Early the next morning, Mr. Laine's door was knocked on. The White Wolf Knight was still bleary-eyed, looking up to find it was not yet dawn: "Who is it?"
"Laine! Get up! We've finished our morning ritual and prayers!" It was Paladin Alfred, full of energy so early in the morning, knocking on Mr. Laine's door: "Get up! Come stroll on the street with me, I have lots I want to talk to you about!"
"Oh my~" Mr. Laine held his head, it was winter, not yet dawn, and these paladins were already so spirited.
With no choice, Mr. Laine opened the door, hastily freshened up, and changed into noble attire.
Remembering the agreement with the female sorcerer from the night before, Mr. Laine hesitated for a long time but eventually knocked on Teresa's door: "Teresa?"
The door quickly opened, and Teresa was already dressed in her winter coat, her shimmering black hair pinned up. The woman clearly wore makeup, her purple eyeshadow and glistening red lips slightly softened her cold demeanor.
Seeing Mr. Laine, her silver pupils shone briefly, only to dull again upon noticing Alfred behind him: "Didn't I say? Mr. Laine? Please don't bring random people knocking on my door!"
"I'm going out with Afu and the others for a walk this morning, would you like to join?" Mr. Laine immediately performed a gentlemanly bow, then extended his large hand towards the woman: "The White Wolf Knight Laine sincerely invites you!"
"... I don't see what is sincere about you." Seeing the man on track, Teresa lifted her chin, then placed her small hand enveloped in white lace glove into the man's large hand: "... But I cannot refuse you, I'll accompany you."
Witnessing this, Alfred thought women were indeed troublesome creatures.
Mr. Laine's childhood friend had never been interested in matters between men and women, always considering women to be troublesome creatures. Seeing the two in such a manner, Alfred thought Mr. Laine's thinking was problematic!
What's interesting about women compared to prayers and morning rituals? Mr. Laine must have mistaken something.
When there's a chance, I must persuade Mr. Laine.
Without saying much, after a simple breakfast, Temple Knight Floyd took Alfred and a young paladin named Alex towards the Justice Church, strolling on the streets as well, with Mr. Laine and Teresa following behind the three paladins.
Paladins often don't live as ascetic monks as imagined, eating black bread with clear water every day, constantly either in introspection or prayer, or going out to punish evil and promote virtue.
Paladins are also human, they have their own lives, they marry, become parents, they also need to earn money. The Justice Church frequently emphasizes "Justice requires a price," effectively highlighting that paladins, when eradicating evil or rescuing in distress, cannot act without pay or recognition because they, too, need to eat, and the Justice Church needs income.
So what distinguishes paladins from mercenaries?
The difference is that paladins have their own stance and their own rules, everything they do is to establish order, to combat evil. In Chaos Invasion, Green Skin tide, and Undead War, these paladins are forever on the frontline; without their precious sacrifices, humanity might face complete destruction.
Fifty years ago, an enormous Chaos Army, aided by an energy tide, traversed the Chaos Gate appearing in Tazier Desert. The God of Justice had long foretold this event, where the Paladin Legion of twenty thousand, led by a bishop of the Justice Church, spent fifteen days crossing the desert, facing the Chaos Army directly.
A dreadful war waged, ending with only twenty-three paladins remaining alongside the bishop standing at the altar.
This bishop is now the Church Archbishop "Death God" Vokma Bekman.
Therefore, paladins are also hailed as "the backbone of the world." Googlᴇ search novel fire.net
"Excuse me, Mr. Floyd, does your Justice Church have any ready-made chain armor and chest armor?" Mr. Laine and Teresa walked side by side on the street, asking Temple Knight Floyd leading the group.
"Of course, does Mr. Laine need some?"
"Yes, my armor was damaged in the previous battle, so I need a new set temporarily."
On this matter, Floyd agreed very readily: "Mr. Laine is an old friend of our Justice Church, certainly, I can authorize selling the stock armor to you at a twenty percent discount, but you need to try it on to ensure the armor fits properly."
After the transaction was completed, the group came to the Justice Church, where Mr. Laine selected a chain armor and chest armor. The church's blacksmith would make adjustments to accommodate his build for a better fit. Then Mr. Laine handed a parchment to the blacksmith: "Could you modify the shoulder armor to this pattern?"
"This is...?" The blacksmith received the parchment, upon which a heraldic symbol was drawn.
A sharp sword pierced through the middle of a book, a white and red kite shield heraldic symbol behind it. The book bore no words, just a red seal and a silver skull design.
"This is my future heraldic symbol." Mr. Laine nodded: "Can it be done?"
"Certainly, even though it's a bit odd, creating it definitely won't be a problem." The blacksmith accepted the task, and they agreed to collect it the next day, with Mr. Laine and Teresa leaving the Justice Church, strolling in the winter street, creating a romantic ambiance.