HPL 08

chapter 08

When I turned my head, Roy was wearing a black wig and silver-rimmed glasses.

Maybe because of the disguise, Roy looked calmer and more intellectual than usual. I was glad Dinah had such a variety of disguises on hand.

When I came out to the streets to gather information, Roy followed me to dig up info about the woman who had bought him.

It was easy to gather information on nobles who enjoyed shopping for slaves.

People who loved gossip would tell you everything — from the top-ranked history to the most famous nobles — if you simply pretended to ask for directions.

But the problem was how to approach them. They were all wealthy nobles, so sneaking up on them wasn’t easy.

While Roy tried to figure out a way to approach the suspicious people, I mentally sorted through the information I’d gathered today.

Unlike last time, I’d gotten useful intel today: that a few days ago, hooded people had been loitering near Baron Tail’s estate.

{They said those people had tattoos on the backs of their hands, the kind gangsters have, right? Could the ones who attacked Dinah be underworld people?}

Tommy said gravely, and I pressed my lips to the side.

“Who knows. But the key seems to be how Dinah got tangled up with the underworld in the first place.”

I was trying to guess what might have happened to Dinah when the surroundings grew noisy.

“Mary!”

“Stop right there!”

At the desperate shout, Roy, Tommy, and I all turned around at once.

A woman with loose black hair was running toward us, cackling. The middle-aged man and woman chasing her turned pale when they saw me.

“L–Lady! Run away!”

“It’s dangerous!”

Me? Why?

I soon understood why the couple was flustered.

Mary’s head twisted unnaturally. The moment her brown eyes met mine, they were filled with hostility and madness. Just from the gleam of her eyes, I realized what she was.

“KyAAAAA!”

Mary let out a beastlike screech and charged.

In an instant she was upon me, raising hands whose fingernails had grown abnormally long. They looked like a predator’s claws. Guess she hadn’t cut them in ages.

While I was taking in her claws, a black shadow swept past my side. It was Roy, stepping in front of me protectively.

Mary’s movements were abnormally fast, but Roy was no slouch either. Mary was quicker, but Roy’s movements were clean, without wasted motion.

Roy seized Mary’s wrist and, spinning his body, flung her with all his might.

Mary, sent flying, twisted her body just before hitting the ground. Then, like a big cat, she landed lightly on all fours.

“Grrr…”

Mary growled like she had phlegm in her throat and sprang off the ground on her limbs.

When she was close enough, she hurled herself at Roy, who was standing in front of me.

An ordinary person would have flinched at her ferocity, but Roy didn’t blink once.

He moved exactly three steps to dodge her arm, then swung his leg powerfully and fast.

Wind gusted as it cut through the air.

Roy’s kick struck Mary square in the abdomen. With a choked sound, she went flying.

Before she could get up, Roy planted his foot on her neck.

As Mary screamed and flailed her limbs, Roy pressed down harder.

Watching this, I remembered the first time I’d met Roy.

He’d been fierce then too. How did someone this strong end up a slave?

While I was mulling this over, the middle-aged couple ran up, desperately pleading with Roy.

“O–Our daughter isn’t in her right mind. Please let her go!”

“We’re truly sorry. I’m sure she’s remorseful too.”

As they clung to him, Roy glanced down at Mary. Even subdued, she bared her teeth and threatened.

“I’ll kill you all!”

“I’m not soft enough to release someone who’s shouting about killing.”

Roy’s voice was calm but cold, and Mary’s father couldn’t refute it.

Mary’s mother looked helplessly between her daughter and Roy.

Hm. Guess I’ll step in.

“Roy, let her go.”

“But…”

“Don’t worry. I have an idea.”

I looked him firmly in the eye to say, Trust me. Dealing with beings like this is my specialty.

{Your eyeballs look like they’re about to pop out.}

Shut it, Tommy.

Unlike Tommy, Roy seemed to understand my look and removed his foot from Mary. Still, he stayed tense, ready to counter if she lunged again.

Mary sprang up, glaring at us. She seemed torn between going for me or for Roy, who’d just hit her.

Let me make that decision easy.

When I summoned my divine power, Mary’s bloodshot eyes rolled.

“A cleric! I’ll tear you to pieces!”

As expected, she came at me like she wanted to devour me.

These days, many evil spirits are cunning, but this one was so straightforward it was almost cute.

I smiled and moved my right hand. When my hand touched Mary’s cheek, there was a sharp slap.

“KYAAA!”

Her scream was so raw you’d hardly believe it was from a slap.

“Hurts, right? That’s because it’s imbued with divine power.”

I said calmly as she clutched her reddening cheek and glared at me with murderous eyes.

“Cleric bitch! I’ll tear you apart! !@#%$@^%#&$&$^*!”

Crude evil spirit, swearing so directly. It’d been a while since I’d heard that — almost refreshing. My mouth moved on its own.

“Aw, how cute. You little %$#&@#$&$^(%*#$%@. Truly @^#!$!#^#&.”

Mary, Roy, and her parents all fell silent.

Only Tommy clapped soullessly.

{Subduing an evil spirit with swearing… splendid. Wonderful.}

Don’t act so shocked. For a cleric who deals with evil spirits, swearing is both occupational hazard and occupational skill.

After a few seconds, Mary gritted her teeth. While she was riled up, I had to hit her again.

“Breathe gently. The air’s rotting. Do I have to tell you even that? Judging by the look of you, you’re just a low-level spirit driven by desire.”

