The Cowardly Baby Saint Sees Ghosts - Chapter 46

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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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# Chapter 46.
I pulled the trigger all the way back.
Pop—!
This time, a bubble far larger than any before shot from the gun’s muzzle. A sphere the size of a human head rose lazily into the air and landed with perfect precision on Chloe’s contorted joints.
A brief, taut silence fell before it burst.
Splortch!
The enormous bubble exploded, scattering white foam in all directions.
In an instant, both of Chloe’s legs vanished beneath the foam.
“Now!”
Cheese hurled himself toward that mass of bubbles.
He spun once in midair, landed with all four paws splayed wide directly into the heart of the foam heap.
The impact sent foam spraying in every direction.
“Shreeeeeak—!”
A sound tore from the shoe—something neither human nor beast, a voice I’d never heard before.
[Urban Legend Progress 41% → 22%]
The number was plummeting at a sickening rate. Like a dam had finally burst.
“Just a bit more!”
I screamed until my voice cracked.
Buried in foam, Cheese thrashed his body side to side as though swimming, methodically crushing each concentration of curse energy and popping it.
Squirt-squirt, splort-splort.
With each ridiculous sound, pockets of curse energy burst and vanished one by one.
Haaah!
With a final cry, Cheese threw his full weight down onto the dark red mass beneath him.
The moment he pressed it flat with his body, the thing burst with a wet crack, black liquid spraying everywhere.
[System]
★Urban Legend Complete Destruction★
Congratulations!
Rest assured—the Red Shoes have been eliminated.
A small crown-shaped icon glimmered, orbiting the window frame.
“……Is it over?”
[You have resolved the Red Shoes Cursed Phenomenon of the Debutante!]
[Good Deed Gauge +15]
[Current Score: 69 / 1000]
Looking at my status window, relief washed over me.
But the moment I looked down at Chloe, I realized I’d celebrated too soon.
The curse was gone, yes—but her twisted legs remained as they were.
The bones lay there, still badly misaligned.
‘Right, of course. The curse disappearing doesn’t magically heal broken bones.’
It was obvious, so why hadn’t I thought of it?
I quickly flipped the gun in my hands over to examine it.
On the opposite end from the muzzle, just below the grip, I spotted a small cap.
“If I open this……”
I twisted the cap open, and pale blue liquid sloshed inside.
I caught the scent—fresh and faintly floral.
The distinctive aroma of Holy Water.
‘Why not just pour it on instead of shooting it?’
With nothing to lose, I carefully poured the remaining liquid over Chloe’s legs.
Trickle—
As the liquid ran down over her twisted knee, a soft luminescence seeped gently from that spot.
“……Huh?”
Click-click.
With delicate, careful sounds, the dislocated knee glided smoothly back into place.
Not the frightening crunch from before—this was soft and quiet, like ice slowly thawing.
“Ngh……, what?”
Chloe’s eyes flew wide open in surprise.
She seemed to feel the pain that had been constant until moments before begin to ebb away.
By the time I’d poured out all the remaining liquid, both of Chloe’s legs had returned to normal as though nothing had happened.
Only a faint reddish mark lingered faintly around her ankles.
“……Thank goodness.”
At last, I let out a long breath I’d been holding.
In that instant, the entire hall moved as one.
Hundreds of people inhaled sharply in unison, as if by some unspoken agreement. The sound of their breath layered upon itself, rippling through the hall like a wave.
“Agh!”
“Ungh……!”
Short screams and groans erupted from all corners at once.
Some collapsed where they stood, their legs giving out beneath them, while others staggered and clung to those beside them.
Fans and glasses clattered to the floor in a cacophony of breaking things.
One woman fainted outright, toppling backward, while a gentleman nearby rushed to catch her.
A breeze swept through.
A perfectly ordinary, refreshing breeze from the Ball Hall.
The candles swayed gently as they always did.
“W-what was that just now?”
Confused cries burst from every direction.
