Wandering Mercenary in an Open World

Chapter 32:

After half a day of advancing smoothly through the water, the ferry arrived at a small island.

The sight that greeted the disembarked passengers was somewhat surreal. 

Standing majestically at a distance were two different giant spires. At the top of each spire, there were statues of a benevolent-looking goddess, holding bouquets of daisies in their hands, and a large bell, clearly visible from afar.

The buildings lining the paved path leading to the spires were neatly aligned and well-painted, exuding a sense of unity.

Ruon raised an eyebrow as he observed the scene from afar. 

‘This could pass for a small city, couldn’t it?’

As the group proceeded towards what appeared to be a checkpoint, an unexpressive soldier was addressing the crowd in a booming voice.

“Non-believers are not allowed entry to the Grand Church. If you’re here for pilgrimage, head over to that building.”

He pointed to a smaller structure that seemed to be a miniature version of the distant twin spires.

As most people quietly followed the instructions and walked in that direction, all that remained at the gate were a few knights and priests who he had seen on the ship. 

Recognised by the soldiers, they all walked through the gates without resistance. Eventually, only Ruon, Igor, and Becky remained.

While Ruon contemplated whether he should plainly show the Holy Sword, Igor handed over a neatly rolled piece of old parchment to the soldier.

“I am Igor, and I have been officially appointed to the Grand Church with a recommendation from Priest Jonathan. This is an official document stamped with the seal of the Church.”

The soldier carefully examined the parchment and nodded slowly. 

“Welcome, brethren. You may pass.”

Igor then pointed at Ruon and Becky, adding, “This person does not yet hold any position related to the church, but he is a warrior entrusted with a sacred relic by the Goddess. And this woman is-“

Before Igor could continue, another soldier rushed over and whispered something quietly into the ear of the one standing before the group.

Though it was meant to be a hushed whisper, Ruon’s acute hearing caught the words clearly.

“The High Priestess has ordered us to welcome these three individuals.”

***

‘They knew I was coming?’

Ruon frowned as the soldiers led the way.

It wasn’t exactly a pleasant feeling to know that someone was monitoring his movements.

Whether it was the High Priestess or Tibella herself.

At that moment, Igor whispered softly. 

“Ruon-sama, where do you think we’re going?”

They were moving away from the twin spires and taking a remote path, which seemed to confuse him.

Ruon was also curious about that, but since there was no sign of deceit in the soldiers’ faces, he shrugged and replied. 

“It seems like someone you admire is looking for us.”

“Huh?”

Meanwhile, the group arrived in front of a mansion.

The tall iron gates of the mansion were wide open on both sides, making their existence seem almost meaningless.

‘Could it be because of these flowers?’

Ruon glanced at the pale pink daisies adorning the path where the gate opened and closed.

He had never imagined that a mansion would leave its gate open for fear of wilting flowers, so he couldn’t help but wonder if the High Priestess had a soft heart.

As he was contemplating, a soft-spoken young woman emerged from behind the door and addressed the soldiers. 

“You’ve worked hard. You may leave now.”

The soldiers, who had been guiding the group, nodded briefly and returned the way they came.

‘Is that her?’

Under Ruon’s gaze, she smiled gently and extended her arm toward the mansion’s interior.

“Please come this way.”

On a serene path lined with patterned stone benches, the group followed the woman into what seemed like the mansion’s garden.

Raising her voice, the woman announced, “The guests have arrived.”

“Oh, really?”

Near the garden, where the tangerine trees emitted a subtle fragrance, an old woman who had been squatting and planting something in a flowerbed stood up, straightening her hunched back. 

The old woman walked straight toward them holding a plant bulb in her hand, its roots covered in dirt.

She smiled. It was the warm smile of a woman in the twilight of her life, revealing gentle wrinkles.

“It’s truly an honor to meet you, warrior.”

“Are you the High Priestess?”

“Eeek!”

Even though the conversation was started by the old woman and Ruon, it was Igor who became the center of attention.

Igor seemed not to realize he had yelled out and blinked, his eyes wide, his lips muttering incomprehensibly.

“Th-The High Priestess?”

As Igor stuttered, the old woman, with a soft gaze, redirected her attention towards Ruon.

“It’s an embarrassing nickname.”

“I thought the High Priestess would be in the church.”

“I can’t tend to my small garden within those walls.”

The old woman answered and placed the bulb back into the ground, brushing off her soil-covered hands.

“Lauren, will you prepare some tea?”

“Yes.”

As the woman named Lauren bowed her head and headed back towards the mansion, the High Priestess beckoned them to follow.

“Come this way.”

A short while later, the group sat around a small table near the garden’s pond.

‘It feels like we’re on a picnic.’

Ruon let out a quiet sigh.

The table was filled with teacups and appetizing biscuits, but nobody reached out to take any. Igor’s face was filled with excitement as he gawked at the High Priestess, and Becky seemed uncomfortable, constantly fidgeting with her hands.

