Chapter 07
The doll—the woman—said nothing.
“Please say something.”
I was scared.
I really was.
“But I can’t help you unless you do.”
“…”
“Why were you following Liam?”
The moment I said his name after a brief hesitation, the doll reacted for the first time.
“…Li…am.”
“You loved him, didn’t you?”
“…”
“I can tell just by your eyes. You loved him, didn’t you?”
There was resentment in her gaze.
But hidden beneath it, I could still see affection.
“Liam isn’t the kind of person who would commit murder.”
Even in the original novel, he was someone who always acted according to his beliefs.
The doll slowly nodded.
As if to tell me that Liam wasn’t the one who had killed her.
At that moment, the system window, which had been tucked away in the corner of my vision, suddenly expanded.
[A Quest Has Been Created.]
Help the murdered ghost find peace.
Condition 1: Catch the murderer.
Condition 2: Tell Liam how the ghost felt.
Reward: Good Deed Gauge +5
Failure: Chance of death increases.
[Would you like to end the game of hide-and-seek?]
“…Yes.”
I answered with my dry lips.
[‘Creepy Fun Hide-and-Seek’ has been completed!]
[Good Deed Gauge increased by 2.]
[Current Value: 2 / 1000]
[A random special item has been awarded!]
A roulette wheel appeared and spun.
[Congratulations! You obtained <Vision Protection Glasses (Rechargeable)>.]
Effect: Makes extremely scary ghosts appear cute.
Charges using your Fear Level.
‘Oh.’
Fear Level?
For someone as timid as me, this was the perfect item.
* * *
The news that the sleepwalking Saintess had wandered outside and discovered a corpse quickly reached the Pope.
“A corpse?”
“Yes.”
“The Saintess was so shocked that she’s currently resting.”
“So they actually dared to bury a body near the temple.”
The Pope smiled faintly, but his eyes were cold.
The murderer was smarter than expected.
They had probably hidden the body near the temple because they assumed the Imperial Knights would hesitate to conduct a full search around sacred grounds.
“Fortunately, the body hadn’t decomposed much, so we were able to identify the victim.”
Cardinal Michael spoke quietly.
“She was the daughter of Baron Triel, who disappeared three days ago. She was twenty-two years old and engaged, but not yet married.”
“Hm.”
“Shall I investigate further?”
“Perform a thorough autopsy and determine the cause of death.”
“We’ll need to inform her family.”
“Understood.”
Michael hesitated before speaking again.
“Your Holiness.”
“I’ll go see Diane myself.”
“…Yes. She’s in her room.”
The Pope turned to leave, then suddenly looked back at Michael.
“What do children usually like?”
“…Pardon?”
“…Never mind.”
The Pope went down to the kitchen and picked up a handful of sweet candies.
He had heard that Diane enjoyed the lemon candy Liam had given her, so he decided those would do.
Arriving outside the Saintess’s room, he knocked gently.
“Come in…”
Hearing her nasal voice, he opened the door.
Diane was sniffling.
She had probably caught a cold after wandering outside in her pajamas.
Her cheeks were bright red.
The Pope quietly observed her, recalling their unforgettable first meeting yesterday.
She had surprised him with how mature she seemed.
“Achoo!”
The little girl blew her nose into a tissue before nodding off again.
There was no doubt—
She was still only a five-year-old child.
“My goodness. Diane, are you feeling alright?”
The Pope stiffened.
Without realizing it, he’d called her by name.
Calling her “Saintess” all the time suddenly felt awkward.
Fortunately, Diane didn’t seem bothered.
Even after becoming the Saintess, she had shown almost no anxiety.
Instead…
She seemed indifferent to everything.
The Pope didn’t like that.
‘A child should smile without worries.’
He wanted to lift the shadow hanging over Diane.
But he also knew it would take time.
Speaking as gently as possible so she wouldn’t be frightened, he said,
“You seem to have a fever.”
“Your Holiness…”
Diane mumbled.
