Academy’s PTSD Chaplain - Academy’s PTSD Chaplain chapter 47

47 – Solemn Rite (3)

Sophia gasped for breath.

It wasn’t due to the decaying dog’s corpse witnessed right before her eyes or the head-twisting, dead three-headed snake, or the giant leech, which convulsed and died, gasping for air while its numerous legs fell limp.

Her gaze fixated on a man, the Head Priest of the Caldean Imperial Academy, also a professor in theology.

“…You, false descendant. There’s nothing left now to shield you.”

Yes. It was because of Father Antonelli’s appearance.

Sorrow and anguish had resided in his eyes, but suddenly, there was a surge of conviction and faith.

His voice held power, and the burgeoning grace of the Lord filled the surroundings.

So, yes.

At first, Sophia felt as if a halo was casting its glow behind him.

But despite this profoundly blessed moment, empowered by the grace of the Lord, a moment where three demons were sent back to hell.

Peter, the priest, and Camilla, the priest. Two siblings, a precious victory that opened the way for their salvation in the name of the Lord.

“Father-in-charge….”

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His expression, so unbearably sorrowful,

…Why, I wonder.

* * * * *

I looked down at the now silent Father Peter.

The crimson stains on his face weren’t a pleasant sight, but I steadied my resolve.

“Sophia, Subdeacon. Bring out the censer and candles.”

Our battle is not over yet. I looked at Sophia, the subdeacon, as she carefully took out the sacred objects.

In fact, one could argue that the real fight against demons begins now. The three demons we just faced were more like minions, and the leader demon was still hiding within Father Peter.

However, it was an unexpected gain that even the demon in the form of a dog, dormant in the body of Sister Camilla, was subdued. Wondering if the holy water was really this effective, it almost felt like the grace of the Lord was particularly strong.

Anyway, that’s not important now.

“Father-in-charge.”

Subdeacon Sophia handed me the sacred objects. Accepting them from her, I asked.

“Sophia, Subdeacon. How many voices did they have?”

“Um… just a moment.”

Sophia handed me a notebook. The notes were filled with the conversation with the demons, and the paper was already a bit tattered.

“There were a total of four forms.”

“Three were subdued, so one remains. Probably the leader.”

“What should I do?”

“Continue recording. And fill this censer with consecrated incense.”

Confirming Sophia’s nod, I emptied the remaining holy water into the holy basin.

From now on, the opponent will not be so easy to deal with. I knew that very well, and I was ready to face the fight against evil with a new determination.

“I know your sins. 891,366th Benedicta.”

The voice I first heard would probably be the demon in the form of a genie, and the next sly and thin voice might be the shape of a serpent with three heads.

The raging shape of a dog would probably be the rotten and decaying form of the dog that died in front of the front door.

Then, the rough voice that scratched like iron would be the last remaining form of the leader demon. I was confident it was.

“Shall I tell you one more thing? That woman, I killed her.”

And I recalled what it had said to me.

A devilishly despicable remark about Helena’s death. If they intended to provoke my anger with that, it was truly an ill-fated choice.

It didn’t stop at simply venting my anger, but it also allowed me to withstand any subsequent threats and ridicule.

Not only did it reveal itself in order to shake my composure, but its courage was indeed virtual.

“It will be your downfall.”

Yes. The leader of the demons was so arrogant, and now it is time for him to pay for that arrogance.

I poured new holy water into the holy vessel. The holy water flowing in like clear spring water was truly reassuring.

“Father, here.”

When I almost finished filling the holy water, Sophia, the subdeaconess, handed me a censer filled with incense. I carefully received it and opened the lid of the censer.

“Guide me, Lord.”

I lit the incense with the lit match. The smoke of the fragrant scent began to settle on the floor of the living room.

I gently placed the censer, which had just started emitting incense smoke, on the side table next to the bed. I had a separate role to play.

I held the sturdy bell made of brass in my hand. Even though many years had passed, its simple carvings and fine hollows had not faded at all, and there was no sign of rust.

“By your grace, Lord.”

Terea, an ancient human kingdom mentioned in the Bible.

The story remains that Archangel Michael, who had descended from heaven with an army to protect it, rang this bell to repel the savage army trying to overthrow Terea by falling for Satan’s deceit.

It is such a precious and noble relic, and it will undoubtedly play a crucial role in this Kuma ceremony.

I momentarily placed Terea’s bell on the side table and made a sign of the cross in the air. I felt my heart becoming full.

“Deliver us from evil.”

Soon, I held Terea’s bell in my right hand. With my left hand, I covered Priest Bedros’ eyes with a cloth.

The appearance of Priest Bedros seemed intact, as if he was before he fell.

However, it was all just a trick of the arrogant demon leader. I was aware that a despicable and treacherous demon seeking to hide in a human disguise existed.

I signaled to Subdeaconess Sophia with my eyes. She nodded and started flipping through the pages to find the verse of the Bible.

The darkened room was now lit by faint light emitted by the more than half-melted candles. We relied on that faint light as we moved towards the final battle with the forces of evil.

“Subdeaconess Sophia, please read from Terea Epistle, chapter 4, verse 13.”

“Ah, yes.”

I closed my eyes quietly. I pulled back the hand holding the bell and solemnly opened my mouth.

“But, listen. Descendants of Terea. Even though I have made their crops plentiful and their land fertile, your fortress is in a precarious state because they have yielded to the whispers of the cursed beasts.”

As soon as I finished speaking, Subdeaconess Sophia’s words followed immediately. She, too, closed her eyes and placed her right hand on her chest.

“I have made a covenant with you, so they will not be able to overcome the walls of Terea.”

“Furthermore, listen. Through me, I will cast their leader into the sulfur fire of hell. This is the holiness of the Lord.”

