Chapter 38 - Elder Marxen

Ludwig looked at the brightly shining relic and opened his mouth, “How did you know this was there?”

“Hm?” I smiled at him. ‘Hehe!’ “I saw it in a dream.”

“Of course…!”

The title of a saintess was amazing. I mercifully looked at Ludwig’s fanatical blue eyes, then at his holy sword. “Ludwig, can you leave the holy sword here for a bit? I want to look at it with the amulet.”

“This was originally yours. Of course, you can take it.”

“I’ll give it back to you when I’m done.”

“Yes.” Ludwig put down the holy sword, and I sent him away with the excuse of being tired. It was time to talk to the sword, “Ahem. Sophia.”

Right when I was going to ask the sword a question, the door suddenly opened and Luciana walked in. “Saintess, you need to come outside.”

“Huh? Why? Is it important?”

“Yes.”

I had something to talk to Sophia about. I looked at the core and took it with me. ‘What’s going on?’

Luciana took me to a hallway not far from my room.

“…?”

Elder Marxen was with Ludwig, who had his head down. An unusual atmosphere had settled in the surroundings, and Ludwig had a miserable expression on his face.

“I have nothing to say.”

Elder Marxen got spirited. “Of course, you don’t have anything to say! You’ll be subject to disciplinary action. You were chosen by the saintess, but you couldn’t even look after her. What is this? Tsk.”

“…?” ‘What is that oldie saying?’ “What’s going on?” I looked at the two of them and walked forward. Elder Marxen bowed his head. He and Ludwig greeted me at the same time. 

“I greet the first light of the world.”

“So, what’s going on?” ‘I’m impatient!’

Elder Marxen dragged out his words. “Ah, I was scolding Sir Ludwig.”

“Why are you scolding him, Elder?”

“Hoh! Because he couldn’t do what he was supposed to do.”

The elder was talking sh*t. I purposefully smiled and asked the elder a question. “What did Ludwig not do?”

“He couldn’t protect you properly, and now, your body’s in this condition! This is all his fault!” Elder Marxen kept going on. “I can’t allow this useless person to stay at your side. He should’ve protected you with his life! Tsk! When we go back to Vios, he will deal with the consequences.”

Elder Marxen looked at me with a bright smile as if he were waiting for me to applaud him. He didn’t even do anything well. I pressed down on my anger and smiled. “Ludwig did his best for me.”

“If he really did his best, he would’ve protected you.”

“But I didn’t die.”

“But you’re injured! It’s a sin punishable by death!”

“So you wanted Ludwig to die to protect me?”

“Yes! That’s exactly it!”

‘How funny! Is it that simple?’ He was saying such things so easily. I held back my fist that was itching to punch him.

‘Ludwig.’ The reason I was upset at Elder Marxen, who was in high spirits, was the sight of Ludwig. He did nothing wrong, yet he was being scolded. I was so frustrated that I wanted to die. ‘Should I just go crazy?’ “Are you going to discipline him even though I said I’m fine?”

“Yes. Don’t worry. When I go back, I’ll send an even better paladin.” 

I realized something while looking into Elder Marxen’s eyes. ‘Ah-ha!’ He was going to place someone to watch over me and report back everything I would do. That was why he was making sure nothing would happen. 

I was thinking about how to respond when Elder Marxen got excited and continued, “I know you’re going to agree. I’ll send the perfect person. Haha.”

He was writing his own show, and I interrupted him.“I like Ludwig.”

“Excuse me?”

If he thought I would accept that easily, he was in for a surprise. I glared at him and talked immaturely, “And even if you bring someone, they’re not going to be as cool as Ludwig!”

Elder Marxen got upset as I had thought. “What do you mean? There are many paladins like Ludwig!”

“Really?”

“Yes! Please believe me. I will definitely bring someone amazing.” He’s saying there are paladins like Ludwig scattered around.

“Grandpa, can you take responsibility for those words?”

“Yes, of course.” He took the bait. 

“Then swear on the name of God.”

Elder Marxen flinched for a bit at my innocent words, but he solemnly nodded in the end. Priests with divine power who swore on the Lord’s name had to fulfill it, no matter what. If they went against it, they would lose all of their divine power.

“I, Elder Marxen, swear on the Lord’s name to bring a paladin even greater than Ludwig.”

When he finished swearing, I smirked at the divine power resting in his body.

“Great. Now let’s see…” I placed the holy sword in Ludwig’s hand. “Bring over a paladin who’s better than the one with the holy sword.”

“…!”