Chapter 39 : The Dragon God’s Will

Guided by Failer, Jonan followed him and entered the door that guarded the Count’s residence.

The guards guarding the door, made of pure white bars, maintained their positions with expressions even stiffer than they already were when Failer appeared.

“I will tell the Count right away, but you may have to wait,” Failer said in a voice mixed with concern.

“Since it’s not a formally scheduled appointment, I understand. The Count must be busy. I will wait until you call me.”

“Thank you.”

When they arrived in front of the pure white mansion, a maid was waiting for them. It was Mirey, who had helped Failer find Jonan.

“Grandma!”

“Sir Mirey.”

“It seems that the conversation went well.”

Mirey, who showed a light smile, nodded her head as if she was satisfied with the appearance of the two.

“I will go tell the Count.”

“The Count is in his office, so go straight to the third floor.”

Failer nodded lightly and quickly headed to the third floor, leaving Jonan behind. Meanwhile, Jonan had a short conversation with Mirey about the village.

“By the way, how is Rachel?”

“Ah, Rachel came with me.”

“Huh? Then where is she?”

“At the inn…”

“You rascal. You’re a parent, but you don’t take care of your child and you’re only working?”

“No, but Rachel said she wanted to come…”

“Jonan.”

Jonan, who was about to protest against Mirey’s scolding as if he was resentful, turned his head at the voice calling him.

Failer was gesturing for him to follow him on the stairs between the first and second floors.

“I don’t think I’ve even said a few words…”

“The Count is that urgent. Let’s talk when the work is over. Hurry up.”

Jonan nodded lightly and quickly followed Failer.

Failer headed to the third floor and informed Jonan of some precautions.

Most of them were related to etiquette for dealing with nobles.

“Your character is so upright that the Count won’t particularly take it as a problem.”

“Thank you.”

“However… it’s better not to do what you did to me earlier.”

When they reached the third floor and stood in front of a door, Jonan asked Failer, “Earlier…?”

“Aiming the sword. If you did that…”

Creak.

Failer’s hand turned, and the door opened. As a man began to enter Jonan’s field of vision, Failer’s voice entered his ear.

“You’ll die at the hands of the Count, who is a 2nd-class expert.”

The lord of the Craystist Barony of the Runan Kingdom, one of the 2nd-class experts in the barony, was waiting for Jonan.

“Are you Jonan?”

“That’s right. Count.”

Jonan bowed his head and recalled the appearance of the Count sitting in the office chair a little while ago.

The white hair, the symbol of the Count’s family, was disheveled here and there, and his appearance looked older than the Count’s age.

“Raise your head. I don’t want to treat someone who might be my benefactor like others.”

At the Count’s permission, Jonan’s face slowly returned to its original position.

…

…

…

The room was engulfed in silence. There were three men, but no one opened their mouths.

Jonan was a commoner, and Failer did not speak because his master, Arnus, did not open his mouth.

The initiative of this conversation was with Count Arnus.

“…I heard briefly from Failer.”

After a little more silence, the Count’s mouth barely opened.

Jonan felt a slight tremor in the words coming out of his mouth.

“But, I want to hear it in detail from your mouth.”

At the Count’s words, Jonan told the Count everything he knew.

He organized his opinions more specifically and accurately than when he explained to Mirey and Failer and conveyed them to the Count.

For nearly ten minutes, the Count listened to Jonan’s story silently.

His gaze was falling diagonally, and his two feet were shaking as if they were engulfed in anxiety.

“…And this is the evidence that the Dragon God gave me to persuade the Count.”

When Jonan’s words were finished, Failer took the claw from his hand and showed it to the Count.

Count Arnus, a 2nd-class expert, immediately recognized that it was a red demon’s, as Failer did.

“…I understand.”

The Count’s mouth, which had been covering his expression like a chin with his two arms, opened.

“You are…”

…

Jonan swallowed for a moment. If the Count refuses here, he will not be able to carry out the task entrusted to him by Him.

“…You are better than the priests of the Justron Church.”

“…!!”

The fingers of the Count, who had been lightly tapping the desk, stopped.

“Why didn’t I realize that? There is a cause for every disease, and that cause must be removed.”

The words of the Count, who murmured like a sinner confessing his sins, were filled with emptiness.

But Jonan and Failer could not comfort or criticize such a Count.

