The Fortune-Teller Saintess - Chapter 99

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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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“What? What are you suddenly talking about…?”

“I have heard it before. No, even now God whispers to me. Give blessings to those who believe in me, and bring judgment upon heretics.”

At his sudden words, I couldn’t say anything. I could only stare at Barion with trembling eyes.

He continued speaking while looking up at the ceiling with a face still full of holiness.

“At first, the criteria for heresy was vague, so I couldn’t take any action. Then God’s voice telling me to judge heretics grew louder. The voice became even louder when I stood before those with magical power. So I killed him.”

“…”

“When I killed him, the voice subsided. That’s when I realized it. Ah, God wants me to eliminate those who possess magical power.”

“God would never do such a thing.”

“Holy Lady Ellia.”

The voice calling my name settled coldly.

“Are you denying God’s will right now?”

I unconsciously stiffened at Barion’s face, which I was seeing for the first time.

Barion stared at me with a still cold face and slowly opened his mouth.

“You have been like that from the beginning. Associating with heretical mages, pursuing personal interests, and now even interfering with my divine work at every turn.”

I swallowed hard. Apart from my unwillingness to believe it, one hypothesis came to mind.

A Seer who believes in God and wants to push aside the Crown Prince to put the faithful Second Prince on the throne.

And the reason why the Second Prince faction’s Arjes consistently donates to the Temple.

…The reason Barion sent me to Trivia Village.

Various puzzle pieces came together to reach one conclusion.

“…It’s you.”

Whooom-

The tarot cards in my pocket reacted.

I kept my gaze fixed on Barion as I pulled out a card and bit my lips tightly.

King of Pentacles.

It was the same card I had drawn when I previously divined what kind of person Arjes was.

“You were… the Seer.”

At my words, the Seer, Barion, smiled and drew a sword from behind his back.

I didn’t need to divine to know what would happen next. I moved to a corner of the carriage and squeezed my eyes shut.

Bang!

At that moment, the carriage shook violently. I hurriedly looked for something to grab onto at the sudden movement, but the carriage was already tilting to one side.

And just before the carriage hit the ground.

Flash-

“…Huh?”

I was in someone’s arms, having been pulled outside.

I raised my head and found familiar purple eyes, crying out emotionally.

“Nein…!”

“Seriously, you’re always making people worry.”

Nein said with a deep sigh. Somehow I could feel relief in those words.

As soon as my feet touched the ground, I couldn’t help but pull Nein into a tight embrace. I felt Nein hesitate, but I couldn’t help it.

“I was so scared you’d be in danger, I thought you were going to die…!”

If it had been the usual Nein, he might have pushed me away saying it was disgusting.

But he quietly listened to me and instead placed his hand on my back, whispering.

“Same here.”

“Huh…?”

“I was also terrified thinking I’d lose the Holy Lady this time.”

Nein grabbed my shoulders with a distorted expression and spoke seriously.

“So always stay within my reach. So I can see and hear the Holy Lady.”

I made a dazed expression, then saw Nein’s desperate gaze and found myself nodding without thinking.

Satisfied with my agreement, Nein’s face instantly softened.

“Mage Tower Master Nein Opert.”

At Barion’s voice, Nein pulled me closer. Standing behind Nein, I looked at where the carriage had fallen with trembling eyes.

Barion walked out through the swirling dust. Like me, he had escaped before the carriage fell, so he was completely uninjured.

Eventually, he stopped at a distance from us and looked between me and Nein, speaking in a chilling voice.

“Since Arjes was acting independently, I thought he might accomplish something, but it seems he failed to kill you after all.”

“My lifeline is pretty tough, you see.”

Nein responded to his words in a playful voice. But I could tell from his eyes that he was tense.

Barion stared intently at Nein, then muttered something incomprehensible.

“If I had known you would interfere with us like this, I should have dealt with you along with Estina that day.”

“…What?”

“Estina… the previous Holy Lady?”

Hearing Barion’s words, one assumption came to mind.

No way.

“You… what did you do to the previous Holy Lady?”

Nein lowered his voice and asked Barion.

Barion only smiled faintly, not saying a word about the doubts we harbored.

Then Nein, grinding his teeth, shouted.

“Answer me!”

“Estina, she had such a warm heart. Everyone followed her, and she embraced them all.”

Barion’s voice, which had been continuing in a wistful tone, suddenly turned cold.

