Suddenly, two people appeared behind me and hit me, causing me to fall unconscious.
"What do you say, should we sell him?"
"I think if we take out his organs and sell them, we'll get more money!"
"What's happening?" I wondered.
"Oh, the chosen of the Lord... Hm, it seems that Cesare isn't around to save you this time, huh?"
"What? How do you know Cesare?"
"Everyone knows him. Everyone hates him! And now, here you are, his weakness in our hands!"
"Oh no!"
Why me? What have I done to deserve this? Still, if it's time for me to die, so be it. It's not the first time. But I don't want Cesare to suffer because of me.
"Take it off!"
"What?"
"You cassock, take it off!"
"No, I won't give it up!"
"Then we'll take it from you!"
I'm used to violence from others, so it's nothing new. In the end, maybe it's better to have nothing on my own in this world.
"Send a letter to Cesare with this cassock!" one of them said.
"Wait, aren't we waiting for the boss? Look, he's coming!"
Suddenly, in that room, I saw a silhouette. A tall man, with glasses and hair as white as milk. From how he's dressed, in those black clothes with shades of violet, he seems to be a bishop. Wait, what? Oh no!
"We meet again, Father Antonio!"
"Impossible. Why? S-Secretary Father, why are you doing this?"
The cardinal's secretary is the boss of those who captured me? Why? What does this have to do with Cesare? What's happening here?
"Well, ever since you first came here, I realized you were a danger. That's why you need to leave! I sent a letter to your bishop saying that you came here to praise him and thank the cardinal personally for the election, so now you're safe!"
"But, Cesare..."
"Again with Cesare...You know, if you care even a little for him, you should leave! Leave tonight, and everything will go back to normal!"
"I don't have money to leave, and besides..."
"Money is not a problem, Antonio! Just leave, and your return trip will be paid for!"
"And Cesare... What will happen to him?"
One of the captors hit me in the stomach. The pain was so intense that I couldn't catch my breath.
"It's none of your concern. Let's just say it won't end well!" the one who hit me said.
"Antonio, here in the Vatican, everything is in our hands. The Pope only has to attend to his family. We are behind everything here!"
"I don't believe you! I won't leave! I can't leave Cesare alone in your hands!"
"Do you know what happened to the last person who said that? We made an incision in his throat and hung him upside down. The next day, when Cesare arrived, he found him already dead. Oh, how he cried, poor soul!"
"You will pay for this!"
"Oh yes... When? On Judgment Day? Ha ha ha!"
No. It can't be that Cesare comes here! I won't let him come! It's all my fault. I shouldn't have gotten off the carriage and walked alone. I shouldn't have been so cold to Cesare... Oh, God... If I only had another chance!
Cesare's POV:
I slept so well. I finally arrived home and can rest properly after a delicious dinner with Antonio. Wait, where is Antonio?
"Old man, do you happen to know where Antonio is?"
"Father, please calm down. Antonio got off and decided to walk here on foot!"
"What? And you let him? You deserve to be killed for this! You're lucky for your age and for the fact that I'm merciful with the elderly."
"Forgive me, master! It won't happen again!"
Where is Antonio? I get off the carriage and enter the apartment. I start to feel uneasy. What if something bad happened to him? I shouldn't have made so many advances... Because of me, he got off and now he might be in danger. I hear knocking on the door... It must be him!
"S-Sister Caterina, what's going on?"
"You received this package. I haven't opened it, so you can open it!"
"What? A package? I wasn't expecting a package..."
Strange... Very strange. Why did this package appear right now? Nevertheless, I think the answer is inside. I opened the package, and I couldn't believe what I found... Antonio's blood-stained cassock, along with a letter.
"Father Cesare, we have in our possession someone known to you. Or at least we believe so... Antonio seems to be his name. He struggled not to let us inform you of his presence, but we couldn't keep this fact to ourselves. We believe it is your duty to come and see what this is about. Oh, and we believe no other persons need to be present at this moment."
This can't be! It can't be true! It's all because of me that Antonio is captured by those who killed David. I can't let this happen again!
"Sister, bring me my battle clothes and sword. If necessary, I will even commit murder!"
"Father! Be cautious!"
"No caution is needed! Action is needed!"
I left, riding on my black horse, heading towards where Antonio was. How do I know the location? It's not the first time those people have been blackmailing me with loved ones. I arrived, but it seems like no one is outside. They must be inside.
"Antonio! Antonio!"
Antonio POV:
Oh no! Cesare has come! I have to stop him from entering, but I can't...
"Let the fun begin! Excellency, I think it's better if you leave. It's not good for a bishop to be seen with people like us."
"Alright, boys... We'll meet again!"
This despicable bishop really is a scoundrel. And I wanted to kiss his ring when I saw him... I can't wait for the cardinal to come so I can tell him everything. I hope he'll believe me... I hope.
"Antonio!" Cesare shouted, exhausted.
"Cesare, leave!"
"I can't leave you here... I have to free you!"
"Well, well, what do we have here? Father Cesare becomes the fearless defender of our prisoner. Hmm, what should we do now?"
"Release Antonio! You have business with me, not him!"
"Indeed... But things seem to be getting complicated now that you've arrived!"
