Chapter 102

Chapter 102: I will wait for the day when you confess to me·

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Although Ash and Frieren had started chatting without noticing, the priest didn't appear angry. Instead, he sighed softly and spoke with a faint trace of melancholy:

"I understand that when you grow up, you lose your dreams. But I believe he's extremely bored with his life now. So… I hope that, at least in the end, he can pursue what he once dreamed of."

"Is that so?" Ash looked puzzled, unsure why the priest was telling him this.

"Can you please take him out of this village? You don't have any Priest in your group, so I'm sure having one would be beneficial, even if it causes some trouble at first."

The priest glanced at the three adventurers, his gaze lingering before he bowed his head respectfully, making his earnest request.

Ash, however, could only feel a headache coming on. "From Sein's reaction earlier, it seems like you've asked this of other adventurers before, but he's never left. Am I wrong?"

"Indeed…" The priest admitted with a wry smile, "But I believe he's waiting for someone who can give him the push he needs."

"Even his friends couldn't get him to leave ten years ago?"

"That…"

The priest's words faltered, and his expression turned bitter as he lowered his head once again, unable to offer a response.

Later, they had a simple vegetarian meal at the church. Being a holy place, it was no surprise they couldn't ask for much more. People like Heiter, who indulged in drinking and eating meat, were exceptions—and that was why he was often called a wine-and-meat priest. At least, that was what Ash had assumed.

---

That evening, after temporarily settling into the village's only inn, Ash and Frieren found themselves reading books by the bed, immersed in a shared silence. Meanwhile, Fern stood nearby, her hands on her hips, glaring at them with evident displeasure.

"Lady Frieren, Lord Ash! Do you have any excuse for ignoring someone in need?"

"I couldn't help it. His hands were filthy at the time…" Frieren turned her face away, embarrassed.

Ash, on the other hand, replied with complete confidence. "I just wanted to see if he had anything more to say. Besides, saving people isn't my responsibility—it's Frieren's job, isn't it?"

"—You're terrible! Both of you are absolutely terrible!"

Neither of them made any effort to hide their thoughts, which only made Fern angrier. Her cheeks puffed up as she pointed at them, scolding them incessantly.

After what felt like an eternity of reprimands, Fern finally got them to lower their heads in mild shame. Once she was satisfied with their apparent repentance, she sat down beside Ash. Looking up at him, her tone became more serious.

"…If Lord Sein joins our party, it might not be such a bad idea. After all, what the priest said is true. It's always safer to have a priest in your group. And having someone who believes in the goddess as a companion might have a good influence on you."

""But I don't think Frieren (Ash) can be saved.""

Ash and Frieren objected in unison, their words overlapping perfectly.

The way they gave up on each other so readily made Fern narrow her eyes and cast a cold glare at them. Suppressing her growing irritation, she spoke in a low voice:

"—Why are the two of you so in sync only when it comes to things like this?"

"It's not about being in sync," Ash retorted. He glanced at Frieren before continuing, "Frieren, what do you think about adding a priest to the group?"

"Me? …Um…" Frieren hesitated, folding her legs beneath her on the bed. She fiddled with her ponytail, her expression disgruntled. "Honestly, you're hated even by your own kind, aren't you?"

"Frieren, what are you talking about? He's human!"

"…Lady Frieren does tend to say strange things sometimes," Fern interjected, sighing helplessly as she looked at Ash. "Regardless, Master Ash, please try your best to persuade Lord Sein."

"Me? Well… since you put it that way, I guess I'll try a little harder,"

Ash felt a bit troubled by the sudden predicament thrust upon him. However, upon giving it some thought, he realized that having a priest in their group could indeed be convenient. Finding no reason to refuse, he decided to take action and headed out.

As for where Sein might be—he barely needed to search. The moment he came downstairs, he spotted him almost immediately.

After all, there was a tavern situated right beneath the hotel.

The smoky atmosphere of the tavern was far from holy, and Sein, who initially gave off a somewhat serious impression, now seemed anything but. He sat there in his priest robes, a cigarette dangling from his lips, a glass of wine in hand, and a deck of cards spread out in front of him.

At the same table, three others sat with him, each with copper coins stacked in front of them.

