Hassan is Free (3)

The receptionist disappeared somewhere before coming back just when I started to get bored.

Mr. Hassan, which temple do you pray at? Which of the twelve gods do you worship?

The receptionist urgently asked after sitting on her chair. Which temple do I pray at? The face of my senior in the army inquiring whether or not I attend religious events flashed through my mind.

I dont go to any temple.

The only time I went to pray in my life was during the army and that was only because they promised me choco pie1Ghana Pie: Ghana Pie is a premium brand of choco pie that uses chocolate from Ghana, we localized it to normal choco pie.. Looking even further back on my memories, didnt I once follow my friend to the church because I was seduced by the prospect of Christmas presents?

Of course, it was the farthest thing from a religious act.

Well, considering religious acts, wouldnt visiting my ancestors graves under the persuasion of my ancestral-rite-obsessed father count?

It wasnt like I was grateful to my grandfather and great-grandfather that I had never seen before.

It was just that my rough and muscular father always forced me to do it. My allowance was taken if I didnt comply. Youll eventually hate something if youre forced to do it.

But, thats how it was for most Koreans I guess.

As I was thinking about that the receptionists face turned beet red.

What? You dont pray to anyone?

She began screeching.

You arent going to any temple yet you received a blessing? How is that possible?

The receptionist seemed to think that I was lying. Its not hard to understand why.

This world that I had lived two years in couldnt separate itself from superstitions and religions. The concepts were both deeply connected to daily life, just like in the Dark Ages.

It is said that people offer sacrifices and devote themselves to the God they serve. In return, they get corresponding favors and blessings.

Give and take.

Its way simpler to understand than the talks of salvation and liberation that the religions on earth spoke of. But I didnt worship any God.

No wonder she was surprised since only the part where I received a blessing has been achieved. I was just as doubtful as her about this situation.

Moreover, I even had two blessings. There was an even more suspicious blessing that didnt get detected.

What the hell is this Blessing of Chaos?

It sounds ominous.

You serve no God. This cant normally happen. Do you know what this blessing is for? We can infer the name of the God from the ability.

Oh, if thats the case Can you please give me your hand?

My hand?

At my question, the receptionist clasped both hands in front of her chest and suspiciously eyed me.

Why my hand? Are you trying to do something weird to me? Filthy Samaritan bastard!

Is she for real?

I wouldnt be surprised if she was just a little repulsed at my request, but calling me a filthy Samaritan bastard goes a little too far, right?

It was a little sad to say that I already became accustomed to the verbal ostracization of others in this world and gradually developed some immunity to it.

You were wondering what kind of blessing I had Just give me your hand.

How dare you exploit this situation to touch my hands! Its obvious youre taking advantage of me because Im a little pretty!

This bitch, I want to punch her face.

It was the first woman I seriously wanted to beat up since meeting my sister and Elfriede. But thats not how it should be

Clink Clank

Gnash

I felt the gazes of the temple guards, armed with flashy armor and swords.

If I let my anger go to my head, Ill definitely be dragged away by these ignorant bastards

Its not painful or anything weird, just give it to me.

Huh, huh All right. Lets see what you want to do then.

She stretched her hand with an expression mixed with doubt and expectation.

I held back my anger trying to avoid worsening this already bizarre situation.

Badump

There were unexpectedly quite a lot of calluses on the white palm of a girl in charge of reception. Werent they supposed to just be in charge of the counter?

Well, its a world where everyone has to work hard. It makes sense that fairer hands would be much more difficult to find.

Then Ill hold onto your wrist for a while.

I was a little scared that she would complain about sexual harassment had I not notified her in advance. Then I slipped my finger under the receptionists white sleeves until I reached her wrist.

I placed my fingers so that the area of contact would be as small as possible.

I wondered if it would work.

Ding

[Stats] Name: Daphne

Level: 6

Condition: Indigestion

Fortunately, a slight touch of the wrist with my finger was enough.

Interesting.

What are you doing?

Ms. Daphne, are you having trouble with your digestion lately?

Ah, umm, how did you know my name!? And how did you know I was having trouble with that!?

