Once Luka finished his work, he appraised the patient again to confirm her condition and saw the following: "Status: Normal." Then he took a flask from storage and helped Auselka drink the water.
She gulped the liquid desperately because the woman felt very thirsty after her healing session.
Suddenly, someone kicked the door open and barged in!
Chapter 87
Church Apprentice (Part 7)
"No, stop!" a boy cried out.
"That's my son!" Auselka said as she recognized Leen's voice. The woman tried to get out of bed, but Luka pushed her back down.
"I'll go and check downstairs. Please stay in bed and rest," the healer insisted in a stern voice.
"Please help Leen! I'm begging you!" she pleaded.
Luka nodded. He quickly exited the bedroom and peered down. The mage witnessed a young-looking priest slap Leen across the face and knocked the child to the ground. "How dare a filthy cur touch me!" the man screeched and kicked the boy, causing Leen to roll in pain.
A handful of guards accompanying the priest laughed.
"What are you doing?" Luka demanded in a loud but calm voice. Despite his outward appearance, he was furious at them for attacking Leen. However, Luka realized that the offender belonged to the church and wished to de-escalate the conflict if possible.
The priest tilted his head to look up. He was shocked to find a church apprentice standing there! "I'm here to cleanse this place and prevent an outbreak of the highly contagious Shisinth Disease. Who are you, and why did you come to this place?" he demanded to know.
Luka ignored his questions. Instead, he jumped off the ledge and used Void Step to soften his steps to land on the ground safely. The mage cast Medium Cure on Leen and helped the boy stand.
Bel and Gripper also jumped off. But they landed with a loud crash which shook the house! The animals sent hostile glares at the goons, forcing the men to back away from Luka.
Leen recognized his savior and hugged Luka. "Big brother! How is she?" The child quickly realized why Luka visited his house and fervently prayed for good news.
"Your mother recovered from the disease," the healer reported.
"You're lying!" the priest yelled and pointed his finger at Luka. "That bitch is barely more than a bag of bones! I bet you caught the disease while having some fun with her!" He taunted Luka maliciously.
Those hurtful words enraged Leen, who tried to lunge at the priest and attack him!
However, Luka held the boy back. "You can't attack a church member without suffering consequences," he reminded Leen. "Is this the person who demanded 10,000 gold to treat your mother?" Luka asked.
Leen nodded. "Yeah, that's the creep who tried to con me when he couldn't cure my mother," the boy attested.
Luka looked at the men standing behind the priest. "Are the four of you involved in this scam as well?" he inquired.
"What scam? Why should anyone believe the words of a little slum rat?" a man replied with a smirk.
"And who's going to tell the church about it? Not you, for sure."
"Stop wasting time! Kill them!" the priest demanded. He stepped aside and raised his finger at Luka.
Ssshhh! The escorts slowly drew their blades. "We gotta do what the boss sez. No hard feelings."
"Indeed," Luka agreed. He placed a hand on Leen's shoulder and pulled the boy behind him.
Bel and Gripper moved faster than the attackers could react. The rabbit threw a headbutt at the center-left swordsman.
The victim's eyes rolled, and his mouth started foaming as he dropped to the floor.
Meanwhile, the gorilla launched a shoulder tackle at the center-right enemy.
"Oomph!" The human couldn't withstand Gripper's sudden charge and fell toward his right, knocking into his compatriot.
The animal continued his power rush and slammed both men into the wall. BAM! He completed the move by flattening their bodies and made craters behind them.
The remaining swordsman hopped back to avoid Bel's headbutt. He lost his nerve and made a break for the exit.
However, Bel tripped his feet, and the guard fell. The human tumbled on the ground. His eyes registered his impending doom. "NO!" he screamed before Bel's ass smashed into his face!
The two bullies finally turned their attention to the priest, whose body trembled with fear because he was the last one standing!
