Academy’s PTSD Chaplain

39 – 39. Beast (4)

It happened late at night.

Father Camilla lay in bed, tucked under the covers. And she closed her eyes.

“…”

Due to breaking the clock the last time, the room was quiet. The sound of the clock ticking that she used to hear was no longer present.

After Camilla had shattered the clock, the Chaldean Imperial Academy did not demand any compensation. However, Father Camilla insisted on paying for the clock, even if it meant forcing herself to do so.

And that evidence, is right there.

Priest Camila opened her eyes slightly. She looked down at the spot where the wall clock used to hang.

A new wall clock, exuding silence, leaned against the wall, motionless. The reason was the stationary clock hands.

Thanks to immediate compensation, she had obtained a new clock, but she always turned off the power of the clock at night, placing her noiseless wristwatch on the bedside table before going to sleep.

Seeing that the clock was not moving, Priest Camila felt relieved.

Her eyes closed again. Darkness settled in her field of vision.

Not long after, Priest Camila began to breathe evenly. It seemed like she was gradually falling asleep.

– It hurts…. It hurts so much….

As usual, it came.

Startled awake from shallow sleep, she tightly grasped the blanket covering her body. It came again, that sound.

During the past few days she had spent at the Academy, she had been plagued by this inexplicable auditory hallucination every night.

Because of it, she couldn’t fall asleep and spent sleepless nights, even when taking the prescribed sleeping pills, she often couldn’t fall asleep until late hours.

Getting into bed was not a problem. The teacher’s dormitory at the Caldera Academy was comfortable, and the beds were cozy.

However, the problem lay elsewhere.

– Clatter.

“….!”

A sound came from the kitchen. It sounded like someone was touching the dishes, but for some reason, it felt like the eerie sound of rolling bones.

Priest Camila sat up abruptly. Then she rushed straight towards the kitchen.

Thunk.

The light illuminated brightly, and Priest Camila could see the kitchen covered in darkness at a glance.

“…What on earth?”

There was nobody in the kitchen.

The clean dishes were neatly arranged, just like always, and there was no sign that anyone had touched them.

– Clatter. Clatter. Clatter….

Then, this sound is…

– Thud. Scrape. Scrape.

What is this sound?

“Who on earth….”

Priest Camila’s hand groped her neck. Through the cool sweat, the rosary clinging to her skin touched her deeply.

“How dare someone engage in such dirty tricks… mocking an intermediate priest…!”

Camilla, the priest, had bloodshot eyes that shook incessantly. Her unfocused pupils, blurred, were searching every corner of the kitchen for a space to catch her breath.

– Clack. Claaack. Clack.

Camilla, the priest, breathed irregularly, murmuring with labored breath.

“My spirit is guided by the Lord, and Archangel Gabriel protects me… My spirit is guided by the Lord, and Archangel Gabriel…”

– Tick.

A pause.

Camilla, the priest, stiffened abruptly. She couldn’t help but doubt her own ears at the sound.

– Tick. Tick.

Camilla’s rigid neck slowly turned to where her gaze met.

– Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick.

Undoubtedly, the new wall clock was in its place. There, at the spot where it used to be.

A malicious grin imitating the sound of clock hands. It…

It, it met Camilla’s gaze, peeking, whispering, approaching, retreating, circling…

And then, it smirked, laughed, exhaled, stared…

[Found you.]

“…Ugh—!”

Camilla, the priest, hastily rose.

As if she had held her breath for a long time and now gasped for air, her mouth craved fresh air. Her body was sticky with cold sweat.

Camilla, the priest, clutched the rosary tightly and slowly surveyed the place where the clock used to be.

“….”

The clock still maintained its silence. The motionless clock hands were a source of great relief.

Camilla, the priest, who had been staring at it with a vigilant gaze, slowly rose from the bed. The wristwatch on the bedside table caught her eye.

The wristwatch indicated the fact that it was now three in the morning.

Yes, it happened at three in the morning.

* * * * *

I sat on the bench in the academy courtyard. Tipping my head back, the fragrant essence of spring in shades of pink filled my vision.

The vibrant cherry blossoms blooming above the bench were splendid. The sunlight filtering through the gaps warmed my face pleasantly.

“Father Camilla, I have something to tell you.”

Father Pedro, who was sitting beside me, spoke up. I waited in silence for his words to continue as I dozed off.

“Recently, it seems that I have become quite sensitive.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. Since coming to the academy, I have been having trouble falling asleep easily. I don’t understand why this is happening….”

“Could it be that your bed is uncomfortable?”

“I have also asked myself the same question….”

Father Peter slowly nodded his head. I shrugged my shoulders and asked him.

“Father Peter, is your bed uncomfortable?”

Father Peter slowly moved his head and answered.

“I am fine. Since coming here, there hasn’t been a day when I couldn’t fall asleep easily. I always fall asleep before midnight and wake up early in the morning….”

So the bed is not uncomfortable. Could it be that I had a nightmare?

“If it’s not the bed…. what exactly is the problem?”

“I’m not exactly sure, but it seems that Father Camilla has experienced something unpleasant. She suddenly mentioned that she wanted to see the head priest….”

