NOVEL WEB Chapter 6
“It’s time to stop taking the medication.”
Moritz looked at the priest in front of him with pity.
The priest, with a pale complexion, did not seem to hear Moritz’s words. He merely gazed into the void.
Into the void, the empty void. He just stared. That was all.
And even as this happened, time was passing inexorably. As if to urge him to wake from a dream.
“Mr. Antorelli, I must insist, it is time to stop the medication…”
“…If I stop.”
The priest in front of him. That is, Priest Lucio Antorelli lowered his dull gaze.
Not into the empty void, but to the face of the doctor who was concerned for him, which filled his view.
“If I stop. I think I will die.”
“…”
“If I don’t stop the medication, then it’s a different kind of death I would be tasting.”
“Mr. Antorelli.”
Priest Antorelli pointed to his temples with his finger. He tapped once, twice, and then finally three times.
“I can still hear it. In my head… Inside this skull of mine.”
“What do you hear?”
“My comrades who died beside me… I can feel the tremors of the bombardment. Arms that were torn apart are lying in our trench. And, and… I, I… I…”
Seeing the tears burst from Priest Antorelli, Moritz gently took hold of his hand in sympathy. The wrinkled, aged hands of the doctor grasped the young man’s hand, unable to bear his guilt.
“I, I… What should I have done…?”
Priest Antorelli sobbed. The sleeves of his priestly robes were becoming damp.
What sin has this young man committed? A young man barely in his twenties, with a bright future ahead of him—what could he have done to suffer so?
Moritz felt genuine compassion for this. The pain of Priest Antorelli was not something one could bear alone, yet this pitiful and weary priest was determined to carry that burden by himself.
This burden, shouldered by a doctor like him. Or perhaps by those around him. It would be nice if it could be alleviated even a little. Instead of adamantly refusing the touch of others, he should learn how to depend on other people.
“I couldn’t do anything. *Sob*. I, I… I…”
“It’s alright. It’s alright…”
“She wasn’t meant to go like that. She wasn’t someone who should die like that. What was it that I should have done…?”
How long did he sob like that?
Priest Antorelli raised his head. His expression was much better compared to before the examination.
“I’m sorry, Doctor. I’ve shown you a shameful sight.”
“There’s nothing to apologize for, Mr. Antorelli. You, as the patient, have nothing to be sorry for.”
“Thank you.”
Moritz, looking at Priest Antorelli’s eyes that had become as red as a rabbit’s, picked up a pen to write a prescription.
“Still, you mustn’t continue with the medication. You need to start recognizing your current situation.”
“…Yes.”
“The medication you were taking is heavily narcotic, and because of its side effects, I can no longer recommend it. If you continue taking it, your body will suffer.”
“I understand.”
“I will prescribe only medication related to your shoulder. You’ll take it three times a day—morning, noon, and night—two pills at a time.”
“…Is the shoulder improving?”
This is difficult. How should I explain this?
After pondering for a moment, Moritz decided to speak the truth. After all, this patient was not someone who wanted to hear comforting words. That was how he judged it.
“The shoulder is… frankly, healing at a rather slow pace. If you were to accept a miracle manifested through an extremely high density of holy power, perhaps it would be a different story… But yes.”
“I understand.”
“Given that the previous medication had narcotic pain relief effects, you may experience some pain while taking the medication you are receiving this time.”
“…Yes. Understood.”
Priest Antorelli’s expression darkened slightly. However, he concealed it and soon returned to his usual expressionless demeanor before leaving the examination room.
“Thank you. Then, I will see you again in a month…”
“Yes. I’ll see you again in a month.”
Click.
Moritz stared at the closed door of the examination room, then let out a deep sigh, rubbing his temples.
“Whew—”
Moritz leaned his whole body against the chair.
No matter what day he came, he always stopped by for a final examination before finishing.
Was it to consider other patients? Or did he not want others to see the state he was in just a moment ago?
He couldn’t tell. He couldn’t know, but…
“…Is it still not the time?”
Suddenly.
“Doctor, it’s about time to end the examination.”
“Alright. …Before that, Betty.”
Nurse Betty turned her head. Moritz smiled weakly and waved his fingers.
“Let’s end it with a cigarette.”
“…Sounds good.”
Without a cigarette, he couldn’t endure the heaviness in his chest.
* * * * *
Deng— Deng—
“…That will be all for today’s class. If you have any questions, today is my duty day, so feel free to come to the office anytime. Just a note, I will not be answering questions related to assignments. Let’s write them out by thinking for ourselves.”
“Well then, I’ll see you next week.”
After finishing class with somewhat different words than usual, I left the classroom with only a Bible tucked under my arm.
It has already been three weeks since I started working as a professor at the academy. Perhaps it was because the first class passed by like a storm. Fortunately, nothing significant happened in the subsequent classes.
The only strange thing was that the expressions of the students attending my class changed completely after the first lesson.
During the first lesson, there were many students dozing off, and some even completely fell asleep on their desks. However, after I had a confrontation with the noble lady Adelheit, those disobedient students disappeared.
