Ch.4615. Footsteps of the Ancient Sages (3)

“This is….”

How should I interpret this?

Why, of all things, does the name Grandeus appear here?

“Ah! Here it is!”

Filbar, who suddenly appeared with a large parasol, waved the cloth in his hands as if he had found something.

“Did you see or hear anything?”

“Yes.”

Kariel’s eyes scanned the area where Alesia and Baron Baroness’s family were standing at some distance.

“Grandeus, you know him, right?”

“Of course I do. But why do you ask?”

“…He was Saint Kariel’s master.”

Filbar, who had been puzzled for a while, suddenly widened his eyes.

“What… did you say? Good heavens. This is, wait? Ah, just a moment. Do you perhaps know Grandeus’s true identity? This… isn’t information that would be commonly known. Hmm?”

His expression changed drastically in an instant. After glancing around cautiously, he leaned in and whispered into Kariel’s ear.

“If you know, that would make things much simpler. I think it would be best not to mention this to anyone.”

“……”

“That’s right. If this were to be misunderstood, it could profoundly impact not just the church but the overall perception of chivalry. Beyond backlash, there would likely be cover-up measures.”

“So you’re suggesting we… hide the truth?”

“Truth isn’t what matters. What matters is how the living interpret it. And we’re not hiding anything, just not speaking of it. We’re not doing anything wrong, are we?”

So this is.

“Five hundred years. Or perhaps a thousand years from now would be soon enough to reveal it.”

“……”

“Human civilization is truly fragile. While wise individuals might accept this readily, there are far more who would never tolerate it, even if the sky were falling. And conversely, there are those who would exploit it.”

Kariel could only nod slowly in understanding.

“I… understand.”

“Haa. I should be rejoicing, yet I feel conflicted. Another inspiration wells up within me. Hmm! Very well! I’ll continue with my work then. Nothing happened between us, right? You understand? Later, we’ll coordinate our stories appropriately.”

Perhaps because he had opened a large parasol in the middle of the city street, a commotion began to stir.

“It’s the Baron!”

“The lord?”

Thanks to Baron Roia’s quick intervention, there was no major issue.

“So, this is the place?”

“Yes. Saint Kariel would have fallen here.”

Filbar glanced briefly at Kariel.

“Hmm.”

Alesia, looking somewhat melancholic, silently scanned the busy street with her eyes.

“I plan to use magic to recreate the scene as an illusion. Ah, but since the street is narrow, please clear some space. Let’s also set up a barrier to avoid any problems. Let’s do this after sunset. We came here partly to confirm the location anyway.”

With that, Filbar, claiming inspiration had struck him, quickly retreated into the carriage.

“So that’s how it is?”

Baron Roia spoke, lightening the mood.

“Since that’s settled, everyone disperse! We’ll meet here again in the evening.”

The Baron added.

“Though festival preparations are underway, that should be entertaining too, so you two shouldn’t feel burdened and should enjoy yourselves.”

This was directed at Alesia and Kariel.

Both nodded obediently.

“Then let’s go to the church together. If you were planning to come here, you would have visited it anyway, right?”

At Alesia’s suggestion, Kariel followed without hesitation.

“But you can’t keep dressing like this.”

With that grumbling, they enjoyed the festival preparation atmosphere.

Two days left, wasn’t it?

Originally, he had planned to just visit the church.

Regardless of the festival.

“……”

Things never seem to go according to plan.

A small mountain rose within the city.

The church building standing proudly atop it could only be reached by climbing just under 200 stone steps.

The problem was that the steps were arranged not just uphill but sometimes in a spiral pattern, making it not particularly easy to climb by normal standards.

The height of each stone step was also inconsistent.

Still, if one managed to climb up, the view of the small city was breathtaking, which was part of the appeal.

Even so, some complained that even this view was partially blocked by the mountain, as evidenced by a young couple nearby who were voicing their dissatisfaction in real-time.

“Hey, can I go up to the church building for a bit?”

“Huh? Up there? Why?”

“I’m curious about the view from up there.”

“Try it if you can get up there.”

Though Alesia’s tone suggested she didn’t expect much.

However, Kariel casually tested the building wall a few times, then began climbing it as if leaping vertically.

“Wow! What’s that?”

“Is he an elf?”

“How can someone be so agile?”

He quickly distanced himself from the ground.

