Academy’s PTSD Chaplain

41 – Beast (6)

My steps toward the professor’s office quickened.

There was no predicting how much time was left. It entirely depended on how stubbornly Bumaja clung to the devil.

Bang!

As I forcefully opened the door to the professor’s office, Sophia, who was sitting on the sofa and working, turned towards me with a startled expression.

“Surprise…! Head Priest?!”

“Sigh… Sophia Sub-priest. I need your help.”

“…Yes?”

Sophia Sub-priest wore a bewildered expression. I spoke slowly, regulating my breath.

“A while ago, you expressed curiosity about something unusual.”

“W-weren’t you unable to talk about it?”

“…Not anymore.”

Seeing my stern expression, Sophia Sub-priest slowly stood up from the sofa. I nodded heavily and said,

“Follow me. I’ll explain in detail on the way.”

* * * * *

“W-what is that supposed to mean? There’s a devil in the academy?”

Sophia Sub-priest caught up with quick steps. Glancing at her, I spoke.

“Exactly. There is a devil in the academy.”

“Oh, no…”

“Sophia Sub-priest, there is a devil in the academy. For now, remember that much.”

“Where are those demons?”

I halted my steps, looking down at her. Tension lined Sophia’s face.

“Father Pedro and Sister Camila. The two are under suspicion.”

“…What? Is that even possible?”

“It is.”

“How many demons are there?”

“We estimate four, but it’s not certain.”

What was certain was that the number of demons exceeded three. Sister Camila’s awkward reaction was evidence.

– The clattering of dishes, the sound of someone chewing on something tough, the cawing of crows… That seemed to be it.

Three sounds. There were three minions supporting the chief demon. However, because of that, they desperately tried to conceal their leader.

Demons desperately concealed the fact that they possessed someone. They were cunning and wicked. They twisted the course of events or intentionally erased their traces from the memories of those possessed.

However, if they couldn’t fully control the bodies of the possessed, their plans usually ended in failure.

There were flaws in the conversation with Sister Camila as well. I was focused on that.

– Not the living room, but the bedroom?

– Oh, it’s the living room. Right, the living room.

The fact that there were no bedrooms in the dormitory was something Camila, who had lived here for about a month, couldn’t mistake.

“They hadn’t completely grasped the layout of the dormitory.”

“Meaning…”

“Yes. They haven’t fully taken control of Sister Camila’s body yet.”

In other words, it hadn’t been long since she was possessed. It was one of the few comforting facts.

“There’s more evidence.”

“What? There’s more?”

– So… What did it look like again…?

– …Yes?

– Thinking again, it seems like there was nothing like that.

“To desperately hide the existence of the chief demon, the other demons put on an act and block the way. There was no such presence. I must have been mistaken…”

“If they wanted to hide it, they shouldn’t have consulted with me in the first place. Isn’t that too sloppy?”

Yeah. For demons possessing Sister Camila’s body to conceal the presence of the chief demon, they shouldn’t have come to me for consultation in the first place.

But even so, they didn’t prevent our meeting.

“They’re attempting to insult the Lord.”

“Oh? You insulted me?”

“When bidding farewell to Father Camilla and Father Pedro, Father Camilla displayed an unusually disappointed reaction.”

“Well, what about it?”

The time they left the church was precisely 2:59 PM.

“It was just before three in the afternoon. That is the time when the Lord returned.”

“So, if they were disappointed to leave…”

“Yes. At three o’clock in the afternoon, even in the cathedral, it is very regrettable that they could not stay until that time. If they had boldly wandered around the cathedral until three o’clock, it would have been an act of insulting the Lord and defying the light.”

Sophia, clearly feeling a chill all over her body, shivered and brushed her shoulder. I, too, deep down, was tired of their wicked intentions.

“Even though they intended to insult the Lord and the light, they probably didn’t want their own existence to be exposed. Camilla’s unstable state is evidence of that.”

“Nevertheless, the fact that Father Camilla mentioned the existence of three demons…”

“Yes. Father Camilla is still holding on, resisting the demons.”

Yes. The three sounds that Father Camilla mentioned. They were undoubtedly the things that Camilla desperately wanted to convey to me while resisting the demons.

