Chapter 7:The Guide of Long Darkness (2)

“Licia, we’re going to the festival!”

Sister Sarah jumped up and down with excitement. As soon as the central shrine had announced the Saint’s accession, the entire empire was in a festive mood. The blaring trumpets outside the monastery were deafening.

“But first, let’s clean up the monastery.”

It had only been a day since the children had been sent to the monastery.. The monastery was in such a mess that it would take all day to clean it up.

“You know what, the nuns next door are going out for the afternoon, shall we follow them?”

“Sarah, the nuns next door are going grocery shopping.”

“That’s why we can go grocery shopping with them!”

“Only if we can get all the cleaning done in the morning.”

Suddenly, Sarah’s eyes lit up. But before long, she was already exhausted, and she leaned against the library bookshelf, mopping furiously.

“Licia, have you ever seen a Saint? I thought you might have seen her, since you’re a noblewoman.”

Sarah’s words brought to mind Abigail’s face that night, leaning against the railing of the terrace.

She was barely old enough to be called a Saint. She had scurried away like a cornered mouse, her clear blue eyes begging to be spared.

“…Yes, I saw it.”

“Really! What do you think? Does it look like an angel?”

Her pale skin, pale blond hair, and limbs as slender as a piano note were the very image of a Saint that Father Revencio craved.

“…She’s a good person, really”

When my eyes met her, it was easy to see why Father Revencio had chosen Abigail out of all the girls: she had a transparent integrity, untainted by the slightest hint of ash.

“She would make a good empress.”

It was a contradiction in terms to say that she would make a good Empress, when my vengeance had driven her to the edge of the abyss.

“What! Were you guys close? I’m jealous!”

“We’ve only had a few conversations.”

Sarah’s lips pouted out. A cute little giggle of jealousy escaped her lips, and unless she went outside to explore the festival, she wasn’t likely to feel better.

“Sarah, how much of your pocket money do you have left from the monastery?”

“Mmm, I spent it all on snacks for my siblings. What’s with the sudden change?”

“Why, we promised you that we’d go out together when you got back from your retreat.”

Sarah blinked her rabbit eyes, mop in hand.

“You remembered that? I thought you’d forgotten.”

“Of course I remembered. I told you, I hate breaking promises.”

I reached for Sarah’s hand, and her tight little mouth broke into a smile.

The whole empire was in good spirits. The streets were decorated with the pure white lilies that symbolized the Saint. The faint scent of the flowers wafted in, and Sarah leapt from her seat, clasping her hands like an excited child.

“It’s so nice to be outside!”

“Oh, Sarah, I can’t believe she’s already frustrated that it’s been so long since she’s been outside.”

“Hing, I’ve been changing my siblings’ poopy diapers all day.”

The stalls were lined with a variety of street foods only available at festivals. From big king pies the size of wagon wheels to lobster fresh off the grill……. My mouth was watering just looking at it.

As we stopped in front of a deliciously seasoned roast potato, Sarah looked up at me.

“Licia, do you think we should get one of each?”

“Then that would be nice, but it seems the price has doubled.”

I emptied out all the money I had onto my palm, but it wasn’t enough to buy two servings of roast potato.

“If you buy two, I’ll give you an extra half, little sister.”

At the offer of an extra half serving if I bought two, Sarah sighed when she met my eyes.

“Just give me one.”

I couldn’t help myself, so I bought a baked potato and decided to split it between the two of us.

“You go first, Licia.”

The buttery top tasted so much better, but why would Sarah, the gluttonous boss, want to give up the best part? I held out the roast potato to her again.

“It’s okay, Sarah, you go first.”

“Mmm, should we eat together then?”

“Shall we?”

At the same time, I took a bite out of the top of the potato. My eyes widened at the savory buttery flavor and soft potato texture.

“It’s so good!”

It’s a plain potato, no different from the ones they eat in the monastery, but it’s so delicious.

“I think it tastes even better when I share it with Licia.”

Sarah’s lovely words filled my stomach.

“Me too.”

It was definitely not enough for two, but her words made it special.

“You know, I have so much fun with Licia.”

Sarah said, blushing. It wasn’t the kind of thing you’d say while clutching a roasted potato from a street vendor, but it felt like a confession. She looked up with a wide-eyed expression and I returned the favor with a gentle smile.

“Same here, Sarah.”

“Do you think we can stay together forever?”

