Chapter 53: The Shrine Maiden and the Visitor’s Work Consultation

Chapter 53: The Shrine Maiden and the Visitor’s Work Consultation

The day after I signed the ‘Master-Slave Contract’ with Rafilia.

Cecil,Rafilia and I were visiting Iris’ mansion.

Cecil is my bodyguard.

Rafilia is meeting Iris for the first time, so we’re doing introductions as well. Of course, she covers her elf ears with Aine’s homemade hood and wears a disguise while walking outside.

We met Iris to greet her on her arrival in Irgafa and to ask her about the current situation of the Order of Divine and the Adventurer’s Guild.

“Irgafa Lord” ──Iris home is a building that looks like a scaled-down royal palace, with a huge double door at the entrance, and a gatekeeper.

It was the gatekeeper who had received my letter to Iris when I visited here this morning. He seemed to be able to talk to me properly and politely told me to go around to the service gate.

We were led through the service gate, and the maids led us down a wide hallway…

“Actually, I would like to ask Souma to investigate the sanctuary of the sea dragon.”

We were told about the quest by Iris, who was waiting for us in the parlor.

“Wasn’t the Sea Dragon Sanctuary the place where the ‘Festival of the Sea Dragon’ ceremony was held?

I asked Iris.

I learned this knowledge from Rita and Aine.

In the morning, I had the two of them go ask around. Thanks to Aine’s communicative skills and Rita’s auditory investigation, I’ve been getting a lot of information.

A festival for the sea dragon Kerukatoru, the guardian deity of the port town of Irgafa, is to be held in a few days. There seems to be some trouble at the festival, where Iris is a Shrine Maiden.

“The tip of the peninsula. I’ve heard rumors of a demon appearing there.”

“Yes. It’s a rare occurrence, but it seems that the wards around the holy place are weakening.”

Standing at the window, Iris began to speak.

She is wearing a yellow dress with accessories of the same color on her head and arms. Her green hair was swaying in the breeze that blew in through the thinly opened window.

“There is a cave – a small dungeon – in the sacred ground that is used for rituals. There have been reports of demons entering and leaving the cave.”

“What is the nature of this demon?”

“I don’t know, but the fact that they don’t show themselves clearly suggests that they are very cautious. It is difficult to deploy a large number of soldiers in a dungeon, so I think it would be better to ask the adventurers to investigate.”

The Holy Land is the place where the sea dragon Kerukatoru appears during the festival.

If there was a demon there, the sea dragon might be wary and stay away, and Iris couldn’t go there either.

“The dungeon is not a suitable place to deploy a large army. If we try to get rid of the demons and destroy the sacred ground in the process, the sea dragon might not come back. Then there would be no point.”

“That’s why they want to send a skilled person to investigate and get rid of the demon. The strongest and most trustworthy people that I know is Souma and his party.”

Iris announced, her green hair fluttering in the ocean breeze.

“Of course, this is an official request from the Irgafa family. Iris will be responsible for the ‘Contract’.”

“What about rewards, deadlines, and other conditions?”

“The reward is 4000 Arusha. This is a success reward. There are no penalties for quest failure. The dungeon is small enough that I can reach the center of the dungeon by myself during the ritual. It should take a few hours at most to conquer. Due tomorrow, if possible.”

“You mean as soon as possible.”

“Yes. As soon as possible.”

“I’m sorry. I knew you were in a hurry.”

The festival is in six days. I understand the urgency, but it’s a little hard to make a request today and have it done by tomorrow.

“The reason I’ve set the deadline to tomorrow is because after that date, the request will go to the Adventurer’s Guild.”

Iris turned her eyes down and said…

“If that happens, that Order of Divine will make its move.”

“…Whoa.”

Rafilia held her mouth in deep disgust. Yeah, I know.

“They are strong, but they have a messed up way of doing business. That’s why we don’t want them in the sanctuary as much as possible. That’s why we’re in such a hurry to get the job done.”

The tone of Iris’ voice was also very unpleasant.

How much are you hated, Order of Divine?

“I saw them yesterday, but who are they?”

