Chapter 40

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 40

Chapter Title: The Corrupt Priest

-----------------------------------------------------------------

"You mustn't disappear on your own like that. You have no idea how worried I was."

Lea grabbed my shoulders and scolded me over and over.

It hadn't been my intention at all, so I felt a bit wronged, but I nodded obediently and murmured in a pitiful little voice, "I won't do it again..."

"Absolutely never stay by yourself inside the temple, okay?"

"Yeah!"

"Good. Then let's head in."

Lea opened the carriage door for me.

A line of priests stood before the carriage, dressed in pale hood robes cinched at the waist with golden cords.

The young man at the front stepped forward toward me.

"Pleased to meet you, Little One. I am Urso, the one in charge of this third northwestern temple."

"Hewwo."

"It must have been a long ride here as the sun was setting. Please rest up from your travels today. Tomorrow, once someone arrives from the central temple, we'll re-verify your divine power together."

"Okay."

Thank goodness it wasn't happening right away today.

I've got to figure out some way to create an error in the divine power verification before then.

Judging from the incident back at the castle not long ago, my divine power was at least on par with a pope's direct priest.

If word gets out, the temple will be dancing with joy trying to whisk me away.

But after the huge fuss at Duvered Castle, I couldn't pretend to be a divine power beggar like before.

So I needed to make it look as ordinary as possible. Strong enough that they'd think, "Oh, her power's grown, how nice," but not so much they'd fight Duvered over me to take me away.

The problem is how to create that error in the verification.

As I pondered, Urso spoke up.

"This way, please. We've prepared a meal."

Urso led the way ahead of me.

The Duvered squire who'd come with me let out a soft "Whoa..." as he looked around the temple interior.

It was his first time seeing the inside, so no wonder he was amazed.

Ordinary folk could only enter up to the worship hall built in front of the temple proper.

Those without divine power faced strict restrictions on entering the temple itself.

Ah, the temple incense scent—it's been ages.

It felt so familiar. I'd practically lived in temples through my second life.

The squire whispered excitedly to a servant.

"What do they eat in the temple?"

"Who knows, but it must be something incredible."

"We get to eat it too, right?"

"The temple doesn't discriminate by class—that's the principle."

I looked at them with pity in my eyes, all hyped up.

I doubt it...

And sure enough, their expectations shattered the moment we entered the dining hall.

Weeds everywhere, with occasional meat and fish reeking of gamey off-flavors.

I knew it would be like this.

The temple avoided killing living things.

They only ate what died naturally.

That meant the lowest-quality ingredients, so you couldn't expect tasty food.

"Please, have a seat."

Urso took the head seat, and I sat in the facing seat of honor.

The priests and Duvered folk sat after us.

Before eating, we all offered a brief prayer of thanks to the god who permitted our food, then picked up our forks.

The Duvered people began eating too.

"Ugh..."

The squire's face turned ashen after tasting the food.

Told you it was bad.

Duvered had more money than they knew what to do with, so even their servants ate well. This must be torture for them.

My tastes had gotten fancy at Duvered too—could I handle temple food after so long?

With a worried look, I scooped up some fish soup and put it in my mouth.

Hm?

This is edible?

For temple food, this level of gaminess was actually pretty great.

I was starving anyway, and it tasted decent, so I polished off the whole bowl.

"Looks like it's to your taste. Glad to hear it."

Urso chuckled heartily.

The pitch-black night when everyone was asleep.

After Lea checked on my bed and left the room with an empty cup, I sat up—the moment the door clicked shut softly.

[Heading out? Didn't you promise the maid you wouldn't be alone?]

This is my only chance to extract the gem Bune mentioned.

If I didn't grant his wish, Bune wouldn't leave. My divine power would keep leaking away, and eventually, I'd go mad.

It wasn't worth risking that—Bune's abilities weren't that helpful anyway...

[Little One...]

Bune called out to me in a heartbreaking tone.

No, that's just for me. Tons of people must crave Bune's powers!

I hurriedly soothed him.

[Exactly! People longing for dead parents, lovers, friends, or children summon me and go to great lengths for it.]

