Chapter 22
Lubra, the God of the Moon, Truma, the God of the Sun, and Famia, the God of the Earth.
Reinhardt was treated like a VIP as he visited all three orders.
Truma and Famia gave Reinhardt 'gifts', attaching forcibly squeezed-out pretexts, and Lubra also seemed eager to give something more.
And there were gains.
'Radiant light. It's on this one too.'
Lubra's ring.
Truma's necklace.
Famia's bracelet.
The same effect was additionally attached to all three pieces of equipment.
*Trace of a Radiant Light
Reinhardt rested his chin on his hand and stared intently at the item description.
'Doesn't wearing this make another creature like Bitdori pop out? Like Bitdori No. 2, Bitdori No. 3 following me around.'
That would be a headache.
He had already been entangled in various incidents with just one Bitdori, but if two more such beings were added.
Reinhardt crossed his arms and leaned his body against the back of a plaza bench.
The surroundings were filled with passersby.
Despite the recent incident involving a warlock, the atmosphere was as bright as ever.
Swoosh.
Reinhardt pulled on his large hood.
After arranging his robe well so that his face and figure were not revealed, he turned his gaze to Bitdori.
“Bitdori.”
“Bbit!”
“Do you feel anything from these?”
“Bbit? Bbiit?”
“Doesn't seem like it.”
Even when he presented the bracelet and necklace, Bitdori showed little reaction.
It just looked at them for a moment as if seeing something strange, then soon started flying around Reinhardt, bustling about.
Reinhardt first stuffed the bracelet and necklace into his pocket. He didn't want to have a painful experience by rashly equipping them.
After pondering for a moment, he opened the community.
'Just in case.'
Someone might know.
Of course, his expectations were low. It was just a vague hope that he might receive help from someone.
[Serial Post) This is my situation, what would you guys do?]
[After catching the warlock back then, I went around all the orders, right? I got a few gifts, but they all have something about radiant light attached…….]
[Should I wear these too? Or just shove them in storage?]
Reinhardt wrote and posted a summary of the situation.
Perhaps because he had been consistently sharing updates, comments were posted quickly.
└Anonymous1: Where's Dame Evangeline?
└Author: Went back to Paganoa
└Anonymous1: Why?
└Author: It was over after I caught the warlock
└Anonymous1: It's not over for me? I want to see more?
└Author: If you answer the question, I'll bring her back
└Anonymous1: How am I supposed to answer when you post a delusional story and ask for the right answer? (I seriously don't know)
“This son of a…”
This time, Reinhardt's emotions also wavered.
But it was a daily occurrence. It was a part he had to endure to use the anonymous community.
Fortunately, another comment was added at the right time.
└Anonymous2: ㅋㅋIs it some kind of starter Pokémon
└Anonymous3: For real, if he opens that, three will follow him around
└Anonymous4: Do not wear that equipment!! You must never wear it!!
└Author: Do you know something?
└Anonymous4: idk
└Anonymous5: But wasn't Reinhardt originally on Truma's side
└Anonymous4: That's right. He probably had no contact with Lubra or Famia at all?
'Up to this point, what everyone knows is similar. The light spirit came from the Truma Order. Thanks to that, Reinhardt was also close to them…'
The Lubra and Famia Orders failed to make contact with Reinhardt.
At that time, Reinhardt was already a Knight of Light, and he was in an environment where he didn't need the support of the two orders.
└Anonymous6: But does it matter since it's a light spirit anyway? Moonlight or sunlight, both are light
└Anonymous7: It's similar, except for the fact that it's a fabricated delusionㅇㅇ
└Anonymous3: Then what's Famia?
└Anonymous6: idk
└Anonymous7: But you're gonna wear it anyway, right? Just check first ㄱㄱ
└Anonymous3: For realㅋㅋThat's how the next serial post will come upㅋㅋ
At some point, Reinhardt started posting with the 'Serial Post' prefix.
As a result, there were people who consistently came to check every time he posted.
Among them, there were cases where they used the search function to check all the posts he had made so far.
'That's not wrong either.'
Whether it's moonlight or sunlight, it's still light.
Also, judging by the name light spirit, it felt like there wasn't much difference between the two.
'I need to secure a good amount of anti-magic power at this point anyway. And I can only equip one piece of equipment from the same order.'
If he had his way, he would have wanted to wrap himself in Lubra's accessories from head to toe, but unfortunately, he could only equip one piece of equipment from each of the three major orders.
After a moment of conflict, Reinhardt closed the community window.
He took the necklace and bracelet out of his pocket and looked at them for a moment, then carefully equipped Truma's necklace first.
Then.
[Trace of a Radiant Light has been discovered.]
“Bbit?”
With the message, Bitdori flinched.
Then it began to tilt its head repeatedly as if something was strange.
“Bbiii…?”
Reinhardt watched its appearance carefully.
First of all, the disaster of Bitdori No. 2 appearing did not occur.
Bitdori began to fly around excitedly.
[The Fading Light recovers its energy…….]
The message continued.
This was what he had seen when he defeated the warlock.
The Fading Light recovers its energy. It was clear that it meant Bitdori had grown slightly.
'Good. If it's like this, it doesn't matter.'
Reinhardt equipped the bracelet as well.
Bitdori's mood improved a little more, and the same message appeared.
Click-
He saved the scene where that message appeared as a record.
He planned to post it when he uploaded the next serial post to the community soon.
“Bitdori.”
“Bbiiiit!”
The reaction felt about three times more energetic than usual.
At that, Reinhardt chuckled without realizing it and held out his palm to the creature.
Hop.
