Chapter 159 - Chapter Seven: Fiona and the Class of 175
When we returned to Nakanohara, first I went to the Headmistress's place.
It was to prevent Fiona from being made to ascend.
When I entered the entrance, as usual, Jennifer-sensei came out.
"Oh? Have you made a ghost your friend this time?"
She seems to be able to see her.
After returning, we passed quite a few people at the kingdom army garrison and on the streets, but perhaps because it was daytime, no one noticed.
When I explained the situation, she smiled and connected us to the Headmistress.
"Oh, you. You were able to come this far."
The Headmistress remembered properly.
"My name is Fiona. Due to circumstances, I have come to accompany Jeanne. I look forward to working with you."
She stepped back diagonally behind me and was clinging to my shoulder.
"I see. So you're going to live with Jeanne?"
"Yes. For a while longer. I have spoken to His Majesty the King, Henry-sama, and also the Bishop of the Royal Capital in that way."
I'm bringing up my backers to prevent her from being made to ascend.
"You've become much more talkative compared to back then."
"Ah, yes. Back then, I wasn't used to it yet."
Apparently, a certain amount of experience as a ghost is necessary to be able to speak fluently with a first-time human.
If you're unlucky, the one or two words that finally got through are misunderstood, and you're made to ascend without question. For a ghost, it's like being exterminated, so the first encounter with a high-ranking priest is said to be accompanied by fear.
When the Headmistress met her, she could only say, "I want you to help me." Moreover, if only the Headmistress could hear it, it's no wonder she tried to have her ascend.
Since then, high-ranking priests became objects of fear for Fiona, and she said she couldn't speak satisfactorily when other priests came.
"Are your companions doing well?"
"Yes. Everyone is doing well. Thanks to you, the fortress might remain."
The companions she's referring to are probably the ghosts still at the fortress.
Fortunately, they don't show themselves, so officially they don't exist.
"I see. That's good."
She smiled, and the explanation of the situation was over.
"Just in case, you should explain to the Archbishop and Adolf too."
Receiving advice as we parted, I decided to take my leave.
After that, I reported to the Archbishop, and finally, I was able to go to Adolf-san's place together with Marcelo-san and Paul-san.
Even Adolf-san didn't seem to be able to see her, but he understood.
It was funny how he was saying, "I'm counting on you," while looking in a completely different direction.
The customary painted plate was of the octopus extermination, and Fiona's figure was also floating in the air.
Now, here is the problem.
After all, there are four people who say they are afraid of ghosts.
"How should we talk to them?"
"Shouldn't we just introduce her as she is? They won't be scared during the day."
"Will is fine, so she's saying that, but it's serious for Lyudmila and Mary (Modern)."
"We might be able to manage if we take them down one by one."
Beatrix seems to have some idea.
"Look, remember how only Victor-sama couldn't see her in the Royal Capital and was panicking? It's the same as that. If they're the only ones who can't see her, won't they want to see her?"
I wonder if it will go that well.
However, since no other good plan comes to mind, we decided to actually try one person.
"In short, we just need to take them down with a time lag in order. Who should we start with?"
She's making a wicked face while grinning.
No matter how I think about it, she's enjoying this.
A plan was immediately drafted, and today's dinner was to be eaten at the company. Naturally, the cooperation of the cook, Angelica-san, is necessary. I decided to introduce her.
Angelica-san, being Marcelo-san's wife, had more than enough resistance to ghosts.
Moreover, as expected of the Ogre Angelica. She had apparently seen ghosts of war dead in states too gruesome to look at many times on the battlefield.
After receiving an explanation and spending time together, she became able to see her easily.
"As expected of a former aristocrat, you're refined. Moreover, you're a beauty. I'm sure you were popular, right?"
She is praising her quite a bit.
"A ghost won't become a Madonna candidate, though. It's a shame, but the rules say 'living women residing in Nakanohara,' so it can't be helped."
She seemed relieved at Paul-san's words. She started smiling even more. People whose interests are biased are easy to handle.
Beatrix's plan is to call them out little by little with a time lag and win them over while eating delicious food.
First are Bonnie and Matilda, who finished their fox extermination.
Securing the cooperation of Marcelo-san and the others, preparations are complete, and I introduce her to the two.
Everyone eats Highway Cookies and has drinks.
"Is she here? Is she really here? You're not teasing me, are you?"
As expected of Matilda. She seems to hate not being able to see, and is trying hard to see.
I can't help but remember Victor-sama; is it just my imagination?
As proof, I have Fiona move a cup.
