A sister guided the girl to her quarters. Its floors and walls were made of wood, lending warmth to the room. There was also a carpet on the floor. Compared to her cold room of stone at the island’s monastery, the difference was night and day.
The room came with a small parlor at the entrance, furnished with a sofa to accommodate guests. There was a handcrafted desk with a chair in the corner, while the bed sat in the middle of the bedroom’s far wall. She made a beeline for it, her hands reaching to test the mattress. It was soft and plush, unlike the straw-stuffed one she’d been sleeping on. Her body trembled with anticipation. How long had it been since she’d slept in a proper bed?
She was tempted to flop on top of it, but Norris planned to visit her soon. It wouldn’t do to wrinkle her outfit and mess up her hair in the meantime. Remembering the warm reception of the crowd, she stood a little taller. No matter how strong their support, they might turn on her if she appeared too sloppy and unkempt. People’s hearts were fickle, and she couldn’t afford to be conceited.
Soon, a knock came at the door. She invited Norris inside.
“What do you think of your accommodations?” he asked.
“They’re wonderful.”
After being closed in by four stone walls for so long, this was paradise.
They sat on the sofa, and one of the low-ranking faithful slipped in to pour them fresh tea. It was customary for the clergy to do everything for themselves, but Norris and the girl were considered guests.
“All right, let me explain how the saint selection is playing out. As I’ve already told you, the other candidates are related to cardinals.” The church had decided to appoint a saint to establish an easily recognizable symbol of hope. The process had since devolved into a power struggle between the cardinals. “In other words, it’s all politics. Since the church is run by people, cliques naturally form, and clashes are inevitable. This is simply human nature. No matter how much one devotes themselves to the faith or treasures peace, they inevitably must confront an organization’s politics if they are to rise to power within it.”
There were always differences between people. Accordingly, those of the same faith could interpret their religion in different ways. It was nearly impossible for anyone to have the exact same beliefs. Still, the church’s doctrine served to unify disparate parties and bring them together.
“Everything I’ve told you thus far is common knowledge to the aristocrats in allied territories who are familiar with the situation,” continued Norris. “Thus, they’ll think the church is no better than their own governments. And I don’t mean that in a good way.”
The church was supposed to be a neutral and benevolent institution, unlike its self-interested allied countries. They couldn’t allow people to think they were similar. The people held the church to a higher standard, that much was clear; if they didn’t, they would be disappointed. The girl could understand that. As unrealistic as it was, the people expected the church to rise above the rest and lead them. It couldn’t do that if it were no better than the people it served.
“The clergy despises political infighting more than anyone else, knowing the repercussions it could have. That’s only natural. We have many clever people in our ranks, and they know what’s expected of us.” He paused, reaching for his teacup to take a sip. His eyes focused so intently on the girl that she felt like they were boring holes into her. “And that’s where you come in. You have no link to any of the cardinals, and you have the support of the people. You are a true saint. You’re a shoo-in for the position. Don’t you agree?”
The girl had been afraid that the circumstances of her birth would prevent any serious consideration of her becoming saint, but he argued that this was her selling point.
“It goes without saying that the cardinals who put forth their relatives’ names will argue against your appointment. They, too, have some support among the people. Yet these women were born with silver spoons in their mouths. What they possess arises from their blood connections to the cardinals. If the cardinals generate any blowback, it will look like selfish blustering on their part. It will be clear as day to anyone with the church’s best interests at heart who the saint should be.”
A saint was only chosen once a century. Allowing politics to interfere with such a storied ceremony would be unconscionable.
The girl was skeptical. “Will it really play out that smoothly?”
“As I said, there will be resistance. Some will even disparage you to your face. But don’t you worry. I’ll be your shield—and, more importantly, the people are rallying behind you. You saw the massive crowd that came when they heard of your arrival.”
The people, young and old, knew what she had done for the most vulnerable among them.
“It’s not just the islanders. You have changed the minds of everyone who’s heard of your actions. You will overcome this obstacle, and you will be the hope of the church.”
“I will?” she murmured numbly.
“Yes. You are the north star for those of us who don’t want politics in the selection process. You bring with you the winds of change, and you will light our path. I know it must be startling to hear all of this out of nowhere, though.” He spoke with such passion and conviction that the girl got the impression he was the one most disgusted by the nepotism of it all. “They might not express it, but there are many who agree with me—that I can tell you with certainty. As far as I’m concerned, you are our true savior.”
“Savior…”
A savior was exactly what she had hoped for when she was trapped in those stone walls. Back then, she never would’ve believed that she would one day save others. It still hadn’t quite sunk in.
“It’s all right,” Norris told her. “You don’t have to do anything special. I will take care of all trivial matters.”
“I appreciate your assistance,” she said.
“This is nothing. It’s an honor for me to serve our future saint.”
With that, their meeting ended.
Norris’s complete dismissal of all the other candidates was a bit strange, but that just indicated how much he believed in the girl.
I need to focus on what I can do and nothing else.
Even if she wasn’t chosen as the saint in the end, she had nothing to lose. People would see the scar on her back if she removed her uniform. It was proof that she, and no one else, had saved that boy on the island.
With renewed confidence, she curled up in her bed and fell asleep, the realization that even Norris needed saving hanging in the back of her mind.