Volume 7, Chapter 41 – Poker and Complaints

“I’ve heard from my subordinates that people from the Divine Religion have entered our Gota recently.”

Although he had looked like a miser before, when it came to official business, Guild Master Marc’s expression immediately turned serious. Paired with his square, firm-jawed face, he gave off an oppressive aura that made it feel impossible to lie in his presence.

“Ah, I know. Nana ran into them earlier. When she told me, I thought it was just someone impersonating the Divine Religion. After all, they need believers; there’s no reason to attack adventurers. But if even you are saying it, Marc, there must be some basis for it.”

At this point, Dominic turned to Yisi.

“Cardinal Yisi, you fought with people from the Divine Religion today. I remember you said they were after the angel, Laxyphinia. Are you certain this is true?”

He’s probably doubting my motives. Yisi understood without needing an explanation. The Ymir Church and the Divine Religion were natural enemies. As a cardinal of the Ymir Church, speaking ill of the Divine Religion without any evidence could easily be misinterpreted by others as an attempt to slander them.

But the facts were the facts. When they had confronted her, they had clearly stated that if she handed over Laxy, they would withdraw. She would not distort the truth just to avoid suspicion.

“When Laxy and I confronted them, they said with their own mouths that they had come for Laxy. They said they would leave if I just handed her over. Unfortunately, they were not strong enough and were repelled by us. By the way, wasn’t their leader brought back by Nana? Didn’t you get a chance to interrogate him, Dominic?”

“About that…” Nana, sitting beside Dominic, took over the conversation and lowered her head in shame. “I haven’t had a chance to report to Dominic yet…”

“I see. With a prisoner, things will be much easier. I’ll hand him over to you later, Marc. We’ll share whatever information you get out of him.”

“You just love to exploit me.”

With a helpless smile, Marc accepted Dominic’s arrangement.

At an appropriate moment, Edith, who had been crossing her legs, frowned and asked.

“What is this Divine Religion you’re talking about?”

“This Blood Clan lady must also be from the northeast of the continent, right? Although the Divine Religion has been established for two hundred years, it’s understandable that the Blood Clan in the north wouldn’t have heard of it. To be honest, even some of the northern people in the kingdom haven’t heard of it.”

The guild master clearly knew more than Dominic and began to slowly narrate.

“The so-called Divine Religion is a religion that arose in the Norta Empire in the southwest of the continent two hundred years ago. Although they call themselves a religion, they do not worship the well-known Goddess Ymir. This is what most distinguishes them from past religions. In the past, no matter how great the schisms were among the religions of the human world, they all worshipped the Goddess Ymir as their god. But the Divine Religion takes prophecies and a gospel as their faith, and uses them to attract followers.”

“Prophecies? A gospel? What are those?”

Edith’s question was exactly what Yisi wanted to ask. The guild master continued to explain patiently.

“The so-called prophecies are words written in a special book, and the book containing these prophecies is called the Gospel by the followers of the Divine Religion. Only those with a special status within the cult can possess the Gospel. Of course, to attract believers, the core members of the Divine Religion will spare no effort to publicize the prophecies. Every time a prophecy is fulfilled, the cult gains a large number of new followers. However, most of these are people looking for an easy way out, and the Divine Religion has always had strict requirements for its members. Every person who wants to join must go through multiple screenings. Often, only one in a thousand is qualified. There’s a rumor that even the selection of people is part of the prophecy. Therefore, although the Divine Religion has grown rapidly, its numbers are still small. And because their numbers are too small and they are too secretive, it’s natural that people in the northern regions don’t know about them.”

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“Sounds like a trick to fool children. If you spread a lot of prophecies and a few of them come true, people will see you as a god. They’re just lucky.”

“Most people hold the same attitude as the Blood Clan lady. However, their prophecies are not a trick. From the establishment of their religion until now, not a single prophecy they have publicly declared has failed to come true. It’s as if they knew the answer in advance. Everything they do ultimately benefits them.”

“Hoh, wouldn’t they be targeted by the monarch then? If a religion exists that could shake one’s position of leadership, one would spare no effort and pay any price to eradicate it.”

“That should have been the case. In the past, many people in the kingdom predicted that the Divine Religion would be eradicated by the Norta imperial family before long. But to this day, the Divine Religion is still alive and well within the Empire, and there are even signs of it infiltrating neighboring countries. If their prophecies are truly that miraculous, I think they must also contain a method to avoid being eradicated. They have been in an invincible position from the very beginning.”

When he said this, the guild master deliberately glanced at Yisi. She naturally knew what he was thinking.

“I have only come this time to fulfill the request of Her Holiness the Pope. I am not interested in the affairs of the Divine Religion.”

“But it would be difficult for you to return empty-handed, wouldn’t it, Cardinal Yisi? If we can get anything out of the cult leader’s mouth, we will inform you immediately. After all, they were the ones who attacked our people first. They have no one to blame for their current situation.”

“Thank you.”

After thanking Marc, the banquet returned to its original lively state. The adventurers in the plaza began to hold hands and dance around the bonfires, while those inside the guild pushed tables together and started playing card games. Although the patterns on the cards were poorly drawn and the cards themselves were made of thin wooden boards of uneven thickness, the adventurers were having a blast. It was clear they were quite fond of this new form of entertainment.

