Chapter 10
We'd left camp and were traveling along the road.
The grasslands stretching along both sides of the road gradually gave way to scattered trees, until at last a deep forest enclosed the road on both sides.
The trees overhead blocked out the sky, leaving the area dim despite the midday sun.
"There's a clearing up ahead. Let's stop there for a break."
It was just as Roy said this and pointed ahead that it happened.
A sharp whistle split the air, shattering the forest's silence.
"Get down!"
Roy shouted.
An arrow grazed the side of Chris's horse before lodging in the ground.
"We're under attack!"
Jake stepped forward with his shield raised.
Ten men emerged from the forest, rustling the bushes as they blocked the road.
They wore shabby clothes and leather armor, and clutched swords, axes, and clubs in their hands.
Chris and I dismounted and took cover behind Jake, who had his shield raised.
"—'Fireball.'"
At Agatha's incantation, a fireball exploded, sending the thugs flying.
"...What?! A mage!"
Roy cut down one of the men who had faltered.
"Don't panic! Kill everyone except the kid!"
At the furious shout from behind them, the remaining men charged all at once.
"—'Flame Arrow.'"
Agatha held them back with a flaming arrow while Roy cut them down.
Another man came charging toward us.
"Not a chance!"
Jake charged with his shield held firm and sent the man flying.
Before I knew it, half of the ten thugs were down, and the rest were fleeing.
Roy watched the fleeing men retreat, flicked the blood from his sword, and sheathed it.
"Chris-sama, are you hurt?"
He turned around to check on Chris and me.
"No, I'm fine. Is anyone still alive?"
Chris looked down at the thugs sprawled at their feet with a cold gaze.
"This one's still breathing."
Jake rolled the fallen man's body over with his foot.
"What a pitiful fool. How foolish to attack someone who serves God."
Chris spoke as he looked down at the thug.
"..."
The thug said nothing, glaring at Chris.
"God is merciful. It is not too late to repent."
Chris continued without changing his expression.
"Who hired you? What were you after?"
"...I don't know."
The thug spat the words and looked away.
"Those who defy God must receive fitting punishment."
Chris turned to Roy.
"Roy, show him God's judgment."
"Understood."
Roy grabbed the thug by the collar and forcibly hauled him upright.
Thud.
Roy's fist struck the thug in the face.
One punch, then two, then three.
The strength suddenly left the thug's body.
"...That's enough."
Chris sighed.
"At this rate, we'll deprive him of even the chance to repent."
Chris turned his gaze toward me.
"Noah, show him God's mercy."
"Yes."
I crouched beside the thug and cast 'Heal.'
He was enveloped in a pale light, and the swelling in his cheek immediately went down.
The thug opened his eyes and touched his cheek in confusion.
Chris watched him closely.
"Now then, God has granted you one more chance."
Chris turned to face the thug again.
"Repent. And tell the truth."
The thug spoke, his face deathly pale.
"I-I was hired by Carlo! The slave trader Carlo Ferro!"
"What was the objective?"
"T-to kidnap that boy and sell him...!"
"...I see."
Chris touched the holy symbol at the chest.
"You have scorned the glory of God. Your sin is grave."
Chris looked at Roy.
"God's judgment."
Roy's sword flashed.
Chris returned to the horse as if nothing had happened.
"Let's be off."
God's glory, God's mercy, God's judgment.
Nothing but empty words.
I thought this as Chris held me in their arms.
Our party set off along the road once more.
As the sun began to sink in the west, a town came into view ahead.
It was a fairly large post town, with rows of wooden buildings.
"That's Alvia. We'll rest there tonight."
Roy pointed toward the town.
"Noah and I will stay at the church."
Chris told the adventurers.
"You take an inn. Meet us in front of the church tomorrow morning."
A stone building.
It was large, but still plainly built.
When we opened the door, a middle-aged priest came out to greet us.
"Chris, it's been a while."
The priest gave Chris a superficial smile.
"Still touring the frontier?"
Mockery and superiority showed through his words.
"Ah, so Marco plans to settle down here? It looks small, but comfortable."
Chris answered calmly.
Marco's face twisted slightly, and he opened his mouth as if to change the subject.
