The Life of a Wise Cult Leader - Chapter 17

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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

I once traveled all around various parts of the map searching for the holy sword.

Of course, even when it was a mobile game, I wandered around enough to memorize the entire map, but this one changed little by little according to story progression.

If you didn’t travel around frequently, small details like tree positions and building types would often change.

‘But important points never change.’

For example, special objects like the rock I saw when I found the Purification relic don’t change over time. As if that’s some law of the world.

Anyway, the mysterious spring water in the Witch’s Forest that remained fine and clear despite drought and fire was the Healing Spring.

And the Minority Tribe died and that place became a Cursed Lake.

As various keywords gathered from Cardil’s story, there was a place I could roughly guess.

‘I couldn’t get a feel for it… I had no idea that was the lake with the Healing Relic.’

Who would know that a healing relic was in a trap-level lake that kills you instantly if you fall in?

‘But now I won’t die instantly even if I fall in that lake! Haha!’

Since I have the Purification relic, that terrifying lake would be nothing more than bath water, right?

The Witch’s Forest is a forest that appears if you go just a little west from Astrapolis, and even the monsters that come out of that forest are just poison types like poison moths.

It’s no problem at all for me who has the Purification relic!

Hahaha, is it okay for things to work out this easily just because I got one Purification relic?

I even memorized where that lake was, so there was no need to get lost in the forest!

‘The sword I left with the Blacksmith~ and the Mine where my Proxy is working hard are going well too. Now life’s getting livable!’

It was very smooth survival.

[Relic recovery time: 22 days]

The relic recovery time had also approached to about 3 weeks ahead, but getting the Healing Relic wouldn’t take even a week, so I felt very at ease.

[Believers: 40]

Someone had believed in me more, making the number of Believers exactly 40.

‘Just ten more and I’ll get the sub-quest reward~ Now I’ll ask our Proxy to get a cart and drop me off at the forest entrance, then just get out of the forest before sunset.’

No matter how well I know the way, I’d rather not hike through a dark forest.

In the afternoon, while seeing the last Patient who came and having a small conversation with Cardil, someone who rushed into the Hut shouted.

“Ascetic! You must flee right now!”

Tension suddenly filled the air enough to make me freeze.

I calmly settled my nerves again.

Let’s stay calm. Getting excited won’t help. You need to be calm for good aim…

The familiar person seemed out of breath from running up the Hill.

After catching his breath for about 10 seconds, he began explaining the situation frantically.

“Lion Heart is conducting surprise checkpoint inspections?”

I had a sense of déjà vu, and it turned out to be the Pregnant Woman’s Husband.

He runs a small Clothing Shop in Astrapolis with his Wife, and apparently a deputy commander famous in Lion Heart was going around the City streets conducting surprise inspections of shops.

“Please look at this!”

He held out a fluttering yellow paper. When I took the paper and looked at it, it was quite a sight.

_________________

[WANTED POSTER]

-Cult Leader-

[Description: Pure white long hair, ashen eyes, height under 2 meters, Man]

DEAD OR ALIVE

2000FL.

_________________

A huge bounty of 2,000 florins.

Who wouldn’t lose their mind seeing this?

Of course, I felt relieved about my Believers since I had warned them firmly, but it was enough money for those who had only glimpsed me from afar to start talking.

They even stuck a name tag saying –Cult Leader– as if emphasizing that I was a heretic.

‘Huh.’

I thought my life was flowing smoothly, but my peace was shattered in 3 seconds.

I didn’t expect them to move so quickly with surprise inspections and wanted posters just to catch me.

“Brother, everyone please calm down… It’s alright. I’ve only shown my face here, and there are no Brothers here who would turn me in as a heretic, are there? I am not afraid.”

No, I’m actually fucking terrified.

But showing fear would be disadvantageous. The priority here was to calm the agitated Believers and boost unity.

‘I can actually use persecution to increase unity. That’s part of why cults deliberately do street preaching.’

The strategy was to strongly plant the idea that this group is the only one that accepts you outcasts.

‘I’m a cult leader after all. I can’t be picky about methods. I’m not in a position to be picky either.’

So I naturally began incitement. Like a proper Cult Leader!

“As an Ascetic, I have only used my power for the sick and given to those suffering to fulfill my mission. If even this becomes a sin, then who in this world can truly be said to believe in and follow God? If even this is a sin, where are the pure and innocent believers left! So I am not afraid. As long as God’s will is with me, I will not retreat a single step.”

“Ohhh…”

“As expected of the Ascetic.”

I said this, but… it would be troublesome if they came here for inspection.

Cardil got up and left the Hut. The Believers only knelt below me and prayed.

‘They won’t come here, right?’

Since they seem to be focusing on shops, they probably won’t bother coming to Cardil’s Cabin in a corner of Moon Village.

Right…?? Please.

“We will protect you, Ascetic!”

“That’s right!”

“The Ascetic has a noble body that must spread greater will to the world… You must live well before someone like me.”

“If the Ascetic lives well, we live well too.”

“Right!”

The inspired Believers made firm resolutions to each other and prayed.

[Faith: 127]

Surprisingly, my Faith that had been crawling at less than 50 was now over 100 when I checked again.

[Faith: 129]

It was even rising in real time…!

“If we unite the Brothers’ will and strength as one, what could we not accomplish? That is the bond that binds us, and the true power God has granted us.”

Among those clasping hands and praying, an alien sound could be heard.

