Bộ Sưu Tập Tội Lỗi Của Vị Linh Mục Ngoan Đạo - Chương 43

Here's a thinking process:

1. **Analyze User Input:**

- User wants me to translate English text into Vietnamese.

- Constraints:

- Keep original line breaks (number of lines preserved)

- Novel-style tone

- No markdown

- No explanations

- The text is a novel excerpt (erotic/romance with religious themes, featuring Theodore and Daphne)

2. **Identify the Task:**

- Translate the provided English text to Vietnamese.

- Maintain line breaks structure.

- Maintain literary/novel tone.

- Output only the translation, no extra text, no markdown formatting.

3. **Examine the Text:**

The text has several paragraphs. I need to preserve line breaks. Let me look at the structure:

- First block: “…” then text about Theodore, navel, marks, etc.

- Then dialogue: “Holy Father.” ... prayer...

- Then “* * *”

- Then Daphne's perspective, waking up, etc.

- Ends with her finding a note.

I need to translate each segment carefully, keeping the novel tone, emotional nuance, and preserving line breaks.

Let me parse the English text line by line/segment to translate accurately.

Segment 1:

“…”

Removing his hand from Daphne’s abdomen, Theodore traced his finger over the three inverted triangular dots below her glowing navel, just above her mound.

The mark of one born under the Three Stars.

He had once resented the fact that she bore this mark, but now he couldn’t be happier.

In the past, he had beaten his chest, cried in anguish, and repented in tears for the vulgarity of his lust, but now… He accepted himself as the filthy beast whose sinful cxck would stand erxct at the mere sound of a voice, a single letter of a name, and a single strand of that familiar chestnut color.

“…Holy Father.”

Please forgive your wretched servant the sins he has committed and deliver him from all injustice, but lead him no more into temptation.

‘Though I doubt You will hear me if I ask with a faith already so… defiled.’

He muttered a self-deprecating remark and lowered his head. His gaze fell on the priestly raiments which lay torn haphazardly on the floor. Now that he thought about it, he had to get out new clothes for Daphne.

Rising from the bed, he bent down and picked up the tattered garment, which he carefully folded, then gathered into his arms. The scent of Daphne’s skin, embedded in the fabric, stirred his heart. The sins that had been gnawing at his soul only moments ago vanished without a trace, replaced by an overwhelming, almost painful pleasure that began to fill his mind.

The thought of bringing the new clothes he had prepared scattered like mist, and a desire to possess this distant pleasure forever rose within him.

“Ha…”

Pressing his nose into the fabric, Theodore inhaled deeply and turned his head toward some corner of the bedroom. His lower body felt unbearably stiff.

* * *

Unbelievable.

Daphne laughed at the absurdity of the thought that came to her mind as soon as she opened her eyes.

‘How long has it been since I’ve slept so soundly?’

She had always woken up with the sun, still feeling the fatigue of the previous day, but to wake up to the morning sun was exhilarating.

Even though that day had stretched into the early hours of the morning, her body didn’t feel sore at all. In fact, she felt invigorated, even refreshed. She had heard from women who had visited the convent that after their first experience, their bodies felt bruised and battered.

And yet, her skin, which had been drenched in all kinds of fluids, was smooth and dry, and the soft blanket around her felt pleasantly comforting. She tentatively touched between her legs, just in case, but there was no trace of the outpouring from earlier that night.

‘Did his holy power cleanse me?’

Before they had properly united, there had been the sound of tearing clothes, but that had also been Theodore’s way of saying he would take care of everything.

And the cleanup afterward? Spotless. It made her question if that night had even happened.

When she blinked, the sunlight illuminated the ceiling painting, making it appear even more sacred than yesterday. The cherub in the painting seemed to be asking if she had slept well, which made Daphne feel a little embarrassed as she pushed herself up.

Turning her head, she saw that she was alone in the large bed. Theodore Valentino was nowhere to be found, not in the bed, nor anywhere in the bedroom.

‘Ah, by this time, he must have already gone to morning prayers and his regular meetings.’

It was known that the cardinals, after morning prayers, would discuss the issues to be presented to their respective national branches. It was natural that Theodore had left the bedroom. Daphne, feeling a bit awkward, rubbed the back of her neck and then noticed a note by her pillow.

Picking up the light-colored paper, she examined the graceful handwriting.

I spoke with Bishop Isabella at morning prayers. You need not worry.

Oh no, what could he have possibly said to her…

“He’s more bullheaded than I thought.”

She had assumed he’d gone straight from morning prayer to the regular meeting. But now, picturing him quietly returning to the bedroom just to leave a note at her bedside made her let out a small laugh. He could’ve just woken her up and sent her on her way — why go through the trouble of leaving a note?

Still, if the cardinal himself had explained her absence, then Bishop Isabella and the others would have accepted it without question.

After all, no one would ever imagine that Theodore Valentino had spent the entire day — and well into the early morning — tangled up with her.