Chapter 224 The Priest of the Harvest Church
Back at his home at 47 Red Rose Street, Angel sat on the single sofa next to the bay window, counting today's harvest in his hands again and again, feeling extremely happy.
After selling the "Barbarian" formula and homemade bullets, she now has 900 pounds in cash, which is about to break through four figures and reach the peak of her wealth.
Although 100 pounds of this amount belonged to the final payment from Pharmacist Darkwill, it was still in her hands, so Angel included it in the amount without hesitation.
"Before I go to the South Bridge District tomorrow, I'll deposit the money in the bank. It's too easy for it to be stolen if I keep it at home. Well, if I run away and don't have time to take the money with me, I'll lose it all."
She planned to go to the Harvest Church in the South District of the Bridge tomorrow, Saturday, to look for Bishop Utravsky, the one mentioned in the clue provided by the pharmacist, and try to complete his task and obtain the "pharmacist" formula.
"If it's true as they say, that I can get the formula by completing the mission without paying, then this formula is equivalent to buying it for 200 pounds. I can sell it to the Viscount for 300 pounds. He's so anxious, he should accept it, and he might even be grateful to me..."
"This brings my savings past three digits, reaching £1,200, which is equivalent to half a Sequence 6 formula."
Although Angel already has the formula and main ingredients for the "Witch of Pleasure" and can obtain them from Sylvia as she completes her mission to get closer to Miss Audrey, she also needs to consider the possibility of mission failure or even exposure of her identity.
At that time, I would have to activate the backup plan, try to buy the formula from Laura, and then get the potion materials at the Beyonder gathering.
The formula for Sequence 6 might cost 1,500 pounds or even 2,000 pounds to buy, and the main ingredients of each potion would not be less than this number. The little money I saved was just a drop in the bucket.
"Oh right, one of the main materials Severia promised can be picked up this weekend. If everything goes well tomorrow, I'll go to her house the day after tomorrow. There's no time to waste. Getting it is the safest option..."
After arranging the weekend itinerary, Angel went to the basement and prepared to make bullets from the star crystals he bought today to replenish his combat power so that he could complete the bishop's "mission" tomorrow.
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Taking the subway, crossing the Tussock River underground to the South Bridge District, Angel walked out of the smoggy subway station and caught a hired carriage to Rose Street.
She was fully armed today, except for the contaminated "Scarlet Eye", all other magical items, weapons, ammunition and props were available.
Before leaving, she even used the pendulum to perform a divination on herself, confirming that there was little danger in going to the South Bridge District to meet with Bishop Utravsky.
After getting off the carriage at the street corner, Angel saw the Harvest Church in the distance through the thick haze.
The church's exterior was golden yellow, and its outer walls were engraved with the Holy Emblem of Life, consisting of a baby surrounded by wheat ears, flowers, and spring symbols. The main building had a spire, which was out of place with the Loen-style streets.
The South District is also one of the areas with a larger population, but it is not as chaotic and poor as the East District. It is similar to the West District of Tingen where Angel once lived. Although it is not as magnificent as the other wealthy areas, the streets are clean and the crowds are busy but not chaotic.
It was just the time when the morning mass was over. The main door of the church opened and believers walked out in groups. Angel went against the crowd and entered the church hall.
Rows of seats are neatly arranged inside, with a huge holy emblem of life hanging in front, the same shape as the exterior wall, and a row of candles lit on each side.
A man wearing brown clerical robes and over two meters tall stood in front of the altar.
"Bishop Utravsky?"
After seeing all the believers leave, Angel walked forward and asked tentatively.
The man turned around and looked at Angel.
He wore a bishop's hat, had sparse eyebrows and a wrinkled face. He looked to be in his forties or fifties. His light blue eyes, surrounded by crow's feet, revealed a hint of kindness.
"It's me, but everyone usually calls me Father."
"Hello, Father Utravsky," Angel changed his address and got straight to the point. "I heard you have a commission, and the reward is the 'Pharmacist's' potion formula?"
The tall priest remained silent. Just when Angel thought he would deny it, he pointed to a chair beside him, then walked over and sat down.
