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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 59
Chapter Title: Irea
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More than one or two people on the continent are called a Saintess.
To exaggerate slightly, every kingdom has at least one person known as a Saintess.
That's why if you ask people who the Saintess is, most will name the one from their own country.
But if you ask them who the *true* Saintess is, six out of ten people will give you this answer.
"Lady Irea is the one true Saintess."
She possessed immense divine power channeled through a sacred soul, a variety of holy magic she wielded with perfect freedom, and a warm heart that led her to help anyone in need, wherever they might be.
But that wasn't all there was to her.
There was one more reason she was called the true Saintess.
"Because she looks identical to the goddess."
Irea bore a striking resemblance to Shabren, the Goddess of Order worshipped by the Holy Kingdom.
From her bright pink hair and flawless, jade-like skin to her elegant features, Irea, who possessed the very face of the Goddess Shabren, was popular enough to pierce the continental sky.
"So why is that popular girl coming here?"
The much-adored Saintess was heading toward the dwarven village, protected by a cordon of Holy Knights.
"Well, things did go awry over there..."
The woman who appeared like a protagonist just as the Northern Wall of the Krassis Kingdom was about to fall, helping to defend it and drive out Pomera, was none other than her.
In the original story, she should have been enjoying a royal party with the protagonist before taking a rest. Seeing her here meant another incident had occurred.
"They're not coming here to fight."
Judging by their atmosphere, they seemed to be on their way to ask the dwarves for something.
"I should at least let them know."
I climbed down from the tree and returned to the village.
"Get that out of the way first."
"We need to dig out the hardened parts first!"
"Giranox, are you still slow as molasses?"
"Yes. I'm coming, I'm coming."
With the sun about to set, the dwarves and Giranox were working hard on the restoration, while Arin was protecting the village as I had commanded.
"Hm?"
But looking closely at Arin, something seemed off. She was standing still, yet her hair and clothes were fluttering in the wind.
"Haha!"
I see now. Unable to bear the heat, Arin had slightly drawn her sword and was using a sylph's wind to cool herself down.
As if she knew I was watching and laughing, Arin's brow furrowed slightly.
"Hmph."
I chuckled at her reaction, then went to find Testein, who was organizing the smithy.
"Chief."
"Where have you been?"
"I've set up some traps in the surrounding area in case any other monsters show up. Could you please tell the dwarves to be careful when they wander around?"
"To think you would go that far for us, thank you so much. I don't know how we can ever repay this kindness."
"It's nothing. Please don't worry about it."
I had set them up in case the uninvolved dwarves were attacked by Beil's wolves. I told Testein the locations to be wary of and asked him to pass the message to the other dwarves.
"I understand. I will be sure to inform them."
"There is one more thing I need to tell you. The Holy Knights of Iokal are currently ascending the mountain. I believe they are heading this way."
"Hmm."
Testein nodded lightly.
"The Holy Kingdom sometimes visits us. They might ask us to craft a weapon, or to cut sacred stones or jewels."
"I see."
"You need not worry. Whatever their request, we will craft our benefactor's weapon first."
Testein spoke as if it were no big deal, but I could clearly see what was about to happen.
This is going to be a bit of a pain.
"The smithy repairs will be finished soon. Would you mind telling me what form of sword you desire, benefactor?"
"It's not a sword."
"Pardon?"
"I'll show you directly."
The steel spike my future self threw at the Kirin was a hidden weapon of the Sichuan Tang Clan called Hwamaejijeong.
Hwamaejijeong wasn't a weapon for killing, but for subduing, designed to pin its target to a wall and immobilize them.
"This is it."
However, what I showed Testein was not the steel spike form of Hwamaejijeong, but a single dagger.
A dagger with no guard separating the blade and hilt; the blade and hilt were one.
The blade grew progressively thinner toward the tip, and the point was condensed with a killing intent so vicious it was hard to even look at.
Unlike Hwamaejijeong, this was a weapon forged solely to kill, soaked through with bloodlust. The dagger's name was Gwiwangsal.
