episode_0016
by fnovelpiaThe back of the chair gently reclined. I rested my head on the neckrest and, out of habit, took out the cigarette in my bosom.
“Sigh… .”
Memories of the two-day weekend I spent sleeping soundly until yesterday came to mind. I remember a few times when I burst into tears and threw a fit, clinging to Deacon Sophia and venting my frustrations.
Besides that, I have another embarrassing memory.
When I wake up early in the morning, I remember Deacon Sophia curled up in her blanket and sleeping soundly. She would sometimes call my name and hug my waist tightly while sleeping soundly.
I seriously wondered if I had done this while having a seizure, but I was able to rest assured when Deacon Sophia, who had just woken up, waved her hand in confusion.
‘Oh, oh…? I was sleeping on the sofa… .’
It was past early spring and into full-blown spring. Perhaps it was because of the chilly night air. Fortunately, it was fortunate that it passed as a minor incident.
However, Deacon Sophia, who had been caring for me and was truly worried about me, showed me a pitiful appearance.
Of course, it was a shameful thing to do, and it was a nuisance. I feel really sorry for Deacon Sophia, who couldn’t even get a proper rest because she had to take care of me all weekend.
This was also the reason why Deacon Sophia was not in the professor’s office today. She looked tired at first glance, so I told Deacon Sophia to get some rest today.
“… I guess I need to get another prescription.”
I muttered, rubbing my temples. I had heard from Mr. Moritz that taking any more medicine was dangerous. But… .
“I have to live long… .”
– So, Father Lucio, please promise me one thing.
“… … .”
The reason why that promise comes to mind now of all times.
The reason why I remember saying that I knew like an idiot is because of that.
Don’t do that. Didn’t you promise me? You have to see your students graduate. Perhaps, that’s what he’s advising me to do.
That’s what I thought.
I took off my glasses, threw them carelessly on the desk, and washed my face dry.
“Puhhhh… .”
Now I don’t know. I just laughed. Maybe it’s because I look so pitiful and miserable. I sighed as I thought of a boring joke that the reason I have so many random thoughts today is because it’s Monday.
“What do you want me to do?”
I smoked a cigarette. When I get lost in such thoughts, I miss the bitter mint scent. I took out the matchbox and put it away.
As my doctor, Dr. Moritz, said, I decided not to ask for the medication I was previously prescribed.
I’d better find some healthier ways to improve my mental state, because I still have reasons to stay alive.
My shoulder was still okay. According to Mr. Moritz, it was still recovering very slowly.
… No. It might have been a little more damaged because I used my divine power too much last time.
“After… . I don’t know.”
He lit the cigarette again, but the capsule still hadn’t burst.
He just kept smoking. The cigarette, which he hadn’t lit or popped, didn’t smell like mint. He took out the matchbox he’d just put away and twirled it around with his fingers, staring blankly at the ceiling for a while.
“… What are you doing?”
Suddenly, Professor Esther’s face came into view. I slowly took the cigarette out of my mouth.
“Professor Esther. When did you come?”
“Just now. I knocked several times, but you didn’t say anything.”
“… Sorry. I had to think for a moment.”
When I apologized, Professor Esther smiled awkwardly and waved her hand.
“Oh, no. It’s okay. More than that… How are you feeling?”
Professor Esther sat down in the reception chair across from the desk. I looked at her without saying anything. Then, Professor Esther slowly avoided my gaze.
Come to think of it, Professor Esther saw it all, from the time my right arm trembled to the time I fainted.
“Well, it’s okay. For now.”
“Now… . How was your weekend? I heard that Deacon Sophia took care of you… .”
“… How do you know that?”
Professor Esther twirled her navy blue hair with her fingers. Then, looking a little embarrassed, she lowered her head and said.
“Actually, after Professor Lucio fainted like that… I was a little worried, so I went to visit him in the hospital.”
“Is that what you mean by…?”
I don’t remember that. Could it be that you came to me while I was having another seizure and I don’t remember?
When I looked a little embarrassed, Professor Esther smiled faintly and said.
“Yes. I went to visit him with my students, but no matter how many times I knocked on the door, there was no response… . I thought he might be asleep, so I just went back… .”
“… … .”
“This morning, I happened to meet Deacon Sophia. She took care of me all weekend… .”
Fortunately, it seemed like he had just visited me when I was about to pass out. I sighed in relief. Then, Professor Esther suddenly became very excited and came close to me.
“More than that, Professor Lucio. Listen.”
“Yes, I’m listening.”
“This incident happened at the academy, and if an emergency situation arises while you are on duty, it is the rule to take action and then report it, right?”
“Is that so?”
When I asked back, Professor Esther looked at me with a dumbfounded expression.
“No, Professor Lucio. Professor Andres handed over the job to you back then… .”
“I’m sorry. My head is still spinning.”
“Ahh… . Right. I’m the one who’s sorry. I didn’t think of that.”
“No. Anyway, what did you do?”
“So, I went to speak to President Damien earlier? So… .”
I fiddled with my cigarette pack while waiting for Professor Esther to speak. I felt like smoking, but I didn’t feel like smoking in front of her.
