The young ones are innocent.
But always, the first to be sacrificed are the young ones.
Vlad had seen it in the muddy back alleys.
Adults who took away the children's things, either to survive or to have more.
The children starved to death, froze to death, cried themselves tired looking for the mothers who abandoned them, and died.
In that hellish place, Vlad held Zemina and Harven close and made a decision.
He would not become such an adult.
He would not live like that.
The rules of life he established in his childhood to not be swept away by the life of the back alleys still lived and breathed in Vlad's heart.
That was the discipline the boy created for himself.
Discipline is something to be upheld.
And knights are those who uphold it.
There were children dying here and now.
※※※※
Vlad walked through the damp air surrounding the village.
Buildings made of gray bricks darkened the surroundings along with the fog.
[It seems to be here.]
"······."
Vlad raised his head and looked at the building in front of him.
A building larger than any other around.
A bell tower, towering high like a horn, caught Vlad's eye.
A church.
The place closest to God.
A sacred place that should protect the young, the weak, the old, and the sick.
A place that must be such.
"I'm going in."
[Alright.]
Vlad took off his hood and walked towards the gray building.
The only thing in this place that had its original color was Vlad's blond hair, which he was born with.
"······."
An empty church in broad daylight.
Since everyone in the village was busy with their own livelihoods, Vlad was the only one to step into the chapel.
'Don't you see anything strange?'
[Not at the moment.]
Vlad slowly walked around the chapel, moving to see if he could find any suspicious signs or ominous evidence.
The world of voice is a world of vivid colors.
In his world, which undoubtedly holds more than 100 colors than the world of Vlad, he would surely be able to find colors that do not suit a sacred place.
While the voice searched for signs through Vlad's gaze, Vlad slowly grasped the structure of the church and prepared for any unforeseen circumstances.
Although it appeared to be a two-story building from the outside, given the nature of church buildings that strive to have similar structures, there would surely be a basement.
Vlad wanted to explore it if possible.
[Someone is coming.]
However, just as every land and building has an owner, so too did this place.
As Vlad slowly surveyed the chapel, he felt someone's gaze on him from behind.
The gaze of someone looking at an unwelcome guest weighed heavily on him.
"······."
Sensing the gaze, Vlad instinctively began to kneel, assuming a posture of prayer.
He must not appear to be investigating this place.
But he must be prepared to draw his sword at any moment.
Because this village was shrouded in an ominous fog.
Step by step—
While one knee was bent, Vlad gauged the distance between himself and the footsteps with his eyes wide open, preparing to draw his sword.
His blue irises were gradually filling with their own color.
"You must be someone new here."
However, the man who approached from behind did not create the worst-case scenario Vlad had imagined.
He simply greeted the unfamiliar stranger with a warm voice.
"······I arrived here yesterday morning."
"Ah, you must be the mercenaries. I've heard about you."
Neatly combed brown hair.
A thick Bible he held dearly.
At first glance, his physique, which looked as slender as Josef's, gave the impression of a scholar rather than a priest.
"Sorry for intruding suddenly, Priest."
"No need to apologize. The arms of God are always open."
Looking at the priest who was smiling at him, Vlad lightly touched the hilt of his sword.
[I don't see anything. At least for now.]
"······."
But what he heard was denial.
Although he had come here following the direction indicated by the girl's necklace, there was nothing visible in sight.
"I may have disturbed your prayer for no reason."
"No, it's alright. I'd rather ask for permission to put my mind at ease. I'll leave right after I finish my prayer."
The priest, witnessing the unusual sight of a praying mercenary, waved his hand and smiled.
"This is a church. It's the home for all who seek God. Feel free to do as you wish."
Although the man before him wore a friendly smile, Vlad couldn't help but feel uneasy.
The boy had pierced through the veiled world with the help of the voice and sensed that there was something unusual lurking in the village.
He couldn't let his guard down.
"Thank you, Priest."
Vlad decided to step back for now.
Unless he hit the head of the priest right in front of him and searched every nook and cranny of the church building, he wouldn't find any more suspicious traces.
He wanted to do just that, but Gregory had entrusted him with something.
"....Well then, I should also offer a prayer at this opportunity."
The priest silently approached Vlad and knelt down next to him as Vlad sat down to pray again.
A boy pretending to be a mercenary and a man whose status as a priest was uncertain knelt side by side before God.
In the empty chapel, there were only the two men kneeling before God.
"Please ensure that the epidemic sweeping through this area doesn't reach your companions."
'An epidemic?'
Seeing Vlad's perplexed expression, the priest's lips formed a faint smile.
"And for the sake of our children."
With those words, the priest bowed his head.
His posture, which even appeared neat through countless prayers, was clearly the image of a faithful priest.
"······."
Yet Vlad could sense a trace of unease within that appearance.
The pattern that should have been engraved on the church's bell tower was hidden in the fog.
However, the pattern that Vlad first encountered upon entering the church looked somewhat strange.
The pattern on the church's door, which was upside down.
The priest held his Bible upside down before God as he prayed.
※※※※
"······."
Exiting the church, Vlad was lost in thought.
