I Just Wanted to Avoid Death - Chapter 17
The congregation who came to thank Yeshion even left large donations before departing.
Yeshion stood there, holding the pouch of money, staring blankly, when the mid-rank priest he had pointed to earlier approached him and asked.
“Priest Yeshion.”
“…Yes?”
The mid-rank priest, Gillett, had an expression that suggested he had a lot to say.
However, he hesitated, unable to speak easily, and hung his head low. His expression was a mix of wounded pride and gratitude.
“Thank you.”
Yeshion tilted his head in confusion.
“Me?”
“Yes, thanks to you…”
Gillett carefully chose his words.
He was clearly thinking about how to avoid giving Yeshion leverage over him, how to phrase things so Yeshion wouldn’t twist his words.
But Yeshion had no idea what this gratitude was even for.
* * *
“Ugh…”
Back in his room, Yeshion tapped his aching body. His arms, legs, shoulders, and face—there wasn’t a part of him that didn’t hurt.
Though it had gotten slightly better, the feeling of nausea still lingered. Holding his stomach, Yeshion scanned his surroundings.
The room provided by the temple wasn’t as bad as he had expected. That was likely because Yeshion had stayed in the temple long enough to climb to the position of a senior priest.
‘A senior priest with no divine power, huh.’
How much must he have tormented and harassed Eldis for that rigid man to elevate a fake priest with no divine power to such a position?
“If I stay here, I’m going to die.”
Yeshion muttered to himself as he opened the wardrobe. Inside were several sets of priest robes, and little else.
“Do they wear formal robes even when they go out?”
He figured he would need to buy some clothes when he went outside. If he walked around in a priest’s robes, it would be easy for anyone to track his whereabouts.
Closing the wardrobe, Yeshion moved to the desk. It was impeccably tidy.
There wasn’t a trace of study materials, and the temple rules book shoved into the corner looked like it had never been opened.
“Hmm…”
After searching the room further, Yeshion found nothing of note. ‘Yeshion’ had left no trace of himself.
From what Yeshion had learned, priests don’t change rooms unless they are promoted. In the original story, ‘Yeshion’ had become a senior priest on his 19th birthday, meaning he had lived in this room for at least four years.
And yet, the room bore no signs of long-term residence. There were no personal items or clues about the preferences of the person who had lived here.
“Does Yeshion have no money?”
That couldn’t be right.
Even if lower-ranking priests struggled financially, ‘Yeshion’ was a senior priest. He might not have been wealthy, but he should have had enough to live comfortably.
Additionally, according to the novel, ‘Yeshion’ had stolen money from others, demanding loans and amassing tens of gold coins. It didn’t make sense for someone like that to be broke.
“Don’t tell me… Could he have been gambling?”
Given the circumstances, there were only a few conclusions Yeshion could draw if he had no money despite having had plenty.
Clicking his tongue, Yeshion shook his head. Rather than rely on this body’s former owner, it seemed quicker to start figuring out ways to earn a living himself.
With that thought in mind, Yeshion spent the next few days adjusting to his surroundings. He needed to understand the situation fully and prepare for his escape if he wanted to leave the temple unnoticed.
During that time, he learned a few things.
The temple’s structure had no weak points. It had been constructed solidly, and there were no crumbling or worn-out areas that could be exploited.
Moreover, everywhere, there were guards patrolling the area. Though the security wasn’t tight, any suspicious behavior was quickly met with, “Is there something wrong?” from the guards.
It wasn’t just that.
Priests generally had little opportunity to leave the temple. While they weren’t forbidden from going out, their daily schedules were packed with tasks, leaving no time for outside activities.
But ‘Yeshion’ was different. He had come and gone as he pleased, meeting people and traveling freely.
Yet, no one had ever punished him for it. Under the protection of the Archpriest, no one dared to touch ‘Yeshion.’
‘What kind of leverage does he have on him?’
