A Fortune-telling Princess - Chapter 172

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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“There’s something else amusing.”
Jainer withdrew something from his pocket and laid it before me.
“The Temple did something rather hilarious.”
What he produced was a necklace.
“That’s….”
I recognized the object. The red stone necklace that High Priest Daniel had given me before. But the one currently held in Jainer’s hand was a different color.
“A black stone?”
Is it different from the sacred object I know? The shape seems similar though?
Jainer immediately resolved my confusion.
“Yes, that’s the stone that’s trendy these days. The Temple sells them. Apparently, after a certain period passes, the color changes like this.”
I was hearing this for the first time.
“This fellow must have donated heavily to the Temple since he was wearing this necklace.”
Jainer then briefly told me about indulgences that the Temple was selling.
“Divine forgiveness?”
“Whoever came up with that idea. Isn’t it brilliant?”
“Ha.”
I was left speechless for a while, utterly dumbfounded. Divine forgiveness? They were actually selling such things?
“And of all places, at the Temple?”
So with just that indulgence, they’d overlook even murder? Money could buy anything?
“How absurd.”
Deceiving people with necklaces was ridiculous enough, but indulgences were crossing the line entirely. How could that even make sense?
“Who exactly is forgiving whose sins?”
I picked up the necklace Jainer had set down, my brow furrowed.
“Should I just cause a commotion?”
“A commotion?”
“With this.”
What if I created and sold some fake jade talismans? I could line them with high-grade mana stones and inscribe magic circles to boost spiritual energy, then sell them at premium prices. They’d probably sell well.
But if I claimed that these items were completely incompatible with sacred power and warned that using this sacred necklace would be absolutely dangerous? Wouldn’t that drastically reduce sales of the sacred necklaces?
“I should really try…!”
Crack!
My eyes widened as I was contemplating how to sabotage the Temple.
The black stone I held in my hand exhibited the exact same phenomenon as before. The moment it touched my skin, sparks flew and it shattered completely.
“What? How did that happen? Why did it suddenly break?”
Jainer asked, puzzled, but I couldn’t respond, my expression frozen.
I was equally bewildered. Could the same thing happen twice? It shouldn’t be possible.
My gaze couldn’t leave my right hand, where the fragments of the necklace lay. Something flashed rapidly through my mind.
‘Since you are a soul destined by the Reaper, no other may lay hands upon you carelessly.’
The words spoken by Reaper Habel, whom I’d met not long ago, came back to me. My right hand, stained with his blood. The necklace shattering each time it touched that hand.
‘How am I supposed to interpret this?’
I clenched the fragments of the necklace. Hadn’t they said that wearing this necklace would grant eternal peace?
“Rest.”
…Look at this.
“Ha!”
A hollow laugh burst from Camilla’s lips. This definitely seemed connected to that strange group again, didn’t it?
“Damn it.”
Just how far did those bastards’ reach extend?
At this point, it wasn’t just surprising anymore—it was downright chilling. The Imperial Court, and now the Temple too?
“Excuse me? Couldn’t you let me in on this too?”
Jainer, who had been quietly observing Camilla, asked with eyes still brimming with curiosity.
“What’s inside that sacred necklace?”
It seemed like she’d discovered something important?
“Is your hand alright?”
When she still offered no response, Jainer reached out to examine Camilla’s hand, which was gripping the broken stone tightly.
Whoosh!
But his action never reached completion. His arm was suddenly seized in someone’s firm grip.
“Who the hell are you?”
At the familiar voice, Camilla finally reacted.
“Arsian.”
He had arrived at some point, his eyes piercing through Jainer with unmistakable displeasure.
“This situation feels familiar.”
At his appearance, Jainer let out a snort of laughter. His laugh caused Arsian’s eyes to narrow dangerously.
“Hey.”
“…?”
“You’ve seen me before.”
At that question, Jainer’s eyes widened slightly before settling into a vague smile. He shrugged his shoulders as if to say he didn’t understand.
“Well, I think I might’ve seen you around somewhere.”
“Around?”
“I just have one of those familiar faces, you know.”
“You…!”
He shot to his feet.
Just as Arsian was about to say something more, Camilla suddenly rose from her seat.
“Camilla?”
“I need to go.”
“Suddenly? Where?”
“I need to verify this myself.”
Leaving the two bewildered men behind, Camilla hurried out.
* * *
“How did this happen!”
“Please, calm yourself.”
“Do I look calm to you right now!”
Pope Brisel’s flushed face remained exposed as he raised his voice. There was not a trace of his usual benevolent demeanor.
“You were the one who confidently assured me there would be absolutely no problems!”
Divine absolution. The very person who had proposed it now sat directly before him.
Brisel ground his teeth repeatedly at the man’s utterly composed appearance.
At first, even he had thought it was an absurd notion. How could one possibly grant absolution for money to someone who had committed such heinous crimes?
