Chapter 154
Chapter 154
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 154
Chapter Title: Catch the Rat, Catch the Rat, Squeak Squeak! (4)
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-Screeeeech!!!!
The sound of the arrow slicing through the air echoed throughout the underground temple.
Barvason had climbed quite high up. Was there a secret passage he'd prepared in advance? I'd thought he looked small because he was far away, but no—he was actually shrinking. Like a rat pup. He desperately scrambled toward some rat hole in the wall somewhere.
But...
-Thwack!!!
Unfortunately, my arrow was faster.
The arrow, scattering brilliant multicolored light, pierced straight through Barvason's heart.
"Kuhk...!"
Barvason spat out a clump of darkness. The black nails embedded in the wall snapped powerlessly, and he began to plummet slowly. The darkness enveloping his body burned away in the light of the pearl light stones as he fell.
-Kabooom!!!
-Splash!!!
Barvason's fall sent up massive waves. The blue waves, illuminated by the pearl light stones, soon swallowed his body whole.
I headed toward where Barvason had crashed. To confirm whether he'd truly 'died.'
-Splash. Splash, splash.
Pushing through water that had risen to my knees, I spotted Barvason submerged beneath the surface.
"......"
But it wasn't the Barvason I knew. He had been a healthy, handsome man with bronze skin and black hair. Now, lying on the floor submerged in water, was a bloodied, ancient old man. Shrunken in stature, hair not just white but patchy and thinning, back hunched over like it was folded in half—an old man.
If not for the arrow lodged in his heart, I might not have recognized him as Barvason.
-Gurgle... Gurrgle...
-Blub blub blub...
Barvason seemed to shout something, but submerged in water, it came out only as faint bubbles. I gazed quietly down at the bloodied old man's face beneath the water.
"Can't hear you very well."
-Blub blub grrr...!
"......Oh, right. Yeah. This won't be enough to kill you."
I tossed the bow I was holding into the air. It spun once midair before transforming into a plump sparrow and fluttering down to perch on my shoulder.
"But, Barvason."
-Blub blub...!
"Look at this underground temple. The floor is carpeted with moonflowers, the pillars embedded with pearl light stones. This place will hold strong for a thousand—no, ten thousand years. Folks like you won't even dream of setting foot here again."
Moonflowers emitting moonlight, pearl light stones restored to their glow, and the 'water' pouring from the weathered mace embedded in the center of the underground temple—Donar's power.
The sanctuary had regained its sanctity.
"So here's the thing."
I met Barvason's eyes and grinned. Reading something in that smile, horror began to fill his gaze.
"I'm going to leave you imprisoned here."
-...!
"You kept the suffering and pitiful trapped here in misery. How about tasting a bit of that feeling?"
-Blub blub blub!!!
"Yeah, yeah. Pray hard here. If you do well enough, Donar might one day be moved by your prayers and set you free, right?"
-Blub blub blub!!!
"......Ah, well. Or maybe not? That's up to Donar."
I looked down at Barvason and lightly snapped my fingers. With a snap, water vines infused with purifying energy sprouted and began binding his body. Once the water vines fully pinned him to the floor, Barvason could no longer struggle. He just glared at me with bulging eyes.
"Take care, Barvason. I'll visit when I get bored sometime."
I waved cheerfully at Barvason with a smile.
The water had risen to my thighs by now. Judging by the force of the water gushing from the weathered mace, it didn't look like it would stop anytime soon. Donar must be thrilled, tasting 'true faith' after so long. The holy water might fill the entire underground temple.
'Got to get out quick.'
My farewell to Barvason was done. I ran toward the others. Elle and Lloyd were helping Draven tie up the ratmen.
"Hey, Druid. The water's rising faster."
"Yes. We need to get out right now."
"But there's only one ladder..."
At Draven's words, I looked up at the wall. Just as he said, only one ladder was embedded in the wall.
"There's a way."
I drew my bow. I planted the remaining Giant Kudzu Vine seeds into the arrowhead and fired several shots at the wall.
-Thunk!
-Thunk!
-Thunk!
-Thunk!
Activating [Forest's Breath], the Giant Kudzu Vines began growing rapidly. They burrowed firmly into the wall, forming a ladder-like shape. Draven's jaw dropped halfway as he stared. He hadn't expected a path to form this easily.
"......You're truly remarkable."
