Time passed slowly. Although this era had no phones or computers, and the room contained only a few books, for Norton who was accustomed to long periods of solitude, it still seemed to pass very quickly.
After he had urinated three times and his stomach had growled five times from hunger, the darkness in the room gradually began to disperse as light filtered in.
"Clank, clank, clank..." The sound of Church Knights moving in their iron armor continuously echoed outside, startling Norton who had been sleeping on the bed and making his heart tighten.
Listening to the sounds outside, it seemed like they were getting closer to his location?
Norton sat up on the bed, quickly putting back on the missionary robe he had taken off while sleeping, then sat properly at the bedside, waiting for the arrival of those outside.
"What does this mean? Sounds like there are many people! Do they need such formality just to call me?"
A bad premonition began to spread through Norton's heart, but he couldn't make heads or tails of it, having absolutely no idea what nonsense this damned Church was up to!
Amid his confusion and apprehension, the room door was finally pushed open from outside.
"Click!"
Norton turned his head to look. Father Mia had entered the room with six Church Knights already standing at the doorway."Father!"
Norton's heart tightened, sensing something wasn't quite right.
What did it mean to bring so many Church Knights?
"Norton." Father Mia looked at Norton's exquisite and beautiful face, his expression full of smile but his eyes filled with regret.
Such a beautiful person—why couldn't he have come a few years earlier?
If he had come a few years earlier, surely under his teaching by personal example and verbal instruction, Norton could have strengthened his inner faith and avoided such a tragic outcome today.
"Father." Norton stood up from the bed, looking at the Church Knights behind Father Mia, and asked apprehensively: "Is it time for the Ascension Ceremony?"
"Yes, my child." Father Mia nodded, then forced a smile onto his face.
"Come with me. The Ascension Ceremony begins in fifteen minutes." Father Mia turned and walked out the door, the six Church Knights standing guard on both sides of the doorway as if waiting for Norton to emerge from the room.
Norton quickly hurried to follow closely beside Father Mia. Looking at the Church Knights following behind as escort, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Thank goodness—they weren't here to arrest him!
Norton felt he had nearly been scared to death moments earlier. Suddenly seeing so many Church Knights, he had thought they were preparing to execute him with great swords.
But now it appeared he had purely overthought things.
After all, he had just been promoted to missionary—there was no reason they would turn around and behead him.
Yet Norton remained apprehensive. Since the Ascension Ceremony was about to be held, and he still didn't know the ceremony's content or its precautions, if he violated some taboo, that would be truly troublesome.
Thinking this, Norton quickened his pace to draw closer to Father Mia, then asked nervously in a hushed voice:
"Father, what do I need to do for the Ascension Ceremony?"
Father Mia shook his head slightly and smiled: "Nothing at all, child. You are the main participant of the Ascension Ceremony. Just wait for the ceremony to begin. As for other matters, naturally other missionaries will handle them."
That's good, that's good!
Hiss—it seems I'm quite valued by the Church!
Norton finally relaxed, then somewhat realized why that missionary from yesterday had been so full of jealousy.
Surely he was jealous that Norton, having just been promoted to missionary, was already receiving such attention!
But unfortunately, he, Norton, truly had no fortune to enjoy this damned Church—in a couple days he would be running away.
Ah, actually if this Church were just a bit more normal—not even fully normal, just at the level of the Central European Papal States—he wouldn't be constantly thinking about escape, since here he had food and clothing.
Norton suddenly felt even more nervous, even tightly clenching his buttocks.
As the procession moved forward, the direction of travel made Norton recognize where they were heading.
Who would have thought the Ascension Ceremony would be held in the cemetery? When he had come to clean before, he hadn't seen any traces of Ascension Ceremonies being held here.
Wait—the cemetery buried the dead, and ascension surely was only for the deceased, so holding the Ascension Ceremony here actually made perfect logical sense.
Could the ceremony procedure involve everyone gathering around the cemetery to recite The Bible? Then why did Father Mia say he was the main participant of this ceremony?
Norton's heart suddenly jumped, his eyebrows slightly furrowing as he suddenly sensed things might not be so simple.
He didn't need to do anything, yet was the main participant of the Ascension Ceremony, the ceremony was held in the cemetery, and there were so many Church Knights accompanying them...
Hiss!
Holy shit, could they be planning to forcibly ascend him?
Norton's heart tightened sharply. He could hardly believe his own speculation, yet according to the Church's tradition of treating human life as worthless grass, there was significant possibility!
This damned Church might truly sacrifice him!
Norton panicked. Although he greatly disliked this world and this Church, he didn't want to die!
Well, truthfully he didn't particularly want to live either.
But no matter what, he didn't want to die so ignobly, sacrificed for some so-called ceremony!
And this world truly had vampires—most likely God wasn't just a legend either.
If this damned Ascension Ceremony really sent him up to Heaven to keep God company, wouldn't that be completely disastrous?
If Father Mia's preferences were learned from God, then wouldn't someone as good-looking as Norton get played to death by God in Heaven?
Norton panicked. Whether because Father Mia fancied him or because he might be going to keep God company, he was now extremely flustered.
He could accept neither of these options. Although he had been in this world for ten years, he remained steadfast and unbending!
Watching the cemetery draw ever closer, Norton felt utterly distraught with anxiety. Yet since his speculation remained unconfirmed, he could only carefully approach Father Mia, hoping to fish some information from his words.