Chapter 174

“However… while leaving the village like this is fine, I wonder if the Priest will be alright?”

“At this late stage?”

Isn’t it usual to have such thoughts before departing from the village?

“Ah, well… you see, my mind was all over the place when we left. Thinking about mom and also pondering the outside world.”

“Hm… yeah, that does make sense.”

A young girl who grew up only in a small countryside village suddenly leaving home… her mind must’ve been quite a mess.

But still, worrying unnecessarily at this point…

“That priest has decent skills, so don’t worry about him.”

“Is that so?”

I gave a slight nod.

That priest had a fair amount of skill for a human—nothing to fret about.

Besides, just before leaving the village, I set up a barrier to keep out any ill-intentioned individuals. So…

There shouldn’t be much of an issue, likely.

“Well, that’s fortunate. I was a little worried.”

Your real concern should be your ability to find your way around.

Though, I suppose I can craft something later—a compass that points toward what you desire, perhaps.

Hmm… though if I give you something like that, there’s always the risk some other human might pick it up later and treat it like a treasure. Right?

Pfft, nah. Not everything I create can turn into a priceless artifact.

Even though… most of the things I’ve made so far kinda did end up as treasures…

“So, our destination is Armen next, right?”

“Yes. If we visit the Temple of Life there, we might uncover clues about Mother.”

The Temple of Life… While my duties as the Goddess of Life have been running on autopilot, I’ve somewhat neglected the temple itself. Guess I should drop by sometime soon.

At least, visiting once would probably be good.

“The Temple of Life should understand our story, so things should go smoothly.”

“Yes. Though the Priest belongs to the Temple of Life and wrote us a letter, having the Dragon Priestess herself deliver the message will surely make a difference.”

Well, technically speaking, it’s not just the Dragon Priestess but the actual Goddess of Life herself. But anyway…

“Then let’s rest well tonight and depart tomorrow morning.”

“Yes.”

And with that, Maybel and I spent the night at an inn.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Three hundred years later, the world had changed in many ways.

Back then, most structures were built using wood and clay, but now they seem to use bricks for construction—used in buildings and even as paving stones for roads. Everything feels tidier overall.

Compared to the slightly improved state from the primitive era, this is quite the advancement!

People’s clothing hasn’t changed drastically, but the fabrics appear cleaner. There’s less reliance on leather, and more use of cloth now.

It seems the overall economic situation has improved compared to before.

Also, one peculiar thing: small altars are scattered everywhere. At first glance, there are over ten different ones, each dedicated to various gods.

Hmm… Looks like the gods have placed numerous restrictions, forcing them to work harder to gain faith. As long as it doesn’t harm humans, I guess it’s fine.

Among the many deities, the most popular ones are the Sky God Baal and the Mother of Life… ah, that’d be me.

Others gaining traction include the God of Children, surprisingly Sirius too, and a few others.

Having a variety of gods gives humans more options—it’s beneficial for everyone involved.

Thus, Maybel and I continued our journey.

We encountered monsters, humans, thieves, pilgrims, adventurers, soldiers… Surprisingly, there were more humans than expected, and monster sightings were rare.

Apparently, people realized the value of materials from monsters—mana stones, hides, meat, bones—and adventuring became a sought-after profession.

Despite the risks, finding a large mana stone could change one’s life entirely.

Soldiers also increased in number, but their pay seems low. They serve as both law enforcement and standing army, often sent to war with minimal compensation.

Meh, military coups aren’t my problem.

Anyway, eventually we arrived at Armen.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

“This place… it’s pretty big.”

“Hmm. Quite sizable indeed.”

About the same size as pre-sleep Sirius, a fairly large city-state. Seeing how much it developed over 300 years brings mixed feelings.

“It seems this is your first time visiting our city.”

While marveling at its grandeur, a neatly dressed guard approached us.

“Indeed, this is my first time here.”

“It’s my first time seeing a city this big.”

“Heheh. Most visitors say the same thing. Armen is larger than most other city-states.”

The friendly guard began explaining various spots around the city.

“That tavern sells great beer, but since you two look young, maybe avoid alcohol. Their food, however, is delicious, so consider dining there.”

“Ah, helpful information. I’ll keep that in mind.”

“For lodging, there’s a place with a horse-shaped sign nearby. It’s said they get their furniture from a connected dwarf artisan.”

“Dwarves? I’ve only read about them in books, but they’re here in this city?”

“Well, I haven’t seen one personally, but the inn quality is good, so it’s worth staying there.”

Hm, is he being sincere or just steering customers? Doesn’t matter either way.

“First, we need to find the Temple of Life. Do you know where it is?”

“Aha! Are you here for pilgrimage? Seeking the Temple of Life?”

“Not exactly a pilgrim.”

My statement made Maybel giggle softly.

From her perspective, it must’ve been amusing for the Dragon Priestess to be mistaken as a mere pilgrim.

“The Temple of Life is near the Central Square. It’s the largest temple, so you won’t miss it.”

Central Square, huh. Is that trendy these days?

“Thank you. We shall head there then.”

“Yes! Enjoy your time in Armen, the cleanest city!”

“Clean?”

“Yes. Thanks to Armen’s unique facilities—water supply and sewage systems—we maintain cleanliness better than other cities.”

Huh? Water supply and sewage systems? That’s impressive.

“Other cities rely on slimes to consume waste, which leaves unpleasant odors until the slimes do their job. Armen uses water supply and drainage systems to flush away waste, keeping the environment pristine.”

Whoa… creating water supply and sewage systems in this age? Pretty advanced stuff.

Though Earth’s Rome had similar systems back in the day, it’s still impressive for this world.

“Thanks to the water supply system, bathing culture has flourished here. If you’re comfortable bathing with others, visiting a bathhouse could be a nice experience.”

Hmm. Bathhouses.

Now that I think about it, I barely remember the last time I properly bathed. Magic keeps me clean instantly, though.

“Bath…!”

Unlike me, Maybel’s eyes sparkled with excitement.

“Would you like to try it if you have time?”

“Hmm. Bathing…”

Honestly, my body doesn’t feel heat even in boiling magma, so what’s the point of bathing? Still, no harm done.

“We should prioritize visiting the Temple of Life first. We can reconsider afterward.”

“Yes!”

With that, we parted ways with the guard and headed toward Central Square.

On the way, Maybel attempted to veer off course several times. Hmm…

Why does she keep wandering into side streets when heading straight through crowded areas would’ve been simpler? Totally baffling.

“We… finally made it.”

“Yeah, sure took longer because someone kept leading us astray.”

And thus, we reached the Temple of Life in Armen.