Chapter 50: Paladin Alfred

Lawen's words echoed in Ryan's mind: A Doomsday Bull's head could be exchanged with our Lady for a full set of blessed knight's plate armor.

After years of traveling, Ryan knew the "prices" of these monster heads. A jar of sacred oil was indeed the cheapest reward.

This left the White Wolf Knight feeling somewhat dejected. What had he received from Ulric when he defeated the beastman chieftain "Fang" Gore?

It was the wolf fang necklace he had given to Lawen.

Nonetheless, Ryan had obtained the information he needed. Suppressing his dissatisfaction, he left the White Wolf Church. The long periods of vigilance and traveling in the wild had left him physically and mentally exhausted. Now, in the town, he could finally relax a bit and enjoy some leisure time.

Walking along the gravel-paved road, Ryan headed toward the Butterbeer Tavern, which was not far from the White Wolf Church. The tavern was quite noticeable from a distance—a large group of villagers was gathered at its entrance, with the crowd seemingly growing.

What is going on here?

"Beautiful witch, please help us. Our village's cow is sick. It's developed green spots. Please, we need your help!" A middle-aged male villager, his head wrapped in a scarf, pleaded with the woman standing at the tavern's door.

The woman at the door appeared to be in her thirties, a graceful lady dressed in a lake-green waist-length gown, with a brown bear fur cape draped over her shoulders. A white fox fur scarf adorned her neck. Her demeanor was dignified and gentle, with her black hair neatly tied at the back. Despite her serene appearance, she seemed somewhat helpless. "Do I look like a veterinarian?"

"No... you don't." The male villager lowered his head but quickly realized what he had said. He knelt down. "But, witch, please, we can't lose that cow! If we do, several families in our village will go bankrupt. Please! We know we have nothing to offer you, but could you accept this? It's our only possession!"

He took out a few silver coins and offered them to the woman.

"...Alright, I'll try to make some potions. Take them back and see if they help." The woman sighed, refusing the man's money. She instructed him to gather some herbs and then turned to the remaining villagers. "That's enough for today. I'm tired and need to rest. Please, come back tomorrow."

With that, the woman walked back into the tavern hall without looking back. The villagers, grateful for her promise, cheered. Others, however, looked disappointed.

"Well, the witch said she's tired. We should come back tomorrow," a plump villager said.

"That's all we can do. We weren't first in line today," a tall, thin man replied. The remaining villagers dispersed.

"Dietlinde?" Ryan's eyes twinkled as he stood at the back of the crowd.

What brings this member of the Garland Council here?

Dietlinde Soma, a member of the Garland Council, was a scholarly legendary witch who excelled in alchemy and potion-making rather than combat. She had once tasked Ryan with retrieving a harpy's heart in exchange for creating a space ring for him.

Dietlinde was relatively kind-hearted, often providing assistance to villagers in exchange for low-cost herbs. This practice allowed her to acquire ingredients while helping those in need.

Without hesitation, Ryan walked into the tavern, pushing past the villagers. The villagers, initially ready to curse, saw a knight in noble attire and quickly made way.

Pushing open the tavern door, he heard Teresa's voice, "Sister Dietlinde, what brings you here?"

"A shipment of precious alchemy materials is arriving from the south. I'm here to personally inspect the quality," Dietlinde replied.

Ryan couldn't help but roll his eyes.

Sister?

He recalled Dietlinde being at least seventy years old.

Ah, women...

As he entered the tavern, the two women were heading upstairs.

"How do you find adventuring? How is it having Ryan as a partner?" Dietlinde asked.

"Uh... not bad," Teresa nodded. "Although some things were... a bit dangerous."

"Do you mean adventuring is nice, or having Ryan as a partner is nice?" Dietlinde teased.

"Both," Teresa's cheeks flushed slightly. She seemed to recall her earlier behavior at the city gate and asked, "I heard you've had quite a few interactions with Ryan?"

Dietlinde was about to respond when she noticed Ryan standing on the first floor. She smiled and said, "So, what do you think of him?"

"Ryan? Hmm..." Teresa's face reddened, and she remembered her earlier embarrassment. "Overall, he's a satisfactory partner."

"Yes, strong, handsome, and polite? That's rare," Dietlinde continued to tease, but Ryan interrupted, "Dietlinde, please don't talk about me in front of me."

"Hehe, I thought you'd enjoy hearing Teresa praise you," Dietlinde laughed, enjoying the joke. In contrast, Teresa's face turned bright red, and she spoke in a dangerously calm voice, "Eavesdropping on ladies' conversations, Ryan? How disappointing."

"Sorry, I didn't mean to eavesdrop. My hearing is just much better than normal. It's not something I can control," Ryan shrugged, showing no sign of guilt. "But it's been a while, Dietlinde."

"Yes, it has. Your parents are well. I gave Norman some medicine for his rheumatism when I passed by Ottne. He should feel much better this winter," Dietlinde replied seriously.