The sound of metal clashing from far away caught my sensitive ears. In this quiet Moon Village where only living sounds could be heard, the sound of metal clashing.

Knights were coming.

“It seems the Knights have come this far.”

When I spoke calmly, about thirty Believers in the Hut stood up. If you ask why there were so many people in this cramped Hut…

Since this Hut was the only place to meet me, those who had been treated and became Believers from before came regularly to do free medical volunteer work.

“Ascetic, please stay inside.”

“How can I stay still when the Brothers are stepping forward?”

I tried to show off a bit. Then the Believers got excited and stopped me.

“No! The Ascetic must be here to save suffering souls, so don’t worry about lowly lives!”

“Don’t call them lowly lives. All life is precious. However… I understand your will, so I shall bestow God’s grace.”

I gently placed my hand on one person’s head.

[system: Activating Baptism Skill.]

[Target: Ethan]

[Will you perform baptism?]

‘Y.’

Golden effects spread out. With the believers’ help, the shabby hut had curtains so the light wouldn’t leak outside.

‘Ethan’s’ forearm now bore the complex mark I’d seen many times before.

‘Blessing Bestowal in the faith system. I should learn about this while I’m at it.’

When I used baptism before, it almost caused chaos because of a mistake.

It would be good to learn about it in advance. And while I’m at it, boost our believers’ morale a bit…

[system: Activating Blessing Bestowal.]

[Target: Ethan]

[Faith Required: 10]

It consumes 10 each time?

The cost-effectiveness wasn’t too bad.

Faith kept rising steadily when I put on shows like earlier. Unlike points, it seemed to accumulate quickly, so it might be fine to use it all up here.

Right now I don’t have anywhere else to use faith anyway…

‘Y.’

This time green effects enveloped his body. The light was somewhat dimmer, but he seemed to notice something had changed as he just clenched and unclenched his fists.

“Power is surging through my body… This is the Ascetic’s power…”

Oh, it’s a kind of attack power buff. I don’t know how long the effect lasts, but anyway, we’re about to clash with knights.

I performed baptism on everyone present and bestowed blessings on each of them.

“Ascetic, if we cannot stop them… please hide yourself.”

“That’s right… No matter how much it’s the Ascetic’s will, having you executed…”

The believers were almost on the verge of tears.

“I understand. If I keep holding out here and get captured, it would make all your efforts meaningless.”

Yes!

Now I can tactfully run away!

“We’ll be going now.”

“Yes, please don’t get hurt.”

Go! My beloved believers!

The believers all rushed out of the hut.

Despite quite a bit of time passing, Cardil still hadn’t returned.

He must have gone somewhere outside. Anyway, he wouldn’t rat me out, so I wasn’t too anxious…

More importantly, if it’s the vice-commander I’m thinking of, he’s quite capable, so our believers who don’t have a single attack skill would be knocked out without being able to fight back.

As soon as the hut was empty, I opened the back door and hid toward the mountain.

I was curious about how the situation would unfold, but entering a sensitive knight’s encirclement just to watch would be a foolish thing to do.

‘Especially if it’s the vice-commander from Lion’s Heart… it’s probably that guy, and he’s a bit…’

Of course, he’s not the nasty type like Cardil, but anyway.

Rustle. My robe brushed against leaves as I concealed myself in the dark forest.

*

Austin Gerard. As the Lion Heart vice-commander, he was searching for heretics after receiving orders for heretic elimination.

There were no fundamental questions like why he had to do such work. He was a knight. A knight is a sword. A sword only swings.

While climbing the steep Moon Village hill at a steady pace, Austin blinked.

“Priest Cardil?”

The person who appeared before him was quite a welcome face.

“Hello. What brings you here?”

“Uh… checkpoint inspection. Orders came down.”

He skillfully pulled out a piece of paper from his chest.

Cardil, whom he met after a long time, rubbed his tired-looking face dry and took the yellowed, tattered paper he handed over.

_________________

[Wanted Poster]

-Cult Leader-

[Description: Pure white long hair, ashen eyes, height under 2 meters, male]

DEAD OR ALIVE

2000FL.

_________________

Austin, thinking he had read most of the content, opened his mouth.

“But what brings Priest Cardil here…”

That’s right.

Lion Heart vice-commander Austin Gerard.

1st Grade Priest Cardil.

These two knew each other, so when busy people meet someone they haven’t seen in years, wouldn’t they exchange greetings?

“Just volunteer work. Oh, didn’t I mention? Well, it has been a while since we met. We haven’t seen each other since that war, so that makes sense.”

“Ah, yes. That’s right.”

Cardil and Austin Gerard were comrades from the 7th Demon Realm subjugation war.

Back then Cardil was a 3rd Grade Priest, and Austin wasn’t even part of the Lion Heart Knights but from some insignificant 3rd Division.

In any case, Austin was in a situation where he could chat with a colleague he’d finally met. And this wasn’t a place where checkpoint inspection was particularly urgent.

“But what kind of volunteer work?”

“Treating sick people for free? Taking care of them? Something like that. In short, medical volunteer work.”

A priest is indeed a priest.

Austin replied with admiration.

“Oh… the Central Church does that kind of thing?”

He hadn’t heard that the Central Church provided free medical services.

“No? They don’t do that. This is something I’m doing because I want to. Why would the Central Church do such things? As if they would.”

And what came out was content and tone that held quite a bit of resentment toward the Central Church.

Austin’s eyebrows twitched.

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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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