A heavy silence descended upon the church, broken only by the blood leaking from the blindfolded figure like a river. Arvain, still slumped on the ground, stared with wide eyes at Carol, who stood motionless before the figure she had just killed. Blood traveled down the length of her sword, staining the floor as it dripped from the blade's edge.

  Carol simply stared at the blindfolded figure with a hollow, flat expression. Her grip on the hilt tightened until her knuckles turned white—a lingering sign of her silent fury and frustration.

  As Saria and Hana finally appeared at the top of the stairs, their eyes widened in horror. Hana froze in place, while Saria's legs trembled as she slowly backed away.

  "No... way..." Saria whispered, shaking her head. "They... are they..!"

  Unable to hold back her emotions any longer, Hana rushed downstairs toward one of the dying, blindfolded figures on the ground. She knelt and flipped the body over to see its face.

  Hana’s expression hardened immediately. She noticed a dark, magical collar gripping the figure's neck tightly. Despite this, she didn't stop. She removed the blindfold, only for her expression to shift into pure shock as she recognized the true face beneath.

  "Dianna..?" Hana said. Her tone was unstable and trembling.

  As soon as the name was spoken, Arvain shifted his focus toward his mother in confusion. "Dianna? Isn't that one of the nuns you worked with back then?" Arvain asked.

  Yet, Hana didn't give an answer. "Arvain. Identify every blindfolded person here," she demanded in a cold tone.

  Arvain hesitantly nodded.

  Saria, watching from the top of the stairs, felt a heavy guilt crush her heart. Her expression darkened as she clenched her hands in frustration.

  A few hours later, Hana, Carol, Saria, and Arvain stood in the grounds behind their church, while Narlia, Rurin, and the remaining children watched from a distance.

  Hana walked forward alone, a single flower in her hand. Before her lay several fresh graves, with the names Dianna, Orlica, Harry, Rika, and Theo inscribed upon crude headstones.

  As she approached Dianna's grave, she stopped and knelt down, placing the flower gently on the earth with a sad, sympathetic smile. A heavy silence took over; Carol looked away in guilt, Saria looked down as quiet tears fell from her eyes, and Arvain hardened his expression in frustration. However, the silence did not last as long as intended.

  "...There is a reason why I was expelled from the Church," Hana began, breaking the silence as Carol, Saria, and Arvain listened. "Three years ago, when I stumbled upon an empty room in the Royal Church..."

  As soon as Hana spoke, the memory of her past resurfaced in her mind.

  (Three Years Ago)

  In the middle of the night, Hana was patrolling the Church's corridor, having stepped out for some fresh air. However, her patrol was interrupted when she saw the bright light of a lamp radiating from a room where the door had been left ajar. As curiosity took over, she decided to investigate, only to find an empty room containing a single table.

  Hana walked inside, looking around in confusion as it was the first time she had seen such a room within the Church. However, her eyes widened in slight shock as she stumbled upon the files on the table. She took one in her grasp and read the title written upon it.

  "Artificial Holiness Project?" Hana mumbled to herself, her expression hardening with worry.

  Unfortunately, as soon as Hana tried to open the file, an ambush occurred from behind. Although Hana managed to react in time, pulling out her wand to defend against the attacker's sword, the papers from the file scattered across the floor.

  Despite struggling to hold back the blade, Hana still tried her best to question the attacker. "That blindfold... are you—"

  However, before she could finish her sentence, the attacker backed off, landed, and swiftly kicked Hana in the stomach. The force of the blow pushed Hana against the wall, causing her to cough up saliva from the impact. She sank to the ground, yet her consciousness remained intact.

  Hana clenched her stomach tightly, trying her best to suppress the pain as she pressed her lips together in frustration.

  As the attacker walked toward her, raising their sword for the kill, someone interrupted the scene.

  "No need to kill her. She's my apprentice, you know?" a calm male voice said.

  In response, the attacker pulled back their sword, stepping aside to let the man walk in as if he owned the place. Hearing the familiar voice as the footsteps drew closer, she raised her face, only to be shocked to find the figure was none other than Pope Zen, who wore his usual casual smile.

  "P-Pope Zen..? Why are you here..?" Hana asked. Her confusion escalated further.

  "Oh, Hana. I expected a lot from you. When you received the title of Blight Holder recently, I thought you would be satisfied with it and just follow in my footsteps," Pope Zen said, his smile intact. "But sadly, it seems your curiosity and your morality are going to destroy your entire life."

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  "What... do you mean by that..?"

  Hearing Hana's question, Pope Zen chuckled in amusement. "Tell me, Hana. What do you think about the title in the file: Artificial Holiness Project?"

  Hana fell into deep thought, though not for long. "Artificial Holiness... A man-made Holiness..." She widened her eyes in horror, realizing the meaning behind it. "Are you trying to create another Holy Magic..?"

  Pope Zen clapped his hands a few times. "As expected from my apprentice! I really love smart people who manage to read the room very well."

  "But why? Isn't Saria more than enough?" Hana asked again, but this time, her tone was harsher than before.

  "True. Saria is more than enough. After all, she is the real Child of Light with real Holy Magic," Pope Zen replied. "But, what if that child also decides to rebel? Wouldn't it be a disaster for humanity if the Savior chose to commit their own sins?"

