Ch.213Report on the Collapse of Patience (6)

Adults often dismiss children, saying, “What do kids know?” Even though they were once children themselves. They forget that children don’t truly lack understanding—they simply don’t know how to express what they’ve seen, heard, and felt.

That’s why the village children were so confused.

“The Crusade might be better. At least there’d be decent food. Plus, we could leave this land. Wouldn’t that be nice? If we do well, we might not become heroes, but we could at least get a warm plot of land to farm.”

Adults whispered these things loudly enough for children to hear, but when their own child said they wanted to join the Crusade, they’d shout, “Are you crazy? Where do you think you’re going?” Children were bewildered by how adults spoke differently to their own children versus others’ children.

The more perceptive children noticed that the Crusade couldn’t possibly be a good thing. Adults were craftier than children and always took the good things for themselves first. But now they were eagerly pushing this onto children. That meant nothing good would come from going.

“Yet the children left Garioth. Those whose parents actively stopped them couldn’t go, of course. The village chief tried to dissuade them but ultimately respected their decision.”

“So an adult respected what children had to say.”

“Perhaps a hero who could defeat the Demon King with pure faith might emerge.”

It seemed like a flimsy excuse. The reality was likely very different from what was commonly known. Kain suspected that rather than reluctantly permitting it, the village chief might have been the one most actively pushing the children to go.

“Above all, there was a boy and a girl who led the other children. They were older than the rest. The boy had at least set foot in the White Blood Knights’ threshold, and the girl was an apprentice priestess. The boy was handsome, but the girl was truly beautiful. No, beautiful isn’t enough. She was… noble-like, I should say.”

“She was a noble?”

“No, no. Not a noble, but she had that… what’s the word? Oh, right. Dignity. Dignity! The child had dignity. She grew up too quickly. When those two decided to go, the other children followed. At first, they said they wouldn’t go, but something changed their minds.”

“They were truly brave children.”

Kain recalled what he had read from Laios. The connection wasn’t entirely smooth. The two children certainly didn’t appear to be burning with determination.

They had said they didn’t want to die, and they even seemed to be going against their will. Yet they also showed an inexplicable optimism. They genuinely believed they could become heroes by eating the Asas fruit.

Even though they didn’t know what that fruit was.

‘Then who brought that fruit?’

Ismene, the apprentice priestess, knew what the fruit was. So she had likely overheard about it from someone connected to the Order.

Kain clapped his hands lightly as if something had occurred to him.

“But didn’t you say the girl was an apprentice priestess? Then there must have been a parish priest here. Did he approve as well?”

“No. He opposed it. Vehemently opposed it. Whew, I still get chills thinking about that old man. He had quite the temperament.

But around that time, he fell ill and became bedridden. He wasn’t young even then… so the apprentice priestess was left adrift. Other parishes were just as poor, so she would only face scorn if she went to them.

Well, you can’t meet him now anyway. He passed away from old age. May his soul rest in peace.”

“May he rest in peace.”

Kain and the man clinked their glasses. It was regrettable in many ways. If that parish priest had still been alive, he might have been able to determine who had given Ismene and the young pair the revelation about the Asas fruit and the hero’s calling.

Kain was about to ask something else worth noting.

“Is there room for me?”

The atmosphere in the group suddenly changed.

“Oh my, of course, of course!”

It was Günther. People eagerly made room. The priest bowed his head slightly and joined them. He poured a drink for the father priest first, then received one himself.

“The taste is excellent this year too. I hope next year will be the same.”

“It’s all thanks to you, Father…”

“Oh no, not at all. It’s all thanks to everyone’s hard work—brewing, managing, and loving it. I just move the barrels around and enjoy a drink now and then.”

The bride’s parents also sat down, and the drinking atmosphere brightened considerably. Though there was much laughter and chatter, the priest’s gaze rarely left Kain.

Finally, Günther turned his attention directly to Kain.

“By the way, I haven’t seen you before. Are you a traveler?”

“Yes. I was passing through with my companions when we stopped here. Seems we arrived at a good time. By the way, did I hear someone call you Günther earlier…?”

Kain asked cautiously. The priest and villagers burst into laughter.

“That’s right! This is the ‘Günther’! The Empire’s hero and patron saint of beer, Günther the Patient!”

* * * * *

‘Is it really Günther?’

Kain even wondered if, like Hans the Diligent, this might be a stand-in. As if reading Kain’s thoughts, Günther offered his hand. His grip was quite strong.

“All this talk about being the Empire’s hero doesn’t suit me. I’d rather be called the patron saint of beer, but they absolutely refuse to call me that!”

The villagers responded with laughter. The consensus seemed to be that “saint of beer” lacked dignity. After exchanging jokes about deep, dark, damp, and winding limestone caves, Günther turned back to Kain with a question.

“By the way, I’ve been seeing many young people lately! Even though this cold land has little to offer. Has some tourist attraction I don’t know about sprung up somewhere?”

“Not that I’m aware of.”

“If you know of any good places, let us know so we can go too! Dried venison jerky and beer would make for a nice picnic, wouldn’t they? Come on, tell us!”

A friendly man. But his question was cunning.

If Kain were truly an ignorant young traveler, he might have revealed his identity by now, saying something like “Actually, I have relatives living here” or “I’m actually an envoy of the lord. I’ll be leaving soon, so please don’t worry too much.”

Günther had even added an extra comment: “Lately many young people have been traveling around.” Günther himself was a hero and a priest. He must know that the Holy Grail Knights and Mercy Knights were gathering.

