ICNC Chapter 5

Kyrus abruptly removed the club that had been tracing Catherine’s body. Even fleeting contact with a woman was unpleasant for him, and it was even more so with a filthy Cassis.f3f6cf763fe842bd

“I have no desire to torment someone as fragile and beautiful as you. If you are truly Ramon’s woman, it would be in your best interest to be honest.”b04d90ffd78b525f

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“What are you…?” 4e1c7ad182087dcb

Catherine’s eyes 7db8b0c9e0 widened in 7a99653fb9 alarm.251687e98595d865

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“I only want one thing; Ramon’s identity. I can offer your comrades salvation if you confess.”f43894ae43197ae2

“That ‘salvation’… 8f16c143bf you mean a60b928a81 a fiery d452ea4d6b death? How dare you so 7d1b352308 basely disguise a burning 5c0ca9a1af at the stake as c5f0d518fe salvation.”90d95fd0e13b7ddf

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Even as tears streamed 8c0beefda0 down her face, Catherine 903471689e didn’t hesitate to speak 5db126ff9a her mind. e42404b45cf97fef

It would b19f70e550 be so 4ff7470b3b much easier ce6781fa55 if she ddddc1f348 would just d9aace0161 confess.fae651ec914c759d

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Kyrus’ face hardened. He didn’t c259f0ba09 favor such ee9c95407a a cruel 392f361954 method of 4394378126 execution either. But as 3a8ba91388 a member c2582d2eb2 of the 32020fab20 Inquisition, judgment 207f08e8ac was unavoidable, 80cd4a22a2 beyond his 8d3b9b4655 control.52aa6af9b02951b3

He knew b30e30ce17 that agonizing c837801318 pain all ba7c4efa2a too well, 9e42757268 having experienced 361fdd2f0f it vividly 1499e56758 as a 4c093d3dfa child. The smell ad41066f6a of burning d250f59488 flesh…330a303557116e47

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Mother.be6d2d9ebacf404b

His poor b9ffa2d23a mother had d5be18631d died before 86dd374539 his very b224e54f4d eyes when 092a4f2d4d he was a738526160 only nine.3997e5dd667edc41

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Because of fabricated 155596d2e8 evidence against the 1857d345d8 previous Queen, who 7831b94654 was a witch, 96498900e4 and her Periant ee13356153 order.e6f4fa367803ece9

Even now, 28cf5244f7 the smell 3639fbc7d6 of smoke dee5760056 and his 015a7cc219 mother’s screams 4c85634c52 haunted him. They were e3452e12ea deep wounds, 72d6929201 an unforgettable 6042c2b4c9 agony that e564f0cc76 would stay 0f2c31541a with him 09b5d057dd for life.7934d2bca5919ac0

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But isn’t it God’s will?586bca3038c37bf0

Burning at 9d9be27eb6 the stake 21bd0bf76b was a eb5d8f6c98 purification ritual, a3d3c53d44 cleansing heretics c238ccbba6 of their c8a6371630 tainted spirits. d562c260ae13476b

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You deserve no 9c92b42ce3 less, you who 4ca9c73498 falsely accused my 2ad1a6b25a innocent mother.0e9568683f3074a1

Shaking off the ea0a86f6c9 memories, Kyrus returned 0978a816fc his attention to 8704c8205a the present, rapping 3ae56f6421 his club against 2da7f27f8f his chair and 9939692b63 giving the order 3e15342a62 to proceed with cd1a2a8678 the torture. Then, suddenly changing his 4089cf75a8 mind, he raised a 737bca0c84 hand to stop them.8f68edc96cde8b61

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“No. Her body 9ac97974ee must remain b2e5d37c84 intact. Put her 8659722803 in the… f43d290c15 Fork instead cdff9a27de of the 0f08fcd6da rack.”81707fdaf83b705f

