W-W-Why are you doing this?"
"D-Did we do something w-wrong?"
The mercenaries asked, their voices trembling with anxiety.
"If we made a g-great mistake, please forgive us!"
"No, it is not that. It is simply the smell."
"The smell?"
"Indeed. The scent of blood and the stench of monsters is too thick. Furthermore, you are filthy."
"Ah."
"Since we butchered the monsters in a hurry..."
"Hmm."
Aside from the smell of blood and the raw stench of monsters, there was the odor of ingrained grime. It was likely due to the long duration of the trade journey without a chance to wash.
'It's enough to remind me of Newrington!'
Kai felt uneasy, sensing that if he left them as they were, he would end up traveling with unwashed companions.
'If we're going to be traveling together anyway, I should give them a proper wash.'
"The monster butchering team, gather before me."
At Kai's command, the four mercenaries who had butchered the monsters scurried together.
"I am saying this just in case. I am about to use water magic on you to wash away that ingrained grime. Do not be afraid."
"U-Understood."
"If the Knight says he will do it, how could we..."
"I would even take an attack spell gladly."
"You'll die if you take an attack spell."
"Aha. I'll still take it."
"…More words will only lead to further misunderstanding, so I shall simply show you the magic. White Light Droplet."
A massive shadow cast over them.
What is this?
Thinking it might be a cloud, they looked up. Floating about 30 feet—roughly 1 meter—above Kai's hand was a massive, softly glowing water droplet the size of a four-wheeled carriage.
The people were so shocked they lost their words, and the four mercenaries standing in front collapsed to the ground, their faces turning pale.
"Ah… The Knight is so disgusted by our filth that he's trying to erase us with magic."
"..."
Seeing the giant water droplet, even Kai couldn't find the words to deny it.
If one created a water droplet larger than a carriage and said nothing, it was no different from a threat of execution. Thus, Kai smiled and gave a kind explanation to the shivering mercenaries.
"This is not a droplet summoned to kill you. It is a droplet imbued with God's blessing, meant to wash you clean."
As he spoke, he quietly infused White Light Purification into the carriage-sized water droplet. The softly glowing sphere began to sparkle even more brilliantly, like stars in the night sky.
"The Knight intended to wash away our filth with the blessing of God!"
An awe-filled voice burst from one of the mercenaries. Starting with him, the eyes of the other mercenaries began to shine.
"It is a holy water droplet!"
"Oh, Lord Luciraus!"
Several mercenaries fell to their knees and prostrated themselves. Someone clasped their hands toward the water droplet floating in the air. Kai could feel their overwhelming emotion.
'People of this era really love holiness. Well, life is harsh, so they have to believe in divine miracles.'
Kai had no doubt that if you dropped an atheist into the Middle Ages, they would spend every day praying to God while screaming curses at the same time.
Kai immediately used the sanctified White Light Droplet on the mercenaries. The four men were washed clean in an instant. The mercenaries marveled as they looked over their soaking-wet bodies.
"Oh! I didn't fall!"
"To think I remained standing when that massive amount of water crashed over me!"
"Honestly, I was a little scared, but holy power truly is different!"
"Oh, Lord Luciraus!"
"Hey, not Lord Luciraus, but the Knight! The Knight is the one who used magic!"
"Ah! You're right! Ooooh! Sir Knight! My Knight!"
"Indeed!"
"I shall say it again: I clearly told you it was magic that would not attack you."
"Please cut us down for our lack of faith, Sir Knight!"
"Cut down this disloyal wretch, Sir Knight!"
"What do you mean, 'cut down'? Where is the knight or mage who executes people just because they didn't trust a spell?"
"A mercenary I met before was burned to death because he doubted a mage's magic."
"..."
Kai stopped thinking.
'By the way, White Light Droplet has become powerful as well.'
He remembered again that the White Light magic he had used while fighting the goblins was several times stronger than in his previous life.
'Hmm. The difference from my past life is...'
Divine Power?
'Did the power of magic become stronger because the influence of Divine Power was applied when I Awakened and gained the status window?'
He pondered whether there was another reason, but he couldn't think of any answer other than Divine Power.
'It's better to think of it as a change caused by Divine Power for now. Since there's no other clear answer.'
While organizing his thoughts, he used White Light Droplet once more. The others were also filthy from the long journey and the recent battle, so he wanted to wash them for hygiene. However, if he said their smell was so terrible it hindered the journey, they would likely ask to be killed again, so he attached a plausible reason.
"Everyone is filthy from the long journey and the battle with those goblins. You all know that monster blood contains toxins, right?"
"Yes, we know. That is why we are as careful as possible so it doesn't enter our wounds, but if it does, we use Big-nose Grass for simple emergency treatment. Big-nose Grass has the effect of neutralizing the poison in the blood of small monsters, Sir Knight."
Yanslot repeated the information Kai had heard from a wandering adventurer who had visited the manor in the past. Thinking he was a smart fellow, Kai nodded.
"That is correct, Yanslot. Then you must also know that it could be even more dangerous if emergency treatment is not performed."
"Yes, Sir Knight. Fortunately, Big-nose Grass is a necessity for long-distance travel, so we carry it with us. Of course, it is also a grass that can be easily found in the wild."
"Indeed. However, there is blood that cannot be neutralized even by Big-nose Grass. Specifically, that of the Higher Species and those they lead. That is why the superior Tortodo Grass is also necessary, is it not?"
"You are exactly right, Sir Knight."
"Therefore, I shall make your bodies clean with White Light Droplet. This droplet will wash away the filth and simultaneously carry the power of purification, so it will be excellent for repelling the poisons and influence of those nefarious creatures. I did not offer to wash away your grime and blood for no reason."
