Reincarnated as a Genius Prodigy of a Prestigious Family - Chapter 185

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Reincarnated as a Legendary Talent Genius of a Noble Family Episode 185

 

123. Let’s Lure Them

 

The atmosphere was quite ominous from the entrance.

 

Instead of guards who should have been at their posts, someone wearing priest-like robes stood blocking our way.

 

“Are you travelers?”

 

“That’s right.”

 

His wary gaze was clearly visible, and something felt strange. Unlike Priscilla, I couldn’t sense anything from within, but there’s such a thing as atmosphere.

 

Glancing over the ‘guard’s’ shoulder, the scene inside looked even more suspicious up close.

 

I could see several people dressed in similar priest robes moving around in groups, suddenly barging into houses.

 

“For what purpose are you visiting the Eliba Marquessate?”

 

It’s routine for guards to ask about the purpose of visits, nothing strange about that at all.

 

But when someone who doesn’t look like a guard asks such questions while full of suspicion, that’s a different story.

 

“We need food and hay for our journey.”

 

“Hmm… Is lodging your purpose?”

 

“No, it’s not. We’re just stopping by briefly.”

 

Eyes that showed distaste for outsiders.

 

The Eliba Marquessate shouldn’t be a place that shuns people like this.

 

Now that I looked, Priscilla wasn’t wearing the bracelet that proved she was from the Empire’s Holy Church.

 

So a thought suddenly occurred to me…

 

“Then wait a moment. For hay, go to the inn that’s just a short walk west from the central square.”

 

Could these fellows be…

 

“I’ll warn you in advance – don’t get involved in the affairs inside the marquessate and leave quietly.”

 

Could this be what Delward mentioned?

 

Priscilla sensed something strange, there were groups of people in priest robes moving around together, and someone who wasn’t a guard was being wary of outsiders.

 

Then something was happening inside, and that something was…

 

“Don’t tell me these guys… are from the Trillion Cult.”

 

This was what Priscilla said as soon as we passed through safely and moved away from the guard.

 

“Trillion Cult?”

 

“There are religions that the Empire’s Holy Church intensively monitors and manages. This is one of them. Officially they’ve all disappeared, but there are still remnants.”

 

Priscilla continued with an extremely displeased expression.

 

“I suspected it when I heard what Leila’s Little Brother said earlier… These damn bastards, really.”

 

Priscilla gritted her teeth.

 

Had she suffered a lot because of them?

 

“Religion, yes. I may be talkative and the Empire’s Holy Church may be full of perverted old men in the Grand Temple, but I have nothing to say about that… but these sons of bitches are really not okay.”

 

“What kind of people are they?”

 

“Trash who believe that if they sacrifice 10,000 children, a demon god will descend and save them.”

 

I was speechless.

 

I don’t have much interest in religion.

 

I don’t deny the existence of God as represented by divine power, but I’m not a fervent supporter either.

 

But doing ridiculous things in the name of religion…

 

“I need to report this to the Grand Temple.”

 

Priscilla seemed quite angry right now.

 

Though Priscilla’s appearance doesn’t match the Theology Department, that’s just her personality…

 

She’s actually someone with the warmth befitting a priest.

 

Such a person was truly angry right now.

 

So I needed to calm her down a bit.

 

“Priscilla, our purpose aside, calm down first. This is enemy territory. There are two of us, and there could be hundreds, maybe thousands of them.”

 

A perfectly normal marquessate was now full of people in priest robes everywhere.

 

I don’t know how this came about, but there’s no reason to draw attention by acting strangely.

 

“…You’re right. But these guys are really…”

 

Priscilla trembled while clenching her fists tightly.

 

“I’ve seen it before. When I was a freshman, I went to serve at the Grand Temple… I saw how some small territory controlled by these guys became hell… and the children… the children…”

 

Priscilla couldn’t continue her words.

 

Right, so they’re that kind of people.

 

I thought of our companions who would be waiting for us and setting up camp not far away.

