Free Web NovelChapter 58: Chapter 52: Judgment is Nigh
The crowd had gathered in front of the Church. People wishfully believed that there was no place more sacred than the Church, and that this would ensure a just verdict.
A large wooden chair was placed to the west of the Church, with a small table beside it.
On the table sat the Holy Communion Box, a round, silver container with a hinged lid. Engraved on its side was an image of Jesus nailed to the Cross. It held the holy wafers for Mass, and today, it would be used for the swearing of oaths.
Swearing an oath was a required part of the proceedings. For the common folk, it was one of the few comforts available to the powerless. It wasn’t always effective, but sometimes, it truly made a difference.
The millennium of Christ’s incarnation was approaching. Even those who were once impious had begun to grow anxious, though tragically, not all of them.
His kingdom was coming, and all would be judged.
Trials were held once every four weeks, so they were not a common occurrence. For the townspeople, whose lives were relatively leisurely, they were often a form of entertainment.
Most of the time, the cases were dull—things like who lost a well cover, or who stole some flour.
Today was more exciting than usual, for the trial was for a murder.
And what’s more, it was a Priest accused of killing a newborn baby girl.
What a heinous sin.
Many did not know the details, but Shire the Cultivator knew. In fact, he had witnessed the entire event. He was there.
He could not tolerate such an act.
The victim’s mother was the widow of a poor Knight. He had fallen into debt, and to repay it, he sold his land to Priest Kenji. Priest Kenji had promised to care for his widow and family.
But this Priest, a servant of God, had killed the infant simply to reduce his expenses.
Fueled by a burning rage, Shire wanted to seek justice for the woman.
Now, however, he was having some regrets. Not for his actions, but for his own inadequacy.
Shire placed a hand on the silver Holy Communion Box and said, "In the sight of Almighty God, I, Shire, swear that Priest Kenji murdered an unnamed girl born to the freewoman, Lady Xilin. Twelve days ago, Kenji threw this newborn child into the water. This I saw with my own eyes and heard with my own ears. Amen."
Horrified whispers rippled through the crowd. They had known of the accusation before, but perhaps they hadn’t paid attention to the details. Or perhaps they knew the details, but hearing Shire declare them aloud in his clear voice still filled them with dread.
Whatever the reason, the crowd’s shock was a comfort to Shire. ’They should be shocked. Perhaps their outrage will shame Dean Rez into agreeing to some form of justice.’
Dean Rez stood at the center of the high platform, about to speak.
He was the dean of a large nearby Monastery, and because the crime involved a member of the Clergy, he was intervening as a representative of the Church.
Beside him were representatives of the citizenry and the city’s dignitaries. Their opinions were also important.
"..."
"Dean Rez, you cannot preside over this trial. The accused is your brother."
"What? Are you suggesting I could be bribed? You could be punished for saying such a thing." Rez put on an offended look.
"No, I am merely stating a possibility. I must eliminate it."
"Eliminate it? You would negate a dean’s duties in his own jurisdiction over a mere possibility? Or do you believe you are more just than the dean of a Monastery?" Rez was becoming aggressive. freewebnøvel.coɱ
"No, Dean. It is just that we should not ask a man to condemn his own brother."
"No. I am first an Abbot, a noble member of the Clergy, and only second am I Kenji’s brother."
Rez remained perfectly still. He was composed. He had seen much in his time and would not be intimidated by a mere junior Cultivator.
He slowly approached Shire.
"No court would permit a man to act as Judge over his own kin," Shire said, beginning to panic.
"How dare you compare secular men with the devout? Do you intend to question the character of a dean? I’ll have you know, by law, insulting High Level Clergy is punishable by flogging."
Seeing Shire’s panic, he changed his tack and became more overbearing.
"Enough. I forgive your oversight. Let us return to the matter at hand. As a dean, I will not concern myself with a young and frivolous Cultivator. Present your oath-helper."
Rez flicked his sleeve, affecting a magnanimous air.
The crowd below began to murmur. Some thought he was falsely accusing a Priest and a dean.
Shire knew he had already lost the first round in terms of presence.
"Lady Xilin, please come up."
Shire waved to the woman behind him, whose eyes were swollen from crying.
She was the victim in this case.
"An interested party cannot be an oath-helper."
"But you..."
"Are you questioning a dean again?"
"I..."
"So, who will be the oath-helper? I will count to three. If there is no one, this is over. One, two..." Rez felt he had already won.
But just as he was about to say the last number, a voice interrupted him.
"I will do it."
"You are..."
"A Monk from England."
Eric walked onto the platform, slowly approaching Dean Rez. His frame was clearly larger than the tall, gaunt dean’s.
Rez instinctively took a step back.
It wasn’t just Rez; even Shire was stunned.
"What does this have to do with you? You weren’t even there," Rez shouted.
"And you? Pray tell, who can prove you were present?"
"The Cultivators here can all attest to it."
"Then the two people behind me can also prove that I was present."
Eric looked at Shire behind him and gave him a meaningful glance.
"Yes, he was present," Shire said, understanding immediately.
"No, that’s invalid! They are with you."
"And you? Are these Cultivators not with you?"
"I am the dean! I am a member of the Clergy, and the Clergy are sacred!" Rez said loudly.
"You are a member of the Clergy, I am a member of the Clergy, and this Brother Shire is also a member of the Clergy." Eric pointed at Shire.
