Ch.135EP.33 – The Knight Get Cracked Down On? (3)

“That envious bastard…!”

“…What?”

“Cardinal Rafael…! Do you know how many believers want to talk to him!? There are so many people who would pour money just to have a meal with him, yet a guy who doesn’t even care about religion gets such precious time…!!”

“Really…?”

When Jake, who visited to report news about the tunnel, told him what had happened to himself recently, he suddenly had an intense reaction, and Ihan could only blink in confusion.

He had heard that old man Rafael was impressive, but he didn’t know how high his authority actually was.

So Ihan thought he was making too much fuss.

“But why do you call him Cardinal? He retired a long time ago, right?”

A genuine question wondering if it was worth making such a fuss about a man who was already near retirement.

“…Other believers would flip if they heard that statement.”

But to Jake, this comment was insane, and he repeatedly pressed his brow.

“He only stepped down from the Cardinal position because he refused it, but his potential status is still above Cardinal. He’s someone who wouldn’t be strange to become Pope, and if he ever decided to become Pope, more than 40% of the priests in the temple would support him.”

“…So he’s no ordinary person.”

“…It’s amazing that you live in this kingdom and don’t know about him.”

Jake’s bewildered reaction.

He looked like someone who had just heard someone claim not to know a national hero.

“I’m not a temple fanboy like you.”

“…What’s a fanboy?”

“It’s what I call people like you.”

“…Why does that sound like an insult?”

“It’s not an insult, so hurry up and dig. It’s getting cold.”

“Hmm….”

He was in the process of making a field around the yard.

Roughly speaking, he was pulling out all the weeds, removing stones and pebbles, turning over the soil while mixing in fertilizer, watering it, and making the field function as a field.

It was a process that normally took several days, but Ihan managed to cultivate over 80 pyeong of land alone before half a day had passed.

“Whew, finally finished.”

“…Do you really need to go this far?”

“It’s self-sufficiency. I’ll plant radishes there, potatoes and sweet potatoes there, onions and peanuts, and lettuce and cabbage over there.”

“…That’s quite serious. Huh? Then what are you planning to plant in that big empty space?”

“Peppers.”

“Peppers? Are you talking about that spicy, strange plant recently imported from the west? The one they say is used for torture…?”

“…Well, it is spicy, but what’s this about torture?”

It was something he’d never heard before; he just brought seeds that were sold in the neighborhood, but what was this about?

But it seemed the misunderstanding had already taken root.

“You cruel man, who are you planning to torture by growing such things?”

“…I’m growing them to eat, you medieval guy.”

Ihan was falsely accused.

Anyway, they’re making too much fuss about something just a bit spicy.

If only they could see the people of a country who relieve stress with capsaicin.

However, the medieval knight who thought eating spicy food would kill you…

“You eat that? …Are you trying to build pain tolerance? Hmm, it does seem like a decent training method…”

“……”

…seemed to have some strange misconceptions.

“Let’s go with that…”

But Ihan shook his head, thinking it was better to be misunderstood this way.

It would only tire his mouth to explain, really.

So for a while, the two men cultivated the field and planted crops.

A knight who considers any occupation other than sword and honorable deeds to have class distinctions doing a farmer’s work—such a rare sight indeed.

Some knights might faint at such a sight.

However, one of the two knights was of common birth, and the other was from a poor fallen noble family.

As such, neither of them had any aversion to this kind of work.

They just silently and diligently dug the soil, feeling refreshed by the act of earning their daily bread.

When the work was somewhat finished and the assistant was approaching with sandwiches for a snack…

“…Dealing with Holy Law will be tricky.”

“Huh?”

“All Inquisitors from the Inquisition know how to use [Holy Law]. Since you have no connection to the temple, you probably don’t know, but Holy Law is completely different from martial arts. It creates [mysteries] through divine power bestowed by the Light of Radiance. It’s like a mix of magic and martial arts. But as powerful as it is, becoming familiar with Holy Law is an incredibly difficult process, I hear. And those human weapons who have overcome all those difficult processes and finally use Holy Law freely in practical situations are none other than the Inquisitors.”

“Hmm, is that so?”

“…Why are you so nonchalant about your own business?”

“And why do you talk like I’m definitely going to fight?”

“Not ‘like’—you will definitely fight, so I’m telling you to be careful.”

“……”

To Ihan, it was an unfair misunderstanding.

Where would you find a pacifist like him to make such a false accusation-

‘…If I had no conscience, I wouldn’t admit it, but my track record is quite substantial, so I can’t really argue.’

