episode_0066

066 – Hyde clashes with Nicholas! # 2

“Phew, I was really out of breath. Friede, I have met you in person and you are a truly wonderful woman! Can I become such a wonderful woman? A force different from that of my teacher─.”

On the way back to the inn.

Psyche fanned her red-hot face with her hands.

He seemed fine, but he seemed to feel pressured from meeting big names.

“More than that, I was appointed as a knight with a gold plate. It’s so sudden that I honestly can’t believe it. Can I do well? Hyde, what do you think? I honestly wanted to refuse. It’s such an amazing position, and I’m in so many ways… .”

Although Psyche had a passive attitude toward this appointment, it was in fact natural that she would become a knight of the gold plate.

Because it was like that before.

It seems that this was the calling and providence prepared by the Lord Elohim for Psyche.

“Psyche, a person as pure and godly as you can do better than anyone else.”

I know because I saw it myself.

Among the gold-plated knights whose ranks were increased to seven knights, Psyche’s performance was the most dazzling.

Even after frequent clashes with Ras, who was extremely angry, he often survived.

“Psyche, I wondered what the Lord Elohim would mean when you tried to remain chaste even after marriage. There really was this meaning. Isn’t providence truly amazing?”

I praised Psyche.

Psyche could truly become a better paladin than anyone else.

She will be able to surpass Alter Archibald and be revered as a ‘saint’ in the true sense of the word.

A lily that shines even in the midst of the adversity of vicious and evil cults and heretics.

It was clear that I would see that scene again.

And only when Psyche becomes a gold plated knight can I know the trends of the church and other knights!

“Psyche, you know very well that the Agarpe family, which has a lot of hate in the church, cannot refuse this appointment. Nevertheless, you must definitely accept this offer.”

“… … .”

Psyche pouted her lips as if she didn’t like something.

What’s the complaint?

Psyche, thanks to your active work in front of Rust, many soldiers were deployed to the Agarpe territory and the economic situation improved as the oil trillion was reduced to tithe.

Honestly, isn’t half of that credit due to me playing Rust and pushing Psyche?

Soon Psyche slapped her cheeks with her palms.

“What did Friede say? I was appointed as a knight of the gold plate to capture that man, Rust. Well, if you catch that man, Rust, you don’t have to be a gold knight anymore, right?”

“Well, it is unprecedented for a goldsmith to retire early, but at least you can submit your opinion.”

“Me! I’m going to hold on to that guy! In fact, I heard yesterday that my little brother Dihon’s condition has improved greatly! And I knew that I liked you more than I thought, Hyde!”

Psyche’s face was extremely red as she said that.

Psyche loves me more than I thought.

Isn’t this the first time you’ve received such a refreshing confession from a woman?

Of course, I heard confessions like “Rust, rape me!” from Milione, but it was so unhealthy and blasphemous.

No count.

I want to erase it from my memory.

Therefore, this was the first time I received a confession from a woman.

“Psyche, so that means… ?”

“Hyde, I would be really sad if you suddenly disappeared in a crisis like yesterday. Then, I thought it would be nice to have a child who looks like you and me… .”

Psyche.

Did she think it was okay to break her vow of chastity?

In the first place, her vow of chastity was for the health of her younger brother Dihon.

If my younger brother Dihon became healthy, I would no longer have to keep my vows—something I might have thought.

“I can’t believe what you said to me yesterday… ? The story that I couldn’t tell because of the purification ceremony I had to do to meet Friede… ?”

Psyche’s face turned even redder at my question.

Soon Psyche hesitated and rubbed the dirt on the road with her shoeed feet.

“Actually, I wanted to tell you a little earlier, not yesterday, but I was busy with various things and didn’t have time… . However, I was appointed as a knight with a gold plate… .”

The timing is amazing.

It was a little unfair.

But on the other hand, I really felt God’s providence in a story that was so tightly woven as if it were fate.

The Lord has a plan.

Sze-.

Psyche holds my hand tightly.

She made eye contact with me with watery eyes.

“Now that things have come to this, Rust, I will hold on to that man with all my might. For the world. And Hyde, for you and our future family… !”

“… … !”

You should or shouldn’t like this!

It was a joy to be able to grow and prosper with my wife, Psyche, but to do that, I had to hold on to Rust?

What the fuck!

There is no easy way in this world!

Well, my life has been in hard mode since the moment I was born!

They say God gives humans trials they can handle.

The fact that the trials and tests that came to me were harsh meant that my spirit was stronger than anyone else’s and that I was able to withstand the trials.

It was then.

Psyche continued to meet my eyes without saying a word.

It was my first time making eye contact like this, and I felt the thrill of these clear eyes penetrating everything inside me.

“Why are you doing that?”

“No, Hyde. I thought your eyes were so black, like they had been sprayed with ink. Is this a characteristic of the Midvar people? Or is it just your characteristic?”

“Well. I’m not sure about that either.”

“Many of the children and women of Midvar died because of Miss Lucy’s mother. It seems like a really harsh story. Hyde, you still tried to defend Miss Lucy.”

“Lucy’s mother and Miss Lucy must be viewed separately.”

And my mom is a 21st century human.

# # #

“Why did you guys come in so late? From what I heard, it’s been over an hour since that woman, Friede, left Veneto. Did you two eat something delicious without me knowing?”

Milione.

