105 - - The Scene of Stroke to Death

Gosh!

"......!"

GUSH!!!!

"Guh......!"

Clang!

Now I am standing with my back to the door of a room in the temple, where there are disturbing noises and stifled moans.

I don't want to know what is going on inside. I look forward, my face tightening. To my left, a tall priestess, who is probably Yekaterina's escort, leaves the room with me and stands silently next to me. I would have covered my ears without hesitation if this man had not been there.

If I was in the middle of a battle, I would be fine because I would be in high spirits.

He looks like he is guarding this door for the time being, looking straight ahead with a face that says "I am not aware of what is going on inside, I am indifferent, I don't care.

The story goes back a bit.

We were in a carriage on the way from the Adventurers' Guild to the temple. There, Cal told me that Ekaterina was called the "Goddess of Bludgeoning," a name that makes me want to ask twice.

"I thought I heard the word <> or some other disturbing word."

"Yes. Yekaterina is equipped with a special weapon, which seems to destroy the affected part once and regenerate it."

That's scary.

How could this man say that with such a fresh face? I don't know, I'm starting to wonder if Ekaterina is the one or this guy is the one.

"Oh, excuse me. I thought it would be more prevalent in the bedtime stories and picture books, but I guess a beating to death isn't very gentle. I'm sorry."

I don't think destroying the affected part would be gentle either.

"I think it would be easier if we could see each other since we know each other, but this is not easy. I can't even ask to see him in his former name.

I'm not going to ask, since I said I'd pretend I didn't, but I'm guessing the name Cal is also an alias.

"It would be easier if I could just meet him. I'm going to meet with you now, and Ekaterina will be among them."

"To Lady Ekaterina, sir?"

He looks a little surprised.

"He said you are not in a position to meet easily."

You know how often we run into each other?

"I understand that because of the loss of your child, you are very involved in the protection of orphans, especially beastman children.

"Maybe?"

Cal had the idea because a prospective grocery store vendor was brought to him at the Temple orphanage. Since he is also white, it is doubtful that this is the only reason for the high rate of encounters with Yekaterina.

When we met Cal, Ekaterina noticed him and called to him with a friendly smile.

"Well, well, well. What should I call you?"

"Cal."

"I wonder if Homra knows?"

"I'll pretend I didn't know. I have to ask."

I listened to the exchange, thinking that it would be a bad idea to reveal my real name.

Even if what Ekaterina says is harsh or even cruel, her ever-present smile has disappeared.

"You were injured when you left the country, weren't you?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't realize it had gotten this far."

"Dead or alive, the information leans more towards the deceased. You came here for treatment, right? Do you want to involve Homura?"

"I wish I could say the same, but ......"

I hired him as a bouncer at the general store.

I'm the one who brought him here.

"I first heard about your ability to heal old wounds on the wagon ride to the temple, and I'm sure Cal thought he was meeting with an orphan from the general store until he got on the wagon."

"Well, well, well, you are a very extravagant bouncer, aren't you?"

I looked away from Cal once, and when I looked again, Ekaterina had her usual stinky smile on her face.

"Luxury ......?"

I was about to ask back when I saw Ekaterina suddenly pulled out a morning star and kept my mouth shut.

It's very vicious.

Aren't those spikes too sharp?

And now we are hearing disturbing noises coming from inside.

Are they trying to regenerate the affected area after breaking it down?　Or perhaps it really is resuscitation after a bludgeoning?

What if Cal comes out as a pervert like some guild leader?

While keeping my face expressionless, the presence and noise from behind me is wreaking havoc in my head.

After a long wait, the door opens.

A woman of 16 or 17 comes out.

...... What's that?

"We're done."

"Good work. Where's the inventory?"

A woman comes out and talks to an intelligent glasses wearer.

"There is only one <> left. You can use it one more time, and now that you are cured, you will be responsible for replenishing what you have used, so there is no problem.

I feel like it's been in my pocket for a very long time.

"The only thing I'm not sure about is . Everything else is fine."

I have a feeling that's in my pocket too, but I'll keep my mouth shut.

Considering the conversation, the technique used to heal old wounds must use < and some other catalysts. It seems that I can use it one more time, and if the stock is zero and there is nothing I can do, I can offer it to you.

Anyway, who are you?　It seems to be a ritual assistant, but I thought only Ekaterina and Cal were in this room, or is there a hidden passage like in a temple? She is a beautiful woman who is somewhere between innocent and s*xy, or perhaps she is on the verge of leaning in one direction or the other. Isn't this a place full of men in a worship service?

"I'm sorry for the trouble I've caused you.

Cal apologizes from behind.

His clothes are torn, but he seems to be in good health.

Calm down, I...

I offered him the robe I had equipped myself with before, and he accepted it with a light bow and put it on.

As if he had been waiting for me, Mr. Intellectual Glasses opens his mouth.

It's been a long time. "It's been a long time, Sir Knight of the Lake.

"Your eminence Kyle,"

Let's wait a minute, shall we?

Didn't you just say two disturbing words?

The knight of the lake is Lancelot?　Galahad's father?

Galahad, Percival, and so on... I just checked the synopsis of the Arthurian legend and the characters again... What's the most powerful knight of the round table doing?

No, Galahad and I are not the same age. How old was he?

Calm down, I, we're not in Europe. He denied having an affair with the king's queen, so I guess he's just borrowing some of the names and settings subtly. Yeah.

But he seems to have the most powerful setting, and from Galahad's conversation with him and the other knights, there are signs that the Round Table - Galahad called them "a little bit special knights" - is falling apart. Oh, my God!

