Reunion (3)

Everyone commits sins.

There cannot be a perfectly righteous person in this world, and the opposite is also true.

Everyone makes mistakes, commits sins, and lives atoning for them.

Of course, there might be unforgivable sins. Sins that have become too entangled with the causalities of many people to be shouldered by one person alone.

My belief is that such sins must receive appropriate judgment.

But I, too, am human.

If asked whether I don’t hate the culprit who put me here, I cannot say I don’t.

But I try not to.

I cover up such impure thoughts.

If asked whether the Sir Rectus of that time and the Sir Rectus of now are different, I would answer that they are not.

Half-demon Rectus and the current Rectus are the same person.

He holds the same values and would make the same choices in the same moments.

But that’s not a sin.

Even if he would make the same choice at the same moment, he hasn’t chosen yet.

I have no intention of watching the moment he makes his choice.

What I should do is not doubt whether he will commit wrongdoing, but guide him so that he does not.

Isn’t that the role of a shepherd who leads people?

“Two years ago, a horde of magical beasts attacked this place.”

“That must have been a grave situation.”

“Indeed. I was the only one who could make the right judgment at the time. If it wasn’t for me, the Leze Viscounty would already be in ruins.”

“Well done.”

“But what if the same thing happens after I put down the burden I’ve been carrying? I’m already carrying the expectations of many people.”

“Living up to expectations is difficult. I understand your hard work, Sir.”

At first glance, the soldiers of the Leze Viscounty were a ragtag bunch.

The lord, Viscount Leze, would probably struggle to make proper judgments too.

Without him, everyone would have died.

That’s why he can’t rely on others. Even now, Sir Rectus alone could probably wipe out all the soldiers in the Leze Viscounty.

“But people change, Sir Rectus. Do you know? Viscount Leze greeted each of my companions one by one. Among them was a terrifying orc.”

“…I heard about it. He kept babbling about seeing something extraordinary.”

“And yet he didn’t tremble. It means he could greet Titan, who intimidates even the most formidable of individuals, as if it was nothing.”

“That’s because the lord doesn’t know any better. He probably just acted recklessly, trusting only in me.”

“We call that lack of fear by another name—courage.”

Viscount Leze was brave.

He acted confidently even before a monster who could blow his head off with just a swing of his fist.

No matter how much he trusted Rectus, he couldn’t have protected Viscount Leze at that moment.

“You said he was in a panic and couldn’t do anything during the large-scale magical beast attack. Perhaps next time the same thing happens, it will be different.”

He has already experienced fear and would have tried to overcome it.

He was already the kind of man who could stand proudly even before Titan, who was more beast-like than any magical beast.

If the same moment comes again, he will be able to handle it with composure.

Of course, whether his response will be appropriate remains to be seen until we check.

But there’s a clear reason why he has changed like that.

“Viscount Leze must have known. That the viscounty’s soldiers were a ragtag bunch, and they couldn’t hold back that horde of magical beasts in a situation without you.”

Viscount Leze isn’t simply foolish. The judgment to bring me here proves that.

“He trusts in your military might.”

“Then in the end, nothing has changed, has it? If the same thing happens, I’ll still have to resolve it.”

“But this time, Viscount Leze will take command, and when he fails, he will take responsibility.”

“…”

“How about it? Even if he’s not reliable, isn’t he worth entrusting with some responsibility?”

“…Damn it.”

Sir Rectus, who had been deep in thought, frowned and held his forehead.

“To survive, I’ll have to teach him how to command first.”

“That’s right. Prepare in advance. If you keep working like this, you’ll go crazy.”

The end result for a man who tried to protect the Leze Viscounty alone and lost everything would likely have been going mad and craving power. That way, he would have become a half-demon and slaughtered people on the battlefield he hated most, where there was no justice.

But now it might be different.

Because I’ve helped him put down a little of the burden he’s been carrying on his shoulders.

No one knows how that mindset will affect the choices of the person named Rectus.

“Then let’s head to the church.”