But…
‘It is no different from confession.’
‘Confession?’
‘As those who serve God, how could we turn away from those who confess their sins and repent? Forgiveness is a virtue we must always possess, is it not?’
‘Hmm… I suppose that is true.’
When I heard it explained that way, everything seemed to make sense. What harm could there be if someone recognized their own guilt and offered a donation as the price of their repentance?
Sending everyone who commits a crime to prison was hardly the only solution.
All we had to do was write out a single document. Had not His Majesty the Emperor himself promised to cooperate in this matter?
Therefore, I had seen no reason for concern. Though we did have to share a portion of the donations with the Imperial Court, that was a small price.
“What are we to do about this situation!”
But now disaster had struck. Count Orleans’ crimes—the very ones he had been purchasing absolution for multiple times each month—had been publicly exposed.
“I had no way of foreseeing such an occurrence.”
“That explanation is unacceptable!”
A short sigh escaped from High Priest Daniel’s lips. He could not fathom who had reduced Count Orleans to such a state.
‘There are no witnesses.’
The only witnesses, if one could call them that, were children.
But one child had died during treatment, and the remaining two were in no condition to answer questions or provide information. They were barely clinging to life.
“At least, fortunately, there has been no mention of the indulgences yet.”
A long sigh escaped from the Pope’s lips as the furrow between his brows deepened.
This was not a time for anger alone. Somehow, this matter had to be quietly resolved.
“Those children pose no problems, do they?”
Count Orleans had killed over fifty people by turning them to stone.
Only two children had survived. The Papal See was currently caring for them.
Though they had been brought here under the pretext of treatment with sacred power, it was actually the Pope’s swift measure to silence the children.
One could never be too careful.
“If those children happened to hear anything…!”
If that fool Count Orleans had boasted about the indulgences in front of the children, it would be catastrophic.
“They are not in a condition to have any coherent conversation.”
“Even so…”
“We are keeping them under strict surveillance, so please do not worry too much.”
High Priest Daniel reassured the Pope with his characteristically calm voice. His tone grew even lower as he continued.
“Once those children disappear, this matter will be quietly concluded.”
“Hmm.”
“Only the most basic sacred power is being administered, so Your Holiness need not be overly concerned.”
It was already impossible to restore the children’s bodies to their original state—most of their organs had already hardened.
I was barely clinging to life through sacred power, but soon even that breath would fade. So there was nothing to worry about.
“People forget things quickly, no matter what happens. This incident will also be completely erased from memory with time.”
“If that’s how it goes, that would be truly fortunate.”
Only then did the Pope’s rigid expression soften slightly.
“Make sure there are no problems.”
“Understood.”
“Once this matter is properly concluded, your appointment as High Priest will be finalized, just as I mentioned before.”
“Thank you.”
Daniel bowed respectfully as if he understood perfectly, and his gaze naturally drifted toward the Pope’s neck.
“It’s still red.”
The stone of the necklace around the Pope’s neck still maintained its bright crimson color.
“Now that I think about it, didn’t Count Orleans also have this necklace? Have you found it?”
“We’re still searching.”
“What do you mean? You haven’t found it yet?”
The Pope’s voice rose even higher.
“We must dispose of anything connected to us as quickly as possible! We cannot give people even the slightest pretext.”
“Do not worry.”
Knock, knock.
At that moment, the door opened carefully with a sound of footsteps. A priest entered the room and bowed deeply to the Pope.
“What is it?”
“There is a visitor asking to see High Priest Daniel.”
“Me?”
“The Young Lady of the Sorpel Family requests an audience.”
“Camilla?”
Camilla’s sudden visit brought a look of bewilderment to Daniel’s face. The Pope felt the same.
“What brings her here?”
“I’m not sure. It wasn’t a previously arranged meeting.”
Given the timing, the Pope was not pleased with outside visitors. He clicked his tongue briefly and issued an order.
“Politely turn her away.”
“Understood.”
Daniel rose from his seat with a slight bow.
“Where is she now?”
* * *
“Why are we suddenly here?”
“I need to check something.”
“Check what?”
“I’ll tell you later.”
Arsian asked nothing more. Since I said I would tell him later, he didn’t press the matter further.
“Hmm.”
Jainer, who had been watching the two of them from the side, tilted his head curiously.
Her lips curved into a habitual smile, yet her eyes brimmed with displeasure. The sight of those two clinging so closely to each other grated on her nerves.
Click.
In that instant, the Reception Room door swung open and a figure stepped inside. It was High Priest Daniel.
His face was suffused with a gentle smile.
“Welcome, Camilla.”
“I apologize for arriving without notice.”
“Not at all. On the contrary, such an unexpected visit is most delightful.”
After exchanging brief pleasantries, Daniel’s gaze naturally drifted toward the two people standing beside Camilla.
A flicker of surprise crossed his features.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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