In the morning, as I stepped out of my room, I walked around.
I passed by several priests, and they only smiled and greeted me softly. I had just regained consciousness after suddenly passing out—shouldn't they show at least a little concern?
Or maybe they didn't know.
"Huu..."
I let out a sigh.
The main church of the All-Seeing Eye was a gigantic structure and one of the largest churches in the empire. This was normal, considering that Aerdel itself was the capital.
The building was divided into three sections.
The back church, with four floors, was a large and enclosed structure. Most of the priests resided here.
The central church was the most crucial part, inseparable from the administration. It was the largest and widest section of the church. All important meetings were held there. Aside from the underground prison dedicated to holding heretics, the library—where I copied the holy scriptures—was also located there.
The front church was the section open to the public. It mostly consisted of prayer halls, confession areas, and many offering halls.
Six conical towers of varying sizes were scattered around different sides of the church, with the largest one in the central church. It housed the reminder bell, which rang at specific times or during important announcements.
At the moment, I was in the back church.
Walking through the corridor, past the sturdy fortress-like walls adorned with strong divine motifs. My steps were not hurried as I clutched the holy scripture and made my way to the central church.
The back church was vast, so it took me several minutes just to reach the central church.
As I arrived, a pair of eyes turned toward me, looking slightly surprised.
"Ralph, you're awake..."
The man was Erickson, one of the High Priests. He had also been present during my ordination.
His appearance was not particularly striking. Like all high priests, he wore a long white robe with golden embroidery. His hair was neatly shaved, forming an inverted bowl shape. His small blue eyes and gentle face gave him a soft demeanor.
"Yes."
That was the only response I could give in this situation.
...
As a priest, my daily activities didn't change much. In fact, they became even more repetitive as time passed.
On this particular day, I had to meet High Priest Rio Edion. He had been my mentor during priestly training, and for some reason, I was required to see him about an issue in the library. Of course, one of the reasons was because I would have to undergo a mandatory health check-up.
There were various rooms in the central church.
Since this was the most important area for priests, the five High Priests each had a special chamber here. Even Saintess Anne had her own dedicated room.
I knocked on the door several times and waited for a response.
No answer.
Where did that old man go?
I had wandered around the central church but hadn't seen him. He wasn't in the front church either, nor in the confession chamber.
I ruled out the possibility that he had left the church.
If there was an urgent matter, the other High Priests would have known.
So, there was only one possible answer.
He was inside but, for some reason, chose not to respond.
Realizing this, I knocked again.
Tok! Tok!
Amid my knocking, I heard another sound. A scraping and a thud.
I gripped my holy scripture and knocked again.
After nearly five minutes, the doorknob turned, and the door opened slightly.
A silver-bearded old man peeked out from inside.
Our eyes met, and I noticed he was sweating as he spoke.
"Oh, Ralph. You're awake. Thank goodness you're alright."
"Praise the Lord."
"How are you feeling?"
He smiled, looking relieved and pleased.
Ignoring his odd behavior, I nodded.
"Yes. I'm fine now."
Rio nodded.
Ssek—!
Again, the same scraping noise came from the room. I tilted my head slightly to peek inside, but Rio immediately followed my gaze, blocking my view of the room's interior.
"I've contacted the medical unit. You will undergo a mandatory check-up," he said, diverting the conversation.
It wasn't that I didn't know what was happening inside.
But I was curious—who was the unlucky woman in there?
Letting out a sigh, I nodded.
"Alright."
"In that case, I'll continue my work."
Rio smiled.
"Yes. Take care of your health."
...
Central Church – High Council Meeting Hall
The room was filled with a heavy atmosphere.
Four High Priests sat in their respective seats.
Four Captains from the Blue Bell Division were also present.
Meanwhile, Saintess Anne sat in a special chair at the far end of the room.
"So far, twelve victims have fallen," said a young man wearing gold-rimmed glasses. Two Blue Bells hung from his collar.
This man was known as "Cold River" for his reputation in handling matters flawlessly—specifically, mystical issues. He was also the leader of the Second Division of Blue Bell.
"The military has started moving as well. We must act… We can't let the military resolve this before we do."
"Besides, the culprit has been confirmed to be a Sinner user. This falls under the Church's jurisdiction."
Until now, Saintess Anne, with her crimson hair, had remained silent. She stood from her seat and walked toward the round table at the center of the room.
"Haven't the Blue Bells already been deployed? Why hasn't the culprit been caught yet?"
Despite her position as Saintess, she was not a gentle person. Instead, she was firm and decisive in dealing with problems.
Within the Church hierarchy, the Saintess ranked third highest, below only the Pope and the Cardinal. This gave her direct authority in these meetings. Moreover, everyone present was aware of her power—a woman with the potential to reach the peak of the Sealer Path.
"This is not as simple as you think. Whether it's The Annihilation or Raven's Nest, both are large-scale organizations. Tracking them down isn't easy," said one of the Blue Bell captains.
"What is your next move?"
Saintess Anne refused to let the matter slide. She pressed further, questioning the captains about their plans for handling this issue.
Sitting with his arms folded, Derrick Ranc Flech exhaled briefly. He adjusted his posture and rested his face on the round table.
"The Blue Bell personnel will be increased to conduct a large-scale search. However, it must be done discreetly to avoid disturbing the city's peace. Division One will focus on gathering intelligence from minor criminals. As for whatever happens next, my division is ready to act," he said calmly.
Saintess Anne nodded.
"Cold River" Julien Von Dutch added,
"Division Two will expand its search beyond the city. I've received reports of suspicious activity near the border."
The discussion about heretics went on for a while.
Eventually, the four Blue Bell Division Captains were each assigned their roles in handling the suspected serial killer, believed to be connected to either The Annihilation or Raven's Nest.
"I expect regular reports on your investigation's progress," said Saintess Anne, visibly displeased with this heretical issue.
At the end of the meeting, High Priest Greg Von Sander raised his hand.
The room fell silent.
"I have a question about Eternal Prisoner Hume. Now that he's a priest… what is your ultimate plan for him?"
Saintess Anne and the rest of the council turned their attention toward Greg Von Sander.
This man was notably short, the smallest person in the room. However, he possessed a certain aura that made him impossible to ignore. His pure yellow eyes were particularly striking, carrying an unsettling depth.
"That is a separate matter…"
"The Cardinal has already made his decision," Saintess Anne replied.
On the other hand, the Blue Bell Division captains appeared indifferent to this topic.
To them, this was an internal Church affair—something beyond their jurisdiction.
"He has behaved well… He is wise and obedient. I have watched him grow up in this church, and I see great potential in him. He could become an excellent priest."
None of the High Priests objected to this statement.
So far, Ralph Veir Hume had displayed nothing but loyalty.
He had shown devotion to the faith of the All-seeing Eye, Mystara, without any signs of rebellion.
"Despite the restrictions he has, he has not resisted. He has accepted his fate without complaint."
While the other captains remained silent, Derrick Flech asked a direct question.
"He comes from the Hume family. No matter how obedient he is, that fact doesn't change. And I heard he has consumed the Mystic Potion of the Imaginer Path…"
"Has that caused any problems so far?"
This time, it was Saintess Anne who answered.
"In noble families, most children drink their first potion at five years old. And since House Hume held authority over the Imaginer Path, it is only natural that he possesses mystical abilities from that path."
"His mystical ability is 'Author'—a power that does not exist in any known world archives. Therefore, it poses no threat."
"Additionally, a Mind Drill has already analyzed the capabilities of his Author power…"
"There is nothing special about it."