ICNC Chapter 1
by lily plumKyrus rose abruptly before the mass had even concluded. The bells of Lonchester Cathedral, signaling the end of the service, echoed softly after his retreating figure.
His reason was simple; he had no desire to exchange even a single word with the throng of people eager to speak with him.
What a damnably fine day, he thought.
As the summer sun sunk down on his face, his pupils contracted to slits in the heat.
In the morning light, streaming through the stained-glass windows and illuminating the interior of the cathedral in a radiant display, she was praying serenely.
At the end of the light, where his blue gaze landed… She wore a veil as dark as his own hair, but damn it, not even a speck of dust could cover the white face slightly peeking beneath it.
Eleanor Gloucester, the noble first princess of Walton IV.
No one in the Cornwall Kingdom dared to belittle her. The princess’s face was as beautiful as a holy relic of God, her conduct pure and spotless. Furthermore, her unwavering devotion to God touched everyone without a single blemish.
Eleanor’s alluring face, which particularly grated on his nerves, had been intensely entangled in his vision throughout the mass. It must have been because the light within the cathedral was unnecessarily bright.
Kyrus recalled the moments he’d occasionally crossed paths with the princess.
The awkward smile that lifted the corners of her lips yet somehow seemed strained hinting her displeasure, the haughty gaze that seemed to hold a strange contempt for him, and that elegant, perfectly composed face that, for no reason at all, made him feel like he was a vile trash.
God’s hand rests in mine, yet why does her face appear as sacred as a holy sanctuary of God?
Was his desire to defile her pristine face, to make her weep in anguish, nothing more than the carnal lust of a man steeped in depravity?
Was the holy visage she presented to the people of the kingdom a true reflection of her being?
This daughter of his enemy, whose slender neck he longed to crush within his grasp.
Truth or not, it didn’t matter.
Soon, after their wedding ceremony, her act as a noble princess would inevitably come to an end, and she would become his possession. Once that sweet face was his, he intended to unravel and shatter not only the bare skin beneath her nun-like attire but also her virtuous spirit.
Whether she was truly a holy princess blessed by God, or a vulgar one feigning sainthood… well, it wouldn’t be difficult for him to uncover the truth that this kingdom concealed. He was, after all, God’s faithful servant, and His secret “hound.”
Kyrus’ lips twisted into a bitter smile. His infrequent smiles, always distorted, made him, considered one of the most handsome men in the capital, appear closer to a cruel demon in this moment.
He smoothly swept back the blond hair that had fallen slightly over his forehead and strode outside. He meticulously adjusted his mantle, smoothing out the wrinkles, and dusted himself off.
“Where are you going, Your Excellency?”
He curtly cut off his attendant, preemptively silencing any further questions.
The luxurious carriage bearing Kyrus sped towards its destination. The “kennels” he referred to were his secret term for the Inquisition chambers of the Rioc Religious Tribunal in the capital.
Upon arriving, Kyrus entered his office through a secret passage, his face indifferent. He removed his tailored mantle and fine tunic with precise movements, hanging them neatly. In moments, he shed his aristocratic attire and donned the garb of a “faithful Hound of God.”
Pulling his hood low over his face, he concealed his features, he finally put on the symbol of his divine authority, a pendant around his neck.
“Welcome, Inquisitor Thomas.”
Those who encountered Kyrus offered their respects, and he responded with a curt nod.
He paused at the entrance to the Inquisition chambers, dipping his fingers in holy water and making the sign of the cross, a ritual he always did without fail.