The Berserker’s Second Playthrough in the Game - Chapter 207



Only Krnovel

Episode 207. The Signs of War (3)

Kadim thought he had just happened to run into an Arch Paladin passing by.

That prediction was wrong. In fact, Hendark used his superhuman senses to track Kadim’s traces near the Great Forest for over ten days.

Nevertheless, meeting each other like this was a great coincidence. The boundary of the great forest is as grand as a barrier of infinite greenery. Of course, the term “lucky” was limited to the person who was looking for it, not the person who found it. Hendark, ignoring the listener’s sour reaction, urgently began to tell Kadim about the circumstances that had come to him.

After passing through the holy land that leads to the Sukkiri Sutra, a final murmur like a sigh flows.

“… … So Archbishop Erensco declared the start of the ‘Holy War’. The primary target has been set on the Alliance of Free Cities, so it won’t be long before a terrible storm of blood blows through this land.”

The story of Arch Paladin, which swept through like a storm, has ended.

A chilly wind blew across the winter fields, as if representing the listener’s mind.

Hooooooooo… … .

“… … .”

“… … .”

For a moment, Kadim just frowned. It wasn’t an easy story to believe, but I knew well that this paladin was a great man who couldn’t lie.

“therefore… … “I said the baby paladin I killed a while ago was the nephew of that archbishop.”

“……exactly.”

“So are you saying that that crazy guy started a war because his nephew died?”

“… … .”

After much deliberation, Hendark revealed the other side of the truth.

“Archbishop Erensko… … “Actually, I don’t have any brothers.”

“……what?”

“The paladin you killed, Linton Felipus, was originally the Archbishop’s favorite ‘starter’. The only problem was that the Archbishop indulged Linton’s every whim because his favor was so deep. When he heard that he wanted to become a paladin, he called in high-ranking paladins to teach him, and even personally blessed him and made a consecrated weapon, eventually making him a true paladin… … .”

“… … .”

“The Archbishop was concerned about the legitimacy of giving Linton special treatment, and belatedly created the justification of blood ties to eliminate any potential for problems. This is a top secret that very few people know about except me, so please don’t spread it somewhere else… … .”

The tone and the warning that followed felt somehow cold. Kadim asked back with an ominous feeling of foreboding.

“That paladin was actually the archbishop’s ‘starter’?”

“Yes. That means I did everything I could for the Archbishop. Of course, running errands and chores, and even the dirtiest work to satisfy my lust… .”

“… … I clearly remember that guy, he was a man.”

“… … “Your memory is correct.”

“… … .”

A disgusting swear word hit my throat, but it became clear what had happened.

‘As soon as I started the second round, it wasn’t the Archbishop’s nephew that broke my skull, but the Archbishop’s mistress… … .’

It wasn’t pure anger over losing a family member, but a twisted and ugly desire for revenge… …. I finally understood why the pursuit was so persistent, and why the bastard eventually went mad and ran wild. I also realized once again how rotten the Elgar sect of this era was.

But now, that was nothing to do with him.

“So, what are you asking me to do?”

“that… … .”

“Didn’t our deal end with you passing on the information I found out from the Magic Tower? Surely you’re not going to hold me responsible for killing that bastard paladin or your former disciple, Arch Paladin, now?”

“… … .”

“If you’re going to talk nonsense like that, you’d better be prepared for the axe blade to sink much deeper into your forehead than last time.”

Hendark’s complexion darkened slightly. He didn’t need to see the stigmata to determine that his words were not a lie. It was enough to see the tendons being pulled like a catapult rope, and the hand gripping the axe handle fiercely.

He was a formidable opponent last time too… … This warrior’s strength was now clearly at a level that he could not handle.

But if I was going to give up like this, I wouldn’t have come this far.

“Please rest assured that this is absolutely not the case. I assure you once again that I have no intention of antagonizing you or holding you responsible for this matter, and the previous transaction has been amicably concluded.”

“… … .”

“But can’t we make another deal? I hate to say it myself, but I don’t think I’m an untrustworthy business partner. Even if you don’t swear by Elgar’s name.”

Hendark reveals the ten-pointed star pattern on the back of his hand like before. It was a ‘stigmata’ that gave one the power to see through the truth, but also restricted him from being punished by heaven if he told a lie.

A decent approach. Kadim’s wariness had eased considerably. But that didn’t mean his attitude had become more friendly.

“Are you asking me to kill that archbishop or helping with the sacred temple…? … I don’t know what you’re asking, but I can’t grant it either way. “I also have work to do right now.”

