Under a cloudy sky we start the final leg of our journey, 'out of the wilds.' Red's told me what to expect. Since leaving the cathedral we have been in the Barony of Shadefall. A lightly populated territory along Tourin's northeastern frontier.
Before nightfall we should reach the capital of the barony, Colrac. A town of a few thousand whose sole claim to fame is the nearby dungeon, the Vault of the Lost Guardian.
Like in some isekai stories, 'dungeons' in this world are sort of natural formations. Mana flows across this world and sometimes 'pools' in places. If this pooling goes on for long enough, it may solidify into a jewel like stone. A 'dungeon core.' This rock begins sinking into the earth.
The more mana it collects, the deeper it sinks. Like a shatter pattern on glass, a complex network of tunnels and caverns spreads behind it.
Concentrated mana attracts monsters and, over time, mutates them. Plants and even the rock itself also change. Monsters with thicker skins making better leather. Plants with medicinal leaves making better potions. Mana infused metals making blades lighter and sharper.
Materials from a dungeon can be very valuable. So unless a dungeon is too dangerous? Locals prefer to 'farm' them instead of destroy them.
This dungeon is quite poor, only iron rank, with just ten plus floors. Still valuable enough its discovery caused the region to be resettled.
Per Avi, the Vault of the Lost Guardian was the cemetery for the area's original capital, Kilmere. Centuries ago, the local king died without a clear successor and a bloody battle began.
The succession struggle weakened the domain so much that it fell to orcs soon after and was abandoned. Some time later a dungeon core formed in the graveyard and the vault was born.
After the dungeon's discovery, a group of tourinese nobles sponsored the region's resettlement and became its rulers. Its considered the edge of civilization in Tourin because no trade routes reach beyond it.
Once we pass Colrac we won't need to camp outdoors anymore as the inns will be large enough to support our convoy.
This dungeon is one of three along our planned route.
Lady Gilend wants us to enter this dungeon because its the smallest and poorest. Richer dungeons can be so busy you have to schedule expeditions weeks in advance plus are dominated by large guilds. We don't have the time to wait.
So a short expedition will give me valuable 'dungeon crawling' experience and net us a tidy profit.
"Gorgeous."
Our wagons finally leave the encroaching wooded hills and I can see Colrac spread beneath us from the carriage. With the setting sun beyond it, its like a scene out of an rpg video game.
Tall medieval european style walls and towers ring a settlement with hundreds of tile roof homes. Some houses have green roofs. Others red. Even yellow and orange roofs. Much prettier than the wood or thatch roofs found in the villages. Is that an aqueduct?
Our road passes by a great double door gate, itself flanked by towers, busy with people, horses, wagons, coming and going.
Along the street leading to the gate, numerous tents and stalls have been setup. Catering to the weary traveler's almost every need. Wait, hookers and shrines? Catering to the weary traveler's every need.
The lack of escort coming out to meet us strikes me as odd, at first, until I remember what else Dame Edelys told me. You see? I'm a bit of a black sheep.
Because I enslaved their oracle, took their holy sword, and am not a gullible hero? The church kind of hates my guts. Okay, not kind of. They really, really, hate my guts. I'm like a walking fountain of heresy. The poster child for blasphemy magazine.
Tourin, believes in multiple gods. Well, think about it. This world has magic. If Jesus showed up? His miracles might not even raise an eyebrow.
Religion is the classic fantasy setup. Each god or goddess having certain turf like fertility, death, war, harvests, justice, etc, etc... One interesting difference between this world and typical fantasy? Priests are casters. Their miracles are not god granted.
While they can get 'help' from their deity when needed? Like extra mana. Its still a spell they are casting.
Each nation, and in some places even certain towns, has their favorite god. The other gods are present too but there is always one divine patron considered more important than the rest. In the Kingdom of Tourin? Its the goddess Metia. The goddess of wisdom and war. Ugh...
Didn't care enough to pay much attention when Avi taught it. Basically, in this nation, if someone says church? They mean Metia's followers. And? They hate me.
There is an upside though. Unlike the lord of a remote village with a few hundred people? Who is desperate for excitement? A baron lording over thousands cares more about keeping the peace.
And how do you keep thousands of ignorant superstitious dumbasses peaceful? By not pissing off the church they got too almost every day of the week. Of course pissing off a marquis is a really bad idea too. So, as a compromise? He is ignoring me.
