Ch.187Revelation (1)

The Empire is the roof, and the Emperor and nobles are the pillars. The people support it all.

The thicker and stronger the pillars become, the safer the roof, but the ground weakens. Conversely, if the pillars thin, the roof collapses and the ground becomes unstable.

So don’t focus on just one element, but step back and observe from a distance. That’s how you maintain balance. After all, the ground cannot be the same on clear days and stormy days, can it?

– Emperor Alexios I to his two children, Anna and Joannes II.

* * * * *

Northwestern Empire, a dirt road in the White Blood Knightly State.

A hay-filled cart came to a stop. The farmer tapped on the cart. Kain, who had been nodding off, startled awake.

“We’re here.”

“I’m sorry.”

Kain pulled an imperial copper coin from his pocket, then, seemingly changing his mind, added two more. The farmer looked surprised but didn’t refuse.

“Thank you for the comfortable ride.”

Feeling embarrassed about falling asleep, Kain stretched. Pieces of straw fell from his back. The farmer chuckled.

“Don’t mention it. It wasn’t because this donkey is gentle, but because the dirt road is damp. It’s already this bad even without rain.”

“What happens when it rains?”

“Can’t travel at all.” The farmer knocked his boots together to remove the mud from the heels.

“This area is too humid despite being in the mountains. When it rains, the roads turn to mud and the ground becomes mire. If you try to plant crops, they rot from the roots. Only grass and trees grow well around here.”

He wasn’t wrong. Just standing still, Kain’s clothes were already becoming damp, and the chilly wind made his body shiver. An ordinary person would quickly catch a cold in these conditions.

It wasn’t the highest place in the Empire, but it was undoubtedly a highland.

A beautiful land full of mountains, hills, lakes, rivers, and coniferous trees, but while it might be pleasant for a brief visit, it was barren land for permanent settlement.

The scenery was pastoral.

Undulating hills stretched out, and in the green fields, a shepherd playing a flute could be seen with leisurely grazing sheep. A dog as large as a cart wheel wagged its tail beside the shepherd.

But that was all. The sheep, dog, and shepherd were too sparse to fill this landscape. There was no bustling energy of a city, no village sending up smoke from cooking rice and stoking fires—it was utterly desolate.

The only thing blowing was the damp wind, making his mood increasingly worse. The farmer asked a question as if suddenly remembering something.

“So why did you come here anyway? If you’re applying to join the knightly order, you’re either too late or too early. And there aren’t any decent jobs around here either.”

“Are you curious about that?” Kain’s warm smile made the farmer grin back as he leaned against his cart.

“Truth is, you’re the first outsider I’ve seen since the recruitment period ended.”

The White Blood Knights never lacked applicants.

Other knightly orders required candidates to prepare their own armor, sword, horse, and even wages for servants. Additionally, those of common birth faced promotion restrictions.

But not the White Blood. They provided all equipment and even servants, with no discrimination against commoners.

This was necessary because there were so many dropouts that if they were selective, they wouldn’t have enough knights to operate.

Life in the order was full of restraint and asceticism. But unlike monks and nuns in cloistered monasteries who sacrificed themselves for something nobler, the knights’ lifestyle was closer to suppressing even basic desires.

The accumulated suppression became discontent, and the anger born from discontent was meant to be released on battlefields and in combat—this was their policy. Following the customs of the White Blood tribe from their days as barbarian warriors, they preferred the expression: “A well-fed hunting dog doesn’t work.”

This didn’t mean they had unreasonable customs. Simply put, their entire schedule consisted of training. Except for Saturdays when they inspected their own equipment and Sundays for general cleaning, the remaining five days were filled with high-intensity training.

Because of this, even after passing the notoriously harsh entrance exam, seven out of ten failed to become even servants.

Yet most applicants firmly believed they would be among the three who succeeded rather than the seven who failed.

They handed in their applications imagining their future selves wearing the intimidating helmets and armor unique to the White Blood Knights, galloping forward on horseback.

And exactly two days later, they would crawl back home.

If the knightly state had been an ordinary imperial city, it would have had a much larger population. Just gathering the dropouts would have easily formed a village or town.

But this land was poor and barren, and people lived too far apart. The saying “There are no robbers in the White Blood Knightly State” didn’t mean the security was excellent, but that there were no people to rob. What fool would commit robbery when it took three hours just to find a target?

Nor could they rob the city. The White Blood city was both a military camp and a branch of the knightly order. Even the boldest thief would find it difficult to brazenly enter a military base and steal something.

Given these circumstances, the White Blood Knights recruited applicants twice a year, once each in the first and second half. This was more convenient for both applicants and the order’s administration.

So from the farmer’s perspective, it was curious to see a neat but tired-looking sturdy man with a bandaged right hand, who also seemed a bit too old to be taking the entrance exam.

