Chapter 112: An envoy from the church

Chapter 112: An envoy from the church

Should I use church or temple? I used church for now, because it is normally what other stories use.

“From the church?”

As I continue living boisterous days, the academy town’s largest event, the school festival, is approaching. At first, I thought of it as a big culture festival, but this is clearly on a whole different level.

When I think about it, the town will become one whole festival, so no doubt this will become an event with a scale I have never experienced before.

Before the festival comes, I received a message from Lime who is tending the store. In the store there’s a person from the church, in other words, a person that is a believer of the Goddess religion. Before the summer vacation, Lime has been able to exchange conversations with me. He acted so naturally that I didn’t notice until after a while. Even so, it isn’t like I am now able to converse with hyumans. I called Tomoe and asked her. It seems it turned into quite the big deal (or so I felt), even Komoe-chan was involved. Lime passed the summer vacation here with a face as if nothing happened. It made me think that Lime is a pretty bold fellow. I scolded Tomoe telling her that she should inform me about attempts in experiments that affect the body. It is certainly true that it didn’t affect me directly and it is within Tomoe’s ability so all problems could be dealt with. It doesn’t involve Asora either. There’s no doubt that it is within her freedom but…

Oh right, someone from the church has come. I leave the room. I change to written communication and return an acknowledgement to Lime just in case anyone’s hearing. It is better to handle this personally, so I decided to go myself. When I showed my face inside the store, the people that were in the store leak out a sigh of disappointment. Well, sorry for not being Shiki.

“I thank you for gracing me with your presence in this sudden visit. I serve as a priest in the church”

Saying that, he shows me a necklace as a substitute for a social document. He is a male, but he is not brawny and has a slender body like that of a woman. When he took out his necklace, I could peek at the area of his collarbone for a brief moment and it didn’t look like he is exercising at all. He most likely doesn’t do any physical labor. As a person that not only heals but also manipulates many diverse techniques, is it okay to go to the battlefield like that?

[Don’t worry. If it’s a business from priest-sama, no need to mind me. Please do forgive me for using this kind of way to communicate with you]

“Eh… is this some sort of curse?”

[I think it is a type of curse disease. It is embarrassing, but the reason there a lot of medicines in this business is partly because of personal matters]

As expected, he meddled into my inconvenience with words. Of course, I already have a response for it, so I was able to answer without getting agitated.

“A curse disease huh. How unsavory. What a pity. Then, is it okay to consider you the shopkeeper? I confirmed in the merchant guild, its Raidou right?”

[Yes. Normally, I leave the store to the people I trust in, but the head is me, Raidou. And so, what business brings you here today?]

“Umu. It’s about the various medicines that are being used here. The effectiveness is so high that rumors have reached the church as well. The price is also cheap, and normally, it is something to be happy about, but uneasy people are beginning to appear. People that wonder if this is really okay to use”

…

Making a face as if troubled, the church person talks with words as if sympathizing. If I remember correctly, aside from the other drug stores and magic medications, there’s also the church that has a variety of efficient medicines in sale. Now then, did the church move in order to do a disturbance sham to someone of the same trade? Or did the church send a person here just to point out their thoughts? No matter which it is, it doesn’t seem like it is related to the Goddess, so that’s a relief. If that were the case, there’s no way they would send only one person after all.

As expected, in this situation they will be trying to demand hush money or something? That he is from the church might be a sham in itself. In that case, if the objective is bribe, I can understand why only one person came. I don’t know how much weight the position of a priest has, so just with the official position I can’t estimate if they would have trouble with money. But if he is able to denote himself as a person of the church, there’s a need for quite the resolve, so I don’t feel like it would be realistic to risk it so much for pocket money. In that case…

[I didn’t think the medicines in our store would reach even the ears of the church. I am sorry for all the trouble coming here]

“No, you don’t need to worry about that. And so, it must be troublesome to have foolish distrust about your store right?”

[If possible, it would be nice to have those rumors blown away]

It seems it is indeed bribe. If it is a few gold, I don’t mind paying.

However, the priest male seems to be having difficulties in cutting to the point, or maybe he is hesitating, his mouth is shut now. What a troublesome fellow.

“… Right? And so, this is a suggestion from the church. How about leaving the sales of counteracting medicines and wound medicines to the church?”

Hah?

My thoughts get suspended for a second. What is he saying? Is he telling me to wholesale the medicine to the church and not sell it ourselves?

[I don’t understand well what you mean]

I somehow, really somehow manage to ask.

“Tch… that’s why I told them. That they wouldn’t take such an unreasonable action. Those problematic bunch of elders. Just how much interest do they want to covet before they are satisfied?”

It was low, but I heard a tongue clicking and incredibly dirty words. He also understands that the demand is too unreasonable huh. I am a bit relieved.

