The Return of Lilietta - Chapter 163

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 163

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June 23rd, 1770.

The delegation from the Shadea Church arrived in the capital Lambard to attend the Kairam Empire’s National Foundation Day.

Delegations from other nations were also arriving one after another, so normally this wouldn’t be particularly noteworthy news, but this Church delegation included a special figure who drew considerable attention.

The continent’s only saint, Seraphina Shadea.

The Shadea Order considers those who awaken powerful divine power at the young age of 15 or under to be chosen by God, venerating them as saints or holy men and treating them with honors equivalent to cardinals.

Even among common people, the widespread perception was that Shadea’s saints and holy men were specially chosen by God. Those with deep faith would even make pilgrimages to the Church just to see them, believing that God’s will and intentions were manifested through them.

“The reality is they’re simply Oathbinders who unconsciously awakened at a young age. The true nature of this halo you asked about isn’t a symbol that naturally appears on saints, but a disc consciously created using divine power. Maintaining this is both divine power training and a saint’s duty.”

The saint with brilliant silver hair flowing down and a gentle halo behind her head calmly denied her own sanctity.

Drakanes Manor, a guesthouse owned by the Imperial Family situated on a hill overlooking the Drakanis River.

In the most precious guest room of that luxurious mansion rivaling the Imperial Palace, Lillieta sat alone facing the saint.

“There’s no divine will in the birth of saints.”

Hearing those words, she recalled the common knowledge of the Ash Ruin Era.

Things like oath patterns and incantations were created later to more easily mass-produce Oathbinders.

Early Oathbinders would awaken with just strong will and vows alone, and the prime examples were those called priests. Due to their profession, it was easy for them to swear something with blind and intense will.

The reason why successive saints and holy men were generally orphans or children who had been abused or neglected followed the same logic.

Children in such environments had a higher probability of praying desperately enough to awaken without the help of incantations or patterns.

Children living peacefully and happily rarely have occasion to exercise desperate enough will to attract large amounts of Od.

“It was a matter of probability, a natural result. Not because God always comes to the lowest places as the Order’s doctrine teaches.”

Saint Seraphina Shadea chuckled and continued.

“I’m not some being chosen by God. I just happened to be born with a constitution suitable for Od and unconsciously made a desperate vow. Just like I did.”

Unlike other Beacons who made new oaths after returning because their original bodies weren’t Oathbinders, Seraphina was already an Oathbinder before returning.

Sera was abandoned at a temple as an infant. Since temples often educated orphans as priest candidates, she too grew up receiving such education.

Then around age 10, a terrible epidemic struck the region where Sera lived.

Unlike the healing arts that future Transformation-type Oathbinders would learn and practice regarding the body, the healing performed by priests of this era wasn’t very effective against infectious diseases.

It was a method of recklessly pouring divine power into the body, useful for stamina enhancement and injury recovery but extremely inefficient for treating illness.

Even then, the orphanage where Sera lived belonged to a very small temple with only one elderly head priest capable of using divine power. The environment was also poor due to the temple’s poverty.

As a result, orphans died in droves.

Young Sera, lucky enough not to catch the disease, helped the adults by placing wet cloths on the foreheads of children delirious with fever, wiping their sweat, and running around busily.

Then she witnessed a child who had been muttering about being too hot, whom she’d been too busy to change the wet cloth for, had somehow become a cold corpse.

The girl who came with a towel too late sat down in front of her sister-like friend’s corpse and thought.

If I had quickly changed the wet cloth, if I had somehow cooled her body down, couldn’t this child have lived?

She thought and thought again. She regretted and desperately vowed.

Never again would she turn away from sick people. No matter how hard and tiring it was, she would care for them to the end.

That was an intense enough will to attract Od, an unconsciously made oath.

That day, as the girl prayed before her friend’s corpse, shining wind swept around her body like a gale. In reality it was the flow of Od, but to people it appeared to be God’s choice.