“Ah, yes. It’s right ahead.”

So for now, I’ll just trust and leave it to the human Rectus.

* * *

The tenth patient already.

I was finishing treatment by pouring holy magic into the knee joint of an elderly person suffering from a long-standing ailment.

“Oh, thank you kindly, priest sir. I was just waiting for my days to end at my old age, but thanks to you, I feel rejuvenated.”

“Not at all. You need to stay healthy. The life you’ve lived so far is still flourishing, so shouldn’t you keep walking on your two legs diligently?”

“That’s right. That’s exactly right. Indeed!”

Most of those who needed a priest’s treatment in the Leze Viscounty were those with chronic illnesses due to old age.

This suggests that the domain is being managed quite well.

Given the considerable number of elderly visitors, it must be a comfortable environment for the domain’s residents to live in.

“I-I’m sorry I couldn’t be of help. I’m a mere priest serving Asclepius, but I suppose my faith is lacking.”

Naturally, there was a church in the Leze Viscounty too. In fact, it would be rare to find a place without a temple or church.

“Not at all. Faith and the amount of holy power are unrelated issues. The very fact that you possess such power proves your sincerity, so what is there to be ashamed of?”

The total amount of holy power varies from person to person. It’s a power that can be accumulated over time while also being innate.

Those born with bodies suitable for holy power can wield immense power from the moment they embrace faith and prove their will. Claire is a prime example of this.

In other words, it’s about constitution.

“And even if there were something to be ashamed of, wouldn’t it be doubting your own faith rather than your faith in the deity?”

“…That’s…”

“So believe. If you believe in the deity and steadily strive with that same degree of self-confidence, someday you’ll accumulate enough power to be proud of yourself. Personally, I respect such individuals even more. Because that faith is built purely from the heart.”

“…Yes!”

This isn’t just lip service.

Priests serving Asclepius are well-respected wherever they go.

And why shouldn’t they be?

Just one of them can reduce the number of deaths by dozens.

Even if he can’t cure long-standing chronic illnesses due to lack of skill and output, he would have saved countless people.

He’s a person of ability.

And he chose this place.

A priest of Asclepius, who could receive good treatment anywhere, chose to stay in the most remote location to save people.

It’s only natural to alleviate the self-doubt of someone worthy of respect.

“The Leze Viscounty. Not bad.”

The lord is moderately greedy, and the domain’s residents are diligent in their respective roles.

Isn’t that a hundred times better than a lord who is just goodhearted?

The only deficiency is the domain’s defense capabilities. Besides Sir Rectus, the soldiers are still just a ragtag bunch, so if they focus on improving the quality of the soldiers, it could be a domain where people can live comfortably.

Well, that’s probably why Sir Rectus chose this place as his sanctuary.

“If you were to settle here, the lord would be delighted. Additionally, it would make things easier for me.”

“Being honest about desires is admirable, Sir Rectus. But I wouldn’t recommend it.”

Sir Rectus, who was helping me with odd jobs, remarked.

It was a trivial comment, but perhaps because of it, his rigid demeanor seemed to have loosened a bit.

Maybe seeing the priest of Asclepius whom I praised made him judge that person as trustworthy.

Yes, there are many talented individuals in the world.

If they haven’t been discovered until now, it’s because expectations are too high or there’s a lack of margin.

Who knows, there might be one or two capable soldiers even among the ragtag bunch that were mentioned.

“Given my status, I’m being pursued by dangerous individuals. Wouldn’t it be unwise for someone like me to stay in one place for too long?”

“If it were another domain, I would have told you not to joke, but I can’t say that here. It’s sad that I can’t refute because the domain is so small.”

The only places where I can rest at ease are domains large enough that even Belial couldn’t handle them swiftly, soundlessly, and in a short time.

Otherwise, the domain would be in danger.

A countryside place like the Leze Viscounty, with just a few hundred ragtag soldiers apart from Sir Rectus, would just be good prey for demons, not just for me.

Of course, until now, many demons might have been frustrated after encountering an unexpectedly skilled individual like Sir Rectus.

