The Fortune-Teller Saintess - Chapter 21

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

The Fortune Teller Saint

Chapter 21

“…?”

I could feel Robelina staring at me in bewilderment.

The novice priests were also looking at me with eyes that seemed to say ‘Why is the Holy Lady acting like that?’

I used my thumb to make a slashing motion across my throat, making sure only the novice priests standing across from me could see it.

‘You’re dead if you reveal it.’

Fortunately, understanding my meaning, the novice priests nodded with stiff expressions.

“What’s a Holy Prelate?”

“You know, that high-ranking person who serves the Holy Lady!”

“Gasp! Such a person came out for an inspection? How diligent!”

Robelina, who had suddenly become the center of attention, blushed.

Hoping Robelina would hold out a little longer, I lectured the novice priests.

“As that person said, mages have every right to set foot in this city. How can people aspiring to be priests discriminate against others!”

“S-sorry.”

“We were short-sighted.”

The novice priests blushed and bowed their heads.

I snorted and sent them back to the Temple with one final lecture.

“Go back to the Temple and reflect deeply on what God’s teaching to love all people means. Now go.”

The novice priests bowed politely and then disappeared as if fleeing.

Then applause poured out from the surroundings.

“I thought the priest would naturally side with the novice priests, but not so.”

“Didn’t you just hear? God said to love all people.”

“The young priest is truly devout.”

‘I’m not young. I’m already past twenty, you know.’

My lips twitched with embarrassment. Still, it wasn’t a bad feeling.

I approached the young mage who was standing there blankly. Since I had the duty of a Holy Lady, I apologized on behalf of the novice priests.

“I apologize for our novice priests’ rudeness.”

“No, well….”

The young mage seemed quite flustered, probably not expecting someone from the same Temple to help.

But I couldn’t just stand by and watch.

‘This kid was about to use magic.’

If I hadn’t intervened, this young mage would have attacked the novice priests with magic.

No matter how trivial a quarrel between young people, since it was a confrontation between the Temple and the Mage Tower, if magic had been used, things might have escalated greatly.

I swallowed a sigh of relief, thinking it was fortunate to have avoided trouble. Then I warned the mage before me in a slightly frosty voice.

“However, I hope you won’t use magic recklessly either. Unless you want to cause harm to the Mage Tower.”

The mage flinched and glared at me. He was about to say something, but after seeing my smiling face, he turned his head away sharply.

“…Hmph!”

Then he disappeared. It seemed he used spatial movement magic.

Still, I let out a sigh of relief, thinking it was fortunate it ended without major incident.

“Ria…. To think my friend would sell me out.”

Robelina, who had approached at some point, spoke as if feeling betrayed.

Of course, only her voice sounded that way – her face was smiling. She seemed to feel proud as a friend of what I had done.

I quickly linked arms with Robelina and spoke with plenty of charm mixed in.

“Hey, but I did well, didn’t I? Right?”

“Well, I suppose?”

“Hehe.”

We moved to continue enjoying our outing.

Then something blunt hit my feet.

“Hm?”

“What’s wrong?”

I bent down and picked up a small bottle that had fallen on the ground. It contained white powder.

‘Did that mage from earlier drop this?’

If I just leave it here, someone else might pick it up.

While pondering, I soon thought of one person.

‘Come to think of it, if he’s a mage, he must belong to the Mage Tower, right?’

And fortunately, there was one person around me who was well-versed in matters concerning the Mage Tower.

That was Nein, the owner of the Mage Tower.

‘I could ask him to deliver it, I suppose.’

Though whether Nein would readily do it was uncertain.

I could almost imagine the young mage’s tear-filled face. I shook my head vigorously and smiled brightly.

‘What can I do? He’s the one who lost it.’

Deal with the consequences yourself, good child!

It was while I was pocketing the bottle.

Wooong-

“…Hm?”

“Ria?”

I heard Robelina’s puzzled call. Instead of answering, I placed my hand on my solar plexus.

It was where the inner pocket containing the tarot cards was located.

“Just now….”

“What? Does your stomach hurt?”

“N-no.”

I stayed still for a moment, but the tarot cards’ vibration quickly disappeared.

