The Life of a Wise Cult Leader - Chapter 54

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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

It was because those in charge of my various adornments had raided my room.

Despite waking up earlier than usual, I wasn’t particularly tired. It was a body that didn’t feel fatigue well.

If it were the old me, I would have woken up with fatigue plastered all over my eyelids and taken the hell train to work.

The time was probably around four in the morning.

It would have been quite bothersome if I had to dry my hair alone and make a fuss from this early dawn, but the Central Church caretakers dried this long hair and managed it in various ways.

I just sat there, and was adorned to shine like that.

High-quality fabrics and luxurious gems were draped all over me, and after all the changing and applying, before I knew it, the morning had passed.

After eating a light breakfast and waiting for a moment, I heard signs of people outside the door.

Knock knock knock.

“Please come in.”

Was it someone coming to clean up the finished meal? When I turned my head, an unexpected person appeared.

“Ascetic…”

“Sister Calebrin?”

“I, I’m, I’m ready…”

Calebrin was in an escort role, but she had been subjected to all kinds of adornment for the reason that the Saint’s dignity must not be lowered.

Of course, it was much less adornment than mine, but it could be said to be tremendous adornment compared to her usual attire and personality.

Of course, Yelena would also come dressed up in her own way.

“I see. I think I’m also roughly finished preparing.”

“Y, yes… Then, later…”

“Yes. See you ‘later.'”

I saw off Calebrin who had come to show her face like that.

Being ready here didn’t mean finishing the adornment.

It meant finishing preparations to kill the unidentified power holder (Marquis) who had attempted to poison me.

‘How exciting.’

Since he’s probably a figure from the banquet hall, he’ll come to the Saint announcement ceremony… and since he hasn’t sent another assassin until now, there’s a high probability he’ll cause trouble at the announcement ceremony.

So before he tries to cause trouble… Calebrin will cast a curse to make the Marquis collapse.

Of course, she won’t kill him. If he sat to the right of the widow at the banquet hall, he’s surely an important figure, so it would be a shame to kill him now.

Since Antonio’s people planned to kidnap the collapsed Marquis, it was perfect!

Of course, it would be troublesome if Antonio’s people got their tails caught in the process…

Antonio and I don’t have much connection. Things like doing business together.

It was all just Antonio giving to me for free and me giving him information.

Antonio just did various things based on that. The donations were also done by Antonio alone.

Well… if they dig deeper, many suspicious points would come up. But if they rummage through my background to that extent, wouldn’t Antonio catch those rats and make them end up like the Marquis?

A Central Church priest opened the door to the waiting room and entered.

“Are you ready?”

At noon, 12 o’clock when the sun is at its highest. The Saint announcement ceremony will be held at that time.

Actually, they say minutes and seconds are also related, but I didn’t think I needed to know that much, so I didn’t memorize it. Because it’s bothersome.

I nodded at the priest’s words and stood up from my seat.

“Of course.”

*

People gathered in the plaza in front of the towering temple, chattering noisily. This was possible because there were street vendors on every street except for the front part of the temple plaza.

“Saint announcement?”

“Suddenly a Saint. The Central Church is definitely bringing just anyone to put up as Saint to put out urgent fires.”

“According to Lumensia’s words, surely the Saint will descend again from light to human form in this era! You must believe the words!”

“Look at what the Central Church is doing these days! Can you trust it!”

A sharp criticism flew from somewhere.

“Are you defying Lumensia now!”

“It’s heresy…!”

He gritted his teeth in the crowd and spat out his beliefs.

“Everyone listen! The Central Church is a corrupt religion that’s busy turning away from poor citizens in exchange for compensation and siding with power holders!”

People each looked at him and whispered, fled, or often hurled curses.

“Gasp…! To think such a heretic was among us!”

“Mother. There are too many people here!”

“Lacroix, come here! Don’t even make eye contact with that person!”

“Heretic bastard! Get out of the Empire right now!”

It was natural.

They were people who had believed in Lumensia since before the Empire was established, even before the Empire used the name ‘Empire.’

Lumensia was truth and light, and the very belief and way of life necessary for living.

The Central Church was wrong, but Lumensia was not wrong – this was the Empire’s citizens’ thinking, and it was actually true.

Lumensia had just remained still. It was those who used it as they pleased who were wrong.

Yelena quietly watched the situation from within the crowd wearing a robe, but unable to just watch the overheating situation, she took off her hood.

“What’s the commotion about?”

When the robe was removed, the Inquisitor’s uniform was revealed.

People looked at her with the same horror as when they saw the heretic.

