The Fortune-Teller Saintess - Chapter 39

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

 

Chapter 39

 

Everyone’s gaze turned toward me. I ducked my head and got up from my seat, kicking the carriage door open with a bang.

 

As I walked toward Lucian with huffing breaths, he blinked and looked at me.

 

“Holy Lady? What’s the matter?”

 

“Holy Lady…?”

 

At Lucian’s words, I could see the man who was trying to scam us hesitate.

 

I glared at him sharply, then turned to speak to Lucian.

 

“Knight Lucian, are you a pushover? How can you just accept such proposals so readily?”

 

“Pushover…”

 

Lucian muttered the word and blinked slowly. He seemed a bit flustered by the unexpected term.

 

I let out a sigh and declared to the swindler as if announcing to everyone around.

 

“We’re going straight down this road. There’s no need for you to tell us about other routes. Of course! We won’t be paying for any information either.”

 

“What? No, Holy Lady. Did you perhaps not hear what I said? There are monsters ahead, and mages too!”

 

“I heard you. So what?”

 

“What?”

 

“Did you think that by mentioning monsters and mages together, knowing the Temple dislikes them, we’d think ‘oh right’ and take a different route? How naive of you.”

 

The swindler sent me a blank stare. His eyes seemed to ask, ‘Is she really a Holy Lady?’

 

Regardless, I crossed my arms and snorted as I spoke.

 

“Whether the opponent is a monster or a mage, I’m not afraid.”

 

Why? Because Knight Lucian and the other knights here will protect us!

 

“So we’ll proceed forward. Please step aside now.”

 

At my confident demand, the swindler seemed intimidated and eventually stepped aside.

 

Thinking this was my chance, I said to Lucian.

 

“It’s resolved. Let’s go, Knight Lucian!”

 

“…I accept the Holy Lady’s words.”

 

Lucian, who had been staring at me intently, gave a small bow.

 

I huffed back to the carriage. Then I plopped down in my seat and grumbled to Robelina.

 

“What kind of pathetic scheme was that. Don’t you think so, Robelina?”

 

“…Ria.”

 

Robelina quietly called my name.

 

I reflexively flinched, wondering if I had done something wrong.

 

Then Robelina gave me a thumbs up and her eyes sparkled.

 

“That was incredibly cool just now.”

 

“Huh? Really?”

 

“Yeah! Really, really cool.”

 

Robelina must have found it quite impressive since she said “cool” twice.

 

Feeling embarrassed for no reason, I smiled awkwardly and averted my gaze.

 

Then I suddenly had a question.

 

‘But there’s a village nearby, so why would there be monsters? They usually don’t appear near places where people live.’

 

I tilted my head in confusion, but the question soon flew far away.

 

It was because the carriage started moving again.

 

“I never knew the Holy Lady had such a side to her. I was honestly impressed. I was also thinking whether I should quietly pay that lowlife for information.”

 

At the Knight Subordinate’s words, Lucian nodded in agreement.

 

“She’s a strong person.”

 

“Indeed. She looks so small and delicate, as if she couldn’t survive without us.”

 

“Watch your words. You’re speaking about the Holy Lady.”

 

“Ugh, I’m sorry. I misspoke.”

 

The knight immediately offered an apology.

 

Lucian turned his gaze to look at the man who had tried to scam them earlier.

 

The man seemed frustrated that his plan to extort money had failed, as he kept huffing angrily.

 

The subordinate who saw where Lucian’s gaze was directed asked him.

 

“Captain, why are you looking at that guy like that?”

 

“…He’s a bit suspicious.”

 

“Now you’re saying that?”

 

Lucian stared intently at his subordinate.

 

Pressured by the gaze, the subordinate broke out in cold sweat and eventually apologized.

 

“I’m sorry.”

 

“It’s fine. And what I found suspicious wasn’t for that reason.”

 

“Then what?”

 

“Hmm.”

 

Lucian let out a thoughtful sound, then shook his head.

 

“It’s nothing.”

 

“…???”

 

The subordinate sent him a puzzled look, but Lucian didn’t answer further. Instead, he just glanced at that man again.

 

The man was grumbling about something as he headed somewhere.

