    The land is poor, agriculture is difficult, and they have to steal from others to feed their ever-growing families. I understand that they have become cruel because they have to kill those who get in their way in order to steal.


    So¡­


    They have to understand too.


    The struggle of people who are desperate to protect their manager possessions, their lives, and the lives of their families.


    Cruelty and cunning were not the sole prerogatives of the heathen barbarians.


    ***


    King Athelstan thought back to those days when he had been a young man, serving as advisor to his lord and older brother, Athelbear.


    His brother, whose face was prematurely lined with worry and whose hair had begun to gray at an early age, had often called Athelstan to him to unburden himself of the difficulties of kingship.


    Most often, Athelbear confided in him while they practiced together with wooden swords.


    ¡°Sometimes I wonder if I wouldn¡¯t have preferred the simple pleasures of studying and scribbling on documents.¡±


    ¡°That would be fun, wouldn¡¯t it, brother!¡±


    Athelstan, though the better swordsman by far, never failed to feign a crisis and allow Athelbear to come close to victory. Athelbear, quick-witted as he was, saw through this but was nevertheless touched by his brother¡¯s desire to spare his feelings, and would often give him a wry smile.


    ¡°Yes, and it pains me to think that I shall never truly defeat you, since I have no time to practice because I am too busy playing at being a warrior.¡±


    Athelbear and Athelstan were both cut from the same cloth.


    They possessed equal natural ability as warriors, but one was a king burdened with the cares of his realm, while the other was a knight who focused only on training and warfare. This difference was painfully obvious whenever they spared, and Athelbear would often sigh with frustration.


    ¡°If only it were more enjoyable¡­¡±


    ¡°It must be the same for everyone, Your Majesty.¡±


    There was only one thing that could ever convince Athelbear otherwise.


    ¡°Even for the greatest of men.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­ It must have been the same for all the great kings.¡±


    All the great heroes and saints who had accomplished amazing feats had felt the same. Athelbear would always stop sighing and force a weary smile when he heard these words.


    ¡°Thank you, Athelstan.¡±


    If there had not been a grain of truth in it, even these words would not have worked. But Athelstan truly believed it, and his heartfelt sympathy gave Athelbear a small measure of satisfaction.


    But why now, he wondered.


    Why was he remembering Athelbear¡¯s complaints about how dull kingship could be?


    ¡°-Your Majesty. You must concentrate.¡±


    He realized the reason the moment he looked into Narva¡¯s gleaming eyes, which held a strange kind of joy.


    Bishop of Powys, Narva.


    His youngest son, whom he loved and cared for very much, but who caused him endless trouble with his eccentric behavior¡­ had always been known as an odd character, even by the standards of the Powys bloodline.


    ¡°I am listening, Narva.¡±


    ¡°Very well. As I reported to Your Majesty, before I took the lead in the dissolution of the monasteries, the average amount of church tax paid by each parish in my diocese was around 102 marks. There was some variation depending on wealth, but even the richest paid no more than 30 marks. I believed this to be a reasonable figure, given that Powys has no particularly prosperous towns.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°However, when I examined the records of the diocese of Barasta, I discovered that even regions which could well afford to pay more were not doing so. I investigated further and discovered that many of the monasteries were not functioning properly, and were simply being used as a way to avoid taxes and church dues. I therefore proceeded to dissolve as many of them as I could.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Narva ignored King Athelstan¡¯s uncomfortable grunt and continued speaking.


    ¡°In the process, we donated some of the monasteries¡¯ accumulated wealth to the surrounding villages, returned the monks to secular life to increase our manpower, and obtained several structures that could be used as fortresses. The Church will also see a modest increase in its disposable income, with the average amount of tax paid by each parish now estimated to be around 200 marks¡­¡±


    ¡°Ugh.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty?¡±


    It was only when Athelstan, unable to bear it any longer, clutched his throbbing forehead that Narva reacted.


    Then, with an expression of mock surprise, he said,


    ¡°Oh dear, I forgot to explain what I meant by ¡®parish¡¯. My apologies, Your Majesty. A parish is a unit that I have arbitrarily defined by grouping together six or seven of the 34 parishes in the diocese of Powys, taking into account geographically and economic factors. There are five parishes in total, and in order to make up for the shortage of clergy caused by the defrocking of the monks, we will create and operate a team of itinerant priests¡­¡±


    He talked even more as he went on.


    King Athelstan realized this and pursed his lips, inwardly complaining.


    ¡°How could such a man be born under the glorious and valiant knightly lineage of Povis? Even my Edred, who was considered eccentric, is more tolerable than this¡­ How could someone even worse be born from my seed!¡±


    Unlike King Athelstan, who was groaning in pain, the two men with sparkling eyes were the problem.


    Edred, who had always lamented the ignorance and vulgarity of the family, and even Sir Aubert, his aide and intelligence officer, applauded Narva¡¯s long explanation.


    Clap, clap, clap.


    ¡°Well done, young master. No¡­ Your Excellency. The moment I ask how to secure resources, you explain it like a magpie.¡±


    ¡°At first, I thought you disliked it because of what happened at the monastery, but you think a lot. Maybe the curiosity that should have gone to Tervere went to you instead.¡± sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Still, judging by the atmosphere, this was an escape from this long hell.


    That was the moment when King Athelstan had a vain hope.


    ¡°Then what do you think about the future political and military situation?¡±


    ¡®Aubert¡­!!!!¡¯


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    Sir Aubert, the intelligence officer.


    Sometimes, he had a fatal flaw of not being able to look around him because he was immersed in his passion. Athelstan had never felt that flaw as much as he did today.


    The problem was Narva in front of him.


    Narva glanced around the group with obsidian eyes that held a sharp glow, then uttered words that no one had expected.


    ¡°Ultimately, the Principality of Penrad must fall.¡±


    ¡°¡­?¡±


    Even King Athelstan, who had been rubbing his forehead with his index finger and closing his eyes, raised his head.


    Unexpectedly.


    Aubert, who had asked the question, and Edred, who had shown great curiosity, all looked flustered. Athelstan asked the question before the other two could speak.


    ¡°Narva, what are you talking about? You told everyone in the audience hall that we should support them, but here you say they must fall?¡±


    It was an unimaginable statement, considering that the Principality of Penrad was a compatriot who followed the starlight of humanity.


    Moreover, Bishop Narva of Povis was a figure of the church.


    Even if it was nonsense, someone who should not have even uttered the defeat of the Principality of Penrad was arguing that the Principality of Penrad should be defeated.


    And as if he had anticipated this reaction, Narva tapped the table with his fingers as if waving them.


    ¡°Your Majesty. And the two of you here. Why do you think the pagans are coming? Revenge? Or to restore the gods of another world?¡±


    ¡°That¡­¡±


    If he were a man of the church, he would say it was for the return of another world.


    However, despite belonging to the church, Narva¡¯s judgment, which looked at the situation, was extremely mundane.


    ¡°They are not coming for faith, but for this land. Because the place where they live is hard to live in.¡±


    ¡°Then isn¡¯t that a good thing? If only we could convince people that they do not serve the devil.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why negotiation is impossible. What they ultimately want is the life we live. They have nothing, so they are trying to eat what others have.¡±


    Also.


    ¡°So, let¡¯s give them something to protect. Instead, let¡¯s make it so that they can get it as much as they want. So that they realize that it is very difficult and hard to deal with us¡­ and while doing so, let¡¯s induce Yubas, who has inevitably faced the pagans, to realize that it is useless to convert, and let¡¯s make them desperately exhaust their national power.¡±


    Finally.


    ¡°Let¡¯s let the pagans, who have taken the land of the Principality of Penrad, know that it is much more profitable for them to aim at their neighbors, who are more unsuspecting than us.¡±


    He did not hesitate to make cruel arguments.

 Chapter 75

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 75


    75. Difference of Opinion


    [Fantasy Monarch], the game I used to enjoy, allowed for different styles of play depending on the player¡¯s personality.


    Just looking at the possible ways to play, it had a great degree of freedom.


    Some people would model themselves on Casanova and become womanizers, having affairs with countless members of the opposite s*x. In the process, they would make countless enemies and enjoy the thrill of constantly risking their lives.


    Others, on the other hand, would be content with being a minor lord and aim to raise their children well. In [Fantasy Monarch], it was possible to become a cyber-parent, watching with pride as their children grew up to be successful and took up important positions.


    However, most people remained faithful to the original concept of becoming a lord who leads a family in a fantasy world. They would engage in countless schemes to increase the glory of their family or the prosperity of their domain.


    And the vast majority of them would indulge in the fantasy of a great empire, repeatedly expanding their territory without thinking until they were assassinated and their empire was torn apart by a succession dispute.


    In the end, they would often end up being defeated by those they had conquered, or by compromising with their vassals and becoming nothing more than a hollow empire, a house of cards.


    In that respect, I was a user with a somewhat unusual play style compared to the average player.


    While most users wanted to appease and persuade their vassals and be remembered as a benevolent ruler, I never appeased my vassals first. While most users tried to win their favor to avoid assassination, I prevented assassination by crushing them.


    Because I realized something at one point. In [Fantasy Monarch], the important thing was not to expand your borders.


    The most important thing was to squeeze the land I was given to its limits, nip any internal factions in the bud before they could cause political strife, and then raise a strong army to create unshakeable authority.


    Of course, it¡¯s true that schemes like assassination or sowing discord are important.


    However, schemes were ultimately a gamble that the weaker side hoped for. offline, I was the type of user who was inclined to establish a stable and extremely durable authority.


    Naturally, this meant that my schemes tended to be defensive and counter-attacking in nature.


    Those who faced me would quickly realize that my schemes were stronger at supporting what the army couldn¡¯t do than at steadily and meticulously designing an inheritance.


    Also, my disposition, which was the opposite of most users, developed into an entirely different playstyle.


    While most users relied on the excellent abilities of their successor, I relied on a developed territory and a powerful army raised by my predecessors. Even if I lacked ability, if I had unnecessary legitimacy, I could avoid wars.


    That meant that I didn¡¯t do things like fratricide or whatever, promising to pass the throne to a child with good ability scores.


    I just steadily weeded out internal enemies, filled important positions with easy-to-manage personnel, cultivated followers who were faithful to religious principles, and bit off external enemies one by one.


    In the process, I arranged my inheritance in advance so that I could deal with any unexpected sudden deaths.


    If I repeated this process several times, I would inevitably come to understand this.


    The best strategy is to build a foundation that won¡¯t collapse from the start. The best way to defend against schemes is not to rely on individuals, but to establish a system that will continue.


    -Of course, tribal governments that rely heavily on the charisma of individuals can¡¯t do this.


    Of course, judging from the organized invasion, it seems like a king-like existence has appeared¡­ If it¡¯s still in its early stages, there¡¯s plenty of chance of victory.


    This is why I envisioned a long-term war as a way to deal with the pagans who crossed the sea. There was no way that their customs, which relied solely on plunder, could overcome the administrative experience of the church, which had accumulated over many years.


    ¡°I can see that Your Majesty doesn¡¯t understand, so I¡¯ll explain it more clearly.¡±


    Moreover, there were many reasons for this, even if they weren¡¯t from playing experience in [Fantasy Monarch].


    ¡°First, the groups that have successfully settled after obtaining land have less reason to sacrifice for other groups that aren¡¯t satisfied enough. They might help because they¡¯re watching the leader¡¯s mood or to keep their faith, but there will be limits. ¡±


    I don¡¯t think that a group of 100,000 is all the same tribe. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Even if they share the same culture and the same faith and have a sense of solidarity, there are limits. It¡¯s natural to think, ¡°Why should I work when I¡¯m full and warm?¡±


    That means that even if we can¡¯t completely stop the invasion, we can passively change some of our opponents.


    ¡°Second, we can invade them.¡±


    Furthermore, this battle was one that the five duchies of the Dawn Archipelago couldn¡¯t win.


    Our opponent¡¯s main camp was so far away and out of sight that we could only be hit one-sidedly.


    ¡°The pagans have been based across the sea and have been constantly hitting us. However, if their goal is to establish a strong forward base or to migrate, they will want to build a new base on the fallen Penrad Duchy, consuming countless resources, manpower, and time.¡±


    Until now.


    ¡°Rather than going on an expedition to an unknown place across the sea, it would be an easier, faster, and more certain way to inflict damage by wiping out their new base, which they will establish nearby. Since we are superior in terms of knowledge of siege warfare using strongholds, we can gain an advantage in this area.¡±


    Moreover, unlike the pagans, who have never been heard to use cavalry, our knights are professionals at fighting on horseback.


    We could also let them know that in addition to raiding on ships after taking over the Penrad Duchy, there was also the option of crushing them under hooves.


    ¡°Third, we can tie up the forces of Yubas, who have been eagerly watching for an opportunity to attack neighboring countries, in dealing with the pagans. Eventually, Yubas will also learn that the only way to fully reconcile with their own people is to give them their share. Since those greedy bastards won¡¯t do that, I can clearly see a future where they will unwittingly create a conflict.¡±


    Yubas was a bonus.


    Recalling the past when those bastards screwed me over, this was actually an extremely generous and warm forgiveness. I gave those guys who had tried to kill an innocent boy because they were obsessed with heresy a chance to repent in the temple.


    ¡°Fourth, the Penrad Duchy is far away from us. If the pagans establish a base, it makes sense to drive them to the place farthest from us and where it will be difficult to interfere with contact with the mainland.¡±


    Oh, I hope King Athelstan realizes how much I¡¯m thinking about our Powys Duchy.


    It¡¯s something that a figure from the church would never do, but I¡¯m only making this suggestion out of my terrible filial piety, thinking only of my father and my family. King Athelstan should forget about selling the right to appoint at this point.


    It was a moment I had been waiting for.


    ¡°It¡¯s because people who only know how to count can¡¯t do this.¡±


    King Athelstan, who had been listening in quiet silence, began to shake his head.


    ¡°Your Majesty. I have come up with the best policy for our duchy.¡±


    ¡°Narva. I became king as a knight.¡±


    And as he stared at me, rebutting me, he uttered words I had heard long ago.


    ¡°A knight fights in place of those who have not the courage or strength to fight, and a king protects those who cannot protect themselves in place of God. This is what sets us apart. The moment we lose our faith and honor, we are nothing more than mere cutthroats and thugs.


    Surely your proposal is horrifyingly cruel and logical, but¡­¡±


    I could guess what was coming next.


    ¡°¡­as a king who must gather his people, as a knight, I cannot follow you.¡±


    As soon as I heard these words, echoes of the past pressed simultaneously down on my forehead.


    [Your Majesty, I cannot obey that order! How can you give such an order as a king!]


    [Your Majesty¡­ you must receive the love of your people. Such cruel measures will only lead to the alienation of their hearts.]


    [This servant finds it hard to understand. Why do you insist on doing something that will make you so hated?]


    I stroked my throbbing forehead with my right hand and suddenly realized something.


    Come to think of it, I¡¯m not the king now, am I?


    ¡°Rest assured, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°¡­Narva, what are you talking about all of a sudden?¡±


    ¡°I know that a king cannot do what needs to be done because he must not be hated.¡±


    I am now a bishop.


    And a bishop.


    ¡°Then I, not the king, will do what needs to be done.¡±


    -It meant that I didn¡¯t have to worry about the opinions of those who would burn me at the stake if I were a heretic.


    ***


    The meeting was over.


    I breathed deeply at the attitude of King Athelstan, who had remained tight-lipped, and left the reception room.


    Fortunately, King Athelstan was the only one who actively opposed my argument. The next king, Eadred, and the spymaster, Lord Aubert, accepted that my argument made sense.


    The two of them followed me out shortly after I left and began to shower me with praise. Their intentions were obvious to anyone, but since the underlying intentions were not malicious, I was able to receive them pleasantly.


    ¡°It must be a great burden for someone in the clergy to volunteer to do this. I wonder who would dare doubt the loyalty of his subordinates.¡±


    ¡°Narva, I will leave the mobilization system and the selection of fortresses to you. I am shameless, but I ask for your help. However¡­ I understand why my father is complaining so much.¡±


    Eadred even bowed his head slightly and whispered, worried that I might be offended.


    ¡°There have been many dishonorable rumors since his accession to the throne. Because of that, he is sensitive to dishonorable acts, so please be aware of that.¡±


    ¡°¡­I completely understand.¡±


    It seemed that the rumor that he had killed his brother and became king had become quite a trauma. I couldn¡¯t help but nod with a trembling expression. Only then did Eadred breathe a sigh of relief and add a few more words.


    ¡°If we part ways with such a cold atmosphere, there is a chance that false rumors will spread and create an unwanted conflict. Even if you don¡¯t like it, how about staying for a while, cheering on Tervere¡¯s expedition, and spending time with your father to reconcile?¡±


    I certainly understood why Eadred was so popular among his vassals.


    No matter how cooperative I appear here, I will only be seen as a naive child. In the end, I had no choice but to nod slowly with an awkward smile.


    ¡°Well, it wouldn¡¯t hurt to see some familiar faces for once.¡±


    ¡°My boy. When the transcription of the customary law is finished, send me one.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Much faster than any printing press¡­¡±


    ¡°Printing?¡±


    Oh no. I must have let a modern word slip because I was too relaxed.


    I waved my hand and corrected the anachronistic expression.


    ¡°Thanks to the skilled scribe in charge, it will be out soon.¡±


    ***


    In the Bishop¡¯s office of the cathedral, the smell of old books wafted in the air.


    Bishop Ganista, breathing on his glasses, was ignoring the young woman¡¯s earnest pleas.


    ¡°Excuse me, Bishop¡­ I have to go out for a moment to do something.¡±


    ¡°Ho ho ho. As I recall, Princess Norpeng, you visited us a few minutes ago.¡±


    ¡°Th, that was to get some water because I was thirsty.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure? If you go out often to drink water, you¡¯ll only waste your time.¡±


    Bishop Ganista had a cold personality, despite his smiling face.


    He just laughed at Karina¡¯s coquettish pleas, never giving in. Karina was the one who eventually broke down, unable to overcome his ironclad defense.


    ¡°What is this! I came here because I had nothing to do!¡±


    ¡°Then why did you choose to support the Diocese of Povis out of all the places?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ I heard that a child about my age had become the bishop, so I thought I could have some fun!¡±


    16 years old. In this world, it was the age at which one was recognized as an adult.


    And Karina was the same age as Narva, who had become a bishop at the age of 16 and was taking energetic measures.


    ¡°Hmm. I understand why the Norpeng royal family readily agreed. Princess, over there. You¡¯ve made a mistake in your spelling. It should go inward, not outward.¡±


    ¡°Why are you staying here instead of going to your diocese!!!¡±


    Karina, unable to bear it any longer, exploded in irritation, but Bishop Ganista only smiled.


    ¡°Looking at how you¡¯re doing your work, I don¡¯t think I have to worry about the handover.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re thinking too short-term, Bishop.¡±


    ¡°Princess, even if you say that, the letters won¡¯t get any smaller¡­¡±


    ¡°When you retire, Bishop, you¡¯ll probably be a layperson or an ordinary priest, but do you think that guy who will become your superior will let you go?¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    That was until Karina pressed the issue that he had been desperately trying to avoid.

 Chapter 76

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 76


    76. Pre-work


    The main castle of Povis, where King Aestelton and his family were staying.


    There were many fond memories and familiar faces here. I hadn¡¯t been able to see them because I had been so busy, but today was a chance to enjoy a long-awaited reunion.


    I walked towards them with a light step for the first time in a long time.


    ¡°John, didn¡¯t I tell you to always keep the Lord¡¯s room tidy? There are too many uncleaned areas. Even if he seems to overlook it, he takes it to heart and can be harsh.¡±


    ¡°No, milady. Why would the Bishop bother to¡­ to clean his own room¡­¡±


    A strict maid with braided black hair and sparkling eyes was scolding her companion.


    Edwina looked exactly the same as she had four years ago, as if time had not passed her by. I was relieved that there was something unchanging in the ever-changing world¡­


    ¡°¡­Lord?¡±


    ¡°John, you. Your hair.¡±


    The facial features were definitely those of the John I remembered, but I gasped when I saw his scalp, which was as smooth and shiny as if it had been shaved.


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    It was as if nothing could live in water that was too clean.


    My mind went blank with surprise and dismay.


    I tried to think of a joke to say, but I couldn¡¯t think of anything.


    It was like asking someone who was dressed in mourning for their mother how their mother was doing.


    ¡°¡­I will find that alchemist who lied to me about the hair growth potion and make sure he is hung. I promise.¡±


    He sounded like one of those swindlers who take advantage of people¡¯s desperation to steal their money.


    Even though John was always complaining and whining, he was a loyal friend who always did what he was told. I felt bad that he would remain a servant even after being rewarded, so this was a good opportunity.


    Just then, John, now bald, waved his hand and gave an embarrassed smile.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, Your Grace. I stopped using the hair growth potion of my own accord.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    As someone who knows how deeply those with alopecia care about their hair, I found this to be an unexpected decision.


    John, who used to cherish every single strand of hair, was now displaying such a peaceful attitude. When I looked at him with a puzzled expression, John calmly explained the situation, appearing much more relaxed and composed than before.


    ¡°The alchemist told me that a side effect of the hair growth potion can be impotence.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    ¡°So I stopped using it.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    I didn¡¯t feel up to discussing this topic any further, so I looked away awkwardly.


    It was difficult to even imagine the anguish John must have gone through to reach this point. One thing was for sure, though. The John I knew from the creek was gone forever.


    ¡°I wish you all the best in your new life, Bald John.¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t changed a bit, Your Grace.¡±


    Bald John laughed hollowly with a truly ascetic demeanor and let it go.


    It was clear that his spiritual cultivation had progressed significantly since before. A saying I had heard somewhere came to mind.


    People change only when they lose something¡­


    ¡°Welcome back after such a long time, Your Grace.¡±


    ¡°Edwina, on the other hand, you haven¡¯t changed at all. You¡¯re exactly the same as when I first met you.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps it is because I have been striving to maintain the image of Your Grace¡¯s return.¡±


    Considering that I had possessed this body when I was about twelve years old, this was quite remarkable.


    Of course, I had grown a little taller and my somewhat awkward demeanor had become more refined, but what I meant was that my appearance had hardly changed. Edwina even lifted the corners of her mouth slightly with a strange sense of pride.


    ¡°¡­? Of course not.¡±


    That is, until John, who had been watching from the side, raised an inquisitive eyebrow.


    ¡°From what I understand, the age difference between Lady Edwina and Your Grace is only one year.¡±


    ¡°?¡±


    ¡°I believe Lady Edwina is seventeen this year.¡±


    As soon as I heard those words, I couldn¡¯t help but glance at Edwina.


    Her hair was neatly braided, and her hands were always clasped modestly just above her navel. Perhaps it was because of her slightly clumsy demeanor that she always tried to maintain her composure.


    While I had always thought of Edwina as a somewhat inexperienced maid, I had never considered her to be childish.


    In the first place, I didn¡¯t think she looked any younger than me.


    I stared at Edwina¡¯s face, which had flushed deeply due to John¡¯s tactless remarks, for a while before slowly nodding my head.


    ¡°Edwina.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes, Your Grace.¡±


    Why are there so many pitiable people around me?


    I felt a surge of compassion from deep within my chest, and my previously dry eyes began to glisten.


    ¡°You¡¯ve really matured.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    ***


    The only reason I went to see Edwina and John,


    It¡¯s because I was certain of those two¡¯s loyalty. When it comes to employing people, the most important thing is ability, but just as important as that is trust and loyalty.


    No matter how great your ability, if your heart is already over yonder in Bukmangsan, you¡¯re completely useless. I had established a very simple three-principle rule for hiring personnel while playing [Fantasy Monarch].


    First. A loyal but incompetent person is better than a capable but treacherous person.


    Second. If you¡¯re going to employ a capable person, and their ability is particularly outstanding, be prepared to be overthrown by them.


    Third. A country where anyone can do their job properly is better than a country where only capable people can fully utilize their abilities.


    Based on these three principles, Edwina and John were more than capable enough.


    Other users who played [Fantasy Monarch] would have praised me, saying, ¡°Wow, you¡¯re such a humble and generous person.¡± But it wasn¡¯t always the case that my generous and humble recruitment of personnel would be successful.


    Time passed, and it was August 13, 1212.


    As Terver, along with 83 knights under his command and 211 soldiers including squires, completed their expedition, I couldn¡¯t help but let out a sigh as I walked through the corridor of the castle.


    ¡°John.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord. No, I mean, yes sir. I¡¯m listening.¡±


    ¡°I just realized this now, but a woman¡¯s heart really is difficult to understand.¡±


    Ever since I last met her, Edwina had been acting strangely and had since disappeared.


    She seemed to be doing her job properly, but whenever I went to look for her, she would just vanish like a mirage, leaving no trace behind.


    ¡°Do you think she was offended because I didn¡¯t know her age right away?¡±


    ¡°Sir¡­ If it were me, I would have kept going to her to apologize, but in your case, it¡¯s probably best to just ignore her and live your life. That seems like the right thing to do.¡±


    Unlike before, John gave a somewhat reasonable argument, but there was one thing I had to point out.


    ¡°Apologize? I was just trying to clear up a minor misunderstanding. Why would I apologize?¡±


    ¡°Oh my, look at that. It¡¯s best not to meet her, it¡¯s best not to meet her.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. If that¡¯s your advice, then I¡¯ll take it.¡±


    It¡¯s good for human relationships to clear up misunderstandings as quickly as possible.


    What was considered [common sense] in the modern world of the 21st century seemed to be a little different here. Since I had resolved to adapt to this world, I couldn¡¯t just cling to the common sense of my previous life and become narrow -minded.


    I embrace change in order to live a life among the locals.


    ¡°Alright. Then I¡¯ll put Edwina¡¯s matter aside for now and go find Brother Terver first.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me. Will you be taking us with you?¡±


    ¡°What else would you be doing if you didn¡¯t come with me?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ Shouldn¡¯t you go chop firewood?¡±


    John was just too serious, it was driving me crazy.


    If he had caught my eye, I would have told him to leave the trivial tasks to those below him. Boy. He was so earnest that even I, who usually followed the rules, felt like showing him a little consideration.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll give you an easier task than chopping firewood, so just follow me.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir, but I don¡¯t think¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    It was a fact that the pagans who would soon be invading this land had skin that was softer and more tender than tree bark.


    Anyway, I took John, who kept tilting his head in confusion, down to the training ground as my attendant. The knights, already fired up for the expedition, were in the midst of a heated rivalry.


    ¡°Who do you think will cut off more pagan ears?¡±


    ¡°Ears only come in pairs, right? There¡¯s room for manipulation. Let¡¯s go with noses.¡±


    ¡°What about tongues? We should cut off the filthy source of their heresy at its root.¡±


    While the knights were making strange bets with each other, the soldiers were checking the supplies loaded on the wagons one by one.


    ¡°We have flour. We have an oven. We have firewood¡­¡±


    ¡°We hear the firewood¡¯s to be procured locally, which is why they¡¯re loading axes.¡±


    ¡°What¡­ Do you think you can use wood right after cutting it as firewood? I bet there¡¯ll be more than a few people catching pneumonia while it dries. Hey, if you¡¯ve got any connections with the local servants, see if you can get some leftover firewood. Load as much as you can carry.¡±


    They all seemed busy, each fulfilling their roles.


    I¡¯d like to chime in and say a word or two myself¡­ but the person I had to watch out for was the knight who would lead this expedition, Terver. Terver was away from the group, placating a little girl he had never met before.


    ¡°Papa! When you come back, can you bring me an ax like the ones the heathens use? They say it glistens so much!¡±


    ¡°Ugh. What use does a girl have for an ax? I¡¯ve got plenty of thread for you, so go learn how to knit from your mother.¡±


    ¡°Waaah! I hate you, Papa!¡±


    Just from a glance, you could tell she was a tomboy with brown hair that would make her parents dote on her.


    Even after throwing a tantrum when she didn¡¯t get her way, the little girl buried her face in Terver¡¯s leg, looking utterly defeated. Far from being annoyed, Terver accepted it with a face full of indulgence.


    ¡°Why an ax, of all things? What would you do with an ax?¡±


    ¡°Axes are a symbol of authority! I want to lead soldiers like Papa and defeat the bad guys!¡±


    ¡°Ugh! What business does a woman have on the battlefield? They say spears and swords avoid faces that are delicate and cute!¡±


    Hmm. If she were to be captured, that might not be a problem.


    I watched the two of them bicker for a bit, but I couldn¡¯t wait any longer and decided to just interrupt.


    ¡°Sir Terver.¡±


    ¡°Hmm? Oh, Narva!¡±


    Terver¡¯s expression, which had been troubled by the capricious child, brightened considerably at the sight of reinforcements.


    ¡°Narva?¡­ My youngest uncle?¡±


    ¡°Yourid, you should call him ¡®Your Grace.¡¯ He is the Bishop¡¯s aide, after all.¡±


    On the other hand, the little girl who had been whining for an ax glared at me.


    ¡°¡­You don¡¯t look like you fight very well.¡±


    From our first meeting, I could tell that she was quite precocious.


    But it couldn¡¯t be helped. A knight¡¯s job is not one that allows for enough free time to stick around at home and provide moral education, so it was only natural. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    I seriously ignored my niece and spoke.


    ¡°I have something to say about the expedition. Since it¡¯s a serious matter, I would like my niece to leave.¡±


    ¡°No! I want to listen with Papa!¡±


    My foolish niece continued to whine, still unaware of the ways of the world, but Terver was the strongest knight in the duchy, through and through.


    In other words, he knew how to separate his public and private lives.


    Terver knew that I would never speak idly, and he transformed from a powerless father to a knight with an intense aura in an instant.


    ¡°Yourid. Follow the maid and leave.¡±


    ¡°Papa¡­?¡±


    ¡°Maid, take Yourid to her room.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Terver went so far as to call over a maid who had been waiting nearby and gave her instructions.


    Yourid seemed to shrink at his cold demeanor. I watched Yourid being led away by the maids without saying a word, then turned my attention back to Terver.


    ¡°So. What did you want to say, Narva?¡±


    ¡°This expedition is the first battle of the Peace Alliance, which was formed under the pretense of saving our people from the heathens. However, there is something you must keep an eye on as much as the heathens¡¯ movements.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yubas.¡±


    Terver suddenly became wise when it came to military matters.


    I checked the answer off on my mental list and continued.


    ¡°It is unlikely that Yubas will actively participate in this battle. Therefore, you must make Yubas your first choice when you need material support or other assistance.¡±


    ¡°¡­?¡±


    Terbaire blinked for a moment after hearing my words.


    ¡°You say it is unlikely that they will actively participate, yet we should rely on Yubas?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why, that¡¯s why. You must ask for their help while being certain that no help will come.¡±


    A person does not always become a leader by force alone.


    ¡°That will be the groundwork to bring the initiative of the Peace Alliance to this side.¡±

 Chapter 77

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 77


    77. The Bishop¡¯s Proposal


    On a summer day when the humid air rustled through the bushes.


    The urgent plea for help from the Principality of Penrad became an opportunity to test the effectiveness of the Peace Alliance.


    The unholy fog that covered the coast, and the pagan raiders from across the sea who emerged from the fog.


    In the face of this horrific scale, estimated to number 10,000, past grudges no longer mattered. The secular lords, who had repeatedly divided and dispersed in pursuit of their own interests, as well as the Church, were all united.


    Even the Principality of Powys, which was considered the weakest in power and unlikely to help easily, joined.


    Even appointing the powerful knight Terbaire, whose fame extended beyond the principality, as the commander-in-chief. Moreover, it was not only Terbaire who distinguished himself in this expedition.


    ¡°With righteous anger, I call upon the starlight, and with a heart for my compatriots, I become a blade. Drive out those who follow the sunset as the sunrise, those who rejoice for the setting sun. Knights, cut off the remnants of the old world.¡±


    This is because Narva, the Bishop of Powys, who had been busy taking all sorts of drastic measures until now, had appeared in public for the first time.


    And his appearance, with his black eyes as smooth and sharp as obsidian and his black shoulder cape bestowed by the Pope, was reminiscent of a beast. People commented on Narva, the Bishop of Powys, who appeared in public, as follows.


    ¡®He doesn¡¯t have a kind and gentle face.¡¯


    ¡®A raven. It¡¯s an unexpectedly clever beast, but I wouldn¡¯t want to keep it around.¡¯


    He was probably among the worst first impressions among the brothers of the Principality of Powys.


    Unlike the reliable eldest son Edelred or the honest and straightforward Terbaire, he had a gaze that made people uneasy just by being around him. But it was undeniable that there was a strange tension in his gaze.


    This unique and peculiar atmosphere was not entirely bad.


    For the hardened conservatives who believed that the nobility should be different from others, Narva was a case of differentiation, although in a bad way.


    Of course, not everyone denied and disliked Narva.


    ¡°Yes, Your Grace. As a torch that will bring about the dawn of mankind, I will surely drive out their dusk!¡±


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    ¡°Oh, starlight of mankind, protect them. May your will be with those who go forth to fulfill the will of man.¡±


    The mentioned impression and atmosphere may have been a failure as a clergyman, but they were suitable for rebuking the enemy with a strong sense of intimidation.


    Perhaps because of this, the knights, led by Terbaire, did not seem to dislike Narva. Rather, they often praised Narva for maintaining a calm and sharp attitude rather than boasting of his flamboyant rhetoric.


    This mood reached its peak when Narva himself swung the censer and blessed the knights who were going out on the expedition.


    After the pungent incense and the sound of footsteps passed, the knights cautiously raised their heads, immersed in religious ecstasy.


    ¡®Stigmatist. The one recognized by the starlight of mankind blesses our path.¡¯


    ¡®I don¡¯t know about his footsteps, but his eyes were full of energy. As expected, he is worthy of the praise that Sir Terbaire has given him.¡¯


    Narva had only appeared at this moment.


    The still very young bishop disappeared without a trace as soon as the expedition ceremony was over. Some were wary of his meaningful actions, while others were fascinated by his status as a stigmatist and began to speculate that he was indeed mysterious.


    However, in the face of an unprecedented event, an expedition against the pagans, even Narva¡¯s actions seemed trivial.


    Terbaire immediately mounted his horse and turned his helmet upside down.


    ¡°The bishop has blessed us. Let¡¯s go, brave warriors! Let¡¯s save our brothers in faith from the old world!¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Sir Terbaire. And everyone¡­! I will surely, surely repay this favor!¡±


    Terbaire¡¯s words were the signal.


    The soldiers began their march with the sound of Sir Gavin¡¯s cries of emotion.


    The Principality of Powys had finally mobilized its strongest available force.


    ***


    Of course, it went without saying that Bishop Narba of Powys had not absented himself simply to lie low.


    As the dispatch ceremony was in full swing, there was business he had to conclude. While everyone¡¯s attention and interest were focused on the dispatch ceremony, Narba was sitting in the reception room, looking at the man sitting opposite him.


    With long eyelashes and a thick beard that covered his lips, the man was Pheasan Orbarasta.


    He narrowed his eyes at Narba, who had summoned him, and looked at him suspiciously. Why had he been asked to meet Narba alone? Count Pheasan, who had been inferring the cause and effect in his own way, soon came to a plausible conclusion .


    ¡°Do you intend to sentence me as a heretic? In exchange for a price?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°There is no reason for you to call me out here and ask for my opinion otherwise. There will be differences in our respective positions¡­¡±


    Perhaps those who would resort to sinister tricks would appear in the absence of Terbear, the strongest knight in the Principality.


    To prevent that, they would use oppressive politics of fear, such as threatening to accuse anyone of heresy, thereby suppressing internal strife. This had been the case since long ago, and it was a moment when various political deals were being made.


    The Church mediated between secular powers while opposing them.


    He wondered if they would do the same this time, and he was trembling with fear.


    ¡°hahahahaha! Count Pheasan, you were so brave in the audience chamber, so why are you so afraid now?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I do not. The stability that is sought by falsely accusing innocent people is nothing more than a stopgap measure. If you repeat it without a proper solution, it will only end up as rags that will be torn apart by the wind.¡±


    ¡°?¡±


    Surely, if the Church had tried to sentence heretics or apostates without cause, it would have provoked opposition from all.


    However, it was not the case that they never falsely accused anyone. The Church sometimes colluded with local forces for economic or political gain and tried to interrogate heretics.


    They mainly targeted widows and widowers who did not make a confession of faith, or wealthy people who had no heirs.


    It was also a decision that ignored moral and ethical values in order to prevent the property from flowing into a secret society of another world. Count Pheasan, who knew this background information, found Narba¡¯s declaration quite different.


    ¡°Then why did you call me?¡±


    ¡°Count Pheasan. I know that your loyalty to your lord is not that strong.¡±


    Clack.


    ¡®So, it is true.¡¯


    Here it comes. Count Pheasan tried to suppress his agitation while swallowing his saliva inwardly.


    ¡°However, I also know that you love your territory and your people terribly.¡±


    ¡°¡­?¡±


    ¡°Otherwise, you would not have devoted yourself to developing your territory instead of trying to collect church funds.¡±


    Only then did Count Pheasan realize Narba¡¯s true intentions.


    ¡°Abolishment of the monastery¡­ It would be strange if you didn¡¯t know.¡±


    For minor lords or knights who had acquired a manor, a monastery was an essential existence.


    If they colluded with the monastery, they could embezzle the offerings of the serfs and avoid the tithe demanded by the diocese by distributing it appropriately. This advantage had greatly contributed to the promotion of the monastery.


    Most monasteries were run with the backing of people of similar status to Count Pheasan. That power was by no means small.


    If the one who led the abolition of the monastery had not been Narba, who had the full support of the Pope and the status of a stigma bearer, but just a bishop, he would have been assassinated in the blink of an eye.


    ¡°So you are going to charge me with that crime? For not paying taxes or offerings?¡±


    ¡°I will let it go. In fact, don¡¯t you and I have the same goals?¡±


    ¡°The same?¡±


    ¡°Count Pheasan wants to spend money on his territory, and I want to spend money on the Principality.¡±


    The two men looked at each other for a while.