This is what my blessing does

I get it! Youre a stalker! I felt like someone was spying on me a few days ago. It must have been you. Security! Security! Get this creep before he runs away! Hurry!!

Clink Click

Eh Ehhh

****

No, Ive just found out about it today. I dont even know who that woman is, and its also my first day in the city.

You-Youre lying. You just touched me!!

Slap!

Guh!

Receptionist Daphne slapped my cheeks. I was tied to a chair before I even got the opportunity to defend myself. She rebuked me so fiercely that even I, who is used to violence felt tears well up in my eyes.

Damn it! It hurts so much!

Youre the criminal but why are you cursing me?

Slap Slap

I was inside a secret prison in the temple. Only the sound of the slaps was resounding inside. I was slapped so much that my cheeks were burning and I wasnt feeling much pain anymore.

Wouldnt I be able to boil an egg if I placed it on my face right now? Daphne kept rambling while I was immersed in this silly thought.

What were you doing? Did the Minerva Guild send you? You keep following me, harasser!!

Daphne was acting crazy. I also felt Im going insane because of this mysterious hysteria evoked by this situation.

Gyaa! Guaak!

Y-You creep! You even dare to struggle? You finally showed your true colors, filthy barbarian!

Stop it, Daphne. I can hear you all the way up here.

Clank

At that moment, someone stepped into the cramped dungeon. Noticing that the guards at the door straightened their posture, I guessed this person must be fairly high in the hierarchy.

This is Minerva Guilds mole? Oho, youre rather big, not really what Id picture first when talking about a mole.

Hes a mean jerk! Dirty Samaritan bastard! Not gonna say anything until we kill him!

Alright. Alright. You have work to do so go upstairs and leave this to me.

Bastard creep!

Slap

Daphne finally walked out after giving me one last slap.

Only when her shadow completely disappeared did the man turn his gaze to me.

An eye patch covered his left eye. He had M-shaped brows, a shaggy amber beard that was mostly peeled off, and his face was riddled with hideous scars.

He was dressed in plain leather clothes that failed to hide his aura of experience and wisdom.

He was slightly shorter than me, but he exuded an aura similar to my father.

Youre the Minerva Guilds spy? I also heard you were stalking Daphne?

I dont even know what that means.

I raised my voice to plead my innocence.

A womans single word was enough to irreversibly change a mans life and send him into the abyss. Proof? Some tears and a few words were more than enough!

This happened even in my modern world which boasted of incredible technology like CCTV. It could only be worse in this barbaric and savage world.

I roughly heard from the guards words that you touched Daphnes hand and rubbed it.

No, no, I swear I didnt! I just put a finger on her wrist! Im innocent!

Yeah, yeah, looks like you arent lying. Release him.

At the mans words, the guards quickly released the restraints on my chained and wounded body.

Ah

This was actually a pretty normal and rational behavior, but I was dumbfounded because in this world there arent many things that can be considered normal.

You believe me?

No, how can I trust a savage bastard like you? I dont trust you at all, but my distrust of her is even bigger. She is a little Hmm a little unstable. Mentally, she is favored by Chaos.

I dont have any clue about what he was talking about, but Im glad I was released. I caressed my injured wrist and frowned. Did these bastards have to tighten the chains so much? They flayed my skin.

Anyway, follow me to my office. Youre not proven innocent just yet. If youve been unfairly accused, I can help you.

The office of this one-eyed, middle-aged man was in one of the Guilds remote corners.

A spacious room secluded in a corner of the Guild. All I could see inside it were junk, stuffed animals, rusty armor, and dusty old books.

It would be more appropriate to call it a warehouse than an office.

It actually might be one.

Sit down.

At his words, I looked around. Theres no chair in sight, damn it. Where am I even supposed to sit down?

I just put some things away and sat on a cardboard box. It creaked and wobbled, but was good enough for now.

I wouldnt sit there if I were you. Something with a terrifying curse is inside.

Sprung up

I didnt really believe in superstitions that I would be cursed if someone wrote my name with a red ink pen. However, the curses of this world are in a different league altogether.

