The Holy Spirit's Revelation
Aaaaaagh!
Fury surged through her. She felt like she was losing her mind.
“You wicked bitch. You vile bitch!”
Sobs burst from her throat. She collapsed where she stood and wailed uncontrollably.
How could she? How could she act so selfishly?
“Sister!”
The door flew open and Seonhong rushed in. He flinched at the sight of the room in complete chaos.
“S-sister, are you okay?”
“Get out……”
“It’s time for your medicine. Okay? Sister, let’s take your medicine first.”
“I said get out!”
She reached out, grabbed the nearest object, and hurled it. Seonhong slammed the door shut in terror.
Crash!
The object smashed against the door and shattered into pieces. It was a vase. If Seonhong had been even a second slower, he would have been bleeding.
But nothing registered in her eyes.
After all, Seonhong couldn’t see her either.
Whether she was here or not. Whether she disappeared or stayed.
Mom, Dad, Seonhong—none of them had noticed! Because they all loved that girl!
After she took my entire family, played with their hearts, and yet that girl still—
Still went after that man.
“I won’t forgive you……”
She forced herself up. Staggering, she walked over and opened the diary she had thrown under the bed.
In that instant, the jagged handwriting leaped out at her.
CannaCannaCannaCannaCannaCanna
I'll kill her.
I'll kill them all.
She snatched up a red pen and scribbled violently. The sharp letters spread across the page like blood.
I'll kill everyone and then kill you too.
Canna.
“Aaaagh!”
A scream tore from her throat. Canna jolted upright as if in a seizure.
Huff, huff, huff, huff……
Her ragged breaths scattered wildly. Her heart pounded so violently it felt like it would burst.
What was that?
Canna tried to get out of bed and collapsed onto the floor.
Who am I? Where am I?
This place was……
The Great Temple.
The moment the realization hit, her breathing eased.
Canna exhaled. The tension that had gripped her shoulders melted away in an instant.
Yes, this was the Great Temple.
She had completed the holy marriage annulment ceremony that morning. And she was Canna Valentino—no.
Canna Addis.
Canna remained sprawled on the floor and let out a deep sigh.
She had dreamed of Juhwa again. It was the same as last time—a dream where she was inside the girl’s body, watching……
Bang! At that moment the door flew open so violently it seemed it would rip off its hinges. Canna whipped around in surprise.
It was Orsini.
“……What is it?”
His hair was disheveled in every direction, as if he had sprinted here.
He scanned the room with sharp eyes. Once he confirmed no one else was present, he let out a low sigh.
“What was that scream just now?”
“……”
“Talking in your sleep?”
Talking in her sleep… it was, but.
But he had heard it?
It was hard to believe. Although their rooms were on the same floor, the corridor was so long it took at least five minutes to walk the distance.
Yet he had heard the scream.
And in less than a minute, how had he managed to run all the way here?
“Could it be that you were worried about me?”
“Stop talking nonsense.”
Orsini answered gruffly and looked her over with displeased eyes.
“What’s with that state of yours?”
“As you can see. I fell.”
“Is there any reason to fall in your own room?”
“Yes. I had a bad dream.”
It was embarrassing, but strength still hadn’t returned to her limbs. The dream had been that shocking.
“……Idiot.”
Canna watched blankly as he strode toward her.
Surely not……
She thought not, but of course.
He lifted her up effortlessly. Then, in a surprisingly gentle motion unlike his usual self, he laid her on the bed.
Goodness.
How hypocritical.
Yet Canna narrowed her eyes into a smile.
“How kind of you, our Orsini.”
Orsini’s face twisted violently. He seemed to realize what he had done only then.
Canna laughed brightly and mocked him.
“My little brother, when did you become so kind? I thought you were an angel.”
“Shut up.”
“Why? You did something nice for once. Weren’t you hoping for praise?”
He couldn’t endure the taunting. He spun around and fled the room as if escaping from her.
Bang! The door slammed shut. Canna sneered at his retreating figure.
“Stupid fool.”
She had thought he was slightly better than Kallen, but now she saw he was even more foolish.
Canna flopped back onto the bed.
Thanks to Orsini’s repulsive kindness, her startled heart had calmed.
By the way, if the chance comes tomorrow, I’d like to visit the library. I wonder if it’s possible?
That was why she had remained here.
Unlike Sylvien, who left the moment the divorce proceedings ended, Canna intended to stay one more day and attempt to enter the library.
She had heard the Great Temple’s library housed ancient texts from the destroyed Southern Continent.
Canna wanted to obtain books on ancient alchemy.
They say it contains a vast array of secrets that can’t even compare to modern alchemy.
The only question was whether the Great Temple would permit her access……
It was then. A knock sounded at the door.
“Lady Canna Addis, please excuse me for calling so late at night.”
It was the voice of a middle-aged woman.
“Who is it?”
“I am High Priestess Erlin.”
Why would a high priestess come?
