touchnovel Chapter 197 The Smiling Bishop
Chapter 197 The Smiling Bishop
Chapter 197 The Smiling Bishop
The bell tolls seven times.
Incense burner filled the air as Sister Martha strolled past a group of young nuns kneeling and bowing in worship, her hands behind her back. The cool morning sun shone through the stained glass windows, casting scattered rainbow colors into the chapel's main hall.
The nuns crossed their arms and silently recited scriptures. Sister Martha held her head high, her face stern, her stern gaze sweeping over the lowered faces of the other nuns.
The girl who was glanced at by the old nun didn't dare to lift her head. Her nerves were taut, and her eyes were fixed on the Gospel book in front of her, as if there really was a god in those pages.
—The gods won't appear to grant their wishes, but the old nun's eyes could devour you.
Martha watched quietly for a while, then nodded in satisfaction.
"Very good," the elder sister said in her kind yet icy voice, which echoed through the chapel.
"Can anyone tell me what the emblem of Saint Vandu is?"
Silence. No one dared to speak.
The old nun frowned. She waited a moment, and seeing no answer, continued, "The emblem of Saint Vandu is a sturdy oak tree."
"Saint-Vandu is the most mediocre of the Thirteen Knights of God. He is an ordinary peasant who has followed the god Oubak from the beginning, starting as a servant and gradually following in God's footsteps."
He lacked extraordinary talent; among Obak's followers, he was known as "Dull Vandu." Yet, it was this "dull" Vandu who gained the unconditional trust of the god Obak. Do you know why?
'
The nuns did not answer. They knew that Sister Martha always had a hidden meaning when she preached, and if they spoke up at this time, they would be caught in the crossfire and would be scolded.
Matthew 19:9: "The Lord says, 'Vando is my most faithful protector. On the long road of the Black Expedition, in the endless night of the Gobi Desert, when the beasts of night have closed their eyes, Vandu is still guarding outside the tent.'"
His mind was as dull as solid wood, but his heart as firm as an oak.
"The emblem of Saint Vandu, the oak tree, represents ordinary yet enduring protection. This is the creed of Saint Vandu."
The old nun's gaze lingered on the face of a young nun with dark hair. She frowned as she looked at the turquoise earring on the girl's earlobe.
"As nuns of the Saint-Vancouver Convent, we have dedicated our bodies and souls to God. Piety is a nun's finest adornment, and this black robe is the wedding dress of the divine bride. To wear any superfluous ornaments is vanity at play. Vanity is the seed of envy, and envy is the poison of the soul—"
The black-haired girl, who was being stared at by the old nun, realized that she had been caught red-handed and instinctively covered her ears with her hands to hide her earrings.
Several nuns nearby secretly watched the black-haired girl, revealing gloating smiles.
Taking advantage of the situation, old Martha gave the nuns a 30-minute lecture, subtly implying that the girl's face was covered in bruises. At first, the other nuns were relieved that she wasn't being talked about, but after a while, they also began to feel restless and unable to sit still, yet they dared not yawn, making it a very difficult experience.
Just when everyone's patience was about to run out, a man's soft cough interrupted the old nun's long speech.
The women's gazes fell upon the handsome man standing at the chapel entrance. This man, dressed as a bishop, had a square face, yet his eyes and brows were as gentle and soft as a golden retriever's, making him appear both handsome and amiable. His southern-style wheat-colored skin and thick, short black hair gave him the air of a New Kingdom man. For a bishop, he looked very young, only in his early forties.
"Sister Martha, by God, please forgive me for interrupting your class."
"Oh, Bishop Tissant!" Old Martha paused for a moment, then immediately bowed respectfully to the man before her. "When did you arrive—I am currently instructing these young sisters; if you need me, please allow me a few minutes—"
"You can continue your preaching; I just need to lend you someone."
After speaking, Bishop Tissant turned his gaze to the young black-haired nun who had just been mocked by the old nun for a long time.
When she met Bishop Tissant's gaze, the girl's gray-blue eyes flickered slightly, and a hint of unease appeared on her face.
"Chloe and Takagi, I need your help with something. If you don't mind, please come with me."
Tissanthem smiled at Chloe.
Old Martha was somewhat displeased when she heard that the bishop was going to take away today's "model".
"But today's morning classes haven't ended yet."
"The Word resounds eternally, without delay—John 17:8." Tissanthemum spoke slowly and deliberately to the elder sister. "Your teachings must be deeply ingrained in the hearts of the sisters. To make fine wine from grapes, the barrel cannot be overfilled, and the heart cannot be impatient; it needs time and space to ferment. The same is true of teachings. Perhaps we should stop here for today, giving everyone a moment to review and reflect—"
After Tissant explained her reasoning, it took the elder nun a while to understand what she meant. Seeing that the nuns below were already distracted, she didn't argue anymore. She sighed, waved her hand, and dismissed the class.
Chloe quickly performed the sacrament and, under the watchful eyes of everyone, followed the bishop out of the chapel.
