Chapter 56: A Conversation That Contained Deep Implications
Chapter 56: A Conversation That Contained Deep Implications
“I packed everything in.”
The maid Charlotte, who looked as if she had already had a drink early in the morning, helped her disciple Abel strap a backpack onto his back.
The pack was stuffed with camping cooking tools.
Since this would be Abel’s first labyrinth expedition after changing class to a cook, she said she had personally prepared everything as his teacher.
“Real combat is different from training. Follow what you learned, but cultivate the insight to make different judgments depending on the situation.”
“Yes!”
Marlin, wearing the wide-brimmed hat I had bought her, listened carefully to the advice of her teacher, the butler Sergius, nodding her head.
“Marlin, are you nervous?”
“…A little?”
This wasn’t her first expedition, but since it was her first real field experience after receiving proper explorer training, she seemed somewhat tense.
Sergius began teaching her ways to ease that tension with a gentle smile.
“Cultist Kar.”
While I watched the siblings receive simple tips from their respective teachers, Odilon called out to me with a sullen expression.
Rosalia stood behind him like a shadow, holding three books.
Their covers were all bright red.
“Here. The books you asked for.”
《Novel series <Hero and Mother>》
《A work overflowing with bloodshed and rage about a war hero who sacrificed his daughter as a living offering to calm the wrath of an Evil God, and a mother seeking revenge for her child. Everyone dies at the end, which perfectly matched Odilon’s tastes. But you like this sort of thing too…?》
“Thank you, Young Master.”
I stored the novels in the subspace of Radiant Faith, and Odilon spoke again bluntly.
“Cultist Kar. The swordsman Pendrick is an excellent expedition member, but he has one fatal flaw.”
“My goodness. I should listen carefully. What is it?”
“He talks too much.”
The Young Master, who despised healthy social relationships, muttered while frowning.
“He’s already become completely friendly with Sergius, Charlotte, and even the thieves from the Black Sword Guild. He keeps chattering nonstop without a moment’s rest….”
“He certainly has exceptional sociability.”
“If you gave him enough time, he’d probably become friends with a rock. It’s exhausting.”
“…Do you dislike me?”
Right on cue, Pendrick—who had just stepped out of the mansion—interrupted the conversation with a hurt expression.
“I thought we had become quite close. Especially when we met this morning in the training hall—you greeted me very warmly.”
“I didn’t say a single word.”
“But I believe hearts can still communicate without conversation. When I lived on the Eastern Continent, there were many elves who refused to learn the continental common language, so I had to learn how to communicate through body language—”
“……”
Even as the Young Master’s expression twisted further, the genius swordsman’s story continued pouring out without pause.
Zzt!
The Lofty One expressed the opinion that the combination of a blunt long-limbed fellow and a sociable handsome man was not a bad pairing.
I had to admit the balance between offense and defense was rather exquisite.
“Do you happen to know the druid Miriel? He’s a friend I grew close to when I lived on the Eastern Continent, and he was so capable that—”
Sensing the conversation might continue endlessly, Odilon quietly shifted his gaze toward me and applied silent pressure.
I nodded as if to say he could rely on me and cut Pendrick off mid-reminiscence.
“Sir Pendrick?”
“Ah, yes. Captain.”
“I apologize, but please save your conversation with the Young Master for after the expedition. He said he would like a separate meeting later. At that time, feel free to talk all day.”
“Really? Understood!”
“…Cultist Kar.”
Odilon glared at me, so I responded with a finger heart.
“Then we will be departing now.”
“Wait a moment—”
“Sister, please come along quickly.”
Rosalia tilted her head toward the Young Master before following behind me.
“Young Master, see you later. Let’s meet again after the expedition!”
Even Pendrick, who had thoroughly drained Odilon’s soul to the very end, hurriedly chased after us.
As we walked, Marlin glanced over the members of our group and whispered quietly to me.
“Kar. Are you planning to recruit only people like you as expedition members…?”
“People like me? What do you mean by that? Talented and overflowing with charm?”
“……”
When the older sister pressed her lips shut, the younger brother quickly spoke.
“Are you planning to recruit only people as talented as you in the future, Patron?”
“Of course. Everyone will have promising futures, just like me.”
“I look forward to seeing what the Moon Expedition will look like in the future.”
“So do I.”
Astrimia, who had been quietly listening to our conversation, let out a mental sigh.
—Indeed, the future will be quite something. In many ways….
We were traveling toward the destination labyrinth.
Marlin, again wearing the wide-brimmed hat I had bought her, walked with lively steps and asked,
“Which labyrinth are we going to?”
“An A-Rank labyrinth called Tiger Extermination Hell.”
“…There’s no way a labyrinth with a name like that exists!”
“I’ll take you there someday. Look forward to it.”
While teasingly pulling her hat down to block her vision, we arrived at the place where the labyrinth entrance was located.
The southeastern area between Cultist Town and the slums.
Beyond a low wall stood buildings arranged in a black-and-white color scheme that blended together in an oddly elegant way.
Abel silently surveyed the surroundings, and his ears twitched slightly.
“…This is the Harmony Church monastery.”
《Landmark — Artea Monastery》
《A dull place where the followers of the hypocritical goddess live frugally. May the gaze of the Wise One one day cover this place!》
This monastery housed members of the Harmony Church belonging to organizations such as the Spear of Order and the Inquiring Lantern, who lived communally.
