God Said She Lied - Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Saint Mercy Academy did not collapse that day.

The stone walls were still there.

The statues were still there.

The bell tower was still there too.

But everyone knew it was no longer the same academy.

The Dean was taken away by the Inquisition.

Ironically, for the first time, he stood in the defendant’s dock he was most familiar with.

The Chief Secretary made the old cases public.

The North Tower students occupied the Main Cathedral for three days and three nights, reading aloud the names of those condemned as heretics.

Damian’s name was read at dusk on the second day.

I stood at the very back of the crowd.

I did not step forward.

Lian sat in a wheelchair, his shoulder wrapped in bandages.

He did not step forward either.

We were separated by a very short distance.

Neither of us spoke.

Some apologies come too late.

So late that saying them out loud feels like seeking relief for oneself.

On the third day, Saint Mercy Academy revoked Damian’s heretic verdict.

In the same announcement, Lian’s and my crimes were also written.

Evelyn, for voluntarily committing perjury three years ago, is banned for life from serving as an academy witness or holding a teaching position.

Lian, for the murder of Edmond and forging testimony, renounces his Candidate Saint qualifications and awaits the ruling of the Secular Court.

After his name, there was no longer the title of Candidate Saint.

I stared at the announcement for a long time.

Lian asked from behind me, “Are you satisfied?”

I didn’t turn around.

“No.”

“Makes sense.”

“Damian can’t come back to life.”

“Yeah.”

“And I won’t become innocent.”

“Yeah.”

“And you certainly won’t.”

He was quiet for a moment.

“Yeah.”

I finally turned around.

He had lost a lot of weight.

Black clothes had replaced his white robes, ironically making him look like a real person.

Not holy.

Not distant.

And no longer so good at deceiving people.

I asked, “What will happen to you now?”

“The Secular Court will try me. I confess to Edmond’s death.”

“How long will the sentence be?”

“I don’t know.”

He looked at me.

“What about you?”

“I’m leaving here.”

“Where to?”

“I don’t know.”

Neither of us knew.

This was much better than the past.

In the past, Lian always knew everything.

Knew which path I would take.

Knew I would lie for him.

Knew how to turn himself into a blade.

And knew how to push others into the positions they were supposed to stand in.

Now, he didn’t know.

And neither did I.

Ironically, this felt like a way to survive.

He took out a very thin booklet from his coat.

I recognized it.

It was the Blank Confession Book from the room in the West Tower.

Now, it was filled with words.

“For you,” he said.

I didn’t take it.

“What scheme is this now?”

“It’s not a scheme.”

“Then what is it?”

He looked down at the booklet.

“The truth as I remember it.”

I gave a small smile.

“You’re finally willing to write a confession?”

“It’s not a confession.”

He looked up.

“It’s testimony.”

My heart stirred slightly.

He said, “I know you don’t need me to testify for you. But I still wanted to write it.”

I looked at the booklet he was offering.

After a long time, I reached out and took it.

My fingertips brushed against his.

He didn’t pull away.

Neither did I.

The touch was very brief.

Yet it felt as if we were finally standing on opposite sides of the same rift.

No one pushing the other.

No one saving the other.

I opened to the first page.

The first line read:

*Evelyn was not manipulated by me.*

The second line read:

*She loved me, so she chose to commit a crime.*

The third line read:

*I love her, so I never dared to admit that she is braver than I am.*

I closed the booklet.

My throat tightened.

“The handwriting is terrible.”

Lian smiled.

“I can fix it.”

“No need.”

I put the booklet into my bag.

“Being a bit ugly makes it look real.”

It was snowing when the people from the Secular Court came to take him away.

The snow at Saint Mercy Academy was still just as white.

So white it looked like it could cover up anything.

But this time, the snow fell on the announcement board, on Damian’s restored name, and on the carriage ruts left behind when the Dean was escorted away.

It couldn’t cover them anymore.

Before Lian was led into the carriage, he looked back at me.

He didn’t tell me to wait for him.

He didn’t speak of forgiveness either.

We weren’t at that stage yet.

And I didn’t say I would go see him.

Some approaches must be taken slowly.

Otherwise, they would just turn into the chains of the past.

As the carriage started to move, he suddenly called out to me.

“Evelyn.”

I looked up.

He looked at me through the falling snow.

“Next time, don’t lie for me.”

I smiled.

But my eyes stung a little.

“Depends on your behavior.”

The carriage drove away.

I stood there for a long time.

Until the bell tower chimed.

No judgment.

No prayers.

Just an ordinary toll of the bell.

I turned and left the academy.

The road outside the gates was illuminated by the snow.

I didn’t know where it led.

But for the first time, I didn’t look back.

And for the first time, I felt that if God were truly watching us, He probably wouldn’t say I was lying anymore.

He would see me covered in sins.

And He would also see that I finally told the truth for once.