Chapter 43
Chapter 43
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 43
Chapter Title: Why Is This Happening? (2)
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The Saintess's statue.
It was a monument commemorating the Saintess who had sacrificed her body to end the Continental War.
This place, located in the church's headquarters in the Empire, was also a holy site visited by many people.
Beneath it, priests lined up and passed by.
"Receiving an oracle all by himself... Heh heh... Really..."
"Even Klein, who knows oracles better than anyone..."
It was the hot gossip among the high priests these days.
"Even His Holiness the Pope wouldn't permit it, but an oracle is an oracle."
"And the preparations are so arduous."
They chattered on endlessly about the theme of 'how grand and magnificent an oracle is.'
Mixed in were their own experiences of striving to receive oracles.
And not far from them, Klein walked alone.
Seeing them boast proudly about their past hardships, Klein let out a hollow laugh.
"Ridiculous."
Since when had the priests' hardships become something to be praised like that?
Priests were supposed to shoulder the dirty work without hesitation and sacrifice their bodies.
Klein couldn't hide his bitterness at the behavior of these so-called high priests.
'How did scum like that come to infest the church...'
From Klein's position, it was something he couldn't help but lament.
The priests' conversation topic shifted again.
This time, to mocking Klein with absurd stories.
"Heh heh..."
To speak in such loud voices in broad daylight with people around.
And the fact that it was about him made it all the more embarrassing.
Klein averted his gaze from the apprentice priests who greeted him with equally embarrassed faces.
He could guess what they were thinking without even needing to hear it.
"Was Hans telling the truth...?"
He had received an absurd message from Hans.
It said that his Master would be the talk of people's mouths, so be careful.
If it hadn't claimed that this was the oracle Chris received, he wouldn't have snapped.
Naturally, Klein hadn't believed it.
Oracles didn't descend with such frivolous content.
"..."
Yet, like a lie, those words had become reality.
It started the moment he returned to the church and brought up Chris.
Sneering remarks came frequently, and even if not sneers, it was hard to hear anything positive.
Klein understood it well.
He would have reacted the same if he hadn't seen it with his own eyes.
Swipe -
Moving to a quiet spot, Klein pulled a crystal orb from his bosom.
He had things to check before entering the meeting.
Soon, a voice emanated from the crystal orb.
- Yes, Master.
Hearing Hans's voice, Klein's eyebrow twitched.
"I heard you're at the palace. Separated from Chris, I see."
- That's...
Hans's feeble excuse continued.
- When I came to, I was in the palace.
"..."
- Lord Parmon said he needed a witness, so he...
Klein’s stiff expression softened.
If it was something his friend had done, there must be a reason.
Hans couldn't have stopped Parmon, so there was no point in scolding him.
"Help with whatever he says is needed."
- Yes, Master.
"Any progress on the soul that became a Wraith..."
Mid-sentence, Klein turned his head and shut his mouth.
At the same time, the voice from the crystal orb cut off abruptly.
"I didn't know you had a hobby of eavesdropping."
"You seem to have many worries in various ways, Lord Klein."
"Heh..."
Klein’s expression soured as he faced the priest.
Berte.
A noble from a fallen kingdom.
One who had abandoned his noble title to live for the gods.
But sharper on profits than any priest.
"Still wandering around doing useless things."
"Someone has to do it. I can't shy away from the hard work."
Berte replied with a gentle expression.
To anyone watching, it was the epitome of a humble priest.
But Klein knew better than anyone what kind of person Berte was.
"Don't talk about hardships. If you liquidated half your wealth, your 'hardships' would halve."
Berte laughed it off and subtly added,
"Just in case, but the opinion you submitted won't be accepted, Lord Klein."
Klein’s sole proposal was this:
Root out the Necromancers' forces before they could fully activate.
Dispatch Holy Knights and priests to aid the Empire.
Despite the urgency, it had been blocked by their opposition.
"What do you whelps, who barely started walking after the Continental War, know to spout such nonsense?"
