The Priest Wants to Retire

EP.222 Life is a Flower. Love is the Nectar of That Flower. (9)

Much later than expected, that moment arrived.

Plop.

The woman’s body, wobbling in place, fell flat on the ground like a decayed old tree.

Her end was pitifully brutal, devoid of even a final word, let alone a moan.

Left with nothing but her pure white teeth, her body had turned into a dark red ash that became light enough to crumble even in the drifting wind.

The area around her had been dug up as if a gigantic meteor had fallen.

Who could believe that such a magnificent tragedy originated from merely a quarrel between two people?

If I hadn’t witnessed the entire process firsthand, I surely would have chuckled like someone hearing an absurd rumor.

“It’s over. Get ready.”

With Apis’s soft declaration, I took a moment to regroup.

My heart was heavy, standing on the brink of suffering, but thankfully my body, after sufficient rest, felt much lighter than before.

Clang.

Once the target had completely turned to ash, the Hero finally sheathed his sword.

“Ugh! What have I even done until now!?”

At that moment, like a bulb lighting up in a dark room, a glint of rationality returned to the Hero’s previously dazed expression.

I was briefly astonished, but upon reflection, it was utterly inevitable.

Unlike Dawna’s sudden actions caused by someone else’s will, the Hero’s rampage stemmed purely from his own personal temperament.

A twisted obsession to eradicate the woman I had thrown a glance at from this world completely.

Thus, with the subject of that obsession now a corpse, there was no longer anything left that could ignite the Hero’s reasoning.

Chill.

A shiver crawled up my spine.

No matter how hazy his mind had been, it sent chills down my spine to see him transform into an emotionless killing machine merely because I had shown a little interest in another woman.

However, I didn’t have the luxury to be lost in such useless thoughts right now.

“Arrow of Destruction…!”

“Huh? Dawna?”

Not long after regaining her consciousness, Dawna began to chant again, her expression still dazed.

Her appearance had become woefully worse than a moment ago.

Her eyes were bloodshot.

Her breath ragged, as if she had just finished an arduous workout.

Dark red blood streamed from her nose.

No matter how I looked at her, it was unmistakably the early symptoms of magic exhaustion.

Her emotion-driven overuse of magic, which she usually only employed when necessary, had taken a toll.

Moreover, Dawna’s stamina mirrored mine, hovering around the bottoms of our party.

If we did nothing, it was only a matter of time before Dawna self-destructed.

But that made it all the more urgent to act.

“Hero! Dawna!”

With all the strength I could muster, I called out.

Though worried my voice might crack due to my sore throat, thankfully, the uneven terrain helped it ring clearer than I expected.

“Priest?”

“Low…ville…?”

Both of them suddenly turned their attention towards me, filled with skepticism.

The reason was simple.

My ragged appearance, clad in tattered cloth found in the ruins, raised significant suspicion in their eyes.

Moreover, right next to me stood Apis, dressed in the same ragged attire, adding to their confusion.

I’m sure the confusion they felt was doubled.

“Wind, come forth.”

It was Apis’s solemn chant that broke the awkward silence.

Inhales—!

Boom!

Just then, with a powerful yell, Apis slammed her fist down on the ground.

The tremendous shock from her raw strength combined with her summoned wind magic was more than enough to kick up a cloud of dust in the area.

“You mustn’t overdo it, Apis.”

“Leave it to me.”

After parting with Apis amidst the thick dust, I resolutely steadied my breath.

With that, all preparations were complete.

Now all that was left was to draw their attention toward me.

“First come, first served! Knee pillow—!”

Gathering energy in my abdomen, I bellowed.

Immediately after, Apis, draped in the same colored rag as me, bolted out of the smoke like a deer.

“Lowville—!”

With Dawna hastily chasing after her, I quickly hid myself within the smoke.

I carefully focused on not making a sound, nor even a breath, until Dawna’s voice faded to a whisper.

How much time had passed?

As the dust swirling around began to settle, I let out a small sigh of relief after confirming that everything was going according to plan.

“Phew…”

It was worth the time I spent brainstorming with Apis.

Under normal circumstances, this flimsy plan would never have worked.

If Dawna had been in her right mind, she would have immediately doubted such a pathetic bait.

