PTSD Military Chaplain of the Academy

The backrest of the chair leaned back softly. I rested my head against the neck support and, as a habit, took out the cigarette from my pocket.

“Ha….”

The memories of just yesterday, when I had slept the whole weekend for a total of two days, came back to me. The time I had shamefully burst into tears, clinging to Sofia Sub-priest and ranting about my problems flickered in my mind.

Aside from that, there was another embarrassing memory.

Waking up early at dawn, I recalled Sofia Sub-priest curled up in the blanket, sleeping. She occasionally called my name in her sleep, hugging my waist tightly.

I seriously contemplated whether I had caused a scene while having my fit, but I was relieved when Sofia Sub-priest, who had woken up shortly afterward, waved her hands in confusion.

“Uh, um…? I was sleeping on the sofa….”

The recent days had crossed over from early spring into full-on spring. It was probably the chilly night air that had made me feel cold. If it had just turned into a minor happening, I could say I was fortunate.

However, I had shown a pathetic side to Sofia Sub-priest, who had cared for me and genuinely worried about me.

Naturally, it was a shameful situation and practically a nuisance. I truly felt sorry for Sofia Sub-priest, who hadn’t been able to rest properly all weekend while taking care of me.

This was also the reason why Sofia Sub-priest was not in the professor’s office today. She looked so tired at first glance that I had told her to take a good rest today.

“…Should I get my prescription refilled?”

I murmured while rubbing my temples. I had heard from Moritz that taking more medication would be dangerous. But….

“I need to live long enough….”

– So, please just promise me one thing, Priest Lucio.

“…….”

The reason that promise came to mind right now felt particularly irritating.

The foolishness of having said I understood exchanged for such a thing struck me.

Don’t do that. Didn’t you promise me? You wouldn’t want to miss seeing the students graduate, would you? Perhaps this was their way of advising me.

Such thoughts crossed my mind.

I took off my glasses and carelessly threw them onto the desk, splashing water on my face.

“Puhuh…”

I didn’t even know anymore. I just chuckled. Perhaps it was because I looked so pathetic and miserable. I sighed while thinking that the reason I was having so many random thoughts today might be a boring joke about it being Monday.

“What do you expect me to do?”

I rolled a cigarette between my fingers. Once I fell into such thoughts, I longed for the bitter mint scent. As I took out a matchbox, I decided against it.

Following the words of my attending physician, Moritz, I decided not to request the medications I had previously been prescribed.

It would be better to look for a healthier way to improve my deranged mental state. After all, I still had reasons to keep on living.

My shoulder was still fine. According to Moritz, it was slowly recovering.

…No. It might have gotten a little worse due to the excessive use of divine power last time.

“Ugh…. I don’t know.”

I put the cigarette back in my mouth but had yet to burst the capsule.

I merely held it. The cigarette that hadn’t burst the capsule or been lit didn’t smell of mint. After taking out the matchbox I had put in earlier, I absentmindedly stared at the ceiling for a while.

“…What are you doing?”

Suddenly, Professor Esther’s face came into view. I slowly pulled the cigarette from my mouth.

“Professor Esther. When did you arrive?”

“Just now. I knocked several times, but you didn’t say anything.”

“…I’m sorry. I was thinking for a moment.”

As I apologized, Professor Esther waved her hand, a little flustered.

“Oh, no. It’s all right. More importantly… how’s your health?”

Professor Esther sat in the guest chair across the desk. I silently watched her. Then, Professor Esther slightly averted her gaze.

Come to think of it, she had seen me trembling with my right arm and eventually fainting. Professor Esther had witnessed everything.

“Well, I’m fine. At least now.”

“How have you been since the weekend? I heard that Sofia Sub-priest tended to you…”

“…How do you know that?”

Professor Esther wound a lock of her indigo hair around her finger. Then, a bit bashfully, she lowered her head slightly and spoke.

“Actually, I went to visit you out of concern after you fainted….”

“Visit me…?”