    Perhaps it would be appropriate to say that he glared at him. After glaring at him for a while, Viscount Peasen opened his mouth first.


    ¡°It seems you¡¯ve grown quite arrogant, subordinate.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. It¡¯s simple. I¡¯m equally concerned about what you¡¯re worried about, Viscount.¡±


    And Narva¡¯s story began to draw a sigh from Viscount Peasen.


    Narva said that the more the unholy fog spreads, the more the pagans will plunder and invade. Before that happens, we must make the most of the given time to build a defense system.


    Of course, it was a frustrating story for Viscount Peasen.


    ¡°Subordinate, if you were really concerned about the well-being of the Grand Duchy, you shouldn¡¯t have sent Sir Terbear!¡±


    ¡°Then, if the peace alliance becomes a dead letter, will it be possible to endure with only our Grand Duchy¡¯s strength?¡±


    ¡°Even Powys without Sir Terbear is like a naked prostitute in front of the pagans, a prostitute!¡±


    Viscount Peasen poured out his anger, even using explicit vocabulary.


    It was only after confirming this appearance that Narva brought out the real subject.


    ¡°I have enforced the abolition of the monastery in order to escape such a situation.¡±


    Narva¡¯s proposal, which began in this way, was.


    ¡°Let¡¯s use the structure of the abolished monastery as a temporary fortress?¡±


    ¡°There are many isolated places, but there are also many places close to the surrounding villages. In particular, I know that there are cases where the monastery is close when there is no manor or the lord is in charge from afar. The purpose is to gather serfs and stockpile weapons in these monasteries in case of emergency, and to train an army to confront the enemy.¡±


    ¡°Even if we use serfs, there must be a limit?¡±


    ¡°Depending on the economic situation, four or ten households should be required to arm one or two adults. Instead of being excluded from farming, they will be stationed in the constructed fortress for a certain period of time to receive training, and when the next shift period comes, they will be replaced by others to receive training, so as to minimize the shortage of labor. Of course, it will be difficult to deal with the pagans like this.¡±


    In addition to the fact that Viscount Peasen had considered everything that he had not expected at all.


    ¡°In order to defeat the pagans, we ultimately need strong knights. So I plan to propose to lords who own manors, commissioned knights, or free knights, who can bring along knights, to lend them church territory and exempt them from rent in exchange for the obligation to protect isolated fortresses. On the other hand, it would be a way to have free knights temporarily rent church territory and similar demand obligations as knights commissioned by the church.¡±


    ¡°But subordinate, there are many places where there is not enough labor to use serfs. How do you plan to deal with such places?¡±


    ¡°When that happens, the number of refugees who will abandon their homes and flee to avoid frequent looting and invasion will increase significantly. I will try to prevent them from having no place to go by using them as day laborers or serfs owned by the church and lending them to knights and lords who will bear the military burden.¡±


    It was quite reasonable.


    ¡°Viscount, what I will call you for and propose is financial support for this defense system. To be exact, it is a way to more firmly secure the safety of the Barasta region, which has been put on the back burner in building such a system because there is little looting. If the Viscount helps with the defense of the neighboring regions and the maintenance of this mobilization system, the church will also add a tithe and ensure the safety of the rear.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    ¡°Of course, that¡¯s not all. If there is room for funds with the Viscount¡¯s financial support, I also plan to actively promote the establishment of a branch of the Knights¡¯ Order by mobilizing the church¡¯s connections. I believe that this is the best way to stabilize the Grand Duchy and the Dawn Islands, and to preserve the Viscount¡¯s territory. It¡¯s a way for everyone to win.¡±


    At that moment, Viscount Peasen¡¯s eyes sparkled.


    ¡°The establishment of a branch of the Knights¡¯ Order should be located in the safest Barasta region, so that continuous support can be expected, right?¡±


    ***


    When Viscount Peasen returned after finishing the exclusive interview, his vassals could not help but cast anxious glances.


    ¡°Your Excellency, what did the bishop-elect say?¡±


    ¡°That fledgling who¡¯s still wet behind the ears is already scaring people with heresy and what not¡­!¡±


    It was the moment when they, who were united in antipathy, uttered one word at a time.


    ¡°Stop talking nonsense!¡±


    ¡°W, what?¡±


    ¡°From what I saw, he¡¯s much more helpful than the previous bishop.¡±


    Knowing what kind of person the previous Bishop Barnard was, the vassals had no choice but to look at each other¡¯s faces and raise questions.


    ¡°¡­Is it that much?¡±


    ¡°The current bishop-elect is at least someone who thinks about what the fundamental solution is and how to overcome the situation.¡±


    Viscount Peasen looked around at his messy nature due to the aftereffects of the expedition and continued.


    ¡°At least he¡¯s more trustworthy than the kind King Athelston.¡± Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 78

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 78


    78. Defense System Establishment


    The memories of the first time came flooding back when I was meeting with Viscount Pearson and the other vassals.


    That is, when I was hailed as king by my suffocating friends. I intentionally tried not to remember that time. That¡¯s why I deliberately tried not to think about it and considered it a dream.


    Because I considered it a mere dream, I couldn¡¯t remember it properly because it was hazy¡­ Half of it is true, and the other half is a lie.


    Every time the words spoken by King Athelstan came to mind, the words that constantly pounded my eardrums at that time floated to the surface of my sleep.


    Memories of the time when I used to mark the troops with wooden horses on a map of the settlement.


    [Your Majesty, what are you saying! Are you abandoning them!]


    [They are Your Majesty¡¯s people. They are not a small number, so how can you abandon them so easily?]


    My gaze and voice were cold as I looked at them, who advocated fighting to the death, citing honor and chivalry.


    [With our forces, we cannot defend all the provinces and provide the necessary supplies everywhere. For now, it is best to fall back on the front lines, conserve our strength, and hope that they will disperse.]


    The knight in the hazy memory of that time, weathered by these words, slammed his fist on the table and said.


    [Thousands, Your Majesty! It¡¯s not a number you can speak of so easily!]


    And the moment I saw the crying knight.


    [Then you should have won!!!]


    I could no longer hide my anger and irritation.


    [Me, Your Majesty.]


    [If you fight, you will lose every battle, and if you retreat to protect your troops, you will not be able to abandon the refugees who are fleeing, and you will become the rear guard and be annihilated. Since there are no soldiers to protect, their forces will surge forward with great momentum, and the refugees will have to flee because they don¡¯t want to be killed! And again, they will become the rear guard, saying that they will protect them!!]


    [A knight¡­ cannot run away. How can you run away by abandoning the weak!]


    [Can¡¯t you run away? If you¡¯re going to commit suicide anyway, do it the other way around. Do a counterattack!]


    Perhaps they kept their beliefs as ideal knights.


    Me, who wanted to abandon people, and the knights who fought a desperate battle to protect people. If you ask me who is more suited to a heroic story and who is more honorable, a hundred out of a hundred would say the knights.


    [Now you¡¯re talking nonsense.]


    [¡­Your Majesty!]


    [Yes, do as you please. Save the people in front of you as much as you want. I no longer care about your honor. If you are afraid of being defamed, I will do it myself.]


    On the other hand, I was a dishonorable king.


    Ignoring the nagging knights, I took out my seal ring and stamped it on the order.


    [In the name of the king, I order all the troops on the east coast to withdraw and establish a defense line. The escort and protection of refugees shall be of secondary importance.]


    [Your Majesty!!!]


    [Why. Are you going to refuse even the king¡¯s orders now? Of course, you would.]


    I was just a mere puppet king.


    [You put me in a position that no one wants to be responsible for, regardless of the founding gods or ancestors. How can noble friends like you follow the orders of a crowned beast?]


    A position that no one wanted to be responsible for.


    A truly puppet king who was suddenly transformed from an orphan in the manor to an illegitimate child of the royal family and was hailed as king according to the interests of the nobles who had been studying for hundreds of years to evade their duties¡­


    Soon after, a piece of news reached me, who was sitting on the throne.


    [Me, Your Majesty¡­]


    [What is it? Are they annihilated again?]


    [It is said that this army collapsed before the expedition, saying that they would do a counterattack anyway¡­]


    [¡­]


    They do all sorts of things.


    At first, I thought that, and later I breathed in relief.


    [That¡¯s good.]


    [Yes, yes?]


    [If we had charged anyway, only more of our pitiful soldiers would have died.]


    Honor is all, chivalry is all.


    I accepted the fact that I would never understand the knightly race.


    [The lords and knights must be at ease. They can palm off all their duties and pretend to be noble.]


    [¡­]


    [There should be no one left opposing my command now. I will lead from now on. Announce it.]


    [Yes, Your Majesty!]


    I am not a cold-blooded person without compassion. I understand that nothing is more precious than human life.


    However, the position of a king is one where human lives must be weighed.


    Knowing the weight of that responsibility, knowing how terrifying responsibility is, the knights gave up on weighing. Of course, there are pros and cons to everything.


    Thanks to them giving up their responsibilities and duties, I was able to seize military power while floundering in the mess created by those who didn¡¯t do what they were supposed to do.


    [An amnesty will be given to deserters. Those who return within six months will be pardoned.]


    [Households that cannot provide young men shall offer woven cloth. In return, labor and taxes will be exempted, and there will be flexibility in the distribution of supplies depending on the number of children being supported.]


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    [Sell all the useless junk that can¡¯t even be used as a doorstop. As far as I can tell, they¡¯re just worthless stone statues.]


    [Supplies are insufficient¡­ For the time being, the night watch and guards will be divided into three shifts and will use spears and armor in shifts. I will somehow requisition supplies.]


    My experiences from that time are still vivid.


    They are memories I would rather not remember, so I seriously pushed them away as dreams, but King Aethelred¡¯s objection felt like a recreation of that situation. I still remember the protests and objections that came back to me as I did what needed to be done .


    A king shouldn¡¯t do that, a king should be different, what is a king doing, king, king, king¡­


    ¡°Fortunately, I¡¯m not a king.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°I think so too, my lord.¡±


    When I woke up from my long reverie, the ones staying by my side were John and Edwina, who had become water sprites in the stream.


    I poured grape wine into the glass cup Edwina had brought, which was placed on the table in the middle of the reception room, and chuckled.


    ¡°Are you feeling better?¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you being a little too narrow-minded for someone who¡¯s a year older than me, sister?¡±


    ¡°M-my lord. If you keep teasing me like that, I¡¯ll get upset again¡­!¡±


    From my point of view, John, who tries to stop me, is worse than me, who seriously provokes her.


    In fact, Edwina¡¯s sharp gaze was not directed at me, but at the back of John¡¯s head.


    ¡°Hmm? Wh-what? L-lady. Why are you looking at me like that¡­?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Serious people might not understand, but I really like this nonsensical atmosphere.


    But I have to do what needs to be done.


    I looked around the two of them and slowly opened my mouth.


    ¡°Thank you for your hard work. Thanks to you, I was able to meet with the vassals and have sincere conversations. Even Count Fearthan, who I was worried about, was very docile when I actually met him.¡±


    ¡°hehehe, it was nothing, Your Grace.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for the praise.¡±


    John, who was laughing his head off, and Edwina, who responded coldly but with a slight twitch at the corner of her mouth.


    The atmosphere is great, but I couldn¡¯t just be happy.


    ¡°But I¡¯m concerned about Count Oduaire and Count Gaetan, who are of equal status, returning to their territory without any notice.¡±


    Count Pearson, who is just a staunch conservative, readily accepted it because it ensures the safety of his territory.


    It was much easier to accommodate than the opposition in the audience room. The real problem is the two counts who show no attitude or words. I thought that their vague appearance was much more dangerous than Count Pearson, who rules Barasta in the rear.


    ¡°Are there any rumors about the two of them among the servants or attendants?¡±


    At this question, bald John scratched his hairless head and tilted his head.


    ¡°Well, you see. Since they are in other territories, their true nature is¡­¡±


    Edwinna, who was standing proudly, was the one who came up with a plausible excuse.


    ¡°There is a rumor that salt merchants have recently flocked to Count Oduaire¡¯s territory.¡±


    ¡°Salt merchants?¡±


    ¡°Yes. They are all said to be pulling carts and rushing there. They are evasive when asked the reason.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    I¡¯m getting closer.


    ¡°By any chance, is there anyone who has measured the depth of the wheel tracks on the road?¡±


    ¡°Huh? ¡­Well, that¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°I see. Good job, Edwinna. That was very important information.¡±


    I rummaged through my arms and took out a gold coin that I had prepared in advance.


    ¡°This is yours. Use it as you wish.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    ¡°What are you doing? You¡¯re not taking it.¡±


    But Edwinna just hesitated and didn¡¯t try to take the gold coin I handed her.


    Strange. Is there anyone who hates gold coins?


    As I began to wonder if Edwinna wanted something else, bald John opened his mouth.


    ¡°Excuse me, Your Grace. Didn¡¯t you once put me in prison for a gold coin¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    ***


    The Principality of Penrad¡¯s request for help put the entire archipelago on edge in the morning.


    However, some still dismissed it as someone else¡¯s business, and some did not take action, taking an optimistic view of the situation. But there were also those who sought change. The Principality of Powys, the furthest of the five principalities, was a prime example.


    The Principality of Powys began to work on building a more complex, sophisticated, and demanding system instead of the existing system that relied on the prestigious knight Terbear.


    The key to this plan was the Bishop of Powys, Narva, and his successor, Etheldred.


    Etheldred visited the bishop¡¯s cathedral almost once a week to appeal for help.


    ¡°There is growing opposition among the knights that they cannot bear any more military service. If this is not resolved, we will face great resistance.¡±


    ¡°Even if we exempt the church territory from rent?¡±


    ¡°What they need is workers. Don¡¯t most knights prefer to demand labor from serfs rather than demand rent?¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s express our willingness to accept refugees from the Principality of Penrad.¡±


    ¡°Narva, it could be seen as an act of stealing serfs. I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s a sensitive issue.¡±


    The successor, Etheldred, was mainly responsible for communicating the growing fatigue and discontent among the vassals, and he warned of the shortcomings of the plan, pointing out various political concerns.


    Then Bishop Narva, who was obsessed with building a new defense system for the Principality of Powys, would come up with a suitable counterargument or solution.


    ¡°The Principality of Penrad has built its wealth through trade with the various tribes of the Starving Archipelago and through fishing. With the fog that has continued for five years, their livelihoods have been blocked, and they must have lost the ability to support their existing population. If we make it clear that we will accept them as soon eliminate as Sir Terbear secures a retreat, we will be helping to a group that will eventually become vagabonds or bandits, so the Principality of Penrad will also be convinced.¡±


    ¡°Even if we accept them, most of them will flock to the cities. Are you going to force them to become citizens?¡±


    ¡°If necessary, so it shall be. After all, we cannot remain isolated and starve to death with only the city to protect.¡±


    Civil policy.


    Even Edelred could not help but agree with Narva¡¯s proposal, which even included forced migration. He knew it was for the best, even though he could see the problems that were still scattered about.


    ¡°I am concerned that the local serfs will rebel. There will quickly be a limit to how many we can distribute to the existing manors. Let us gather opinions from among the vassals as to whether there are any forests or wastelands suitable for reclamation. However , we will need food to sustain us until the land is cleared and the harvest is in¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes. The Church will see to the finances.¡±


    At this rate, won¡¯t we have to sell indulgences as well?


    Narva gasped, clutching his head.


    However, there was a smile on his lips. Narva always had a smile on his face when he encountered various problems.

 Chapter 79

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 79


    79. Level Up


    Several months had passed since Bishop of Powys Narva and Edelred had joined forces to reform the system.


    And so, on February 4, 1213, when the cold had not yet subsided.


    After nearly half a year of fierce preparation and repeated compromises, the system reform was finally beginning to see the light of day. Moreover, it was not a mere change in numbers. The serfs near the coastline were the first to truly experience this change.


    The serfs would often narrow their eyes at the black smoke rising beyond the lush forest and be startled.


    ¡°What¡¯s that smoke?¡±


    ¡°Black smoke¡­ Oh my! It¡¯s a raid!¡±


    The beacon towers installed by the strong will of Bishop Narva were indeed fulfilling their role admirably.


    There were cost issues, such as the need to transport fuel and deploy guards, but it was enforced with the argument that it could reduce the scale of damage to the surrounding areas. Even those who had argued about the cost suddenly shut their mouths after seeing the dramatic effect.


    This was because the coastal area, which had been exposed to looting due to its distance from the developed Illhenfoot and its distance from the existing garrison, had become much more stable than before.


    Of course, this was largely due to the fact that somewhat inhumane treatment and behavior were permitted.


    Once news of the raid spread by beacon or alarm, the knights of the surrounding manors could not hide their excitement.


    ¡°It seems that the village on the southern coast has been raided. Prepare your armor. We shall go and punish the pagans.¡±


    ¡°Yes, milord!¡±


    ¡°I hope there are many prisoners to rescue¡­¡±


    Originally, the Church, which serves the Star of Humanity, does not allow fellow humans to be enslaved.


    Slavery was strongly criticized as a remnant of the old world, and thus various serious crimes, including human trafficking, were never brought to light. Nevertheless, there were those who willfully misinterpreted the doctrine, and thus the slave trade, which was only a change in name, was rampant.


    In fact, the main way for the pagan hordes to make a profit was through this slave trade.


    They would capture prisoners in order to sustain their lives beyond the barren sea, and after sacrificing some of them who had little or no commercial value or some who were exceptionally good as offerings to their gods, they would seek out landowners who wanted slaves and sell them.


    This was exactly what Bishop of Powys Narva was aiming for.


    The knight who had finished preparing to march against the raid looked around at his armed soldiers as he settled himself into the saddle of his horse.


    ¡®I hope to get a few dozen workers for the corv¨¦e.¡¯


    The price that Bishop Narva promised the knights in exchange for their expedition was exceptionally generous.


    [Prisoners rescued shall pay a certain amount of ransom to the knight who risked his life to rescue them from the pagans.]


    The ransom could be paid in the form of corv¨¦e or bail for the knight, and the Church would act as their advocate to protect their rights against any inappropriate demands.


    The ransom varied depending on the person¡¯s circumstances, but in the case of a healthy adult male, it was 3-4 years, in the case of a woman, 5 years, and in the case of a child, they would be protected under the care of the Church and the knight until they came of age, but in return, they would have to serve for 10 years.


    Of course, it was also possible for someone with a sound body to take the place of someone else and serve the corv¨¦e. If a notary public was needed for the legal contract, the Church would act as the notary.


    This was not human trafficking but part of the ransom payment method, and since it was a transaction that aimed to protect the interests and rights of both parties, the Church would definitely intervene in any inhumane treatment beyond this.


    Of course, when they had finished paying, they could live as settlers in this land if they wished. The Church would do everything in its power to protect the rights of serfs and citizens-.


    -Some criticized it as a very elaborate deception, but the majority of lords and knights expressed admiration and enthusiastic support for the Bishop¡¯s decision.


    Among them, the one who had changed his mind most favorably towards Narva was the Earl of Peathstone.


    Whenever he met with like-minded vassals, retainers, or other influential people, he would positively assess the extraordinary measures taken by Bishop Narva.


    ¡°The former Bishop Barnardo was all about sharing wealth, but he didn¡¯t know how to protect it. But the current Bishop is different. He¡¯s implementing it by promising honor and benefits to the knights and safety and prosperity to the lords.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty¡¯s words are correct. He has even extended the lives of the serfs who die needlessly. He has a strong heart that cares for others while doing his duty.¡±


    ¡°hahahahaha, Your Royal Highness is also blessed. Sir Edelred was not bad, but wasn¡¯t he a bit lacking in calculation? But now that he has a bishop who is not only devout but also wise in calculation, it¡¯s a good thing, a good thing.¡±


    The pro-Royalist faction led by Earl Peathsun laughing, clinking their glasses of wine.


    The important thing is that Narva¡¯s strongly advocated defense system was established smoothly without much opposition. Even conscientious intellectuals and religious people who criticized it as deceptive could not deny that it was the best way to prevent an invasion.


    Moreover, it was not just Narva who made concessions.


    One of the lords who had been drinking wine happily recalled the fact.


    ¡°Well, it seems that the Bishop is not so reckless. He has included a clause to renew his authority.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. In the end, it¡¯s useless without power¡­¡±


    To be recognized for the right to use the rescued prisoners as they wished, they had to provide appropriate financial support.


    It was not an obligation, but close to a semi-compulsory recommendation, in the form of sharing part of the cost necessary to maintain the defense system. Of course, the lords who did not know the background just thought it was a desperate struggle by the young Bishop.


    Only one person, Earl Peathsun, looked at them with a faint smile.


    ¡®To establish a branch of the Knights Templar. That was the purpose.¡¯


    Bishop Narva made significant concessions to Earl Peathsun, who had considerable power, but it was also a warning.


    He would give them the opportunity to influence the Knights Templar, an order that followed only the will of the Church, so they should cooperate obediently. If they did, Barasta would become the safest place, and the Bishop himself would contribute to maintaining the stability of Barasta.


    ¡®The funds to support the Knights Templar can also be considered as [financial support]. Bishop, I don¡¯t know anything else about you, but I trust your determination to take responsibility for the safety of the Grand Duchy for the time being. ¡®


    Bishop Narva had not yet revealed his intention to establish a branch of the Knights Templar.


    However, since there were reports of people from the Church appearing periodically near Barasta, his intentions were clear. Soon, the Bishop would use the funds he had saved to lobby and strongly advocate for the establishment of a branch of the Knights Templar.


    There would be no public backlash now that the invasion of the pagans had become apparent.


    In some ways, it was a decision that would provoke the vassals, but Bishop Narva was surprisingly meticulous in finding a gap.


    ¡®Come to think of it, it¡¯s a pity. The ability to count and calculate, it¡¯s definitely an excellent ability as a monarch.¡¯


    Earl Peathsun smiled bleakly and shook his glass.


    ¡®None of the vassals would want to serve him as their lord.¡¯


    ***


    Of course, the success of the system reform over the past six months was naturally accompanied by numerous sacrifices.


    Scratch-scratch-.


    The only sound that could be heard was the scratching of the quill¡¯s tip on the paper in the grim office.


    Karina, who had been blinking her eyes, gulped and slowly opened her lips.


    ¡°Excuse me, Your Grace.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Lady Karina. I¡¯m listening.¡±


    ¡°I.¡± Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At that moment, all eyes in the office turned to Karina.


    However, Karina forcibly ignored their gazes and spokes.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go get some water¡­¡±


    Obsidian, said to have the sharpest cutting power in the world.


    Bishop Narva¡¯s eyes were just like that.


    His eyes, which were smooth but contained a sharpness that could cut flesh with a single stroke, stared straight at Karina for a long time. The atmosphere was so quiet that one could hear a pin drop.


    But Karina was no ordinary woman either.


    Karina met Narva¡¯s gaze head-on, never backing down. In the end, it was Narva who broke the grim silence first.


    ¡°Edwina. Bring some water.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Grace.¡±


    ¡°No, I will go.¡±


    ¡°You cannot exert yourself with a handmaid present. Edwina, quickly.¡±


    ¡°No!!! Seriously!!!¡±


    Karina eventually screamed, unable to hold back.


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    ¡°You will spill the ink.¡±


    ¡°¡­.!¡±


    ¡°You do not wish to rewrite it.¡±


    ¡°I will go back. I will go back!!!¡±


    ¡°You must have heard that the coast is being raided periodically. If you force your return to the mainland, you could be taken prisoner.¡±


    Narva calmly stated reasons one by one, suppressing Karina¡¯s anger.


    Meanwhile, Edwina, like a competent handmaid, had already brought a pitcher and was pouring clear water into a glass.


    ¡°Here is the water you were looking for.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    Thud.


    Karina plopped down in her chair and began to whine.


    ¡°It¡¯s no fun, it¡¯s no fun~.¡±


    ¡°Hohoho. It seems our princess is very bored. It is understandable.¡±


    Bishop Ganista, who had been pretending to clean his glasses, spoke cheerfully at the sight.


    To Narva, even that was intolerable.


    ¡°Bishop, you have been cleaning your lenses for over ten minutes. I will buy you a new one. It is uncomfortable for me to see my grandfather-like figure so uncomfortable.¡±


    ¡°Hohoho¡­ I am also uncomfortable because I cannot spank my grandson-like subordinate as much as I want. If he were not like a grandson but a real grandson, I would have pulled out a tree root and swung it at him. ¡°


    However, even His Grace would admit this.


    Bishop Ganista¡¯s last words momentarily focused everyone in the office.


    ¡°Now that the invasion of the infidel raiders has actually taken place, it is time to carry out a more important mission than looking at this stick.¡±


    ¡°Stick?¡±


    ¡°That is not important, Your Grace. Handmaid Edwina. This is a matter of the Church, so outsiders must withdraw.¡±


    ¡°¡­I understand.¡±


    It was the moment when Bishop Ganista, who had always been friendly, suddenly turned authoritative.


    It was an important story. Edwina quickly picked up the pitcher and left the office.


    Only then did Bishop Ganista take off the gloves on his hands and reveal the back of his hand.


    It was the bright blue holy cross, revealing the stigmata.


    ¡°The second stage miracle of Lux Stella¡¯s devotion.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Your Grace, you are not even at the second stage of devotion yet?¡±


    Bishop Ganista¡¯s solemn tone and Karina¡¯s bewilderment.


    Narva carefully put down the quill and narrowed his eyebrows.


    ¡°I trust you are not changing the subject because you do not want to sit on your butt and have fun.¡±


    ¡°I just felt that Your Grace was sufficiently blessed with the Holy Light and wanted to help you manifest the second stage.¡±


    And Bishop Ganista.


    ¡°Of course, there is that reason as well.¡±


    Sworn to the oath of honesty.

 Chapter 80

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 80


    80. Tribute of the Other World


    Lux Stella, the alien god who descended upon us in the distant past and led humanity to victory.


    However, the church that serves Lux Stella is eager to hide the truth about its own god. It¡¯s not an incomprehensible act. Especially when you consider the church¡¯s current slogan is the extinction of the Other World.


    Lux Stella, who brought about the dawn of mankind, said that he would step back until the will of all mankind becomes one. This is something that could threaten the church¡¯s identity, so it¡¯s understandable that they would hide it.


    The problem is the miracles that Lux Stella performs and the countless truths that are hidden.


    The truth that is thoroughly sealed so that only the church¡¯s figures, not even the high-ranking executives, can know it.


    I finally qualified to approach the truth.


    Bishop Ganista guided me through the deepest part of the cathedral¡¯s main church, past the catacombs, and into a small chapel. Along with Karina, a fellow stigmata bearer.


    And the place we arrived at, a dimly lit passage winding between sealed coffins and lit by a single candle, was incredibly plain.


    All there was a single, light blue chalice placed on a pillar in the center. As a strange sense of discomfort arose, I thought about the Saint Arietta Order.


    I remembered that the order also kept their relics like that.


    ¡°Is it a relic?¡±


    It was a question I asked, wondering if it was the remains of a lonely king of a fallen kingdom or a part of Saint Illenio.


    However, I couldn¡¯t find any reverence from Bishop Ganista, who guided us. All I could see in his wrinkled eyes behind his glasses that reflected the light was faint contempt, hatred, fear, and wariness.


    ¡°In a sense.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    It seemed that it wasn¡¯t just Bishop Ganista.


    Karina, who usually chattered lightly, had her lips pressed together tightly with a slightly expression. Only then did I realize that it was very different from tired when I saw the relic at the Saint Arietta Order.


    The unique resonance, the stigma that had been buzzing, was silent as if it were facing a predator.


    Bishop Ganista explained the details only after he placed the candle on a nearby candlestick.


    ¡°Yes, people don¡¯t know why the church hides the truth. Why they are so pathologically wary and afraid of the Other World¡­¡±


    ¡°Because the church hid it.¡±


    ¡°They had to hide it to completely end their faith.¡±


    The three of us naturally surrounded the light blue chalice in the center.


    And when we took off our gloves, we could see the stigmata engraved on the backs of our hands shining coldly.


    ¡°Originally, each diocese and bishop were not administrative units, but rather seals to cut off the Other World¡¯s influence.¡±


    ¡°Seals?¡±


    ¡°They were established to expel the local folk beliefs¡­ the traditional gods of the Other World. Sealing the relics of the Other World is done in three stages.¡±


    According to Bishop Ganista¡¯s explanation, the early church prepared for the future quite thoroughly.


    First. Suppress the influence by containing it in a light blue chalice filled with the grace of Lux Stella, the starlight of mankind.


    Second. Suppress it once more in the catacombs, an underground cemetery, made up of the remains of those who swore to confront the Other World even after death.


    Third. Suppress it again by evenly distributing the remains of saints to eliminate any influence that may appear in the diocese.


    ¡°And the old god of the Other World that the Diocese of Powys is sealing is Sangui¨­ Silva. Her real name is the Lady of Crimson Roots.¡±


    Indeed, what was in the chalice was a branch. A withered and twisted, eerie branch.


    The leaves were like rotten fallen leaves that would crumble with a single breath of wind, and if an ignorant woodcutter saw it, it was dry enough to be used as kindling.


    However, Karina, who always tended to be excitable, was surprisingly calm.


    Karina rested her chin on her hand with an uncharacteristically serious expression and silently silent.


    ¡°Sangui¨­ Silva¡­ It¡¯s certainly the first time I¡¯ve heard that name. I¡¯ve never heard of her real name on the continent either. It¡¯s definitely a native belief of the Dawn Archipelago.¡±


    ¡°?¡±


    ¡°¡­Your Highness, why do you look like that?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing.¡±


    I wanted to say more, but I stopped.


    Bishop Ganista quietly watched our exchange, then let out a small sigh and continued speaking.


    ¡°Although they are like this now, the old gods of the Otherworld are all cruel and difficult to fathom with human nature. Sanguior Silva is no exception. In particular, her method of human sacrifice was notoriously cruel.¡±


    ¡°Notoriously cruel?¡±


    I wondered how human sacrifices could be particularly notorious.


    ¡°She is said to have approached her victims in the form of a beautiful woman, seduced them, and then made them open their mouths so that she could insert her roots and attach them to their internal organs. She then drained them of every drop of blood through her blood vessels and roots.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    ¡°It is also said that the humans who were forced to attend the sacrifices felt both awe and hatred as they watched the victims wither away before their very eyes.¡±


    Even I, who was quite proud of my own strength, felt my eyelids twitch at such a gruesome method.


    Karina, who had been acting calm, was so shocked that she took a few steps back.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°The islands of the Dawn were the places where the influence of the Otherworld lingered the longest and most strongly. It is meaningless to say that you are okay. If you are a Stigmata bearer, Your Highness, you must bear the mission that befits your calling.¡±


    Clack.


    Karina swallowed once more and took three more steps back. She wanted to turn her head away, but she forced herself to keep her gaze fixed because of her sense of responsibility.


    I thought it was time to get to the main point.


    ¡°That¡¯s why. You said you would tell me about the second stage of devotion, but why are you showing me a relic of the Otherworld?¡±


    Only then did Bishop Ganista take something out from inside his robe.


    A sharp, shiny, and hard-looking dagger¡­


    ¡°A dagger?¡±


    Was this old man finally revealing his killing intent and aiming it at me?


    It seemed that I would be showing the results of the harsh training I received from Terbear not to a pagan, but to an old bishop. At that moment, I remembered the saying in the Jang Yoo Yoo Seo about respecting the elderly, and I vowed to just dislocate both of his shoulders without hurting him.


    Bishop Ganista suddenly turned the dagger upside down and offered me the hilt.


    ¡°The second stage of the miracle of Lux Stella, the Starlight of Humanity. It depends on the nature of the Stigmata bearer.¡±


    ¡°It depends on the nature?¡±


    ¡°Just as Lux Stella made five vows for the sake of mankind when he stepped down, the Stigmata also has five effects. The surest and simplest way to find out which effect you have is to sprinkle your blood on a relic of the Otherworld.¡±


    Then he narrowed his eyes and made all sorts of expressions.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to think about dislocating my joints, young man.¡±


    ¡°Bishop, what do you think of me? Why are you so suspicious?¡±


    ¡°hahahahaha. What do I think of you? I think of you as a little devil.¡±


    The oath of honesty. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    I was really glad I didn¡¯t swear it.


    ¡°Then can¡¯t I just do it alone?¡±


    ¡°No, another Stigmata bearer must be present. This is not only to find out any irregularities in the Stigmata examination stage, but also to identify the Otherworld¡¯s servants who are skilled in disguise.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t even trust the Miracle Examination Team?¡±


    I thought of that group of old farts who had already returned to the Vatican.


    Human weapons who could slaughter twenty men each on their own. A group of real stick-in-the-muds who didn¡¯t have an ounce of flexibility.


    ¡°Not all humans are of one mind. The Church knows this better than anyone. It also knows how weak humans are to temptation. The truth is that no one can prove their faith unless they are true Stigmata bearers.¡±


    ¡°But all the members of the Miracle Examination Team are Stigmata bearers.¡±


    ¡°If even one of them is mixed in, the very foundation of the church will be shaken. The moment we allow even a single possibility, the old masters of this world will return. That is the belief of the church.¡±


    Church. Now that I looked at it, it wasn¡¯t mysticism but a group of paranoid patients obsessed with delusions.


    It¡¯s useless to argue with such psychopaths. I gave up quickly and raised the dagger to cut my palm¡­ when suddenly, I stopped at the ominous glint on the blade.


    ¡°Your Grace?¡±


    ¡°Is this properly disinfected?¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    ¡°Just kidding, just kidding.¡±


    Screech-.


    A drop of blood oozed out from where the blade had cut.


    And as I watched the drop of blood trickle down between my clenched fingers and fall with a plop, I realized¡­


    ¡­I cut too deep.


    But before I could even feel the pain, a change began to occur in the cup.


    The moment my blood dripped onto the withered branch in the cup, the branch began to writhe and twist violently as if it were a maggot.


    The rotten leaves melted into the blood like salt-sprinkled snails.


    The one who was most surprised by this sight was Karina, who was standing far away.


    ¡°Eek!!!¡±


    To be fair, it did look like a disgusting maggot wriggling around. Even I might have screamed the same if I hadn¡¯t seen those brave men who ate all sorts of creepy crawlies while exploring the wilderness.


    I frowned at the sight unfolding in the cup and turned my gaze to Bishop Ganista.


    ¡°So. What kind of miracle is this?¡±


    ¡°The twilight of the world, the dawn of mankind. Praise Lux Stella, the starlight of mankind¡­¡±


    Bishop Ganista finally opened his mouth after making the sign of the cross and muttering a prayer for a long time.


    ¡°From this moment on, Bishop-elect Narva is beatified. Blessed Narva, your miracle is the exorcism of demons.¡±


    ***


    To the warriors who served the true gods, the new land was like a paradise.


    The warm and gentle breeze, the soft and moist ground, the clouds that descended gently, the sea that greeted them calmly.


    The more they recalled this fact, the more they felt a longing for the distant past and¡­


    ¡°This place was originally our home.¡±


    ¡­an endless hatred began to boil.


    ¡°Warriors, remember the resentment of our ancestors! The times when we were persecuted and driven out by our own people just because we lived by our faith, traditions, and customs!¡±


    Great Warrior Bagnar.


    The true chieftain who led his tribe from beyond the desolate sea and returned to the old land. He looked straight at the countless gazes directed at him as he stood on the hill, praying for the future of his tribe.


    The desires of those who hated, longed, and prayed.


    Another group was gathering before them.


    It was a group of apostates who had turned away from the true gods and cursed them by following the starlight of an alien world. They were those who had managed to escape the warriors¡¯ attack and barely regrouped.


    The soldiers of the Principality of Penrad were forming ranks under the command of a knight wearing a blue and white surcoat.


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    Clank, clank-.


    The sound of chains clinking and spears and swords swinging was carried by the gentle wind to the warriors¡¯ formation on the other side.


    But it was futile.


    ¡°Warriors, go and reclaim your rightful heritage!¡±


    ¡°¡±Reclaim it!¡±¡±


    ¡°Warriors, let us bring down the wrath of the gods upon these vile wretches who have forsaken the true gods and worship their own creations!¡±


    ¡°Divine retribution!¡±


    The chant echoed through the ranks.


    At its conclusion, the warlord Bagnarr drew forth an ancient relic from his bosom.


    ¡°God, grant us victory!¡±


    The remains of the greatest mortal to ever walk this earth.


    ¡°We offer you the remains of the warrior king, who believed none in, as a sacrifice for victory!¡±


    -The nameless warrior king of the fallen kingdom.


    As he offered up the index finger.

 Chapter 81

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 81


    81. I Come Knocking


    There are times when appearances deceive.


    The same goes for authority and power. From the outside looking in, one might assume a position of great power, only to discover the reality is quite different. Not as extreme as the Church of Lux Stella, which worships the starlight of humanity.


    I have come to understand this all too well since Bishop Ganista¡¯s beatification.


    The truly important and valuable information within the Church is shared only with the inner circle of Stigmata wielders. And joining that inner circle is a ridiculously difficult task.


    Perform a miracle while being observed by other Stigmata wielders.


    It¡¯s beginning to sound like a conspiracy theory cult. I couldn¡¯t help but frown upon the secretive and ritualistic practices that contradicted their public image of guiding the masses.


    It was through Bishop Ganista and Karina¡¯s stories that I began to understand the reasons for the Church¡¯s paranoia.


    Enjoying a rare tea time in my splendid office, decorated with beautiful flower arrangements, far removed from the dark and dingy basement.


    ¡°Ugh. What kind of weeds are we drinking?¡±


    ¡°Tsk, tsk.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but sigh as Karina stuck out her tongue and made a face.


    To think she would dare insult the pride of our nation, barley tea. Truly, a medieval savage with an uncultured palate. They¡¯re so picky about what they eat, it¡¯s a wonder they don¡¯t starve to death.


    Besides, barley is a staple food even for ordinary serfs¡­ Perhaps it¡¯s because she was raised in luxury that the princess can¡¯t stomach the thought of drinking boiled barley water.


