Holy Church

We're departing once again, part two.

This time, our parents will not be expecting us to return any time soon, and probably not a little while since we're going to be attending the Academy.

However, there will be three people on this journey instead of two.

Once more, we were in a group hug while I was the only one receiving their heartfelt goodbyes that drenched my clothes.

'Is this a tradition now?'

Removing myself first from that contagious hug that no matter how disgusting it was when I received those tears and snot, I just couldn't seem to hate it.

This is probably what happens when someone is loved by a family.

Approaching our vehicle which was the same carriage we'd used a while back, I saw Aster watching me with an innocent face of his.

There were traces that he was enjoying it though.

"What?"

Aster shook his head.

"You don't look like a family man at all but that doesn't mean you detest that kind of feeling,"

I never said I detest it… but why is my face involved in this?

I am a family man!

Putting my baggage inside while awaiting for Yana to finish saying goodbye to our parents, I glanced at Aster and said.

"Have you finished everything you need to do here?"

Aster looked in the same view as me and replied abruptly.

"There's nothing to do here aside from asking for your help to remove the demon inside me. How about you? Everything you need to do here is done?"

Settling the matters with Harry and the rest of his man, saying a proper goodbye to my parents, and dealing with the demon inside Aster were the lists of the things I've already dealt with after we've removed it from his body.

Now all we have to do is attend the Academy.

Hence I replied.

"After we've taken the box from the abandoned house where we kept Danath, we're going straight to the Sword and Magistry Academy. Then, we'll meet the people from the churches there like they suggested from the letter we received from them."

Aster seemed to have no qualms regarding our plan for this matter.

After I'd taken procedures to keep Danath contained, Aster did most of the heavy lifting by making a container that was three meters long on each side and sending a letter to the nearest post that was to be delivered straight towards the Holy Church headquarters.

And a day later while we were packing, I received a letter from the mail that we were meeting them at the gates of the Academy.

Well, we did inform them about our occupation and explained a bit of our background ourselves since there's no way the church would believe it if it was anonymous.

That's what led to this situation and how we're almost done taking care of some matters.

'All that is left is to think how I'll use the churches. I'll see these types of guys soon and I will take anything once we make a deal,'

With lots of situations circling my mind at how the meet would go, my attention darted to the front where Yana was approaching our vehicle.

She was still sobbing but it seemed to be almost done.

Glancing back to my parents, I said warmly.

"We'll get going,"

Freia and Reo nodded tearfully as they waved their hands to us as Aster drove the carriage out from our street.

But instead of following a usual path, our trail got redirected into some other streets that Yana was able to notice.

"Uhm, brother. Where are we going?"

I replied immediately.

"We're going to make a short detour to retrieve something. Remember the time when I'm almost out for three days? That's where we'll go. After that, we'll head straight to the Academy without stopping,"

As if a slight detour would not take our time, Yana didn't have any follow-up response and went straight on sitting down on the carriage once more.

After a few minutes, Aster suddenly voiced out from the driver's seat.

"I'll grab it,"

Letting him do his job, I replied.

"Do as you please,"

Aster went down from the carriage and entered the abandoned house that we've used to contain Danath.

After just a minute, he was carrying out a huge three-meter box where the star pendant was stored in a cold environment with my magic.

With no sweat, Aster was able to insert it atop our carriage and went to the driver's seat as if nothing happened.

Yana was curious about the box and how easily Aster was able to easily carry it with ease but she kept it at the back of her head and remained quiet.

"Let's go,"

It's finally time to go back to the Academy.

…

The ride towards the Academy has been boring.

Not only because the road ahead has been known to me as have we done it before, but also because no trouble came in front of our laps.

It was a peaceful journey that involved no risk and was predictable.

That was going to change though as we began to notice something amiss as we approached the Academy.

Just right in front of the huge fortress where the students attended their classes in the hope of changing their future, there was a series of large tents stationed around the place with sigils of 'crowns-halo-feathers' spread in each base.

It was looking as if a siege was happening.

But the sigils are something I'm familiar with.

And Aster was able to also realize it immediately.

"It's them, Cillian,"

The one where Aster sent the letter was directed toward the most influential religion in the continent, the Holy Church.

The sigil was the proof of it.

If we're going to sell a 'demon' from someone's church, the obvious choice would be the highest bidder of them all.

'Still, bringing a battalion here almost looks like you're attempting to commit a war here. It's a bit of stretch, that's all,'

Holy Church… are you showing me your dominance?

"Let's meet them right away,"

It's all right.

I'm going to be play your game for a moment.