The Life of a Wise Cult Leader - Chapter 145

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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 145

 

I briefly stopped by the mansion to take care of some business, then a few hours later, I visited Cardil’s healing center as promised.

 

However, I didn’t go alone.

 

“Wow~ It’s been a while since I’ve been here!”

 

Yelena, whom I hadn’t been able to see during my travels, was there too.

 

“Mmm, oh, long time… Cel, it’s been a long time too…”

 

Kalebrin was there as well.

 

“Indeed, it’s been a while. You haven’t had any inconveniences, have you?”

 

Yeah… Eon took good care of me.”

 

“Eon is a good child, after all.”

 

Kalebrin nodded as if agreeing. Erendor, the tall and broad-shouldered man standing behind Kalebrin, scratched his nose.

 

“Don’t I get a welcome?”

 

“Brother Erendor, it’s been a long time as well. You’ve been getting along well with Sister Kalebrin, haven’t you?”

 

“It was fine except for living with mysterious purple smoke, lizards and frogs, and unidentified eyeballs.”

 

“I see. That must have been interesting.”

 

Erendor looked at me as if I were absurd, but that wasn’t my concern.

 

Cardil greeted us with a face that looked half-dead from exhaustion.

 

“Bishop Cardil! It’s been so long~”

 

Yelena, who had the most normal social skills among us, cheerfully greeted Cardil.

 

Yelena grabbed Cardil’s hand and shook it vigorously while rummaging through her back pocket, then pressed something into Cardil’s hand.

 

“A gift!”

 

Cardil opened his hand with a tired expression. When his thin, bony hand opened, there was a small box inside.

 

“What is it?”

 

“Something to eat simply during this trip… Like a tonic?”

 

“Miss, isn’t that the mana crystal I gave you at the World Tree?”

 

“Shh!”

 

Erendor just shrugged his shoulders. Then he joked with Cardil.

 

“She packaged it and I brought it, so it’s my gift too.”

 

Cardil looked unenthusiastic.

 

“Ah, yes. Thank you for the gift.”

 

Cardil’s medical center was already bustling with patients from early morning. Thanks to the support funds I had sent, it seemed to have finally found some breathing room, overflowing with busy vitality instead of the previous atmosphere of despair.

 

“Then Brother Cardil, could you guide us to a place where we can have a quiet conversation?”

 

We entered the office. I sat down and looked around at everyone’s faces as I spoke.

 

“Well, everyone has gathered. There are still some who haven’t been able to come yet, but since everyone is busy, I thought we’d do light self-introductions. Would that be alright?”

 

“Sounds good!”

 

Celestia answered lightly.

 

“Some of you may already know each other, but this is Miss Celestia Evergrace, the next Magic Tower master of the Magic Tower.”

 

“Nice to meet you! To think you’re people who help my god, what an honor! Let’s work well together!”

 

“Aren’t you the head of House Evergrace?”

 

“I’m working both positions. I’ve been striving to dedicate House Evergrace to my god. I hope you all won’t disappoint the Ascetic either.”

 

Everyone shut their mouths tight at those words tinged with strange madness. A wave of regret washed over them, wondering if they shouldn’t have put Celestia first in the order…

 

Just then, the candle suddenly went out. The office became pitch black with only faint light coming through the window.

 

“Oh my, where did that wind come from?”

 

When Celestia snapped her fingers to relight the candle, Tuba was already sitting in the empty seat. I should ask later how he moves around so quickly like that.

 

“Welcome, Brother Tuba. Did you come to deliver news about the test?”

 

“…Yeah.”

 

“What’s the result?”

 

“You passed. Welcome to being a temporary member of Harmony… but I hope you won’t do anything foolish…. I don’t want to kill you with my own hands….”

 

Tuba is such a tsundere~ Anyway, he’s saying he doesn’t want to kill me, right? Hahaha.

 

Unlike me who brushed it off like that, Celestia seemed bothered by those words.

 

“What a foul-mouthed person~ Ascetic. Are we really going to the Demon Realm with someone like that?”

 

“It’s not just his mouth that’s foul…. Would you like to confirm that personally…?”

 

“If you want, I could give it a try.”

 

Their hostility toward each other began to boil over.

