Chapter 32: Things I have to endure.
Chapter 32: Things I have to endure.
Chapter 32: Things I have to endure.
Ivan sat idly on the bed in the room allotted to him. Being here was so awkward that he couldnt lie on the bed.
Its the first time Ive ever fallen asleep in a temple.
The room in the temple was narrow, but neat. The minimal arrangement of only necessary furniture seemed to represent the ascetic life of the priests.
Ivan took his weapons from the inventory and started wiping them with oil one by one. After a hard fight he definitely needed to reorganize.
While he was cleaning his equipment for a long time, he felt the presence of someone approaching his door. He was a familiar figure, so he opened the door himself.
He saw Ivan put the equipment he was grooming into his inventory, but he didnt care.
Because Ivan repeatedly took all kinds of equipment out of his inventory and putting them back in, he had been caught. Theres no choice if he wanted to fight properly.
Welcome. You must have something to say.
Youre resting, but I dont know if Im bothering you.
I had nothing to do, so I was just polishing the sword.
Then excuse me for a second.
As Delfino entered the room, Ivan pulled out a kettle and a teacup. Then he moved his magic power to make a spark and floated the kettle on it.
It was a mana conversion practice that Ivan was doing these days. It was not as easy as he thought to keep the fire and the kettle floating in the air at the same time. Because not only he had to control the fire power properly, but also had to be careful not to overflow the water by shaking.
squeak.
I dont know how it tastes. I used the tea from the temple, but my skills arent that good.
Its fine. For tea, isnt it all about the scent?
After all, he didnt say that the tea is delicious.
Ivan drank the tea with a gloomy heart so as not to show any signs on the outside. After all, it tasted bad.
Ivan opened his mouth as he pushed the tea to the side after taking a sip.
Okay, whats going on tonight?
Im here to say hello in advance because I think I have to leave for the Great Hall tomorrow morning.
Delfino overworked himself while blocking the enemy alone. As a result, the mind, body, and soul were wounded, and it could not be restored simply by pouring out divine power.
He should go into a quiet temple or monastery to cleanse his body and mind and focus on purification. Even then, he wont be able to recover everything he lost.
Ill miss you, but its a pity to leave like this.
Anyway, I dont think this was for me.
still
I only went out every day, so it was time to go back. Since the water outside has been getting a lot in the meantime, I have to sit down in the prayer room and renew my mind and renew my faith.
He added with a smirk.
Heh heh, the thought of going to the temple after playing around makes me itchy already. Its the beginning of ascetisim.
Who can say that he didnt go out to play? He described going back to recovery after suffering in the most difficult place as asceticism.
He is indeed a strong man.
He often pretended to be a good person, but he was rarely a really good person. He was a good person Ivan experienced very rarely.
Now, more members of the denomination will come here. I hope they carry out their mission safely.
It became clear that demon worshipers were plotting here. It turns out that even the distribution of drugs was the making of sacrifices for an evil ritual.
Now, the exorcist, who was moving in the dark, retreated and it was the turn of the Knights Templar to take an active part. The link with the lord is also suspicious, so they might be able to move more actively. (dlazarturead(dot)wordpress(dot)com)
Its something he shouldnt have liked, but he was actually stepping back and thinking about it from the denominations point of view, it was also an opportunity. An opportunity to take a firm place in this barren land of faith.
The justification was enough. Given the clear evidence that the demon worshipers were plotting an evil plot, the connection with the lord is suspicious, so he can pressure other lords, and even get a welcome from the locals.
Perhaps, in the name of purifying this land, even other denominations of Sanctus Populi would be putting their roots one by one. Due to the war in the East and the chaos in the South, no matter how short the manpower is, they cannot miss this opportunity.
In any case, at Delfinos pure heart, worried about his colleagues, Ivan also nodded.
It will be fine.
I hope so.
Tak.
Delfino, who briefly prayed for his colleagues, took out a heavy pocket from his arms.
This is the promised reward.
I think its a little heavier than the first contract?
Its only natural, because youve suffered that much. Efforts should be rewarded fairly.
Ivan didnt refuse and took the pocket.
Just like the athletes, rewards were their pride, same with mercenary. It wasnt just a matter of hard work, he couldnt lower even a single penny because he actually risked his life. Lowering the price means lowering his own life.
The Arun Church is on the wealthy side, so there was no problem with taking a little more.
And take this too.
Delfino also held out a small dagger.
It was only slightly larger than the palm of his hand, but it was a silver-plated dagger with gorgeous craftsmanship. This alone would have been worth more than the commission Ivan received.
What is this?
It is a mark given to the benefactor of the church beyond the contract.
A gift given to outsiders who have contributed greatly to the Arun Church.
He said that just by holding it, you can clear your mind and body and drive out evil demons and evil spirits.
This is a dagger that has been blessed for a year in the Great Hall. No matter where you go on the continent, if you show the dagger to the members of the Arun Church, you will be treated favorably.
And he added with a smirk.
For a more realistic benefit, we offer discounts on items sold by the church. The Church of Arun is spread all over the continent, so it will be quite useful.
What the church sold was not just holy water. This is because not only the products directly produced by the denomination, but also the items produced by believers were sold under the name of some denominations with guarantees.
I dont know how much the discount will be, but its a token given to the benefactor of the church, so it wont be pitiful.
As Ivan accepted the dagger, something clear came over him. There was something about it that made people feel good.
