I Got a Gallery in the Wild - Chapter 581

Quite a lot of time had passed since Santa kidnapped (?) Ludwig and me.

I had no idea when we’d been kidnapped, but I at least figured out we’d been riding the sleigh since dawn.

Because when I opened my eyes, it was pitch black everywhere. Fortunately, thanks to my Eye Lantern, I was able to assess the situation quickly.

Afterwards, we exited the Forest of the Four Seasons—which I had longed for—met Heavenly Demon in Zhongyuan, and encountered Sword Matstar Ash in the Messiah Empire.

And I thought this whole situation was a dream. Understandably so, since it had all happened out of nowhere.

On top of holding hands with Heavenly Demon Yoo So-wol, I even ended up kissing Sword Matstar Ash.

When we kissed, I was so dazed I couldn’t pull myself together.

If Ludwig hadn’t nudged me from the side, I would’ve wasted that precious time.

Anyway, after touring countless nations, we finally arrived at Avalon, the grand finale.

I thought Santa would just scatter snow and wrap it up like before, but this time was different.

"Ho! Ho-ho!"

Maybe because it was a nation established to worship Aris?

Santa descended into the Avalon square and began handing out gifts to the children.

The sack was popping out all kinds of presents like a pocket on a certain blue raccoon robot.

While wondering what his true identity was as I watched, I came face-to-face with a face I’d wanted to see at least once.

’She’s seriously pretty.’

Hero Asella.

Master of the Holy Sword and the representative figure of the Holy Kingdom.

Since she frequently engaged in external activities—including negotiations with Mephisto—her photos popped up on the Gallery often.

A beauty with striking, gleaming orange hair. Fitting for a Hero, her pure aura felt charming.

’Man, pictures really can’t be trusted.’

Just like Heavenly Demon and Ash, Asella possessed a beauty far more gorgeous than what was shown in photos.

I wasn’t sure if it was because of the atmosphere or because I usually only saw women on the Gallery.

Anyway, now that we’d exchanged greetings, I looked around.

"@#$% $%?"

"$%# %%$#..."

"$%%$$!"

As expected, the people around us were whispering while looking at us.

Because people who everyone thought would never emerge from the Forest of the Four Seasons had appeared. And with Santa, no less.

Santa could just hand out presents to the kids and call it a day, but Ludwig and I couldn’t.

Feeling embarrassed like we’d become a spectacle, I wanted to get out of there.

"...Ah! $%%# %%!"

Fortunately, Asella seemed to share the same thought.

After staring blankly at my face, she sprang into action. First, she grabbed my hand.

She must have been in quite a hurry to grab my hand tightly instead of my arm. Thanks to that, I realized Asella’s hand was soft.

However, it wasn’t soft all over. Here and there, I felt the rough hardness unique to calluses. It meant she had undergone grueling training.

"Ahjussi! You come too!"

Even while being dragged away, I made sure to look out for Ludwig.

Because that ahjussi was definitely the type of guy who would stick by Santa’s side and hand out gifts to children if left behind.

Pushing through the massive crowd, we sprinted to a place with virtually no people.

’Isn’t that the Vatican?’

The problem, however, was that the place happened to be the Vatican. I had seen it a few times on the Gallery.

As we rapidly brushed past the main entrance of the Vatican, the guards said something with flustered expressions.

Good thing Asella was with us; if I had been alone, things would have gotten complicated in many ways.

"Phew..."

The place we arrived at a moment later was a room in the Vatican.

It wasn’t an office, but a personal rest area—that is, a bedroom.

There was no space more personal than a bedroom, so I wondered why she brought us to a place like this of all places.

But wild imaginations were strictly forbidden. Ludwig had come along too, after all.

"..."

Catching her breath for a moment, Asella made eye contact with me again.

Irises the exact same color as her orange hair. Deep curiosity was contained within them.

She probably couldn’t believe it herself. Me, someone who should be in the Forest of the Four Seasons, standing right before her eyes.

Even I couldn’t fully register it right now, so how much more so for Asella?

"...#$ Grylls# $%%?"

Asella asked in a cautious voice. A sweet, cute voice like an oriole.

She asked in the language of the Holy Kingdom, but I didn’t need a separate translation. She was probably asking if I was Grylls.

"Yes. That’s right. But before that, shouldn’t you speak with Ludwig-ssi?"

She’d been focusing only on me since earlier, but Ludwig was right beside me.

