Chapter 80 – The Blessing Ritual
Simo stepped forward and embraced Giselle tightly.
"Oh, my child… you must have suffered so much all these years."
Giselle's voice trembled. She didn't ask why Simo still looked like the child he once was.
Hearing his mother's concern, Simo could no longer hold back his emotions. Tears immediately streamed down his face.
"I know, Mother… I know."
"The food around the cabin… the absence of monsters… I know you've always protected me."
In that moment, Simo understood that his mother had always been aware of his presence.
---
Outside the cabin:
"What a heartwarming scene." Sadie adjusted her hat.
This journey had shown her sights she'd never encountered before. Compared to the desolation of the West, the people and events here held a different kind of beauty.
She stole a glance at Gideon.
When they first met, Sadie assumed this priest was like the others she'd encountered—cold, uncaring, even rude. But over time, she realized that Gideon's mind was surprisingly meticulous.
Still, she hadn't forgotten her original purpose. She had intended to secure the sacred oil at all costs. Yet witnessing Gideon's abilities in Ambrose made her consider another possibility…
---
Nearby, Sasha remained silent.
Seeing Giselle reunited with Simo reminded her of her own father. Had she not met Gideon and the others, she might never have returned home. Would her father, like Giselle, have waited for her all those years?
At that moment, Sasha finally understood why her father had been so strict with her—it was all to protect her.
---
Gideon watched the scene impassively.
His goal had been to cleanse the lingering resentment of Ambrose's dead. But seeing Hank's family earlier, and now Giselle, made him realize something important: exorcism wasn't just about eliminating evil. It wasn't merely a transaction of money or power.
These people were ordinary humans, living in a dangerous world where encountering a malevolent spirit could cost them their lives. Yet Giselle had remained, undeterred by danger, guarding the forest for decades.
For Gideon, confronting a spirit was simply a matter of doing or not doing. For ordinary humans, it could determine the rest of their lives.
The weight of the "priest" identity pressed heavily upon him.
---
As he pondered, Simo and Giselle approached together.
"Father… shall we begin the ritual?"
He glanced at Giselle, who gave him an encouraging look.
"Simo caused many innocents to die. I forgive him… let him fulfill what he must."
Giselle spoke sincerely.
Sadie slightly opened her mouth, surprised. She had expected Giselle to ask Gideon to keep Simo in the mortal world.
Gideon simply nodded.
"After this blessing, your sins will be washed away. You will return to the cycle of reincarnation."
"Thank you, Father. I will cherish this opportunity," Simo replied earnestly.
---
Gideon quickly prepared the ritual.
Earlier, he had only removed the evil aura from Simo to allow the reunion. Now, the formal blessing began.
Dipping his hand in holy water, Gideon gently sprinkled it on Simo's forehead. Instead of being purified, Simo's body solidified, glowing faintly with a white light.
"Merciful Father, surround Simo with your grace. With a sincere heart, he offers prayers for the wronged spirits…"
At Gideon's words, Simo's feet lifted from the ground.
Suddenly, dark clouds gathered in the sky. From within the clouds came ghostly wails, and human-like shapes appeared intermittently.
They all screamed and cursed at Simo, as if venting every bit of emotion upon him.
Simo's expression gradually twisted in pain, yet Gideon's voice remained steady in his ear.
The holy light surrounding Simo grew ever brighter, spreading upward to the dark cloud of spirits above.
The spectacle lasted for over a minute.
Under the astonished gazes of Sadie, Giselle, and Sasha, the sky finally returned to normal.
Simo had vanished, leaving only a single cross drifting down from the air.
Gideon caught it and handed it to Giselle.
"This cross is the witness to Simo's atonement. The day it bathes in holy light marks the complete cleansing of his sins and the completion of his reincarnation."
Giselle took it carefully, nodding solemnly.
"I will keep it safe, even in the grave."
Gideon's mouth twitched. That sounded like a literal "flag"—perfect material for a new gothic horror story.
He quickly corrected her: "Just find a safe place for it. The ritual will be complete in a few months."
Once that potential hazard was addressed, Gideon began packing up.
The blessing ritual hadn't been his invention—it was recorded in the church's scriptures.
Historically, it had been treated as a simple record, not an actual ritual. Gideon only discovered its practical application after his holy power had grown sufficiently.
Through his studies of church theology, he realized that these ancient accounts were not mere myths—they had likely occurred in some distant period of history.
---
Sasha watched in awe.
"This is really a blessing ritual! But doesn't something like this consume a tremendous amount of holy energy?"
Although she had never seen it before, Sasha had studied theological practices under Bishop Julius. She understood that it was a complex ceremony, typically conducted by an archbishop and two priests.
Even Julius had mentioned that such a ritual demanded immense spiritual strength and holy power, and thus could only be performed in a cathedral or a large parish church.
Yet here was Father Gideon, completing the blessing alone.
Since Ambrose, Sasha had been constantly reassessing her understanding of Gideon—and now she realized she still knew very little about him.
---
The group dug a simple grave for Simo and prepared to return to the church.
Giselle, finally ready to leave the place she had lived in for decades, intended to join the church and use the cross to help others, just as Gideon had helped her and Simo.
With the evil energy in the forest now extremely weak, the return journey was uneventful. They even encountered some "strange cases" along the way but no real threats.
Gideon called Hank ahead. By the time the group reached the forest's edge, a pickup truck was waiting.
Hank was delighted to see Sister Sasha safe and invited them to spend the night at his home.
---
The next day, Gideon and the group bid farewell to Hank's family.
After examining Jode, Gideon confirmed that he was recovering well. Hank's wife, Avena, also looked much healthier.
The group rode Hank's pickup back to St. Jehovah Cathedral.
Standing on familiar ground, Sasha felt almost unreal—as if she had never truly expected to return.
Gideon called Huang Ren. When he learned Sasha was safe, Huang Ren could hardly contain himself.
"Keep her safe! I'm coming right away."
Within minutes, Huang Ren appeared at the cathedral's entrance, confirming Sasha's identity before escorting her to the cathedral's council hall. He fell back slightly, walking beside Gideon.
"Ms. Giselle wishes to join the church," Gideon explained.
"Of course! Welcome! Please proceed to…" Huang Ren quickly directed Giselle to the registration office.
Once the group had moved a little distance away, Huang Ren lowered his voice.
"Bishop Julius is in trouble."
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