I had no memory of that. Could it be that she had come while I was having another fit and, therefore, I do not recall it?

Seeing my somewhat flustered expression, Professor Esther gently smiled as she continued.

“Yes. I went with some students, but you didn’t respond no matter how much we knocked… so we thought you might be sleeping, and we just left…”

“…….”

“This morning, I happened to run into Sofia Sub-priest. She told me she had been taking care of you all weekend…”

Fortunately, it seemed that they had only visited while I had fainted. I sighed in relief.

Then Professor Esther suddenly approached me with an exaggerated expression.

“More importantly, Professor Lucio. Listen.”

“Yes. I’m listening.”

“This incident happened at the academy, and it’s a principle that we take action and report it in the event of an emergency during duty, right?”

“Is that so?”

When I asked back, Professor Esther looked at me as if she found me ridiculous.

“No, Professor Lucio. Isn’t that what Professor Andres told you during the handover…?”

“I’m sorry. My head is still a bit foggy.”

“Ah… right. I apologize. I didn’t think of that.”

“It’s all right. Anyway, what happened?”

“So, I just went to inform Chancellor Damian earlier. And he…”

I waited for Professor Esther to continue while fiddling with the cigarette case. I felt the urge to smoke, but I didn’t want to do it in front of her.

“The Chancellor was startled and said he’d officially protest to the Holy Empire over this incident!”

“Suddenly?”

“Yes! So, I was startled and tried to stop him. It was the first time I had seen him so angry. Why did he get so upset so suddenly?”

“Hmm….”

The Holy Empire. I had indeed witnessed the malevolent energy of beings like demons, and it was only right for the Holy Empire to take measures now that these aberrant beings had appeared.

However, I had my own question.

“Why did Chancellor Damian get unexpectedly angry?”

“I have no idea! So, I thought about it, but could it be because the ghost that appeared at that time was the first Head Priest Giovanni?”

“First Head Priest Giovanni? But that’s just a rumor…”

“What if it’s not a rumor?”

I silently stared at Professor Esther. Her serious purple eyes sparkled. It seemed that Professor Esther had indeed been influenced by the Occult Research Club.

“…If that rumor is true…. Those priests who came from the Holy Empire long ago showed suspicious behavior, so it’s certainly reasonable to have some doubt.”

“Could it be that the dispatched brigade of priests killed First Head Priest Giovanni…?”

“That doesn’t make sense. If that were the case, they wouldn’t be able to set foot in the Holy Empire.”

Due to how sensitive the Holy Empire’s legal system is about the crime of murder, a priest killing a priest is treated as a grave sin.

The basic punishment is life imprisonment without parole, and in severe cases, they could be treated similarly to heretics or witchcraft practitioners and sentenced to be burned at the stake.

“How bad would it be that the Bible even describes someone who killed a priest as having their skin peeled off and pickled in seawater for a fortnight, before being thrown to the beasts as food?”

“…That’s a bit frightening.”

“The more terrifying fact is that the Holy Empire’s laws apply worldwide.”

To put it simply, not only would all information about that criminal be exposed, but it would also lead to an international manhunt. Thinking about it, it feels similar to a real-life Interpol wanted list.

“Well, anyway…. The Chancellor seemed to be very angry.”

“Considering what I’ve heard… It does seem that the priests are suspicious, but it’s prudent to regard rumors as just rumors.”

“That seems right? Ugh!”

Professor Esther rose vigorously from her chair. As I stared blankly at her, she tilted her head in confusion.

“What are you doing? Why aren’t you getting up?”

“Pardon?”

“You need to go have a meal! If you skip lunch today, you’ll regret it!”

“…Yes. Let’s go.”

I stood up, following Professor Esther. I returned the cigarette and matches back into my pocket. We stepped out of the professor’s office.

As soon as we left the office, Professor Esther suddenly seemed to have forgotten something and opened her mouth in surprise.

“Oh, right! What’s wrong with my memory! By the way, the Chancellor was looking for you, Professor Lucio?”

