Chapter 76: Priestess Penelope
"Ah, Theodore-san. Good morning. I've been waiting for you," Heather said as she emerged from the back while I was processing paperwork at the Adventurer's Guild to sell some magic potions.
"Good morning. Is there something you need?"
"When Theodore-san arrived, we received a message asking you to come to the temple."
"I see," I replied.
From the temple, huh? It's probably related to the sealed door.
"By the way..."
Heather glanced at the small bottles of potions I had lined up for sale with a wry smile.
"You brought quite a few again."
"I've been stockpiling them for a while."
I had brought a total of 85 magic potions. As the one who made them, I estimated that selling them to the Guild would earn me about 12 kilig per bottle. It was a decent side income while delving into the dungeon. The fact that the raw materials didn't include magic stones boosted the profit margin.
However, there were expenses like the cost of materials and payments to the party members, so it wouldn't all be my personal income. Nonetheless, it would still help everyone's pockets, and I was careful not to make unnecessary expenditures.
"Well, here is the purchase price for this time."
I received a bag from Heather containing silver and copper coins.
Now that my business was settled and my luggage was sorted, it was time to go to the Moon Temple and hear what they had to say. Just as when I headed to the dungeon, I entered the temple.
Instead of heading to the central vertical passage leading to the dungeon entrance, I walked to the altar for visitors in the depths of the temple and tried to get the attention of a priest.
"Excuse me. I am Theodore Gartner, and I received a summons from the temple."
"Hmm, please wait a moment."
The priest nodded and went inside through a door beside the altar.
The stone statue of the Moon Goddess Shuas, situated behind the altar, quietly watched adventurers heading towards the depths of the dungeon, just as always.
In this world, known as RuneGuard within BFO, there was a polytheistic religion. Depending on the god being worshiped, the strictness of the faith varied, but in general, the regulations were relatively lax. It was acceptable to worship different gods based on the blessings and domains they provided. However, for priests and priestesses, things were stricter.
The Moon Goddess Shuas, like the Sun God Eltecs, was considered a major deity, and many people worshiped her. She was also one of the representative deities of the more lenient gods. People didn't pay too much attention to distinguishing between gods and spirits, and priests and priestesses were the ones who took that aspect more seriously.
"Sorry to keep you waiting. Please come this way."
The priest returned and guided us further into the temple.
We passed through a narrow, glossy stone corridor and climbed a long staircase. At the top, there was indeed a small room with an altar. It was smaller than the main altar below but still had a statue of the goddess.
The room had no windows, and it was lit by torches. Some sort of magic must have been in effect, as the air was cool.
And there, lined up in the room, were priestesses. In front, a beautiful woman with hair longer than her waist held a scepter resembling a crescent moon.
"Welcome. I am Priestess Penelope, the head priestess."
She spoke quietly and lowered her head. Penelope, the head priestess. There were rumors that she had a fondness for Princess Marlene, so... well, I didn't think she was a bad person.
"I am Theodore Gartner."
I introduced myself, and Penelope smiled gently.
"We have heard of your accomplishments. Please, come this way."
Penelope led us further into the room. The priestesses lived in the depths of the temple, I learned. So, this area must serve as their living quarters.
Penelope handed me a copy of the relief that I had given to King Melvin some time ago.
"We've heard about it from the royal palace as well. We've already contacted those knowledgeable about celestial movements and had them observe and calculate from the temple's observatory and past records."
She handed me another piece of paper.
"Allow me to start with the conclusion: I believe the idea that is synchronized with the planet's movements is correct."
"Uh-huh. Do you agree?"
"Yes. It took some effort to convert the flat diagram into 3D, but there was plenty of information within the shapes."
Relief had completely copied it to Caduceus. I think it's because they've faithfully reproduced even the details.
"We have received reports that the seal on the door in the Twilight Forest will likely be broken this winter. Otherwise, it would be a story for another 200 years. The details are written on this paper, so please take a look."
200 years, you say... Considering the long orbital cycle of stars, it makes sense, doesn't it? Conversely, if we can survive this winter, it means the seal should be safe until then. In that case, we'll need to properly pass on the information to future generations, what's known as a formal report.
"I understand."
"As the one who leads the Moon Goddess's shrine maidens, I will do my best. If there's anything I can assist with, please don't hesitate to ask."
"Thank you. Probably, on that day, we'll receive blessings to counter the miasma."
I should probably prepare for the door opening this winter, not worrying about such a future. I can't afford to be too optimistic, and although it's a little far off, there isn't much time to relax. Let's train everyone as much as possible until then.
"Oh, Princess Marlene. What brings you here?"
As the conversation paused, Penelope glanced at the doorway and spoke with a gentle smile. I turned my gaze in the same direction, and there was Princess Marlene. Just like during the time as Marian, she peeked halfway out of the doorway, observing us.
This reaction, well... it's not entirely unexpected. This would be the second time I meet her as Princess Marlene. Since then, she, as Marian, had been coming to the workshop quite often, along with the Marquess's daughter, Ophelia.
Based on Alfred's information, when Princess Marlene goes out into the city, it distances her from those in power. Likely, it's her relatives, probably Rosemary, who are pleased with this. Marian herself seems to enjoy being at the temple or the workshop. Therefore, when she's Princess Marlene, she's at the temple, and when she's Marian, she's often at the workshop.
However, just like Prince Albert and Ophelia, because she's in disguise... if Princess Marlene were to meet me, it would be difficult for her to decide how to behave. Alfred and the others aren't very good at handling this aspect, but perhaps Princess Marlene finds it challenging to switch her feelings so easily.
"It's been a while, Princess Marlene. Are you doing well?"
I greeted her, pretending not to recognize her, and finally, she smiled happily and nodded. It seems she is well.
"Don't just stand there; please come in."
Although Penelope invited her, Princess Marlene smiled and shook her head slightly, then withdrew into the depths of the temple. Perhaps she thinks staying too long would give her away.
The transformation magic inscribed in that ring is highly advanced, capable of deceiving not only sight but also smell, hearing, and more. However, it can't fake the overall atmosphere or mannerisms. Moreover, Princess Marlene and Marian share the characteristic of not speaking unless necessary. Maybe that's why, despite the level of contact, it's still hard for Princess Marlene to switch her emotions when meeting me.
I stole a glance at Sheela, who had a somewhat puzzled expression. Well, she has sharp senses. Not just Sheela, but everyone seems to have their own circumstances. I think they all have the consideration and caution not to talk openly about it, even though it seems okay, but just to be sure, I should subtly bring it up during conversation sometime.
"Lord Theodore, you've met Princess Marlene before?"
"Yes, once at the royal palace."
"I see. It seems she's quite fond of you."
"Is that so?"
"Yes, she seemed very happy."
Penelope narrowed her eyes.
"Princess Marlene has expressed her desire to enter the temple in the future. At such a young age, she's already started her training as an apprentice."
"Looking forward to the future, I suppose."
"Yes, indeed. As a shrine maiden, I believe she will accomplish great things. However, I also think that if she has another place where she belongs, it doesn't necessarily have to be the temple."
Penelope, speaking like that, had a hint of self-deprecation. In other words... she genuinely cares about Princess Marlene's well-being, not just as an accomplished shrine maiden but as someone who might be pushed away from the temple by her surroundings. It's difficult for her to openly state this as the head shrine maiden, but it seems that Penelope is quite a trustworthy person.