Raising Paladins

Episode 36. I’m getting to know (2)

‘Candidates… … ?’

Carl just asked me to decide whether to become a priest or continue to be a gangster.

Joseph sons who do not yet understand the true meaning of the word.

Carl spoke to them again.

“Your seniors, Daryl and Grom, have already become the servants of the temple. I promised to teach them swordsmanship if they faithfully fulfill their duties as servants. Along with a promise to let you take the battle fuse test when the time comes.”

“… … !”

The five gangsters who followed Josephson.

Everyone looked very surprised.

‘Is it possible that people like us become priests?’

It was unexpected.

I thought I would be beaten coolly the moment I met the knife… … .

But Carl says he will give you a chance to become a priest.

It’s also the most stylish battle fuse among the fuses!

Wearing decent armor over a neat priest’s uniform, he even carries a steel sword around his waist.

A symbol of a truly wonderful man.

What are people’s eyes on?

It is not only stable, but also reliable because it is in charge of the sacred security of the region.

There is no parent who has a daughter who does not want to have a battle priest as his son-in-law.

Can they, who have lived as street thugs, get such a great job?

It was like a dream.

“Did you just say priest? Really?”

Of course, Carl belongs to the Dawning Church, so if you follow him, there is a high possibility that you will become the battle priest of the Dawning Church.

The Church of Dawn is a losing tribe compared to the other two tribes.

one what would that be?

They were already orphans from birth, and they lived as gangsters following Hanson.

Of course, he did not hit women, children, or the elderly, but he took money in the name of protection money while going around the market.

Obviously a thug is a thug.

What if such people could be well-recognised and great battle fuses?

Whether it was the Dawning Church or not, it didn’t matter at all.

Because becoming a ‘proper citizen’ was the most important dream for them.

The opportunity was calling them.

“Yes. I will help you become a battle priest. Of course, on the premise that you faithfully follow the instructions.”

gulp!

The gang that followed Josephson swallowed their saliva.

Then Josephson, on the contrary, burned inside.

‘This priest’s tongue again… … !’

I knew it before I got hit by a knife last time.

That this priest is dazzling not only with his fists, but also with his tongue.

What a master at misleading the foolish people!

With just a few words from him, Daryl, Peter, and Grom all volunteered to become servants of the temple.

Even now.

He just said ‘I’ll make you a battle priest’, but the whole gang is shaken up.

A sword that clearly sees what the opponent really wants!

If even the remaining gang were taken away by Carl, Hanson’s organization would be disintegrated in the air.

that should never happen

Josephson quickly opened his mouth.

No, I tried to open it.

“Don’t listen to the priest! This guy tricked you… … .”

Poof!

“Ouch!”

dump.

The iron candlestick the knife was holding.

The object flew through the air in the blink of an eye.

Then Joseph’s body collapsed.

“You don’t need an interrupter to make a voluntary choice. is not it?”

“… … That, it is.”

The gang standing in the hall nodded quickly.

Of course, it’s clear where Carl’s iron candelabra will go next.

It must be the nape of the neck of the guy who said ‘I will not become a priest!’

In a somewhat frightening atmosphere, the gang broke into a cold sweat before making a voluntary choice (?).

“Now, make your choice.”

Will you live as a thug?

Or will you become a battle priest candidate and pioneer your own life?

The worry didn’t last long.

“Take me with you! Priestess!”

“me too!”

“I will become a seed!”

The seeds of the future Meirium temple shouting in unison.

Carl smiled happily.

“Cancer, that’s it. They chose well.”

chuck!

The knife pointed at the fallen Joseph’s hand as a candlestick.

“Tie him up and put a gag on his mouth. It’s annoying to wake up and make a fuss. Wake up the rest of the gang sleeping in the room so they can make their own choices.”

“All right.”

“If there’s anyone who doesn’t want to become a priest, send them to my room.”

“Bar, why are you in the room… … ?”

“You should take a good look at Tyler.”

“… … .”

Of course, I will tell you with that iron candlestick.

Or a fist.

In the heads of the gang, I wonder for a moment whether this is really a voluntary choice.

But it’s okay.

Regardless of the process, it is a clear fact that I got a chance to rehabilitate.

The gang took Joseph’s hand and went back into the room.

Then Terrence rubbed his eyes and came out.

“Sir… … What are you doing at night?”

Probably woke up in the turmoil.

Carl replied to Terrence, who was rubbing his eyes as he was not yet sleepy.

“Ah, there was a seed recruitment interview for a while.”

“A job interview? During this night?”

“hmm. The Temple of Dawn needs more manpower.”

“okay. Were there any useful people?”

“It seemed fine. Even if it’s not okay, it doesn’t matter as long as you make it okay.”

“… … ?”

Terrence tilted his head at Carl’s puzzling answer.

How to make something okay that’s not okay?

However, it wasn’t anything Terrence cared about, so he agreed without much doubt.

“Keep your eyes closed. We still have a couple of hours left to leave.”

“I should… … Aren’t you sleeping with the priest?”

“I have to go to my morning workout.”

“Yes… … ? Do you drink dark beer like that?”

“I can’t even say I drank that much.”

clap.

The iron candlestick Carl was holding was hung on the wall again.

Then he warmed up and went down the stairs.

Terrence stuck out his tongue, looking like he was really going to exercise.

