She’s The Older Sister Of The Yandere Male Lead In A BL Novel - Chapter 17

I staggered as the ground shook violently, and soon, a rift opened and nothing was beneath me anymore.

I closed my eyes as I fell into the abyss, yet as I didn’t feel any pain, I opened my eyes. But instead of the dark abyss, my vision was soon flooded with a very bright light.

Even though this place was filled with this very bright light, I could still see myself clearly, and my eyes didn’t hurt either.

The beads containing this illumination flocked toward the palm of my hand where I had the stigmata, and they were soon absorbed.

As I felt this warm energy, I gained vitality.

It felt like my head became clearer and that my body became as light as a feather.

At the same time, I was able to intuitively grasp the divine power within me, even as I hadn’t been taught how to use the abilities I had yet.

In terms of healing power, I understood everything. But strangely, it seemed like I didn’t have a grasp on using the bow yet.

I think getting abilities on the bow would be better.

But the first thing that came to mind after this was…

‘I can finally heal Frey!’

In fact, I thought I’d only be able to heal Frey after entering the ministry academy when they’d teach me how to use my divine power, give blessings and even use healing abilities.

But thanks to the new information that popped into my mind, I’d be able to meet Frey right away and heal him.

“What an unexpected gain.”

I smiled for a bit while thinking how nice this was, forgetting exactly where I was—then, a tremendous lightning bolt struck right in front of my eyes with a dull roar.

“AAHHH!!”

I screamed at the top of my lungs and jumped back.

As I flinched, I closed my eyes. But when I opened them again, I saw golden letters written on the surface where the lightning had struck.

It was definitely the first time I saw this language. It wasn’t the language used in my past life, nor was it a language that was used in the empire I was living in now.

It’s really the first time I’m seeing it, but I could somehow intuitively recognize it as the language that God uses.

[ Freedom, liberation. ]

As I read these words aloud, divine power flowed out and mingled with the air.

When I spoke the language of God, black smoke wrapped around my waist and seemed to hover in a circle.

It was so sudden and chaotic that I couldn’t think of anything else, but for some reason, I was calm.

[ Grrrr… ]

“…Huh?”

A beast’s ferocious growl reverberated from the smoke.

I looked into the smoke, flustered, but it soon swelled upwards and dispersed.

Then, a slender jaguar sauntered out.

It was nothing like a regular jaguar that couldn’t possibly exude this much pressure.

Its forehead had a mark that was much like the stigmata, and its eyes looked like molten gold.

It resembled the two stone statues fiercely guarding the temple of L’Aquila.

As it sauntered towards me, it was elegant. Its claws were sharp and its fur was as dark as obsidian, the color strange yet soft.

I didn’t feel any fear. Rather, the jaguar seemed to be on my side since I could feel its divine power.

It was only looking at me without getting any closer, so I gradually approached the jaguar. Because of this, it also came closer to me.

When I touched its head, it rubbed its snout on my hand like a puppy.

Cute. It reminds me of Lisandro.

“…But why is there a jaguar here?”

The place changed all of a sudden, then the language of God appeared. And if that wasn’t enough, a jaguar showed up, too.

Now, the stigmata seemed to be completely stable and didn’t give me pain anymore.

I was left confused because of the bizarre series of events, then the jaguar tapped my hand with its snout.

“Huh?”

[ Congratulations on becoming the saint. ]

“AHH!”

I was so startled that I took two steps back from the jaguar.

“Ah, I got too surprised and was disrespectful, right? I apologize.”

God existed and I was a saint, but this is a talking animal…

But still, I was surprised because it’s the first time I’m seeing it.

Flustered, I scratched my head and approached the jaguar again.

“Are you like God’s emissary? Or something like that…”

[ I am Cupertino, a divine beast. ]

“Tino!”

[ …… ]

Fortunately, it was a name I could call him by. He didn’t seem to express any dissatisfaction even though I shortened his name on my own.

Tino, who approached with a more friendly air to him, suddenly collapsed on the ground. Our surroundings were filled with only light, so I sat next to Tino.

“This is the scripture ceremony, right?”

A divine beast was something like a God’s knight, so Tino probably appeared to officially make me a saint.

[ It’s almost over. When it ends, this’ll be the second time you’ve become a saint. That’s the reason why you have such memories of your divine power. ]

“…Second time?”

However, he didn’t answer.

When he said it was the second time, the first thing I thought was that he knew I wasn’t Yurenia.

