IBWMD 52

~Chapter 52~

“Line up! Line up!”

“Temple relief is this way!”

“Come and receive God’s grace!”

Knight Zeon frowned as he handed out food.

He had just noticed the bread he was giving away was completely covered in mold. It was hard to tell if it was even bread anymore.

Yet people gathered, calling this a blessing.

‘…They’re using this for relief food?’

It had felt suspicious ever since the temple, which hadn’t done relief for years, suddenly decided to distribute food.

‘Turns out they’re just clearing out the temple’s old storage.’

The temple always had plenty of food, sent by the Pope as supplies for this “cursed land.” Sometimes food spoiled, but instead of throwing it away, they just piled it in storage.

“Brother Zeon, don’t say such things.”

“Why not?”

“How dare you speak ill of the Pope’s precious offerings to this filthy land?”

Zeon’s opinions were always blocked by the priests.

‘Shouldn’t we support the Duke’s monster subjugation with holy knights?’

“How can holy knights ally with an unclean Duke!”

‘Then shouldn’t we at least go separately…?’

“Your duty is to protect the priests here!”

‘These people… This isn’t why I came here.’

Years ago, despite everyone’s objections, he volunteered for Saint Portou.

‘I wanted to fight monsters on the front lines, upholding God’s will.’

But now… what was he doing?

Still, not everyone had objected back then. Thinking of a dear face, Zeon smiled faintly.

His old friend, who had chased away peddlers with him and trained until they dropped.

‘Volunteering for the front lines? Noble purpose.’

‘You really think so?’

‘Of course. Far more admirable than someone like me with no faith.’

Those words still echoed in his mind.

‘Elaine… She must have left the order and married by now.’

She never seemed like one to remain a holy knight forever.

‘She must be living a better life than me…’

But his wistful thoughts were cut short.

“P-Please…”

A starving child clutched the moldy bread in his hand, looking up desperately.

Zeon bit his lips as he saw the thin, frail arms.

‘Do children really need food like this…?’

‘You’re noble, sincere, and wonderful, Zeon.’

‘Thanks, Elaine. You’re the only one who supports me.’

‘Why are you discouraged? You’re meant to follow God’s will. You can do it.’

‘If you were a woman, I’d propose.’

‘Don’t be stupid. You’re marrying God and killing monsters.’

Remembering Elaine’s words filled him with longing and regret.

‘What am I doing here…?’

Then suddenly,

“Ahem!”

A husky cough interrupted his thoughts.

“…Brother Zeon, does even a noble lady come to places like this?”

“Huh?”

She didn’t look like a slum dweller. Her stance reminded him of a weathered mercenary.

Zeon felt compelled to walk toward her.

“Brother Zeon, where are you going?”

He couldn’t stop himself.

‘Strange… That cough, that posture…’

Something about her felt so familiar.

“Huh?”

A cool touch brushed his ankle. At the same time, a young man stepped forward, blocking his path.

“What is it?”

Only then did Zeon realise he had approached right in front of her.

“Do you… have an older brother or younger brother?”

“Why? Want me to introduce them to you?”

“…”

“But too bad. My brother only likes women.”

Such an unprejudiced answer.

‘Holy shit, that scared me.’

I stared at the bear-like man standing blankly before me.

He blinked slowly, looking gentle and dull… though he was strong for someone so gentle.

“Sir, you cannot sell here.”

“What? You’re chasing away a helpless old man?”

“Why is someone your age peddling here? Are your children not supporting you? The temple could—”

“Y-You…!”

Zeon was pure yet cruel in his blunt questions. He had always been talented at chasing away peddlers.

‘So it’s him. Zeon.’

Seeing him here at the Saint Portou temple’s relief site was unexpected.

“The temple! They told us not to take the meat here!”

When I heard that from a fleeing beggar earlier, my thoughts were simple:

‘These people, who never did relief before, are doing it now?’

Right after we set up our skewer stall?

‘Feels like a deliberate move…’

And indeed, it was.

Apprentice priests in white robes and armoured knights were distributing food right in the slums.

‘They call this relief food?’

Even Jeremy and Clark, who came with me, looked disgusted.

‘If Karl saw this… He’d be annoyed.’

He’d probably smirk coldly and humiliate them with his words before I could even stop him.

But seeing Zeon approach so familiarly startled me. I thought he recognised me.

‘I answered without thinking…’

This was bad.

‘No one here knows I’m a former holy knight.’

The shopkeeper only thought of me as some saint-like figure.

‘What should I do…?’

Telling them would only cause trouble.

Silence fell.

“Brother Zeon, is that your taste in women?”

Another knight muttered behind him.

At once, murmurs spread.

“What’s going on?”

“Brother Zeon confessed his taste.”

“No, I just asked her…”

Zeon waved his hands desperately.

“Step away from her.”

“Yeah, step away!”

Jeremy and even Clark jumped in. Though they usually ignored me, seeing a holy knight approach me made them furious.

‘Huh?’

But something else caught my attention.

‘What was that just now?’

Something had just tugged lightly at my ankle.

Before I could check, Clark roared,

“How dare you, temple scum…!”

“Clark, calm down.”

His words pricked me too, being a former holy knight myself.

“How dare you distribute this trash in our territory…!”

He was right. This was crossing a line.

Even Zeon’s face flushed with guilt.

Seeing my eyes, his guilt deepened further.

“…I’m sorry, my lady. You just looked so much like someone I know.”

“Oh really?”

“A friend who always told me I was sincere, noble, and wonderful…”

‘When did I say that?’