Episode 3 of "Néro the Assassin" bursts into action with Horace, Perla, and Hortense trapped within the clutches of a deceitful penitent priest, who is fervently preaching the virtues of penance to his captive audience. Attempting to make a swift exit, Horace and Hortense find themselves swiftly apprehended and forcibly escorted back to their seats.
In a bold move, Horace confronts the charlatan priest head-on, while Hortense, desperate to break free, unvails her true identity, hoping to intimidate the priest and his cohorts. Instead of cowering, the priest and his men are incited, their fury directed towards Hortense. With a resounding slap, the priest demands she atone for her perceived sins. Offering her jewellery as a form of penance, Hortense inadvertently offends the priest, who retaliates by mercilessly shearing her locks.
Refusing to submit, Hortense fights back with all her might, only to be dragged away by the priest to his private chambers, where he intends to teach her a lesson in obedience. Left in the hands of the priest's men, Horace faces the grim prospect of beheading. Just as the executioner's blade is poised to strike, Néro swoops in, his entrance both timely and theatrical.
With a mischievous grin, Néro playfully insists on going first to receive his penance, citing his numerous sins as justification. Granted the opportunity to cast the knucklebones, fate plays a cruel trick on Néro as he lands on whites, thus sparing him from immediate harm. Not one to accept luck so轻易 (easily), he pleads for a second chance and, to his dismay, draws two blacks.
Presented with the grim choice of which two body parts to sacrifice, Néro feigns deep contemplation, his mind racing with escape plans. Seizing the moment, he launches a surprise attack, catching the priest's men off guard. Simultaneously, Lothar, ever the skilled archer, unleashes a flurry of arrows, taking down more soldiers with precision.
Empowered by Néro and Lothar's bravery, the long-oppressed villagers find their courage, seizing weapons and joining the fray. Together, they rise against their tormentors, their collective fury igniting a rebellion that promises to shake the foundations of tyranny.
In the priest's chamber, a sinister scene unfolds as he launches a violent assault on Hortense, intent on raping her. Despite her valiant resistance, his brute strength seems to have the upper hand. Just as he is on the verge of overpowering her, Perla bursts in, rescuing Hortense from his clutches.
Finally, the pent-up fury within Hortense erupts. With a metal chain in hand, she unleashes her wrath upon him, bludgeoning him to death. Néro rushes in to find the two women clinging to each other in a desperate embrace.
After the harrowing ordeal, a group of villagers decides to depart for La Martine. Néro, in a gesture of freedom, releases Hortense and suggests that he accompany them. Yet, she chooses to remain, opting instead to journey with them to Segur. She offers to assist Lothar in exposing her father's misdeeds. Touched by her resolve, the villagers provide them with a horse and some essential supplies. One villager even offers Hortense her jewelry, but she only accepts a single ring as a keepsake. Néro then clarifies to Perla that he hadn't abandoned her; rather, he had been taken hostage by Lothar.
Back in Segur, the archbishop announces the pardon of fifteen witchcraft cases. Convinced that the devil's presence looms closer than ever, he vows not to execute the innocent. Meanwhile, Rochemort arrives with his wedding gifts, eager to meet the prince. However, the archbishop seizes control of the encounter, refusing to relinquish the tin mines. Josephine, the prince's sister, attempts to interject but is silenced by her stammering and the archbishop's unyielding dominance.
Later, Rochemort confronts his mole within the Segur nobility, threatening to end his life. The man had underestimated the archbishop's sway over the prince. As they make their way to Segur, Néro begins coughing up blood. Hortense, grappling with the aftermath of the violence, proposes a stop at the Fortress of Havreval to gather more horses, supplies, and soldiers.
Havreval, a vassal state of Segur, should pose no threat, she reasons, given her impending marriage to the prince. Néro, however, disagrees, insisting that it would be a futile endeavor. Meanwhile, Perla requests fighting lessons, which Lothar graciously agrees to provide. As they observe, Néro inquires about what prompted Hortense's change of heart regarding her father. She remains tight-lipped, but it's evident that witnessing her father's violent pursuit of wealth has deeply affected her.
Horace and Néro also engage in a conversation about Perla's future. Once again, Horace deceitfully paints a rosy picture of what awaits her in Segur, concealing the harsh realities.
Speaking of Segur, Rochemort extends a desperate hand toward Josephine, pleading with her to orchestrate a clandestine rendezvous with the prince. During this secretive meeting, Rochemort skillfully persuades the prince that the mines represent the sole salvation for the city. Under the pretense of an urgent errand, he smuggles the prince out of the palace, revealing to him the stark and grim realities faced by the people dwelling in the shadows beyond the opulent walls.
Meanwhile, in a different corner of their world, Hortense calls for a democratic vote to decide their next destination. The group unanimously selects Lothar as their new leader, who, with a nod of agreement, decides to steer them toward Havreval. However, their journey is hampered by Néro, whose deteriorating condition slows the team's progress. Despite his best efforts to conceal his ailment, concern mounts among his companions as they notice the ominous wounds festering on his neck.
Horace, with a grave expression, reveals that the necklace adorning Néro's neck is the source of his poisoning, and only the archbishop possesses the power to remove it. Perla, her heart heavy with fear, begins to fret that her father's days are numbered, and with him, the precious opportunity to forge a bond that transcends their current circumstances.
The following dawn brings a seismic shift as the archbishop is taken aback by the prince's unexpected alliance with Rochemort. In a bold proclamation, the prince declares that mining expeditions will commence post-Lent. Furthermore, he bestows upon Rochemort the honor of serving as his advisor, all while awaiting the arrival of Hortense and her entourage.
