Chapter 170: There is a voice calling in the dark (1)
LnSThe moonlight shadow was cast over the city of Moshiam.FwS
HzQJA city without a lord and a city that had not yet escaped the scars of war.oE7GVF
B98pfehAlthough Moshiam had been taken by forces sent from the center, it was still abandoned, with broken gates left unrepaired.CzMv
mT4XI7“Sigh…”OjosO6
0JeSSo now, the only ones guarding Moshiam were soldiers who seemed to lack motivation.5yspm
RzELpZThe soldiers, now asleep, were troops sent from the Northern Union and did not have the proper affection or responsibility for this city.y6JkO
PxH“Pedro. It’s done.”tVjId3
4YMvM“Yes.”0QOUa9B
QpaOovXThere were people observing their careless posture from afar.0IOOoTP
TsXt3The guards felt that tonight’s darkness was softer and stickier, though they didn’t know why.nCQWOe
muEpiIt started with just one, but soon yawns were heard all around.YfDmHB
7uCThe guards’ eyelids began to feel heavy as the softness of the night seemed to gently stroke their hair.Pckb
cwu“I fell asleep.”fYmDOhj
xoGfmE0The guards who were paying attention may have thought it was a short time, but for some, it was enough time to slip through the castle gate.izicb
PVsprThe strangers who sent the blessing of peace over the flowing darkness managed to enter the city of Moshiam without any restriction, as they intended.XrqAX
Xzv“Moshiam…”buC
OEaA sleeping guard, a broken castle gate. And unidentified individuals passing through them.35rgl1S
6P05OPedro paused for a moment among the passing crowd and looked towards the broken castle gate.PTY6lbq
EAaU“Are you saying all of this was destroyed on purpose?”cv4iwts
Snt5A tall man whose height did not match his skinny frame.IRr7aF
q62h0VKWhen he removed his hood, it could be seen that an old rosary, symbolizing the Vatican, hung from his chest.ZrJt0GP
IOaIb***1E6mqL
0E9a4eQThere were three people walking through the morning mist.mXekYQE
NDJOTwo people riding a black horse and a young donkey.vKsC
rKU7lQ“Ha… ha.”IEaFrh
lJuS6And even a beastman without any horse.1B0vj
yjcd“You barely walked that and you’re already out of breath?”u4m1tn
70Z6n“No, it’s just a little hard to keep up.”wAtC
nDuT“Didn’t you say all beastmen have good physical strength? That’s what I heard.”XPFc
O7vDM“It all depends on individual differences. You shouldn’t get caught up in prejudices. Sir.”InGzuDo
WnB5hh“No, it’s because now you have to act according to your prejudices or you’ll be in trouble.”jDN
Vy9NGV2“…”vgDU
WmxoNibelun, panting as he walked, quickly closed his mouth when Vlad started scolding him.ShQkgbw
8cnqwiContrary to his appearance, this knight, who had a twisted mindset, still didn’t let his guard down against Nibelun.nBS
a5cTbVi“Here’s the water.”Slk
zrbZ“Oh my. Thank you, Priest.”8MVxp
Ks7bVge“I’m still just a deacon. You can’t call me priest.”puKlCx
ODR42“Yes. Even so, the way you act already makes you a great priest.”Zx3yn
ArFifMZNibelun’s ears perked up as he took the water bottle handed to him by Jean.0AgZB
pRlZMgiJean, who had seen beastmen for the first time through Nibelun, looked at them in astonishment.OvnnnX
C8qS3“We’ll reach Moshiam in a while, so keep your mouth shut.”SYTb9wq
Iv9“Yes.”ioqJ
C65F“Just like in the last village, don’t hesitate to say what you want without saying anything.”BmedpU
i51W9“…Yes.”uSsvu
hHsmDLI don’t know if it was a reprimand or a warning, but there was a good reason why Vlad made such a request.4nVQs
aOB0XNp‘They say he won’t say anything, but…’qcc
puVJ4mAlthough it was only a few days of travel, Vlad could vaguely understand a person named Nibelun.w6W
QlwBA man possessed by a strange passion.CRBJbX
V6QA man named Nibelun might seem normal normally, but he was a person who suddenly took on the appearance of a madman in the field where he was working.5Q1II
YnErAnd Vlad, who had lived in alleys for a long time, knew well that these kinds of people were the most dangerous.NG5w5Ms
