CH 79

You’re the best.

「Now we’re finally alone.」

She said it as if she had expected me to postpone my decision.

If that was the case, then this should be the main subject. I don’t know what’s going to pop out at me.

I can’t speak more poorly than I have before.

I’m more nervous and thirsty than fighting a monster.

「Oh, don’t be afraid. I thought I’d tell you a little about Sophie’s situation.」

「What do you mean?」

「Have you ever wondered why she decided to become a priest so soon?」

I shook my head silently.

I did. Yes, I did.

She was a woman who was forced to live like me, and she must have wanted to live a quiet life.

It’s impossible for her to make the opposite decision of becoming a Priest to a Nobleman right away. There must be some reason.

It is natural to want to know about it, right?

「After all, Lars. You’re the best.」

I looked coldly at Zelma, who for some reason was holding her belly and laughing.

I don’t even know if this is an exaggerated behavior or if it’s an act.

If I get emotional, I lose. I have to keep my cool as if I were dealing with a powerful monster.

「The amount of magic power you possess is equal to or greater than that of a senior noble, and you have less of the shallow thinking and emotional behavior characteristic of adventurers, and you have more authority. It’s not just about creating Holy Swords, is it?」

“Authority”? Is that what the nobleman said about the [Gift]?

The [Gift] is an ability that God has allowed you to use. In other words, do you want to call them [Apostles]?

It’s a word that the elective aristocracy and the church seem to like.

「I can create any weapon I’ve ever seen ……」

Colette knew that I could create ordinary swords. It’s possible that she’s leaking that to others. I was a little hesitant, but I decided to be honest.

「I’ll ask you again. You were supposed to receive the title of Hero, but you gave it to Licht, who wants to aim higher. Is that it?」

I shook my head again in silence.

That’s right. He was always striving to become a Hero. You can find a lot of people who are interested in this kind of thing.

I didn’t expect that this would cause his character to become twisted, and he took Colette, got kicked out, and was captured by Zelma. Rather than bad luck, I was just a dumbass. ……

It’s not that I don’t care about that kind of self-assessment, it’s just the way things go.

「You’re powerful, you’re friendly to everyone you know, and I know you’ll be interested in what Sophie has to say.」

That was a long preamble. What are you going to say?

「The only reason Sophie is alive is because the Pope’s groundwork is not finished. Can you imagine what would have happened if she had continued living like that? A few years later, when the number of supporters had grown to the point where they could overwhelm most problems, and no one in the church could stand against them, they would have been erased. A person with more holy magic power and charisma than the current saint is just a distraction.」

「So Sophie chose the path of a Priestess to seek protection?」

「Yes. She could not flee the country, so she made a wise decision. The Pope is not a stranger to her, so if the Elmer family can talk to her, the risk of her being assassinated suddenly will be reduced.」

If that was the case, Sophie’s actions made sense.

She chose the path of a Priestess in order to stay alive.

But if that’s the only reason, it’s not a reason for me to become a Knight. I’m sure Zelma is aware of that.

This means that there is still another problem.

「It’s just that the current Saint seems to have a strong animosity towards Sophie. Even after the Elmer family has been dealt with, she seems to be pestering the Pope to assassinate her. It’s still under control for now, but I’m sure it will explode soon. There’s nothing scarier than a woman’s jealousy. Don’t you think she needs a Knight by her side to protect her?」

Is it the current Saint? On the face of it, Sophie retired and she took over, but she’s always being compared, and it’s said that the previous one was better.

Well, it must be difficult. I can sympathize with that. But I can’t forgive him for hiring an assassin.

「You think becoming Zelma-sama’s knight will protect her?」

「That’s right. In order to make sure that she is protected, you need to have a strong Knight nearby. If you swear your allegiance to me, I will arrange for you to be with me outside the village. I’ll also give you regular updates on the church’s inner workings.」

Being a Knight would definitely be more convenient than continuing to be a guard corp.

If you’re expecting my loyalty, there’s no advantage in lying to me here. Let’s just assume it’s all true.

I have to weigh my freedom against Sophie’s safety.

I would be able to shake off Zelma’s pursuit and escape to another country, resetting the whole mess.

But in that case, Sophie might be assassinated without my knowledge.

Can I live with that?

I can’t. If that happened, I would never be able to forgive myself for running away.

It is against my reason to pretend that I didn’t see the possibility when I knew it was there.

I would not choose to abandon my closest friends and gain my freedom. I’d rather make a deal with the devil than do that.

「I understand. I will become Zelma-sama’s Knight.」

The moment I thought that, I naturally said the words to accept the proposal.