The Cowardly Baby Saint Sees Ghosts - Chapter 5

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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 5
Meanwhile, Diane found herself equally bewildered.
‘The Pope, you said?’
She couldn’t even recall the vague details of the original story’s setting.
So naturally, she’d assumed he’d be an elderly grandfather with a long white beard!
‘But he’s so handsome!’
The Pope was far younger than she’d expected.
Stained glass windows set high in the vast arched ceiling flooded the space with ethereal light, pouring it down upon him.
His platinum hair caught the radiance like my own silver locks, scattering it in brilliant fragments.
His deep green eyes, warm with kindness, curved as they met mine.
“It is an honor to meet you, Saint.”
“……Yes.”
“Was your journey peaceful?”
“It was.”
My curt response left a silence hanging between us. He too seemed taken aback by my appearance.
And well he might be — a five-year-old so malnourished her ribs showed through had come here claiming she would save the world.
‘He must be disappointed.’
I braced myself for the rebuke I sensed coming.
If the Director had been here, he would have struck me, snarling, “What are you thinking, playing Saint?”
The Pope descended from the dais and walked toward me slowly.
As his shadow fell across my face, I flinched at my own wild imaginings, my neck drawing inward.
“……!”
“S-Saint…….”
At the trembling voice behind me, I cracked open my eyes that had been squeezed shut.
The Pope stood frozen with his hand still extended.
“Ah.”
He’d likely been trying to give me a Blessing on my head.
Embarrassed, I relaxed the tension in my body.
“Five years old, they said.”
The Pope murmured.
“You’re far too thin.”
“I’m a very picky eater, I’m afraid.”
In a low voice, I met his gaze with trembling eyes.
Realizing how his words had landed, he gave a soft cough and asked carefully.
“I swear before God — you are safe here, Saint.”
I already knew that.
Of course I did. Who would dare mistreat the Daughter of God within a Temple?
But despite my reason, the habits carved into my body over five years had not faded.
That shameful reflex to steel myself against blows that never came.
My face flushed with the shame of having my weakness exposed, and I bowed my head.
He gently stroked my hair, speaking in a soothing tone.
“Then it will simply take time for you to grow accustomed to this place.”
To lift the heavy mood, I deliberately looked around and changed the subject.
“By the way, this place seems so vast. I’ve never been anywhere like it before.”
“In time, you shall come and go from here often. When you grow into adulthood, you will hear the Confessions of the faithful and bestow your Blessings upon them.”
‘Confession, Blessing.’
Those were unmistakably good deeds.
“Can I do a lot of good deeds? Can’t I start now?”
I need to boost my Good Deed Gauge urgently!
The Pope smiled, meeting my gaze with understanding.
“There is nothing you cannot do within these walls, Saint.”
“…….”
“Do as you wish. But for now, eating well and growing strong — that is what serves the Empire.”
Oh, that one stung a little.
To avoid repeating my earlier mistake in the carriage, I pressed hard with my toes.
Fortunately, the tension in my feet helped hold back the tears.
‘Phew.’
I’d nearly slipped up. I’d taken such care to dress nicely — I couldn’t let tears fall again!
“Um, well, I was wondering…….”
I hesitated before asking.
“Do you have any holy water?”
“What do you need holy water for?”
“W-well, my throat is dry.”
…….
Even I had to admit the excuse made no sense.
“I’ll bring some right away.”
[Progress]
Doll 1/1
Holy Water 1/1
(new!)
Paper Knife 0/1
Fingernails 0/5
Hair (excluding own) 5/3
* * *
The room assigned to me was spacious and ornate. I bounced onto the bed and sprawled across it comfortably.
“Wow, this really is something…….”
For the first time in my life, I had a proper room and bed of my own, and I was giddy with excitement.
After lying there for a while, I sat up and looked around the room, spotting a gleaming paper knife on the desk.
‘Even if it’s not a kitchen knife, something like that should work well enough, right?’
I got down from the bed and picked up the small blade.
The silver knife was sharp enough to serve my purposes.
‘Good, now for the fingernails……!’
I pressed my lips together and began biting off my fingernails.
One, two, three. I plucked them off one by one and lined them up on my palm.
I removed even the smallest nail from my pinky and counted them.
“Five. That’s almost everything ready now.”
All that remained was my determination.
[Quest: Can’t You Communicate?]
[Progress]
Doll 1/1
Holy Water 1/1
Paper Knife 1/1
(new!)
Fingernails 5/5
(new!)
Hair (excluding own) 5/3
[Mission Complete]
[You’ve gathered all the materials for the Delightfully Creepy Hide-and-Seek Game.]