“…Me?”

“Yes. He said to come see him after finishing lunch.”

“…….”

Though I felt somewhat uneasy, I could only nod with a skeptical expression.

* * * * *

Knock, knock, knock.

I knocked cautiously. Then, a familiar voice that I had heard before came from within.

– Come in.

Creeeak—.

Pushing the heavy door open with both hands, a nostalgic room appeared before my eyes.

The furniture looked no different from the professor’s office, but the interior of the Chancellor’s office was special due to the size of the room. Suddenly, a cool breeze wafting through the window tickled my hair. My gaze instinctively turned in that direction.

I noticed a white pottery-like pot sitting by the window. It was impressive to see a tree growing at a size suitable for indoor cultivation.

“Ha ha…. Welcome. I’ve been waiting for you.”

And standing there was the elderly man with a stylized mustache, holding pruning shears. I slightly bowed my head.

“Chancellor Damian. I heard you were looking for me.”

“You’ve come well. And I apologize for welcoming you in such a state.”

“If you’re busy, I can visit later.”

“Oh no…. It’s fine. I was about to wrap things up anyway. Ah, please sit first.”

I nodded and took a seat on the guest sofa in the middle of the Chancellor’s office. Chancellor Damian began to diligently prune the tree with his shears.

It seemed that Chancellor Damian’s hobby was taking care of potted plants. His passion for nurturing the tree resembled the kind-hearted grandfather you would find in a rural village.

After a moment, having completed the delicate work, Chancellor Damian looked at the tree with satisfaction.

“I’ve recently taken a keen interest in this. What do you think? Isn’t it beautiful?”

“The fresh green looks nice.”

“Ah ha…. Thank you, even if it’s just flattery. Oh dear…”

Removing his gloved hands, which had a bit of dirt on them, and putting the shears away in the drawer, Chancellor Damian then sat with a groan on the sofa.

“Right, I’m glad you came. Professor Antorelli. Oh, my memory is slipping…. I should prepare a cup of tea for us, shouldn’t I?”

“There’s no need. I’m fine.”

“Hmm…. Is that so? Perhaps, Professor Antorelli knows that this old man’s tea brewing skills aren’t very good! Haha!”

Chancellor Damian laughed heartily, but soon his laughter died down as he sighed.

“Hmm…. Professor Antorelli, are you perhaps from the Holy Empire?”

“I am not, but my father was from the Holy Empire.”

“Oh, I see. I see.”

As Chancellor Damian nodded slightly, his expression grew solemn.

“Because of this incident… I feel a bit angry. I suppose you already know?”

“…Yes. Professor Esther informed me.”

“Hmm…. Well, I can’t go into the details about why I’m angry…. A long time ago, there was an incident involving the Holy Empire with our Academy, and they handled it rather carelessly.”

“Is that so?”

“It seems our students were almost put in danger because of the Holy Empire’s careless response… I guess it made me unavoidably angry. Please tell Professor Esther I’m sorry for my tone.”

“Yes. I will convey it separately.”

“Ha ha…. Good to hear.”

While Chancellor Damian stroked his beard thoughtfully, I remained silent and waited for his next words.

“Anyway, Professor Antorelli, listen carefully.”

“I am listening.”

“This incident… Let’s refer to it as the finger incident. Regarding that finger, where is it now?”

Chancellor Damian’s eyes narrowed. I gulped down dry saliva.

“I am keeping it safe. It seems to be somewhat related to something unclean.”

“…I see. It’s a relief to know that Professor Antorelli is keeping it safe. But, Professor Antorelli…”

Chancellor Damian looked at me with his eyes shining fiercely. I clenched my fist hidden under the table.

“That object is truly… a very dangerous item.”

“Is that so?”

“Indeed. And I want to protect everyone associated with our Caldera Imperial Academy. No, it must be that way.”

“I understand.”

“Right. And I intend to use this incident as an opportunity to send that accursed finger to the Holy Empire.”

