My setting is above yours!

Chapter 49 Idrila, You Are Dead (4k2)

Everything was ready, and I was in excellent condition thanks to plenty of rest.

Ron ate two energy bars to fill his stomach, checked his equipment to make sure he was not missing anything, then opened the Dimensional Update Manual and selected "Add to World Save".

[World save file "Potion Era" selected, joined the world...]

His vision went dark for a moment, and then he was back in Evening Bell City of the Fran Empire, back in the academy hall beneath the Servis Bookstore.

"let's go?"

Idrila spoke up beside Ron, pointing towards the dome of the underground hall:
“Father Harvey now comes to the bookstore every morning at eight o'clock sharp to wait for us…”

"Right now, he's probably just like before, quietly leaning against the radiator to keep warm."

Well, Father Harvey is really punctual...

What grudge did he hold against Idrila that made him arrive at Elvis Bookstore at the exact same time every day just to keep an eye on Idrila's every move?
He simply didn't believe that Father Harvey was really just investigating that tomb, and Idrila had definitely not offended Father Harvey. There might be something special going on behind the scenes.

Why?
With that thought in mind, Ron nodded and prepared to leave with Idrila.

President Elvis, who was standing to the side, picked up a pen, took out a piece of paper, and began to write:

“You go ahead… Although I don’t think Father Harvey would really harm you, I will go to the Lost Church to find you after I finish writing these letters.”

Elvis said, tapping his head in slight distress:
"Sigh, so much trouble has happened in Evening Bell City, I really don't know how to write this whistleblower letter—"

"Little Elizabeth, didn't the bishop of your sanctuary often come back to Evening Bell City? How come we haven't seen that person for the past month?"

“This…” Idrila was somewhat helpless, clearly not knowing why: “His Excellency’s actions are beyond my comprehension; perhaps he was preoccupied with other matters.”

"But if you just hand the letter of complaint to the court, His Holiness the bishop should drop everything and rush back soon..."

"Then we must make Charles run fast when delivering the letter, lest the lord return before receiving this letter of complaint."

Elvis chuckled and stroked his beard before furiously writing on the letter.

As expected, the containment object created from the [Trickery] demigod's extraordinary characteristics, which was stored by the Scorched Earth Saint, was not unattended...

One of the parish priests of the Scorched Earth Sanctuary frequently returned to Evening Bell City to check on the condition of the mask.

However, judging from Idrila and Elvis, the diocesan bishop hasn't returned to Evening Bell City for a month.

It seems that something was holding this diocesan bishop back, which allowed Father Sull to act so arrogantly.

Perhaps this matter is related to Father Suer...

Ron seemed to be deep in thought. Without wasting any more time, he and Idrila walked up the spiral staircase, stepped through the "door" that separated the inside from the outside, and soon arrived at the bookstore.

A rather thin-looking man in a black robe was leaning against a cast-iron heating pipe to keep warm; it was Father Harvey.

He heard Ron and his companion's footsteps, slowly stood up, and looked at them coldly, saying:
"You're all ready, aren't you?"

So cold and hostile, Father Harvey…

For a moment, Ron was genuinely curious.

He decided that if he really did become sworn enemies with Father Harvey, he would definitely ask him before he died why he was so hostile to Idris.

"Yes, we're ready... Is that tomb in the Church of the Lost? Can we set off now?"

Idrila asked, and Father Harvey nodded, leading Ron and the other out of Elvis Bookstore.

Watching them leave, Charles jotted something down in his feather notebook, seemingly recording the bookstore staff coming and going.

This old man is quite serious about his work...

Ron silently followed Father Harvey to the street corner and watched him find a carriage parked there.

"Go to the Lost Church and walk the Path of the Undertaker."

Father Harvey said coldly, his eyes filled with a chilling intent that made the coachman visibly flinch.

"Okay, okay, sir..."

Once Ron and his two companions were seated in the carriage, the driver pulled on the reins, and the carriage clattered away from Goldfinch Street, gradually leaving the city.

As the carriage drove out of the city, Ron couldn't help but frown.

The outskirts of the city are the territory of the Scorched Earth Sanctuary... Ron was willing to come out and complete Father Harvey's commission because he was sure that Father Sue would not dare to invade the territory of other orthodox churches.

