15. Footsteps of old saints.(3)

“This… .”

What should I accept?

Why is the name of Grandeus appearing here?

“Right! It was here!”

Filbar, who appeared with a large parasol, waved the cloth in both hands as if there was a response.

“Have you seen or heard anything?”

“Yes.”

Kariel asked with her eyes in the direction of Alessia and the Baronens family, which were located some distance away.

“Grandeus, you know?”

“Everyone knows. But why do you ask that?”

“… He was Saint Cariel’s teacher.”

After wondering for a while, Pilbar suddenly opened his eyes.

“what… still? Oh My God. this is it? Oh, wait. Do you know the identity of Grandeus? This… In general, this would not be information. huh?”

His expression changed in an instant, he looked around, then put his lips to Kariel’s ear and whispered.

“If you knew, the story would be easier. For now, I think it would be best not to tell anyone about it.”

“… … .”

“Right. If this is misinformed, there is a strong possibility that it will have a very large impact on the perception of chivalry, not only in the Church, but in general. It will go beyond protest and cover-up measures.”

“Then the truth… Are you hiding it?”

“The truth is not important. What matters is how the living accept it. And it’s not hiding, it’s just not talking. Aren’t we doing something bad?”

So this.

“500 years. Otherwise, it will be aged for about 1,000 years, so it won’t be too late to announce it then.”

“… … .”

“Humans and civilized societies are indeed fragile. Every wise individual will accept this, but there will be many, many more who will not accept it even if the sky falls. Conversely, those who will take advantage of it.”

Kariel had no choice but to nod slowly.

“understanding… I did.”

“ha. I deserve to be happy, but this complicated heart. Another inspiration springs up. Hmm! good! Then I’m going to go ahead with my work again. Did we have nothing to do? Did you know? Let’s try to kiss each other in moderation on this later.”

Could it be because of the fact that large parasols were opened inside the city, especially on the street corners?

By that time, a commotion, not a fuss, had begun.

“It’s the baron!”

“Lord?”

Baron Roia quickly took care of it, so I didn’t have much trouble.

“So, what is this place?”

“you’re right. St. Kariel would have died here.”

And then, Philvar, who sneakily glimpsed Kariel.

“Hmm.”

Alessia, with a slightly gloomy face, looked at the streets where people were passing by while holding her breath.

“I plan to use magic to realize the situation at the time as a fantasy. Oh, but the streets are narrow, so please hand over someone. It could be a problem for nothing, so let’s try an additional barrier. That’s it, let’s do it after the sun goes down. Some of them came for the purpose of confirming the location anyway.”

Then, feeling inspired, Filvar hopped into the carriage.

“Is that so?”

Baron Roia said, refreshing the atmosphere.

“That’s it, everyone disband! Let’s meet here again in the evening.”

the baron said again.

“They say they’re preparing for the festival, but that’ll be a lot of fun, so don’t be burdened and go see them to your heart’s content.”

These are words about Alessia and Kariel.

The two nodded their heads meekly.

“Then let’s go to church with me. If you were planning to come here, you were going to stop by anyway, right?”

At Alessia’s suggestion, Kariel followed suit without saying a word.

“No matter what, it’s troublesome if you keep dressing like this.”

Enjoying the grumbling and the atmosphere of preparation for the festival.

Did I mention there are two days left?

Originally, I had planned to visit a church or something.

regardless of the festival.

“… … .”

There seems to be no law that always goes according to plan.

A small mountain rising above the city.

The church building standing proudly on top of it could only be reached by climbing a little less than 200 stone steps.

The problem was that the arrangement of the stairs sometimes spiraled beyond the uphill, so it was not an easy structure to climb in a general category.

The height of each stone step is also jumbled.

Still, if you go up somehow, you can see the scenery of the small town at a glance, so this is also a taste of sightseeing.

Even some of them were hidden by the mountain, and they were complaining in real time from young men and women nearby.

“Hey, can I go up the church building for a minute?”

“yes? consolation? why?”

“I wondered what it would be like to see it from above.”

“If you can go up, why not try it?”

Alessia didn’t expect much from what she said.

However, after casually stepping on the wall of the building several times, Kariel began to burn the wall as if jumping vertically.

“Wow! what is that?”

“Are you an elf?”

“What is so nimble?”

away from the ground in an instant.

