The Magical Holy Woman Seraphina - Chapter 60

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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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Magic Saint Seraphina
Episode 60
“What happened?”
When I found Arden and Cassian after dropping my Transformation, Arden was standing there looking dazed.
Cassian, gesturing at Arden from a step behind, shook his head.
‘The Magic Saint hugged him and knocked the sense right out of him.’
‘Goodness.’
“Arden, are you all right?”
The Magic Saint didn’t mean anything by it, surely…….
“There must have been circumstances beyond her control…….”
I patted him gently while looking up at his face.
The moment our eyes met, Arden flinched.
“What’s wrong?”
“…It’s nothing.”
“Hm?”
“No, I mean. Rather than that.”
Arden cleared his throat with a soft cough and checked his wristwatch.
“The park will be closing soon.”
“Already?”
“Yes. When closing time comes, they do fireworks over there at the Magic Castle, I’m told.”
“Wow.”
I’ve always had a knack for fireworks. I nodded.
“Arwoof….”
“What? Wondering where Sausage Man went?”
The four of us—including Dubu—found a prime spot with an unobstructed view of the fireworks.
We laid out the Cat-ear Hood that Dubu had received as a memento of his Agility Competition entry, and sat down together on it.
(For the record, Dubu came in dead last.
Hurdles, obstacles—he knocked them all down without so much as sidestepping, went tearing off, then suddenly stampeded into the audience stands demanding to be petted, caused a commotion, his eyes went glassy at the sight of sweet potatoes spectators had brought, he snatched them and gobbled them down, and finally got dragged away by a staff member…….
Sigh.)
People began trickling in around us, having arrived early like we had.
I watched the little children fondly, each of them wearing a small crown on their head.
“Ah, another day passed without incident…….”
I glanced to the side on impulse.
Boom!
Arden’s face, lit crimson by the first burst of light, turned toward me. His luminous jade eyes gazed at me steadily.
Boom! Boom!
Even as brilliant fireworks exploded directly ahead, he paid them no mind—only looked at me.
“…….”
I turned to face the other side.
Cassian was watching me too.
His usual soft, smiling expression was gone, replaced by something faintly strained.
“…….”
After a moment of silence.
I flopped backward onto the hood.
“Ah!”
“Oh!”
Arden and Cassian, suddenly finding themselves looking directly at each other, both frowned.
Boom!
The fireworks that adorned the night sky were beautiful.
* * *
‘They’re alike.’
Though their faces are clearly different.
Their voices are different too.
The way they speak, the habit of stomping their feet when feeling wronged, the way their eyes crinkle when they smile……
‘But their faces are definitely different.’
…Aren’t they?
Lost in confusion, Arden gazed up at the night sky.
Beyond the Magic Castle where fireworks were bursting, a full moon hung bright and clear.
Staring at that moon, for some reason……
‘Lord Arden!’
‘Arden! Hold me!’
Ugh!
Arden shuddered.
* * *
“In the end, I didn’t get any leads on the villain this time either.”
There hadn’t been time to gather any.
The second-floor storage room of the Clothing Shop had practically become a makeshift hideout.
When I opened the tea box that Cassian had brought today, disguised as a courier, Dubu popped out with a bounce.
“Greetings!”
I scratched the crown of Dubu’s head as usual—his fluffy locks still endearingly unkempt—and his fur bristled upright.
Accepting Dubu’s warm body into my arms, I turned to Cassian.
“This won’t do. There has to be some way forward.”
“…….”
“Cassian?”
“…….”
“Cassian!”
What’s wrong with him?
Snap out of it. I grabbed Dubu’s front paws and waved them briskly across Cassian’s face.
“Don’t doze off. Sleep’s for the dead.”
“…Charging.”
“What did you say?”
“Magic Charging. That’s what I mean.”
“Huh?”
What in the world was that? I tilted my head.
Regardless of my bewilderment, Cassian’s expression remained serious.
With a grave look, he spoke.
“Is it possible that…”
“What?”
“…I can’t do it with you?”
“What are you talking about?”
I was scandalized.
So right now, what I’d done was embrace Arden and perform Magic Charging.
