## Chapter 562 – The Little Match Girl
The Saintess of Kadia practically crawled onto the desk, grabbing my pen-wielding hand and trying to force it toward the signature line. She was making such an unsightly spectacle just to get me to sign once…!
“I said I’ll read it first!!”
“Hmph, the Quasi-Priest has such thick hands. And calluses all over his fingers.”
“Are you trying to seduce me or something!”
Even amidst all that, I focused with every ounce of concentration I had and began reading the five-page contract.
The Saintess had written it herself.
Now that it was documented, it was clear that what was written here was the reality of the Paladin’s working conditions. I scrutinized each clause, wary that she might have secretly added something like a slave contract.
Of course, the Saintess of the Righteous Brass Celestial Angel Order wouldn’t have included such a clause. These otherworld religious figures all seem a little off their rocker, but fundamentally, they’re good and righteous.
They weren’t the type to exploit labor.
“I’ve written the working conditions to match what the Quasi-Priest mentioned as closely as possible. The terms are very good. There’s no need to worry about the salary either. I’d like to tell you that we’re initially setting the compensation for this matter at around 80 silver.”
“Hooray!”
80 silver!
Then the Paladin’s salary would be even higher!
“This is wonderful, Saintess!”
There was nothing particularly strange about the contract.
The working conditions were exactly as I had asked and as the Saintess had explained. She had simply documented what I had understood.
It was an exceptionally good deal.
And the contract period was guaranteed for several years, and the salary was incomparably higher than that of an adventurer. Furthermore, I would receive directives after consulting with the Saintess.
There was nothing problematic at all.
Frankly, I could just sign it as is. Still, I felt the need to add a few clauses before signing.
“Ah, Saintess, just a moment. I’d like to add a clause.”
“A clause, you say? Tell me about it.”
“Well, honestly, even if I do my best while working, there might be times when a task is simply impossible to accomplish.”
I was confident that I could handle most tasks, but there might be times when something was simply impossible to resolve. That was my concern.
“You don’t need to worry about that. I am well aware of the limits of human capabilities. I can’t just throw a talented individual like a direct Paladin at something that’s impossible to solve. I’m aware of that, so rest assured.”
She was a reasonable person after all.
“Still, it’s a job that lasts for several years, so there might be times when I end up taking on such a task. So, if I end up doing something like that, I’d like to make sure that even if I fail, I won’t be abandoned or penalized.”
Frankly, I didn’t want to be assigned tasks that were logically impossible while working as a Paladin. Of course, I knew they wouldn’t assign me such things.
But there were always exceptions, and I had my limits.
“That’s not a difficult request, then.”
The Saintess took the pen from me and added various clauses in her own handwriting, then took out her seal and stamped it in front of each item.
I requested that she add a few clauses that were somewhat favorable to me in that way, and the Saintess readily added them all.
She granted almost any request.
All the Saintess needed was my ability to solve problems. She seemed to think that there was no need to worry about trivial matters since she was just going to keep using me by paying me a lot of money, and she maintained a cool attitude.
“Aren’t you being too agreeable?”
“To be able to keep a talented individual like the Quasi-Priest under me and use him freely, these kinds of conditions are trivial. What I need is someone who is righteous, obedient, and capable. And trustworthy.”
As she spoke, she got off the desk, took out an identical contract from the drawer, added my requests to it as well, and stamped it.
It seemed this was a copy for me.
“If the Quasi-Priest does a good job, I can give you even greater favors. Let me ask you first, will the Quasi-Priest abandon his duties or act negligently if the work is a little difficult?”
“Absolutely not.”
If I was treated well and compensated accordingly, I would never betray them. That’s how I acted even when I was an adventurer.
I take responsibility for and complete the work I’ve agreed to do.
That’s what it means to get paid for doing a job.
“You’re going to treat me well and pay me well, so why would I do such a thing? And I have no intention of kicking away the social status of a Paladin.”
“I trust the Quasi-Priest’s character.”
I also trusted the Saintess of Kadia.
“If you’re satisfied, please sign it quickly.”
“Hehehe, I understand.”
I had carefully reviewed all the contracts and added the clauses I wanted. I smiled and wrote my name on the signature line. Well, who else can you trust in this other world besides religious figures?
The Saintess immediately folded the contract and tucked it between her breasts.
I signed the copy as well and made sure to take it.
“Now the Quasi-Priest cannot reverse his decision to become a Paladin.”
“I’ve decided to do it, so I won’t reverse it.”
“From now on, you will be working for the development of the doctrine and the peace of the world. Of course, I promise in the name of the Church that you will be compensated accordingly.”
“I promise to work hard as well. All the evil bastards should be buried.”
At that, the Saintess smiled softly and continued.
“Unless the Paladin, now Quasi-Priest, completely loses my trust, it can be said to be a lifetime contract. Of course, you are free to quit after completing the contract period.”
The fact that I could quit after completing the contract period was also in the contract. Of course, if the conditions were good, there would be no reason to quit.
“As soon as I return to the capital and submit the documents to the Pope, the Quasi-Priest will be qualified as a Paladin. Well, until then, you’ll still be a Quasi-Priest, so take a good rest. You’ll be busy once you become a Paladin.”
“Hehehe, I’m usually busy anyway, so it doesn’t really matter. But… Saintess, maybe you should put some clothes on.”
The Saintess was still half-naked.
Her sensual lines, overflowing with female hormones, were all exposed. Who would dare look at the Saintess’s bare skin? That would probably be a great sin.
The Saintess, upon receiving my comment, slowly began to put on the clothes she had taken off.
