The Fortune-Teller Saintess - Chapter 64

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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 64

 

“Oh, come to think of it, I heard that the Holy Lady personally obtained this sacred relic. I’d like to hear that story in detail. Wouldn’t you agree, Your Highness?”

 

“Is that really true?”

 

When Arjes changed the subject, Yuriel, who had completely fallen for it, looked at me with sparkling eyes.

 

‘Of all topics, he had to steer it toward the most difficult one to explain.’

 

I cursed Arjes inwardly.

 

And I thought about it. How should I explain this to get through it without seeming suspicious?

 

Just as I was about to open my mouth after much deliberation, someone called me.

 

“Holy Lady.”

 

I quickly turned my head toward where the voice came from.

 

It was a tall priest wearing a hood. I wondered why he was wearing a hood indoors, but my first thought was…

 

‘Who is this? Isn’t he hot?’

 

As I tilted my head in confusion, the priest spoke to me in a calm voice.

 

“Everyone is looking for the Holy Lady regarding the Ritual of Veneration. I’m sorry to interrupt your conversation, but could you come with me?”

 

“Huh? But the Ritual of Veneration is…”

 

At that moment, the priest slowly raised his head.

 

When our eyes met, I shut my mouth tight.

 

‘Crazy!’

 

I forced my frozen brain to work and hastily came up with something to say to Yuriel.

 

“I’m sorry, Your Highness. It seems everyone is looking for me, so I think I need to go.”

 

“You must be busy preparing for the Ritual of Veneration. Please go ahead.”

 

Fortunately, Yuriel let me go without resistance. Though regret was clearly visible in his eyes.

 

I apologized to him once more and left with Nein.

 

And as soon as we reached a deserted corridor where no one was around, I quietly shouted at the priest.

 

“You’re the one who’s crazy. What are you doing here! What if you get caught?”

 

“That’s why I dressed up in priest robes like this, right?”

 

The priest—no, Nein wearing priest robes—took off his hood and grinned.

 

I sighed and asked him.

 

“Why did you even come here? After stealing priest robes, no less.”

 

“I didn’t steal them. I transformed my clothes with magic. Do you think I’m crazy enough to steal priest robes?”

 

“Magic? Didn’t the priests detect your mana?”

 

When I asked worriedly, instead of answering, Nein removed a button from the priest robe and held it out to me. It was a button with a purple gem embedded in it.

 

When I looked at it as if asking what it was, Nein explained.

 

“You’ve seen this before, Holy Lady. It’s a nullstone. A stone that absorbs divine power or mana. This absorbs the mana flowing out of my body, so unless I use magic, they won’t notice my mana.”

 

“I didn’t know nullstones had this function too.”

 

While I was impressed, Nein reattached the button to his clothes. Then he stared at me intently.

 

“And today is the day of our bet. I came to check if the Holy Lady properly made the sacred relic.”

 

At those words, I had no choice but to shut my mouth tight.

 

Perhaps sensing something from my reaction, Nein went “Hmm?” and grinned slyly.

 

“Judging by your reaction, it seems you failed.”

 

“Ah, there’s still a long way to go before the Founding Festival ends, you know? There’s still some time left!”

 

“Right. I’ll wait.”

 

Nein shrugged his shoulders. His face was completely confident.

 

Seeing that made me so annoyed that my stomach pain returned. When I clutched my stomach, Nein hesitated.

 

“What’s wrong? Why are you like that?”

 

“My stomach hurts because of you. Why!”

 

“That’s some novel nonsense. Stop with that nonsense and tell me the real reason.”

 

“…I just have an upset stomach, so don’t worry about it.”

 

“An upset stomach? What could you possibly do with Temple food to get an upset stomach? Did you secretly eat something?”

 

“…”

 

Hearing the exact same words I’d heard from Robelina earlier made me feel choked up and tears almost came.

 

What exactly do these people think of me?

 

“Holy Lady! Holy Lady!”

 

Just then, I heard someone calling for me from far away. This time it was really a priest’s voice.

 

I subtly signaled to Nein with my eyes. Nein chuckled and put on his hood to cover his face.

 

When I walked toward where the voice was coming from, the priest who spotted me hurried over.

 

“Holy Lady, there you are.”

 

“Yes. What’s so urgent that you’re looking for me so desperately?”

 

I tilted my head.

 

Indeed, the priest’s face was covered in sweat. It was proof that he had been running around this vast Temple looking for me.

 

At my question, the priest’s face turned pale.

 

“Holy Lady, something terrible has happened. The, the sacred relic…”

 

He couldn’t bring himself to finish his words, but I could tell something had happened to the sacred relic.

 

With a hardened expression, I hurried toward the room where the sacred relic was kept.

