Volume 5, Chapter 4 – Determination

A Paladin was a special class.

They believed in the Holy Light and held fast to the knight’s code.

Because they believed in the Holy Light, Paladins believed in the light.

Because Paladins believed in the light and also in the knight’s code, within the Kingdom and even in the whole world, everyone knew that Paladins were a bunch of idiots, yet also beings who inspired deep admiration.

And Fisiel was someone like that.

She believed in the Holy Light and pursued the light.

Every Paladin who followed the Eight Great Codes carried a heart that wanted to protect the weak, and Fisiel was clearly that kind of person.

Back when the old Stronghold had tried to seize the Northern Fortress, even though she knew it was a mission with no return, for the sake of the ordinary people of the Kingdom, Fisiel resolutely led the Round Table Knights under her command and set out on the journey to defend the Northern Fortress.

After she arrived at the ruins of the Northern Fortress, Fisiel seriously gave everything she had to hold the Northern Fortress.

However, Fisiel’s wish to properly guard the Northern Fortress did not seem to have gained the approval of the noble class inside the Kingdom. Or rather, from the very start, the order sending Fisiel to the Northern Fortress had never planned for her to come back.

Even so, Fisiel still held to the Northern Fortress and, in the end, chose to betray the entire Kingdom and join the newly born Dawn.

And this decision was in fact also made so that the Northern Fortress would not be occupied by the Beastmen.

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But Fisiel’s decision was not understood by the nobles of the Kingdom. On the contrary, not only the nobles, even her former fellow Paladins, felt extremely disappointed by what Fisiel had done.

A Paladin could betray the country in order to prevent internal conflicts within the Kingdom. But when it came to right and wrong between factions, there had never been a case of a Paladin betraying their own faction.

And Fisiel had betrayed her own faction.

In the eyes of the Paladins, Fisiel’s actions had undoubtedly gone against her identity as a Paladin. From that viewpoint, Fisiel was struck from the rolls by the Paladins.

Although her initial intention all along had been to protect the Kingdom, when the Paladins announced her expulsion, even though Fisiel still believed in the Holy Light and still upheld the knight’s code, Fisiel herself had already come to think she was no longer a Paladin.

But…

Just as Fisiel was thinking that, her current lord, Tianyin, said out loud that she was still a Paladin…

And Tianyin’s words let Fisiel, who had fallen into confusion after being stripped of her Paladin status, find direction again…

That was right.

She still clearly believed in the Holy Light. She still clearly held to the knight’s code. She still clearly yearned for the light.

But just because the other Paladins had expelled her, did that mean she was no longer a Paladin?

No…

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She was a Paladin.

She could not deny herself because others denied her.

She, Fisiel, had been a Paladin from the very beginning.

Tianyin had no idea that just by bringing out a few lines Sister Xiaomu had taught her, she had had an enormous impact on Fisiel.

When she saw the knight girl fall into a daze, Tianyin thought her words had only “moved” Fisiel a little, so after pondering for a moment she decided to add a bit more fuel to the fire.

However…

Just as Tianyin was about to continue persuading her, unprecedented brilliance suddenly bloomed in Fisiel’s vacant eyes.

“My lady! You are right, I, Fisiel, clearly still believe in the Holy Light, so why am I not a Paladin!”

“Just because the Kingdom’s Paladins deny me and expel me, does that mean I am not a Paladin!”

“No, I am me, I am the Paladin Fisiel. My path of knighthood does not need anyone else’s approval. As long as I can face my own heart, I am a Paladin!”

“Eh… ah… mm… y-yeah, that is how it is. It is really great that you can think like that…”

Actually, Tianyin was also a bit baffled inside.

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She had not reacted at all.

After all, the one who had just been insisting she had been expelled by the Paladins and was no longer a Paladin was Fisiel…

And then, after spacing out for just a while, she suddenly realized who she was and suddenly woke up…

There was nothing wrong with that, but the speed of that change of heart was way too fast…

Of course, even though she felt a bit confused inside, Tianyin was still very comforted by Fisiel’s change in thinking.

Because only if Fisiel believed she was a Paladin would the matter of going to the Kingdom to participate in the King of Knights election be firmly settled.

If Fisiel still did not think she was a Paladin, then even if Tianyin forced her to go, she still would not have any desire for the King of Knights’ Throne-tier power.

“Mm… Fisiel, since you already think of yourself as a Paladin, then as a Paladin, why not try going to take part in this King of Knights election?”

“My lady… c-can I?”

Now that Fisiel had recognized herself, all Tianyin had to do next was convince Fisiel to join the King of Knights election.

“Of course you can! Fisiel, you have to know you are also a Legendary-tier Paladin! Since you are a Legendary-tier Paladin, why would you not be able to take part in this King of Knights election?”

“Besides, even if you already think of yourself as a Paladin now, do you not want to prove to those fellow Paladins who struck you from the rolls that you have not betrayed your identity as a Paladin!”

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Yes, to prove herself to those Paladins.

To make those Paladins who had expelled Fisiel feel ashamed of their act of expelling her.

And this was exactly the way Sister Xiaomu had specially taught Tianyin before she set out to persuade Fisiel.

You had to admit, the method Sister Xiaomu had taught Tianyin was very effective. At least right now, after Tianyin finished saying those words, in the eyes of the knight girl Fisiel, Tianyin could see flames called fighting spirit blazing fiercely.

“That’s right, my lady. As a Paladin, I will make those colleagues who struck me from the rolls recognize their mistake!”

“I will tell my colleagues that even if I have betrayed the Kingdom, I, Fisiel, am still a Paladin!”

A resolute voice.

There was no doubt that under Tianyin’s persuasion, Fisiel had, without realizing it, started to care about this election for the King of Paladins.

“My lady, I have decided! Even if you will not let me join this King of Knights election, I will go on my own!”

“And I am not going for the King of Knights’ Throne-tier power. I only want to prove that I, Fisiel, am still a Paladin!”