Chapter 52
She had never once said she wanted to leave the order. So how could a request for reinstatement have been processed? This was a mistake. She had to demand it be revoked immediately…
“Oh? You’re finally awake!”
Marianne burst into the dormitory, beaming when she saw Daphne awake. She pounced onto the bed and smothered Daphne’s face with kisses. Shocked by the sudden barrage, Daphne pushed her away.
“What’s gotten into you? Get off!”
“You little rascal! Come here, big sister’s gonna smother you with love!”
“Who are you calling big sister? Ugh, stop it already!”
Daphne groaned in protest, but Marianne only laughed, pulling her into a headlock as she said:
“You gave us such a hard time! How great would it have been if you’d change your mind sooner? You have no idea how relieved everyone was when we heard you were leaving with us. You made the right choice!”
“Exactly, Daphne. If you stayed here without us, just imagine how those uptight priests at the Grand Temple would treat you. They were already dying to tear you apart when we were all together. They’ll nitpick even more over the most trivial things.”
“Right?! That can’t happen — absolutely not. Ugh, I’m just so glad you finally changed your mind.”
Marianne’s joy was echoed by Thalia, who was sniffling now. Daphne couldn’t bring herself to tell them it was all a misunderstanding.
‘They’re this happy…?’
Up until now, they’d huddled close together, supported one another, cherished one another. But Daphne had always thought that once they left the convent, those bonds would break.
The world outside was a dog-eat-dog world — a place where using others was not only common, but necessary. You had to be ready to stab someone in the back or be stabbed yourself. She had lived that way. Why would they be any different?
Even though they’d always been surprised whenever she said she wanted to stay, she assumed they were just being polite. They were outsiders, after all. Why would they actually care?
She’d really believed that.
‘I… I was wrong.’
She could feel their joy, raw and unfiltered, and it made something flutter deep in her chest.
She hadn’t accepted their sincerity for what it was, mistaking it for politeness. Because she herself had lived that way, assuming everyone else must too. It was selfish.
‘If I tell them now that it’s all a mistake, they’ll be crushed.’
Suppressing the turmoil in her heart, Daphne told Thalia and Marianne that she wanted to rest a bit more, and sent them out of her room. Believing Daphne had finally come to terms with everything, the two left with bright smiles, telling her to get plenty of rest.
* * *
It would take at least three or four days for the request to leave the order to be processed. So far, that had been the average time it took for other postulants to receive confirmation after submitting their requests.
‘If Theodore submitted my withdrawal application while I was unconscious, then I need to get it revoked by today — tomorrow morning at the latest.’
Only then would she have enough time to convince her overjoyed companions, who were already excited at the thought of leaving with her.
‘But how do I get it revoked?’
Knock knock.
Just as she was racking her brain, Bishop Isabella stepped into her room.
“There you are, Daphne.”
“Oh, Bishop.”
“Are you feeling any better?”
“I’m fine… cough cough, ahem! I-I’m fine.”
She hastily faked a cough, pretending to be ill, and Bishop Isabella approached with a worried look.
“I heard you insisted on staying alone so it wouldn’t spread. Are you really okay by yourself, Daphne?”
“Yes… I mean, if I give it to you, Bishop—cough cough! Please, go back before you catch it.”
Pretending to be sick wasn’t as hard as she thought. After all, her body really didn’t feel quite right. No, at this point, maybe she wasn’t pretending at all.
‘I’ve never felt this unwell before.’
Daphne used to have nothing but picture-perfect health, but now had a fever? She rubbed her shivering arms and suddenly thought of Theodore’s large, warm hands.
When those broad palms roughly grabbed her body and then gently caressed her chest, it had stirred something strange within her. It felt as if he were holding her heart directly in his hands, making her chest burn.
The memory of that sensation lingered, and her eyelids grew hot. As she squeezed her eyes shut, Bishop Isabella noticed the change and thought to herself: she really is sick. Her eyes softened with sympathy.
“You’ve been through a lot, haven’t you? Rest up. I’ll pack your things with the others, so don’t worry.”
“…Yes, ma’am…”
You don’t need to pack anything for me.
Swallowing the words she couldn’t bring herself to say, Daphne curled deeper under the blanket and waited until she no longer heard the sound of footsteps.
‘Now’s my chance.’
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