Night had fallen. Heavy rain hammered against the stone rooftops and stained glass of the church, so hard that its sound echoed like a distant murmur throughout the silent interior.
Inside, the only light came from the flickering candles, breaking the darkness; small flames danced mysteriously across the tall, arched walls. The neo-Gothic architecture, with its elongated columns and brown wooden pews, gave the space a grand yet strange aura.
Three people were present in this silent space.
Aldrin, the young priest, stood in a white robe, a cross pendant hanging from his chest. The candlelight reflected in his golden eyes, and his pale blue hair seemed to emit another kind of glow in the darkness. His face was strikingly beautiful, enough to captivate anyone who glanced at him. He stood with quiet reverence, as if he were a part of the church's sanctity itself.
After the events at the academy the previous day, Vantias and Yutab had come to the church to report.
Vantias sat on one of the pews. His black hair was slightly longer than before, a sign of either neglect or perhaps a newfound determination to let go and change. His gaze was calm but deep, like someone carrying heavy thoughts.
He swallowed hard, a wave of anxiety and stress coursing through him, but he tried to maintain control. Tonight… the plan begins. I must be extremely careful.
Next to him, Yutab sat—a woman in her early thirties, with long black hair falling like a dark curtain to her waist. Her eyes, darker than the night outside, seemed to hide secrets. Her presence in the silent church was like a quiet, mysterious shadow.
The rain intensified, and the candle flames flickered more violently. Amid all this silence, it seemed as though the fates of these three people were intertwined.
Aldrin broke the silence and said softly:
"What is happening at the academy?"He looked at Yutab.
Yutab crossed her arms, closed her eyes, and replied:
"According to previous reports, we are close to identifying the killer, but there are too many hidden hands at work. This matter goes beyond simple murders."
She paused, opened her eyes, and in a serious tone continued:
"The killer intended to destroy the academy's reputation—and succeeded. Many students left, and the nobles feared what was happening. I don't think it's the sect's doing, because they have no reason to ruin the academy's credibility."
She looked Aldrin in the eyes and said:
"Whoever the killer is, their hatred for the academy is intense. It's likely someone who has been deeply wronged here. But some individuals have caught my attention."
Aldrin nodded in understanding and asked:
"Who do you suspect?"
Yutab paused and then said:
"I suspect Marcus. Before his death, Kyle told Vantias that he had seen Marcus enter the greenhouse the night before Elizabeth's murder. At first, I thought it unlikely, but then Kyle was killed. He had seen the truth, so it's very likely that Marcus killed him."
She looked down and said hesitantly:
"Honestly, yesterday Marcus sort of threatened me not to investigate his past too closely. In the past, he was a professor, but he punished his students in various ways. All of these are signs of an antisocial personality."
Vantias took a deep breath and said:
"I also suspect Marcus. I'm working on it, but for now, I'm not certain. Until I gather enough evidence, I can't make a final judgment."
Aldrin nodded, fatigue and worry written on his face. He leaned on the altar and said:
"Just be careful…"
Yutab noticed a change in Aldrin—he seemed more tired and anxious than before.
In a skeptical tone, Yutab asked:
"Has something happened?"
Aldrin sighed, closing his eyes for a moment.
"It's been a tough week… I sent Vensing on a new mission, and the outcome was not good."
Yutab and Vantias both looked concerned. Yutab's eyes widened, and Vantias immediately stood.
"Did something happen to Vensing?!" Vantias asked in alarm.
Aldrin shook his head.
"Fortunately, he's fine. But the sect has resumed its activities. At the same time, some well-known judges across the capital were killed. When the bodies were found…"
He lowered his head, clenched his fists, frowned, and continued:
"When the bodies were found… the judges' tongues had been nailed to the tables with large spikes, and their eyes had been gouged out." He took a deep breath and added,
"In some village churches, priests were crucified upside down, and the bodies of children, eyes wide open, were placed on chairs, staring at the priests."
Aldrin's words fell like hammers in the silent space. Vantias and Yutab's eyes widened; they looked at each other, their faces filled with fear and worry.
For a moment, Vantias could only stare at Aldrin, unable to speak. Aldrin's expression grew more anxious than ever.
"It seems the sect's activity has increased significantly over the past month. This shows they are planning something."
He then sat back, looking down.
"The king asked me to mobilize our agents to find the sect's members. The operation led to the deaths of key organization agents. The king ordered us to hide news and evidence that might cause public panic… but eventually, everything will be revealed, and chaos will spread throughout the kingdom."
Yutab fell deep into thought, staring at a single point without blinking. She said:
"Killing priests and crucifying them upside down, and leaving children's bodies with their eyes open… this shows the corruption within the faith that destroys the next generation. Driving spikes into judges' tongues and gouging their eyes… this shows that the kingdom's justice is corrupt and can be bought with money."