Seijo ni Narunode Nidoume no Jinsei wa Katte ni Sasetemoraimasu ~Outaihi wa, Zensei de Watashi wo Fu

Author’s note: There’s slight horror ….

 

     In the room where Liz was imprisoned, she tried to listen outside. It’s quiet.

     She heard that the maids and attendants in the first temple were given a leave by the fake saint. Many complained and appealed to the chief priest about it. Among them, the maids who took care of the saint had said that the saint somehow seems like a different person.     

     As she was deep in thought, she heard a loud crash outside the door. Then a loud cry, “Kyu!!” 

     It’s Shiro.

     “Liz, are you there!?” Lloyd asked.

     “Yes! Olivia is with me too!”     

     The door flew open and there was Shiro and Lloyd, who was holding a sleeping penguin. Lloyd breathed out in relief. He pushed through the guarding priests, who must’ve fainted from the flames of the Holy dragon.

     “Penguin, you’re safe!” Olivia seized the penguin from Lloyd’s arms and happily hugged it.

     “It was slow on its feet but it was searching for the Holy dragon and I believe it was  thinking of helping Olivia.”

     “I…” Olivia gazed at the penguin, who curled its back and slept peacefully.

     “I would just get irritated and say terrible things……Thank you.” she hugged the penguin tightly, tears in her eyes.

     Liz ran up to the Holy Dragon. However, Shiro seems to be acting strange. It’s like it’s not there nor is it in the mood.

     “Is it a fever?”

     However, it’s temperature is not particularly hot. She held its face and examined its body, but she didn’t find any abnormalities in particular.

     Lloyd slapped her on the shoulder, “Let’s go. I found the mirror. The reason why the Holy Dragon is acting weird is because of the mirror.”

     “Is that true?”

     “Yes. It kept on looking at the mirror as if it was enamored by it. It was obviously acting different from usual. Perhaps—”

     From the unusual shine in Lloyd’s eyes she understood what he was going to say.

     “Could it be my door…?” Liz murmured in disbelief.

     They followed the dragon flying intently towards the saint’s room. Once they reached the room, she sat down and looked at the mirror there.

     ‘This is…‘ 

     As Liz approached in anticipation, the Holy dragon turned around, “Kyu!” Its eyes glowed in excitement.

     ‘This is my “door”…’

     Her heart beat fast. With a trembling hand, she carefully took the mirror. The mirror showed Liz’s reflection. It looked like an ordinary mirror, however it reflects one’s true self and appearance. At the same time, since it may be her door, it’s quite sacred for her.

     “Liz, I know you’re happy, but for now I have to take it to the palace. His Highness is waiting—”

     Lloyd was interrupted. 

     With a great deal of confusion, Liz turned around and gasped, “…Why?” 

     She was appalled, her heart was violently beating and her back turned cold.

     “Why are you here!?”

     She was supposed to be in the Imperial Palace treating Keefa. In front of the door was the fake saint, smiling.

     At the same time in the palace, Keefa lay powerless in bed as soldiers watched the hallway and the door.

     At his bedside, the fake saint and a priest prepare a small altar. Even if it’s just a treatment, it’s the crown prince. It’s a solemn ritual.

     “Keefa, are you alright?”

     It was the King, his father, who anxiously looked at him. His mother, the Queen, passed away two years ago due to an illness. There’s anguish and agony that can be seen on the King’s face.

     “There’s no way that Sheena would drug His Highness.”

     “It’s outrageous and a serious crime. I can’t believe that it’s the work of the Saint of Colorado.”

     The ministers were whispering around them. Next to them is the Prime Minister, who was watching, and looked slightly pale. It was a well known fact that he had defended Sheena and he’s very concerned whether he would suffer any punishment.

     At the back, Duke Igner was watching them with a mixture of calmness and excitement. When he was on his way to Keefa to give his sympathy, the prime minister told him that he will soon be treated by the saint. 

     He laughed in his heart that everything’s going as planned.

     As soon as he was about to leave home, he met the king.

     “Keefa’s treatment is about to begin. The duke must attend.” he said to the duke.

     ‘What?’ He hastily turned at him.

     “If you don’t mind me.” he bowed.

     He followed the aides that surrounded the King and thought that the father and son are strange. He has no idea what to say to them next.

     The duke sees the king as either incapable or harmless. It’s because of the opinions of those around him such as the prime minister and the other ministers are more concerned and drawn out rather than the opinions of the king himself. He thinks that the king is easy to control.

     He’s lucky to be able to directly see Keefa’s treatment. The fake saint would not essentially cure Keefa. On the contrary, it’s possible to make his condition worse.