Normally it was open only to those who served Arteine, but explorers visiting to conquer labyrinths were granted exceptional entry.
“May Arteine embrace the world with sunlight-like grace. Greetings. What brings you here?”
“Greetings, Holy Knight. We have come to conquer a labyrinth.”
After showing our identification plates to the Holy Knight at the entrance, we entered the monastery.
Marlin, who had walked ahead with quick steps, sniffed the air repeatedly while looking around.
“The air feels fresh compared to the slums.”
“Isn’t that because this is a place touched by the hand of the one who protects all?”
“Is that really the only reason?”
“There is also a holy relic installed that purifies the pollutants in the surrounding area.”
Such a perfect air-purification system.
The holy relics bestowed by Arteine were truly beneficial to the world.
Even though they were technically items of similar grade, Sky Invader was completely outclassed in usefulness and versatility.
Zzt!
The Lofty One loudly insisted that if I offered a more impressive sacrifice, they would grant an even finer relic.
It was pure bluff.
Just granting Sky Invader had already turned them into a poor deity of faith for the impoverished.
“Let’s proceed slowly.”
As we walked deeper inside while enjoying the purified breeze, a striking tower built close to the slum-facing side came into view.
Its roof glowed like a lighthouse.
It was used to monitor the poor.
From experience I knew that being watched every moment of the day could force people to live more diligently, even if only half-compelled.
So it wasn’t entirely a bad thing.
“Recruiting one warrior!”
“Any monster slaughterers here?”
To the right of the watchtower, large muscular explorers reeking of sweat were recruiting temporary expedition companions.
“Asmi must be nearby.”
—Looks like it.
Pendrick, who had been excitedly looking around the monastery, pointed somewhere.
“Ah, it must be over there!”
Marlin followed the direction of the genius swordsman’s finger and blinked in confusion.
Near a massive tree that had grown strong thanks to Arteine’s holy relics.
There stood a completely out-of-place piece of furniture.
“A bookshelf…?”
A bookshelf as tall as three Rosalias stacked on top of one another stood firmly in the grass like a tree.
《Entrance leading to the Library of Sin.》
“Explorers! Please line up in an orderly fashion!”
A labyrinth-management priest from the Inquiring Lantern shouted to control the explorers standing around randomly, but there were simply too many people.
Abel, who stood beside me, tugged at my sleeve.
“Patron, does this labyrinth offer good rewards? There are many people.”
“Oh, Abel, that’s perceptive.”
Before I could answer, Pendrick smiled down at Abel.
“I wondered what kind of children the captain was supporting. But both of you are so clever and brave that it surprised me.”
“…We’re not that impressive.”
Abel bit his lip and turned his head at the praise.
Pretending not to smile, I patted the head of my ward and examined the explorers around us one by one.
Then my eyes met those of another explorer who had been looking around as well.
“…You’re here.”
I could sense it instinctively.
It was him.
Even without instinct interfering, I would have recognized him immediately.
With clothing that conspicuous, how could anyone miss him?
“Hey.”
The explorer who met my gaze strode toward me.
Blue skin typical of demons.
Reversed eyes with the whites and blacks swapped.
And most of his upper body, including his face, wrapped in bandages.
“Ah….”
Marlin, who had been watching the venomous creature Mengmeng bouncing on Rosalia’s shoulder, flinched and hid behind me.
Abel also stiffened.
“A demon….”
“……”
Demons.
To the two siblings who grew up in the slums, they were naturally a race associated with fear.
“Kar, be careful.”
When the explorer approached, Marlin whispered so only I could hear.
“If you let your guard down for a moment, it’s over. Demons are notorious for stealing things!”
Most demons were poor and lived in slums.
“What are you saying? That gentleman looks perfectly kind.”
“…Anyone can see he looks evil and sinister.”
While Marlin slandered the innocent-looking demon, the target of the insults reached us and placed one hand on his waist.
“So you’re the captain of the Moon-something expedition?”
《Black Mage with a unique appearance — Bartimir (Demon, age 22). What is this? His body is filled entirely with curses and diseases. Clearly insane—he must be sent immediately to the temple of the hypocritical goddess!》
Bartimir.
The demon black mage began looking at me with clear displeasure.
I bowed my head.
“Nice to meet you, Sir Bartimir. I am Kar, Cultist of the Twisted Truth.”
“…A demon as an expedition member? Isn’t that a little dangerous?”
Marlin made a remark that could easily sound very rude, but Bartimir ignored it completely and kept staring only at me.
“A half-elf cultist. Then you must carry the curse given by the God of Nature.”
When I quietly nodded, a smile appeared on the lips visible between the demon black mage’s bandages.
“Want to show me?”
“Go ahead and look.”
I lifted my clothes without hesitation and showed the sprout growing from my chest.
Bartimir studied it for a while before nodding.
“You’re not bad, better than I expected. Let’s go for now.”
The demon black mage walked toward the entrance first.
Astrimia muttered blankly.
—What part of that satisfied him exactly…?
None of my companions could answer.
Without explaining the deep meaning contained in our brief exchange, I followed Bartimir.
As I walked, I stroked the snake tattoo on my left arm.
“Please wait just a little longer.”
Today, I will provide you with a satisfying act of worship for the first time in a while.