If that means I do not have to deal with more feast poisonings, kidnappings, and duels? I am a-okay with it.
Of course they know we're coming. That's why when we roll up clattering to the gate? The guards only do a quick inspection. Eyes bulging a bit when they see a big ass barbarian in a comfy carriage surrounded by clinging hotties.
Naturally, a couple of priests and their thugs are waiting too. Giving me the stink eye. Not wanting a showdown at the town gate? A local knight, sent by the baron, quickly guides us to the biggest inn in town. Where we are treated politely but coolly.
The nicest room in the inn has already been set aside for the adopted son of the eastern frontier's marquis. As well as other rooms for the wagon drivers, soldiers, knights, and Edelys.
My room? Two octans, silver coins, a night. Olete tells me a typical cheap room costs twenty daesi a night. Those are copper coins. That's around fifteen times the cost of the hotels Olete normally stays in.
Currency goes from copper to bronze to silver to gold to white-gold coins. 'Paper or plastic' doesn't exist. There is paper for transactions too big for bags of gold coins but those are more like temporary contracts than currency.
The adventurers are not staying with us. Their contract is over so they are off to the guild for payment and to look for more work. My room is straight out of a bishojo game. Like stupid fancy. Gotta admit. Kind of freaking me out.
Holy shit, this is the biggest bed I've ever seen. Are harems that common in this world?
At least they've got a bath. Yep, like one in those Ancient Rome shows. Beats the hell out of the buckets and streams we've been using.
With tourinese baths you first have the changing room where you strip. Next is a warm washing room, where you scrub yourself clean. Then a hot resting pool slash sauna where you relax and open the pores. Finally a cold pool to refresh and wake you up before going back to the changing room.
Apparently every 'town' in Tourin worth a damn has at least one public one. There are private baths too, our inn has one. The public ones sometimes have separate pools for men and women or partitions. Private ones usually do not. Some have schedules for female only times.
Olete says women being attacked in baths is a common element of the dirtier tavern stories and songs.
In truth, the baths are well staffed with slaves and or servants shepherding bathers thru the process. Keeping things on schedule, keeping the peace, and preventing incidents described in the bawdier tales.
They also provide services like haircuts, washing, massages, sex, other spa type stuff, and even musical performances. The typical bath experience lasts for an eight-hour or two.
The girls do not feel comfortable in a small bath surrounded by men, understandable, so they are going to wait for the female only time. Oh and they've already got soap in this world. So no getting rich off selling it like happens in other isekai stories.
Not like I know how to actually make soap anyway. Or anything else that was common in my world either. Ugh... But I can quote movies I like. 'May the wings of liberty never lose a feather.' Hooray for useless knowledge!
Bathing is a more communal experience than I'm used to. Surrounded by naked dudes staying at the inn. Including some of the guys from the convoy. Hardly the shy type but this is making me uncomfortable.
Maybe I just miss privacy? Taking a shower alone used to be my only 'me' time. There are over two dozen of us in here and some of these guys are pretty talkative. Baths are apparently a good place to 'network.'
A shorter fat guy is definitely the most outgoing of the bunch and approaches me in the hot pool after chatting up a few others.
"Greetings! I am Paulinus. A humble merchant from Wevelten." The smile looks genuine at least. "You have quite the strange look for these parts. From where do you hale if you don't mind me asking good sir."
Is this guy a used wagon salesman?
I try to keep it brief and stick with my cover story.
"The north."
"Oh, a fearsome northern marauder. Well you definitely have the look for it. An adventurer by trade?"
Feel like I've been emailed by Nigerian royalty who just need my bank account number to get their millions.
"Just passing thru."
No, I'm not giving you my social security number.
This savvy fat man doesn't miss much.
"I see, and under escort too it seems." A couple of the Black Hart knights are eying him. "Very interesting." Rubbing his chin. "I trust my nose and you smell of future profits." No, I am not giving you access to my computer. "Well do keep me in mind if you need a good offer for whatever you might want to sell."
He smoothly moves on to the next clump of gentlemen to look for money making opportunities.
Besides his interruption the time passes quietly.
As we leave I see the girls enter along with other women from the inn. Meaning, I'll have a couple of hours to myself for the first time in... How long? All thoughts of going to a bar or hooker? Vanish.
