IHDOE Ch 43
[Caretaker] "I never imagined Miss Sophia could be so malicious. Attempted murder by poison!"
[Caretaker] "Exactly. I knew she was jealous of you, Miss Stella, but good heavens! And when I think about what she did to Blin, I'm at a loss for words. How could a teacher do such a thing?"
[Caretaker] "By the way, Miss Stella, are you feeling all right?"
Satina offered a cheerful smile to the orphanage caretakers who had come to visit.
[Stella] "I'm fine. The doctor is exceptionally skilled, so I've already recovered quite a bit."
Her response seemed to touch the caretakers deeply.
[Caretaker] "You remain so resilient even in a terrible situation like this, Miss Stella."
[Caretaker] "No wonder that troublemaker Blin took to you so quickly."
[Stella] "It seems I won't be able to continue my volunteer work for now, but thank you for everything."
The caretakers waved their hands dismissively.
[Caretaker] "Nonsense! You must focus entirely on your recovery!"
[Caretaker] "Indeed! We were overjoyed to meet someone as wonderful as you, Miss Stella!"
[Caretaker] "Once you've recovered and have some spare time, please visit us again."
As she saw the caretakers off to the clinic entrance and turned back, the system notification chimed.
[Serpens' favorability has increased by 5.
Serpens' favorability has reached 50.
The main ending route has been destroyed. Unlocking Ending '036. Secret of the Temple.]
What? Wait...!
Before she could react, darkness consumed her vision.
When Satina opened her eyes, she stood in a dark, cramped room.
Fitting for a Bad Ending, she wore a thin, sleeveless slip dress with a shawl draped over her shoulders instead of an extravagant gown.
A tapestry bearing the temple's emblem hung on one wall, and an open holy scripture rested on a small desk.
Is this the temple?
[Serpens] "Do you really have the luxury to let your mind wander elsewhere?"
She snapped her head up at the voice above her.
Serpens stood before her, clad in his pristine white uniform. Judging by his slightly longer hair, several months seemed to have passed since the present timeline.
[Serpens] "Lady Satina. Are you reflecting on what you did to the Saintess?"
Damn it. One of the Bad Ending routes unlocked.
Though bewildered by the sudden shift, Satina relaxed her body and let events unfold naturally. Past experience had taught her that struggling against the script was pointless.
Her mouth moved of its own accord. She arched her lips into a seductive smile.
[Satina] "And what, exactly, am I supposed to reflect on?"
Serpens knitted his brows.
[Serpens] "You are unbelievable. Are you saying you can't acknowledge your crime of framing the Saintess and attempting to murder her?"
[Satina] "I did no such thing. She staged the entire farce herself."
[Serpens] "Lies again. When will you ever learn the virtue of repentance? Do you even realize that you remain alive solely due to her mercy?"
[Satina] "Mercy, is it...?"
She took a step toward him.
Reaching up, her index finger tilted his chin upward.
[Satina] "There is no one else here, Serpens, so be honest with me. Is it truly because of the Saintess' mercy?"
Her finger traced a path down his neck. The moment her hand brushed the nape of his neck, she didn't miss the heavy swallow that bobbed his Adam's apple.
[Satina] "Or is it because of your own greed?"
Serpens glared at her as she spoke.
Though months had passed since her expulsion from the ducal house and imprisonment in this cramped room, she remained breathtakingly radiant. Anyone who locked eyes with her would fall under her spell, unable to tear their gaze away.
Therefore, keeping her locked in this room was a necessary act for the sake of the world.
Reciting a prayer under his breath, Serpens seized her hand.
[Serpens] "Don't try to bewitch me with such words. I will not be fooled by you any longer."
He inhaled, his smoldering eyes fixed on her.
[Serpens] "It seems you are in need of punishment."
Opening a drawer in the nightstand, he pulled out a rope. He bound her arms above her against the wall where the tapestry hung.
The movement caused the shawl to slip from her shoulders. With both arms secured, she was forced to expose her bare back to him.
In stark contrast to her pristine face, her fair back was a ruined canvas of lash marks. Faded scars intertwined chaotically with fresh, inflamed red welts. Every single mark had been inflicted by him after locking her in this room.
He slowly traced his fingers down the marks he had carved into her skin.
[Serpens] "Satina."
When he dug a fingernail into a healing wound, Satina flinched in agony, unable to utter a word.
The very woman who had been mocking him moments ago was now completely helpless under his touch. That reality granted him a peculiar sense of satisfaction.
[Serpens] "Admit your wrongdoing now."
[Satina] "Agh, ah, ah...!"
His palm pressed against her supple skin. Though she could no longer use scented oils as she had as the ducal daughter of House Bersabet, she always carried a sweet, refreshing floral scent.
Pressing his body close to hers, Serpens whispered into her ear.
[Serpens] "You know it well, do you not? God is always prepared to forgive you."
The barely closed wound tore open, sending blood trickling down her back.
Only he was permitted to see her like this. He was protecting her inside this temple for the good of the world.
Damp strands of hair clung to her pale skin. He pressed his lips to the nape of her neck.
[Serpens] "If you continue to act like this, I might misinterpret it as you enjoying this torture."
She turned her head with a strained laugh.
[Satina] "Are you describing yourself? Forgiveness? What forgiveness?! What did I ever do wrong?!"
Satina pulled against the ropes binding her arms and shouted, but Serpens replied coldly.