Had she attempted to clear the mist with magic…

No, had she even tried to locate my position with detection magic, the glaring flaws in this plan would surely have resulted in failure.

But thankfully, Dawna had taken the bait we laid out.

This had alleviated one worry.

Splitting up from my allies within the dungeon was a dangerous maneuver close to death, but…

It was far better than leaving Dawna in such a state with the Hero.

Although I worried for what would happen when Dawna eventually realized the truth, for now, I had no choice but to trust in Apis.

Because I had been given a role equally as critical at this moment.

“I’m in first place!”

“…”

As I glanced down, I saw the Hero cheerfully gazing up at me, wrapping her arms around my waist.

I didn’t find it very surprising.

I never thought something as flimsy as smoke and bait would fool the Hero’s keen senses.

That was part of the plan too.

“My knee pillow belongs to me alone!”

Her eyes sparkled so brightly that it was hard to believe this innocent girl was the same one who had just been rampaging moments ago.

The Hero tended to move more on instinct than logic even on normal days, but today seemed especially so.

Could it be that, like before with Dawna, something special about this space was negatively affecting the Hero’s mind?

Shaking my head to banish nonsensical thoughts flooding my mind, I cautiously spoke to the Hero.

“Hero, are you coming to your senses? Do you remember what happened just now?”

“Uh…huh? Gah!”

At my gentle inquiry, the Hero tilted her head for a moment and then suddenly opened her eyes wide in shock.

“Now that I think about it! Why am I here like this? I should have been searching for the missing priestess with Dawna! When I think about it, it’s quite bizarre!”

With her face lighting up like a colossal lightbulb, the Hero began to spill words like a waterfall.

Even in this state, she maintained her grip on my waist, suggesting that while her mind may have forgotten that moment, her body might still remember it in all its glory.

“Gah! This isn’t the time for this! While the offer of the priestess’s knee pillow is indeed tempting, a hero must prioritize their comrades’ lives above their own desires! We must find our allies as soon as possible!”

It seemed like the Hero had been struck in the heart by Dawna’s urgency.

In a flurry, as if her previous memories had flown away, the Hero started anxiously pacing around.

Finding allies as soon as possible.

Under ordinary circumstances, she would have immediately agreed to such a suggestion the moment it came up.

But this time, I couldn’t let her go.

“Priestess! Please hold onto me tightly! I shall run at full speed to find our allies!”

“Ah! I suddenly feel dizzy…”

“Priestess—!”

Thud.

As I deliberately relaxed my legs, the startled Hero caught me.

Though it was merely an act, my body was genuinely in no condition to hold itself up, and the thrill of the performance overflowed tenfold.

“Priestess! What on earth are these wounds!? Who could have done this!?”

Upon finally noticing the wounds on my body, the Hero’s expression shifted to one of utter panic.

A tumult of confusion, worry, and a sprinkle of vengeance intertwined in her blue eyes, clearly communicating her feelings.

I sensed it instinctively.

That the time was now.

“I’m sorry, Hero. I’m just feeling so weak; can we take a little break?”

“—!?”

Like a child throwing a tantrum, I gently rubbed my face against the Hero’s neck.

At my age, to be acting like a petulant child before a woman who had just barely become an adult was enough to make me hang my head in shame.

But the reaction was instantaneous.

“Priestess! You’re showing me such a weak side of yourself!”

As I squinted my eyes slightly, I could see the Hero, with her hands over her mouth, her face glowing with joy.

Seeing my tattered body, I worried she might rush out with a sword vowing to avenge me.

However, it seemed I wouldn’t have to worry about that for the moment.

“For the time being… can we just stay like this…?”

“But…”

Swish.

“Haaah—!”

The Hero who had tried to muster the last bit of her consciousness to argue faded away as I burrowed against her like a caterpillar.

Her movements, hands clutching her heart, seemed unnaturally distressed.

But I, bartering my dignity for this act, felt just as tormented.

“Just for a moment! Just for a moment!”

“Thank you, Hero…”

The Hero buried my face into her chest, softly cooing in a cheeky manner.

With this, I had bought some time.

Now, all I could do was pray that Apis could successfully carry out her task safely.

Yes, that was all I had to do.

“Please take care of Dawna, Apis.”

…Wiggle.