“no! “It is definitely not a ‘holy temple’ or anything like that!”

Hendark was horrified and emphasized that it would be a massacre tainted by fanaticism. Then, he confessed his mission to join the alliance against the Holy Knights and protect the innocent.

Kadim laughed inwardly. I had felt it since our first meeting… … The attitude of this knight, who pursued a cause without being bound by personal feelings or the reality of the church, was still truly noble.

However, the fact that it was this party that had to bear the resulting burden remained unchanged.

“… … What did you hear me say? I said I had work to do. If you want to stop the war and save lives, you must kill the archbishop with your own hands.”

“I am… … Phew, me too… … I really want to… … . No, I already tried it once… … . However, someone whom I could not handle became an ally of the archbishop, and to make matters worse, all of my disciples were taken hostage… … I can’t do anything anymore… … .”

“So you’re saying that you want to satisfy your pitiful conscience without making any sacrifices, even though you have no power?”

A sharp, penetrating remark. A look of regret appeared in the man’s wrinkled eyes.

“Yes… … You could see it that way. I won’t deny it. However, it is a clear fact that if ‘Decagram’ invades the Allied Territory, there will be enormous casualties. If you would only lend me your power to prevent this disaster, I will despise you as much as you like… … .”

“So you’re saying that you still value the lives of a few of your disciples more than the lives of countless allies whose names you don’t even know?”

“… … .”

In the end, the gaze falls as if crawling down a rat hole. A gaze as empty as the abyss plunging above it.

Kadim glared at the man who cowered in silence for a long time. Then, at some point, she coughed up blood.

“You must have seen the note I left south of Vestana.”

“exactly… … .”

“Not long ago, in the great forest, we found the culprit who caused evil to spread throughout the world.”

“… … What!?”

“A long time ago, he was a former comrade whom I valued more than my own life. While searching for me who had disappeared somewhere, I accidentally opened a rift leading to hell. Even now, if you go to the deepest part of that forest, you can see the center of that rift.”

There was no need to ask if that was really true. As soon as I heard it, I immediately realized that it was true.

“Well, then what did you do with him?”

“I killed him, with my own hands.”

“… … !!”

“It wasn’t what we wanted, but it was inevitable to prevent a bigger disaster. However, killing him did not mean that the crack disappeared. So, from now on, I was planning to find a way to solve that problem and go find the whereabouts of another colleague.”

“… … .”

A retort that flows out faintly, beyond the suffocating silence.

“Okay… … Say it again. What are you doing that requires me to lend you my strength?”

Hendark stood still, stunned.

There was not a single lie in what you just heard.

The author had sacrificed even his colleagues, whom he truly valued more than his own life. In order to prevent a greater disaster, he had done it with his own hands. The tone was extremely calm, but it was not difficult to guess that the criminal had suffered anguish and pain that he could not even imagine during the process.

Soon, a deep sense of guilt and shame began to creep in.

I couldn’t properly protect even one of my students, I couldn’t stop the archbishop’s atrocities even after seeing them right in front of me, and I even passed on the mission of protecting the weak to others… … . What is the noble Holy Spirit, and what is the star that guides the lost? He was just a weak coward who did not deserve to look up to the light.

Hendark eventually gave up on persuasion. The burden was already far beyond what a human could bear. He had no choice but to solve the problem of saving his disciples and preventing war and sacrifice on his own.

At that moment, a sound suddenly appeared behind me.

“I, I, I, I! Sir, Your Highness the Paladin! Is it true that the Paladins of the Empire will invade the Alliance?”

“… … !”

Hearing that, his shoulders trembled involuntarily. He had been absentminded and absentminded, but how could he, a knight who was one of the top three in the church, turn his back? Hendark hurriedly turned around with eyes filled with disbelief.

There stood a small, unkempt man wearing a black turban.

“That’s true, but… … “Who are you?”

“I, I, am Duncan Wheeled, your comrade! Do you know which city the Paladins would invade first if they were to invade the Alliance?”

With a quick glance, Hendark sees the truth in what Kadim says about being a comrade and answers.

“Hmm, well, there’s nothing to see… … I’ll start with ‘Delutana’, the closest major city to the border. After that, I’ll probably go along the Golden Road to Galentana… … .”

“What, what are you talking about-!!”

Duncan’s eyes rolled back.

Even though I shouted at the highest ranking paladin, I didn’t know what I did wrong. After hearing the name ‘De Rutana’, she was no longer seen or heard. From the mouth of the peddler, who was trembling like a rat struck by lightning, the names of the family members who were sent to the big city first came out in a pitiful tone.