[Serpens] "You lewdly seduced a man to murder the Saintess. Because of you, she is still terrified of large men."
[Satina] "I told you countless times! She staged the whole thing! You know it too! I only exchanged a few words with him at a couple of parties! How on earth could I have seduced him?"
[Serpens] "Don't feign ignorance when you know full well."
He seized her face with one hand.
[Serpens] "You enticed him with this face, with this body. Does the frequency of your meetings even matter to someone like you?"
[Satina] "Ha... haha... I enticed him? I seduced that man...? Haha..."
Letting out a hollow laugh, she stared at him with vacant eyes.
[Satina] "...Just like I seduced you?"
Serpens tightened his grip on her face.
[Satina] "I know everything. You couldn't tear your eyes off me from the moment we first met. And you call yourself a priest?"
She continued in a soft, mocking tone.
[Satina] "You pretend to serve God, but you're nothing more than a hypocrite. Keeping me alive offers no benefit to the temple, yet you mouth pleasantries about mercy for one reason alone."
[Serpens] "Shut your mouth."
[Satina] "Because you want to. You have no idea what kind of look you wear when you enter this room, do you? Your face lights up like a child receiving a birthday gift. And you claim this is all for my sake?"
[Serpens] "I told you to shut up."
Glancing down toward his thigh, she sneered.
[Satina] "You shut up, you sick bastard."
Grit his teeth, Serpens released her face. Picking up a whip, he spoke coldly.
[Serpens] "Very well. Since you beg for it, I shall grant your wish."
A short while later, Satina collapsed onto the bed, utterly exhausted and drenched in sweat and blood.
[Satina] "You're no priest. If God exists, He ought to strike you down first."
He spoke, his expression noticeably refreshed.
[Serpens] "Refrain from running your mouth carelessly because you think I won't punish you further."
[Satina] "Be quiet."
She closed her eyes. A crushing fatigue enveloped her.
When can I finally end this life?
[Serpens] "Very well. That will be all for today. I expect to see a bit more reflection the next time I visit."
Once Serpens departed, a maid wearing a novice priest's attire entered the room. She was someone he had hired specifically to care for Satina.
When she saw the maid's face, her eyes widened in shock.
It's Blin!
It seemed she had been hired by Serpens after working at the temple orphanage.
While supporting Satina on the way to the bathroom to wash her as usual, Blin whispered.
[Blin] "Lady Satina, can you run?"
[Satina] "Huh?"
[Blin] "There's no time to explain in detail. You wanted to get out of here, right? I'll help you."
She spoke in a rushed whisper.
[Blin] "I left the door unlocked. While I was distracted changing the bedding, you put on these clothes and ran away—got it? Once you step outside, head left toward the north gate. You'll be able to escape without being seen."
Pulling out street clothes and a hat hidden under her apron, she handed them to Satina.
Scrambling to change into the clothes as instructed, she asked.
[Satina] "W-What is going on all of a sudden...?"
Grasping her hands, Blin spoke with firm determination.
[Blin] "Consider it payment for teaching me."
Satina was rendered speechless.
Teaching Blin had been a mere whim. Talking only to Serpens in this cramped room had driven her near the brink of madness. Satina had done it solely to preserve her knowledge and keep herself from losing her mind.
[Blin] "To be honest, I always wanted to attend the academy. My family situation prevented it, but... learning from you was wonderful."
If her escape were discovered, Blin would suffer severe punishment. Yet she was risking everything just to repay the minor favor Satina had once extended to her.
[Satina] "When Serpens finds out I ran away, he will fly into a rage."
[Blin] "It doesn't matter. I can run away too. I've saved quite a bit of money while caring for you, Lady Satina."
[Satina] "Still..."
[Blin] "Hurry. We don't have much time."
Smiling, she adjusted the hat on Satina's head so it wouldn't blow away in the wind.
On the verge of tears, Satina pressed the hat down firmly with both hands.
[Satina] "If we meet again out there, I promise I will get you into the academy."
[Blin] "I'll hold you to that. Now, go this way."
Satina hurried down the passage Blin had pointed out and stepped outside. Though dazzled by the unaccustomed sunlight, she ran along the route Blin had provided.
Only a few more paces remained before she reached the temple perimeter.
In that instant, a heavy blow slammed into her side. Without even a chance to scream, Satina crumpled to the ground. Someone had slashed her flank with a blade.
As a chilling cold spread through her body, she closed her eyes.
Chime!
The familiar notification sound echoed after what felt like an eternity.
Ending '036. Secret of the Temple has concluded.
[Satina] "Gasp!"
She bolted upright, frantically surveying her surroundings. Spotting Serpens' face right before her eyes, she recoiled in sheer terror.
[Serpens] "Miss Stella! Are you all right?"
Though hw asked with a face filled with concern, Satina froze stiff the moment his voice hit her ears. She felt as though she were still trapped inside the nightmare of that Bad Ending.
Just then, Liv's monotonous mechanical voice sounded.
[It is all right, Player.
Ending '036. Secret of the Temple has concluded.
The player is safe. Please take deep breaths.
Follow Liv's rhythm. Ready: Inhale, exhale. Inhale, exhale.]
Hearing Liv's voice finally put her mind at ease. Only then did Satina sink into late-arriving panic.
I freaked out far too dramatically at the sight of Serpens. How on earth do I explain this...?
Meanwhile, watching Satina recoil in horror at the mere sight of him left Serpens in anguish.
The trauma from that incident must run terrifyingly deep.
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