Make a beeline for my room and immediately leap into the oversized stuffed bed. Not as comfortable as a mattress in my world but a hell of a lot better than a bed roll on the ground.
"Status." "Inventory." "Message." "Skills."
I've gotten into the habit of randomly saying things that revealed the gamey stuff in other isekai. Yeah, its dumb, but no dumber than suddenly finding myself in a fantasy world with a body that's only fifteen years old.
Shit, I had a slave harem within a couple of days. This can't be real. It hurts like its real. So I'm going to treat it that way until I find out otherwise. Sleepy time.
Now I'm not an idiot and quickly learned to sleep with one eye open, so to speak. Half awake when the girls enter as quietly as possible. Turns out? There was an incident. Hear the girls quietly chatting, not wanting to 'wake' me.
A couple of their bathing partners were actually adventurers who had been hired to, you guessed it, 'free' the oracle. Seems folks still think Avi's slavery is involuntary.
They were not expecting the cat-fight that followed. The inn's guards shut things down quickly and detained the adventurers for the town guard. Since no significant injuries occurred they'll probably get off with a fine.
Don't know enough about how this world works to follow everything but did get lots of interesting tidbits. Shit, they're drinking wine. Yep, here they come. Well my nap was nice while it lasted.
"""Master..."""
Sigh.
You keep using that word. I'm beginning to think it does not mean what you think it means.
Paulinus (male, human, tourinese)
- of Wevelten
- Merchant
- Humble
- "Used Wagon Salesman"
I'm not sure if he understands the word 'no'.
Well if you were him would you refuse? I sure as hell have no more qualms sleeping with missguideed women... I tried keeping it clean a long time ago it just got me no women at all...
All women are misguided, damaged or have ulterior motives as long as they are not trying to take advantage of me I may be will to give them what they want.
I haven't met a woman yet that I could honestly say had her sh*t together and approached me just before she was interested in me.
@Fuxy
as long as they are not trying to take advantage of me I may be will to give them what they want.
Except taking advantage of him is exactly and only what these girls are doing.
You say all women are misguided, damaged, and / or have ulterior motives but that really, really is not limited to women; that's a descriptor of pretty much the entirety of humanity. However, the first rule is to not stick your d*ck in crazy, and these women are most certainly several telescopic ladders above the common person on the crazy scale.
At least he should control them and their desires. Use it as a limited reward to be earned by following his instructions and acting to his benefit, after laying down some obvious ground rules like not betraying him as Avi did, not conspiring over shady stuff in the background for nebulous 3rd party promises to benefit him in the future, etc. etc.
But I, personally, would absolutely refuse them. They're f*cking crazy and need healing, not escapism through s*x and unbelievably twisted imaginations on what slaves should do for a summoned barbarian hero.
Goly sh*t the grammar improved. Damn, nevermind about my complains about a few chapters ago.
He should start being more ruthless to troublesome people he can kill and get away with it (random Adventurer, mob knight, etc.).
Thanks for the chapter!!!! I know information should be slow to spread in medieval times, but did the Church reveal how their Oracle is cursed? Are they trying to hush that little detail by declaring that the Barbarian enslaved her in exchange for suppressing the curse of her comrades?
At the least, I am hoping that the clergy have at least this much political wit. I still find them outrageously stupid and self-destructive for allowing their oracle to be prostituted. However, I have hope that they are smart enough to want to cover up Avi's incident of being cursed and then detain/kill her themselves.
Sorry if this includes spoilers.
I'm not that good a writer so I probably didn't communicate it well enough.
In Tourin, and a few other countries too, when a church spreads word that someone has been "cursed?" They usually mean raped by demons. They keep it as vague as possible. They don't need to go into detail because everyone accepts that the person has basically died. Their life is over. Suicide or entering a convent is really their only choice.
So even if the oracle "returns" to the church? Her career as an oracle is over anyway.
If a dispute they can't blow off or ignore comes up? Then they would add the strange barbarian slave magic story.
When I picture the Metian Church in Tourin I picture the bad days of the catholic church and inquisition. As the biggest church in Tourin they have a lot of power and influence. Tourin society is not a very prudish one to begin with. But it is sexist. So the peak of the female career within the church, Oracles, has them offering their everything in serving the goddess and her church.
Including their bodies. They are even trained by the church. This happens to be one of the reasons the church has its own schools for "higher" education.