 

***

 

Priests were gathered in front of the Sacred Relic Storage Room.

 

Those who spotted me made way for me. Leaving their worried gazes behind, I first approached the sacred relic.

 

“How could this…”

 

Seeing the sacred relic, I hardened my expression.

 

The sacred relic, whose branches had been lustrous, was now dyed black. Even the surrounding air felt stuffy.

 

This was my first time encountering such a case, but the teachings I’d received as a priest explained this situation.

 

The sacred relic had become corrupted.

 

‘Why? It was fine until just recently, so why suddenly…’

 

Even in my confusion, I took a step toward the sacred relic to identify the cause.

 

At that moment, Nein, who had followed me, blocked my path.

 

“Nein?”

 

“You can’t get close.”

 

“But I still need to check…”

 

That’s when it happened.

 

The tip of the sacred relic’s branch trembled, then suddenly spewed out pitch-black fog.

 

While I stood frozen in shock, Nein pulled me back and covered my mouth.

 

“Don’t breathe, and get outside.”

 

When I nodded, Nein released me. I took that opportunity to hurry out the door.

 

Then I stopped.

 

‘Oh, the other priests!’

 

Perhaps because they had inhaled the suddenly spewed fog, the priests who had been restless behind us had collapsed on the floor.

 

After hesitating, I grabbed their arms and legs and pulled them outside the door as much as possible. Their pure white clothes got dirty as they were dragged, but it was better than leaving them there.

 

“Holy Lady!”

 

“Robelina!”

 

Just then, Robelina, who had come after hearing the news, looked into the room and hesitated.

 

“Why is Lord Nein here… No, more importantly, why is the sacred relic…?”

 

“Robelina, I understand you’re confused, but please help me first.”

 

Only then did Robelina help me drag the unconscious priests outside the door.

 

Just as I exhaled after dragging everyone outside, a threatening sound came from inside the room.

 

Crack—

 

“…?!”

 

I looked in shock to see the sacred relic broken in half in Nein’s hands.

 

Robelina, who saw the same thing, screamed in horror.

 

“Lord Nein! What are you doing breaking the sacred relic!”

 

“So you’re telling me to just leave this alone?”

 

“That’s not… but…”

 

“No. You did well, Nein.”

 

“Ria!”

 

Robelina looked at me in surprise.

 

I shook my head firmly and spoke to Robelina.

 

“The sacred relic is corrupted. This is the right way to handle it.”

 

“But the Ritual of Veneration…”

 

Robelina expressed her concern.

 

That was indeed the problem. The sacred relic was destroyed with little time left before the Ritual of Veneration. It was already too late to obtain a new sacred relic.

 

I rubbed my stomach as the pain worsened from stress and quietly fell into thought.

 

Then I opened my eyes and spoke.

 

“…Let’s ask the sacred relic.”

 

I couldn’t think of any solution. What do you do in times like this?

 

‘Help me, tarot cards!’

 

I immediately pulled out the tarot cards and drew one. I could only hope it wouldn’t just tell me there was no solution.

 

Fortunately, that wasn’t the case. As an advice card for how to resolve this situation, I drew the ‘Ace of Cups.’

 

A card showing a hand supporting a chalice overflowing with water.

 

Was I mistaken? The chalice in the picture somehow seemed to overlap with the silver cup I had been struggling to turn into a sacred relic.

 

‘No. It’s probably not a mistake.’

 

In tarot reading, the impressions you feel when looking at a card are quite important. Even more so since this card is a sacred relic.

 

Then the silver cup that came to mind when I first saw the card must be the key to the solution.

 

‘Is it telling me to make that cup into a sacred relic? But…’

 

I couldn’t help but look troubled.

 

Over the past few weeks, despite pouring my divine power into it, there had been no sign of it becoming a sacred relic. Would it really be possible in the little time remaining?

 

While I was lost in doubt.

 

“Could it be a chalice for holding holy water?”

 

“Huh?”

 

I turned around with a puzzled expression at Robelina’s words as she looked at the card beside me.

 

Robelina pointed to the picture on the card and sheepishly explained her own interpretation.

 

“The hand in the picture looks like it’s creating water from the chalice. I thought it might represent water created by God, so I thought of holy water.”

 

“Holy water…”

 

“Ria? What’s wrong?”

 

As I muttered, I suddenly had a flash of inspiration.

 

Honestly, I couldn’t guarantee it would work, but still…!

 

“Lina, you’re the best!”

 

“What? Wait, where are you going? Ria!”

 

I left the two of them behind and hurriedly ran to the Holy Water Storage Room.

 

Time remaining until the Ritual of Veneration: 30 minutes.

 

There was no time.

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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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