Chapter 51

Posted by Kuze, ? Views, Released on March 9, 2025

Facebook Twitter WhatsApp Pinterest Telegram

Priest Camilla opened her eyes.

The unfamiliar ceiling, the unfamiliar air, the unfamiliar sensation.

Everything in front of her was strange. Her eyes began to spin.

“… Where is this?”

Everything in this pure white place certainly looked like a hospital room. She slowly raised her body, which had been lying on the bed.

“Ugh…”

Priest Camilla furrowed her brow. Her body ached all over. It felt as if every joint in her body was being pricked with a needle.

After massaging her limbs for a moment, a serious expression fell upon her face as she sank into thought.

What on earth happened for her to be hospitalized? She couldn’t remember anything.

The last memory that came to mind was waking up at dawn…

“…clock.”

Suddenly, something caught her eye. She stared at it blankly.

That object hanging in the hospital room was an ordinary wall clock you’d see anywhere. In that instant, Priest Camilla was seized by an indescribable fear.

She covered her ears with her palms. And then tightly closed her eyes.

‘Please… Please…’

The ticking of the clock. The sound of the hands moving. She was terrified of hearing that sound. No, she felt like she was going to go crazy.

“……”

Despite Priest Camilla’s worry, aside from her palms muffling the sounds, there was no other sound.

Priest Camilla cautiously opened her eyes. The pure white hospital room revealed itself once more.

The sounds that seemed ready to drive her mad were no longer heard. Only a calm silence lingered in the room.

Priest Camilla found that too comforting.

“Ha, haha….”

She released the tension from her completely tense body. Like a puppet with its strings cut, her body tilted over on the bed.

“Shh… Sh…”

Priest Camilla could finally fall into the most comfortable sleep she had experienced since coming to the Caldera Imperial Academy.

Dong—dong—.

The bell filled the classroom. It was the bell signaling the end of class.

“Today’s class ends here.”

I hurriedly gathered the teaching materials I had brought. Taking the bag filled with various theological books and the Bible, I comfortably stepped out of the classroom.

It was the bag that Sub-priest Sofia had gifted me. Even though I had insisted on refusing, she had forcibly placed the bag into my hands, saying it was a gift she bought with her first paycheck.

The last time we talked, it was the day when Priest Matthew and I had a conversation.

Sofia had hurriedly returned to the professor’s office during our walk because she was preparing a surprise gift for me.

“Head Priest. You worked hard today as well.”

Sub-priest Sofia approached my side. I nodded and opened my mouth to her.

“You also worked hard, Sub-priest Sofia.”

“I heard today’s class received a good response? The important essence related to demonology wasn’t obscured while maintaining the secrets of the exorcism ritual.”

“Is that so?”

“The students’ reactions are good too. Recently, I hear your reputation at the academy has been skyrocketing?”

“You flatter me.”

While we chatted variously, we walked toward the cafeteria. Sub-priest Sofia, who had been chattering closely beside me, suddenly became flustered as if she recalled something.

“Oh, right! Speaking of which, I received a call from the Earth hospital.”

“… Have they awakened?”

Sub-priest Sofia nodded. I stopped my steps toward the cafeteria.

“When did they wake up?”

“Um… They said they just regained consciousness yesterday.”

“……”

“Why do you look like that?”

Sub-priest Sofia wore a puzzled expression. I glanced at her for a moment before waving my hand as if it were nothing.

“I was just thinking of visiting.”

Sub-priest Sofia looked surprised. Her reaction was a bit puzzling.

“Why do you look like that?”

“… I thought you wouldn’t go to visit someone like that, Head Priest.”

“What do you think of me?”

“A cold-blooded person to everyone? A narrow-minded person?”

“……”

I quickly moved my feet that had stopped. This time, I walked briskly without considering the stride of the short Sub-priest Sofia, just staring straight ahead.

“W-wait! I’m canceling! I’m canceling!”

“Who are you? Do you know me?”

“Really…! Are you acting like this? Please match your stride!”

“I am a narrow-minded person, so I don’t know how to be considerate about that.”

“I’m sorry! I truly apologize, so please!”

I felt the gazes of other students. I continued walking, unfazed.

This wasn’t my immaturity; it was Sub-priest Sofia’s ignorance of the consideration that had hidden within everyday life that was irksome. Thinking this, just as I was about to coldly reject the panting Sub-priest Sofia following behind me.

“… What are you two doing?”

Professor Esther looked at me with an expression of bewilderment.

