Chapter 50
“As you know, Bishop, I am not in a position to leave Serigel. If it’s a problem that’s alright with that, I will gladly help.”
To the frenzied Bishop Dalton, Reinhardt spoke thus.
Serigel was his home ground.
Here, he could fight without worrying about his image even if two or three warlocks popped out.
Clerics, knights, alchemists, and even officials including Mayor Graham would willingly roll up their sleeves and step forward for Reinhardt.
‘But it’s a different story outside the city. It’s become too dangerous.’
Reinhardt had already realized that this place was the world of the expansion pack.
If so, the story does not flow as destined.
There were more than one or two variables, and every single one of Reinhardt’s movements could end up flipping the entire story that would unfold in the future.
“Many…… many humans are groaning in pain.”
To Reinhardt’s roundabout refusal, Bishop Dalton responded thus.
“For now, it is a threat that has not reached Serigel. Our Truma Order, along with other orders, is trying our best to prevent the problem from getting bigger by dispatching as many clerics as possible.”
“You must be going through a lot of trouble.”
“You are concerned about the well-being of Serigel, Sir Reinhardt?”
“Yes.”
“There is not much time left until the problem we are facing reaches Serigel. Even immense divine power was not the answer to solving the problem.”
Nod, nod.
Bitdori reacted as if it were a truly righteous statement.
But the Injustice Radar was silent. This was because among the contents that had come out of Bishop Dalton’s mouth so far, there was nothing that could be called ‘injustice’.
“A plague is spreading like wildfire, Sir Reinhardt.”
“……Did you say a plague?”
“Yes. From Serigel, there is a city about ten days away by horse. The residents there are trembling in fear day and night. In fear that they or their families might catch the plague.”
“But if it’s a plague, I, as a knight……”
“Sir Reinhardt. Once a human is infected with the plague, they suffer from a high fever and eventually meet their death. The skin of the deceased is invariably filled with red spots, and the process is so painful that even onlookers turn their eyes away.”
Reinhardt thought for a moment.
A plague.
Bishop Dalton had said it was a plague.
‘This smells very suspicious.’
Reinhardt had faced Agrio-s of Domination.
In Lockfort, he had executed a warlock who served Nepas of Destruction.
If so, there was one left.
It meant that among the trio of mid-bosses who had brought misery to the game’s players, ‘Morganes of the Plague’ was still remaining.
‘I should run.’
This was a request he should not accept.
It was certain to become troublesome.
And what’s more, a plague.
It was all too clear what one would experience if they contracted a disease with a 100 percent mortality rate in this world.
“Where is this happening?”
“It is a city called Romain.”
Reinhardt paused.
Romain was a familiar name.
Unlike Serigel or Lockfort, it was a place one had to visit in the course of playing the game.
‘It’s a place I have to go to someday anyway. If I go now, I should be able to stack up a good amount of [Justice].’
But the situation was somewhat ambiguous.
“I regret to say this, but in matters of dealing with a plague……”
“Our order has judged that there is someone behind the spreading of the plague.”
Thump-
Reinhardt felt a familiar sensation. His heartbeat quickened, and his emotions began to stir.
[Injustice has been detected.]
*Your righteous self cannot stand by and watch the suffering citizens.
*Uncover the one behind it, and pass judgment.
*If you turn away from injustice, the effect of [Justice] will decrease.
[Buff Applied: Justice x1]
[All stats increase by 68.]
The message that appeared next was driven in like a wedge.
It meant that from now on, there was no turning back. Unless he was willing to give up the [Justice] he had so painstakingly accumulated.
“I must…… hear the details.”
“As expected of Sir Reinhardt.”
Bishop Dalton’s expression became incomparably bright.
Reinhardt didn’t like the ‘I knew it’ atmosphere, but he nodded his head.
“I only judged it to be something I must do.”
***
Recently, the various orders, including Truma, had been struggling to stop the spreading plague.
They dispatched high-ranking clerics, mobilized all sorts of holy relics, and poured divine power like water in their efforts to cure the plague.
But the effect was minimal.
“It is not an ordinary plague.”
Clatter.
Bishop Dalton said as he put down his teacup.
He had brought Reinhardt to a small room inside the temple.
“A disease that cannot be cured even with the power of God means that the opponent also has some means comparable to it. In the end, it means that humans are suffering from a disease created by humans.”
“Is there any proof?”
“There is no proof I can show you directly, sir. But……”
“You are certain.”
“That is correct. Because I have already experienced a similar incident. Fortunately, at that time, we succeeded in driving out the plague, but now, it is a truly difficult situation.”
Someone of a major order’s bishop’s standing would have experienced most situations. Also, there was no reason to lie about something like this.
Just as warlocks followed the will of demons, clerics were also those who would willingly throw themselves into even a task that required self-sacrifice if it was the will of God.
“How are the other cities besides Romain?”
“The situation is not good. We are trying our best to prevent it from spreading, but……”
“It’s not as if you can completely block off passage.”
“What you said is correct.”
Reinhardt asked questions and grasped the exact situation.
The cup had already been spilled, and to even pretend to clean it up, he had to at least know the full story perfectly.
“Have you not requested support from other places? I am referring to groups other than the orders.”
“If you mean groups other than the orders……”
“Like the Paganoa Knights.”
Bishop Dalton shook his head.
“They are excellent knights, but there is nothing they can do in Romain.”