"It—it's floating. Amazing! She really is here."
She's in high spirits.
While she is moved, it's time for the finishing blow: the souvenir.
I'll have Fiona hand it over.
As expected of Beatrix. The timing is perfect.
"I bought this with the money I earned together with Fiona. Use it to make silverwork."
"Is it okay? This is amazing. Wasn't it expensive?"
"It's okay, it's okay. You took the lead in making the shop for us. It's a late expression of gratitude. In exchange, be friends with Fiona."
"I get it. Your friend is my friend. Nice to meet you. Ah! I can see her face faintly now!"
To my surprise, she can already see her.
She's overjoyed.
One person completely won over.
Now it's four against four.
Next is Bonnie.
At first, she was looking around timidly, but since we, who could see her, were chatting normally, she seemed to become curious. Especially the fact that Matilda could see her easily was effective.
"How can I become able to see her?"
While Beatrix intentionally excluded Bonnie from the conversation and teased her, she seemed to want to see.
"It'll be fine if you become friends. Her personality is kind, like Amy-sensei."
She has a look of triumph. She fell completely into Beatrix's trap.
I also have the souvenir handed to Bonnie.
It's a knife for carving wood.
"What? You still can't see her? Your faith is lacking."
Matilda is gloating.
It's unexpected, but it's exactly what we wanted.
"That's not true. You know I'm exterminating monsters with holy water arrows, right?"
Bonnie started to get impatient.
"Now, now, don't be so impatient. You'll be able to see her eventually."
Beatrix is chuckling.
"Umu. We followed the proper steps, so we could see her from the start, but apparently, it's not usually like that."
Using Will's words as a signal, we decide to take turns telling the story of what happened when we met.
Everything is according to Beatrix's script.
After all, Fiona became a ghost because she was so worried about the children of the orphanage. There's no way it wouldn't resonate with those of us from the orphanage.
"I see. So Fiona is a good person. Well then, I look forward to meeting you once I can see you."
The second person was won over.
It's five against three. If it's a majority vote, we win here.
By the time she could see properly, she was happy.
She's not scared anymore.
Now, it's almost time for Lyudmila to return from the testing ground.
She's one of the most difficult. She has excellent insight and is strangely sharp, and once she says something, she won't listen.
Things require caution.
For now, I had Fiona return to the crystal.
"Welcome back!"
She came jumping at me. I gave her one Highway Cookie and put out a drink. The souvenir is wheat seeds given by Wilson-san. Apparently, it's a new variety that yields more grains than before.
After making her sufficiently happy, I tell the story of the events when I met Fiona at the fortress.
Beatrix and Paul-san exaggerated the story so much that Fiona is being treated as if she were a tragic heroine.
When she was on the island, they talked about how Fiona had been raising octopuses regardless of the danger for the sake of the island's residents, and how she was adored by the people.
I don't think Fiona would do such things when she was a child, but...
"Dangerous smuggling at the risk of her life for the sake of the poor people. If caught, death was certain. However, if she didn't do it, everyone would starve. From the elderly to the infants. She set out into the rough sea, thinking she must save them at all costs."
At this point, it's a complete lie.
Lyudmila is listening intently to Paul-san's passionate performance, and Matilda is face-down on the desk, trying not to burst out laughing.
For some reason, Will is crying.
Come to think of it, she seems to have hit her head hard when she fell into the hole at the octopus preserve; I wonder if she's okay.
Paul-san's story continued to the events after moving to the fortress.
"Worrying about the children of the orphanage, she was carrying food amidst flying arrows to save everyone's lives, supporting the children who were afraid of death."
This is no good. It's a falsification of history.
"Ah, but finally, illness caught Fiona and laid its deadly trap. Eventually, she couldn't even stand. She couldn't even see the orphanage where the children were waiting."
Lyudmila is crying. Will is wailing.
"'One look, if only one look, I want to see the orphanage,' she thought as she climbed the tower... and finally reached the rooftop after much effort. However, she had no strength left to stand... Finally, she ran out of strength there... And so Fiona became a ghost and watched over the orphanage she couldn't see at the end for over fifty years."
He concluded with a somber expression.
Director. You're overdoing it.
"What happened to Fiona's ghost?"
Lyudmila, whose eyes were red from crying, asked.
"She was in eternal suffering. To save her from there, we had no choice but to move her to a safe place for a while. Inside the crystal."
Eternal suffering... wasn't Fiona watching over the orphanage for fifty years?
"The key to the box?"
"That's right. It's safe inside the ancestral crystal."