    In contrast, Bishop Ganista, who was indeed born a poor serf, was happily sipping away.


    ¡°There were times when we couldn¡¯t drink the water because of animal dung or blood from slaughterhouses flowing into the river. We had no choice but to boil it. I remember searching for fragrant herbs to mask the stench, and when even those couldn ¡®t be found, I would gather barley grains scattered in the fields.¡¯


    Bishop Ganista always carried an air of ease and relaxation.


    Unlike the solemn expression he wore when he declared the beatification in the basement where the Otherworld relic was sealed, his demeanor now was one of tranquility. Yet the information he had just shared with me was far from comforting.


    I finished my tea and set the empty cup down on the far corner of my desk, opening my mouth to speak.


    ¡°Beatified blessed or canonized saints are not publicly revealed. Their identities are only disclosed after their deaths.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct.¡±


    ¡°And the reason for that is because of the remnants of the Otherworld who are still at large, causing havoc?¡±


    Up to this point, they might have seemed like a group suffering from delusions of persecution, but there was an unexpected witness.


    Princess Karina, a native of the mainland who had grown up in luxury, as her noble appearance and erudition suggested, silent in agreement.


    ¡°The Bishop is correct. It¡¯s something that all of us from the Tribunus knows. The remnants of the Otherworld operate an organized assassination force, targeting influential figures.¡±


    ¡°An assassination force¡­¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but think of an organization that set up a base, trained by diving into haystacks and drawing assassination blades from their wrists. A group that was more like a paramilitary organization or a religious cult than mere assassins.


    ¡°Even in a world where humans now hold dominion, we must be wary of them? How effective are they?¡±


    Bishop Ganista raised an eyebrow at my question and slowly lowered his teacup.


    ¡°There is a common misconception among people. That assassination requires overwhelming power.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°On the contrary. Since they cannot win head-on due to their weakness, they resort to assassination, and the most important thing in assassination is meticulousness and tenacity. The tenacity that makes them try again and again despite knowing what will happen if they fail. Motivation is the most important competence in assassination.¡±


    I silently agreed with this statement. It is just as the Bishop pointed out.


    The reason why monarchs throughout history have eradicated the families and foundations of traitors is because they were highly likely to seek revenge. The desire for revenge does not follow reason.


    The conclusion that they cannot win or survive could never persuade an opponent burning with a desire for revenge.


    ¡°And the secular lords surprisingly collude with those remnants of the Otherworld quite easily.¡±


    ¡°Is that possible?¡±


    ¡°Those who desire chaos are not necessarily enemies of mankind. It is human nature to seek profit in chaos¡­ is it not?¡±


    Bishop Ganista laughed hollowly, but the content of his words was extremely cynical.


    The sad truth is that I am not naive enough to refute those words head-on. It was the bitter sorrow of a modern man who has become accustomed to the secular world and has become sullied by it.


    I can easily picture when the remnants of the Otherworld and the secular lords will join forces.


    ¡°When they aim for the throne or seek to weaken the royal authority through a chaotic situation. Or when they want to prevent the power of the Church from becoming too strong. Humans themselves become informants for the enemy, revealing the identities of the blessed and saints who are the most powerful weapons of mankind, and having them killed.¡±


    ¡°hahahahaha. This is why I cannot simply hate my subordinates. Because they accept such a vile story at face value.¡±


    To someone who considers all humans as a single community, he is the troll of trolls, but from a more local and autonomous perspective, it was a mindset that was quite understandable.


    What good is it if it is not me but others who become stronger? If I cannot become stronger, I have no choice but to weaken my opponent.


    It was a logic that the feudal lords who pursue decentralization and local autonomy would nod their heads to a hundred times over. It was also a clear example of the nature of humans who cannot live well alone and want others to suffer as well.


    But damn it, this is a team game.


    Well, it might be natural that the mainland, which is about 200 times the size of the Dawn Islands, which is currently in a 5-man bottleneck, is a cripple.


    ¡°I understand why the Church hides the blessed and saints.¡±


    ¡°I am glad that you understand.¡±


    ¡°But are the seeds of the Otherworld that strong?¡±


    I thought of the Miracle Examination Team, a group of human weapons made up entirely of paladins.


    The paladins I saw were psychos who mechanically slaughtered people without getting tired. I could not shake the thought that no matter how strong the heteroraces were, they could not be stronger than those people.


    However, Bishop Ganista nodded with an indifferent expression as if he had expected that.


    ¡°Elves and orcs. I will give you an example of beings that sometimes appear as lovers and are the most familiar in some fairy tales.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    It was the moment when I recalled the novel related to the Elf Queen that I had flipped through in the library the other day.


    ¡°Elves, who are favored by the nature god, cannot be perceived by humans until the elves themselves reveal themselves. Orcs, who are favored by the war god, can never be defeated by humans one-on-one.¡±


    ¡°Their stealth and combat skills must be that excellent.¡±


    Indeed. If so, it would be difficult for ordinary humans to deal with them¡­


    ¡°Your Grace, it is not a matter of skill. It is the result of their gods changing the laws of the world. An absolute law¡­ a destiny determined by the gods. You must think of it that way.¡±


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    ¡°Even if you cut down all the forests and create a wasteland to make the Obino clear, humans cannot find the elves first. Even if the greatest warrior among humans wears legendary weapons, he cannot defeat an orc one-on-one.¡±


    This is said to be the reason why all the uprisings led by humans before the advent of Lux Stella, the starlight of mankind, have failed.


    The heteroraces favored by the gods have inherited one [law] each that can give them an absolute advantage over humans. It is not necessarily aimed at humans, and it can be taken away at any time if the gods agree.


    Of course, there is no way they would agree with humans who wish for the expulsion of the Otherworld, so it has been maintained.


    I had no choice but to ask one question here.


    ¡°How did you win? When your opponent has such abilities.¡±


    It was a question that arose because I only knew the abilities of the elves and orcs.


    If the elves were to seriously invade during the day and cut off the commander¡¯s testicles without any hindrance, they would be defeated as it is, and if they fought, the orcs would be their opponents, so they would never be able to win one- on-one, and they would be crushed as they were pushed back on the front line.


    ¡°The reason why Your Grace was beatified is precisely because of that.¡±


    Bishop Ganista pointed at the back of my hand with his finger and said.


    ¡°Stigmata. A power to temporarily override the laws enforced by the ancient gods of Yiese. The bears of this stigma are the most common, yet the most dangerous, the first to step forward and the last to retreat and die. It is also a stigma that the remnants of Yiese will definitely pursue and kill regardless of the reason.¡±


    The moment I heard those words, I remembered that Bishop Ganista had made a vow of honesty.


    ¡°By any chance, are there any members of the Tribunus or Magisterium from the mainland who have manifested the stigma of the Stigmata but are hiding it on purpose?¡±


    As I glanced at Karina, her reaction was exquisite.


    ¡°W-well, it¡¯s not like you have to tell everything after making a verbal vow, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Next, I looked at Bishop Ganista, who was already wiping the lens of his monocle with a cloth.


    ¡°Excuse me, Bishop.¡±


    ¡°Yes, you should also know this.¡±


    Bishop Ganista continued with a look that contained many mixed emotions.


    ¡°Sometimes, a single cracked vessel can do more than a single bearer of the stigma.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    ***


    Bishop Ganista¡¯s story inspired me greatly.


    ¡°Your Grace, what are you talking about? You¡¯re saying that you¡¯ll sell a strange document that absorbs sins if you pay for it?!¡±


    ¡°If you pay, you¡¯re exempt from the duties of the bearer of the stigma, so why shouldn¡¯t your sins be absolved?¡±


    ¡°Your Grace, that¡¯s another way to fulfill your duty!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve just come up with another way to pay the price.¡±


    The church in this world is really strange. They say that you can¡¯t avoid the bail system, which is the cutting edge of capitalism, in an organization that is deeply rooted in capitalism anyway.


    With this mindset, I huggled with Bishop Ganista for a long time.


    Just as the office, which had become noisy, was bustling, someone began to knock on the door.


    ¡°Yes, Your Grace. It¡¯s an urgent matter.¡±


    ¡°Is it more urgent than securing funds?¡±


    I asked as if there was anything more important than money in the world, but the answer was always more than I expected. Suddenly, the door swung open and a soldier, drenched in sweat, fell to his knees and impressed.


    ¡°Your Grace! Sir Dener and Sir Fenate, who went to stop the pagan raiders, have been killed!¡±


    ¡°?¡±


    There was a moment of silence.


    I blinked and opened my mouth again.


    ¡°Th-they were the knights who went to support the Principality of Penrad, right?¡±


    ¡°No! They were killed fighting a horde of pagans who attacked Powys!¡±


    ¡°You mean they were wiped out by a few hundred?¡±


    As expected, the knight race is just a bunch of idiots.


    As this thought came to mind-.


    ¡°I-it¡¯s not a few hundred. The number we saw was easily in the thousands¡­!!!¡±


    -A certain idiom came to my mind.


    Bishop Ganista, who had been arguing over the sale of indulgences a moment ago, seemed to have had a similar thought.


    ¡°It was a diversion.¡±


    I responded to those words with silence.

 Chapter 82

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 82


    82. I Will Do It


    It was spring, when the cold of early spring had not yet completely subsided, that the pagan raiders appeared on the coast of the Duchy of Powys.


    The rising black smoke and flames, and the war horses galloped endlessly, spreading the ominous news throughout the duchy. It was already a situation where victims had emerged, beyond the level of mere rumors.


    ¡°Two knights have fallen to the pagan hordes!¡±


    Even then, those who denied and ignored reality spoke like this.


    While the Duchy of Penrad is being focused on with full force, there is no way that much force would have been directed to Powys. It was simply missed due to unclear information transmission amidst the repeated chaos. It is a plot by the pagans to promote anxiety.


    All these claims were dismissed by the bereaved families of the knights.


    The bereaved families came to the main castle of Powys with the coffin containing the body and requested an audience with King Athelstan. King Athelstan, who noticed the seriousness of the situation, immediately granted permission and soon realized that the information was true.


    The other vassals, who had come together to chase away curiosity and anxiety, felt the same way.


    ¡°The body doesn¡¯t have a head?¡±


    ¡°The pagans would never have given up the body easily¡­ How did they recover it?¡±


    To all these questions, the bereaved families of the fallen knights gave a clear answer.


    One of the knight¡¯s sons knelt down and appealed with tears in his eyes, filled with resentment.


    ¡°They said they didn¡¯t need anything else than my father¡¯s head and returned it.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    The fact that the pagans who serve Ise enjoy human sacrifice is common knowledge shared by all.


    Everyone had a rough idea of what the fallen knight would have looked like by now. It was close to blasphemy against the deceased, so they avoided mentioning it directly. The only exception was one person, Bishop Hou Narva, who stood to the left of King Athelstan.


    ¡°Is there anything else you have heard?¡±


    The son of the fallen knight was a boy even younger than Narva.


    Nevertheless, one of the vassals, disgusted by the fact that he was asking for the facts so calmly without any consideration, opened his mouth.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s too much of a question for a child who hasn¡¯t yet recovered from the shock.¡±


    ¡°As the son of a knight, if you didn¡¯t know what would happen if you were defeated by the pagans, it would be better to live as a serf.¡±


    The answer that came back was very cold.


    Even King Athelstan was groaning and wondering what to say, but Narva was the only one who relentlessly pursued the child who had lost his parents. Narva asked the knight¡¯s son all sorts of questions.


    ¡°Were you with your father as a squire?¡±


    ¡°No, I was left at the estate because it was dangerous¡­¡±


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    ¡°Then tell me in detail how many men and equipment your father mobilized when he left for the expedition. The church will give you various benefits to the extent of the property you lost on this expedition.¡±


    ¡°Oh, really?! Thank you, thank you!¡±


    Narva¡¯s declaration of support must have been welcome news to the knight¡¯s son, who had been so gloomy.


    The fact that he was smiling brightly, as if he had forgotten the death of his father until just now, proved that reality was not easy. Perhaps for the son, the loss that had to be filled immediately was more worrisome than the death of his father.


    However, while Narva was appeasing the bereaved families of the fallen, someone who had been watching calmly opened his mouth.


    ¡°In the end, wasn¡¯t the bishop¡¯s policy meaningless?¡±


    A distorted burn scar across his cheek, indifferent eyes and slightly dull pupils.


    It was Count Oduard, who had been keeping quiet and holding his breath until now.


    ¡°You asked us for a lot of burden and compensation, saying that you would block the pagans who are raiding the coast. I sympathized with the cause and willingly endured the sacrifice, but I am very disappointed to hear the news today.¡±


    Count Oduard was a man who thoroughly represented only the position of a vassal.


    The defense system that Bishop Hou Narva had built up through many concessions and compromises had been quite active, but that was all. Even a single failure was enough to unite the opposition and create an atmosphere of criticism.


    Especially considering Narva¡¯s special background, he would not have wanted to miss this opportunity.


    A close aide to the Pope. A blood relative of King Athelstan. And a stigmata bearer and ecclesiastical prince.


    As a secular lord, and as a vassal who did not want to strengthen the royal power, Bishop Hou Narva was the antithesis that had to be broken. It was also the first time that Count Oduard, who had maintained an ambiguous attitude until now, had revealed his political views.


    Even some of the vassals, who had been wary of the bishop-duke¡¯s growing power, joined in.


    ¡°Ahem. There is some truth in Count Haudry de Ben¡¯s words.¡±


    ¡°While I admit that the bishop-duke¡¯s policies have had some effect, I can¡¯t help but feel that they have become somewhat complacent. I wonder if this was truly the best course of action.¡±


    Narva mentally noted each of the vassals who voiced these sentiments, then finally fixed his gaze on Count Haudry.


    The count¡¯s aggressive speech reminded him of rumors he had heard through Edwina.


    ¡®I see. He¡¯s trying to rein in the bishop-duke by using this as an excuse, since he has acquired his own source of funding.¡¯


    He had guessed as much when he had received word that salt merchants were gathering in Count Haudry¡¯s fiefdom of De Ben.


    Narva suspected that Count Haudry had succeeded in developing a new rock salt mine. He must have kept the news of its development under wraps by taking advantage of the political turmoil and the various conspiracy theories surrounding King Aethelstan.


    The potential wealth that the salt trade could bring was enough to justify such an endeavor. If he could grow his wealth undisturbed by his fellow vassals or his liege lord, and then use that wealth to arm soldiers, he would become the most powerful lord in the duchy.


    However, there was one person who stood in the way of Count Haudry¡¯s ambitious plans.


    ¡®You can¡¯t make money and try to take it away from others.¡¯


    It was none other than Narva, whose keen eye could see through people¡¯s tricks in an instant.


    Narva directed a cold smile at Count Haudry and replied, ¡°On the contrary, I believe that this tragedy occurred because of a lack of support.¡±


    ¡°A lack of support? When we were burdened with such a heavy military obligation?¡±


    ¡°Yes. If we had sent thirty men, including not only the two knights but also squires, we could have avoided the loss of life.¡±


    ¡°Your Grace, with or without Sir Terbair, thirty knights or two would have made no difference. It was Your Grace who endangered this country by insisting on supporting the Duchy of Penrad.¡±


    Count Haudry pointed out the fatal weakness of the Duchy of Powys and adopted an air of confidence.


    In fact, the reason why King Aethelstan had been accepted despite his dubious succession was because of his sons. The eldest son, Eadred, was known for his ability to persuade and appeal the vassals, while the second son, Terbair, had an unbroken record of outrage against the pagan raiders.


    Terbair, in particular, was highly regarded for his martial prowess, despite some flaws in his character.


    Ironically, this very reputation had become a weapon against King Aethelstan and his supporters.


    Count Haudry continued to level harsh criticism at Narva, arguing that the decision to support the Duchy of Penrad had been a mistake.


    ¡°We keep hearing that the number of pagans is in the thousands. We must recall Sir Terbair before it is too late!¡±


    Terbair must be here, we cannot hold out without Terbair, why did we send Terbair away¡­


    Some of the other lords, who had been watching the situation in silence, began to voice their own anxieties, turning the audience chamber into a scene of condemnation. However, even in this situation, King Aethelstan had to remain silent.


    That was because, just as the king was about to rise to his feet with trembling legs, Bishop-Duke Narva caught his eye and gave him a subtle glance. The fact that his aide, Sir Aubert, who was standing to his right, was looking haggard was another reason.


    ¡°Your Majesty. For now, it would be wise to follow the bishop-duke¡¯s proposal.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°I agree with the bishop-duke. If word were to spread that Your Majesty is shielding the bishop-duke out of a sense of kinship, it would only serve to strengthen their resolve.¡±


    ¡°The powerless are miserable everywhere.¡±


    In the end, King Aethelstan nodded in agreement, his voice trailing off.


    In place of the agonizing King Aethelstan, Bishop-Duke Narva spoke. When the voices of condemnation had reached a fever pitch and then began to subside, he opened his mouth.


    ¡°Then, what if someone who had received Sir Terbair¡¯s strong recommendation to be a squire were to take to the front lines? Someone who had come close to being knighted by Sir Terbair.¡±


    At that, the gazes of the lords who had been murming at Narva turned to each other.


    Their eyes held a mixture of doubt and bewilderment.


    ¡°Sir Terbair is known for having a sharp eye for talent, so he wouldn¡¯t leave someone like that as a squire.¡±


    ¡°Sir Terbair had a squire?¡±


    If it was Terbair¡¯s squire, then he must be competent. If such a person existed, why was he still unknown?


    All sorts of speculation and arguments began to fly around, erasing the atmosphere of condemnation from just a moment before. This was an unwelcome development for Count Haudry, who had been hoping for Narva¡¯s downfall or, at the very least, his failure.


    Count Haudry tightened his grip on the reins of the debate in order to prevent the lords¡¯ opinions from becoming divided.


    ¡°I have never heard of such a person. I cannot help but think that this is a feeble attempt by Your Grace to avoid the political crisis. Is there truly such a person?¡±


    ¡°Of course there is.¡±


    At that moment, Narva raised his right thumb.


    A brief silence descended. The lords glanced at one another, wondering why he had suddenly raised his thumb, and then they looked in the direction it was pointing and were stunned.


    ¡°If you promise me sufficient support, I am confident that I can find someone brave enough to step forward.¡±


    Narva¡¯s right thumb was pointing at himself.


    ¡°Your Grace¡­ this is a serious matter. Please refrain from making such unfunny jokes.¡±


    ¡°A joke?¡±


    Count Oduard tried to dismiss it with a chuckle, but Narva glared at him with a chilling look in his eyes.


    ¡°Even you and your knights could not defeat me.¡±


    Narva¡¯s arrogance instantly cooled the atmosphere in the audience chamber.


    Even the neutral observers, such as Count Pheasan, who was relatively well-disposed towards Narva, found their expressions hardening.


    ¡°¡­Can you prove that?¡±


    ¡°You will need to support me enough so that I do not have to resort to empty words. Gather your soldiers. I will show you how to deal with the pagans.¡±


    Narva pulled down his black shoulder cape as he spoke.


    ¡°If you wish to challenge me, then do so.¡±


    ***


    March 3, 1213.


    As the news of Bishop Duke Narva¡¯s arrogant words spread, he faced all sorts of criticism.


    Most of it came from knights, either out of a sense of rivalry or because they were outraged that he had tarnished the honor of knighthood. And Narva proved exactly why he had been granted the Black Shoulder Cape.


    Clang-.


    A knight stared blankly at the sword that had been knocked out of his hand.


    Narva pointed the blunt end of his mace at his neck without hesitation.


    After a moment of silence, the defeated knight spoke first.


    ¡°How many years did you train under Lord Tervere¡­?¡±


    ¡°Four years.¡±


    ¡°Four years¡­¡±


    Four years could be a short or a very long time, depending on the person.


    The knight, who knew how Tervere treated his recruits, was easily convinced by the four years.


    ¡°I yield.¡±


    S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 83

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 83


    83. No Objections


    Knights are very competitive.


    In fact, all warriors are like that. Warriors who live their lives by demonstrating their strength and gaining fame should be like that. However, when the life of a warrior is combined with the status of a noble, it tends to develop into a strong sense of privilege.


    The knights of the Dawn Islands were in that transitional period.


    Those with exceptional martial skills rose to the ranks of the nobility. The title of knight was not hereditary, but they were treated as nobles in name only. Only their personal strength mattered.


    That is why knights were a more closed class than one might think. If one could not prove one¡¯s strength, one would not be recognized by other knights. They believed that real warriors should be distinguished from nobles who had simply inherited their status through luck.


    That was what knights were all about.


    Their high sense of honor and arrogance led them to cling to the virtues that they called themselves chivalry. There was no way that such knights would let the rumors from the audience chamber pass them by.


    ¡°Bishop Duke, I, as a knight, request a duel with you.¡±


    ¡°I have heard that Your Grace gives lessons¡­¡±


    ¡°Now that I have just come of age, I, Bishop-elect Narva, make this bold claim:


    No knight in the Principality of Powys can defeat me.¡±


    If one were to ignore such a remark, they would be considered not a bold hero, but a coward who shrinks back even after being insulted.


    Knights had an obligation to take up the challenge for their own honor and for the honor of their lord, whether they liked it or not.


    At least, that was how it used to be.


    However, now, three days after Narva¡¯s declaration that he would accept any challenge, knights no longer came to Narva to prove their honor, but to learn from him.


    And Narva, the source of the rumor, would often look at the knights lined up before his quarters and say with a dry expression,


    ¡°Only ten today.¡±


    Narva would say, pressing down on the corners of his slightly raised lips.


    ¡°To the training ground.¡±


    Now the knights knew where Narva¡¯s confidence came from.


    He was the seed highly praised by Powys¡¯ greatest knight, Terbaire. A man that Terbaire, who would not even accept a seed unless they were capable, had personally requested to become a knight.


    Narva had long since overwhelmed the knights by simply showing them his talent, his instincts, and a glimpse of his practical technique.


    ¡®How can someone who should be a knight choose the path of the clergy¡­!!!¡¯


    The knights glared at the back of Narva¡¯s head, but it was no use.


    Soon, when Narva arrived at the training ground with the knights, the lords, squires, and seeds who had heard the news of the duel were already gathered in a circle, their eyes sparkling.


    However, instead of meeting their expectations, Narva chose to stride towards the display of swords. He did not particularly choose a sword.


    ¡°You are busy, and I am also busy.¡±


    He simply picked up the hilt of the first sword his hand reached.


    ¡°Let¡¯s finish this quickly.¡±


    ***


    Knights seek a lord they can serve, dreaming of acquiring an estate where they can settle down for life.


    To that end, they repeatedly polished their blades with oiled rags and wander in search of battles so that their skills do not rust. Among them, the knight Sir Beneworth was a man with an extraordinary thirst for improvement.


    Thirty-two years old this year.


    An age where one¡¯s sharpness leans towards refined senses and techniques rather than relying on the physical abilities of their vigorous twenties. However, he was still a typical knight who relied heavily on physical prowess.


    He highly valued the importance of technique, but on the other hand, he could not shake off his disdain for it.


    ¡®In the end, technique cannot overcome strength. Overwhelming strength is the law that breaks technique.¡¯


    Beneworth believed in his exceptionally strong physique more than anyone else, and he was indeed rewarded for it.


    His strength amazing never betrayed him. When dealing with bandits, mobs of gypsies, or criminals, he only had to kick his horse, and they would all scatter in fear.


    He realized that this idea was truly arrogant after he fought against Bishop-elect Narva.


    Clack, clack-.


    The sound of footsteps crushing the soil broke the silence.


    Narva and Beneworth.


    The two circled each other like whirlwinds, aiming at each other. The only difference was in their posture. Beneworth held his sword pointedly, but Narva was tilting his head and fiddling with the hilt of his sword.


    As if he didn¡¯t even care, he looked around, swinging his sword here and there.


    This is my chance. If I charge in now, I can defeat him in one breath.


    -If he had not seen the previous duels that collapsed due to such easy judgment, Beneworth would have made the same mistake.


    After a long standoff, Narva was the first to open his mouth.


    ¡°Well. I used it too much. It seems you are quite patient.¡±


    Those who rely on innate strength or are driven by passion are good at and prefer to take the offensive.


    If he were in his twenties, Beneworth would have already charged out.


    Yet, Beneworth had learned that patience was also a virtue a warrior should possess. He maintained his composure even in the face of Narva¡¯s arrogant words and condescending gaze.


    Only then did Narva adjust his posture.


    ¡°Sir Knight Beneworth. Let¡¯s relax.¡±


    He widened his stride and gripped his sword hilt firmly.


    His gaze swept over his opponent¡¯s body, footwork, and shoulder muscles in an instant, and his breathing calmed down like the still surface of a long-frozen lake.


    ¡°If you try too hard, I might cause a ripple.¡±


    He made a joke that was anything but a joke, but Beneworth couldn¡¯t let his guard down.


    Narva, who had only been facing him until now, began to approach one step at a time. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Narva closed the distance with no hesitation, raising his sword. At first glance, it was a simple, straightforward attack, but¡­


    The sound that followed proved otherwise.


    Clang!!!


    The blade was repelled, accompanied by a faint spark. Beneworth gritted his teeth at the stinging sensation that ran through his fingertips. The tip of Narva¡¯s sword, which had been a considerable distance away just a moment ago, was now within striking distance.


    But he had deflected it. The opportunity to attack was once again his.


    Beneworth gripped his sword with renewed confidence, but Narva was also spinning his sword hilt in the meantime.


    ¡®Vertical slash!¡¯


    The power of a swing and a vertical slash is different.


    From Noble mtl dot com


    If Beneworth swung at him now, Narva¡¯s downward strike would shatter his sword or knock it out of his hand. Should he risk it and attack, or should he retreat for now?


    Beneworth chose the latter.


    Beneworth took a step back with his right foot and twisted his upper body with all his might. He intended to take a few steps back and regain his distance, but¡­


    -Narva seemed to have anticipated this and instantly lowered the tip of his sword, which he had been about to raise, to Beneworth¡¯s chest.


    ¡°Hup!!!¡±


    Clang-!


    Beneworth barely managed to block the thrust by improvising and crossing his sword over his chest. Despite it being a training sword and deflecting the impact, he broke out in a cold sweat at the heaviness that was transmitted through it.


    However, Narva had no intention of giving up the distance he had finally closed.


    The moment Narva realized that the tip of his sword had been blocked, he moved his sword hilt. Narva¡¯s sword slid up Beneworth¡¯s blade like a snake flicking its tongue¡­


    At one point, it floated into the air, and in the blink of an eye, the end of the weight attached to the sword hilt was right in front of Beneworth¡¯s nose.


    Had he swung it, his face would have been caved in without fail.


    Beneworth could only stare at the sword hilt with his face pale with shock. After a long moment of embarrassment, the sword hilt was withdrawn.


    Beneworth¡¯s complete defeat.


    And his opponent, who had overwhelmingly defeated Beneworth with his skill, was tapping his training sword with his index finger, a wicked smile on his face.


    ¡°The end.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°I was a bit worried about causing a ripple. I commend your loyalty. But you should practice your swordsmanship a bit more.¡±


    Only then did Beneworth realize why Narva had made that strange joke about ripples.


    The ripple talk wasn¡¯t a joke¡­


    ¡°If you¡¯re pushed this far by an opponent wielding a toy weapon, wouldn¡¯t the lord who granted you the title of champion suffer from a bruised ego?¡±


    It was nothing more than a flimsy means of saving face for knights who had dedicated their lives to the sword.


    ***


    When they first heard Narva¡¯s boasting, the lords had laughed at him.


    There were many variations of mockery.


    The young fool knows nothing. He only intends to use the prestige of Tervere to intimidate the lords. The knave dares to insult knights without knowing their abilities or what war is.


    Among the lords, not a single one believed Narva would actually take command of the army and go to war.


    Instead, they simply ordered their knights to challenge him to chastise his arrogance for accepting the challenge. Even then, when news of the first defeat came, it was mostly met with contempt and disdain.


    ¡°A knight can¡¯t defeat a mere bishop?¡±


    ¡°Tsk, I guess a noble is still a noble. Even if they¡¯re uncultured, they¡¯re bound to be better than average.¡±


    However, as time passed and the challenges continued, and as Narva¡¯s frustrating piled up, the situation began to reverse.


    The knights who had been angry by his insults were now silently accepting his rebukes, impressed by the martial prowess displayed. Some even began to argue with their lords who berated them for their defeats.


    ¡°My lord, if you have ever held a sword, you would know. The bishop has an astonishing sense¡­ An innate talent for gauging distance, using footwork, and wielding weapons freely. It¡¯s a talent that even experienced knights find difficult to cultivate!¡±


    ¡°You dare to defend your defeat in such a manner!¡±


    ¡°If the bishop were not a vassal of Lord Tervere and had not chosen the path of the clergy¡­ I would have suggested he become my vassal. Not everyone can earn the reputation of having produced such a knight.¡±


    Ironically, it was those who had been most hostile towards Narva who were the first to acknowledge his talent and skill.


    In particular, the sense of crisis felt by Count Oduard, who had been sharply opposed to Narva, was the greatest. Count Oduard was a knight before he was a noble, and he had actually distinguished himself in battle, so he recognized Narva¡¯s talent as soon as he saw him in action.


    Count Oduard would sometimes watch the farcical spectacle unfolding in the training yard with his attendant and let out a dissatisfied sigh. Then, he would pat his attendant¡¯s shoulder, who stood there blankly, and excitedly exclaim:


    ¡°Look there, look at that.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°In the blink of an eye, he changed his stance and moved according to his opponent¡¯s reaction. But his eyes moved first. Do you know what that means?¡±


    ¡°Er¡­¡±


    ¡°His opponent¡¯s tendons, or perhaps their gaze. He reads the signs from their body first and moves first. That¡¯s in the realm of prediction. But no one notices¡­ They¡¯re all blind as bats.¡±


    Count Oduard continued to watch Narva¡¯s training with a complex gaze that mingled admiration and annoyance.


    ¡°He had to be born as the third son of His Majesty the Co-King. Even if his actions were despicable, if he had shown that level of skill, there would have been more than a few knights who would have followed him.¡±


    ¡°Your Grace, forgive me for speaking out of turn¡­ but isn¡¯t the bishop your political opponent?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m saying it, that¡¯s why.¡±


    He had a premonition of his own defeat.


    ¡°With that level of skill, this time, I have no choice but to support him.¡±


    ***


    March 9th, 1213.


    The tearful performance, the knight show, was over.


    As I watched the knights¡¯ skills, I was like a giant campfire that would have set their hearts ablaze if they had been watching me.


    I scanned the lords gathered in the reception hall and opened my mouth.


    ¡°Do you have any objections to my going to war?¡±


    The answer came back unanimously.

 Chapter 84

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 84


    84. The Storm Strikes Twice


    Knights have strong pride.


    And those with strong pride are truly merciless towards those who fall short of their standards. They subtly ignore them or unknowingly give them the cold shoulder.


    A knight¡¯s standard was their martial prowess.


    This was because they often fought in small-scale battles dozens to hundreds of men, rather than large-scale involving total wars involving tens of thousands. Since battles were frequent but small in scale, it was only natural that individual strength would be noticed.


    What¡¯s even more unfortunate is the fact that these knights are the only professional soldiers in this era, in this world.


    Even though their thoughts and values were far removed from mine, I couldn¡¯t deny their necessity. Like it or not, knights were the backbone of the military power of the Principality of Powys, and without their trust, it would be useless to borrow anyone¡¯s authority.


    That¡¯s why I grabbed the sword hilt that I had never held before.


    I put a lot of effort into not just installing it at that level, but also into talking it up. It was an impromptu improvisation that I came up with on the spot, recalling the way Tervere had been bragging, and it worked out much better than I had expected.


    But it was too perfect. An arrowhead is most dangerous when it¡¯s embedded in flesh.


    The knights¡¯ installation was quite a sight to behold, and the results were shocking, as I had unintentionally been a little too enthusiastic.


    When I announced that I would go to war, the response was unanimous.


    ¡°Surely you said you needed 1,000 soldiers. You also said you needed the arrows we have in reserve.¡±


    Our mathematically-inclined lords exchanged glances and then spoke in unison.


    ¡°No¡­ Even if you said that.¡± S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Soldiers aren¡¯t something that can be produced out of thin air.¡±


    And a few even applauded and cheered.


    The most representative figure was Count Oduaire, who had taken a sharply opposing stance.


    ¡°In the first place, with your level of skill, that number of troops would be enough. If you ask for more than that, I can¡¯t help but suspect your intentions. Whatever anyone says¡­¡±


    He seemed genuinely impressed by my skills, but at the same time, he seemed to be mocking me.


    ¡°¡­You have proven yourself to be the second strongest knight in our duchy.¡±


    ***


    Count Oduaire humbly accepted his misjudgment and defeat.


    His pride as a warrior and his life as a bishop¡¯s subordinate had convinced him of Narva¡¯s abilities. Some of the more naive ones might have thought that we would now join forces and do well.


    But even if we could become friends in private, we would have to fight in public.


    Count Oduaire was a thoroughbred, a man with the name of a noble.


    Should he meekly give up his own interests just because I was a good swordsman? Was it a warrior¡¯s life to give endlessly to those who acknowledged him? Was it to the point of giving up his ambitions and his life because his life was important?


    Of course, the insignificant seeds would willingly give up their dreams and the lives they had lived for their lives.


    The foolish serfs could never become noble, because they did not value their dreams as much as their lives. On the other hand, Count Oduaire schemed to protect his dream of enjoying the greatest power in the duchy.


    While Narva was attracting attention with his duels with the knights, Count Oduaire repeatedly approached the lords who were excited by the results of the duels.


    ¡°You saw the bishop¡¯s skills.¡±


    ¡°Count Oduaire, you see it too! Of course, a skilled man like you wouldn¡¯t miss it. Isn¡¯t he amazing? At that level, he might even be able to defeat the pagans in one fell swoop!¡±


    What a naive reaction.


    Some of the lords were so short-sighted and optimistic that they were unaware of the approaching threat. If they had been the enemy, Count Oduaire would have gladly exploited their weakness and devoured them without leaving a single piece of their legacy.


    The same went for the lord before his eyes, Garta Ornbym.


    The lucky thing about this poor lord was that¡­


    ¡°If it¡¯s only the pagans that are being defeated, then yes.¡±


    It was the fact that Count Oduaire had chosen him as his companion.


    ¡°Hmm? What do you mean¡­¡±


    ¡°Have you forgotten why the bishop provoked the knights in the audience hall and repeatedly showed off his skills in duels?¡±


    ¡°Of course I know. He¡¯s going to go to war against the pagans, so he wants us to give him the proper support.¡±


    There are so many people who only know one thing and don¡¯t know the other two.


    Count Oduaire tried to soothe his impatient heart and warned his vassals of the terrible crisis that had befallen them.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s inevitable that public opinion will support the bishop. In the meantime, he will take soldiers and all kinds of weapons from us under the pretext of stopping the pagan raiders.¡±


    ¡°Hmm? Well, that¡¯s only natural.¡±


    ¡°Now, the bishop has the power of the papacy behind him, and he will lead the soldiers he has taken from us. As the pagan raids continue, the ecclesiastical prince, who has the sole right to interrogate heretics, will be able to wield the sword of purge to protect his father¡¯s throne, and we will not be able to do anything about it.¡±


    ¡°¡­.!!!!¡±


    Even the most dull and indifferent person would understand if they were told this much.


    The fact that their own political position was now in great danger. Even Garta, who had just been pledging his full support to the bishop, was so frightened that he stood up abruptly.


    ¡°My Lord Count Haudry, surely you cannot mean that?¡±


    ¡°Of course, His Grace the High King would not openly support such treacherous behavior toward his own vassals. However, the Bishop-Elect is, to put it bluntly, our competition. He is a focal point for the opposition, a rival for the High King¡¯s favor.¡±


    Yet, so far, he has failed to be a proper rallying point.


    His tender years and his drastic measures against the monastic orders have alienated him from many of the influential men. While he has made no small effort to placate them, these gestures have been little more than stopgaps; too many doubt Bishop-Elect Narva¡¯s ultimate intentions and his competence.


    Count Haudry explained this in detail, before revealing his own motivations for coming forward.


    ¡°But what if he were to demonstrate his prowess with the sword, something that would particularly appeal to the younger men, and were to achieve some military success?¡±


    ¡°He would create a faction of his own. But¡­ is it not the duty of the Prince of the Church to eradicate the pagans? Why should he concern himself with vassals?¡±


    ¡°He will fight the pagans because it is his duty to eradicate them¡­ how naive you are.¡±


    The vassals of the Principality of Powys are not a group of dull-witted and ignorant nobles.


    At the very least, the three hundred earls who are their leaders are each distinguished in their own way.


    Earl Pheasan, with his strong pro-patrician leanings, has dedicated himself to the prosperity and advancement of his fiefdom, while the taciturn Gahtain excels at concealing his intentions behind a mask of suspicion, and acts in the shadows.


    As for Haudry, his numerous military campaigns have honed his military and political acumen.


    ¡°If he were to call for our aid, claiming that there is a crisis, an emergency, and summon our levies, do you think he would use them for their intended purpose?¡±


    ¡°What else would he do?¡±


    ¡°He would leave a few pagans alive, claiming that there is still danger, that more pagans may come, look at Pen Lleidr, we must be ever vigilant¡­ once he has a cause and the power to enforce it, there will be no stopping him.¡±


    Indeed, as the conversation progressed, a look of doubt crept across Gartha¡¯s face.


    ¡°Surely he would not go so far?¡±


    ¡°The surest way to stay safe is not to trust him.¡±


    However, as soon as he saw the flicker of wariness in Gartha¡¯s eyes, Haudry took a step back, the corners of his mouth twitching.


    ¡°Not to give up our swords.¡±


    If their ambitions had been aligned, perhaps Narva and Haudry could have been friends.


    Haudry, with his own devious mind, could guess at what Narva was planning.


