"They are now tracking me to the country and have even sent messengers of demons. I saw such a monster for the first time,"
Joe Mani said, his eyes showing real fear.
He was not afraid of the existence of creatures different from natural animals; Clayton's two shots made him understand that the monsters also feared firearms. What he feared was the overlap of monsters and humans.
It was like stuffing a human soul into the body of cattle or sheep. That sense of sacrilege and guilt.
Thinking of the face of the harpy, Joe Mani's throat felt a bit blocked.
"Relax, child, tell me what you have encountered."
Father Petri's tone was unhurried, he held the sword cross necklace on his chest, squatted down to touch Joe's forehead, and the warm voice entered Joe's ears.
"The radiance of God will dispel the evil from you, so there is no need to worry."
"I saw a harpy, a monster from legend."
Warmth came from the forehead, and Joe felt himself floating in the sky, but his body was still there. The light feeling made him want to confess everything, but something heavy pressed him in time.
"It has been following me all the way home. But I finally found it and drove it away with a pistol."
"Where do you live?"
"214 Mercy Street."
Joe lied. After Clayton left last night, he sank the body of the harpy to the bottom of the river.
Although the water in the dock area is shallow, there are no visitors there. It will not be dug up again for several years, which is also a relatively peaceful cemetery.
After returning home, he swept up the glass scraps and tried to cover up the bullet holes in the wall. No one would think it was related to Clayton.
However, Joe also left something as evidence.
He took out a bloodstained ochre feather from his pocket, held it in his palm, and offered it.
The feather had a faint smell, and Petri picked it up without disgust, looked at it for a few seconds, and finally made an announcement.
"This is just the feather of a red-backed vulture, not the feather of a harpy."
"How could this be?!" Joe Mani asked in surprise. He had personally dealt with the body and confirmed that those strange shapes were not possessed by animals in nature.
"I clearly saw the head like a woman, and the bird body that continued to emit a foul smell, just like the legend!"
"I'm not saying you were wrong, I'm just stating the fact. It's not only harpies that can have foul-smelling feathers." Father Petri put down the necklace, stood up, and signaled the acolyte to open the church door to officially welcome today's believers.
"You did well, but you shouldn't go deeper. Child, let us take over from here."
Joe looked up, the doubt on his face had not dissipated: "But these existences are too bizarre, Father, please tell me what's going on?"
"That's none of your business anymore. You should return to a normal and comfortable life. Of course, if you're worried about safety, you can continue to volunteer here."
Joe cleared his throat. He wanted to know about the other world no matter what, considering they had caused him a lot of trouble.
"I want to be baptized, Father!"
If he could become a believer, maybe he could learn more. That's what he thought.
Father Petri was about to turn to the platform to prepare for today's preaching. Hearing this shout, he stopped, and the man's enthusiasm confused him.
He knew Joe's plan, but most people wouldn't just climb out of the mud and put their heads back in.
"Joining the church is not that simple." He turned his head and seriously told Joe.
"But if you insist, then start by reciting the scriptures. Next week, I will arrange a priest who can help you understand God's grace. You can give up at any time during this process."
"I will prove my piety."
Joe stood up, his legs were a bit numb, so he took some time to regain his balance.
Father Petri saw that his faith was scarce, but he didn't care. There are already few truly pious people in this world.
In the false peace maintained with the descendants, countries have reduced the power of the White Teaching in order to restore central authority. They have taken away a large amount of land from the White Teaching and strictly limited the number and development of monastic schools, gradually replacing monastic schools with public schools.
After losing the power of education, the number of believers in the church has decreased generation by generation.
Nowadays, Father Petri doesn't care whether the believers are pious or not. In this era, as long as it is beneficial, the identity of believers can even no longer be human.
The mayor's son's pet dog has been baptized by him, and it is a truly pious good dog.
"By the way, do you still plan to volunteer at the church during this time?" he asked Joe. "We don't have money, but we can provide free holy communion."
Joe touched the heat rash on his face that hadn't faded, then nodded firmly.
"I'll be there!"
"Still following me."
Clayton pressed the brim of his hat, trying to cover his face.
But it was of no use, because his height of 188 centimeters, even when sitting, matched his robust body and broad shoulders, making him quite conspicuous in a crowd.
Bruno was following him - to fulfill a business contract with Mary Etta.
Although Clayton knew Bruno was following him, and Bruno knew he knew he was being followed, Bruno would not give up following him.
Because Bruno had taken Mary Etta's money.
Clayton sat at the round table with a white tablecloth, looking at the scenery outside the floor-to-ceiling glass window. He picked up his coffee cup and took a subconscious sip, then dropped three lumps of sugar in at once.
He was thinking about whether he should just call Bruno in.
The guy was sitting on the bench across from the café, monitoring the place while tearing off bread crumbs to feed the pigeons, doing this risk-free job, and Clayton was a bit envious of him.
Knock knock.
He extended two fingers and knocked on the window, and Bruno, as expected, noticed his hint, threw his spoiled bread on the ground, and walked straight into the café, sitting opposite him.
Bruno rang the copper bell on the table to summon the waiter:
"Four slices of buttered bread, two Samira sausages, and a cup of hot milk. All on the tab of the gentleman opposite."
The waiter nodded, scribbled on the menu, and ran to the back.
Clayton felt a bit suffocated: "Why should I pay for breakfast for someone who is watching me?"
"The reason is simple, because you need me to ignore some things."
Bruno pointed to his eyes, then pulled out a cynical smile: "You wouldn't be right about what Miss Mary Etta said, would you? Are you really doing something secret recently?"
"How could it be, I have always been a kind person. Her guesses are just delusions. Have you ever seen me get angry?" Clayton replied without changing his expression.
But his thoughts were indeed hit by Bruno.
He needed Bruno to stop watching for a while.
Because he wanted to see Galid.
Last night, Galid told him that if he had questions, he could find him at the General Constabulary during the day. But if Bruno was always watching, it might be misunderstood by Galid and do something that would harm public safety.
And Bruno is not a common person, he is a very keen detective, as long as he has seen Galid once, he can find the difference in the other party.
"That's true, I don't seem to have seen you lose your temper."
Bruno propped his chin, seriously recalled and thought, and then said: "But this makes it feel even more suspicious. You are also a middle-ranking officer, and you have no temper at all. There might be a conspiracy."
"I think you can trust me a little more."
Clayton sighed and counted out the change of Bruno's order on the table: "I'm going to do some private affairs, but it's not just my personal business. To understand these things, your rank and authority are not enough, understand?"
"Are you going back?" Bruno couldn't hide his surprise.
Clayton said this, which can only mean that he is involved in military operations.
After all, he is one of the few members among the 600 recipients of the Loren War Medal who participated in the front-line combat. With his ability, it is reasonable to be secretly recalled to the Royal Guard.
"You know that's enough." Clayton said ambiguously.
When Bruno was in the army, his rank was much lower than his, even if he was smarter than him, he would still hold a reverent attitude towards the secrets he could not touch.
Moreover, most people who have been to the front line are not willing to return to the army, and they are often afraid to ask or listen to similar things.
As he imagined, Bruno's expression became much more cautious.
"What about Mary Etta? Even if I leave, she might decide to investigate you alone."
Clayton smiled: "I think we can rest assured on this point, with her eyesight."
Bruno also laughed.