OJTTEG-Chapter 38: Short Story - Scholars' Church (Part One)

[Another Perspective from That Night]

Despite the gentle drizzle falling from the sky, it can't dampen the scholars' enthusiasm. In a villa located in the affluent district, they've rented the place out. Each person is dressed in luxurious attire, wearing masks to conceal their identities, gathered around a table laden with sweet pastries. Without explanation, one might never guess this is a meeting that cannot appear in the open.

Mira stands a bit awkwardly in the corner, dressed in a formal women's tailcoat, a butterfly pinned in her purple hair. It's her first time attending such a large gathering, and she's trying her best to appear relaxed, which ironically only makes her seem more uneasy. Several groups have arrived, but Mira has declined conversations, citing unfamiliarity—she's genuinely socially anxious.

"Miss Mira, I'm so glad to see you here."

A young man in an elegant suit approaches her warmly.

"The last time I saw you was years ago, hiding behind your father... I can't believe how much you've grown. By the way, I'm Greer."

"Mr. Greer, it's been a long time. Nice to see you again. How did you recognize me?"

Mira smiles and nods, slightly lifting her skirt as she acknowledges the scholar before her.

"Because you're wearing your father's mask, I remember it. By the way, where is your father?"

Greer hiccups, releasing an embarrassing whiff of alcohol.

"My father... passed away a few years ago. Before that, he introduced me to the Scholars' Church, so I'm here today to take a look."

Ugh, what a disgusting drunk. Isn't today supposed to be a conference? How is this guy so intoxicated? I've heard there are many factions within the Scholars' Church; maybe his is just this wild.

Ah, I really want to leave. Just standing here is pushing my limits.

Hold on.

Mira subtly takes a small step back, her hands behind her, nervously fiddling with her hair.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bring up sad memories, but I must say you've come to the right place," Greer says enthusiastically, placing his glass aside.

"We've been working on genetic modifications between humans and trolls for 18 years now. We've finally developed a perfect specimen, and we'll be presenting our research shortly. Tonight, I can say I'm the star of the show."

"Oh! That's amazing." Mira's interest is piqued. She's eager to learn what a mysterious creature like a troll can be transformed into. For a newcomer dedicated to academics, this is undoubtedly a precious opportunity.

All the scholars present are here with various motives. Interestingly, the Federation officially bans the Scholars' Church, and while joining isn't stopped, it's at one's own risk.

"The troll's name is Cain, and he's incredible. Over the past three years, we've traveled to various cities and he's taken down nearly 10 people. We've gathered a lot of data," Greer says, perhaps drawn to Mira's appearance, passionately explaining his research project. He fails to notice Mira's slight frown upon hearing about the killings.

"Killing... people? Isn't it just about studying the genetic changes between trolls and humans?" Mira asks.

"Yes, of course, we study that. We've artificially combined troll and human genes. His nature is to eat people, and we're keen to observe the changes after he does. We've been conducting continuous tracking for three years."

"Heavens, you let him kill people, and the investigators don't do anything about it?" Mira forces a smile.

"It's because the commotion is too small. If those legendary investigators were alerted, Cain would be caught in no time. We only allow Cain to select one target in a city and then immediately move to the next city," Greer explains excitedly, inviting Mira to continue the conversation at his place after the banquet.

"If you come to my room tonight, I'll tell you more, and you can join our research. Your father was a professional scholar, but he always kept the test subjects in a rural lab, never stepping out. Frankly, that's outdated."

Ugh, how annoying. Research should benefit humanity, not let creations attack them. What is this group even doing?

Mira suddenly loses interest in the banquet. She casually glances around and notices two plainly dressed cleaners struggling to clean in the center of the hall, wearing blue lining beneath their clothes. It's a bit odd—would a secret gathering like this allow ordinary people inside?

Possibly, since no one around seems to react, they must be here for cleaning. This is an approved banquet, even registered with the authorities, so there's no chance of anyone getting caught. The scholars are quite relaxed.

"Greer, do you think a high-level banquet like this would have cleaners?" She even drops the formal 'Mr.' from his name.

"Oh, damn it, the guard must have made a mistake letting those cleaners in," Greer, having drunk quite a bit, tries to make an impression on Mira and stumbles forward.

"What are you two doing here? This is a high-class event; no outsiders are allowed to clean."

"......"

"Very sorry, sir."

"......"

I'm so clever, but I do feel sorry for those two cleaners having to deal with this drunkard's harassment.

Watching the argument unfold just as she anticipated, Mira quickly makes her way to the exit. All she wants now is to escape this place, as it completely contradicts her values.

"This is nothing like what my father taught me," she mutters to herself as she steps out of the opulent villa, sitting in her car with a hint of defiance.

The car is parked in a lot where a gentle rain continues to fall, water trickling into the drains, filling the area with a damp and oppressive atmosphere. Mira absentmindedly turns on the heater, removes her mask, and fiddles with it in her hands.

"How did the Scholars' Church end up like this?"

Greer was once her father's student, specializing in the fields of sorcery and biological mysticism. What changed him? Was it the Scholars' Church itself?