The first miracle performed by the newly born Saint Seraphina was curing the epidemic.

By pouring tremendous divine power to maintain stamina until the disease could be overcome, the girl healed all the children still alive in the orphanage and became Shadea’s saint.

“Actually, I had doubts from the very beginning.”

The saint smiled secretly.

“People think I prayed and made vows to God then, but I didn’t. I resented God at that time.”

In the infirmary of the orphanage filled with heat, filth, and stench, young Sera didn’t only feel regret seeing her dead friend’s corpse.

She doubted and resented.

Why doesn’t God save my brothers and sisters?

If He’s so merciful and loves us, why does He send us such disasters and let us die in agony?

What sin have we committed, we who pray to You daily and give thanks for even a piece of bread?

Maybe God doesn’t exist at all?

Adults are liars, so saying God exists is also a lie.

If God has abandoned us, or if there’s no such thing as God in this world.

“I thought I should help my friends to the end myself. I resolved with a childish heart that I would absolutely never abandon sick people. That somehow became an oath just like that.”

Sera shrugged and continued.

“So I couldn’t help but keep agonizing. I was doubting whether God existed, yet I received God’s choice? Maybe there really is no such thing as God and this is some other phenomenon?”

“Conversely, you could interpret it as God trying to prove His existence by choosing you, sister.”

At Lillieta’s answer, she frowned.

“A god trying to prove his existence to a 10-year-old girl? That lacks dignity. Should I acknowledge such a thing as God?”

“Interpreting it religiously, He’s one who doesn’t ignore even children and truly comes to low places.”

“You mischievous canary.”

Sera’s eyes narrowed into triangles as she smacked Lillieta’s thigh that she’d been examining.

“Ow ow ow.”

“Don’t exaggerate.”

Seraphina snorted and stroked the scar remaining on Lillieta’s thigh with her brightly glowing hand, asking.

“Did you suddenly develop faith after returning? Do you want to believe the Od Collective is God too? When you know everything.”

“I studied a bit separately. Trying to understand my brother’s feelings.”

“Ah, your second brother was a holy knight, wasn’t he?”

“He’s no longer a holy knight now though.”

When Rita smiled bitterly, Sera asked back.

“Why? Does your brother want to quit being a holy knight?”

“He has to quit. He became an Oathbinder.”

“Why bother?”

The saint tilted her head and added.

“Holy knights aren’t knights who use divine power anyway, they’re just aura users belonging to temples. What’s the big difference from Augmentation Pact Holders?”

“That’s…”

“And if you think about it, aren’t Oathbinders more suited to being holy knights? What we call priests who use divine power are all unconsciously awakened Transformation-type Oathbinders anyway.”

“…”

“Besides, when Gid announces the Special Military Order and reveals the existence of Oathbinders, I agreed to add fuel to the fire from my position as saint. After that, it might be possible for your brother to return as a holy knight legitimately as an Oathbinder, so don’t give up for that reason.”

She continued moving her hands while speaking, then withdrew the light and removed her hands.

“There, finished, lemon drop.”

Though another new nickname appeared, Rita, accustomed to Sera, just accepted it and checked her thigh.

“Wow, the scar really disappeared.”

“How’s your body? If you feel heavy or tired, or anything strange at all, tell me.”

“Not at all. I’m perfectly fine. What on earth did you do?”

“It’s a technique for operating pure Od like divine power. The result of sister’s diligent research. My goodness, a constitution that has adverse reactions to divine power – how is our little canary so finicky even in body?”

Sera sighed dramatically. Rita smiled slightly while lowering her raised dress hem.

“Right, I didn’t know I had this kind of constitution either. Thank you so much, Sister Sera.”

“Enough with the thanks, please be more careful. Why is every piece of news I hear after your return so shocking? You were late returning which already burned my heart black, really…”

Seraphina sighed again, then suddenly spread both arms and gestured with her head. Understanding the signal, Rita quickly approached and hugged her.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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