Chapter 37 - Maybe I Could've Held Out Against a Battle-Hardened Veteran
Maybe I could've lasted somehow against a battle-hardened veteran like Vorden. Someone at the level of Mitra's bishop is bound to be pretty high up in the ranks. Cowering at rumors of being royal bastard spawn suits a powerless commoner like me, tossed about by the wind. But things change when the opponent is the "Dragon's Nest." Because...
...honestly, I have no idea what the Dragon's Nest even is. I'm just thinking that based on how the bishop old man flinched. Nidroga's actually a pretty big deal, huh, something like that. She never seemed that way when she was chugging booze and snoring away, virgin or no.
Once things settled down, Florica quietly pulled us into a secluded alley. The party members scowled, clearly annoyed.
"Who does she think she is?"
But after some thought, I sided with Florica.
"No harm in hearing her out. She looks like she has something to say—might as well listen for a minute."
"What could that bitch possibly have to say? She was just with the crew threatening us."
"Her face looked the worst out of all of them. Think about it. Out of all the paladins we saw on that last mission, she seemed like the one with the most common sense, right?"
"She was the most likable one, at least. Worth hearing out, I think."
Even Monica and her sister, who had bad blood with the Mitra Church, nodded.
"Likable from a Mitra paladin? What the hell..."
Esen grumbled something about "likable paladins." It wasn't just about the sisters' issues; she had plenty of grudges from the last mission. But Florica seemed to carry the same weight. They were bound to have bad blood. In the end, Florica hadn't gotten promoted, while Esen had.
But Florica knew how to keep her emotions in check.
"I get it if you hate me. I've done wrong."
"At least you have some shame. Why'd you call us here?"
"To warn my comrades-in-arms from Bitsurk, Esen Taiga. And the rest of the extermination party."
Florica placed a fist over her heart and bowed deeply.
"...Not sure if I should say this, but Archbishop Baldenhart is on the move."
"On the move how, exactly?"
"He's obsessively fixated on you all, for some reason. He's reinforcing paladins just to slot them into joint ops your party takes on, even suggesting to the High Archbishop that he send spies to investigate you..."
This is serious. That "Baldenhart Archbishop" whose name came up during the last mission. The Mitra Church is a global powerhouse, and an archbishop wields power like a king of a small nation. And Florica? She's his daughter, no less. Right now, we're getting the lowdown on the king's schemes from the princess herself. Way too heavy a burden for a lowly porter like me. My asshole's starting to pucker up tight.
Could the sisters really stay safe just with the goddess's blessings and the party's protection if a guy like that targets them covertly?
"...And I think his obsession stems from what happened in Bitsurk last time. Monica the healer."
"You mean the ritual to exorcise the succubus?"
"Exactly. It seems like... that's what drew the Church's eyes to you."
Esen shook her head.
"Exorcising a succubus is a good thing, right? Is he pissed we stole his credit?"
"No. It's that they detected the 'divine power that exorcised the succubus' and now the Church's on high alert internally. Like they've rediscovered an enemy they'd been secretly watching... or caught the trail of prey they'd lost."
The sisters' shoulders twitched. Florica bit her lip, as if regretting her slip.
"Sorry for stirring up fear. There's probably a reason you fear the sun emblem on my armor. Likely one of the many sins we've committed as Mitra's faithful."
Pain laced Florica's voice. The guilt of an ordinary person lumped in with the perpetrators.
"So I won't ask who your goddess is again. But as a foolish soul, I lack the power to stop such sinful oppression. Still, I mustered the courage to warn you beforehand. Please, be careful."
"...Thank you for the warning."
Monica took a deep breath and smiled.
"You showed real courage. For strangers like us. We appreciate that, follower of the great sun god."
"No, I—"
"You're brave."
I'd told her to head back to the inn if it was uncomfortable, but the sister stubbornly stayed by our side. To hear Florica out, probably. Or maybe to return that smile.
If Florica had come forward with courage to speak, it was to affirm it and reciprocate.
Florica's face twisted.
"I'm... I'm a coward. Even after you saved my life last time, I left you and others in danger. I don't deserve words like that—"
"You do."
"No. I've failed countless times. I don't even qualify as a Hero—"
"Enough. You just showed courage for us. That's fact."
Florica looked genuinely flustered. Then she flustered us all. She backed away bit by bit, then burst into tears.
"I, well—damn it. I didn't come to show weakness."
But Monica stepped forward with a smile and hugged Florica before we could say a word.
Esen twitched at the corner of her eye, baffled by the sentiment. Bilena rolled her eyes like it made no sense. But I just quietly bit my lip.
Honestly, even I struggled to understand. But when I was younger, the sisters were like that. They sensed others' pain without words, loving everyone without discrimination. Truly suited to the Healer aptitude.