Her chubby cheeks puffed adorably as she spoke.
‘She needs to eat more.’
To the Pope, she looked painfully thin and fragile.
Still rubbing her sleepy eyes, Diane answered clearly,
“I’m fine.”
“…!”
“It’s only a little fever.”
“The people who lost their family must be hurting much more than I am.”
Her gaze briefly drifted toward the rabbit doll on the table before returning to him.
The Pope glanced at the doll and sighed.
“That’s for me to worry about.”
“What concerns me most is…”
He gently patted her back.
Diane widened her eyes at the sudden touch before slowly relaxing.
“You saw the body yourself.”
“Yes.”
“Weren’t you frightened?”
“…”
Of course she had been.
The Pope immediately regretted asking.
He had only made her remember it again.
“From now on, you should drink some warm milk before bed so you don’t wander around like last night.”
“I’ll also increase the security.”
“I-I’m okay.”
“It won’t happen again.”
“That’s not something you can control.”
“I’ll do better.”
“You don’t have to worry.”
For some reason, his chest felt tight.
He wished this child would rely on him a little more.
“I have one request.”
The moment Diane spoke, the Pope smiled.
It was the smile of someone willing to grant her almost anything.
“You haven’t informed the family yet, have you?”
“They probably received the news this morning.”
“They should be arriving soon.”
“…Can I go too?”
“The funeral?”
The Pope frowned.
“No.”
“You’re too young.”
“It wouldn’t do you any good.”
“I need to confirm something.”
“…”
“Please?”
She looked up at him pleadingly.
The Pope cleared his throat awkwardly before nodding.
“…Very well.”
* * *
So there I was, standing in front of the funeral hall while hugging the haunted rabbit doll.
(It wasn’t as terrifying as before… but it was still scary.)
Soon, carriages began arriving one after another.
The Baroness rushed forward, her eyes swollen from crying.
The Baron supported her while lowering his head.
Even the servants following behind them looked grief-stricken.
“Ah… Aaaah!”
The Baroness couldn’t even stand properly as she cried.
The doll in my arms trembled slightly.
I quietly hugged it tighter.
Even if you don’t say it…
I understand how you feel.
Perhaps my feelings reached her.
The trembling gradually eased.
Behind the Baron and Baroness’s carriage, another carriage arrived.
It was so extravagantly decorated that it looked almost gaudy.
Several knights checked the passengers.
A tall man staggered out.
He had blue hair.
He must have rushed here in a hurry because his hair was messy and his clothes were untidy.
His eyes were swollen red from crying.
Several nobles approached to offer him their condolences.
Then—
“KYAAAAAAAHHH!!”
Startled, I looked down at the doll.
The scream was nothing like before.
It was filled with unbearable rage and sorrow, so loud it felt like it would tear my eardrums apart.
I instinctively reached up to cover my ears.
At that exact moment—
The man climbing the stairs met my eyes.
A chill shot down my spine.
So…
It was you.
You’re the one who killed her.
* * *
“Is… is it true?”
The man cried uncontrollably.
His face was a mess.
“Please…”
“Don’t lie to me.”
“Camilla…”
“Camilla is really dead?”
He collapsed to his knees, sobbing.
The Baroness sank down beside him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders.
Everyone watching looked at him with sympathy and pity.
Everyone…
Except me.
“Your Holiness.”
“Hm? Yes?”
“Just a moment.”
I carefully tugged on the hem of his white robe.
The Pope obediently leaned closer.
“I need to tell you something.”
His deep green eyes flickered.
I wondered what kind of expression I had.
I didn’t have time to care.
“I received a revelation last night.”
“…What?”
“I know who killed Camilla Triel.”
The Pope bent down to my eye level.
I whispered into his ear while pointing toward the man called Gordon.
“It was him.”
[Condition for Peace 1: Catch the murderer.]
[Quest Progress: 10%]
You have identified Gordon Black as the murderer.
Now uncover his crime.
