The next morning, I woke up early. I went downstairs to have breakfast with the bishop and the two retired priests, who were quite curious for their age.
"Antonio, are you ready to preside over your first trial?" the bishop asked me.
"Of course... Just tell me the time and if you have any preference for the outcome... You know, I wouldn't want to do anything against Your Excellency's will..."
"Judge as you wish, I don't really care. For important trials, I will let you know what the outcome should be and how to proceed so that you won't be caught falsifying evidence or other things..."
"Sure, Your Excellency... I have complete trust in Your Excellency's leadership..."
"You flatter me too much, Antonio... If you had been so willing to help from the beginning, you might even be a bishop by now..."
"I am not worthy of these words, Your Excellency..."
I don't like to flatter the old man, but in order to become someone important, I first need to win him over to my side. The old folks already agree with me, so there's not much more I can do for them. Sure... These stigmata make people around me consider me a saint and trust me.
At the start of the trial, with the bishop present, I sat in my judge's seat, with two priests on my right and left. My first case was quite easy, I would say. It was about two neighbors, one being a priest and the other a layman, who were arguing over a piece of land. Honestly, I was impartial and decided that the land should belong to the priest, who provided a document attesting to the land's donation by a noble family.
Furthermore, immediately after, a married couple of about 15 years came before me, seeking a divorce. Well, the wife wanted the divorce... As it is done in the 15th century, the husband is right, so he had priority to speak. I analyzed the grounds on which a marriage could be annulled: the wife's infidelity, the husband's impotence, or the wife's infertility. The first one was uncertain, the second was not applicable, and the third was not applicable because they already had children. So, despite the woman crying that her husband came home drunk all the time or other similar issues, the divorce did not take place.
After the two relatively unimportant cases, I left with the bishop to have lunch. Of course, we had a lavish meal with a table full of food and drinks.
The bishop was proud of me. I could see his radiant face. It was as if all things from the past had been erased, and now we were the best of friends. Well, to be honest, I didn't care at all about a genuine friendship with the bishop, but only about a friendship that could secure me a place in society.
"Antonio, you were wonderful in those trials... I loved seeing you defend that husband's dignity. You were like a true inquisitor!"
"Thank you for your high praise... As the Lord says, if we are good in simple matters, we will be good in complicated ones as well."
"Sure, sure... This week, there will be an extremely important case that I want you to handle. You know about the death of Vlad the Impaler 16 years ago, right?"
"Yes, I've heard... Honestly, I was 9 years old at that time, so I don't know much. Maybe you could enlighten me about certain things."
"Sure... So, this man was the devil incarnate. Even the Pope threatened him with excommunication, but he didn't stop. In the end, we, together with the nobles, had to decide, for the good of the Church, to assassinate him. The thing is, although he wasn't well-liked by the nobles, the common people loved him because he was close to them. That's why many would revolt if they knew what we did."
"Hm, if I may ask... Did this character pose a threat to you?"
"Yes... I couldn't steal, I mean... borrow... from people's money because I was threatened with a violent death."
It seems this guy, Vlad, was similar to me in the beginning... It looks like I have something important to take care of now...
"Well, his wife is a kind of witch or something like that... You know, the woman who makes various remedies from plants and such. The important thing is the following: We caught her, and we're about to convict her for witchcraft... She knows too much and reminds us and the citizens of her husband. She's 34 years old but looks like she's 25, and there are other reasons that will be revealed to you during the trial... I want you to declare her guilty and sentence her to be burned at the stake in the name of God!"
"But she's not guilty, right?"
"No... But that doesn't matter. You just need to do what we say, and everything will be fine..."
"Your Excellency... I think..."
"Don't disappoint me, Antonio, I beg you!"
"I think she's also guilty because her husband's soul has turned into a vampire, right?"
"We hadn't thought of that... You're right, Antonio! Well done, my son!"
Ha, if I have to condemn an innocent person to death, so be it. Anyway, the bishop is on my side, God as well, and the citizens still recognize me as someone dedicated to God and justice. So, let the game begin... Hahaha!
The days passed with various insignificant cases. At most, 2 divorce cases could be resolved. One because the wife was infertile, and the other because the husband was impotent.
However, even these insignificant cases made me known in the eyes of the common people, who saw me as a hero of justice and faith.
"Father, you are a saint. You even have the signs of the Lord..." a woman addressed me.
"Father, you are so just. We need people like Your Holiness in the leadership of the Church..." a noble family whom I had helped in a trial said to me.