“I don’t know the details either. But I do know that he brought letter of introduction from the nobles of King’s faction and that they are a powerful party.”

“I’ve seen the way they work. Honestly, it made me want to throw up.”

“I’m glad that Souma has the same values as me.”

I think so too.

Rafilia is cowering with a pale face, probably remembering what happened yesterday. Cecil is patting Rafilia’s back and looks as if she’s swallowed something sour.

I think they deserve to be declared enemies just for making my slaves look like this.

“The truth is Adventurer’s Guild were requested to survey the sacred site every year. We had to make sure there is no danger before we perform the ritual on the day of the festival. But right now, the Adventurers’ Guild is not functioning because of the Order of Divine.”

“It’s not working?”

I nodded back at Iris’ words.

…That’s right.

Rafilia was being pressured in a job interview and she was completely out of it. It was only when I brought up the “God of Contracts” that the Order of Divine Command finally gave up. If it were true, the guild would have stopped them. In the original world, they would have repeatedly bashed the people who came for interviews until they took them to court, and then the people who introduced them to the job would have turned a blind eye.

I think it would be better if they went out of business now.

“I’m pretty sure the Order of Divine are high ranking adventurers.”

“Yes, they will certainly fulfill our request. However, it will cause tremendous damage to the surrounding area.”

“What exactly?”

“In order to defeat a demon that was attacking a livestock pen, they would use a series of fire magic to reduce the livestock to ashes.”

“…Huh?”

“They drive the demons that appear on the streets towards travelers and caravans, causing more victims.”

“…Huh.”

“They basically leave their seriously injured comrades behind. As a result, I’ve heard that wherever they’ve completed their quests, there are either dead bodies or seriously injured people lying around. I’ve heard that there are more than dozens of party members, and that they are constantly being replaced, except for the top ones. And because of their extremely high combat skills, they dominate the most difficult quests.”

“Why does the Adventurer’s Guild allow it?”

“They voluntarily pay 30% of their rewards to the guild. They are not a bad party for the Adventurer’s Guild. Furthermore, all they are doing are quests of high difficulty. Compared to leaving the demons alone, some damage is unavoidable. I guess …that’s how it is.”

The Adventurer’s Guild of Irgafa is still going down. Or rather, take a lesson from the Commoners’ Guild run by Aine.

That’s why the Order of Divine, a black company, is doing whatever it wants.

Like they did with Rafilia, they forcefully recruit people into their party and take them on difficult missions, making them disposable. And then they’d again forcibly recruit people to the party to make up for the loss.

The question is why the disposable members are putting up with such a situation, but it’s more likely that they’re being forced to because of ‘Contract’.

The guild is very grateful for the money they receive.

…It’s really annoying me.

“All right. I’ll take Iris’s request.”

I said.

Either way, the conditions are not bad. As an employer, Iris Hoffimier is trustworthy.

She has always paid me well, and I’ve even received an inventory of gifts.

This quest is just to get rid of the demons in the dungeon. Apparently it’s enough to keep them safe until Iris can strengthen the wards.

…But, I still wanted to stay at home a little longer.

But now that the Adventurer’s Guild is not functioning, there is little chance of getting a decent job. There might be some low-level quests, but the Adventurer’s Guild has the Order of Divine. To be honest, I don’t want to get involved. I also don’t want to be spotted.

That’s why we don’t have the option of turning down the work of Iris Hoffimier – a valuable “trustworthy partner”. Also, I can understand why Iris doesn’t want to get involved with those guys.

“In other words, if the Order of Divine get involved, the sacred land of the sea dragon will be damaged. That’s why you want us to do it, right?”

At my line, Iris nodded with a look of relief on her face.

Iris doesn’t want that place to be trampled by those kinds of people.

“Okay. I want you to tell me more about the holy land. Also, if the wards have ever been weakened before, I want a list of the demons that appeared at that time.”

“Of course. I’ll give you the map and materials later.”

“Iris is quick and helpful.”

“Of course. We are friends, aren’t we?

Then Iris smiled, somewhat embarrassed.

“I’m glad I can be of help to you, Souma. It somehow makes me feel happy?”

