VIP Early Access
Eksklusif untuk member VIP
Password Protected
Chapter ini dikunci dengan kode khusus
Chapter 7: Fenne Kahmair
WITH the grating, unpleasant groan of wood rubbing against wood, the door popped open. The dwelling was too quaint to be called a shack, but not nice enough to be labeled as a house—a single-story residence, all too common in Ironhenge. Two women resided within its wooden walls. These miraculous young ladies beloved by God, once called saints and showered with the faith and reverence of their flock, now lived their days modestly. They had exchanged their habits for shabby attire. One look at their current circumstances, and you would think their former glory had been a lie. How they had fallen from grace.
Saint Soalina appeared in the doorway. Perhaps because she used to be a normal village girl, she appeared no different from any ordinary villager in coarse cotton clothing, but the sanctity she exuded and her beautiful features stood out in stark contradiction to her attire, telling another story. She carried a basket containing bread, other foodstuffs, some plants that looked like medicinal herbs, and some medicine.
“How are you feeling, Saint Fenne?” Soalina addressed the woman resting in bed.
Even without her saintly garb, the woman still covered her entire body in cloth, as though she were ashamed of it.
“Please, Soalina,” the other saint who’d fled to safety, Fenne Kahmair, answered in an angelic voice that made anyone who heard it swoon. “I keep telling you to stop referring to me as a saint. I’m no longer anything of the sort…”
Wêb n̊ о̂ v̇e l̀ En̊ u m̄а
“But you are still someone deserving of my respect,” Soalina protested.
“Such titles make us stand out like a sore thumb in this city. And we don’t need much help in that department, as there are so few of our race living here. Please understand this, you silly girl…”
Baca cerita ini hanya di situs resmi Enuma.id!
“I-I’m terribly sorry…”
Soalina’s stubbornness showed through the way she refused to listen, no matter how many times she was warned. An unwavering will is crucial for achieving things in life, but taking it too far can become problematic. Soalina’s stubbornness often brought trouble to their door, but Fenne didn’t feel like seriously scolding her for it.
With a faint smile, one no one had seen since the day she received the power of Miracles from God, hidden behind the cloth that served as her makeshift veil, Fenne changed the subject in a somewhat brighter tone. “Phew. I’m feeling quite well. It certainly is a curious thing. Even with this aged face and body, I still recover quickly without treatment.”
Fenne had suffered nearly fatal injuries during their decisive battle with the King of Ruin. The deep wound in her abdomen had damaged several of her organs. Recovery should have been impossible without advanced medical treatment. And yet, her injuries had healed remarkably fast. Of course, she hadn’t fully recovered yet. She still couldn’t move around as she used to, and she needed to spend most of the day resting in bed. But the grim reaper had long since passed her over and showed no signs of coming back to take her.
Ënů m̂ а .іd
Soalina shouldn’t have needed to worry about her this much anymore. If anything was still hurting Fenne, it was surely just her own heart.
“As of late, I find myself thinking living like this forever might not be so bad.”
Soalina nodded, silently encouraging her to continue. Fenne surely had some worries and feelings she wanted to vent. The work of a Saint extended beyond just fighting evil. In times of peace, what was needed most was for them to be there for people and dispel the darkness in their hearts. Soalina herself had spent most of her days doing just that until the Witch appeared. She was quite used to being someone people could confide in.
“I keep wondering if it would be fine just to forget everything,” Fenne continued softly. “Forget the King of Ruin, my objective, everything—to live out the rest of my days in peace until the end of the world comes. I think I might be okay with that now…”
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
Though their physical bodies had recovered, their hearts remained unhealed since that final showdown. They had pushed forward believing in their ideal world, believing that they were operating according to God’s will. And this was the result. They had sacrificed so much to make their ideal a reality. And failed. What was the point of struggling to survive anymore?
As such intropunitive thoughts plagued her, Soalina realized a fundamental problem: she didn’t truly know Fenne’s story. For what reason did Fenne choose to cooperate with Soalina and Erakino? At the time, Soalina believed it was because they shared the same ideals, but after all this time, she wasn’t so sure that was true.
