Chapter 47
“Hurry.”
I firmly pushed the Countess away.
“Saintess…!”
“Gather everyone in the mansion into one room and have them pray to the Guardian Gods. Make sure no one leaves that room. That will be the safest way. Quickly.”
I didn’t forget my final instruction.
The Countess nodded frantically and hurried out of the room.
I locked the door behind her.
[Phew… Being alone is harder than I expected.]
There were other ways I could have handled this.
I could have asked to inspect the room alone.
Or excused myself by saying I needed to use the restroom.
But no matter what excuse I gave, the Countess would probably assign a servant to accompany me.
And with everyone in the mansion focused on me, my ability to erase my presence probably wouldn’t work either.
So I had chosen this dramatic performance instead.
Besides… it’s the perfect way to avoid suspicion.
If I let everyone witness the existence of the evil spirit and then restored peace…
They would only see me as a saint and their savior.
How could they possibly suspect someone like that of having ulterior motives?
It was a second layer of insurance.
Even if the staged attack happened later, I didn’t want anyone suspecting me of theft.
If any suspicious rumors reached the High Priest…
That would be disastrous.
[Lady Agatha, thank you.]
[Oh, don’t thank me. I’m the grateful one.]
[The ledger is in the room next door, right?]
[Yes. But they only just left, so the hallway outside is very chaotic. Everyone’s running around calling for one another and gathering together. It’d be difficult to simply walk out the door.]
[Then what do we do…?]
[There’s a balcony outside. I’ll float you over to the next room.]
[Ah! Great idea.]
That was exactly why I’d chosen this room.
According to my “navigation system”—or rather, the gods—the ledger was in the room directly beside this one.
Without hesitation, I opened the window and stepped onto the balcony.
A massive tree blocked most of the view.
Just in case, I activated my ability to erase my presence before lightly floating across to the neighboring balcony.
The lock on the window was easy enough to deal with using telekinesis.
This feels… like I’m some kind of movie superhero.
[Over here.]
Following Agatha’s directions, I stopped.
A small portrait hung on the wall in front of me.
I removed it and set it aside.
A hidden safe was embedded in the wall behind it.
This… has a triple-lock mechanism.
We already knew the combinations for the two number dials.
The problem was the third lock.
It required an oddly shaped key.
[Can… we really do this?]
I asked nervously.
The gods had only said they thought it would work.
Nothing was guaranteed.
There was no way to test it beforehand.
This really was a gamble.
[Wait a moment. Aegis is…]
Agatha trailed off as if she were consulting someone.
Aegis had once been a legendary defender who never allowed enemies to breach the fortress under his command.
As a result, he had become the god of defense and barriers.
When it came to locks and protective mechanisms…
He was the true expert.
[There’s a problem.]
[What kind of problem?]
[If we apply even the slightest bit too much force… or get the order even a little wrong… the lock will seal itself permanently.]
[What?! Then we can’t do it?]
Who knew when another opportunity like this would come?
Anxiously, I waited for the answer.
[It’s difficult… but he believes we can manage.]
[Our strength has recovered enough.]
[However, Dorothy… once we open the safe…]
[Yes?]
[After that… we won’t be able to use our powers through you anymore.]
[W-What?!]
It felt like a bolt from the blue.
[Then… what about the evil spirit?]
[That part is fine.]
[It’s something that belongs to this world.]
[We simply won’t be able to use our abilities through you.]
[…Hmm.]
I hesitated.
Everything else had already been taken care of.
All I had to do now was retrieve the ledger and leave.
Still…
Losing the gods’ powers was frightening.
But hadn’t I already managed to overcome every obstacle standing before Theodore?
Taking a deep breath, I made my decision.
[Do it.]
[There’s no one outside, right?]
[Right. You should be able to reach the hallway safely.]
[Everyone’s gathered together praying.]
[Okay.]
[Ready? First, turn the dials exactly as I say.]
[Seven… eighteen… two…]
I carefully turned each dial.
My palms were soaked with sweat.
Click…
Click…
After following every instruction, Aegis began his incredibly delicate work.
[Once it’s open, take the fourth book from the top.]
[The fourth one. Don’t forget.]
Together with Agatha’s warning…
A loud clack-clack-clack echoed from inside the lock.
As though an invisible key had been inserted.
A few moments later—
Click.
The safe door opened slightly.
“…!”
Unable to shout for joy, I simply trembled in place.
[We did it!]
“…”
No response.
Just as Agatha had warned…
The gods had exhausted all their strength.
Even our conversation had been cut off.
The sudden silence felt strangely lonely.
And a little frightening.
But this wasn’t the time to dwell on it.
I needed to hurry.
I’d gathered everyone for prayer to divert their attention…
But that wouldn’t last forever.
Focus.
Focus.
I swung the safe open.
Then froze.
It was overflowing with dazzling jewels and stacks of gold bars.
The treasure was unbelievably tempting.
But I forced myself to ignore it.
Instead…
I counted the books.
One.
Two.
Three.
Four.
The fourth book.
The ledger.
Holding it tightly, I quickly began unfastening the buttons of my dress.
I’d always hated wearing a corset.
For the first time in my life…
I appreciated it.
It acted like a rigid wooden board against my body.
Perfect for hiding something flat.
I placed the ledger against the corset and tightly secured it with the cord I’d prepared beforehand.
Then I buttoned my dress back up.
Because the dress was loose-fitting…
The ledger disappeared completely.
“Phew…”
By the time I finished…
I was drenched in cold sweat.
“…Time to go.”
