I Became a Fortune Teller in the Game My Little Sister Made – Chapter 176

On the last day of the交流会, the long-awaited finals of the Martial Arts Competition finally came to an end.

In a blood-chilling final match between Sasaki Ito and Lucas Arthur, Lucas emerged victorious, standing tall as the champion.

“Half a water rocket, though.”

“Ms. Liu.”

“What? Isn’t it true? That Violent Crown Princess, the wicked girl, the Saint, and Regi only participated and then bailed out at the finals to help me instead…”

To be precise, they did enter and even made it to the finals.

But during the process, Cloel Martina and Kim Woo-sung decided to forfeit or conveniently lose to focus on helping me.

No matter how many times I bowed my head, it never felt sufficient, but they didn’t mind since it was all just for fun anyway.

Personally, I had hoped to win the Martial Arts Competition, and only Lucas, who entrusted Rain with helping me, continued on to finally claim the victory.

“Anyway, with this, Lucas will be on a power trip for a while. Oh, but if he keeps snickering in front of me, I might get a bit annoyed.”

“Right…?”

“Huh? Don’t worry. You should give him a little smile instead. Just be cautious not to smash the legs of any other girls, okay? Didn’t the Crown Prince pass my words on to you?”

“…Yes.”

The交流会 may have wrapped up, but the second semester is far from over.

With the biggest event gone by, only the final exams remain, and there’s still some time before that.

I officially requested an overnight stay, and the Academy’s permission was granted.

I had no idea how long it would take to get to the church. For that part, Liu, Rain, Eun-ha, Kim Sung-il, Lucas, and the Hero agreed to lend a hand.

Since there wasn’t really anything to prepare anyway, I could just focus my mind.

“By the way, I’m really sorry to Ms. Liu. For making such a rash request…”

“Don’t be sorry. Money is meant to be spent. Why do you think I was sponsoring the church? It’s for occasions like this.”

“Thank you.”

“Thanking me? Make good use of my name. That way, you won’t be able to leave Liu Yan’s side. Oh, you won’t get away before you repay that one billion anyway?”

Hehe.

Liu, who had been genuinely happy, suddenly seemed to recall something and gradually wiped her smile away.

“…Hey, you fortuneteller.”

“Ms. Liu?”

“Damn… watch it. You heard about the Principal, right?”

“………Yes.”

The Principal had briefly left for a field trip to the church.

This was news I received from Charles Teddy Bear. Originally, the Principal was expected to spend more time at the Academy, so it wasn’t something to worry about, but the timing was quite unfortunate.

It wasn’t just a simple sightseeing trip to the church; it would cause quite a ruckus, so running into her might be inevitable.

‘Facing the Principal head-on is like committing suicide.’

Tricks or scams can be handled if you play your cards right, but dealing with a madwoman who will blast magic if she gets angry is impossible.

Avoiding her as much as possible, and if we did meet, it was best to dodge.

“And that Saintess…”

“I’m planning to keep things as confidential as possible.”

“Tsk, you probably know better about that. Damn… you fortuneteller, remember.”

“Yes?”

“If you get a single scratch on a finger, you’ll know I’ll kill you. Of course, I mean the church, not you.”

“……Understood.”

Hearing Liu’s blunt way of speaking made me smile for no reason.

As I smiled, Liu stared at me for a moment before blushing slightly, then shook her head to dismiss it.

“Anyway!! If you keep throwing your body around recklessly, got it!?”

“I’ll keep that in mind, Ms. Liu.”

“Geez…”

While we were happily chatting, I suddenly glanced at the clock; it was almost the time we had agreed upon.

Liu, realizing that time was up just by looking at my face, clicked her tongue once before standing up to follow me.

Smack.

“…Ms. Liu.”

“I’m marking you, idiot. If you roll around with that Saintess, I’ll smash not just your legs but your arms too and carry you around in a suitcase, so you better watch it.”

“Yes.”

“And I’ll assign a maid to you. Make good use of her.”

“……? Understood.”

A maid?

Who?

*

“This marks the end of the交流会…”

“There are still many places in the aerial city I haven’t seen yet… I wonder if I’ll be included in the priesthood next year.”

“You know, right? They usually send people who haven’t been to the aerial city like Archbishop Karleya and Bishop Bellic, so it’s fine.”

“I know, I know.”

The hotel where the priestly group was staying was bustling.

