Serenade adjusted her glasses on the bridge of her nose as she read the documents to me.
"Name: Zenis. Age: 38. A heresy inquisitor affiliated with the Goddess Religion's Central Church."
This is the Silver Winter Merchant Guild's Crossroad branch.
Just yesterday, who had returned from escorting the Mermaid King, I asked Serenade to look up information on Zenis.
And within a day, Serenade had gathered the data and was informing me. Since switching to information trade as her main business, she had become incredibly fast.
I tilted my head in confusion.
"Heresy inquisition...? Does the Goddess Religion engage in such activities?"
"No, basically, while the Goddess Religion is the state religion of the Empire, it doesn't persecute other religions... The term 'heresy inquisitor' here means a combatant."
The title sounds menacing, but he's just a shoulder for the church.
"Every organization needs to use force sometimes."
"Is he skilled?"
"He entered the order as a heresy inquisitor at eighteen and has not failed a mission in 20 years. He has also made achievements as a healing priest."
"That sounds pretty elite, doesn't it? Why would he be dispatched to such a remote place?"
My suspicion deepened.
With the imperial throne battle unfolding in the Imperial Capital and my impending clash with Fernandez, if a new priest dispatched by the Central Church to this region is of such elite caliber...
'Is he one of Fernandez's dogs?'
Just then, Serenade, stuttering slightly, read the next piece of information.
"But... it seems he was subjected to a punishment akin to excommunication."
"Excommunication?"
"Yes, he hasn't been excommunicated thanks to his past merits, but he was demoted to an ordinary priest and sentenced to lifelong service without rank..."
"..."
"The assignment to Crossroad might be a continuation of this punishment... That's the analysis."
I blinked in surprise and asked.
"What did he do to deserve that?"
"Well, that's..."
Serenade hesitated, her face turning slightly red, and then answered.
"While he was dispatched abroad for proselytizing, he ended up... impregnating a princess of that country."
"..."
Generally, priests of the Goddess Religion are allowed to marry.
But this is a different issue. A priest sent for proselytizing falling for a foreign princess and impregnating her...
This incident escalated from a mere religious issue to a diplomatic problem between the Empire and that country...
After hearing the whole story, I thought to myself.
'Is he crazy?'
This is honestly impressive. He really made a scene.
Serenade continued to explain to me.
"The incident happened 10 years ago, and since then, he has been an ordinary priest, being sent from one undesirable location to another for 10 years. Even now, he is only acting as a priest, his position is still that of an ordinary priest."
"...And the princess who was impregnated?"
"She gave birth to the child but soon after passed away due to weakened health."
Oh dear. What a situation.
Shaking my head slightly, I gestured.
"Anyway, enough about his history... What's the likelihood that this guy is a spy for Fernandez?"
"It's highly likely."
Serenade nodded seriously.
"Given the timing, it's too coincidental. It's safer to assume he's an enemy."
"..."
"According to our counterintelligence network, there's no movement from other spies. It's unusually quiet, but suddenly, someone dispatched from the Central Church arrives..."
It would be foolish not to be wary.
Especially since the Goddess Religion has historically used priests as spies.
"Don't take your eyes off him. Always keep a close watch."
Praising Serenade for her efforts, I stood up and smiled slyly.
"Well, whether he's a spy or not... We can just work him to death on the battlefield, right?"
Upon checking through the system, Zenis was an SSR grade hero, possessing skills that could heal allies on the field.
'Whether he's a spy or not, he can be used.'
In either case, he was going to be thoroughly utilized.
Just like Margarita had been.
"..."
I suddenly missed Margarita.
Unlike Zenis, who caused tremendous trouble, she simply got posted to this remote place and devotedly healed people, breaking her back in the process...
'Zenis, this wouldn't be right for you.'
I smiled bitterly.
'Your predecessor's shadow looms too large.'
Even if Zenis were just a devout priest and not a spy, he would inevitably be compared to Margarita.