"Save the praise for later. Let's get out of here first."
We hurried into action. First, Ayla and Lloyd, along with Draven and the other strong beastkin, climbed up and began hauling the kudzu vines binding the ratmen. Elle, I, and a few others stayed below to supervise and prevent any accidents.
"Last one!"
As the final ratman floated up bound in kudzu vine, those of us left below began climbing the Giant Kudzu Vine as well. As I climbed last...
"......"
About halfway up, I looked down. Beneath the rippling surface—beautifully mingled silver and blue from the moonflowers and pearl light stones—a single black dot lay motionless. The 'darkness' doomed to spend thousands, tens of thousands of years in agony underwater.
Was it too cruel, even for a demon?
[Special Quest Completed!]
[Special Quest: Catch the Rat, Catch the Rat, Squeak Squeak!]
[Special Reward: Strange? Seed?]
......As if reading my thoughts?
It said 'catch' the rat, not 'kill' it, so the special quest succeeded. The reward piques my curiosity, though. Well, Rinshaka must've given something good.
'I'll plant this strange seed right after I get up.'
Dodging the surging water, I climbed the kudzu vine and grew the last Giant Kudzu Vine seed to firmly seal the entrance. Sealed with one possessing purifying power, no unclean beings would pass through henceforth.
We escaped through the sewer to the outside. The subdued guards and Altans guarding the perimeter were there. Every single one of them was looking up at the 'sky,' without exception.
"The rain, the rain is stopping!"
Indeed.
The torrential 'black rain' was gradually tapering off. The 'black rain' began clearing up, turning to a drizzle before finally ceasing.
At last, this disaster was over.
-Thud!
Draven, who had been gazing up at the sky with a face full of emotion, dropped to his knees, clasped his hands, and offered a prayer of thanks.
That prayer was...
"Thank you, God Donar. Thank you."
Not to a barbaric god, but to Donar.
'......This should satisfy Donar.'
In this incident, Connie, Draven, and the other Altans had played a huge role. It would be hard to look down on Altans in Dihid from now on. Their standing and situation would steadily improve. Donar, too, would need people to fill the vacancies left by purging the impure priests in Dihid—he'd look after the Altans.
Good.
Everything had wrapped up well on multiple fronts.
On land where the 'black rain' no longer fell, I planted the [Strange? Seed?] from Rinshaka. The fist-sized seed vaguely resembled a cat. I planted it in the ground and used [Forest's Breath]. Soon, a tree sprouted and grew vigorously. It bore fruit almost instantly, and that fruit had a very peculiar shape. Like the seed, it looked just like a cat. Round fruit with ears, even fuzzy on the outside.
'Rinshaka wouldn't give useless rewards.'
I had a feeling. I split open one of the well-ripened fruits. Inside was ripe pulp shaped like cat paw pads. Pink, plump, jelly-like pulp. I took one out and tasted it. Fragrant and sweet like peach, chewy like jelly. And...
'I sense Rinshaka's energy.'
This was it.
Right now, Dihid lacked proper priests to lift the ratman curse. Barvason had seen to that. To lift the curse, we'd probably need priests from other cities, but with the lord failing in his duties, summoning them here would take enormous time and money. The cursed had neither to spare. If the exorcism was delayed, they might remain ratmen forever...
Rinshaka had shown mercy to them.
"We thank you for the goddess's mercy."
I leaned my forehead against the strange tree, offered brief thanks, and began picking the fruit.
"Elle, split these fruits in half and feed the inner pulp to them."
"Yes, Master."
Elle and the other beastkin helped pick fruit and feed the pulp to the ratmen. Those who ate the cat-paw-jelly-like pulp began shedding their fur, gradually reverting to their original forms.
"A miracle! It's a miracle!"
"Oh, my son! My son isn't dead!"
"Long live the Druid!"
"Daddy! Daddy!! I missed you!"
"Long live Theodor!"
Joyful voices rang out. People who had been hiding indoors, noticing the rain had stopped and hearing the commotion, began gathering, amplifying the cheers.
But.
"......"
I couldn't join in the joy carefree. There was still unfinished business. I turned from the cheering crowd and looked toward the 'castle.' The bricks of the castle flying yellow flags still bore patches of the 'black rain's' traces, like an embodiment of the 'plague.' Gazing at the castle, I muttered lowly.
"......Let's go."