Chapter 33 - THE HEAD PRIEST'S ANSWER

"H-how did you know?" The words escaped her mouth before she would realize what she was saying.

"Impudent! Show some manners in front of the Head Priest!" Sister Josephine reprimanded her. She couldn't even dream about talking to the Head Priest so casually. And, here there was a girl who didn't know her place talked to the Head Priest as if they were acquaintances.

The Head Priest let out a pleasant laugh. This was the first time someone from the temple talked to him so casually. He didn't reply to Veronica's question.

Rather, he added more mystery saying, "Someone had found out that you have used your power and informed me. That's why I came to fetch you. From now on you will live in a secluded place. You will be taught how to use your power and can have control over it."

Veronica tilted her head, not understanding the meaning of his words. "But I already know how to use my power. I have proper control over it."

"Not quite," the Head Priest wasn't mad at her ignorance. He proposed, "Let's talk somewhere private."

The other four women craved to find out what the Head Priest and Veronica were going to talk about. However, they didn't get the chance. The Head Priest took a walk in the direction of the Inner Temple along with Veronica.

The Head Priest didn't want to disclose more information regarding her in front of others. That's why he took her away from them.

Veronica followed him from behind with timid steps. She was anxious to know what else he knew about her. If he knew, then there would be a logical explanation for the people who were looking for in the town. She prayed in her heart. She didn't want him to know that she was in the town.

At that time, a gust of wind rushed in from the outside, as it spun near her before departing. She had to keep her eyes close and could only feel the wind. The wind carried a sweet smell. Her silver hair danced in the wind and disheveled her hair.

She woke up late and didn't have the time to tie them up. She quickly raised her hands and tied them like a bun before the Head Priest noticed her mess.

The Head Priest walked to the flower garden and stopped in front of the white rose bed. As the soft breeze blew, the plants moved in unison like professional dancers.

The Head priest finally opened his mouth and said, "You see these flowers. They are maintained by some specific people. If they aren't maintained, they will grow up as they want to and it will look like a jungle. It won't look decorative and beautiful. After all, they are wild beings."

After a pause, he continued, "Same goes for your power. It's useful and powerful. To keep it disciplined and beautiful like these flowers, you have to maintain it. You have to have control over it. You are its master. If you can't do it, it will become wild and it may harm you and the people around you."

He added, "You may think that you have control over our power but how many times did you actually use it?"

Veronica shook her head and answered, "Not that much." She didn't need to count how many times she used her power. Most of the time she used her power on the animals and only once she used it on a human.

The Head Priest asked, "How was your emotion at that time?"

"It was okay." She was always calm when she was healing an animal or Arthur.

The Head Priest nodded in understanding. "So, your emotions were stable. What if your emotions become unstable and you need to use your healing power. You have no idea who to control your emotion. Can you even control your power at that time?"

Veronica seemed troubled. She couldn't help but ask, "Will my power really harm anyone?"

The Head Priest replied, "There is no certainty. We must always prepare for the worst. This way, we won't lose anything precious."

Veronica fidgeted before saying, "Did it ever happen? The outburst of power I mean."

The Head Priest stated, "Did you not know? Goddess Juvena lost her power control because she was emotionally unbalanced and she died trying to save many people she cared for."

"There was such a thing?!" Veronica's eyes widened. She didn't know there was history like this.

The Head Priest chuckled. "There are so many things you don't know about our beloved Goddess. There are so many books that are not displayed outside the temple. If you become a successful healer, I will give you access to the library's forbidden section."

"Will you really?" Veronica's eyes sparkled like a child got candy.

The Head Priest was amused by her reaction. "I promise."

"Also…" Veronica gulped before asking, "How did you know I used my power?"

The Head Priest mysteriously answered, "This is something I cannot answer you. however, I can tell you one thing, whenever a healer uses their power for the first time, we find out."

He answered in a roundabout way. Veronica became dumbfounded. She stated, "It wasn't the first time I used my power though. I used my power for the first time when I was eight years old."

The Head Priest finally turned to see her face. He seemed astonished by her claim. "Is that so? Whom did you heal at that time?"

Veronica hesitantly answered, "That was… a squirrel."

The Head Priest seemed more confused. "And, whom did you heal yesterday?"

"That was…" Veronica's palms became sweaty. "…a human." She regretted asking him that question. Now they were going to find out what she was in the town even if they didn't know before. There was no way she would meet a human being in the lone mountains.

"A human in the mountain range?!" The Head Priest was puzzled. "How did you meet that human? Was that a traveler?"