(054) Prologue

Translator: Tseirp

Respecting Carol’s opinion, I decided to head toward Dakyat via Mount Gomaki.

Apparently, there’s Koshmar-sama’s Goddess statue in Mount Gomaki so I must take the chance to ask her for information about Miri.

Since I couldn’t get any information from Torerul-sama due to her playing hooky.

First of all, we aimed for the church for the sake of changing Carol’s job to Peddler.

Although for me, the place to change job would be Hello Work instead. Well, similar to a certain famous game, it would be common sense to have your job changed in a temple. (TL: Hello Work is the Japanese Government employment service center for the unemployed to find jobs.)

Incidentally, the church was as I had expected, a large building with stained glass and a cross on top of the roof.

Hmm, how curious.

“By the way, the church’s coat of arms, where did it originate from?”

On Earth, the cross was propagated as the punishment tool used during Jesus Christ’s execution.

Is there a similar anecdote in this world as well?

“The cross …”

Haru spoke. Looks like it is also referred to as a cross in this world too.

“The cross signifies all the people who live in the 4 continents as well as the land where all 4 races meet.”

She said. Four continents huh. So there are 4 continents in this world. Although, there might be continents that have not been discovered by mankind. I can understand the talk about the 4 continents but what does she mean by the 4 races?

I tried asking,

“Hume, Mini hume, Dwarf, Giants.”

and Haru answered immediately. Seems like it is common knowledge.

So dwarves and giants exist in this world as well huh.

Giant warriors would most probably be strong.

“Are beastmen not included?”

“During the inception of the church, beastmen and elves believed in Spirits instead of the Goddesses so they were not included in the 4 races.”

For the time being, while I felt relieved that the origin of the cross was not something lightly thought up, I asked about a certain mark.

“What about this mark?”

A star mark … a five-pointed star was drawn on the sign at the church entrance.

There were two stars.

“The jobs that can be changed into is decided according to the race and level of the church’s priest-sama. A star mark signifies that the priest-sama is a hume and 2 stars signify that he is capable of changing job to the extent of Swordsman or Magician.”

“So it’s not like you can change your job into any of your possible job choices huh.”

“Yes. For example, for my Beast Swordsman, only Beastman Priest are able to confer the job change. The Beastman Priest mark is a circular mark. Only Beastman Priest with 3 circular marks and above are able to confer the job change to Beast Swordsman.”

The greater the number of marks, the greater the required donation (essentially the price).

Two stars was roughly 1000 sense. So it’s 100000 yen huh.

Changing job sure is costly too.

Incidentally, it cost merely 100 sense to change job from Jobless to Commoner and from Commoner to any other job.

Which is why this time, it was settled with just 100 sense.

“Is it alright for us to enter the church as well if Carol is the only one changing job?”

“Yes, normally, there are people praying inside the church as well so anybody can enter.”

The style that doesn’t deny anybody who comes over huh.

If that’s the case, I won’t reserve myself and try entering.

Since I have faith in Goddess-sama as well.

The interior of the church looked like those churches used for weddings.

There was a path directly in the center with long benches to both sides.

The difference would be the 4 Goddess statues to the left and right as well as the 2 Goddess statues directly in front.

The one that immediately caught my attention was Koshmar-sama’s Goddess statue on the left. It was clearly larger compared to the other Goddess statues. (TL: Originally I thought that was because her statue was made to be larger than the others but then I realised … Koshmar is a plump orc Goddess xD)

The twin-tailed Torerul-sama’s Goddess statue and another bob-cut child Goddess statue was on the right.

Next to Koshmar-sama was a thin Goddess with sunken cheeks.

At the front were a beautiful and bewitching Goddess statue and a Valkyrie-like Goddess statue valiantly poised with her sword drawn.

There were some people giving their prayers on the long benches.

“There would be even more people on rest days. In the evenings, the choir dedicates songs as training so a large number of people come to listen.”

Carol commented and followed up on the topic of the church. By no means was it because I was thinking “The church has comparatively few people.”, did it show on my face?

Hmm?

An affluent-like man came out from the back room.

If I remember correctly, that man should be the Philanderer we passed by yesterday.

However, today he had became an Armor Merchant.

I see, so he became a Philanderer for the sake of increasing his luck to play in the gambling parlor but has now returned to being an Armor Merchant.

But, an Armor Merchant instead of a regular Merchant huh.

The day before yesterday, the shopkeeper at the weapons shop was an Apprentice Blacksmith but judging from this guy, there might be Weapon Merchants who specialize in selling weapons as well?

… I wonder what is the skill for merchants specialized in selling weapons?

Weapon Appraisal?

If that’s the case, then Armor Merchants would have Armor Appraisal?

The Armor Merchant lowered his head and left the church.

With that smile on his face, perhaps he won in the gambling parlor?

Well, it’s completely my own speculation that he went to the gambling parlor and he’s a total stranger anyway.

In the first place, my ability to see other people’s job is a secret.

“Is the job change performed in that room?”

“Yes, we’re lucky. The usual waiting time is more than an hour.”

I was unsure if what Carol said was a follow-up to the church or that it was really lucky.

“Erm, Ichino-sama.”

