How the Cult Saves the World

After finishing my conversation with Zain, I headed straight to the secret passage. As soon as I put on the robe and glasses in the secret passage, Kyros spoke in a serious tone.

-My child, you always try to fulfill my requests.

'Of course, because it's you, Kyros.'

-But even if it's something that could endanger you?

'Yes.'

Of course, it was partly because of the reward, but as long as I served Kyros, I intended to follow his will completely.

I didn't consider myself to be so virtuous, but I didn't have the heart to be evil either.

I came out of the secret passage and headed to the back alley. Then I saw Zain standing with two horses in front of the secret shop. There was no one around, probably because it was late.

I approached Zain right away.

"You've prepared everything even at this late hour. Good job."

Zain smiled brightly.

"I'm Zain. This is easy for me."

The horses looked good too. Zain was really useful.

"By the way, you're wearing those glasses again today?"

"Yeah. This way no one can recognize me."

"It's amazing. They look like magic items."

"They're not."

Anyway, Zain couldn't reveal my secret, so it was easy to talk to him.

Of course, that didn't mean I was going to tell him where these glasses came from.

"By the way, master, do you know how to ride a horse?"

"What?"

"You've been weak since you were young."

"...Well, yeah."

I smiled faintly and approached the horse. Then I quickly adjusted my posture and got on. I grabbed the reins and looked down. Zain's surprised face was visible.

"Don't worry. I still remember."

When I was young, before I got sick from Malone's disease, I learned how to ride a horse directly from my mother.

It wasn't exactly my memory though.

-Wow, you look like a general!

'Really?'

-Yes! You look very good!

I felt a little better after hearing Kyros' compliment.

By the way, this kid, Zain, why isn't he getting on? He looked like he was thinking 'Do I really have to do this?'

Ugh.

I took out a money pouch from my pocket and threw it to him.

Thud!

Zain grabbed the money pouch and quickly followed me on the horse.

You greedy bastard.

"Haha, I didn't even ask for this! Thank you, master!"

"Be quiet. We're leaving now."

I drove the horse without difficulty.

I was just relying on the memory in my head, but it was surprisingly easy.

Maybe I had some talent for it.

-You have better athletic skills than I thought, child.

'It's all thanks to you, Kyros.'

-Well, well!

I flattered Kyros a bit and reached the wall of the territory in no time.

Then I remembered something I had overlooked.

'Damn.'

I forgot about the existence of the gatekeepers who guarded the wall.

These days, my mother has been investigating the nobles like crazy and preventing them from escaping by strengthening the security of the territory.

So I couldn't just go out as before. I needed a pass to get out.

And to get a pass, identity verification was mandatory.

'I had to...'

Damn it. I couldn't reveal my identity.

As I was worrying,

"Wait a minute, master."

Zain got off his horse.

He smiled brightly and approached the gatekeepers. The gatekeepers also greeted him warmly.

Zain exchanged a few words with them and even laughed heartily. Then he came back soon.

"Let's go. You can just go out."

He got on his horse and smiled smugly.

"How did you do that?"

"Hey, I'm Zain. How long have I been doing business here? This is easy for me."

He drove his horse and crossed the wall.

I followed him on my horse too. There was no interference from the gatekeeper.

As soon as we left the territory, a wide plain appeared.

I felt a strange thrill as I looked at the plain with a cool night breeze blowing over it.

'I didn't expect to leave the territory so suddenly.'

I looked around and said to Zain.

"I'll let this one slide, but don't make any trouble."

"Don't worry. I won't do anything bad for you or Holden. It's like we're on one boat now, right?"

"And you're ripping me off?"

"Hey, we still have to be fair!"

Damn it.

"By the way, where are we going?"

"Oh. Didn't I tell you?"

"No. You just told me to get the horses and then cut off the communication."

Now that I think about it, I did.

"We're going to Cartel Forest."

"...What?"

Zain's eyes widened as I told him the destination.

"Cartel Forest? Why there?"

"You know something, don't you?"

"Of course! Haven't you heard that monsters have been appearing in Cartel Forest lately?"

Monsters. As befitting a game world, there were monsters everywhere in this world.

Although I met the demons before the monsters.

"And the monsters that appear in Cartel Forest now are 'Darkwolves' that are known to eat people at night! You want to go to Cartel Forest, where those things are, on this dark night?! Anyone can see that it's like going to die?!"

"Good information. You know it well."

Darkwolves. They were not easy creatures.

They appeared in the early stages of the game, but they were so ferocious that they could barely be handled by a well-trained knight brigade.

The 'leader' of the darkwolves was a monster that could use magic and was especially dangerous at night.

"Master!"

"Lower your voice. Who said I'm going to die? Don't be so scared."

Only then did Zain stop shouting.

"You know I can't move freely except at this time, right?"

