Chapter 54
Chapter 54
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 54
Chapter Title: Priest, I Need Your Holy Water. (1)
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Chirp chirp— chirp— chirp—
Early morning. My eyes flutter open to the sunlight filtering through the window bars. I wanted to collapse back into bed like I was dead to the world, but I knew I couldn't afford to lie there any longer, so I forced myself upright with a groan that sounded like I was dying.
I let out a deep sigh, my gaze immediately drawn to the full-length mirror across the room. The reflection showed a man who looked utterly worn out—disheveled hair, half-lidded eyes that perfectly captured my sorry state.
Exhausted, I sighed again and turned my head to blankly stare at the birds playing on the windowsill.
Chirp chirp— chirp chirp— chirp—
Two beautiful birds of unknown species, their feathers a rainbow of colors. About the size of sparrows and seemingly a mated pair, they were nuzzling each other's faces affectionately.
Haa... Even the animals pour out that kind of love for each other...
It was starting to feel downright pathetic. The whole world seemed to be out to get me. My libido was out of control... and the woman right above me in the hierarchy was a crazy psychopath...
When I snapped out of it, I realized none of the people around me were sane.
Yesterday, I'd spent the entire day getting fucked nonstop before finally staggering home.
I couldn't even remember what time it ended. All I recalled was the sky turning dark by the time I came to, and then collapsing into bed the moment Masha's devotee helped me arrive.
No matter how good my stamina was, the mental torment had worn my body down too.
"Haha..."
I dragged a hand down my face and swung my legs out of bed. My mind still foggy, I wobbled as I stood, barely catching my balance before shuffling to the faded old wardrobe.
"Where are my clothes..."
My wardrobe choices were pretty much set anyway. I picked the cleanest ones I could find, threw them on, and stood before the mirror to roughly tame my messy hair.
"This'll do...?"
I was headed to bathe anyway, but who knew who I might run into on the way out. A priest couldn't go around looking like a slob, so even if it was a hassle, I had to tidy up a bit.
"Haa... Just thinking about facing that woman again wears me out."
The thought of seeing Bishop Lisa made my head throb already. After yesterday, she had even more dirt on me. There was no reason for her to hold back now. If she told me to work under her desk, I'd have no grounds to refuse in my current position.
Speaking of which... how am I supposed to face Masha's devotee...
Ughhh!
I'm going insane. A surge of rage messed up my freshly combed hair again. I had no idea how to vent this frustration. Was I doomed to live like this until I died?
If so, I might seriously consider dying and reincarnating again.
I'd already been reborn once.
Though I doubted twice would be any easier...
No. Death still scared me.
"Haa... Whatever. Time to go."
I dragged my weary body outside like a zombie. Emerging from the dormitory, I squinted against the blazing sunlight and shaded my eyes with my hand.
Ugh... So bright...
Maybe because I'd been living in the shadows so much, the early summer sun felt overwhelming.
"Priest, good morning! Did you sleep well?"
Chirp— chirp— chirp chirp—
As I headed toward the bathhouse, a familiar voice called out. I glanced down toward the sound and saw Deaconess Rachel beaming up at me innocently.
"...Yeah, did you sleep well too, Deaconess Rachel?"
She'd been sitting on a bench at some point, one of the birds from my windowsill perched on her finger as she stroked it. When I smiled and greeted her, she shooed the bird away and came running over with a bright grin.
"What brings you here so early?"
"Oh, Bishop sent me."
"Ah..."
So that's why she was here. That woman again. She was making me sigh from the crack of dawn.
Still, I needed to know why, so I managed a neutral expression and casually asked what Bishop wanted with me this time.
"I see... But why send you all the way out here first thing in the morning...? Must be urgent."
"Ah! Right, I should've said this first... Bishop said not to come to the church today—go straight down to the village."
"The village?"
"Yeah, I don't know the details, but she said you'd figure it out once you got there..."
Suddenly? It was out of the blue, but it was an order from above, so I had no choice but to follow. I was heading to the village to bathe anyway, and it wasn't a problem for me per se—but being summoned first thing to go there felt off.
What happened?
Honestly, skipping the church was a relief. No dealing with that bitch Bishop Lisa, which meant escaping her clutches for a day, right? Thinking of it that way, it was actually great...
