Chapter 9 St. Selina's Church
The Church of Saint Selina on Red Moon Street is the headquarters of the Church of the Goddess of Evernight in Tingen City. Together with the Church of the Lord of Storms, the "River and Sea Church", also located in the northern district of Tingen, and the "Holy Number Church", the Church of the God of Steam and Machinery in the suburbs, they jointly support the religious community of Tingen City and its affiliated towns and villages.
Many of the passengers who got off the public carriage at Red Moon Street just now were rushing to the church to pray.
Attracted by the bell, Angel temporarily forgot the urgency of being on the run. She walked along the sidewalk beside the street, across the square, and came to the fan-shaped staircase of St. Selena Church.
The church is in Gothic style, very similar to the Church of Light in Angel's previous life, but it is all black. The buttresses on both sides support the main structure. The glass windows on the front are red and blue, clustered around the protruding part of the main building in the middle, and above it is a tall bell tower.
The arched main entrance is prominently located, and many believers are coming in and out at this time.
Among the three major churches in Tingen, Angel was most interested in the Church of the Evernight Goddess. This was not because he could hear the bells of the Church of Saint Selina every day, but because the way believers of the Church of the Evernight Goddess saluted was to draw a crimson moon on their chests.
This is exactly the same as the holy emblem representing the sun that he painted on his chest when he was a Templar of the Church of Light.
The Church of the Evernight Goddess worships the Evernight Goddess, and the color they revere is black, representing the crimson moon. This is completely opposite to the Goddess of Light of the Church of Light, who reveres the sun and pure white.
This is too much of a coincidence.
But when you think about the fact that this world not only has steam engines and revolvers, but also has 365 days in a year, this coincidence doesn't seem so striking.
Angel climbed up the steps one by one and came to the main entrance of St. Selina Church. Just looking at the solemn church calmed her anxious heart.
She took out a five-pound note, walked up to the donation box by the main entrance, and put it in.
The young priest on duty seemed to have rarely seen such a generous believer. He quickly stepped forward and drew a crimson moon clockwise on his chest: "Praise the goddess, thank you for your generosity, beautiful lady."
"Praise the goddess, it is nothing compared to this precious tranquility." Angel followed suit, drew a crimson moon, and replied.
She originally only wanted to take out a few coins, but for some reason, she reached into her pocket and took out a large bill.
But this was also what she really thought. In front of the church, she did enjoy a moment of peace. Thinking that there might be an endless journey of escape afterwards, the quiet time now was indeed very precious.
"Madam, you seem to be troubled by something. If you have some free time, why not come to the confessional in the church? Perhaps listening to the goddess's teachings can help you resolve your doubts."
Is my condition so obvious? Angel touched his head in confusion and found that his hood had been pulled down at some point, revealing his worried expression to the attentive pastor.
As for the confession he mentioned, Angel originally planned to just donate some money and leave, but changed his mind after being persuaded by the pastor.
"Just think of it as earning back the five pounds." She made an excuse for herself.
Angel thanked the priest and walked into the church from the main entrance. Surrounded by high two-color glass windows on both sides, the porch seemed narrow and dark. At this time, the sun had set outside the window, and the crimson moonlight shone through the glass onto the ground, enchanting and deep.
She walked through the narrow porch and came to the prayer hall. It had been a while since the mass ended, and most people had left. There were seven or eight believers sitting scattered in the prayer hall. Some of them bowed their heads and closed their eyes in prayer, some stared blankly ahead, and some covered their faces and muttered to themselves.
Walking around the neatly arranged benches, he came to the confessional on the side of the prayer hall. The door was opened from the inside, and a middle-aged man walked out. He had a confused look on his face and his eyes were out of focus. He almost bumped into Angel outside the door. It seemed that the previous confession did not solve his inner confusion.
Seeing him slowly walking away, Angel walked into the narrow confessional, closed the door behind him, and sat on the wooden armchair.
A candle was placed on the horizontal rail in front. In the dim candlelight, a deep male voice came from behind the partition: "Child, what do you want to say?"
Yeah, what do I want to say? Angel asked himself.
I come from another world and unfortunately possess the body of a dead person who has committed many evil deeds and reaped the consequences?
You just solved your identity problem and were ready to settle down in this world, but you were scared by a letter and were ready to leave your homeland?
Choosing his words carefully, Angel said slowly:
"In the face of evil, I chose to retreat and failed to uphold my principles."
She expressed her confusion vaguely.
Fortunately, the bishop presiding over the confession was accustomed to seeing the Riddler. He was silent for a moment and then continued to ask, "Is this matter beyond your ability?"
"Yes, there may be a slight chance, but I don't think it's a long shot."
"So, have you tried to seek help from other forces?"
Was he suggesting I call the police? Angel was stunned for a moment before answering, "This is exactly what confuses me. I long to overcome it, but I'm afraid of exposing myself and attracting other people's attention. Does this go against the teachings of the Goddess?"
"Fear is human instinct. Those who overcome it deserve praise, but those who follow their heart won't be blamed for it, goddess..."
The bishop's voice seemed to be getting farther and farther away, the last sentence almost inaudible. Angel leaned forward to the partition and asked, "What did you say?"
The candle in front of him suddenly went out, plunging the confessional into darkness.