"Hmm…"
The form of Gwiwangsal itself wasn't very complex, but the frown on Testein's face wouldn't smooth out.
"This is truly... a killing blow. Its very form holds the desire to kill someone without fail."
As expected, Testein had read the thick killing intent embedded in the weapon's design.
"That's right."
I only have one life here.
I didn't know what the future held, but I had no intention of dying to some deer antler.
My future self had tried to talk to the Kirin, but it hadn't listened, and a battle had begun.
So I made my decision.
If conversation with the Kirin failed, I would eliminate it for good.
"Can you make it?"
"It won't be as easy as its shape suggests, but I can do it. However, even after making the dagger, a significant amount of the fang will be left."
"Please leave about half of it, and with the rest, could you make these?"
I showed Testein a hidden weapon shaped like a flower.
"These are fascinating for a different reason. Do you intend to make something else with the other half?"
"Yes. I lack the ability to use it now, but there is a weapon I desperately want to try someday. I will come back then."
"I understand."
"Then, I'll be counting on you."
"Hoho, I will do my absolute best."
The reason I left half the fang was simple.
It was in preparation for the Mancheonhwau I would obtain in the future.
The depiction of Mancheonhwau varies from novel to novel.
The first method is controlling every hidden weapon one possesses, like a Sword Master controlling their blade, and launching them at the opponent.
The second is splitting a specially crafted iron plate into dozens, hundreds, or thousands of pieces and raining them down from above.
Since I didn't know which type my Mancheonhwau would be, I saved half of the fang.
"Chief. One more thing..."
"Chief!"
"Chief!"
Just as I was about to make another request, I heard dwarves calling for Testein from outside. It seemed the Holy Knights had arrived.
"Was there something else you wanted to say?"
"Let's go outside for now. It seems the Holy Knights are here."
"Understood."
I went outside the smithy with Testein to find about thirty Holy Knights lined up at the village entrance, watching us as if on guard.
*Clank.*
The Holy Knight at the very front dismounted and walked toward us. When he removed his helmet, the face of a blond young man reeking of nobility was revealed.
"I am Bairek Derkada, Vice-Commander of the 5th Holy Knight Order of Iokal. Who is the chief?"
"I am the chief, Testein."
"Hmph."
Testein stepped forward at Bairek's words. Bairek looked down at Testein and nodded.
"What happened here?"
Bairek spoke as he surveyed the chaotic state of the village.
"It is not a matter of your concern."
"We came to entrust you with an important item, but with the village in this state, how can I not be concerned?"
"It may take some time to get things in order, but we will do as you wish, so you need not worry."
"That 'some time' is the problem."
Bairek, who had started speaking informally, flinched when he saw my face next to Testein, then shot a condescending smirk when he saw my clothes.
He must have thought I was a noble from my face, then decided I was a commoner after seeing my dust- and grime-covered traveling clothes.
"And who are you to be here?"
"What's it to you?"
"What?"
My equally informal reply made Bairek's condescendingly calm eyes flash.
"Should I say it again? What business is it of yours?"
"You crazy..."
Bairek's body twitched, but he didn't charge at me immediately. He seemed to feel something was off about me speaking to him, a knight, so informally.
"Hmm..."
Furthermore, when Arin came to my side and stood guard, the man's arm twitched, and he took a step back.
I wanted to needle him more, but the anxious look on Testein's face beside me was concerning.
I could just leave, but I felt it might cause trouble for the dwarves who remained, so I decided to wrap things up.
"From now on, don't speak so informally to people you've just met. Let's show some manners."
With that, I stepped back. Bairek glared at me but said nothing more.
"Who is that man?"
Finding it difficult to approach me, Bairek whispered his question to Testein.
"He has not revealed himself, so I cannot say. However, he is not someone you should treat lightly."
"Ahem, in any case, we are here to commission the cutting of a sacred stone. It is an urgent matter, so I request you begin at once."
"As you can see, none of the workshops are usable right now. We are managing to repair one first, but that one is already reserved."
"Reserved? The cutting of a sacred stone is an extremely important matter! You must do it first!"
