Chapter 45
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 45
A gentle smile played on her lips behind the veil, but Gabriel couldn’t bring himself to return it. Before the woman lay a corpse, its body a melted, hole-ridden mess.
“I ordered him stripped. It felt sacrilegious for a sinner to wear a priest’s habit,” she said.
The man's face was mangled beyond recognition. Only when Gabriel saw the neatly folded vestments nearby did he realize it was Berga, the priest from the monastery.
“His heart isn’t beating. Do you see the hollow in his head? He likely died then.”
The corpse, bearing wounds that should have been fatal, began to twitch. Bishop Marik grabbed it by the hair and yanked its head up for Gabriel to see.
“And yet, it continues to move even in this state.”
They had already wasted several vials of holy water on it, but the liquid did little more than melt its flesh. To truly kill it, they would likely have to submerge it in a vat of the stuff. Since there was nothing more to be learned from the creature, that was how they would eventually dispose of it.
“To think he cannot be embraced by Lady Rachel, even in death… Such is the end of those who betray the Goddess.”
Marik let go, and the corpse slumped back to the floor.
Perhaps because the man’s crimes were so atrocious, her methods were more brutal than usual. Since Bishop Marik had once been a nun, the atrocities Berga committed at the remote monastery must have been particularly offensive to her.
Following Daisy’s tip, Berga and the two monks who followed him had been handed over to the authorities.
Although they couldn't find the demon Daisy claimed to have seen, blood-stained papers in Berga’s room revealed his use of sorcery circles. Furthermore, evidence and witnesses soon emerged regarding his history of taking bribes and committing sexual assault. When it was revealed he had even resorted to murder to silence his victims, the noble family that had been protecting him quickly cut all ties, fearing they would fall out of favor with the Temple.
“This man must have performed his sorcery after seeing the painting displayed in the Temple.”
Marik had recognized the sorcery circles early on.
“Bishop, do you remember the Pagan Massacre from twenty years ago?” Gabriel asked.
“Massacre? Watch your tongue, Commander. That was a purification. Of course, I remember it. That was around the time I left the monastery.”
This devout bishop never hesitated to stain her hands with blood for the sake of Rachel. She had risen to her current position thanks to her recognized service during that time.
“You were too young then, so perhaps you don't remember it well.”
To Marik, however, the memories were vivid, perhaps because it had all happened when she was young and full of passion.
Lost in reminiscence, Marik shared her knowledge with her younger successor.
“It's quite easy to distinguish the symbols sorcerers use. They feature stars.”
If the sun represented the only true divinity under Rachel’s reign, the stars represented its opposite. Those contemptible things that dared to threaten the sun, yet could never truly pose a danger, were often compared to stars.
Thus, the patterns drawn by sorcerers were full of stars. Those lowly beings who dared not even look upon Lady Rachel prayed to the stars instead of the Goddess. But their patrons were not omnipotent, so there was always a price. And because they were evil, they had to be bound by contracts.
“They claim that if you offer a sacrifice and make a wish, the contract is fulfilled.”
Gabriel thought of the woman he had met earlier that day.
“Since you already knew all this, you must have recognized the danger of the painting.”
“Indeed. Had I known the calamity would spread along the path of the water unleashed by Donau Blue, I would have disposed of that painting sooner. Even if the other brothers and sisters opposed it, I should have taken a firmer stand…”
Spread along the path of the water…
Gabriel mulled over her words. Her tone was firm, yet she sounded as if she'd almost wanted this to happen.
Bishop Marik was a woman of great influence, even among her peers. Had she truly wished to remove the painting, she could have done so with ease long before it caught fire.
She had intentionally exhibited Donau’s painting, waited for its influence to spread, and then earned merit by rounding up sorcerers once more. It was only natural to suspect that Bishop Marik had orchestrated a repeat of the past to secure herself a Cardinal’s seat.
However, Marik smiled benevolently, her expression betraying no ulterior motive.
“It is truly a blessing that the fire broke out and destroyed the painting before things escalated further.”
Gabriel could not bring himself to view the painting’s destruction as a stroke of luck.
While investigating the fire, he had learned of the recent fate of Jim Nopedi, the man who had painted it.
Jim had reportedly been traveling far and wide, seeking inspiration for a masterpiece that would surpass his previous work. Since he had been inspired by Donau’s death, he sought out similar places of tragedy. However, few grieving families would tolerate someone desecrating a corpse.
Eventually, Jim found a body that was perfectly to his liking. He had approached an old woman who had lost her young grandson, praising the child's corpse and asking if he could paint it. The old woman chased him away with a torrent of curses, and Jim, feeling cornered, eventually resorted to stealing the body.
