[YOTB] Blessing

Shibani had been a member of the church for many years, but lately he had been feeling a calling to do more. Well, not exactly like that, he had always been devoted to his faith, and he wanted to do something to spread its message out of fondness for the religion and the church members but there's another motive, the perfect mochi requires blessed spring water and Shibani was in charge of retrieving it (because nobody else could get enough to grab a bottle) There was a list of options to choose from on how to go about it, from bribing Mercy with luxury to talking it out with Oleander and praying for the best. Shibani decided to tackle the most difficult option in the most difficult way. By taking matters into his own hands and starting a fundraiser to help the church. Helping the church by giving Mercy the money directly…. Would that count? Shibani wasn’t sure what Mercy did with the money they collected.

Shibani’s big idea was to sell indulgences. For a small fee, people could buy indulgences that would absolve them of their sins and grant them a special blessing from the Devil, what’s better than that? It helps everyone in the end and Shibani doesn’t have to sell any of his own items in the process! Mercy walking around the church with his old watch is already a lot to process… Anyways, proceeds from the indulgences would be used to provide holy water to Mercy, a local charity that served the poor and the needy who need it the most with also enough on top for Mercy to pocket for her own endeavors.

Still Shibani was nervous about the prospect of selling indulgences, since it was a delicate matter. He was worried that some people wouldn't understand the concept and that he would be accused of taking advantage of people's faith but he already made it so far and it was for the greater good in a lot of ways so it’s not like there’s any truth to the accusation if it ever rises. Shibani was determined to make the fundraiser a success and get the praise for getting his hands on the elusive water.

He started by approaching members of the church and explaining the concept. Was this the proper way to do it? He’s really mimicking what he sees Oleander and Mercy do during service and to his surprise, many people were interested in buying indulgences. Some gave generous donations and others bought multiple indulgences. Before long, Shibani had collected enough money to buy what felt like several large containers of holy water from  Mercy. After approaching Mercy with the money though, it was more like only enough for one bottle and a really long (and frankly nice) hug from an overjoyed Mercy.

Shibani was proud of himself for taking the initiative and raising money for a good cause. He knew that his efforts would make a difference in the lives of those in need and the festivities coming up. He was also proud that he had found a way to put his faith into action and serve others. Not a bad run for him at all, maybe collecting the other ingredients won’t be as rough as he thought? From that day on, Shibani was a dedicated member of the church and an active fundraiser thanks to Mercy being impressed by his skills.