Chapter 27,5 “Give every man thy ear, but few thy voice; Take each man's censure, but reserve thy judgment”

In another place while Adel was helping Cecilia's father chop firewood in front of his house. Suddenly a very strong gust of wind fell from the sky towards the two of them.

“What's going on this time!?” Adel asked while looking up at the bright blue sky.

“CECILIA! WHERE'S CECILIA!” Snapped a woman dressed in white while standing on the Spear that was enveloped in a greenish wind like a surfer.

“Hey, Marie! Didn't we tell you before that you shouldn't come in like that!? Look at all the damaged gardens and parks in front of our houses!” Protested one of the villagers to Marie who was still hovering above them.

“That's not important! Adel! Where's Cecilia!?” Marie snapped at Adel.

“Huh? Didn't she tell you?” Asked Adel while giving a code that Marie did not understand using both hands.

“..... What do you mean? I don't understand.” Marie replied while furrowing her eyebrows.

“Huh... How to say it, the important thing is that right now Teacher and Wallace are traveling together.” Adel explained.

“Traveling? To where?”

“I don't know, it's just that Teacher said if...”

“Hey, Adel. What's that on your left arm?” Marie asked while pointing at the small bell tied to Adel's wrist.

“Oh this? Last night before the teacher left she gave me this little bell as a present!” Adel replied with a happy innocent face like a little boy who got a gift he really liked.

“ Shit! Why does it have to be at a time like this!” Marie snapped while stomping on her wind spear.

It didn't take long before all the villagers gathered to see Marie who was angry and confused like crazy.

“Hey, what exactly is going on? Why is Marie acting like such a crazy person?” Asked one of the residents.

“I don't know? It seems like she's having problems with Cecilia.” Another resident replied.

“Aaah... This is stupid. Let's disperse, after all, what are we doing watching a pubescent girl whine like that.” Said one of the citizens who then walked away and left the crowd.

“DON'T GO! EVERYONE! IF YOU STILL WANT TO LIVE TAKE YOUR FAMILIES AND GET AWAY FROM THIS TOWN! RIGHT NOW!” MARIE SHOUTED.

“Huh!? What the hell!? After all this time you finally have the nerve to show your true face and start threatening us!?” snapped one of the villagers.

“Aaaah! Trust me! Because right now the seven knights are already walking with their army to burn this village to the ground!” Marie snapped.

“Wha... What! No way! You must be joking right!?”

“No! I'm not joking! So hurry up and leave!” Marie ordered.

“Hah! Don't believe a word she says! She must be lying! Have you all forgotten that she would do anything for her sickly mother? Surely right now she's just trying to drive us away and loot all our property!” Said one of the residents.

“WATCH YOUR MOUTH! Unlike you I wouldn't commit such a stupid sin!” Marie snapped.

“Hah! You sanctimonious girl! Did you think anyone would believe the words of a cathedral student like you in the first place? Hah! Don't be silly! A sanctimonious person like you can't fool us!” Retorted one of the residents.

“That's right! That's right! That's right! You cathedral people have always ostracized us! You have always insulted our teachings and you have always taken advantage of us! We will never leave our holy village! If you still want to threaten us, you better go home and tell your mother that you can no longer take advantage of us and exploit us!”

Immediately all the villagers began to gather and together they made fun of Marie's warning.

Moments later, Cecilia's father, mother, and Sherina came out from inside their house and saw Marie who was now still standing and staring at everyone who pointed and insulted her.

“Wha... What is going on? Why is everyone insulting Marie like that?” Cecilia's mother asked.

“Mom... I'm scared.” Sherina said while hugging her mother's body.

Cecilia's father slowly walked over to Adel who was still standing confused by all the events that were currently happening in front of him.

“Adel... Please take care of Sherina, let me take care of this current situation.” Cecilia's father said while patting Adel's shoulder.

“Ah! Yes! Thank you!” Reply Adel who then ran to where her mother Cecilia and Sherina were standing.

“Marie! What's going on?” Cecilia's father asked.

Suddenly Marie woke up from her reverie and lowered her flying height while approaching Cecilia's father.

“Listen to my words carefully. Right now the two Bishops of the holy city have ordered the entire emperor's army to burn this village to the ground.” Marie said.

“What!? Why!? What have we done that they now want to attack us!?” Cecilia's father asked with a shocked look on his face.

“I don't know! The most important thing is to immediately take your family and get away from this village! Right now! No need to wait or care about Cecilia, because I'm sure she can take care of herself.” Marie said.

Cecilia's father then looked at his family who were still standing at the entrance of his house, after a moment of silence then he looked back at Marie.

“... Are all your words true?” Asked Cecilia's father.

“Are you also going to doubt the words of a Cathedral student like me?” Marie asked.

