Chapter 55
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 55
Chapter Title: 12. To the West. (4)
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Being quite the celebrity in these parts, finding the Blind Saintess's house wasn't all that hard.
Her home was an utterly ordinary family dwelling, no different from the other squat houses lined up alongside it. Of course, the faded sun emblem dangled from the door just like all the rest.
Standing before the door, Allen habitually glanced left and right before raising his lightly fisted hand and knocking softly with a polite rap-rap. He then turned to Kallisman, who stood rigidly behind him with hands clasped, and flashed a faint smile that said everything would go smoothly.
A moment later, the door creaked open. There stood a young woman—or rather, someone a touch past her prime, early to mid-thirties—with unkempt black hair hanging limply and a hand-rolled cigarette dangling from her lips as she puffed out lazy wisps of smoke.
...Could this be the master?
She was a total enigma, with zero info even in the Guild Master records—no age, no name, no face. All he knew was that she was the Blind Saintess's female mentor.
......Fuck, this is seriously bad news......
He'd known her master was a powerhouse, but seeing the stats up close in the flesh still sent a jolt of shock through him. She was a walking bioweapon, no question. ...Hell, with just one subordinate like this, he wouldn't fear even the top ten strongest.
Her face radiated a serene detachment as she took a deep drag from her cigarette, exhaling a long plume of smoke while staring straight through him like some interrogator sizing up a suspect.
"...Who're you?"
"Allen Dwight Pomwell. ...I heard the Blind Saintess lives here..."
Facing such an overwhelming figure, Allen's demeanor naturally turned deferential. Sure, a true believer in the Holy God wouldn't strike recklessly, but caution never hurt. Hadn't everyone warned him to tread carefully?
"Ah, her. She's around... What d'you want?"
"I was hoping for a quick word. Something to discuss calmly..."
"About what?"
"...If I may ask, what's your relationship to the Blind Saintess?"
"She's my disciple."
"Ah, I see!"
Of course, he'd known already, but Allen didn't miss a beat in feigning surprise.
"So, what d'you wanna talk about?"
Ahem.
Allen cleared his throat.
"A black mage is wreaking havoc in the western region right now."
"And?"
"So, I was hoping to enlist your disciple's help..."
She took another long drag, blowing out a hazy cloud while fixing him with those abyss-deep, unflinching eyes. ...It felt like she could see right through to his guts.
"......Come in."
Whew. Allen had cleared the first hurdle.
"Then, if I may intrude briefly."
The two men followed her into the house. The dingy living room held just a table, three chairs, and two wilted potted plants—plus a nose-assaulting cigarette stench.
"Sit."
Allen sat; Kallisman stood behind him. She crossed her legs, rolling and lighting a fresh cigarette on the table. Heavy smoker, clearly.
"Gonna catch a black mage? Why? Devout believer or somethin'?"
"...Two answers: one for face, one truth. Pick your poison."
He smiled leisurely, offering choices. Inside, though, he was far less relaxed.
She eyed him like an intriguing specimen before choosing truth. ...Face-saving was obvious anyway.
"Money, and a bit of fame. That's it."
Tsch, heh.
For the first time, her stone face cracked into a sly grin.
"Honest guy. Rare these days."
"Why hide what everyone's guessing?"
"Mercenary band?"
"Yes. I'm the leader."
This wasn't his first rodeo. Plenty had come sniffing around after hearing of the Blind Saintess's rep.
When pressed for reasons, they'd spout drivel about continental peace or divine revelations—answers they figured would please a Holy God follower.
Too bad both master and disciple dismissed such platitudes as bullshit. They believed, sure, but they knew reality.
Of course, the experienced Allen had those two pegged perfectly.
"Oh, and this humble token..."
—And he knew they loved money like crazy.
Allen plunked a small coin pouch on the table; the master snatched it in a flash. Peeking inside, a vulgar smirk lit her face.
"You know manners."
With that, she rose to fetch her disciple.
As the master climbed the stairs and vanished from sight, Kallisman whispered to his leader with a weird look.
"...Isn't she the saintess's master?"
Allen chuckled.
"Think a saintess's master lives on dew?"
The morning sun had already risen high, yet the Blind Saintess lay sprawled face-down on her bed, dead to the world. Her master strode right up to the disciple flopped there in nothing but underwear, bare ass on full display, and smacked those cheeks hard enough to leave glowing handprints.
Ugh, you little bitch.
"Ack! Ow."
Ughhh.
The Blind Saintess rubbed her stinging ass furiously, groaning in pain.
"I-I was up all night... tossing and turning..."
"Get up already? ...Huh? Not getting up?"
