Paladin of the Dead God - Chapter 11



Only Noblemtl

Episode 11. Eucharist (3)

A body where a miracle occurred.

In the Code of Light, it is called the Eucharist.

When the Eucharist was mentioned, the abbot fell silent for a moment. But Gebel quickly continued.

“When I was young, I saw someone who had an apparition of the Eucharist. I gained abilities that cannot be explained in words overnight. “It’s only because Isaac is young and small, but the older he gets, the more strongly it will manifest.”

“He certainly doesn’t look like an ordinary kid, but… … .”

Isaac’s unrealistic appearance was enough to confuse even the abbot. To be honest, rather than lifting a rather heavy axe, I thought that his appearance itself might be a saint. However, the abbot cleared his throat as Gebel stared at him intently.

“They say a miracle is something that is granted through a feat, and the Eucharist is something that is revealed through revelation. If Isaac is indeed an adult, we need to think carefully. “It is not a matter that can be decided arbitrarily.”

In reality, there are many people in the world who possess miracles. There are people who went into a burning furnace and came back alive, people who traveled long distances incredibly quickly, and even people who died and came back to life. Even monks routinely perform the miracle of lighting a candle.

However, those to whom the Eucharist has appeared are fundamentally different. The church calls them those born into the world with a mission.

Since he was born with miracles without any achievements, he must have been a messenger sent by God to solve a mission.

In fact, many of those who held the Eucharist rose to the rank of saints or left a significant mark on history. Among them, there were many who rose to the rank of angels.

In other words, the apparition of the Eucharist was not something that could be decided arbitrarily, but was a matter that had to be recognized by the church. This is because it was an issue that could shake up the direction of the denomination.

Because it tells us what direction God’s will is pointing.

But Gebel answered coldly.

“Do you believe in blind people?”

‘Blind below the back’ was a slang term referring to a high-ranking priest of the Church of the Code of Light. It meant that although you were closer to the light than anyone else, you couldn’t see it because it was so dazzling, and it was so dark that you couldn’t even see under your feet.

Gebel despised the high-ranking priests of the church.

This was also the reason why he deliberately hid Isaac in the monastery when he discovered him.

“Even if Isaac is truly a saint and is recognized as having been born with God’s mission, he will ultimately be used politically as they please. “Isaac may be smart for his age, but he is a child after all.”

Let’s say Isaac is an adult with innate dragon powers. Those who want war will take Isaac’s existence as a sign to subdue the enemies of the church, while those who want to maintain the status quo will take it as a sign to show off the wealth and strength of the Baekje Empire.

It may have swayed the scales to some extent, but in the end, opinions would lean towards the stronger side.

The abbot also agreed to some extent with Gebel’s opinion. He, too, was someone who came to a monastery on the outskirts because he disliked the politics of the central church.

“Then what do you want me to do?”

“I’m telling you to be careful before Isaac’s identity is discovered by others. Abbot.”

Gebel’s voice was full of tension.

“Of course, the monks in this monastery are all good people, and the children don’t know anything. So, if you ask me nicely, you will refrain from saying or doing anything. But they are not the only ones in the monastery.”

To run a monastery, you must constantly receive donations from the village or meet merchants to purchase goods. Lost travelers or pilgrims may come to visit, or they may come from a neighboring monastery or religious order.

“At least Isaac must be over 16 to estimate the timing. What would happen to this guy if he became known to the world now… … .”

Gebel said that much and could not continue. The abbot let out a long sigh.

“As you know, hiding the Eucharist is the same as hiding God’s will from the world.”

“I know. Abbot.”

“Then you shouldn’t have told me.”

Gebel bowed his head to the abbot.

In fact, he was agitated. It had been expected since Carlsen’s disappearance that Isaac was a saint, but now that it had been proven, it was difficult to accept.

‘It would have been better if it had been clear from the beginning that it was the Eucharist.’

The Eucharist is often said to be the will of God manifested in human flesh. As a former Holy Knight, this is something that must be accepted with reverence. But Gebel had become too close to Isaac, and now he was terrified that the young child might have been born with a heavy mission.

So, Gebel wanted to confess this fact and admit it only to the person he could trust the most.

Otherwise, it seemed like Isaac’s existence would remain hidden from everyone.

When Gebel did not answer, the abbot spoke with a tired expression.

“The appearance of the Eucharist means that God’s will has come in the flesh. “Do you know that Emperor Waldzemer, the current Emperor of Gertonia, appeared to the Holy Host at the age of 20 and ascended to the throne six years later?”

“Of course.”

Gertonian Empire. It is commonly called the Baekje Kingdom, but it was only about 30 years ago that it took on the form of a proper empire. With the power of the Holy Spirit, Emperor Waldzemer brought numerous feudal lords and warlords to their knees and created a powerful empire. And the church accepted it as God’s will.

“If we hide the Eucharist, how are we any different from the blind men down there?”

“At least we don’t have to openly act as trumpeters to the world, right?”

“then… … .”

“If Isaac is truly an adult, he will definitely stand out. Because we have to reveal God’s will. But it may be when God sees fit, and not too soon.”

That is, with the help of the abbot.

Gebel finished speaking, hiding his backstory. Although the abbot groaned softly, he could understand what Gebel was saying. In the end, the decision to stand out was left up to Isaac himself. At least when Isaac grows up enough to not be used carelessly.

He, too, was once involved in politics at the Central Church. Even though he came out tired of political strife, his influence was still considerable. Even if he leaked words, the only one who could silence him was the abbot.

