Paladin of the Dead God - Chapter 173



Only Krnovel

Episode 173 Show me your justice (4)

“no… … !”

The moment the hymn began, Ethelred tried to run away, but Heshabel held her. The underground treasure trove began to shake violently.

Kwa-doo-doo-doo! It was such a violent earthquake that it was difficult to even stand. Kaldbuch, who was stuck on the floor, began to rise upward. The entire castle was shaking just from the vibration of Kaldbuch being pulled out.

Isaac swung his sword without hesitation any longer. However, his sword cut the space where Sidrik was in vain. As if no one exists there.

The moment the ritual began, this area was no longer a normal space. This was a space for ‘judgment’. Isaac, Hesabel, and Sidric suddenly became mere spectators, unable to intervene in any way.

“What, what kind of ceremony did you perform?”

Only the inexperienced Ethelred sat down in embarrassment.

Isaac gritted his teeth and whispered.

“It is a ritual of judgment.”

“Rite of Judgment?”

“It’s a petition to God for justice. “When you are faced with something sad and unfair, and when you cannot resolve it with earthly power, you petition to God for the injustice.”

Isaac muttered, glaring at Sidric.

“Lady Rosalind needed a good priest, not a good prosecutor.”

When justice cannot be sought through human rules and judgment.

When you want to seek judgment from an omnipotent being, even if it means risking your life.

At that time, people seek God and plead for justice.

That was the judgment ceremony taking place right before my eyes.

This ritual exists in all nine faiths. Taking an oath in the name of God is also a simplified version of this judgment ceremony.

These simple rituals can lead to bad luck, illness, or even death and going to hell. However, Rosalind’s ritual was different in severity and seriousness.

The current ritual was like requesting direct intervention from God or an angel.

‘To the extent that a soldier files a complaint directly with the Ministry of National Defense, rather than with a direct officer… … No, damn it. What was I thinking?’

I thought of an absurd analogy, but I couldn’t think of a more appropriate analogy.

Tuk, tutuk. Tutu tutu… … .

A breeze blew from somewhere.

The refreshing scent of the forest, a gentle breeze that cannot be felt deep underground, and fallen leaves were scattered throughout the underground.

Isaac felt a familiar presence where Kaldbuch was.

It was the energy of Urbansus.

Beyond was the crystal battlefield where eternal war and glory were won under the control of Elil. The crystal ring on Isaac’s finger trembled as if responding to the heat of battle.

Amid the falling leaves, a knight wearing green armor soon appeared. She was enormous, reaching a height of 3 meters, and was holding the two-handed sword, Karl Debuch, as if it were a one-handed sword.

The green armor worn on its body had irregular, delicately engraved patterns resembling the trunk of an old tree. Behind him, the fallen leaves of the old tree that seemed to have bloomed and then shed their wings filled the floor like a cloak. The fallen leaves fluttered slowly as if they were breathing, and the wind in the forest blew every time.

An angel has come.

A true battle angel who slaughtered enemies on the battlefield together with Elil.

***

Rosalind no longer wanted to be swayed by anger.

I didn’t want to deny my husband maintenance.

However, at the same time, he was not generous enough to forgive Ethelred, and he despaired that he did not have the strength to carry out revenge.

Uncontrollable anger, pity for her husband, resentment that cannot be resolved, hatred for a world where fair justice is not served, despair at one’s own weakness… … Rosalind was being eaten away by those helpless feelings.

She wanted to escape this feeling.

Literally, she hoped for salvation.

Salvation from yourself.

So, instead of suffering from contradictory and complex agony, she decided to leave the judgment to an ‘objective and absolute’ being.

It was a conclusion reached after despair.

But it wasn’t a wise decision.

‘That’s crazy.’

Isaac muttered while looking at the green knight.

Judgment consciousness is not omnipotent. Whenever you feel dissatisfied, call God and ask him to kill that bastard, and there will be no people left in the world. If a judgment ceremony is conducted for reasons insufficient to petition God for justice, the petitioner is the one who will immediately burn in hell.

Even if the petition is accepted because it is felt to be unfair enough, the decision is made based on the standards of angels and gods that the petitioner cannot know. It is not determined by ‘justice’ but by the order of faith and doctrine, or the direction of a grand plan that mortals cannot understand. Even though it all felt unfair to the petitioner, there was nothing he could do.

Because what is decided in the judgment is absolute for the believers of that faith.

Huh.

Isaac barely managed to catch his breath despite the rushing wind.

The angel’s overwhelming presence was difficult for even Isaac, who had faced the angel several times, to bear. Ethelred, an ordinary person, had nothing to say.

Ethelred sat down completely and looked blankly at the green knight.

The green knight slowly turned his head and looked at Rosalind and then at Ethelred.

He didn’t even pay attention to Isaac, Hesabel, or Sidric.

‘As expected, he is a knight of high caliber.’

Rosalind summoned the angel possessed by Kaldbuch and pleaded for justice.

Basic Angel.

A being created by the gods simply for a certain function.

Unlike Myeongcheonsa, who had emotions and even committed betrayal, Gicheonsa was an angel that moved according to its role to the point where it could be said to be a sacred mechanical creature. As it was created entirely with the power of God, it was quite a burden, but since it was made to fit its function, it was difficult to gauge how strong it was.

However, the angelic power granted when holding the Kaldbuch. Since it was highly likely that the power came from this angel, I did not think that it would be weak.

“Angel, I… … .”

Rosalind, who had barely overcome the pressure, was about to plead when the green knight raised his finger. Rosalind fell silent, feeling that his breathing was suffocating.

