After gaining a lead, with the support of his boss, Jeffrey used the authority of the Supernatural Special Department to mobilize all available police forces in New York to start a comprehensive investigation.
In America, there are several places where bodies are stored.
First, hospitals or certain temporary morgues, where bodies are stored for the longest time because they are refrigerated to prevent decomposition.
Second, funeral homes or places like columbariums and, even further, cemeteries.
Thus, Jeffrey focused his investigation on these places. If any hospital or body storage facility reported missing bodies, he could follow these leads to find traces of ghouls and trace back to the group.
According to Father Archibald, although ghouls hunt alone, the appearance of one usually leads to two, then three, and eventually a group, spreading like a contagious virus.
This worried Jeffrey deeply.
Ever since stepping into this other world, he always felt that despite the apparent calmness and people living and working in peace, the undercurrents were strong, and safety was an illusion.
A cathedral, closed off, not open to tourists, accessible only to believers.
Father Archibald, wearing his robes and carrying a document bag, was led deep into the New York Cathedral by a monk to meet Bishop Romulo, who controlled the New York diocese.
Walking through corridors adorned with religious decorations, Father Archibald was not in the mood for sightseeing.
Ghouls were not much of an issue; the monks in the church could easily handle a group of them.
Like the monk leading the way, Brother Lichirati, who alone could withstand the onslaught of hundreds of ghouls.
What he feared was the significance of the ghouls themselves.
Ghouls were a major group within the demon legion. The appearance of one indicated that a demon was likely lurking behind, eyeing New York.
Recalling the various documents he received from Jeffrey, Father Archibald's expression grew more solemn.
If it were just ghouls going out hunting on their own, it would be fine, but he feared the demon behind them.
So, to prevent any incidents, he decided to speak to Bishop Romulo.
Before he reached Bishop Romulo, Father Archibald's right eye suddenly started twitching uncontrollably. He tried to soothe it with his hand but paused in place.
Noticing the stop, Brother Lichirati halted and turned back.
"Father Archibald, what's wrong?"
Father Archibald rubbed his twitching eye, which stirred a memory.
"Father Archibald, my left eye is twitching; do you know what that means?" Bishop York once joked.
"I might be getting rich."
Thinking back, Father Archibald pursed his lips and thought.
"Left eye twitching signifies wealth, right eye twitching portends calamity."
"Father Archibald?" Hearing a voice, Father Archibald looked forward and saw Brother Lichirati's concerned face.
"I'm fine, please continue," he replied.
Brother Lichirati nodded and resumed leading the way.
Father Archibald sighed, rubbing his still twitching eye as he followed.
His mind grew heavier with worry.
He usually attributed eye twitches to muscle and nerve issues, but the sudden reminder of the jokes shared by the revered Bishop York before his departure seemed like an ominous sign.
He truly felt a storm was brewing.
Following Brother Lichirati into a hall, Father Archibald looked at the large closed door.
Decorated with religious art and guarded by four monks, Brother Lichirati announced their arrival at Bishop Romulo's location.
"Father Archibald, we've arrived. Bishop Romulo is waiting inside."
Nodding, Father Archibald responded and walked past Brother Lichirati towards the door.
The guarding monks scrutinized him before opening the large doors, reminding Father Archibald of Bishop York.
Each bishop's demeanor and aura were different, reflecting their unique personalities. But among them, Bishop York always stood out as special.
From his curiosity to his purposeful research, Father Archibald sought to understand why Bishop York, even as a bishop, seemed to stand alone like a lone wolf.
Even after becoming a bishop, he managed his clergy, including only Sister Eileen and Brother Hili...
"Father Archibald?"
Hearing another inquiry, Father Archibald snapped out of his reverie. The door was already open, waiting for him to enter, but he was lost in thought.
"What's wrong? I keep thinking of Bishop York."
Father Archibald shook his head and walked in.
The bishop's chamber opened up before him, filled with a rich historical and sacred atmosphere.
The high ceiling was adorned with elaborate chandeliers that illuminated the space, and the walls were covered with beautifully painted murals depicting significant religious and historical scenes.
Further in was a half-open door to the private chapel
where the bishop prayed and held Mass.
Glancing there, Father Archibald unconsciously looked at one of the murals on the wall, depicting Bishop Romulo himself.
His gaze then shifted to a large carved wooden table on one side of the chamber, surrounded by ornate chairs.
Bishop Romulo sat there, watching him.
"Father Archibald."
Hearing Bishop Romulo's voice, Father Archibald instinctively thought of Bishop York.
"Bishop York would never be in such a setting; he was always in a regular church."
With a mix of emotions, Father Archibald approached Bishop Romulo.
"Bishop Romulo!"
He bowed slightly in greeting.
Bishop Romulo acknowledged the arrival of Father Archibald, who had taken over York's church, Plutus Church, with a pleased expression.
He had doubted the young priest's ability to handle the affairs of Plutus Church, but to his surprise, the priest had performed well.
Of course, the young priest's diligence played a big part.
From what he knew, Bishop York rarely held masses to strengthen the congregation's faith.
