chapter 32
8. Magdalen Abbey (2)
“Helena! Help me out here!”
“yes! going!”
… … .
“Helena! Do a good job cleaning here! What the hell is this!”
“Yes, sorry!”
… … .
“Helena, can we get the sums right? do you want to go out?”
“Sorry! I’ll do it again!”
… … .
“Helena, please… . Don’t you know that healing is more important than protection? Are you doing that on purpose?”
“Haha, I’m a bit useless! sorry!”
… … .
“Helena… . I know it’s been a lot of hard work. Going to war is not the only way to spread the gospel. If it’s hard, you can give up.”
“it’s okay!”
… … .
“Helena, do this for me.”
“yes!”
“Helena! Would you like mine too?”
“yes! Okay!”
“Helena, I told you not to install it because you used a protection system miracle, didn’t you?”
“Oh, no, that… ! Sorry!”
“If you don’t want to be like this bastard, take care of yourself. Did everyone hear right?”
Helena, Helena, Helena… .
Despite the resounding calls, scoldings, and envy, she just laughed.
“sorry! it’s okay!”
Helena, a novice nun at Magdalen Abbey, smiled at everyone the day before yesterday, yesterday, and today.
The novice nun’s leaderboard on the wall swayed weakly.
The name written at the bottom was hidden and then revealed repeatedly.
[No. 30: Helena]
***
“It’s kind of scary… .”
This was Vivian’s opinion after seeing the exterior view of Magdalen Abbey.
It was an impression suitable for the appearance of building a castle wall lonely in the middle of the forest.
Even before the day of the public exam, outsiders seemed to be allowed in.
Besides us, there were quite a few other non-clerics.
“I will take the carriage this way.”
Guided by a nun, the coachman drove the wagon.
He must remain here until he returns.
Vivian and I got off first.
Mercy and Kati, a fairy and a cat respectively, were on top of me.
Approaching the entrance, a man dressed in armor blocked his way.
It wasn’t as armed as Seonghwangcheong, but it seemed like a paladin guarding this place.
“Could you show me your identity?”
I handed out my manager license and temporary warrior license.
“He is my assistant.”
He pointed at Mercy, who stuck his head out of his pocket.
“Nice to meet you! Firebringers!”
A satisfied smile appeared on the face hidden by the helmet.
fire guides.
It is a title favored by priests of Seonghwagyo.
Lastly, Kati doesn’t have to ask because she’s transformed into a cat.
“Nyaang-.”
One of the paladins laughed as if it was cute.
“May you walk only on the path of fire. welcome.”
Two paladins handed over three entry permits.
It was up to me, Vivian, and Mercy.
“If you have any questions about the public exam, you can ask a passing nun.”
There was no significant difference between the inside and the outside.
At least there were a lot of people, so the atmosphere was less lonely.
The size of the public trial seems to be quite large.
I was thinking about who to hold onto and ask, but there was one face I knew.
“Oh, Ian?”
Unlike her small stature, the sharp expression on her face made it difficult for her to approach me. She recognized me and smiled slightly.
“number of animals. Long time no see.”
“Iknow, right. I was hoping to see you again, see you soon. Are you here for the public exam?”
“Yeah, what. Because I don’t have enough people.”
Marie’s party consisted of three people.
There was probably no priest among them.
“It’s been a while, Vivian.”
“Yes, hello… .”
Vivian hesitated, as if she was still covering her face.
Looking up at her, Marie took a step closer.
“Hmm.”
“Why, why do you… .”
“Are you still sorry for me?”
He was referring to the incident Vivian unintentionally deceived the other day.
“Ahh… that… .”
Marie smiled at Vivian, who was perplexed.
“Still cute.”
“Hick… !”
Marie looked back at me with a mischievous smile.
“Can I take it away?”
I’ve felt it before, but you’re a human being who doesn’t have any strangers.
I’m like that too.
“no. And you have a wizard.”
“Ah, yes.”
“I can’t because it’s my mage.”
“Five? What do you mean? Are you a little active?”
“No, I don’t mean that… .”
The area around Vivian’s face was red as she bowed her head deeply.
I wonder if steam will rise above my head soon.
I’ve recognized Felix ever since I started swearing at him, but it’s not normal for me to tease or scratch people… .
It doesn’t mean much, but since Marie finds it strange, it feels really strange.
[master.]
oh i’m surprised
I forgot to take off the kati ring.
‘why.’
[…] … .]
‘Why man.’
There was no answer.
Marie smiled like a bad boy and waved her hand.
“It’s a joke, a joke. Unless you’re a crazy bastard, who’s going to mess with Ian’s party?”
“Hmm. I wasn’t joking, no, I wasn’t joking… .”
