## Chapter 1027 – The One With Many Questions

“Son of a bitch!!!!!!”

I pointed at Lina in astonishment and roared. That’s right, dammit, there’s no way Lina, who learned directly from me, would just die! No matter what else, having learned survival skills from Kim Kat, me, dying a dog’s death is just absurd nonsense!!!

“You’re alive!!!!!!”

Maybe it’s because I’m a bit of a softie, but I started feeling so good that I was getting dizzy. It was a veritable explosion of sensitivity, a sentimental buster!

At the same time, Lina’s hard-fought past seemed to flash before my eyes.

Lina’s family came to Isvant with black hair, the symbol of barbarians. However, in this world, there were hardly any children who could live ordinary lives. Having lost her parents, Lina turned to crime to earn money, appeasing the slum thugs and handing over the money she pickpocketed as tribute.

There was one turning point in Lina’s life.

That was meeting me.

Lina met me and realized the concept of just punishment and the true reality of this other world – that if you messed with someone you didn’t know, you could get your soul snatched and die – and she was reborn as a good girl. Honestly, I went easy on her back then because she was just a kid, but it was one of the best choices I ever made.

After that, I ran into Lina several times, worked with her, and lived like that. Then we parted ways, and now we’ve met again.

Probably, after parting ways with me, Lina honed her inhuman killing skills and made a living out of reverse-pickpocketing professional killer-robbers, becoming a powerful adventurer.

An era overflowing with robbers.

The life-or-death struggle with livelihood murderers, who were no different from field aggro mobs, was something you had to risk your life for, and it was that dangerous, but if you won, you could gain valuable experience and everything they possessed.

“Sob…!”

Thinking that far, I felt tears welling up.

Good job, Lina…!
You’ve lived hard, Lina!!!

In order to survive in this harsh world, an endless desire to kill and the manifestation of violence beyond the realm of normalcy are indispensable!!!

Lina has admirably reached that level!!

“You’ve become a wonderful killer!!!”
“W-What are you talking about…? Anyway, it is you, Oppa. For a moment, I thought it wasn’t. You’ve changed so much… But some things haven’t changed.”
“What?”
“It’s been a while.”

With those words, Lina bowed to me.

“Yeah. I don’t know how long it’s been.”

It had already been well over a year since I left Isvant. Come to think of it, I think I saw her one last time before I left. I think I bought her a meal.

“But you’ve gotten taller… and your face has changed a lot…”

Lina looked up at me and said hesitantly. Certainly, I’ve changed a lot physically compared to then. Is that why she thought it wasn’t me for a moment? It’s a natural reaction.

Even I think I’ve changed too much.

“I’ve grown a lot in the meantime too. Have I changed a lot?”
“Yes. I almost didn’t recognize you.”
“You’ve changed a bit too.”
“It’s been a while.”

Lina was quite tall. Her clothes looked decent enough too. If nothing else, just looking at the way she dresses, it doesn’t seem like she’s starving or suffering.

“But I never thought I’d see you again like this…”

She seemed a bit dazed.

Did she think she’d never see me again?

Well, the world isn’t that small, but it would be hard to see each other once we parted ways. This meeting was also a coincidence, but it was possible because Lina had taken root in Isvant.

“Actually, I wouldn’t have come back this early if it wasn’t for work. I was dispatched here for a job.”
“Dispatched?”
“Yeah. I became a Paladin of the Bronze Celestial Church.”
“…!”

She was almost in shock when I revealed that.

“Did I not tell you?”
“N-No… I’m hearing it for the first time… Y-You became a Paladin…”
“Hmm.”

I didn’t think there was any need to shock her any further, so I decided not to tell her that I had received the title of Baron. If I told her I had become a noble, she would literally faint.

“Anyway. It’s so good to see you after so long, Lina. What have you been up to? Have you honed your killing skills properly?”
“R-Rather than killing skills, I’m just living wisely as Oppa taught me. Actually, not much has changed since then. I’ve just gained a little credibility, so I haven’t been out of work… But I did get promoted to E-rank.”
“Oh, really?”

It turned out that her combat power hadn’t increased significantly. It’s a bit disappointing, but if Lina has some credibility and an E-rank adventurer title at her age, her future is promising.

It can’t be helped because of her age.

She’s just barely past her mid-teens.

“That’s something to celebrate. Congratulations on your promotion. If you keep living like that, you’ll be able to live comfortably someday. After all, effort is always rewarded.”
“T-Thank you…”
“But it’s better to create your own killing skills whenever you have the chance. This is also called early childhood education, and if you train systematically from a young age, you can see greater effects later on.”

Killing skills are, after all, a kind of academic pursuit. Just like children who show talent in studying receive gifted education from a young age, children living in this kind of shitty environment must learn killing skills early on.

These skills are essential to protect their small bodies. The difference between learning this early and not learning it is so great that it will all show later on. Look at the Royal Knights, who have received killing prodigy education since they were young. Their faces are already those of true killing demons, and they actually possess the power befitting that tendency.

More than anything, besides such future matters, it is also very useful in the immediate present. Vicious robbers and criminals. Heretics do not see children as children. They simply regard them as weak objects of exploitation, so they will exploit and kill them whenever they have the chance. In severe cases, they are often used as heretical sacrifices.

Just because they are young does not mean that a serial killer will voluntarily avoid them. On the contrary, there are more than a truckload of guys who will rush at them, happy that a weak target has appeared.