 

“Let’s get the hay first.”

 

“But, Dane.”

 

“Priscilla.”

 

I shook my head.

 

“Let’s remember our purpose first.”

 

“…Phew. Right, you’re correct. We’re going to get materials to cure Leila’s Mother’s illness right now…”

 

Priscilla looked regretful.

 

As a priest of the Empire’s Holy Church, as a cleric, and as someone from the Theology Department, she couldn’t tolerate the existence of these Trillion Cult people.

 

I agree with that too.

 

However, we can’t just move recklessly.

 

So I suggested.

 

“And let’s take a look around once.”

 

Priscilla’s expression brightened immediately as my words continued.

 

“Huh? Take a look around?”

 

“Right. For now. After getting the hay first.”

 

I looked around.

 

Even roughly estimating, there were hundreds or more heretics.

 

Going to war with them would be insane.

 

There are many aspects to consider.

 

Of course, I’m confident we could win in a fight using force.

 

However, there’s no need to fight everyone.

 

We moved to get hay first.

 

And on the way, we witnessed various scenes.

 

“P-please spare us! There are no children in our house! They already died of illness before…”

 

“Then you must offer wealth equivalent to that! Drag them out! How dare they not show even minimal sincerity to God!”

 

Those who had no young children to offer as tribute and no wealth to spare were being dragged away-

 

“Everyone throw stones at that person! It’s the crime of trying to hide a child meant to be offered to God!”

 

“Die!”

 

“Aim for the head!”

 

When we entered the central square, we also witnessed someone tied to a pillar being pelted with stones.

 

Honestly, I was speechless.

 

This was madness.

 

Collective madness at that.

 

“The Empire should have noticed this beforehand.”

 

An entire marquessate had become a den of heretics.

 

Yet it’s strange that they don’t know about this.

 

Even if it’s a border marquessate with less attention from the central government, at least someone should have escaped to spread the news.

 

“What makes the Trillion Cult scary and vicious isn’t simply wanting demon god descent or sacrificing children.”

 

I was wondering how this happened when Priscilla explained.

 

“It’s their control. They start secretly from the bottom. First, they spread doctrine to the poor using money and food as bait. Then to people who can barely make a living, then to the wealthy in the area, then to the ruling class… They infiltrate step by step. Packaging it with sweet words, flattery, and money.”

 

Priscilla sighed.

 

“Since they start controlling and taking over from below, even if you eliminate the leader, it takes quite a long time for people to escape. The rest of the people are already brainwashed.”

 

I had seen this in my previous life too.

 

Chaos inevitably occurs during wartime, and in that process, so-called baseless religions commonly spring up everywhere.

 

Taking advantage of chaos to deceive people.

 

“It’ll be difficult then.”

 

“It will be difficult. Even if the Imperial Army comes. But we can’t just leave it alone since it’ll affect other places too.”

 

In the end, what we can do isn’t directly confronting the heretics.

 

“Tell me more about those bastards. You said they do that to children while they’re still alive? What’s the method and timing?”

 

“The method is as I said earlier, and the timing is… from what I know, once a week?”

 

I muttered while looking at a stable that happened to catch my eye.

 

“Let’s get hay first.”

 

As we approached the stable without lowering our guard, more eyes began following us.

 

Everyone was wearing priest robes and crying out to God, while only we were dressed as travelers.

 

On top of that-

 

“Two guys are tailing us.”

 

“Guys tailing us?”

 

“I told you. Nothing leaked to the outside.”

 

“…”

 

The affairs of the marquessate hadn’t been revealed to the outside yet.

 

That means even travelers like us couldn’t leave once they entered.

 

The two fellows following us now must be the ones meant to make us like that.

 

Right, rather than arousing suspicion by refusing, they let people in and then eliminate them without anyone knowing.

 

“Pretend not to notice and walk naturally.”

 

But it doesn’t matter.

 

If this place felt like a death trap, I would never have entered.

 

I came in because I’m confident I can escape.

 

That’s the only reason I entered.

