Raising Paladins - Raising Paladins chapter 75

Chapter 75. Bad omen that spread like wildfire (1)

Lord Greenwood, High Priestess of the Noon Bridge in Rampleir, Lake City.

After devoting his whole life to the Sun Temple, he was recognized for his merits and finally rose to the rank of cardinal.

A cardinal is the highest position that all priests and followers look up to.

Climbing to such a high position, people are lazy and arrogant.

But Greenwood was different.

Even after becoming a cardinal, he fulfilled his duties as a battle priest of the Noon Church.

Wherever he was needed, especially where there was even the slightest disturbance of monsters, he ran to protect the sacred security of the empire.

Recently, the frequency of occurrence of monsters has been increasing, and the fact that their size is also increasing made Greenwood very anxious.

Of course, he was always with his subordinates, so he didn’t show his anxiety.

Today as well, Greenwood was on his way to Mayrium, a small city in the far eastern part of the Empire, to do everything he had to do.

“It is hard to believe that the attack by the gnolls and 50 goblins was true, even after seeing the evidence… … .”

Those were the words of his priest, who rode alongside Greenwood.

Greenwood nodded.

“So do I. Organized looting on such a large scale! In the first place, it is questionable whether such a thing is possible with the monster’s intelligence.”

A meeting of cardinals that took place not too long ago.

There, Greenwood offered himself to figure out the Tournoble incident himself.

Also, confirm the existence of the holy power healing that is making the main shrine lively.

That’s why I drove my horse to Tournoble, where the incident occurred, and reduced my sleep, but when I came back, the incident had already ended completely.

Tournoble was still a fairly bustling city, wheat farming and related industries were in full swing, and the Midday Temple was still revered by the citizens.

One thing that stands out in particular is the 50 heads of monsters hung on the outskirts of town.

It was very hideous that it had been decapitated, put on an iron grate, and hung up some distance from the city.

However, it was also a spoil from Tournoble’s victory over the monsters in a small war.

In addition, beasts such as hyenas and wolves were afraid of the smell of monsters, so farmers were greatly reduced.

Greg, a veteran priest of the Temple of Noon, said to Greenwood, who was watching.

-This is all thanks to the people of the Temple of Dawn in Meirium. Without them, Tournoble would be… … Anyway, Lord Greenwood must meet them. Especially the leader, Carlos. What a man he is!

Carlos.

Why is his name ‘Carlos’?

Isn’t that the name of an old hero who was a legend of the empire and now faded like a star?

It was hard to believe that a priest with the same name had suddenly appeared 200 years after his death, and that he was continuing his heroic path like a lie.

Especially since it was Greenwood who had seen too many false priests who talked about fake divine powers and were ignorant.

“Is everything Greg said true?”

“That’s it, you’ll know. How many are left?”

“Soon you will see the city walls.”

“Don’t rush.”

“Yes, I am!”

Damn dag dag dag dag!

Lord Greenwood splendidly rode forward.

Then, a dozen or so horses ridden by the priest and the priests who followed him quickly chased after him.

soon

“I see the castle walls!”

The eastern terrain is a mixture of wide plains, rugged mountains, and forests.

In the middle of it, I could see a city built on a plain and with its back against the mountains behind.

The castle, which is not so big but looks quite solid, boasted quite a grand momentum, perhaps due to recent repairs and extensions.

Particularly striking were the soldiers guarding the entrance to the castle gate.

“Whoa! Those of you coming there, slow down! There are many citizens!”

A sentry guard who had come forward quite a bit from the castle gate shouted at Greenwood and his party.

The party also quickly slowed down because they saw a long line of citizens in front of the gate.

“What kind of people are there? Didn’t you say it was a small city in the easternmost part of the Empire?”

“… … That’s right, Your Highness Cardinal.”

‘His Highness the Cardinal’ was a title of respect given to a person with the highest rank in the main hall of the Temple of the Sun, excluding saints.

Greenwood, called by such a great title.

