"Are you keeping watch today?
Miss Nadia? "
"Ah, no …"
Hearing Jenn's question, Nadia hurriedly waved her hand in a panic.
"Actually, I was just in a daze …"
"Is that so …"
Hearing Nadia's answer, Jenn nodded. Then, as if he thought of something, his eyes rolled.
Jenn narrowed his eyes and smiled at the young lady before him.
"Then, if Miss Nadia has time, how about having a cup of tea with me?
Long time no see, I think we can have a good chat? "
"This …"
Hearing Jenn's invitation, Nadia looked in the direction he indicated. Sure enough, she found that an exquisite tea table had been placed by the window on the other side. There were desserts and drinks on it.
Needless to say, this must have been prepared for him by the little maid named Alice. Looking at this scene, Nadia hesitated for a moment, then glanced at the carriage by the bonfire in the distance.
"Miss Tinidale …"
At this point, Nadia suddenly blushed. After all, this method of questioning was too strange. Logically speaking, she and Jenn were only companions and there was no need for her to be concerned about such matters.
Wouldn't this make it seem like there was some unspeakable relationship between them?
However, Jenn didn't seem to care. He just glanced at the carriage and then looked away.
"Tinidale has already gone to rest. She doesn't like long journeys and prefers to stay by herself. How about it?
Miss Nadia?
Would you like to have a drink with me?
Whether it's wine or tea, we have everything you need. "
"This …"
In the face of Jenn's invitation, Nadia hesitated for a moment and finally nodded.
"Alright."
The deep night shrouded everything. Even if one looked through the window, one could only vaguely see the silhouette of Ice City.
However, the beautiful light released by the magic lanterns on the tea table dispelled the dark haze. At least sitting here and looking at the warm light, Nadia felt much calmer.
"First of all, I would like to congratulate you on becoming a true Holy Knight, Miss Nadia."
Glancing at the Eye of Truth badge on Nadia's chest, Jenn raised his glass and smiled at her.
He had already learned from Bishop Howard that Nadia had passed the trial after returning from Casaranth and then became a true Holy Knight, but Jenn did not care — in fact, what was a true Holy Knight was also a false proposition.
"Thank you … Mr. Jenn …"
Hearing Jenn's words, Nadia revealed a bitter smile and replied.
Seeing the expression on her face, Zayen raised his eyebrows.
"What?
Miss Nadia doesn't look very happy. "
"No, it's not like that."
Hearing this, Nadia hurriedly waved her hand in panic.
"In fact, I'm very happy to have passed the trial of the Eye of Truth and become a Holy Knight.
But after that, I experienced some things that made me feel a little confused … "
"Oh?"
Hearing this, Jenn looked at the girl in front of him with interest.
"This is really rare … If you don't mind, can you tell me about it?"
"… This … of course, no problem."
Facing Jenn's invitation, Nadia only hesitated for a moment and quickly nodded in agreement.
Then, she sighed helplessly and told Zayen about her inner doubts. During Nadia's time as a paladin, she saw a lot of problems that she did not often come into contact with before, or did not often pay attention to.
The bandits who robbed the trade routes were naturally hateful and should be judged fairly.
But many of them were originally just ordinary civilians. It was only because they offended the local nobles or were treated unfairly that they had to leave their homes.
In the end, they had no choice but to do such a thing. Indeed, this wasn't a reason for these bandits to be punished, but why were they the only ones who were punished?
Nadia had seen similar scenes more than once. Those bandits mocked and even looked down on them angrily, shouting that they were just the lackeys of the nobles. Some of them even angrily said blasphemous words, thinking that God didn't treat everyone as fairly as the temple claimed.
"It seems that your God also relies on the nobles' offerings to live."
Facing such mockery, if it was in the past, Nadia would only angrily scold them as blasphemers. But now, facing such accusations, she could only be speechless.
Indeed, if it was the mountain bandits who attacked the merchants and kidnapped women, then they would indeed be arrested and put on trial.
But when those nobles beat the civilians and wantonly did things to the people under their rule, they couldn't do anything.
There was once a beautiful woman who was fancied by a baron. In order to avoid being pestered by the baron, she had to run to the temple for protection.
In the end, the baron was intimidated by the Holy Church's prestige and didn't directly barge in to capture her.
However, the baron was enraged because he couldn't achieve his goal, so he burned down the woman's house, causing her entire family to be buried in the sea of fire.
This made the woman extremely sad. She once begged Nadia to take revenge for her, and the furious Holy Knight indeed found a bishop, hoping that he could uphold justice and fairness.
But in the end, the bishop could only helplessly tell her that the Holy Church couldn't interfere with the local nobles' affairs because it would cause serious political disputes.
This made Nadia furious, but there was nothing she could do. In the end, the woman left the temple in despair.