No matter how one looked at it, the scene screamed of gambling.

The sight reminded Ash of their earlier interaction. Sein had lectured him about asking for meat in the presence of a priest. Watching the current scene unfold, Ash couldn't resist making a snide remark as he stepped into the room.

"…Among the priest I've met, you're definitely the one who enjoys wine and meat the most."

"This is called fostering camaraderie~ Care to join us?" Sein replied, utterly unashamed, flashing an open grin.

"I heard from my brother that he wants me to join your group. What's your opinion?"

"It'd definitely be more convenient to have a priest around."

"Forget it~ I'm the village priest. If I leave…" Sein trailed off, only to pause mid-sentence as an idea seemed to strike him.

"Wait a second. Playing cards with just the three of us isn't much fun. Why don't you join in? I'll tell you what—if you win, I'll join your team."

"…That's surprisingly straightforward."

"Is it? But if you lose, don't blame us for leaving you stripped down to your underwear."

"Fair enough. Teach me the rules first."

Ash didn't expect the condition to be so simple, so he casually pulled up a chair at the table. Ordering a drink from the waiter, he smiled at Sein and the other players—a pitying smile, as if he were looking at doomed men.

He saw no reason why he'd lose. Luck might not be his strong suit, but in terms of hand speed? No one here could match him.

---

Ash blended into the game effortlessly. After three rounds of drinks and three tables of cards, the results were undeniable.

The copper coins on Ash's side of the table had piled up like a mountain, leaving Sein staring at the sight in disbelief.

"—How?! Ten consecutive wins! Are you sure this is your first time playing cards?!"

"It's just a little beginner's luck," Ash replied calmly, though his smirk said otherwise. "Now that I've won, will you admit defeat?"

"No… I was only joking. Do you really think—"

"Really? I think you meant it." Ash interrupted, his grin unfazed. He then turned his attention to the frustrated village chief, who was banging his head against the table.

"Village Chief, Claus—I'll return all the coins I won today. But in exchange, how about you strip him down to his underwear and toss him out?"

"—Of course! No problem!!"

"Wait, wait, wait! No, hold on! At least spare the inner—!"

Sein's protests were cut short as the two men, now fully energized, pounced on him without hesitation. Despite his frantic pleas, they pressed him to the ground and proceeded to strip him of his clothes.

His shrill howls of protest echoed throughout the tavern.

Ash, mindful of the situation's impact, ultimately asked the two men to leave Sein in his shorts, sparing him from being entirely inappropriate for children. Once the adjustments were made, they unceremoniously tossed Sein out of the tavern.

Pocketing Sein's money, Ash emerged feeling refreshed. He looked down at the man sprawled awkwardly on the ground, his rear in the air, and remarked leisurely,

"This is what happens when you cheat."

"...Don't think I'll give in so easily. I'm a dirty adult. What kind of adult would I be if I gave up after something like this?"

"I don't mind. It's just an attempt anyway. If this doesn't work, Frieren and the others will try persuading you instead. I'll just sit back and watch the show."

"You... What do you think adventure is? Why are you always just watching a show?!" Sein snapped, turning his head to glare at Ash with the disappointment of a man wronged. He scolded him with the fervor of a passionate protagonist. "—To be honest, I don't see any passion in you! And passion..."

"Adventure? No, no, no. I'm just taking a casual walk outside. Why should I get so worked up about it?"

"A casual walk?" Sein was stunned by the unexpected answer. "But aren't you heading all the way north...?"

"Rather than talking nonsense, don't you think you should adjust your attitude? If you keep talking to me while sticking your butt in the air, I might want to kick it."

"Oh, young man, you don't understand. In fact, this position is good for clearing the mind—Ow!!"

Sein, lying prone with his rear in the air, had just lit a cigarette when he felt a sudden, sharp pain. Covering his backside, he curled up on the ground, glaring at Ash with a mix of anger and disbelief. "You actually kicked me?!"

"Didn't I say I was going to kick you?"

"—But who actually does that?!"

"I think I'm pretty normal," Ash replied indifferently. Squatting beside the uncle who was now cradling his rear and tearing up, Ash asked, "So, don't you want to reconsider joining us?"

"...Do you think a normal person would agree to the request of someone who stripped him down to his underwear?"

