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Chapter 38
‘What’s all this commotion at the temple?’
I quietly peeked out and turned my gaze toward the noise.
“You couldn’t afford to touch this outfit even if you worked your whole life! And you dare to stain it? How dare you!”
A man was yelling at someone who looked like a temple worker.
There was a stain on the coat the man was wearing.
‘Did dirty water splash on it?’
It seemed like some leftover water was thrown out into the garden and splashed on the man’s clothes.
“I’m so sorry.”
The worker kept bowing. Her face wasn’t visible because of the wide-brimmed hat she wore to block the sun.
But from her voice, I could tell she was a middle-aged woman.
“I’m really sorry. I didn’t expect someone to come out of the bushes…”
Ah.
So, she had avoided the path and poured the water into the bushes, and the man just happened to come out from there?
As if to prove it, water was trickling from under a small shrub, dampening the dirt path.
‘Then it’s clearly that man’s fault.’
“You didn’t expeect someone to come out?”
Ha! The man laughed sarcastically, his face twisting in anger.
“So now you’re saying this is my fault?”
“No, sir!”
The worker bowed quickly, flustered.
“That’s not what I meant. I was just a bit surprised.”
“Is High Priest Andel heeere!”
As if he didn’t care to listen, the man shouted.
“I should report to High Priest Andel that there’s a useless worker here who defies the will of the gods!”
“Please, no!”
The worker’s voice began to tremble.
“Please, anything but that! It’s all my fault. I was wrong!”
“Is that sooo.”
Finally looking satisfied, the man nodded.
“I’ll have you know, I’ve dined with High Priest Andel. I can have you kicked out of the temple right now!”
“I’m sorry, truly sorry. If I get kicked out, I have nowhere else to go.”
The worker’s voice was now choked with tears.
“Please, I beg you. Please forgive me, just this once…”
“What should I do?”
The man grinned, clearly enjoying the situation.
“Should I make you buy me a new outfit?”
“…!”
“No, no. Someone like you who probably doesn’t even make money couldn’t possibly afford this. Right? Still, maybe I should get something out of this?”
‘What a scumbag.’
I clicked my tongue. He knew full well the worker couldn’t make proper compensation, yet he mocked her anyway.
“Well, I’m a servant of the gods too. I’ll show some mercy.”
“Really?”
The worker’s voice brightened with hope.
“Of course, I’ll need an apology first.”
“I’ll apologize however many times you need, until you feel better.”
“No, not that kind of apology.”
The man smirked and pointed to the ground.
“Kneel.”
“Pardon?”
“Kneel and bow your head in the dirt, and then beg—urk!”
He didn’t finish his sentence.
Why?
Because I threw my fan right at his face.
Hey!
“…Tsk.”
The man’s head snapped to the side from the direct hit. His now redder-than-ever face showed he was furious.
“Who was that? Who the hell threw this?!”
“I’m that hell.”
I stepped forward with a cheerful smile.
“Is there a problem?”
“…Ermia Tekins?”
He looked at me in disbelief, then at the fallen fan.
Switching between me and the fan, he asked,
“Did you throw that, Miss Tekins?”
“Yes.”
I nodded without hesitation.
“That pig-squealing sound was so loud, I thought it was an actual pig.”
I gave him a once-over.
“Turns out it was some other kind of beast.”
Grit.
His teeth grinding echoed through the air.
“What did you just say, Miss Ermia Tekins?”
You’d better watch your mouth.
That was my warning. I was giving him one last chance.
Giving him a chance? Then I should make it perfectly clear.
“My apologies.”
His face relaxed slightly at my words.
“I’m very sorry—for mistaking you for a pig.”
If only for a second.
“You…”
I could hear the thread of his sanity snap.
“ERMIA TEKINS!”
And then he swung his fist at me.
Of course. I knew this would happen.
Guys like this always lose their temper and throw punches.
With a small smirk, I stepped back.
“Huh?”
At the same time, as the man stepped forward, he stumbled.
It was the mud.
The water the worker had dumped had flowed onto the dirt path, making it muddy.
His foot slipped right through it.
“Ugh!”
He had some reflexes, trying to regain his balance—
‘Too bad.’
As he stumbled, I lightly pushed his back with my fingertips.
Ugh, I’ll have to throw away these gloves later.
“Guugh!”
Splat!
He face-planted straight into the mud. The outfit he had bragged about was now completely ruined.
“Ptooey! There’s dirt in my mouth!”
Watching him roll around in the mud gave me a small sense of satisfaction.
Still, ending it here felt like a waste.
“Hah.”
I looked down at the mess of a man and frowned.
“You ruined the hem of my dress when you fell. How will you compensate for this?”
I dramatically stuck out my foot.
At the very end of the dress, the lace trim had just a bit, a tiiiny bit of mud.
“You pushed me! That’s why your dress got dirty!”
“Me? When did I do that?”
I turned my head and looked at the worker, who was still frozen.
“Did you see me push this man?”
“N-No, I didn’t…”
“See?”
I turned back and gave a little shrug.
“So it’s all your fault.”
“…I see.”
The man began to shake with rage.
“So this is how you want to play.”
Still sitting in the mud, he picked something up.
A wooden stick.
“I’ll break you. You dare stand up to me?! Of all people?!”
His eyes were completely unhinged.
“I’ll beat some sense into you—!”
Crack!
A clear, bell-like sound rang out.
‘What was that?’
I stared in disbelief as the man collapsed, eyes rolled back.
Why did he suddenly fall?
“You two.”
Only after his body completely crumpled did I notice the woman holding the fire poker.
It was the woman who had introduced herself as Meria Deordor before we entered the temple.
I looked between the fire poker in her hand and the dent in the man’s head.
Was this… okay?
“He’s fine. Not dead.”
Meria casually dusted off her hands and held the poker out to the worker.
“Sorry. I borrowed this in a hurry. It was lying over there. Is it yours?”
“Y-Yes, it is.”
“I’m glad I returned it to the rightful owner.”
“Let’s set the poker aside for now.”
I crossed my arms and looked at Meria.
“What brings you here? Do you still have something to say?”
“Yes. I came because I still have something to say.”
After handing the poker back to the worker, Meria bowed to me.
“I’m sorry for the misunderstanding, Miss Ermia Tekins.”
I blinked. What?
“I believed what my friends said and made assumptions about you. But after you left, they finally told the truth. It was all just gossip.”
Her expression darkened.
“I’m angry at my friends for deceiving me, and even more at myself for being swayed. But I thought the first thing I should do was apologize.”
She bowed again.
“I owe you a sincere apology, Miss Tekins.”