“On my own.”
Taking a deep breath, I grasped the study door.
Without the gods’ powers…
There was no way I could simply float back across the balcony.
I listened carefully.
The hallway outside seemed quiet.
Ordering everyone to gather and pray was definitely the right decision.
Good job, me.
Offering myself a little praise…
I opened the study door.
Carefully poking my head out, I looked both ways.
Thankfully…
No one was there.
I quickly closed the study door and reached for the doorknob of the neighboring room.
“Saintess?”
A voice called out.
What?!
There had been no one there just moments ago.
Cold sweat trickled down my back.
Turning around…
I saw a young maid standing at the top of the stairs.
She looked as though she had just come downstairs.
Did she see me?
Did she see me coming out of the study?
She seemed to have only just arrived.
The chances were probably higher that she hadn’t.
“Oh.”
“What is it?”
Keeping my expression as calm as possible, I answered.
The maid didn’t approach me.
Instead, she spoke from where she stood.
“I-Is it… alright if I come closer?”
“Hm?”
Looking more carefully…
She seemed terrified.
“Y-You just came out of… the room with the evil spirit… didn’t you?”
“Is it… over now?”
She didn’t see!
I couldn’t be absolutely certain…
But unless she happened to be some kind of spy…
She was telling the truth.
If she really was suspicious…
I’d simply ask Agatha to investigate once her powers returned.
I really had been blessed with incredible luck.
“Yes.”
“It’s over.”
“Thank goodness…”
The maid actually staggered with relief.
Judging by her condition…
She must have been inside the room earlier during my horror-movie performance.
“It was so scary…”
I walked over to her.
“I told everyone not to leave.”
“So why are you out here?”
“W-We were all gathered to pray…”
“But someone realized one of the holy statues was missing…”
“The Countess ordered me to fetch it…”
“So I had no choice…”
Sure enough…
She was carrying a statue of Iason, the God of Medicine.
Seriously?
I told everyone not to leave, and she sent this frightened little girl instead?
Countess… that’s awful.
I already knew she treated her servants however she pleased.
But this was excessive.
“I see.”
“You must’ve been frightened.”
“You did very well.”
When I praised her…
She smiled shyly.
“T-Thank you…”
She’s adorable…!
“What’s your name?”
I’d need her name later.
Once Agatha recovered, I wanted to ask whether this maid had actually witnessed anything.
“M-My name is Camille…”
“Camille.”
“What a beautiful name.”
“You were very brave.”
“The blessings of the gods will surely be with you.”
Pretending to bestow a blessing…
I quietly gathered the information I needed.
Afterward, Camille and I headed toward the room where everyone was praying.
Opening the door…
We were greeted by quite a remarkable sight.
“Oh, merciful gods!”
“Please save us!”
“Oh, gods!”
“Please protect the Countess!”
Every single person was praying…
For Charlotte.
That… selfish woman.
Watching everyone continue sacrificing themselves for her until the very end…
I almost felt like not removing the evil spirit after all.
But…
The spirit attached directly to Charlotte was simply too dangerous.
Besides…
I hadn’t eliminated every evil spirit in the mansion.
She’d still suffer a little.
For now…
I walked through the praying crowd toward Charlotte.
“Saintess…!”
It was time to finish everything.
Smiling warmly, I held out my hand.
“I’ve succeeded.”
“The evil spirit has been driven away, Countess.”
“Ah… at last!”
Charlotte grabbed my hand with tears in her eyes and bowed deeply.
“You’ve worked so hard, Saintess.”
“Thank you so much.”
“You’ve even broken into a sweat…”
Actually… that’s cold sweat from nearly getting caught.
But…
There was no way I could explain that.
Well…
If she wanted to misunderstand, that worked in my favor.
Smiling, I shook my head.
“It was simply my duty.”
“Saintess…!”
Don’t be so touched.
Your future is about to turn completely gray.
“And as for the evil spirit attached to you…”
I glanced toward it.
The gods had said their connection to me would be severed.
But evil spirits belonged to this world.
Perhaps…
They could still act.
Sure enough…
The gods were still watching over me somehow.
No sooner had I spoken…
Than the evil spirit behind Charlotte let out a faint cry.
“Ah…”
It drifted away.
Its body gradually faded until it disappeared.
“I’ve sent it away.”
“…My body…”
Charlotte blinked in surprise.
“I feel… lighter somehow.”
The moment the evil spirit left…
Her complexion improved dramatically.
“My head doesn’t feel nearly as heavy anymore!”
“Saintess!”
“Thank you!”
She excitedly turned her head from side to side.
“But, Countess.”
“I have one more thing to tell you.”
“Yes?”
“I’ve driven the evil spirits away.”
“However…”
“They were exceptionally powerful spirits.”
“The mansion is still tainted by lingering evil energy.”
“If you’re not careful…”
“Something terrible may happen.”
I was laying the groundwork for the attack Theodore would stage later.
If the mansion was attacked immediately after the exorcism…
I didn’t want suspicion pointing back at me.
“Haha!”
Charlotte laughed brightly.
“The Saintess has blessed this estate.”
“I’m sure everything will be fine!”
“I’ll simply pray diligently!”
She seemed so delighted simply to feel healthy again…
That she didn’t take my warning seriously.
“…Very well.”
“But please remain cautious.”
“If something happens from this point onward…”
I looked at her meaningfully.
“The gods have said…”
“It will no longer be because of the evil spirit.”
“…What?”
“You must show kindness…”
“To everyone beneath you.”
“To every person who serves you.”
