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EPISODE 232 – GUARDIANS OF THE HOLY CROSS (4)
It was a warm and sunny morning.
Cordelia curled up under the blanket and continued to groan.
And Jude watched her before he sat on the bed and said as he pat her back.
“I really didn’t hear anything. It’s the truth.”
Unlike before, his voice seemed to be quite sincere.
So Cordelia who was denying reality then stuck her head out of the blanket unconsciously.
“Really?”
“Yes, really.”
Jude covered his eyes with both hands as he widely smiled, and Cordelia understood what that meant, so she jumped up from her seat and slapped Jude on the shoulder.
T/N: There’s a Korean proverb called ‘covering one’s eyes while making the sound of a cat.’ It’s similar to the idiom ‘bury one’s head in the sand’, which means to avoid a particular situation by pretending that it doesn’t exist. But in this Korean proverb, it is used when a person tries to deceive or lie to someone. Jude did not make any cat sounds though, but his wide smile made Cordelia understood that he was deceiving her.
“I hate you! I hate you!”
You always lie to me!
Jude accepted Cordelia’s fierce attacks with a snicker, and he suddenly turned his body to the other side and said.
“This side too. Please do it steadily but not too strongly.”
“Yaaaa!”
Cordelia lost her temper and struck Jude even stronger, but it was useless.
Aside from having a wizard’s physique, her cute punches were weak against Jude’s defensive strength that if felt like he was only being hit by cotton swabs.
Cordelia could obviously damage Jude through other means such as using the detonating cord, but that was clearly going overboard.
Just like how Jude could not do any harm to the monster that pretended to be Cordelia back then, Cordelia also felt quite reluctant to do any harm to Jude now.
‘No, even in the past, I wouldn’t go as far as using the detonating cord.’
Because using that is on a completely different scale when compared to just hitting him a bit.
That’s why I’m not using my magic in the first place.
‘Anyway, I hate you!’
Cordelia was unsatisfied with punching him, so she began hitting his skin with her palm as if it was a whip, but that too was useless.
Having acquired Sword Origin, Jude’s defensive strength had already gone beyond that of a human.
After one to two minutes like that.
Jude snickered again before he turned to the exhausted Cordelia who was now panting and asked her.
“By the way, Cordelia.”
“Why? Haa.. You… haa… evil… haa… b*stard…”
How can she be so cute even when cursing?
The hopelessly in love Jude asked Cordelia as he pinched her cheek.
“Uh… How was last night?”
Last night.
Cordelia’s face turned red, and she snorted before replying.
“I don’t know and I won’t say it.”
But that in itself was more or less an answer already.
Because Cordelia covered her eyes with both hands, just like what Jude did earlier.
‘It was great.’
Relief and satisfaction.
Jude’s smile was mixed with those two things, and he closed his eyes for a moment, recalling the events last night.
The appearance of Cordelia who begged him to do this and that.
And Cordelia saw Jude like that, and said as she stared at him coldly.
“You look like a pervert.”
“Excuse me?”
Aren’t you the one who stopped me last night?
“Hmph, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Anyway, I don’t know. After all, Jude is bad.
“Alright, if you insist, then so be it.”
“You… Hey, just stop, okay?”
But Jude smiled and stood up instead of answering her.
“Anyway, let’s wash up and get ready. Because Manuel will come whether it’s for breakfast or for our meeting with the branch leader.”
At Jude’s words, Cordelia stood up too and said.
“Is Manuel okay? I think I saw him faint yesterday.”
“I think he’ll be fine since his behavior was strange from the beginning anyway. And he’s from the Guardians of the Holy Cross. I’m sure they have a lot of hangover remedies. Now that I think of it, are you okay?”
“No. My head hurts after I talk.”
Cordelia didn’t realize it because she kept blushing, but her complexion wasn’t good.
“Then let’s use magic.”
“Eh? What?”
It was just a hangover, so one recovery spell could easily solve it.
Cordelia had significantly grown as a wizard compared to eight or nine months ago when she first recalled her past life memories.
“Done. My mind is clear now.”
“Wow, it’s like a scam when you think that it can be easily solved like that.”
“I agree.”
After answering him, Cordelia took a shower in the bathtub prepared on one side of the room, and changed into clothes that the Guardians of the Holy Cross had prepared for them.