From the beginning, petrification itself was a disease that even the Magic Tower, where the intellectuals of the world gather, could not study in detail.

That’s why the wizard who said he would make medicine for the Count wanted to borrow the power of a peculiar creature called a sacred beast.

Priests who can heal directly eliminate the disease itself through the divine power given by God.

It was possible because it was the power of God, which ignores the cause and effect of petrification.

It was difficult to realize that a process of grasping the cause was necessary, like other minor illnesses, because it was basic to treat the disease through wizards and priests.

From the beginning, even if he realized it, he wouldn’t have been able to investigate properly because of the danger of magic stones.

“If so, we have to go to the north mountain right now. Failer, tell the knights to prepare.”

“I understand.”

Even though it was urgent, Jonan could not hide his embarrassment at the sight of the Count rushing without looking back as soon as he heard the story.

“W-wait a minute. You can’t go now.”

“What?”

Then the Count’s movements stopped.

“Are there any more stories to tell? If so, tell me. There’s plenty of time.”

“It’s not that. It’s literally not allowed to go to the north mountain now.”

“…Why?”

“Because the Dragon God said he would visit me again, we have to listen to His story and move.”

It’s God’s will. Jonan said so.

But the Count did not bend his will.

“I can’t do that. Jonan, my daughter is currently on the verge of death. When does the god called the Dragon God say he will come?”

“That’s…”

I don’t know. That meaning was conveyed to the Count through Jonan’s silence.

“I am grateful to Him just for telling me the cause and treatment of the disease. If things work out, I’m willing to convert to religion. But that’s all after things are over.”

…

“The time of God is said to be close to eternity when viewed by insignificant humans. Look at Rehel, the god of light right away. He is an ancient god and a transcendental god who has spent a long time of 50,000 years. But even such a god of light was a very young god compared to other gods of the time.”

At the Count’s words, Jonan recalled the largest religion on the Artera continent. The Rehel Church, which upholds Rehel, the god of light.

Their god was a transcendental god who transcended as a single concept and an ancient god who appeared in the distant past when Artera had just been created.

“Of course, there are gods younger than that. But they all walk a different time than we do. Even elves, who are said to live for a thousand years, do not reach the tip of God’s toes. Such a god reappears. Can you know if it will be 10 years from now or 100 years from now?”

His words were correct. But even so, he couldn’t send the Count.

“But Count, the Dragon God will return soon. It won’t take even a month.”

“How can you be sure? Because you’re the first knight of a new religion called Cheongnyongsingyo?”

The Count stood in front of Jonan and opened his mouth. An expression that seemed to be a mixture of impatience and composure was revealed.

“Jonan.”

“Yes, Count.”

“I’ll prepare to leave for now. I can’t stop that. However, I’ll wait a week, believing your words. In the meantime, if the Dragon God does not give an answer, I will leave without delay.”

One week. A short time if it’s short, and a long time if it’s long.

But Jonan wasn’t too worried. After all, he had almost followed God’s words, and it was the Count who was losing.

However, the fact that he might give a different answer when God asked for an answer made Jonan’s heart race.

“And if an answer comes within three days, I will kneel down and apologize.”

“Count?!”

“Y, you don’t have to do that.”

“No, I have to. You came here for the treatment of my daughter, but I doubted you.”

With those words, the Count added a word.

“So if God’s will is heard at any time, tell me immediately…”

Screeeaaam!

Then, the mansion was engulfed in commotion. The three men, startled by the scream that was heard for a moment, opened the door and looked outside.

“What’s going on?!”

When Failer shouted, a maid was running in a hurry from afar.

“Co, Count! Count! Uh, uaaa?!”

Thud.

A maid running with her skirt fluttering, her face embarrassed. She was one of the maids who followed Mirey and took care of Aria.

“What’s going on?”

“That, that…”

The maid added short words, panting without even catching her breath.

“Young… lady, has regained consciousness.”

“…What?”

For a moment, the Count’s head turned to the side. In his eyes was Jonan with a puzzled expression.

“You… could this be God’s will?!”

“Ye, yes?”

“It’s not the time to be like this, let’s go!”

“Yes, Count!”

Jonan, who was left behind by the two men who were running in a hurry, looked at the hallway with a blank face.

‘What’s going on?’

Jonan was also in a state of confusion as much as the two men.