***WARNING: This chapter contains gruesome talk and psycothic actions.
***Alright Now Continuation Of Chapter 26...
"Does the Duchess have a priest to hold the funeral prayers?" (Christobal, asked)
He had opened his mouth again asking more in detail.
"No, I do not...I was thinking of praying together with the people since the Temple is unworthy to say the prayers" (Han Jea/Nania, said)
"At the moment the situation with the temple is...bad so we don't have a good priest that we can count on" (Han Jea/Nania, said)
She responded politely to him like she had been doing so the whole time.
"Duchess I shall hold the prayers for the funeral" (Christobal, said)
'Widen'
"?!" (Han Jea/Nania)
His words had momentarily shocked her.
'But...' (Han Jea/Nanai's inner thoughts)
However, she quickly snapped out of it due to one reason.
"Pardon if I sound rude but haven't you resigned the priest path?" (Han Jea/Nania, asked)
It was customary for priests to hold funeral prayers but if there was no Priest then they would just pray as a group she was sure that was how it was going to role especially after Christobal had left his post behind.
She could not ask him to do something he purposely abandoned that was why it didn't even cross her mind to ask him for that.
And even more the moment he decided to perform the prayers he will have to reclaim that life again.
In other words, if an ex-priest prayed at a funeral or wedding they would be violating the law unless they go back to their position.
"That's precariously what I was going to do" (Christobal, said)
He answered with determination and firmness as if his mind had been made up.
"I know most of the hidden secrets that each priest and server of god has done, I have evidence of their corrupted affiliations, this time the temple can be override" (Christobal, said)
"I will become the pillar that you need once it's cleansed I shall make sure the religious oath stays in place" (Christobal, said)
He would give them the incriminating evidence against all the people of the temple that he couldn't just simply offend back then.
There were so many to fight off and some with very powerful connections or backings but now he had his strong backing.
This time the corrupt temple would turn upside down to turn in the new leaf.
It was something that as people of the North with good intentions must unite forces.
The next step was clear.
-Many minutes ago when Han Jea/Nania was speaking to the people while Damien was leaving-
'Turn'
"It's been a long time since the people's hearts had rejoiced like this" (Doctor Nestor, said)
Doctor Nestor turned the side of his head to side glance at Han Jea/Nania who was surrounded by cheerful people.
"I could see that she's lightened the lonely heart of yours as well, I never thought you'd ever open your heart but it seems such unexisting beauty and intelligence has moved your heart, I'm glad however I'd keep a close eye" (Doctor Nestor, said)
'Glance'
He glanced at Carlo.
"The Abendroth family must have kept such angle in their grasp for a reason, once released everyone would want to have the angle including those closest to you" (Doctor Nestor, said)
'Glance'
Damien's golden eyes only turned to the side to look at Doctor Nestor without saying a word.
"...." (Damien)
'Turn'
Doctor Nestor turned his attention straight forward again after delivering the words of advice and continued speaking.
"By the way I have not seen your aide anywhere? Is he alright?" (Doctor Nestor, asked)
He asked both curious and concerned.
'Open'
Damien finally opened his mouth.
"He's on time out for now, but I must know the details" (Damien, said)
"Ah..." (Doctor Nestor, said)
He understood what Damien said.
He heard along the lines between some Reynolds knights that Ulisses had not been getting along with the Duchess.
For that, he shouldn't be surprised seeing how caring the Duke was of his wife.
At this moment that was probably where they were heading since Damien was speaking of information about what happened when Ulisses went missing.
A conversation that he wanted Doctor Nestor to be part of and hear to incorporate on what he too had to say about this whole situation.
......
-Inside an office-
'Scribble, Scribble, Scribble'
A top attack office with a larger old window and a rusty old desk paired up with a long old brown oak coffee table that held the cluttered work of a stressed man.
'Tsk. I don't understand why the Duke is so upset it's not like I said anything wrong in the first place she didn't have to go through laying with the corpses' (Ulisses's inner thoughts)
'I bet she had everything so easy she probably seduced someone just like she seduced the Duke' (Ulisse's inner thought)
'If only the accident wouldn't have happened he would not be married to the illegitimate child and he would be married to my dear-' (Ulisses's inner thoughts)
'Creak'
But before he could finish his angry hostile thought the door had opened entering Damien and Doctor Nestor.