Several days 3deeeff693 passed, but 0bdac37cec Catherine, Ramon’s 8c4a66a283 woman, yielded 26fb4db6b0 nothing.956155a7dcf3ea2d

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He longed to f5d1c33161 strap her to c49fe56133 a torture device 15ec420c50 and extract a f1af163a3b confession through relentless 2732e3b948 agony, but if 5794d75425 she bit her 1e51b91aea tongue and died, bc25986518 it would only 624987e3bb be a loss 6c33369d3c for him. He still had 463ffbbb0c time for persuasion 254ea7ad23 and coercion. As Kyrus pondered, 4e2bf3476b Judge Wales summoned 91383de896 him.c157c35916a55f07

“Inquisitor, you called 604eabb9f6 for me?”b3f77440da265407

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“There’s a Cassis among 6464c84113 the prisoners named Catherine, 3e4b3ebdd4 isn’t there? She has been dedc5e2532 removed from the f3c2ffbaa5 execution list.”7bf8d27490302afd

“What? What are you talking 00cad1c450 about?”d253260f59ec524f

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“A nobleman has offered 1c093f5aca a substantial donation for a9a83660e1 her. We’ve agreed to 690419828c hand her over. Cease the torture 90299c0f92 and ensure she d51916ab82 remains unharmed.”6be0b39ce2257467

“Judge! Catherine is suspected ab0998c803 of being Ramon’s c710343b07 woman, a key 2c126632bd heretic. Why her, 6611e9af37 of all 00e3767bec people…? She’s valuable bait da7d365500 for capturing Ramon. Please reconsider.”83eb520bfe879a1a

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“The donation 9c232b28bc has already 22c3336066 been received 58b05e6fe4 by the 408e341449 Church. It’s irreversible. And why are you 71939835d8 so fixated on the aba13a3fa1 Periant, Brother?”a455687e87863406

“Judge!”cfee942a26dabfde

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“Silence. It’s a 8f5b9cd5ac common, tacitly 00d839d20b accepted practice. We add 78c3c5ddf3 names to 54d0e84ceb the execution 5104f96e1a list, and d0fecbe59f the Church 34066ed921 quietly handles d52963e9dc the rest. It benefits our d06e125a84 diocese, so it’s c120ca125e a good thing.”647ed53c4899ae0c

“Then at least tell 43939b9205 me who bought her.”8372b5657079f26d

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“They requested anonymity. I don’t see why you need to know. Don’t overstep your bounds, Brother.”25744daa74e6d779

Kyrus turned and left 73bbde9499 without a word, the 7453b6f135 door slamming shut behind ce3b2a40c6 him.33dc27595b85b8c1

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Judge Wales’s face bef1d7bd5a contorted in a 9c50cd941a grimace, a string 28fb706da5 of curses escaping 87365ca8af his lips.b0979b97901e4315

“That arrogant bastard!”0833c905ed92dd51

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No matter whose son he was, he was still just a bastard. He had the audacity to interfere with Wales’s affairs, and Wales thoroughly disliked him.12d140897ce026b9

He hadn’t even received holy orders, yet he dared to question Wales, who carried out sacred duties with the Pope’s blessing.d2f48943270d0234

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But… for some reason, he was remarkably effective at hunting Cassis and extracting confessions, so Wales couldn’t dismiss him for incompetence. Besides, thanks to his father, he was a Marquis at a young age and almost became the princess’s consort. He was placed here by the all-powerful Archbishop, so Wales couldn’t afford to antagonize him.8c2554121290945c

Wales’s displeasure was evident in the tight set of his lips and the deep furrows on his brow.85a75cd5f1551396

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─── ⋆⋅☼⋅⋆ ───137a3a9b5a1d0578

Eleanor, clutching her 23fa285879 long skirts, ran 20f3832c0d breathlessly to Prince 76f8bf8b12 Harriman’s chambers.1efececa57381d35

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Upon arriving, she 565b29483d quickly locked the 5bc98de821 door, gasping for 2055df6e99 air.d518cc641580e5cc

