Chapter 64: The Beastkin Priestess
Chapter 64: The Beastkin Priestess
And so, we hunted Orcs and Werewolves again today.
But our real dungeon exploration will begin tomorrow, after Leia joins us.
Today, we just hunted around the area near the secret passage's exit before leaving the dungeon earlier than usual.
If we hunted late like we normally do, we might have kept Leia waiting indefinitely, so we decided to leave with plenty of time to spare.
As a result, we ended up leaving the dungeon when it was still too early for dinner.
Still, it's better than making her wait, so I guess it doesn't matter.
“Well then, for cashing in the Magic Stones… I guess we should at least turn in the ones from the Wolfdogs?”
Most of the monsters we hunted today were Orcs and Werewolves, but since we were only in the dungeon for a day, selling them would be tricky.
Of course, we could lie and say we'd been in the dungeon during the few days we took off, but it's better to be thorough with these things, just in case.
Besides, we killed a considerable number of female Werewolves when we took down the Transcendent Wolfdog, so selling just those should fetch a decent amount of money.
Though, compared to the income from hunting Orcs and Werewolves, it's just a drop in the bucket.
“Is that really necessary? Why don't we do it all at once next time and just head back for today?”
“No, we might need money for priestess gear. We still have time before dinner, so I'll get it done quickly. You guys go on ahead.”
Seeing how Leia was dressed in the dungeon yesterday, she probably doesn't have any of the necessary equipment for exploring.
What's more, it's possible she doesn't even have the money to turn the monster penis into a staff.
After all, she came to find one on her own when she could have just bought it at a general store.
“Really? Then we'll go on ahead.”
“Don't dally. Come straight to the inn.”
“I know. I'm not a kid.”
Diana treats people like children sometimes.
It's easy to forget because of her appearance, but at times like that, she sounds like a nagging grandmother, and you can really feel her age.
In any case, Guwon, who carried everything in his inventory, sent Sara and Diana ahead as usual and went to cash in the Magic Stones.
“Hello. Here are the Magic Stones for today.”
“Hello. Oh? It's a small haul today.”
“Ah, we just hunted a few Wolfdogs. We took down a Transcendent Species while we were at it, too.”
“…Do you have some kind of grudge against Wolfdogs?”
The receptionist looked at Guwon with a slightly weary expression.
I guess it makes sense she'd misunderstand. After all, a guy who now fights Werewolves went out of his way to go back there and slaughter Wolfdogs.
“Yes. Actually, I was bitten by a dog when I was young. I can't stand the sight of them ever since.”
Guwon nodded with a serious face.
In truth, Guwon had no feelings about dogs whatsoever.
He just figured it was better to let her think that than to raise questions about why he'd gone there, so he told a little lie.
“I-I see.”
Just as he expected, the receptionist had an expression that showed she found it a bit difficult to respond.
Guwon, feeling pleased with himself for creating the perfect alibi, finished cashing in the stones.
After cashing in the Magic Stones and selling the items, Guwon was about to head straight for the inn.
But then, a thought occurred to him.
Wouldn't it be better to go meet Leia?
Come to think of it, we never decided when or where to meet again.
Of course, that was because I just assumed Leia would come to the inn when the time came.
Still, she might be stuck waiting, not knowing when we'd be back. I thought it might be better to go let her know we'd returned from the dungeon.
Alright, let's go.
Guwon turned his steps from the inn and headed toward the temple.
The road to the temple was still bustling with an incredible number of people.
I'd thought it was crowded yesterday morning simply because it was time for the morning service, but now I see that wasn't the case.
Just how popular is the goddess here?
After being swept along by the waves of people for a while, the temple finally came into view in the distance.
The temple here was a massive building, more reminiscent of a grand monastery than the ornate cathedrals one might typically imagine in the West.
Since the temple priests and some wandering priests apparently live here, I can understand it being large to some extent, but I still couldn't help but think it was a bit too big.
Wouldn't there be a ton of empty rooms?
Or are there just that many temple priests?
In any case, after finally managing to enter the temple building, Guwon stepped out of the human tide and caught his breath.
Now that I'm here, I have no idea where to go.
Should I try to find the priests' living quarters directly?
Not only do I not know where Leia's room is, but doing that would be the perfect way to be mistaken for a thief or a pervert.
I'll just ask a priest I see passing by.
In that case, would the fastest way be to go to the place where you can hire priests, like yesterday?
Guwon was about to head that way when he suddenly remembered thinking he should attend a service next time he came.
Changing his mind, Guwon stepped back into the flow of people.
How long could a service take?
And there are bound to be priests this way, too.
The place he arrived at was a massive chapel.
The space, large enough to accommodate this huge crowd, was truly a magnificent sight.
Rows of chairs stretched out as far as the eye could see in the vast space, and grand murals adorned the ceiling and walls. For someone who appreciates such things, it was a majestic and wonderful space that would make their head spin.
I could see a few priests on the dais, so far away it was hard to make them out clearly, but it seemed impossible to go all the way up there now to ask about Leia's whereabouts.
The priests will come down after the service ends, so I'll wait for then.
Guwon found an empty seat and sat down.
Once all the people had taken their seats, the service began.
Whether it was some kind of magic, the voice of the priest on the dais echoed majestically throughout the entire space.
