Chapter 80: An Unresolved Curiosity (2)

“Read and write?”

“I’ve been feeling its necessity lately.”

There was nothing wrong with learning.

From the beginning, Adam Hyung advised me to learn writing.

And when Arwin offered to teach me something, there seemed to be no reason to decline.

Even now, I feel the necessity of writing.

Especially if I wanted to exchange news and information with the mercenaries in Stockpin.

Of course, right now, Ner and Arwin, who could read, were by my side. However, it would be better if I could read and write myself.

“...Understood.”

Arwin finally nodded in response to my request.

“I’ll teach you.”

****

Bellingham, the bishop of the Hea Church, spent another day waiting for Berg, who hadn’t returned.

If not for that reason, he wouldn’t have stayed in this human village.

“...Haa.”

Berg...

To the Hea Church, it was a name synonymous with a nightmare.

It was an existence that the Saintess loved more than anything else.

It was the reason she obeyed the Hea Church.

The reason she joined the Hero party.

A childhood friend of Saintess...

And her weakness.

Thus, Berg was known not only by Bishop Bellingham, who held a significant position, but also by the archbishops of the Hea Church.

Bellingham still remembered the day when he first began to suffer from that name.

On a day with clear sunshine and a gentler wind than ever, perfect for a walk, the Saintess inquired about Berg’s whereabouts.

‘...Just let me know if Berg is doing well. If you don’t tell me... I feel like I can’t go on anymore.’

On such a bright day, perhaps that was why the figure crossed his mind.

The vivid image of the Saintess, on the verge of shedding tears, throwing a tantrum, remained fresh in Bellingham’s memory.

It was also the day when she, who had always been training with a deadpan expression, had shown emotion for the first time, making it even more memorable.

Bellingham, who had been watching her from behind the archbishops, was given a task.

It seemed inevitable, so he was instructed to find out Berg’s whereabouts for the Saintess.

No one within the Church had expected such a thing to transpire.

Initially, it was said that the Saintess had coldly detached herself from Berg and came to the church.

Who would’ve thought she’d seek him again? Or rather, that she was still in love with him?

Everyone thought it was a thing of the past.

The Saintess was an apostle of Hea-sama.

She was a pure being.

No one thought she could have given her heart to someone.

In a way, it was her flaw, a truth the archbishops kept tightly concealed.

Nevertheless, following his task, Bellingham sought out the Saintess’ hometown, ‘Barta’.

A place with beautiful structures built from pristine stones.

Where statues lined the streets and flowers blossomed.

It was artistically impeccable.

Indeed, it felt like a city where the Saintess might have emerged.

However, what Bellingham had to investigate wasn’t such a bright place.

The one the Saintess had given her heart to, Berg, was said to be from the slums.

A filthy alley where sunlight barely seeped in was his home.

Therefore, to find Berg, Bellingham had no choice but to enter the slums.

As he and the paladins entered the gloomy area, Bellingham pondered.

How on earth did Berg and the Saintess-nim meet?

What had transpired for a pure-hearted being to fall in passionate love with a beggar from such a place?

But his speculation was cut short, as he had to convey unsettling news.

And he reported the news verbatim to the archbishops.

‘The man named Berg... has been missing for a long time.’

Upon hearing this, the archbishops exhaled deeply and inquired,

‘Shouldn’t you have investigated a bit more thoroughly?’

Bellingham knew the gravity of the task assigned to him and was already well-prepared.

‘... It’s presumed he’s dead. After parting with the Saintess-nim, it seems the man named Berg had completely fallen apart.’

‘...’

’He was nicknamed the ‘trash of the slum.’ Despite being a human, he garnered a notorious reputation and resentment in the slum. Ultimately, a man reportedly beat him up and dragged him away.′

‘... Are you sure?’

‘We even found the kids who requested Berg be taken out.’

‘... Kids? What money would kids have to place such a request...’

‘... Their payment was said to be some jerky and a few stolen fairy tale books.’

Even as Bellingham relayed this, he felt an odd bitterness about Berg’s end.

Occasionally, he was reminded of the world’s cruelty.

If Bellingham, who had no personal ties, felt this pang of sorrow, naturally, he couldn’t convey this fact to the Saintess.

How could he tell her that the man she loved was sold and killed for mere coins, jerky, and fairy tale books?

It was neither in the interest of the Saintess, nor the Church, nor the world.

After all, the Saintess, chosen by Hea-sama, had many responsibilities ahead.

She was to save tens of thousands of lives.

Her miraculous power, unparalleled by any wonder, couldn’t be lost like this.

Hence, the archbishop made a decision.

To lie.

After all, Berg was presumed dead. Even if by some chance he wasn’t... there would be no reunion with the Saintess. Cause he was gone.

What could a broken-down beggar of the slum possibly do?

‘We found the man named Berg.’

Thus, the Church conveyed this lie to the Saintess.

Bellingham remembered the Saintess, who had difficulty breathing merely from hearing that statement.

He wondered how profound her love must have been to react so.

And every time he witnessed her pure-heartedness, the guilt of deceiving her pricked his conscience.

It was almost unbearable.

‘He’s become a farmer, living in the Glascal village.’

Yet, the archbishop continued the lie with a calm demeanor.

Bellingham couldn’t determine whether it was a lie of goodwill or its opposite.

‘... Living a peaceful life, working hard on his own.’