Wait, is this for real...?
It had to be something serious if they were calling me this early, yet it felt like pure bliss right now.
Bishop Lisa had tormented me so badly that even I couldn't help smirking unconsciously... It made me feel pathetic for being so thrilled.
"Priest? Priest? Priest!"
"Ah, yes!"
"Are you okay? You look really pale..."
"Haha... Sorry, I didn't get much sleep."
"Oh, really? Makes sense—you were gone all day yesterday. Where were you? So busy?"
Busy? Yeah, insanely so. Dragged here to get fucked, dragged there to get fucked, the world screwing me over left and right—it had been chaos. Plus all the humiliation... Ugh. Even thinking back made me want to die.
If only I didn't remember my old world, maybe it wouldn't be so bad, but with my lingering male pride, it wasn't just shame—it felt like I'd lost something vital as a man.
"A bit busy, yeah. Stuck by Bishop's side helping her all day... Anyway, what did you need me for yesterday?"
"Priest... We had a promise to meet up. You forgot?"
Did we? Thinking back, maybe... Ah, right. She'd dragged me to my room yesterday to pounce, but someone called her away, so she just said we'd continue later and left. Which led to me jumping Masha's devotee in my aroused state...
Wait, thinking about it—Rachel the nun... no, deaconess was the root of it all?
If she hadn't messed with me like that, things wouldn't have snowballed.
Damn! I couldn't even blame her properly...
No matter what, I couldn't scold her for "You got me horny so I fucked another woman."
"Ah... Right, now that you mention it. Sorry..."
"Hehe, no worries, Priest. I'm not mad. We can just make up for it double later, right? Isn't that so, Priest?"
Deaconess Rachel curved her eyes into crescents and licked her fingertips seductively. Flashing a sultry smile that made her seem more fox than woman, she grabbed my hand tight.
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We crossed the stone bridge and leisurely left the church grounds, heading toward the village to the east.
Glancing back, Deaconess Rachel walked with her eyes narrowed in determination, like she was tense about a date. Her expression alone made her look like an excited guy psyching himself up.
Man... How the hell did this happen?
Not long ago, she was such a prim and proper girl—devout and diligent. Now, just like Bishop Lisa, she eyed me constantly. Before I knew it, we were dating, and now she was interlocking fingers with no intention of letting go.
"Deaconess Rachel, it's hot... Could we maybe not hold hands?"
"Priest, do you hate me?"
Even when I said it was hot, she shot back with "Do you hate me?" glaring venomously. Her tactics were getting sharper by the day. It was the first time since Bishop Lisa that someone left me speechless with a few words.
"Hate you? I like you so much, Deaconess Rachel. Let's hold hands."
"..."
Deaconess Rachel was one of the few people in this world I truly cherished—like a daughter. But she clearly saw me not as a father figure, but as a man.
"Um, Priest..."
"Yes, Deaconess Rachel."
"Can I ask you something?"
"Ah, of course. What is it?"
"Ahem..."
I said go ahead, but she hesitated, letting out a pained sound. Her expression turned ambiguous, and after a deep sigh, she continued.
"Priest... Are you seeing other women besides me?"
"Pardon?"
My mind spun at full speed. I quickly traced the intent behind the question and why she'd ask now.
"W-what do you mean, Deaconess Rachel?"
"Oh, no, it's just... I've been hearing weird rumors among the devotees lately. I believe you, but... it's not true, right? Priest...?"
What rumors did she hear...? Shit... I didn't know exactly, but I could guess. Even I overheard them at the church sometimes. Stuff like "Pay and he'll bless you," "Go to him and he'll be waiting," "I've done it with the priest a few times." Mostly baseless, but a few hit too close to home.
She must've caught wind of them moving from the convent to the church. Haa... This could get messy.
"I don't know what misunderstanding you have, but it's probably just that—a misunderstanding. You know you're the only one for me, right Deaconess Rachel?"
"R-right? Those people are just weird? Jealous because you're so handsome?"
A dagger to the heart, piling on more karma. I knew it'd blow up someday, but honestly, I already had too much baggage to take on more.
So once things settled... No, if possible, I'd take it to the grave.