"I know, but... It's dangerous!"

"I know."

Zain sighed softly.

Sigh, "Really. You have a plan, right?"

"Of course. Don't you trust me?"

"I do. That's why I made a contract with you. Sigh."

The conversation ended there. Instead of answering, I drove the horse. Zain followed me while grumbling.

I knew where Cartel Forest was, so I arrived there in about 10 minutes.

I got off the horse and Zain followed me. He quickly drove a stake into the ground and tied the horse to it.

I looked at the view of the Cartel Forest.

"Wow."

It was impressive even from a distance, but it was quite large up close. It was not as big as the Holden territory, but maybe half of it.

The forest was dark and dense with huge trees. It was almost pitch black inside.

Awoooo---

The howl of a darkwolf came from afar, adding to the gloominess.

"Ugh, it's creepy."

Zain, who had finished his task, came to my side.

"Are we going in right away?"

"No. Wait a bit."

I moved away from Jain and called Alphius and Chester.

Then, a small arm appeared in the air, and soon the two kids jumped out of the gap.

"Who are these...?"

Jain looked at them with surprised eyes. Well, even if he had seen them in the information, this scene was hard to see.

"They are the high priest and the paladin of the Kyros Faith."

"Master! Where are we?"

"I don't know, but it's scary."

I smiled at Alphius and Chester, who were confused and frightened.

"Alphy, Chesi. This is Zain. He's my confidant."

"Oh, hello. I'm Alphius."

"I-I'm Chester."

The kids greeted him and Zain approached them nervously.

"Nice to meet you. But master, can you use summoning magic too?"

"Something like that. Anyway, let me tell you our goal."

At the same time, three pairs of eyes focused on me.

"This is the Cartel Forest. It's a place where darkwolves appear, and we have to find a believer of Kyros here."

"What? There's a believer in this place?"

"Gasp...!"

The kids gasped in shock.

"Yes. He prayed fervently to Kyros, so he must be in danger."

"Yes, I understand!"

"Then I'll do my best too!"

The kids' eyes became determined when they heard about the believer's crisis. As expected, they were my children.

"Master, do you communicate with Kyros?"

I was looking at the kids with pride when Zain asked me with a startled face.

"No, before that... Is Kyros really a real god?"

What are you talking about?

"What do you mean? Of course, he is."

But I saw it. Zain's pupils were shaking.

"Hey, don't tell me... What did you think of us until now?"

"...A cult?"

"You bastard!"

Thwack!

I hit Zain's head without thinking.

"Didn't you approach me because you saw my power?"

"Yes, yes I did."

"Then what? A cult? What did you think of me then?"

"Well, I thought you were a powerful mage. But now I think you're a powerful mage with a cult... Ow!"

Thwack!

"Ugh, really!"

I hit him one more time in anger.

I thought he was a serious guy when I saw him in the game, but he was more of an idiot than I thought. A cult? He thought I was a cult?

I sighed at his unexpected answer.

'Is this guy worth taking with me...'

But I couldn't leave him behind now.

The reason I took Zain in was not only because he was an 'information broker', but also something else.

-He deserves it!

"Yes!"

"Hit him more, master!"

Kyros and the kids cheered me on, but I barely restrained myself.

Then Zain wrapped his head and said with a wronged face.

"I didn't know much about it. There are so many religions in the world, and some of them are cults. That's why I thought that way."

"I understand that... But anyway, we're not a cult. Well, I guess you might feel that way in this world."

Yeah, Zain didn't witness what I did with his own eyes. He must have judged what he heard subjectively.

But still? A powerful mage with a cult? How dare he?

I was tempted to hit him one more time, but I decided to speak kindly instead.

"Kyros is real, Zain."

"Yes, I'll remember that. I promise."

I sighed lightly and opened my inventory to take out the holy mace.

"Alphy, Chesi. Get ready. It's time to go in."

"Yes, master!"

"Yes, yes! O, okay!"

Alphius and Chester quickly flanked me on both sides. Thanks to that, Zain was pushed back.

Still, Zain followed us stubbornly and didn't ask any questions. The kids didn't look very fond of him though.

-He may be your confidant, but I don't like him!

'Please bear with it. He'll become a believer of Kyros someday.'

-Humph!

Suddenly Kyros' sulky face flashed through my mind.

I couldn't help but laugh.

"Master, what should I do?"

Zain asked from behind. I just turned my head and answered.

"What do you mean? Of course, you have to fight too."

"You're not going to run away from the battle, are you?"

"No, no! Of course not."

The kids joined in and taunted Zain.

By the way, were Alphius and Chester always like this?

"I'll join in!"

"Good. Then support us from the back. You can shoot a bow, right? Right?"

"How did you...!"

I saw it in the original story.

Anyway,

"Let's go."

I stepped into the Cartel Forest with the kids and Zain.