Theyre real. Theyre similar to Medusas Curse.

I ended up with no choice but to sit on the ground.

Hassan, average stats are over 2, overall is 7. A Samaritan with a blessing. You said you didnt worship any god. Did you really not join any temple before?

The mans only brown eye looked down at me. The atmosphere was very oppressive, not too different from when I was bullied by Elfriede.

This paper is never wrong. The fact that youve been blessed is incontestable. Its not completely unheard of. Elves and Samaritans are strange creatures indeed.

Thud

The man sat in front of me and crossed his legs and reached out his wrist to me. It was strong enough to be a thick wooden log or a stone pillar rather than a wrist.

I could feel the hardness and strength of the bone without even touching it.

W-What?

I heard you could get information on people by just touching their wrists. Dont tell me it only works on women?

Ah- I could finally understand his intentions. He was giving me an opportunity to prove my claims. It also happened to be what I wanted to do.

Not living up to his expectations would probably result in me getting pummeled by his enormous arms.

I nervously moved my fingers and put them on his wrist.

Ding

[Stats] Name: Baltma

Level: ???

Condition: Hangover ??? ??? ???

What the hell? Question marks?

Why did these question marks pop up? This could happen? It was safe to say that there was no information aside from his name.

Whats wrong? You didnt lie, did you?

Perhaps because he was still doubting me, his only eye was frowning, and the man called Baltma clenched his fist.

Do you know what my name is?

Baltma Baltma, right?

You figured it out as expected. But you see, there arent many people in this city that dont know me. Its even less likely for them not to know if they visit the Mars Guild. Did you figure out anything else? In Daphnes case, you knew she had digestion problems.

Aside from the hidden information, all I knew about him was that he was suffering from a hangover.

You seem to have a terrible hangover.

Huh?

The mans brow furrowed, as if he couldnt believe it. His face was so grim and it made me flinch.

I have a hangover?

Baltma sniffed and smelled his own body.

Theres no smell of alcohol, yet you still say Im hungover.

You definitely have a hangover.

Silence reigned in the room after my words. I had no choice but to trust the words that appeared in front of my eyes at the mans suspicious gaze.

Ah. There must be a cause, there has to be something

While this prickly silence was still reigning.

Shit, how did you know? Its an odorless drink even my wife wouldnt notice. If she realizes Ive been drinking at work, Im going to get fucked.

Baltma started rummaging through his junk after saying that and then took a bottle and a glass from it.

The bottle was filled with a wine-looking purple liquid.

The man opened the cork and gulped down its content. Didnt you just say you shouldnt be drinking at work? Just as I thought, he is crazy.

Wanna take a sip?

N-No

Its a wine made by fermenting Tiger Wasps in wine. Not a lot of people know about this, but this would be effective to solve some mens problemslately, if it werent for this Id truly be afraid of nights.

The man mumbled information I didnt ask for and took a few sips. My heart grew relieved after seeing him talking to me casually.

Well, I know youre not lying. I also have a rough idea of which God blessed you?

Oh, is that true?

The stinging pain in my burning cheeks seemed to instantly disappear. The thought of getting a hint about my ability was enough to lessen the pain. Although my situation was still a little awkward, its miles better than before.

Pop

To my question, Baltma put back the lid on the bottle and answered.

Im a little concerned about the word Imperfect in front of your blessing. Dexterity and your other talents. In addition, there is only one God that bestows upon people the blessing of information appraisal.

Who is it?

Hello everyone, this should be the first premium chapter. I hope at least someone sees this before the chapter goes public :))). Well, this chapter was something ig? Very funny and painful at the same time ngl. So, any guess on which god Imperfect Dexterity is from? I dont think anyone is gonna guess it. Very unexpected to say the least.

Dont bonk me for the little spoil, but you guys shouldnt worry because Daphne will get what she fucking deserves in the lol. Once again, thanks for reading, and see you next time.

Click here to join the membership and read 5 chapters ahead.

Footnotes:1Ghana Pie: Ghana Pie is a premium brand of choco pie that uses chocolate from Ghana, we localized it to normal choco pie.