Chapter 18
Chapter 18
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 18
Chapter Title: 5. Priest, It's Not Something Else—You Just Seem Like My Son... (2)
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Located on the outskirts of the village, the guild in Eusteni. It wasn't all that strange that as soon as I set foot in a guild where the gender ratio was overwhelmingly skewed to one side, every gaze snapped straight toward me. There were occasionally a few other men besides me, but even so, true to a group always starving for men, they couldn't tear their eyes away even after quite some time had passed.
I'm dying from the pressure here.
Now I could even see ruffians openly pointing at me and whispering. They could at least try to hide it a bit, but in a place where ethics and morals didn't apply, they were blatantly ogling me from bottom to top, chattering away.
Well, that's tame compared to the real crazies. As long as staring and gossiping among themselves didn't cause me direct harm, I didn't really care...
"Priest Isaiah, right?"
This was a different story when they came up and talked to me directly.
"Ah, yes. Hello."
I nodded stiffly, standing rigid.
Green hair. Long locks, sharp eyes, high nose bridge—a woman. I racked my brain trying to remember who she was, but nothing came up, so my hackles rose instinctively, my wariness toward a stranger plain as day.
"You're as stunningly beautiful as the rumors say."
"Ahaha... Yes..."
She was throwing pickup lines right from the start, so her intentions were obvious. She sidled up and sat next to me, pressing her body close, and for a moment, my heart dropped.
"I think you're a bit too close."
"What's wrong with that...? Priest, do you have some time by any chance? I'd love to have a little private chat with you..."
"What do you..."
This is awkward. Even in a den of the uneducated, shouldn't people start with basic greetings?
She didn't hide her true feelings at all. With her desires on full display, she placed her hand on my left thigh and gently stroked it. I couldn't even brush it off, just clenched my fists, gritted my teeth, and endured.
Her eyes said she'd climb on top of me right then and rip my clothes off roughly.
"Sorry, I have an appointment with the Guild Master..."
"Ah... I see."
At the mention of the Guild Master, she let out a sigh tinged with regret. Even a vagrant with nothing but filth on her mind had no choice but to back off when I invoked her superior.
"Too bad. Let's hang out sometime when you have time."
"Haha... Sure, got it."
She'd tried to devour me, but I waved her off with a friendly act until the end as she walked away.
'Crazy bitch...'
This was exactly why I hated coming here. How long had I been here? I already felt drained.
And there she goes again...
She was a repeat offender, apparently. Since I didn't bite, the green-haired lunatic switched targets right away, sidling up to the men in another party. The guy on the receiving end was visibly annoyed, waving her off, but she kept at it desperately, like she was desperate for just one shot.
At that point, she almost looked pitiful.
"Priest Isaiah? Priest Isaiah!"
"Ah... Yes...!"
"Are you feeling unwell?"
Lost in thought for a good ten minutes. I turned toward the voice and saw a man who'd been working at the counter standing there, looking down at me with concern.
I'd been so caught up gawking that I'd spaced out.
"N-No, I'm fine. Should I head there now?"
"Yes, straight to the office."
"Got it."
With that, I slung my leather bag over my shoulder and stood up quickly. I had a feeling I needed to escape this damn place as soon as possible.
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"Welcome, Priest Isaiah. Thanks for coming all this way."
"No trouble at all, Guild Master Reina. How have you been?"
She rose from her chair at the sight of me, her long red hair cascading down, pumpkin-colored eyes gleaming—a woman named Reina. She was the Guild Master of Eusteni Guild, and at mid-forties, she had a youthful beauty that defied belief.
And a decade ago, she'd been the vanguard of the first-generation hero party.
She was a side character who briefly appeared to help the protagonists before vanishing, so I didn't know every detail, but I recalled she had a son and a daughter. Her husband... had sadly passed from a chronic illness that worsened, and having kids young at twenty, now they were all independent, leaving her living alone.
The reason her looks were so agelessly stunning? Best not to overthink it—game correction made it simple. Honestly, nothing else explained maintaining that appearance at her age.
"Have a seat. Tea?"
"Ah, yes. Thank you."
She said to wait a moment and stepped into the next room. In the quiet silence, the sound of water pouring followed soon after, giving me a brief respite.
'This place never changes.'
Neatly organized desk and shelves. The room was spotless, not a speck of dust allowed, and befitting a former comrade of the hero, it was decorated with trophies from all sorts of magical beasts and monsters.
"Black tea. Here."
"Thank you."
She returned with black tea in both hands, smiled brightly, sat across from me, and handed over the cup.
*Slurp—*
Delicious. Freshly brewed, the bitter flavor was exquisite. Pair it with something sweet, and it'd be perfect, but I wasn't shameless enough to ask.
"But Priest Isaiah, you're dressed pretty warmly today."
"Ah... This..."
How to answer? I averted her gaze, pondering briefly. The reason I'd layered up was obvious. To manage my hypersensitive body from the skyrocketing Corruption Value. No way she'd know, and I had no intention of telling her.
"I get cold easily. The weather's been chilly lately anyway."
"Is it? It's still summer, though..."
"Ah...! Speaking of, didn't you need holy water? Want to see it?"
"Ah, yes. We should check."
I hurriedly changed the subject, pulling the holy water from my bag and placing it swiftly on the table.
The emerald holy water shimmered beautifully, and thankfully, her attention shifted right to it.
"Hm..."
Reina carefully lifted and examined it. After a long look, she popped the flask's cork with a pop and dipped her finger in to taste it.
"Bishop Lisa extracted this herself."
"Hehe... Yes, that's right."
Amazing every time I see it.
Comes with experience? I'd tasted it dozens, hundreds of times and still couldn't tell, but she nailed the source with just a lick.
A layperson doing what even I, a priest, couldn't... It stung my pride a bit.
"Then we'll pay top price. One gold per vial sound good?"
"Yes, that should do."
Reina pulled out a pre-prepared coin pouch. I took it with both hands and counted on the spot to verify.
"Huh?"
What? Did I miscount? It should've been ten golds for the number I brought. But there were five extra, so question marks popped over my head. Looked like they'd miscalculated...
"Priest Isaiah..."
!
> A melting voice tickling my ear. Caught off guard, chills raced up my spine, and I flinched reflexively.
"G-Guild Master Reina?"
"Yes, Priest..."
What? What the hell? I had no clue what was happening. I didn't know when she'd gotten so close to breathe seductively in my ear, or when she'd placed her hand on my shoulder, lightly scraping with her nails.
Never seen this side of her, ever. It only made me more flustered.
"I think the money's off..."
"Money? No, I put the right amount..."
"Th-There are five extra golds..."
"Ah... That."
She trailed off, silence filling the room briefly. She let out a deep sigh and continued.
"But Priest... I've been hearing weird rumors among the kids lately."
"W-Weird rumors?"
"Apparently, there's a priest from that church going around sleeping with women everywhere..."
"..."
"That couldn't be you, Priest Isaiah, right?"
"Wh-What are you talking about..."
*Gulp—*
"Priest... Aren't you short on cash these days? This is a gift from me, so if it's okay... could I have you just once too?"