The Life of a Wise Cult Leader - Chapter 134

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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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Chapter 134

 

“I’m a virtuous Imperial religious person.”

 

When I said this with a smile in my eyes, Erendor let out a “hah” sound and laughed as if he found it absurd.

 

“You are indeed a virtuous Imperial religious person. If our Ascetic isn’t virtuous, then who would be?”

 

Yelena took my side. That’s Yelena for you!

 

“Usually virtuous people don’t kill others though.”

 

Erendor challenged me.

 

“I’ve never killed anyone.”

 

“I heard there was someone who became a tree. And some Noble got caught up in terrorism and went missing…”

 

“The one who became a tree simply received their due punishment, but there’s nothing seriously wrong with their life. As for the Noble going missing… Hmm, I wonder why? I’m not sure. I was busy with damage recovery at the time.”

 

“I didn’t mention which Noble got caught up in what terrorism, but our Friend knows the details quite well.”

 

“Knowing everyone’s suffering is naturally what an Ascetic should do.”

 

“Beating around the bush isn’t my hobby. Let me ask directly. They say you’re a vessel that performed Necromancy on the Forgotten Gods, so who is it that’s currently filling this body?”

 

Hmm~

 

I delayed my answer while maintaining my smile. Erendor still didn’t lose his cheerful smile, but behind that laughter was a chilling feeling as if he might cut me down at any moment.

 

“I need to know that to be able to cooperate.”

 

“Wait.”

 

Tuba interrupted.

 

“This matter requires permission from the Commander… Don’t try to cooperate with the Ascetic on your own.”

 

“I didn’t say I would cooperate.”

 

“You didn’t say you wouldn’t either… Don’t play word games, Crotal… Not if you don’t want to be Tuned.”

 

Tuba spoke menacingly.

 

“You may tell the Commander about all these facts. If I just pass the temporary test, we’ll be allies anyway.”

 

Tuba said nothing. Erendor asked again.

 

“Either way, my question remains the same. I need to know what our Friend’s identity is. That way I can decide whether to cooperate or not later. For all I know, you could be some unknown monster parasiting a Human body, planning to devour the Empire and betray us to destroy the World, right?”

 

You bastard, you said you saw me as a Friend but you were imagining such horrible and heinous things!?

 

You even think of me as some unknown creature parasiting a Human body!?

 

But honestly, it’s not a completely impossible theory. I would have asked the same thing if I were him.

 

Tuba made an expression like ‘You could actually say something like that?’

 

“Oh… That’s really an unexpected novel scenario.”

 

That was Yelena’s lukewarm review. Kalebrin giggled.

 

“No! The Ascetic isn’t that kind of, that kind of villain!”

 

“Exactly. I want to believe that too, so please reveal your identity~ is what I’m saying.”

 

“As I said, I’m merely a virtuous religious person of the Empire. I’m Sernuan Lumiere, who was previously used by the Widow as a sacrifice to perform Necromancy on a God.”

 

Erendor spoke again as if that wasn’t the answer he wanted.

 

“Viola would know well that what’s inside there isn’t particularly friendly toward Humans. Ah, if only you had seen that scene back then, you’d understand my reaction. This is quite unfortunate.”

 

He’s probably referring to the ‘system’ that activated in emergency mode when Viola stabbed my neck.

 

I probably didn’t seem very Human-like back then. Of course, I don’t remember it well, but it must have looked bizarre to others.

 

But even if I asked like this, wasn’t what mattered to Erendor whether or not I could give him power, whether I could help with giving him power?

 

Is this question one that helps Erendor’s strength? It probably isn’t.

 

I rolled my eyes and then just answered calmly.

 

“I am a person. And I have no intention of making humans extinct or destroying the world.”

 

“When you say ‘human’ here, you mean the entire human species in the socially conventional sense, including the Demon Race, right?”

 

What the… This isn’t insurance terms and conditions.