Е̇ n̄u̇ m̆а
Soalina mustered her courage to ask. “What is your objective, Saint Fenne?”
Her courage was answered with a gentle, veiled smile. “The same as yours, Soalina. I just wanted to find happiness. All of the Saints’ wishes boil down to the most trivial of things.”
Soalina struggled to grasp the meaning of those words. Fenne’s gaze turned to the sights outside the cloudy window. It was midday, and the light streaming in from outside was bright, revealing the goings-on of the poor yet resilient people who lived there. The room, though illuminated by sunlight, was still somewhat dim without any lights on, and the contrast between light and shadow seemed to hint at more.
“I know it’s terrible to say this about oneself, but in the past, I was what they would call a one in a million beauty— Haha!” Fenne laughed out loud for what felt like the first time in years. “What a funny face you’re making. I haven’t seen you make that expression in so long, Soalina.”
Soalina instinctively brought her hand to her mouth, wondering if she had made that strange of a face, but unfortunately, she couldn’t discern her expression from the feel alone. Finding her reaction amusing, Fenne laughed some more, the sound like tinkling bells in the wind. Then, like the drop of a hat, the laughter faded, and she adopted a more subdued tone.
“Hear me out. It’s a long story. It’s not the least bit interesting, but since you wanted to know, you’d better take responsibility and listen until the very end, missy.” She gestured for Soalina to take a seat and then sighed as if recalling some distant memory.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
Thus began the long, long story of how the woman named Fenne Kahmair came to be chosen as a Saint.
◇◇◇
IN a port town in the Eastern Province of the Holy Kingdom of Qualia, there was a dancer renowned for her unparalleled beauty.
Qualia is a religious state, and its doctrines permeate the entire country, with people living their lives according to the moral values derived from those teachings. However, regional differences certainly exist. Unlike the Central and Northern Provinces, the Eastern Province faces the sea and thrives on maritime trade.
The illicit trade with Sutharland, which was officially prohibited but practically became officially sanctioned by the province, brought various things to the town, for better or for worse. The most prominent example of this was the entertainment industry. As a result, the Eastern Province had a considerably more relaxed atmosphere than one would expect in Qualia.
In Qualia, entertainment is generally considered something to be enjoyed in moderation. This is due to their doctrine that desire leads to attachment, and attachment leads to loss. Due to their historical background and differences in interpreting the scriptures, the restrictions in this area were considerably lax in the Eastern Province, and dazzling professions that would make people from other provinces clutch their pearls and swoon were authorized in the name of the church that governs the region.
E ǹ ū m̄ а̂
Fenne was born and raised in this very town.
“O beauty without compare, Fenne Kahmair!”
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
In the dead center of a building far too fancy to call a saloon, a man couldn’t restrain his desire to shout. Upon the stage, Fenne executed an alluring bow to her audience, her nearly translucent garments fluttering with the movement as her dance came to an end. The quiet tavern erupted with thunderous applause and cheers.
“Become my wife!”
“I think not. She’s mine!”
“Beautiful Fenne! Aaaaah! If I could only have your love, I would need nothing else!”
We̊ ḃ n̊o v е́ ĺ Е̃ n ũ m̊ a
The flood of compliments showed no signs of ceasing as the establishment’s staff collected the mountain of gifts practically thrown her way near the bottom of the stage. These were not the gifts nor praise of your average man. The words of praise directed at her revealed the audience’s high level of education and status, and the gifts themselves flaunted their immense wealth. High-ranking clergy, Paladins, and presidents of large trading companies—such people gazed at her with eyes filled with childlike admiration. Every single person in the building was focused on her and only her.
Fenne Kahmair, a stunning beauty who captivated everyone, had understood her own power since childhood.
I am surely beloved by God!
That very thought she had held since childhood, while incredibly arrogant, was a natural conclusion to draw and a pure, undeniable fact. And that was why she never noticed the serious flaw in her thinking.
Baca cerita ini hanya di situs resmi Enuma.id!
Fenne’s life, as if predetermined by fate, always passed by at a torrential speed. It wasn’t long before she, a commoner girl born into an ordinary family, became caught up in a frenzy caused by her beauty.
