Forsaken Priest of the Hero's Party-Chapter 5: Making a Swing

When the wolf beastkin looked at me for the first time, she lowered her head and trembled.

I prepared a room for the Child. Laid a new blanket on the bed and added a sheet. I also bought a new wallpaper and replaced the old one.

When she realized I wouldn’t say anything as long as she stayed in that room, the child kept the door tightly closed and wouldn’t come out at all.

It seems she’s still scared of me.

Even when she kept building walls between us,

I didn’t want to forcibly break the child’s walls.

I cannot change others. Only the Lord and themselves can do that.

But there are things even the Lord doesn’t do.

If one doesn’t try to change themselves, the Lord won’t move as well.

Just like you can lead a donkey to a patch of water, but can’t make it drink. I don’t know what the child went through, but it must have been hard. It wouldn’t be strange for it to remain a big stain on its life.

So, dear child. I’ll become your sun.

Just like the Lord did for me.

I will gather things that can serve as fertilizer for your growth, and draw water from the spring to quench your thirst.

Just as the Lord did for me when I was a withered sprout.

But I cannot guarantee that you will grow tall and strong like this one.

I can only do my best.

As I tended to the biggest tree in my garden I hardened my resolve.

This tree. The branches are quite thick and strong.

Grabbing a nearby branch with my hand I gave it a little tug. But the brunch didn’t break, it just bent a little before returning to its original state.

I pulled it once again, making a considerable effort this time, but once again the branch didn’t break. With a sturdiness like this, I could even sit on it.

“Hmm...There’s nothing to play with in the house, so it must be boring inside.”

Although I bought a few dolls at the city market, the child didn’t seem interested in playing with them.

I don’t know if she’s refusing to touch them despite wanting to, or if she’s truly not interested. Either way, the dolls remained in mint condition even after several days. Still, I left them to her. Who knows, maybe she’ll show interest someday.

“Should I try making a swing...”

The previous owner of this house left some plywood and ropes behind.

My craftsmanship isn’t bad.

When I first met the Lord, both Yurinel and I were very young, and it was right after we lost our parents.

Yurinel always disliked our hometown, the Pumpkin Vine Village.

Just like pumpkins, despite being a type of crop, that thrives and overcomes weeds, our village grew despite being an unimportant place. The people weren’t wealthy, but they were comfortable and full of life.

There were some conflicts here and there, but they quickly reconciled.

However, that little place of peace and calm was destroyed by an uncontested existence.

One of the monster hordes created by the Grimudo, the Ancient Demon King.

The man-eating monster, the Manticore, trampled our hometown. The adults were no match for it.

It looked like a lion, but it was several times larger, and its tail was sharp like a scorpion’s. Its mouth was full of saw-like teeth. When it fully spread its two wings, they were large enough to cover an entire house.

It didn’t kill people for survival or food.

No, this creature did it for fun. It played with people with its lion-like front paws and only killed and ate them when it got bored.

Our neighbors died like that. Our parents had us run away as they tried to fight the monsters. I didn’t witness their end, but I knew they died fighting those things.

At that time, I definitely ran away holding Yurinel’s hand with a manticore chasing us... and then...

It’s a memory from when I was very young. And a memory I don’t want to recall.

I don’t remember exactly what happened. But there’s just one thing I can be sure of.

That I saw the Lord then, and I saw the Lord’s miracle.

I don’t know what I saw, but that was definitely the Lord.

I couldn’t describe his presence, and even though my eyes gazed upon his magnificence, I couldn’t see it.

My small mind became empty the moment I faced Him. Only one word came to mind.

God.

I didn’t need to think any further. He could only be described with that one word.

When I came to my senses, the Manticore was dead.

There wasn’t a single small wound on its body. The cause of death was natural.

And from then on, the Lord’s Divinity surrounded me. Uncle Helmut, the village’s hunter, fainted when his arm was torn off. Uncle Yoham, the carpenter, had his waist broken when he was hit by the Manticore’s paws. I was barely able to save those two. While the village suffered greatly from the Horde, it wasn’t erased.

-Apostle. Do not resent the Lord for not revealing himself to you earlier.

Differently from the Light Angel, the one who spooked me this time was the Tree Angel.

It’s been a long time, but I still remember the Angel’s words.

-The Lord cannot exercise his Divine Power in this place as he pleases. You may think his power is boundless. However, He always has His own laws. Remember that if He had come to you a little earlier, you would have passed away before He could vanquish the foul beast.

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On that day, I became a priest. The village’s only priest, in fact.

The Trinity Church or the Church of the Heavenly God Aldehir didn’t bother to come to our village.

Our hometown was so remote that even Priests of Evil Gods didn’t bother with it.

Until the day when the holy knights and priests of the Trinity Church barged in and took Yurinel away.

Until she proved her qualification as a hero by drawing the holy sword.

When this happened, they left the village as soon as they came. So the fact I was the only priest remained a fact for a long while.

And it would continue to be like that, however...

“While I was trained by the Trinity Church, I discovered something. The Manticore, is in fact, one of the monsters created by the Ancient Demon King, Grimudo.”

Yurinel Lakponcia.

My old childhood friend had somehow become a hero and a noble.

“I will exterminate them, and get revenge. Will you follow me?”

When she asked me if I would join her in avenging our parents, I didn’t hesitate.

I left everything behind.

Well, in the end, I had to come back knowing that I couldn’t do anything to Grimudo, but Yurinel will surely be able to finish the revenge.

With the Saint’s help this all but confirmed.

Ever since the attack, I learned this and that from Uncle Yoham.

While Yurinel left the village and went on numerous adventures, I wasn’t just playing around either.

I learned how to hunt from Uncle Helmut, and learned about the various medicinal herbs from Sister Rumil, the Herbalist. I also listened to some old stories from the village elders.

Compared to what Yurinel must have learned, it all seemed trivial. But one of the things I learned was also woodworking skills from Uncle Yoham.

“I really miss you, Uncle.”

I cut the plywood appropriately to make the swing seat and covered it with leather to make it soft so that it’s comfortable.

Taking out a rope, I tied the swing to the sturdiest branch, making sure the knot was secure. I even tried it myself to check if the branch would hold.

But now, the village won’t need me anymore.

One of the things I learned in my brief period as a member of the Hero’s party, is that the world is vast, and there is always a need for a priest.

I saw people suffering from broken bones, unable to receive treatment. I also saw people whose wounds began to rot, eventually leading to necrosis.

The place where I should be is not my hometown, which is always tranquil.

The place where I should be is where I am needed.

Will she like this?

Peek-.

Seeing her dark blue eyes looking at me through the narrow gap in the door, I slowly rode the swing, pretending to not notice her.

There’s no need to frighten the child, by showing I am aware of her peeking.

I worked so hard to make this, so it would be nice if she rode it.

It’s okay if I can’t see her using it. It’s okay if she only plays with it when I’m not around. All that I wish is for her to enjoy the swing like a normal child.

After wasting a few more moments appreciating the wind while I tested the swing, I got off.

It’s time, huh...

There’s something that gives courage to even the most timid person.

Hunger.

Once you’re hungry, everything else is secondary.

The only time that child musters up the courage to look for me, is when it’s time to eat.

Since the child is looking at me means it’s time to feed her.