Its a precious gift.
Haha, actually, the temple knights were going to give it to you tomorrow, but I insisted on giving it to yourself, so I brought it. Im glad you like it.
Then Delfino drank tea involuntarily and opened his mouth in surprise. He seemed to have forgotten. Ivans eyes sank as he watched Delfino stay away from the teacup. (dlazarturead(dot)wordpress(dot)com)
It wasnt just that he didnt drink the tea Ivan served. Ivan felt that his business was not yet finished. The gist still remained.
I dont think thats why you came to me at night. Its okay, so please feel free to tell me.
Greeting is something you can do in the morning. The same goes for giving rewards. Still, why did he have to come tonight?
As Ivan stared, Delfino lowered his head. And after hesitating for a while, he opened his mouth.
The gods of Nord have bestowed upon you a heavy love.
Well, thats right. Its too much interest of what I can handle.
When Ivan said that, Delfinos expression softened a bit.
I know this is rude, but I hope you dont misunderstand it.
Tell me.
Delfino said with a heavy sigh.
If you keep going like this, youre going to collapse in no time. The vessel will break and youll lose your life.
At those words, Ivans expression turned heavy in an instant. Instead of a teacup, he pulled out a bottle of wine from his inventory.
Its a story that requires alcohol rather than tea.
Ivan took a large sip and put it down.
As he offered it, Delfino also took a large sip and wiped his mouth.
Keep talking.
The love of the gods is sometimes too difficult for mortals like us to bear. If the vessel receives more power than what it can handle, it will eventually collapse. Youre already feeling it.
At that, Ivan shut his mouth and nodded his head. Its something he has been feeling a lot lately.
The divine power is not within oneself, but borrowed from a transcendent being. Therefore, the will of the Transcendent was more important than his own efforts.
To put it simply, if the gods were interested, the divine power was strong, and if the gods were not interested, the divine power was weak.
The problem is that Ivan got too much attention. Beyond what he can afford.
Ivan let out a deep sigh. He knew the cause.
Its a side effect of skill points.
Skill points were given simply. When he learned linguistics, he became fluent in all languages, and when he learned swordsmanship, even the smallest movements and principles entered his mind. It even worked with divine power.
The divine power skill has forcibly attracted the attention of the gods. They didnt know him, and suddenly they had a crush on Ivan.
Ivans level was not high, so it would be very weak, but with their personality, they would not realize it.
What interests them, what makes Ivan likable, how does one use their powers when they have not bestowed any favors.
From then on, Ivan was able to use his divine power beyond the skill he had taken. Because the gods really got interested. They showed a deep interest in him than anyone on earth.
Whenever he sensed that the divine gods constantly watching over him, Ivan was under intense stress. The presence of the gods was so clear that he cant pretend not to know.
So he hated and feared the gods. Even though Ivan has mastered many skills, it is probably because of the dependence that comes from such fear that he seeks God when he really needs strength.
Ivan nodded his head a few times, then drank his bottle and emptied it.
Thank you. Ill have to be more careful in the future.
swish!
Ivan left the temple and continued wielding his sword as he moved his legs. He intended to fix his dependence on the gods of Asgard in every battle.
Even though he shouted no with his mouth, he couldnt push their strength away easily. He was admitting that it was an easy path.
It was wrong. If he didnt want to be dragged by the gods, he should have done it earlier.
crackle!
Thor seemed displeased with Ivans resolution, but the other gods did not stop him. It must have been considered as fun in its own right.
Theyre more attracted to people who rebel against them, and theyre not the chaebol in the drama who shouts Youre the first person to hit me. They were, after all, have bad personalities.
As Ivan was walking while swinging his sword like that, he saw someone sitting in the middle of a mountain road in the distance.
This is the only road, and even a rare one, so Ivan was very puzzled.
Its a strange person. Shall we go back?
It was right to avoid suspicious situations first.
Because he want to refrain from exposing his curiosity and make dangerous for nothing.
So Ivan sneakily left the road and was about to enter the forest, but the man who was sitting in the distance jumped up from his seat and turned around.
Still, Ivan didnt mind him and tried to run away, but had to stop his steps. Because the man shouted loudly. (dlazarturead(dot)wordpress(dot)com)
Ill ask! Are you the one who dares to call himself Esirsson!
Ivan Esirsson. his name. No, the name which has become his.
Ivan stopped avoiding and looked at the man.
thats right.
With that answer, the man began to approach his way.
His chain armor had an iron helmet, a round shield hung from his back, and only a sword and an ax hung from his waist.
The mans limbs were full of muscle and was very thick, and his thigh was even thicker than that.
The look of a warrior no matter where you look at. Ivan greatly raised his vigilance.
Should I throw the ax first? Or throw the spear? Wouldnt it be better to shoot arrows with a wider distance?
He thought about it for a moment, but he did not dare to attack first. It was because the expression of the man approaching with a rough expression was very subtle.
He looked angry, yet pleased, and he looked joyful but strangely disappointed.
Anyway, there was no intent to kill, and there was no sign of attacking first, so Ivan resisted the desire to wield the sword.
He, the one who claims to be Esirsson!
Ivan Esirsson.
The one who claims!
Yeah, whats going on?
He looked Ivan up and down several times before yelling.
Ill have to see if youre worthy to call yourself Esirson!
Ivan couldnt stand it any longer.
Whoosh! (TN: Yeah, enough talking. Hit first)