One of them came up behind me and put a knife to my throat. So, it seems I'm destined to die once again...
"Cesare, if you don't do as we say, Antonio will die! We don't want that, do we?"
"Let him go... If you won't, you will suffer!"
"By whom? By you? Don't forget that you're at a disadvantage now..."
"Cesare, leave!" I said with my last ounce of strength before feeling a powerful blow to my back, followed by two more strikes to my stomach and face.
"Antonio, no!"
Cesare was devastated. Although he came with a sword and was prepared to fight, the men caught him and tied him up, starting to kick him. I can't stand by and watch. I can't let other people suffer because of me. Oh Lord, what should I do?
I became unconscious. I don't know anything that happened there. I just see a light. A pleasant and warm light. I walk towards it, but someone stops me. "Antonio! You have two options. The first one is to go back home, and Cesare will die. The second one is to stay here, and there's a possibility for both of you to be saved. Choose!"
"Who are you?"
"Me? I am Archangel Michael, and I have come to help you... So, tell me. One or two?"
"I choose the second option. I can't let Cesare die, even if he's a scoundrel and behaves that way."
"Are you sure? If you leave now, you can be with your family, parish, and your people."
"No... I disagree, as long as Cesare will die!"
"Very well then!"
I woke up. Cesare was still on his knees, being humiliated by those scoundrels. Then, when I realized that the attention was no longer on me, I tried to free myself. Hm, it seems that was enough to divert the attention of those guys towards me."
"Hey, what are you doing there?"
Well, of course, I received a couple more blows, but it was enough for Cesare to recover and start getting his revenge. Well, I can't say I feel too sorry for those guys, although they ended up with broken bones and a few minor cuts, I hope...
"C-Cesare, is that you?"
"Yes, it's me! Let's go!"
Well, it seems I can't walk anymore. At least not for the moment. But I don't even want to be taken like a princess by Cesare...
"You can't walk?"
"Well, maybe I can, in fact, I can't..."
"Alright then, let's go!"
I couldn't escape my fear. Cesare took me just like a princess from a fairy tale, put me on his horse, and we started heading home.
"Antonio, hold on tight!"
Well, I think Cesare isn't a bad person... I think he's a good person. A very good person. An angel... Wait! Him, an angel? Well...
"Antonio, are you crying?"
"I'm not crying, just got some dust in my eyes from the road..."
I guess I should give him a chance after all... I think I'll eventually break those cherished vows of mine. Well, I suppose it had to happen in the end, right? But I hope it won't happen too soon...
We finally arrived home. Both of us were covered in wounds, and when Sister Caterina saw us, she tended to my injuries first, disinfecting them and bandaging me.
"Sister, may I ask you something?"
"Go ahead, Antonio!"
"Well, could you let me take care of Cesare's wounds?"
"S-Seriously? You really want to do that?"
"Yes... At least I can do that much for him. After all, he saved me, didn't he?"
With Sister Caterina's approval, I took the disinfectant and bandages and went into the room. Where was I when Sister was bandaging me? Well, Cesare took me to Sister's room because I was too weak. Now, after recovering a bit, I can go back to my apartment.
Cesare was sitting at the edge of the bed, looking at the wounds on his arms and legs. Those bastards! Cesare's face is covered in cuts and wounds, but it somehow makes him look better...
"C-Cesare, I spoke to Sister, and I can disinfect your wounds and bandage them..."
"You? Do something for me? Be serious!"
"Cesare, I-"
"I'm glad you're alive. I guess those bastards told you about the past incident, right?"
"Y-Yes... I'm sorry!"
"It's all in the past... David looked a lot like you. The same gentleness, warmth, and..."
"Cesare, I'm here! I promise I won't be so cold towards you anymore, and... Thank you for everything!"
"Hm, you could... Could you let me sleep with my head on your chest tonight?"
"Sure, but first let me bandage you..."
Well, things are certainly not the same as before... I'm not the same person either. I should have realized his pain before all of this happened. It's all my fault!
"Antonio... Did those people say anything? Did you see anyone else there?"
"I-I didn't see anyone else... The only thing they said was that they hate you... Why?"
I couldn't tell him that their boss was the cardinal's secretary, could I?
"It's because of my family... Well, here, your family describes you, not your actions or anything else... That's why everyone is afraid of me and hates me."
"I don't hate you, so don't generalize!"
"Well, you're different!"
"Cesare, I was actually told that if I leave, nothing will happen to me, but you will suffer. I couldn't agree to that!"
"Why? You were at home with your family, not with a pervert like me..."
"I'm sorry I said that, and I hope we can start over..."
"Maybe... Ah, please be more gentle!"
"Sorry, I'll try!"
After finishing cleaning and bandaging Cesare's wounds, I put the disinfectant and other supplies away and then got into bed next to Cesare. Of course, he slept with his head on my chest, just as we had agreed.
"Good night, Cesare, and... Thank you!"
"Good night... I hope today's events will be a lesson for the times when you want to go out alone at night. From now on, I forbid you from going out alone... You know what can happen now, right?"
"I promise! I just hope you won't put yourself in danger for me like you did today..."
"Whenever it's necessary, Antonio! After all, I'm your guardian angel... It's said that even angels have their own angels, right?"