CHAPTER 131: CHAPTER 131: THE INVALID OATH_1

Lance listened, gradually understanding the transformation in Dismas’s mindset.

Simply put, Dismas realized he couldn’t find the nobleman, meaning revenge was hopeless. He had relied on vengeance to sustain his spirit throughout his journey. Now that this pillar of support had collapsed, he was bound to feel lost.

At that moment, his heart felt utterly empty; he desperately needed a new reason to live.

In such a state, he was consumed by guilt from his past wrongdoings.

He wasn’t seeking salvation. Instead, much like Reynard—who had endured a difficult first half of life, committing many mistakes—he ultimately longed to die on a path that was, at least nominally, righteous.

Lance had previously believed he understood Dismas. Now, however, he realized he didn’t know the man at all. It wasn’t until today, upon hearing his story, that Lance finally understood why Dismas’s personality was so peculiar.

However, Dismas’s complex psychology didn’t confuse Lance; instead, he quickly identified the core issue.

"I’ve realized you’ve made a critical mistake: the object of your oath is wrong."

"What do you mean, My Lord?" This statement left Dismas somewhat confused.

Seeing Dismas’s confusion, Lance wasn’t in a hurry. He changed his approach, asking, "Do you know why you made this oath?"

"Because I shouldn’t have killed women and children."

"Then why shouldn’t you? You’ve already killed so many; what difference would one or two more make?"

Dismas fell silent, pondering. He found he couldn’t quite articulate a reason, and it dawned on him that something was amiss.

"Because the prison guards oppressed you, those ruffians attacked you unprovoked, that person betrayed you, and the carriage guards were merely paid to do their job. They were armed and posed a threat, and you were mentally prepared when you accepted the mission.

But women and children are innocents. They are unarmed and unable to threaten you—they are the weak. Their appearance was so unexpected, completely outside your calculations, that it triggered your protective instinct. However, because you killed them by mistake, this protective instinct turned into guilt."

Lance understood that Dismas’s strong reaction stemmed from the psychological trauma of witnessing his loved one’s death. His guilt arose from his inability to protect his partner back then. The women and children were merely triggers, stirring that memory and his protective instincts.

But Lance couldn’t voice this. He didn’t want to touch a raw nerve with Dismas and risk resistance, so he followed up with an explanation.

"The desire to protect is a very common human psychological trait. It’s an important manifestation of humanity’s social evolution, originating from millions of years of development aimed at sustaining and strengthening our species."

In truth, Dismas couldn’t fully comprehend Lance’s supplementary explanation. Still, he grasped the general meaning: They are the weak, the innocent, and that’s why I feel so guilty.

"But your oath is useless!"

Suddenly, Lance, his expression stern, stated his view—which was practically a verdict.

This left Dismas even more baffled. According to what the Lord just said, women and children are weak. I haven’t done anything wrong, have I?

He wanted to object, but before he could speak, the Lord preempted him.

"What you truly intended to express was the desire to protect the weak and spare the innocent. However, the shock of that accidental killing was so great that you subconsciously equated women and children with weakness and innocence. In reality, you cannot judge a person’s nature solely by their gender and age.

People are complex. Don’t you know who enticed Barton to plunder the town? It was a woman. And let me tell you something else: that female Heretic you hesitated to kill? She joined the evil cult by sacrificing her own daughter..."

Lance told him about the parents who had sacrificed their daughter to join the evil cult.

"What exactly has your oath protected? Because of it, you’ve let countless criminals go free, and they continue to commit evil deeds. In some cases, you’ve become their accomplice."

"Damn it! What have I done?" Realizing the folly of his actions, Dismas grew agitated.

Lance watched him with a calm expression, showing no intention of comforting him. He even proceeded to describe how those evildoers killed people.

These horrific descriptions agitated him further, and he roared in a furious outburst:

"AH! I’ll hack apart the filthy bodies of those Heretics! Slice them! Mince them!"

"So, you understand now, don’t you? You’ve been constrained by a superficial oath. You should have been protecting good people, but instead, you’ve unwittingly enabled the wicked."

"I was wrong..."

"No, you still have a chance to make amends."

"I still have a chance?"

"Of course. You must understand that you need to protect good people, not simply women and children. Sometimes, women and children can also be wicked. They need to be thoroughly ’purified.’ Only then can you truly protect the good."

The moment was ripe. Lance’s true intentions, hidden within his words, slowly began to emerge. He didn’t need a Dismas constrained and hesitant due to an oath; he needed a ruthless bandit who would obey only his commands.

As for who qualified as ’good,’ wasn’t that for Lance himself to define?

When Lance had discussed religion with Reynard, he had scorned how religious leaders monopolized the right to interpretation and controlled their followers. Yet, now he was doing the very same thing...

"I understand." Dismas experienced an epiphany. In that instant, he realized how foolish and blind he had been.

Indeed, deciding to stay had been the right choice. Only after receiving the Lord’s guidance did I reconcile with myself and understand the true meaning of my life.

Previously, while Dismas had been proactive, he still harbored a desire for release—essentially a death wish. But now, he had found a new purpose in life: to eliminate the wicked and protect the virtuous.

The two quickly returned to the caravan. Reynard noticed a significant change in Dismas’s demeanor compared to when they had left; his cavalier attitude had vanished, replaced by a newfound gravity.

But Reynard didn’t dwell on it; The Lord has His own plans.

...

"Kill!"

Lance swung his Longsword, engaging in combat. This time, however, he wore no armor and couldn’t fight as recklessly as before. Instead, he fought from the relative safety of the wagon formation.

He even refrained from using Bless to refresh his condition, relying solely on his own strength.

It was a surprise attack, yet it was destined to be a one-sided slaughter.

Reynard reined in his horse, slowing its pace. His Longsword still dripped with blood.

When he turned his horse back, he saw only mangled corpses strewn everywhere. Not a single bandit who dared attack the caravan had escaped; the very last one had just fallen to his blade.

The battle concluded within a mere three to five minutes of its start.