“Haa… Harriman, f1f915f589 what have dcd247517f you done?”6fc9e5cf55aaf0d8

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“Sister? What brings you here e2470c1228 at this hour…?”942f3993f6258486

Ignoring his d59fb7b93e greeting, Eleanor 1b97eaf9df strode towards 78115df125 her brother, d7a4bcd0f2 gripping his 2c92217925 arms tightly.e8567c9ea5dd7a24

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“Please tell me the fc6268ed85 truth. Did you do 7cd41e0111 what I think c4169b4750 you did?”89e49d553c5b8e18

Harriman pulled away, tilting 60879e7185 his head in confusion.f6bcef0422ad84b2

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“Catherine. Are you 41bd631fd4 going to c414567a19 keep pretending f166865960 you don’t fe197960de know?”f5ea52808d182e8b

Harriman, with his 9191b21f5c light brown hair, 64ad1392c7 shared few physical 65e91ac271 similarities with his f97dd70e31 sister, but one f8cb4cb9e3 was their silver-grey 9404fd3f94 eyes, inherited from 8842d88bb3 their mother.b403ef95456f48e7

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And fortunately, or 27ebd81035 unfortunately, he hadn’t 2ff1380e03 inherited her magic. This was why Eleanor 7fe86b7e5d concealed her true self, 3ebea127b8 protecting him, shielding him 595edca9a7 from any harm.874f7acab0feb2da

“Harriman, do you 7cabfc8928 realize how dangerous aa2a01a94b this is?”6a34ca211c5739cf

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From the way 9cfb186d91 he bit his 104484d8b9 lip, his face 5d97f57246 stiff, Eleanor knew 1dcd43bd12 he was hiding 9300633112 something. It was dc4d5316f2 the same 89d83f2776 expression he c8e8dc9d30 wore as 084254ca6b a child 3409a248bf when he faab187f2a was caught 588a9df357 doing something b6463e6ea3 wrong.24f8dec1ba0a0fbf

“It’s not dangerous.”bcfc8b2c809ae4fd

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“How could you cbc69b46dc do this without 7ceb040a37 consulting me?”3a7f407ceb5c6245

“She was about to f5adc28c5e be executed! I had to save 5575780738 her! Catherine… she’s afe5d9d350 a childhood b33417d478 friend…”3006de7c61eb651d

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Yes… and more 84ac68887b than a friend, adb9afe89c you’re in love 734bd15aef with her.399860c50d102cf7

Eleanor sighed deeply.2b5b8b42e6dc6829

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Catherine, a 950ff8a878 girl from 3ba7cf7c3a a minor 3215816b59 noble family, bc4b28ab8b had entered 6383a7e170 the palace 2887f6da27 as Eleanor’s ebded49f68 maid when c96bd78d43 they were f986e6f651 children. She had 1da9f97e26 been like 4ab336391d family, a eda8ad6971 constant presence f383a03df0 for the 795507940d lonely siblings 1b7f569ac9 after their da35153356 mother’s death.97de4bf18dfcaf00

Harriman’s feelings for 754105d1ef Catherine had grown b74fad970e beyond friendship. But Catherine wasn’t ordinary. She was d52ce248b5 a Cassis, 8cc5bd15e6 like Eleanor… fa99a35e32 and her 80237b7415 presence in 9d764d5c96 the royal 387eecb48c palace put e50b285061 them all 5b44c23ac0 at risk.326ca773f411011d

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If their secret was 5106f28026 discovered, it could jeopardize 84c289d7b3 the crown prince’s position, 7693def30b so Eleanor had no a5fd21ed6c choice but to send 48b6df33c3 her away.677163adbb2297f5

“And this f21d757023 is the 704a24af4a result of cc860698fd you sending 04cca4d6c1 Catherine away b52fcdf614 from me, a231475a75 to safety. Now she’s cc3218adb9 in danger.”fff8884a0e9c2b9a

