The Faraway Paladin (最果てのパラディン)

Hmm.

You're awfully cheery about

a little stack of papers, Will.

-You could tell, huh? -Yeah.

You're grinning and caressing that paper

the same way that someone might touch a woman's body.

Hm.

Is that the stuff those craftsmen gave you?

They said these were the best of the trial sheets they made.

You really are happy, huh?

Hm.

Well, the way I see it.

These are the future of this town.

So cold.

It's nearly the winter solstice.

It's so busy here now.

Yeah.

Two years ago,

I left the City of the Dead and followed the river north

until I found a deserted, half-sunken city.

Now,

two years after rebuilding began,

people have given this place the name Torch Port,

the port of light.

Hey, Will, what did you mean when you said

that paper was this town's future?

We have to do more than cut down the local trees

and sell the lumber to White sails.

Eventually, we'll run out of trees.

So, we need to diversify the trade in this town.

It'll pay off later on.

And that paper of yours'll do that?

It's the first step, and one worth celebrating.

Mm hm.

You know,

you think like an elf sometimes.

Oh?

And you're the type that just lives in the moment.

This is basically the end of the earth.

I could very well die here tomorrow.

Mm.

So I should do what I want today.

And I'm pretty confident

that most of the people who are living here

feel exactly the same way as I do.

I know. I want to change that.

Well,

maybe that's the exact reason

why the goddess of light chose you.

Huh?

Here you are on the front lines.

Where you could die at any time.

And yet you're talking about planting the seeds

that'll grow fruit years from now.

Hmm.

By the way.

We heard from the crown prince of Whitesails's brother.

We're invited to the new year's ceremony.

You gonna go?

Oh...That's right.

Wow! Pretty!

Well?

Did you enjoy the winter solstice festival?

Yeah, it was fun.

Although I'm worn out.

All that going around, greeting important people with a smile.

It isn't as easy as it looks, huh?

Luckily, Menel put my outfit together.

With that and the help that I got from Bishop Bagley.

I managed to pull it off.

I wish I got to see Menel in formal clothes!

Actually, why didn't he come with you?

Oh, I invited him,

but he said, "Shut up!"

"At least let me sleep in today!"

What about you?

Make a little money?

Of course!

This is a troubadour's most profitable time of the year!

What's the matter?

I was just thinking how beautiful this town is.

But villages around the Beast Woods are so poor.

We have to work a whole lot harder.

- Will, - Huh?

Mm.

Bop!

You worry too much.

Bee...

You know it's true!

You can't help yourself.

Well, I made a promise.

I swore that I'd act as the goddess's sword

to banish evil

and act as her hand to save those who are suffering.

- -Oh?

Listen, of course it's very noble of you

to pursue kindhearted goals such as those.

But if that's the case,

you ought a be trying to please the goddess more!

What do you mean?

Just think about it.

What would you do if a villager

brought you food to show his gratitude,

but was so thin, he could barely stand upright

on his own two feet?

I'd tell him that he should eat it himself.

Don't you think the goddess would feel the same about you?

Yeah.

Thank you, Bee.

To show my appreciation,

I'll take you anywhere you wanna go.

Oh, wow. That's an offer I can't turn down!

Let's go!

Uh, Bee? You sure about this?

Yeah, absolutely!

There's something I want to see.

But unfortunately,

it isn't the kind of place a lowly troubadour

can get into just by asking nicely.

You could sneak in, though, right?

'Cause on top of being a warrior priest,

you're a great sorcerer!

A school tucked away in the woods of a forbidden land

where sorcerers study the Words of Creation.

The Academy.

-Well, let's go, then! -Wait!

Oh!

Hold on a sec.

This is Maze Alley magic.

And there are several Signs here, too.

"Warning."

"Paralysis."

"Sleep."

"Blind."

Yeah. We can't go in there.

Wait, what?

But shouldn't you be able to get through it?

Come on! Use some of your brute strength!

If we tried to force our way in there,

it'd end up raining blood.

And not metaphorically.

Huh?

It's set up to keep out the uninvited.

I see.

Hm.

Hm.

Well, if even you can't get in,

then that's that!

Let's head back to town and go--

We can't "sneak" our way in, but...

Yes, Will?

Mm?

Let's just go up to the front door.

Yeah, that's a great idea!

Uh. Huh?

Do you remember how we got to this spot in the first place?

I mean. I know in my head where we came from, but...

It's okay.

Just keep holding my hand.

Huh?

Huh?

Well, this is just being mean, now.

So where do we go? Which is the right path?

Mm?

Ne. Fronti Crede.

-Uh. -This is the right one.

"Either learn or leave."

So does that mean if you won't learn, you have to leave?

- Will... -Huh?

Don't push it, okay?

Even the Wandering Sage in his youth

couldn't pass through this route.

Or at least he wasn't able to make it all on his own.

What?

Gus couldn't?

He was a child prodigy,

but even so,

he wasn't able to visit the Academy

without getting his master's help.

That's how he found out how much he still had to learn

Hm.

I see.

So even Gus couldn't get through here when he was young.

What is this? A curse?

Looking at it makes me feel really uneasy.

Hmm.

I can't sense any mana at work here.

But doesn't that make it even more suspicious?

Setting a trap in something that's obviously

questionable is a classic move!

You're right.

There's a Sign carved in it that makes you feel uneasy.

Man, talk about super twisted!

I could write a song about this alone!