“...Sorry, then what are you going to do this time?” Asked Cecilia's father.

Marie immediately noticed the villagers around her and then spat her saliva onto the ground.

“I will take care of my own family. Don't expect me to sacrifice my life just to inform and protect you all.” Said Marie who then mounted her wind spear once more and flew away from the small village...

Without even a hint of looking back.

Meanwhile in the small village that had always been calm and happy without any commotion from outside, now for the first time in their generation began to feel that their peacefulness was being threatened.

“This can't be happening! Haven't we all been praying to the emperor for forgiveness? Didn't we all always give half of our crops for our ancestors' penance to the emperor!”

“Emperor! Please hear our prayers and pleas for forgiveness! Never once did we think of shirking you!” Screamed a man as he raised his hands to the sky.

“None of this would have happened if you had not allowed Wallace to live in this village!” Said one of the villagers while pointing at Cecilia's family.

“Yes! It's all because of you that our village has been cursed and punished by the emperor!”

“Let's just surrender! Surely they'll accept our request!”

“ Fuck! Where's Cecilia! Didn't she swear that she would protect us until her duty was done!?”

“Or maybe...”

“Yes! This must all be their plan! She, Marie, and Wallace must have conspired so that they could live in the emperor's paradise!”

“Yes, they must have! They have accused and sold us all! That's why the three of them are now escaping from our sacred village!”

While all the residents were still accusing each other and slandering the person who wanted to save them, Cecilia's father suddenly snapped very loudly.

“LISTEN TO WHAT I'M SAYING! IF YOU ALL WANT TO LIVE, THEN GET READY! BECAUSE AT THIS VERY MOMENT WE WILL ALL SET OUT TO ESCAPE FROM THIS HOLY VILLAGE!” Cecilia's father called out.

“Don't be stupid! This is our holy village! This is the legacy of our ancestors! Let's be brave and protect our holy village together!” Invited one of the villagers.

“Don't be foolish! It's impossible for us to fight the entire huge army! It's better for us to retreat! If we escape and hide in a mountain in the sacred forest, we will definitely be able to survive despite the difficult conditions!” Cecilia's father snapped.

“Don't listen to him! Because this all happened must be because of their family's heresy!” Argued one of the residents.

“Yes! That's right! It's because of you who still don't want to give up the heresy that we're all affected! Arrest them! Let's hand them over to the emperor's troops! That way the emperor will surely forgive us!”

“'Let's go! Catch them!”

When the citizens began to move to capture the entire Cecilia family, suddenly a Lance stuck from the sky separated the group of citizens who wanted to capture and Cecilia's family.

Instantly, everyone stopped their movements and watched the Lance that stuck between the two camps.

“That Lance... Adel?”

Everyone in the village recognized the large and heavy lance as Adel's lance. An orphaned boy who had been taken in as Cecilia's apprentice.

“Adel! What are you doing!? Do you want to obstruct us!?” Snapped an old man.

“...Yes! As long as you want to harm my family then I'll get in your way! Because this is my duty!” Adel replied.

“You little brat! Do you realize what you've said!? Do you want us all to be slaughtered by the emperor's troops!? Get out of the way, otherwise we'll all get you too!”

“Try it! You adults can only keep forcing me to follow your orders! You've never even heard a word from us! Look dont you understand what Marie has done for you! Without a care for her family's safety she rushed here and intended to help you! But at that very moment you insulted her! Feel the fruits of my Teacher's hard work! Even though you don't know it, he has always guarded and protected this small village from the beasts and bandits around us! How do you think it's possible that our village has never been attacked or looted by any of them! It's all because my teacher protected you all! Without ever asking for payment or praise from any of you!” Adel snapped.

“.......”

Everyone fell silent after hearing Adel's words.

But it didn't take long before one of the villagers began to speak out against Adel's words.

“...But it's all her duty isn't it? Isn't she a Priestess? Of course she has to protect us.” Said one of the citizens.

“Huh?” Adel responded with a look of astonishment on his face.

“Yes! That's right! I was once told that Cecilia is a Priestess who always performs rituals for the horned demon that our ancestors once worshipped! That's why she's rarely in her house!”

“Yes! I've also heard the same thing!”

“Then let's capture their families! It's certain that the emperor will stop his attacks if we hand over Cecilia and her family to the emperor!”

“Let's go!”

Instead of calming down, the village became even more chaotic. Some residents decided to capture Cecilia's entire family, some decided to just watch and observe, and the rest did not know what they should do.

Suddenly in the midst of the chaos came the sound of thundering feet that shook the ground and the sky until it shook all the marrow bones of the residents living in the small village.

“A.... Aaaah.... AAAAA! WE'RE TOO LATE! The emperor's army has almost reached this village!” Screamed an old lady who prostrated herself to the ground.

