Chapter 84
Chapter 84
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 84
Chapter Title: To the Shrine (2)
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"You're really an enigma, you know that? When did you strike up a connection with the orcs?"
Astor Closel smiled faintly as he spoke.
My stomach was churning.
"It's not a connection—it's about getting paid, like I said."
I had a feeling things would get messy with them sooner or later, and here they were, already sticking their noses in.
The orc ghost I met back then was persistent enough, but now even the living orcs were just as tenacious.
"So this is the orcs' book?"
Irene nodded.
"I heard all the orc shamans were gone, but it looks like the book survived."
Something felt off.
Not the content itself, but like when I touched the book—Irene's words kept echoing in my head.
"Do you know why they disappeared?"
"All I know is they were wiped out by necromancers..."
This was starting to tie everything together.
The mysterious power similar to sorcery.
The orc book the necromancer had.
There was one more thing to check.
"Are there monsters near Astor territory that could wound an orc?"
Astor Closel shook his head before I even finished.
"Even if there were, it'd just be goblins at most. The ones you ran into back then were unusually large in number."
He'd said they periodically cull monsters around the county, so that made sense.
But I had definitely seen it.
The orc that died and became a ghost, and the one with the wound on its arm.
"The descendant of a shaman, huh..."
Characters only shamans could read—it could've been attacked by necromancers.
I'd find out soon enough.
"Looks like we'll be meeting soon."
"Chris, you're fascinating no matter how many times I see you."
As we chatted idly, Astor Closel suddenly grabbed my arm and pulled me aside.
"Old Man?"
"When's this rain gonna stop? It's pouring buckets."
It was obvious he was changing the subject.
It wasn't meaningless, though.
The living wounded.
And the stragglers—if not for the rain, they would've burned alive.
Avoiding that horrific fate was a huge relief.
"Come with me quietly. There's something important I need to tell you."
His sly, whispering expression looked just like when he was slipping me a bribe.
"Here, take this first."
"...What's with the flower?"
Besides the one he'd been holding, he had another hidden in his bosom.
"I picked it for you."
"Pardon?"
What reason would the old man have to give me a flower?
"Tsk tsk, you're so dense in these matters."
His chin jerked toward Serena.
"What are you doing, leaving her standing there?"
Serena was talking with Irene.
The nuance was that he'd picked the flower for me to give to Serena.
"Back in my youth, I was quite the romantic. Trust me and give it to her."
"You, a romantic?"
"No woman hates flowers, you know."
It's a famous line.
"And men give flowers to see more flowers."
"No, I mean, flowers in this situation?"
"Now's the perfect time. Don't worry about prying eyes. You saved so many lives..."
It was right after the battle.
And the rain was still coming down.
If you're gonna give it, wouldn't it be better when things calm down?
The old man thumped his chest and shoved the flower at me.
"You don't seem to have a knack for this. Just follow my lead."
Dazed, I listened as he began explaining.
"Don't say a word—just go give her the flower. Keep your mouth shut."
"With a kid on my back, what if—"
"Just do it."
His tone was firm.
He even pushed me away, refusing more questions.
"..."
Since he'd prepared it, maybe I should give it a shot.
It's the thought that counts with gifts.
Even if I didn't prepare it myself.
Splash—
Splash—
"...?"
Serena looked at me with a puzzled expression.
Up close, I understood why the old man said to keep quiet.
There was nothing to say.
I held out the flower.
Serena glanced down at it.
"..."
Her gaze shifted from the flower to my eyes.
Was just staying silent enough?
"..."
Serena alternated looks between me and the flower, then reached out and took it.
And then.
She smiled brightly.
"Thank you."
It was one of the best smiles I'd seen from her.
Serena never smiled with more than a curl of her lips.
This was the first time I'd seen her whole face light up.
"Uh..."
Shake—
Shake—
As I opened my mouth, Astor Closel shook his head vigorously.
Parmon, who'd sidled up beside him, was shaking his too.
"..."
Bringing happiness to others—that's what a shaman does, right?
Master said shamans aren't needed when there are plenty of good people. I got it now.
Sometimes gifts work better than words.
Four days had passed since the battle ended.
