The Evil God Summoned by the Saintess-Chapter 38 - 36: Do You Have to Donate Money to See the High Priest?
"Mr. Rose, are you sure... he’s a heretic?"
Hilia was flying in the sky, glancing down at the man below with a puzzled look.
The guy was carrying a suitcase, a fishing rod slung over his back, sneaking off toward Lake Beia like a thief.
However you looked at it, he just seemed like some dude getting ready for a midnight fishing trip.
Hilia had actually investigated this guy before—he was the first one to discover the contamination, Mr. Jack.
If he was a heretic, there was only one possibility.
He was way stronger than Hilia, so much so that she just couldn’t see through him.
Only like that could he escape Miss Saintess’s scrutiny!
"Right, he’s a Tier Two Sword Master. That fishing rod is his sword," Rose said with a chuckle.
Well, that made sense.
Hilia halted in midair. "But if I’m tailing him like this, shouldn’t he have noticed me already?"
"With me here, unless you walk directly into his line of sight, you won’t be discovered." Rose replied indifferently.
Hilia relaxed and kept on tracking him.
After a long while, Jack arrived by Lake Beia and started fishing.
Half an hour later, Jack caught a mutated beluga whale.
He grabbed a backup fishing rod off to the side and casually killed the beluga, leaving it with the others.
Thirty minutes passed, he reeled in a second beluga, killed it, and set it aside.
"What is he doing?"
"Fishing."
"???"
"He’s clearing out the mutated fish from Lake Beia."
"Huh?"
"There are two possibilities: He’s weakening the Summoning Array’s effect so the Holy Court won’t sense it that easily, making it easier to operate.
Or, he’s just reducing the threat the belugas pose to Beia Village."
The girl stared blankly, "So what is he actually doing?"
"That depends. If he’s a heretic from the Deep Sea Mutual Aid Association, or from some other cult."
"So..." Hilia gave up on thinking, "Which sect’s heretic is he supposed to be?"
"No idea. I suggest you go ask him directly."
Hilia: "..."
Knowing the guy was a Tier Two Mage, Hilia didn’t rush down to question him.
She glanced at Rose’s expression, thoughts whirling, figured something out, then spun around and flew off toward Xue Shan Town.
But she only flew a short way before changing direction and heading for Beia Village instead.
"Forget it, I’ll go tomorrow. People are probably sleeping by now, and the forest at night is way too dangerous."
She’d encountered enough weird stuff tonight; she needed a moment to process it all.
...
The next morning.
Hilia set off bright and early, flying towards Xue Shan Town.
After an hour, she landed outside the town, targeting the tallest tower in Xue Shan as her destination.
That was the Holy Court’s Divine Hall in Xue Shan Town.
Soon, she arrived at the entrance, just about to go in when someone stopped her: "Hello, miss, are you here to pray or for assistance?"
"Assistance," Hilia replied.
"Seeking help requires at least a 1 silver coin donation to the Divine Hall. If you want to see the High Priest, you’ll need to donate 2 silver coins."
Hilia was momentarily stumped. "Since when did asking the Holy Court for help cost money? I didn’t know about this!"
"We’re not charging a fee; we just hope you’ll contribute to the Divine Hall for the growth of the Holy Court," the guy replied with a smile.
Hilia eyed him up and down. "You don’t look like an Assistant Priest, or a Knight?"
Assistant Priests and Knights are the most basic clergy in the Holy Court. Both are supposed to wear their official badges during work hours to show their status to the public and the faithful.
"I’m a future Assistant Priest," the man answered. "That’s what the High Priest himself said, and the bishop and priest have confirmed it, too."
Rose chuckled, "So you’re a temp."
Hilia now understood—probably the temple was short-staffed, and since the selection was strict for Assistant Priests and Knights, they let him work first and figure out the exams later.
"I am..." Hilia paused, "I’m here to see the High Priest."
She was a reserve Saintess after all, and letting everyone know outside could impact her future assessment in Huijin City if word got back.
"Please pay 2 silver coins first."
