I Became the Tyrant of a Defense Game [EN]: Chapter 434

Serenade adjusted the glasses perched on her nose and read the document.

“Name: Zenis. Age: 38. An Inquisitor from the Central Order of the Goddess Church.”

This was the Crossroads branch of the Winter Silver Merchant Guild.

Just yesterday, after seeing off the Mermaid King, I had asked Serenade to look into Zenis’s background.

And now, Serenade had gathered the information in just one day and was telling me about it. Since switching her main business to information trading, she had become incredibly fast.

I tilted my head.

“Inquisitor…? Does the Goddess Church even do that kind of thing?”

“No, the Goddess Church is the state religion of the Empire, but they don’t usually discriminate against other religions… This ‘Inquisitor’ title means they’re a combatant.”

The title sounded brutal, but it just meant they were a fighter within the church.

“Every organization needs to use force sometimes.”

“Is she any good?”

“She was registered as an Inquisitor at the age of eighteen, and in the twenty years since, she hasn’t failed a single mission. She’s also achieved results as a healing priest.”

“Isn’t that quite the elite? Why was she dispatched to such a remote place?”

My suspicion deepened.

With the imperial succession battle happening in the capital, and the conflict between me and Fernandez becoming more apparent, if the new priest dispatched from the Central Order was this elite…

‘Isn’t she Fernandez’s dog?’

Then, Serenade hesitated and read the next piece of information.

“But… she was given a punishment close to excommunication.”

“Huh? Excommunication?”

“Yes, she wasn’t fully excommunicated because of her past achievements, but her rank was demoted to a common priest, and she was sentenced to serve for the rest of her life…”

“…”

“Her assignment to Crossroads this time is likely an extension of that punishment… according to my analysis.”

I blinked in confusion and asked again.

“What on earth did she do?”

“Well, that’s…”

Serenade hesitated, then blushed slightly as she answered.

“While dispatched overseas for missionary work, she… ended up getting the princess of that country pregnant.”

“…”

Priests of the Goddess Church are generally allowed to marry.

But this was a different matter. A priest dispatched for missionary work had fallen in love with a foreign princess… and even got her pregnant.

This incident wasn’t just a problem for the Goddess Church, but it escalated into a diplomatic issue between the Empire and that country…

After hearing the whole story, I thought.

‘Is she crazy?’

At this point, I was honestly impressed. She was someone who caused trouble in a big way.

Serenade continued her explanation.

“That incident happened ten years ago, and for the past ten years, she’s been moving from one remote area to another as a common priest, shunned by the church. This time, she’s only acting as a temporary priest; her actual rank is still that of a common priest.”

“…And, the princess who got pregnant?”

“She gave birth to the child, but her health deteriorated shortly after… and she passed away.”

Oh, dear.

I shook my head slightly and gestured with my chin.

“Anyway, enough about her past incidents… What’s the probability that this person is a spy for Fernandez?”

“I think it’s very high.”

Serenade nodded seriously.

“Given the timing, it’s too coincidental. It’s best to assume she’s an enemy.”

“…”

“Our counter-intelligence network hasn’t detected any other spies. It’s strangely quiet, but then suddenly someone dispatched from the Central Order arrives…”

It would be foolish not to be wary.

Besides, the Goddess Church had been using priests as spies since long ago.

“Keep a close eye on her. Always be vigilant.”

I praised Serenade for her hard work and stood up, smiling.

“Well, whether she’s a spy or not… we can just work her to death on the battlefield, right?”

Zenis, as confirmed through the system, was an SSR-grade hero and possessed skills to heal allies on the field.

‘Use her if she’s a spy, use her if she’s not.’

Either way, she would be thoroughly exploited.

Just like Margherita.

“…”

I suddenly missed Margherita.

She hadn’t caused any huge incidents like Zenis, but she came to this remote area simply because she was assigned here, and she worked tirelessly to heal people…

‘Zenis, it’s nothing personal.’

I smiled bitterly.

‘The shadow cast by your predecessor is too large.’

