Work Prophet
Chapter 265 - 23 Sorry, I’m afraid there won’t be any left if I’m late

Chapter 265: Chapter 23 Sorry, I’m afraid there won’t be any left if I’m late

Quintus had just turned forty this year.

Unlike his colleagues, he did not enjoy being a guest of honor in the noble’s castles; instead, he preferred to wander between the countryside, feeling the strength that the land and its common folk gave him.

Due to being constantly exposed to the sun and wind, his face had become somewhat darkened, prematurely wrinkled, making him appear older than he actually was.

Moreover, his casual attire made it easy to mistake him for a farmer whenever he stood by the field.

But one should never be deceived by his appearance.

Quintus possessed an eloquence and exceptional charisma that were rare even among priests.

Everyone who came close to him was involuntarily captivated by the personal charm he exuded.

It was said that when Silver Moon Church sent people to Green Field this time, High Priest Kerkwon personally chose his name.

And Quintus did not disappoint his teacher’s expectations. The village he was responsible for was very close to Teacup Castle and heavily infiltrated by the Double Rest Sect.

Some villagers had even witnessed the Dragon Slayer fight that day, although they only saw some flashes of fire and vaguely made out the terrifying shadow and heard its roars and growls.

But the fear of it had taken root deep in their hearts, and they, correspondingly, held great respect for the Double Rest Sect, which defeated the Black Dragon. Furthermore, encouraged by the Lady’s announcement of shifting allegiance to "Saturday."

As goes the leader, so follow the followers, making many in the village restless.

These were the challenging circumstances Quintus faced upon his arrival. Some villagers even avoided him, but he did not panic and soon used his personal charm to open up the situation.

For those who were reluctant to interact with him, Quintus had ways to connect with them by helping them carry water and chop wood, naturally striking up conversations.

Then Quintus would use his sincere demeanor and his eloquence to gradually unlock their hearts, figuring out where their temptations lay and, like a friend, helping them analyze how to resist these temptations and remain loyal to the goddess.

Since he presented himself humbly, not high-handed or commanding, the villagers were more than willing to confide in him and listen to his sermons.

Soon, more and more people gathered around Quintus, and their faith in Pisya was restored. The cold wind that blew against them seemed not so chilling anymore, and the arduous days not so hard to endure.

Quintus felt that in about ten more days, his mission would be almost complete.

However, he never anticipated that it all would stop abruptly at one moment.

That day, Quintus opened his eyes from the haystack, stepped outside, hoping to greet his enthusiastic followers as usual, but he was astonished to find no one in front of the door.

Not only that, but as he looked carefully, he noticed the entire village was empty too.

Although it was the slack season and many people liked to sleep in, it was quite unusual for an entire village to be this lazy.

Especially since in the past few days, Quintus had always met many people at this time when he stepped out.

Why was it that today, of all days, there were so few people?

Curiously, Quintus approached a longhouse where a believer lived, knocked on the door, but no one answered from inside.

Was no one home?

Quintus paused again, wondering why they would not stay inside on such a cold day but instead go out.

Quintus then knocked on the neighboring door, which also remained unanswered.

By then, Quintus had realized the severity of the situation and hastened his steps. When he reached the third longhouse, it was, as he feared, still vacant.

Quintus hesitated for a moment before peeking through a crack in the wall, confirming that it indeed was empty.

What was going on? How could everyone just disappear while he was asleep?

Quintus looked puzzled when suddenly the door of the house behind him was fiercely pushed open and a man rushed out while still getting dressed.

Seeing Quintus, his expression stiffened and he managed a forced smile, "Quintus Priest, good morning."

"Good morning, Varo." Quintus also displayed a genuine smile, "Where are you rushing off to so early in the morning?"

"Uh..." The look of embarrassment on Varo’s face deepened as he stuttered without squeezing any words out.

"I thought we were friends who could talk about anything," Quintus sighed. "Let me tell you a little story then. Did you know the Silver Moon Goddess also once kept a secret?"

"Quintus Priest," Varo gritted his teeth and interrupted, "Can we talk about this when I return? I’m in a rush and, well, I overslept a bit."

"Oh, is that so? Then let me join you, and I can tell you the story on the way."

Varo gave a wry smile, "You really can’t go to that place."

"That’s odd, didn’t everyone in the village head there?"

"I am going to attend a sermon by the Double Rest Sect," Varo finally confessed.

Afterward, he noticed that Quintus, who was usually very talkative, suddenly fell silent.

Varo now felt like he was playing the scoundrel, as if his lover was at home preparing a simple, warm meal, while he was out living it up with another.

"No, it’s not your fault," Varo consoled, "Your teachings are right, and everyone likes you, but..."

"But what?" Quintus hadn’t fully recovered from the shock of the betrayal and merely asked reflexively.

"But they’re giving away cloaks at the Double Rest Sect today!"

Full of regret, Varo said, "Sorry, but I need to go get a cloak, I’m afraid they’ll run out."

"What, giving away cloaks?" Quintus doubted his own ears. Although the Silver Moon Church would distribute some supplies to the needy in disaster years.

Yet this year, the harvests in the western territories were good, and from what Quintus knew about this small village, they were not so impoverished as to need charity.

Quintus warned Varo, "There’s no such thing as a free lunch, you best be careful not to be deceived."

But as soon as he mentioned this, Varo slapped his thigh in frustration, "Don’t say that, we believed your word that the Double Rest Sect’s mouth is full of lies, and we missed the bread giveaway yesterday. Everyone from the other villages who went got their bread."

"It was white bread, much tastier than our black bread. I missed out, and I can’t miss the cloak giveaway this time no matter what."

Having said that, Varo didn’t wait for Quintus’s reply and took off towards the edge of the village.