'Turn'
'Halt'
'Spring'
He turned to look who was coming in realizing it was them so he immediately sprang up as if he was caught doing something bad.
"Hello, you must be Ulisses?" (Doctor Nestor, asked)
Doctor Nestor approached Ulisses politely to greet him while Damien passed them and sat on his desk chair.
"Ah...yes you must be Doctor Nestor" (Ulisses, said)
He responded trying to hide his stressed expression.
He was already angry Damien had punished him, he had finished not so long ago with coping the documents of the poor town embezzlement and sent it out, and now he was crossing down the remaining names of those who had betrayed and what they were to take away suggestion of the Duchess.
Now the talk he didn't want to speak of had to initiate.
....
'Creak'
Doctor Nestor had sat across a brown old couch finally taking a seat to talk as he sipped on an apple tea.
"I befriended Doctor Nevardo when we were small, he was a good friend and a good man or at least I wanted to believe" (Doctor Nestor, said)
He began to speak with a bitter expression.
"Even if he appeared to be normal I couldn't help to notice there was something off about him that he hid, however, the fault of my negligence was deciding to ignore that part of him and that driven to the result" (Doctor Nestor, said)
"I wanted to see the best of him, he was a very good friend of mine that was why I...I don't have any other excuse to say nor do I have the excuse for being so uninformed that the Duke had sent money to reconstruct the poor areas so I had not reported in the letter but I had reported the cases of citizens that were getting infected that I can say has been the only thing I thought I had done well..." (Doctor Nestor, said)
"I had realized that the Moros's diseases worsened because we did not have the necessary hygienic supplies that we as doctors must have so when I spoke to Doctor Nevardo he told me he had already sent a report to the Duke" (Doctor Nestor, said)
"But as the next supplies arrived there were not what I told the Doctor Nevardo to ask" (Doctor Nestor, said)
"At that time Doctor Nevardo seemed upset as well and said himself that he would send another letter immediately and he did so it did not raise suspicion" (Doctor Nestor, said)
"As I waited for the next supply arrival I also had been suspecting a few days back why no Doctors and Reynolds knights were getting sick only the citizens so I started to observe and analyze a few things till the shipment came here, by that time it became clear" (Doctor Nestor, said)
"Something was going on. Doctor Nevardo seemed to push it away as if it was nothing raising suspicion in him. As my gut told me I sneaked into Doctor Nevardo's room..." (Doctor Nestor, said)
'Close'
He closed his eyes as he continued to speak.
"There was information on the number of under-the-counter materials that seemed to be the ingredients for the Moros disease he had created" (Doctor Nestor, said)
"Those were only a little of the few ingredients to create the Moros disease, in that sheet there were far more ingredients to other diseases and experimental use to create for his experimentation towards the Northern Citizens" (Doctor Nestor, said)
"Immediately cold blood flowed through me and I began digging more finding out that he was the was paying the Doctors and the Reynolds knights under the counter as well with some notes on what he could use to blackmail them if they wanted to back out" (Doctor Nestor, said)
"He must be mad if he thinks that wasn't clearly betraying the Duke but harming his own people but what I found out was more sinister than that" (Doctor Nestor, said)
'Touch'
He touched his teacup tightly as his fingertips trembled.
"There was more information that I got to read before he burned it..." (Doctor Nestor, said)
His expression got dark as if he took a pause from his choking saliva with a traumatized horrified face.
Just seeing his painted face full of horror was clear that the next words to come were something that could not take in lightly.
Open
His lips opened trembling.
"He had written a mad note, a note that seemed to be written to relieve his furry because he had been kicked out of the Corpse room" (Doctor Nestor, said)
'Flich'
Ulisses flinched and became pale at the mention.
"The corpse room?" (Damien, asked)
But not Damien.
'Nod'
Doctor Nestor Noded.
