บท 282: Chapter 282: A Unique World
Despite the situation reaching this point, York saw unease on Myrta's face.
It was clear; her hands were clenched under the table, and her face showed visible hesitation, a far cry from her previously cold and efficient demeanor.
"Are you really a priest?" she asked again, uneasily.
"Of course."
York nodded gently, his curiosity now piqued.
He wondered why, in a world with pastors, the identity of a priest seemed so mysterious. If there was one significant difference, it would be the duty of exorcism inherent to priests.
Thus, he had already considered demons.
But if it was about demons, wouldn't this world be too simple for him?
*Sigh*
After reconfirming, as if about to confess, Myrta's breathing became heavy.
"I've mentioned to you before about the death of God and the Church."
York nodded.
"I'm curious, why?"
"Because..."
Myrta looked at the kerosene lamp, its light illuminating her solemn face, and said, "The Rot."
Hearing this new term, York instinctively narrowed his eyes.
"The Rot?"
Momentarily pondering, still unclear about what it meant, York calmly asked.
"What is that?"
"Figures you wouldn't know." Myrta seemed relieved.
"The Rot, messengers chosen by demons."
Myrta spoke somberly, glancing at the man before her, trying to discern something from his immediate reaction. Instead, she found only astonishment and surprise, not the fear or distrust she expected.
On the contrary, it seemed he believed in the existence of demons...
"You don't seem surprised?"
Hearing the word 'demon,' York smiled. "Because I am a priest who has faced such things."
With that revelation, Myrta's breathing intensified.
"Is your surprise at my identity merely because priests can perform exorcisms?" York inquired calmly.
"Are there no priests in this world?"
Myrta bit her lip, closing her eyes.
"Because we once didn't believe in the existence of demons."
With that statement, York started to grasp the situation.
This world might really differ from what he knew.
"Due to a long period of peace, compared to the serious priests, pastors became more popular."
Myrta sighed.
"Eventually, priests disappeared."
Meaning there were no exorcists or means of exorcism left? This world indeed operated differently, each world with its history and characteristics.
Earth without the supernatural, the real world with it, the Church unified, while here, God and the Church are dead.
Piece by piece, he deduced that the populace of this world, or this nation, likely no longer held any real faith.
York glanced at Myrta, following her lead.
"The priests vanished, and the demons you didn't believe in suddenly appeared?"
York was curious about what led to the term 'The Rot', which sounded like merely a host for demons.
Myrta nodded, a sadness emerging unexpectedly.
"Would you like to hear my story?"
"Of course."
Having an NPC-like character to introduce the world's lore, York was very willing.
"I was once part of the church..." Myrta began, her hands tightening beneath the table.
"My husband was a pastor."
York wasn't surprised, having deduced as much from everything in the house.
What he didn't expect was Myrta's admission that they were frauds.
"We once owned a church, but we were all frauds, not true believers in God, just faithless deceivers."
York narrowed his eyes.
"So, like others, we didn't believe in demons."
"We committed many acts of blasphemy to make money."
Myrta's emotionless recounting echoed in the ordinary room.
"..."
"We hired actors to pretend to be possessed by demons, mimicking those described in ancient texts,"
"Then we'd perform exorcisms."
"As our reputation grew, some sought our help, believing their loved ones were possessed..."
Myrta's expression showed pain.
"Yet, those people were merely sick. My husband and I pretended to exorcise while amassing wealth through medicine."
As Myrta's pain surfaced, York internally shook his head.
"God exists."
He believed Myrta now understood this, but he continued listening like a confessor hearing a penitent's sins.
"Wealth was real, demons were not. We indulged in excess, thinking it would last forever."
Myrta's pain turned to tears, possibly because the man before her was a legendary exorcist and priest, she dropped her facade for the first time.
"Eventually, demons appeared. The first possessed person in Elison City appeared in our church, even in its inconspicuous location."
Myrta spoke painfully, trapped in the memory of that day's terror.
"At first, we were horrified by the possessed person's performance, thinking they were our hired actor,"
"He cooperated, until during the ritual, he laughed maniacally, spat on us, cursed God, and foretold our doom."
"We realized in terror..."
"He had regurgitated his family members, having consumed them the night before..."
Myrta's voice was despairing.
"Then, we understood we were facing a true demon possession. Panic set in as we sought any help, but the people looked to us, hoping we, the exorcists, could succeed."
York, still piecing together the demon's nature and appearance mechanisms, felt Myrta's despair.
"But they didn't know we were frauds. Eventually, my husband became a spirit controlled by a demon, dying in that exorcism, and with the demon's emergence, half the village and town perished..."
Myrta's growing anguish and fear shook her.
"From that day, God was dead, and the Church died with it..."
