Chapter 13
Chapter 13
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 13
Chapter Title: Saint of Purification (1)
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I stayed in the city for about a fortnight, grinding levels.
I managed to reach level 22 without it being a total power-level, but after that, the progress slowed noticeably. That made sense—Eohen's system meant that once there was a certain level gap with monsters, killing them wouldn't grant any more experience.
There was nothing left to gain from hunting in this area. Plus, during my stay, I'd dumped so many undead byproducts on the market that prices were starting to drop.
……It was time to move on.
While here, I'd accomplished my original goal of leveling up and made a decent amount of money. El, who had looked like a scrawny twig indistinguishable from a branch, had gained some healthy weight and now looked properly elven. Thanks to good feeding, Ayla had grown quickly too, boasting the sturdy build of a shadow wolf.
Sticking around longer for some extra rest wouldn't cause any harm, but with more mouths to feed, I wasn't in the mood for lounging. The Korean trait of "ppalli-ppalli" still lingered in me.
From now on……
It was time to stop the mindless hunting grind. In hunting grounds with similarly leveled monsters, the experience from straight grinding was surprisingly low. Less experience meant slower leveling. At this point, it was more efficient to chase quests for their completion rewards.
I could shift to areas infested with higher-level undead or dominated by vicious monsters.
But picking hunting spots wasn't going to be easy anymore.
Monsters over level 30 were on another tier altogether. They could kill humans in one hit.
Annoying as it was, the safe bet now was to follow the quest lines.
Conveniently, Galofic had a promising quest.
"Got to do one big score before we leave."
"A big score?"
El, who had just polished off her fifth bowl of stew beside me, looked at me with a puzzled expression.
This kid eats a ton…… She might even out-eat Ayla.
"Done eating? Pack your stuff."
"Stuff? Are we leaving already?"
"Yeah."
Truth be told, "stuff" wasn't much. I'd stored most of my gear in my subspace ring. El just grabbed her clothes and blanket before following me out.
We headed to the temple on the city's outskirts to pick up the quest.
Temples in cities bordering cursed lands like Galofic periodically ran purification rituals on the cursed land to prevent its expansion.
These were usually led by paladins and priests, but mercenaries like me could "volunteer." Of course, regular mercs tended to play dumb since it often ended in pointless death.
But completing a purification quest gave solid experience, plus various attached rewards.
With all the cities I'd bounce between ahead, building ties with temples early would pay off in many ways.
I first offered a silver coin at the temple altar, then asked a priest about the purification ritual.
From bits of info I'd gathered, it was set for the full moon this month—in two days, when the largest and highest moon rose.
"Two days from now. If you'd like to volunteer, I can guide you."
With my plans matching the intel, time was on my side. I nodded, and the priest paused, eyeing me—or rather, behind me.
"Those two……"
"One's my squire, the other's my guard dog."
"You're taking them into the cursed land?"
"Yes."
I answered without hesitation, and my confidence seemed to deter further questions.
We were led to a small room where the assigned priest briefed us on the ritual.
The purification method was simple.
One: Go to the ritual site.
Two: Plant the "Pillar of Purification" at the designated spot.
Three: Surround the "Pillar of Purification" and begin the rite.
Do that, and zap—the cursed land turns holy.
The real issue was elsewhere.
The Pillar of Purification was a branch from the World Tree growing in the central continent's Lake of Life—a sacred branch brimming with vitality.
To undead, who always craved life force, it was prime bait.
The moment you stuck a Pillar into cursed land, undead swarmed in hordes.
Paladins and volunteers had to hold them off, but in practice, volunteers were just meat shields.
Easy to die pointlessly, no pay.
Who'd sign up?
Even the priest eyed me like I was insane.
In fact, the contract form was thick with dust—apparently, I was the first volunteer in years.
While I filled it out, the priest explained the temple's "Contribution Points."
Contribution Points were a form of compensation for temple service.
They let you get free healing, lodging, or buy/donate temple-only holy relics.
But I was after something else.
"Sign here."
Assuming I was illiterate like most locals, the priest kindly pointed to the signature line.
I smiled instead of taking offense and neatly wrote in the box.
[Kang Tae-oh]
……What is this?
The priest, unable to read it, asked again.
Of course. It was the great Hangul from Korea.
"The noble script of the Eastern Continent."
At my words, the priest flushed. As an educated man, he was shocked at an unfamiliar script—and embarrassed for presuming to instruct me.
"It's not too hard. If you want, I can teach you next time."
……Thank you for dispelling my arrogance. I'd love to learn if the chance arises.
"No trouble at all."
After a brief exchange, I left the temple.
Our next stop: the forest on the city's opposite side.
"Master, is this one good?"
"That's already hollow inside. Find another."
"Got it."
El, Ayla, and I gathered seeds in the forest—tough vines, hard-wood trees, poisonous ones, all sorts. I sorted the useful ones into pouches, then we headed back to the city. For the next two days, we'd save coin, gauge the mood, and use the temple's lodging and meals.
As expected, temple food was bland and unappetizing, the rooms cramped with hard beds. The silver lining: former noble miss El crashed without complaint.
She wasn't in a position to complain, anyway.
I set aside seeds for the ritual, carved shamanic runes into arrows, and slept.
A few priests, paladins, me, El, and Ayla. For something grandly named "Purification Ritual," the group was smaller than expected. Sure, the paladins were terrifyingly strong……
But they'd only guard the Pillar with their lives—no point expecting protection.
El was used to cursed land and had new armor and weapon ordered from Iron-Arm Robert, but facing a undead wave was too much. I strictly told her to just watch her own back, then followed the paladins.
"A druid?"
"Why's a druid here?"
"Is that the rumored guy?"
Some paladins questioned my presence. I could hear them fine—druids have sharp ears. But I kept a straight face and trailed behind. I had my own goal.
The path through uncharted cursed land was brutal. Barely a path at all. Yet the priests and paladins, used to periodic runs, navigated the terrain smoothly. We'd traversed cursed land plenty ourselves, so we kept pace. Surprised, some paladins kept glancing back.
-Hummm……!
A strange vibration halted the lead priest. A silver branch in his robes emitted bright light.
That's the Pillar of Purification.
I eyed it closely. As a druid, I knew virtually every plant, but this was something else—hardly "plant" at all.
A World Tree branch……
It radiated immense life force. No wonder undead went berserk when it hit the dirt.
"You, scout the perimeter."
One paladin grudgingly assigned me.
Scout the perimeter…… Everyone knew undead would come running once the ritual started—even a toddler.
Just "go play guard" so you don't die uselessly.
I glanced at the priests prepping. They placed the silver branch on the blackened, rotten soil, encircled it holding hands, and began something like prayer.
Ancient holy tongue.
Thanks to [Interpreter], I recognized it. Roughly, it beseeched the gods' blessings—but one part was unintelligible. Not the vibe to ask……
-Fwaaah……!
As prayer ended, the branch rose, stood upright, then plunged into the ground, erupting in blinding light. A pillar of radiant glow shot skyward like piercing the heavens.
That's why they call it the [Pillar of Purification].
Even I was awestruck. It instinctively screamed "god-made."
-Kieeeek……!
A distant monster's wail snapped everyone back.
Now.
I poured a handful of assorted seeds onto my palm.