"I was just kidding!" the man said and laughed nervously. His eyes darted from side to side as he sought an escape route. However, the vicious beasts blocked the front door while their master stood in front of the staircase. Moreover, plywoods covered the broken windows.
Bel and Gripper traded glances, and they quickly put the gang leader down with a headbutt-tackle combo.
The victim's scream abruptly cut off.
Once his pets finished beating up the priest, Luka cast Earth Bind on the captives. He checked to make sure the wounds weren't life-threatening but declined to heal them. The mage also gagged the priest to prevent him from using magic to escape.
His pets disarmed the guards who carried knives and other secondary weapons.
Luka discovered an ID card on the priest and learned his name: "Trevor von Milstein." The searcher also found a religious pendant around Trevor's neck. The relic depicted sunlight over the horizon; Luka recognized it as belonging to the church.
"I'm sorry for the trouble," Auselka said while leaning on the railing. Her body was too weak to walk down the staircase by herself. Instead, the patient leaned against the wall and observed Luka as he examined the church pendant. Seeing the relic, Auselka realized that her benefactor had put himself in conflict with the church to protect her family.
Luka looked up at her and shook his head. "The fault lies with this corrupt priest for his unmitigated greed and his willingness to use murder to cover up his misdeed. These miscreants broke your front door. I suggest you move out of this house and live with Leen at the inn," he said.
Luka turned toward Leen and handed the boy a small pouch containing 100 gold pieces. "Please take your mother to the inn now, before this priest's friends come looking for him. This bag should contain enough money to cover an additional week's stay and meals."
"Okay," the boy nodded and accepted the pouch. Leen felt responsible for seeking the bad priest's help and becoming his victim. However, Leen also believed Luka wished to make amends for the scammer's misbehavior on the church's behalf. The child quickly climbed the stairs and helped his mother walk down.
"I will take these guys away," Luka said. Since he had secretly explored the city on his first night of arrival, the mage knew the guard station's location within each district. Luka created a magical gate in front of the closest one.
Then Gripper tossed each captive through the portal like a sack of potatoes.
The two animals entered the portal, followed by Luka. The gate closed behind him.
* * *
Lookouts posted in front of the guard station alerted their comrades of the magical gate's sudden appearance. A dozen knights quickly mobilized to form a wall with their tower shields.
Bong-bong-bong-bong-bong!
The five captives struck these shields and bounced back. The impact awoke them.
"What is going on here?" a bystander blurted out.
Soon, Luka appeared before them. He ignored their reactions and closed the gate.
A knight captain approached. "Your Holiness, how did you create a gate within Lumina? Why are these men tied up?" he asked politely. The squad leader took note of Luka's uniform and assumed that Luka was a high-ranking church official despite his youth. Otherwise, the caster wouldn't be able to create a magical gate inside the city. Thus, the captain addressed the newcomer as "Your Holiness."
"These men are criminals. I will explain their conduct with you in private," Luka replied. His eyes glanced at the bystanders on the street.
The captain nodded. He turned around and issued an order. "Put these bastards in prison!" Once the knigh
ts carried out his command, the leader faced Luka again. "I am Elias Booth, Captain of the Western Order of Knighthood. Please follow me," he requested politely.
"I am Luka Heavensfell, currently a church apprentice," Luka introduced himself with an aristocratic bow.
Elias' eyes widened because he recognized the Heavensfell name. The knight was glad that he treated Luka with proper deference at the outset of this unusual encounter. The captain entered the station and led the VIP to his office. Before Elias entered the room, he made a hand signal to his secretary, Hattie, to bring refreshments.
The two sat on sofas.
Soon, Hattie pushed a cart containing a white teapot painted with a deep purple morning glory flower, two sets of teacups, and a platter filled with cookies. Once she distributed the refreshments, the secretary quietly exited the office with a proper curtsy.
The captain served the freshly brewed tea to his guest and then himself. Elias took a sip before setting his teacup on the table.
