Episode 214: Mad Kingdom (2)
Kneel down and pray as soon as you arrive!
However, looking at the atmosphere around it, it seems that everyone is doing that.
Iriel was the first to kneel on the dusty floor, and the Paladins and Priests followed suit as well.
It is impossible to stand up alone in this situation.
As soon as everyone in the Holy Kingdom lowered their bodies, the ladies-in-waiting knelt down holding hands.
“Ah, Mr. Frias. The saints of Gaia’s Holy Land have finally arrived. Always keep us alert and help us grow through hardship. I ask that the pilgrimage also be taken with mighty steps.”
“….”
“..”
“Please allow me to gain great enlightenment even in penance with the saints.”
“huh?”
She throws a questioning word at the lady-in-waiting who spits out crazy noises while she is praying.
Is it penance together?
If they want to rise above hardships and adversity, they will do it, so why do they want self-mortification as well!
The screaming prayers he questioned went on and on, and soon came to an end.
Two ladies-in-waiting said as they brushed off the dust from the skirt.
“I will guide you to the annex. The VIP room for adults is next to it.”
“….”
“….”
Somehow, everyone in Gaia’s kingdom, including Iriel, became silent as soon as they arrived here.
It’s like trying to save stamina.
Passing by the seemingly luxurious annex and arriving at the VIP room, the two maids bow silently and leave.
After staring at the back for a while, Ray spoke.
“So what is this? Penance?”
“…Originally, the Holy Land of Frias does not require pilgrimage. It’s a ‘holy country’ like us from the beginning, so there’s no need to extend a helping hand on pilgrimages.”
He continued his explanation with a puzzled expression.
“I am only exchanging for the sake of the two goddesses who are sisters. That exchange is about empathizing with each other’s teachings and understanding each other.”
“aha! That’s penance!”
With a gesture that seems to finally understand, a smile forms on his lips.
“Yes!”
Iriel also smiles face to face.
However, it didn’t take long for that smile to turn to a serious color.
asceticism? I wish you would stop talking crazy.
Just taking a boat and coming here for more than 20 days is enough penance!
I want to decline even if it means escaping by hitting the goddess Frias.
“I have to go back.”
As I turned around with the horse, Iriel quickly grabbed my arm.
Shaking his head, he speaks with a weight that will never be seen again in royalties.
“It will be difficult if you fall alone.”
“Whether you fall alone or the two of you, you decide and I have to go.”
“It is difficult. It is very difficult.”
The urgency was desperately felt in the expression that looked like it was about to cry.
However, since he is not a child, Iriel’s tears are beyond the scope of Ray’s consideration.
As I cleared my ears and pretended to listen, she looked at me with ferocious eyes.
“If you leave like this, I will never forgive you. I will always torment you in a way that the culprit can’t even think of.”
so it’s difficult
It is Iriel who has solved the tasks that have fallen in front of him so far, and he is the one who has been helping himself in various other fields.
This time, it would be nice to hang out with them at least once, even if it means repaying the favor.
A sigh escaped naturally.
“Whoa… I get it. Because I owe you something.”
“Whew…”
She too let out a sigh of relief.
If only the saint fell into it like this, he would have to endure the pain alone like before.
It’s comforting to think that there are colleagues to be with.
Returning to her usual expression, Iriel cleared her throat.
“Hmm… I’m leaving now. I need to take a break to prepare for tomorrow…”
“Yes. I can’t even sleep because I’m looking forward to what the hell is waiting for us.”
“Then…”
He bowed his head and left for the VIP room.
Ray looked up at the sky and sighed again.
“…You really should apologize to me.”
* * *
As the day dawned, the guides came like ghosts.
Of course, even though he was a guide, he was a high-ranking priest.
They are neatly dressed and speak in silence.
“Are you ready? We will guide you soon.”
“Please.”
I left the room and headed to the back of the garden.
Somehow, the more I go, the more I get a bad feeling.
Enter the forest, where enormously huge trees block all sides.
It seems that no wind can pass through it.
The priests bowed their heads in the dark forest where even sunlight could not enter.
“This is it. Adults, for the next week, please mortify yourself by eating only the products from this forest. Of course, you must not use powers such as divine power at all.”
“okay. All right.”
Iriel’s answer came out easier than I thought.
“wait for a sec. Just the two of us? What about the others?”
“I dare not do it with adults. Please rest assured that we will only be guiding you and will be practicing elsewhere.”
What do you mean by reassurance?
Afterwards, as the priests left, Iriel warmed up lightly.
“It’s still in the beginning, so it’s easy.”
“Well… you just have to hold out for a week.”
While talking, look at the grass around you.
