East Road Quest

Chapter 48: Sapph’s Excuse

In the darkness, Yol’s figure resembled a shadow.

What Sapph saw was a smiling face, but it felt as if the expression changed swiftly as soon as it was revealed by the candlelight. It was hard to tell what the expression was before the smile.

Sapph took a deep breath and then spoke as he exhaled.

“Have you been waiting for me?”

“Yes. The annex is especially dark in such a storm.”

“Thank you for your concern. I’m fine.”

Sapph waited for him to leave, deliberately standing by the door to speak. However, he showed no sign of getting up and instead covered the small table in front of him.

On the table lay a tray covered with a wooden lid.

“Let’s eat together. I didn’t want to go back through the sandstorm just to get the tray and dishes, so I brought two servings to eat here. I plan to clear the dishes right after we’re done.”

“I could return the dishes myself.”

“No, I can’t impose such an inconvenience on a guest, and as I mentioned, that place is not accessible to women.”

Sapph wondered if a monastery was such a strict place, unlike a convent.

‘Each monastery must have its own rules, but… is it alright to dine together like this?’

Sapph sat down on the chair beside the bed.

Father Puyol gently smiled as he opened the sandy lid of the tray. There were thickly sliced vegetables and bread, and a bowl filled with oil was also set. White cheese and milk were prepared as well.

He noisily broke the hard bread and offered half a piece to Sapph.

“Please eat. I baked this bread myself. The monks here are not very skilled at baking.”

He pushed the white bowl filled with oil towards Sapph.

“This is cheese and olive oil brought from Rome. It might seem modest if you’re from Rome, but I’ve tried to make it as fancy as possible.”

“No, it’s quite a splendid meal for someone accustomed to convent life.”

“You don’t seem too happy about it, though.”

“That’s because I’m not one to show much expression.”

Father Puyol laughed.

“Don’t misunderstand. My former job involved observing people, so I tend to look at expressions first. In your case, your facial muscles don’t move at all, which is surprising.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Haha, there’s no need to apologize. Oh, please have some. This is goat’s milk, freshly milked an hour ago.”

“Thank you. Then, let me say a prayer first.”

Sapph clasped his hands together.

“Please do.”

Sapph closed his eyes and recited the prayer.

“Today, we praise the name of the Lord, and may Your will brightly illuminate this land. We are thankful for our daily bread and ask for forgiveness for our sins today. Grant us strength not to fall into the temptation of evil. All glory and power belong to the name of the Lord. We pray in God’s name.”

When Sapph opened his eyes, Father Puyol was staring intently at her.

She startled, and he belatedly smiled, saying,

“That’s the prayer of the Roman priesthood.”

“The Saint Santirimo Monastery is then…?”

“It belongs to the Rapha priesthood. But don’t worry about it. There are over a hundred priesthoods in the world, and we can’t divide and follow God’s will by each one. Please, eat, eat.”

Father Puyol urged her.

As she bowed her head to pray, water dripped from her wet hair onto her forehead and cheeks. Sapph wiped her cheek with the back of her hand and then bit into a piece of bread. She did not lift her head, hoping to appear like a noblewoman who dislikes showing her mouth or perhaps embarrassed by the moisture.

She didn’t meet his gaze, but she felt his intense stare.

‘He’s observing me. Did I make a mistake?’

Sapph gathered her courage and asked.

“Is it alright to dine with a woman in the same room like this? I’m worried it might break the rules because of me.”

Father Puyol stuffed a piece of bread into his mouth, enough for five bites, and said,

“Put that worry aside. Strict rules might apply to other women, but not when dealing with a priestess of Caitlic. The main building has many young men, and merely the scent of a woman passing through the door can arouse lust, so we restrict entry. It’s for your safety. Ah, of course, I’ve long passed such trials and now follow only God’s will, so rest assured.”

Father Puyol waved his hand dismissively as if he regretted his words.