ZxSO“Stop right there! Get off the horse and identify yourself!”Ku2AF9N
HoRyxaEven as he struggled to walk, I approached my destination and finally, in the distance, I could see the castle wall beyond the thick mist.IrnI
OlDsMoshiam. A city harboring a strange being.NJd0gs
LGkThe guards guarding the place saw three people approaching the gate and blocked the way.JfI6
zqEN9uZ“Beastmen?”qurS639
HH0C7jC“Hello. Nice to meet you. This is the first time we’ve met, right?”6xh0
y7KI6tNibelun’s greeting was appropriate for the situation, but somewhat unsettling.aJmPDrm
Rg5LTAlthough he had been told to keep his mouth shut, Vlad frowned when he saw Nibelun talking to the guard.MB3zOVQ
NPBN1E“Is this your first time in this city?”9J83
JYuWme2“Yes. It’s my first time, but I really wanted to come in. The broken gate is great.”5ET5bZT
OAo“…”VB5
Y7JShIt only takes a brief conversation to distinguish between the normal and the abnormal.bHil
z4RrvThe guard had already discovered some distorted pieces in Nibelun’s conversation.pZfns
27TwUPLike a warning from the previous village, which sounded like a curse, Nibelun was a person who didn’t understand others’ world.YUjWF
BQtH“There boy. Get off the horse and identify yourself.”8YOXm6a
spCA pale young knight, a young deacon, and a strange beastman.AKWe
vDnjVzuSeeing the combination that seemed even more suspicious than when it was in the mist, the guards of Moshiam lowered their spears mercilessly.6UMcT
PFQhzW“Do I have to get off?”5O5
53dM“Don’t be ridiculous and get down. I dragged the tribe of the beastmen, so you don’t plan to enter quietly, do you?”Ejfv0
0noP6S“Well, that’s true.”AZpiU
se5Indeed, I’ll do the same.tmctsM
91aNibelun’s expression, still smiling cheerfully, seemed somewhat strange, as if wearing a mask.UPZB4sw
p8mDEven if beastmen weren’t welcome, Nibelun’s current appearance was enough to stop them.txk
xYYp“Please reveal your identity and purpose for coming here.”TiSvt
3IlW3PS“Wait a moment. I left it here.”vxwt
uXO4The guard in front of the suspicious individuals had a sharp tone, but Vlad in front of him was actually calm.L38
9A2“All right. Here you go.”hRVg
7sBqXWhat if Nibelun is strange and Jean is young?ldw
57sLeThe boy who didn’t even have the qualifications to enter and exit through the castle gate and was digging holes was no longer there.g2c
vvkeFVlad, who is here now, was a person who could open closed doors not only for himself but also for others.EY04FL
jEiZD“Take it.”WID
F5AIf8i“Huh?”SPd
ejnThings that are handed out so casually.QgD27K
OvuMThe items were handed over indifferently, but the guard’s expression began to harden as he inspected them.3pCH
zJjO“This is a certificate made in Soara… For your information, Count Bayezid personally put his seal on it.”i82xEH
0eU“Ugh.”Nin6
Aee“And this is a confirmation letter from Bishop Andreas.”E88
0HveJm“Ugh!”EW6ms5
9Mj0“I am the knight named Vlad. Wait a moment, Bayezid’s emblem is engraved on the pommel.”dEZGq
y6cvA knight directly appointed by Count Bayezid and guide to a young deacon guaranteed by Bishop Andreas.D78Kskc
p7czAnd the Northern knight who can already prove his worth just with his name. Vlad.CZk5
SKOhZm“This identity card was granted directly by the Church of Varna, and if you look here, Bishop Andreas’s guarantee is engraved on it.”kg3x
vskF“I’m sorry, I’m sorry…”uzGod
XnZNy9Jean’s face turned pitiful as he looked at the guard.ULTA
uQvThe evidence Vlad presented one after another was too heavy for a single guardian to accept.Thsh
Vw8pNEvery time Vlad took something from his arms, the faces of the guards around him turned black.XnSVGL1
LGk“May I pass now?”g7Bxwt
xzBix“Please, go ahead…”t1tBG9
0FeyVlad was smiling at the guards, still looking like a child.jC4ZwLb
6tte5iaHe seemed like a child who wanted to look bright.7HTRxRG
dMYgYx***iy8WV
1LBWhen Vlad crossed the castle gate, he looked at the flags waving above it.VqkWMIB