"I made sure they left you your shorts."

"—And what difference does that make?! You even kicked me!" Sein grumbled, touching his behind with a wounded expression. His tone was full of grief as he began worrying about whether it was swelling.

"Well, you stuck your butt out right in front of me."

"Can't you at least apologize at a time like this?"

"You broke the deal first."

"Uh… Can we just pretend this never happened?"

...

Faced with Ash's mix of casualness and unpredictability, Sein, having been thoroughly defeated both at cards and by force, found himself with no choice but to suppress his complaints. Even though he had no intention of taking any risks with Ash's group, circumstances left him no room to resist.

Curling up on the ground, Sein stared up at the bright night sky, lighting another cigarette in solemn resignation as if holding a funeral for his pride.

---

Since the tavern was directly beneath their lodgings, Frieren and Fern naturally heard the commotion. Curiosity got the better of them, and they quickly rushed downstairs to investigate.

What they saw left them speechless.

Ash was crouched peacefully on the ground, while Sein lay curled up as though he'd been on the receiving end of some particularly unreasonable treatment. Stripped of his clothes save for his shorts, he shivered in the cold spring night.

Before they could question the situation, they saw Ash poking Sein's arm with a branch he had picked up from the ground. Turning his back to them, Ash issued an ultimatum in a tone that seemed almost playful:

"If you agree to fulfill your promise now, I'll return your clothes to you. Or... are you planning to head back to the church dressed like this?"

"...Normally, at this point, shouldn't you at least return my money?" Sein grumbled.

"No, that's out of the question," Ash replied flatly, his reasoning sounding absurdly logical. "That's money I earned with my own skills. Why should I give it back to you?"

Hearing this, Fern, still perplexed by the scene before him, had a sinking feeling. He stepped forward with a dark smile, leaning in to whisper in Ash's ear:

"—Master Ash... what exactly are you doing?"

"Ah, this is too much," Frieren chimed in as she crouched beside them, adding fuel to the fire. "I asked you to recruit teammates who could pull their weight, and instead, you strip them naked? No matter how you look at it, this is a bit excessive."

Ash, unbothered, reached out and smacked Frieren lightly on the head. "This is the fate of a reckless and weak loser who digs his own grave," he said sternly.

"What loser?" Fern asked, confused, as she grabbed Ash by the collar and pulled him upright. "Did you use force?"

"Force? Of course not," Ash replied coolly. "We were just having fun playing cards, but he lost miserably. That's all."

"Damn it... The village chief is as strong as an ox, but this guy? He's worse—stronger than a demon! I couldn't win a single game...! I don't think I'll ever have the courage to sit at a poker table again!"

Sein muttered angrily as he curled up on the ground again, looking like a child sulking after being unfairly punished.

"Wait... this was gambling?" Frieren, finally piecing it together, shook her head in disbelief. "None of you priest take anything seriously." She sighed before continuing, "But fine, Sein. Didn't you say earlier that you were full of regret? Don't you want to come with us? Head north?"

"...I said that a long time ago," Sein muttered dejectedly. "That was before. I should've caught up back then. Now? I'm just a poor old man... left with only underwear and shorts."

Frieren closed her eyes and paused, seemingly weighing her words carefully. Then, she spoke with deliberate seriousness: "I'm talking about now, not the past."

"Now? Now I'm your Companion, right? You're the ones who let the village chief leave me like this!" Sein snapped.

"Eh? Uh... yeah, I guess..." Frieren's serious expression faltered, her voice trailing off as she glanced uncertainly at Ash.

Ash, however, casually avoided her gaze, tilting his head skyward. A faint smile played on his lips as he murmured in an exaggerated, poetic tone, "The moon looks so big tonight."

"...What is this? What kind of vulgar and ridiculous nonsense are you spouting?" Frieren groaned, rolling her eyes.

Fern, less amused, crossed her arms and scolded sharply, "—Hurry up and return the clothes! And the money too!"

"Why should I? I earned it fair and square..." Ash began, only to be cut off.

"Gamblers are the worst! I hate it when Lord Ash gambles!" Fern's cheeks puffed in indignation as she glared at Ash, hands on her hips. "—And bullying is wrong! Isn't that what you taught me before?"