"The Red Hammer Clan has never once accepted a commission out of order."
"What kind of nonsense is this?!"
*Thump!*
Bairek stomped his foot loudly, as if to threaten Testein.
"Do you know whose land you're living on?! What do you mean, order?! Of course you should take our Iokal commission first!"
I had a feeling this would happen.
"He said it's already reserved. Why are you pressuring him like this?"
"This is none of your business!"
As I stepped forward again, Bairek's face hardened like tree bark.
"This land belongs to our Iokal! We are making this request as payment for lending it to these dwarves!"
"Didn't I tell you not to speak so informally? And since I'm the one with the reservation, don't I have the right to intervene?"
Hearing my words, Bairek's face turned beet red as he glared at me and Arin.
"You may be a noble from some kingdom, but it would be wise not to do something you'll regret."
"Go on, give it a try. Bairek Deika, second son of the Deika County."
"Urgh…"
Seeing that I knew his rank and still wouldn't back down, Bairek froze as if petrified.
"I have a question."
"What?"
"The goddess you serve is Shabren, the Goddess of Order, correct?"
"What of it?"
"It's just hilarious that a Holy Knight who serves the Goddess of Order is so openly trying to cut in line. Hahaha."
"Pfft."
At my words, Giranox, who had been watching from behind, let out a snort of laughter.
"H-How dare you!"
"Wasn't the seventh of the nine verses spoken by the Goddess of Order, 'All things follow their natural course, so keep to your own turn'?"
"Ugh…"
With the mention of the goddess's verse, Bairek was left speechless, swallowing dryly.
"Wow, a Holy Knight who openly defies the goddess's words is the vice-commander of a Holy Knight Order. How impressive!"
*Grit.*
Veins popped in Bairek's eyes as he glared at me, as if he wanted to eat me alive.
That seventh verse was something I made up for the protagonist to use, so it was quite amusing to be using it like this myself.
"Anything else you'd like to say?"
"Who do you think you…"
"Sir Bairek…"
As I was having a staring contest with Bairek, a small, whispering voice came from the village entrance.
"Sir Bairek. Please, that's enough."
With pink hair and a small frame, the Saintess Irea was walking toward us, her face flushed.
"Th-This is not something for the Saintess to worry about. I will handle it."
"H-He's right."
"Lady Saintess…"
"I'm sorry. I believe we were being rude."
Irea bowed her head, her apology delivered in a small voice filled with sincere regret.
"It's alright. Please don't worry."
I believe in an eye for an eye. When she acted so politely, I naturally responded in kind.
"However, we have an urgent situation. Would it be possible for you to concede just a little?"
"We also have an urgent situation, so…"
"It's a matter of life and death."
"My life is also on the line, as well as the lives of quite a few others."
"How dare you mock the Saintess!"
I was just telling the truth, but Bairek and the Holy Knights seemed to think I was mocking the Saintess, their anger flaring even more than when I had mentioned the goddess.
"Bairek, you're not the one in charge. Stay out of it."
"Y-You!"
"Lady Saintess. Could you please tell me in detail what has happened?"
I ignored the fuming Bairek and focused only on Irea.
"W-Well, that is…"
"Ah, I just realized, I haven't even introduced myself. Lady Saintess, my name is Yuren Lox of the Marquis Lox House from the Krassis Kingdom."
"Lox…"
"Yuren Lox!"
At the name Lox, Bairek bit his lip and scowled, while Irea gasped in admiration, her cheeks turning a bright red as she took another step closer to me.
"A-Are you truly Lord Yuren Lox?"
When I first saw her information, I noticed her favorability toward me was quite high.
It must be because she heard the rumors about me. The latest ones.
"The Yuren Lox who defeated those bastard undead and reclaimed the Northern Wall?"
A coarse curse suddenly flew from the lovely lips that had been speaking so shyly and quietly.
"The Yuren Lox known as the Undead Slaughterer?"
The shy, or rather, formerly shy Saintess had already lost her mind over the undead.
"Lord Yuren, please help us annihilate those dog-shit undead and purify the demonized land."
Demonization?
Already?