Alice in the Land of Steam

Chapter 22 Can vampire stories still scare people?
When Alice opened her eyes dazedly, it was already noon outside. Her stomach growled, urging her master to find food as soon as possible. The internet-addicted girl, who had been busy all night, was too lazy to change into a maid outfit. She walked downstairs in her immoral pajamas, with black and swollen eyes and weak steps. At first glance, she looked like she had overindulged herself.

After arriving in the kitchen, she saw Metien. The pink-haired girl was heating up the vegetable soup left over from last night and spreading butter on the sliced ​​bread. There was also a newspaper next to her, which was the Pravda newspaper jointly issued by the religious groups. It had been reporting extensively on the progress of the negotiations between the Linville City Religious Mutual Aid Association and the City Parish Committee. No one knew where the little girl had borrowed it from.

"Good afternoon, Sister Alice."

"Good afternoon, Metien."

After greeting each other, Alice sat opposite Metien and looked eagerly at the butter and bread in her hands: "Can we have dinner?"

"Wait a moment." The little girl replied with a soothing smile: "It will be ready after the soup is heated up."

"oh oh!"

Alice nodded hastily, and then began to wait with peace of mind. Although she felt something was wrong, she changed her mind and realized that she was not wearing a maid outfit, and she had already changed her job from maid last night. So what was there to be ashamed of?

"Oh, right." She looked into the aisle and found that the door of the chapel was tightly closed. She asked curiously, "Where is Lingge?"

"He went to the City Parish Council to visit the tribune, Mr. Longning." Metien replied, "He will get a new job as a history teacher after the Tianxin Church is closed, but he still needs to go through the formalities."

Alice thought about it silently, but didn't say it out loud. She hummed and ahed a few times and quickly changed the subject: "Does the Red Prayer Society you mentioned have many believers?"

She then asked, "What is the doctrine of this Red Prayer Society?"

Are the ordinary citizens of Linville City all masochists?
To this, Metien responded: "Because they are rich."

This gave Bishop Closel the confidence to openly challenge the united church groups.

It was not her fault that she was overly curious. After learning from the game console last night that the enemy hidden in the dark of the city was a vampire, she became very sensitive to words like "bright red", "crimson", and "blood red". What's more, the other party just happened to be in league with the cult, so it was hard not to make Alice suspicious.

"Let me think... Well, they seem to worship the sacrifice of blood and flesh, and believe that suffering can sharpen a noble soul. Therefore, the devout believers in the church often wrap thorns around their hands and feet, using the pain of blood to warn themselves. In this way, they can get closer to the god they believe in."

"Oh, that's amazing."

"Because there is no need to be sad." Metien put down the butter and bread in his hands, put his hand on the newspaper next to him, and said confidently: "The closure of the church is only temporary. After the negotiations are over, the situation will definitely get better! Mr. Closser, chairman of the Linville City Religious Mutual Aid Association and bishop of the Red Prayer Society, has publicly stated in the newspaper that the prosperity of the city's religious atmosphere is inseparable from the concept of openness and tolerance. Whether for the religious environment of Linville City or for the freedom of belief of ordinary citizens, the church union should carefully consider the impact of the "Religious Decree". These words have been recognized by many critics, and even city government officials have expressed support."

"Is that so?" Alice observed the little girl's expression and found nothing unusual, so she asked tentatively, "You don't seem sad at all?"

"..."

It's totally not on the same level as the Holy Goddess Cult.

"Well, that sounds a little too bad." Alice had a strange expression on her face, thinking of some topics that could not be described in detail.

A reason so realistic that Alice couldn't refute it.

It's all about blood, right? Alice became even more suspicious and asked, "But such a doctrine shouldn't be very popular. Why do they have so many followers?"

These guys are farting again.

Then Metien said, "But this was done a long time ago. Later, they kept pace with the times and reformed some doctrines. Therefore, believers now only need to prick their fingers with a silver needle when praying and drop a drop of blood into a cup filled with clear water to complete the ceremony."

"Quite a lot." Metien nodded and said, "In Linweier City, apart from the seven major orthodox churches, the Red Prayer Society should have the most believers. There are many believers in the White Citizen District, Feather District, Star District and even the Church District. Therefore, it can become the convener and representative of the 'Religious Mutual Aid Association'."