Even though a few days ago there was a moment when they vacated the hotel, the priesthood managed to stick to their schedule and enjoy the sights of the aerial city and the交流会.

Though some complaints might arise from the younger priests, the pace of packing was not slow.

“Oh, by the way, where’s Cloel?”

“You know, she’s at the church where the Saint is staying…”

“…Is that okay? Didn’t we hear not to keep Cloel close to the Saint?”

“Archbishop Karleya and Bishop Bellic permitted it. What do we need to worry about?”

“That’s true. Oh, but I heard that the Saint is returning to the church this time? I was sad that she stayed at the Academy during break, but it’s for the best.”

“Seems we’ll have a communion after a long time. Those Inquisition guys are going to love it, right?”

The priests, chatting about such topics, gathered in the hotel lobby with fully packed luggage.

Under the guidance of Archbishop Karleya and Bishop Bellic, who had already completed their preparations, everyone headed for the airport.

While waiting for the flight at the airport, a nun approached Bishop Bellic, who was looking around.

“Um, Bishop Bellic?”

“Ah? Sister Florenel. What’s the matter?”

“I, um, can’t find Cloel. Isn’t she joining us here?”

“Ah… Come to think of it, you were Cloel’s roommate.”

“Yes, yes.”

“Don’t worry, Cloel is planning to return to the church separately. She’s accomplished something significant.”

“Accomplished… something?”

What could Cloel possibly accomplish at the Romance Academy?

Hearing Bishop Bellic, other priests quickly gathered around. As they saw their curiosity piqued, Bishop Bellic chuckled before continuing.

“She caught quite the heretic.”

“………What?”

“Don’t worry; it’s not another religion. I heard a vicious little brute was trying to commit terrorism during the交流会, and they caught him.”

“No way…!”

“The Saint herself sent an official document, so it’s undoubtedly true. Cloel is scheduled to return to the church with that heretic on a special escort flight.”

“Wow… she really caught a heretic?”

“She truly pulled off an incredible feat. If things went wrong, the whole交流会 could’ve been blown away, so it’s a really big achievement, right?”

“Could she even get out of being a candidate for the Inquisition now?”

“Is that even possible? At this point, she might not just be a candidate for the Inquisition but potentially a candidate for bishop!”

“Being a candidate for bishop has its perks, but the reward must be ample! I need to stay on Cloel’s good side for a while.”

“Fine wine? With your tolerance, it’ll run out in a day.”

“You punk?”

“Keh… Wait, isn’t that Cloel over there?”

“Huh? It really is! Cloel!”

Suddenly, the priests, who had been chatting about Cloel, surged toward her.

With a bright smile and joy plastered on their faces, they ran toward her, and Cloel couldn’t pretend she didn’t notice.

“Florenel! Everyone!!”

“Cloel! Is it true that you caught a heretic? Where is he?”

“I already put him on the escort flight.”

“Cloel, congrats! What about the reward?”

“Ah… Um, I’m not sure yet. I hope it’s something good?”

“Fine wine of the highest quality!”

“Is that guy even a priest?”

“Are you actually not going to drink it?”

“…Fine wine!”

“Ahhh…!”

As Cloel faced the priests armed with congratulations and questions, she rolled her eyes in bewilderment.

She understood they were all good people, but Cloel wasn’t used to such situations.

‘Well, still, let’s do my best.’

If a lie were ever uncovered, that would be the end. I had to respond as naturally as possible.

And Cloel diligently adhered to the advice of a certain fortuneteller.

“How did you catch that heretic?”

“I’ve been told not to reveal that just yet, so I’ll let you know later!”

“Cloel, can’t you tell your roommate?”

“Sorry, but this is a matter directly commanded by Cardinal McLaren…”

“Oh… I see. Then there’s nothing we can do.”

The effects of using someone of high status were astounding!

Even though he wasn’t particularly well-regarded in the church, being Cardinal placed him right below the Pope. He certainly was not someone that priests who hadn’t become bishops could talk freely about.

For a moment, the priests fell silent, and suddenly, a solemn voice echoed from behind them.

“Everyone, it’s time for you to step aside. Cloel needs to leave now.”

“K-Karleya Archbishop!”

“Archbishop…!”

“Cloel, just to be safe, I’ll be joining the escort flight as well. Could you guide me there?”

“Of course!”

Archbishop Karleya.

