## Chapter 968 – Sea

“Sister.”

Upon hearing that, I couldn’t help but be shocked inwardly. Whatever the case, it was now confirmed that nuns serving the Sea Goddess were secretly operating somewhere in this port city.

I don’t know what the fuck those bitches are trying to accomplish by encouraging such evil deeds, but this was clearly heretical.

They must all be wiped out.

And goddamn it. What kind of nun teaches you to throw trash around as you please? Does that mean everyone who litters around here worships the Sea Goddess? Of course, it might have become contagious as they all did it.

“The sisters are beautiful.”
“Yes… very…”

As I trailed off, the guy answered as if he were drunk.

“But it’s a shame. That it’s turning out like that.”

Are these nuns using their looks?
This reminds me of that heretical preacher from back then.

“Our sister taught us to make sure no trash ever goes into the sea. Well, the teachings are a bit different depending on who’s talking. Can’t be helped.”
“Ah, no. After hearing you, I also think that’s right…”
“Right?”

This hideous bald man seemed to be deeply immersed in the Sea faith. Has this religion spread so widely among the sailors?

But this bastard is so easy to manipulate, damn it.

It felt like I’d become a voice phishing scammer or a con artist.

But in reality, there are tons of people who fall for voice phishing, scams, and cults even in modern Korea. This guy must be a similar case.

More than anything, there’s no way a guy like this can be a match for me, who’s been through thick and thin. I’m someone who’s had experience flattering all sorts of high-ranking officials face-to-face.

“The reason I came to your house and beat you up over the trash was because of those teachings. Now you get it? But I still feel bad about it, but I got the medical expenses, so please let it go, friend.”
“I, I already let it go. Don’t worry. Hehe…”

He just seemed happy.

Smiling as he wiped the blood flowing from his nose.

“Okay, well, anyway. I’d like to attend that gathering too. Can you tell me the location and time?”
“The gathering place…?”

For a moment, suspicion seemed to cloud his face.
This is the most important part.

“I need to go and properly voice my opinion about not throwing trash around as you please. You don’t have to tell me if you’re uncomfortable. Instead, you can just tell everyone to do that for me?”

I made a request that was realistically impossible while giving him the option to refuse. There’s no way a guy like this would tell everyone all that.

“Ah, me tell everyone…”

The guy hesitated for a moment, then nodded.

“There’s no need for you to do that. I’ll tell you.”
“Thanks. I’ll make sure to tell them properly.”
“Yes.”

It worked well.

I continue to put on an act. Besides those verbal techniques, managing your expression and creating the right atmosphere is also very important when persuading others.

“So, the gathering place is… in the basement of Waksler’s Tavern, held once every weekend night.”
“Waksler’s Tavern?”

I should remember that name.

“Yes. It’s near the docks, and it’s happening in two days, so let’s go together then.”

The guy seemed to have completely dropped his guard now.

“Sure, let’s do that.”
“But you need a goddess statue to enter…”
“Of course. I have one at the inn.”
“Then it’ll be fine.”

Fine my ass.
I don’t have a goddess statue.

I roughly memorized what it looks like anyway, should I just make one myself?

“…”

Or… should I snatch this guy’s? I could knock him out now, kidnap him, lock him in a prison cell, and then attend the gathering as if nothing happened. Since the sailors are the believers, they probably don’t check attendance that strictly.

“But is there any benefit to you if you take me?”
“Benefit? Not really…”
“Or do you get your name written in the attendance book or something?”
“There’s nothing like that.”

Hmm… let’s observe the situation for now.

It’ll be fine to attend the gathering in two days, then decide whether to kidnap this guy, lock him in a prison cell, and interrogate him.

“Ah, but. I don’t know if our goddess statue will be okay. You might not be able to enter because the region is different.”
“I think that could be the case too. But it’ll be fine if you come with me. You can usually enter without any problems if you have a companion… and then you can buy a goddess statue.”
“Great. I’m counting on you. It’s in two days, right? I’ll come this way. But I might not be able to make it, so go ahead if I don’t show up.”