It was the black and white uniform of the Guardians.
“It’s a nice uniform.”
Cordelia turned her body around as she looked at herself in front of a mirror with magic lights, and then smiled in satisfaction.
Because Cordelia had a liking for uniforms in her past life, which included school uniforms and military uniforms.
Uniforms had this unique feeling that made you feel neat and unified with others.
Moreover, the uniform of the Guardians of the Holy Cross was quite well-designed.
There was harmony in the black outer garments and white inner garments.
‘It’s like a remodeled nun’s habit.’
The skirt had a long slit to allow for the movement of legs, so it was quite far from a ladylike dress, but the overall shape itself resembled a nun’s uniform.
‘Hmm, it looks good.’
Satisfied with her own appearance, Cordelia turned to Jude and felt even more satisfied.
The uniform-wearing Jude.
Even if she remove the love filter in her eyes, Jude was really good-looking.
Come to think of it, Jude is one of the so-called Four Great Kings of Beauty in Legend of Heroes 2.
“Hehehe.”
“Cordelia?”
“No, it’s nothing. Hehehe.”
Cordelia herself did not know, but her smile was no different from the ones Carnelia and Vanessa showed in the Forest of Eternity.
So Jude flinched for a moment when she laughed, but afterwards, he was happy with the fact that Cordelia was smiling, so he brought up the main topic instead of saying anything unnecessary.
“Moving on, Cordelia. I have something to tell you before Manuel arrives.”
“What is it?”
Cordelia sat next to Jude on a sofa in one side of the room, and tilted her head as she asked.
“Is it something important?”
“Yes, it’s important. It’s a must for us to do in St. Crute Monastery. Do you know what it is?”
Cordelia blinked her eyes at Jude’s question, and then thought as she folded her arms.
“Hmm… We’ll tell them about the threat of Malekith and then locate Kamael.”
That was their primary purpose, and it was the purpose they had talked about over and over again while on the way here.
In short, it wasn’t what Jude wanted to tell her now.
It was something else.
Another purpose.
“Atalia?”
The young goddess Atalia.
According to the game’s background setting, she was a female goddess who was asleep somewhere in the St. Crute Monastery.
Jude lightly shook his head at Cordelia’s words.
“It’s not Atalia. Of course, it would be nice to meet her, but even if we can’t meet her, it won’t be a big problem.”
She was still a young goddess, so there was little that she could do.
Moreover, it could have a bad effect on her if they forcibly woke her up from her sleep.
‘In the game, she died after stopping the calamities, but it will be different this time.’
Jude and Cordelia would not let her just die.
“Hmmm…”
Anyway, when he said that it wasn’t Atalia, Cordelia thought hard again, but she groaned and couldn’t come up with a correct answer.
“Haaa… I surrender. I don’t know.”
“Don’t do that. Think about it a little more. Like,  ‘Am I missing something?’ or ‘Am I forgetting something?’”
At Jude’s words – to be exact, at the word ‘forgotten,’ Cordelia reflexively recalled a name.
“Melissa?”
“Not Melissa. Now that I think of it, did you forget Melissa again? Do you talk to her regularly?”
“Eh? Uh, Yes. O-of course.”
Seeing that she was avoiding his gaze, it seemed like she had forgotten about Melissa for the past few days.
‘Well, Melissa’s matter is not what’s important now.’
If Melissa had heard of Jude’s indifferent thoughts, she would have cried tears of blood. Jude then looked at Cordelia again and said.
“You don’t really know?”
“I… I don’t know. Please tell me.”
“Hey, this is why I’m always number one.”
As Jude clicked his tongue, Cordelia puffed up her cheeks in proportional to him before saying.
“Ugh… wait then.”
I’ll think of it.
I’ll remember it.
Based on his personality, he’ll definitely tease me because I didn’t know about it.
It must be a fact that I’ve already experienced or known.
“Uuuuh, uuuuuuh…!”
Come on, my brain cells.
Remember what it is now!
Cordelia groaned as she struggled to think about it, and at some point, she raised her head.
She jumped up from her seat and exclaimed.
“Ah!”
That!
That!
I remember it!
“Solari! The tomb of Solari’s champion, Gallus!”
