* * *
“Teon, go home first.”
“Chacha too?”
“Take Chacha too.”
Because of my younger brother begging for dessert, I ended up leaving the restaurant late.
Remembering the conversation we’d had at the table, I went to the general store in case she had visited, but I couldn’t find her.
It was a pointless action anyway, since she would have already returned to the dungeon by now.
There was a reason I sent my brother home first.
Because there was someone in the back of the alley who had been waiting since a while ago for me to notice them.
“Brother, it’s been a long time.”
“Serio.”
Someone whose reunion I had never anticipated.
From within the shadows, a figure clad in pure white priestly robes emerged with a smile.
That unpleasant smile, seen after so long, made my insides twist.
‘He’s always like that. Smiling for no real reason, just to put on the appearance of being a good-natured person.’
“Do you still have no intention of returning to the temple? Leta is always waiting for you, brother.”
“I believe I told you I’ve retired as an adventurer.”
One of the three archbishops of the Leta Church, and a figure with influence powerful enough to stand shoulder to shoulder with the Holy Maiden within the order.
The Saint of Judgment, Serio.
I had never expected someone who should be managing the grand temple in a major city to come down to a remote village like this.
Probably because of me.
“You may have retired as an adventurer, but you haven’t retired from the temple knighthood, have you? If you have even the slightest will to return, you can come back anytime, Ragner.”
“I’ll say it again—I’m not going back to the temple.”
“I understand. I didn’t expect a single meeting to change your mind.”
Despite my blatant refusal, that painted-on smile didn’t fade. It was enough to feel like obsession.
“Is this the Pope’s order? Sending one of only three archbishops just to persuade me alone seems excessive.”
“The Pope merely follows Leta’s will.”
“It’s a waste of effort.”
The temple is being built anyway.
Since he had been assigned to a new region, even an archbishop would have to stay for at least six months following convention.
Judging by his behavior, he clearly intended to keep making contact, so there was no need to exhaust myself already.
I could just ignore him consistently until he tired himself out and gave up.
‘More importantly… Serio arrived earlier than expected, so I was late in warning that person.’
Just as I was turning to leave, wondering whether I should tell her now—
“Why did you retire? Even if you’re no longer a temple knight, don’t you have the power to save countless people from evil monsters? Ragner, the world is still far too dangerous for someone like you to retire.”
Irritation flared up in an instant.
“Serio.”
“Yes.”
“Stop repeating other people’s words like an echo. You don’t even understand what they mean—you just imitate them.”
Finally, the smile disappeared from his face.
People raised in the temple are all like that.
From childhood, they receive education that erases their sense of self, turning them into doll-like people the temple wants.
Acting as commanded. Speaking as commanded. Believing that the Pope’s will is their own will, and that alone is right.
That was why I left the temple knighthood.
Even the Holy Maiden, revered by countless people, was in truth nothing more than a bird trapped in a cage, unable to even fly on its own.
“Why do you speak to me that way?”
“Serio. Live as if you’re dead inside the temple. Don’t come looking for me anymore.”
“I must persuade you.”
His flat tone flowed out like a machine.
“Every time you leave the temple, think of it as me growing further from the temple knighthood.”
“Then I’ll wait for you at the temple. Please come to me yourself.”
I didn’t answer. Even if it was a formality, he would believe it was genuine.
As I stepped out of the alley, I heard Serio’s footsteps moving away from me.
Though he was a doll-like being who moved without a soul, he possessed divine power vast and mighty enough to rise to archbishop.
With a single gesture, he had wiped out swarms of hundreds of monsters, earning the title Saint of Judgment.
He was far too dangerous a figure for someone who had contracted with a Demon King to face.
“Haa…. I need to tell her not to go anywhere near the temple.”
“Ah, yes, hello…. I’m Choi.”
“I… made a contract with the owner of this dungeon!”
Choi. She was a strange woman I had met in the dungeon when I followed my brother in.
