Chapter 31

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Mystery, Jormungand

Pardon.

As the name suggests, it is a pardon. It is a document that proves the granting of a pardon.

And a priest of the Goddess Church could issue only three pardons in their lifetime.

Naturally, issuing a pardon was a matter that required the utmost caution.

Because if they made a mistake, they could be defrocked due to the pardon they granted.

Even a pardon could not forgive the Ten Evils (十惡) defined by the Goddess Church.

A priest who issued a pardon to a sinner who committed one of the Ten Evils would inevitably be defrocked.

"...... Even if you are the successor of the Knight King, I cannot issue a pardon to someone who has not been verified."

Thus, Andrew's words were sound.

Issuing a pardon was a matter that risked his position.

Becoming a regular priest in the Goddess Church held value beyond the ordinary.

Among a hundred deacons who served for over ten years, only one could become a priest. Therefore, priests dispatched to cities were not to be trifled with by even the city's lord.

Such was the grand status.

He could not afford to lose everything he had built.

"Isn't it true that if something goes out, something must come in?"

At my words, Priest Andrew shook his head.

"A pardon can only be used by the person it is issued to. I am grateful for your donation to the relief center, but it is impossible for someone who is not the Knight King to use the Knight King's pardon."

"But, 'pardon' has been granted, hasn't it?"

"......"

Andrew clamped his mouth shut.

Yes, that was strange.

Pardon. Andrew had granted Wilhelm, the Knight King, the right to be pardoned.

Since it was a promise made directly to the Goddess, it could be used at any time without needing a piece of paper.

Therefore, only the person to whom the pardon was issued could use it.

'...... But it was used. The exemption right of the pardon issued to the Knight King was used on me.'

The moment the man before me said, "Pardon, Andrew," Andrew faced an incomprehensible situation.

In this world, when one commits a sin, 'karma' accumulates.

A concept opposite to fame, priests can see the karma or fame of others just by looking at them.

【Fame 84】

【Karma 0】

...... Like this.

It was just visible to the eye.

Thus, it was clear that the man claiming to be the successor of the Knight King had not lived a life of sin.

However, the moment Andrew used the prayer of veneration on a human instead of the Goddess, his karma exploded.

Because it was an act that violated the doctrines of the Goddess Church.

Karma is not just accumulated by doing evil deeds.

It also accumulates when a priest violates the doctrines of their church.

'Priests cannot issue pardons to themselves. If a few days pass, the Goddess Church will surely find out that I used the prayer of veneration on a human.'

At that moment, he would be demoted to a deacon or defrocked.

But to protect the city, Priest Andrew violated the doctrines.

As a result, his karma increased, and he was left to face judgment.

'...... But the karma, disappeared.'

The moment the man before him said, "Pardon," Priest Andrew's karma vanished like melting snow.

The exemption right of the pardon had been activated.

Having seen the Goddess with his own eyes, there was no room for doubt.

Furthermore, he was certain that the activated 'pardon' was the one he had issued.

It was as natural as a mother recognizing her child.

"The Knight King said, Priest Andrew, that you owe him a great debt."

"Hmm."

"A debt that you could not repay even with your entire life. Is it so precious to give a single pardon to his successor?"

Priest Andrew swallowed.

As the words suggested, Priest Andrew owed a debt to the Knight King.

But it was their secret.

Did he tell the successor?

"...... Did you hear it directly from Lord Wilhelm? The story of that 'debt'?"

"If you wish, I can tell you."

"Go ahead."

Go ahead. His attitude was confident.

Did he believe that the Knight King, the greatest knight, would not reveal their secret to anyone else?

Unfortunately, Priest Andrew did not know that the Knight King was me.

Shrugging his shoulders, he told him what he wanted to hear.

"I personally purified 'Eldrich Andasar.'"

"...... Did you also hear about Andasar's true identity?"

"Was she your hidden daughter?"

"......!!!"

Priest Andrew's eyes were filled with shock.

It couldn't be helped.

Priest Andrew was the one who constantly gave quests related to honor.

After completing all the quests and maxing out the favor, he would give the hidden quest 'Purification of Eldrich.' Only Wilhelm had reached that point.

Eldrich Andasar.

Andasar was Priest Andrew's hidden daughter. She became Eldrich due to the cursed black grimoire, 'Eldrich's Cursed Black Grimoire,' which was a main ingredient for a unique-level item.

I purified her and obtained the black grimoire.

Naturally, only Wilhelm knew this fact.

Priest Andrew couldn't believe that Wilhelm, who knew about honor, would reveal this to someone else.

'The endless quests related to honor were ultimately to find someone who would take this secret to the grave.'

His hidden daughter had become the symbol of evil, Eldrich.

