Capítulo 54: Chapter 54: Charity
The mechanical voice in Father York's ears announced the completion of his prayer.
[Prayer: Church Prayer (Completed)] [Reward: +0.5 Points Issued] "Amen!"
Father York opened his eyes, concluding his prayer before the statue of Jesus. Even though he wasn't a true believer, he felt justified in receiving the daily 0.5 points, considering how often he mentioned the Lord and encouraged others to be grateful to Him.
Father York made the sign of the cross and silently checked his personal panel.
[York] [Race: Human] [Occupation: Priest, Pharmacy Professor, Doctor…] [Overall Physique: 27 (Note: Average for a normal person is 10)] [Health: 111/111 (Note: Average for a normal person is 10)] [Spirit: 83/83 (Note: Average for a normal person is 10)] [Magic: 157.5/157.5] [Items: Basic Clerical Robe, Defense 6, Durability: 6/10] [Skills: Exorcio (Exorcism), Protego (Shield), Repello (Expulsion)] [...]
Thinking it over, Father York decided to add the newly acquired 0.5 points to his magic, rounding it up.
[Point Addition Successful] [Magic Value increased from 157.5 to 158]
[...]
Having finished his daily skill upgrade, Father York looked around the now-empty hall and finally had some free time to write an exorcism report in the rest area.
He focused on describing the demon itself and attached a sketch. Although not very artistic, he managed to capture its general form.
"Please identify the demon's true name through its physical appearance."
After leaving this note on the drawing, Father York rolled up the parchment and exited the church. He called upon a new pigeon, named Lily.
As he stroked Lily's head, she cooed and flapped her wings.
Seeing her adorable behavior, Father York smiled warmly.
"Your big brother Richie is probably slacking off somewhere; he hasn't come back yet. I'm counting on you, Lily, and if possible, bring your brother back with you."
Lily seemed to understand, chirping as she rolled her eyes.
"Hehe."
Father York's smile didn't fade as he put the report in the tube attached to Lily's leg and released her into the sky.
Watching the pigeon disappear into the distance, Father York returned to the now-peaceful main building.
"Finally, a moment to relax."
Sitting at the front bench, he checked the time on his phone.
"It's not yet time for the live stream Officer Geoffrey mentioned."
Officer Geoffrey had told him about a live exorcism show, where someone dressed as a priest was performing an exorcism on someone pretending to be possessed. The format was typical, using a crucifix and the Bible to compel the demon to reveal its true name, and then using the power and command of God to drive it away.
However, Father York was slightly concerned. As the saying goes, "When you gaze long into an abyss, the abyss also gazes into you." The fact that he couldn't shake this feeling made him want to pay attention to it.
Checking the time again and finding a few moments to spare, Father York continued to study and familiarize himself with the three new spells he had learned. He felt each spell was a converter in itself, transforming basic magic into specific types of attack or defense more accurately than the system.
Feeling his magic power was more complex than he initially thought, Father York didn't dwell too much on its essence. He was a pragmatic person; as long as something benefited him, he didn't bother delving too deeply into it.
With this in mind, he continued to practice the spells, aiming to integrate them fully into his arsenal for future battles.
Eventually, the time for the live stream arrived, and Father York picked up his phone.
"Which account did Officer Geoffrey say the live stream was on?"
Recalling Geoffrey's words, he quickly found the supposed live stream. A priest in a clerical robe appeared on the countdown screen, with a man tied up and howling in the background.
"May Your name be hallowed, Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven..."
"Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses..."
"..."
The scene was very professional, with dim lights and the howling in the background creating an atmospheric setting. But watching the obviously fake priest, Father York couldn't help but inwardly curse.
"Walking by the river often, one's shoes are bound to get wet, right?"
Shaking his head, he turned off the live stream and dialed a number to inform the church's Supernatural Affairs Department about the broadcast, including the account details.
"..."
"Alright, Father York, we'll monitor the live stream. If anything unusual happens, we'll find a way to stop it."
"Okay."
After the call, Father York relaxed, knowing the Supernatural Affairs would handle it. Especially since Director Gabriel would take his report seriously.
Having done all he needed to, Father York rested his eyes.
His only remaining task for the day was to participate in a charity event.
For a moment, the candlelit sanctuary was enveloped in tranquility. Father York was unaware that the reflection of the statue of Jesus above perfectly overlaid his figure.
After some time, he suddenly opened his eyes and looked towards the door.
"Father York, are you there?"
A young man appeared at the door, coming to confirm the situation. Seeing Father York, he spoke softly.
"Mrs. Camille sent me to fetch you. Would you like to join the charity event?"
Father York stood up, made the sign of the cross, and looked at the somewhat nervous young man with a gentle smile.
"This is a good cause. I see no reason to refuse."
...
The Lans community, unlike the Tem community he had visited before and Mrs. Mosan's Boston community, was a more upscale area. The residents were mostly millionaires.
These high-end community charity events, though related to charity and indeed genuine, were mostly a game among the wealthy.
Father York couldn't help but recall his previous experiences. In truth, he was mostly participating for the points.
Of course, some people were genuinely kind-hearted and sincerely engaged in charity work, like Mrs. Camille's family and some other wealthy philanthropists.
They formed teams with food trucks, personally distributing free food to the poor, financed free medical clinics in empty spaces for those who couldn't afford medical care, and set up shelters for homeless families.
These were deeds that the rich who only donated verbally while sitting comfortably in their chairs couldn't match.
And while he was indeed participating, his contributions were limited to the donations from his congregation and verbal psychological counseling.
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