As the one who had spread the cards, Yisi felt a little proud. This poker was clearly the tool she had created in Margaret to amuse Fran and the others. She hadn’t expected it to have already spread to the surrounding territories. She imagined it wouldn’t be long before it spread throughout the entire continent.

“Are you interested in those wooden cards, Cardinal Yisi?”

Noticing that Yisi was watching the adventurers on the first floor play cards, Dominic, holding a drink, walked to her side. His face was slightly flushed, probably from drinking.

Yisi smiled.

“I was just observing how they play.”

There were many ways to play cards. It was quite normal for new ways to be developed as the game spread. As the original creator, she was naturally interested.

“Is that so? To be honest with you, Cardinal, the name of this game is Siyi. Doesn’t it sound just like your name, Yisi, read backwards? Hahaha, it must be fate.”

…It was definitely Shinku and Fran’s doing.

“Would you like to try a game, Cardinal Yisi?”

“Yes, I think I’ve figured out the rules.”

Yisi nodded. Based on her observation, the rules the adventurers were using were no different from the ones she had taught. She probably wouldn’t see any new ways to play in the short term.

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Dominic’s mouth fell open in surprise.

“Ooh! I didn’t expect you to be interested in such a commoner’s game, Cardinal Yisi. That’s quite a surprise. But even if my opponent is a beginner like you, I’ll still be playing with stakes, you know? Siyi without a bet is just not exciting enough.”

“Really? You might lose everything you have, you know?”

“I’m a veteran at this. How could I lose to a beginner like you, Cardinal? You’re the one who needs to remember to stop when you’re ahead. This thing is very addictive.”

“What? The Cardinal is playing too? Dominic, you can’t have all the fun of making money without me!”

The guild master Marc at the side quickly threw an arm around Dominic’s shoulder and joined in. Even before the game had started, he had already decided without a doubt that Yisi would lose.

Camilla, who had experience playing against Yisi, showed a look of pity for the first time.

“At least leave them their pants, Onee-sama, so they can go home and get more money.”

Stroking her chin, Yisi responded with an awkward but polite smile.

“Alright, I accept your challenge.”

…

As a result, the drunk Dominic and Guild Master Marc spent less than three hours losing everything they had on them except their clothes. If Yisi hadn’t thought that taking their clothes was useless, the two of them would have had to walk out of the adventurer’s guild naked.

Interestingly, through this card game, Yisi learned that the reason Dominic’s family was short on money was not only because he often used his family’s funds to subsidize the local finances, but also because of his love for card games.

If it weren’t for poker, Dominic could have used the money to buy the weapons and equipment he needed for adventuring and become a stronger adventurer. She had really brought a sinful toy to this world.

As she went home holding a bag full of copper coins and various useless weapons and equipment, Yisi seriously reflected on her actions.

◇

“The children? As long as it’s something arranged by Your Eminence, I will do my utmost to complete it!”

After returning to the church, Yisi began to make arrangements for the child guides, which led to the above guarantee from the fat head priest. However, his expression was not as sincere as his words.

These seven children would be living in the temple from now on. The fat head priest must be very unhappy about the seven extra mouths to feed, an extra expense. That money should have originally gone into his pocket.

To prevent the children from being kicked out by the fat head priest after she left, Yisi said casually, as if in passing.

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“I plan to recommend them to Evelyn in the future.”

“E-E-Evelyn? You mean, Her Holiness the Pope?”

“Who else could it be? Although I shouldn’t be so familiar as to call her by her name, that’s just the kind of relationship we have.”

“I… I understand. Leave everything to me.”

A layer of nervous sweat appeared on his wrinkled forehead. The fat head priest bowed repeatedly while wiping it away.

Yisi was relieved.

This should solve it. She hadn’t specified when she would recommend the children, so the fat head priest would continue to treat them like treasures. They would be going to Evelyn’s side in the future, which meant there was a high probability they would have a chance to speak with her. The fat head priest would not have the guts to kick these children out or abuse them.

Just as the fat head priest was about to turn and leave this demon’s side, Yisi called out to him again.

“By the way, how are the Cerber… the dogs I brought back yesterday?”

“Th-they are all very well, Your Eminence. Except for being a little fierce, uh, no, I mean, what magnificent pets they are.”

“Is that so? I’ll go and see them later. Don’t feed them too much for dinner.”

“That’s wonderful—no, I mean, as you wish.”

He’d already let his true feelings slip out. Yisi kept a straight face and quietly snarked in her heart. She could very well understand the fat head priest’s feelings. There were a total of nine Cerberuses in the backyard, and their appetite was so large that it was entirely within Yisi’s expectations that he would be driven to tears. She had no intention of leaving the dogs here to continue squeezing the fat from him.

Tomorrow, I’ll bring Andrea and Evelyn over and let them pick a few. Andrea loves to keep pets, and Evelyn lacks powerful protectors. Besides, if I bring them over tomorrow, I can have them level up in the labyrinth with my companions—and while I’m at it, I can give those starving, fluffy labyrinth guardians a bath and bond with them. If I can take them home like the Cerberuses, they can be used as bed warmers in the winter. The Ymir territory aside, the winters in Alvier are quite cold.

