Chapter 28
Chapter 28
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 28
Chapter Title: Return - 1
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"What... if you really want to go in..."
"No. No need to invade your personal privacy."
We'll check it out later once we're closer. Forcing my way in when she clearly doesn't want me to could cause issues and mess up future plans.
"........"
Veronica stared at me wordlessly with an expressionless face. A breeze blew through, making her silver hair flutter over her black priestly robes.
She always had a cold impression, looking aloof even in illustrations and in-game, but seeing her like this makes it even more apparent.
"Ah. Okay? Then let's go sort it out."
She turned on her heel and walked off with heavy steps. I watched her back and tilted my head.
What's up with her?
"Hey! Come on!"
There's usually a reason people avoid something, but I didn't expect it to be this much of a mess.
I looked at Veronica standing at the warehouse entrance, and she avoided my eyes.
"Why is it in such a state?"
"Th-the inquisitors just dump items unrelated to heresy cults here haphazardly..."
"You're not telling me they shove important or dangerous stuff in here like this too, right?"
"Of course not! Those are properly stored!"
"I see. Anyway, we just need to tidy up, right?"
"The items for disposal are set aside separately, and the attendant priests will handle them. Alright. Let's get to it."
Veronica rolled up the sleeves of her black robes. Is she going to help too? I grabbed the hood of her robe as she tried to step inside.
"Why?"
"Cardinal, you should rest in the back. I can handle this alone."
"Sort out this huge warehouse by yourself?"
"This is nothing."
In the game, cleaning this warehouse required at least three people. And one of them had to be a mage and a warrior.
Because you needed their skills.
But since I can use skills from every class, I can do it solo.
"Want me to grab a lantern at least?"
"No. Light."
She cast one of the basic spells, creating a sphere of light that illuminated every corner of the dim warehouse. Man, there's really a ton of junk.
"Oh. There's quite a bit of gear too."
"Feel free to take anything you need."
"Then I won't hold back."
These were heretic cultists' belongings, so there probably weren't any low-grade items you'd find in shops. I picked up a sword neatly placed on a large cabinet and drew it.
The blade was a bit dull from not being maintained for ages, but it was a fine sword.
"I'll take some weapons."
I needed weapons to register with Moonlight anyway, so perfect timing.
As I set the sword aside, Veronica came over, checked the label on it, and nodded.
"Yeah. Go ahead."
"But where'd this come from? Looks pretty good."
"It was from a long time ago. When inquisitors took down a heresy cult's suspected grand bishop's heart. We inspected it just in case, but it turned out to be a normal sword, so it's been stored here. See this crest?"
"Oh. I get it."
"I thought you'd know just from the crest."
It's not in the game, so no clue. I nodded vaguely and grabbed the axe next to it.
"What about this?"
"We got it from capturing the berserker Lokart who ate human flesh. There were rumors his madness came from that axe."
"But it wasn't?"
"Nope. Turns out it was the demon possessing his body."
Besides these, tons of items with their own stories slumbered here.
As I checked things out with Veronica's explanations, I gathered all the weapons I needed.
"You could get better gear from other quests..."
"This is fine. Alright. Let's start."
I registered the staff said to belong to a heretic who worshipped snakes with Moonlight, then picked it up. Instantly, Moonlight transformed into the staff emitting a soft green moonlight, and I activated a skill right away.
"Wind."
Maybe because Moonlight itself is top-tier gear, the spell's power was boosted.
The wind whipped through the warehouse, gathering foul smells and dust into a bundle and blowing it all outside. I checked the list Veronica was holding and got moving.
"You sure you don't want help?"
"Of course. Head out. If you're worried, buy me tea when it's done."
"Uh... yeah. I'll prepare the best tea."
She said no help needed, but some attendant priests showed up, probably sent by Veronica. I didn't actually need help, so I sent them away. By the time sorting was mostly done, a nun came to inspect.
"Wow. Amazing! I didn't expect it to be this spotless..."
"I set the disposal items over there, organized the rest on the shelves in list order, and fixed some broken parts on the shelves."
"You even did repairs?"
"Yeah. And the corner of the warehouse was crumbling. If you give me materials, I can handle that too. I can do stonework and construction..."
"Oh my... You must have worked so hard. We'll take care of that. This is excellent!"
Guess that's a great success? Her satisfied face says so...
"Oh. And for the mission reward, three bottles of holy water."
"I'll gladly take them."
"If you're done, Cardinal Veronica wishes to see you."
"Got it."
I heard where she was, closed the warehouse door, and headed there. It was a small garden behind the building.
