"Dong! Dong! Dong!..."
The bells of vespers rang out from Lisbon Cathedral, once again resounding through the entire Alfama Noble District. Bishop Diogo de Sousa wore a smile and, just as when he had arrived, left Nuno the steward's noble residence with a smile. And before stepping into his carriage, he meaningfully drew a devout cross and began reciting a passage of Latin scripture from Romans.
"Stipendia enim peccati mors est; gratia autem Dei, vita aeterna in Christo Iesu Domino nostro."
"For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
"Marquis Nuno, the Lord's teachings are worth spending our whole lives comprehending! At the blessing mass three days from now, I sincerely hope you will appear. Amen!..."
"Yes! Your Excellency, praise the Lord!"
Nuno the steward bowed his head in prayer. He did not look Bishop Diogo in the eye, nor did he have his earlier smile. Bishop Diogo smiled with compassion, boarded the splendid four-wheeled carriage, and slowly vanished at the end of the street. In the direction he was heading, the cathedral spire gleamed brilliantly beneath the setting sun, while in the distance, the stone roof of the fortress at Saint George Castle dimmed against the backlight, sinking into the shadows of the far mountains.
"The Sun is about to set."
Nuno the steward watched in silence for a long time. Only when the sunset had completely faded did he let out a faint, lingering sigh.
"Saudade! Ah! His Majesty... His Majesty John! You are still so young, only forty years old..."
A king's greatest sorrow was to be a hero gifted by heaven, yet bound by a limited lifespan. After all, in this world, there was never loyalty without cause or reason. Loyalty needed a clear