“Words lead to more words, and misunderstandings lead to more misunderstandings. I should be more careful with my words at times like this, but it’s in my nature to chatter. Speaking of which, I used to be a witch hunter.”

“A witch… were you an inquisitor then?”

“Strictly speaking, I was just an assistant to the assistant of the inquisitor. I did such minor tasks that I never made it into any records. In that line of work, experience is crucial, and I never advanced to become an inquisitor because I couldn’t accumulate enough experience. Do you know what an inquisitor does?”

Father Puyol asked with a chuckle.

“Interrogation, isn’t it? To distinguish unbelievers who do not follow God’s word or pagans who believe in other gods…”

“Not other gods, but ‘demons.’ If an ignorant person heard you, they might think there are other gods in this world besides ours.”

“I’m sorry. I’ve always been taught that way…”

“That’s a point of contention between the Rapha priesthood and the Roman priesthood. I won’t delve deeper.”

Father Puyol tapped his chest with his fist and continued.

“My job there was to find sinners hidden among ordinary people and bring them before the inquisitor. Not to boast, but all the sinners I found were found guilty.”

“Really?”

“I heard the Roman priesthood doesn’t do such things. Is that true?”

“What things?”

“Witch trials.”

“I’m not sure. I’ve only lived in the convent.”

“What does your convent contribute to the Roman priesthood? Oh, try this olive oil. A little secret: it’s made from olives personally grown by the famous Cardinal Lorenzo.”

“It smells wonderful.”

“Have you ever heard about witches?”

“Witches?”

“Since you’ve lived in a convent, I thought I should mention, we once received a report that a wicked, lustful female demon appeared in a convent dressed as a nun. I had to storm the convent with the inquisitor.”

Father Puyol shook his head as if he hated the memory.

“It was a terrible deed. To find the mark of the devil, we had to strip innocent and pure nuns to examine their bodies. It was a dreadful task. I would have rather the news been false and suffered the punishment of having my hands cut off and eyes gouged out for the sin of groping and thoroughly inspecting the nuns’ bodies. Unfortunately, three nuns were confirmed to be witches.”

“Three? Which convent was that?”

“I’m sorry, but that’s a secret. How about some goat’s milk?” asked Father Puyol.

“It’s… delicious,” replied Anna.

“Try it with the bread. They complement each other well. But Sister Anna, what brought you to the monastery? The reasons for a woman to enter a convent are often more tragic than those of a man joining a monastery.”

“There was no particular reason. It was the only place I had to live…”

“Oh? Why is that? Are your parents not around?”

Anna fell silent. It was difficult to discern how much to reveal and what to keep hidden.

Father Puyol spoke too quickly, giving Anna little time to think. He often moved on to the next question without waiting for an answer.

With an awkward smile, Father Puyol said, “Ah, my apologies. I’ve asked too deeply. Perhaps I was too roundabout. I’m not used to conversing with women. How many years have you been at the convent?”

“If you’d rather not answer, that’s fine. Brother Daniel can tell me.”

“It’s hard to count since I was there from such a young age. If I had to say, it’s been 18 years since I was a baby.”

“The prime of your beauty is blooming. Forgive me for asking again, but what duties did you perform at the convent?”

“I cared for the children at the orphanage and helped prepare for worship. Of course, I also tended to the vegetables. My responsibility was the carrots and potatoes…”

“You mean the orphanage at the Athena Convent?”

“Yes.”

Anna flinched inwardly.

‘Did I mention the Athena Convent?’

Father Puyol didn’t stop his questioning.

“The name of the mother superior there… Juliana?”

“…It’s Julia.”

“Ah, right! Now I remember. The Athena Convent is quite close to Bishop David of the Saint Vesta Church. So, your relationship with the Rome Priesthood must be strong?”

“I don’t know much, but I think so.”

“And the witch?”

“Pardon?”

“The witch.”

“Why do you ask about a witch?”