Watching the fat head priest depart, Laxy, who had been standing behind Yisi all this time and had attracted much of his attention, finally spoke. Due to fighting monsters in the labyrinth during the day and attending the banquet at night, Camilla and the others had all gone to bed from exhaustion, leaving only Laxy, who did not need to sleep, to accompany Yisi.

“My lord, that man just now was…”

“He is the head priest of Gota. By the way, you may not know, Laxy, but there is a church in this world called the Ymir Church. The Ymir Church, just like you God-Forged Angels, believes in the Goddess Ymir. If a real angel like you were to appear in the Holy City of the Ymir Church, Mitters Bayer, you would be worshipped like a saint.”

“Is that so… But that man’s gaze made me very uncomfortable. It was something other than faith.”

As she spoke, Laxy touched her chest—although she was an angel, her chest was as large as Refina’s.

Yisi waved her hand awkwardly.

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“That man is an exception. You can’t use him as a standard.”

She had also noticed that the fat head priest liked large-chested women. The way he looked at Refina when they returned tonight was the same as how he had just looked at Laxy. But at that time, Edith had shot him a glance, which had scared him so much he almost collapsed on the ground.

“By the way, don’t you have a sleep function, Laxy?”

“Sleep is a necessary act for humans to prevent their bodies from overworking. But an angel’s body is much superior to a human’s, so sleep is redundant—that’s what the First-Rank Angels who created us said.

Unlike us, the First- and Second-Rank Angels created by the Goddess have a sleep function. I often see them having to put down their work because of drowsiness. It’s a truly redundant setting. Perhaps that’s why we angels were made in a more convenient, sleep-free model. The First-Rank Angels are very understanding.”

“No, no, no, it’s precisely because they’re not understanding that they didn’t give you a sleep function. Sleep is one of life’s great pleasures. How could they deprive you of the right to sleep? The Goddess must have agreed with my point of view, which is why she gave the First and Second Rank Angels a sleep function.”

“It is difficult to agree with your point of view, my lord. To be able to fight at any time and be ready to serve my lord at a moment’s notice, that is how an angel should be. If one were to be hindered by a small matter like drowsiness, which should be avoidable, then they should be called a flawed creation. Of course, I do not mean to belittle the First and Second Rank Angels. I can only say that the Goddess was negligent. I cannot imagine that sleep is a special ability that the Goddess deliberately gave to them. The Goddess would not be as lazy as you.”

In all seriousness, Laxy refuted Yisi’s point of view.

That’s absolutely not possible. The Goddess must have had the same point of view as me, thinking that not being able to sleep was a great regret for angels, which is why she specially set a sleep function. Yisi had a strong intuition.

“Then can the First-Rank Angels eat and fall in love?”

“They can, but those two things are just as redundant as sleep. Angels have a lot of work to do, especially the First and Second Rank Angels at the top. But what is unforgivable is that they would use their work time to eat because of hunger. Although later, under our supervision, the third-rank angels started working while chewing on food called bread, every time I see this scene, I feel sorry for them. If the Goddess had not been negligent, they would not have had to suffer like this.”

Isn’t that all because of you guys?!

Unfortunately, Laxy couldn’t hear Yisi’s inner retort.

“As for love, if human sexual desire is for the instinct of procreation, then an angel’s desire is definitely a more redundant setting than eating and sleeping. The angels in the Kingdom of God are all female, and even if there were males, I do not believe that an angel and an angel could produce offspring. The setting of desire would only disrupt the law and waste more time that could be used for work.

Although the First and Second-Rank Angels are the most respected in the Kingdom of God, they always do things that are intolerable to us third-rank angels, like teasing the fifth and sixth-rank angels on the street, or finding other first and second-rank angels to vent their desires on during the weekend.

Even if I intentionally avoid such scenes, as an angel specializing in guidance, I still have to find them on weekends for official business. It is then that I often see them in a chaotic state on the bed, in the bathroom, in the kitchen, in the living room, and even in the bushes and in the park. I cannot understand why this would bring pleasure. It is nothing more than the joining of movements.” ¹ vruh

“Huu…” Instead of answering questions, Laxy was now more like she was complaining. To think that the ever so serious Laxy also had times when she would complain. Yisi couldn’t help but chuckle. “Then as an angel specializing in guidance, do you also teach the sixth and seventh-rank angels about this kind of knowledge?”

Yisi had thought Laxy would be shy, but Laxy just answered her with a matter of fact expression, without a hint of coyness.

“Yes. Even if we angels created by the First-Rank Angels do not have such redundant functions, for the sake of a potential future master—if the master requires such knowledge, we have an obligation to impart it. Of course, if my lord is trying to get at this knowledge in a roundabout way…”

“No, no, I don’t mean that.” Even if Laxy had no such thoughts, Yisi felt like she was using her position to make dirty jokes with a subordinate. She would rather not do such a thing. Yisi coughed twice. “Rather than that, let’s prepare for what we talked about during the day. Replacing your power source.”