Chapter 37: Teresa’s Resume
The Royal Academy’s library, from the outside, resembles a Byzantine-style building. Tall spire-like pillars sh**t up from each corner, topped with giant domes. Inside, it’s packed with all sorts of arches, buttresses, and small cupolas, with rooms filled with books clustered together in a way so complex you might just get lost.
But on the flip side, this place is also home to the most extensive collection in the royal city. You can find all kinds of rare treasures and out-of-print literature here, it could easily be called the academic jewel of Ethanbel.
Unfortunately, even in such a grand place, records about the Abyss are still few and far between. I understand this isn’t the library’s fault; it’s just that humanity’s grasp on this unknown entity is almost nonexistent. I discovered this during my previous visit. So, I’m not here to investigate the Abyss today.
I’m here to learn about Teresa.
I still remember the fragmented snippets from those few nights of dreams. Those beings fighting in the sky… let’s just call them winged horned people for now. And the blazing red flames with dazzling golden light, and that red-haired woman whose face I couldn’t quite make out on the mountain peak.
In the depths of my thoughts, I found myself back in that old alley engulfed in infernal flames, meeting the people who had already passed away in my dreams. Teresa and I stood face to face, having conversations strikingly similar to my memories, yet the responses were wildly different.
Most of the answers about Teresa have vanished into the dream realm, completely forgotten. But there’s one line I remember vividly.
In my dream, Teresa told me: “If one day, you think you’re getting your wish fulfilled just like I once did, you might find out later that they’ve been deceiving you…”
I can’t remember anything after that. Just that one line.
Though it was just a dream.
But now, I’m aware of my own “personality”… or my subconscious uniqueness, if you will. Maybe it’s because of the Abyss? I’m not sure whether to classify this as “memory absorption” or something else entirely, but nonetheless, I won’t dismiss my dreams lightly.
So, what happened to the original Teresa?
I don’t know.
Teresa is dead. I can’t get answers from someone who’s deceased. But perhaps I can find some clues in the records.
Lucky for me, while skipping class… I mean, during my free time, I decided to run to the library and search.
This place is massive! I wandered in circles for ages before finally finding a section on the second floor marked “Biography of Famous Figures,” and lo and behold, there was a book about her!
I tiptoed and, with great effort, pulled down the not-so-thick book, clutching it excitedly as I dashed to a nearby round wooden table, plopping down and flipping it open.
The title of the book is “History of the Great Figures of the Modern Church,” and it contains many characters from the Church, with the longest section dedicated to Pope Angel. But at this moment, I had no desire to learn about him, so I quickly flipped to the part regarding Teresa. The first page read—
[Devout faith, steadfast belief. The young Sister Teresa vowed to dedicate her life to the great deity, indulging in no desires, entangled in no personal feelings, dedicating her entire life to the people.]
“Hmph…”
I couldn’t help but let out a mocking scoff and turned the page.
[Sister Teresa was born in 1154 in a poor village in Eborista on the Eastern Continent. Her father was a local fisherman, and her mother passed away soon after giving birth. Growing up alongside her father, she was well-behaved and intelligent, fishing with him on the beach every morning and selling the catch at the market. Their life was quite impoverished, and she became accustomed to the hardships of the world…]
Ah! This is the biographical information I wanted to see…
So, I settled down and began reading thoroughly.
[In 1173, influenced by her aunt, 19-year-old Teresa was fortunate enough to become a trainee nun at the Holy Church… From 1173 to 1175, Sister Teresa, favored by the deities, received gifts from the Mother God of Abundance, the Goddess of Sin, and the God of Healing, becoming an extremely rare individual capable of simultaneously receiving miracles from all three realms of healing, judgment, and nature, and showcasing astonishing talent in using these miracles, later promoted by the Pope as a candidate for the 89th saint of the Holy Church…]
[In the summer of 1176, Sister Teresa crossed the Ipos Sea with Cardinal Nero and arrived in the Kingdom of Ethanbel. Between the winter of 1176 and the winter of 1178, she frequently traveled to the northern war-torn areas, using her great miracles to save countless warriors’ lives and forcing the rebellious factions to stop instigating warfare. This ultimately prevented the outbreak of the Second Rose War. For her efforts, the King honored Sister Teresa with the Peace Medal, and the long-suffering people of Ethanbel affectionately called her “White Feather,” symbolizing an angel’s plume and purity…]
[In March 1179, Sister Teresa was appointed head of the Marlenus Diocese at the age of 25…]
[In June 1179, a devastating plague broke out in the northern region of Ethanbel, causing millions to perish, with corpses piling up like mountains… In spite of the dangers, Sister Teresa courageously rushed to the disaster zone, once again using her great miracles to save countless hopeless people…]
[On June 10, 1182, Sister Teresa was directly appointed as the head of the Order Royal City Diocese by the Pope and also took on the role of diplomatic envoy for the Order Royal City…]
[On September 1, 1182, Sister Teresa was officially elected as the 89th saint of the Holy Church by a significantly higher number of votes than other candidates…]
[Then, just one day before the saint’s enthronement ceremony, on the evening of nationwide celebrations in Ethanbel, the Holy Church suddenly announced that it would withdraw Sister Teresa’s candidacy. This unexpected turn of events caused quite a stir at the time, leading the public to raise banners in protest, loudly chanting Teresa’s name… Three days later, Teresa released a clarifying statement, claiming: “Perhaps I have finally grasped my mission; whether or not I am a saint will not affect my future actions. The heavy responsibilities bestowed upon me by the deities will continue on.”]
[Since then, Teresa continued her diligent work as an exemplary member of the clergy day by day. She provided aid to the public, became the head of Cataloma, and carefully cared for the unfortunate orphans. Teresa had no lover; she devoted her best years to the world and became a beloved great woman. As for why she suddenly lost her candidacy for sainthood, that no longer seems important to this day.]
That’s all the information about Teresa.
If this book’s portrayal is to be believed, she truly was a great woman, just as she showed the world.
But…
I furrowed my brow, flipping through the last few pages over and over again before closing the book and taking a deep breath.
I’m certain the issue lies in the time surrounding the saint’s enthronement ceremony.
Thinking everything was going as planned, only to discover it was all a lie…
“I finally, grasped my… mission.” I whispered this line to myself.
What could Teresa have meant by that…? d*mn it, what did she discover…
After a long silence, I stood up, returned the book to its place, and continued wandering the library, hoping to find her book “The Sorrow of Love.” I feel like that book might hold even more clues.
I remember seeing that book on one of the shelves the last time I was here. But now, no matter how hard I searched, memorizing the library’s layout, I couldn’t find it.
With no other option, I walked over to the librarian to inquire.
“Miss, if you’re looking for ‘The Sorrow of Love,’ it’s already been checked out by the priests.”
The freckled young woman said apologetically.
“Because of Sister Teresa’s situation… many students have been borrowing it to commemorate the great hero… The library originally had quite a few copies, but they were all reclaimed by the Church on the third day after the disaster in the royal city.”