Upon reaching the top of the church, the scenery changed, but…

“……”

He couldn’t particularly feel any emotional stirring in his chest or a sense of enlightenment from the view.

He reconfirmed that his emotions and sensibilities were still not as vibrant as before.

While being emotionally detached had its benefits, like being less affected by surrounding events…

Perhaps because of this.

The world increasingly felt bland.

Boring, fleeting, empty.

And he found himself accepting everything as if it were natural.

“……”

How many seconds had passed?

Kariel, as if walking on air—indeed, there was nothing to step on in the empty space—

His body fell straight down without resistance.

Some onlookers gasped in shock or covered their eyes, but…

Thud!

Just before colliding with the ground, Kariel kicked off the wall to control his speed and landed gracefully with nimble movements.

“Where did you learn that?”

“…I didn’t really learn it, it just came naturally?”

Faintly, but at some point, he had naturally become capable of this.

Even this wasn’t truly a manifestation of Kariel’s original power.

After all, someone like him, who was poor at utilizing mana, couldn’t possibly display such prowess with his own strength.

On the other hand, perhaps he had gained these skills in exchange for his inadequacy with mana and magical power.

That’s just how he thought about it.

“How do you do it?”

“It’s like finding gaps in the wind. If you know how to go against the flow… it’s hard to explain.”

“Hmm.”

“Can’t you easily go up and down here too, Lady Alesia?”

“…I could if I wanted to. But it’s more troublesome to get caught and be lectured, so if I did, I’d do it secretly.”

Alesia seemed to be contemplating something, as if trying to recall something.

“Ah, what am I thinking? Let’s go inside first.”

Kariel sighed softly as he looked at the entrance.

…As expected.

Churches were uncomfortable in many ways.

The solemn atmosphere or the flow of something sacred wasn’t really what mattered.

When he came here.

The more holy, sacred, and solemn the place…

The more he was inadvertently reminded of his mother, Ermina.

However, unlike its exterior, the interior structure of this church was surprisingly simple.

Though it was tall, there were no separate floors or anything of the sort.

The ceiling was high, and thanks to the stained glass, the sunlight cast a rainbow hue, creating a beautiful and sacred atmosphere.

Yet, it didn’t particularly resonate with him.

The interior was precisely in the shape of a cross, with the building open in that form.

And at the center of the cross, in the middle of the church…

…Those statues were placed.

A man kneeling on one knee, gripping the hilt of a sword with both hands.

Yet, without ever falling, resting his forehead and head on his hands that held the hilt.

The figure of a man with closed eyes.

A statue that an artist had completed over five years to honor Saint Kariel.

Towards the man who sat with his forehead resting on the sword planted in the ground…

From behind him.

In shabby attire.

Men, women, old, and young, dressed in rags, with sad faces, touching his garments, back, and shoulders, resting their heads against him, leaning on his arms…

They were crying.

Or rather, they had crying expressions.

Since statues couldn’t shed tears.

One could only interpret and understand it as such based on their expressions.

Near the statue were what appeared to be believers and knights in civilian clothes, heads bowed in mourning with closed eyes, while others quietly observed a moment of silence.

“I’ll go change clothes and come back, so take your time looking around.”

As she left, the world once again fell into silence.

Befitting a church interior, everyone maintained a self-restrained atmosphere.

Kariel leaned against a corner and asked into the void:

“Why did Grandeus teach Kariel?”

-How would I know that?

The fact seemed quite unexpected to her as well.

-Just because I know a lot doesn’t mean I know everything. If I did, I’d be the Demon Lord of Omniscience, not Wisdom, wouldn’t I?

“……”

-Coming here was your decision, wasn’t it? I don’t think I ever wished for it. If anything, I should be the one asking. What was your intention in coming here? Did you anticipate this?

“Of course not.”

It was incredibly perplexing.

Of all things, he had learned Grandeus’s swordsmanship.

And of all things, while on a journey to retrieve Grandeus’s magic armor…

…His name, Kariel, was connected to Grandeus?

All of this would have remained unknown if Kariel hadn’t come here.

-Does it feel too strange to be a coincidence? Then it’s not a coincidence but fate.

“……”

That makes it even stranger.

And if one starts to accept that…

…Does it mean that all the pain and injustice in my life, my entire existence…

Were all planned and predetermined?

