After Retirement, Living a Stud Life in Another World - 199
Chapter 199: Spirit Possession?
“What was that all about, I wonder?”
After the baptism ceremony, we gathered in the back of the church, putting our heads together. We couldn’t afford to abandon our thoughts on what that strange phenomenon meant.
However, the Emperor, who had quickly fallen from the “grandchild fever,” seemed to be in shock. In an unholy manner, he clutched a bottle of wine, breathing heavily. This was definitely a situation best avoided.
“Certainly, at first, it shone with a bright green light. The holy water basin shouldn’t shine without magical power… I’m sure it wasn’t without magic. What do you think, Elder Elise?”
“Beatrice is right. Since the body glowed that brightly, it must have SS-class magical power. Perhaps something is preventing that power from manifesting outward,” responded Cardinal Elise, who had been called “Elder” by Beatrice.
“I don’t mind if Fanny doesn’t have magical power. She’s a treasure, born of the bl00d of Lutz and me. It’s fine for her to live a peaceful, ordinary life, far removed from magic. But… it might cause trouble for older sister Clara.”
That’s right. Beatrice wasn’t concerned about Franziska, whom she affectionately called Fanny, ascending to the throne. But she also knew that Clara, her elder sister, wanted to keep her daughter away from power. Clara slowly opened her mouth.
“If it comes to that, then it can’t be helped. I had hoped to see Luize use her talents for craftsmanship, but it’s also the royal family’s important responsibility to calm the people’s anxieties…”
Clara accepted that her daughter might become a candidate for queen without hesitation. It was an unexpected response from someone who loved a simple life, but it made me realize that she, too, had the purest blue bl00d flowing through her veins.
“However, is there a way to release Fanny’s magical power? Wouldn’t there be some method, Lutz-sama?”
Hey, Clara, why are you looking at me with such hopeful eyes? I’m the one who’s completely bound by the common sense of my past world. I can’t keep up with this fantasy setting! Somehow, she seems to treat me like an omnipotent god… but I wish she’d stop.
“Clara, your man doesn’t know everything, you know.”
Seeing my panic, Cardinal Elise, noticing my flustered expression, came to my rescue. In truth, I only learned a little while ago that this cardinal lady’s name, Elise, was so lady-like… It made me sigh at how unsuited I am to being a royal consort.
“I have one idea as to what’s suppressing Fanny… Franziska’s magical power,” she said.
“What?!”
The Queen, who had seemed to drift away into drunken stupor, suddenly perked up at the Cardinal’s words. Laughing wryly at her enthusiasm, the Cardinal continued.
“It’s a spirit.”
“A spirit?”
“Yes. You may already know this, Eliza. There are no spirit users in this country, but far to the south, on the Dark Continent, there are many spirit users. Even on this continent, there are those among the demi-humans, like the forest dwellers and mountain folk, who can wield such power.”
“Is Beatrice’s ‘Spirit Eyes’ also a spirit-wielding ability?”
“Good catch, stud. But Beatrice’s power is just an ‘extraordinary ability.’ It’s common to associate such mysterious powers with spirits or gods. The ‘spirit’ I’m talking about here isn’t that useful.”
According to Cardinal Elise, everything in this world is inhabited by spirits—plants, earth, air, and water. Some humans and demi-humans can communicate with these spirits, borrowing their power to create miracles that resemble magic. These people are known as “spirit users.” I had learned this much, but what did this have to do with my daughter, Fanny?
“It’s said that an excellent spirit user is born with a guardian spirit from the moment of birth. I can’t see it, but… this child might have the talent of a spirit user,” she concluded.
Wow. My daughter, a rare spirit user, that’s pretty amazing. It’s been a while since I’ve felt this kind of thrill, like a young teenager.
“It seems someone is misunderstanding things. In this country, being possessed by a spirit isn’t a happy thing,” said the Cardinal with a pointed look.
Hmm? Is she talking about me? If I could use some strange power, I’d think that’s a good thing. But seeing my confused expression, Beatrice, whose face had gone blank, spoke up.
“Spirits are said to dislike human magical power. Weak spirits aren’t so bad, but if a strong spirit possesses someone, their magic gets sealed… which means they can’t use magic. If Cardinal Elise’s guess is right, Fanny will never be able to use magic.”
“No, that can’t be…”
For the women of this world, especially those of noble birth, not being able to use magic is a social curse. I didn’t want to think about Fanny carrying such a heavy fate, but Beatrice wouldn’t lie to me.
“Is there no way to exorcise this spirit?”
“If you try to exorcise the guardian spirit, it will likely kill its host.”
“Then, what should we do…?”
“The best course of action is to communicate with the spirit, just like the people from the Dark Continent, and use its power to expand one’s own path in life… But as far as I know, there are no spirit users in this country. It takes great skill to use spirits, but… there’s no one here who can teach that to your daughter.”
With a soft voice, Cardinal Elise spoke the cruel fate awaiting my daughter. We all fell silent, our hearts heavy, thinking about what Fanny’s future might hold.