Luka did the same.
Bel and Gripper sat next to him. They began to eat the cookies.
Luka ignored them. He took out the ID card confiscated from the priest and laid it on the table. "I'm ashamed to report that this priest tried to scam a boy seeking treatment for his sick mother. He demanded 10,000 gold coins. I came across the boy yesterday. He noticed my church uniform and pleaded with me to help his mother. I couldn't treat her at the time, but I returned today after making some needed preparation.
"Right after I healed the patient, Trevor broke down the door to the residence. When I informed him that I successfully treated the mother, he became upset and ordered his men to kill everyone in the house. My escorts defeated them. I tied up the group with magic and brought them here," Luka explained.
Elias picked up the identification and looked at it. He read the name and winced. "The priest's surname is Milstein."
"Is there a problem?" Luka asked.
The captain swallowed hard. He quickly walked over to the door and locked it. Then the host returned to his seat with a grim expression. "Perhaps you recently joined the Divine Church of Light, and you're unfamiliar with its leadership."
"The pope heads the organization. Under him are four archbishops: Windsor von Milstein, Godsgift Chylton, Sampson Higate, and Titus Demoke. Archbishop Milstein oversees church doctrine, and he has the power to declare heresy. I don't know Trevor von Milstein, but I assume he became a church official through his family connection."
"Thankfully for us, Archbishop Chylton controls Lumina, and Pope Demetrius has a residence here as well. Therefore, Milstein exerts very little influence over the city. But if you press charges against Trevor, then his family would most likely retaliate against you. The archbishop may even abuse his authority and declare you a heretic. Are you prepared for that?" Elias asked while looking directly into his guest's eyes.
Luka smiled because he was the LAST person on Zaleron who would suffer as a heretic!
The captain felt awkward at his guest's calm reaction. Elias understood how difficult it was to join the church as an official apprentice. But the young man before him didn't bat an eye at the prospect of losing his church membership and being falsely declared a heretic. "Am I missing something?" Elias asked tentatively.
Luka stood up. "Please allow me to reintroduce myself, Sir Knight. I am Luka Heavensfell, heir of the Heavensfell duke house, son of the late hero Tsunka Heavensfell, and the Godson of Altima," he said and offered an aristocratic salute.
"Oh!" The host's body jerked in surprise, and Elias burst into laughter. "Yes! How could YOU be declared a heretic!" the knight slapped his thigh.
The guest nodded his agreement. "Exactly. If Archbishop Milstein tries it, he will face divine judgment from Altima herself. I will press charges against Trevor and his gang."
"Your Holiness, I will ask Hattie to fill out the complaint form on your behalf. Once you review and sign the document, she will add her name as the witness. Is that alright?" Elias requested politely.
"Yes to your arrangement, but no to your manner of addressing me. Please call me 'Luka,'" he insisted.
"Okay, Luka," the captain responded with a smile. "I will call my secretary over now." The knight unlocked the door and stepped out. He soon returned with Hattie, who carried a form and a quill.
Luka slowly summarized the events again as Hattie wrote on the paper. When he showed her Trevor von Milstein's ID, she hesitated and looked directly at her employer.
Elias nodded.
The secretary's lips twitched as she wrote the perpetrator's name in the complaint. Hattie hoped that the church wouldn't expel Captain Booth for filing these charges against the archbishop's relative. Once she finished writing, Hattie showed the report to Luka.
Luka carefully reviewed the summary of facts and appreciated Hattie's fine penmanship. He signed his name and passed the form back to her. "If you ever decide to leave this place, please consider seeking employment with my Heavensfell duke house. We could use an excellent secretary like you."
Hattie respectfully lowered her head to him. She didn't expect the witness to be an upper-class aristocrat! The woman quickly signed the document as a witness and placed it on her employer's desk. When she turned around, Elias spoke up.