It all started with housewives gossiping about how an unbelievably beautiful girl named Fenne lived somewhere in town. The rumors spread, became embellished, and people flocked to see her. The rumors from a small corner of town eventually spread throughout the entire Eastern Province.
Е̄n ū m̄ â
Before she knew it, everyone was extolling Fenne’s beauty.
Everyone compliments me!
Everyone smiles at me!
Evil intentions often, and swiftly, overtake good intentions.
Perhaps it shouldn’t have come as a surprise that the wealth and desires brought about by Fenne’s ethereal beauty destroyed her life. Her mother became obsessed with the money she received through her, and her father was captivated by the power of those who came seeking her. Before she knew it, Fenne had lost her family and was all alone in this great big world, and that was one of the reasons why she started working as a dancer.
However, she never once considered her origins or circumstances to be unfortunate. To be precise, she certainly felt unhappiness, but she believed it was just a step toward her eventual happiness.
Baca cerita ini hanya di situs resmi Enuma.id!
Where is my knight in shining armor?
Fenne had a dream since she was a little girl: to build her very own happy family. She longed for a perfectly ordinary family. A loving husband, loving children, and happiness that would bless them forever. She wouldn’t complain as long as they had just enough income to be fed and dressed. And if she could ask for just a little more, then she would love for her encounter with her future husband to be like something straight out of a picture book.
I wonder when my knight will come for me?
One of the picture books Fenne loved as a child was called The Knight and the Wicked Dragon. It was a stereotypical children’s story circulating in Qualia about a young knight who set out to rescue a town girl captured by a dragon. The story concludes with the two becoming lovers and building a happy family with the blessing of the Holy God Arlos, and ends with the line: “And they lived happily ever after.”
Fenne adored this story. She firmly believed that one day her own knight would come for her, just like he had for the girl in the picture book, and they would live happily ever after. For that reason, and that reason alone, she was able to endure all fate tossed at her, from her parents being ruined by the wealth her existence brought them to her neighbors distancing themselves from her out of fear. She even endured through all the times people she trusted betrayed her and the pain that wrought…
God, what is my knight doing? Where is he?
En̈ ù mȧ .і d̀
In time, the innocent girl grew into a dangerously beautiful woman. She learned how foolish men were and how she could use her beauty to control them. In the end, she settled into the role of a dancer. Naturally, there were times when she was deceived, and times when she had to grit her teeth and endure humiliation. But it was far better than those days when, unknowingly, she led people to ruin with her beauty and foolishness.
“O great and holy Arlos, I humbly thank you for allowing me to spend this day in peace and safety. Please grant me your mercy and grace again tomorrow. This I humbly implore of you.”
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
Surprisingly, even after all she had been through, Fenne never forgot to offer her prayers to Arlos before going to sleep.
What drove her to do so?
Was it the memory of her mother, when she was still the kind woman she loved as a child, who had told her with a smile that God would surely help her if she prayed enough? Or was it the memory of her father, who prayed earnestly every night at the magnificent altar he had built in their home?
Whatever the case, Fenne never forgot her daily prayers.
Е nū mа . і̃ d
“O great and holy Arlos, a rather troublesome guest showed up today, but I am incredibly grateful that you helped resolve the problem without incident.”
It was an ordinary day like any other. That night, after finishing her work as a dancer and having survived the day despite a minor incident, her prayer unexpectedly reached god.
SYSTEM MESSAGE
Fenne Kahmair.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
State your request.
A dramatic change occurred. It was as if time itself had stopped; all the surrounding sounds ceased, and the area was enveloped in a brilliant light that even daytime paled in comparison to. In the sacred silence, Fenne’s room felt isolated, as if it had been cut off from the rest of the world.
Ĕ n ũ m̊ ǎ
And then a voice gently resonated within her brain and eardrums. If her own voice was a bewitching one that captivated all who heard it, then this was truly the voice of God, blessing all who heard it.
The Holy God Arlos had manifested.
Tears welled up in her eyes. She knew God existed. Many people said as much, and His existence was suggested in all the books, legends, and stories. But never in a million years would she have thought he would come before her. Even if God loved her, she couldn’t even begin to imagine a town girl like her getting a miraculous visit from Him.
