Chapter 118

Chapter 118 – The proposed location of the Sarah Ferrule Cathedral (II)

The construction of the Sarah Ferrule Cathedral was announced to the countries of the continent on behalf of the Great Temple of Emerdia. This was done for the purpose of gathering labor for the construction.

One of the craftsmen had a house that was a small workshop with a furnace. The craftsman then, now overseer. hired several laborers to live and work with him, doing blacksmith work mainly for small items such as tools and nails.

With so many people gathered and the town expanding day by day, there was a demand for a wide variety of iron products. Not only tools were made, but also pots, sickles, knives and anything else that was made of iron. The orders that came into the store took up the workers’ schedule for the entire day.

“Hey, guys! Another order for three hundred nails! But there’s still plenty of work to do today! Keep up the good work!”

“Yes, boss!” The workers responded to the smithy boss’s request with vigor.

It was not an uncommon scene in this town now. There were various professions and workshops, but everywhere demand outstripped supply, and when the furnaces and boilers were fired up, the town looked like a battlefield.

There was a man named Rolf who had been working in the workshop for two weeks. He wore a gray shirt and heavy pants. He was a stocky man, with muscles formed from blacksmithing that bulged his shirt. Although he had a stubble, he had a fierce face. As his muscles indicated, he was good at hard work. He was also very good with his hands, and his boss was especially fond of him.

“Hey, Rolf, do you want to go for a drink or something now? I found a place with some pretty girls.”

“…No, sorry. I don’t like going out.”

“What, and why is that?”

“Well, no use complaining. He doesn’t go out drinking. But I’ll go out with you instead.”

“What, and who invited you?”

“What, you have a problem with me?”

“If it was with Rolf, we could attract women, but you…”

“What the hell are you saying, it’s not like you’re any different than me! Even if you go with Rolf, he’ll take all the women and you’ll end up with the shopkeeper at best.”

“Haa, dare you say that to me again, you bastard! I’m better than you! And I tell you, if I wanted to, I could have a woman or two…”

“To another dog with that bone!”

“Ha, you want me to prove it to you? Just watch, asshole. I’ll get me a girl or two without Rolf.”

“Yeah, let’s see it! Hey, Rolf. Tell the boss we went for a drink!”

“Oh, okay.”

The two colleagues, like Rolf, were also workers, so when they went out for a drink, they would ask him to tell the boss. So whether they got along or not, they walked out of the shop shoulder to shoulder, yelling at each other. After dismissing them, Rolf set about cleaning up the day’s work.

“I’ve heard that Rolf is a fervent believer in some kind of god. That’s why he doesn’t drink, apparently.”

“What commandment is that, exactly? What does he expect from life if he can’t drink? If I were him, I wouldn’t want a god that forbids me to drink.”

“Hey, Rolf’s going to listen to you.”

“Still, I didn’t know there was such a god.”

“Oh, what was… the name of that god.”

“Isn’t it Anastasia-sama?”

“No, no. I mean, if Anastasia-sama banned drinking, alcohol would disappear from this world…”

“Speaking of which, you’re right.”

…It’s Noale-sama.

The voices of his two coworkers trailed off. As he watched them leave, Rolf chanted the name of the god he believed in in his heart. The sacred seal on his chest. Originally, Rolf had the status of a priest.

The name of this god was Noale. Very few people knew the name of this god. Even among the clergy, it was probably only a handful. Nevertheless, he was a very important figure in the story of the creation of this world. The counterpart of Anastasia, the goddess of creation. People called him the god of the end.

Noale, the god of destruction.

Destruction, disappearance and death.

Noale, the God of Destruction, had a strong image of an evil god. But from creation to destruction, and back to creation. The destruction that preceded Noale was destruction for the sake of creation, and was not related to destruction or ruin by human standards. However, the negative image of Noale could not be erased and was forgotten by the people, but in recent years, his name had been whispered among certain groups. Among the people of a northern country that was destroyed by demons. Rolf was also from a northern country that suffered that same fate. While wandering as a refugee, he learned of the existence of Noale, the God of Destruction, from a fellow countryman. Rolf changed his religion from the god he had been believing in and came to believe in Noale, eventually receiving the rank of priest. However, many of his compatriots, when Rolf became devoted to the God of Destruction Noale, distanced themselves from him.

On the other hand, Noale, the God of Destruction, did not forbid drinking alcohol. It was only Rolf, who was not good at socializing, used his faith as an excuse to refuse to drink. Since the number of believers was small, even if he had the rank of a priest, he had no power in society.

