What Hodrick meant, Vera didn’t have to think long about it.
It was because his words were expressing a single meaning as blatantly as they were.
‘Apostle of the ancestors… .’
He now says that he was the apostle of the last generation’s oath. was saying that
I was speechless. I was in a situation where I couldn’t think of how to respond to those words.
Meanwhile, Hodric hurriedly left those words as if he regretted what he said.
[…] you lied It seems overkill, so I’m going to take a break today.]
I had to hold on to it, but I couldn’t.
Vera watched Hodric’s back as he left with a blank face for so long.
*
If you think about it, it was a natural story.
I didn’t think about it because I had nothing to be conscious of so far, but since the earth was built, the existence of an apostle has always existed, and it is not strange if there is one person who has died without abandoning his regrets among those who have ascended to the position of an apostle for a long time. .
late evening.
Vera, who was sitting at the table in his assigned dormitory, wiped his face with his hand, recalling the past seven and a half years in the Holy Land.
As I met the former apostle in an unexpected situation, I needed information about who exactly he was.
However, it was impossible to come up with an answer just by continuing to ponder so much.
‘… It is forbidden to read the records of the previous apostles.’
Not only the records about the apostles, but also all the records related to the past history of the Holy Kingdom are not accessible to even Saint Bargona, Saint René, who is the Holy Spirit.
This is a matter stipulated in the constitution of the Seongguk directly ordered by the gods.
The only exceptions are the apostles of wisdom at the time.
Vera, who continued to ponder, came to such a conclusion.
‘… Information must be collected.’
Given Hodric’s attitude, it seems that he has no intention of revealing his identity in person, so it would be faster to gather information from the castle’s dead to uncover his identity.
If you think about it, it wasn’t that difficult.
Considering Durahhan who picked up Hodric as his proof at the entrance of the cradle, and the Specter who guided them when they first entered the castle, I could see that they were not trying to hide Hodric’s identity.
‘… He obviously knows something.’
From https://noblemtl.com
Obviously, Hodric’s attitude, which criticized the form in which he used his power, was the attitude of someone who knew the essence of this power.
If he didn’t want to give an answer on his own, he had to investigate and ask him for an answer.
-You’re really easy to make promises to.
I mean, I had to figure out what that meant.
In the dark room, Vera continued to think for so long, his gray eyes lit up.
*
Gathering the information itself wasn’t that difficult.
This is because, as Vera expected, the undead in the castle did not hesitate to answer Vera’s questions.
– Sir Hodrick? Well, I don’t know… I heard that they were living in this castle even when it was called Shindae from outside.
– You are a role model for knights! He is a person who always shows by actions rather than putting words first!
– When I’m alone, I always have a sad face somewhere. Yeah? Oh, you’re wearing a helmet, but how do you see your face? Is there a head in the helmet? Uh huh, that’s what it means. The customer doesn’t even know the analogy? Just by looking at it, you’re going to listen to women saying they don’t care, right?
There were some dead who seemed to be arguing every once in a while, mostly for pointless words, but through it all, Vera was able to gain meaningful information.
– Maybe he wasn’t a paladin… . We think so. Lord Hodrick is also teaching Lady Jenny, and he always goes to church at the same time to pray. Oh, by the way, if you go to the church now, I can see you!
The fact that it was Hodric who taught the holy arts to Jenny, the apostle of Sabbath, and that he went to the church at the same time every day to pray.
That Hodrick was a priest who returned to the Holy Kingdom, and that he was able to handle the stigmata was more evident than anything else.
From https://noblemtl.com
Of course he could get away with pushing them in, but Vera was confident. Intimidation and interrogation were so familiar and easy for Vera.
A small church located at the end of the left side facing the hall from the entrance of the castle.
Vera, who entered the building that looked quite foreign considering this was the land of the undead, could find Hodric praying with his head bowed in the center of the cathedral.
The sight of a knight in black armor kneeling in front of the cross, who was pouring out morale, was an awkward sight.
As Vera watched it with his mouth shut, Hodric spoke as he fell on his knees.
[…] Are you not praying?]
sudden question.
Vera answered, feeling a stab in his stomach for some reason.
“… I didn’t feel the need to do it.”
There was a trembling that could not be hidden in the voice that came out. It was a reaction that immediately came to mind because I had never taken time to pray since I left the kingdom.
Hodrick responded with a small smile at Vera’s appearance.
[Oh, I think Lushan will be offended.]
“… If I was going to be offended by that, I wouldn’t even have stigmatized me.”
[That is also true. The heavenly gods must know who you are and have given them stigmas.]
Hodrick slumped and stood up. Then he turned to Vera and asked the question in an insignificant tone.
[So, did you know a bit about me?]
A question you asked as if you knew everything you were doing. When a look of surprise appeared on Vera’s face, Hodric smiled low and continued.
[You know? That the dead here are old men who have lived for at least several hundred years. The cradle is indeed a quiet place. A place where the same routine is repeated every day and only the same people meet over and over again. So, what are the old men who twist their bodies in boredom? It’s only increasing day by day. Especially when an outsider visits here.]
Slowly approaching Vera’s side, he finished his speech playfully.
[What they are doing, day and night… No, it would be more accurate to say that the cradle is always night, so all day long. Anyway, talking about them all day long. Of course, I can hear what you are doing.]
