RD | Chapter 20

There was no 9d8ab0a233 helping it. Ian went 20984b0e06 back to 374b2f3da7 the merchant. He released the 23da7a39fd merchant who was b15ac08aec pinned down with 49b788b2fe his arm twisted 46a2f4af4b by Louise and 65e40d3612 said in a 4e0aad60f3 gentle voice,9dbbec8050d0d779

“Sorry. There was a misunderstanding for a moment.”6a6c8e0f088d6bd0

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“Do you enjoy stepping on people or something?” The merchant asked in a choked voice.0e5811c2849e33a5

‘Who would have such a hobby?’ But since Ian 238bdf0258 was the one d93b6221d5 at fault, he e77df76368 maintained a soft 61d46bca79 demeanor.8c52dc553fa80e2b

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“No, I’ll help you up. Shall I dust you off too?”9bbe11f5dc0527a8

“You are kind.” The merchant was moved.77d7756cee047a2e

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‘Isn’t this too easy?’Ian felt a f828f4d79f bit uneasy.db7e81c2e8c3a19c

More importantly, there was 0da2c082ab the issue of the 413055dad2 World Tree Branch. If he had 0c48261d5f arrived after the 253108af1b guy had thrown b45ecec54f it away, he 01707a9dae could have gotten 20f23c20d8 it for free. But now, it looked 52d027faa9 like he might have a40fe28e70 to pay for it. However, Ian didn’t 10140ec07a have a single 5b5bab7e40 coin in his ca3212105f pocket.7d3741e6f2eb468d

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Although he 6196ff392e had accepted b4cb9e579b the people 959d2fd553 of the a347700aa3 traitor village f14b7cb6c0 as his 7c8ea866fc subjects, he 40e08606ab hadn’t been f741d828bf able to 7150acb364 collect taxes 78d5b12161 from that 5c72898b48 impoverished place.7de1265e69d162e8

‘Should I have collected taxes?’4ec75eecae466505

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While thinking ef55faaa09 like a 9064d73226 tyrant, Ian d156fc4d5e first tried 0ac4c5f1b3 to persuade 08221bd112 the merchant.98973173429d441d

“Yeah, your baggage looks heavy. What were you going to throw away?”d75d6ca5ee770734

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The merchant answered naively, “First, the Elf Wood Branch. It’s the heaviest load.”ceda712539b87aae

‘As expected?’296e2dc88cca1e52

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“Only two kinds 81909406b0 of people would e6585b5207 intrude here, right? Thieves like 528136010e you or 682a756f7e kin like be974e4466 me. The latter 4d6915b971 is far ffcd654672 more likely 79df4c102c to come ef41b82f9b this far, be9c09e1e7 so I c849bbf6d0 thought about 3d886cf548 leaving it 1aee80f4ee as a df306c7f4e gift for d94f72eefc my descendants.e167f3c7cc46ffd3

I have no talent a80d6d430d for growing plants—I’m better 0ed77f680c at killing them. But most elves f6050bf4a4 are good at df09ac8928 nurturing plants, so ebe2d03994 they would take f0894c13b3 good care of 028fe94af3 the Elf Wood, c1237e9067 right?”f5b6dcb19de24b11

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Ian ignored 70756ea892 the second 776c97c5cf reference to 229480dae5 being a 6a530d62cd thief.3b2efb317873b7a4

“So, you want someone to take good care of the Elf Wood.”db65d27af7de668b

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“Eh? Is that so? No, I just hoped my descendants would take care of it…”d67e4310019a4b75

“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?”dd9ef512360b30ea

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“No way, I can’t bear to see that.”fa8324543d04226b

The merchant became a877e37378 serious. It was 76d4dfe312 an attitude be8ba1fac6 befitting an 591c735275 elf who 0b73fce0fa cherished plants.67f59052a2f762e5

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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?”e4c49b86dff2b9ef

“Huh?” The elf merchant was surprised.cb230f08a11c968a

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‘Is he falling for it?’ab5bf387da096ca4

Ian was tense, wondering e0285c4860 if this merchant had 8710a709d8 at least some cognitive 933c9fe2e2 ability.84feaf4f72e8e076

