C85
Everyone's attention focused on Doha's sudden behavior. They all seemed to eagerly await what would come out of Garren's mouth as he looked on with interesting eyes. However, it was Lariette who unexpectedly broke the silence.
"Crazy!"
Again, in a very loud voice, she shouted again.
"You're crazy!" Lariette shouted for the guild to hear.
Her eyes were filled with astonishment, and her lips trembled as if she couldn't believe the situation, or as if she didn't want to believe it.
"What's wrong with a man cutting his hair? He still looks like a girl."
"Honey, if you don't know, just be quiet."
A couple who were observing the situation inside the guild showed a reaction opposite to Lariette's despair. The husband shrugged, while his wife nodded, saying she understood the feelings of loss. Doha's long silver hair was so beautiful and perfectly complemented his face. It was as if that hairstyle existed only for him.
"But you cut your hair so easily!"
Lariette clenched her fists and trembled. It was less painful to have her head cut off.
"What's the big deal? Isn't it cool?" Doha tilted his head as if it was nothing.
No matter what hair he had, he was sure it would be beautiful. After hastily cutting it, he now had an ambiguous length. It was a style that would be ridiculed if anyone else did it. However, because it was Doha, it was different.
"It's cool... but."
Lariette admitted that it was cool, but it was also incredible. She never imagined a man could rock such short hair. The silver strands moving at the back of his neck made him look fiery. Still, it was regrettable.
"Doha's charming point is his long hair! What a waste."
"My charming point is my face, miss."
"That's true..." as Doha smiled with a beautiful face, Lariette unknowingly nodded.
Even Doha with short hair was so pretty that she was immediately convinced.
"I was referring to the woman's hair."
Garren intervened with a trembling voice. When they were in front of him, they fell into their own world.
"You said you loved beautiful and shiny things, don't you find hers more beautiful and shiny?"
"That's right." Doha laughed bitterly for trying to convince him, but there was no need to persuade him; Garren easily relented.
It was because the hair he was given was too beautiful to reject without any reason. Lariette was subtly upset that her hair had lost to Doha's, but she soon accepted it. This allowed them to join Garren's expedition, and the other applicants left without hiding their disappointment. Only the approved applicants remained in the guild. Garren began to explain, standing in the middle of the building.
"First of all, let me introduce you to my expedition. I am Garren Madesia, a class B mercenary from the West, where they have the most monsters around. And these are Gregory and Daniel, both class C mercenaries."
The two burly-looking mercenaries nodded their heads and greeted. Lariette also nodded her head and greeted.
"This is Bluff, a mage who can use basic elements and is quite good at it. He is the number one contributor to protection by forming a shield."
"Good morning, nice to meet you."
The young brown-haired mage greeted them with a shy smile as if he was a little embarrassed. It was a good overall impression.
"Lastly, this is Augustine. It's his first time with us. He is a layman from Alteon, the capital. There's no need to worry as we have verified that he is a priest."
Doha shuddered at the explanation. It was someone he hadn't seen before, but it seemed like he entered after the commotion had ended. Fortunately, he didn't seem to know 'Mikhail Doha Bellion' as there was no change in expression after seeing Doha.
"Wow, he seems really arrogant."
Lariette looked at the priest and thought without understanding. The new priest named Augustine slicked back his gray hair, had slanted eyes, and thin lips. In other words, the impression looked very brazen.
"No, no! You shouldn't judge by appearances, that's rude!"
Lariette blamed herself for evaluating others' faces as she shook her head slightly. That person hadn't done anything to her, it would be impolite to think negatively.
"I am Augustine. I now belong to Deauville, but I used to be in the capital, Alteon."
Lariette smiled kindly and looked at Augustine. He was from the capital, and if he was a layman, she thought maybe he might be familiar with Doha. But as Augustine continued, the smile on her face disappeared.
"It's an honor to be called by the layman of Alteon, take care of me well," Augustine lifted his chin and looked at Lariette.
It seemed like he was trying to flirt with her.
"I don't know why you're doing this..."
"...Alright, make your introductions briefly as well. We'll be moving together for a few days, so we need to know the basics."
Garren became a little bored.
"They all look like that, these priests."
It was he who sighed briefly in his heart. The other applicants started the introductions first, there was nothing special, one was a tourist and two were merchants. It didn't take long until it was Lariette and Doha's turn.
"I'm Rie, 22 years old, and I'm a merchant. I hope for your kind cooperation."
"Doha. 26 years old, Rie's husband."
Doha took Lariette in his arms as if he didn't think twice about it. She, who had agreed to let him speak like that, didn't expect that behavior and stiffened her body. She was determined to reprimand him later, but in a more moderate way. Bluff, the mage, opened his mouth to greet. However, there was someone who spoke before him, and it was Augustine.
"Ugh, there are two groups of filthy merchants, I hope they don't get hurt," he sneered. "Because I don't want to have any contact with you at all," Augustine added, clicking his tongue.
And it was only then that Lariette realized.
"People are different."
It also meant that she would have a few unpleasant days with him.
------------------
Hours later, Lariette and Doha finally passed through the checkpoint and left Fusian after hearing a warning from Garren about the expedition. The total number of expeditions that could depart at the same time was five. Often, when the routes overlapped, the two groups would travel together. Unfortunately, this time, there was no group heading in the same direction as Garren's expedition. The other expeditions that started together soon departed.
"Are we going to Deauville?"
"Huh, are you looking forward to it? Your eyes are sparkling."
