Just became an evil god and was summoned by the saint.

Chapter 36: Do I have to donate money before meeting the High Priest?

"Mr. Ross, are you sure... he's a heretic?"

Celia flew in the sky, looking down at the people with a puzzled expression.

The other person was carrying a box and a fishing rod, and was sneaking off toward Lake Beya.

He looks like a fisherman preparing for a night fishing trip.

Celia did indeed investigate this person, Uncle Jack, who was the first to discover the source of the pollution.

If he is a heretic, there is only one possibility.

His strength far surpasses that of Celia, which is why Celia cannot see through him.

Only in this way can we escape the Saintess's eyes!
“Yes, he’s a second-tier swordsman, and that fishing rod is his sword,” Ross laughed.

That's not surprising.

Celia stopped. "If I follow him like this, won't I be discovered sooner?"

"With me here, as long as you stay out of his sight, you won't be discovered," Ross said calmly.

Relieved, Celia continued her pursuit.

After a long time, Jack arrived at Lake Bea and began fishing.

Half an hour later, Jack caught a mutated beluga whale.

He casually used a spare fishing rod to kill the beluga whale and set it aside.

Half an hour later, he caught a second beluga whale, killed it, and put it aside.

"What is he doing?"

He was fishing.

"???"

"He is dealing with the mutated fish in Lake Bea."

"what?"

"There are two possibilities: he is weakening the influence of the summoning circle so that the Holy Court cannot detect it, making it easier for him to act."

"Or, he is reducing the danger posed by the beluga whale to Bea Village."

The girl looked completely bewildered: "So what exactly is he doing?"

"It depends on whether he is a heretic of the Deep Sea Mutual Aid Society or some other heretic."

“So…” Celia had given up thinking, “what sect’s heretic is he?”

"I don't know, I suggest you ask him directly."

Celia: "..."

Upon learning that the other party was a second-tier mage, Celia did not immediately go down to inquire.

Looking at Ross's expression, she realized what was going on and turned to fly towards Cedar Town.

However, she stopped after a short while and flew towards Bea Village.

"Forget it, let's go tomorrow. It's late at night and everyone's asleep. Besides, the jungle is dangerous at night."

She had a lot going on tonight and needed to sort things out.

……

the next day.

Celia set off early in the morning, flying towards Cedar Town.

An hour later, she landed outside Cedar Town and headed toward the town's tallest tower.

That is the Holy Temple of Cedar Town.

Soon, she came outside and was about to go back inside when someone stopped her: "Hello, ma'am, do you want to pray or ask for help?"

“I need help,” Celia said.

"To ask for help, you need to donate at least 1 silver coin to the temple. If you are looking for the high priest, you need to donate 2 silver coins."

Celia was taken aback. "Since when did it become necessary to charge for seeking help from the Holy Court? How come I didn't know that?"

"We're not charging you; we just hope you can donate to the temple and contribute to the development of the Holy Court," the man said with a smile.

Celia looked the other person up and down. "You don't seem to be a priestess or a knight?"

Deacons and knights are the most basic clergy of the Holy See. Both are required to wear corresponding badges during working hours to indicate their identity to the world and believers.

“I am the future deacon,” the other person said. “This was said by the high priest himself, and it has been certified by the bishop and the priests.”

Ross chuckled: "A temporary worker, huh?"

Celia understood the other party's situation. It was probably because the temple was short-staffed. However, the selection of deacons and knights was strict, so she would do some work for the time being and participate in the deacons selection later.

“I am…” Celia paused, “I’ve come to see the High Priest.”

The prospective saintess has not yet taken office, and casually revealing this outside could affect subsequent assessments if it gets back to Huijin City.

"Please pay two silver coins first." Celia silently activated the Yesterday's Replay (photograph) spell on her bracelet and asked, "Are you sure you need to pay two silver coins to see the High Priest of the Snow Cedar Town Temple?"

"Yes, the high priest won't see anyone unless they pay the money."

"Row."

Celia didn't say anything and readily gave him 2 silver coins.

"Please tell me your name."

“Celia.”

"Ok."

The other party quickly sent over a card.

"Take this card, which has your name on it. The high priest is praying in the main hall of the temple. Go to the penance chamber next to the main hall and wait."

Celia took a deep breath, gripped the card tightly, and stepped into the temple.

In the main hall, she saw the high priest of Xueshan Town conducting morning prayers, with various clergy and believers below.

She did not disturb them. After listening for a moment, she frowned slightly and went to the penance chamber to wait for the high priest to arrive.

"Why aren't you participating in the prayer?" Ross asked with a smile.

"I won't participate. This high priest's prayer is not sincere at all, it's very perfunctory. Participating in such a prayer is an insult to the gods," Celia said indignantly.

"However, I recorded his prayer and handed it over to the priesthood when I got back."

The girl muttered to herself, clearly resentful.

About half an hour later, the high priest finished his morning prayers and went into the penance chamber. He glanced at the puppet behind Celia before sitting down opposite her.

"My child, lost lamb, what trouble have you encountered?"

The high priest's first words immediately displeased Celia.

"Why is this person trying to gain an advantage verbally?"

Ross was puzzled. "Isn't this the Holy Court's usual style?"

“No way!” Celia retorted vehemently. “That was a long time ago. People don’t say that anymore. If they do, they’re talking about the children of the gods.”

"That's it."

While the Holy See was embroiled in internal strife, Ross remained an observer.

Celia took a deep breath, not showing it, and said calmly, "I need your help, High Priest."

"An indulgence can help you atone for your sins once."

The high priest reached out and looked at the card in Celia's hand.

Celia placed it on the table in front of her. When the high priest reached out to take it, his hand stretched out a little too far, attempting to touch Celia's hand, but Celia subtly dodged it.

A hint of displeasure flashed in the high priest's eyes, but he did not show it on the surface. He asked gently, "My devout believer, what difficulties have you encountered? Tell me, and the gods will share your burdens."

Celia said earnestly, "First of all, I am a believer in God, not you. Secondly, the problem is very serious, and I need your help."

The high priest looked displeased, but Celia didn't give him a chance to speak: "I encountered something corrupted by heretics within the jurisdiction of Cedar Town."

"What?" The high priest's expression turned serious. "Tell me in detail."

This expression reassured Celia somewhat.

She was afraid that the high priest would not say anything.

"About 24 kilometers from here, in the village of Beya, traces of heresy have appeared in the lake..."

Celia slowly recounted the details to the high priest, including the discovery of a large amount of pollutants in the villagers' homes.

Finally, she said earnestly, "High Priest, I need your help to purify these pollutants and resolve the anomaly in Lake Bea."

The high priest toyed with the card that Celia had handed him. Only when Celia stopped did he say, "How can you prove that what you're saying is true?"

Celia reached out to take out the contaminants, but suddenly remembered that she had come in a hurry and had not brought the contaminants with her.

The girl looked embarrassed: "Sorry, I think I forgot to bring the pollutants with me."

“O penitent, deceiving the gods is a grave sin, you know that? If you have no evidence, then…”

Before he could speak, the chest of the puppet standing quietly behind him suddenly opened, and Ross took out Duke's bracelet and placed it on the table.

Celia looked at Ross in surprise, then smiled and said, "I remember now, I put it on the puppet."

The polluted aura emanating from the bracelet caused the high priest's expression to change drastically, as if facing a formidable enemy. "This is indeed pollutant."

"so……"

"1 gold coins."

"what?"

"Donate 1 gold coin to the Cedar Temple, and I'll go with you to purify the pollution."

"???"

(End of this chapter)