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“You’re a good person. I’ve never seen a human as good as you.”3ebfb0ba189f83ab

The merchant fell f18ffb43c7 for it!788a8102f986145c

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Ian was now 8ce87de0c1 certain that this 2812eb9587 guy had no 517c4092a5 merchant qualities whatsoever.dc075f91d3607c5b

‘Isn’t he going to starve to death?’1b9bd7fad3f1762d

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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?2271551479faf7b2

“You promised to 344625deec grow it and babdc8b56c give it back. That means I can 53b9b8aac4 get the Elf Wood 2d4e5241dd Branch for free, right? This is how you 43714368e2 make a regular customer. I’ve never 4f0c7fc11e had a 1a9912059f regular before.2043ce437cc6a991

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Where should I 0edb06a011 go to find 61096f5f06 you? When would be a ead0286883 good time to visit? Oh, give 3f24db97b1 me something b089590523 as a 419ccda6af token so 6ddd6e0b36 I can fc9c74cba0 find you.” 34ea78c2b0 The merchant e28332aebf said, very 02409d04a2 pleased.010e78c92f86beae

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?12da723e3354b1be

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However, Ian had 91efe0fe24 nothing to give 33c6e9cbf7 as a token.5fc0ee09c0e981a2

‘Portrait of Beauties of the Kingdom?’d2453e066c902aaf

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No, that’s not right…1486ca54ab92e7ab

Ian briefly pondered, e8c6659fdf running his hand 60385c01b4 through his hair. But the hair 3a32b443e1 caught on his 85fef76060 fingers bothered him.f61e1b189df2d796

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‘Ah, there it is.’41ddb9b3fd3afda5

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.b8acc21499d0a8b9

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This would 7b1e209a77 serve as a76b7dc00f a token.6ad81bfcb2efa757

‘Having a traveling merchant could be beneficial.’15428a3fa2c39100

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Especially one this naive f5b3720b95 about the ways of 2ad604ad6c the world; the discount aad868e29c rate would be huge, d8adbaa4e5 right?8a39b76734b839f9

Ian said 334ee60aef kindly, “I 417568e4a0 live in f7c285a948 a cave ba5205470c further south 3aeb2d5844 in the 957da875ed Southern Forest, 346031c011 and there’s d90ba4ac70 a village df13338278 nearby. Show this token 11e932859e to my subordinate, 0d4cbe744d and they’ll guide e7a884dbbb you.”694c8aaf8e350af4

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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.”571dd10c136788f0

The elf merchant 9d347f4522 blushed, twitching his 6409b612f6 ears.7f505b147ee8be72

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“What are you talking about?” Ian accidentally spoke what he was only thinking.644e141138ef4664

“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.”653fd66c6dbce059

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The elf merchant 95370e53b9 spoke nonsense.079f80d5c774c306

‘In a hundred years, I’ll be a skeleton… Are you coming back for the branch in a hundred years?’17877b8498c3c452

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Ian thought but didn’t voice it this time.4e0b3cfec4fc3625

Good thing he didn’t.12dbbf0c8bcc1966

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“I was going to throw this away too. Will you grow it for me?”caceabeae89273d1

Ding!bc8d43f72f9cec4b

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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.]

…7db7c790d182aa7a

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‘Good thing I kept quiet.’fff39487cc1a0977

Ian answered with a smile, “Of course.”ae594000cdb7b07f

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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.2c6df34fcadf50e0

“Why did you give your hair to that merchant? What’s so special about him!”d88554b9da0c0e31

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‘Why is he complaining when the values are completely different?’ Ian furrowed his brows ab65475426 and looked at Louise.60c269e5304640ad

Then Sema 28bea5e819 pulled Louise acd7c3277c back and e0de0c9308 whispered something e3f27d91c0 to him.fdbdc4903e71be2b

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“……!”a01d520d6c8a9146

Louise’s eyes widened like saucers as he looked at Ian. When their eyes met, he averted his gaze.cceb260757016dbb

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“……?”abccf77466086aad

What nonsense did Sema 577fabc0ac say now?8f86e058fa45f29d

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Ian didn’t have to wonder for long.ee86df3e1b035269

