The paladin does not back down
“We were at a loss as the temple was understaffed. However, I really don’t know how to express my gratitude to you so willingly to help.”
“I’m just here to make a request.”
“I know you’re not going to come because of just three fairy tales.”
Hyeonjun felt a little burdened by this man. It’s a pity that the children are missing, but I tried to ignore it. I had no choice but to accept the request because of the quest, but I feel like my stomach is twisted when I keep talking like I’m a great person.
Hyunjoon shook his head and said.
“That’s the story. It would be better to get to the point quickly.”
Zilenai nodded and said.
“It was a week ago that the children suddenly started disappearing.”
“Wait. Are you children? Aren’t you the only one?”
“yes. Not only here, but also across the river. At least 30 children are missing, although the exact number is unknown because the slums are places where the power of city administration is weak.”
Hyunjoon felt like he was getting a headache. Of course, I was just fine. I’ve heard troubling stories, so I’m too healthy to have a headache.
“Isn’t that enough to leave it to the guards, not the adventurers?”
Then Zilenai said lowly with a melancholy face.
“Thousands of people disappear and re-enter the slums every day. The guards are only taking this lightly.”
“Even in the temple?”
It is a world where God exists. No matter how much the temple does not intervene in human affairs, the power of the temple is mighty. The city guards couldn’t just ignore the temple’s words.
“There was a minor friction with the captain of the guard before. They said they wouldn’t move privately until they got the evidence.”
“Do you have any connections with other nobles?”
At that, Zilenai laughed bitterly.
“Since it is on the border of the slums, it was difficult to make contact with the nobles.”
Knowing how things are going makes me want to get out of here right away. The problem is that the priests are too innocent. The temple has power by itself. If you wish, you will be able to make connections with nobles at any time. location? A priest can come and say hello. There is no big difference in rank or position between priests, so it doesn’t matter who they are. But these good and honest people didn’t even have that little grease.
On the one hand, I have doubts. No matter what, divine power is a great power. It heals wounds, boosts energy, and soothes the spirit. Is it possible to be driven this far while dealing with such miraculous power?
Hyunjoon barely swallowed a sigh and said.
“All right. Sorry for interrupting you. Please continue.”
“yes. When the first disappearance occurred a week ago, I wasn’t too concerned. I just wished he wouldn’t come for a day or so. And the next day another child did not come, and the next day another child did not come again. None of the children who miss once come back.”
From noble mtl dot com
There was worry and sadness in his gloomy voice. Hyeon-jun felt that he thought the children would not be safe. Because there was also a faint sense of resignation.
“In the end, I put in a request, but no one came and time passed. As for the request money… the temple doesn’t have enough funds…”
Zilenai slurred and lowered her head. At least, it would have been used up for the sake of the people here. Maybe the priests are starving.
“That’s why I didn’t expect such a great warrior to come.”
“A great warrior. I’m just an F-class adventurer.”
“Then they say they didn’t know that an F-class adventurer who was a great warrior would come.”
Jillenai responded calmly to the fact that Hyun-joon was F-class. As a servant of Karios, the goddess of justice and protection, he is a combat priest who wields weapons and protects humans. The moment I saw Hyeon-jun, I knew he wasn’t talking nonsense. The fact that it’s F-class doesn’t matter. because they have the skills
“Right now, the temple can’t even afford to search. Their hands are tied because both here and at the northern facilities are taking in and caring for orphans.”
“A facility?”
“yes. We created facilities for the poor in the north.”
Even if you do it, there are degrees, how far do you want to be in the light? The water is so clear that the fish have no choice but to run away. The nobles would only come and receive treatment when needed, and would have said they didn’t know. I’ll listen to you anyway!
“As we protected orphans, children with parents also began to disappear. Last night, the mother of one child also came to ask for help. But there was nothing this foolish, insignificant fellow could do.”
Zilenai’s eyes grew red and her voice sank. I waited for Hyun-joon for a while, and when he seemed to have calmed down, he said.
“Are the temples and facilities safe?”
“First of all, the combat priests and I are here, and the combat priests and… are in the northern facility.”
Zilenai hesitated for a moment, as if choosing his words. Then I just spoke.
