I've already said this isn't a life simulator!

Chapter Three [He] (4117)

The next morning, the rain gradually subsided, turning into a bright, sunny day. The priest's body was, unsurprisingly, discovered. Amidst screams and panic, the nuns hurriedly called the police… On the way, they also found you resting in the kitchen.

The police arrived quickly, and unsurprisingly, you were arrested. After all, your clothes were covered in blood, and even the children said that the last thing they saw was you leaving with the priest... You didn't bother to explain, just casually answered the arriving police—you didn't like them, you didn't know why, you just didn't like them, just like you hated the priest, it was all without reason.

"Perhaps you had a grudge in a past life, so you've come back to take revenge on them in this life?" you thought half-jokingly, but you quickly dismissed this absurd idea. If it were truly revenge, the priest's body wouldn't be so "neat," and you shouldn't have waited until now to make your move.

But none of that matters anymore, since you don't care anyway.

But... there are still people who care a lot, like the police chief.

He keenly sensed something was amiss with the case, or rather, something was off with the priest himself... but unfortunately, he lacked evidence, his colleagues were dissuading him, and the priest had a very good reputation. For all these reasons, he didn't thoroughly investigate the priest.

But now... when he wanted to investigate the priest's death and, by extension, the church, he encountered considerable resistance. This made him realize that there must be a deeper reason behind this case, so he began to delay your case and planned to ask you for more details.

This disrupted a planned, smooth, and swift "trial process," which inevitably angered some people.

[And more importantly, another, even more important person was involved in this case—Father Henry of the Church.]

Father Enrique arrived here almost the day after the incident, appearing very rushed. He even canceled his original plans just to get here... When others asked him, his reply was strange—"I have found the one I was meant to find. He instructed me to come here to meet the destined one and guide him on his way."

His seemingly mystical words received the church's approval and support, and for a time, no one could do anything about it, so they could only let him get involved in the case... It makes sense, after all, a well-regarded priest had died in this case, so it was only right for the church to get involved.

Surprisingly, Father Enrique's focus wasn't on the deceased priest, but on you, who were identified as a suspect.

He asked to see you almost immediately upon arrival, and when he did, he acted quite warmly and familiarly, constantly saying things like, "I'm sorry I'm late, child on the road. He sent me to guide you... Unfortunately, I'm still a little late, and your hands are stained with the blood of sin. I hope you can accept my help so that I can make amends for my mistakes..." leaving you somewhat bewildered.

But you could tell that he genuinely wanted to help you, and you felt you could trust him, so you didn't refuse his help.

After obtaining your consent, Father Enrique earnestly began to help you... He approached the police chief who wanted to investigate the church and discussed jointly investigating the events behind the case. The two hit it off immediately and began to utilize their respective connections to investigate the more detailed events behind the case.

Almost immediately, they discovered that the church might be helping people engage in the "child trafficking" industry, and Father Enrique investigated with such speed, as if he had done it before, that the main person in charge of the church was the priest himself, and that even the nuns were involved. He even produced further evidence to prove this point.

The news caused an uproar. No one expected that such a well-regarded priest would engage in such sordid acts in private, even using the church itself as a cover for his crimes. Moreover, according to the investigation, the priest may have a habit of abusing children, as evidenced by the scars left on many of the children, which only fueled the anger.

More importantly, the fact that the police here were completely unaware of this has led many to suspect that there might be a deeper problem at play.

The police chief was very cooperative, issuing an apology as soon as the news broke and promising a thorough investigation to find the real culprit. With Father Enrique's help and the pressure of public opinion, some people began to panic and urgently address the issue… The current public opinion is very unfavorable to them; they must first quell the situation.

At this point, your problem is largely ignored, or rather, most people express understanding and sympathy. After all, most people believe that you were tortured by the priest and therefore seized the opportunity to kill the person who tortured you... Most people don't think there's anything wrong with this, and even think you did the right thing.

But... there's still one question: how did you manage to deliver a "fatal blow"?

[While you could have done it unintentionally, how could a child be so calm as to kill someone, and kill them with a single blow? Furthermore, wounds were later found on the priest's limbs indicating severed tendons in his hands and feet, which means you intentionally rendered him unable to resist, and even clearly knew what to do.]

These childlike behaviors make your problems increasingly apparent.

Father Enrique noticed this and even discovered that "those guys" were trying to use you to divert attention and steer public opinion in their favor. Therefore, he decided to resolve your issue first.

A verdict was swiftly handed down. Considering your young age, the problems with the priest and the church itself, and Father Henry's request... after taking all these factors into account, you were found "guilty."

[This is to be expected, after all, you did kill someone. Even if the victim and your environment were problematic, you still took someone's life, and judging from the traces... you were very purposeful, and even your methods were very skillful.]

However, the dissemination of your case will be restricted to minimize its impact on you, and you will need to be monitored for a period of time to determine whether you will pose a threat to society in the future.

Father Enrique, on the other hand, took on the task of observing and educating you; or rather, that was his original purpose.

[Perhaps considering that you have been living here for some time, that you must have friends in the church, and that Father Enrique needs to continue to focus on the unresolved case, he decided to stay in the church and assure the outside world that he would change this church tainted by sin.]

