A Powerful Martial Artist Reincarnates as a Nun Knight

The history of the port city Marseilles in southern Frankia dates back to the ancient tribal war era. The original colonists who established a port settlement in this region were the Hellenes. The Hellenes founded a colony they named ‘Massilia’ in their tongue, though it would later be called ‘Massalia’ by the encroaching Rotaringians as they expanded their dominion over the area.

In any case, the ship carrying Sophia’s party planned to remain docked in Marseilles for approximately three more days before departing. The crew required rest, and partial ship maintenance alongside replenishing necessary supplies was also needed.

During this time, Sophia’s entourage rented accommodations at a Marseilles church dormitory.

That night, as Conra slumbered, he suddenly realized he stood atop a familiar hillside landscape. Sprawled beneath that hillock appeared the ancient city’s panorama – a scenery distinctly dissimilar from contemporary metropolitan vistas.

Amidst a dreamlike, refractive golden mist, Conra sensed something observing him keenly.
Following that scrutinizing presence led his gaze toward an elm tree’s towering boughs, where a vibrant bluebird perched, cocking its head inquisitively.

“Were you watching me?”

In response to Conra’s query, the bluebird flitted and took flight with a melodious chirp.

“Ah, wait!”

Surprised by its abrupt departure, Conra instinctively gave chase as the bluebird seemed to pause periodically, glancing back as if beckoning him to follow before winging ahead again from tree to tree.

Proceeding this way, Conra eventually found himself within a ravine flanked by rocky cliffs on both sides.
The bluebird had alighted upon a sapling elm’s slender branches growing amid the damp riverbank before one such craggy escarpment, where a crevice large enough for a person to enter yawned between the boulders.

Gradually, Conra realized the bluebird had vanished, replaced by a woman reclining against the rock face while clad in a blue chiton overlaid by a chlamys cloak.
Too enraptured by this mystical vision to react, the transfixed boy could only stand mutely until the woman spoke sympathetically:

{Heroic egg, this is the hallowed place where an ancient hero organized his worldly affairs before ascending. Remove your sandals and observe proper decorum.}

As Conra obediently unlaced his footwear per her instructions, the woman continued:

{Face that cavern and bow thrice, then enter within.}

……
……
Uh……
“Haah!”

Awakening with a startled inhalation at the unfamiliar ceiling overhead, Conra immediately recognized his surroundings as last night’s rented Marseilles church dormitory room before exhaling deeply.

“Huh, just a dream?”

‘What a strange dream too~’, he sighed, only to jolt upright in greater surprise upon noticing the wooden sundial near the window.

“Oh no, I’m late!”

Fearing he would miss breakfast, Conra hurriedly dressed and dashed out – hoping to at least refresh himself beforehand since he planned to explore Marseilles’ streets right after their morning meal, brimming with anticipation.

However, the youth’s plan to tour the city never materialized that day due to an impromptu hiking excursion being decided instead. It began when Conra mentioned his dream over breakfast:

“So I was about to enter that cavern when I suddenly woke up. Ahaha, well, I suppose I’ve outgrown the age for such fanciful dreams.”

“Hmm……”
“Hooo……”

Yet his companions could not dismiss the boy’s dream so lightly. The very city they resided in, Marseilles, happened to be renowned as the ascension site of the heroic deity Ogmios.
Perhaps stemming from that connection, Ogmios also served as Marseilles’ patron deity – the ancient citizens of Massilia and Massalia having venerated him since antiquity, considering themselves his spiritual descendants.

The most mythologically knowledgeable among them, Hildegard, remarked:

“If a blue chiton-clad woman appeared in your Marseilles dream, she was undoubtedly Bradamante, daughter of the divine spirit Bosgus. And now that you mention it, I sense some divine spiritual benediction surrounding you this morning.”

Bosgus himself had forged the sword, armor and spear for the heroic deity Ogmios. Suddenly, Hildegard detected the scent of hidden treasure from Conra’s recounted dream – her gaze shifting toward Sophia as Conra’s master and their party’s de facto authority figure.

Perceiving Hildegard’s burning stare, Sophia resignedly shrugged with a wry smile.

“Very well. Then let us venture forth today to locate that cavern Conra witnessed in his dream. It has been some time since disembarking that ship – a leisurely stroll might prove refreshing.”