And she had immediately confessed that she had contracted with a Demon King. It was a statement that wouldn’t be surprising to be branded heresy, yet she seemed completely unaware of how dangerous those words were.
No—she was a person strangely lacking in common sense.
I don’t particularly like troublesome things.
By principle and rule, a heretic should simply be executed on the spot.
But those upright eyes looking up at me… made me think it might be all right to hear a little more.
Because it suddenly reminded me of my dog Chacha, who, having done something wrong without knowing what she’d done, would look up at me with bright, innocent eyes.
Even if she harbored some hidden scheme, the dungeon wasn’t large enough to pose a significant threat anyway. If she tried anything, I could simply destroy it immediately.
I knew better than anyone how to destroy a dungeon.
I had merely postponed everything for now.
Because I was curious about how she would act, what she would say.
‘A person I can’t predict at all.’
She was someone who stirred faint ripples in a tedious daily life.
“Come to think of it… just as Teon said, she does subtly resemble Chacha.”
* * *
Be careful? A warning?
The firm, worried tone momentarily flustered me.
Leta. Where had I heard that name before?
“You abandoned Leta, the Holy God who protects this land and stands in opposition to the Demon God… and took the hand of a Demon King, who is no different from an enemy. That makes you a heretic.”
“Eek…!”
Warning lights went off in my head.
This was an emergency!
Leta’s temple was practically the natural enemy of our dungeon.
“Wh, what do I do then? I can’t even move the dungeon!”
How should I put it—it felt like a police station had opened right across the street from my company.
I hadn’t done anything illegal, but I still felt guilty for no reason.
“Dungeon clearing is recognized as the domain of adventurers even by the temple. So they won’t go out of their way to interfere directly. Of course, that changes if the monsters working under you cause an incident.”
Ruadis said with a smirk.
“I’ll be careful, and then some! I’ll really manage them diligently! Um… but should I quit the restaurant job too? I feel like even visiting the village might be dangerous….”
“Hmm….”
After thinking for a while, she shook her head and spoke.
“That much is fine. Priests generally don’t leave the temple much. As long as you don’t go out of your way to visit them, you can consider it almost certain you won’t run into one.”
“Phew… what a relief.”
I didn’t want to lose the cushy part-time job I had barely gotten.
Then again, I had unconsciously done something reckless. Not talking to him and running away had really been the right choice!
If I had been blinded by money and taken that cleaning job on the spot….
“I won’t even glance northward….”
“Hm… one more thing.”
“Yes?”
Ruadis frowned and stroked her chin with a troubled expression.
“If possible… it would be best not to get close to Ragner either.”
My mouth fell open. Don’t tell me it was because he might report me to the temple!? I didn’t think he was that kind of person—how cold!
He promised not to reveal the secret!
“He said he wouldn’t report you…. Tsk.”
“Ah, don’t misunderstand. Ragner won’t report you. He’s the type who always keeps a promise once made. It’s just… there’s a high chance the temple is watching Ragner, so if you’re near him, you might draw attention. That’s what I meant.”
The temple watching Ragner? Why?
“By any chance… did Ragner do something wrong to the temple?”
“Not wrong, exactly. My student has always been strangely entangled with the temple since long ago. And since I’ve stayed in this village, I don’t know all of Ragner’s past activities.”
Ruadis said she mainly heard news from outside through adventurers visiting the village.
So this world didn’t have widely distributed newspapers or broadcasting.
It was a world where you left hiring notices with wind fairies, after all.
“The fact that temple buildings started being constructed in this remote village, not even a city, all began after Ragner returned to his hometown. That’s why I think the temple is watching Ragner.”
That sounds like a stalker.
“Thank you for the advice. I’ll really be careful.”
Ragner had been quite a good advisor…. It was a shame, but I supposed I should keep some distance.
I had a precious earth fairy and monsters to feed, after all.