I shyly narrowed my steps. Sub-priest Sofia, who quickly caught up to me, gasped for breath and grabbed my sleeve.

“Hah…! Heh…! W-what a childish approach…!”

“Nothing happened. Let’s go eat.”

Professor Esther’s gaze felt slightly sharp.

“Good morning, Priest Camilla.”

A nurse greeted her with a bright smile. There was no response from Priest Camilla.

“……”

The nurse bit her lip as she saw Priest Camilla merely gazing vacantly into the air.

Since Priest Camilla regained consciousness, she had been reluctant to talk to others, including the doctors and nurses belonging to the hospital.

The only exception was Priest Peter, who had also regained consciousness.

She had asked for some time to speak with Priest Peter one-on-one, and it was from that moment that Priest Camilla had stopped talking.

“Priest Camilla, there are people hoping to visit you today. How should we…?”

“……”

Visitors? Was there anyone from the Caldera Imperial Academy who would come to visit her?

At least, from Priest Camilla’s memory, there was no one. She looked at the nurse with a puzzled expression. Her dry lips were twitching.

“… Who?”

“Yes?”

“Who came?”

“Well… two people came. The Head Priest and the Sub-priest from the Seminary Main Chapel.”

Priest Camilla’s eyes slightly shifted. The nurse couldn’t catch that fleeting movement, but it was evident that Priest Camilla was somewhat disturbed.

“What should we do…?”

“……”

Priest Camilla bit her lip, wearing a contemplating expression, and then slowly turned her head. Her gaze, as always, was directed towards the window right beside the bed.

“Let them in.”

“Understood. Which one would you like to see first?”

“… Can’t they both come in?”

“If it gets noisy, it could disturb other patients, so only one can enter at a time.”

Priest Camilla reluctantly nodded. She then called out Sub-priest Sofia’s name.

“Please let Sub-priest Sofia in first.”

The nurse responded that she understood and left the room. Inside the quiet hospital room, Priest Camilla remained silently gazing out the window.

Unlike her gaze looking outside at the view of the academy, her mind was in a complete disarray.

Lucio Antonelli, the Head Priest. He was someone that Priest Camilla did not want to meet yet.

It wasn’t just because of the disrespectful words she had said to him.

– Head Priest Antonelli personally conducted the exorcism.

The words that Priest Peter had weakly uttered stuck in her mind and refused to leave.

If she were to meet him, what would she say?

Should she express gratitude? Or should she apologize for the mistakes of the past?

Simply that alone wasn’t the source of Priest Camilla’s confusion. There was another part she was concerned about.

She was embarrassed to see Antonelli’s face. That was the main reason swirling in her mind.

A priest dispatched from the Papal States had become a victim. And that was to the priests who had come to exorcise those demons.

It was a situation that felt even more pathetic than she could have imagined. She herself seemed utterly useless.

“Priest Camilla.”

Suddenly, a clear, youthful voice tickled her ears. She slowly turned her head.

“Do you remember me?”

“… Sub-priest Sofia.”

“Hehe. You remember me!”

“Please sit here.”

“A, no. I’ll be leaving soon.”

Just as she had when they first met, she was still wearing a bright smile. Priest Camilla averted her gaze from her face.

From what she had heard from Priest Peter, it seemed Sub-priest Sofia had also participated in the exorcism ritual.

“… I’m sorry.”

“Yes?”

“I’m sorry for showing such a disgraceful side. It was originally my responsibility…”

She was just a child who had only recently graduated from the Seminary and had barely raised to the sub-priesthood. Someone even younger than Priest Camilla.

The exorcism ritual was by no means an easy task. She likely saw countless ghastly sights and was forced to witness things she didn’t want to see. Priest Camilla couldn’t endure the guilt of that reality.

The sense of guilt that she had forced such unbearable burdens onto such a young and vibrant person.

As if reading Priest Camilla’s heart, Sub-priest Sofia, who had been staring at her for a moment, finally spoke.

“… I’m okay.”

“Wasn’t it hard?”

“Hmm… If I said it wasn’t hard, that would be a lie?”

Sub-priest Sofia smiled brightly. Priest Camilla clenched her lips tightly.

“But… I was okay. I’m okay now, and I will be okay in the future.”

“Such….”

“Priest Camilla.”

Sub-priest Sofia looked at Priest Camilla. With a resolute and upright gaze. Priest Camilla could only stare blankly at those eyes. Had she ever faced such eyes directly?

“Please tell the Head Priest that I’m more grateful to him.”

“… What do you mean?”

“The one who suffered the most is the Head Priest.”