I tilted my head at this.

‘Was I mistaken?’

“Ria.”

“It’s nothing.”

I looked intently at the bottle in my hand, then put it away and smiled.

“Let’s go.”

***

Robelina and I finished our outing to our heart’s content and returned to the Temple.

Thanks to finishing work early, I could rest even after returning to the Temple. So I wanted to hole up in my room and spend happy time with my bed….

Or so I wanted.

“Hmm.”

I was in the middle of a standoff with the tarot cards placed on my bed.

The vibration I felt on the street earlier was really bothering me.

“The tarot cards definitely reacted the moment I picked up this bottle.”

The bottle containing white powder that the young mage had dropped.

I tried placing it next to the tarot cards, but no reaction occurred.

“What is it?”

Unable to contain my curiosity, I shuffled the tarot cards. I spread the cards on the bed and asked a question.

“Why did you react the moment I picked up the bottle?”

Then I drew three cards. After checking the result, I narrowed my eyes.

“Blank cards….”

Does this mean they can’t tell me?

Still, what was certain was that there was something about this bottle. Though I couldn’t know what it was for now.

“I really should call Nein….”

“Why me?”

“Hm? …Eek!”

I turned my head and jumped in surprise.

Nein, who I had just been thinking I needed to find, was standing in front of the bed.

I was so startled that I instinctively stepped back.

“Why are you here… Ah!”

“Ah.”

I reached back with my hand but caught nothing. My arm dropped down and my body tilted.

‘I’m falling!’

I squeezed my eyes shut and braced for the impact.

Thud-

“…Ah.”

Fortunately, the mishap of falling off the bed didn’t happen. It was thanks to Nein, who had somehow approached and caught me.

‘Did he move with magic? So fast…’

My eyes widened naturally with surprise and admiration. I looked up at Nein in that state.

“Th, thank you.”

“…”

“Nein?”

Squeeze-

The more I squirmed trying to escape from his embrace, the more strength Nein put into the hands holding me.

Just as I narrowed my eyes thinking he was challenging me to try escaping, I heard Nein’s murmur.

“I’ve felt this before, but the Holy Lady is too fragile.”

“Huh?”

When I looked at him wondering what he was suddenly talking about, Nein smiled and said.

“What would happen if I bit you?”

Nein’s eyes, shadowed, flashed.

“What are you talking about? Why would you bite me! Put me down quickly!”

Suddenly feeling urgent, I struggled while still held in Nein’s embrace. The more I did, the stronger Nein’s arms became as he held me.

‘What kind of mage has this much physical strength?’

As my confusion grew, so did my fear.

I couldn’t bring myself to look at Nein’s eyes and turned my head away as I spoke.

“Please put me down. I’m begging you…”

“…Ha.”

My body flinched at the hollow laugh that burst out from above my head.

But contrary to my ominous imagination, Nein obediently let me go.

When I looked up in surprise as my feet touched the ground, Nein smiled his usual smile and said.

“You’re too insignificant, so I’ll let it slide.”

“…Tch. So it was just a joke after all!”

“Was it though?”

“Huh?”

Nein, who had straightened up, placed his hand on my cheek. I got goosebumps from the sensation of his long fingers stroking down my cheek.

Nein, meeting my eyes, pulled up the corners of his mouth.

“I told you. I’m ‘letting it slide.'”

“…”

I wanted to say something but didn’t know what to say.

It was a moment when I felt I understood what the word ‘fatal’ meant.

“A, anyway! How did you suddenly come here? I told you to let me know through Robelina when you come.”

My barely recovered reason made me step away from him.

Nein casually shrugged his shoulders and answered my question.

“I did tell you though?”

“Huh? I didn’t hear anything…”

“Holy Lady!”

Just then, an urgent cry came from outside the door. It was Robelina.

I looked at Nein with a ‘no way’ expression, then told her to come in.

Robelina entered the room and spoke in an urgent voice.

“Ria, there was a message that Nein is coming…!”

Stop.

Robelina’s movement and words ceased.

Having spotted Nein, Robelina looked back and forth between me and him with shaking eyes.

And her blue eyes, having grasped the situation, grew coldly furious.

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