episode_0027

“Is something a little strange?”

“It’s not strange.”

So, what should I say?

Well, coming from the mouth of a medieval traditionalist, it was a bit hard to accept.

There were no places or objects where I could feel nostalgic for my hometown from my past life, so all that remained was memories.

Therefore, thinking in my head or at most, speaking out loud was the only way for me to reminisce about the past and reflect on my morals.

As such, I never thought that I would hear the words I used in my past life, no matter who said them.

I looked down at the girl who was tilting her head. They say children are a reflection of their parents.

Although there are exceptions to everything, it is clear that children cannot help but be heavily influenced by their parents.

And now, in the absence of the girl’s parents, I was the one playing the role of guardian.

Perhaps it was because I had never experienced raising a child in my past life. I was aware of it, but pondering on that fact made me feel a bit uneasy.

“Well, there’s no problem. It’s nice to see her lively. Shall we get ready to go now?”

“Yes!”

Since nothing was wrong, I silently helped Licia put on her clothes and then left the room.

The child who had been gloomy when we first met now showed a positive change, which was a good thing, even if I didn’t know if it was entirely positive.

After a light breakfast and settling the bill, we headed out onto the street.

Unexpectedly, there was a subtle tension in the air. In a space that would naturally be filled with the hustle and bustle of shopkeepers and passersby chatting, there was an awkward silence lingering.

But what stood out the most were not the merchants selling goods with lowered voices, but those who exuded an atmosphere of reluctance as they made their way towards the church.

They knocked on the church door, and a moment later, a clergyman appeared and asked, “May God guide your path. What brings you here?”

“We have come to make a vow… Is it still possible?”

“Of course. You have made a big decision. Please come in, and wait a moment while I prepare.”

The clergyman smiled softly and led them into the church.

Within, a hidden sense of satisfaction and enthusiasm could be glimpsed.

Although there was no new member promotion like yesterday’s blessing, the church had decided to continue accepting vow-takers.

Those who had been refusing until now would not be asked for reasons, but simply given a path to follow.

It couldn’t feel good to be forced to choose between being excommunicated and facing the consequences of violence.

I understood the contrasting atmospheres between the church and the street. Not everyone could live as modestly as I did, nor faithfully follow the teachings of the church.

But why now of all times? As I pondered this, Licia spoke up first.

“It seems like even the church is getting anxious.”

“What do you mean?”

“Those who refuse to make vows and those who violate them. They are probably being forced to make a choice to bring some of those who don’t take the consequences of excommunication seriously under control.”

I pondered her words for a moment.

Unless excommunication had some magical effect on the body, one would have to rely on faith and religious authority to see actual results. If not, they would have to rely on existing force.

For the nobles, it would give them a pretext for attacking the enemies of the faith, so politically, they would have to take it seriously. But for humans who could live without laws, it was just as well with or without those chains.

These individuals with inflated egos and twisted moral values may have accepted it that way until now, but Filah announced that they would organize an army specifically for physical means, so their options are narrowing.

Direct confrontation and swallowing one’s pride, and bowing one’s head without ego.

And the reason why the attitude of priests, who used to just accept donations and move on, changed.

“It’s because of the Emperor.”

“Seems like it.”

What else could it be? The hottest topic recently is none other than the Emperor.

Although there was a justification for maintaining peace and establishing a collapsed morality, this might be the true nature of the Filah Church.

Maintaining peace is an excuse, and to be able to stand against the Emperor who has practically declared an all-out war, they needed to strengthen their abilities.

The very idea of resolving peace with violence… isn’t it incredibly contradictory?

Trying to understand that mindset only gave me a headache, so I decided to just accept it.

But there was still a worrying aspect.

With such a bold decision, there were bound to be significant repercussions. If one hopes for nothing to happen after inciting a group thirsty for violence, they would need to organize conscience-searching squads.

And it seemed like Lycia had similar thoughts.

“I understand the reasons, but won’t there be discontent? There’s a limit to using force to suppress it…”

“Yeah. It won’t be easy to let it pass quietly.”

