Part 6

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Volume 2 — Chapter 2: The Saint and the Father

Part 6

He was a priest, no doubt about it. Thin silver chains bound his waist tightly, their dangling ends gleaming almost annoyingly bright in the moonlight.

I stood dumbfounded as he gazed at me. He began speaking softly to the saint behind him.

“Are you injured, my saint?”

“Father…!”

He was a slender man with delicate, beautiful features, and emerald-green hair, neatly cut to jaw length.

If this man were to go to some village out in the sticks, he would probably have unbelievers converted and attending mass regularly with even just one sermon.

But of course, my dislike for the man was only growing. After all, as it stood, this undoubtedly clergyman-like lady killer was trying to kill me using his undoubtedly madman-like weapon.

2

With my opponent being a priest, battle-hardened, and wielding a “farming tool” as a weapon, there was no longer any doubt.

“An arbiter for Dea Ignis—! It sure is an honor to be able to meet a member of the famous Church arbitration murder squad.”

The doctor at the inn had talked about Dea Ignis being dispatched to investigate the Saint reigning over the holy city of Arcadius, so given the situation, there was no doubt that this priest was exactly that.

“But you’ve got the wrong idea. I ain’t tryin’ ta do anythin’ to the Saint—“

“Repent. You tried to lay your hands on that which must remain most unsullied in this world, even as you are the most filthy thing in this world. Pray that the Goddess may show you mercy…”

This guy ain’t listenin’ to me at all. This is why priests’re—

“Perish.”

I whipped out my sword to block the priest’s instantaneous slash of his scythe.

He’s going all out. Not only that, but contrary to his appearance, he was frighteningly strong. If I didn’t have the reflexes of a fallen beast, my head would already be rolling.

“Shit…! You’re the one that should repent, ya murdering, battle-scarred clergyman! And listen when others’re talkin’!”

“Mercenary! I—“

“Zero, no! Don’t do anythin’—anythin’ at all!”

If the priest found out that Zero was a witch, that would be extremely bad. Zero could probably kill him with her magic, but killing a priest before the Saint would also mean trouble.

That being said, I would also like to avoid being murdered by the priest. That meant I would need to fight with all my strength, but there was no guarantee that I could win.

After all, I was facing one of Dea Ignis’ arbiters. Even if I won, killing him would mean the Church’s hand would be going for my employer, Zero, too. To avoid that, we would also need to kill the Saint and her attendant after killing the priest to keep their mouths shut. But, if we killed the Saint here—.

What to do? I wanted to make the priest put away his blade, but I was a fallen beast, and he was a priest. We were doomed to be enemies.

“Father, please stop! You’re making a mistake; that man is not an enemy!”

A lifeline came from an unexpected place.

The priest, who had been staring at me with burning hatred, glanced at the Saint and leapt away.

But this was not a retreat.

He knew that I would win if it came down to a test of strength, so he kept his distance.

—I still felt as if there were a blade by my neck. It was the bloodlust of the priest.

“…Milady Saint. This is a foul fallen beast. There is no need for compassion,” the priest spat. The saint gently laid a hand on the priest’s arm.

“Please, Father…you’re making a mistake, truly.”

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