Chapter 5: The Ti to Shepherd Has Co
This voice made l tremble all over.
She took a sharp step back and nearly tripped.
Veronica caught her in ti and asked with concern: “What's wrong, l?”
“N.... nothing.”
l shook her head, forcing a smile, but her voice was trembling slightly.
“Maybe... maybe the incense is too strong, I'm a little dizzy.... mhm.”
Sister Irene turned slightly to the side.
Her kind eyes suddenly beca deep as she gave l a aningful glance, before resuming her smile.
“Don't worry, this is a normal reaction.”
She said, her tone revealing nothing strange.
“These spices help to relax the mind and body, relieve stress, and of course, they also have a certain calming and sleep-aiding effect.”
Just then, a solemn bell rang from deep within the church.
Hearing the sound, the nun smiled faintly.
“The Lord Bishop's morning prayer has ended. Let's go over.”
Sister Irene led the two sisters through a long corridor.
The walls on both sides of the corridor were inlaid with rows of stained glass windows.
Sunlight projected through the glass, leaving mottled patterns of light and shadow on the floor.
Each window depicted a different scene, but without exception, the blood moon was featured in all of them.
l noticed that Sister Irene's steps were very light, almost inaudible.
Only her black robe brushed gently against the floor, making a faint rustling sound.
At the end of the corridor was a heavy oak door carved with intricate reliefs.
Sister Irene gently pushed the door open, gesturing for l to enter.
l was a little hesitant.
Veronica gently ca forward, patted her on the shoulder, and then whispered in her ear:
“Don't worry, big sister is right here.”
Hearing this, l took a deep breath and then stepped into the room.
This was a reception room of about twenty square ters.
Unlike the oppressive atmosphere she had imagined, it was covered with white velvet draperies on all sides.
The light in the room was surprisingly bright.
A few beams of sunlight slanted in through the high stained-glass windows, casting mottled light and shadow on the white velvet draperies, making the whole space seem peaceful and serene.
This scene made l relax a little.
She noticed a round oak table in the center of the room, its surface ticulously carved with patterns of the changing phases of the moon.
On one side of the table sat a tall middle-aged man.
At this mont, his gaze was gently fixed on l as she walked in.
“Welco, child.”
The bishop's voice was deep.
Then, he suddenly seed to have noticed sothing and looked at l carefully.
“Could you please step a little closer?”
He asked.
l hesitated for a mont, then took two steps forward.
The bishop's gaze swept over her, a look devoid of any distracting thoughts, but instead carrying a bit of reverence.
After a mont, he nodded and smiled again.
“Let introduce myself, my na is Oliver.”
Bishop Oliver stood up and bowed slightly to the young girl before him.
“A pleasure to et you, Miss New Shepherd.”
Hearing Bishop Oliver's words, l snapped her head up.
Her amber pupils widened instantly, her lips trembling slightly.
“Shep.... Shepherd?”
She repeated haltingly, her voice full of uncertainty.
Why did he know this title?
And that statue just now too.
At this mont, an impulse to flee surged in l's heart.
Seeing l's reaction, Oliver just smiled gently.
He waved his hand lightly, gesturing for l to calm down.
“Don't worry, Miss Shepherd, I an you no harm. It's normal for you not to know your identity. After all, awakening always requires a period of adaptation.”
“Awa.... awakening?”
l felt her brain couldn't quite keep up with his train of thought.
“What awakening, what Shepherd... I don't know what you're talking about.”
“Rest assured, I have no malice towards you, and the entire Saint Margaret's Church has no malice towards you. You don't have to worry about us doing anything to you.”
Oliver smiled slightly, “On the contrary, we would be very happy to offer you help.”
“Why?” l frowned, “I... I'm not a believer, and I don't believe in your Lord.”
“But He chose you.”
Oliver's voice was still gentle, “He chose you to beco His Shepherd.”
“Who is He?”
“Our Lord.”
“And your Lord is—”
l didn't finish her sentence, because she saw Oliver's expression suddenly beco serious.
It was also at this mont that she rembered a phrase:
One must not speak the na of a god directly.
“Sorry.... I was being offensive.”
l lowered her head.
Seeing this, the seriousness on Oliver's face disappeared, replaced again by that kind smile.
“I know you have many questions. How should I address you, Miss Shepherd?”
“l, l Rossetti.”
“Do you mind if I call you by your na directly?”
Oliver asked again.
l shook her head gently.
“Then, Miss l.”
Oliver spoke gently.
“You can sit down first and bring up all the doubts in your heart. As long as it's sothing I can answer, I will clear up your confusion. This is also one of my duties.”
As he spoke, he pointed to the chair in front of him, gesturing for l to sit.