For Priest Andrew, it was a matter that had to be resolved secretly.

In the end, she was purified, but Andasar did not return to his arms.

"I will bring Andasar to you."

"Wh-What do you mean by that?"

"I know where Andasar is."

"Where, where is she?!"

Priest Andrew grabbed my shoulder and shouted.

His composure was shattered in an instant.

Although she was purified, Andasar's whereabouts were unknown.

At the time, I didn't know where she had disappeared to.

But now, I do.

"Kramdel."

...... She is in Kramdel.

The city known as the fortress city or the monster city.

"Kramdel? ... Isn't that a place where humans can't even enter?"

Meaning, how could a human like Andasar be in such a city?

Unfortunately, that belief was wrong.

"Even though she was purified from the curse and lost the black grimoire, Andasar is no longer human since the moment she became Eldrich."

"Ah......"

Priest Andrew's legs trembled, and he nearly collapsed.

His eyes were filled with self-reproach.

I bowed my head slightly and drove the point home to the self-reproaching Priest Andrew.

"To bring her back, a pardon is needed. Priest Andrew."

So, hand over the pardon.

*

The next day, I left the 'Knight's Garden' in a hydra-drawn carriage.

"Is that a pardon?"

In the carriage, Isabella looked at the paper I held and asked.

A square piece of paper, stiff like a brown shroud.

There was nothing written on the paper, but this was the pardon.

When the pardon is activated, the name and the symbol of the Goddess Church appear on the paper. Some people don't believe it unless they see the real thing, so it was made separately.

"Seeing the real thing for the first time, I guess."

"Yes...... There is no Goddess Church in the desert."

Indeed. The Queen of the desert disliked the Goddess Church.

By the way, by now, a pursuit team must be formed and chasing us diligently.

The Queen wouldn't let her princess go.

"How did you become the princess of the desert?"

Thinking of it, I brought up a curiosity I had been putting off.

Clearly, when I raised her, she didn't have the title of princess.

Isabella hesitated and said,

"After the Queen saw the 'Mystery' I possessed, she appointed me as the princess."

...... Wait.

The Queen appointed her as the princess after seeing the Mystery?

I tilted my head in confusion at the unexpected answer.

What is Mystery (神祕)?

Mystery is 'Effect.'

While playing the game, the light or colors that follow the character's appearance.

When an item is enhanced to a certain level, it glows green or red.

In Pangaea, such characteristics are called 'Mystery.'

The Mystery to be obtained in the next main quest is the same.

'There shouldn't have been any other Mystery besides the basic one, right?'

I had bought a basic Mystery from a Mystery Mage, a white light with no special abilities.

There shouldn't have been any special Mystery with abilities or qualifications.

"What kind of Mystery do you have?"

"That...... Would you like to see it?"

"Hmm."

Nodding, Isabella spread her hands.

Then,

Whoosh.

Black patterns rose over Isabella's appearance.

Countless black circular patterns, like spots, enveloped Isabella.

They looked like the eyes of something, or the skin of a leopard,

'Snake scales.'

They also resembled the scales of a peculiar snake.

And I knew what that 'Mystery' was.

'The Scales of Jormungand.'

My mind froze for a moment.

Why does Isabella have that?

"What Mystery did you obtain?"

Isabella explained slowly.

"...... One day, I had a dream where a giant snake enveloped me. After that, I obtained this Mystery, but it had no abilities."

"You were chosen."

"Chosen?"

"The Queen saw it correctly."

Mystery, the Scales of Jormungand.

It has no abilities but grants a specific qualification.

'The qualification to possess a star. The Mystery to find the star of Jormungand.'

One of the 32 stars.

Among them, the star of Jormungand, which no one has found yet.

One of the few named Transcendentals.

This Mystery grants the right to find and possess it.

'I can find it as soon as I reach level 10.'

However, it was puzzling.

Isabella's level was still 8.

It was too early to transcend, and it was even more implausible that she obtained such a Mystery by chance.

Obtaining a Mystery that everyone was searching for after having a dream one day.

'Did she meet certain conditions?'

I stroked my chin. It couldn't have been a coincidence, as she said.

She must have met hidden conditions.

What was certain was that I didn't have it when I played.

And the Desert Queen must have recognized that this Mystery would help find the star needed for transcendence, which is why she appointed Isabella as the princess.

"...... Why are you looking at me like that?"

"It's nothing."

Shaking my head at Isabella's confusion, I said it was nothing, but in fact, it was a big deal.

'The Queen will never give up on Isabella.'

I wouldn't either.

She might be taken away or made a real successor, but either way, Isabella is a treasure trove.

'Tch.'

Realizing this only now