365 - The Empire's Hidden Strength 5
TL/Editor: raei
Schedule: 5/week
Illustrations: Posted in discord
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Learning swordsmanship now seed pointless, even if I gained sword skills from the Goddess. It would only cause trouble.
During my 11 years as an adventurer, it wasn't my swordsmanship that earned embarrassing titles like "Indomitable" or "Unyielding" and even a fan club. It was my sturdy body and even sturdier equipnt.
My shield and armor had maintained a flawless sheen for 11 years without a single scratch, despite only being cleaned of filth. And the warhamr, now as familiar as my own fist. These were Roland's default equipnt from his character illustration in Heroes Chronicle before I possessed him.
Even when I took them off to rest, I always wore this gear on long adventures. Like modern people who feel awkward without their smartphones, I'd feel strange now without the hefty warhamr handle. What swordsmanship were they talking about?
"This old woman has said too much. ...If you have ti, say a prayer before you go."
"Yes, I understand."
As I pondered this, the elderly nun finally finished her lengthy explanation. I wanted to return to the Kingdom imdiately, but I figured I should pray before leaving.
They wouldn't send all the way to the Empire just to hear stories of the past. This nun must have been in charge of explaining the backstory, and anything related to the Season 2 patch would likely be revealed in front of the Goddess statue. With the mory fragnt and all, it seed I'd have to go to the statue after all.
After the drawn-out chat ended, I was led to a small prayer room right behind the reception room. A modest setup caught my eye - a small table, a single chair, and a wooden Goddess statue. It looked like a personal space rather than one for receiving guests.
"No one will co to this room, so feel free to relax."
"Alright."
The nun who escorted to the door with unhurried steps made the sign of the cross before disappearing. Han Se-ah's cara also temporarily returned to the magic tower.
It seed she turned the cara away so I could pray in peace after hearing about the past. Thanks to that, I could look around the prayer room comfortably. Though there wasn't much to see in such a small room.
Ignoring the small table and chair prepared for reading the Bible during breaks, I approached the small wooden Goddess statue.
About the size of my forearm, it looked portable. Probably a sculpture made for priests and nuns embarking on pilgrimages.
'So what am I supposed to do now...?'
Thinking this, I strode toward the statue, but nothing happened. Last ti, I just had to approach the Goddess statue and whoosh, I'd fly off. Maybe it was because I didn't have a quest item like the mory fragnt this ti.
Still, I expected so event to start since I ca all this way.
After pacing in front of the statue, sitting in the chair for no reason, and flipping through the Bible on the table, nothing happened. I even closed my eyes tightly in front of the statue to pray, but still nothing.
"Hmm...?"
Puzzled, I opened my eyes and scratched my head. That's when I noticed a subtle seam around the Goddess statue's waist. Not a crack from poor maintenance, but as if the statue could be opened like a capsule.
To hell with sacrilege, I thought I'd get nothing at this rate. Without hesitation, I reached out and grasped the statue's head. Figuring that ditzy Goddess would forgive this much disrespect.
Holding the head with one hand and the calf with the other, I pulled. With a creaking sound, the statue opened. It felt odd that a temple would blatantly use a Goddess statue as an item storage capsule. It was also like finding a clue in an escape room ga, leaving with mixed feelings.
[Obtained Fragnt of Imperial Swordsmanship - Soone's mory]
And what ca out was a reward I didn't particularly want.
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Raei Translations
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After restoring the Goddess statue, I walked out of the Grand Temple.
While the Grand Temple itself was imnse and impressively majestic, the surrounding city was an ordinary landscape created by ordinary people.
If I had to find a difference, it might have been the types of restaurants.
Unlike the adventurer's city that focused more on cafes and desserts than proper als, the Grand Temple's city had many restaurants. Of course, I'm talking about shops reflecting modern civilization for players.
If the only difference between the Empire and the Kingdom was the ratio of restaurants, I supposed there was almost no cultural difference between the two countries. Thinking this, I entered a shop wafting with the savory aroma of fried food.
"Welco! Table for one?"
"Yeah."
"Right this way!"
