Chapter 122
Chapter 122
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 122
Chapter Title: Monster Hunt #2
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“So, according to the information Lady Kallira heard, this guide was leading the party around, right?”
“That’s right. He knew the locations of caves where monsters nested and dungeons with treasures, as if by magic.”
“Hmm. That’s quite something.”
Putting it all together, this guide had been dragging the protagonist’s party all over the place.
Like a tour guide herding tourists, he’d led them to dungeons and monsters to hunt, helping them grow stronger.
The places he guided them to were full of real unexplored labyrinths and dungeons, allowing the party to greatly bolster their strength.
“This Arc is part of it too, apparently because there are tons of undiscovered ancient king’s labyrinths around here. And they said something about hunting some massive monster lurking in this Arc…”
“A massive monster? Do you know what it is?”
“Who knows. He didn’t say what it was. He might’ve just been spouting nonsense to catch my interest, so don’t worry about it too much.”
“Hmm.”
I pondered the monster supposedly lurking in the Arc.
Of course, nothing like that existed. This Arc was a sanctuary and cradle for heroes everywhere.
If there was anything worthy of being called a monster, it’d only be the saintess who’d despaired and become the “Daughter of the Moon.”
Thanks to my efforts, Queen Aira of Angmar was still alive, and the barrier holding back the northern darkness remained intact.
As a result, the Arc hadn’t become humanity’s last bastion, and the saintess hadn’t been tainted by despair. Meaning the odds of her turning into a monster were slim.
That said, a past conversation with the saintess lingered in my mind.
━That man is going to kill me.
The saintess had warned us that some man—Theodosius—would murder her. And that he’d target Aira for some reason.
He might’ve already made contact.
Here, two suspects fit Theodosius: me and the guide.
Since nothing was clear about what this body’s original owner had done before I possessed it, I was still on the suspect list.
And the guide, who’d suddenly joined the villain hunters’ party, was obviously at the top of it. He’d even approached Aira before.
He knew why Aira’s family had died.
“There, the dye’s all set in your hair. You’ll need to leave it like this for an hour or two. And you’ll have to wash it out thoroughly, so feel free to rest on the bed or a chair.”
Lady Kallira’s words snapped me out of my thoughts.
I leaned back on the plush sofa as she directed, asking a few more questions.
“Anything else you know?”
“Not really. Maybe I’ll ask more today. He usually shows up around this time—”
Knock knock.
━Doctor, I’ve got a ton of injuries again today. Heal me up—
“Figured as much. Sounds like Miriam’s here. Should I let her in, or send her away?”
The name Miriam brought to mind an image of a priestess clad in heavy plate armor.
The story’s side character priestess who swung a massive hammer, smashing demons and monsters’ skulls. Her name was Miriam, right?
That meant a priestess was on the other side of that door.
I shrugged.
“Let her in. If need be, I can talk to her myself.”
Kallira warned softly, “Some unpleasant topics might come up, so be careful,” before opening the door.
What appeared first was a blue cap and blonde hair tied back.
“Doctor~.”
A woman in a navy cardigan and white tank top, with short blue hot pants and bandages everywhere, burst into the infirmary like a tsunami.
She spread her arms toward Lady Kallira as if going for a hug.
“Doctor, I missed you…!”
But Lady Kallira clicked her tongue, looking annoyed at an unwelcome guest, and pushed her face away.
“Miriam, you’re still as irreverent as ever, unfit for a priestess.”
“Come on, Doctor, don’t be so standoffish. What’s wrong with a hug between ladies? Sisters can embrace, right?”
The priestess Miriam dusted herself off. I quickly scanned her casual outfit to gauge her strength.
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Name: Miriam Pristis lv. 39
Job: Inquisitor lv. 10
Ascetic Priest lv. 9
Destroyer lv. 9
Exterminator lv. 9
Healer lv. 2
Talents: 《Indomitable》 《Battle Continuation》
Disposition: Lawful-Neutral
The sole survivor of the Ostrow witch hunts.
An agent of divine punishment with a heart like fire.
[Locked]
[Locked]
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Activating my talent 《Clairvoyance》, I saw Priestess Miriam’s level and job list.
Level 39.
Considering my own level had just hit 39 after boosting the lecher, hers might not seem that high.
But with Inquisitor at level 10, plus Ascetic Priest, Destroyer, Exterminator—all combat jobs that screamed raw physical power—and at high levels too.
She lacked my versatile skills, but when it came to smashing and destroying, Miriam was a total pro.
Could I beat her in a fight?
No way, not head-on as I was now, without 5th Circle grand magic.
“Hm? I’m sensing an unpleasant stare for some reason.”
