A knocking sound rang out, and Naimes immediately snapped into alertness, his face showing momentary confusion. After all, knocking was somewhat unbecoming for someone of Gold Seed status, but he quickly said, "Please come in."
Then Naimes saw that golden-white-haired holy knight push the door open and enter from outside.
He was holding a pickled vegetable pancake in his hand.
Behind the holy knight followed a female priest holding a thick leather-bound book, her practical ponytail tied with fabric commonly used for priest robes.
After entering, she glanced at the stool still covered with floating dust from the previous battle and prepared to cast a cleaning spell.
"Hey, no need for such trouble." The holy knight didn't mind at all, plopping down directly onto the stool.
The golden holy knight extended his hand with extreme friendliness, shook hands with Naimes, and introduced himself: "Gotthard, that's my name."
Then he raised the pickled vegetable pancake in his hand, finishing it in two or three bites: "Apologies, I came in too much of a hurry and basically haven't eaten. This pickled vegetable pancake tastes quite good."
"No need to worry about it, Commander." Naimes naturally wouldn't feel disrespected over such a small matter.
Gold Seed beings already far surpassed normal humans. Although both still maintained human appearances, their inner beings were completely different races now.
Then, seemingly sensing Gotthard's friendliness, Naimes let down his guard and couldn't help asking: "Commander, are you from commoner origins?"
Like Tangs and Op, these were people who only had given names without family names.
Just as the superior title for priests was Bishop, the superior title for holy knights was Commander. If one presided over an area as the highest-ranking holy knight on a floating whale's back, they would be called Grand Commander.
"Hahaha, no, I come from noble aristocracy. I simply don't need a noble family name to bring myself honor." Gotthard laughed heartily, as if greeting an old friend he hadn't seen in years.
"You've been in this remote backwater too long. Lord Gotthard's name itself is a tremendous honor that requires no family name to embellish it!" The female priest beside Gotthard immediately spoke up proudly.
Though she hadn't served beside Gotthard for long, she already felt proud to attend such a holy knight.
"Forgive my rudeness." Gotthard immediately apologized for his loud laughter but didn't address the female priest's words.
However, after witnessing Gotthard's humility, the female priest immediately lowered her head and said nothing more.
"Well then, let's formally proceed with this testimony recording." Gotthard smiled, then his face turned serious.
"Please describe what happened from your perspective."
Naimes took a deep breath, then fabricated a generally plausible account of that battle.
The reason for this approach was that no matter how perfect his fabricated story might be, the other party would still find flaws.
So it was better to leave some aspects vague and let the other party fill in the gaps themselves.
People tended to believe more strongly in things they thought through themselves. Once their minds worked something out, it became difficult to deny its correctness.
Naimes's account basically described his difficult battle, barely holding on with the help of the village guard (Pur) and the rebellious village chief Op against the old priest.
Because he had previously undergone the implantation of the Oathbound Holy Knight's Divine Nails, at the critical moment his bones itched and his whole body seemed on the verge of collapse, entering a special state.
After entering that special state, the old priest stood frozen in place, muttering the name of his father, Ron.
Then the old priest used Nest Beast blood vessels to inject himself with some kind of potion, both repenting his sins and mistakes while continuing to attack Naimes.
It was after this that Naimes swung his sword and killed the old priest.
He practically came close to saying that even the seawater outside was released by the other party.
"So that's how it was." Gotthard seemed to nod with sudden understanding, then changed the subject to ask: "Could you tell me about your swordsmanship? I'm personally quite curious about this, because I've seen that sword technique before. How did you learn that sword technique?!"
Battle traces were difficult to conceal. The destruction caused by that Rising with the Wind sword strike was too extensive to clean up completely, plus there was Isabella's testimony.
"Because of the Oathbound Holy Knight." Naimes hesitated for a moment, then offered his prepared reason: "After the Oathbound Divine Nails were implanted, I felt changes throughout my body."
"Then that night I had a dream. In the dream, I learned the Breath of Holy Commandment, and that sword technique came to me as if by instinct."
"Is that so?" Gotthard nodded, showing acceptance. This was entirely possible.
One of the characteristics of Saints was their ability to learn without barriers.
Ignoring obstacles of time, space, and similar constraints to quickly master long-lost techniques and secret arts wasn't particularly remarkable.
The Breath of Holy Commandment wasn't controlled by secret techniques and didn't possess mystical confidentiality—it could naturally place one within laws to receive revelations.
'Revelations' came in various forms, and combined with Saint characteristics, learning sword techniques instinctively was logically consistent.
"Additionally, regarding the location you mentioned where Village Chief Op was killed by Naimes, we need you to confirm the specific place."
That's right—Naimes had directly declared Op and the others dead, and completely annihilated without leaving whole bodies at that.
"Alright, I've understood the general situation." Check latest chapters at NovєlFіre.net
"However, this is just my preliminary inquiry. Next, you'll need to come with us to Breathspring City for further review there." Gotthard stood up, and the female priest beside him quickly put away her recorded book and stood as well.
In that moment, he seemed just like a neighbor uncle, as if he might ask if you wanted to come to his house for a simple meal.
"Right now the village's situation is quite poor. Most villagers have had their physical potential drained due to being parasitized by Nest Beast blood vessels, so they all need to be transported to nearby towns for treatment."
"The entire village probably can't continue to exist." Gotthard said with a sigh: "After all, nearly half the population died suddenly, and there are no more merchant caravans."
Beiqi Village would find it difficult to sustain itself anymore. This village would likely be disbanded for some time.
"After the review in Breathspring City concludes, would you like to come work with me?"
"...Let's wait until the review is over before discussing that." Naimes showed a tempted expression, but then smiled wryly: "Too many things are involved in this, and I might not even have a future."
"Don't worry, as long as you're truly without problems, you'll be fine." Gotthard smiled and patted Naimes on the back before leaving. He still needed to handle the villager relocation issues.
Watching Gotthard's departing figure, Naimes frowned, then relaxed his expression.