Even if Zenis wasn’t a spy and was just a devout priest, she would inevitably be compared to Margherita.

Under the shadow of a great predecessor, how would the new priest show her worth?

That was something to watch from now on.

***

“Ah, a bath feels so good~”

Humming a tune, Zenis came out of the bathroom inside the temple.

“Wow, it’s been so long since I’ve washed myself so thoroughly. I’m glad Crossroads has good water.”

Even though she had washed her hair and shaved, Zenis couldn’t hide her middle-aged aura.

The towel around her neck, her hunched back, her swaggering gait.

And above all, the lingering smell of cigarettes that wouldn’t wash off…

Wearing only shorts and a worn-out shirt, Zenis was heading back to her room when she encountered Torkel, who was cleaning.

Torkel had just finished cleaning the hallway and was moving with his cleaning tools to clean the bathroom.

Zenis waved her hand cheerfully.

“You’re working hard~! Oh, so you’re… a temple employee?”

“…I’m Torkel. A volunteer.”

Torkel adjusted his mop and pointed to the path Zenis had walked.

“Please wipe off the water before coming out in the future, Priest Zenis.”

“Huh? Oh? Oh, my.”

Zenis turned around and smacked her head.

There were water marks on the temple hallway, following her footsteps. It was because her slippers were wet.

“Ah~ sorry about that. I’m a bit careless.”

“…”

Torkel silently wiped the hallway and headed to the bathroom, passing Zenis. Zenis scratched her chin awkwardly.

“Am I being watched? Hmm.”

Zenis sighed and took out a cigarette and matches from her pocket.

“I’m used to being treated like an outsider wherever I go, but it still makes this old man a little sad…”

Zenis muttered, put a cigarette in her mouth, and was about to light a match when-

*Chik.*

Torkel, who had returned unnoticed, grabbed the end of the match with his bare hand and extinguished the flame.

Zenis blinked in surprise, and Torkel said heavily.

“Smoking is prohibited inside the temple.”

“…Ah. Right. I forgot. I’ll have to smoke outside.”

Zenis hurriedly stuffed the cigarette back into her pocket and pointed at Torkel’s hand.

“But, is your finger okay? Didn’t you just get burned?”

“…”

“Let me see. I’m a priest, after all, I know a thing or two about healing magic.”

Torkel stepped back and replied in a low voice.

“I am a leper.”

“Ah.”

“A burn like that doesn’t hurt. Don’t worry about it.”

Torkel bowed his head and strode towards the bathroom again.

Zenis, with her hands in her pockets, watched Torkel silently, then suddenly shouted.

“Hey, lost lamb!”

“…?”

Torkel, confused by the unfamiliar address, slowly pointed at himself.

“Me… are you talking to me?”

“Then who else is lost around here?”

“…Lost?”

Zenis grinned at the bewildered Torkel.

“You seem to have a lot of worries in your heart. If you need someone to talk to, come find me. Hearing confessions is part of a priest’s job.”

“…”

“Well then, keep up the good work with the cleaning~”

Zenis waved her hand and walked down the hallway.

Still leaving water marks under her slippers.

“…”

As Torkel sighed inwardly, watching her back,

*Bang!*

The temple’s front door was thrown open roughly, and Bodybag rushed in with a desperate look on his face. Bodybag gasped for breath and shouted.

“Haa! Haa! Priest! Is there any priest here?! It’s an emergency!”

Unfortunately, the Crossroads temple was currently suffering from a severe manpower shortage, and all the other priests had gone out on house calls. Damian was also away.

The only priest present was Zenis.

Zenis, sensing the urgency, stepped forward and asked Bodybag.

“What’s the matter?”

“Haa! Haa! Lily… suddenly got sick!”

“Okay, little elf friend. I don’t know who Lily is, or where she’s hurting. If you tell me her details and where she’s hurting, it’ll be helpful, okay?”

Bodybag, realizing what Zenis said, stammered.

“Lily is pregnant! And she suddenly complained of abdominal pain…”

“That’s right. From now on, say it like that. Where is she now?”