Like many refugees, Rolf was struggling to make ends meet. It was then that he heard about the construction of a new town. A cathedral was to be built in the name of St. Sarah Ferrule, and around the cathedral a town would be built. If he went there, he could get a job, and if he was lucky, he might even be able to build a small church to the god Noale in the new town. With this in mind, Rolf arrived at the future village.

“Hey, Rolf. You have a visitor.”

After cleaning up, he was about to eat dinner and go to bed early, when the man who had hired him arrived.

“A visitor?”

“I’ve got him waiting outside. Go see him.”

“I wonder if he’s one of my compatriots. Thank you very much.” He thanked his boss. When he went outside, he saw a person in a black-gray tunic standing there. The man had the hood of the tunic on, so he couldn’t see his face. All he could tell was that it was a man.

“Tch… Rolf, it’s you, isn’t it?”

“Yes, it is, but who are you, do I know you?”

But the hooded man didn’t answer the question, but clicked his tongue and slowly pulled back his hood to show his face to Rolf.

“Hey, Rolf. If it’s an acquaintance of yours who came to visit, I’ll give you some money to go out to dinner with him… Rolf?” The shop master thoughtfully went out to give Rolf some money to go out to eat, but his employee and the hooded man who had come to visit him were not there.

◇◆◇◆◇

The temporary temple of Sarah Ferrule Cathedral was a two-story wooden structure. On the second floor were the kitchen and dining room, which were necessary for a group of people to live together. It was also on the second floor where those who came to seek salvation were ushered into a room where a statue of the goddess was enshrined.

Wynn, Leticia and Mito were taken to a room on the second floor. Abel, Seri and Liesbert were with them.

On the second floor were the rooms and chambers of the clerics who worked in the temporary temple. However, the six were sent first to Liara’s room. As the person in charge of the temple, she was given the largest room, as expected. In the center of the room was a desk, several chairs and a vase with flowers. There was a large bookshelf against the wall.

“Hey, Wynn. Liara-sama is that Saint, right? The real one, right?”

“Y-yes. That’s right.”

Abel, sitting next to Wynn, whispered excitedly.

“Really? That’s awesome. It’s the real deal. I can brag to my brother… no, I can brag to the guys in the guild about this. I can’t believe I got to meet one of the members of the Brave’s party that defeated the demon king, and even have dinner with her!”

“Huh? Oh, I see…”

Come to think of it, Abel has been immersed in the adventurer’s guild and hasn’t returned home.

In fact, they also received a visit from another of Leticia’s companions named Tiara at the Wandering Bird’s Nest. Raul, who even stayed at the inn, did not reveal who he was, so his true identity went unnoticed. However, Tiara also helped Seri repair the shack Wynn lived in when it was borrowed to her. And Abel’s childhood friend Leticia was also known as the “Brave”.

Guild guys… haven’t you told Abel about Letty yet?

The veteran adventurers of the Simurgh Adventurers Guild knew that Letty, who used to come and go from the guild with Wynn when she was a child, was actually Brave Mavis herself. However, they had kept it from Abel. They knew Abel had a crush on Leticia, and it was funny to them.

“Really, it’s really incredible. You think so too, don’t you, Wynn?”

“Oh, right. Something like that.”

Beside him, Leticia struggled to contain her laughter.

“But I think I’m getting used to these kinds of situations lately.”

“Well, Wynn, you’re a knight, aren’t you? So, you get to talk to nobles and the like. But come on, you’re meeting with Liara-sama. It’s not at all the same as meeting with a noble.”

Alfred, the crown prince of the Lemmrousell Empire. First Princess Cornelia. The Great Sage, Tiara Scyrus Velfa, The Sword Saint, Raul Orto Lyon. Mito, the Sword Crafter.

Wynn had met a lot of people who would end up going down in history books and folklore, Leticia aside. He wondered if he should explain that.

Abel looked at Liara. His eyes held a hint of longing.

“Yes, I know exactly what you’re feeling.”

To be honest, certainly seeing Liara Thane made his own heart dance. But he didn’t feel like he was stiff with nerves in front of her. Even among Leticia’s friends, Raul and Tiara had an unapproachable air about them. He didn’t feel that with Liara. She carried an atmosphere of calm that gently enveloped everyone. He found it understandable that they called her Saint.

The four priestesses, who were approaching old age, brought them food. Since they were near the sea, they were served a seafood soup and white fish. On the table was a basket of bread. Mito was served a large wooden cup filled to the top with sake.

“Hoho, this is good sake!” Mito’s face scrunched up as he smelled the alcohol.

The priestesses who had finished serving the food were kneeling praying to Liara.

After the death of the canonized Saints, a temple was built in their name and they were enshrined as divinities, just like Sarah Ferrule. Also, Liara was to go to heaven as a deity when her life was over. That was why the faithful prayed to her.

