Ch.193EP.44 – The Knight Hate Romance Fantasy Events (5)/Revision

In Pendragon, there exists a concept of “weekend.”

While in other countries, only nobles enjoy vacations or holidays, the people of Pendragon typically have a weekend once every 7 days.

It wasn’t exactly that Pendragon created weekends to bestow good governance upon its people.

Simply put.

“I express my gratitude to all the brothers who have come today. May the blessing of the Light of Radiance be upon you all.”

“May the blessing be upon us-.”

It was merely a result of the temple’s strong insistence.

Prayer meetings, or masses as they were sometimes called, were mandatory events for the people of Pendragon.

Would you believe that even farmers, who should be busy harvesting crops and grains, would unconditionally attend prayer meetings lasting over three hours on weekends?

Interpreted differently, it could mean that the people’s faith was genuine.

Because of this, some households even designated weekends as “Temple Prayer Meeting Day!” and this wasn’t particularly strange.

Over 80% of the population believed in the Light of Radiance, and missing temple prayer meetings was a path to social exclusion.

‘Merciful Light, please let this year’s harvest be good.’

‘Please, I beg you, don’t let there be a drought. I’m begging you. My son is entering the Academy this year!’

‘Keep my family healthy. And please let me meet a pretty wife.’

‘I need money, money! So please let me get good cards in this game!!’

Farmers, merchants, mercenaries, gamblers.

Regardless of social status, countless people devoutly pressed their palms together, each making their own wishes.

This alone showed the people’s attitude toward religion.

And with such abundant faith.

“Priest, please accept this. It’s beer made from the first barley harvest of the year.”

“Could you hold our child’s hand? We want our child to grow up to be as excellent as you, Priest…”

“Priest, there’s someone who wants confession, would that be alright?”

The authority of priests was immense.

People overflowed with respect and admiration for priests, and a little child, tightly holding his mother’s hand, looked up with sparkling eyes and said:

“Mom! I want to be respected like the priest when I grow up!”

“Yes, my son will definitely be able to. Mom will support you.”

“Yes!!”

The child gazed at the priest with admiring eyes, and the priest responded with a benevolent smile.

This was a testament to the authority of priests, who wielded “power” no less than nobles, showing that even nobles couldn’t treat them carelessly.

…That should certainly be the case.

Crack!

“So, which faction do you belong to?”

“!!!?”

“Say something? Why aren’t you opening your mouth?”

Crackle!

“!!!”

“Tough one, aren’t you? Why won’t you speak?”

The knight questioned the priest, but receiving no answer, he clicked his tongue.

His lips are really sealed tight.

Perhaps one more hour…

“-Instructor, shouldn’t we remove the gag first so he can answer or do something?”

“……”

“Instructor?”

“Hmph, this guy’s tough. Why isn’t he answering…?”

“…Ah.”

…So he was just determined to torment him.

The boy closed his mouth.

If he interfered any further.

‘I’ll get hit with the Lion’s Roar.’

Derrick carefully concealed his presence as he looked at the table that had been blown away by the Lion’s Roar.

He didn’t want to end up like that table.

* * *

“-So basically, the temple is in complete chaos right now?”

“…That’s correct, but you’re being too direct.”

“And on top of that, your masters are calling you to join the chaos.”

“I don’t have masters…”

“Don’t lie, you went wagging your tail when they called. Even after being beaten like that, you still don’t come to your senses. You’re hopeless. I just feel sorry for old man Raphael.”

“……”

“What? Are you angry? Well, I apologize if that’s the case. The truth hurts, I guess.”

“You’d better not apologize. It only makes me angrier…”

“That’s why I’m apologizing, you know?”

“!!?”

For the first time, Pierre’s expression cracked, and his bloodshot eyes showed how furious he was.

But Ihan just snorted and ignored him, looking at the two wretches sprawled on the floor.

Drip, drip…

One was an intern bleeding so profusely that it wouldn’t be strange if he died at any moment, and the other was a priest who had spoken rudely to Irene Windler under the guise of evangelism and was kicked by Ihan.

Fortunately, the priest had received some healing through holy power, but he kept his head down, only watching Ihan’s reactions.

He wasn’t like this at first.

As soon as he regained consciousness.

– You insolent fool! Do you know who I am to do such a thing! I will surely punish you!!

He raged like someone with anger management issues, so Ihan began treatment.

Treating such people was his specialty.

After just 30 minutes of treatment…

– I’m, I’m sorry. Pl-please, just spare, spare my life…

He finally learned what manners were, and Ihan was convinced that anger management issues were indeed treatable.

However, since it was a condition that could relapse at any time, he administered an additional three hours of treatment, after which the man couldn’t even meet his eyes.

Just.

