The Half-Puny Priest Hopes To Retire

197 – The Day the Sheep Ate the Wolf (1)

”Why is this always the case for you?”

”That’s what I want to ask…”

Apis spoke to me in a tone of shock and as if he didn’t know what to do.

But the most embarrassing thing here right now was none other than me.

It was not enough to suddenly encounter a pile of people in the ruins, where I couldn’t find any traces of people even after wiping my eyes.

To even come face to face with the prime suspect who is believed to have caused this series of incidents.

Should I call this lucky or bad?

No matter how much adventurers and disasters are inseparable, isn’t this strange person of mine who is a bit unusual in absorbing even disasters that others would just pass by?

My mind was complicated in many ways.

”The adventurers we rescued are all safe. It was probably thanks to Priest Rayges’ quick action. If you rest for a while, you will likely regain consciousness soon.”

”You’re welcome. You really worked hard, nun.”

”And during the treatment, I was forced to check their belongings… It seems certain that they are a group of high-ranking adventurers who received orders from the royal family.”

”I see…”

What the nun held before us as she said those words were proof that she had received royal orders. It was Wangin.

It’s not as bad as the Vatican, which refers to clergy as children of God, but as far as I know, there’s only one order that the royal family, which is obsessed with its noble status, would give adventurers a royal seal.

”It seems that the royal family also harbors suspicions that that dungeon may be the devil…”

Immediately after that, the silence that fell on the spot could be considered a tacit agreement.

Experience and intuition as an adventurer. Testimony of a goddess (presumed). Even other dictionary contexts.

All the surrounding information made it clear that that dungeon belongs to the devil.

”Keuung······.”

Everyone there, including me, was lost in agony for a moment.

The appearance of the Demon King itself was somewhat sudden, but as I expected it to happen at some point, I didn’t think it was so mysteriously surprising.

Moreover, overthrowing the Demon King was the hero’s mission and the meaning of the hero party’s existence.

All of the party members, except for me, who caught up with me without any hesitation, were not scared, but rather were burning with fierce fighting spirit, as if they had been looking forward to this moment.

However, if there is one problem, it is that we are not in perfect condition right now.

No, more accurately, I had to say that the party, which was supposed to be in perfect condition, was ruined because of me.

Originally, it was the hero’s protection that should have resided in the hero and seal the devil’s core.

Because that holy spear has now entered my body, not the warrior’s body.

Therefore, there were only two options given to us now.

First. I’m trying to figure out a way to somehow roast and boil the saint and transfer the blessings that are in me to the warrior.

Second. Now that things have come to this, I will put an end to the devil’s life on behalf of the hero.

There’s no way that’s possible.

The severe tension that has now emerged between us originated from such a simple and clear answer.

”I will try my best to persuade the saint…”

”I will help too…”

”Okay, try hard…”

To the nun and me, who were resolute in their desperate resolve, Apis, who seemed desperate, offered vague words of encouragement.

I said I would do my best, but in reality, I had given up halfway.

There has never been a precedent for a warrior’s blessing once given to someone else, and the saintess seemed to not even remember when she gave me the blessing.

I could clearly see myself standing in front of the devil sooner or later, my whole body shaking and crying.

”Hmm, I guess that’s not the only problem.”

With a sigh of remorse, Dauna suddenly started muttering words.

The tip of the blunt wooden cane was pointed firmly at the criminal we had knocked out and detained.

Pure white hair. Red eyes. Bronze skin.

Clothes that look exactly like the gunmen who attacked the warrior earlier.

The strength to overwhelmingly crush an adventurer who is outstanding enough to receive the king’s command.

At this point, it was even more strange that this author had no relationship with them before.

”Did you say they were those who did not become saints? If the appearance of the Demon King and the disappearance of nearby residents are deeply related to them, the severity of the situation will be incomparable to what we thought.”

Gulp.

I swallowed dry saliva for a moment.

I had told her colleagues everything I knew, including the background of the saint’s birth and the dark side of the Holy See.

And, after successfully completing the subjugation of the Demon King, he promised in advance that he would participate in any plan to correct such discrepancies.

I wanted to do something right now, but it was clear that if something happened to the Vatican before the devil was defeated, it would cause unnecessary confusion to the people of the system, so I had no choice but to postpone the plan.

