Justia walked into the dense fog.
The boy, standing as if nailed in place and watching her back, thought.
My desire to leave the alley was not simply to survive.
The reason I looked at the old blacksmith's sword was not just because I admired it.
It was to move forward.
"You will definitely become a knight."
He couldn't be content with just living.
To find the meaning of life, he had to harbor something in his heart.
"So you have to understand. Our sword needs justification and responsibility."
Gregory pulled the young man's collar, who wanted to run away, and told him with a serious look.
"From now on, do as I say."
"What should I do?"
Gregory hesitated for a moment at the boy's question.
Perhaps it was too soon.
But maybe now, being a little early, it was even more necessary.
"This is the only cause we can rely on right now."
While listening to the whispers of children.
While listening to the sounds of crying parents.
In a small fog-filled square, there was an ancient rule quoted by a knight with a thick beard.
It was a rule created by the man who was the greatest of swordsmen and knights.
The old and strong discipline was setting another pillar in the boy's world.
***
A church made of gray stones.
Justia's green eyes gazed at the bell tower rising above the church.
The children's breaths headed towards the highest place of the church.
"Open the door! This is not a place for you to live!"
Despite her call, the church door remained firmly closed.
But it didn't matter.
Even though it was enveloped in dark energy, the church before her eyes was built upon the earth created by God.
Like someone living in their own home, she had the right to have confidence in any place.
Kwaah-!
A blow imbued with the will of God broke the wooden door of the church, which didn't respond.
Inside the dark church.
When Justia entered the dark church, all she could see were red patterns painted everywhere.
"…"
They were traces of a terrible blasphemy.
"You arrived faster than I thought."
In the deepest part of the prayer room, at the altar that should be closer to God, stood a priest holding a heavy Bible.
Justia raised her sword when she saw the repugnant man dressed in priestly robes and sucking the breath of the children.
"Why did you come alone? Can't we pray for the people here with just you and the knight?"
"······."
Faced with the priest's mocking laughter, Justia quickly turned her head to scan the sanctuary.
There was no one and no presence felt, but the man in front of her had said there were people here.
In the strange air filling the church, just as Justia narrowed her eyes.
Kwaaaa-!
From beneath the floor Justia stood on, deep groans could be heard.
It wasn't just one, but many.
All were shedding black tears of misery.
Dang- Dang- Dang-
The church bells were ringing.
They were the bells announcing the time of service.
"They were hidden underground."
Although the situation was urgent, Justia responded calmly.
She was prepared and expecting this.
The only thing she lacked was time to rest a few days.
However, Justia knew that the will of God was a narrow gate and it would require much suffering and patience to pass through it.
"Please, listen to my prayer."
Justia quickly illuminated the dark church with her sword and focused on the sounds she heard.
It wasn't just one, but many.
It wasn't something heavy, but something light.
It was like the sound of someone running barefoot on the cold stone pavement.
Tang-!
Finally, the sounds that emerged abruptly opened the door hiding the basement, and black hands began to reach out from there.
"Son... my child.”
"It's too dark..."
"I can't see anything!"
Women shedding dark tears.
Where they should have had eyes, there was only a dark void.
They were struggling in the darkness.
"…!"
It became difficult for Justia to maintain her composure any longer upon seeing such a cruel scene that she couldn't bear to witness with her own eyes.
The most dreadful thing that surpassed the women's crying was their bellies stained with blood.
"How… how can they do this…?"
It's always said that the world is harsh on the weak, but the current situation had long crossed that line.
You can't reach this situation just because something went wrong.
Only those who have crossed the line can do it.
"Aren't you afraid of God?"
"I am afraid of God…"
The man who always seemed to smile in the face of Justia's anger slowly began to become expressionless.
It was a very natural change, as if it had always been that way.
"He is indeed fearsome, but to me, He is not someone of great concern."
As if there was no longer a need to hide it, the man dropped the Bible he was holding and said.
To the feet of those who are free from death.
"Because I no longer have to return to His arms."
"…!"
Justia's eyes trembled as she watched the scene.
Seeing the person who insulted her world, Justia unleashed her fury and shouted aloud.