“… Please forget what I just said. About the sweeping of the rumors, I will have it so that the church also cooperates. But for that, there’s one condition”

[Let’s hear it out]

“Please make clear the production way of the counteraction and wound medicines. Of course, I promise that this is only a verification for the church and will not leak it to other businesses”

He is telling me to reveal the recipe huh. Certainly, if they are able to create the same thing, it would be easier to confirm the safety of it. However, he says that he won’t be leaking it out to other businesses, but, this man, he didn’t say a single peep about not selling it to the church people. It is suspicious how much meaning the promise has but, should I try confirming just in case? Or there’s also the option of playing the sheep here.

[Revealing the recipe huh. If that happens, the church would be able to replicate the same items as well though]

“… I plead for your understanding in that. I am trying to suggest you a reasonable method here. Is there anything… you are dissatisfied about? Ah, the school festival is coming soon and the church is busy as well, so I want to hear your answer now”

Fumu. It seems that he thought I was easy to deal with. Then, let’s try playing the sheep for now. There were church people related to the body experiments that we found before summer vacation, so it wouldn’t be bad to have connections. There was also a bishop that died in an obviously suspicious manner, and yet, they announced it as a natural death. That picks my interest. When the Rembrandt sisters went back to Tsige in the summer vacation, there was a trifling incident where the church was mentioned. Because of Mio’s actions I was unable to investigate in a more detailed manner, but I may be able to drag out some information of the church from this man.

[I don’t have any dissatisfaction. Rather, if the church is able to sell this medicine as well, more people would be able to get it. Truly a happy result. As I am a novice merchant, the opening just won’t go as I expected and my business is still unable to expand. I will tell you the recipe with pleasure]

“?!! You really don’t mind?”

[Yes. Please tell me a day that matches your schedule. I will have a magician head there and explain you the details. Is there a need for me to be there as well?]

“T-That’s a great help. Then, I am sorry for the suddenness but, can your magician and you, Raidou – is it fine to call you that? – please head to the church tomorrow? I will notify the reception that the priest Shinai has an appointment with you”

[Shinai-sama is it. Certainly, I will visit you tomorrow then]

“Okay. Sorry for the intrusion. Well then, I will be waiting”

Maybe because the conversation proceeded without a hitch, the priest leaves the store in a merry manner.

Shinai huh. I will remember that name. I thought he would give the same impression as a catholic priest, but he is quite the prideful one. Maybe the church holds quite the authority?

Actually, even if I tell them the recipe, there won’t be any problems for us.

The medicine that Kuzunoha handles. The recipe itself is pretty normal, but there are several hurdles. It is normal, or more like, it is more accurate to say: it looks normal when written in paper.

First, the ingredients. There are plants mixed that one can usually obtain in the wasteland. In Tsige, the adventurers that gathered it would have those for sale. As a matter of fact, I can substitute several of the medicinal plants in the mix. No matter which it is, the gathering and compounding would take time.

Next, the compounding technique. If it’s Shiki and the Arke, they can easily compound it, but the difficulty is pretty high. By the way, the highest leveled alchemist, who is the companion of Toa-san, has a success rate of approximately 5 out of 10. It seems he is not a specialist in medicine, but even if they brought excellent specialized alchemists from the academy, the limit would most likely be about 80%.

If the church is able to acquire the ingredients and get a skilled alchemist, they would – in outline – be able to create a similar medicine. Well, we can anticipate a pretty hefty price for it.

That’s why it will probably not turn into any threat. Let’s just tell him with my chest held high. Let’s cooperate with Shinai-san as a good willed sheep. Since we have the chance of entering the church, might as well tour as well.

“Is it okay to make such a promise?”

…

When I follow the voice and face that way, there is a single woman I am used to seeing.

Eva-san huh. Suddenly calling me, that’s not good for my heart. In the time of the school festival, the library seems to be closed, so there’s plenty of times when Eva-san ends her work in half a day. She also worked in summer vacation, so I thought the library would be open in the school festival as well, but because there are so many visitors, there’s the risk of theft and crimes which they wouldn’t be able to handle, so they decided to just close it.

Today she worked half a day huh. During summer vacation, she has been visiting my store occasionally. I am personally happy that she has taken a liking to the energy drinks. Above all, thanks to the article she brought me, I was able to get stronger.

[Of course. I don’t know until where you heard, but I won’t say things that I don’t consider alright]

“Ara, how scary. I am beginning to feel pity for the church that tried to put a hand on the Kuzunoha Company” (Eva)

[So he really is a priest of the church huh. I thought he just came here to demand bribe, but when he told me something that was one step further, I was a bit surprised]

“Ufufu. The school festival will be coming soon. There are many important people of the church here as well, so they are most likely trying to do things that might get them some points. The people that are assigned here are mostly people that have climbed the steps of promotion. Meaning, there are many who greed for promotion” (Eva)

I see. In other words, their bosses are coming, so to have them remember them, they want to do something. The rumors of my store have been used for that huh. What. So it really was nothing important.