Yanslot's eyes widened. His mouth hung open, but no words came out. At the kindness and consideration of a knight—the likes of which he had never experienced in his life—emotion surged from the depths of his heart.
"Oh, heavens. Lord Luciraus."
The emotion made him call out to God. Had it been mere words, he would have just accepted it. But the Knight had already proven he was not just a man of words. By washing his comrades with magic without killing them, he had demonstrated his intent. Thanks to that, not a single doubt remained.
"P-Please grant us such a blessing as well!"
"We beg of you, Sir Knight!"
"Please wash us with the water of blessing!"
Starting with Yanslot, whose doubts were erased, the mercenaries rushed forward and knelt before Kai. Even the employees of the merchant group joined their hands together, longing for the blessing.
'The first time was hard, but the second time is easy.'
In that way, Kai washed everyone who had survived with the White Light Droplet. After washing them, he even lit a fire using the broken carriages so they could dry themselves well.
"Oh, heavens. Lord Luciraus."
"Lord Luciraus. Is what I am seeing truly the truth?"
"This must be a dream!"
Kai's endless, infinite kindness continued. The mercenaries and the people of the merchant group were endlessly moved and called upon God. Someone even poked their own thigh with a knife to see if it was a dream.
After roughly knocking out the man who was screaming in pain, Kai treated the stab wound with bandages.
"Ooooh!"
"The Knight is personally wrapping the bandages and treating him!"
"God's grace has descended upon this earth!"
'…What exactly is a knight to these people?'
Are they demons?
Yanslot was from the eastern part of the Ascaria Continent. He had started mercenary work by joining forces with some local friends from his home village who had a bit of strength and talent. In the beginning, it was a small group of only five people. After wandering the Ascaria Continent for several years without dying, the group had grown to about thirty. Furthermore, their skills had improved, and they had become a solid mercenary group.
He had met countless people and races, forming connections and spending nights happily drinking beer, or becoming mortal enemies and living through cycles of killing and surviving. Among them, of course, were several wandering knights.
To Yanslot, wandering knights were, in a word, obnoxious bastards. Arrogant, prideful, swaggering, living for their own vanity, and wretched things that didn't view mercenaries as anything more than their servants.
Being treated like a servant or a slave was the lucky part. Among them were sons of bitches who treated mercenaries as bait for monster luring. There were even madmen who suggested "swordsmanship sparring" simply because they were bored. It was called sparring, but it was no different from openly toying with them with a blade.
In his heart, he wanted to lunge at them and turn them into dog food, but he couldn't. Because they were knights.
What is a knight? They are monstrous strategic weapons that display power transcending the human species. Stories of a single knight wiping out more than thirty well-armed C-rank mercenaries were common. Even setting aside the noble rank, one had to be extremely careful around knights. Of course, among these knights, there were fools and idiots, but they were still strong.
Obnoxious guys were obnoxiously strong, so if you were unlucky and met a wicked knight, it became an unlucky day where you stood right before the river to the afterlife. Therefore, when meeting a knight, one had to quickly show expressions of respect, fulfill all etiquette, and part ways. Or, one had to press some money into their hands and send them off.
Bastards worse than a pack of bandits! Shit-heads who would pluck the liver out of a flea!
But today! A knight had appeared who overturned Yanslot's prejudice. As if sculpted by God himself, his appearance and physique shone brilliantly. The power he possessed seemed incredibly strong, like an Ogre—the strongest monster on earth. And on top of that, he even knew how to use magic!
He was an unbelievably strong knight. With that power, he had instantly struck down the Higher Species that had attacked the Herdan Merchant Group, which he had a long-standing relationship with. The horde the creature led was trampled in an instant, unable to even put up a fight.
Wondering why he was so strong, the Knight himself had revealed that he possessed dragon blood.
'Heavens! To think he belongs to that great lineage that exists in only a tiny fraction of those with bloodlines!'
Dragon blood was superior to any other lineage and was extremely strong. One of the powerhouses of the continent possessed this dragon blood. Other than that, the dragon lineage was one that occasionally appeared among knights, mages, warriors, and mercenaries with continent-class fame that anyone would recognize!
Therefore, folklore had it that a being with dragon blood would become a great entity that spreads their fame across the continent. Naturally, meeting such a being was truly difficult, yet they had met him, and he had even saved their lives.
And was he only strong?
'I would like to ask the opinion of the others, not just yours.'
The knight of dragon blood showed the virtue of concession by asking for their consent regarding the ownership of the monster corpses.
'No, it is fine. You all should look after the wounded and focus on the funerals of those who died protecting the caravan. Mourning those who have passed is the duty of those left behind.'
He even showed the virtue of consideration by caring for the funerals of their dead comrades. His words were so sweet they were like a poem from a bard.
'I heard that those with dragon blood, whether they are knights or mages, are so violent that you're lucky if you don't die!'
Far from killing them, he had even washed them and bestowed a blessing out of concern that they might be contaminated by the power of the nefarious creatures. Finally, he even showed the warmth of lighting a fire so they could dry their washed bodies!
Oh, heavens, Lord Luciraus. Shit, God. Is this something that can truly happen!
'To meet a knight who is that strong yet treats us like human beings might be the opportunity of a lifetime for me, Yanslot!'
Kai Pendragon. He had heard the name for the first time today.
'However, I, Yanslot, have no doubt that he will soon become a knight who spreads his fame far and wide across the continent!'
Following that, Yanslot thought that he wanted to follow that knight. Was it not true that there were those who did mercenary work while following a knight?
'If I'm going to follow someone, it is better to follow a knight who treats me like a human being, is promising, has dragon blood, and whose immense strength I have witnessed personally!'
Yes, let's follow that man! Let's become his personal mercenaries!
Yanslot made that firm vow while drying his wet body by the warm campfire the Knight had lit with magic.
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