I Became the Priest of Blasphemy of the Outer Gods

Chapter 137. The Endurance (2)

The departure day of the Endurance approached swiftly.

I managed to board the ship discreetly by transforming into one of the registered crew members.

Together with Eldritch, I entered a private cabin, remaining alert as I surveyed the surroundings.

“Are you still wary of that voice, Ethnos?”

“Yes, take a good look around yourself.”

The mysterious voice had echoed once more, unexpectedly during everyday life, not during training sessions.

‘I remember, it mentioned being hungry.’

It felt more like a self-murmur rather than an attempt to communicate.

The true intention remained opaque, utterly inscrutable.

“With so many concerns already, what’s this new voice supposed to be?”

“Isn’t it possible that those who have seized the Dragon Crown are plotting something?”

“I suspected that but ruled it out after torturing them extensively.”

The captives initially rejoiced, thinking they would be released, but despaired when I intensified the tortures, proclaiming their innocence in agony.

“It sounded like a child’s voice, didn’t it? Any guesses?”

“None at all.”

I compared it with the voices of all the children residing in the castle, but none matched.

“Am I losing my mind?”

“Don’t say such ominous things.”

Eldritch examined the area using magic, disturbed by my words.

“Aside from Lyla’s brilliance, there’s nothing amiss. The enchantments on this ship would reveal any stowaways.”

“What about formless residues of the 4th rank?”

The possible culprit for the voice, in my suspicion, had always been something like that — lurking in the castle’s crevices, observing secretly.

Despite weaving webs throughout the castle to detect them, nothing emerged.

“Anything up to the 3rd rank would undoubtedly be caught in this ship’s security. Higher than the 4th rank might be more challenging but sneaking aboard undetected seems nearly impossible.”

They seemed to have crafted it meticulously.

Lyla’s anxiety contributed significantly to its over-speciated nature, ensuring its security was airtight.

“Try to rest for a while. Haven’t you been sleeping scarcely lately?”

“Yes, I suppose so.”

Training and the identity crisis kept me constantly engaged.

‘This remains a puzzle. I can’t be like some TRPG player… A modern person from another world? Tsk, I have no clue.’

Trusting in Lyla’s ship, I decided to nap for a bit. Hours seemed to have passed when—

Bang!

An unexpected noise jolted me awake.

“Eldritch, what was that noise just now?”

I immediately prepared myself to confront whatever had happened.

“Lyla issued a firing command. It seems she mistook a shark for a Dweller of the Deep.”

“Tell her to get back inside her cabin and rest.”

I sighed, stepping outside the cabin to see the results of the firing.

The ship proceeded smoothly without issues.

“I see the power of the enchanted cannons is truly remarkable …”

I marveled at the frozen shark, shattered into blackened pieces beneath the ice, evidence of the fiery enchantments that had consumed it.

“Ah, priest. Apologies for alarming you. The order to fire was given…”

I had only come out to watch, but the sailors and my bogus religion’s devotees appeared tense and alert. My recent nervousness and strict inspections had led to this.

Nevertheless, there was someone who greeted me without fear.

“Oho, priest! You have come?”

It was the captain.

Among those I brought into the faith, he possessed the courage to challenge my doctrines first.

That’s why I regarded him highly.

‘He often questions and challenges the doctrines, making it somewhat troublesome.’

Amongst the devotees, he arguably feared me the least.

“Yes, I heard about using the cannon and wanted to witness its power.”

“Aha, I see. We knew it was a shark and reduced the power to about a tenth, yet it was still formidable.”

To think that was only a tenth of its potential.

Truly impressive equipment!

“I’ve spent quite a long time at sea, and I’ve never seen anything like that.”

The captain’s lack of fear towards me stemmed mainly from his leg.

“Any issues with the leg I made for you?”

“None whatsoever! As you can see, it’s incredibly sturdy!”

The captain stomped on the floor, smiling widely.

I had used him as a practice subject, crafting a new leg for someone who lost theirs at Wave Reach.

The other devotees with similar physical deficits also received similar prosthetics, and they used them without major issues.

“I’m glad to see you’re in good health.”

“It’s all thanks to you, priest. Please rest assured that I will take you to your destination safely.”

Returning to my cabin, I encountered Mary in the corridor, her expression still brimming with displeasure.

“What’s bothering you this time, Mary?”

Mary altered her fingers into a liquid form, letting them touch the wall with a sulky face.

However, unlike the hidden niches in the castle, her body couldn’t penetrate the walls and merely spread out more.

“That mage… didn’t think of me at all.”

It was clear she was venting her frustration over not being able to enter the walls.

