SALP Chapter 18

Lanthe moved her mouth mechanically, lost in thought.

Where should she even start thinking?

When she barely managed to escape the deep, dark night and wanted to begin a new day again...

'What did I tell you to think about first at times like that?'

Aunt Louise...

'When you safely greet another morning and the sun smiles at you again.'

'The things I'm grateful for?'

She used to tell her to think first about the things she was grateful for as soon as she opened her eyes.

'Even this little troublemaker knows? That's right. Not the things that made you angry or sad yesterday. Start by carving the things you're grateful for into your heart. Then Lanthe can become a stronger person than yesterday and spend today.'

Even when waking from angry, sad dreams, she should think first about the things she should be grateful for each morning.

Following Aunt Louise's teachings, Lanthe used to start most mornings with gratitude and joy.

But for the past three months, it had been utterly impossible.

Since the day Roas burned, not once could she think she was grateful or even feel an emotion similar to it.

Even safely opening her eyes in the morning, eating luxurious dishes, sleeping in a warm, soft bed, having jewels, learning letters, hearing about a future of becoming queen—there wasn't a single moment she felt gratitude.

She was grateful for nothing. Happy about nothing. Just tensing up taut as a pulled string and trembling, occasionally letting out sighs of relief.

'This Louise has so many things to be grateful for. I'm grateful that even though our Lanthe fell from the roof many times when she was little, she didn't become stupid but became smart.'

'What kind of gratitude is that?!'

'I'm grateful that our Lanthe left one wild strawberry for auntie.'

'Ahem.'

A faint smile appeared on Lanthe's lips as she recalled Aunt Louise's absurd gratitudes.

Wouldn't she be offering numerous prayers of thanks even in Lanthe's current situation...?

For being able to escape Newbella.

For being able to reunite with Vigo.

For receiving Nina and Princess Ana's kindness...

"...Right. Do you know who it was that healed me?"

Suddenly she remembered someone she should realistically thank more than anything.

There was someone who'd offered healing prayers.

"When I first came here and was unconscious, I heard someone treated me. It just came to mind."

"Ah."

Nina answered, lowering her eyes slightly listlessly.

"It must have been Father Conor. I didn't see, but when the lord brought you in his arms then, he told them to call Father Conor."

"A priest?"

But according to what Vigo said...

'Actually, I have something like a prophet under me.'

Since he'd called them a prophet, she'd assumed they were someone of a status like Fiarelle's. She'd learned that there were a few sects in Penmark that used titles like church or priest, but she hadn't known that priests prophesied too.

Even Roas's church had forbidden prophecy and magic. They'd said the village elder who served as prophet was an exceptional case where the angel specially provided minimal guidance for the Raphlishians through his dreams.

'A few days ago when that guy did healing prayers for the princess, he called her a 'maiden.'

Lanthe cleared her throat, mulling over Vigo's words.

Because she remembered there was some suspicious and humiliating stuff mixed in there too.

But if it wasn't a priestess but a priest, then Vigo must have just said it carelessly.

"How do I meet Father Conor? I want to thank him for treating me."

"Father Conor?"

Nina pulled the empty fork from her mouth and blankly repeated her words.

"Yeah. You can find him if you go to the cathedral inside the castle. Hestan Church's cathedral."

Rolling her eyes this way and that while speaking in an uncomfortable tone was a bit strange.

Could it be a religion that worshipped some god with a scary name like the god of death or the god of destruction? She'd thought places like that went by names like temple or shrine.

"Is it a dangerous place...?"

For Lanthe, with the familiar nuance of the word 'church,' the word 'danger' didn't match up, but there were over a hundred gods worshiped in Penmark. There could easily be churches with an atmosphere completely different from the church image she knew.

"Uh, mm."

Nina groaned and pondered before answering.

"Still, it might be okay for Lanthe sis."

Still?

"You mean it's different for each person?"

"Yes. Though most people would feel similarly."

What on earth is she talking about? I can't understand.

Lanthe looked at Warner standing some distance away.

"...Do you wish to meet Father Conor?"

Because there were only three people in the dining room, even though he was at a distance, their quiet conversation seemed to have reached him.

