Shawn lay sprawled on his bed.
Doing absolutely nothing.
Just staring at the ceiling.
His stomach growled nonstop, reminding him that the earlier sandwich hadn't been nearly enough.
And for some reason, he wasn't sleepy at all.
'Weird…' he thought, frowning.
But then something clicked.
He had passed out in the other world.
After healing all those knights, he'd blacked out.
'Maybe that's why I'm not tired now,' he thought, rolling over in bed.
The Bible sat on the nightstand beside him.
Out of curiosity, Shawn reached over and opened it.
The pages were completely blank.
Not a single message.
Not a single word.
He closed the Bible and set it back down.
'Even without saying anything, the hint is pretty damn obvious,' he thought, sighing.
God wanted him to study His word.
'I can't read like this,' he thought, rubbing his temples. 'I need to eat something first.'
But he had no money.
Just two dollars and six cents.
'Wait,' he thought, bolting upright. 'God said His messengers live off what they receive along the way…'
That meant he could accept offerings.
Donations.
Gifts!
'If I go back to that world…' he thought, hope surging, 'maybe I can score some food!'
Shawn cleared his throat several times.
He propped himself up on his elbows.
He looked at the Bible nervously.
"Hey, God," he said, voice shaky. "I was thinking… maybe… what do you think about me learning through practice?"
Silence.
Shawn swallowed hard.
"You know," he continued, scratching his head. "Going to that world. Helping people. Spreading your faith. That kind of thing."
The Bible opened on its own.
The pages flipped.
Golden letters appeared.
[If you are going to speak in My name, remember this:]
Shawn leaned forward, reading carefully.
[— Do not force anyone to believe.]
'Got it,' Shawn thought, nodding.
[— Do not lie to gain faith.]
'Well, I can't lie there anyway,' he thought, remembering how his tongue had burned every time he tried.
[— Do not promise miracles as a reward.]
'Okay, makes sense.'
[— Do not humiliate those who doubt.]
'Hmm, that's gonna be tough,' he thought, frowning.
More letters appeared.
[True faith is born from desire, not from fear.]
Shawn read those words several times.
[Perform miracles only to help, not to impress.]
'Well, last time I healed those knights to help them,' he thought. 'Though I also kinda wanted to impress them a little…'
[If someone believes out of convenience, that faith does not belong to Me.]
'That's pretty strict,' Shawn thought, feeling the pressure mount.
[Do not compete for followers.]
'Compete? With who?'
[Do not bargain with faith as if it were power.]
'Understood.'
And finally, the last words appeared.
[Let those who wish to believe, believe.]
[Let those who do not, choose their own path.]
Shawn finished reading and let out a long sigh.
'This is way more complicated than I thought,' he thought, scratching his head.
But before he could say anything else, a brilliant light began to fill the room.
"Agh!" Shawn yelled, covering his eyes.
The light was blinding.
He felt his body start to fade.
The same sensation as before.
Like he was being pulled into something.
'Here we go again,' he thought, sighing.
Shawn closed his eyes.
And let it take him.
◇◆◇
Elena was in trouble.
Big trouble.
It had all started a few hours earlier.
She had been in the room, watching over Sheila while she slept.
The girl had been unconscious ever since she collapsed after healing the knights.
Elena had stayed by her side the whole time, waiting for her to wake up.
But then something impossible happened.
Sheila vanished.
In an instant.
Without warning.
Elena had been sitting in the chair, gazing out the window.
When she turned back to check on Sheila…
The bed was empty.
Only the clothes the girl had been wearing remained.
The tunic.
The pants.
Everything was there.
But Sheila was gone.
Elena shot to her feet, panic surging through her.
"Sheila?" she called, looking around. "Sheila, where are you?"
No answer.
She checked under the bed.
Nothing.
She checked the wardrobe.
Nothing.
She searched every corner of the room.
Nothing.
Sheila had disappeared.
'What the hell happened?' Elena thought, confusion overwhelming her.
Elena grabbed the clothes left on the bed.
They were still warm.
'She was here just moments ago,' she thought, clutching the fabric tightly. 'Where did she go? And why did she leave her clothes behind?'
Elena didn't understand any of it.
But she didn't have time to think.
She had to report this.
She had to tell someone.
Elena rushed out of the room and hurried down the stairs.
But when she reached the lower floor, she froze.
There were knights in the hallway.
But they weren't her knights.
They were the princess's royal knights.
Their armor was different.
More ornate.
More polished.
And on their chests they bore the royal family emblem.
A chill ran down Elena's spine.
'What are they doing here?' she thought, worry spiking.
The royal knights were talking to her men.
And her men…
Were spilling everything.
"Yes, it's true," one was saying. "There was a girl who could heal with her hands."
"She healed Marcus in seconds," another added. "The scar on his back vanished completely."
"She healed several of us too," a third chimed in. "The wounds from those cursed beasts… gone like they'd never been there."
Elena clenched her fists.
'Damn idiots,' she thought, rage boiling inside her. 'I told you to keep it secret!'
But it was too late.
One of the royal knights noticed Elena.
"Captain Elena," he said, approaching her. "Just the person we were looking for."
Elena kept her composure.
"How can I help you?" she asked firmly.
The royal knight looked at her seriously.
"We've received reports of a young lady in this place with… special abilities," he said. "We need you to take us to her."
Elena frowned.
"A young lady?" she asked, feigning confusion. "I don't know what you're talking about."
The royal knight narrowed his eyes.
"Captain," he said coldly. "Your own men just confirmed the existence of this girl. Don't play dumb."
Elena glanced at her men.
They lowered their gazes, ashamed.
'Traitors,' Elena thought, disappointment cutting deep.
"I'm sorry," Elena said, crossing her arms. "But I don't know what girl you're referring to."
The royal knight gritted his teeth.
"Captain Elena," he said threateningly. "I order you to tell us where that young lady is. Now."
Elena didn't budge.
"I already told you," she replied calmly. "I don't know what you're talking about."
The royal knight lost his patience.
"Enough!" he shouted.
Pow!
He punched Elena square in the face.
Elena hit the ground, pain exploding across her cheek.
"Captain!" some of her men shouted, trying to rush forward.
But the other royal knights blocked them.
"Don't move!" one ordered, drawing his sword.
The royal knight who had struck Elena crouched down and grabbed her by the hair.
"Listen carefully," he said coldly. "The princess wants to see that girl. And she will see her. So stop playing stupid and tell us where she is."
Elena looked up at him defiantly.
"I already told you," she said, spitting blood onto the floor. "I don't know what the hell you're talking about."
The royal knight clenched his jaw.
Pow!
Another punch.
Pow!
And another.
Pow!
One more.
Elena collapsed, face bloodied.
But even then, she laughed.
"Hahaha…" she laughed weakly, staring up at the royal knight. "You can hit me all you want."
Elena wiped the blood from her mouth with the back of her hand.
"But my answer isn't going to change," she said with a defiant smile. "I don't know what the hell you're talking about."