Night fell.
The crimson full moon hung quietly in the night sky, illuminating the land.
Enki Town was unusually quiet tonight; even the usually bustling Kingston Road lacked its usual liveliness.
People quietly left their homes, spontaneously heading to St. Witt's Church to attend tonight's Grand Mass and pray for those who died during the day.
A carriage arrived in front of the Church, the door opened, and Lex stepped out, then helped his mother, Amelia, alight, before carrying the new Family member, Pasha, down.
Pasha had been adopted by the Baron, and tonight she wore a simple and elegant dress. Although she couldn't wear anything too vibrant due to the occasion, this dress was still something the little girl could never have worn before.
Holding Pasha's hand, Lex followed his father and other Family members into the Grand Prayer Hall, where a priest led them to the seats reserved for the Baron's Family.
After everyone had arrived, the doors of the Grand Prayer Hall closed, and the Church choir began to sing. The uniform and ethereal chants echoed through the dim and quiet hall.
"The crimson full moon rises, reflecting on the land,
"Everyone sinks into sweet dreams, dreaming of themselves,
"Dreaming of parents, wives, and children, this is forever…"
Listening to these sacred sounds resonating in the hall, Lex's heart naturally calmed down. He glanced at Pasha beside him, and then at Harribel; both of his sisters' expressions also became serene and peaceful.
At this moment, Bishop Morgan, holding the 'Revelation of Night,' began his sermon.
As this part drew to a close, Lex and the others shared water and bread. In the Light of the candles lit on the altar, Bishop Morgan, along with several priests and the choir, chanted in unison once again.
"We will look up at the night sky,
"And tenderly speak Her name: 'Evernight Goddess!'
"Besides 'Evernight Goddess,' there are no other words,
"May the Goddess, in the intervals of angels' singing,
"Gather them with sweet silence,
"And hold them in Her gentle right hand.
"'Goddess!' If She hears, She will surely answer,
"And surely reveal a pure smile to the departed:
"'Come, rest, sleep, My children!'
In this sacred and peaceful atmosphere, the Grand Mass came to an end. Everyone, including Lex, felt as if their souls had been cleansed.
And for a Beyonder like Lex, the feeling was even more pronounced. He felt not only his mind at peace, but also his spirituality soothed, flowing naturally and smoothly.
After the Grand Mass concluded, Lex saw many people with tear-streaked faces, even his mother's eyes were red, and his father's expression was solemn, as if he was lost in thought.
After this ceremony, the next segment was the donation. The funds raised by the Church tonight would be used for the burial of the deceased and to help struggling Families overcome their difficulties.
As the donations began, Baron Bison stood tall, reaching into the inner pocket of his clothes and pulling out his wallet.
As the eldest son of the Family, Lex also followed his father into the aisle, heading to the altar and approaching the offering box.
After his father completed his donation, Lex also took out the prepared banknotes from his own wallet and placed them into the offering box.
The amount he donated was not much, only around a few dozen soli, because Bison himself only donated 300 soli.
According to etiquette, the amount he donated could not exceed his father's.
Moreover, donating was not Lex's primary goal.
His main objective was to ensure that a 1 soli banknote inside successfully entered the offering box.
As people donated their good will, Bishop Morgan, with a compassionate and merciful expression, said, "Today, too many tragic events have occurred in our Town. Many innocent and kind people have lost their lives and returned to the embrace of the Goddess."
"Fortunately, the Criminals responsible for these tragedies have been apprehended, and those who subdued the Criminals are several Police Officers from the Desi County Police Station."
"Now, they would like to say a few words to us. Let us welcome the Police Officers to the stage."
Since this was not an occasion for celebration, no applause broke out.
Returning to his seat, Lex soon saw Martha with her wavy red hair, Jeffrey with his pale skin and frequently clutching his chest, and Warren, who was shy like a big boy.
Only Lewis, with his brown hair and a 3:7 parting, was not present.
After they took the stage, Martha, who was wearing a monocle tonight, stepped forward. After nodding to Bishop Morgan, she looked at the Town residents below the altar and spoke in a low but gentle voice.
"Firstly, on behalf of my colleagues, I apologize to everyone. Because we did not stop the Criminals in time, these tragic events occurred."
"Several Families have lost important loved ones, and this usually peaceful Town has experienced sorrow that should not have occurred."
"Fortunately, the Criminal who murdered several residents under the cover of the fog has finally been apprehended. This is probably the only way we can console the deceased."
Next, Martha described the Criminal's appearance and how, in addition to killing Town residents, he also caused multiple gas explosions, leading to explosions at the Police Station, the Big Bread Bakery, and several other buildings.
Listening to Martha's description, Lex nodded slightly, and even the image of the Criminal and scenes of his evil deeds appeared in his mind.
['Don't listen to her nonsense! Don't be hypnotized by her! This red-haired little bitch is psychologically manipulating you and the clothed pigs around you!']
No.
Lex suddenly 'woke up.' Martha's description and his personal experience during the day were two completely different things! He clearly remembered Gorro's house-sized corpse under Memorial Square.
He clearly remembered a monster with horns, shaped like a baby but over a meter tall, almost killing Jeffrey and the others.
The Criminal was not human, but a monster created by some evil ritual, which was different from what Martha was saying!
His memory almost changed.
Lex looked at Martha's monocle with some lingering fear.
That must be some kind of Seal or magical item, right? I remember Lewis also wore it last time, and I felt like I was being scrutinized. Now, it can even twist memories? Is this to prevent Town residents from retaining impressions, to conceal the existence of the mysterious world?
Realizing this, Lex carefully controlled his expression, not allowing himself to show any abnormality.
After Martha finished speaking, Bishop Morgan returned to the altar, sweeping his compassionate gaze over the faithful in the hall: "Everyone is tired tonight, go and rest, embrace your loved ones, and fall asleep peacefully."
"Tomorrow's sun will eventually rise, and the sorrow we bear will become a thing of the past. We can remember, but do not overly dwell."
"Nor do we need to be too sad, because the departed will live forever happily and joyfully in the Goddess's kingdom."
"Praise the lady."
Making the sign of the Crimson Moon on his chest four times in a clockwise direction, Bishop Morgan simultaneously declared the end of tonight's Grand Mass.