Chapter 3: Archelio Monastery (2) 

After clearing the pile of documents on the desk, the window was suddenly engulfed in pitch-black darkness. Edwin, his silver hair damp with sweat, sighed heavily as he tousled it roughly, murmuring weakly.

“Finally, I can rest my eyes.”

How long had it been since his last break? Edwin took a moment to catch his breath, then got up, intending to prepare for Mass. When was the last time he felt the comforting touch of the warm bed?

As he was drifting into a drowsy state, his tightly knit eyelashes twitched nervously at the abrupt sound of window rattling.

“What’s this?”

There sat a white dove, its eyes wide open, perched outside the window.

“You seem to know what kind of an old-fashioned fellow your master is.”

Upon opening the window, indeed, there was the messenger dove raised at the central temple for delivering letters. As Edwin retrieved the note attached to its ankle, the bird swiftly flew across the night sky without a trace of hesitation.

“In light of the consecration happening after 120 years, the priests of Archelio Monastery are instructed to visit the central temple immediately upon receiving this letter.”

‘Consecration,’ Edwin’s brow furrowed sharply. It seemed the old owl at the central temple had finally met his end. Senility had surely taken its toll.

“Looks like sweet dreams will have to wait another day.”

Early in the morning, the priests from each monastery gathered at the central temple. Clad in their white robes, they sat around the table with uneasy expressions.

“Why does everyone seem so grim on this auspicious day?”

Among the fatigued priests, there was an old owl who appeared particularly oily faced. He was Father Revencio, the head priest of the central temple.

As Edwin gazed upon the deep lines of greed etched into the Father’s face, he felt a creeping discomfort.

“So, who is the priest who received the consecration?”

Edwin asked nervously, prompting a gleam in Revencio’s eyes, tinged with a hint of madness.

“It was me who received the consecration last night. Any objections?”

Externally, Revencio appeared as nothing more than an aged elder. To the temple’s worshippers, he often wore an endlessly gracious smile.

However, those who knew Father Revencio’s true nature would not speak at length about his character.

“Certainly, the young priests of Archelio Monastery wouldn’t dare to rebel against the consecration, would they?”

Revencio chuckled, devoid of any hint of amusement, prompting Edwin to speak with a cold stare.

“I’m just concerned. At a time like this, with the consecration… aren’t both the temple and the monasteries already burdened with efforts for the welfare of the poor?”

“Our duty is simply to heed the word of God and spread it widely among the worshippers. The rest is for the palace to handle, isn’t it?”

Edwin looked down at the inscription on the table, [Under the light of the sun, those bearing blue gems on their body will become the emperor’s beacon.]

Some had stayed awake for nights on end, and suddenly, there was talk of consecration. Anger surged within Edwin to the point where he felt like bursting out of the meeting room.

“Last time, there could be victims like before.”

The last consecration 120 years ago was intended to end a three-year drought by offering sacrifices. Twenty hens, ten calves, and one hundred virgin girls were consecrated alive on the temple altar. To save one hundred virgins, indiscriminate common girls were taken away.

Despite the innocent girls sacrificed for the empire, history mostly emphasized the magnificence of the consecration and how rain fell miraculously at the end, attributed to the touch of God.

However, on the altar of the central temple, traces of the innocent girls’ bloodshed still remained untouched.

“Without even an order to catch and kill, aren’t you overreacting a bit? And the sublime sacrifice of the consecration 120 years ago was the only solution to stop the drought.”

Father Revencio chuckled and patted Edwin’s shoulder.

“With one hundred offered as sacrifices, the rest of the empire survived.”

However, Edwin knew the truth. Even in the consecration 120 years ago, there had been an error in interpretation.

The consecration 120 years ago was not performed at the central temple but at the Archelio Monastery. The records left behind mentioned not one hundred virgins, but ‘one hundred unprocessed pearls collected by the clergy.’ 

While the central temple neatly laid the necks of virgins on the altar, the drought over the barren land showed no signs of abating.

The priests of Archelio Monastery had spent nearly two months collecting pearls by the seaside and placing them on the altar. It was recorded that rain began to fall within two days.

However, the temple chose not to disclose this fact to justify their error.