     A prince who doesn’t do what he wants isn’t necessary for the duke. It would be better for him to just lie down on his bed.

""

     ‘Even so…’

     At Keefa’s bedside, he saw the fake saint giving instructions to a priest to prepare.

     “What has become of the chief priest?” Eric asked, quite frustrated.

     As soon as the fake saint offered to treat him, Keefa turned pale and refused. He didn’t know what to do. Finally as a last rope of hope he said to have the chief priest attend to him.

     “He can’t be seen anywhere. I’ve been looking for him…” Eric said with a sour look on his face.

      The duke nodded as he laughed inside. The fake saint said that the chief priest is in the temple finding a way to save Manon, “Although the spirit has high magical powers and abundant knowledge, they are extremely capricious… I’m sure he’s having a lot of trouble now.”

     The duke failed to make Sheena the crown princess. He never thought that Keefa would be thinking about Liz that much. Just like Eugene. When he remembered Eugene, who didn’t listen to him until the end, he felt bitter.

     That useless Sheena died thanks to the fake saint. Now, there’s no one who’d testify against him, so he’s not worried. He heard that one of his subordinates that he hired from Colorado was caught, but he had no direct relations with the duke. He laid his men out in prison and have them get rid of that Colorado man.

     Keefa’s condition remains unclear. He should think carefully on what to do from now on. There’s always hope.

     The fake saint turned to the king and gave him a deep bow, “I’m ready for treatment. I now will begin.”

     Surprised at the presence of the fake saint in the temple, Liz and the others have not moved. A light was drawn out from a magic circle and the entire room was enveloped with black light.

     ‘This is the same case that time with the manastone!’

     She realized it too late and was caught in the black light. With a strong force, it tightened. Liz desperately held the mirror to her chest.

     “Well done, Olivia.” the fake saint laughed. 

     Olivia wasn’t bound to the black light. Liz was shocked.

     “Take away the mirror from Liz. Then you’ll be the next saint. It’s okay. Liz and the others will disappear on the spot.”

     Olivia silently approached her and her lips were like a flat line as she had made up her mind.

     “Olivia…” Liz’s eyes widened.

     Olivia was held in the same room as her. Why was she placed in a room with Liz, who was considered as a criminal in the temple?

     Olivia reached out to Liz.

     “Wait! That’s not the real saint. It’s someone disguised as her—a fake. Perhaps it is a candidate who lost to the real saint at the time of the selection 60 years ago!” Lloyd shouted.

     However, Olivia doesn’t appear to be surprised.

     “Olivia knows I’m a fake. She knew and helped me out” the fake saint smiled. 

     “You’re lying…” Lloyd groaned.

     Liz stared intently at Olivia with her red eyes and checked through what she felt. Olivia’s true intention. She stood on the fake saint’s side to betray her and the others. However, something’s different. 

     At the very least she didn’t belittle or criticized Liz even though she’s a noble and can use magic. Unlike Emilia and Grace, she never made a fool out of Liz just because she’s a commoner or she doesn’t have any magic power. She’s never seen her do that.

     It was only once when the fake saint accused Liz as the one who brought the manastone..

     ‘…It’s okay.‘

     Liz slowly loosened her grip on the mirror and whispered to Olivia, “Can you hold this mirror up to her?”

     Olivia was surprised.

     At that moment, Liz realized that her choice was correct.

     “Olivia, bring the mirror to me.” the fake saint impatiently said.

     Liz nodded.

     Olivia approached the fake saint with the mirror in her hands.

     The fake saint laughed in satisfaction, “You made a good choice.”

     “…Yes. I’ll decide my own future.” Olivia raised her head and held the mirror towards the fake saint.

""

     “I have no intention of following you…do not take me as a fool! I’m a saint candidate and I will play fair to the end. That’s my pride!”

     The mirror shone and the fake saint screamed as she covered her face. Her skin immediately melted like water.

     Liz gasped. The mirror that reflects the truth is not just their reflection. Was there such a magic to force the truth back to its original form?

     Immediately after their skin melted, their original skin appeared. It was a strange sight. The long black hair gathered together and flowed down as short black hair started to grow. One by one their finger grew thicker than the size of the original saint’s.

     “Wow…” Lloyd faintly muttered.

     The fake saint tried to escape, yelling like a beast. However, she couldn’t escape from the light coming out of the mirror.

     The Holy dragon’s hair stood up in fear and the penguin looked away.

     Although Olivia never released her grasp from the mirror, she was pale and shivering from fear. 

     And Liz felt goosebumps on her arms and neck.

 

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