“Are you referring to me?”

My eyebrows involuntarily twitched. She wants to see me? Isn’t that too sudden?

“Yes. She mentioned feeling a strange presence, hearing voices…. I recited prayers for her and asked about any discomfort, but there hasn’t been any progress. I feel helpless because there’s nothing I can do, and it’s frustrating.”

Father Peter let out a deep sigh as if the ground was swallowing him up. His hunched back seemed even more pitiful despite being in his mid-40s.

Why does he look so old and weary despite his age?

“It’s an impudent request, but can you find some time to meet with Father Camilla as soon as possible?”

“Hmm….”

“I request it. And if possible, I would like to accompany you as well.”

It wasn’t a difficult task. Just meeting with her briefly for a consultation, maybe she can solve it herself.

Facing her again was not something I particularly wanted, but still.

“Well…. I will make some time soon.”

“Thank you.”

“Yes. But more importantly….”

We hadn’t met to talk about Father Camilla. I went straight to the point.

“What about your finger?”

“My finger….”

Father Peter sighed again. What could be the problem this time?

“Well, there are also some issues related to that.”

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“No….”

A sigh escaped involuntarily. These people, having come all the way from the Holy Empire, not only failed to resolve anything but seemed to be adding to the troubles. It was endlessly frustrating.

“Hmm… What’s the problem now?”

“At first, I tried to purify the fingers. However, there was nothing on the fingers worth purifying.”

“Then, can’t you just take them back to the Holy Empire?”

“That… is not permitted by the Papal See.”

Suddenly, the image of Father Giovanni, who had disappeared with the morning sun, came to mind.

The energy I felt at that time was undoubtedly of a demonic nature. Although it had been fixed by now, I still remembered the decaying wooden door of the church, turning a deep crimson.

The devil doesn’t just vanish at the sight of sunlight; it’s not such a feeble existence. I know them too well.

“Father Pietro, if you have read the letter from Director Damian, you must know that I witnessed a sinister presence originating from that finger. And unless I am mistaken, it was undoubtedly something demonic.”

“……”

“All I need now is certainty. Please tell me. Was the entity I saw Father Giovanni, the former head priest?”

Father Pietro’s eyes, after glancing around nervously, hesitated. I patiently awaited his response.

“… Silence is golden. I believe even the head priest is aware.”

“I won’t disclose it; just tell me.”

After a deep breath, Father Pietro drew the sign of the cross. I, too, drew the sign of the cross, waiting for him to speak.

“…The talk about Father Giovanni, who roams outside the academy, is partially true.”

“As I suspected…”

“However, the story has been somewhat distorted.”

Father Pietro looked at me. I had a vague idea of what was coming.

“Are you priests from the Holy Empire?”

“Yes. Camilla and I have, in our own way, gathered information spread within the academy. Among the students, there’s a rumor that the priests who visited the academy at that time harmed Father Giovanni, the head priest.”

The faces of Daniel and Vivian came to mind first. I had been planning to give them a piece of my mind when I met them, but it seemed I would have to visit them sooner than I thought.

Yet, this part puzzled me too. Why did the priests from the Holy Empire, who had come here claiming to have arrived a long time ago, end up coming here?

“They were not just ordinary priests.”

“Then…”

“They were members of the Kumma Sect, dispatched urgently by the Papal See.”

“……”

His words were incomprehensible. The priests who had come to meet Father Giovanni were from the Holy Empire, dispatched by the Kumma Sect.

“The Kumma Sect… Is that what you’re saying?”

AI: “Father Pedro nodded heavily. I couldn’t help but feel confused. ‘Then, what about Father Giovanni…?’ ‘Father Giovanni was possessed by a demon. He requested support from the Holy See to confront the demon within him and, secretly, the Order of Kumma priests were dispatched,’ Father Pedro explained. If Daniel and Vivian were to hear this story, they would probably rush to me in excitement. However, this was a very serious matter. Father Pedro continued, ‘At that time, the demon that possessed Father Giovanni’s body was not just one. According to the records left by the Order of Kumma, there were three of them.’ I lowered my head with a serious expression. If Father Pedro’s words were true, it would make sense that Father Giovanni had been wandering around the academy until now. ‘Are those demons still possessing Father Giovanni’s body?’ Father Pedro swallowed hard. ‘Yes, to be precise, it would be more accurate to say that Father Giovanni has confined them within his own body.’ ‘Damn it…’ ‘And Camilla and I have been given the task of exorcising those demons. Even if we were to retrieve just their fingers, the demons would still remain in the academy.’ ‘Then, why are those demons searching for the fingers?’ ‘I don’t know.’ It seemed like they needed more time. ‘If you need my help, please call me anytime. I have experience leading exorcism rituals.’ ‘Thank you, Father.’ We finished our conversation, as if nothing had happened, stood up from the bench, and started walking our separate ways. I glanced at Father Pedro, who was getting farther away, and clenched my fist. I thought the incident related to the fingers had been resolved, but the students of the Chaldea Imperial Academy were still in danger.