My Anti-hero Fairy System-Chapter 68. Brain Power

Cara sat frozen in her seat, her breaths shallow, the whispers and stares of the congregation growing louder in her head.

’Hagrit, I need your help,’ Cara pleaded internally. ’I can’t contain this on my own.’

[Yeah, no kidding. The number of people in here is insane,] Hagrit replied, his tone unusually serious.

’How many are they?’ Cara asked, though she wasn’t sure she wanted to know.

[There are over a thousand people crammed into this church,] Hagrit informed her.

Cara’s panic deepened. How do I shut this out? I can’t handle all their thoughts at once.

[You’re past the point where breathing exercises will save you. It’s time to spend some points, Cara.]

’I’ll do anything. Just make it stop.’

[Alright, I’ll deduct 2000 points from your total to upgrade your brain power. This will help you filter out the noise. Do you agree to the purchase?]

’Yes, do it now!’

[Done,] Hagrit confirmed.

Relief washed over Cara like a balm. The noise in her mind didn’t disappear entirely, but it became manageable, like tuning a radio to the right frequency. She could hear snippets of thoughts without the crushing overwhelm. For the first time in what felt like an eternity, she could breathe.

[Want to check your stats now?] Hagrit asked.

’Later, let’s do that later’ Cara replied, her focus returning to the room.

"Cara Bolton," Reverend Franklin said, his voice booming with authority. "Please stand so everyone can see God’s miracle in the flesh."

Cara hesitated, but the weight of expectation was undeniable. Slowly, she stood, and the entire congregation turned their full attention to her. Some began singing hymns, others clasped their hands in prayer, their awe radiating toward her in palpable waves. These people really believe this shit, Cara thought, plastering a gracious smile on her face as she waved at them.

Her gaze drifted across the room and landed on Rudy. His expression was sour, his envy unmistakable. She knew he hated the attention she was getting—and honestly, she wished she wasn’t in the spotlight either.

"Cara," Reverend Franklin continued, his tone far too cheerful for her liking, "would you mind sharing a few words with the congregation?"

Jesus fucking Christ, Cara thought, resisting the urge to groan. This guy’s really pushing it.

The congregation’s expectant faces bore down on her, their collective hope almost suffocating. With a sigh, she gave in to the pressure and walked to the pulpit. Reverend Franklin handed her the microphone, and she forced another smile as she faced the crowd.

"First off," she began, her voice steady despite the situation, "thank you all for having me here. I’m so grateful for the warm welcome you’ve given me."

The congregation erupted in cheers, their excitement echoing through the room. Cara waited for the noise to settle before continuing. "Last week, something strange and miraculous happened to me. I died... and came back to life. I don’t know why or how it happened, but I know this, I’m lucky, or maybe even blessed, to be standing here in front of you today. Praise be to the Lord."

"Praise be!" the congregation shouted in unison, their voices shaking the walls. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

[Damn, you sound like a believer,] Hagrit remarked, his tone dripping with amusement.

’I could totally be a believer—and take Reverend Franklin’s job while I’m at it. These gullible sheep would eat it up. I mean, I can literally read their minds. Talk about an unfair advantage in the con game.’

Without another word, Cara handed the microphone back to Reverend Franklin and stepped off the podium. She returned to her seat, all eyes still fixed on her as she moved.

The Reverend resumed his sermon, launching into a fire-and-brimstone tirade about the evils of gays, lesbians, bisexuals, vampires, werewolves, and witches. Cara turned to Farrah, her expression one of silent judgment. This is the church you come to every Sunday? Listening to this trash? her eyes seemed to say.

Farrah avoided Cara’s gaze, her face flushed with embarrassment.

When Reverend Franklin finally finished, Rudy took the stage, his polished politician’s smile firmly in place. "Praise be!" he bellowed.

As if on cue, the congregation responded, "Praise be to the Lord!"

"You all know me," Rudy began, his voice dripping with charisma. "I am the best candidate to be the next mayor of this wonderful town. I am a born-again child of God, and I firmly believe that I am God’s chosen leader for Hemridge. Remember, elections are in two weeks. Don’t forget to vote so that God’s kingdom can be fully established in this town."

Cara suppressed the urge to roll her eyes as the congregation hung on Rudy’s every word. God’s chosen leader? she thought sarcastically. More like the devil’s chosen con artist.

Listening to Rudy’s sermon, Cara wanted to laugh out loud. ’This man is unbelievable,’ she mused. ’Jesus, he’s the absolute worst.’

[He’s a skilled actor and an excellent salesman,] Hagrit chimed in.

’That he is,’ Cara agreed. ’The bastard could fool anyone. Born again? Please.’

As Rudy continued his sermon, Cara stood up from her seat. For a brief moment, Rudy’s eyes darted toward her, his confident smile faltering slightly. It was as if he feared she might disrupt his carefully crafted performance in front of thousands. But Cara simply smiled, feigning politeness, and walked toward an usher.

"Excuse me," she said, her tone sweet and unassuming. "Could you point me to the ladies’ room?"

The usher, a tall, lanky man with dirty blonde hair and piercing blue eyes, gave her a quick once-over before answering. "Ma’am, just follow this passageway and take a left."

Cara nodded with a smile, catching a stray thought from his mind: he wanted to hug her, convinced it would somehow bring him luck to win the lottery. Dream on, buddy, she thought, stifling a smirk as she walked away.

Reaching the passageway, Cara veered off course, her heels clicking softly against the tiled floor as she made her way toward the Reverend’s office. She knew exactly where it was—she’d done her homework.

The office door was locked, as expected, but Cara came prepared. Pulling two pins from her purse, she expertly picked the lock within seconds and slipped inside, locking the door quietly as soon as she walked in. She couldn’t take the risk of someone walking in on her.

The room was modestly furnished, with an air of forced humility. A large framed photograph of Rudy with his wife and two smiling children sat on the desk, their wholesome image a stark contrast to the man she knew him to be. Cara wasted no time, rifling through the drawers, scanning documents, and searching for anything that would prove that Reverend was using his church as front to launder money.

She didn’t know exactly what she was looking for, but she was confident she’d recognize it when she saw it.

Then, tucked under a stack of papers in the bottom drawer, she found an envelope. Inside were forged receipts and wildly exaggerated expense reports. Bingo. Cara’s heart quickened as she took out her phone and snapped pictures of every document. For good measure, she slipped a few of the most damning ones into her purse.

As she was straightening the desk to cover her tracks, a noise outside the door made her freeze. Footsteps. Then, the unmistakable jingle of keys. Someone was unlocking the door.

Cara’s mind raced. There was no way out without being seen, no time to hide.