Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 136: An Unexpected Teammate

“Is that all you’ve seen, good knight with thick fur?” Eugene asked gently.

The statement sounded eerily familiar, and Nol couldn’t help but glance towards Painter. Painter stood dignified, looking straight ahead, embodying the perfect image of an old nun without giving anything away.

Realizing the human in front of them was good-natured, the ears of Alaskan perked up. “We detected the scent of Demons and turned to run. They blew up our wheels, and I crashed into a tree. The nun just now healed me. I’ve only just woken up…”

Nol was flooded with emotions.

He was glad that the dog-headed beastmen weren’t corrupted by the twisted Tahe, still honest and sincere. Sad that these fluffy knights were too naïve and were no match for humans—looking at their breed, perhaps only the Border Collie village chief might fare better.

“It’s fortunate that you encountered Demons directly and are safe and sound.” Eugene’s gaze lingered on Nol and Teest. Nol swore, it was anything but relaxation and relief.

He was suspicious of them.

The reputation of the Demon Players seemed thoroughly tarnished, Nol thought. Two “beautiful girls” unharmed, now considered suspicious.

Alaskan sighed in relief, and Saint Bernard became conflicted. It looked back and forth between “Sister Noli” who saved his life, and the smiling knight Eugene, hesitating whether to tell the truth.

After a while, it hesitantly opened its mouth. “Uh…”

“Wuwuwu!”

“Sister Teest” who had been clinging to Nol, suddenly let out an extremely realistic cry.

“So scary!” He trembled all over, as if someone else had cleaned up the scene just now. “Those two Demons were so disgusting. They said they would take Noli and me away…”

Huh?

Nol looked baffled as he patted Teest’s back.

“Uwoo, it was so scary, Sir Knight… Thank you. It’s all thanks to you coming…”

Sure enough, Eugene’s attention shifted from the dog-headed beastman.

He stood politely a few steps away. “Miss, do you remember what those two Demons looked like?”

“One-one was bumpy, like a potato.”

Sister Teesti lifted his reddened eyes, crying flawlessly. “One dressed like a black wizard, covered in shiny stones… I don’t know anything else…”

He still clung tightly to Nol, sniffling from time to time. “I thought-I thought it was over. Bless the Goddess… They suddenly said-said they received a message from a friend and had to hurry away… Noli, Noli heard it too!”

Teest directly improvised along with what Alaskan had said. At this point, Nol had no choice but to nod.

Seeing this, the still conflicted Saint Bernard’s head and tail drooped—he would keep the secret if his lifesaver wanted it that way.

Returning kindness with ingratitude was wrong!

The village chief had specifically instructed that if they encountered a question they didn’t want to answer, they just had to respond with “mm-hmm”, and humans wouldn’t pester too long.

“Is that so?” Eugene turned towards Knight Saint Bernard.

“Mm-hmm,” said Saint Bernard.

“I’m sorry you all had to go through this. It’s the Temple’s negligence.”

Eugene lowered his voice. “Given your situation, you were coming to the Knight Order for work, right? If you don’t mind, please allow me to escort you back.”

“It would be our honor, Sir Eugene.” Painter made an elegant bow.

Eugene had a hunch something was off, but he couldn’t pinpoint any more suspicions—the scene was just too clean.

He knew the two players Teesti described—unless someone present could overpower them, forcing them offline and erasing all traces in a short time, it would be impossible to create such a scene.

This wasn’t something a few Evergreen Nuns could achieve, and the dog-headed knights present were even less likely.

Even he himself had to resort to the most brutal and bloody methods, scaring those Demons off, which led them to retreat on their own.

“You two can go back now. I will find someone to repair your cart and compensate you with four snow mountain goats. You can also take away these two dead goats.”

“In addition, the Temple will provide an additional compensation of 200 gold wheels, as a consolation fee.”

Eugene then turned to Knight Saint Bernard.

Knight Saint Bernard’s ears twitched, and after a moment, it muttered. “That won’t do.”

“If you are dissatisfied with the compensation…” Eugene was surprised, as the border dog-headed beastmen were never greedy.

“No, no. It’s not about the compensation.”

Saint Bernard said honestly, “I want to see with my own eyes that you issue them certificates, only then can Sheepskin Ball Village’s responsibility be considered fulfilled. My companion can go back first, but I want to see it to the end—I can’t let you take them away halfway, not even if you’re the Pope.”

“Your loyalty is admirable,” Painter generously praised.

Eugene opened his mouth, then maintained a smile. “I was negligent, good knight. Please forgive my presumption. Come with us.”

Saint Bernard’s eyes lit up, and its tail wagged. “Great!”

