Chapter 399 – An Acquaintance Paladin.

“Let me do the talking!”

“Are you sure?”

“Of course, you might not know this but I’ve met our friend here before.”

“I don’t think we should be performing the interrogation here, there are too many witnesses.”

“What interrogation? Stop it before he gets the wrong idea…”

Roland overheard a conversation among five individuals who were heading in his and Elodia’s direction. He had only recently regained consciousness following the battle with the Eldritch Horror. Although he had lost consciousness shortly after the battle, he had managed to witness the arrival of the city guard and a whole troop of knights. Their numbers didn’t exceed a hundred, but it was an unusual sight.

It was evident to him that these Solarian Knights couldn’t have been responding to his call for assistance. While Elodia called both his own soldiers over and contacted the church, they should not have been capable of sending such a force. The church could likely provide only a handful of clerics, probably no more than ten. Taking that into consideration, it appeared that these holy knights had been tracking the cult’s movements beforehand. They probably traced them to this location and launched an attack as soon as the shrouding spell dissipated, revealing the location of the battle.

As they drew nearer, he attempted to piece together the unfolding events. One memory resurfaced swiftly – that of Agni revealing himself to the church in his Sunlight Wolf form, something they likely recognized instantly. However, this was just one of his concerns, as he had also employed divine energy emulation during the battle and was uncertain of the paladin’s potential reaction if they discovered this.

He wasn’t even sure if they were aware of this yet, as the creation of the large sun spell had occurred before their arrival. If necessary, he could attribute this accomplishment to Agni, a divine beast capable of freely generating holy mana. Nonetheless, it was risky to draw too much attention to Agni, as the church might attempt to relocate him to a more securely defended location. The church was known for protecting their holy beasts, and this place might not be the most suitable for his safety.

The third problem that weighed on his mind was Bernir. He could clearly remember his friend losing his arm, which had rapidly turned into a black sludge. His knowledge of holy spells was incomplete, but he knew that limb regeneration was beyond the capabilities of a Tier 3 priest. Only priests of higher tiers might possess the skills required, and finding one willing to aid Bernir would be an incredibly challenging task.

High-ranking clergymen of this level were typically stationed in the Holy Kingdom of Alexandria and often prioritized aiding capable soldiers within their own faction. Pleas for assistance from outsiders were rarely entertained and even less if they were just plain blacksmiths. As the questions continued to increase the group finally arrived and the cloth that had been dividing his bed from the others was pushed aside.
“I’m glad that you’re awake Mr. Wayland, though it’s Sir Wayland now, isn’t it?”

The first individual who emerged took him by surprise. It was a woman with blond hair that resembled golden straw. This appearance was somewhat common among Solarian paladins, whose hair often turned blonde during the process of ascending to their Tier 3 classes. Some of them even developed golden-hued irises if their faith was exceptionally strong, which appeared to be the case for this woman.

She was someone he recognized, and her name was Loreena. She belonged to the Golden Order, a faction of knights within the Solarian church. Their primary responsibility was to combat cultists, which was likely the main reason for their presence here. Their leader, Inquisitor Bartholomew, was a prominent figure and, apparently, Loreena’s grandfather.

“You have really been blessed by the Holy Lady Solaria to have survived a second encounter with these cultists!”

“Dame Loreena…”

“I’m pleased that you remember me, my friend. It’s always good to reunite with fellow warriors.”

Loreena replied warmly and her eyes sparkled with anticipation. It seemed that she was in a good mood but some of the other paladins that were with her didn’t look as jolly. Their expressions were grim, a stark contrast to Loreena’s jovial demeanor. Two of the knights appeared to be scrutinizing the room while a third, a man with intense blue eyes, gazed directly at Roland. His presence exuded an air of suspicion and wariness.

“Sir Wayland.”

He addressed Roland with a calculated tone.

“Your survival amidst such chaos is indeed miraculous. However, there are elements here that prompt further inquiry.”

Roland could sense that this individual was probing for information, and their attitude was clearly antagonistic. It was apparent that they hadn’t come for a simple congratulatory visit or to offer assistance. If he didn’t provide the right answers, he might be taken in for further questioning elsewhere. Roland had heard stories about the Solarian inquisition, and if you were deemed an enemy, torture was part of the process.

“I appreciate the concern for my well-being and your order’s timely arrival. It was indeed a harrowing encounter with the cultists. I must commend your bravery and swiftness in dealing with the situation but I don’t think this is the best place for such a discussion…”

In reality, Roland had no desire to engage in this conversation at that moment. It was evident that these paladins were attempting to corner him right after he had regained consciousness, likely with the intention of interrogating him before he could gather his thoughts. Therefore, he deemed it wiser to postpone this discussion to a later time. He deliberately emphasized the positive aspects of the situation, hoping to keep the atmosphere friendly.

Additionally, his armor was not with him, which meant he couldn’t conduct a proper identification process to ascertain the true identities of these individuals. They were wearing items that concealed their real names, and without his armor, he couldn’t cloak his mana while accessing this information.

“… This won’t take long. I am Sir Gideon, Paladin of the Radiant Order. We want to discuss the unholy conjuration that was unleashed here and which you were a part of. We also wish to ask you about the strange concentration of divine energy within the area of the incident and also … “

The man called Gideon ignored his words and started getting closer. His gaze was gough and it seemed as if he was just glaring in his direction. Luckily, Loreena, who noticed the tense atmosphere, was quick to interject on his behalf.

“Gideon, surely our purpose here is not to interrogate but to offer support. The immediate threat has been dealt with and Sir Wayland is still in recovery. How about you leave this to me for now!”

The two looked at each other for a moment. Gideon’s expression remained unaltered, but it was apparent that he was contemplating something. Roland was not aware of the hierarchical structure within this unit of Golden Order knights, but it appeared that these five individuals were more or less on equal footing. There might be a group leader somewhere, but at least he didn’t seem to be present in this situation.

Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

Loreena’s intervention seemed to momentarily defuse the tension in the room. Gideon, while still appearing displeased, eventually stepped back, yielding to her request. Roland noticed the other knights exchanging subtle glances, possibly indicating some internal issues within their ranks.

It was possible that due to Loreena’s connections to a high inquisitor, the other individuals were hesitant to express their concerns. Although this may not have been beneficial for their group, it worked in his favor. He had a connection with this woman, having once saved her life, and thankfully, it seemed that she was inclined to support his stance on this matter.

“Thank you for your understanding, Sir Wayland. I apologize for the brusque approach. Gideon can be a bit… zealous when it comes to matters of the church.”

Roland nodded in acknowledgment. He had dealt with zealous individuals before and knew it was often better to handle them delicately.

“I appreciate your consideration, Dame Loreena. If you have any questions, I’ll do my best to provide answers, but I would prefer to have a more private setting.”

Loreena gave a subtle nod, understanding the need for privacy. She turned to the other paladins and addressed them, her voice somewhat firm but not confrontational.

“Gentlemen, I believe we can continue this conversation in a more suitable environment. Sir Wayland has been through a lot, and it’s only fair that he has the chance to recover and gather his thoughts. Let’s not forget our primary mission here, which is to address the cultist threat.”