Angel felt a chill on his back and subconsciously reached out to throw off his cloak, grabbing the holster tied to his leg, and dodged backwards, trying to get further away from the partition.
"The goddess said that those who face fear and move forward will be rewarded." Completely different from the voice of the bishop presiding over the confession, another high-pitched voice that was difficult to distinguish between male and female was heard, echoing in the small confessional, making Angel lose his direction.
"Who is it?" Angel shouted. Her hand had already touched the handle of the gun, but she didn't dare to pull it out. The person's whereabouts were strange and his strength was so strong that she couldn't even think of resisting.
No answer came from the darkness.
His eyes blurred, and light returned to the confessional. Angel found himself still sitting quietly in the chair, his hands folded in his lap. The bishop's deep voice was as sweet as heavenly music: "...will forgive her honest believers."
Apart from the cold sweat on his back, the strange darkness just now seemed like an illusion.
Seeing that she was frozen in place, the bishop concluded the confession: "Follow your heart and don't feel guilty or uneasy."
I came to confess because I was wavering inside... Angel answered in his mind.
She recalled the day when she was baptized in St. Charles Cathedral and became a Knight Templar in her previous life. She swore to fight against all evil in the world. After passing the test and joining the church's agent, she faced the darkness within, from initial doubt to resistance. When evil invaded the world, she stood up and fought on the front line.
Less than two days after coming to this world, I almost forgot the decades of persistence in my previous life.
Was it the confusion of becoming a woman? The urgency to obtain a legal identity? Or was it the feeling of powerlessness in the face of high-ranking Beyonders?
Or maybe it was because he subconsciously thought that he was no longer the original Templar Angel Grey, but the Beyonder "Assassin" Angel Granger, so he no longer needed to abide by the beliefs he had held before?
"No, I'm not running away. This is simply the best option after weighing all the pros and cons. The police will soon discover the report in the anonymous mailbox, which details Cole Granger's crimes. Based on these clues and evidence, Cole's actions will eventually lead the police to Madam Sharon, who is behind the scenes. Because of the involvement of extraordinary powers, the police will notify the church's extraordinary power to handle the matter. If nothing unexpected happens, Madam Sharon will be arrested within a week."
A voice in my heart argued like this.
"Do you really think so? Then why did you go to Backlund to remind Lily Granger, your nominal cousin, to accept the protection of an official Beyonder?"
"You also think there's a high chance Madam Sharon will escape legal punishment, right? She has a vast network of connections in Tingen City, and she knows all the little secrets of politicians and wealthy businessmen. As long as she's not caught in the act, she'll have plenty of ways to escape punishment. What can the police do to her?"
Another voice taunted.
"I've done what I can. The police will know that Madam Sharon is a Beyonder, and the Church's armed forces will intervene..."
The voices of defense are becoming increasingly weak.
"This isn't a monotheistic Earth. In Tingen alone, there are three churches working against each other. Madam Sharon was already aware of the high probability of her escape during their initial investigation. She can easily pull out Sequence 7 potions to recruit followers, and there may be even more powerful forces behind her. If she escapes, prepare to live in fear for the rest of your life!"
The mocking voices became more and more urgent.
"You know the solution yourself, right? It's a permanent solution, right?"
Yes, I've always known it, but I just didn't want to face it... Angel suddenly remembered a sentence he heard in his previous life: "When you're having trouble making a decision, just flip a coin. Before the coin falls, you'll know the answer you want."
So, when I didn't hear the bishop's last sentence clearly and asked back, I should have understood my inner choice... Angel suddenly understood the meaning of that sentence.
"Thank you, Bishop," she said with a heartfelt thank you.
"May the goddess bless you." The bishop behind the partition returned the greeting. "Then, confession is over."
"No, it's not over yet." After making up his mind, Angel stared at the partition with burning eyes, as if he could see the surprised expression of the bishop behind him.
"What?" The bishop was also stunned.
"I'd like to ask you to tell them, whether it's the Nighthawks or anything else, those Beyonders." Angel said quickly, ignoring the bishop's surprise. "Several murders and disappearances in Tingen City are related to a man named Cole Granger. He also involves higher-level Beyonders. The relevant evidence is in an anonymous mailbox at the police headquarters. Please have them handle it as soon as possible."
The bishop behind the partition seemed silent because of shock. Angel also said nothing and waited patiently for a reply. The confessional fell into silence.
Just when Angel was about to think that the other party was secretly calling the police, the bishop's deep voice finally said, "They will know."
"Thank you for strengthening my resolve when I was lost." Angel stood up, tapped his chest four times with his right hand, drawing a crimson moon, and then left the confessional.
This thank you is not for the bishop.
Most of the believers who were still in the prayer hall outside the door had left. In the dim hall, two priests were tidying up the equipment on the podium. One of them was the young priest who had advised Angel to come to confession. When he saw her coming out of the confessional, he nodded.
Angel nodded and returned the greeting, then turned and walked towards the main entrance they had come from.
On both sides of the porch, the crimson moonlight shining through the glass made her feel a little dazzling. She walked along the wide corridor, bathed in the crimson light, and finally looked back at the interior of the church. The holy emblem of the Goddess of Night engraved on the wall of the prayer hall seemed to be looking down at the church and at her.
A deep, quiet power pervaded her.
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