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Chapter 97: A village that grows and me that is grown

Translated by X-tremeEdited by X-treme

The PC screen shows the usual scenery of the village. Let’s look for the five old-timers first. Maybe Chem will be there.

I use the mouse to move my viewpoint to the recently completed church. The church that my mouse arrow was pointing to was the most magnificent looking building in the village.

A wooden structure on a stone foundation with several large, long windows, and the double doors were carved with figures of animals and plants. It was the joint work of Ran, Kang and the elves. The church also serves as a shelter for the village, so it is very durable.

Looking at the interior of the church, a wooden statue of the God of Fate is enshrined at the back of the room lined with wooden couches.

“It’s looking great.”

The first statue was hand-carved by Gams, and was barely human-like in appearance. But this statue has a form that is worthy of being a work of art. I admire Kang and Ran craftsmanship.

“Thank you for allowing me to live in peace and health today.”

The person kneeling and praying in front of the statue is Chem. Many villagers gather here to pray at a certain time in the morning, but after noon, people rarely visit. Chem spends most of her time here when she is not working in the village. Therefore, the room is well cleaned, not a speck of dust in sight.

“You don’t have to work so hard, though.”

When she finished praying, she started to polish the floor with a rag as usual. I could have continued to watch the cleaning scene, but I was curious about the other villagers, so I shifted my perspective from the church.

As I proceeded westward along the main street of the village, I saw the remains of a cave that had been blown up by bombs. The scattered rocks of all sizes had been neatly removed, and a number of houses had been built on the site.

This is where the old members live. They used to sleep in wagons, moved to caves, lived in tents, and finally came to live in these wooden houses.

As expected, Lodis was at his desk doing some paperwork when I looked inside the red-roofed house. He seemed to be checking the list of what the villagers needed. The peddler, Doldold, is coming this weekend.

Next to him, Carol was asleep in her bed, probably tired from playing. I was proud of her for being able to sleep so soundly in such a vulnerable environment.

“Don’t get too carried away.”

“Oh, yeah. Thank you, Laila.”

He receives a glass of fruit juice from his wife and drinks it down with narrowed eyes. Laila looks at her husband and smiles. The couple is as close as ever. To be honest, I’m jealous.

“I’m going to take a break after I finish this. The population of the village has grown to over a hundred people. The more people we have, the happier I am, but on the other hand, there’s also a lot of problems that come up.”

“The new residents had a hard time with the elves and dark elves.”

The topic they talked about was the events of last week. There was a newlywed couple who had come to the village, and they said, ‘We’ve never heard of subhumans or beastmen living here! Get rid of them!”

I had to use the oracle and tell them, “All the people living in the village were under my protection. If you can’t accept that, you’re not needed in this village.”

The couple, who seemed to be ex-hunters, resisted, so I manipulated the statue of the god with the “Summon Golem” and threw them out of the village, showing them the power of God. As expected, they didn’t have the guts to stand up to the gods, so they left quietly.

It’s nice to have more people and more energy, but as a community gets bigger, there are bound to be conflicts. Even I, with my limited social experience, understood this.

I used to be a member of a small guild in an online game that collapsed when the number of members increased. It’s like this even if it’s just for fun. If your real life is at stake, it’s probably not even close.

“The Hunter’s Guild branch…I’m grateful for that too.”

About three days ago, two employees from the Hunter’s Guild arrived. We accepted their request to set up a branch of the guild here in the village, and improved a log cabin that had been used for housing.

The Forbidden Forest, where we live, is rich in monsters and medicinal herbs, and the Hunter’s Guild had been eyeing it for some time. However, the elves and dark elves would not allow anyone else to enter, so they were unable to do anything about it, but then they heard that there was a village inhabited by humans and came to negotiate.

“I’d like to believe I’ve made the right choice, but…”

One of the advantages of attracting a guild branch is that they can purchase the materials of the monsters we kill at a premium. Mr. Doldold also buys the materials, but it seems that the processing of monster materials is very special, and the Hunter’s Guild has a monopoly on that skill.

Therefore, Mr. Doldold was doing a kind of middleman work, selling the materials he bought from us to the guild but that didn’t generate much profit for him.

“Someday, I’ll have to thank you properly, Mr. Doldold.”

The other thing is that having a guild, even if it is a branch, means that a certain number of hunters will come to the village, which increases the defense against monsters. Besides, if you make a request, they will hunt monsters around you, which is very helpful.

In addition, the village’s economy will be boosted as the hunters will be able to do business with the community. It seems like a good thing……but of course there are problems.

It would be fine if all the hunters had a sense of propriety like Gams, but there are a certain number of rough people who may be influenced by the business of risking their lives.

It is God’s job to make those people calm down. Using oracles, miracles, and golems, I tried to convey the impression that this was a village blessed by the gods. Thanks to this, the number of hunters who come to the village and act unlawfully has been drastically reduced, and so far we seem to be doing well.

“Well, that’s a little excessive…….”

I fear that if the rumor of a village where the God of Fate has descended becomes too widespread, it will cause more problems. Personally, I think it would be best if the population settled at this level and the living environment of the village was improved. As if snickering at my wish, I heard a strong bang on the door of Lodis’ house.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Lodis. Could you please come to the gate?”

“Is this Gams?”

“Is there a problem?”

When he got up and opened the door, he saw Gams, breathing slightly unevenly, wiping the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand.

“Actually, we have a new resident.”

“Another prospective resident? We’re not looking for anyone at the moment.”