Another sharp smack on the other cheek broke her; the odd-eyed girl surrendered and dragged herself upright.
"Ow, shit...!"
"Shit?"
"...Holy God..."
"Look at that face. Get. Up. Your 'fated one' is here."
"......Huh?"
"Your. Young. Master. Came."
Yooung maasteeer?
"Get down here quick. Tardiness means more spankings."
The master sighed, puffing cigarette smoke to mark her territory, then left.
The Blind Saintess stretched with a massive yawn before slipping into her shabby nun's habit. She tied her tousled hair into a single braid, donned her blindfold—done.
Before leaving her room, she bowed in prayer to the Holy God, then descended gracefully to the living room. A guest deserved the full saintly display.
Gliding down the narrow hall and stairs one elegant step at a time, she suddenly sensed something off.
......Huh......?
The bizarre vibe halted her dead in her tracks. She'd never felt such an uncanny aura from anyone but her master.
"Hurry it up."
Her master's voice, prickly moments ago, now dripped with eerie softness. ...No ordinary guest, then.
The odd-eyed girl resumed her slow descent; the man in the chair stood. The two faced each other; she pressed her palms together.
"I am Odd-Eyes."
"Allen Dwight Pomwell. Pleased to meet you, Sister Odd-Eyes."
His smooth voice burrowed into her flesh. An aura wholly unlike her master's.
She itched to glimpse his color, but her master would never allow it.
The Blind Saintess sat snug beside her master.
"What brings you here...?"
Her voice and poise were the epitome of saintly perfection—years of practice paying off.
"Black mages are rampaging in the west. I'd like to hire you, Sister. I think you'd help us greatly."
Ah.
Totally unexpected. Hire her? Must mean one of those rare mercenary band invites.
"Uh, w-well..."
Unsure how to respond, she trailed off—only for her master to elbow her side discreetly from the guest's view.
"Ah, yes."
"Of course, pay would be generous. You give something, you get something—that's divine providence, right?"
"Indeed. God's work follows that logic, doesn't it, disciple?"
"Y-yes, exactly."
With those words from her master, the disciple caught the drift.
"So, Sister, what do you say?"
"...Well, I have a master to tend to..."
"25 gold a month."
"Yeeees?!"
An amount that made her ass jolt. Way too tempting for a saintess meant to shun worldly greed.
But her master jabbed her side to stifle the fuss. Ow. Chastened, she straightened up.
"B-but... I have a master to support...!"
"Fine. 27—how's that?"
"N-no, sup-port...!"
"29."
29 gold a month!
Her saintly bosom could take no more; she desperately elbowed her master's side—poke-poke-poke!
"Sorry. Can't live without my disciple."
Aaaaaaaaaaah?!?!?!?!
The Blind Saintess gaped, whipping her head toward her master before hastily recomposing into haughty saintliness.
Pushing harder here—master was a pro!
She waited, heart pounding, for a bid of 31— but Allen sighed lightly and stood.
"If you're that firm, nothing for it. Still, it was a pleasure, Sisters."
"Yes. Safe travels."
"Then."
As Allen left the room, the Blind Saintess dropped her forced smile and whipped toward her master.
"Master, what the hell? We gotta snag him now! 29 gold—per month!"
"Gonna fold for pocket change?"
"Pocket change?! You tremble at one silver!"
"...You little shit?"
The Blind Saintess bolted out in a huff. Her master didn't stop her.
......Can't hold back anymore, huh...
Bursting through the door, she spotted Allen far off and lifted her blindfold just a peek. ...Master would tan her hide, but no choice now.
..........Ah..........!
It was gold. Radiant gold—the exact shade from her dream!
That gorgeous golden hue poured solely from Allen's body.
Yes, that's him. He was the one coming for me. That's it!
The Blind Saintess dashed back inside and urgently told her master, who lounged puffing away.
"Master, it's him! The dream—the one coming for me. My fated one. For sure. No ordinary guy."
"...So? Ditching your master to follow?"
Ah.
She was stumped.
Her master snickered.
"...Kidding. Go. Earn big and come back. Gotta support your master. I'll milk you dry."
But the disciple hesitated.
"I said go. Staying? For real?"
"...Master..."
"Scram, bitch."
Biting her lip, the Blind Saintess backed away step by step.
"I'll earn tons of money. Seriously, piles—coming back rich!"
She bolted out yelling, "Brotheeer Allen~!"—her voice fading into the distance.
The master gazed after her a moment, then pulled out the coin pouch and checked its gleaming pile of gold coins.
......Her master had sold her disciple for 50 gold.