Originally, I had planned to stop by the magic tower after visiting the Grand Temple, casually check out so Imperial magic items, and then et Han Se-ah. But Han Se-ah conveniently got a mission.
The mission was simple - Han Se-ah and I had to et before sunset today. Han Se-ah was stuck in the magic tower and could only wait passively, but everyone seed to think it was doable.
Well, assuming I was a normal NPC, the only things to see in this city were the Grand Temple and the magic tower. Unless I suddenly decided to abandon the Kingdom and beco an Imperial rcenary.
"Will he co to the magic tower after eating? Hmm, should I open point betting again?"
-Oh, Han's house is open again? I'm still short on bullets
-LOL bastards, co at . I'll take your points deliciously
-Soon a bunch of young dentia patients with amnesia will appear
-He'll probably co after eating anyway, so it's basically just guessing Roland's alti, right?
-He might check out a weapon shop, blacksmith, or alchemist in between, so think carefully
The viewers started chattering noisily, while Han Se-ah naturally sucked up donations, eagerly awaiting the mission money from the big spenders.
So I should go about 3 minutes after the mission ends when the sun sets. I'd enter the magic tower the mont the mission failure popped up on the hologram window.
Thinking this, I took the nu from the smiling waitress.
Familiar with ignoring the cara's gaze, I looked at the nu filled with various fried dishes. As expected for a player-oriented shop, the prices were higher than I thought. Well, fried food does use a lot of expensive oil, making it a luxury commoners can only dream of...
"I'll have this chicken leg set and a beer."
"Yes, order received!"
What a bizarre situation - praying to the Goddess in armor and then digging into chicken and beer. The viewers must have found it quite amusing too, given the flood of aningless acronyms and icons in the chat.
It was understandable - a warrior who usually ate soup and stew served by nuns in fantasy-style inn dining rooms was now having chicken and beer for a solo drink. But judging by how quickly points were piling up in the betting pool, laughter would soon turn to tears.
As expected, the most points were on "within 2 hours". Many viewers had seen my habit of eating quickly, ingrained from college days through military service, as a returning student, and later as a rcenary and adventurer.
Slurping up broth without any chunks almost like drinking it. Even stew packed with at - stuffing a whole chunk in my mouth, chewing vigorously, and swallowing. Honestly, it didn't even take 10 minutes, let alone 20. Having seen this daily through Han Se-ah's cara, over 70% bet on within 2 hours.
"Excuse , this is on the house."
"Hm?"
Unlike a typical inn dining room, this fried food shop was set up with modern single seats and 4-person tables. As I pretended to eat alone while actually watching Han Se-ah's stream on a hologram window fixed to the wall of my single seat, a plate of french fries was suddenly placed on my table.
Piled high on the plate and generously sprinkled with expensive cheese, this clearly wasn't just a service item. It looked like sothing that should cost at least a silver coin, so how could this be free?
Thinking this, I turned slightly to see a brown-haired waitress hiding her face behind a tray and a plump lady with a friendly smile.
With the sa hair color and similar eyes, they must have been a mother-daughter team running this fried chicken shop.
"In that case, I'll have another beer."
"Oh, yes!"
No reason to refuse kindness I was used to. Seed I'd found an excuse to tease Han Se-ah too. Setting aside the greasiness of the chicken leg, I couldn't grab the cheese-covered fries with my hands, so I picked up a fork and watched the waitress approach with my new beer.
Crispy batter, perfectly salted chicken leg at, ice-cold beer that made my teeth tingle, greasily fried but not cloying potatoes, and rich, salty cheese.
They seed quite skilled with fried food - this place must have been a fixture in the market street. Thinking this, I took out a silver coin from my pocket and spoke to the waitress.
"I have a question."
"Y-yes?!"
"Do you know this area well?"
I had no intention of openly enjoying a night with a waitress in front of the cara, but I could test Han Se-ah's patience by lurking around the magic tower. With this in mind, I made a request to the waitress who was staring intently at my face and the silver coin, nodding her head vigorously.
If there were any famous shops near the magic tower.
Not anywhere else, just around the magic tower.
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