It was a question Sister Sarah had been asking a lot lately.

To calm her anxiety, she makes a promise. I hold up my pinky finger, and she snaps it back.

“I’m going to stay here, like this, within your reach, and you can hold my hand if you want to.”

Sarah’s face lit up with a smile.

We nibbled on our roasted potatoes and watched the festival. As we walked side by side, a pleasant glow fell on our faces.

Suddenly, they saw a large bouquet of lilies in the distance beyond the road. It looked so big, it was almost too much for the two of them to carry.

“Licia, do you see that big bouquet?”

“It’s really big. How did they make that?”

“…Do you want to have it?”

Sarah looked up at me, her eyes wide. I shook my head silently and opened my mouth to speak.

“No, I’m happy just to look at them.”

“I don’t have enough money to buy a bouquet, but I’ll ask the shopkeeper and maybe we can look at them together.”

A large bouquet of lilies was brought out. Sarah gazed out over the road, mesmerized.

“…I bet Licia looks like a biblical angel buried in those big lilies.”

Sarah reached for the bouquet, mesmerized. After a moment’s hesitation, she began to run across the street.

“Sarah, where are you going!”

“I’m going to run and borrow it, look at that, it’s that big……!”

I grinned and ran after Sarah, my footsteps slowing for a moment.

A dull crunching sound rang in my ears, and a blur of sand stirred. Sarah’s tiny body slammed into the back of the galloping carriage, sending her tumbling out.

“Oh, my God!”

“A woman! she’s been hit by a wagon!”

The baked potato in my hand plummeted to the floor. In my frantic rush to Sarah, I tripped over my feet.

When I lifted my head from the sand, I saw her lying not far away.

“Sarah, Sarah, wake up!”

I shake Sarah’s body on the dirt floor to wake her up, and when she doesn’t stir, a sudden sense of unease flashes through my mind.

“…Somebody, somebody call someone.”

I grabbed passersby by the lapels and spoke to them, but they were so engrossed in the fresh festivities that they didn’t notice the two nuns on the ground. Only the merchants in the neighborhood looked pitifully at Sarah on the ground.

What’s more, the carriage that had run over her tiny body hadn’t returned. She couldn’t even tell if it was a private carriage or the carriage of some noble family.

“Please help me. Please help me…….”

I pleaded with the merchants. It was a festive time of the year, and they were charging double the price for their goods. Did they think it was too good an opportunity to waste the first time in a long time to touch some money? No one stepped forward.

“Please help me, I have to tell the monastery…….”

Sobbing, I wrapped my arms around Sarah’s small body. Her arms flailed, and tears welled up in my eyes.

“Ugh……!”

I hugged Sarah’s body with all my might. I could barely stand, but I couldn’t sit on the sidewalk and wait for help.

“Help me……. Please help me.”

One step, then another, until her legs gave out and she fell to her knees in the dirt.

Sarah had hit her head against the wagon, and a trickle of black blood ran down her forehead.

“Oh, no, Sarah, wake up!”

I cried out in desperation, wrapping my arms around her tiny body.

A black shadow loomed before her despairing eyes.

“…A nun from the monastery?”

At the sound of the man’s gruff voice, I lifted my head and looked up at him. My eyes dilated wide, holding the man in her gaze.

Why, why are you here…….

Victor stood before them, dressed in casual clothes. His red hair blew in the slow spring breeze.

“We’d better get moving.”

Victor stretched out both hands toward Sarah. For a moment, as if the world had stopped, all I could see was Victor’s face. I glared at him wordlessly, there’s hatred in my eyes.

I don’t need your help, and knowing how little you value life, do you think I’d hand over my precious Sarah?

I shook my head at the voice that came out of my mouth.

“Please…….”

There was only one word I could get out. Biting my lower lip, I jerked my head toward him.

“The main road is blocked, I’m afraid.”

The crowds of festive revelers made it too far to reach the private carriages lined up waiting for their guests.

“We’ll have to go to the nearest Jared aid station.”

Jared’s almshouse was one of the poorhouses near the Imperial Palace. Riding in a carriage would only slow them down.

“I’ll have to run, can you catch up?”

My skirt was unsightly from the fall on the dirt, and my knees ached.

“I’ll catch up, even if I’m late, but you go first.”

Victor nodded without replying to my words. I stared at Sarah’s small body sagging in his arms and tightened my grip.