CHAPTER 374: CHAPTER 260: CONFLICT_1

After days of labor, most of them had adapted to the grueling work of digging graves. Initially, there were some complaints, but eventually, everyone settled into their tasks.

They realized that none of the punishments from the Church they had been warned about ever materialized.

On the contrary, if they failed to complete this work, their entire families would be sent to the wilderness for ’development’—a place of grim legends where many had perished. Only after the Lord intervened and slew the monsters lurking there did the death toll decrease.

Although they had once been devout believers, Lance’s reforms had been successful. The Church’s influence in Hamlet had long been steadily weakened, to the point of vanishing entirely.

Ultimately, it all came down to interests. The Lord was now the one who dictated their lives.

The nun went straight to the church, only to find the front hall door locked. Without hesitation, she swung her hammer, smashed the chain, then pushed the door open and entered.

After Lance took over Hamlet, one of the first renovation projects had been the church.

The former prayer hall, once used for activities and ceremonies, had been directly converted into an auditorium, or rather, a theater. After the grand renovation, only the main structure of the building remained; every religious element had been cleared away.

The church complex wasn’t just the front hall; it also included an adjoining cluster of buildings where the Clergy had originally lived. These were later converted into a school and dormitories—a transformation that was, in some ways, quite fitting.

But for the intruding nun, this reformed space completely overturned her perception. This... this is starkly out of sync with the church I remember!

What happened to my magnificent church?

"Who are you! Why did you break the auditorium door?"

The loud crash of the door being smashed had attracted the attention of the school staff. When they arrived, they discovered a dangerous, armored individual carrying weapons.

"Who are you? This is clearly the church! Why have you occupied this place?" the nun demanded loudly upon noticing their arrival, ignoring any questions they might have had.

These were just ordinary people. Who among them would dare confront such an aggressive Mob? They immediately ran off, shouting.

"Oh! Someone armed has broken into the school!"

"I’ll go find the headmistress!"

The nun watched the scattering people with a puzzled expression, filled with confusion. However, she did not stop her search in the auditorium for proof of the Church’s previous presence.

Mrs. Rosa, the headmistress, was quickly alerted by the commotion and hurried over.

There are so many children in here! If anything happens, how will I ever explain it to the Lord?

"What happened?"

"Some lunatic broke into the auditorium!"

"Quick! Get the children to safety, and inform the sheriff to come here!"

The person who had run back spoke up, while Mrs. Rosa moved against the crowd. She needed to assess the situation and protect the students.

She wasn’t the only one to react this way; several older students also stepped forward.

In an era where fourteen was considered the age of adulthood, many twelve- and thirteen-year-olds were practically adults themselves. Many of them balanced their studies with helping to manage the school.

Upon hearing of the incident, these students immediately assisted the faculty in evacuating the younger children. The bolder ones even grabbed training sticks, preparing to defend against any attacker.

If one were to rank Lance’s most fervent supporters in town, the soldiers would be first, followed by these students.

Their education helped them understand the world and also fostered an intense adoration for the Lord. Everything they possessed was a gift from him, and they were willing to sacrifice everything in return.

Among them, Joan stood out conspicuously, especially in a crowd of boys.

Mrs. Rosa noticed her daughter but said nothing.

Soon enough, William appeared, leading Fergus and several sheriffs. The nun’s earlier commotion at the cemetery had also caught the public’s attention, and the alerted sheriffs had hurried over.

They arrived just in time to witness this scene. How dare someone attack the school! What a crazed delinquent!

William clenched his baton. Fergus, sensing his master’s emotions, grew restless, baring his teeth and barking madly.

"WOOF, WOOF!"

However, when they reached the auditorium, they found the nun meticulously examining the main hall, her behavior somewhat peculiar.

"Who are you? Why did you violently break into the school?"

"How dare you occupy the church! What have you done to the Priest?"

The two groups talked past each other, each sticking to their own script, creating a bizarre standoff for a moment...

While discussing a quest with Geralt, Lance received a report that an unfamiliar woman armed with weapons had broken into the school.

Geralt, seemingly understanding something, also realized that the small town was relatively isolated. The armed stranger, he surmised, was likely the nun.

I’m rather speechless. I know some extremist Clerics are prone to causing conflict, but why would she cause trouble at a school for no reason? I just hope she heeded my warning and won’t resort to violence.

Lance, however, seemed unconcerned. He acted much like an NPC assigning quests to a player. After sending Geralt on his way, he headed outside...

Meanwhile, in the auditorium, the nun was surrounded. The sheriffs, a few of whom were professionally trained, still had the courage to deal with a human opponent, even if their mentality made it difficult for them to face monsters.