Fairy Tale: Little Red Riding Hood's Wolf Mentor

Chapter 18 The Evil One Preaching

"When-when-when-"

The church bells rang from the center of the town.

The townspeople put down their work, walked onto the street and headed towards the church.

"Hey, little girl, why didn't you stay at my house last night?"

Lake turned around and saw the sturdy washerwoman.

She was walking with the crowd towards the center of the town, and when she saw Lake in her distinctive cloak, she walked towards her enthusiastically.

"I'm fine, auntie."

Lake smiled, the cloak only covered her appearance, but the observer could still see Lake's expression.

"I stayed at another friend's house yesterday."

"That's good! You've made me worry all night!"

The washerwoman nodded, looking at the cross spire on top of the church in front of her, with a hint of fanaticism in her eyes.
"By the way, haven't you heard the bishop's sermon yet? Perfect, let's go together now."

"Well, Poro and I were just about to go take a look."

Lake nodded, but there was no smile in her eyes.

"See what a saint who is flawless in the eyes of all the townspeople really looks like."

In front of the church, there is a white stone platform used for preaching.

The gold lacquer is painted with beautiful patterns, giving it a spotless and sacred feeling.

Countless townspeople stood below, looking forward to the event. Nuns and priests in gold and white monastic robes stood upright around the church.

All the monks had the same expression on their faces.

Soft and calm, as if wearing a sacred mask.

The air was filled with the scent of incense, causing all the townspeople to unconsciously lower their voices.

The bishop had not yet appeared.

Near the pulpit, a man with disheveled hair was kneeling.

He wore no armor, but simple cloth.

But every town resident knew him.

Because he was once the commander of the guards.

"Ah, that commander should be a good person. I really don't know...why would he do this?"

The fat washerwoman next to Lake sighed and said.

"A good person? What has this commander done in the past?"

Lake looked at the washerwoman and asked.

"He cares deeply about the safety of the town. Long ago, before the Bishop arrived, he was elected as the leader by the townspeople."

The washerwoman recalled for a moment and continued,

"After becoming the commander, he never bullied the townspeople. He performed his duties diligently and punished many thugs.

Ten years ago, there were robbers and he was the one who led the men to fight.

I heard that he often spends money to help people in need in the town..."

"That's it..."

Lake nodded, lowered her eyes slightly, and then asked, "What about the Bishop?"

"what?"

"Your Excellency, what has he done to earn your such respect?"

"Your Excellency the Bishop, he brought the gospel of God here, educated the townspeople, took in orphans, and helped the common people..."

The washerwoman was stunned for a moment, then spoke fluently.

"Is this just his achievement? Didn't anyone do these things before him?"

Lake raised her head and stared into the washerwoman's eyes. "What has he changed?"

"Little girl, I know you're from outside and have no bad intentions, so I'm speaking to you in a nice way. The Bishop is really kind."

The washerwoman opened her mouth and finally said, "You'll understand after you listen to the bishop's sermon!"

After hearing this, Lake did not refute. She just listened to the townspeople's discussion and waited quietly.

It was almost noon, the sun was high in the sky, and the golden paint around the church was reflecting a brilliant glow!
At this moment, the surroundings suddenly became quiet.

Footsteps came from behind the pulpit, getting closer and closer.

The Bishop appeared.

He was wearing a white clerical robe, holding a golden-sealed canon in his hand, and his gray hair was meticulously combed.

He walked up to the stage with a smile on his face and a broad, sturdy face, nodding slightly to the townspeople. "Town folks, follow me and you will be on the bright and righteous path. I am walking the path of God, and together we will wash away our sins—"

At that time, the gates of heaven will open, and all of us will ascend to the sky. You will be angels, entering into eternal happiness! "

The bishop's voice was calm and soft.

And in it, there is a kind of breathtaking magic!

All the townspeople in the audience began to have a passionate fire in their eyes, as if their spirits had really been "cleansed".

The bishop nodded slowly, and then he turned his gaze to the guard commander who was kneeling beside him.

He shook his head with a sad look on his face and said.

"God will bestow divine power upon every devout believer, but recently, something happened that I deeply regret."

As he spoke, the bishop raised his voice, swept his eyes across the crowd, and slowly spoke,
"A devout believer was bewitched by the devil's minions and took the wrong path. He falsely claimed God's will and let go a scoundrel who slandered the sacred."

As the bishop spoke, a priest beside him brought over a square box made of white jade.

When it opened, it revealed a long, thin golden whip.

"The devil's minions have been released into the darkness, watching you with eager eyes. Your sins are already beyond redemption—do you know your sins?"

The bishop took the whip, looked at the kneeling guard commander, and asked loudly.

"Lord, I have sinned!"

The guard commander spoke loudly, but he was already in tears.

That weather-beaten face was filled with self-blame, as if all of this... was really done by him!
The townspeople in the audience also began to shout.

"sinner!"

"You have failed us!"

"You released the demon!"

"You bastard!"

There was no trace of blame on the bishop's face.

He just put on a compassionate expression and said slowly:
"God loves every one of his people equally. Now that you have acknowledged your sins, you must atone for them. I am willing to remove your evil thoughts on behalf of my Lord. Do you accept this?"

"Thank you, Bishop, thank you!"

Upon hearing this, the guard commander actually kowtowed.

Then, the bishop raised the long whip high, dipped it in the "holy water" in the basin on the side, and swung it down with force!
"Snapped--"

"Snapped--"

Behind the guard leader, blood was flowing out, and shocking whip marks appeared on it!

And none of the townspeople below showed any sympathy.

After the bishop spoke, even those who had once had a good impression of the commander of the guards now regarded him as a minion of the devil!

"It seems that I was deceived by that guy before. Fortunately, the bishop has a keen eye and saw through his disguise!"

The washerwoman's eyes were also filled with fanaticism, and she couldn't help but speak.

Finally, the two priests dragged the unable-to-move commander of the guards back to the church.

The bishop opened the canon and began to preach with a smile on his face.

In the crowd, Lake and Poro took advantage of the enthusiasm of the crowd and quietly walked to a place where there were few spectators.

"Can you feel it?"

Poro asked.

"I sensed it. There is indeed... magic hidden in his words."

Lake spoke slowly, placing the corner of her scarlet cloak in her palm. "My cloak gave me a warning. Just like that silver dagger, the cloak will block this influence."

"Me too, and I can feel it more clearly."

Poro looked at the dagger stuck in Lake's waist.

Before coming to the sermon today, the two of them were well prepared and brought with them the silver dagger that could block mental influences.

In fact, before the bishop showed up, both the man and the wolf were secretly touching the edge of the dagger.

The two also discovered that even without using the dagger, they could be immune to the mental magic in the bishop's words.

Lake's magic cloak, and... the special soul of Poro.

"Polo, we're lucky, aren't we?"

"Yes, it's better to say that this is the Bishop's luck—it's time to end!"

In the distance, the bishop's sermon was still clear and bright.

But Poro felt a little nauseous——

In broad daylight, the good ones kneel and die, while the evil ones preach!
(End of this chapter)