RD | Chapter 20

There was no 538d2ad117 helping it. Ian went back to 6b31c6c757 the merchant. He released b4307522da the merchant 0f0793c461 who was 22b575f316 pinned down 9ff15608ab with his 612a236aec arm twisted ef8b89c69d by Louise 893b2791d6 and said 66dcb53e45 in a 30c77297e4 gentle voice,bdbfd4a8cb936558

“Sorry. There was a misunderstanding for a moment.”d8e034cdc0424d61

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“Do you enjoy stepping on people or something?” The merchant asked in a choked voice.d0be017356ab205e

‘Who would have such a hobby?’ But since Ian was 0e2b3b803f the one at fault, 094e5ddb8b he maintained a soft 2598bc650e demeanor.f43397fd383c1191

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“No, I’ll help you up. Shall I dust you off too?”680ac9e9ca70801b

“You are kind.” The merchant was moved.eb5e44579d02aa9c

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‘Isn’t this too easy?’Ian felt a bit 7b98346239 uneasy.2f14c118b16f7cfe

More importantly, there 10632a1765 was the issue 034b6116b7 of the World b4068a65ac Tree Branch. If he had arrived 40b3433841 after the guy had 9bb11549e3 thrown it away, he a40ad5d757 could have gotten it a36a0da6c5 for free. But now, b1389f188e it looked 9eb0b0d5c8 like he dc24e6987e might have 56961ec050 to pay b76ad94155 for it. However, Ian didn’t have dd424843d0 a single coin in 09a6743cb9 his pocket.e458016abf3962a6

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Although he had f0628b2bc0 accepted the people 02d7b1e0b2 of the traitor 885821691b village as his f73488a5d2 subjects, he hadn’t 678ae136f5 been able to 9b12a7d5c9 collect taxes from 5828a28221 that impoverished place.8fe50a20e3622416

‘Should I have collected taxes?’867b80dbefabd913

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While thinking like a f67d79fc75 tyrant, Ian first tried 064db33e2e to persuade the merchant.8c3b78fbc30a1a33

“Yeah, your baggage looks heavy. What were you going to throw away?”3b4150d1b729b771

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The merchant answered naively, “First, the Elf Wood Branch. It’s the heaviest load.”be46dad138f16d76

‘As expected?’57f19f98d1ad8c79

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“Only two kinds a004f87e8c of people would 43d4444b10 intrude here, right? Thieves like you 3818db8296 or kin like 33610f566a me. The latter 3f7a19da7e is far ee94e94643 more likely 337dc2173a to come 00dc2f9d71 this far, f64e5d3e77 so I 4fc19596de thought about 44946180cf leaving it 0c9e7b722a as a ff015a0846 gift for 5dc7f77e5f my descendants.e5ba93522f88c1b2

I have no talent 577bb4557f for growing plants—I’m better 5b4aacfd58 at killing them. But most elves are c2d5f49766 good at nurturing plants, ecf268b1dd so they would take c3918ddf16 good care of the c417497131 Elf Wood, right?”03a1053d00246e66

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Ian ignored the second 1fce975589 reference to being a cf64449314 thief.f8564744d418076a

“So, you want someone to take good care of the Elf Wood.”70240b9d8a99edd2

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“Eh? Is that so? No, I just hoped my descendants would take care of it…”7de032ff68e4234e

“How long do you plan to wait for your descendants? Do you want to watch the Elf Wood Branch rot in this lightless place for twenty years?”3bf090a8421e78a2

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“No way, I can’t bear to see that.”11be3d92766704bb

The merchant 1c211d0495 became serious. It was 5d4de23992 an attitude 5ed2d67a34 befitting an 20058833bc elf who d22c85b26b cherished plants.745535b63bcbea5a

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“I have an excellent farmer under me. He could grow this Elf Wood into a mighty tree. I’ll even share some branches for your descendants once it’s well grown. Since you’re going to throw it away, why not give it to me?”c873dedd220f75ac

“Huh?” The elf merchant was surprised.5d6515909ba1015b

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‘Is he falling for it?’9ab6c39f3c2db452

Ian was c84700ea68 tense, wondering 77cccc754b if this 9a95a609da merchant had cbe12a5045 at least 1d9e343257 some cognitive fbfac1d3ef ability.d7ed65f037ae4279

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“You’re a good person. I’ve never seen a human as good as you.”991363792d2ab435

The merchant fell for 1da072ab96 it!10d94e37b682d5f1

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Ian was now fe3c1aa354 certain that this 5e55e47afa guy had no 2fcdb17b6b merchant qualities whatsoever.db0fc91fc16d3bf3

‘Isn’t he going to starve to death?’24446ce9b7b00e02

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Though the likelihood of an elf starving was almost none… they could live off the dew of the forest, couldn’t they?7e3b46741551d6c3