But God did exist. Right before her very eyes.
Her devoted prayers had reached Him, and His almighty presence had come before her with a voice of blessing.
“Aaah! Almighty God! Holy God Arlos! What a blessed day this is! I humbly thank you for this miraculous meeting!”
Baca cerita ini hanya di situs resmi Enuma.id!
Tears streamed down her face. Sobs escaped her lips and words of gratitude tumbled out in a trembling voice.
SYSTEM MESSAGE
Please state your request.
Fenne wiped away her overflowing tears with her sleeve. Then, maintaining a prayerful posture to avoid disrespecting God, she spoke softly yet clearly. “I want true love. I have received many confessions of love from a great many men, but none were genuine. My clouded eyes could not discern the truth in people.”
God did not respond or acknowledge her words. But Fenne was certain He was listening. The words poured from her one after the other. She couldn’t stop from spilling her guts, as if her suppressed desires had finally burst forth.
“I want a partner who will not betray me. A knight who will love me from the bottom of his heart, who will face any obstacle, who will love all of me—my very soul! I want a storybook knight!”
E nu ṁ а̀
She wanted her very own knight. This bewitching woman, who had driven many men mad with her beauty and led them and herself to ruin, had held onto her childhood dream throughout it all.
And God, indeed, heard this foolishly pure and innocent request.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
SYSTEM MESSAGE
Request accepted.
Blessing granted.
“Aaaaah! Aaaaaaah…!”
Е̄.nu m̆а́.і d̊
If there was ever a moment of ultimate bliss in her life, it was probably this moment, right now. This single moment was the pinnacle. All her suffering was rewarded, her wishes were granted, and she had found true love.
Happiness and ecstasy. The little girl who loved picture books, kept hidden deep within her heart, cried out in joy.
Happiness is coming!
Happiness is finally coming for me!
Baca cerita ini hanya di situs resmi Enuma.id!
A storybook knight is coming for me!
He’ll wield a holy sword, be stronger than anyone, kinder than anyone, and make me happy.
Еn̊ u m ȧ .і̀d̊
I knew I was loved!
God loves me!
Thank you, God!
I thank you from the bottom of my heart!
This was the pinnacle of Fenne’s life.
Truly the high point of her life.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
And now…there was nowhere to go but down.
“God have mercy. What in Arlos’s holy name happened to your face, Fenne?!”
“You look like an old woman! Are you certain it was a blessing and not a curse God bestowed upon you?”
“Fenne, who? Oh, right, there used to be a woman by that name.”
People quickly distanced themselves from the woman named Fenne Kahmair.
God had granted Fenne the power to “read people’s hearts.” She had received the “Eye of God”—the ability to peer into the inner depths of the human mind without filter. In return, God took away her beauty. The beauty people loved. The beauty people sought to the point of madness. And that’s where the tragedy lay.
Е̃n̊.umа. ї d
The masses loved her beauty—not the unsightly woman who had become decrepit and ugly with unnatural age. All that remained untouched was her bewitching voice, but that only served to further aggravate men who felt deceived by it.
My Lord! My God! Is this what defines mankind? Is this hideousness truly the true nature of all people?!
Baca cerita ini hanya di situs resmi Enuma.id!
Hideous. Vile. Disgusting. That was all she saw when she looked at people with the Eye of God. The malice they harbored in their hearts was nauseating, and beneath their feigned smiles, vile desires seethed.
Before she knew it, Fenne found herself surrounded by only such people. Reality continued to inflict suffering upon her. And yet…Fenne still didn’t resent man. How wonderful it would have been if she could have taken revenge fueled by hatred. But her innate goodness wouldn’t allow it.
Before long, she was all alone and was invited to the Holy Capital of Qualiane. People rejoiced at the birth of a new Saint and celebrated God’s miracle in a chorus of platitudes.
“Praise the Almighty!”
E ṅŭ m а . і d̆
“Praise Holy God Arlos!”
“Praise the birth of a new Saint: Fenne Kahmair!”
“Blessings be upon her!”
“Eternal blessings be upon the new Saint!”
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
Fervor, chaos, excitement. Joy, reverence, envy. At the center of this whirlwind of human emotions sat a young woman, her heart at peace. This was how Veiled Saint Fenne Kahmair came to be.