While everyone’s sparkling attention felt a bit overwhelming… if the students are determined to diligently attend class, there wouldn’t be any educator who would want to discourage that.
Maybe after witnessing the flower of the beginning that I presented, the students grew interested in theology, which they had found boring until then. I cautiously ventured this hopeful observation.
‘Come to think of it, Chloe has been attending class diligently too.’
Although my knowledge of this novel is limited, I know that the female student named Chloe is the protagonist. Upon reflection, I realize that I haven’t read any female protagonist novels before.
In any case, since Chloe, being in the protagonist position, is diligently attending my class, I aim to teach her enough to make her a decent person. Perhaps that would suffice for now.
I didn’t even hope for the story to progress normally. After all, aside from the early part, I don’t know what happens later, so who could I care about?
‘As long as I don’t die, that’s fine.’
Yes. Let’s maintain an unscathed state, a human state. That’s all that mattered.
As I pondered these thoughts and left the classroom, the sub-priest Sofia, who also served as my assistant, waddled behind me, clutching theology books to her chest.
“Sofia, I’ll carry that.”
“Oh. T-thank you!”
Seeing Sofia struggling to adjust the books was pitiful, so I snatched the stack from her arms and tucked it under my side.
“I should get a briefcase.”
“Indeed. I’ll need a bag starting from the second semester to carry exam materials, so it would be necessary.”
“Yes. Let’s buy one that’s comfortable for you to carry, Sofia.”
“Of course! Oh, by the way, about today’s duty…”
While walking through the corridor, Sofia hurriedly followed beside me, sharing today’s schedule.
Being a sub-priest is quite convenient. It reminds me of my days serving as a sub-priest in some rural fief.
Back then, I was a naive young man completely oblivious to the world. How did it come to this?
I looked down at Sofia, who had finished discussing her duties. Her blonde hair swayed as she followed me closely, resembling a little hamster diligently running on a wheel.
“Um…. Head Priest. Aren’t you curious about today’s lunch menu at the academy restaurant?”
“I am curious. Do you know, Sofia?”
“Hehe. Are you asking me to tell you outright?”
“…Hmm.”
Sofia looked up at me with a mischievous expression. One of the things I learned from being with her in the academy is that she is a very playful person.
I stopped walking and looked down at Sofia. As I halted, Sofia, who had been giving me a strange look, met my gaze defiantly.
I gazed into her emerald-like eyes. Something shiny sparkled within them.
The brightness and youthful passion emanating from her cheerful and youthful expression. It was something that had long since vanished from my life as I approached thirty.
Of course, even if I were her age, I’m not sure I would have such passion. What was I doing at that age?
…I wanted to see that sparkle a little closer.
“U-um… H-head Priest?”
As I leaned down and stared at her, her porcelain-like face turned increasingly red. Why was that?
The transparent green eyes of Sofia, glancing around as if unsure what to do, finally hardened, as if she had made up her mind and began looking me in the eyes with determination.
“…”
“…”
Neither of us spoke, but we both understood at the same time.
This is…. a staring contest. A staring contest to find out the lunch menu.
And I, under no circumstances, lose.
“Your eyes must be tired, Head Priest.”
“Sofia, there are loads of work piled up. Let’s finish this quickly and move on.”
“Ugh, Head Priest. You’ve got a nose hair sticking out.”
“I know it’s a lie.”
“…Tch.”
As I focused on Sofia’s face, I noticed a small piece of dust stuck to her side hair. I shifted the theology books I was holding to my right hand and carefully raised my left hand to brush against her cheek.
“Eep…!”
Sofia trembled at that moment. The eyes that had been glaring at me quietly began to shake.
‘This is it…!’
I sensed victory.
As I gently cupped her cheek with my left hand, her small face, which could fit entirely in my palm, rested in my grasp. I subtly raised the corners of my mouth and flicked the dust away with my finger.
“…”
“…Pff.”
And, without realizing it, I let out a chuckle.
Sofia’s eyes were already shut tightly. She was trying so hard to keep them closed that her fists trembled.
I brushed off the dust.
“You’ve got some dust on your head. Is it a snack?”
Lightly shaking my hand, for some reason, Sofia who had been keeping her eyes tightly closed peered at me with wide eyes as if she couldn’t believe what had happened.
And then, as if she was in disbelief, she alternated her gaze between my hand and my face.
“Y-you just… smiled….”
“What’s wrong with that?”
“…I don’t know! Head Priest, you’re a pervert! You’re a pervert!”
“What do you mean?”
“A priest, of all people… a cleric, in such a way… Aaugh…”
Sofia mumbled incomprehensibly. And at that moment.
“What are you two doing here?”
It was Professor Esther, my eternal lunch mate. She looked at me and Sofia with eyes that suggested she had seen something strange.
“It’s nothing. Let’s go eat.”
“Oh… right. Well, I came here for that too.”
“So, Sofia, what’s for lunch today?”
“I don’t know!”
We headed toward the dining hall. Even during lunch, Sofia didn’t look at me for a while.
‘Is it really that upsetting?’
Still, sometimes, situations like this aren’t so bad.
So I thought.