Something cold splashed across my face. I peeled my eyelids back, my vision blurred by droplets of water.
I tried to wipe my face, but my hands wouldn't move. It seemed I was being restrained. With no other choice, I shook my head to clear the water, only to find Neneva’s face inches from mine. Graymond stood right behind her.
I glanced around to get my bearings. We were in the mansion’s dining hall, and I was tied firmly to a chair.
“You’re going to tell me everything!” Neneva declared.
She thrust an index finger right under my nose. Her red eyes blazed with a fierce determination that made it clear she wouldn't tolerate any excuses.
“Before that, tell me what happened to me,” I countered.
I needed to understand what had transpired before I ended up in this state. My own secrets could wait until I had a handle on the situation.
Neneva crossed her arms, tapping her chin as she considered my request.
“How much do you remember, Walt?”
“Up until the priest announced your Job. My body felt weird right around then, and then my consciousness just... cut out.”
“After that, you...” Neneva trailed off, her expression unreadable. She stared at me, her lips pressed into a thin, tight line.
“What did I do?”
“You suddenly started singing an original love song dedicated to me.”
“Wait, what...?” My heart skipped a beat. Had that really happened? “Did I... did I really do that?”
I looked toward Graymond for confirmation.
“Indeed. Master Walt was quite passionate as he sang of his devotion to the Young Lady.”
What was wrong with me? Had my mind finally snapped the moment I heard her Job? Or did I secretly harbor those kinds of feelings for her deep down...?
“Just kidding.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me!”
Neneva burst into laughter, while Graymond struggled desperately to stifle a chuckle. Once the echoes of their amusement died down, I asked again.
“Seriously, what happened?”
“The moment you lost consciousness, a creepy little box emerged from your body. It was overflowing with a loathsome purple liquid.”
The Vessel of the Evil God and the Fragment of the Evil God. Had they forced their way out of my Storage Space...?
“And then...?”
“I used my skill to destroy it. That purple liquid—the Fragment of the Evil God.”
“...Did you already know what it was?”
Neneva shook her head slightly.
“No, not exactly. But the moment I received my Job, the knowledge just flooded into my mind.”
“As soon as you became a Saint?”
“Yes.”
The moment I had said the word, a faint, pale blue light had enveloped her. It occurred to me then that the power of a Saint might only truly manifest once they are recognized as such by another person.
“Now it’s your turn to answer my questions. Walt, why were you hiding a Fragment of the Evil God inside yourself? And how did you even do it? I managed to feed the priest some nonsense to cover for you, but...”
“...Do I really have to tell you?”
Graymond’s sharp, piercing gaze cut through me.
“Unless you explain yourself, Master Walt, I cannot release you. For all we know, you might pose a threat to the Young Lady.”
He had a point. I didn't have much of a choice.
“Fine. I’ll talk. But it’s a long story. Are you sure you're ready for it?”
“I am. Tell me everything.”
Neneva pulled up a chair and sat directly across from me. Her red eyes were fixed on mine, urging me to begin. I took a deep breath.
“To start with... my current Job isn't Herbalist.”
“What...?” Neneva’s voice rose in disbelief. “What do you mean? Then what is your real Job?”
“I'm a Swordsman.”
“But you were making medicine! Even Graymond said your ointments were incredibly effective.”
Graymond nodded solemnly from behind her.
“I’ve undergone the Rite of Job Change multiple times in the past to switch my Job.”
“Wait... but if you change Jobs, your skills are supposed to be reset, right?”
“Not for me. No matter how many times I change my Job, I retain every skill I’ve ever learned.”
“That’s impossible...” Neneva’s eyes went wide. Graymond, however, gave a knowing nod. He was likely connecting the dots between my past actions and this new information.
I went on to explain how I had sought the Fisherman Job and undergone the rite twelve times, only to fail and leave home. I told them how my frequent Job changes had barred me from the Adventurer's Guild, forcing me into the Dark Guild instead. Finally, I explained how I had discovered the Fragment of the Evil God in Count Cardinal’s Territory and had been forced to hide it within my Storage Space.
“And so, someone from the Dark Guild told you that coming here might be the key to sealing the fragment?”
“Yeah. That’s the gist of it.”
Neneva and Graymond exchanged a glance.
“Someone who knew about my power...?” she whispered.
“I believe I know who it was,” Graymond replied, a specific face clearly coming to mind. “If it was that person, then everything Master Walt has said aligns perfectly.”
“Very well. Walt, thank you for being honest. Old Man, untie him.”
“As you wish.”
Graymond moved behind me and began working on the ropes.
“You actually believe me?” I asked.
“I do,” Neneva said without a hint of hesitation. She spoke as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
“But... I’ve been lying to you this whole time.”
“It was a harmless lie. Besides, you were just scared, weren't you? You were afraid of people finding out you were an existence living outside the Logic of God Karia. I'm not going to blame you for lying to protect yourself because you were frightened.”
The ropes fell away, and I was free. Yet, I found myself unable to move. Neneva’s words had struck a chord deep within me, tightening my chest with an emotion I couldn't quite name.
“Well? How long are you going to sit there staring into space? Get up and get moving. You’re on lunch duty today, aren't you, Walt?”
“Right. I am.”
I wiped my face one last time and stood up. I decided that, for today’s meal, I would use my Cook skills to their absolute limit. After all, I didn't have to hide them anymore.
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❖━━━━━❖ ✨New Publication Information✨ ❖━━━━━❖
"The Bottom-Tier Adventurer Who Works Hard at Simping: Offering Rare Materials Every Time to Make the Top-Tier Experts Buzz" Was released by KADOKAWA Dragon Novels on January 5th!!
The illustrator is Natasha-sama! The heroine Elulu is incredibly cute!! I want to continue the series, so please support it!! For physical books, the initial sales are everything!!
↓↓↓↓↓ Site ↓↓↓↓↓ https://kakuyomu.jp/publication/entry/9784040762586