Chapter 231. Childhood Friend – Headband
[Achievement: Beast Hunting – ‘2’, Mana slightly imbues your body.]
When Ruben returned with his comrades, their mentor Lev was sitting on a rock, catching his breath. The nine young men swallowed hard.
The scene was one of devastation, with trees snapped and uprooted as if a typhoon had passed through. The ground bore the marks of a desperate struggle.
But it seemed the struggle had been in vain. Oantahu lay face down with its knees cut off, brain matter mixed with blood seeping from its cracked skull. Its claws were all broken, likely from a final, desperate attempt to escape.
“Cut it into manageable pieces and move it,” Lev said, wiping his forehead. The apprentices began working without a word.
Even after discarding the unusable parts and selecting the best cuts of meat, they needed a cart. Fortunately, Ban, who had taken Euta and Enen to safety, returned with villagers, making the task easier.
The Uena tribe was incredibly grateful. They threw a feast and provided drinks, praising the knights for their heroism in saving not only Enen but the village as well.
Lev didn’t seem to care much. He sipped his drink, watching Ruben excitedly recount the story, “Actually, it wasn’t us. The captain took it down by himself…”
Lev felt that his mission here was complete and thought it was time to head back to Lutetia. Just then, Euta’s grandmother approached. She was dressed in her usual strange shaman attire.
Was she coming to express her gratitude?
Lev was ready to respond modestly, but the grandmother silently took his hand and led him away. She finally spoke as they neared her home.
“My granddaughter was destined to die.”
Her steps were slow but firm, her grip unexpectedly strong for her age.
“Lady Seares told me. Enen would never become a shaman… Come in. Lady Seares calls for you.”
The siblings’ home was enveloped in a comforting darkness. Unlike most houses, one had to remove their shoes to enter. Euta and Enen were fast asleep, oblivious to the world. The small living room was cluttered with blue curtains hanging from the ceiling.
The grandmother, with her wide sleeves fluttering, bowed before a painting of a river. She lit a ceremonial candle and took a ‘headband’ from a drawer.
It was the headband of her deceased daughter-in-law.
Lev remembered it as a keepsake from Euta’s mother, something he had been given long ago.
– Fwoosh.
In an instant, the headband was engulfed in flames. Or rather, it should be said it was consumed by a blue, water-like blaze.
In that moment, the world stopped.
The merry tune of Ruben’s song faded, and the blue curtains swaying in the night breeze froze as if cast in plaster. The only one moving was…
The grandmother.
Lev, frozen in place, unable to release the breath he had just drawn in, could only meet her unblinking gaze. Her face, lined with the deep furrows of age, echoed with a resonant voice.
= It’s been a long time. I see your name has changed ‘again’.
It didn’t seem dangerous.
Lev, who had been ready to use his aura blade to break free of the paralysis, decided to listen. The grandmother’s eyes shimmered blue as she continued, smiling brightly.
= I told you it would come to this. But I’m glad to meet you again. As you advised, I have lived quietly. My line was nearly ended, but you saved the child who will serve me. Thank you. The lord is indeed capricious. Despite your grave past sins, He remains so unyielding…
Then, the grandmother’s body convulsed as if squeezed by a giant hand.
She choked, gasping out her words in urgency.
= I have a piece of advice for you. Soon, you will face a crucial decision. At that time, do not contact ‘the one you love’.
Lev felt the frozen world starting to shatter. Seares, the ruler of the Rodran River, was being pulled from the grandmother’s body as she spoke one last time.
= Lord Azra. May you find peace…
“Did you meet her?”
The grandmother’s eyes, which had been shimmering blue, returned to normal. The siblings’ snores echoed, and the curtains once again swayed in the cool autumn breeze.
Lev was puzzled, wondering, “What did I just hear?” The chirping of autumn insects offered no answers.
—
Lev thought he had no more business here but found himself unable to leave the village for a while. Lost in thought, he idled away time, and his band of knights watched their captain with curiosity.
“Captain, is something bothering you?” asked Ban Bizan. Finally, Lev shook his head and stood up.
“Nothing at all. It’s time… let’s go.”
Soon, Leo Dexter and Lena Einarr would arrive in Rutetia. Lev needed to meet Leo Dexter before they returned to Avril Castle and before Lena Einarr’s pregnancy advanced.
Even with the travel time, there was still some leeway, but Lev thought there was no harm in arriving early. He instructed his apprentices to pack their belongings.
They vacated the log house where they had been staying.
After rousing the horses, which had grown lazy from plentiful feed, they went to bid farewell to the people of the Uena tribe.
“This place is nice; it’s a shame to leave. I wonder if we’ll have a reason to come back?”
“We should come back after we get married, for our honeymoon… Don’t you think?”
“That sounds good.”
For once, Ban Bizan agreed with Ruben. Ruben grinned creepily, and the other members of the knightly band moved on, unconcerned.
However, there were visitors in the village. Five white horses and a pure white carriage bearing the emblem of the Cross Church were parked at the village entrance. Lev wondered, “What’s this about?” and walked in, eyes blazing.
