The Priest Wants to Retire

EP.217 Life is a Flower. Love is the Nectar of That Flower. (4)

Huff! Huff!

With every thud against the ground, my breath was getting shallower, now reaching up to my throat.

My heart was thundering like the ancient sound that signaled the end of war.

My legs felt completely numb, with only a sharp pain to remind me they existed.

No matter how much I tried to inhale, my body seemed to have a hole in its lungs, leaving me questioning if I’d suffocate.

Left… side…!

The voice of Apis, quietly resonating in my arms, was the only thread keeping my consciousness intact amidst the overwhelming fatigue.

Boom─!

As I desperately twisted toward the right direction, the strong shockwave from the terrifying explosion lifted my body slightly.

Cough!

I barely regained my balance and forcefully slammed down against the ground again.

I couldn’t even dare glance behind me.

The pursuer chasing me was not the type to allow such luxury to a fleeing target.

Stop.

Would you stop if you were me!?

I wanted to bark back with all my might, but my gut felt like it would burst if I spoke, so I focused on regulating my breath.

I’ll… leave… you… behind… you idiot… kid…

Apis, struggling with her blocked throat, tried to say something to me, but I chose to ignore it.

If I could have abandoned her, I would have done it long ago. I couldn’t just let go of someone I had fought so hard to carry this far, no matter the cost.

Fortunately, I had survived the critical moment, but Apis’s condition was still at rock bottom.

Healing the wounds inside her body required considerable skill, unlike the external injuries.

I could manage basic first aid, but that had already been interrupted, so once again, a prayer was inevitable.

But.

Chwa-reul-leug! Boom! Crack!

In the face of the merciless onslaught crashing down without a moment’s respite, attempting miracles was out of the question, as even just running with my eyes wide open was difficult enough.

Wind… come…!

Bang! Boom! Bang─!

Apis, straining her split voice, chanted the spell with all her might. That murky sound saved my life once more.

Since I was too busy running, I couldn’t know exactly what was happening behind me.

But considering that this unbalanced game of tag had continued up to now, I could roughly guess that Apis was fending off a significant number of threats coming my way.

However, the fact that this precarious confrontation wouldn’t hold for long was a clear truth.

I had two remaining strokes of Stigmata.

One had to be used to heal Apis, effectively leaving me with only one stroke I could utilize.

This was the only thing I could count on, so I couldn’t waste it.

Chwa-reul-leug! Crack─!

Cough!

With a piercing pain that pierced through my side, my eyes suddenly widened.

It was a painful blunder, but I was lucky it didn’t hit Apis.

While a small hole through my body was a trivial matter for me, each tiny wound was potentially fatal for Apis now.

Bastard…!

Even amidst all this, Apis still spewed curses, leaving me in awe at her toughness.

Hahaha! Hey! It’s that intruder from before! When did he get out again!?

─!?

Phew!

It was at that moment.

With an unexpected pain causing my body to sway slightly, I was swept away by another force emerging from outside my sight and ultimately collapsed.

Cough…!

I reflexively hugged Apis in my arms.

Thanks to that, I managed to keep Apis safe as I tumbled dozens of meters away.

You did well. Pai. Mother will praise you.

Really!? Awesome! I don’t even know what’s happening!

The unexpected kick to my body came from one of the duo who had just imprisoned me at the stable a while ago.

Getting caught by the same person twice? If this is fate, then so be it.

Hah… Hah…

I rolled across the hard floor like a soccer ball.

My body, stained with blood and bruises, had no single intact spot left.

My body trembled as if I had hypothermia, clearly indicating that my stamina had hit rock bottom.

Bastard…! Just leave me behind and run…

Ah, could you be quiet a bit…?

I snapped back at Apis, who was persistently nagging me, and resolutely stared at the approaching threat.

It’s Mother’s order. Kill the Elf, but bring the man alive to Mother.

Hack! Fine! Got it!

