“About me?”

I wondered what Bruno could have said.

There wasn’t much to say. At most, we had fought together. But Millia looked fed up.

She said Bruno would bring up the Mage whenever he was bored. He’d say things like, ‘For a young guy, he knows how to fight, but he’s foolish.’

“I even thought he might be a secret child! It was always Rael, Rael, no matter what. I wondered what kind of face he had.”

“And what kind of face is it?”

“It’s not bad. Kind of cute, even.”

“Cute?”

I looked at Millia, and she flinched.

“…Do you look at just any woman with that face?”

“What’s wrong with my face?”

“Oh, I don’t know. Anyway, don’t look up at women with that face.”

Millia waved her hand dismissively.

She also added that I should speak well of her to my master later.

She seemed determined to learn Golem Magic by any means. She was even willing to become an apprentice. However, the Protagonist had no intention of teaching her.

He had already extorted a huge amount of money just for teaching basic Golem Magic to Benedict.

It seemed unlikely that Millia, a mercenary, could afford the same price as Benedict, who held a Viscount Title. If there was no compensation, there was no reason to teach her.

When I returned to the inn to go to bed, Charlotte stopped me. She seemed excited for the banquet tomorrow night.

The Protagonist’s mouth also watered at the thought of delicious food.

Charlotte also taught me how to dance in the room. Memorizing everything was difficult, so I only learned the important parts. She pointed out a few steps to keep my feet from getting tangled. Since Charlotte would be leading, it didn’t really matter.

However, the Protagonist felt uncomfortable being led. It was usually right for the man to lead the woman. He decided he should learn how to dance properly.

He vowed to learn etiquette and dancing before going to the Capital City after the war ended.

She finally left after holding me for several hours. I looked out the window. It was already late at night. I lay down in bed.

Now that the war was over, he wanted to go back quickly.

He wanted to see the City where Hansen was. It was quite close to This Place. According to Charlotte, it would take twenty days if he rode a horse fast.

He thought about what to do after the war ended.

Marrying Amelin seemed like the first thing. However, the Protagonist was still young, so it was ambiguous. He was old enough to be a Castle person, but it seemed too early.

The Protagonist had no goals.

Even when he came to The North, he had thought about getting a Title and being united with Lorina. Looking back now, it was a reckless choice. He didn’t have much of a Grand Book.

However, that goal faded after meeting Amelin.

He did accompany Charlotte after meeting her. She had a goal of killing the Orcs. But that too disappeared. The war was in its final stages.

Looking at the situation, it seemed to be over.

Now, there was nothing to do when he went back. He pondered what he should do. But nothing really came to mind.

First, he decided to learn about God.

When he asked Angelica, she said that if he received a Blessing, he would immediately become stronger.

The Orcs were like that too.

But the Protagonist was different. He only became strong at that moment and then returned to his original state afterwards. It seemed that because he was a Forgotten God, his power was weak and he couldn’t bestow a proper Blessing.

The gods had to use their power sparingly.

Faith was power. It seemed there was a reason why such a God used the Protagonist’s limited power to help him. If he knew that, the Protagonist’s direction might be set.

To do that, he first had to find the Statue, as the Count had said. He tried to think of someone who might know the whereabouts of the Statue.

Admon Bishop seemed to know.

He was worried whether he would readily tell him. He didn’t easily teach knowledge that others didn’t know. Even if he talked about being an Honor Priest, there was a possibility of him drawing a line.

He closed his eyes, thinking he would go to him tomorrow. The Banquet was at night, so there was plenty of time.

The next day. As soon as morning came, he changed his clothes. After a quick meal, he went to the Castle church. Priests tried to stop him along the way, but they all startled and moved aside, thanks to the Token the Bishop had given him.

Angelica was nowhere to be seen. She seemed to have gone out. Admon Bishop could only be met after Morning Worship.

He had a schedule even after the service, performing a Purification Ritual in front of a gathered crowd.

One by one, people came forward and placed their heads in a bowl of water, and the Bishop himself poured water over them three times.

“Behold this sight!”

The Bishop exclaimed as he looked at the baptism candidate’s body. Black mushrooms had bloomed prominently on his body, as if he had the plague. But when he washed it off with the water in the basin, the spots disappeared.