Veronica was there, tea prepared and waiting.
"All done? Good work."
"No big deal. Anything else? Like more warehouse sorting."
"Hmm... Nothing quite like this one right now."
There are adventurer quests people skip, but church ones don't have anything standout.
No point whining about what's not there.
So I decided to leverage connections.
Gotta use what I have.
"But couldn't your request count as a quest?"
"Well... I'm a high priestess in the church, so if it's something I can reward..."
"If you need help with anything tough, don't hesitate to call. I'll drop everything and come running."
"...O-oh. Really? If it's worth calling you for, the reward would be..."
"Don't mistake pure goodwill for something else. You think I'd help just for rewards?"
It's about the count. The count matters.
Honestly, relics, potions, holy water—none interest me.
"...What... what does that... Hoo... Never mind. Have some tea."
Red tea poured into the cup. I sipped it. As expected of a cardinal—great tea and cookies.
"So? Where to next?"
"Back to the palace."
That's my base now. Keep teaching Lucille there, handle adventurer guild quests, rack up achievements.
I checked remaining achievements and replied casually. Veronica stared at me.
"No plans to settle down?"
"Nope."
"Why? You must have made a fortune."
"Pockets are full of dust."
"Where'd all your earnings go?"
Achievements. Saved a village from famine, healed a sick old lady, rescued enslaved异族.
Plus money sinks like cooking, alchemy, woodworking, leatherworking, jewelcrafting to level life skills.
Spent it all there.
"And the quests I take aren't great for cash."
"Sigh... Sometimes you seem more priestly than me. Why not join the church?"
"No thanks. Tea was great, cookies too. Gotta head out."
"...The hero party... Claire, Leventia, Evangeline—you're not seeing them... just leaving?"
"Them? Why?"
No reason to, no need. I shrugged it off and raised a hand.
"See you next time. Contact the palace if anything comes up."
"...Anything at all?"
"Anything."
As long as it counts as church quests.
I held out my hand. She hesitated, then shook it lightly.
"See you."
"...Yeah. Take care."
She gripped my hand, flashing a faint smile. Slowly let go. I smirked at her.
"Bye then!"
****
Like the wind, he was gone. Veronica let out a deep sigh.
Always thought it, but what a selfless guy.
Even back when the hero party defeated the Demon King.
After first meeting in Baek Eun Village, she got his help and investigated him.
The Sage.
Unlike the continent's self-proclaimed "wise" windbags, completely different.
No affiliation, status, or origin known—suspicious in itself.
But his actions were those of a true sage, nigh saintly.
The more she investigated, the more interest she took in Hyunwoo.
And that interest didn't fade with time—instead, it rooted deeper in her heart.
Like a wildfire in the plains.
Growing ever larger.
"You worked hard today."
On her way back after seeing Hyunwoo off, a female priest bowed politely. Veronica scratched her cheek, staring.
"Sister Lorbeneia."
"Yes?"
"You mentioned you're married with a child."
"Yes? Oh. Yes."
Church policy allows priests to marry and have kids. Not many devout ones do, but even the Pope has a wife.
Veronica smiled wryly at Sister Lorbeneia.
"Isn't it tough? Balancing church duties and family..."
"My husband is family-oriented, kind, and great at housework—no burden at all."
"...I see. Family-oriented... Got it. Go on."
She watched the bowing sister leave and sighed deeply.
Family-oriented, housework, kind.
Muttering the words she'd just heard, she reached her room door.
Veronica undid the holy seal with her power and entered.
Only she could enter this room. Finally, she relaxed a bit.
"Light."
Light from her hand touched the ceiling, revealing the room.
Walls, desk, bed, everywhere.
All materials on the Sage, piles of his pictures.
Collected since her interest sparked, investigated personally.
Documents tracking his every move.
Room filled with materials and drawings of her admired, fascinating Sage Hyunwoo—never to be shown to him.
Even a kind soul like him might get creeped out.
So hide it.
No one can know.
Her treasures that heal just by looking when times are tough.
"Ahh..."
But even these drawings.
And dolls modeled after him.
Pale compared to the living, breathing Hyunwoo laughing and chatting beside her moments ago.
Veronica flopped onto the bed. Slowly, she placed the teacup he'd used on the bedside table.
Another treasure added.
She tapped it with long fingers, smiling, then hugged a large pillow with his picture and murmured.
"I'll definitely protect you..."
Author's Note
Weekend's over lol. Let's power through next week too!
See you tomorrow~ Bye~