The old woman was furious. She and the other villagers tracked Jim down and beat him to death. Coincidentally, the painting had burned at the exact same time.
“Wasn’t it Lady Rohanson? The young lady who extinguished the fire.”
“Yes, that is correct.”
As Evangeline Rohanson was mentioned, Gabriel carefully observed Marik’s reaction.
“Haha. Do you think I would harm her? Of course not… I simply wish to commend someone who acted so righteously.”
During the meeting, Gabriel had ultimately chosen silence. He had released as little information about Evangeline Rohanson as possible and obscured her involvement.
“You’re quite protective of this lady you adore.”
In the process of diminishing Evangeline’s presence, he had filled the resulting gaps in logic with a rather ridiculous excuse.
From the moment she discovered Donau’s body, Evangeline Rohanson was portrayed as a pitiful lady, worried sick about the servants caught in the flames.
Gabriel’s subsequent visits to the Rohanson mansion were framed as attempts to comfort the lady he loved. The letters he frequently sent to update her on the situation were treated as love letters, and Evangeline’s visits to the Temple were framed as a sort of date.
Most of the testimony regarding Daisy and the Ainoa Orphanage was omitted. Daisy was presented merely as the whistleblower in the Priest Berga case, a person with no connection to the orphanage.
Instead, he had coordinated with Troy to claim that Evangeline, while volunteering at the orphanage, had noticed something strange. Naturally, he remained silent about the symbols found there.
He had originally wanted to avoid mentioning Evangeline’s name altogether, but Raphaella had objected, arguing that he and Evangeline were already linked too frequently.
“Commander. Do you know what people think when the Commander of the Knights meets a noble lady so often, visits her mansion, and even sends her letters?”
“I’m not sure.”
“They think, Sir Gabriel must be pursuing a criminal. He’ll follow them to the ends of hell to uncover the truth. That’s what they think.”
Raphaella emphasized that there was only one way to escape that perception.
“You’ve fallen in love, Commander. The great Commander of the Pararos Knights is nothing more than a man chasing a woman’s skirt.”
Furthermore, since they would need Evangeline’s cooperation in the future, it was the perfect way to avoid public suspicion.
And ridiculously enough, it worked. Throughout the meetings, any mention of Evangeline’s name was glossed over under the vague label of “romantic affection.”
“It’s good to see you acting your age for once.”
One priest, who usually held a low opinion of Gabriel, had even patted him on the shoulder and offered encouragement as they left the meeting.
Watching this, Raphaella marveled, wondering if Gabriel had a hidden talent for acting. Of course, the excuse didn't work on everyone. For instance, the devout believer standing before him now—a woman who wouldn't hesitate to kill her own lover for the sake of Rachel.
“Now that I think about it, another room has been filled. Since it’s related to Lady Rohanson, is that why the Commander is here?”
“Yes, it is.”
When it became clear Gabriel had no intention of discussing Evangeline, Marik changed the subject. Even though she hadn't attended the meeting, she seemed to have heard about Director Merai from Zabaniya.
“It seems the Commander has things to discuss with the prisoner, so we shall take our leave.”
“Keep up the good work.”
Marik gave Berga’s corpse one last crushing stomp before turning to leave.
“I pray that the sins committed in the shadows today are not revealed to the Sun.”
Leaving behind a blessing that contradicted her usual words, Marik climbed the stairs. She had said it assuming Gabriel was about to torture Merai.
Once they reached the surface, Marik took off her soiled outer robe and held it out. A nearby priest respectfully took the filth-covered garment.
“Bishop Zabaniya.”
“Yes, Lady Marik.”
Zabaniya answered promptly. The clear hierarchy between them, despite both being bishops, was because the old fox was riding Marik’s coattails.
“It seems the Commander has reached his rebellious phase. He’s even keeping secrets from you, whom he supposedly views as a parent.”
“He’s a young man in his prime. Wouldn’t he be embarrassed to speak openly about his romantic dalliances?”
To get on Marik’s good side, Zabaniya had previously exaggerated his closeness with Gabriel, claiming the Commander thought of him as a father and was a wonderful boy who would do anything he was told.
But now that Gabriel was grown, he refused to play along, neither helping Zabaniya nor bowing to Marik. It made Zabaniya look like a liar.
Marik mercifully overlooked Zabaniya’s blunder and gave him a chance to redeem himself.
“I find myself curious about Lady Rohanson. You said you’ve seen her in person, haven’t you, Bishop? What was she like?”