In any case, the Saintess probably wouldn’t have wanted to hear that he met his end for a few stolen fairy tale books and jerky.

Bellingham tried to think positively.

After all, the Saintess probably didn’t want to find Berg.

She just wanted to know news of him.

There was no need to reveal a painful truth to such a person.

With that lie, the Saintess regained her strength.

Even after, she occasionally inquired about Berg, but... every time she did, it only required a slight addition to the lie. That there was no significant change in his situation.

At that time, extinguishing the immediate fire was the priority.

Berg was believed to have become a thing of the past.

However, five years since then...

A piece of news arrived.

It was news that the Hea Church couldn’t ignore.

There was a vice-captain in a mercenary group called the ‘Red Flames’ displaying martial prowess akin to a monster.

Having hunted down all the boss monsters surrounding the Blackwood and Celebrien territories, he took daughters of those families as his wives.

His name was Berg.

His name had resurfaced like an unwelcome weed.

The church couldn’t sit still with such news.

Although the chances were slim... they couldn’t not verify.

If, by any chance, the Berg of the mercenary group and the Saintess’ Berg were the same person, it would be a disaster.

In the meantime, this Berg had already taken two wives.

If the man she loved so much had two wives, what would become of the Saintess?

Even a light imagination of the situation suggested the outcome would be grim.

Moreover, this Berg was active in the battlegrounds.

There was no telling when he might meet the Saintess.

If the Berg of the mercenary group was the same man loved by the Saintess, it was certainly an event they had to prevent.

Bellingham sighed heavily, feeling as if time was pressing him.

He had heard from Adam that Berg would soon return.

****

As we approached the village, Theodore and Krian came out to greet us.

“Vice-captain!”

Their tone was somewhat urgent.

At their loud voices, Ner shrank and clung to me.

Her tail, wrapped around my waist, tightened its grip.

As I looked at them with curiosity, Krian spoke first.

“... There’s a guest waiting for the vice-captain.”

“A guest?”

Someone who came looking for me and not Adam Hyung?

Who could that possibly be?

I couldn’t think of anyone off the top of my head.

Well, there was one person, but... it seemed too absurd.

“Who?”

That was why I asked for the name first.

However, Theodore shook his head and replied,

“... I think it’ll be faster if you meet them.”

Baran, who had been leading the horses beside me, muttered,

“... This is unexpected.”

“...”

Thus, we returned to the village, leading our horses.

.

.

.

Adam Hyung greeted me first as he stepped out.

“You are not hurt, Berg?”

I nodded in response.

He then looked at Ner, who was nestled in my arms, and smiled.

“It seems you two have gotten closer.”

At his remark, Ner cautiously untied her tail.

But more than that, I wanted to meet the guest who had come looking for me.

“Hyung, the reward is at the back.”

“Alright. Good job.”

“Who came looking for me?”

He nodded.

“I don’t know the reason. They wouldn’t tell me. But look... there they come.”

I turned my gaze to the approaching guest.

“......................”

And the moment I looked at them, I felt the color drain from my face.

Approaching was a clergy member of the Hea Church, marked with their emblem.

Behind them trailed five paladins.

“...Five paladins?”

Baran murmured beside me.

Without realizing it, my fist clenched tightly, and I gritted my teeth.

I then remained silent.

It felt as if the emotions I had believed to have calmed were bubbling up once again.

There could only be one reason for these overwhelming feelings.

There was only one reason they would be looking for me.

Sien.

It was clear that this was related to her, which made me increasingly on edge.

“...I am Bishop Bellingham of the Hea Church. Are you Berg?”

The apostle from the Hea Church, flanked by the paladins, asked.

“...”

Instead of answering, I posed a question.

“...Why are you here?”

From within my embrace, Ner whispered in surprise.

“...Be-Berg, isn’t a bishop a high-ranking person? Be more careful with your words... uh.”

I gently covered Ner’s mouth.

I held no respect for the Hea Church.

“...”

As I didn’t provide an answer to his question, Bellingham turned to the paladins behind him.

One of them stepped forward.

Our eyes met.

“..........Ha.”

A scoff escaped my lips.

A face I could never forget appeared.

“...You’ve been well.”

He said.

Years ago, he was the paladin who had driven a wedge between me and Sien.

The one who yelled at me not to mention Sien’s name, not to touch her.

I even ended up in a fistfight with him, leading to my imprisonment.

After briefly confirming my identity, the paladin turned back to Bellingham.

“...It’s him.”

Bellingham then covered his face with his hand, whispering.

“...May Hea-sama protect us...”

I couldn’t stand watching their antics any longer.

Whatever their purpose, I didn’t want to see it.

They constantly reminded me of Sien, whom I was trying to forget.

Why wouldn’t they let me forget her?

Why now, when I was beginning to forget, did these events occur?

It was all in the past.

‘Don’t forget me, Bell.’

I heard Sien’s voice.

Her voice seemed to bring back all the happy memories I had with her.

So, I clenched my teeth.

“...All of you.”

At the sharpness of my voice, Ner swallowed in surprise.

Bellingham and the five paladins looked up at me.

Not just them, but the villagers, Adam Hyung, members of the Red Flames, Ner, of course, and even Arwin were looking at me.

Amidst them, I spoke.

“Get out of my village.”

Emotion surged within me.

“...Before I kill you all.”

– – – The End of The Chapter – – –

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