"The Temple of Life in Arn... is quite large."
"To accommodate such a large population, the temple must be large as well."
Honestly, the temples in the countryside are small. Moreover, they enshrine several gods simultaneously.
Since the number of villagers was not large to begin with, there was no need for it to be big.
Anyway.
"Let's go inside first."
"Huh? Right away? Without any preparation procedures?"
"Is that necessary?"
At my words, Maybelle tried to say sothing but closed her mouth again.
From the beginning, my very existence is a free pass to the temple.
Well, I plan to conceal my identity outwardly. But I can subtly hint to a priest who would understand.
"Are you really sure it's okay?"
"Just trust . I'll take care of everything."
So I confidently entered the entrance of the temple.
"An audience with the high priest? Did you make a reservation in advance?"
"I didn't make one."
"Then you should make a reservation. If you make one now... you'll get a ti 3 weeks later."
"3 weeks?!"
"Yes. The high priest of the Temple of Life is an extrely busy person."
I was blocked by the staff sitting at the information desk at the temple entrance.
"Well, this is really an urgent matter."
"People who say that while trying to get an audience with the high priest are not one or two. You must follow the proper procedures."
Hmm. Should I complain that I'm stuck, or should I appreciate that they don't make exceptions to the procedures?
I can feel Maybelle fidgeting behind . Hmm.
I can't help it. I subtly released my divine power.
"Just because you look cute doesn't an anything goes."
The information desk staff didn't seem to notice the divine power I released at all.
Well... yeah. Not everyone who works at the temple needs to be a priest.
But.
Clang! Thud!!!
"Wh-What was that just now!!"
The priests inside are different.
"Huh? Priests? Why suddenly..."
"What divine power was that just now?! That montary but imnsely dense divine power...!"
"Di-Did a god descend?!"
Hmm... They noticed the divine power I briefly released to this extent. They seem quite skilled.
Well, anyone who can't sense it is unqualified to be my priest. Especially since I released it intentionally.
"May I go in for a bit to talk?"
The priests looked at , exchanged glances with each other, and all nodded in unison.
Yeah. That's right. That's how it should be.
The temple can be considered the ho of the enshrined gods, so if that gods says they want to enter, they shouldn't be stopped.
"Since it's resolved, let's go in."
"Ah, yes..."
And so, Maybelle and I headed inside the temple with the priests.
---------------------
"If I may ask..."
"Don't ask about impertinent things."
If I said I ca to my own temple but couldn't et the high priest because I was stopped at the entrance, how embarrassing would that be?
"I will also forbid asking about my identity. Just roughly guess in your mind. Whatever you think, that will be correct. Don't voice it out loud."
"Y-Yes, I understand."
The priests' attitude towards was extrely deferential.
So deferential that if I told them to lie on the floor, they would imdiately prostrate themselves.
"So, may I ask why the honorable one has co here? Could it be... to choose a new hero...?"
"Don't guess such things."
"Ah, yes."
I took a sip of the dried flower tea in front of the priests.
Phew. Humm. The scent of the flower tea is nice.
"The reason I ca here is nothing special, I'm just looking for soone."
I subtly gestured to Maybelle, who was fidgeting behind , and she ca forward in front of the priests.
"This child's mother sent a letter through the Temple of Life, does anyone know about it?"
"This child is...?"
"A child I happened to et, there are circumstances, so I won't go into details. Her mother, who she was separated from as a child, sent a letter from here to the countryside where she is."
"A letter?"
Maybelle took out a neatly folded piece of parchnt from her pocket.
"My mom who I was separated from as a child sent a letter. Since the place the letter was sent from is here, I ca to find clues."
"Hmm... A letter..."
One of the priests looked at the letter and spoke.
"There are not just one or two people who send letters through the Temple of Life, so how can I rember them all?"
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"The letter was sent about a year ago, but is there anyone who rembers it by chance?"
"There are dozens of letters sent every day. There may be records sowhere, but how would we know whose letter it is."
Hmm... So there are that many letters?
"Is there no way to do sothing? I'm a mouse beastman with gray hair like ..."
"A mouse beastman... Hmm..."
Then, one of the priests raised his hand, as if he rembered sothing.
"Co to think of it, there was a person who seed to be a mouse beastman who ca a year ago..."
"Really?! Do you rember?!"
"I didn't look into it deeply because I was busy, but I think it was a mouse beastman, with a small build and large, round ears."
Maybelle clung to the priest desperately.
"Please! I beg you, even a little, please give a clue about my mom!"
"I don't know much either! I just noticed the unfamiliar appearance..."
"And? Is there nothing else? Think of it as saving a person's life!"
Maybelle cried out while clinging to the priest. I pulled her away from the priest and said,
"Maybelle. Calm down first."
"But..."
I gently infused divine power into the anxious Maybelle to stabilize her emotions.
"Ooh..."
"Such divine power..."
"As expected..."
Ignoring the priests' reactions,
"Is there nothing else you rember about the mouse beastman that appeared a year ago?"
"Huh? Ah, yes. Since beastn are rare in Arn, it seems to have left a strong impression."
"Hmm... Anything else? Can't you rember anything else?"
At my words, the priest thought deeply, then said in a small voice, as if he had rembered sothing.
"Co to think of it... the person had a strange sll."
"Sll?"
"Yes. It was a musty sll that is hard to find in Arn."
A musty sll? Hmm...
"No other clues?"
"No, nothing else particularly..."
No other clues. Hmm.
At the priest's words, Maybelle slumped her shoulders in great disappointnt.
"Is there really no other way? Is there no way to find my mom?"
"Even though there's nothing right now, one thing is certain."
"What?"
I looked straight at Maybelle and said,
"That a year ago, the one presud to be your mother ca to this temple. That is a fact, isn't it?"
"But..."
"I don't know if that mouse beastman was your mother, but at least it seems that a letter was sent from here."
In the worst case, the letter itself could have been a trap to lure this child.
No, the mouse beastman who sent the letter may not have been this child's mother. But that's another issue to be put aside.
For now, it seems a letter was sent from here.
"The clue would be... the sll."
If there were other clues, that would be good. Hmm.
"Anyway, thank you, Maybelle. Let's go back."
"What? The clues about my mom are still lacking!"
"We've heard everything we can for now. Let's try other thods for the rest."
At my words, Maybelle's face showed a slight dissatisfaction, but she had no choice but to nod.
I need to go back and organize the information.
Watching us, the priest in the best clothes approached and spoke.
"Excuse , where are you staying, esteed one?"
"Uhm. I've booked a room at an inn."
It was a decent inn recomnded by the guards, though a bit pricey. But a few silver coins are no big deal.
"I see. If you haven't decided on a place to stay, we were actually considering offering accommodations at our temple's lodging..."
"I've already secured a suitable place to stay, so it's fine."
"But... I wanted to accommodate you in a better place."
I shook my head slightly.
"It's enough as it is. So don't worry too much about . And keep my identity a secret."
"However, your reappearance in the world... the power of a hero is needed, does it not?"
"That's not the case. It has nothing to do with a hero."
I'm just trying to take a look around the world, that's all.
So,
"Just erase from your mind. Understand?"
"Understood, esteed one."
The priests nodded their heads slightly at my words.
Well, even if I say that, it will probably leak out sowhere, but it's better than not saying anything.
And so, Maybelle and I left the temple.
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