"Alright, the moment of reflection is over, it's time to get down to business."
In the portrait exhibition room, after a moment of reflection, Dorothy finally began the necessary task after every major battle: cleaning up the battlefield.
Just as Dorothy was about to start, footsteps suddenly came from the dark corridor next to her. Dorothy looked over and saw a familiar figure.
"Miss, Miss Dorothea, are you alright here! I heard a huge noise just now, what happened!"
Holding a sword in her hand, Sister Vanya ran over, panting. The huge sound just now, which shattered all the villa's windows, directly scared her, who had just been victorious, into sitting on the ground. After hesitating for a moment, she immediately picked up her sword and ran towards the source of the sound. Since the effect of the Raw Consumption Symbol had worn off, she was panting all the way.
"Ah, Sister Vanya, it's nothing, just some noise caused by a fight, no need to worry." Looking at Vanya who had run over, Dorothy said directly. Vanya, who had just reached Dorothy, couldn't help but complain inwardly after hearing this.
'Of course I care, normal fights don't make such a big commotion, right?'
Although she thought this, seeing that Dorothy was alright, Vanya, relieved, didn't ask anything further. After all, if the other person said not to worry, it meant she didn't really want to explain.
"Um, you said fight, were you also attacked? Miss Dorothea..." Vanya continued to ask Dorothy with a hint of worry, and Dorothy responded with a nod.
"Yes... I met the guy who didn't die after you shot him, but now he's completely dead." As she spoke, Dorothy looked towards Luer who was lying amidst broken bricks and a pool of blood in the room. Vanya turned her gaze and couldn't help but be startled when she saw the scene before her.
'This... this is that cult leader! The one who could turn into a beast! This seems to be a Black Rank """Cup""" Extraordinary! He's one rank higher than me and the one I fought earlier... He, he's dead just like that?'
Vanya thought with alarm. Judging from his previous performance in the chapel, this guy seemed to be the leader of this small cult society, much stronger than a regular Student. At the very least, he was a Black Rank existence, and the girl in front of her, who was even younger than her, actually took him down by herself!
As she thought, Vanya also looked around, gazing at the several walls that had been broken through, and couldn't help but swallow.
"These... did you do all this, Miss Dorothea? If I may ask, what level of Extraordinary are you exactly?"
"Didn't I tell you before? I'm just an Apprentice like you. The reason I could beat this guy was largely because his mimicry in the Dream World was destroyed, causing his mental state to decline and his abilities to weaken. The fact that I could defeat such a strong enemy is actually thanks to that one's protection... Praise my Lord..." Clasping her chest, Dorothy imitated Vanya's praying tone and said, attributing all her special reasons to her protection. Vanya couldn't help but panic after hearing this, and then, not daring to be disrespectful to the divine, she also began to pray.
"Ah... Praise my Lord... Praise my Lord..."
"Alright, this place is not suitable to stay long. The An Yin Bureau and the Church people might come over at any time. Let's finish our business quickly and get out of here." Looking at Vanya who was praying along, Dorothy said with a slight smile, while Vanya raised her head, looking a bit confused.
"Business?"
"Collecting the spoils of war."
Saying this, Dorothy went to Luer's corpse and began to loot. Because of her passive appraisal skill, Dorothy easily searched Luer's belongings thoroughly.
Among them were three Extraordinary items: a ruby staff tucked at his waist, a black candle, and a copper bracelet. Next were several symbols, some Spirituality storage items, and a bit of money.
After stripping Luer clean, Dorothy packed the items and walked out of the room under Vanya's somewhat stunned gaze.
"Um... where are you going?"
"To continue, of course, there's more downstairs. Oh right, where did the guy you dealt with die?"
"Um... over there, in the corridor I came through."
"Okay, let's be quick, finish up, and get out of here."
As she spoke, Dorothy activated the Corpse Puppet Ring and manipulated several corpses in the mansion to help her loot together.
With the diligent help of several Corpse Puppets, Dorothy finally roughly swept through the villa and obtained quite a few things, mainly including two secret transmissions, a considerable amount of money, and symbols.
Because it was too dark, Dorothy didn't search many areas too carefully. Logically, there should be secret rooms or something inside this house, storing more good things, but Dorothy didn't have time to look for them anymore.
This was because Viscount Field had been exposed, and the An Yin Bureau would definitely find this place after they had regrouped. To avoid being trapped again, Dorothy didn't have much time to delay.
Finally, Dorothy and Vanya went to check on the children in the chapel. After Vanya examined them and found that they had only fainted due to the ritual being interrupted, they both breathed a slight sigh of relief. Afterwards, Dorothy controlled the Corpse Puppets to carry them all to a room, letting them wait there for the An Yin Bureau people to arrive.
In the dimly lit chapel, Vanya watched as the rescued children were carried to other rooms, and couldn't help but think with some emotion.
'Because of our intervention, these children are finally saved? And the evil heretics have finally received their punishment... Regardless of that one's true intentions, His followers are indeed doing the work of salvation...'
Then, Vanya looked at the Holy Mother stained glass, which had been defiled by having a bloody wolf's head painted on it, by the moonlight, and couldn't help but continue thinking.
'Merciful Holy Mother, although I revere a different god and should be judged for apostasy, it is also because of this that I could perform redemption and save all beings. You taught me in the scriptures that actions speak louder than words. If You were to see my situation, You would surely understand, wouldn't You.'
Vanya thought this way; her reasoning was simple. Although I... seem to... possibly... believe in other deities a bit, I still genuinely did good deeds. Since You, Holy Mother, taught that actions speak louder than words, You will surely be able to understand my apostate actions, right...
Just like that, after patching up her own psychology, Vanya's psychological pressure from revering a different god lessened significantly. Ever since she received the divine enlightenment, she had been feeling a bit uneasy and fearful in the Church during her daily life.
After settling the children, carrying a bag of items, Dorothy and Vanya got back into their carriage. Dorothy had Edrick, who was dressed as the coachman, hang up the Light, and then they drove the carriage away towards the road back.
Dorothy had cautiously snuck into this mansion of Field when she arrived, and when she left, only those few children were left alive inside.
'Phew... Anyway, the Holy Communion Society matter is finally over for now. Let's hurry back.'
Sitting in the carriage, Dorothy, finally relaxed, controlled the carriage as it drove out of the gate and into the darkness of the woods.