"And who is this child?"
"A child I met under God's guidance."
Chris placed a hand on my shoulder.
"This child has been blessed with a talent for Light Magic."
"...Good heavens."
Marco's expression tightened slightly.
"For you to meet a child like that—truly, it's God's blessing."
Marco forced a smile, as if trying to cover his reaction.
"The will of God is beyond our understanding."
Chris answered calmly.
But there was a hint of pride in Chris's eyes.
"Now I'll be able to serve God in a greater sphere."
Chris spoke with satisfaction.
"You'll be able to spread God's works more widely."
"...That's wonderful."
Marco's smile grew a little stiff.
"I pray you'll be entrusted with a greater calling."
"As God wills."
Chris replied.
Both men wore the serene smiles befitting priests.
But their true feelings were entirely different.
The two of them were simply trying to gain the upper hand over each other, using God's name to keep one another in check.
So even the church was just a gathering of people, after all.
"Oh, that's right."
Chris said as if just remembering something.
"We had a bit of trouble on the way. We were attacked."
"An attack?"
Marco's smile vanished.
"The men were hired by a slave trader named Carlo Ferro."
"Carlo Ferro..."
Marco murmured the name.
"It seems they were after this child."
Chris placed a hand on my shoulder.
"Attacking a priest is blasphemy against God."
Marco stared at me for a while, then turned his gaze back to Chris.
"Carlo Ferro does business in this town, too."
Marco started walking toward the door at the back.
"I'll inform the Holy Knights. We'll arrest him tonight. Those who defy God will surely face judgment."
"Please do."
Chris said nothing more.
Apparently, that was the end of the matter.
Marco opened the door.
"Thomas."
An apprentice monk of about ten peeked out from the back.
"Show Chris and this child to their rooms."
"Yes. This way, please."
We followed the boy down the hallway.
"Chris-sama, this room is yours, and the child may use this one."
The boy stopped in front of the doors.
My room was farther down the hall.
"Excuse me."
The boy bowed and left.
"Noah, we have an early start tomorrow. Go to bed early."
Chris said that and entered the room.
"Yes."
I answered and opened the door to my room.
It was a simple room.
There was only one small bed.
I sat on the bed and circulated my mana as usual.
【Name】Noah
【Rank】Ⅰ
【Mana】A
【Skills】Appraisal Life Magic Mana Control Magic Imbuement
【Magic】Heal Cure Enhance Life Steal Resurrection
There were no visible changes.
But steady effort was important.
Even if it was only a little each day, building it up would surely bring results.
After training for a while, I fell asleep.
The next morning.
When we finished preparing to leave the church, Marco was waiting for us.
"Chris, we caught him last night."
"You caught him already?"
Chris looked a little surprised.
"Yes. The Holy Knights in this town are capable. The crime of attacking a priest is serious. He'll be burned at the stake in the square."
Marco sounded somewhat proud.
"I see."
Chris nodded.
"It's a perfect opportunity to demonstrate the church's authority."
Marco said that and started walking toward the center of town.
"The road goes right through the square."
We followed Marco toward the town center.
As we approached the square, the crowd grew louder.
By the time we arrived, a large crowd had already gathered.
In the center, a man was desperately shouting, bound to a wooden post.
It was the same merchant we'd encountered at the campsite.
"Please, stop! I didn't do anything! I don't know anything!"
But no one in the crowd listened. They simply stared at the man.
One of the Holy Knights stood before the stake and surveyed the crowd.
"Let judgment fall upon those who defy God."
At the declaration, the executioner set the pyre alight. Red flames spread in an instant, and Carlo's screams rose from the stake.
The people filling the square said nothing. Were they afraid, or simply used to it? I couldn't tell.
Chris watched the stake from horseback, but soon looked away as if losing interest.
"Let's be off."
We left the square just like that.
Smoke was still rising behind us.
At some point, Carlo's screams had stopped.
Chris said nothing, and Roy and the others rode on in silence.
No one tried to look back.
So this is the world I live in.
Defy the church, and people are killed in the name of God.
No one here thinks there's anything unusual about that.
And I'm on my way to the church's headquarters.
What kind of world awaits me there?
At the very least, I don't think I'll be bored.