As far as the fate of cursed women who enter the convents? Well that's a bit too spoilery this early but bits of it are in the story later.
@ByzFan Mmm, I understand people being sexist, since that is normal during medieval times. However, what is the point of there being oracles dedicated to the Goddess/God if the oracles are defiled prostitutes? That is the same as spiting in the face of their worshipped deities and tainting their faith.
It is too self-destructive and contradicting, and it is a super waste of talent and resources to the point that ant intelligent person would just kill themselves from seeing such stupidity. In my opinion, like how Ascendance of a Bookworm novel did it, it would make more sense for the religion to have various levels/types of clergy, and the aristocratic clergy could have grey robed clergy (or something) who are the assistants to the aristocratic clergy. This would allow the perverted members of the higher ranking clergy to secretly have mistresses and such. Any "education" would be up to the aristocratic clergy.
As for Avi's involvement with the Church, I do feel sorry for her, but her story just feels so unnatural. It is like the Church was going out of its way to destroy its own potential and future. I have yet to make sense of why the Church is trying to undermine it's own oracle who is connected to royalty and has high mastery in magic, since their describec actions go beyond mere sexism and seems more like they are asking to be destroyed
@Truth
I see where you are coming from but don't agree. None of these gods are virginal. Oracles may be holy whores but they are incredibly valuable ones. They do more than just spread their knees and tie on the ball gag.
Holy in the streets. Unholy in the sheets. They are the total package. This is a world with competing religions. Those who use every tool at their disposal come out on top. Metia's church happens to be one of them.
Unfortunately, pleasing dirty old men whether they be high ranking nobles, beauruecrats, merchants, or adventurers, is very helpful when it lets you borrow their influence.
Then they can turn around and give an inspiring sermon to the masses. Gain new converts. Even get messages from the goddess in the form of prophecies and visions.
@ByzFan Well, I admit that I am basing this on how how mythology and religion developed on Earth. However, I will also admit that I am unable to understand these gods and their religion because of my knowledge on how religion develops.
What's important to a religion and their gods is Faith. Unless you are goddess of s*x and beauty, I understand that most gods would rather focus on the Authorities that they govern while protecting their image and the purity of their faith. Using tainted vessels and symbols is not good advertisement, and even you called their acts as "unholy."
I would understand more if their current society disregarded matrimony and fidelity to the point of married wives openly having kids with others, like it's a normal everyday thing. However, if this was the current society, it was not emphasized enough or elaborated correctly........ The customs and world building just doesn't match with what you are describing for their church.
Political and religiously, the church is a failure. There are so many ways to consolidate their power (just based off of what I read so far). However, they went about so many things in the wrong direction, like it was intentional
@Truth
I really should get around to finishing and posting the mythology and creation myths I wrote up. That might help. Apologies if it doesn't make sense to you but it does to me.
Virginity slash chastity have no religous value in this world.
@ByzFan Oh, so it is a world of depravity (from Earth's perspective). I guess that makes more sense. I would suggest straining society a lot more. You should make monsters overrun the lands and have them push humanity to brink.
If humanity is more desperate, it makes more sense for them to try reproducing stronger children. The Church could even help by making the preistesses perform s*x magic rituals that can amplify magic or store Mana. You have to align the history and society along with the desired religion
@ByzFan P.S. If virginity/chastity doesn't matter, then the victims of the rapist Baron no longer matter. Even Avi's past history shouldn't matter as much anymore. Moreover, having the child of another man (besides the husband) should be a reccuring problem or be something acceptable.
@Truth
P.S. If virginity/chastity doesn't matter, then the victims of the rapist Baron no longer matter. Even Avi's past history shouldn't matter as much anymore. Moreover, having the child of another man (besides the husband) should be a reccuring problem or be something acceptable.
Virginity and chastity have no religious value. They do have political and economic value.
@ByzFan I hope you do know that religion and secular world often align in several subjects. For example, our morals on sex, marriage, and killing are greatly influenced by the church and vice versa. Again, I just hope that the secular world and religion gets better aligned
@Truth
Oh, so it is a world of depravity (from Earth's perspective). I guess that makes more sense. I would suggest straining society a lot more. You should make monsters overrun the lands and have them push humanity to brink.
