The Price of Purification
But getting angry here wouldn't change a damn thing.
All it'd do was make Marin, who was already trembling face-down on the ground, even more terrified.
"Hoo..."
Should I try soothing him gently?
But once I'd been branded as a 'object of terror' in his eyes, trying to calm him down now would just make him cower even more next time, thinking I'd go easy if he acted scared.
So.
"Answer nice and easy, and nothing bad happens. Stop freaking out and just talk."
I decided to go hard.
Poking his cheek casually like some street thug, slouching as much as possible.
...This should be fine, right?
No matter how I looked at it, he saw me as a devil, so I was playing the part of a total punk. Surely this wouldn't cause any issues...
"A-anything! I'll answer anything!"
Nope, all good.
I patted the shoulder of the guy whose dialogue was finally getting through, now that we'd connected.
Ah, devil-like...
I caught his tiny whisper but ignored it.
Sure, it pissed me off a bit, but explaining myself point by point wouldn't get through to him anyway. Better to ride the wave of my bad rep and just extract the info I wanted.
He's gonna spill everything today anyway, so whatever.
"I'm planning to inspect every noble here one by one. How much do you usually charge for that?"
Marin lifted his head with a Why ask that? look, but the second our eyes met, he slammed it back down.
His body shook violently, his voice quivering in sync as he answered.
"About 10 gold coins per inspection..."
"?!"
Ten coins? How much did I get from Nipella? You charge that much for one check-up?
"If there's mana corruption, it's 100 coins."
This is a scam, right?
In Korean terms, one gold coin was about 100,000 won.
So, a million won per inspection. Ten million if treatment's needed.
...Not that bad, huh?
Expensive for commoners, sure, but for nobles? Probably pocket change.
Nobles make money just by breathing, right?
Like landlords back home?
Everyone loves passive income.
That's why every Tom, Dick, and Harry wants to be a noble.
Plus, prolonged exposure to divine power during inspections might naturally heal or reveal other wounds or illnesses...
No way 100 gold was too steep.
"Not that expensive, huh?"
"That's just the treatment fee. If other illnesses pop up during purification, we bill separately. Then there's the high priest's fee, warp gate costs for return trips..."
What? So it's not 100 gold?
"...Usually ends up around 300 gold. Skyrockets exponentially with contamination levels."
Back in the day, priests were seen as a poor man's job.
Pure faith only!
But generations passed, and that notion went out the window.
Now, the world's highest-earning profession!
Wait, isn't this actually a sweet gig?
I could rake in cash fast. Might not take long to build a fancy temple.
Maybe even head back sooner?
Marin glanced at my expression, apparently misunderstanding, and hurriedly added,
"O-of course, we charge commoners differently."
"How much?"
"10 silver..."
"What's the average monthly wage for commoners?"
"Around 2 gold..."
Not huge, but since that's the average... Higher earners would feel the hit hard.
"We don't charge body fees or anything."
"Obviously."
We're not personal docs like for nobles—we're doing group preventives. Charging travel fees would be bullshit.
"Alright, that's fine."
I didn't know how long building a temple would take, but earning the funds seemed quick.
Ten jobs, and boom—1,000 gold.
Treatments first?
But no nobles reeked right now, none looked critically bad.
"Ahem. Everyone, wait here. Nobles, take better care of yourselves. Oh, and knights—how much for them?"
"About 1 gold... Usually their lord covers it."
Just bill the nobles, easy.
"Don't go anywhere. I'll chat with my brother here and be back."
"But Priest-nim, us first..."
"Treating you won't help if it relapses, right? Gotta eliminate the source first. Wait a bit."
"...Understood."
The noble called Linehit nodded obediently.
"Now, let's talk, us."
I dragged the priest to the camp's outskirts.
Made him kneel, sat comfy on a rock, crossed my legs.
Leaning back like a thug shaking someone down, I asked,
"How much did you get paid?"
"Pardon?"
"How much to miss sensing a black mage? That stench was overpowering. You took a bribe, didn't you? Spill it."
I smashed my fist into a nearby rock.
Crack!
It split clean in half.
What? Why'd it break?
I was just going for noise, but hey.
Acted like it was on purpose, tossing and catching a rock shard overhead casually.
"Don't answer right, and your head splits like this rock."
"I-I didn't take any...!"
"Then why miss it?"
"I'm not a high-level priest, so I can't smell a black mage who's hidden their aura that tightly...! Didn't bring holy relics either!"