Of course, Ruon wasn’t interested either. 

He hadn’t crossed the sea and walked all the way to the Grand Church to leisurely sip tea.

He asked, “Did Tibella tell you I was coming?”

The old woman, who had been silent for a moment, slowly spoke. 

“You can think of it that way if you’d like.”

Although it felt awkward for Ruon to question an old priestess, the fact that she herself seemed unfazed made him put up with the discomfort and continue with his questions.

“What did Tibella say?”

The High Priestess lifted the corners of her mouth.

“Warrior, Mother’s intentions are not that straightforward. She only conveys fragmented scenes to me through dreams. I interpret those scenes and provide guidance. Today, my awareness of your arrival was through a similar process.”

Looking at Ruon, she added, “However, you have appeared quite frequently, so it was only natural to be pleased.”

Ruon didn’t feel like trying to understand the words of the High Priestess. Instead, he went straight to what he wanted to say.

“The reason I came here was not to hear that I appeared in your dream. It’s about the story related to how I acquired this sword.”

He placed the Holy Sword on the table.

“I took this sword after killing one of Belducias’s minions. No, it would be more accurate to say I was given it. Thanks to that, everyone’s praising me as some champion, even though I never sought such a title.”

“I see.”

Ruon watched as the woman smiled silently and pressed her lips to her teacup.

“To be blunt, ever since I obtained this sword, I’ve been entangled in various events, unintentionally drawing attention from Belducias. So, I’m planning to kill him, but I don’t have any means to pursue him directly. Can you help?”

Ruon spoke without hesitation, causing even the composed High Priestess to seem slightly taken aback.

However, Ruon’s expression remained calm.

It was because, when he peered into the future during his vision at the Tower, Ruon had made up his mind to challenge Belducias without hesitation.

It wasn’t fueled by burning hatred towards Belducias, but because he knew the significance of facing the ultimate evil according to the sentence he had been holding on to for so long.

[Confront countless monsters, demons, and legends, and complete your story.]

Ruon had a vague understanding of the true meaning behind that sentence. This damn game was asking him to accomplish some sort of grand feat.

The end of this journey was still unknown, but one thing was certain. There was no entity greater than Belducias to be offered as a sacrifice.

However, regardless of his determination, Ruon lacked the ability to pursue Belducias. Therefore, he had no choice but to seek help from the Tibella’s Grand Church.

In a sense, it was the natural choice.

After all, his involvement with Belducias began with the purification of the Tibella Monastery, and what he held in his hands was the Holy Sword that devoured the power of demons.

“…”

Understanding the implications of his statement, both Igor and Becky gulped as they alternated their gazes between Ruon and the High Priestess.

Then, the High Priestess spoke slowly.

“You’re talking about this entity that everyone fears like it’s merely a fox in the mountains.”

‘Did it sound like that?’

Ruon half-jokingly replied.

“As Tibella’s champion, I should be at least that strong, shouldn’t I?”

In response, the High Priestess slowly nodded her head.

“As you must know best, you are not Tibella’s champion. Mother didn’t gift you that sword with those intentions.”

Surprised by her unexpected words, Ruon stared directly at the High Priestess and spoke.

“I’ve always wondered why I received such an extravagant gift for what little I accomplished. Why did Tibella give me this sword?”

The High Priestess responded. 

“Warrior, even before you dealt with the demons’ minions, Mother had been watching over you. And it’s not just her.”

‘What?’

Ruon raised an eyebrow. Meanwhile, she continued.

“The beings who watch over us along with Mother have a great interest in your journey.”

Even without explicitly mentioning them, it was obvious who those beings were. If they were situated near Tibella, they must be the Seven Ancient Gods.

Upon realizing that the gods were taking an unexpected interest in him, Ruon frowned.

“Am I just a puppet on their stage?”

“Well, not exactly… It’s more like a new…”

As she spoke further, the High Priestess suddenly paused.

“Never mind, I may have gone too far. Please forget what I said.”

Saying so, she reached her wrinkled hand towards the sword on the table and closed her eyes as if to soften the atmosphere.

After a moment of silence, she opened her eyes and continued. 

“If you follow the power this sword consumes, you will eventually reach the proximity of that Great Demon. It acts as a kind of compass.”

Ruon raised an eyebrow at her vague statement.

“How do I do that…”

He was about to say that he didn’t know, but he held back his words.

Holy Power.

A few days ago, he had gained a new ability through leveling up, which could help enhance the Holy Sword’s power even further.

The High Priestess smiled gently. 

“The sword has been telling you that from the beginning. You just didn’t realize it. But you can’t wait forever, can you?

“Warrior, I will look for someone who can help you. There are many exceptional paladins and priests who can provide you with guidance.”

Ruon turned his head silently in response to her words to find Igor, fiddling with his fingers while listening to the conversation.

Ruon smirked.

“Since we’ve already been traveling together, join me.”

“But I’ve just arrived…”