episode_0062
by fnovelpia
The nun waited quietly for my answer.
A familiar expression and face, but paradoxically, we were meeting for the first time. This person probably doesn’t even know who I am.
A bitter feeling stirs my heart.
Saint Teresa.
That’s what people called the nun.
She is one of only five saints in this country and has the incredible achievement of being one of the ten warriors.
It was presumptuous of me to think that such a person knew anything about me.
“That…”
Should I just pass it off as nothing?
-What did you say to me just now?
I shook my head.
Here, she asked the question with the assurance that she had said something, rather than the question of ‘What did you say?’
She’ll soon see through my lies.
⌜The Priest Who Lied in Front of the Saint⌟
Just hearing this one sentence made me imagine people criticizing me.
I took a deep breath and looked straight into her eyes.
It is also a nun’s shame to keep waiting any longer for my answer.
“I don’t know if you know, but I was born into a family of priests. Naturally, I was so moved by the thought of meeting Saint Teresa, the oldest saint in this country, that I couldn’t hold back and opened my mouth. ”
It may be a slightly bizarre excuse, but the saint is an idol to the clergy and is the object of their admiration.
Unlike priests who can only converse with God after several awakenings, the profession of a saint is one that can be closest to God without any awakenings.
Of course, this didn’t apply to me.
That kind of thing is nothing but a curse to me. But right now, I think this excuse is the best. I don’t know if it will work…
Given the nature of being a priest, it wasn’t a strange thing to say.
I looked at the saint confidently. And then I heard her answer.
“Hoho, um…”
“…”
There was a slight reaction that was different from what I expected, as if there was something strange. However, there was nothing that I could guess.
While I was thinking about it, she smiled and asked me again.
“Is that really why?”
I swallowed dryly. What kind of answer do you want…
It’s not strange for a priest to respect a saint…what’s the problem?
Even if I thought about it for a longer time, I couldn’t change what I had already said. For now, crying is the answer.
“Really.”
An answer mixed with bravado and sneer.
In response, the saint made a gesture of contemplation and looked at the tree planted next to her.
“Um…”
And then Saint Teresa, who had been hesitating to answer, said:
“Can you follow me for a moment?”
“…Okay.”
Since I had already told her that I respected her, I couldn’t refuse her request.
I followed her without saying anything.
***
Not far away, behind the orphanage, the saint who brought me looked around in silence for a while.
I also naturally looked around.
A wall made of ordinary bricks.
Beautiful flowers decorating the base.
And then a large tree decorating the right corner of the fence caught my eye.
I was intrigued by the tree, which was bigger than the one at the main gate, but I couldn’t figure out why he had brought me here.
Seconds passed, then minutes passed.
Instead of Saint Teresa, who was silent, I cautiously spoke first.
“What are you doing here…”
“At first glance, you might think it’s just a garden…but do you remember anything?”
‘Have I been here before?’
Even if it exists, there’s no way for me to know.
I didn’t tell any unnecessary lies.
“… None.”
“Um… It was such a long time ago. Still, I feel a little bad that you forgot about me.”
He quickly hid his expression of not understanding and the answer of “Yes?” that had risen to the tip of his neck.
That bitter expression proved that it wasn’t a joke. The saintess didn’t seem like the type of person to joke about something like this in the first place.
I never thought…I really had a relationship with Saint Teresa. But how?
The question was surprisingly easily solved.
“How is Grandpa doing?”
“Yes…I’m doing well.”
It turns out that Mangnani’s grandfather knew Saint Teresa, one of the Ten Warriors.
Of course, we would have gotten to know each other naturally.
If it was disappointing, it could have been disappointing.
“I heard that your grandfather worries a lot, but it doesn’t seem like there’s much to worry about.”
“Are you worried? Grandpa?”
The grandfather who dropped me from being the successor?
“Are you really that surprised? Yeah, I guess I’m just an indifferent person.”
I don’t think it’s a problem of being indifferent…
As I listened to her story, I inwardly denied those words. The nun seemed to notice my feelings and laughed heartily.
“I heard that your grandfather dropped you from the successor. Still, he must have been very worried. Among his grandchildren, only you and the youngest showed potential to become a priest.”
I forced a smile at her words.
“I don’t think you would have worried too much about dropping someone like me. I’m hated by my family.”
The nun’s eyes widened as she smiled at my unhesitating answer.
“That’s what you were thinking?”
“First of all, just like other people, they also treat me the same way.”
“…You misunderstand the people around you.”
“I don’t think that will happen.”
“I see…”
The nun calmed down again and covered her cheek with one hand.