"?"
Even more confusing.
I stared at his trembling scalp.
"Why can't you sense it?"
"A low priest like me struggles with mana that's so deeply concealed..."
"So why?"
"Because I'm a low priest...?"
So why??
Made no sense. Did black mages get stronger while I wasn't looking?
Time flows equally for both. Should apply fair...
No, priests got lazy with easy money, skimped on training maybe.
Even less forgivable.
Like cops missing a wanted felon right in front of them.
"For now... Hmm. What to do."
I wasn't even his boss.
Got heated because he missed a continent-level enemy—god's kill order—but did I have the right to judge?
Scare him a bit more.
And from his vibe, perfect to bully after.
Then, a stench hit my nose.
Foul reek.
Mana?
Turned—spotted a shadow creeping behind a tree.
Shadow turned.
Eyes met.
Eyes formed on the shadow, rolled away.
—...This wasn't in the plan.
I gripped a rock shard, stood.
Then, the shadow opened toward Marin.
—Did you uphold our contract properly?
"?"
"W-what bullshit...!"
—Looks like not. Pathetic. Busted by a kid priest? Our deal ends here.
"What crap...!"
I glared at Marin. He waved hands frantically.
"No! Misunderstanding!"
"Grab that bastard first. Move, and your limbs shatter like this rock."
Left the grim warning, tracked the shadow visually.
Trolls matter, but troll-maker matters more.
Not far.
Crouched low, burst forward.
—!
Distance closed instantly.
I clenched fist; panicked shadow formed hand, lashed at me.
Black tendrils erupted, coiled my body.
Ziiing!
"!"
Then, bundle on my back burst open—crimson light leaked from the gap.
Holy relic?
Red light shot like a laser, pierced the tendrils.
Wasn't sure if I could smash through raw...
No issue now.
Infused divine power into the rock—just enough not to shatter. Deep breath.
Ready,
Fire!
Thud-boom!
Rock whizzed past shadow's side.
Hit tree crunched! toppled.
Shadow screamed.
—C-crazy bastard! Y-you're no priest!
"What? I'm a fine, upstanding priest. Why keep mistaking me for a holy knight?"
—Arghhh! Get lost!
Distance shrank steadily.
Forest deepened, surroundings dimmed.
I narrowed eyes at shadow.
Can I catch it?
Mana's essence is darkness. Was bright earlier, but dense trees now—getting darker.
Meaning mana strengthens from here.
Catch now or never.
—Haha! Soon my domain! Overconfident fool dove deep!
Shadow's tone flipped from "get lost."
—This is my clone! Fell for my perfect act!
Bullshit.
Looks like a clone superficially.
Mana seeping, distinct soul visible.
More demon than black mage, but self-aware—capture'll reveal.
"Yeah?"
Acted fooled, yanked up small tree by roots.
"Then eat this."
—Insane...!
Bam!
Miss?
Tree missed body but tore off arm section.
"What? Scared now?"
—You think I'd block your attacks, idiot!
Not biting.
Shadow quit taunting, bolted terrified.
Damn, too far.
Worst case, hurl the bundle.
Temple treasure—should snag a shadow easy!
Gotta throw.
Can't lose to a shadow chase—humiliating.
Heat surged; snatched bundle off back.
Then, shadow halted.
—Haha, too deep now, priest!
"?"
Looked around.
Clearing. Not normal.
Innumerable cave mouths endless; sky blocked by trees, vines.
—Shadow haven! You're trapped rat now!
Shadow in center spread arms.
—Come! Corrupt obediently!
Ziiing!
With cry, magic circle etched in clearing emerged.
Jet-black lines glowed crimson.
"What the hell?"
I chuckled dryly.
"Think this crap can corrupt me?"
Corruption taints priests with stronger mana, pledges their faith to the Calamity.
But I don't believe or pray to Calamity crap. And Arcana? Less 'god,' more...
—Your power's strong, sure! But divine power...
Blood-red divine power erupted from me.
Crimson aura enveloped.
Rumble—bundle shook, something leaped into my hand.
—Divine power...
Black blade, red gem embedded center.
First time gripping, felt like old friend.
Tightened hilt, assumed stance slow.
—Divine power... must be... corrupted...
Straight thrust at babbling fool.
Crimson beam lanced.
—Why unharmed...
Kwaaaang!
Laser-red pierced shadow clean.