A Prayer’s Echo and a Sister’s Light

Concurrently, within the walls of the relief shelter, the golden-haired girl, clutching freshly baked bread, announced after arranging it alongside other warm soups and bringing it to the front hall:

“Alright, dinner is served. Thank you all for waiting.”

“Thank you, Sister Antolia.” The elderly and children gathered, collecting their soup and bread, many of whom were remnants of the recent refugee influx.

“Everyone, it’s time to eat.” Anto stepped forward, for ever since the Kingdom of Draynes resumed its funding of the Church, the abundant supplies had allowed the Church’s relief shelter to provide fresh bread and soup to the refugees. This increased provision had, in turn, made the shelter even more indispensable to the poor, even if more food meant the arrival of more people. Nevertheless, it was undeniably a vast improvement from before.

The relief shelter had begun a rigorous screening process for its beneficiaries. Refugee families from the border, the elderly, and women and children unable to support themselves were eligible for two meals a day. Able-bodied individuals without disabilities who could work were prioritized after these groups; indeed, no one truly idle would dare claim a relief meal under the watchful eyes of the community. Only those genuinely in need, along with those who offered their labor to assist the Church, came forward.

“Everyone, time’s up for now. Take a break and come eat.” Sister Anto walked to the second floor of the relief shelter, where the workers toiling on the roof looked up, smiling. The man leading them replied:

“Just a moment, Sister. We’re almost done patching up this large hole. It’s been getting colder these past few days, and if it rains, this welfare house will leak severely. Once we fix it, you all will have fewer worries living here. Alright, alright, Little Sister, you don’t need to wait for us. We’ll come down and eat once we’re done.”

These men had initially been frail refugees living outside the shelter. After receiving a few relief meals, they should have departed, but one among them was a skilled construction artisan from a border village. Feeling the need to repay the kindness after a few meals, he had voluntarily gathered others who shared his sentiment to repair the monastery buildings, which had been neglected for decades. Their craftsmanship proved remarkably skilled, and they charged no fees, requiring only materials to mend many dangerous structural parts.

“No, you don’t.” However, Sister Antolia approached, leaning against a chair, gazing at them with a serious expression.

“There’s a proverb that says, ‘A sheep that doesn’t graze won’t grow long wool.’ If you don’t rest well, eat properly to replenish your strength, and only know how to work, it could lead to danger. Come down quickly! Sister Lu Wei mentioned that a barrel of wine would be opened for everyone today!”

“Ah, that border proverb, a familiar saying.” The leader chuckled, looking at the nun before him, and nodded. “We’re coming down right away. Everyone, stop work. After dinner, don’t get too carried away with the wine, but once you’ve had it, I expect that roof to be finished before nightfall! Understood?”

“No problem, Boss!” The men cheered, descending from the roof and returning inside. The elderly, children, and others orderly and systematically collected their distributed meals. Towards the border refugees, the capital of Draynes had shown exceedingly generous aid. Large numbers of tents and supplies were provided in the lower district. Food and the warmth of fires against the snowy plains allowed them to forget their status as refugees, reclaiming their sense of national pride. Many men from border villages voluntarily decided to join the volunteer legion, preparing to retake their villages.

These individuals had received military training since childhood, with their agricultural seasons structured around a standing army system of eight months farming and four months military readiness. This meant that transforming these civilians back into soldiers, forming a capable military force, required only brief training. The men voluntarily joined the legions, while the elderly, women, and children were entrusted to the Church’s welfare houses. People left their children to be educated by the kind sisters, while the women and elderly took on other tasks such as tailoring and armor-making to support the front lines. As a border kingdom, Draynes possessed a complete system enabling true national mobilization, operating at this moment like a well-oiled machine.

“Be careful as you drink, and mind the heat.” Sister Anto moved through the crowd, attending to everyone’s needs with warmth and concern. She observed the people seated beside her, their faces alight with contented smiles. Compared to the previous gloom, their cheerful chatter now seemed to herald a beautiful life just within reach.

“Grandma Susan, is your back pain any better today?” Anto crouched before an elderly woman. The old woman looked at the nun, her eyes crinkling into a smile.

“Much better, a great deal better… Your massage was so effective… Truly, I never imagined that at my age, I would still receive such care from a Sister…”

“Please don’t say that, it’s my duty.” Anto replied with a smile. Noticing that the old woman’s meal remained untouched, she promptly asked:

“Is… today’s meal not to your liking? Or is there something wrong?”

