Chapter 47 ….
“Quickly.”
I firmly pushed the Count aside.
“Saint…!”
“Count, please gather everyone in the mansion in one room and offer prayers to the guardian deities. Make sure no one can leave that room. That’s the safest way. Now, go.”
I didn’t forget the final instruction. The Count nodded and hurried outside.
I locked the door.
[Hoo… being alone like this is tough.]
There were several ways I could have approached it.
I could have asked to be left alone in the room, said I needed a quick trip to the bathroom, and so on.
But whatever excuse I gave, the Count would probably assign a servant to me…
‘And in a situation where the entire mansion is focused on me, my ability to suppress my presence probably wouldn’t work.’
So, I chose this dramatic approach.
‘And… it’s perfect for dispelling suspicion.’
Show them the existence of the evil spirits directly, then restore peace. That way, everyone would only see me as a saint, a benefactor.
Who would suspect such a person of having ulterior motives?
This was a double measure I devised because, even after faking an attack, I was anxious that someone might suspect me of theft.
If any suspicious circumstances reached the ears of the envoy, it would be disastrous.
[Agatha, thank you.]
[Oh, no thanks needed. I should be the one thanking you.]
[Next room, right?]
[Yes. But they’ve just sent everyone out, so it’s very chaotic outside. Everyone is calling and gathering; moving out into the hallway would be difficult.]
[Then how…]
[There’s a balcony outside the window. I’ll help Dorothy float over to the next room.]
[Ah, that’s a great idea.]
That was why I specifically chose this room.
According to the navigation—no, the guidance of the gods—there was a ledger in the room right next door.
I opened the window without hesitation and stepped out onto the balcony. A massive tree blocked the front.
Just to be safe, I used my presence-suppressing ability and lightly floated to the side.
Unlocking the lock on the balcony window with psychokinesis was easy.
‘This feels a bit… like a hero in a movie.’
[Here.]
Following Agatha’s guidance, I stopped.
A small portrait hung on the wall before me. I removed the portrait and moved it aside.
Behind it, a safe was revealed.
‘This… has a triple lock.’
I could figure out the two dials, but the remaining lock was a problem.
It required a uniquely shaped key to open.
[Can I… do this?]
I asked tensely.
The gods had said it might work, but there was no certainty.
I couldn’t try in advance, so in a way, coming here felt like a gamble.
[Wait a moment. Aegis…]
Agatha trailed off as if deliberating, then disappeared.
Aegis had been a defensive genius in war, guarding a critical fortress without ever allowing an enemy to breach it.
Because of that, he became a deity representing defense and barriers.
He was extremely knowledgeable, making him the key god in this situation.
[There’s a problem.]
[What? What problem?]
[If you apply even a little too much force, or the sequence is slightly off, the lock snaps shut immediately. After that, it can never be opened again.]
[Gasp. So it won’t work?]
When would I ever get another chance… I asked anxiously.
[It’s difficult, but it should work. Thanks to your recovered strength. But Dorothy, once you open the safe…]
[Yes.]
[We won’t be able to use our powers.]
[Wha—?!]
What a thunderbolt of news.
[Th-Then what about the evil spirits?]
[That can be handled. It’s an affair of ‘this world.’ It’s just that powers can’t be used through Dorothy.]
[…Ugh.]
I paused to think.
I’d already done everything I needed to do. I just needed to take this with me. But the thought of not being able to use the gods’ power was frightening.
Still, hadn’t I managed everything well in front of Theodore?
I steeled myself and answered.
[Still, please. There’s no one outside, right?]
[Yes. You should be able to step into the hallway. I told everyone to gather for prayer.]
[Understood.]
[Ready? Dorothy, turn the dials as I say. 7, 18, 2…]
I turned the dials with care, my hands sweaty.
Step by step.
After turning them as Agatha instructed, Aegis’s delicate work followed.
[Once it opens, it’s the fourth book from the top. Remember, the fourth.]
Following Agatha’s instructions, the lock clicked and whirred as if the key had been inserted.
After a short while…
Click.
The safe opened slightly.
“Hoo…!”
I couldn’t even let out a loud cheer, wriggling in joy on the spot.
[Success!]
[…]
So much for using all my strength; I couldn’t even speak.
The quiet was a little lonely, even scary.
But I didn’t have time to worry about that.
I needed to finish quickly. Though everyone was gathered for prayer, time was not on my side.
‘Focus, focus.’
I opened the safe and was shocked.
It was filled with dazzling jewels and gold bars.
I really wanted to take them, but I held myself back and chose the fourth book from the stacked pile.
It was the ledger.
I quickly unbuttoned my dress.
I’d always found corsets suffocating and annoying, but for the first time, I appreciated it.
