Chapter 205: Maura's Story
"May the Lord bless this couple..."
Witnessed by the villagers, Maura shed her maiden attire and changed into long clothes more suitable for labor, completing her own "Initiation Rite."
And her husband blindfolded himself to slaughter a chicken, which was considered a symbol of bravery.
But Maura knew that someone else had killed it for him; her husband was so drunk he couldn't even stand steady.
After the wedding ended, she moved into an old wooden house in the woods. This was her "New Bridal Chamber."
Maura longed for a beautiful life.
But the heavy labor made her a little tired.
"Maura, you should have the food ready by the time your husband comes back..."
"Maura, you're always dawdling when you work..."
"Maura! If you have time to fiddle with those rotten flowers, you might as well clean the house again..."
Maura wiped her forehead, scrubbing the dirty clothes vigorously.
She tried her best to do everything well, but her husband and mother-in-law always picked faults with her.
Fortunately, after Maura became pregnant, this situation finally improved somewhat.
But at a family gathering, that guy Ivo humiliated her in public.
"She already rolled in the sheets with a man before marriage! Antonios told me himself!"
Maura was furious. She glared at this guy with a spotted face.
This guy was clearly her husband's friend and often stayed alone with him, but why did he do this!
Yet, everyone's strange looks made Maura feel even worse.
It was clearly just her and her husband, but Maura was the only one being blamed.
The night the gathering ended, she was sent back to her mother's house.
In the village, a woman who was indiscreet before marriage was usually considered a symbol of the devil.
Her mother and brother were very angry; this matter brought shame upon them.
So Maura was tied up and sent to an altar in the forest.
This place was filled with skeletons and the stench of blood.
In the past, many women who "Violated the Taboos" were sent here and eventually starved to death.
Maura pleaded bitterly, but her mother and brother still threw her there.
This was the first time she felt that the silent forest was so terrifying.
Fortunately, for weaving flower wreaths, Maura had always hidden a small knife on her.
She escaped but didn't dare to return home.
Lost on her way, Maura came to a house.
A white cross hung here; it should be some church.
She covered her tattered clothes and walked in, then heard the noisy voices of many children. A nun came up to her with a smile.
"This is the House of Charity, a place to help orphans and pitiful mothers..."
In the following days, Maura felt a rare warmth here.
The nuns taught her how to care for children and what to pay attention to during childbirth.
Days passed by, and Maura's belly grew bigger and bigger.
On a night of heavy rain, Flora was born.
This was the name Maura had long thought of.
She had secretly asked the church priest; this meant "Flower" in Latin. She hoped her daughter could grow freely like a flower.
But after spending only twenty minutes with her daughter, Flora was taken away by Delia.
She was the dean of the House of Charity, managing everyone in the almshouse.
"You've worked hard. Flora was just born and needs to undergo some necessary checks."
Maura nodded, but her gaze remained on her daughter.
A few days passed like this, and she still didn't see her daughter brought back.
"Newborn children cannot stay with their mothers for too long..."
"Flora is about to receive the Bishop's baptism..."
"Sorry Maura, she is sick..."
Until one day hearing the news of Flora's death, Maura couldn't see her daughter one more time.
She found it hard to accept this news, but all the nuns in the almshouse said it was true.
Maura wanted to dig into the truth many times but was stopped by those nuns.
In the end, they even locked her in the laundry room.
"The almshouse is also having a hard time; you have to pay with labor to get food..."
Maura's world turned dark once again.
Until a rainy night, she secretly sneaked into the dean's office.
Here, she finally heard the truth she wanted.
"Sold?"
"A total of 18 newborns; only one got sick and nobody wanted it."
"Has the aftermath been handled?"
"Don't worry, those mothers have accepted the 'Fact'. Only one made a fierce fuss, but I have dealt with it today."
"Very good."
"Archbishop, there is one thing..."
"What is it?"
"The almshouse lacks sufficient baby food, and sanitary conditions can't keep up. Many 'Goods' start getting sick shortly after birth. This might affect subsequent business."
"This is not important. Just throw those who are weak into the septic tank like before."
"Yes, understood..."
Maura covered her mouth in a breakdown; she never expected such a result.
She didn't know how she returned to her bed that night.
But from then on, the light in Maura's eyes was completely gone.
She wanted to expose this matter very much, but the almshouse's supervision became stricter and stricter.
Time passed day by day.
Many girls who got pregnant before marriage received the shelter of the House of Charity.
And their encounters were also similar to Maura's.
A few years later.
Most of those mothers developed mental problems; only Maura could still communicate normally with people.
Although her hands had also become rough.
But she also waited for a glimmer of hope.