Reinhardt, without realizing it, looked at the other person with a bewildered expression.
‘Then what am I.’
Wasn’t Reinhardt himself also a knight?
As if reading his thoughts, Dalton’s eyes gleamed.
“But Sir Reinhardt was personally pointed out by Truma. I am confident that there is no one more suitable than you, sir, in resolving this incident.”
Reinhardt could not bring himself to deny those words.
It was a sensitive issue.
If he mishandled it, he could end up at odds with the Truma Order, with them accusing him of blasphemy and what not.
“Is there no word from the Imperial family, or the noble who rules Romain?”
“Count Alstian is actively taking charge. Thanks to him, our Truma and other orders are doing our best to resolve the situation.”
Count Alstian.
He searched his memory, but nothing particular came to mind.
‘In any case, the Imperial family won’t step in directly. Count Alstian is footing the bill and has gathered all the clerics. But it’s still not resolved.’
This is 100 percent a warlock.
It would be a warlock who serves Morganes of the Plague, and if he’s capable of turning an entire city into a pandemonium, his power must be considerable.
‘If I request support from Paganoa…….’
Reinhardt thought for a moment.
Fermil, Evangeline, Inquisitor Bardo.
Any one of them would surely come running like a flash of light if Reinhardt requested it, but he had to consider the situation that would follow.
‘First, I should go and see the situation. If it seems dangerous, I’ll request support.’
In any case, the fact that he had to leave for the city of Romain was as good as a foregone conclusion.
“I have a few more questions. Bishop Dalton.”
Reinhardt squeezed information out of Dalton.
Dalton willingly opened his bundle. He relayed even information that was treated as something close to an order’s secret to Reinhardt without hiding anything.
“I understand what you are saying. Then you are saying that clerics who serve God are not infected by the plague.”
“That is correct, Sir Reinhardt. We have not yet figured out the reason for that. Also……”
Reinhardt listened intently.
He was almost certain it was a warlock anyway, but it was to find out as many clues as possible.
And so, for a long time.
Only after hearing many stories did Reinhardt nod his head.
“Thank you. But I am a little concerned. I don’t know if it’s alright for you to tell me everything like this.”
“Not at all, Sir Reinhardt. Truma has chosen you, so we are only following his will.”
From a certain point, he seemed to be regarding Reinhardt as something close to an apostle of Truma.
It was a fanatical and blind faith, but in any case, at its foundation lay the good will to save the innocent.
Reinhardt nodded and stood up from his seat.
“I will visit you again when I leave for Romain. It won’t take long to prepare.”
***
The city of Romain.
Unlike Serigel or Lockfort, Romain was a city where one would spend a considerable amount of time when playing the game.
The reason was simple.
It was because the final reward for the chain quest performed in Romain was an irreplaceable item.
‘But that final reward was all there was to it.’
The final reward for the Romain region chain quest was the Executioner's Magic Stone.
It was an essential material for crafting each class’s exclusive weapon.
‘The other trivial quests were at a level where it didn’t matter much whether you cleared them or not.’
In the end, once a player entered Romain, they had to clear the designated quests as quickly and efficiently as possible.
It meant skipping all the trivial sub-quests and only clearing the main quests.
Of course, even so, the playtime was not short.
To the extent that one had to invest almost several days in real time.
‘The city’s atmosphere was a mess, the city design was bad, and it wasn’t a place with any special content.’
It was a natural phenomenon that players avoided it.
It wasn't strange that jokes about the ‘Executioner’s Magic Stone’ being held hostage to increase playtime were frequently heard.
But, for Reinhardt, the conditions were not bad.
‘If it’s something I have to do anyway, I should set a route that can enhance [Justice] as much as possible. And while I’m at it, I can also register a few serial posts.’
Click.
Reinhardt opened the community.
The heat for the new topic had not yet cooled down.
The developer employees acted as possessed individuals, the community users chattered about their acting skills, and there were also people who evaluated Reinhardt as a goddess.
To that, Reinhardt responded.
[Serial Post) It looks like I’m being dragged to Romain this time]
There must be sincerity in the writing.
Reinhardt passionately expressed his feelings.
He didn’t simply convey the feeling of receiving a game quest, but unraveled his situation of having to personally visit a dangerous place where a plague had spread.
The image was a bonus.
The sight of Bitdori lifting Bishop Dalton’s arm. The sight of his index finger pointing at Reinhardt himself, and Dalton’s expression with his mouth slightly agape as if he had received a great shock.
Morganes of the Plague.
The moment he registered the post that he had to leave to confront him.
“Reinhardt! Sir Reinhardt!”
Thump, thump, thump-
With a loud knock, Ethan’s voice was heard.
Reinhardt closed the community and controlled his expression. He opened the door and faced Ethan Taton.
“Yes, Commander.”
“I heard a rumor that you are leaving for Romain. Is it true? It can’t be, right?”
Only then did Reinhardt realize that he had forgotten to report.
“It is true.”
“……It’s true?”
“I was just about to report. At the request of the Truma Order, I will be dispatched to the city of Romain.”
He didn’t add words like ‘please allow me’.
In any case, he was Knight Reinhardt.
Ethan had no choice but to nod his head.
“I’ll permit it for now. I’ve permitted it. But you can tell me what’s going on, right? You’re not planning on keeping it a secret even from me. Right?”
“Of course. I will report everything.”
Only then did Ethan look relieved.
Because what he wanted from Reinhardt was just that much.