Chapter 74
Leila ran through the temple with a desperate face.
Behind her, Allen and Todd, who had secretly opened the temple’s side gate at midnight, hurried after her.
At an hour when even the priests, let alone the devotees, were in deep sleep. The grand temple wrapped in darkness was frighteningly silent and still, yet she had no time to care about her surroundings.
* * *
“Sir Bjorn’s condition is not good. His divine power has gone on rampage…”
The thunderbolt like news Allen and Todd delivered this morning made Leila feel as if the sky had literally collapsed.
She jumped up thinking she had to meet Bjorn immediately, but they said even if she went to the temple she would not be able to see him.
“A paladin who cannot control divine power is confined by principle. They’re usually released after the mental correction period is completed, but the situation is rather serious. The temple is on the verge of giving up.”
Hearing he was imprisoned shocked her even more. If the reason he no longer came here was because he had been locked up… Why had she been blaming Bjorn without knowing that?
On top of that, words like rampage and mental correction agitated her nerves. Even Leila, who had visited the temple for so long, had never heard such things. Especially the mention of ‘giving up’ sounded ominous, so she asked in a trembling voice.
“The temple giving up, what does that entail?”
Allen’s expression darkened further.
“It means the temple judges there is a high possibility of great harm to civilians as well, so they proceed with disposal procedures.”
“Disposal…?”
The word itself sent chills down her spine.
“Execution. So that he cannot misuse divine power.”
The only reason she did not faint on the spot was her determination to see Bjorn.
“Why, why does a rampage happen? Why only Sir Bjorn when other paladins do not experience this… there had never been any problems until now…”
“We normally receive training to control our divine power from childhood, so it rarely happens. However, divine power is greatly affected by the owner’s emotions and mental state, and in Sir Bjorn’s case, he was born with an enormous amount, which makes it more dangerous.”
Then did that mean Bjorn’s mental condition had worsened to the point he could not control it. Only then did Leila remember how terribly ill he looked the last time she saw him a month ago.
Judging from the circumstances, it was clearly because of what happened with her. Guilt toward Bjorn and resentment toward herself for pushing him that far surged together. If she could meet him even now, she felt she could do anything for him.
As if reading her heart, Allen carefully made a proposal.
“The situation is urgent, so we came to you, Miss Bailey. We’re grasping at straws. We thought perhaps Sir Bjorn’s condition might improve even a little if he meets you… Of course, we cannot be certain he will recognize anyone. We are not forcing you. If you are unwilling…”
“I’ll go. I can go right now.”
Allen and Todd exchanged unreadable glances when they saw Leila’s resolute expression. Both seemed to have made a decision as well.
“Ordinarily civilians can never enter, but we will escort you even if we face punishment. Can you come to the temple tonight?”
There was no reason not to. Rather, it was regrettable she had to wait until night.
* * *
And so now, taking advantage of the deep night’s darkness, Leila was heading to the confinement chamber where Bjorn was imprisoned.
Following Allen and Todd into one of the temple’s many annex buildings, Leila walked down a dark, damp basement for a long time. The thick stone walls looked sturdy enough not to break from ordinary impact, and the winding path was like a maze.
After walking a long while, Leila finally reached the room where Bjorn was confined, and upon seeing his state she nearly collapsed.
“How could you… let a person end up like this.”
The horrific sight left her speechless. Was he not the paladin called the pride of the principality and the treasure of the temple?
Bjorn was kneeling with his limbs bound by all kinds of restraints, his head tied by a collar pressed tightly to the floor. His arms were bound behind him, the prone posture extremely uncomfortable and even humiliating, like forcing a beast into submission.
Even a criminal who committed a grave sin would not be treated this roughly.
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