Hero’s Downfall Report

17 – Report on the Fall of Purity (4)

Cain returned to the chapel. Inside remained unchanged.

The space that once echoed with praises to God, singing hymns of joy while praising, now flowed only with the lamentation of agony as if God himself had died.

But Cain had changed.

The nursing staff persistently clung to the resting nurses and politely stepped back when met with irritation and disregard. Leaning the cane against the wall, they held a cloth in both hands and wiped away the patient’s filth. They carried the heavy, dirty load and cooled the hot soup with a spoon until it cooled.

“Stay still! You’ll hurt yourself!”

Someone else had a fit. They screamed and banged their body. It seemed like the chain would never break. Even if they tore their body, they would recover neatly.

Tears welled up in the nurse’s eyes. The patient, too. Even when people met, only sadness and pain filled the air.

Because they couldn’t communicate. Because they couldn’t share their stories.

Cain approached. The nurses, barely holding onto the chains, hoped that Cain had come to help. But Cain didn’t flinch. He just asked a question.

“Do you want revenge?”

Once human, now a soul trapped in their body, screamed. There was no struggle, just a scream.

“If you can hear me, cry softly. If not, remain silent. I came here to help you. So did the others.”

The nurses looked at Cain as if he were a ghost. Cain continued speaking quietly.

“I don’t dare pretend to understand the frustration and pain in your heart. I cannot fathom your torment. That’s why I want to know what you’ve been through. I will find the one who made you like this and make them pay.

So I ask again. If you can hear me and agree to seek revenge, cry softly. If not, if you can’t hear me or don’t understand, remain silent.”

Oooh.

The struggling stopped. Even the surrounding patients stopped struggling. The observing nurse carefully wiped the patient with a towel. Unlike before, they didn’t show irritation or anger.

“Thank you. I will ask questions first. If making a sound is difficult, just move your body slightly. If that’s difficult, close one eye. If there’s a response, I’ll understand. If not, I’ll understand that too. I know it’s painful, but I want to know what happened when you were attacked.”

Because it was clear what needed to be known, because it was certain what needed to be gained, everything became a process. It became a stage to go through. As the direction became clear, each action, each emotion, took on meaning.

Cain proceeded

According to them, when you hit something or get hit with a blunt object, the bruise feels similar, but the color is different. When the bones or organs are injured, there is a lot of bleeding, so the bruise becomes closer to black and also increases in size.

On the other hand, a typical bruise, when it first appears, is as red as blood, then turns a bluish purple. When it changes from yellow to brown, it means it’s gradually getting better, and the swelling also subsides.

Around 50 patients mostly have black and blue bruises. It’s clearly a terrible injury, but the fact that even the color of the bruise doesn’t change is certainly strange. It’s even more so that not just one or two, but all 50 are in that state.

“It seems like these people are trapped in time.”

A nun wiped her flowing sweat and expressed her opinion. When she saw someone who had stubbornly kept their mouth shut suddenly speak, Cain thought that she must have a lot on her mind.

“I don’t know if they were hit with a blunt object or if a giant swung them around, but it’s the time when the bones were broken. It’s strange that the color doesn’t change.”

“Is it truly a miracle?”

To Cain’s question, the nun responded with empty eyes. After a moment of confusion, she said, “Well, I must be careful about speaking recklessly. It’s not my place to say whether it’s a miracle or not. Only His Holiness the Pope can decide that. But one thing is certain. If it’s a miracle, it would be the most terrible miracle, and if it’s sorcery, it would be the most wicked sorcery.”

“Sorcery, you say?”

“I thought you were a smart person, but maybe not. Does this look like a blessing to you?”

It certainly didn’t.

* * * * *

Dinner was meager. Two pieces of stale bread in beer soup and salted cabbage were all there was. Normally, he would have been angry.

But in the current situation, where was anything “normal”? In fact, even attempting to cook and eat in such circumstances could be considered a virtue of courage. Furthermore, in this remote mountain, even just not starving was close to good fortune.

Cain met Lily again in the dining hall. They ate dinner in silence, then found their own spot and went outside.

There was

At that moment, Guido Sosa approached them with a smile. And without hesitation, he embraced Cain tightly. Lily looked at Cain and Guido with surprised eyes.

“Thank you. Thank you so much. It’s definitely different when people from the capital come. Unlike those ignorant knights, rural parishioners, or people like us who eat rocks in the mountains.”

“Oh… It’s nothing special.”

Although he tried to separate from Cain, Guido held onto both of his shoulders tightly.

“No! No, it’s not! No one has ever thought that way. We’ve been forgetting that those people are also human beings who want to communicate with others. To be honest, it’s so pathetic. Our sympathy has blinded us. It’s more surprising than those who follow God. Thank you for seeing them accurately. It’s just amazing.”

“What happened?”

“Oh, things have become much easier. The nursing staff never grumble or shout anymore. Before taking any action, they ask first. Would you like to eat? Is there anywhere uncomfortable? If it’s below, nod once; if it’s above, nod twice. It’s like that.”