Chancellor Damian seemed genuinely angry. More specifically, he seemed to be angry that the students he cared for, the professors, and even the Academy itself had briefly come under threat.

“I sent a letter to the Holy Empire. If they have any sense or conscience, they should either take that cursed item that threatened the Academy or destroy it, or purify it.”

“…….”

“I will prevent such incidents from happening again. At least while I am in this position as Chancellor, I will ensure that such things never happen again. I am not very patient.”

Crack…!

The wooden armrest of the sofa crumbled under Chancellor Damian’s grasp.

Indeed, the rumors that he used to be a promising combat department instructor seemed to be true. I was sweating coldly and subtly averted my gaze.

“Ugh…. I apologize for showing such an ugly side.”

“It’s all right.”

“So, Professor Antorelli. More importantly… I would like to ask you for a favor.”

Chancellor Damian displayed a slight smile. Then he stood up from the sofa and walked over to his desk.

“Where did I put it… Ah, here it is.”

After rummaging through the desk for a bit, he returned to me with a letter in hand. I stared blankly at it and, in a daze, received it.

It was very high-quality paper. For some reason, it felt as if it radiated a sacred energy, and at the very bottom was the Pope’s seal….

“…What is this?”

“Ha ha…. The truth is, I wrote a rather forceful letter… and gave the Holy Empire quite a telling-off. I told them anyone could come and handle it. Then, this morning, this letter arrived.”

“Ah, no. This is….”

It was an official document sent from the Holy Empire. It appeared to have been written personally by His Holiness the Pope.

Although it contained all sorts of grandiloquent phrases, to summarize it, there was a message that they had dispatched a reliable priest and to not worry and just wait.

“Well, at least they’re sending someone to address it, so we should give proper hospitality to the priest who will be dispatched here, right?”

“Yes.”

“To be honest, I don’t really know the etiquette or how to treat priests from the Holy Empire… and it feels a bit awkward to say this, but it could cause some trouble if something inappropriate happens…”

“…Yes.”

“So, I was hoping our Professor Antorelli could handle that… Ah, of course, I will compensate you with an additional payment.”

In simple terms, this was the deal. Keep an eye on the priest dispatched by the Holy Empire and immediately report if anything suspicious happens.

“…….”

It wasn’t that difficult of a task. Dealing with a priest should be an easy thing. But, why did it feel so uneasy…?

As I pondered for a long time without responding, Chancellor Damian leisurely sank back into the sofa, smiling as he took a cigarette from his pocket.

“Do you smoke?”

“Yes, I do.”

“Here, let’s smoke one together.”

Chancellor Damian casually offered me a cigarette. I scrutinized it closely. And I instinctively realized.

If I took this cigarette, I would be agreeing to Chancellor Damian’s request, and if I refused it, I would be rejecting his request.

After staring at the cigarette for a while, I gently pushed it away. Chancellor Damian looked a bit disappointed.

“Ha… was that too much to ask?”

“It’s not that, Chancellor.”

“…Huh?”

I took out my own cigarettes from my pocket. The mint-scented cigarettes I enjoyed smoking.

“I only smoke this brand.”

“…Ah ha ha—!”

Chancellor Damian laughed heartily as he took a drag from the cigarette. I, too, held a cigarette in my mouth. It was the same one I had put away just moments before in front of Professor Esther.

I lit his cigarette and then lit mine. Chancellor Damian took a deep drag and said,

“Hmm… anyway, I look forward to your assistance, Professor Antorelli. Whether the Holy Empire will take it away or will purify it, I just need to prevent any further harm to the Academy.”

“Yes. I will ensure that there are no issues and that the Academy is not harmed.”

“Hmm… It seems I have a good eye for people.”

We exhaled cigarette smoke and chuckled softly.

At that moment, the decision regarding the troublesome finger was made.

And I too was agreeing to ensure that the students of the Academy would not fall into danger.

I planned to keep that promise at all costs.

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