How the Cult Saves the World

I should answer him if he asks me like that, but...

"How do you know that I can't get in, and that I can't drink what you made?"

The juice I made used magic, so it would harm Terdius who had a conflicting power.

I couldn't tell him that. I didn't want to tell him either.

But he was still quick-witted. Well, I would have felt the same if I were him.

Honestly, he must have found me strange. A stranger who knew secret information.

I thought for a moment and opened my mouth.

"I can't tell you. You wouldn't believe me anyway."

"...What?"

"That's all I can say."

I could have made up an excuse like 'I'm actually a prophet' as I had seen in many contents from my previous life.

But for some reason, I didn't want to lie to Terdius. I didn't feel like it.

Maybe it was because he was still the protagonist that I cared about.

So I answered him as honestly as possible, and Terdius didn't ask any more.

And without anyone taking the lead, we headed towards the chapel.

We were close enough to the chapel that our conversation wouldn't be heard.

And there was no security outside because this place was protected by Maseen's power.

I tiptoed towards the chapel, and Terdius followed me without making a sound.

"But how are you going to save Rovel?"

He asked me suddenly. I was startled.

"Lower your voice!"

I spoke firmly in a low voice. We had to be careful now that we were near the chapel.

Then, Terdius tilted his head at me.

"Answer me."

Fortunately, his voice was low too. Phew. I would die of a heart attack if I stayed with him for too long. I answered him in a barely audible voice.

"First, we have to drive them out of here."

"And then?"

"Then you'll take care of it, won't you?"

I didn't care about Rizes Church after punishing them.

It would be easier to leave them to Diego Faith.

There was only one thing I had to get here anyway.

'Well, it would be nice to get something else too.'

As we exchanged a few words, we reached the back of the chapel.

As we got closer to the chapel, we saw a huge curtain reflecting the moonlight.

A transparent and dark red curtain that covered the entire chapel.

Only those who were close to gods could see this, which was 'Maseen's protection'.

"Now you see."

I didn't want his trust in the first place. But it still felt bad that he still didn't believe me.

"Yes. I see."

I answered casually and stepped into the curtain first. My body passed through the curtain without any problem.

"See?"

And as if to show off, I gestured at Terdius, who also followed me in.

You're welcome. I smiled proudly and looked at Terdius, whose lips rose slightly for a few seconds. It was barely noticeable unless you looked closely.

'He's so cold.'

I missed the old Terdius who was warm and gentle.

Terdius headed straight for the back door of the chapel. And his hand reached for the door without fear.

'You bastard!'

I quickly grabbed his hand and twisted his face with my finger on my lips.

Hey, you're telling them we're here!

I gestured to him to come out and moved away from the back door.

"Do you want to announce that we're breaking in?"

He looked annoyed by my scolding, but his eyebrows furrowed. Hey, it's your fault.

I passed by Terdius and headed for the wall connected to the back door.

And I turned the lamp on the wall to the right.

Then with a clank, a wooden door appeared on the floor.

A trick that I found out while looking for cheats on my 12th playthrough of HSAW.

"What is this..."

You bastard!

I quickly covered his mouth with my hand. Even though I warned him!

"Please be quiet."

Terdius nodded his head and I let him go. He almost caused trouble again, so I grabbed the handle of the wooden door first.

Carefully, I open it without making much noise.

-My child, how do you know these things?

'Well, I'm Kyros' little lamb.'

-Oh! That's right. You are my smartest little lamb.

I said something that Kyros would like and skipped the logical explanation.

Creak---

The door finally opened completely.

Then stairs leading down appeared. It wasn't too dark thanks to the lamps on the wall.

I stretched out my foot to go down first, but then pulled it back.

"You go first."

I suggested that he take the lead, and he looked at me once and started going down the stairs.

I didn't care if I looked like a coward.

'My body is precious.'

He disappeared and then I followed him down the stairs. I closed the door carefully behind me and followed Terdian.

How long did we walk?

The narrow stairs finally ended and a huge space appeared. A hollow that felt like a cave.

There was a fork in the road there.

"Where do we go now?"

"The left is Rizes Church's headquarters, and the right is the underground prison."

I explained briefly and Terdius headed to the right without hesitation. I followed him too, since that was my destination.

"Why are you going this way?"

"Well..."

As I was about to answer, Terdius stopped and blocked the way with his arm.

'What is it?'

"I sense something."

He whispered in a lower voice than before. I clenched my fist and replied softly.

I don't know why, but I'm nervous.

Terdius was here, but I kept the inventory open so I could take out the holy weapon at any time.

'I was planning to break in with Chester, but...'

What can I do about this situation?

As I walked behind Terdius who was moving slowly, a slightly brighter space appeared.

"Who's there!"

In the spacious underground prison, armed soldiers appeared in front of us.

They all had blue faces and looked lifeless like corpses. They looked like zombies, but they were human.

They were heavily addicted to 'Happy'.

I was trembling when I faced them in reality. I was about to take out the holy weapon when...

Swish---

Blood splattered on the floor.

Terdius had drawn his sword so fast that I couldn't even tell when he did it, and he was cutting down the soldiers.

'...He's brutal.'

Seeing him, I suddenly felt lucky that Terdius had spared my life.

Terdius easily killed the soldiers who attacked him.

He looked like an emotionless killing machine.

'I wouldn't be much help in this fight anyway.'

I left the fight to him and looked around the prison.

There were about ten huge iron bars in the prison, and people were locked inside them.

Most of them were powerless people from Rovel.

More than half of their bodies had turned blue from Happy.

Rizes Church was experimenting on them using Happy.

-How could they do such a thing...

I bit my lip as I heard Kyros' sigh.

Then, Terdius finished off dozens of soldiers in an instant and shook off the blood on his sword.

He headed for the iron bars.

"Thank you."

I was wondering how to open the prison doors, so I was grateful to Terdius.

Although, he ignored my gratitude and walked past the prison cells.

Then he stopped in front of one iron bar. He turned his head and I saw Terdius' elite subordinates.

They were wearing robes like Terdian, but I could tell by his eyes that they were his subordinates.

'So he came to find his subordinates.'

I approached Terdius who was standing still.

His subordinates were all unconscious. And they had blue spots on them from Happy.

"Feed these to them."

I thought for a moment and took out some mandrake roots from my inventory and handed them to him.

"This should be enough. They're not too addicted, so they'll wake up soon if they eat this."

"...Thank you."

You bastard, you can say thank you?

I was a bit surprised, but it felt good anyway.

I turned away from Terdius and went deeper into the prison.

I felt it as soon as I entered the prison.

A warm presence that seemed to call me in this dark and gloomy space.

Kyros must have felt it too.

-My child, there is...

I knew it by his excited voice.

I smiled faintly and headed for the iron bar that was isolated from the others.

Unlike the others, there was only a black box here.

Fortunately, this iron bar was also opened when Terdius swung his sword.

So I could go near the box right away.

There was a golden lock on the black box.

-My little lamb, I feel a familiar aura from that box!

'Yes. I know.'

I reached out carefully to the box.

This lock couldn't be opened by anyone from Rizes Church or Diego Faith.

That's why they left it here in this underground prison.

Only I could open it.

My hand finally touched the lock.

Then with a clank, the box opened by itself.