Looking back, it’s enough to evoke anger that wasn’t there before.

As if he had been unwittingly played by someone’s malicious prank.

“I don’t care about knights or any of that.”

I don’t want to become one.

There’s no reason I should.

All I have left is a hollow pride, shattered and crushed beyond recognition.

Even admiration has vanished.

Aspiration has long since turned to ashes, scattered by the wind.

I don’t desire it.

I don’t expect it, nor do I even dream of it.

Whether it’s becoming a knight or a hero.

If by chance I was born to become that.

If I was born with such an absurd fate.

I would firmly reject it, even at the cost of my life.

Under any circumstances.

Even if it is.

Something that someone desperately yearned and wished for.

Among all the many people in the world.

I, for one, will not be among them.

====

With some time to spare, I asked the Demon Lord various questions.

“How do you feel about even your own people openly criticizing you?”

-I told them to criticize me. I said if they’re going to do it, do it properly. I told them to criticize me every time they meet humans, and they’re doing it well. It’s probably all sincere too.

…This was somewhat unexpected.

Does this Demon Lord truly lack even the minimal desire for recognition, showing off, or achieving accomplishments?

-It’s a difference in values and purpose. It’s not that I don’t have those desires.

The Demon Lord said:

-The only thing I feared was losing His favor. The rest—others’ gazes and evaluations? That’s not my concern.

This too might be another form of dogmatism.

“What was your thinking behind introducing the Golden Rule?”

-To make others respect each other.

So that.

-They could adopt an attitude of equal dialogue and negotiation, like we’re doing now. It’s a kind of preliminary education.

Demons don’t have such things.

Even if they did, it would just be contracts.

-By your standards, demons are naturally violent and brutal, even more so than barbarians.

“Are you saying that because of your rule, they were able to adopt such attitudes?”

-Not entirely. But that’s unavoidable, isn’t it? You might compromise with wolves, sheep, and bears, but how can you put birds and fish in the same enclosure? Does that make any sense?

What’s impossible is impossible, kid.

-The sooner you give up, the higher the completion rate of your goal. Unnecessary attachment and obsession are the enemies of wisdom.

She was resolute, both then and now.

It makes me wonder.

When will I ever be able to crumple this damned Demon Lord’s impression like a piece of paper?

“Did I keep you waiting long?”

Alesia returned.

Her attire was a plain activity outfit commonly worn by men.

The brown top looked particularly baggy, suggesting it had been intentionally sized up to accommodate her chest.

Over it, she wore a red banner that reached below her waist, which added a touch of style.

“Not at all. I was enjoying the sights.”

“Is there even anything to see here?”

“There are people, buildings, structures. It’s diverse, isn’t it? Each with its own story and circumstances.”

For instance.

“Think about how much manpower and effort went into building this church. Their sweat, effort, and time combined to create what we see now. The same goes for that statue over there.”

“…You truly have a keen sense of observation.”

“Pardon?”

“Most people only see the surface, focusing on what’s visible, but you try to look deeper.”

“Ah…”

Kariel had just spoken what came to mind, but it seems he was misunderstood.

“Thank you for seeing me in such a positive light.”

“There’s no need for thanks. I’m just stating what’s good as good. Why would that warrant gratitude?”

…Truly.

Alesia is a good person.

“……”

Saint Ermina.

From what he had heard from others, she was consistently regarded as an incomparably noble and sacred being. Also, a being more compassionate than anyone else.

To him, she had been an infinitely distant existence.

Every time he encounters and experiences Alesia, he inadvertently realizes this contrasting reality.

To avoid showing the discomfort that comes from this, Kariel often simply maintains a silent smile.

Someone once said that a festival includes even the moments of preparation.

As they left the church and re-entered the city, laughter never ceased where crowds gathered.

He almost found himself smiling at the sight of children with sparkling eyes full of expectation.

Remembering what Luke had introduced just yesterday, someone tossed a fruit with a smile, suggesting they try it.

In one area, the rhythmic sound of hammering could be heard, possibly setting up a temporary stage.

Children played, colorful flower baskets were transported on carts.

Some were dedicated to cleaning the streets to make them even cleaner for the day.

Others showcased their singing talents in preparation, sometimes receiving criticism from bystanders.

‘Everything.’

Colorful and peaceful.

Taking a calm breath in and out.

He pleasantly followed the scene until dusk.