“I haven’t seen you in a long time either, so I heard about you from your grandfather, but you seem much more mature and dignified than I had heard, so I’m a little confused.”
‘This old man.’
Did you introduce your grandson as a loser?
…Actually, that’s true, so I have nothing to say.
I exhaled and focused on the story again.
“I think Grandpa has a misunderstanding about you. Should I explain it to him instead?”
“It’s okay. ”
I flatly refused.
There was no need to say why.
“Because I have already fallen from the position of successor.”
“I see… But people can change at any time. No matter how much your grandfather hates you, if you try to approach him, your efforts will eventually be rewarded.”
The sermon I heard from her was neither bad nor good. I just felt like she was a normal person who cared about me.
Knowing that, I didn’t rebel and just said it again.
“It’s okay.”
“Do you hate it that much?”
“My likes and dislikes don’t matter.”
“…”
“…”
The nun looked at me without saying anything. I also said nothing like her.
This was evidence that the conversation was coming to an end.
It’s a feeling that’s both good and bad.
The nun lowered her head as if she had read my expression, which was showing that I was crazy and could not hide it.
“I think I dug too deep, sorry if I offended you.”
“I didn’t feel bad.”
“That’s great. Then, is it okay if I tell you a story?”
“Anything is fine.”
“One day, a man came to our daycare center.”
***
“I don’t think I can be of much help, but…please help me out a little!”
The man loved children so much and had such a kind heart.
Whenever he came to the orphanage, he always did his best to help me as if it were his own work.
There was one thing that even that man could not help with.
“Eww!! Sister, this guy is scary!”
“Huh? It’s okay to do it like this…”
It was just playing with the kids.
He liked children, but he was destined to not be able to get close to children because of his scary face.
As the months passed, the man’s emotions grew increasingly tired of his relationship with the children, who were not improving. But he did not give up and continued to come to the daycare center and try.
Most of the nuns there at the time thought that the man would not last even a year and would not come back again.
But contrary to our expectations, the man continued to come here even after several years.
“Oh, hello kids.”
“Hi bro!”
The children who had become accustomed to the man gradually became friendly with him and now even played with him. At that time, many nuns who had cursed the man covered their faces in shame.
They became closer, and the children gave the man a pink bag.
It was such a conspicuous bag for a man to wear. It would have been enough to surprise or shock anyone who saw it.
Still, the man smiled. At that moment, his expression was neither fake nor forced.
He looked really happy.
***
“If you work hard, you’ll be rewarded. And you’ll feel like you want to be close to your family again.”
“…”
“Don’t lie. I can see it all.”
“What do you see…”
“There is a divine power of a similar level to mine behind you, protecting you. So whenever your emotions fluctuate, I can see that light shaking. I’m probably the only one who can see it.”
“…”
‘Is it because of Naiz’s power?’
I knew I had received a great power, but it was divine power of the same level as the saintess.
So that’s how you were able to withstand that black magic.
This means that most dark magic spells can now be blocked. I trembled with joy.
“Yeah, it’s bright again now. The kids love that light. And I’m sure your grandpa will too.”
The nun walked towards the back door without even listening to my answer.
I said, looking at her back.
“I’ll try.”
“I will accept it positively.”
Squeak.
The nun opened the back door and a man and children appeared through it.
“Ad-hyung, I like knife toys!”
“Okay, just wait a minute.”
“But bro, how long are you going to use that pink bag? You didn’t say anything, but…honestly, it looks old-fashioned.”
“I think it’s good.”
“…Hey, why do you have to choose something like this to make people feel weird!”
“Then you won rock-paper-scissors!”
“Both of you stop fighting. Or I won’t give you two presents.”
““Oh, no!!””
“Logs? Aren’t you coming in?”
As I was blankly staring at the scene, I heard the nun’s words. I immediately came to my senses and shook my head.
“I’ll come in later.”
“Okay, I understand.”
Mother Teresa closed the door with that smile. I felt like I wanted to believe it, even though I knew it wasn’t the same person.
Even if you suddenly apologize, they’ll just be surprised.
Was this the first time an apology was made?
It’s already too late to turn back.
I looked up at the sky. It was very bright up there…
hot…
A fireball fell.
“?”
pop!!
“Hey, there was someone there!?”
“What is this, sis.”
“Oh my, what should I do… Yes, Sister!”
“But if it’s a fireball like that, you won’t die…”
“Hey…”
“Gyaa!! It’s a ghost!!!”
“That’s because I asked you to show me. So if you’re going to take me, you’d better take me…”
“Don’t kill me without permission! Cecilia…and Liam.”
0 Comments