jnMDAlthough it was difficult to identify them clearly due to the fog, there were certainly some familiar flags hanging among them.R3CCUX
Ly4‘Baranov, Bayezid, and Hainal…’V0dJSk9
P10Seven flags representing the North.The only thing that has changed is that Utman’s flag has been lowered and Hainal’s new flag has been hoisted.CYUZn
GX4vJcLike the appearance of not one but several flags waving, the city of Moshiam was currently being administered under the name of the Northern Union, a community without the rule of any lord.pcjo6
MeC“Follow me! I will guide you!”RI5Ei
bjYl“Yes.”WzJ
0F4BMoshiam, which we entered following the guidance of overly disciplined guards, seemed somewhat unsettling.nyA
aE8It was clearly a road cutting through the city, but there were only closed shops around.0Ih
W3RI don’t know if it was because of the thick fog, but I couldn’t even see people coming and going, giving off a strange atmosphere.EcO
gmT9rW“There is so much silence…”mDHPoQ
Q4x3KV“That’s why the deacon came here. This is a city that needs the word of God more than ever.”RiO
vrj7YVlad looked at Jean, who shrank at the sight of an unfamiliar city, and comforted him with a warm voice.xRn
O7WAs Vlad said, the city of Moshiam is a place that needs the comfort of God more than any other city in the North.Csm
EOIGkAndreas said that not only Jean, but also most deacons who reached the time, would head to Moshiam.n5t
ATlK“Seeing the foggy area reminds me of that time. I’m sure you can handle it.”PIGEv
y6Om“Are you leaving today?”wFKoh3
ln6acAlthough he had acted bravely up until now, Jean was still just a boy.DOCmaH
WQ6Jean, who knew very well that the mission of the knight who had reliably protected him up to that point ended here, looked at Vlad with concern.q6sOZuk
gjOU“I won’t leave right away, but I’ll probably stay here for a while. For about a week.”c4pN
T8i5NZ“Ah. Thank God.”P0uT82
SaEB7rVlad smiled faintly as he looked at Jean, who unconsciously breathed a sigh of relief.sJWNQw
p2jOce6Although this was the beginning of his journey on his own, it was also a moment when the young deacon needed help from someone.6QdyFkl
PbmAm7‘Take good care of him.’okKEtTr
W28DVlad knew well why Andreas had joined Jean.XMCn8h
oAqazIt must have been a need for a guardian who came from the heart, not just a simple mission.jgA3
Cb9Nz3Although he was subject to the rules of the church, the young deacon whom he had raised since he was a baby was something that went beyond being a disciple of Andreas.4hpCdyd
jykIGm“Wait a moment.”zBQP
qDn9qUO“Yes?”7m5
FlipzWnSo now Vlad was blocking Jean’s path.VXdS7
bUR5From the moment he entered the city, his duty as a guide had ended, but Vlad still didn’t hesitate to call himself Jean’s protector.kAJgc7d
xqj5t“The guard up ahead. Wait for a moment.”D0e
XL91x4Jean and the guard were puzzled by Vlad’s sudden voice.xjBSeA
ZfwHowever, Nibelun’s eyes, a beast race, were sharp-eared and followed the sound coming from beyond the fog.xiqMRR
5WU8w“Someone is crying.”G11
7tTzp“…”Cqo
KcM“I think it’s a woman.”l6sNZ2y
Y3AyThe sound coming from beyond the invisible fog was the cries of a woman.BCtk7
t7pA low, shallow but continuous crying.sOG
20hnAfter seeing the fog, the woman, and the sound of crying, Vlad slowly placed his hand on the scabbard, feeling a sense of déjà vu as if he had experienced it some time ago.a1TKm4
svS3FJk“Black, dark…”C9qTOV
zLTaQIn the middle of a city street with no one around.NlI
HJqRJean and the guards, who finally saw the approaching cry, swallowed dry saliva and turned their heads in the direction where the sound was coming from.OuNZ
vVU“Please find the child. Son, is this my child…”FT5
6pdWhat emerged from the thick fog of the city was a woman crying.BQHo
7dZThe woman, carrying an empty diaper on her back, saw the guard, collapsed onto him, and began to cry bitterly.Iahvv
IdGW“What’s happening?”Aff
AF8HTCThe atmosphere was similar, but they were not the same entity.bKkr
cmOwCThe woman who was now crying was nothing special, nor was she shedding dark tears.fvM