“No, it’s not what you think, Sister Antolia.” Grandma Susan spoke softly.

“In my youth, everyone was a believer… Every weekend, I would take my family to worship, for many, many years… After that war, many people vented their anger upon the churches… Few people went to church anymore… I was one of them. When this disaster struck, we were already powerless, and this time we floundered even more helplessly in this direction… I truly felt my aged body could not endure. After all, this isn’t home, and we have nothing… But I never imagined that, even in such a time, the Church still hasn’t forgotten us… The Church is still providing relief… It is truly touching, and it makes me… ashamed.”

As she spoke, her frail hand reached for Anto’s, gently touching her warm palm.

“Even in the darkest hours, when people had chosen to abandon their God, God still loved us… just like a benevolent parent… It is a miracle, truly, a miracle.”

“No, it’s not a miracle,” Sister Anto replied after a moment of contemplation. “It’s simply that some have not forgotten their duty.”

“Therefore, I wish to return to faith,” the old woman said slowly. “Starting with the fundamentals. Sister Antolia… could you lead us in a prayer before our meal? It is one of the most basic things.”

“Oh, that…” Anto was momentarily stunned. As a nun at the relief shelter, after distributing food, others typically thanked them and then would devour their meals with gusto. She had never paid much attention to such details. Occasionally, when Sister Lu Wei or Sister Xi’er An were nearby, they would lead her in prayer, but for others to ask her to lead a prayer before a meal, this was a rare request indeed.

She looked around, realizing that it wasn’t just Grandma Susan; everyone had not immediately begun eating after receiving their food. They were gazing at Antolia, as if seeking her approval, their eyes devoid of malice, filled only with an inexplicable reverence.

“…In that case, I shall lead you all in prayer.” The nun closed her eyes, sitting to one side of the group, and instructed everyone to join hands, to feel the warmth and strength in each other’s palms. Then, she slowly began:

“Our Lord in Heaven, merciful Father. We thank You for not forgetting Your people in the coldest of times, for bringing us bread and broth amidst the icy winds and snow. May Your glory continue to shine upon us, guiding us through the perpetual darkness. Guide us to unite in this time of peril, to overcome all trials together. Holy Light be with us, Amen.”

“Amen.” Everyone responded in unison to the prayer. Anto then opened her eyes, a smile gracing her lips, and said:

“You may eat now.”

Everyone gathered in the dining hall, their laughter and chatter filling the air. Within the warm glow of the fire, every heart found contentment. Anto carried her plate to the table where the other sisters sat, and then took her seat properly.

“Why… are you all looking at me like that?” The golden-haired nun sensed the unusual gazes, which belonged to the smiling faces of her colleagues. Sister Lu Wei leaned in and said:

“How does it feel? Isn’t it wonderful? Leading so many people in prayer. Watching you just now, I truly felt like Anto was an angel sent by God. There was such a sense of sanctity about you.”

“Sister Lu Wei, you’re too close, and please don’t tease me.” Anto frowned. “As for me… I don’t feel I’m qualified to do such a thing yet, after all, I’m only a novice nun—”

“What’s this about novice or not, Antolia? If you wished, you could take your vows and become a full sister immediately,” the Mother Superior interjected. Sister Xi’er An concurred:

“All these changes that have occurred these past few days can largely be attributed to your efforts alone. While it might sound a little presumptuous, in light of these circumstances, we can find no other words to describe it than to say that Sister Antolia is an angel sent by Heaven to save our church. Now that the Church has resources, it has the opportunity to reconnect with churches across the land. This was unimaginable just three months ago.”

“Precisely, it proves that saying true. Just like the saying now circulating among the people in the city,” Lu Wei looked up and declared earnestly, “Sister Antolia is our light!”

“Don’t say such presumptuous things!” Sister Antolia exclaimed, her face flushing as she gritted her teeth. “It’s truly embarrassing!”

“What’s the problem? Anto is just so adorable, haha!” Sister Lu Wei responded with uninhibited cheer, seeing no issue whatsoever. Ever since Antolia arrived at the Church, the border Church had been reviving at a pace unimaginable to ordinary people, advancing towards its former prosperity—