Priest Bedros’ body began to tremble. I remained unfazed even as the evil forces beneath him writhed.

“In response, the people of Terea spoke, saying, ‘Even if those who deviate from the commandments are driven by greed to cross this place, the walls of Terea will remain steadfast.’”

“The Lord said to the people of Terea, ‘You, the people of Terea, have not succumbed to temptation, and your righteous deeds have not led to salvation. Instead, your spirits shall be renewed, and you shall follow my mercy.’”

“Ah, noooo!”

Father Peter began writhing in pain. I tightened my grip on the dagger.

“Stop! Enough!”

“The heavens opened, and behold, the angelic host led by the archangel Michael appeared, revealing the celestial forces in the sky.”

“I will kill her! I will kill her! I will chew on the heart of your beloved concubine so meticulously!”

“The barbaric nation, witnessing that sight, exclaimed, ‘Truly, the heavens have cracked open; this is undoubtedly the dawn of the world’s creation.’”

“Do you yearn for the death of that harlot so much? I killed her! I killed her! You will die the same way! A year from now, you will be stabbed to death! Your organs will all be torn apart…”

I stopped speaking. Sophia also maintained silence.

And even Father Peter, who had been shouting, fell silent.

Deng—!

It was the resonance of the soul. A clear church bell and a radiant wave realizing the grace of the Lord along with the trumpet sound from the heavenly forces.

Deng—!

The bells of Terea rang out, echoing with a clear sound.

Deng—!

“In this, Archangel Michael, holding a bronze bell, declared, ‘If you, barbaric people, are truly the descendants of the Lord as you claim by tracing your roots, how have you fallen into the devil’s trap?’”

Deng—!

“Ugh, ugh…!”

“As the sound of the bronze bell echoed, it washed away the sins of the soul and brought mercy to the people of Terea. This was the blessed grace of the Lord.”

Deng—!

“Aaaah—!!”

“In response, the barbaric people turned their backs and fled. Archangel Michael spoke to the people of Terea, who were kneeling in prayer.”

Deng—!

“Terea! I have erected the walls of this bastion against those vermin! Do you monkeys not know gratitude?!”

“…Those who follow Satan will never go beyond the will of the Lord.”

Deeng—!

Among the bells that had rung until now, the longest and clearest bell echoed, filling the room.

I looked down at Father Peter lying on the bed. His eyes were obscured by the hood, but blood was flowing from his ears, and tears made of blood streamed down his face.

“…There is a voice calling from the Lord. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, I ask. What is your name, you vile beast?”

Father Bedro still had no answer. I asked again.

“Speak. What is your name?”

Father Bedro’s mouth opened. From the gap between his dry and blood-crusted lips, a weakened voice flowed from the dark cave.

“I am the thirteenth descendant of the enlightened light….”

“….”

“I… revere wisdom….”

I, with pride, built a crystal palace in the lofty heavens.

I disliked the notion of a humble race being favored by the markings in the sky.

I despised you insignificant beings.

I loathed all the evil deeds committed by you insignificant beings.

I fell from the brightest celestial fortress on the day it plummeted from the sky.

“I will someday… reclaim wings consumed by fire….”

“To one born of the primordial lie, there is no path to salvation through falsehood.”

“….”

Father Bedro’s eyes… no.

The eyes of the devil turned towards me. They were not whites but ominously glowing crimson eyes.

“Now, speak your name.”

The devil’s pupils rolled. Those eyes, which had convulsed violently, now silently stared at me, whispering.

“…Malphas. My name is Malphas.”

As if in frustration, Father Bedro’s lips tightly bit down. I set the bell down on the table and grasped the holy water-soaked aspergillum in my hand.

“In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, I command you, Malphas, reveal your true form.”

The holy water scattered in the shape of the cross. I slowly raised the cross.

In the blink of an eye, Father Bedro’s appearance changed.

It was a grotesque visage of a crow with a blood-soaked false beak, ominously glowing crimson eyes, and a bizarre form with human limbs attached to the crow’s torso.

Sophia, the subdeacon, covered her mouth at the sight of Malphas’ true form. It was barely preventing a scream from escaping.

I gently closed my eyes. For the devil to speak his own name and reveal his true form….

“In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.”

In other words, it meant the devil had surrendered everything.

“Malphas, come out of that body. Return to the hell where you belong.”

Sss, I opened my closed eyes.

The first thing that caught my eye was Bedro, lying peacefully on a bed soaked in fatigue.

“……”

Sophia, a sub-priest, stared blankly at the scene.

“Is it over for me…?”

Sophia sub-priest asked dazedly. As tears gradually welled up in her eyes, I silently watched her.

“Yes. It’s over.”

I replied.

“….Huk!”

With tears streaming down, I silently embraced Sophia sub-priest in my arms.

“I was so scared… I wanted to run away…”

“You did well.”

“When Chief Priest suddenly tried to strangle Priest Bedro… I…”

“I’m sorry.”

“But still, I believed…”

Sophia sub-priest lifted her head. Despite her exhausted face, tears flowed incessantly from her eyes.

“You really did well!”

How could she smile so brightly?

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Suddenly, something flashed in front of me. I recognized what it was.

– You really did well.

“Huup…!”

I desperately sealed my lips. Emotions that had been condensed and hidden burst forth like a dam breaking.

Despite hearing derogatory words about being a prostitute because of me.

Despite your death being tarnished by my clumsy handling.

You don’t blame me. You don’t reproach me.

“Hu, huk, sniff… Sophia sub-priest too…”

Instead, you comfort me.

“Kkuk, huup… Really, truly… Thank you so much.”

Even if this moment was born from my delusions.

I will never forget your radiant smile, bathed in the rising crimson light.

Absolutely not.