"Thank you so much!" Ryan said, placing his right hand over his chest in a knightly salute. Norman had been plagued by rheumatism due to his years of fighting in the harsh Nord climate. Although the priestesses of the Goddess of Mercy helped alleviate his pain, the effects were temporary. High-level divine spells were too costly for Norman, a small lord with an annual income of about 300-500 gold coins, while a single casting of the six-ring spell "Regenerate" cost 500 gold coins.

Things had changed with Ryan's rise.

Ryan's connections proved beneficial. The Garland witches provided alchemical potions that greatly eased Norman's pain. Ryan had become acquainted with Dietlinde due to this, often helping her gather rare materials in exchange for her assistance.

"Are you here in Mjordenhaven alone?" Teresa had booked a room for Ryan, and he now held the key.

"No... I came with a group of Paladins. They're reporting to the Church of Justice now and should return soon," Dietlinde replied as she led Teresa to the top floor. The top floor had only three rooms; Dietlinde occupied the largest, Teresa the second, and Ryan the standard suite.

"You've worked hard, Ryan. Dietlinde will continue her experiments. You should rest. Remember to join us for dinner tonight," Teresa said gently, noticing Ryan's fatigue.

Ryan was indeed exhausted. After entering his room, he greeted the two Garland witches and then collapsed onto the soft bed, sleeping soundly. When he woke up, the sun had already set.

After taking a bath and changing clothes, he opened his door and headed downstairs, where he found a group of "tin cans" occupying the tavern. Fully armored Paladins were booking rooms with the innkeeper, whose face showed slight displeasure. "So, you need three rooms?"

"Yes," the lead Paladin, with beautiful golden hair and vibrant green eyes, replied politely. His handsome face and aquiline nose complemented his standard Paladin plate armor, the holy symbol of the God of Justice emitting a soft white glow in the night.

Though there were higher-ranking Paladins present, this young Paladin handled the negotiations due to his noble background and refined manners.

As mentioned before, the Paladins' conduct often did not endear them to merchants and innkeepers.

However, when the Paladin looked up, Ryan's eyes lit up, and he exclaimed, "Alfred?!"

The Paladin was startled and instinctively called out, "Ryan?"

"Hahaha! No wonder Archbishop Innocent said my old friend was here!" Ryan laughed heartily, descending the stairs, his fatigue forgotten. He walked up to the Paladin, "Alf! When did you arrive?"

"Just a few days ago," Alfred, the blonde-haired, blue-eyed Paladin, came up and gave Ryan a big hug. "Old friend! You're here too? Everyone's talking about you in the kingdom, especially about you single-handedly killing a Doomsday Bull! Well done!"

"Haha~" Ryan thought to himself, When I arrived at the White Wolf Church, they knew nothing about it. Now, in just one afternoon, the Church of Justice knows?

The Church of Justice's influence is indeed formidable.

Reunited with an old friend, the two were overjoyed. Recognizing Ryan, the innkeeper promptly gave the Paladins the three rooms they requested.

"Alex, you guys go rest. I have things to discuss with Ryan," Alfred said to the other Paladins, then turned to Ryan, "You've become quite famous! The whole kingdom is discussing your name! And it's no small feat—a Doomsday Bull!"

"Don't be modest. It's a lucky shot. I wouldn't want to face a Doomsday Bull again," Ryan quickly deflected. "But you, Alf, I hear you've advanced to Temple Guard?"

"Thanks to our Lord's grace!" Alfred and Ryan found a spot in the hall to sit and catch up.

Meeting an old friend in a foreign land was a joy Ryan hadn't experienced in his previous life. This unexpected reunion made both of them very happy.

Alfred had grown up with Ryan, the two childhood friends

 once inseparable. But when Ryan became a ranger knight at sixteen, Alfred left his parents to formally join the Church of Justice.

As a second son, Alfred couldn't inherit his family's title. When he awakened his talents, his parents had him become a Paladin to avoid future disputes over inheritance.

For nobles, this was a necessary measure.

Ryan had once felt indignant for his childhood friend, but Alfred, optimistic and kind by nature, wasn't surprised by his parents' decision. He thrived in the Church of Justice, recently advancing to Temple Guard, a significant achievement.

The leader of the Paladins approached Ryan, extending a hand. His face was lined with age and experience, and his armor bore golden threads. "Hello, Mr. Ryan. I am the Temple Knight leading this group. My name is Frod."

"Hello, Temple Knight Frod!" Ryan shook his hand. Frod was a renowned Temple Knight, one of the core warriors cultivated by the Church of Justice. His presence indicated Archbishop Innocent's serious approach to Beltert's matter.

This also explained why Beltert, as a demon hunter, had been reluctant to join the Church of Justice. The Church had its own Paladin system and didn't rely on external forces like demon hunters. Consequently, demon hunters were not well-regarded or compensated, leading to their awkward position in society.

Just as the two were about to speak further, a wandering knight burst into the inn, ignoring the security guards trying to stop him. "I need to see the witch! It's urgent! Move aside!"

It's Eike!

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