Yeah. I just don't have any dead loved ones I'm missing.

Truth be told, there wasn't anyone worth missing in the first place.

The demon's one big advantage besides his innate ability was letting me tap into my latent power.

But I was still too young and immature to use even 10% of that potential properly, so it was helpful in that sense.

[If I manifest, I can protect you too.]

Manifest? Like turning human?

[Sort of, but my true form wields even greater power.]

Your human shape isn't your real body?

[Most humans are too frail—the mere sight of a demon's true form drives them insane. The human guise is just for contracting with humans. Other demons' true forms look terrifying and grotesque to humans. But mine is beautiful even to human eyes.]

He said it proudly.

That sparked my curiosity.

Then show me too.

[Sure. If I draw about 90% of your divine power—]

I quickly backpedaled.

On second thought, I think I'll pass.

90%? I was barely holding it together keeping Bune around now—90% and I'd lose my mind in half a day.

Bune drooped again with a [Little One...]

I slipped carefully out of the temple and headed for the worship hall. I'd overheard during dinner that Bune's wish, the [Goddess's Tear], was on display there.

Holy knights guarded the front of the worship hall.

Bune, use a barrier to hide me from sight.

A summoning circle soon appeared on the back of my hand.

I crept right up to the holy knights. If they spot me, I'll play it off as sleepwalking, I thought.

But the knights didn't notice me at all.

Perfect, it worked.

The interior I'd sneaked into was deathly silent.

I spotted the glass case under the altar and toddled over do-do-do-do.

It was way taller than me, so I grabbed the edge and stood on tiptoe.

Hanging off it, I craned my neck, and there it was—a sapphire glimmering prettily in the moonlight.

This it?

[Yes! That's the one!]

Bune said, thrilled.

I rummaged in my pocket and pulled out the wire I'd brought. Back in my beggar days, this little tool opened anything.

First, pick the lock, then dispel the divine barrier...

That was when it happened.

Clunk—the sound of a door opening. I jolted in shock and dropped low under a chair.

I glimpsed deep red loafers, the kind high-ranking priests wore.

Oh no.

The barrier didn't make me invisible to everyone.

Those with strong divine power could detect presences inside it.

In other words, a high-ranking priest had a good chance of noticing the barrier and spotting me.

Bune!

[Yes, Little One?]

Manifest in human form.

[Huh?]

Distract him so he doesn't notice me!

A gust blew in through the window. The curtains whipped wildly, and warmth settled on my shoulder. Bune had manifested in human form.

I mouthed silently, "Get out."

If he got caught wandering the worship hall at this hour, he'd end up locked in a cell for sure.

If Bune got caught, I'd have to dispel the manifestation and retrieve him later.

As he rose from under the chair, the priest's footsteps halted abruptly.

But then...

"From Dori Farm, are you?"

Far from startled, he said something bizarre.

Urso's voice?

He strode over and stopped in front of Bune.

"Just as I'd heard—a sight worth seeing."

He seemed to have mistaken the strikingly pure and delicate-looking Bune for a woman.

In this dim light, it was understandable.

I might have fallen for it too, if not for that pillar of light before.

"You've brought the money, I trust. If you disappoint me again this time, your father's farm shuts down tonight."

What?

Extorting villagers to live high on the hog, huh.

That explained why the temple food was tastier than expected.

They'd probably prepared like other temples to impress the Duvered folk, but mixed in their usual premium ingredients, blending with ours.

I peeked up stealthily at Urso.

He leaned close to Bune and reached out a pudgy, fat hand.

And then...

Gasp!

He grabbed and kneaded Bune's buttock.

"Your father must be desperate. Sending the daughter he wouldn't let go before, just to deliver the money."

Greasy drool dripped from his smirking face.

Bune stared blankly at Urso, who was groping a demon's ass.

So, was Urso unlucky or lucky for touching a demon's butt?

It was so absurd I even had random thoughts like that.

One thing was clear: this lunatic pervert deserved to be beaten to death.

Bune's gaze slid slowly from his own gripped buttock back up to Urso's greasy, gleaming face.

"What? Already so excited you can't hold back?"

--