Chapter 168
It was probably because of the collar.
He tried again to remove it, but it wouldn’t budge.
Instead, the bright scarlet gem embedded in its center shimmered, drawing more attention.
“What the…”
Surely Ashtel’s magic was at work—some spell was cast on it.
Payne staggered forward, then suddenly felt a hand grip his shoulder and spin him around.
Wide-eyed in shock, he looked up to see a group of burly farmers glaring down at him.
“Hey there, mister. Come here for a moment.”
“Yes?”
“We don’t know how you got into our village… but this is you, right?”
They held up a paper with his likeness.
‘A wanted poster?’
With a hefty reward, too.
Payne’s face hardened, and he stepped back nervously.
“I—I don’t know anything about this.”
His mind spun from heat and pain.
‘Who put me on the wanted list? A demon? Ashtel? No, that can’t be.’
If they wanted him found, magic would’ve located him quickly—there was no need for a wanted poster.
Besides, it had only been an hour since he fled.
The collar’s magic must have just triggered their awareness.
‘It’s someone else. Who? Who put me up…’
The farmers, noticing his confusion, began shouting.
“Demon corrupted priest, Payne. That’s you!”
“Homer, bring the ropes!”
“How dare you enter our village!”
“Look at him staggering—he’s not in his right mind! Hold him fast!”
Worse, the nickname attached to him was strange—
‘Demon corrupted.’
Though he was indeed corrupted, it was due to a curse—not a demon’s possession.
‘How do they even know that?’
Payne pleaded for them to listen but had no chance to stop the strong farmers.
Soon he was tied up with thick ropes and forced to kneel.
“Geez, look at this.”
Exhausted from struggling, Payne couldn’t even moan and sagged weakly.
A man suddenly pulled back his collar, revealing Ashtel’s marks of affection. Only then did Payne come to and twisted his shoulders.
“Ugh, stop, please untie me!”
“I was wondering how a Medialle priest could fall to demons…”
“He must’ve done something unholy. Probably sold his body to a succubus!”
“Katzel, help me!”
He wanted to shout something at Ashtel who had nipped on his neck saying that no one is going to look at it anyway.
Payne lowered his head, blushing with shame.
He wanted to deny selling himself, but he couldn’t. Only days ago, hadn’t he tempted Ashtel to touch him back there?
If that’s not selling his body, then what is?
Stepping out of the provocative cabin into the world, his sins poured over him like ice water on bare skin.
A sensation like a blade sliced through his entire body.
He served Katzel but accepted Ashtel’s pleasures. Breathing harshly, moaning, giving in to lust—he did not atone.
He thought it was inevitable and that the curse could be lifted.
But no. Having been taught by the order for so long, he knew it couldn’t be resolved on his terms.
‘I can never be a priest again.’
He’d fallen from grace the moment he kissed Ashtel.
“Ugh, hngh…”
After the shock passed, the heat flared again.
Payne summoned divine power to suppress the raging corruption but realized it was a different heat and widened his eyes.
‘Why, of all times?’
Damn, damn.
This was not Ashtel’s house. Not the inn where they had been alone. Not even an empty forest.
This was a busy street in a populated village.
The market was still bustling deep into the night. There was no way to get aroused here.
Payne’s head spun, and he squeezed his eyes shut.
Only one option remained.
“U-uh. Look at that priest’s body!”
He withdrew his divine power to avoid worsening his condition.
Payne surrendered to the pounding pain in his head and collapsed.
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