Chapter 19

Before Zangren could say anything, Maxim continued.

"It won't take that long. We'll go to the homeland, then to the temple, and then I'll come back to pick you up."

"Temple?"

Zangren's question was taken over by Akari.

"There's something called the Trial of Truth, which proves a person's innocence. Hey, don't make that face, it's written all over your face that you find it suspicious."

Zangren indeed had a suspicious look on his face.

"Well, you know."

"Indeed, until recently, there was no magic like a lie detector. But a being known as a 'Hero' changed that."

"......I see."

"Yes, the power of the Hero, called the 'Gift of the Spirits' or the 'Blessing of the Gods.' Her power is called the 'Scythe of Truth,' and if you lie to her question, the worst-case scenario is death. Of course, if it's the truth, you won't be hurt at all."

"That sounds like a troublesome power."

Akari chuckled.

"Yes, exactly. So she declared that she would belong to a country or organization that accepts her conditions for using her power."

(One, as the Trial of Truth, create a new system and place that includes the conditions she seeks.)

(One, the system and trial shall not be interfered with by any authority or power.)

(One, the trial can only be accepted by the person's own petition and should not be coerced by others.)

(One, the questions must be submitted to the person and must be precise.)

(One, this ritual only proves the facts stated by the person and does not prove anything else.)

(One, the highest-level judgment of this ritual will be communicated to all countries, while the rest will only be known to the involved country.)

(One, the usual trial proves the truth by the presence or absence of wounds, while the highest-level trial proves innocence by risking one's life.)

"Wow, she really thought it through."

"At the time, she was a third-year student, a dignified person. She apparently wanted to be a police officer or a lawyer."

"Well, if things go well, but..."

"...You often say unnecessary things, don't you?"

"It's a habit. So, the temple accepted it. It seems to be quite a powerful place."

While it's true that the power to guarantee the truth is necessary, Zangren thought it was quite a harsh world and that coming to the snowy mountain wasn't a waste as he bit into the second piece of meat and stroked the white back of Snow White.

"...Yes. One of the main religions in Elips, the Sandora religion, accepted her, built a temple in the Western City State of Provence, and started the Trial of Truth. ...But it hasn't been used yet."

"So, to receive the trial, we need to arrange a visit to the temple."

Akari nodded beside Maxim.

"I'm sorry to trouble you, Maxim, but there's no other way."

"Well, it's become quite a hassle."

Hearing this, Akari sighed deeply.

"Listening to Maxim, I was also discouraged. It's really troublesome."

"You could just become a monk."

Zangren said teasingly.

"That's not possible. I don't have any faith."

"True, modern kids probably wouldn't accept such a convenient religion."

"So, I'll leave Akari with John until then—"

"‘John?’"

Akari was puzzled, and Zangren, realizing the fake name, chuckled.

A vein popped on Maxim's temple.

"Sorry, sorry, I forgot. It's Zangren."

Maxim took a deep breath to calm himself.

"Kurand, I see. Where are you from?"

"Topsecret."

"...Alright, whatever. Does that bother you?"

Maxim and Akari's gazes focused on Zangren.

The next morning.

Sunlight streamed into the dim cave, and the clear mountain air flowed in.

"Is it okay?"

Akari called out from behind Zangren and Snow White, who were stretching outside.

"Where's Maxim?"

"He's still snoring loudly."

"That's a public nuisance."

"You get used to it. So, is it really okay?"

"Keeping Akari hidden as a person of unknown status is fine. It's not a big deal."

"But what if it's found out?"

"It might end up like what happened to Akari."

"...If it's different—"

"Who knows," Zangren said, turned on his heel, and went back into the cave.

Akari was strangely intrigued by his profile as they passed each other.

"Kurand, you should come down the mountain too."

Zangren looked at him as if he were saying something ridiculous.

"This time, Akari didn't bring any luggage. Moving it around would raise suspicions."

"So what?"

"I can get by with just my clothes, but Akari can't."

