Chapter 63: The Beastkin Priestess
Chapter 63: The Beastkin Priestess
“S-So, this is Leia, who will be our party’s healer from now on…”
At her cold voice, Guwon finally grasped the mood and answered meekly.
“Did you sleep with that young woman just to recruit her into our party?”
“Didn’t I tell you it was purely to help her?”
“Hmm. It’s just as Sara says. Besides, recruiting her after just one night together.”
“Was it that good? You must be quite compatible, then?”
But Diana and Sara continued to peck away at him.
Their words came out in such perfect sync, as if rehearsed, that Guwon was at a loss for what to say.
Then again, they were so worried about my body that they couldn't sleep, so I guess they have every right to be angry when I show up this energetic.
“E-Everyone, please calm down. Guwon-ssi only did it for my sake!”
Perhaps feeling sorry for him, Leia stepped in front of Guwon as if to shield him.
For some reason, that only seemed to make Sara and Diana’s expressions harden further.
“It seems my constitution makes it impossible for me to have sexual relations with other men… That’s why Guwon-ssi, the only one who can be my partner, suggested we travel together to see if we can find a way to improve it. He was simply being kind.”
At Leia’s words, Sara and Diana could no longer berate him.
“Is that true? You really had no other intentions?”
“Huh? Y-Yeah…”
Guwon couldn't quite meet Sara’s direct gaze as he answered.
It’s true that I suggested we travel together to fix her condition.
It’s just that my intentions weren’t purely kind.
“You didn’t have any other, lecherous intentions?”
“O-Of course not. I just thought, if she stays like this, she’ll never be able to be with someone she loves. That would be too pitiful.”
Diana stared intently at Guwon’s face for a moment before nodding, seemingly satisfied with his answer.
“With such beautiful women like you all by his side, there’s no way Guwon-ssi would harbor any lecherous thoughts toward me.”
Leia said with a smile, as if she trusted him completely.
Ugh. My heart aches.
I’m so sorry. To be honest, most of my intentions toward you were lecherous.
“N-No. You’re plenty beautiful yourself, Leia-ssi.”
“A-Ahem. You are quite fine yourself, so there is no need to be so self-deprecating.”
Leia’s words didn’t seem to displease Sara and Diana, who both cleared their throats.
I guess women are weak to compliments about their looks, no matter the situation.
“So. What is this about you being the only one who can be her partner? Tell us the story.”
Is it really okay to just blurt out something so personal?
When Guwon glanced at Leia with that thought, her expression darkened.
“Just know that it’s the case. Anyway, any man other than him would die. One hundred out of one hundred times.”
“Ah, ahem. My apologies. This one is simply overcome with curiosity.”
“No, it’s alright…”
Diana, seeming to grasp the situation from Leia’s expression, immediately apologized.
“Then couldn’t Guwon be in danger, too?”
“No, I’m totally fine. I’m not called a Saint for nothing, you know.”
Guwon spoke with conviction, and Sara and Diana didn’t press him any further.
Good. It looks like they finally understand.
“So, is everyone okay with Leia-ssi joining the party?”
“…I suppose so. It’s a pleasure to have you with us, Leia-ssi.”
“Hmm. I am certain we can find a way to improve your constitution. Keep your spirits up.”
“Yes. I look forward to working with you all.”
“We were planning on finding a healer anyway. Isn’t this great?”
Guwon said with a smile, but Sara and Diana replied tartly.
“If you start neglecting my level-ups because of this, I’ll have a few things to say.”
“And our research into my skills must not fall behind either.”
“O-Of course. That won’t happen. Not at all.”
Even though I said yesterday that I’d only be with them, they’re still merciless when it comes to this stuff.
Despite the rocky start, Sara and Diana eventually accepted Leia as a party member.
With the matter finally settled, the group could at last begin their meal.
Sara and Diana, perhaps wanting to get to know the newest party member quickly, started chatting with Leia, asking her all sorts of questions.