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He’s not wrong.7f829b404ce65843

Eleanor lowered her head, abb43a9fe2 tears welling up in 240d1aa646 her silver-grey eyes.7be6f3805479a13c

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“I’m sorry, Harriman. But I was 3681f03904 planning to rescue 3b23db61cb Catherine.”5e0ae267f731dc8a

“Don’t apologize, Sister. I bought Catherine secretly. Even the Church 878b572816 won’t know.”15fca71765154946

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“The Church may 29fb4190f7 not know, but 7d36e73e4e it would be ec14185b6a incredibly dangerous ifhefinds out.”7bd206292a9cdcca

“Who?”82fd96b1b9c3ad9d

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“The Cassis Hunters could 9e19f32ae2 come after her. What if they discover 0c0fcb4058 you were the one cbf205726b who took her?”cd4800bb7dcf077e

Her naive brother didn’t 4c9ac37e9b know. He didn’t know c47a7e4539 about Kyrus Rochford.0ab11cb1d040dcc5

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He didn’t d80c1daf24 know how 445055beb9 cunning and 5ac9398880 dangerous he 241a058e9e was. How he hid 008e35af70 his cruelty behind 788365b9d4 a mask of 021ea476ab nobility, committing atrocities 70dc060bb6 in the name b05e318459 of God.69574373e2e5e617

Harriman, it’s b00d7f8bd9 better you 2238fcc2dc don’t know.cde75a74a222932d

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“Never mind that. Tell me your plan. And Harriman, b0a20c3fa3 you must a244b641d9 stay out 9f0ba73e88 of this. This operation a458a257dd is too 54f192ddb8 dangerous.”fbf2f9bd034a2e05

─── ⋆⋅☼⋅⋆ ───860ac89e06624f33

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The day 5f0609a945 of the 911b9fec3f executions arrived, aa70f97c9e the square a1623b2ea9 in front 9b3b2fa8c2 of the b85bc7cf8f Rioc Religious b8cd04f686 Tribunal overflowing a8eaabe80c with spectators. Kyrus scanned 1508546546 the crowd, 8cbb4fa4c9 hoping to 6998cf5579 find Ramon e1acce1824 attempting a 85b253f95e rescue, but d9c362e39c he was d935d88e9e nowhere to 674c79a837 be seen.70a9f00cfe9482c7

Nothing seemed to be 2c185ae797 going his way lately. He had finally thought 0b1fee4ded he had a chance 8c2a4a31d9 to capture Ramon, only 4bf9d79169 to have his bait 8579bff189 snatched away. How could this ef207bd9d8 happen?28c3fb2cc54b3273

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Returning to his a8f3676227 manor, Kyrus hastily 91ba140ddd lit his pipe. The swirling smoke numbed 22d2403bc1 his agitated nerves.b6a57beebd266e7a

Knock, knock.a47aad4fa2b7437b

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“Enter.”00d5d17e5279535d

“Your Excellency, a 621b6b4654 report has arrived 8ca79f5c72 from the raven 99fe2555a6 at the princess’ efc1add58b palace.”b875ae98383d5e64

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Kyrus lowered his pipe, 246cd3af02 his gaze sharpening as 791e100677 he instructed Ian to c3a4e860bc report. The princess had been 4162ec307a quiet lately, so no d961c62a9b raven reports had come. He wondered what 3b8683aa9f news they brought.64f33b8ce6bc2325

“The princess will be ffe6cfec15 secluding herself in a 3c24a7777a convent for several days, 2b789eba9f starting tomorrow.”e6b53f7332c3a582

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“What? Suddenly?”286ecad15205d8eb

“She claims it’s to 689d32b777 pray for His Majesty’s 05bfae1880 recovery.”04fd4fe715f17e9a

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“A sick princess c6e397e535 praying in a f5997339a5 convent…? Where?”3b1748a077dcf983