“At the alchemist’s workshop!”

“Unfortunately, even if you tell me the location, I don’t know where it is. Can you guide me…”

But Bodybag was so out of breath from running that he could barely speak. Zenis shook her head slightly.

“Never mind. Elf friend, you catch your breath here… Ah, you, volunteer friend!”

Zenis gestured, and Torkel pointed at himself, looking confused. Zenis nodded.

“Guide me there. It’s urgent, now!”

***

Alchemist’s workshop. Lily’s private room.

“Ugh, ugh… !”

Lily was clutching her swollen belly, writhing in pain.

Beside Lily, Burnout and the other alchemists were at a loss, trying to care for her.

“Alright, make way! Make way! The priest has arrived!”

Pushing through the crowd, Zenis and Torkel, who had just arrived, entered the room.

“What’s the big fuss? The patient is in pain, don’t make it so noisy, everyone get out for now!”

Zenis shouted and pushed the alchemists away.

Only Lily, Zenis, and Burnout and Torkel, who were there in case they were needed, remained in the room.

Zenis carefully examined Lily’s belly and asked.

“How many months pregnant are you?”

“A little over… 8 months.”

“What about the father?”

“He’s dead…”

Lily bit her lip and corrected herself.

“…No, he’s missing.”

“Huh, what a coincidence. The mother of my child also left after giving birth.”

Zenis placed her hand on Lily’s belly and smiled, channeling divine power into her.

“I have a lot of tips to give as a single dad to a single mom, but anyway, I’ll ask again. What is the father’s race?”

Lily, finally understanding the question, answered with difficulty.

“…He’s an elf.”

“I figured. This is a common labor pain when a mixed-race child is conceived between different races… commonly called a mixed-blood pain.”

Zenis shrugged playfully.

“You’ll be in pain periodically until the baby is born. It’s hard enough being pregnant, but having this unknown pain on top of it must be awful. It’s terrible, right? Giving birth is hard.”

…Is she making fun of me?

Lily looked at her with a dumbfounded expression, and Zenis took her hand away.

“But, ta-da! Our teacher Zenis has treated this mixed-blood pain before. So, I can make it better like magic.”

“Huh? Better? What do you mean…”

Lily blinked before she could finish her sentence.

It was true. The pain in her belly had lessened as if by magic.

“Mixed-race babies have a high magical sensitivity, so they often over-concentrate magic. The problem is that it interferes with the mother’s magic circuit, which causes a lot of pain. You just need to gently release it.”

“Ah…”

“Babies usually can’t control their power well. Judging by how much pain you’re in, the baby must have quite a bit of magical talent? Congratulations in advance.”

“…Th-thank you?”

Lily cautiously sat up, looking bewildered. Zenis continued.

“This will happen every 1-2 weeks, so don’t hold back if your belly hurts, just call me. I’ll teach you a breathing technique, so try this whenever your belly hurts. Okay, breathe in…”

Zenis covered Lily’s belly with a cloth and taught her the breathing technique.

After watching Lily follow along a few times, Zenis stood up.

“Okay, that’s it for today! Everyone, disperse~!”

Zenis threw open the door and told the alchemists, who were waiting outside with worried faces, that ‘the situation is over!’ Then, she turned to Lily.

“Come to think of it, I haven’t introduced myself. I’m Zenis, the new priest of Crossroads. I guess we’ll be seeing each other often, Lily.”

“Ah… It’s nice to meet you.”

“I should be the one saying that. Let’s do our best until the baby is born!”

Zenis made a fist and shouted, ‘You can do it!’ Then, she turned to Torkel.

“Let’s go back now, Torkel. You still have cleaning to do. And I… need to find a corner to sneak off and finish my cigarette.”

“…”

Torkel looked at Zenis with a new perspective.

He didn’t know much about her as a person, but at least her skills as a healing priest… didn’t seem bad.

“A single mom who can’t use her legs, giving birth to a mixed-race child…”

Zenis clicked her tongue as she left the alchemist’s workshop.

“That young lady has a hard road ahead of her.”