Chapter 656
My Villains Episode 656
74. melee(4)
The hysteria of the bishop and the abbess subsided after about a month..
There would have been no other way to do it anyway. Surveillance and control over Yuril has been strengthened frequently over the past nine years, enough to earn her the nickname 'blockade nun'. It was realistically impossible to impose further restrictions here..
However, Yuril was worried that her daily routine might be disrupted. I was excluded from nursing duties and might never set foot in an aid station again..
Luckily that didn't happen.
The abbess or her superiors wanted to expose Urill to the outside world minimally but continuously. It's as if she's showing off that she's trapped here. I don't know the truth, but at least Yuril felt that way..
There were no complaints. Because Yuril's interest was not in the eyes looking at her, but in the voices she heard..
The seasons have changed several times.
The epidemic of the strange disease, which was thought to subside quickly, became more rampant as it entered its third year, and the relief center set up in Ikdang was so crowded with patients that there was no room to step on it. The sight of dozens of people lying in a row without moving or moaning gave a slightly creepy impression..
The number of patients, which had been increasing relatively slowly, literally began to skyrocket in April. The convent, which had previously been accommodating around 80 patients, welcomed more than three times that many new patients in just one week. The chapel, prayer room, and even the restaurant had to be given over to patients..
Yuril suddenly became curious..
The convent of St. Thomasia, which only accepts relatively advanced patients, has exceeded its capacity. If so, how many lower class people would have suffered disaster out there??
Another ripple occurred in our already precarious daily life..
The chatter between the young court wizard and the patrol officer was the foreshadowing. They met by chance while visiting a patient and started talking about various topics, oblivious to their surroundings. ‘Young Knights’, ‘Subjugation’, ‘The Princess’ Plan’, ‘Greenskin’, etc. Words that were not very common were exchanged..
The real incident occurred about ten days later. In a rare event, the abbess herself came forward and informed us about the recent tragedy..
“The punitive force, including the royal Lionel, the king's standard-bearers, and hundreds of other noble children, has gone missing. They were chasing a small group of greenskins that had appeared in the Brist area.…….”
It was clear that this was an unusual situation, but Yuril did not have the time to realize its seriousness. This is because they were completely busy taking care of the rapidly increasing number of patients..
Finally, when the number of patients in the convent exceeded four hundred, the order's inquisitors came into the convent with fifteen armed troops..
When the inquisitor, who had firmly pushed away the chief priest who was blocking his way, gave a command with an angry look on his face, the executioners and cathedral knights swung their iron clubs without hesitation..
The victims were wizards who visited the convent once or twice a week to study patients. The surprised wizards were beaten hard before they could even react, and were tied up like criminals. The elites of the order left without giving any explanation to the frightened nuns..
The details of the incident became known only a few days later. This time too, there was an announcement from the abbess..
“Most of the punitive forces that went missing recently have returned safely. And the survivors claimed that the person behind the disappearance incident and servant disease outbreak experienced by the punitive force this time... … It was said to be none other than the Dawn of the Dead..”
Like other nuns, Yuril made the sign of the cross without realizing it..
Oh my God, Lord. What the hell is going on outside??
Good luck and bad luck always intersect, so even in the midst of a series of bad news and patients, something fun happened. Taking advantage of the chaotic atmosphere in the convent, several ordinary nuns came to talk to Yuril..
“Isn't it hard? Take it easy.”
“We assigned you a new patient, but you didn't know, right? You don’t have to go to the restaurant anymore..”
“Give a signal when you go to fetch water. Don’t whine alone and fall again.”
Yuril was inwardly surprised by the unexpected attention. At first, my body stiffened and even my steps became awkward..
Nuns of the same age pretended to talk to other colleagues, whispered in passing, and muttered in a prayerful manner. It was a childish trick, but the contact time was so short that neither the head nun nor the knights noticed..
However, Yuril did not dare to react because he was not confident that he could avoid surveillance, and if he was caught, he and his colleagues would be in serious trouble. I just expressed my gratitude with a passing glance..
In fact, most of the nuns had sympathy for the imprisoned princess..
Well, aren’t these women so kind-hearted that they become distressed at the mere sight of a lost and whining puppy? If you don't feel sorry for Yuril because you know his difficult life, his tragic family history, and his situation as a prisoner, it would be better to give up monastic life..
Anyway, Yuril’s heart was full..
It's not that everyone hated me and treated me like I didn't exist. In fact, they were rooting for me on the inside..
The warmth of someone I felt for the first time in a very long time energized my whole body..