But Kain’s answer confused the farmer even more.

“I’ve come to catch some rats.”

* * * * *

The farmer departed, and Kain walked on. After about ten minutes, the distinctive smell of a farm filled the air. It was the Valhalla Chapel.

The chapel wasn’t inside the fortress but outside, right in the middle of a quiet field. The chapel was large enough to hold over a hundred people, but even more impressive were the numerous sheep and goats in the field.

Monks moved busily, milking, shearing, and working. Seeing someone with a blood-soaked apron suggested that slaughtering was also taking place.

The approximately twenty monks apparently mistook Kain for a worker. But soon, a large monk put down his shearing scissors and approached. He was a walking boulder of a man, a head taller than Kain.

“I don’t recognize you.”

The monk pointed at the bandage on Kain’s right hand. Kain greeted him respectfully.

“That’s right, Brother. Actually, I came here to meet someone I know. Is Sister Maria here by any chance?”

“Sister Maria!”

The man shouted three times. Shortly after, a hunched old woman walked out from inside.

“I’m not deaf, you fool!”

Her voice was much louder than the man’s. Kain, taken aback, gave an awkward smile.

“I apologize. I made a mistake. Of course there wouldn’t be just one nun named Maria. The person I’m looking for is a young woman with reddish-brown hair, a bit shorter than me. Very thin.”

The monk scratched his cracked chin.

“Your type?”

“No, it’s not like that.”

“There’s no woman like that here. There are many women with reddish-brown hair shorter than you, but none who are ‘very thin.’ Look, everyone here is about your build. You must be mistaken.”

“May I ask your name…?”

“Dieter.”

“Brother Dieter.” Kain tried his most friendly smile. “This is really important. We agreed to meet here.”

“I told you she’s not here.”

Dieter tilted his head slightly. Meanwhile, the “old woman” Maria’s reaction was somewhat peculiar. She kept glancing toward the dining hall.

“I understand. Then if it’s not too much trouble, just one more thing…”

“Brother,” Dieter cut him off. “I’m sorry, but we have too much work today. Unless you’re going to help us with that injured hand of yours, I’d appreciate it if you’d just leave.”

“…Did a woman with an imperial scabbard really not come here?”

“What are you saying! This is so frustrating—summoning people and then having conversations only you understand!”

The old woman squawked. Dieter shouted back at her.

“He’s looking for someone!”

“Who exactly!”

“Sister Maria!”

“I am Maria!”

“That’s why I’m saying he came for nothing!”

Kain finally backed down. His ears were hurting from listening to them. Meanwhile, anxiety crept in as he wondered if Maria hadn’t arrived yet.

“Alright. I understand, so I’ll leave. If such a person happens to come here…”

The answer came from behind him.

“If she comes, then what?”

Dieter and “old” Sister Maria looked dejectedly at the “young” Maria. As the old woman was about to squawk again, Maria quickly ran up to her and opened her mouth wide.

“This person is fine! He really is my friend! Brother Dieter, thank you.”

“Don’t mention it.” The monk didn’t even look at Kain. “Just leave the water bucket there. Sister, let’s go.”

“This friend of yours looks quite frail…” Old Maria muttered as she was led to the dining hall by Dieter. Maria put down the empty water bucket. It had milk stains stuck to it.

Her clothes smelled dirty with animal waste, and white sheep and goat hair clung to her hair. Her face looked tired and her cheeks were gaunt.

“I look a complete mess, don’t I?”

But Maria, raising both arms to show herself, was still vibrant. Her ankle seemed healed too, as she showed no discomfort.

“Maria.”

Kain approached her with delight. Maria, looking slightly awkward, gently took his wrist.

“Good to see you healthy.”

“What about your hand?”

“Just a scratch. It’ll be fine.”

Maria pushed Kain’s chest lightly with the back of her hand.

“Wait a moment. As much as I’d like to talk, I can’t in this state. There’s a small pavilion next to the chapel. Wait for me there. Watch your step. This is next to a farm. You know what that means, right?”

Kain understood immediately.

* * * * *

Only after 30 minutes did a cleaned-up Maria appear. When Kain mentioned Dieter and “old” Maria, she covered her mouth and laughed.

“They’re good people though. Sister Maria’s hearing is indeed poor, but not enough to warrant all that shouting.”

“Then why did they act like that?”

“In case I was listening, to tell me to run away.”

“Run away?”

Kain didn’t understand. What reason could Maria possibly have to run away? Hadn’t she said in Lombardt City that she was investigating the corruption of Hans the Diligence and his group?

“Yes,” Maria grimaced.

“I’ve been suspended from duty. I was supposed to return to headquarters, but I ran away instead.”