TLWCL 18🔐

Chapter 18 …

“…Is that so?”

“Ugh, last time some third-class priest came by and told me to quit this kind of volunteer work and just heal people for money instead. Can you believe that?”

Kardil spoke with an exasperated tone — the kind that made it easy for Austin to sympathize.

After all, between a faceless third-class priest and Kardil, a comrade who had once risked his life at his side, Austin naturally preferred the latter.

Hearing such words in person would certainly stir up frustration toward the Central Church.

An inquisitor would have been horrified to hear them, but Austin was simply a sword wielded by the Empire — a knight of the Lion’s Heart Order.

He could overlook minor complaints like that. It wasn’t as if he couldn’t understand them.

“More importantly, have you been promoted from third-class priest?”

“Oh? You didn’t know? Yeah, I’ve been a first-class priest for a while now. Half a year? Maybe not quite a year. My memory’s fuzzy.”

“Congratulations.”

“For what? I heard you became a vice-captain of your order. Congratulations to you too.”

“How did you know that?”

The languid-looking man raised an eyebrow and continued with mild curiosity.

“Hm? You’re pretty famous, you know. A commoner-born knight who survived a hellish war and returned victorious, only to join the Lion’s Heart Order — one of the Empire’s finest. And there, you racked up numerous achievements, your ability recognized enough to be promoted to vice-captain. Stories like that spread fast. Especially when you do volunteer work.”

“I see.”

Austin’s ears flushed red — he’d always been weak to praise. Kardil scratched his neck, continuing nonchalantly.

“You hear all sorts of things doing this kind of work. I’ve heard quite a bit about you.”

“Ahem… I see. Well then, Priest Kardil, I’ll take my leave to resume my duties.”

“Oh, right. You’re busy. Sorry for holding you up.”

“Not at all. It was good seeing you again.”

Kardil didn’t seem the least bit impressed by Austin’s status — neither his division background nor his title.

“The place I volunteer at is that shack over there in the corner. Hm, I’m the only medical worker around, and the only people there are half-dead patients. None of them look like that guy you’re looking for. So, don’t bother coming. Wouldn’t want you making a wasted trip.”

Ah, so that’s his way of lightening my workload.

Austin nodded, mentally noting the information.

Tracking down illegal traders in the slums and conducting an inquisition was troublesome even for him.

Truthfully, it was strange for a vice-captain to be doing low-level inspection work like this.

Ordinary knights — or other orders — should’ve been handling such things. The Lion’s Heart was the Empire’s sharpest sword, not its broom.

And yet, even the vice-captain himself…

Austin Gerard.

He was indeed capable, but despite his high rank, his fellow knights — even his captain — subtly ostracized him.

Austin knew that.

Still, being the kind of man who lived and breathed the knightly code, he could neither rebel against nor even properly resent them.

A sword cuts only its enemies — not its comrades. That was his creed.

Or perhaps… it was the only way he could stay sane.

“Ah, yes. Understood. Take care.”

“Sure. Next time, I’ll be seeing you as Captain, eh?”

“Ahaha… well, that’s… hmm. Yes. I’ll be off now.”

Austin Gerard briskly wrapped up the conversation and hurried off in the opposite direction of the shack.

“Phew.”

Kardil exhaled softly. It was lucky the visitor was someone he knew — if it had been anyone else, there might’ve been trouble.

When he approached the shack, a group of patients burst out from inside. Irritation tinged his weary voice.

“What the hell are you doing out here?”

“W-We have to protect the Ascetic!”

“And what exactly could you lot do against that knight?”

“B-But if the Ascetic gets taken away—!”

“Goddammit…”

A vein bulged on Kardil’s forehead. He raked his hair back roughly.

“Where is the Ascetic, anyway?”

“He’s retreated to a safe place.”

He nearly turned a few of them back into patients on the spot.

“And where exactly is this ‘safe place’?”

Kardil might’ve been doing medical volunteer work, but he was not the kind of man gifted in gentle communication.

Or rather, even if he had that talent, his personality wouldn’t allow him to use it.

Truthfully, if he’d been the kind of man who could tolerate the Church’s hypocrisy, he wouldn’t have left the order in the first place.

His only interest lay in healing the sick — not entertaining these fools who ran around on two healthy legs talking about “protecting” someone.

“Um… probably in the back mountain?”

“Ah… I see.”

Kardil sighed inwardly. These idiots are hopeless. How does Lumiere manage to talk nicely to people like this?

He entered the shack.

“Hmm?”

“Ah, welcome back. Looks like everything went well.”

Sernuan Lumiere — contrary to what the believers had said — was sitting comfortably on a bed inside.

“You didn’t flee?”

“I… couldn’t bring myself to abandon the faithful. I knew running would render their efforts meaningless. But is the path of efficiency always the right one? I still possess a human heart, and it could not let me turn away from my brothers.”

“Ascetic!”

“Oh, merciful one…”

“To think they call someone like you a heretic and sentence you to death… How heartless of the Church of Lumensia!”

“May the Ascetic be forever blessed!”

Tears and cries erupted around them, and Kardil could only sigh.

