encounter (6)
The forest behind the monastery was located in a different direction from where I had fallen.
From the outside, it seemed like an ordinary forest, but suddenly it was a monster.
“What… are you saying ferocious monsters live there?”
“I don’t know. No one has actually seen it.”
“But why do you say monsters exist?”
“I just told you. There have been several times when people from the monastery have gone missing. That’s why everyone says it’s the work of an unknown monster.”
Is it just rumors?
Hey, it would have been considered that way if several people had gone missing.
“So they said they did an extensive search once, but couldn’t find the slightest trace.”
“Has everyone who entered the forest gone missing?”
“No, just a few people. Before that, they got by without much trouble. After a few things went wrong, they barely went in.”
Elika shrugged.
“Well, it was before I even entered the monastery, so I don’t know the details. To be honest, I don’t believe in monsters either.”
“Still, given that it happened, there must be something in the forest.”
“Maybe so. Anyway, there’s nothing good going in, so I told you not to go that way when you leave later.”
she turned around
“Then I’ll go out. Good job.”
I looked at the closed door as she went outside, then turned to the meal on the desk.
To start with the meal, I pushed papers and books to one side and picked up a spoon.
‘by the way······.’
Considering what Elika had just said, it seemed that she had something to do with it.
It was only natural that most of the children in this monastery were living here because they had nowhere else to go.
‘Did I lose my family to the demons?’
Even after the war, the demons didn’t openly rampage, but they were causing harm all over the continent.
They directly commit massacres, corrupt many people with contracts, and most of all…
‘The seed of the devil.’
The demons dream of the resurrection of the demon king.
They aspire to resurrect the monster again, dry all the seeds of life on the continent, and create their own world.
To that end, what they are doing secretly now.
That was to find those who had the ‘seed of devil’.
In the final battle with the hero, the demon king, who was in danger of being completely annihilated by the holy sword, used his power to fragment his soul and spread it across the continent.
Those who had the soul fragment, the devil’s seed, were the key and sacrifice that could hasten the resurrection of the devil.
Currently, demons have crossed their territory and are secretly wandering all over the continent, looking for those who have such seeds.
That’s why finding successors is the priority, but after that, he was thinking of finding and securing them somehow.
I finished my thoughts and ate the soup.
I don’t know who’s cooking it, but every meal was delicious.
***
The day was bright, and Elika and Heron, who came out to the yard, found Tom who had been out first since early morning.
“Are you here?”
Tom stopped the wooden sword he was wielding and greeted the two.
I was already up in the morning to train, and my body was already full of sweat and heat.
“You feel good from morning. When did you wake up?”
“About two hours ago? Uh, I need to rest now.”
Tom threw down his wooden sword and sat down on the floor.
They both knew why he was so eager.
said Heron.
“It’s not possible to be smart just by training blindly. Now, there’s not much left, so I need to manage my condition.”
The Monastery of Lobelgio was one of the largest monasteries on the southeastern frontier of Saintea.
In the first place, unless it was a monastery of a tolerable scale, there was no such thing as a paladin level of power resident.
Because of this, as many children were being managed, they selected and nurtured talented people among them, but the screening test was now less than a week away.
And Tom was thinking of taking on this screening test to become an apprentice paladin.
“Hey, what a big deal, like managing your condition.”
Elika, who was crossing her arms, snorted.
He must have been in a bad mood, but Tom knew that he wasn’t laughing sincerely, he was just teasing, so he laughed.
“Shall we do sparring?”
“Okay. But it’s almost time now, so let’s worship and eat breakfast.”
Since it is a space for priests, the worship service held every morning was the most basic rule of life.
Elika put on a look of annoyance and picked up the wooden sword that Tom had thrown away.
Tom asked as he watched her swinging her sword in the air.
“But are you really not going to do it?”
“what?”
“What do you mean, a paladin? With your skills, I think you can pass.”
At those words, Elika frowned.
“Oh, really. I don’t.”
“No… I really don’t understand, so why are you training in swordsmanship? Hey, Heron. Do you understand him? Huh?”
Heron just shrugged.
It was an obvious pattern to mess around like this and get beaten up again, and he didn’t want to be involved in it.
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As expected, it was Tom who ended up being hit in the back with the side of a wooden sword.
“Oh, it hurts!”
“Do some work. I wield a sword just because I’m bored, and how many times do I have to say I’m just going to become a priest?”
“You’re laughing, what’s a priest to do with violence all the time! Every time there’s a kid who doesn’t listen, he’ll grab it and make it a guide?”
Tom, who was still rubbing his tingling back, hid behind Heron when Elika once again raised the sword with a stern face.
Heron clicked his tongue lightly.