Hilia silently activated the Yesterday Reappearance Skill (recording) on her wristband and asked, "You’re sure I have to pay two silver coins to see the High Priest of Xue Shan’s Divine Hall?"
"Yes, without payment, the High Priest won’t see you."
"Alright."
Hilia didn’t argue and simply handed over 2 silver coins.
"Please state your name."
"Hilia."
"Very well."
The man quickly handed over a card.
"Take this card. Your name is written on it. The High Priest is praying in the main hall. Go wait for him in the Absolution Room next to the main hall."
Hilia took a deep breath, gripped the card, and walked into the Divine Hall.
She saw the High Priest of Xue Shan Town conducting morning prayers in the main hall, with all the clergy and believers below.
She didn’t interrupt—after listening in for a bit, she frowned slightly and then went to wait for the High Priest in the adjacent Absolution Room.
"Why aren’t you joining the prayer?" Rose asked with a laugh.
"No way. This High Priest prays with zero sincerity—it’s so perfunctory. Attending this sort of prayer is just an insult to the God." Hilia replied angrily.
"Still, I recorded him praying. When I get back, I’m sending it straight to the Sacrificial Institute."
The girl muttered, full of resentment.
About half an hour later, the High Priest finished the morning prayers and entered the Absolution Room. He glanced at the magic puppet behind Hilia before sitting down across from her.
"My child, lost little lamb, what troubles have you met?"
The High Priest’s first words put Hilia in a really bad mood.
"Why’s this guy being gross right off the bat?"
Rose found it odd, "Isn’t this the Holy Court’s classic style?"
"No way!" Hilia protested, "That was a long time ago. No one talks like that anymore. And even if they did, they’d call you a child of God, not theirs."
"I see."
The Holy Court’s infighting was none of Rose’s business; he’d just watch from the sidelines.
Hilia took a deep breath, hiding her true feelings, then said calmly, "I need your help, High Priest."
"One Absolution Certificate can absolve you of a sin once."
The High Priest reached for the card in Hilia’s hand.
Hilia laid it on the table in front of her; when the High Priest reached out, his hand lingered a bit longer than necessary, trying to touch hers, but Hilia smoothly dodged it.
A hint of irritation flashed in the High Priest’s eyes, but on the surface he stayed calm and asked gently, "My devout believer, what troubles have you encountered? Tell me, God will lift your burdens."
Hilia replied earnestly, "First, I’m a believer in God, not your believer. Second, the problem is extremely severe, and I need your help."
The High Priest looked annoyed, but Hilia didn’t give him a chance to talk: "Within Xue Shan Town’s jurisdiction, I’ve come across something polluted by heretics."
"What?" The High Priest’s expression immediately turned serious. "Explain in detail."
This actually reassured Hilia slightly.
She was just afraid he’d brush it off and do nothing at all.
"About 24 kilometers from here, in Beia Village, the lake there bears signs of heretical influence..."
Hilia told the High Priest the specific situation, including the large amount of contaminated items she found in a villager’s house. 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺
At the end, she said seriously, "High Priest, I need your help to purify these pollutants and fix the anomalies in Lake Beia."
The High Priest fiddled with the card Hilia had handed over and only spoke after she finished: "How can you prove what you’re saying is true?"
Hilia reached out to grab some contaminated material from her belongings, but suddenly remembered she’d hurried here and hadn’t brought any with her.
The girl looked embarrassed. "Sorry, I think I forgot to bring any contaminated items."
"Oh, Absolution Seeker, deceiving God is a grave sin, you do realize? If you have no proof, then..."
Before he could finish, the magic puppet behind Hilia suddenly opened a compartment in its chest. Rose took out Duke’s wristband and set it on the table.
Hilia shot Rose a surprised look, then smiled and said, "Right, I put it in the magic puppet."
The pollution emanating from the wristband made the High Priest’s face change dramatically—he looked like he was facing a deadly enemy. "This is definitely a contaminant."
"So..."
"1 gold coin,"
"What?"
"Donate 1 gold coin to Xue Shan Divine Hall, and I’ll go with you to purify the pollution."
"???"