Miriam turned toward me then, so I hurriedly deactivated Clairvoyance. A priestess from the protagonist’s party had sharp senses, as expected.
“You’re…?”
Her blue eyes, upturned like a cat’s, finally met mine.
If Elga’s blue eyes were icy like frost and sharp like a beast’s glare, this priestess’s were an endless ocean depth, mysteriously captivating.
They narrowed slightly in curiosity, so I took the initiative.
“Nice to see you again. I’m Theo Gospel, a cadet of the Ark. We met before, near those abandoned ruins, with your companions.”
“Theo Gospel—?”
The priestess’s eyes twitched.
“Theo Gospel of Angmar? The lewd monk?”
“That’s me. First time introducing myself properly?”
“The queen’s concubine?”
The queen’s concubine. What a rude question.
Back in Angmar, I’d heard it so often it didn’t faze me, but hearing it again after so long reminded me afresh that I, Theo, was the villain.
That’s right.
I was the villain.
And the woman before me was an apostle of justice who smashed villains like me with her hammer. By rights, when we crossed paths like this, it should’ve been a deathmatch to take each other’s lives.
I hid my inner thoughts and steered the conversation naturally.
“Seems you’ve heard a lot about me.”
“Yeah. But you’re not what the rumors say. I heard you were eight feet tall with a long beard, and eight spider-like arms.”
“That’s the story going around.”
Who the hell started that rumor?
“But in person, you seem like small fry not worth the XP. You really him?”
Small fry.
A blatant put-down. In the novel, Priestess Miriam was known for her blunt, no-nonsense jabs, so it fit.
And getting labeled small fry by her wasn’t bad for me.
If she’d pegged me as a “big bad villain,” that hammer might’ve come flying at my head right now.
But Kallira seemed even more irked than me, snapping curtly at Miriam.
“Miriam, if you’re here to chat, leave. I’m busy.”
“Ah, sister. Don’t be so cold. Look, my arm got hurt fighting a monster yesterday…”
“Minor scratches like that? You can heal them with your own spells, can’t you?”
“Come on, don’t be like that…”
Kallira and Miriam bickered. Come to think of it, in the original story, Kallira was Theo Gospel the lewd monk’s loyal subordinate, hired to infiltrate and dismantle the protagonist’s party as an assassin.
She’d seduced the womanizing Miriam, pushing her to the brink of death. Even now, Miriam seemed smitten with Kallira, laying on the charm.
“Doctor Kallira, you look so skilled. Wanna join our party?”
“No.”
“Come on, we’re tackling another dungeon soon. Come with? It’s full of spore creatures—no antidote, no entry.”
Dungeon?
The word piqued my interest.
“Planning to hit a dungeon?”
Miriam glanced at me like the question was out of nowhere.
“Yeah, well, nowhere better for training. This Arc’s surrounded by undiscovered dungeons, same as always.”
* * *
“You can wash your hair now. Over here?”
Following Kallira’s lead, I sat at the sink. She started rinsing the dye from my hair.
“How’s the water temperature?”
“Perfect.”
Scrub, scrub.
How long since someone washed my hair?
Her slender fingers massaging my scalp felt great. And the press of her ample chest against my neck was pretty nice too.
“She’s a noisy one, huh?”
“Priestess Miriam?”
“Yeah. Keeps hitting on me. Makes it easy to pry info and use her, though…”
“Keep on her good side for now. That party’s a pain if they turn hostile—some real threats there.”
Even as I said it, a strange feeling washed over me. Original Theo would’ve ordered Kallira to assassinate the priestess. But here I was, telling her to stay friendly.
Of course, it was all for my own gain—same as original Theo. Just the direction differed; motives and goals aligned.
“I’ll dry your hair now.”
Kallira toweled my hair with practiced ease, like she was used to tending others. It reminded me she had a sickly little sister.
“How’s your sister doing?”
“Much better, thanks to you. She just joined Silvers.”
“Silvers, huh. Silver brooch like mine.”
Wonder if I’ll meet her someday.
As Kallira vigorously toweled my hair, I said to her,
“While you’re at it, can you get locations of those undiscovered dungeons from Miriam?”
“Planning a dungeon run?”
Sharp as ever.
Just as she said, I intended to explore dungeons.
Before that guide cleared every one around, I needed to get there first.
He’d dared approach Aira, whom I’d carefully nurtured, trying to muddy the waters.
I’d vaguely sensed a sly malice in his intentions.
Still just a hunch, but it felt like he was using the hunters’ party for some scheme of his own.
Time for some light sabotage.
Been a while since backroom scheming—got me a little excited.
Eat shit, Irregular.