The Deceitful One

After a few minutes, the bright white glow slowly dissipated from the priest's hand. He panted for air as his breathing became a bit labored.

Beads of sweat rolled from his forehead and dropped to the floor as he looked at the father and gave him a weary smile, "She is going to be fine by the time the sun rises. I have done everything I can."

The father looked at his daughter whose breathing had become stable and a hint of color seemed to have returned to her face. Her once pale cheeks now had a shade of rosy hue.

Seeing the vast improvement in just a few minutes, the father was elated. He then looked at the exhausted priest and clasped his hands again as he cried tears of joy, "Thank you! Thank you, Father!"

If it wasn't for the priest, Alice would have surely died. Her father didn't know what he would do if his daughter, his last living family member, passed away at such an early age.

The priest shook his head and smiled, "I am merely doing God's work. There is no need to thank me."

He then paused for a bit and added with a chuckle, "However, I would really appreciate it if you could kindly give me a glass of water."

The father hurriedly got up to his feet, "Of course!"

He then rushed to the kitchen to get a glass of water. As the priest watched him walk towards the kitchen, the smile on his face gradually faded as his eyes narrowed.

He turned to look at the little girl who was still deep in slumber. A maniacal gleam glinted in his blue eyes. He stretched his hand out and pointed his index finger toward the little girl's torso.

A reddish-black energy swirled at the tip of his finger. He then quickly but carefully carved runes in an unknown language all over the girl's chest and stomach.

If one looked at the runes from the top, one would see that the runes resembled an inverted pentagram that was enclosed inside a circle.

After carving the runes on her body, he hurriedly cast a spell, causing the runes to completely submerge within her body and disappear from sight.

Not even a Rank 3 Transcendent could make out the difference unless they proactively look for it.

This elicited a slight groan from the unconscious Alice but it went unnoticed by her father.

After making sure the runes had been carved successfully, the priest went back to his fatigued expression as a gentle smile adorned his lips once again.

Right at that moment, Alice's father came back with a glass of water in his hand, "Here, Father."

"Ah, thank you very much, child!" The priest smiled as he took the glass from his hands and drank the entire water in one go. He had to at least pretend to be tired from that ordeal.

Meanwhile, the father approached Alice and dressed her again. He then put the blanket back over her as he smiled dotingly. The weight on his shoulders had finally been lifted.

He then turned to look at the priest and asked with a determined look, "Father, how can I repay this favor? I'm willing to do anything."

The priest smiled and replied, "If you wish to repay me then piously pray to God every day. That will be the greatest payment I could ever ask for."

Alice's father was about counter, however, he was cut off by the priest as he chuckled, "However, if you really insist, and I know that you do, you can join me on a peaceful protest that I shall be holding sometime in the future."

"A protest?" The father was puzzled.

"Yes." The priest nodded with a warm smile, "Over the last few years, the low-class workers have been heavily oppressed by the nobles and other wealthy families.

The goal of this protest is to spread awareness on this matter. Moreover, it is also to fight for the right to have our jobs remain in our hands instead of machines."

The father clenched his fists and gritted his teeth in anger after hearing this. If it wasn't for those damned inventions, he might have still kept his job and his dear daughter wouldn't have to suffer as much as she did.

Furthermore, even while he did have multiple jobs before, the wages were measly. The wealthy always took advantage of and exploited the poor and helpless people like him.

To them, people like him were no better than farm animals.

"Father, I shall attend this protest. Not only me, but I will also get my friends to come. All of us have been living under the tyrannical oppression of the nobles and the wealthy merchants for far too long." He replied with a fiery passion.

"Very well." The priest nodded. He then looked at Alice and added, "Perhaps, you should also bring your little daughter. By that time, she will definitely be as healthy as a horse."

The father smiled and agreed readily, "Yes, it will also be a good lesson for her. She ought to know that people like us have rights too."

The priest smiled brightly as he patted his shoulder, "Thank you, child. I must leave now. There are still many people who require my help and the grace of God."

Alice's father was touched, "Even when you are so exhausted, you refuse to take rest and continue to help people like us. I am truly grateful for you, Father. Praise the Goddess!"

He then walked the priest out of the apartment and bid him farewell. As soon as the priest left the building, he began to grin like a madman from ear to ear,

"Destruction, oh sweet destruction,

The Duke came to town,

Destruction, oh sweet destruction,

His horns distorted and round."

He vanished into the dark of night as he continued to sing in a crazed manner.

The baleful seed of destruction had been sown, beginning to sprout with sinister intent. Come spring, the flower of death would blossom, spreading its malignant petals far and wide.

Its insatiable hunger would devour everything and everyone in its path, leaving behind nothing but ruins and a city engulfed in flames in its wake.