"...Ah, I see."

Zangren made a very displeased face.

"So I'll recommend you to the Hunter's Guild."

Zangren made an even more displeased face.

"Don't make that face. After what happened to Akari, you might not be trustworthy, but a Hunter's license is also an ID. It won't hurt you."

"You don't have to go to such lengths."

Akari said modestly, but Zangren didn't feel good about being protected by a younger female student.

"Alright."

Zangren sighed.

With Akari's farewell, Zangren descended the mountain with Maxim.

Snow White was asked to distract the large thorn spiders on the way and was entrusted with taking care of Akari in the cave. It wouldn't be appropriate to take her to the village. Snow White was somewhat displeased but complied.

"—You're not just being raised by Ilneik, are you?"

Maxim said admiringly as he watched Zangren nimbly descend the mountain.

"Otherwise, I couldn't survive."

Unlike Maxim, who relied on physical strength, Zangren moved down like a mountain cat, a result of Snow White's training.

Before sunset, the two were able to enter the village gate.

There was a bit of a commotion at the entrance, but Maxim's title allowed them to enter forcefully.

"You're unexpectedly powerful."

"Hmph, this is nothing."

The two walked through the village, which was bathed in the twilight. Small stone houses with chimneys lined the main road that ran through the village, and smoke from cooking rose from the chimneys. Most of the shops facing the road were closed, except for a few eateries. Seeing villagers negotiating with closed shop doors, it seemed that they weren't completely inflexible. In a small village, it was about helping each other.

As the two walked down the main road, whispers and gazes gathered around them.

Zangren vaguely understood the reason, similar to the commotion at the gate.

"We'll say you were a child abandoned in the mountains who managed to survive."

Maxim whispered.

Zangren nodded.

The Hunter's Guild Salehad branch, located not far from the gate, was a building that looked like a fantasy tavern. Pushing open the old wooden swing door, they entered. On the right was a counter with a bald bartender, and on the left was a wooden staircase leading to the upper floor. At the counter, a few men were drinking. There were thugs, dog-eared creatures, dwarves, and genuine hunters. Some of them were subtly observing Maxim as soon as he entered.

Zangren looked around the building with a somewhat moved expression.

Maxim headed silently to the reception counter.

Zangren followed Maxim at a leisurely pace, looking around with interest.

"Hey, I'm recommending a hunter."

The counter clerk looked at Maxim in exasperation, taking the dog tag-like item Maxim removed from his neck.

"You suddenly disappeared without a word and now you're back?"

"Yep, please help me."

"...Was she with you?"

The clerk looked at Maxim searchingly.

"Does it look like she was?"

Maxim frowned.

"...So, the one you're recommending is the young man behind you... I've never seen his kind before."

"I vouch for his skills, but starting from the lowest temporary application is fine."

"Since you're the captain of the 'White Lance,' the royal hunting team, we'll skip the background check and tests, but we'll assign a mentor for the first few times. Is that okay?"

While there were doubts about Akari, as long as Maxim wasn't doing anything wrong, the clerk couldn't interfere with his authority.

"Sure, no problem."

"Alright, then, come this way."

Zangren moved to the counter.

"Name and place of origin."

"I can't write."

The clerk looked at Zangren's face once and then took back the paper he had offered.

"Then, verbally."

"Kurand. Origin... Alerdulia Mountains."

The clerk looked at Zangren's face again and then at Maxim.

"I found him while looking for Akari. He seems to have been abandoned by his parents as a child and managed to survive."

"...I see. Maxim, please confirm."

"Go ahead."

"Understood. Maxim, please teach him the guild rules thoroughly. And will there be an aptitude test?"

"Yep, do it."

"Alright, it's been about ten years since we last did a test here."

"Usually, it's done in school, but he was in the mountains."

Decisions were made one after another without Zangren's consent.

Maxim explained, noticing Zangren's sullen face.

"It measures the innate affinity with each spirit or something like that."