“No, you’re mistaken. Our grandmother goes to church,” the siblings pleaded.
“G-grandmother! Let her go!”
Their grandmother was held by a crusader. The siblings tried to block his way, but the crusader pressed on unperturbed, dragging the grandmother by her hair.
“What is the meaning of this?” Lev shouted, rushing forward. He drew his sword, blocking the crusader’s path, but the crusader didn’t respond, turning instead to someone behind him.
An elderly priest in shabby clothes stood there. Despite the deep wrinkles on his face, his hair was jet black, giving him a unique aura. Lev felt he had seen this man somewhere before.
“You don’t seem to be from this village… Who are you, and why are you interfering with church matters?” The old priest smiled benevolently but spoke with a stern tone that brooked no opposition.
“Who I am is none of your concern. Why are you harassing innocent natives?” Lev demanded.
“You misunderstand,” the elderly priest pointed. “We are punishing a sinner. Unfortunately, this woman worships an evil god. Is that not so?”
Those who believe in gods other than the main deity are punished by death. This policy was established by the Cross Church about thirty years ago.
The people of the Uena tribe avoided the priest’s gaze. As he said, Euta’s grandmother worshipped a different god, not the one of the Cross Church. Everyone knew this.
They didn’t know much about the god she worshipped. The Uena tribe had converted a long time ago, and the siblings’ grandmother was from a different tribe who married into this one.
Still, they had become one family, so the Uena tribe didn’t report her for believing in another god. They didn’t hide it either; they just lived with it.
Now it had been exposed. And it was the top echelon of the Cross Church…
The elderly priest nodded. The crusader raised his sword to behead the grandmother when Lev shouted,
“If you kill her, know that you will all die as well.”
“…Are you saying you intend to obstruct the church’s work? Those who interfere with the church’s business can be punished under the edict of Kranzar de Frederick I.”
“Try punishing us then.”
“…Sir Javad.”
A massive crusader stepped forward, wielding a formidable mace. He chanted a holy spell to identify friend from foe, “Oh God! Remember the wicked ones!”
Because they had slain thugs, the holy symbols appeared over Lev and the young knights’ heads.
We need to get to Rutetia.
The situation had escalated. But Lev didn’t back down.
“Strike!”
The crusader was strong.
Knights aspiring to greatness from across the continent gathered here, engaging in fierce competition. Only a select few were chosen as trainee crusaders. Through years of rigorous training, those who became crusaders were comparable to the knights of any kingdom, bolstered further by the divine power granted to them.
Although classified as clergy serving their deity and not directly compared to others, when discussing the continent’s strongest knights, crusaders were often considered the best.
Lev’s apprentices gripped their swords tighter, charging at someone who was undoubtedly stronger than them. However, they had faith in their leader…
– Clang!
Lev struck the crusader’s descending mace, sending the iron weapon flying in an instant. He then leaped high and delivered a spinning kick to the crusader’s face.
When discussing the continent’s strongest “knights,” sword masters are not included. That’s only when discussing the strongest humans.
The huge crusader hastily ducked. As he avoided the kick and attempted to swing the mace upwards again, Lev vaulted off the crusader’s shoulder, performing a somersault. It wouldn’t have been difficult to split the crusader’s head as he did with Oantahu, but instead, he struck the crusader’s head with the flat of his blade. The crusader staggered and then collapsed unconscious.
“Let’s see…”
Lev landed lightly and looked around.
Two crusaders remained.
He could handle them alone, but he decided to test his apprentices. He wanted to see if ten of them could handle two crusaders.
The knights were split into two teams of five, one led by Ban Bizan and the other by “Hatu.”
“Hey, look over here!” shouted Ruben, part of Ban’s team, brimming with confidence.
To an outsider, it might seem odd that five were attacking one crusader with such confidence. However, despite Ruben’s crude swordsmanship, his downward strikes were powerful enough that the crusader invoked a holy spell.
The crusader’s shield glowed. Even as Ruben’s sword came crashing down with axe-like force, the crusader didn’t budge. Watching the exchange, Lev clicked his tongue.
“So this is their level. Still, they’re strong enough to hold off three decent knights. They might even be able to defeat two.”
Having assessed his apprentices, Lev joined the fight. Regardless of the glowing shield or any divine protection descending upon the crusader, he purely overpowered them with his swordsmanship and then stood before the elderly priest.
“I have no intention of making an enemy of the Cross Church. Erase these markings and leave quietly.”
But… where have I seen this man before?
An old man with jet-black hair. Lev knew he had seen him somewhere. As he pondered, he remembered.
— “Then I trust the count will handle it well. I’ll also search on my end.”
— “No need to worry. Once the ‘special crop’ is found, we’ll start the project.”
It was during the 11th round. When he was Leo Dexter, he had stayed at Count Umberto Simon’s mansion. Having only visited the Holy Kingdom four times, it wasn’t difficult to recall.
At that moment, the elderly priest spoke, making Lev’s memory even clearer with his voice.
“That won’t be possible. You are a sinner, and such a request cannot be granted.”
The shabby-clothed old man stood with his head held high.
It was Cardinal Mihaer.