 

“Could I buy some hay?”

 

When I approached the stable keeper and asked, he showed an irritated reaction.

 

“An outsider?”

 

“We’re just passing travelers. We happened to run out of hay to feed our horses.”

 

“Hmm…”

 

He looked me up and down, then readily nodded his head.

 

“Very well. It couldn’t have been easy for an outsider to get in.”

 

“They still let us in though. On the condition we leave quickly.”

 

“On the condition you leave quickly…”

 

His meaningful expression confirmed my suspicions.

 

Travelers can’t leave once they enter.

 

Of course, I pretended not to know, gathered the hay, paid for it, and went back out to the street with Priscilla.

 

“Now that we’ve gotten hay too, what we need to do is decided.”

 

“Huh?”

 

“Let’s save the children first.”

 

“Ah…!”

 

We can’t deal with the heretics.

 

The situation of the marquessate being occupied by heretics is unfortunate, but how far can we really go against those who are already brainwashed?

 

We have things we need to do.

 

But in the meantime, if I utilize this brief time, I should be able to do other things.

 

“We’ll leave the rest to the Holy Church and the Imperial Army.”

 

Since we can’t just pass by completely, Priscilla will report to the Holy Church and I’ll report to the Imperial Palace.

 

Then the rest will either be resolved or not, depending on their judgment.

 

We’ll know when we see.

 

This feels like I’m throwing another task at His Highness the Prince.

 

“Saving the children first… I feel a bit ashamed?”

 

I chuckled at Priscilla’s words.

 

“Let’s just do what we can.”

 

It’s not that I lack compassion.

 

Soldiers aren’t the only victims of war.

 

Women, elderly, children.

 

Among them, children suffer the most.

 

I too…

 

Was one of the war orphans.

 

So I know well how terrifying it must be for children who lost their parents, children left alone, children who must tremble under swords and spears.

 

Of course, I don’t want to reveal this and move emotionally.

 

“First, we need to quickly search places where children might be.”

 

“What about after we find them? Actually, what to do after rescuing them is more of a problem.”

 

“There’s a way for that.”

 

I recalled the map I had seen on the way here.

 

There’s a territory about two days away.

 

I don’t know the situation there well, but at least it’s not a place that would be taken over by heretics.

 

If Drenik crosses the mountain range, it’s strong enough land that they’d have to turn back without being able to pass that territory.

 

It’s the County of Gangpar, where someone I fought with on the battlefield serves as the lord.

 

“I’ll need to contact the Imperial Palace later.”

 

“…Aren’t you using the Imperial Palace too freely?”

 

Am I?

 

Well, it might feel that way, but… the matter is serious.

 

Come to think of it, directly contacting His Highness the Prince like this to ask for work isn’t exactly common.

 

It’s thanks to having a good friend, isn’t it?

 

“I’ll contact the Imperial Palace to explain the situation, get approval, then have troops dispatched urgently from County of Gangpar to this marquessate.”

 

“I see.”

 

“And we’ll entrust the children to our friends. They have to go toward County of Gangpar anyway.”

 

“Right. Killing two birds with one stone?”

 

“Yeah. Those four should be able to control and take the children. We’ll join them a bit later.”

 

“Good plan.”

 

So after quick contact, we need to locate the children.

 

“Oh, and from what those guys said earlier… there seems to be a resistance force.”

 

The existing Imperial Holy Church knights and priests.

 

I naturally thought they’d all been killed by the Trillion Church, but apparently not.

 

“I felt it a bit too.”

 

Priscilla nodded, having already detected fellow Holy Church members.

 

“We should join forces with those people too.”

 

“Good idea.”

 

We’ll need to check their condition, but they’ll probably be a big help when escaping.

 

“Then I’ll look for those people later, but let’s find out the children’s location first.”

 

“Alright.”

 

So the way to find out is still-

 

“Let’s lure them. Into an alley.”

 

We’ll lightly educate the guys following us.

 

In a quite physical manner, that is.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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