Angel followed and sat beside him. Even though she was taller than the people of Loen, she looked like an underage child sitting next to this priest who was obviously of Feysac descent. The latter hunched over, resting his elbows on his knees, and said:
"Yes, although I don't know where you got the information from, I do need help, but..." He turned his head to look at Angel, "This is very dangerous. I think it will be difficult for you to complete it. Are you sure you want to try?"
"If it can be solved with gold pounds, I will certainly choose not to take the risk."
Angel replied with a smile. Before coming to the South District today, she went to the Hillston District first and deposited a large part of her huge fortune into an anonymous account. In order to cope with possible expenses, she left 300 pounds in her pocket. At this time, she was so rich that her voice became a little louder.
Besides, I can ask the Viscount for reimbursement...
She added in her mind.
"Unfortunately, I won't sell the formula. This is my commandment."
The priest shook his head.
"Then tell me about your commission. Perhaps I'm more capable than you think?"
Angel crossed his legs and looked at the burly priest in a listening posture. The priest sighed, gave up persuasion, and began to tell his story.
"I was born in Indo, on the coast of the Sea of Between. When I was young, I loved fighting and killing. I did a lot of ridiculous things in Feysac. In the end, I committed a crime that even the Empire could not tolerate. I fled to the sea and became a pirate."
"In the Sonia Sea, I continued my evil deeds until I met a missionary of the Mother Goddess. Under his teachings, I understood the preciousness of life and the charm of all things growing. I swore an oath before the Mother Goddess' holy emblem: to atone for my past sins, I would spread her faith to other countries."
"So you came to Loen to preach in the capital of a country that already has a mainstream religion?"
Angel asked at the right moment.
Indo is a port city of the Feysac Empire, across the sea from the northwestern coast of the Kingdom of Loen. It seems that this bishop is indeed a Feysac native. Unexpectedly, he eventually believed in the Mother Earth and came to Loen to preach.
The mainstream beliefs of the Kingdom of Loen are the Goddess of Night, the Lord of Storms, and the God of Steam and Machinery. The Mother Earth only has the right to preach, but the number of churches is strictly limited. She only has churches and believers in a few large cities, and she cannot even form her own Beyonder armed forces.
Father Utravsky chose this place to preach, seemingly sincerely repenting for his past actions.
"Yes, this is the only meaning of my existence."
The priest stood up from his chair and faced Angel. The difference in height and posture made him look like a legendary giant.
"My commission is for you to kill me."
Um?
Angel almost suspected that he had heard it wrong. Could it be that this reformed priest suddenly felt that preaching alone could not wash away his sins?
"Kill my past self, the one who did so much evil and had blood on his hands."
the priest repeated.
It seems that I heard it correctly, but it seems to have become more difficult...
She looked up at the priest, waiting for his explanation.
"The me of the past, the one obsessed with killing and fighting, is still deep within me. It's never truly died," the priest continued. "He's still clinging to it, trying to regain control of his body and return to his former state. Even though I believe in the Mother Goddess and use penance and preaching to influence him, hoping to bring him back into one with me, it's to no avail."
"It sounds like schizophrenia. Shouldn't you see a psychiatrist?"
"I've tried. The Mother Goddess Church also has a 'physician' sequence. They tried to help me, but ultimately discovered that this wasn't a mental illness, but rather a tendency to lose control. If I were eventually replaced by my past self, my body would lose control and I would become a monster that only carnages."
"So, there are two Utravskys within you. The present you is good, while the inner you is evil," Angel concluded. "But how do you kill that 'past you'? Since you've asked for this, there must be some way, right?"
"Yes," Father Utravsky nodded. "I've been searching for a true solution to this problem for years. With Mother Goddess' blessing, I obtained a magical item, said to be a relic of an ancient dragon."
"It allows the holder to enter the depths of the target's mind and materialize the corresponding scene. There, you can see my past self and fight him. Once he is truly dead, he will never appear again."
The priest took out a half-burnt candle from the pocket of his priest's robe. The outer layer of the candle seemed to be wrapped in a layer of creature's skin, wrinkled and even had a few scary bumps. The wick was slightly protruding, and the dark surface had fine scaly patterns.
Holding the candle, the priest looked at Angel with anticipation.
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