He was the one who locked himself in Aira’s study and hammered edible grass and its efficacy into his head.
This level was not even on the ascetic side.
I eagerly snooped between the trees and climbed them, and looked around, but I couldn’t find any edible fruit.
There are really only grasshoppers.
Well, it’s not like you can’t eat this kind of grass.
It’s just so bitter that people can’t eat it, but if you mix it with other things, you can neutralize it.
As I looked at the memories of the time of the ceremony, one by one, the knowledge of survival was revived along with resentment toward Gaia.
Iriel looked at Ray with a strange gaze as he sniffed and sniffed the grass.
“What are you doing?”
“I have to find something to eat. Oh, this is it.”
Like a squirrel hiding food in the ground, it hurriedly starts digging.
Soon after, he digs up a small root and holds it dearly as if holding a treasure.
“Look for drinking water nearby.”
“…all right.”
Actions are quite agile.
Anyone who doesn’t know it would think they lived only in the mountains.
While Iriel went out to explore the surroundings, he cut down a tree to make tinder and picked up branches.
When fully prepared to light a fire, skillfully create a bonfire.
There is no pot to cook food in, but don’t worry.
Cut a tree to make a round bowl, cover it with something that could be a lid, and bury it under the firewood.
It would be better to make a place for Iriel to sleep while he comes.
The floor is dug up to no avail, and soft leaves are laid out in clumps.
From then on, every time you go to sleep, you can put the stones heated in the fire and cover them with soil.
You will be able to sleep at least warmer than sleeping on the bare ground.
Has it been two hours? Iriel is back.
As soon as he arrives, he slowly shakes his head.
“There is nothing around. As for the water to drink… I have to endure it somehow.”
Considering their state of affairs, there would be no problem, but if they were thirsty, it would be painful.
It seems that the road to asceticism has already been opened.
* * *
I lasted three days in the forest.
Contrary to expectations, except for the hard bed and thirst, I think it is more bearable than I thought.
Iriel also seems to be okay with lying down all day.
After all, it was a vacation for her.
To add a little exaggeration, there is always shade in this forest.
That’s why it provides a cool environment in this hot day, and the giant trees bring their own taste.
It must have been a penance that wasn’t bad for her, who was always busy with work in the Holy Land.
Iriel said with a comfortable face.
“I like this too.”
“yes?”
“It would be better with just water.”
It is true that thirst rises gradually.
It was difficult to find water even after looking around.
I tried digging up the ground or splitting the plants, but in vain.
As a result, I gave up on finding water altogether.
“Because if it’s comfortable and easy, it’s not penance.”
“It is, though.”
If Goddess Frias saw it, they were two people living comfortably enough to gnash their teeth.
* * *
A week later, two priests with haggard faces approached.
Even just by looking at him, I could tell that he had been through a lot of mental and physical pain.
In contrast, Ray and Iriel are fine except for a little dirty.
It’s only natural that he ate everything to eat and rested.
If I had only water, my face would have been oily.
“I see two adults… You have worked hard…”
“No.”
“…Then I’ll take you to the VIP room.”
“thank you.”
I didn’t do much, but the first penance is over.
The expressions of the paladins and priests as they passed by the annex were literally to die for.
Iriel gathers divine power and blesses him.
“Bless.”
Uh-uh-
The divine power spread widely around them permeated their bodies.
“Ohhhh.”
“Saint Lady Seo…”
The people who instantly became full of energy knelt down with thrilled expressions.
“Thank you for the grace!”
“It’s not enough that the Holy Knights of the Holy Kingdom of Gaia are mortally wounded at this level. Please push yourself a little more.”
“Sorry! I accept the order of the saintess!”
On the subject of playing and eating for a week, are the paladins lacking in training? Even if there is no conscience, there is not too much.
However, that would be one of the ways to express the shy Iriel.
After parting with Iriel, I arrived at the VIP room assigned to me.
As soon as I opened the door, I threw myself on the bed.
It seems that all the tiredness of the whole body is coming.
I’ve been sleeping endlessly, so why am I feeling so tired?
Ray’s eyes opened as he lay down on the bed.
‘The one who made the hero’s family… It’s not accurate, but it must be the goddess Frias. Iriel said that too…’
Then the hero’s lineage would most likely exist in the West Continent.
He got up from the bed and looked towards the window and murmured.
“Soyoung Heukyoung. Investigate the lineage of heroes within the West Continent. Don’t miss even the smallest information and report it.”
“… I take orders.”
“I take orders.”
On the other hand, the swaying shadow disappeared.
With that, Ray’s expression became serious.
‘If God made it for use, I just use it.’