I just shouldn’t say
The board had already passed to Marie.
Mercy whispered in my ear as I frowned.
“You really are a mean man.”
“Elf?”
Marie, who noticed Mercy, tilted her head.
Come to think of it, Marie only knows Vivian and me.
“He is my assistant.”
“nice to meet! I’ve heard a lot about Marie!”
“Ohh. did you talk about me? What are you talking about?”
“Even if you look so evil, there is nothing. It came about when I was talking about Felix.”
“Oh, is that bastard?”
Marie giggled as if she was suing just thinking about it.
“Did you see the article? That’s what I was exposed to.”
“I read it very carefully.”
“I read every time I fall asleep these days. I think I will pass it on to my children when I have children later.”
so far?
“They said they were kicked out on the same day and taken to the military police, but it’s regrettable that I didn’t get to see it in person. Did Ian do it?”
“Rather than what I did… . I only noticed a little bit.”
“Wow, this is the first party manager… ? The military police are just moving… . Be friends with me for life. okay? Don’t pretend you don’t know where to go.”
“This is the first time I have ever had such a coercive friendship. Let’s just say that.”
Marie smirked and said.
“There are still a lot of idiots in the guild, but I’m still relieved because I got rid of the biggest trash. But what kind of cat is there?”
“Well… . He is the child I am raising.”
“Hmm. be cute hi?”
Marie greeted Kati at eye level.
Kati responded with indifference.
“As expected, cats are cute only when they don’t have a pettiness.”
Marie’s taste is… I do not know.
Mercy laughed at the word cheap, and Vivian felt embarrassed herself for no reason.
“Follow me. I came first, so I’ll tell you a lot instead. If you listen to what the nuns are saying, your stomach will explode with frustration.”
“You must be busy, if you help me that much.”
“What. to lifelong friends. And at times like this, when else would you act like a senior to the manager before the first party?”
Marie took the lead and guided us.
The first, of course, was about the public exam.
“There are a total of 30 apprentice priests participating.”
“… Only 30 aspiring priests are participating?”
“yes. Is it a bit big? They say that only half of them pass, and half fail.”
A test that 30 people take at the same time in one place.
It seems that Seonghwagyo has prepared well.
“But it’s a bit different from the Temporary Warrior test. There are no dungeons.”
Dungeon management was monopolized by the imperial family.
The manager guild, which receives the subcontract, can get involved, but it is not an area that the Seonghwagyo can touch.
“So they did it in a slightly different way. First of all, the three miracles that priests use. Healing, Protection, Ignite. It’s a deal to evaluate the miracle manifestation itself.”
“And to check each individual’s skills, a one-on-one sparring with a paladin is the second.”
“Lastly, in order to show cooperation, it is said that it will be over by forming a group of 3 and fighting against a large number of hostile Paladins.”
Since you can’t bring dungeons, monsters, or tribes with you, can a paladin take over that role?
I’m not sure if this is a good replacement for the Temporary Hero Test.
Like it or not, I really only have to choose the priest that suits my taste.
Passing the test doesn’t matter.
If you listen well and have potential, I will raise it.
“You can approach the apprentice priests until the day of the test, but they say they can’t provide material help.”
“Material help?”
“Well, secretly giving high-quality equipment or something like that. They said it was okay to talk before the exam, but not to take them with them.”
It was only natural that all priests had to take the test under equal conditions.
“You can see the priests training even before the exam. Every day at a set time, they come out to the central garden and do this and that for the guests.”
“Hmm. It would be important to see that. It might have been better to come a little earlier.”
“So, Ian.”
It’s a tone that wants something.
“Let’s go take a look together. No matter how I look at it, I have no idea who is okay.”
“I don’t know what I am right away.”
“Did I say excessive humility is deception?”
“Oh… .”
Vivian, standing behind me, was stabbed for no reason.
Well, from Mari’s point of view, even if I said it, it would be nasty.
“I heard that the manager and the dragon look a little like each other. I did just that.”
“I’ll take a look since you’re both capable. Anyway, can you help me? Of course, Ian doesn’t pay attention to priests with saliva.”
… But anyway, I’m also choosing talents who can be used with the memories I’ve returned to, right?
Don’t you really have a good eye?
My conscience pricks me, but I can’t say the truth, and I can’t say no.
“Let’s try our best.”
“Good good. Let’s go to the guest quarters first.”
Perhaps it was built for today, beyond the wall that was extended to the outside, there was an inn for guests to stay.
The building and interior weren’t bad.
It was not good for me, who had to train Vivian until the public exam.
“Do I really have to use only this internal accommodation?”
“no? Once you get the permit, you are free to enter. But isn’t there anything else?”
“Put up a tent and stay overnight. I have something to teach Vivian.”