When Nadia saw her again, she had already been hanged in the square for attempting to assassinate the baron.
She was a devout believer, but why was she treated like this?
Why did the God who reigned above all others succumb to the mortal world's power and desires?
"… I don't understand why. Why does the Holy Church want to distance itself from the mortal world's power? If the fairness and justice we uphold can't shine on every believer, then what's the point?"
"Indeed, there's no point."
Facing Nadia's question, Jenn gave a straightforward answer.
"This is the reality, Miss Nadia.
The so-called fairness and justice are only relative. Attacking bandits and eliminating evil are naturally righteous actions.
Those who sell hallucinogens will be punished, and those who steal will also be caught and tried. Murder must be paid with one's life. These are all just part of maintaining order.
Look, how many of those nobles who make laws believe in fairness and justice?
The first thing that laws protect is their own benefits. Forbidding theft is to prevent one's hard-earned wealth from being stolen by others. Forbidding murder is naturally to prevent one's subjects from killing each other in fear. When the time comes, when everyone is dead, who can they rule?
And the reason why people obey these laws is also because these laws protect their benefits. They don't have to worry about being hacked to death on the streets, and they don't have to worry about returning home to find that their house is empty … "
Saying until here, Jenn laughed coldly.
"Why would the nobles attack those who sell hallucinogens?
Could it be that they really think that it's not a good thing?
Miss Nadia, you know as well as I do that many nobles like this stuff. They like to seek excitement.
But that doesn't mean that they will be lenient.
Why?
The reason is simple. They have money, power, and time to enjoy these things.
But where do those farmers, blacksmiths, and vagabonds get the money to enjoy these things?
Once they took hallucinogens, for the sake of this drug, they might not work properly, but steal, rob, and in the end, make a mess. A territory that couldn't function normally would ultimately harm the interests of the lord who ruled over it.
That's why they strictly control and attack these things.
So frankly speaking … "
Jenn spread his hands.
"Based on the current situation, you Holy Knights indeed don't have any value.
You see, you keep saying that you fight for fairness and justice, but what you do is no different from the nobles' security and private armies.
The only difference is that at least the commoners don't have to worry about the Holy Knights bribing them.
It's not that I want to say this, but Passus still doesn't have a temple or a Holy Knight to uphold justice. But my territory is still harmonious and orderly.
So in my opinion, you guys aren't as useful as the Priests. At least the Priests can pray for rain or a good harvest next year … "
"B-But …"
Hearing Jenn's words, Nadia instinctively retorted.
"But God can see through the hearts of people, and we can see through the truth beneath their lies …"
"So?"
Jenn didn't care about it at all.
"If a noble kills someone, so what if you accuse him of lying?
Could it be that your Eye of Truth can rush into someone's house and tie him up and send him to the gallows?
Or perhaps Thom can strike him down with a bolt of lightning?
Believe me, he can at least live until he dies of old age and goes to hell … Even if he goes to hell, it will be after he has been reared for a long time. "
"Hmm …"
Hearing Jenn's mockery, Nadia clenched her fists and bit her lips. She was full of unwillingness, but she couldn't say anything.
Because what Jenn said was the truth. The wicked nobles wouldn't suffer the wrath of the heavens. They would continue until one day, the cycle of retribution fell on them.
But what was the meaning of this?
An executioner who killed people like scything flax finally died of a serious illness. But before he died, didn't he kill even more people?
If they could stop him from the beginning, then they wouldn't have to sacrifice so many lives at all.
"But … I want to change all this!
Mr. Jenn, I think everything is wrong now, but I don't know what to do … "
"This is a very dangerous matter."
Hearing Nadia's words, Jenn narrowed his eyes. Then, a trace of a smile flashed in his eyes.
"However, I can feel your determination, Ms. Nadia … If you ask me, why don't you start by changing?"
"Change?"
Hearing until here, Nadia lifted her head confusedly and looked at Jenn.
Facing her gaze, Jenn nodded.
"That's right, change this rotten, untimely world, and those rotten rules — Do you believe in it?
Miss Nadia, in this world, everyone is born equal, fair, free, and democratic. This is the beautiful existence that we should pursue, isn't it?
Let the people and not the nobles decide the fate of a country. Let them choose a ruler with high prestige. The nobles will no longer enjoy special privileges, and their crimes will also be punished … How about it?
Don't you wish for such a world to come?
And as the Holy Church, as a Holy Knight, what will you do for this? "
"Let the people choose their own ruler …"
The radiance in Nadia's eyes grew brighter. She stared out of the window and muttered to herself, repeating Jenn's words.
"Freedom … Democracy …"
Outside the window, it was still pitch-black. But in Nadia's eyes, she seemed to have found that dazzling guiding light.