“Damn it! There's no time left! We must immediately capture Cecilia's family! All of you who want to survive immediately help me to catch them!” Invited a man.

“Don't underestimate me! Compared to all of you I have frequently killed bandits and bastards like you!” Adel snapped, who then thoughtlessly killed the leader of the group that wanted to capture the family he was protecting.

“Ah! Adel killed him! Everyone prepare your weapons immediately! Don't waste his sacrifice! Come on everyone! Don't be afraid! Let's save this village and the family we love!” Invited one of the villagers while pointing his short sword towards the clear sky.

All the villagers immediately grabbed their weapons and ran towards Adel who was standing alone with his large Lance.

“Bring it on! As long as I'm still standing I won't let anyone cross this line!” Adel snapped.

While Adel was facing the rain of swords, spears, and axes attacking in front of him, his father Cecilia and her family immediately ran towards the hilly area in the sacred forest.

“Adel!” Sherina screamed, who was still thrashing in the arms of her father who was running away with his wife.

“Sherina calm yourself! Right now Adel is fighting to protect you...” Cecilia's father said.

“No! Don't leave Adel! Father! Let's help Adel!”

“Sorry, if only your father was a person who had mana, surely...”

Holding back his tears, his father continued to run with his two family members towards the safe and dense sacred forest.

“Adel! Let's run with us, Big brother Adel!”

Sherina's shouting voice screeched so high that it entered the eardrums of Adel who was still standing bravely.

“Hah! At a time like this you started calling me big brother. Huh, you midget!” Adel mocked while smiling a little towards the voice that called him.

This was impossible!

This is impossible!

How can a snot-nosed kid like him defeat all of us!?

All the survivors began to realize their weakness. They were more numerous, their bodies were bigger, but why couldn't they defeat this brat who was still standing in front of them.

“...Experience. Didn't I say earlier that I have often gone with my Teacher to kill bandits and beasts around this village? Those of you who can only sit on your hands will not understand the hardships and injuries we have all endured.” Adel said as he stuck his lance into the ground.

Hearing Adel's words all the villagers began to look down and cry while cursing their weaknesses.

“.... Dammit! Why does everything have to end like this! Why do we have to kill each other like this!?” Said a man who was still gripping his sword tightly.

“I'm sorry for not being able to protect you guys.” Said one of the other men while hugging his wife and child.

“Adel! You should understand why we all want to catch them!”

“.....” Adel didn't even try to answer their words, at the moment he was just standing quietly while watching the citizens who were crying and moaning about their situation.

“Adel! Please step aside! We swear we will not hand you over to the emperor, we will also give you money for the rest of your life and we will also forget all the murders you have committed today. So please... Get out of the way... Because we don't want to lose our homes and families...” Said one of the villagers while crying and bowing his head to Adel.

Adel noticed the looks of all of them, the children were confused and calling out to their lifeless fathers, the women looked terrified and hugged their siblings and children, and the remaining men could only whimper at their weakness.

After seeing it all Adel then took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.

“Huh... Fine if that's what you want. Anyone who wants to live immediately put down your weapons and immediately leave this village. I swear as long as you don't deceive me I won't point my weapon at you.” Adel said.

All the villagers then looked at each other and furrowed their brows.

“But that's not what we want, because right now what we want is...”

Before the villager could finish his sentence, Adel immediately cut him off and snapped.

“There's no more time! If you want to live immediately put down your weapons and run into the forest! If not then stay here and accompany me to intercept them all!” Adel snapped while brandishing his lancet in front of him.

All the villagers stared at Adel's huge Lance, and they all thought that the Lance was pointing at all of them who had challenged him earlier. But unfortunately it wasn't.

Because that Lance was now pointing towards the army that was currently being led by Yzak and Siegmund who were the current leaders of the seven legendary knights.

“Is that the boy who killed those people?” Siegmund asked Yzak who was standing beside him.

“I do not care. Let's quickly burn this village's dogs, because I'm already sick to death of seeing their faces.” Yzak replied.

All the residents who saw the two knights immediately turned away from Adel and ran towards the two to kowtow and beg their forgiveness.

“Stupid, don't go there!” Adel snapped.

But his snaps were ignored by the citizens who continued to run towards the two knights in clean armor.

Seeing the citizens running towards him, Siegmund then grasped the Zweihänder on his shoulder tightly and set up a stance.

“Let me finish this with a single slash.” Siegmund muttered.

Seeing Siegmund who was currently mounting his stance, the citizens began to worry about what the knight with the big sword would do.

But some of them were convinced that, by showing their pleas, cries, and weaknesses, surely the two knights would spare them.

But the rest who still had common sense quickly ran back towards where Adel was. After seeing the two knights and the army, they were all now convinced and truly realized that...

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