“And she also embraced heretics like you. Though I warned her not to, she used the sacred relic to instead paint me as an evil person. Me, who was carrying out God’s noble work.”

“So you killed her?”

“I merely delivered judgment.”

Crash!

Nein’s magic hit directly.

But it didn’t reach Barion.

“Holy Lady Ellia.”

Whether he had used divine power, Barion’s voice came from behind us.

Barion spoke to me as I turned around in shock, as if he felt sorry.

“You too are ultimately walking the same path as Estina.”

“…”

“You’re next.”

Crash!

Nein cast magic once more, but Barion had already hidden himself.

And he didn’t appear again.

I quietly watched Nein, who was breathing heavily after missing Barion.

Seeing Nein’s wounded body radiating hatred, I couldn’t say anything.

***

Many things happened in one night.

Prince Uriel’s birthday banquet, the arrest of Arjes Evis.

And the appearance of the Seer.

All this news turned not only the Imperial Palace but the entire Empire upside down.

Including the Temple.

Barion had disappeared since that day. Jacad issued a warrant for his arrest, and the Royal House even came to investigate the Temple.

The Temple was truly in chaos. Everyone, regardless of rank, was buzzing with confusion and fear.

An emergency meeting was held, but the atmosphere here was no different from outside.

“His Eminence being the Seer! That’s impossible!”

“Your Holiness must be mistaken about something. Otherwise, how could the Cardinal…!”

The Cardinals attending the meeting all testified to Barion’s innocence. Even though it was useless for us to talk among ourselves.

But because I fully understood their feelings, I maintained my silence.

‘To think His Holiness was… no, that Barion was the Seer.’

The shock of when Barion revealed his true identity still hadn’t faded. And for good reason, since he had been performing all the duties of a Cardinal with such a benevolent nature all this time.

‘But it was all an act.’

Indignation rose within me.

To think he had been wearing the mask of a benevolent Cardinal while doing such things behind the scenes.

‘I can’t forgive this.’

“Holy Lady Ellia, please say something!”

I snapped back to attention at the voice calling me.

Before I knew it, all the Cardinals’ gazes were directed at me.

“Since Holy Lady Ellia is acquainted with His Highness the Crown Prince, how about asking her to speak to His Highness about His Holiness’s innocence?”

“…What did you say?”

“That’s a good idea! His Highness would surely listen if it came from Holy Lady Ellia.”

Watching them play both sides by themselves made me let out a hollow laugh.

I hardened my expression and slammed the desk as I stood up. Everyone stopped talking and looked up at me.

In that state, I opened my mouth.

“I’m sorry, but I have no intention of doing that.”

“Wh-why not?”

“Because it’s true that His Holiness the Cardinal, no, that bastard Barion is the Seer. Before he disappeared, he confessed that fact to me directly.”

“What…!”

“Th-that can’t be…”

The meeting hall fell silent with shock.

I didn’t add any more words and quietly sat back down.

Then someone spoke up in a thoroughly frightened tone.

“Th-then… what will happen to the Temple from now on?”

“…”

No one could open their mouth to answer that question. I could only feel the sidelong glances stealing looks at me.

Because in this situation with the Cardinal absent, I was the one with the highest authority.

‘Even if you look at me like that, I don’t know what to do either.’

But the moment I showed this, worried gazes would surely pour down on me, so I just kept my mouth shut.

It was while I was inwardly worrying about future matters.

“Holy Lady.”

The meeting hall door opened and Robelina appeared.

Someone let out an uncomfortable cough at having the important meeting interrupted. But Robelina, while reading the room, stubbornly opened her mouth.

“A guest has come to see you.”

“A guest? I’m busy right now, so tell them to come back later…”

“No. I think you should meet with them personally, Holy Lady.”

My eyes widened at Robelina’s firm words.

“Holy Prelate! Don’t you know how important this meeting is right now! This is a gathering to discuss the Temple’s future!”

In an already confusing situation, when Robelina wouldn’t back down, one Cardinal who was thoroughly angry snapped at her.

Even so, Robelina didn’t retreat. She just stubbornly held her ground with a tense face.

That’s when it happened.

“Then I should step forward all the more.”

‘Huh? This voice is…’

Along with a familiar voice, a man walked in. Seeing him, my eyes widened greatly.

The owner of Lebri Village Chapel and the priest who had raised Nein since childhood.

Priest Hamel appeared in the meeting hall.

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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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