The Life of a Wise Cult Leader - Chapter 157

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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 157

 

“Such a scheme…”

 

A high-ranking official of the Central Church crumpled the paper tightly, trembling with rage. Beside him, a serpent-like man placed a hand on his shoulder, patting him consolingly.

 

“Stay calm. This is not the time for us to be hasty.”

 

“How can this not be the time to be hasty when this is happening!”

 

“You must look at the bigger picture. Bishop…”

 

He spoke gently, as if soothing a child who had candy taken away.

 

“With this incident, the Saint has turned all those who harbor ill feelings toward the Demon Realm into enemies. The Empire has classified the Demon Realm as demons, so he could now become a heretic. A Saint becoming a heretic. Wouldn’t that be the most interesting story?”

 

“…The Banquet Hall’s position is that we should proceed with a ceasefire with the Demon Realm. If that bastard really brings back a ceasefire agreement, what will we do? The Banquet Hall will protect him!”

 

“Even if that happens, it doesn’t matter. If he brings back a ceasefire agreement, that would be even better. If that happens, our Empire will have withdrawn from all major wars. The Empire has seized wealth and resources through conquest wars, and if that stops… What do you think will happen?”

 

The thin, gaunt old Bishop with sunken cheeks grinned foolishly at the serpent-like man’s words.

 

“The Citizens will rebel! But the Banquet Hall will control them, so would that even work?”

 

“The Banquet Hall is ultimately an organization that moves ‘behind’ the Empire. Each individual in that Banquet Hall holds a threateningly high position, but compared to the Central Church that has ruled the Empire for ages… Well. Can they really control the Citizens?”

 

“I see…!”

 

“Given how things have turned out, isn’t it time to show the Citizens that the Central Church, not the Banquet Hall, is better suited to manage the Empire?”

 

“Then… The Banquet Hall that was protecting the Saint would also fall. This would be a chance to solve everything without lifting a finger.”

 

“If we want to put on a bigger performance, it would actually be more advantageous for us if the Saint concludes a ceasefire.”

 

Endless resources are showing their bottom. The Imperial Citizens who lived in abundance will run out of the generosity born from that abundance and drive immigrants and the weak onto the streets first.

 

Would the Saint really stand by and watch such a sight?

 

Until now, the orphanages and shelters under the Saint have been thriving, but as the Empire’s situation worsens, the Imperial Citizens will view giving resources to the weak like social parasites as an eyesore.

 

“If that happens, bringing down one Saint would be nothing.”

 

He smiled.

 

“Not only bringing down the Saint, but we could put that pure white face on the guillotine on heresy charges. We could watch that long hair get cut short.”

 

He recalled the Ascetic who had been so insufferably arrogant.

 

“Then the Banquet Hall protecting the Saint would also suffer a major blow, and the Central Church would bring peace to the Empire once again.”

 

He smiled sweetly at the Bishop, waiting only for the Saint to return with a ceasefire agreement.

 

“If that happens, the Pope’s position will be yours.”

 

He slyly placed his arm around the other’s neck, like a serpent constricting its prey.

 

“Bishop Valerius.”

 

Valerius, who had luckily secured a position in the Banquet Hall but lost his seat there after unilaterally sending away the Saint this time, smiled with satisfaction.

 

“You really are clever.”

 

“You flatter me.”

 

“But Eris, you… Since when have we been meeting like this?”

 

“….”

 

The one called Eris smiled brightly and patted him.

 

“Bishop Valerius, you’re being too much. I was the one who told you to set such a trap for the Saint.”

 

“Ah, was that so…”

 

“As for when we started meeting…”

 

Eris briefly fingered his brooch.

 

The brooch with a golden apple attached looked quite expensive at first glance. It was a gift that Valerius had personally bestowed upon him.

 

“Well. Since you started opposing the Saint?”

 

He smiled brightly.

 

*

 

Kalebrin and Erendor.

 

Kalebrin was continuing her research temporarily in the quarters the Demon King had temporarily provided. There were plenty of materials here that were even better than those in the Empire.

 

“Now, a question.”

 

Erendor squeaked his chair as he spoke to Kalebrin. Kalebrin, who was grinding some unknown lizard’s eyes, looked up.

 

“How can a human become a god?”

 

“…That, wh-when explaining the operation, Ce-Cel told us that. Why, are you asking?”