The guy nodded.

That’s how I obtained the location of the gathering and some suspicious information, and then came outside. After coming out, I took some time to wander around and then asked around to find a place called Waksler’s Tavern.

“…”

The tavern was, as the name suggested, near the docks. It was quite secluded. I should come this way in two days.

Let’s go back for now.

* * *

After returning, I roughly organized the incident, documented it, and then asked the officer to send that letter to the Brass Sky Church closest to this place.

It’s very easy if you slip them some money.

Still, there aren’t many churches in this southern region, so it’ll take some time. Well… it doesn’t matter. This isn’t something that’ll be over quickly.

After finishing that, I returned to the inn.

“Katt really… even when you come to play, it’s work. Katt works too hard.”
“Can’t be helped because of the heretics, this.”

As soon as I returned to the inn, I washed up and lay down on the bed. Claudie touched my face and spoke worriedly.

But what can I do?

“Blackie. It seems like you’re just eating seafood like crazy here. Look at how much your chest has gotten bigger.”

Winia, who had crawled onto the bed, pressed her chest against my face.

“Hearing that makes me want to feed you even more seafood.”
“You want my boobs to get even bigger?”
“Yep.”
“You’re such a pervert, really.”

At those words, Aria started looking down at her chest and touching it. Yeah, raise them diligently.

Anyway, I told them about this incident while lying down.

About the Sea faith and Zors.

“So you’re going there in two days?”
“Yeah. I’ll get a better grasp of things after going there.”
“Well, I think my husband will do well since it’s his job… tell me if you need help.”

I plan to.

“Katt-nim. Should I go with you? If it’s something related to demons, I’ll be able to figure it out.”
“For now… no. This is something I’m going to go scout out quietly alone. Tell me next time I say so.”
“Yes! I’ll be waiting!”

First, I need to start with reconnaissance.

“Then what will you do for two days?”
“I should rest here.”
“That’s a relief.”

Until the day of the gathering, there’s nothing much to do besides making a simple mermaid statue. Anyway, that’ll probably take an hour.

“Ah, right. Liz-noona. What about that?”
“Yes. I’ve set up a negotiation date with the lord. Leave that to me.”
“Good.”

I can leave this to her.
Then should I rest until the day of the gathering?

* * *

Two days later, in the evening.

I came to the port city again.

I have no intention of going with that bastard Zors.

It’s better to go separately. Anyway, it’s getting dark and everyone’s clothes are gloomy. If I just pull up the hood on my cloak… is my height too tall? Still, this should be enough. Let’s go for now.

I headed straight to Waksler’s Tavern.

ㅡBuzzing.
ㅡBuzzing.
ㅡBuzzing.

The very edge of the bustling street.
The tavern closest to the docks.

It was such a place, but it was quite noisy. People were gathering around the lit-up tavern. Like moths drawn to a lamp. Or like those who wanted warmth.

I casually wandered around the area, assessing the situation.

There are more people than I thought. It seems like it’s true that this faith has spread quite a bit among the sailors. Are all these guys here to attend the gathering? Is there enough space to accommodate them? It seems like we’ll have to squeeze in tightly.

Eventually, when the sun sank below the sea.

The people who had been scattered irregularly found order and began to line up. At the end of that line was a door leading to the basement. I also tried to blend in there appropriately.

“…”

The line was quite noisy.

The sailors were talking loudly among themselves about how their earnings were these days, how it had been a long time since they attended the gathering. They had a normal attitude, as if they didn’t even dream that they were participating in heretical activities.

I just kept my mouth shut and eavesdropped on the sailors’ conversations.

“That’s right… ah, I’ve really been waiting for this.”
“Hehehe, you said it.”
“I’ve been living thinking about only that all day.”

The sailors seemed to be quite looking forward to the gathering. What on earth is making these murderous-looking sailors excited? I entrusted myself to the line while harboring such questions.