"Of course, it's the only holy city in the empire!" Lariette exclaimed with an embarrassed voice.
The appearance of her bright eyes and clasped hands was cute. Deauville was the only holy city in the entire empire and had produced numerous Popes. There was a larger temple than the one in the capital, and it was said that the current Pope spent his youth there. It was also the final city for those aspiring to become high priests.
Doha had also visited Deauville once formally before becoming a high priest. Back then, he was already tired of the overly glamorous and flashy doctrines of the temple, so he wasn't impressed with the city. He was only distressed and disgusted by the fact that his mother lived far away. However, for Lariette, who was born and raised in the capital, encountering the doctrines of Alteon, Deauville was a place she wanted to visit once. She wanted to see with her own eyes the sacred beauty, even though she wasn't a believer.
"You should feel honored. If it weren't for me and the help of the temple, you wouldn't have set foot in Deauville," Augustine said with an arrogant look.
Less than an hour had passed since they started the journey together, but it seemed like she had already heard that 'you should be honored' ten times.
"Yes, if it weren't for my help, the noble holy city would have been left without resources."
"You're a rude mercenary...!"
Garren lightly ignored Augustine's outbursts. From his perspective, it was amusing to appreciate Deauville's help. There was a reason for sending priests from Deauville. The recent increase in monsters had blocked the roads leading to Deauville, and the isolated cities were gradually running out of resources. In other words, they secured resources by sending priests to assist the traders and travelers coming and going.
Temples, traders, and mercenaries were "beneficial for everyone." Perhaps he didn't know, but Augustine behaved as if he were a king. In fact, not only Augustine, but most of the priests sent to Fusian behaved similarly. This was because the status of priests in the empire was as high as that of a noble.
"Lady Rie, would you like some water?" Bluff, the mage, approached and suggested to Lariette.
He seemed to regret seeing a slender woman like her walk for over 30 minutes. In fact, it wasn't that difficult, as she trained with Doha and experienced farming, her physical strength seemed to be increasing. Still, she was thirsty, so Lariette didn't refuse.
"Oh, thank you."
"It's nothing, hahaha..." Bluff laughed shyly and created the water.
He knew Lariette was tired, but he had never seen such a beautiful and elegant woman before, so he was excited. Doha slowly frowned as he saw it. He was about to approach her, thinking, "I can't let him have a second."
Augustine's angry voice resonated.
"What are you doing?!"
"Yes? Yes? What...?"
When Augustine approached grumpily, Bluff was surprised and spilled the water he had created. Nonetheless, he was a mage, and Augustine showed respect towards Bluff.
"Why waste mana just to give water to a lowly merchant bitch?! We still have a long way to go, but he didn't save any!"
...
"Why are you so stupid?" Augustine added, pointing his finger.
Bluff was simply absurd. While it was Augustine's first expedition, he himself had traveled the path countless times. As a mage, mana manipulation was as natural as breathing, and if it came to the magic of creating water, it was not too much for him. He was thinking of offering an explanation but fell silent under Garren's gaze. It was because he knew there was no point in refuting the priest; it was better to apologize and move on. But that was Bluff's position, and Lariette and Doha's position was a different matter.
"What?"
Without hesitation, Doha's hand grabbed Augustine by the collar. Augustine squirmed and struggled, but the difference in power was so great that Doha's arm didn't even budge.
"Merchant bitch?"
Whatever he said, it didn't anger him. There was nothing for him to be angry about, yet grabbing him by the collar was enough. But when Lariette was insulted by such a low-level priest, uncontrollable anger surged within him. In that situation, he wanted to kill him immediately, no matter what.
No, he wanted to cause him more pain than death, so he would beg for death.
"Hey! Calm down!"
"Without a priest, the expedition is over!"
The mercenaries approached and restrained Doha. Despite his elegant appearance, his muscles were strong, and his strength was great, so it wasn't easy to separate him, even if several people hurriedly intervened.
"Cough! Cack, cack!"
"Doha!" Lariette called out to Doha in a way that felt like she was going to die.
He didn't listen to the mercenaries when they held him back, but when he heard Lariette's voice, Doha gently relaxed his hands.
"There's no other owner you listen to."
Garren watched closely as Doha was scolded by Lariette. He was the one who pitifully bowed his head, but the air was still tense. Even Garren was breathless enough.
"No, he's not a puppy; he's a criminal."
Despite having just acted out in excitement, the strength and energy he had just displayed were extraordinary. Garren was certain that there was something the group was hiding. Well, he didn't care, though.
"This vulgar, merchant son of a bitch!"
"If you want to be strangled again by a vulgar merchant, go ahead," Doha responded with a relaxed smile.
Of course, then his waist was struck by Lariette's elbow. Even Lariette whispered something awful to him:
"Let's go."
Augustine clenched his fists in an atmosphere where no one was concerned about him. The priest, who had personally accompanied him, seemed to laugh at him without thanking him.
"It's because of you...!" Augustine couldn't bear his anger and tried to follow them.
But even before he could get to his feet, an incident occurred.
"Everyone, focus!"
Garren's loud voice startled Lariette. Before they knew it, all the mercenaries and mages were ready for battle.
"What...?"
"Stand behind me, Rie," Doha, who had understood the situation a while ago, naturally made Lariette step back.
Only then did Lariette tap into her mana and looked around. And soon she spotted a very peculiar sign. Too big and strange to be a human.
"It's a monster!"
Along with Garren's horse, giant monsters emerged from among the trees.
Tags:
ITDHL (Novel)