Chapter 100 - Delinquent priest – Part one

The mess surrounding Stepping Man was close to being over, but the same couldn’t be said for the cleaning up that had to be done afterwards.

Figuring out what happened and what to do in the aftermath was the way to put this case to rest, but putting it into practice came with its own problems. This was true both for Sem, and the inhabitants of the abandoned area.

“Excuse me.”

“You’re…”

Sem stood alone in front of the door to Nargava’s old office. The man occupying this space was gone, but for some reason several people hung around. At a glance, Sem could see ten people, including one he knew, the manager of the communal cemetery.

“I’m sorry, what was your name again?”

“O-oh, right , I didn’t get to tell you. It’s Rabe.”

“You helped us that time… Are you hurt? I came here to examine the people who were mid-treatment, so we should decide the order first.”

“A-are you sure…? We don’t have anything to give you.”

Rabe’s puzzling but sincere attitude put a small smile on Sem’s face. He remembered that Nargava also had a good impression of him.

“I said I was going to take care of patients here for a while when I came to get his notes and documents. We were in a hurry and only made verbal agreements, but I can more or less remember the people that talked to me at the time.”

“Ah, I remember hearing about that… We just sort of assumed you’d flake out.”

“The thought did cross my mind too.”

“Hey hey…”

Sem ignored Rabe’s bewilderment and told everyone waiting outside to come in.

Everyone was wounded in some way, and went there in the hope that somehow, Nargava would be there.

Sem being there brought about a sense of relief, but also disappointment, as it meant Nargava would not be there anymore.

“You being here is a big help, it really is, but…”

Said Rabe, stopping before finishing his sentence.

He had a bruise on his cheek, probably from a fight.

“Don’t mention it. You were hit recently… Well, let’s leave that be. It will heal itself soon, but be careful about hits to the head.

“I will. You’re not going to be here 24/7 like Nargava right?”

“Yes.”

“Are you thinking about living here? Nevermind people here right now, but there are some who will actually reward you…”

“Sorry.”

“Well… That’s what I figured, Nargava was an exception. We’ll make do.”

Rabe gave up and sighed.

“I have something to ask. We were after him… Nargava, and that led to his death. Do you resent us for it?”

“I guess we do.”

“I figured.”

It seemed they knew the story of Nargava’s capture and death.

An excommunicated priest kidnapping children was too scandalous of a story, and anyone involved with Nargava in any way would want to know more. Sem knew how fast information spread via word of mouth.

“But… We all sort of figured he would die or disappear one day. That’s just the impression we got from him. I guess that’s pretty pessimistic.”

“Well… I can see that.”

“Even putting that aside, everyone that comes to this place is at the end of their rope in one way or another. You never know when they might be gone.“

“Well, it is tough for the people to give treatment here.”

“If that’s what you think, staying here would help.”

Sem ignored Rabe’s sarcastic eyes.

“I’m not some virtuous priest, I’m just an adventurer.”

“I guess.”

“So, we should only have people that should be here in the first place. That will do, right?”

“People that should be here…?”

“I mean people that aren’t excommunicated priests like Nargava and I.”

Sem ignored Rabe’s confusion, and started laying down his plan.

“There is someone I want you to introduce to me.”

“Eh? Introduce?”

“The priest that performs Sacred Fire. I’d like to know that person better.”

◆

In the Labyrinth City, there were temples for four gods.

Obviously, there were not just four temples. Medlar alone had more than ten locations.

Many Medlar temples were attached to the Labyrinth City’s schools, and Sem, a priest who was excommunicated from Medlar, had mixed feelings about this.

Lowell, the temple that excommunicated Nargava, also had many locations.

When merchants formed contracts, and people of certain status were about to get married or have a marriage meeting, Lowell would butt in.

Their business grew, or rather, their chances to extol the virtues of their god were many.

But, Sem was visiting a temple that belonged to neither. It was a temple of the god of harvests, Baer.

“…So, you think the chief of a temple like myself is going to listen to what an excommunicated priest has to say?”

“Are you talking about me or mister Nargava?”

“…Both!”

The man with the stern expression angrily yelled.

This man was the chief of this branch of Baer, Rupard.

“That Rabe… Why did he send someone like you here? I was under the impression that not being intrusive was one of his features.”

“Now, now, let’s just calm down. I am not telling you to do what I ask. All I want to do is propose that this is the perfect time to restart the food distribution and medical treatment in the abandoned area that stopped for some reason.”

Sem noticed something in his travels to the abandoned area. Although there were priests that entered it to perform Sacred Fire, the only person providing medical treatment was an outlaw excommunicated priest like Nargava.

Sacred Fire was a technique that only some priests could use. If this was being done, it meant that priests could clearly come and go without issue. And yet Nargava, who secured a room for himself and started examining people unprompted, was doing the work that should be done by the temples.

“What do you mean perfect time? Anyone that works there is in for a hard time. Muggings happen there all the time.

If I could, I would stop sending people to perform Sacred Fire, but… Not dealing with dead bodies would certainly lead to more trouble, so we are left with little choice. But if one of the priests we send is assaulted, I will stop it regardless of what anyone says.”

Rupard was the chief of this branch, which was relatively small, with only around thirty people. Their main duties were marriage ceremonies of local Baer worshipers and divine services, but originally, voluntary activities specific to their sect were a part of their daily duties.

“Is that threat to keep things peaceful?”

“Yes. It’s hard to stop, since someone has to do it, but I will not have people take advantage of us.”

Said Rupard with an indignant expression.

Sem did not find this unpleasant, rather, he thought what Rupard said made sense. Himself and Nargava were the strange ones for being able to adapt to that environment. Sem felt that just sending priests in there to perform Sacred Fire was already enough self-sacrifice.

But he still chose to visit the temple.

“I see. You can’t expect offerings, and just going there is a big risk in itself. Nargava was strong, so no one would do anything to mess with him.”

“No one would do it, or maybe people that strayed off the right path, like you two. If you insist on it so much, do it yourself. Do a good enough job, and you may even be allowed to return to priesthood.”

Said Rupard sarcastically, but Sem shook his head calmly.

“I have little desire to go back.”

“So stop acting like one. It will only bring trouble.”

“Yes, so I propose this as an adventurer. How about you hire guards like myself, but not necessarily me, to protect you?”

Rupard was not expecting such a proposal.