Cordelia shouted it all at once before anxiously turning to Jude, and when Jude smiled happily, she jumped again and cheered.
“YEAAAH!”
The tomb of Gallus, Solari’s champion.
To be exact, one of the five clues to find his tomb.
‘Has it been around half a year?’
The tomb of Saint Galleon that they encountered at the entrance to the wild lands.
In the tomb of one of Gallus’ disciples, Jude and Cordelia were able to find a piece of slate.
‘If we collect all five, we’ll be able to find out the location of Gallus’ tomb.’
And in the tomb of Gallus, the most important treasure of the Solari denomination was hidden.
“The slates. One was in the wild lands, and the other that was found in the game was in the empire.”
“That’s right. And the slate we found in the tomb of Galleon had information on where another slate was located.”
“Is that here?”
“Yes, St. Crute Monastery. Originally, this was not a huge monastery but the site of a former temple of Solari.”
Cordelia happily listened to Jude’s explanation, but soon gasped.
Because she remembered one more fact.
“The slate.”
To be exact, the slate found in Galleon’s tomb.
They didn’t have it now.
It was one of the many items they lost while they were traveling in the wild lands.
“It’s all right. Because it’s here and here.”
Jude then patted his chest and head with his fingers as he said that.
“Head and chest?”
“Yes, I put it in my Memory Palace, and when I was making the shampoo and conditioner, I put it down on paper.”
The stone slate itself was just an ordinary stone.
What was important was not the slate itself, but its content, which Jude had already memorized in the evening they got the slate.
“JudeWiki is awesome.”
“Please praise me more.”
“JudeWiki is really amazing.”
Cordelia emphasized it once more as he wished, and began jumping again in her happiness.
Because she was a woman who liked getting items in the first place. And that there was something special with the five slates of Solari.
‘Because I couldn’t collect all of them in the game!’
An event that was not in the game.
Items that could not be obtained in the game.
Moreover, it was the most important treasure of the Solari denomination that was hidden in Gallus’ tomb.
Just imagining what kind of item they would get made her feel excited.
“Then this place is where Berfa’s tomb is.”
Paladin Berfa, one of Gallus’ three disciples.
Cordelia cheerfully replied at Jude’s comment.
“Anyway, there’s a slate here too. That means we’re one step closer to Gallus’ tomb.”
And there must be good items hidden in Berfa’s tomb.
Wasn’t the Holy Lance we found in Galleon’s tomb useful?
‘Though we lost that too.’
They had used it once to destroy the rocky mountain of Violent Avalanche.
‘It was a good item though.’
Because we were able to win.
After briefly remembering the toddling Violent Avalanche, Cordelia turned to Jude.
“Do you know the exact location? St. Crute Monastery is very big.”
“Yes, I had a rough idea when we got here.”
“As expected of my Jude.”
Cordelia then happily asked as she hugged Jude’s arm.
“Where is it?”
“Uh, that is…”
“Yes, that is?”
As Cordelia hugged Jude’s arm tighter, Jude was instantly embarrassed when he felt a softness that was beyond his imagination, and he tried to keep his cool because it would provide Cordelia an opportunity to attack if he showed that he was bothered by it.
‘Wait, if I think about it, isn’t it nice if I get attacked?’
Anyway.
Jude calmed himself by clearing his throat, and spoke afterwards.
“When Manuel arrives, let’s ask him if we can go there. Berfa’s tomb itself in in a prayer hall located in a corner of the cemetery attached to the St. Crute Monastery.”
“I see, we’ll be visiting it before meeting the branch leader, right?”
“Yes, we’ll probably meet the branch leader after lunch at the earliest.”
And it went as Jude had expected.
Manuel appeared to invite them for breakfast, and struggled with his hangover as he said with an apologetic face.
“I think the meeting with our branch leader will be this afternoon. I apologize that I cannot tell you an exact time.”
“No, that should be enough.”
To begin with, they also needed some time.
Jude comforted Manuel with a smile, and then said with his usual sly face.
“By the way, Manuel.”
“Yes, Lord Jude.”
“I would like to take a tour of St. Crute Monastery after breakfast. Would that be okay?”
“Of course. May I show you around?”
“We’d appreciate it. However, we would like to have a moment of prayer at a prayer hall if possible.”
“Prayer?”
“Yes, in a quiet place if possible.”