And once again, good and bad luck intersect.
“Hey, flower tree in the backyard..”
A nun squatted next to Yuril, who had just moved a bucket of water, and wet a towel. And I whispered like a ventriloquist.
“I heard it's broken, how good is it?.”
“…….”
Yuril swallowed his breath without realizing it..
The only hobby allowed during her long and lonely monastic life was tending the flower garden in the back yard of the convent. It was a hobby I took advantage of during the short free time of about 15 minutes between sunset prayers and dinner..
And the flower tree pointed to the cherry tree that Yuril planted herself some time after she was imprisoned in a convent. A small but strong tree that grew in the shade under a fence and bloomed its first flowers only last spring.…….
Near Yuril, who was struggling to control her mind, several nuns were buzzing around, pretending to wring wet towels..
“Is there a man who brought relief supplies for the church? They say that’s what he did. I fell while watching.”
“Well, there are all kinds of idiots like that. What did you go into the flower bed to do??”
“This is why you shouldn't let outsiders in without permission. And, no matter how much of a priest you are, what's wrong with a man in a convent??”
“This is ridiculous. This never happened when Cardinal Ian was there..”
“Don't even mention the Cardinal. Are you saying it's because of him that we're so busy? He said that both us and Adeion would be generous and told us to accept more patients..”
“……Sister. No matter how hard the work is, what if a servant of light becomes dissatisfied with something like that? If you hate serving the sick so much, take off your hood and leave..”
“I, um, I didn’t mean that… … . Oh, that's right. That idiot is the kid who was ordained a deacon last month, right? There was a rumor that he was going up and down the streets of Lipi, so everyone heard it.?”
“really? How did someone like that already become a deacon??”
“Holy power doesn't seem to be anything special either. Are you noble??”
“No, it seems like the family is quite wealthy. They say he usually pays out ten gold bills of exchange.…….”
The nuns, who had been chatting for a while, suddenly dispersed like a flock of frightened sheep. This is because I spotted a middle-aged nun walking with great strides..
The head nun with fierce eyes glanced at the nuns who were joking around and then stood in front of Yuril..
“Sister, just a moment..”
“yes? Ah, yes.”
Yuril followed the head nun, hiding her embarrassment. My heart pounded as I wondered if the other nuns had noticed that I was talking to them..
My heart, which had calmed down a little as I passed the corporal punishment room, began to beat vigorously again as I approached the abbess's office located in the center of the second floor of the main building..
“…….”
The head nun stood aside next to the door and gave him a glance. Yuril clenched his trembling chin and entered the room..
“Welcome, sister.”
The abbess, who was sitting on a velvet couch reserved for guests, greeted her in a soft tone. Yuril cautiously bowed and glanced around the room..
“long time no see.”
The person who calmly greeted me was a girl who had taken the head seat as if it were her own seat. Behind the girl, two large knights stood like statues, and on one side sat a woman who looked similar to a nun..
But the others were not visible at all. Yuril's startled eyes were fixed on a beautiful girl with orange hair..
“Um, what should I call you… … . Aunt? Or, Her Royal Highness?”
The same navy blue eyes as Yuril's sparkled mischievously. Yuril swallowed dry saliva and lowered his head..
“……It's hard to handle, princess. I'm just a nun.”
“Hmm, of course it is. It's a pity, but I can't help it..”
Contrary to what she said, Princess Eadina nodded, looking very satisfied. Then he pointed to an empty seat with a graceful gesture..
Yuril sat down on the couch with careful movements. And without realizing it, I glanced sideways in Eadina’s direction..
The children who used to play in the royal palace as a playground were nowhere to be seen, and the princess, who was beautiful but had an intimidating aura, was sitting there. There was a stark contrast between the heavily worn and dirty nun's robes and the golden kirtle decorated with orange thread..
Yuril’s shoulders shrank even more for no reason..
“It's been a while since I met my aunt - no, I feel like I want to clear things up with the nun.…….”
Eadina rested her chin and looked at Yuril..
“You know this because you heard the rumor, right? I'm so busy.”
Yuril also heard something from here and there..
A few days ago, I heard about the young knights who proudly triumphed amidst a warm welcome from the people of the capital, and I also heard that it was actually Princess Eadina in front of me who made those young knights join the punitive force..
That was all Yurill knew, but until just a few days ago, the two were in quite similar situations..
Just as Juril was imprisoned in a convent, Eadina was also locked in her bedroom by the king's strict orders and could not even take a single step out..
