The Cowardly Baby Saint Sees Ghosts - Chapter 3

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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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# Episode 3.
That was when it happened.
The woman, whose eyes had been darting about wildly, suddenly thrust her head forward.
Which is to say, she stretched her elongated neck so close that my breath brushed her face.
Her lips opened and closed as though she wanted to say something, and fragments of rotted flesh fell from her mouth.
Plop. Patter.
Watching those pieces fall along with blackened blood, my heart hammered so hard I thought I’d die.
What if my small, fragile heart burst right now?
She kept working her mouth, but I couldn’t understand a word she was trying to say.
“Uhhhhhhgh.”
A ghost attempting to communicate.
[Quest]
Can’t seem to have a conversation?
Think of a way to communicate with the ghost.
[Materials Needed]
Doll, Holy Water, Sword, Nails. Please gather these.
[Progress]
Doll 0/1
Holy Water 0/1
Sword 0/1
Nails 0/5
Hair (excluding your own) 0/3
“Huh?”
As I stood there blank-faced in disbelief, Liam tilted his head curiously.
“Your Holiness?”
“……Sir.”
I looked up at him hesitantly and mumbled.
“Do you happen to have a doll at the Temple?”
“Heh!”
Whatever misunderstanding he’d arrived at, Liam was barely holding back his laughter, his lips twitching.
“I’ll procure one for you right away.”
“……Yes.”
“What sort of doll do you prefer?”
“Something soft and fluffy, and cute.”
I deliberately looked down, avoiding the woman’s gaze.
But I couldn’t stop the sounds.
“Tee-hee.”
“…….”
Crack. The woman’s neck bent at an angle as she made a small sound.
“Uhhhhgh.”
“…….”
Then her head began to sway up and down, gradually spinning in circles!
Whirrrr. Whirrrr. Whirrrr.
And along with it came the awful sound of her neck vertebrae grinding.
Crack. Crunch-crack.
Snap-snap-snap-snap-snap.
“Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.”
“Oh, seriously!”
The spectacle was so grotesque that I clapped my hands over my ears and wailed.
“Be quiet!”
“Oh, I-I’m so sorry!”
It just so happened that Liam, mid-cough, had gone completely pale.
Wait, that’s not what I meant.
“I wasn’t yelling at you!”
Liam had already bowed his head as though thoroughly chastened.
The Carriage’s pace had slowed. The dense trees and brush outside had given way to the sights of a city—buildings and streets now filling the windows.
As we passed through, people walked the streets buying and selling goods, chatting loudly and cheerfully.
Unable to tear my eyes from the spectacle before me, Liam paused to think, then brought the Carriage to a halt.
“Please wait here just a moment!”
Watching Liam hop down, I started to cry out for him to stay—but stopped.
The woman who had been staring at me turned her head sharply and climbed out of the carriage after Liam. The grotesque expression from moments before had vanished, replaced by the appearance of a noble young lady as I’d first seen her.
Relieved to have escaped the situation of being alone together, I let my exhausted body go slack.
Just by existing, she made the air itself feel heavy.
‘I never want to see her again.’
But if I was going to fill my gauge for good deeds, I’d have no choice but to hear out that ghost’s story.
“But it was so terrifying……! Why was her neck moving like that!”
As I tore at my hair and wept alone, my worry for Liam suddenly surfaced.
“She seems to have latched onto Liam, doesn’t she?”
From the ghost’s almost coquettish behavior, it seemed unlikely she’d attached herself out of resentment.
But still—a ghost keychain…….
Before long, Liam boarded the carriage again, catching his breath.
As the wheels began rolling once more, I looked over at him.
“I’m sorry it took so long to find it.”
He smiled shyly and held out a doll to me.
“I took my time choosing one with eyes the same color as yours, Saintess.”
“……Oh my…….”
The doll had purple button eyes and was shaped like a rabbit. Its white fur was soft and fluffy, and as I stroked it, my heart grew warm and pleasant.
“I—I’ve never received a gift before.”
“Truly?”
“Yes! This is my first gift like this. Thank you so much!”
Liam’s ears flushed red as he nodded.
“I thought you’d like it.”
At his smile, both I and the woman beside me froze for a moment.
‘He’s beautiful.’
I glanced sideways at the woman.
She stared silently at Liam for a moment, then scattered like smoke.
“Wow, she’s finally gone.”
“Pardon?”
“Oh, it’s nothing. I was just so happy.”
“Ha ha…….”
[Quest: When Words Cannot Connect?]
[Progress]
Doll 1/1
(new!)
Holy Water 0/1
Sword 0/1
Nails 0/5
Hair (excluding one’s own) 0/3
My Status Window glowed, congratulating me on obtaining the doll.
For no good reason, I glared irritably at the empty air.
Just then, Liam hesitated before speaking.