“You, Julia… … ! Duncen… … !”

*

At that time, in a mansion in Delutana.

A quite strange dinner was currently taking place in the large restaurant here.

In fact, it was a scene closer to a banquet for a wealthy person than a banquet. From shiny whole roasted pork, duck confit with the skin crispy like a cookie, fragrant soup boiled with plenty of truffles and precious vegetables, and fresh seafood dishes that are hard to find in the inland… … . Rare dishes that ordinary village women would never taste before were laid out on the table to the point of breaking their upper legs.

But that was not the responsibility of the wealthy or distinguished guests.

The only people who enjoyed the meal were the servants, maids, kitchen girls, gardeners, cleaners, and slaves. About half of them were filled with tears of emotion and hurriedly filling their hungry stomachs, while the other half were just glancing around and eating, half of them chewing on their food.

And to those who were waking up, a question from the woman sitting at the head of the table was inevitably raised.

“Mr. Dondur, is the food not to your taste?”

“… … yes? Oh no, madam! Oh my, how could that be possible!”

“Oh, you’re saying that because you’re thinking of the kids. Don’t worry. Mr. Dondur’s family has five children, two daughters and three sons… right? I’ll prepare some food for the kids later… .”

“Oh, no. Are you okay… … Oh no… … Well, that… … Ugh, thank you! Thank you so, so much, Mrs. Wheeled! “I will never forget and repay this favor even when I die!”

The chimney sweep, covered in soot, lowered his head, not knowing what to do. Mrs. Wheeled and Julia, who were watching him, smiled gently, half in joy and half in sorrow.

The blue widow of Maltana, who lived as a wage earner while waiting for her husband to leave home, overnight became one of the wealthiest ladies in the ‘golden city’ of Delutana. Even if she had to spend tens of thousands of ruden a day to exhaust all her wealth, the balance would only be depleted when even her son, her snot, died of old age.

The process of adapting to the life of a nouveau riche was not always smooth. That was the case with this meal alone. When she first saw such a richly decorated table, Julia was horrified, like a priest who had seen traces of a large devil worshiper. He reprimanded the butler, asking what a waste of money this was, and from the next day onwards, he made him prepare his meals as frugally as he did when he was a village father.

It was after I noticed that my family members were getting thinner day by day that I realized that it was a big mistake.

‘Um, deacon… … ? ‘Why does everyone look so thin and pale these days?’

‘Oh, that’s right, ma’am… … . Those servants usually eat what their masters leave behind after meals… … . Well, since your eating habits are so easygoing… … .’

‘… … .’

When she was a country bumpkin buried in debt, it was no good to just tenaciously tighten her belt. Julia, who immediately restored her diet to a rich one, recently began inviting all her family members to eat together.

So somehow, I was adapting to the life of a nouveau riche in my own way… … but I couldn’t enjoy the luxury of a life of wealth as much as I had vaguely imagined. There was always a lump in my heart that wouldn’t go away.

“Whoa… … .”

Julia looked out the window and thought of someone. A goat-bearded rascal who had made so much money and yet had not spent a single penny on it. The family members, who had sensed the master’s intentions, poked the ribs of those who had been eating greedily without any notice, and the meal continued in a much quieter atmosphere.

But as the meal was coming to an end, her son, Duncan, who was next to her, suddenly stood up and shouted.

“Hey, Mom! The uncle is here, uncle!”

Someone actually came looking for me. But he wasn’t someone who deserved the friendly title of ‘Mister’.

A huge, towering figure whose head reached the ceiling, fierce shoulders and arms, a bushy beard, and sharp eyes… … A copper-colored giant with a suffocating aura entered the large dining room. The family members all felt as if they were about to be suffocated and took a deep breath.

Just by looking at the outside, it wouldn’t have been strange for him to immediately overturn the table and threaten me to give him all the money I had, but… … For someone like Atala, the giant was extremely courteous and polite.

“I’m afraid I may have interrupted your meal. Would you rather come back a little later, Mrs. Wheeler?”

“Oh, no, it’s okay. I had already eaten anyway.”

Julia also greeted the guests with courtesy. Without any fear of the giant, Dunsen approached him and clung to the hem of his pants.

“Wow! This is the uncle who lost to our father, this is the uncle who lost to our father! This is the uncle who lost to our father and also to Uncle Khadim!”

“… … .”

Goltaran, the man once called ‘Agon’s Raging Horn’, sighed as he looked down at the little pup who looked exactly like a certain peddler.