The Life of a Wise Cult Leader - Chapter 44

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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

As soon as he spoke, the demon rushed toward Kalebrin like a bullet and swung its hand.

Crash!

The shield Cardil reflexively cast shattered.

The same shield that had blocked the pile of stones falling on us earlier broke with a single gesture.

I’d better consider that arm an instant-kill if it touches. Yelena needs to manage aggro so it doesn’t jump to the two mages.

But the creature doesn’t consider Yelena threatening. At this rate, the sub-tank role will be empty and aggro will scatter to the dealers, preventing proper damage.

‘Yelena, your halberd currently isn’t effective against it. Only that strike that blew away the pile of stones earlier would work. It’s lost interest in you. At this rate, it’ll rush the two who can’t handle its speed.’

As the shield shattered, the demon’s movement floated. Kalebrin’s red eyes met the demon’s.

Crackle!

Red lightning flashed across the obsidian-like body.

“Kieeeeek!”

The sorceress’s paralysis skill must have hit. Kalebrin doesn’t miss the timing. Neither does Yelena.

“I understand! Ascetic!”

Yelena, who heard my instruction, drew out mana once more. Her long hair tied in a ponytail fluttered upward in the golden air.

A subtle yellow light swirled around her body.

Perhaps instinctively realizing the danger, the demon’s head turned toward Yelena. The small eyes on its crown-like skull looked at Yelena.

The halberd bathed in yellow light charged forward again.

Clang!

Whether the paralysis stiffness took effect, the demon’s response was slow. The spines on its back were gouged out, scattering black fragments.

“Kyaaaak!”

The demon rushing at Yelena again swung its hand.

The demon’s speed, having accumulated stiffness stats from being hit by so many paralysis skills, was incomparable to the beginning.

She panted and barely dodged the demon’s claws.

‘Yelena, fall back significantly.’

In the current situation, falling back significantly was the same as showing an opening. Yelena shouted.

“I’ll trust you!”

Whoosh.

Yelena fell back significantly. Her posture crumbled. The demon optimized for slaughter doesn’t miss that gap.

‘Cardil, now.’

In the air was the Milky Way that Cardil had been casting and weaving one by one since earlier.

Cardil poured out magic with Kalebrin’s buffs and support.

Thud thud thud thud thud.

Stars fall from the sky.

The stars Cardil hung in the air all fell at once. Bright blue meteors crossed the dawn.

The meteors only lightly touched the demon’s obsidian-like body, but dealt damage like scooping ice cream.

“Kyaaaak…”

The demon made a metallic sound.

Kalebrin maneuvered so it wouldn’t reach Yelena, and she could watch the spectacle without taking a single hit.

The meteor shower gradually showed its end. The dust settled and the obsidian-like body stopped moving. Only then did Yelena let out a big sigh.

“Phew~ I almost died!”

[Connection Terminated]

Only then could I catch my breath too. Cardil was pressing his temples hard, perhaps having a headache.

Kalebrin also had a tired face. I slowly straightened my posture and approached them.

When a project ends, giving lip service to subordinates is a way for higher positions to show off.

“Everyone worked hard.”

As I smiled as usual and reached out my hand to heal even minor scratches.

Drop. Drip…

Red dots appeared one by one on my white shirt.

“Ascetic…?”

My vision turned red.

“A-Ascetic!”

Alderion’s voice echoed.

“Mm…?”

I slowly covered my lower face.

A nosebleed…? But my vision is red for that.

It’s like putting red cellophane over my eyes.

Yelena, who was checking the demon’s corpse, looked at me with a puzzled face at the commotion.

“…Ascetic?”

Cardil and Yelena rushed to me with shocked expressions.

No, I really don’t hurt at all…? It’s just a little nosebleed…?

“I’m fine, urk.”

Blood gushed out of my mouth.

‘Surely the penalty is-‘

When penalties appear, warning windows pop up. Then what exactly is this situation?

Kalebrin supported me, having approached at some point.

“Ascetic!”

Don’t speak loudly, my head is ringing…

“I’m fine…”

“Blood-“

They’re the ones who fought and got beaten up, so I don’t know why I’m like this.

My insides feel bitter and my head hurts a bit. But other than that, there’s really nowhere that hurts.

I can hear people around murmuring. Voices that can’t become language bustle like dust in the air.

I was supported and knelt back down on the ground.

In my bright red vision, I can see people bustling around.

‘Blood is coming from my eyes.’

Every time I blinked, blood dripped down. Cardil’s tired face filled my vision.

I could feel warm energy spreading from my head area, as if he was using healing magic.

How long had Cardil been placing his hands on me? My vision cleared slightly.

The echoing voices also improved, and I could roughly understand short, concise sentences.

I hear Kalebrin’s voice talking to Cardil.

“Ascetic- body is… vessel, -so, damaged.”

“How- …with healing magic-“

I hear their whispering voices. Alderion was nowhere to be seen and I couldn’t hear his voice either.

When I tried to heal myself, Kalebrin stopped me. She shook her head vigorously. It seemed like she was telling me not to.

There’s nothing bad about listening to Kalebrin. I kept my mouth shut and sat still.

Then Yelena’s booming voice was heard.

“Everyone! Can I make my halberd from the monster’s corpse?!?!”

Yelena’s voice was clearer than the voices of the two right next to me.

“Go ahead.”

Cardil answered in a voice lowered by one tone, perhaps tired.

I blinked a few more times. As the purification power gradually returned, the blood stains began turning into pure white light powder and flying into the air.

My vision gradually cleared. When I opened my mouth, no blood came out. I raised my head.

“Ascetic, are you okay…?”