How much time had passed, I also reached the stairs leading down to the basement. When are they going to check the passes? As I was slowly going down while thinking that, I soon reached the first basement floor.

“Welcome.”
“Long time no see.”
“Thank you for your hard work.”

As soon as I went down, I heard women’s voices… no, what the fuck. I was a little taken aback. When I looked, neat women who didn’t fit in at all with the port city were hugging the sailors who were entering and kissing them on the face.

The sailors who received the kisses were very happy and went inside.

What is this?

While feeling doubtful, I took out the goddess statue that I had made myself and held it in my hand. All the other sailors were doing that too. It seems like you have to have one of these goddess statues per person.

“Welcome.”

Soon it was my turn.

These women standing at the entrance… they must be nuns, judging from the circumstances. There were a total of three of them, and when I looked, their outfits were quite something. They were only wearing bikini-like clothes with see-through cardigans on top.

Uniquely, they were wearing crowns made of coral on their heads.

“…”

I closed my mouth and briefly allowed her to hug me and kiss me on the face. I really didn’t want to, but I had no choice if I wanted to enter.

But.

ㅡTsupat!

At that moment, I caught that some kind of magical action had occurred nearby. I ignored it as if I hadn’t noticed it and walked inside as the previous sailors had done.

This… are those nuns casting some kind of magic while pretending to kiss? Unfortunately, I couldn’t tell what they used. Anyway, the nuns went to cling to the other sailors.

ㅡBuzzing.

The inside was packed like a bean sprout pot. Already about a hundred sailors were packed inside the basement. Only the stage in the front was left empty.

With so many people, there’s no way I’ll meet Zors.

Anyway, I waited endlessly for the gathering to begin.

As I waited and waited, signs that it was slowly starting began to appear, and then the women from before appeared on the stage.

“Oh, ohhhhh!!”
“Ohhhhh!!”
“Goddess!!”

The sailors who confirmed that shouted and waved their arms.

The smiling nuns covered their cleavage, bowed, and then raised their hands to silence the believers.

That was the beginning of the gathering.

“When we go out to the far sea. We are always worried. What if we encounter a storm, what if there is a problem with the ship, what if there is an epidemic…”

As the nun’s voice echoed, the sailors gathered their hands and lowered their heads in a quiet atmosphere, as if the commotion from just before was a lie.

I followed suit.

“Now, let us pray. Let us pray to our mother goddess. Protect my safety at sea, and look down on us with kindness and lead our souls to that warm and peaceful place…”

Hmm.

“The goddess, Shamaelreina, will embrace us forever. So let us protect this vast and beautiful sea. If we protect the sea, the sea will also reward us. Let us protect the sea. Now, repeat after me.”

At that signal, the sailors chanted.

“Let us protect the sea.”
“Let us protect the sea.”
“Let us protect the sea.”

For the time being, the gathering started off normally, as gatherings usually do. They normally prayed for safety at sea and led the story so that they could protect that sea.

Up to this point, I think it’s just something that sailors might do.

“Now, then, let’s sing a hymn today. A hymn that will delight the ears of the goddess.”

The gathering continued, and it seemed like it was time to sing a hymn now. I have a talent for singing. Should I show off my skills?

The nun, who had gathered her hands and closed her eyes, raised her head and opened her mouth.

ㅡOoh, ooooooh… ooooooooooh…

Huh?

“What.”

What came out of her mouth was not lyrics made up of human language. It was a sound like a cursed whale that had sunk deep in the deep sea was wailing. Is she doing the accompaniment herself with her mouth because there are no instruments?

At that thought.

ㅡOoh, ooooooh… ooooooooooh…
ㅡOoh, ooooooh… ooooooooooh…
ㅡOoh, ooooooh… ooooooooooh…
ㅡOoh, ooooooh… ooooooooooh…
ㅡOoh, ooooooh… ooooooooooh…

As if something that had been buried deep beneath the deep sea was surfacing… the sailors opened their mouths all at once and began to make that sound.

The gloomy sea hymn…