Chapter 217: Chapter 12: A True Miracle
After their conversation, Rentaro Satomi felt that his relationship with Nia Honjo had grown much closer.
Learning her secret had given him a deeper understanding of her.
However, too much had happened today, leaving him overwhelmed and unsure of what to do next.
It wasn't until Enju Aihara's slightly impatient voice broke the silence that he remembered why they'd come out in the first place.
"Rentaro, Sister Nia, are you two done talking?"
Not far away, Enju sat on a public bench, propping her face up with her hands. "Didn't we agree to get a Promoter license? We're already at the door. Let's go in and get it done."
"Yeah, you're right."
"Then come over here."
Nia and Rentaro exchanged glances, but neither had anything more to say for now.
They waved the two children over.
Enju and Nibelcole skipped toward them.
The girl Nia had rescued and Rentaro had carried all the way here was still timid and unsure of what to do.
No one had explained what had happened, so she remained confused.
Though Enju and Nibelcole had tried to calm her down, their explanations only added to her bewilderment.
What was this about a "Heaven's Punishment Girl" or a "God's Agent"? She didn't understand a word of it.
"Oh, right. I almost forgot about you, little one."
Nia bent down, gently touching the girl's hair. "Don't be afraid. It was your big sister who saved you from those officers earlier. You're safe now. No one here will hurt you."
Feeling the warmth from Nia's hand, the girl gradually relaxed.
"Thank you for helping me, sister," she said, her smile genuine. "It's not the first time I've been treated like that, but it's the first time someone's helped me. You must be a very kind person."
"You've got such a sweet mouth. You're speaking right to my heart."
Nia playfully pinched the girl's cheeks, then touched the bandages wrapped around her eyes. "Did your eyes get hurt? I might be able to heal them."
"Thank you, but this is an old injury," the girl said, shaking her head. She seemed reluctant to let anyone remove the bandages. "My mother hated my red eyes, so she... poured lead into them. I don't feel any pain now, and there's probably no way to fix it. I wear the bandages so I don't scare people."
Hearing this, Rentaro and Enju both looked at her with pity.
The girl was lucky, in a way at least her mother hadn't killed her at birth and had raised her for a few years.
But she was also deeply unfortunate, for being born a Cursed Child in this world was the greatest curse of all.
"Can you even call her a mother? If she decided to raise you, she should've done it properly," Nia said angrily. "Pouring lead into her own daughter's eyes and then abandoning her? She doesn't deserve to be called a mother."
"That's not true. My mom tried her best. I don't know who my father is, and my mom raised me all by herself," the girl said, her tone complicated. "Because of me, she had to quit her job and endure ridicule and abuse from everyone around her. My mom is a good mom. She only poured lead into my eyes because she... broke under the pressure. She couldn't control herself."
The girl smiled helplessly. "Because I'm a Cursed Child, everyone connected to me is cursed too. My mom did enough for me. I hope she can find happiness after I'm gone."
Nia opened her mouth to say something but couldn't find the words.
In the end, she simply patted the girl's head in silence.
In this chaotic, apocalyptic world, the line between good and evil had long since blurred.
She didn't know how to judge the girl's mother, and she had no outlet for her anger.
It was like punching cotton only a sense of powerlessness remained.
Rentaro must have felt this way many times before.
But it didn't matter.
Nia took a deep breath and forced herself to rally.
Perhaps it was a coincidence, or perhaps the system had planned it, but the core idea of the task she needed to complete in this world was different from the last.
When playing the role of Tokisaki Kurumi, all she had to do was spread fear.
But in this world, as Nia Honjo, her mission was to spread the gospel.
As a compassionate nun, she was to bring salvation and hope to the world.
And perhaps, that salvation and hope weren't just for humanity.
They were also for the Cursed Children, who had been treated as monsters despite silently protecting the world and sacrificing everything, including their lives.
She finally understood how to complete the main mission.
Spreading the gospel wasn't just about preaching.
It was about bringing hope to those who needed it most.
"Little one, what's your name?" Nia asked.
"Me? My name is Shiraishi Hina."
"That's a cute name."
"My mom gave it to me. I really like it."
"Maybe your mom really did love you once," Nia said softly. "Shiraishi Hina, I have a special gift for you. Do you want it?"
"Sister, you've already helped me so much. You don't need to give me anything else."
"It's not an expensive gift. It's just a drawing."
"A... drawing? Thank you, sister, but I can't see it..."
"That's okay."
The Divine Spirit Suit and Rasiel reappeared. Nia muttered to herself, "Because you'll be able to see it soon."
She picked up the pen, and the book flipped to a blank page.
As the pen touched the paper, the image in Nia's mind began to take shape, fueled by her spiritual energy.
This time, she drew slowly.
She could feel the resistance in the pen's tip.
The more a scene defied common sense, the more time and energy it consumed.
Compared to the falling billboard from earlier, this drawing was far more miraculous and far more impossible.
A minute later, Nia exhaled and closed the book.
"Alright, little one. You can take off the bandages now."
"My eyes are ugly. I don't want to scare you, sister."
"It's okay. I won't be scared." Nia smiled and reached out. "If you're too shy, let me help you."
Before the girl could react, Nia gently removed the loose bandages.
The girl froze.
The darkness that had enveloped her world was gone.
Sunlight poured into her eyes, illuminating their scarlet hue.
She stared in disbelief, convinced she was dreaming.
"What? They're not ugly at all."
Under the bright sunlight, the nun like sister smiled gently at her.
Her world had become vibrant and full of life again.
Tears welled up in Shiraishi Hina eyes.
Perhaps it was because the scene was too sacred, too beautiful.
"Sister..."
Tears streamed down her face like broken pearls.
Her nose stung, and she couldn't help but collapse into Nia arms.
She hadn't cried when she was insulted.
She hadn't cried when her mother poured lead into her eyes.
She hadn't cried when the officers bullied her.
But now, she wept uncontrollably.
Beneath the facade of strength was a scarred ten year old girl.
Her eyes, finally able to see the light again, were blurred by tears.
But it didn't matter.
Because she had already etched the sight before her into her heart forever.
Because she knew a brighter future awaited her.