This guy was a very carefree person.

Is it any wonder that Psyche and I have been enjoying our intimate walk as a couple?

Milione continued.

“So Friede, what did that woman say?”

“Miss Milione, I have become a knight of gold like your brother, Sir Alter Archibald.”

“What? What?”

Milione didn’t seem to understand.

Probably because it was such an amazing story.

Psyche explained at length what had happened earlier, and Milione’s expression changed moment by moment.

“Wait, that means—, Psyche, you have to keep your vow of chastity forever, right? Puhaha!”

Milione burst out laughing as if it was really fun.

Because of him, I even screamed, “ please be quiet!” from the next room of the inn.

“So funny! Even though I was married, I was appointed a knight with a gold plate! oh my god! I have to stay pure forever!”

“It’s not forever! I plan on retiring as soon as I get hold of Rust!”

“That means it’s forever! Do you think you can catch Rust? That man is like a fog. There is no substance to it. No one can catch it?”

“If it’s an entity, it’s there! There was a lot of speculation about that man, Rust! He is about 183cm tall, speaks well, writes well, and is associated with nobility!”

“Ho? okay? He is a man connected to nobility… . When I heard it, it sounded plausible. If the reason you are hiding your identity with a mask is because you have a status that should not be discovered… .”

Milione was lost in thought.

This atmosphere was not good for me.

Rust’s true identity is a man who writes well.

Anyone can see that it reminds me of Hyde, who wrote the world’s greatest masterpiece, “The Village of Back-Alley Nymphs”!

So I decided to freshen up the mood!

“Stop talking like that. Millie, was there any news while we were away? Something like what happened to Miss Lucy. Mother Superior Midnar?”

“I think you said those two were in the Great Temple? Didn’t you meet me there? And this letter came from the Dark Knights. I opened it and read it first.”

Milione handed me a letter.

“To Hyde-.”

I opened the letter that came to me and read it.

What a rude bitch.

With that thought in mind, I unfolded the paper.

What was written in it was this:

“Article Nicholas is claiming possession by Rust for a series of charges?”

“Yes! It’s so funny, right? Is this real?”

Nicholas the gnome.

Since you were cornered, you had to think hard to get out somehow.

But you don’t seem to know that what you’ve been hiding behind is not a strong castle wall, but a trap, right?

It’s late now, so it might be a good idea to go to the Dark Knights’ barracks tomorrow.

Nicholas, you bastard, I am definitely annoyed.

# # #

Inside the carriage leaving Veneto.

Friede, wearing a black veil, was looking out the window.

As the scenery changed, she indifferently asked the driver sitting in front of her.

“So, Sir Roland. How was it?”

“Psyche will be a great knight. His Holiness Gregory’s insight is in good health.”

“He was a brave child. And very… It was beautiful. If that terrible war hadn’t happened 20 years ago, she would have been able to become queen by being engaged to Pendragon’s son.”

“… … .”

“If the war had not broken out, would you and I have been different from what we are now? I still think about it often. That day, the day Pendragon took Asha away. If you had taken me with you… .”

“… … .”

Roland kept his mouth shut.

Friede tried to picture the man’s appearance beneath the black armor and helmet.

Although I was once a man who risked death to love me.

Now, 20 years later, I couldn’t remember anything about his face or his warmth.

Perhaps the man she loved beneath that cold black armor was already dead.

The inside of the armor might be full of cold mud and something squishy.

While thinking about that, I suddenly burst into laughter.

‘That would be the same for me too. The image of me he loved would be nowhere to be found beneath these black clothes. This is our punishment… . For us, living our daily lives is hell… .’

It was a moment that reminded me of Rust’s story, in which he claimed that humans living in the world of Saba were his punishment.

I thought how arrogant and absurd the story was, but when I thought about it, there were many things about that man’s story that pierced my heart.

A man like a blazing fire.

A fire that will literally burn everything.

It was natural that people who were disillusioned with this world would flock to that man.

Just like moths rush towards a flame even though they know their bodies will burn.

“Rust, why does that man hate the world? Is it anger that we have no choice but to wear masks like us? Sir Roland, what do you think?”

Friede asked.

Of course, the man will be silent this time too─.

I thought so and asked casually.

Because Friede was a woman who preferred to talk alone rather than remain silent.

“I was seriously thinking about whether Rust’s true identity might be you, the Black Knight Roland. Of course, now that I see it, it doesn’t seem to be the case. What on earth is this man doing?”

at that time-.

Roland opened his mouth beneath his helmet.

“A man in love. Maybe.”

“What?”

Phew!

Friede couldn’t stop laughing and burst out laughing.

Roland was always serious, but sometimes he said funny things like this.

Friede said, wiping her tears under her veil.

“Well, lust has a lot to do with love. That is why the seat of the deadly sin seat was left empty only for lust. But wrong love always brings misfortune… .”

How many humans died because of the love between King Pendragon of Royal Road and his lover Asha?

And how much terrible pain the love between Friede and Roland brought about.

“This is all I can escort you to. Nicholas’ trial is tomorrow, so I’ll just head back. Friede, please be careful on the long road─.”

“Sir Roland. Well then bye─.”

Roland.

He got off the carriage.

The carriage started again, and the two seemingly different men and women now headed in opposite directions.

Just like 20 years ago.

Did they look back every now and then?

It was a story no one knew.