RD | CHapter 39

Keith Moore was a calm and rational person, but he didn’t know how to respond to those words.

He had been saved by the other man. It was clear that the emotion he should feel toward him was gratitude for the favor. He couldn’t understand why the other man would say such things.

Keith answered without showing his confusion.

“…Of course. I have no intention of harming any of your subordinates. Didn’t you save my life?”

His voice was sincere and gentle, making anyone believe him.

The other man didn’t even blink.

“Is that so? Then you’d want to repay the favor for saving your life. Will you swear not to leave the dungeon until you’ve repaid that debt?”

“…Of course, I will do so. May I ask, how do you view me?”

Keith asked politely. He was bewildered. He was often seen as an object of fear, but he had never been suspected of being someone who wouldn’t repay a favor.

“What would you think if it were you? Of someone who tried to kill you the first time you met.”

‘Ah.’

Keith understood the situation. He wanted to explain calmly.

“The boy you were protecting at that time was from the betrayer’s clan. Now, I understand you have a heart vast enough to forgive even betrayers. But in the past, I was foolish and did not know that, thus I threatened you. However, the fact that I couldn’t harm you back then must have been God’s will. I apologize for my foolishness that caused you harm. If you allow it, I will kneel here.”

However, sincerity doesn’t always get through, and Ian frowned.

“No, forget it. What are you talking about? How would you know if my heart is as vast as the sea?”

“Did you not save me even though I threatened you? I wish to pay for the sin of doubting the Agent of God with my life.”

Keith was regretful.

‘If only I could kneel…’

With an arrow aimed at his throat, he couldn’t move an inch.

He wanted to show this man his heart, to demonstrate his sincerity and beg for forgiveness. Their first encounter had been so terrible that it was natural for the man to suspect him.

But for Keith, the moment this man appeared was proof of God’s existence.

In moments when he longed for God, God had sent His agent to save him.

The doubts he had carried melted away like snow, replaced by shame and gratitude. Keith wanted to worship God and kiss this man’s feet, to swear to follow him forever, to serve him.

While he was filled with emotion, the other man spoke.

“Who’s the Agent of God? Don’t stick unnecessary labels on me.”

“Eh?”

“You’re the Agent of God. My heart is as narrow as a teacup. I don’t need your life; I need your oath.”

“What kind of oath are you talking about?”

Keith was confused.

The man furrowed his brows.

“I’ve been saying it from the start. Don’t try to brush it off. Swear by God’s name. You won’t harm my subordinates, and you’ll serve under me until you’ve repaid your debt. That’s it.”

Keith had already made the oath. He thought they were saying the same thing in different ways.

What difference was there between swearing to a messenger of God and swearing by God’s name? Keith was puzzled…

“…I swear.”

“Properly.”

“…I swear by God’s name?”

“Good. Break it, and you’re just a scoundrel.”

“……”

The man, looking satisfied, put away his arrow. Keith couldn’t understand what was ‘good’ about it. And what on earth did ‘scoundrel’ mean? It didn’t sound like a compliment, making him feel somewhat indignant.

However, since the actions of God’s messenger couldn’t be wrong, Keith decided to ignore it. He did what he intended to do.

Getting off the bed, he knelt on one knee, and the man looked down at him in surprise. Keith saw the bandages around his neck, blood seeping through despite their thickness, giving him an idea of how much blood had been lost.

Yes. This man wouldn’t say such strange things.

Isn’t he someone who sacrifices himself to save others?

Keith was moved.

Who else but God’s messenger could do such a thing?

Holding back tears, he said,

“I have waited so long for you, the messenger of God.”

The messenger of God replied,

“What are you talking about…”

“……?”

“If you were God, would you send someone like me as your messenger? What kind of misunderstanding is this? I told you to stop sticking weird labels on me.”

There was no reverence for God in the man’s irritated voice.

“May I ask… don’t you believe in God?”

Keith was extremely bewildered. A God’s messenger who didn’t believe in God?

The man scoffed. “Why? Would you strangle me if I didn’t?”

“How could I do such a thing?” Keith was shocked. In doing so, he looked at Ian intently and realized he resembled someone he had seen before.

A man from the nearby forest who had begged for his life.

He couldn’t remember the name, but he recalled the man introducing himself as ‘an heir to the kingdom.’

