Time-limited Saintess, You’ve Been Caught by the Tyrant Once Again - Chapter 3

Even though she was startled by the sound of a knock on the door, Elena opened the door. As she opened it, a middle-aged woman with a mild body was standing there with a basket full of potatoes.

She smiled reflexively.

“Elena, are you awake?”

“Yes.”

“Have you eaten?”

“I think so…”

Glancing around her, Elena could see dust piled up in the kitchen. It seemed like it had been a long time since she had had a meal. When the old lady looked into the house, she smiled and replied again.

“I don’t think I would’ve eaten yet.”

“Oh, my. Why is that? No matter if such a thing happens, you still have to eat.”

She could remember this old lady. It was the old woman who lived next to her though, unfortunately, she could not remember her name very well. Her warm brown eyes etched affection and pity for her.

Seeing that, Elena smiled brightly.

But, what is ‘such a thing’? Come to think of it, why was this old lady here…?

“Your parents in heaven want you to live well. I brought some cheese, would you like to eat some of that?”

Before Elena could even wonder, the old lady had already revealed it to her bluntly and her eyes widened.

‘Oh, my parents!’

She also had parents, too.

She tried arduously to forget the memories of her mother and father. It was because the more she thought about it, the more painful it was. On their way to the market to sell crops, they were robbed and killed. Elena remembered that she was lucky to have reclaimed the body.

When she closed her eyes, their faces no longer appeared clearly now. Still, the reminisce made how much she loved and missed them become apparent.

“How much time has passed? I mean, what’s today? How old am I exactly?”

“Oh my, Elena. It’s been a month since your parents passed away, and you’re fifteen. Goodness, are you sure you’re okay?”

This was not God’s palace, God’s grace nor heaven… This place was just the past.

Realizing that, Elena’s head moved quickly.

‘…This is the past. Now, I’m back in the past.’

Seeing the fallen leaves tumbling outside the window, it seemed to be autumn now. As the leaves have fallen, the priests will come to meet her around winter.

“I know you’re in a difficult situation. That’s understandable… Not only about your parents but also the Lord.”

“The Lord…?”

“Yes, the Lord was here yesterday. He wanted to take your father’s land.”

“Ah, yes.”

“Are you okay? Your complexion isn’t really looking good.”

Elena nodded her head.

She remembered. The Lord of this place, Viscount Timothy, took the land her father had left for her. He even secretly pressured her to live in the Viscounty. It was very difficult back then, and now, it seems to be what is happening right now.

She then let out a sigh at the thought.

Perhaps, realizing the meaning of her heavy sigh, the old lady next door kicked her tongue and stroked Elena’s head.

“Even God’s indifferent, to make you alone like this.”

“It’s all right. Thank you for your concern.”

“Eat this. You need to eat this and brighten up.”

Elena smiled at the old lady’s warmth. Everyone here cared for her, why did she forget that…?

…No, it was because it was something she tried to force herself to forget.

“Thank you.”

Saying that, she picked up the steaming potatoes.

 ﾟ· : * ✧ * :· ﾟ

Elena gazed into the mirror.

In the mirror, the straps that fastened her clothes were loose, revealing her chest. Just above her chest, in the center, was the sigil of the Saint.

“It isn’t the right time yet…?”

Elena caressed the dark green pattern on her chest. In the past, it was almost the end of winter that the mark of God would appear.

“My daughter, I’ve chosen you.”

That day, in a dream surrounded by light, she woke up feeling pain in her chest. Even when she woke up, her body still stung, and when she touched the area, the divine sigil from God was engraved on her chest.

‘But, I haven’t even dreamed of it yet, so why…?’

To be precise, it had not even been a day since she died. As she raised her hand, a bright green light bursted out.

…Her divine power was still inside her.

With that, Elena realized again. Her own death was not her dream, and she returned with her divine power when she died.

‘Thank you, God.’

Putting her hands together, she offered a prayer of gratitude to God. By the grace of God, she was brought back to life again.

A thumping sound was suddenly heard the next moment. Surprised, Elena hurriedly adjusted her clothes. Has there ever been an intruder like this before? She quickly recalled her memories.

‘The Lord…!’

Since the villagers were always considerate of her, the Lord was the only one who would make such a rude visit like this. The moment Elena opened the door, a man accompanied by people appeared in front of her at the same time.

“How are you, Elena?”

Unctuous eyes turned to her. Elena ignored it and raised defiance.

“I see you, Lord.”

As she greeted her carefully, the Lord, Viscount Timothy, showed a puzzled expression. It was because it was strange that a commoner girl suddenly behaved more dignified than his daughter, Liliana.

“I take your greetings.”

He sat casually at the table in Elena’s house and continued.

“Well, did you find the land document?”

“….”

“Didn’t I tell you to find it? It’s the land that I ‘loaned’ to your father.”

Her father reclaimed the land while he was alive. Because the land was surprisingly fertile, she was able to live as a wealthy peasant. That was the reason why she had a precious mirror in the room. And, the land was coveted by the Lord of this place, Viscount Timothy. Elena, who was young and knew nothing, offered the land to the Lord since it was natural for the ‘lord’ to own the land in her head.

“I have no obligation to give the land document to the Lord.”

However, when she answered coldly, the Lord widened his eyes.

“I know that the land that has been reclaimed belongs to the person who reclaimed it. That’s why the land was ‘documented’ and given to my father.”

Later, when Elena found out about it, she beat the ground with regret. She did not know that that was the reason why her father worked so hard to cultivate the land.

“Tsk, tsk. It seems you heard something from somewhere, but the command of the Lord comes first.”

“No, this is an imperial law, so it takes precedence over the lord’s orders.”

At Elena’s firm affirmation, the Lord’s face was distorted. He was wondering where she found that out.

“It looks like you studied a lot.”

“….”

“But, there are still things you don’t know…”

When he said that, the Lord gestured with his eyes and a man who came with him broke a vase on the table. Startled, she looked at the Lord. Meanwhile, his face was stained with a cunning smile.

“Where you stand, my orders take precedence over the law.”

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