Chapter 145
Chapter 145
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 145
Chapter Title: The City Where Black Rain Falls (10)
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The hunting dog brothers dragged those guys off to Draven. In the meantime, I set fire to the caretaker couple's house and warehouse.
"Please, Legion."
Legion hopped lightly off my shoulder, spun once in midair, and transformed into a dragon with beautiful black scales gleaming. Without hesitation, it spewed black flames. The house and warehouse were instantly engulfed in black fire and blazed up.
-Roarrrrr!
Legion stretched contentedly, let out a long yawn, then shrank back into a small lizard and climbed up my body to settle on my shoulder.
"Thanks."
I stroked its chin and gazed up at the roaring black flames. Even in the pouring rain, the black fire burned fiercely without faltering. Of course it did—mere rain or wind could never extinguish a dragon's flame.
These black flames would not only eradicate any traces of the plague lingering in the house and warehouse but also serve as a sort of 'warning.'
We left the blazing black fire behind and headed for the temple.
"Master!"
Just then, a familiar voice called out to us from an alley.
"El?"
"Come this way!"
El waved urgently. We followed his gesture into the dark alley.
"Why are you here? I told you to go to the temple."
"I did what you said, Master. I went. To the temple... but..."
El grimaced, pacing as if unsure how to explain.
"It felt off. Connie went to report what happened in the village to a high priest... "
"..."
"I couldn't go in with him, so I don't know exactly what happened. But I heard strange noises. Like they were shocked, or maybe fighting..."
"And?"
"So I snuck out of the temple. My gut told me something was wrong."
"Good call."
If Connie's report had soured the mood, the temple wouldn't be any help to us anyway.
'Something's fishy. The temple seemed desperate for my help...'
It was a good thing El had gotten out early. I was a bit worried about Connie, though...
'Maybe some conspiracy I don't know about is underway.'
Temples in this pseudo-medieval land weren't always 'pure.' Most were benevolent, of course, but some temples and priests fell to greed and stirred up trouble.
That's just how people are.
Even in my original world, not all religious folk were saints. Same here, probably.
Anyway, I hadn't expected much from the temple. Priests weren't fighters, and they weren't cut out for stealth either.
'But Connie might've been useful...'
As a beastkin, he had baseline combat ability. Plus holy power—definitely helpful in many ways. A battle priest, no less.
Tempting talent, but nothing to be done. All I could do was hope he was safe.
"...Let's go. No time to waste."
-Splash! Splash! Splash!
-Gasp, gasp, gasp!
Something was rushing toward the alley. Lloyd and El drew their swords into guard positions. The moment a shadow leaped into view,
"Who goes there?"
Lloyd pressed his blade to the shadow's throat.
"I-it's m-me..."
"...Connie?"
The owner of those frantic footsteps was none other than Connie.
Ah, that explained it. No wonder Ayla had been so meek... She must've recognized Connie's scent. Ayla was even wagging her tail in excitement.
"Y-yes, it's me. Connie. I followed your scents here."
Connie, meanwhile, squeezed his eyes shut and trembled. Hard not to, with a sword at his throat. Lloyd glanced at me, and I nodded. The blade withdrew from Connie's neck.
"Connie, El said there was trouble at the temple."
"..."
"What happened? The temple seemed eager to resolve this too."
"I thought so. But..."
"..."
"Priest Lucas blew up. Said it was meddling where we shouldn't..."
"What we did wasn't meddling at all. You know that, Connie."
"Yes, I do. I tried to explain properly, but... Ugh, it's all my fault for being so stupid. Priest Lucas sent me along... "
"Connie. Calm down and tell us slowly."
Connie looked up, his face soaked with tears.
"He said he sent me with you to sabotage you, and I bungled it and ruined everything."
To sabotage us?
"..."
"'The black rain' is a 'blessing rain' to cleanse the city, but I..."
Blessing rain?
