episode_0051
by fnovelpiaPriest Camilla opened his eyes.
A strange ceiling, strange air, strange sensations.
Everything she saw before her eyes was unfamiliar. Her eyes rolled around.
“… Here.”
This place, where everything was pure white, was clearly a hospital room. She slowly got up from her bed.
“Ugh… .”
Priest Camilla grimaced. Her body ached here and there. It felt as if needles were poking every joint in her body.
She rubbed her arms and legs for a moment, then soon became troubled with a serious expression on her face.
What on earth happened before she was admitted to the hospital? She couldn’t remember a thing.
The last memory that comes to mind is waking up at dawn… .
“… time, clock.”
Suddenly, something caught Priest Camilla’s eye. She stared blankly at it.
The thing hanging in the sickroom was a wall clock that could be seen anywhere. For a moment, Father Camilla was gripped by an indescribable fear.
She covered her ears and squeezed her eyes shut.
‘Please… . Please… .’
The ticking of a clock. The sound of the hands turning. I was afraid that I would hear that sound. No, I thought I was going crazy.
“… … .”
Despite the priest Camilla’s worries, he couldn’t hear anything except the sound of his ears being muffled by his palms.
Father Camilla slowly opened his eyes. The pure white hospital room appeared again.
The sounds that seemed like they would turn away were no longer heard. Only a calm silence lingered in the hospital room.
Priest Camilla was so relieved by that.
“Ha, haha… .”
She released the tension from her tense body. Like a doll with its strings cut, her body tilted over the bed.
“Seu… . S… .”
Priest Camilla was able to fall into the most comfortable sleep she had ever had since coming to the Chaldean Imperial Academy.
* * * * *
Ding— ding—.
The sound of a bell filled the classroom. It was the bell that signaled the end of class.
“That’s all for today’s class.”
I gathered up the teaching materials I had brought. I felt comfortable walking out of the classroom with my bag containing all the theological books and the Bible.
It was a bag that Deacon Sophia had given me as a gift. Even though I stubbornly refused, she forced me into her arms, saying that it was a gift she had bought with her first paycheck.
Last time, the day I spoke with Father Matthew.
The reason why Deacon Sophia, who had been out for a walk with me, hurriedly returned to the professor’s office was to prepare a surprise gift for me.
“Chief Priest. You worked hard today.”
Deacon Sophia came up to me. I nodded and opened my mouth to her.
“Deacon Sophia, thank you for your hard work.”
“Today’s class was also well-received. While maintaining the secrecy of the exorcism ceremony, the important essence related to demonology was not obscured.”
“Is that so?”
“The students’ reactions are also good. Recently, I heard that the head priest’s reputation at the academy has been rising significantly?”
“That’s too much praise.”
While we were chatting about this and that, we walked towards the restaurant. Deacon Sophia, who had been chattering away right next to me, suddenly started to fuss, saying that something had occurred to her.
“Oh, right! By the way, I got a call from the Earth Hospital.”
“… Are you awake?”
Deacon Sophia nodded. I stopped walking towards the restaurant.
“When did you wake up?”
“Um… So… I heard that he just regained consciousness yesterday.”
“… … .”
“Why are you like that?”
Deacon Sophia looked at me with a questioning expression. I looked at her for a moment, then waved my hand as if it was nothing.
“I was thinking of going to visit the sick person.”
Deacon Sophia looked surprised. Her attitude was a bit questionable.
“Why are you making that face?”
“… I thought that if he was the head priest, he wouldn’t come to visit the sick.”
“What kind of person do you think I am?”
“A cold-blooded, narrow-minded person to everyone?”
“… … .”
I quickly picked up where I had stopped. This time, I didn’t take into consideration the stride of the short Deacon Sophia, and just walked forward with my eyes wide open.
“Okay, wait a minute! Cancel! I’ll cancel!”
“Who are you? Do you know me?”
“Really…! You’re saying that? Please adjust your stride!”
“I’m a narrow-minded person, so I don’t know how to be considerate like that.”
“I’m sorry! I’m really sorry, please!”
I felt the other students’ gazes on me. I ignored them and continued walking.
It’s not that I’m being childish, but it’s that Deacon Sophia doesn’t notice my consideration hidden in everyday life and I feel resentful. Thinking that way, I try to calmly shake off Deacon Sophia who’s following me breathlessly.
“… What are you two doing?”
Professor Esther looked at me with puzzled eyes.
I slowly shortened my stride. Deacon Sophia caught up with me in no time, and grabbed my sleeve, panting.
“Heck…! Heek…! This, this childish way…!”
