Saint's Prison - Chapter 4

The Saint’s Embrace

“Do not fret over the words of Sars, Kuro-dono,” Francesco consoled me, and I thanked him before leaving the lounge.

After the incident with Sars, I was grappling with a sense of unease, pondering the meaning behind his words.

The insult towards Amal was unforgivable.

Still, the low status of women in this era, the misogyny, the contempt—it likely led to such remarks.

…Someday, I’ll definitely punch him.

Her unjust defamation left me feeling deeply gloomy.

“Barbaric and ignorant. Are these my sins…?”

I wondered on what basis he made such a claim.

Was his intention merely to belittle me?

His eyes seemed to conceal something dark and fixated beyond just that.

I walked on, reaching a place known as the Corridor of Silence. Within the dim monastery, this was the one place overflowing with light.

The courtyard of the corridor was covered with well-groomed grass. It served as a haven for the ascetic monks. They would walk this corridor in silence, offering prayers to God, lost in thought, or sometimes basking in the sunlight.

In any case, it was the perfect place for contemplation.

Leaning against a column, I gazed intently at the courtyard. I surmised that being called barbaric was due to being a foreigner from an unexplored land, but what did he mean by ignorant?

I pride myself on a considerable level of knowledge. After all, I’ve dedicated 16 years to education—anything less would be disappointing. However, when it comes to the common sense of this era, I’m worse off than a child. That’s just how it is.

The ignorance he mentioned might not necessarily equate to a lack of education.

—A heretic, and an idiot, yet barbaric.

I lined up these unsettling words and felt disheartened once again.

First off, I am irreligious before being a heretic.

Culturally, it might be problematic, but I don’t adhere to any particular religion. Well, this mindset is rooted in Japan’s tolerant religious views and relative openness to other countries’ faiths.

We visit shrines at New Year, get excited for Valentine’s, dance on Halloween, and celebrate Christmas.

New Year’s shrine visits are self-explanatory, but Valentine’s Day honors a Christian saint (originally stemming from Rome’s fertility festival), and Halloween traces back to the Celtic festival of the dead.

Many Japanese might consider themselves irreligious, but that doesn’t make them atheists—that’s the key point.

It’s better to have gods to rely on for prayers and good luck charms. Any religious event is fine as long as it’s fun and full of laughter—that could be rephrased in a more worldly manner. I’m no exception to this way of thinking.

That’s when it occurred to me.

Despite Sars’s evident dislike and attempts to distance himself from me, he has never tried to expel me from Stonehurst. Normally, wouldn’t one be eager to banish someone from the monastery?

If I’m the heretic, the idiot, the barbarian he claims I am…

—I felt a tinge of unease about that.

***

That night.

As usual, I dined with Amal and took a moment to relax.

I sat on the bed, watching Amal move briskly about. She was silently cleaning up after the meal. Seeing her reminded me of Sars’s face when he insulted her, and my expression turned sullen.

Her beautiful silver hair spread smoothly down to her waist, and her overly perfect face resembled that of a doll. The girl with beauty enough to turn heads blushed upon realizing my gaze.

Amal paused and looked up at me, then her eyes narrowed as if she sensed something. Without a word, she approached. Standing before me, she placed her hands on my cheeks, gently pulling my face towards her.

“Andy-sama… something happened, didn’t it?”

Not ‘did something happen?’ but a definitive tone. I was taken aback by her piercing words.

“…No, it’s just the usual.”

“That’s a lie.”

Her response was immediate.

Amal gently caressed my cheek. The coolness of her hand made my body shiver. Her deep red eyes seemed to look through me, seeing someone else.

“Yes, that man…”

“…Huh?”

“Sars Neilson, isn’t it? What did that man say to you?”

A hint of anger resonated in her voice.

My heart skipped a beat.

“It’s nothing important.”

“No, no, Andy-sama. You wouldn’t wear such a face if it were true. Please, tell everything to Amal.”

“That’s….”

I can’t tell her

How would Amal feel knowing someone spoke ill of her? I didn’t need to think too hard to know.

“Andy-sama, please tell…”

Her insistence left me reticent. Amal drew even closer, whispering my name again. I sighed, admitting defeat, and looked down.

“…He spoke ill of you, Amal. I wanted to punch him, but I couldn’t. Whenever I looked at you, I was reminded of that and got annoyed. Sorry.”

“Andy-sama… did you get angry… for me?”

“Of course, I did.”

I answered immediately to Amal’s trembling voice.

The next moment, I felt my body being pulled, and everything went dark. Something soft pressed against my cheek.

It seems I was being hugged tightly, with arms wrapped around my head. Then, that soft thing must be…

“…Andy-sama.”

“Ye-yes! What is it!”

I regained my composure and hastily responded. Amal, still embracing my head, quietly continued.

“I will always protect you, Andy-sama. I swear, no one will ever harm you, no matter what it takes. So—”

“—So, please always stay by my side.”

I couldn’t answer those words, which sounded like prayers.

TN: 🙂 yandere time. She’s really five stars yandere.