Raising Paladins

Chapter 116. Tira and the Temple of Demons (1)

“and… … There are so many stars in the sky above the sea. I think there are as many stars as Meirium. It’s like powdered sugar on whole wheat bread, isn’t it, Hansen?”

“well.”

“In fact, I prefer to mix cheese and bake it with honey rather than bread sprinkled with sugar. My mother often did this when I was young, but I haven’t seen her for a while now because I’m busy with temple work. I’ll have to ask for it when I go back to Meirium. Hanson, come and eat!”

“… … Think about it.”

“My parents farm carrots, did you know Hanson? The two of them farm hard, but in fact, I don’t think they have much talent for farming. Do you occasionally challenge high-income crops like blueberries? But I guess it’s not going well. It is said that it is much more difficult to grow than carrots, and if it is grown well and bears a lot of fruit, birds that know how to fly in will peck and eat more than half of it. Carrots are stolen by moles, blueberries are pecked by birds… … Farming is really difficult. Isn’t that right, Hanson?”

“Tira.”

“yes?”

“Can’t we go quietly?”

“hehehe, is that so?”

thump, thump.

The sound of waves crashing on the beach.

Hanson and Tira were floating on the sea with a view of the coast.

in a small boat.

He was on his way to Harpy Island, the base of the Harpy Pirates.

On the way to find out information about Treasure Island following Meisa’s plan.

Tira and Hanson took off their priestly uniforms and wrapped their cloaks to disguise themselves as adventurers.

“Almost there! excuse me!”

Tira jumped up from the boat.

As the weight shifted, the small boat tilted to one side.

“oh!”

chuck!

Tira almost lost her balance and fell into the sea!

Hanson quickly snatched it up and sat him down.

Even if it wasn’t deep sea because it was close to the shore, it almost ruined the clothes that I tried to decorate.

“Don’t get excited, the boat is small and can capsize with the slightest jolt.”

“… … yes.”

Hanson let out a small sigh that Tira couldn’t hear.

‘I would have been much better off with Meisa.’

Meisa, who is quite reticent.

She and Hanson had a pretty good personality.

It is similar that fists speak before words, and that if there is something you don’t like, you try to resolve it through a duel.

The same goes for following the knife wholeheartedly.

But Tira… … .

‘… … Too many words.’

A snout that chirps like a parrot and teases non-stop.

It’s cute and lively, but quite noisy.

It was dark when he thought of taking Tira to Harpy Island to find out information.

Of course, Tira’s personality might be helpful in the investigation.

Swoop-.

A small boat carrying two people landed on the water’s edge.

Hanson disembarked and towed the boat to dry land, then lifted Tira and set it ashore.

Then Tira smiled brightly.

“thank you. But Hanson’s feet are wet, why don’t we dry them off for a while?”

“It’s okay, we’re in a hurry, so let’s look for an inn. Drying it there is enough.”

“yes.”

Dan Hanson, who avoids unnecessary suspicion, sets sail on a sandy beach rather than a port.

I saw a light not far from the shore and headed that way.

A fairly large village built near the port.

Pirate ships as well as smuggling merchant ships coming and going from each region were fully anchored.

The rough sailors who disembarked from there roamed the harbor with their bodies full of tattoos.

Tira cringed slightly at the sight of their bloody appearance and hideous weapons.

She leaned over to Hanson.

“I-I think that’s an inn.”

Tyra pointed to one side with her small hand.

A wooden plank with two letters ‘beer’ on it is swaying in the wind.

A rugged but friendly looking inn without a separate signboard.

Pirates and smugglers were coming and going without a break at the entrance.

“I guess so. Let’s start there.”

“It would be nice if there were any results… … .”

Hanson and Tira moved their feet.

kiik-

Dense cigarette smoke wafts in as soon as you open the door.

Tira was a cologne.

“Come on, Oshu.”

The owner, who happened to be passing by, greeted the two.

“lodgment? food? Or both?”

“Just eat.”

“What about alcohol?”

“beer… … .”

Hanson glanced at Tira for a moment.

“Two drinks.”

“Tonight’s dinner is chicken and pork, what would you like?”

“singly.”

“Okay. Go sit over there.”

The owner smiled and quickly went back to the kitchen.

Inside the inn, it was full of merchants enjoying food, stew, and beer.

Of course, Harpy Island wasn’t just for smugglers and pirates.

Originally inhabited by indigenous people, Henry Morgan forcibly occupied the island and named it ‘Harpy Island’.

Thanks to this, most of them were natives of this port town.

“Let’s go and sit down.”

“yes.”

It was full, so there were no tables for just two people.

Hanson and Tira had no choice but to take their seats at one side of a large round table.

To my surprise, the food came out as soon as I sat down.

“Hashu when you leave the calculation.”

“You have a good heart.”

“It’s a business for people you know anyway, but you guys are the first people I’ve seen, right?”

“It docked today.”

“Ah, are those from the Truke upper ranks? But did you go to the Truckee Merchant before?”

“… … .”

The innkeeper’s gaze suddenly sharpened.

