[System]
- Apostle, Jeanne d’Arc’s Promotion Quest is now activated!
Promotion Quest?”
Soon, a new Quest window appeared before my eyes.
-Ding!
[Quest]
[Promotion 1] Apostle, Jeanne d’Arc’s Worry
- 1. Confirm what Jeanne d’Arc’s wish is.
- 2. Hear from Jeanne d’Arc an anecdote about the Darc House.
・Experience +100, Divine Power +5P
‘Jeanne d’Arc’s worry…’
Looking back, I realized I’d never really listened to Jeanne’s story properly, not even once.
I vaguely remembered that there was some circumstance related to the surname ‘Darc.’
‘…Anyway, what’s this Promotion Quest all about?’
As if answering my question, another system window appeared before my eyes.
[System]
-Apostles who reach a certain level can proceed with a Promotion Quest.
- Upon success, you will receive a special reward.
※ Honestly, isn’t it hard to see ‘Apostle’ as a profession? With youth unemployment reaching 1.13 million due to the prolonged economic slump, shouldn’t the Creator help with youth employment?
The last comment in the system window still had a strangely irksome touch to it.
At any rate, the word that stood out the most in the system window was, of course, ‘special reward.’
‘…Besides, the rewards for Promotion Quests are more generous than ordinary Quests.’
In other words, there was no reason not to do it.
Meanwhile, down below, the children of the Sanctuary were gathering around Jeanne d’Arc, their faces filled with excitement.
“Wow, there was a bright light around the Holy Lady just now!”
“It was such a beautiful light! Like a princess!”
“Holy Lady, you’re amazing! So cool!”
“I want to be like you when I grow up, Holy Lady…”
Jeanne d’Arc looked a bit dazed.
But only for a moment.
Soon, Jeanne d’Arc quietly looked up at the sky.
I gazed into Jeanne’s clear, bright eyes and then slowly opened my mouth.
“We have something to discuss, just the two of us.”
Jeanne d’Arc nodded, and we moved to a more secluded spot.
Before we knew it, the sun was slowly disappearing beyond the horizon.
After a short while,
The place Jeanne d’Arc arrived at was under a large apple tree.
Jeanne d’Arc gently placed her hand on the tree and smiled softly.
“This is where I first met God. And it’s also the place where He granted me the miracle of healing and breathed new life into me.”
Looking closer, this was the very Field of Wolves where Jeanne d’Arc had been chased by wolves.
Thanks to the Blessed Land, such a huge apple tree had grown here.
Soon, Jeanne looked up at the sky and spoke.
“God. You said you had something to discuss—may I ask what it is?”
I checked the Quest window once more.
[Quest]
[Promotion 1] Apostle, Jeanne d’Arc’s Worry
- 1. Confirm what Jeanne d’Arc’s wish is.
- 2. Hear from Jeanne d’Arc an anecdote about the Darc House.
・Experience +100, Divine Power +5P
The first Quest objective was to find out Jeanne d’Arc’s wish.
Jeanne d’Arc was always devoted to me, yet I had no idea what her worries or hopes were.
I resolved that from now on, I would pay more attention to those who showed me kindness.
Once my thoughts settled, I carefully asked,
“Jeanne, is there something you wish for?”
Jeanne d’Arc seemed to hesitate for a moment, then brought her hands together and spoke devoutly.
“My wish is to help all people of the Kingdom of Franz realize the existence of God and serve Him with utmost sincerity.”
However, the Quest window did not update.
Of course, it wasn’t that Jeanne d’Arc was lying.
She simply hadn’t spoken the true wish hidden deep in her heart, the one required for the Promotion Quest.
I asked again.
“…Would you tell me what you truly wish for, deep inside your heart?”
Then Jeanne bowed her head and answered softly.
“In front of the omnipotent God, what could I possibly hide? It’s just that this is a personal and selfish wish, so I hesitated to speak it.”
After that, Jeanne lifted her clear eyes to the sky.
Then, as if confessing a yearning that could never come true, she cautiously parted her lips.
“O God… I… want to become a Knight.”
Knight.
Jeanne d’Arc carefully spoke the word.
She continued, her expression now determined.
“…And by becoming a Knight, I want to restore the tarnished honor of my grandfather and wash away the disgrace of my House.”
Ding!
[Quest]
[Promotion 1] Apostle, Jeanne d’Arc’s Worry
- 1. Confirm what Jeanne d’Arc’s wish is. …… [Complete(√)]
- 2. Hear from Jeanne d’Arc an anecdote about the Darc House.
・Experience +100, Divine Power +5P
A wish that came from the bottom of Jeanne d’Arc’s heart.
‘To become a Knight.’
It was clear that the key to the Promotion Quest was ‘Knight.’
The first condition of the Promotion Quest was now fulfilled.
Now only one condition remained.
What was left was to hear the long-awaited backstory of the Darc House.
“Would you tell me what happened in the past?”
At my question, Jeanne d’Arc quietly closed her eyes and nodded.
