Right now, the Church of Orsola couldn't be called a church. It was about the size of four to five school gymnasiums. If it was completed, it would likely be the first real cathedral in Japan. Building such a thing near Academy City, it was likely that they were trying to suppress the science side. However, as it was only built halfway, the empty space gave people a sense of loneliness.
The outer wall had just been built, and there were many steel pedals and ladders. It seemed that they hadn't started work on the interior, like it had been ravaged by greedy soldiers. There was a large black hole in the window that was to be covered with colored mosaic glass, and the place where they were planning to put a huge pipe organ was still rather unnatural. The marble floors and walls continued to shine like they were still new, but the huge Cross that was to be hung on the wall was leaning on the wall behind the podium.
However, just these alone weren't going to create this bizarre sight.
There were no artificial lights in the hall- just starlight that was shining through the huge black window. Several hundred nuns wearing black robes were standing silently in this dark corner. They were gathered in a circle. Some were wielding objects that could be easily seen as weapons, such as swords and lances. Others were wielding religious ritual tools like gears and hooks. Every single item was reflecting light, and besides the nuns, there was no one else. The Amakusa members that had been captured were put in another building in the same construction site, and there were more than ten members guarding them.
The nuns weren't looking outside the building.
Their eyes were fixated on the center of the circle.
There was the sound of beating.
And the groan of pain as the person gritted her teeth and endured.
"Really, we wasted so much effort. Everyone's rather busy, including me, and we don't have time to play games with you. If you understand, then behave yourself and accept your punishment… Hey, you listening!? ARE YOU LISTENING!? Damn it!"
Dong! It sounded like a heavy bag being kicked.
At the same time, a cry that seemed to come from hell echoed throughout the darkness.
"Humph! What's this cry about? You completely forgot about the image of a lady, and you don't feel ashamed? Damn it, we might as well change the name of the church. We'll be the laughingstock for coming up with a derogatory name like this."
Orsola Aquinas didn't reply.
She had been beaten really badly, and was lying on the ground. Her clothes were torn, the zippers were broken, and the cloth was flipped over, like she had been dragged on the ground by a horse.
Agnese and company weren't using any special magic to torture Orsola; they were just taking turns kicking her arms, legs, or stomach. But repeating such an action for a long time would bring tremendous pain. It was a violent act involving more than 200 people, and although they were somewhat lenient, they were hurting her to the point of near-death. Orsola was lying on the floor, unable to move.
Agnese brutally kicked Orsola's legs. This terrifying power traveled through the thick soles, pressing on Orsola's already immobile legs.
"Ugh…!"
"I don't understand how you feel about running away. Think about your fate- actually, dying here is much better for you. Have you seen the religious trials hosted by the Cardinals? Hahaha, although they're rather serious, the process is indeed appalling. But for something like this, we really can't match up to the Anglicans. Compared to their trials, ours is like a game; this is the conclusion I came to upon seeing both types of trials. Ha… haha! Those old geezers, being so old, still love to play these games. And your fate is to be toyed with to death by those geezers; doesn't that sound wonderful?"
"…!?"
Maybe it was because of the pain caused by the kicks to her legs that Orsola couldn't say anything. Were she to open her mouth, she might even bite her tongue.
How did it end up like this? Orsola continued to think.
To anybody, the original copy of the grimoire, The Book of the Law, was something that was evil and had to be removed. Everyone wanted to destroy it, and everyone who got it would be annihilated- truly a "fallen grimoire". But humanity had no way to destroy it, and could only seal and guard it.
Orsola Aquinas only wanted to solve this issue.
Her objective was the same as the Roman Catholics': to destroy the notorious Book of the Law.
Why did it become like this?
For this to go completely differently from what she had expected, where did it go wrong?
Up until the final moment, she thought that she was saved.
Why did that boy hand her over to Agnese?
"Really, the number of friends that you can rely on is truly few. To think you'd ask the Amakusa for help when you reached Japan."
Agnese stared down on Orsola as she spoke.
She continued to kick Orsola's calves, looking intoxicated, like she had been mesmerized by some magic. Orsola felt that every single nerve within her was being torn as the pain reverberated through her bones.
"Being so desperate that you'll ask those foreign Eastern people from a small filthy country? Haha… hahaha! This is really stupid; those pigs don't even know how to read the Bible, so how much can you expect from them? According to our law, once someone marries a non-Roman Catholic, they're guilty of bestiality; you should be clear about that. Don't tell me that you think that everyone's like you because they're Christians? What Amakusa? What Anglicans? Those people don't have the right to talk about Christ! They aren't humans, they're pigs! They're mules! Of course this will happen when you hand your life over to them. Tricking an animal is so easy! Just appease them, and they'll automatically turn their prey over!"
"…Tri… ck?"
Orsola, who was losing consciousness due to the pain, woke up upon hearing this.
"You said that… those people… were tricked?"
Her cracked lips were filled with blood, making it difficult for her to speak.
But Orsola tried hard to ask the question.