Her success story from being a street orphan with Cloel all the way to becoming a respected archbishop was something every nun in the church knew.

Even after attaining the position of archbishop, she remained immaculate and dedicated her life to service across the globe. Above all, she was a warrior who identified as a Fighter, actively engaging in physical trials.

Normally, such a person would be beyond reach. Cloel, trying not to show her excitement, urgently bowed her head.

With a kind smile, Karleya gestured to Bellic, who nodded, managing the priests.

As the priests departed, feeling regretful, Cloel faced Karleya.

“Um, can we leave right away?”

“Let’s do that. The boarding area for the escort flight is at the end there, right?”

“Yes!”

Unlike Cloel, who was just an ordinary person, Archbishop Karleya, being a Fighter, exuded an aura that couldn’t be overlooked.

Walking while receiving greetings from those who recognized her, Cloel soon stopped in front of a large warehouse.

“This is it.”

“I see… Cloel, the heretic must be inside too, right?”

“Ah, yes!”

Yeah, I thought she would ask.

But even though she was someone Cloel greatly respected, a lie had to be told.

This involved her stepbrother Raphael and the mysterious Saintess, after all──

“Hmm, understood.”

“──Huh?”

“If Cardinal McLaren told you to keep it quiet, the answer would be the same even if I asked. Still, would it be okay to speak to the heretic alone for a moment?”

“No? Ah, of course!”

Cloel wasn’t used to such lies, but the fortuneteller, Namgoong Min, had guided her just now and was far more accustomed to it, so it would be fine.

For a brief moment, Cloel thought of the fortuneteller and blushed, feeling the slight embarrassment wash over her.

‘I must really be out of my mind…’

Suggesting marriage with the intent to use their connections? She even unconsciously thought of it as “giving marriage.”

The fact that the sharp observation of Namgoong Min wasn’t wrong either was the reason for her embarrassment.

Taking a deep breath to settle her emotions, Cloel turned to look at Karleya again.

“The departure is in about 30 minutes, so please return before then!”

“Understood. You must be tired from catching that heretic, so go inside and rest.”

“Yes!”

Cloel nodded at Karleya’s gentle words.

Yeah, if it’s that fortuneteller, it should be alright.

More than that, she worried about the Saintess who was secretly accompanying them. Watching Karleya’s figure walking towards the criminal transport section, Cloel also moved her steps.

Taking the fortuneteller and the Saintess to the church.

That was Cloel’s job.

*

Clang.

Inside the escort flight’s criminal transport section.

Made of rough and dark alloy, the space was filled with various torture devices and shackles used to hold heretics.

“Are you comfortable in there?”

“I’m quite alright, Archbishop Karleya.”

The embodiment of integrity, Archbishop Karleya bowed her head gracefully with her hands respectfully clasped.

The other party was the heretic who had been captured by Cloel on charges of terrorism, yet he didn’t wear any shackles or handcuffs and sat comfortably in a chair.

“I will do my utmost to facilitate your comfort, however, as the Rich Tycoon mentioned, the number of people who know about this secret should be minimal…”

“Even being alone in the criminal transport section is a privilege. Wouldn’t there normally be torturers or inquisitors accompanying me?”

“I denied that under the authority of the archbishop.”

“Well done. The Tycoon will surely be pleased, Archbishop Karleya… No, Cardinal.”

Though the交流会 of the Romance Academy occurred yearly, Karleya regarded it as a heavenly opportunity this time.

Having built connections by meeting various high-class individuals and VIPs, the encounter she made this time was beyond comparison to others.

‘A Tycoon… a Tycoon…!!’

The not-so-favorable reputation of McLaren was contrasted against the fact that he had garnered 20% of the church’s annual donations all by himself.

The fact that there was a Tycoon behind McLaren was a well-known secret among the high priests.

So for her to receive sponsorship from the Tycoon, all the way until she became a Cardinal?

‘This is a chance…!!’

The Rich Tycoon had made it clear. If she faithfully followed this fortuneteller’s words, the next Cardinal position would be hers.

Cardinal. Cardinal. Cardinal.

It’s not a position one can attain just by being pure, good, or faithful.

Only after achieving the position she so longed for of archbishop did she realize. It wasn’t enough just to become an archbishop to fulfill her dreams.

She had to become a Cardinal. A position that only three could attain within the church that manages over hundreds of millions of believers.

For that, Karleya would—

‘Without fail!’

…Do whatever it takes.