Chapter 19 - The Unease of Shita Castle
"Aaargh! Somebody save me, I mean, this beastkin!"
Was this what the witch burnings of old were like?
The flames, which had been lit for the festival, were now on torches, aimed at the tied-up Mosilian.
The hood, which I had told her to absolutely never take off, had long since been torn away.
"Why, why are you doing this? You said I was cute and that you'd buy me something tasty. But why all of a sudden..."
"That was when I didn't know you were a beastkin. You filthy beastkin creature. I'll get rid of you right here."
"..."
Why is that brat so hell-bent on causing trouble?
She couldn't even manage to just keep her hood on quietly.
I shook my head.
In any case, I wasn't the type to look after someone else.
Now that it had come to this, all I had to do was abandon Mosilian and leave.
If it weren't for the large bundle tied to Mosilian's back.
'The money in there is at least 15 million Won…'
My precious companion, Mosilian, must be retrieved.
To do that, I had to hurry.
The Lumos Continent was different from Korea.
There was no principle of presumption of innocence, nor was there time needed to judge a crime through due process.
A man in full plate armor, drawn out by the commotion, drew his sword.
Summary execution.
That was the law of the Lumos Continent and Shita Castle.
"Damn it!"
There was no time to think about how to make my entrance.
I desperately blocked the sword that was about to slice Mosilian's neck in one go.
I was only able to block it in time because it was Rankol's sword, now perfectly fitted to my hand.
'That's that, but…'
My palm was tingling.
It wasn't an attack aimed at me, and the opponent hadn't even noticed me, yet just blocking it once was difficult.
This knight bastard was no ordinary fellow.
'At least Hong-seop's level. Or maybe higher?'
Should I have just abandoned her?
At the very least, I should dispose of expensive items as I get them and carry them myself.
So that I can respond in an emergency.
"Who are you? I haven't seen your face before."
Fortunately, the knight was wary of me too.
He withdrew his sword and carefully aimed it at me.
A cold sweat was running down my back, but I hadn't stepped forward without a thought. Because I had an invincible shield, limited to the Lumos Continent.
"I am a hero of the goddess. I defeated Crokes in Carroty Castle."
{For anyone wondering, Castle it's not a translation mistake, our friendly neighborhood assassin is embellishing the truth}
In an instant, the murmuring of the crowd grew louder.
I didn't know the reason, but everyone on this continent recognized a hero of the goddess.
Not just in Lagun and Carroty villages, but even the blacksmith in Shita Castle.
I decided to use that.
"M-my apologies. I have been rude. I am Gilbert, the Knight Commander of Shita Castle."
Gilbert looked troubled as he sheathed his sword.
He looked to be in his mid-thirties, and his firm eyebrows seemed to hint at a rigid personality.
"If I had heard that a hero of the goddess had entered, I would have greeted you sooner. I am truly sorry."
"There's no need for the Knight Commander to be sorry. I'm the one who snuck in. Actually, it was because of a mission from the goddess. I had no choice but to enter secretly. I am the one who was rude."
"Not at all, what do the mere courtesies of a castle matter to a hero carrying out the goddess's will? Now, please come this way. Your presence with that lowly creature will only tarnish the goddess's name."
"Ah?"
Gilbert had only sheathed his sword because of me; he still saw Mosilian as a being that needed to be killed.
"This one is fine. She's my companion."
"...A beastkin, you say?"
For the first time, a crack appeared in his polite and devout demeanor.
His brow furrowed narrowly.
For some reason, I felt that things were about to get very tiring.
"She's necessary for this mission."
"I understand. This too must be the goddess's will."
Only then did Gilbert completely lower his guard.
The invincible shield really worked. I was about to let out a sigh of relief and leave the plaza.
"Where are you going?"
"My mission isn't over yet. Why do you ask?"
"We respect the hero's mission. But this is the devout castle, Shita. We cannot stand by and do nothing while a hero goes to such trouble. Please come with us; the Castle Lord will know a way to help you."
"I don't know. What if I say I'm better off doing it alone?"
"That is because you do not know the power of Shita Castle. Our power reaches not only this castle but the nearby ones as well. Please come with us. We will do our utmost to help."
"Well, alright."
I followed along rather meekly.
First, there was no need to be stubborn here and raise their suspicions.
Gilbert didn't suspect me, but he was still looking at Mosilian with a gaze of disgust.
Second, it was true that I needed information.
The darkest tavern.
Even if not that, I needed to confirm what kind of being this Valtes fellow was.
Shita Castle was my final destination.
The end of this perilous and seemingly endless adventure.
Here, with the hidden piece I would obtain, I would live a safer life as a monster hunter.
For that to happen, Shita Castle needed to not be a strange place.
Just like with a university team project, if the team leader is weird, not only the team but the grade for that class gets ruined.
'If worse comes to worst, I'll just run away.'
No matter how strong Gilbert seemed—as strong as or stronger than Hong-seop—I could escape anytime if I put my mind to it.
I followed him with confidence.
"Oww, I almost died."
"Tell me about it. You baggage. I can't even just kill you off."
"H-hero. No matter how useless I am, to say such a thing..."
"So you know you're useless?"