"Is she still inside the crystal?"
Lyudmila's eyes are sparkling.
It can't be helped.
I take it out of my collar and show it to her.
"She's sleeping there. But you want to let her ascend, right?"
She nods.
"It'll be fine if you make fun and happy memories."
"Really?"
"But there's a condition. Jeanne rescued the ghost. You, who live in the Ghost Mansion with Jeanne, must live together with Fiona and make happy memories. Lyudmila! Your cooperation is necessary!"
"I'll cooperate!"
Yes, she was won over.
But how should I explain later...
Will, how long are you going to keep crying?
In the end, Marcelo-san revealed the truth.
He made things consistent by saying the story just now was a script for a puppet show modeled after Fiona.
I thought Lyudmila would be angry, but since it was mixed with some truth, the joy of knowing Fiona was safe seems to be greater.
She's a mage around here. She's easygoing.
"Sorry, Lyudmila. But human rumors are unreliable. Once you know the truth, scary things are no longer scary. Just as there are bad and good people, I wanted you to know that there are also good ghosts."
She nods honestly at Paul-san's heartfelt words.
She doesn't seem to have the awareness of being deceived.
"I see. So I just need to live together and make memories for her."
She's smiling.
Well, that part is true.
Since it seemed fine, when I called Fiona, she was greeting in a random direction, but she became able to see her while eating cookies together.
When the bowl was floating, she clung to me with tears in her eyes, but she worked hard there.
Once she could see, they greeted each other again, and they became close while chatting together.
Now it's six against two. It should be fine now.
The kind Beowulf was easy. Once the situation was explained and she knew it wasn't scary, she understood.
As expected, her face twitched when she saw objects floating while she couldn't see, but as expected of the guard unit, she's steady. While she was responding calmly, honey wine was brought.
Her eyes widened as she saw the wine in the floating bowl held by the heavy-drinking Fiona rapidly decreasing.
"You know Victor-sama, right?"
I'm sorry, but I'll have the story of his sinking told. Fiona took revenge for Beowulf, who was challenged to a drinking contest by Victor-sama when she went to the Royal Capital and was completely defeated.
While laughing loudly and toasting with the floating bowl, she became able to see.
Now it's seven against one. One person left.
By the time Matilda and Bonnie, who were buying time, brought Mary (Modern), Angelica-san's home cooking was brought. The sun has already set and it's dark outside. The situation is perfect.
The plan is simple. Have Fiona appear and make her faint. As it's repeated several times, she'll get tired, her thinking will become dull, and she won't care anymore.
"Um, is it okay?"
Fiona is worried.
"It's okay. She's moody and whimsical, so she'll change her mind once she knows it's not scary."
I wonder if she's talking about herself. Well, the part about not knowing fear is different, I guess.
"She's irresponsible and always saying appropriate things, but she's a good girl. Be friends with her."
That's not a follow-up at all.
Lowering and then lowering more is not good.
Now, the person herself has arrived.
The food is already lined up.
First, we toast and I give her the souvenir.
It's an accessory bought at the jewelry shop. It's cheap, but it's something bought at the Royal Capital. She was happy.
"Who is the guest?"
"The guest?"
To my surprise, she can already see.
"You mean Fiona?"
"Ah, nice to meet you. Though it's late, my name is Fiona."
"Your name is Fiona? I'm Mary (Modern). Nice to meet you."
She's waving her hand.
This is just right.
When I looked at Beatrix, she moved immediately.
"Fiona is an aristocrat, even if she's a local lord. Her father was a knight. Now her younger brother is succeeding the family name on the continent. Of course, he's an aristocrat."
"Really! That's amazing. But he's a quite young head of the family."
Fiona is eternally seventeen. Her younger brother is seven years younger, so regardless of his actual age, for Fiona, he's ten.
"He's six years younger than me. I guess it's a bit impossible."
"What are you thinking? You haven't even met him."
"Oh? Since Fiona is so wonderful, her younger brother must be handsome too."
Beowulf is anxious, but Beatrix is successfully talking about the Royal Capital and drawing Mary (Modern)'s attention.
Mary (Modern) also doesn't seem to want to hear ghost stories, so she's making sure the conversation doesn't stray from the Royal Capital. The tacit understanding of both sides with different intentions bore fruit, and the conversation proceeded enjoyably.
"A dinner party in the Royal Capital. That's nice."
"Mary (Modern), you attended a formal dinner party, didn't you? This time it's just a banquet."
"But Will danced, didn't she?"
"Yes, along with Hughes-sama."