Iris clapped her hands as if she had a good idea.

“How about you take me with your party to the dungeon?”

“Iris?”

“Yes. Either way, after we get rid of the demon, I will have to go inside and perform a ritual to strengthen the wards.”

Then Iris puffed out her chest, “Ahem.”

Originally, the holy ground was warded to avoid demons. It borrowed some of the power of the sea dragon, and only Iris can control the wards. After the demons are driven away, a ritual to strengthen the wards can be performed at the far end of the dungeon. That’s how it seems.

“The one who knows the structure of the Sea Dragon Dungeon best is me. I used to guide the Adventurer’s Guild every year when we did our research. If there are no demons, it will take about an hour and a half to reach the center. It’s no problem at all. It’s an annual event.”

She was only the priestess, but she was incredibly persuasive.

A yearly event. I guess… I can’t help it then.

“It is also the duty of the Shrine Maiden to make sure that the sacred ground is kept clean. Failure to do so may incur the wrath of the Sea Dragon Kerukatoru.”

A shaman’s duty? Then…

“Besides, Iris is the only one who can go to the center and reinforce the wards. See, it’s perfectly fine, isn’t it?”

Only Iris can reinforce the wards, then.

“No, wait a minute, that’s not logical.”

I was about to be inadvertently convinced.

“If you want to reinforce the wards, we can do it after we’ve wiped out the demons, right?”

“No, I must understand what kind of monsters have entered and why the barrier has loosened. To do that, I must accompany Souma.”

“I will report on the types of monsters, and I should calm down and confirm the reason why the barrier has loosened.”

Souma.

Iris looked at me resentfully.

She was in tears.

Her small hands clutched the hem of her dress.

“A girl is trying to be brave and go on an adventure, you know? Don’t you think you should be the brave one and take her out?

“I don’t think so.”

“Why? Why?”

“What are you doing taking a Shrine Maiden with you when you’re investigating to ensure her safety? Also, I’m not a hero in the first place.”

Uh-oh.

“No teary-eyed grunting.”

“Please don’t treat me like a child!”

Bang, Bang, Bang, Bang, Bang, Bang, Bang.

Iris hit the table with her palm.

“My suggestion is based on calculation of the speed and efficiency of quest!”

“My refusal is based on a calculated risk to my employer’s life.”

“Don’t talk like a stranger.We are friends!”

“Yes. That’s why. I can’t take my friends to a dangerous place.”

“…Uwu.”

My line made Iris gulp down her words.

Iris turned her head to the side with tears in her eyes, took a moment to catch her breath, and sighed, “Huuh.”

“It seems that Souma is right. I understand. I’ll let you handle this.”

“I’d appreciate it if you would.”

“Then, I will enter the dungeon to strengthen the wards after Souma and the others have secured it’s safety.”

Good. It looks like she’s convinced.

“Of course. I’ve been planning to do that all along.”

Pinching the hem of her dress, she laughed.

“Bullshit. You were ready to follow me to the dungeon, right?”

“Didn’t I mention before that I can’t even walk around freely outside? Perhaps festival-related rituals are the only opportunity for me to impose my will.”

“Then I will wait on the ground until Souma and the others finish their investigation. In the meantime, would you be willing to escort Souma’s people?

Then Iris looked at Cecil and Rafilia.

The two of them looked at each other straight in the eyes and couldn’t help but widen their eyes.

As if to reassure them, Iris spoke calmly.

“I’m going to ask the regular soldiers to accompany me, but I want Souma’s party to stay with me as well.”

“As a liaison to Iris?”

“That’s right. When Souma and the others come back from the dungeon, Iris will immediately go inside to perform a ritual to strengthen the wards.”

When we return, we had to report the situation in the dungeon to Iris and the regular soldiers.

And when we go back inside with Iris, it will be easier for us to work together if her people are close to Iris.

“So… that’s what this is about?”

“That’s one thing, but the truth is, I get anxious while Iris is waiting, so I need someone to talk to.”

“You’re being too frank, Iris.”

“Friends don’t hide things from each other.”

Sure, I can understand Iris’ nervousness.