When I pointed at Ludwig as I spoke, Asella realized late and gasped in realization.

Of course, Ludwig wasn’t the type to feel offended over such a thing, so it passed lightly.

"And that’s just my Gallery fixed handle; my real name is Park Jong-hyuk."

Saying so, I signaled to Ludwig, who was quietly watching from the side. He was the only one here who could translate.

Ludwig also realized what I wanted and translated immediately.

"#. #$%. #$ $%%$ #$#$, #$% Bake-joh-hyeok."

"Bake-joh-hyeok?"

"...Please just call me Grylls."

When would I ever be called by my real name? A dry chuckle slipped out.

Having decided to stick with Grylls for convenience, Asella placed her hand on her chest and opened her mouth.

"$, ##$ #$% Asella! #%% #$%%$!"

"M-My name is Asella. It is an honor to meet God’s Herald!"

"You didn’t really need to translate her stuttering, did you?"

Even without expressing it, I could tell Asella was nervous.

By the way, ’God’s Herald’—that cumbersome title was officially certified by Asella herself.

I didn’t know about others, but Asella and I had already revealed our fixed handles to each other completely.

There was no need to stand on ceremony with titles like ’God’s Herald’.

"You can treat me comfortably. After all, Asella-nim was the one who gave me the title of God’s Herald, right?"

"#$$% $$%% $%%?"

"#$% ##$%! $$%$ #$%%#...!"

Not only did Asella ramble incomprehensibly, but she also gesticulated wildly as she spoke.

According to Ludwig’s translation, it went roughly like this:

That it was unthinkable, that since the Herald saved the Holy Kingdom, he must be served properly, and so on.

Truth be told, I also knew that if not for me, Asella wouldn’t have been able to gouge out the rotten-to-the-core Vatican.

Whether personally or as a Hero, the fact that she owed me a grace didn’t change.

"...#$$?"

"She asks if there is anything you desire."

"Not particularly?"

Truly, nothing. In the past, I would have begged her to connect me with that damn goddess.

But currently, I felt it was more fitting to dig up more truths in the Forest of the Four Seasons.

"#, #$$ $%$ #$%%$! @##$$ $%$%#!"

"She says she wants to repay you somehow. If you want... wait. What?"This chapter was taken from novel​ping.com without permission.

Ludwig, who was quietly translating, widened his eyes and stared at Asella.

For a guy who usually maintained an expressionless face to open his eyes that wide meant he was extremely taken aback.

"$$@#$% $%%$!"

"#$$%$$ @$$?"

An argument that wasn’t quite an argument continued between the two. Both had unusual reactions.

For some reason, Asella’s face turned bright red in real-time, while Ludwig looked completely flabbergasted watching her.

If I knew this would happen, I should have learned the Holy Kingdom’s language whenever I had free time. Standing there like a decorative folding screen made me feel awkwardly out of place.

"#$%#% ##$!"

"#$$% $$%%"

"$$@!@ %#."

"#$$%#..."

Ultimately, Asella was the one who raised the white flag first. She nodded with a slightly gloomy expression.

Meanwhile, Ludwig wiped his dry face with one hand, as if he never expected this.

When Ludwig, of all people, reacted like that, I became curious about what she had said.

"What did she say?"

"..."

At my question, Ludwig glanced sideways at Asella, gauging her reaction.

Then he met my gaze head-on... or rather, failed to do so and answered while avoiding eye contact.

"...She suggested having a drink together. She claims that all of this is ultimately for Aris-nim’s sake."

"...Excuse me, but was Aris-nim a heavy drinker?"

"There is no such record, but um... let us move past it. At any rate, we put that aside and settled on having her show you around the Holy Kingdom instead."

I nodded. That was definitely a better plan.

I came outside on impulse, but now that I was actually out, I had no idea what to do.

However, following Asella around to tour various places in the Holy Kingdom wouldn’t be bad.

"Are you coming with us too, Ludwig-ssi?"

"I am the only one who can translate. Do you wish to stay separately, just the two of you?"

"Mmm... ah. No, wait. It actually should be just Asella-nim and me."

"#$%$%?"

Just as Ludwig wore a subtle expression, Asella quietly chimed in.

She seemed curious about what we were talking about between ourselves. Surprisingly, she appeared a bit impatient.

"#$% #$%."

"#$%?!"

When Ludwig roughly translated, Asella covered her mouth in shock.

The flush that had barely cooled down on her face began creeping back up again.

