CH 5.4

Yohan loosened his grip on the locket he had been holding. He drew a divine smile just like a person who would soon become His Holiness the Pope, and said he would take me to the guards. I accepted the inevitable reality. It might be different if I didn’t get married, but back then I was getting married. It was regrettable that I couldn’t hear his confession, but I couldn’t help it.

“It’s the last time, but you’re ignoring the truth until the end.”

“It’s you who turns a blind eye to the truth.”

“I’m getting married soon. My father found me a partner.”

“I won’t be able to attend the wedding, but congratulations. I’m sure you’ll be able to hold onto happiness.”

“I think that’s going to be a little hard.”

He shook his head when I told him the name of the man I was getting married to. Because he was a man with a very bad reputation. He was famous for being accused of beating his wife to death, but he only paid fines because he was a descendant of a royal family like the Rivero family and the Knights under his command were strong. Even the captain of the guard who heard the story said that Father was too mean, so how would it be with him?

I went back to my family like that. My marriage was delayed because of the death of the Holy Father, and that man seemed to have found fault with my purity because of the unsavory that day. My father’s deal with a man who almost became my husband went wrong and I’m back to a body without a fiancee.

I wasn’t happy at all.

He became Holy Father. He is harder to see than when he was a cardinal. I could really settle for seeing him from afar, but even that became difficult.

I sent him letters. I sent him presents. I asked people to deliver a message to him. If he was going out, I waited at the street corner.

The letters were burned down. The presents were also burnt. The requests were not delivered. When I waited at the street corner, I was captured by the holy knights and imprisoned elsewhere.

In the midst of that, rumors began to circulate in the capital. It was a ridiculous wild rumor. But people liked to talk as if the story was an impressive story and was true. I was miserable to hear that. I know it’s not true, but I was sad.

Yohan loves another woman besides me.

He has another woman in his mind than me.

That person loves another person and hides her.

Does that make sense? That can’t happen. It was impossible. The only people who knew the truth were me and Yohan, but Yohan pretended not to know the rumor, and I tried to correct the rumor, but it didn’t work.

I heard that the young and beautiful Holy Father secretly adores someone. That person is me, but people say other women’s names. People have been talking about the names of beautiful and elegant young ladies of the capital. None of them were my names. It was a strange thing. It was really weird.

Yohan doesn’t see anyone else like that except me.

There’s only one truth, but people say it’s a lie. They said it was my delusion. They said I believe delusions are real because my mind is not intact.

I had to prove the truth.

***

The scissors brushed past Reese’s body. Reese groaned faintly every time that happened. The scissors that cut Reese’s hair, which she had grown dearly all her life, were now cutting Reese’s clothes as well. The pieces of cloth were clumped together in Tite’s hands and shoved into a trash can.

All the clothes were removed from Reese’s body except for the part tied with a rope. Looking at Reese crying on the floor, Tite approached her.

“Sorry. I’ll cut your underwear, too.”

“Mmf! Mmf!”

“I can’t help it. Please understand, huh?”

The scissors moved from Reese’s chest and groin. Reese was utterly exhausted and wept. Reese also knew about rumors that Pope Yohan secretly adored someone in the capital. Everyone wondered who that person would be, and in the meantime, several young ladies’ names came out on the surface.

Reese was one of the young ladies with the highest possibility.

Tite brought up that story as well. Perhaps the reason why Reese was in this difficulty now was because of the rumor.

The most beautiful in the capital, Young Lady Biss. Ebony-like hair and good nature were her and her family’s pride.

“Come to think of it, Young Lady Biss was the most likely candidate, right?”

Tite put her face close by surprise. The scissors in her hand came close together. Reese struggled in horror, moving back. Red eyes full of madness. It was beautiful, but it was even more scary because it was beautiful. Tite smiled incongruously and patted Reese on the cheek.

“Don’t worry, I don’t believe such rumors. I’m the only one the Pope loves.”

Tite nodded.

“Yeah. Only me.”

Tite Rivero’s own truth. Tite Rivero’s solo truth.

A fatal illusion that had separated once the most beautiful and acclaimed young lady from everyone. A vicious stalker who terrified the amiable Holy Father and all the cardinals.

Tite laughed silently. Reese cried silently.