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The attire of the Templar Knights and Nun Knights belonging to the Paladins wasn’t strictly regulated by any unified dress code. However, since clergy members generally had limited personal possessions and most equipment was provided by the Church Order, it often seemed to outsiders as if there were specific dress regulations in place.

Given this environment, the attire of Templar Knights and Nun Knights was heavily influenced by the monasteries and convents they hailed from. Monasteries and convents in different countries often reflected cultural differences based on nationality, and these differences were frequently mirrored in the attire of the knights.

The most notable aspect was the color scheme of the fabrics they wore. For instance, convents and monasteries in Franquia and Rotaringia tended to favor black and white for their robes, as these colors were less prone to fading and conveyed a solemn atmosphere. The difference between the two countries was that Franquia leaned more toward black, while Rotaringia favored white.

In contrast, the robes in the Albion United Kingdom were often dyed in red and white, symbolizing the spirit deities Draig o Goch and Udayba Draig, born from the traces of the red and white dragon gods in Albion’s traditional faith.

Meanwhile, monasteries and convents in the Sacred Gryphon Empire preferred blue and white. Surprisingly, there was no deep reason for this—it was simply because they cultivated a lot of indigo plants, making indigo dye the most readily available. Over time, this became a tradition.

“Pfft! Wow, this place makes great beer! It could even compete in the capital!”

…

Judging by the blue-tinted robes and veil, the woman was clearly a Nun Knight from the Sacred Gryphon Empire. If not for her boisterous laughter and heavy drinking, one might have easily mistaken her for a proper knight. Conra, looking as if all his illusions about the world had shattered, trudged behind Sophia, who walked ahead without a care.

Ignoring the drunken state of the other woman, Sophia strode straight to a nearby seat and called for the pub owner.

“Hey, give me the same thing. And if you have anything else for this kid, bring it out.”

“Master?!”

Conra was startled by Sophia’s sudden shift to a drinking mood, but she silenced him with a gesture and turned to the Nun Knight from the Empire.

“Your glass is empty. Mind if I pour you another?”

From the moment Sophia approached, the other woman had been subtly observing her. She smirked and replied, “Hmph, I was wondering what kind of person would come from Franquia as support. Turns out you’re not bad. I heard most Franquians are pretty insufferable.”

“People are different, aren’t they? Though I agree, many Franquians can be… difficult by foreign standards. So, shall I pour you a drink?”

The woman sighed, seemingly amused, and handed over her glass. “My name is Hildegard Ritter von Wolfstein. You can call me Hilde. You look about my age—why don’t we drop the formalities?”

“Quite the bold personality. Not something I see often in Franquia.”

“Haha, that’s just how we Imperial women are. And you, dropping formalities the moment I suggested it—you’re not ordinary either, are you?”

“Not at all. I’m Sophia de Chazel. Just call me Sophia.”

As Sophia poured the drink, Hildegard nodded and set her glass down. “You have an oddly old-fashioned way of speaking.”

“It’s a habit. I have no intention of changing it, so don’t pick on me for it.”

“Haha, I wasn’t planning to. So, how about a toast?”

When the pub owner brought Sophia’s beer, Hildegard suggested, “Great! What should we toast to?”

“Hmm… How about, ‘To the collaboration between Paladins’?”

“Sounds good. You lead the toast.”

“Alright! Then, to the collaboration between Paladins, cheers!”

“Cheers!”

The sight of the two Nun Knights downing their beers drew plenty of attention. Conra, utterly embarrassed, covered his face with one hand and sipped his fruit juice from a corner, trying to distance himself from the two. But his efforts were in vain—Sophia soon dragged him out by the scruff of his neck to introduce him to Hildegard.

+++++

Despite their highly inappropriate behavior for educators, the two Nun Knights were perfectly fine the next morning as they left the Baden-Baden church dormitory.

Hildegard, Sophia, and Conra gathered around a table in the church’s reception room to discuss their assigned tasks. Meanwhile, the spirits accompanying them—Gabrielle for Sophia and Ariel for Hildegard—scolded them for their antics the previous night. Of course, Sophia and Hildegard paid little attention.

“So, Gabrielle mentioned the dungeon has been breached, but do you know the specifics of the situation?” Sophia asked.

“Honestly, I haven’t been here long enough to know the details. But one thing’s clear—local power players are eyeing the dungeon that appeared in Baden-Baden.”

“Idiots.”

A dungeon that requires two Paladin Knights is no place for petty power struggles. It’s a dangerous zone where meddling could lead to disaster.

“Overconfident fools.”

“That’s how most so-called power players are.”

Hildegard’s remark about how human society always being like this was why groups like theirs existed made Sophia smirk wryly.

“So, the question is, what’s our priority? Keeping those power players in check, or investigating the dungeon as quickly as possible?”

“What do you think?”

Sophia turned the question back to Hildegard. After all, Baden-Baden was Imperial territory, and as a Franquian, Sophia couldn’t overstep. The decision ultimately lay with Hildegard.

“I think… we should prioritize uncovering the dungeon’s nature as soon as possible.”

Sophia nodded in agreement. Dungeons, remnants of past eras that breach the surface, were generally not viewed positively by the Church. They were unpredictable, and their emergence often led to unforeseen disasters.

Most dungeons didn’t cause significant external issues, but some became sources of unexpected calamities. Certain dungeons, depending on the era they represented, could unleash “dungeon disasters” that were far from trivial.

For example, dungeons from the Bronze Age might release hordes of monsters, while those from the Silver Age could trigger magical disasters or plagues.

“Dungeons are dangerous. Especially one that’s appeared in the middle of inhabited territory. If something goes wrong, it won’t end lightly.”

“Of course. But what if other power players barge in after we enter?”

“That’s their problem. We’re not their mothers—we can’t babysit them.”

“Haha, I completely agree.”

As Sophia and Hildegard laughed like villains, their spirits, Gabrielle and Ariel, began scolding them again. The two Nun Knights, of course, ignored them.

Conra, still struggling to get used to the Nun Knights’ behavior, began imagining what the dungeon they were about to enter might be like.

 

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