Of course, Eadina had to be thankful to her father that her head wasn't cut off right away. Because her plan almost plunged the kingdom into a civil war. The ban on going out for about a week was in fact a protective measure for her..
Naturally, right after the entire punitive force dispatched to Mount Ritster (strictly speaking, the student punitive force) disappeared, the families who suddenly lost their precious children went crazy..
In particular, the Frost Duke in the North and the Old Fox in the West were so dizzy that it was a good thing they didn't lie down right away. The old people who lost their heirs went on a rampage and immediately called up the army. In particular, Duke Wevelter was so angry that he beheaded the last of his lords to respond to the summons..
Of course, the two old monsters did not immediately raise the banner of rebellion..
The Marquis of Eavon knew that his life and family were more important than revenge. Because he was a smart old man.
Duke Wevelter was not like that, but he learned the ability to control his anger thanks to the great failure he suffered in the Thousand Day War eight years ago. All life in the North should be grateful to Prince Ulkar, as he cured a mental illness that had not been cured for over 60 years in just four battles..
Anyway, they did raise an army, but it wasn't treason..
Rather, the raising of the troops by the two dukes was consistent with loyalty. Isn't this a major incident in which nearly two hundred children of noblemen disappeared while practicing martial arts and studies in the royal capital? If the royal order is so messed up, I cannot just watch as a subject..
Meanwhile, the southern and eastern regions were relatively less turbulent..
Of course, only the lords who lost their children were ready to rebel immediately. However, no collective action took place because the Duke of Eyland and the Marquis of the Crescent Islands, corresponding to each leader, were on their way across the sea. Next to them were the powerful families, Mullin in the south and Ershore in the east, who seemed to be gathering voices of dissatisfaction, but the situation was much better than in the north and east, where they were immediately gathering troops..
Fortunately, before the full-scale conflict began, news of the survival of the punitive force was delivered. What they experienced was also roughly known..
The royal family quickly hardened its position as each lord heard of this and assessed the situation..
The king's envoys reported this..
“The young knights established a grand prince unprecedented in recent times. This is probably due to the bright Lord looking down upon the kingdom, its royal family, and its subjects..”
“The young heroes helped the king's brave bannermen uncover the treacherous plot of the Council of Dawn, and after exterminating countless monsters from the other world, most of them returned safely. As a descendant of the great conqueror and mythical warrior Zeoth, I will pay my respects and reward him generously..”
“Meanwhile, there are many heroes who have not yet returned. With extreme sorrow, I declare that the noble sacrifices made for the defense of the kingdom and Middle-earth will never be forgotten..”
The surviving punitive force numbered a little over five hundred people. When they were first dispatched, the regular punitive force numbered about 1,000 and the student punitive force numbered just under 200, so up to 700 people were killed or went missing..
However, among the seven hundred victims, only thirty-four were young knights, that is, students studying at the Royal University. Also, less than half of them were children of nobles..
As a result, the situation became quite ambiguous for the lords..
They are nobles who serve the king above and protect the people below. It was an honorable duty to slay a wicked traitor and subdue a ferocious monster..
Hundreds of commoners died while carrying out that very duty, and the lords are going crazy because 15 children of nobles were sacrificed? Honestly, it was ugly..
It wasn't even that the children of the nobles were pushed out onto the battlefield. Although the king and princess tried to vain, they volunteered to form a punitive force. If you point fingers at young people of noble status for encouraging them to show their spirit, what about the local magistrates under the lord? When a territory is in trouble, isn't the most important task of local magistrates to gather volunteers?.
In this context, the current situation in the kingdom was in an ambiguous state..
Ten thousand troops were still gathering in the west and north, but the various minor nobles leading those branches did not dare to predict what kind of work that large army would be mobilized for..
Yuril did not know the details, but Princess Eadina barely survived..
Of course, she couldn't be satisfied with just saving her life. Now Eadina was planning to rescue her position from the backwater and solidify it..
If that's the case, then of course you have to give credit..
“There are so many things I want to share with my aunt, whom I haven't seen in a while, but my official duties as a royal must come first..”
The princess suddenly asked the dumbfounded nun what she was trying to say..
“Have you ever been in contact with Phoenix??”
“……yes?”
“I mean the red knight..”
Eadina had a calm expression, but her sharp eyes were watching the other person's reaction..
“Among the surviving punitive forces, there was someone who said they saw him. Of course, I think it's nonsense, but... … I have no idea.?”
Yuril was speechless due to the unexpected question..
It's him again. red knight.
Why on earth?
Thump, thump, thump.
And, although I can't figure out why, my heart started racing again..
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