    ¡°He despises the knights so much, yet he seeks to win them over first.¡±


    Narva is a very different man from his emotional brother, Terbair.


    He is also a very different brother from the ever-smiling eldest, Aedred. At first glance, he seems like a madman, giving free rein to his emotions, but in reality, he is only half-mad, not truly insane.


    If necessary, he can willingly suppress the unpleasant feelings he experiences.


    In that case, why does he need the support of the knights? Particularly since he is a man of the cloth, who can never be their lord.


    ¡°Surely he must know that if he were to offer to lead them to defeat, he would easily win the support of the lords, and yet he chooses to seek the support of the knights¡­¡±


    There is only one answer.


    What Narva wants is not a military victory based on overwhelming support.


    ¡°Does he intend to use this as a way to curtail the power of we vassals?¡±


    His true goal is to use the support of the knights to seize military power, using the pretext of an emergency.


    We cannot tolerate the seeds of tyranny that would oppress the rightful authority of the vassals.


    Especially not during the reign of Aethelstan, who killed our rightful lord, my brother Aethelbear, to seize the throne.


    Count Haudry continued to meet with many other lords after this, instilling his convictions in them, sometimes subtly, sometimes forcefully. And all the lords reacted in a similar way.


    ¡°I do not think the Bishop-Elect is that kind of man¡­¡±


    While they assessed the character of Bishop-Elect Narva, the lords also said,


    ¡°I agree that it is safer not to give up our swords.¡±


    They all agreed that he should not be given too much power or support.


    ***


    Thus, on March 19, 1213.


    After a lukewarm meeting, the one who swiftly took action was Bishop-elect Narva. Initially, Narva wanted 2,000 soldiers and powerful knights, but the lords had no intention of giving Narva that much power.


    ¡°Baron Garta. What is your reason for not being able to support?¡±


    ¡°Yes, your Grace, our serfs are already saving up every penny to make chainmail. It will take more than two months to send out the armor we have collected. If we give away the armor we have stockpiled, our territory will be targeted by bandits, if not pagans.¡±


    Someone begged, saying that they were in financial difficulty.


    ¡°And you?¡±


    From Noble mtl dot com


    ¡°Ah. Sadly, there have been reports of monsters appearing in the forest recently¡­ I am heartbroken to think that our serfs will be anxious if we take away too many soldiers¡­¡±


    Someone expressed their affection, confiding in the changes that had occurred in their territory.


    ¡°Hmm. Sir Tervere is doing well.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I apologize. I remember that you are Sir Tervere¡¯s retainer. Hmm. If it had been Sir Tervere, he would have smashed them all to pieces with just twenty men¡­ I am sad to say that.¡±


    Someone kept looking for Sir Tervere, who had left for the Penrad Principality.


    At this point, Narva, who had been trying to ignore it, had no choice but to show his teeth.


    ¡°Do you think the pagans will leave your territory alone?¡±


    ¡°Ahem.¡±


    Most of the lords averted their eyes, but one person was different: Count Oduard, who had orchestrated this whole situation.


    ¡°My, my. It seems that you are all making excuses here and there, so you must not have realized the terror of the pagans yet.¡±


    Count Oduard looked around at the lords with a sly smile, and soon, he closed the distance and whispered quietly.


    ¡°Yes, Your Grace. I can give you more support than you want.¡±


    Of course, Narva had already figured out his intentions.


    Narva grew and whispered in response.


    ¡°So. You want me to guarantee the profits from monopolizing the saltpeter mines?¡±


    ¡°As expected, you know.¡±


    Count Oduard deliberately exclaimed and looked straight into Narva¡¯s obsidian eyes, making a subtle suggestion.


    ¡°The country you dream of. If you include our family in that future, Povis and I will become permanent allies from now on.¡±


    That was it.


    The lords, who had been incited by Count Oduard, did not realize it, but they would soon find out.


    The fact that the deception of the nobles does not distinguish between friend or foe.

 Chapter 85

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 85


    85. A Rolling Pumpkin


    Count Oduard was not one to underestimate his rivals.


    He was an honorable knight who was ready to give pure admiration if his opponent had amazing skills. The applause he had given during the previous matches was a compliment shown without a hint of malice.


    Let¡¯s give credit where credit is due. Bishop-elect Narva is a talented person with outstanding abilities for his age.


    However, not everything in the world is driven by ability alone. This is because those who have just entered the world have a strength that is difficult for the older generation to possess. The part that Count Oduard was aiming for was right here.


    ¡®Even if he proves his ability, the distrust and weak support base that come with his young age can never be overcome in a short period of time.¡¯


    Experience is always prioritized everywhere.


    Especially in areas of great responsibility, inexperienced young knights had no choice but to endure suspicious and distrustful gazes. Narva also seemed to have tried to change their views by repeatedly dueling with the knights, but there was a clear limit.


    I admit that he is outstanding as an individual knight.


    However, Narva¡¯s ability as a commander has not been proven. He could not prove it unless he went out on an expedition and achieved results. The reason why Count Oduard was able to easily persuade the other lords was because he pointed out this fact.


    -After creating public opinion that pressured Narva in this way, he used the incited lords as a shield to safely secure his vested interests-.


    -It was a plan that was carried out with a glimmer of hope.


    And the hunch was confirmed the moment he heard Narva¡¯s growling reply. Count Odwair, despite his confidence in victory, felt the tension tighten further.


    ¡®If I had been even a little late, I would have lost.¡¯


    He had thought that he could contain the rumors¡­ but his perception was quick.


    It was unclear whether it was due to an internal leak, intelligence, or simply a keen sense, but Narva had already seen through Count Odwair¡¯s hidden plan.


    Count Odwair revised his original plan after seeing him. The original plan to lead the lords himself and depose the bishop was too risky.


    ¡®He is one of the Pope¡¯s close aides and the son of His Majesty. His Majesty may not care, but if he falls out of favor with the Pope, he will have no choice but to join hands with Yubas. No matter how much he seeks profit, he cannot serve such a vulgar horde as his lord.¡¯


    Narva would not only be difficult to depose, but would also make a very powerful enemy.


    Wouldn¡¯t it be better to pursue mutual interests as uncomfortable allies? That was the proposal. Of course, the lords thought watching that Count Odwair was pressing Narva.


    ¡°That bishop won¡¯t budge.¡±


    ¡°I guess he¡¯s not good at this kind of attack.¡±


    The group raised their voices just enough to be heard.


    Narva, who had been silent for a moment, finally sighed and gave the order to dismiss.


    ¡°I have some matters to coordinate closely with Count Odwair, so please disperse. If you are dissatisfied with my unreasonable demands, I apologize for my unintended rudeness.¡±


    A polite gesture that did not seem arrogant.


    The lords took it as a virtual declaration of defeat.


    ¡°Yes, then I will leave it to you, Count Deban.¡±


    ¡°I am grateful that Your Excellency has considered our circumstances.¡±


    It was enough to have made that self-righteous upstart bishop step back.


    The lords left the reception room one by one, showing their strong trust in Count Odwair. Only then did Count Odwair sit across from Narva and face each other.


    ¡°So, what do you think of my proposal?¡±


    Narva had no choice but to take his hand. He was the one who had the upper hand in this negotiation.


    As a powerful man who had tamed even that bishop, he would be able to re-establish the hierarchy within the duchy-.


    -At that moment.


    ¡°Unexpected, Count Odwair.¡±


    Narva said, waving his hand in the air.


    ¡°Why are you giving strength to those who will become your enemies?¡±


    ¡°hahahahaha!¡±


    A laugh burst out from his slightly annoyed expression.


    Count Odwair was able to let out a big laugh for the first time in a long time.


    ¡°Individually, they may be brave knights, but they are not as threatening as the subordinates who lead the soldiers.¡±


    ¡°Well, I thought you were drawing a bigger picture.¡±


    ¡°A bigger picture¡­ I¡¯d like to hear what Your Excellency thinks of me.¡±


    It was the margin and arrogance of a victor.


    Count Odwair was prepared to accept whatever Narva said with a hollow laugh. At least he thought he was.


    ¡°You. Weren¡¯t you trying to make money as a salt merchant?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°Then you must have known that what I¡¯m trying to do would help your business. I thought you might object a little, but I didn¡¯t know you¡¯d be so generous.¡±


    Count Odwair¡¯s eyebrows twitched slightly.


    The sighs and the subtly contemptuous tone that permeated each word grated on his nerves. Count Odwair clicked his tongue and denounced this kind of behavior.


    ¡°Oh, Your Excellency loves to provoke with sophistry¡­¡±


    ¡°Tariffs.¡±


    ¡°¡­?¡±


    I intended to, until I heard the following words.


    ¡°I planned to abolish tariffs.¡±


    That is, until Narva revealed his intentions.


    ***


    As I¡¯ve mentioned before, the game [Fantasy Monarch] is a game where you become a lord in the Middle Ages and manage your family and territory.


    In that case, what is the key to this game?


    Many users will mention different key elements depending on their individual play styles, but I found the key to this game in developing my territory. My ultimate goal in [Fantasy Monarch] was simple:


    A territory that could sustain itself even if the king was incompetent.


    Using a powerful military and strong finances as a foundation, I would secure both external and internal stability and create a true empire in a world of pseudo-states.


    So unlike most scheming users whose goal is to harass others, I utilized scheming as a means to an end, and through fighting against such pathetic scheming users, I became skilled at obstructing and defending against schemes.


    Through these numerous gameplay experiences, I keenly realized what was necessary for centralization, or rather, for establishing a nation.


    Power comes from military and money. You can aim for the top if you control either one, and those at the top will fall if they lose either one. So how can you acquire these two?


    I identified two key policies:


    One is to make the lords voluntarily avoid war, thereby naturally accumulating military achievements for myself. The other is to abolish tariffs, which are the main source of income for the lords and a hindrance to national growth.


    These two usually worked in conjunction, and achieving one of them made it easier to achieve the other.


    Of course¡­ the other party isn¡¯t an idiot, so they should be prepared for rebellion.


    In particular, abolishing tariffs brings about a huge backlash, so the opposing forces are extremely strong. Sometimes, it goes beyond rebellion to a point where the country must be prepared to split in two forever.


    Even with such penalties, the benefits are so great that it¡¯s worth enforcing.


    Why is it so great?


    I kindly explained it to our prospective ally, Count Auduar, who didn¡¯t know about it.


    ¡°You must know that the salt trade brings in a lot of wealth. Judging from how aggressively you¡¯re acting, the profitability of the newly developed salt mine must be quite high. The problem is that high tariffs are making it uncompetitive¡­ How does it compare to the existing salt mines in the Grand Duchy?¡±


    ¡°That¡­¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to talk about it, that¡¯s fine. It doesn¡¯t matter anyway since I¡¯ll just destroy the other salt mines.¡±


    ¡°Destroy them?¡±


    The lords find trading with other territories to be quite annoying. Of course, this is natural since they¡¯re potential competitors, unless they¡¯re really close allies. If a neighboring territory becomes too wealthy and successful, there¡¯s a high chance that their own industry will collapse.


    Therefore, it was customary to impose extremely high tariffs to protect their own industry or to prevent the other territory from profiting at all. They also had the mindset that if the other party was going to benefit anyway, they might as well collect taxes instead.


    The problem is whether the lords can properly manage their officials.


    Even in their own territories, those who outsource to the church have no business properly handling the arduous administrative task of imposing tariffs on each item. They just roughly estimate the quantity and slap on a tariff based on guesswork.


    The pseudo-officials at the pseudo-customs houses end up taking bribes, the merchants who lose out on the tariffs due to bribes extort even more from the serfs, and the serfs¡­ get extorted.


    The item that suffers the most from this abuse is salt.


    Salt is not a luxury. You die if you don¡¯t eat it. So even if you complain about the high price, you either eat it or begrudgingly empty your pockets when you¡¯re forced to.


    As a 21st-century modern person who had suffered at the hands of the distribution industry, it was only natural for me to feel indignant about this reality.


    Of course, there was also the minor reason that it wasn¡¯t me who was making money from the salt trade, but the stingy lords who were trying to avoid paying their tithes. If they had given me a tenth, no, a fifth of what they would have given the church, I would have actually promoted tariffs.


    I revealed these thoughts directly and bared my teeth at Count Auduar, who had already taken the bait.


    ¡°Even if trade within the Grand Duchy is under the jurisdiction of the territories, doesn¡¯t most of the trade with the mainland pass through Illenfoot and the surrounding territories? Wouldn¡¯t the church¡¯s influence naturally seep in?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­that¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s not my diocese, but as you know, Bishop Ganista of Illenfoot and I are close and share similar political views. In fact, Illenfoot itself is facing some difficulties these days.¡±


    What a difficult time this is.


    It¡¯s barely possible to live together, and we can¡¯t even properly support each other when the pagans invade.


    ¡°By the way, I received some exclusive information that they¡¯re going to raise the tariff in Illeynfoot to an unimaginable amount, but I¡¯m going to share it with you.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but sigh at the thought of having to go through all this trouble when I could have just given it to him when he asked. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Of course, I planned to strike him so painfully that he would shed real tears for all the trouble he had caused.


    ¡°You¡¯re sharp enough to notice that, though. Count Ordiard, although you¡¯re a bit of a bastard, I like your instincts.¡±


    Ordiard Orn Deven.


    It was nothing new for my vassals to gossip about me, so I had no interest in it anymore. What was important was the fact that this man could become a fervent supporter of my plan to abolish the tariff.


    ¡°I will help you take down the rock salt mines in other fiefdoms. How about you help me abolish the tariffs on trade between fiefdoms within the Principality of Powys for your own benefit? We¡¯ll compete on profitability and take everything when the other side can¡¯t supply enough.¡±


    ¡°¡­My Lord, is that really possible?¡±


    ¡°Of course, but we¡¯ll need to reduce the soldiers in each fiefdom. If we do that from the beginning, they¡¯ll notice and rebel, so we¡¯ll take away their military power when we have a good reason. His Majesty and I can absorb their soldiers, and you can monopolize the wealth of this region through the salt trade.¡±


    I laid out the most powerful bait to captivate Count Ordiard.


    ¡°If we happily share what we take from those who have lost everything, His Majesty will surely regard you highly. My brothers may also see your family in a different light and seek marriage, allowing us to become blood-related.¡±


    ¡°What are you saying?!¡±


    ¡°I will play the matchmaker.¡±


    Those with ambition tend to see opportunity rather than risk. I was determined to exploit that.


    ¡°If you help me.¡±


    ***


    March 21, 1213.


    This tiresome clamor finally came to an end.


    ¡°I am most grateful that Your Grace has granted us an exemption from the education tax for nearly two years.¡±


    ¡°hahahahaha, I cannot help but be amazed by Your Grace¡¯s generosity.¡±


    ¡°Well. Since Your Grace has been so considerate, we must also make some sacrifices.¡±


    The lords applauded like puppets at the amazing negotiation results achieved by Count Ordiard.


    Of course, no one knew that there had been some kind of deal behind the scenes. On the surface, it appeared that I had granted them an exemption from the education tax in exchange for the lords providing the amount of supplies they had originally requested.


    The only ones who sensed the strange atmosphere were Count Fersen, who was always quick to detect danger, and Count Ordiard, who knew the truth.


    And then there was Sir Overd, the spymaster, who came to my quarters after the announcement was made.


    He brought wine and snacks without saying a word, and as he naturally poured me a drink, he subtly asked,


    ¡°Are you going to use Count Ordiard?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s a petty man.¡±


    I replied as I sipped the wine Sir Overd had poured me.


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t know that you have to give the appearance of sharing in order to gain power. He will repeatedly abandon those who come to him for his own interests, so his position will only decline over time.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    A perfect pawn had come to me.


    From Noble mtl dot com


    ¡°When the time is right, we must tear him apart with those who hate him.¡±

 Chapter 86

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 86


    86. Mid-Open


    The world does not wait.


    Going out for a family dinner and coming back to find the meat platter empty, I realized a truth that applies even in a different world. Even though it was a different world, it was a place where humans lived, so common truths applied.


    That¡¯s why I never thought for a moment that the enemy would wait for me while I calmed down the recalcitrant lords, pressured them, and persuaded them. If they had the time to prepare countermeasures and get ready to march, they would have gone on a Rampage even more.


    In the end, as the month-long, mind-boggling negotiations came to an end, rumors of the pagan raiders spread throughout the duchy.


    And the fact that the pagan horde would never sit still.


    There were countless testimonies to this fact.


    ¡°They are rampaging through the nearby villages along the Heje River!¡±


    A messenger panting as he delivered urgent news.


    ¡°P-please save me. P-please save my family! My f-family is still being held captive¡­!¡±


    A serf who had narrowly escaped and fled after being captured by the pagan horde.


    ¡°Your Majesty, this is a rebellion that is difficult to deal with with just knights. We must raise an army as soon as possible!¡±


    Even the knights, realizing that the enemy would not be easy to deal with, came to plead.


    At this point, even the lords who had blindly opposed my expedition or had been lukewarm in their support had no choice but to come to their senses. They had thought that once the Duchy of Poviss raised its army, they would be able to hold them off, but it was only natural that they would be devastated by the news they had heard.


    I felt the same way.


    Just imagining the people being trampled by the horde of pagan raiders and the gruesome scenes made my heart ache. That¡¯s why I had to prepare more thoroughly and move.


    And to clearly distinguish who was in a hurry. Of course, the way others, especially the lords who were about to have the ax fall on their necks, saw it was completely different.


    As I returned to the cathedral, not even having the time to indulge in my hobbies, voices of discontent began to erupt. Some even went so far as to rudely interrupt my precious leisure time.


    ¡°Your Grace, when do you plan on setting out?¡±


    ¡°The pagan raiders are running wild over there, and you are taking it easy here!¡±


    ¡°Even if you prepare, it will be useless if you miss the timing.¡±


    After listening to various complaints, I slowly put down my quill.


    If anyone saw me, they would think I was begging them to please go out on an expedition. It was like those who had feared me after I had seized control of the military and had only now realized that the blade was at their necks.


    However, if I said that out loud, I would only end up getting stabbed in the back.


    I made up my mind to use statecraft for the sake of our lords.


    ¡°Oh, you have to grind the wheat before you can make bread. Do you think bread will just appear if you just bake it?¡±


    That¡¯s how short-sighted people are.


    They probably didn¡¯t realize that when they opposed me, they were the ones who would be ground into mincemeat instead of the enemy. It goes without saying that I am not delaying the expedition out of personal feelings.


    To be precise, I had no choice but to delay the expedition.


    ¡°There is a limit to the resources we have right now. Moreover, we have just issued a conscription order, haven¡¯t we? If we move with soldiers who haven¡¯t even gathered yet, we will only boost their morale.¡±


    ¡°T-that¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°The fact that the weather has warmed up and we are using less firewood is a relief. We can reduce the number of wagons and carts we need, but we are having a hard time procuring horses. I am also worried about how we are going to pay for the arrows.¡±


    Just like there are countless math haters in the 21st century, the lords here also have something they are wary of.


    It is the act of wrestling with documents filled with numbers and letters.


    Everyone reacts the same way when they see densely packed content. It¡¯s like eating a whole piece of meat. I could fully understand the discomfort the lords must have felt when they saw the content that was so difficult to understand.


    But what if they saw charts and graphs with beautiful shapes and organized numbers?


    Art and entertainment have the power to resonate with people across time. If they were to encounter charts and graphs that were easy to understand at a glance, rather than just looking at documents filled with random scribbles, they would receive a culture shock.


    That was exactly what I was aiming for.


    I would create a fun leisure time for the bored lords who were just waiting for the day they could go hunting. By doing so, I would reduce the burden on the serfs and create a user base that would share interests with me.


    ¡°Would you like to take a look?¡±


    I also had ¡°friends¡± who would help me think about the logistics of supplying the army.


    ¡°Ahem. Hmm. Hmm! Pfft, wheeze!¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Grace. We will simply await your departure. Of course. I¡­ I will do my best since you have said that you need support.¡±


    ¡°Ahem. I shall follow the will of the starlight of the universe, Your Grace.¡±


    Unfortunately, it seems our lords have come to either feign difficulty breathing or express their support.


    As I turned my gaze away, I couldn¡¯t help but sigh in disappointment as I watched their backs disappear out the door. Simultaneously, vexation and anger welled up within me.


    I understand that they are desperately clamoring because their vested interests are at stake.


    However¡­ How dare they turn away my heartfelt plea in this manner?


    At that moment, my mind filled with thoughts of Chief Han, who had given me a sorrowful look the other day, saying that these juniors don¡¯t drink together with him anymore.


    [I don¡¯t understand why these kids drink alone these days. You see, when you drink alone, you end up getting over it alone.]


    [Yes?]


    [When you drink alone when you¡¯re sad, your insides rot, and when you drink alone when you¡¯re happy, you end up feeling lonely. There¡¯s a reason why people who like to drink naturally end up socializing.]


    Chief Han said those words as he poured himself a glass of soju.


    [It¡¯s a pity that we can¡¯t all enjoy the taste of this side dish together.]


    Although he only invited female juniors to drink with him and was forced to quit after being plagued by s*xual harassment due to his nasty drinking habits, I could sympathize with his words.


    Fun is more fun when there are people to enjoy it with, and even more so when there are many such people.


    However, our socially inept lords have flatly rejected my invitation. My meaningful invitation to forget the past and move forward together with a new heart.


    It was then that I was able to make a firm resolution.


    My lords, there is not a single reason for me to care about you-.


    -That¡¯s what I thought.


    ***


    After the meeting with the lords.


    Those who had been postponing support and those who had been seeing with anger at the sight of them changed their attitudes towards each other.


    The change of heart came about as the departure was postponed.


    Fear spread like wildfire with the repeated news of bad tidings, but Narba, who had just returned from the meeting, was impressively composed. Even when he heard that a village had been burned down, he would stare out the window with an indifferent look in his eyes and utter strange remarks.


    ¡°Surely the pagans couldn¡¯t be that powerful.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    The attendant who had come to deliver the news was taken aback by the unexpected remark.


    On the other hand, Narba leaned back in his chair and tapped his fingers on the armrest, maintaining a relaxed demeanor.


    ¡°Well, well. Now I understand why my lords didn¡¯t want to entrust their army to someone like me. They needed someone with more specialized knowledge and experience, someone who wouldn¡¯t be afraid of a possible defeat.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Narba was the one who had led the army with the strongest attitude and the most confidence.


    I thought he must have been scared by the pagans¡¯ advance, but Narba¡¯s expression, which was making such cowardly remarks, was calm without a trace of agitation.


    ¡°I feel responsible. I will withhold support for the Principality of Penrad. Send a messenger immediately to summon Sir Terbear.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Grace.¡±


    Just when I thought he had given up and directed himself to everything.


    ¡°In the meantime, I will recruit a suicide squad that will risk their lives to thwart the advance of the pagan hordes.¡± S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Narbalessly shame began to reveal his wicked intentions.


    Naturally, when such remarks became known, countless criticisms poured in as the attendants spread the word. A meeting was convened in an instant, and the lords pointed at Narba, not with a haughty air but with a desperate attitude, and denounced him.


    ¡°You said you could stop them with confidence, so why are you suddenly changing your attitude?!¡±


    ¡°Your Grace, how can you shirk your responsibility?!¡±


    They asked why he was now backing out of the expedition, and that it was the church¡¯s mission to stop the pagans, and so on.


    Furthermore, despite knowing that their own efforts would be futile, they even dared to pester their lord, King Athelstan, with sweet talk. Their clamor was so loud that King Athelstan, who usually maintained silence or remained a bystander, was forced to ask them directly.


    ¡°My lord bishop, I have already granted you the command. Why have you gone back on your word?¡±


    King Athelstan himself was puzzled by this.


    I could guess what Narva was thinking, but he knew that the clamor would naturally subside once he achieved a brilliant military victory.


    Narva himself was not fazed. Instead, he took his time, pretending to straighten his shoulder mantle.


    ¡°My lord bishop.¡±


    Finally, Narva opened his mouth after King Athelstan pressed him once more.


    ¡°I was confident that I could lead the army to victory if my principality of Powys gave it their all. But.¡±


    ¡°But?¡±


    ¡°I realized that my arrogance was misplaced after seeing the lukewarm determination of our lords and the support that fell far short of our expectations. No matter how valiant a knight may be, we can never achieve victory with these supplies and troops. That is my humble opinion.¡±


    Narva straightened his back, as if he were carrying a heavy load on his shoulders, and then glanced at the lords.


    He did not care how the lords looked at him.


    ¡°That is why I believe that we need a truly great commander who has not only played with numbers but has also experienced the battlefield firsthand, so I will step down.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense!!! You are shirking your duty!!!¡±


    One of the lords, the familiar face of Gartha, hurriedly denounced him, but the reply he received was extremely realistic.


    ¡°That is why I intend to ask the Papacy and the Peace Alliance for help. Such diplomatic matters are best handled by the church. However, we will need valiant knights and lords to buy us time.¡±


    Everyone knew it.


    The fact that this pagan invasion was on a different level from the previous plundering. The fact that the enemy would never be easily satisfied and would return.


    They could only be defeated by fighting and winning.


    However, the act of facing the powerful pagan hordes was madness itself. The probability of defeat was high, and the moment they were defeated, they would be offered as human sacrifices in unimaginably gruesome ways.


    Narva was precisely targeting this vague fear, this clinging to life.


    ¡°The church will guide you to the starlight of the afterlife. We will also strive to have you canonized as saints. Which of you lords is willing to be martyred with honor? I will gladly absolve you of all your sins.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    ¡°Is there no one who will repent? Are you all so innocent that you have never committed a sin in your life? Do you not have the noble heart to be martyred for the starlight of the afterlife?¡±


    Despite the contemptuous questioning, not a single person dared to speak up.


    Count Phaethon, who could be considered a close minister, only watched cautiously, while Count Oduard simply ignored his head. The man who was presumed to be Count Gaetan had his head bowed so low that I could not see his expression.


    Silence flowed through the audience chamber.


    It was King Athelstan who spoke in that place.


    ¡°Very well, my lord bishop.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°Speak your request. If they have any shame, they will heed your demands.¡±


    It was a virtual blank check.


    Narva only revealed his true colors after he had obtained it.


    ¡°Your Majesty, for a wretch like me to win, I must have complete and absolute command of their soldiers.¡±


    He changed his attitude in a flash and exuded a powerful aura.

 Chapter 87

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 87


    87. Long-term Investments Take Over 10 Years


    No matter how outstanding a person may be, there is one field in which they can never be sure of success.


    Personally, I don¡¯t think they should be confident in it either.


    This is because it is a cruel field that requires one to take on a heavy responsibility and offers no chance to try again in the event of failure. It is a really tough subject where being too cautious will lead to failure, and being too bold will also lead to failure.


    War and the military.


    Right after my performance at the audience chamber, King Aethelstan and spymaster Lord Oberth, who had been friendly toward me, expressed their concerns. As soon as the meeting was over, I was summoned by King Aethelstan and was met with a worried voice.


    ¡°Narva, the absolute command authority is a power that has very few precedents. It goes without saying that even the kings of the mainland cannot act recklessly when dealing with vassals who support them with a large number of troops.¡±


    ¡°It can be interpreted in different ways¡­ My lord, um. The fact that the Bishop will have the authority to punish knights and their lords regardless of their superior-subordinate relationship will be perceived as an act that infringes on the rights of the vassals.¡±


    In most countries of this world, the reason why knights respect the king is because he is the lord of their lord.


    They are certified by the church and followed by the people, and they only serve the lord they serve, but if their lord quarrels with the king, they had to join the rebellion for their honor.


    Of course, if a knight or lord was granted a fief or manor by the king, he would prioritize the royal family.


    However, most of the knights under the vassals were mostly those who were directly invested by the vassals who divided their own land. Among the vassals, there were also those who had their own territory inherited from generation to generation, not a fief granted by the king.


    Count Phaeton of Barasta, Count Oduard of Deban, and Count Gaitan of Ronister are typical examples.


    The fact that these three could pressure King Aethelstan or easily gather other lords was largely due to the fact that they were relatively free from their oaths of allegiance. Because of this, a strong backlash was expected.


    If you command and punish the knights you have invested in by dividing your own land, they will be angry.


    Of course, if the authority of the supreme monarch is strong, they cannot talk nonsense and spit it out obediently. Even the words that the kings of the mainland are considerate of are very different when examined closely. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The reason why the kings are considerate is because they highly value the loyalty of their vassals, and our vassals, who have no loyalty at all, were somewhat okay with being beaten.


    However, only those who are good at beating people can beat them to death.


    Having played [Fantasy Monarch], I was a pseudo-expert who was good at beating vassals moderately. According to a cyber thesis based on the user community of [Fantasy Monarch], vassals are wolves who have only been beaten by humans.


    If you feed them and raise them like pets, they become dogs, but the country becomes a mess, and if you beat them as if you were going to kill them, they die together like they are together and die with the country.


    So I focused on euthanizing the vassals slowly.


    The first button for that was the reform of the abolition of private soldiers, which was set up with the military service exemption tax and fortress rights as bait.


    The [absolute military authority] that is now being enforced was a foreshadowing for this.


    ¡°The church has absolute authority and command only when it comes to confronting pagans. It is a moment when you can face the secular monarch as an equal. The rights of vassals are nothing compared to the cause of protecting humanity.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    ¡°Of course, that¡¯s the principle. Hmm¡­ But Bishop¡­ No. The principle is the principle.¡±


    King Aethelstan and Lord Oberth reluctantly nodded at the orthodox theory that emphasized the principle. Yeah. I know that reality is different.


    Even if the vassals understand it with their heads, they must be seeing inside, saying that they don¡¯t like the church in their hearts.


    ¡­Maybe they didn¡¯t even understand it, but the important part was different.


    ¡°If you say that you will mobilize troops for the cause of the Holy War, you will never be able to refuse. The moment you refuse, you will be accused of heresy and be destroyed before the pagans. Of course, you have to keep your breath. There is only one way to avoid this.¡±


    It was then that King Aethelstan¡¯s eyes sparkled and he opened his mouth.


    ¡°Are you talking about the shield tax?¡±


    From Noble mtl dot com


    Shield tax. Usually, the military service exemption tax is called that way.


    Originally, when vassals who had to respond to their lord¡¯s summons due to defensive battles or vassal contracts could not respond to the summons, they instead paid money. Usually, they had to respond to the summons, but in cases where the burden was considered too great, there were many who quietly paid the military service exemption tax.


    It was also the part that I was aiming for when I saw the poor finances of our duchy.


    ¡°After seeing my attempt to absorb my soldiers by taking over the military authority as a bishop, and after confirming that the pagan invasion will become more intense, I will feel burdened to continue raising soldiers. Even if you do not necessarily target our duchy, I will ask for a unified command, saying that I must save other duchies. As time goes by, there is a high probability that it will be better to pay the shield tax.¡±


    ¡°But in order to prepare for small-scale looting or raids, we cannot help but raise soldiers¡­¡±


    King Aethelstan confirmed the loopholes in my plan and began to worry with his chin hidden in.


    To be exact, that¡¯s what he was trying to do. Thanks to the fact that his aide, Lord Oberth, immediately gave a model answer, his worries did not last long.


    ¡°Your Majesty, it seems that the Bishop is thinking of the fortress rights.¡±


    ¡°Fortress rights¡­¡±


    At those words, King Aethelstan closed his eyes tightly. It made sense considering the meaning of fortress rights.


    Fortress rights are the right to build the walls of a castle to a certain level, as the name suggests. It may sound ridiculous from the perspective of a modern 21st-century person.


    You might wonder why you have to get permission to live safely. I thought so too until I was harassed by Edelred. But everything in the world has a reason, no matter how trivial it may be.


    These fortress rights were also a desperate measure with their own hardships and sorrows.


    Suppose that the vassals built an impregnable fortress. And then, relying solely on the fortress¡¯s sturdy walls, they revolted.


    What is the lord who must quell the rebellion to do?


    He would have to wage a siege against the fortress that the vassal built, draining his finances. Every now and then, he would launch an attack, starving the seeds of rebellion until they surrendered. Then, just as he was preparing to send a report on the situation, a foreign army would cross the border, forcing him to swallow his tears and negotiate.


    That is why the right to a fortress is a privilege among privileges, not easily granted to any vassal who is not truly trustworthy.


    For an orthodox medieval man, it was a very important right that required much deliberation before being granted.


    However, any tool made by man can be used differently, depending on the intentions of its user.


    Just as a law can become an evil law when used by an evil man, even madness can become utilitarianism when practiced by someone like me, who is prudent and benevolent, and seeks to save more people.


    King Aethelstan seemed to understand the true meaning behind my argument.


    After much deliberation, he suddenly opened his eyes wide and stared at me intently.


    ¡°¡­Even if a vassal with the right to a fortress becomes powerful, if he does not have an army to repel an invasion, he will lose the trust of the people or have to rely on another army. If he could raise a trustworthy army, rather than raising soldiers themselves¡­!¡±


    Finally, our King Aethelstan seemed to understand my plan.


    ¡°By granting the right to fortresses to the strongholds and vassals of each region, we can have them serve as a delaying tactic, while we use various sources of income, including the shield tax, to finance the creation of a central army that ultimately submits to Your Majesty¡¯s authority. This is the future of our duchy that I envision.¡±


    ¡°But Bishop, without the vassals, it will not be easy to raise an army strong enough to fill the void during the time it takes to raise that army.¡±


    ¡°Until then, we will have to grant the shield tax to the vassals who are loyal to Your Majesty, emphasizing the significance of the right to a fortress. Until now, they have been forced to serve in the military.¡±


    Authority is most effective when it calmly suppresses its opponents rather than threatening or coercing them.


    It is easy to condemn a heretic to death, but it is easy to incur resentment if one were to seize the heretic¡¯s property for oneself. On the other hand, if one calmly exerts pressure on them, giving them a reasonable explanation, and makes them give it up themselves, there will be less trouble in the future.


    ¡°Of course, Lord Aubert¡¯s point is also valid. Therefore, I intend to use the authority of the church to maintain a central army for the time being to deal with the invasion. In that case, it would be better to thoroughly prepare and face the battle head-on.¡±


    ¡°But Narva, if you move too slowly, the voices criticizing you will grow louder.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps their goal will be achieved.¡±


    ¡°Instead, won¡¯t they feel the need to create and maintain a stronger army?¡±


    ¡°¡­?¡±


    ¡°The most efficient and sure way to deal with a threat is not to prevent anyone from being sacrificed in the first place.¡±


    King Aethelstan and Lord Aubert are too kind and gentle.


    In order to save more people, sometimes one must know how to abandon others.


    Even if it is a cruel and terrible act¡­


    ¡°We will give the people a short respite, just enough time for them to perceive the threat as a danger.¡±


    The need for reform. The desperate will to change in order to survive.


    I knew of no other way to instill these things.


    ***


    April 1, 1213.


    It had been over a month since the pagans had set foot in the Duchy of Powys. During that time, they had burned and pillaged no less than thirteen settlements.


    The strongholds, centered around the monasteries, had bought them time, but that was all. The pagans had learned to ignore or bypass such strongholds. Instead, they showed their ferocity by plundering the surrounding villages with even greater cruelty.


    Their leader sat on an altar made of a pile of headless torsos, humming as he wiped the fat and flesh off his axe.


    ¡°Even a river bends, but it carves away the rock.¡±


    Clack, clack.


    He proudly shook his elaborately braided beard as he sharpened the notched blade of his ax on a whetstone.


    Some of the warriors who had expressed concern about bypassing the monasteries asked him,


    ¡°Chieftain, will this be alright?¡±


    ¡°Are these not the places that the Great Chieftain told us to aim for? Chieftain, are you sure this is alright?¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    At that moment, the man called the chieftain lowered his axe.


    ¡°We cannot waste the lives of our warriors. It would be a loss if even one of our warriors, who are to be revived by the gods, were to be injured fighting mere peasants.¡±


    ¡°But even so¡­¡±


    ¡°If we sweep past, they will crawl out on their own. We can just loot the empty place on our way back. Anyway, it would be better if a few peasants died and they just cleared the way for us.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­!!!¡±


    Indeed, the evaluation of ¡°chieftain¡± came from all sides.


    The warriors, relieved of their worries, quickly exchanged sly smiles.


    ¡°See, the chieftain thinks of everything?¡±


    ¡°Heh heh. After all, what guts do mere peasants have to stand their ground there? While we¡¯re at it, why don¡¯t we throw some peasants?¡±


    As they all burst into hearty laughter, a roaring voice suddenly echoed from the outskirts.


    Before long, the chieftain could see another warrior who wanted to meet him.


    It was a somewhat awkward-looking warrior with a strange expression, his eyebrows furrowed and his hand scratching the back of his head, lifting his severed head.


    ¡°Um¡­ chieftain¡­ no matter how I think about it, it seems like an important matter.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡­ before I cut his head off, he inspired.¡±


    The awkward warrior said so and lifted the severed head.


    The owner of the head, from which blood still dripped, was a knight who had been killed while defending the village. His last cry, as he lamented his own feeble skills and succumbed to evil, was.


    ¡°The great warrior chosen by the stars of another world is gathering soldiers.¡±


    ¡°¡­!!!¡±


    Even the composed chieftain was so startled that he dropped his whetstone.


    The other warriors, who had remembered that infamy for generations, were equally shocked. All of them, their previous margin gone, began to look at the chieftain with anxious eyes.


    ¡°A great warrior¡­ of the stars of another world?¡±


    ¡°I thought there was no such great warrior among the peasants here¡­¡±


    At that moment, the chieftain stood up from the altar and declared to the warriors.


    ¡°From now on, looting is prohibited, and we will retreat to the villages we have already captured.¡±


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s all?¡±


    ¡°The Grand Chieftain told me. The stars of another world. Do not treat those great warriors lightly when you face them. Use everything you have.¡±


    The chieftain held an old box that was rattling in his arms.


    He barely pulled himself together, recalling the remains of the great warrior inside, and then said.


    ¡°If necessary, even with the remains of the nameless warrior king.¡±


    Urphson.


