"Yes?"
The diplomat's eyes widened.
"God's will... Are you saying God told you not to get involved in this war?"
"Yes. He told not only the Holy Cross Church, but also the Jerom Holy Kingdom, not to act."
'What kind of bullshit is this!'
The diplomat did not show it outwardly, but cursed inwardly.
"I am humbled that God would be interested in the petty squabbles of his creations."
It would not do him any good to say such a thing in an official setting, but he felt like he would explode if he didn't say something.
A war without priests! He couldn't even begin to imagine how many high-level resources would be lost.
But the saint did not refute his sarcasm.
"I also do not know why. I am simply following."
"...I understand."
The diplomat's momentum waned a little.
Everyone knew that the saint could not lie. If she said she didn't know why, then she really didn't know.
"Then, about selling us military supplies..."
"We will not allow supplies to flow to either side."
He gritted his teeth. He knew that the Jerom Holy Kingdom and the Holy Cross Church would be of no help in this war.
"Very well. I would be grateful if you would make sure that no supplies reach the Kingdom of Astin."
"Yes. The Church will make every effort to prevent that from happening."
In the end, the diplomat, unable to contain his anger, stormed out.
He forgot his manners toward the saint at the end, stomping out without hiding his heavy footsteps.
The saint was left alone in the spacious reception room.
The diplomat left in a huff, but she was also full of questions.
'The Lord told me not to get involved in any way and to remain neutral. And He has not said anything further...'
The saint also asked the other gods.
The Holy Cross Church worshipped five gods, but in reality, the five gods were all the same being.
There was only one true God, the one and only, and He did not allow Himself to be called by any name, and the rest of the gods were all His avatars.
These avatars shared the will of the Lord, but unlike the Lord, who spoke concisely, they sometimes spoke at length and kindly.
In particular, Lord Binar, the god who guided against evil deeds, was rather long-winded... or in other words, naggy.
When she asked, unable to understand the Lord's command, Binar told her specifically what to do.
The Jerom Holy Kingdom was to declare neutrality, and the Holy Cross Church was not to send any priests to war. And he casually mentioned the reason why, which no one had explained.
[The time has come for the evil that has descended upon the human realm to come to an end, so do not be discouraged and do your duty. The power of man is valuable, but you must be mindful of time and place. The Lord, in His love for you, has placed three great rivers on the continent, and though they may meander, they flow according to their natural course... (omitted)]
...He gave a very long speech, but the metaphor-laden answer was not helpful at all.
***
Leo had been traveling on horseback for three months.
Having a horse was really convenient. It was much faster than a carriage, and he didn't have to follow the schedule of a merchant company.
He named the horse Audi and usually called him Woody. Woody ran better than he expected. The front and back jolted a lot, but he got used to it.
Leo would dismount and walk when he was on a wide open plain, and he would ride fast when he was passing through grassy areas or dense forests.
He saved the horse's stamina in safe places and avoided bandits and robbers who might pop out in dangerous places.
They had no way to stop a running horse. There were ways to deal with cavalry on the battlefield, but that was a foreign concept to bandits and robbers.
Besides, if he took out his two-handed sword and rode his horse, they would mistake him for a knight and avoid him.
A dozen or so robbers were not even a morning workout for a knight, so there was no brave and enterprising fool who would bother to check if he was really a knight.
At night, Leo would gather bushes and make a bed for Woody, covering him with a thick cloth. He would sleep next to him, looking up at the stars.
He thought of Lena. It had been a difficult decision to leave her. He knew he had to, but he wanted to be with her.
The long and arduous journey across the beautiful landscape slowly chipped away at his lingering attachment.
Was it because of the quiet night? Chaeha faintly came to mind, pushing Lena aside.
- Let's take some time apart and spend some time on our own. I'm saying this for us. I'll do something too. Let's both work hard.
Chaeha had broken up with him without breaking up with him.
She said they should take some time apart and prepare.
Minseo had collapsed, unable to face life. He had spent his days avoiding reality, becoming withdrawn, and leaning on Chaeha for comfort.
Perhaps Chaeha was the first to realize the meaning of independence.
Rather than licking each other's wounds in the mire of reality, she chose to stand on her own two feet.
Back then, I...
Woody stirred next to him.
As Leo covered Woody with the cloth again, he forgot about Chaeha. He fell asleep thinking of Lena.
Leo continued his journey.
He passed through the capital, Nebis, crossed the kingdom, avoiding barbarian tribes, saw the harbor of the western sea, and then headed north.
His travels had not been very fruitful.
The problem with this world was that it was difficult to pinpoint exactly what constituted an {event}. If he helped a beggar asking for alms, it felt like it could be an event, and if he listened to a request from a barbarian, that also felt like it could be an event, so it was hard to tell the difference.
When he stopped in Nebis, he thought about revenge.
He had learned the names of the men who had kidnapped Lena. They were the Dorf family, who, like the Corolla family of Orville, were mainly involved in slave trading and drug trafficking.
Slaves and drugs were a good match. Drugs were the best way to silence rebellious slaves, and slaves were necessary for mixing and experimenting with drugs, so they had a mutually complementary relationship.
'Revenge... can wait.'
He wasn't strong enough yet, and it wasn't something he could do in a day or two.
Families were on a different level than bandits. Each and every member was an elite in their own right in the back alleys, not to be compared to those who had been driven into the mountains.
They were also very well organized.
He could assassinate three or four people, but if the assassinations continued, the entire family would go on high alert, making it difficult to inflict any further significant damage.
Then he would have no choice but to confront them directly.
To take revenge head-on, he needed the skills of a knight. The ability to wipe out dozens of people at once, but even a knight would struggle alone.
Those guys had backing too.
Or, he could spend a long time infiltrating them and waiting for an opportunity, but that wasn't something he was going to do in this scenario.
So, revenge against the two princes of the Ohrun Kingdom, those bastards, was even further away.
Even if he dedicated his entire life to it, it would be hopeless, and even if he became a knight, the chances were slim. They were the rightful heirs to the throne.
Leo left Nebis, promising himself revenge.
It was the height of summer when he arrived at the border gate leading to the Jerom Holy Kingdom.