**Chapter 28: The Source of All Evil**
A limited-edition, high-spec "Santlan" smoothly pulled into the hospital parking lot, effortlessly backing into a parking spot.
The diligent night shift security guard walked over to collect the parking fee. But when he reached the car and peeked inside, he was shocked to find that there was no one in the vehicle.
The night guard patted his bald head, caused by years of night shifts:
"Oh my god, am I seeing ghosts?"
At the entrance of the inpatient department, Alfred, dressed in a blue suit, walked inside while removing his gloves.
The hospital room was on the first floor, and Alfred quickly arrived at the door. He took a deep breath, his right hand tapping the back of his left hand rapidly with five fingers, trying to calm himself.
But before he could fully compose himself, the door was opened from the inside.
Standing before Alfred was Orpheus, wearing a hospital gown stained with blood, his face pale.
Alfred only glanced at him before immediately dropping to one knee:
"Great Servant of the Divine, your loyal servant Alfred has come in response to your call."
"Come in," Orpheus said as he turned and walked back, sitting on a chair next to the hospital bed.
Alfred noticed that the room was in disarray, especially the bed, which was covered in bloodstains. There were also drops of blood on the tiles and walls.
A black cat lay weakly on the windowsill, glancing at Alfred as he entered.
With a mix of confusion and utmost respect, Alfred asked:
"Great one, are you hospitalized for an injury?"
Immediately realizing the awkwardness of his question, he corrected himself:
"Great one, have you been injured and admitted to the hospital?"
After the second question, Alfred felt embarrassed about his intelligence tonight.
Orpheus tilted his head, gesturing toward the bathroom on Alfred's left.
"Yes."
Alfred removed the mop stuck in the bathroom door handle and pushed aside the cabinet blocking it. He then opened the bathroom door.
Inside, slumped in front of the toilet, was a nurse, bruised all over, her forehead resting against the tiles and her arm stretched forward, unmoving.
Alfred's eyes immediately turned red as the Charm Demon's Eye activated; the woman was dead, revived by the Order Church's "Awakening Spell" with a restrictive command.
Wait... something was wrong.
There was another consciousness inside the woman's body.
Alfred covered his left eye with his left hand. In the next moment, blood dripped like tears from his right eye. He lowered his hand and took a clean handkerchief from his sleeve to wipe the blood from his eye.
Inside the nurse's body was a Bewitching Demon!
Alfred stepped back a few paces, leaving the bathroom and looking at Orpheus.
Maybe it was the stab wound from Diss, but while his body hadn't fully recovered, his courage certainly had. Facing Alfred's gaze, Orpheus calmly said:
"Take her away."
Alfred knelt again before Orpheus:
"Great one, please allow me to extend Madam Molly's sincerest gratitude on her behalf. I will take her to Madam Molly and convey your divine concern."
Hmm? What does that even mean?
Though Orpheus didn't fully understand, he nodded slightly.
Alfred returned to the bathroom. This time, perhaps the restriction was wearing off, and the nurse, who had been immobile, suddenly lifted her head, her eyes now entirely white.
Alfred closed his eyes, and after ten seconds, opened them again. By then, the nurse's eyes had turned from white to red, her body now emitting a faint red glow.
A new seal, Alfred's, had been applied.
Afterward, Orpheus watched as Alfred carried the nurse out of the bathroom.
"Your injuries..."
Orpheus did not try to conceal his wounds or weakness. He simply said calmly:
"This is my tribulation."
After a pause, Orpheus waved his hand:
"Just do your job."
"Yes, please forgive my excessive concern," Alfred said, carrying the nurse out of the room.
After he left, Orpheus turned to the cat beside him, Puer, and asked:
"What did he mean by what he said earlier?"
Though Puer was severely injured and weak, it still replied sarcastically:
"Great one, why are you asking a cat?"
Orpheus thought for a moment, recalling that Lady Molly had made a request to him when he left House 128.
"Puer, what does 'purified body' mean?"
"Purification is the process of becoming a divine servant, which is the foundation of all church hierarchies. So, a purified body refers to the body of a cleric, at least one that has undergone a full purification and ascended to the rank of a divine envoy."
"A divine envoy's body? Is it easy to obtain?"
"Not at all, because every church keeps records of their personnel. When a cleric dies, their body is recovered by the church."
"Recovered?"
"Yes, because their bodies are valuable materials. Very useful.
So, obtaining a divine envoy's body through regular channels is nearly impossible. If you try to kill someone for it, it would enrage the church and bring terrifying retribution.
But the nurse Alfred carried out earlier, that could count as a purified body."
"Could?"
"Because her body had been 'awakened' by your power, the spiritual energy inside had been activated. Unless the body was very special, this process is irreversible, like burning fuel—once it's burned, it's gone.
Removing the innate spiritual energy and returning it to the soul is called purification, or at least half a purification."
"So, can't the Order Church's judges create unlimited purified bodies as long as there are enough corpses?"
"That's why I said it's only half a purification. A cleric's body is not only baptized, but their divine soul also infuses the body with godly energy.
And that Bewitching Demon you sealed inside the nurse's body now plays a similar role.
To purify a body without considering clerics, you'd need a corpse whose spiritual energy has been fully drained after awakening, along with an otherworldly demon in spiritual form to inhabit it.
It's like how Mary cleans and prepares a body for a funeral. Every step matters."
"Oh, I see."
Puer stretched out its paw:
"You seem to have forgotten something. You should've asked him to clean this room before he left with the body."
"I didn't forget," Orpheus shook his head and explained, "I was just nervous seeing him. He mistook me for a great being. If it weren't for Diss being away and my fear that the body might act up again, I wouldn't have called him."
"Actually, you have nothing to worry about. I know exactly what's on his mind."
"What do you mean?"
"Did you forget what I told you earlier? He either thinks you're a true god descending or a summoned returning evil god. In fact, except for your own denial, you meet all the criteria for the descent of an evil god.
No matter how much he investigates or looks, he won't find a flaw because you don't have any, Orpheus."
"But I'm so weak now, aren't I?"
"Whether it's an evil god or a true god, they all need a long time to recover after descending. They're always weak at first. This is common knowledge.
Otherwise, Mr. Hoffin wouldn't have been so insistent that Diss kill you—same goes for me."
"You?"
"Yes, I've always wanted Diss to kill you because I know how you descended and the taboo Diss broke to 'awaken' you.
As I said before, except for your own denial, not only Alfred and Lady Molly, but all of us think you're an evil god."
"Why are you telling me this? Isn't this just boosting my confidence?"
"I don't know. Maybe it's because of the fish jerky and pudding you gave me earlier."
...