But if we suddenly head to the outskirts of the city, wouldn't that be like lambs to the slaughter, offering ourselves up as a gift?
But as if sensing Ron's thoughts, Idrila leaned close to his ear and whispered reassuringly:

"Don't panic, Mr. Ron..."

"The Church of the Lost is also located in the suburbs, but it is closer to the city than the Sanctuary."

"The road we're taking won't be dangerous, because it's the 'funeral route' that citizens of Evening Bell take during their funerals."

"Everyone will walk this path to the Church of the Lost, and eventually be buried in the Church of the Lost's cemetery."

"Everyone regards this road as the path watched by the god of death, and in a mystical sense, it belongs to the territory of the Church of the Lost."

I see……

No wonder Idrila wasn't flustered; it turned out this was the territory of the Church of the Lost, and Father Sue didn't dare to attack it.

Ron quickly relaxed and waited silently for the coachman to take them to the Lost Church.

Throughout the journey, Father Harvey remained silent, merely staring coldly at Ron and Idrila, like a stiff corpse.

Ron felt a chill run down his spine at the sight of that gaze, as if the man wanted to see right through his soul.

You'd better really just want to investigate that underground tomb...

Ron thought to himself, and subconsciously touched the flashbang grenade he had put in his pocket.

Perhaps it was because Father Harvey's attitude was too fierce that the coachman hurried along, whipping the horse until it neighed pitifully, and soon brought them to the Lost Church.

Upon arrival, the coachman took a few pennies from Father Harvey and sped off without daring to linger for a moment.

Ron alighted from the carriage and looked with great interest at the cold, solemn building before him—

A steel fence enclosed a sizable area where a white church with a pointed spire stood. Crows cawed around the cross on its spire, giving Ron an indescribable sense of desolation.

The gate was adorned with a lantern-shaped sign, which appeared to be the emblem of the Lost Church.

Behind the church, on a vast expanse of land enclosed by a fence, stand clusters of weathered tombstones...

A cold, thin mist shrouded the group of tombstones behind the church, making them difficult to see clearly.

Faintly, one could hear faint, unwilling sighs coming from within—just from this faint sound, Ron could tell that in the graveyard of the Church of the Lost, there were definitely dead who had not been able to die willingly and were still wandering in the world.

This is not based on any rational judgment, but merely a feeling and warning received spiritually as the eighth sequence of the pathways to death...

"Let's go, come with me to the church first, I need to get some things."

Father Harvey said coldly, and Ron couldn't help but feel a little wary.

Need something?
Why does this feel like a trap...?

Is something hidden inside the church?
Ron immediately pulled Idrila aside and refused Father Harvey's offer:

“No… Father Harvey, we won’t go in.”

"The magical tomb you're looking for should be in the cemetery behind the church, right?"

Ron smiled and made up an excuse:

“After all, Idrila is a transcendent being of the [War] sequence. Entering the [Death] Church feels like it would offend the faith of this place…”

"Why don't we wait for you outside? It shouldn't take long if you're just retrieving something, right?"

Father Harvey gave Ron a deep look, remained silent for a moment, and then said:
"……it is good."

As he spoke, he opened the gate surrounding the church, stepped across the stone path, and entered the church.

At this moment, Idris tugged at Ron's sleeve and whispered in his ear, clearly puzzled:
“Mr. Ron… even extraordinary individuals who have drunk potions of other sequences or received blessings from other gods will not be rejected by the gods when they pray at the Church of the Lost.”

"After all, the true church never seriously discriminates against believers of other true gods... This excuse is really too crude..."

Is that a crude excuse?
Well, if in the "Potion Age," these extraordinary individuals who worshipped different gods weren't considered heretics by other churches, then this excuse does seem a bit crude...

But Ron shrugged, not really caring.

Father Harvey wasn't stupid; he probably realized long ago that Ron and his companion were wary of him.

Whether the excuse is crude or not doesn't really matter much.

After all, if he truly harbored any hostility, regardless of whether he had this pretext or not, Father Harvey would ultimately choose to turn against him...