Eventually, when I climbed to the top of the church, the view changed again.

“… … .”

The impression that his heart was squirming with emotion, or his eyes were wide open.

I couldn’t really feel it.

It is still his emotions, and he reaffirmed that his emotions are not as active as before.

There are many good things about being calm because you are less agitated by the things around you.

Is it because of that?

The world feels more and more dull.

Boring, fleeting, empty.

And you find yourself accepting everything as if it were natural.

“… … .”

how many seconds have passed

It was like Kariel walking in the air, so it was a stepping stone and an empty space with no place to step.

His body fell straight down.

A few who watched this screamed in surprise or covered their eyes.

dump!

Right before colliding with the ground, Kariel, who controlled the speed by spurring the wall, took the fall without any problems with her nimble movements and finished the landing.

“Where else did you learn that?”

“… Rather than learned, naturally?”

It’s faint, but I’ve been able to do this naturally since someday.

Even this, if you think about it, it’s not that you’re using Kariel’s own power.

There is no way that he, who was sluggish in mana utilization in the first place, could exert such a great power with his own power.

On the one hand, mana and magic utilization were inappropriate, but instead, I wondered if this kind of skill was acquired.

I just think so.

“How are you doing?”

“It’s like a gap in the wind. You just have to cross the road well… It’s hard to explain.”

“Hmm.”

“Isn’t it easy for Alessia-sama to go up and down here?”

“… There’s nothing you can’t do if you try. It’s more tiring to be caught and listened to, so even if I do, I’ll do it secretly.”

Alessia looked worried, as if something might come to mind.

“Oh, look at my mind. Let’s go inside.”

Kariel looked at the entrance and sighed lightly.

… … I knew it.

The church was inconvenient in many ways.

A solemn atmosphere or something with a holy air flow was actually not important.

when you come here

The more holy, sacred, and solemn the place is.

Because it inadvertently reminds me of my mother, Ermina.

However, unlike the exterior, the church here has a simpler internal structure than expected.

The height is high, but all of that is not divided into layers or anything.

The ceiling is high, and the sunlight is iridescent thanks to the stained glass, creating a beautiful and sacred atmosphere.

Still, it doesn’t hit me that much.

Inside, exactly in the shape of a cross, the building was open.

And in the center of the cross, in the center of the interior of the church.

… The stone statues were placed there.

A man kneeling on one knee, holding the hilt of his sword with both hands.

Even so, he did not fall down in the end, leaning his forehead and head on both hands holding the sack.

The figure of a man standing with his eyes closed.

A stone statue that an artist completed over five years in honor of St. Cariel.

Toward the man who was sitting like that, leaning his forehead against the sword pierced into the ground.

from behind your back.

shabby attire.

Men and women of all ages, dressed in rags and rags, put their hands on the hem of his clothes, back, and shoulders with sad faces, put their heads together, and leaned their arms.

I was crying.

No, a crying expression would be the correct answer.

A stone statue cannot shed tears.

Just look at that expression and accept and interpret it that way.

In the vicinity of the stone statue, Iwa, who seems to be a believer.

Swordsmen in plain clothes were often seen bowing their heads in mourning with their eyes closed, while silently meditating on one side.

“I’ll change my clothes and come back, so take your time and look around.”

let her go

Once again the world is enveloped in silence.

It was an atmosphere where everyone took care of themselves, just like the inside of the church.

Kariel went to the farthest possible corner and leaned back, looking into the air and asking.

“Why did Grandeus teach Kariel?”

-How do I know that?

That fact must have come as a surprise to her as well.

– Just because I know a lot doesn’t mean I know everything. If so, should I have been the demon king of omniscience or the demon king of wisdom?

“… … .”

-Isn’t it your will to come here? I don’t think I’ve ever wished for a single moment. Rather, I want to ask. What did you come here for? Were you expecting this to happen?

“It can’t be.”

It was very embarrassing.

Of course, he learned the swordsmanship of Grandeus.

And again, in the midst of this journey to retrieve Grandeus’ magic weapon.

… Was your name, Kariel, related to Grandeus?

If Kariel herself hadn’t come here, she wouldn’t have known all of this.

– Do you feel like it’s just a coincidence? Then it’s not a coincidence, it’s inevitable.

“… … .”

Then it gets even weirder.

And, once you start to understand that.