“This is a miracle of God! The Sun God even defeats the plague, so whoever wishes to receive His grace, step forward!”

Those sitting prayed with their hands clasped. As their illness disappeared after baptism, people knelt and were busy praising the name of God.

He was surprised.

He was using the herbal water made by the Protagonist for the baptism. What was even more surprising was that the water could be used multiple times.

Even when the water in the basin was used continuously, it healed people’s illnesses.

It seemed to be because of the large quantity. Still, after going through several people, its effectiveness gradually diminished.

Eventually, some people’s spots remained. The Bishop saw such a person and sent them back, saying they lacked sincerity. It meant to come back later.

It was amazing. The Protagonist couldn’t utter such lies as if breathing.

“Isn’t that Rael the Honored Priest!”

After the baptism ended, the Bishop looked this way and acted as if he knew him.

His expression was very good.

When this side greeted him, he waved his hand, saying there was no need for formalities. It was a change in attitude he couldn’t get used to. He wondered if this was the same person who had ignored even Angelica’s words just because the Protagonist was a commoner.

“Was that the Castle Hand Seal I gave you earlier?”

“Haha. That’s right. What you gave me is very good. With rumors about the Castle Water spreading, even mercenaries are coming, and it’s a frenzy. The evangelism is going very well. It’s thanks to you. So, about that, can you make more Castle Water?”

“The amount I gave this time is the limit.”

“What a pity. If you could make more, there would be more people who believe in the Sun God… Oh, of course, it’s already excellent right now.”

The Bishop made it very clear that he was disappointed. But he didn’t say he could make more. It was because Angelica’s advice came to mind. She seemed to be looking out for the Protagonist, so he thought it would be good to follow her advice.

The feeling was strong that the Bishop was being friendly to the Protagonist because of the Castle Water. It meant it was for profit. From his words, it seemed he was gathering believers by using the Castle Water as bait.

“About that Castle Water. I don’t think I can make it every day.”

He wondered how the Bishop would react if the Protagonist said he couldn’t make Castle Water.

Admon was startled.

“What…! Wh-what are you talking about? Surely, other guys didn’t offer a higher price? I’ll deal with these good-for-nothing bastards right away…!”

“That’s not it. It’s hard to make this too, so I think I need to rest appropriately.”

“What do you mean, you need to rest! Absolutely not.”

“Even if you say no… do you really need Holy Water?”

“Of course! It has to be made with herbs, but the quantity is small, and the supply is inconsistent, so we definitely can’t just use it freely. I really need you to make it.”

The Bishop’s voice was desperate. It seemed that Holy Water was quite helpful in gathering believers. After all, if it cured the Plague, even those without faith might develop it.

For him, the herbal water the Protagonist made was essential. Perhaps that’s why he was practically begging.

“Aren’t we friends? Please, I beg you. Is there anything you want? If it’s about payment, I’ll give you more. How much do you want?”

“The money is fine.”

He asked if the Bishop knew about a Goddess named Skadi. He even offered to make Holy Water every day while he stayed there if the Bishop could tell him a place where her statue might be.

The Old Man’s expression became serious. He made a thoughtful face and then headed to the Archives. It seemed he intended to show him a book from there.

He made a show of it on his way.

Seeing that, he remembered how Count Haines had also made a huge show of it when showing him a book. Nobles were sensitive about the knowledge they possessed.

The Bishop said more than seven times that he was showing it specially because it was the Honor Priest’s request. It wasn’t until the eighth time that they arrived at the Archives. He was going crazy with how talkative the people he met here were.

He looked at the bookshelves, which were about twice a person’s height.

It seemed there would be more detailed information in such a large place. The Church also specialized in collecting stories about gods.

“Is the god you’re looking for indeed Skadi?”

“Yes.”

“Skadi… here she is.”

The Old Man, his memory a bit hazy, fumbled for a moment before pulling out an old book from the shelf and opening it.

“You’re looking for the Goddess of Ice, then.”

“Goddess of Ice?”

“She was a tremendous Archmage in her lifetime… and there’s an anecdote that she defeated a Dragon.”

“Where in the world are there Dragons?”

Admon’s words were absurd.

Dragons were nothing more than stories people made up. It was nonsense to think Dragons existed, and defeating such a Dragon was unbelievable.

