Chapter 98: I forgive your sins (4)
HjSNFgONow it’s time to stand on his own.7vsTx
1BnndsThe sorrow of being orphaned extended beyond just the sadness of losing his parents.HphEx7o
w9Q“Son of a thief!”v2b8ON
TaP2Vj“I didn’t steal it!”GXy
pcfNow there was no one to tell the boy no.K17
GjhQmi9The reality of not being able to trust anyone wore down young Vlad constantly.N34m
tmR“Good luck! That’s why we don’t allow people without parents here!”aiPEb
NxS1The world trapped Vlad within its prejudices, and in the end, the young man had no choice but to cower and adapt to orphan life in the alleys.nnDuH
Vvk9uThus, Vlad lived a ruined life somewhere and had to look only an inch ahead.1K9T
ajuXHowever, there was someone who told the boy, now alone in the church, that it wasn’t his fault.8EG
2ohB3er“From now on, I’ll vouch for Mr. Vlad.”VRu
pHIujevThus, he shielded the hesitant boy behind him.6G5j
d23sNHe was a man who believed it was never too late to straighten out the child’s wrinkled soul.zbiV
lERW***Yw7y
Wv1PJ“Of course, all his actions will continue to be accompanied by his voice. And I believe that voice comes from God above.”qdxAZux
Njl3bYPedro’s question portrayed Vlad as a man with a sinister omen, but Andreas’ response portrayed Vlad as a blessed man.SNzaZ
RBQThough it was the same person, he looked very different depending on how one looked at him.5gmf3
ezBR“I was born of humble origin, with a prostitute for a mother. Do you know how easy God’s blessing is?”9wBNal
zPUGod’s blessing for a simple alley orphan.o75OJ
4xTZAjoIf God’s blessing had truly been upon a man named Vlad, he would have been born into a noble lineage, not a dirty alley.AkMVqfb
YyA“Frausen, the founding king of the empire, also experienced many hardships at the base as the son of a fallen noble family. But what of it? In the end, he was blessed by God.”dr6
DwSWhile the church bishop looked at where Vlad was born, the church priest looked to where the boy would go next.9J2
wzxen6FThough born in humble surroundings, Andreas was a man who believed the boy had the potential to shine brighter than anyone.7A6EQ
HSJz“…Next question.”gzJ
c4PByNot only metal weapons are sharp.J7Ql
LJKiefThough not a sword, here in the church of Soara, there were people wielding sharp weapons, stabbing and blocking each other.tqJ
ULcmTK“Knight Vlad grew up in the alleys of Soara and has committed numerous crimes since then. Is this true?”njQ
l7vc9Q0Stealing, taking, and sometimes killing.hTnENq7
0CXvVlad clearly lived a life of sin.sAgHL
zrc2a“It was like a tragedy that I had no choice but to do to survive. His sins are like emergency aid for his own survival.”GRX
12uIRYet the boy clearly carried the coffin and drove it for the poor woman and child.JVx
1hTKksNo one approached them for fear of curse; only the boy approached them out of pity.Ur3Ig
15QXKjiIt certainly wasn’t Vlad’s fault that he couldn’t live as he was born.WfUV
HZZYD“Knight Vlad defeated an evil being and killed a dragon within a year after taking up the sword! Is this something that can be understood with common sense?”1EQ
2snDIn less than a year, he awakened Aura, killed the dragon, and defeated the Western Knight.GwcUu
IzKThe boy’s growth, which according to common sense makes no sense, would certainly raise doubts when seen from the outside.vVnX62
xhDcT“…”LbsiQXY
z42HNAndreas remembered that day for a moment before answering Pedro’s question.d4Z
EG3wf2YThough only a mercenary, the boy ran through the dark night to fulfill his duty.eqaVIH
gaK0That day, Vlad’s world, streaking through the night sky, was dazzlingly white no matter who saw it.igm
jE5W6“…I’m not the only one who has seen Mr. Vlad’s shining world. Bishop.”p9KjB
JPJUJAndreas was not the only one who saw Vlad’s world.ycbx
