Chapter 553
Chapter 553
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 553
Chapter Title: The Match Girl
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Bad omens always hit the mark.
"Fuck, it's snowing again."
I woke up in the dim morning, yanked open the curtains, and there the snow bastard was, dumping down like it was bawling its eyes out over its dead mom. You could practically feel the little shit's grief.
Looked like the white trash was already piling up on the streets.
I stared blankly at the inhuman scene for a moment, then, as if entranced, opened the window and stuck my hand out.
Couldn't accept it as reality without touching it myself.
>—Rustle.
A snowflake landed in my palm and melted away.
"Eugh, fuck."
A gust of cold wind rushed in, tickling my muscles. It snapped me awake with its icy bite. Goddamn winter was back again, that bitch.
"So cold... Hurry and close the door..."
"Hey blackie, what're you doing... Close it quick..."
"Ah, sorry."
The only change from last winter was that I had three more wives now, I guess. Lisha and Winia huddled together under the blankets, murmuring in strained voices.
I shut the window right away and headed back to bed.
"Katt... You're freezing..."
The moment I slipped under the covers, Claudy—who'd been about to hug me—rolled away and latched onto Karin instead. Karin rubbed against her quietly.
"...Snowing?"
"Yeah. Coming down hard."
"I see..."
Anyway, cold days make you hate moving.
For some reason, a weird urge gripped me to join the snow-clearing crew, but then I remembered—with my experience—there was no need to do that shitty job.
"Ah."
It'd been about ten days since I made Liztina my woman. I'd gotten the key to the Warriors' Guild from her too. She said to come anytime, so I'd been visiting often and taking her.
But I still hadn't introduced her face-to-face to my other wives.
Both sides needed time to mentally prepare, after all.
Come to think of it, the Saintess had asked me to drop by once.
To celebrate the official start of winter, it might be good to pay a visit. Lingering at home on the first snow would just make me lazy. Let's head to the church today.
The second I got up, I grabbed my panties and shorts, slipped them on, and drew my sword.
"Katt...? Training?"
"Yeah. I'm wide awake now. Gotta move."
"Heh heh heh, then I'll sleep more."
This was a ritual of sorts. To keep my senses at peak through the whole winter. Leaving the girls in bed, I headed downstairs to the backyard.
The instant I stepped out, I raised my sword and unleashed sword aura.
>—Crackle!
Thanks to daily practice without fail, it erupted with ferocious intensity, coating the blade. At this speed, using it in real combat wouldn't be an issue anymore.
I'd boosted both the duration and casting time to my satisfaction.
>—Whoosh whoosh!
With snow pelting me, I trained my stamina and swordsmanship bare-bodied. Gotta do it every morning, rain or snow be damned.
Soon, heat rose in my body, sweat dripping down.
>—Sss...
Steam rose from my whole body, melting the surrounding snow. Alright, time to check my physical condition.
I slammed the sword into the ground, went into a handstand, and started push-ups in that position.
>—Hop.
Then, using only my arms, I jumped to test my strength. As usual, power surged through me. I repeated the slow jumps for twenty minutes straight, finished refining my muscles, then went inside to wash up.
As my mana capacity grew, so did my body.
Today's condition was top-notch.
"I'm heading to the church for a bit."
"Hey, hey. It's our day off—where you going, you punk? Stay home. It's cold out—why wander around? Come here. I'll hold you."
Back upstairs, Karin propped herself up and said.
I crawled over, buried my face in her breasts, and squeezed her ass hard.
"Eek...! Cute little shit. You went to train in the backyard, huh? Worked hard? Want a reward fuck?"
"Heh heh heh, it's not a reward—it's every day."
To reward me, just put on something slutty and dance. I love that, but it's awkward to ask.
"Anyway, I'll be back quick. The Saintess asked me to come by."
"Fine... Hurry back then. Don't wanna spend a rare day off without my husband in the morning."
As I pulled away from Karin, Winia asked.
"The Saintess long?"
"Nah. She said last time there might be some work."
"Mm... Hate moving in winter..."
I didn't wanna go far in winter either.
"Dunno what it is yet. I'll check and come back."
"Katt... Come back safe."
"See you later... Oh, and yesterday I saw we're low on groceries. Pick some up on the way back. I'll sleep more..."
My wives saw me off with kisses on my cheeks, stroking my raging hard-on. Fine, I'll shop on the way. I grabbed my clothes and headed out.
>—Rustle.
Snow's coming down like crazy, for real.
I flipped up the hood on my cape and walked.
The Isvant landscape was unpleasantly white as I went.
