The Kingmaker System-Chapter 75 - 74. A Fiery Priest (4)

Roan managed to get everything settled and the injured were transferred to the temple. The travelers were shocked to see so many wounded people with huge bodies inside the temple.

"Wha-What is all this, Mr Ace?" Everett asked me as he saw the scene.

I explained him making his eyes almost go white.

"Wha... What?!" He gasped.

"They’re priests after all." I reasoned as I walked ahead assisting the tired priests.

Lyall didn’t ask much after I’d given him a brief overview but he had the same questions as I had regarding the instigation of the fight last night.

I didn’t discuss it with Roan but I was thinking that some foul play was involved here. But I didn’t have that much time, there were lives were on line and I was the only one who could stand any chance of saving them.

There were nearly fifty of the bandits from both the clans who were currently in the temple getting treated.

"We don’t have much medicine, or bandages."

"The rations are also running out."

"Saintess help us!"

I heard the priests discussing in low voices and Roan seemed slightly annoyed as he was rushing past with the buckets and towels in his hands.

"Oi, come help me out here!" Roan hollered at me and I sighed.

"Is he ordering you around, Master?" Lyall’s hand was instantly on the hilt of the sword on his side and I touched his arm.

"I offered to help, don’t worry." I spoke as I walked ahead.

"I-I’ll work instead, Master!" He followed me.

"Well, now that both the sides are injured and barely able to fight then, isn’t it safe for us to go ahead?" Brown, the latest traveler who had joined us from the inn suggested.

"I agree, we should get moving with the path cleared now." Everett added.

All the travelers pitched in as they all agreed with this suggestion, except for me and Lyall.

"Aren’t you going with us, Mr Ace?" Everett asked as his son was packing their luggage on the carriage.

"Not yet, these priests are having some trouble so, I will stay back for some time." I said as I looked at Roan who was scolding a bandit to keep him from moving.

"You’re quite a benevolent person, Mr Ace." Everett smiled.

"In future if you require some help please feel free to contact my guild, Mr Ace. I’d be happy to be of assistance."

"Sure, Lord Blackwood."

Everett handed me a copper crest with the large tree carved on it and I took it with a smile.

"I don’t know about me but, there’s a friend of mine who is involved in the merchant business." I said and Everett’s eyes glowed.

"Is he now? Is he a part of some guild?"

"Yes, this is his crest." I pulled out my guild’s crest which had the ocean waves on it.

"You two would make good friends,"

"I’ll make sure to contact your friend for future business together." Everett said as he held my crest.

"Also, please meet me when you arrive in Mordino."

"Sure, Lord Blackwood." I smiled.

The carriage took off after a few minutes and I returned to the temple.

"We will need to buy more medicine and ration. Roan, please go to the Olive town." Father Marlowe said after examining the remaining stuff.

"Also, Mr Ace and Mr Zoro, you have done so much for us. I don’t know how much to thank you. I feel so grateful for you to be sent to us!"

He reached out holding my hand in his soft, wrinkly hands with a warm smile making me smile back.

"You need not thank us, Father. I only did what I could to provide some assistance for you all."

And also because I was a Dragon myself and I was curious about this story about these Dragons and the Saintess on whose invocation they came on earth.

"We should be leaving soon now, everything seems in control." I said and then looked at Roan.

"And since we’re going the same way, let’s go together, Father Roan." I said and the said man nodded.

"Fine."

The next morning, Lyall, Roan and I were on the small cart that was headed towards Olive town which was on the outskirts of the Mordino.

"Father Roan?" I called making him hum.

"How much money will it require to buy the medicines and ration?"

"Hm... Around forty to fifty silver." He said.

"It’s quite expensive," Lyall mumbled.

"That’s not even the beginning of what it costs to be in Mordino." Roan said.

"Were you originally from Mordino?" I asked and he pursed his lips, I noticed the hardening of his jaw before recalling the conversation that I had with Father Marlowe regarding Roan.

Roan was just as I had expected him to be, he was someone whom I could recruit in my arena, but probably not as a knight but as a bishop. But in order to make him choose me, I had to do a few things.

"Here," I placed down a small bag of coins beside him on the seat and he frowned.

"What’s that?"

"Some money to keep you from suffering from the high costs of the things."

Roan gave me a look, "Are you that really that rich? You already gave the donation for our temple and now you’re giving me more money."

"Let’s just say, I was taken by the story of Saintess Miella devout prayers." I said and Roan scowled at me.

"What do you know about her?"

"Father Gilbert told me about the story from the mural on the ceiling of the chapel."

"He must’ve told you about how Saintess Miella prayed and the Dragons descended on earth to save the humanity from the demonkind."

Demonkind, new term unlocked.

"Is there something wrong with that story?" I asked.

"Yes, how did he end the story?"

"He said the Dragons defeated the demons and sent them back."

Roan gave a wistful smile, "And you think just because Saintess brought the Dragons on earth she was considered divine?"

"Why else?"

Roan shook his head and said, "The ending of this story is more gruesome."

"What?"

"The Demonkind weren’t exactly as how it is told in the stories , they weren’t like the demons with red skin, horns and tail. These ones were probably manifested from someone’s worst nightmares. They were pitch black and had black blood that contaminated the element and killed anything alive that they made contact with."

"Humans turned contaminated as well and turned into monsters and started killing and eating their own kind. Saintess Miella prayed and prayed but the Gods didn’t listen to her until she had sacrificed something that made the Dragons pity her and descend for her help. But even after the Dragons fighting, it was nearly impossible to kill them all."

"So, at the end the Saintess and the Supreme Dragon used their blood to seal the Demonkind and their King so that they would never set their foot on earth again. The Saintess couldn’t survive it all and after this war was over some of the Dragons returned to their land while some stayed back deciding to reform the humanity."

"You story sounds a bit more realistic that what Father Gilbert told." I commented and Roan nodded.

"That’s because those other fools only heard the stories from the previous Fathers, those old folks didn’t want to traumatize the young ones that’s why they didn’t tell them the true story."

"And how do you know of this true story?"

"I read it in the scriptures that are... secretly locked away in the basement." He mumbled the last part making me raise my eyebrows.

"That’s why you were able to describe it so well."

"Well, I got scolded for going down there by Father Marlowe and he also forbade me from telling anyone of this story but, since you are leaving so, I guess it’s all right to tell you."

I smiled, "I hope you don’t trouble Father Marlowe a lot, Father Roan."

"I don’t, it’s his habit of always overreacting on small things." He said and I chuckled.

"You both seem really close."

"... He’s taken care of me since I was fifteen so yes, we could be called close."

"What about your real parents?" I asked noticing the slight twitch of his eyebrow.

"... They died." His voice had an edge as he answered before he went quiet for a moment.

"What about you though? What about your folks?"

"My father is a nobleman, I have an older brother, one uncle and a grandfather for a family."

"What about your mother?"

"She passed away when I was young."

"Oh..."

He fell silent again and I could see the huge wall that drew close along with the large gate that seemed like an entryway into Mordino.

"Why are you going to Mordino anyways?"

"I have some important work there,"

"What work?"

I looked at the walls before I answered, "I’m going to mess with some cheetahs."