However, it was understandable.

‘For Mary, it means hindering her ability to manage things swiftly.’

“What would you do if someone saw you?”

Mary never revealed herself to the devotees.

The simple reason was the mental debilitation she could cause.

Those with ranks of 1 or 2 might be indifferent, but most devotees lacked any rank altogether.

Mary refrained from direct encounters to protect their mental well-being thus far.

“Should I cast an illusion miracle on you?”

“Can you make me completely invisible?”

“Yes, but wear this ring for communication with me.”

I handed her an enchanted ring with a 〈Mind Link〉 and cast the miracle of 〈Mirage’s Embrace〉 as she wished.

『This is better.』

“While you’re at it, check for stowaways or intruders.”

『On such a well-guarded ship?』

“I’m concerned about the voice I heard.”

『Understood.』

With those words, Mary quieted down.

Judging by the disappearing footsteps and traces of moisture, it seemed she had started cleaning again.

‘What kind of Shoggoth enjoys cleanliness and organization so much …?’

Although I trusted she was avoiding people, to prevent any surprises, I had Eldritch issue an announcement.

To assess any ongoing issues, I stopped by Lyla’s room.

“… What are you making again?”

I had a hunch. Lyla was engrossed in her enchantment work.

“Remember the Dragon Slayer’s Spear you have? I’m trying to replicate it.”

Her attention remained glued to her work, oblivious to my presence.

Though admirable, the masterpiece stemmed mainly from anxiety rather than craftsmanship.

“Lyla.”

“I gave the crew defensive tools, but we need powerful attacks, right? In case those beings come—”

“The crew doesn’t know how to wield such weapons effectively.”

I halted Lyla’s hand by holding her wrist.

“If you’re so anxious, you should have stayed in the castle.”

“I would’ve been more worried there.”

Lyla glanced down at her work silently, appearing to struggle with words.

“Do you recall Talia?”

“… Of course, I do.”

I had avoided thinking about Talia whenever possible, fearing it would only create unnecessary entanglements.

“Unless it’s crucial, I prefer not discussing her.”

Lyla stared at me, sighing.

“I thought this before, but aren’t you too thorough in keeping your distance? Like the current devotees, can’t you just accept it?”

“The people needed saving due to their dire predicaments. They willingly accepted the risks of associating with an Outer God.”

“Regardless, it’s something you need to know.”

Lyla spoke slowly.

“On one of the archipelago islands we’re visiting, Talia seems to be there.”

“Wasn’t the last location you mentioned far from this archipelago?”

“Yes. But Talia seemed eager to go on adventures rather than settle down.”

Apparently, Talia had complained about the notion of staying in one place.

Thus, Lyla had suggested exploring, leading to her current location in this very archipelago.

“I never expected this. I only suggested it because the island is beautiful and peaceful…”

There hadn’t been an issue at the time.

“However, hearing these strange voices now made me feel I needed to inform you.”

Whether Talia was still there remained unknown.

“I do worry, but countless islands exist. How can we search them all?”

“Leave that to me; there’s a way.”

Lyla had gifted Talia an enchanted flute capable of summoning her familiar, ensuring Talia kept it close by.

Though Talia didn’t play the flute, Lyla’s familiar could sense it from afar.

“I emphasized its importance, so she should have it.”

“Alright. If you find her, visit on my behalf. Avoid discussing me since a meeting between us is not desirable.”

“Is she your daughter? Why care so much?”

“Don’t be ridiculous. She’s a great kid, and I want her to live well.”

I closed my eyes briefly.

Images of children who were executed and whose bodies were used as bombs flitted through my mind.

‘That should never be her fate.’

Talia was a child who had helped me immensely during my early days in this world.

Naturally, I wished for her happiness.

“I see your humanity is returning, given these concerns.”

“My mental state has improved considerably.”

“Still, plenty of odd traits remain. How long will they persist?”

Before I could leave, an urgent call came.

“Priest! Trouble! The Dwellers are here!”

A sailor rushed in, his face displaying panic. Lyla quickly turned pale.

“Just fire the cannon.”

“No, it’s….”

The sailor hesitated, looking troubled.

“It’s strange. They aren’t attacking but seem to blockade the ship’s front, staging a sort of protest.”

“Protest…?”

“Yes, priest. They demand your presence.”

What was this situation? A procession awaited at the bow.

All across the water’s surface, dwellers of the Abyss, resembling a protest line, emerged from the depths, surfacing.

『Gray Calamity, Ethnos!』

The Dwellers addressed me.

『This ocean is under the domain of Lord Cahon! If you wish to pass, agree to negotiate with us!』