“Well, Saintess. The truth is, I’m still unmarried, so would it be alright if you called me by my name instead?”
“……Oh!”
Now that he mentioned it, why had I unconsciously been addressing him as though he were middle-aged?
Embarrassed, I quickly corrected myself.
“I’m sorry. Liam.”
“Not at all, ha ha!”
It probably stemmed from being impressed by seeing a real adult for the first time.
Watching him smile so brightly, I felt the simultaneous urge to separate that ghost from him as soon as possible.
Soon we arrived at the Temple.
“Wow…….”
The sight I’d only ever seen in books unfolded before my eyes.
A white, majestic building, and gardens spreading out before it. In the center, a fountain traced a beautiful arc of water rising from its depths.
It seemed as though the oppressive darkness would vanish without a trace in this place.
‘So this is the Temple!’
My heart pounded.
“What do you think?”
Liam, who had lifted me down from the carriage, smiled softly.
“You will be living here from now on. No one will ever persecute you here.”
“……!”
“I would gladly lay down my life for the Saintess.”
He dropped to one knee and pressed his lips to the back of my grimy hand.
The warmth lingered on my skin, and it burned.
Embarrassed, I hugged the rabbit doll tighter, and a sigh drifted from behind me.
I spun around in alarm to find the knights dismounting from their horses, clearing their throats and averting their eyes.
‘How ridiculous I must look—filthy, pathetic, and now receiving a kiss on the back of my hand.’
My mood soured and my confidence shattered. I pushed out my lower lip in a pout.
But duty called, no matter how I felt.
I turned to face them and offered a deep ninety-degree bow.
“Thank you for bringing me here safely!”
“……!”
The knights’ eyes widened.
One of them was muffling sobs with his hand, and the one standing at the front swayed.
‘They can’t stand the sight of me, can they?’
Fine. I’ll ignore you just as thoroughly.
I spun around and hurried after Liam on my short legs, pit-a-pat, pit-a-pat, when—
“How adorable…….”
Did I mishear? I tilted my head and glanced back.
What in the world was that?
The Female Ghost had slipped through the knights’ bodies and was following us, her head twisted at an unnatural angle, grinning.
“Liam, pick me up! Hurry!”
I flailed and clung to Liam, squeezing my eyes shut.
Thankfully, it seemed she couldn’t cross the threshold into the Temple itself.
The spirit’s face, perfectly overlaid with the knight’s expression as he watched me, was utterly grotesque.
“Eeeeeek.”
All right, all right, I know—just go.
It’s terrifying!
Mercifully, the spirits could not penetrate deeper into the Temple.
I sniffled and let Liam carry me inside.
Several priestesses were waiting near the entrance, presumably to receive me.
“We are honored to meet the Saintess.”
“You may entrust her to us now, Captain Liam.”
The priestess who took me from Liam patted my shoulder with a warm smile.
“What a long journey you’ve had. Shall we go with us?”
“Yes…….”
I looked back at Liam over the priestess’s shoulder. Only when I saw him wave discreetly did my anxiety ease.
“Let’s start with a bath.”
These women moved with practiced efficiency—clearly not on their first outing together.
They whisked me into the Bath House and set about their tasks with urgency.
I was so mesmerized by the statues of goddesses and the marble that filled the space that I barely noticed them undressing me.
They gently lowered me into a warm bath and began washing my hair.
I sat there dazed until shame began to creep in and I tried to curl up, but my eyes kept drifting shut.
Nod, nod.
As I dozed, I heard muffled laughter from behind me.
Stung by pride, I forced my eyes open and splashed at the water.
‘I’ve never had a luxurious bath like this before.’
The water smelled exquisite. One of the priestesses let out a gasp of wonder even as the grime washed from my body.
“Goodness, I’ve never seen silver hair so beautiful!”
“Never~”
I heard them laugh and touch my hair, and I slowly opened and closed my eyes.
“……What? Silver hair?”
“It’s so pure white and mysterious!”
I’d spent my whole life thinking my hair was a dull ash-gray, but I’d never properly washed it before.
I’d never given much thought to my appearance, but this struck me with unexpected force.
‘If the orphanage director had known I had silver hair, she would have sold me for a fortune.’
Silver hair was exceedingly rare.
After that luxurious bath, once I slipped into the silk dress, I no longer looked like the orphan Diane from before.
“Wow, is this really me?”
I never thought those words would come from my own mouth.
The priestesses smiled contentedly and smoothed lip balm across my chapped lips.
“You’re really adorable, Saintess.”
“……Me?”
“Of course! Eat lots of delicious food and grow big and strong, and you’ll become the loveliest beauty in the empire. Right?”
“Obviously!”
[Sudden: Sub-mission]
Eat well and grow tall to become a proper child.
Progress: 13%
What on earth does that vague number mean?
I ignored the Status Window with a deliberately cold expression.

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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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