Tangled By Fate

"If I hear a single problem from the children, extra ten years will be added to your term." At that time, Sister Josephine looked like a cruel stepmother.

"No way!" Veronica cried out.

"Hold it right there, Sister Josephine."

Someone opened the door and entered the disciplinary room. The room brightened up instantly. Everyone's eyes turned toward the uninvited guest.

"Head Priest!" Veronica gasped. She never saw him up close. She only saw him from far away during new year's eve. To be able to be in the same room as him, she felt all of her impurity washing away.

The Head Priest stepped forward. This sixty-year-old man had a polite smile on his face. His short hair turned grey. His eyes were gentle. A pure aura was spreading from his body. He opened his mouth and said, "I heard there was some trouble." His voice was serene, making everyone's heart calm down.

Sister Josephine, Sister Mary, and Abigail knelt the moment they saw him. Sister Josephine lowered her head and said, "Head Priest, may the Goddess bless the light upon you." After that, she raised her head and replied, "This isn't something you have to waste your precious time on." Her voice was unusually gentle.

The Head Priest stated, "I think I have the right to know. And please stand up all of you. I'm not worthy of this much respect."

"How can you say this, Head Priest?" Sister Josephine retorted. "You are our light. You show us the way to Goddess Juvena. You are Her most precious."

Five of them stood up. They stood in front of the Head Priest.

The Head Priest shook his head. "I'm not the light. The light comes from Goddess Juvena. And, I'm not the only one. We are all her precious." He turned his head toward Veronica. "And you must be…"

Veronica hurriedly bowed. Her heart trembled in nervousness. She did her best to stay calm and said, "May the Goddess bless the light upon you, Head Priest. I'm Veronica. I'm still an apprentice."

The Head Priest nodded. "You look too old to be an apprentice. How old are you?"

Veronica politely answered, "I'm eighteen."

"You are definitely too old for that position. Why haven't you become a Junior Priest?" Head Priest seemed curious.

"It's because I'm not worthy yet." Veronica took all the blames on her shoulders.

Sister Josephine was satisfied with this answer and included, "Head Priest, she doesn't do the work properly and often skips her duty. She even stayed all day in the mountain range and only came back after curfew. That's why I haven't been able to give her a proper position that she is not worthy of."

The Head Priest calmly heard everything that Sister Josephine had to say and then shared his wisdom, "A person's worth comes from their heart. One's sincerity makes them how worthy one can be. If a person is not worthy of something, they must be worthy of something else."

He stepped toward Veronica and placed a hand on her head. Veronica slightly quivered. She felt something spreading all over her body. With an open mouth, she gaped at him. She heard him saying, "Veronica, a precious child of Goddess Juvena, I hereby declare you one of the healers of our kingdom, Utahill. May the Goddess shine you with Her pure light."

"Eh?" Veronica blinked. She thought maybe her head finally began to crack and she heard something wrong. There was no way she would be appointed as a healer without letting others know that she could heal others. They have to have some proof for her to be declared as a healer.

Others were also confused. They were astounded by Head Priest's sudden declaration.

Sister Josephine came forth and said, "Head Priest, there must have been some mistake. Veronica doesn't have the power of the healers. She is an ordinary girl."

"Is she?" The Head Priest didn't seem surprised. He chuckled and then stated, "Sister Josephine has been too busy to see one's inner ability. You need to rest your eyes often. Only then you can see through a person's heart."

Sister Josephine gently retorted, "Head Priest, even if you say that, she is a disobedient child." Her face showed some restlessness.

The Head Priest didn't seem offended. He remarked, "For some reason, it seems like you don't want her to be a healer. Don't worry about her safety. Veronica is a precious child. Goddess Juvena will protect her all the way to the end."

Sister Josephine's face slightly bloomed with color. She was embarrassed that her true thoughts were exposed in front of others. She had seen Veronica grow up in her own eyes. She knew what Veronica was capable of. Being a healer was a heavy responsibility. They would have to go to battlefields when they were hired. Some of them even lost their lives. For a happy-go-lucky girl like Veronica, it would be hard for her to get used to this kind of thing.

However, she couldn't let others know what she was thinking. She cleared her throat and stated, "I'm not worried about her safety. I'm worried that she will bring disasters with her carelessness and shame our temple."

Veronica pursed her lips. What could be more humiliating than Sister Josephine's words? Even if she never became a healer, she just lost her face in front of the Head Priest.

The Head Priest nodded as though he was agreeing with Sister Josephine. And yet, he said, "Yes, yes, you can worry about it if you want to but I have information Veronica used her healing power last night. That is why I came to take her with me."

Veronica's jaw dropped. No one knew that she used her power except for Arthur. Moreover, she lied that she was in the mountain range. If the Head Priest knew that she had used her power, he must have known where she was yesterday.

"H-how did you know?" The words escaped her mouth before she would realize what she was saying.