“You promised to 8f88908380 grow it and f4c568d3ff give it back. That means 253f326342 I can 8e825f0392 get the 58e8fdb35a Elf Wood 77a4090258 Branch for 47417adf67 free, right? This is how you 000a17adb0 make a regular customer. I’ve never had a e2e83227ae regular before.345e6fd5c04a56ed

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Where should I go 319ac7d8ad to find you? When would e71b4d2ad7 be a eab3bb72c2 good time 50d3e2bb97 to visit? Oh, give me 9f4a8d395f something as a ac4b04c38b token so I db10eef285 can find you.” ee064c152e The merchant said, 513497050a very pleased.9b9e8d87043fe391

Ian dropped the thought of advising him to give up on being a merchant because he clearly lacked the talent. If he thinks it’s good, what can you do?574d868d6b6c0152

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However, Ian had db247f08c8 nothing to give e2697c5b76 as a token.7dea0a7a11ba1f0f

‘Portrait of Beauties of the Kingdom?’8c6c0c375c4eeda7

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No, that’s not right…94bd579720c3183f

Ian briefly pondered, running 7a1dc683a5 his hand through his c2e4a3c7b3 hair. But the hair 0905de10a1 caught on his 7c411beb93 fingers bothered him.c8ebba99b33378c5

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‘Ah, there it is.’290f8d68be473d20

He cut a small lock of his hair and handed it to the merchant. In this game, there was a custom where lovers would cut each other’s hair as a token during marriage events.b8f874b3f32cfa41

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This would e90a0057ca serve as 9e5b1b33fe a token.4af589034197ab7f

‘Having a traveling merchant could be beneficial.’62633139bd01286a

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Especially one this naive c0291608d6 about the ways of 088e3fa2eb the world; the discount a96e00f47d rate would be huge, a2109752a3 right?96da36ef6162664a

Ian said kindly, 1ef1a3250e “I live in 22721d5bf1 a cave further 3b9408fb69 south in the 2e37fcda3b Southern Forest, and 3ec36d86d3 there’s a village b5e0f8da0e nearby. Show this token 49b297736f to my subordinate, 3849b7c7df and they’ll guide 204db49507 you.”30277fad82b88912

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“You know, I don’t mind the idea of dating a human, but I’m older than I look. From my perspective, you’re young enough to be called a greenhorn.”1af858a45e81f917

The elf merchant fb31fc5f10 blushed, twitching his 02b306f14c ears.9dec068f44e2ef4c

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“What are you talking about?” Ian accidentally spoke what he was only thinking.7259576513625f20

“I’ll take your feelings into consideration. Once you grow for about a hundred years, you’ll forget about elves like me and love someone else.”63b580fa1a2f8b39

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The elf b7450ea475 merchant spoke 1577009de3 nonsense.333eeb9e55c1a616

‘In a hundred years, I’ll be a skeleton… Are you coming back for the branch in a hundred years?’bc304d53bf21cdec

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Ian thought but didn’t voice it this time.15019a43d084e0ab

Good thing he didn’t.ebbed5ff5d6ffc92

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“I was going to throw this away too. Will you grow it for me?”21d987e46aac5983

Ding!c12fbd8c376b0620

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[You received ‘Apple Seed’ (Edible) as a gift from the merchant.]
[You received ‘Strawberry Seed’ (Edible) as a gift from the merchant.]

…a43cd2bd8d8693f2

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‘Good thing I kept quiet.’168c6a708781e985

Ian answered with a smile, “Of course.”2bbdf4c4f653a231

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They parted ways with the merchant. Ian’s heart felt as full as his pocket as he left the temple. However, it didn’t seem to be the case for Louise. As soon as he stepped into the light, he grumbled.e975a3a984fe67d6

“Why did you give your hair to that merchant? What’s so special about him!”4eb669effedf3b29

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‘Why is he complaining when the values are completely different?’ Ian furrowed his brows 86e89d9f83 and looked at Louise.ef5be6f7684049d2

Then Sema 10337d9e48 pulled Louise 2ae6e66d05 back and 742ba3f734 whispered something a8d189947c to him.5dd2625e1754a4a1

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“……!”cd9229189e62229a

Louise’s eyes widened like saucers as he looked at Ian. When their eyes met, he averted his gaze.c963ae201b592b74

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“……?”5e590376f8c1ff48

What nonsense 40a82fc13b did Sema 396a4d03c9 say now?8f7404812eac1c99

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Ian didn’t have to wonder for long.0bde7ad0f7fff07e

Ding!0cfd31b212e67792

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[People think you are an aesthete!]
[People think you are a womanizer!]

