Dorothy’s Forbidden Grimoire

"Alright, enough sentimentality. It's time to get back to business."

Inside the portrait gallery, after a brief moment of reflection, Dorothy finally began the necessary task that followed every great battle—cleaning up the battlefield.

Just as she was about to start, the sound of footsteps suddenly echoed from the dark corridor nearby. Dorothy looked in that direction and saw a familiar figure.

"M-miss Dorothy! Are you alright over here? I heard a massive noise just now—what happened?!"

Panting and gripping her sword tightly, Vania ran toward her. The deafening sound that had shattered the glass of the entire manor had startled her so much that she had fallen flat on her rear. After hesitating for a moment, she had decided to grab her sword and rush toward the source of the noise. However, with the effect of the Devouring Sigil worn off, her run had left her gasping for breath.

"Ah, it's Sister Vania. It's nothing, really—just the sounds of battle. No need to worry," Dorothy said plainly as she watched Vania approach.

Hearing this, Vania couldn't help but internally complain.

"How is that nothing?! Normal battles don’t make that kind of noise!"

Though she had such thoughts, seeing that Dorothy was unharmed put Vania at ease. Since Dorothy had brushed it off, it was clear she didn't want to explain further, so Vania chose not to press the matter.

"You mentioned a battle—were you attacked as well, Miss Dorothy?" Vania asked with a trace of concern. Dorothy simply nodded in response.

"Yes… that guy you shot earlier but didn’t manage to kill—I ran into him. But now, he's truly dead."

As she spoke, Dorothy glanced toward the corpse of Luer, lying in a pool of blood amid broken bricks. Vania followed her gaze and, upon seeing the scene before her, froze.

"T-That’s the cult leader! The one who could transform into a beast! He was a Black-rank Chalice Beyonder… A whole rank higher than me and the one I fought earlier… And he's just dead?!"

Vania was shaken. From what she had seen at the chapel earlier, this man had clearly been the leader of the cult—a far stronger being than an ordinary Apprentice-rank Beyonder. And yet, this girl, who was even younger than her, had managed to take him down alone!

As her mind reeled, Vania took in her surroundings, her eyes tracing over the multiple walls that had been blasted through. She swallowed hard.

"Miss Dorothy… Did you do all of this? Pardon my curiosity, but… what rank of Beyonder are you, exactly?"

"I already told you before, didn't I? I'm just an apprentice like you. The only reason I managed to defeat this guy was that his dream mimicry was destroyed, which left him mentally unstable and weakened. Honestly, I owe my victory to divine protection… Praise be to my Lord…"

Placing a hand over her chest, Dorothy imitated Vania's usual tone of prayer, shifting the credit to her divine protector. Vania, startled, hurriedly followed suit, fearing she might disrespect the deity.

"Ah… P-Praise be to my Lord… Praise be to my Lord…"

"Alright, we shouldn't linger here. The Serenity Bureau and the Church could arrive at any moment. Let’s finish up quickly and get out of here."

Watching Vania pray alongside her, Dorothy smiled slightly. Vania, however, looked confused.

"Finish up?"

"I mean, collecting the spoils of war."

With that, Dorothy approached Luer’s corpse and began looting. Thanks to her passive Appraisal ability, she efficiently picked through his belongings.

There were three mystical items: a ruby-studded cane strapped to his waist, a black candle, and a copper bracelet. In addition, she found several sigils, a few spiritual containers, and some money.

After thoroughly stripping Luer’s body of valuables, Dorothy turned and left the room under Vania’s stunned gaze.

"Um… Where are you going?"

"Obviously, there’s more to collect. By the way, where did you kill your opponent?"

"Uh… Back in the corridor I came from."

"Got it. Let’s make this quick and get out of here."

As she spoke, Dorothy activated her Corpse Marionette Ring, using it to manipulate several corpses in the manor to help her scavenge.

With the assistance of multiple corpse marionettes, she was able to sweep through the manor efficiently, gathering a considerable amount of loot—including two mystical books, a substantial sum of money, and numerous sigils.

However, due to the darkness, Dorothy didn’t search too thoroughly. Logic dictated that there was probably a hidden chamber in this house filled with even greater treasures, but she no longer had time to look for it.

This was because Viscount Field had already been exposed. Once the Serenity Bureau regrouped, they would undoubtedly come here. To avoid getting trapped, Dorothy couldn't afford to linger.

At last, she and Vania checked on the children in the chapel. After inspecting them, Vania confirmed that they had simply fainted due to the interrupted ritual. Relieved, the two girls instructed Dorothy’s corpse marionettes to carry the children to a room, leaving them there to await the Bureau's arrival.

Standing in the dimly lit chapel, Vania watched as the rescued children were placed in another room, her heart swelling with emotion.

"Because of our intervention, these children are finally safe. And the wicked cultists have finally received their punishment… No matter what that being’s true intentions were, Their followers are undeniably performing acts of salvation…"

She then turned her gaze toward the stained glass window of the Holy Mother, which had been desecrated by a crude wolf’s head drawn in fresh blood. Bathed in moonlight, Vania pondered.

"Benevolent Holy Mother… Though I worship another god and should rightfully be condemned as a heretic, it is precisely because of this that I was able to bring salvation to others. You taught us through scripture that deeds speak louder than words. If you can see my actions, surely you would understand, wouldn’t you?"

This was the simple thought running through Vania’s mind.

“I may… perhaps… possibly… be worshiping another god, but I’ve done nothing but good deeds. Holy Mother, since you taught that actions matter more than words, surely you can forgive this small act of heresy…”

With that rationalization, Vania eased her own internal struggle. Ever since she had received divine revelation, she had lived in constant fear and anxiety within the Church.

After ensuring the children were safe, Dorothy and Vania gathered their spoils and once again boarded their carriage. Dorothy instructed the coachman, Edrick, to light the lamps and drive them back.

Dorothy had entered Viscount Field’s mansion carefully, sneaking in under the cover of darkness. But when she left, only the children remained alive inside.

"Phew… Whatever the case, the matter of the Crimson Eucharist has finally been settled. Now, it’s time to head back."

Seated in the carriage, now finally able to relax, Dorothy steered the horses past the mansion’s gates and into the darkness of the forest beyond.