Chapter Text
"The strong wield the power for the weak."
The words flashed to Hinata's mind as she observed. Her body slightly leaning behind a tree, her eyes lingered on the Temple Knights with reassuring smiles and discussing with the villagers.
A small distance away, the massive corpse of a large magical beast could be seen. A different Temple Knight guarded nearby as they patted the head of a child crying. She watched them fight the beast, the movement of synchronization with their comrades and the loud cheers from the masses.
Religion wasn't something she believed in. Her mind flashed with a moment of her past, two silhouettes of people close to her. She clicked her tongue as her brows creased, and she shook her head from the recollection.
Her thoughts moved when she arrived at this new world. She turned away from the group, her mind lingering on the sight of the people being helped by the Temple Knights who came to rescue them from the beast.
Ideas and new goals began to form in her mind as she leisurely reached the border of the forest. In her line of sight, the gates of the town were visible. She found a familiar person running towards her, with another one following behind.
She silently murmured to herself as she organized each and every one of her thoughts. Thinking about what her goal is, what she will do, and how she will mention this to them.
"Hinata!"
Her tone was soft with a slight hint of worry as her arm gestured to garner Hinata's attention. Hinata observed the woman, her instructor, with long black hair, wearing a mask with an intricate pattern.
"We were so worried. You mentioned monsters appearing and suddenly disappeared on us."
"Shizu-sensei."
Hinata called her instructor, with a tense yet resolute voice. She calmed her breathing. She looked straight forward, meeting Shizu's gaze.
"Thank you for everything you have done for me thus far."
Shizu Izawa's expression changed from earlier worries. Her brows lifted in surprise and confusion. Yuuki halted mid-step as he stared at the short black-haired fellow student of his.
Hinata watched their expressions, nodding to herself. She expected these reactions from the two. Her thoughts from earlier took this very moment into account.
She took steps forward, in the direction of the town as the pair's eyes followed her stride. She beckoned them to follow, implicitly telling them that further explanation was to come.
The walk back to the town was quiet. Even as they passed through, Shizue Izawa and Yuuki Kagurazaka had their eyes fixed on the girl's back. She treads with confidence and absolute resolution in each of her actions.
Finally, they stopped at a familiar establishment. A place all three of them found the food to be just to their taste. Gesturing to the two, they all stepped inside.
Taking their seats at a circle table, Yuuki glanced at Shizu who occasionally met his eyes. Meanwhile, Hinata was taking a deep breath before beginning.
"I..."
Hinata felt her voice halt for a split second. Seeing Shizu's face of worry and concern, her heart almost wavered from continuing. Yet, she remained firm.
"I am planning on leaving. I believe that it is time for me to make my own path."
Yuuki blinked. He furrowed his brows, his usual personality of joking and messing around not present.
"You're leaving the group?"
Hinata nodded calmly. Even with Yuuki's piercing gaze, she remained steady in her decision. It wasn't that she didn't enjoy their company. Quite the opposite, she loved staying with her instructor Shizue Izawa, also known as the Conqueror of Flames.
But this very reason is why she wanted to leave as soon as possible. She didn't want this relationship to turn out like her past ones. Not wanting it to end on a bad note.
Yuuki took a deep inhale of breath. He calmed himself, but still with a hint of hesitation in his words.
"Are you sure about this, Hinata? You might regret—"
"I won't. I have nothing else to learn here."
Her tone unwavering, Yuuki could only lean on his seat, slumping down. He sighed to himself, glancing at the familiar expression on Hinata's face. One that he knew meant that her decision was final.
Silence fell as the bustling street and the other customers in the establishment were all that could be heard.
Shizu, who had remained silent up until now, removed her mask with intricate details. Placing it down on the table, her gentle face with signs of burn marks under her left eye, she smiled. With her eyes filled with warmth and clarity, she silently observed Hinata.
"I see."
Placing her hand on Hinata's own, atop the table, she silently nodded as she tightened her grip.
"If you ever lose your way, you can always turn to me, Hinata."
Hinata felt her resolution wane again. Her breath caught in her throat as she felt Shizu's tender caress on her hand. She took a deep breath, turning her face to the side as she recalled why she was doing this.
Giving a brief nod, she retracted her hand, letting go of Shizu's hand. Placing them under the table as she composed herself.
The following day, Hinata gripped her bag tightly as the dirt road began to diverge. Shizu and Yuuki waved their hands as they walked to the east road to visit Blumund Kingdom. Hinata stared at her separate path going westward, the road commonly used by those eager to become Temple Knights and serve Luminism.
Walking through her chosen path, she held her body firm. The desire to look back or even give in and join them altogether. She feared regretting her decision. Yet, even more than that, she feared the eventual outcome of all her relationships with people she trusted.
With one final look, she took her step towards a different future,
Enlisting to be a Temple Knight, she wrote her name onto the parchment in one of the border cities of the Holy Empire Lubelios. With a small gesture from the recruiter, she moved to the open area where many young ones were holding wooden swords.
Temple Knights had their eyes observing their movements. Some leaned on the pillars of the open area. Others merely crossed their arms as they remained silent.
They exchanged glances with each other, quiet murmurings seeing the enlisting people swing their weapons and spar.
Hinata's eyes flickered to them as she stepped backward and disarmed her opponent. The wooden sword flew out of their hand as she aimed the tip of the practice weapon at their throat.
