I Only Need a Few Months

Knight Roman's face went ashen.

When he'd sent people to arrest Gret, he hadn't given it much thought. It was just a lowly soldier. They'd take him to the temple, beat him up, and lock him away for a few days. What was so difficult about that? Surely the City Guard wouldn't come knocking to make a big fuss over some nobody?

Who could've guessed that the City Guard would actually show up? And not just any guardsmen, either—a captain and two lieutenants. On top of that, the Temple of the God of War's bishop had come, too, and was even willing to testify for that little brat!

Why?

Why?!

Knight Roman gritted his teeth until they ground together. He instinctively tried to make a fist, but when he did, he found that his thumb wouldn't work at all. A surge of fury rose up in his chest.

He was finished anyway. He had framed an innocent man, violated the knight's code, and been caught red-handed by the High Priest in front of honored guests. The best fate for a knight who did something like that was to start over as a foot soldier on the battlefield and wash away his sins with enemy blood.

But he was crippled. He couldn't even go to war.

If that was the case—

If that was the case!

"He's the one who did this to me!"

Knight Roman jerked his head up and glared at Gret, his eyes red as blood.

"When I was treating my injury, he wouldn't let me pour in a Healing Potion! Then, after he and the necromancer went inside, he sent that Black Cat out to drag me in! If I hadn't—if I hadn't held on to the doorframe with all my strength—"

Gret sighed.

He really missed Director Yu from the medical department. A short, stout man, he could argue, slam a desk, stand up to the health commission, and take on unruly patients. With someone like him in front, complaints this unreasonable barely ever reached the doctors.

But now Gret had transmigrated. He had to face every storm himself.

Gret raised his eyes. Like any young man who'd only just begun to understand the world and had witnessed human malice for the first time, he looked at the City Guard captain with clear eyes and a faint tremor in his voice.

"Captain, if Knight Roman's accusation is upheld, what will happen to me?"

What would happen?

A commoner boy had colluded with the enemy and grievously injured a knight. Whether the temple or the lord's manor pursued the matter, it would be perfectly normal for Gret to be beaten to death on the spot.

And yet Gret was innocent!

Knight Nolan had been seething for a while now. They'd barged in to arrest someone and made reckless accusations. Even if the other party was a temple knight, the City Guard couldn't just be pushed around. And Little Grete's father had once been a City Guard lieutenant; Gret himself had just saved Knight Xiluo...

Knight Nolan knitted his thick brows. He was about to speak when the High Priest of the Temple of the Spring Goddess sighed and spoke first.

"Child, there's no need to worry." The High Priest's voice was gentle, his bearing noble. Even though one of their own knights had done wrong, it did nothing to shake his imposing air.

"The Spring Goddess's clear gaze can see through everything. She would never let an innocent person suffer an injustice."

"Praise the Spring Goddess."

"Praise the Spring Goddess." The priests and knights bowed their heads together. Gret followed their example and bowed his head, silently muttering a few words, as if that counted as worship. When he spoke again, his voice rang out, his words sharp.

"Then do you think someone who's already falsely accused me once can be trusted when he accuses me again?"

It was like a sword suddenly thrusting out from beneath a thick, soft cloak.

Like a sheep that grazed on grass suddenly baring its fangs.

Knight Nolan's eyes widened slightly in surprise, as if he were seeing Gret for the first time. Then he smiled in satisfaction. At the sound of his laughter, the High Priest's expression darkened, turning somewhat unpleasant. Knight Roman shrieked furiously.

"You're talking nonsense! You're the one who did it! You—"

"Enough!"

The High Priest flew into a sudden rage. He struck the ground with his staff, and a flash of watery light burst from its tip. Knight Roman was silenced at once. The High Priest angled his staff toward him.

"Take him to the ascetic chamber at the very bottom of the temple. He is not to leave until he makes a breakthrough!"

...Asceticism, huh?

Gret was a little dissatisfied. But the other party had already handed down a punishment, and with his status, protesting wouldn't do any good. He glanced at Knight Nolan for guidance. When the captain gave a slight shake of his head, Gret fell silent and stood with his head bowed. He seemed to be showing respect, but in truth, he'd turned his attention to studying the floor.

—Tsk, this floor's so smooth. It isn't marble, but it's almost as good as polished terrazzo. With a thorough disinfection, it'd be perfectly suitable for an operating room...

While he stood apart from it all, thoroughly engrossed in the floor, Knight Roman struggled with all his might. But under the High Priest's Divine Arts, a knight's strength was useless, and he was quickly carried away. Only then did the High Priest's expression soften. He exchanged a few polite words with Knight Nolan and saw them out.

"Captain, what's at the very bottom of the temple?"

As soon as the temple lights disappeared from view, Gret eagerly asked. Knight Nolan chuckled and tapped him on the forehead.

"Still not satisfied? I've never seen the High Priest deal with someone so harshly! I've only heard about that place. Supposedly, it's pitch-black and completely silent. Even the people who bring meals don't speak. It's for high-ranking knights to meditate in seclusion. Even if Roman's a level-five knight, it'll take at least a year or two of cultivation for him to make a breakthrough."

"Uh..."

"What is it...?"

Knight Nolan raised an eyebrow. Gret hesitated.

"Then he probably won't get out for the rest of his life..."

"What?"

Knight Nolan was astonished. "I thought something was wrong with him, especially his right hand..."

He turned to the bald bishop.

"Can't it be healed?"

Under the night sky, the bald bishop looked grave. He frowned and thought for a long while, then shook his head and nodded.

"I didn't examine it closely, so I can't say for sure. But that old fellow's healing spells are about as good as mine. If he treated Roman himself and couldn't heal him, I doubt I could either. Well... Divine Grace of a higher level might work. For example, our archbishop might be able to do it..."

But whether an archbishop—a priest of level eleven or higher—would intervene on behalf of a level-five knight was another question entirely.

Gret looked from one to the other, his mind racing. High-level Divine Arts might be able to reattach severed limbs or even regenerate them. He needed to remember that. If he got the chance, he'd study how they worked!

He quietly set himself a long-term goal. Knight Nolan fell silent for a moment, then pulled Gret close and gave him a cautious warning.

"If Roman really is crippled, the temple won't keep him locked up forever. They might let him out in a few months, or his family might plead for him. That fellow's petty, so he might try to get back at you once he's out. Is your home safe? To be on the safe side, do you want to stay at the barracks?"

Under the moonlight, Gret lifted his face slightly and smiled.

"A few months? That's all I need, too. I'll become a Mage Apprentice as soon as I can. Don't worry!"