 

The party members are already clashing. I looked steadily at Celestia sitting next to me and calmed her down.

 

“Now, since we’ll be working together from now on…. I’d like you to get along well. The Demon Realm is a dangerous place…. If you don’t want each other’s limbs cut off, it would be best to cooperate well.”

 

“….”

 

“Yes, my god!”

 

“Now, let’s do introductions again. Brother Tuba? I’d like you to introduce yourself representing Harmony.”

 

Tuba took off his robe hood looking annoyed.

 

“I’m Tuba from the mercenary group Harmony…. Don’t bother talking to me unnecessarily…. I don’t want to get friendly.”

 

“Hey, that’s my line.”

 

“I’m only temporarily accompanying you to the Demon Realm because of future plans with the Ascetic…. Even if you ask for help, I won’t give it….”

 

“I wasn’t planning to ask for your help anyway.”

 

“Hey, Tuba. Am I still under orders from the Boss to keep protecting the Sorceress Lady?”

 

“Yeah….”

 

I asked for an explanation about Harmony, but instead of an explanation, I only heard bad reviews.

 

“Hmm, I’m Inquisitor Yelena. My main weapon is a halberd! I mainly operate at close range!”

 

“Do we need to talk about positions too? I’m Erendor. I belong to the Harmony Mercenary Group and for now I’m assigned to guard this Sorceress Lady. My main weapons are a greatsword and spirit magic…. Should I say more?”

 

“I, I’m…. a sorceress…. Ka, Kalebrin… pl, pl, please take care of me….”

 

Aww~ Our Kalebrin speaks so neatly and cutely.

 

I looked at Kalebrin as if looking at a younger cousin.

 

“Cardil. It probably won’t be necessary since the Ascetic is here, but I can use healing magic. I’m a mage…. I’m tired so I want to finish this quickly and get some sleep.”

 

“Then since we’re all gathered, let me quickly inform you about this project again.”

 

Ife wriggled out from my wrist. Behind Erendor, an Ifrit quietly emerged and played with Ife who was crawling on the table, giggling together.

 

“We’re going to the Demon Realm to meet the Demon King and retrieve the sacred relic that should be in the Demon Realm.”

 

This much was already information I’d shared with everyone.

 

“Ultimately, we’re going to break the Widow who’s interfering with us and render God Lumensia incapacitated by sealing or killing her.”

 

Cardil’s eyes blinked.

 

“Excuse me?”

 

“Lord Mage, is this your first time hearing about this?”

 

“Actually, it’s almost my first time hearing about it too~”

 

Celestia also answered.

 

“But I’m ready to follow whatever the Ascetic does!”

 

Erendor held his tongue. Cardil waved his hands frantically.

 

“Wait a minute… I’ve never heard of this. You’re going to kill Lumensia? Aren’t you his Saint?”

 

“This is quite… you were a devout Central Church Priest…”

 

Bishop.

 

However, Cardil seemed quite shocked by the summary I had given, too much so to correct the mistake of addressing him one rank lower.

 

But since it would be bothersome to repeat what happened last time twice.

 

I persuaded him simply once again.

 

“The war breaking out, this world being filled with such suffering – it’s all Lumensia’s fault. Lumensia is a traitor who made a deal with demons and sold this world to them. I am a vessel of the Forgotten Gods created to stop him.”

 

Cardil seemed to give up on thinking or something, staring blankly before nodding his head.

 

“Ah… Yes. I see. Why am I here? I’m just going to go see the patients.”

 

Cardil stood up from his chair with a face worn by fatigue. It was the perfect posture of ‘exit’ – he couldn’t stay in this den of madmen any longer.

 

Ahhhhh wait! No, you definitely said you’d come with us before!

 

“Wait, Brother Cardil. Didn’t you agree to go to the Demon Realm together just a few hours ago?”

 

I caught Cardil again. Given the martial arts I had seen a few hours ago, recruiting Cardil would definitely be a good choice for the future.

 

My calm voice stopped his feet. He turned his head irritably.

 

“That was to treat those in the Demon Realm and lessen my sins. I had to repent as both victim and perpetrator, but killing a god, sealing him… that’s beyond what I can handle. I’m just a doctor to begin with, not someone who… kills gods. I don’t have the ability to get involved in such absurd plans, nor do I have the time.”