    He had planned this raid with the trust of the Grand Chieftain and had been given the right thumb of the nameless warrior king.

 Chapter 88

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 88


    88. Expedition


    Originally, there was little intention of providing support to the lords of Narva.


    Even then, they moved after being promised exemption from the tuition fees, but they really delayed a lot of support, thinking that it would increase the power of Bishop Hou Narva. It goes without saying that it is natural to worry about the future.


    This trend changed after it became known that the threat of the pagans was by no means light.


    Of course, I could have volunteered and taken command myself. However, my selfish desire not to get hurt or take responsibility made me avoid fighting the pagans, who were likely to lose.


    As a result of these reasons, Narva received enormous authority that had never been granted before, based on the reluctant support of the lords. It was such extensive authority that even King Athelstan, who had always been friendly, had to make a heartfelt request with a worried voice.


    King Athelstan handed a small ax, a symbol of military power, to the bishop and said.


    ¡°Bishop, I hope you will use this power only to eradicate the threat of the Ise.¡±


    ¡°Of course, Your Grace.¡±


    And Narbar laughed as he buckled the ax that symbolized military authority around his waist.


    ¡°I swear to use it in the service of mankind.¡±


    Naturally, this meant that Narbar was about to get serious.


    Bishop Narbar was the one who was granted absolute authority over the military organization, both symbolically and practically. Now that there was no need to be cautious, Narbar immediately closed his shoulder mantle and went into action.


    As soon as he received the military authority, he turned around and declared to the lords.


    ¡°From now on, each lance unit will be reorganized from 30 to 50 units. The lances will be led by knights as before, and they will be assisted by squires, but their members will be allocated from the mobilized number as needed. Regardless of the existing vassalage relationship, conscripts will be allocated, so do not cause confusion later.¡±


    The Principality of Powys also followed the general feudal system in this world, so the organization and composition of the soldiers were chaotic.


    Depending on how wealthy the family or the territory they belonged to, there was a great difference in the number and level of equipment, and since they had to show that they belonged to different groups, their uniforms were often different. The idea of standardizing equipment was something that could never be achieved.


    In addition, there were few people other than knights who had performed enough to serve as commanders or officers.


    Due to these practical limitations, not only the Principality of Powys but also most human countries used the lance unit system. It was a unit of knights and their followers, including squires.


    However, there was still the problem that the number of knights varied from five to dozens or even hundreds depending on their economic power.


    This part was considered a kind of investment among the knights to build up military achievements, so there was a high possibility that they would protest that dividing their troops for the sake of a more systematic organization would be a loss to them.


    The same goes for the lords.


    There were many cases where they simply turned their backs, saying that it would be better to refuse military service rather than share not only their precious serfs but also the spoils of war.


    Such systems and customs encouraged voluntary mobilization of vassals, allowing them to gain a much larger number than their weight class, but at the same time, they created the limitation that the command system was weak and the available tactics were limited.


    Originally, it was a sensitive issue that could have caused the lords to let the country perish, but Bishop Narbar cleverly managed to it by making full use of the authority of the church and the opportunity of the pagan invasion obtained.


    There is only one reason why I insist on this part in the audience room.


    ¡°There will be no objections, right?¡±


    It was just a procedure for Narbar to confirm that his authority was properly recognized.


    And this attempt was met with silence from the lords.


    Most of them were reluctant to accept it, but they had no choice but to do so, and they were reluctant to answer, so they remained silent. Narbar understood their feelings, so he did not press them any further.


    Narbar looked around at the lords who had quietly accepted and bowed his head toward King Aethelstan.


    ¡°I will take care of it soon.¡±


    He must have been intoxicated with pride and would have handled everything hastily.


    The lords looked at Narbar¡¯s back and thought so, but Narbar¡¯s true intentions were quite different from their expectations.


    Narbar, having confirmed the authority given to him, narrowed his brow as he looked down at the map of the Principality of Powys by candlelight that night.


    ¡°1682 mobilized troops. Most of them are just gambesons and spears, and there are only about 400 well-equipped regulars with chain mail. The knights¡¯ equipment is decent, but the number of warhorses is insufficient, so it is difficult to expect mobility .¡±


    In the first place, the Principality of Powys was not a country of nomadic people who excelled at horsemanship.


    At a time when the enemy was going up and down the river as pirates, a forced march would have been meaningless. Even if they tried to preempt a favorable stronghold, it would be slower than a ship.


    Even if they ran out of sleep to save a few possible survivors, it would only tire the unit.


    ¡®Anyway, it¡¯s easy to guess where they will be. Even if they cross the land with their ships, they will eventually have to take their ships to take away the loot. Even if they have other purposes, they couldn¡¯t have been pirates if they were clean enough to hesitate when they had lost property in front of them.¡¯


    Even if it was difficult to find a stopover, it was possible to find a final port before returning.


    When only people were on board, the shallow water depth was not a problem, but a minimum water depth was necessary to carry and transport the loot. It would be located in an area that was less muddy, close to the lower reaches, but safe from storms or possible attacks.


    In addition, abundant forests where timber for ship repair could be easily procured were one of the conditions.


    As a result.


    ¡®If you look at the map, it¡¯s Kips Hills, where the River Heze bends.¡¯


    Of course, the answer doesn¡¯t come out just by looking at the map.


    Narbar humbly acknowledged the fact that he had lived a very closed life.


    ¡®I need to hire nearby fishermen to guide me down the River Heze.¡¯


    April 1, 1213.


    When all the mobilization was finally over, Narva divided the approximately 1,700 troops gathered at Powys Castle as he had declared.


    The knights were to each lead a lance of 50 men, and the huntsmen who had spent their lives handling bows were put in charge of the archer units. Even though they were only small units of around 20 men, it was quite a promotion considering their difference in status.


    The huntsmen themselves, however, were busy sighing.


    It was no wonder, considering the level of the bows the free men with bows had brought.


    ¡°The bowstring is all damaged from the humidity. And the bowstring is all worn out?¡±


    ¡°Well, bows and stuff like that are expensive¡­¡±


    I couldn¡¯t get angry at the freeman who was scratching the back of his head, looking embarrassed. Bows were more weapons than I thought. Especially since the arrows were also handmade, with the touch of a craftsman.


    Ten arrows of good quality were so outrageously expensive that they were comparable to a spear.


    Of course, we couldn¡¯t just distribute such expensive arrows. The huntsman, who had suddenly become a leader, wiped his forehead with his right hand and said.


    ¡°Do you know how to draw a bow?¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good enough. Just draw it and shoot it. No one expects you to hit anything anyway, so don¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡°¡­? Yes.¡±


    There was no point in giving good bows and arrows to conscripts who couldn¡¯t be expected to be skilled. The strategy of archers in this era was not to shoot carefully one by one, but to gather people together and shoot them randomly, praying that they would hit someone with a volley of fire.


    The huntsman went to Narva to report this reality, and Narva closed his eyes and made a counterargument.


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better to save arrows and shoot them well by aiming at the eyes between the shield and helmet?¡±


    From Noble mtl dot com


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    ¡°No, my words were too absurd.¡±


    Even Narva, who always liked to pressure his opponents, admitted his mistake.


    ¡°I understand your concerns. However, the composition of the units will remain the same for now. I don¡¯t expect your shooting skills, which are your lifeline, so I would appreciate it if you could actively teach them how to maintain their bows .¡±


    ¡°Thank you, sir!¡±


    After that, it was a series of work to coordinate and distribute supplies.


    Narva pondered how much supplies to distribute to the soldiers, looking through existing records and occasionally seeking advice from King Athelstan. Combined with Narva¡¯s meticulous nature, suffocating discipline was added.


    [One loaf of bread and one bowl of soup per soldier per meal, 12 pieces of cloth and 6 pieces of firewood. Cheese and jerky for the knights. When morale is high, or once every three days, the same diet is allowed for the soldiers.]


    [We plan to study local specialties in cooperation with the locals. Water mixed with wine is allowed for volunteers only, once every two days.]


    [The wine is to be mixed with water to enhance the flavor of the drinking water, to the extent that six drops are allowed per bowl of water.]


    [Only one spoon and ladle should be used for distribution. If caught cheating on the amount of distribution, it will be considered a greater crime than desertion and will be punished by burning.]


    Some of the measures were shocking even to the knights, while others convinced the soldiers.


    In particular, the part about responding with overwhelming force in case of embezzlement of supplies made everyone nod their heads.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about anything else, but I like this¡­¡±


    ¡°Not water mixed with wine, but wine mixed with water?¡±


    ¡°Why are they giving us cloth? Are they telling us to sew and wear it?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re giving it to us to wipe our butts with, you idiot.¡±


    ¡°That expensive thing? I¡¯ll have to ask Narrick and use it.¡±


    In fact, some of the soldiers went to the knights and asked them directly.


    ¡°Narrick, can I use this cloth in the back room?¡±


    ¡°eeek¡­! Yes, use it, yes!!!¡±


    There were a few other minor clashes and conflicts, but they gradually subsided in the face of Narva¡¯s icy glare and somewhat reasonable measures.


    It took three more days before the army began to resemble an army, even in appearance. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And finally, on April 4, 1213.


    Narva, now confident that he had made all the preparations he could, rose from his assigned pew in the cathedral.


    And the first person Narva sought was.


    ¡°John the Shaveling. Come with me. It is the will of the Church.¡±


    It was a sleek-haired man who had been caught helping to carry supplies with the other servants.


    John stood for a moment staring blankly, then looked around, blinking.


    ¡°¡­Me, my lord?¡±


    ¡°John, you have a gift.¡±


    Narva grinned at John, who was looking mulish about going anywhere.


    ¡°You are a passable archer.¡±


    ***


    The day of Narva¡¯s historic first campaign.


    The force under Narva¡¯s command had grown to 1683 men.

 Chapter 89

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 89


    89. Come With Me


    Two great rivers flow through the Principality of Powys.


    One is the River Senni, which flows out to the west into the Barastad estuary, and has the advantage of being easily navigable due to its many tributaries which spread out like a spider¡¯s web. However, the disadvantage is that with so many narrow tributaries, it is somewhat unsuitable for fishing.


    Due to this, the real heartland of the Principality of Powys is the River Hedge.


    With its rich fishing, its broad, gentle flow and its moderately deep draught, there are many towns and villages along its length which have built jetties. It acts rather like an artery.


    Goods imported from the mainland come up the River Hedge after passing through Ileni Mouth, and are distributed from there. Naturally, since it is where the nation¡¯s trade is concentrated, it would be a serious problem if pirates were to establish a lair there.


    However, up to now, thanks to Terbear keeping the pagan hordes at bay along the coastline, its safety had been assured¡­but the time when thousands of pagans had invaded had been when Terbear had been away, helping the Principality of Penllwyd.


    The fact that there were many manors which were largely self-sufficient, not reliant on outside help, had meant that things had been okay so far. So far. But it was clear that if they failed to retake the River Hedge soon, it would have disastrous consequences.


    The goods imported from the mainland are not just luxuries such as silk and spices.


    From the early days of the islands, they included tools, armor, iron ingots, weapons, warhorses, improved seeds and books, regardless of the field. It would be better to retake it as soon as possible.


    The problem is that if you rush things, worried about the consequences, it could end up having terrible results. It would be madness to fight near the river where the enemy had the advantage, when we haven¡¯t even properly counted their numbers.


    Fortunately, the knights who had followed me also understood this, and acted calmly.


    That is, until they saw with their own eyes the settlements which had been subjected to invasion and pillage.


    ¡°Th, this is.¡±


    ¡°Ugh. uuurgh!¡±


    Even those who were usually quite strong-stomached were blinking hard. The weaker ones were retching and swaying in their saddles.


    Even I, who already knew from documents and eyewitness accounts how the sacrifices of the Aesir were carried out, felt the bile rising in my throat at the sour smell that hung in the air.


    The only person who seemed unaffected was John the Shaveling.


    Clad in chainmail, John gazed blankly at the scene of the sacrifice, blinked, then turned to me and said.


    ¡°My lord, may I be excused to vomit?¡±


    ¡°It does stink. Go some distance away and do it.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord.¡±


    John did as he was bidding.


    uuurgh¡­


    It was fortunate that it was some time since we had eaten breakfast. There were fewer people emptying their stomachs, so the ground was less covered in vomit.


    I would have liked to help the people in the ravaged village, but we lacked both the time and the manpower.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t a suitable place to camp.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    The knights beside me stared at me as if wondering if I was serious about camping here.


    I¡¯m a human being too, you know.


    I didn¡¯t think that the soldiers would be able to get a good night¡¯s sleep in such a gruesome place. I wanted to just leave it as it is, but I had to take a closer look to find traces of the enemy.


    ¡°We¡¯ll search the village later. Let¡¯s set up camp a little further away. Let¡¯s keep some distance from the river.¡±


    The enemy doesn¡¯t fight by the same rules as us. That¡¯s what our soldiers learned.


    And this tragedy brought about disgust, fear, loathing, and eventually, hatred and anger.


    A small hill a little distant from the first village.


    After setting up camp there, I went around the ruins of the burned village with a few knights, searching. Of course, not to find survivors, but to find traces of them.


    Charred objects under the pitch-black bricks and ashy rafters. There was one thing in common among the crops that had been trampled beyond the collapsed walls.


    The fact that there were no human bodies to be seen.


    Most of the traces were concentrated in the center of the village, or on an altar that seemed to have been set up temporarily for a special ceremony. It was completely different from the sacrifices that had been set up at the entrance of the village.


    Unlike the offerings at the entrance of the village, which our soldiers and knights had frowned upon as soon as they saw them, the offerings gathered on the altar gave off a more orderly feeling.


    The knights, who had been gritting their teeth at the unholy and cruel act, stated bluntly with faces distorted in disgust.


    ¡°It¡¯s like¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­a worship to a god. How blasphemous.¡±


    I inwardly agreed with the knights¡¯ murmurs.


    The sacrifices that had celebrated us at the entrance of the village had died in a manner that signified punishment among the human sacrifices offered to the gods of the other world.


    It was similar to the Blood Eagle, a form of execution known for its savagery, where the skin of the back was literally torn open and spread out like wings, merging with the skin of the back.


    The only notable features were that the skin of the back was intact, and the skin of the face had been completely peeled off.


    On the other hand, the offerings dedicated to the human altar in the center of the village and in front of the cemetery were different.


    A human altar made by stacking headless bodies on top of each other like Tetris. The heads of the sacrifices used to make the altar were placed on top of the bodies that had been mutilated by spears and swords.


    The problem was that the heads were neatly arranged in a row.


    I clicked my tongue, feeling the holy mark engraved on the back of my hand grow cold.


    ¡°Burn it.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes, sir, I misheard you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s too late to bury them.¡±


    It is said that the gods of the other world wanted to receive the most valuable treasures as offerings. I often felt a strange sense of incongruity in this part.


    Why would those who wanted the most valuable treasures gladly accept humans who were not favored by anyone? The holy mark gave me one strong clue.


    ¡°The power of the other world has been here for a long time.¡±


    I don¡¯t know if only humans can do it, or if all intelligent races can do it.


    What is clear is that the altar is similar to the remains of a saint who served Lux Stella. Just as the miracle of Lux Stella was contained in the remains of the saint, the power of the other world was contained in the altar made of humans .


    ¡°That¡¯s it!¡±


    ¡°Oh my God.¡±


    The knights seemed to have realized the meaning behind my words.


    The Church teaches that burial and funerals are rights that humans have enjoyed since the dawn of mankind. It was only natural that even the Church, which refused burial, would order them to be burned.


    It¡¯s practically the same as saying that there¡¯s no chance of salvation.


    At that moment, one of the knights, who seemed particularly devout, kissed his silver cross necklace and muttered.


    ¡°Drive the other world beyond the horizon. Until the starlight of mankind shines upon the whole world¡­¡±


    No one knows what happens to the dead.


    Even I, who have experienced reincarnation and possession several times, cannot be sure if the same thing will happen again.


    However, there is one thing I can say for sure.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    I must avoid anything that resembles the human altar before my eyes.


    ***


    We set fire to the burnt village once more.


    We couldn¡¯t collect the bodies, so we left the wicked totems that were exuding the power of the other world. We were all speechless as we watched the remaining traces disappear into the flames.


    Noticing the heavy silence, I took special measures.


    ¡°We cannot advance any further. We will rest here for three days. I will allow half a glass of wine. Report to me immediately if any of your subordinates become depressed or act strangely.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes, sir.¡±


    It¡¯s true that I despise knights, but I don¡¯t belittle their will.


    Even the knights, who have honed themselves through rigorous training and practice, have become noticeably quieter, so I can imagine how the ordinary soldiers must be feeling. If I force them to march in this state, they will only desert.


    The decision was made possible by the efforts of our Mind Reader, John.


    ¡°I don¡¯t feel anything special in this area?¡±


    ¡°Really? Do you not feel any gazes or anything?¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir. As a Mind Reader, I can feel gazes.¡±


    John¡¯s crisis detection ability is unmatched, so I can rest assured.


    After three days of rest, we finally regained our composure and moved again. Fortunately, we did not see any more horrific sights like the human altar we had witnessed in the first village.


    However, thanks to the creativity of the pagans, we were shocked to find bizarre scenes scattered around.


    The sight that greeted us in the second village was particularly gruesome.


    It was so horrific that the soldiers who went in to search the village could not help but curse.


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    ¡°Damn them! They¡¯re, they¡¯re beasts!¡±


    We were confronted with rotting corpses skewered on sticks.


    Even a blind man could tell that they were not the bodies of adults. Although it was difficult to recognize their original form because they had been torn apart by birds and animals, their skeletons remained, making it easy to guess.


    At this point, anger began to boil between the soldiers and the knights.


    The soldiers shed tears as they removed the skewers and lowered the bodies, while some scanned their surroundings with bloodshot eyes.


    ¡°Come out, you bastards! Let¡¯s see how good you are at fighting!!!¡±


    The knights, on the other hand, were able to maintain some semblance of reason after seeing the size of the village and the traces that had been left behind.


    Inside the tent where we gathered after clearing the second village.


    Underneath it, the knights and I faced each other and exchanged the facts we had noticed.


    ¡°There are no signs of resistance. They probably surrendered.¡±


    It would have been better if they had surrendered.


    The knight, realizing this, cast a shadow over his face and spoke in a slightly slurred voice.


    ¡°¡­They must have been so outnumbered that they were crushed before they could put up a proper fight.¡±


    I added some more flesh to this speculation.


    ¡°In the village we encountered as soon as we headed south, they were openly sacrificing people, but in the second village, we found nothing. Considering our route, the first place we encountered was probably the last place to be sacrificed.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    ¡°The last place to be looted was probably the one that surrendered. We didn¡¯t find any bodies of pagans or damaged weapons. It¡¯s not unusual, given that our reputation must have spread by now. But the fact that such audacious people suddenly disappeared from the vicinity is strange.¡±


    ¡°Your Highness, surely not.¡±


    To win a war, one must know when to abandon.


    ¡°Even if their leader, a wise man, retreats now, they have only known victory. The human sacrifice and brutality are most likely a ploy to provoke our army into pursuit. We must not chase, nor engage, and thus signal our fear. ¡°


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness¡­¡±


    ¡°Only then will they divide, or their leader will move first to save face. Of course, we shall not sit idle. Send out mounted scouts or trusted spies to the vicinity, and confirm that our defensive strongholds are operational. Gather their supplies and men, and concentrate our numbers.¡±


    Having witnessed the harsh reality several times, he could dismiss the knights¡¯ conjecture decisively.


    ¡°¡­we must lead them to think that.¡±

 Chapter 90

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 90


    90. Each One¡¯s Thoughts


    From Noble mtl dot com


    When I used to enjoy [Fantasy Monarch],


    One day, I teamed up with other users for a team battle, and immediately after our first round loss, the team leader singled me out in the chat, as is typical of an immersive game.


    [Dude, why did you pull out your troops back there?]


    [?]


    [No. You should¡¯ve held out even if it meant losing your entire army.]


    That¡¯s right. This was when I first started playing [Fantasy Monarch].


    Back then, I was full of sensitivity and immersed in the game, and I protested that the soldiers making up our army were all someone¡¯s father, child, and husband.


    A normal user would have snapped back with, ¡®Get a grip, idiot. It¡¯s just a game,¡¯ but like a true immersion-focused game, the reply I got back was medieval through and through.


    [Then why are you at war?]


    [What¡¯s wrong with trying to save people?]


    [Isn¡¯t it crazy to start a war without intending to kill a single person? Are you playing a war game to get a hundred kills? If so, go play a different game. What are you doing in a war game?]


    [¡­!!!]


    His words were an epiphany, and after reading a few military-related books, I realized he was right.


    It¡¯s true that pointless attrition should be minimized, but if you¡¯re so focused on reducing attrition that you fail to achieve your most important objective, then you¡¯ve lost. Victory in war is about achieving your objectives, not minimizing casualties.


    Protecting your soldiers is a virtue of a general, but if you love your soldiers so much that it clouds your judgment, you will become a defeated general. Sometimes, you have to send your soldiers to certain death in order to secure victory.


    Each of these phrases struck a chord with me.


    Although it was just an illusion created by a CPU and a graphics card gnawing at my body, it was quite a shock to me, immersed as I was in the role of a medieval lord.


    You can¡¯t go to war without killing people.


    It doesn¡¯t matter if they¡¯re your allies or your enemies.


    Once I realized this, user team battles started to look very different.


    [This bastard was supposed to support me, but where did he go?]


    [LOL I took out the enemy¡¯s main force instead.]


    It¡¯s said that all strategies and tactics basically boil down to the hammer and anvil approach.


    I distinguished myself by boosting the morale of our troops so that they would fight bravely to the end, while using my real forces to cut off the enemy reinforcements.


    Of course, the teammate who became the anvil had a different perspective.


    [Dammit, my troops got wiped out too.]


    [??? You have no troops? Okay, I¡¯ll come help.]


    It seemed that he had lost too many troops.


    I extended a helping hand to my struggling teammate, as any normal person would. I offered to take over the defense of the front lines while he replenished his forces.


    The result:


    [? What the heck? Why are you laying siege to my capital?]


    [You said you had no troops, so I¡¯m taking over for you for a bit. Surrender.]


    [F*ck, this crazy bastard, it¡¯s war, f*ck!]


    Unfortunately, a conflict arose with a team member who prioritized his safety over the greater good of the team¡¯s victory.


    Naturally, it ended with my overwhelming victory as I preserved my troops, but this incident caused a huge stir within our team. Teammates who were curious about what had happened chimed in one by one.


    [From what I heard, it¡¯s not right to lend the castle, right? How can you defend the castle if you send all your troops away?]


    [No, I¡¯m not saying I¡¯ll take it until the end of the game, but they¡¯re saying they¡¯ll take care of the defense, so why are they freaking out even after hiring mercenaries?]


    [All the enemy troops are away, so we should look for the right timing to advance, but we¡¯re fighting over this?]


    However, the multiplayer of [Fantasy Monarch] gathers pure evil.


    There was no way I could side with the users who were uselessly whining because our teammates had lost all their troops. My teammates thought that I, who had contributed to the war and had a solid foundation, was the right person to make the change, rather than an invalid who didn¡¯t know when they would recover from their losses.


    In the end, the user who had grown horns even badmouthed his teammates.


    [These f*cking bastards, they played a medieval game and even their minds have become twisted. Don¡¯t tell me they¡¯re some kind of feudal lord¡¯s sons?]


    [Please;;; think about the team¡¯s victory;;;]


    [F*ck you, you f*cking bastards]


    I fully understand the anger and betrayal he must have felt. But thanks to us, we were able to win.


    It was the result of one person becoming a grindstone, getting hit a little, no, a lot, and successfully cutting down all the enemies. The person who was forced to become a grindstone must have cursed like a sailor¡­


    At that time, when our skills were evenly matched, could we have won without one person sacrificing ourselves?


    When I asked this question, even the user who had been cursing at his teammates for being uncivilized quietly accepted reality. The user who had told me to play a war game like a war sent me a chat filled with mixed emotions.


    [I told you to play a war game, and you came back as a general.]


    [But we won, right?]


    [If we had lost that sh*t, would you have been a human being?]


    In the end, I remember the game ending relatively peacefully, considering its nature.


    I told them a little roundabout while talking about the funny game story, but the conclusion is this. War inevitably requires sacrifice. You have to be able to tolerate a few defeats for a greater victory, and you have to be able to turn a blind eye to a few deaths to achieve your ultimate goal.


    It was a decision that would save more people to step back and observe the situation without getting involved with the sacrificial lambs exposed to ruthless violence.


    This is when [game mindset] is more helpful than you think.


    With this background, there were three candidate locations that were finally selected after much deliberation.


    April 13, 1213.


    It was the result of gathering minimal information through contact with local fishermen and relentless scouting.


    I moved my finger over the map marked with crude symbols and simplified contour lines, pointing at them one by one.


    I looked straight into the faces of the knights as they subtly contorted.


    ¡°About half a day¡¯s journey upstream from the Heze River, there¡¯s Poreville to the east with a population of about 900. The residents have received help from a nearby manor and have formed a self-defense group, so they have some defense capabilities and have invasion, avoid but now that the surrounding villages have fallen, I think they¡¯ll soon be targeted.¡±


    ¡°If the pagans are after spreading fear¡­ Your Grace is right.¡±


    ¡°The local fishermen detained that Poreville is surrounded by a fairly high fence. If even Poreville isn¡¯t safe, rumors of that will spread and all the nearby villages will be clamoring to evacuate. However, the pagans tend to avoid sieges that take time .¡±


    Pirates do what they do to make a living.


    It¡¯s similar to how robbers hold guns, but quickly run away before the police arrive. You can win a fight, but why fight when there¡¯s an easier way out?


    From our pagan perspective, sieges were exactly like that. It would be boring as hell to waste time when you can¡¯t even have a good fight.


    The evidence of this was the monastery-based defensive strongholds that were set up all over the Duchy of Powys.


    ¡°Veronese, located about two days west of the Heze River, is proof of that. Our scouts have confirmed that there¡¯s no response, but there¡¯s definitely some activity. It was originally a monastery, so I assume that the serfs gathered there using the stone structures as a barricade.¡±


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    One of the knights looked at me with concern, but I couldn¡¯t ignore it.


    ¡°It¡¯s better to starve to death there together than to run away and fall into the enemy¡¯s hands. We¡¯ve already sent out a few detachments disguised as pagans to threaten Veronese. The serfs hiding in Veronese will think they¡¯re surrounded and will stay docile for a while.¡±


    ¡°Your Grace, that¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°Instead of running away in fear, they would help our victory by buying time with their shields.¡±


    What could serfs do against human butchers sailing up the river on boats?


    It was rather dishonorable and somewhat vile, yet a much better alternative than watching the starving serfs flounder. The knights seemed to be divided on this matter.


    ¡°How can a knight use the weak as shields!¡±


    ¡°Will they buy enough time if they run away? Hiding in the abbey might be better.¡±


    ¡°This is a headache¡­ Ugh¡­¡±


    Regardless, I pointed out our next destination with my finger.


    ¡°The last one is the middle of the Heze River. Coveville, located on a bend, is a cove surrounded by the river on three sides. About 500 people live there, and it would have been easy to defend against foreign invasion¡­ but the fishermen struggled that the soil around the village is deposited and the water is shallow, making it surprisingly easy for people to pass through.¡±


    ¡°Curious. Isn¡¯t that area already under the influence of the pagans? How have they survived?¡±


    ¡°Well, how have they survived?¡±


    The fact that a place that should have fallen long ago had survived was quite interesting. The knights were hopeful to hear that Coveville was alive, while some noticed something was amiss and quietly lowered their gaze.


    ¡°According to the local fishermen, they survived by accepting refugees and offering some to the pagans. The fishermen said that the people of Coveville must be avoided. They are strongly suspected of apostasy. The problem is the intention of the pagans who left Coveville alone .¡±


    The people of Coveville survived by offering some of their own to survive.


    But even that must have reached its limit. What mattered most was the intention of the pagans. Why did they spare Coveville when the villages upstream of the Heze River had surrendered and offered human sacrifices?


    It was easy to guess.


    ¡°I think the pagans deliberately left Coveville alone to make it easier to harvest humans. I don¡¯t know when that will happen.¡±


    I don¡¯t know which of the three places will be attacked.


    But if one of the three had to be attacked, I would willingly choose Coveville.


    ¡°We can decide when that happens.¡±


    They¡¯ll all be questioned for apostasy or heresy anyway, so why do it twice?


    I had to leave them with a decent excuse so that I could pass them off as serfs¡­ no, workers. Survivors who had been sacrificed to the pagans and survived.


    That should be enough for them to be exempted from heresy questioning, right?


    ***


    For warriors who served the old gods, peace was a bittersweet existence.


    It was a time to hone themselves and feel the grace of the old gods, but it was also a time when there was no battle to prove themselves.


    ¡°Hwaaam~.¡±


    Some of the young warriors yawned as they set up rawhide tents on the charred ruins.


    ¡°What the hell. Are there no more bastards to throw?¡±


    ¡°We came here a month ago, but where are all the damn bastards? It¡¯s starting to get boring.¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­ Why are these guys so weak?¡±


    The atmosphere was dull as they sharpened their axes, even the corpses they threw at the spears were starting to rot.


    In such an atmosphere, it was only natural for a young, ambitious, and bloodthirsty young man to express his dissatisfaction. He began to challenge the chieftain, Urpsson, who was praying respectfully before the altar.


    ¡°Chieftain. I have always respected your wisdom, but this time is different.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Even a great warrior who has received the power of the stars from beyond is just a bastard. Look. They¡¯re not even running out in fear, they¡¯re just hiding like mice.¡±


    Urpsson understood that this was a challenge to his authority and an expression of dissatisfaction.


    The authority of a chieftain is based solely on the support of the tribe. Now, Urpsson¡¯s tribe was thirsting for blood. A reality that conflicted with the orders he had received from the high chieftain.


    ¡®¡­But if I prioritize only the high chieftain¡¯s orders, I will lose my power.¡¯


    Urpsson realized the limits that had been placed on him.


    And perhaps there was also a hint of contempt for the bastards. He slowly nodded at the young warriors¡¯ protest.


    ¡°You mustn¡¯t go far. Go to the pasture we prepared in advance.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Why, patriarch?¡±


    ¡°Warriors who want to avenge the gods are eager to fight, but we can¡¯t put a leash on them. I will allow you to form a raiding party. Take with you devout warriors who wish to offer sacrifices.¡±


    ¡°Kukuku¡­ As expected of the patriarch.¡±


    The young warriors finally backed away, satisfied.


    Watching them leave, Urpsson thought about the rumors about the great warrior.


    ¡°Were they just rumors?¡±


    Perhaps this raid would be the trigger for him to start acting again.


    Urpsson was also feeling restless.

 Chapter 91

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 91


    91. Pasture Tourism


    Inside the tent, left alone.


    As I write a letter by the dim candlelight, holding a quill, I suddenly recall what happened during my first playthrough. I guess it¡¯s because the situations are similar. It¡¯s less severe this time, though¡­ Back then, the knights and I fought without rest.


    [Your Majesty, how can you do such a cruel thing!]


    The knights could not defeat the enemy, but they kept their faith. I remember their oath, which they kept repeating without rest. I could recall every word they said without making a single mistake.


    The Knight¡¯s Oath.


    Believe in the reason I fight. The moment I lose faith, I will become nothing more than a murderer.


    Perhaps this oath was the trap that ensnared them.


    [You won¡¯t send reinforcements and you won¡¯t even allow them to retreat?!]


    We, who had experienced different times, different worlds, and unfamiliar things, couldn¡¯t help but clash.


    I tried to persuade the knights with strategic advantages, and the knights tried to persuade me with purpose and ideals. When the conflict exploded, the passionate and righteous knight glared at me and responded.


    [Furthermore, you deceived them!!!]


    [Deceive?]


    My voice in response was cold and ruthless.


    [The reinforcements will arrive.]


    [After they are all dead!]


    [When the enemies are confident in their victory and have dispersed.]


    [Your Majesty! You are the king. You must protect the people, inheriting the will of the ancestral gods!]


    Looking back, I don¡¯t think I moved a single facial muscle.


    Those who said that they must keep their faith even in defeat did not agree with me at all.


    [No, a king must win. I realized this by looking at your pathetic soldiers.]


    [Your Majesty¡­ To the end!]


    [You showed me that no matter how noble your intentions are, they are useless if you cannot win. Are you not afraid of being hated and pointed at?]


    Let me give you a cruel but reasonable example that often appears in [Fantasy Monarch].


    Suppose a foreign child is born and is in danger of inheriting the throne of the country. Of course, the locals do not want a foreign king, and the foreign country plans to use this as an excuse to take the throne.


    At this point, where their interests conflict, war is inevitable. The blacksmiths start forging weapons instead of farming tools, and the serfs tremble at the dark clouds of war.


    At such a time, someone comes up with a cruel but reasonable proposal.


    He suggests that they kill the newborn child to prevent him from inheriting the throne, and that they form an alliance with other foreign lords who fear the strength of the foreign country to prevent war. Now they are presented with two choices.


    Should they stand by and watch as a foreign power invades, condemning the serfs to death, because they don¡¯t want to kill the child? Or should they cruelly kill the innocent newborn child to prevent war?


    From Noble mtl dot com


    Here, the majority of [Fantasy Monarch] users would choose the latter.


    After all, they are the kind of people who would even use their own cybernetic children as pawns to seize the throne and then abandon them.


    I prefer a more humane and sophisticated method. After abduction, I save the child¡¯s life through castration, eliminate the very inheritance that is the cause of the dispute, and prevent war.


    However, even a great data human rights activist like me, who saves both the child and prevents war, had some controversy in the process.


    Nevertheless, it was something that had to be done as it was the way to save the innocent child and to wish that there would be no serfs driven to war. Although there were some who criticized it as inhumane and said that they would rather kill than cut off their tails.


    The important thing here was arrogance and determination.


    [I will become one who does what needs to be done.]


    There is nothing more precious than life in the world. It was because of this belief that I cut off the tail instead of the head of the innocent with tears in my eyes.


    The same goes for war.


    You have to know how to make necessary sacrifices while reducing sacrifices. Saving everyone is the realm of God, not something humans can do.


    And I was human, and the king of such humans-.


    ¡°It¡¯s all written.¡±


    As I soaked in my thoughts and scribbled, quite a long letter was completed.


    I put down the feather pen and shook the small bell on the table. As I waited for a moment, a soldier dressed in gambeson came into the tent with a twitch at the corner of his mouth.


    Strange. Looking at the ruins I¡¯m facing now, I can¡¯t help but smile¡­?


    I thought this kid was crazy, so I decided to ask him gently.


    ¡°Is there anything good?¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°I can see you trying to hold back your laughter.¡±


    ¡°¡­Didn¡¯t Your Majesty call someone as a servant and tell them to come find you with a smile?¡±


    ¡°? Who said that?¡±


    As expected, the medieval people who lived with death have very different emotions from me.


    Common sense tells me who would make a laughing bell in front of the enemy. Even if you¡¯re nervous, you¡¯re trying to spread a big smile¡­ I couldn¡¯t help but click my tongue.


    This won¡¯t do. I needed a sharp rebuke.


    ¡°This is a serious time. Don¡¯t try to laugh recklessly and have more weight.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°And call a messenger who can walk or ride fast.¡±


    ¡°A horse at this hour¡­?¡±


    Judging by the question, there was a lot of lung capacity, but I couldn¡¯t expect too much from those who weren¡¯t professional soldiers. Rather, it was a good response considering what I ultimately wanted.


    I nodded slowly and answered the soldier¡¯s question.


    ¡°We will soon head to Coveville. It is a letter that will give hope to the people of Coveville until then. If you endure bravely until we arrive, I will forgive you for your past crimes.¡±


    Hope.


    I knew how to use this cruel word.


    *** sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    April 17, 1213, when the cold was gone and wildflowers were blooming everywhere.


    A butterfly that was fluttering over the wildflowers swayed by the breeze suddenly fluttered its wings violently and disappeared. The brown rabbits that were sniffing around the butterfly also pricked up their ears and threw their bodies over the lush bushes.


    After a while, a man with a clean-shaven chin and a thin shirt appeared in the place where they had disappeared.


    The man was walking lightly on his feet, avoiding the trampled grass. With sharp blue eyes twinkling as if a strong wind was blowing. How long did he walk like that?


    The clean-shaven man frowned and crouched down at the sight of the terribly trampled grass.


    ¡°These footprints are¡­¡±


    It doesn¡¯t belong to any living thing in the forest. No matter how much I searched my head, there were only similar footprints, not the same ones. The man was confused for a moment before facing the footprints he had encountered for the first time in his life, and then his eyes widened.


    ¡®A hornless reindeer ridden by landers.¡¯


    The man hastily lifted his head and soon realized where the footprints were headed.


    A fiercely meandering river, and a small village that was granted a brief respite by being nestled in its heart.


    These arch-shaped footprints were clearly headed for the pasture.


    The man soon recalled that there was an army marching south along this bountiful river. The circumstantial evidence combined with the evidence found on the scene allowed only one conclusion.


    ¡®They¡¯re moving!¡¯


    The man, having acquired important information, could no longer remain in the same place.


    He hurriedly escaped into the forest, and soon found his colleagues staying at a small campsite. His colleagues happened to be spreading out the supplies they had just looted on a shield and chattering away.


    ¡°Oh. I was just about to call you.¡±


    ¡°We brought some liquor for Gor, our friend, from the groundlings. Come, come, sit here. Even if it¡¯s muddy, it¡¯s still liquor, so it shouldn¡¯t be bad to drink, right?¡±


    However, Gor spoke while putting on the armor and helmet he had set up under the tree.


    ¡°Wrap up the drinking party.¡±


    ¡°Hey, even if you drink during your work hours, it¡¯s not like we¡¯ll duel¡­¡±


    ¡°The groundlings have moved.¡±


    Only then did the expressions of his colleagues change.


    The colleagues who had been acting friendly until just now raised their shields while pushing away all the loot they had spread out.


