Chapter 7

One day, I saw a news article online saying that Randell seemed to be planning to leave the capital and rededicate his life to the monastery. There was a photo posted in the article. In it, he looked haggard as he stood by the sea, as if he were a lost, wandering soul. I stared at that photo for a long time, but I felt no resentment or satisfaction. I felt mostly an unexplainable sense of calm. Maybe his regret was real, but so what? I was no longer his shackle, and I had no intention of becoming his redemption again. "Ms. Rivera, I'm here!" Finley's voice rang out, interrupting my thoughts. I turned to him and patted his head. "Why are you late today?" "Uncle Damon was looking for something, and he took forever!" I turned to look at Damon, who was standing next to us, and he handed me some information about a competition. "I won't participate. Why do you keep wanting me to join competitions?" I asked. "Because you shouldn't keep your talents buried. Don't let your past hold