xth7“Here are testimonies from each family.”ja0HtU
0l6DeAndreas grabbed the papers Joseph had given him and held them up.WriVH
vALThe emblems of noble characters engraved on each sheet of paper.ScifTER
0El75WoAll the names written there were people who clearly saw Vlad’s potential.c4VJfy
z7B“Duncan of Hainal, Justia of San Rogino, and even Valkov of Baranov! All these people are testifying that all his achievements so far were achievements of a child!”WFUE0Vv
A3DLwDNIn the end, the only person who can protect oneself is oneself.RlNA7
4IBmy1QAndreas was pulling Vlad from Pedro’s clutches, but the rope he sent was formed by the data the boy had been accumulating all along.mozj
DC9B0RVlad had hellish doubts, but in the end, he was saved.DQm
XaDNIf“…Testimonies of the Knights. Confirmed.”WrC
P440xGPedro’s face hardened as he looked at the knight testimonies handed over by Andreas.d8rkqDF
Pb28HZwDoubts about sincerity, humble origin, dishonorable crimes, and even doubts about created possibilities.FxgqU
tdPgvPedro had made a sturdy net to trap Vlad, but Priest Andreas’ defense was breaking the net he had made.Lc7bucH
uNiDASwThe dagger called truth that Andreas held was that sharp.LFK
GHPl5Rm“…”0UWvIry
2n6v8hbPedro looked at the interrogators surrounding Vlad.LejRp
5squrThe crystal balls dimmed with each question Pedro asked.lPE
NsjHowever, since Andreas arrived, not a single crystal ball has dimmed, and now only one crystal ball remains in the circle.Ywz6GZ
0a4S‘In the end, should I bring it out?’fX8D
s1eIf there was ever a time to gamble, now was the time.USZy
ceBJuEPedro realized he couldn’t put Vlad in a state where he couldn’t recover with a single question, so he decided to use a contingency plan.rHv
nyGwJoseph and Pedro were on opposite sides, but they still had one thing in common.ApUE
ClIJh“Bring what you’ve prepared!”e3tcNi8
UIjIt means prepare for the worst.izaY
RbHxGNkFollowing Pedro’s instructions, the Sacred Knights brought a large seal to the court.2tKXMqV
AG3SZ7An unidentifiable object brought directly by the paladins, not by priests or maintenance staff.nU4fI
DfSsLfThe large wooden boxes surrounding the place clearly indicated that what was inside was unusual.643
TdeCx3“To Bishop Pedro, the judge of this trial, there is still one question remaining.”XRls
gHcIPedro’s grayish eyes stared at Andreas.cFPYCO
pegfLIThings had become so troublesome because of that priest who dared to go mad in front of the bishop.WuaszA
u9LUuX“And instead of asking questions, I decided to clear your suspicions through direct action.”r5s0w
WBCZkTTAt a signal from Pedro, the interrogators began to open the large wooden box.XzhhvnN
rO3People held their breath, and the interrogators tensed.vN5Dv
BG6Z“That…”6U3dW
Sa8When Andreas finally saw the object revealed, he couldn’t help but sigh.eENzl09
W71“A mirror?”qvWesU
kz8R4“Why a mirror all of a sudden?”AVckz
XEgHThe object that emerged from the large seal was a mirror.LXa
Wb8PcAnd Andreas was familiar with this mirror.mxI3feH
bPilza“Instead of asking the final question, I will order an exorcism on Knight Vlad.”Sju
MD8NGk5The Mirror of San Marello.M3aPW
8snThe Mirror of Marello, an official holy relic designated by the Vatican, was a treasure known to reflect the entire truth of the person looking into it.TAx
XMkVh“Mr. Vlad, if you are truly honorable, accept this.”g7kI
duURbAnd there was only one case in which the Inquisitors used a holy relic.NUNaG
RW4kIt was a moment to discover the existence of hidden evil within the human soul.GNx
flF“This is ridiculous!”jsRLhI
ljDThere is a demon inside Vlad.VQYyQP
1XPv8KPedro’s exorcism was an act that assumed that.ADut