Vera gave a ‘shudder’ sound, dismayed by Hodrick’s explanation.
[The reason I didn’t bother to shut their mouths… .]
Hodric looked at Vera like that for a moment, then spoke for a moment, and then answered.
[…] As long as you keep avoiding it, I don’t think you’ll give up. Isn’t it?]
“… I will not deny it.”
[I knew that. Lushan likes stubborn people.]
Laughing, Hodric had an attitude that looked somewhat uneasy. It is simply responding to the conversation without being rigid, silent, or denying it.
Vera thought that he might have ended some trouble he was unaware of, so he immediately brought up the subject.
“I have a question for you.”
[Tell me.]
“Do you remember what you told me? The question is, why do you make promises so easily?”
[My memory is not so bad that I forgot what I said the day before.]
“… I want to know the meaning of those words.”
Vera finally asked the question and looked at Hodric with his mouth shut.
As Hodric who may have a deeper understanding of this power than himself, he asked the question in the most respectful tone possible. After that, Hodric remained silent for a long time, and then came up with such an answer.
[There is no other meaning. it literally means You are abusing that power too much. That’s what I’m saying.]
Hodrick looked again at the cross in front of the cathedral, and then continued to mumble.
[Actually, I tried to hide it. No matter what advice I give, there is no guarantee that it will only have a positive effect on you. If I had to say that I was an apostle of my predecessor, wouldn’t it be something I could only be proud of? What’s more, these are the words of the one who failed and died, so I thought it might be poison to you.]
The words he continued quietly, for some reason, were filled with a feeling of remorse.
[I shouldn’t have done that… The moment I saw you fighting, it was as if I was looking at the past me, and words came out of my heart. These were the words that I unknowingly shed because I had been fighting that way in the past life that I was ashamed of.]
Vera listened silently to the long introduction.
[If I stood still, I suddenly thought that you might be going down the same path as me. So I thought about it, and I made a decision. I will tell you the story of this loser.]
“… Are you calling yourself a failure?”
[It actually failed. So that’s what I’m saying. I hope you listen to my story and go a different path than me.]
Hodric said so and headed to the funeral home of the cathedral. Sitting there, he beckoned Vera.
[I want you to sit down. You didn’t come to the place of confession to the gods. I’m standing in front of such an undeserved audience, so I’ll try to tell you everything without hiding me.]
It was a humorous tone, but even in the midst of it, the regret in it was excruciatingly deep and revealing my presence.
Vera followed Hodrick this time without saying anything else and went to sit next to him.
Hodric looked at Vera for a moment, then began to talk while looking at the cross.
*
Free Knight Hodrick Felisman.
The third son of the Fallen Nobility, the beautiful husband of Della, and the lovely father of Usher.
Recalling the past when he was the happiest man in the world, nothing special, Hodrick continued.
It was a story about the stigma of 8 strokes that changed his life.
[that day… On the day I received the stigma, I made an oath for my family before anything else. I will wield my sword to become a proud husband of my wife. I will wield my sword for the sake of my child’s smile. When I say that, the wall that I thought I couldn’t get over before in my life was broken.]
It is now a very distant past, but I recite moments that I did not wish for at all.
[I was happy. Also, I felt a sense of responsibility. My head has been filled with the thought that my promise has been loaded with weight and that I must make it come true. So I went to Elia with my family. I started a new life there.]
Now, I recited the things I regretted.
[I received a revelation and walked the continent. I met a lot of people and felt a lot of things. Each time, I added an oath one by one. Because I thought that was the reason the stigma was placed on me.]
He swore to wield his sword for the poor.
He vowed to wield his sword on behalf of those who could not defend themselves.
He also said that he would wield a sword for parents who want to protect their children, for those who love their parents, and for those who want to protect their loved ones.
[So you have a power that no one can surpass.]
speech was interrupted As Hodric was about to continue his next sentence, he had to expend all his heart to calm his suddenly boiling heart.
It was only after the resentment against himself was deceived that he managed to stop it from further accumulating.
[It was when the continent was engulfed in war that I realized something was wrong.]
“… War, you say?”
[Yes, it was a long war. It’s funny, I just enjoyed making promises with my mouth, but at that moment, I’ve become a person who can’t wield a sword against anyone. Everyone in the world has become a person I have to protect.]
The next words were the regrets that made Hodric into a ghost.
[Even those who want to harm my family.]
A self-deprecating laugh ensued.
[Something was overlooked. In war, everyone is the weak and at the same time the villain. Those who harmed my family are also such people.]
That the weak can also become evil, that it is a human being who can hurt someone else because of loving someone, and that the person who should aim the sword is also a human being I have to protect.
A foolish person who did not realize the weight of the promise only came to a belated realization at the moment when the things they had to protect were lost.
[It is easy to spit it out, but it was only then that I realized that the most difficult thing in the world to put into practice is a promise. That’s why I couldn’t protect anything, and I had to grieve alone as I watched the things that were falling apart.]
After a long story, Hodrick turned to Vera.
[So, I hope you don’t go down the same path as me. Above all else, I want you to be more careful with your word of mouth. I hope you don’t see your powers as mere miracles to use.]
What followed was advice and at the same time a warning.
[I mean, don’t promise too much.]