So his question really meant: “I don’t recognize you. What are you doing here? Are you one of the Pope’s soldiers, or are you a spy?”

A difficult question to answer right now. After brief consideration, Kain responded with his own question.

“What have others told you? Actually, we didn’t see many of ‘those young people’ on our way here. Though perhaps we did see them but didn’t pay attention.”

“Well? Some said they were going to trade, others said they were visiting distant relatives—all sorts of reasons. I don’t know what’s so interesting to see in the north, but everyone has different tastes, right? But you say you didn’t see any young people?”

“We came along the northern Imperial road, but no, we didn’t particularly notice any.”

Günther stroked his chin and furrowed his brow. It happened so quickly that anyone not paying attention would have missed it.

“I see. Are you traveling alone?”

Others chimed in together:

“No, no. Those two came with him.”

A man with black hair and brown eyes. A woman with reddish-blonde hair. And a blonde woman half a span taller than the man.

This matched the combination the knightly orders were looking for. Günther looked at Kain, then Maria, then Lily, then back at Kain. The corner of his mouth twisted upward. Kain didn’t avoid his gaze.

“I see. Where are you headed?”

“A friend lives in the northeast. I’m going to see them after a long time. I might be getting married soon myself.”

Whistles and applause erupted. Günther’s smile deepened.

“The season of love! One couple got married today, and another couple thinking of marriage is staying with us. This is no ordinary coincidence. If you don’t mind, why don’t you visit my parish house tomorrow or the day after? It’s not far from here.”

“Would that be all right?”

“Of course!” the people around them responded enthusiastically. “It’ll be too cold to leave tonight anyway. And you’ve had so much to drink! Since you’re already here, stay the night. There’s still plenty of alcohol left, and even more reasons to laugh and chat!”

Amid the cheers, Günther bowed his head and stood up. While exchanging jokes with the villagers, Kain kept his eye on the departing Günther.

‘He already knew about us.’

During their time together, only Maria the Inquisitor had revealed her name and affiliation. Because she had put her name forward, Kain and Lily could remain simply as mercenaries behind her.

A black-haired man. A tall blonde woman. A reddish-blonde woman. The three who almost always appeared at places where heroes met their doom.

Since their investigation was top secret, they couldn’t identify themselves as Security Bureau agents. But they couldn’t completely hide while asking questions either. Some minimal exposure was unavoidable.

Rather, Maria had done them a favor by putting her name forward instead, which was both appreciated and regrettable. After all, she was facing hardship because she had stepped forward on behalf of Kain and Lily.

So the church leadership probably thought that if they just stopped Maria, the leader, the group would disperse on its own. But they failed. Maria had slipped out of everyone’s surveillance and disappeared. Along with the other two.

Of course, what she did at the Inquisition headquarters bordered on insubordination. They had only suspended her duties without issuing a summons. The high inquisitors of Magdeburg would have to explain this to the Papal States.

But stories about these three must have spread everywhere. Those who always appeared where heroes met their doom. Those who continued their activities, sometimes openly, sometimes secretly.

Günther had been proactive. He persistently asked about Kain’s group’s purpose. He couldn’t have done that if he hadn’t known they were coming. If they had been Holy Grail Knights or Mercy Knights, they would have identified themselves first, albeit using their own metaphors and codes.

‘Günther was waiting for us.’

What would happen when they visited Günther tomorrow or the day after was already clear. Perhaps Günther had already set up an encirclement. It was like a spider that had spun its web completely and was inviting a fly to enter.

But from another perspective, it meant the spider had no other options. If he could have caught them by surprise, he would have done so. If he had been waiting for Kain’s group to arrive someday, he could have simply hidden somewhere near the parish and captured them.

But he didn’t do that. He didn’t commit the rudeness of openly asking about their identity, and he even sent a polite invitation.

It must be a negotiation, or a deal. And Günther himself must have all the cards he could possibly have. If he hadn’t been prepared in advance, he wouldn’t have been able to invite them to come as soon as tomorrow.

* * * * *

Despite eating and drinking all day, dinner time arrived. Everyone in the village was happy with the rare feast. Some people looked troubled, saying they couldn’t possibly move.

Kain, Maria, and Lily stayed at the newlyweds’ house. Though it was called a newlywed house, the couple wasn’t alone there. It was a large wooden house with more than five rooms, previously used by mining village workers. All the older people had dispersed, and people around the same age as the couple remained. They seemed to be friends.

They also knew about Laios and Ismene.

“It felt like a fairy tale walking before our eyes. A handsome knight and a beautiful saint. There wasn’t a girl who didn’t like Laios. And there wasn’t a boy who didn’t love Ismene. But everyone knew Laios and Ismene liked each other, so no one tried to come between them.”

“They were so perfect together.”

“Even the children could see it.”

Kain asked about things he was curious about. Why did they suddenly change their minds and follow the Crusade? How could they set out on their journey despite the opposition of the parish priest who taught Ismene? The groom, with slurred speech, muttered:

“Aunt Milena would probably know.”

“Aunt?”

“Yes. She worked at the parish house back then. She’s elderly but would certainly remember. She doesn’t go out much these days because her health isn’t good.”

“Does she live far?”

“Oh no. She lives on the upper street of the square. Maybe a ten-minute walk. Her house is small and cozy. I’m not sure if you can even call it a house. She says that’s how she saves on firewood.”