What if the Terrans really are saving the world?

Chapter 37 I don't know, I believe in the primordial god.

Horrible images began to surface in her mind: Her Highness the Saint's procession parked at the entrance of the guild hall, Her Highness, dressed in a white robe with gold trim, walked into the hall and looked up to see this blasphemous painting facing the door.

With a raging fire, he puffed out his barren chest and pointed at the adventurers in the hall, calling them by name and ordering them to be dragged out and beheaded one by one.

Then, the union was sealed off, all the staff were taken away for investigation, she was laid off, lost her income, her mortgage was overdue, her house was repossessed, and she was left homeless with her luggage.

Finally, while she was wandering the streets, she was spotted by the judge, who accused her of blaspheming against the saint, and had her arrested, hung up, and whipped.

People can die from being whipped!

Moreover, if the guild leader is that perverted, he'd probably never even think about rebuilding the Adventurers' Guild branch in Mi City if he heard he'd be whipped by the Holy Maiden.

"Eek! No! No, no!" Stella covered her face with her hands, letting out a sharp scream.

Stella rushed back to Terra, this time her expression changing from anxiety to a near-desperate plea.

"Please, Terra, take the painting back."

Her voice was trembling.

"If the saint or the Vatican comes on tour and sees this painting, the union will be shut down. I have elderly parents to support and young children to raise... I also have to pay the Vatican's single tax."

I still have over ten years of mortgage payments to make, I can't lose this job! If I default on the mortgage, they'll take the house back, and I'll be homeless!

By the end, Stella's eyes were red, and she knelt down with a thud.

This is no exaggeration. She used all her savings to make the down payment on that small house in the western part of Mi City, and the remaining loan will be paid off over thirty years.

The substantial monthly repayment was like a sword hanging over her head, making her afraid to get sick, afraid to rest, and even more afraid to lose her job.

She even canceled all her holidays, preferring to stay at her workstation even if it meant slacking off!

Stella even hugged Terra without regard for her image, even though Terra was two heads taller than her and her body was made of blocks, making her feel hard and prickly, which was very uncomfortable.

She clung tightly to Terra's waist like a lifeline, and was dragged by Terra from the counter to the front door like a large rag.

The buttons on her chest, which were already tight, came undone, revealing her bra. The pencil skirt that was originally around her waist had now slipped down to her knees, her black stockings were worn through, and her two little leather shoes had fallen to the floor behind her.

Her toes were curled up inside her stockings.

His entire chest, lower abdomen, and knees were covered in dust.

Stella was surprised that the hall, which she cleaned every day, was still so dirty!

Andrea 2 watched the waitress's comical antics and covered her mouth to stifle a laugh. She knew it wasn't appropriate, but she couldn't help it.

Who says it's shameful for an elf to be crying and calling for her mother while hugging Terra in the street?

That's much better than this.

Andrea 2 was somewhat gloating.

They feel they need to see others lose face even more to feel balanced.

Lagon stood to the side, arms crossed, whistling.

Mana punched Ragon in the stomach: "What the hell are you bragging about?!"

Terra suddenly stopped.

"You agreed to take the painting back?" Stella's eyes sparkled.

"What's a mortgage?" Terra asked, a question mark bubble popping up above his head.

"What?"

"Is the system delayed? What is a mortgage?"

What is system latency?

Stella had initially thought Terra was going to take the painting away, but then she suddenly asked about the mortgage. She was caught off guard and didn't know how to answer.

She paused for a moment, then looked up at him: "It's like... you go to the bank, uh... well, anyway, if you want to buy a house but don't have the money, you have to borrow money from someone else to buy it, and then slowly pay them back."

Suddenly remembering something, she exclaimed in confusion, "Terra, did you buy all your houses outright?"

As expected of a magician! Those wicked rich people! Stella thought to herself.

Of course, she didn't dare say that to Terra.

In Mi City, and indeed everywhere else, those who can pay for a house in full upfront are either nobles, wealthy merchants, high-ranking priests, or high-ranking mages of the Magic Academy.

Ordinary people, even union employees with relatively stable incomes, usually need to borrow money from banking associations or private lenders.

Stella remembered her father often cursing them as being like ungrateful creatures, saying that he would eat delicious food at the table but wouldn't even open his anus to let the father and daughter eat a few bites of hot shit.

They insist on keeping all their excrement inside their bellies and even use fragrance to mask the stench.

Oh no, this is disgusting.

Stella recalled what her father had said and felt like throwing up her lunch.

Terra's question mark bubble above her head grew even bigger: "Why buy a house? Isn't it just about cutting down some wood, building a fence, putting in some furniture, and maybe adding a torch?"

Stella was even more confused: "Build your own house? Tara, do you mean in the village outside the city? Even if you build it yourself, someone will come and charge you."

"Land fees, building taxes, property registration fees... hasn't the local lord contacted you about these?"

"Lord?" Terra repeated the word in confusion.

In his memory, the only NPC or enemy whose name or title included a leader was the Moon Lord.

That was the boss he had to defeat to save the world—an incredibly difficult one.

Why would the Moon Lord charge him for building a house? And who would collect it? A Moon Worshipper?

and many more.

A lightbulb bubble, representing a flash of inspiration, appeared above Terra's head.

"Do you NPCs have to pay the Moon Worshippers to live in your houses?"

He looked at Stella, then glanced around at the other adventurers in the hall who were listening intently to their conversation.

The hall fell silent for a moment.

No, that's so novel. Who lives in a house without paying a penny?

Stella opened her mouth, unsure how to answer. Meanwhile, in the corner, several adventurers dressed in dark purple robes with crescent moon badges on their chests looked rather grim.

They are followers of the Moon Worship Cult, and Terra's words had undoubtedly offended their faith.

One of the mage girls, with a thick braid, ignored her teammates' attempts to stop her and stepped forward, saying to Terra:

"Even if Mr. Terra has allowed us to appreciate the Saintess's painted portrait again, it doesn't mean that you can say whatever you want."

"Because we feel that making offerings to the moon goddess is reasonable, isn't it?"

"Otherwise, when several churches hold joint activities at the end of each year and the winter solstice to compare the contributions of believers, what if our God is outshone by the gods of other churches?"

"How can the church release new statues of goddesses, angels, and saints if they don't donate money?"

"If they don't give money, how will these believers get extra indulgences?"

"Without indulgences, how does the Vatican use indulgences to draw lots when it introduces new female saints each quarter?"

"Do we have to wait for a guaranteed minimum return?"

"Wouldn't we lose a lot of beautiful female saints after we die?"

"To put it more seriously, if we don't send money, the church will go bankrupt, and what will we believe in then?"

"Should we make those who believe in the moon goddess believe in other gods?"

"Bullshit! The moon god they worship is the primordial god!"

"What kind of inferior imitators are the other 'Roaring Goddess' and 'Goddess of Fertility'?"

"It is only natural for believers to make offerings to the church!"

"The silver coins tinkled as they fell to the bottom of the chest, and the soul leaped joyfully as it ascended to heaven."

"The followers of the Moon Worship Cult all practice this saying."