This place wasn’t far from the Knight Order’s camp. It wasn’t until they arrived at the camp that Nol realized why Eugene wanted to bring them alone—

The camp was severely damaged.

Supplies were looted, fruits, vegetables, and frozen meat were scattered everywhere—many were trampled and mixed into mud. Elegant tents were knocked over; some burned down to a few charred sticks, emitting choking smoke.

Bloodstains were visible everywhere, and the air was filled with the stench of charred flesh. Injured Investigation Knights lay on stretchers, being treated by priests.

To sum it up in a word: disgraceful.

Seeing this scene, even Saint Bernard’s eyes showed sympathy. Painter’s mouth twitched, glancing skyward, pondering something.

“Please follow me.”

Eugene walked as if through a spacious and grand courtyard, leading them to one of the few intact tents.

In the center of the tent, stood a jar of lard… no, a sweating Judgment Knight.

“What’s going on!” He loudly scolded the young people around him. “I’ve only been gone a few days and came back a little late, and you’ve made this mess? What does this look like? If headquarters finds out—”

Upon seeing Eugene enter, the man’s scolding stopped abruptly, turning sarcastic. “Oh, our berserker has returned.”

Following Eugene, a few “pretty girls” entered one after another. The man’s sarcasm took a sharp turn, his voice becoming deep and authoritative.

“Why are you back now? Have you dealt with the escaped Demons?” He puffed up his belly, twirling his mustache. “I said, we must not let the enemy step into the camp again!”

Nol: “……”

Teest: “……”

Mr. Eugene brought the Demon King, Mad Monk, apostate pope, and the High Priest of the Eternal Church.

Including the Eternal Son, Anstis himself, their group could squeeze into the top 5 enemies of the Temple of Life.

Nol felt a bit embarrassed.

“Hello, I’ve long admired you, Lord Richard.”

Painter was the first to speak, performing a perfect bow. “I am Holly Artis from Red Feather City of the Feni Empire, leading my children on a mountain pilgrimage.”

“It turns out to be Sister Holly!” Richard beamed. “Ah, what brings you here?”

[This old fox sure can spin a tale.] Teest muttered to Nol in his mind, his eyes still a bit swollen.

[What’s a mountain pilgrimage?] Nol quietly responded.

[Starting from the southernmost part of the Fini Empire, heading north along the Endless Sea coast. Once reaching the border of the Realm of Shiva and New Gemino, they come out from a nearby valley and circle back to the Fini Empire around the Brick Mountain Range. Along the way, they preach the Goddess’ doctrine to anyone they catch—this has become popular among monks and nuns. They think such foolishness is devout.]

Teest sneered, [Hard to say whether they’re increasing faith or just their lung capacity.]

“We originally planned to return to New Gemino through ‘Miracle Valley’.” On the other side, Painter calmly explained, “Recently, there were terrifying magical fluctuations near Miracle Valley. I led the children north, into the Realm of Shiva. As you’ve seen, this good knight brought us here.”

“We also noticed that anomaly. Haa, it hasn’t been easy for you,” Richard said with boundless sympathy.

“This is a trial given by the Goddess.”

The former pope played the part of a believer to the hilt. “We failed to complete the mountain pilgrimage, disappointing the Goddess. Next, we plan to leave the Realm of Shiva and head north to Gratice to preach.”

“You see, the Demons of the Eternal Church have been particularly active recently. And you’re bringing such…” Richard glanced at the “nuns”. “…Such delicate ladies. It’s really dangerous.”

“The Goddess always watches over us. She will protect the souls of the devout.”

For some reason, Nol detected a hint of irony in Painter’s tone.

“Your resolve is commendable. I will arrange for your departure as soon as possible.” The captain puffed up his belly again.

“I disagree,” Eugene suddenly said.

“Sir, lest you forget, I am the highest commander here.” Captain Richard frowned.

“According to the rules of the Realm of Shiva, female knights should search them, and then verify their identities and families one by one with a communication crystal, issuing identity certificates.”

Eugene continued sternly, “Additionally, I personally advise against going to Gratice. The Goddess undoubtedly is merciful, but Lady Tilia needs to counter the Eternal Son and the newborn Demon King and can hardly attend to the mortal world at all times.”

“Ha.” Captain Richard laughed dryly, pointing towards Teest. “A body search? Look how scared the poor girl is! Her tears haven’t even dried!”

“We’re only half a day’s walk from Gratice. We can just send them off directly. Why are you making such a big fuss*… With the camp in this state, who has the time to bother with that annoying identity verification?”

*Taking off your pants just to fart.

Towards the end, he turned his gaze meaningfully. “Mr. Malloy, you just want to see the pitiful young ladies searched and then keep them here—”

The pitiful Mad Monk cried on cue, collapsing into Nol’s arms. Fischer also put on a bewildered expression, looking dazed.