She couldn't escape the memory, trembling uncontrollably. York couldn't bear to press further, instead snapping his fingers.
A profound divine power radiated from him, warming the once-chill atmosphere.
With the spreading holy light, the kerosene lamp brightened.
Myrta, interrupted and freed from her fear, looked up, tears streaming, to find a comforting smile.
"I have a question. Did you manage to deal with that demon or could you tell me everything about The Rot?"
York's tone was calm and authoritative, and Myrta sensed an undeniable authority in the young-looking man.
"Who is this man?" she wondered.
Yet, wiping away her tears, Myrta complied, hoping the man before her was the legendary priest she yearned for.
"God, please cast your gaze upon this world..."
"..."
York then understood this world.
It was starkly different from his own, with a distinct history.
Here, the Church had priests, pastors, bishops, once flourishing.
But at some point, the Church plummeted from its zenith.
History broke there; people only knew the Church had lost its former glory from that era.
The Church of now was merely a shadow of its past, without priests, due to lost traditions.
Peace reigned, leading to a disorganized and chaotic clerical system, where anyone could become a clergy member with minimal criteria.
Buying a church from the Church could make you a pastor, a clergy member, using God for convenience.
As Myrta said, many clergy members became focused on money, with many
deceivers among them.
York listened, considering the meek Myrta before him.
He could imagine a scenario where the Church still had congregants, congregants who still believed in God.
Then demons suddenly emerged, revealing everything.
Hopeful congregants turned to despair, declaring God and the Church dead.
Clergy unable to exorcise demons became relics of history, while the disappointed believers found faith in a God who died just as they believed.
Most importantly...
York frowned slightly; the demonic mechanics of this world differed from those he knew.
Instead of demons, they seemed more like dark creatures called demons due to lack of a better description.
Adapting to local customs, he accepted this as demonic.
But why the mechanics differed was a long story.
After the emergence of the possessed, humanity's battle against demons officially began.
People gradually learned of different types of demons, the lengthy process of a demon's birth.
Those chosen by demons were called The Rot.
The Rot's bodies would decay, eventually birthing a demon entity.
The Rot would release a "spirit" of the demon, infecting nearby entities like a virus.
Infected beings became evil spirits, which could be humans or animals.
Evil spirits, while not turning into demons, had their brains and thoughts controlled by demons, spreading lies and violence.
In essence, evil spirits were like limbs to demons.
Understanding this, York couldn't help but tap the table; such a unique mechanism.
Myrta considered demons as evil entities born from The Rot, termed "the demon's coming."
In her words, each demonic emergence brought calamity to the world.
As a result, the world's population quickly reduced by a quarter.
York recalled his day's journey; no wonder he saw no one.
As for why three-quarters survived, of course, some could resist demons.
These individuals had a special title: Cleansers.
They were familiar with demonic tactics and possessed specialized equipment to eliminate demons and clear evil spirits.
From Myrta's words, this was an ancient profession.
The battle between Cleansers and demons had lasted millennia, unknown to the general public.
Only after God's death, the Church's death, and the first demonic emergence ten years ago did the Cleansers become known.
However, the Cleansers were on the losing side, and the population shrank to a third...
What was special was that, through prolonged battles with demons and the Cleansers' accounts, people deduced seven rules:
1. Avoid using electric lights (demons lurk in their shadows).
2. Stay away from animals (they are easily possessed).
3. Don't take anything from its surroundings (it could be infected, as the demon's spirit is virulent).
4. Do not harm them.
5. Never call them by their true names (it summons demons).
6. Don't shoot them with firearms (you'll be immediately possessed or killed).
7. Do not fear death.
These alone made York think this was more a kind of dark creature than a demon he knew.
Yet, he was curious about the Cleansers, learning from Myrta that they were merely ordinary people without supernatural powers.
"Cleansers?"
York raised his eyebrows, looking at the hesitant Myrta.
"Yes." Myrta, having steadied her emotions, looked at the man before her, somewhat uncertain.
"Actually... I'm also a demon cleanser."
She added, "Now, cleansers are like police, a special public service. Suspected cases of The Rot or evil spirits are reported, and official cleansers are dispatched to clear these 'stains'.
I don't like being controlled or taking orders, so I choose to live alone here."
Hearing this, York marveled, "This world is truly unique, even its monsters are quite special."
But the next moment, York stared at Myrta, causing her to feel a sudden panic.
Unbeknownst to her, York was listening to the mechanical voice suddenly ringing in his ear.
[...]
[Conditions met: Trigger random mission, this world is seeking salvation]
[Mission Requirement: Save, help people find their faith, or become their faith]
[Mission Reward: +100 attribute points, seal spatial rifts, and return]
[Accept/Decline]
[...]
Thanks to the generous patron, Ghost Man, for the reward!
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