"I'm being taught by my mother too. I want an opportunity to show it off. Hey, can Fiona dance?"
"Ah, yes. I was taught the steps, at least."
"The three of us, including Will, should take turns dancing and show me. It's fine even if it's just practice, right?"
Skillful! As expected of Beatrix. With this, there will be an opportunity for Mary (Modern) and Fiona to hold hands.
Since Will can also play the male role, it was decided to have her dance alternately with Mary (Modern) and Fiona.
Angelica-san also joined in. Apparently, all kingdom army soldiers learn it.
I can't imagine bandits dancing at a dinner party, but it seems everyone can at least do the steps.
To the sound of the flute brought out by Marcelo-san, they dance in turn.
Fiona danced beautifully as expected, and Mary (Modern) is sighing.
"Hey, Mary (Modern). We've decided to take care of Fiona at our place for a reason. She's decided to stay by my side."
I brought it up when it was Angelica-san's turn.
"Is there a room?"
"With Adolf-san's permission. We've decided to build a new room on the rooftop. She'll live there."
"Then, can I ask her to mind the shop?"
"That might be impossible..."
"Ah, I see."
Mary (Modern) calls Fiona.
"I'll give you this."
Mary (Modern) always wears two rings. On the middle finger and ring finger of her right hand. The older girls at the brothel all wear the same rings. Mary (Modern) apparently inherited hers from her mother.
Of the two rings, she pulled off the one on her middle finger and handed it to Fiona. It's a gold ring with a strange pattern. The ring on her ring finger is silver.
"Thank you. But why?"
"It's a token of our friendship. Wear it on the middle finger of your right hand."
When Fiona put on the ring... huh, somehow her figure looks clearer than before?
"How is it?"
"It's beautiful. Thank you."
They are hugging.
Everyone must have noticed that Fiona's appearance had changed. They gathered around and were tilting their heads.
"This ring makes the figure of the ghost who wears it visible to others."
"Did you know?"
It became a chorus.
"I'm the daughter of a Priestess. I've inherited power from my mother."
All the older girls at the brothel become Priestesses. This is because the Priestess of the Goddess, who is the symbol of fertility and children as well as the abundance of the earth, is chosen from among the prostitutes. Even though they are called Priestesses, their main role is to offer dances during rituals and festivals, but they have a major role that priests cannot do.
Once a month, they shut themselves in a room in the church wearing white divine robes, and at that time, they sometimes receive the Goddess's oracle. It's called resonance.
The content predicts crises in people's lives, such as epidemics or bad weather, and the role of the Priestess is to transmit that content to the people.
The revival of the Demon Lord was also like that. Of course, not everyone has such an ability; in terms of numbers, it's about the extent that a Priestess is mixed in among the prostitutes.
Mary (Modern)'s mother was apparently an excellent Priestess with very strong resonance power. I heard that such prostitutes only had wealthy customers and actually sold their favors only a few times a month.
A long time ago, Priestesses used to sell their favors at the temple. That created friction with the Church, which wanted to operate missionary work in an organized manner. This is because priests have poverty as their creed. As a result of the discussion, they sell their favors at the brothel instead of the temple, and wrap themselves in divine robes during the once-a-month duties and rituals where they show off their dances.
Most of those who become prostitutes choose that path for their livelihood. Of course, it's often not of their own will. However, it's also a fact that they are protected from social prejudice by fulfilling their role as Priestesses.
"Did you know from the start?"
"Yes."
"You should have told us."
"It's better not to say your name too much. Because it becomes easier to be taken over."
"But you weren't scared, were you?"
"The light is different."
According to Mary (Modern)'s story, Priestesses can see ghosts.
Most ghosts apparently have some kind of influence on other people's bodies or spirits, and Priestesses with strong resonance power are hit hard and can even have their consciousness taken over. Apparently, she's preventing it with the silver ring on her ring finger.
"Ghosts with red light are dangerous for Priestesses. Most of them are like that. But Fiona was different. It's a white light that indicates goodness. She said you're lucky to meet one or two in a lifetime. I knew immediately. I wasn't scared at all. Surely, Fiona's regret was that she couldn't confirm the happiness of the many people she wasn't even related by blood to."
That's exactly right.
"Is that why you were fainting all the time?"
Is it because her resonance power is strong...
"Don't say that."
A burst of laughter occurred.
In any case, now that I've received everyone's permission, we can live together.
I see, if her figure is visible to anyone, I can ask her to mind the shop.
As expected of Mary (Modern). She's shrewd.