The sight of three beauties gathered together, chatting away, was a heartwarming scene just to behold.
However, the three of them got so caught up in their conversation that Guwon found himself completely left out.
What is this? This feeling of isolation.
Is this what they call loneliness in a crowd?
The four of them were definitely eating together, but it felt as if he were eating all by himself.
Leia seemed to notice Guwon being left out, occasionally glancing his way, but she was forced to turn back to answer Sara and Diana’s barrage of questions.
“Yes. I was taken in by the temple as a baby and have lived there ever since. No, everyone there truly treated me like family…”
“But if you’re going to be in a party with us, will you have to become a wandering priestess? I heard you were a temple priestess…”
Guwon, who had been waiting for an opening, finally seized his chance to jump into the conversation.
For some reason, Sara and Diana both wore expressions that screamed, ‘Oops,’ but Leia just smiled at Guwon and answered.
“That’s right. But our temple’s rules aren’t that strict. It’s simple to become a wandering priestess if I just apply, and I can still live at the temple even after I do, so it’s fine.”
“I see. I guess they’re pretty lenient about sleeping out, too…”
“Aah! That’s right, I stayed out without permission! They must be worried…”
As if just remembering, Leia shot up from her seat.
I just assumed the temple was lenient about sleeping out, but you actually forgot?
“Wh-What should I do? I should go right now. I-I’ll be back.”
“Wait a minute. If you’re going, then let’s go together…”
“What are you talking about? Why would you go with her?”
“That’s right. We’ll just go to the dungeon in the meantime.”
“What? But…”
“Even if it is simple, the process of becoming a wandering priestess will take some time. Besides, does she not have things to discuss with the people who are like her family?”
“Exactly. Why are you so clueless? Try to read the room for once.”
Sara and Diana chided him.
Ah, I see.
Right, if I go, there’s nothing for me to do but stand around and watch.
But, Sara… did you just put a whole lot of force behind the word ‘clueless,’ or was that just my imagination?
Not that I can deny it in this situation…
“No, it’s okay. You can come with me. I’d like to introduce you to everyone at the temple, too.”
But Leia smiled and said it was fine.
An angel. There’s an angel right here.
“Nonsense. Did you not say you needed a staff? We shall go and acquire one in the meantime.”
“Huh?! Really?!”
At that, Leia looked at Guwon with sparkling eyes and said.
“O-Of course. It’s only natural. You go on ahead.”
Defeated by her gaze, Guwon had no choice but to say so.
“Yes. I’ll be back soon.”
Leia smiled brightly, gave a little wave, and left the inn.
Guwon grinned foolishly, waving back at her before turning to face forward again.
Two beautiful demons were glaring at him.
He was already starting to miss the angel who had just left.
“You’re grinning from ear to ear.”
“You’ve fallen for her completely, haven’t you?”
A barrage of unwarranted criticism rained down on Guwon.
Or maybe it’s not unwarranted.
When you think about it, I was the one who provoked them after they stayed up all night worrying.
It seemed they still hadn’t forgiven him completely.
“No, of course not. What greater happiness could there be than spending my days with such beautiful women as yourselves?”
“I-It’s too late for flattery now.”
“This one is well aware of her beauty, even without you pointing it out.”
Though they said that, Sara and Diana didn’t seem to be in a bad mood.
He had remembered how their moods lifted when Leia complimented their looks earlier and decided to try it himself. Thankfully, it seemed to have worked.
By carefully buttering them up throughout the rest of the meal, he was thankfully able to soothe Sara and Diana’s tempers.
“Alright, let’s get to hunting for the day!”
Having returned to his usual condition, Guwon entered the dungeon and announced energetically.
Today’s goal was to get the material for Leia’s staff—in other words, a penis.
“By the way, that Transcendent Species Wolfdog. Has that thing shown up again?”
It seems Leia was after that thing too. Is there a rumor that it’s reappeared?
“Hmm. The possibility is high. Even if you kill a Transcendent Species or a Layer Boss, they tend to reappear in the same spot after a certain period of time. There are occasional exceptions, of course.”
