Ch. 46 The Knowledge Seeker
by AfuhfuihgsChapter 46 – The Knowledge Seeker
After escaping the underground with Isolin, the first thing that caught my eye was the vast expanse of the snowy wilderness.
As if heralding the arrival of dawn, the dark shadows began to recede, and the white snow, bathed in sunlight, sparkled brightly.
Hoo—
As the breath from my mouth scattered in the wind, I noticed the clergy of the Arkereth cult filling the surroundings.
“Priest Supreme!”
“We’re so glad you’re safe!”
The sight of so many people expressing genuine relief and concern warmed my heart.
I hadn’t expected those who had only exchanged brief greetings with me to worry about me so much.
Looking at them, I reaffirmed my resolve. No matter what, I would protect this world.
I would never let this beautiful world fall to ruin.
To remember all the clergy who had come to find me, I took note of their names and faces one by one: Ban, Eddie, Shavro, Netram, and more.
“I’m sorry for worrying you all. And thank you. Thank you for coming to find me.”
After expressing my gratitude, I quickly scanned the area. The fact that the clergy had gathered here meant the area was safe, but since I hadn’t seen the Yeti’s final moments with my own eyes, I couldn’t let my guard down just yet.
“What are you looking for?”
Perhaps my constant glancing around seemed odd? A nun standing nearby asked me.
“It’s just… I don’t see the Yeti. Is everything alright?”
“When we arrived, the Yeti was nowhere to be seen. Maybe it went somewhere else?”
At the nun’s response, I turned my gaze to Isolin. She, who was clinging tightly to my side, nodded vigorously when our eyes met.
“It’s true. The Yeti was gone when we got here.”
“Hmm…”
I tilted my head, puzzled by Isolin’s answer. Where could the Yeti have gone?
It couldn’t have followed Ibok and Jane. If it had pursued them to the end, Isolin and the clergy would have encountered it.
Just in case, I asked Isolin.
“Are Ibok and Jane alright? And what about Hark…?”
“All three of them were safely taken back to the village.”
“Where did you meet Hark?”
“We ran into him in the mountains. We brought him straight to the village.”
“That’s a relief…”
The people I had tried to save were safe. Realizing that my actions hadn’t been in vain, I let out a sigh of relief.
Then, the nun beside me, deeply moved, spoke to me.
“As expected… Priest Supreme. Putting the injured before your own safety… Your selfless choice to stay behind to save everyone… Truly, you are a role model for all clergy. I, Shavro, am deeply moved!”
At the nun’s words, I looked around in bewilderment.
The other clergy members seemed to share her sentiment, looking at me with similar expressions of admiration.
How had the story been told to create such a misunderstanding?
I hadn’t prioritized the injured over my own safety. I had simply chosen the only available option to save everyone.
I hadn’t stayed behind out of concern for others.
I had been thrown off the sled due to Isolin’s poor driving and ended up rolling into the snow.
But there was no need to correct the misunderstanding. I smiled lightly and shook my head.
As long as the outcome was good, that was all that mattered.
It was just something I had thought about in my heart. Since there was no way for others to know, I supposed it was fine to let them think well of me.
[Affirmative.]
“No, no. As a priest of Arkereth, it was only natural.”
“Priest Supreme…!”
Though my job was as a priest of the Arkereth Temple, I didn’t even know the doctrines of the Arkereth cult.
Yet, the clergy praised my actions with even more admiration.
Isolin, standing beside me, gave me a strange look, but I deliberately ignored it.
Isolin and I climbed onto the wolf sled.
“By the way, I don’t see Einhardt. Has the search team not returned yet?”
“Ah, it seems they went quite far. But they said they’d be back by this morning, so if we head back now, we might meet them.”
The one who answered my question was a priest named Limbert.
Judging by the warm consommé and thick fur he handed over without being asked, he was a truly kind person.
I sipped the consommé he offered and smiled lightly.
“Thank you for taking care of us.”
Though we remained vigilant about the Yeti, we didn’t encounter the giant creature on our way back to Parna Village.
Under the escort of the clergy, Isolin and I returned safely to the village.
It was then that Einhardt and the search team returned. Perfectly timed, the search team brought back information about the hidden base of the Singing Cult.
“Everyone, prepare for the holy war! We must defeat the evil heretics!”
Einhardt, raising his sword high, shouted to the clergy. As his voice grew louder, the clergy also raised their voices in unison.
As the clergy busied themselves, the villagers also became busy.
The clergy began inspecting their weapons.
Some sharpened the blades of their greatswords, while others lovingly polished their heavy maces.
Isolin and I sat nearby, inspecting our weapons, when Einhardt approached me.
“Priest Supreme. I’ve heard the story.”
“Ah, yes…”
Like the other clergy, Einhardt looked at me with shining eyes, deeply moved. He praised me profusely.
“Your spirit of sacrifice… I, too, was deeply moved. To think someone so young could already… The future of the Arkereth cult is truly bright.”
“Ah, thank you…”
As Einhardt drew closer, a strange sensation came from my right hand.
It felt as if something soft was crawling over my skin, and I couldn’t help but make a strange face. The voice of The Knowledge Seeker echoed in my mind.
[Strong one. Recruit.]
You want me to make him an ally? He already seems like one…
I tilted my head and looked up at Einhardt. In his current state, he seemed like he’d agree to almost any request.
As I stared up at Einhardt, he smiled slightly and spoke to me.
“Seeing you inspect your weapons, it seems you plan to join this holy war.”
“Of course!”
I nodded vigorously in response to his question.
How could I just stand by and watch as this world was threatened?
The annihilation of the Singing Cult was something I truly desired. The Knowledge Seeker also sought the cult’s power, so I had no choice but to go.
However, Einhardt’s next words made me grimace.
“I’m truly sorry, but it would be best for Priest Supreme and Isolin to stay in the village.”
“Wh-why…?”
“Well…”
At my question, Einhardt awkwardly shifted his gaze. What he was looking at was Isolin’s and my legs.
Short legs.
I flailed my legs back and forth and shouted.
“W-we can go!”
“That’s right! We can go!”
Isolin also shouted in support.
“Ah… but you’re so small, if you get buried in the snow…”
Einhardt hesitated, looking troubled by our protests. Then, someone stepped forward to help us.
“That problem! I’ll solve it!”
The one who raised his hand was Jane, who had lost a leg. Leaning on a crutch, he spoke to Einhardt.
“You just need to make sure those two don’t sink into the snow, right?”
“Ah, yes… As long as we can reach the heretics’ base…”
“Wait a moment. I’ll repay my debt.”
Jane gathered some villagers and began hammering together dry wood, nails, and other materials to create something.
After about ten minutes, a small sled was completed.
“Here! If you put those two on this sled, there won’t be any problems.”
“Ah…”
Einhardt nodded blankly as he looked down at the sled.
Before Einhardt could say anything, Isolin and I quickly climbed onto the sled.
Then, Einhardt asked Jane.
“But who’s going to pull this sled? Even wolves would sink into the snow.”
“You’ll pull it, of course. You look strong enough. Surely you can handle the weight of these two small girls?”
“Well…”
In the end, Einhardt had no choice but to accept our participation.
Just before leaving the village, Einhardt spoke.
“Uh, to distribute the weight as much as possible, you’ll need to lie down.”
“Both of us?”
“Yes…”
“Okay!”
As Isolin and I lay down on the sled, Einhardt sighed and began pulling it.
Swoosh— Swoosh—
The sled Jane had made worked perfectly. Isolin and I lay on the sled as we headed toward the snow-covered mountains.
Vrslop_translator
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