Chapter 18
-Therefore, give me some food as an offering.
-Then I'll make you my true priest.
The hand grilling the tteokgalbi stopped.
I couldn't help falling into thought.
Naturally, my thoughts leaned in a positive direction.
‘Tempting.’
My deliberation was brief.
The issue of impersonating a priest had been something I'd worried about ever since I arrived here.
If I could solve it with just a few meals, I had no reason to refuse.
“Then shall we start with a contract? Are you able to sign one?”
-Huh?
“You don't know what a contract is?”
-Uh... I know what it is, but usually the relationship between a god and a priest isn't so cold that they need a contract, is it?
“You may not know this since you lack experience, but making promises without a contract is how you end up regretting it.”
-But I'm 1,400 years old..?
The goddess's response was one of utter incredulity.
“So, can you sign or stamp it?”
-No..
“It can't be helped. Since we don't have a recording device, let's make it a verbal contract.”
-Okay..
I didn't like the answer at all, but I had at least secured her agreement.
-But I'm not a demon. Do we really need to make a contract?
“Why wouldn't we?”
I placated the goddess, who still seemed unsure whether this was the right thing to do, and organized the terms of the contract.
Party A is Iris, Goddess of Flowers.
Party B is hereby designated as Flawy, priest of the Goddess of Flowers.
Party B shall offer Party A three meals a day.
The value of the offerings shall be based on Party B's usual meals, with a minimum of half a copper coin per meal.
If circumstances make it difficult, the offerings may be postponed.
Instead, the amount of the next offering shall be increased according to the number of times it was postponed.
In return, Party A promises Party B the status of a formal priest.
After reciting the terms I'd organized in my head once more, I nodded.
“Not bad.”
-Half a copper coin seems a little too small..
“If you're making it yourself instead of buying it, that's more than enough.”
-Hng.
I heard a dissatisfied voice, but firmly cut it off.
“Speak more maturely if you're a god.”
-It is ‘hng.’
“?”
After finishing up the contract, I finally brought up the important matter.
“Then please give me the payment you mentioned.”
-Huh?
“You said you'd make me a true priest.”
-Hehe..
But instead of an answer, all I got was a frivolous giggle.
I frowned at the ominous response.
And the answer that followed was something I never could have imagined.
-Actually, you're already my priest.
“..?”
-When you pretended to be my priest, I took the opportunity to mark you as mine! Whenever you used your powers, didn't it smell like flowers? I was so frustrated because you never noticed at all!
It was an utterly absurd answer.
“..May I ask when that happened?”
-Um, the day after you came here?
“…”
I held the spatula in my hand and couldn't say a word for quite some time after hearing the goddess's answer.
Before long, I organized my thoughts about the situation.
‘I've been had.’
It seemed I'd been tricked into a fraudulent contract.
I'd let my guard down because of her childish voice.
-If you put it that way, it makes me sound like an evil god..
The goddess grumbled as though she'd read my thoughts, but I couldn't bring myself to respond.
I only regained my composure after taking several deep breaths and calming down.
“Then why are you only telling me now?”
I was a little angry, so I questioned her in a curt tone.
Thinking that I wouldn't have agonized over this even once if she'd told me sooner, I couldn't bring myself to speak gently.
But I had no choice but to fall silent at the goddess's answer.
-Because you never prayed to me..
“…”
-I wanted to talk to you too. The only reason I could speak to you today was because I barely managed to use my statue as a medium.
So ultimately, it was because of me.
Looking back, I had no rebuttal.
‘Is this what they call getting what you deserve?’
A wave of emptiness washed over me.
Just then, the goddess, growing impatient, spoke up.
-But don't you think the meat should be done by now?
“…”
At her words, I lowered my gaze.
Sure enough, I'd been too distracted to pay attention while sorting out the terms of the contract.
When I opened the lid, a cloud of hot steam rose, accompanied by the sweet smell of meat.
Fortunately, it was more overcooked than I'd intended, but not severely so.
‘I almost burned it.’
I picked up one tteokgalbi patty and moved it onto a plate.
-Give it to me! Hurry!
I sighed at the way she urged me on like a little child.
“How am I supposed to give it to you?”
Naturally, I'd never had any experience offering food to a god.
The Gallery had never described how to make an offering, either, so I had no knowledge to draw on.
‘Do I just burn it like this?’
The only thing I could vaguely remember was that offerings had been burned in Greek mythology, but I wasn't sure whether that was correct.
In the end, I waited for the goddess to answer, but what I heard was far from what I'd expected.
-Nom nom..
I could hear the sound of someone eating.
I checked the plate in case she'd somehow taken it in the meantime, but the food on it was astonishingly untouched.
-It was delicious! Please make it for me again next time!
‘..I don't know what this means, but perhaps all I need is the intention to make an offering.’
I let out a sigh of relief.
‘Then I don't need to prepare any extra food.’
That was fortunate.