3bMG1i“You have proven your innocence with truthful answers so far, then why are you trying to perform an exorcism on Mr. Vlad?”vmJ
yYzAnd the current exorcism ritual will mark Vlad as a stigma and follow him as a symbol of dishonor.8648u
Nw0gE“Priest Andreas. I have a duty to clarify even the slightest doubt.”Fnh
UIfAvHowever, Pedro didn’t bring out the Mirror of San Marello simply to stain Vlad’s honor.1Ws233
WxpAe7kVlad showed great hesitation when asked if he could hear voices.JeHtZt
T60Experienced Pedro didn’t miss the moment the witness shivered.XUkaIU
xrXUG9“But!”rcA0
R6tw“If your soul is pure, doubting is not enough.”mTqa
LXMkNIt wasn’t outright bad, but it wasn’t good either.dCh1
1IfyVIt was clear that the current action itself was posing a huge burden on Vlad.Qg1IX
s0iFf“…”a8cV
hECRMAndreas had no choice but to look at the boy behind him with a helpless expression.RLBtc4
EwHG7ePedro’s last resort was a struggle, and even Andreas, who did his best to defend, couldn’t stop it.tmnQrni
S0kum7s“Don’t worry. It’s just an object that allows you to find something special residing within him.”QhEWHy
p9lp11Andreas believed Vlad to be a faithful person, so he thought that if he could overcome this attempt, the trial could be safely completed.BugNF
J3VOQ“…”iC8r
1H5zVLAndreas was one of the few people who saw the boy’s true colors.However, there was a side of Vlad that he had not noticed.u2c
ZYWXcFIThe boy wasn’t the only one who was alone.3W3bErM
NoLpEven now, in his soul, there is a voice that has gone through trials and tribulations together.5jE6
B4qXvfUMirror of San Marello.3trHJuD
3WDV0Vlad’s eyes trembled as he looked into the mirror.HCYkO
SBNNV3j“…”0k9DI
VYxkPedro, who had been silently observing the situation, also looked at Vlad’s trembling eyes.12Bf
v7Yeu2EPerhaps he really is hiding something.SSYG
q1jHis expressionless eyes gradually gleamed as he looked at Vlad.ZY6j7
FlP***huwt
lXtIt was a moment of crisis where his identity could be revealed, but the sound he heard was calm.gRYrtB0
7OWQUoHBecause from the moment this trial began, his voice was prepared.YnWBYZT
aIhiMM7[…It’s okay. Go ahead.]suXekw
Fi1mI remembered the voice.BrGI
LdVg2The old blacksmith who gave the sword to the boy.Tkn7F
YZdHe hoped his humble sword wouldn’t fail him, and although they had never spoken, his voice reflected a deep affinity with him.pGy
YXuPVX‘But.’cERpTRx
7oqf7KF[So far, I have taught you everything you need to know.]X2o9CCH
R5BTVlad’s steps paused for a moment at the sudden response from the voice.tBOwD
M8WHowever, the piercing eyes of the interrogators didn’t forgive Vlad’s hesitation.UZRFFL
RKIhgk[To avoid being reflected in that mirror, I have to dive into a deeper world.]OhebLvQ
5H7Once before, the voice had deepened to avoid Andreas’s gaze.Kmkupbz
E8DHowever, what you have in front of you is a holy relic that the Vatican is proud of.wHfs
NXpb0WTo avoid the eyes of that great sacred object, you’ll have to dive into a world incomparably deeper than before.PLuxX2
HNoOoi‘In that case…’XVolkvT
xKF[The world of knights is as vast and deep as the ocean. So far, the world you have explored has barely scratched the surface.]0QRDy
nRbRutiger swung his sword and Gregory struck with his body.bBkzMs
j1vPablo, the knight who led Vlad’s world, clashed swords and shields.hjm
CGIBVAll those actions were like keys to elevate the world from a deeper level.e7nX
yHBW[Now that the foundation has been laid, it’s time to advance to a higher place.]C5F5z
WBRAVlad had just entered the world of knights, but there were still many stairs to climb.dAHDgk
hxPEyuHowever, from now on, being informed wasn’t the way forward.rxP
vkUThe voice knew that now was the time for the boy to defend himself.Opq6opg
yrPDrW“Knight Vlad, open your eyes! And look into the mirror in front of you!Uah
