Bear School Astartes-Chapter 882 - 865: Purification

Klimte said, ’This is the only way.’

At first, Lann didn’t understand what needed to be done, but soon it became clear.

Klimte had many wedges brought out from the Profound Church, each as thick as an average person’s arm and over a meter long.

Then, he waved his hand to summon the giants who were on standby in the church.

Though he had been sidelined by the other two archbishops, he had no issue commanding the giant slaves when the orders didn’t conflict.

Klimte and Leonard first had people carry the Goddess’s palanquin into the room.

The room was already covered in fiery red cloth.

But the room itself, being so tall and deep, possessed a profound, dark atmosphere, making the fiery red fabric appear dimmed.

The followers placed numerous cradles in the room, even hanging some from the iron chains on the ceiling.

It seemed as though the followers believed these decorations would comfort the Goddess.

Using cradles for solace... had Rosalie lost a child?

Lann placed the last cradle by the large door of the room and straightened up to look at the Goddess, who was sitting in the deepest part of the room on a bed.

She still seemed to be immersed in her sorrow.

"Come out, it’s time to close the door."

Leonard stood outside the massive door, beckoning to Lann.

The Demon Hunter nodded and stepped out.

"We can’t let the Goddess see what comes next."

Leonard and Lann stood on either side, working together to close the massive door with a creaking sound.

The door, in terms of thickness, matched the specifications of the Profound Church’s main door, though it wasn’t as tall.

"Even though Rosalie is already this heartbroken, she likely wouldn’t like what we’re about to do next."

Leonard clapped his hands calmly as he spoke after closing the door.

"There’s no choice. She can’t bear to see anyone suffer. But that’s why we adore her, and why we’re willing to give everything for her."

"What are you talking about?"

Lann looked at Leonard, confused, not understanding what he was about to do.

But then, from overhead, the sound of wind could be heard, followed by a noise like a sharp spike piercing a bubble.

"Squelch."

Then a thick liquid trickled down the walls... it was blood-red.

Lann looked up and saw a giant’s hand, stained red, retracting.

On the wall, a Maggot Man’s distorted, corpulent body was pinned seven or eight meters up by a wedge.

Blood, like spilled paint, flowed down from the wall.

The Maggot Man pinned to the wall, with a mouth twisted like melting wax, continued to utter prayers, hands clasped in front.

If it weren’t for having interacted with these Maggot Men before, Lann might have felt nothing, as they looked more monstrous than monsters.

But Lann had interacted, conversed, and even had pleasant conversations with one of them from the group.

He knew these Maggot Men had their own personalities, aspirations, hoping to become something better through a rebirth ritual.

They weren’t monsters... they were conducting a ritual.

"What does this mean?"

Lifting his head to the Maggot Man on the wall, Lann suddenly spoke calmly.

But this calmness was different from his usual logical, measured demeanor... it was so calm it chilled the heart.

Clearly, Leonard felt it the most, being by his side.

The Goddess Knight in a silver mask was instinctively driven by this chill to grip the hilt of his Crescent Curved Sword at his waist.

But he quickly released his weapon.

The silver mask turned towards Lann, eyes behind it still showing surprise.

"Ha, didn’t expect to see a ’good person’ in this world?!"

"This is the first time I’ve seen someone like you."

"But don’t take it out on me. To safely let the Goddess recuperate here, in this room tainted by Elderidge, mere red cloth won’t suffice. The red cloth can’t suppress the profound darkness... it needs blood!"

"Fresh, flowing blood."

As he spoke, the sound above their heads came again, and another Maggot Man was nailed to the wall by the giant’s hand.

"We’re Rosalie’s followers, and at this point, we’re ready to give everything."

The Maggot Man newly pinned didn’t struggle, merely clasped his hands and began to pray.

Lann turned to look at others.

Klimte watched quietly, as did the other Maggot Men.

As if this conclusion was effortlessly reached without discussion or deliberation.

—They were to cleanse the Goddess’s abode with blood.

In total, six Maggot Men were evenly placed along the wall where the giant door stood, pinned by the giants.

Their blood was drained, staining the massive wall red.

Red symbolized [flame], and only flame could shield the world and dispel darkness.

Although the platform was now filled with the stench of blood, the inexplicable gloom had indeed faded significantly.

Lann pressed his lips together, unable to utter a word.

In harsh environments, it seems that certain customs and characteristics deemed ’cruel’ by other peoples are eventually born.