"Venerable commander of the heavenly army, Saint Rogino, who stands by God!"
Justia shouted furiously, calling upon the name of the saint who shone in the church's history.
Light began to emanate from her sword.
"Come and rescue the miserable souls from the oppression of evil!"
The women reached out their stained hands into the darkness, searching for something.
They were women who had been sacrificed and taken by someone.
As Justia, unable to take all their hands, tried to open a path of light even in the darkness.
"I will pay the price!"
The only torch shining in the darkness began to burn brighter and emit a stronger light.
It was a light that could be seen even without eyes and found even in darkness.
A miracle that only a paladin receiving sacred will could perform was cast upon the filthy church.
"You were more impressive than I expected."
The false priest momentarily turned his head at the intense light that burned him.
It was a wave of light with no physical power, but the column of light created by Justia's firm will was violently shaking the filthy church.
Ahhh-!
The warm and glorious light descending from heaven was erasing the sadness and resentment of the women shedding dark tears.
They were being returned to where they belonged.
“Hehehehe!”
However, even to the light burning with pure intentions, the false priest only laughed.
"No matter how bright the torch, it has its limits when alone."
Although he was a man whose fingers were being burned by the gradually expanding column of light, he knew there was an end, so he could laugh.
His ability to perform a solemn exorcism without any preparation was commendable, but in the end, it was alone.
More torches would be needed to fully illuminate the current darkness.
"..."
As the false priest said, a drop of sweat began to form on Justia's forehead as she closed her eyes and prayed to God.
It was a backlash spell and a miracle that required her own life as payment.
This world was filled with God's will, but He was far away in the sky.
As the cries of the miserable women diminished, Justia's majestic light performing the exorcism also began to slowly extinguish.
Watching that, the false priest drew a dark sword from his shadow.
It was a sword of such dark color that it seemed like it would absorb you just by looking at it.
"..."
Justia strengthened her determination when she saw the man slowly approaching her with a sword.
As a paladin who always had to assume the worst, she had at least prepared a final plan to defeat the man before her.
Paladins were those who prepared for this moment.
"I wish for your church to defeat all enemies."
This time, Justia attempted to recite a prayer to invoke the glorious flame of God with her own body instead of her sword.
Every time her lips parted, her green eyes trembled violently.
Just as Justia was preparing her final act of resistance.
Boom!
A deafening noise came from behind.
The church door, which had already been destroyed by Justia, was collapsing again violently.
"Push!"
"Goethe! It's time for you to leave!"
There were men breaking through with wild shouts.
With a carriage blazing bright red.
"······!"
In an instant, all eyes turned towards them.
Even the blind women.
A new torch burst into the church, which was gradually being covered in darkness.
"Now, get out of the way!"
When Gregory signaled, two men pushing the blazing carriages stepped aside.
"Huh!"
Gregory, upon confirming that Justia was swiftly moving to the side, pushed the man in front of him as if he were launching a cart.
"What the hell!"
The false priest, upon seeing the unimaginable scene, struck the carriage with the sword he held.
It was an impulse without thinking about the consequences.
Boom!
The carriage exploded with a small blast, and sparks flew in all directions.
Every part of the church was engulfed in flames, and the flames Gregory had intended to start began spreading in a space filled with darkness.
There is light here.
"Now!"
In a resounding move, a boy walked among the flaming debris towards the priest.
[Suppress the impulse!]
"Aaaaah!"
An impressive entrance, one of the venerable traditions of the knights.
Vlad, with one eye closed, stood there, revealing his own world.
The tip of his sword shone more brightly than ever.
Kwaaaaang!
Two swords clashed with a thunderous noise as loud as when the carriage exploded.
Within the spreading flames, two men faced each other with swords.
"Daring to touch the children is crossing the line. Damn you!"
"...So it is."
The false priest, seeing the boy's growling eyes, actually showed a subtle expression.
"We meet again here. Now I recognize you."
"Stop talking nonsense and just die!"
Vlad's blue eyes burned as he faced the false priest, while Gregory and Cade quickly surrounded Justia and formed a formation.
"Are you okay?!"