Lingge could attract a large group of people to line up outside Tianxin Church by spending a few pounds every week. If he had not been interested in preaching, the number of followers of the Holy Goddess Church would have increased several times. Therefore, the Crimson Prayer Society, which was richer and more enthusiastic about preaching, was indeed worthy of so many followers.

You can't whip me unless you pay me.

"Then," she rolled her eyes, "Among the believers of the Crimson Prayer Society, is it possible that every now and then one of them dies tragically in the alley from excessive blood loss, with two tooth holes on his neck?" "I haven't heard of such a thing." Metien shook her head and looked at Alice with a strange look, "Also, you want to talk about vampires, right, Sister Alice? I haven't been scared by such stories that scare children since I was six years old."

I didn't scare you, Metien! This world is more dangerous than you think!

But Alice had no evidence, and couldn't infer anything from the known clues, so she thought about it and said nothing, waiting quietly for dinner.

Wearing cotton gloves, Metien moved the heated vegetable soup from the stove to the dining table, and then turned to get a bowl and spoon from the cupboard. Her busy appearance made Alice, who was doing nothing, look like a parasite. But it was not that she didn't want to help, but she was too tired last night to match the lineup properly, and now her mental state is still sluggish.

Speaking of the lineup.

Alice suddenly asked, "Metien, do you know a girl named Saint Xia Liya?"

"Eh?"

Metien turned his head and blinked, his eyes blank: "I don't know him."

but.

This name sounds pretty nice?

***
Standing outside the office building of the Parish Council again, Linger looked up. The sky was gray and dark, as if covered with thick acid fog. The cold wind of the frosty month blew through the tall buildings and alleys of St. Anton Street, wandering among the dust on the ground. A river composed of sweepers, street vendors, company employees, carts, rented carriages, public trains, etc. was noisy in front of him, not caring about the solemn religious place just a stone's throw away.

The secular and the religious always combine well, and sometimes even become inseparable. Outside the cathedral of Redoifan, people still sell flowers and feed for pigeons, so it is reasonable for a priest who has presided over worship ceremonies for more than three years to suddenly decide to change his career and become a history teacher.

Ling's mind naturally emerged with the satisfied and reserved smile of Mr. Langning, as well as the promise he made to himself. Within three days at the latest, the employment procedures would be completed, and he would become a history teacher at St. Lowood National School, continuing the career he had failed to complete three years ago.

Time goes around and around, only to bring everything back to the starting point.

Perhaps this is also Mr. Yang Ke’s wish?

The young man sighed softly, held down the brim of his hat, walked away, and quickly blended into the crowd as if he had never been there.

At the same time, in the office on the third floor, Langning Lavelle stood by the window, silently staring at his receding figure. He was not the only one in the room, there was another man in a black windbreaker, sitting on the sofa, silently flipping through the documents in his hands, the papers flipping quickly, making a rustling sound.

After a quick glance, he put down the document and spoke in a young but steady voice: "The Human Resources Administration has approved your application and listed the candidate you recommended as a subject for observation. Do you need me to send someone to contact him?"

"No need." Lang Ning shook his head slowly. "He will soon be a teacher at St. Lowood National School. I will ask my colleagues from the Initial Sect to observe on his behalf."

In the Western Continent, most of the schools that were named as state-run were the joint ventures of religious groups. The investors were the Night Roost, the richest of the seven major orthodox churches, and the actual managers were the original sects that were most enthusiastic about education. The teachers and staff in the schools, with the exception of Lingge, were basically believers of the original sects.

"I understand." The man did not raise any objections, and continued, "Then the second thing: I have almost finished investigating the details of the so-called 'Linville City Religious Mutual Aid Association'. Just as you guessed, the illegal churches such as the Divine Providence Church and the New Cross Society did join in order to resist the 'Religious Decree'. They all got the information on refining magic, so it's not surprising that they made such a decision. However, the leader, the Crimson Prayer Society, seems to have another identity and is also our old rival."

When Lang Ning heard this, his eyes flickered: "Who is it?"

He - or rather, they had too many old rivals, so it took him a while to guess the other party's origins.

"I investigated and found that they have always been guiding their teachings in the direction of 'blood' and 'suffering'. Although they have tried to cover it up, it only makes it more obvious. Combined with the time they appeared, the answer is already very obvious."

The man said in a deep voice: "The evil cult that believes in the pseudo-demigod [Heavenly Eater]——"

"Blood-red feast."

　Give me some meow
　　
　
(End of this chapter)