I Don't Want To Work! - Chapter 28
CHAPTER 28
‘Ah.’
The temple, which is usually modest, looked different today. It was adorned with flowers and various colored fabrics. There were also decorations of wheat, symbolizing the goddess of abundance, Detmé, with grains of wheat hanging throughout.
‘Well, it’s an important event that even nobles and aristocrats attend.’
They must be planning to collect donations on this occasion.
“Sister, there’s also a tree here that was cut down by the goddess herself. Let’s go see it together later.”
“Sure, sure.”
As I nodded, Arkin grinned broadly.
“Welcome, Your Highness, Your Highness.”
We were greeted by Gerol, the commander of the imperial knights.
“The others have already arrived and are waiting in their rooms.”
“Already?”
“Yes, it seems everyone came from different places.”
The Empress came straight from the provinces, Prince Leonard from the tower, and Princess Stella returned from her mission. It seems the Emperor, busy with preparations for the ceremony, arrived early in the morning.
Thanks to our relatively short journey, we were the last to arrive.
“There’s still some time until the ceremony, but it’s best to move quickly.”
As I nodded, I glanced at Arkin.
“Let’s go, Arkin.”
“Okay!”
Arkin started to run eagerly. Maybe because he’s young, he runs well. Without any energy or intention to run, I followed him slowly while Gerol matched his pace.
“By the way, Commander Gerol, is the smuggling issue being handled well?”
“Oh, yes.”
Gerol’s face lit up with pride.
“Thanks to Her Highness, we’ve captured all the other smugglers, and the illegal gambling dens have been shut down.”
They’ve been efficient.
“But there’s something that’s taking a bit longer.”
“Something?”
“There’s a suspicious person among those who used the illegal gambling dens.”
Gerol tilted his head.
“A person wearing a mask, but their identity is unknown.”
“The identity is unknown. Is that possible?”
For regular illegal gambling dens, it could be possible. Many people frequent them without revealing their true identities from the start.
‘But this time, it’s a noble’s illegal gambling den, isn’t it?’
Those who stand to lose a lot are even more cautious. So it’s unlikely they would let just anyone into the gambling den. They would have verified and re-verified their identities before allowing them in.
“The people who worked in the gambling dens, those who played the games, they all give conflicting accounts. Some claim to be a count, others a viscount.”
“Hmm.”
“It’s even unclear whether they’re male or female. Everyone describes them differently.”
“Even people who saw them on the same day described them differently?”
“Yes. Even if they were the same gender, their appearances varied.”
Gerol tapped his face with his finger.
“The only commonality is that they all wore a black mask.”
I narrowed my eyes.
‘This seems like a dangerous situation.’
When I first heard Gerol’s words, I thought of polymorph magic that can change appearances. But if even those who saw the person on the same day couldn’t agree on their appearance, there was only one answer.
‘Illusion magic.’
And it’s incredibly strong illusion magic.
‘Normally, once you get involved in gambling, it takes at least half a day.’
Some even go on for days or months. And there would have been more than just a few people at the gambling den. Is it possible that many people, over a long period, didn’t notice anything unusual due to such intricate illusion magic?
“We’ve already sought advice from the royal magicians and the Tower of Sorcery.”
“I hope we get a response soon.”
Considering the level of illusion magic required, there couldn’t be many who could cast it. With the help of the magicians, we should be able to identify them quickly.
As we continued our conversation, we reached the end of the long temple garden and arrived at the entrance.
“I have other matters to attend to, so I’ll take my leave here.”
Gerol left his position.
“I’ll guide you from here.”
A priest who was waiting in front of the temple naturally stepped forward. Arkin asked.
“When did Her Majesty and the others arrive?”
“Not even half an hour ago.”
So they weren’t that late.
As I walked down the corridor with some relief, murmurs reached my ears.
‘What’s going on?’
As I turned my head, I saw a crowd of people.
They were nobles who had come to the temple early for the ceremony.
“Last year, they didn’t come, but this year…”
“The rumors are really…”
‘It’s about me!’
Although I couldn’t hear it clearly, I was sure.
That was about me.
Cautiously, I tilted my upper body towards the aristocrats, twitching my ears.
“Isn’t it too exaggerated…?”
“…How could so many events happen in such a short time…?”
“I can’t believe it, it must have been exaggerated somewhere…”
Ahaha, ahaha.
I chuckled to myself.
‘So, the rumor about me being exaggerated is spreading, huh?’
Well, that makes sense.
Considering the way I’ve been seen until now.
Who would believe it if suddenly I changed my ways and efficiently handled things?
They’ll all just dismiss it as exaggerated gossip.
‘Well, I should be thankful if they let it slide like this.’
I thought it would take quite some time for the rumor to die down.