You have to protect your own body.

“It’s not too late to do it a little later, but if you have some time to spare in your life, be sure to learn it.”
“Yes… Actually, I’m thinking of learning swordsmanship or archery.”
“Hehehe, good. That’s a very good mindset. Only the thought and drive to develop yourself guarantees a better life.”

Looking at Lina listening to my advice so earnestly, I started feeling better and better.

That’s why, goddamn it. My father would drink and come home in the early morning, wake me up, and spout nonsense. The meaning and lessons of the Vietnam War that I woke up to at three in the morning. And the extraordinary, rambling, disjointed, stream-of-consciousness harangue about the direction I would live in the future still remained as an indelible horror in my mind.

At the time, I could only listen to my father’s story.

“Anyway, you’re working and living normally now.”
“Yes… That’s how it’s been so far. But.”
“Recently, demons have appeared.”
“It’s so scary because of that… My wages have been cut, and the intensity of work has increased. So I’m having a hard time these days.”

ㅡHaa.

Lina sighed.
Her face looks very tired.

It seemed that the wages of workers had been cut a bit because of the influx of various refugees. And because the army was active, there seemed to be a lot more war material distribution and related chores.

Anyway, it’s not as bad as I thought. She hasn’t been caught up in the demon war and died or become disabled.

“Ah! Then, since you said you became a Paladin, did you come to defeat the demons?”

As if she had suddenly thought of it, Lina asked with a bright expression.

“You guessed it right away. We used to catch heretics back in the day. I’m making use of that experience.”
“It was really scary back then… But if Oppa has become a Paladin and returned… it will be resolved soon, right?”
“That’s why I came. Trust me.”

As we were talking, the girls behind me grabbed my shoulders.

“Kat, are you that happy?”
“Are you going to feed her or something?”

Food.

“Ah… Hello. I think I’ve seen you before.”

Lina greeted them as well. Claudie just smiled and raised her hand, and Winia also gestured simply.

“It’s been a while. Let’s talk for a bit and go to the church.”
“Okay.”

I was going to buy her a meal if I had time, but I don’t think I can today.

“Lina. So, how’s the situation in Isvant? Are you still working here? Do you know anything?”
“Ah, Isvant is fine. There are many people protecting it. And I heard that the knights came last time, and they’ve already gone to fight.”
“Really?”
“Adventurers with skills are also gathering and fighting demons. But there are guys called High Demons.”
“I know that. They’re pushovers to me.”
“I knew it…”

Lina nodded. Lina also said that the Lord of Isvant was pouring all his energy into defending the city. She didn’t seem to know the details, but I’ll be able to find out when I go to the church.

Lina’s information is limited.

“Anyway, it’s good to know you’re safe. I was thinking about you a bit while coming to Isvant. It’s a shame you didn’t become a professional human butcher, but it’s good that you’re living well enough.”

First, I have to go to the church.

“I’d like to buy you a leisurely meal if I had some time, but I’m so busy right now. I have a mountain of things to do. I’ll buy you one next time I see you, so, well. Are you frequenting the Adventurer’s Guild?”
“Yes. I have to get jobs. I go every day.”
“Then I guess I can see you again. I’ll buy you a meal then.”
“Thank you.”

Lina bowed to me again.

“Yeah, yeah. Well, don’t go outside the city if you can help it. It seems very dangerous.”
“Yes. It’s best to work inside at times like this. I have no intention of going out.”
“Wise. That kind of attitude guarantees survival.”

It’s a relief that she’s not going outside. This is a city that won’t be easily captured, so it’s best for kids like Lina to just work inside.

If I were a measly E-rank adventurer and experienced such a situation, I would have just worked inside the city like Lina, regardless of combat or anything else.

“See you next time. I’ll buy you a meal when I finish work.”

With that, I parted ways with Lina and headed towards the church.

“It’s good to meet your dark-haired acquaintance.”
“It’s nice to see her after so long.”
“Anyway, it’s a good thing, Kat. That she was alive.”
“Hehehe, yeah.”

Soon, we were able to arrive at the familiar Bronze Celestial Church.

The priest guarding the entrance recognized me and greeted me enthusiastically, shaking my hand.

“Ah! It’s been a long time! Aren’t you the Paladin!”
“Hehehe, ah, it’s so nice to hear you say that. Anyway, I’ve come as that Paladin this time. Are Captain Vacherel and the Senior Pastor inside?”
“Please come inside first.”

We followed his guidance and went inside.

“Vacherel is currently participating in a military operation. The only ones currently guarding the church are myself, the Senior Pastor, and a few nuns. All the Holy Knights have gone out to subdue the demons.”
“You’re going through a lot.”

We were guided inside like that, and we waited for the priest to bring the Senior Pastor after we entered the room.

ㅡCreak.

Soon the door opened.

“Oh! Brother has come! It’s been a very long time!”

The Senior Pastor came in and immediately stood up from his seat.

“Hehehe, have you been well, Pastor?”
“I’m always doing well!”

This guy was the one who had recommended me to become a Holy Knight several times. He was also the one who gave me the quasi-priest qualification. He was an benefactor in many ways, so I felt good just seeing his face.

I immediately revealed the purpose of my visit this time.

“Really…! It’s a very beneficial phenomenon!!! It’s a very good phenomenon, Paladin! Of course, I have to tell you everything I know!!!”

He nodded very happily and shook my hand.