Chapter 7

Chapter 7

That night, the Inquisition did not search the West Tower.

They searched Lian’s dormitory.

When the news arrived, I was writing my third testimony.

Lian had asked me to split the events from three years ago into three versions.

One for the Inquisitor.

One for the Dean.

And one for the Public Final Trial.

He said that once a lie began to fork, those in power would be too busy choosing the path that benefited them most.

I told him he didn’t act like a Saint.

He said he never was one to begin with.

When the guards rushed in, Lian was sitting across from me.

“Candidate, the Dean requests your presence immediately.”

Lian didn’t ask why.

He closed the testimony on the table and handed it to me.

“Burn the second copy.”

I took it.

“That’s the one for the Dean.”

“That’s why you must burn it.”

He stood up and left.

After the door closed, I didn’t move right away.

I opened the second copy.

It read: Three years ago, I saw Lian open the Holy Ark in the North Tower Basement.

But below that was another line, newly added by him.

I am willing to testify as a Saint Candidate that what Evelyn saw at the time is true.

I stared at that line for a long time.

Then, I held the paper over the candle flame.

The fire slowly swallowed his name.

In the middle of the night, Lian returned.

The cuffs of his white robes were wet.

It wasn’t water.

It was blood.

I stood up.

“Are you hurt?”

“It’s not mine.”

He walked over to the table and poured a glass of water, but didn’t drink it.

“They took Sister Martha.”

Sister Martha was the West Tower Keeper.

Three years ago, she had secretly given me bread.

I had never mentioned it to Lian.

But he knew.

He always knew.

“Why did they take her?”

“They claimed she passed a secret letter for you.”

I froze.

“The forged secret letter?”

“Yes.”

“They want her to confess to it?”

Lian nodded.

I suddenly understood where the blood came from.

“You went to the Torture Chamber.”

“I was too late.”

His voice was very low.

It was the first time I had ever seen him like this.

Not gentle.

Not calm.

It was as if he were suppressing something on the verge of shattering.

“What did she say?” I asked.

Lian gripped his glass tightly.

“She said I was the one who asked her to pass the secret letter to you.”

I was stunned.

“Why would she say that?”

“Because they made her choose. Implicate you, or implicate me.”

“She chose you?”

“She thought I could survive.”

I suddenly couldn’t speak.

Lian set the glass down.

The bottom of the glass tapped against the table, the sound very soft.

“Starting tomorrow, the Dean will turn his spearhead toward me.”

I asked, “Is this what you wanted?”

“Yes.”

“You’re crazy.”

“Perhaps.”

He looked up at me.

“But it’s not enough.”

Those words sent a chill down my spine.

I finally realized that he hadn’t been forced into this position.

He had been walking toward this step all along.

I asked, “What exactly do you want them to find out?”

Lian said, “I want them to find out that the Saints of Saint Mercy Academy are all chosen by sinners.”

He placed a small key on the table.

“Tomorrow night, after the final prayer, come with me underground to the Holy Ark.”

“Why?”

“Damian’s true cause of death is there.”

I looked at the key.

It was very small.

Yet it looked like it could open a grave.

“Why are you only showing me this now?”

Lian said, “Because before, you only wanted to run away.”

“And now?”

His gaze fell upon my face.

“Now, you’ve started hating the right place.”