Let’s fasten the time to after Ann had regained her consciousness and went to have a proper audience with the heroine-the saintess, Laura.

They were in an audience room again.

 

Sitting on one side of the sofa were Laura and Kiehl, with Miles standing next to them.

Sitting on the opposite side of that sofa were Ann and Allen, with Faye standing next to them. For some reason, Birdie didn’t move to Ann’s side after she had regained her consciousness. Perhaps she was already comfortably perched to Faye’s shoulders.

 

Laura, the heroine, now didn’t hide her sullen face and her guarding look towards Ann. It was clear that the heroine’s affection point towards Ann was now in the negative. Even a dense person could tell. In response to that, Ann was obviously feeling very awkward and exuded the aura ‘I don’t want to be here!!’

Meanwhile, Allen and Kiehl were exchanging glances as if they were communicating via eye stares. They seemed to notice the obviously awkward atmosphere.

Finally, after telepathically communicating, Kiehl coughed.

 

“Ahem… so, you’ve just witnessed one of the examples of her old soul taking over. As you can see, the old soul is vile and dangerous. The person sitting in front of you right now is the stray soul that happened to enter her body after she hit her head and was at the brink of the death. We wish to keep this new soul and exorcise the old soul if possible,” Kiehl finally explained the details to Laura.

Before this, Laura only knew that she had to exorcise a bad soul from a poor woman that was Kiehl’s best friend’s wife, but…

 

Laura blinked several times hearing Kiehl’s explanation, but she was still suspicious of Ann, so she asked, “…How are you so sure it’s not her acting in order to deceive us?”

“I can attest to it,” Allen quickly responded.

His tone and expression seemed like they wouldn’t tolerate any objection.

 

Understanding that, Laura tapped her fingers on her forehead as she took in a deep breath before speaking again.

“Hmm… Alright then. If we were to believe in what you just said… Here is my thought. The old soul is basically the original inhabitant of the body, right? The rightful owner of the body. The new stray soul that inhabited her body now is not the rightful owner of the body. Exorcism is basically banishing a spirit that inhabited a body not her own, or someone that has been possessed… How can we exorcise the soul that’s the rightful owner of the body?!!” Laura’s tone was getting harsher the more she talked, and she was practically howling by the end of the sentence.

 

Hearing the rain of facts Laura’s words contained, Ann could only shrink herself to reduce her presence.

It is indeed an absurd idea… But it’s not like we have any other idea…

 

“I know. I know. It sounds ridiculous and unheard of, but can we actually do it?” Prince Kiehl asked as he gestured to Laura, who seemed like she wanted to jump out of her seat, to calm down and sit still.

“Gosh, you want me to invent a new exorcism?!” Laura’s face looked as if she was going crazy, her hands were rubbing her temples.

“I-if you would please…,” Feeling that it was her who caused the problem, Ann spoke. In that instant, Laura turned to look at her with a face that showed her blatant dislike towards Ann. Ann shrunk herself again, not daring to continue.

“I don’t think it’s possible and I agree with what Laura had said. She’s suspicious. Let’s just eliminate her once and for all. Problem solved,” Miles said without any hesitation.

 

Allen quickly turned his eyes full of murderous intent towards Miles but Miles seemed to be thick-skinned enough to pretend like Allen wasn’t even there. In any case, since Allen was being quiet, it wasn’t like Miles was being rude towards a noble of higher status that talked to him. Since Allen didn’t utter a single word towards him!

“Hey, calm down. First, I am asking for this to be done for the sake of Allen, my best friend, and also for the sake of this poor stray soul, Ann.”

Laura seemed to be shooting daggers at the prince when she heard his last words for some reason. Ann interpreted it as Laura not really believing that she was a poor stray soul.

 

“Second, it’s because you’re the saintess, a genius in the holy or divine or light magic and the one possessing the high skills in divine magic in this kingdom. If anyone can do it, it’s you,” Even when Laura stared daggers at him, Prince Kiehl didn’t get angry or stop talking, he continued say tactfully.

“…Hmph, that’s so troublesome,” Laura clicked her tongue and turned her face to another side, not wanting to see the prince’s face or the others’ faces.

“Indeed. If we just cut her off, we can—” Miles quickly added, wanting to push forward his suggestion from before.

 

“Enough,” Allen coldly cut off Miles’ words.

“Miles. You’re here because you’re close to the Ainsworth siblings and because Fremont requested me to let you accompany Laura. But if you continue with this kind of attitude, I won’t allow you to be here anymore,” Prince Kiehl quickly added, sensing Allen’s extremely foul mood directed at Miles.

With that, Miles shut his mouth after apologizing half-heartedly towards the prince. But if looks could kill, Miles’ piercing gaze would’ve cut Ann to pieces already.

 

Geez, when did I ever wrong you, Sir, no, Sis?!

Ann was also upset, but as the one who had caused a problem and the main source of everyone’s confusion and frustration at the moment, she could only endure.

 

“If we can solve this problem with a win-win solution, why should we go with the worst possible scenario right away?” Prince Kiehl said.

“…,” Laura only tapped her fingers silently.

“I am not asking you to be able to do the exorcism right away. We’ll have you two meet often. You can test things out with her until you find a solution and we will do the proper exorcism ritual,” Prince Kiehl added.

 

“Sigh… Okay, okay, so what we need to do is to test out my light magic to her, see what effects it has, and the goal is that during the ‘exorcism’, we have to get her soul to stay, and kick out the old inhabitant of the body, then? God, why do I feel like I am doing a bad thing to the rightful owner of the body…,” Laura sighed as she held her forehead as if she was feeling a headache coming.

“The owner of the body is nothing but a wretched woman that can wreak havoc and cause this kingdom’s downfall. Do you still feel bad for her?” Allen asked seriously.

 

“…I know that. I just can’t be at peace with this new exorcism concept you want me to do…,” Laura shook her head.

Ann felt like she wanted to shrink herself even more upon hearing Laura’s words.

It was true that she was the intruder to this body’s original owner.

 

Putting aside the original Anne’s bad personality and potential harm she could bring to the kingdom, Ann was the one possessing Anne’s body and even oppressed her soul during most of the time.

If they wanted to eliminate Anne and let Ann stay, wouldn’t that mean they would aid a stray soul possessing a body to keep possessing it after the old soul was expelled?

 

But honestly, Ann found no other way.

It seemed impossible for her soul to mix with Anne’s. She wasn’t sure what would become of them if that could happen. Besides, wouldn’t she not become herself anymore if such a thing were to happen?

She didn’t want to lose herself in the process as well.

 

With that, it was decided that Ann and Laura would meet very often in order for Laura to figure out a way and to test out her holy magic on Ann.

Since their first meeting went awry like this, and in order to let Ann and Laura recover, it was decided that their first session of experiment would be held another time.

 

“Thank goodness. That means, I can rest for several days, prepare myself, and solve the problem that I created during my disappearance—,” Ann was stretching her body in the carriage during her way home as she muttered her future plans…

 

Only to get Allen’s quick response, “Huh? Your first experiment session with the saintess starts tomorrow.”

The feeling of relief Ann got after feeling so nervous and awkward the whole day only lasted for several seconds before it was crushed by the harsh reality awaiting her.