“Yes… I caused you worry.”

“Mm, your body was, was too damaged… your soul was, sh, shaken… but you’re bet, better than before. Stable, stabilized.”

Hmm… stabilized…?

Is it related to the system?

I suppose I’ve bought many skills, gained many believers, and I’ve survived here for quite some time now, so things might have stabilized in various ways.

After all, the better the system is built, the more stable it becomes… Since there have been many updates and system maintenance checks, stabilization is probably natural.

‘Well, it’s just a matter of not getting hit. It’s not like I have any other way to find out more, so let’s not worry about such useless crap.’

It’s probably the side effects of getting hit in the head with a stone finally kicking in. That’s the only thing I got hit with today.

“Brother Cardil, thank you.”

“How could I ignore a patient right in front of me.”

Cardil let out a deep sigh and checked various parts of my body again before finally getting up.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The sound of mining stone could be heard from beyond that pit. Cardil straightened his back and turned his head toward the source of the noise.

“At this rate, Inquisitor Yelena is going to smash up all the corpses we wanted to keep for research.”

Right, since we killed the mob anyway, let’s go check it out.

I followed behind Cardil.

“Calebrin, do you think you could find out more details about what that thing is if you observe it more closely?”

“I… I can’t be… certain…”

“That’s fine. Just let me know if you need corpses for research purposes.”

“Mm… okay.”

“Alderion, are you injured anywhere?”

“Thanks to you… I’m fine.”

“That’s a relief.”

I observed the fallen demon’s corpse with my own eyes.

A System Message like this appeared in the middle, but what I need to focus on right now is this demon’s corpse.

‘There has to be some kind of clue.’

After all the grinding to kill it, there should be some reward, right?

“Inquisitor Yelena. You do know that we need to show this to the Lord, the Empire, and the Central Church first, right?”

“Oh my~ Of course! But well… corpses damaged during combat can’t be helped, right~? Ahahaha.”

Yelena continued her mining like that.

She was the MVP of this sudden dungeon, so I had nothing to say. I mean, when the top DPS wants their share…

“Just maintain enough of its appearance so we can submit it as evidence.”

“Of course~”

Clang clang clang clang.

Along with the mining sounds, Calebrin examined the demon’s corpse. Alderion just sat on a garden bench with his robe hood pulled up.

Cardil seemed tired too, lying on another bench with one hand over his eyes.

‘I should feed them.’

Even if I’m not hungry thanks to Sernuan Lumiere’s insane physical performance, the others just finished an intense battle.

‘Was there anything to eat in the castle…’

Just then, the coachman came running over frantically with his notebook.

“Is, is everyone alright? What on earth happened?”

Ah… there was the Lord’s attendant. I was too tired to bother explaining the situation.

But Yelena was busy mining, Cardil was half asleep, Alderion was spaced out for some reason, and Calebrin was working, so I was the only one who could explain the situation.

“We discovered traces of heretics trying to summon demons in the basement. Just as we were about to track them down, a demon appeared and attacked us. Fortunately, Inquisitor Yelena, Bishop Cardil, Sister Calebrin, and Marquis Alderion succeeded in slaying the demon.”

“This can’t be. Another demon in the Empire…!”

I brushed off the comment from this Empire NPC who couldn’t even distinguish between the Demon Race and demons.

“This is a grave matter. Where is the dead demon?”

“Inquisitor Yelena is currently conducting a confirmation kill. Since this is a special case, we can’t skip being cautious, can we.”

Yelena… I covered for you. The fact that you’re mining to make a halberd…

“That’s right. As expected of an Inquisitor! Then I’ll make sure to record that demon’s corpse in a drawing as well.”

“Yes, it’s over there. And may I ask you a favor?”

“Of course. That’s why the Lord assigned me to you.”

“Then would it be alright if I asked you to prepare a meal? Everyone in the party seems exhausted from the arduous schedule.”

“Of course! Then I’ll quickly finish the drawing and prepare the meal.”

The coachman hurried toward the source of the sound with his notebook and pen. He had driven all night and started working as soon as he arrived, yet his stamina was incredible.

Indeed, you can’t compare the stamina of medieval people forged by actual labor with weak modern people.

I approached Alderion, who was sitting there dazed. The ground that had been torn up and excavated from the earlier battle, with fallen bricks and stones scattered about, was uncomfortable to walk on.

The ground doesn’t restore itself. It really was different from the game.

“Alderion, the sun will rise soon. It would be better to go inside.”

“Ah… I understand.”

“Don’t mention it. A meal will be prepared soon, so until then, please rest comfortably in the bedroom and get some sleep.”

Hearing about the bed, Cardil also groggily got up. His tied hair was sticking out in all directions.

He yawned lazily and followed after Alderion.

I sat down comfortably on the bench where they had been sitting.

Now I can finally catch my breath.

‘Now I need to feed them… then return to Astrapolis, report to the Lord, spill everything, and do some believer management. I might get believer penalties for being away for so long.’

Lately, my believer count has been steadily rising even without doing anything, and I’ve been getting complacent since no warning system windows have appeared.

‘Let me check for the first time in a while.’

Since it’s awkward to gesture at thin air or space out when people are watching me, I haven’t looked at the system window, so I don’t know what my believer count is at.

Moreover, it’s been a while since I checked rewards, sacred relic recovery times, and so on…

Whether it was updated during the system maintenance, the UI window had changed to look much better.

[Target Believer Count: 500]

[Current Believer Count: 211]

The temporary believers window disappeared. That’s too bad since it was nice to look at. They’ll probably provide a believer name search function soon…

Huh? Wait, what’s this number?

Five hundred?

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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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