Chapter 27

“Ah, thank you so much for coming…!”

We arrived at the Adventurer’s Guild in the neighboring territory.

Greeting us was a woman in a nun’s habit, her eyes closed.

She was quite a beauty with a sizable chest, but…

“G-Giant bust nun—oh, ‘Saint Anemone’!? We’ll be turned into children!!!”

The adventurers were on the verge of a frenzy.

They were mostly frivolous and womanizers. That’s likely why they tried to hit on Anemone, who was an absolute beauty with an enormous bust, and ended up in a terrifying situation.

“Everyone, what’s the matter…?”

“Please, pay it no mind. As you may have noticed, we are the ones who came to aid from ‘Tristain,’ the neighboring territory. By the way, my name is Jade. Pleased to make your acquaintance.”

Jade-kun was in his formal mode.

“And you are?”

“Oh my, adventurers from the neighboring territory are quite courteous. I am Albedo. Besides serving as the deputy priestess of the ‘Goddess Faith,’ I also fulfill the role of this guild’s master.”

Oh, she’s a remarkable woman.

The ‘Goddess Faith’ is the state religion of this world, venerating ‘Goddess Sophia,’ who bestowed upon humanity the power to fight monsters.

By the way, its influence is immense. After all, ‘Goddess Sophia’ actually descended a few hundred years ago to grant humanity sanctuaries and skills, helping them. Every other religion paled in comparison.

“Being both a deputy priestess and the guild master at such a young age is truly impressive.”

“No, no… These titles mean nothing. After all, I couldn’t protect this place by myself.”

Albedo-san looked towards the side of the guild with her closed eyes. There, wounded and exhausted adventurers were receiving treatment from the receptionist.

This is…

“Pardon me, but shouldn’t they be sent to a medical facility?”

“All the medical facilities in this town are full. That’s why we have no choice but to use available halls, churches, and the guild as temporary medical centers.”

“That’s a serious problem.”

I inadvertently said it to her face. This is really bad.

“Yes, it is. Having this many adventurers down is…”

“That’s not the only issue. The problem lies in the sanitation of this place.”

Excrement in the alleyways. Dogs, rats, and pests running through the town. And the abandoned homeless people…

“There’s a risk of infectious diseases. For the injured, this town is rife with the potential to catch various infections.”

“In-Infectious diseases… that’s what you call the ‘Miasma Sickness’…?”

“Moreover, if the dispersed injured start outbreaks of infectious diseases, it will spread further from there. Right now, this town is in a very dangerous state.”

Am I not getting through to her?

I understand Albedo-san’s level of knowledge. She referred to infections as ‘Miasma Sickness.’

In the Dark Ages of the West, it was believed that infections were caused by miasma (bad air). This world is a direct continuation from those times. So until I, ‘Dark Noblewoman Sara,’ spread knowledge, that slightly wrong superstition was believed.

Actually, it’s still believed outside Tristain.

“Has Sara’s knowledge not reached this town? Even though it’s a neighboring territory?”

“…We’ve heard some of it. However, because she’s suspected to not be human, the head priest of the ‘Goddess Faith’ instructed us not to accept her knowledge…”

“That won’t matter if people start dying.”

So, this is a religious issue. Yeah, even Lord Iscar complained. The upper echelons of the ‘Goddess Faith’ are also troublesome.

“I apologize… If it’s an edict from the headquarters, I can’t disregard it…”

“…No, it’s fine. I understand there are frictions in faith.”

Albedo-san is not to blame. This isn’t a personal issue for her.

Moreover, her decision to house the injured in various places is not perfect but still correct. If they were left untreated by the roadside, it would lead to an infection explosion.

“The problem lies with this territory’s lord. What on earth have they been doing? If the lord had requested aid earlier or arranged to transfer the injured, it wouldn’t have come to this.”

“I’m sorry. Apparently, the lord finds Count Iscar of your territory ‘disagreeable’…”

Huh?

“And they didn’t want to owe a favor.”

I see…

Yes, Lord Iscar did complain about this too. Nobles have incredibly high pride.

So, they caused this disaster with their selfishness. Unbelievable.

“I heard rumors. The request for aid was made by you, the guild master, on your own accord.”

“Yes. While guild masters are under the command of the territory’s lord, I acted against that.”

Albedo-san had a fearful smile. She seemed to be dreading the consequences.

“It is indeed a rebellion against a noble. Later, I will likely face severe punishment. If the mood strikes, I could even be executed…”

But, she said,

“I don’t care what happens to me. So please, save this territory!”

She bowed deeply.

Ah—there’s no choice but to accept this.

“Leave it to us, Master!”

“We’ll handle it!”

“Leave the peace of this land to us!”

My adventurer comrades nodded with smiles. It seems our hearts are united.

“Everyone…!”

“Of course, you can count on me too. In addition to those here, more aid is on the way.”

So, it’s time to head out. This time, I won’t be dawdling.

When I told them to move out, they said, “Don’t let a third-rate adventurer boss us around.” Grrr. Third-rate discrimination!!!

“Ah, thank you so much, everyone…!”

Albedo expressed her gratitude, almost in tears.

As I was leaving, I whispered to her,

“Don’t worry. Even after this is over, you won’t be punished.”

“Huh?”

The lord of this land has displeased an evil dragon, after all.