SNBF 06

Chapter 06

I helped the woman who was still sitting on the ground, staring blankly at the situation, to stand up.
“Are you okay?”
“Ah, yes. Sa… Saint. I’m sorry.”
“No, it’s fine…”

Fortunately, she didn’t appear to be seriously injured. Soon, the loud screams of the large man grew louder.

“Hey there.”
I approached them.
“W-what! Is this your doing? This instant—”
“How did you know it was me?”
He crouched down and asked the mustached man.

Regardless of whether I wanted to help, this man was an important source of information. How did he even hear the rumor of a saint staying at a homeless shelter, of all places? This could be a key to boosting my fame.

“Put this down…!”
He couldn’t move and remained pinned.
“Answer me, and I’ll let you go.”
I smiled faintly.

“This… how dare—ugh!”
Annoyed at the words the mustached man tried to say, Agatha bent his arm. Apparently, he didn’t mind that divine power was being channeled through me. How convenient.

“Ga-gambling den!”
“What?”
“Gambling—ugh. Gambling den. I’ll tell everything! Just… this—”

A gambling den, huh.

[Agatha, please release him. Just the mustache guy.]

I brought the mustached man into the room, sat him in a chair, and made sure Agatha couldn’t move.
The mustached man said there was an illegal gambling den in the city.
He explained that it was a recreational place made by a famous wealthy man. Anyone could be lured there to gamble, regardless of status—even those who weren’t profitable. It was a strange place that welcomed everyone.

“Why would they bring such people?”
“To find someone skilled at gambling…”

Now fully aware of the situation, the mustached man, stripped of his freedom, answered politely in a timid voice.

“Is that necessary?”
“Among nobles, only people who already know the circles…”
“So that’s why they take in the homeless?”
“Yes… the idea was that anyone could come if they were good at gambling. If someone stands out, they’re brought into the nobles’ game…”

Seriously, what a disgusting scheme.

“They heard about you at that gambling den,” he added.
“So, there are nobles at that den as well?”

Nobles, nobles…
I didn’t like the gambling den itself, but the thought of meeting a bunch of nobles was tantalizing.

“In a special room inside… yes.”
The mustached man glanced at me nervously.

“Phew. What would happen if citizens became addicted to gambling?”
“I… never really considered it…”

Oh, right.
When I glared at him, he lowered his eyes.

[How cruel… to entice good people into addiction without care?]
[Agatha.]
[Yes. Dorothy.]

Agatha’s voice was full of anger.
[Shall we go see the gambling den?]
[What? Dorothy, what did you just hear? Gambling is a sin. You want to gamble? Good heavens, Dorothy! People—]
[No! To get closer to the Emperor, I need to become famous, and to be famous in the empire, it’s better to be recognized among nobles than among the homeless or commoners.]

I explained quickly, spilling out words like a machine gun. Agatha paused, seemingly thinking.

[That makes sense. You’d be a stronger shield—your social influence differs.]
[Yes.]
[But the gambling den… no matter what…]

Agatha looked troubled.
[Let’s at least go, okay? We have to try everything we can.]
[…Alright, I’ll go.]

“Hey, I want to go to that gambling den too. How do I get there?”
I asked teasingly. The mustached man hurriedly replied.
“Uh… there’s a restaurant in the city.”
“Take me there.”
“Yes, yes.”

The gambling den…
I had never been to one. My heart fluttered as if I were about to do something wrong.

The den reportedly opened late at night. The mustached man said he’d come for me later, and I sent him off with a threat: If you don’t come, the gods won’t spare you.
The look of fear on his face…
I was certain he would come back to fetch me.

“Thank you.”

After dinner, I returned to my room and closed the door. What a hectic day.
I placed fruit next to me for Agatha as well and began to eat.

[Hmm… Dorothy.]
While eating, Agatha spoke hesitantly.
[Why do you keep giving me Dorothy’s share? Don’t you eat, Dorothy? You’re a god, but technically, I’m dead.]
[One should offer gratitude. Show thanks to the gods.]
[We… none of us have ever received anything like this.]

