Chương 67: Tomorrow You Will Burn Alive

A member of the Divine Sect approached Father Leandro while he was chopping firewood just outside the village. Every swing of the axe was precise, methodical. The sound of metal sinking into wood shattered the silence of the morning as thin splinters fell at his feet. He did not seem tired. He kept striking with the same steady rhythm, as though every movement were part of a prayer.

"Father".

"Speak, brother", he replied without stopping.

"How is it going with the heretic?" Father Leandro paused for a moment. The axe remained buried in the stump. He took a slow breath, almost savoring that brief moment of silence, then calmly pulled it free. Setting the axe on the ground, he turned around.

"Why do you ask?" The man hesitated. He looked away for a moment, as though searching for the right words.

"The people want her dead. We can't keep them under control anymore. With all due respect…you need to act. Otherwise, people will start thinking you're showing her favoritism". A heavy silence fell between them. Even the wind seemed to slow. Father Leandro studied his fellow brother's face without saying a word. Then, instead of reaching for the axe again, he slowly picked up the sword resting beside the chopping block. He drew it with a faint metallic hiss and stepped closer, wearing the faintest hint of a smile.

"Favoritism?" he repeated. The man nodded, visibly tense.

"Those are the people's words. Any other heretic would already be dead. But with that girl…it seems you're trying everything you can to spare her from justice. It's strange". Father Leandro placed a hand on his shoulder. His grip was surprisingly gentle.

"Strange, you say?" For a brief moment, he almost seemed to be reassuring him. The next instant, his sword ripped open the man's abdomen with a slow, deep slash. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. The man barely had time to widen his eyes. The air died in his throat before it could become a scream. He staggered backward as blood streamed between the fingers that desperately tried to hold the wound shut. His entrails and organs began to spill out.

"You doubted God, brother", Father Leandro said calmly.

"Never doubt God". He slowly wiped the blade clean with a piece of the dying man's robe and walked away without looking back. Behind him, the man collapsed into the mud, staring in horror at his own organs scattered across the ground. His fingers still trembled, as though desperately trying to put back together what was forever lost. Matilda pierced the meat with her knife and fork.

"What is this?" she asked, chewing without the slightest trace of elegance.

"Calf's liver?"

"With caramelized onions", Oscar replied.

"One of my favorite dishes".

"The King has excellent taste", she commented before cutting off another piece. For a few seconds, the only sound was the clinking of silverware against plates. Then Matilda glanced at Teresa's plate, which contained nothing but vegetables.

"Big sis, you don't need to stay skinny anymore. Or are you planning another wedding?" Teresa didn't even look up.

"I'm staying healthy". The reply came flatly, devoid of any emotion. Matilda chuckled softly and adjusted her dress around her chest.

"It's unbearably hot here. I'm used to much colder climates". Oscar gave her a brief glance, lingering for only a moment before returning to his meal in silence. The atmosphere remained strangely suspended. No one really seemed to feel like talking. The following morning. Father Leandro returned to the cave. His footsteps echoed through the damp stone corridors, accompanied by the slow dripping of water. The air was cold, saturated with the smell of rock and dried blood. He hurried straight toward Felicity.

The girl was still chained. She struggled to breathe. Her face was covered in bruises and her lips were cracked. She barely lifted her eyes when she heard those footsteps, footsteps that had become all too familiar.

"Well?" he asked.

"Have you decided to change your mind today?" Felicity remained silent for a moment. She inhaled with difficulty.

"Go to hell…" she finally rasped. The punch came without warning. Her head snapped backward. Then another. And another. Each blow echoed through the cave as tiny droplets of blood splattered onto the stone floor.

"You still don't understand!" Father Leandro shouted.

"I'm doing all this to keep you alive! They all want you dead! Even my own sword wants you dead! I'm the only one trying to save you! Why can't you understand that?! Has the Devil possessed you?!" His breathing became increasingly ragged. His eyes burned with sick conviction, as though every word he spoke was the purest truth. Felicity spat out blood. She remained with her head lowered for several seconds before finding the strength to slowly raise her eyes.

"I am a Prinz. Arthur Prinz's daughter. Your children's friend. And you're nothing but a pathetic madman who deserves to die for everything you've done". For a long moment, neither of them spoke. Father Leandro stood motionless, staring at her. Then he smiled. A disturbing grin, devoid of any warmth.

"There he is", he whispered.

"The Devil". He slowly straightened up, as though he had finally found the answer he had been searching for.

"Tomorrow, you'll burn alive. You cannot be saved. You never could". His words lingered in the cave long after he turned to leave. Felicity closed her eyes for a moment. Every inch of her body ached, but when she opened them again, her gaze was unchanged. There was no fear. Only a quiet determination that not even pain had managed to break.