It Seems Like I Got Transmigated Into An Eroge - Chapter 21 : Cardinal Luke

All the people waiting outside followed the lead of the female priest, who guided us to the waiting area. During the walk, some kids around my age eagerly stared at Master Irene, who held my hand as if I were a child, a joyful smile on her face.

Master Irene continued to hum, while I, on the other hand, was eager to swing the sword in my hand and slice through things when I got back home – I even forgot the purpose of why I was here. A while later, we arrived in a spacious waiting room with vacant seats scattered around.

“Guardians accompanying the children should wait here, while the kids undergoing the spirit ceremony, please follow me,” the priest announced.

Lost in thought, I gazed at the ceiling, imagining the things I could cut with the sword once I returned home.

“Claude!”

“Huh? What? Is there a fight?”

“Follow the priest, for heaven’s sake. Stop daydreaming. You’ll have the chance to play around later after you finish your spirit ceremony. And give me the sword.”

“Oh, right! Yeah! See you later, Master Irene and Clara!”

After handing the sword to Master Irene, I rushed toward the group of children exiting the room, following the priest. As I left, I looked back and waved to the two before the door closed. Before long, we found ourselves in a sanctuary room, where an inexplicable atmosphere seemed to hang in the air. We took seats on wooden pews. The kids beside me stole glances at me, likely trying to figure out my relationship with the saint, but too shy to ask. Eventually, the boy on my right decided to ask anyway.

“Are you Saint Irene’s son?”

“Oh, no-no, I’m her disciple,” I quickly replied, shaking my head.

“Really?! That’s so cool! Um… I’m a huge fan of Saint Irene. Could you maybe ask her to give me an autograph?”

“Hmm? Uh, sure, I’ll ask.”

He beamed with joy. “Thank you!”

“Alright, children, please come to the front as I call you one by one for mana assessment,” She said, holding what seemed to be a magical crystal sphere. It was my first time seeing such a thing.

One by one, she began calling out names. Amidst this, my attention was captured by a young lad who stood at the front. He had a striking appearance distinct from the other kids – crimson hair, fierce slanted crimson eyes, and an impressive, handsome physique with well-defined muscles that seemed unusual for a 15-year-old. I couldn’t help feeling envious.

Why did he have such an incredible body while I was stuck with this? Where was the fairness in that? I had been diligently training and eating a lot to gain muscle mass, but my efforts seemed futile, and I remained stuck with my compact, skinny frame…

Frustration and envy consumed me.

Following his turn, a woman with a similar appearance stepped forward. Her long hair was tied in a side ponytail. At a glance, it was evident that they were twins – their eyes, hair, and nose bore undeniable similarities. Yet, their facial structures were different; the young man had a square, masculine jawline, while the young woman possessed a softer, rounder face.

Truthfully, I had lost track of what was happening. I had forgotten how the crystal sphere functioned or how it assessed one’s mana. All I could observe was that their hands, when placed on the sphere, caused it to illuminate in various colors. Unfortunately, I couldn’t recall the significance of those colors.

What were the names of those two red-haired twins again? I couldn’t remember; I had been too absorbed in my thoughts, envisioning the impressive feats I could achieve with the sword Master Irene had gifted me.

“Claude Weiss,” the call finally came.

“Yes.”

At last, my name was called. However, I wasn’t sure why I was referred to as Weiss. Could the priest have mistaken me for one due to my arrival with Master Irene? And did I even need to register? A cascade of thoughts flooded my mind as I made my way to the front.

As I reached the front, all eyes were fixed on me – something I had surprisingly grown accustomed to. Yet, I couldn’t ignore the sudden chill that ran down my spine. I turned to find the red-haired guy glaring at me with disdain. In response, I exerted a hint of intimidating energy, and to my surprise, it worked. He averted his gaze, and other children followed suit – they either looked away or lowered their eyes. I had unintentionally released an aura that affected them, but I didn’t concern myself with it.

“Please, let’s not create conflicts within the sacred sanctuary.”

“I apologize, sister,” I said, bowing my head in remorse.

“It’s a mere caution.”

“Of course, I’m sorry for my impulsive behavior.”

“No harm done, as long as you recognize your mistake.”

“Thank you.”

“Now, place your hand on the sphere and channel your mana into it, even if you lack mana within your body. This crystal carries blessings that will aid you on your journey into the world of the spirits.”

“I understand. Thank you.”