“—–.”

He was kneeling, trembling, and crying.

To a third party, it might look like Ihan was bullying a powerless and weak priest, but Ihan had already heard the man’s life story during the treatment process, and could only laugh bitterly.

“A priest who’s a loan shark… priests these days are something else? Sucking the blood of the people, forcing them to borrow money or putting them in situations where they have no choice but to borrow… is this what a priest is?”

This is incredible…!

It was surprising enough that a priest was engaged in loan sharking, but it was even more outrageous that the purpose of this money game was to fill the pockets of high priests, and it was absurd that they sent this mess of a person to a chick.

Does the temple, or rather the faction this loan shark priest belongs to, want to go to war with Galahad?

‘I can’t understand what these crazy people are thinking…’

Ihan gave up trying to understand.

Whether it was the guy who actually tried to mess with Galahad’s adopted daughter on orders, or the ones who gave the orders,

‘…None of them are sane.’

* * *

To summarize briefly, the temple is currently experiencing heated factional fighting, and if you count all the large and small factions, there are about 17 factions engaged in fierce behind-the-scenes struggles.

The reason for the fighting?

Well, there are various reasons.

Fights break out over differences in interpretation and discussions about the words of the gods they believe in, and there’s also unrest because some are displeased with the temple’s recent rise in power due to Isis Elaine de Pendragon’s activities.

There’s an agreement with the current royal family, but opinions have emerged that if Isis were to ascend to the throne, she might break the agreement with the temple.

…This was the surface reason for the factional division, but the core of this story was none other than.

“So it’s a political fight over the position of Pope.”

“…It’s not that simple.”

“Bull.”

Ihan sneered.

From what he heard, the current Pope was not far from retirement, and as the time approached to select a new Pope, high priests coveting the position were engaged in political battles.

And this guy.

“You’re currently testing the waters to see which faction to join.”

“…I won’t deny it.”

The reason why he met with several temple officials in the photos shown by the dark-skinned man was revealed, but Ihan just stared at him expressionlessly.

‘…Should I kill him?’

Until now, he had spared him for old man Raphael’s sake, but these guys were starting to cross the line.

One betrayed him, selling information to the temple as if Ihan was easy to deal with, while the other was testing the waters for factional transfer.

‘Humans are creatures of forgetfulness, they say, and right now I truly sympathize with that statement.’

No matter how much fear you instill in people, they quickly forget that fear.

Especially those with madness like “conviction” or “faith.”

He wasn’t necessarily denying conviction or faith, but as he felt their harm extending to himself, Ihan gradually firmed his resolve.

Swoosh.

Hissssss!

The moment Ihan opened his eyes after brief contemplation, a blade-like wind blew.

Slash!

…A wind sharp enough to cut skin.

“W-wait…”

“W-why us…!”

The killing intent wasn’t directed only at those who had fallen and Pierre.

Crack!

The killing intent erupted toward the intern, or rather “all the Inquisitors,” and despite their objections, Ihan calmly drew his axe.

At this moment, the entire surrounding area was under Ihan’s influence, and there was no way for them to escape.

Once a knight had made up his mind, his axe would split their skulls even if they tried to flee.

“Ugh…!”

The Inquisitors should have struggled to survive, but they couldn’t move.

A knight who could not be handled by anyone except Aura users or top-tier mystery holders had harbored “killing intent.”

It wasn’t something they could oppose, and even if there were a hundred Inquisitors instead of nine, they couldn’t escape Ihan’s aura.

“-Any last words?”

“!!”

“If not, that’s fine.”

Whoosh!

Ihan, finding it a waste of time to listen to last words, directly…!

Thud-!

—threw his one-handed axe toward the empty forest.

[Thump…!]

“W-what…!?”

Those who had been seeing their lives flash before their eyes blinked.

Their minds couldn’t comprehend the situation.

…Why had the axe, which they thought would strike their heads, flown into the forest, and why was someone collapsing in the seemingly empty forest?

They were all confused, but Ihan smirked.

“You’re just too scared. Did you think I would kill people recklessly over something like this? I’m not a murderer.”

Ihan wasn’t a butcher who would kill people indiscriminately just because he was a bit angry; rather, he was an excellent actor who could deceive even his allies.

Well…

Sniff, sniff.

“…?”

…It seemed being too good at acting was also a problem.

Suddenly smelling the strong ammonia scent spreading through the air, Ihan blinked in confusion.

Surely, even so…

“…These Inquisitors couldn’t have…”

“……”

“Right…?”

“……”

“…?”

“…Sob.”

“…Hmm.”

Ihan scratched his cheek, feeling somewhat embarrassed by their hollow gazes.

Hmm…

…It seems his passionate method acting was too much for them.