Holy Orders: America’s Most Overqualified Exorcist

Chapter 6 – The People Inside the Venue

At the top floor of the building, inside a lavish room—

A white man in a black suit stood by the window, gazing down at the growing crowd below.

"Johnny," the man said calmly. "What exhibits are we showcasing this time?"

The man called Johnny—also dressed in a tailored suit—swirled a glass of whiskey in his hand before replying.

"The Demon Hunter's flintlock, a Crusader sword from the Eastern Campaigns, a spirit medium…"

He took a sip, savoring the burn.

"All of them were personally gathered by Gale, state by state."

The suited man turned from the window, smiling with satisfaction.

"Good. During the sacrificial ritual, each one of them will be offered."

Then, glancing to his side, he asked:

"And what about you, Senter? What's the Church's stance?"

Senter turned from the shadows and replied coolly.

"The Vatican has sent word. Their agent is already in the city. They'll be here to 'witness' the event."

Johnny's eyes lit up with excitement. He threw back the rest of his drink in one gulp.

"Senter, it's been five years! We've been lying low in the Anomalies Council, and now the day's finally here!"

Though Senter had long anticipated this day, his face remained calm and composed.

"It's not done yet. We can't celebrate prematurely. Are the preparations below complete?"

Johnny chuckled and shook his head.

"Still so cautious, Senter."

Then he reported:

"The entire building has been sealed with an isolation array—no one will sense what's going on inside.

"Five of the exits are already locked. The last one will be shut once everyone has entered.

"And of course, all the so-called 'exorcism tools' will be safely collected and stored before the ritual."

Johnny licked his lips after he spoke, as if savoring the thought.

Only then did Senter nod.

"You've done well these past five years. When the 'Descent' is complete, I'll recommend you for a seat on the Central Council."

"Much appreciated."

---

Outside the Exhibition Hall

Gideon Black approached the venue, feigning the look of a curious first-time visitor.

A large welcome banner was hung across the entrance, and a sign-in table had been set up at the front.

He was told the event would be divided into two segments:

The first hour: Open networking, trade, and artifact sharing.

The second part: The main event.

Gideon entered the building.

The hall was spacious and elegantly decorated with oil paintings and thick velvet carpets—clearly a place of money and influence.

Even now, many guests had already arrived and were mingling in conversation.

Gideon's sharp eyes scanned the room:

Several heavily made-up women clutched crystal balls, whispering predictions.

A few men in checkered shirts were fiddling with various electronic gadgets at their display tables.

And, oddly enough, one man wore a full suit of silver armor, holding an extremely long carrying case.

More and more people were beginning to gather—especially around one particular woman.

"Look! That's Gale Tiago, one of the youngest administrators in the Council."

"They say she performed her first solo exorcism at just seventeen!"

"She's also one of the organizers of today's event."

Following the crowd's gaze, Gideon spotted the woman.

She stood tall and elegant with wavy chestnut hair and striking features. Dressed in a pristine white pantsuit-dress, she exuded both grace and dignity. Her warm smile and composed demeanor left no room for criticism.

Gideon only spared her a single glance before looking away. He had zero interest in some clichéd romantic encounter with a beautiful woman.

Especially since there were already half a dozen men circling her, subtly posturing against one another—walking disasters, all of them.

He made his way toward the wall where several long tables were arranged for participants to showcase their items. There were still a few open spots near the center.

He immediately ruled those out.

Such prime locations were bound to attract attention—and possibly hostility from jealous competitors or rigged placements by the organizers.

So, he chose a corner near the entrance instead. Slightly off to the side, but with decent foot traffic—perfect for his low-key approach.

As he crossed the hall, he couldn't help but feel a few curious stares lingering on him.

Just as he finished setting up his items, trouble arrived anyway.

"Hey, check it out! An Asian priest! Does your god wear a monkey crown or something?"

"Seriously, people still believe in crosses? That stuff's ancient history."

Gideon looked up to see a few young men smirking at him, tech gadgets in hand. They were clearly tech bros—obsessed with their gadgets and gear.

He sighed.

So much for laying low—trouble always finds a way.

"What are you even selling?" one of them, a guy named Henry, asked as he reached out to grab one of the items.

Gideon swiftly caught his wrist.

"Whoa, what the hell? Let go of me!"

Gideon smiled gently.

