Chapter 80

“Ah…”

I must have been chewing my nails while lost in thought. A bead of blood was welling up on my fingertip.

“Tsk.”

Just as I clicked my tongue and was about to wipe the blood away, someone entered the warehouse.

He was a robust, elderly priest with a striking mane of white hair and a bushy beard.

“Haven’t seen you around before. Are you here to make a donation?”

“Yes.”

As I rose from my chair, the old man waved his hand.

“I can’t have a valued member of our flock standing. Please, sit.”

The old man sat across the desk and pulled his chair closer.

Then, he rustled out a notebook and stared at me with gleaming eyes.

“Now then, how much are you planning to donate?”

“…”

Shouldn’t he be asking things like *how* I got here, *why* I decided to donate, or *when* I started believing in the gods?

Was this not the proper order of things?

“…I plan to give with all my heart.”

The old man’s face brightened as he clapped his hands.

“Oh-ho! That means you’ll be giving a lot! Wonderful, just wonderful! The temple’s finances have been in a sorry state lately, so it’s been ages since we’ve had meat on the table! Looks like we’ll finally get to feast.”

What a brutally honest old man. I forced the corners of my mouth into a smile.

“…How nice for you.”

“Since you don’t seem to have decided on an amount yet, I should tell you—the quality of the prayer depends on the sum.”

“Excuse me?”

“We’re planning to offer special prayers for our donors from now on. Ever heard of an indulgence? It means that even if you’ve sinned, you can be forgiven by showing your sincerity to the gods.”

*Wow, how revolting.*

I suppressed my disgust with all my might.

*It looks like they’re trying to pay their taxes by selling indulgences.*

You can tell a lot from one small detail. If a common priest is like this, there’s no way the High Priest is any better.

Honestly, would a common priest come up with the idea of selling indulgences on his own? Of course the High Priest had a hand in it.

It was a wonder how someone like Johan could have grown up so upright in a place like this.

“Depending on your sincerity, I can even arrange a special meeting with the High Priest. He’s not an easy person to see, but he does listen to my requests.”

*Didn’t he meet with a vagrant? Was that just a show for his public image?*

*Ah… why was I even hesitating?*

No matter how desperate I was, I didn’t want to join hands with people like this.

If it came down to it, I’d rather beg the constellations.

“I’ve changed my mind. I won’t be donating.”

“Huh? But why!”

“I came to donate to a temple, not to throw my money away on a cult.”

“A cult! Watch your tongue!”

“What else would you call a group that buys and sells forgiveness for money?”

“W-What did you say?”

“Look here. You’re a priest, an old one at that. You of all people shouldn’t be putting a price tag on the gods’ forgiveness. Don’t you realize you’re blaspheming?”

The old man fell silent for a moment before holding out his hand.

“Still, you should donate. I was woken from my nap to come all the way down here. I can’t leave empty-handed.”

…What is with this guy?

I took a coin from my inventory and tossed it onto the old man’s palm.

One Ruan.

“There.”

“I accept this gratefully. The gods will surely rejoice in their follower’s devotion.”

The old man clasped the one Ruan coin in both hands and prayed.

He looked so devout it was almost solemn.

*W-What? I expected him to fly into a rage.*

After finishing his prayer, the old man crooked a finger at me, standing there awkwardly.

“What are you doing just standing there gawking? Come on, sit down.”

“Uh…”

I had fully intended to flip the desk and storm out.

But when I came to my senses, I was sitting in the chair, my hands folded politely in my lap.

“Hmm? You’ve hurt your hand. Let me see.”

The old man was pointing at the hand I’d been chewing on until it bled.

I held out my hand without thinking, and the old man took my wrist.

Soon, a gentle yet immense energy spread throughout my body.

The wound vanished, of course, but my whole body also felt refreshed and invigorated.

*Is this the power of an ordinary priest?*

It felt even stronger than Johan’s holy power.

I stared blankly at the old man.

“…Who are you?”

“The name’s Closo.”

Closo Ya Nute.

The name of the goddess Nute’s first son, the High Priest.

***

“Thank you for the healing, High Priest.”

High Priest Closo watched Astell intently as she gave a slight curtsy.

*They said she was unhinged, a princess who used her status to wreak havoc wherever she went…*

According to the rumors, Astell was exactly the type of person Closo despised.

That was why he had refused to meet her, despite Johan’s repeated requests.

Had he not seen ‘that video,’ they would likely not be facing each other today.

*It’s true what they say—you can’t know something until you experience it for yourself…*

Far from being insolent, Astell didn’t even seem mad.

