Chapter 199: Toward the Church of Light (4)
Chapter 199: Toward the Church of Light (4)
The carriage sent by the Church of Righteous Light was more than just comfortable.
Various auxiliary spells were woven into its wheels, and the horses pulling it were semi-spiritual beasts that had been raised under divine blessings since birth.
Naturally, its speed was remarkable—fast enough to travel from the very center of the continent to the eastern edge in just a few days.
So, what does this sudden explanation mean? It means it’s about time to clear another dungeon.
“…How should I bring up the fact that there’s a dungeon nearby?”
“Ughhh… phew. Can’t you just say a revelation suddenly went zap into your head, Junior?”
Fay spoke while stretching, her expression dazed as if she hadn't fully woken up yet.
I replied while my eyes remained fixed on her chest, which was naturally emphasized as she arched her back.
“That won’t work. Think about it, Senior Fay. The gods are the ones who created the dungeons, so why wouldn't they tell their own followers where they are?”
Noticing my gaze, Fay unbuttoned the top two buttons of her shirt as if she found the heat stifling, then nodded.
“Ah! Dungeons are remnants of the Evil God’s resistance, so the Good Gods don't actually know their locations, right?”
“Exactly.”
Dungeons are the scars left behind from failed attempts to banish monsters beyond the boundaries of this world.
Think of it like throwing a crumpled piece of paper toward a trash can, only for someone nearby to block it. Because they were deflected by another’s will, the Good Gods may have created them, but they don't actually know where they landed.
Fortunately, the same applies to the Evil Gods… at least until they successfully manifest their true selves.
Anyway, I heard this is something people usually learn as children. Fay seemed ignorant of it, likely due to her unique upbringing.
Feeling a sudden pang of pity, I reached out and stroked the upper curve of Fay’s breasts.
Fay blinked her swirling eyes, looking confused for a moment, but soon she began to beam and enjoy my touch.
Stroke, stroke.
“Hehehe.”
Squish, squish.
“Hehe.”
The texture was even better than I imagined, and I lost track of time, continuing to caress her for quite a while.
“Uh, ex-excuse me… Brother? I am also here…”
“…Gah!”
Helena, who had apparently finished her morning prayers and was walking toward us, was blushing a deep crimson.
I hurriedly pulled my hand away and spoke as if nothing had happened.
“Ahem. Have you finished your morning prayers, Priestess Helena?”
“Yes… There is still some time before breakfast, so should I perhaps step outside for a moment…?”
Helena glanced back and forth between Fay and me. Is this that? Is she being "considerate"?
I waved my hand and put on a serious expression.
“No, no! It’s fine. More importantly, I have something vital to discuss, Priestess Helena.”
“Something vital?”
Helena flinched, reflexively covering her body. …That reaction hurts a little.
I suppressed my dejection and continued.
“I believe there is a dungeon in this vicinity.”
“…Pardon?”
In an instant, Helena’s face, which had gone rigid, zoomed in close as she demanded details.
“Which direction? What is the scale? Can we clear it ourselves? Ah, what is the type? Are there any cultists nearby? If information is lacking, I shall call for reinforcements from the nearest church. What are your thoughts?”
“Wait. Just a moment. You’re too fast. One at a time, please.”
“Ah… I suppose I got too excited, Brother.”
She took a deep breath while stroking the mace hanging at her waist. Once her breathing slowed to a rhythm slightly slower than normal, she spoke again.
“Do you require support from the Church?”
“No. It’s at a level we can handle ourselves.”
“Then let us go at once. Where is the location?”
“One moment.”
I pulled a suitable map from my inventory and drew a circle on a specific spot with my finger.
“Around here. If we follow the road a bit further, we’ll find a small waterfall. Let’s start our investigation there.”
“Understood. I shall inform the coachman.”
Helena nodded and immediately headed toward the window to speak to the driver.
My worries about how to convince her were for naught; she didn't doubt me for a second.
“Um… Priestess Helena? It’s a bit strange for me to ask this after bringing it up, but do you really believe me?”
“Of course. The Righteous Light would not have bestowed such a great blessing upon you for no reason. Above all, I trust the 'Brother' I have observed until now. Setting aside your private life, you are not the type of person to joke about such matters.”
“Tha… thank you?”
Hearing her say she believed in me with eyes that didn't waver for a second made me feel a bit bashful.
*
“Iona is ded.”
“Seriously, why are you so drained, Professor?”
The carriage stopped in front of the waterfall as planned. As everyone stepped outside to prepare for the dungeon search, only Iona went limp and leaned her weight against me.
