"So? Will you tell me why you are crying?"
"It... It's my...my fault...It's my fault that he had to die!" Seraphina cried out to Coralie.
High Priest Gabriel had a deadly illness incurable by medicines, and her current level of regeneration magic—even if she had used all her mana and amplified her 'healing' spell by 64, would not have changed his fate.
She knew this because she had tried, many times, over and over again. At most, it could ease his symptoms for a short period of time but it could not ever come to close to curing him.
But this was not a problem she could not solve, for she had a very simple and straightforward solution.
She could have taken his illness for herself using the green energy emitted by her khakkhara, but if she could not cure him using her 'healing' magic, could she cure herself using her regeneration magic in a weakened state?
Considering Seraphina was just a Shaded 3-Star at that time and that Gabriel had been a High Priest for a long while already, it was very unlikely that Seraphina's regeneration magic could accomplish anything noteworthy.
However, she still had a card up her sleeve: that strange blue energy.
Seraphina did not know many things about this mysterious blue energy, but she knew for a fact that it was extremely powerful. It had always healed her, even from the most deadly injuries.
It did not even matter if she was a bit reckless sometimes, as this blue energy could always bail her out at any given time.
However, at this moment where she needed it more than ever, Seraphina had a faint feeling inside her heart...this energy she had come to rely on... it would fail her this time, where she wanted it more than ever. This might have exceeded its capabilities...
If she could not heal herself after taking his illness, then what?
"I was selfish Sister! I could have saved him but... I was scared, Sister..." Seraphina cried out, her eyes going back to being blurry. She clutched her head with both of her hands before whipping her head from side to side, as if she was trying to expel some thoughts out of her mind.
"I didn't want to... *whimper* die....and he was already old so..." whimpered Seraphina, breaking out in tears once more.
Thinking about Gabriel did not help her with her guilt in the very least. On the contrary, it only served to amplify it as she knew that, had the roles been reversed, Gabriel would not hesitate to give up his life for hers.
"I owed him everything, yet I couldn't even do this in return..." Seraphina cried out to Coralie, her jaw and fists clenched. "I hate myself the most for that—*Mmph*.
"Sera, it has been a month already, you cannot keep being glum all day." Coralie said as she pulled out some food out of who knows where, and stuffed Seraphina's mouth full of it.
With her mouth filled to the brim, Seraphina could not keep babbling anymore and she was forced to listen to what Coralie was saying.
"Look, I've known him longer than you do, and I can guarantee you that this old man would have definitely spanked you for thinking like that!"
Seraphina visibly flinched at the word 'spank' however, her sister's next words made her blood run cold.
"He would have never wanted you to trade your life with his, so stop blaming yourself for his death! If you still won't stop then, I'll spank the bad girl myself!" Coralie told her, already laying Seraphina down on her thighs and preparing her for spanking.
Meanwhile, Seraphina, who had been chewing on her food, could finally speak again after swallowing it all.
"Sister... that's not how you comfort someone... " Seraphina mumbled against Coralie's thighs.
"I know but you wouldn't listen to me otherwise." Coralie said, gently picking Seraphina up into a tight hug. "You know what he always said right?" Coralie asked her.
"Hm.." Seraphina nodded. "Our role as us, members of the Church, is to provide help to any and all believers." Seraphina quoted Gabriel.
"Then, do you think your current behavior has helped anyone over the past month?" Coralie asked her as she rubbed her chin on the top of Seraphina's head.
"No..." Seraphina murmured, her voice was barely audible.
"Then, what do you think, he, would want you to do instead of crying all alone here?" Coralie asked as she brushed a tear of Seraphina's cheek.
"..."
"To do my very best to improve others' lives..." Seraphina whispered in a trembling voice, after a short pause to think of her answer.
"That's right~! My baby sister is so smart~!" Coralie exclaimed with a proud smile gracing her face.
"Since you're so smart, you should know where you can best accomplish this, right?" she added playfully.
"It is the church..." Seraphina murmured in hesitation, even though she knew it was the answer Coralie wanted.
...
A quiet silence that felt like days for Seraphina but was actually only a few seconds, ensued after she gave her answer.
"Since you've come to this conclusion, let's go home, High Priestess Seraphina!"
Coralie broke the silence, flashing her with a brilliant smile that could capture a thousand hearts.
"Ok..." Seraphina nodded weakly with a new resolve blooming inside her heart.
Her sister was so beautiful, mature, kind and good at comforting people...She didn't want to be a stain to her sister...she wanted to be a bit more like her.
'Next time I won't do the same mistake...'
Last time, she had let Gabriel die because of selfish reasons. Now, if the day ever comes when Coralie's life is in danger, she would not hesitate to give up her life for her sister's...