Chapter 6: Kill Her
When l saw Veronica in the reception room, Veronica was sitting on a chair, sipping her red tea in small mouthfuls.
So she didn't go in directly, but stood at the doorway and observed her sister quietly for a while.
l saw that there were also fine black threads in Veronica's soul, like a thin layer of cobweb entwined around the pure light.
Although they were there, they couldn't obscure her purity.
Seeing this, l relaxed a little.
“l?”
Veronica noticed her sister standing at the door, quickly put down her teacup, and walked to her side.
“How are you, are you better?”
“Mhm.”
l nodded lightly and sat down next to Veronica.
“That's good then.”
Veronica breathed a small sigh of relief, “I told you the church would help us.”
Then, she stood up, walked over to Sister Irene and Bishop Oliver, and bowed slightly to the two of them.
“Thank you for saving my sister.”
Next, she took out her wallet from her pocket, took out a silver coin, and walked to the donation box.
Just as the silver coin was about to fall into the donation box, a hand gently caught it.
Oliver returned the silver coin to Veronica and then gave her a gentle smile.
“Just give what you can.”
Hearing this, Veronica looked at the silver coin that had been placed back in her hand, then nodded solemnly.
“Sorry, I was being presumptuous.”
Next, she took out a copper coin and put it into the donation box.
This ti, Oliver did not stop her, but personally escorted l and Veronica to the church entrance.
“If you feel unwell again, you can co find anyti.”
Oliver said to l with a smile, then handed her a package.
“There are tea bags inside, they help with sleep.”
Hearing this, l looked up at Oliver, then took the package with both hands.
“Thank you.”
“l, let's go.”
Veronica gently took her sister's hand, “You must be very tired.”
l let her sister lead her away by the hand.
As she turned, she caught a glimpse of Bishop Oliver and Sister Irene standing at the church entrance, watching them leave.
The souls of those two were also tainted, and even more so than Veronica's.
l couldn't understand.
Walking on the way ho, l's gaze involuntarily fell on every passing pedestrian.
Each person's soul emanated light of varying degrees, so bright, so dim.
But without exception, all of their souls were tainted.
They were all impure lambs.
The taint was like parasites, squirming and multiplying within people's souls.
A few people had only a few scattered strands, such as the priests and bishop at the church, Veronica, or young children.
But the taint on the vast majority of people occupied almost a third of their bodies, and so were even almost completely consud by it.
“l, what are you looking at?”
Veronica noticed her sister's strangeness, asked with concern, and followed her gaze.
“Nothing.”
l shook her head, averting her gaze from the unpleasant sights.
Hearing this, Veronica gave her a thoughtful look, then patted her on the head.
“Let's have cream stew tonight. I'll go buy two loaves of white bread. l, can you go back first and prepare the ingredients?”
l nodded, then she and Veronica parted ways on the street.
She stood on the spot, watching her sister's back gradually disappear into the crowd, the black threads entwined around Veronica's soul faintly visible in the sunlight.
“Clip-clop-clip-clop—”
The sound of carriage wheels ca from behind, and l stepped aside.
She saw that the taint on the coachman had already occupied more than half of his body.
The black substance was constantly squirming, emitting a nauseating aura.
l withdrew her gaze, carrying the package given by Oliver, and walked unhurriedly on the way back.
The sunlight cast mottled shadows on the ground through the leaves, but in l's eyes, those shadows were like extensions of the taint.
After returning ho, l placed the package in her hand on the table, and Veronica's voice ca from behind her.
“It's so cold.... but it should get warr after spring cos—ah.”
The slow-to-react Veronica seed to realize she had said the wrong thing, her gaze involuntarily turning to l.
Her own sister was extrely sensitive to the words "spring cos".
“Spring cos....”
Sure enough, after hearing Veronica's words, l subconsciously murmured the phrase.
After spring cos, Veronica would be leaving.
But she didn't want Veronica to leave.
She wanted Veronica to stay by her side forever.
But, after spring cos, Veronica would be leaving.
She was going to university.
She was going to leave her.
l's body suddenly trembled, her heart inexplicably filled with anxiety.
She hugged Veronica tightly, and Veronica hugged her back.
Just then, in l's ear, the familiar whisperings sounded.
But this ti, there was only one person's voice.
Her own voice.
(Kill her)
That voice belonging to herself said so.
l's pupils contracted abruptly, a barely perceptible red light flashing in her amber eyes.
Her fingers unconsciously tightened on Veronica's clothes, as if she had caught her prey.
l's vision blurred, and everything around her began to spin again.
The night scene painting on the wall twisted and deford in her eyes, the blood-red moon seed to expand continuously, about to swallow the entire world.
“l, l?”
Veronica noticed her sister's abnormality.
She hurried forward, held l's shoulders with both hands, and looked at her with concern.
l's gaze focused on Veronica's face.
Even though the world was spinning, Veronica's face remained pure.
She saw Veronica's lips moving, but in her ears, she could only hear that voice of her own constantly repeating:
(Kill her)
l's right hand rose unconsciously, slowly reaching for Veronica's neck, and slowly rested on it.
Veronica's skin was warm and soft.
l's fingertips trembled slightly, her fingers unconsciously applying slight pressure, her nails gently sinking into Veronica's soft skin, leaving several shallow red marks.
Veronica seed to notice her sister's abnormality.
She frowned slightly, her blue eyes revealing confusion and worry.
“l, what's wrong?”
She asked softly, a few strands of golden hair brushing against the back of l's hand, bringing a slightly itchy sensation.
l's consciousness seed to be torn in two.