“Ugh. Then staying inside the monastery might be a little uncomfortable.”
There is still some time left until the next visit.
Leaving Marie behind, he left the monastery and set out to find a place to spend the night.
“Find me somewhere without grass or trees.”
After a while, Mercy’s abilities were of great help.
“How are you?”
The place Mercy found was by the riverside.
It is close enough to walk to the monastery.
The floor was gravel or dirt, so there was nothing to burn.
Starting today, Vivian will be trained in fire magic, so it was nice to be in front of the river.
“Just right.”
“Mmmm, yes yes. Praise him more.”
“To the extent that you want to live here for the rest of your life?”
“… You don’t have to do it if you don’t want to.”
“No, you did really well.”
“Hmm. I know what.”
One of the things to keep a certain number in the subspace pocket is firewood and tent materials.
Not knowing when to camp is the life of a warrior.
After finding a level land and putting up a tent he took out of his pocket, he built a support pole and made a roof.
It’s enough for Vivian, Mercy, and Katy to enter.
“… I don’t know what I’m looking at.”
You never showed Vivian the subspace pouch.
I took out a pocket the size of two fists from my bosom and shook it.
“It comes out of here.”
“… ?”
“Subspace pockets. It is an artifact.”
“You have two artifacts… ? They say it’s hard to have one for the rest of your life… .”
“Well… . haha.”
I was embarrassed and laughed.
“You almost carry the house with you… .”
“ah. I used to put something like that in the past.”
“… yes?”
“I don’t carry it anymore because it’s annoying to take it out. Would you like to take it with you?”
“Oh, no… . it’s okay… . I-I will work hard… !”
Perhaps moved by the artifact, Vivian clenched her fists and made a promise.
“If you work hard, that’s good for me.”
It’s true that artifacts are rare, so it’s not strange if you’re moved or respected.
A wide log table and round wooden chairs were laid out, and firewood was piled up in front of the tent.
I lit a bonfire with the flames sent from my fingertips.
“uh? Do you even know how to use magic?”
“A little bit?”
Since I haven’t touched anything in the second round, simple magic is possible.
It is an application of the ‘Fire Hand’ that emits flames from the hand.
As for writing without casting, I learned the casting pass stage by using this countless times while camping.
But to be honest, I’m a bit embarrassed to call it magic… .
What I wrote now is almost the level of flint.
“Well, compared to the Ice Spear he makes, it’s not something to look at so wonderfully.”
“Still, something is strange… . It was completely unexpected.”
“It seems I’m far from magic.”
… don’t you deny it?
What do you mean?
“Now that we’ve decided on a seat, let’s go back. They say they’ll be watching soon.”
“Oh, are you leaving it here?”
“If someone comes, we can kick it out.”
*
He returned to the monastery and joined Marie.
While waiting in the large garden in the center, apprentice nuns came out one by one from a building inside the monastery.
It was pious for no reason to see so many people pouring very slowly and properly.
“Has Marie noticed anyone?”
“There are a few, but… . I’m not sure yet. It’s not because I haven’t been here in a long time.”
In the middle of the garden, there were 30 ragged logs lined up in 5 rows.
One by one, the novice nuns stood in front of the log at a distance.
“From now on, they say the demonstration of protection miracles and close combat techniques.”
Amidst the watch of those who arrived earlier than the exam.
Thirty nuns got down on one knee.
“Get started.”
Under the direction of the guiding nun, the nuns joined hands and used the protective miracle.
Normal frontal protection.
A hemispherical yellow screen spreads in front of the caster.
dusky evening.
Seeing 30 nuns kneeling reverently and emitting soft light was a spectacle in itself.
It seemed that there was no fixed amount of time to keep.
There were those whose protection was turned off early, and those who did not.
I was taken aback as I watched closely until the end without missing a single person.
‘… I don’t have it?’
As seen in the memory correction, there was no such huge and sophisticated protection.
“Stand up.”
There really wasn’t.
Everyone started to pick up their weapons.
The time to show miracles in the defense system is over.
“How are you feeling?”
Marie asked quietly expectantly.
“… … .”
I didn’t have anything to answer, so I was silent.
When you experience a lot of things, you develop an intuition that cannot be expressed in words.
Even if there is no objective basis, the accuracy of intuition is quite high.
My intuition built on numerous experiences tells me.
Now these nuns are deliberately hiding their power.
To be precise, it is being demonstrated by deliberately lowering the output of the miracle of the protection system.
Only a very few showed their skills.
Why is there a need to deliberately hide one’s power at this place where it should be seen well by those who come to observe it… .
I scanned the monastery that came into sight.
Intuition suffers from a sense of incongruity.
This monastery is hiding something.