Ch.41Chapter 41. Paladin, Have You Been Broken? (2)

41. Paladin, Have You Been Broken? (2)

Replies came quickly this time too.

ㄴ [MorningTentInstaller: I’m in the grain storage. Hiding curled up in a box filled with wheat…

I’m so scared… Please save me, sis]

Princess, sis—he’s desperately fighting for his life.

ㄴ [PrincessDina: How many cultists can you handle?]

ㄴ [MorningTentInstaller: I don’t know. I’ve never fought before…]

ㄴ [PrincessDina: Wait, you’re level 2 but have never fought? How did you level up?]

ㄴ [MorningTentInstaller: Just killed a few infected… And George’s raid team said not to go near villages at low levels. So I’ve never fought cultists.]

ㄴ [PrincessDina: I can only laugh. If you’d followed that advice well, you wouldn’t be hiding there now.]

ㄴ [MorningTentInstaller: You’re right, fuck TT I’m such an idiot. I just lost my mind for a moment…]

ㄴ [PrincessDina: What’s near the grain storage? Tell me everything you remember.]

ㄴ [MorningTentInstaller: Um, there’s a chicken coop and a place where they raise horses.]

ㄴ [PrincessDina: A stable. We might have a way out.]

ㄴ [MorningTentInstaller: Really? Thankyouthankyouthankyou]

While the entire community was mourning the fool about to die because of erectile dysfunction, one user was looking for a solution.

It was inevitable that all eyes would turn to PrincessDina.

[TrustedMonkeyMan: What? Is there really a way?]

[Bramanda: PrincessDina… I don’t know what you’re thinking, but hang in there. I don’t want to see someone else die.]

[CowBikiniDance: Something… something’s happening]

[3Lift500: Isn’t it “magujang” instead of “magugwan”?]

ㄴ [DinosaurPunch: “Magugwan” is the standard term.]

ㄴ [TakashiKakashi: I can’t understand what you’re saying. Translation issue?]

[NotACatfish: Don’t give false hope. What’s a stable going to do? Let him escape on horseback? That’ll just attract cultists from other villages. He’ll be caught and killed quickly.]

There she goes again, being contrary. Just a keyboard warrior through and through.

No wonder users curse at her.

I sent her a private message. I need to restrain her, for her own sake.

What if she gets labeled as unlikable and becomes a community outcast that no one wants to deal with?

Then she’d probably send me hundreds of private messages whenever she’s bored. That’s a terrifying future.

[Stop posting comments like that. Someone’s trying hard to save TentInstaller, why are you being so discouraging?]

[NotACatfish: How is this discouraging?]

[NotACatfish: I’m giving realistic advice, why?]

Please, Hannah. Let’s not do this. We’re not elementary school kids.

Did she have a troubled adolescence that made her this twisted?

[How is that realistic advice? You’re just cursing him to die]

[NotACatfish: No I’m]

[I don’t like it, so stop doing it]

[NotACatfish: …]

[NotACatfish: ok]

[NotACatfish: sorry]

[NotACatfish: I won’t do it again]

I was a bit harsh. I should comfort her later so she doesn’t get upset and turn dark.

I closed the private message window and focused back on the community.

ㄴ [PrincessDina: When I give the signal, come out and use your “Holy Flame” skill to set fire to the grain storage and stable. With all the grain and hay, it’ll catch quickly. Run away once the fire starts. The fire MUST catch.]

ㄴ [MorningTentInstaller: What? Fire? Suddenly? That’ll attract all the aggro! Besides, I’ll be caught immediately if I come out!]

ㄴ [PrincessDina: I’ll draw the cultists’ attention. Starting countdown now.]

ㄴ [PrincessDina: 5]

ㄴ [PrincessDina: 4]

ㄴ [MorningTentInstaller: What? Are you in Linea right now? How…]

ㄴ [PrincessDina: 3]

ㄴ [PrincessDina: 2]

ㄴ [MorningTentInstaller: Um, could you at least explain what’s going to happen?]

ㄴ [PrincessDina: 1]

KWAAAANG-!

Suddenly, a massive pillar of light shot up from the east.

It was a bright, thick column visible all the way to the mountaintop of Symphonia where I was.

I wasn’t the only one who saw it.

“Whoa!”

“W-what’s that!”

“Is, is the god angry?”

“M-Malak!”

The barbarians loitering near the altar ducked down in surprise.

“…What on earth is happening.”

Lakye, who reacted first, had drawn his curved sword.

– Stay calm. It’s nothing.

I calmed the barbarians who were startled by the sudden boom. I was just as surprised as they were.

…What? What is this?

PrincessDina. What did you do…?

I quietly asked Lakye through divine possession.

– Is that Linea over there?

