I’ve been wanting to write for a long time.
The impulse I thought I had forgotten is pounding in my chest. But that doesn’t mean I’m going to write something right this moment. First, I have things to do, don’t I?
After reporting to the guild and settling accounts, I whispered to Selly about sacrificing Hans, as a final note to wrap up the day.
Now, all that’s left is to hand over the nameless man who’s been dozing off comfortably as a leather roll to the temple and collect the service fee.
“I really don’t want to go to the temple…”
“It’s too late for that.”
Lydia giggled and pointed to two guild staff members carrying the man on a stretcher.
We’ll get paid, but essentially, we’re accompanying the injured adventurer to transfer him from the guild to the temple.
And the guild’s moving to block any lunatic claiming to have fainted in the labyrinth after bashing someone’s head in.
It just shows how dedicated the guild is to adventurer support, with a whole team that does nothing but that… Still.
To be precise, they’re more dedicated to faith or money.
The goddess creates the labyrinth, and her followers established the guild to support the adventurers.
One has to be proud of that fact, I suppose.
Of course, anyone can join the guild, even if they aren’t a follower of the Goddess of Love. It’s just that the same level of professional dedication is expected from them.
Most people drop out here, but some cling on stubbornly.
Like perhaps an elf enchanted by the guild’s high salaries…
That’s why there are so many handsome elf men at the guild’s reception desk. …If this wasn’t a male-dominated world, they would’ve been eye candy.
“Sigh.”
“Stop sighing. You’re not quitting now, are you?”
“Ah, I sighed for a different reason.”
“A different reason?”
“I was just thinking how cool it would be if Ellie and Lydia wore bunny girl outfits instead of the waitstaff at Fairy and Silver Coin.”
“…”
Lydia grimaces silently.
“Yeah, I figured that that disgusting reaction would mean it wouldn’t happen. But I still want to see it… isn’t that possible?”
“What’s so good about seeing women undressed?”
“Hah… what’s so good about seeing men undressed, really?”
For a moment, we both shook our heads at each other. Before we knew it, we arrived in front of a white stone building.
Imposing in size, similar to the guild’s headquarters, the building was made of pristine white marble and was topped with a roof supported by countless pillars.
A perfect Doric-style temple… it resembled what people commonly call Greek-style temples. It was no surprise, given that it was based on that.
However, it was so prominent simply because it was the largest building, though many relatively ordinary buildings were lined up around it.
If the central temple was a place to praise the goddess and proclaim her greatness, the surrounding buildings were built as necessary later on.
There were healing facilities for injured people, a free brothel created to prevent men from turning into cads through criminal means, an academy for training potential paladins and priests, and a free cafeteria that I often relied on.
These were facilities built not for the goddess but for the people living under her care, surrounding the temple like satellites.
The place we needed to go was one of these satellite buildings.
“Lydia, how much do you think it’ll be? He’s young and in good shape, so it should be quite a bit.”
“…It sounds like you’re committing a crime or something.”
Lydia sighed heavily and shook her head.
“It should be a decent amount considering the first-floor earnings. That’s why they’ll take the risk to bring him in. Besides, we get the whole amount upfront for the years of work he’ll owe.”
“So it’s quite a sum of money.”
“Yeah. But it won’t be as much as you think. Like I said earlier, this isn’t human trafficking; it’s just a service fee for the rescue. The bounty is assessed according to his abilities.”
“Are you saying he’s worth less because he’s practically useless now?”
“…Stop picking such misleading words! He’ll be treated properly at the temple. Unless he’s under some horrific curse, he’ll be fine. What I meant was that he can’t pay back the debt because he’s a first-floor adventurer. So his bounty is set low.”
“True. The temple probably isn’t lacking in funds.”
As long as the amount is tempting enough for adventurers on that floor, that’s sufficient. No need to chain the patient down with debts.
Nodding slightly, we reached the healing facility. Lydia knocked on a small door next to the extensive line for general treatment.
Knock knock.
Not long after, I sensed movement from inside.