Ihan admitted it.

Certainly….

“I did feel disgusted the moment I saw them.”

He was already at the peak of displeasure after getting involved with a group of fanatics recently.

In this situation, getting involved with the Inquisition as well was causing Ihan to accumulate various stresses.

Do you know what’s even more unfair?

‘I still don’t know why those guys are monitoring me.’

Yes, he doesn’t know the reason.

At least old man Rafael was kind enough not to treat him coercively, just having a conversation and leaving, so he didn’t worry about it.

He didn’t seem to have any intention of harming him either.

So he just left it alone, but if…

‘If someone like the guy I saw the other day shows up again, then…’

He might not hold back.

“Take it easy. If you get on bad terms with the temple, life becomes difficult. Especially in the kingdom, being on bad terms with the temple means you can’t live in Pendragon. Be careful in many ways.”

“Then I’ll have to seek asylum.”

“…So you have no intention of taking it easy, I see.”

He shook his head, and Ihan was confident.

…But was this to show that such thoughts were unnecessary?

-Tweet tweet!

“I heard that child committed a rudeness after I left. I would like to apologize to brother.”

“…Apologizing is fine, but do you have to come at the crack of dawn to say it?”

He had come.

At dawn when the sparrows were making a lot of noise.

It was an early morning visit, and Ihan grumbled to the old priest while messing with his hair that looked like a magpie’s nest.

No matter what, coming at this hour was a bit much, wasn’t it?

“I have prayer meetings scheduled for the next four days, so this was the only time available. The thought of not being able to meet brother made my heart ache, hehe.”

“…You certainly live diligently.”

“It’s just a natural quality. Ah, if you ever want to attend a prayer meeting, please come anytime. Our temple always welcomes new brothers.”

“I sincerely, genuinely decline.”

“Oh, what a pity.”

“…Assistant!”

“Damn… I want to sleep more…”

So Ihan was trying to quickly send away the old priest who was enthusiastically spreading faith from the morning, and Rafael maintained his smiling face.

“Ah, by the way.”

“?”

But suddenly he…

“While I’m away for the prayer meetings, that child and other brothers might bother you.”

“……”

Started making ominous predictions.

“They are devout but somewhat excessive brothers, so I’m worried they might annoy you.”

“…If you know that, why don’t you stop them?”

“I would like to, but there are many who ignore the words of an old man.”

“…Even though you’re a Cardinal?”

“Hehe, besides the almighty Light of Radiance, how could there be ranks in the temple? We are all in the same position.”

“…You’re making a very long way of saying you can’t control them.”

“Hehe, I apologize. So please…”

*Slide*

“If those brothers bother you too much, it’s fine for you to discipline them. That much should be perfectly acceptable.”

“…That’s a permission I like.”

A momentary smile appeared at Rafael’s meaningful statement as he handed over premium holy water.

“I’ve thought this before, but you’re like a true adult.”

“That’s a pleasing thing to hear.”

It was permission to scold them from the unofficial highest elder of the temple, and Ihan was pleased.

And he realized anew…

‘This old man, I really like him.’

It’s good to have a sensible adult.

*

*

*

“What a pleasant brother.”

Rafael walked on the dirt road, persistently refusing the offer to be escorted.

Although it was extremely difficult to walk without relying on a cane, he had not yet received the call of the Light.

If that was the case, shouldn’t he move by his own strength until then?

“Hehe, something that wasn’t there just yesterday.”

But nevertheless, the consideration of the newly acquainted brother was pleasant.

The well-paved road was very comfortable to walk on.

There were no stones to trip over, and chairs were prepared under the shade of lush trees everywhere he walked.

As if saying to rest if you get tired.

Rafael smiled fully, realizing that the knight was more considerate than he had expected.

And then…

“As my senior said, he’s like an excellent stimulus.”

He recalled a certain senior priest who had introduced him to the new brother.

Someone who was once just as devout, but now retired.

“…Though he’s a bit sentimental.”

A senior who obtained a new job as a [butler] after rejuvenating through Holy Law.

Still, he doesn’t speak empty words.

“Other brothers might also need to be disciplined sometimes.”

In the past…

– Bow down, you impudent young bastard.

Just as he, in his youth, had corrected his misguided faith after being beaten—no, scolded by his senior.

“Hehe, thinking about it now, it’s a fond memory.”

Rafael walked diligently, hoping it would become a fond memory for other brothers in the future as well.

Humming a tune.