Under the shadow of the former, esteemed administrator, how would the new priest prove his worth?
It was something to observe from now on.
***
"Ah, taking a bath feels great~"
Humming a tune, Zenis emerged from the temple's bathroom.
"Oh, it's been a while since I've thoroughly cleaned myself. Lucky for me, Crossroad has abundant water."
Even after washing his hair and shaving, there was an unmistakable uncle-like air about Zenis.
The towel around his neck, his hunched back, his wide, shuffling steps.
Most of all, the smell of cigarettes on his body, which seemed not to wash off...
Below, he wore shorts, and above, a crumpled shirt. As Zenis was returning to his room, he ran into Torkel, who was cleaning.
Torkel had just finished cleaning the hallway and was moving to clean the bathroom with his cleaning tools.
Zenis cheerfully waved his hand.
"Hard at work, I see~! Oh, you're... a temple staff member?"
"...I'm Torkel. A volunteer."
Torkel adjusted his mop and pointed to the path Zenis had walked.
"Please make sure to dry off before leaving the bathroom next time, Priest Zenis."
"Huh? Oh? Ah, my bad."
Turning back, Zenis smacked his forehead.
There were water marks following his steps in the temple corridor, caused by his wet slippers.
"Ah~ Sorry about that. I can be a bit careless."
"..."
After quietly wiping the floor, Torkel walked past Zenis toward the bathroom. Zenis scratched his chin awkwardly.
"Am I being watched? Hmm."
Zenis, feeling a bit bitter, pulled out a cigarette and matches from his pocket.
"I'm used to being treated like a stranger wherever I go, but it still hurts an old man's heart a bit..."
As Zenis put the cigarette in his mouth and was about to light the match -
Chk.
Torkel, who had returned unexpectedly, snatched the lit end of the match, extinguishing it with his bare hand.
Startled, Zenis blinked as Torkel stated heavily,
"Smoking is prohibited inside the temple."
"...Ah. Right. I should smoke outside."
Zenis hastily stuffed the cigarette back into his pocket and pointed at Torkel's hand.
"Is your finger alright? Didn't you just get burned?"
"..."
"Show it to me. I'm a priest, I can use healing magic."
Torkel stepped back and answered lowly,
"I am a leprosy patient."
"Ah."
"I don't feel pain from a burn like this. Don't worry about it."
Torkel nodded slightly and strode back towards the bathroom.
Zenis, with his hands in his pockets, quietly watched Torkel walk away and then suddenly called out,
"Hey, lost lamb!"
"...?"
Confused by the unfamiliar title, Torkel slowly pointed to himself.
"Are you referring to me?"
"Who else here looks like a lost person?"
"...Lost?"
As Torkel looked puzzled, Zenis gave him a sly smile.
"You seem to be carrying a lot of worries in your heart. If you need a place to unload, come to me. Hearing confessions is part of a priest's duties."
"..."
"Then, carry on with your cleaning~"
Waving his hand, Zenis walked down the corridor, still leaving water marks from his slippers.
"..."
Watching his retreating figure, Torkel swallowed a sigh internally.
Bang!
The temple's main door burst open, and Bodybag rushed in with a desperate look on his face. Gasping for breath, Bodybag shouted.
"Huff! Huff! Any priest! Is there any priest here?! It's urgent!"
Unfortunately, the Crossroad Temple was currently facing a severe staff shortage, with all other priests away on visits. Damian was also absent.
Zenis was the only priest present.
Zenis, sensing the urgency, stepped forward and asked Bodybag.
"What's the matter?"
"Huff! Huff! Miss Lilly... She's suddenly in pain!"
"Okay, young elf friend. I don't know who Miss Lilly is or what her ailment is. It would help if you could provide some personal details and the affected area."
Prompted by Zenis's words, Bodybag stammered out.
"Miss Lilly is pregnant! But she suddenly started having abdominal pain..."
"Right. Say it like that. Where is she now?"