“Erica, do it in moderation. But it’s a test taker, so it’s not okay if you get hit wrong and ruin it.”
“Yes, it’s fair. If you ruin it because of you, I’ll curse you for the rest of my life.”
“You should be quiet, too.”
Elika sighed and threw the wooden sword to the floor.
“Let’s go to the chapel. You’ll break your head if you really giggle one more time.”
“… oh my, it’s scary.”
“Stop it. He’s doing it for real.”
The trio, who had been bickering, was about to re-enter the building.
“Oh, it’s Ethan.”
A man came out of the building and sat on a bench in the yard.
Tom spotted Ethan in the distance and waved his hand.
He, too, was seen looking back at the three of them and raising his hand once.
“You come out to the yard often. Has your body recovered a lot?”
“I guess so.”
Tom asked Elika.
“Hey, Elika. Are you still suspicious? Is he hiding something?”
“uh.”
“Hmm, to me, he’s just a blunt but kind man. Last time I saw him, he was mingling with the nuns and helping with the cleaning.”
Elika was silent for a moment, then answered.
“I don’t think I’m a bad person either. It’s just that I think I might be hiding something.”
“Oh, is that so?”
It had been quite some time since he had been living here in the monastery.
However, none of the three of them had spoken much, so I still didn’t really know anything about him.
There was also a reason why it gave off a strangely difficult atmosphere to approach and talk to.
“It would be nice if we could just stay here at the monastery.”
At that time, a girl carrying a bucket passed by the three of them and helped out with a word. It was Kara, a friend of their age.
Tom asked, turning to her.
“I want you to stay, what are you talking about?”
“No, it’s just that you have good eyes because you’re so handsome. Isn’t that right, Elika?”
“I don’t know.”
Elika gave a short reply to her mischievous question.
said Tom pathetically.
“Tsk tsk, anyway, it’s good to have a good-looking face.”
“What do you mean? Tom, every time you see Sister Raya, wipe your saliva and don’t be sloppy.”
“What? What are you talking about, that!”
The girl stuck out her tongue and went on her way.
Tom glanced at Elika and made an urgent excuse.
“He-I don’t know what he’s talking about. I’ve never been like that, Elika.”
“······So what?”
Elika turned her attention away from Tom and looked back at Ethan.
Tom cleared his throat and changed the subject.
“Anyway, when are you going to leave, Mr. Ethan? You seem to be very weak, but I don’t know if he will collapse again while going alone.”
“no way.”
“······Ah, how about that? If we leave, of course we’ll pass by the nearby town, right? Then we’re just saying we’ll take you there so there’s no danger!”
“Let’s go out to the city with that as an excuse? Are you stupid? Could the priests allow it?”
The three of them headed to the chapel while having a conversation.
***
‘I can hear everything, these.’
I watched them disappear into the building and stood up.
I also went back to my room to have breakfast.
At that time, I saw a priest passing nearby. It was the Thane priest.
“Ah, Mr. Ethan.”
He also found me and came over to greet me.
“Good morning. You’ve been here since morning.”
“Yes, I was just taking a walk. What about the priest?”
“It’s time for the morning service, so I was on my way to the chapel.”
In Tain’s hand was a book of scriptures.
He looked down at his scriptures and scratched his head.
“More than that, thank you again for taking care of arranging the scriptures. You’re not feeling well, so I wonder if I’ve caused you trouble…”
“What does it matter if all you have to do is move the pen. And now we’re almost done.”
“······Yes? You started yesterday, so you’re saying it’s almost over already?”
He widened his eyes as if in surprise.
“Yes, I’ll probably be able to finish it all this afternoon.”
“Huh… you’re really fast.”
“If there is anything left, we will help more.”
“Ah, then… no, no.”
He was about to say something as if possessed, but quickly shook his head.
There was something else he wanted to do, but he seemed to be holding back.
It’s not really a big deal, and it doesn’t matter if you do more.
“I’ll finish the rest now. Thank you enough for what you did.”
He smiled and thanked him again.
It was time to say goodbye and pass by.
“·······?”
I noticed a middle-aged man walking away and fixed my eyes on him.
Tane followed my gaze and turned his head.
“Ah, you’re the director.”
······Director? abbot?
Looking at Tane, he continued.
“Come to think of it, hasn’t Mr. Ethan seen the director yet?”
“······Yes, since I was mostly in my room.”
“This is Dihod, the abbot of the monastery. He is a very faithful man who sets an example for all the priests.”
I nodded and turned my gaze back to the director.
He caught my eye for another reason.
【Lv. 64]
Because, the level floating above his head was not at all the level that the abbot of a monastery would have.