After a brief moment to calm herself, Jeanne slowly began to speak.
“…Until five years ago, there was a House that protected the northern region of the Kingdom of Franz.”
The northern region of the Kingdom of Franz.
That land was surrounded by steep, sheer mountains—a frozen land where snow never melted all year round.
Unlike the peaceful southern region, the north was the front line that guarded the heart of the Kingdom of Franz.
Because beyond the northern mountain range, monsters from the land of Demons constantly threatened to invade.
But for decades, the Kingdom of Franz had never once been exposed to the threat of monsters.
Because there was a single House that resolutely defended the kingdom by holding back the armies of monsters from the fortress at the northernmost front, Ordo Castle.
That was the famed Knight House, the Darc House.
The Darc House united other Houses of the north—the Adolf House, the Grace House, and the Valencia House—and always succeeded in driving out the monsters.
However, the armies of monsters grew increasingly organized and cunning, slowly encroaching beyond the northern borders.
The first to notice and prepare for this was the previous head of the Darc House.
Jeanne d’Arc’s grandfather, Lionel Darc.
‘The winds are ominous. Sooner or later, the monsters will gather a vast army and invade the Kingdom of Franz.’
Lionel Darc, wise and resolute, began steadily strengthening their forces to prevent a major invasion of monsters.
But then, five years ago, on that day—
One of the three Houses serving the Darc House, the Adolf House, suddenly launched a surprise attack on Ordo Castle.
That day was Jeanne d’Arc’s twelfth birthday.
A day that should have been blessed was instantly stained with blood and screams, pain and anguish.
Not only Lionel Darc, the previous head of the Darc House, but countless blood relatives and retainers of the House—
All were brutally slaughtered by the soldiers of the Adolf House.
Only three survived.
Jeanne d’Arc, her father, and her one-year-old younger sister.
And the next day, a certain rumor began to circulate in the royal capital of the Kingdom of Franz.
‘The head of the Darc House, Lionel Darc, raised an army to overthrow the current King and seize the throne. Therefore, Tord Adolf, head of the Adolf House, slew the traitors for the honor of the King.’
It was a rumor spread by Tord Adolf, head of the Adolf House.
Without a chance to defend themselves, the Darc House was suddenly labeled as plotting rebellion.
It all happened so quickly, as if following a tightly woven script.
‘The treason was prevented in advance.’
The Adolf House was credited with great merit and became the new rulers of the north.
Meanwhile, the remnants of the Jeanne d’Arc family, barely escaping death, fled to the southern edge, as far away from their homeland as possible, ending up in Rivera.
And ever since, they have lived quietly, hiding their true identities.
Even now, five years later, Jeanne d’Arc still dreams of being killed by Adolf House assassins.
Ding!
[Quest]
[Promotion 1] Apostle, Jeanne d’Arc’s Worry
- 1. Confirm what Jeanne d’Arc’s wish is. …… [Complete(V)]
- 2. Hear from Jeanne d’Arc an anecdote about the Darc House……. [Complete(√)]
[System]
- Quest complete!
・Experience +100, Divine Power +5P
As Jeanne finished her story, hot tears streamed down her cheeks.
She wiped her tears and continued.
“To wash away this disgrace and restore my House, there is only one way: I must become a Knight. But…”
Jeanne then composed herself and continued, her expression calm.
[“…Since we’ve been branded traitors, I can’t use the Darc family name. And even now, the Adolf House is surely watching the surviving bloodline of the Darcs. Therefore, I must become a Knight not as the noble ‘Jeanne d’Arc,’ but as the commoner ‘Janet.'”]
Jeanne d’Arc gazed wistfully toward the horizon with a bitter smile.
As if she were voicing a wish that could never come true.
“Is it impossible to become a Knight as a commoner?”
When I asked, Jeanne shook her head.
“There is one way for a commoner to become a Knight. It’s to receive a recommendation for entry to the Academy of Knights from the Lord who rules each territory.”
She added that to become a Knight, one must complete the Academy of Knights’ course of study.
“But the Lord of Rivera would never meet a mere commoner like me. Unless someone with great influence in Rivera, or someone the Lord personally trusts, writes me a letter of introduction…”
—Ding!
[Quest]
[Promotion 2] The First Step Toward the Dream
- Help Apostle, Jeanne d’Arc meet the Lord of Rivera.
Experience +200, Divine Power +5P
A newly updated Promotion Quest.
Apparently, Promotion Quests are like chain missions you often see in games.
‘…Anyway, if she wants a recommendation for the Academy of Knights, she needs to meet the Lord.’
It seems a letter of introduction is required for a commoner to meet the Lord.
But not just anyone can write such a letter.
“Someone with great influence in Rivera… someone the Lord trusts… Oh?!”
“…Ah!”
Suddenly, a certain person sprang to mind.
Apparently, Jeanne d’Arc thought of the same person, her eyes widening in realization.
Then, at the same time, we spoke the same name.
“…Shylock!”
“…Mr. Shylock!”