Chapter 6

Translator: Nox

<Episode 6>

I helped up the woman who was still lying on the floor, dazedly watching the situation.

"Are you okay?"

"Ah, yes. S-Saintess. I'm sorry."

"No, it's fine......"

Fortunately, she didn't seem badly hurt. Soon, the screams from the burly men grew louder.

"Excuse me."

I approached them.

"W-What is this! Did you do this? Let us go right now-"

"How did you know about me?"

I crouched down and asked the mustached man.

Regardless of not wanting to help him, this man was an important source of information.

How did someone like a viscount hear rumors about a saintess staying in a vagabond shelter?

He would be a key to inflating my fame.

"Let me go......!"

He couldn't move at all, pinned down firmly.

"I'll let you go if you answer."

I smiled sweetly.

"How dare you- Argh!"

As the mustached man tried to say something, annoyed, Agatha twisted his arm.

It seemed it wasn't something to dislike that divine power manifested through my body. How convenient.

"G-Gambling den!"

"What?"

"Gam- Argh. Gambling den. I'll tell you everything! Just let me-"

A gambling den.

[Lady Agatha. Let him go. Just the mustache.]

* * *

I brought the mustached man to my room, sat him in a chair, and Agatha made sure he couldn't stand up.

He said there was an illegal gambling den in this city.

It was a pleasure spot created by a famous rich man in the city.

A place that lured anyone regardless of status to gamble. A strange place that unconditionally welcomed even those who wouldn't make money.

"Why on earth do they bring in people like that?"

"To find... those who are good at gambling."

Having lost freedom of his body again, the mustached man seemed to have grasped the situation properly now, answering very politely in a crawling voice.

"Specifically?"

"Because among nobles, it's only people who know each other well......"

"So vagabonds?"

"Yes....... It started with the idea that anyone good at gambling is fine. They let anyone come gamble, and if someone stands out that day, they put them in the nobles' games......"

They really have nothing better to do.

"I heard about you, Saintess, while at that gambling den......"

"Then that means there are nobles at the gambling den too?"

Nobles, nobles.

The gambling den didn't appeal, but a place full of nobles was quite tempting.

"In a separately prepared inner room...... Yes."

The mustached man glanced at me cautiously.

"Sigh. What if citizens become gambling addicts?"

"That... I've never thought about......"

Well, well.

I glared at the mustached man, and he lowered his eyes.

[Those wicked things. They lure good people into addiction and don't even care? How can they-]

[Lady Agatha.]

[Yes. Dorothy.]

Agatha answered in a very angry voice.

[How about... going to the gambling den once?]

[What? Dorothy. What did you just hear? Gambling is a sin. Do you want to gamble? Oh my. Dorothy! People-]

[That's not it! To approach the Emperor, I need to become famous, and to become famous in the Empire, it's better to be famous among nobles than among vagabonds or commoners, right?]

Surprised by Agatha's misunderstanding, I poured out words like a machine gun. Agatha paused, seemingly thinking for a moment, and fell silent.

[Indeed, that would provide a sturdier shield. The influence of status alone would be different.]

[Yes.]

[But a gambling den....... Even so......]

Agatha hesitated, lost in thought.

[Let's go see first, okay? We have to try everything we can.]

[......Alright, for now.]

"Hey. I want to go to that gambling den too. How can I get there?"

I asked nonchalantly. The mustached man hurriedly answered.

"There's...... a restaurant in the city center."

"Guide me there."

"Yes, yes."

Gambling den......

I've never been to one before.

It felt like doing something bad, and my heart trembled.

* * *

The gambling den opens late at night. The mustached man said he'd come pick me up later, and I threatened him by saying 'If you don't come, God won't let you off' before sending him away.

That scared face......

The mustached man would definitely come back to pick me up. I was certain.

"Thank you."

Even Mount Geumgang is appreciated after a meal. After receiving dinner rations, I returned to my room and closed the door.

It was a really hectic day.

I placed fruit next to me for Agatha's share and started eating.

[Um....... But Dorothy.]

While eating for a while, Agatha spoke to me in a hesitant voice.

[Why do you keep... giving fruit for Dorothy's share? Don't you eat it, Dorothy? I'm a god, but strictly speaking, I'm dead anyway.]