At that time, Tira quickly stepped out.

“We’re adventurers, we’re going on a trip by paying for the Truke Merchant’s ship.”

“Oh oh! Come to think of it, this friend is going to use his fists?”

The innkeeper looked at Hanson and nodded.

“My house’s cooking is excellent, so enjoy it, talk to me if it’s not enough.”

“Yes, thank you.”

When Tira smiled brightly, the owner also smiled brightly.

he goes back to the kitchen

Tira’s hand quickly grabbed the beer mug.

“no.”

“Huh… … .”

But I couldn’t drink.

It’s because Hanson stole Tira’s beer mug.

“I don’t even have a knife, can I just take a sip?”

“no. Don’t forget why we’re here And you are too young.”

“Hey… … .”

Tira seems to have given up.

But Tira was also well aware that the reason she came here was to carry out her mission.

That’s why I immediately agreed.

The two of them tasted the dish once it came out.

Grilled pork dish and steamed chicken with assorted vegetables.

The owner’s workmanship was quite good, so the taste was good.

As Hanson and Tira were enjoying their meal, they heard a voice from someone at the same table.

“Hey guys, did you hear that? Yesterday, one of the leaders of the Harpy Pirates committed suicide by hanging himself.”

“Suicide? What about the Harpy Pirates?”

“That island! He said he had been to that island!”

“What if it’s an island?”

“The cursed island of ruins!”

“Ahh!”

Men drinking beer around.

They responded by wiping the beer from their beards.

Hanson and Tira naturally listened.

“Harpies, why do you keep visiting that ominous island? No one has ever been there and returned unharmed!”

“I wonder about that too. Could it be that there is something hidden there? I heard they come and go regularly.”

“Hmm… … .”

Hanson and Tira’s eyes meet.

The two have been on a mission to find the treasure island of the Harpy Pirates.

I had to search the surrounding islands to find a suspicious place, but when I heard a story like that, my ears were tempted.

Tira quickly cocked her head and turned to the men.

“hello?”

“Yes? Are you seeing this for the first time?”

“I am… … Truke! I am an adventurer traveling on the boat of the Truke Merchant!”

“Oh, adventurer?! But a woman alone on an adventure… … ?”

“Oh no! I’m here with this guy. My name is Hansen, my personal bodyguard. Hello, Hansen?”

Took!

Tyra hit Hanson’s arm.

Then Hanson muttered with a disapproving face.

“… … Hansen.”

“Oh, how big is that? It looks like the rich girl hired a former mercenary or something.”

“You saw it right away! Hansen is a former mercenary. Ho Ho.”

Tira gave her characteristic friendly smile.

“By the way, everyone, I heard that you are talking about something very interesting. Could you tell me a little bit about that?”

“what? The leader of the dead harpy pirates… … .”

puck!

At that moment, a man with a thick beard next to him punched the man he was talking about.

“hey! Talking about harpies to outsiders can lead to serious trouble. Be careful!”

“Ah, that’s right… … .”

A man who was excited when cute Tira asked for a story.

He felt sorry for him, who died soon after.

Then Hanson took out a money bag from his bosom and threw a crone in it at the man.

Ting!

“oh!”

Swoop!

With a quick hand, the man snatched the crone.

Then Hanson said.

“Even though we are outsiders, we are also people who will leave this island soon. I don’t intend to gossip about it, so the lady I serve… … Please talk to me. As I said, we are adventurers.”

“that’s right! What are we talking about?!”

Tira quickly reads the atmosphere and helps.

Then people nodded.

“but… … . There’s no such thing as a female adventurer plotting something, and that’s fine. Instead, use that crone to run a beer at a time.”

“I will buy you a beer.”

Hanson pulled out another crone.

This time, it flew towards the owner who had been looking around to see if there was anything lacking.

“Here, pass a beer at a time.”

“Oh!”

Soon after, a wooden cup filled with alcohol came out, and the atmosphere at the table heated up.

Then the storyteller from earlier started talking.

“I don’t know if you are strangers, but here is an island that the natives of the Pinas Archipelago never visit. There are ruins of a temple there that we do not know when it was built. however… … .”

The man gulped.

“There are terrifying evil spirits living there! If you enter that island, you will be possessed by that evil spirit and lose your sanity. Even if you get out of the island safely, you will go crazy or kill yourself before long!”

“Someone has been to such a scary place!”

“Yes. These are the guys from the Harpy Pirates, the power that rules this island… … .”

The man lowered his voice.

“I don’t know why he goes in and out of there, but he goes in and out of the island very regularly. We don’t even know why. But a pirate who visited the island a few days ago took his life last night. He hanged himself with a rope from a wooden beam in the ceiling.”

“Oops… … .”

The eyes of Tira and Hanson meet once again.

It was because the more I heard the story, the more convinced I was that there was something on the island.

“Could you elaborate a bit more? Hearing your stories makes me feel adventurous!”

Tira quickly pulled out a few more crones.

Hanson also quickly noticed and ordered a new dish.

Then the men got excited and started talking.