 

“Yes. If you’re referring to beings that go beyond simply living animals, possessing reason and emotion, reflecting on themselves, and forming complex relationships as humans in the socially conventional sense, then that’s correct.”

 

Yelena made an ambiguous expression.

 

Why?? I thought I spoke well enough!

 

“I was trying to take your side, but if you speak like that, what does that make me?”

 

“Excuse me?”

 

“Erendor, anyway, the Ascetic isn’t that kind of person! Really. Well, he might not be human, but does that matter?”

 

“Excuse me? I am human though.”

 

“Oh, oh. Objectively speaking, you didn’t seem like a person. Sorry.”

 

“Where exactly? I thought I was quite human-like.”

 

“…This kind of behavior right here?”

 

I’m an ordinary, normal person but I’m not being treated like one. It’s not like I can say I’m from another world~

 

“I love this world. So I’ve made up my mind to protect this world. I hope you’ll at least believe that much.”

 

I love this world. That game was everything in my life.

 

The place I escaped to through gaming wasn’t heaven, but it at least served as a shelter that could block the rain.

 

“Alright. I understand that my friend isn’t trying to make humans extinct or destroy the world or brainwash groups to use them.”

 

Those are some scary qualifiers.

 

“Actually, even if you denied it and were secretly doing that, it wouldn’t really matter. If that were the case, you wouldn’t have given us this information. Why would you go through the trouble of asking for our help? You could just smash everything.”

 

“I have no such intention, nor do I want to.”

 

I shook my head back and forth, expressing my powerlessness. I’m weak enough to grovel even if I just got hit by Erendor’s sword.

 

“But aside from that, there’s something else I want to ask.”

 

“What is it?”

 

“You said you’re a vessel that performed necromancy on the Forgotten Gods, so does our friend use the abilities of those Forgotten Gods?”

 

This seemed to be what Erendor really wanted to ask from now on. Even his eyes looked different.

 

“Simply put, yes.”

 

“Hmm. How many Forgotten Gods are there?”

 

“Nine.”

 

Erendor seemed to be verifying facts he already knew with me.

 

“If you use the abilities of those Forgotten Gods, how many of their abilities can you use right now?”

 

I felt like my cards were being completely exposed and wanted to dodge as much as possible, but if I did that, Erendor and Tuba wouldn’t try to cooperate.

 

Furthermore, I wouldn’t be able to fully join hands with Harmony either. Anyway, when cooperating with Harmony’s boss, everything would be revealed. I have to tell them.

 

‘Whether Harmony has that much trust… they don’t, but still, I have the Demon King, so if push comes to shove, I can create a three-way power balance with Harmony-Demon King/me-Widow…’

 

“Right now I’ve brought power from roughly four gods. Purification, healing, defense, and darkness respectively.”

 

“Roughly?”

 

“It’s complicated to explain.”

 

“How did you say you could bring power? If you bring artifacts or sacred relics, can just anyone gain power?”

 

“No. Only I can.”

 

“Because you’re a vessel?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Is it possible to artificially create a vessel?”

 

Erendor seemed to want to use the power I was wielding himself.

 

Well, it’s unfortunate but…

 

“It’s impossible. …Maybe if you killed about 10,000 people, but then I might turn whoever did such a thing into a tree.”

 

Teacher also made quite an effort to create me. Not just 10,000 people but…

 

Forget it, it won’t happen again anyway, so let’s not think about it now. I feel like I’m going to vomit.

 

This was the first time I’d been stripped bare like this.

 

It must feel like walking down the street naked except for underwear.

 

I’d always hidden a few cards, desperately trying to gain the upper hand over opponents, preparing for betrayal and using my head in every way possible.

 

“I see. I don’t want to obtain it badly enough to go that far. All my curiosity has been satisfied, thanks friend.”

 

“Don’t mention it.”

 

Erendor said this while rummaging through the inner pocket of his outer garment.

 

“As a reward for answering well, I’ll give you this.”