Even if she wasn’t quite a Saint, two superhumans with abilities close to hers were here.

On the other hand, we had one dying Elf and a semi-priest on the verge of collapse.

No matter where I looked, only the shadow of despair loomed over me in this truly dire situation.

Just hold your pointless resistance there. Don’t worry. Mother said to kill the Elf, but it’s her command to bring the man back alive, you see.

Click!

Not fully satisfied, but still, I stretched out my arm, preparing to call upon Bawngwi.

At this point, it was all or nothing.

If escape was impossible, then the only choice left was to fight with all my might.

The chances were slim, but I had to try.

We would return together.

That wasn’t just a mere resolution but a desperate vow etched into my soul.

…Alright. If that’s your will, then there’s no other way. If I lose a limb or two, I won’t complain─

Just then.

As I belched out my thinly veiled hostility from my battered state, she let out a sigh that seemed to indicate disbelief.

Boom─!

Suddenly, an unknown projectile that burst through the wall sent the two people standing right in front of me crashing into it in an instant.

Crunch! Thud!

The sight of bodies sequentially embedding into the solid wall felt like watching darts hit a target.

For a moment, I felt a pang of embarrassment at how my solemn determination had ended in such absurdity, but soon my face became awash in sheer shock.

Huff! I don’t know who you are, but I’m truly sorry!

─!?

As the dust blocking my vision gradually cleared, my weary eyes widened in disbelief.

The identity of the new savior who had rescued us from peril was none other than the Hero.

Confronting an unexpected figure at an unexpected moment filled me with even greater shock.

Not only that.

While I and Apis were nearly falling apart, the Hero’s condition had markedly deteriorated since the last time I saw him, which was equally shocking.

No matter how much this place could be called a hell filled with Saint candidates, it was unimaginable to think that someone could push to this extent a Hero who had mastered his skills enough to dodge and even cut through the chains of the Saintess.

Hero…?

Apis, equally surprised, showed an expression of bewilderment amidst her haze.

…Huh?

Our eyes met at that moment.

P-Priest!?

Her little head tilted like a puppy being called, easing the tension that had been tightly wound in my body.

Priest! You’re safe!

Tap!

Like a light bulb that had just turned on, the Hero’s face lit up as he hastily approached me, eyes shimmering with tears.

Just moments ago, I had faced a fake Hero, so a flicker of wariness flared up briefly.

However, knowing that Apis had called out first, and seeing the way his gaze swept me up and down, I was convinced that this was the Hero I knew.

Hahaha…

As the tension dissipated, a wave of relief washed over me.

Suddenly, sleepiness hit me, but with every breath I took, the pain grew clearer, which barely kept my consciousness from slipping away.

You’re safe too, Hero…

Of course! Priest! You don’t have to worry about me at all! I’m a Hero! More importantly, you’re the one I’m worried about… that wound. Who did this to you?

Creak.

The strange sound resonating from my bones made the Hero’s head jerk sharply.

His actions weren’t much different from before, but the emotion behind his words had shifted, making his aura chillingly deadly.

Whoever did it, give me a detailed description of their appearance. If you could draw a portrait, that would be even better.

In those murky eyes, it was hard to find even a trace of rationality.

It was somewhat commendable that he was igniting a desire for revenge on my behalf.

But the culprit who had made us like this had already long been reduced to a wall, so it was now a murky matter to snitch.

Hero. Right now, we should focus on Apis first…

Huff! Ah, Apis! Who did such a terrible thing!

Cough… so quick to notice…

The moment the Hero finally caught sight of Apis, shock coursed through him, and as he gasped, it happened.

A chill.

The air in the surrounding atmosphere began to tremble violently, akin to the feeling of being pricked with needles along my spine.

Huff! Priest! Apis! Stay behind me!

With a rare burst of intensity, the Hero unsheathed his sword.

But for some reason, despite the lingering threat in the air, his blade remained encased in its scabbard.

I eventually realized why.

It’s not allowed! Dawna!

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