Gasps of surprise echoed behind me. I stole a quick glance and saw confusion and amazement on their faces. It was likely they underestimated me, believing someone like me couldn’t be a disciple of a saint. I paid no heed; as long as they didn’t bother me, I was unbothered. But if they did, I was prepared to respond with a small ‘demonstration’.

The red-haired guy who had glared at me earlier now seemed furious – I ignored him completely. Returning my attention to the female priest, I placed my hand on the sphere. While it was intended for mana, I channeled my quintessence into it instead. However, the outcome was unexpected – the sphere violently exploded.

—Boom

Glass fragments scattered everywhere, prompting me to instinctively shield my eyes with my arm. When I opened my eyes, the priest’s astonished expression greeted me.

“Uh-uhh… I-I’ll get another one. I apologize for the sudden inconvenience.”

She went to get another one, but after I placed my hands on it, it exploded again. The cycle continued relentlessly. After the 5th time, I poured a minuscule amount of my quintessence, and yet, it exploded again. At that moment, a sudden realization struck me. Do I need to pay for all the items I’ve broken? So, with the next one, I refrained from any action and simply placed my hands on it, which resulted in yet another explosion.

The room was filled with expressions of bewilderment as everyone attempted to fathom the cause of these explosions. Not only were they puzzled, but I was too. During the final attempt, I did nothing more than place my hands on it. Most likely, the cause was my quintessence, leaving me uncertain about what might befall me.

The female priest, taken aback by the situation, gazed at the shattered magical crystal spheres while contemplating her next steps. If I were in her shoes, I wouldn’t bring any more spheres; the outcome would undoubtedly remain the same. It seemed I was caught in an endless cycle of breaking those objects.

Out of nowhere, a handsome priest swung the door open abruptly, startling everyone in the room, including myself. His gaze scanned the occupants until it met mine, and he beamed with joy before heading in my direction.

“Oh, Claude! What brings you here? Didn’t Irene inform you that you were supposed to find me for your spirit ceremony? She forgot to tell you, didn’t she? Haah… She truly is a forgetful saint.”

Upon his arrival, the female priest was visibly shocked and stammered, “Your Eminence, how may I assist you?”

“Fret not, young sister. I’m here to fetch this young one; he’s quite special. Judging by the shattered glass around, you used ‘it,’ I presume?” He then fixed his gaze on me.

Nervously sweating, I managed, “Yes… I apologize for it. If I may, I’ll cover the expenses.”

“How many did he manage to destroy?”

“Um… 6, Your Eminence.”

“Very well, I’ll take care of it. Let’s go, young man. And by the way, young sister, please inform the office that they can deduct it from my salary this month. Farewell~”

With that, he whisked me out of the room, leaving the rest of the occupants speechless. As we walked through the expansive hall, I struggled to wrap my head around this man, so I gathered the courage to inquire.

“Eminence…”

“Call me Sir Luke. No need for formality when you’re with me. Since you’re Irene’s disciple, just refer to me as Sir instead of Eminence. By the way, I’m a Cardinal.”

The term ‘Cardinal’ sent me into a brief panic, prompting a quick apology. “Sir Luke, I deeply regret my actions earlier—”

“Don’t worry about that. Those crystal spheres are meant for mana, but yours is different. Irene has briefed me about you, and you’re quite an unusual individual. I can’t fathom what led you to accept Irene’s suggestion to force your body into creating a mana capacitor. Nevertheless, I commend your bravery. Enduring that kind of pain isn’t easy; it can drive people to madness or even death.”

His final words struck a chord with me. The intense pain I endured for a few minutes seemed to suddenly make sense, as it had subsided rapidly. I always suffered from migraines in my previous life, which often made me contemplate ending it all. Could it be due to my mental resilience? Regardless, I needed to overcome this spirit ceremony and anticipate enjoying my time with the sword later.

“I… I didn’t think it through thoroughly…”

“That’s alright. As long as you’re well now, your decision that day was the right one, whether it seems right or wrong in retrospect. Once a decision is made, there’s no going back if it leads to consequences. Embrace it and learn to coexist with it. So, tell me, what’s your goal once you’ve acquired your own spirit?” His gaze bore into me expectantly.

Hm… Initially, my aim was to conquer the girls in the game. Yet, upon meeting Lily, doubts crept in. Stephanie, the super tsundere; enigmatic Master Irene; and Clara, who seemed less likely to fit the trope. But now…