The Cowardly Baby Saint Sees Ghosts - Chapter 57

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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 57.
That night, four new Trainees were assigned to a small room in the East Annex.
The room was cramped but immaculate.
Four beds, two small desks, a framed prayer hanging on the wall, and a window no larger than a palm.
The children began chattering sooner than expected.
“The bed is really soft.”
“Do they punish you if you get the prayer wrong during evening prayers?”
“The Temple soup was better than I thought.”
Soft laughter bubbled up here and there.
The new Trainees’ eager chatter continued, brimming with anticipation for this unfamiliar place.
Seria sat quietly among them.
Her Old Bag resting on her lap.
‘This is so awkward…….’
The bag was large for her small frame. Its corners had worn thin from long use, and the shoulder straps bore the marks of being stitched together multiple times.
Yet Seria did not let it leave her arms.
As though what lay inside was not a burden, but part of herself.
“Did you come from an orphanage too?”
One of the other girls sharing the room asked.
Seria lifted her head a moment too slowly.
“……Yes.”
“Which one?”
The question was brief.
But she couldn’t answer immediately.
Seria swallowed hard, her grip on the bag’s strap tightening.
“The North.”
“Oh, the Northern Orphanage? I heard that’s far away.”
“Yeah.”
Her answer was curt. Not untrue. The girl didn’t press further.
Surely none of the children who came here had ordinary stories to tell.
‘It would be rude to ask too much.’
Seria lowered her gaze slowly, looking at the Old Bag.
The one she hadn’t set down since standing at the gate.
After holding it close for a while longer, she carefully slid it beneath the bed.
That was when.
A very faint sound came from inside the bag.
‘……!’
Seria’s body went rigid.
The other children seemed not to have heard it, and she let out a breath of relief, brushing her chest with her hand.
* * *
Even lying in my bed after returning to my room, I kept thinking about that girl.
‘Why can’t I stop worrying about her?’
At first, I’d simply wanted to look after her because she seemed to be struggling with the new environment unlike the others.
But now…….
“Cheese.”
I called softly.
Cheese looked out the window instead of answering. Toward the East Annex.
‘Must be a cat thing.’
It annoyed me how he never came when called, only approached when he felt like it himself.
“Why did you go to her just now?”
Cheese only blinked his eyes.
“You hate strangers. You were wary of me for ages when we first met.”
“Meow.”
“Is that your answer?”
Cheese curled his body up and looked out the window again.
“Hmph.”
Fine. I won’t call you anymore.
Some emotion—jealousy, perhaps—coiled tightly in my chest. He’d even hissed at me, but when he was possessing Demian’s body—how could he be so cruel.
Rubbing his head against a stranger’s leg like that.
“But it really seemed like you could sense her warmth.”
That itself felt strange.
Cheese is a ghost, so she’s cold—how could I feel warmth from her?
Caught up in these wandering thoughts, sleep wouldn’t come.
I pulled the blanket higher and closed my eyes.
* * *
In the East Annex, the children were drifting off to bed one by one.
But Seria couldn’t fall asleep.
The voice she’d heard during the day kept returning to her mind.
‘……It’s irritating.’
She pictured that little thing speaking on her own, full of unwarranted goodwill.
‘Yet she doesn’t even know me.’
There was something disarmingly kind about her.
She’d probably been raised treasured her whole life in the Temple. No wonder her nature was so pure.
Her long silver hair—unseen anywhere else—cascaded with a gentle fragrance, like lovely flowers.
Her violet eyes sparkled, shining like jewels, and meeting that gaze made her feel oddly ashamed.
It felt as though those eyes could see through the wickedness in her, and she wanted to turn away.
‘……Again.’
In that moment, Seria’s breath caught as warmth blossomed at the tips of her toes.
It was the same warmth she’d felt that afternoon at the foot of the stairs.
There was clearly nothing there.
Yet a small, gentle warmth lingered at her feet, as if someone had barely touched her.
Slowly, she looked down.
As expected, there was nothing on the floor.
“Seria, are you awake?”
The child in the next bed called out softly.
“……No.”
“Then why are you moving so much?”
“It’s nothing.”
Seria pulled the blanket up and closed her eyes.
To be honest, the Temple was warmer than she’d expected.
There was no abuse, no hitting—nothing like that. The other children all seemed kind.
That was what made it dangerous.
The warmer a place was,
the more you wanted to stay.
* * *
The next morning.
I woke earlier than usual.
Cheese was lying on the bed.
‘I saw her sneak out somewhere yesterday.’