“I understand for now. “This is a request from Mr. Gebel, not from anyone else, and it would be presumptuous for us to step forward and blow the trumpet when the Code of Light must have a plan in store.”

Hearing the abbot’s words, Gebel let out a sigh of relief. The abbot, who was watching the scene intently, asked.

“But how did the Eucharist appear?”

“yes?”

“I heard there are many forms of Eucharistic apparitions. “I have heard that there are cases where things go from a state where there is no change, to appear with light or special phenomena, or even to become incarnate.”

“If it’s incarnation, does that mean the body changes?”

“As you know, Emperor Waldzemer had a shining horn growing out of his head, and it is said that Ruaddin, the lighthouse keeper who appeared at the stake holding the Tablet of Dawn, was in the form of light whose entire body was on fire. It is said that the closer the body is transformed to the image of God, the greater power and destiny it possesses.”

The abbot’s words reminded Gebel of another Eucharist he had seen. He manifested the Eucharist in a state that was not particularly visible on his body.

Gebel thought back to the moment when Isaac lifted the axe.

“It didn’t seem like there was anything special.”

The abbot smiled with relief.

“Thank goodness. It would be easy to hide, and the Code of Light may not have placed a great fate on Isaac’s shoulders. “Maybe it’s just strength at a young age.”

That possibility was not out of the question. Because sometimes miracles happen temporarily. Historically, there were quite a few Eucharistic bodies that disappeared without leaving any significant traces. However, Gebel had ruled out that possibility ever since he brought Isaac back from the annihilated village.

One miracle is accidental, but two miracles are intentional.

The abbot muttered as he passed by.

“Anyway, let’s pretend there was no conversation today. “You’d better not even tell Isaac about the Eucharist.”

“yes. All right.”

The two promised secrecy, but there was already another ear listening.

***

A moment later, Isaac retrieved the tentacle with a confused look on his face.

‘Geber brought me to the monastery?’

Isaac recalled the day he was stabbed by Carlsen.

It wasn’t clear how he got from there to the monastery, but if Gebel was involved, it meant that he was deliberately hiding his identity for some reason.

Isaac was embarrassed, but didn’t know what to make of this.

‘Then why didn’t you pretend to know all this time?’

Perhaps the intention was to hide him among other orphans and raise him as an unremarkable child. This means that there was a need to hide Isaac’s identity. It may be for the same reason that he does not want to inform the higher-ups of the church about whether he is a ‘Holy Eucharist’ or not.

‘I didn’t plan on being treated like this, but I never thought I’d end up in this situation. ‘

Although the new information was surprising, nothing changed. However, he knew how to act when an emergency occurred.

Historically and narratively, Isaac knew that the life of a child who had to hide his identity was like a candle in the wind that could blow away at any moment.

And I also knew that if that candle survived to the end, it could become a spark that would set the world on fire.

***

“I’ll teach you swordsmanship.”

The next morning.

Isaac, who already knew, wasn’t too surprised. But she pretended to like it so that Gebel wouldn’t think she was strange.

“However, there is a condition.”

“Conditions?”

“Try to avoid using unnecessary force elsewhere, like when you lifted the ax yesterday. “You know what I mean?”

He was told not to say that he had performed a miracle.

‘Strictly speaking, it is a monster’s power rather than a miracle.’

Isaac was rather pleased with Gebel’s words.

From the beginning, he believed and showed Gebel that he was not the kind of person who would go around talking about his superpowers around the neighborhood. Gebel, who was not sociable, had no reason to make a fuss, and his status as a former paladin who deserted did not do any good if he drew unnecessary attention.

It was the same with Isaac.

Isaac knew that the power he displayed was not a miracle, but a trick using a tentacle monster. If a detailed investigation were conducted by a higher-ranking church, it would become a well-cooked barbecue right away.

‘I tried to pretend I didn’t know anything and run away from here, but it worked out well.’

“yes. great.”

When Isaac answered willingly, Gebel looked at him quizzically.

“Surprisingly, you accept it so easily.”

‘Oops, did I agree too easily?’

I’m at an age where I’m starving for attention.

But Isaac responded shamelessly.

“If you say no, you won’t teach me swordsmanship, right?”

Gebel actually planned to teach swordsmanship no matter what Isaac said. He wanted to reduce the amount of time Isaac spent hanging out with other people. He shouldn’t accidentally be caught with the Eucharist while he’s with other people. And I hoped that someday, when Isaac left the monastery, he would have learned at least one means of protecting his body.

“Well, okay.”

As Gebel said that, he took out the hatchet he had hammered into the firewood yesterday.

“Let’s start with this first.”

“… … An axe? Are you lifting again?”

“no. There is no knife that fits your body right now. My sword is too long for you to hold and it doesn’t fit your hand. So, until their bodies grow properly, we will have them practice holding anything.”

The weapons in the monastery are just clubs and staffs, and there is no way they have proper blades. Of course, Gebel had several spare weapons in case of emergency, but as I said, they were not the right weapons for Isaac.

“Weapons are things that break and get damaged more easily than you might think. When a combat situation arises, you need to be able to fight with whatever you can get your hands on. “The basics of all weapons are the same anyway.”

“basic?”

“You hit the enemy quickly with the pointed part.”

Gebel held the hatchet and stared straight ahead.

Gebel, who was in charge of the monastery’s menial chores, suddenly disappeared.

What was there was a worn-out, veteran paladin.