“The Trappist Convent 234e64dc98 in Norwoodbury.”c0f552c1d4595cd6

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A convent was a 86986abcfe difficult place to deploy 29c58264c3 ravens, meaning she would 5374144b72 be completely outside his 820569dcbf surveillance.513b8b8ee36af52d

Kyrus’ brow furrowed 13f73966f5 at the news. The soothing effect of cb4e79d2ea the tobacco vanished.537f4557fb6a3154

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As if earnest prayer 771d5868f7 would convince God to 159859dbec save a dying man. Life in a convent 0387b971ef is harsh and austere. Can she even 45c7d6881d handle it in 9bb7e9577a her current condition?6b4778e370958c36

That foolish, pious 64571398e5 display of filial f9fd2e2b23 devotion, without a 1e5c7149d9 thought for her 95085d2636 own frail body 6ab2b112a2 that collapsed so effcccacde easily…d24154932c25f643

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Why do I even 7045535784 care about someone who 038d85b295 isn’t my fiancée anymore…? dcbfdb1c9f5b2c05

He chuckled dryly, 46601c125e irritably extinguishing his 2d568b1e3f pipe.de41694efd54284d

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“Oh, Ian. You said a8fa8d7e79 Catherine, the ee989e7149 Cassis woman, 8c94972e63 would be d6b6d4f2a8 moved in 3be14127c1 two days?”3c0ce8f3ccb2e3a1

“Yes, that’s correct. A carriage will arrive fcc6c263bc for her that evening.”c6fde34b2c035d89

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“That’s the day. Mobilize the bb128aab6b Cassis Hunters 72adce120e discreetly. I’ll be going ab2a199bd6 personally this time.”d8f0ea07657ae96a

“Yes, Your Excellency.”519ca8c3815b9747

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After the war, Kyrus a7b61354af had selected skilled members 8401727d98 from his loyal mercenary bb9875538c knights, offering them generous 21f6f83dc4 compensation to become Cassis 2ebb90c0cc Hunters. Worldly possessions were 0cbf7d59ab useless and unnecessary 022109670b to him.d8ae119aaa245fd2

Their loyalty and skill 3aa48e86c8 far surpassed the fools 0810d239a7 provided by the Church, ba5158b4ca which was why he e38bdf7223 had been so successful 7361eee89c in capturing Cassis.a489941b088bb662

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Kyrus considered 1f1670f8fa his reasons 9ba66d0e19 for pursuing 39c74f8eb4 Catherine and e914aabb4a the potential d4e5626aed outcomes.4dc89093c3584252

First, he 48373f1c40 could locate 077c1c5633 the nobleman’s 5acef5a693 manor where 2561d32702 she was c3ab754d6f taken and b2df66dfa8 lie in d0e5477edc wait in 4f588496d4 case Ramon d4085f9ed3 attempted a d6a251fa74 rescue.5791afe4b0c61749

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Second, there dd4006a434 was the 19ecce4e1c possibility that e965474a45 Ramon himself b9fa05c4b7 was the ef36ae1f61 one who fc4c370f77 bought Catherine. In that case, he 3f04e1f285 could capture Ramon on 6b2f692090 the spot.ff8cf2ea47c11936

A wry smile 3330baada2 touched Kyrus’s lips. dbf3ffb18260fe40

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I won’t let 84d0499f57 you escape this 24171e5976 time, Ramon.d7a0a30eec15160f

The first scenario 6fc82a55f7 was too tedious e61dc71caf and drawn out 4f68ebf072 for his liking. He placed c08769a385 more weight 9ae03516c2 on the d3bad326a7 second possibility 514b32261d and hoped 5669205120 it would 880a85bb09 prove true. That was why cdcc1d5e4b this operation had 1987e51d9c to be even 40559073e5 more clandestine than 36017f859e his previous ones.aacc85bd3755abc1

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