“I’ve heard rumors that a witch appeared and was executed at the Athena Convent. Since the Rome Priesthood doesn’t conduct witch trials, I’m curious how it was handled. Just professional curiosity.”

“There were no witch or heresy trials during my time there.”

“None?”

“I’ve never heard of any.”

“Ah, perhaps I was misinformed. After all, the Rome Priesthood doesn’t officially recognize witches or demons, do they?”

Father Puyol chuckled and shook his head.

Anna could no longer eat her bread. She just stared blankly at the laughing monk in the flickering candlelight.

‘I’ve seen this man before. And he seems to remember me. This conversation is all fake. A fake conversation to make me confess.’

Anna swallowed dryly. Bread crumbs seemed to stick in her throat, and she felt like coughing, but she feared that coughing would reveal her secrets, so she kept her mouth tightly shut.

“It’s not that I’m speaking ill of the Rome Priesthood. The devil is an intangible being that resides in people’s hearts, not a physical entity. It’s the Vatican’s hypocritical stance that’s the problem. Sometimes they even deny the existence of witch hunters like us. Even now, we’re fighting for our lives!”

Father Puyol asked excitedly, “Tell me, Sister Anna, do you know how witches are tried?”

“I don’t know much about it.”

“You’re a nun; I thought you’d be familiar. Haven’t you heard that witches are often considered the opposite of nuns?”

“I’ve never been taught that.”

“Heresy and witch trials are almost the same, but slightly different. Many people confuse the two, but they are distinctly different realms. Heretics may still have a chance for redemption, but not witches! If there’s even a slight suspicion, it must be proven, and once proven, it must be acted upon.”

Father Puyol’s voice dropped as if he were revealing a secret recipe.

“If someone is suspected of being a witch, interrogation and torture are just formalities. There’s no set procedure. The only conclusion to be drawn is: confirmed witch! And then, execution!”

“So… an innocent person could be executed?”

“Exactly. But do you know why we use this method?”

Father Puyol asked, shaking his head sadly.

Anna shook her head.

“Ninety-nine innocent people might die, but it’s worth it to eliminate one real demon. If we hesitate and miss one, nine hundred and ninety-nine good Catholic believers could be corrupted by evil. Those wrongly executed will eventually receive God’s mercy. Don’t you agree?”

“I’m not sure…”

“You’re not sure? Do you disagree?”

“It’s not that I disagree, it’s just… the thought of people dying is too frightening…”

“Alas, I have spoken such cruel tales before you, a young sister. Let us change the subject. Please, have some. Isn’t the olive oil exquisite? Speaking of which, being from the Rome priesthood, you must know Father Daniel?”

“…Yes, I know him.”

“What kind of person is he?”

“A good man.”

“Have you met him?”

“Yes.”

“What is your relationship?”

“It’s not exactly a relationship…”

“No special relationship?”

“We’ve met often. It’s not that there’s no relationship. He’s quite close to the Mother Superior, often visiting the convent…”

“Then why were you at Father Daniel’s house when it caught fire?”

“What?”

“Why did you appear at Saint Vesta’s Cathedral on the same day?”

“What do you mean…?”

“Did you encounter a demon in the desert?”

“…A demon?”

Father Puyol’s voice remained gentle, but the smile on his face was stiff, as if it were an expressionless mask for him.

“You reek of demon, very strongly. It’s not something that washes off with a bath. The two who came with you have the same scent. It means you’ve encountered the same demon. And the wound on Father Jade’s neck is clearly a demon’s bite.”

Sapph remained silent, and Father Puyol pressed on relentlessly.

“I’ll ask again. You met a demon, didn’t you, Sister Sapph? I’m not sure if Sapph is your real name.”

Sapph couldn’t even part her lips, and Father Puyol kept pushing.

“What demon was it? Did it tell you its name? How are you still alive after meeting a demon?”

Father Puyol paused as if waiting for an answer.

Sapph still said nothing.

Father Puyol bombarded her with questions.