The priests nobles met for holy marriage annulments were usually apprentices or ordinary priests. There should have been no reason to meet a high priestess……
Then.
“I come as an envoy from the Holy Spirit.”
She thought she had misheard.
“The Holy Spirit has sent a message to you, my lady.”
The Holy Spirit? The Holy Spirit?
Startled, Canna sprang from the bed like a released spring. When she opened the door, she met the eyes of a priest in pure white robes.
“Did you just say the Holy Spirit?”
“Yes.”
Are you joking?
She wanted to ask, but no one would joke using the Holy Spirit’s name.
But the Holy Spirit, of all things.
To Canna, the Holy Spirit had always seemed like something closer to a fairy or a ghost.
And such a being was looking for her!
Then the high priestess spoke.
“Seon-hui.”
Thud. It felt as if a roar had sounded somewhere.
“The Holy Spirit instructed me to convey the word ‘Seon-hui’ to you, my lady.”
“……”
“He said you would understand.”
She understood.
There was no way she wouldn’t.
Lee Seon-hui. Mother. Juhwa’s mother.
How does the Holy Spirit…?
How did that being know Juhwa’s mother’s name?
Mother had some connection with the Holy Spirit?
It felt like an extremely cruel joke. The urge to run to him and the desire to slam the door clashed violently.
Seon-hui. Just what kind of person was Juhwa’s mother that not only her father but even the Holy Spirit knew her?
If the Holy Spirit and Mother were enemies……
Canna bit her lip hard. Her heart burned with fierce conflict. But in the end there was only one answer.
Either ignore all of this completely, or break through it.
“All right. Lead the way.”
Her head remained tangled with complicated thoughts the entire way as she followed the priest.
How on earth does the Holy Spirit know Mother’s name?
Unable to bear the anxiety, Canna spoke to the priest beside her.
“I never imagined the day would come when I would meet the Holy Spirit in person.”
“That’s understandable. Within the Great Temple, only high priestesses may receive the Holy Spirit. Even I, at my age, have only seen him from a great distance twice.”
After passing through a long corridor and stepping outside the building, an endlessly sprawling garden came into view. It was astonishing that such a vast garden existed inside the temple.
Wow……
Canna’s mouth fell open.
A gigantic black tree was looking down at her. It was so enormous it seemed more like a mountain than a tree.
It’s the World Tree.
And those were undoubtedly mana stones.
The jewels densely embedded throughout the black tree—those were mana stones. She had known mana stones came from the World Tree, but she never imagined they would look like this.
“I do not have permission to approach the Garden of the World Tree.”
The high priestess stopped abruptly as if an invisible wall stood before her.
“The Holy Spirit has permitted only Lady Canna.”
“I understand.”
“Then, may the blessings of the gods be with you.”
She bowed deeply, then turned and disappeared down the path she had come.
Canna shifted her gaze from the high priestess and stared at the World Tree once more.
The Holy Spirit must be there.
Let’s go.
She carefully stepped into the garden and was startled. Even the stones rolling through the grass were all mana stones.
It was an unreal scene. Bright moonlight poured down. The mana stones scattered across the grass sparkled like starlight, making Canna feel as if she were walking through the Milky Way.
And in the next moment Canna saw something even more unreal than anything else.
“Ah……”
Beneath the tree, a woman sat on the grassy field.
The moment she saw the woman, Canna’s steps halted. Almost simultaneously, the woman turned her head.
Their eyes met.
Her mind went completely blank.
It felt as if time had frozen the instant their gazes locked. Canna remained suspended in that moment.
The woman smiled first.
Her eyes curved beautifully, and the tear mole beneath her right eye stood out.
It was herself.
She looked so similar that for a moment that was what Canna thought.
Glossy black hair, skin so pale it was almost white, lips as red as blood. That woman was……
That woman.
A shiver ran through her.
Her father’s secret room.
The woman in the portrait that hung alongside Seon-hui’s. And the woman who was likely her own mother—she was right before her eyes!
The moment she realized it, her heart began to race.
That person must be the Holy Spirit.
If so, is the Holy Spirit my mother?
Then the woman rose from the grass. Her pure white robe trailed along the ground. She opened her lips.
“Canna.”
Instantly, all expression vanished from Canna’s face.
“We finally meet. I’ve missed you so much.”
The Holy Spirit’s voice struck Canna’s head with force.
The back of her head tingled. It felt numb. Dizzying.
“I can’t even begin to tell you how much I’ve missed you.”
“……Why?”
Canna barely managed to force the question out.
“Why did you want to see me?”
“Why, you ask, Canna?”
The Holy Spirit smiled with tears glistening in his eyes. He spread both arms wide.
“Don’t you recognize me even after seeing me?”
A voice so clear it was astonishing.
“Look at me. Canna, look at my face that looks exactly like yours.”
“……”
“We are family.”
However, it was not a woman’s voice.
It was a man’s.