The Ferencz Kingdom, which had sought help from the Vatican. There was only one male sibling among the heirs.

Keith sighed in realization.

“I remember now. You are Lord Ian of the Ferencz Kingdom. Born with black hair and black eyes, the king’s son… You must have left the castle with the king when he abandoned his people. The fact that you and those you lead survived while everyone else perished must be God’s will, don’t you think?”

Keith marveled at God’s arrangement once again.

But Ian seemed to think differently. He said dismissively,

“Looks like the king who abandoned his people would also abandon a bastard child. My survival was due to my own abilities. And if you want to live, lie down and sleep now. I’m getting annoyed listening to you, might want to hit you.”

“……”

Keith was a patient. He had never seen a priest who would hit a patient, so he couldn’t tell if Ian was serious. The very idea of such words being spoken was shocking. He felt like he’d fallen into a strange world.

What… is this man?

He looked intently at Ian.

No matter how he looked at him, he didn’t fit the image of ‘God’s messenger.’ However, when Keith sought God, this man appeared before him. That wasn’t a coincidence.

Thus, Keith believed. Faith, after all, belongs to the realm of emotion, not logic.

He steadied his wavering heart.

“Whatever you say, I believe you are God’s messenger. So, I will protect you.”

Ian, looking tired, suddenly brightened at this.

“Is that an oath of loyalty?”

“Eh?”

“Then I’ll accept it. Protect me for life.”

“……”

Keith had nothing to say.

‘This person…’

What is he, really? He was a type Keith had never seen before.

Suddenly, Keith was curious. “Lord Ian, do you know the Lord’s Prayer?”

“No. Would you swear loyalty if I did?”

“No.”

“Then why ask?”

“……”

Keith was already a servant of God, so he couldn’t swear loyalty to someone else. Wasn’t that basic knowledge about a Holy Knight? Yet, the man seemed unaware of this.

For some reason, Keith didn’t feel like explaining it. Since the other man only said what he wanted, Keith decided to do the same.

“You are God’s messenger.” Keith said as if affirming it to himself.

And he would protect him.

Ian got annoyed.

“Stop putting that label on me. That’s you. ‘Agent of God’ Keith. That’s you.”

“It doesn’t matter what foolish people call me. From now on, ‘apostate’ will be added to my name because that’s what the Vatican declared. But that’s fine. My faith is true; what does the opinion of others matter?”

Keith spoke sincerely, but Ian refuted firmly.

“What are you talking about? Reputation is everything. If you’re the Agent of God, people will believe you, but if you’re an apostate, they won’t.”

“By public opinion, aren’t you a debauched bastard?” Keith protested.

“That’s true.”

“……?”

There was no need to explain that ‘Ian’ was indeed such a person.

Every time Ian interacted with Keith, he noticed his ‘Savior’ reputation creeping up.

Ding!
[‘Agent of God’ Keith considers you a savior.]

Ding!
[‘Agent of God’ Keith strongly believes you are a savior.]

This kind of reputation gain would just drag him in front of the Demon King later, wasn’t it? Although it was annoying, Ian continued to talk with Keith because of the other stats going up simultaneously.

Ding!
[Keith’s loyalty increases.]
[Loyalty: 36%]

Ding!
[Keith’s loyalty increases.]
[Loyalty: 37%]

.

.

.

Somehow, it was increasing bit by bit with each conversation. It had long passed the minimum threshold of 30 for obedience.

‘Maybe he was already loyal from the start…’

Anyway, it was strange, but the fact that this loyalty was displayed meant that the system had already processed Ian as having received Keith’s oath of loyalty.

‘A glitch?’

If it was this kind of glitch, Ian welcomed it.

Taking advantage of game glitches was also a skill for players.

Realizing this, Ian soon understood why Keith’s loyalty had increased.

“…I apologize. Due to my disorientation, my greeting was late. Thank you for saving my life.”

Keith bowed his head. Then, he looked up at Ian as if dazzled.

A knight kneeling on one knee, looking up, was like something out of a fairy tale. Ian was almost overwhelmed by his serious demeanor before something dawned on him.

‘Ah, so that’s it?’

The key to obtaining Keith’s loyalty was ‘saving his life.’ He had been used by the Vatican since childhood until they discarded him like a used tool.

Now that Ian had saved him, could he use him?

Ian liked this very much.

He smiled broadly.