Her expression was composed, her green eyes clear. They were not the eyes of someone whose mind was unsound.

*It’s a wonder how such rumors started. Then again, a sharp talent can’t be hidden forever.*

A beauty so exceptional that it seemed extraordinary even to his eyes, which had transcended such things.

On top of that, she had an air that could overwhelm others just by standing still.

The very aura she exuded was different from that of an ordinary twenty-one-year-old noble lady.

She had simply been quiet because she’d been confined to her mansion; a person like this was bound to attract attention one way or another.

“High Priest, is there something on my face?”

“I was just looking because I find you fascinating. They call you the Mad Princess, yet you seem perfectly sane.”

“It depends on who I’m with. I wouldn’t dare lose my mind in front of the High Priest, now would I? You can just think of it as me being on my best behavior.”

“Ho ho, having to act differently depending on the person. That must be quite tiring.”

“That’s why I plan to buy a potion on my way out.”

“Our temple’s potions are indeed excellent for relieving fatigue.”

“So I’ve heard.”

Astell covered her mouth and smiled.

Witty banter, an elegant demeanor, and quick on the uptake, too.

Closo found himself liking Astell more and more.

“That boy Johan was so persistent, pestering me to meet you just once. I wondered what had gotten into him, but it seems he was captivated by your smile.”

“Thank you for the compliment.”

It was a confident reply, devoid of the slightest hint of bashfulness.

At that, Closo let out a hearty laugh. His clear brown eyes turned to Astell.

“So, what was your reason for trying to meet me all this time?”

Astell’s previously relaxed posture straightened.

“You must immediately cease production of all potions except for the highest-grade ones. It’s nothing but a waste of holy power.”

It was a statement that could sound incredibly rude.

But Closo calmly stroked his beard.

“Potions, a waste of holy power… Well, I suppose one could think that. But know this: my holy power is mine and mine alone to waste.”

After a brief pause, Astell continued.

“What Hunters need are the highest-grade potions. For anything less, they can be treated by other Hunters who possess healing abilities.”

“Potions exist for the powerless, for the ordinary followers. Not for those who can overcome crises on their own.”

“You’re right. When a gate opens unexpectedly, it’s the common people who are in more danger than the Hunters.”

Astell paused for a moment and licked her dry lips.

“But what if there was a tool that could detect gates in advance? Wouldn’t that be more necessary for ordinary people than potions?”

“Isn’t that something everyone has thought of? It’s just that there’s no way to do it.”

“There is a way. And that way is holy power.”

Her voice held not possibility, but conviction. Closo tilted his head.

“…Are you saying holy power can be used to detect gates in advance?”

“There were people who reacted just before a gate opened. They were all clerics wearing priestly vestments.”

“This is the first I’m hearing of it.”

“If you find it hard to believe, you can confirm it with Sir Johan. He said his holy power definitely surged before the gate opened. Like his body was heating up.”

*It follows a similar principle to how a holy relic heats up when it encounters a malevolent aura.*

Closo nodded.

“Let’s assume that’s true. What are you suggesting? That we inject holy power into the bodies of our followers?”

“No, you use holy power to create an item. One that serves as a warning just before a gate opens.”

Astell continued.

“It probably wouldn’t require a large amount of divine power. Perhaps less than a third of what’s needed for a low-grade potion?”

“I suppose so. Its purpose is to warn, not to heal… But it wouldn’t last long, would it?”

Astell gave a playful wink.

“Of course it shouldn’t last long. That’s how you ensure they keep buying more.”

Closo’s jaw dropped in disbelief.

“Are you suggesting a priest engage in commerce?”

“High Priest, even priests can’t live on dirt. Isn’t that why the temple sells potions instead of giving them away for free?”

“Ahem!”

The temple needed money. It was difficult to sustain it on the followers’ offerings alone.

Furthermore, considering the taxes they would soon have to pay, they were indeed desperate for funds.

Thus, if he accepted Astell’s proposal, it was certain to not only solve the tax problem but also improve the temple’s financial situation.

*But it’s easier said than done.*

There was no telling how much trial and error it would take.

Weren’t there countless cases of people trying something new, only to fail without any tangible results?

He might later regret not just sticking to making potions.

“I appreciate the offer, but I must refuse. It’s not easy to try new things at my age. Even when you know something is right, it’s difficult to embrace change.”

Closo was the type to content himself with the present rather than take on a challenge with an uncertain outcome.

Though he was optimistic, as befitting a priest, his personality had grown more conservative with age.

“Princess, you should be on your way.”

Astell hurriedly tried to stop him.

“Wait, High Priest!”