-Then I'll count on you again tomorrow!
After that voice, brimming with satisfaction, the goddess's presence disappeared.
The scent of flowers that had filled the surroundings gradually faded as well.
“Phew..”
‘I'm already tired.’
It felt like dealing with the young daughter of a boss so far above me I could barely fathom it.
I soon shook my head and gathered up the food.
She would probably be waiting by now.
Sure enough, Priest Malja was already sitting quietly at the table, waiting for me.
“It smells delicious!”
Her eyes lit up the moment the food was brought out.
“Have you been waiting long?”
“A little?”
She said that, but her gaze showed no intention of leaving the tteokgalbi.
‘She is at the age when she must be starving all the time.’
I quickly moved the plate of food in front of Priest Malja.
Priest Malja's expectant expression suddenly turned puzzled. She had seen the plate I'd set down afterward.
“Huh? But Priest Flawy, you don't eat meat? If you don't have enough, let's share!”
‘I seem to be saying the same thing over and over today.’
In Priest Malja's case, she was asking out of genuine curiosity, but to be honest, I found it bothersome.
“..I simply don't eat meat. My digestion has gotten weak, so meat doesn't sit well with me.”
Fortunately, she didn't press the matter.
“My grandmother used to say that too. She said you get bloated and can't eat meat when you get old, so you should eat plenty while you're young.”
“That may be the finest advice I've ever heard.”
“Hehe.”
To quiet Priest Malja's noisy mouth for a moment, I clasped my hands together.
Seeing that, Priest Malja hurriedly closed her eyes and clasped her hands together as well.
It was a prayer before the meal.
Of course, this time too, it was nothing more than an act.
“..Thank you for granting us the nourishment to make flower buds bloom and put down roots today as well.”
-Yeah! Eat up!
“Cough.”
Even though it had only been a pretense, the answer startled me so badly that I coughed.
Priest Malja across from me seemed not to have heard anything, as she sat with her eyes closed and a devout expression.
‘It seems only I can hear her.’
The possibility that this might be an auditory hallucination resurfaced, however faintly.
“..Let's eat.”
“Yes!”
Priest Malja took a big bite of tteokgalbi as though she'd been waiting for permission.
“This is amazing! It's so delicious!”
“I'm glad it suits your taste.”
“It's really delicious!”
Judging by how she'd emphasized it twice, she wasn't merely being polite.
“Let me know if it's not enough.”
“Yes!”
Perhaps because I was Korean, I couldn't help feeling good at the sight of a child eating so heartily.
“Then I'll do the dishes!”
Immediately after the meal, Priest Malja carried away the empty plates without even waiting for my reply. I watched her retreating back with a disbelieving chuckle.
‘Well, letting her handle the dishes shouldn't hurt.’
Since it wasn't as though I'd left her to cook, I returned to my room without worry.
Then, following my usual routine, I opened the Gallery.
‘Maybe I should study a little.’
I was just about to resume studying religion, something I had never expected to study.
Among the posts rising unusually quickly, one title caught my eye.
Title : Breaking News! The Sun Church Saintess's Pilgrimage Route Announced
Author : SolarGlory
[Photo]
[Photo]
[Photo]
That's the announced route for the Saintess, up to this point.
Everyone living in those cities, prepare flower petals to scatter along the Saintess's route.
‘She travels around quite a lot.’
True to the name pilgrimage, she seemed to be passing through several cities.
The comments were unusual as well.
[Is the saintess pretty?]
ㄴ[She's the continent's most exalted beauty, no contest]
ㄴ[Insanely pretty]
ㄴ[She's a candidate for my wife]
ㄴ[If the Inquisitor comes looking for you, just accept your fate..]
Up to this point, the reactions were ordinary.
The problem was what came below.
[Those cities are truly fucked]
ㄴ[Isn't it a good thing if the saintess is coming?]
My finger, scrolling down without thought, stopped.
ㄴ[Would you be happy if a division commander visited? It'd be fucking awful]
ㄴ[Ah..]
ㄴ[For real, they're fucked]
After reading the comments, I scrolled slightly back up.
I checked the pilgrimage route once more.
And then a familiar name caught my eye.
Millers.
It was none other than the city where I'd settled.
“…”
‘What a pain.’
But that was the extent of my reaction.
Even though she was a saintess, she was a saintess of a neighboring faith, not a saintess of my own religion.
However, it didn't take long for me to realize how complacent that thought had been.
..It really didn't take long.
Bang, bang, bang-!
The sound of an urgent knock rang through the room.
“Priest! Priest!”
“…”
Recognizing the familiar voice, I opened the door and found the lord standing outside.
His usual air of composure was nowhere to be seen.
He must have run all the way there, because sweat had even gathered on his forehead.
And the moment the door opened, he clung to me like a hapless protagonist running to a blue robotic raccoon and begging for help.
“Gasp, it's a disaster! The Sun Church's saintess! The saintess—eeek!”