Girl Doesn’t Die in Fairytale Town: Chapter 26 – Half a Priest
Ignoring the monsters’ appearances, the scene before the church was very familiar to Luo Yan.
Or rather, she had once been a part of it.
“Atonement Day.”
The town’s annual festival, where all residents would stop working and gather in front of the church to pray to their deity.
[Offer precious belongings as sacrifices, pray for His forgiveness of our inherent sins, and appease His boundless wrath.]
[Then… He will, in His supreme form, fulfill our humble hopes and wishes.]
“…This is an evil god, right?”
Hua Qiling looked astonished after hearing this.
“Aren’t all gods like this?”
Luo Yan asked, puzzled.
They stared at each other, neither understanding the other’s words.
“Ahem… Anyway, let’s put aside the question of faith for now. Is today the town’s ‘Atonement Day’?”
Hua Qiling coughed to ease the awkwardness and asked.
“No, although time in the town has always been chaotic, today is definitely not ‘Atonement Day’,” Luo Yan replied gravely. “Before ‘Atonement Day,’ the town would make elaborate preparations, but I don’t know the specific details.”
“Then it must be that woman’s doing,” Hua Qiling said.
“Mrs. Natalie…”
Luo Yan’s heart sank. She knew how strong Mrs. Natalie’s obsession with “eternal happiness” was. The annual “Atonement Day” was likely a crucial part of maintaining that “eternal happiness.”
This sudden “Atonement Day” ritual must be related to reconstructing “Ghost Town.”
In that case…
“We must disrupt this ‘Atonement Day’!” Luo Yan whispered.
“How?”
Hua Qiling raised the sniper rifle, but recalling Luo Yan’s previous performance, she hesitated whether to hand it over.
After all, in Luo Yan’s hands, “Severed String” was clearly a level above…
Luo Yan didn’t notice Hua Qiling’s hesitation. She looked up at the church before them.
Bathed in the light of the stone eye, the church glowed faintly. Its doors were half-open, revealing a darkness within that seemed to devour all light.
“A ‘priest’ will enter the church soon, carrying all the offerings, to offer the final prayer to the statue inside, seeking the ‘Lord’s’ forgiveness.”
Luo Yan paused, then continued, “But I don’t know what the offerings are, because I wasn’t responsible for that in the manor…”
“So, we’re going to kill the ‘priest’?” Hua Qiling asked.
“…” Luo Yan was silent for a moment. “If possible, we should try to destroy the statue they pray to.”
“Alright.”
Hua Qiling shrugged. She understood Luo Yan’s thoughts.
Not long ago, Luo Yan had still been living in the “eternally happy” town. These monsters, in Luo Yan’s past perception, were living people.
She couldn’t bear to harm them, and Hua Qiling understood.
“When do we go in?”
Finally, it was time for action, and Hua Qiling was eager to fight.
Previously, she had either been unable to use her powers or faced insurmountable odds, making her, a “Ruin” level ability user, feel like dead weight in a “Ruin” level incident.
…Of course, it would be foolish to still consider the “Ghost Town” incident as merely “Ruin” level.
“After everyone finishes praying, the eye above should close. We’ll go in then.”
Luo Yan looked apprehensively at the stone eye atop the church spire. She had a nagging sense of familiarity, but she couldn’t place it.
Regarding this town, the church, the “Lord,” and herself… the secrets hidden within had yet to be fully revealed…
Just then, the stone eye, which the monsters had been worshipping, returned to normal. A “priest” slowly emerged from the crowd of monsters and walked towards the pulpit in the square.
The “priest” was also a monster, but it only had half a body, its lower half severed at the waist, dragging a long, dark trail of blood.
It wore worn-out leather shoes on its remaining withered arms, using them as feet to walk.
Upon reaching the pulpit, it skillfully removed the shoes and, using its arms, nimbly climbed onto the platform and settled its half-body.
This series of actions was incredibly natural, without any sense of incongruity.
After climbing onto the pulpit, the half-monster carefully adjusted the tall white hat on its tumorous head, even though the hat was mostly burned.
“The ‘Lord’ has heard our sins and wishes. The ‘Lord’ will forgive everyone and bring eternal happiness.”
Its deep voice was kind and gentle, completely different from its grotesque appearance, and unlike the hoarse voices of the townspeople, its words were clear and distinct.
If one ignored the half-monster’s horrifying appearance, it seemed like an ordinary, kind old man.
“Mr. Upton…”
Luo Yan’s eyes flickered. She recognized the old man.
As the only priest in the town’s church, even in the “eternal happiness,” he had been the kindest of them all.
But this kind old man, for some reason, had half of his body severed.
“Now, on behalf of everyone in town, I will perform the final prayer ritual,” the half-monster’s torn orifice opened and closed, emitting a foul odor, its deformed fangs faintly visible. Yet, its voice remained calm. “May the Lord’s light redeem us all.”
After speaking, it jumped down, put on its shoes again, and walked towards the church entrance.
At the same time, the gaze of the stone eye vanished completely, and the silent monsters erupted in fierce roars once more, their twisted limbs pressing together as they scrambled towards the church entrance, but none crossed the threshold.
“Now’s our chance!” Luo Yan said gravely.
Hua Qiling immediately hoisted Luo Yan onto her back and handed her the sniper rifle.
Luo Yan took the rifle without hesitation and slung it over her shoulder.
They bypassed the surging crowd of monsters and rushed towards the church entrance.
…
However, what neither Luo Yan nor Hua Qiling saw was that after they left, Ronner’s figure slowly appeared in their place, a sorrowful sadness in his eyes behind his gold-rimmed glasses.
“How I wish… you could succeed, that you could break this eternal curse…”
“But I can’t.”
“This is Mrs. Natalie’s only wish. For her…”
“I’m sorry, Miss Luo Yan.”
As if sensing something, Ronner turned slightly and looked back.
Then, with another long sigh, Ronner shook his head and whispered,
“Why are you so stubborn? Clearly… leaving would be the best choice.”
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