Chapter 563
Chapter 563
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 563
Chapter Title: The Little Match Girl
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The Saintess Cardia crawled right up onto the desk, grabbing my hand with the pen over and over and trying to drag it toward the signature line. She was putting on such an ugly display just to get one autograph...!
"I'll read it first!!"
"Heh, the quasi-priest has such thick hands. His fingers are all callused too."
"What do you mean by talking like you're seducing me?!"
Even amid all that, I mustered extreme concentration and read through the five-page contract.
It was a contract personally drafted by the Saintess.
Since it was documented, what was written here was clearly the true nature of the Paladin's terms of service. I scanned the items warily, wondering if she'd snuck in something like a slave contract clause.
Of course, the upright Saintess of the Brass Celestial Society wouldn't include anything like that. The religious folk in this world all seemed a bit off their rockers somewhere, but at their core, they were good and just.
They weren't the type to exploit labor.
"I've written the terms of service to match what the quasi-priest described as closely as possible. The conditions are excellent. No need to worry about pay either. For starters, I wanted to let you know we've set the reward for this incident at around 80 silver."
"Hooray!"
80 silver!
That meant the Paladin salary would be even higher!
"This is too good, Saintess!"
There were no oddities in the contract.
It matched exactly what I'd asked about so far and what Saintess Cardia had explained. She'd simply put my understanding into writing.
The conditions were perfect.
The contract term was guaranteed for several years, the pay was incomparable to an adventurer's, and even orders came after consultation with the Saintess.
There were no issues at all.
Honestly, I could just sign it right then. Still, it seemed necessary to add a few clauses before doing so.
"Ah, Saintess, hold on a moment. I'd like to add one clause."
"A clause? Tell me."
"Well, honestly, even if I'm doing great at my job, there might come a task that's utterly impossible for me."
I was confident I could handle most things, but completely unsolvable problems could arise. That was my concern.
"No need to worry about that. This Saintess knows the limits of human capability well. We wouldn't throw a valuable direct Paladin at an impossible task. Rest assured."
She really was reasonable.
"Even so, it's several years of work. What if I end up with something like that? So, if it happens and I fail, please don't abandon me or impose penalties."
Honestly, getting saddled with something utterly unreasonable as a Paladin was a pass. Of course, I knew she wouldn't assign that.
But exceptions exist, and even I have limits.
"That's not difficult."
Saintess Cardia took the pen from me, added various clauses by hand, and stamped her seal in front of them.
I requested a few additions favorable to me, and she happily included them all.
She accommodated pretty much every reasonable demand.
What the Saintess needed was my ability to get things done. She planned to pay big and keep using me, so she brushed off the minor stuff with a cool attitude.
"Aren't you being too agreeable?"
"Having a talent like the quasi-priest under me to use freely makes such conditions trivial. What this Saintess needs is someone righteous, obedient, capable, and trustworthy."
As we talked, she got down from the desk, pulled an identical contract from the drawer, added my requests there too, and stamped it.
This was the copy for me.
"If the quasi-priest does his job well, I can offer even greater conveniences. Let me ask first: if the work gets a bit tough, will you shirk your duties or act negligently?"
"Absolutely not."
If treated well and compensated properly, I'd never betray. I'd acted the same as an adventurer.
I take responsibility for what I agree to do.
That's what it means to take money for work.
"Why would I do that when you're treating me well and paying generously? Plus, a Paladin's social status is nothing to throw away."
"This Saintess trusts the quasi-priest's character."
I trusted Saintess Cardia too.
"If you're satisfied, sign already."
"Heh heh heh, got it."
I'd checked the contract thoroughly and gotten my clauses added. Smiling, I wrote my name in the signature line. Who else in this world could I trust besides a religious figure?
Saintess Cardia immediately folded the contract neatly and tucked it between her breasts.
I signed the copy too and pocketed it.
"Now the quasi-priest can't back out of becoming a Paladin."
"I agreed, so no backing out."
"From now on, you'll work for the advancement of doctrine and the world's peace. I promise fitting rewards in the church's name."
"I promise to work hard too. We should bury all those wicked bastards."
She chuckled softly and continued.
"As long as the Paladin quasi-priest doesn't completely lose this Saintess's trust, it could be a lifetime contract. Of course, you can quit after the term."
Quitting after the term was in the contract too. No reason to if conditions stayed good.
"The moment this Saintess returns to the capital and submits the documents to His Holiness, the quasi-priest gains Paladin status. Until then, you're still quasi-priest, so rest up. You'll be busy as a Paladin."
"Heh heh heh, I'm usually busy anyway, so it won't be a big deal. But... Saintess, your clothes."
She was still half-undressed.
Her sensual curves overflowed with feminine allure, fully exposed. Peeking at a Saintess's bare skin would probably be a grave sin.