“The president was so shocked that he started making a fuss about how he would formally protest to the Holy Land this time!”
“Are you saying this all of a sudden?”
“Yes! So, I was surprised and stopped the president. It was the first time I saw him so angry. Why did he suddenly get angry?”
“Um… .”
It’s the Holy Land. I’ve certainly witnessed the evil aura of a being similar to a demon, and it’s only right that the Holy Land take action when such a monstrous being appears.
But there was something else that really puzzled me.
“Why did President Damien suddenly get so angry?”
“I don’t know! So, I made a guess on my own… . Could it be that the ghost that appeared at that time was the first parish priest, Giovanni?”
“Are you talking about Father Giovanni? But that’s just a rumor… .”
“If it’s not a rumor?”
I looked at Professor Esther in silence. Her purple eyes, which had become very serious, were sparkling. It seemed as if Professor Esther had also become immersed in the Occult Research Club.
“… Certainly, if the rumor is true… . The priests who were supposedly from the Holy Land a long time ago have been acting suspiciously, so I am a little suspicious. ”
“Could it be that the priests dispatched at that time murdered Father Giovanni?”
“That doesn’t make sense. If you do that, you won’t be able to set foot in the Holy Land.”
In the criminal law of the Holy Land, which is particularly sensitive to murder among the crimes that a human being can commit, a priest killing a priest is considered a mortal sin.
The basic punishment is life imprisonment without parole, and in severe cases, they may be treated like heretics, witches, or devil worshippers and be burned at the stake.
“The Bible even describes how someone who murdered a priest was skinned, pickled in seawater for two weeks, and then thrown to be fed to wild animals.”
“… That’s a little scary.”
“What’s even scarier is that the laws of the Holy Land apply worldwide.”
To put it simply, all information about the criminal, including his identity, will be leaked, and a search warrant will be issued worldwide. It’s similar to a real-life Interpol search warrant.
“Well, anyway… The president was really angry.”
“If you just listen to the story… . The priesthood is certainly suspicious… . It’s better to think of ghost stories as ghost stories.”
“I guess so? What the… !”
Professor Esther stood up from her chair with a flourish. As I stared blankly at her, Professor Esther tilted her head and asked.
“What are you doing? You’re not getting up.”
“Yes?”
“You should go eat! You’ll regret it if you don’t eat today’s lunch menu, right?”
“… Yes. Let’s go.”
I stood up and followed Professor Esther. I put the cigarettes and matches back in my bosom. We left the professor’s office like that.
As soon as I left the professor’s office, Professor Esther opened her mouth in surprise as if she had forgotten.
“Oh, right! Get out of my mind! By the way, the president was looking for Professor Lucio?”
“… Are you talking about me?”
“Yes. He asked me to come after I finished lunch.”
“… … .”
Although I had a bad feeling about it, I couldn’t help but nod my head with a dubious expression.
* * * * *
Knock knock.
I knocked carefully. Then I heard a familiar voice I had heard before.
– Come in.
Squeak—.
As I pushed open the heavy door with both hands, an antique room appeared before my eyes.
The furniture doesn’t look much different from the professor’s office, but the size of the room itself is different. Suddenly, a cool breeze coming in through the window tickled my hair. My eyes turned to it.
A white porcelain-like flowerpot in front of the window caught my eye. It was impressive to see a tree of a size suitable for growing indoors growing there.
“Haha… . Welcome. I’ve been waiting.”
And in front of him stood an old man with a well-groomed mustache, holding a pair of landscaping shears. I bowed my head slightly.
“President Damien. You said you were looking for me.”
“You’ve come to the right place. And I’m sorry to greet you like this.”
“If you are busy, I will come see you later.”
“Hehehe… . No. I was going to finish it up anyway. Ah, first, sit down. ”
I nodded and sat down on the reception sofa in the middle of the president’s office. President Damien began to prune branches with landscaping shears.
It seemed that General Damien’s hobby was growing plants. The way he worked so hard to grow trees reminded me of a kind-hearted old man from a rural village.
A moment later, General Damien, who had finished his delicate work, looked at the tree with a proud expression.
“I’ve been getting more and more interested in it lately. What do you think? Isn’t it pretty?”
“The green color is nice to look at.”
“Hehehe… . Even empty words are appreciated. Oh my… .”
President Damien took off his slightly muddy gloves and put the landscaping shears in a drawer. He then sat down on the upper seat of the sofa and groaned.
“Yes. Thank you for coming. Professor Antonelli. By the way, look at my mind… . You should have brought me a cup of tea instead.”
“No, it’s okay.”
“Ugh… Really? I guess our Professor Antonelli knows that this old man is not very good at making tea! Hahaha! ”
President Damien, who had been laughing heartily, soon stopped laughing and let out a sigh.
“Hoo… Professor Antonelli, are you from the Holy Land?”
“Not me, my father was from Seongguk.”
“Oh… . I see. I see.”
Director Damien nodded slightly and continued speaking with a slightly dark expression.
“Because of that incident this time… I’m a little upset. Do you already know that?”
