Chapter 519
Chapter 519
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 519
Chapter Title: Junior Priest Kim Katt
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In the end, I spent nearly two hours hanging out with Liztina.
Once we started talking, I realized she gave off a vibe similar to Karin's, so we actually had quite a bit in common. It was like if Karin tried speaking in a refined tone while pretending to be all cultured. Kinda weird, but whatever.
She'd come to apologize in the first place, so there was no reason to hold a grudge, and it wasn't an uncomfortable chat. I just kept munching on desserts and sipping tea while we talked.
"Ugh, damn. I'm stuffed on tea. Thanks for the grub. I was starving."
"...You sure pack it away."
She mostly just watched me eat rather than joining in.
"Heh heh heh. Tastes even better when the Guild Master's footing the bill."
Nothing beats a free meal.
It wasn't like I was actually full, but I wasn't rude enough to complain after someone treated me.
Granted, if you nitpick, she was the one who'd kidnapped me and tried to royally screw me over. But we'd made peace in the end. She wasn't a good person, but hey, she'd seen me naked, so that was that.
"Anyway, that whole mess is water under the bridge now, so don't sweat it. Eat up and relax. Yeah? Nothing's worse for your skin than stressing over nothing. Just have Mariel give your feet a rub and get some solid sleep."
"...I've been having trouble sleeping lately."
Liztina shot me a glare as she said it.
"Huh? Why's that?"
With all that money, what could possibly keep her up at night?
"..."
Her gaze turned intense. I met her eyes, wondering what was up, and suddenly she started squirming like she was in a daze.
"W-what are you staring at?!"
"Huh?"
She jolted upright with a fake cough and stood first.
"...Hah. Whatever. Glad you enjoyed it."
"Heh heh heh, thanks. This place is great."
She pulled what looked like a wallet from her bag and spoke cautiously.
"Hey... you."
"Yeah?"
Running low on cash, maybe?
That'd be a problem.
"No, just... take care. Hah, that damn Karin..."
"Why bring up Karin? Anyway, safe travels home, Guild Master."
"Guild Master? I'm not even your Guild Master."
True enough.
But when you can't use someone's name, sticking to their title works fine.
"Just calling you by your position."
"It's confusing. Use my name."
"Your name?"
Asking me to use her name?
"Guild Master Liztina?"
"Drop the Guild Master."
"Liztina?"
"...Yeah, that's better. See you around. Pick up next time I call."
She finished paying, glanced back at me once, then turned and walked out. Click, clack. Her high heels echoed. The white fur hat bobbing with her steps screamed old money.
...No clue what that was about.
Should I drop the formal speech next time?
Who knows when we'd meet again.
"I'm not a martial artist," I muttered.
And that wrapped up tea time with Liztina.
All in all, I'd hustled today but hadn't scored any real rewards. The Adventurer's Guild payout would take a couple days, and the saintess's reward needed that report first.
Better write it up as soon as I get home.
I've got plenty of paper and pens there.
Back home, the first floor was empty. Thought they'd gone out, but their shoes were still there. Karin wasn't off work yet... so upstairs?
I stripped off my gear, and soon Cloude came up from the basement.
"Katt, good work out there. You're late."
She was in just her purple undies, grinning as she hugged me tight.
"Yeah, Cloude. Hit the Guild and church. Where's Winia and Risha?"
"Basement."
What were they up to?
I followed her down, and there were Risha and Winia at the workbench, fiddling with something.
"You're back?"
"Darky's home? Come check this out."
"What's up?"
With all three there, they'd clearly been working on something together. Risha was a wizard at weird stuff, so plenty to see.
Winia grabbed my hand and pulled me over.
Risha held a sharp spike, jabbing it into what looked like a small, black, squishy rubber ball while flipping through a book.
Some experiment?
The orb on the spike pulsed.
"Risha? What're you doing?"
"A simple test. Didn't I say I'd separated the demon's soul remnant, form, and essence?"
"Right."
She lifted the spiked orb and showed it to me.
"This is Vuugal's soul."
"What?!"
A soul?!
"Souls exist?!"
Ghosts, banshees, wraiths—those could be seen as manifested human souls. So a demon having one wasn't crazy.
"This is Vuugal's soul!"
Still, I was totally floored...!
Demon soul!
"Surprised? A demon's soul has properties way different from a normal one. Who knew this fascinating stuff would happen... Heh heh heh. Without you, I'd never have gotten this chance. Thanks."
"Heh heh heh, no biggie."
I had no idea what it meant, but Risha was thrilled at the new research material. She loved that crap.
Cloude and Winia had just been watching.
