Chapter 121: Are They Offerings? - I Forged Them in Darkness, and They Buried Me in It

Chapter 121: Are They Offerings? A gentle breeze drifted through the window, lifting the girl's cascading hair and turning the pages of the book upon the table. Eilene paused in surprise. The book now open wasn't the one she had taken from the shelf, "A Hundred Ways to Judge a Witch," but rather an enigmatic tome that had always rested there. The cover was a deep, mysterious black, without any text. Now that it was open, the contents were revealed for the first time. Over the past two years, Eilene had visited the study many times and had often seen this mysterious book, but out of respect for Lucius, she had never opened it herself. Yet today, as if the heavens themselves wanted to uncover its secrets, the pages fluttered open. Eilene hesitated but was drawn in, leaning over to steal a glance. Inside, she found a solitary, cryptic sentence: "To become a deity, one doesn't require grandiose sacrifices nor need complex rituals." An enigmatic statement, without context or explanation. Eilene's eyes flickered, accompanied by the subtle flutter of her long eyelashes. She couldn't help but think back to when Lucius first brought her back, to the question she had asked him. "Why?" "Why did you save me?" This question had been deeply buried in Eilene's heart ever since. If his interest was purely physical, why hadn’t he made a move in the two years since? It's not as if they hadn’t spent a significant amount of time in close proximity, often with no possibility of defying him. Selina, for her part, had openly stated multiple times that she wouldn't mind if he acted on any intentions. Pondering this, Eilene's eyes returned to the sentence in the book. The handwriting was elegant and free-spirited; it was undoubtedly Lucius’s own work. The girl froze as an unsettling and nearly despairing thought began to ferment in her mind. Were they... sacrifices? Eilene dared not dwell on the thought, hastily pushing it away. No, it couldn't be. Her small hands unconsciously clenched as she recalled the little moments and memories with Lucius, including the vow he had once made. He simply couldn't be that kind of person... Eilene placed her hand lightly over her heart, as if to soothe an invisible ache. Just then, footsteps echoed from the hallway. Startled into action, Eilene quickly shut the enigmatic book and instinctively grabbed "A Hundred Ways to Judge a Witch" from the table, clutching it to her chest. She was about to place it back on the shelf when the study door swung open, revealing the towering figure of Lucius. Lucius spotted Eilene and, though he raised an eyebrow, he didn't seem particularly surprised. Her anxious demeanor, however, piqued his curiosity. "What’s wrong? If you want to read, go ahead. Did I interrupt you?" Concealing the embarrassing title with her hand, Eilene shook her head and softly replied, "No, you didn’t." Lucius grew more puzzled. He approached her. "What's this about? You're acting strange." As Lucius approached, Eilene steeled herself and sat back down, placing the book on her lap and pressing her hands on the cover to hide the title completely. Her voice involuntarily rose a few octaves. "I-I didn't read it!" Her agitated response made Lucius take a closer look. He didn't rush to speak, instead sitting down on a chair opposite her, one reserved for Selina who often kept him company late into the night in the study. Lucius casually remarked, "If you didn't read it, that's fine. No need to overreact. It's not like you got caught reading something inappropriate." "But even if that were the case, we all grow up eventually. I understand." His voice was calm and conversational. Yet to Eilene, his words made her blush, her delicate ears visibly turning red. She pressed her lips together, eyes darting, as she raised her voice in denial. "How dare you accuse me wrongly!" Lucius was taken aback, "I didn't accuse you. Just joked, no need to shout so loud." Eilene feigned composure and scoffed, her legs pressed tightly together beneath her skirt, toes curling. Gradually, as her embarrassment subsided, she glanced at Lucius's innocent expression, turning her head to gaze out the window, avoiding his gaze. She muttered softly, "It's not polite to make such jokes with a girl." Hearing this, Lucius laughed lightly, not wishing to push the topic further. He retrieved an envelope from the desk, a letter from the Pope delivered that very morning. Lucius opened it and began to read. Before long, his brow furrowed deeply. The Pope's letter clearly stated this was the final warning. If Lucius continued his defiance, the consequences would be unavoidable. Despite his standing as a priest, repeated disobedience meant the Church's inquisitorial forces would come after him just the same. He had hoped to negotiate more time. But the situation had grown dire… If he could just hold out another year, the witches would be more physically mature, their essence more potent. Though it wasn't perfect timing, it was sufficient. While these troublesome thoughts concerning the confrontation with the Church clouded Lucius's mind, the girl across from him grew increasingly anxious. She wished to rise, placing the book back on the shelf as if nothing had happened. But as her legs twitched to move, she recoiled. The mere thought of the mortifying scene if discovered made Eilene hesitate. She preferred to wait, hoping Lucius would depart on his own. Always calling Lucius a deviant, the thought of him finding out she peeked at something of that nature... She would rather face death. Perhaps her silent prayers were heard, for Lucius soon moved. He tucked the letter into his robe, standing up, then called out, "Come on, it's getting late. Selina’s waiting in the living room for us to have dinner." "Ehh..." Momentarily startled, Eilene instinctively began to rise. But the next moment, her movement caused the thick book to tumble to the ground with a thud. Lucius looked over, meeting the girl's widened eyes. The title on the cover, its bold letters glinting in the sunlight... --- In the inner city, the headquarters of the Church. In a vast hall, an elderly man with silver hair knelt in prayer, hands clasped and face full of piety. His eyes slowly opened, revealing a face etched with life's wrinkles. He turned to the crimson-robed Archbishop before him, softly asking, "And his response?" Seco knelt, respectfully recounting Lucius's stance word for word. He hesitated, "Your Holiness, Father Lucius's actions are utterly preposterous, we, we..." The Pope waved a hand to interrupt. "Proceed with the preparations." Seco's eyes lit up at the directive, a cruel twist forming on his lips. "Yes." (End of chapter)