After 2 days lazying around, Megumi finally going to the church. When she arrived, a Sister bring her to the head priest office there. But in the way there, she can feel the gaze towards her isn't friendly. Well, it can't be helped. After she failed to show her face in the first day she arrived, they must be thinking that Megumi doesn't respect the Head Priest here. As a salary woman, Megumi know very well how important first impression is. But she ignored it, of course she need to be prepared to pay for her action.
Sleeping in the middle of conversation is even more impolite though. Megumi tried to justify herself in her mind.
They finally stop in front of a room. Sister knock at it and a man voice come from inside, invited them in. In front of them, there are a man, around her age, with gentle smile on his face. He is in head priest attire, even though he looks too young for that position.
Sister leave Megumi, and now, she with the young head priest alone. Finally, she just realized a problem ahead she need to face. Megumi was confused about what to call the person in front of her. Normally, head priest is called 'Father'. But isn't he is around her age? From look alone, calling him 'big brother' suits him more. If she called him 'Father', her mind will astray to something else. You know what I mean *cough*.
"F-father…" Megumi said bashful.
"Pfth"
Megumi shocked to hear a laugh from the man in front of her. Jaw dropped, with face red as boiled crab, she really want to beat that man's head and make him amnesia, if only he doesn't have that high position.
"Vincent. My name is Vincent. Its just two of us right now, no need to be so polite" he said. He gestures with his hand to ask Megumi to sit.
"I'm Megumi. Nice to meet you, Vincent" Megumi replied, and sit down as asked. "I'm sorry for not coming in the first day I arrived" she continued.
"Don't mind it. How are you feeling? It must be hard journey to come here, especially alone." Vincent said, walking to the side cabinet and making 2 cup of tea. He placed one in front Megumi, and one in front of him, and start sipping his tea.
"I've already rested for two days. That's enough." Megumi replied. After thanking for the tea, she take sip. Wow, Vincent really good at brewing tea, she think.
"Ah, the reason I came here, is this." Megumi give Vincent the rosary head priest gave her.
"You can reach this city with the help of this rosary already proofing that this is a genuine thing. In the gate, they must be trouble you to checking up. It's because there's a possibility the monster kill the owner of the rosary and using it to try to sneak in." Vincent explain while examined the rosary. No need a long time, after he find the mark behind the cross. "You're a healer, aren't you? We really are grateful to have you here." he continued.
"Follow me." Vincent said and walk out from the room. Megumi quickly finish her tea, and follow Vincent. They're going to the backyard of the church. Walking pass the graveyard, finally they arrived at a door. Just a single door standing there in the middle of graveyard, without any wall or anything around it.
"This door is the entrance to the Nightfall Labyrinth. It's a dark attributes dungeon and can only be opened by this key." Vincent said, handing a palm-sized gold key to Megumi.
"You know the Army of God is created to protecting the Kingdom from the 'darkness'. But the main purpose is actually to prevent the Demon King from returning to this world." He start to explain more. The Demon King is the strongest world boss monster in Celestia, as the spoilers say, but it has never been spawned yet. Demon King with his dark attributes, of course it's weakness is holy attributes. It's not that it's immune to any other element though, but it will be more efficient to attack with holy attributes. But since healer, the one with holy attributes is been dislike by player, the npc here must be starting to worry. Imagine every day they live in fear that the Demon King can spawn at any moment. If that happens, they don't have any other choice beside be the vanguard. Player can be resurrected at the spawn point, but how about npc?
"This dungeon is like our training ground. Monster inside is dark attributes, mostly undead. So your support skill like heal is greatly affect them." He continued.
"Okay! I won't let you down." Megumi said full of confidence. She insert the key Vincent just give her, and the door opened. It's clearly just a single door standing. You can even see the the back of it. But in front of Megumi now isn't a graveyard. It's like a warp portal. Megumi stepped into the portal slowly. Just when she about to disappear into the portal, suddenly Vincent said, "Ah, I forgot to tell you something"
GASPS
"What? What you forgot?!" Megumi asked but too late. She already inside the dungeon. Megumi can only sighing, and look around. The dungeon's interior looks like in a cave. Very quiet in here, all you could hear was the sound of water dripping. Not only that, it's so dark too. The only light is just from a few torch on the wall. The tense feeling is just like what she felt few days ago in The Cursed Valley. Megumi swallowed hard, and decided to walk deeper inside.
Outside the dungeon, Vincent standing in front of the closed door, looking at the door in silent. It just a few minutes, when he turn around about to come back to his office, that the door behind him abruptly open, and Megumi ran out screaming her lung out. Seeing Vincent in front, she abruptly jump and hug him tighly. Both her hands and legs like a claw that clasping at Vincent, not letting him go.
"NO ONE WARN ME ABOUT THE JUMPSCARE. F*CK. F*CK. F*CK"
Megumi never played horror game. Not even once in her life. Do you ask why? It's because she is scaredy cat. Her coworkers loves to tease her about this, by inviting (read: forcing) her to watch horror movie in theaters in their day off. As a result, she will be afraid to go to the toilet in the middle of the night for weeks!
"Language.." Vincent warn her, frowned. His eardrums felt like they were going to burst after being shouted at right next to his ear. Even so, he still calm and pat her back, to make her calm. After a few minutes, Megumi finally calm down and let go her hands. Suddenly a chop hand hitting her head.
"It's a dungeon with dark attributes, of course its hideous looking monster inside. Are you expecting cute, softy and beautiful monster inside?" said Vincent annoyed.
"But…" Megumi pouting while stroked her aching head.
"No excuse. Just heal the monster you meet, they will greatly affected by that." Vincent replied.
"Then, come with me, Vincent. No need to do anything, just watch me. Okay? Okay? Please" She beg with her teary eyes but get flatly rejected.
"No. Is your resolve just this shallow?"
A words that stab her right in her heart. Vincent is right. She need to overcome this. Even she still trembling, she walks to the door once again and about to open the dungeon. But Vincent stop her.
"What I forgot to tell earlier that this dungeon can only be opened once a day." He sighed. "Just have some rest today and do your best tomorrow." He continued. Megumi rejoice in her heart, while showing a regretful face outside.
"I will do my best tomorrow"