    ¡°How many?¡±


    ¡°One. Riding a reindeer without antlers.¡±


    ¡°We must return to the main force.¡±


    Even though they were somewhat relaxed, they were scouts who were nominally responsible for surveillance.


    They believed Gor¡¯s words without a doubt, and they also knew that a reindeer without antlers could not be easily chased on foot. Above all, it was highly likely that the surveillance would lose its meaning if the groundlings found out that their pasture had been watched .


    In an instant, the traces of the campfire were covered with dirt and branches, and human traces were erased with the urine of a beast that had been stored in a leather container in advance. They even buried the loot they had managed to obtain in the ground without any regrets.


    However, there was only one thing they could not easily hide: the eyes that gleamed with the desire for battle.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re finally moving.¡±


    Warriors who served the old gods. The scouts they had prepared in advance returned to the main force without hesitation.


    The place they returned to was a forest clearing about half a day¡¯s walk southwest of Corbil, which was located in the middle of the river. There were already numerous tents set up in the clearing, and even ships were turned upside down, revealing their keels .


    The warriors came and went without rest, exchanging insults and engaging in fistfights, or sitting in a shady corner sharpening their axes or swords with whetstones.


    In the center of them was a man with his arms crossed, showing off his solid muscles and shouting orders.


    Hart, the leader who had persuaded Chief Urphson and led the warriors.


    He shook his braided sideburns to the left and admonished the warriors.


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t pull each other¡¯s beards like groundlings. Fight only with your fists! Even women with swords fight more honorably than that!¡±


    ¡°Chief warrior.¡±


    Gor approached him without hesitation and called out his title. Hart, who turned his head at the familiar voice, was soon started.


    ¡°Huh? Isn¡¯t that Gor and his friends? Why are you back already?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s about the groundlings.¡±


    ¡°¡­Follow me to my tent.¡±


    Hart instantly erased his playfulness and returned to the sharp expression of a warrior. And inside Hart¡¯s tent, Gor conveyed everything he had seen and deduced.


    After a while, Hart stroked his chin and frowned as he listened to all this.


    ¡°The starlight of the outer world. That great warrior intends to accept those who escaped and increase his numbers. The chief was worried about that.¡±


    ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°Hm. An opportunity for us to relieve the patriarch of his troubles.¡±


    Just some serfs, after all.


    Hart promptly puffed out his chest and bared his teeth.


    ¡°Instead of letting that great warrior rile up the ranch hands and have them talk back, we¡¯ll cut him down first.¡±


    ¡°Captain, he is a great warrior, in name. Shouldn¡¯t we be wary?¡±


    ¡°Hm.¡±


    Gor¡¯s worried tone only served to fuel Hart¡¯s bravado and disdain.


    Hart simply chuckled as he toyed with the ax haft hanging from his waist.


    ¡°Have you seen what they think of the gods?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡±


    ¡°A people who would discard even a god who dotes on them if it meant staying alive. Selfish creatures who resent the gods for their flimsy faith while only wishing to receive. That¡¯s what serfs are.¡±


    The serfs Hart had encountered were all the same.


    They discarded the gods they had invited to sustain their lives like old shoes. Just as they had turned their backs on the old gods in the past. The warriors had never trusted that weak faith and shallow belief.


    ¡°No one would trust the promises or oaths of those who treat even the gods¡¯ names as nothing. Even if he¡¯s a great warrior, he¡¯s nothing compared to our great warriors. Shouldn¡¯t he be thanking us instead?¡±


    Hart was one such warrior.


    ¡°We¡¯re doing him a favor by relieving him of those apostate traitors who¡¯ve turned their backs on the gods.¡±

 Chapter 92

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 92


    92. Sorry, I Can¡¯t Do That Either


    Coveville, a small town that had sustained its livelihood through fishing and the surrounding forests.


    Just a few months ago, they had felt no particular hardship, but now things were different. The people watched the flowing river with anxious eyes, shivering in fear of what might be in the forest beyond the palisades.


    The town that had once been filled with the rumbling of wagon wheels now only echoed with the moans of the sick and the gnashing of teeth over the dwindling supplies.


    It was a time when shallow breaths grew heavy with the cool, damp wind and slowly faded away.


    How many times had the refugees who had fled from various places screamed and struggled to survive another day, only to disappear into the night, leaving behind scraps of torn cloth under the moonlight?


    The turning point came when everyone was sitting by the roadside, silently tapping empty bowls with spoons, their faces expressionless. The town, which had been slowly dying with even the option of escape cut off, saw a glimmer of hope.


    Under the straw roof of the rain-soaked watchtower, a man named Salt-pickled Ben saw a faint shadow appear before him as he groaned off.


    Ben rubbed his eyes, thinking he had seen something wrong, but he couldn¡¯t help but tilt his head.


    ¡°Is that a person?¡±


    Ben was an experienced guard in his own right.


    Over the past few months, he had seen refugees slip through the encirclement under the cover of night or fog and arrive in Coveville. As a result, he was confident that he could easily distinguish a few human figures even in the fog, but now he was faced with an unfamiliar form.


    ¡®Am seeing a ghost¡­¡¯


    He couldn¡¯t open the gate for a figure he couldn¡¯t tell if it was human or not. Ben stared at the shadowy figure in the darkness, his mouth shut tight.


    At that moment, the sound of something being pulled taut reached his ears.


    ¡°Ack!¡±


    Twang-.


    Something cut through the air. It was only thanks to instinct that Ben ducked down in one breath.


    He felt dizzy for a moment from the sudden movement, but when Ben carefully opened his eyelids, he saw an arrow trembling as it was embedded in the watchtower.


    ¡®An attack?!¡¯


    It was a well-known fact that the pagans who roamed near the Heze River occasionally tasted blood.


    Ben¡¯s face turned pale and he hurriedly approached the ladder. That is, until a question arose in his mind.


    ¡°Wait.¡±


    When Ben turned around and looked at the arrow stuck in the watchtower, a bright smile spread across his face, which had been stained with all sorts of worries.


    An arrow had a neatly folded letter tied to it, bearing a wax seal that the pagans would never use, even for decoration.


    Soon, an unusually joyful shout echoed through Cobbleville.


    ¡°Village Chief!!! It has arrived!!!¡±


    Ben ran down the dark alleyways in the pre-dawn hours, shouting at the top of his lungs, his voice so loud that it forced exhausted people to stir with annoyed expressions.


    Refugees huddled against the walls of houses, squinting their bleary eyes open, some rolling their bloodshot pupils to grasp the situation.


    The village chief, whom Ben had been frantically searching for, was a good example.


    The chief, who had run out of his house in his nightclothes, was panting.


    ¡°It has arrived? Is it an attack!?¡±


    ¡°A letter, a letter!¡±


    ¡°Oh no¡­ Are they demanding tribute again¡­!¡±


    As the chief sighs, clutching his gray hair.


    Ben burst into laughter, holding out the arrow he had in his hand in front of him.


    ¡°It¡¯s a letter from a noble, not the pagans!!!¡±


    On that day, the village chief of Cobbleville gathered all the influential figures in the village.


    Of course, the chief himself, as well as the blacksmith, the experienced fisherman, the forester, and even the representatives of the refugees. Everyone was called despite the interruption of their precious sleep, so the meeting proceeded quite plainly due to their alertness.


    However, as the chief read the letter, his hand clutching the letter began to shake a little harder.


    ¡°¡­Therefore, in consideration of the hardship you have suffered, we will not pursue charges of heresy and apostasy. Currently, an army of 2,000, assembled by the order of His Majesty the High King and the mission of the Church, is on its way to defeat the pagans¡­¡±


    Of course, there were those who blinked their eyes in confusion at the words they had never heard before.


    ¡°What does ¡®consideration¡¯ mean?¡±


    ¡°I guess they¡¯re gonna spare us.¡±


    ¡°Oh my.¡± sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°¡­According to the information we obtained along the way, the pagans are finally heading towards Cobbleville. We are telling you the truth, who may be considering surrender. We have all admired the tragedy that befell the villages that surrendered on our way down. ¡±


    Gulp.


    The sound of someone swallowing filled the shabby roof. People unknowingly turned their gaze to the representative of the refugees, who nodded slightly with a heavy look in his eyes.


    ¡°We are marching hard for your salvation, but we fear that we may not make it in time. Nevertheless, our army is heading towards you, ignoring their parched thirst and blistered feet.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    ¡°We ask that you, who have endured these difficult times, find just a little more courage¡­¡±


    The chief recitated the name of the sender of the letter in a trembling voice.


    From Noble mtl dot com


    From Narva Orn Stregos Glerio Fowis, Bishop-Provost of Fowis.


    ¡°Bishop-Provost? Isn¡¯t that the one who was recently inaugurated?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard of him! He¡¯s the youngest son of His Majesty the High King! A stigmatic who is favored by His Holiness the Pope!¡±


    There was no one in the Duchy of Fowis who did not know the name Narva.


    He was famous for his travels in his youth, and since his inauguration as Bishop-Provost, he has been famous for his unconventional and radical actions. However, the reason he was noticed by the people was because Narva was a candidate for sainthood recognized by the Papacy.


    Although he lacked political background or experience, everyone knew that Narva¡¯s name was by no means light.


    Some even knelt down on the spot, clasping their hands together and shedding tears of joy.


    ¡°How generous¡­ To forgive us, who offered tribute to the pagans to live¡­¡±


    Of course, the representative of the refugees, who had already experienced all sorts of hardships, showed a cynical reaction.


    ¡°Come to your senses. Do you think they¡¯ll be that quick when they only started moving after several months? The letter doesn¡¯t even a specific date. If you just mention believe that letter, you¡¯ll end up getting caught by the angry pagans.¡±


    ¡°Then should we offer tribute to the pagans like we¡¯ve been doing?¡±


    ¡°If you want to live.¡±


    The influential figures gathered in one place showed contrasting attitudes.


    One side insisted that they should use the opportunity to repent and buy time to confront the pagans with a hardline stance, while the opposing side pointed out their lukewarm response so far and argued that they should refrain from reckless actions.


    However, as time passed, the hope and expectation for the salvation that was finally approaching gained strength.


    ¡°Are we going to make a forced march or just surrender!? This might be our last chance to clear the heresy charges of collaborating with the pagans!¡±


    ¡°Even if we survive, we will either live as slaves under the pagans or be branded as heretics by the church and persecuted for the rest of our lives. We should follow the bishop¡¯s will. Or is there any other alternative?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡±


    Even if they survived, there was no future in this dilemma.


    Faced with this painful point, even the refugee representative, who had been desperately arguing against it, could not come up with a single feeble excuse. Noticing this, the village chief finally put down the letter and parted his dry lips.


    ¡°Let us prepare for resistance.¡±


    ¡°Chief!¡±


    ¡°We can no longer afford to capture and sacrifice people. You who have escaped know better than us how the pagans treat us. Now¡­ I am tired.¡±


    The chief¡¯s last words carried a heavy weight.


    The refugee representative was the first to lower his head, and the others followed suit, averting their gazes or letting out heavy sighs. The chief looked around at them once more and finalized the decision.


    ¡°We will refuse the next tribute demand.¡±


    ***


    April 24, 1213.


    Hart, who was preparing for the expedition in a clearing in the forest, raised the severed head and lifted the corners of his mouth. Salt-pickled Ben, the man who had acted more bravely than anyone else with the hope that salvation would soon arrive .


    He had stepped forward to represent the village¡¯s position, and the price he paid was dire.


    Hart grabbed Salt-pickled Ben¡¯s hair and lifted it up, wetting his ax with the drops of blood dripping from the cut surface. Soon, the blade of the ax turned crimson as if it had rusted, and Hart smiled with satisfaction.


    ¡°Even in the pasture, there was one guy with real guts.¡±


    Gohr, on the other hand, stared into Salt-pickled Ben¡¯s dead eyes with a serious expression as he selected the scouts.


    ¡°Perhaps, as we feared, they have made contact with the great warrior from the stars of the alien world.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°They are not the kind of people who would suddenly become so resolute as to refuse tribute in this way.¡±


    ¡°Gohr, you think too little of the human bloodline.¡±


    Hart replied, tucking the ax into his belt, thinking it was sufficiently wet. He still held onto Salt-pickled Ben¡¯s hair.


    ¡°The land-dwellers were once our compatriots. They are of our bloodline, who knew how to serve God, so what¡¯s so strange about them suddenly becoming brave?¡±


    ¡°General¡­¡±


    ¡°What, I¡¯m just talking.¡±


    Hart bared his teeth with a hiss, wetting his hand with the blood dripping from Salt-pickled Ben¡¯s neck.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I met a decent person, so I¡¯m talking nonsense.¡±


    With those words, Hart handed Salt-pickled Ben¡¯s head to Gohr.


    ¡°Gather the warriors. We will do as the chief said.¡±


    ¡°What did he say?¡±


    ¡°When the rock is hard, the water will just bend. We don¡¯t need to waste time dealing with their schemes.¡±


    General Hart was a rare case who possessed both the ardor of youth and respect for the older generation.


    He was also one of the few warriors who had overcome the weakness of relying solely on individual valor.


    ¡°Let¡¯s land in one breath and crush them. Gohr, I will give you 100 warriors. Have them march into the forest and make them guard the land.¡±


    This was why the scout Gohr held Hart in high esteem.


    Gohr silently nodded, turning his cloak over.


    ¡°Gods, bless your warrior for his righteous cause.¡±


    ¡°Gods, reward the faithful.¡±


    With that, the warriors¡¯ camp began to pack up rapidly.


    The warriors were split into two groups, one carrying the overturned boats towards the river and one disappearing into the forest. The former was led by Hart, the war chief, and the latter by Gorr, the scout.


    Gorr watched the backs of the warriors carrying the boats for a moment, his jaw set, before he turned and began walking with a brisk pace.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go. For the favor of the gods!¡±


    His men and companions shrugged and rolled their eyes.


    ¡°Heh, Gorr. So eager.¡±


    ¡°Sometimes, Gorr needs to feel important.¡±


    None of them doubted their victory as they strode through the forest.


    The warriors were strong and the groundlings pathetically weak. Even Gorr, normally a cautious soul, ignored omens he would normally have taken note of, so caught up was he in the excitement of leading his own warband for the first time, a trust given to him by the war chief.


    They still had time before the enemy arrived. They would deal with it then, win easily with the gods¡¯ favor¡­


    As this thought ran through their minds, the forest path towards Coville grew silent, save for the occasional muttered jokes and nudges from Gorr¡¯s men.


    Crack.


    The sound of gravel being stepped on made them glance around absently.


    ¡°Hah. Even the beasts run from us.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re on campaign, In¡¯seok. You can hunt later.¡±


    Clank.


    The sound of metal on metal brought memories of a recent battle.


    ¡°Nice sound, that chainmail. Where¡¯d you get it?¡±


    ¡°Heh heh, envious? I just bashed in some groundling warrior¡¯s skull and took it off him.¡±


    ¡°Hmph. I¡¯ll just aim for the skull next time.¡±


    ¡°With your skills?¡±


    Swish.


    The sound of a blade sliding into its scabbard was met with an appreciative whistle.


    ¡°Groundling warriors fought with these? And they lost?¡±


    ¡°Man¡­the balance, the craftsmanship¡­it¡¯s a fine blade, a fine blade.¡±


    ¡°He he, don¡¯t get too attached. You¡¯ll have plenty more when we defeat the groundlings.¡±


    But Gorr, his eyes narrowed, was staring into the sun-dappled forest.


    One of the warriors noticed his gaze and nudged the chattering group, his face serious.


    ¡°Uh-oh, Gorr¡¯s angry. Shut up.¡±


    ¡°Shhh¡­¡±


    At that moment, Gorr spoke.


    ¡°We¡¯re surrounded.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    A breeze blew through the trees then.


    The leaves of the armdri trees rustled in the wind, and a thin ray of sunlight peeked through the canopy. The warriors squinted for a moment, dazzled.


    When the leaves settled, a faint sound reached their ears.


    ¡°Grrr¡­¡±


    ¡°Heber?¡±


    Thud.


    One of the warriors clutched his throat and collapsed onto the dirt.


    At the same time, a human figure began to emerge from the dense forest, where even sunlight could not penetrate.


    ¡°Tsk.¡±


    Annoyance flickered in his obsidian-like, jet-black eyes.


    A sigh escaped his youthful face.


    ¡°I¡¯m in no position to tell the archers to aim for the eyes.¡±


    The figure, draped in a black cloak over a unique style of lamellar and chain armor, drew a dagger from his belt.

 Chapter 93

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 93


    93. Together with Comrades, We Will Not Fall


    As the sharp sound of metal slicing through the air rang out, the warrior who had seen his comrade fall clutching his throat inspired, S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Ambush!¡±


    With that, the warriors instinctively huddled together, raising their shields in unison. It did not matter whose command it was. They simply obeyed the words of their comrade, and thanks to that, they were able to remain safe from the ambush that followed.


    Soon, the sound of arrowheads striking shields could be heard in rapid succession.


    At the very front of the warriors, a strange standoff was taking place. The scout Gorr, his leather cloak pulled over his hood, and his companions remained motionless, wary of the man blocking their path.


    ¡°He looks like an earthling¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen that outfit before.¡±


    Gorr¡¯s companions glanced at him, their eyes darting, but all they received in return was silence. Instead, Gorr slowly drew the ax hanging from his belt, his teeth bared in a fierce grin.


    ¡°The sound of shields being struck.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°The sound of arrows hitting the shields isn¡¯t that loud. An ambush aimed at the middle wouldn¡¯t have so few arrows.¡±


    For a scout, what mattered most were eyes that could see far and ears that could catch every little detail.


    In addition, there was another sense that was absolutely necessary for survival in the harsh wilderness: a sense of danger. One had to be able to sense the presence of a predator lurking nearby, its hungry stomach driving it to hunt for prey, in order to avoid danger.


    That sense was now screaming at him.


    The moment he turned and ran from the dark-cloaked man before him, he would die.


    Gorr narrowed his eyes, unable to bring himself to either charge forward or retreat with his back turned.


    ¡°We¡¯re the ones who need help.¡±


    Only after hearing those words did the warriors look down at their fallen comrade.


    Heber. A warrior whose skills with an ax rivaled even those of the warlord Hart, despite his tendency to get drunk and rowdy during scouting missions, even bringing back loot to throw drinking parties.


    The man who had always boasted that he would never die on anything less than a glorious battlefield now lay dead, his throat pierced by a mere dagger, staining the undergrowth with his blood.


    ¡°Damn it, that son of a b*tch Heber. He never intended to return the slave he borrowed.¡±


    ¡°Gorr, give us orders. We¡¯ll follow.¡±


    When facing a predator, the one who shows their back is the one who gets eaten.


    Sometimes, one must offer an arm to save one¡¯s neck. Gorr raised his empty hand and slowly took a step forward.


    ¡°There are more in the forest. Don¡¯t charge in recklessly, there¡¯s more than one.¡±


    ¡°More than one¡­?¡±


    Tap-tap-tap.


    The sound of small pebbles being crushed underfoot began to grow louder. It was then that the man in the black cloak, who had remained silent until now, smiling.


    At that moment, the black cloak billowed out.


    ¡°¡­!!!¡±


    Before he knew it, Gorr, who had been grinding his hips, was sweating without realizing it. If the colleague standing next to him hadn¡¯t pushed him just before the dagger flew, he would have been hit without fail.


    But the price was certain and terrible.


    The dagger lost its power and fell to the ground, but it also took a life with it.


    ¡°Ugh, gasp, wheeze.¡±


    The warrior who had pushed Gorr aside had a gap above his windpipe. He floundered, feeling his prayers drowning in the blood that was gushing out from the gap. It didn¡¯t matter if he knew it was pointless or not.


    The warrior gasped and died without knowing that the dagger that had been thrown had cut his windpipe.


    And toward the place where the warrior had coughed up blood instead of breath, the man in the black shoulder mantle,


    Bishop Hou Narva began to step forward with a mysterious expression.


    ¡°Oops. It doesn¡¯t fit well.¡±


    As he pulled out the sword that was stuck in his waist.


    As Narva began to advance, the soldiers who had been hiding their bodies in the shade of the forest followed him. Of course, they were thoroughly covering their bodies with shields.


    Naturally, the warriors who had already lost two of their comrades to the dagger did not remain still.


    ¡°You bastard, you¡¯ve seen quite a lot for a groundling.¡±


    ¡°Show them what a real warrior is.¡±


    Rather than anger over the unexpected loss of their comrades, their emotions were pure triumph.


    The warriors chose to willingly clash, turning their sword hilts or gripping their ax handles even tighter. Only one person, Gorr, hesitated as he got up unsteadily.


    In the meantime, the clash between Narva and the soldiers, and the warriors, was just around the corner.


    They didn¡¯t rush at each other bravely, but slowly closed the distance, holding up their shields and weapons. Eventually, the moment Narva gripped the sword hilt with both hands-.


    Gorr opened his eyes wide and expressed urgently.


    From Noble mtl dot com


    ¡°No, everyone, hurry¡­!¡±


    However, Gorr¡¯s shout was buried in a louder shout.


    ¡°For the lottery of the gods!!!¡±


    ¡°Take back our world!¡±


    The warriors rushed in all at once with a sonorous cheer that boosted their morale.


    The warriors believed in their bodies and martial arts, which they had honed in order to live on the barren land, and they were sure that it would be the same this time. Even those who didn¡¯t know the life of a warrior could tell right away.


    There was that much confidence in the warriors¡¯ actions of gripping their swords and raising their axes.


    -Until the sound of the chain breaking rang out ferociously.


    Clang, clang, clang, clang!


    The broken chain links flew everywhere, bouncing off tree stumps and the dirt ground and rolling around. No one realized that there were tiny drops of blood on the chain links.


    Life flowed out much faster than the blood flowed out.


    And the moment Narva swung his sword and regained his posture, the three warriors who had rushed in first fell flat in front of Narva first.


    Silence fell.


    The warriors, who had been rushing in bravely just a moment ago, stopped dead in their tracks. Even the soldiers who had been following Narva half in doubt and half in admiration were looking at his back with looks of astonishment.


    Narva himself was tilting his head with an unsatisfactory expression.


    ¡°That¡¯s strange.¡±


    His appearance was as if,


    ¡°You guys. Why are you so weak?¡±


    He seemed bewildered by the unexpected outcome.


    ***


    Gorr, who had sensed Narva¡¯s martial arts, inspired without hesitation.


    ¡°Disperse!!!¡±


    ¡°What, what?¡±


    ¡°Spread out and fight! This guy is different from the warriors we¡¯ve faced so far!¡±


    The hot-blooded warriors may have simply assessed that his dragon power was superior, but those who had accumulated knowledge through numerous training sessions thought differently.


    Scout Gorr, although not as skilled as Chieftain Hartmann, had devoted himself to training in his own way. Gorr clenched his lower lip, cold sweat trickling down the nape of his neck, hidden by his cloak.


    ¡®He¡¯s grasped the fact that we¡¯re at a disadvantage in close-quarters group combat¡­!¡¯


    The weapon most commonly used by warriors, the ax, has the advantage of being easy to use in everyday life and has excellent destructive power.


    However, just because it is useful in many ways does not mean that it is versatile. In order to deliver sufficient killing power with an ax, it must be swung. The ax was fundamentally a slashing weapon, and because of this, even if a short-handled hand ax was used, a certain amount of space was required.


    Because of this, experienced warriors prefer swords over axes.


    In group battles where shield walls collide or in close quarters, the utility of a sword that can stab or cut is far superior. Of course, not everyone could afford an expensive sword.


    Thus, the warriors¡¯ tactics specialized in inducing chaos. They would ambush or raid, such as a surprise attack, before the enemy could form ranks, and refuse to engage in group combat from the start.


    Even if there was an outstanding warrior among the foot soldiers, once their formation was broken, they could be easily captured by restraining them with spears.


    Even now, they would have used spears to block the approach of the skilled swordsmen, but-.


    ¨C This place is in the middle of a dense forest.


    There are tree branches and thick trees everywhere, making it difficult to use long spears.


    The intention to maintain secrecy during the advance had been discovered and was being used against them.


    As expected.


    Nalba smiled faintly as he watched the warriors begin to scatter in a panic following Gorr¡¯s cry. Nalba then gestured towards his soldiers and echoed with all his might.


    ¡°Advance!¡±


    Considering Nalba¡¯s martial prowess, he would have killed more if he had charged in alone.


    However, instead of revealing his full strength, Nalba chose to lead his soldiers. He advanced one step at a time, keeping pace with the soldiers who were hiding behind their shields in fear.


    Seeing this, the warriors were able to shake off the hesitation that had settled in their hearts.


    ¡°He¡¯s just one warrior! Just kill the warrior!¡±


    ¡°No, retreat and buy time! Retreat until our isolated comrades realize the situation and join us!¡±


    Gorr anxiously, noticing the boiling enthusiasm of his comrades, but unfortunately, rational judgment was sometimes seen as cowardice.


    ¡°How can we retreat when faced with such an opponent!¡±


    ¡°hahahahaha! I¡¯ve finally met a warrior worthy of the name!!!¡±


    Although he was leading the soldiers, Nalba was the only one at the forefront.


    Since there were only a dozen or so soldiers following him, most of the warriors thought that if they charged in and won, the glory would be theirs. Warriors who wanted to achieve even greater glory.


    That was the bond that had united the tribe until now, and now it was the beginning of their downfall.


    ¡°Urya-yat!!!¡±


    The warrior wielding the large two-handed ax was the first to charge.


    Pagar, the son of the warrior Honar who had fought alongside Chieftain Urphson, was famous for inheriting his father¡¯s bravery. However, the straightforward and belligerent nature he had inherited along with his bravery led to his death.


    The death sentence was passed before Pagar could even swing his axe. Nalba adjusted his sword hilt and assumed a powerful throwing stance.


    ¡°¡­.Ugh!¡±


    Pafang!


    The javelin was swift and destructive. The much larger body was all the more vulnerable to the incoming sword. As Pagar, unable to withstand the impact, was thrown backwards and rolled on the ground, Nalba shrugged, raising his empty, unarmed hand.


    ¡°You guys can fight even without weapons.¡±


    ¡°How dare you!!!¡±


    The greatest insult a warrior could suffer.


    Gor, who had barely been holding onto his sanity, was about to snap. However, the sight that followed quickly put his rage to rest. It was the moment when a warrior bravely charged in and stabbed his sword forward.


    From the side, it looked as if the warrior¡¯s blade had pierced through Narba.


    ¡°D-Did he stab him?!¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    Cheers and screams from the warriors and soldiers were mixed together.


    The warrior who had thrust his blade was trembling with his face drained of color. The sword had not pierced Narba¡¯s body. It was a similar spot, but not quite the same.


    ¨C The blade was caught in the armpit.


    ¡°C-Crazy.¡±


    ¡°Sword.¡±


    Thud.


    It was then that Narba¡¯s hand was placed over the warrior¡¯s hand that was gripping the sword¡¯s hilt.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Narba¡¯s body spun around.


    The warrior, who had lost his balance, rolled on the ground with a single scream. He tried to let go of the sword belatedly, but Narba was faster. Before the warrior could utter a voice of surrender or ask for help, Narba¡¯s combat boot crushed his neck.


    Crunch! Crunch!


    The sound of bones breaking and joints popping was heard once more. The first was the sound of his neck bone breaking, and the second was the sound of his hand and arm being crushed.


    Narba began to regain his posture, swinging the sword he had taken from the warrior around and around.


    ¡°Advance.¡±


    While fluttering his black shoulder mantle.


    ¡°Just push with your shields. Thrust only when I tell you to.¡±


    Before moving forward with the soldiers without going out alone.


    ¡°I¡¯ll scatter the bastards.¡±


    He thrust the sword towards the warrior¡¯s body, which was twitching feebly.

 Chapter 94

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 94


    94. Teamwork


    Those who have lived weakly tied to the ground and warriors who have lived by tearing each other apart on barren lands are different.


    The warriors took pride in this fact and willingly revealed the ferocity they had honed on the battlefield. Victory was a given against the weak farmers. Because strength, skill, will, and faith were all the warriors¡¯ overwhelming advantages.


    It was the same this time.


    The moment the warrior swung his ax down with a mighty roar, the soldiers from the farming background cowered despite their advanced equipment.


    Crash-.


    The sound of the ax blade splitting the shield was clear. The warrior smirked at the sight of the ax stuck in the shield. On the other hand, the soldier hiding behind the shield was staring at the warrior with trembling eyes.


    When a ferocious beast breaks into our midst, the flock of sheep will only run away in terror.


    The warrior gripped the ax handle even more tightly, confident in his abilities. He flaunted his brute strength by shaking the ax stuck in the shield back and forth without pulling it out.


    ¡°Sob!¡±


    ¡°A, aaagh!!!¡±


    The soldier who had raised his shield was being dragged back and forth by the ax in reverse. The soldier lost even his feeble patience and began to dance awkwardly, following his disturbed center of gravity.


    The warrior trying to split the shield by twisting the ax back and forth, and the soldier desperately trying to protect the shield.


    The soldier¡¯s single scream crossed the battlefield, but unfortunately, no help came. The other soldiers who had formed ranks together were too preoccupied with the enemies approaching them and didn¡¯t move easily after being devastated by the warrior¡¯s brute strength.


    In the end, the moment the warrior put his foot on the shield and pulled out the ax, the soldier was dragged out of the ranks and fell face down, ending it all.


    The ax would come crashing down soon-.


    The moment the soldier was convinced of this and tightly shut his eyes while lying face down on the ground.


    A cold but familiar voice approached the soldier, suppressing all the shouts and clashing of swords on the battlefield.


    ¡°Get up and return to your post.¡±


    ¡°¡­?¡±


    His life was spared.


    The soldier, who had realized this fact, raised his body with more doubt than relief.


    ¡°!!!¡±


    Thanks to this, he could see a warrior who was staring at his hand with trembling eyes, having dropped his ax.


    From the back of his hand to his palm. The warrior, who saw his right hand completely pierced by a dagger, was unknowingly taking a step back. Only then was the soldier able to turn his head towards the source of the voice.


    Bishop Narva.


    A man with neat black hair, a face that was so translucent that the veins could be seen even in the sunlight, and eyes as smooth and sharp as obsidian.


    Narva was in the process of returning his right hand, which had let go of the dagger, to his waist.


    ¨C While stepping on the chest of the warrior whose neck he had completely pierced with the sword held in his left hand.


    Narva kicked the warrior away and pulled out his sword.


    ¡°Just hold on, just hold on.¡±


    Along with those words, a dagger was drawn from his waist.


    At the same time, a familiar scream echoed, and a black cloak fluttered. Then the scream stopped. Instead, a warrior with a dagger stuck in his temple collapsed without a word.


    The moment the weight of the flesh was fully transferred to the soft soil.


    The battlefield was filled with a more subtle silence.


    Only one person, Narva, who had thrown the dagger, clicked his tongue.


    ¡°I told you to hold on.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes, sir!¡±


    The shield wall, which was about to under the overwhelming skill of the warrior collapses, was thus restored.


    The fallen soldiers sneaked glances at Narva as they returned to their places. They were not warriors who would normally stand still. If it were normal, they would have jumped in at once, taking advantage of the gap in the ranks.


    However, even the brave and warlike warriors realized the situation and began to adjust their support.


    Scout Gorr.


    The warrior in the rawhide cloak sensed this atmosphere and immediately began to clean up.


    ¡°Shield warriors forward! Form a shield wall!¡±


    Reinforce the formation to block the enemy¡¯s approach. It was a very orthodox and sure method, but this time it was close to a wrong answer.


    The warriors stepped back and forward with their weapons, but-.


    ¨C They failed to notice Narva¡¯s sharp gaze.


    Clang.


    Narva gripped the hilt of his sword with both hands and took a step. More than a leap, it was like a jump. The one word he threw out was simple.


    ¡°Advance!¡±


    Gorr clicked his tongue at the sight.


    Narva must have been aiming for a gap. He intended to crush the formation by rushing into the gap between the warriors who were forming a shield wall. If the soldiers who came with him had been skilled warriors, they would have seized the victory in one breath with this momentum.


    However, the soldiers led by Narva were not brave warriors.


    ¡®They¡¯re hesitating. They may have good equipment, but they lack practical experience.¡¯


    Then the odds are still on this side.


    No matter how great a warrior is, he cannot boldly break through a shield wall that is about to form. In terms of proficiency, the warriors were far superior. If we drag this out, the odds of victory will naturally tilt in our favor.


    The moment Gorr¡¯s judgment reached this point, Narva, who had been running with all his might, suddenly dropped the sword he was holding. It was such a weak fall that it was more like dropping a helmet, and Gorr and the warriors were surprised.


    ¡®Against the shield wall.¡¯


    ¡®With bare hands?¡¯


    There was no greater madness than this madness.


    While everyone was stunned, Gorman, who had a keen eye, noticed what Narva was aiming for. On the opposite side of Narva, his right hand was aiming for the dagger at his waist that he had prepared in advance.


    And the moment Narva grabbed the dagger¡¯s handle.


    Narva¡¯s figure disappeared from everyone¡¯s sight.


    ¡°What?!¡±


    Was it a miracle that the starlight of Insay allowed? It was natural for the warriors to think so.


    However, before they could come to a proper conclusion, Gorga, who had noticed the situation, affected urgently.


    From Noble mtl dot com


    ¡°Below!¡±


    Only then did they belatedly turn their gaze down, but Narva had already closed the distance in one breath with a slide. Narva, who instantly reached the tip of the shield wall, held the dagger in reverse.


    And just like that, he stabbed the instep of a warrior whose shield had not yet protected him.


    Kwa-thud! Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°aaagh!¡±


    The moment the warrior, unable to withstand the pain, collapsed in pain, Narva rose in one breath.


    He lifted his body, pulled out the dagger, and cut the throat of the warrior in one stroke.


    Screech.


    Clean movements without any unnecessary gestures.


    As if that wasn¡¯t enough, he grabbed the back of the collapsing warrior¡¯s neck with his left hand and lifted him up. As if he had anticipated the ax blade that was falling without hesitation and the approaching tip of the sword.


    Soon, the sound of flesh being dug into and bones being crushed rang out all at once.


    Neither the ax blade nor the sword blade reached Narva. The warriors stared over the body of their dead comrade, filled with nothing but shock.


    At Narva, who had let go of the back of his neck as if it was useless and was readjusting his grip on the dagger.


    ¡°Euaaagh!!!¡±


    A bewildered warrior hurriedly swung his ax, but it was Narva, who had easily dodged even a proper blow. Narva spun the dagger while glaring at the blow that was filled with fear.


    Whirik.


    The dagger was directed at the wrist of the warrior who was holding the ax.


    ¡°Eurgh!¡±


    ¡°Nidason!¡±


    The moment the other warriors tried to rush in with the determination to save their comrade in danger.


    Narva pulled the warrior holding the ax into his arms while waving the dagger around without hesitation. Of course, he had no intention of hugging him now. What he grabbed was the wrist and elbow joint.


    Crunch!


    The warrior screamed and bit his lips in severe pain, unable to even scream. The one who grabbed the ax handle that had been dropped from his grip was Narva.


    Puck!


    The warrior, who had rushed to save his comrade, collapsed without leaving a word. He died instantly. Narva gave up on retrieving the ax that had been deeply embedded in the center of his head.


    Instead, he put his hand on the sword handle that the warrior he had captured was wearing at his waist. The warrior, who had lost his mind in pain, was half out of his mind in front of his fallen comrade.


    ¡°Ti, Tiner.¡±


    A bewildered voice.


    But Narva didn¡¯t care.


    ¡°I¡¯ll use the sword instead. Do you agree?¡±


    ¡°Tiner¡­¡±


    ¡°I will not admit physical weakness.¡±


    Swish.


    Narba knocked away the warrior Nidarson as he drew his sword from its scabbard. Narba brandished his drawn sword against the warriors who had surrounded him. All the warriors surrounding Narba were not axemen, but those who knew how to handle swords.


    As one of them approached and swung his sword, Narba swung his sword in the same direction.


    Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!


    A faint spark flew as the steel clashed. The terrible friction was enough to make a metallic smell waft in the air and scrape at eardrums.


    However, the warrior¡¯s sword tip did not reach Narba, while Narba¡¯s sword tip pushed aside the warrior¡¯s blade, reached his flesh, and cut it fearlessly. It was too late to turn it back.


    Narba¡¯s blade stuck to the warrior¡¯s blade and did not fall off, but slowly, just slide, and mercilessly cut the warrior¡¯s neck.


    Soon, the tragedy of the two men ended.


    The one who fell to his death was the warrior who had wielded the sword first.


    Thud.


    It was such an overwhelming sight that even the warriors who had bravely formed a shield wall turned their heads unconsciously. The warriors flinched and stepped back. At that moment, there was one who ran forward and swung his ax.


    ¡°Huh!!!¡±


    A rawhide cloak fluttered.


    Scout Gor.


    He thought that it would collapse as it was, so he stepped forward himself. He planned to burden Narba¡¯s hand by wielding the hand ax with all his might. However, Narba¡¯s posture was much stronger, and his skills far surpassed Gor¡¯s.


    In an instant, dozens of exchanges occurred.


    Gor desperately tried to break Narba¡¯s posture with his ax dance, but Narba blocked Gor¡¯s ax blade by moving the sword he had seized here and there.


    Narba blocked Gor¡¯s ax with a relaxed posture and burst into laughter.


    ¡°Stab him!¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Gor, who wondered what he was talking about all of a sudden, realized it soon enough.


    ¡°Stab him!¡±


    ¡°Die, pagan!¡±


    Narba¡¯s soldiers, who had been hesitating far away, joined in.


    The warriors, who had been entangled in front of the soldiers who thrust their sword tips through the gap in the shield wall that had been built up in the meantime, could not cope properly.


    ¡°Groan¡­¡±


    ¡°To these groundling bastards!¡±


    The brave warriors were being slaughtered like cattle.


    The clever Gor realized the reason for it. It was because Gor, as the commander, had no choice but to face Narba, so his response was delayed.


