Chapter 72: Voice
Malleus Garibaldi, dressed in a white priest robe, looked askance at the unexpected visitors.
Suspicion, surprise, responsibility, regret, a swirl of emotions, all were set aside for the moment. It was customary to treat guests courteously, especially if they were children who had faced an attack from a witch. Malleus decided to think that way for now.
Hmm.
Malleus Garibaldi spoke with a slightly tired expression.
Coffee or tea. Which would you prefer?
Well, I dont particularly favor one over the other, but since its bedtime soon, Id prefer tea. Im still growing, after all.
Shiron smiled childishly.
Lucia, is tea okay for you?
Ill have the same, thank you.
Johan, do you need anything?
Dont talk to me. Cant you see Im busy?
Johan glared at Malleus with a fierce expression.
Upon hearing of Shirons encounter with the witch, Johan had been immobile for quite some time. Malleus felt a deep fatigue looking at the veteran knight who was hovering over the children.
That wasnt the only reason.
Originally, this place was meant to be a private space for Malleus, the leader of the Steel 2nd Squad, but the tent was now occupied by far too many figures.
Steel Knights 10. Sky Knights 22.
Malleuss tent, which had the captains flag, was almost seized by outsiders.
However, Malleus couldnt do anything about it. Though the visitor had come with the head of a suspected witch, he claimed to be a victim.
Malleus and the Steel Knights tepid response almost endangered the lives of the young lord and lady.
Johan Urheim, yelling with his fierce eyes, made everyone cower, including Malleus.
Malleus sighed as he placed the teacups on the table.
I hope it suits your taste.
Thank you.
Shiron, while bowing slightly, added two sugar cubes to Lucias tea. After a few polite sips, he placed the teacup silently on the table.
Shall we start the conversation now? You seem calm enough.
Hmm I appreciate your consideration.
Malleus wiped his forehead with a handkerchief. Even though it was still the cold winter season, the handkerchief was damp with cold sweat.
That suspected witch
Malleus Garibaldi!!
Johan yelled with a terrifying face.
The Young Lord! Almost! Died! Didnt he tell you?! And you sit there questioning morality and reason?!
Johans voice was so loud that Shiron slightly frowned.
Johan, I believed you were the only sane one here. Maybe I need to reevaluate.
Feeling betrayed by Johan, Shiron mentally demoted him to Lucias level.
Sir Johan, please calm down. Im fine.
I shouldve been there Its unforgivable
Its okay. As I said, its all the witchs fault. How can I blame you? Everyone makes mistakes.
Sir
At Shirons humble words, Johan felt a sting in his nose.
How noble of him. The boy, single-handedly, without even drawing his sword, defeated a witch that an entire knight squad had been tracking for years.
Johan bit his lip as he tried to hold back tears.
The Great Prient. A prodigy from the beginning.
In his mind, the first chapter of a hero saga about Shiron had already begun.
Lets continue our conversation.
Hmm. Right. You were threatened by a witch is that where we left off?
Yes. That witch almost killed me.
?
Sorry, I mean, I almost died. It was truly terrifying. Having faced such a near-death experience, my words got jumbled. Ahem.
Shiron took out a handkerchief from his pocket and dabbed at his eyes.
I understand.
Malleus nodded, pressing his brow. He signaled a subordinate, and with a light gesture of prayer, he invoked magic.
Suddenly, all ambient noises vanished from the tent.
From Johans heavy breathing to Lucias slightly fast-paced heartbeat, all sounds were silenced by Malleuss doing. However, the resonance of the air around them was solely transmitted to Shiron. Shiron widened his eyes as he stared at Malleus.
Whats this?
This is the 9-star magic, [Room of Truth]. Just one of my little tricks.
9-star magic? Thats truly impressive. Almost on the level of a grand mage, arent you?
Ha! When you deal with matters like these, you tend to learn useful spells.
Even whales danced to praise, and Malleus was no exception. Upon hearing Shirons flattery, his face relaxed slightly, and he pulled out a pen.
Shiron felt as though he was in a sealed room, alone with Malleus, and politely rested his hands on his lap. Malleus discreetly smiled at the boys prepared demeanor.
Can you recount the events leading up to this incident? Keep in mind that the moment you start testifying, every action and word will be recorded for posterity. Once inside this domain, you cant provide false testimony, so keep that in mind.
Yes.
Shiron nodded and began to recount the days events.
The observatory, the oath, Ailee Suarez, hallucinations, and the ruptured space Malleus diligently documented the listed information.
The reason for the pursuers being deceived by the witch all this time was now clear.
As soon as it was revealed that Ailee Suarez could cast a dual-veil magic suspected to be a hidden boundary, the unanswered questions began to fall into place.
But with that, doubts clouded Malleuss mind. He gazed at the boy, Shiron.
Did this child really kill the witch by himself
Shiron told Malleus, With a strong spirit, I resisted the hallucinations and exploited the witchs guard to slit her throat.
However unbelievable the claim, Malleus accepted Shirons words in full. [Room of Truth] assured that not a single deceit came from the boy. He chose to trust the phenomenon of magic rather than his own skepticism.
Luckily, the crisis was averted.
Malleus scanned the incident report again.
The information gained from the boy, juxtaposed with the records he had been compiling, unanimously proclaimed Ailee Suarez as the culprit behind the series of disappearances.
Only then could Malleus feel slightly relieved. In his mind, Ailee Suarez shifted from a suspect to a confirmed perpetrator.
Is it over now?
Yes, youve done well.
Malleus prayed again, dispelling the magic.
In the evening, after the noisy and impertinent old man had left, Malleus, within the Steel Knights camp, picked up his utensils with a weary look. A simple barley gruel without any side dishes was placed in his dark wooden bowl.
While he could have rewarded himself with a feast after the days hardship, Malleus chose not to. This meal was neither meant for self-mortification nor was it unintentional. Ironically, the bland taste brought peace to Malleuss mind.
Moderation of the senses: hearing, sight, taste, smell, and touch. Malleus believed this was the way to get closer to God.
He pressed his palms together, blocking out external sounds, and closed his eyes, discarding his sight.
[Ah, Sir Garibaldi. If you can hear me, please respond.]
Before long, a voice began to echo in his mind.
A voice laced with blatant curiosity, the same gospel () he had heard during his baptism as an infant.
Yes, speak.
Hearing the voice, Malleus was overcome with joy, tears flowing freely. Each time he heard the voice, he felt like the happiest being in the world.
<Despise and fear those who claim themselves as gods.>
Though he hadnt forgotten this passage from the first page of the scripture, Malleus believed this voice to be divine. The entity in his head never claimed to be God. When Malleus called upon the name of God, the voice would reply with irritation, urging him to shut up.
He certainly didnt deny it.
Malleus felt immense gratitude for being a unique being who could hear the voice of God. The challenges with Johan, the elusive trail of the witch, he believed were all trials bestowed by God.
[Such petty trials. I dont give those, you know?]
In this manner, God knew everything. Without saying anything, the sensation of having every corner of his soul exposed made Malleus feel naked.
[Its disgusting, so stop imagining that right now. Who would want to see a middle-aged man like you naked?]
I apologize.
[What are you apologizing for? Its my fault for gathering such strange beings.]
A soft sigh. The woman complained about those with hipster tendencies giving her a headache, which gave Malleus a certain misconception, urging him to immediately dismiss his blasphemous thoughts.
[Anyway, tell me about what happened today.]
I will.
Malleus wiped his tears with his sleeve and began speaking.
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