But the Old Man’s expression was serious.

“Dragons truly exist. Various ancient texts reveal their presence. Their bodies are as large as a mountain range, and they are said to reign at the apex of all monsters, protecting human civilization from the calamities of The North Beyond the Mountains. I haven’t seen one myself, but…”

“What’s in The North Beyond the Mountains?”

“There are monsters that humans dare not face. They say that only the monsters in the Beyond the Mountains hold intermediate magic stones or higher.”

The Bishop said that such monsters had crossed over before. That was hundreds of years ago.

Listening to him, my mind went blank. The salamander I fought this time only yielded a low-grade magic stone. Yet, even such a salamander could trample a large village by itself.

A monster with an intermediate magic stone might even conquer a decent castle. If even one of those crossed over, it would literally be a disaster.

“Do you know that Orcs are a species that lived at the edge of the Mountain Range? That means they are the weakest species. Yet, we are barely holding them back.”

The more I listened to his story, the more chilling it became. I didn’t want to believe that a species as tough as Orcs was weak enough to be pushed out of the Mountain Range.

I just wanted to hear the main point.

“Where is the God’s Statue?”

“It’s where the Dragon’s remains are.”

“Where is that?”

“I don’t know for sure. But… the place marked on the map isn’t far from here.”

He said it was about twenty days’ travel to the Western Faction. Coincidentally, there was a city there. It was Hansen’s hometown.

For some reason, I felt a strange chill. It was too perfect to be a coincidence. It was almost as if someone was calling me.

I had to go there.

The Old Man said that a god resides within the Statue. He added that some who have received blessings can communicate with the god through the Statue.

It was slightly different, but it was the same as what the Count had said.

The Old Man closed his book, as if he had nothing more to say. As I left the Castle Hall, many thoughts crossed my mind. My head was a mess.

I felt like the god had something to tell the Protagonist. Now, it was almost a certainty. I wondered what exactly it wanted.

I looked up at the sky.

The sun was setting. I seemed to have listened to his story for too long.

I returned to the inn.

Charlotte was ready for the Banquet. She was different from usual. When she wore heavy armor, I didn’t think anything of it.

But now, wearing a proper dress, her figure was revealed. She blushed slightly and asked if the dress suited her. I nodded.

Normally, wielding a sword, she gave off a strong masculine vibe, but now I couldn’t help but feel she was a woman.

The Protagonist also quickly changed clothes.

There was a carriage outside. As we rode in it, my eyes kept returning to her dress. It wasn’t even a difficult outfit to look at, like Angelica’s, but it still caught my attention.

“What are you staring at? Is my dress strange, after all?”

“No, it suits you well.”

“Really?”

“You’re beautiful.”

“Oh, is that so! That’s a relief.”

Charlotte asked several times. Each time I told her she was beautiful, she hung her head low. She was so shy that her neck was flushed red.

When we arrived at Lord Castle, she offered me her hand at the bottom of the stairs. Her head was turned in the opposite direction. When I took her hand, Charlotte flinched.

“Let’s go.”

“Uh, okay…”

I handed the invitation to the gatekeeper. It was the one Charlotte had given me. As we entered the banquet hall, a new scene unfolded before my eyes. Men and women in banquet attire were gathered in small groups, chatting. Delicious food laid out on the tables also caught my eye.

Charlotte was watching the people dancing. She seemed a little envious. I didn’t know why she was envious. Still, I thought I knew what she wanted.

“Would you like to dance a song?”

Charlotte hesitated, then stepped forward. I put one arm around her waist and held her other hand, moving my feet in sequence.

Having danced with Amelin before, I was somewhat used to it. I had also practiced beforehand, so there was no chance of making a mistake. As we moved without a care, the music stopped. One song had ended.

“You didn’t make a single mistake.”

“That’s because I’ve danced before.”

“Is that so?”

Charlotte seemed to be in a good mood. She looked at me and said softly,

“This is my first time.”

“Dancing?”

“Aside from learning when I was a child, I’ve never done this with anyone. I was always swinging a sword during that time. But coming with you, I feel strange.”

“What’s strange?”

“I don’t know either. My chest feels tingly.”

Charlotte said her heart was racing. At her words, my gaze went to a strange place. She said she would sit for a moment and calm her chest.

