Saint's Prison - Chapter 81

The Silent Corridor

Following Amal’s instructions, I left the chapel and walked to the right.

The corridor was dimly lit and windowless, with evenly spaced candlesticks on the walls providing just enough light to see.

The prominent high arch-shaped ceiling and the carved human statues on the walls and pillars gave me the illusion of being watched. It was quite an uncomfortable feeling.

(…I don’t know the details, but this is Gothic-style architecture, right? It’s eerie, to say the least. It’s scarier than a poorly made haunted house.)

I quickened my pace, wanting to get out of there as soon as possible. However, the exit was still nowhere to be seen. This monastery must be quite a large building.

(…Why am I even here in the first place?)

While listening to the sound of my footsteps, I repeated the unanswered question in my head several times. It was an unproductive thought, but I couldn’t help but wonder. To shake off the idea, I rubbed my brow.

After a while, I saw a large gate.

To me, it seemed like a single thread of spider silk hanging down to hell.

I ran. I couldn’t breathe here. I wanted to get out as soon as possible. That was the only thought dominating my head.

I clung to the gate as if I was going to crash into it. I groped for the handle and pushed it open frantically. It was heavy. The sturdy door seemed to resist being opened. I put my weight into it and pulled harder.

The door opened slowly, making a groaning sound. Then, I heard the sound of the wind through the gap.

The sound of the door and the wind. That cacophony traced my ears. I felt a tingling nausea as I finally pushed my body outside.

The first thing that caught my eye was the light.

The outside was filled with dazzling brightness. It must have been because I had been in a dark place. It took a while for my eyes to adjust.

I looked around.

“…Is this the corridor?”

Ahead, there was a large courtyard. The ground was covered with neatly trimmed grass, and in contrast, the trees grew lush and green. It was a very peaceful place. The sun filtered through the trees, gently shining. Looking up at the sky, the sun emitted a soft light.

The atmosphere was completely different from the heaviness I had felt earlier. I sighed with relief. I took a deep breath and took a step forward. For some reason, I felt that this single step had great significance for me.

“Let’s see… Next, I need to turn left, right?”

As I walked, I recalled Amal’s words.

The rustling sound of the trees was comforting. To not forget the gentle drowsiness, I burned the sight into my eyes. My footsteps echoed in the gentle sunlight. That alone was comforting and calming.

“…This must be the door.”

An old wooden door towered before me. I couldn’t help but reach out for the handle and push. Surprisingly, it opened quite easily. After the struggle to open the previous door, it was a bit anticlimactic.

I took a look inside.

Unlike the path to the chapel, there were windows here. It was dim, but not enough to worry about. I let out a sigh, unable to hide my relief.

I slowly closed the door and started walking.

After a short walk, I saw a path on my right. This must be where I should turn. Then, I proceeded silently. The priest’s room should be at the end. There were many detours and doors along the way. This monastery was like a labyrinth.

(…If I hadn’t asked Amal for directions, I would have definitely gotten lost. I’m really grateful to Amal.)

I remembered Amal’s fantastical figure.

(…But she was really beautiful. Shizuyo was also beautiful, but she still had her humanity. But she was different. That’s right… her beauty was like that of a goddess, detached from humans.)

Her beauty was cold and did not exude warmth. That’s why I thought so.

(…But when she smiled, she was really cute. She should smile more, it’s a waste. Well, she must have been on guard against a man she just met. Yeah, it’s only natural. After all, I look suspicious no matter how you look at it.)

While thinking about such things, I arrived at the room at the end.

The door was elaborately crafted and grand. I suppressed my throbbing heart with my hand. Calm down. I took deep breaths several times. Then, I steeled myself.

I knocked on the door.

After waiting a few seconds, I heard a man’s voice say, “Come in.”

Author’s note : Describing the monastery while writing is very enjoyable. It might be my favorite.