“Nothing happened. Let’s go get something to eat.”
Professor Esther’s gaze was a little harsh.
* * * * *
“Father Camilla. Good morning.”
The nurse greeted him with a bright smile. There was no answer from Father Camilla.
“… … .”
The nurse pursed her lips at the sight of Priest Camilla just blankly staring into space.
After Priest Camilla regained consciousness, she was reluctant to talk to other people, including the doctors and nurses at the hospital.
The only exception was the priest Peter, who also regained consciousness.
After asking for some time alone with Father Peter, he said he wanted to talk to him for a moment.
From that moment on, Priest Camilla became silent.
“Father Camilla. Today, there are people who want to visit me. How do you… .”
“… … .”
Visitation? Was there anyone at the Chaldea Imperial Academy who would come to visit her in the hospital?
At least, it didn’t exist in Priest Camilla’s memory. Priest Camilla looked at the nurse with a questioning expression. Her dry lips trembled.
“… Who.”
“Yes?”
“Who is here?”
“Ugh… . Two people came. The head priest of the Academy’s main church and the deacon.”
The priest Camilla’s eyes wavered slightly. The nurse could not capture the image, but she could tell that the priest Camilla was a little shaken.
“What should I do…?”
“… … .”
Priest Camilla bit her lip and looked thoughtful, then slowly turned her head. Her gaze, as always, was directed to the window right next to the bed.
“Please let me in.”
“Okay. Who would you like to meet first?”
“… Can’t both of them come in?”
“If you become noisy, it may bother other patients, so please enter only one at a time.”
Deacon Camilla nodded reluctantly and called Deacon Sophia’s name.
“Please let Deacon Sophia in first.”
The nurse replied that she understood and left the room. In the quiet room, Father Camilla just stared out the window in silence.
Unlike the view of the academy outside the window, Priest Camilla’s mind was in disarray.
Priest Lucio Antonelli. He was a person that Fr. Camilla did not want to meet yet. It was not only because she remembered the outrageous remarks he had made to him.
– It is said that Father Antonelli personally performed the exorcism.
The words that Father Peter spat out weakly. Those words stuck in her head and wouldn’t leave her mind.
If we ever meet, what should I say?
Should I express my gratitude? Or should I apologize for my past mistakes?
It wasn’t just that alone that had Camilla Priestly in a state of confusion. There was something else she was worried about.
She was embarrassed to look at the face of her superior, Father Antonelli. That was the biggest reason why her mind was in turmoil.
A priest sent by the Vatican was possessed. And he was the one who came to exorcise the demons.
It was a more pitiful sight than I could have imagined. She herself seemed so useless.
“Father Camilla.”
Suddenly, a clear and youthful voice tickled Priest Camilla’s ears. She slowly turned her head.
“Do you remember me?”
“… Deacon Sophia.”
“Hehehe. You remember.”
“Please sit here.”
“Oh, no. I’m going out soon.”
Just like when they first met, she still had that bright smile on her face. Father Camilla tried hard to avoid her face.
I heard from Father Peter that Deacon Sophia also participated in the exorcism.
“… Sorry.”
“Yes?”
“I’m sorry for showing you such a pitiful appearance. It was my job to do it… .”
He had just graduated from the priestly academy and had not been ordained a deacon for long. He was younger than Father Camilla.
The exorcism is by no means easy. You must have seen many ugly things, and even things you didn’t want to see. Father Camilla felt guilty about this and couldn’t bear it.
I felt guilty for having placed such a difficult burden on such a young and energetic person.
As if reading the mind of Father Camilla, Deacon Sophia stared at her for a moment and then opened her mouth.
“… I’m okay.”
“Wasn’t it hard?”
“Hmm… If I said it wasn’t hard, I’d be lying, right?”
Deacon Sophia smiled broadly. Father Camilla bit his lips tightly.
“Still… . I was okay. I am okay now, and I will be okay in the future.”
“That’s… .”
“Father Camilla.”
Deacon Sophia looked at Father Camilla. Those eyes were firm and straight. Father Camilla could only stare blankly at those eyes. Had he ever seen such eyes in person?
“Please tell the priest that you are more grateful than me.”
“… What is that.”
“The person who suffered the most was the head priest.”
Deacon Sophia’s expression looked somewhat bitter. Father Camilla could not ask why.
“Okay, I’ll be going now. I hope you get well soon.”
As soon as she entered, Deacon Sophia quickly disappeared from sight.
After Deacon Sophia left, Father Camilla pulled the blanket over his head.
The person coming in now is, probably… .
