“When I healed you, Yaichi-san paid me appropriate compensation. Or do you think I’m some hero of justice who helps everyone out for free?” (Torimoto)
“…You’re saying that you would not help her even though you see her suffering so much?” (Sayuri)
“Who are you to say that when you kill people without question?” (Torimoto)
I said that because I honestly was a bit irritated by her selfishness.
Then, as if they couldn’t take it any longer, they all pointed their weapons at me.
Once again, Sayuri pounded her pewter staff on the ground, commanding them to keep their emotions in check.
“…Torimoto-san, have you no compassion?” (Sayuri)
“Do you have any of that towards men?” (Torimoto)
“I do.” (Sayuri)
“Hoh… It doesn’t seem that way, though?” (Torimoto)
“It is an act of charity for us to purify them so that they may be born with pure hearts once more.” (Sayuri)
“That’s quite the way of putting it. I’m a man too, you know? It may not be the case for you, but the ones around you don’t seem to want the help of a man.” (Torimoto)
“It’s true that we don’t trust men. Neither do we expect anything from them. Because to women, men are nothing but pests.” (Sayuri)
Good grief, this person is seriously twisted.
“But personally speaking, I am indebted to you. It would be a dishonor to our God’s principles to return favor with spite.” (Sayuri)
Sayuri and I glared at each other, and for a while, silence reigned.
Then, one of the women spoke, breaking the silence.
“Aah, come on! Founder-sama, this is why I said not to invite a man here!”
The voice of the one who spoke belonged to the woman who had sat behind me in the vehicle on the way here.
When I turned around to look, there was a woman… no, a girl about my age standing there, glaring at me and pointing a revolver in my direction.
…An eyepatch?
The girl had a black eyepatch over her right eye. There was a hint of bloodlust in her remaining eye as she glowered at me.
“Men are scum and filth and don’t deserve to exist! Even breathing the same air as them is the worst! God would be pleased if I killed you right here!” (Eyepatch Girl)
Her hatred towards men really was extreme.
“Besides, even Riwa wouldn’t want to be healed by a man!” (Eyepatch Girl)
It seemed that Riwa was the name of the girl lying there.
The one who shouted was the woman in the blue bandana who had brought me here.
“B-But!” (Shakuhara)
“No buts! Or are you planning to stain this sacred church with blood?!” (Blue Bandana)
“…?! ….I’m sorry.” (Shakuhara)
The woman in the blue bandana seemed to have a higher standing than the eyepatch girl. The girl glared at me with a look of frustration and lowered the gun she had been pointing at me.
“Torimoto-san, please forgive her. She has also experienced terrible things at the hands of men.” (Sayuri)
“It’s fine. She hates men. It’s her life, so as long as she doesn’t do me any harm, I don’t care.” (Torimoto)
“…The compensation… If I give you a reward, you will heal her, right?” (Sayuri)
“If that’s what you would like to request.” (Torimoto)
“…How much would you require?” (Sayuri)
“You can relax, I’m not asking for food or other necessities. What I want is money.” (Torimoto)
“Money…?” (Sayuri)
Naturally, Sayuri looked doubtful. The people standing by her side also looked puzzled. Not many people would ask for money in this day and age after all.
“…I heard before from that person that you had asked for money in exchange. So it really was true then.” (Sayuri)
“That’s indeed what happened. I won’t go into the reasons because it’s a pain. So? Can you provide what I want? Ah, it doesn’t have to just be cash either. It can be any kind of valuables. Jewelry, accessories, watches, and other expensive items.” (Torimoto)
“…I see. Then…” (Sayuri)
Sayuri turned to the one of the women in the blue bandanas, who nodded as if she understood her intentions and then approached several of the adherents sitting in the pews. She gave them some instructions, and they quickly stood up and left the church.
“We will make the preparations, so please wait for a moment. May I ask you something in the meantime, Torimoto-san?” (Sayuri)
“What is it?” (Torimoto)
“I like this city. Besides, the situation has changed since then, so I thought I could put my power to good use here.” (Torimoto)
“I see. Then it really was good timing. She… ended up in this condition after being attacked by monsters about half a month ago.” (Sayuri)
As she said that, she looked down sadly at the person named Riwa, who was laying on the ground.
“Did she go into a dungeon?” (Torimoto)
“The building we were conducting a search in during a mission suddenly transformed into a dungeon.” (Sayuri)
That’s… unlucky.
“The other people who were on the mission with her received minor injuries, but…” (Sayuri)
“She…!”
At that moment, that girl—Shakuhara, butted her way into the conversation.