Not that she’d answer if I asked anyway.
Surprisingly, Cheese wasn’t sprawled out shamelessly as she usually was. Instead, she lay curled up, still watching toward the East Annex.
“What’s really gotten into you?”
Cheese didn’t answer.
Just then, I heard Becky’s voice from beyond the door.
“Oh, Holy Maiden, you’re awake?”
“Becky. Good morning.”
The door opened and Becky came in, several papers in hand.
“I brought the new trainee roster.”
“……!”
I shot up in bed.
“You seemed interested in something, so I thought about it, and I figured it’d be nice for you to have a friend. So I brought it along.”
“Wow! The names are listed?”
“Yes. Are you looking for that child from yesterday, perhaps?”
Becky handed over the papers.
I nodded absently and scanned quickly. Names were listed in rows.
Seria.
Found her. I looked at the brief information written beside her name.
Origin: Northern Orphanage.
Family relations: None.
But below that, in a section that shouldn’t have existed, there was a short note attached.
It was in the handwriting of the priest who handled the paperwork.
[Northern Orphanage destroyed in fire. Identity documents irretrievable. Verbal confirmation only.]
I read that sentence over and over again.
“Hmm.”
An orphan, just like me.
‘I wish we could really become friends.’
To be honest, it seemed I hadn’t made a single friend since arriving here.
‘I mean, Gaitel and I agreed to be friends, but truthfully, it feels heavy.’
It was true that I saved her, but it was hard to truly share everything with her.
Someone born with everything can’t truly understand someone who has nothing.
Besides, in the original story she was one of the longest survivors, so it won’t be easy.
‘Demian doesn’t even bear mentioning.’
The man who would slit my throat.
‘And Robin will grow into a knight who serves that Demian.’
I heaved a deep sigh without thinking, and Becky tilted her head at me.
“I thought you’d like her.”
“I do like her. It’s just… I don’t know how to approach her.”
I was in the middle of brainstorming with Becky, putting our heads together.
Snap!
Becky flicked her middle finger with her thumb, eyes sparkling as she spoke.
“Most of the trainees are probably from Lumen Orphanage, the ones you saved.”
“Really?”
“Yes. If you visit, the children will probably love it, and if you need an excuse, you can just make one~”
Becky whispered to me in a hushed voice.
“Wow. That’s actually a great idea!”
It was about time I met with Demian anyway.
I dashed straight toward the Pope.
“Hello, Holy Maiden.”
“Still adorable as ever, aren’t you.”
People I passed greeted me with smiles each time.
Thank you! I called out loudly and bolted forward, when someone warned me not to run.
‘That’s not what matters right now!’
Bang. I threw open the door without knocking, and the Pope, Liam, and Robin turned to look at me in surprise.
“Oh, ah, I’m sorry. I’ll come back later.”
The Pope burst into laughter at the sight of me gasping for breath.
“That’s perfectly normal for someone your age, running around like that. Come here, Diane.”
I approached the Pope hesitantly.
Robin glanced at me and mouthed a greeting.
I bowed back at him and stood before the Pope.
The Pope thought for a moment, then tapped his knee twice softly.
“……?”
As I stood there blankly staring, the Pope slipped his hands under my armpits.
“Eek……?!”
He lifted me up and sat me on his lap.
“Your, Your Highness?”
“Please continue your report, Liam.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Liam seemed slightly flustered but managed his expression like a professional.
The Pope, utterly unabashed, patted my back a few times and then focused on Liam’s report.
“Robin’s skills are improving by leaps and bounds. Despite only just arriving, he’s already holding his own against the trainees in sparring.”
“Excellent work, Robin.”
Robin’s ears flushed red. His manner remained stiff, but his body was honest.
“It’s thanks to you, Holy Maiden.”
Robin kept perfect attention, his lips barely moving as he spoke.
‘He’s quite nervous.’
“Thank you!”
The Pope nodded with an odd expression.
“Let me be honest with you, Robin. I initially opposed going to rescue you.”
“……!”
“We’ve only been treating nobles thus far, and I was concerned that suddenly granting treatment simply because you were a priest’s family would undermine fairness.”
The Pope bowed his head while holding me.
“…!”
“I’m sorry. Can you ever forgive me?”
“Your… Your Holiness.”
“I was grateful that you rebuked my judgment back then, Diane. Because of you, I came to my senses.”
The Pope smiled.
“From now on, I’m going to act as my heart leads me.”
…But why are you holding my shoulders so much tighter?

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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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