As Wynn watched, he turned his attention to Leticia, who was sitting next to him. She had just thanked for her dinner and was about to spoon a spoonful of soup into her mouth. Not only Liara, but great people who left their name in history were often revered as deities after their death. If he thought about it, Leticia also fit that criteria.

“What’s wrong, Onii-chan?” Leticia noticed Wynn looking at her, and stopped her hand to bring the soup to her mouth.

Letty is a goddess… He smiled bitterly and shrugged her shoulders. Does she bless food too? Then she’s the goddess of the kitchen….

“Mmm… you’re thinking of something rude, aren’t you?”

“It’s just your imagination.” When Leticia gave him a suspicious look, Wynn continued to eat with a clear face.

The thick foliage of the trees blocked out the brightness of the stars, leaving a thick darkness. If he were blind, it would be difficult to even walk. Deep in the forest was a place people refused to tread. It was originally a world of demons and nocturnal beasts that lived in darkness. The only exceptions were the elves, who called themselves the sons of the forest. They hunted the demons that lurked in the darkness and protected the order of the forest.

That day, Liesbert and his companions noticed something strange and went to the place and saw the scene. Flames glowing in the deep darkness. A magic circle floating in the air. A skeleton in a robe flickering like fire.

At the command of the old man who summoned the skeleton, it illuminated its eyeless eye sockets with an eerie red light and ravaged Liesbert’s companions. He too was severely wounded by the skeleton, and when he came to, his companions had become a mass of flesh. Dragging his wounded body back to his village, he discovered that those who had remained had disappeared, and the World Tree sapling they had carefully protected had withered and died from the dense miasma.

When Liesbert finished his tale, the room was filled with silence. The pale expression on Liesbert’s face showed that he was not exaggerating at all, and that he had witnessed a terrible disaster. He tried to speak calmly, but when he spoke of the horrible deaths of his comrades, frustration and anger showed on his face.

“Letty. Could it be that skeleton demon…?”

A series of incidents Wynn and the others had to investigate earlier, starting with the kidnapping of a noblewoman. They kidnapped and killed people with magical powers one after another. The bodies were then used as puppets. The demon called “Ruff” that Reynard von Hoffmain, the leader, had summoned when he was cornered by Wynn and the others seemed to be the same demon that Liesbert had mentioned.

‘I’m sure it’s the same demon I saw. So… it has already been destroyed by the hands of the Brave-sama…’ When Wynn told him what happened, Liesbert closed his eyes and nodded. ‘But I have a question.’ Liesbert said as he opened his eyes. ‘Brave-sama. This mage Reynard, he wasn’t a demon, was he?’

Leticia thought for a moment and then slowly shook her head.

‘No. He wasn’t.’

‘If the demon that we encountered and the demon that the Brave-sama destroyed were the same individual, then the person who summoned him could not have been Reynard. I saw it clearly. I could not be mistaken.’

In a place where the forest was slightly open, the summoner who appeared in the light of the magic circle that kept flickering eerily was the one who had given Liesbert nightmares when he was a member of the Continental Anti-Demon Alliance: It was an old man dressed in a tailcoat, like that of a butler who could use the nobility of a human country. However, inside him was an existence very different from that of a human being. This was a demon who confronted and defeated Liesbert and the rest of the elven army all by himself.

‘There is no way I could have mistaken that thing. Even then, I could only watch helplessly as my friends were slaughtered.’ Liesbert’s voice trembled. Liesbert, who had leaked more anger and regret than fear when talking about the monster that had destroyed his village, was terrified just thinking about that tailcoat-wearing demon.

‘That tailcoat-wearing demon. What was the purpose of his raid on the elven village?’ Mito, who had been quietly listening to the conversation, interrupted. The old dwarf, who was over a hundred years old, was able to speak fluent Elvish. He was much more fluent than Wynn, who had learned Elvish at the knight school.

‘When I regained consciousness and returned to my village, there was no sign of the villagers, and the World Tree sapling had withered. From what the Brave-sama said earlier, it is possible that it had fallen victim to a puppet of that wizard named Reynard.’

‘Hmm… a withered World Tree sapling. Remember it? When we first met in the Majil, there was a World Tree sapling in the square where the anthill was.’

A huge crack ran through the thick trunk, and all the leaves had fallen off, leaving only bare branches and a great number of ants swarming around its trunk.

‘It is impossible that a World Tree sapling with the power to purify miasma would wither just because a large number of ant demons had gathered. This meant that something happened to it before the ants appeared, which caused it to wither.’

‘The sapling in Liesbert-san’s village and the sapling we saw on the Majil’s abandoned mine road were both withered. I don’t think it’s a coincidence.’