"If you come here······ Won't you be in trouble?"
She looked at Gregory with a sad expression.
A knight's sword must be as heavy as it is sharp.
Violence without reason is just that, violence, and knights offer it to those who can wield their swords responsibly to avoid such situations.
"There's no other choice."
Gregory smiled bitterly as he helped Justia to her feet.
"The children are dying."
"...Thank you."
Gregory took responsibility with his own judgment and wielded the sword.
Now, all the weight of it falls on Gregory.
Observing the sacrifice, one of the virtues a knight must have, Justia recalled the reason she came here.
"We must go to the bell tower. That's where the source of the curse resides."
"...Understood."
Gregory closed his left eye as he watched the staggering figures approaching them in the darkness.
Thud!
As he stomped heavily on the ground, a solid brown light began to envelop his entire body.
"There's no time."
Justia's words were true.
Even now, children might be dying breathless.
"First, I have to separate that bastard."
With the situation so urgent, they couldn't climb up carefully and orderly.
In moments like this, they had to split the group, even if it meant forcing it.
Fortunately, there was one there ahead, leaping with energy.
"Huuup!"
Gregory, puffing out his chest, breathed in a lot of air.
"I'm here!"
With a loud shout and a burst, his body rushed towards the false priest.
With a speed that didn't seem possible from his hefty body, Gregory pushed the man of unknown identity and entered.
Seeing Gregory charging like a raging bull, Vlad's gaze briefly passed over him, surprised for a moment.
Kwaaaaang!
Along with the false priest, Gregory, pushed to the end of the wall, caused the piles of stone to fall on him.
"...Sir Gregory!"
"There's something in the bell tower!"
While keeping the false priest at bay, Gregory shouted loudly.
"I don't know what it is, but go and destroy it."
"...Understood."
With permission granted, Vlad nodded.
Although in his heart he wanted to tear and kill the man pretending to be a priest, his top priority was to save the children.
Despite being filled with rage, Vlad, who hadn't lost his judgment, quickly turned his head and began to explore the darkness.
'There it is!'
Through the darkness of the sanctuary, he saw a spiral staircase.
Although it was swaying dangerously, no matter how much he looked, that was the only staircase leading upwards, so it was probably the right one.
"Where do you think······ you're going?"
At that moment, a strange language that humans couldn't understand began to flow from the false priest's mouth.
It was a curse and also a signal.
There it is!
My child is there!
The women who had not yet ascended began to flock towards Vlad.
"Damn it!"
Every step they took caused the breath of the children to escape.
Knowing very well that time was running out, Vlad focused all his attention on moving forward rather than wielding his sword.
The child's face was marked by sharp nails, and the protection of the white snake was shining to block the ill intentions that attacked incessantly.
'There are too many!'
However, the gestures of the poor women trying to stop Vlad were getting stronger and stronger.
Boom!
Vlad suddenly turned his head when he saw a woman's head explode before his eyes.
A knight holding an arrow imbued with Justia's blessing.
It was Cade.
"Keep going forward!"
He urgently conveyed his intention by nodding, put on the belt again, and shot an arrow at another woman rushing towards Vlad.
It was a bright arrow that pierced through the darkness.
"Huaap!"
Thanks to the arrows fired by Cade, Vlad quickly trampled the heads of the women and managed to run up the stairs.
Shaking off the black hands reaching everywhere, the curse of the false priest resonated incessantly behind me.
The child found only one path to heaven.
[Hurry!]
Bright blue eyes emerged from the dark-filled chapel and headed towards the mist-covered sky.
The child who constantly wielded his sword had a star in his heart and had to ascend to heaven to make it float.
To where the breath of the children will be.
His finger, gripping the railing of the dusty staircase, had a flowerless flower ring.
"Out of my way!"
The darkness filling the church.
In the darkness, the cry of a child trying to ascend to heaven was heard.
***
This world is full of precious things, but not everyone can fully protect themselves.
However, you are the ones who have sworn to protect.
So if you're where you should be.
If you find yourself in the moment of action, don't hesitate.
Be torches that light up to illuminate the darkness.
That's my second discipline.