As soon as we get rid of the demons, Iris will go to the dungeon to perform a ritual to strengthen the wards. In order to do that, we have to stay near the dungeon the whole time. And as we found out in the last battle, the regular soldiers are not very reliable. So it’s understandable that she would want us to be her guards.

“All right. In that case… Rafilia.”

“Huh?”

Rafilia, who had been sitting idly on the couch, jumped up.

“Ah, me?”

“Yes. Stay with Iris while we go down to the dungeon.”

“…Master trusts me?”

“Yes. You’ll be paired with Aine, though.”

First of all, Cecil’s “Ancient Language Magic” requires the support of Rita or me. And Rita is essential as a combatant. Of course, I can’t just sit around waiting for everyone to go into the dungeon, so I’m going with her. In other words, the three of us are going to the dungeon.

The structure of the dungeon wil be taught to us by Iris. It’s a dungeon used for rituals, so it’s not that big. There’s no record of any powerful demons entering the dungeon. So we should be able to get by with Cecil and Rita. If it seems too tough, we can go back and try again with the full team.

That’s why Rafilia and Aine are in charge of guarding Iris. Rafilia can use a bow and arrow and magic, and if she is really in a pinch, she can use her cheat skill [Bad Luck Annihilation LV1] to raise her luck and escape.

Aine can use [Increase Sewage] if she is near water, and low-level demons can be blown up by [Monster Cleanup].

Still, I’m a little worried, so I’m going to strengthen Rafilia a bit when I get back. I believe I still have the [Watering] skill that Iris gave me. Then I’ll drop by the skill shop and…

I explained to everyone what I was doing, except for the cheat skills thing.

“At your service, Master!”

Rafilia patted herself on the chest. She coughed, “Guh guh guh guh,” she said.

“I, Rafilia-Grace, will test my new self. I will fulfill my Master’s mission, even if it costs me my life!

“Also, Iris. The escort is a separate contract, so you’ll have to pay Rafilia and Aine directly.”

I said.

The cost of Rafilia’s “Master-Slave Contract” is high due to the curse of [Bad Luck]. I want to cut down on those things as much as possible.

Aine is going to buy everyone’s stuff even if you give her a reward. She’s a “big sister”.

“So, the quest starts early tomorrow morning. Is that okay?”

“Okay, by the way.”

Iris comes to my side.

She’s looking up at me with her hands folded in prayer, standing tall.

“Souma, what have you done with the ‘Rough Goods List’ that Iris gave you earlier?”

“What? It’s still there. Iris, you forgot to write the name of the item, didn’t you?”

“Did you have to sign for it or anything…?”

“No, I won’t. I don’t want to make any weird ‘contracts’.”

“…Tough.”

What? Why are you staring at me?

Iris looked up at me, then smiled, ruffled her hair as if to cover it up.

“No, it’s nothing. After the quest is over, I will show you the Sea Dragon Dungeon. It’s a sightseeing tour by Shrine Maiden. This is something that doesn’t happen very often, and it’s amazing.”

“Tour of the Sea Dragon Dungeon.”

That’s certainly amazing.

“The best place to visit is the cave where the daughter of the sea dragon and the brave warrior were united. It is said that only a select few can enter this cave, and it is a place of longing for the lovers of Irgafa. It’s very beautiful and has a nice atmosphere, so two people who wander in might accidentally end up there.”

“You can’t do that if only the chosen ones can enter.

“That’s right. That’s right. I’m looking forward to it.”

Iris nodded repeatedly, “Yeah, yeah, yeah.”

I stand up, taking Cecil and Rafilia with me. Iris, who was smiling somewhat, slapped her cheeks as if she was trying to get into the spirit, and returned to her “daughter of the lord’s family” face. Then she picked up her dress and bowed to us.

“I’ll see you tomorrow. Please lend me your strength to protect the Sea Dragon Dungeon. Souma Nagi, everyone.

With Iris’s words as our cue, we left the room.

And so we set out to investigate the dungeon of the sea dragon.

After Nagi and the others had left, there was a knock at the room.

“Iris, are you there? It’s your brother, remember?”