    At that moment, the victory or defeat was decided.


    Narba left a generous word of comfort to Gor, who was losing strength and sliding down.


    ¡°You¡¯re not bad.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Comfort was enough in a word.


    Narba swung his sword without hesitation, and the tip of the sword pierced his throat.

 Chapter 95

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 95


    95. Sharper than a Blade


    The night I sent a messenger to Cobbleville with hope.


    As soon as the messenger left the tent, I woke up all the knights under my command and called them to the conference room. Then, pointing at the map spread out on the table, I explained it concisely and succinctly.


    ¡°I will form a separate force to march on Cobbleville.¡±


    Half-awake, I listened with a mix of annoyance and curiosity to the reports, each eliciting different responses. Some noise in understanding, while others cocked their heads as if they had misheard.


    One knight even beat around the bush, trying to subtly shift the task.


    ¡°I understand that it will take at least two days to reach Cobbleville from our current encampment¡­¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but sigh at the limitations of medieval society.


    Right before my eyes was a gem of a talent, withering away due to the society¡¯s lack of progress. This lad should not be wielding a sword but rather be confined to the palace, using his convoluted rhetoric to send foreign envoys packing.


    Unfortunately, this word-twisting knight was a landed knight.


    He was a rolling stone that needed to accumulate more exploits to pass on his estate to his children. Perhaps he was not protesting out of unwillingness. After all, knights were not the kind of people who shied away from battle.


    Could it be that this knight simply worried about the lack of opportunities to distinguish himself?


    That certainly seemed more plausible than the nonsense about knights avoiding battles. Realizing and understanding the woes of landed knights on the spot, I spoke with a gentle smile and a confident voice.


    ¡°If we ride without rest, we should arrive within a day.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Rest assured, Sir Husten. I shall specially allow you, as a landed knight, to accompany the detachment.¡±


    The Principality of Powys is the weakest, so it tries to avoid battles as much as possible.


    How else could landed knights receive permission to inherit their estates in such a place, without a major event like a pagan raid? Thinking about my friends who used to set up excuses like ¡°pickup period¡± back on modern Earth, I could somewhat understand their feelings.


    The desperation of the situation must have clouded their judgment.


    At that thought, landed knights who lacked the courage or confidence to speak up briefly crossed my mind. It was truly unfortunate.


    I was reminded of my colleagues who almost missed out on company outings or hiking trips due to their lack of enthusiasm. fortunately, thanks to my secret persuasion of the section chief, we managed to have fun together without any hurt feelings.


    [Ah~ The air is so good~. You know what? Sweating it out with good people while breathing in the fresh air~!]


    [¡­.]


    [Come on, everyone, let¡¯s take a picture! All we have left are pictures! Let¡¯s take a picture and then go for a drink. I know a great place~!]


    Those memories were perhaps the driving force that kept me going in our company, which had a sky-high turnover rate.


    Such experiences led me to develop a warm and considerate nature.


    ¡°I shall take others with me, not just Sir Husten, so do not fret too much.¡±


    ¡°¡±¡­.¡±¡±


    It seemed that my worries were justified.


    The knights, who had been somewhat downcast and lacking in energy, regained their vigor. They all straightened their postures, their eyes fixed on me as they listened intently to my next words. I was deeply moved by their unexpected display.


    Yes, our knights may not be great fighters, but they are friends who know how to listen.


    Unconsciously wiping away a tear of emotion, I pointed my index finger precisely at Cobbleville.


    ¡°I have sent a letter to Cobbleville, urging them to resist. The detachment will follow after that, and we shall observe the movements of the pagans who are scouting the vicinity of Cobbleville.¡±


    ¡°Is that all?¡±


    ¡°If they perceive our advance as a threat, they will move. They will likely split into two large groups. In the meantime, we need to target the smaller group. They will probably advance through the forest near Cobbleville.¡±


    ¡°Your Grace, they have ships with remarkable mobility. Is there a reason why they would choose to take the forest path instead of the waterway?¡±


    Some of them even came up with rational arguments.


    The majority of the knights, who were too embarrassed to meet my gaze, were probably thinking along the same lines. I explained patiently so that they would not feel a lack of communication.


    ¡°If they considered this a battle, they would have done as you said. However, Cobbleville is a place that the pagans have deliberately left alone, allowing it to grow in size.¡±


    Cobbleville was a town surrounded on three sides by a winding river.


    The only land route was almost adjacent to the forest, making it a natural fortress that was difficult for armies to approach. An ordinary enemy would have probably held out for a long time. The problem was that our opponents were pirates who were more adept at sailing than we were.


    Cobbleville was a case where an advantage had turned into a disadvantage. It was surrounded on three sides by the river, which the pirates could navigate with ease. Naturally, Cobbleville was a very tempting target for the pirates, the pagans from across the sea.


    ¡°Most of the pagans will attempt to land by boat. The reason for this, as you know, is that the river in this area has a strong current and the water is deep on the outside, reducing the risk of scraping the bottom of the ship when loading loot. Additionally, the three sides of the river make it easy to land.¡±


    For the pagans, piracy is both a profession and a family business.


    ¡°Mom, I robbed some farmers,¡± if I brag like this, my parents would sound like they were praising me, saying, ¡°Oh my, our precious son bravely split their heads with an ax.¡±


    That¡¯s why the process of transporting and distributing the spoils of war was likely to be specialized.


    ¡°For them, this is a harvest. It¡¯s similar to a pack of wolves herding their prey. The fact that there¡¯s only one land route means that if we just block that off, we can eliminate any escape routes. What¡¯s more, since it¡¯s a forest, it¡¯s hard to gauge how many troops there are, which could delay the judgment of the Coveville survivors.¡±


    This was exactly what I was aiming for.


    ¡°I¡¯m going for this. I¡¯ll make a separate force of those who will isolate themselves and pressure Coveville.¡±


    After I explained the outline of the operation and the ultimate goal, everyone was visibly surprised.


    No, rather than surprised, their expressions were closer to being shocked. At first, I thought they were shocked and trembling at the radical and brutal nature of my argument, but that wasn¡¯t it.


    ¡°Your Excellency, how many troops do you plan to take with you?¡±


    ¡°On that scale, there¡¯s a high chance of being discovered on the way. It¡¯s reckless¡­¡±


    Perhaps we had been discussing under the wrong premise from the start.


    I decided to correct the misunderstanding of our knights.


    ¡°On that scale?¡±


    ¡°As you said, you¡¯d need at least 3,400.¡± S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°No. If 300 people move, they¡¯ll definitely be caught.¡±


    What am I saying?


    I could have laughed off such a trivial misunderstanding.


    ¡°Only 150 people will move.¡±


    Immediately after conveying these words, I prepared to leave.


    With my friend I could always trust, regardless of time or place, Red-haired John.


    Soon after I fully armed myself and left the tent, John was waiting with a crossbow in his hand, wearing a gambeson and looking bewildered.


    ¡°Ex¡­cuse me?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°Why are you carrying daggers? And six of them at that?¡±


    ¡°Ah. I should definitely explain that.¡±


    It was certainly the kind of behavior that would arouse suspicion.


    Going into battle and carrying short daggers instead of a proper sword could easily make one seem like the ¡®fool¡¯ people often talk about. I couldn¡¯t help but nod my head, regretting my mistake.


    ¡°John. The pagans wear armor, don¡¯t they?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ yes.¡±


    ¡°Some of it will be made of iron. There will be chain mail too, won¡¯t there?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    John still looked at me with his eyes half-open, as if he still didn¡¯t understand what I was talking about.


    I couldn¡¯t hide the excitement in my voice as I said, ¡°That¡¯s all money.¡±


    ¨C And now, time has passed.


    ¡°Hey, hey. If you¡¯re going to open a can, do it properly.¡±


    ¡°? Uh¡­ yes, sir¡­¡±


    I was giving instructions to the soldiers who were collecting the bodies.


    ***


    Among the knights, opinions about Bishop Hulnarb had largely narrowed down to one.


    He¡¯s a clergyman who has traveled a lot and has an eccentric personality, but he¡¯s certainly good at fighting. This evaluation strongly suggested that even if a person is inherently strange, they can be respected if they have one outstanding trait.


    From Noble mtl dot com


    That day¡¯s assessment.


    It had become much more concise after witnessing the battle that took place in the forest.


    Sir Hustan Orn Sister.


    He was a petty noble and knight who had been brought there for complaining in front of the bishop and was full of complaints. Hustan had a fickle mind. Because of this, he was disdainful of Narba¡¯s abilities, even though he acknowledged them.


    That same Hustan was now secretly swallowing his saliva as he looked at the battlefield after the battle was over. The fellow knights who had been forced to join the army had similar expressions.


    The corpses of the brutally crushed and mechanically slaughtered pagans. The blood that flowed from them was soaking the surrounding ground. Occasionally, the sound of chains or the clanging of metal could be heard, mostly the sound of weapons and armor being stripped from the corpses .


    The grumbling voices of soldiers who were rummaging through the corpses with distorted expressions could also be heard.


    However, the knights dared not blame them. Narba¡¯s martial arts in actual combat were beyond imagination.


    Husten pursed his dry lips as he thought of an area that most knights dared not challenge.


    ¡®Shield wall crusher¡­¡¯


    It is said that even if untrained soldiers raise their shields and form a formation, it is difficult to break through easily.


    This era, this world.


    Especially in the underdeveloped islands of the morning, where the advanced weapons of the mainland were almost unavailable, tactics depended on how timely this shield wall was used. Even on the mainland, the shield wall is often the one that buys time without the cavalry.


    The shield wall is the reason why even the most outstanding knights cannot fight the enemy alone, and once it is firmly formed, it is a formation that forces fierce offense and unless defense mobility is used to bypass it.


    That is why it is also a part that is always mentioned when knights compare each other¡¯s martial arts.


    Only a knight with outstanding martial arts, exceptional senses, and finally, the ability to inspire and lead his soldiers can break through the shield wall. This is why Terbear was unanimously recognized among the honor-hungry knights.


    The reason why Terbear is considered the strongest knight in Powys and even ranked among the top in the Morning Islands is because he can break through an already formed shield wall. It was possible because he could make the enemy retreat by making them tired with his possessed martial arts and infinite belligerence.


    Then what about Narba?


    When his thoughts reached this point, Hustan heard the conversation between the soldiers who were cleaning up the battlefield.


    ¡°What? These guys have intact armor?¡±


    ¡°Ugh? Then, did they get scared when the Bishop glared at them? Is it all just a rumor that pagans are brave?¡±


    ¡°The guy who was scared and saying that it was scary to look at Sophie alone in the middle of the night¡­ There must be some blood, because he was cut.¡±


    Clank, clank.


    Husten¡¯s gaze was directed at two soldiers who were rummaging through the corpses while having a trivial conversation. A scene where three were lying side by side. It was the place where Narba drew his sword for the first time, leading the shield wall.


    Everyone was shocked by the sight of the elite soldiers, who were even wearing chain mail, being killed in an instant.


    However, now, Hustan was surprised once more.


    ¡°Wait a minute.¡±


    ¡°Yes? Oh, oh.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m sorry. They didn¡¯t do anything.¡±


    ¡°I have to check. Step back for a moment.¡±


    Husten gestured to the soldiers who were at a loss, not knowing what to do.


    Unlike a knight, Hustan, who even had his subordinates collect the spoils of war, uncharacteristically went so far as to turn the corpses over himself. Soon, the moment Hustan, who had suddenly jumped out, was curiously approached by his colleagues and tilted their heads.


    Without thinking, or perhaps feeling something, all the knights who were examining the bodies of the fallen suddenly hardened their faces.


    ¡°This is.¡±


    ¡°¡­a monster?¡±


    On the other hand, Hustan began to tremble without saying a word, stroking the neck of the corpse and the part where the blood was flowing out with his hand. Then he got up again and looked at the other corpses before speaking in a shaking voice .


    ¡°All of them.¡±


    ¡°Husten?¡±


    ¡°All of them¡­ their necks.¡±


    Husten opened his eyes wide, not even thinking of wiping the hands that were dirty with cold blood.


    As the three of them approached, having passed their trial, at that very moment, I aimed for the vulnerable neck, unprotected by chain mail.


    ***


    A short while later, Narba, who had called the knights to discuss future plans, tilted his head.


    ¡°Why are you all suddenly so polite?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    The knights glanced at each other, their faces pale with fear.


    Unable to hold it in any longer, Husten Orn Sister spoke up. He was the unfortunate knight who had brought this disaster upon himself.


    ¡°Your Grace, it seems that the opinion that we should show proper respect has gained traction.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    ¡°That we should cast aside our misunderstandings and prejudices, and see only the person before us. Such words seem reasonable as well.¡±


    ¡°Whoever it is, it seems they¡¯ve learned a great deal. These are thoughts that are not easily conceived.¡±


    Narba smiled, seemingly satisfied with Husten¡¯s words.


    ¡°I would like to ask for your understanding in advance. For the sake of our goals, we will postpone the collection of spoils of war for the time being. Instead, we will grant you a brief respite.¡±


    Just a few days ago, they had been on a forced march and then fought a difficult battle.


    Even the strong-willed knights were relieved, as the schedule had been grueling enough to compromise their morale. However, some, including Husten, still wore troubled expressions, casting a shadow over the atmosphere.


    Of course, the astute Narba would not let such sentiments pass him by.


    ¡°If you have any concerns or worries, speak now. I will listen attentively.¡±


    ¡°Your Grace, it is¡­ somewhat presumptuous of me to speak after coming this far.¡±


    ¡°I am listening.¡±


    ¡°While I acknowledge the rationality of your judgment, I cannot help but feel that it is a somewhat questionable approach.¡±


    Husten was somewhat timid, but he was a knight who always kept his word.


    Even Husten could see that the strategic Narba had proposed was controversial, treading the fine line between black and white, good and evil. He was not alone in his thinking. Several knights who agreed with Husten¡¯s concerns added their support with serious expressions.


    However, Narba¡¯s response was cold.


    ¡°They are the ones who sacrificed the lives of others to save their own.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°The least they can do is offer their own lives in exchange for forgiveness. Moreover, if we make contact first, they will attempt to escape to land as quickly as a torrent. The enemy will surely notice.¡±


    If that were to happen, we would lose the opportunity to engage the enemy, whom we have divided at great cost, in order to save a mere few hundred lives.


    ¡°The plan will not change.¡±


    At that moment, Husten felt a chill run down his spine.


    Perhaps that judgment was even sharper than the tip of the sword that had pierced the gap in his chain mail and cut him down.


    ¡°We will strike as they pillage after landing.¡±


    Narba said, flicking his black cape with his hand.


    ¡°Consider those who resist and flee as traitors, and do not let them stand in our way.¡±

 Chapter 96

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 96


    96. Sacrificial Lambs, Let¡¯s Play


    The current of the Heze River is gentle.


    It was a world away from the great ocean, where the crashing waves scattered like a hailstorm. The warriors who looked at the Heze River, reminded of the great ocean, had only peace in their eyes.


    This gentleness brought about a small change. The warriors would sometimes stop rowing, reach out and splash the water, giggling.


    ¡°It would be nice to just float here.¡±


    ¡°The water is just the right temperature.¡±


    The locals call the Heze River the mother¡¯s breast milk.


    That warmth made even the savage warriors forget about the massacre for a while. They enjoyed their leisure time, either soundly asleep or humming a tune.


    There were only 11 boats rowing upstream. Each of them enjoyed their leisure time in their own way, but none of them feared the upcoming battle.


    Most of them didn¡¯t even recognize it as a battle.


    This was because all the warriors knew that there were no proper enemies in their destination, Cobbleville. They were just excited with anticipation and were pondering what to ask the great gods.


    Among them, the topic that garnered the most interest from the warriors was what tribute to offer and to whom.


    ¡°Have you all decided what to receive as protection? I¡¯m thinking of offering my heart to the God of Thunder this time.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ yes. This is the season when the God of Thunder will value it the most.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t offer them one by one. Offer them in bundles of 20. The God of Thunder is generous and doesn¡¯t discriminate against adults or children, so it¡¯s best to offer them in numbers.¡±


    The grey-haired warrior nodded his head, and the one-eyed warrior rowing the boat and humming a tune caught the attention of the warrior who was contemplating what to offer.


    He stroked his neatly braided beard and showed curiosity toward the one-eyed warrior.


    ¡°Is there a specific reason for bundling them in 20s?¡±


    ¡°When offered in bundles, he considers the sincerity as a bonus. You shouldn¡¯t pickle them or put too much salt on them, and you must offer them intact within two days for him to respond.¡±


    ¡°Ooh. One-eye, then what part are you after?¡±


    ¡°Nose. I¡¯m going to offer it to the God of Hunting.¡±


    ¡°They don¡¯t overlap. Good. How about forming a squad together?¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    He snorted, but it didn¡¯t mean he was declining. Warriors who talked too much were looked down upon by their peers. The one-eyed warrior realized that he had already talked too much and deliberately kept his mouth shut.


    The grey-haired warrior looked at them in turn and carefully opened his mouth.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take the lungs.¡±


    ¡°Lungs¡­ They¡¯re fragile, so it¡¯ll be hard to collect them.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the same whether it¡¯s the heart or the lungs. You have to handle them carefully.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. Okay. We have three people in the squad now.¡±


    The warrior with the braided beard nodded his head and smiled in satisfaction.


    Warriors who didn¡¯t overlap in their desired tributes formed their own small unit called a squad. There was no absolute superior-subordinate relationship here. The warriors simply chose to cooperate with each other as equals out of necessity.


    On the one hand, they ended up competing with other squads over the tributes, which was one of the reasons why the warriors became more ferocious and aggressive on the battlefield. Every time they went on an expedition, the warriors who got along well formed a squad and competed with other squads for their achievements, building up their military exploits.


    The chieftain and the warlord gave the warriors who had achieved the most remarkable exploits among these squads the opportunity to choose their tributes first.


    However, this opportunity usually went to warriors who were assigned difficult tasks.


    This time, it was supposed to go to the scout Gorr and his group, who were assigned the role of drawing Cobbleville¡¯s attention and preventing them from escaping. Gorr may have been dull, but he was a comrade they could trust and rely on, so it was only natural.


    Warlord Hart also thought the same.


    While everyone was rowing lazily and cheerfully, Warlord Hart silently gazed at the lush forest beyond the riverbank.


    After staring at it for a long time, he spoke to the warriors rowing the boat in a clear voice.


    ¡°Gorr¡¯s signal is much later than expected.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    What happened? Was this the backlash for always being so diligent?


    Amidst the numerous speculations, one warrior who was usually quiet carefully opened his lips.


    ¡°Then, should we wait a little longer?¡±


    ¡°Hmmm.¡±


    Warlord Hart had no choice but to worry about the unexpected situation.


    There was no way that Gorr, who was always so diligent, would not send a signal even after arriving at the prepared location. However, there was no sign of any movement from Cobbleville either.


    If there was a possibility, it lay with the livestock kept by the landlubbers.


    Even warriors who would normally look down on foot soldiers acknowledged the warriors who rode the hornless reindeer, for they often cut down mounted warriors while displaying amazing balance on their beasts.


    ¡®But I have not heard of foot soldiers riding hornless reindeer.¡¯


    The quality of the ordinary soldiers was overwhelmingly inferior to the warriors. They could easily slaughter the rabble if there were no knights. They had even captured and executed dozens of knights with ease.


    Hart glanced at the end of his war horn.


    To the executioners who were eagerly eyeing the offerings and were ready to place their hands on the ax handles at any moment, to the warriors who wished to fight with a thirst to offer themselves to the gods.


    Then the conclusion came.


    ¡°Let¡¯s move.¡±


    What was the reason for persuading the chieftain to come this far in the first place?


    ¡°I will hold Gore responsible later.¡±


    Hart, the war chief, was also one of those who yearned for blood.


    He felt with joy and anticipation beneath his quivering shoulders.


    ¡°For the blessing of the gods!!!¡±


    At that cry, the eyes of the warriors, who had been leisurely rowing, flashed in unison.


    Like a pack of wolves crouching to sink their teeth into their prey and waiting for an opportunity.


    ***


    The Principality of Powys had been far from the pagans until now, and recently, thanks to Terbear, there had been no pirates coming up the river.


    And the long peace had made most of the settlements near the River Heze forget the need to be properly defended.


    Cobhville was one such town.


    The people of Cobhville, who had been moved by the letter sent by Bishop Narva, had hurriedly gathered materials and built a wall, but it was meaningless by the time the enemy arrived.


    People were carrying wooden planks and stones in makeshift sacks made by tearing up their skirts.


    A man who had been idly watching the river from a nearby watchtower screamed like a cry.


    ¡°Oh, here they come!¡±


    The pagans are coming.


    In an instant, Cobhville was filled with sobbing cries and anxious screams.


    All the men were drafted into the militia and were holding crude spears or long sticks, and the women were holding their crying children in their arms. Regardless of age, s*x, or origin, everyone in Cobhville had the same wish.


    I hope that the wall built along the river will hold up a little bit.


    It was a vain hope.


    Thud!


    As soon as the bow of the ship carrying the pagans rammed hard, the stone wall, which was only about as high as a man¡¯s thigh, was instantly shattered.


    And a burly warrior appeared on the bow that had smashed the stone wall, grinning fiercely. War Chief Hart. He raised a large, gleaming ax and inspired.


    From Noble mtl dot com


    ¡°hahahahaha! Puppies, puppies!¡±


    Hart looked down at the Cobhville militiamen clutching their spears with trembling hands and added a word.


    ¡°You look so plump and juicy to the gods.¡±


    But the people of Cobhville did not back down easily this time.


    The stigmatized Bishop Narva is leading an army south to save Cobhville. All the militiamen, who were about to collapse with trembling legs, gritted their teeth, desperately remembering that fact.


    ¡°Oh, Star of Humanity. Please protect us¡­!¡±


    ¡°Back off, pagans! We¡­ We will no longer offer you people!¡±


    That was when Hart began to click his tongue.


    ¡°Do not be mistaken. We have taken it.¡±


    Thud!


    Another ship rammed into the stone wall. On the deck, warriors already dressed in full gear were looking at the militia with their shoulders shaking. Behind them, ships glided down the river at lightning speed.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t what you offered.¡±


    The tendons on his hands, which were gripping the ax handle, stood out. Hart jumped off the bow, exhaling his boiling breath.


    The target was the militia before him.


    ¡°Uh, uhh¡­¡±


    Kwa-dadadadak-


    A person was crushed beyond being split in two. All that remained of the person were limbs. From the face to the crotch, the bones were all shattered and split apart.


    The huge ax stopped only after it had sunk deep into the ground beneath the crushed militiaman¡¯s flesh. The militiamen didn¡¯t even have the courage to turn their heads. Instead, they guessed their fate from the terrible bursting sound that reached their ears.


    That¡¯s how Hart knelt on the ground, trembling, without anyone¡¯s interference.


    ¡°This is it, this is it.¡±


    When Hart finally got up, muttering a monologue full of ecstasy, all that was left under the blood-soaked blade of his ax was sticky blood and limbs.


    ¡°A warrior doesn¡¯t just accept what¡¯s given.¡±


    However, the militia couldn¡¯t face the gruesome corpse.


    This time, it wasn¡¯t because they were afraid, but because the reality that had come before them was too heavy.


    ¡°Brion warriors, let¡¯s go!¡±


    ¡°Hearts are precious! Don¡¯t stab them!¡±


    Warrior leader Hart jumped off first.


    Following him, countless warriors jumped off the bow, aiming for the spoils.


    The landing was swift and the slaughter was thorough.


    The warriors approached in a flash, striking the bristling spears with axes and swords, and once they were allowed to approach, the advantage of the spears disappeared in an instant. Of course, not everyone was a coward.


    One of the militiamen with a shield bravely confronted Hart.


    Warrior leader Hart grinned as he looked at the militiaman who had raised his shield with a trembling posture.


    ¡°A shield¡­¡±


    Booo-woong-


    The blade of the ax cut through the air. Hart swung the ax up with all his might and then brought it down.


    Whizz!


    ¡°Ack, aack! aaagh!!¡±


    The militiaman¡¯s desperate scream as his shield was split and his arm was blown off.


    At that moment, as the other militiamen panicked, the victory and defeat were decided. The warriors, encouraged by Hart¡¯s bravery, rushed toward the militia at once.


    ¡°Even our wives wouldn¡¯t hold a shield like that!¡±


    ¡°hahahahaha! This is a complete mess!¡±


    Warriors and militiamen.


    The panic spread uncontrollability as the blades of the axes struck the shields all at once. Before the shields were split, it was the will of the militia that collapsed first.


    ¡°Ugh, ugh. Uaagh¡­¡±


    ¡°Heh heh, heh heh.¡± S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It took only a few tens of seconds for the militia to completely collapse.


    The fate of Cobbleville was thus decided.


    ***


    The warriors, who had taken complete control of Cobbleville, did not massacre indiscriminately but acted calmly under a thorough plan. Sometimes, they would even stop their colleagues who indulged in meaningless slaughter during the looting.


    ¡°Hey! I told you not to kill those who aren¡¯t resisting.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing. I just wanted to see if my sword is sharp.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going to kill all those peasants? Are you going to live off the land after? Will you farm instead of fighting?¡±


    ¡°We, well¡­ that¡¯s¡­¡±


    Not all prisoners are sacrificed. Most become slaves, working the land for the warriors or sold elsewhere. Though not free, they avoid a gruesome end.


    That¡¯s how he could live.


    The moment the man found hope beneath the bruises.


    ¡°But now that I look at you, you¡¯ll do just as well dead. You¡¯re so skinny, you¡¯d die just trying to cross the river.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? Why didn¡¯t you say so earlier!¡±


    -Thud.


    He was deemed too worthless, not even good enough to be sacrificed.


    But not even these objectors could quell the chaos of the sack. The faint whimpers of women and the stifled cries of children could be heard throughout.


    Some of the warriors reveled in their plunder in even more malicious ways.


    ¡°Come on, run faster! You¡¯re going to get caught!¡±


    A forked-beard warrior taunted as he skipped along.


    In front of him, the ragged refugee elder ran, panting. He showed no resentment towards the chieftain nor did he lament the militia that had crumbled.


    He simply plodded on, driven by the will to survive, towards the forest beyond the palisades outside Cobbville.


    But then.


    ¡°¡­A man?¡±


    In the dim light, the faint outline of a figure appeared.


    Not a heathen, not a warrior¡¯s garb, but the vestments of the Church, followers of the distant starlight.


    ¡®Could it be, salvation?¡¯


    The refugee elder blinked, then his senses returned.


    He summoned the last of his strength, perhaps for the last time in his life, and began to run properly.


    ¡°What the?!¡±


    The heathen warrior was taken aback by the sudden appearance of a savior, but that no longer mattered.


    A miracle.


    ¡°P-Please, save me.¡±


    In that moment, the refugee elder swore that he would become a devout follower.


    And the miracle came.


    ¡°Lord.¡±


    In the form of a blade.


    Thud.


    A body collapsed, its head severed in an instant.


    The forked-beard warrior who had been chasing after him blinked for a moment, looking at the corpse, then looked up.


    ¡°¡­Is that your new friend, Gorga?¡±


    ¡°Gorga?¡±


    The voice that answered was still that of a young boy.


    His appearance was the same.


    The boy, escorted by soldiers in chainmail or thick gambesons and knights on hippogriffs, flicked the blood from the tip of his sword.


    ¡°He¡¯s the one in the forest, with the leather cloak.¡±


    ¡°Ah. That guy.¡±


    Black hair and eyes as shiny as a smooth piece of obsidian.


    Add to that a black cloak made of expensive fabric, and he looks like a raven.


    The moment the raven-haired boy gestured towards the disheveled, red-haired soldier, another head rolled next to the head of the refugee representative that had fallen first.


    The warrior with the forked beard widened his eyes as he recognized whose head it was.


    ¡°He was the best fighter.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°He. I saw you playing around just now. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    The raven-haired boy, Narba, lifted his sword and covered half of his face.


    It was the salute that knights exchanged before a duel.


    Even as he performed the salute, Narba¡¯s voice was full of playfulness.


    But his face, which was not hidden by the blade,


    ¡°I¡¯m here to work.¡±


    There was no smile.

 Chapter 97

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 97


    97. Were You That Guy?


    I always try not to lose my smile.


    Even my silly jokes could be seen as constant practice in honing my sense of humor. But even a first-rate smiler like me, who prides himself on not losing his smile in any situation, had a hard time this time.


    The blade that was raised for the salute.


    The reflection of my face in the blade that covered half of my vision was not something that could be complimented, even with empty words. The saying that those who smile are the most beautiful suddenly came to mind. If that¡¯s true, then I must be the ugliest cripple in the world right now.


    I couldn¡¯t help but sigh as I glanced at the head of the survivor that I had cut off myself. Still, it¡¯s fortunate that there¡¯s another head rolling on the ground with me. It¡¯s a relief to have a friend to share my misery.


    As I gasped in relief, I rolled my eyes and glared at the pagan invader I was facing. I¡¯m talking about the guy with the cute forked beard.


    That pagan bastard¡­


    He had been watching my reaction ever since I appeared.


    His searching gaze was so eerily similar to the guys I knew that it made me feel a little ill. I¡¯m not saying that all pirates are similar just because they¡¯re pirates.


    It¡¯s more like the way he¡¯s watching me, as if he¡¯s judging how I¡¯m treating the survivors. No, it¡¯s exactly the same. Maybe all invaders who plunder other people¡¯s lives and property have evolved to be similar.


    Thanks to him, I remembered something I had forgotten.


    I finished the salute and adjusted my grip on the sword, allowing myself to savor an old memory for the first time in a long time.


    The reason why the knights never won a single battle when I was king, and the reason why I despised them and yet still praised them as honorable.


    [Y-your¡­ Your Majesty. I, I can¡¯t. I can¡¯t do it¡­]


    I couldn¡¯t punish the people who ran to me begging for their lives.


    Even if they had run to our allies who were facing the enemy head-on, there would have been no malice in it. To raise a sword against people who were simply brought out as a shield to buy time is something that only a madman would do.


    Looking back now, the invaders fought in a mean but rational way. Their tactics were simple, straightforward, efficient, and annoying.


    Hostages.


    They used hostages made up of civilians and captured soldiers as shields to break the morale of our army and, while our offensive was frustrated, they surrounded us and annihilated us in a melee. The invaders made full use of the knights¡¯ oath to protect the weak.


    No matter how strong-willed or skilled a knight was, they were helpless against such tactics.


    I almost lost like that on my first day of battle.


    The wavering eyes of the soldiers who couldn¡¯t bring themselves to stab me still linger by my side. It was a dire situation to behold as I lifted my eyelids, soaked in cold sweat.


    People screaming for their lives and running and being driven out. Soldiers falling one by one, unable to do anything as they stood in front of them.


    The invaders, who watched the formation crumble from afar, laughing savagely.


    Defeat.


    That was the moment when the words I had always uttered so casually finally reached me. On that day, I truly realized the weight of the word ¡®defeat.¡¯


    ¡°Out of my way.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty?¡±


    And then.


    ¡°I will do what must be done.¡±


    ¡­How heavy the words I had always uttered so casually turned out to be.


    I took a step forward and spoke to the soldiers and knights behind me.


    ¡°He was an apostate.¡±


    He is a criminal who deserves to die for sacrificing others to stay alive.


    ¡°He had a chance to repent through resistance, but he fled, so he should be interrogated.¡±


    He has committed acts that are strictly forbidden by the church several times over and has no value left to live.


    ¡°You follow the starlight of Ince, the one who promised the temple of Narva, to kill those who should die and save those who should live. The mark of apostasy has already been placed upon him, so do not hesitate!¡±


    You don¡¯t need to bear the burden of guilt because fighting alone is hard.


    With those final words, I no longer exhorted the soldiers.


    If they are tender and pure enough to feel guilty even after this, then there is nothing I can do about it. Instead, I kicked off the ground with all my might and charged towards the pagan with the braided beard before me.


    And I felt it. This guy is definitely a little different from the guys in the woods.


    Clang!


    The ax blade and the sword blade clashed, scraping against each other with a screech. Then, with a large circular motion, I deflected the ax, and the pagan bared his teeth and began to growl like a beast.


    The moment I raised my arm reflexively to counter it.


    Clank!


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    With a loud noise, the gauntlet was dented. Although the shock was not fully transmitted, it was an absurd sight. I frowned at the sensation of my arm being squeezed and readjusted my grip on the sword.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have any teeth left?¡±


    ¡°Heh heh heh¡­ Ugh, ah, ah, ah.¡±


    ¡°But if you hang on me like this with your mouth on my arm, you¡¯re going to lose.¡±


    ¡°Ugh?¡±


    Thud!


    I had planned to knock him over with my weight, but when I lifted him up, he couldn¡¯t do anything. Of course, he wasn¡¯t completely helpless and tried to stop his frantic growling, but¡­


    This time, I shoved my arm into his mouth instead. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°aaargh!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re using your teeth too carelessly for someone who doesn¡¯t have dental insurance.¡±


    Finally, even the pagan¡¯s strong teeth couldn¡¯t hold out, and they cracked with a sickening sound.


    I plunged my sword into the pagan¡¯s mouth as he bled profusely, ending his brief suffering. However, even though I had stabbed him, the sensation was strange. I definitely felt something off about the guy when I first met him.


    I aimed for his heart, but it felt strangely lifelike¡­


    Let¡¯s cross the stone bridge and see.


    I recalled this beautiful proverb, got up, and stomped on the pagan¡¯s neck with my combat boots.


    Crack!


    ¡°T-that¡¯s too much¡­¡±


    I heard the pale knight, Husten¡¯s voice, but I didn¡¯t have the luxury to appease him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let your guard down just because you¡¯ve stabbed him. Think of it as killing him at least twice.¡±


    ¡°?¡±


    ¡­too similar.


    I gripped the hilt of my sword tighter at the unpleasant realization.


    ***


    It was only natural to hear the clang of swords amidst warriors who were plundering.


    Because the only way for those who fought over their spoils was to duel. Sometimes they fought for better offerings, and sometimes they fought to get a slave to warm their beds.


    Since it was a personal matter and directly related to one¡¯s honor, the other warriors tended to keep quiet. Moreover, they had no reason to care about others when they had their own plundering to do.


    The fight was over, and it was time to quench their thirst with the sweet fruits of victory.


    As the warriors scattered one by one and wandered around, indulging themselves in plundering to relieve their tension, a warrior who had been clapping while circling the burning house suddenly turned his head at the sound of footsteps.


    ¡°Hmm? What?¡±


    And the moment he realized the identity of the footsteps, his confident expression began to turn ashen with horror.


    ¡°Th, the Landstealer¡­¡±


    At the same time, a sword light flashed.


    The blade pierced his neck faster than he could finish speaking. Narba looked down at the warrior collapsing while clutching his spurting neck, and raised his left hand.


    ¡°Follow my actions without complaint. Advance.¡±


    The soldiers and knights were already overwhelmed by Narba¡¯s martial arts and ruthlessness.


    They moved with weary faces but trust, following Narba, who was at the forefront. At that moment, Narba and his special forces were transformed into an organized killing machine.


    Narba¡¯s appearance was like a thunderbolt to the warriors who were scattered and drunk with victory.


    ¡°The Landstealer, now?!¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±


    The warriors boasted overwhelming force against the militia, but that was only when they were united. If they were attacked without being able to form a proper formation, even warriors had their limits.


    Moreover, the one leading the special forces was Narba, and he had eight knights under his command. Even if a slightly skilled warrior voiced and tried to buy time, it ended up as a meaningless attempt in front of them.


    Warriors collapsed with a thud.


    In the shadow of the ruins where their corpses were facing, a sharp-eyed woman slowly raised her head.


    That moment.


    Bam!


    A fierce kick broke the warrior¡¯s cervical vertebrae.


    Narba, the owner of the combat boot, looked at the woman raising her head in the shadow and put his index finger over his lips.


    ¡°Shhh¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    ¡°Shh.¡±


    The woman¡¯s eyes widened in shock. The woman covered her bursting sobs with both hands and shook her disheveled hair incessantly. Only then did Narba smile and lift his combat boot.


    If the warriors¡¯ slaughter until now had been thorough but crude, Narba¡¯s slaughter unfolded with a mechanical neatness, like rolling cogwheels.


    Narba would cut their necks or block the enemy¡¯s attacks in the lead, and the other knights would cut their tendons or deflect their weapons.


    The incapacitated warriors were then pushed into the soldiers¡¯ shield wall that followed them and trampled mercilessly. Narba¡¯s sword light replaced the soldiers¡¯ boiling groans and angry shouts.


    Hustan and the knights had no choice but to feel awe as they watched the scene from the closest spot.


    ¡®Black shoulder mantle. A symbol that the Holy See grants only to those with exceptional martial arts skills among its close aides.¡¯


    ¡®That is¡­¡¯


    Is that the skill of one who vowed to protect humanity?


    Narba and the special forces slaughtered the warriors like that for a long time. Soon, when their number exceeded several hundred, Narba, who had been leading the charge, suddenly stopped.


    The ruins were burning and collapsing.


    Under the flowing river¡¯s gurgle, a village where groans and screams were buried.


    Before the alley where corpses were scattered, a warrior with a large physique and a kind smile blocked Narba¡¯s way, the warrior chief Hart.


    ¡°My, oh my. I never would have guessed¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    ¡°There really are warriors among these farmers!¡±


    Thud!


    The sound of an ax handle slamming into the ground was a kind of signal.


    The unique boisterousness that had been sweeping through the entirety of Coveville slowly began to subside. Warrior Chief Hart raised his giant ax and smiled with a competitive spirit.


    ¡°Now, warrior! I shall ask for your name¡­¡±


    And before he could finish speaking, Narba readjusted his stance.


    -To a perfect fencing posture.


    BANG!!!!


    It was a fearsome momentum, so much that one could almost mistake it for a sound that wasn¡¯t actually there. The moment they saw the sturdy Hart bounce back and collapse, the warriors standing nearby and the soldiers who had followed them all dropped their jaws.