But it’s going to die down sooner than expected, huh?
“….!!”
I smiled gently at the group of people gossiping behind my back.
What’s up, why run away? I smiled so gently.
Tch, as I tried to take a step back with a slight smirk, a voice caught my ankle.
Or rather, a voice reverberating in my head.
<Lottie!>
…Let’s ignore it.
After all, didn’t I learn at birth to ignore voices like this?
<Where are you going? Can’t you hear my voice?!>
<Hey, hey hey hey hey! Lottie Paeon!>
<Hey!! Lottie, Wanderer, Nectar Maker! Hakin, Lafanne, Rosana, Jamlier, Jin, Cobalt, and what was it…!! Oh, Alexander!>
“Hah.”
At this rate, they’ll list all my past life’s names. And the last one mentioned isn’t even me. I sighed deeply and changed direction.
“Sister?”
“Your Highness?”
Even Arkin and the priests stopped in their tracks and looked at me, but I walked toward where the sound was coming from.
‘It’s coming from around here, but where exactly?’
As I turned my head around, the voice resonated in my head again.
<Below!! Underneath!!>
Below? When I lowered my head, there was a sheaf of wheat decorations under my foot. A single stalk of wheat that seemed to have fallen from the wheat bouquet hanging on the window.
Was there nothing else?
‘Wait, could it be?’
<That ‘could it be’ is correct!>
‘…No, why would a god be lying on the ground like this? It’s perplexing.’
<I’m not doing this because I want to!>
I bowed my head and picked up the wheat decoration, no, the deity of abundance, Detmé. Picking up a deity from the street in my lifetime. Life is truly colorful, indeed.
<Oh, I’m relieved. I’m glad you’re here.>
The wheat stalk seemed to sob.
<I’ve been lying here for over two hours. I thought I’d suffocate!>
This time, it even let out a small whimper of relief. It seems like Detmé is inside this.
‘Why is a perfectly fine deity from a relic left here?’
I raised an eyebrow.
If it had been properly attached to the relic, even the priests would have heard the voices of the gods.
Leaving a perfectly fine deity and settling for a wheat decoration, not even the priests knew.
The wheat stalk whimpered again at my question. It felt like sweating profusely.
<I don’t know why I’m stuck here either.>
‘Huh?’
<I was trying to attach myself to the relic as usual to bestow blessings, but I bounced off.>
Can that happen? It’s the first time I’ve heard of a god failing to attach themselves to their relic.
<I suddenly bounced off the relic and felt disoriented. When I opened my eyes, I was in here, well… I don’t know.>
‘To return to the divine realm, you’ll have to let go of this offering and your faith this time.’
<I want to, but I can’t! It feels like my mind is tied up…>
Whimper whimper. The wheat stalk shook as if crying.
<If others see this, they’ll make fun of me forever.>
Is that their biggest concern?
<Especially if that guy Kyres mocks me… I just can’t stand that guy’s…>
Ah, I dislike him too.
Just as humans have their personalities, gods also have different personalities.
The deity of abundance, Detmé, has always been kind to me from the start and has occasionally helped me.
She was among those who only took what she needed.
On the other hand, Kyres…
<Just a mere human dares to defy the realm of gods.>
They were disdainful towards me.
Yet, he took the most nectar with him.
Damn bastard, not even paying a fair price.
<By the way, I haven’t seen Kyres in the divine realm lately. I hope he hasn’t caused any trouble. It’s ominous.>
The wheat decoration, who had been lost in thought for a moment, shook the leaf vigorously.
<Please help me return to the divine realm. I’ll repay you later, okay?>
‘Alright.’
<Really?>
‘Even if you’re anchored, staying in the human realm for too long will have severe side effects.’
The division between the divine and human realms wasn’t arbitrary.
When one excessively influenced the other, there were always side effects.
These side effects disrupt the balance.
And the fragments of that disrupted balance would inevitably move to ‘the other side’.
‘Don’t forget the compensation.’
<Okay! Thank you so much!>
I tucked the wheat decoration into my front pocket.
At least it’s a fitting tribute to the goddess Detmé.
“What did you do?”
Arkin shook his head as I came back from standing at the window, facing away from the nothingness.
“Nothing, just…”
The god fell, so I picked it up.
“Then let me guide you again…”
Before the priest could continue his words, another priest came running from the corridor beyond.
“What’s going on? Today is supposed to be quiet and solemn!”
“Well, that’s not the important thing, Father Anten.”
As the rushing priest muttered, the face of the priest who was guiding us became pale.
Cold sweat dripped down.
“Your Highness, and Your Highness. Something big…”
“It seems something big has happened.”
I nodded, pushing my hair back.
“Please guide us quickly.”
Because I’ll take care of it.