Arden fell into thought.
‘Is there any reason I need to become a Holy Knight...?’
Of course, if he could become a Holy Knight, he would not have to worry about the future.
But after witnessing the children's deaths right before his eyes, Arden had begun to doubt.
Whether a god truly existed.
And if one did not, why he should serve a god at all.
“I'll think about it some more for now.”
After pondering for a long time, Arden finally spoke.
Serving and following someone he had so many doubts about did not suit him.
“...I understand.”
Perhaps the man had no intention of forcing him. He nodded and took a step back.
“If you have nothing more to say, I'll go back inside.”
―CREEEAK.
Arden went back inside and stood behind Berua, watching the treatment.
Berua was currently reconnecting the orphanage director's nerves.
But there was almost no progress.
Even Arden, whose medical knowledge was limited to basic herbalism, could vaguely tell.
Perhaps that was why resignation colored the orphanage director's face.
Berua bit her lip tightly.
Arden was not much different from either of them.
“......”
How much time passed like that?
Berua collapsed to the floor and muttered,
“I can't....”
She had barely reattached both of the orphanage director's legs, but it was impossible for her to move them.
It was because two whole days had passed.
If only Berua had arrived a little earlier, she could have treated her completely....
Berua blamed herself for coming too late.
Realizing this, the orphanage director gave a small smile and said,
“It's all right. You worked hard.”
“I'm sorry....”
“No. You did your best too.”
The orphanage director then turned her head and looked at Arden, who stood silently.
“Arden, I'm sorry I have only given you more to worry about.”
She knew what Arden had done for her.
She had been able to have her severed legs reattached only because of Arden.
“......”
But Arden gave no answer. He merely looked at her two legs.
Is there truly no way to heal them?
Arden asked Berua, who was kneeling on the floor.
“Is there really no way at all?”
“No, there is a way. An Elixir... if it is God's Tears, it should be able to heal her. But there is no way to obtain it....”
Berua said this with her head hanging low.
Beyond the Continent, where tens of thousands had gone but only the Emperor had returned alive, there was an Elixir.
“An Elixir....”
She briefly explained this to Arden.
Hearing her, Arden sank into thought.
‘It isn't impossible to obtain. It's difficult, but there is a way.’
His heart pounded fiercely.
There was now a way to make the orphanage director, who was no different from his mother, walk again.
“I'll find it.”
Arden said this with firm resolve.
For the first time in his life, he had a goal he wanted to accomplish.
He intended to journey to Beyond the Continent and find an Elixir, no matter what.
It did not matter if it was dangerous.
To Arden, this journey carried the meaning of salvation.
Ten years ago.
Just as the orphanage director had reached out her hand to Arden as he wandered through a field after losing his mother, Arden would now reach out his hand to her.
To the woman who had not given up on him and had embraced him with love when he could barely speak and did nothing but languish for nearly a year.
‘Another path.’
This was surely the other path Arden had turned over in his mind back then.
Arden intended to make her walk again on both legs.
Furthermore, he wanted to prevent something like this from happening to others.
To do that, he would have to quell the chaos spread across the entire Continent.
‘What should I do?’
Arden thought.
Of what he could do to quell that chaos.
‘Monsters and bandits... I have to get rid of both.’
It did not take him long to find an answer.
It was an answer that was all but impossible. Even the Emperor who had united the Continent had failed to do it.
It should have been nearly impossible for Arden to accomplish.
But if he did nothing and merely hoped, it would never come to pass.
Arden knew that well.
‘Yeah. I can do it. I'll try.’
If he kept reducing their numbers, even a little, it would one day make a difference.
Thinking that, Arden kindled a small spark from within his heart.
***
Inside a tent set up in a field.
Kyle, the leader of the Red Hawk Bandit Gang, received news that the Third Unit had been wiped out.
He had been able to learn this thanks to a Detection Spell the Black Mage had placed on each unit captain.
Kyle gripped the neck of the woman before him and spoke in a low voice.
“Ghk....”
“I do not need the rest. I only need to know whether my brother is dead. Is my brother truly dead?”
“Yes. He is dead. I cannot feel anything from him.”
The Black Mage standing at the entrance of the tent answered.
Kyle's brother was certainly dead.
As proof, a rectangular insignia was etched into the Black Mage's forearm.
It had been transferred to the Black Mage upon the brother's death.
“Is that so.”
Kyle nodded and muttered,
“Who dared kill my brother....”
Overcome with fierce rage, Kyle rose from his seat.
He felt that he could not sleep peacefully until he tore the culprit apart and killed him.
“Can you tell where he died?”
“Yes, of course.”
“Lead me there.”
“Understood.”
“I will get ready and call for you shortly.”
With that, Kyle left the tent.
A drinking party was underway in the field, despite it being daytime.
Some men had fallen asleep after rolling around with women, while others were still guzzling alcohol.
Kyle looked at them and shouted,
“Get up!”
Every one of them opened their eyes at Kyle's voice.
Aura had been mixed into his voice, jolting them fully awake.
―!
In an instant, the men who had been slumped over shook off their drunkenness and straightened their postures.
Kyle looked at them and continued,
“My brother is dead. From now on, I will find where the man who killed him is. Is there anyone who will come with me?”
At Kyle's words, most of them rose from their seats.
There was no need to think about it for long.
Everyone here had gathered for Kyle alone, a man who rivaled a Sword Master.
They were a group no different from zealots.
“Good. Leave only the minimum number of men to guard this place. Black Mage! Lead us there.”
“Yes.”
Stepping forward, the Black Mage infused Mana into the insignia on his forearm.
The insignia, which had rippled like heat haze, separated from his forearm. Before long, it transformed into an arrow and began to fly.
