Ch.382EP.79 – The Man’s Growth is Remarkable (7)

Monks are peculiar beings.

Everyone knows they exist as a group, and everyone knows they are extraordinary people.

…Yet strangely, no one seems to know exactly what they do.

Do they protect temples?

That’s what Holy Knights and battle priests do.

Do they uphold discipline?

There were no stories of them judging anyone, and they didn’t even show themselves when countless corrupt priests were burned at the stake, including during yesterday’s Grand Temple fire.

Do they fight monsters?

Well… that might be the case. There are occasional stories of monks exterminating powerful monsters.

But that doesn’t mean they fight all monsters, and often they don’t appear even when powerful monsters emerge.

Because of this, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that while people know of monks as a group, virtually no one knows what they actually do.

But then…

“A monk is looking for me?”

“To be precise, the leader of the monks is looking for you. The one called the ‘Great Elder Brother.'”

“…Why would such a person be looking for me?”

“That, I don’t know.”

“??”

…Has this old man gone senile?

Ihan couldn’t help but cast an irreverent glance, and seeing his status gradually diminishing, he hastily continued.

“Wait, don’t misunderstand. I’m merely delivering the Great Elder Brother’s message. He asked me to tell you: ‘Would you be willing to meet me if possible? If you don’t want to, that’s fine too.’ That’s what he asked me to convey.”

“What the…”

The more he heard, the more confusing it became.

Saying he wants to meet but also saying it’s fine not to meet…

It seemed like someone was just toying with him.

However, Caesar quickly defended the monk again.

“Don’t misunderstand. The Great Elder Brother and the other monk brothers cannot move freely. That’s why, although they want to meet you, they cannot come directly, so they’re at least sending a message. Because of this inconvenience where you would have to go meet the brothers yourself, the Great Elder Brother feels apologetic and says it’s okay to decline the meeting. So please don’t consider our brothers to be unreasonable people.”

“…I’ve been wondering about something. Why do you keep referring to monks as ‘brothers’?”

The desperate attitude revealed an unmistakable urgency.

It didn’t seem like the attitude the Mercenary King should display, and Ihan felt puzzled by this strange behavior.

“…Because I’m also from the monks. Of course I should defend my brothers!”

“……”

“Ahem, although I did escape from the group.”

“…What’s a runaway monk?”

Mercenary King and a fallen monk, no, a runaway monk…

In some ways, it seemed like quite an impressive resume.

* * *

He explained with an aggrieved expression.

“I, I didn’t leave the monk group because I committed any wrongdoing or crime. I simply made a ‘choice.'”

“A choice?”

“Yes. Monks are given options at a certain time. Either remain in the [Temple] and become a formal monk, or abandon the monk status and go outside.”

“……”

“And I chose to go outside. But even though I went out into the world, I never forgot my respect for my brothers and their teachings. In fact, I’ve never committed any dishonorable acts in my work as a mercenary.”

“…That’s true.”

It seemed like he had never heard stories of the Mercenary King committing any crimes or evil deeds.

Rather, it couldn’t be denied that since he organized the mercenary union, mercenaries who had been more barbaric than thugs or gangsters had become somewhat more conscientious.

But what was strange was…

“You mean they don’t take away your power even when you leave?”

In martial arts terms, it would be like a Shaolin monk rejecting the sect’s discipline and leaving. From Shaolin’s perspective, there would be a need to destroy the departing monk’s dantian and limb meridians to prevent their teachings from spreading outside.

Yet Caesar’s limbs were not only intact, but he was thriving enough to become the Mercenary King.

Ihan couldn’t understand this at all, but…

“Of course not. My brothers are not stingy with their teachings. Or more precisely, they are generous with their teachings to those with righteous character and ‘upright souls.'”

“The audacity to praise yourself like that is quite something.”

“That’s not what I meant. My brothers truly have the ‘eyes’ to discern a person’s character. Thanks to that, I, who was nothing but a dying beggar, could be saved by them and receive the temple’s teachings. But I had dreams I wanted to achieve rather than staying in the temple, and although I felt sorry to my brothers, I had to go outside.”

When he thought about it as a special characteristic of the monk group, it started to make a bit more sense.

“…Then shouldn’t you call it graduation rather than escape? It’s confusing.”

“Hehe, there’s a reason for this too. If you stay in the temple on the night when the options are given, you formally become a monk, and if you silently leave the temple, it means you’re departing for the outside world.”

“……”

“You might wonder why go to such lengths? But it’s actually a good thing. Just imagine how burdensome it would be to tell the brothers about your choice. So escaping without meeting anyone and leaving an unspoken message is actually a clearer statement of position for both parties.”

“…I suppose that makes sense.”

No, in some ways, it’s quite remarkable.

How confident must they be in their judgment to not track down or capture those they’ve taught who escape?

Moreover, in reality…

‘I’ve never heard of monks causing trouble. And the person who taught our Bear was definitely a monk too…’

To be precise, according to what Taechang had said about the [original work], Bear had received teachings from a monk who lived in a monastery.

