"Anton! Anton! Are you even listening to me?" Angeline was losing her patience, and her gentle smile was hardening with the anger filling her body due to the calmness the young man displayed in front of her.
After Anton was brought back from his thoughts, he looked at the woman in front of him with a serene gaze and said, "Angeline, as you can see, I just want to plant trees in this place until a mission requiring my presence arises. You're wasting your time being here."
As an intelligent person, the only talent that could make him strong was soul balance, which enhanced his strength when performing an exorcism or caring for his trees. Whatever happens, Anton won't easily reveal his talent. After all, if he's now considered someone with the potential to surpass his father, he doesn't want to imagine what would happen if suddenly everyone knew about his true abilities.
That's why he didn't explain his situation to Angeline, let alone to his parents, with whom he usually spoke. Instead, he casually avoided the supposed problems around him, as if what happened in the world was not of his concern and certainly not about becoming stronger, like everyone was seeking to go to die on the battlefield.
"Well, do as you please." Angeline, who knew she was missing the train to her local church, glanced at Anton once more and bid farewell.
But at that moment, Anton stopped her and asked, "What has the Association of Light suggested regarding the territory assigned to me?"
In reality, the entire city had been entrusted to his care. He should have had a subordinate lower in rank to him act as his right hand, but he had not met them yet. That's why Anton, who wasn't very familiar with what the Association of Light had suggested, asked Angeline, who had been sent to get his attention.
In the ranks of exorcists, there are novice initiates who are aspiring to become exorcists. They undergo rigorous training before finding out if they can ascend to the next level. Anton's assistant is a Novice Purifier, who works assisting exorcist priests, the role Anton currently holds in this city.
"They won't give you the entire city under your care. They have decided to assign me to the other half and assist us if we need help."
Anton coldly sneered and said, "I work alone. I have more experience, and I don't see a reason to delay the appointment of a guardian."
"I wonder too why the Association of Light delays that." Angeline got angry at Anton's innocent words and asked, "Isn't it because you hit a vagabond who claimed to have the devil under his skin?"
"That was a month ago, and the bastard started spitting at me." Anton raised his eyebrows, recalling the incident with the vagabond.
"Are you sure it was a month ago?"
Anton raised his hands and pointed, "Does the date matter?"
"No, it doesn't... Just remember to take your assistant to the job. He also wants to be of help, and it's really a shame that he got stuck being your assistant."
"Take care, Angeline. You know the way out, so I won't accompany you."
Watching Angeline leave in such a hurry, Anton smiled. After recalling his life, he thought about many things, but nothing resembled what he had planned to cleanse his sins. But now that he had a purpose, it was good to know that at least he wouldn't have to try so hard to do things right.
Walking to the window, he could see the streets with people of all ages walking back and forth. "Always rainy, a very gloomy city..."
Wisdom Springs is the closest thing Anton has known to London. This place was easy to relate to London from his past life due to its visible wooden structures, sloping roofs, and ornate details.
The streets of the city of Wisdom Springs were very large. Strolling through this city, perfect for living in silence, Georgian facades peeked out, and their latticed windows whispered stories of a time of splendor and refinement.
Although this world is totally different from his previous life, every detail was related to something specific within Anton's knowledge.
"A parallel world..." After touching up the last tree in the pot, Anton smiled and entered the makeshift kitchen inside the nursery, where he only brewed coffee.
While preparing his coffee, next to it was a large wardrobe with a completely black priest's uniform with purple borders and hidden runes beneath its fabric. This uniform shouldn't be here, but new sets had arrived tailored to his measurements now that he was increasing his muscle mass.
This uniform was what Anton wore to work. Many people might confuse it with a clerical uniform worn by Catholic Church priests called a cassock. But it had nothing to do with that because this black uniform had special enhancements.
Not everyone can be an exorcist, and very few become warriors of light, as they are called in the Association of Light, to which all exorcists belong. To be one of the warriors of light, you must understand what God means and what is truly understood as evil.
For a normal person, when they think of God, they immediately relate to the idea created by humans and represented in hundreds of famous illustrations. But that, in the Association of Light, is not God. Of course, it is a representation of a god, but that was ultimately created by a human.
The Association of Light follows no god or religion. Although they camouflage themselves as priests of Christianity, they have also become guides for other religions to move through the world and eliminate evil.
"Rule number one: God is everything and nothing at the same time. He is present but not part of the universe."Anton looked at the first rule of the Grimoire for exorcism that one had to read to reinforce their authority.
As one advances as an exorcist, each being is blessed with a certain power of light that is incredibly effective at eliminating evil. There are weapons that many might consider magical, but these were and are created using the power of light.
In the world, any religion is welcome; you just need to believe to turn it into something real that can manifest protection and, at the same time, curses. What is understood is that belief is all that is needed; the rest will be left to the power that only humans can create.
"My head hurts just thinking about all that." Anton muttered as he took a small metal tube and placed it in his bag.
Spirits were not the most terrifying; for Anton, beings like werewolves or demons incarnated in physical targets were the most terrifying and complicated to eliminate.
But as he was still quite new to this world, the time to face evil would come sooner or later, so for now, he must be patient.
Exercising his body and being prepared were part of his redemption in this life.
"I will pay with blood for every torment I cause the world." Anton thought as he looked at himself in the mirror.
In his past life, he might not have been a good man, but in this one, he will make sure to do it right. He wouldn't know where he would end up, but he wanted to try. At least this way, he could have a peaceful rest—a worthy place to be after his death.