Practical Experience
After the charity event ended on a high note, one of the priests came to see me.
Captain, I know you're busy with the Journey, but could I ask you to handle a monster problem?
Some of our followers who came for the event were attacked in the forest.
I'm worried that if we don't do anything, the people living nearby might get hurt.
If Muriel could get some real combat experience from this, all the better.
So we headed straight for the forest where the monster was spotted.
Heh heh, bring it on, monster or whatever, I'll blast you away in one shot.
Captain, watch me closely.
So next time you see Lord Gaph in your dreams, you can brag about me properly. Got it?
You're gonna get in trouble if you charge in all pumped up like that.
Pfft! You think the upgraded me is gonna go down that easy?
Not a chance! So stop worrying ♪
Right then, I heard a growl behind her.
Grrrr...
Eep...!
C-Captain...! Is there something right behind me...?
Don't freak out. Turn around slowly!
O-okay...! I'll turn around on the count of three...!
One...! Two...!
THREE!
When she turned, there was a tiny slime just staring at her.
...Huh?
Ahahaha! What is this?! It's so tiny!
Oh? Getting all mad because I called you small? Puhuhu!
Take this!
She whacked it with her staff and the slime ran off crying...
Hmph. I was picturing something way scarier. That was lame.
That little thing attacked people?
Pfft, probably just some latecomers making excuses.
Or maybe they were just huge scaredy-cats who freaked out over a baby slime ♪
Just then, something big slithered out from the same direction the slime ran off to.
Muriel! Look out! Behind you!
Hmm? What's with you, Captain?
Ah, I get it. You're trying to spook me, huh?
Pfft, too bad for you. I'm not the same coward I used to be.
Bet it's just that tiny slime agai—
—Eh.
Muriel, run!
Kyaaaa! Captain! Don't leave me behind!!
That slime. It's still circling around here...
It's looking for us, isn't it? What do we do?
Present Muriel as an offering.
Don't joke about things like that! It's not funny!
You were all fired up a second ago.
Th-that was before I knew it was huge...!
Maybe I'm hopeless after all. I really thought I'd do better this time...
She reached up and touched the bandage wrapped around her horn.
Seeing that reminded me of something.
Wait... That horn. Did a monster do that?
Eh? U-um... sort of, yeah...
I got it when I was little. It always bothered me when I saw it in the mirror, so I keep it covered.
Even if she could fight fear with faith, her body still wouldn't keep up.
Let's face it together.
Huh?
C-Captain...! I...!
This is the first time on this whole Journey you've actually sounded like a Captain...!
Maybe if you didn't cause so much trouble, you'd hear it more!
What?! How can you say that to me?!
Aren't you afraid of what might happen when I become the next High Saintess?!
You just wait! I'm gonna pray every day so that you sleep through your alarm clock every morning!
Eeek!
Now what?! It found us because you were yelling!
You were louder than me!
W-what do we do?! It's so huge, my staff's not gonna scare it off this time...!
Eeek?! What is this?!
It's hot! Help me, Captain! I'm gonna burn up!
Muriel, can you make that fireball again?
Eh? The one I used on those scammers?
But is that really okay? We're in a forest!
It's our only shot.
She's come a long way since then. She could handle it now.
O-okay...! I'll try!
Omniscient and omnipotent Lord Gaph, shield us from the machines and the underdwellers...
...And lead us not into temptation but shower us with luxury and comfort...!
The longer she prayed, the bigger the fireball got.
Seeing that, the slime lunged at us.
Now! Launch it!
Errraggh!
Oh... So that's how the whole forest ended up burning down.
I have no excuse...
I was just following orders...
You never control your spells!
Hey! I tried my best, okay?!
Haha, it's fine. Actually, you did us a favor, Saintess Muriel.
Huh...?
That forest was scheduled to be cleared anyway.
If it took too long, the locals would've suffered financially.
So the people getting hurt was about getting hurt financially... huh.
Ahem, ahem!
See, Captain? That's why I went all out with the firepower!
Pfft, you really scolded me without even knowing my master plan!
That's why we need to convert more non-believers like you ♪
She was back to bragging again...
But since she'd faced that old fear head-on today, I let it slide.
By the way, Saintess Muriel, you're still wearing that bandage, I see?
H-huh?
You know about her scar?
Haha, of course. It's the one she got as a kid after teasing a stray cat and getting bitten.
I can still picture her running around screaming with that cat stuck to her head.
...
...Anything you wanted to add?
Um... I figured if I told you it was from a cat, you'd toss me to the slime...
B-but hey, no harm done in the end, right?
Right! Maybe this was all part of Lord Gaph's plan too!
Starting tomorrow, pay for your own food.
Waaaah! That's not fair! Blackmailing me with food? That's low!