  He explained briefly, turning toward the other side of the room while opening his arms wide. "That is why this project exists. For that is what our Lord wants. If the sacrifice isn't willing to fulfill its role, then I am going to make another sacrifice to replace her."

  "You're insane..." Hana answered in a cold tone, gritting her teeth in disgust.

  "Isn't everyone in this world already insane, my apprentice?" Pope Zen countered, facing directly toward Hana once more. "But since you 'accidentally' discovered this project and aren't willing to follow, I suppose I have to give you a proper punishment. Of course, I won't be as brutal as other territories and have your head chopped off on a guillotine."

  Hana gulped nervously.

  "You are going to be expelled from this Church, and I am going to erase every achievement you have," Pope Zen said with a harsh tone. "Is that acceptable to you?"

  The statement of the Pope's punishment made Hana look down at the ground in guilt, yet she only closed her eyes and accepted it in silence.

  As the flashback faded, consumed by the white light of memory, Hana let out a deep sigh and stood up.

  "Miss Hana..." Saria began, her voice laced with worry.

  "The three of you, go back to your rooms and prepare yourselves immediately," Hana demanded in a cold tone. Carol, Saria, and Arvain looked confused by the sudden request.

  "For what exactly, Miss Hana?" Carol asked, her expression hardening with suspicion.

  "Of course." Hana turned slightly toward them, a menacing smile playing on her lips as she closed her eyes. "To stop this nonsensical project of madness, and to make them feel the wrath of the Blight Holder."

  Carol chuckled nervously, while Saria was startled by Hana's sudden shift in mood.

  (I-is this what a gentle person looks like when they finally snap..?) Arvain thought, sweat dripping from his forehead as he considered the possibility.

  A short while later, Saria stood alone in her room, reaching for the wand on her table. She stopped, falling into deep thought.

  (Is it... really okay for me to do this..?) Saria thought, gripping her wand tightly. (Rebelling against the Royal Church... isn't this a direct betrayal..?)

  Saria sighed after weighing her thoughts. She tucked the wand into her waist bag and turned toward the door, ready to leave. (For now, I have to see it for myself... If Pope Zen is far worse than I imagined... I'll make sure he receives his judgment.)

  With her resolve set, she grabbed the doorknob, opened the door, and stepped out, closing it softly behind her.

  As Saria walked downstairs, she saw that Carol and Arvain were already waiting outside the church. She walked out to join them. Hearing familiar footsteps, Arvain and Carol turned around to see Saria approaching.

  "I suppose you were still daydreaming in your room, huh?" Carol teased in a sarcastic tone.

  Saria chuckled in embarrassment, brushing the back of her head.

  "Thank the Lord that you aren't as tense as I thought you would be," a calm, gentle female voice said, gaining their attention.

  It was Hana. She wore her signature nun's habit, but this time, small pouches were strapped to her legs, and pieces of armor covered her shoulder and elbow.

  "D-damn. Why do you look like you're ready for some kind of war, Mother?" Arvain asked, forcing a nervous smile.

  Hana cleared her throat to address the comment. "Just for your information, the Church might have noticed our existence. I suspect the Pope is going to send as many blindfolded figures as he can to defend the Royal Church."

  "Do you suspect that the 'project' you mentioned is going to happen today?" Carol asked.

  Hearing Carol's question, Hana drew a smile. "That is the exact theory I wanted to state, you know. But..." Yet, her smile then fall off afterward as she hardened her expression with upmost resolve. "... theory or not, I can't afford to hesitate any longer."

  "I see," Carol replied with a flat tone.

  "But... what about the church here..? What if the blindfolded figures attack and capture the children, Rurin, and even Narlia..!" Saria asked, her usual anxiety surfacing.

  "Don't worry." Hana raised her left hand and snapped her fingers. Instantly, a powerful light barrier materialized around the church, causing Carol, Saria, and Arvain to widen their eyes in shock. "It's should be enough to protect them. But for now, let's raid the House of God, shall we?" Hana declared with her casual smile, while three of them nodded against each other.

  Inside the Royal Church, countless blindfolded figures and armored guards patrolled the corridors, standing guard at their posts. However, they were surprised by a sudden, massive explosion against the wall, which engulfed the entire corridor in thick, heavy smoke.

  In that moment, a dark spike shot through the smoke, piercing one of the blindfolded figures in the leg and paralyzing his movement. Then, spike after spike emerged from the haze, paralyzing more guards and blindfolded figures along the way.

  Noticing the sudden attack, the guards alerted everyone in the church, a signal for reinforcements to rush to their aid. As the backup arrived, they saw a glimpse of grey wind energy radiating within the smoke. Suddenly, a powerful gale charged toward them, forcefully pushing them aside.

  As the smoke cleared thanks to the burst of wind, the intruders were revealed: Carol, Saria, Hana, and Arvain.

  "Is that okay with you, Miss Hana?" Carol asked. Her focus remained fixed on the paralyzed figures. "I mean, I'm not even an expert when it comes to holding back on my own power."

  Hana nodded in response. "As long as you don't kill them, that's more than okay."

  With that, the four of them finally stepped inside the Royal Church amidst the chaos. Their raid had begun.