The green knight slowly bent down and looked down at Rosalind.

“I have already heard about the petitioner’s petition.”

It was a tickling voice that sounded like fallen leaves rustling somewhere. I thought that not only the wings but also the body inside the armor was made of fallen leaves. Rosalind looked at the green knight with bloodshot eyes.

“I would like to ask you one thing. “Do you know that the person you wish to petition is the King of Elil?”

Isaac wanted to intervene, but there was nothing he could do in a space created solely for the convenience of refereeing.

[Nameless Chaos is watching you.]

Then Isaac remembered the nameless chaos.

Chaos permeating and breaking all order.

It was not possible to force the rules of ‘how it should be’ into chaos, which gave amorphous chaos instead of established order.

Isaac began to strain his left hand.

A tentacle slowly began to crawl up through his palm.

While Isaac was struggling to somehow break the restraints, the green knight continued to judge.

Rosalind finally answered the green knight’s question after being allowed to answer.

“yes. I know.”

“Do you know that the King of Elil is permitted to use my power as the highest believer of Elil?”

“Will that be a problem in proving my wrongdoing?”

Rosalind bit her lip so much that she shot at the angel with her mouth bleeding.

“If it’s a problem, just kill me right here. Turn them into dogs and throw them on the battlefield ruled by Elil. “Even if I get trampled by a war horse, I won’t stop barking.”

It doesn’t matter whether you’re seventy years old, have no eyes, or no arms. Elil believers are warriors both before and after death.

Rosalind had no intention of giving up. Because she was a believer of Elil.

That was the beginning and end of all tragedies.

At Rosalind’s words, the green knight was silent for a moment and then opened his mouth.

“You are a warrior.”

The green knight turned his head and looked at Ethelred.

“I don’t like petitioners. Instead of overcoming the problem on my own, I feel like a brat who runs to God and accuses him of it.”

Sreuk. Before he knew it, he had a Kaldbuch in his hand.

“But I will recognize you as a warrior and accept your petition.”

This meant that the minimum conditions for being a petitioner were acknowledged. Rosalind let out a breath she had barely been holding and broke out in a cold sweat. The green knight soon approached Ethelred.

‘This isn’t good.’

To be honest, Ethelred has many shortcomings to be an exemplary Elil believer.

They are not exceptionally strong, nor do they pursue courage and honor. On the contrary, I hate knights who are caught up in such things and do stupid things. Regardless of the petition, it could have been offensive to the angel.

The green knight stood in front of Ethelred and looked down at him.

“Rise, king. “Even though you are the defendant, you are the king of Elil.”

The Green Knight’s words were more of a command than a request, and rather than an order, it was a ‘natural thing to do’. Ethelred stood up even though she was struggling. The green knight moved the rustling leaves in his helmet and looked at Ethelred.

Isaac could tell that he was looking into everything about Ethelred, just as he had omitted Rosalind’s plea. The tentacles were constantly encroaching on the referee’s space, but not fast enough.

Isaac’s eyes flashed and he looked the other way.

Since the judgment ceremony has already begun, the proceedings are maintained by the power of angels. But if he interfered with the priest, he could at least attract the angel’s attention.

bang. Isaac rushed towards Sidrik. As a sword master, Sidric immediately recognized Isaac’s hostility and responded quickly.

“stop!”

Whirling, crackling!

A sharp sound that could not be thought of as the sound of a sword swinging rang out. Although there was still a long distance from Sidric, his blade barely passed Isaac’s side.

What he took out was a thin rapier.

Sidric shot Isaac with an angry look on his face.

“This is a divine trial! “This is no place for heretics to interfere!”

“Yes, I am a heretic here.”

Isaac growled and mumbled.

It was not a new story.

He was a heretic not only here but everywhere else in the world. He was never welcome, so he never had to be bound by rules anywhere.

“So this decision is neither sacred nor dignified for me. “If you block my way, I will kill you too.”

***

As Isaac had feared, the ruling did not take long.

The green knight who was looking at Ethelred made a rustling sound.

“You, the wronged one, who has been unfairly accused of the previous king’s sins and has been petitioned. Elil does not approve of inheriting the sins of his parents to his children. However, the position of king is not simply between individual parents and children, but represents the parents of the people and knights. He cannot escape responsibility.”

The green knight slowly looked back at Rosalind.

“The king is responsible for the petitioner’s petition. However, the petitioner must also be held responsible for driving the wronged child to death.”

thud. The Green Knight declared as he slammed Kaldbuch to the ground.

“I will execute you both so you can die with honor. “This is the decision of Elil’s representative.”

At the Green Knight’s declaration, Rosalind’s face fluttered with a strange emotion that could not be determined whether it was hope or despair. It wasn’t a feeling of regret for her life. It was just the feeling of finally being free from all of this.

No matter what the consequences are.

She tried to declare in a hoarse voice that she would accept it.

“No, no.”

At that time, Ethelred opened her mouth sobbing.

“The subject’s fault is the king’s vice. Why do you want to pass on the responsibility of a king to a subject? This is not Elil’s will.”

Ethelred stumbled and fell to her knees again in front of the green knight.

“Please put an end to this tragedy with just one person to take responsibility for. “I am ready.”

It wasn’t just lip service. The green knight was looking into everything about Ethelred. That he has an attitude and irreverent heart that is not typical of an Elil believer.

Nevertheless, Ethelred was speaking from the heart.

At Ethelred’s words, the green knight slowly bowed.

“The world is not that soft. “O king.”