Chapter 327 - Chapter Twelve: The Island of Wyverns ③
Because I stayed sitting, my waist and bottom started to hurt. Thanks to that, I woke up.
Because the backboard is high, I can't shift my body forward.
Because the legs of the chair are longer than my own legs, I can't stand up.
I guess I have no choice.
As I swayed my body left and right, the chair gradually began to tilt. As I went gattan, gattan, the swaying became larger.
Since I'm wearing a hood on my head, I might be able to withstand some impact. There was a carpet on the floor. I'll just fall over sideways like this. If I do that, it'll be the same as sleeping with my back bent, so the pain in my waist and bottom should go away.
If I had known this would happen, I should have had them teach me how to cast magic from my mouth.
According to Paul-san, if one becomes able to cast magic from the mouth, one can use magic even while gagged. Normally, even if captured, the neck is not fixed. If I point it toward my own body while looking down, I can cast [Defend], so as long as I endure the pain, it should be fine even if I hit my head a little.
It's tilted quite a bit.
Good, a little more. If I shake it a bit more, I can lie down. Because my hands are behind me, my elbows are sticking out accordingly. I won't suddenly fall from my head. The cat stone is effective. If I bend my neck right before falling sideways...
"You're noisy! Be quiet!"
The door slammed open. It was the voice of that priest. Too bad. I was found out.
"Really, making a fuss before even two hours have passed! What are you thinking!"
I see. Is it daytime now? There's the smell of oil used for the bonfire and the sound of fire crackling. In other words, it's a basement.
Since I was kidnapped after noon, it might not be night yet.
"There's something I want to ask. I'll ask questions, so answer by shaking your head."
Yes, yes, what is it?
"You are truly Priest Jeanne of Sertoria, right?"
Don't ask that now. I nodded.
"Can you talk to dragons?"
There's no way I can. If I could talk to dragons, I wouldn't have to struggle...
No, wait. I am talking to the Black Dragon Child. Lying is bad. I nodded.
"I-Is it true? You're not lying, are you?"
As if a priest would lie.
"T-Then, can you also talk to the Water Dragon and the wyverns?"
As if I could. I'm just a human. I shook my head.
"I thought so. I'm relieved."
What do you think I am?
"I'll ask again. Did you come to meet the wyverns to establish a friendship? For example, um, hunting together with humans?"
I wasn't thinking of such a thing. I just came to hear the story. I shook my head.
"T-Then it's fine. As I thought, it was just to shake us up."
The one I shook was the chair. Even if I shook you, the pain in my waist and bottom wouldn't go away.
"Did you hear?"
"Yes. I'm relieved."
I hear several voices. Apparently, he's left the door open.
"After all, it's something like this."
"But, Priest-sama. Priest Jeanne said she can talk to dragons."
"Yeah. She certainly nodded. But. Even if she can really talk, if she can't talk to the wyverns, it's meaningless, isn't it?"
"That's true, but then, which dragon can she talk to?"
"U-Umu. I must confirm."
Names like Fire Dragon, Earth Dragon, and Golden Dragon come up, but they're all wrong.
"What other kind of dragon is there!"
He's getting angry on his own. He doesn't seem to know about the Black Dragon. This is the northern edge. Elves likely didn't come here either.
"Could it be that there are dragons that only exist in the south?"
Well, yeah. It seems there's only one for now. I nodded.
"W-What! I didn't think such a dragon existed. The world is a wide place."
"Truly, truly."
"However, the ones we worship are the wyverns. Other dragons don't matter."
"Indeed, that is so."
Other... The Black Dragon is the strongest dragon, you know.
"Well, that doesn't matter. Priest Jeanne. We're moving. I'll release you from that chair."
With the leather bag still over my face, my arms were held, and the restraints on my feet were undone. Or so I thought, but my feet were immediately tied together. I was tilted diagonally backward with the chair, and as if being lifted diagonally upward, I was popped out of the backboard.
I thought there might be a chance to call out Dune or Mel, but I was naive.
He said he'd let me drink water, so I thought the gag would be removed, but apparently there's a hole in the middle of the gag, and when he shifted the leather bag on my head, he thrust a tube into my mouth and poured water through it.
They've been quite cautious.
"Priest-sama. I think the ring and bracelet this person is wearing are quite valuable."
Good. Just take them off my fingers and put them on your own. The size is adjustable.
This might be a chance for a sudden turnaround. If a flood comes out of the ring and a gale blows from the bracelet, Henry-sama and the others will surely notice.