“How did you come to accompany Father Jade? A priestess and a priest traveling together through the desert must have quite a story, don’t they?”

Sapph’s hands trembled, and her legs shook. The bowl she had placed on her thigh fell to the ground, spilling goat’s milk, but neither of them moved.

“Have you decided to remain silent? Let me tell you, sound doesn’t escape easily from here. Moreover, the wind is strong tonight. Even if you screamed with all your might, it wouldn’t reach the main building, let alone the person outside this door. Let’s ask something else. What was your relationship with Father Daniel?”

“That is…”

“No, it was a meaningless question. I’ll ask something else. I don’t have much time either.”

Father Puyol flung the tray from his thigh to the side. The bottle of olive oil shattered, and the leftover vegetables rolled on the floor.

“Your face is truly strange, Sister. In normal circumstances, you should be scared, but you’re not showing that, nor the anger of a witch ready to fight me! It’s not that you lack emotions, as your whole body is showing fear, so what is it? Who are you, really? No, that wasn’t a question meant for an answer.”

Father Puyol lifted the torn garment Sapph was sitting on.

“What is this garment?”

“That is…”

Sapph started to fabricate a story about the Karp thieves and the Beishepher, but then she fell silent again. It wasn’t fear that silenced her.

‘Just as he said himself. I’ve already been judged guilty. No excuse will help. This is just a formality, a questioning to extract information from me. So, I must say nothing.’

Father Puyol glared and said,

“Answer me.”

“I won’t.”

“Have you forgotten everything I’ve said so far? I’ve started to doubt, and you make no effort to dispel it. So, there’s only one step left.”

Father Puyol grabbed Sapph’s hair and slammed her head to the ground. The towel on her head came off, revealing her blue hair.

Father Puyol grabbed her collar but then stopped.

“This is truly disheartening. I was about to search your body for the mark of a witch. I boasted that I could find it with just the dim light of a candle, or even in the dark by touch alone, but it seems unnecessary. Horns!”

Father Puyol grasped Sapph’s hair and forced her head up.

“Which hell did you ascend from, witch? How dare you enter my domain?”

Father Puyol pressed her head down again.

Sapph’s face hit the floor.

“What is your name, witch? Your real name!”

Father Puyol smashed Sapph’s face to the ground once more. Blood gushed from her nose, staining the floor.

He pressed her face into the blood with his hand.

“There’s so much I want to ask you. From your purpose here, to your relationship with Father Daniel, and with Father Jade!”

Father Puyol pulled out a rope from his long sleeve and first tied Sapph’s hands, then her ankles, and connected the two. Sapph was now immobile, like a pig awaiting slaughter in a butcher’s pen.

Unable to breathe properly because of the blood flowing from her nose, Father Puyol stuffed a wet towel into her mouth.

“Father Daniel didn’t tell me much before he died. So, you’ll have to tell me the rest. Think carefully. When I return, you’ll have a lot to tell me.”

Father Puyol seemed to merely tap Sapph’s cheek, but then he struck her without mercy. Her body, tied up and lying face down, twisted slightly from the force.

Father Puyol snuffed out the candle with his breath and left the room.

In the darkness, Sapph could only exhale in short, sharp breaths, unable to make any other sound. The echo of Father Puyol’s footsteps in the hallway grew fainter until they were swallowed by the sound of the sandstorm.

“It was me who said we should come here.”

Sapph clenched her eyes shut.

“I led the murderer to Father Jade, to Father Daniel! My misfortune has brought death! Maybe that person is right. I’m a witch. A witch who brings misfortune to everyone!”

Sapph writhed, making only choking sounds.

“O Lord, please let only me die. Let me die and save Father Jade.”

At that moment, the wooden window burst open, and a dark figure swept in with the sandstorm. In the pitch-black room, without a single candle, almost no face or form could be seen.

Sapph thought God had sent the Angel of Death in answer to her prayers. But the angel spoke with Ruby’s voice.

“Shall I help you?”