1. Carefully~ make a small slit in the doll’s belly! Then place the fingernails and hair you’ve collected inside.
=Wow! Your doll comes alive~
2. Give the doll a small weapon to hold, and hide for 10 minutes~
Tip. All hidden? You must keep your mouth shut even if the doll whispers cutely to you!
3. What happens if you get caught? Eek~!
????????????????????????????
4. When the game ends, sayonara
Sprinkle holy water over the doll.
And bid it a very kind farewell.
“Thanks for playing, spirit~ let’s have fun again next time!”
[Success Reward]
Good Deed Gauge increased by 2.
*Special Item* may be obtained! (Random)
The status window appeared as if it had been waiting for this moment.
‘I’ve heard of this game before.’
No wonder the materials felt off to me.
So in the end, I had to communicate with spirits through a game, didn’t I?
“No way!”
[Your refusal has been refused.]
What, talking back?
I was steeling myself in my own way when it happened.
A small sound suddenly drifted in from outside the window. I went to the window and looked out.
Birds chirped and fluttered about in the Garden.
The sunlight was warm, flowers bloomed in full display. It was a peaceful scene.
“It feels like a dream.”
I murmured without thinking. Never mind that the future bearing down on me was dark.
Just then, through the window, I glimpsed the Female Ghost by the entrance conversing with other spirits.
“Uhhhhh.”
“Kyaaa-ack, ack-ack.”
“Uhhh-ohhh.”
What in the world were they saying?
As I furrowed my brow, I watched the Female Ghost chase away smaller spirits.
It looked as though she were enforcing discipline.
Soon, the spirits cowering around her were whimpering and pleading.
This was ridiculous. Genuinely ridiculous.
I yanked the curtain shut with a startled expression.
* * *
The moon hung full in the night sky. At the late hour when everyone slept, I dragged my drowsy body quietly toward the Temple entrance.
[WARNING: Spirits are prohibited from entering this building.]
Leaving this place poses a risk of encountering spirits.
[WARNING: Spirits are prohibited from entering this building.]
Leaving this place poses a risk of encountering spirits.
[WARNING: Spirits are prohibited from—]
“I get it!”
I covered my ears and mouthed a curse under my breath.
Wind whistled past. It was cold and terrifying, and I felt as though I might faint any second.
In my hand was the rabbit Doll that Liam had bought for me during the day.
Inside its slightly split belly were a fingernail and a lock of hair. Of course, I’d only made the smallest slit to ensure nothing would leak out.
‘B-b-so cold.’
I couldn’t tell if it was the weather or the spirits making me shiver, but one thing was certain: my condition was far from good.
“So what am I supposed to do?”
I felt eyes watching me from the darkness.
The system window blazed with light, as if to tell me not to be afraid.
[Hand the sharp instrument over to the doll!]
[In 10 minutes, the doll will shout “Found you~!” and begin!]
Where shall we hide?
Of course, you’ll be caught no matter where you go—
[Recommending safe zones outside the Temple……]
[No options available. Survive on your own.]
Nothing about that was encouraging.
I handed the crumpled sharp instrument (?) into the doll’s hand.
It was a blade made of paper.
The system window stuttered for a moment before displaying a new message.
[Warning]
[Too weak to serve as a weapon.]
“Paper can absolutely be a weapon. Didn’t you know?”
[Unacceptable.]
“Ever get a paper cut? The edges are so sharp it tears flesh to shreds. How much that hurts!”
[Unacceptable—]
“Fine, but complaining when you didn’t even specify what weapon to use is pretty rich.”
The system seemed flustered, blinking several times before finally giving me a positive response.
[Variable occurrence!]
Careful, careful~ Our seeker spirit has picked up the Paper Knife!
If you don’t hurry, you might just get cut!
Hmph. Not scary at all.
I chuckled and hurled the doll away, then broke into a full sprint.
As I ran gasping for breath, cold air filled my lungs. Truth be told, it had been ages since I’d actually run, and my wind gave out quickly.
“Huff, huff, damn it!”
Only five minutes had passed?
No matter how hard I pushed my short legs, I couldn’t find anywhere to hide within the few meters of the Temple.
The road was impeccably maintained, probably because so many people visited the place.
“…Hell.”
I wandered about, peering at my surroundings, but saw nothing except small buildings scattered about.
Eventually, crouched behind a trash bin, I checked that the timer had run out and let out a long sigh.
Since the weapon is only paper anyway, getting caught won’t kill me.
But……
‘Just facing a ghost itself is terrifying enough……’

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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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