Didn’t a fight break out in the square for the same reasons when we first arrived in Filah?

It was an observation of those who were a mix of thieves and knights. The fact that dissatisfaction and confrontation were visible even before things started meant that when the church’s sanctions officially began, they would clash in some form.

But this was all just about Filah.

“But we don’t know for sure.”

“That’s true…”

“There might be similar incidents in the next city we visit. But now we have no connection to Filah.”

Deciding to forget about what had passed and start anew with a fresh mindset, I took a deep breath.

After bringing Sancho from the nearby stable, I lifted Lycia onto him. Sancho, who had been eating his fill again, had gained a bit of weight on the way to Filah.

While the knights and mercenaries headed towards the church, I went in the opposite direction to the south. There was nothing more to see in Filah, so it was time to leave.

As the city was large, the guards took a hefty toll for passage.

I grumbled but still handed him a coin, and after confirming that I wasn’t carrying anything suspicious, the guard let me through.

I finally left the city, which was draining my energy.

I sat behind Lycia and headed towards the wide-open fields.

*****

After wandering around and trying to find answers to no avail, I turned back with a disappointed heart and found a lackluster gathering where people were sipping beer without enthusiasm.

They were the ones who had received a notice from the church to leave the city after the formal announcement of the excommunication of oath-breakers.

If they were seen openly breaking their oaths within the city, they would be threatened with being crushed by the newly formed army of the gods.

“What do we do now…”

“We should prepare to leave. There’s nothing left for us here anyway.”

“Let’s go far away and start anew. The world hasn’t completely ended yet, right? We need to stay strong and overcome this.”

There were those who accepted reality and decided to adapt.

But gathering a group whose livelihood depended on battle, not everyone could do the same, so the majority eventually reached a consensus that the church’s tyranny was the root of all evil.

“We used to get away with robbery or banditry by giving a portion as a donation, right? Why the sudden change?”

“I don’t know. It’s all the same with those old men who have lost their minds.”

“It’s not us who are wrong, it’s the world…”

Peace. Yes, peace is good.

However, the sight of those who had only stood by and watched, now trying to lecture me after I had been pouring money into this until now, honestly felt like a case of passing the buck.

Moreover, as the Pope who had joined hands with the emperors, there was no coercion of vows happening on their lands.

When I didn’t know that fact, it was one thing, but after hearing the rumors that the merchants casually tossed around, a sense of injustice filled my heart.

I may not be innocent… but still, it’s unfair! This world is flawed!

But even so, it wasn’t like I could overturn the world. There were those who indulged in such delusions while drunk, but there were also drinking buddies by my side to help me regain my senses.

“…Raiding the church after a long time?”

“Raiding.”

“What about 4 to 6 odds?”

“You crazy bastards, please come to your senses….”

The church had now gained substantial power, and those who had refused to take vows and watched from the sidelines had turned their backs on more than half of them.

The mere thought of attacking such a church was a suicidal act, as those who had long roamed the battlefield knew. They just didn’t want to admit it.

So, while they should have been content with feeling the bitterness of life and sipping on beer.

“Can I sit here?”

“What, you’re a pariah too? Sure, come and have a drink with us.”

“I’m not a pariah. Not yet.”

A corner of an inn that no one cared about.

There were people approaching those who were in dire straits, wearing black robes that partially covered their faces.

“Do you want to turn over a new leaf?”

“Yes, what a big deal you’re making.”

“You don’t have to go somewhere to be wary. Loosen up a bit. Since it’s already a scandal, what is there to fear.”

“…Are you here to pick a fight?”

“No, no. I actually came to make a good suggestion.”

They all looked around to make sure no one was listening, then lowered their voices and made a similar proposal.

“Large-scale bandits will attack the city soon. Since many of them are former mercenaries, they won’t be easy opponents.”

“But… Philah has city walls.”

“That’s right. So we need someone inside to open the gates.”

“…Tell me more.”

“You can take as much money as you want for a fresh start. Just don’t touch the relic we’re targeting.”