Chapter 196: Truth Is Easier To Steal Than Gold
Think like a man of action, act like a man of thought.
After the laughing ended, the air in the church changed on its own.
Zane left his seat and called the Flamekeeper Birgham.
The others didn’t know what their leader had in mind but soon they all heard it.
"I wish to make a confession."
Zane wanted to confess.
There was no one present in the church apart from Birgham and Zane’s team and since the last confession was from Xavier about him being a pervert, the Flamekeeper wasn’t sure if he wanted to hear about Zane’s confession.
But assuring Birgham, Zane said he wasn’t confessing anything like that.
Tonight...
"I am a man of action."
He was a man of action.
Seeing the young man in seriousness, Birgham also turned to his Flamekeeper presence.
"Do you wish to do it in private?" He asked.
Zane shook his head.
"No. I will do it in front of my friends. But only them. Send everyone out."
Birgham nodded and the two Enforcers that were closer to the door went outside as well.
Then they closed the door.
"Your voice will not go outside from here. Come to the stage, child." Birgham said.
It felt wrong hearing a young man calling Zane a child but that only showed that Birgham was a good Flamekeeper.
Zane glanced at his people and all of them had questions in their eyes.
Zane assured them with his gaze and climbed to the stage.
There was no confession box like the one in Cathedral but as Zane came on the stage, Birgham went inside a room and came out with a wooden box with three barricades
He is strong.
Zane knew firsthand how heavy the confession box was and the man carried it without any problems.
Birgham placed the box on the right side of the stage and Zane wasted no time to enter it.
Birgham fluttered his robe and brought a chair for himself.
He placed the chair in front of the box and rested one leg on top of the other.
"You may proceed. Say what you want." The Flamekeeper gave the green flag and Zane began his plan.
He rested his hands on the barricade in front of him and placed his head down.
"I was here to see mister Horum." He said.
Birgham nodded.
"Go on."
Zane did the same.
"I had taken money from him. Yes, I am a Scepter but I really wanted the money. My father wasn’t giving it to me so I asked mister Horum for help."
"How much money?" Birgham asked.
Zane raised his head. "Five thousand gold lumens."
Birgham flinched.
"That’s a great amount of money. That might be his life savings. Flamekeepers don’t get paid that much so he must have saved his salary for many months."
"Yes. Exactly. I begged him to give me the money and I promised him that I will pay him back in ten days."
"Then?"
Zane dropped his head again.
He sniffled.
"But I wasn’t able to return the money and vanished. I left him hanging. I am the worst! I hate myself!"
"Don’t be so harsh. Why didn’t you return the money?"
"Because I didn’t have it at that time and I was afraid to show my face with no money. So I waited. I waited and now I have the money to return it to him."
"That’s great. Now you can redeem yourself. Apologize to him for the delay and return what you owe him. I am sure he will understand."
"Yes. He will understand. But there is a problem, father."
"What?"
Zane raised his head once more.
"I can’t find him anywhere."
Birgham said nothing.
Zane carried on.
"I borrowed money from him one month ago in his chamber. I don’t know his house or anything. Tonight, I got the money but now I heard that he is on leave. I want to return the money as soon as possible. Please help me. Tell me where he is if you know. Otherwise I will kill myself!"
THUMP!
Zane slammed his head on the barricade and he did it with his full strength.
The barricade shook and Xavier and the others stood up.
They had no idea what was going on or what Zane was trying to do here.
They were waiting for Zane to kidnap him but the man was simply talking bullshit instead of his original plan.
Did he change his plan?
Everyone thought but they had no choice but to watch and find out.
Meanwhile Birgham, seeing Zane slamming his head, left his chair right away.
"No. Don’t do that. Life is a gift."
"Then do you know where he is?" Zane asked, his voice filled with guilt and regret.
Birgham touched his chin.
His face conveyed the man was under stress but Zane acted his best impression of being pitiful and feeling sorry for himself.
"I don’t... I don’t exactly know where he is. I just joined here yesterday. I was a Kindler in another church but Horum’s leave gave me my promotion and I ended up here."
"Then it’s pointless. I am not worth living."
THUMP!
Zane slammed his head again.
But along with the acting, he was surprised that his forehead didn’t bleed.
He felt pain but it wasn’t enough to hurt him.
Did I get stronger?
Zane liked the changes but he focused on the acting first and foremost.
He raised his head and was about to slam it once more when...
"Wait. I know his house. You can check it there!" Birgham revealed.
"Really?" Zane beamed.
"Yes. I used to work under him before I was transferred to another church. He really was a nice man."
He fooled him too.
Zane was almost impressed by Horum. He might be on par with Zane in acting.
"Please tell me his address. I used to believe he lived in the church all the time."
"Yes. He lived here most of the time but he did have a house. You might find something there. Or you might find the man himself."
Zane held Birgham’s hands.
"Please. Help me."
Birgham smiled.
"Don’t worry. There is a quarters for the clergymen on Firma street. Apart from that, Horum’s personal house is on Kopium street. It’s the fifth one. You can check both places."
Zane nodded.
"Thank you very much."
He left the confession box, hugged Birgham and dashed towards the door.
His friends followed him and as soon as the doors opened, they left the church.
———
After one hour.
Zane was inside Horum’s house.
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