"There were times I was useful. You asked me in such detail how to dig a dugout. I carried all the heavy luggage, and also..."
"Enough, just wear this."
I handed over the Golden Mogu's fur clothes. The fur clothes were essential for this troublemaker to move around quietly.
"Don't cause any more trouble now."
"Hmph. But they said they'd give me something tasty."
"Don't believe it when a human says they'll give you something. They're creatures who never give anything for free."
"Ah! Thinking of you, Hero, I understand now."
"That's right, that kind of… what did you say, you punk?"
"Nothing, sir."
A short while later, we arrived at another castle within Shita Castle: the lord's castle.
The inside of the lord's castle was decorated in an antique style.
The entire place was made of marble, and the furniture was made of solid wood wrapped in high-quality leather.
A space that screamed expensive, something I had only seen in movies and dramas.
Capping it all off was the giant statue of the goddess that occupied the center of the space.
'Is that… Ruin?'
The statue resembled Ruin but was somehow different. It was either made in the image of a goddess, or it was modeled after a goddess other than Ruin. It seemed Ruin wasn't the only goddess in this world.
"Greetings, heroes. We have been waiting."
A middle-aged man wearing a golden circlet walked out from within the lord's castle.
His slender eyes, which barely showed his pupils, were filled with a benevolent smile.
A gentle impression and antique clothes. Grace and elegance flowed from his fingertips to his toes.
"My name is Valtes di Ascus. A faithful servant of the goddess, and a humble servant who holds the position of the eastern bishop of the Arch-Goddess Church."
The benevolent castle lord to everyone, but a being that Franc feared.
A being who would try to cut off a beastkin's head as soon as he saw one, not just benevolent.
I returned his welcome with thanks but did not let down my guard.
"Thank you for welcoming us. I am a hero of the goddess, called Kim Jin-woo."
It was the first time I had openly stated my title as a hero of the goddess.
"It is an honor that your graceful steps have reached this humble land. I have heard that you are on a special mission. I wish to discuss that matter, but first, let us eat. In this castle, there is a bed for the hero to rest, food to fill your stomach, and a bath to wash your body."
"Ooh..."
I was almost swayed without realizing it.
A bed was one thing, but a bath.
It was a luxury I hadn't been able to enjoy even once on my journey here.
"Hero, get a grip. You said not to believe it when a human offers something."
Mosilian pinched my thigh and whispered desperately in my ear.
I barely managed to hold onto my senses.
'Right. He's being unusually nice.'
Of course, Elder Ronan and Elder Carrotina were also friendly to the heroes.
But there was a reason.
They were welcoming the heroes who would eliminate the threat that had befallen their villages.
But Shita Castle didn't have that.
The castle was safe, and there was nothing that could be called a threat.
Was he just being friendly to a hero of the goddess because he was a bishop of her church?
I couldn't trust it yet.
I steeled my mind and headed to the dining hall.
A long, wide table that could seat twenty people.
But the meal set out was only for me.
On the floor was a bowl of what anyone would call beast's food.
Mosilian, thoughtless as ever, was about to pick it up and eat it, but I picked her up and sat her next to me.
"You are as magnanimous as I have heard. To take care of even such an insolent being."
"She's a 'companion' who has helped with the hero's mission several times."
"My, my. I was not aware and have been rude. Please wait a moment, I will bring out another meal."
Valtes immediately brought out a meal for Mosilian.
Mosilian was so moved by just that that her eyes welled up with tears, but I felt disgusted.
A guy who knows I came for a mission couldn't possibly not know that I treat Mosilian as a companion.
In other words, this was him openly showing that his view of Mosilian hadn't changed.
Could this food really be eaten safely?
I only pretended to eat and continued the simple conversation.
Valtes wanted to help with what I was doing in any way he could.
If I mentioned I was looking for the darkest tavern at this point, getting an answer would be easy.
Valtes was the lord of this castle.
He would know all about the taverns inside.
But I didn't say I was looking for a tavern.
There was no reason to reveal my plan to a suspicious being.
Just as we were exchanging superficial talk, a problem erupted.
"P-please. Please save us! Please!"
People in ragged clothes, unbefitting of the splendid space, rushed into where we were.
Their clothes were somehow familiar.
"They're similar to the clothes Franc was wearing."
I nodded.
"Save us, Bishop."
"Please! Please have mercy!"
They clung to Valtes's feet and begged for mercy. But Valtes stared down at them with an ice-cold expression.
"Did you really think you could live in the land of a god while forsaking the god's will? You foolish heretics."
"It's a misunderstanding, Bishop. We have never once forsaken the goddess's will. We just wanted to live. Bishop! Bishop!"
"Not worth listening to. Sir Gilbert."
"Yes."
With an indifferent hand, Gilbert subdued the people. Arms were twisted at bizarre angles and skin was scraped, but no one stepped forward for them.
On the contrary, everyone was calm, as if watching a daily occurrence like a bird singing in the morning.
"What are those people?"
"Oh, I have shown you an unsightly scene, Hero. I am sorry. I am ashamed to have dirtied this sacred space."
The unease I had been feeling all along began to take shape.
Through the cold face hidden behind his gentle one.