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“So, this is the church from the quest?”

It took about five minutes of running (with Momo’s legs) from the guild to reach a small church nestled into the cityscape.

While its exterior appeared modest, it was evident that it was well maintained, with a decent flow of people in and out, indicating a devout congregation.

“Oh, do they worship Ascles here too?”
“No, this church follows a different deity. You can tell by the symbol displayed outside.”
“I see, so there are many gods out there.”

The holy symbol served as a mark to indicate which god believers worship, hence there were as many designs as there were gods.

The symbol worn by that suspicious saint differed from the one on display here at the church. I was a bit worried, but my concerns seemed to be unfounded.

“You head straight to the orphanage as planned, and whoever finishes their task first will join the other.”
“Got it! Take care then!”

With that, Momo swiftly dashed off, seemingly boundless in stamina.

Anyway, with that energy, physical tasks shouldn’t be an issue. Let’s get my own job done quickly.

“Ah, um… Excuse me, is anyone here? I’m here on a quest from the guild.”
“Oh, you’re quick… Ah, are you the adventurer dispatched from the guild?”

As I pushed open the heavy (for me) door, the priest, who had just finished offering prayers at the altar, approached me. He was an elderly man with white hair and glasses, unmistakably a skilled sorcerer judging by the aura of magic surrounding him.

“Here’s the quest document and my guild card. Despite my childish appearance, I assure you I’m capable of transcription work.”
“Hmm… Indeed, it’s a legitimate card, quite impressive for someone so young.”
“Please refrain from treating me like a child. And where’s the quest material?”
“It’s prepared in the back room, this way please.”

The room behind the altar, guided by the priest, was probably his workspace. It was cluttered with documents, a work desk, and bookshelves crammed into the small space.

“There are quite a lot of books… and paper.”
“Yes, all thanks to the guidance of the god of wisdom, Metilis. It’s also thanks to the assistance of the Outlander Motoki.”
“The Outlander…? Did that person acquire all these books?”
“No, not at all. His achievement lies in spreading the knowledge of cheaper paper production.”
“That’s… quite remarkable.”

The quest documents and the paper on the desk were of much higher quality than what I was familiar with. The Outlander Motoki, an unfamiliar person to me, perhaps received the “Gift” similar to Momo.

“At your age, it’s understandable if you’re unaware. Endowed with the grace of the god of wisdom, he… Ah, but I digress. Let’s talk about the quest.”
“Yes, of course. So, what am I transcribing?”
“Please take this. It’s a children’s bible.”

The book the priest retrieved from the bookshelf was thinner and simpler in design compared to the others. Glancing through a few pages, it seemed to broadly cover the mythology of this world, fitting for children.

“However… with paper being so widespread, I would think there would be advancements in book duplication technology.”
“What are you saying? It’s believed that the sentiment is imbued into the copy when transcribed by hand!”
“……I see.”

Ah, that’s the mindset of a sorcerer for you. I doubt we’ll ever see eye to eye. However, the troublesome thing is that such sentiments and stuff did actually improve the quality of their magic. If it were just a matter of willpower, I could’ve just dismissed it as pointless.

“Oh, by the way, would it be alright if I transcribed a book for myself as well? Hearing your passionate speech got me soo interested in the gods!”
“Marvelous! To think someone your age would be so zealous… Don’t limit it to one copy, make as many as you wish!”
“Haha, that’s generous of you. Well then, may I have some time alone to concentrate on the task?”
“Of course, may the grace of the god of wisdom be with you…”

With a sorcerer’s prayer, the priest left the room.

On the desk lay a blank book, ink, and a quill pen. I glanced around, but there was no one in sight.

In other words, even if I were to cheat, there would be no one to catch me.

“While sentiment and sincerity may enhance a sorcerer’s abilities, it’s irrelevant to the children who will read these books.”

Let’s be efficient about this. I’ll put in some sentiment, sure, but there’s no need to waste unnecessary time. I’ve already got a souvenir for Momo, so let’s finish up quickly and go meet her.

“Now then… «O, water—»”

――――――――…………
――――……
――…

“So, I came to pick you up, but what are you doing?”
“Huuuh!? Aren’t you a little too early, Master!?”

I took a reasonable amount of time to avoid suspicion and finished my work about two hours ago. When I arrived at the orphanage for the quest, Momo was still in the middle of working in the garden.

To be precise, she had already finished weeding, yet she was still digging up the soil with gardening tools.

“Just hold on a sec, I’m almost done tilling the soil… Wait, Master, did you walk all the way here?”
“I wanted to save time, so I flew a bit. But more importantly, why are you making a garden?”
“She wants to make a home garden, so she’s tilling the soil before it gets warmer!”

My head started spinning. I understood the reason, but why go to such lengths to help her? If she’s making a garden, it might lead to a new quest and additional income.

“But these weeds in the otherworld are incredible! They grow so vigorously even in this cold weather.”
“Those are snow-eating weeds. They thrive in cold environments without natural predators. Boil and dilute them with water, and they become a melting agent for snow.”
“Wow, that’s some fantasy weed! Can we eat it?”
“If you get a stomachache, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

If it were edible, they wouldn’t need to hire adventurers; they’d handle it themselves. The fact that it’s inedible in any form is what makes it a weed. Plus, I know of one fool who suffered after drinking it as tea.

“Sigh… «Wake up, it’s time to work.»”

I used magecraft to raise the soil, removing stones while infusing it with air. It’s a rather foolish use of spells, but there’s no use trying to stop her; she’s not the type to listen. I figured this method would ultimately save time.

“Wow, amazing! As expected of you, Master! Thank you so much!”
“Enough with the flattery. If you’re done, let’s go. There’s still one more quest… Huh?”

Suddenly, my viewpoint rose, and this floating sensation only happened when someone lifted me up. Momo? No, she’s right in front of me. Then who…?

“Now now, you shouldn’t bother Ms. Momo… Oh, I don’t seem to recognize you?”
“Oh, Ms. Mytia! You got it wrong, she’s my master!”
“Oh my…?”

The person holding me was a blonde woman who appeared to be the head of this orphanage.