I suppose moping forever won't fix anything. The church is busier than ever, and I can't afford to be idle.
No time for a Priest to be idle. Resurrections, resurrections—same as always.
I'm a capable Priest, but the influx of traumatized heroes and the news of monster retaliation have made my duties even more challenging.
"The nails were torn off, the fingers cut away, the eyes gouged out. His body was laced with cuts and burns—he was a real mess to heal," I recounted to Aegis later.
"U—uuh..." she sobbed.
The hero, once all broad shoulders and proud bearing, now curled up on himself and trembled like a child. Then he said the damnedest thing.
"I quit being a hero. Damn it—should never have come here!"
"Hey, wait—"
The man bolted, a strangled cry ripping from him as he ran. He didn't even leave the resurrection fee.
Bastard. I'll remember that face.
Being a hero is a dangerous line of work. While they don't die frequently, the constant peril takes its toll, and many quit—it's a job with high turnover.
You can't force someone to stay a hero against their will. Or so I thought, until the situation became more complicated with the news of monster retaliation.
"Retaliation." The word Aegis used echoed in my mind, adding a new layer of complexity to my already heavy responsibilities.
* * *
"What do you mean by 'retaliation'? What's happening?" I asked, gathering the torn Priest robes and sweeping Olivier's flesh from the floor.
Aegis ground her teeth and stared at the ground, her usual composure shaken by the gravity of the situation.
"It's torture," she said grimly. "Monsters are dragging defeated heroes away and tormenting them until they die. The Halowa Temple is flooded with heroes trying to change professions. At this rate, our fighting force will be seriously diminished."
"Retaliation..."
"Please don't look at me like that. The Priests are not at fault."
Ugh. Don't remind me of my own struggles. I was just starting to adjust, and now this...
"Anyway, we won't bow to such intimidation. We'll take measures. Priests, continue with resurrections, and please—tend to the heroes' emotional wounds as well. They need our support now more than ever."
Easier said than done. Emotional wounds aren't as straightforward as physical injuries, and I can't heal them with a simple spell.
I watched Aegis's retreating figure until she left, then sank into the hard chair by the altar. It was a stark contrast to the comfortable sofa at Cyan's place, which always seemed to welcome me.
Ugh. No motivation today.
I don't even feel like scrubbing the blood-smeared carpet.
"Wow! Amazing! Is this really a church?"
A thin, high-pitched cheer drifted in. I looked up sharply and locked eyes with the girl who had just burst through the doors.
No—she was not just a girl.
"Rubibel! Don't barge in like that. There's an Evil Priest here—"
"How rude to call a Priest evil. You'll be punished for that."
Behind her, Gram entered the church, his expression sour as if he'd bitten into something unpleasant.
"So, you actually came back." Gram said, his tone skeptical.
"I almost forgot, but I still owe you a punishment. Perfect timing. The state of the heroes' bodies has given me plenty of ideas."
"That's cruel!"
"Anyway, who's this girl?"
Gram stepped between us, as if to protect her.
"She's my sister," Gram said, his tone defensive.
"You're not very convincing," I replied, raising an eyebrow.
I sighed and noticed the small, furred ears poking out from Gram's hair, marking her as a beastkin.
Beastkin typically live in remote areas, so it's uncommon to see them here. Unfortunately, some are enslaved, and I've heard stories of rich men in the capital parading them like trophies. It's disgusting.
Beastkin slaves are expensive and rarely traded. Gram couldn't afford one, that's for sure.
"Tell the truth. Did you steal her from a noble, merchant, or slave trader?" I demanded.
"No! I knew you'd jump to conclusions, which is why I didn't want to bring her here," Gram said, frustrated.
"Sorry, I wanted to see a church," Rubibel said, looking up at Gram.
"It's not your fault," Gram assured her.
Interesting. Gram allowing a beastkin girl to call him 'big brother' seemed out of character.
"What's with the look? Come here, I need to talk to the Priest. Rubibel, go play over there for a bit," Gram said, pulling me aside.
"Why? Is it a secret?" Rubibel asked, tilting her head.
"Just go play for a bit," Gram said, gently shooing her away.
Gram was usually arrogant, but now he seemed uncharacteristically humble as he pulled me aside.
"Rubibel is a beastkin, as you can see. I found her in the woods, injured. I don't know her full story, but I'm trying to help her."
"You think?"
"I'm not hiding anything. She won't talk about her past, and I won't press her. It's clear she's been through a lot. I found her injured in the woods and took her in. That's all."
"What are you planning to do with her? Send her back to a beastkin village?"
"I'm not sure yet," Gram admitted.
Gram looked off into the distance.
"I'm trying to figure out what's best for her. If she were human, an orphanage would be an option, but as a beastkin, she'll face discrimination. And I'm not sure she could survive in beastkin lands after being raised among humans."
Gram's sudden concern for her well-being seemed out of character, but I decided to reserve judgment.
I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off, but I reminded myself not to jump to conclusions.
Just in case, I made sure my hidden Goddess statuette was within reach, a reminder of my duty to protect.
"For now, I'm showing her the things she's curious about. Today, she wanted to see a church, so here we are. I wish I could've taken her to a nicer one, though."
Gram turned away, gazing at the stained glass. I kept my guard up, but I reminded myself to trust in my abilities and not let paranoia get the better of me.
"Brother!"
Rubibel's voice interrupted our conversation.
"Rubibel, stay there for a bit longer," Gram called out.
"What are you doing, Priest?" she asked, tilting her head.
I smiled at her and put away the statuette, not wanting to alarm her.
"I'm praying. It's important for a Priest to always remember their duties," I said gently.
"Okay! I'll pray too!"
She clasped her small hands and shut her eyes.
Ah—there it is. I can feel it... innocence.
Children, with their pure hearts, often seemed closer to the divine than most adults.
I considered intervening, but before I could act—
"W-what are you doing!"
"You can't leave a delinquent, debt-ridden hero with a Child. Who knows what he'd do. I'm taking her back to church headquarters."
"Get your hands off Rubibel, you lolicon Priest!"
"You're the lolicon!"
"Mm—hnh!"
Rubibel suddenly ran to Gram, surprising us both.
"I want to stay with you," she declared, holding onto Gram's leg.
Gram looked down at her, a mix of surprise and hesitation on his face.
She seemed to trust him, which made me wonder about her past and how she ended up with Gram.
I made a mental note to learn more about beastkin and their circumstances, not just for her sake but for my own understanding.
"We should go," Gram said, picking her up.
"Wait, taking her into battle would be too dangerous," I said, concerned.
"I'm not planning to. I'm taking a break from hero work," Gram assured me.
"Don't lie," I said, narrowing my eyes.
"It's the truth. Even heroes need a break sometimes," Gram said, his tone defensive.
"Easy for you to say," I muttered, knowing his debts were far from paid.
Gram, realizing the argument was futile, left with Rubibel. Despite his flaws, he seemed to care for her, which was unexpected.
Notes:
• Aegis - a female red-haired holy knight in silver armor, harsh to others and herself but shows weakness to Julius, to whom she swore loyalty, leads the Secret Police Squad.
• Olivier - A male adventurer burdened by the constant deaths of his companion Katarina.
• Rubibel - a female beastkin girl and former slave, full of wild energy, plays until the heroes are distressed, part of Gram's party.
• Gram - a male thug-like hero who frequently forgets to pay resurrection fees, occasionally snaps and tries to kill Julius, yet kind to children.