Hearing this, l looked hesitantly at the oak chair inlaid with a wine-red silk cushion.
The chair looked expensive; the fine carvings alone showed extraordinary craftsmanship.
With Oliver's encouragent, l sat down cautiously.
The comfortable and soft touch of the silk cushion made her a little unaccustod.
Her body tensed up unconsciously, her hands placed awkwardly on her knees, as if afraid of soiling the exquisite piece of furniture.
Sister Irene brought a steaming cup of red tea at the right ti.
The porcelain cup was painted with a delicate golden lunar wheel.
“This is a special calming tea,” the nun explained softly, “it can help you calm down.”
The tea exuded a faint aroma, a mixture of rose, mint, and so spice l couldn't na.
This sll reminded her of the incense in the hall earlier, but in comparison, the one in this cup of tea was not as strong.
“Um... where's my sister?”
l looked at the nun, her gaze shifting worriedly to the door.
“Miss Veronica is resting in the guest room.”
The nun explained.
Hearing this, l finally relaxed a little.
She then picked up the teacup and took a small sip.
The warm tea slid down her throat, carrying a hint of sweetness.
l could feel the spices contained in the tea slowly spreading in her mouth.
The fragrance of rose, the coolness of mint, and that unnamable spice made the tip of her tongue tingle slightly.
“Moonlit Grass.”
Oliver seed to have seen her confusion and explained: “That is a type of flower that only blooms during a full moon. It can soothe restless souls.”
His gaze fell on l's face, and he smiled aningfully, “And for the awakened, it also has the effect of repairing their essence.”
l's fingers tightened unconsciously.
The delicate bone china teacup released warmth into her palm.
She could feel that as the warmth of the tea seeped into her body, a strange sense of calm was slowly spreading.
“You said I am... a Shepherd,” l began cautiously, “May I ask, what exactly does Shepherd an? Also, why do I see those... strange things?”
She rembered the bizarre statue in the hall, and the moon that should have been white in her mory, but was in fact blood-red.
“A Shepherd is an existence chosen by the Lord.”
Oliver began slowly.
“To be precise, an existence chosen by them. Each one of them has their own Shepherd.They can see the reality that ordinary people cannot see, and touch the truth that ordinary people cannot touch.”
l noticed that when Oliver ntioned the word "He" (the divine pronoun), his tone carried an indescribable reverence.
“What you see is not sothing strange.”
Oliver continued, “On the contrary, that is the true side of this world. The world we live in is far more complex than most people realize.”
After a pause, his gaze fell on l's eyes, as if he wanted to see everything she saw through those amber pupils.
“So... you still haven't told what a Shepherd is.”
l tried not to avoid his gaze and said.
Hearing this, Oliver smiled lightly.
“That is not for to tell you. When you were chosen by Him, He should have already told you.”
“But that voice...”
l's eyes widened, but in the end, she couldn't bring herself to say what she was about to.
“Shepherds have a special ability, they can convert others into their own flock. As the flock continues to expand, the Shepherds will also gain benefits from it. Although I don't know the specifics of how to do it, I think you should have already received His revelation. He has already told you how to convert others into your own flock, so what you need to do next is very simple.”
Oliver said.
“Do what a Shepherd should do, shepherd.”
“Shepherd....?”
l's voice trembled slightly.
She lowered her head, looking at her slightly shaking hands.
Those voices ca again.
(You are the chosen shepherd)
(Go kill those impure lambs)
(Go shepherd those lost souls)
l covered her head in pain, but the voices were getting clearer and clearer.
Sister Irene wanted to step forward to support her, but was stopped by Oliver.
“She is listening to the divine oracle.”
Oliver said.
“Don't disturb her. Prepare a cup of tea for her.”
Tornted by the whisperings, cold sweat began to bead on l's forehead.
She leaned over the table, gasping for breath.
Just then, a cup of calming tea was placed by her hand.
“Drink it, you'll feel much better after drinking it. Listening to the divine oracle consus a lot of essence for a newly awakened Shepherd.”
Without the slightest hesitation, as if by an infant's instinct to nurse, l grabbed the cup of warm tea and drank it all in one gulp.
As her dried-up essence was rehydrated by the warm tea, the chaotic voices began to gradually subside.
l raised her head, her amber pupils emitting a strange kind of light.
And then, she saw.
In her field of vision, she saw that everyone was enveloped in a layer of light.
And in those lights, she saw countless twisted shapes, like filth parasitizing their souls.
In that instant, l finally understood what the whisperings ant by impure lambs and lost souls.
An ancient whisper echoed in her ears, but this ti it no longer gave her a splitting headache.
It said: (The ti to shepherd has co)
Reviews
All reviews (0)