As he brushed past Berte, Klein muttered lowly.
"Always remember I'm watching you."
His friends had retired to comfortable lives—why was he the only one suffering?
Suddenly, a voice flashed through Klein's mind.
- The castle walls that should stay still keep wandering, causing problems...
It was what Chris had called an oracle.
If he lived like that, could he spend his later years in peace?
Could the church be filled with proper clergy?
Klein offered a prayer toward the Saintess's statue and turned away.
"5 silver... So different from Berte's greed."
According to Hans, Chris was at the center of the incident.
And only Chris could resolve their curse.
"If I could just bring that guy here... it might proceed smoothly..."
"My tooth really broke."
"...You don't have to show me."
I remembered this uncle.
He was the one who had grabbed me last time when I was busy and begged for a divination.
"I told you to be careful with your food."
It was pretty gross seeing him gape his mouth wide to show me his broken molar.
He didn't need to show it.
"Is there no way to make it grow back?"
"...You shouldn't come to me for that."
I'm a fortune teller, not a dentist.
And human teeth don't regrow once they're gone.
"If I divine it, maybe a way for your tooth to grow will appear?"
"No such thing! Next!"
People like this are everywhere.
Do they think divination is all-powerful...?
I stopped the uncle as he tried to put 5 coppers in the money box.
"I didn't even read your fortune—why put in the offering? Just go."
After making me stare at his molar, now he tries to pay...?
I should only take offerings after a proper reading.
The next person to sit was an auntie.
I could tell at a glance why she was here.
"Auntie, you're destined to live alone, right?"
"...How did you know?"
"It shows."
She had terribly bad luck with men.
Unless she met exactly the right person, she'd live alone forever.
No signs of even meeting someone.
"Hmm..."
As I pondered giving her a talisman, an unexpected remark came from the auntie.
"Actually, I've been seeing someone lately..."
"...Pardon? That can't be?"
"...That stings a bit."
No way she could meet a man with that fate.
I felt no romantic connections around her.
"Ah, I get it."
A man clinging to her despite her fate.
Something clicked.
"Auntie, you're rich, aren't you?"
"How did you...?"
Curious glances came from around us.
This wasn't from divination.
Her clothes screamed wealth—how could I not notice?
"That guy's after your money."
"...My money?"
"Yeah. Keep seeing him, and you'll take a big loss."
Some people argue when I say this.
Your lover's after your wealth—who wouldn't get mad?
Flipping the mat over wouldn't be strange.
But divination doesn't explain the full story easily.
How exactly he'll go after the wealth is something to watch and see.
"..."
The auntie's silence stretched.
She seemed deep in thought.
The crowd anticipated a fight, maybe.
But that wouldn't happen.
This auntie had very thin ears—easily swayed.
"Now that you mention it, you're right."
Admiration erupted around us.
"Whoa...!"
"That's what they mean by skilled."
"Truly skilled."
Anyway, that was it for her—no more fortunes coming up.
"Next!"
"Wait!... Am I doomed to live alone forever?"
"Hmm..."
She looked quite desperate.
Fixing a fate isn't easy.
"There is a way..."
"Tell me anything."
For bad fates, there's a cure-all like accumulating good deeds.
When no specific fortune appears, it's the best method.
"Help people as you live. Good deeds bring blessings."
Accumulate merit, receive fortune.
Simple logic.
It applies to almost everyone.
As I watched the nodding auntie leave, I cursed the moment I saw the next person.
"This guy's a straight-up thief bastard."
"...Pardon?"
His face screamed it.
Sinister and quiet.
The faint scenes brushing by matched.
Stealthily tailing someone.
Quietly taking something.
The perfect thief look.
"Someone report this guy to Lord Randolph..."
Before I finished, the thief pressed close and whispered urgently.
"I-I'm the Count's direct informant...!"
"...?"
"I'm not a criminal, so no need to report..."
A job similar to thief.