Chapter 24: Commission Rewards
David gently smoothed the wrinkles from Emma's sleeve.
But as he turned away, a flicker of unease crossed his eyes.
The official reason for their visit was to see an old friend—but in truth, he had brought Emma here to seek help.
---
Nine years ago, David's wife had passed away shortly after giving birth to Emma.
Since then, he had raised his daughter on his own.
At first, he feared he wouldn't be up to the task. But as Emma grew, those worries faded.
She was more mature and composed than other children her age. Their shelves were lined with trophies and honors she'd won over the years. At school, Emma was a role model—always completing assignments with excellence. Among friends and relatives, she was a graceful, polite young lady. Many envied David for raising such a "perfect daughter."
Whenever David came home from work, Emma would greet him with a warm hug.
Everything seemed perfect.
For a long time, David found comfort in the idea that his late wife was watching over them from above.
But everything changed during a school event.
That day, a classmate suffered a devastating injury—his arm crushed by a falling object, so badly damaged that amputation was necessary.
The official investigation ruled it an accident caused by a poorly maintained piece of equipment.
But David knew better.
Just before the incident, he had seen Emma examining that very part. When he asked her about it, she looked back at him with wide, innocent eyes—utterly calm.
He tried to convince himself he was being paranoid.
But then... it happened again. And again.
Always someone getting hurt. Always some convenient "accident."
And Emma? She remained composed. Too composed.
She didn't act like a child at all.
The most chilling part was what triggered these "accidents."
Sometimes, it was nothing more than someone taking attention away from her.
Emma seemed to lack any reverence for life.
David had taken her to numerous psychologists and therapists.
All of them said the same thing:
"Your daughter is perfectly healthy. One hundred percent normal."
But David knew that wasn't true.
He even considered going to the police—but every time, he couldn't bring himself to do it.
Then, just last week, he made contact with an old friend of his late wife's—Bailey.
She had once suffered from severe cognitive and psychological issues.
But during their call, Bailey revealed she had been completely cured a year ago.
Her healer?
A priest from Philadelphia.
Bailey said that while many doctors wanted to institutionalize her, this priest was the only one who didn't give up on her.
Now, Bailey was living a happy, stable life.
That was all David needed to hear.
He pleaded with her for help—and she agreed to arrange a meeting with the priest.
---
West District Church
At the same time, Gideon Black finished his daily devotional readings and wiped his eyes, feeling the familiar peace that followed his spiritual routine.
Since returning from Ravens Fair, his progress in various disciplines looked like this:
[Psychological Counseling]
Tier 0 (20/100)
[Holy Water Purification +1]
Tier 1 (272/1000)
[Holy Water Blessing]
Tier 1 (1/1000)
[Scripture Reading]
Tier 1 (15/1000)
---
Notably, due to its advancement, the skill [Holy Water Blessing] now required crafting holy water directly, rather than simply distributing it.
Meanwhile, the reward for the Ravens Fair commission had finally arrived.
Gideon hadn't expected much.
To his surprise, he received $5,000.
That caught him off guard—since when did the Church become this generous?
Accompanying the money was a handwritten letter from Olivia.
In it, she once again thanked him for his help during the events in Ravens Fair.
She also mentioned that many of their fellow exorcist trainees who had accepted commissions around the same time hadn't been so lucky.
Some had returned with injuries.
Others... never returned at all.
In light of this, Olivia had pleaded with her father to allow her to gift Gideon a personal treasure: The Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius—a foundational manual studied by every first-year exorcist student in North America.
Since she couldn't get Gideon into the Exorcist Academy, this was the least she could do.
The manual outlined a regimen involving the application of consecrated holy oil across the body while reciting specific prayers. Over time, this would enhance a priest's physical endurance.
Olivia had even done some research into Church history.
According to ancient records, certain medieval cardinals—after prolonged practice of these "Spiritual Exercises"—had developed bodies resilient enough to withstand arrows and blades.
As for the consecrated oil itself, it could be ordered through any district-level church.
She urged Gideon to study the manual seriously, and said that she hoped to partner with him again on future commissions.
Gideon gently folded the letter and placed it aside.
Then he pulled out The Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius.
It was a medium-thick volume—somewhere between a handbook and a tome.
He had already skimmed its contents and understood the core techniques.
They weren't overly complex... but mastery would take time and persistence.
Just as Olivia had said, this wasn't a shortcut.
It was a commitment.
First, as Olivia had noted, it required long-term persistence—at least ten years of daily application before one could see even modest results.
Second, the oils themselves were prohibitively expensive for most clerics.
Through his research, Gideon had learned there were three main types of sacred oils on the market:
---
1. Industrially Produced Oil
The cheapest variety—about $80 per bottle.
It looked affordable until you realized it took nearly a full bottle per full-body application. The costs added up quickly.
Worse, because of the synthetic additives, the effectiveness was limited and could even damage the user's body over time.
2. Handcrafted Sacred Oil
Made from natural ingredients like datura blossoms and blood-lichen, this oil was handcrafted by certified church personnel.
It was far gentler on the body and far more effective—but also pricier.
$500 per bottle, minimum.
3. Animal-Derived Oil
Extracted from large, spiritually significant animals.
This type of oil yielded the strongest results with virtually no bodily harm.
However, overuse could awaken animalistic instincts in the user, requiring strict self-discipline and routine scripture study to suppress.
Prices began at $3,000 per bottle.
---
In addition to these three, Gideon had heard whispers of a fourth type—Divine Oil.
Information on it was sparse, and references were scattered across obscure Church archives. All that was known was this:
"Upon application of Divine Oil, the human body experiences a brief period of unparalleled power... Some clerics have claimed they were able to gaze directly upon Satan's true form without flinching."
Whether it truly existed or not, Gideon had no way of knowing.
For now, he held a bottle of Type II—Handcrafted Sacred Oil in his hand. It was purchased with the commission money he had just received.
He opened the bottle. A subtle fragrance of herbs and flowers wafted out.
Gideon stepped into the bathroom and undressed.
In the mirror stood a young man—black hair, sharp features, and a body honed from training and exorcism.
After a brief pause, he poured a bit of the sacred oil into his palm. It was clear and slightly viscous.
Moments later...
[Ignatian Exercises +1]
Current Progress: Tier 0 (1/100)
You've applied sacred oil. Your body has undergone slight changes. Continue your training to unlock further abilities.
Gideon's eyes lit up.
"As expected."
He had guessed this training manual could be assimilated into his ability system—and he was right.
"At this rate, just 100 applications should get me to the next level."
He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. Compared to someone slogging through ten years of repetition, this felt like he was sprinting down a shortcut.
And sure enough, his body did feel... different.
It was subtle. But it was there—his muscle control had become slightly more precise, his awareness a bit sharper.
Still, the effect was so faint that it was difficult to draw any conclusions just yet.
"I'll keep applying it and monitor the results."
Once the oil had fully absorbed into his skin, Gideon dressed and left the bathroom.
Just then, someone knocked at the church door.
Knock, knock.
Gideon peered through his binoculars—it was Huang Ren.
The moment he opened the door, Huang Ren wrinkled his nose and gave him a suspicious look.
"What's that smell? Did you put on perfume?"
He eyed Gideon like he had just caught him committing a fashion crime.
"I was waiting for you, wasn't I?" Gideon replied calmly, as if nothing was out of the ordinary.
"Ew, gross."
Huang Ren shivered. "Anyway, someone I used to know stopped by. Said her daughter's having some... mental troubles. Thought you could take a look."