“……Brother.”

Iris opened the door and saw a tall man with gray hair and blue eyes standing in the hallway.

It was Neuel Hoffimier, Iris’s brother.

“I need to talk to you about something, if that’s okay.”

Without waiting for Iris to reply, Neuel entered the room.

“Why didn’t you ask the Adventurer’s Guild to do the research on the Holy Land?”

“I have father’s permission.”

“I know. But Iris didn’t ask about the cost over there, did she? I inquired about it, and the Order of Divine will accept it for 3000 Arusha. In addition, I will receive a reward of 1,000 Arusha for brokering the job.”

“You know, Iris, there’s no need to hire someone who costs more than them…”

“The price I offered is the same as last year. It’s just the amount of demons we have to kill is more so we’re adding to the price. It’s also a fair price.”

Why do I have to keep repeating what I’ve said before?

I was having such a good time just now.

“Besides, the sacred ground is a sacred place to meet the sea dragon. Even if it costs a little, isn’t it only natural to entrust it to someone we can trust?”

“Ha! You’re old-fashioned, Iris.”

Neuel Hoffimier tapped the wall in frustration.

“What guarantee do we have that the sea dragons will stop coming if the sacred ground gets a little rough? No, even the Order of Divine know the importance of that place. They might be able to do a good job at the request of the Irgafa Lord, you know. The cost is practically half the price, half the price!”

“Do you really want a thousand Arushas for your reward, brother?”

“It takes a certain amount of investment to woo a woman of the Marquise family. I don’t think the child Iris would understand.”

“Do you know the Irgafa proverb, ‘A ship carrying a load beyond its capacity will inevitably end up as seaweed,’ brother?”

“You think you know me? What does a child know about me? ”

“Don’t speak too loudly. I am very calm.”

Why does this always happen to me?

My brother and sister and I thoroughly disagree on different things. We all have different values.

The Irgafa Lords are a prosperous family in shipping and commerce, I know cost is important to you.

It’s not that I don’t understand the logic that having a connection with a nobleman is good for business. I’m just saying that you should be selective in your means.

The port town of Irgafa is protected by a sea dragon that is more than a human being. We should not do anything that may cause us to lose its protection. Using the Order of Divine is out of the question.

It’s not like you don’t know what they’re doing.

“You know that the Order of Divine thinks of its party members as disposable, don’t you? Brother.”

“What does that have to do with us?”

“Don’t you feel anything about that?”

“If you don’t like it, you can run away. Don’t sign the contract. That’s it. It’s none of my business.”

“I sense something dangerous about those masked people. We don’t know how many members there are, and we don’t know why these masked people are taking advantage of their terrible employment conditions. Above all, we don’t know why they go overboard in the face of their enemies.”

Iris looked at her brother, Neuel, firmly.

My brother, who had been smiling thinly, gave a small shake of his shoulders for a moment.

“I am the Shrine Maiden of the Sea Dragon Dungeon. We can’t entrust the security of a sacred place to such people.”

“Don’t get carried away just because you’re a Shrine Maiden.”

“It is time for the festival. I am just fulfilling my duties. That’s all!”

“Oh, I’m sure it’s time for the festival, Iris.”

“…What do you mean?”

“I know what you want, Iris. I might be able to give you what you want.”

“Please leave, brother.”

Iris pointed towards the door.

“I have nothing more to say. The duties of the Sea Dragon Festival are left to me.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. Just keep this in mind, Iris.”

Noel’s lips quirked up in a smile.

“Big brother is always thinking about Iris’ happiness.”

“…Thank you, brother.”

I could barely answer that.

After her brother left, Iris sighed and sat down on the couch.

…Souma.

I wonder if Souma still has that “Rough Goods list”.

I wondered if he understood what that meant.

I can’t say it to him directly. That’s why I wanted to connect with him.

“You promised to show me the sights.”

If it had anything to do with the festival, my opinion will be accepted.

At that time – in the heart of the Holy Land – I will tell you everything.

Perhaps Souma could be present.

At the moment when Iris and the sea dragon Kerukatoru face each other at the Sea Dragon Festival.