"Hattie, I'll allow you to leave the knighthood if you wish. As much as I appreciate your excellent work as my secretary, there is no room for promotion as a commoner. The Heavensfell dukedom is very prosperous, and the heir here will find a good position for you," the captain said.
Luka nodded. "I started several personal businesses in my domain. But a lack of competent personnel is the main reason why I can't expand right now," he lamented. "So I could use more competent workers."
Hattie shook her head. "I appreciate your kind offer, but I prefer to stay in Lumina," she answered.
"I understand." Although Luka felt disappointed in her rejection, he appreciated her loyalty to the knighthood. "It's getting late. I should go now. Thank you for your hospitality, Captain Booth." Luka nodded at the knight.
"Thank you for turning in those criminals," Elias replied and saluted. "Hattie, please escort Luka out."
"Yes, please follow me." The woman opened the door for the guest and his pets. She led the trio out of the guard station and waved a friendly goodbye.
Luka looked up at the dark sky. "I'm late in returning home again," he groaned. The mage grabbed his pets and teleported home.
Chapter 88
Church Apprentice (Part 8)
When Luka arrived on the doorsteps of his guesthouse, he suddenly froze.
Juliette was standing at the entrance blocking his path. While she kept a poker face, the woman emitted a chilly aura that the son felt even from a distance. "You're late. Again. Twenty laps."
"Yes, mother." Luka accepted his punishment without offering any excuse. He ran around the estate, followed by Bel and Gripper.
The two animals weren't happy about their inclusion in Luka's punishment. But they accepted her implicit stance that Bel and Gripper shared one fate with their master.
Unlike his pets, Luka didn't mind running because he skipped his morning spar with his mother. During his work inside the library's backroom, the apprentice spent most of his time sitting. Thus, Luka relished this random chance to exercise.
Since the property around the guesthouse wasn't very big, the runner took under a minute to complete each lap. His legs started to burn toward the end of the twenty laps, and Luka took longer to finish than when he first started running.
Juliette noticed that Luka had slowed down his pace but kept quiet. She, too, remembered that her son skipped the morning workout. Thus, the mother had planned to spar with him after dinner. However, Luka's unexpected tardiness made Juliette change her arrangement to running laps instead. She trusted her son and realized he probably had a good reason for returning home late. But Juliette took advantage of his lateness to make him exercise.
When Luka finished his punishment,
the mother handed him a thick towel to wipe his sweat. "Go take a bath first. Then come to the dining hall," Juliette said. The duchess turned around and entered the residence.
He followed after her with a faint smile. "I apologize for coming back late."
Juliette waved her hand over her shoulder. "We'll talk about it during supper." Her heels clicked on the floor as she crossed the foyer and made her way to the dining hall.
Bel and Gripper chose to follow her because they weren't planning to bathe with him.
Luka hurried up the stairs and saw a maid standing outside his bedroom.
The servant opened the door for him. "Your bath is ready, young master," she said.
"Thank you." Luka entered his guest room and undressed with her assistance. The middle-aged woman scrubbed his body clean with high efficiency and then helped Luka change to proper aristocratic attire. He thanked her again on his way out.
The servant curtsied and closed the door behind him.
When Luka entered the dining room, he noticed that the two animals were already feeding on plenty of meat. The son took his usual seat to his mother's right.
Juliette acknowledged his arrival with a slight nod. She was enjoying a small sip of red wine when he entered. Her face turned to him expectantly.
Luka began to recount the events after he left the library and visited Auselka Granden's home. He told her about the patient's successful treatment using the Advance Cure spell followed by the gang's sudden break-in into the house.
Duchess Silverblade shook her head when she heard the priest ruthlessly ordered his men to kill everyone inside the house to erase all the evidence. Juliette's eyes widened when Luka revealed the man's identity as Trevor von Milstein. She felt ambivalent about her son's decision to file an official complaint of this incident.
The Divine Summoner: Godson of Altima Page 71