But the one pursuing us now is different. Wasn’t he a meticulous and cunning individual whose form I couldn’t even confirm until the end, before my regression?

He’s probably watching us from a distance and is bound to make some move.

But it can’t be helped.

On this long journey, if we pass up even a brief space to rest, that would be exactly what the enemy wants.

No matter how well-prepared, a journey is bound to be tiring. It’s hard to travel for a long time without regularly replenishing supplies.

“…Instead of this, I should go and try to persuade the lord to pay attention to the defenses.”

“Since it’s an issue arising because of me, using that point would make it easier. Well, if I express unease after seeing the domain’s soldiers, he’ll probably take care of it.”

“It’s sad that I can’t refute that.”

Rather than enticing with all sorts of rhetoric, a single complaint from a person of power is often what moves a middle manager.

“You’re going through trouble because of me.”

“As long as you’re aware, that’s enough. No, to be precise, it’s the fault of the incompetent lord. If he had been more definitive, there would be no reason for me to worry like this.”

“Oh my, is it alright for a knight to insult his master?”

“Well, I can’t insult the priest in front of me, can I?”

“From what you’ve said, it seems you’ll speak ill of me once we part.”

“Of course. Unlike what you said initially, you’re just piling burdens on my shoulders. You seem like a fraud with just fancy words.”

“You speak well to my face too.”

“Oh dear, did I say that?”

Sir Rectus shrugged with a playful tone. There’s a leisure in each of his actions. He might actually be busier than before, but it’s evidence that he has gained peace of mind.

“Well, what can I do? Words are like that. Anyone can use them. Adults, children, all sorts of elegant phrases and metaphors are possible, as are direct and clumsy methods. Does that mean they lack meaning?”

“As expected of a priest, that’s an unnecessarily lengthy preliminary explanation.”

“Words are ultimately a means. The one who finds the answer is not the speaker but the listener, so all of this is a situation caused by Sir Rectus.”

“The conclusion seems a bit off.”

“That’s why you shouldn’t fall for such crude wordplay, right?”

I didn’t change him.

He changed himself. If he found an answer with the small weight of my words, which I uttered without knowing anything at first glance, then that’s entirely his achievement.

“Tsk, but if something happens, that orc warrior will help, right? He seemed stronger than me.”

“Probably. He could fight on par with a hunter who had reached the level of a master.”

In reality, he was someone who had reached the level of a master while still at the 2nd circle.

He should practically be placed a notch above the typical master level.

“Well, even if the situation isn’t good, it’s something I would have to go through eventually. Instead of thinking negatively, I’ll take this as an opportunity. For now, I’ll go back and report, then return.”

“That positive attitude is admirable. Thank you for your hard work.”

Currently, Viscount Leze trusts Sir Rectus excessively.

He probably thought that with his military might, they could overcome any threat.

That thinking is dangerous.

A knight is indeed a high-tier resource, but if they neglect to train the soldiers, they’ll bleed.

What’s the meaning if the knight survives but all the domain’s residents are wiped out?

“…According to my predictions, the opponent will act cautiously, but there’s always the possibility of something unexpected.”

The Blade of Devastation is so meticulous that even though his existence is clearly known, no one has been able to grasp his appearance.

In a sense, he could be said to be as cautious as Belial. It’s hard to think that such an individual would strike the Leze Viscounty.

A plan to attack the viscounty during our brief stay.

It would inevitably be crude and impromptu.

Beyond efficiency, the risk would be high.

But the biggest problem is believing the opponent won’t do so.

I must always prepare for the worst. And in a case like this, the worst is Claire Ryan being targeted.

Well, there’s still some leeway. If the opponent is thinking, they’ll attack with at least a minimal plan, so we should have at least a week’s margin.

The Blade of Devastation, Teska, is surely a cunning demon.

At least he’s not stupid enough to come brazenly in broad daylight.

“Lost! Something terrible has happened!”

“…Or not?”

Is this bastard just insane?