‘You’re such a great person… … !’

***

the next morning.

‘… … The sun has risen.’

Clemens wakes up to the warm sunlight filtering through the window.

Even though he didn’t exercise at dawn like Carl, he always lived a diligent life.

He is a senior priest of the Mayrium branch who must set an example for other priests.

Listening to the chirping of birds flying over the window along with the sunlight, Clemens tidied up his clothes.

A look of pensiveness appeared on Clemens’ face.

‘There is no news yet… … .’

Carlos escorted a large fruit peddler to Tournoble.

Claiming to be a messenger of God and solving many problems as soon as he arrived, he took a risky adventure again.

Taking charge of escorting fruit peddlers by himself.

There is really a lot of money at stake in that peddling.

In particular, the money the Temple of Dawn had borrowed from the Merchant Guild Master!

Carl decided to receive double the escort fee if he returned safely, and if not, the temple building, site, and farmland were all handed over to the guild leader Devaldo.

The situation where the contract was written and Clemens notarized it.

What if Carl doesn’t return or the escort fails?

The Temple of Dawn will disappear in Meirium.

So, Clemens waited patiently for news day by day.

‘I should have gotten a call from you around last night.’

Although Tournoble is quite a distance away, it is only one day away on a fast horse.

It’s been a few days since the departure, so if it was successful, the communication should have come last night.

However, it is unreasonable news.

It was natural to be worried.

‘What about the new recruits to Eric and Tira, plus the sick… … ?’

What if the temple building and site were stolen by Devaldo?

Then it was clear that all members of the temple would be kicked out.

Because Devaldo is a merchant famous for his lack of compassion.

You can never leave people who do not benefit you.

The extraordinary Eric and Tira came to join the dying temple of dawn.

In addition, even the sick who found the only temple in Meirium because they had no place to be treated.

If the Temple of Dawn disappears, they will be driven to the brink.

‘What about paying for that sin… … .’

If that happens, even if I die, I won’t be able to sleep next to the sun god.

A very scary future that will unfold if Carl fails the convoy!

Clemens, who had been thinking about that, shook his head.

‘I’ll have to do what I can for now!’

Clemens is too old to be able to defeat Hanson’s gang as grandly as Carl does.

However, age itself is worthy of respect.

Especially for someone like Clemens, who spent decades silently fulfilling his duties in a temple on the outskirts of the empire, age was a weapon.

‘I’m sure there will be someone who will give it to me after hearing the circumstances.’

In the meantime, he has done a lot of good deeds at Mayrium.

Before Eric or Tira came, I treated the sick myself.

Not one or two citizens of Meirium were treated by Clemens.

So, there must be at least one person who can lend a helping hand.

Clemens thought so and left the bedroom.

But someone was waiting at the bedroom door.

It was Eric, the intermediate priest.

“Did you have a good night, priest?”

“Eric? What are you doing in the morning?”

“that is… … Take a look at this.”

Just as Clemens had trouble sleeping all night, Eric must have stayed up all night waiting for news from Tournoble, so his face was speechless.

In particular, his eyes looked very complex as he looked at the parchment in his hand.

“This… … !”

Clemens with the parchment.

he opened his eyes

“… … This is a reminder from the merchant association. The interest on the amount we borrowed and the debts of other merchants who provided the temple with fruits and vegetables on credit are all listed. It seems that Devaldo embraced everything, even the credits he lost to other merchants.”

Operating funds borrowed by mortgaging the temple site and farmland.

In addition, Devaldo visited the merchants who Eric had borrowed food ingredients on credit and bought all the debts.

In other words, this scroll is evidence of a debt bomb.

“Oh, when did the money grow so much… … .”

The huge amount written at the bottom of the scroll.

Seeing this, Clemens felt dizzy.

Stagger!

“Priestess!”

Eric quickly helped Clemens, who lost his balance and collapsed.

Fortunately, there was no accident, but Clemens’ expression was still pale.

‘It’s too much debt… … Who is this… … .’

Just a little while ago, I thought that there must be someone who could help me.

I realized it when I saw a reminder.

That this much money is not available to anyone in Meirium.

In addition, the official seal of the mayor of Mayrium was stamped on the debt notarization document.

Having the mayor’s seal on the notarized document means that the mayor also wants the Temple of Dawn to disappear from Meirium.

“Eric… … Maybe now?”

“… … .”

There’s no answer.

There is no word from Carl, who left the escort to settle the debt.

In fact, there was no contact from Carl, which could be said to be the last hope, so it was as if it was over.

“This is all my fault. It’s my fault for being lacking and foolish… … .”

“Sir… … .”

A tear welled up in Eric’s eye.

He knew better than anyone else that Clemens had done nothing wrong as he had been serving Clemens for a long time.

What if Clemens hadn’t taken on debt to finance his operations?

Then all the sick who visited the temple would be in danger.

Even now, the patients who are full of sickbeds proved that.

If the temple doesn’t take care of them, they will all die a miserable death.

Now I really had to hope for a miracle from God to happen.

It was then.

“Shin Gwanniiiim! Priest Clemens! It’s Eric Shin Kwan!”

A cheerful voice from far away.

Soon after, with a bright face

A running figure of Tira appeared at the corner of the hallway.

“came! The peddler is back!”