 

He suddenly extended his large fist toward me. Then slowly opened his clenched fist.

 

“This is…”

 

In the middle of the large, scarred, thick flesh was a bright red gem. The thing emitting a strange light was…

 

“The Sage’s Stone. I received it from the Widow in exchange for watching you and killing you if necessary. I kept it because it was somewhat useful, but I think it would be more useful for our friend to have it?”

 

His veined hand clenched and unclenched as he fidgeted with the red stone.

 

The payment for trying to kill me was the Sage’s Stone, one of the sacred relics?

 

“I’ll gratefully accept it, but are you sure it’s okay to give me something so precious? You said you received it as payment for a deal.”

 

I glanced at Tuba. Tuba, who had her eyes drowsily open, didn’t seem to care much about what we were doing.

 

I thought she would prevent the item transfer since Erendor belonged to Harmony.

 

“The deal can be broken using various loopholes with spirits. At most, my eyes just ache occasionally.”

 

So if you have a spirit, you can twist deals using loopholes. Even deals made by Teacher…

 

Learning one more thing, I quietly took the gem from his hand.

 

“I think forming a friendly relationship with our friend is a better choice.”

 

“I think we’re already in a sufficiently friendly relationship.”

 

I didn’t expect Erendor to readily give me the ‘Sage’s Stone’.

 

While it’s convenient for mages to use, it should still be a useful item for Erendor too…?

 

“Really? Then let’s just say it’s a generous gift for a friend.”

 

Isn’t that gift too generous? This is one of those things you can’t buy even with money. There’s only one in the world! Of course, there are many fakes!

 

Erendor calls me friend, but that’s just a habit of speech. And I’ve never received gifts from friends!

 

I never even got anything from a secret Santa. All I ever received was unwanted worship and adoration that happened in that country house container!

 

‘Could it be…!’

 

Is Erendor making this choice because of the demonic sword?

 

“The demonic sword… I could give it to you, but I wouldn’t really recommend it. Everyone who has held it becomes a madman, and those who watch over it gradually go mad as well.”

 

“Hmm, shouldn’t we try grabbing it once and then think about it? I’ve been wanting to change weapons for a while now.”

 

“Crotal….”

 

Tuba, who was always quiet, stopped Erendor.

 

“My great sword got chipped. I guess I handled it too roughly during the last Dawn Festival performance~”

 

Erendor laughed heartily like a cheerful man. As expected, Erendor definitely gave me the Sage’s Stone because he wanted the demonic sword.

 

“I even gave you that stone fragment, so can’t I try holding the demonic sword once?”

 

“I don’t have the power to stop Brother. And I don’t want to create a situation where my Sisters get hurt from doing something unnecessary.”

 

“That’s too bad. I was really curious.”

 

Erendor just smacked his lips like that and cleanly gave up on getting the demonic sword from me.

 

‘He could give up this cleanly…?’

 

I was flustered and hurriedly said.

 

“Receiving even the Sage’s Stone makes me want to give Brother something in return. This is too big a gift and burdens me.”

 

“Just take it when I give it to you~”

 

“That’s right, Ascetic. Erendor just gave it as a gift.”

 

What? How can that be? Giving a gift without compensation?

 

Even birthday gifts – doesn’t everyone consider whether they gave me a gift on my last birthday before giving one? Harvest festival gifts also have to go both ways, housewarming gifts too, congratulatory money – there has to be give and take for there to be receiving.

 

Perhaps my flustered appearance showed, as Erendor also looked somewhat awkward and flustered as he scratched his cheek.

 

“Well, sometimes a friend needs something and if I have it, shouldn’t I give it to them?”

 

“Uh… Then I’ll gratefully accept it.”

 

“Yeah, it’s even better since you’ll put it to good use.”

 

The conversation ended cleanly like that. Kalebrin looked up at me again.

 

“So what, what should I, do…?”

 

I rolled my eyes for a moment before speaking.

 

“Sister, for now…”

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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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