Justia walked into the dense fog.
The boy, standing as if nailed in place and watching her back, thought.
My desire to leave the alley was not simply to survive.
The reason I looked at the old blacksmith's sword was not just because I admired it.
It was to move forward.
"You will definitely become a knight."
He couldn't be content with just living.
To find the meaning of life, he had to harbor something in his heart.
"So you have to understand. Our sword needs justification and responsibility."
Gregory pulled the young man's collar, who wanted to run away, and told him with a serious look.
"From now on, do as I say."
"What should I do?"
Gregory hesitated for a moment at the boy's question.
Perhaps it was too soon.
But maybe now, being a little early, it was even more necessary.
"This is the only cause we can rely on right now."
While listening to the whispers of children.
While listening to the sounds of crying parents.
In a small fog-filled square, there was an ancient rule quoted by a knight with a thick beard.
It was a rule created by the man who was the greatest of swordsmen and knights.
The old and strong discipline was setting another pillar in the boy's world.
***
A church made of gray stones.
Justia's green eyes gazed at the bell tower rising above the church.
The children's breaths headed towards the highest place of the church.
"Open the door! This is not a place for you to live!"
Despite her call, the church door remained firmly closed.
But it didn't matter.
Even though it was enveloped in dark energy, the church before her eyes was built upon the earth created by God.
Like someone living in their own home, she had the right to have confidence in any place.
Kwaah-!
A blow imbued with the will of God broke the wooden door of the church, which didn't respond.
Inside the dark church.
When Justia entered the dark church, all she could see were red patterns painted everywhere.
"…"
They were traces of a terrible blasphemy.
"You arrived faster than I thought."
In the deepest part of the prayer room, at the altar that should be closer to God, stood a priest holding a heavy Bible.
Justia raised her sword when she saw the repugnant man dressed in priestly robes and sucking the breath of the children.
"Why did you come alone? Can't we pray for the people here with just you and the knight?"
"······."
Faced with the priest's mocking laughter, Justia quickly turned her head to scan the sanctuary.
There was no one and no presence felt, but the man in front of her had said there were people here.
In the strange air filling the church, just as Justia narrowed her eyes.
Kwaaaa-!
From beneath the floor Justia stood on, deep groans could be heard.
It wasn't just one, but many.
All were shedding black tears of misery.
Dang- Dang- Dang-
The church bells were ringing.
They were the bells announcing the time of service.
"They were hidden underground."
Although the situation was urgent, Justia responded calmly.
She was prepared and expecting this.
The only thing she lacked was time to rest a few days.
However, Justia knew that the will of God was a narrow gate and it would require much suffering and patience to pass through it.
"Please, listen to my prayer."
Justia quickly illuminated the dark church with her sword and focused on the sounds she heard.
It wasn't just one, but many.
It wasn't something heavy, but something light.
It was like the sound of someone running barefoot on the cold stone pavement.
Tang-!
Finally, the sounds that emerged abruptly opened the door hiding the basement, and black hands began to reach out from there.
"Son... my child.”
"It's too dark..."
"I can't see anything!"
Women shedding dark tears.
Where they should have had eyes, there was only a dark void.
They were struggling in the darkness.
"…!"
It became difficult for Justia to maintain her composure any longer upon seeing such a cruel scene that she couldn't bear to witness with her own eyes.
The most dreadful thing that surpassed the women's crying was their bellies stained with blood.
"How… how can they do this…?"
It's always said that the world is harsh on the weak, but the current situation had long crossed that line.
You can't reach this situation just because something went wrong.
Only those who have crossed the line can do it.
"Aren't you afraid of God?"
"I am afraid of God…"
The man who always seemed to smile in the face of Justia's anger slowly began to become expressionless.
It was a very natural change, as if it had always been that way.
"He is indeed fearsome, but to me, He is not someone of great concern."
As if there was no longer a need to hide it, the man dropped the Bible he was holding and said.
To the feet of those who are free from death.
"Because I no longer have to return to His arms."
"…!"
Justia's eyes trembled as she watched the scene.
Seeing the person who insulted her world, Justia unleashed her fury and shouted aloud.