Ron thought to himself, and soon Father Harvey came out of the church.

When he came out, he was carrying a lantern in his hand, but the lantern was not lit and was currently extinguished.

"Let's go, let's go to the tomb."

He spoke coldly, and after Ron and his companion responded, he silently led the way, guiding them around the church and along a small path into the mist behind it.

The morning mist was cool. Ron walked among the tombstones and looked at them, feeling a strange sense of familiarity.

He vaguely sensed a subtle sense of belonging.

Ron had no doubt that if he could obtain the position of priest in the Church of the Lost and protect the peace of so many dead, the [Gravekeeper]'s potion might melt in his mouth...

I don't know if I'll have a chance to learn how to process the "corpse person" today.

As Ron was thinking to himself, he suddenly heard a cold voice coming from not far away.

"arrive."

Father Harvey stood in front of a tombstone. Now, a large hole had been dug in the side of the tombstone, and it was pitch black inside, as if someone had dug such a large pit to bury someone.

Is this the magical tomb Father Harvey was talking about?
Ron gazed thoughtfully at the tomb before him, switched back to [Embers of the Age of Gods] and [Potion Sequence], and activated his Magic Vision—

In his magical vision, he could see a crimson, violent magical glow emanating from the dark cave...

Upon closer inspection, one could vaguely see the light enveloping a corpse—wait, a corpse?
Ron frowned. This magical tomb that Father Harvey had mentioned, which he, as a Sequence Seven transcendent, couldn't explore alone, clearly didn't contain any transcendent creatures!
Some of them contained only a corpse imbued with the magic of [war]...

He really didn't want to explore any magical tomb!
Fortunately, I was prepared...

Ron secretly rejoiced, immediately switching back to [Illusion Dissolve] and [Psychic], with [Vector Manipulation] ready at any moment, his hand already clutching the flashbang grenade in his pocket—

He stared intently at Father Harvey in front of him, already prepared to suddenly attack and hurt him.

But Father Harvey unexpectedly didn't act immediately. Instead, he looked coldly at Idris and, still in that icy tone, said:

“Miss Idrila, I think you should understand one thing—for a priest of the Church of the Lost, a transcendent being of the [Death] sequence, giving peace to the dead is something we have always pursued.”

Idrila was taken aback, clearly not understanding why Father Harvey had suddenly begun to talk about his faith.

Father Harvey said nothing more, but simply raised his hand, and the lantern in his hand suddenly lit up, illuminating a dim, greenish flame.

Under the light of the lantern, he waved his hand, and Ron vaguely felt a cold chill seem to condense around him before falling into the dark cave dug out beside the tombstone.

what is that?
Ron couldn't help but feel wary. He strongly suspected that the chill wasn't just his imagination, but rather a product of extraordinary abilities controlled by those with the [Death] sequence...

His spirit seemed to be giving him a subtle warning—

That seemed to be a "ghost".

But Father Harvey did not control the ghost to harm them. Instead, he lifted the corpse, which was shimmering with scarlet magical light, and flew it out of the dark pit.

He looked at Idrila and sighed, his tone still cold, but with a hint of inquiry, a rare expression of doubt:

“I lied to you, Miss Idrila. I invited you to the Church of the Lost not to explore some magical tomb, but to understand something…”

He controlled the ghost and laid the corpse flat in front of everyone.

Meanwhile, Idrila and Ron, who finally saw the face of the corpse clearly in the sunlight shining through the thin mist, were stunned and immediately froze.

At this moment, Father Harvey spoke seriously and asked:

"Idrila, why are you still at the Society of Truth?"

As he spoke, the eerie green flame burning in the lantern grew even brighter, and under its light, even the thin mist in the graveyard seemed to gradually thicken...

"Why, after Father Suer buried you here, did you leave the world of the dead as if you were still alive?"

"What did you say?"

Idrisla looked bewildered, her expression clearly confused, and she opened her mouth, unsure of what to say.

Seeing Idrila's state, Father Harvey clearly didn't want to let her remain lost, and instead coldly reminded her:

“I said you—Idrila, you are dead.”

"I'm asking you... why does a dead person appear in the world of the living!"

(End of this chapter)