"There was not much detail about the room but one thing is for sure. He wrote that he was unjustly kicked out of the corpse room when he danced happily and sang a song as he watched the corpses burn in flames" (Doctor Nestor, said)
"..." (Damien)
'Close'
At this point, he couldn't be surprised.
He said nothing as he sensed that Doctor Nestor wanted to continue on.
"I wanted to throw up, I knew this person was no longer sane but I didn't dare to go empty-handed without proof and telling the Duke but I had let my guard down" (Doctor Nestor, said)
"Doctor Nevardo had been a trap purposely placing that information as I had fallen for it." (Doctor Nestor, said)
"After that...I never saw the light of ray. He took me to an underground basement, the many questions I was wondering were instantly answered when I saw the tied up experimented bodies" (Doctor Nestor, said)
"I thought my destiny would be to lay there however Doctor Nevardo did not experiment on me like he did to them. He paralyzed me and put me to sleep at moment, I honestly don't know what he injected into my body but I am still alive, the only thing at the moment was to be cuffed to the wall showcasing me to watch what he did to the people" (Doctor Nestor, said)
"I could only watch him try injections he had created and he and the Doctor Assist spoke to a group of cape men who would had large rolling carts placing the live experimented bodies of the citizens Doctor Nevardo had been experimenting with" (Doctor Nestor, said)
"As they loaded all the bodies they entered the metal door but only a couple of feet away as Doctor Nestor and the Doctor's Assistant spoke to the caped men before they returned empty-handed" (Doctor Nestor, said)
"Then Doctor Nevardo asked the Doctor Assistant for more people to continue his experiments" (Doctor Nestor, said)
His lips finally closed as he was done confessing.
'Slince'
The room was completely silent.
Damien seemed to be restraining his anger as his anger veins popped out from clenching his jaw while Ulises's hands trembled.
'Open'
"I-I saw the corpse...they were truly horrifying dead" (Ulisses, said)
Ulisses finally had spoke up confirming that the people that Doctor Nevardo and the Doctor Assistant had turned to the capped men were actually dead.
'Turn'
Their attention turned to Ulisses.
"Carlo had gone to get another crowbar as the Duchess opened a cargo box she had moved for a minute away as I took a look inside and suddenly was pushed" (Ulisses, said)
"I had thought it was the Duchess who had pushed me inside the cargo box however as she tried to reach out she had been pushed in as well" (Ulisses, said)
"After that, I don't recall anything else it was just as if I had been put to sleep inside the box, and when I woke up I was laying in a giant pile of rotten unlived corpses so high as if it was stories high" (Ulisse, said)
Ulisse continued on as he tried to remain calm without trying to throw up.
"I didn't get the chance to look around much but it looked to be a very ancient circle auditorium, I fainted not long after" (Ulisses, said)
"Then I woke once again to a skinny black caped person who seemed to be yelling at me but I was unable to hear since my ears had been hurt and then within seconds suddenly that skinny blacked caped person was sent flying slamming into a tree with a hand motion of a taller blacked caped person" (Ulisses, said)
"The taller black caped person appeared to use black magic emitting black energy from his hands as he threw the skinny one" (Ulisses, said)
"I couldn't understand what was happening, why that skinny black caped person was yelling at me or why they were arguing or even if they were on the same side but before I knew it the taller black caped person had taken out their sword approaching me" (Ulisses, said)
"I could not hear, I was unable to move...I was frightened. At that moment that taller blacked caped man pulled out his sword, I thought I was going to die" (Ulisses, said)
"However the short-caped person protected me" (Ulisses, said)
"The sword had run near their right armpit and yelled at me...it was as if they were continuing on telling me to run away and I did" (Ulisses, said)
"I had ran for what seemed forever until Kevis found me, and I directed to the Duchess the instant she was found" (Ulisse, said)
'Glance'
Ulisses glanced as he said taking a glance at Damien who clearly also wanted an explanation for his rude behavior.
"I committed disrespect to her but it was only because I thought for a second that she could be that short black-caped person. The person appeared to be around the same height as a very small silhouette of a woman rather than a man so I only went there to confirm the injury" (Ulisses, said)
"But I found nothing..." (Ulisses, said)
He averted his gaze down as he said.
