Eternally Regressing Knight-Chapter 578 - Four Hundred Forty-Eight

Chapter 578 - Four Hundred Forty-Eight

Enkrid approached Audin's side.

Blood was flowing from his eyes, nose, and ears.

Enkrid exploded with holy light as he remembered the dead Audin.

He recalled Audin appearing from behind when they faced the Duke.

He remembered Audin teaching him the technique of Isolation.

He recalled Audin praying towards him.

Enkrid thought back to the past Audin had told him.

"You're tormented by guilt?"

Can it truly be blamed on that large and pure person?

Really?

Audin trembled again, and blood flowed from his mouth.

He was dying.

It was obvious to anyone who saw it.

"Tell me what you want. I'll do it for you."

He was once his teacher.

Enkrid wanted to fulfill Audin's wishes.

Audin smiled and looked at him, even laughing despite the blood flowing from him.

"Do you want to change everything? Do you want to cut away the rotten parts?"

Do you want the church to go on the right path?

I will make it happen.

For the Audin I remember, yes, Enkrid could dance the dance of death if needed.

Just as Audin didn't let his own death slide away while bursting with light, Enkrid could do the same for him.

"Then say it."

Audin still had a smiling face.

His lips, still smiling, parted.

"Punish those who possess false divinity.

Whether they're paladins, templars, or priests, if they walk the wrong path, punish them.

Don't let them use the word 'heresy' to threaten people.

Let the hearts of true believers find peace.

Make the church a place to help the poor and the needy."

This was likely what Audin truly desired.

He paused for a moment, then continued.

"Forget everything I've said until now. And, as the Captain brother wishes, fulfill your dream. That is what I truly want."

Audin did not try to pass on his duties and responsibilities. With that, he closed his eyes.

And then...

Flash.

He opened his eyes again.

He seemed reluctant to leave.

"Ah, tell the barbarian brother and the other brothers that, when I meet them in the sky, I'll give them special training."

If this were his last words, they would be quite amusing.

"I'll deliver it."

"Tell Sister Teresa to keep going as she believes."

"I'll do so."

"When Sister Dunbakel returns, don't scold her too much for not cleaning. Honestly, doesn't she smell fine?"

"She does smell a bit."

"Don't let the Shephard brother use his talents to scold others. That wouldn't be good for him either."

Just from hearing these words, one could tell how much Audin cared for those around him.

Enkrid quietly waited for the death of his teacher, his comrade, and the central figure of his order.

The fight that would honor him would likely be rough.

He would fulfill his wishes, even if it meant burning the entire church down.

That was also how Enkrid would fulfill his own dream.

When Audin died, he would publicly declare it right here, and would later show it in his actions.

So, he waited.

"The weather's nice."

"Because it's autumn."

"When winter comes, please steal Brother Rem's heated leather and hide it for fun."

"That's too much of a joke."

Rem hates the cold with a passion.

If they suggested climbing a mountain in the winter, he'd probably swing an axe at them.

"Brother Ragna will find the right path."

"Just hope for what is possible."

Audin was kneeling.

He knelt on both knees and clasped his hands together.

Was this really the end?

He began a prayer, whispering it silently in his heart.

Perhaps it was a prayer asking for the Father above to meet him.

After a short prayer, Audin spoke.

"It hurts."

"It would."

Enkrid stayed by his side until the end.

Huff.

Audin exhaled.

Enkrid blinked a few times.

But he felt like Audin was saying too much for someone about to die.

Was that a blasphemous thought?

Was it wrong to think this about someone who had been his teacher and comrade?

It still seemed excessive.

In the meantime, Shinar also approached and spoke.

"Isn't he too fine?"

Everyone was just staring blankly.

The scene of Audin dying and Enkrid watching over him was so tragic.

Enkrid was almost radiating a presence that warned others not to interfere.

Even Shilma, who was half-mad, dared not speak any further.

But then...

"Mm."

Audin raised his hand and wiped his eyes.

Though blood tears had flowed, they had stopped now.

His body ached all over, but it didn't seem like he was about to die.

His hand's trembling had stopped.

Most importantly, after the burst of holy light, he had felt weak all over, but now, a little strength had returned to his body.

He couldn't burst with light like before, but he didn't feel like he was dying either.

He clenched and relaxed his hand a few times.

He could clearly tell that the regenerative powers were working, and his body was starting to heal.

It wasn't like his limbs were growing like a Frog's, but the injuries he had should heal.

"Mm."

Audin let out a small groan again.

Why was he alive?

There must be a reason.

When he lifted the taboo, he had been prepared to die.

The taboo he had set was something he had created himself, but since it had been in place for so long, if he truly intended to lift it, he would have had to peel it away carefully, layer by layer, like removing a thin cloth.

If he had torn it off violently, it would have had an impact on what was contained within.

Even if he hadn't died from the backlash, at least half of his body's functions should have been damaged.

"Huff."

Audin inhaled deeply and exhaled.

Though a little uncomfortable, his breathing seemed fine, meaning his lungs were intact.

His stomach ached a little, but he didn't feel like he was going to lose control of his bowels.

So, everything was fine.

Was there anything different from before?

Audin naturally felt around his waist, and there was a reason for that.

'Fake holy relic.'

It was something Enkrid had brought from the west.

Audin had put in great effort to remove the curse tied to it.

There was only one method...

I transferred part of the curse onto my own body and burned it away.

I had to endure the pain of having my body seared with a branding iron during this process, but since I wasn't in a position to send it to the Church, I endured it, considering it as penance.

In the process of removing the curse from the fake holy relic, a portion of my own divine power naturally attached itself to the relic.

When I released the divine power earlier, the burden was partially absorbed by this relic.

It wasn't a huge impact, just a small one, but it was enough.