People shoveled paths in snow gear. Carriages hustled before the blizzard worsened, adventurers leaned on shop eaves, chatting and laughing.
Then, a familiar girl caught my eye.
"Huh? Lina?"
Lina, pole in hand, was clearing snow in a raincoat-like getup. Long time no see, this kid.
"O-Onii-chan?"
"Yup. Shoveling snow?"
"Yes. It's winter, after all. Oh, more importantly... Hello."
Lina bowed ninety degrees. I admired the sight satisfactorily and asked.
"Doing well?"
"Yes. Thanks to your help, Onii-chan. Even in winter, clearing snow daily should keep us fine."
"Good to hear. Not starving?"
"Lucky, yeah."
Lina scratched her cheek, grinning sheepishly. She'd adapted to adventurer life decently.
"How's adventurer work going?"
"Good. But honestly, more porter or gathering gigs than killing monsters... Still enough to live."
"Living well, huh."
"You heading to work today too, Onii-chan?"
"Something like that. If I see you around, I'll call."
No need to drag a kid in winter hunts. But handy for odd jobs when spotted.
I parted with Lina and headed to the church.
Seeing her reminded me of Kobson and Meria. Hope they're good. Last winter, we hunted together, sliced killers, brawled Naias hard.
They're not the starving type. D-rank vets. Might've moved cities for work.
Wonder if that fucker Naias is alive too.
Soon, I reached the church.
A nun asked right away after I stated my business.
"The Saintess has a lot of personal tasks for you, huh?"
"Yeah. As a lay priest, she gives me this and that. Heh heh heh, I'm half a believer now. Grateful."
"Ho ho ho, true. She's probably in her room—go up."
I naturally entered, climbed the stairs. Greetings from passersby warmed my mood.
This winter'll be cozy.
>—Knock knock knock.
At Saintess Cardia's door, I knocked. A faint "come in" came, so I entered.
"Oh? The lay priest? Unexpected visit."
"Heh heh heh, doing well?"
Inside, Saintess Cardia sat primly in her saintess outfit, handling work. Her killer figure drew my eyes, but superhuman willpower held me back.
"Buried in work—not really. But perfect timing. Remember I said something might come up soon?"
Looks like there was a job.
"That's why I'm here."
"You show up right when needed. I like it. If more talents like you, I'd sleep an extra hour daily."
"How much do you sleep normally?"
"Four hours."
"No way! That's insane!"
I dropped to my knees, tearing at my hair.
A position that high, only four hours sleep? No one'd want promotion if that's the reality.
Superiors gotta look comfy to motivate underlings. Easy top seats are the ultimate glory.
If it's work hell up there, only psycho ambitious types climb.
"Sleep more! It'll ruin your pretty skin!"
"Heh, your worry energizes me. Anyway, hope our lay priest eases my burdens. Sit, let's talk."
"Yes'm."*
"Yes'm?"
"Ah, habit. Sorry."
"What habit... You're full of surprises, lay priest."
Fuck, yeah, could happen.
I sat. She rummaged a drawer, spread documents on the desk.
"Lay priest, know Sasquatch monsters?"
"Sasquatch?"
Heard of the yeti-like things. Not around here, so rumors only.
"They have primitive intelligence."
The doc she handed had sketches and info. I read as I asked.
"Like orcs?"
"Lower than orcs."
Thick-skulled then.
More wild monster smarts than dumb. Monsters ain't that stupid.
"With demon sightings, shady folks gathering everywhere. Holy knights and lord's soldiers caught some. But most got killed right after capture."
She explained the background.
"Holy knights kill them?"
"Ordered to escort to city, but they couldn't hold back. Even reports of soldiers ambushed during heretic transport, massacred on sight. They won't listen. Our believers, but heretic frenzy is both pro and con."
"Heh heh heh, don't be too harsh—they meant well."
Holy knights apparently executed heretics and villains on sight. Ambushes on soldiers for prisoner kills? Wild.
Urban legend-level inhumanity.
Can't hold back murder urges?
"That's why more trouble brews, lay priest. Can't get proper evidence or motives. Exhausting."
"True. So why mention it?"
Sasquatch tied to shady fucks?
"Sasquatch have primitive smarts, so primitive religion too. Interrogations barely got that outsiders exploit it. Want you to investigate."
"Details?"
"Read more."
"Yes'm. But aren't there no Sasquatch around here?"
I flipped a page.
"Details there. Saying this cuz they appeared."
As said, docs compiled reports from holy knights and priests.
Rare local Sasquatch sightings, shady aura arrests and interrogations—linked, leading to direct probes.
I read slowly, piecing it together.