The Cursed Beast Caught My Leash - Chapter 34

Stella gathered what little courage she could muster and resisted with all her strength. “No…! Lord Peruno promised to treat me as a guest. He assured my safety while I stay at the Ice Castle!”

“…Oh?”

“And I don’t believe he would ever commit such indecent acts!”

“That’s a firm conviction. Quite fascinating, indeed.”

“Elder Olena!”

A voice, filled with authority and anger, called out from near the pillar. Stella, practically pinned by the old woman’s hands, quickly turned her head toward the sound.

“What is this commotion in the sacred chapel?”

Father Padro, his expression furious, strode towards them. The old woman, who had been scrutinizing Stella from an uncomfortably close distance, slowly turned her head.

“I was merely having a conversation,” she replied.

“The lady is a guest of Lord Peruno. To be disrespectful to a guest is akin to showing disrespect to His Highness,” Father Padro stated firmly as he approached. His eyes, behind his glasses, gleamed with a resolute light.

“Disrespect?” The elder, called Olena, seemed to take offense at the priest’s admonition. “Priest, do not dare question my loyalty to Lord Peruno. I am a devout follower, more devoted to His will than anyone else.”

“Please leave. If you continue to cause a disturbance, I will inform His Highness of everything.”

Instead of replying, the elder shot a narrowed glare at the priest. Then, she turned her gaze back to Stella, locking eyes with her before finally, begrudgingly, releasing her grip.

The elder rose from her seat, leaning on a long, black staff as she exited the chapel. The priest watched the door close with a heavy thud and then let out a long sigh.

“Are you alright, Princess?”

“I’m fine. I was just a bit startled….” Stella rubbed the wrist that had been gripped by the old woman’s bony fingers. “She must be one of the elders who are deeply concerned about Lord Peruno’s lineage.”

“Yes, that’s correct. She’s so extreme that she was banished to Hegir in the eastern part of Calis.”

For an elder, someone of high rank within the castle, to be exiled so far away—it made Stella wonder what she had done to deserve such punishment. Remembering the fervent plea of the old woman, who declared her willingness to dedicate everything to Islay, Stella could understand, even if she didn’t know the details. Having someone like her nearby would make it difficult to sleep peacefully.

“If you’re feeling alright, would you care to have a cup of tea in the inner chapel?” Father Padro suggested to Stella, who was still perched on the edge of the pew. “It’s not a very large space, but we do have some comfortable chairs. And the tea is quite good.”

“Would that be alright?”

“Of course. The tea leaves are freshly roasted from this morning. I think it would be just right for you, Princess.”

Stella blinked in surprise at the unexpected offer, then her face brightened. She grasped the edge of her cloak and stood up.

***

Stella entered the resting room within the chapel. The bright and cozy atmosphere immediately put her at ease. As she glanced at the bookshelves lining the walls, she sat down at the round table, and Father Padro poured tea into a simple yet elegant teacup.

“Thank you.”

“You’re most welcome. It is I who should thank you for gracing me with the honor of serving you tea, our esteemed guest.”

Guest… The word still felt foreign to her, but Stella quietly sipped the tea. As the priest had said, the tea had a lovely flavor and its warmth relaxed her.

“Did you know? I too spent my formative years in a monastery.”

“Is that so?”

“You remind me very much of the high priest in Largo, who was also my teacher.”

Stella spoke softly, and Father Padro, sitting across from her, let out a hearty laugh.

“Then I suppose that priest must have had a head full of white hair as well.”

“He also had a very distinguished white beard.”

They both chuckled lightly, neither quite knowing who started it. As the laughter lingered, Father Padro took a sip of tea, casting a brief glance at Stella.

After placing his teacup back on its saucer with a soft clink, he spoke, “Princess, are you familiar with the ability known as the ‘Mind’s Eye’?”

“The Mind’s Eye… I’m not entirely sure.”

Stella’s expression grew a bit somber as she tightened her grip on the teacup.

“To be honest, my knowledge isn’t very broad. All I’ve heard about that ability is that it can discern lies and see through to the essence of things.”

“Please don’t be hard on yourself. The Mind’s Eye is something that exists mostly in stories, and very little is known about it.”

His warm tone, as if encouraging her not to blame herself, brought a faint smile to Stella’s face. The priest then carefully posed a question.

“There is something I would like to test, if you don’t mind.”

“Of course, go ahead.”