Then, it meant that Yurenia had already lived one lifetime.

The novel didn’t really go into detail with the future, only conveying what Lisandro, Frey and Yurenia had gone through.

“Then all the dreams and illusions I’ve had so far were experienced by Yurenia, right?”

There was no answer this time, either. I wondered why he appeared in front of me when he wouldn’t even answer my questions. I brushed his fur with my fingers.

“But when do I get the oracle?”

[ Didn’t you already receive it? ]

“Huh? No?”

I shook my head. I didn’t receive anything like that.

[ You read the language of God. ]

“Sure, but that’s not the oracle.”

He stared at me.

Then ‘freedom, liberation’ was the oracle?

My hand came to an abrupt halt as I realized that it was different from the contents of the novel.

“But the oracle should definitely be…”

[ You’ve had a difficult first life. This is their last chance to give this gift. It’s to apologize to you. ]

I couldn’t understand.

While he was talking, I really couldn’t comprehend what he was telling me.

“But back then…”

I’m not Yurenia though.

[ The day will come when you’ll realize it naturally. ]

Then, wouldn’t you just close your mouth and not tell me again?

Now that I look at it, he keeps shutting up whenever he gets to the important stuff.

No matter what I ask, he’d only answer what he could answer.

Then, Tino opened his mouth again.

[ L’Aquila told me to tell you this. ]

“What is it?”

[ ‘The only thing I can do for you is give you the power of God. Don’t let it be taken away this time.’ ]

I tilted my head to the side. No matter what, I really couldn’t understand.

“What does that mean? Isn’t my divine power already God’s power? But when he said that he could only give me the power of God…”

And what did he mean by not letting it be taken away this time? Before that, Tino was talking as if Yurenia had lost her divine power.

[ Divine power is not God’s power. It’s like an energy that only flows in the heavens. It’s not comparable to the power of God. ]

Maybe the true nature of divine power was information that only saints knew.

All this time, people thought that divine power was God’s power.

“Then isn’t divine power God’s power?”

[ It’s different, but perhaps it’s alright to call it divine power as well. ]

“Then should I keep silent about what divine power really is?”

[ There’s nothing good about knowing. ]

I don’t think anyone would understand though, even if I say that divine power was the energy flowing in the heavens.

“Then what do you mean by not having it taken away from me?”

Tino stared at me for a moment, then he spoke.

[ Please forgive me because I cannot tell you any more. ]

In the end, I was answered with silence again.

I didn’t think that he’d reveal anything else even if I asked more about Yurenia. Instead of that, I decided to ask more about the oracle.

“What I just read in the language of God was ‘freedom’ and ‘liberation. Then does that mean I can live my own life? My freedom! Free from the temple!”

[ It depends on how it’s interpreted, but you interpreted it well. ]

The meaning of an oracle would vary depending on its interpretation, but I guess mine was right.

Then, because it wasn’t like what I read in the novel, the oracle had changed.

Did my oracle change because I acted differently?

I asked him because I was curious, but again, Tino didn’t answer.

“Is there something I need to do? Lord Tino came down to tell me, right?”

[ You don’t have a separate duty. You can just live the way you want. This is… ]

Ah, you should really just continue.

I was slowly getting frustrated, and it was surely showing on my face. I looked at him squarely.

“Tino, do you know what I hate the most in the world?”

[ What is it? ]

“First, is when the one speaking to me stops talking mid-sentence. And the second…”

I trailed off and closed my lips just as Tino did.

Tino waited silently for my next words, looking at me as though I was being absurd.

He was definitely a jaguar, but he seemed to have that expression.

[ Why did you stop talking? ]

“So you understand?”

[ …… ]

And Tino went back to doing that.

As the silence stretched between us, I looked at my palm where the stigmata was.

Certainly, the mark was clearer, and it was shining with a soft golden light.

I rubbed it with my other hand, but it wasn’t smudged in the least.

[ Please understand that I can’t tell you everything because I don’t know how much it will affect the human realm. ]

I nodded without hesitation because that sounded valid enough.

There must be a line between what could and what couldn’t be said. He was a being that knew more than humans after all.

Tino stared at me for a while, then he soon morphed into a smaller size. He came up to my lap.

“Wow. I’ve always wanted to pet a wild beast.”

“I’m not a wild beast. I’m a divine beast.”

“Huh? You’re not speaking in the language of God anymore.”

“Since I’ve come to assist you, it’s only natural for me to know the human language.”

I looked at Tino as he said something unexpected.