"May I, Sir Warner?"

Warner nodded readily.

"Of course. He resides at Hestan Church within the castle, but will you go see him now?"

"Yes. I will."

"Then I'll wait here. Have a safe trip, you two."

Nina waved her hands flap flap as if washing her hands of someone else's business, unusually backing out. Her eyes seemed somehow resolute.

The forest path through the rear garden of the main building reminded her of that day when she'd headed to the lake, hiding her intention to escape Newbella.

Lanthe reflected on that day from only a few days ago as if it were an old memory. The change of seasons made it feel like it had been even longer.

If a miracle like that day happened once more...

Could she give up being by Vigo's side and choose to flee to safe lands?

Of course she should do that, naturally. She certainly could.

"Father Conor is occasionally out on rare occasions, but if you say you wish to meet with him and make an appointment, you should be able to meet within a day or two."

Warner explained in detail on the way to the church. He was a person with an extremely sharp and stiff appearance and manner of speech, but he subtly took good care of her.

He's the knight commander, so is this aspect also a product of competence? Seeing him efficiently inform her in advance of things she might be curious about, respect sprouted among the emotions that had been full of wariness.

"Here we are."

Hestan Church's cathedral was inside a yard surrounded by waist-high log fencing. It was a two-story grayish-white stone building.

Lanthe was looking around the church building without much thought when she raised her gaze to the church symbol hung at the top. And at that moment, she was seized by an indescribable emotion.

The symbol's form was familiar. Within a round border, a radial light pattern spreading from thick cross-shaped lines at the center.

It's exactly the same as Roas church's...

"Please go ahead. I'll wait here."

"Yes," she answered in a voice even she couldn't hear while passing through the open gate as if possessed by something.

She slowly crossed the grassy yard. She moved her steps carefully, afraid of damaging even one thing here by stepping on it.

Then the church building's entrance door slid open smoothly. A woman wearing a plain ochre-colored long tunic dress with a similarly ochre-colored padded coat came out the door. She turned her body as if she had business at the side of the building, but soon spotted Lanthe and her eyes widened.

Her eyes grew bigger and bigger.

Lanthe quickly opened her mouth as if making an excuse.

"Hello, priestess. I'm sorry for visiting suddenly. My name is Lanthe. I wanted to meet Father Conor..."

She must be a priestess. The priests at Roas church had worn clothes like that regardless of gender.

Long ago, Lanthe had owned identical clothes too. For the Christmas festival when she was six, her role in the play had been a priest, so Aunt Louise had made them for her. Vigo had been a fellow priest then too. His costume had been made in advance by Aunt Alina during summer, but Vigo suddenly grew a lot in autumn. In the end, his calves showed clearly below the short tunic skirt, so all the villagers teased and adored him.

In those times when she'd thought everyone doted on Vigo. In those times when Lanthe believed Vigo was an ordinary Raphlishian like herself and Aunt Alina's son...

"...So I came suddenly. Excuse me."

While she rambled incoherently, the priestess who'd approached with quick steps silently took Lanthe's hand.

And wrapped Lanthe's hand by folding it between her two warm hands.

No words came. With a puzzled feeling, only the priestess's tender smile filled Lanthe's gaze as she looked up dazedly.

She was conveying numerous words with just a wordless smile.

You came well. Welcome. I know you.

Lanthe's wariness completely melted away as she firmly grasped her hand in return. A familiar smile, a familiar greeting. When she'd gone to Roas church and stood there timidly looking for a seat, the priests would always smile at her with exactly this kind of face.

"Thank you for welcoming me, priestess."

When she smiled shyly, the priestess also nodded with a bright face. Probably someone who couldn't speak, the priestess indicated the building with eye and hand gestures, guiding the way.

"Um, if Father Conor isn't here, I'd like to make an appointment in advance."

As Lanthe followed her and spoke, she shook her head.

He's here.

She taught her with the shape of her mouth and smiled broadly.

"That's good timing."

Lanthe smiled along with her without realizing it.

It felt like escaping a lightless valley, passing through a mysterious lake and forest, and returning to Roas after a long time.