Carol called my name. I felt like I might forget that my original name is Ichinosuke if Carol continued to call me Ichinojo-sama so I asked her to shorten it to Ichino.

“Is it really alright?”

“Eh? What is?”

“To spend 100 sense on me.”

“It’s necessary expenses right? It will be easy to trade with an item bag so we’ll earn it back instantaneously.”

” … Thank you very much. I will work hard such that Ichino-sama will not suffer any losses.”

Carol asserted with clenched fists.

I instinctively thought that she was cute.

Well, even though I say cute, it’s cuteness felt toward a little sister instead of toward a love interest.

“Would it be alright if I dedicate a prayer here toward the Goddess statue of Setolans-sama?”

“Yes, it’s okay.”

I willingly agreed to Haru’s request. Setolans should be the Goddess of Battle and Victory if I remember correctly.

The Goddess-sama that Haru has faith in and acknowledges.

“Me too, could I pray to the Goddess statue of Torerul-sama later?”

Because Haru asked to devote a prayer to utilize the free time, Carol looked slightly troubled when she asked.

Did she think that the time for her to pray would be consumed?

She most likely intends to dedicate a prayer to Torerul-sama because she thinks that it was Torerul-sama who changed her job instead of me. Since I lied to her.

I’ll have to properly explain to her when the opportunity arises.

Including my 「Second Job Setting II」 skill as well.

“Sure, let’s both pray to Torerul-sama’s Goddess statue together. Since I was in her care as well.”

I told Carol that and the 2 of us headed toward the back room.

That room, was a room with nothing in it.

It was a room with only a table sandwiched by 2 chairs.

And, sitting on the chair at the back … was a grandpa.

【Priest Lv19】

Ah, he’s really a Priest.

I examined his job to confirm.

“Welcome. Could the individual who intends to change job sit there?”

Carol replied “Yes” and nodded, sat on the chair and took out 1 silver coin.

Apparently, the convention was to state your own name and job as well as the job you wish to change to.

It seems like during that time, you can’t get up from the chair or move about.

The chair Carol sat on was fixed to the spot and looking closely, there were fine characters written compactly on the floor around the chair.

It was not written in the common language of this world and naturally, it was not in Japanese or English.

I heard that jobs could only be changed at an appointed location but it seems like the secret lies in these characters.

“I’m Carol of Commoner job. I’m here to apply to become a Peddler.”

“Very well … Child of God Carol, may your way of life change.”

The instant the Priest uttered those words, the characters on the floor released blue light.

It lasted for only a short 10 seconds.

The moment I registered that the light had disappeared … the procedure was already over.

The Priest took out a piece of paper and wrote down Carol’s name and job.

“This will serve as your certificate of becoming a Peddler. Do bring this certificate along when you intend to change your job again.”

“Thank you very much.”

Receiving the Peddler certificate, Carol stood up and gave her thanks.

That’s all?

A hundred sense just for that. It sure is lucrative being a Priest.

Since it would cost 1000 sense for that Philanderer just now to change into an Armor Merchant.

This grandpa earned 110000 yen in just over 2 minutes. (TL: 1100 USD)

Though, it might be considerably hard to become a Priest.

When we left the room, Haru was praying to the Goddess statue of Setolans.

It looked like she was concentrating so to not interrupt her, we quietly went to Torerul-sama’s Goddess statue and prayed.

※※※

The Goddess statue was being prayed to.

However, the 2 Goddesses who the statues were modeled after were baffled at the moment.

They were currently looking at a young girl in sailor uniform (winter uniform) climb Mount Fuji.

Her name was Kusunoki Miri. Kusunoki Ichinosuke’s younger sister.

“It looks like it’s going to become something troublesome.”

Koshmar sighed. She knew that the girl was definitely going to arrive here soon.

She foresaw that the girl would come and appear in front of her.

” … I recall … about that incident 1300 years ago. When we first met that girl.”

“The pitiful young girl who threw herself into the crater of Mount Fuji … what’s even more pitiful was that perhaps because she came to Otherworld and lost the significance of her human sacrifice, the people were wrapped up in the eruption of Mount Fuji.”

“That case was just reaping what they sow. That is karma for using another’s life to save their own lives.”

“Torerul is so harsh. So unimaginable from the Goddess-sama of laziness.”

“I may be lazy but I do not teach humans to be lazy. Since if humans don’t work, our Goddesses work will increase.”

“I bet.”

Even though they said that, Koshmar once again leaked a sigh at the impending work that was clearly going to increase.

“We should tell the other Goddesses. That we’ll deal with that child.”

“I can’t go back?”

“Of course not.”

To the words of the Goddess of Laziness, Koshmar leaked a sigh the 3rd time and closed her eyes.

The time that flows in that world and in Otherworld is different.

There are times when it is faster and times when it is slower.

Currently, the flow in Earth is slow and the flow in Otherworld is fast.

It would still be several hours later before she once again throws herself into Mount Fuji’s crater.

However, in Otherworld’s time, it will be a couple of days later.

How will the world move when she once again descends onto Otherworld.

It’s said that only God knows but even the Goddesses also do not know.

Author’s note:

Miri’s appearance will happen a bit later.

TL’s note:

Woah … so Miri has been to Otherworld before? I’m curious as to what her backstory is.