At my pointing it out, she finally began slowly dressing.
"Heh, you let this Saintess strip to the brink without stopping, yet hurried the signing. Too hasty, quasi-priest. A chance like this won't come again."
She dressed while staring at me.
"Seeing the kingdom's most beautiful Saintess like that... men would swoon at the mere thought."
"No, Saintess?"
"Well, if the quasi-priest wants, I could show underwear for morale boosting anytime..."
"Oh god, Saintess! Why do you love sexual harassment so much?!"
This woman definitely had sensibilities on another level...!
"Endless duties made teasing people my only hobby. The quasi-priest is especially fun to tease."
She sat back down, crossed her legs, and answered my shocked question with a faint smile.
"The Saintess role leaves almost no personal time, inevitably building frustration. So the quasi-priest must understand. Please bear with it from now on."
"What is this."
Well, even a Saintess is human.
"Still, stripping while threatening is way over the top. I mean, too much."
"Obviously just harmless fun. This Saintess wouldn't do anything truly wicked. Just wanted to tease."
"Heh heh heh, of course."
A Saintess wouldn't do anything weird to me anyway.
Just a joke.
"Wasn't it fun though? This Saintess certainly enjoyed it."
"Do it twice and the church might explode."
Anyway, my direct superior was quite the oddball.
But good at heart, so no problem. Especially with 80 silver reward for this job. After sending Holy Knights and investigating, but still.
Pay well, and everyone's good.
Guess I'd visit the church again for the money.
I sat there chatting a bit with Saintess Cardia. Mostly in-depth questions about the incident. Tricky, but I'd aligned stories with Winia already.
"Take this."
Mid-conversation, she suddenly unclasped the necklace from her neck and held it out.
"Necklace? What's this?"
"Proof of being this Saintess's direct Paladin."
"Whoa! Something like that!"
A luxurious necklace adorned with the Brass Celestial Society's emblem. Worn by the Saintess herself.
Its value was inestimable...!
"It has this Saintess's name engraved. Show it to any of our faithful anywhere, and it'll prove you're a Paladin."
"This must be insanely expensive!"
"Lose it, and you'll be punished."
"I'll treasure it! But giving it already?"
I quickly pocketed the necklace and hung it around my neck. Lose this, and I'm screwed. Non-tradable item anyway.
"We're bound by trust already, aren't we? Lastly, working under this Saintess means all the wealth and glory you could want."
She emphasized wealth and glory.
Knowing my attachment to money.
"Nothing more appealing than solving tough issues for pocket change. Trivial for the church, of course. Big money for the quasi-priest."
"I understand perfectly."
I'd known and signed the contract.
"Loyalty comes from wealth. This Saintess wants to buy the quasi-priest's with money and personal ties."
Loyalty, huh.
She crossed her legs the other way, lit a cigarette, and said,
"...This Saintess can't command true loyalty from our faithful."
"Pardon?"
What?
"What do you mean? A Saintess not getting loyalty?"
Incomprehensible.
"Holy Knights of ultimate faith swear loyalty only to Verde God. Same for priests and nuns. They revere and respect this Saintess utmost, but never pledge loyalty."
"Huh... yeah, thinking about it."
Holy Knights loyal to God, not people.
Same for the Saintess.
"Remember the quasi-priest mentioning Holy Knights beating heretics to death during escort?"
"Of course."
"Even though this Saintess ordered live capture. That's why Holy Knights are hard to use. They prioritize doctrine over orders."
True, great at killing heretics on sight, but other orders? Tough.
That's why Saintess Cardia needed direct Paladins like me, separate from Holy Knights, un-converted.
"Can't strike decisive blows at evil that way. So from now on, the quasi-priest will handle such tasks on this Saintess's orders. Rational, so you'll be very useful."
Someone prioritizing Saintess's orders over doctrine.
Easy to use, clearly.
Thus, no demand for conversion. Convert, and same issues as Holy Knights.
"Heh heh heh, I've already decided to pledge loyalty to you, Saintess. No matter how loathsome the wicked, if usable, we use them."
"Exactly, quasi-priest."
Her lips curved up. Satisfied with my answer.
I'm her only direct Paladin. Might grow if she finds more like me, but for now, just me.
Thus, top treatment guaranteed.
"Let's do well from now on, quasi-priest. No, Paladin Katt."
"Heh heh heh, of course."
She doesn't assign bad jobs anyway. Saintess Cardia's tasks are all about efficiently gathering intel or destroying evil entities.
Get paid, build skills, gain fame, do good deeds on the side.
If God's job exists, this is it.
Fuck, technically it is God's job.
"Then I'll head out. You said reward next time, so I'll visit then. Take care."
"Rest well."
With that, I left the church.