Chapter 54: Ada's Secret

"You're looking quite well today, Priest Sotos." Upon seeing Silas, Father Anthony flashed a warm smile.

This little Priest had helped him greatly a few days ago.

Silas bowed slightly. "You also look exceptionally handsome and dashing today, Father. I can see the Goddess's brilliance upon you."

"Hahaha! How about that, Ivan? I told you, he's a very likable and polite gentleman," Father Anthony laughed heartily, turning to his companion.

Silas turned his gaze and saw that this person named Ivan was also dressed as a priest, though he lacked Father Anthony's shawl and golden lightning embroidery.

He was slightly shorter, with messy hair similar to Jack's, but his chin was clean-shaven. He looked to be in his thirties, wore large-framed glasses on his nose, and had a very quiet demeanor.

Ivan seemed somewhat introverted. After nodding slightly at Silas, he first bowed to Father Hank, who was beside Silas.

Father Anthony also turned and bowed respectfully.

Father Hank nodded slightly. "What brings you here today?"

Ivan handed over a handwritten note and explained, "We've come to visit 3-12."

Father Hank took the note, looked at it, and said in a low voice, "Whose idea was this?"

Ivan explained, "I applied to the Bishop myself. I want to try and communicate with him, to see if I can get some information from him about the firing pin mechanism."

Father Hank fell silent for a moment, then said, "Prepare yourself mentally. Go ahead!"

Afterward, the two groups didn't say much more, bid each other farewell, and continued on their way.

The two walked in silence for about ten seconds, following the stone path to a large park with a circular flowerbed.

The park had four diverging paths. Three led to three other stone archways: one to a small grey chapel, another to a small square, and the last to the towering, magnificent cathedral.

Silas then leaned on a bench and stopped; he was a bit tired after walking for so long.

"Are you very curious about what we were just talking about?" Father Hank asked, looking at Silas.

Silas smiled somewhat awkwardly. "It's impossible not to be curious, but I still know my limits. Some things I'll naturally know when I need to. Things I don't need to know, I won't ask about."

Father Hank, a hint of approval on his face, put his hands in his coat pockets. "Yes, you'll know once you become an official clergyman. Don't think too much about it for now."

After the mention of "3-12," the topic immediately became much heavier. For the rest of the journey, the two didn't speak much, mostly discussing trivial everyday matters.

"Oh! That nun named Ada Newton lives with you, then?" Father Hank said with understanding after hearing about Silas's daily life.

Silas was taken aback. "You know Ada?"

"Yes, she practices at the West City Convent. I've seen her a few times when I've been there."

Speaking of this, Father Hank said with admiration, "Truly unforgettable. Ada Newton gave me the impression of being like an emissary of the Goddess – so kind, pure, and clean. She is a truly good person and a seeker of goodness. She derives joy from helping others and lives for it, tirelessly. That mindset, that temperament, that smile – it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call her a saint."

Silas rubbed his hands and asked curiously, "Then, could Ada be promoted exceptionally, to become an official nun sooner?"

Official nuns, similar to official clergy, received a considerable salary.

Father Hank hesitated upon hearing this. "In other aspects, she has long since surpassed the standards for exceptional promotion. It's just that there's something strange now that has been delaying her from becoming an official nun."

"What's strange?" Silas was very curious.

How could the perfect Ada have anything strange about her?

Father Hank rubbed his chin, pondered for a moment, and said, "In the convent, she was involved in two deaths. Although there was no direct connection, it affected her exceptional promotion."

"What!?" Silas's eyes widened, his face a picture of bewilderment.

Ada was involved in deaths!? How was that possible!

Father Hank sighed. "Never mind you; I didn't believe it either when I first heard."

"What happened? Is it appropriate for me to know?" Silas was very concerned about Ada's situation.

Father Hank glanced at Silas's eager expression and said, "It's not a major issue. There's no problem telling you."

"It was her second year at the convent. You know, a convent is a melting pot; all sorts of people are there. Most of them don't truly want to become nuns and serve the Goddess; they just want to enter the system to get a good salary. But Ada Newton is a truly kind nun, a true believer. This made her stand out too much."

"In that year, two new nuns came to the convent. Relying on their relationship with the abbess, they constantly bullied Ada," Father Hank said.

Silas thought for a moment and suddenly remembered that about a year ago, Ada indeed seemed very tired, and occasionally had some bruises.

"Damn it!" Silas was instantly filled with immense anger upon hearing this.

How could you lay a hand on such a kind person!

Father Hank continued, "Faced with their bullying, Ada Newton didn't say much. Instead, she repaid grievances with kindness, enduring their beatings and verbal abuse while helping them with strenuous physical labor."

Crack!

Hearing this, Silas instantly clenched his fists, his heart filled with an indescribable rage. At the same time, he somewhat blamed Ada; her kindness was simply too excessive.

"Half a month later, something strange happened," Father Hank said suddenly.

"What happened?" Silas's curiosity was instantly piqued.

Father Hank said with a strange expression, "That day, Ada Newton was probably too tired and was praying in the chapel. Those two nuns went over and demanded Ada help them with some work, but Ada refused."

"And then?"

"An hour later, those two nuns were found to have committed suicide in the convent's backyard."

!!!!

Hearing this, Silas's eyes widened in utter disbelief.

Father Hank sighed. "No one knows why they committed suicide, because everything seemed perfectly normal before. And under normal circumstances, those two greedy, cowardly nuns would absolutely not have committed suicide."

Silas nodded in deep agreement. That kind of trash valued their lives the most.

Father Hank continued, "Later, according to the testimony of a nun who happened to pass by the backyard at the time, she vaguely heard the two crying, saying that they had been abandoned by the Goddess, that they had lost the Goddess's favor, and things like that."

"At that time, Ada was praying in the front courtyard. Everyone could testify that this matter had nothing to do with her. But the cause and effect were very strange. Mystical personnel from the Church also went to investigate and found that Ada possessed no mystical abilities; she was an ordinary person with a Spirit Vision of 0."

"Although it wasn't related, this experience was, after all, connected to her, which tainted her record. Her exceptional promotion has been shelved for the past year. The Bishop's intention is to observe for a while longer."

Silas thought to himself, "Perhaps they themselves knew that bullying such a kind person was a sin, so they committed suicide out of shame. Good riddance!"

At this moment, he didn't think too much about it, only feeling extremely gratified.