VME vol 17 scene recap: the Cathars cave of murals I spent so much of my valuable life force reading and re-reading the part I've been looking for in Bell of Gévaudan where Roberto expresses guilt for sympathizing with the Cathars and I will NOT let my sweat and tears go to waste so I've put together this recap. A few of my own views are expressed. I apologize for any mistakes, I am just a very obsessed fujoshi who powers through these novels with a machine translator and some tweaking.

Ok so, 300+ pages in the story, Hiraga and Roberto were heading down some mountains after a hike for clues when Hiraga spotted a body down the cliffside. They both lost their footing and tumbled off the cliff, but were saved by a jutted out ledge on the side of the cliff. It began to rain shortly after, so they retreat to a cave that was nearby the ledge. While inside the cave, they discover it to be full of murals that were painted by the Albigensian sect in the 12th century. The first mural they find is one depicting the three Magi celebrating the Birth of Christ. However, instead of the typical depiction of Christ being in a stable, he is coming down from Heaven.

"According to Albigensian teachings, Christ does not have a physical body. Therefore, he was never born from a human woman. They believed Christ was created in Heaven as a spirit to impart the teachings of the great Lord. This is a painting of that idea. Even as the Crusades ended, the Inquisition continued to hunt heretics for many years in southern France. For that reason, not even a single Albigensian believer remained. It is said not even a single chapter of the doctrine survived, due to the burning of the books. It’s a phantom heresy that was ruthlessly annihilated.”

“I don’t know much about them, but did they have very dangerous ideas For example, anti-Christian or terrorism-like ideology…”

“Well, let’s take a look at their thoughts from hereon.”

(sorry if this sounds weird I am having trouble translating this, I think Roberto means let’s observe the paintings closer to understand their beliefs)

“Yes, my heart is pounding.”

“Mine too.”

They continue to look further at the other murals of other Biblical stories, some very ordinary, some striking in a detail or two. Some of the figures in the murals are depicted with a staff that is shaped like a snake. There's a mural of St. Martha slaying Tarasque, a Biblical monster indigenous to the region. Hiraga swears that it was Lazarus that slayed Tarasque, but Roberto explains that the figures are different because of the region's beliefs. Then Roberto says this very profound statement that I'll think about for years to come:

“I sometimes think of this. Sacred places and the old beliefs handed down there may have been supported by a mysterious power that has existed there since the beginning. The memories of this land, the spirits that have been around for a long time, the ingrained traditions.That’s why the next people of different races, and people with different ideas will continue their faith while adding new legends for the designated sacred grounds. Isn’t that the same reason nature makes sap, spiders make webs, and silkworms make cocoons Even if the old culture becomes obsolete and forgotten, new legends and beliefs will emerge in the new culture. Somewhere in the story hides the essence of the old story. I can’t help but feel like that.”

“Roberto, you always things about such things when you are investigating.”
Hiraga said with admiration as if he made a new discovery.

“Well…it happens sometimes. Not always.”

Roberto said with a somewhat shy look and scratched his head.

(So cute so cute so cute I am both awed and awwwed over these two)

So after that moment:

“Look, Hiraga. in this picture, Mary Magdalene is holding a staff. Moreover, she is holding a staff in the shape of a serpent, the same that Christ had. This shows she was a high disciple who inherited the wisdom of Christ.”

“Is Mary Magdalene a high disciple of Christ” Hiraga asked honestly.

“The Albigensians thought so. There is almost no Albigensian material left, but we do know that the Gnostics and mystics have long believed in the Gospel of Mary from ancient times, and that the Albigensians seem to have inherited them.”

“Is that so..”

Hiraga looked at the mural in front of him with a serious look, [Roberto] wondered what he was thinking. However, Roberto knew that Hiraga’s faith was strong and unwavering. Hiraga has a golden faith that continues to shine without being undermined by anything. That is why Roberto can speak his frank opinion.

~~

Ahhhh you gotta love it huh....I scoured all over to find this tasty morsel of guilt, it's so good, it's so good Roberto both recognizes and forgets constantly just how weird and blasphemous Hiraga can appear to other people His left side brain is constantly at war with maintaining his image as a holy man Both of you are kinda heretical, but that's okay

After this they wander throughout the cave until they find a hidden temple (details foggy, I was losing focus as I blazed through speed-reading these next pages) where Roberto, in a explosion of pent up horny brainlust, brutally subjects me to like a zillion pages of him explaining like, the entire history of ancient religion west of the Urals and how he feels more guilt sharing some of this stuff with Hiraga because he doesn't want to expose him to the things he knows from history and now about the Catholic Church’s corruption and additionally, cast himself as a heretic in Hiraga's eyes. I am certainly not doing a recap about that, but thanks for reading