 

“Just reviewing, Sorceress Lady.”

 

Kalebrin spoke while slicing lizard tail at 2cm intervals.

 

“…Faith?”

 

“That’s the most basic requirement. And?”

 

“Power.”

 

“Right. That’s important. What else?”

 

“Wh-what else is ne-needed…? Cel… only said these things.”

 

“If that was all that was needed, everyone would become gods. That guy really does summarize when he talks. Now, think again. If you want to help him, you need to move with your own thoughts, not just follow orders.”

 

“Hmm…”

 

Kalebrin racked her brain.

 

“Laws…?”

 

“Correct~ The Forgotten Gods of old each had their own main specialty. Like professors with their majors at the Magic Tower. Lumensia was light among them, they say.”

 

“Then Cel is…”

 

“That needs to be established. From now on.”

 

Kalebrin almost blew up her cauldron while thinking about other things.

 

“It’s difficult… Bu-but Cel is a god of healing… isn’t that ri-right…?”

 

“Hmm. I wonder. I didn’t know the god of healing was the type to shoot light beams.”

 

‘That’s true…’

 

Kalebrin thought reluctantly.

 

The Cel in her memory would look down benevolently like a god of healing, seeming to watch over everyone, then wield tremendous power like his own limbs. And sometimes he couldn’t understand ordinary people and would have doubts.

 

He could be seen as quite different from the forgotten god of healing in many ways.

 

“And there’s one more thing.”

 

“There’s so much…”

 

Erendor watched Kalebrin stirring her cauldron with a grin.

 

“Writing mythology. Mythology for the god to be. Can there be a god without mythology? Even Lumensia has countless stories as mythology for herself.”

 

“Oh. I see. Ce-Cel has done various things, so…”

 

“That’s not enough to become a god. Right now… he’s about at the level of a Saint who will be remembered for centuries, so he needs to aim higher than that, right?”

 

“Then what should Ce-Cel do?”

 

“Well. When it comes to mythology, resurrection perhaps? Dying and coming back to life. Or causing destruction… bestowing order upon the world and intervening in human life and fate. Anyway, you have to become an absolutely absolute existence to be called a god, so it can’t be something humans can accomplish half-heartedly.”

 

“It’s difficult…”

 

“That’s why he seems to be chattering away with our Boss and the Demon King, making plans. Trying to create mythology artificially if necessary. Actually, that is the safest path.”

 

“Cel is re-really smart!”

 

Erendor sighed deeply and stroked Kalebrin’s head with his large hand.

 

It was a rough hand that was more like grabbing and shaking her head rather than stroking, but Kalebrin didn’t mind. It felt like what having a big brother would be like.

 

‘Or maybe like an uncle or second brother? When I went there last time, the person who acted like a big brother was someone called Tuba.’

 

Kalebrin transferred the contents of the cauldron into bottles. Then she unhesitatingly downed one bottle. Erendor was horrified and snatched away the empty bottle.

 

“Why are you drinking that, young lady!”

 

“I ma-made it to drink…!”

 

“Don’t drink it! Tuba will scold me!”

 

“I do-don’t want to…!”

 

“Tuba will definitely tattle to the Boss, right? He’ll torment me again saying I couldn’t even manage one young lady. So while I have these blue eyes wide open, you absolutely cannot drink it, young lady.”

 

“…”

 

Kalebrin planned to drug Erendor to sleep and down all of that. Anyway, she was a sorceress, and sorceresses were generally gloomy and… well, they were like that.

 

Being born with the qualities of a sorceress, causing others pain was like an instinct carved into her very cells.

 

That night, Kalebrin gave candy to Erendor’s spirit to keep it quiet, sprayed sleeping incense on Erendor to make him fall asleep, and drank all five bottles of the drug she had made.

 

When Erendor woke up, Kalebrin immediately dropped to her knees.

 

“Sorry.”

 

After being entrusted to Harmony and living with Erendor, Kalebrin had realized it was easier to quickly apologize after causing trouble than to ask for permission beforehand.

 

“Ha…”

 

Throb!

 

Erendor pressed his temples firmly..

 

*

 

After the ceasefire negotiations, I was incredibly busy without a moment to spare.

 

I felt that the strange and unpleasant gaze I had continuously felt since entering the Demon Realm had finally lifted.

