76. Back Alley
Rattle-
The sound of vibration hitting the lower back.
When I opened my eyes, it was already dark outside the carriage.
Rattle-
The vibrations continued.
I shake constantly and hit my lower back and lower body.
I could tell just from this.
An unorganized road that you can feel with your body even without looking closely at the outside.
The darkest place of the empire.
That we were getting closer to the back alley.
I stuck my head outside and realized the atmosphere of the back alley that I had only seen through the monitor.
The first thing that caught my eye was,
A fire that brightens the night.
These were bonfires that lit up the streets in the most primitive way, not the mana lights found in every city in the empire.
Firewood crackling and burning,
Meanwhile, the residents of the back alley gathered together.
Someone is drinking cheap alcohol,
Someone else is playing cards with the person next to them.
Some people just looked at the bonfire with blank eyes.
Even though the clothes they are wearing are worn by the sun, they appear to be shabby.
A smile on the lips and a bit of composure in the eyes.
Although this back alley looks like a ‘dirty neighborhood where people can’t live well,’ they did not make it into a devil’s den where ‘if they get it wrong, they will eat each other.’
It is probably thanks to the support from the denomination.
In no time, the carriage passed by them.
They gathered around the bonfire and glanced at the carriage.
“You’re having a hard time at night, Mr. Priest!”
Smiling even more and shaking the bottle.
He was also waving his hand.
As I moved, the driver who was driving the horse in front looked back and lowered his head.
“Oh, priest. Are you awake?”
“Ah, yes.”
“I’m sorry about this. Even though I try to drive you as slowly as possible, the road is like this so I can’t help but shake.”
The reason you call me priest is,
Although I am wearing a black plain uniform.
The presence of a wagon following behind the wagon I was riding in also camouflaged my identity.
All the daily necessities loaded on the cart were purchased with my own money.
Bread and water. Clothes you can wear, etc.
We changed carriages midway and emptied the entire village store to stock up on supplies.
It took a day and a half, but they were essential to enter this place without suspicion.
As if to prove it,
Wagons loaded with supplies are roaming the streets of the back alleys,
There was no controversy whatsoever.
They were not stupid enough to attack people who came regularly to help them.
Because I wasn’t so desperate that I would starve to death if I didn’t put something in my mouth right away.
And, the reason why this place has become so comfortable to live in is.
“I respect you again.”
“Yes?”
“I mean, priest. After all, it is the Arca Church. In the past, it was suicidal for a carriage to come here.”
As the coachman said,
It was all thanks to the church.
“hahahaha… Not much to say.”
They don’t know.
Why does the denomination support this place?
What is happening here,
What is the price?
That’s probably why he looks so comfortable.
However, my status now is that of a rank priest.
According to his role, he just smiled a good-natured smile.
“You don’t need to attach too much meaning to it. All you have to do is follow the doctrine and do what you have to do.”
“If you say that, small citizens like us would raise our faces in shame. Ah, it’s time for us to meet face to face…”
The coachman muttered like that.
The hooves of the horses in front suddenly stopped.
Hee hee!
With an annoyed cry.
When I pulled my head forward, I saw someone blocking my path.
Judging by the thin silhouette, it appears to be a woman.
Even if he is a man, he will not be strong.
Soon, a voice resounded with excitement that did not fit the silhouette.
“Ga-am-hi!”
A lively tone. The woman is right.
I think I’ve heard this before somewhere.
“You’re trying to wander through the back alleys without being inspected by Felia!”
As the roar shook the streets, the attention of the people guarding the surrounding bonfires also turned towards it.
When the culprit of the loud voice was identified, everyone laughed or touched their foreheads in disgust.
“Ah, here we go again.”
“Take it easy, man.”
Everyone said a word,
Go back to what you were doing.
Even the coachman doesn’t look that embarrassed.
This seems like a routine occurrence.
Sasasak-
Her silhouette, obscured by the darkness, quickly passes our carriage.
They don’t seem to be interested in the carriage I’m riding in.
I have business to do with ashes rather than ancestral rites.
A rummaging sound is heard from the rear wagon, and then the sound of something being taken out is also heard.
And then, suddenly.
The door next to me suddenly opened.
“……”
It was only then that I was able to see her face reflected in the lights inside the carriage.
Blonde hair reaches down to the waist,
Wearing cloth clothes that are easy to move around.
He was quite short, but he didn’t look like a child.
Like many people from the back alleys, it may be because they were not able to eat well when they were growing up.
And she finds that fact so unfair.
“Hmm, this is delicious. No, yum. It’s not poisonous. Yes.”
Standing while holding the bread taken from the cart in one hand,
They were eating it up in a very combative way.
Ivan’s prejudice remains in me like a reverberation, even though I described it as ‘absolutely vulgar.’
I smiled again.
“Nice to meet you, sister. Is the inspection going well?”
“Hmm!”
She pushed bread into her cheeks.
The voice that did not come out was replaced with her thumbs up.
Naturally get on the carriage,
She sits next to me.
“You are a priest! Pelia approves of this!”
“That’s a good thing.”
“It was a very revolutionary taste. The church’s bread gets better every day!”
That’s because I bought it from a bakery, not from a religious denomination…
I lost a lot of money. If Ivan hadn’t had a thick wallet, she wouldn’t have been able to create something like this with her own money.
Anyway, she asked again.
“But why are you here already? There’s definitely a week left until the next supply.”
As much as I made up my mind to impersonate a priest,
Excuses were also prepared.
“This time, the priest in charge had some urgent business. I took charge of it instead, but I also couldn’t wait until next week.”
“Aha, that’s how it happened!”
She understood that the supplies that were supposed to arrive a week later had arrived in advance, so she sat down next to me.
There was no sign of any suspicion.