“Will you come often?”

“I can’t stay with you at all times. My original duty is to guard the God L’Aquila. What I’m saying is that I’ll come to you when you need me, so don’t be too surprised if I do.”

I tried to recall the novel. Yurenia’s divine power was excellent, but I don’t think there was any mention of a jaguar like Tino next to her.

Even during life threatening moments, he never appeared. He said he’d pop up when I needed him, but Tino wasn’t featured in the novel.

Even in the midst of her death when Lisandro had struck her with a sword to her heart.

“Why are you helping me to this extent?”

“Because L’Aquila is very worried about you.”

With his small paw, Tino pressed my cheek.

I took his small paw and pressed down on the jellybeans.

At that, he flinched back as if he was bothered by it and retracted his paw, but his tail was waving from side to side.

Then, Tino’s small body slowly rose in the air. I did as well.

“After the final ritual, the scripture ceremony will end.”

“…Final ritual?”

“Close your eyes. The moment the bishop’s staff is in your hand, you are a saint.”

I looked at my palms first with them faced together, then I closed my eyes. I gathered all the power I could into the palm where the stigmata was.

A warm spring breeze wrapped around my body and a massive amount of divine power began to conjure on my palm.

Then, I slowly separated both palms.

The moment I opened my eyes, I stretched out my arms.

And a huge staff appeared before me. It was a golden staff that was the exact shape of my stigmata.

The staff itself had power flowing within it, and a brilliant golden powder fluttered around it softly.

“It’s your own staff. No matter what you use it for, this is the great power of God that is always yours.”

I grabbed the floating staff.

As if engraved, there seemed to be countless words written in the language of God, but they soon disappeared.

“The scripture ceremony has concluded. You are now officially a saint.”

It really was nothing like I thought. As I took the staff, I spoke with gratification.

“I shall carry out my oracle faithfully.”

When I spoke as if I was exceedingly determined to be free and liberated, Tino snorted.

“Please do so. That is what the God L’Aquila wishes.”

Finally, the bright light surrounded us once more.

My eyes closed, but when I slowly opened them again, I was back sitting at the saint’s seat in the prayer room.

There was one change though, and that was Tino, the size of a cat, sitting on the table. His tail waved and lightly hit the table.

“Just so you know, it might be somewhat incomprehensible when you use the power of God. But don’t worry, you’ll get used to it soon.”

I asked if it would deplete my stamina or anything, but he said that as long as I rested well, it would be alright.

After nodding, I wordlessly turned to the door.

Fortunately, it didn’t seem like they knew that the scripture ceremony was now over. I hurriedly looked back and faced Tino, then whispered in a very low voice.

“Tino, why aren’t you leaving?”

“I want to watch a little more before I return.”

“Can you hide yourself?”

“…Why?”

“I’m a saint who appeared after several decades and that’s enough to draw attention to myself. If they find out that there’s a divine beast with me now, they’ll make a bigger fuss.”

No matter how nice they were, I think that doubting everything was one way of protecting myself. I also want to prepare for any unexpected situations.

I didn’t know much about the temple yet. Even if everyone would agree that they’re really good, it was a defense mechanism to suspect even them.

No matter how good they were to me, it’s only easy to see through water, not a person.

There would be nothing more foolish than to show all my cards without knowing what the opponent has against me.

If the day would come when I’d have to reveal those cards someday, I’d do so proudly. But now’s not the time.

If the power of the saints was weakening, then there must be some reason for that.

And as my mother said, if the commoners and the nobles really take the saint’s existence and their sacrifice for granted, then this much power could be poisonous to me.

“I’m known as a saint who doesn’t have much power, but what if I suddenly show up with these abilities? How would they see me?”

When I smiled as though I was scheming, Tino’s moist nose touched my nose.

“…This is a bad habit.”

“Am I prohibited from doing so?”

“It’s not something terrible, at least.”

While saying this, Tino walked back. Then, his body gradually faded and disappeared before my eyes.

“…Tino?”

[ I’m here. ]

I could feel his soft fur on the back of my hand, then I could suddenly see him again.

[ Only you can see me. Is this better for you now? ]

“A lot better, yes.”

Since I wasn’t good at hiding my divine power yet, Tino hid it on my behalf.

Instead, the stigmata was more visible.

It would have been perfect if it got erased in the first place, but once it was engraved, it could never be removed.

That’s why I wanted to hide this power.

Now that everything was set, I opened the tightly closed door with my own hands.