The Life of a Wise Cult Leader - Chapter 40

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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 profound words was he going to say, and it was just something like that.

And I didn’t even make that wooden thing. Do you think I have such awesome abilities?

It’s just that two conditions were met from the item ‘can punish those within sight if their exact sins are known,’ so the system automatically delivered punishment…

The basic brief status description just said: Cursed with something equivalent to death. Became a living tree immediately upon being cursed. That’s all the explanation I heard.

I didn’t turn him into a tree because I’m a psychopath! And I didn’t have the creativity to turn a person into a tree!

But Yelena in front of me seemed to be looking at me with eyes like ‘that bastard heretic!’

If this misunderstanding continues, Yelena might go ‘Hehe~ Central Church? Empire? Don’t know much~ I’m just an Inquisitor so I’ll execute heretics? Because it pisses me off!’ and slice off my neck!

‘Ugh… I should gradually take out insurance with Yelena too. But the girl is quick-witted and doesn’t seem scared even when I remove my veil, so really…’

Others automatically felt fear due to the Divine Aura trait and thought of me as a charismatic person, making it easy to talk my way out.

Since that doesn’t work on Yelena, my fate depends solely on my smooth talking.

“That’s right. He’s not dead and living well.”

“Just in case, is there a special reason you made him into a tree?”

Clank.

The blade of the halberd she held seemed to shine even brighter.

What should I say to get out of this situation?

I put on a smooth smile and responded.

“Hmm… there seems to be some misunderstanding. To kindly explain, I did not make him into a tree.”

In other words, I didn’t do it!

Since once someone becomes a believer, they won’t betray me anyway.

Yelena’s eyebrows twitched for a moment. She quickly returned her expression as if she realized I was observing her.

“I have the Divine Power to punish extremely wicked villains, and I have a mission to judge those who harm others out of selfishness.”

Her lips moved as if she wanted to interject, but I didn’t give her a chance and continued speaking.

“The attendant who became a tree in the garden committed 32 indirect murders and 19 direct murders – a villain among villains of the most heinous kind. Even a single murder would warrant the abyss swallowing him. Such criminal acts. I absolutely could not let him live.”

I can feel Alderion fidgeting behind me.

He probably thought he should become like that too, even though he received forgiveness and salvation. Really useless worry.

“I delivered punishment that fits the natural order of this world. But I don’t know why he became a tree. Usually, some part of the body just rots away, or they lose their five senses, or become an idiot.”

“…I should go take a look first.”

“Please do.”

Yelena walked quickly. From the corridor window, you could see what looked like an ugly tree. She opened the main gate and went out. Alderion still had a confused expression, so I smiled at him once.

“Alderion, don’t worry about it so much. Not just Brother, but others suffered and died horribly too. He received his due punishment.”

“…Yes.”

It was a reluctant answer, but whatever. What mattered wasn’t Alderion but Yelena.

Yelena circled around the tree, observing it for a long time.

She tried to peel off the tree’s bark, spoke to the face attached to the tree, and made thorough efforts to understand it. She broke off a tree branch with a few leaves and checked the roots too.

She straightened her back and let out a light sigh. Then she returned from her stern expression to her original gentle demeanor.

“Well, I can’t figure it out from what I can see! I think I’d need to call an Imperial Sorceress or something to understand, so I’ll have to file a report.”

“Please do.”

“You’re answering more easily than I expected. The ability to remotely curse others is rare and should be hidden.”

Well… certainly my punishment tech tree would be scary to humans trying to control me and bring me under their influence.

“Do I have the option to refuse?”

The punishment tech tree will be revealed anyway. With Yelena’s quick wit, she would have figured it out eventually even if I didn’t tell her and tried to hide it.

Rather than being caught pathetically later, it’s better to speak openly now and earn Yelena’s favor.

“That’s true too.”

Yelena readily acknowledged it.

“Marquis~ It’s late at night and the guide is dead, so can we stay the night?”

“Of course. Though it may be humble due to poor management, isn’t it a noble’s duty to properly host our life’s benefactor?”

“Awesome! I’ll wash up before leaving. I’m covered in dust and it feels gross.”

“Please do.”

Marquis Alderion was being respectful to the Inquisitor. This relationship would reverse once the Empire gets involved and the Central Church’s power weakens.

“Oh, Ascetic~ Can you clean up the dust I’m covered in too? You turned the dust in the air into light powder back then.”

“If you wish, I’ll do it for you. Even scars and painful spots will be completely gone.”

“Hmm, I think washing my body with water would feel more like actually bathing.”

To survive, I must side with the Empire.

We returned to the ancient castle like that.

*

The morning sunlight tickled my eyes. It was morning. A morning welcomed at the ancient castle…

“Aaaaah!”

A healthy adult man’s scream from the morning – how lively.

Since I couldn’t peek at the view yet, I got up slowly and headed toward where the scream came from.

I wanted to laze around more but that wasn’t possible. Sigh…

I knocked on Alderion’s bedroom right next door.

“Alderion?”

“Huh… ugh, A-Ascetic…”

“Alderion, may I come in?”

Only sobbing sounds came from inside the room. I opened the door. I saw Alderion huddled in a corner of the bed, avoiding the window where morning sunlight was streaming in.

“It hurts, it hurts…”

I approached Alderion, who had become almost like a black garbage bag.

