Forsaken Priest of the Hero's Party-Chapter 9: Potato Flower

No matter the difficulties, everything will turn out well.

For that is the Lord’s will.

While this might be something too trivial to call a ‘power’,

Too insignificant to be called a ‘Miracle’,

I had never failed at cooking.

“Well, I put some sauce on the turkey and roasted it over the fire, until it cooked all the through.”

“It’s very crispy. But the insides are still juicy.”

“All thanks to the Lord’s blessing.”

If I throw some ingredients in the right proportions on a pot, the food always turns out fine. And just when I think it’s done, and turn out the fire, it’s really done.

All I had to do was eliminate all the probabilities where the cooking wouldn’t be successful. I don’t know why God bestowed this power upon me, but He must have His reasons.

“Make sure to eat well, Roka.”

She was still very shy.

But it seems the little wolf has gotten a bit friendlier.

Creak-.

Or it could be just me thinking that way,

But what does it matter?

Glance-.

After eating, the child poked her head out from beyond the door of her room.

She looked at me for a moment, then quickly went back in, and when I went to the vegetable garden to wash the dishes, she followed me.

There was no well here, but I made one. This time, not due to the Lord’s guidance and will, but my own.

This is another miracle granted to me,

A reviving spring gushed out from the corner of the vegetable garden.

The clear water did not freeze even in the winter cold. Although spring is coming, the nights are still cold, but when I wake up in the morning and come out, the water greets me without freezing at all.

As time passes, the sun sets, and the moon wanders.

But the spring will always stay clear.

That’s why it’s a miracle.

A sacred miracle.

Thanks to this miracle, there was no shortage of water when I was still a member of the Hero’s Party.

Should I clean up when I’m done?

Mr. Rubert must have gifted Roka to me to have her take care of these things, but in reality, with one more person in my house, the laundry and the dishes have doubled. Even cleaning the house became a bit more difficult, since her tail fur gets everywhere.

I could use a slime tape now.

Slime tape, made using the adhesive secreted by slimes, was originally created for fur cleaning of pets kept by nobles. Although Roka is not exactly a pet, I couldn’t deny that such an item would be useful right now.

Swish. Swish. Swish swish swish.

After sweeping the dust with a broom, I wiped the floor with the mop.

Since this was my house, if I let it get dirty, the only one losing here would be me.

After dusting and mopping, the evening was already approaching. I had announced a week ago that the clinic would be closed for a day today, and there shouldn’t be any problems.

The Lord’s blessing applies even to cleaning.

Wherever the mop passed, the dust was wiped away and became clean, but the mop itself didn’t get very dirty.

The water from that spring was created by the Lord’s miracle, so it’s not common worldly water, but holy water.

The most uptodate nove𝙡s are published on frёewebnoѵel.ƈo๓.

Although it doesn’t have the power of exorcism like the holy water of other gods, it’s good for cleaning, laundry, dishwashing, for anything.

Of course, it’s also very good to draw and use as bath water. My old colleague, Lucia Western cherished her armor and weapons like her own life, but even she acknowledged the efficacy of this spring water.

At first, she would wash them thoroughly with water and even take the trouble to oil them, but at some point, stopped applying the oil altogether.

Because she realized that rust wouldn’t form, the blade remained sharp and shiny.

It may seem trivial, and it is indeed trivial, but this is also one of the miracles bestowed by the Lord.

It’s almost done... huh?

Once I was finished, I wrung out the mop, and then when I turned around and looked at the vegetable garden.

I saw flowers embroidering the frozen ground. Some were pure white, while others had a slight pink tinge. But neither is a sight to be seen in this winter.

“They’re potato flowers, aren’t they?”

How could I not know potato flowers when I was about to plant potatoes?

But the problem is, I’ve never planted potatoes in the vegetable garden...

Forget about flower buds, I haven’t even seen sprouts, but during the few hours of cleaning, potato flowers have bloomed beautifully.

Even if the previous owner of this house had planted the seeds in the ground, they would have frozen to death in the Winter.

Thus, the fact that potato flowers had grown in the corner of the vegetable garden, was no matter how one looked at it, a miracle.

A message sent to me by my Lord.

If I don’t pick those flowers, the potatoes won’t grow well...

But that, too, was not something I grew, but something bestowed by God.