"They… didn't help you willingly… but… were tricked?"
"Isn't that unimportant? Anyway, you're caught by us now! Hoho, hahaha! Oh, yeah, I remember. They even said something like 'we'll save Orsola from those Amakusa bastards'; really interesting, right? That's stupid! The people who are supposed to protect you have handed you over to the enemy; what a bunch of idiots!"
"…"
"I see."
The tension of Orsola's face lessened.
They hadn't betrayed Orsola to the Roman Catholics. Those smiles and words hadn't been a pretense. They had really been concerned about Orsola's safety, and had done something so dangerous to save her.
Even if it had ended in failure.
Even if their hard work didn't pay off and made Orsola so worse off that she was about to die.
Up until the end, they were standing on the side of Orsola Aquinas. They never gave up or betrayed her. They continued to work hard until the end. They were Orsola's warmest and most trusted friends.
"What are you laughing at?"
"Really…? I'm… laughing?"
Orsola slowly and gently said,
"I finally know… what kind of people… we Roman Catholics are."
"Ah?"
"Their actions… are based on trust… because they trust in others, their ideals, their feelings… They're always willing to give their best… Compared to them… we're truly ugly. Our actions… can only be built on lies… In order to kill me, they're lying to the public by using a show trial… and they even lie to themselves, thinking that that's what God wants…"
"—"
"However… I have no right to… criticize you people. If I had trusted the Amakusa right from the start… the situation wouldn't have turned out like this. If I had followed the Amakusa's plan… they wouldn't have to meet so much danger. In the end… our principles… are based on the Roman Catholic Church's nature."
Orsola laughed.
Her devastated face revealed an expression full of sadness.
"…I can no longer run away from you people. According to your plan… I'll be sentenced for a false crime… and buried in darkness… but I don't care… I can't lie to myself any longer… and can't even lie to those friends of mine who never asked for anything in return… I don't want to… be seen as one of you."
"Just like what a martyr would say. You think you're a Saint or something?"
Dong! Agnese's thick sandals pressed viciously on Orsola's legs. Orsola still remained calm, as if Agnese was only stepping on an empty can.
"Since you want to die so badly, I'll grant your request. Our work will be so much easier now that you've given up. You just need to blame the fools who harmed you, and carry that sense of remorse and hatred to your grave!"
Agnese said it like this, but she was actually looking down on Orsola, who was still resisting. There were 200 nuns beside her ready for action anytime, and there was a strong boundary around the church, so Orsola was unable to escape either way.
Although Orsola and Agnese were within close proximity, Orsola could only hear Agnese's words vaguely as she was still groggy. She thought using her brain that was about to shut down, and said,
"Who… should I really hate?"
"What…?"
"They never… had a reason to jump into the battlefield from the very beginning. It's said that one teenager among them… doesn't belong to the Roman Catholic Church… or the Anglican Church… a really ordinary boy. They don't have power… or reason… but they did so much… for an acquaintance like me. Is there a greater gift than this… in this world? As for those friends who gave me this gift… what can I hate them for?"
That was right, she shouldn't hate.
Definitely not hate them.
They didn't manage to successfully save Orsola, but they shouldn't be blamed; they were not entitled to save her. They were not acting under a strong sense of "duty". They really wanted to save Orsola deep inside, so they used their "authority" to take part in a battle they shouldn't be taking part in.
Just them coming forward without hesitation was something one should be grateful for.
So, Orsola didn't resent them.
Seeing such a group of people that was willing to help a stranger was a wonderful thing. Orsola felt proud. Knowing such people at the end was such a wonderful thing, and Orsola was thankful for God's grace deep inside.
So satisfying.
So enriching.
The happiness up until now made Orsola Aquinas feel that nothing could be added on.
Unexpectedly, though, her fortune didn't end here.
Because the next instant…
Bam! Together with something breaking, the boundary covering the church vanished.
Agnese could not help but look away from Orsola.
Something extraordinary forced her to.
"It's destroyed…? Impossible! Quick! Someone go check the St. Giles' talisman on the gate, and check for enemies nearby! Damn, which group is doing this? That barrier can't be broken by one person alone. We don't know where the enemy's army will be attacking from…!"
Agnese quickly gave the orders.
But before the orders could be carried out, she got the answer she wanted.
"Ah…"
Orsola Aquinas saw it.
The twin oak doors of the Cathedral's main entrance were flung open by something powerful. A person was standing at the door. This scene was like a crude fairy tale, where the prince steps up to save the princess.
But there was only an ordinary boy standing there.
Although he was just an ordinary teenager, he was not running or hiding.
For who?
For what?
The 200+ nuns standing around Orsola turned their eyes to stare at the boy. There were so many nuns, it was scary, and they weren't ordinary people. Of course the boy was scared. He was just an ordinary teenager; how could he not be scared?
But…
The boy never backed away, as he stepped forward.
In order to save Orsola Aquinas, he stepped into the dark church hall.
This step signified that…
Don't worry, everything is going to be alright.