"But its durability sucks, so I can't run long tests. That's a shame. Anyway, Winia, enough spectating—read that book I gave you."
"Yes, Risha sis."
Risha stopped the experiment and tidied the bench with dark magic. Winia picked up a book from the table.
"Winia, what's that?"
"Book from Risha sis. Looks super helpful. Darky, check it out."
Risha had given her a magic tome. Winia was learning from her bit by bit. But magic books were Greek to me.
Written in magic script—couldn't read it.
"I'd just be lost."
"Heh heh. Obviously. Anyway, Darky, wanna play now?"
"Play what?"
"You know."
Winia grinned, rubbing her face on my chest all cute. Her libido had spiked lately. Lasted five minutes tops, so lots of foreplay to drag it out.
"No, aren't you reading?"
"Plenty of time."
"Not right now."
"Why?"
Zzt.
Winia glared at me.
That look, at me?
"Gotta write a report. Winia, proofread for me?"
"Report?"
"Went to church, met this saintess. She wants a report on resolving the Vuugal thing."
"What?"
All three wives perked up.
"Saintess?"
"A saintess?"
"Saintess?"
Yeah, saintesses were rare.
I filled them in on meeting Cardia the saintess.
"Hmm... a saintess. Can they hear God's voice?"
"Nah, she said it's more like vague intentions."
I answered Cloude's question.
Not the most accurate way to put it.
Gods transcend human understanding. One-way intent transmission... Beats me. Were this world's gods transcendent beings or something else? No clue.
"A saintess. I'd love to meet one sometime."
"You, Risha? Even if she says dark mages are fine, a stickler might complain."
"I know. Just curious about someone who senses divine will... Pretty intriguing, right?"
"Fair."
We headed to the first-floor living room.
I grabbed paper and pen, sat at the desk.
"Darky, I get all anxious when you talk about other girls."
Winia got uneasy at the saintess mention.
"Heh heh heh, why worry?"
"Just... do."
As if something would happen with a saintess.
Winia scooted right up against me on the seat, leaning in. I stroked her shoulder like petting a cat.
"Heh heh heh, Winia. What's got you worried?"
"Sis just loves hearing about girls."
Cloude just grinned.
This naughty mama always twisted girl talk that way. Her ideas led to four wives.
"Anyway, help with the report."
"...Yeah. I'll help."
Winia assisted.
I wrote up everything I'd said and witnessed. She checked beside me, cutting fluff, highlighting key bits.
Smart as a mage should be.
"Darky, we killed a demon sword. Risha sis says it's fine, but leaks are bad news."
"I know."
"Right, Katt. They could nitpick and cause trouble. Take this next church visit."
Cloude handed me the sword from the Andromalius reward.
"Maybe. You don't need it, Cloude?"
"Nah. Mama's got those."
She nodded at the two curved blades on the wall.
"Familiar weapons are best."
"True. I swap 'em out a lot."
"Heh heh heh, you're still young, Katt. Trying different gear matters."
How young am I?
Finished the report just as Karin was due back. Dinner out together?
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Three days later, I swung by the Adventurer's Guild, collected 40 silver for the two quests—effectively cleared at once—then headed to church.
Cardia the saintess was sticking around Isvant a bit.
"Ho, nice handwriting."
She skimmed my report, puffing smoke, and praised me. Writing reports was basic for modern folks.
"Way easier to sort than hearsay. Verbal stuff gets exaggerated. Didn't expect a mercenary priest to write better than paladins."
"Heh heh heh, I studied hard. More effort than most—natural result."
"I see. You did great."
She tucked the report away.
"Got the picture. Demon sword incidents are rare but hit hard. Nipping it early makes this saintess very happy. Adventurers have an edge over us believers who need proof."
Adventurers crawl to every disaster spot, so info flows fast.
"Matches what the paladins reported from the site. Solid enough."
"Huh? You sent paladins?"
"Of course. Junior priest reports rate high, but boots on ground reveal truth."
High-up types were thorough.
She'd dispatched to the village in those three days. Round trip took two... unless church folks were faster. Quick in-and-out.
"Standard procedure. Cross-verification's key."
"You get it. I like that... So, reward? Got battle priest gear... paladin dagger, standard longsword. Could pass for a full believer."
I half-wondered if I was Brass Celestial Society.
"Proof of my hard service. Heh heh heh, but you said expect something good? Wasn't planning ahead."
"Hm... Fair. Stand up."
"Stand?"
I did. She stood too, opened the parlor door.
"New to town, don't know the layout. Today, special privilege: guide this saintess around."
"Huh?"
"Dating a beautiful saintess? Big reward for men. Lead on."
"No."
Give me cash, you cheapskate.