“The situation is not comfortable for them either. Concealing their identity is their foremost priority, and now that their existence has been exposed, it’s not pleasant. Father Camilla did well.”

“So, are we going to Father Camilla for the exorcism?”

“… It’s not feasible to proceed immediately.”

Yes. It was not feasible. According to church law, the exorcism must receive permission from the diocesan bishop.

And I know someone who can make contact with the bishop of the diocese.

“I must meet the dean.”

“But there is one thing I’m curious about.”

“What is it?”

Sophia scratched her head and asked.

“Then, Father Pedro has not been possessed? We only need to exorcise Father Camilla?”

“From the beginning, I had no intention of performing the exorcism on Father Camilla alone.”

“What?!”

Sophia was taken aback. It was a natural reaction. All the evidence pointed to Father Camilla, yet I said I wouldn’t exorcise her.

“Sophia, demons usually prefer male bodies.”

“Well, I see…”

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“And they are wicked. Since they have already revealed their true identity to me, would they quietly stay in Father Camilla’s body? Especially when Father Camilla is rebelling and the compatibility is not good?”

“In that case…”

I nodded heavily. The situation was not favorable.

Since coming here, there hasn’t been a day when I easily fell asleep. I always find myself drifting into slumber before midnight, waking up early in the morning…

The words Father Pedro spoke to me. His words didn’t add up.

Surely, Father Pedro and I once took a stroll together until dawn. Father Pedro didn’t remember that.

And like Camilla Sister, he must not have had enough sleep. The reason he recently seemed noticeably fatigued was because he was tired.

Perhaps influenced by the demon he encountered. It didn’t seem like it had completely taken over his body, but…

“Father Pedro, too, must have already become a pawn to the devil following the leader. However, the main devil must reside in the body of Sister Camilla.”

“T-then, the main devil must have desperately tried to prevent revealing its existence.”

“Yes. It will probably move to Father Pedro. Being the nearest male and also the one he knows best.”

If the main devil were to transfer to Father Pedro’s body, it would only be a matter of time.

Of course, demons escaping from the possessed are not an easy task. If the possessed desperately clings to the commands, they cannot easily escape.

However, when the possessed lacks the strength to hold onto it, the story is different.

“Sister Camilla has been in a terribly fatigued state for the past month. Perhaps she won’t be able to hold on to them moving to Father Pedro for long.”

We hurriedly headed to the Chief’s office. We couldn’t afford any delay.

“…Lord, have mercy.”

Please, let both of them endure this completely.

* * * * *

“Ugh…?”

Father Pedro opened his eyes. The throbbing in his head was unpleasant.

His expression distorted involuntarily. Where was he right now?

He couldn’t remember anything. His head throbbed, and he felt dizzy.

“Father Pedro.”

Suddenly, someone spoke. Father Pedro looked around in confusion.

It was the faculty dormitory at the Chaldea Imperial Academy. It was a familiar scene, but there was something oddly different about the room he was in.

“Father Pedro.”

The sound was coming from the bed. Father Pedro’s eyes turned in that direction.

“Father Pedro.”

Sister Camilla was lying on the bed, looking at him. So, this place seemed to be Sister Camilla’s room. Father Pedro tried to approach her.

“S-Sister Camilla?”

Something was off. What was this sense of alienation?

The room was bathed in red. Whether it was because of the light of the sunset piercing through the curtains or something else, Father Pedro couldn’t tell.

Kiiiiik….

“…Hmm?”

Bang!

Suddenly, the front door closed with a loud sound. Priest Bedro unknowingly turned his body.

And then, he trembled. He felt an intense gaze from somewhere.

Priest Bedro quickly turned around.

The bed where Priest Camilla had been lying just moments ago.

“What is this…?”

There was no one there.

“Gasp…Huh…”

He was short of breath due to an inexplicable feeling of fear. Something was wrong. Sensing this, Priest Bedro urgently opened the closed front door and went outside.

No, he tried to go outside.

“Priest Bedro?”

It felt like waking up from a dream. Priest Bedro felt an immense sense of relief at the usual tone of Priest Camilla’s voice coming from behind him.

Just as he turned his head.