One half of her wanted to tighten her fingers, to strangle Veronica, to make her stay by her side forever.
The other half was frantically resisting this thought, desperately trying to pull her hand back.
Her breathing began to quicken, as if an invisible hand was slowly squeezing her lungs.
The air in the room suddenly thinned, and l felt a strong sense of suffocation.
(Kill her, shepherd her soul, that way, she will be with you forever)
The voice continued to bewitch her, each word like a drop of ink in water, slowly spreading and blackening l's heart.
(This is your mission as a Shepherd)
Just as the two consciousnesses were entangled, Veronica's voice sounded again.
Veronica seed to have noticed sothing was wrong, her delicate eyebrows furrowed slightly, her eyes revealing confusion and worry.
But she did not remove l's hands.
Instead, she gently covered them with her own, stroking the back of her sister's hands tenderly.
“It's okay, l.”
She said softly, her voice full of gentleness and understanding.
“I won't leave you. I'm right here. Big sister said the wrong thing just now, I'm sorry, okay?”
Her voice was so warm, dispelling the gloom in l's heart.
The strange voice gradually dissipated, and l's reason regained control.
She looked up at Veronica.
In those gentle blue eyes, there was only endless doting, not a trace of fear or bla.
But then, l saw her own fingerprints clearly imprinted on Veronica's fair skin, the few shallow red marks like a terrifying brand.
Instantly, a strong sense of fear and self-bla washed over l's heart.
Her body began to tremble uncontrollably, like a child who had done sothing wrong.
“I'm sorry, big sister, I'm sorry....”
l's voice was choked with sobs, tears welling up in her eyes.
She wanted to retreat, to escape, but Veronica held her tightly.
“It's okay, l.”
Veronica comforted her softly, slowly calming l's agitated emotions.
She gently patted l's back, as if soothing a frightened little animal.
“I'm right here, I'm not going anywhere. I promise you.”
The next day, Veronica was combing l's hair as usual.
“I have to go to work today. Is it okay for you to be ho alone today? I'll be back before dinner.”
Halfway through combing, Veronica suddenly spoke softly, her gentle face reflected in the mirror.
In fact, l was already used to this, so there was no need to specifically ask for her opinion.
But perhaps because of the strangeness she had shown in the past two days, Veronica couldn't help but worry about her sister's ntal state.
l gazed at Veronica's gentle face in the mirror.
Her hands were moving through her hair, the movents as gentle as if handling a fragile treasure.
This scene had been repeated countless tis since l ca to this ho, but only today did it seem particularly different.
“I've prepared lunch for you, it's in the lunch box in the kitchen,” Veronica continued, her hands still weaving the braid smoothly and naturally.
(Going to work....)
l couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.
But soon, she had a new idea.
(Maybe I can take this opportunity to go to Saint Margaret's Church and find Bishop Oliver to learn about this world. At least from our contact, he doesn't seem to have any ill will towards . And... I did that kind of thing yesterday...)
“Mhm, I know.”
l nodded in response, her gaze looking at her own braided hair through the mirror.
The long gray hair had a soft sheen in the morning light, complenting the light blue ribbon.
Hearing this, the smile on Veronica's face widened, and she gently hugged her sister.
“Don't worry, I'll be back before dinner.”
After breakfast, Veronica cleared the dishes, then walked to the door and put on her coffee-colored overcoat.
Before leaving, she gave l one last look, her eyes full of concern.
“I'll be back tonight. If anything happens, rember to co find at the library, understand?”
“Mhm, be careful on your way.”
l stood at the door, watching Veronica leave until her figure completely disappeared from view.
Saint Margaret's Church, the ancient Gothic building stood in the morning light, its spire pointing to the sky.
The stained glass refracted colorful light and shadow in the sunlight.
A few dry leaves lay on the stone steps in front of the church, and a faint scent of sandalwood perated the air.
l stood before the church, looking at the heavy oak door.
The church was exceptionally quiet in the early morning, with only a few believers occasionally coming and going.
They all had pious expressions, bowing to the holy emblem of the Red Moon.
l walked into the church, her footsteps echoing in the empty hall.
The surrounding believers cast curious glances at her, but quickly looked away again, refocusing on their prayers.
l found an empty seat and sat down, then copied the prayer posture of the other believers, silently reciting so praises in her heart.
Of course, to call them praises was a stretch; in reality, they were just so flattering words she made up on the spot.
After a while, Sister Irene arrived, giving l a gentle smile.
“Are you here to see Bishop Oliver, Miss l?”
“Mhm.”
l nodded lightly, “Is he available now?”
“Of course.”
Irene smiled, “Follow .”
l walked through the long, quiet corridors of Saint Margaret's Church, each step on the ancient flagstones echoing with a crisp and distant sound.
Sister Irene led her, passing walls decorated with exquisite murals, finally stopping at the door they had co to last ti.
“Bishop Oliver is inside, Miss l, please go in.”
Irene said softly, a warm smile on her face.
l took a deep breath, pushed open the door, and stepped into the room filled with a solemn and sacred atmosphere.
Compared to last ti, almost nothing had changed.
Neither the room nor the gentle smile on Bishop Oliver's face.
“Miss l, welco.”
Bishop Oliver looked up, his gaze gentle and deep, as if he could see into a person's heart.
“Is there anything I can help you with”
l curtsied slightly, “Lord Bishop, sorry to disturb you.”
After a pause, she sat down opposite Oliver, then took a deep breath and said:
“I have so questions about gods and Shepherds that I would like to ask you.”
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