Wearing a helmet resembling a fish and standing on top of a courser in a dignified posture, he showed a slightly puzzled expression.

‘I said it’s a small and quiet city.’

That was the evaluation of Mayrium that Greenwood had heard.

It is not a wealthy city like Tournoble, which is not far away, but a small city where most of the petit bourgeois make a living by running an orchard and selling the fruit.

However, the Mayrium I see now was not like that at all.

The newly renovated castle and gates, and in the long procession in front of it, not only people who looked like commoners, but also merchants with backpacks on their backs, noble men on horseback, and several carriages that were obviously riding aristocratic women were being checked. was waiting for

Even though it must have taken a long time and was boring, the faces of people full of anticipation with smiles on their faces.

Greenwood wondered if he had come to the wrong city.

At that time, Greenwood heard the story of the people standing in line around him.

“I heard that Priest Tira is very beautiful! Even a crippled person jumps up from his seat with just one touch of his kind hand!”

“Where is that? Even though you do such a great job, the treatment fee is only 1 cron! If such a person in the world is not an angel, then who would be an angel?”

“Priest Tira isn’t the only one in the Temple of Dawning in Meirium. Not too long ago, priest named Carl revived even the legendary golden apple tree that disappeared!”

… … golden apple?

Greenwood, who had been listening, doubted his ears.

The chatterers bowed their heads in amazement as Greenwood passed by them.

It was because he wore decent armor and looked like an aristocrat to anyone.

Besides, it’s hard to see the sight of dozens of people wearing steel swords and riding horses at the same time in the eastern periphery.

“Notify the checkpoint guard.”

“Yes, Lord Greenwood!”

The attendant priest rode his horse and walked forward.

And when he arrived at the gate, he spoke to the sentry without getting off his horse.

“I am an investigator dispatched from the main shrine of the Temple of the Sun. Guide me to the Temple of Dawn in Meirium.”

“Please take a numbered ticket and stand in line.”

“What?! Didn’t you just hear me? We came out of the main shrine of the Temple of the Sun!”

“It doesn’t matter where you come from. The gates of Merium do not discriminate against rank, rank, or status. Only those who arrive first are checked and entered in order.”

“Uh huh, do you know who that person over there is? If you don’t want to play the sutra, hurry up and clear the way! That’s right… … .”

“Please stop.”

Sir Greenwood, who had approached before he knew it, stopped the priest asceticism.

Then the attendant priest was very perplexed.

“Let’s go back and line up.”

“I, Your Highness… … ?”

“are you okay. Aren’t we strangers forever?”

“but… … .”

“Even if it’s okay.”

“… … yes.”

The party had no choice but to go behind the long line along Greenwood.

Greenwood, meanwhile, kept a close eye on the guards at the checkpoint.

Surprisingly, they were wearing plate mail with the Divine mark of the Dawning School.

I’ve heard that it’s a ruined temple in a ruined city, but where did all that expensive armor come from?

Besides, where did the city guards go, and those wearing armor with the divine mark of the temple guarding the gates?

It was a city full of questions from one to ten.

‘The level of armed guards is so good that it’s hard to imitate a city of any size, let alone poverty. Besides, the mindset to keep their own rules without being discriminated against is also great… … .’

In fact, the people guarding the gate were the servants of the Temple of Dawn.

A month ago, after defeating the security guards in a scramble for City Hall, he entrusted the steel armor and weapons confiscated from them to the artisan guild to engrave the Divine Mark of the Dawn Bridge.

The guards of the city, which had become vacant, were now occupied by servants.

And the person in charge was Meisa, the instructor.

Purreung-.

As if the wait was boring, the horse Greenwood was riding shook its chin.

after such a long time.

Finally, Greenwood’s party reached the gate.

Then Daryl, the checkpoint leader, came forward.

He was recognized for his credit in the last battle, and he escaped the washing machine and became a checkpoint leader.

Of course, Peter, who could be called his best friend, was the same.

“Everyone get off your horse and leave the weapons at the guard post.”