“Hmph, I left you to take off my clothes until I was in a precarious state, but the Quasi-Priest was too hasty to sign. Isn’t it a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity?”
The Saintess stared at me as she put on her clothes.
“To see the most beautiful Saintess in the kingdom like that… men would be ecstatic just thinking about it.”
“Saintess?”
“Well, if the Quasi-Priest wants, I can show you my underwear to boost morale as much as you want…”
“Oh, Saintess! Why do you like sexually harassing people so much!”
As expected, this woman had a sensibility that was on a different level from others…!
“Being burdened with so much work, teasing people has become my only hobby. The Quasi-Priest seems to be fun to tease.”
The Saintess, who had sat back down and crossed her legs, answered my astonished question with a faint smile.
“The position of Saintess leaves almost no personal time, so dissatisfaction is inevitable. So, the Quasi-Priest has to understand. I’ll be counting on you in the future.”
“What is this.”
Well, the Saintess is also a person, so it can happen.
“Still, threatening me while taking off your clothes was really too much.”
“Of course, it’s just a trivial joke. There’s no way I would actually do such an evil thing. I just wanted to tease you.”
“Hehehe, of course, but still.”
In the first place, there’s no way the Saintess would do anything strange to me.
It was just a joke.
“But wasn’t it fun? Of course, I can say that I had fun.”
“If it’s fun twice, the church will explode.”
Anyway, my direct superior was a rather strange person.
But there’s no problem because she’s fundamentally a good person. Above all, she said she would give me 80 silver as compensation for this job. She said she would give it to me after sending the Holy Knights and conducting a fact-finding investigation.
If you give me a lot of money, everyone is nice.
I have to come to the church again next time to get the money.
I sat there and chatted with the Saintess of Kadia for a while. Well, most of it was just in-depth questions about this matter. It was a little difficult, but it was okay because I had already coordinated everything with Winia.
“Take this.”
As we were talking, the Saintess suddenly took off the necklace she was wearing around her neck and handed it to me.
“A necklace? What is this?”
“It can be said to be a symbol of being my direct Paladin.”
“Huh! Something like that!”
It was a luxurious necklace decorated with the symbol of the Brass Celestial Angel Order. Above all, it was something the Saintess was wearing herself.
The value of this was beyond words…!
“It’s a necklace with my name engraved on it. Wherever you go, if you show it to the members of our church, you can prove that you are a Paladin.”
“Isn’t this super expensive!”
“Of course, you will be punished if you lose it.”
“I will cherish it! But why are you giving me something like this already?”
I quickly took the necklace and put it around my neck. This was the kind of thing that would screw me over the moment I lost it. Of course, it’s a non-exchangeable item, so I can’t sell it anywhere.
“Aren’t we already bound by trust? To emphasize one last time, if you work under me, you can enjoy wealth and glory as much as you want.”
The Saintess emphasized wealth and glory.
She was saying that knowing my personality, which is obsessed with wealth.
“There’s nothing more attractive than solving a difficult problem with just a few coins. Of course, that’s a few coins from the church’s perspective. It’s definitely a lot of money for the Quasi-Priest.”
“I understand clearly.”
I already knew that and signed the contract.
“Loyalty comes from wealth. I want to buy the Quasi-Priest’s loyalty with wealth and personal friendship.”
Loyalty, huh.
The Saintess, who had crossed her legs to the other side, said as she took out a cigarette.
“…It’s impossible for me to receive loyalty from the members of our church.”
“Huh?”
What is this sound?
“What are you talking about? The Saintess can’t receive loyalty?”
It was an incomprehensible statement.
“The Holy Knights, whose faith has reached its limit, are only loyal to the god Verde. The same goes for the priests and nuns. They only admire and respect me to the highest degree, but they never give me their loyalty.”
“Oh… I think that’s right.”
The Holy Knights are loyal to God, not to people.
The same was true of the Saintess.
“Do you remember the story of the Holy Knights beating the heretics they were escorting to death?”
“Of course, I remember.”
“I ordered them to capture them alive, but that’s what happened. That’s why it’s hard to use the Holy Knights. They prioritize doctrine over orders.”
It’s certainly good to beat heretics to death on the spot, but it’s difficult to carry out other orders.
So, is that why the Saintess of Kadia needs a direct Paladin who hasn’t converted, a type of soldier separate from the Holy Knights?
“With that method, it’s impossible to inflict a decisive blow on evil beings. That’s why, from now on, the Quasi-Priest will be doing that kind of work under my orders. The Quasi-Priest is rational, so I think I can use him very well.”
An existence that prioritizes the Saintess’s orders over doctrine.
It will definitely be easy to use.
That’s why the Saintess didn’t ask me to convert. If I converted, the same problem as the Holy Knights would arise.
“Hehehe, I’ve already decided to be loyal to the Saintess. Even if I hate evil beings, I think we should use them if we can.”
“That’s it, Quasi-Priest.”
The corners of the Saintess’s mouth went up. She seemed satisfied with my answer.
I am the only Paladin directly under the Saintess. If she finds someone similar to me, the number might increase, but for now, it’s just me.
Then I can definitely receive that much treatment.
“Let’s work hard in the future, Quasi-Priest. No. Paladin Kat.”
“Hehehe, of course.”
And in the first place, she’s not someone who orders me to do bad things. The work that the Saintess of Kadia orders is all information gathering or destruction to more effectively destroy evil beings.
I get paid, build my skills, build my reputation, and do good deeds at the same time.
If there’s a divine job, this is it.
Wait, when you think about it, it is a divine job.
“Then I’ll go back now. You said you’d give me the reward next time, so I’ll come back to see you around that time. Take care.”
“Rest well.”
And so, I left the church.