“So, um, I have a sister who is an apprentice paladin.”
“Are there apprentice paladins?”
At Hyeonjun’s question, Jillenai’s face took on a subtle expression.
“no. doesn’t exist. It is self-proclaimed.”
“…”
Silence fell between the two. Is it okay?
“Is that okay?”
“There’s nothing that can’t be done, right?”
Zilenai asked in reverse. Hyunjoon nodded. If the current priest is like that, what does it matter?
“Do you have the skills to protect the facility?”
Zilenai finally said with a small smile.
“I’m still inexperienced, but I’m a great apprentice paladin.”
“I’m glad.”
Anyway, if there is someone to protect the temple and facilities right now, that’s fine.
“Hmmm, so this is a map of Scanden.”
said Zilenai, unfolding the rolled up parchment. A view of Scandinavia. It is drawn so roughly that it is barely recognizable. The map is a strategically important object and is tightly controlled. Having a map drawn in detail is an extreme punishment.
“This is the temple and this is the facility. This is roughly where the missing children lived.”
Still, the location of the missing children was marked on the map as if they hadn’t let go at all.
“They are concentrated on the outskirts of the city on the port side.”
“yes. The situation in the north is unknown as there is no way to contact the facility due to lack of personnel. We need to confirm the information at the facility.”
“I will go and check. Can you write me a certificate that the priest sent you?”
“All right.”
Zilenai hurriedly wrote on the parchment in front of Hyeon-jun. Then, even though the ink hadn’t dried, I rolled it up and handed it to Hyeon-jun along with the map.
“I will stop by the facility and see the situation before coming to the temple.”
“All right. Thank you very much again.”
Hyeon-jun was able to shake off Jillenai, who bowed his head until the end and expressed his gratitude. People who are too good are hard to deal with. It shines so bright that it makes you look shabby.
Hyeon-joon went outside, ignoring the children who were looking at him in the courtyard. It would be good to move as quickly as possible. No matter how you look at it, it’s not a simple disappearance. to kidnap The longer you delay, the greater the damage will be.
‘If the request fails, the quest automatically fails.’
The criterion for request failure is also ambiguous. I don’t know to what extent it fails. Even if the abduction law is caught, if the children do not return, it may be a failure. Conversely, even if you find the children, if you miss the abductor, it may be a failure. Or it could be that all of the abducted children are safe now, and if even one of the children dies, it will be a failure.
‘It looks like a beggar.’
Hyeonjun couldn’t shake the feeling that he was playing around. A quest arose at such an exquisite moment. Isn’t someone watching you and moving to suit your taste? Then there must be only one of them.
‘Goddess of education and growth.’
A goddess who granted him protection, enabled him to use the status window and shop, and increased his growth rate.
‘I’m sure he’s watching.’
In my mind, ‘I know everything I see. Stop playing around and show yourself.’ I want to say it out loud, but the shame that clings to the bottom of my consciousness has dried up. Over 20, middle school 2 is a bit difficult.
‘For now, don’t do as you please. Because I also received something.’
Hyeon-joon murmured to himself and hurriedly moved on. No matter how much, he wouldn’t have given a quest that he couldn’t break. It’s all up to you to do it.
Hyeon-jun moved quickly and arrived at the border of the northern slums. Looking at the map Zilenai gave us, we were able to enter the slums and find the facility. It is clearly a smaller building than a temple. It is a two-story building in the shape of a giyeokja. Still, it is said that it was built in a temple, and there is a Karios pattern on the door and a yard.
As Hyun-joon approaches the facility, he notices something strange in front of the gate. So it is… Hyeon-joon couldn’t quite explain what it was. It is a lump of metal in the shape of a person. They made human-like shapes out of things like buckets and pots. I don’t know how I did it, but I even had a poker and a pot lid in my hand.
It was the moment when Hyeonjun tried to pass by the sculpture to avoid it.
Chunk!
“Oh!”
“Wait.”
The metal sculpture suddenly moved and blocked Hyeon-jun’s path with a poker.
“I told you!”
“It is natural to speak. I am a person.”
A sound is heard echoing in the bucket. It’s hard to understand, but maybe it’s a woman…?
Now I see that there is a thin gap in the bucket. I must have been looking around there.