It is a disaster that even famous prophets cannot predict when, where, and how the devil will appear.

Because of this, I only thought of the moment when such a plan was realized as a distant future.

But now the devil has appeared, and the target has become the Holy See.

This time of turmoil was the perfect time to unfold my plan.

There was just one problem: I was interfering with the subjugation of the Demon King, which was the most basic premise for such a plan.

It was absolutely crazy to have to safely lift a dungeon that was already so dangerous that it would shake the very foundation of humanity, all the way to its core, with my burden on it.

Moreover, this Demon King is the most irrational of all time.

The path behind the dead where saint candidates who hold a great grudge against the saint and those around her are deeply involved.

It was not a stage where a half-baked priest like me, who could not even protect himself without the holy power lent by the saint, could step into her.

I wasn’t afraid of dying.

What I was truly afraid of was that my colleagues would bleed because of my shortcomings.

”Hey. Don’t think about coming to a conclusion right now, just play along. Because there is still plenty of time.”

”Lowville. As I said last time, we will never blame you no matter what choice you make or what future awaits you.”

Was I feeling quite sad as I was lost in thought for a long time, drenched in cold sweat?

As if they had come together in advance, Apis and Dauna took turns comforting me.

”Re, Priest Raiges…”

The nun who was watching silently also let out a worried voice a beat later.

The discussion on whether or not Lages Lowville would participate in the battle to subdue the Demon Lord was concluded in the form of ‘on hold’.

However, now that it has been revealed that civilians have been caught up in the aftermath, and that there is a strong possibility that this will continue to happen, it would have been irresponsible to withhold judgment any longer.

The inside of her mouth became dry, and her chest suddenly became tight.

If I just put a cigarette in my mouth, would I be able to spit out this lump?

I was struggling with such heavy thoughts in my heart for a long time.

”Anyway, where did the hero go? I think I was here just a moment ago…”

”I don’t know, you suddenly ran out with Big Team looking very excited, talking about s*xy underwear and aphrodisiacs?”

”Also, Genga, a gift for grace. Whether you know the seriousness of the situation or not. I won…”

Another problem that had been put aside for a while popped into my mind like a buoy on the sea.

The teacher Dauna was talking about was senior Haren, who was once my direct senior and served as another supporter for the Hero siblings.

Even if they only lent their names, the Hero and Big Team would send various gifts to their senior’s home whenever they had time, saying that they could not neglect their benefactor who had worked hard to take care of them.

However, the taste of the gift was not that of Senior Haren, but that he followed the request of his wife, and as mentioned before, the contents consisted mostly of s*xy underwear and high-quality aphrodisiacs.

I’m sure you said it was your wife’s wish for her to form an order of knights with her children.

In the past, I would have just peacefully watched the fireworks from afar, but I just didn’t feel like it now.

”But why did you go to buy a gift together? Hero, that guy was blind to that kind of thing, so he always left it to the big team.”

”Hmm, after listening…”

The fact that it would set my body on fire was literally as obvious as seeing fire.

◈◈◈

My heart is pounding.

I tried to control my heart, which was constantly crying with indescribable emotions, and carefully opened the door.

The place where the warrior summoned me was a very elegant house that a wealthy merchant would consider as a newlywed home.

A brightly colored brick house that appears to have been built not long ago, rather than the common and cheap wooden material.

Although it is not that big, the yard is very nice so two or three children can easily run around and play.

The natural colors created by the flowers grown in the flower beds climbing up the walls of the house were so beautiful that one could not help but stare in fascination.

”Hey, warrior?”

Creak, creak.

There was no answer, but the pretense of popularity was felt.

Like Hansel and Gretel chasing after the scattered pieces of bread, my steps following the warrior’s energy stopped suddenly in what could be said to be the most secret and deepest place in the house.

It was a bedroom.

”Hero. W, are you here?”

Giggling.

A faint laugh came instead of an answer.

That innocent voice, reminiscent of a playful child, relieved some of the worry in my heart.

”Will you open the door…?”

This time, it seemed like an answer came back, but the whisper-like voice was buried helplessly by my heart’s cries like thunder and lightning.

Sigh. I put my strength on the hand holding the doorknob and opened the door with difficulty.

Then what unfolded before him was—

”King!”