"So what?"
"N-No. I thought that after the Ritual of Purification is over, selling them would provide funds for us."
"Insolent fellow! We are not thieves! Have some shame!"
"M-My apologies."
He doesn't seem to have the intention to steal.
Being serious to this extent is quite something. Thanks to that, the chance is gone.
"Priest-sama. May I say one thing?"
It's a young man's voice.
"What is it?"
"I heard that Priest Jeanne is on friendly terms with spirits."
"What? Is it true?"
I nodded.
"And, she apparently received stones from the spirits she's on friendly terms with."
"Is that so?"
I nodded.
"Actually, there is a story that if someone other than her handles the ornaments decorated with those stones, it will bring about a calamity."
He's talking about Dune's ring and Mel's bracelet. Tsk, he's saying unnecessary things.
"W-What! Is it true!"
I had no choice. I reluctantly nodded.
"T-To think such a thing!"
"This woman, how dangerous is she? If by any chance there's an obstruction to the wyverns, won't we be retaliated against?"
"Really, it was a close call."
They're saying whatever they want.
"Then, Priest-sama. To be safe, why not remove all the spirit stones, put them together in a small leather bag, and seal them somewhere?"
"U-Umu. That's good. This place won't do. My room in the temple... no, I'm sure there was a box with a lock in the basement. Seal them there. Anyone will do... no, you. I left the management of this base to you. I'll leave everything to you siblings. Act as you see fit."
"I have accepted."
Judging by the sound of the voice, it seems to be someone who hasn't spoken until now.
"W-Wrap those insolent hands wearing the rings in a leather bag!"
In the end, my hands were in a leather bag. Besides, what does 'insolent hands' mean?
After my hands were wrapped, I was thrown into a leather bag along with my body. I'm being carried just like that.
On the way, I felt the sensation of passing through a [Teleportation Circle]. It might be the temple he mentioned earlier. I was tossed onto a bed in a room, and my torso was tied down with something like a rope.
"Remove the leather bag from her face."
"Yes."
There are six people. One of them is a woman. Judging by the clothes they're wearing, three of the men besides the priest are apprentice priests, and one is a civilian. Since he's well-dressed, he might be a noble. The woman is likely a civilian.
I can see walls made of wooden boards. It's pitch black outside the window and I can't see anything. I can hear insects chirping occasionally. It might be in a forest.
"The day after tomorrow. You will be offered at the Dragon's Altar and purified. That altar is one we newly made. The Crown Prince seems to be taking various measures to search for you, but he will likely not succeed in finding it. Be glad."
After saying that, the priest left the room, leaving a pair of a man and a woman behind.
The apprentice priest introduced himself.
The man is an apprentice priest, and the woman is apparently his younger sister.
The apprentice priest is likely in his mid-twenties. He has the slit-like eyes common in the north and his black hair is cropped short. He's not that large. Somehow, northern men are divided into thin people and burly people. Perhaps because everyone is a warrior, those who are good at magic tend to be like that, and those who are good at grappling tend to be lumps of muscle. Of course, there are people like Gwyn-sama who are like light infantry, but the muscle types are so thoroughly burly that the difference is extreme.
In Finis, it seems those who cannot use holy magic cannot enter the priesthood, so this person must be a magic soldier type too.
In the room, besides the bed I'm tied to, there's a table, a chair, and a storage box. That's all for furniture, like an orphanage. On the table are a book of doctrine and portraits of a family of four, and on the wall are pictures of the Goddess and the God of War. Other than those, there are two buckets, and they contain sand. They must be specially made just for me.
The apprentice priest sat in the chair near my face. The sister stood next to him.
"This is my room. I have been ordered by the priest from earlier to have us siblings take care of Priest Jeanne."
Assigning a woman, he seems to have some consideration.
"Why did you come? This island is not a place where a famous monster hunter like Priest Jeanne would come."
Suddenly calling me famous. He must be poisoned by the ghosts too.
"I have heard that you can use very powerful magic. And that you regularly interact with various spirits."
He even knows about the spirits. Besides the wyverns, he might be interacting with priests and apprentice priests outside the island.
"If possible, I didn't want to make you an offering. You should not have come to this island."
He's looking down and shaking his head while sighing. If you're going to say that much, I want you to help me.
"I will step out. My sister will now remove the ornaments you are wearing. If you want to relieve yourself at that time, please feel free. I'll tell you, my sister is a user of unarmed grappling. Don't think of doing anything foolish."
To be honest, I'm grateful. I was already at my limit.
