The Life of a Wise Cult Leader - Chapter 112

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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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Fire

“What’s so surprising about that.”

Erendor wore a mischievous smile and didn’t turn his head.

As if there was an invisible line drawn between the two.

“Yeah… You acting impulsively has always been the norm… But still, you’re being too kind to the Ascetic…”

Tuba’s characteristic drawling voice closely pursued Erendor.

“It’s natural to be kind since we’re friends. And I’m kind to most people, aren’t I?”

Erendor answered curtly, making excuses. Tuba thought it was pointless to ask him more and took a step back.

“…If that’s how you’re going to be… I have nothing more to say.”

Erendor rolled his eyes as if he was hearing nonsense and tried to leave. Tuba’s thick, low voice echoed through the alley.

“However… if it brings harm to Harmony… I won’t forgive you.”

“…That won’t happen. I like Harmony too. I have business with the Boss. I’ll stay with Harmony until I surpass the Boss.”

“You’re still spouting that ridiculous talk about surpassing the Boss…”

Tuba spoke with a hearty laugh.

“Soon it won’t be ridiculous talk anymore, will it?”

Tuba laughed lowly. It was the voice of a terrifying villain from a fairy tale laughing.

“I hope that happens…”

The conversation was over. Apparently, these two men were more confident in fighting than talking, and when something happened, they preferred to solve it with their own strength.

Between them, conversation was useless. The strong one achieves their will. That was all.

Step, step.

They headed toward the street that was as bright as day even though it was midnight.

*

I sat at the long table, resting my chin on my hand, barely holding back my desire to doze off.

“We must discipline the commoners…”

“Heretics are swarming.”

“Since they lack faith, let’s raise taxes so they can offer more to Lord Lumensia! We’re short on gold and the sacred paintings are wavering, didn’t we hire people again on purpose?”

“It’s all because the commoners can’t see ahead and their faith in Lord Lumensia has declined.”

“At this rate, if we get invaded by monsters like Senta, the economy might collapse.”

“Hahaha, what are you worrying about, Bishop. The great Saint will quickly go and defeat them.”

Hmm~ Today’s meeting is also a mess.

I just ignored the subtle jabs at me without saying anything. When the desired reaction didn’t come, the Cardinal quietly clicked his tongue and continued his routine with someone who would play along.

‘Today’s meeting is really boring… I want to flip this table. Why do I have to attend meetings even after coming to another world.’

The duties I must participate in as a Saint include not only confession and meeting nobles to unite them, but also participating in various meetings and work of the Central Church.

If I were just a figurehead Saint, I could live leisurely without working, but I’m someone who must secure and protect this position.

That meant I had to attend even these damn useless meetings that only waste time.

‘At least I don’t have to take meeting minutes, I suppose that’s fortunate.’

Last time I established discipline in the Central Church through the appointment ceremony, but since I went on a long business trip to Senta and came back with serious injuries, it seems the anti-Saint faction has risen in various ways.

For an anti-Saint faction to emerge in the meantime, they’re like summer insects swarming in the heat.

If such an anti-Saint faction grows stronger and pulls me down from the Saint position, it would certainly make my future work difficult.

‘There’s no need to create trouble in the meeting… I can solidify my position through this Sunrise Festival.’

If an emergency situation ‘coincidentally’ occurs during the Sunrise Festival and I cleanly resolve it, the anti-Saint faction would be suppressed, at least temporarily.

‘In the future, I need to go to the Demon Realm to meet the Demon King… It would be better to strengthen internal affairs.’

Since I’ll be traveling around more than staying in the Empire from now on, it would be good to thoroughly manage my stronghold.

“If we raise taxes again at a time like this, the citizens’ backlash will…”

“It’s an offering to Lord Lumensia, who would dare oppose that?”

“Right, that would make them heretics.”

This hopeless meeting showed no signs of ending.

Even if it’s a symbolic Central Church meeting held during the Sunrise Festival, to have such a blatant time-wasting meeting. The corruption of the Central Church brings tears to my eyes.

And I’m a cult parasite living off that corrupt Central Church. Nom nom. It’s really delicious.

Even if it continues to corrupt and rot, it would benefit me. It would serve as a contrast to elevate me further.

‘Eon… Cardil…’

However, Eon who seems devoted to burying his bones in the Central Church, and Cardil who pretends otherwise but has a love-hate relationship with the Central Church, have been weighing on my mind.

Cardil was someone I saw early on after becoming Sernuan Lumiere, so I felt affection for him. He was even a notable NPC.

I can’t compare him to Kalebrin who follows me around like a chick, but I do care about him in my own way.

Eon is… The kid is so agreeable, straightforward, sociable, and pure that I worry whether he might get backstabbed like me, whether he might get hurt in this dirty and sordid world.

But that was the extent of my character.

‘Preventing Central Church corruption for those two doesn’t add up cost-wise.’

Rather than the effort and time it would take to make the Central Church function properly, it would be faster for me to break away as a Central Church faction and establish a new religion.

I was already thinking along those lines anyway.

‘Hmm.’

Still, since they’re kids I care about, maybe I should put in a little effort.