 

***

 

Fortunately, we arrived at the village not long after.

 

The Temple people were quite excited about reaching the village after the long journey.

 

It wasn’t because of the sense of liberation… but because of the swindler we met on the way.

 

“He said there were monsters and mages, but there was nothing at all in the end. How could he tell such a shameless lie!”

 

“He must have thought we’d be naive because we’re priests and tried to deceive us. What a terrible person.”

 

“It would have been a disaster if not for the Holy Lady.”

 

I was about to open the carriage door and step outside when I heard those conversations and hesitated.

 

When I quietly closed the door again, Robelina behind me asked curiously.

 

“What’s wrong?”

 

“Well, somehow it feels awkward to go out right now.”

 

“What are you suddenly talking about? Just a while ago you were saying it was stuffy and you wished we’d arrive quickly.”

 

“I did say that, but sometimes there are moments when you want to take back your words…”

 

“Just open the door already.”

 

“W-wait!”

 

Robelina opened the carriage door wide instead of me.

 

Then all eyes poured onto me at once.

 

Not only the priests who came along to prepare for the ceremony, but also the knights who were carrying luggage welcomed me with bright smiling faces.

 

“Holy Lady! You’ve come out.”

 

“You were truly amazing earlier. You knew that person was lying and deliberately acted strong, right? How wonderful!”

 

Before I knew it, the earlier incident had been distorted into me having noticed the swindler’s lies beforehand and driven him away.

 

At the words that differed from the truth, I broke out in cold sweat and tried to correct them.

 

“N-no. I didn’t know that either…”

 

“Holy Lady.”

 

But Robelina grabbed my arm and spoke with her eyes.

 

‘Let’s just stay quiet.’

 

“Huh?”

 

While I blinked, having missed the timing to respond, the priests were busy chattering among themselves.

 

“They say the Holy Lady sees the future, and indeed!”

 

“This incident must surely be God telling us not to just take it lying down.”

 

“Thanks to the Holy Lady, we gained great enlightenment!”

 

‘Ah.’

 

It seemed Robelina wanted to use this incident to raise my status within the Temple.

 

‘Well, I’ve mostly been active outside until now, and I haven’t really shown my presence much in front of the Temple people.’

 

Still, this is a bit embarrassing.

 

My face grew increasingly hot from the pouring compliments. Just then, someone approached us.

 

It was the village chief and residents of this village.

 

“We greet the Holy Lady and the Temple members. I am Woodville, the chief of this village.”

 

“May God’s blessing be upon Woodville and the village. I am Holy Lady Ellia.”

 

“Thank you so much for coming. For the Holy Lady to personally visit this small village to bestow God’s care, how can we ever repay this grace…”

 

“Please don’t say such things. This is also my will and God’s will and joy.”

 

When I took his hands and spoke, the chief’s wrinkled eyes grew moist.

 

Seeing that made my conscience prick, and I thought I should look into struggling villages once I returned to the Temple.

 

As I smiled gently, a sudden thought occurred to me and I asked the chief.

 

“Oh, may I ask you something?”

 

“Please ask me anything.”

 

“Is there someone in the village who looks like this?”

 

When I described the appearance of the con artist I had met earlier, the chief tilted his head to the side.

 

“Well. Just from your description, there’s no one in our village who looks like that.”

 

‘So he’s not from this village after all.’

 

In my heart, another charge was added to his crimes. To think someone who wasn’t even a village resident was trying to do business by selling out the village.

 

The chief glanced at me and asked carefully.

 

“Did that person perhaps do something to the Holy Lady…?”

 

“Oh, no! I met him on the way here and just wanted to see his face once. Haha.”

 

The chief tilted his head but said “I see” and let it pass.

 

No matter how angry I am, I can’t make people who have nothing to do with it feel sorry.

 

I asked him to guide us to our lodging, partly to change the subject. Then a village resident guided us to the inn.

 

Robelina and I followed the village resident up to the second floor of the inn. But the resident who was guiding us kept glancing back.

 

I had a feeling I knew where that gaze was directed, so I also glanced back.

 

“…?”

 

Lucian, who had been following while carrying our luggage, sent me a puzzled look when our eyes met.

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