Chapter 13: The Martyrdom of the Priest(4)

A few months ago, the park where the laughter of children once echoed was now filled with a foul silence.

It took half a day to move and bury the bodies. Edwin handled moving the bodies, and I recited the scriptures for them.

“When we arrived, decomposition was already advanced.”

According to the date written on the barrier, it had been only a week since the palace had isolated the village. Even in summer, the decomposition of the bodies happened incredibly fast.

“…The palace and the central temple must have already suspected that there were no survivors.”

“Martyrdom is always like this. It was just that someone needed to clean up the village and guide the lost souls.”

After burying all the villagers’ bodies and holding a simple funeral mass, the priest would be left alone to guard the deserted village.

Soon, if the remaining priest also dies from the plague, his body will be left alone until it becomes a skeleton.

Edwin, you must have tried to endure the loneliness until the moment of your approaching death.

“The cause of the plague is contaminated water. And… the palace is overlooking the most important fact.”

He quietly directed his gaze towards me in response to my words.

“In the long history of the Empire, it was purely by chance that the plague did not spread to the capital but remained on the outskirts of the Empire. The sources of contaminated drinking water must have been limited. At most, it was likely just wells or ponds.”

But what if the contaminated source had been a river or a large lake? The disease might have spread uncontrollably, leading to the downfall of the Empire.

If the plague spread and consumed the bodies of the nobility and royalty with burning fever, could Andrea’s fire still be dismissed as merely a religious phenomenon?

“I need to find the water that the villagers drank.”

“There are no rivers or lakes around the village, only a single well for communal use.”

I followed him to the well. Looking down into it, all I could hear was the faint sound of water far below.

“I should collect some contaminated water and send it to the palace’s epidemiologist.”

“…What do you plan to use to collect it?”

“Well, I suppose Father Revencio might be quite upset when he finds out.”

Edwin lifted the water container he had brought on his back. It was the holy water that Abigail had unwittingly soaked her hands and feet in. He opened the container’s lid and poured the holy water onto the dirt floor.

“I need to collect it now.”

“…It’s contaminated water. I’ll do it.”

Father Edwin stepped forward and drew the water from the well. So far, I knew that consuming contaminated water and coming into contact with the fluids of a carrier resulted in transmission. Whether transmission could occur just through skin contact without consuming the contaminated water was unknown.

Splash, splash.

The well water that could decide the fate of the Empire was drawn up. The contaminated water was poured into the empty container. As Edwin closed the lid of the container, he stared blankly at his palm.

“…Father.”

“…I must walk away now.”

The opaque well water dripped, drip, drip, following the long lines of his fingers.

Father Edwin took a step away from me. It felt like crossing a distant river, one that I could never reach again despite the small distance.

“…It will take quite a while to return to the palace.”

“Where did you leave the horse you came with?”

“I sent it back to the village before crossing the fence. I’m not so cruel as to drag a beast that can’t even refuse along with me.”

Just as I had sent the donkey back, it seemed he had the same thought.

“…For now, I suppose we’ll have to walk down as far as we can.”

He strapped the container on his back and quickened his pace along the desolate shopping district. With only the two of us present and insects buzzing around, our footsteps seemed to vanish into the cool summer breeze.

He led the way down the forest path, and I followed closely behind. Father Edwin’s strides were quite wide, so I often had to take two steps for every one of his.

From earlier, it seemed like he wasn’t getting tired, as he kept descending the slope without a break.

“Father, please slow down just a bit…!”

I reached out towards his receding figure. It was only for a moment. My foot slipped into thin air, and I tumbled down the slope.

“Alicia!”

He cried my name and hurriedly scrambled back up the slope.

“Alicia, are you alright?”

Unable to come any closer, he stood a step away, looking down at me.

“Ah…”

I must have tripped over a rock while walking absently. A sharp pain spread through my ankle.

I quickly covered my red, scraped ankle with my palm, hoping he wouldn’t blame himself.

“I’m fine. I must have stumbled while being distracted.”

As I tried to stand on my feet, I quickly toppled back to the ground.

His gaze twisted into a mournful expression. I didn’t want to see him make such a face…

“Get up quickly. You begged not to be a burden, and now you’re reaching out for help?”

Turning his head away, he spoke in a gruff voice. It was the same cold and indifferent tone as usual. In a way, it was a relief. It was easier to bear a scolding than to see him blame himself and suffer.

“I’ll follow slowly.”

He descended the path without looking back. Watching his receding figure in a daze, I managed to get up.

Limping on my left leg, I cautiously made my way down the mountain path. Fortunately, I kept a distance so that he remained in view, allowing me to follow without losing my way.

Just a little more, and I would be out of the fence. Once I delivered the container to the palace, I could return to the peaceful daily life of the monastery.

“Father Edwin!”

He stood in front of the red fence. Though I called his name, he coldly refused to turn around.

