encounter (8)
knight of brilliance.
Everyone was surprised by the words the paladin had unknowingly said.
Because no one who didn’t know what the name meant was at least not here.
How could I not know?
Directly under the Papal States, the center of the church, the 20 paladins who can be said to be the highest power of the church.
The people of the monastery, who had been dumbfounded for a while, soon came to their senses and looked at the man with a worried expression.
It was because it did not make sense that such a great magnate, one of the best in the church, had come to such a remote monastery out of nowhere.
However, the man didn’t deny it, smiled awkwardly, and introduced himself.
“I am Zer-El, the 16th Knight of the Church.”
“······Ah, Sir Zerel!”
The 16th Knight of Radiance, Zerel.
A name that anyone who is even a little interested in the prestigious figures of the church would not know.
All of a sudden, the paladins around them were making faces that were thrilled.
The knight of brilliance, which is the pinnacle of all the warriors of the religion, was especially the object of admiration and awe for the same paladins.
The man, Zerel, turned his gaze to one side.
He took a slow step and stood in front of the fallen Elika. and held out his hand.
“Are you okay, kid?”
Elika nodded with a bewildered face and stood up holding his outstretched hand.
Among the gathered priests, the most senior asked.
“It’s such an honor to meet you, Sir Zerel. But why did you visit our monastery…”
Zerel answered.
“As I said, it’s a coincidence. I was passing by and found out that there is a monastery here, so I just came to visit.”
“Ah… that’s right.”
“Could you guide me to the abbot? If it’s a nuisance, I’ll leave right away. Please don’t be difficult and treat me comfortably.”
The priest hurriedly clapped his hands and said.
“Can’t that be? I’ll take you there right now. Of course, the director will be happy to welcome you.”
“Thank you. Then…”
Zerel looked away, smiled at Elika, and followed the priest.
After the fuss was over, the screening test for the remaining applicants continued anyway.
***
‘······Was it a knight of brilliance?’
I crossed my arms and watched the man disappear in the distance.
After all, he was not an ordinary person to match his unusual level.
A knight of brilliance, one of the most elite forces in the Church of Rael.
Those who have practical influence in the church are second only to the cardinals, who are in power after the pope.
‘I’m glad they didn’t recognize me.’
My appearance has already spread as much as it spreads across the continent.
However, I wouldn’t imagine that the Lord of Calderic would be in a monastery on the edge of St. Tea, so I wouldn’t be able to relate.
If he had recalled my existence, of course he would have taken it as an illusion and moved on. I’m not the only person with black hair and gold eyes on this continent.
I wondered why a person of that level had come to such a remote monastery.
He said he was just passing by by accident, but it was unclear if it had any other purpose.
Of course, I didn’t know anything about it unless it was related to me, so I decided to stop paying attention.
‘I have to go in.’
I gave up watching the match and went back to my room.
***
“You have a very distinguished guest visiting the monastery. It is an honor to meet you, Sir Zerel.”
In response to Abbot Dihod’s praise, Zerel politely showed humility.
“No. It must be sudden, but I am truly grateful for being so welcoming.”
A formal greeting followed, and Dihod asked cautiously.
“By the way, do you have any other reason for coming to our monastery…”
“Oh, no. Really, as I said, it’s just a coincidence. On my way back from a mission, I stopped by a nearby village, and the residents told me there was a monastery there. So I came here on a whim.”
“I see. If you wish, I will personally guide you around the monastery.”
“Thank you, but it’s okay.”
After a while, more stories came and went, and the conversation ended, and Zerel stood up from his seat.
“Then please stay as long as you like.”
“Yes, thank you for your consideration.”
Coming out of the director’s office, Zerel walked down the hallway.
Then I stopped at a distance and turned my head to look at the closed door. Then he tilted his head and murmured.
“Is it because of my mood?”
He took his eyes off the door and continued on his way.
***
“Hey, it’s really ridiculous. To think that the knight of brilliance that we’ve only heard about comes to our monastery…!”
Elika clicked her tongue as she watched Tom talk in complete excitement.
The reason why I failed the screening test was because I was annoyed by how excited I seemed to have already forgotten.
“What are you so excited about?”
Elika’s blunt remarks made Tom rather seem to be incomprehensible.
“Then you’re excited, aren’t you excited? Why are you so calm? You’re a knight of brilliance? That’s Sir Zerel!”
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“So, what is that Sir Zerel?”
Unlike Tom, Elika had no interest in the notables of the Order.
