Chapter 13 – 13 – Uneasy Companionship
Porter. Warrior. A fighter. And a healer. ‘Aptitude’ is as varied in performance as it is in type.
For example, in the case of the [Healer] Aptitude, which is commonly passed down to believers from birth, there is a wide spectrum, from a person who is all about stopping nosebleeds to a saint who can open the eyes of the blind.
And Sister Monica… Is quite special among them.
I have encountered many parties while working as a porter, but I have never seen anyone who can compare to Sister Monica when it comes to his healing powers. So much so that I wonder who the god they serve is.
When I was young, I was running around the mountains with Thena, and when I slipped down the mountainside and broke my leg, I only cried because I was in pain, not because I was scared. All I had to do was have Thena carry me and go visit Sister, and in less than an hour she was running around as energetically as if something had happened.
“It was a good time.”
Sister Monica and I giggled and laughed. When I see a smile as clean and good as spring water, it seems to heal itself.
Eshen glanced behind his back. A slightly uneasy look in their eyes as they stare at us who share a common ground.
“Aren’t you supposed to be taking care of patients at the camp, sister?”
“There are no emergency patients right now, and there are healers besides me. I guess sending me means that you will definitely promote Eshen, right? Isn’t that what everyone wants to help?”
At Sister’s words, which were overflowing with good intentions, Eshen’s expression turned dark.
I followed Eshen, lowered my head and whispered.
“What’s the matter?”
“He’s someone I feel safe seeing at camp, but he’s not someone I want to see on the battlefield.”
“So why?”
“There’s an Orc idiot in our party who is an A-class combatant. He went on an S-class mission last time to catch Salamander.”
Salamander. A salamander-like monster with fire rising from its entire body. The bigger it is, the bigger the problem becomes, and if the danger level is S level, it would probably be the size of a building.
Holy shit. I once again realized that I had entered a front-line party where Paksegi was indescribable.
“They said they fought head-on while being healed. Their bodies were burned in the fire over and over again.”
“What?”
“The joint operation set up by several parties was discovered and we had to retreat, but the orc charged in alone, saying that a glorious death was waiting for me. However, Monica followed behind, and the orc with his whole body on fire hit the Salamander’s skull. “They said he healed until he dug it up.”
…I’ve heard that too. There is a rumor that a crazy orc attacked a Salamander and walked out alive from the monster’s fiery corpse.
That story is true, and the main character was a female orc from our special-what-was-the-annihilation party.
In my head, I adjusted Sister Monica’s evaluation upward. Even if I, who was playing in the mountains, fell off her neck and died, she was the one who would save her.
I think I understand why the church called me and I had to leave. Our mountain valley was too narrow to contain Him.
“She was burned dozens of times and walked away unscathed, earning her the great nickname ‘the poisonous bitch who survived the fire.’ She was put in a position to aim for promotion to elite combatant. Of course, the really amazing one was Monica. At the party. “It looks like he’s determined to push me to become a top fighter.”
“I didn’t know her healing powers were that powerful… But isn’t that a good thing?”
“If there were grades for healers, Monica would also be a top grade.”
Eshen grunted.
“But if you bring in someone like that and succeed in the mission, doesn’t that seem like foul play?”
I looked at Eshen in bewilderment.
Eshen muttered as if he was embarrassed. No matter how difficult it is to become certified as a special combatant in a short period of time, if Sister Monica follows you, you will be taking about a hundred more lives, so it feels like cheating.
I shook my head. Are all Tigris like this?
“You sound like you’re full. Really. So the mission to catch the troll with me was a fake success? Are you going to return to your hometown without getting promoted?”
“Not really.”
Eshen rolls his eyes.
Something is strange. Didn’t you do that last night? You want to get promoted even if it means licking the bottom of the shoes of the monster you are going to hunt?
“I’m a little worried that something might happen to Monica if I botch the mission. There are a lot of combatants even without me, but Monica is a key member of our party.”
It makes sense to be worried for such a powerful healer, but I don’t understand why he’s suddenly acting so lack of confidence.
···It also feels like I’m making something up on purpose.
“What are you talking about?”
Sister Monica, who was walking briskly, stuck her head out next to us.
At that moment, Mount Tai shook. It feels like a compression bandage or something was wrapped under my clothes to keep me from walking for a long time, but the throbbing feels even heavier.
I tried to pretend not to notice.
“It’s not much. Eshen says he’s a little nervous about the promotion.”
“Oh, don’t be nervous, Eshen. It might help you calm down, so why don’t we pray together?”
Eshen, who had flinched at Sister Monica’s overwhelming weight, shook her head with a slightly reluctant expression.
“It’s not a bad idea to receive it. If you’re worried because you don’t know the sister’s denomination, there’s no need to be. I also received a lot of ordination prayers when I was young.”
“I prayed every day that he would grow up to be an upright child. In the end, it happened.”
Sister Monica looked at me again and smiled. I laughed along and tried not to look down at my chest.
Wake up, Tan Bantai. Even though we are not blood related, they are like family.
Eshen tugged on my arm, looking a little anxious.
“Hey, porter. Didn’t you say we were going to catch something?”
“Stop.”
“Stop doing something.”
“Our mission is to track down the unidentified demon that haunts Vitserk. How many times have you seen the request, how can you not remember it? Are you doing it on purpose? Are you jealous?”