“No. It’s in the opposite direction from Linea.”

What did she do and where to emit such light?

I quickly checked the community.

[SamuraiJackson: What was that light just now?]

[FullPlay: What’s happening? Is someone fighting?]

[68YearOldGrandmaKimJeomSoon’sFinalJetKick: Damn, I choked on my food]

Everyone in the community saw this light. It wasn’t visible only from Symphonia.

ㄴ [PrincessDina: This is all I can do]

ㄴ [PrincessDina: Now set the fires and run]

While the entire community was in chaos, PrincessDina replied to that earlier post again.

ㄴ [Bramanda: PrincessDina. Was that light from you?]

ㄴ [TrustedMonkeyMan: Whatwhatwhat what skill is that]

ㄴ [3Lift500: Who are you!?]

Users who had been watching MorningTentInstaller’s post started commenting one by one.

They were asking if PrincessDina had used a skill, and if so, what kind of skill it was.

ㄴ [MeleeSpy: Level 8 skill Celestial Light]

ㄴ [MeleeSpy: PrincessDina, what level are you…?]

MeleeSpy was the one who answered.

Level 8? A level 8 skill? This is insane, that’s higher than Abraham.

Some might think it’s just 1 level higher, but in “Surviving as Paladin,” level 10 is the max.

There has to be a huge gap between levels 7 and 8.

[TrustedMonkeyMan: Level 8! Level 8! Level 8!]

[FallenPowerKnight: At level 8 you can do things like that?]

[PpuPpuPpung: The strongest paladin has appeared OMG]

The community was in absolute chaos.

Everyone flocked to the post where MorningTentInstaller and PrincessDina had been exchanging comments, making a “holy pilgrimage.”

But the comment owners remained silent.

What happened to MorningTentInstaller? Did he escape safely?

And PrincessDina? After emitting such a bright light, she must have attracted attention. What if the cloud demon saw it?

With all these thoughts, I calmed the startled barbarians.

[Rinojohnnson: That light just now, what was it? It was definitely the power of Ishtania.]

Charon, you bastard… let’s pretend we didn’t see that. It’ll get buried under other posts soon anyway.

Twenty minutes later, a post finally appeared showing the status of one of them.

[MorningTentInstaller: I’m alive! I’m alive! I’m alive!

Set the fires and ran like hell!

First the pillar of light, then the burning storage and stable, then panicking horses—the cultists were completely disoriented!

I climbed the wall and escaped!

I ran non-stop until I was far from the village before posting this!

Everyone! I’m alive! Fuck yeah lol!

PrincessDina, thank you so much. Is this how the brother and sister in the sun and moon myth felt when climbing the rope?

I’m so glad you didn’t give up until the end.

This tension with sweat on my palms…

I think I can get it up now.

I love you, sis!]

Ah, what a relief. He survived. Whatever the process, I’m satisfied that he lived.

I was about to focus back on reality after confirming the fate of my fellow (?) player when:

[MorningTentInstaller: But what do I do now?

I mean… I wrote the title as a joke, but… how do I survive now?

I just ran with the mindset of surviving first, so I ended up going in a different direction from the hideout…

To go back, I’d have to pass through the village again… I’m too scared to do that twice.

It’s hard to be as lucky as this time.

No food… no tools… I’m going to starve to death.

Sigh… I’m such an idiot.

How should I live now? I’m really at a loss]

– …

This guy really makes me laugh to the end.

But maybe I can help him this time.

I sent him a private message.

[Is there a mountain nearby?]

[MorningTentInstaller: Oh what]

[MorningTentInstaller: There is one about an hour away]

There’s one mountain near Linea. The Ashen Mist tribe is there.

[Go up the mountain]

[MorningTentInstaller: What? Hey, there are tons of infected there]

[MorningTentInstaller: There’s probably a barbarian tribe too]

[Avoid the infected and demon’s sight on your own]

[I can help with the barbarians]

[MorningTentInstaller: But how can you]

[MorningTentInstaller: Ah! You were that one! The barbarian girl!]

[Yeah I’m friends with the barbarians]

[When you meet them, disarm yourself and shout “Malak!” loudly several times]

[Act like you worship and pray to Malak]

[Malak is the name of the god the barbarians worship, just shouting that will prevent them from killing you immediately]

[They’ll probably restrain you, but wait a bit. I’ll send a letter to that tribe.]

[MorningTentInstaller: OKOKOK! Going right now! It’s this or death anyway!]

[Don’t go around telling the community that I helped you]

[MorningTentInstaller: OK! That’s the least I can do for my lifesaver]

What a cheerful guy until the end.

I closed the message window and looked at the spirit—no, the familiar—circling around Paya.

Squeak~!

It’s time for Toughie, now twice as sturdy, to work.