In that time, I'd soothed the souls of the dead and performed prosperity rituals.
The elders cherished their families so much—the rituals to bless their descendants were quite effective.
Now, we were holding a meeting to head back to the shrine.
Why a meeting?
"We need troops to escort the Saintess!"
"Lady Luna must return to the Church."
Clamoring—
Murmuring—
I'd forgotten since I'd been carrying her everywhere, but Luna was the Saintess.
Her place was with the Church.
"Quiet, everyone."
"..."
"..."
The Pope Uncle spoke, and silence fell instantly.
"The Saintess is still young, but her spirit shines bright—we all know that."
Spirit in a baby who can't even walk yet?
It sounded absurd, but Luna really was different from other babies.
She was genuinely bright.
"Why not let the Saintess decide?"
"But, Your Holiness...!"
As objections flew, Alured spoke quietly.
"I agree as well."
"Even you, Sir Alured?!"
Alured shrugged.
"Is there anyone here who could separate Luna from Chris?"
All eyes in the meeting turned to me.
More precisely, to Luna on my back.
"Kyaa!"
"..."
"Ppa!"
Splat—
Luna clung to my back like she was making a show of it.
With her expressing herself so firmly, what could they do?
Alured spoke again.
"From the start, Chris and Luna were bound by the gods. They can't be separated."
"Urgh... But the Saintess needs her education as a saintess."
"That's why I think I'll go with them."
Everyone fell silent again at Alured's words.
"You've thought well. With you going, most concerns should be alleviated. What if we send a few more?"
The Pope Uncle's words softened the mood.
They seemed somewhat agreeable.
Ahem...
"We will do our utmost to serve the Saintess properly."
"Kyak!"
Luna's finger pointed at Alured.
"Cho!"
"Lu... Lady Luna, I'm not Cho—I'm Alured."
They say you can't even drink cold water in front of a child.
She remembered exactly what the Pope Uncle said during the battle.
Things seemed wrapped up, so it was time for other tasks.
"I need to go pull up the guardian poles..."
"See you shortly!"
As I left the meeting hall, Alured stuck close behind.
"You sure it's okay to follow?"
It was a considerate question.
He was a papal candidate, after all.
But his answer was something else.
"Brother to the Saintess, favored by Lady Ilia, benefactor to the elves... and that's all referring to you, Sir Chris."
"And?"
"Sticking with you is a guaranteed win. It'll solidify my position for sure."
A holy knight being this worldly...
As we walked, we ran into more people.
"Thanks to you, Sir Chris, I survived!"
My ears were sore from hearing that one so many times.
The soldier who just said it had probably done it four or five times already.
"Thanks to you, I got to hear my father's last words!"
Same with that.
"I run a small smithy! Visit anytime, and I'll make whatever you need!"
From those offering repayment.
"I'll spread word of your deeds far and wide!"
"Thank you for upholding my honor! I won't forget your trials."
To knights offering help.
Too many greetings.
That many lives saved—it was annoying but felt good.
"Wonder if the guardian pole will come out."
The warp circle to the shrine was at the gate with the pole.
If it wouldn't budge, I'd magic it out like on the way here.
Suddenly, wails of joy echoed.
"Huuu... Freedom at last...!"
"Freedom's here! It's over! Finally over!"
Two spirit summoners embracing and crying.
The guardian pole had grown thicker in the meantime.
"Done with greetings?"
Astor Closel clicked his tongue at them and asked me.
"Yeah, endless."
"Then let's head back."
Me, the old men, Serena, Alured, and Luna—that was the return group.
The rest would wrap up the battlefield and investigate before following.
Count Nordin was staying to finish up too.
"Departures are always so quick."
I wrestled with the pole a few times, but it wouldn't budge.
The old men's warp magic flashed.
And I saw it.
Behind the upright pole, stray ghosts swarming like roaches, filling the area.
"These bastards think this is their playground...!"
Where the ghosts slid toward stood Sir Randolph and knights.
With splendid flags raised.
"Chris, fulfill His Majesty's command!"
Thud—
Then the old men's voices.
"Congratulations on becoming a noble."
"Pardon?"
Come to think of it, my path of hardship and success had opened...
"I can't be a noble..."