I didn’t want to break those flowers with my own hands.

Swish-.

As I observed the flowers, I felt a gaze upon me. When I turned around, as expected, Roka was staring at me intently again this time.

She was restless. When our eyes met, she quickly turned away.

The first thought that came to my mind was,

‘Is it time to eat?’

Even if she was hungry, she couldn’t tell me.

But, it’s not time to be hungry yet, right?

We had a hearty lunch, and it’s only been about 3 hours since then.

It might not even have been that long.

Creak-.

Opening the door, Roka started to come out, but after a few moments, she backed away hesitantly.

After living together for a month, I could see that she wasn’t hungry,

So, the next thought I had was that she might be sick.

Where does it hurt?

I turned my gaze towards the Kitchen, where the Candle Of Sanctuary still burned.

It may not look impressive, but that too, was a miracle.

As long as the candle burns, this house becomes a Sanctuary. Impure things cannot approach it. Disease can’t infiltrate this home, and no matter what lurks outside, one can always sleep comfortably here.

Even if someone has a deadly injury, as long as they are alive, the body will continue to improve inside the Sanctuary. No matter the conditions, they won’t get worse.

If there was something that could surpass the sanctuary, I should have known.

And would a sick person act like that? I knew for a fact that when you’re sick everything else loses its importance.

When treating sick people, I had to be prepared to be cursed at as a basic. It didn’t bother me, knowing that the curses weren’t directed at me.

If you’re really sick, you can’t keep your mouth shut.

Rustle-.

Thud-.

Huh? It happened in an instant.

Roka suddenly appeared right in front of me. Then, she bumped her small head against my hand. Before I could even be surprised, she quickly fled once more.

Could it be...?

Her eyes anxiously looked at me.

I could see she was mustering her courage again. After a few seconds, she approached me and rubbed her face against me.

With great care, slowly moved my hand and patted her head.

Startled, she backed away. However, it was only for a moment.

The girl approached me very slowly, ears twitching.

Just by seeing her tail standing straight, it was evident that she was nervous. I didn’t move and just smiled with my hand outstretched.

Roka approached my hand again this time but hesitated, and backed away.

Nevertheless, I didn’t withdraw my hand, and Roka didn’t run away.

If the child is ready to approach me, then she will come even if I do nothing.

If she’s not ready, then I must continue to be patient.

Until she’s certain she could trust me.

Could it be that she’s certain I won’t harm her now?

Roka approached me for the last time.

This time she tightly hugged my outstretched hand and rubbed her face against it.

Kneeling, I hugged her. Immediately after, Roka leaned her face against my chest and took a deep breath. Tears were streaming down her eyes.

“It’s okay. You can cry. Don’t hold back.”

“Hic. Ugh...”

“Roka...Always remember this. You’re a person. Someone that is free to cry whenever they want. You are free to act spoiled when you want. And you’re free to lean on others when it’s necessary.”

Just by knowing she became a slave at such a young age, I could see,

How many heartbreaking things this child must have endured?

How many sad things this child must have experienced?

I have the powerful hand of God supporting me. But this child, she had nothing.

Neither Gods nor humans were there for her.

“And a person doesn’t need this. You’re free, Roka.”

I touched the slave collar and unlocked it.

This disgusting object reduces persons to mere livestock. It’s an object that goes directly against the Lord’s will.

After hugging the visibly confused girl once again, I got up, walked towards a nearby drawer, and took the slave contract, bringing it toward the candle on the dining table.

“In the name of the Lord.”

The Sanctuary Candle burned brightly as it consumed the slave contract.

Not even ashes remained.

Usually, slave contracts weren’t simple sheets of paper, but were made of a magical conductive one, containing a link to the Slave’s collar, thus making the contract very difficult to burn, or destroy.

However, the Lord’s flame easily consumed such a foul thing.

“You’re free Roka. Free.”

“Sob... hic... waaah... uwaaah!”

The child rushed at me, hugging me tightly.

Throughout my life, the Lord guided me like a loving Father.

Preventing me from failing into evil paths,

When I was lost, He showed me the way and brought me everlasting peace.

This foolish human, who couldn’t comprehend even half of the things the Lord has done, has now been granted a unique opportunity.

The chance to share the Lord’s grace, even if a little, and bestow it upon this small girl.