You've returned to the church.

This time it's completely different; Father Henry is in charge of taking care of you, a true and loving priest.

Watching him deal with the children with a gentle yet slightly stern attitude, watching him toil for their food, watching him shuttle between church duties and pursuing the unfinished case, you can truly feel his kind heart... He is genuinely taking good care of these children.

In addition, he would regularly help the community with trivial matters, listen to their troubles, and do his best to solve their problems. He even kept the cemetery clean, even though few people came to pay their respects. Apart from his daily prayer time, Father Henry was busy almost every day, either helping people or on his way to help people.

Suddenly, you understand why he has such a good reputation and why people are willing to respect him.

You also want to be like him, a "good person," a true "priest" who can help others.

But...you're a "bad kid" who's killed someone, can you really become a "good person" like him?

Feeling doubtful and worried, you nervously asked Father Henry the Priest.

"Of course you can," Father Enrique responds. "He will forgive your sins, and... it is my, our, dereliction of duty to have your hands stained with the blood of sin. Come, follow me, follow Him, embark on the path you should take, and walk toward the end you desire."

Father Enrique's words were somewhat strange and confusing, but... you could tell he was encouraging you; he believed you could become a "good person," a true "priest."

You've gained his approval, which makes you happy, and he seems happy too.

[And so, through Father Henry's introduction, you became a "junior priest," learning from him and, incidentally, atoning for your sins... Well, in the eyes of outsiders, it seems that you became a priest and began to atone for your sins under Father Henry's influence. After all, you did kill someone, and although the deceased was a person full of sins, you still bear a sin, don't you?]

[So, Father Enrique started having a little helper around him, and you began to help him with various things, such as handling church affairs, receiving visitors and those who came to pray, and taking care of the other children as well.]

[You emulate Father Enrique's character and conduct, learning his friendly attitude towards others, and walk the path of helping others. You increasingly believe that this is what a true "priest" should do.]

[Under Father Enrique's guidance and education, you developed an even greater reverence for "He," or rather, for "God."]

[“He” is benevolent, because it was “He” who guided Father Henry to help you—that’s what Father Henry said.]

[He loves people, because it was He who informed Father Henry that there were children suffering here who needed his help—that's what Father Henry said.]

As time goes by, your love and respect for "He" grows stronger, and under the influence of Father Henry, your devotion to "He" also increases.

["He" will guide you, will bring you mercy and love, and the sins of the world will be forgiven and cleansed—you believe this.]

One day, you received a gilded cross pendant from Father Enrique. Holding it, you felt a faint warmth, as if it were not a cold metal object, but rather... a special item belonging to "clergy."

This is what you deserve, and what "He" has given you—Father Henry said.

You hold it tightly in your palm, and somehow, you seem to establish a connection with some special "existence."

[In the dim light, you can see "He" enveloped in light, and several strange figures can be seen beside "He".]

[One of them is a sword with fire, the blade is shrouded in flames, the hilt is in the shape of a cross, with pendants on both sides like a balance scale, and two rings above, a white ring on the outside and a gold and red ring on the inside, and six wings on its back, which is astonishing.]

[The second is a serpent staff wrapped in wind, the invisible breeze tinged with a verdant hue. The dangerous serpent appears docile at this moment, emanating a gentle and warm aura, and one can even clearly feel the care emanating from it. It also has two rings, white on the outside and green on the inside, and six wings on its back.]

[The third is a harp entwined with starlight and thunder, which occasionally transforms into the shape of a key, surprising people. It also has two rings, one purple and one white, and six wings on its back.]

[The fourth is a butterfly that is pierced and bound. Its dangerous aura is chilling. A steel needle pierces its chest, and iron chains bind its body. Even its rings are different from the others. They hang behind its back, and the steel needles emerge from the rings and pierce it. Its wings are also butterfly wings, making its very existence seem out of place.]

The fifth is a blurry gray mist, in which one can vaguely see a constantly changing humanoid shape. Its wings are black, giving it a strange feel, blurry and illusory. Even its ring is unique, composed of white clouds, resting on the back of its head.

In addition, there are two seemingly "empty" areas, as if the "existence" there has already left.

Finally, your gaze lingers on the left side of "He," in that clearly empty space.

[You subconsciously feel that there should be another "being" there, a horn with pure white six wings, a double ring of white and blue on its head, and surrounded by azure water.]

But soon, you averted your gaze and bowed your head reverently, for you felt "His" gaze.

[“■■■…” You vaguely heard “He” say something, but unfortunately, it was a language you did not understand.]

Finally, He shook His head, as if sighing over something, and then you were jolted back to reality.

You told Father Henry about what you saw and heard, and Father Henry was not surprised by what you perceived. He simply told you that it was "God," and that you were a child whom "God" cared for, and therefore you were able to see "Hero."

Because of this, you have become more devout, believing that "He" will spread love throughout the world and bring happiness to people.