Mary’s face flushed red with malice. Seeing that, I realized I’d forgotten something.

“Oh right. Procedure requires a warning, so listen carefully. Leave that body while I’m asking nicely. Let’s settle this peacefully.”

I rattled it off in a flat tone. Tommy scratched his head.

{Normally you try persuasion first, don’t you? And you’re not even pretending you want to persuade.}

Don’t sweat the details. With normal souls, beating them brings complaints, but evil spirits are fair game.

Besides, provoking them makes them rush you.

As expected, Mary lunged with her mouth wide open like she wanted to tear my throat out.

A possessed person is usually much faster and stronger than a normal human. But I instinctively knew how she’d move.

An evil spirit’s aura moves before the body it controls does.

For a cleric as opposite to them as I am, it’s like they’re kindly telling me, “I’m going to attack like this.”

Anticipating her move, I dodged lightly and swung my hand toward her left cheek.

“Kyaaa!”

She screamed, and I swung my other hand.

Even as she got smacked on both cheeks, she tried to threaten me.

“Your pathetic god’s power can’t even touch—urk!”

Slap.

“If you’re a cleric, you should try persuasion fir—kyAA!”

Smack.

“W–Why I’m attacking women, listen to my stor—agh!”

Whap.

Mary’s head snapped to the side. At the same time, the evil spirit popped out of her mouth.

Finally.

I’d been waiting for this. I gathered my divine power and formed a sphere.

The sphere sucked in the fleeing spirit in one go. As the spirit left her, Mary’s body collapsed limply to the ground.

While her parents rushed to her in shock, Roy came over to me.

“What’s that sphere?”

“A bead that imprisons evil spirits. The one that was clinging to her is inside now.”

Most people would be horrified to learn about spirits, but Roy was more interested in my method of capturing it.

“Exorcisms usually involve chanting scripture or singing hymns, don’t they?”

“Usually, yeah. That makes it easier to borrow divine power. I’m a bit of a special case. By the way, how do you know about exorcisms?”

Roy had said he remembered nothing before becoming a slave, so it was odd he knew the standard methods.

When I showed my curiosity, he replied blandly,

“I don’t remember myself, but strangely the knowledge is still there.”

“That’s curious.”

“I find you more curious. People who serve gods usually act solemn, don’t they?”

“Ditch the prejudice that clerics or gods must be dignified.”

I said firmly, and Roy’s expression turned peculiar — somewhere between disbelief and amusement.

While we talked, Mary’s parents cried out.

“Mary!”

“Are you okay?”

Turning my head, I saw Mary rising, holding her forehead with one hand.

She shook her head a few times as if disoriented before recognizing her parents.

“Father? Mother? Why do you look like that? And where are we?”

Her eyes, once full of madness, were calm, and her beastlike breathing had returned to normal.

As she returned to herself, her parents collapsed to the floor, crying.

Mary, flustered, tried to soothe them, but the more she did, the louder they wept.

“Roy, let’s go.”

Hardly had I said that when the sobbing couple sprang to their feet.

“Wait, please!”

They rushed to me and bowed deeply.

“You’re a cleric, aren’t you? Thank you so much! We tried every hospital and temple and nothing worked!”

“Thank you. Truly. Now we don’t have to go to Countess McCullin anymore.”

“Countess McCullin?”

Hearing the familiar name, I reflexively asked. Mary’s mother, tears streaming, explained.

Three years ago, Mary had suddenly changed. They’d sought out every famous doctor and cleric, but no one could heal her.

In despair, they’d heard a rumor that the daughter of a neighboring lord had recovered from madness after taking Countess McCullin’s medicine.

Some called it a baseless rumor, but they’d clung to that tiny hope and brought Mary to the city.

After explaining everything, Mary’s mother clasped her hands and beamed.

“What god do you serve? From now on, our family will believe in Him.”

I don’t serve a god — I am one. And stop saying you’ll believe in me.

I’m not a world-governing deity, so I have no followers. And I’m not interested in recruiting any.

Gods obsessed with gaining followers are always listening to prayers so they won’t lose them, and if another god performs a novel miracle, they rack their brains to outdo it.

I have no desire to get addicted to that headache.

“It’s not important which god you believe in. Don’t just believe in one because I do. Believe in the god you like best and do good deeds.”

I indirectly told them to believe in some other god, but it backfired.

They teared up, moved by my words.

“If such a pure and upright cleric believes in Him, we want to believe even more!”

“Please guide us to the right path of faith!”

Hm. This isn’t working.

I tried to peel them off by hardening my face.

“The god I serve is strict. Speaks harshly and is cynical. I can recommend a god who speaks gracefully and gives lots of blessings.”

“We’re already more than blessed today!”

“Yes. We’ll devote offerings to His temple diligently!”

They looked ready to believe in me till death. Stop! Don’t just believe in anyone like that! Don’t waste your life that way!

After several more attempts failed, I went for my last resort.

“Ah!”

I pointed at the air in surprise. Mary’s parents reflexively turned to look.

In that moment, I grabbed Roy’s arm and bolted.

He flinched at my touch but, unlike the first time we met, didn’t shake me off and followed obediently.

Running with Roy, I sighed.

As if I didn’t already have enough on my plate — keeping an eye on whoever’s after Dinah, preventing this world’s destruction — the last thing I need is more hassle.