Chapter 2 : A New Life

Veronica’s memories ended there.

That bishop, Fletcher, had not only used Father Rhoades’ life to threaten Veronica but had also surely placed some other failsafe on the poor girl.

Su Luo’s task now was to play the part of the puppet Saintess, Veronica, and find a way to escape Bishop Fletcher’s control and regain his freedom.

Moreover, Veronica’s deep attachment to Father Rhoades was now etched into this body’s very soul.

So, in addition to securing his own freedom, Su Luo also had to rescue the imprisoned Father Rhoades.

After composing himself, Su Luo looked at the girl’s perfect, naked form in the mirror, and a faint blush crept onto his face.

Even though this body was now his, seeing his reflection caused a warm current to stir in his lower abdomen, and his body grew hot.

‘No, this is my own body! Su Luo, oh Su Luo, what are you thinking? How can you have such thoughts about your own body?’

Su Luo shook his head, forcefully suppressing the improper desire rising within him.

He then picked up the nightgown he had previously dropped on the floor and slipped it back on.

Although it was his first time wearing such feminine clothing, having inherited Veronica’s memories, Su Luo quickly figured out the correct way to wear it.

Feeling the friction of the smooth, silky nightgown against his skin, a smile he didn’t even notice appeared on his face.

After examining himself in the mirror once more, Su Luo noticed a conspicuous red mark on his neck.

The ligature mark from Veronica’s suicide attempt was so obvious that if he didn’t hide it well, Bishop Fletcher would surely notice something was amiss.

Su Luo glanced around the room and finally found a silk ribbon inlaid with rubies on the vanity table.

After tying the ribbon around his neck, he finally managed to conceal the red mark.

While searching for the ribbon, Su Luo accidentally discovered a diary in a hidden compartment of the drawer.

The script was from another world, completely unfamiliar, yet Su Luo found he could read its contents perfectly.

He opened the diary.

Row after row of elegant handwriting recorded the life Saintess Veronica had tried so desperately to forget—her life after becoming Bishop Fletcher’s puppet.

April 26th, Sunny.

Today was the day for the routine sermon in the slums.

After preaching the doctrines of Radiant Light, a child named Al begged me to heal his gravely ill mother.

I followed Al to a crude shack.

The pungent stench inside was so overwhelming that the Church knights Fletcher sent to monitor me refused to step in.

But I didn’t mind at all; before I met Father Rhoades, I lived in such an environment myself.

I used the divine art bestowed upon me by the Goddess of Radiant Light and easily cured Al’s mother.

Seeing the smiles on their faces and the hope for the future in their eyes, I felt genuinely happy for them.

But when Bishop Fletcher learned of this, he changed my sermon schedule for “safety reasons” and forbade me from ever setting foot in the slums again.

May 19th, Sunny.

Bishop Fletcher took me to a mansion in the noble district.

He told me a certain lord required my divine art for healing.

The noble’s mansion was filled with fragrant incense, and the magnificent bedroom was larger than four or five slum shacks combined.

The gaunt nobleman lying in bed was merely afflicted with a curse that caused a loss of taste.

Any church priest could have easily dispelled such a minor curse, yet this noble went to great lengths through Bishop Fletcher to have the Saintess treat him.

After the treatment, Bishop Fletcher not only received a handsome reward but also gained the nobleman’s friendship.

He then stayed for dinner at the mansion.

May 21st, Overcast.

Healed a noble.

May 25th, Light Rain.

Healed a noble.

May 28th, Sunny.

Healed a noble.

…

August 16th, Overcast.

After my persistent pleading, Bishop Fletcher finally allowed me to see Father Rhoades.

Father Rhoades, imprisoned in the Heretic Inquisition Court, had no visible wounds, but his expression was vacant.

It was clear he had been repeatedly tortured and then fully healed with divine arts.

He only regained some of his senses after recognizing me.

We chatted for a while under the watchful eyes of Fletcher’s Church knights.

I told him everything that had happened over the past few months, and finally, I couldn’t help but collapse into his arms and cry.

I am so useless.

Even though I’m a Saintess, I still need an old man imprisoned in a cell to comfort me.

I want to resist Bishop Fletcher, but I can’t.

Whenever the thought arises in my mind, a piercing pain shoots through my head, forcing me to abandon it.

It turns out Bishop Fletcher has long since carved a spell into the deepest part of my soul.

I suppose I will never be able to raise a hand against this man for the rest of my life.

After this day’s entry, Veronica’s handwriting became increasingly messy, and her daily habit of writing in the diary could no longer be maintained.

Su Luo flipped to the last page of the diary.

The date showed it was now April of the following year.

The handwriting had returned to its original elegance, but it recorded the final words of the puppet Saintess, Veronica.

April 19th, Sunny.

I accidentally overheard a conversation between Bishop Fletcher and his confidant.

Fletcher is not content with his position as a regional bishop; he actually intends to use me to seize the position of Archbishop of the Church of Radiant Light.

I have spent a year in a daze, indirectly becoming an accomplice in his scheme to undermine the very foundation of the Church.

I cannot resist Bishop Fletcher, so this is the last resort I can think of to stop him.

I’m sorry, Father and Mother.

I’m sorry, Father Rhoades.

I really can’t go on any longer.

If I didn’t have these twelve Saint Scars, if I wasn’t a Saintess, would the ending have been different?

After this entry, Veronica’s life came to an end.

Su Luo closed the diary and took a deep breath.

He felt that after reading Saintess Veronica’s diary, his control over this body had reached a new level.

Some divine arts that were previously inaccessible were now at his command.

At this moment, Su Luo’s soul had completely digested everything of Veronica’s, inheriting her hatred for Bishop Fletcher as well.

Although a twinge of pain still struck him whenever he thought of resisting that man, the pain was no longer unbearable.

Thus, Su Luo, who had died in a car crash, was completely reborn in the body of Saintess Veronica.

The girl standing before the mirror opened her sapphire-blue eyes.

The puppet Saintess, Veronica, had been reborn.