Eshen tried to keep a straight face, but his tail was bent at a right angle out of tension and frustration.
I guess I hit the nail on the head. It’s funny how you can’t hide your thoughts.
“Is it because you and I are too close? I’m sorry, but I feel like I’m taking you away from me, so I can’t help but feel angry. I’ve known you longer than the rest of your party.”
“···?”
“You may be a colleague, but to me, you are like a sister or mother. Give it up to me today. If you feel unfair, in the next life, you can become a person from the same hometown as us.”
Eshen blinked her eyes as if a little embarrassed, then burst into laughter. Not knowing what he meant, I responded with a hearty laugh.
Ashen’s laughter grew bigger and bigger, he muttered as he wiped his eyes that were watering from laughing too much.
“Ada bastard…”
“···What?”
“You guys are doing well. Unless you are treating the rest of the expedition members as handmaids for promotion, how can you be giggling like that?”
Just as I was about to argue with Eshen, a cold voice came from the procession behind me.
It’s not a voice I’ve ever heard in the campground. So that means they are from a different party.
Now in this procession, members from various parties are mixed together. The demons that had to be hunted were so clever and strong, and their identities were unclear, that the Hero Party Alliance decided that a joint operation was necessary.
So, we shouldn’t have built up resentment against each other before then…
Eshen must have thought that too, as he frowned.
“What? Why are you fucking with us?”
As the saying goes, it is a pointless quarrel. The various party members scattered throughout the procession were all chatting happily. The Hero Party is not a regular army that requires modesty.
If so, there is a possibility that they were specifically targeting us.
Eshen’s promotion test is also important for the entire party. A combatant with a special certification is the same as a quality certificate for the party. The more skilled experts there are, not only in terms of reputation but also in the field, the better.
But our party is not the only one caught up in this dangerous mission. If there is someone scheduled to be judged in an important fight, there are bound to be other party members who feel uncomfortable.
That’s selfish. People from your own party will also take the promotion test at some point, and you will often have to keep up with and fight against people from other parties.
“Monster hunting is rough and difficult work. I can understand that camaraderie can sprout between women, which is hard to find in such a world. But you seem to be forgetting the seriousness of the matter.”
But even for that, the argument is too much. I looked back.
A paladin wearing very thick and hot-looking heavy armor was glaring at us as if threatening. On his back hangs a cross hammer and on his forehead hangs the sun of the sun god Mithras.
He is a Holy Knight from the most powerful and wealthy church. This is someone I wouldn’t normally make eye contact with.
However, Eshen made eye contact with the Paladin and then grinned.
“It’s none of my business what you say, so just keep talking.”
“What?”
“Now that I’m in a tolerant mood, I can listen to whatever bullshit they say. I just realized that I made a huge misunderstanding with my friends.”
“What on earth are you talking about, an unknown race of people? Have you lost your sense of reality while hanging out with a party of girls?”
The derogatory intonation contained in the term ‘different race’. Eshen took his hands out of his pockets.
I guess saying I would listen to nonsense didn’t mean I wouldn’t talk back. Eshen tried to shoot something with a grumpy expression.
I quietly advised Eshen to quietly turn his head. Eshen started to get annoyed.
“아, 왜? 좆밥새끼가 자기도 계집년이면서 여자니 뭐니 꼴받게 하잖아.”
…Was that heavy armor a woman? No, more than that.
“It doesn’t matter whether that paladin is a girl or a boy. The sister is shaking.”
I whispered softly as I glared at Eshen.
Sister Monica, with her mouth tightly shut, was shaking like a tree branch in the wind. Probably because of that paladin. He’s a kind but strong person, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen him like this.
Eshen saw the sister shaking with her head down and her eyes twitched.
“모니카 언니, 저년 알아요? 혹시 옛날에 저 새끼가 무슨 나쁜 짓이라도 한 거냐고요?”
If it’s true, Eshen’s expression looks like he’s going to turn around and immediately kill someone. But Monica shook her head.
“I don’t know anyone.”
“It sounds like you know someone, sister.”
“Thank you for your concern, Eshen. It’s my… Personal problem.”
“···Tell me later. I can take care of that bastard in a place where no one can see.”
“I’ll be grateful, Eshen. But it’s not what you think. Just go.”
Eshen nodded her head and turned away from the paladin. Whether insults fly behind her back or not.
“Yes, just keep quiet. The one who gets achievements and gets promoted will be the one who takes this job more seriously!”
Looks like they also went through a promotion review for this mission. It seems like they are fighting in advance for fear of being pushed out in the merit evaluation. I guess it means don’t touch your prey.
In a situation where an argument is raised against such a crazy bastard, Eshen is honestly incredibly trustworthy. Just being on this side gives me a sense of weight.
I secretly covered the sister’s trembling body with my back. So as not to be seen from behind. I did this the entire time I reached the entrance to the port city of Lagertha and boarded the ship.
As soon as she entered the ship’s cabin, Sister Monica sat down with tears in her eyes.
Damn Paladin. Get bitten by a devil while hunting.
———-
When we arrived at La Gersa, we boarded the ship. Because the road to the destination, Bitserk, was over the sea.
The cold sea breeze seeping through the wood grain of the cabin whispers to our skin that we are heading north.
However, the words that Sister Monica opened her mouth and spoke with difficulty were colder than the air of the North Sea.
“Massacre?”