Following the tip from the Black Bear and the confessions of the captured men, the investigation team had reached the village in the Baron Utman territory.
However, upon arriving at the village following the trail of the missing pregnant women, they found nothing but ominous rumors waiting for them, accompanied by dense fog.
'A disease only affecting children…'
After hearing the priest's prayer and sensing something amiss, Vlad quickly questioned nearby residents about the epidemic.
The answer he received made Vlad bite his lip in contemplation.
While women were missing in Shoara, children were dying here.
This epidemic-like phenomenon occurred not only in villages covered in fog, but also in most villages belonging to Baron Utman.
The ominous signs were continuing.
"······We need evidence. But I can't show them anything."
It won't be an epidemic.
Vlad was certain, but he lacked evidence to prove it.
He couldn't show the black hand he saw in the world of voice to his companions.
Although he brought the holy relic from Shoara near the innkeeper's child, there was no response as expected.
[It seems to be a curse created by a powerful dark mage, as it does not react to the holy relic. Only a well-trained priest can confirm it.]
'How did you figure out something so significant?'
[······I don't even know.]
Vlad shook his head vigorously and expressed his frustration in response to the still vague answer.
No matter how much one knows, if they cannot act upon it, it's futile.
Now, the boy with his own world was once again faced with a realm where his powers alone were insufficient.
"Huh?"
Vlad was about to leave the corner of the alley, wondering how he could tell Gregory about the situation, when he saw a suspicious sight there.
A small square at the center of the village.
There, a person wearing a reversed robe stood in front of a young girl.
"This was given to me by the church."
The girl proudly presented the cursed necklace to someone's inquiry.
An unidentified individual accepted the girl's necklace and examined it.
※※※※
Vlad was a former pickpocket.
Former thief and sometimes even a robber, but regardless, his longest-held occupation was taking wallets from others' hands.
A job he took pride in, in its own way.
[It seems like they've noticed.]
'I'm aware of that too.'
Vlad, who was chasing a suspicious person wearing a robe, realized that they were heading towards the outskirts of the village.
Being lured.
Into a place where there were no people.
'I should go back.'
Vlad stopped in his tracks, biting his tongue.
The boy didn't overestimate his abilities.
Having seen numerous skilled individuals, he knew well that he was still just a novice.
Moreover, being in such a suspicious village meant that caution was imperative.
'I should report to Gregory.'
Since he confirmed the suspicious person's identity, reporting to the superior was the right thing to do.
Perhaps through this person, he could inform Gregory about the village's suspicious aspects...
[They're coming!]
However, life never flows according to one's intentions.
Just as Vlad intended to gradually retreat, the person in the robe suddenly rushed towards him.
'Like this?'
They hadn't even left the back alleys where the inn was located.
However, unlike their cautious behavior so far, the unidentified figure was rushing aggressively towards Vlad.
'Damn it!'
Although unexpected, there was time to prepare.
Vlad calmly drew his sword and prepared to confront the unknown person.
Clang!
The clash of swords echoed through the air.
Just as the weight of the sword coming at him was heavier than expected, Vlad realized.
[To the left!]
Utilizing the rebounding force, Vlad swiftly maneuvered to avoid the incoming sword, which had unexpectedly risen high into the air.
"······!"
In the brief moment when he could not raise his sword, Vlad unknowingly got out of the blind spot with agile footwork, taught to him by his one-eyed teacher.
Thud!
Vlad was convinced as he looked at the rough, hollow ground.
'It's a knight!'
Now, he could tell even when facing only a sword.
Those who possessed the skill to subdue him.
Such people could only be knights.
While the unknown person was momentarily confused as he watched the boy let his attack flow like water passing through his fingers.
Vlad quickly closed one eye towards the person, who could either be a former knight or a current knight.
The world of the boy began to flow through the unadorned sword.
The essence of a one-hit kill lies in its unexpectedness.
Having already revealed his hand, the boy knew that the opportunity lay solely in this moment.
Just one chance.
"Hyah!"
With a brief shout, Vlad lunged towards the figure before him, taking advantage of the element of surprise.
The unknown person was taken aback by the boy's unexpectedness and hurriedly raised his sword.
[······Vlad!]
There was a bright light pushing away the heavy fog.
Krrraaang!
Facing a boy who felt completely different from before, the unknown person desperately blocked Vlad.
But Vlad didn't stop.
People targeting children were hiding everywhere, but Vlad was angry at himself for not being able to do anything.
Like his younger self.
He didn't want to live as nothing anymore.
Breaking his own promise, Vlad's anger became sharper and fiercer as he flew towards his opponent.
Relentless assaults.
Following the teachings of Zayar to always think about the next move, Vlad relentlessly attacked his opponent without pause.
[Stop! Stop!]
Sparks flew between the swords.
The robes worn by the unknown person were cut away.
And thus, the appearance of the opponent he faced was revealed.
[That person is a holy knight!]
The green seen on the blue meadows.
Green eyes reminiscent of Oksana.
Amongst the swaying hair, there was a woman looking at him with astonished eyes.
While Vlad closed one eye to see his inner world, the woman's two eyes were solely focused on the boy.
Because her world already existed above this world.
Underneath the words of God.