FSFSLU 73

chapter 73

Galtan was shocked by Conas’s changed appearance.

The last image Galtan had of Conas was of him crying just before Galtan went into seclusion. That image was etched in his memory as the true Conas.

So, when Galtan went out into the city and took up his spear for the sake of the city and Conas, he felt he had fulfilled his duty. Naturally, he wanted to return to his cabin.

Although the dragon’s spell that trapped him in the cabin had been broken, he was still afraid of the world.

But what confronted him now was a destroyed cabin, the Ludger Knights celebrating and shouting in joy for having smashed it, and Conas himself.

Conas silently approached Galtan, who was staring at the ruins.

“There’s no place to return to anymore, Captain.”

“Co-Conas… why…?”

“Captain, surely you weren’t planning to hide away again once you defeated only the Steel Golem, were you?”

Galtan looked at Conas with trembling eyes. The small seedling of Conas who had once run to him, calling “Captain! Captain!” in a high-pitched voice, was gone… replaced by the fully grown Conas, staring at him with terrifying eyes. Galtan’s mouth went dry.

Conas now intended never to let Galtan retreat into seclusion again.

“That’s unfortunate. You can’t go back anymore, Captain. I’ll make sure you can’t.”

“Why… Conas, you’re my subordinate…”

“Captain Galtan, do you still think I’m that naive child who would faint at anything you say…?”

Conas stepped closer, pressing his disheveled face—unshaven and messy—right in front of Galtan’s eyes.

Once shorter than Galtan’s chest, Conas now stood nearly equal in height.

“No matter what you say now, Captain, I won’t let you go. Forget about finding a new home. If you try, I’ll destroy it again.”

“I-I had a feeling you’d do that…”

“Yes, I thought you might not leave it alone. But what can we do now? The Ludger Knights… no, the entire New Galtan Knights feel the same way I do. You are no longer just yours, Captain. The days of living in that cramped cabin and taking only what I provide are over.”

“…”

“So please, don’t disappoint me anymore. I’ve waited too long.”

This conversation had already taken place between Conas and Galtan while Isabel was fast asleep.

Conas turned slightly embarrassed and addressed Isabel.

“Even though our Captain troubled you back then… thank you for helping us until the very end. I’ll somehow make the Captain bow before you before you leave, so could you wait just a little longer?”

“You don’t have to!”

“Please let me do it. I think our Captain secretly wants to see you too. You are the one who found the Holy Sword…”

Recalling belatedly that the Galtan Knights had long been searching for the Holy Sword, Isabel smiled proudly and quietly chuckled.

“Thank you very much, Priest. From now on, the New Galtan Knights will dedicate their lives for the weak across the continent, and for you, Isabel Priest.”

“What? No, you can’t!”

“Why not? The New Galtan Knights no longer need to search for the Holy Sword. They need a new goal.”

Watching Conas’s slightly mad, radiant eyes, Isabel began to understand why Galtan had feared him.

“Since you’ve already found the Holy Sword we sought, you can willingly become our next goal.”

“Okay! But please don’t force Galtan along. He’ll also struggle with that.”

After that eerily chilling reunion, Isabel and Tio went outside.

Having encountered the city council and now the New Galtan Knights, Tio was beginning to understand why his plan had failed.

Tio had intended to destroy Castletina entirely, which was why he had agreed with Brain’s idea of creating a golem capable of devastating the city.

Yet no one had died in the city, because Isabel had protected them all.

Though Tio had successfully infiltrated the city incognito, he still had a long way to go before achieving his original goal: presenting Isabel, the wielder of the demonic sword, before Dorothea.

“Judith, have you properly expressed your thanks?”

Isabel’s cheeks flushed, her eyes sparkling as she asked. Tio forced a smile and answered yes.

Even then, Isabel tried to grab Tio’s wrist again.

Tio realized the only way to avoid her grip was to run ahead. He braced himself and asked first:

“Where shall we go now?”

“The Adventurer’s Guild!”

“Perfect!”

Tio, speaking absurdly, acted as a person eager to express thanks, and ran full speed toward the Castletina branch of the Adventurer’s Guild. Unaware that Tio was desperately trying to avoid being grabbed, Isabel followed him with a pleased expression.

[Going to the Castletina branch of the Adventurer’s Guild. (1/1)]

“Wow…”

Standing side by side with Tio at the building entrance, Isabel’s eyes widened as she stared inside.

It was a mess.

The Castletina branch of the Adventurer’s Guild managed tasks similar to other branches. Yet during golem defense operations, all participants, whether affiliated with the guild or not, were under the guild’s supervision.