Was it only for the living or beasts…? No, in myths they also offered trees…
[Doesn’t everyone give offerings to the gods?]
[Yes, but only for important matters or wishes. Even then, they offer a large beast. Never something to eat every day.]

Ah, I realized.
Environment matters. I grew up watching my mother pray daily and set up offerings, so I naturally thought it should be done every day. Apparently, it wasn’t necessary.

[Hoho. You’ve never received anything? How was it? Tasty?]
Please say it was bad so I don’t have to offer it anymore. I wrapped my question in exaggerated kindness.
[…Yes.]

Agatha hesitated, then nodded.
[It’s been a long time since I felt like I was eating. Even the apology is rare, but it was tasty. Amazing.]

Sobs. I was drafted into the food delivery service again.
I swallowed a sigh and, in the spirit of service, said,
[I’m glad! I’ll make even more delicious food for you!]
[Oh, no, Dorothy. Don’t overdo it.]
[Haha. It’s my pleasure!]

I laughed.
“Hahaha!”
Hoping someone would notice my pitiful laughter.

[I want some too.]

Then, a different voice, not Agatha’s, spoke—a young boy’s voice.
[You start eating without greeting? Even if young, have some decency.]

And… another voice.
Wait, could it be…
[Oh my. When did you come down?]
Agatha asked in surprise. Could all the guardian gods have come down…?

[We came because you asked!]
[Since when did I move immediately after asking?]
[It’s Dorothy’s matter! The only human who can save us! I’ve been so curious.]
[Yes, and we’ve held back so long because Agatha told us to.]

Wow. It was loud and exhausting…
[Dorothy, I am the god of the hearth that protects the home. Our knight commander made a mistake last time. He’s quick-tempered.]
[Ah, sorry Dorothy. Didn’t mean it. I’ll be careful.]

My head spun. I put down my spoon and pressed my forehead. How was I supposed to handle this…

[I want some too!]
[Just like a child, huh.]

I calmly divided the fruit into eight pieces.
[Here. For the guardian gods.]

Awkwardly, I laughed. The sound of gods biting into fruit echoed in my head.
Crunch, crunch.
[Wow. You can really eat it?]
[Amazing… I didn’t fully believe it when Agatha said she ate it.]
[If Dorothy earns more, will we get tastier food?]

Seven more people to feed…
Haha. If this happens every day, the gods will be angry, and before the Emperor destroys the empire in madness, I’d probably be the first to die of neurosis.

[Will all eight of you stay by my side every day?]
[Yes! We’ll go back and forth between the heavens and here, but since it’s hard work, we’ll all be with you, Dorothy.]

I gave them a hint, but they answered honestly. I couldn’t wish for the gods to disappear.
I stared blankly at my tray.

[Wait. Dorothy is struggling. Only speak if necessary; don’t overwhelm her.]

It worked?
[Ah, right. Sorry, Dorothy.]

Instantly, the eight gods became quiet.
It really worked. If I later wished, Please don’t speak to me again, maybe it would really happen.

The arrival of the eight guardian gods was painful, but it also gave hope that once this was done, I could live peacefully.

[Also, the fortune-telling… You said to do it, Dorothy? Let’s assign shifts for each day. If too many talk, only Dorothy will be exhausted.]

Long live Agatha. Agatha is the best.
Truly the empire’s greatest god and strategist of the founding war!

[Thank you, Agatha.]

For the first time, I felt something like faith. Thanks to Agatha keeping order, the gods were quiet. They even apologized for being too loud and let me rest.
Finally, the first moment of silence since arriving here.

‘Strange…’
Alone in the quiet, I thought a lot.
Did I make the right choice accepting this task?
Well, there wasn’t even time to think. Everything had moved too fast.

Lost in thought, it was soon time for my appointment.
I stepped into the dark, desolate streets.