“Who is it?”
“We’ve brought an injured adventurer.”
“Ah! Please wait a moment!”
After some clattering sounds, the door opened, revealing a kind-looking woman dressed in pure white priest robes.
“May your future be filled with love. I am Priest Remilly. Please come inside.”
“Okay.”
Nodding, Lydia entered, and behind her, the guild staff carrying the stretcher followed.
Inside was a long corridor, and after walking earnestly, we arrived at a huge gathering area for patients.
“There! For fractures, you need to set the bones first before healing!”
“What poison is this… Get a grip, adventurer! The goddess is with you!”
“Ah, no! Oli! Open your eyes!! The priestess will be here soon!”
Priests with dark circles under their eyes tirelessly recited prayers, pouring divine power, while patients clung to consciousness despite spewing dark blood. There were even patients on the verge of death.
In a place reminiscent of a field hospital, countless people were dying.
Remilly, scratching her head in confusion at the sight, spoke in a slightly awkward voice.
“Despite how it looks, very few actually lose their lives. We constantly rotate and pour out divine power.”
Though she looked somewhat tired, Remilly’s eyes and voice were filled with pride.
I smiled at her and nodded.
“Of course! You work day and night in one of the toughest places in the sanctuary dedicated to the Goddess of Love, right? You must be true believers… Besides, the fact that we hear screams means they’re alive!”
“Oh ho, hearing that makes me feel a bit relieved! You must be a companion of the noble Lydia!”
With a slightly brighter expression, Remilly looked at Lydia with admiration before nodding at me.
Hmm. So she recognized Lydia? It’s one thing for her to grumble by herself, but if she berates others as part of Lydia’s group, it would tarnish her honor.
No matter how much I want to escape the temple quickly, now’s not the time for me to drop my act.
“…Is this my role as a supporting character?”
“Jonah. Stop babbling and come here.”
“Yes ma’am.”
As I was lost in thought, Lydia pulled my arm. How much longer would we be walking? We arrived at a bed in a relatively quiet corner, far from the seriously injured patients.
The guild staff, looking familiar with the routine, laid down the sleeping captive and began relaying what we reported to the temple.
In the meantime, I started to remove the leather that covered his body one by one. Now that it was all over, this was something we needed to take with us.
No matter how much a hobgoblin was, it seemed challenging to recklessly hunt down an Iron Wolf, so they patched it with the fur of a lone rabbit.
But even this amount could fetch a decent price if sold. Alternatively, I could use it as a carpet for my room.
As I gathered the leather pieces, I glanced at the bed separated by a thin curtain and wall. Through the gap, I saw a familiar face.
“…Huh? Ian?”
“Who are you?”
Swish!
At the sound of my voice, the curtain opened. Inside was the Inquisitor, Karen, whom I had seen only a few days prior.
I genuinely didn’t expect to see such people, so my mind momentarily halted.
Her well-fitted black priest robes were stained with red blood, and her face, devoid of dark circles unlike before, mixed self-reproach with shock.
It was unmistakably the Inquisitor herself, having just come from something significant.
But the blood on her robes didn’t seem to belong to the enemy.
As the curtain was pulled back, Ian’s body was revealed, drenched in dark red blood. The only silver lining was that his wounds seemed to have mostly healed…
Yet he appeared to be unconscious, whining in distress.
Startled by the serious condition of his injuries, I was caught off guard when Karen suddenly grabbed my shoulders with both hands and shouted.
“Please, help me!”
“Huh?”
“Please, I beg you… help Ian!”
“Me?”
“You’re the one who has received the goddess’s words most fully. You must have some way!”
“I don’t, though… I mean, I don’t even have divine power.”
As I shook my head in confusion, Karen’s expression darkened noticeably.
“Oh no… Then what should I do about Ian’s curse?”
“A curse…?”
At the mention of the curse, my senses snapped back. Reflexively feeling for the hilt of my Unicorn Dagger at my waist, I asked.
“Is Ian a virgin?”
That might allow me to lend a helping hand.
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