Father Padro pushed back his chair and retrieved a small metal box from somewhere on the bookshelf. Opening the lid, he revealed the contents: a silver cross necklace, with a small ruby set in the center.

“This is one of the holy relics kept in the chapel. It belonged to a high priest of the Central Temple who possessed great holy power two centuries ago. Do you sense anything?”

Stella lowered her eyes and gazed at the ancient-looking cross. A faint sense of anticipation welled up inside her, making her heart beat a little faster.

However, no matter how hard she tried, she felt nothing. The same sense of emptiness she often experienced in the gem-filled basement washed over her.

“I’m sorry. It feels blasphemous to say this in front of a holy relic, but… I don’t sense anything.”

“It’s alright. Just try to focus a bit more, as if you’re peering into it.”

Father Padro didn’t rush her. He simply smiled kindly, sipping his tea as he waited.

Blinking at his calm and patient demeanor, Stella lowered her gaze once more. And then, something unexpected happened.

“…Oh?”

Stella’s pupils widened in surprise. She thought she saw a faint aura, like a heat haze, surrounding the cross on the black velvet. It wasn’t a mistake. The shimmering aura was definitely golden and flickering around it.

Not quite believing it, Stella cautiously reached out to the cross. As her fingers brushed against it, she felt a warmth, akin to the gentle heat of the tea, cling to her fingertips. Her astonished eyes met those of the priest.

“Could this golden aura be…?”

“Well done. That is indeed the holy power. I can see it clearly as well.”

“Did I just use the Mind’s Eye?”

“Not exactly. You’ve simply demonstrated that your body is attuned to holy power. Now, let’s try something else…”

After setting his teacup down, Father Padro picked up the necklace. The cross made a clear, ringing sound as it struck the chain. The priest caressed the cross for a while, a faint smile playing on his lips.

Stella waited, puzzled by his inexplicable actions. Suddenly, a drop of blood fell from the priest’s nose. In an instant, his blood dripped down to his lips. Seeing his face becoming covered in blood, Stella gasped in horror.

“F-Father Padro, your nose is bleeding…”

“I’m fine. Would you mind looking again?”

Father Padro calmly took out a handkerchief and wiped away the trickle of blood before placing the necklace back into the ornate box. Though Stella was quite taken aback, she knew she couldn’t afford to make a fuss in front of the composed priest.

She watched him with concern, noting his pale complexion, but then she pulled the box containing the cross closer. The golden aura that had once surrounded the necklace was no longer visible.

“It seems the holy power has vanished….” As she murmured quietly, a sharp pain suddenly shot through her temple, like a jolt of electricity. Stella winced and slightly hunched her shoulders, but her gaze remained fixed on the cross.

The golden light hadn’t completely disappeared. However, it now looked different from when she had first sensed the holy power.

“How does it appear to you?” Father Padro asked.

“Well… I can still see the golden light faintly, but it no longer flickers. It feels… dried up.”

If the holy power within the necklace had initially resembled tea swirling in a full cup, it now felt like the dried residue at the bottom of an empty cup. The mark was so faint that one would have to look closely to notice it.

“That is what we call the trace of holy power,” the priest said, his voice tinged with faint admiration as he wiped the blood from his face.

“Trace?” Stella echoed.

“Yes, to my eyes, this cross now appears as nothing more than an ordinary necklace. And it would appear so to everyone else as well, for I have taken the holy power from it.”

“So you’re saying that no one else can see this dried-up power?”

“Indeed. I do not possess the Mind’s Eye.”

In that moment, something clicked in Stella’s mind.

A trace. Islay had mentioned that before. He had said that what could be found in the ancient gems that had lost their holy power were traces—remnants left behind after the power had drained away. And only those with the Mind’s Eye could discern such gemstones.

“Your Highness, you have used the Mind’s Eye to see through to the essence of this necklace. To others, this cross may now look ordinary, but in truth, it should be called ‘the cross that once held holy power.'”

Her heart pounded rapidly. Could she really possess an ability that was only spoken of in legends?

“But it’s hard to believe…. Why would this power only manifest now?” she asked, still in disbelief.

“Perhaps it is divine grace, intended to finally dispel the shadow that looms over Calis,” the priest murmured, as if realizing something new. His voice was now filled with profound joy. “It is clear now. You are indeed the one with the ‘Mind’s Eye,’ Princess.”