Hobbling on my injured leg, I made a half-turn and positioned myself in front of him.

“…Father Edwin?”

His hand, hidden behind his steadfast back, was trembling.

“Are you okay?”

As I approached the trembling hand, he harshly took a step back. His gaze, meeting mine, was filled with anxiety. I couldn’t understand what had happened between us as we walked apart.

“Alicia, listen carefully. From now on, you will carry the container to the palace instead of me. Do you understand?”

Go to the palace with the container in his place.

“Then where will you go, Father Edwin?”

“…I will stay here.”

His voice trembled softly in my ear. Only then did I realize.

The intense burning sensation crawling up his hands and feet. The burning spread throughout hi body, reminiscent of the agony of being set on fire alive. Patients suffering from this burning sensation and high fever would soon vomit dark red bodily fluids and succumb to death.

…The Fire of Andrea.

“Since when has this been happening!”

There was no response. Perhaps it had been going on even before we left the village…

“Please, go.”

“No, Father. We need to go down together. I’ll help you.”

“Alicia, this is the only way I can protect you. No matter how much I think about it, this was the only option. I tried to move as much as possible, carrying the container, but I don’t think I can go any further.”

The reason he turned away so coldly, leaving me behind after I tumbled down the slope, was just to use my body as a means of transport.

“…I’m sorry.”

He sat down weakly, his face filled with pain as he looked at his hands and feet. Seeing him bite his lips and endure the pain made my breath catch.

He threw down the container he had been carrying on his back with trembling hands.

“…I’m sure you’ll do well.”

I picked up the container, now at my feet, and spoke.

“I understand. I understand, so please… don’t go anywhere. Just stay where you are. I’ll send someone for help.”

“…Alicia.”

How could the eyes of a man who once seemed so strong look so fragile? His cold gaze had turned into one of despair, and his usually indifferent voice was now filled with traces of agony.

“…I’m sorry for not being able to help you up earlier.”

Even speaking was a struggle for him, and yet he managed to utter such words. If I answered him, it would feel like the last conversation we ever had.

“No, no…”

I turned away from him, who lay there like a broken doll. Clutching the container tightly to my chest, I forced my limp legs to move stubbornly.

“Move faster!”

I cursed my weak, lethargic body.

“I won’t leave you to die…”

Oh God, please do not take his breath away. If saving him means being bound once more in the raging flames, I would endure it, hundreds or thousands of times…

* * *

Abigail sat by the bedroom window, gazing outside. The sky was filled with dark clouds, and it seemed that rain would soon fall. Perhaps due to the gloomy weather, a name she missed terribly came to mind today.

“…Alicia.”

She had eagerly awaited the day to meet her. Yet, until the end of the prayer mass, she did not appear in the Emperor’s chamber.

“Is she ill or something?”

There were so many things she wanted to say. Abigail felt very melancholic due to her absence.

‘Abigail, I hope you find happiness.’

She was a nun shrouded in secrets. When Abigail learned that Alicia was not an ordinary nun but the daughter of a duke’s family, she felt as if she had been betrayed by a beloved lover. She didn’t want to admit that half of what she had said was a lie.

‘Everything I do is for you. I live for you.’

Though they were merely distant cousins who had met a few times as children, hadn’t she sworn on her vow to live for her?

“To live for me…”

Abigail leaned against the window and recalled the many noblemen who had terrified her. They all promised her wealth and honor, but none of them had sworn to dedicate their lives to her. Not even Victor, the partner God had destined for her.

Perhaps because of the gloomy weather, Abigail’s eyes grew damp with longing. She opened a drawer and took out the brooch that Alicia had given her.

She couldn’t understand why a brooch, which had been a cherished gift from her father, was given to her as a present.

‘Whenever you feel lonely, take this out and look at it.’

She traced the brooch with her fingers and gazed out the window. Her daydreaming was interrupted as the rain began to pour heavily.

Perhaps it was a relief that the Saint’s audience would be postponed because of the rain. Abigail, lost in the sound of the torrential rain, gently lowered her eyelids.

“Saint, a visitor has arrived.”

The brief moment of enjoying leisure was over. Abigail blinked in surprise. Someone had come to see her through this rain?

“If it’s just a regular visitor and not for the Saint’s audience, I’d like to take a break today.”

“Yes, understood. I will let them know to return tomorrow.”

“Such a peculiar person. To come through this rain—let’s see who it is.”

“She is the daughter of the Duke of Sossilion.”

The daughter of the Duke of Sossilion? Abigail hastily rose from her position by the window.

“…She is my cousin. Tell them I will see them immediately.”

She came to see me using our family name rather than as a nun of the abbey? Could something have happened?

Abigail clutched the butterfly brooch tightly in her hand and headed toward the reception room.

She was sitting in front of the neatly arranged tea table, dressed not in a nun’s habit but in an extravagant gown fit for a noblewoman.

“…Alicia?”