With the wooden board I had placed inside, the book didn’t show at all.
I put the book over the corset and tied it with the cord I had prepared. Then I put my dress back on.
The dress was roomy enough that the ledger was completely hidden.
“Phew.”
After finishing, I was drenched in cold sweat.
“Now… shall I go? Alone.”
I took a deep breath and grabbed the handle of the study door.
I couldn’t jump to the balcony by myself.
I listened carefully outside, but it seemed quiet.
‘Good thing I had them gather for prayer earlier. Smart me….’
I praised myself lightly and opened the study door.
I peeked out quickly.
Luckily, no one was there.
I quickly shut the study door and grabbed the doorknob of the next room.
“Saint?”
But then, a voice reached me.
Someone who hadn’t been there a moment ago…! Cold sweat ran down my back.
Looking back, a young-faced maid was watching me from the upper stairs. She looked like she had just come down.
Did she see me leave the study?
She seemed like she had just come down, so the chance she saw me was probably low.
“Oh. What is it?”
I answered as calmly as I could. The maid didn’t approach and spoke from where she stood.
“C… Can I come closer?”
“Yes?”
She seemed frightened.
“You… you just came out of the evil spirit’s… room, right? Is it… over?”
‘She didn’t see…!’
I couldn’t be sure, but unless she was a suspicious spy, she was telling the truth.
If I needed to confirm whether she was suspicious, I could ask Agatha once her power returned.
Truly lucky.
“Yes. It’s over.”
“Ha… Thank goodness.”
The maid swayed slightly. Judging by her state, she must have been the one with me in the room during my horror-movie performance.
“It was really scary…”
I walked toward the maid.
“I told you not to come out. Why are you here?”
“They gathered for prayer, but one of the deity statues was missing… so the Count told me to bring it. I had no choice…”
No wonder she was carrying the statue of the deity of medicine, Iason.
Seriously. I told them not to go out, and they sent a terrified child?
The Count… really. He truly treats his staff however he wants. I knew he did, but this was extreme.
“I see. It must have been scary. You did wonderfully.”
I praised the maid, and she smiled shyly.
“Th-thank you…”
Such a cute kid…!
“Your name?”
I needed to know her name in case I asked Agatha later whether the maid had seen me.
“C-Camille…”
“Camille! Such a pretty name. Your courage is admirable. May the gods bless you.”
I pretended to bless her, finishing my information gathering.
After that, we went together to where everyone was praying.
When we opened the door, it was quite a sight.
“God, please help me…!”
“God, please help the Count…!”
Everyone was praying for Charlotte, not themselves.
‘That… crazy kid.’
Seeing such selfishness to the end, I began to feel like keeping the evil spirit attached.
But the spirit clinging to Charlotte was too dangerous.
Since I couldn’t exorcise all the spirits in the mansion anyway, she would be troubled a bit.
I walked among those praying and approached Charlotte.
“Saint…!”
It was time to finish. I smiled and reached out my hand.
“I succeeded in driving out the evil spirit, Count.”
“Ah, finally…! Thank you, Saint. Truly, thank you.”
Charlotte clasped my hand, bowing deeply, eyes filled with gratitude.
“You must have gone through so much… sweating like this…”
This wasn’t sweat from effort—it was cold sweat…
There was no way to explain.
Lucky that she misinterpreted it in my favor.
I smiled and shook my head.
“It’s my duty.”
“Saint…!”
No need for gratitude. Your future is destined to be gray anyway.
“And the evil spirit attached to the Count…”
I glanced at it. Though connecting with the gods was difficult, the evil spirit belonged to ‘that world,’ so it should vanish.
Sure enough. It seemed the gods were watching me.
Soon after I spoke, the evil spirit behind Charlotte cried out, “Ah…!” and drifted away.
Its body gradually faded.
“It’s gone.”
“…My body feels… lighter…”
As soon as the spirit left, Charlotte looked noticeably better.
“My head feels less heavy…! Saint! Thank you!”
Charlotte spun her head in surprise.
“But Count, there’s something I need to tell you.”
“Yes?”
“Though we cleared the evil spirits, they were extremely strong souls… so some evil energy still lingers in the mansion. You must be careful, or something bad could happen.”
I laid the groundwork for the upcoming attack. Even if the evil spirits were gone, if an attack occurred, the blame could still fall on me.
“Haha. It’s a mansion blessed by the Saint herself, so it should be fine! I will pray diligently!”
But Charlotte, feeling lighter, was just radiant with happiness.
“…Yes. Still, be careful. If anything happens, Count… the gods said it won’t be because of the spirits.”
“Eh…?”
“You must extend your care to everyone working under you, for your sake.”
I gave a meaningful look.