‘Father Antonelli…’
Now, she was the person she least wanted to meet. She had the hardest time during the exorcism. Deacon Sophia clearly said so.
Knock knock—.
The sound of the door opening. Priest Camilla’s body trembled.
Step, step.
The sound of hard footsteps reached her ears. As she listened to the footsteps getting closer, Father Camilla swallowed dryly.
I desperately wanted to pretend I was sleeping and leave the hospital room.
Squeak. Thud.
To her dismay, she heard someone sitting on the chair next to the bed.
“Camilla Priest.”
A familiar voice is heard. Father Camilla slowly lowers the blanket.
“… Father Antonelli.”
It was Father Antonelli. As usual, he glanced at Father Camilla with his indifferent eyes, and his gaze pricked her body like needles.
“How is your body?”
Father Antonelli asked casually. Father Camilla answered, trying to control her trembling voice.
“Gwae, I think it’s okay. I’m a little out of my mind, but… .”
“Thank goodness.”
“Yes… .”
An awkward silence followed. Father Camilla felt like running out of the sickroom.
She took a deep breath for a moment, then mustered up her courage and opened her mouth.
“Your Majesty, the Chief Priest.”
“Yes.”
“I’m sorry… .”
After hearing Priest Camilla’s apology, he furrowed his eyebrows for a moment.
“It’s okay.”
He answered as if nothing had happened. It was still an indifferent answer.
Priest Camilla thought he had not accepted her apology. Just as she was about to open her mouth to apologize again,
“I have news to tell you.”
The head priest Antonelli struck the player. Her squeaking mouth immediately closed.
“The Holy See sent a letter.”
“In the Vatican…?”
Father Antonelli nodded. Father Camilla bowed her head.
I am afraid of what kind of punishment he might have received. He might even have been excommunicated. Father Camilla’s eyes became moist.
In front of her, an official document sent directly from the Vatican was presented.
“Read it. It’ll be quicker than explaining it in words.”
“… … .”
Priest Camilla read the official document blankly. It contained unbelievable content.
Priest Camilla and Priest Peter. The fact that the exorcism of the two failed and that they were possessed by demons is ignored and this fact is strictly kept silent.
And, the phrase written on the very last line.
– Silence is golden, and a holy tongue is a blessing from the Lord.
There was no way that Father Camilla, who was affiliated with the Vatican, could not have been unaware of the meaning of this sentence. Father Camilla looked at Father Antonelli with a bewildered expression.
“This, this is… .”
“Is there anything strange?”
“Here… . This means… .”
“… Ah.”
His face took on a bitter expression, then quickly became expressionless again.
“No big deal.”
“… How is this not something special?”
“This is the decision of the Holy See. Do not question it.”
Father Antonelli snatched the official document from Father Camilla’s hand. Father Camilla stared at him blankly.
What filled her head was one question.
‘…why?’
He performed an exorcism for the demon possessed person, visited him in the hospital, and did not even receive a reward for successfully completing the exorcism. However, Father Antonelli did not think much of it.
Priest Camilla didn’t understand it.
In fact, if you think about it from a common sense perspective, punishing evil is something that should be done. In a place where demons are walking around the academy, a priest who knows how to perform exorcisms is pretending not to know about it? That was impossible.
However, Father Camilla had some sense of shame. She herself did not forget the question she had inadvertently asked Father Antonelli.
– Why on earth, when Father Helena was dying right before his eyes, didn’t Father Antonelli do anything?
Kwak—.
Without realizing it, my hands tightened. The quilt on the hospital bed in her hands was distorted and unsightly.
“Why on earth… .”
Why did he sacrifice so much for Father Camilla and Father Peter? She wondered.
“Why are you doing this…?”
Father Antonelli looked at her, looking a little surprised.
Even the priest Camilla herself was surprised. However, her mouth began to move wildly out of control.
“Why… . Why are you doing this? I said some harsh things to the head priest… . What do you get out of this?”
“… … .”
“Answer, please… .”
His lips twitched. His eyes, looking at Priest Camilla, were not the usual indifferent ones.
“… That’s.”
There were many emotions. Regret, regret, sadness, relief… all condensed into one emotion.
“I don’t know either.”
“What—.”
“Why do things you don’t have to do for other people?”
Why do you sacrifice so much for others? Why do you insist on doing things that you don’t have to do?
“… I don’t know yet either.”
As he spoke, the eyes of Father Antonelli were looking far out the window.
Priest Camilla had no answer.
Likewise, other than just staring blankly out the window.
There was no answer. That was it.
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