“So, we can either hunt that thing to get a penis, or we can head down and hunt Orcs…”
He had a few penises in his inventory, but he had only kept one of each type, so using one for Leia’s staff was problematic.
Even if a penis seemed useless now, he never knew when he might discover a secret passage that required that specific penis as a key.
“Wouldn’t it be better to hunt Orcs? We can’t really grow here anyway, can we?”
She’s right. Since we’ve come to the dungeon, it’s better to aim for job level growth rather than just getting a penis and leaving.
As long as they didn’t try to go all the way to the secret area, they could hunt near the entrance of the secret passage and make a round trip to the end of the 1st Floor in a single day.
Having made their decision, the party dealt with the monsters they encountered appropriately as they headed straight for the secret passage.
The monsters here were now literally a piece of cake, requiring no effort to defeat.
On another note, the Goblins are back in numbers.
After the Transcendent Species Wolfdog was killed, Goblins had been spotted here and there in the Wolfdogs’ territory, but now they were nowhere to be seen again.
Did the Transcendent Species Wolfdog really come back?
He found the answer as soon as they reached the secret passage.
In the center of a circle of numerous female Wolfdogs stood a creature so large it could hardly be called a Wolfdog.
However, the creatures seemed to instinctively realize Guwon’s strength, and they held back, merely growling lowly instead of rashly attacking.
“We need to get through. Mind opening a path?”
As luck would have it, the Transcendent Species was blocking the very front of the secret passage, meaning they had to fight it to pass.
Besides, killing these things won’t give us much experience anyway.
Not wanting to waste time, Guwon said as much, but his words seemed to be the trigger. The Transcendent Species Wolfdog and the female Wolfdogs all charged at once.
“Sara! Diana! Stay right behind me!”
No matter how weak they were, there was no way to avoid getting hit when they swarmed like this.
Furthermore, Sara and Diana, with their low defense, could suffer a fatal blow. Guwon positioned them against a wall and stood in front to block the way.
However, it seemed his worries were unfounded.
One shot, one kill.
Sara and Diana’s storm of attacks landed with perfect accuracy, never missing their mark. The Wolfdogs didn’t even dare to approach, stopping dead in their tracks.
Only the Transcendent Species continued to advance, rushing toward Guwon with its jaws wide open.
But its decisive bite was easily blocked by Guwon’s gauntlet.
Now that we’re clashing, I can tell for sure.
This thing is only slightly stronger than a Werewolf.
Of course, being slightly stronger than a Werewolf was more than enough to be a menace in a place like this, but it was no match for Guwon’s party, which had taken down a Transcendent Species Werewolf.
Sara and Diana continued to keep the females at bay while Guwon fought the boss one-on-one.
Even though Sara and Diana weren’t attacking the Transcendent Species, Guwon used Saint’s Touch just in case.
Just like before, the creature began to drool, its eyes turning red.
Brings back memories.
But it was stunned and couldn’t move.
And the current Guwon could finish this thing off before the stun wore off.
“I’m not the same guy whose virginity you were after back then!”
The memory angered Guwon, and he swung his fists even more fiercely.
“It’s your turn! Show me that ass!”
As Guwon shouted and moved behind the stunned creature, its pupils seemed to tremble in panic.
Of course, Guwon had no such hobbies. He was just trying to scare it.
He moved behind it and resumed punching it normally.
“If you want to blame someone, blame yourself for trying to take my first time.”
“Kiiiiing.”
The creature let out a final whimper, its eyes filled with an unjust accusation as if to say, ‘That wasn’t me,’ before it breathed its last.
The moment it died, the surrounding females instantly turned tail and began to flee.
What a disloyal bunch.
“Anyway, with this, we’ve achieved today’s goal.”
After carving out the Magic Stone, Guwon picked up the penis that had dropped as if it were a matter of course, placed it in his inventory, and walked toward the secret passage with a light step.