Galahad and his group had three, Percival and his group had two, and Lancelot (presumably) had one.

If they don't have to be, they are pretty strong.

And His Eminence?　What is your position in this temple, the guard who was standing in line with you, or is he not your guard? When we met in the room, I was in a bit of a strange position as Yekaterina's bodyguard, but it was a spur of the moment thing that I brought Cal, and it was supposed to be just me at first. I was not introduced.

Was it supposed to be my meeting with White?

I mean, you guys don't want to hide it!

"I'm glad you've recovered from your injuries, so I'm going to pretend we never had this conversation since you seem to be overqualified to be a bouncer in the store. ......"

"I can't do such an ungrateful thing."

"No, no, no, don't worry about it.

"Oh, dear, oh, dear, oh, dear. I healed this man not only because he is an old friend, but also because I know you and you are the store keeper. You can't change the premise now.

As we are pushing and shoving, the female priestess from earlier enters the conversation.

...... Hmm?　Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear?

"!　Ekaterina, perhaps!"

"If you don't mind me saying, it's Ekaterina. This [Blessed Star Ball] skill will make you temporarily young again. Don't fall in love with her just because she's beautiful.　You'll be back to normal soon. Hmm."

"Sen-na!"

Even a beautiful woman can't be Yekaterina.

I mean, that would be foul, even though she was a little plump, maybe in her late fifties!　It's not even plump anymore, although it looks soft to all intents and purposes!

"You seem to be a hard worker. Yeah, I'm like that."

"I'm doing my best to pretend I don't notice you, but you're giving me a blank, nonchalant patka. ！！！！"

An intellectual bespectacled man who called himself "His Eminence" gave me a patrol car with written in the occupation column.

"Your Eminence is the most prestigious and authoritative person in the temple, but I hope you don't mind.

"I care!"

"Ha-ha-ha-ha."

I'm not sure if it's a laugh onomatopoeia (?) or a laugh. Is this man also a stick figure with no expression on his face?

"I don't want to be around troublesome authority or political relations..."

"I'd rather fulfill that wish. I'll tell you all about it, but for now, please come in."

Well, you can't just stand there in the hallway and do your comic jokes.

Ekaterina urges me to enter the room reluctantly.

"...... is it your highness who makes the tea?"

"Ummm, I'm good at making soup, but I'm terrible at cooking other dishes. Would you like to try?"

"No, thanks."

What kind of skill is it that you can't even make a cup of tea? Leo level?

"As I was saying earlier, our research indicates that the seal of the beast has been broken in other places as well."

Seeing that everyone has taken their seats, Ekaterina speaks up.

As we have done, the countries that have the seals of the beast will investigate the temple (here) when they see the loosening of the seals in their countries. The two places we can go to check relatively quickly are here and in the Cambrian Empire. So far, your story has not been leaked, but I do not know what will happen in the future. I am sure there are many who would like to know what happened to the beast."

Ekaterina probably gathered information in other sealed areas as well. And she also checked the inside of the Cambrian Empire where Cal came from, that's my impression.

"We have received a report that you took out the beast here. Or rather, I received an oracle from Val, the wind god. Val, god of the winds, who at the same time does not wish you to be bound. As a direct recipient of the oracle I think I understand, but others will not. If anyone tries to bind you with power, use my name.

Your Eminence, Kyle, the high priest of the church, says in response to Ekaterina's speech.

Val asked you to keep an eye on me, not Ekaterina, but your eminence Kyle.

"It's thanks to your eminence Kyle that I'm free from my old ties and can do as I please here. I ask nothing in return from Homra. Besides, it would be troublesome if you lose your temper now. What have you done in the past few days that you can't see the status even with my [Eye of Purification]?

Hmm?

The level of concealment has not increased that much, and to begin with, it is the that can see through the , the divine weapon. I had an idea ...... that the status was invisible.

The title , which detects deception, concealment, and falsehood. According to the nuance of what Ekaterina said, if you have the same , you can counter its power of seeing through, not exactly the same, but this must be it.

I am deeply moved by the fact that Verus has given us something good straight away.

Though I have no intention to use it only against enemies at the moment. I don't want to be seen myself, and I don't want to see a maiden's secret or a man's secret.

After all, we talk about the evil gods, and I give the three of them the [anti-possession] accessory, and we exchange partner cards once again. In the temple, I had only one accessory in mind, thinking that if I gave it to Ekaterina, she would be able to distinguish and exorcise the possessed person with her [Jyomei].

At this rate, I may have to go digging for one more time.

It seems that the temple had been gathering information on the evil god as well as sealing the beast, and they accepted my rather absurd story without denying it.

It would be troublesome if I told them that I had heard about it from the gods, and it would be a very vague story if I kept it to myself. I later wished I had just assumed that Val had told me, but it was too late.

He said that he would take a measure to cover the whole temple with a light ward, so that those who have been possessed for a short period of time can be purified just by entering the ward.

It is said that even if possessed, the soul connected to the body is stronger than the possessed soul, and that those who are weak in mind due to illness or other reasons are usually repelled in a short period of time. It is difficult to take over a body for a long period of time, and it takes a long time to completely take over a body by gradually eroding it, so if you feel something is wrong, go to the temple!　That's right.

"We don't want to release information that will cause panic at this point, but when it happens, if people actually know that once they enter the temple, the possession will be gone, they will all come to the temple to worship. And the offerings will increase, too.

Yes, yes.