My sturdy body was more than capable of handling the rest of the burden.

'Is this really happening?'

Was it by coincidence or fate?

"As you give, so shall it return to you. Fortune returns from what you've sown," the goddess of fortune would say.

I felt a deep sense of embarrassment.

I had thought I would die, but I was fine.

I felt Enkrid's blue eyes shift from the relic to my face.

"Hmmm."

I cleared my throat awkwardly.

The gaze remained fixed on me.

It seemed I had to speak properly.

"It seems the lord wants me take care of the Church matters myself."

Enkrid continued to stare at me.

"There's no need to delay the training with Brother Rem and everyone."

"Ah, so you survived?"

Enkrid spoke flatly, and I smiled awkwardly.

I had to laugh since I felt embarrassed.

Enkrid stared at me for a moment before nodding.

Honestly, Enkrid was just relieved he was alive.

It was absurd, but it made Enkrid genuinely happy to be able to say so.

"Just don't go killing everyone in the Church."

Considering the divine light I had just shown, even a slight touch would probably cause any priest to explode.

"I won't do that."

"Alma, Brother!"

At that moment, Shilma shouted, and the stalled clockwork of the scene began moving again.

Alma glanced around before lifting his hammer high as if making a decision.

"Everything is for the glory of the Church."

He had given rings to his two disciples, which they wore.

These rings were the opposite of divine relics.

They were made and forged by demons.

Was there any reason to secretly take items from the demonic realm and give them to his disciples?

There was.

The rings his disciples wore quickly absorbed their life force, transferring that energy to other rings.

Through this, Alma could briefly surpass his limits.

There had been a time when his disciples went missing; that too had been for the same reason—borrowing power.

Why?

It wasn't because Alma was frustrated by his own limitations, but because he had always chosen the easy way out.

He lived by the opposite of "choose the difficult path."

And because of this, his divine power had already lost its radiance.

Despite being a knight-level paladin, he was still involved in such underhanded tactics.

"Wha—?"

"Eh?"

His disciples screamed, their voices filled with terrible pain as they screamed out loud.

Enkrid turned his gaze from Audin to Alma.

Clearly, the mark of demonic power was evident.

This wasn't the first time I had seen such a thing.

It was nothing to be surprised by.

I had already witnessed something similar with Count Molsan.

And so, I briefly wondered to myself if playing with demons had become a trend nowadays.

It was a trivial thought, but I couldn't help it.

Compared to the demon powers I had encountered before, this one seemed weak.

Alma's disciples, at squire-knight levels, shriveled up and turned into dry twigs, their light fading as they crumpled to the floor.

Their final screams were their last words as they fell.

Alma, leaving his fallen disciples behind, opened his mouth.

He didn't even look at them.

It was clear he was thinking only of himself.

"Can you still draw the strength of the knights when you're exhausted?"

The light he emitted was murky, filled with dark specks floating in it.

It was the price of a soul bound to a demon.

Despite my exhaustion and injuries, I knew I wouldn't lose to someone like Alma.

Most importantly, Shinar was still fine.

The only potential threat could be Overdier.

"What a tragic sight."

He shook his head as he muttered.

But that wasn't all.

"Move aside."

He added another command.

I thought he was telling Alma to move, but it wasn't.

Bert, the Inquisitor, reacted to those words, moving aside as though fleeing.

Shilma, who already knew Alma's secret, wasn't surprised.

She believed that as long as the demonic power was used for the right purpose, it was the correct path.

"You fools."

Overdier's tone had changed significantly.

Gone was his polite manner, replaced by a more casual one as he picked up two rods.

The direction was clear—they were aimed at Alma.

Enkrid kept his gaze on the scene, and realizing he couldn't convey this without speaking, he added one final word.

"Hey, Count Molsan already did that."

I was letting him know I had already encountered this fake-knight bullshit before.

Of course, Alma wouldn't know who Molsan was.

"What are you talking about!"

Alma yelled angrily.

I understood his reaction.

Feeling omnipotent like that, anyone might want to act on that sensation.

But it was just a feeling, nothing more.

Even as he had been beaten by me, the hundred-year-old man was still wielding his rod.

"You should've stayed a martyr."

It was a bitter comment.

To summarize the conclusion of this matter, Alma, the so-called knight, was struck twice with the rod, and his head exploded.

Shilma tried to hide her divine power with a spell, but her leg was severed by the energy blade that Shinar swung.

"Thank you, little fairy."

The hundred-year-old man, who had changed his tone, expressed his gratitude.

"My age is four hundred and forty-eight. Don't call me little, human."

Shinar retorted.

And with that, the situation was resolved.

"I see," Overdier spoke, his voice now slightly lighter.

The only one remaining was Bert, a man who had stood silently until now.

"It seems we need to talk."

The hundred-year-old man seemed momentarily taken aback by hearing Sinar's age.

He spoke as he wiped off the blood and brain matter from the staff, which had splattered from Alma's head as it had been struck down.

Enkrid, though not outright hostile, watched the elderly man with caution.

He knew that the old man, if pushed too far, would not hesitate to drag everyone into the same perilous situation.

Thud.

A few raindrops began to fall.

The atmosphere around the holy knight, Overdier, shifted completely.

-------------------------------------------------------

If you enjoy the series and want to get more Chapters early, head over to my kofi

www.ko-fi.com/samowek

[SHOP BEST BUY] - 50 - Every Chapter translated - [About 170 Chapters] Latest WN-730 + 20 future Chapters that are yet to be released

[MEMBERSHIP TIERS]

-SQUIRE - Cost 10 - Next 50 Chapters of ERK + 20 new ones the following month

-KNIGHT - Cost 20 -s 700-730 + 20 next Chapters that are yet to be released

Discord server - https://discord.gg/snCZVX3mr4