People who had suddenly regained their senses began clutching at one another and murmuring nervously.
“Why is my glass completely empty? I’m certain it was full just a moment ago.”
“I know. I’ve been standing right here the whole time, yet my legs feel so numb. How is that possible?”
A young gentleman nearby wiped his forehead with a handkerchief, bewildered by the cold sweat dripping down his face.
In the distance, a maid or servant stood frozen before a tray of scattered glass shards, utterly lost as to when they’d dropped it.
Yet everyone’s body retained a vivid sense of having just endured something utterly terrifying.
“Liam!”
At my call, Liam blinked several times and drew his hand away from his sword hilt.
“……Your Holiness? I apologize, I was just…….”
“Are you hurt? Is anything wrong?”
“No, but something…….”
Liam furrowed his brow and looked around.
“Something feels off.”
“It’s all right. For now, what matters is that everyone is safe.”
“Diane?”
Demian uncrossed his arms as he called to me, his face slightly paler than usual.
“……I was about to ask you the same thing. What just happened?”
I quickly turned my attention back to Chloe.
She was still sitting on the floor, staring down at her now-whole legs in disbelief.
A low murmur rippled through the nearby onlookers.
“My goodness, look at Lady Vallet…….”
“Her dress—why is it like that? It’s completely soaked in perspiration.”
Those standing close whispered behind their hands in hushed tones.
Her white gown was stained here and there with dirt and sweat, her hair disheveled beyond recognition—nothing remained of her former beauty.
Several young ladies caught themselves glancing down at their own dresses and shoes, their eyes flickering with unease as they exchanged worried glances.
“She was dancing so beautifully just moments ago—what on earth happened……?”
“Shh, don’t speak of such things.”
Someone issued a quiet warning, but the murmuring did not easily subside.
Though none of them could say exactly what they’d witnessed, all of them felt with certainty that what lay before their eyes was far from ordinary.
I pushed through their stares and hurried toward Chloe.
“Are you all right, Lady Vallet?”
“……Your Holiness?”
“How are your legs?”
Chloe carefully moved her legs.
Seeing them perfectly restored to their rightful place, fresh tears began to glisten in her eyes.
“Why am I…… here like this……?”
“Do you not remember?”
“Not really. It feels like my feet were hurting the whole time…….”
Chloe trailed off, her expression confused.
It seemed she had lost consciousness partway through and retained no clear memories of the ordeal.
‘Perhaps that was mercy—had she been fully aware, it might have scarred her as trauma.’
I glanced down at her feet. The Red Shoes had lost their shine and vibrant color, now a dull, murky hue.
‘What is this?’
I bent and carefully picked them up.
Beside the shoe lay a strange scrap of cloth.
‘Had it been attached inside the shoe?’
If someone had crafted these shoes by hand, this scrap of fabric might have been the only trace of their touch.
I carefully wrapped the cloth scrap in a handkerchief and tucked it away.
“Saint, what is that?”
Liam approached and asked.
“……It’s nothing much.”
I deflected and slipped the handkerchief into my pocket.
“Saint!”
Gaitel rushed over, finally grasping what had happened.
“What on earth occurred? Everyone is in a state of confusion…….”
“……Well, it’s a bit difficult for me to explain precisely.”
“Do you remember, Saint?”
“Somewhat. I’ll organize my thoughts and tell you later.”
“……I understand. But you must tell me everything later without fail.”
Gaitel held up his fingers as if extracting a promise from me.
The sound of the Countess Vallet sobbing as she embraced Chloe drifted from somewhere distant.
The single fact that her daughter was safe seemed to be enough.
The Ball Hall was gradually reclaiming its former splendor.
Musicians had begun tuning again to calm the startled guests, and servants bustled about, putting things in order.
But I knew. This was not an ending, but a beginning.
Who had made these shoes and sent them, and why Chloe in particular.
The small cloth scrap I’d tucked away was, in my estimation, the only thread to pull.

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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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