"...Hold on. You're saying the Donar Temple caused the 'black rain'?"
"I didn't know. Really. That doesn't erase my sin, though... Theodore, please forgive me."
Now it all made sense.
That explained why they'd stuck a rookie priest— a beastkin, no less—who knew nothing, onto me when they offered help.
'It was deliberate.'
The 'black rain' was just rain, after all—no poison, curse, or disease. Now I knew why.
Because the temple had made it.
No poison, curse, or disease could cling to it.
And the reason it could rain for so long? The temple was behind it.
This was beyond what a couple of mages could handle.
Only possible because it was a temple.
'They never intended to help me—or want my help—from the start.'
I calmly pieced it together.
No wonder Donar had rushed to me so eagerly.
He had no proper 'priests' serving him.
The gods in this pseudo-medieval land weren't omnipotent. Incredibly powerful and grand enough to be called gods, sure—but paradoxical beings who couldn't exist without humans.
Donar hadn't approached me with goodwill. He just wanted to use me to weed out the temple's frauds and restore true faith in him.
'Should've seen it from the start.'
His high priest had a silver tongue, that's for sure.
Well, better late than never.
From now on, I could use Donar without holding back.
"...It's fine, Connie. We don't need help from the corrupt."
"Theodore..."
"You'll do just fine. Donar is with you."
A flicker of pure devotion sparkled briefly in Connie's tear-filled eyes.
That would suffice.
'I saw potential in Connie back during the well purification too.'
I patted his shoulder and steadied him so he could stand properly.
"If the plague-spreaders are in bed with the temple... things are bigger than I thought."
"..."
"Connie."
"Y-yes...?"
"Will you abandon the temple and join us?"
Connie's brown ears drooped limply. His tail too.
'...Dogs are loyal by nature.'
In times like these, you didn't tell them to ditch loyalty—you clarified who it was for.
I gripped his shoulders firmly, locked eyes, and spoke resolutely.
"Connie. What you serve isn't the temple. Nor the other priests."
"..."
"What you must devote yourself to is your god."
"..."
"Donar."
The devotion that had flickered in Connie's eyes now swelled like a wave, filling them completely.
-The God of Rivers and Seas, Donar, inclines His ear to your words.
-The God of Rivers and Seas, Donar, takes note of 'Connie.'
'Perfect.'
I hadn't been wrong. The world might scorn and shun Connie as a beastkin, but his faith rivaled any high priest in the Donar Temple.
With that 'faith,' gods don't discriminate—human, barbarian, beastkin, whatever.
"Let's go, Connie."
"..."
"To spread Donar's true teachings."
"...Yes."
* * *
We headed to the central guard post in the city square, just before the lord's castle, as the captives had spilled. Even amid the black rain, security was tight.
'No, these bastards... What the hell were they thinking, coming and going here?'
It was staffed around the clock, day and night, with guards always on alert. Sneaking in and out of a place like this?!
Dark under the lamp, huh?
Fortunately, I had the shadow cloak from Lavata.
"I'll go first."
I'd enter the sewer, Pipi would bring the cloak back to the group, they'd use it to return to the sewer, and we'd repeat until everyone was in.
-Shhh.
I draped the shadow cloak and cautiously approached the guard post. Strangely, despite the downpour, no rainwater pooled in the sewer entrance inside.
I opened the grate and slipped inside carefully. Unlike from outside, the sewer was spacious—room for five people to walk arm-in-arm.
"...Good. Pipi, take the cloak to the others."
-Pip!
Pipi, cloaked, flew out of the sewer. Rain poured, but it didn't falter.
-Drip, drop...
The sound of droplets falling sent chills down my spine. An endless underground darkness loomed. The cold, damp air raised goosebumps naturally. I swallowed dryly and peered into the void-like gloom.
What waited at the end of this?
-Squeak! Squeak!
As I stepped forward, a few rats scurried into the darkness.
'Creepy.'