"It was tough, wasn't it?"
The sister, who'd lost old comrades to the Mitra Church, set aside her trauma for a warm word. Like a scene from a holy painting.
Even Bilena, no fan of religion, softened her expression bit by bit.
Florica, after sobbing in the embrace and wiping tears from under her eyelids, lifted her head. A resolute glint shone through her fingers. The moment I saw it, certainty hit me.
We had a spy. A solid one, planted deep in the Mitra Church, driven not by money but conviction.
—————
Bilena, who'd followed us back to the inn, looked dazed. Encountering a goddess, her first time, inexplicable conflict and acceptance. A storm of emotionally taxing events; no wonder.
So even declaring "rejoining the party," her eyes were unfocused.
The elf Nenya and knight Reni widened their eyes and shouted in unison.
"Rejoining?!"
"Where'd that self-absorbed genius bullshit speech go, Bilena?!"
Reni's brutal jab hit like a gut punch. That cute face doesn't hold back.
Bilena, who'd clung to her genius persona yesterday, flinched with embarrassment.
"...Gonna move all my gear and rejoin the party camp. As a member, I've been mooching research funds from leader Tena while..."
"You milked her dry."
"A ton."
"...I'm talking. Anyway, I've been neglecting party stuff too much. Time to brew potions, fix gear, handle what I've ignored."
"Oh."
Nenya muttered, genuinely impressed.
"Perfect timing—we've been burning budget importing potions. Welcome back, but what's this? Bilena turning over a new leaf?"
"Turning over a new leaf? Close enough. Got smacked with a meat club and snapped awake. Made me reflect on life."
"...What?"
Nenya scratched her ear, sure she'd misheard.
Meanwhile, me, Esen, and the sisters went pale. But dazed Bilena showed no sign of backpedaling.
Instead of floundering me, Esen laughed loudly, joking it'd woken the hermit loner—implying a few spanks on the butt. Nenya, realizing "meat club" meant palm not dick, relaxed her twisted expression and laughed along.
The sister quietly pinched Bilena's side.
"Nenya sis, what she meant was—"
"Shut it, Bilena. Want another goddess chat?"
Bilena shut up. But Nidroga glared at the ceiling fiercely, lips twitching like she couldn't hold back a smile. Then nudged my ankle with her toe.
...Huh. Shit.
"Nidroga?"
"Yeah?"
"You weren't asleep?"
"Draconians outclass you humans physically in every way. We live long. Strong. Fly. And sharp ears. I could pretend not to hear, but not actually miss it. Not with all that moaning."
Unlike Bilena whose mind was blown, Nidroga was sober-ish despite the hangover.
Once Nenya arm-in-arm'd Esen and left, whispering out of earshot, it was clear. So now Nidroga was approaching me fully compos mentis.
Her dragon horn poked my crown playfully as she leaned in close. She barely stifled a laugh at my timid shrink.
"Bold enough to build a harem in an all-women's party, yet so innocent."
"So you were awake the whole time?"
"A massive goddess appeared booming—drunk or not, how could I sleep through? Truth is, even I was scared. Beyond a dragon's power."
"...You won't bite anyone? About the sisters, or me and Bilena?"
"Won't spill you're a guy. No gain for me. Fun to watch. But."
More intimidating than day-one Esen, Nidroga twirled a strand of her rust-red hair like her true scales. Tickled my cheek with it like a brush.
"No law saying I can't have fun too, right?"
"...Not sure if I should say this, but you sure?"
"What? Scared I'll get goddess payback like Bilena? But she seemed to subtly want you banging multiple girls. Helping you out, maybe."
...She heard everything pretending to sleep. Even the five-times creampie.
Darkness clouds my vision. Where the hell is my sex life headed? Far from normal, that's for sure.
"No, I mean... you said before. Your old party broke up over a porter's antics."
"That porter was a girl? Wasn't my type."
Nidroga shrugged.
"A guy's fine to sleep with. Especially a decent one like you."
"Me, decent?"
"You try sticking to your job, but shit happens and girls pile on. They won't leave you alone."
"Spot on. Thanks for getting it."
"Even wary hardhead Esen fell for you. Pious Monica didn't mind sharing your bed. Picky Bilena got hooked in one night, willingly or not. Even the goddess backs you..."
Nidroga licked her lips with a serpentine tongue. Pushed me against the wall, slammed palms on either side, trapping me.
Up close, Nidroga's pretty tall. Or maybe I just shrank from her vibe.
I closed my eyes, accepting my fate.
"How tasty can you be?"
"Can I at least get permission from the sisters and Esen first?"
"I'm friends with Esen and Monica too, but... think they could stop me?"
"...Go easy on me."