“Where does it hurt?”

“When the sunlight touches me, it hurts like burning…”

Sob sob sob. Alderion was crying again. For a middle-aged man with wrinkles around his eyes, he sure cried a lot.

“Please lift your face for a moment. I’ll check your physical condition.”

Yelena slept somewhere far away, so she seemed to be arriving a bit late. She was walking over with that terrifying halberd again.

“What’s wrong?”

“Alderion is in pain.”

I drew upon the Purification Power.

“Ugh, aaaaah…!”

This is quite serious.

I looked down at him gravely.

He’s in pain from the Purification Power. He says it hurts like burning when exposed to sunlight.

“Yesterday I purified the impure things clinging to him. However…”

Even if I perform Baptism to amplify the effect, he’ll just suffer several times more from the Purification Power. What could be the fundamental cause?

I’m neither Doctor Cardil nor Sorceress Kalebrin, but… I know the original story.

And I knew well that this caused chaos in the final chapter.

‘Monsterization.’

When magic erosion continues for a long time, normal people become madmen and monster trace organs appear throughout their bodies – this is called monsterization.

The Marquis had progressed to the final stages of monsterization before being purified, but… the years of fusion with his body were long, so the physical organs themselves had become irreversibly monsterized.

In this era when encounters with monsters are rare and magic erosion occurs infrequently, for the Marquis to become monsterized through magic erosion…

‘Has it become like modern cancer…’

My most reliable insurance has developed a flaw. Why are all my insurance policies abnormal!

Since my own life and situation can hardly be called normal, I had no grounds to complain about this situation.

“Alderion, I’ll explain calmly.”

Sniffle.

Alderion looked at me with bright red eyes. They were red from crying, but his pupils had turned even redder from pink.

I sat Alderion on the bed.

“Can’t we talk over breakfast?”

“Shall we?”

Talking over a meal seemed like it would help Alderion calm down a bit.

“I’ll bring it, so please keep watching over Marquis Alderion a bit longer.”

“Thank you, Yelena.”

She came back quickly. She carried two trays in both hands, balancing them well—truly befitting a close-combat class.

Yelena said she had rummaged through the cupboard to pick out something suitable for human consumption. She even brought warm tea, which showed great sense.

I dragged the luxurious table from the bedroom and set up breakfast there. I poured tea for Alderion and cut bread, placing cheese on top as I spoke.

“Alderion, do you know about monsterification?”

“…Isn’t it an epidemic spread by demons?”

“That disease is actually not spread by demons, but by monsters. Those who are exposed to monsters for long periods or drink monster blood become monsterified.”

I handed the bread to Alderion. But he didn’t seem to have any intention of eating. Yelena in front was deliciously eating bread with salami nicely placed on top.

“Those who become monsterified are known to be curable if they receive ‘Purification’ from someone of Bishop rank or higher… but that’s only when the demonic energy corruption hasn’t progressed far. If the demonic energy corruption has lasted long like Brother Alderion’s case, making one mad and craving human blood and flesh, even the Pope couldn’t purify it.”

Anyway, even I can’t do it now! Even the Pope, the number one in healing, can’t do it!

The Pope had even been dead for a long time. Practically speaking, making Alderion normal again was impossible.

“Because the monsterification has progressed for too long, the monsterified organs and body are accepted as Alderion’s own, so purification would cause Brother Alderion to suffer as well.”

Alderion listened to my words silently with a gloomy expression.

It was understandable, as hearing from someone he trusted and followed that he had essentially become one with a monster and couldn’t be cured would be quite shocking.

“But you don’t need to worry too much, Alderion. If I purify you periodically, Brother, you will be able to maintain a sound mind. You won’t tear apart and devour others’ flesh again. That was what you were worried about, wasn’t it?”

“…That’s right.”

I picked up my teacup and took a sip of tea.

I didn’t really want to eat, so I just sipped the tea. It would be nice to have tea food, but that would be too luxurious, wouldn’t it?

“However, just in case, I’ll arrange for you to meet a Cult Leader I know and a Sorceress.”

“A Sorceress?”

It was Yelena who asked back.

“It’s surprising that a Sorceress remains in the Empire.”

“Hehe… It can’t be helped that the Brothers and Sisters have diverse specialties.”

“Well, since it’s to save someone, I won’t report it.”

“Do as you please, Miss Yelena.”

“More importantly, Marquis. You’ll need to come with us to meet the Lord of Astrapolis. This is also for reporting purposes.”

“Understood. Then I should prepare for departure.”

The Marquis, perhaps showing the helplessness of someone raised delicately, fumbled with departure preparations. But having the mindset of a modern person, I only packed water for horses.

In the end, Yelena made an indescribable expression and packed departure supplies for both of us.

When we arrived at Astrapolis, there was a familiar face. It was Antonio, whom I was glad to see after not meeting for a few days.

“Brother Antonio.”

As expected, Antonio who works the best is the greatest!

I greeted him with joy.

“Ascetic, could we talk for a moment? Something big has happened.”

There were quite a few tasks I had entrusted to Antonio, so I couldn’t guess which one it was. Yelena was tending to the horses and the Marquis also looked busy.

“Speak quickly now.”

“Yes. About the task you requested back then…”

Antonio sighed slowly and said.

“The Saint is missing.”

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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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