"I hold a High Level Divine Office! You are just a lowly Priest, or perhaps not even a Priest."
"Is that so? You seem to believe that is the natural order of things," Eric said with a light chuckle, looking at him.
"Of course. Do you think the Nobility are the same as commoners?" Rez said with disdain.
"Then let me ask you this, noble Dean.
When Adam delved and Eve span, who was then the dean, who was the Bishop, who was the nobleman? Who was above and who was below?
I suppose you must have been specially molded by God to stand on Adam’s head," Eric said, looking at him with a light laugh.
The crowd below instantly erupted in laughter.
"You..."
"This dean believes he is More than Adam. Perhaps we have no need to go to the Church to worship. I could just worship him directly." Eric turned to the crowd below and raised his voice.
The crowd below erupted in laughter once again.
"There is a hierarchy. It is ordained by God."
"Ordained by God? The Gospel of Mark says: ’Love your neighbor as yourself. Remember, there is no commandment greater than these.’
It seems this dean fancies himself the equal of Saint Mark. How pathetic.
I think his love for his brother must surely outweigh his love for God.
How else to explain his ignorance of the Bible? But it’s alright; thankfully, he has indeed proven that he loves his brother. He loves his brother more than he loves God."
The crowd below erupted in laughter yet again.
Someone began to shout: "Loves his brother more than God!"
Rez’s face turned ugly, but he could think of no rebuttal.
"Enough of this nonsense! We’re talking about a murder."
Priest Kenji, who had been sitting to one side, could no longer sit still. He shot to his feet and shouted.
"Is it? A murder. Let’s hear what this brother, more precious than God Himself, has to say."
"The child was already dead when she came into my hands. She was a stillborn," Kenji argued.
Kenji’s confident tone made Shire even more indignant. "She was crying when you threw her in the river, I heard it! Xilin was screaming. The baby was naked, and as soon as she was thrown into the icy water, her crying suddenly stopped."
A woman in the crowd whispered, "Oh, the poor child!"
Shire saw it was Eba, the Monastery’s washerwoman. Even those who depended on the dean for their livelihood were shocked. ’But is this enough?’
Kenji continued in a mocking tone, "Xilin was screaming. How could you have heard a baby crying?"
Someone in the crowd below affirmed this point.
For a moment, Shire was stumped by the question. ’How did I hear it?’ Then, the answer came to him.
"When two people make a sound at the same time, you can usually hear both. Their voices are different."
"No, young man," Kenji shook his head. "You’ve made a mistake. You thought you witnessed a murder, but you didn’t. Now, out of pride, you don’t want to admit you were wrong."
Kenji’s voice was grating, his attitude arrogant, but infuriatingly, his argument had a certain logic to it. Shire was afraid the people might believe him.
"How absurd. If she was already dead, why did you throw her in the river? Why not return her to her mother? What were you trying to hide?
Whether she was stillborn or not, that act alone is enough to prove your corrupt character. Does a man of corrupt character have any credibility?
Who would believe the words of a liar? Only the most foolish of men. Or do you think all the dignitaries present, all the discerning citizens, are fools? You are too arrogant, Priest Kenji!
If a man goes to a tavern, drinks, and loses his life, must his family prove he was ever alive? Isn’t it the tavern owner who must explain why there is a dead body in his establishment?"
Eric looked at Kenji, then turned to the crowd below.
"Does anyone think I’m wrong?"
The crowd immediately stirred. They had rarely seen a Cultivator dare to confront a dean head-on, much less one so eloquent. Many believed that Clergy of the dean’s rank were erudite and omniscient. freёwebnovel.com
Eric’s appearance, his eloquence, had added so much excitement to their dreary, mundane lives.
"Yes, yes, the tavern owner should explain!"
"That’s right! Explain! Explain!"
"..."
Someone else shouted:
"Loves his brother more than God!"
"Loves his brother more than God!"
Kenji grew panicked.
Rez’s face also darkened, and he retreated slightly in fear.
"Oh, that’s right. Our Brother Kenji hasn’t sworn on the Holy Communion Box yet, has he?"
Eric held the Holy Communion Box out in front of Kenji.
"Perhaps God will speak for you. After all, your brother is More than Adam."
Eric grabbed Kenji’s hand and forced it onto the Holy Communion Box.
"Swear the oath!" Eric roared.
"I... I-I-I swear... I didn’t..." Kenji was terrified by Eric. He was even shorter than Rez.
"The Gospel of Matthew says, whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come! And let me remind you, the millennium of the Lord’s incarnation is upon us! The day of judgment is near! No one can escape!
The fires of Hell will burn the sinners! God will never grant His goodness to the unrepentant, for sin has given them a will for evil, and they continue to defy God’s will!"
Eric deliberately slowed his speech.
And the crowd below was still chanting, "Loves his brother more than God!"
"AHH! I... I-I confess! I confess!" An inexplicable panic instantly overwhelmed Kenji, and he ran screaming through the crowd.
"Kenji!" Rez tried to run after his brother, but it was too late.
...
In the end, Kenji fled in disgrace. The remaining jurors and dignitaries chose to side with Eric, and Eric won the trial.
"Thank you, Brother Eric, even though we had never met before."
"It is nothing. Glory be to God."
"And thanks to these good townspeople and neighbors of ours."
"There’s no need to thank them."
"Why?"
"Because they side with whoever is winning."