Hildegard and Ezio eagerly concurred enthusiastically:

“I had a feeling something interesting would happen, did I not?”
“For once, I cannot disagree with your sentiment.”

Excluding Conra, who had ambitiously planned to explore Marseilles’ streets after breakfast.

“My…plan to tour the city…”

Nevertheless, his revealing that dream ultimately precipitated this entire situation – a clear case of inverse cause and effect, of reaping what he had sown.

+++++

The first issue Sophia’s party addressed involved identifying the hilltop location where Conra had initially stood within his dream vision. Unexpectedly, they swiftly found the answer upon ascending the Montagne des Accores hillock south of Marseilles’ urban center – the panoramic scenery precisely matching Conra’s dreamscape.

Of course, while the ancient colonial settlement of Massilia appeared within Conra’s dream, their present reality showcased the distinctly Frankish harbor city of Marseilles. Nevertheless:

“You’re saying the bluebird began guiding you from this vicinity?”
“Yes.”

Even recalling the path proved challenging for Conra, as the bluebird had flitted between trees within his dream while the actual Montagne des Accores vegetation differed completely.
Thus, they inquired among locals regarding the specific geographical features described.

“A ravine with rocky cliffs accessible via the Montagne des Accores? Of course I know of such a place – every Marseilles native would!”

After gratefully covering the informant’s bar tab, Sophia’s party exchanged meaningful nods – confirming the location Conra had described existed nearby, further diminishing the likelihood of his experience being merely a whimsical dream.

The indicated site, called the Calanque Ravine situated within the Huddogne district beyond the Montagne des Accores, remained easily accessible by following the waterway descending from that hilltop.
Upon arriving, the group exclaimed in unison:

“Whoa, what a killer view!”

Sophia slyly chided Hildegard’s rapturous admiration.

“Compared to the scenic grandeur of the Alb Mountains?”

Unexpectedly, Ezio countered Sophia’s playful rebuke instead of Hildegard:

“That warrants some clarification, Lady Chazelle.”
“Oh?”
“The Alb’s vistas undoubtedly exude the Great Priestess’ hallowed, expansive majesty. However, that domain’s solemn austerity excludes any accommodating traces of humanity. Whereas this ravine’s scenery harmonizes natural beauty with subtle human elements – their aesthetic qualities merit distinct classifications.”

An elaborate way of stating the obvious:

“Simply put, you find the Alb monotonous?”
“Humph, hmph!”

The muscular monk’s furtive sidelong glance hardly presented an appealing view. Withdrawing her gaze from Ezio, Sophia queried Conra instead:

“Well? Does this seem the proper location?”

Initially sulking during their approach, Conra had become utterly entranced upon reaching the ravine, enthusiastically scanning their surroundings before nodding affirmatively.

“Yes, this is definitely it. Some minor discrepancies, but the overall atmosphere feels similar.”

Proceeding to trace the ravine’s left rock face while responding, Conra’s actions prompted their silent pursuit as the banter ceased.

Eventually, the boy halted before an immense, ancient elm tree – clearly aged enough to have served as a village’s sacred guardian tree. Yet within his dream, only a small sapling had occupied this same position.

The sole commonalities between the two elms – their species and precise planting location – remained consistent across dream and reality. Nevertheless, Conra instinctively sensed this enormous tree represented that erstwhile sapling’s future maturation.

Feeling the bark with a druid’s sensitivity, he sensed lingering traces of its primordial seedling self harbored deep within the vast trunk’s heartwood.
The moment that realization manifested, scanning the rock crevice obscured behind those sheltering boughs revealed – unmistakably – the selfsame cavern from his vision. Examining its contours implied recent flooding had exposed this formerly sealed grotto’s entrance by displacing obstructing boulders.

“Here it is!”

Removing his shoes before bowing reverentially thrice, Conra nimbly entered the rocky cleft with feline agility. Though not excessively spacious, the cavern proved far from claustrophobically cramped either.

Yet its limited interior prevented the entire party from following, so Sophia, Hildegard and Ezio could only await Conra’s re-emergence outside.
Fortunately, the delay proved brief – the boy quickly exiting with an object grasped in his hands, absent when he had entered.

“I found this inside.”

Presenting his discovery revealed some manner of lidded stone coffer seemingly sealed shut.

“There appears to be an inscription engraved here.”

As Ezio examined the coffer’s carved markings inquisitively, Hildegard smoothly translated their meaning after scanning them: