Chapter 4
Chapter 4
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 4
Chapter Title: The Lord of Baltion
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(4) The Lord of Baltion
'No torture or interrogation?'
Jade considered it a relief when he heard that his execution by fire was set for tomorrow.
'Dying this easily? I'm pretty lucky.'
When he'd been captured by the Lord of Baltion, he'd been treated like a murderer and dragged here roughly. But once imprisoned, he hadn't faced any harsh treatment. The meals were meager, but for someone used to the dry, hard bread of the monastery, it wasn't a big deal. Providing three full meals a day to a prisoner was something to be grateful for.
The guards checked on Jade's health twice a day. In exchange—or as an excuse?—they demanded lessons in doctrine or old stories from him.
Jade told the guards every old tale he knew. Stories like the girl who lost her slipper marrying the frog prince, or the mountain village girl who became a hunter to avenge her grandmother eaten by a wolf, only to die from a poisoned apple. The guards, starved for stories, preferred these over doctrine lessons.
He knew these things would negatively impact his religious trial later. For a priest of the Catholic faith to share tales steeped in savage customs of fairies, orcs, demons, and ghosts was a grave sin against the faith. Even knowing that, Jade couldn't refuse the guards' earnest requests.
"Father? Father?"
Jade sat on the damp straw covering the prison floor and turned toward the door at the sound of someone calling him.
Beyond the iron bars at the entrance knelt an old woman so ancient her age was impossible to guess. Her eyelids sagged over her eyes, and her cheeks and jowls hung like they weren't her own. Her wrinkled skin seemed ready to slide off when she spoke.
"This old, worthless wretch has come for confession."
It was a face Jade had never seen.
"If it's confession... why come to me? There's already a priest in the lord's castle."
"It has to be you. Because my younger brother came to you for confession and vanished afterward."
The old woman lifted her head and grinned, baring the few teeth she had left.
'It's about that guy from a year and a half ago. What was his name again?'
Jade stood and approached the bars, recalling the name.
"Duor."
Jade sat in front of the barred door.
"Yes. That's right. Duor. My brother."
The old woman continued from just out of reach, even if he stretched through the bars.
"This old woman has sinned. Against you, Father. So I need to wash it away. Absolve my sin."
"I have no authority to absolve sins. But I do want to hear what happened."
"The Lord is listening; confess, aren't those the words? Isn't that how it goes?"
The old woman tilted her head playfully as she asked.
Jade replied coldly.
"Does that formality matter for someone like you? You're here to talk to me, not God, anyway."
"You're sharp. Sharp, sharp. Yes, the confession was a lie. But isn't this a kind of confession too?"
The old woman chuckled, then continued.
"I'll confess, Father. It was this old woman who denounced you and got you locked up here. I told the Lord of Baltion every detail of your crimes."
The old woman laughed in short, choppy bursts: heh heh, heh heh. Like forcing a tailor-made garment to fit.
'I figured someone influenced the Lord of Baltion's decision...
The Lord of Baltion wasn't the type to storm a monastery over irreverent old tales told to his son.
No matter that Jade was an unnamed priest hiding in the monastery, he belonged to the Rom Priesthood. Ruining relations with them was obvious trouble, yet the lord pushed for a religious trial.
'...And here came the answer. In the guise of this old woman's face.'
Jade thought for a moment, then spoke.
"I heard rumors that the Raphael Priesthood will soon lead the construction of a cathedral here. For that, the Lord of Baltion needed to weaken St. Antonius Monastery, affiliated with the Rom Priesthood. He needed a pretext, and that was me?"
The old woman looked slightly surprised, then chuckled again: heh heh.
"The lord plans to burn you at the stake in a religious trial, then threaten to drive all Catholic believers out of Jerva. Then the Raphael Priesthood will step in to mediate. Our lord just has to pretend to reluctantly agree."
The old woman let out her stiff laugh again: heh heh, heh heh.
The Lord of Baltion had long been dissatisfied with the size of the chapel in his castle. He wanted a grander cathedral—and to have it named after himself.
"Father Jade will become the cornerstone martyr for the cathedral at Jerva's heart. Of course, no one will recognize it. Except one person: this old woman will know."
The old woman clapped in delight.
"This old woman is thrilled. Because you killed my brother! Selfish revenge, yes. In Catholicism, murder—let alone revenge killing—is an unforgivable sin, right? So this old, ugly, stinking wretch begs your forgiveness. Not in God's name, but yours, Father?"
"Just one question."
"Wrong. You say, 'I absolve you of your sins.'"
The old woman chuckled: heh heh.
Jade continued anyway.
"Your brother confessed to me that he'd killed five women."
"Five whores."
"He said he came to kill me, the sixth priest."
"Yes."
"I never got to ask why. Why me as the sixth? Why kill those women at all?"
"He needed hearts."
"For what?"
"Because this poor, hungry old woman wanted to eat them."
"So your brother wanted to kill, and you needed human flesh. You scattered the other parts around to hide that someone was eating people."
"Not exactly. This old, timid thing feels good when people fear her."
"You orchestrated it all."
"Yes. Except for one. I never told him to kill you, Father. This old, picky woman doesn't eat men's hearts."
"Then why did Duor come to kill me? All the way to the monastery?"
"'We' are innately drawn to clergy. Especially upright ones like you—they look like fresh, clean ingredients. Think of a just-caught fish or freshly slaughtered pork. You look ten times tastier. Though not to a special, picky old woman like me."
The old woman scratched her cheek with her pointed, claw-like nails. The skin tore, oozing sticky fluid from within.
"So this poor old crone wants to see you burn on the pyre more than eat you. The people of Jerva liked you. But if someone declares you a heretic, they'll stone you and cheer at the smell of your burning flesh. Ask them one by one about your death, and they'll mourn. Gather them together, and they'll dance. I love seeing that."
Jade stared at the old woman expressionlessly and said,
"I'd like to see something like you burn too."
The old woman peered at him through her sagging eyelids and said,
"I'll see if you stay that cold right before the flames."
"I'll see if you stay that calm before burning in my hands."
The old woman laughed twice: heh heh, heh heh, then went blank-faced and vanished like smoke blown away by the wind.
Jade stepped back from the bars and sank into the corner, clutching his face.
He stayed like that for a while when a familiar voice came.
"Why are you doing that?"
Jade replied without removing his hands from his face.
"I'm disappointed in myself."
"Disappointed how?"
"A moment ago, some old woman came declaring she'd kill me to avenge her brother. I responded all smugly, like 'Let's see who dies first.' Like a knight accepting a duel challenge. Three years in the monastery, and I still can't change this unlucky self of mine."
Jade lowered his hands from his face.
Standing beyond the bars, in place of the old woman, was Father Daniel.
"You came quickly."
"Quickly? You're getting burned tomorrow."
Daniel smiled as he spoke.
"I heard. So you did come faster than I expected. I figured you'd make a dramatic entrance when I'm tied to the stake."
"You rascal. Sometimes I wonder if you enjoy this stuff."
Daniel held up the cell key.
"Am I free?"
"Yes."
"How'd you convince the Lord of Baltion?"
"I didn't convince him."
"Then?"
Daniel unlocked the barred door as he replied.
"I threatened him. And I'm a bit regretful about my own unlucky nature, just like you."
About thirty minutes before heading to Jade's cell, Father Daniel had met the Lord of Baltion.
The lord's meeting room was dimly lit, with five guards at the walls and doors. Baltion sat in his chair, looking down at Daniel standing three steps below on the stairs. Baltion's wife, Anna, sat beside him.
Anna's face showed worry masked as calm. Perhaps infected by the fear openly shown by her only son, Ricardor, sitting next to her.
"Jade led my son down the path of corruption with pagan actions and thoughts, and distanced the people of Jerva from the Catholic faith. No matter that he's a Rom Priesthood priest, no matter that you're a renowned priest making the request—no, I cannot release a sinner like that."
The Lord of Baltion unleashed his words at Daniel's face without pause.
"And I hear he committed murder in broad daylight three years ago!"
At those words, the lord's son Ricardor was even more shocked.
Daniel gave the boy a reassuring smile. Ricardor glanced at him nervously and reached for his mother, who gripped his hand tightly.
Baltion disliked Daniel's relaxed smile.
"Are you listening, Father Daniel?"
"Yes. Your son seems scared of this situation, so perhaps we should discuss it alone."
"My son fears nothing. If he fears anything, it's having nearly held pagan beliefs for even a moment because of Father Jade."
"I don't think it's wrong for a father to speak for his son, but it seems the father speaking for him doesn't fully understand his son."
"What did you just say?"
Before Baltion, excited, could issue an irretrievable order, Daniel presented the imperial document.
"Here is a pardon signed by the emperor himself."
For a moment, the Lord of Baltion involuntarily glanced at his wife.
Anna asked,
"Did you say emperor just now?"
"Yes. You must be familiar with Emperor Venclaus of the Rom Empire's signature and seal."
Daniel smiled as he spoke.
Anna's eyes widened. She seemed to think the thing she'd feared had come to pass.
Anna was a princess from the small southern nation of Sophnya, married to Baltion for political reasons.
Sophnya had been invaded by the Rom Empire three times. To its people, the Rom emperor evoked instinctive fear akin to the devil's name.
There was no way Anna would support branding a Rom Priesthood priest—who had close ties to that emperor—as a heretic and burning him. Daniel had aimed at that point, repeating "emperor."
"It's His Majesty's promise not to pursue Jade's murder from three years ago. As lord of Jerva, shouldn't you 'still' obey the emperor?"
Daniel glanced subtly at Anna. The woman not yet twenty-five couldn't bear the old priest's gaze and turned to her son instead.
Baltion, refusing the scroll, said,
"This isn't about the incident three years ago."
"I heard from Abbot Thomas, but wasn't Jade just telling old stories?"
"Not 'just'! "
"What's the big deal? Even in Loticann, tales of fallen angels are casual gossip. Ah, but in a remote place like Jerva, far from Rom, such jokes might not land well."
Daniel subtly prodded at what bothered Baltion. Anna felt it too.
Daniel knew she was originally meant to marry a young Rom noble. Had she, she'd now be basking in warm sunlight at the heart of Rom—the world's largest city—enjoying lavish meals. If she were unaware, fine, but Anna had lived in Rom for years.
Nominally as a hostage princess. But a young princess wouldn't grasp the politics, so her childhood must have been happy. Yet now she lived in this dim castle with a belligerent, devout husband, seeing nothing outside but millet fields and a fish market reeking of brine.
Of course, Daniel preferred such a village over flashy Rom, but for a princess, it was different. A southern princess in finery and jewels, with no one to appreciate it—life here must be hard.
Daniel had just implied Jerva lagged behind Rom in fashion, shaking her pride.
"The angel story Father Jade told...
Finally, Anna spoke.
"...isn't that heretical, is it?"
"The lewd angel tales Rom nobles' children hear would shock you. Since you lived in Rom, Lady, you might know a bit..."
"It's true, but I hear it's changed a lot now."
Anna asked uncertainly, and Daniel shook his head firmly.
"If you knew the prices for paintings depicting angels as women for sexual gratification..."
Daniel trailed off deliberately.
"Then aren't we overreacting?"
Anna turned to her husband and continued.
"If word gets out we held a religious trial over a mere fairy tale, Jerva could be ridiculed."
Honestly, it wouldn't go that far. Rom's citizens wouldn't care about Jerva's trial. But Daniel feigned seriousness without denying it.
"I'm not abusing His Majesty's command, but I am duty-bound to follow it. I must address the young lord's education meddling, but for such a trifle, I ask your leniency."
"Why is an aged priest like you delivering the emperor's command instead of a Rom envoy? It couldn't have been easy coming here."
Baltion asked hesitantly. Daniel inwardly sighed in relief.
If he spoke like that, his mind was made up. He was just going through the motions of yielding—for an lord must maintain dignity.
Daniel decided to let him save face.
"Truth be told, I have a personal friendship with His Majesty, and this was a secret request."
"Does that mean... His Majesty needs Father Jade?"
"Please keep it secret. I may need to request oaths of silence from everyone in this room."
This time, Daniel turned to the spear-wielding guards. As if saying, if the secret leaks, it's on you! The soldiers, meant to intimidate him, grew flustered.
Baltion finally took the scroll, unrolled it. In the emperor's handwriting: 'All past misdeeds of Jade are pardoned, and I consent to any measures for his return to Rom Priesthood priest.'
Baltion rerolled it and returned it to Daniel.
Stroking his chin with a stern face.
'I hope he's not the type to throw away his life over pride.'
Daniel waited anxiously, worried.
"Imprisoning Jade and preparing the trial was purely by established rules."
Baltion spoke.
Daniel nodded slightly.
"I understand."
"My father conscripted 200 men for the First Holy Land Recovery War, and I donated silver equivalent to 10,000 hass to Loticann for the Second."
"I know."
"I hope this matter doesn't strain ties with the Rom Priesthood."
Daniel nodded.
'I misjudged. Baltion worries not about lordly pride, but awkwardness with Loticann or the Rom Priesthood.'
Daniel reassured him.
"I'll treat this as never having happened. Once I take Jade, treat him as if he was never here. That's actually what I'd request."
Baltion nodded in satisfaction.
"Take him."
Daniel left the room at once.
As he opened the meeting room door, an old woman stood in front. Anger and disappointment etched her wrinkled face. The thick wooden door should have blocked their conversation, yet she looked like she'd heard everything.
Daniel ignored her and walked on, but glanced back, unnerved. The old woman was still staring.
He went straight down to the prison, where Jade told him about the old woman's confession visit.
Jade, looking worried, said,
"She talked to me, then went to pressure the lord, it seems."
Jade pulled a book hidden under the straw. Its pages flipped rapidly over his hand. Dust rose and a musty smell wafted as they turned.
"You kept it well."
"Kept well? I'm not doing anything special. When you first gave it to me, I even tried soaking it in water and putting it in fire. But the pages didn't tear, nor the binding scratch. Think prison dampness or mold matters?"
"You tried fire? Lord, I'm starting to regret giving you that book. Plus, a novice saw young lord Ricardor drop it in water."
"Brother Poy, you mean."
"Be careful. If someone other than Poy saw your book soaked yet flipping like newly bound, they'd suspect devil's work."
"I suspect it's magic too. Now tell me. What's this book's true nature? 'The Fourth Crusade'?"
"Keep it, and you'll learn yourself one day. Then you'll understand why I didn't tell you."
The two walked side by side down the prison corridor. At the door, a guard waited and took the iron key from Daniel.
"Father Jade, once you leave, you won't come back, right?"
The guard asked Jade earnestly.
Jade replied softly.
"Probably not."
Jade spoke wistfully too.
"If you leave, Father, who do we pray to?"
"Prayers are to God. Not me."
"But I don't know how to pray."
"Neither do I. I just listened."
Even leaving the underground prison, darkness greeted them. The sun had long set.
Daniel eyed Jade's expression and asked,
"You look down, Jade. Not happy to be out?"
"These few days in prison made me think more than three years in the monastery. I don't think I'm fit to be clergy. I planned to tell you first. I'm quitting."
"You fool! If you'd said that five minutes ago, I wouldn't have gotten you out."
Daniel snapped.
Jade shrugged and walked ahead alone. Daniel gestured.
"Where you going? That's not the castle gate."
"I have unfinished business."
"Business? You're not going to use that book, are you?"
"Yes."
"Not in front of the Lord of Baltion! I barely talked him out of the trial—if you open that book, you could be executed on the spot."
"I don't care if I'm executed. I was prepared for that anyway. That's why I said I'm quitting first. What I do now has nothing to do with you, Father Daniel. But follow me. After it's done and I die, you take the book."
Daniel yelled at Jade's back.
"You rotten kid. I let you out to dump cleanup on me? I'm the idiot who raised you as a disciple!"