"My child, what's made you so angry lately? Has something troubled you?"

Henry blinked, taken aback.

"What the f—" he started to snap back, but stopped short when he met Gideon's calm, compassionate gaze. A wave of inexplicable guilt washed over him.

"S-sorry… I've just been going through a rough patch lately."

The rest of the group stared at him, stunned.

Henry was the designated wild card in their circle—loud, defiant, never backed down. But now?

Gideon pressed kindly:

"We all have burdens. Why not speak them out loud? The Lord's love may bring you peace."

Henry hesitated, but then nodded.

"Last week, I… uh… I slept with Kyle's mom. And… I think I've caught feelings."

Dead silence.

Everyone turned to look at a blond kid—Kyle.

Kyle had been grinning, enjoying the show—until now. His smile froze. Then his face twisted in rage as he lunged at Henry and grabbed his collar.

"Henry, you son of a—!"

The whole group started arguing and shuffled away, leaving Gideon behind.

He wiped his brow, stunned by how absurd that got.

"North American folks really wear their hearts on their sleeves…" he muttered.

Still, he received a welcome notification:

[Psychological Counseling +1]

Current Progress: Tier 0 (15/100)

---

"Are you okay?"

A soft voice broke through the moment.

Gideon looked up—long, slender legs, elegant heels… it was Gale Tiago.

"Uh… I'm fine."

She gave a slightly apologetic smile.

"I saw what just happened. Would you like me to help you move to a quieter spot?"

"No need, thank you. They weren't actually trying to cause trouble."

He declined politely. He was already starting to feel the weight of hostile stares from others nearby.

"Alright. But if anything comes up, don't hesitate to ask."

She smiled again. Warm. Stunning.

"By the way," she said, picking up one of his amulets from the table, "I'd like to buy this. How much?"

Gideon froze.

"Oh… uh… is this not for sale?" she teased gently, mistaking his hesitation.

She'd actually come over intending to help him out after seeing those guys harass him—but to her surprise, he'd handled it just fine. Since she couldn't step in, she figured she'd support him by buying something.

But now that he'd gone still, she had a familiar suspicion.

That look—she'd seen it from plenty of other men before.

Meanwhile, Gideon spotted several men watching him closely.

"Crap! I need to say something fast. How much should I charge?"

The truth was, the amulet cost almost nothing to make. But Gideon was broke.

Should he… you know… mark it up?

"Ten… dollars?" he ventured hesitantly.

His heart pounded. That was the rate he usually charged for house calls!

"Deal!" Gale replied cheerfully, paying on the spot.

"Damn it, I lowballed!" Gideon groaned internally.

Still, a sale was a sale.

Before leaving, Gale kindly reminded him:

"Just so you know, the Church doesn't usually show up at these events. And people are probably curious because, well… you're Asian."

---

"Father Gideon! You came too?"

Gideon had barely stashed the money when a sweet voice called out.

It was Judy—and standing beside her was an adult woman.

"Hello, Father Gideon," the woman said, extending her hand with a polite smile.

"I'm Lorraine, Judy's mother."

They shook hands.

As they chatted, Lorraine revealed she was the Vatican's local liaison, here to support the event.

She studied Gideon with interest.

Judy had told her all about the "Rose incident." Based on what she'd heard, this man had at least bishop-level abilities. But now that she saw him in person, he seemed… just a humble priest?

"What are you selling, Father?" Judy asked, stepping forward with curiosity.

"Just some simple trinkets. But since we've met again, consider this a gift."

He handed Judy an amulet, which she accepted with delight.

Lorraine tried to pay, but Gideon declined. He had plenty of stock, and building goodwill with an exorcist was priceless.

Lorraine thanked him, then led Judy away.

Halfway to the exit, Judy turned back and held up the amulet with a smile, promising to treasure it.

Later, another customer—a woman named Renai—purchased a cross.

+$10

Then came a chubby kid in a baseball cap, missing a front tooth.

Gideon recognized him instantly: Dustin—one of the "Stranger Things" crew.

The boy introduced himself and said he wanted a souvenir for his friends—but only had $3.

Gideon adjusted his price to accommodate him.

+$3

After that, business dried up.

Fortunately, the free-exchange period was ending.

Gale reappeared at the center of the hall, announcing:

"The exhibition will now officially begin."