Chapter 12:
The Sister Becomes the Saint
AS THE SEASONS CHANGED, the cold began to creep in. But today was one of those rare, pleasantly warm days with plenty of sunlight. The girl held her hands up toward the sun, staring at the endless blue canvas unmarked by a single cloud.
“It’s the perfect day for meal service,” she declared.
“It really is!” the red-haired sister readily agreed. Her eyes sparkled. “It’s almost like the very weather is celebrating you.”
“Come on, you’re being overdramatic.”
Lately, they’d been spending all their time together. The red-haired sister had become increasingly attached to the girl ever since she saved that homeless boy.
By the time they’d finished their preparations for the meal service, they were covered in sweat. The labor involved in feeding so many people was always intense. When the large gate to the monastery swung open, the sisters were greeted by fanfare.
“Wh-what’s all this about?” the girl asked nervously. She had never experienced this before. From the clamor of the crowd, she picked up one word that the people kept repeating: saint.
The redhead leaned toward her ear and whispered, “They’re all looking at you.”
The intensity of the people’s gazes startled the girl, but it wasn’t altogether unpleasant. She didn’t feel that familiar sense of discomfort at the prospect of visiting the town, largely because they weren’t ogling her with amusement. Unfortunately, there was a larger crowd present than ever before.
“We’re offering a free meal service. Those in need, please line up!” shouted the senior sister.
There were people in expensive finery amid the crowd, which left the girl at a loss. These services were just supposed to be for the poor, for the people who really needed to eat.
“For the moment, focus on handing out the meals,” the senior sister instructed. She must have noticed how rattled the girl was.
“All right.”
The senior sister had given the girl a stern warning once they returned to the monastery in the wake of saving that boy, but otherwise, she had softened considerably.
I assume it’s because she approves of me more now.
The very thought made the girl so happy, she could hardly suppress her smile. She had assumed that her melancholy days would never end, that the monastery would be nothing more than a prison to her. It had taken her a single action to change it all, as evidenced by the smiling faces around her.
I was too much in my own head before.
All it took was breaking out of her own inflexible viewpoint. After that, finding the answer had been surprisingly easy. She had taken a long detour to get where she was meant to be because of her own misguided thinking. She’d been blind to the answer in front of her.
No one was perfect. People were incredibly weak, and thus they formed communities to survive. Overcoming obstacles was important, but one could only make progress by working within their means. The girl had saved that boy without thinking; her body had moved on its own. And as a result, people praised her for it. She’d felt lost in a path of tangled thorns before that moment, but that experience had changed everything. The whole world had unfurled before her. From there, she realized that there was a price for freedom, and that sometimes restrictions could be a form of protection. And no matter how powerless she felt, there was still something she could do. She didn’t have to save the whole world—that was beyond her. She just needed to help the people she could.
“Saint, Your Eminence, thank you for this meal.” The same elderly man from before clasped her hand as he spoke, and she no longer felt as disgusted by it.
It shocked her how much she had changed.
I didn’t realize that a shift in perspective could have such an impact.
She flashed a smile at the man and handed a meal to the next person in line. This elderly man normally took forever thanking her, but this time, he saw how many people were gathered and didn’t dawdle.
“Your Eminence, you’re the light in the dark for us!”
The red-haired sister had been right. Everyone was there to see the girl. It felt strange being called “saint” and “Your Eminence,” but the reality was starting to sink in. Her whole face flushed with embarrassment. This was the kind of reassurance she’d needed to know she was on the right track.
They hailed her as a light in the dark, but she felt the same about their praise. And they continued to commend her until the meal service ended.
✦ ✦ ✦
It had been an exhausting day, but with that came a sense of immense satisfaction.
I guess this is what it means when people say something feels rewarding.
The girl was in a hall typically used for resting after the day’s labors. Groaning, she stretched.
The red-haired sister massaged the girl’s shoulders. “It’s been a long day for you,” she said.
“You don’t have to do that.”
“It’s fine, I want to. It must’ve been hard dealing with so many people.”
“You were helping me deal with them,” the girl reminded her.
“It was nothing. I was only supporting you.”
Many of the people who’d gathered earlier had been there to meet the girl, not to receive a meal. The senior sister had finally obliged them by having them form a line to pay their respects to her. It had been a chaotic mess to organize, since they hadn’t anticipated the crowd. The girl hoped the attendees would forgive her for that. Something of the sort had never happened to either the girl or the monastery before.
“The priest was delighted because we received so many donations,” said the red-haired sister.
“Good to hear.”
The priest wasn’t exactly part of their everyday lives. The girl spent more time with the senior sister than anyone else, so she often forgot he existed. But he was the leader of their monastery. Today’s crowd had been a welcome surprise, if only because their monastery’s budget was extremely tight.
“There’s tension in the air tonight, though,” the girl noted. “And it doesn’t seem to be related to the meal service.”
“That’s probably because everyone’s excited, what with it being that time,” said the red-haired sister, waggling her brows.
She was referring to the regular delivery from the mainland. The ship was late, but it always carried letters from people’s families. Those waiting to hear from their loved ones were on tenterhooks. They were trying not to show it in front of the ever-vigilant senior sisters, but the girl could feel the change in atmosphere.
“I wonder if something happened?” the red-haired sister said. “Gosh, I hope there wasn’t some kind of accident.”
“We’ll just have to pray everything is all right.” The girl clasped her hands as she said that. The sister lifted her own hands from the girl’s shoulders and followed her example.
Their actions had a ripple effect on the rest of the room, and soon the other sisters were praying too.
I never dreamed so many people would put so much importance in my words and actions.
As much as it shocked her, it also warmed her heart. She couldn’t help but giggle.
Soon enough, word reached them of the ship’s arrival. Cries of joy filled the room.
“Quiet!” hissed the senior sister, the same one always keeping a close eye on the girl. She glowered at them, but her sour expression disappeared as soon as the sister who had been waiting down by the harbor returned. She had a flustered look on her face, which was so unusual that everyone took notice. She strode straight up to the senior sister and started whispering.
When the senior sister noticed all eyes on her, she cleared her throat. “Ahem!” Straightening, she turned her gaze to the girl. “You, and you,” she said, motioning to her and the red-haired sister, “and a few others, pair up and come with me.”
What’s this about? The girl shot a questioning glance at the red-haired girl, but she was equally lost. Thus, the girl put her suspicions aside for the moment; if she took too long, the senior sister would give her another scolding. Hurriedly, she and the red-haired sister followed.