Nol was utterly bewildered, not because his acting was superb but because the scenario was too chaotic, far beyond his comprehension.

Eugene sighed, seemingly indifferent to Richard’s sarcasm. He just looked towards Painter. “Have you decided then?”

“The light of a candle has meaning only in the darkest place. By the Goddess above, this is the only way we can prove our loyalty.” Painter was quick with his response.

“I was once told that the Goddess prefers meaningful devotion over blind loyalty.”

Eugene pursed his lips, his tone still gentle. “The Goddess loves life far more than death… Unless absolutely necessary, ‘life’ is always the first option. Please consider carefully.”

Painter suddenly fell silent, staring at Eugene for a few seconds before replying, “Thank you for your guidance. I will protect my children.”

“Since you insist so.”

Eugene nodded. “How about this—I’m planning to head to Ice Rock City. Please allow me to escort you on the way.”

From a distance, Richard let out a disdainful “Tsk”.

From the corner, a puzzled “Ah” followed.

“So you’re not doing the identity verification?” Knight Saint Bernard asked bewilderingly.

“That’s right, sir,” Richard impatiently replied. “These sisters will be leaving Shiva today. We’ll personally see them off. You’ve seen the situation here. There’s no need to specifically delay for a verification.”

“Mm-hmm.” Saint Bernard scratched his fluffy ears. “So you’re not doing the identity verification?”

Richard: “……”

Richard: “No.”

Knight Saint Bernard stared at Richard in shock, silent for a full ten seconds. “Then I’ll follow them.”

Now, everyone’s attention was focused on the dog-headed knight.

“Humans haven’t taken responsibility,” Knight Saint Bernard said seriously. “So they’re still guests of Sheepskin Ball Village. I need to ensure their safety. They’ve paid a deposit!”

Wasn’t it just fifteen minutes of petting? Nol took two seconds to react, realizing what it meant.

“Actually, there’s no need…” Painter tried to intervene.

“I am Sheepskin Ball Village’s best knight.” The St. Bernard knight emphasized, “A knight must fulfill their duties. Unless humans take responsibility, I will absolutely not leave.”

“We are going to Gratice.” Eugene tried to reason. “There are many ill-natured humans there. It’s not safe for you.”

“Mm-hmm.”

“The den of those Demons is to the north. They’ve been unusually active lately. You’ve just encountered them.”

“Mm-hmm.”

Eugene sighed in frustration.

Although the First and Fifth Regiment were nominally equal in strength, he couldn’t force Richard to do the identity verification.

And Richard, being particularly petty, not only refused to please Eugene, a potential future Pope, but also insisted on opposing him for the sake of it.

Things were getting more complicated.

……

When the group set off again, the carriage, in addition to the four nuns, now also had two knights.

Nol looked at the solemn-faced Saint Bernard, filled with remorse.

Sorry, Mr. Saint Bernard, we really can’t let ourselves be thoroughly checked.

But leaving it behind in such a dangerous area wasn’t right either… They could only protect it well and find another opportunity to get the verification for the Realm of Shiva done.

As long as they could escape the Temple’s surveillance net, this was a minor issue.

The biggest problem was Eugene.

Nol looked at the young knight opposite him with a clear gaze, trying to sit even more upright. Painter and Teest’s disguises were flawless, but Mr. Demon King wasn’t so confident.

Eugene seemed to misinterpret Nol’s look, thinking the nun was fearful of men after what had happened. He stood up, apologizing with a smile. “It’s a bit stuffy here. I’ll go drive.”

“You’re so considerate.” Teest took the opportunity to praise, and Nol suspected the second half of his sentence was, “Don’t come back.”

It was hard to say who he disliked more, Painter or Eugene, even though neither was his match now.

With Eugene leaving the carriage, everyone finally relaxed.

[This won’t do. We need to split up.]

Fischer quickly pulled out paper and pen, writing rapidly. He used the local language of Gratice, which Nol wouldn’t understand without player privileges.

Knight Saint Bernard, not far away, already looked puzzled. It only knew a limited amount of the common human language. This was truly foreign to it.

[You’re going back home to reclaim your identity?] The former Pope, naturally not hindered by language, wrote in Gratice’s language even more beautifully than Fischer.

[This way, I can cooperate with Lord Teest to the fullest extent.] Fischer wrote. [My High Priest status is still intact. I can mobilize many core believers to divert Eugene’s attention.]

[It’s rare for you to be of some use.] Teest joined the conversation. [How do you plan to make your escape?]

Fischer wrote swiftly. [I have a way to contact the Church believers and have them ‘kidnap’ me. After that, you all can improvise. We’ll meet again in Ice Rock City.]