Pointing at the arrow, the Black Mage said,
“Follow that guidepost.”
“Understood. Everyone, follow me. We are leaving.”
To find the one who had killed his brother, Kyle began to move.
***
After that incident, time passed quickly.
Already, a week had gone by.
The orphanage director was moved to a treatment facility within the Arcane Temple.
It was the safest place in the north.
The same was true for Maril and Leon.
All three would stay there for a while.
And then.
“Whew.”
Defying everyone's objections, Arden set out alone.
With a single backpack and a sword, he began his journey beyond the Continent.
“This was the city, right?”
Folding the map, Arden looked ahead.
There stood Balkan, the largest city in the north.
It was also the city the Holy Knights and the Saintess Candidate had told him about.
They had said they would notify the Balkan branch, so he could collect the supplies he needed.
“First, I'll get the supplies today. I should stay for a day.”
The sun had already dipped halfway toward the horizon.
Even if he collected the supplies and left right away, given the nature of the north, he would not get far before he was forced to stop.
“Then....”
Arden nodded and joined the line in front of the checkpoint.
There were not many people, so it seemed he would get in quickly.
As he waited for the inspection, he began to hear the mercenaries ahead of him talking.
“Did you hear the news?”
“What news?”
“The bandits who had set up near the plains have started moving as a group.”
“You mean those bastards?”
“Yeah. They absorbed all the nearby bandit gangs. Still, this place should be fine. It's a city, not some small village.”
“I suppose so. It doesn't have much to do with us anyway.”
Overhearing their conversation, Arden fell into thought.
‘It's because of me.’
There was no other way to explain such a sudden large-scale movement.
It had to be because he had killed those three.
Arden decided that he had to whittle them down little by little.
If they moved as a group and still saw no results, the men whose patience wore thin would begin to act first.
‘I have to aim for that moment.’
Unless one was a Sword Master, it was nearly impossible for a single person to face dozens.
“―Hurry it up!”
At the sudden shout, Arden emerged from his thoughts and lifted his head.
It was already his turn.
Arden stood before a guard who was running his hand along the shaft of his spear.
“What is the purpose of your visit?”
“I have business at the Arcane Temple.”
“Pass through.”
As though there was nothing else to inspect, the guard waved Arden in.
Arden was simply glad he had entered easily, but he could not help feeling doubtful.
‘They will handle it.’
But it was not something Arden needed to concern himself with.
It was a matter for the people guarding the city to resolve.
“The Temple is... that way.”
After entering the city, Arden immediately headed toward the Arcane Temple.
Living up to its reputation as a city, Balkan bustled with people.
As he took in the people moving busily, Arden thought,
‘It must be over there.’
In most places, the lord's castle stood in the center of the city, while the Temple stood on the outskirts. But Balkan was the opposite.
That was because the Arcane Temple had taken over after the family that had long ruled this region had half fallen into ruin.
Of course, many stories lay tangled in between, but Arden did not know that much.
He did not like history books.
“But....”
Lost in various thoughts, he soon reached the front of the Temple.
There was only one problem: far too many people were waiting.
“Is there some occasion?”
Tilting his head, Arden entered the crowd for the time being.
No matter the reason, he had business at the Temple as well.
He had to receive the item Berua said she had arranged for him before the day was over.
“Ugh.”
Tightening the straps so that his bag would not slip off, Arden pushed through the crowd.
After being jostled this way and that, he barely reached the entrance.
“Then....”
As Arden tried to go straight inside, an apprentice priest appeared from somewhere and blocked his way.
“You cannot enter right now! Please wait a little longer!”
“I came for a different matter.”
“Pardon?”
“Please tell the High Priest that I came to collect an item entrusted by a Saintess Candidate.”
At the mention of a Saintess Candidate, the apprentice priest's eyes widened.
“A Saintess Candidate, you say?”
“Yes. Lady Berua.”
“L-Lady Berua... Understood. I will return shortly. Please wait a moment.”
Nodding repeatedly, the apprentice priest ran inside.
Left alone, Arden decided to wait where he was until the priest returned.
―RUMBLE!
Then the sound coming from behind him abruptly grew louder.
“Hm?”
Wondering what it was, Arden turned his head.
“Move out of the way!”
“Hey, clear the path!”
Right behind him, the people who had been waiting to meet a priest were frantically clearing a path.
They had even been pushing and shoving to get inside first, so why were they moving aside now?
Puzzled, Arden looked between the ranks.
There, a man twice as large as everyone else was walking forward.
It seemed they were hurriedly moving aside to avoid that man.
...Before he knew it, the entire line had split apart except for Arden.
The people who had moved aside long before looked at Arden with worried eyes.
But Arden remained where he was.
He intended to wait until the apprentice priest who had gone to fetch the High Priest came back.
“Hah.”
At last, the man standing before Arden let out a loud laugh and spoke.
“With that large bag... and the fact that you did not move aside even after I arrived, you must be from out of town.”
“Yes. Who are you?”
Arden looked straight at him and asked.
“Well, I am the lord's son, and Priest Luden and I call each other brother. Unlike a country-born man like you, I am a noble. My name is Dustin.”
“I'm Arden. But a noble...? Is that a reason I have to move aside?”
Arden asked indifferently. He did not think well of nobles.
It was because of nobles that he and his mother had been driven out into the fields when he was young.
He still remembered the words they had uttered, even ten years later.
“Have you not been taught to step aside?”
“No, I know very well. That is why I am standing here.”
Of course, he was not doing this without any thought.
In Balkan, the Temple held the power, and the lord's authority was weak.
The lord could only act after asking the Temple and receiving an answer.
For that reason, he could not simply cut off Arden's head on the spot just because Arden had offended him.