This priest’s uniform is trusted that much.
“Then, let’s say hello formally!”
“Oh, I guess so.”
She holds out her hand vigorously.
“The hope of the back alleys, the spark of revolution, a member of the resistance-“
She hesitates slightly, then finishes her sentence.
“…It’s not strange at all! An honorary member! The name is Pelia Cist!”
Not an executive, not a member, and not even a junior.
It is unclear whether this is even an official title, and he is an honorary member. How can I recognize this?
“I am a rank priest of the church, my name is Evan.”
“Hmm! It’s revolutionary. Coachman, I think we can leave now!”
“I’m not serving you, Deb.”
“The place where supplies should go first is always decided!”
I nodded.
Where the church’s supplies will head first.
Among the newly changed rules of the back alley, those who need to be taken care of first are staying there.
It is also the cleric’s residence.
“Let’s go to the orphanage.”
—
The orphanage we arrived at after taking a few more minutes was as shabby as expected.
A wooden building that looks as if it will collapse at any moment.
And then, the desolate playground that fills the front.
The fence had a faint presence, so it was safe to say it was not there, so it was safe to say it was just an abandoned school on an empty lot.
However, this looks pretty good.
“Then, priest, shall we go?”
“No, I have some business left to do. You can go first.”
“Oh, thank you for your hard work. Then…”
The two wagons unloaded all the supplies and returned to where they came from.
And, Pelia helped me move the food as fast as lightning.
Once again, he shouted in a loud voice.
“Kids! Everyone jump out!”
Again, it is night.
But, the back alleys are like this.
Her voice returned as an echo a couple of times, and the front door of the orphanage burst open.
“Oh, it’s Felia!”
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“No more bread to give to my sister! Go back!”
“No, guys! Look at this!”
Between the open front door and the numerous windows of the building, young faces stuck their heads out.
When she saw the supplies she and I had unloaded, her face became brighter than brighter.
Soon, about 30 children came rushing out.
“Wow!”
“It’s rice!”
“Is it already time to eat? I haven’t slept 30 times yet!”
I like food, but
Children who don’t fight like people possessed by gluttony.
The principal’s testimony that the denomination is distributing it like water is a sight that strikes me again.
Soon, towards the children surrounding the supplies like a cloud.
Felia doesn’t seem to be familiar with them, but she looks like her older sister, who is very close to her.
She solemnly declared.
“Wait! I have to check first.”
Warm bread picked up among the food.
“I’ll check if it’s poisonous.”
You did it.
“Also, sister, eat first!”
“It can’t be! It’s like that all the time!”
The children puffed out their cheeks and shouted at Pelia.
In the meantime, I asked a kid.
“By any chance, where is the director?”
“He’s a priest!”
“Aha, yes. I am a priest.”
“Director, you are out!”
Ah, the cleric was away.
Then why not wait?
“Children, it’s because you’re so impatient. So you’re going to go to the church? Huh?”
She savors bread to her heart’s content and teases her children.
Go to a religious denomination.
As expected, even the evil deeds are unfolding.
The denomination does not just help the back alleys.
It is an organization armed with good intentions without compensation, but its true intentions are completely divorced from good intentions.
The cult leader and cleric are the owners of the stigma, but
If you think about it, clerics can be seen as subcontractors to the cult leader.
She takes charge of the back alleys and causes chaos in the world in her own way.
The revolutionaries were founded in that sense. In other words, the Resistance. Her friend named Pelia is not deeply involved and seems to know nothing.
In the end, it is a terrorist organization.
If I don’t stop it at this point, the next village will be reduced to ashes by the numerous bombs secretly stored in the armory in the back alley.
And, at the same time, the religious leader supports her.
She is also getting paid for her own plans.
That’s what these friends are.
These are orphans who would not be surprised if they disappeared at any time.
“Ugh, the director said I was next!”
“Oh, really? So you’re going to be Felix’s junior priest? Is it okay to talk like this to the older sister of a heavenly senior priest?”
She spreads her shoulders as if she is showing off.
Felix. I’ve heard of it.
“Felix?”
“Oh, that’s right! Mr. Priest, have you seen my brother at the church? How are you? Huh?”
You are my younger brother. And, you have already gone to the church.
It is a pity.
“…Yes. You’re the bold blue-haired friend, right?”
“Okay then!”
I like her, even with tears in my eyes.
However, I only know Felix’s hair color.
Information about Felix is given to the main character, who has discovered the dark intentions of the church far in the future even at the time of the game.
It came up briefly as an item called ‘Felix’s burnt hair’.
The church created a saint to become the vessel for the resurrection of her Arca.
The only woman who survived that torture was Paula Maria.
The torture and experiments continue.
To make Paula her second bowl, in case something goes wrong.
The girl next to me will find out someday.
She doesn’t have to do it now.
Anyway, I waited here and encountered the Cleric.
All you have to do is kill her by looking at her gap, and then she disappears without a sound.
Then, at least, you will be able to avoid the people in the neighboring neighborhood being killed in droves.
As I was thinking that, the front door of the orphanage in the distance opened again.
It seems like there are latecomers everywhere.
“Sister, hurry up! The kids will eat it all!”
He is a good friend. They even forced their acquaintances to come out because they were worried about running out of food.
And, the arm between the front door that the girl pulls out.
For some reason, it felt familiar.
To the extent that it is strange.
“Quickly! Quickly!”
“I’m sleepy, you guys just eat…”
The voice was more familiar.
To the point where it’s creepy.
“…Huh?”
She came out rubbing her eyes.
When she made eye contact with me, she opened her eyes as if all her drowsiness had gone away.
Shaking her red hair, she asked with her eyes.
Why are you here?
“Ha…”
That was what I had to say.