“… Yes. Professor Esther told me.”
“Ahem… . Well, I can’t say specifically why I’m angry… . A long time ago, there was something related to Seongguk at our academy, and Seongguk handled it a bit complacently. ”
“Is that so?”
“The reason our students were almost in danger this time was because Seongguk handled things a little too laxly… . I guess I got angry without realizing it. Tell Professor Esther I’m sorry.”
“Yes. I will tell you separately.”
“Hehehe… . Okay.”
President Damien stroked his beard for a moment. I waited silently for his next words.
“Anyway, Professor Antonelli. Listen to me carefully.”
“I’m listening.”
“This incident… . So, let’s call it the finger incident. That finger… . Where is it now?”
General Damien’s eyes narrowed. I swallowed hard.
“I’m keeping it. I think it’s related to something a little bit unclean.”
“… Yes. I feel relieved that Professor Antonelli is keeping it. But, Professor Antonelli.”
General Damien looked at me with his eerie glowing eyes. I clenched my fists, hidden under the table.
“That thing is really… . a very dangerous thing.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. And I want to protect everyone in our Chaldea Imperial Academy. No, I absolutely must.”
“I understand.”
“Yes. And I’m going to use this incident as an excuse to send that damn finger to the Holy Land.”
President Damien seemed genuinely, truly angry. More specifically, angry that his students, his professors, and even the Academy itself had been briefly threatened.
“I sent a letter to the Holy Nation. If you have any conscience or shame, take away this damn thing that dared to threaten the Academy, burn it, or purify it. ”
“… … .”
“I will never let this happen again. At least, I will make sure that it never happens again while I am in the president’s chair. I don’t have much patience.”
Crunch…!
The armrests of the wooden sofa crumbled under the grip of General Damien.
Indeed, it seemed to be true that he had once been a promising combat science professor. I quickly looked away, sweat dripping down my face.
“Hoo… I’m sorry for showing you such an ugly appearance.”
“No.”
“So, Professor Antonelli. More than that… . I have one favor to ask.”
President Damien smiled faintly. Then he got up from the sofa and walked over to his desk.
“Where did I put it… . Aha. Here it is.”
After searching through his desk for a moment, Dean Damien returned to his seat and handed me a letter. I stared at it blankly, then took it without thinking.
It was a very high-quality paper. For some reason, it felt like it had a sacred aura, and at the very bottom was the Pope’s seal… .
“… What, what is this?”
“Hehehe… Actually, I wrote the letter a bit too aggressively… . I had a fight with Seongguk. He told me to come and deal with it. Then, this morning, this letter arrived.”
“Oh, no. This is… .”
It was a letter from the Holy See. And it seemed to have been written in the Pope’s own handwriting.
It was a letter full of all sorts of exaggerations, but to summarize, it said that a trustworthy priest had been dispatched, so don’t worry and wait.
“What… . But since someone is coming to do the training, shouldn’t we provide hospitality while the priest is staying here?”
“Yes.”
“To be honest, I don’t know much about the etiquette of the Holy Land or how to treat priests… . It’s a little awkward. I feel a little bad about saying this, but if something unpleasant happens, it’s a little awkward… .”
“… Yes.”
“So, I would like our Professor Antonelli to do that job… . Oh, and of course, we will pay you extra compensation.”
In short, this is it. Keep an eye on the priests dispatched from the Holy Land, and if they do anything suspicious, come and tell me right away.
“… … .”
It wasn’t that hard. Dealing with a priest was easy. But why do I feel so uneasy…?
When I didn’t answer for a long time, President Damien leisurely sat down on the sofa, smiled, and took a cigarette out of his pocket.
“Do you smoke?”
“Yes, I smoke.”
“Here, let’s have a smoke.”
Director Damien, who was handing me a pack of cigarettes, looked at it carefully. And I felt it instinctively.
If you accept a cigarette here, you are complying with President Damien’s request, and if you refuse, you are also rejecting President Damien’s request.
I stared at the cigarette for a moment, then quickly pushed it away. President Damien looked a little disappointed.
“Uh… Was that too much to ask?”
“No, sir.”
“… Huh?”
I took my cigarette out of my pocket. It was a minty cigarette, my favorite.
“I only smoke this cigarette.”
“… Hahahaha—!”
President Damien, who laughed heartily, took a cigarette. I also took a cigarette in my mouth. It was the cigarette I had put back in front of Professor Esther a moment ago.
I lit a cigarette for President Damien, and then I lit mine. President Damien took a deep drag on his cigarette and said,
“Sup… Anyway, please take care of it. Professor Antonelli. Whether the Holy Land side says they will take it or purify it. So that there is no more damage to the Academy.”
“Yes. I will do my best to make sure that it doesn’t cause any harm to the Academy.”
“Whew… . As expected, I guess I’m good at judging people.”
We laughed quietly, exhaling cigarette smoke.
It was a moment of decision on what to do with my finger, which was quite a headache.
And I, too, was in agreement with the idea of making sure that the students of the Academy were not put in danger.
Because I intend to keep that promise no matter what happens.
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