‘There’s no doubt that demon was responsible for the withering of my village’s sapling, considering the circumstances.’ Liesbert looked at everyone after Wynn’s words and said, ‘If that’s the case, is it natural to think that what happened to the abandoned mine road sapling was also the work of the same demon?’

‘But what exactly is the purpose of making the World Tree saplings wither?’ Leticia put her hand over her mouth and thought about it.

‘The World Tree saplings have the power to purify the miasma released by the demons. Maybe they didn’t want that to keep happening?’

‘The depths of an abandoned mine is a place no one would go near. The only possible reason for the demon to go to that place is because of the World Tree sapling. As Liara said, maybe they didn’t like that miasma purification power…. But if that’s the case, why destroy them now? There have been plenty of opportunities to do so before.’

‘True. If the power to purify the miasma was too strong, it would have been done before Letty defeated the Demon King.’

‘I’m also curious about the fact that the dragon that was protecting the sapling was nowhere to be seen.’

When Mito went to the square where the World Tree sapling was growing a few months ago, there was a dragon living there and no giant ant nest in sight. Probably, something must have happened to the dragon when the demon did something to the World Tree sapling. The dragon was the strongest species among all living things. If it had fought a demon, it would have been ferocious. A large amount of miasma must have been dispersed. That miasma must have caused the ants living underground to turn into demons. Mito thought about this as he stroked his beard.

‘Hearing that there are other saplings that have withered as well as the one that was in my village, there may still be other saplings that have been attacked by demons. Be that as it may, I will be heading to Elnasa tomorrow.’ Liesbert said, with a look of determination on his face. ‘I was able to heal my wounds in this temple. The High Elves of Elnasa must know where the other World Tree saplings are. We must also report on the movements of the demons this time.’

Leticia nodded.

In Elnasa, the Elven capital at the foot of the World Tree, were the High Elves, the royal family of the Elves. Since the High Elves guarded the spirits of the World Tree, they must have known where the saplings were.

‘Yes, that’s right. We don’t know what the demons want right now, and if we go to Elnasa, Tiara will be there. We might be able to find out something.’

‘That’s right.’

Liesbert agreed at Leticia’s words. There was a feeling of impatience in his heart after the destruction of his village, but now Leticia was going to the elven capital. She was right, they could do nothing without more information. It would be better to go to Elnasa as originally planned and tell this to the High Elves and the “Great Sage” Tiara Scyrus Velfa.

“He-Hey, Wynn…”

When he thought Liesbert’s story was over, Abel, who was sitting on the other side of Leticia, asked Wynn in a whisper.

“What on the world did they just talk about?”

“Oh, right…”

Everyone except Abel could normally speak Elvish, so Wynn had forgotten that only he couldn’t speak it.

“Well, to cut to the chase…”

Wynn told Abel what they had been talking about.

He then turned to Seri too, who was sitting behind him.

“So, what are you and Abel going to do now?”

“I-I’m thinking of going to Elnasa with Liesbert-san.”

Seri said she had grandparents in Elnasa from her deceased father.

“Neither my grandfather nor my grandmother know that my father is dead. I’m sure I can never go there unless it’s at an opportunity like this, and I’m going to see them.”

“My job is to escort Seri, so I’ll be there, what about you, Wynn and Letty?” Abel said, looking at Leticia.

“We’re here on an errand. We have a mission, so I guess we’ll leave Abel and the others here.”

“What, I thought we were going to Elnasa together?”

It seemed that Abel thought that Wynn and Leticia would join them on their way to Elnasa from here. Abel, who was fond of Leticia, was obviously disappointed and let down.

“Onii-chan.” Seeing that Wynn and the others had finished talking, Leticia turned to Wynn. “The barriers at Sarah Ferrule’s shrine will be lifted by Liara tomorrow.”

As Wynn explained the content of the conversation to Abel, Leticia seemed to have explained the circumstances of her visit here.

“The sanctuary is so dangerous that it has been locked and magically sealed to prevent anyone from entering without permission. There is also a magical barrier that Sarah herself has placed. I will accompany you to lift the seal and remove the barriers.”

“Thank you.”

Liara smiled at Wynn, who bowed his head. Then she looked at the faces of the others and stood up.

“Well, I think we’re done talking. It’s pretty late at night now. Let’s get some rest for tomorrow. I’ve prepared some hot water for you. Take your time and relax.”

“Really? What a joy!”

Leticia shouted happily, and Seri’s face lit up. A bath was the best luxury to cure the fatigue of a long journey.

“Let’s sweat too. Hey, let’s go, Abel. Abel?”

Abel, who had been looking at Leticia with a relaxed face, was urged to accompany Wynn for a bath, and he and the others headed for the room that had been prepared for them.