Considering that those teachings helped her rise to become the Mercenary Queen, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that the monks’ teachings and discernment were definitely reliable.

“They’re truly an amazing group.”

“Haha, of course. After all, they raised me!”

“…You have quite the pride, don’t you?”

“It’s natural for someone from the temple. Although I escaped, I never forgot my brothers. Their teachings gave me not only physical strength but also spiritual guidance. So I still respect my brothers. I would even give my life if they asked for help. …Well, our brothers would never ask for my help even if they were in crisis.”

His words were filled with sincerity.

It was enough to spark curiosity in anyone listening.

But what didn’t make sense was…

“Why would such amazing people want to see someone like me?”

Someone who wasn’t even a knight anymore, just an unemployed person with no affiliation.

That was truly puzzling.

“I don’t know either. But the Great Elder Brother’s desire to see you isn’t simply out of curiosity. There must be some profound reason. That’s the kind of person the Great Elder Brother is.”

“…What kind of person is he? This Great Elder Brother?”

“What kind of person, well? He’s not someone I can presume to evaluate.”

“……”

“Hmm, one thing is certain…”

*Swish*

“Conversing with the Great Elder Brother is never a waste of time. Rather, it will be one of the most meaningful times you’ll ever have.”

“……”

In response to Caesar’s confident words, Ihan remained silent.

…A positive silence that somehow seemed to draw him in.

* * *

Caesar went back into the forest.

Ihan had invited him to come inside, but…

“I’m not tactless enough to enter a newlywed’s home.”

“……”

“Heh heh.”

With a pleased smile, he patted Ihan’s shoulder as if to encourage him, and disappeared with a promise to see him tomorrow.

“…You don’t have to come.”

He thought the man should just leave now that his business was done, but despite his words, he was secretly glad.

After all, he had something he wanted to ask.

‘This is troublesome.’

Domain. The new sense that Ihan had acquired was currently tormenting him in real-time.

It was fine during combat, but now it was giving him an endlessly terrible headache.

One might ask why not just turn off the sense like an on/off switch.

“This is a passive ability.”

Once the sense was opened, it couldn’t be turned off.

No control.

He had gained something incredible, but without the ability to control it, it was an ability that made daily life impossible.

“Sir Knight, are you alright?”

“I’d like to declare that I’ll be fine soon… but right now it’s a bit difficult.”

“Hmm, then would you like to sleep first? Maybe you’ll feel better after sleeping.”

“…I don’t think I can fall asleep easily, given the situation.”

The sensation of countless pieces of information drilling into his head in real-time was both vast and dizzying.

His mind was clear yet dizzy, and it seemed unlikely to allow him to sleep.

Ihan showed a tired expression, thinking he had acquired a very troublesome weapon-

*Embrace*

“How about this?”

“……”

“Well? Are you getting sleepy now?”

“…Miss Maid.”

“Yes?”

“That’s… making it harder for me to sleep in a different way, but…”

Ihan’s mind snapped to attention in a different sense as Leira tightly embraced him.

The fragrant lilac scent was one thing, but the warmth of her skin was driving him crazy…

“No. You will sleep well, Sir Knight.”

“……”

*Blink, blink*

“See? Your eyes are already closing.”

“……”

“Hehe, rest now.”

-It was a mysterious thing.

Just a moment ago, his mind had been in chaos like a raging typhoon, but suddenly it became calm, like a quiet horizon.

In that state, Ihan couldn’t offer any resistance…

*Thud*

He fell asleep without resistance.

…In the warmest and most comfortable embrace in the world.

*Stroke, stroke*

The woman quietly stroked her knight’s head, maintaining a happy silence so he wouldn’t wake up.

But even so.

“…Our knight is too popular.”

Leira Winter softly murmured her slight dissatisfaction that too many people were looking for him, when they could have lived forever alone in this forest.

*

*

*

Whew!

“…The Great Elder Brother could have given me a hint. I’m sure he knew.”

Having moved some distance from Ihan’s house, Caesar exhaled the breath he had been holding.

As if calming his startled heart.

One might wonder what could make the great Mercenary King so nervous, but it was unavoidable.

Being from the monks, having eyes that could penetrate to the essence, Caesar had seen something that left him astonished.

To think that still on earth…!

“-A [Noble Being] would remain.”

She must be the most noble woman in all of heaven and earth.

One whom no one could dare look at directly!

…Thus, Caesar clicked his tongue without realizing it.

“Of all things, he’s loved by a troublesome being.”

Caesar knows.

As recorded in the books of the monk temple, the life of a hero loved by a noble being is bound to be tumultuous.

It would be better to be loved by a fairy than by that…

“Oh my, poor young man.”

For even if that young man were to end his life and fall to the netherworld—.

“…No, that’s probably an overly sensitive thought.”

Caesar didn’t presume to predict the man’s life in advance.

Yes, isn’t fate something one carves out for oneself?

…Well, in this case, even carving it out seems like it would be difficult.