She was called The Veiled Saint not because she wears a veil to hide her decrepit face from public view, but because the face that was once bright, radiant, and always looking forward, was now perpetually cast down, veiled in its own dark shadows. Because she learned that her life existed only for suffering. Because she gave up on looking forward…
Е ñ u ma
Because she no longer wanted to see anyone. Because she no longer wanted to hear anything.
All that remained now was the tragic end of a woman who rejoiced at being loved by God. It didn’t matter anymore whether she was called a Saint or not.
Only a little girl with crushed dreams continued to weep on the inside.
◇◇◇
AFTER finishing her tale, Fenne exhaled a soft sigh.
A long time had lapsed since her account began. Soalina had been so intently focused on the story that she only realized her bottom was hurting when she shifted in her seat to stretch out a little. The story had taken longer than she’d anticipated. The light outside had taken on a reddish hue, and it was now the hour when shops closed for the day.
Baca cerita ini hanya di situs resmi Enuma.id!
“And there you have it. My boring life story.”
Soalina couldn’t find a response to Fenne’s concluding remark. The story of her life after becoming a Saint wasn’t anything unique. Soalina’s own experience followed the same track from that point as well. Saints mainly spent their time studying theology, comforting people, and honing their abilities to fight unholy enemies. Since Soalina had a similar experience, Fenne had omitted some of the details. Nevertheless, just like Soalina, Fenne’s life was filled with hardship and tragedy.
“The boring life story of a woman who let her blessings go to her head, mistakenly believed she could reach the heavens, and lost everything as a result. No, perhaps she never had anything to lose from the start. It was all a fabrication, an illusion, based solely upon her appearance.”
That’s not true. If only Soalina could tell her that. She understood Fenne’s suffering. She had her own dark past as someone who had to put an end to the people she once loved. Although their circumstances were different, she understood the depth of Fenne’s despair in that moment when she realized her simple wish to be happy would never come true. How could such a basic, small wish be so out of reach for them?
“That’s why I made a deal with Erakino to get back what I lost. To be precise, the deal was made with Erakino’s master, the GM…”
Soalina had heard a little about that.
Еn̊üm̃а . і̂d̊
The GM’s goal was to win a game being held in this world.
Soalina’s goal was to establish a new country and create a new divine kingdom.
Baca cerita ini hanya di situs resmi Enuma.id!
And Fenne’s goal was to get back what she lost.
Fenne never told Soalina directly, but Erakino had hinted at it. Hinted at her desire to regain her youth.
“I didn’t need to get it all back,” Fenne said, her tone soft. “I just wanted things to get a little better, and he had the power to make that happen. He promised that once everything was over, he would give me a normal life. He was supposed to keep that promise…”
With the GM’s powers, anything was possible. At the time, Soalina didn’t know Fenne’s circumstances and thought it was a terribly vain wish, but knowing what she did now about her fellow Saint, that was short-sighted of her. But back then, Soalina was completely overwhelmed by her own problems and didn’t have the luxury of caring about other people’s suffering. Fenne was likely in the same boat—too wrapped up in her eternal suffering to care about others.
Wе b̃n̆о v̇е l̇. Ĕ n̄u_m̌ a
As someone who was betrayed by God, how did I come across to her as someone who never stopped believing in Him? Whatever the case may be, we already know the result of our actions. We sacrificed too much for our ideals. Soalina felt ashamed of her own inadequacy and bit down hard on her lower lip. I—we—were far too optimistic.
Even the GM, who possessed ultimate power and seemed invincible, was easily defeated.
I haven’t seen him since that day. Because everyone scattered into the wind. Because we abandoned everything and desperately fled until we ended up here. Suddenly, Soalina felt a pang of nostalgia for him. What was his name again…? She had completely forgotten it because she’d gotten used to calling him the GM, but she clearly remembered that despite appearing cold and cautious, he had a deeply compassionate side.
But… that’s all a thing of the past now.
Baca cerita ini hanya di situs resmi Enuma.id!
