Saint's Prison - Chapter 104

The Trail of Footsteps Disappeared

“――――FU!?”

With a scream that doesn’t form into words, I reflexively rise from the bed. It’s only after a delay that I realize I’ve woken from a dream. Without wiping the sweat dripping down my forehead, I sit stunned. Night has not yet lifted. My vision is enshrouded in darkness.

It was a nightmare.

Yes… that was a nightmare.

It can’t be anything but that. No, it has to be that.

Since coming to Stonehurst, it’s been nothing but dreams. That alone would be bearable, but the intervals between them are getting increasingly shorter. The dreams are encroaching upon reality. Or is reality itself becoming a dream? My confused brain screams out.

Noise races through my thoughts, rough and grating. My mouth is uncomfortably dry. Despite not feeling cold, my body feels a deep chill. Acknowledging this, I let out a small sigh and close my eyes.

――I am sane.

That’s a word of reassurance to myself, and a word of admonition.

“…Andy-sama?”

The innocent voice of a girl calling my name makes my stiff body relax rapidly.

“Amal…”

“Andy-sama, what’s wrong?”

“Oh, I just had a bad dream. Sorry for waking you.”

“…I see, another nightmare.”

Amal, hearing my words, sits up. Then, she embraces me. Her expression is unreadable in the dark, yet her gentle envelopment warms my heart.

“It’s okay. Amal is by Andy-sama’s side.”

“Amal…”

“So, please, be at ease.”

“Thank you.”

I return Amal’s soft embrace and bury my face in the nape of her neck. A faint scent of roses. It’s comforting.

The girl strokes my back a few times, then lightly pushes on my shoulder, urging me to lie down. I don’t resist, and let myself fall back onto the bed.

“Andy-sama. Andy-sama. Andy-sama.”

Amal murmurs my name repeatedly.

“…If nightmares torment and wound and violate you, then I will heal, protect, and embrace you. In my presence, both the living and the dead are judged equally. The innocent are anointed with oil, and the harmful are struck down with a hammer. I wish, I pray. I revere, I sing. Let those who crawl on the ground be forgiven, and those who look up to the sky be saved. Ah, you are truly a holy one. Blessings upon your soul.”

Her tone is solemn as if singing a hymn. No emotion is infused within. It’s void and inorganic. Above all, the words chanted so sonorously are unfamiliar to me.

“Amal, what is that?”

“It’s a charm to break nightmares. …Or did you prefer a different method?”

“A different method?”

“Hehe, like this.”

She leans over me and licks my lips with a flick of her tongue. Then Amal repeats the butterfly kisses as if to confirm something. After a few minutes, she slides her tongue inside with a slippery motion. At the same time, Amal’s slender and small hands gradually moved towards my lower body.

“Haah, is this the ‘different method’? This lewd, nun-like act, you temptress…”

“It was you, Andy-sama, who led me to this. You made me a woman, so please take the responsibility okay”

Before I can say anything, she covers my mouth. It seemed like she had no intention of hearing any negative words. Amal’s tongue swirled around her mouth recklessly. It’s so intense that I can’t even catch my breath.

“…I’ll make you forget everything about your nightmares.”

A sticky, sweet voice touched my ears.

＊＊＊

Leaning against a tree in the courtyard, I was gazing up at the blue sky. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, and the rustling sound of the leaves was soothing.

“Hey there, Kuro-kun.”

Turning towards the voice, a man with reddish-brown hair stood there. He was Simeon Galatia, a monk from Stonehurst. As ever, he had a cheerful and kind demeanor.

“Hello, Simeon-san.”

“Yes, hello. Kuro-kun, enjoying the sun?”

“Yes, something like that.”

“The weather is nice today. Indeed, it’s perfect for basking in the sun.”

Simeon-san looked up at the sky, squinting slightly in the bright light, then he smiled softly.

“May I sit next to you?”

“Of course. Please do.”

“Thank you.”

Simeon-san gently sat down beside me. He let out a sigh as if releasing pent-up emotions.

“Ah, this is nice. It feels like my heart is being cleansed.”

“Yes, it does.”

I nodded in agreement, feeling a deep understanding.

We continued talking about trivial things for about thirty minutes when suddenly Simeon-san stopped mid-sentence. He stared intently at my face and tilted his head slightly.

“…Hey, Kuro-kun. I hadn’t noticed until now, but you’ve got dark circles under your eyes. What happened?”

“Uh, well, yeah. I didn’t sleep much last night, and I’m a bit tired, so my back is a little sore.”

I blurted out the truth before I could stop myself. I shouldn’t have spoken about last night’s intense moments with Amal, which kept me awake, and the resulting back pain – not to Simeon-san, of all people.

“Since we’re down by one in manpower, you’ve been working hard, Kuro-kun. Maybe that’s why you’re feeling the extra burden. If that’s the case, you should take it easy today. Don’t be shy. God grants us rest. Go ahead and take a break without worry.”

“I’m sorry for the trouble.”

It was unbearable. On such a pleasant afternoon, my heart felt like it was being suffocated.

—That’s when I suddenly sensed something off.

“…Down by one? Simeon-san, has someone left Stonehurst?”

At my question, Simeon-san’s eyes flickered ever so slightly. Then, with a quick return to his cheerful expression, he smiled. However, there was a hint of distortion in that smile.

“Yes, Brother Nielsen has gone on a pilgrimage.”

“…Sals did?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“When did this happen?”

“—Well, about three months ago, I believe.”

“Three months ago…”

Certainly, I hadn’t seen him lately. But the idea of Sals leaving on a pilgrimage was inconceivable.

After all, the monks are bound by strictures. As long as those strictures are in place, they shouldn’t be able to leave Stonehurst.

I knew that Sals had a negative view of the strictures from overhearing him that night. However, it was hard to believe that he would act so recklessly, especially without the consent of Priest Benedict.

—So, where on earth has Sals disappeared to?