Chapter 73.1. Lancelots Adventure (2) Part 1

"Stop! What are you doing?" A sharp, high pitch voice dominated the inns first floor, forcing the paladins to suppress their spirits.

The unknown power in the voice seemed to restrain the paladins. As a woman descended from the stairs, the paladins knelt on one knee in unison to show their respect.

It was the person they admired, Saintess Hillis.

Hillis passed by the kneeling paladins and approached Lancelot's party situated in the middle of the first floor.

"Lady Saintess! It's dangerous!" A paladin objected.

"Be quiet!" The saintess said.

Once again, the Knights were unable to lift their heads as if a strong pressure was being exerted on them.

The saintess approached Mac and bowed her head to apologize, "My subordinates have been rude."

In Hilliss eyes, it seemed like her subordinates had surrounded innocent civilians and threatened them, but rather, Mac had deliberately lightly provoked the paladins subconscious without anyone knowing. However, since the paladins remained unaware, there was no way that Hillis could have known, having come down late.

When Hillis bowed and apologized, the men groaned indignantly. They blamed themselves more than anyone else for making the honorable saintess bow her head, but they were bound by Hillis's orders and couldn't open their mouths.

Mac licked his lips at the change in the situation. In reality, it was better not to get in a fight as one of the groups escorts, but he couldn't help but feel some regret.

"I don't understand what's going on, so can you explain the situation to me?" Hillis enquired while tenderly smiling.

Mac shrugged and gave Lancelot's back a slight push. "I'm just an escort. The leader of our party should answer such a difficult question.

"Vice-captain?" Hillis pressed.

Suddenly pushed forward, Lancelot looked at Mac in surprise, but Mac just returned a handsome smile. Lancelot wanted to ask why he should deal with a situation he didnt cause, but he couldn't vent his feelings at this moment.

Lancelot stopped himself from acting when he recalled Denburgs teachings. If the other party didnt notice your own sides faults and apologized, there was no need to tell them about your faults.

Since the situation was already like this, he decided to be confident. Either way, their level seemed to be too insufficient to notice Mac's provocation.

"Thats, maybe we could stay at the inn too, heuk!" Lancelot looked at Hillis with tearful eyes.

It was Denburgs wise saying that those who cry first survive for sure. As a tear slid down Lancelot's cheek, Hillis understood everything that Lancelot wanted to say.

When they were forced to beg for a room and unable to stay because the inn was fully rented, the paladins tried to chase them away by raising their fighting spirits to the point where the inn was shaking.

Her understanding wasnt necessarily wrong. Even the innkeeper who was watching the whole situation felt the same way.

The reality was a little different, but it became true with Lancelot's performance. Lancelot's innocent-looking eyes were convincing enough to fool even Hillis, who was used to dealing with the old raccoons at the temple.

"Do you guys have anything to say?" Hillis asked.

The paladins had nothing to say in response to Hillis's rage. To be specific, they were bound by the previous order of "Be quiet" and couldn't open their mouths.

At the lack of any response, Hillis admonished the paladins with cold eyes, "You all are priests. Of course, I know that it is your job to wield the sword, to become the shield of God, and to crush Gods enemies, but before that, a priest must share God's mercy. Yet, persecuting the innocent, do you think that's what you should do as a priest?"

Still, the paladins could not answer. Hillis continued to preach without caring.

"Have you ever thought that each of your acts could dirty God's name? The poor, the rich, the noble, and the wicked are equal before God. As the saintess, I am disappointed by this display. So-"

Hillis, who finished speaking like a squadron leader, took a deep breath and shouted, "Drop your heads, you bastards!"

At Hillis's command, the paladins responded perfectly and put their heads on the ground, holding their hands behind their backs. [1]

The sight made Lancelot flustered, "Uh, um, that might be a little excessive...

Looking at the paladins veins bulging out of their necks and their heads supporting their body weight, Lancelot asked Hillis for leniency.

At the very least, Lancelot had originally intended to get Leisha to be able to stay in the inn, not have the paladins be violently punished.

"No, this is a trial from God. You don't have to worry too much about it," Hillis stated.

No, it's not God. This is your trial, isn't it?

Lancelot thought so, but he couldn't state his innermost feelings when he saw Hillis's benevolent yet refreshing smile.

Hillis continued while sitting gently on the back of the nearest knight. "I havent introduced myself yet. I'm Hillis and am known in the temple as a saintess, undeservingly. Im associated with the Great Temple Percival.

"Um, excuse me. Isnt that too heavy for him? Lancelot asked.

When Lancelot stated his concern for the paladin lying under Hillis, she looked shocked. "Oh, my! Do I look so heavy?"

"No, thats not it," Lancelot said.

Hillis smiled at the bewildered Lancelot. Then she patted the back of the knight she was on and asked, "Am I heavy?

The knight almost answered "Yes!" at that moment, but fortunately, he was still bound by the order "Be quiet" and could not answer.

When there was no answer, Hillis frowned for a while then realized that he could not answer because she had previously issued an order with divine power.

Answer! Am I heavy? Hillis asked again.

Upon the repeated order, the knight replied with a roar, "No! Miss Saintess is as light as a feather!"

What Hillis ordered was to answer, not tell the truth.

Hillis looked at Lancelot again and smiled, "So he says. Now, can you tell me who you are?"

Lancelot realized that he had not introduced himself and began to speak, "Oh! I apologize. I'm Lancelot from the 3rd team of the Crow Tribes Ministry of Foreign Affairs. I was dispatched as a