After all, the Guardians of the Holy Cross was formed from the denominations that worshipped gods.
So it the act of praying itself was not strange.
Therefore, Jude skillfully led the conversation.
For Manuel himself to recommend the prayer hall where Berfa’s tomb was hidden.
‘It’s amazing every time I see it.’
Where did he learn how to scam like that?
Did he learn that from that Alexei person he talked about in the past?
Cordelia admired Jude’s skill of coaxing Manuel. At the same time, she also felt some fear, but that was only for a short while.
After all, Jude is a scammer on my side.
“Then, I’ll show you around after the meal.”
“Yes, thank you very much.”
An hour later.
After they finished eating at the cafeteria, Jude and Cordelia arrived at the prayer hall in the corner of the cemetery.
“Then, I hope you have a good time.”
“Yes, thank you.”
Manuel gave a slightly awkward greeting before he left the prayer hall, and after waiting for him to completely leave, Jude and Cordelia hurried into the prayer hall.
“Wow, it looks like an old place.”
The stone prayer hall looked like a building from at least a hundred years ago.
“Because Berfa herself was a person hundreds of years ago.”
“You’re right.”
Since it was a prayer hall, Solari’s symbol was engraved on the front side.
A brightly shining sun.
Cordelia closed her eyes in silence and offered a short prayer while Jude looked around.
It was a slightly wide yet slightly narrow place.
“Are you done praying?”
“Yes, sorry. I should have told you that I’m done.”
“It’s all right.”
Though Solari is no longer watching us right now.
Opinions were divided regarding Solari, but there were stories that she had died, or that she had simply returned to heaven.
‘The belief that she died is more popular though.’
Even if she wasn’t dead, she was most likely almost dead and just waiting to be resurrected.
‘Moving on.’
What mattered now was Berfa’s tomb.
Jude recalled the information engraved on the slate and found the hidden door of the prayer hall.
“Bingo.”
A secret door leading to the basement.
When he opened the door that seemed to not have been opened for hundreds of years since it was closed, a spacious and dark basement was revealed. It seemed to be at least 10 meters deep.
“It’s somehow creepy.”
“It’s a tomb after all.”
Jude shrugged his shoulders in response, and cast some light magic under their feet as they jumped into the basement.
A vertically long room.
It was around 7 meters wide and 20 meters high.
At the end of the room was a large sarcophagus just like the tomb of Galleon.
And there was one more thing in common here.
[Who dares disturb the warrior’s rest!]
A light appeared next to the sarcophagus as a voice rang in the enclosed space, and two of the lowest-ranking angels, Tomb Guardians, appeared in front of them.
[Who dares disturb the warrior’s rest!]
It was quite intimidating to see the Tomb Guardians, who looked like black panthers with glowing eyes and spread-out wings.
But Jude just snickered.
Because he was now strong enough to not be intimidated by the Tomb Guardians.
‘And.’
In fact, there was one more important reason.
Jude grinned as he crossed his arms and shouted with his chin up.
“Go! Cordeliamon! I choose you this time!”
“You wanna die?”
Cordelia cursed him but she stepped forward like he wanted. As she faced the Tomb Guardians, she transformed into an angel.
The beams of light spread out and drove away the darkness, and an angel’s halo clearly shined above her head.
Furthermore, she was no longer a ninth-ranked angel.
Because she had absorbed some of the divine power in the divine sword ClaĂ­omh Solais, Cordelia had been promoted at once to the seventh rank.
She was a seventh rank and not a ninth rank.
As to what that meant…
“Hey, get down.”
When Cordelia haughtily ordered, the Tomb Guardians reflexively bowed down on the floor.
They couldn’t help it.
Cordelia was a seventh rank, and the Tomb Guardians were ninth rank.
“Hurray for hierarchical societies.”
Jude clapped his hands and widely smiled, and Cordelia snorted before saying.
“I prefer democracy.”
As expected of Cordelia.
You like to say nonsensical stuff.
But it’s fine since you’re cute.
Jude thought about nonsensical stuff like Cordelia before he approached her hand and extended his hand.
“Then, Miss Angel, shall we go?”
“Yes, Milord.”
The two held hands like a fantasy couple and proceeded towards Berfa’s sarcophagus with graceful steps.