Sub-priest Sofia’s expression appeared somewhat bitter. Priest Camilla couldn’t bring herself to ask why.

“Well then, I’ll be off. I wish you a speedy recovery.”

Just like when she came in, Sub-priest Sofia quickly concealed her figure.

After Sub-priest Sofia exited, Priest Camilla pulled the blanket over her head.

The next person to enter would likely be…

‘Antonelli, Head Priest….’

Right now, he was the person she didn’t want to see the most. He had said that he had endured the most during the exorcism ritual. Certainly, Sub-priest Sofia had said that.

Creeeak—.

The sound of the door opening. Priest Camilla’s body jolted.

Step, step.

The sound of stiff footsteps reached her ears. As the sound drew closer, Priest Camilla swallowed dryly.

She fervently wished for him to leave, thinking she was asleep.

Creeeak. Thud.

Regardless of her wish, someone sat down on the chair placed beside the bed.

“Priest Camilla.”

A familiar voice could be heard. Priest Camilla cautiously lowered the blanket.

“… Antonelli, Head Priest.”

It was Head Priest Antonelli. As usual, with his indifferent gaze, he scrutinized Priest Camilla, as if his gaze were a needle piercing her body.

“How are you feeling?”

Head Priest Antonelli asked indifferently. Priest Camilla gathered her trembling voice and answered.

“I think I’m okay. I’m a bit disoriented, but….”

“That’s a relief.”

“Yes….”

An awkward silence followed. Priest Camilla was desperate to bolt out of the room.

After taking a deep breath, she mustered her courage to speak.

“Uh, Head Priest.”

“Yes.”

“I’m sorry…”

Upon hearing Priest Camilla’s apology, he briefly raised an eyebrow.

“It’s all right.”

He replied as if it truly didn’t matter to him. It was still an indifferent response.

Priest Camilla thought he hadn’t accepted her apology. Just as her mouth opened to offer another apology.

“I have news to convey.”

Head Priest Antonelli preempted her. Her mouth, which had been opening, promptly closed.

“The Papal States have sent an official document.”

“From the Papal States…?”

Head Priest Antonelli nodded. Priest Camilla lowered her head deeply.

She was afraid of what kind of punishment might be issued. Perhaps she might even be excommunicated. Tears welled up in Priest Camilla’s eyes.

Before her, an official document sent directly from the Papal States was presented.

“Please read it. It will be quicker than explaining it verbally.”

“……”

Priest Camilla numbly read through the document. It contained unbelievable content.

Priest Camilla and Priest Peter. The failures of their exorcism ritual and the fact of being possessed are to be treated discreetly, and this fact is to be strictly silenced.

And at the very last line of the document, there was a phrase written.

– Silence is golden, and the holy tongue is a blessing from the Lord.

As a priest belonging to the Papal States, Priest Camilla could not fail to understand the meaning of this sentence. She looked at Head Priest Antonelli with a bewildered expression.

“This, this is….”

“Is there something strange about the content?”

“Here… this statement….”

“Oh.”

His face twisted in a bitter expression, then it returned to an impassive one.

“It’s nothing significant.”

“… How could this be nothing significant?”

“It is a decision made by the Papal States. Do not question it.”

Head Priest Antonelli suddenly snatched the official document from Priest Camilla’s hands. She could only stare at him blankly.

What filled her mind was a single question.

‘… Why?’

Having held the exorcism ritual for her sake, having visited her, and yet not receiving any reward for successfully completing the exorcism. However, Head Priest Antonelli treated it lightly.

Priest Camilla couldn’t comprehend that.

In fact, from a common-sense perspective, it was only natural to eliminate evil. With the possessed person blatantly wandering around the academy, would a priest capable of conducting an exorcism turn a blind eye? That was impossible.

However, Priest Camilla had some modicum of shame left. She didn’t forget the question she had carelessly thrown at Head Priest Antonelli.

– Why, when Priest Helena was dying right before your eyes, did you do nothing, Head Priest Antonelli?

Creeeak—.

Unconsciously, she tightened her grip. The blanket she was clutching on the hospital bed became oddly wrinkled.

“Why on earth….”

Why was he sacrificing so much for Priest Camilla and Priest Peter? She was curious about that.

“Why are you doing this much…?”

Head Priest Antonelli looked at her. He appeared somewhat startled.

Priest Camilla herself was surprised. However, her mouth was already out of control, beginning to run wild.

“Why… why are you going this far? I spoke harshly to you… What do you gain from this, Head Priest?”

“……”

“Please, answer….”