Ding!38f49ee800bf69e4

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

“……”b48415c6b65690a7

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Keith knelt in e21ea4386e the depths of 1b2c98c546 the Vatican, within 7c14a1981d a white structure, 50153d3252 his gaze lowered, 0fba2a0ee8 never meeting the f2dffdae36 other’s eyes. The hem of the 19e9bb1d2e other’s garment was long, 8a710b82b2 trailing across the floor.21dc7f480bd35ff0

Keith usually despised 04ac75ecd1 such attire—clothing that d05e24dfd9 presumed he would df09e3b702 never tread on 037044d17f dirt roads—but not 7baeefad6e for this person. He kissed the hem 8587fae67d and bowed deeply.1ab04016e2f599ab

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“I see Your Holiness. Keith, your servant, has returned.”b7cb648bb5be4ffd

“Oh, welcome back, Sir Keith. How was the Elf Temple? Was it cursed as rumored?”40bddfb81acc9877

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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.”d3fea65e3c07dd31

“Oh dear…” The old pope placed a wrinkled hand on Keith’s forehead.1eed278b6577d7c2

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“Do not take it to heart. You have only given rest to the unfortunate.”78ca53b72bc312a2

“Yes, Your Holiness.”4fea21b33fd0cf6a

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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.38298674f2ebd5da

The pope seemed to a30a5043a6 understand his heart and b6fa9afe36 comforted him.e0364727bf2189ee

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‘Kind man.’b35e56220671a49e

Though Keith knew the pope wasn’t really like that, he wanted to think so.00cf7a9b11d374cf

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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.d4aa57899e91c2e1

The only place in this world stained with evil that hadn’t lost its light.785e5a55a9e59824

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An island floating like 767f02c3ac a lonely lighthouse.ba653ddbe52701e4

The pope dab215d857 was the fb5d10dc0e head of 07c4a4a6e9 the light.b367973ded225f13

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Protecting this place was Keith’s mission. He believed he had to spread God’s light further across the world.1613aa8043153e7b

God’s agent.c8ce0b837f258893

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A knight blessed fec3c272b6 by God.08b33eac96479b06

The expectations c6a54a53eb placed on ba0017752e Keith were f8d2204d15 that heavy.45af24ec72a8ce5e

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However, sometimes, ae77fc5a26 Keith had 2c56b217da doubts. No, there was eb57c82caa always this question b3d1dc38c3 lingering in his e5e0ebbec5 heart, tormenting him.7698ef99ad3d3b65

‘If God exists, why is the world like this?’3438b72f3179f6c1

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Every time he e7ee8dc395 looked at the 5bf50dcda0 world that seemed 4f85e4316f to contain only c18c765f68 suffering, his doubts a50f8c6d20 only piled up 7bd07a24fb without being resolved.4b9631fd5a18800d

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.8d562d2f629e3f04

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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.04cb25ed1332afe1

Keith believed in 736fe24ec7 God.cb1aa246ca7989b2

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He wouldn’t doubt Him.70ed24cdfb53a133

Yet, it seemed absurd that someone with such doubts in his heart was called ‘God’s agent.’336cb5ff155ba15f

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Therefore, Keith focused even more on following the pope’s, God’s commands, abandoning his own judgment.5b27fb385257c6b3

Because those judgments 3e3b251be3 were right.8394981af7bf2152

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“I’ve kept you too long after your long journey. Go and rest.”9113302a24c56d84

“I only did what I should as God’s servant.”9cdf94e85e8fac83

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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.73f017da6f0093db

He opened the heavy door and left the pope’s chambers. At that moment, he thought he heard a voice.e26a62c4a9c89749

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You’ve returned alive again.284381fd191ca375

It was a cunning voice. One that shouldn’t be heard in this Vatican…19c072b40587ef57

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A demon’s voice.153839d97fd13c4d

“……?”a23f41b0252cdfbe

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Keith looked back, but f9f3383af7 the door was closed. It must c83c4c690b have been 4e5f741f78 an illusion.22e9b15169bdd693

This Vatican is protected by the pope’s blessing…eb2397545665f121

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Keith left 0f827228d8 that place.c8b3bbef085cc3c6