Well, I can't say that I was absolutely righteous. There were cases where I didn't agree with some nobles because we had an understanding, and it was all just a theater. But in general, I wanted to maintain an air of sanctity around me.
The day of the trial I had been eagerly awaiting finally arrived. Finally, a trial that was for me. Finally, I can show my true power.
In the morning, some influential people came before me, bringing with them a girl who didn't seem older than me. Honestly, I had heard she was around 35 years old, but she didn't look like it.
The bishop had warned me that my reputation might suffer after this trial, but I have an ace up my sleeve... Although my reputation will be tarnished, the stigmata will help me overcome this fact.
"We present before the esteemed judges the accused Ana Kroner to be judged for witchcraft," shouted the court clerk.
"Mrs. Ana, do you acknowledge the charges?"
"I-I don't acknowledge anything. Father, I'm innocent... I'm innocent in the eyes of God, and I don't know why I'm here..."
"Then why are there so many people here who claim you're guilty?"
"I don't know who these people are... They are people paid by Bishop Ignatius to slander me."
I know... I know she's not guilty, but I still need ranks. I'm sorry, but I can't help you... Wait a moment...
Ever since I left Rome, I've been thinking about Cesare. I know it doesn't make sense to do so, but there's a possibility I could forget about him if I enter into another relationship... Well thought out, Antonio... The bishop already trusts me anyway, so it doesn't matter.
"I-I need to take a break... It's an overwhelming trial, and I don't know yet what answer to give before speaking to the defendant. Break!"
The people were outraged. Some were furious at my choice, while others prayed for the salvation of their heroine, Ana Kroner. Even the bishop was surprised, he who had already given me the verdict. Of course, I decided to make Ana an offer she couldn't refuse...
"Listen, woman... What would you do to escape punishment?"
"I'm innocent, so all I can do is ask you to be fair!"
"We know you're innocent... But I decide whether you are or not, and I say you're not... Only if..."
"If what?"
"I won't condemn you if you agree to be with me. What do you say?"
"No, I can't. Even though my husband died 16 years ago, we are still married..."
"That can change immediately... Come on, you'll see that everything will be fine..."
"I can't. Besides, you're a priest, and you can't..."
"Marriage is out of the question, but that's not what I'm asking for... I'm only asking you to sleep with me and be my lover. What do you say?"
"I can't violate the will of the Lord... If I do, I'll go to hell..."
"No, that's not true... Everything will be fine. Look, just a few times..."
"Never! I'd rather die than do something like that!"
"Fine then... It was your choice..."
And here I thought I could finally forget about Cesare and the nonsense in my head from Rome. I want to be done with Cesare once and for all... To stop thinking about him... Damn it, I'll take my revenge on her for this. This woman must die! No one has ever refused me, and I don't want anyone else to ever do so.
"We resume the trial. Ana Kroner, do you agree with what these people are saying? Some even claim that you're not allowing your late husband's soul to go to the Lord..."
"You're the one saying that, Father! You're inventing things about me just because I didn't agree to sleep with you? What kind of person are you? How can you still call yourself a priest?"
The crowd was horrified. I could feel the anger in everyone's eyes directed at me. Even the bishop blamed me... No, it can't end like this...
"Slander! This is slander, and it must-"
"No... It's the plain truth. Why did you take that break then?"
The people were already infuriated beyond measure. If it weren't for the guards, I think they would have killed me on the spot. Wait, what's this burning sensation I feel? Wait, the stigmata...
"You dare slander a servant of the Lord who bears His stigmata?"
"Are you sure you didn't inflict those wounds upon yourself?"
This can't be... This woman intends to indirectly kill me. I need to do something.
"Good people, God has caused the stigmata in my hands to bleed once again, showing that He Himself is against this woman. Therefore, I will touch her with my hands wounded by the love of the Lord to see what God Himself says."
When the people heard about the stigmata and God, they fell to their knees in awe. Even those who didn't believe in divinity or other things knelt down. Now it's time to deliver the final blow.
I touched the woman's head, and blood began to flow so much from the wounds that it dripped onto her head and reached the floor.
"Look! The Lord has decided that she is guilty!"
All the people sided with me, condemning her to death and starting to utter hateful words against her. I alone knew she was not guilty, but my pride couldn't admit it.
"We, by the power granted to us by God through His Holiness Pope Alexander VI and by the will of God's people, condemn Ana Kroner to death by burning at the stake! The sentence will be carried out immediately!"