Therefore, the news that the congregants of Plutus Church were satisfied with the new priest was a pleasant surprise.
"I heard you wanted to see me," Bishop Romulo gestured to a chair in front of him.
Father Archibald nodded and sat down as instructed.
"Yes, Bishop Romulo."
Bishop Romulo's face showed the lines of many years, and he recalled the young priest's unusual demeanor upon entering. However, he did not dwell on it and instead offered a gentle smile.
"If it's about Plutus Church, I might not be able to help much. That's York's domain, and I don't usually intervene," he said without any change in expression.
"But I've heard that a matter has been assigned to you. Could there be something else?"
As a bishop, he was beyond the need to manage every detail. Many affairs were handled by lower departments that maintained order and functioned independently.
The reason he knew about the assignment was due to Father Archibald's special status.
Father Archibald took a deep breath. "Bishop Romulo, I've found traces of ghouls."
"Ghouls?"
Hearing this term, Bishop Romulo furrowed his brows and looked at the young priest, understanding his purpose.
Father Archibald nodded solemnly.
"Yes, Bishop Romulo. Although I haven't seen the ghouls myself, the traces are undoubtedly theirs."
He then detailed the situation at the site and his analysis.
The church, though a religious organization, operated similarly to an official one.
Everything required evidence, not just assumptions or explanations.
Father Archibald spoke earnestly.
"The bite marks on the bodies preliminarily match those of ghouls, and the stench and decaying flesh found at the scene have been confirmed by the investigative department to be typical of ghouls."
After explaining, Father Archibald handed the document bag to Bishop Romulo.
From the moment he identified the ghoul's scent, he had been focused on tracking them down.
The documents in the bag were results from the church's investigative team, confirming his findings.
Bishop Romulo, expressionless, took the documents and began to review them.
The matter involved a demon capable of commanding a legion, indeed warranting a report to him.
After all, a demon or devil that could control a legion was no minor threat.
Each incident could potentially escalate to affect the entire city.
After carefully reading the documents, Bishop Romulo placed them back in the bag and looked at the young priest sitting upright before him.
"Tell me your thoughts."
Father Archibald pursed his lips, suddenly feeling as if the Bishop Romulo before him had transformed, his holy aura seeming to rise and awaken.
The atmosphere in the room grew heavy, filled with pressure. Father Archibald inhaled deeply and spoke respectfully.
"Search! I've already instructed the officials to start investigating. Once we locate the group of ghouls, we can trace their movements to find the source."
He paused.
"Bishop Romulo, this is still not enough. I need some authority from you."
Hearing this, Bishop Romulo stared at the young priest for a long while.
He understood Father Archibald's request—more authority to command some clergy in the New York diocese.
Technically, given Father Archibald's skills and position, he really had no right to such authority.
Enthusiasm and dedication were good, but such matters required capability and strength.
Unfortunately, Father Archibald was only a priest who had recently completed his novitiate.
While Bishop Romulo saw potential in him, it was still...
He placed the document bag down calmly and spoke indifferently.
"I will speak to Father Augsburg and ask him to handle this."
Bishop Romulo ignored the fleeting disappointment in Father Archibald's eyes and withdrew his gaze.
"And you will assist
him..."
With the matter settled to this extent, Father Archibald, though disappointed, could understand Bishop Romulo.
After all, he was indeed too young and truly lacked experience in leading.
"Yes, Bishop Romulo!" Father Archibald responded respectfully.
But somehow, he thought of Bishop York again as Bishop Romulo seemed about to dismiss him. He couldn't help but speak up.
"Bishop Romulo, I have a question for you."
Bishop Romulo's eyebrows raised slightly as he looked at Father Archibald, who asked.
"What would Bishop York do if he were in my place?"
"York?"
Caught off guard by the question, Bishop Romulo paused before shaking his head, his face a mix of helplessness and nostalgia.
"He? He'd probably handle it alone and then report to me, saying, 'Bishop! The matter is resolved.'"
With this, Bishop Romulo regarded the puzzled Father Archibald and exhaled lightly, standing up from his chair.
"If you had York's strength, I would grant you the authority you seek, but you don't, so..."
His voice trailed off.
"That man was different from you, different from everyone. He was well-known as a troublemaker in the seminary. Do you know why he still became a famous troublemaker priest and the youngest bishop in history? In the end, it's because of his strength.
Some people are simply incomparable, like geniuses and ordinary people..."
With these words, Bishop Romulo's face filled with reminiscence as he slowly walked towards the half-open private chapel, adding.
"I know your intentions, but you might not realize it's not just you—York has always been a target for many to chase.
So keep striving, Father Archibald. To catch up with those ahead, you'll need to put in a thousand times the effort..."
His footsteps receded as Father Archibald took a deep breath and watched Bishop Romulo's silhouette enter the private chapel, respectfully saying.
"Yes! Bishop Romulo, I will strive to improve myself..."
Hearing this, Bishop Romulo's smile remained unchanged as he waved his hand and entered his private chapel.
___________________
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