The man sitting on the bed smiled faintly from behind a black veil — a smile utterly devoid of warmth.

It was chillingly expressionless.

Come to think of it, he scared the hell out of me at first. But once you get used to him… he’s actually kind of nice.

Kardil thought to himself.

By the time the blessing ceremony was well underway, I had two things open like dual monitors — my status window and the live feed of my followers.

Through the faithful, whose devotion allowed me to peek through their eyes, I had tracked everything.

Apparently, the earlier blessing had deepened their faith — now I could see through all of them! An unexpected bonus.

Thanks to that, I’d watched the knight and Kardil’s entire conversation, rushed down from the mountain, and returned to the shack just in time to greet the believers — all to build trust.

Sure, Kardil had said it was fine to run, but if I’d actually bolted like a coward at that moment, my aura would’ve been in ruins.

Image is everything for a cult leader, after all.

Anyway, no way they sent a Lion’s Heart knight for a simple inspection.

That was the Inquisition’s job, not theirs.

Especially not the vice-captain, Austin Gerard — something about that smelled fishy.

Kardil not reporting me was expected, so I wasn’t worried.

Still…

What exactly does ‘deep faith’ mean in this skill, anyway?

The system sometimes used these vague phrases instead of hard numbers.

Then again, even last time, the faith system description hadn’t been numeric — just things like “use all” or “use one-ninth.”

Completely imprecise.

If I had only nine faith points and used one, that’s one-ninth, right? But what if I had ten thousand and used them all for the “Advent” skill?

As I offered some comforting words to my weeping followers, I mulled it over.

Maybe the skill’s power scales with how much faith I have? I didn’t think of that before.

Still, if that’s the case, shouldn’t it say so?

This system’s so half-baked…

I brushed it off — no use overthinking it now. I wasn’t going to use prophecy or advent any time soon.

“Well then, I’ll take my leave. Ah, and Brother Kardil may be exhausted, so please see to his rest.”

“Yes, Ascetic!”

“Oh, for God’s sake, just get lost already.”

Anyway, I’d avoided the inspection, leveled up my skills nicely…

Though being wanted was a bit of a problem.

[Faith: 211]

Even after all those blessings, my faith kept rising. Probably because the believers kept praying fervently for me.

Guess I’ll go home and strengthen Ranoop’s necklace.

“Why are you all still here making noise when you’re not even sick?”

“We’re volunteering for the Ascetic and the suffering brothers!”

“Ugh…”

Tomorrow morning, I’ll borrow Antonio’s carriage and head for the Witch’s Forest.

If I obtain the Sacred Relic of Healing and Purification, I’ll get both powers — plus a random skill ticket and more believers. A wanted poster’s no big deal.

The blacksmith said he’d finish in a week… should I check on him? He hasn’t reported me, so maybe he’s keeping his word.

…Oh, right. I’m wanted.

I’d forgotten that minor detail.

A lifetime as a law-abiding citizen in a lawful empire had dulled my criminal instincts.

Even if the blacksmith stayed loyal, I could get caught just traveling through town.

Guess I’ll send someone else.

I called out to Ethan in front of the shack.

“Ah, you mean the sword? Understood. And once it’s ready, where shall I deliver it?”

“To Antonio’s residence. You know where that is, right?”

“Wait, Antonio… as in the Golden Merchant Guildmaster?”

Golden Merchant Guildmaster…?

That’s Antonio’s title?

Wait… Antonio? The guy I thought was just a small-time trader?

Even his nickname sounds luxurious.

“If you mean Antonio Tradetor, then yes.”

“Oh… I see.”

So Antonio’s kind of a big deal, huh.

Looks like I really lucked out with my first believer.

I returned to Antonio’s house.

“I’ve heard about you from the brothers.”

“About me?”

The man holding a herring pie with oven mitts looked nothing like a legendary merchant.

“They say you’re known as the Golden Merchant Guildmaster. Didn’t you say you were just a modest trader?”

“Well, compared to those who trade on a national scale, I am modest. And really, ‘Golden Merchant’ sounds grand, but it’s nothing compared to you, Ascetic.”

He laughed awkwardly, setting the pie down.

What the hell is he saying…

Ask any random dog — between “Golden Merchant” and “Ascetic,” the former wins every time.

“I’ll have the carriage ready at dawn tomorrow.”

“Sorry for asking you on such short notice again.”

“Please don’t say that. I’m merely fulfilling my duty as your representative. Oh, would you like to hire some mercenaries? I hear the Witch’s Forest is full of poisonous monsters.”

“That won’t be necessary. The blessing of the gods always protects this body.”

“As expected of you, Ascetic.”

A child stabbed at the herring pie with a fork as Antonio gently corrected their grip — the sight gave me a strange feeling.

“…”

I looked down at my own hand. My fork grip was flawless.

Weird.

I’d never learned proper fork or knife etiquette — just chopsticks and spoons, Korean-style.

I’d never even eaten in a fancy restaurant that cost a hundred thousand won per course, let alone cut meat with a knife — I always used scissors.

So why did this feel so natural…?