A community report mentioned missing children, and the police launched an investigation.
Maura was excited inside; perhaps the darkness here would finally be exposed.
But at this time, Delia found her.
"Maura, I need your help. Once the almshouse is seized, the newly arrived mothers and children will all end up on the streets..."
Only then did Maura know that this dean had taken in many young girls again, some of whom had just given birth.
"Think of Flora, you wouldn't want those children to lose their lives so young, right? Over the years, the almshouse has also acquired some money; sanitation and food are much better than before..."
"These mothers and children simply cannot live outside. They are sinners who violated the precepts; no one will accommodate them."
Maura simply couldn't believe her ears.
This woman wearing a human face was a true demon.
She actually asked for her help.
But what this woman said was also a fact; no village would accept a woman pregnant before marriage, just like Maura back then.
She looked at those newborn children and thought of Flora. "How... can I help you."
"Just sign your name on this parchment, and these children will thank you for your help."
Maura looked at the parchment handed over by the dean, hesitated for a moment, and picked up the pen.
"You must promise me that you cannot sell those children, and you must also take care of them to grow into adults, otherwise the Lord will definitely punish you!"
Maura spoke word by word. This was the first time since she grew up that she contradicted someone.
"Of course... I promise you."
After receiving the promise, Maura signed her name.
After this, the investigation concerning the House of Charity was suddenly shelved.
On an official level, it was claimed—this was an unfounded accusation.
And Dean Delia also kept her promise and raised those children to adulthood.
But they had to go out begging every day to exchange for food from the almshouse.
At the same time, due to the cover of the upper echelons, more discriminated girls were sent to the House of Charity, and the trading of children continued.
The scene in front of his eyes turned into the apartment again.
William closed his eyes slightly, adapting to the dizziness in his brain.
"Phew..." He exhaled softly.
Just now, William seemed to have experienced Maura's life; this experience indeed left a deep impression on him.
At the same time, a cluster of energy floated out from the surface of the Hand of the Apostle, faintly containing a woman's face inside.
"Now, please state your choice." Anto's voice rang inside the porcelain hand.
Faya's expression was complex.
"This... the Church indeed has some heretics bewitched by demons, but it cannot represent..."
She was interrupted before she could finish.
"Bewitched by demons...? Hehe." Anto sneered.
"Let's skip the meaningless arguments. Touch that soul and tell her your choice."
William narrowed his eyes slightly.
Looking at it now, the judge was very likely this Maura O'Toole.
But... what was her real purpose?
Wants others to affirm her actions?
But if that was the case, the answer would be too simple.
And that parchment...
Thinking of this, William spoke: "Can I still ask questions? Like about the contents of that demonic pact."
"No, it's answering time now." Anto refused.
This result was within William's expectations.
"Can we still give up answering now?" Faya suddenly spoke up.
She found this game too sensitive; no matter how they answered, it might be the "Correct Answer."
In this way, obviously, they couldn't recover the holy relic.
"Better go back and report to the Archbishop; maybe he can assign a Golden Cross Priest..." Faya thought secretly.
"Too late." Anto said.
"If you give up now, the Hand of the Apostle will immediately connect with the Abyss, and this land will also turn into an evil place."
Faya fell silent; she could only look at William.
And the latter also observed some anomalies.
"There seems to be something inside this spirit body cluster."
William looked carefully with [Holy Eye] and quickly found many transparent chains binding the surface of Maura's spirit body.
This seemed to be a restriction, contracting inward every moment.
Although Maura's "face" had no expression.
There were still slight power fluctuations on the surface of the spirit body, and William could only discover it because he had practiced [Atonement Persuasion].
"It seems the information on Maura is also hidden."
Just as William was pondering, he suddenly noticed a faint blue color on some of the chains.
"This is?"
He quickly recalled a practice classic he had read: "Emotions are locks added to the soul. Only by outlining them with Holy Power can one create Chains of Mantra. This is a necessary condition to complete the [Divine Eye Ban]..."
This book on the Eyes Path recorded the emotions that had been verified.
Among them, blue exactly corresponded to—Pain.
"So that's how it is. I understand." William nodded secretly.
He spoke immediately: "I'm ready."
Surprise flashed in Faya's eyes: "Father William, what did you discover?"
But the latter didn't answer, and instead closed his eyes.
"Just touch it." Anto said.
But William didn't move; instead, he projected his Holy Power onto that energy cluster.
Inside the porcelain hand, surprise flashed in Anto's heart: "He could actually discover this..."
On the other side.
William opened his eyes.
At this time, the surroundings had turned into a void, and not far in front of him was a woman, bound by chains of various colors.
Seeing William, Maura raised her head.
"Now, state your choice."
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