[I have to offer sincerity. With gratitude to the gods.]

[That....... I, no, all of us, have never received something like this before.]

Only living people or animals...? No. In myths, they offered trees too......?

[Don't people offer various things to gods?]

[Yes. Only on important occasions or when they have wishes....... Even then, they sacrifice large animals, not prepare food like this every day. It's the first time.]

Oh no.

Upbringing is important. Growing up seeing Mom pray every day and set up new offerings, I thought it was natural to offer daily.

I didn't need to offer usually.

[Hoho. You've never received any before. How was it? Delicious?]

Please say it wasn't tasty. So I can stop.

I asked with exaggerated kindness.

[......Yes.]

Agatha hesitated then affirmed.

[This...... feeling like eating a meal like this is really after a long time. Apples too, after a long time, and delicious. Amazing.]

Wah. I ended up as the food shuttle after all.

I swallowed a sigh with effort and said with service spirit.

[I'm glad! From now on, I'll prepare even tastier things for you lots!]

[Ah, no. Dorothy. Don't overdo it.]

[Haha. It's my joy!]

I laughed.

"Hahaha!"

Thinking it would be nice if someone noticed my pitiful laugh.

[I want to eat too.]

Then, a voice different from Agatha's came.

It was a young boy's voice.

[Starts eating without even greeting right away? Even if young, be moderate.]

And...... another voice too.

Wait a minute. Don't tell me this is.

[Oh my. When did you come down?]

Agatha asked, sounding startled.

Don't tell me all the Guardian Gods have come down......?

[You told us to come down!]

[Since when have we moved right away when you asked?]

[It's about Dorothy! The only human who'll save us! An incredibly grateful being! We were so curious.]

[Right. Agatha told us to hold back all this time, how long we endured.]

Wow. So noisy and tiring......

[Dorothy. I'm the god of the hearth that protects families. Last time, our knight captain made a mistake. He's so hot-tempered.]

[Ahem, sorry. Dorothy. It wasn't intentional. I'll be careful from now on.]

My head was dizzy. I put down the spoon and held my forehead.

What should I do with this......?

[I said I want to eat too!]

[Look at him insisting like a child.]

I calmly divided the fruit into eight pieces first.

[Please eat. Guardian Gods......s.]

I smiled awkwardly. The sound of gods biting into the fruit echoed in my head.

Crunch, crunch.

[Wow. We can really eat?]

[Right. Amazing....... I was half-doubting when Agatha said she ate.]

[If Dorothy earns more money, can we eat tastier things?]

The number of people to feed increased by 7......

Haha. If it's like this every day, before the gods get angry and the Emperor overthrows the country leading to ruin, I'll die first from neurosis.

[Um...... By any chance, will all eight of you be by my side every day?]

[Yes! We'll go back and forth between heaven and here, but since you said it's hard, we'll all be by Dorothy's side.]

I tried to hint, but got an honest answer. I couldn't tell the gods to please leave.

I stared blankly at the tray, dazed.

[Wait a minute. Dorothy is having a hard time. Be careful not to transmit unnecessary words to Dorothy.]

Does that work?

[Ah, right. Sorry, Dorothy.]

In an instant, the eight gods went quiet.

It really works.

Then, later, if I wish 'Please don't talk to me ever again,' it might really come true.

The arrival of the eight Guardian Gods brought pain, but also hope that once this is over, I can live comfortably.

[And about fortune-telling...... Dorothy? For that, we'll make shifts by day of the week and take turns. So Dorothy doesn't get tired if many talk at once.]

Long live Agatha. Agatha is the best.

As expected, the Empire's greatest god, the strategist of the founding war!

[Thank you, Lady Agatha.]

It was the moment I first felt something like faith.

Thanks to Agatha managing well, the gods were quiet. Not only that, Agatha even left temporarily, saying sorry for being too noisy and to rest.

After that, for the first time since coming here, I was enveloped in silence.

'This is strange......'

Left in the silence, thoughts multiplied.

Was accepting this job the right thing?

Well. I didn't even have time to worry about accepting. Everything happened too fast.

While worrying, the appointed time arrived.

I stepped out into the dark and eerie street.