The village’s development has not kept pace with the increase in population, so we have temporarily stopped recruiting villagers, but even so, people in need still come to the village.

“It’s not just an applicant, it’s a group of…..priests.”

“Perhaps they are worshippers of the God of Fate?”

Cold sweat drips down my face when I hear those words. Is this the result of too much insistence on the existence of God? If I thought about it calmly, I could have predicted this development. When people find out that there is a village where the god they believed in has come down, it is only natural for believers to come.

“I guess I was careless. But I had to use the name of God to stop the commotion, and I can’t say I was wrong, can I?”

I can reflect on my past mistakes as much as I want later. Right now, I need to check the current situation and deal with it. Gams was heading for the gate with Lodis, but I shifted my focus to the gate area ahead of him.

“That’s the group that believes in the God of Fate.”

A group of about twenty people are lined up outside the gate. So far, they didn’t cause any problems. All of them are dressed in white priestly uniforms, with the symbol of the God of Fate sewn on their chests.

The symbol is the same as the one on Chem’s priest’s uniform, so I’m pretty sure they are followers of the God of Fate. The ratio of men to women was about the same. All of them had calm expressions on their faces, and at first glance, they looked like a harmless group of people.

“…….I don’t have a very good impression of religion”

As a recluse for many years, I have come across several religious recruiters who have been visiting my house. Basically, I refused them with the three patterns of “I’m busy now,” “I’m not interested,” and “We are Buddhists,” but once, when I was mentally weak, I had a breakdown and listened to them.

At that time, I think it was a group of three people, including two old ladies and a young woman. When I told them that I was a recluse, they said things like, “That’s because you were unlucky,” “You will have good luck if you hang on to God,” and “Share your suffering with us.”

I don’t mean to say that all religions are bad. I learned from “Village of Destiny” that it can be a source of emotional support and hope for a person’s life. However, the impression I had back then was so strong that when I hear the word “religious organization,” I take a step back. It might be discriminatory to say that otherworldly gods are OK, but real religions are not.

While I was bothered by remembering the past, Lodis arrived at the gate.

“It’s nice to meet you. My name is Lodis, and I am the chief of this village. What can I do for you?”

As many villagers looked on, Lodis stepped forward in an imposing manner. From the group of white-clad men, a mature man with a beard connected to his hairline stepped forward and gave a light bow.

“I’m Niles, and I’m the head priest in the capital city of Wildey.”

He is bigger than Gams but his gentle smile is strangely powerful. I can feel the intimidation even through the screen.

“You’re the Chief Priest? Thank you for coming all the way from the capital.”

“No, no. It is my duty as a believer to go to this blessed land of God. It was no hardship at all.”

The capital city. I’ve heard the villagers talk about it a few times, but I wonder what kind of place it is. I’m interested in the capital, but my first priority is to find out what these people are up to.

“I’ve heard rumors that the God of Fate has descended upon this village, is this true?”

He is just speaking gently and calmly, but I can feel the strong will in his words. Lodis seemed to be feeling the pressure as if he was being threatened, so he squeezed his hand and did not look away from the other person.

“Yes, without a doubt. There are oracles from the God of Destiny. I’ve witnessed miracles many times.”

Lodis swallowed his spit with a gulp and then spoke clearly with an imposing attitude. After hearing this, Priest Niles nodded broadly and placed her large, thick hands on both of Lodis’ shoulders.

“Wonderful! How wonderful! There was no hint of deceit in your eyes. This is truly a village blessed by the God of Fate!”

The chief priest is exaggeratedly moved, raggedly shedding large tears. And behind him, the other believers are kneeling on the ground and praying with joyful expressions. It may be a touching sight for some people, but I can only think of it as scary.

I think Chem was in a similar situation when she first received the oracle, but it was because she had actual experience of being saved by the oracle and miracles that I was able to accept her words of gratitude honestly. However, these people showed so much emotion and joy just from the explanation. And if their faces are more suitable to be described as……madness rather than joy.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I was so happy that I got distracted. By the way, do you have a priest in this village?”

Chief Priest Niles wiped his tear-stained face with a handkerchief, and his smile quickly transformed into a gentle one. You’re a person with a lot of ups and downs. I’m glad I wasn’t there, he’s not my type.

“Yes. It’s been a while, Mr. Niles. Thank you for your help at the baptism. I am in charge of the church in this village. I’m Chem, if you remember.”

Chem, who had stepped up next to Lodis, clasped her hands together and hung her head deeply. The way she spoke, it seemed that Chem was acquainted with Priestess Niles.

“Oh, it’s you. Of course I remember you. Thank you for all the hard work you’ve done on your own. The fact that you have received God’s blessing is a good thing for the Order. Your achievements are immeasurable. I would like to say thank you.”

“That’s a waste of words.”

A hand was gently placed on her shoulder, and Chem’s cheeks turned red with emotion. It seems that this chief priest named Niles is the real deal.

I wonder if this is the beginning of a conversation about getting donations from the Order or sending people from the Order to this village.

“Blessed by the gods, you will spend a few years in the capital to gain virtue and learn what it means to be a future chief priest. Rest assured, in the meantime, we will take over this village. Let’s build a magnificent temple and develop this place as the village……where the God of Fate descended, no, the holy land!”

The chief priest waved his hands in the air and gave an impassioned speech, while the believers just nodded in a prayer pose behind him. Chem is surprised by the unexpected words and can’t say anything back.

……Ha!I was just as stunned as she was.

“This means that a religious group will take over the village, right?”

The days when everything was calm and smooth didn’t last long.