Chapter 25: Emma Gross
On the way to Bailey's house.
William had already heard about this "friend" from Ren back at the church.
Based on the description, William recalled the little girl from the movie The Bad Seed.
Histrionic personality, fearless, ruthless.
A little devil in human skin.
Thinking of this, William couldn't help but speculate.
Given his recent experiences, could this girl be the reincarnation of some demon?
...
The two soon arrived at a residential area.
As a priest who thought of everything, William naturally set up escape routes outside the house first.
Then, under Ren's pleading gaze, he went to the front door.
Creeeeak.
A woman with glasses opened the door.
She had long blonde hair, and even her loose T-shirt couldn't hide her impressive figure.
She was stunned when she saw William, but when she saw Ren behind him, joy overflowed in her eyes.
"Hey, you're here!"
Bailey opened her arms.
Ren rushed forward and half-coaxed her into the house to avoid being seen by the neighbors.
William shook his head and followed them in.
Inside the living room.
A white man stood up.
Behind him was a girl—Emma.
She had long black hair and was sitting obediently on the sofa, looking at William curiously.
Today, because she was visiting her mother's friend, she specifically wore a red headband that her mother used to wear.
Although young, Emma had a pure and innocent face.
It was hard to associate her with demons or murderers.
"Hmm, it really is this little devil."
William smiled, but he was highly alert inside.
When he checked outside earlier, he didn't find any hidden dangers that could destroy the house.
"Could it be in..."
Just after greeting them, David saw the priest walk toward the kitchen.
Everyone followed, confused.
"Gas is off, no strange smell in the room, no leaks for now."
"Hmm... no prohibited items in the oven, but better unplug it just to be safe."
"No flammable materials in the bedrooms, ruling out arson."
"And... drinking water?"
William picked up the kettle, poured a glass, and handed it to Ren, signaling him to drink.
Ren drank it with a confused look.
"Father William..." Bailey was about to ask.
"Shh." William put a finger to his lips, signaling everyone to be quiet.
So, everyone spent three silent minutes.
"No abnormalities shown. The water should be fine," William thought to himself.
After a simple check, he returned to the living room.
Before this, he had kept a safe distance from Emma.
Seeing the priest act so strangely, David couldn't help looking at Bailey.
"Is he... really reliable?"
David regretted it a little.
Compared to this priest, his daughter seemed much more normal.
"Father William... is occasionally like this." Bailey smiled awkwardly but politely.
"Occasionally a few dozen times a day," Ren muttered to himself.
David nodded skeptically.
After a brief exchange, he expressed his desire to talk to William alone.
So the two went to the bedroom.
"Uh... Hello, Father William, I..."
David was about to talk about his daughter but changed the subject.
"This might be a bit presumptuous, but do you have any certificates related to psychotherapy?"
"No," William admitted openly.
"Then did you study at a relevant university..."
Responsible for his daughter, David tried to understand the priest's background.
But he found that the other party had no medical qualifications at all.
David regretted it immediately.
If he let his daughter talk to this priest, who knew what would happen.
So he planned to give up.
David stood up: "Sorry, Father William, for making you come all this way..."
He prepared to take his daughter and leave.
But at this moment, the priest opposite him suddenly spoke:
"You think Emma is a bit strange, don't you?"
This sentence stunned David.
"A bit indifferent. Although she can cry and smile, it always feels like some emotion is missing."
David looked surprised and slowly sat back on the sofa.
"That's right. How... how do you know?"
He remembered he had only briefly mentioned his daughter's situation to Bailey.
"I've seen these symptoms before..."
William made up an excuse.
The reason he knew this, of course, was because everything he just said was David's dialogue from the original movie.
"Father, can you help Emma?!"
David looked pleading.
"She is the only child of my wife and me. I can't lose her."
William pondered.
Now he needed holy oil to practice The Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius, which was a considerable expense.
The commission reward would likely be used up soon, so he indeed needed a new way to make money.
If Emma was possessed by an evil spirit, William could solve it easily.
If she was the reincarnation of a demon.
He could also eradicate the scourge while she was weak, contributing to society.
So William agreed.
In the end, David offered $3,000 as the treatment fee.
If William couldn't solve it, he naturally wouldn't take the money.
The two reached an agreement.
William returned to the living room.
He asked everyone else to leave the house first, so he could talk to Emma alone.
This way, if she really was an evil spirit, unnecessary casualties could be avoided.
William lifted the sofa cushion to ensure there were no thumbtacks or similar items underneath before sitting down.
Opposite him, Emma stared straight at William.
At this moment, her curiosity about this priest reached its peak.
At first, Emma thought this was just an ordinary family visit.
So she maintained her perfect demeanor as usual, leaving a good impression on everyone.
But judging from David's expression just now.
Her father seemed to have planned bringing her here.
"Could it be about what happened before..."
Although Emma was smiling, she realized something inside.
"Ms. Emma Gross."
William took out a crucifix and a Bible.
"I'll just ask directly. Do you like killing people?"
The air fell silent for a moment.
Opposite him, Emma was shocked, but she quickly recovered her composure.
However, William still noticed her fingers twitching slightly, betraying a moment of panic.
"Hmm? Father, I don't understand what you're saying."
Emma tried her best to keep the smile on her face.
Seeing her like this, William continued:
"Have you ever felt a voice inside you..."
"You lacked companionship growing up, and you set high standards for yourself..."
Using [Psychological Counseling], William explored Emma's inner world.
And Emma gradually developed a strange feeling; she seemed to have an inexplicable trust in this priest.
How is this possible!
This was the first time she had met this priest.
Moreover, she often trained herself to simulate responses to various crises.
Emma's inner defense mechanism kicked in.
She used all the psychological techniques she had learned, but found... they were useless.
This priest's voice seemed to have some magic, striking directly at the deepest part of her heart.
"I did kill someone. Levia thought I was a child, that I didn't need taking care of..."
"Getting attention just for having a watch is so stupid."
"Only people with honesty, cultivation, and compassion deserve praise."
...
Just like that.
Under William's guidance, Emma revealed all her secrets.
And William realized a fact.
This girl wasn't possessed by an evil spirit at all, nor was she the reincarnation of a demon.
She was just born bad.
True to the movie title—The Bad Seed.
At this time, Emma also regained clarity.
She panted, staring at the priest in front of her in shock.
She had remained conscious the whole time, so she knew she had said everything.
Her secret... was exposed.
And the priest opposite her was the only one who knew.
Emma's eyes instantly turned cold.