The second daughter of the Takagi family followed the bishop timidly with her head down, not daring to utter a sound, half shy and half uneasy.
Titian is the bishop of the San Vandu Abbey. Born into a merchant family, he is quite shrewd. He was promoted to bishop at a young age and is a rising star in the Holy See of the New Kingdom.
Within the convent, Tissant was a kind, elegant, and well-mannered leader. The nuns generally had a very good impression of him.
What could an adult like that want with her? Chloe wondered uneasily.
The two walked through the ancient corridors of the San Vandu Monastery and stopped in the garden covered with withered vines.
Tissanthemum seemed to sense the girl's unease, and smiled at her, revealing deep crow's feet at the corners of her eyes, a result of her habitual smiling.
"How long have you been at the Saint-Vancouver Abbey, Sister Chloe?"
The black-haired girl quickly replied, "Reporting to Your Excellency, it has been two years."
"What about before?"
"Before coming to San Vandu, I spent three years as a novice nun at the Ravenhill Abbey in Thuns."
Chloe continued, a hint of sadness flickering in her blue eyes as she spoke of her hometown.
She had been sent to a convent by her father to enter the priesthood five years ago. For a girl who had just turned twenty, her memories of youth began and ended within the solid stone walls of the Holy Church.
"Have you gotten calluses on your ears?"
The man suddenly asked.
Chloe paused for a moment, unsure how to respond.
The bishop walked up to the girl and reached out his hand towards her face. The girl's heart skipped a beat, and she dared not move.
The man jokingly snapped his fingers in the girl's ear.
"Oh dear, it seems it's not just calluses, these calluses are so thick they're blocking my ears, I can't hear anything," Tissanthemum teased with a serious expression. "The Lord's miracles can restore hearing to the deaf, but the Lord's servants have made a perfectly good girl deaf from nagging. This won't do."
"
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Seeing Bishop Tissant's serious expression, Chloe couldn't help but burst out laughing at the stark contrast.
She immediately realized her rudeness, covered her mouth, glanced at Tissanthemum, and couldn't help but laugh again, looking rather embarrassed.
Seeing that the girl had broken the ice, the bishop finally put away his serious expression and resumed his usual smile.
"See, you look much better when you smile. The Lord has established a kingdom where roses bloom for us, and as God's followers, we shouldn't always face it with a stern face."
"I'm sorry, I've made you laugh."
Chloe took a moment to release the smile that had been building up in her chest, smoothed her hair, and a touch of color returned to her face.
"The earrings are beautiful. Are they a gift from your family?" Tissah asked kindly.
"Ah, yes, yes," Chloe stammered. "I—it was vanity, it was my fault—"
She instinctively covered her ears, trying to take off the earrings. Tissanthemum stopped her.
"It is a girl's nature to love beauty. You are so young, living a simple life in a convent must be a kind of torment."
Chloe hesitated for a moment, unsure whether to take off her earring or not.
She knew that Tissant had a reputation for being open-minded, but she never expected him to say such things to her face—if that old-fashioned senior nun had heard it, or even if it had been the bishop who said it, she would have definitely refuted him loudly.
As if seeing through the girl's thoughts, Tissanthemum slowly said, "Sister Martha and most of the senior priests in this convent are from the Old Kingdom, and their practices are more conservative. The Church of the New Kingdom must follow the customs of the New Kingdom. Nuns and priests should have a pursuit of beauty, and the pursuit of beauty should be part of their reverence for God—of course, I have no doubt about Sister Martha's piety, and I only have respect for her."
"—You're right."
Chloe couldn't help but agree with what the bishop was saying, but she knew it wasn't something she should be thinking about, so she could only offer polite agreement.
Tissah seemed to realize she had said too much, so she coughed lightly and changed the subject, speaking to Chloe.
"Of course, I respect Sister Martha's opinion. After tonight's dinner, you should put away your jewelry and not show it."
"A dinner party?" Chloe asked curiously.
"Yes, tonight I'm inviting some distinguished guests who have come from afar, and I'd like to invite you to join us for dinner."
"Me?" The girl was stunned.
"Of course, it was at the guest's request," Tissanthemum smiled at Chloe. "I believe you'll be very happy to see your long-lost family."
"Is my family member my father or my mother?"
"It's your sister, Chloe."
The smile that had just bloomed on the girl's face froze.
"—Sister, older sister?"
"The Rose Knight who embarked on the trial, the heroine who hunted the manticore—I had heard of her deeds, but I never imagined I would have the chance to actually meet her. The most amazing thing is that her younger sister is actually a nun at the Saint Vandu Abbey. What a beautiful coincidence."
Tissanthemum's words left Chloe utterly bewildered. It took her a full ten seconds to understand what the bishop had said.
elder sister?
Doveennis?
Rose Knight? Hero? Is this referring to the older sister?
A complex, inexplicable emotion welled up in the girl's heart along with the name that had long since disappeared from her life.
Doubt. Sadness. Resentment.
There might be a sliver of relief.
My sister is still alive.
It's been so many years, what should I say?