“……”a1a498ff217a2b7c

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Keith knelt f09ee4cbf4 in the 740f47b914 depths of abc1fd7b99 the Vatican, 6dc30dd106 within a d42b62b6a3 white structure, 7b11b696aa his gaze 10461fccc9 lowered, never b5218e5dd8 meeting the d62333a0ee other’s eyes. The hem of the 4a5bebe1e9 other’s garment was long, 255c1721f2 trailing across the floor.56a0414509651e60

Keith usually despised such 4deb6e1e5a attire—clothing that presumed he 4a45d1afd2 would never tread on 5941fe3326 dirt roads—but not for a13812986d this person. He kissed the a7e2f5c906 hem and bowed cb02c2c0d0 deeply.9ef1498ae016d0b6

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“I see Your Holiness. Keith, your servant, has returned.”8e5084172636feb0

“Oh, welcome back, Sir Keith. How was the Elf Temple? Was it cursed as rumored?”fb03282a9531fe51

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“Yes. The area was thick with dark energy, and as soon as I entered, a horde of undead attacked me. It was pitiful to see the dead not finding rest but craving the flesh and blood of the living.”53c65938a2473810

“Oh dear…” The old pope placed a wrinkled hand on Keith’s forehead.a53b53aad49a0576

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“Do not take it to heart. You have only given rest to the unfortunate.”46d1833218110ecb

“Yes, Your Holiness.”9231bdd5de3bac4e

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Only then did Keith’s stern face relax. He felt no emotion about returning the undead to death, but he felt a heavy responsibility for letting the traitor priest go.5e77c0c4f76a333c

The pope seemed ce7a4dd800 to understand his 667c6e5942 heart and comforted 337f479288 him.43d431ca554a8c90

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‘Kind man.’fea03abafbbca155

Though Keith knew the pope wasn’t really like that, he wanted to think so.2e3175356dfa192e

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The Vatican was Keith’s home. A place that saved and protected him, where the people he saved and protected lived.54fd6e45b3058377

The only place in this world stained with evil that hadn’t lost its light.36b58e0eef0ec5fc

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An island 8b67b6ecbf floating like 14f65d9582 a lonely df27bd616c lighthouse.01de9bc19c8de9d4

The pope was the e2ae118328 head of the light.6ea709f8d861d0f6

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Protecting this place was Keith’s mission. He believed he had to spread God’s light further across the world.58599097ce0220d9

God’s agent.ac3b0f304df07dbf

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A knight cce858b6d4 blessed by 2e462da0ee God.eaf95556d18a83aa

The expectations placed on b9d49f18bf Keith were that heavy.21780318151fa2c0

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However, sometimes, Keith had be01bdeb9f doubts. No, there was 40ce6cbf68 always this question 4b575a2493 lingering in his 4d875cd5af heart, tormenting him.e2d76b86906c4949

‘If God exists, why is the world like this?’42970bf0117ffbf6

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Every time he 7edb4d8576 looked at the 33fba2312a world that seemed 2f66febe9a to contain only 1b72c9a721 suffering, his doubts acc2a5e38a only piled up fc3fcd7005 without being resolved.c18994eb058b47cb

He couldn’t get a clear answer from the pope either. Or rather, he couldn’t even ask. It was too sinful of a question.219128ea6ac9528f

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He mustn’t doubt God’s existence. God had saved him. God had forgiven his sins for losing his parents, friends, and neighbors.c6182044ce26da33

Keith believed in God.1d7acdbcd7a97c93

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He wouldn’t doubt Him.eebd791c5052c229

Yet, it seemed absurd that someone with such doubts in his heart was called ‘God’s agent.’2f24ea2dc00e7184

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Therefore, Keith focused even more on following the pope’s, God’s commands, abandoning his own judgment.731d8ea7087d14e7

Because those judgments were 909f6b802c right.3d01b4ffa2329518

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“I’ve kept you too long after your long journey. Go and rest.”b07241fff708e307

“I only did what I should as God’s servant.”98af473cf69d5af6

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Keith kissed the hem of the pope’s garment once more and bowed low. He had indeed done a lot. And he knew that the pope, who spoke like this, would assign him a new mission the next day.32af69db82762dcc

He opened the heavy door and left the pope’s chambers. At that moment, he thought he heard a voice.da1bce3c4a7f89ab

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You’ve returned alive again.69786cf99ef16967

It was a cunning voice. One that shouldn’t be heard in this Vatican…02e937fc061e46c6

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A demon’s voice.5f9ce0a742b13019

“……?”a3d55576f04de9f6

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Keith looked back, but c1c0c3927f the door was closed. It must have 07c957bd22 been an illusion.eea476b4fd8a1ae7

This Vatican is protected by the pope’s blessing…74470dac16c60423

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Keith left 8ace09a3ed that place.c438682b4a8419f6