Painter furrowed his brows slightly. His pen paused on the parchment for a moment before retracting.

[Honey, what do you think?] Teest wrote, passing the pen and paper to Nol.

Nol: [If it’s certain we can shake off Eugene.]

Teest: [The situation is really bad. Should we consider killing him? We’re about to enter Gratice’s territory. If you’re worried about Paradise, just leave it to the Church. We don’t need to deal with the Demon King right now, and it’s useless keeping a zealot.]

Painter: [No. Have you forgotten his oracle? He is destined to slay the false god.]

Teest: [You’re quite interesting. Having defected from the Temple, you still take oracles as truth? Who knows if they’re just bullshitting.]

Painter: [Just in case.]

Teest: [Worried about your godson?]

Painter: [The kid does have issues, but it’s not deserving of death.]

Teest: [Right, so worried about your godson.]

[ENOUGH!!!]

Nol slashed a big “X” over the paper argument. [I’m not considering killing Eugene at all. End of discussion. Mr. Painter, what’s this about a ‘godson’?]

The authority of the first half was gone, the letters of the second half rounded out. Nol looked at Painter with bright eyes, filled only with pure curiosity.

Teest showed a frostbitten look of disappointment—though he could easily strangle Eugene himself—he murmured twice and slowly laid his head on Nol’s lap, leaving the others with a “I don’t care anymore” posture.

Nol allowed him to rest, gently stroking his soft hair with his fingers, without any hint of resistance.

Painter looked somewhat helplessly at the two, writing down several elegant paragraphs.

[The Malloy family is an ancient family of zealots with deep ties to the Temple. After Eugene Malloy’s oracle prophecy was confirmed, the Malloy family asked me, then the pope, to be the boy’s godfather—given the hero prophecy, he was laden with the family’s hopes.]

[Just seven days after I became his godfather and baptized him, I defected from the Temple of Life. Undoubtedly, this was a heavy blow to the Malloy family.]

[Because of my actions, his journey has been fraught with hardship. I have no regrets about leaving the Temple, but Eugene Malloy is innocent, and I always felt I owed that child.]

‘No wonder Eugene despised Paint,’ Nol thought.

Not just an unprecedented religious scandal but also a damning stain tied to him. At the Brick Shadow, the fact Eugene didn’t attack Painter on the spot showed just how astonishing his self-control was.

But looking at Mr. Painter’s attitude… facing Eugene, he didn’t show much guilt either.

Fischer, expressionless, didn’t glance at the paper, clearly uninterested in such gossip. Teest flipped over casually, glancing over the paper.

[Please rest assured, it’s just a slight debt! This Villain knows what’s heavy and what’s light.]

Painter cheerfully added, [This Villain will definitely stand by your side.]

[I believe you,] Nol replied earnestly.

Teest snorted and turned his face back. The carriage moved on bumpily, yet he lay surprisingly steady, maintaining balance somehow.

The last one in the carriage—Knight Saint Bernard —tilted his head to the other side, sniffing at the paper filled with words.

‘So many words!’ he thought.

As the temperature dropped, Knight Saint Bernard closed his mouth, his fur puffing up. Nol pulled out the temple-supplied goods, wrapping himself and Teest in the same wool blanket.

Fischer balled up the paper filled with words and naturally chewed and swallowed it down. Beside him, Painter looked out of the carriage—snowstorms and snowy fields blended together. Outside was only the deathly pallor of gray-white, like a dead man’s eye.

The sound of the wind and snow outside grew more terrifying, from a dull whooshing to a sharp wailing, piercing painfully to the eardrum. The rounded snow mounds gradually vanished, replaced by jagged, tooth-like rocks.

Legend has it the snow here never melts, and the storm never ceases, barren as the edge of the world.

They all knew, Gratice was near.

Nol silently listened to the wind and snow, raising his body temperature a couple of degrees. Even as an “outsider”, he could guess why the Eternal Church had rooted itself here.

Gratice, with its harsh environment, where crops barely survive, has relied on cold sea fishing and ore mining for years, trading food with the Realm of Shiva.

A land perennially frozen and bitter cold, how could it possibly worship the Goddess of Life—a symbol of vitality and harvest? The Eternal Church making this its headquarters couldn’t be more fitting.

Although the original setting of “Tahe World” was set that these people here shouldn’t believe in anything.

Nol exhaled a misty breath. Don’t think too much. He patted his face. Gratice was just a stopover; as long as they could shake off Eugene, they could detour to the dragon’s lair.

With such a simple plan, what could possibly go wrong?

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The author has something to say:

Saying what could go wrong means something will go wrong.

Knight Saint Bernard and Knight Eugene, join!

Fischer: Finally, it’s my time to be the big daddy (×

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