'...' (Doctor Nestor)
Although he didn't say anything his face looked as if he was taken aback rather front the last words Ulisses had said.
"...." (Damien)
Even Damien who scrunched his eyes as if he was trying to puzzle up pieces had a hint as if he had remebered something that sired something he had noticed.
'Chatter, Chatter'
But before any could say anything loud chatter was suddenly heard as Damien's attention turned to look at the direction of the back wind getting up.
'Step, Step'
Walking
'Halt'
Stop walking.
'..?..' (Damien)
Just right down below Han Jea/Nania seemed to be giving a speech around a swarm of people with different emotions on their faces.
Some touched, some sad, some heartbroken.
He wondered what that was about especially the old man that stood next to her.
"Isn't that ex-high priest Christobal?" (Ulisses, asked)
Ulisses had now approached to see what Damien was looking so attently at
'Ah...and like always she has to be the center of attention' (Ulisses's inner thoughts)
"Is that the Duchess? I wonder what they are up to?" (Doctor Nestor, asked)
Even he got up showing calmness and politeness staring down.
'Gaze'
Both Ulisses and Doctor Nestor's eyes moved as they saw Christobal leave away from the crowd seeming to be heading inside the residence they were at.
"It's quite unfortunate he lost his dear wife to the Moros disease" (Doctor Nestro, said)
He added on with lament for the loss.
'Close'
Damien closed his eyes slowly with an unreadable face.
'Knock, Knock'
And in no minute to waste a knock came to the attick office.
'Open'
"Come in" (Damien, said)
Damien opened his eyes and turned around.
'Creak'
Open door.
"?" (Doctor Nestor)
"..." (Ulisess)
"I hope I am not interupting Duke?" (Christobal, asked)
He asked with a firm expression but still remained polite.
'Raise'
"Not at all, does my wife need something, or is this matter something else?" (Damien, asked)
He asked without calmness gesturing to take a seat if he had another matter to speak of.
"I am here for both matters Duke" (Christobal, said)
"I see...then please take a seat" (Damien, said)
'Turn'
"Ulisses finish the other stack" (Damien, said)
Damien turned to Ulisses to tell him to finish the work.
'Nod'
"Yes Duke" (Ulisses, said)
He immediately responded grabbing a stack of perpers and moving to a corner as Doctor Nestor noticed.
"I'll excuse myself if I-" (Doctor Nestor, said)
He had thought that this was a conversation he could not participate so he had gotten ready to dissmis himself however he was stopped by Christobal.
"I hope the Doctor could hear this conversation as well" (Christobal, said)
'Sweat'
A sweat dropped from Doctor Nestor's cheeks feeling guilty if he really should be listening to the conversation.
In the end, things ended up this way.
Christobal had just sat down where Doctor Nestor had been sitting on while Damien sat across the couch while Doctor Nestor sat on a small couch in between them.
'Open'
Christobal's lips finally opened again.
"I lost my wife to the Moros disease" (Christobal, said)
Damien and Doctor Nestor's expression gained a firm expression.
Perhaps it was the blame that Doctor Nestor felt for being incompetent or perhaps it was Damien who was the one who claimed he'd protect and take care of his people.
Not everyone could forgive him for not taking care of his people so he had to stand the hate for it.
"I hated those who took away my wife and those who had betrayed, I wanted to hate them for the remaining of my life" (Christobal, said)
"I thought I could never forgive and accept that she was gone...till today" (Christobal, said)
'Smile'
A bitter smile formed on his lips as his eyes painted sorrow.
"Today when the Duchess visited me..." (Christobal, said)
'Flinch'
At the mention of the Duchess Ulisses who was working in a corner flinched immediately while Damine scrunched his eyes trying to figure out what related to his wife.
"I realized I couldn't live a life like that, if I wanted revenge I had to do it the right way. A great ruler like her is something I am glad the Duke has and I no longer want to stand for this injustice especially as I see how much sufferment" (Christobal, said)
'The Duchess words? What did she say to him?' (Ulisse's inner thoughts)
He like always saw her in a bad manner.