"Venerable commander of the heavenly army, Saint Rogino, who stands by God!"
Justia shouted furiously, calling upon the name of the saint who shone in the church's history.
Light began to emanate from her sword.
"Come and rescue the miserable souls from the oppression of evil!"
The women reached out their stained hands into the darkness, searching for something.
They were women who had been sacrificed and taken by someone.
As Justia, unable to take all their hands, tried to open a path of light even in the darkness.
"I will pay the price!"
The only torch shining in the darkness began to burn brighter and emit a stronger light.
It was a light that could be seen even without eyes and found even in darkness.
A miracle that only a paladin receiving sacred will could perform was cast upon the filthy church.
"You were more impressive than I expected."
The false priest momentarily turned his head at the intense light that burned him.
It was a wave of light with no physical power, but the column of light created by Justia's firm will was violently shaking the filthy church.
Ahhh-!
The warm and glorious light descending from heaven was erasing the sadness and resentment of the women shedding dark tears.
They were being returned to where they belonged.
“Hehehehe!”
However, even to the light burning with pure intentions, the false priest only laughed.
"No matter how bright the torch, it has its limits when alone."
Although he was a man whose fingers were being burned by the gradually expanding column of light, he knew there was an end, so he could laugh.
His ability to perform a solemn exorcism without any preparation was commendable, but in the end, it was alone.
More torches would be needed to fully illuminate the current darkness.
"..."
As the false priest said, a drop of sweat began to form on Justia's forehead as she closed her eyes and prayed to God.
It was a backlash spell and a miracle that required her own life as payment.
This world was filled with God's will, but He was far away in the sky.
As the cries of the miserable women diminished, Justia's majestic light performing the exorcism also began to slowly extinguish.
Watching that, the false priest drew a dark sword from his shadow.
It was a sword of such dark color that it seemed like it would absorb you just by looking at it.
"..."
Justia strengthened her determination when she saw the man slowly approaching her with a sword.
As a paladin who always had to assume the worst, she had at least prepared a final plan to defeat the man before her.
Paladins were those who prepared for this moment.
"I wish for your church to defeat all enemies."
This time, Justia attempted to recite a prayer to invoke the glorious flame of God with her own body instead of her sword.
Every time her lips parted, her green eyes trembled violently.
Just as Justia was preparing her final act of resistance.
Boom!
A deafening noise came from behind.
The church door, which had already been destroyed by Justia, was collapsing again violently.
"Push!"
"Goethe! It's time for you to leave!"
There were men breaking through with wild shouts.
With a carriage blazing bright red.
"······!"
In an instant, all eyes turned towards them.
Even the blind women.
A new torch burst into the church, which was gradually being covered in darkness.
"Now, get out of the way!"
When Gregory signaled, two men pushing the blazing carriages stepped aside.
"Huh!"
Gregory, upon confirming that Justia was swiftly moving to the side, pushed the man in front of him as if he were launching a cart.
"What the hell!"
The false priest, upon seeing the unimaginable scene, struck the carriage with the sword he held.
It was an impulse without thinking about the consequences.
Boom!
The carriage exploded with a small blast, and sparks flew in all directions.
Every part of the church was engulfed in flames, and the flames Gregory had intended to start began spreading in a space filled with darkness.
There is light here.
"Now!"
In a resounding move, a boy walked among the flaming debris towards the priest.
[Suppress the impulse!]
"Aaaaah!"
An impressive entrance, one of the venerable traditions of the knights.
Vlad, with one eye closed, stood there, revealing his own world.
The tip of his sword shone more brightly than ever.
Kwaaaaang!
Two swords clashed with a thunderous noise as loud as when the carriage exploded.
Within the spreading flames, two men faced each other with swords.
"Daring to touch the children is crossing the line. Damn you!"
"...So it is."
The false priest, seeing the boy's growling eyes, actually showed a subtle expression.
"We meet again here. Now I recognize you."
"Stop talking nonsense and just die!"
Vlad's blue eyes burned as he faced the false priest, while Gregory and Cade quickly surrounded Justia and formed a formation.
"Are you okay?!"