Fearing she might get the wrong idea, I hurriedly interjected.

"I don’t know what kind of misunderstanding you might have, but I meant Ludwig-ssi should finish his own business first."

"My business?"

Something Ludwig himself was probably wishing for most.

Looking at him looking bewildered, I grinned widely.

"It’s time for you to become a Christmas miracle yourself."

Paladin.

Knights armed with holy power and spirit.

Just as a single trained knight becomes a nation’s military power, the same applies to paladins.

The difference between a knight and a paladin was that paladins were selected only from the most devout among knights.

Because of this, knights and paladins were distinct, though that held little meaning in Avalon.

Since Avalon was a religious state, desiring to become a knight here automatically meant becoming a paladin.

Thus, testing a knight’s devotion was something done in other countries, not Avalon.

Since this religion spanned the entire world.

If desired, knights from other nations could receive a baptismal name to become true paladins.

Due to this structure, Avalon, despite its relatively small territory, could exert global influence.

Then, who trained and nurtured the paladins’ holy power and spirit?

That position was filled by someone with the richest experience among paladins, and furthermore, someone as devout as the Hero.

In the Holy Kingdom, they were designated as ’Guardian’—an honorable title granted only to those who devoted their entire lives to Aris.

A man who had vacated his post due to an ’unfortunate incident’, yet whose honor as Guardian remained unfaltering.

Ludwig von Erolt.

"Mother. It’s cold outside, so I’ll do it."

"I’m fine, my dear daughter-in-law. You haven’t fully recovered your body yet either, have you?"

"It’s already been two months. I’m fine now."

His family was also enjoying Christmas, which returned every year.

Among them, the busiest person was none other than Ludwig’s companion, Sophia.

Even in her late 40s, aside from fine wrinkles, her mature aura stood out.

"Mom. Can I just have one bite..."

"Tsk!"

"I’m sorry. I’ll stay still."

Fitting for the Guardian’s companion, she also showed a steadfast aspect.

This was natural, as Ludwig’s profession often required him to be away from home for long stretches.

Above all, since Sophia herself was once a cleric, she possessed immense patience.

"Mother. Should I place this here?"

"Please do."

Of course, she was infinitely gentle toward her daughter-in-law. It couldn’t be helped.

"Eum-mu. Eum-mu."

For on her daughter-in-law’s back, a tiny, cute living being was blinking with wide, clear eyes.

A baby sucking on its fingers with large, round eyes open.

Currently the most beloved blessing and gift in the Erolt household.

"What is curious to our Amy?"

"Abubu. Abu."

As soon as Amy saw her grandmother, Sophia, she reached out both arms. A signal asking to be held.

Sophia also wore a warm, gentle smile and lightly scooped up the granddaughter clinging to her daughter-in-law’s back.

Even while busy with Christmas preparations, she never forgot to tend to her granddaughter.

’My husband should have held this child too...’

At the same time, her heart felt heavy. To grandparents, a grandchild was the greatest gift in the world.

Yet Ludwig himself had been forced into the Forest of the Four Seasons due to the Vatican’s dirty schemes.

Fortunately, perhaps guided by Aris, he had met the Herald and was living well.

However, when she heard the news that his leg had been amputated, her heart couldn’t help but break.

’I should just consider it a long business trip.’

Even if they could never meet again, as long as she could hear news of him occasionally, it was enough.

Although that period was long, Sophia prayed to Aris every single day.

Praying that, even if just for a single day, her beloved husband could hold this precious gift.

Holding Amy, Sophia swayed her body gently before resuming her preparations.

Ttok-ttok-ttok-

Right then, someone knocked on the door.New chapters come out on NovelPing first.

While the young couple watched their child, Sophia headed to the door.

Puzzled since almost no one would visit at this hour, Sophia quietly opened the door.

"...Huh? H-Hero-nim?"

"Hello, Mrs. Erolt."

The person visiting the Erolt household was none other than the Hero, Asella.

Sophia was surprised for a moment upon seeing her, but soon guessed why she had come.

"Have you come to offer prayers?"

Asella was also one of Ludwig’s disciples. And one he treasured quite dearly, at that.

Perhaps because of that, ever since the Vatican was normalized, Asella spared no support for the Erolt family.

Coming to pray periodically was standard, and she even brought fine healthy food from time to time.

Thanks to that, her granddaughter was born safely, and her daughter-in-law’s postpartum recovery went smoothly.