"I will participate in tomorrow's funeral holding the prayers" (Christobal, said)
"I will go with you and the Duchess to the temple to reclaim the Archbishop seat. I will become your strength without no strings attached" (Christobal, said)
'Widen'
"?!" (Damien, Doctor Nestor, Ulisses)
They all knew what all those words meant.
'Open'
"Those words....I do not take lightly, are you swearing to eradicate the rotten in the temple?" (Damien, asked)
He asked with suspicion.
'Nod'
"It's just as you hear Duke, I will help you cleanse the corrupt temple all I ask is for you to help me to ascend to the Archbishop position" (Chirstobal, said)
"..." (Damien)
His expression frowned and Christobal knew what.
"It may appear that I want only your support to have power in the temple but I will prove myself if you give me the opportunity" (Christobal, said)
He said with a face that seemed to spout no lies.
Damien remained silent he only asked one thing.
"Has my wife given her word?" (Damien, asked)
"She has Duke" (Christobal, said)
He said with a warm proud expression as if he had much respect for her.
'Close'
'Open'
"Then there are no further questions, make sure you do not betray my trust....especially my wife" (Damien, said)
"I will not take it lightly" (Damien, said)
Although he said it with a warning he accepted telling him that Christobal would have their support.
'Break'
And in the distance, a broken pen sound was heard.
'Grit'
Ulisses was sure not happy how blindly Damien had been trusting the Duchess while on the other hand Doctor Nestor seemed more impressed as he kept hearing the accomplishments of the Duchess and how much the Duke trusted her.
.......
-Inside Han Jea/Nania's assigned bedroom-
The night had already fallen and she was beyond exhausted but she couldn't dare to close thoes eyes of hers.
She had so much to do and she knew Damien had too.
She wasn't the only one who had to suffer staying up all night.
Leslie who had to run back and forward exchanging documents between Han Jea/Nania and Damien must be exausted as well even Carlo who stood outside her bedroom door guarding here as it was inapropare to come in the room of a married women in the night.
Anyways Han Jea/Nania and Damien would not see each other probably until the time of the funeral ceremony.
Damien had to be in charge of bringing the dead bodies of those who did not make it to a large empty piece of grassland where their cemetery was located.
He had to be multitasking making sure the grave cravers were working fast to make the respected graves engraved with their names while at the same time having his knight dig out holes in the ground.
On the other hand, Han Jea/Nania had just finished writing all the names of the lost ones that she had sent into a document to Damien about ten minutes ago.
She had tried to rush and set the number of the two hundred people who had not made it that way he knew how many graves and to set.
Now he will be able to tell the grave craver workes to write down the other names in the last document she had sent out.
This was so much work, she had started that just as soon as she had spoken to the people who luckily no one declined.
They were all touched, she had hoped that nothing would go wrong.
They deserved to have a nice farewell.
Now she was working on the quantity of white flowers for the special ones to place before they would cover the grave.
She had to worry about other funeral detail preparations.
She was bound to pull an all-nighters.
'Turn'
She turned to look at the moonlight from her chair as her eye bags showed.
'I hope everything goes well without a problem' (Han Jea/Nania's inner thoughts)
"Sigh" (Han Jea/Nania, sighed)
She sighed trying to relieve the stress before she turned back to her documents.
'Scribble, Scribble'
Writing.
And she wrote, wrote, and wrote for many hours till the sun rose.
'Glimmer'
As the setting, morning sun illuminated her exhausted face that hadn't had a chance to change into a simple lady gown or taken a bath she had been in her night gown all night without sleeping a wink.
And the worst part was that she'd had to hurry out to the graveyard to make sure everything she had ordered had come and see how things on Damien's side going.
......
'What? What is going on here?' (Han Jea/Nania's inner thoughts)
But when she rushed to the graveyard she found an unexpected scene.
KINDA SPOILERS: Ulisses doesn't hate Fl just because she's an illegitimate child or because she took the position that should belong to another but it's much deeper than that. Damien will suspect something with what he remembered from Ulisses's conversation.
Feel free to comment what you think the reason is?