The Saint Wants to Rest - Chapter 3.1
Ian tried his best to speak calmly.
“What do you mean I cannot?”
“Lord Ian, you cannot return.”
At that point, Ian could no longer endure it.
“Why do you get to decide whether I return or not? This was a promise made by the Goddess. And you are a Holy Knight referred to as the Goddess’s child. Are you planning to break a promise made to your mother?”
“Even a child strays at times. But even so, a mother would surely wrap all of that in her love.”
The expressions of the people watching, who had initially been looking on with intrigued faces, turned subtle. It was appalling to hear a Holy Knight serving the gods utter such problematic words.
“Now, that is enough.”
The Crown Prince, Allen, one of the people observing them, stepped in.
“Vermouth. Lord Ian did not come here of his own volition. It is time to let him go back.”
At least the Crown Prince had a minimum shred of conscience. The problem was that Vermouth had none. Vermouth opened his mouth as if to say something, then closed it. He simply turned around and left the banquet hall.
“It will be alright, won’t it?”
Ian looked at the Crown Prince with anxious eyes.
“It has to be.”
Ian could not prepare the return to his original world on his own. The High Priest, the Emperor, and the Crown Prince collaborated for his sake.
Vermouth had quietly withdrawn from the party, but it was only to gain momentum for what he would do next.
On the day the return date was finalized, he kidnapped Ian and imprisoned him in a castle within his own territory.
“You lunatic!”
Ian was terrified and tried to escape using his divine power, but Vermouth had even set up a barrier.
“Have you truly lost your mind?”
“I am perfectly sane,” Vermouth replied calmly.
“People will look for me if I’m gone!”
“The Demon King is already dead. Lord Ian, you are no longer needed. We can sufficiently handle the remaining demons ourselves.”
Based on his tone alone, he sounded rational. But his conclusion was insane.
“So, Lord Ian, please stay here.”
“Until when?”
“Until your heart changes.”
“My heart just changed.”
Ian quickly flipped his words, but there was no way Vermouth would fall for it. As soon as he realized the man had no intention of letting him go, Ian went into a wild frenzy.
Thud!
He struck the window with a chair, but it didn’t budge. It was the same for the other doors. The house was plastered with so much magic that it could practically be called an artifact itself. And what about those guarding him?
The Shadow Clan members, whom Vermouth occasionally summoned for escort duties, didn’t listen to a word Ian said.
“You crazy son of a bitch!”
He poured out curses and tried every method imaginable, but nothing worked. In such a situation, the only reason he was able to escape Vermouth’s mansion was thanks to the Crown Prince, Allen.
“I knew it would come to this.”
Allen had learned the sword from the same master as Vermouth since they were young. In other words, they were what you would call childhood friends. He knew Vermouth better than anyone else.
“Still, this is crossing the line.”
Primarily, the Emperor bought some time, and secondarily, the High Priest held Vermouth back. He heard that quite a bit of blood was shed in the process. Fortunately, thanks to them, Ian—who had been imprisoned for an entire month—was able to reach the magic circle safely with Allen.
And so, the long journey to the other world came to an end.
***
His head was dizzy. His whole body felt heavy, as if something were weighing him down. However, Ian stood up by sheer force of will. He staggered and leaned against a nearby wall. Looking up, he saw a building with a familiar shape.
“I made it.”
He had succeeded in crossing over to his original world. His heart, which had been wrapped in anxiety the entire time, began to swell with hope. Ian looked around at his surroundings.
Buildings were half-collapsed, the sidewalk was cracked, and abandoned-looking cars sat on the road. He looked for people, but they were nowhere to be seen. Looking closer, suspicious red stains were smeared here and there. It was as if the world had ended.
Ian unconsciously bit his lip. What on earth happened? Is this truly the place where I used to live? A belated sense of dread made his body tremble slightly.
‘First, let’s figure out where I am.’
Divine power still remained in his body. Fortunately, it seemed that God had not taken it away. Well, if they had a conscience, they shouldn’t. Ian walked through the empty streets.
“This is strange.”
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