Chapter Four: The Girl from Afar (4173)

As the days went by, you grew up day by day. You gradually became familiar with your duties as a priest and began to behave like a competent priest. The children in the church were also growing up healthily. Occasionally, people who wanted to adopt children would come and visit. Some lucky and well-behaved children would be chosen and then leave to go to their new homes to live with their new families.

Some children are valued by the church and receive funding to venture out on their own... Wright is one such example. It's surprising that his somewhat timid appearance has become so composed after his recovery, and that his character has even become stronger after suffering torture.

"If I could, I'd like to become a politician... so that children like us can live the same happy lives we have, without being deceived by that guy before." — Wright said this, which suggests he intends to enter politics. Hopefully, he'll succeed.

After solemnly bidding farewell to you and Father Henry, he departed to study in a more distant place, and you and Father Henry offered him your heartfelt blessings upon parting.

Speaking of which, something funny happened in between, it involved the choir.

[Once, church people came and wanted to organize a choir for the church, and also pick a few talented children to take with them. According to them, if the children were talented enough and willing, the church could sponsor them to study at a professional school, but of course, it would be best if they stayed in the church choir.]

This is a very common occurrence. After a few times, you get used to it. Many of the kids have achieved success outside and often send messages back to show off.

[The children's enthusiasm was unexpectedly high this time, especially after the church members sang a few songs as a demonstration. The children's interest was even higher, and almost every child tried to sing a couple of lines... Perhaps this is the power of music and art, which can always touch people's hearts and stir their emotions.]

After all the children had tried, they egged you on to try too... In the end, they just wanted to hear you sing, but you had never sung before, so you could only imitate the church members singing a few lines.

[Imitate the pitch, learn the breath control, try to get as close to that sound as possible... Unfortunately, even though you can remember most of the details, it's still too difficult for someone like you who hasn't had formal training to sing... But others don't think so.]

The children were amazed by your performance, even excitedly asking you to say a few more lines, while the church members marveled at your talent. But there was one thing they found somewhat strange.

They can obviously tell you're deliberately imitating their singing, but... you've gone too far, to the point that you've almost worn away your own vocal characteristics. If it weren't for the fact that your clear, childlike voice is hard to erase, you probably would have directly imitated their singing.

If you undergo some serious practice, your singing voice will likely be able to "copy" a similar, or even identical, "voice of someone else," as if looking in a mirror.

[This singing style can't be judged as good or bad, but one thing is clear to everyone: you are absolutely talented in singing, and even in music.]

[But faced with their enthusiastic invitation, you hesitated for a moment before declining, just as you had declined others before.]

Before their arrival, many people familiar with Father Henry had come here looking for talented children. They naturally paid attention to you, the "little priest" who had always been by Father Henry's side, and even tested you. Almost everyone concluded that you were very talented.

"This kid is pretty amazing, he reminds me a lot of myself when I was young/in my younger days. Hmm...maybe after studying with me some more, he could be even better than me?" — This is the most common compliment you've received.

[But without exception, you refused them all. You hoped to become someone like Father Henry, someone who could help others. Moreover, after meeting "Him," you believed that you were a child watched over by "Him," and therefore you should become a believer and spread "Him's" love among people.]

Those who were rejected only felt a little sorry for you, and offered some encouragement, hoping that you could really become someone like Father Henry.

When the church members learned of this, they did not insist, but simply offered their blessings.

[After that, the days passed one by one, and Father Enrique was able to relax a lot with your help, allowing him to focus more on the unfinished case... Yes, that case is still not over.]

Despite Father Enrique and the chief's full-fledged investigation, coupled with public support, the case was instead expanded, leading to more and more people being implicated and the case becoming increasingly complex. It was thus forcibly dragged on, to the point that public attention eventually shifted away from the case, which remained unresolved.

Although people are still paying attention to this matter, public opinion is no longer as fierce as it was at the beginning. Until a major incident or breakthrough occurs, public attention will temporarily shift away from this case… This is not good news, as it could very well mean that “their” retaliation is imminent.

[And sure enough, your church began to be targeted inexplicably. The most obvious sign was that fewer and fewer people came to pray. In the past, many people would come because of Father Henry, or to offer their condolences because you had helped them before, but now fewer and fewer people do so.]

Then came the more practical problems... The subsidies were decreasing, fewer and fewer people were willing to donate, and all sorts of inexplicable rumors began to circulate.

Father Enrique also encountered resistance during his investigation of the case; the police chief received both overt and covert warnings... even former friends of Father Enrique came to persuade him to reconsider.

Clearly, after calming public opinion, "they" have adjusted their strategy and prepared methods to deal with you, while you don't have any particularly good countermeasures and can only try to keep the church going.

The church's situation began to worsen, and the mountain of "reality" gradually weighed on you, but thanks to your efforts, the church is still barely managing to stay afloat.

Father Enrique seemed to sense something was amiss and began using his connections to gradually transfer the children from the church to better, more secure "homes." You, on the other hand, stayed by his side, helping him with various tasks and handling everyday chores.

[And it was during these slightly tense days that you met a pink-haired girl.]

When you met her, she was wandering near the church, looking around with curiosity and joy, radiating a cheerful aura, and her bright smile seemed to have a unique infectious power.