    Some of the soldiers even completely forgot the order not to open their mouths.


    ¡°Di, did we get him?¡±


    ¡°No!¡±


    And the one who destroyed the hopeful anticipation before anyone else was Narba.


    ¡°Raise your shields, never stab first!!!¡±


    ¡°Wh, what¡­¡±


    It was a side of him they had never seen before.


    Narba had shed every bit of playfulness and was shouting desperately, with a serious attitude. The completely different, serious attitude rather left his allies unable to continue speaking, bewildered.


    The moment the special forces unit looked at each other, wondering what was going on, Husten opened his mouth blankly.


    ¡°¡­He rose.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s standing!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that¡­¡±


    Like an idiot.


    The knights¡¯ retort was swallowed before it could pass their throats.


    Thud.


    Hart, who had clearly been hit by the fencing sword and bounced away, was shaking his neck and getting up. They opened their eyes wide, wondering if he had somehow dodged it at that moment, but the result was even more shocking.


    Hart was blankly looking down at the sword stuck in his abdomen.


    He scrunched up his face for a long time as if scratching his cheek with his index finger, then licked the drop of blood oozing out over the slightly split gap with his index finger.


    Lick.


    ¡°Well, well.¡±


    He wasn¡¯t satisfied with just smelling the blood, he even tasted it.


    ¡°¡­This is the first time I¡¯ve seen a farmer who knows the protection of the war god.¡±


    He began to glare at Narba as he calmly pulled the sword out of his stomach.

 Chapter 98

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 98


    98. The Warrior King


    The moment the starlight arrived from outer space, the gods of this land were defeated.


    And the price of defeat also fell upon the seeds that served the gods.


    Valiant warriors collapsed under the blades, and the fields of ripe wheat were covered in crimson poppies. A waterfall of blood flowed down the steps, and the city walls were smeared with bloodstains.


    Thus came the Age of Man, as it was called.


    Trampling over non-humans and their sympathizers.


    However, despite the systematic massacre and erasure of records, the gods and faith survived. This was because the gods were rational.


    Lux Stella. The haughty alien starlight that did not properly tell people what it desired, only naggingly demanding proof of life.


    On the other hand, the great gods made transactions with humans in an intuitive and easy-to-understand manner.


    Offer me a worthy tribute, and I shall grant you an appropriate reward.


    Those who had rejected the alien starlight to the end could not help but kneel before the promise of the gods and rejoice.


    What an easy-to-understand and easy-to-follow faith this was.


    Even the rewards were not ambiguous. The gods were not like Lux Stella, who demanded proof of life and forced a pledge. The gods were willing to grant the wishes of humans.


    -As long as they offered a tribute worthy enough for them to look upon with favor.


    The warrior Hart.


    He began to walk slowly, his left hand gently caressing his abdomen where a blade had pierced him. His steps were filled with a warrior¡¯s pride and vigilance towards an unfamiliar enemy.


    However, there was an emotion that surpassed all of these.


    Curiosity.


    ¡®Did he intentionally avoid my heart?¡¯


    Blood was already flowing down his palm. It had been a mistake not to wear his armor properly, overconfident as usual. Hart narrowed the distance, gripping the ax handle with only his right hand.


    Towards Narva, the black-shouldered man who had thrown the blade.


    ¡°You don¡¯t even state your name. We¡¯re about to fight, so we should at least know each other¡¯s names.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    ¡°So. How did you learn of the War God¡¯s blessing? Could it be that you are one of the surviving gods?¡±


    It was a well-known fact that the alien starlight-worshipping church was desperate to eradicate the existence of gods.


    Considering their paranoid persistence and fearsome pursuit, it was highly unlikely that an ordinary warrior would know about the War God. Of course, there were countless people in the vast world, so exceptions were not impossible.


    Hart was hoping for the latter. He looked at Narva, hoping that perhaps there was a compatriot still alive in this distant foreign land, a land where the alien starlight had already taken root.


    However, when Narva slowly raised both hands and took off his gauntlets, Hart was briefly taken aback, then nodded in understanding.


    ¡°Indeed.¡±


    A light blue cross-shaped emblem.


    All doubts were dispelled as soon as he saw the stigma engraved on the back of Narva¡¯s hand. Hart placed his left hand, which had been clutching his abdomen, on top of the ax handle. Naturally, blood poured out of the now-widened gap .


    But he didn¡¯t care this time.


    Hart straightened his posture, suppressing the pain, and the corners of his lips curled up.


    ¡°Alien starlight, are you a Grand Warrior?¡±


    Whether or not his opponent knew about the War God was no longer of concern.


    He was a Grand Warrior of Lux Stella, who was known to be extremely picky about granting power to believers. It was only natural that he was different from ordinary people. Instead of charging, Hart closed the distance one step at a time.


    Hart walked forward, his gaze fixed on Narva, who was quietly revealing his stigma.


    After all, the cowards who were slowly retreating behind him, devastated, were just a bunch of rabble who would be finished off if he defeated just one man.


    ¡°Now that I see you face to face, you don¡¯t look so bad. Don¡¯t you agree?¡±


    It was true.


    Unlike Narva, who glared fiercely, Hart¡¯s eyes were filled with nothing but pure fighting spirit.


    ¡°Judging from the timing of your appearance, you must have been waiting here in advance. The reason for that must be to wait for us to become disorganized from the looting and unable to put up a proper fight.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    ¡°Unlike the nearby landholders who just charge without thinking. You¡¯re¡­ a warrior. You know what a fight is, and you know that sacrifices must be made to win.¡±


    Thud.


    Before he knew it, Hart was standing just a dozen or so steps away from Narba, his expression a soft smile that betrayed a budding sense of camaraderie.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad to meet a fellow warrior¡ª¡±


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    ¡°¡­?¡±


    Before Narba could erect an iron wall of nonsense words.


    ¡°What are you trying to insinuate, you sanctimonious little sh*t who borrows the power of others?¡±


    Narba ended the confrontation with those words. In one swift motion, he drew the last dagger from his belt and pointed it at Hart.


    Naturally, Hart was aghast at the sight of the holy mark that gleamed brightly on the back of his hand.


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    ¡°Oh, really? Is that how a great warrior blessed by God should speak?¡±


    He had tried to treat Hart with the respect due to a warrior.


    Hart raised his ax, his face weary of the disrespectful and dishonorable attitude. It was obvious which would prevail, the massive ax or the dainty dagger.


    Hart had the overwhelming advantage in both mass and reach.


    So why not savor the advantage without holding back?


    ¡°Hmph!¡±


    Booooom-!!!


    Hart¡¯s ax whistled sharply through the air as he swung it. The sheer force of the wind pressure was enough to make the weeds that littered the ground lie flat. Of course, at this rate, it would never reach him.


    In fact, Narba was well aware of that fact and was waiting silently, his stance firm.


    At that moment, Hart let out a roar.


    ¡°You let your guard down!!!¡±


    His hands, which had been gripping the ax handle, slid off smoothly. The ax, now free from his hands, swung even farther and deeper.


    But Narba didn¡¯t roll away or dodge.


    As soon as he saw the ax blade elongate, he held the dagger in reverse and placed it over the plate armor on his forearm, above the gauntlet. He lowered his stance, his gaze fixed on both the approaching ax blade and Hart.


    Hart¡¯s eyes widened as he instantly realized what the stance meant.


    ¡®He¡¯s going to dig in!¡¯


    Hart, sensing what was coming next, hurriedly took another step forward and grabbed the ax handle that was slipping away. Then, gritting his teeth, he pulled the ax handle, which had become even heavier with centrifugal force, back into his arms.


    -That was when Narba moved.


    Clang, clang, clang, clang!!!!


    The moment the screeching of metal on metal ceased, Narba was holding the dagger he had held in reverse high in the air. Right before Hart¡¯s nose, who had tilted his head back.


    And on the blade of the dagger, which had been gnashing at the ax handle¡ª


    ¡°One.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    A faint drop of blood was forming.


    A thin line appeared on Hart¡¯s throat, and a faint drop of blood oozed out along it.


    Hart took a few steps back before finally lowering his head. The absurd look he had been giving Narba was gone.


    The emotion that replaced the absurdity and triumph was one and only one.


    It was shocking.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Hart didn¡¯t say anything more.


    Instead, he was desperately moving his feet with a hardened face and widening the distance. It was part of his plan to always gain an advantage in close combat using his heavy and long ax.


    However, Narva would not give his opponent an advantageous distance.


    Narva rushed in without hesitation after confirming that Hart was widening the distance by hurriedly sidestepping. Hart immediately took a step back and raised his ax.


    Woong-.


    The moment the ax blade that fiercely cut through the air seemed to come down as is.


    Hart, with his ax raised, used the weight attached to the end in an instant to stab.


    Whoong!


    The sound of his shoulder mantle fluttering resounded loudly. It was a close call, but a calculated difference. Narva had lightly leaped to the side and avoided the stab.


    However, the attack did not end there.


    Hart, realizing that his stab had missed, grabbed the shaft and swung it with all his might. However, this time too, he failed. The shaft just cut through the air in vain.


    Narva lowered his posture almost to his knees and glared at Hart like a crouching beast.


    Hart started to rotate his ax upon seeing that gaze, his sweat turning cold.


    At that moment, a charge close to a leap came.


    Kakangakang!!!!


    The sparks created by the ax blade and dagger colliding were reflected in the distant eyes of the corpse lying on the floor.


    Utudududuk!


    The moaning that had been faintly heard stopped as the chain links were torn off.


    Instead, all that could be heard was a single word from the warrior who had always laughed heartily.


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    By the time he moved his gaze to the ax handle due to the belated stinging pain, it was already too late.


    His fingers were trembling. At the end of them, crimson drops of blood were forming one by one.


    He realized it at once upon seeing that.


    The tendons of his right hand had been severed.


    Hart immediately raised his head and echoed.


    ¡°Retreat!¡±


    Chaeng!


    The ax began to be pushed away.


    It was being pushed away by the dagger¡¯s blade that flowed dazzlingly between his fingers.


    The dagger never stabbed fiercely. It just swung gently as if the warm sunlight was pouring down, as if a clear stream was flowing naturally.


    ¡°Everyone retreat, I will block this guy!!!¡±


    However, death approached steadily.


    The drops of blood seeing out before he realized it had been cut, his fingers gradually losing strength and collapsing.


    Every time Hart desperately moved his ax to block the dagger, the wounds unknowingly piled up.


    [Hart. If you serve the God of War, remember this.]


    At that moment, Hart recalled the face of the chieftain, Ulfson, who had looked at him with a serious expression.


    [There is no warrior who does not die.]


    [Hey, wouldn¡¯t it be different if you were blessed by the God of War?]


    [Our ancestors once thought so too.]


    [They did?]


    [Hart. Please do not make the same mistake as our ancestors.]


    Blood gushed incessantly from the lacerated flesh like a net, as if it were being stabbed.


    The weight of his words, which he hadn¡¯t felt since he received the blessing of the War God, approached with heavy steps and opened his mind.


    [Our ancestors also kill those who cannot die.]


    Immunity to instant death.


    The blessing of the War God allows one to withstand a blow that would otherwise lead to death. Even if one¡¯s heart is pierced, it will heal if one kills the attacker before dying. As long as one receives the blessing of the War God, one¡¯s neck and head will never be severed.


    It was a power worthy of being called immortal, but for one person.


    A warrior who possessed neither a mysterious lineage nor the blessing of any god had managed to break the great power of the War God, rendering him no longer immortal.


    [I thought so until I met the greatest warrior who ever lived on this land.]


    Thud.


    His weakened body collapsed to its knees. Hart¡¯s entire body was riddled with dagger wounds. It was tattered, as if it had been stabbed with the tip of a knife, cut open, or scraped and slashed with a jagged blade.


    As the ax he had finally dropped from his hand clattered on the floor, Hart lifted his head with all his remaining strength.


    Narva was there.


    Narva quietly looked down at Hart, not bothering to wipe away the bloodstains that had splattered everywhere. He kept the dagger pointed at Hart¡¯s neck.


    One side of the blade was jagged and dented, while the other was smoothly polished.


    And the tip, where the blades overlapped, was sharply honed and cold.


    Hart rolled his eyes to examine the dagger, then looked back up at Narva, his lips trembling.


    ¡°I, the warrior king¡­¡±


    Narva¡¯s gaze had already left Hart long ago.


    Instead, he was fiercely glaring at the warriors who were gathering behind Hart, drawn by the commotion. A tingling sensation ran down his spine. A cold feeling, which he thought he would never feel again, chilled Hart¡¯s lungs.


    The warriors approached with a vengeance, unaware of what Hart was feeling.


    ¡°Save the warlord!¡±


    ¡°Warlord, just hold on a little longer!!!¡±


    His vision was already becoming blurry.


    Nevertheless, Hart exhaled with difficulty, squeezing his lungs to open his blood-soaked lips.


    ¡°Can you grant me¡­ permission to retreat¡­?¡±


    Only then did Narva look down at Hart again.


    Hart¡¯s heart pounded in his chest before the fierce, icy glare. It was as if his entire body was being pierced by that gaze alone.


    However, he soon realized that it was an illusion.


    Narva was looking down at the corpse lying on the floor.


    ¡°Do you know why these people died?¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    It was a refugee from Cobbleville, his face disfigured as if he had been used as a sacrifice.


    ¡°They tried to kill you.¡±


    Clang.


    The tattered prayer was completely severed. At the same time, the blessing of the War God was revoked.


    The War God only blesses those who rush to death with an instant death blow.


    If one¡¯s limbs are stabbed, their tendons severed, and they bleed to death from blood loss, it is not considered an instant and thus not blessed. fell Hart forward, his head hitting the ground, and breathed his last.


    At the same time, a chorus of anger filled the town.


    The warriors who had been approaching in a hurry had celebrated Hart¡¯s death and were now giving vent to their rage.


    ¡°Warlord!¡±


    ¡°¡­Revenge!!!¡±


    Narba nonchalantly tossed the broken dagger on Hart¡¯s chest.


    ¡°All of you, fall back into formation.¡±


    Then, without looking back, he raised his left hand and said.


    ¡°No prisoners.¡±


    He spoke to the soldiers and knights who were hesitating and swallowing their saliva behind him.

 Chapter 99

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 99


    99. Why is Reality Like This?


    The battle that took place in Coveville ended after 6 hours.


    The victors were Narba and the special forces.


    As the sun approached the horizon, the soldiers also collapsed to the ground. The clamor that had been noisily resounding for a long time stopped, and what came instead were sighs of relief that burst out one after another.


    They survived. They won.


    There were dozens of soldiers who forgot all about military discipline and collapsed to the ground, relieved by these two facts. The knights were also busy breathing heavily and spitting out their dry saliva.


    On the other hand, Narba quietly gazed at the river while throwing away the captured sword stained with its original owner¡¯s blood. Where Narba¡¯s gaze fell, there was a ship that was quickly moving away, cutting through the water.


    There was a pagan warrior standing on the stern, staring at him.


    The moment Narba met the warrior¡¯s eyes through the helmet¡¯s face guard, he clicked his tongue.


    ¡°It was a diversion.¡±


    It¡¯s not that the warriors are reckless because they are hot-blooded. Rather, it is their standard tactic to pretend to be careless while their enemies are distracted by their flashy dance and honor.


    The warriors¡¯ cries for revenge for their comrades were nothing more than a bluff. The warriors¡¯ true purpose was to escape.


    Of course, Narba was not going to let them go.


    If he had intended to let the enemy troops, whom he had barely managed to divide, go, he would not have turned a blind eye to the looting either. Narba took advantage of the fact that the warriors were tied to the ground after landing and attacked them by surprise, and he ultimately aimed to annihilate them.


    In the end, the warriors had no choice but to sacrifice themselves to report the facts they had learned to their main force.


    While Narba and the special forces were fiercely fighting against the fierce momentum, those who were planning for the future secretly packed their equipment and boarded the ship. The result of this cruel and reckless gamble was a success.


    Because even if the rest were annihilated, they would be able to report to the main force.


    Narba turned his back on the bloodstained ship without hesitation.


    The water is still the territory of the pagan warriors. Even if he forcibly raised the soldiers who had been on a forced march and fought in a series of battles, it was obvious that they would fail.


    Moreover, there were not no losses.


    As he turned away from the ship and entered the village, he saw soldiers groaning in pain, exhausted and grieving.


    ¡°Ugh¡­ uuugh¡­¡±


    ¡°B-Blood, the blood won¡¯t stop. C-Cauterize it!¡±


    ¡°No¡­ Even if you cauterize it, this won¡¯t work.¡±


    There were many people who were flustered and didn¡¯t know what to do next to the dying soldier.


    The soldier kept squirming, clutching his severed shoulder and bleeding profusely. Eventually, after continued groaning, one of his desperate comrades grabbed the hilt of a sword.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll end it quickly.¡±


    The other soldiers who had been watching in a daze closed their eyes all at once. It was a moment later that the tip of the sword pierced the soldier¡¯s neck. The soldier who had stabbed him held the limp body in his arms and quietly sobbed.


    Narba averted his gaze, his eyebrows furrowed at the sight.


    ¡®After ambushing the enemy special forces who had already started a feint, and approaching them while they were disorganized and unable to properly form ranks because they were looting, we started by killing almost half of them, and yet there are 38 dead and 4 more who will die soon.¡¯


    It was to find the eight knights he had brought with him to serve as adjutants. Fortunately, all of the knights had survived unharmed.


    However, just because they survived does not mean they were not injured.


    Sir Husten Orn.


    He was lying down and groaning, with bandages wrapped tightly around his bleeding head. The fellow knights would occasionally come to Husten with worried faces, even as they encouraged and organized their subordinate soldiers.


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    ¡°Son, drop the book and pick up a sword. The knights are swords, swords.¡± Hustan said, raising his hand with difficulty each time.


    ¡°I guess Sir Hustan is looking at his son.¡±


    ¡°¡­They weren¡¯t the pagans we knew. These guys were the first to be so creepy.¡±


    The knights exhaled, holding their crumpled helmets between their forearms. Narba chose to quietly distance himself rather than deliberately point it out with sharp words.


    However, Narba¡¯s heart was as heavy as theirs.


    ¡®There is also one seriously injured knight.¡¯


    Of course, it is true that the special forces were outnumbered. Moreover, it was an arduous battle, as they were physically exhausted due to the forced march and the battle.


    However, there were plenty of advantages as well as disadvantages. Narba took the lead and broke the enemy¡¯s fierce momentum.


    Narba maintained his formation to prevent the friendly lines from collapsing while disrupting the enemy¡¯s formation. If we discuss who was the most active in this battle and who bore the most burden, it would naturally be Narba.


    The knights and soldiers also fought hard.


    The knights bravely led the soldiers against the advancing pagan warriors, and the soldiers did their best.


    The vanguard, which never backed down with its solid formation and high morale.


    Despite having these three elements, one-third of the troops were lost as a result of the suicide attack, the last outburst of the warriors. There was only one reason for this absurd result.


    ¡®We were completely defeated in terms of troop quality.¡¯


    The warriors were strong. The warriors of the other world were far stronger than the soldiers of this world.


    First of all, even if they were not knights, they had enough skill to hold their ground or get in the way. Moreover, there were those who could not be killed immediately even if they were aimed at the heart or neck.


    At this point, it was fortunate that the soldiers did not flee in terror at the sight of the warriors swinging their axes while swallowing blood even after being stabbed in the chest.


    The only unusual thing was that there were fewer wounded than expected. The soldiers who faced the warriors either died with a single blow or died quickly from fatal injuries even if they survived.


    Narba realized the cause of this strange statistic and let out a bitter laugh.


    ¡®They are bastards who are good at killing people.¡¯


    Purely excellent combat skills and strong will that could be called murderous intent.


    Even if they were not warriors with strange powers, there were more than a few who swung their axes, knowing that they would die, but willing to kill their opponents as well. Most of the soldiers who barely managed to defeat their opponents were killed by the warriors.


    Narba sighed, feeling bitterness, a sense of danger, and annoyance at the same time.


    ¡®I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m meeting similar¡­the same guys again.¡¯


    That¡¯s when he was alone and triumphant.


    Footsteps began to approach Narba stealthily.


    ¡°My lord, I¡¯ll quit being a valet when I get back.¡±


    ¡°Then what are you going to do for a living?¡±


    ¡°At least I have to go to a foreign country where I won¡¯t meet guys like this.¡±


    John with a quick mind.


    John bluntly revealed his ambition, not even using honorifics, while holding a crossbow tightly, with sweat dripping down his face. He was half-crying as he spoke. Narba gave a faint smile as soon as he heard the ambition.


    ¡°They will follow you no matter where you go. They will chase you even if you are alone when you finish everything. What are you going to do by running away?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m going to sell the land with that sincerity.¡±


    John sighed, speaking humorously.


    However, the hand holding the crossbow was trembling. The corners of his mouth, which he had forced up to smile, soon shook, and finally tears began to flow down from under his eyelids.


    John eventually shook his head, looking very depressed.


    ¡°¡­Do I have to keep fighting guys like that?¡±


    Narba replied calmly but clearly and firmly to that look.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°If not, even some holy blood, just¡­¡±


    ¡°Holy blood?¡±


    Narva turned her head, wondering what he was talking about, and John spoke hesitantly.


    ¡°That¡­ I remembered a rumor that the blood of those who manifest the Stigmata is effective in defeating demons¡­ I thought it might be better to do it now that you¡¯re injured¡­ if you¡¯re going to do it anyway¡­¡±


    ¡°? Why would I be injured?¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    At that moment, John stopped crying in atonishment and looked up at Narva.


    ¡°No. Didn¡¯t you perform a miracle when you caught that horrible pagan just now? You must have exposed your holy blood to perform a miracle, so you must have been injured.¡±


    ¡°? For what?¡±


    ¡°????¡±


    John¡¯s gaze turned blankly at Narva, his gun hanging limply.


    Then Narva raised the back of her hand with a rare confident smile.


    ¡°If I were to seriously inflict a wound, when others who do not know the circumstances see it.¡±


    On the back of her hand.


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t they think it was because my skill was lacking?¡±


    There was not a single wound left, except for the Stigmata.


    ***


    April 26, 1213.


    It was a morning when the mist had not yet cleared.


    As Chief Urphson was offering his offerings in a devout manner, a warrior soaked in cold sweat came to him. When Urphson left the altar and headed for the river as soon as he heard the warrior¡¯s words, a serious atmosphere filled the surroundings.


    ¡°The warriors of the chieftain¡­¡±


    ¡°What happened? Why did you come back first on your own?¡±


    The warriors grew in low voices.


    Urphson pushed his way through them and looked down at the warrior kneeling on the gravel. The warrior on the gravel had his head bowed in shame and had even laid down his ax, the symbol of a warrior.


    The rest of the warriors on the ship remained silent with their heads bowed on the deck.


    As soon as he saw Urphson, he cried out as if he were wailing.


    ¡°Chief, punish us for our arrogance in ignoring your warning!¡±


    Urphson was able to receive shocking news through him.


    -Annihilation.


    All 860 brave warriors and 10 precious ships led by Chieftain Hart had fallen into enemy hands. Only 50 survived, and only one ship remained.


    It was a disastrous result. Even Urphson, who had predicted that half would survive even in the event of a defeat, was shocked.


    ¡°What should I do!¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    ¡°How much did you screw up to lose so many troops! I trusted Hart and sent him. But how!!!!¡±


    Urphson looked down at the kneeling warrior with eyes filled with anger and said.


    ¡°Tell me everything you saw and heard. Now, here. Without missing a thing. Right now!¡±


    Only then did the surviving warrior slowly open his lips.


    And as the warrior spoke of what he had seen and heard, Urphson¡¯s expression changed with each passing moment.


    A surprise attack while they were plundering. The audacity to show their teeth fiercely despite being outnumbered. The commander who supported all of this. The bright blue cross that shone clearly on the back of his hand.


    The moment the story finally reached the duel with Chieftain Hart, Urphson had completely forgotten his anger.


    Urpsson looked at the kneeling warrior and the ship alternately with a blank look and uttered a sigh.


    ¡°No way. No way he¡¯s a great warrior of that level¡­¡±


    The warriors serving the great gods and the followers of the extraterrestrial starlight, Lux Stella, had clashed more than once or twice.


    Right now, the followers of Lux Stella had driven the warriors into a corner, starting from the place where Ilennio, the one who had turned his back on the gods, had breathed his last, and thrusting their swords and spears in all directions.


    The reason this was possible was because the protection of the God of War had been undermined in an absurd manner.


    That too, 600 years ago, by a mere human who had not a single drop of the hero¡¯s bloodline mixed in him and who did not receive the protection of any god.


    The nameless warrior king of the ruined kingdom.


    The king, who was able to command the army directly only after all his subjects had fled, stood at the forefront without fail to kill the undying and willingly fought dozens, hundreds of battles, and finally killed him.


    His amazing feat could not help but impress even the warriors he fought against. He became an existence that all warriors revered, even though he was an enemy, and that remained an exception even to this day.


    -Even to those who followed Lux Stella.


    Urpsson understood why Hart and the warriors had been defeated.


    ¡°If what you say is true, the opponent is a warrior among warriors who can follow the ways of the warrior king to a considerable extent. It was only natural to lose, so I will not ask for further responsibility.¡±


    ¡°Chief, what are you talking about! Even if there is a reason, I shamefully lost and ran away, how can I hold my head up if I don¡¯t even receive punishment?!¡±


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you learned how those chosen by the extraterrestrial starlight fight?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ I know it, but¡­ is it a test?¡±


    ¡°If so.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ like those shady guys, when facing a great warrior, they retreat if they think they¡¯re losing, and then they wait for the guy who was waiting in advance and ex¡­¡±


    Only then did the warrior¡¯s expression begin to spread with astonishment as he realized the connection.


    The way the followers of Lux Stella fought did not fundamentally deviate from the ways of the warrior king, except for the number of people involved. Urpsson looked down at the warrior who had realized the fact and carefully opened his mouth.


    ¡°Return to the fight.¡±


    ¡°Wh, what, Chief.¡±


    Urpsson put his hand on his chest and placed it over the box he had been hiding.


    ¡°I will use the remains of the warrior king to fight them.¡± sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 100

    The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 100


    100. Don¡¯t Run Away


    It was two days after the end of the battle that the main force arrived at Cobville, which had become a mess. Naturally, the main force that arrived at Cobville could not help but be astonished at the horrific sight and the strong smell of blood everywhere .


    April 27, 1213, a time when the sunlight would feel heavy as the day gradually dawned.


    In a place where colorful wildflowers should have been in full bloom, crimson poppies were blooming in abundance. The knights who had led the troops instead of Narva exchanged glances, their cold sweat dripping down.


    ¡°Are there any survivors?¡±


    ¡°¡­The safety of the bishop is the priority. We need to find him first.¡±


    Narva¡¯s personal character was problematic, but considering his background and political connections, he was a person who could never be lost.


    Since he was a stigma bearer and was classified as a close aide to the Pope, if rumors spread that he had died a horrible death due to insufficient support during the battle with the pagans, it was obvious who would be the first to be censored.


    ¡°Find His Grace!¡±


    ¡°We must find His Grace¡¯s whereabouts at all costs! All of you¡­¡±


    ¡°Nari, he¡¯s over there?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    And just as the knights were urging the soldiers in their impatience, one soldier pointed to one side with a puzzled expression. Only then did the knights see a sight that they had failed to notice, blinded by their impatience.


    Narva was standing alone at the entrance of the village, waving his hand leisurely.


    ¡°His Grace?¡±


    ¡°Come on!¡±


    Even though it was a battlefield where a fierce battle had taken place, Narva¡¯s appearance was completely relaxed. The knights felt a slight dizziness and were barely able to breathe a sigh of relief. If the bishop had died, how devastating the aftermath would have been .


    It was a truly breathtaking moment.


    Narva, the one who had led them here, seemed oblivious to such concerns. He beckoned to the main force with a satisfied smile, urging them to join him.


    ¡°There are more than a few corpses that need to be stripped!¡±


    Indeed, his words rang true.


    The main force, following Narva¡¯s guidance into the depths of Coveville, could not conceal their astonishment. They had sensed that something sinister had occurred, but the reality far surpassed their wildest imaginations.


    Corpses were piled up in the alleys, reaching as high as their thighs. Many were horrified to see an arm sticking out from beneath the rubble of a collapsed and damaged building.


    However, even the soldiers who had been pale and trembling with fear had a change of heart as they approached the center of the town. The knights even admired the scene from atop their saddles, their eyes sweeping over the surroundings.


    There was one thing they all had in common: their eyes sparkled with greed.


    The knights immediately jumped down from their saddles and, after thoroughly searching the area, approached Narva with serious expressions.


    ¡°My lord, what is this?¡±


    ¡°These are the pagan raiders who landed in Coveville. They were all valiantly defeated by our detachment.¡±


    ¡°Your accomplishments are truly remarkable. To have defeated dozens of pagan raiders after such a forced march.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    Narva turned and pointed to a relatively intact building behind them, in the shade away from the sunlight. The knights¡¯ gazes followed the tip of his finger, and they froze in an instant.


    ¡°Sixty over there.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    ¡°There are about a hundred more if you go further. And about three hundred near the palisade at the far end. All in all, there seem to be over seven hundred, but I haven¡¯t counted them all.¡±


    Gulp.


    Their eyes, which had been gleaming with greed, suddenly filled with astonishment. Those who had been salivating over the chain mail and gleaming weapons worn by the pagan raiders were now swallowing hard at the absurd body count.


    The knights began to exchange glances under the visors of their helmets.


    ¡®Could it be an exaggeration?¡¯


    ¡®But the numbers we can see with our own eyes seem to be around that¡­¡¯


    As the knights¡¯ thoughts became entangled in confusion, Narva turned away again, a warm smile playing on his lips.


    ¡°Normally, there would be no need to distribute the spoils of war to those who stayed away from the battlefield. However, you did not avoid the battlefield because you were unwilling to fight.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    A few of the knights turned their heads slightly.


    Narva continued, seemingly oblivious, ¡°I commend you for your excellent leadership of the soldiers in my absence and for your commendable arrival while maintaining military discipline. I will therefore give you a special opportunity.¡±


    ¡°Special?¡±


    ¡°Opportunity?¡±


    The knights naturally asked questions, surprised by his unexpected words.


    Narva laughed, waving his hand dismissively despite his somewhat rude behavior.


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    ¡°Take charge of collecting the bodies. I will then distribute half of the spoils of war to you.¡±


    ***


    The main force, which arrived later, was able to make contact with the detachment that had taken up position in a corner of the town while collecting the bodies.


    Out of the 150 men excluding Narva, 38 had been killed in action.


    Almost a third of their forces had lost their lives in the fierce battle. Even if they had won, it was hardly a victory worth celebrating. If they had lost so many men in a normal battle, there would have been talk of responsibility aimed at the commander.


    If it had been a normal battle, that is.


    The knights could not help but gape as they led their soldiers in piling up the bodies one by one. After spending almost half a day counting, their astonishment turned into awe. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Excluding the bodies presumed to be civilians, they counted a staggering 741 bodies with identifiable clothing.


    If we consider the bodies that were mutilated or those that were unarmed due to the fierce fighting, the actual number of troops must have been more than this. It must have been around 800.


    The knights began to look at Narva, who was not a spoil of war but in the village, with a new light.


    ¡®With 150 men, they fought and won against 800 pagan warriors and more than half survived.¡¯


    ¡®It¡¯s more than a feat, even though it wasn¡¯t a head-on fight. Of course, it wasn¡¯t the best way, but¡­¡¯


    They guessed that the opponent would try a pincer attack, cut them off first, waited calmly until they started looting, and then attacked when their discipline and formation were in disarray. In the process, they killed a few surviving civilians who got in the way , but that was understandable.


    The knights, who knew the chaos and hardship of an actual battlefield, clicked their tongues as they looked at the survivors, who were huddled in rags, on Cobbleville¡¯s side.


    ¡®¡­It was the best way. If they had started rescuing the survivors, they would have lost the advantage of surprise they had gained and their formation would have collapsed instead.¡¯


    They could understand and sympathize, but it was not an easy story to tell.


    What was important here was Narva¡¯s chilling judgment. It was a fearsome determination, even though the opponents were civilians and pagans suspected of heresy. The idea of annihilating the enemy in one swoop fell with fewer numbers was close to madness.


    How could he have made such a decision?


    The answer spread through the soldiers¡¯ gossip. The soldiers from the special forces, who had risen up after overcoming the grief of their comrades¡¯ deaths, began to testify to what they had seen with their own eyes.


    ¡°The pagans¡¯ necks were cut open with a single flash of the sword!¡±


    The soldiers talked about the light that led the way and cut a path through the front, the flash of the blade that could truly be called a sword light.


    ¡°He just threw it as it came, and it sucked right in. Even those who were far away fell down.¡±


    The salvation that cut through the wind at the moment of fear, behind the shield that was crushed or split by the ax.


    ¡°When his hands were free? He just grabbed the guy who was running at him, knocked him down, and took his weapon. He used it to fight the enemy in front of him.¡±


    The spirit that made him fight without hesitation, regardless of the type of weapon he was holding.


    ¡°Later, he seemed to regret the effort of killing them, so he just cut off their hands or made them cry out in pain. He threw them away in that state and threw them at us. As if¡­¡±


    As if the alpha wolf bit the prey¡¯s neck and brought it to the pack. Anyone would think so when they recalled the sight of him throwing away the enemies who were wriggling after their tendons were cut or their arms were torn off, without looking back.


    Of course, it was too absurd a tale to believe.


    The soldiers of the main force dismissed it as nonsense, saying that it didn¡¯t make sense, but as they began to remove the armor from the piled-up corpses, they had no choice but to believe it little by little.


    One of the soldiers lifted up a chain mail soaked in blood and examined it here and there, and his face turned pale.


    ¡°This. There¡¯s almost no damage to the armor?¡±


    ¡°¡­f*ck, is that rumor true?¡±


    Until now, Narva was nothing more or less than a bishop who worked hard among the soldiers.


    Even among the knights, Narva was just a younger brother with a strange personality, somewhat like Terver. They thought that there was a reason why Terver favored him even when faced with the results of his training.


    It was at this moment that the existence of Narva was fully imprinted on them.


    They met him for the first time, stripped of all the modifiers such as the third son of King Athelston, the younger brother of the strongest knight Terver, and the aide to the Pope.


    ¡°Oh, light of humanity, cover them with your light.¡±


    The sight of Narva holding a necklace in the middle of the village filled with corpses and reciting a prayer for the dead.


    ¡°For God does the work of God, and man does the work of man.¡±


    The sight of his obsidian-like eyes burning strangely as he looked beyond the flowing river.


    ¡®I¡¯m hooked.¡¯


    Without knowing what was really going on in his head.


    ***


    When the aftermath and the hunting for spoils of war were somewhat finished, Narva set up a base camp in Cobbleville and began to deal with the aftermath.


    He called in the knights and discussed future plans in a temporary headquarters, which was a dilapidated but intact building. Only one person, Husten, was excluded because he was busy admonishing his son with his absent-minded mind.


    ¡°I will hire the survivors as laborers. The wages will be the food that will be distributed.¡±


    There were about 200 survivors in Cobbleville, including children.


    Originally, the population was well over 500, including refugees, but more than half of them died in the short time of looting. If they sent them elsewhere, the notoriety of Cobbleville would spread, and if they left them alone, 200 mouths would eat up the supplies.


    Fortunately, the proportion of young men who could work was higher than expected. Ironically, it was because the pagans¡¯ manhunt was driven by practicality.


    The pagans killed all the old men they couldn¡¯t use right away, most of the children who were difficult to support, and the women who were less beautiful and merciless. On the other hand, the young men were relatively intact, to the extent that they cut the tendons of their legs or feet to use them as labor.


    Narva had already planned what to do with them.


    ¡°The laborers will repair the fences of Coveville and create a blockade across the river using nets and wood.¡±


    ¡°A blockade¡­ sir?¡±


    The knights asked cautiously, flinching.


    Narva realized why they were skeptical and nodded slowly, resting his chin on his hand.


    ¡°Coveville is useful not only to the enemy but also to our side. It is located in the middle of the Heze River and has a bend, so there is relatively plenty of time to catch the enemy. The enemy cannot move straight across the river and must come around in a semicircle. It is the most suitable stronghold to find the enemy coming up the river in advance and warn the surrounding area.¡±


    ¡°However, Coveville has the disadvantage that it is not easy to block landings. Wasn¡¯t it actually exposed to looting this time?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what makes Coveville more important.¡±


    ¡°?¡±


    Despite the argument of the grey-haired knight, Narva remained calm.


    ¡°It¡¯s a place that¡¯s difficult for us to defend but easy for them to defend. However, it is a place that we must defend for the safety of the upper reaches of the Heze River. Coveville is a place that is regrettable in many ways. ¡°


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s a valuable enough area as a rear base.¡±


    ¡°Rear? ¡­Your Excellency, surely not?!¡±


    The knight, who had been blinking his eyes as if he had heard something absurd, soon realized the meaning of the words and opened his mouth wide. The other knights reacted the same way.


    Narva finally put his chin on the table and said,


    ¡°We have defeated this force, so I don¡¯t know the extent of their size, but it must be considerable damage. If they get carried away, it will be easy to push them, but on the contrary, it is their habit to be more sensitive to defeat and loss. Their leader will move all of them, either to protect his authority or because he cannot bear any more losses.


    Furthermore, if our movement to fortify the Heze River is confirmed, they will make one choice.¡±


    ¡°Retreat.¡±


    ¡°Challenge.¡±


    The black shoulder mantle shook slightly against the questioning gazes.


    ¡°But¡­ what do you plan to do if they retreat?¡±


    ¡°I will send out as many scouts as possible from the main force that arrives later and find traces of them.¡±


    At that moment, Narva¡¯s fierce gaze swept over the knights.


    ¡°If they don¡¯t challenge, I will.¡±