JCb6Hc“…”DCB
uxhuVlad finally approached the mirror with heavy steps, but he couldn’t easily look into it.dLbMAE2
rrXRiiBecause he knew what would happen if he opened his eyes now.QwmVY
j0s60DH‘I’m still not good enough to reach that world.’KfYqNMT
P0nuSR[Yet someday you will.]pAYNZMM
9Vw84y‘It will take a long time. Perhaps I may never be able to do it for the rest of my life.’PdA
0LxrkI didn’t know it when I looked at it, but I knew it when I finally got there.LcyK8u
tnp6HWhat kind of world are you dreaming of, and what high wall do you have to overcome to reach that world?4ynaHg
pMV[I think it’s time for you to do it alone.]Ckf3kxx
Osz4However, the voice was resolute, and now was the time to do it.Y6eG
W7BhTJust as the sword that had finished its work had broken, it was time for the voice to also leave its place.5BmmpO6
9Ym[Until then, farewell.]Cz0n
z8LrkThe audience was noisy.idqwF
jsOJLktThe sound of the interrogators’ prayers grew louder and louder.4ShOrMP
HSUBut even then, Vlad heard clearly.IYA1
a1EThe voice bidding farewell.9Y6
fVa9“…It’s okay.”6HD6eo
zInppStanding in front of the mirror, Vlad lowered his head.zIJpK
92nnrBecause he could feel it, because the worlds were touching.j6dY3b
C2y7That the world that had always protected him was sinking as if collapsing into the depths.UPdWvcN
RJTj“What are you doing now?”V07
e9VjqomPedro’s eyes began to gleam as he watched Vlad hesitating.I537
j6qHv5EPerhaps there really was something about the boy that he couldn’t help but hope for.oy6d
4UaxUl“Open your eyes and look ahead! Vlad!Lwan
RKSMGe6Now he was so low that he couldn’t feel it, but Vlad remembered it.Lzq
qAr28What kind of world was the world that formed the roots of one?bUPOmi
PkaWThe voice’s world.yDmhN
kcYCHis world was full of storms and thunderstorms. And it was a world full of intense whiteness.o3wqEYT
PXW4ut8“…!”026aJbx
2coMmxXHe finally found the Mirror of San Marello.gSc
pnkFacing it, Vlad opened his eyes proudly and saw the remnants of the world that was in contact with him.h0Jw
crbIt was a white world that the voice had left behind for the last time.4X7M
a3Hsz“That’s…”eCOgF
WIgwOCu“The mirror… is it glowing?”aGpfji
6XEe4The mirror that the boy was looking at was glowing.nb1
Tr7Pure white, as if it were about to burst.fKt
IsXA“Oh my god…”qawWG
pKOEThe faithful priest rises, and the inquisitors don’t know what to do.eTK535
dcWAnd even Pedro is surprised by the unexpected results.hFve
s99r818The boy’s world, which began with the relics of San Marello, was leaving the courtroom as if about to explode.N5mD
Cf6Q“…You can’t see anything I did wrong.”g2Z7
8eSBCsLightning is created from the clouds and begins from the sky.12kOqJ
PO8SKsKWhite is a noble color and a color that only those without a single trace of shame can have.dH2as
xwbThe boy’s world, which formed the roots, started in the sky.eL1
IY0O“…But why are they playing like this?”Qu95fBR
LPFuHuge worlds always crushed the boy.LJ5I8qI
3pllCfXIn the past, I would collapse without even being able to scream, but now I can shout loudly at least once.eb68ys
6hJ“They said I didn’t do anything wrong!”Yr8YD7
NK7Kwang! Boom!hv8KeC
A8RDXLoAlong with the boy’s anger, a lightning bolt began to fall from the sky.f6Yx80J
KSjnIDJThe white clouds that had suddenly gathered hurled a bolt of lightning at the highest point of the false church.nKNbBLz
BBoDong-ding-dongWZaZ
0ftIOQyThe boy did nothing wrong.vQKg
KkN6fatHe simply survived and did what he had to do.lTNmb
ZfLFWBOAnd the final witness who proved his innocence was the voice that had always been with Vlad.prBmuf
dxr4In the city of Soara, the bells announcing Vlad’s innocence began to ring loudly.hOm
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