“Men are all the same in the end,” Fenne spat. “They all leave me. They come up with their lofty reasons and eloquent array of excuses, but in the end, they leave because they become fed up dealing with an aging, troublesome woman.”
Soalina knew she was speaking of the GM. For Fenne, the GM was probably the last man. The last man she allowed herself to have hope in. Hope he might help her. She believed he would save her, that he would free her from her misery. But their current situation proved that he was just like any other man—a promise-breaker. All they had waiting for them was the bitter end.
Ě ń ù m а̊ . іd̀
“Not that complaining to you will change anything… Please forget what you heard today. Forget the embittered words of a miserable woman who has tasted betrayal more times than she can count.”
“So…are you resentful? Do you resent him?” Soalina clapped a hand over her mouth the moment the words left her lips. She regretted it immediately.
“Who can say. But I think both he and I…could have handled things a little differently,” Fenne replied, not minding the question. “But isn’t that the case for you, too?”
“I suppose so…” was all Soalina said in response to Fenne’s query, which seemed to be seeking to see if they were on the same page. Soalina didn’t know what else she could say.
“But unfortunately, it’s already over. My story. Your story. The only silver lining is that we still have our powers as Saints. As long as we don’t draw attention to ourselves, it will be easy for two women to live out their days in peace.”
“I suppose… I’m sure it will be,” Soalina agreed.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
What was the point of doing anything now? The easiest thing to do was to give up on everything and run away, just as Fenne said. Give up on her sins, the friend she lost, her dreams, her hopes. Easier to just let time quietly pass them by without doing a thing.
Everything was over. Done. Finished. Their story had reached its conclusion. This dimly lit hut with shafts of sunlight was their final chapter. Their resting ground. The final page of their sad, sad story.
Their dreams shattered and unfilled, Saint Soalina and Saint Fenne quietly disappeared without a soul knowing what came of them.
This was it. The final words tying up their story. Whether the world was destroyed or continued to exist, they were no longer relevant now that they had been removed from the stage. Wasn’t that good enough?
Aaah, I’m tired. So tired. As soon as Soalina accepted their fate, a wave of fatigue washed over her. Fenne must have experienced the same sensation.
“Well, would you look at the time! We talked for too long. Let’s get dinner ready. I’ve been feeling much better recently, so I’ll help.” Fenne giggled, the sound like chimes in the wind. “It’ll be much easier and faster now that we don’t have to offer supplication to God anymore.”
Е ñũ mа̃. і́ ď
Fenne smiled to shove their sadness aside. Soalina responded with a forced smile of her own.
Does my smile actually look like a smile? Are we even capable of smiling right anymore? But maybe we don’t have to care about that now.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
After all, their story had already reached its end. Only quiet, unchanging days awaited them. The only things adding color to their lives were the light streaming in through the window and the vibrant goings-on of the people they could glimpse outside.
And the echoes of the past they occasionally remembered.
So yes, there was no need to worry about anything anymore…
“OPEN THE DOOOOOOOOOR!!”
Ѐ n u_ṁа̌
A loud voice boomed from the front door, shattering the moment. Who could blame Soalina and Fenne for flinching in response? The voice was abrupt, loud, demanding.
“SOALINA! FENNE! LEMME INNNNNNNNNN!!!”
The voice called for them by name. It wasn’t a case of someone getting the wrong house—they were clearly the ones being sought out. Very few people had any intention of harming the two Saints. In fact, encountering such a person in Ironhenge would be closer to a miracle. So they really had nothing to fear…
And yet, they were terrified. A natural response. They might have been Saints, but they were human, and two single women at that. They both felt the way any man or woman might when a creep showed up suddenly at their door in the dark of night.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
“It’s MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!”
Who is it? They exchanged glances, silently asking the other, but only confusion showed on both their faces.
E ṅ ù ma ..id
Meanwhile, the uninvited guest outside was banging on their door with a jaunty rhythm and hollering their names, without a care for whether anyone else was disturbed.
What was their guest’s purpose here? Or rather, who the Spirits was it?!
No one in the room had the answer.
But somewhere, the sound of a page could be heard turning, continuing the story thought over…
Konten Bab Belum Tersedia
Bab ini belum memiliki konten teks atau sedang dalam proses penyuntingan.