“That sublime sacrifice, isn’t it the reason both you and I are alive?”

Sublime sacrifice? Edwin thought it was more of a brutal massacre than a sacrifice.

“If the one found at the temple is a man, he’ll become a great supporter of the emperor, and if a woman, she’ll become a Saint representing the temple.”

Edwin finally understood the meaning of ‘a fire raging in one’s belly.’

“But if the chosen Saint of the consecration is a nobleman, soon there will be a division of power,” Daniel cautiously addressed, glancing at Revencio. As Daniel spoke, Revencio, who had been grinning from ear to ear, spread his arms wide and shouted towards the temple ceiling.

“Of course, the one we’ll find is a Saint… a Saint indeed! If we make the Saint a prince consort… Yes, soon to become an empress! Ahahaha!”

“There seems to be no leader of heretics here, only the bishop of the central temple.”

Daniel and Edwin exchanged silent glances.

***

The morning arrived, and for some reason, I overslept. I stretched high into the sky with a refreshed face.

Today feels like something good is going to happen. I greeted Sarahh with a smiling face, as she seemed to be ready unusually early.

“Good morning, Sarahh.”

There was a hint of unease in Sarahh’s brown eyes as she looked at me.

“…Alicia, it might be better to stay cautious today.”

“What’s wrong?”

“The atmosphere in the monastery doesn’t seem right. It looks like the priests have returned from the central temple with some news.”

Dressed in the blue nun’s habit, the emblem of Archelio Monastery, I went outside with Sarahh.

“It seems like everyone is gathering in the library.”

Leaning against the railing on the second floor, Sarahh stretched her neck and murmured. Following her gaze down below the railing, I noticed a crowd gathering around the library.

“I wonder what’s going on today.”

The sudden urge to hurry urged my steps as I tightly held Sarahh’s hand and barely made our way through the crowd into the room. I addressed the nuns who were lingering near the library door, peering inside.

“Sisters, what’s happening today?”

Inside the library, three priests of Archelio Monastery were scattered around, busy pulling out and opening scriptures.

“It seems like a revelation has come down from the temple.”

A nun, carefully observing the priests’ expressions, spoke up.

“A revelation?!”

Several nuns, upon hearing her words, exclaimed in shock.

“Shh… calm down. It seems like she’s just speculating. We don’t know for sure.”

I glanced around the library through the nuns. Edwin, with sweat-drenched hair, murmured to himself.

“…This is absurd.”

He paced around the library, seeming lost in his thoughts.

“There’s no way such a thing could exist.”

Like a madman, he sat on the library floor, trembling hands opening the scriptures.

“The scriptures are just metaphors! A revelation, such a thing couldn’t possibly…”

His eyes, like those of a wild beast, darted towards the library entrance.

“…What are you all doing there?”

At his sharp voice, the nuns recoiled in silent horror, retreating from the library door.

“From now on, do not enter the library without my permission,” Edwin firmly instructed, gripping the library door. His usually steadfast demeanor seemed shaken today, filled with confusion.

In a fleeting moment, our eyes met, and finally, his lips parted.

“…Please, do not enter. Do you understand?”

Without waiting for a response, he swiftly closed and locked the library door. Staring at the firmly shut door, he bit his lip, feeling a sharp pain spreading through his tender membranes. 

“In that case, we’ll have to postpone today’s confessional. We must convey regretful words to the congregation,” Sister Susanna, with a serene demeanor, turned away.

At the confessional, the faithful gathered at the monastery, eagerly awaiting the salvation that awaited them through the act of confessing their sins.

Kneeling before the priest, confessing one’s sins – does it truly absolve one of their burdens? Can even I, in my state, seek forgiveness?

“Sister Susanna.”

Quietly calling her over, her compassionate gaze softened as she turned to me.

“Could a nun like me also partake in the confessional?”

“Of course. While the doors of the church are wide open to all who seek to honor the divine, it seems unlikely you’ll be leaving the library in your current state today. Perhaps it’s best to wait until next week with a patient heart.”

I had sworn to take the memories of that day to my grave without disclosing them to anyone. Yet, my lips moved before my mind could process it.

“…There’s something I urgently need to confess today.”