 

‘It was probably Lumensia’s surveillance.’

 

Once that heavy gaze that had been constantly attached to me was gone, I began working in earnest.

 

I gave instructions to the Demon King on what needed to be done, and since I had left the Empire anyway, I used the veil to visit Harmony as well.

 

I had to make very thorough use of the only time when surveillance was lifted.

 

My kids handled the chaotic front lines well. As expected, bringing in the actual workers made things much easier.

 

However, they seemed to be suffering from manpower shortages, so Cardil looked more tired and even Yelena couldn’t hide her exhausted expression, which gave me a good idea of how intense the workload was.

 

‘Sorry! But you guys were the only ones I could ask!’

 

I went “Aww, that must be tough” while showering Yelena and Cardil with Heal Heal Beams before running away. Hahaha, let them handle such menial tasks on their own!

 

That’s how the Saint with rotten character dumped work on his family and fled.

 

Rustle, rustle.

 

And the place where I am now is… neither Centa, nor the Empire, nor the Demon Realm…

 

It’s a small country called Benesi.

 

“Ahh~ I want to eat the apple pie back at the mansion.”

 

I was currently searching through the forest with Celestia.

 

‘The Scales of Apeiron, the Creator God.’

 

It’s the sacred relic containing the most divine power, making it the most necessary place at this point in time. The reason I couldn’t go until now was simply due to exit visa issues.

 

With the ceasefire negotiations completed and the Empire also roughly ending its conquest wars to enter a ceasefire period, even small countries opened their borders to engage in trade for survival. Thanks to that, I was able to enter easily.

 

Originally, when borders were sealed, even the magic-blocking barriers that would stop Celestia’s movement spells were closed, but those were opened this time.

 

“Which way should we go?”

 

“Mirror Mist Lake.”

 

“Ahh~ That tourist attraction in Benesi that’s so transparent it reflects like a mirror? There’s a sacred relic there? If there was one, wouldn’t it have been discovered long ago…”

 

“…”

 

“Oh, that. I wasn’t trying to belittle you, Ascetic, it was pure curiosity.”

 

I was just quietly conversing with Ife while searching for the lake, but Celestia seemed to feel guilty about something and flailed her hand that wasn’t holding her staff while making excuses.

 

“I, I really meant it…”

 

“Yes, Sister Celestia. I didn’t misunderstand. I was listening to hear where the sound of water was coming from.”

 

Actually, it was because I was talking with Ife that it was hard to respond!

 

For Ife, the Life Spirit, this forest was like her own home. It would be even more comfortable since this wasn’t the Empire where Lumensia subtly applied pressure.

 

“It’s up ahead. Oh, you asked earlier why the sacred relic wasn’t discovered if it was there, right?”

 

“Uh-huh. Yes.”

 

Rustle, rustle…

 

The closer we got to the lake, the thicker the fog became. It didn’t matter much to Celestia and me since we could see each other’s auras, but ordinary people would easily get lost if they were separated from their group even briefly.

 

“Sister, do you know the other name for Mirror Lake?”

 

“Hmm, I’m not sure. Travel isn’t my hobby. But I think I heard it’s so clear it reflects even one’s inner self…”

 

“That’s right. The other name for Mirror Lake is Lake of Reflection. A lake that shows one’s inner self.”

 

There was no sound of water at all. Not even the presence of insects, birds, or animals that should naturally be near water. It was a lake that gave off an eerie feeling.

 

“Wasn’t that just added as a tourist attraction?”

 

“Hehe, it’s the truth. That story. That’s why people became absorbed in each other’s inner selves and couldn’t discover the sacred relic. It’s also well hidden.”

 

“For you to know such things, Ascetic… You truly are amazing!”

 

Celestia began praising me tremendously again. I changed the subject to cut off her words.

 

“They say only others can see one’s true inner self. Quite fascinating, isn’t it?”

 

“Then someone else has to look for you to know your real inner self?”

 

“Yes. That’s why in the old days, business partners would visit this lake together as a sign of trust.”

 

“What a clever way to use it~ Everyone was so smart. Hmm, I’ll look at your inner self for you, Ascetic!”

 

Since I didn’t come here to look at inner selves anyway, it didn’t really matter.

 

“Yes, that sounds interesting. I’ll let you know if I get to see your inner self too, Sister Celestia.”

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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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