The recruiter's eyes glinted with satisfaction as he followed each one of Hinata's actions. The Temple Knights' conversation raised in volume as her name could be heard being passed around.
"You will all become squires to them."
With his deep voice, he gestured to the Temple Knights who stood forward. Their presence was heavy for the aspiring new recruits, though a certain black-haired woman was barely showing any changes in expression.
Hinata began her day staring at herself. She felt her strength beginning to lapse as she stepped outside. Her fellow squires greeted her politely. They briskly walked to the study room. Sitting near the very front, she readied her quill.
Goddess Luminous, the teachings, the creed, and principles of the church. She scribbled on her notes as she barely registered the quiet whispering and writing of her fellow students. When the sun was at its peak, just after the time when they all dined, all the squires stood at the open practice ground with their preferred weapons ready.
Basic stances and posture were done by the first few weeks of being a squire. Currently, they sparred with each other, preparing for when the time comes that they will be at the very front.
Adding to the practical lessons, Holy Magic is a staple lesson that a Temple Knight personally mentors in. The basics from simple healing to purifying demons and undead.
Her life was filled with such carefreeness that she could feel her strength waning if she didn't give extra work. She felt shame and slight humiliation in being treated as inexperienced when she had long defeated magical beasts even Temple Knights would find hard to beat.
She stared blankly one afternoon. Having been a squire for Temple Knights for months had given her and the others permission to observe them in battle. Marching through the dirt road, they were given a minor mission of a Knight Spider loitering near the border of the Holy Empire.
Whilst the other squires' faces were filled with excitement and even nervousness, she was calm as can be.
"Watch now. This is how we work."
Hinata observed the Temple Knight assigned to her. She gripped her blade as they moved to their formation.
Shields were raised, mages chanting their spells as spears and swords cornered the beast. The Knight Spider let out a beastly screech as it slammed its legs at the shields. Sounds of gasps rippled from Hinata's side while she remained unmoved.
She had experience battling such a mere magical beast before.
Under Shizue Izawa's mentorship, she had long fought and defeated a Knight Spider and those on its level. She felt her eyes twitch recalling it. Now she was a squire remaining on the sidelines like a helpless damsel.
Further slight cracks in her expression appeared as she found the Temple Knights' subjugation to be fully efficient. The slight gap in the shield wielder's response, the lag time of the magic, and even the way the blades pierced the gaps in the Knight Spider's armor was almost perfect.
As professionals, they found themselves able to complement each other's slight errors. Something she could commend truthfully, but it wasn't something she agreed to be part of the norm.
The squires let out sounds of admiration and awe as the arachnid beast finally fell. After which, their turn arrived.
Some of the squires supported the Temple Knights, giving them something to sate their thirst or help comfort them. Hinata and a few others meanwhile began stripping the magical beast.
With her tool ready, she began to remove the exoskeleton on one of the legs. On the edge of her eyes, one of the squires retched at having to take the useful internal organs while avoiding the venom.
Such tasks were left to the squires. She began organizing each material to be used for the church's cause. The edible meat would be left to the village that was plagued by the monster.
Hinata never complained, not wanting to garner resentment nor attention. At the very least, not at this moment in time. She would show her abilities and strength when the time is right.
As of now, she would remain silent and learn.
The Temple Knights and squires were not bothered by her personality. They knew she wasn't cold, at least they thought so. Just pragmatic and chose not to bother with pointless chatter.
When the day finally came for her to take the exam to become a Temple Knight, she didn't hesitate to show her strength.
The proctor was as stunned as everyone watching. From the ceremony of summoning spirits, the invocation of holy magic, and the sparring of a Temple Knight.
She passed them all with flying colors.
She was the fastest known person to become a Temple Knight in recent history.
The procedure of her ascension in status could have taken less time had it not been for the required task of listening to lessons she already knew on a practical level. She was obedient, enduring all of the training she felt was less than a quarter of what Shizu had already taught her.
Shizue Izawa was infamous to both Hinata and Yuuki for her harsh and grueling training. Her swordsmanship was swift and precise; her magic fast, even the summoning wasn't merely a contract of a singular spirit. She had managed to make a contract with spirits from each element.
Serving her time as a Temple Knight in such a backwater place, she sent out a request to be relocated. A report many in the upper echelon already expected, seeing her drive and ambition.
Having turned such a place to be more efficient in dealing with threats from banditry to monster subjugation. Even a routine march to the 'hotspots' or magicule-dense areas with a high probability of spawning magical beasts.
With a knocking sound, Hinata lowered the parchment that showed the report of the latest subjugation.
"Come in."
A Temple Knight entered, bowing as they presented a letter. Hinata received the envelope before gesturing for them to leave.
She observed it carefully as the insignia of the church could be seen on the seal. Cracking it open, she scanned through the words written on the parchment.
"Approval of Relocation..."
Her lips curved slightly, showing a rare change in her otherwise passive face. A satisfied and minor joy could be seen on Hinata as she continued reading.
"Capital? Opportunity to become a Paladin, is it?"
Seeing such words, she lowered the parchment and leaned on her seat. She took a deep breath as she closed her eyes. She was planning on moving up the ranks as fast as she could but never would have thought that they would come to her first.
Fidgeting with the monocle in her pocket, she collected her thoughts as she grabbed her quill. Opening one of the drawers, a blank parchment was placed down as she scribbled her reply.
With that finished, she found herself at the entrance of the Holy Empire's capital, Lune.