Let’s Head to the Church – Part 02
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Translator: Kell
I went straight to the point. “So, are you having an affair with Bear’s wife?”
“Try asking me more stupid questions, and I might just bring out the scythe I’d stowed away.” The priest expressed his anger by widening his fake-ass smile even more.
After closing for the day, I came to the back entrance of the church to deliver the items that Lily ordered the other day. Lily told me not to ask Bear’s wife, but she didn’t say anything about asking the priest.
“I asked the squirt, but she wouldn’t tell me anything. You’re definitely hiding something.”
“You sure are obnoxious for a feline.” He kept his iron-clad smile. “Why don’t you ask Zero to give you a monkey’s soul instead?”
Hearing him hurl harsh insults at me like the good ol’ days gave me relief.
“If you saw the man coming to the tavern every single day, drink without saying a single word, and leave with a dying look on his face, you’d understand.”
“Oh. He has that little faith in his wife, does he?”
“You can blame your face for that.”
“Everyone has their own standards of beauty.”
“Only those who haven’t used their looks to get close to a woman can say that.”
“In that case, I can say it.”
“Really, now?”
“Women approach me. I don’t even have to do anything.”
I scowled. It’s amazing how he doesn’t even need to woo the ladies.
“Are the female villagers making moves on you?”
“Yes, I suppose.”
“Even the married ones?”
I felt tension in the air. I wasn’t asking him as a joke. He was a handsome, single priest in a closed village. What’s more, he was intelligent and courteous. It might not be his intention, but his existence alone was enough to cause discord among the villagers.
“I see you still have a hard time trusting others,” he said, sighing.
I let out a sigh as well. “I know asking you this is an insult.”
“Not for me.”
“What?”
“Zero is in my room right now,” he said, changing the subject.
I blinked. “Zero? Going to church? Well, color me surprised. Did you get some kinda weird book that a witch would love?”
I sniffed the air, searching for Zero, but the evil-warding incense burning inside made it impossible to catch her scent.
“It didn’t look like she had any particular business here. Perhaps she came to see me.”
“No way she would come to the church without any business.”
“Like I said, maybe she’s here to see me.”
“You’re telling me that Zero, a witch, has a matter to discuss with the Church?”
“Not the Church, but me.” He was getting frustrated.
I racked my brain a bit to figure out what he was trying to say.
Zero’s in the priest’s room right now. She has personal business with him, not the Church. That means…
“Does the squirt have an incurable disease or something?”
“What?! I’m going to die?!” Lily popped from behind the priest. She was probably curious about what the priest and I were talking about.
The priest pressed his forehead in dismay, as if saying, “Here comes another pain in the butt.”
“You’re not going to die,” he said curtly.
“Hey, squirt. I hear the witch is here?”
“Huh? Big sis? She’s not here.”
I looked at the priest, and he shrugged. “I was lying,” he said.
What? My brows furrowed. Why would you lie about that?
The priest tapped me on the shoulder. “Do you get it now?”
“Get what exactly?”
“Throughout our conversation, did you suspect Zero of cheating for even a moment?”
“Ch-Cheating?! W-We don’t have that kind of relationship!”
By that, I meant a relationship where you were bound to each other, like a husband and wife, or lovers. Zero and I were not in a relationship where we only belonged to each other.
But if Zero were to have that kind of relationship with the priest, I wouldn’t be too happy about it. Finally, I realized why the priest said that Zero was in his room, and what it meant for Bear to suspect his wife of cheating on him.
“Are you saying it’s wrong to suspect someone of infidelity?”
“I’m not saying it’s wrong. I just don’t think it’s a good idea to probe a perfectly fine wound and aggravate it.”
I get what he’s saying. He kept repeating that Zero came to see him, but I only thought that she had business with the guy.
“Anyway, there’s nothing going on between me and his wife. Isn’t that right, Lily?”
“I’ll be so angry if there is,” Lily replied. “I might even hate you.”
“Maybe I should try hitting on some women in the village.”
“No! You can’t!” Clenching her fist, she struck the priest on the leg repeatedly.
“Get a room, you two,” I said.
“Jealous? You can have her if you want.”
“You heard him, squirt. Wanna come with me?”
“No! Dummy! I hate you!”
Why me?
It seemed unlikely that I would get any more information, so I got a signature from the priest confirming the delivery and quickly left the church.
“Zero knows everything,” the priest said as I was walking away.
I turned around, but he was already closing the door, and I didn’t have any time to say something back. Perhaps he was trying to say that if I really wanted to know, I could ask Zero. That, or he was trying to provoke me by saying that he and Zero shared a secret that I knew nothing about.
Unsure of the priest’s intentions, I stared at the closed door for a while, and decided to visit Zero’s shop immediately.
“You came without a gift, and now you’re telling me that Bear suspects his spouse of cheating on him?” Zero said.
At first she welcomed my sudden visit, but when she found out that I didn’t bring anything, her mood immediately turned sour.
I had no choice but to prepare a quick dinner using ingredients that she had gathered to create ointment. I found a chicken drained of its blood hanging around, so I lightly boiled its breast, grilled it, then garnished it with ginger.
Zero threw her legs over the table as she watched me, tilting the chair back, swaying back and forth.
“I have never heard anything so ludicrous and absurd,” she said.
“I told him he was overthinking it, but he looks like he’s about to hang himself at any moment. If she’s not cheating on him, why does she go see the priest often?”
“I cannot tell you.”
I sighed. “Not you too.”
“Now that I learned he suspects his wife of infidelity, my lips are sealed shut. I hope that distrustful man suffers.”
“You’re saying the same thing as the priest.”
I looked up at the old ceiling and regarded the herbs hanging to dry. “Is it really wrong to have zero self-confidence?”
Bear lacked self-esteem, was not actually married to his partner, and now the love of his life was frequently visiting a single man who’s got both looks and power. How could he not be worried?
“If your low self-esteem results in hurting those who you should have faith in, then it is wrong,” Zero answered.
“Even if there’s reason to doubt them?”
“You seem to be really taking Bear’s side.”
“He was a Beastfallen, after all.”
Letting out a dry chuckle, I placed the seared meat on a plate. As I set the plate on the table, Zero pulled her chair back to all fours and tossed a piece of the seared breast into her mouth.
I still avoided eating raw meat, but I could now stomach lightly-seared, kinda raw, meat. The tenderness of the rare meat inside, combined with the lightly-charred surface, made for a perfect snack when drinking.
“Worry not,” Zero said. “It will all be resolved tomorrow. Bear does not have to hang himself. Or perhaps he will want to hang himself even more. Either way.”
“Whoa, too disturbing. What do you mean by that?”
“You will know tomorrow. On a related note, I cannot help but be somewhat surprised at how tight-knit the people in this village are.”
“Tight-knit?”
“As a matter of fact, Mercenary, everyone in the village knows why Bear’s spouse goes to the church, and what will happen tomorrow.”
“Everyone?!”
“There is a reason why the women of the village have been frequenting the church lately. Exciting, is it not? Do not attempt to uncover why. A few secrets can bring a spark to life, but revealing them before the time is right can lead to a terrible tragedy. Several men know as well, including the priest.”
In the end, she would not tell me anything, insisting I wait until tomorrow.
I trudged back home and slept feeling unsatisfied.
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