The black heart of the one you know

Part 14

Nathan was staring at the sight with his mouth open, red dull scars, in the form of criss-cross lines, were etched on Petrus' back like a work of art.

He got up and went towards him to see the scars from a closer distance. He raised his hand and placed it gently on one of the scars and followed its path with his fingers.
- But why? Why did they do this to you?

- I myself asked them to do this. I wanted the evil memories to be erased from my mind.

- Do you mean Levi's memories?

- Yes.

- Did the blows of the whip erase his memories from your mind?

Petrus paused for a few moments and then answered in a low voice:
- No.

Then he took his shirt and robe and put it on and turned his face towards Nathan.
- The blackness that has penetrated into my being has not been erased until now and it still bothers me after five years have passed. The pain in my heart is more burning than the pain of a whip.

Nathan stepped forward and stared into Petrus' eyes.
- Tell me what exactly is bothering you? The fact that you cooperated in carrying out Levy's plans or that you exposed him to the higher authorities and caused him to get executed?

The expression on Nathan's face at that moment, the determination and impression in his voice, created a strange feeling in Petrus' being, as if Levi was standing in front of him and interrogating him.

He swallowed and answered with a trembling voice:
- Both. I wanted to say that I am sad because Levi did not become what he should have been, a pious and pure monk. But the reason...

When he reached this point, tears welled up in his eyes and he began to sob.
- The reason for this unfortunate situation is that I feel I killed him with my own hand, that I put my hand into his chest and pulled out his black heart.

He fell on his knees and cried harder.
- I am not a good monk, I am not a good servant for the Lord. Why should Levi's thoughts be in my mind at all times of the day and night?

Nathan knelt on the ground in front of Petrus and hugged him as he was crying hard.
*
Arousing Petrus' feelings had a positive outcome for Nathan and, of course, for Godfrey. Petrus allowed him to be released before his punishment was up, and now Nathan was walking towards the room where Godfrey was being punished.

When he reached the front of the room, Monk Itachi blocked his way.
- No one is allowed to enter.

Nathan pulled a rolled up piece of parchment from his pocket, pointed it at Itachi and said:
- Monk Petrus the Great has ordered to release Godfrey.

Itachi took the paper from Nathan's hand, opened it, read the decree and saw Petrus' special seal on it. He stared at the judgment for a few moments with a look of displeasure on his face, and then raised his head, looked at Nathan's face and narrowed his eyes.
- So you used your evil charm on him?

- Excuse me?

Itachi moved his face forward, almost touching Nathan's face.
- It's not like only your face is the same as the one you know, I smell the devil from you.

To be continued...