The rosary hanging from his neck trembled and suddenly snapped.

The crucifix-shaped rosary fell weakly to the ground.

Priest Bedro’s body stiffened. With trembling eyes, he slowly looked down at the rosary.

“….”

The crucifix-shaped rosary was upside down.

An inverted crucifix. It was a sacred symbol representing Saint Bedro, who was also Priest Bedro’s own name.

On top of it, suddenly, strange, three-part footprints appeared.

They looked like the footprints of an animal, but at the same time, they resembled three wriggling snakes stained with blood.

“How dare you.”

Priest Bedro understood it. What it meant.

The accursed presence was using his own name, Priest Bedro, and even insulting Saint Bedro.

“You… you beast…”

A mocking laughter echoed from behind him. Priest Bedro clenched his teeth and tried to berate them.

However, Priest Bedro couldn’t utter a word.

“….”

Here it was not advisable to step forward, due to the intense stench that pierced the nose.

A sour smell.

Similar to the odor when a corpse decays.

No. It also smelled like something burning….

“Ugh, ah….”

Vision blurred.

Black dots floated like hallucinations, shimmering before the eyes.

And then, it was seen.

The arm of a beast, soaked in blood, appeared behind Father Bedros, gently sweeping down his back.

Following that gesture, a hot heat was felt.

Red feathers fluttered like blood.

What on earth was behind his back?

“This, run….”

As the touch passed, that area no longer moved.

As if the nerves in that part disappeared. In an instant, the head spun, and the mind became dizzy.

Unbearable, extreme terror rushed in. Breath choked.

“Father Bedros.”

And Father Bedros, at the sound calling him, reluctantly turned around.

“Where are you in such a hurry?”

It, it was….

“Ah, ah, ahh….”

It was an ominous bead.

Large eyes staring at Father Bedros while sitting on the dormitory bed.

Like flickering flames, the two eyes were precisely that.

Priest Camilla tilted her head.

Tilted.

Unbelievably.

At that angle.

Her neck tilted.

No, it broke.

And, the eyes. Those grotesque, repulsive, beautifully twinkling eyes… And the sweet, enchanting, heavenly voice…

The existence of the immortal. Consuming Peter’s body.

Licking.

Chewing delicately.

Falling from the lofty sky.

Greedily, coveting the lottery ticket to heaven.

The eyes, the eyes…

Burning like flames, revengeful eyes.

A shooting star engulfed in flames, falling from the sky.

Him.

Staring.

“Peter.”

An ecstatic and sweet voice.

It felt as if the heart was crumbling.

Yes. The heart, once wrapped in the solid faith of Priest Peter, was weakening like a crumbling fortress.

“Don’t go.”

Suddenly, he snapped back to reality.

Priest Peter’s body was precisely turned towards Priest Camilla.

Unbeknownst to himself.

As the voice, that sweet and soul-stirring voice, echoed in his ears.

The heart felt squeezed, and the soul seemed to crumble.

Yet, he couldn’t block his ears.

This is, this is…

This filthy beast!

Will the Lord protect me? Will the Lord…

…protect me?

I am Peter, an intermediate priest. I came here when your first offspring was conceived.

I was here when you first tasted the grace of fire.

When you set sail for the first time, guided by the celestial sign. I was there too.

And when you first established the dynasty.

I was there.

Peter. That guy as solid as a rock. When he set his eyes on the glass palace, I should have headed there.

It’s regrettable that I couldn’t unravel you. So, I came here.

The tools and hammer to break the rock, all prepared by your monkey hands.

I only gave advice. Savage beasts, fierce dogs, and cunning snakes aided me.

“Gasp, gasp… Huh…!”

Suddenly, Peter, the priest’s vision expanded.

It was a burning, fierce-eyed beast soaked in blood.

The moment he gazed upon it.

Peter, the priest…

No, I…

I…

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…

…

Ah.

…

[ Peter. The 121,3946th Peter. ]

Beyond the slowly crumbling Peter, the eyes of the burning beast were twinkling brightly.

[ I came here to extinguish the light. ]

Just before the final ritual was severed, Peter, the priest, uttered words drowned in despair.

“Evil, be…”

Yes.

I saw the devil.