CHAPTER 40: CH 40: CANNOT IGNORE - PART 3

A heavy silence settled over the room following High Priestess Jenna’s proclamation. Her calm, smiling face stood in contrast to the tension rippling through everyone else.

Irielle was rigid beside Kana, and Lysera’s hand twitched, hovering as if she wasn’t sure whether to pull Kana away or draw a weapon.

Then, with a dramatic flourish, Jenna gently pushed Evaya off her lap. The priestess-in-training stumbled to her feet with a practiced sigh, clearly used to being treated like a pillow.

Jenna leaned forward, crossing the table between them in a single smooth movement, and reached out to grasp Kana’s chin.

Kana flinched. Her back pressed into Irielle’s arm, but the high priestess didn’t let go.

"Look at me, little chosen one. The goddess has spoken. Submit to the supreme will. Come with me to the temple."

Jenna said softly, her fingers cool but firm.

Kana’s heart beat louder than her thoughts. The air thinned. Her system pulsed to life with a soft chime only she could hear.

[Warning: Foreign spiritual pressure detected. Attempting to influence host. Interference level: High.]

[Divine Resistance: MAX. Status effect negated.]

A jolt of clarity shot through her. She twisted out of Jenna’s grip and shoved herself backward, nearly knocking over her chair.

The spell shattered instantly.

Jenna blinked, surprised. Then a grin slowly crept across her lips.

"Oh my. You really are interesting."

Irielle didn’t wait a second longer.

Her hand snapped forward, seizing Jenna’s outstretched wrist with enough force to draw a wince from the high priestess.

"Don’t touch her again."

The warmth had vanished from Irielle’s voice, replaced by something sharp and cold.

"You don’t get to play with her like she’s yours."

Jenna tilted her head.

"Oh? I didn’t realize I needed permission."

"She’s not going anywhere near your temple."

Irielle growled.

But Jenna didn’t fight back. Instead, she simply smiled again.

"I won’t force her. It’s up to Kana in the end."

She glanced at the wide-eyed girl still frozen between her two guardians.

"Kana, if you wish to know why you were chosen... why this opportunity was placed in front of you—then follow the path. Accept the commission. Otherwise..."

She shrugged, her voice lilting.

"You may never know."

She stepped back, brushing off her sleeves as if nothing had happened. "And that would be a shame, wouldn’t it?"

Then, with a hum, Jenna turned and walked out the front door.

Evaya scrambled after her, shooting apologetic glances at everyone as she followed. Once they were outside and a few steps down the path, she whispered.

"High Priestess... what was that about? That thing you said to Kana—it sounded like you knew something."

Jenna chuckled.

"Did it? Well, I didn’t. That was a message from the goddess."

Evaya frowned.

"So... you don’t know what it means?"

"Not a clue. I was told to say it in that exact moment, and so I did."

Jenna said breezily.

Evaya blinked.

"That doesn’t bother you?"

Jenna let the breeze catch her red hair and smiled up at the sky.

"Of course not. The goddess only nudges when it matters. Kana will come. She just doesn’t know it yet."

Evaya glanced behind them once more before lowering her gaze.

"And if she doesn’t?"

"She will. It’s already been set in motion."

Jenna said without pause.

Back inside, the atmosphere was thick with tension. Irielle was still seething, arms crossed tightly over her chest.

Lysera sat hunched forward, her eyes narrowed in deep thought. Meanwhile, Kana sat silently, fingers trembling slightly in her lap.

No one knew what to say.

Not yet.

Evaya tugged at the sleeves of her robe as she followed behind High Priestess Jenna, her expression a complicated knot of exasperation and reluctant devotion.

The gravel path crunched under their boots, leading away from the quiet house and toward the waiting temple carriage parked just outside the district gate.

"High Priestess, if you keep behaving like this, people are going to start filing formal complaints again. And if those start to pile up, the council will be forced to take reformatory action."

She said at last, struggling to keep her voice firm.

Jenna hummed without slowing her stride.

"Let them complain."

"That’s not a solution."

Evaya said flatly.

"It is if you stop taking them seriously. Besides, the world we live in is a chessboard for the gods. Everyone else is playing catch-up. I just happen to be one of the pieces that still matters."

Jenna replied, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

Evaya narrowed her eyes.

"That’s not how it works."

Jenna turned her head slightly, red hair glinting in the light.

"It is how it works. Until I’m no longer useful to the goddess, I won’t be discarded. She told me that herself."

"And if your usefulness runs out tomorrow?"

Evaya asked, not without concern.

Jenna’s smile didn’t waver.

"Then I’ll make myself useful again."

Evaya sighed, dragging a hand through her hair. She had heard this sort of thing before.

Overconfidence, pride, faith bordering on madness—it was all tangled together in Jenna. And yet, she kept following her anyway.

They reached the carriage, and as Evaya stepped up beside her, Jenna’s hand suddenly slid around her waist.

A loud smack echoed down the road as Evaya slapped her hand away.

"Keep your hands to yourself."

"Ow! I was just appreciating the only person who still has faith in me."

Jenna pouted, cradling her wrist as if genuinely injured.

Evaya gave her a deadpan look.

"That’s because I haven’t met someone more tolerable yet."

"Aww, such affection. You’ll make a fine priestess one day."

Jenna cooed, climbing into the carriage with an exaggerated sigh.

"Not if I strangle you first."

Evaya muttered, sliding in after her.

Back inside the house, silence still reigned.

Kana sat on the edge of the couch, her fingers clasped tightly in her lap. The imprint of the high priestess’s touch still lingered on her chin.

Not physically—but mentally, emotionally, as though something had reached inside her and pressed against the fragile shell she wore as armor.

"I’m not letting you go. You’re not going to that temple. That’s final."

Irielle said suddenly, voice low but unshakable.

Kana looked up.

"If you’re scared to defy them, fine. Be scared. But you can stay here. I’ll handle the rest,"

Irielle continued. She sat beside Kana, one arm curled protectively around the back of the couch, half-caging her in.

"If you need to hide, then hide behind me. You don’t have to step outside until you’re ready. You don’t have to answer to anyone."

Kana heard her words. She appreciated the intent behind them.

But her ears felt oddly empty, like the sound couldn’t fully reach her. All she could hear was Jenna’s voice again, that soft promise.

Her fingers tightened. Something inside her stirred.

"I...I think I want to go."

Kana finally spoke. "

Irielle turned toward her sharply.

"Kana—"

"I know. I know it might be dangerous. I know I should be cautious. But... I can’t stop thinking about what she said. If there’s even a small chance that she knows something... then I want to find out."

Kana interrupted gently.

"But it could be a trap. That woman—she was trying to control you."

Irielle insisted.

Kana nodded.

"I know. I felt it. And I pushed her away. I’m not going because she wants me to. I’m going because I want to know the truth."