Lily didn’t understand a word of English. Cain felt a little embarrassed. They did that to patients with mobility issues in the capital.

“But thank you for giving them the will to live. As expected, people need a clear direction to spread their wings.”

“What do you mean by the will to live?”

“Revenge!”

Guido was delighted. He was delighted to the point that it was painful to watch.

Is it because he is fundamentally a good person and has cut ties with the secular world? Is it because he doesn’t really know what revenge means? Or is it because he is simply focusing on the reality that the pitiful patients are getting better just by eating and behaving well? Cain couldn’t figure it out.

“Yes. Revenge. Everyone whispers it. You have to take revenge. You should take revenge. But for that, you have to get up. You have to gather your strength. It’s like a miraculous spell. It’s much more resonating than Amen or hymns!”

The voice grew louder. The people who had slumped without energy glanced at Guido. Guido cleared his throat, his ears turning red.

“Well, what I actually wanted to say is not that. The head investigator wanted me to convey his sincere gratitude to both of you. I have a question, though. Do you have any additional companions or guards coming?”

Cain and Lily looked at each other. Cain shook his head.

“No. It’s just the two of us. No one else is coming.”

“Then I guess you haven’t decided on your accommodations yet. Right? I mean, you won’t be setting up tents on the street like the knights.”

“That’s correct.”

“It went well. The Chief Investigator requested the evacuation of the leader’s residence. Since esteemed individuals have arrived, it’s only natural that such measures be taken. Despite its age, the building, made of stone, is warm and sturdy. Otherwise, you’d have to sleep in the knight’s tents, and the nights here are very windy.”

Offering the accommodation at the secluded monastery is undoubtedly a sign of goodwill. Lily seems pleased, as evidenced by her slight nod.

“While it’s nice, isn’t this causing inconvenience? Are they asking us to vacate the room because of us?”

“Not at all. The patients are being cared for by both the monks and the knights in three shifts per day. So, the investigators and nuns decided to share rooms during the same hours. As a result, there’s a spare room… If you don’t use it, Commander Red-Haired Mercy will push her way in.”

Gido’s voice became even softer.

“I don’t know how embarrassing it was for him to insist on staying at the leader’s residence. It must have been quite humiliating. The Chief couldn’t bear to see him like that and sent me away. Rather than giving in to those rogues, it’s more fitting to offer it to someone of importance.”

Lily jabbed Cain’s thigh. Cain remained composed.

“Rejecting such kindness would be impolite. We appreciate the Chief’s kind gesture.”

“But… there’s something you should know.”

Gido genuinely seemed sorry. Cain became slightly uneasy.

“Noise or discomfort is fine. The room is the only one left, and it’s a monk’s room, so it’s a bit small. However, we’ll place two beds. Blankets, of course.”

“Ahem!”

Lily coughed. Gido’s embarrassed feelings resonated in Cain’s sensitive ears. Of course, having worked with Lily for a while, Cain understood the exact meaning – it implied being overly pleased.

‘Let’s go inside and see.’ Despite thinking so, Cain deeply nodded.

“No, thank you once again.”

* * * * *

Some say that the difference between luxury and poverty is just a matter of expression. Despite receiving numerous criticisms as an ignorant expression from those unfamiliar with faith, apologizing, there were others who asserted that the former aimed to resemble the divine and had no interest in worldly matters, while the latter simply meant having nothing and lacked meaning.

Walking through the corridor of the closed monastery, Cain recalled that old saying. No matter how hard he tried to view it favorably, the monastery’s accommodation seemed impoverished in Cain’s eyes.

He thought the underground prison of the Monastic Guards would have been more luxurious. At least there, there was some brightness, not like here where a single candle was placed every 10 meters as if it were the only source of illumination.

Because of that, Cain counted the excessive number of visits. Briefly stepping outside for something to see, he feared it would be awkward to enter someone else’s room if he forgot where to go back.

The benevolent leaders had already set up the bed. Two wooden boards, one thin mattress. One firm pillow, covered with a cloth that could be used for sleep. With just two wooden beds placed on the floor, the room was almost packed. Leaning their bags against the wall, it felt as if there was an overflow of belongings.

The only illumination was moonlight. There was a round window on the wall, strangely made of stained glass unlike anything else. It was a beautiful decoration engraved with suffering paired eagles.

“Kum. Lily. If it’s uncomfortable, I can stay outside…”

“I’m fine now. Are you uncomfortable? I want to make sure of this.”

Lily was naturally modest. Cain couldn’t bring himself to say ‘yes.’ It felt like losing.

“Not uncomfortable.”

“Then, Kum. Kum! Please turn around. Just for a moment. Kum! Okay?”

“Why?”

Lily seemed to be trying hard to stay calm.

“I want to change my clothes. I’m soaked in sweat. The discomfort of turning around, you can endure that, right?”