“what?! Let this guy see you!”

At the sound of daring to use the cardinal’s party as a hippo and entrusting him with weapons, the priest finally burst into anger.

But then.

A man appeared out of nowhere and intervened between Daryl and the priest.

It was a slender man wearing something like a long robe.

His whole body was covered with dirty mud, grass, and straw, as if he had bathed in mud.

Surprisingly, when he appeared, the guards all took a military rite.

And with a very modest attitude!

“Meet the captain!”

“Meet the captain!”

“Meet the captain!”

The way each of them stopped what they were doing and saluted the man looked like disciplined and well-disciplined soldiers.

“Yeah, everyone is working hard. Do you have any water?”

“Here we are!”

Daryl quickly pulled a leather water bag from his waistband and handed it to him.

The man who gulped it down said.

“Damn it, when we were digging a new waterway in the field, all the embankments collapsed. The farming team is not a mess right now.”

“Is that so? Shall we inform the temple and ask them to send more people?”

“That would be nice. Are there any old security guards who just joined this time? If there are any among them who are strong and have done some farming, tell them to select them and send them.”

“All right!”

Daryl nodded, and immediately a person ran into the castle.

Even though he was wearing heavy armor, he ran undisturbed, showing how well he usually trained.

When Greenwood and the others were looking at the scene with bewildered faces.

The muddy man was watching Daryl’s toes.

No matter how long I had worn them, the toes of the leather shoes were punctured.

He was equipped with plate mail and steel armaments, but he only wore dirty shoes.

“What happened? Weren’t you given steel boots?”

Steel boots paired with plate mail.

It is made of long leather boots that rise from the ankles to the knees and are covered with thin steel plates on the front.

All the guards at the post were supposed to wear them, but Daryl didn’t.

“I received it, but the guys on the night shift said their feet were cold, so they exchanged it for mine.”

“Is it? Then wear this.”

The man took off his leather boots and handed them over without hesitation.

It was a good quality boot, with no holes or nicks, although it was stained with mud.

Then, Daryl looked at the man and his bare feet with a sad face and said,

“no! Wear it, Captain! We still have a long way to go to the temple!”

But the man did not back down either.

“The gate is the face of the city. If you look down on you guarding the gate, the thieves and monsters will look down on Meirium as a whole. Also, no matter how strong a person is on the inside, if he doesn’t have it on the outside, he’s destined to be looked down upon. As the captain in charge of the Meirium gate, should you do that? Take it quickly.”

“ah… … .”

Daryl nodded, as if moved, and accepted the shoes and put them on.

A man who picked up his boots with holes in them and put them on before entering the castle gate.

The muddy man was called by Greenwood.

“Look.”

Even with the lofty position of a cardinal, when he showed respect to an unsightly person he had never seen before, both the priest and the priests who followed were taken aback.

“Did you call me?”

“It is. The principal is an investigator dispatched from the main shrine of the Temple of the Sun to investigate the Tournoble incident. Will you guide me to the Temple of Dawning in Meirium?”

“What are you looking for at the Temple of Dawning?”

“As I said, it is for the investigation of the Tournoble incident that took place not too long ago. There are people I need to meet.”

“person? who?”

“A priest named Carlos is arrogant.”

Tok, tok.

The man brushed the mud off his clothes with his nonchalant hand.

Then, to my surprise, I saw the Divine Mark of the Dawning Bridge, which was hidden in the mud.

The robe, which was thought to be tattered, was actually a priestly uniform.

“I heard that you are Lord Greenwood, by any chance from the Lake City of Ramplere?”

“How can I… … ?”

“I accidentally stopped on my way. But are you a descendant of Greenwood, the ‘Fish Knight’ who participated in the War of Dawn 200 years ago?”

“… … Be the great-great-grandfather of the main building.”

“That guy always whined about not being popular, so I heard he got married in the end.”

“… … What did you just say?”

“no. But if it’s your business, you won’t have to go far.”

“What do you mean?”

“I am priest Carlos.”

“… … !”