When the Saintess Arrives, No King Exist
Chapter 80 - 79: Within Reach

Chapter 80: Chapter 79: Within Reach

The setting sun slanted, enveloping the valley nestled between two towering mountains, crowded with slowly moving villagers.

After a day of walking, their legs were long since numb, and the increasingly steep slopes offered almost nothing for support beside the canes in their hands.

However, whether they were villagers or high-ranking members of the Pope Country, everyone felt rather good.

On this trip, aside from a few catching colds and some breaking their legs, there were no mishaps affecting their progress.

It made Horn a bit paranoid, checking everywhere, fearing that things might go wrong at a critical moment.

But now, they had arrived at the predetermined crossing point on time.

Cross the suspension bridge ahead a little further, and they’ll enter the mountainous area at the heart of Thousand River Valley.

By then, the Knights won’t be able to chase on horseback along the mountain paths.

Indeed, these villagers would soon be free from the threats of the church army.

Danji sat cross-legged atop the hill, resting his head against Black William’s horse leg, quietly gazing at the slanting sun.

Twenty years ago, fresh from the field, he never would have imagined fleeing with these villagers under pursuit by other Knights.

Does he still count as a Knight now?

The longsword that symbolizes a Knight’s identity hung on the saddle.

Yet Danji couldn’t take it because it was too heavy for him to hold.

He couldn’t remember when he had started to struggle gripping that Knight’s Sword.

Each time he tried to draw that longsword, his hand would shake uncontrollably like a sieve.

Danji thought of Horn, who shook just as fiercely when possessed by the Holy Father.

His feelings towards Horn were complicated; initially, he thought he was a fraud, then a heretic.

Later on, he no longer knew what to make of Horn.

"Brother Danji, I caught a wild rabbit; come and eat it tonight."

"Sure, I’ll definitely come."

As those villagers passed by, Danji withdrew his hand that had been waving in greeting, his smile fading once again.

These people were so joyful; over twenty years, Danji hadn’t seen villagers this happy.

They may still be stingy, still take small advantages, still be unreasonable.

Yet they’ve changed from before, though Danji couldn’t quite put his finger on what was different.

The Gulag Monastery was truly a wonderful place.

If Gulag Monastery was an isolated island, Danji might be willing to live there forever.

But the Knights arrived, the Church came.

They left that paradise-like island.

"Danji, what are you sitting here for?"

Holding a bowl filled with broken bread soaked in rice porridge, His Holiness squatted, looking like a farmer eating at his doorstep.

During dinner, he still needed to tell stories to the villagers, plan tomorrow’s route and march, so he decided to eat dinner early.

"Tired, taking a break."

"Even I, a first-breath practitioner, don’t feel tired, yet you’re tired with a fourth-breath?"

Ignoring Horn’s query, Danji softly asked, "Your Holiness, when you saw Miseria our Lord, did she say that those sinful Knights will go to hell?"

"You’ve committed no sins. No worries, I’ll talk to my mother, and if you behave well in the future, I can reduce your punishment accordingly."

"Will I end up in hell?"

"Most likely not," Horn slurped a mouthful of porridge, "First, you are a high-ranking member of my Pope Country; second, you’re a good person, better than many Knights."

Danji didn’t reply but gently stroked Black William’s horse leg beside him.

"If you’re truly afraid," Horn placed the spoon in his mouth, slurped clean the porridge, and handed it to Danji.

"Here, Holy Relics."

Danji took the spoon with confusion.

"I am Mother’s son, which basically qualifies me as Mother’s Holy Relic, so according to the principle of transmission, my things are also Holy Relics." Horn stretched out five fingers, "This spoon can redeem fifty thousand years of sins."

Holding the spoon, Danji’s stern face suddenly couldn’t hold; he couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

Horn, spinning around slurping at the porridge, also showed a smile.

"Your Holiness, Your Holiness..."

Danji hadn’t finished laughing when a Child Soldier stumbled out of the underbrush.

"What’s the matter?" Patting Danji’s shoulder, Horn quickly stood up and went to meet him.

"Those Knights, they’re here. I saw them, so many, so many, many."

Time suddenly fell silent.

"The Knights are here, how could it be so fast?" Ignoring the heat, Horn swallowed a whole gulp of congee and monster meat, speaking indistinctly.

That Child Soldier’s face was covered with small scratches from the underbrush: "I don’t know, but they are indeed here."

"This damned goat, summon all the Messengers!"

Handing the holy relic bowl to the Child Soldier, Horn wiped his hands on his pants and began rapidly issuing orders.

"Abandon unnecessary baggage... that broken clay bowl is unnecessary baggage!"

"Call back everyone collecting firewood and potato roots... Potatoes aren’t everywhere, hurry!"

"Let each team of ten households speed across the suspension bridge without pushing!"

The Child Soldiers dashed down the hill, relaying the new message to the ten households, while the initially slow-moving procession visually increased speed.

As Horn finished giving orders, Qianqian sprinted up from the other side of the hill: "Your Holiness, did you hear the Knights caught up?"

"Already heard." Horn looked into the distance, not knowing how long until the Knights arrived, but at least he couldn’t see them yet.

"It was a three-day journey, we’re three whole days behind; they only set off yesterday noon, and they’ve arrived by tonight?"

"Perhaps they’ve abandoned infantry and baggage?" Qianqian wiped sweat from her forehead: "Besides, you covered only 50 miles in three days; if the road weren’t so muddy, and them needing to find our trail, they would have arrived earlier."

Jeanne climbed up the hill from the other side: "What happened? Why did the procession suddenly speed up, and so many are scattered nearby searching and gathering roots?"

"Blow the whistle, call them all back; the Knights have caught up."

Horn hadn’t finished speaking when villagers below began running and cursing.

"Shameless, cheating with horses when it was agreed to walk side-by-side!"

"Don’t we also use horses to pull carts?"

"That’s different; we’re of the same priesthood, not junior generals or elders. How dare those filthy Knights cheat?"

"Hey, understand a little, must those without feet be forbidden to use canes?"

Though laughing and cursing verbally, the villagers briskly quickened their aching legs, stepping at a faster pace.

"About how long till they arrive?" Horn gazed westward, among the mountains, only seeing black swallows flying amidst the red sun.

"Probably five mini-hourglasses (5 minutes)."

"And how long will it take us to cross?"

"We’re likely to wait until the sun is shielded by that mountain."

"That’s eight mini-hourglasses of time."

Qianqian glanced down at the crowd: "At least two hundred to three hundred won’t make it across..."

"Are we going to abandon them?"

"If they drop all their carried baggage, can they make it?"

Behind Horn and Qianqian engaging in an intense debate, Danji remained still, ceasing to smile.

Raising his head, the mountain ranges undulated, the evening glow pierced the clouds, slicing through the peaks and greenery.

Having gloomy weather all day, and sunshine spilling by evening.

Lifting his head, Danji closed his eyes, amidst the wind intermixing with soft laughter and footsteps, the creaking of wheels rolling over the ground, and the rustling of leaves brushing against the evening breeze.

Reopening his eyes, Danji drew the Knight’s Longsword from the saddle.

The sword trembled no more.