I knew that the Knights of Light were great people, but I didn’t know anything about each of them’s information or anecdotes.
When Tom was about to die of frustration at her sullen response, Heron stepped in and explained instead.
“You’re the one who fought on the same battlefield as the hero in the final battle against the demons.”
Knight of Radiance, Zerel Ragnis.
There was a reason why he was considered a special person among the knights of brilliance.
This is because he was the one who survived the final battle with the demons decades ago, the huge battle in which the hero sealed the demon king.
“Yes! He’s such a great person! That kind of person just came to our monastery?! You even held his hand!”
Of course, that explanation didn’t change Elika’s reaction.
When the word hero came out, he flinched for a moment, but that was all.
Heron clicked his tongue and asked him who continued to praise him enthusiastically.
“By the way, are you okay?”
“······ Huh? What?”
“The test, you idiot. You worked so hard, but you failed.”
Tom shrugged his shoulders.
“What’s not going to be okay? I didn’t expect it to stick anyway.”
“You’re laughing, looking forward to it.”
“Noisy. Well, it’s already in the past, so there’s nothing special about it. This isn’t the last time, so we just have to work harder and aim for the next time.”
Elika frowned at her optimistic words and fired at them.
“You idiot, that’s not it. That bastard, Barian, dropped you on purpose.”
“Ah, no matter how hard it is, it’s a test, so there’s no way that could happen.”
“Because you couldn’t see it, but that bastard obviously laughed at you? Anyway, this idiot…”
“Hey, hey.”
Heron hurriedly looked around to stop her.
The place where they are now is the wall in the backyard of the monastery. No matter how much anyone heard, it was a swear word from the janitor.
Tom grinned.
“Anyway, thank you. Did you come out like that because of me?”
“What are you misunderstanding?
Elika growled.
That was it, but neither Tom nor Heron bothered to trip over it.
“So are you finally doing it?”
“what?”
“The paladin. You passed the test, right?”
Tom asked, his eyes shining.
There was a reason why he wasn’t feeling so bad now that he had failed the test.
That is, Elika applied for the screening test and passed.
I couldn’t help but be happy that my dear friend’s talent was finally going to shine.
However, betraying that expectation, Elika boldly responded.
“No, I won’t.”
“······huh?”
“I won’t do it. Now that I think about it, it’s really annoying. I’ll go back later and just say I won’t do it.”
“······.”
Tom stared at her and sighed deeply.
“Hey, please… you’re going to say no after passing all the exams? What if you get caught out by them?”
“It’s me, I don’t care.”
“Then, what if I don’t pass the next screening because you hate me?”
At those words, Elika flinched.
It was a story that was half far-fetched, but didn’t make much sense. The three of them were the famous Three Musketeers in the monastery.
Her expression grew serious for a moment, and Tom changed his words shyly.
“No, that was just a joke. Anyway, now that it’s like this, think again, huh? Say something, Heron.”
“Are you the kind of guy who will be persuaded by what we say?
Elika, who had been sitting with her back against the wall of the building, shook her head in annoyance and lay down on the ground.
“Eh, yes. What do I have to say?”
Tom and Heron also sat down beside him and looked up at the sky for a moment.
White clouds floated gently in the blue sky.
Heron, who lowered his head again, suddenly noticed that Elika’s throat was empty and asked.
“Erica, where did the rosary on your neck go?”
“······uh?”
She felt her hand and touched her neck, as if she realized it just then.
The necklace she usually wore around her neck had disappeared.
“Sir, where did you drop it?”
It was just as she was about to jump up from her seat to look around.
“Here it is. The rope broke during sparring earlier and fell off.”
The three of them were startled by the sudden voice and turned to one side.
Zerel, the knight of brilliance, was the one who suddenly appeared around the wall of the building.
“I-Sir Zerel!”
Zerel gestured to Tom, who was flustered, to calm down.
In his hand was a rosary with a broken string.
A necklace made of wood engraved with the church’s pattern.
He approached Elika and handed it over.
“Here, take it.”
Having returned the lost item, Elika looked down at Rosario for a moment, then thanked her a beat late.
“Thank you for looking, Sir.”
“No. But more than that, that rosary, may I ask where you got it from?”
“······Yes? I just wore what the priests gave me in the past.”
It was natural for the children of the monastery to wear religious objects as ornaments.
Tom had a bracelet, and Heron had a different shape, but a necklace like Elica.
Jeriel smiled and nodded.
“I see. I asked because I was curious because there is a sentence I personally like engraved on the rosario.”