‘I’ll leave the corruption alone, but only prevent what would harm them.’

While they were discussing raising taxes, I kept my mouth shut and just smiled. Even sitting still like a doll, no one spoke to me.

It was silent pressure telling someone who became Saint through ability alone to stay out.

During the appointment ceremony, the high bishops and Cardinals who praised me and were eager to curry favor with me are acting like this after I went on one business trip – it’s absurd.

Suspiciously so.

‘There must have been someone stirring things up. It’s obvious without looking…’

“The lower priests aren’t preaching properly, so the believers have become lax because of that.”

“Then it would be good to discipline the lower priests starting with the Sunrise Festival. If they can’t donate a certain amount to the temple, don’t give the priests food or water. If the priests starve first and lead by example, they’ll realize their mistakes.”

“That… some regions can barely afford temple maintenance costs.”

“That must be because the lower priests and bishops are incompetent. I hear many reports of them doing unprofitable volunteer work… In such cases, take away the priests’ and bishops’ dignity maintenance fees to operate.”

“That’s right. The lower ones should show sacrifice first.”

No! Our Cardil and Eon’s livelihood!

I smoothly interjected.

“That would be problematic.”

The meeting hall instantly fell into silence. Dozens of eyes looked at me through the white veil I wore.

“…What did you say? Saint, please say that again.”

I can see the bishop gritting his teeth.

‘I tried to step in a bit for Eon and Cardil, but you’re coming at me in serious mode? I was going to stay quiet this time, but if it’s like this, I’ll fight too?’

That person is an old bishop who later rose to Cardinal candidate.

He also has solid connections with nobles and has built up a lot of trust within the Central Church as a veteran.

But right now, I hold the Saint position.

Even Cardinals can’t stand against me, yet a Cardinal candidate is acting up like this – it seems like it’s time to establish discipline a bit early.

Since I’ve been quiet, they seem to think I’m a pushover. I need to show them their place.

I spoke with dignity.

“I said there’s a problem with what was just said. Lower priests should starve? If they starve, the people will only hear hungry sermons. God’s words don’t come from famished voices. Should the justification for maintaining God’s house be built upon hunger?”

The person who had been collaborating with the Cardinal candidate spoke up.

“However…! If temple maintenance is difficult, someone must sacrifice…”

“Did you say sacrifice? Then shouldn’t those in power reduce themselves first? Cutting dignity maintenance fees and stopping lavish banquets and waste – that is true sacrifice. Lower priests are the ones who get covered in dust beside the people, crying and praying together with them. If we starve and beat them, faith could collapse at any time.”

Heh heh. You dare challenge me to a war of words when I rose to cult leader with rhetoric alone?

“Saint, this is content that came from our deliberation. Are you trying to shake our decisions with this kind of unilateral action?”

Once the Sunrise Festival is over, you won’t even be able to speak to me. That bastard who ground his manners into crab shells really wags his three-inch tongue well.

This isn’t about Eon and Cardil’s problem. If I swallow my pride and let this pass here, they’ll definitely bother me even after I establish discipline later.

And I had an intuitive feeling that Cardinal candidate would definitely become troublesome.

I hardened my expression behind the veil and scolded them with a cold voice unlike usual.

“Shake? No. I’m correcting it. The religious order isn’t an army that commands from top to bottom, but one flock standing before God together. Priests are those who relieve believers’ hunger and show the way forward, not sinners who should starve and collapse in darkness. I declare before God. If we don’t improve the treatment of priests and bishops here today, we no longer have the right to call anything ‘God’s will’ to the people.”

Everyone fell into silence. I could feel the rippling tension. I pushed back my veil with one hand.

They were either bowing their heads or looking elsewhere to avoid my gaze.

“Do not distort God’s teachings or the will of the Central Church. How can a starving Priest preach Divine Mercy to the Citizens? God did not command us to punish Priests. Rather, He told us to eat with the lowly and weep with them. When Priests and Bishops go hungry, the Sermons that come from their mouths can no longer be God’s word. They become nothing but illusions packaging the desires of those in power.”

“What…! That’s, that’s preposterous. We never said such things.”

“If the Religious Order exploits the weak by selling God’s name, that sin will someday be revealed before God. So here today, treat the Priests properly. That is God’s will, and the path the Central Church must truly show the Citizens.”

Time to wrap this up. This should be enough.

“Of course, I’m sure you didn’t speak with such impious thoughts. It seems I spoke to you all too much like I was bestowing teachings upon you. Please forgive me.”

When I spoke inclusively, they frantically began to salvage their words.

“No, no. Saint.”

“We’re grateful that you gave us teachings instead.”

I smiled brightly.

“Thank you for listening to my words without misunderstanding them. Then shall we summarize the meeting contents one last time and finish?”

“That sounds good.”

“Yes, let’s do that.”

*

Two figures prostrated themselves before the Widow.

They were Subordinates who moved like the Widow’s hands and feet.

“During this commotion, eliminate the Sorceress, Kalebrin.”

They nodded and disappeared, melting into the Shadows just as they had arrived.

The Widow watched where they had vanished, then sat back down at her Office desk and began her work.

Calmly, as if nothing had happened.

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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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