"At the alchemist's workshop!"
"Unfortunately, even with the location, I have no idea where that is. Can you guide me..."
But Bodybag was too breathless from his hurried arrival. Zenis shook his head slightly.
"Never mind. Elf friend, you catch your breath here... Ah, there, volunteer friend!"
Zenis gestured, and Torkel pointed to himself in bewilderment. Zenis nodded.
"Guide me, please. It's urgent!"
***
Alchemist's Workshop. Lilly's private room.
"Ugh, ugh...!"
Lilly was clutching her swollen belly in agony.
Beside her, Burnout and other alchemists were helplessly trying to care for her.
"Make way, make way! The priest has arrived!"
Pushing through the crowd, Zenis and Torkel had just arrived and entered the room.
"What's all this fuss? The patient is in pain, don't make it worse. Everyone, please step outside for now!"
Zenis shouted, clearing the alchemists out of the room.
Now, only Lilly, Zenis, Burnout, and Torkel, in case physical assistance was needed, remained in the room.
Checking Lilly's belly, Zenis asked cautiously.
"How many months pregnant are you?"
"Over 8 months..."
"And the father?"
"He's dead..."
Lilly clenched her teeth and corrected herself.
"...No, he's missing."
"Ah, what a coincidence. The mother of my child left right after giving birth too."
As Zenis placed his hand on Lilly's belly and infused it with holy power, he grinned.
"Lots of tips I could give as a single dad to a single mom, but let me ask again. What race is the baby's father?"
Finally understanding the intent of the question, Lilly answered laboriously.
"...An elf."
"I thought as much. This is labor pain common in interracial pregnancies with half-elf offspring... often referred to as half-blood pain."
Zenis shrugged nonchalantly.
"You'll experience periodic pain like this until the baby is born. Pregnancy is hard enough without unexplained pain, right? It's rough. Childbirth is never easy."
...Is he mocking her?
As Lilly looked at him incredulously, Zenis removed his hand.
"But, ta-da! Dr. Zenis here has treated this half-blood condition before. So, I can heal it just like magic."
"What? Heal what..."
Mid-sentence, Lilly blinked in surprise.
It was true. The pain in her belly had lessened, almost like a lie.
"Half-blood babies have high magical sensitivity, leading to excessive accumulation of magic power. The problem is that this interferes with the mother's magical aura, causing severe pain. We just need to gently dissolve that."
"Ah..."
"Babies naturally struggle with controlling their strength. Given the level of pain in your belly, the baby seems to have a fair bit of magical talent, huh? Congratulations in advance."
"...Th-thank you?"
Lilly, flustered, cautiously sat up. Zenis continued.
"This might happen every 1-2 weeks from now on, so don't hesitate to call me if your belly hurts. I'll teach you some deep breathing techniques to try when it does. Now, take a deep breath in..."
Zenis covered Lilly's belly with a cloth and taught her the deep breathing method.
After watching Lilly practice a few times, Zenis stood up.
"That's it for today's work! Everyone can disperse now~!"
Opening the door widely, Zenis called out to the alchemists waiting outside with worried faces, signaling that the situation was over. He then turned back to Lilly.
"Come to think of it, I haven't introduced myself. I'm Zenis, the new priest of Crossroad. We'll be seeing each other quite often. Lilly."
"Ah... Thank you for your help."
"I should be the one thanking you, really. Let's keep our spirits up until you give birth!"
Zenis clenched his fist and cheered, then turned to Torkel.
"Let's head back, Torkel. You have to finish cleaning, and I... need to find a corner to sneak off and smoke my unfinished cigarette."
"..."
Torkel looked at Zenis with newfound curiosity.
It was hard to gauge him as a person, but as a healing priest, his skills seemed... not bad.
"A single mom who can't use her legs, giving birth to a half-blood child..."
Leaving the alchemist's workshop, Zenis clicked his tongue bitterly.
"That young lady's road ahead looks tough~"
--TL Notes--
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