 

“Yes. Brother… you are a doctor. And you were a ‘war medic.'”

 

“What does that suddenly have to do with…”

 

Cardil’s eyes narrowed.

 

“You must have treated countless soldiers on the battlefield. All night long, putting your hands into their entrails to stop bleeding, stitching limbs back together.”

 

“… .”

 

“But… when you saved one person and sent them back, the ‘enemy’ killed two and sent them back. No matter how desperately you saved patients… as long as the ‘war’ itself doesn’t end, patients will only increase forever, and exponentially.”

 

Cardil’s fist clenched white. That must have been the source of the ‘helplessness’ he felt every day on the battlefield, and now at this healing center.

 

I calmly persuaded Cardil again. My twisted other consciousness wondered if I really needed to go this far to persuade Cardil, but…

 

‘Wouldn’t it be good if I could take along an original game character who was mysterious here?’

 

His abilities were good too. If Celestia took him as a disciple like that, he would get even better.

 

If I were to retire temporarily, a sub-healer would be necessary too.

 

I continued persuading.

 

“You are now… operating a field hospital in the middle of this giant ‘battlefield’ called the world. Patients keep flooding in. The ‘support funds’ you received… only let you buy a few more bandages.”

 

I looked straight at him and wagged my silver tongue.

 

“Lumensia is that very ‘war’ itself.”

 

“… .”

 

“I’m not… going to kill a god, Brother Cardil.”

 

I smiled the most ‘Saint’-like, yet most ‘medic’-like smile.

 

“I’m going to ‘end’ this hellish ‘war’.”

 

“… .”

 

Cardil remained silent.

 

“To save people, we need to eliminate what keeps constantly hurting them.”

 

If you look at how Nightingale managed to save so many people, you’d understand how important it is to change the top leadership.

 

“Will you continue staying in this field hospital… patching up the symptoms of the endless stream of patients? Or will you come with me… to the enemy’s command headquarters that started this war and crush the enemy’s head to end this war?”

 

Everyone in the room held their breath and looked at Cardil. Even Tuba was watching this way with interest from within his robe.

 

Cardil pressed his throbbing temples firmly.

 

“Damn it.”

 

He slumped back into his chair.

 

“Why did I… get entangled with someone like you…”

 

He muttered as if giving up.

 

“Well, fine. Anyway… I know that no matter how much I treat patients, if the war doesn’t end… it’s all meaningless and futile in the end.”

 

“If we’d dragged it out longer, it would have gotten boring.”

 

Erendor said. It was fortunate the persuasion ended early.

 

Otherwise, Cardil might have been cut down by Erendor’s great sword, and then it would be ‘Alright! Now let’s just go by ourselves! Do we really need to include someone like that?’

 

“So, what do we need to do?”

 

“We need special equipment to go to the Demon Realm. We need devices to prevent demonic contamination when facing the Demon King… Miss Celestia and I plan to research together at the Magic Tower and distribute them to all of you.”

 

“Didn’t the Widow agree to provide them?”

 

“Because I can’t trust that.”

 

“Still, wouldn’t the Widow cooperate with you for the most part?”

 

“I might survive demonic contamination, but I don’t want to lose all of you meaninglessly due to flimsy protection. The more thorough our preparations, the better.”

 

“Hmm.”

 

Erendor seemed convinced and fell quiet, crossing his arms.

 

“Sister Calebrin and Brother Erendor can focus on research as before.”

 

“Yes…! I’m w-working h-hard on it.”

 

“Yelena, you can go receive the item from Brother Antonio. After that, I’ll leave you to act freely.”

 

“Yes. You mean that communication device, right?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Don’t I need to prepare anything for the Demon Realm or other things?”

 

“That’s because you’ll be traveling with Brother Tuba and we’ll handle it together. For now, Brother Cardil should also focus on cultivating martial arts.”

 

Despite steeling his resolve, Cardil seemed confused that he wasn’t being asked to do much more than expected.

 

“Brother Tuba, there’s a place we need to visit together, so let’s go.”

 

“Hmm…?”

 

“There’s something we need to do in advance to seal Lumensia.”

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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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