The kind priest said…
"Bring out a stone to burn this girl. If she is innocent, our Lord shall protect her so that she shall not burn. If he does not and she suffers burns, it shall mean she is a witch."
The kind priest said…
"Dunk this girl underwater. If she is innocent, our Lord shall protect her so that she shall not suffer from lack of breath even underwater. If he does not and she does wish for air while beneath the water, it shall mean she is a witch."
The kind priest said…
"Throw this girl into a large birdcage and hang her from the tower. If she is innocent, our Lord shall protect her so that she shall not hunger even after hanging for a month. If he does not and she is tormented by hunger, it shall mean she is a witch."
The kind priest said…
The kind priest said…
The kind priest said…
The kind priest said. The kind priest said. The kind priest said. The kind priest said. The kind priest said. The kind priest said. The kind priest said. The kind priest said. The kind priest said. The kind priest said. The kind priest said. The kind priest said. The kind priest said. The kind priest said. The kind priest said.
"A-ahh… Aaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh!?"
When the kind priest saw me, he fell into a sitting position with his eyes opened wide. What could be the problem? Did I look strange in some way? I was fairly certain I was not doing anything inappropriate.
"Wh-what? How? How!?"
The sound of vague chatter rose from the stone-paved square in the center of the small town. How very strange. What did they all find to be so odd?
As I stood there looking confused, the kind priest pointed at me and began shouting.
However, he did not seem able to get an entire sentence out.
"Y-you…you… Fräulein Kreutune… you!?"
"Sigh. Is there something the matter with me?"
"You…you!! How…how are you still alive after everything we did to you!? Why is your skin still shining so brightly!? How…how…how…how!?"
What a strange thing to say.
Still looking confused, a smile slipped out on my face.
"But, kind priest. Have you forgotten what you yourself said?"
"Huh? …Eh?"
"If I am innocent, our Lord shall protect me."
"…!!"
The kind priest grasped the cross hanging from his neck so tightly it must have hurt. Red liquid dripped down and the small piece of metal began to bend under the great pressure.
"How dare you…How dare a monster like you speak of our Lord!! We threw you into the lake with your arms and legs bound, we bound you atop of the tower where lightning struck you, and we burned your entire body with fire! And yet you are still able to smile like that! You are clearly a witch!!"
"Oh, kind, kind priest."
I spread my arms as if to welcome in a friend with the intent of accepting everything that entailed.
"Have you run out of trials to put me through? Let's see, there is one thing I would like to check on: now that I have weathered these trials by ordeal without suffering any harm, what are you supposed to do with me?"