"If you come here······ Won't you be in trouble?"
She looked at Gregory with a sad expression.
A knight's sword must be as heavy as it is sharp.
Violence without reason is just that, violence, and knights offer it to those who can wield their swords responsibly to avoid such situations.
"There's no other choice."
Gregory smiled bitterly as he helped Justia to her feet.
"The children are dying."
"...Thank you."
Gregory took responsibility with his own judgment and wielded the sword.
Now, all the weight of it falls on Gregory.
Observing the sacrifice, one of the virtues a knight must have, Justia recalled the reason she came here.
"We must go to the bell tower. That's where the source of the curse resides."
"...Understood."
Gregory closed his left eye as he watched the staggering figures approaching them in the darkness.
Thud!
As he stomped heavily on the ground, a solid brown light began to envelop his entire body.
"There's no time."
Justia's words were true.
Even now, children might be dying breathless.
"First, I have to separate that bastard."
With the situation so urgent, they couldn't climb up carefully and orderly.
In moments like this, they had to split the group, even if it meant forcing it.
Fortunately, there was one there ahead, leaping with energy.
"Huuup!"
Gregory, puffing out his chest, breathed in a lot of air.
"I'm here!"
With a loud shout and a burst, his body rushed towards the false priest.
With a speed that didn't seem possible from his hefty body, Gregory pushed the man of unknown identity and entered.
Seeing Gregory charging like a raging bull, Vlad's gaze briefly passed over him, surprised for a moment.
Kwaaaaang!
Along with the false priest, Gregory, pushed to the end of the wall, caused the piles of stone to fall on him.
"...Sir Gregory!"
"There's something in the bell tower!"
While keeping the false priest at bay, Gregory shouted loudly.
"I don't know what it is, but go and destroy it."
"...Understood."
With permission granted, Vlad nodded.
Although in his heart he wanted to tear and kill the man pretending to be a priest, his top priority was to save the children.
Despite being filled with rage, Vlad, who hadn't lost his judgment, quickly turned his head and began to explore the darkness.
'There it is!'
Through the darkness of the sanctuary, he saw a spiral staircase.
Although it was swaying dangerously, no matter how much he looked, that was the only staircase leading upwards, so it was probably the right one.
"Where do you think······ you're going?"
At that moment, a strange language that humans couldn't understand began to flow from the false priest's mouth.
It was a curse and also a signal.
There it is!
My child is there!
The women who had not yet ascended began to flock towards Vlad.
"Damn it!"
Every step they took caused the breath of the children to escape.
Knowing very well that time was running out, Vlad focused all his attention on moving forward rather than wielding his sword.
The child's face was marked by sharp nails, and the protection of the white snake was shining to block the ill intentions that attacked incessantly.
'There are too many!'
However, the gestures of the poor women trying to stop Vlad were getting stronger and stronger.
Boom!
Vlad suddenly turned his head when he saw a woman's head explode before his eyes.
A knight holding an arrow imbued with Justia's blessing.
It was Cade.
"Keep going forward!"
He urgently conveyed his intention by nodding, put on the belt again, and shot an arrow at another woman rushing towards Vlad.
It was a bright arrow that pierced through the darkness.
"Huaap!"
Thanks to the arrows fired by Cade, Vlad quickly trampled the heads of the women and managed to run up the stairs.
Shaking off the black hands reaching everywhere, the curse of the false priest resonated incessantly behind me.
The child found only one path to heaven.
[Hurry!]
Bright blue eyes emerged from the dark-filled chapel and headed towards the mist-covered sky.
The child who constantly wielded his sword had a star in his heart and had to ascend to heaven to make it float.
To where the breath of the children will be.
His finger, gripping the railing of the dusty staircase, had a flowerless flower ring.
"Out of my way!"
The darkness filling the church.
In the darkness, the cry of a child trying to ascend to heaven was heard.
***
This world is full of precious things, but not everyone can fully protect themselves.
However, you are the ones who have sworn to protect.
So if you're where you should be.
If you find yourself in the moment of action, don't hesitate.
Be torches that light up to illuminate the darkness.
That's my second discipline.
