Saint's Prison - Chapter 37

Hymn of Twilight

As usual, after finishing the farm work, I watched Francesco head back early for the evening prayers.

Alone by the well, I washed away the sweat. The cold well water was now pleasantly refreshing.

「Amazing grace!　How sweet the sound!　That saved a wretch like me!　I once was lost, but now I am found　Was blind, but now I see――」¹

I sang.

A hum mixed in. Just because.

Tracing the melody with my low voice.

There was no particular reason, but I just felt like singing.

And the song that came to my mind at that moment was this one.

I closed my eyes.

The soft evening sun faintly shone through my eyelids.

「――Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, and grace my fears relieved. How precious did that grace appear. The hour I first believed」

After singing that much, I took a breath and slicked back my wet hair.

From behind, I heard the sound of clapping hands.

I turned around, somewhat apprehensively.

There stood Johanna, bathed in the reddish sunlight.

Feeling embarrassed that she had heard me singing, I awkwardly turned away.

“What, were you listening?”

“Yes, it was a very… wonderful song.”

“Shut up… But, thanks.”

I felt happy being praised, though embarrassed. I thought to myself how simple I was.

Johanna narrowed her eyes and smiled gently.

Then she approached me, took a handkerchief from her chest, and tenderly wiped my wet cheeks. Despite myself, my heart fluttered at her feminine gesture. The handkerchief smelled nice. A refreshing citrus scent.

“That handkerchief, it’s gotten quite wet…”

“Oh, no need to worry about it. It was my pleasure to do so.”

I grasped Johanna’s hand holding the handkerchief. Then, pulling it, I snatched it.

“Idiot, of course, I’m going to worry. I’ll wash this properly and return it.”

“…”

I spoke, but she didn’t reply. Puzzled, I looked at Johanna. Even though she was already illuminated by the sunset, her face turned even redder and she froze.

“Hey, Johanna? Johanna-san? Are you okay? Are you listening?”

I waved my hand up and down in front of her face.

She weakly slapped my hand, telling me to stop.

Johanna bit her lip hard and glared at me. Her long eyelashes trembled with it. She looked like she was trying to intimidate, but it had the opposite effect—it made her look even more――――.

“Cute.”

Hearing Johanna gasp, I came back to my senses. Mulling over my own words, it was now my turn to turn beet red.

“Ahh! Forget what I just said! It’s not like that! I have Amal!”

“Of course.”

Johanna nodded repeatedly.

I covered my flushed face with one hand to hide it.

An awkward silence followed for a while.

It was Johanna who broke it.

“…I have never heard such a hymn before.”

“Eh? Oh, you mean ‘Amazing Grace’? This song was originally written by a sailor.”

“A sailor…?”

“Yeah. But not just any sailor. He was the captain of a slave ship involved in slave trading. He was arrogant and treated the slaves he forcibly brought over worse than livestock. But during one voyage, he encountered a great storm, and the ship nearly capsized. For the first time, he prayed to God from the depth of his heart. Perhaps his prayer was heard because the ship didn’t sink, and his life was spared.”

I looked up at the sky.

The twilight sky softly enveloped this world.

“He must have realized then. The sailor saw how tainted his hands were. Only when he was close to death did he understand the pain, the suffering, and the death he had inflicted on the slaves… He realized the depth of his own sins.”

The scene I had seen in the chapel came to mind. Surely that was a past that had actually occurred here.

“I see… Then that sailor was truly fortunate.”

“…Johanna?”

“Because he realized the depth of his own sins.”

Johanna looked towards the monastery.

“…When will we be able to realize that, I wonder.”

She looked so unstable, as if she might vanish at any moment.

Stop it. That face doesn’t suit you. Be haughty, smile wickedly.

Johanna, surprised, widened her eyes when she saw my face.

“It troubles me… to see such a sad face.”

“That’s my line! Ah, it’s driving me crazy!”

“Did I make such a face?”

“Yeah, you did… Look, you’re serious, which is good, but don’t take on too much. If it’s tough, tell me. Even if I can’t do anything, I can worry with you.”

I grasped Johanna’s hand.

Her fingers were slender, yet her palms were rough. They reminded me of my uncle who loved baseball. The hands of someone who had been swinging something for a long time.

“You’re really… such a fool.”

“What’s that!? I’m worried about you, after all.”

Whispered into my ear.

“Have you forgotten? I am here to kill that person.”

“…I haven’t forgotten. But you won’t do such a thing. I’ve lived with you for a year. I know that much. I believe in you. That’s why I believe in you, Johanna.”

“You’re really unfair, Kuro-dono. That’s why I…”

Johanna smiled like the sunlight, looking so beautiful.

“Could you sing for me? The rest of that song―――”

She held my hand back gently. Responding to her softly spoken words, I continued the song.

“――――Amazing grace!”

What a wondrous grace of God.

¹. Song titled “Celtics Woman – Amazing Grace”
tln : Author writes the original lyrics with english.