Translator: Nox

Chapter 45

A soft smile curved beyond the veil. However, Gabriel couldn't bring himself to smile back. Before the veiled woman lay a corpse whose body had melted into holes.

"I felt it sinful for a criminal to wear clerical robes, so I had them stripped off."

Its face unrecognizable, Gabriel realized it was Berga Priest only after spotting the neatly folded clerical garb nearby.

"No heartbeat. See how the head is caved in? Probably died then."

As the grievously wounded corpse twitched, Archbishop Marik grabbed its hair and lifted it demonstratively.

"And yet, it's still moving in this state."

They'd wasted several vials of Holy Water, which only melted flesh. To kill it fully, drowning in Holy Water seemed the only way. Nothing more to learn, so disposal was next.

"Unable to rest in Rahel's embrace even in death... fitting end for a god-betrayer."

Marik released her grip, and the corpse flopped back to the floor.

Her brutality exceeded usual, perhaps due to the heinous criminal. As a former nun, Marik must especially despise Berga's convent atrocities.

Daisy's tip-off led to Berga and his two aides' arrest.

Though the demon Daisy saw eluded them, bloodstained papers in Berga's room proved sorcery circle use. Bribery, rape evidence, witnesses emerged. Even murder cover-ups surfaced, prompting his protecting family to swiftly disown him to avoid the temple's ire.

"He must've seen the temple painting and performed sorcery."

Marik had recognized the sorcery circle early.

"Do you recall the heretic massacre 20 years ago, Archbishop?"

"Massacre? Mind your words, Knight Commander. It was purification. Of course I remember. I left the convent around then."

This devout archbishop hesitates not to bloody her hands for Rahel. Marik's merits from that earned her current position.

"You were too young to remember."

Marik's memories remained vivid, from her passionate youth.

Recalling the past, she shared knowledge with the young successor.

"Sorcerers' symbols are easy to distinguish. They draw stars."

If sun under Rahel signified sole divinity, stars opposed it—pathetic, sinister threats that never endangered, likened to stars.

Thus, sorcerers' symbols featured many stars. Lowly ones unable to face Rahel prayed to stars instead. Lacking omnipotence, always demanding price. Evil, bound by contracts.

"They claim offering sacrifice grants wishes via contract."

Gabriel recalled the woman he'd met midday.

"You already knew, spotting the painting's danger."

"Yes. Knowing Donau Blue spread the stream, I regret not disposing of it sooner. Despite opposition from brethren, I should've pushed harder…."

'Spread via the stream….'

Gabriel pondered her words. Attitude firm, yet phrasing suggested desire for escalation.

Marik wielded great influence among archbishops. Had she truly wanted it down, the painting would've burned far easier.

Intentionally displaying Donau's painting, letting it spread, then purging sorcerers for merit—suspecting Marik repeating past for cardinal promotion was natural.

Yet Marik smiled kindly, seemingly guileless.

"Fortunate it burned before escalating further."

Gabriel couldn't deem the fire lucky.

Investigating ignition, he'd learned painter Jim Nofedi's whereabouts by chance.

Jim traveled seeking inspiration for a masterpiece surpassing prior work. Inspired by Donau's death, he sought similar scenes. Few bereaved tolerate corpse desecration.

Jim found an appealing corpse. Asking a grieving grandmother to praise her grandchild's body for painting, she cursed and chased him. Cornered, he stole it.

The furious grandmother and villagers hunted him, beating him to death. The painting burned coincidentally at his death's hour.

"Lady Rohanson, right? The lady who extinguished the fire."

"Yes, that's correct."

At Evangeline Rohanson's mention, Gabriel gauged Marik's reaction.

"Ha. Afraid I'll harm her? No... I just wish to praise her righteous actions."

In prior meeting, Gabriel chose silence, minimizing Evangeline's info and erasing traces.

"Protecting your beloved blinds you quite thoroughly."

To kill her presence, he'd filled gaps with absurd excuses.

Discovering Donau's corpse, Evangeline became a pitiful woman fretting over engulfed employees.

Gabriel's mansion visits turned to consoling his cherished lady. Progress letters became love letters; her temple visits, dates.

He omitted most Daisy and Ainoa Orphanage statements. Daisy became mere Berga whistleblower, unrelated to orphanage.

Instead, aligning with Troy: Evangeline volunteered there, noticing anomalies. He concealed orphanage symbols.

Preferring no mention, Raphaella objected—Gabriel and Evangeline linked too often.

"Commander. Meet nobles' lady often, visit, send letters—know how others see it?"

"Hmm."

"Sir Gabriel pursues suspicious criminal. Chasing to hell's end for truth, they say."

Raphaella stressed one escape: romance perception.

"You're smitten, Commander. Pararos Knights' great leader reduced to chasing a girl's skirts."

Needing her cooperation ahead, it perfectly deflected suspicion.

Amusingly effective—her name, occasionally mentioned, lumped as romance, glossed over.

"Acting your age for once—worth overlooking."

A priest usually disdainful patted Gabriel's shoulder post-meeting, encouraging.

Raphaella marveled at his acting talent. Not universal—e.g., this Rahel-devout zealot before him, sparing not even lovers.

"One more room filled, I hear. Related to Lady Rohanson, so here to see, Knight Commander?"

"Yes."

Gabriel seeming unwilling to discuss Evangeline, Marik shifted. Absent from meeting yet knowing Merai suggested Javania relayed details.

"You have business with the criminal— we'll step out."

"Thanks for your efforts."

Marik stomped Berga crushingly last, then departed.

"May today's shadow deeds stay hidden from the sun."

Unlike usual greeting, for Merai's expected torture.

Ascending, Marik shed soiled outer garment; attendant priest deferentially took the filthied cloth.

"Bishop Javania."

"Yes, Archbishop Marik."

Javania responded briskly. Despite peers, hierarchy clear—old fox riding Marik's coattails.

"Knight Commander's hit puberty. Keeping secrets even from you, whom he sees as parent."

"Young buck in his prime—embarrassed to publicize romance, no?"

Javania had exaggerated to Marik for favor: sees me as parent, obeys any order, devoted child.

Now Gabriel stood aloof, needing to grovel via Javania—making him seem braggart.

Marik mercifully overlooked, offering redemption.

"Curious about Lady Rohanson. You saw her yourself, Bishop? What was she like?"