Had it not been for the Holy Water granted by Aris, the situation would have been extremely dangerous, making her all the more grateful.

"Yes. And I didn’t come just to offer prayers."

"Gifts are really fine."

The only problem was that it felt a bit excessive at times.

Perhaps out of a sense of debt, she seemed exceptionally kind to them.

Just as Sophia was about to politely decline, Asella shook her head side to side and spoke up.

A gentle smile filled with pride. Sophia was captvated by that smile.

"I didn’t bring a gift, Mrs. Erolt. I came to bring you a miracle."

"A miracle?"

"Yes. A miracle."

Saying so, Asella looked to her side. Only then did Sophia look beside her as well.

"...Santa?"

It was Santa. A person dressed in a Santa suit stood quietly.

With a Santa hat and a bushy beard attached, it was impossible to identify who it was.

However, a strangely familiar feeling caught Sophia’s intuition. She stared intently at the man disguised as Santa.

"Mom. Is someone outside?"

"Ah. Where are my manners? Would you like to come inside first?"

Realizing she had kept guests outside for so long on such a cold day, Sophia spoke hurriedly.

But it wasn’t Asella who stepped inside; rather, the person dressed as Santa took a step in.

He even signaled to Asella before stepping in. Asella nodded reassuringly as well.

"Huh? Santa is..."

"Mrs. Erolt."

Just as Sophia became flustered, Asella spoke quietly.

As Sophia looked at her, Asella whispered.

"Merry Christmas."

Deol-keok-

Along with those words, the door slammed shut firmly. Sophia felt bewildered.

It was puzzling enough that Asella, who should be tending to the Christmas festival, visited, but for the Santa she brought along to step inside her house...

Although it was hard to recognize his real face under the disguise, he wouldn’t be dangerous since Asella introduced him. And yet, something felt strange.

’His eyes....’

Eyes filled to the brim with life’s deep sorrow and affection. Eyes she felt she had seen somewhere before.

While Sophia tilted her head at that sense of déjà vu, her son approached from behind.

"Excuse me, but who are you?"

"..."

Santa did not speak. Just like with Sophia, he merely looked at him with eyes full of deep emotion.

Soon, Santa’s gaze shifted behind the mother and son. Toward his daughter-in-law holding a tiny living being.

"Abu. Abubu."

His granddaughter Amy, held by his daughter-in-law, babbled while stretching out her hand.

Bright, clear eyes that signaled she wanted to touch Santa’s bushy beard.

Santa watched that tiny, adorable creature for a long moment. Beyond sorrow and love, an indescribable emotion took root in his eyes.

"Excuse me..."

"...I missed you."

Santa opened his heavily shut mouth. At that low, familiar voice, Sophia’s eyes opened wide into circles.

Not just Sophia, but the son beside her as well. Their reactions weren’t ones of doubt.

Naturally so—they could never forget this voice. A voice heard for a lifetime, and missed endlessly.

Seu-euk-

As everyone stood frozen, Santa slowly removed his disguise.

Removing his hat revealed gray hair tinged with streaks.

Taking off the fake beard completely unveiled familiar, endearing facial features, even if the wrinkles had smoothed away.

"Ah... ahh...!"

"H-How...,"

"Gasp..."

Sophia gasped in shock, while her son showed a reaction of utter disbelief.

The daughter-in-law behind them was no different, covering her mouth as if unable to believe her eyes.

"Abububu. Abu."

Only a single individual—the purest gift in the world—simply reached out her hand.

Santa—Ludwig—looked around at the family he had yearned to see so badly and spoke quietly.

"Merry..."

A sudden surge of emotion choked back his words. His throat felt tight.

Barely swallowing down that lump in his throat, he struggled to part his lips.

"Merry Chris..."

Once again, his throat choked up, and tears began to well in his eyes.

The single phrase he wanted to say so desperately—in the end, those words didn’t come out.

Instead.

"My dear..."

His beloved wife, and...

"My son..."

He merely named his son, prouder than anyone else.

Gkwa-ak!

Ludwig silently embraced Sophia and his son.

Instead of a thousand words, he conveyed his feelings through action.

The mother and son were the same. As if never letting go again, they held Ludwig tightly.

"Sob... uuuk... waaaaah..."

"Sob... Father..."

Sophia weeping aloud, and her son quietly sobbing.

Christmas had gifted them an irreplaceable miracle.

The family he had longed for.

"Abubu."

And a new member of the family.