◆◆◆◆◆
Alex analyzed the [Teleportation Circle], and as a result of comparing it with the map brought by the lord of the island, it was found that the destination Jeanne was jumped to was the northeastern part of the island.
"Judging by the distance, it might be near the coast."
Eleanor, who received Alex's words, looked at the lord of the island.
"The northeastern coast is a cliff."
"Is there a church?"
"There is a small shrine that also serves as a lighthouse. It seems those who deeply worship the wyverns gather there, but..."
"That's the place. Wilson, come with me. Alex and Bonnie too. Henry and Will, stay and organize the information the scouts obtain along with Gwyn-dono."
Eleanor gave instructions briskly and flew off in the high-speed bowl.
"As expected of the one called 'Eleanor of Tactics'. She chose the optimal people in an instant and flew off."
Gwyn was impressed.
Leaving Henry behind meant that it was okay to move based on the judgment of this side. And it means that even if something happens, the responsibility won't be placed solely on Finis. Harris is, needless to say, the intermediary with the island's church. And Will, besides the continental language, can actually speak a bit of the ancient language, the local language. It'll be useful. It's thanks to the guidance of Eleanor, Wilson, and Servetus.
"We will narrow down the opponent from this side based on the information gathered by your scouts. Most likely, Jeanne will be offered at the Dragon's Altar. First, could you find out the location of the altar?"
"I have accepted. I will issue instructions immediately."
Receiving Henry's instructions, Gwyn stood up.
Eleanor, who flew up in the bowl, headed north along the eastern coast of the island. There is a high mountain in the northern part of the island, and there are wyverns. It would be troublesome if they chased us. The island itself is not that large. The sun has already risen. Flying along the coast, there was no trouble reaching the destination. While looking at the plains in the southern and central parts of the island, the wasteland continuing north from there, and the mountain mass on the left, a cape jutting out into the sea came into view.
"That's the place. No mistake."
The place Alex pointed to was the tip of the cape. As they lowered their altitude, the sound of waves crashing against the cliffs could be heard.
At the tip of the cape is a two-story shrine. There must be people there. Smoke was coming from the chimney protruding from the first floor. It's large enough to be called a church, but since there's no sign of people living nearby, it's likely kept as a shrine.
"Is the material of that shrine stone?"
"It likely appears to be stone-built."
"Is the size okay?"
"Yes, leave it to me."
Wilson replied to Eleanor's question.
Alex crouched down at the bottom of the bowl.
"The second floor is likely a watchtower for the lighthouse. We'll attack the first floor. Wilson, make a hole in the wall. We'll force an entry while still in the bowl. Alex, if Jeanne is there, take her back with [Teleport] immediately. If the entry is successful, Wilson and Bonnie go to the first floor. I'll leave the judgment to you."
Wilson, who deactivated the [Wind Barrier] for high speed upon landing, fired two shots of [Colossus Collapse] with reduced output, creating several cracks in the wall. Human screams could be heard from the cracks.
"We're entering. Hold on!"
After covering it with Wilson's [Wind Barrier], they crashed in with the bowl and broke through the wall all at once.
"That's scary."
Alex was holding his head with both hands. Still, he kept his face up so as not to miss Jeanne's figure.
"Hieeee! Help!"
"W-W-What happened?"
The side that was entered seemed completely broken-spirited, and the most they could do was fall from the chairs they were sitting in and shift their bodies to the opposite side of the broken wall.
Wilson fired [Energy Bolt] at anyone he saw. Those who were hit shook their bodies for an instant and then fell while foaming at the mouth.
Bonnie, who was carrying a bow and holding a knife, jumped out of the bowl and checked the first floor. There was a door in the back. At the same time she whistled, Eleanor, who had already deactivated the bowl and stepped onto the floor, fired two [Fire Ball]s and made a large hole in the door.
Bonnie entered just like that.
Inside, Eleanor's [Fire Ball] served as a light, and Bonnie, a human, could see well.
There were stairs going down to the basement.
Bonnie didn't make a sound and ran down the stairs as if sliding, reaching the door of the basement room.
She pressed her ear against it and listened to the situation inside.
She inserted a knife into the joint of the boards, and after creating a gap, she peeked inside.
No one was there.
She observed the handle, and after judging it was safe, she slowly opened the door.
By that time, Eleanor had arrived with a torch in hand.
"There's no one here."
It was empty.
Two magic circles were drawn on a part of the floor of the board-lined room, and one of them had a single line added to it.