And that was even when the world still maintained a semblance of order.

But now... Lann once again deeply felt that he had truly come to a ’decaying world’ in every sense.

In such difficult times, it’s hard for people to regard others’ lives as lives, and naturally... they don’t really care about their own lives either.

In a world where death and curses, madness linger in the shadows, death itself appears distressingly commonplace.

Faith, persistence, promises... so many things were deemed more important than ’life’.

Lann couldn’t rebuke anything.

After all, looking at Klimte and Leonard, if both of them needed to be hanged, they wouldn’t hesitate for a moment.

-----------------

After settling the Goddess first, Klimte also arranged the accompanying convoy personnel in the Profound Church.

Some of these people were brought together purely through employment relationships, while most had already been set to become servants of the Goddess from the beginning.

Since after the Goddess found a place to rest, someone would always need to serve her.

Soon after, those who originally stayed at the Purification Chapel also assisted the priests in completing the purification ceremony, rushing to the Profound Church.

Lann looked around, noticing Gael was not among them. Moreover, Sirius seemed to be on the verge of drawing swords against one of them.

It was that fierce-looking Wandering Knight, whose battle axe on the back was entwined with yellow lightning.

Not only did Sirius look icy cold, but even the grim, vicious look of the man walking behind Sirius seemed as if he was ready to strike from behind.

If it weren’t for being in the public eye, perhaps that guy really would do it.

"What’s going on with you two?"

Lann should be one of the few in the group who could speak to Sirius, as he had expressly stated he didn’t want to become a follower of the Goddess.

While others found it hard to resist the so-called ’rebirth’ temptation.

"That Clayton is insane."

Sirius’s voice was as cold as her expression.

"He makes the purification ritual seem like slaughter! Those who worship heretical deities should... sorry."

Her agitated, icy words stopped abruptly, seemingly shaking herself free from the fervent emotions, she calmly apologized to Lann.

"I shouldn’t burden you with complaints, Lann. I’m just worried that more and more heretics are standing up now, people seem to have forgotten the true gods."

"Look at that so-called Goddess, she’s ensnared in her own sorrow, and with a little further provocation could face a mental breakdown."

"And by then, can you imagine what Leonard and Clayton people might do to comfort the Goddess they believe in, to achieve rebirth?"

"The Goddess had her tongue cut out; perhaps by then this crowd would start cutting out others’ tongues to offer to her."

"All the talk of Rosalie being gentle and kind, what happens when she’s pushed to a breakdown, how could she still restrain her followers?"

Sirius shook her head, the unique veil she wore swayed with her, gently brushing across her beautiful, cold face.

"But that’s not my concern anymore, I’m just hitching a ride with the convoy. I have my own goals. But you... you seem like a good person, Lann. I can only wish for your journey to be accompanied by the moon all the way."

Finishing, Sirius sighed softly.

"I plan to head towards the capital city of the Moon’s Nobles, Ilyushil. I came to the Profound Church to obtain a little doll as proof to pass through the protective barrier there."

"With the ties between the Profound Church and Dark Moon Church, the Dark Moon Pope should send plenty of dolls here as a pass. I reckon I won’t have much trouble acquiring one, and by then it’ll be my time to depart too."

"You should also figure out a backup plan for yourself, Lann."

The Demon Hunter smiled helplessly; he’d love to have a way out too.

Yet looking around, it seemed the whole world was teetering on the brink of collapse.

He only wished that when the celestial rift opened again, the world wouldn’t have deteriorated to a point he couldn’t bear.

"Well, good luck then, Sirius. Don’t worry about me."

Lann patted the Female Knight on the shoulder; such a friendly gesture seemed to catch the Knight from the Land of Dusk off guard, leaving her momentarily stunned.

"But I should remind you, the Profound Church isn’t peaceful right now either."

Saying this, Lann informed Sirius about the ongoing conflict between the three archbishops.

However, although surprised, the Female Knight seemed capable of accepting it.

"The Profound Church..."

She murmured lowly.

"Ever since King Ausloes imprisoned Elderidge here and later endorsed him as Lord of the Fire, burning him away, this place ceased to be the revered White Church Sanctuary it once was."

However, amidst Sirius’s murmuring, Lann found himself unable to listen anymore.

[Lord of Fire], [Kindling the Flame], ’burn away’...

For a moment, Lann felt he finally grasped the relationship between these terms.