Father Mia

Biodata

Background / History

Appointment and Ministry

Father Mia succeeded the elderly priest who had raised Norton at Holy Lord Cathedral. He was appointed from outside the cathedral by the archbishop responsible for the region, rather than selected from its missionaries 1 7.

He sexually abused boys under the pretense of bestowing priestly “blessings.” In his first appearance, Norton stood guard outside while Mia abused a frightened boy. Afterward, Mia promised the boy a daily portion of black bread and instructed him to return the following week 1.

When Norton turned twenty, Mia authorized him to participate in the next Mass, giving him his first opportunity to leave the church grounds. He arranged for Norton to receive religious books, instructed him alongside four other prospective missionaries, and led the procession through Holy Lord City 1 2 4 5. After Mass, Mia preached to the poor while the missionaries prepared to receive the church’s weekly meal of human-meat broth 7.

Norton’s Ascension Ritual

After Norton vomited following the meal, Mia and Bishop Rosen discussed his supposedly impure faith. Mia proposed offering Norton to an archbishop who favored attractive, self-aware victims. Rosen rejected the suggestion and ordered Norton sacrificed in an Ascension Ritual two days later 8.

Mia supervised preparations for the burning alongside Rosen. They consulted the church’s vampire research and planned to burn Norton thoroughly to prevent his transformation. The narration also identifies Mia’s reluctance to see Norton’s intact corpse as a personal motive for the unusually thorough burning 10.

Mia escorted Norton toward the cemetery with six church knights, initially assuring him that he needed to do nothing. When pressed, he revealed that Norton would be burned alive to cleanse his soul. Norton responded by punching Mia in the right eye and knocking him down. A knight then stabbed Norton through the chest before he could continue the attack 11 12.

Furious, Mia ordered Norton’s corpse burned to ashes. After watching the cremation with a blackened eye, he denied Norton a coffin and ordered his remains dismembered despite believing the burning had already eliminated any chance of vampirism 12 13.

Vampire Hunt

Norton nevertheless revived as a vampire and escaped. Examining a dead knight with Rosen, Mia recognized that the torn neck exceeded an ordinary church knight’s strength. He also deduced that Norton had escaped wearing the missing suit of armor 15 16 19.

Rather than treating the discovery solely as a threat, Mia anticipated that capturing a vampire would please the Pope and improve their standing. He summoned two Servants of Faith and ordered the Holy Knights activated to find Norton 19.

Execution and Aftermath

After Norton caused the deaths of two Holy Knights, Archbishop Adam confronted Mia at the cathedral. Mia was interrupted while abusing another boy; a church knight restrained him, and the boy was dragged outside and killed. Adam accused Mia of concealing the vampire’s appearance from his superiors and causing the knights’ deaths 26.

Rosen shifted responsibility onto Mia, presenting himself as guilty only of failing to control his subordinate. Mia initially followed Rosen’s proposed defense and begged for another chance to capture Norton. Adam refused. As Mia finally tried to implicate Rosen, church knights restrained him and drove a greatsword down through his neck and torso, killing him at sixty-nine 26 27.

Mia became the scapegoat because he was the lowest-ranking official involved. His execution also served Adam’s political interests as the Pope’s pursuit of vampiric immortality threatened Adam’s advancement 27. Father Andrew subsequently replaced him through a direct appointment by the old Pope 42.

Norton remained unaware of Mia’s death. Years later, he still treated revenge against the priest as a reason to grow stronger and imagined elaborate ways to torture him 27 48.

Appearance

• Age and features: An elderly man with a wrinkled face and hooked nose 1.
• Voice: Aged; increasingly impassioned when preaching 1 7.
• Clothing: Wears black-and-white priestly robes in his first appearance, silver robes while instructing prospective missionaries, and white robes when discussing Norton’s fate 1 4 8.
• Temporary injury: Norton’s punch leaves his right eye painful and his eye area blackened 12 13.

Personality

Mia conceals exploitation behind paternal language and religious authority. He presents abuse as a sacred privilege, addresses victims as his children, and ties a boy’s access to food to repeated “blessings.” His apparent kindness disappears once the boy leaves 1. His attraction to Norton similarly shapes his regret over Norton’s impending death rather than producing any attempt to protect him 8 10 11.

He expects absolute obedience from those beneath him. Norton’s attack shocks him because he has never encountered such resistance from the church’s conditioned missionaries. His previous fondness immediately gives way to curses, accusations of impurity, and demands for the destruction of Norton’s body 12 13.

Mia is ambitious but submissive toward superior officials. He welcomes Norton’s vampirism as an opportunity for promotion, yet trembles and pleads when confronted by Adam. Although furious at Rosen’s betrayal, he initially avoids accusing the bishop because of their difference in rank 19 26 27.

Abilities & Skills

Religious Instruction and Leadership

Mia directs missionary preparation and public worship at Holy Lord Cathedral 4 5 7.

• Explains Mass procedures to prospective missionaries 4.
• Leads the procession and delivers sermons before the poor 5 7.
• Teaches the church’s stated policy of starving the poor to reduce the blood available to vampires 6.

Ecclesiastical Command

His position allows him to issue orders to missionaries and church enforcers 2 13 19.

• Arranges deliveries of required reading to Norton 2 8.
• Orders the treatment and disposal of Norton’s remains 12 13.
• Directs Servants of Faith to activate the Holy Knights 19.
• Remains subordinate to Rosen and Adam; his office offers no protection when they assign him responsibility for the failed hunt 26 27.

Vampire Investigation

Mia consults church research and helps reconstruct Norton’s escape from physical evidence 10 19.

• Identifies abnormal strength from a knight’s torn neck and connects missing armor to Norton’s escape 19.
• Incorrectly believes that Norton’s thoroughly charred body cannot become a vampire 13 15.

Relationships

• Norton — Subordinate turned enemy. Mia authorizes his missionary initiation, oversees his intended sacrifice, and later orders his capture. Norton continues seeking revenge without knowing Mia has died 1 12 19 27 48.
• Bishop Rosen — Superior and collaborator in the sacrifice and vampire hunt. Rosen abandons Mia when Adam demands accountability 8 19 26 27.
• Archbishop Adam — Higher-ranking church authority who holds Mia responsible for concealing Norton’s transformation and losing two Holy Knights; rejects his plea for another chance 26 27.
• Father Andrew — Successor at Holy Lord Cathedral, appointed directly by the old Pope after Mia’s death 42.