If this defense operation concluded as usual, the guild would now be cross-checking each adventurer’s contributions, injuries, and losses, then calculating compensation.

However, the recent chaos was immense and sudden. After the appearance of the massive golem, it had become nearly impossible to verify each adventurer’s achievements or gather testimonies…

“I mean, I personally cut down two golems! While everyone else was running!”

“You almost got me killed because you didn’t even know the scale of this disaster beforehand! You owe me compensation!”

“We’ve been working on repairs nonstop since that day, and they can’t even calculate our pay?!”

The adventurers flooded the guild building, shouting for their rightful share or compensation.

The clerks tried their best, but many were already exhausted from repair work. Their dark circles and bruised faces showed they hadn’t even washed up, yet they had to handle the adventurers’ complaints with no one to help.

Tio crossed his arms, observing the pathetic chaos.

‘How ugly…’

Having infiltrated cities disguised as undead many times, Tio knew humans lost all reason when their own livelihood was at stake but became coldly rational when it wasn’t.

Everyone here was desperate to protect their own interests; the chaos was inevitable.

‘If this is how humans act when half the city is nearly destroyed, what would they have done if the city had truly fallen?’

At that moment, Tio realized Isabel intended to act.

He panicked, trying to stop her.

Isabel had raised the Angelos Rod high, drawing everyone’s attention.

Unable to touch her, Tio hurriedly shouted face-to-face:

“Priest! What… what are you doing?!”

“They’re all in chaos! I need to calm them!”

“Don’t you see? Those who won’t suffer losses won’t calm down no matter what you say. You could get caught in their mess!”

Tio wanted Isabel safely presented before Dorothea without attracting undue attention from these reckless people.

Yet he didn’t know Isabel yet.

“Do you know the best way to calm those determined not to suffer losses?”

“…What?”

With a smile, Isabel said:

“I cover their losses myself.”

At that moment, the Angelos Rod glowed with holy power.

Tio screamed, dropping to the ground as if his skin was burning. Isabel released a wave of powerful healing through the guild hall.

And then, something changed.

Everyone in the Adventurer’s Guild felt renewed vitality.

Aches from the golem, sore muscles from repair work, and fatigue clinging to the clerks—all vanished.

Humans’ stubbornness and ego persist because their pain anchors their emotions. Isabel had removed that pain.

It was foolish, in a way. Humans would become desperate over livelihood issues regardless. But one thing was certain: those causing chaos in the guild had already been saved by Isabel’s blessing.

Her divine power was immense, and anyone who experienced it would recognize its magnitude again.

Gradually, the chaos subsided. Adventurers began to realize the warm, divine power they felt through the cross during the defense operation had returned. Even those shouting blindly quieted down.

Some adventurers noticed all eyes fixed on the guild entrance.

There, they saw Isabel, and Tio lying flat behind her to avoid the holy power.

“Everyone, don’t fight.”

“We weren’t really fighting…”

The complaining adventurer’s voice was silenced by the glares of others. They were adults and understood their behavior was shameful.

Isabel, small and youthful, made them feel like adults yelling at a child.

“If you were hurt in the defense operation or on a construction site, come to me! Only tell the clerks if I can’t help. They’re tired too, so be gentle!”

Isabel spoke with kindness, guiding the injured to her care.

The adventurers, having already been saved once by her, caused no further trouble.

Tio then witnessed a sight he could hardly believe.

Isabel had set up an impromptu aid station. The crowd split in half: one to the clerks, the other to Isabel. She treated everyone equally, from those with minor scratches to those with serious injuries.

Adventurers expressed gratitude and occasionally made odd proposals like joining her guild or business ventures, quickly retreating after being glared at.

Tio was stunned.

‘One minute ago, these humans were chaotic, and now they shamelessly put on a mask?’

Tio despised all humans except Dorothea. He found them insufferably hypocritical.

He couldn’t understand Isabel. Why was she kind to these creatures, who should be insignificant compared to her divine power?

“Does it still hurt?”

“No, thank you…”

Isabel, unconcerned with Tio’s thoughts, simply smiled and examined each adventurer.

She checked everyone, then even the clerks.

Her efforts bore fruit.

“Really?”

Isabel finally received the long-awaited news from the guild.

A clerk, somewhat recovered thanks to Isabel’s efforts, provided her with valuable information:

“Erica is currently in Athena!”

Isabel’s goal was to reach the coastal city of Grantina, where Erica was last seen, passing through cities like Castletina.

She had thought Erica might have joined the defense operation in Castletina.

Now, she knew exactly where Erica was: Athena, the city of arts.

“…!”

The news shocked not only Isabel but also Tio.

Because Athena, Isabel’s new destination, was very close to Dorothea’s mansion.