If humanity is more desperate, it makes more sense for them to try reproducing stronger children. The Church could even help by making the preistesses perform s*x magic rituals that can amplify magic or store Mana. You have to align the history and society along with the desired religion
While Tourin may look a lot like medieval europe. The path it took to get there is significantly different than our medieval europe. Tourin was never a monotheistic state. Its savior wielded a sword. Not a cross.
Think of the gods not as much in the judeo-chistian sense but maybe more in the greco-roman sense. Not omniscient. Not omnipotent. And open to bribery. The mortals of this world do not believe they came from adam and eve. They came this world's version of zeus screwing around on his sister wife.
Though in this case it would be more daughter instead of sister like hera was.
This is a world where magic is real. s*x magic is real. Actually 100% effective aphrodisiacs are real. A world where they don't have to go to church to hear about miracles. They can see Lord Cavendish throw miracles, lightning, around every time the goblins start trouble.
Virtues, both written and unwritten are very valuable. But they don't require monogamy. Do not require chastity or virginity.
Its a world both familiar but also very different.
@Truth
I hope you do know that religion and secular world often align in several subjects. For example, our morals on sex, marriage, and killing are greatly influenced by the church and vice versa. Again, I just hope that the secular world and religion gets better aligned
We're just looking at this from two significantly different directions. But that's fine.
@ByzFan I'm, I never looked at it from a Judeo-chrustian perspective. I looked at it mainly from Greco-Roman perspective, since I studied religion and mythology to a degree. I even backtracked and tried to think of things from Chinese or Japanese mythology perspective, and I am not going to go in depth of the sociological, political, or economic perspectives.
In all cases, I couldn't understand. The world building and setting just doesn't match up with the actions and thinking of the Church right. I would honestly recommend reading Ascendance of a Bookworm novel, Death Mage Doesn't Want a Fourth Time novel, Fate Zero anime, and similar stories to get a better picture of how magic, religions, and secular matters could interact. Those stories made a lot of sense from a scholarly, political, and reading POV.
Of course, if you disagree with those stories, I cannot say much against it. Everyone's understanding of the world differs after all
@Truth
I'm, I never looked at it from a Judeo-chrustian perspective. I looked at it mainly from Greco-Roman perspective, since I studied religion and mythology to a degree. I even backtracked and tried to think of things from Chinese or Japanese mythology perspective, and I am not going to go in depth of the sociological, political, or economic perspectives.
In all cases, I couldn't understand. The world building and setting just doesn't match up with the actions and thinking of the Church right. I would honestly recommend reading Ascendance of a Bookworm novel, Death Mage Doesn't Want a Fourth Time novel, Fate Zero anime, and similar stories to get a better picture of how magic, religions, and secular matters could interact. Those stories made a lot of sense from a scholarly, political, and reading POV.
Of course, if you disagree with those stories, I cannot say much against it. Everyone's understanding of the world differs after all
Its okay. I have read Death Mage but it doesn't fit what I see for this world's circumstances and development. Think I read a bit of Bookworm too but it didn't fit either. You know, I'm not really thinking of a story to compare. Huh. Maybe that's why running down this rabbit hole has kept me interested for so long.
@ByzFan Ah, well, each world is different. I was just pointing out how their history, societal developments, current customs, and culture was in a feedback loop with religion. Sexism and racism isn't anything new, and I wanted you to take notice of these details as lessons rather than compare.
I am not sure whether you still disagree with me about the fact that the development of religion and society correlate with one another, and I am unsure whether you still disagree about my suggestions pertaining to organizational administration and Divine matters. I know that your mind is fixated on these past developments and settings. Even so, as a reader, I can only hope you consider these things more and think more on why it happens (while not just making things conveniently one way for the MC or due to magic).
@Truth
Ah, well, each world is different. I was just pointing out how their history, societal developments, current customs, and culture was in a feedback loop with religion. Sexism and racism isn't anything new, and I wanted you to take notice of these details as lessons rather than compare.
I am not sure whether you still disagree with me about the fact that the development of religion and society correlate with one another, and I am unsure whether you still disagree about my suggestions pertaining to organizational administration and Divine matters. I know that your mind is fixated on these past developments and settings. Even so, as a reader, I can only hope you consider these things more and think more on why it happens (while not just making things conveniently one way for the MC or due to magic).
I disagree with you on a few things. But that's just different interpretations and understandings. I don't agree with you and you don't agree with me. And I am okay with leaving it that way.