Chapter 74 – A Gift From the Sheriff (1)
Rita frowned. The Light cult had repeatedly announced that bunching up dead corpses in this manner was strictly prohibited, but clearly there were still people who remained disobedient and didn’t take the order seriously, not minding the fact that it was the cult who cleans the mess up should there be any trouble.
Rita turned, eyes searching for someone in the crowd. “You, come here.”
A fat middle-aged man took a step forward. He was dressed in elegant looking clothes that seemed to be too tight everywhere.
He was the sheriff assigned to patrol the area, and he had been following the Saints at a set distance to prevent the common folk from getting too close. He didn’t expect that they would come to this spot of all places, and fear instantaneously wrapped him from the inside out, cold sweat trickling down his back.
His face was as pale as a ghost, tremblingly explaining. “My Lord, a lot of people have visited quite recently. We don’t have enough manpower to oversee everything.” He stuttered.
Rita sharply glared at him in response. “You have time to make excuses yet you can’t handle something as simple as this? Go clean this up. Right now.”
“Yes, yes!” The sheriff turned and waved his hand frantically, summoning a few young men who were on standby. They gathered around the oozing mess as they swept the decaying pile into garbage bags.
“Check the other places, too. We have already stated numerous times that a large number of dead piles are not allowed, didn’t we? If this happens again I’ll make sure to hold you accountable…” Rita reprimanded.
Amelia was watching closely as the team cleaned the place up. She pinched the bridge of her nose and casted a protective layer over them to prevent any infectious diseases from surging through their bodies.
A young, stout man passed by the beautiful Saint, and he immediately bowed his head shyly in an attempt to avoid her piercing eyes. Being so near with the noblewoman unnerved him, and a blush formed on his tanned face.
The man’s timidity didn’t go amiss with Amelia, prompting her to look at him as she stared at his profile. She noticed a dark patch etched on his nape, which was half hidden beneath his collar.
The patch was the size of a child’s fist, and Amelia wondered if it’s a birthmark. She brushed the thought off her head and raised her hand, covering him with a protection as well.
After the place was cleaned and the decaying rats were all gone, Rita whined frustratingly, the sheriff right on her tow. “We only come out on rare occasions and we managed to find ourselves in this predicament. We spent such a long time here in this foul-smelling place. I’m so annoyed!”
The sheriff smiled sheepishly and wiped his sweaty face off with his handkerchief. He bowed a full ninety-degree as an act of apology, heaving slightly from the effort.
*
“Master, they already left. Please get up.” His personal servant whispered behind him.
The sheriff straightened his back, kicking the servant on the knees with the toe of his foot and cursed. “Can’t you see that my back hurts? Get over here and give me a massage.”
The servant’s knees buckled from the harsh kick as he fell to the ground. He quickly stood up and situated himself at the sheriff’s back, placing his hands on the latter’s shoulders as he kneaded the tense muscles. “Master, what should we do? Do you think this would affect you?”
The sheriff glared at the male servant and barked, “What do you think?!” He scratched his head in irritation, thinking of how to appease the Saints who he just disappointed. He took the money pouch from his pocket and pushed it towards the servant. “Go to the slave owner who visited today and buy the white elf from him. Clean him up and send it to the Church afterwards. Tell them it’s an apology gift for the Chief Saint.”
The servant took the purse. “To whom exactly?”
“To the prettier one. Her name is Amelia, I think.” He scratched his elbow absentmindedly and added, “Send the gem statue that I kept for many years to the other Saint.”
“My position as a sheriff is on the line here. Make sure you do it right, you understand me?” The sheriff said in a stern voice.
“Ok. I won’t let you down!” The servant said enthusiastically.
‘Do it right?’ The servant repeated the words, his mind going back to the time when he saw his master’s pleased expression upon seeing his alluring elf dressed in white, thin fabric. His master loved it so much that he gets ecstatic every time he sees it.
Then his thoughts shifted to the good-looking elf that was draped in tattered clothes, an idea forming on the top of his head.
“Okay, got it!” The servant uttered.