“There’s a gatekeeper, and it’s suspicious that you’re just trying to pass by.”
“what.”
Embarrassed, Hyeonjun didn’t know what to say. I don’t know what the situation is.
“What business did you come here for?”
“Uh, I came here with a request from the Karios Temple.”
“hmm···.”
A metal sculpture moved the bucket up and down. It looks like he’s looking at Hyeonjun’s figure.
“There is no way this kind of person would come to three fairy tales. That’s very suspicious.”
Cheekyung, jeoggeureok.
The metal sculpture lifted the lid of the pot and aimed at the poker. Hyunjoon quickly stepped back. It’s funny, but I can’t help but laugh. The reason I tried to pass by the person who did this funny thing at first was because I didn’t notice that he was really human.
The sun was shining and it was hot, but even though it was right in front of my nose, I couldn’t notice it, so I didn’t move and my breathing was quiet. It is unbelievable that Hyun-joon’s sensitive ears did not hear even the slightest sound after doing such a thing. It means that it was completely motionless. In addition, the speed of the poker that blocked Hyeon-jun was unusual. Even full plate armor seemed to be much more comfortable than that, but it was so fast and fierce that I could barely react. If the surprise attack was aimed at Hyeon-jun, he would not have been able to escape safely.
“for a moment! I have a certificate from Priest Zilenai.”
“mmm…”
At those words, the metal sculpture, no, the tin knight stopped moving as if in agony. However, he still did not release his combat readiness.
“Brother Zilenai? great. Show me.”
At the words of the tin can driver, Hyeonjun hesitated while trying to take out the parchment. Isn’t that a bit strange?
“Wait, do you know who you are and give the certificate?”
“… it seems that the statement that there is a certificate is false?”
“what?”
“Hmph, I can’t believe you’re trying to trick me with lies like that!”
“This is not a complete lunatic!”
“It is incomprehensible to a wicked man like you! Be prepared! No threat will pass until this apprentice paladin Idelia falls!”
“Apprentice Paladin? for a moment!”
“Suck!”
A metal sculptor, a tin knight, and a self-proclaimed apprentice paladin suddenly charged. It roared loudly and closed the distance with great speed. Hyeon-jun hesitated whether to draw his sword, but eventually gave up the player.
Empty! gigg! Thuddeong!
Hiss!
He puts out the lid of the pot and runs at it, swinging his poker. It is an unstoppable attack even though Hyeon-jun did not draw his weapon. On the contrary, they use it to collide more actively.
“sh*t! Stop!”
Hyeon-jun took a step back, avoided the poker, and moved forward as if bouncing back, grabbing the shield, that is, the lid of the pot, and trying to turn it outward. However, contrary to his intention to break his posture, this self-proclaimed apprentice paladin swung a poker at Hyeon-jun, whose arms were only slightly shaking and stopped with more weight than expected.
“Suck!”
After letting go of the shield, he flexibly leaned back, then moved his hands around and stepped back.
‘What power…’
Even with the power that has been strengthened by strengthening the body, it is no match. In terms of strength alone, it is greatly pushed to the level of adults and children. However, Hyeonjun never seemed likely to lose if he fought properly against this self-proclaimed apprentice paladin. As Zilenai said. Physical ability is good, but immature. He was wielding a sword and shield, no, a poker and a pot lid with force, but his skills were crude. Still, he is so threatening that he can take down most of the guys with just his specs. That funny look is now understandable. It is said that they will give one hit, cling to it, and crush it with force.
“Eight! Cumbersome!”
As soon as I thought so, the self-proclaimed apprentice paladin gave me strength and moved my body. The sound of distorting iron resounds loudly, and the metal clad around the body crumples.
“I’ll be thrilled.”
When I folded my arms, pots with holes or iron plates rolled up on my arms distorted in an instant and distorted to fit the joints. I wondered how those iron plates were rolled up, but now I understand. I probably just rolled it up like a piece of paper by hand.
The self-proclaimed apprentice paladin who had crushed the metal to make it moveable took a posture to attack again.
“Hmph, it is too conceited that you still haven’t drawn your sword. I just missed it because the armor was uncomfortable, but not anymore. going!”
“Idelia!”