And now he’s suggesting we do the same thing—with him?
“Have you lost your mind?”
Dubu squeaked, sounding just as stunned as I was, and I swept my hands frantically across his back.
I was so shocked I needed some animal therapy. I scratched at Dubu’s fur while pressing the matter. “You’re a priest, aren’t you? Does that even make sense?”
“You’re a priest, aren’t you? Does that even make sense?”
An embrace with an unrelated woman!
“You did it with Arden.”
“Arden isn’t a priest! And besides—”
You said you wouldn’t help me!
“Why are you suddenly thinking of devoting yourself to helping?”
Please conduct yourself with proper decorum, Your Eminence!
“You’ve completely lost it!”
I lifted Dubu by the body and pressed him against Cassian’s face. Come to your senses—Dubu’s paws swatted at Cassian’s cheeks with quick, sharp slaps.
Even while being struck, Cassian remained grave.
“…You’re right. I have been strange lately.”
“Strange doesn’t begin to cover it.”
“But the Divine sent you to me through Divine Oracle.”
“…….”
“Then wouldn’t this also be the Divine’s will?”
Cassian looked up and met my eyes directly.
“What is?”
I let out a scoff.
“You devoting your entire being to serve as my charger?”
“…….”
“If that’s the truth, then the Divine must be strange, so you should stop believing in them.”
Stop dwelling on useless thoughts and focus on the work. I added that, handing Dubu back to Cassian’s arms.
As if waiting for this moment, Dubu scrambled up Cassian’s shoulder and neck.
Dubu’s hind legs slid across Cassian’s face as he tried to clamber toward his head.
Staring at Debussy, I suddenly asked him a question.
“Cassian. You said Divine Beasts can disguise themselves as humans, right?”
So is there some way to identify a Divine Beast disguised as human? I asked, and Cassian—still looking dazed—answered me.
“I’ve only ever met Debussy among Divine Beasts, so I don’t know for sure. According to the texts, though……”
“According to the texts?”
“A Divine Beast disguised as human supposedly bears a Mark somewhere on their body.”
“What kind of Mark?”
“A tattoo shaped like an animal’s paw print.”
“Oh.”
A human with jelly-shaped tattoos on their body… that actually sounds kind of cute.
“But why is that?”
“Just… if there are other Divine Beasts besides Debussy, we might run into one someday.”
And then I’d give them a piece of my mind.
How dare they chase away our Debussy?!
“That’s why it’s a jelly-shaped tattoo.”
I nodded and filed that information away carefully in my mind.
“So, what about today?”
Did the Newspaper print another story about me?
I accepted the Newspaper that Cassian had brought.
[The Magic Saint Seraphina Appears Once More!]
Well. As always, I’m front-page news today too.
“The official who mishandled the Crown Prince’s directive to build a theme park of dreams and hope has been dismissed… Oh, look at this!”
[The Three Sisters Nutter, Nifty, and Nutty Make Headlines]
“The Crown Prince apparently sent a personal physician to Nifty!”
So the raccoon was female too.
Three sisters, it seems.
[After the Agility Competition, how many Border Collies were abandoned…
Zero!
On our show “Dogs and Horses,” we plan to monitor until the very end to see who abandons their family members]
“Thank goodness. I was worried.”
[Magic Saint’s Outburst Trending: “Arden, hold me!”]
[Magic Saint Mocks the Inspector Pursuing Her]
[Arden Shares His Feelings After Embracing the Magic Saint: “No Comment”]
“Wait, when did I ever mock anyone……”
And they interviewed Arden about it too?!
Indignant, I flipped through the Newspaper.
My eyes caught on the classifieds section at the very end.
-Seeking a groom in his twenties; I’m in my sixties
-Will buy anything with Rozena’s signature on it
-Looking for new members for the Magic Saint Research Club
-A hidden gem serving Eastern Kingdom traditional half-half chicken!
All manner of advertisements crowded together.
“This one.”
I ran my finger along the tiny print in the very last line of the classifieds.
“Look at this.”
I turned the Newspaper toward Cassian.
“Isn’t this… the… Phantom… Lady?”
“…Do you really have to emphasize every single syllable like that?”

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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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