Well, even if it wasn’t related to the Goddess, the one who killed the bishop was Rona-san, so I can’t say I had nothing to do with it. That may be why I am a bit too distrustful. Just in case, I should ask Lime to investigate in order to loosen my mind a bit.

Yareyare, it even makes people related to the church agitated huh. This is quite the event, the Rotsgard foundation festival. Jin and the others are also enthusiastic and have leveled to around 90 already. Actually, they should be able to surpass level 100 by now, but because of the tournament rules in the school festival, anyone that is over level 100 can’t participate. Seems that there was an enrolled student who surpassed level 100 in a long past, so the rule was created because of that person, but it has continued to exist.

In the mock battle with the Mist Lizard, they have already gotten to phase 4, so even if they participate in a tournament to compete in martial arts or magic, I think that they will be able to put up a good fight. In the group battles where one participates in parties, I am sure that they will gather attention.

… Now that I think about it, I got a petition from Rembrandt-san saying that he wanted me to withdraw her daughters from participating in the tournament.

(Researches, lesson announcements, singing and dancing; if it is those type of competitions, it is okay, I can accept those. But tournaments that compete with battle techniques, I definitely don’t want them to participate. Raidou-dono, is that necessary for the daughters of a merchant? Nope, definitely not!!) (Rembrandt)

The emphasized words are recalled in my mind. In the time when I went to Tsige along with the sisters, I got caught by Rembrandt and was told those words.

Just like in the letter, the wife that was at his side smiled gently, told me not to mind him, and dragged him away. His wife was truly a charming person. Now I understand the reason why Rembrandt-san doesn’t have any mistresses.

And then, I was told that he (and probably his wife) had their daughters attend the Rotsgard academy to learn etiquette, gather personal connections, and to obtain skills in social life. Because what I am teaching in Academy town is battle techniques, the people close by will be that kind of people no matter what, but it seems that in the academy there are also decorum and normal classes, and also classes regarding social life. In the past, I did question the reason why the Rembrandt sisters were attending this academy.

[To get points huh. The church is also having it hard]

While I was thinking, I answer Eva-san.

“With the exception of a part of people that hold special talents; in the church, the lineage and factions have to fight for promotion or the doors for their future will be closed. Everyone must be desperate” (Eva)

[If they lose, they get send to Tsige or the wasteland right? I understand]

“The people that are here, as long as they don’t do anything extremely stupid, they won’t get demoted to such a point, but a comeback is impossible. To climb up to the great church in Limia is their deepest wish. From my perspective, no matter who it is and from what church he comes from, it won’t be much of a difference though” (Eva)

[A way to say you don’t see any value in them]

“Yeah, that’s exactly right. Right now for me, Raidou-san is the candidate for God” (Eva)

[Candidate for God? I would like you to demote me to neighbor]

Is she trying to joke around with me? Or is she serious to a certain extent? She says some pretty scary things.

It seems she still hasn’t thrown away her wish of recovering Kaleneon. The only grace point is that it is far. Even if Stella Fort falls, it is still further away. Even if we were to regain just that area, it would be pointless. Maybe because Eva-san understands that, she hasn’t done anything rash.

Her connection with that organization has been completely severed. Fortunately, the organization is too deep in secrecy that the amount of people was pretty limited. I thought that I would have to handle troublesome things like assassins for a while, but nothing happened. Maybe because she was in the outer layers of the organization.

Now she only shows she wishes for something of the Kuzunoha Company. Doesn’t seem like she has any evil intent. Rather, she is a welcome person that brings various suggested books for me to read.

“By the way, Raidou-san, about the school festival… If it is okay with you, can you go together with me?” (Eva)

[That’s a pleasant invitation, but I already have prior engagements. I apologize]

“You already have your schedule filled huh. Too bad. I thought it would be more interesting to watch the tournament if Raidou-san were there to comment” (Eva)

[Sorry]

For some reason, there are many people inviting me to the school festival. Like: Root, the Rembrandt sisters, Eva-san, and the mob of female students.

Since it is a long-awaited festival, I want to bring my followers along to look around, so I have refused them all. I do feel bad about it.

Jin also asked me with serious eyes to please watch the tournament. Even if he didn’t ask me to, it is a big event, so I intended to attend. Maybe he wants to show me the results of his training. If that’s the case, he has a pretty cute side.

When Tomoe and Mio heard about the festival, they looked like they were looking forward to it. I am a bit uneasy wondering if they will move obediently, but it is the place I am staying in, so I don’t think they will do anything unreasonable.

Looking at Eva-san leaving after finishing her shopping, I think about how many days it is before the school festival while I walk back to my room.