… My life, even the pain and unreasonableness of my life in general.

all… Doesn’t that mean it was planned and scheduled?

Looking back, even the anger that was not there is new.

It feels like I’ve been fooled by someone’s malicious prank.

“It’s a knight and a nabal, and it’s not my business.”

don’t want to be

there’s no reason it should be

All I have left is an empty pride that has lost its shape after being crushed and crushed.

Even longing has disappeared.

Even the embers of envy have already been extinguished, turned to ash, and scattered in the wind, and have been scattered for a long time.

don’t want

I didn’t expect it, I didn’t even dream of it.

Be it a knight or a warrior.

If at all, you were born to be that.

If you were born with such an absurd fate.

Even if it means death, I will firmly reject it.

In any case.

even if it is

Even if it’s something someone so desperately craved and wanted.

Among the many, many people in the world.

In short, there will be no me.

—-

While I had time, I asked the demon king about this and that.

“Even your people in the past openly insulted you. How do you feel?”

-I made you curse. to do it right Every time I meet a human being, I was told to curse, but they are doing well. Is that all sincere?

… This was a bit surprising.

Is this demon lord completely excluded from the kind of desires such as the minimum recognition, the desire to show off and make achievements?

-It is the difference between the value pursued and the purpose. Is there no such thing as me?

the devil said

-The only thing I feared was losing his favor. The rest of the gaze and evaluation? It doesn’t matter.

This may also be another form of self-righteousness.

“What was the golden rule, how did you come up with it?”

– To make the opponent respect.

So that.

-Because I will be able to have an attitude of talking and negotiating with you on an equal footing like now. It’s kind of prior training.

There is no such thing as a demon.

Even if there is, it is only a contract.

-From your point of view, it is the nature of demons to be so violent and violent that even savages fold a few times.

“Because of you, they were able to have that attitude, is that the story?”

– but not all. But is that unavoidable? Wolves, sheep, and bears, no matter how they compromise, birds and fish are all confined in one enclosure. Do you think this makes sense?

It’s not okay, kid.

– The faster you give up, the higher the goal completion value. Useless lingering and obsession are the enemies of wisdom.

She was as adamant as ever.

So I’m curious.

when the heck is it

Will I be able to crumple the impression of this damn demon king like a piece of paper?

“Did you wait long?”

Alessia is back.

As for the attire, it was a normal active wear that men would often wear.

Seeing that the brown top was especially baggy, it seemed like she was wearing something that was intentionally increased in size due to her bust size.

On top of that, it was a bit stylish to wear a red badge that reached below the waist.

“no. It was also fun to watch.”

“Is there anything to see here?”

“There are people, there are buildings, there are structures. Are you diverse? Just like each one has its own story and circumstances.”

for example.

“How much manpower and effort was mobilized to build this church building. Aren’t they here now thanks to their sweat, effort, and time? Same with that statue over there.”

“… You are also very observant.”

“Yes?”

“I usually only look at the outside and focus on what I can see, so I don’t try to look inside.”

“uh… .”

Kariel was just babbling whatever came out of her mouth, but it must have been misunderstood in a different way.

“Thank you for taking good care of me.”

“I’ll be grateful. They say good things are good, is that something to be thankful for?”

… really.

Alessia is a good person.

“… … .”

Saint Ermina.

She also often listened to the stories around her, and was always considered a noble and sacred being that was unprecedented in the world.

Also, more benevolent than anyone else.

It was infinitely far, far away from me.

Every time I see and experience Alessia, I unintentionally realize the opposite reality.

Even in order not to show the sense of incongruity that comes from that.

Because Kariel sometimes silently portrays silence and a smile.

Who said that a festival is a part of a festival, even the moment of preparation?

When I left the church and entered the city again, laughter did not stop, as always in crowded places.

Looking at the children’s eyes sparkling with anticipation, I almost inadvertently loosened my mouth.

I managed to remember what Luke introduced me to yesterday, and threw me a piece of fruit to taste with a smile on my eyes.

A stage or something was temporarily erected, from which side came the sound of hammers hitting regularly.

Children run around, and carriages loaded with colorful flower baskets move.

Some people are keen on cleaning for cleaner streets than before.

Someone shows off their singing skills in preparation for that day to come, and hears from people around them.

‘Everything.’

colorful and peaceful

Slowly inhale and exhale.

The sight until sunset.

I chased happily.