The protagonist also told me to stay far away. The reason was that she couldn’t calm down if I was near her. I didn’t quite understand, but I followed her words.

Food caught my eye. There were also many drinks. Wine was also visible. When I picked it up, someone stopped me.

Hey.

It was Millia. She was wearing a banquet dress.

You shouldn’t eat that kind of thing.

Why not?

Wine is for adults.

I’m an adult too.

She looked me over and chuckled. It annoyed me that she was treating me like a child.

Bruno was also nearby. He seemed a little surprised. The fact that the protagonist was at the banquet hall seemed to surprise him.

It seemed that most of those invited to the banquet were nobles, so that’s why.

Where is your master?

My master?

Didn’t you come with your master?

No, I didn’t.

Millia looked around. She seemed to be looking for an old man dressed like a mage. But there was no way he would be there.

She even whined like a child, asking where her master was. Bruno frowned.

What do you mean, master?

Millia spoke of a great mage. Bruno was also startled when she mentioned a mage who controlled a golem the size of a troll.

There’s such a mage?

Didn’t you see the golem near the city gate?

I thought it was just a statue.

Bruno thought the golem was a unique stone statue. He seemed to have never imagined it could move in his wildest dreams. This was a normal reaction, though.

When the protagonist brought the golem, people were busy screaming. Most people had never even seen a golem.

Bruno asked.

“Can you do it too?”

“Do what?”

“I mean, Golems.”

“Of course.”

“…How big can you make them?”

“Well, I can probably make one as big as the Golem near the City Gate.”

Bruno didn’t seem to like the idea that such a Mage was Rael’s master. He looked as if he would only be satisfied if the Protagonist who abandoned him crawled on the ground.

“Are you still working as a Mercenary?”

“I am, why?”

“…Never mind.”

He just gaped when the Protagonist said he could make a large Golem. He was about to say something but then clamped his mouth shut. He seemed a little disappointed.

Millia didn’t believe that the Protagonist could make Golems. She believed even less that he could make one as big as the Golem placed near the City Gate.

She said that if he lied, he would be punished. The Protagonist had never lied. She just didn’t believe him.

Even when he said he didn’t have a master anymore, she didn’t believe him.

“You said you had a master.”

“What about it?”

“I actually don’t.”

“A lie? So you’re saying you made the Golem?”

“Yes.”

Millia crossed her arms. Her eyes were filled with disbelief. She seemed to take what the Protagonist said as a joke.

“Is that why you’re being a Beggar, because you don’t want me to meet your master? I won’t fall for it.”

“It’s true…”

It was awkward because no matter what he said, she wouldn’t believe him.

It was doubtful how I could make her believe me. No, there was no reason to make her believe me in the first place. It was annoying, but that was all.

That’s when it happened.

A commotion erupted on one side.

The Lord had entered the Banquet Hall. Nobles flocked to him. He was the most powerful person in the area. Everyone was eager to get close to him.

Perhaps because the Banquet was a social gathering, many people tried to strike up a conversation. Bruno was no exception, and I saw him heading in that direction. Millia disappeared with her wine.

I subtly glanced over. Surrounded by people, the Lord was talking to someone.

It was Charlotte. They seemed to be discussing the recent battle. Those around them were watching for an opportunity to join the conversation, agreeing with every word.

“I heard the Mage played a big part in catching the Salamander this time. Is that Mage here as well?”

Charlotte looked around at those words.

It seemed she was looking for the Protagonist. I moved forward. It was a bit inconvenient to push through the crowd of people.

“Hey. If you want to talk to the Lord, do it later. People are crowded around him now.”

Millia said, seeing the Protagonist struggling.

I even looked around to see if she had brought her master. Ignoring her, I moved forward. People didn’t move out of the way easily.

After finally pushing through the crowd, I saw Charlotte and the Lord. Charlotte’s face brightened as she said,

“Ah, you’re here. This is the Mage you spoke of.”

“Such a young boy! Truly amazing!”

The Lord looked at me and praised me repeatedly. Perhaps there was also a commendation sent by Count Haines, as he mentioned the past battles.

He even asked if I had really defeated the Troll with a Golem. I recounted the battle as I remembered it.

“Huh…?”

Millia wore a dazed expression.