“Uwaah, ded!”
“I mean, it’s nice and cool for me, but…”
While feeling Iona’s characteristically chilly body temperature, she poked my side and whispered.
“Hey, hey. Let’s do that. You know, that.”
“What is 'that'…?”
“You know what it is! The thing that hurts a little but makes you feel good right away!”
“Anyone hearing that would definitely get the wrong idea! You’re talking about bloodsucking, right? Just a moment.”
Drinking a little every morning had become part of our routine, but I hadn't given her today’s portion yet.
I didn't think Iona would need to exert much strength today, but since we were entering a dungeon, I figured I should keep her well-fed.
I pulled my collar aside and offered my neck to Iona.
“I’ll eat well! I’ll eat well!”
Crunch.
She sank her fangs into my neck without hesitation and began gulping down my blood.
Suppressing the creeping sensation of pleasure, I gently stroked the back of Iona’s head.
You really do get used to this after a while.
Before long, Iona, having finished her daily dose of blood, pulled away and wiped her mouth.
“Phew… now this is the life.”
“You mean this is a meal.”
I chuckled and pressed down on the wound on my neck for a moment; it healed in no time.
Seeing this, Helena’s golden eyes widened in surprise.
“Brother? Was that perhaps…?”
“It’s exactly what you’re thinking. As long as the sun is up, wounds like this heal almost instantly.”
“Ah…!”
Helena likely had her own regeneration from the Sun God’s Blessing, but my blessing was a rank higher, and it was further boosted by the Blessing of All Gods.
I guess even Helena found that impressive.
I shrugged and looked at the waterfall before us.
It was about three meters high. The water volume wasn't particularly grand, and the pond beneath it was quite shallow.
If I had to pick something unique, it would be how exceptionally clear the water was.
However, since the Eurelia Continent lacked significant pollution, you could find water this clear anywhere if you looked hard enough.
In short, it was a place that didn't seem worth stopping to look around.
But if you looked closely, you could quickly spot the anomaly.
Whoosh—
I looked up at the sound of the waterfall, which was just the right amount of noisy.
The shape of the falling water was a bit peculiar.
The stream curved unnaturally midway, creating a silhouette that looked like a woman’s figure faintly visible through a curtain.
It was a slight distortion that required a keen eye to notice, but once seen, it was an unmistakable anomaly.
The cause was the distortion created by the dungeon’s gate. The fact that it looked like a woman was a mere coincidence.
Like most dungeons, this was a place meant to be found through a chain quest.
One would normally have to complete a quest regarding the "Woman in the Waterfall," a rumor circulating among peddlers and mercenaries who frequently traveled this road…
However, players with sharp eyes would notice the waterfall’s graphics were off and discover the dungeon without the prerequisite quest.
I’m glad the dungeon’s difficulty is low. If it were a difficult place, it would have been nothing short of an instant-death trap for newbies.
Recalling old memories that I’ve grown quite nostalgic for, I reached out.
“Over there. Could you take a look at the center, Priestess Helena?”
“…Indeed. Now that I look at it, it is quite strange.”
Helena nodded heavily.
In truth, I had already explained where we were going and what kind of dungeon it was to the other women, so Helena was the most tense person here.
I gave Helena a bright smile and abruptly pulled Iris and Iona, who were hovering nearby, toward me.
“M-Master?”
“Eh? Student Yandel?”
The two looked up at me with bewildered expressions.
“Look. We have two high mages right here. No matter what’s in there, there’s no need to worry about danger.”
Catching on to my intent, Iris puffed out her flat chest and struck a confident pose.
“Ahem. It’s just as Master says. Unless a super-giant monster suddenly pops out, there won’t be any problems.”
“Right, right. And Student Yandel said it, didn't he? That we’d be fine on our own. Then that’s how it is!”
Iona followed suit, but for some reason, Helena’s expression showed no signs of brightening.
Instead, she lowered her head slightly and began to breathe heavily.
“Priestess Helena…? Are you alright?”
“Ah, yes. I am fine. It is not that I am tense or afraid, Brother. It is just…”
“Just?”
“It is just that my trembling won't stop at the thought of entering the dungeon and exterminating monsters from this moment on.”
“…….”
Helena’s voice as she said that was slightly moist, and her face was flushed pink.
Seeing the faint flicker of excitement in her golden eyes, I reaffirmed my vow.
I must never become an Apostle of Righteous Light.
I don't want to spend my whole life among people like that, living like them.