6wIv“Oh, this is…”VCB1VuQ
PZIqBYThe guard holding the crying woman helplessly looked worried and explained the situation to Vlad.ipZC
qpJPyy“There are quite a few crazies like this in this city.”0LTzx
QEO9QLk“Why?”PjQ7Sc
5jfs2fn“That’s…”r9SHXj6
nGiEzg6The guard, who hurriedly handed the woman over to another soldier, scratched his head.B4T8Hw
Lz4lSt“They say that the evil here harmed many children. Although I don’t know the details.”lj1Y
NxoM8pThe crying woman suddenly walked towards Jean and took the empty diaper he was carrying.Im5f1
YnX4There was no way Jean could have gotten in there, but the crying woman seemed to be having difficulty bearing the absence of the empty diaper.wgnnbz
GJeM“There are very few children in this city up to the age of deacon. Even if they do, their parents don’t want to send them.”eBLvX
hpNoDXw“…Is that so?”n2RKYvY
QWauhVlad silently caressed his chest as he listened to the cries of the woman drifting further away from the soldiers.JkIjZR
irE1An armor granted by the elves and repaired by the dwarves.f03v
AQeThe message I received from Saint Rogino still remained in the chest of the armor, which was warmer than before.eoPTNqe
v57***HN12Q0
5UhOiJ“I’m sorry. The leader is currently absent.”h4yGS
VfOCR“I understand. I came suddenly. I’ll wait.”cuQv
dSAck52The town hall, now empty, was occupied by knights of the Northern Orthodox Church.v6Vuv4c
yLQPtWG“Mmm…”CB5
K7dVlad sat on a chair, waiting for the leader who had departed on a mission, and quickly suppressed a yawn.UV4Cz
XHs75l‘I’m so sleepy.’hwkHj
3q9DOhqSeeing Jean and Nibelun sleeping on his shoulder, Vlad forced himself to open his eyes and wiped away some languid tears with his fingers.FBPc
lp17E3However, once sleep started to descend, it became heavy, and his eyelids stuck together and wouldn’t easily open.syd
zViu2p“Eww…”kttM
uxbvxThe air inside the building was warm, unlike the cold outside.4T3pP
SPmThe camping we had been doing for the past few days and the relief of finally reaching our destination.FDVr6
eYibVlad crossed his arms, thinking about the leader who could arrive at any moment, then lowered his head and fell asleep.DPw
pB2***QfNO549
32kPZaTLet’s spin, let’s spin around the matches.5NJp
OzWLet’s joyfully sing around the matches.oPeb
2XcUntil the red hair turns black.LhyTI
uNvUntil the song we were singing ends…2A9Bb
64AEnBT“…”YPX
dR72ZOA dark yet bright place.Pt8um0
t2qWas there even a festival?D8mn
uVrTwI could hear children singing from the front.z1wH
zjZeIn the dream where I was immersed in a swamp, there was a big bonfire, and the bonfire had a calm flame that illuminated the dark surroundings.Licm1
heK3D0“…”Jp9
dM3The space of my dream was a comfortable place, like a mother’s arms.X4b49J
GucBfSbThis is a safe and happy place.yOP96z
Vx4XFeeling this way, Vlad unconsciously began to laugh as the children laughed and talked in front of him.d4yAo
ZypVhIt would be great if there were also a place like this in the dark alleys.04ivC
7CKFsaVlad, who suffered in a place where he was always cold and hungry, slowly advanced, drawn by the warmth provided by the bonfire.K2v
7ATJInside that bonfire was everything Vlad had wanted as a child.9PY6fna
fcXs4Hot soup, a shelter with a roof, a cozy blanket, and even his mother’s laughter.RVFYjI
gptThey were all waiting for Vlad inside the bonfire.hXP
wpngYZ9Spin, spin, spin around the party.K2mKN
O1cDjUntil the song I was singing ended.Dgd
81GeKUntil all who were called fell.Nq0DWzu
mPzhvZj[Vlad!]pXdiUx
1njO“…!”PeEbJX
0e7qYRGIn an instant, I felt unbearable pain in my shoulder.t2pA
H6URKrOThough it was just a dream, Vlad suddenly regained consciousness and looked back with a surprised expression.Rvol
DJbqThA[Get out of this city right now!]Kj5bSYw
QkErdYThen, I looked back at the place.0nIDeX
j6MAn unknown man with a darkened face was shouting at him.Mnj864
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