Guwon, who had been non-religious even before coming to this world and had only been to church a few times with a friend, naturally expected to be bored. He closed his eyes, planning to just offer a quick prayer of thanks to the goddess and be done with it.
However, the priest's words were surprisingly interesting.
For starters, given the goddess they worshiped, the topic of sex came up a lot.
He was too far away for me to see his face clearly, but his voice was incredibly beautiful.
Listening to someone with such a beautiful voice talk about sexual acts and whatnot, I honestly got a little turned on.
But the priest on the dais was serious, and as I listened, I could feel that they truly held sex as sacred.
An act to confirm love, an act through which people grow, and furthermore, an act that gives birth to new possibilities.
He went on, praising sex with all sorts of flowery language.
In truth, since the goddess here is the Earth Goddess and not just a sex god, the sermon also touched on things like the bountiful earth and infinite possibilities that were her blessings, but the only part Guwon focused on was the talk about sex.
After that, all sorts of stories related to sex followed, told as if they were from a holy scripture. I was listening with such interest that before I knew it, the service was over.
What? It's over already?
I feel like time just skipped.
I can see why so many people flock to these services.
This is actually fun.
The service was so unexpectedly entertaining that I almost forgot my original purpose, but Guwon managed to remember it just in time.
Alright, now to find out where Leia is.
But the priests on the dais disappeared quickly before Guwon could approach them.
Damn. A little too late.
Since it's come to this, I'll just have to go to that place where you hire priests.
After standing up, Guwon noticed the people around him were acting a little strange.
What's this? They seem strangely restless...
The worshipers, having finished the service, began to exit through a passage to the side, not the door they had entered, all walking quickly as if in a race.
Is the entrance different from the exit?
Seeing everyone put money into a box next to the door, it seemed that was how they made their offerings on the way out.
Guwon followed them, made a small offering of his own, and went through the side door, arriving in a corridor lined with a tight row of doors.
Where am I now? This is going to be confusing...
What's more, the worshipers began to enter the different rooms one by one.
The handle of a door that someone had entered would flash red, making it easy to see which rooms were occupied.
Seeing how the doors were packed so closely together, the rooms themselves didn't seem very large.
So, is this a place for confession or something?
If so, there must be a temple official inside, whether it's a priest or someone else.
Guwon decided to find an empty room and go inside.
But whether he was too late or not, he couldn't find a single empty room.
On top of that, while wandering around looking for an empty room, he ended up getting completely lost.
The crowds of people were gone, and the row of doors was nowhere to be seen.
Why is the inside of this temple so big and complicated?
No matter how far I walked down the corridor, I had no idea where it ended or even where I was.
“Oh? Guwon?”
Just as Guwon was staring at a window on the wall, steeling his resolve that jumping out was the only way to escape, he heard a familiar voice.
“L-Leia!”
“What are you doing here?”
“We never decided when you should expect us back from the dungeon. So I came to meet you, but I got lost...”
“Oh, I see. Let's go somewhere else for now. This is where the female priests stay.”
What?! If I get caught, I could be branded a pervert?!
But Leia, seeming to believe Guwon's words completely, just smiled calmly, took his hand, and led the way.
Mmm. She really is like an angel.
“By the way, how did you end up all the way here?”
“Since I was here, I attended the service and then went out into a hallway lined with doors. I couldn't find the exit and just kept walking aimlessly, and...”
“Ah, you went out into the training hall. First-timers always get lost there.”
Leia said, covering her mouth and giggling.
A training hall, huh? I thought it was a place for confession.
So they attend the service and then get separate training on top of that?
The worshipers here are pretty dedicated.
“So, how did it go? Did you finish all the procedures?”
“Ah. Actually, I was just about to go get you about that.”
I'd asked assuming everything was finished, but it seemed there was a problem.
Leia looked at Guwon with a slightly shy smile.
“Could you meet with the High Priestess now?”
“Me? Why the High Priestess all of a sudden?”
“It seems she's curious about the party I'm joining. She's like a mother to me, personally...”
“I-I see. If that's the case.”
Guwon finally understood why Leia seemed a bit shy.
It's like a daughter introducing her boyfriend to her mother.
But Guwon's sweet, heart-pounding mood was shattered the moment he met the High Priestess.
“So, you're the one? The one trying to take our Leia away.”
Hearing she was the High Priestess of the temple, I had been picturing a kind old grandmother with a warm smile.
But the person Leia led me to was a stern-looking woman.
Not just her impression, but even her age was completely different from what I'd expected.
She looked to be in her early thirties at most.
She looked strict, but she was also an incredible beauty.
Come to think of it, a lot of the priests are quite beautiful.
Does the Priestess class in this world raise the Charm stat, maybe?
In any case, this High Priestess shot Guwon a cold glare the moment she saw him.
This really does feel like an unwelcome son-in-law coming to meet his mother-in-law.
“H-High Priestess. Guwon is...”
Flustered by the High Priestess's behavior, Leia tried to defend Guwon, but the High Priestess's reaction was cold.
“Leia, be quiet. Now then, could you explain it to me? You're saying that you are the only one who can have a proper relationship with our Leia? What is the principle behind it?”
When Guwon glanced at Leia, she nodded her head, unlike when Diana had asked.
Well, she did say the woman was like a mother to her.
Guwon calmly began to explain what had happened last night.