Bitdori, which jumped onto it, rubbed its head wildly. Though he didn't know for sure, it seemed to be feeling grateful to Reinhardt.
Bitdori was a spirit that knew gratitude. At that, Reinhardt scratched his head.
'At this rate, would it be better to raise it fully?'
In any case, the light spirit was on Reinhardt's side.
It was a being that wouldn't listen to others, but would try to help by any means necessary if it was Reinhardt's request.
'Just raising it moderately should be enough of an insurance against black magic.'
Hadn't he actually received a great deal of help from Bitdori this time as well?
The warlock of Agrio-s.
If it weren't for Bitdori, the tricky enemy would have surely caused significant casualties.
'That's a problem I can think about later. More importantly.'
Reinhardt placed Bitdori on his shoulder. The creature closed its eyes and dozed off as if drowsy.
'How to find the item that Agrio-s coveted.'
The current Reinhardt was in a state where he could move freely.
Ethan Taton had taken a step back, not interfering in the slightest with matters related to Reinhardt, and the orders didn't seem particularly intent on approaching him further.
They were merely thinking of achieving a kind of promotional effect by having him wear their accessories.
'Well, if I just poke around some suspicious places, something will pop out. If I poke openly, can they endure without coming out?'
In this city right now, Reinhardt's name was like a get-out-of-jail-free card.
It meant that even if he went around poking everywhere, people would think there was a good reason for it.
'Should I try setting a fire?'
The warlock was in a position that wasn't honorable. They would naturally have dug a hole somewhere and be hiding tightly.
Setting fire to that hole was what Reinhardt had to do from now on.
***
Several days passed.
During that time, Reinhardt's daily life was monotonous.
When he opened his eyes in the morning, he would first check Bitdori's condition, and if there was nothing wrong, he would have a meal.
Immediately after that, he would put on a voluminous robe and leave the knights' order.
“Let's have another rewarding day today.”
The destination was set.
Not the citizens engaged in sound livelihoods, but the back alleys where citizens of a rather suspicious appearance were mainly active, was Reinhardt's workplace.
The course varied from day to day.
However, the common point was the fact that they were all secluded back alleys where it was not easy to manage public order.
“Go, Bitdori!”
“Bbiit!”
And Bitdori was more than earning its keep after being painstakingly raised.
As soon as Reinhardt pointed forward, it flew off with a whoosh, and soon began to point enthusiastically somewhere with its short arms.
And there was always someone there.
Someone with an unmistakably suspicious appearance, their anxious eyes darting around.
“Hic, hic! Sir Knight! It's not me! I'm innocent! I didn't do anything!”
“You look quite suspicious. What were you doing here?”
“I was sleeping! Someone touched me while I was sleeping, so I was just startled awake! It's true!”
Reinhardt stared intently at the man of shabby appearance.
His eyes were filled with sincere injustice. Above all, it didn't seem like anything special would come out even if he shook him down.
“Alright. Go back to sleep.”
“Th-thank you!”
Reinhardt threw the tent flap back over the greatly relieved man.
'This one's a dud.'
Even petty criminals had levels.
Even if he turned this man's entire life upside down, it was obvious that at most, only misdemeanors on the level of pickpocketing would be revealed.
And that was not helpful at all in raising [Justice].
'I hope I can catch just one useful one today.'
Reinhardt was patrolling with his own clear standards.
For example, if someone carried a dangerous weapon, had an exceptionally grim impression, or acted disrespectfully even after knowing he was a knight, he would be handed over to the guards without mercy.
It was when he was smacking his lips in disappointment.
“Bbit! Bbibibit! Bbit!”
Bitdori, which had flown to the end of the alley, was returning at a furious speed.
Seeing it cry out urgently, it was clear that there was something beyond.
It's here.
With an instinctive gut feeling, Reinhardt suppressed his presence as much as possible and walked with quick steps.
And at the sight that appeared when he turned the corner, Reinhardt had to suppress the rising corners of his mouth.
“I told you we can't. We also have to... such a risk.”
“A risk, you say. Are you planning to back out now? Do you think such an excuse will work?”
Two people were standing face to face, arguing.
A characteristic was the fact that both of them were wearing robes pulled down low, just like Reinhardt.
There were usually only two cases for wearing such attire.
Either to avoid drawing aggro because they were famous like Reinhardt, or to hide their faces in the process of doing something shady.
Naturally, the two in front of him would be the latter.
Reinhardt calmly walked along the alley. Only then did they seem to realize Reinhardt's presence, and their conversation stopped.
A faint sense of caution could be felt.
Reinhardt walked along one side of the road as if he had no interest in them, and only when the distance was sufficiently closed did he reveal his true colors.
Shing.
He aimed his smoothly drawn sword at the two people. It was a distance where he could cut them down in the blink of an eye if he so chose.
“Move and I'll cut you down. This is your only warning.”
He then also threw off the robe he was wearing. He showed his face to Reinhardt and observed the opponent's reaction.
“……Well now, you're a knight.”
“You know me. If you cooperate diligently, a difficult situation will not arise.”
“Of course, I'll cooperate. Is it alright if I take off my robe?”
“Do it.”
Reinhardt watched intently as the hem of the robe was lifted, not letting his guard down.
And at the revealed face, he narrowed his brows without realizing it.
“Malcolm, a senior member of the Rom Caravan.”
“I'm honored that you remember me.”
It was the man he had met when he first fell into this world.
After cutting down both the mercenary and the bandit, he was the senior member who had taken charge of resolving the situation.
Suspicious.
So suspicious that he felt like dragging him to prison right away, but Reinhardt endured it and asked again.
“What are you doing here?”