“Gasp…! It’s an Inquisitor!”

“This person is a heretic!”

As if waiting for this moment, someone was busy pointing with their finger at the man designated as a heretic, rather than showing horror.

“…!”

Though he had earnestly expressed his beliefs in the crowd, when faced with the Inquisitor, his expression changed as if he had been caught doing something wrong.

Yelena just watched that scene calmly with an expressionless face.

The man pointing fingers most blatantly smiled strangely, as if triumphant but somewhat anxious.

“This person is a heretic! He blasphemed Lumensia and disparaged the Central Church earlier!”

“It’s true I disparaged the Central Church, but I didn’t blaspheme Lumensia! The Central Church is… the Central Church is…!”

The man branded as a heretic couldn’t continue his words and seemed to be welling up with emotion.

Yelena gently pushed through the crowd with her arms and penetrated to the center of the crowd.

“That’s enough. We don’t call someone a heretic over something like this.”

“He’s obviously a heretic, but if this isn’t heresy, then what is… what is it…!”

Perhaps because he saw Yelena’s calm expression, he cut off his words unlike his previously confident appearance.

Yelena abandoned her usual friendly approach and began using a stiff tone.

“What do you mean what. He just looks like one of the people who wants to reform the Central Church?”

“This… this isn’t heresy, but looks like someone who wants reform?”

“Yes. People without affection don’t usually talk like this.”

He grumbled, but ultimately couldn’t say anything in front of the Inquisitor.

So people began to leave the plaza one by one, leaving only Yelena and the man who had been branded a heretic.

She didn’t say anything to him, just looked at him steadily, then put on the robe draped over her arm again and leisurely disappeared into the crowd.

There were 2 hours left until the Saint announcement.

Since there was no telling where assassins or subversive elements might be hiding, she had been making rounds as if patrolling…

‘The distrust toward the Saint announcement is too deep.’

At this rate, the Ascetic will suffer quite a lot.

But she wasn’t worried beyond this. With his abilities and eloquence, his strange atmosphere and appearance, he would somehow manage to get through it well…

‘The Ascetic must establish his position well.’

It was Mother’s request, but on the other hand, it was also my way to survive. To escape from under my parents, I had to use him.

Until entering the banquet hall, I had thought of him as just one of those somewhat interesting figures.

However, that interest completely changed to support or backing… because I saw him seize Mother’s favor, the Saint position, and everything else he wanted after entering the banquet hall.

For that to happen, first of all, the Ascetic’s life had to remain intact.

Hearing about the poisoning threat several days later made the back of my head tingle.

The sharp-looking white eyes when not smiling and the marble statue-like skin color. The subtle intimidating presence that arose when such a person quietly looked down at someone.

The absurdity of such a person cheerfully revealing that he was being poisoned!

‘It wasn’t a reaction like “Oh my, there was poison in it!” but rather, he seemed ready to immediately expose whoever attempted the poisoning and punish that person! Why is he so oblivious to safety…!’

From Cardil’s previous testimony and the monster from the other world he encountered at the Marquis’s castle. Even when defeating that creature, he reportedly threw his own body into the battle recklessly.

‘At this point, maybe he just can’t feel pain?’

He even periodically coughed up blood…

‘This is troublesome. Are there really no defensive artifacts or relics available?’

Defensive artifacts were not only rare, but they were so expensive that only the highest-ranking nobles at the very pinnacle could afford them, making it impossible for her to just hand one over to him.

In reality, the salary an Inquisitor received was similar to that of a priest.

Inquisitors could generally enjoy wealth through the black money that powerful figures gave them.

But Yelena, who didn’t accept bribes, couldn’t possibly have that kind of money.

Moreover, she didn’t even save money beyond what she needed for a decent living and weapon-making expenses.

Any money beyond that, she simply donated.

“Hah…”

Yelena sighed into the air. Just then, she saw a familiar face. It was Marquis Bernator.

‘Isn’t that Marzes Bernator? Why is he here…’

Why was he wandering around in this marketplace instead of staying in the seats reserved for VIPs?

Bernator was large enough in stature, having earned his marquis title by achieving merit while traversing battlefields.

No matter how much such a sturdy build tried to hide under a robe hood, it was impossible not to stand out.

‘Ignoring him… feels like something might happen.’

Yelena thought as she carefully followed behind him.

‘He probably just came to see the ascetic, right?’

The mother who had entered the Central Church a few days ago hadn’t given any particular hints… so it should be fine.

Yelena fingered the handle of her halberd made from an otherworldly demon. Since it was a new halberd she’d only used in the training ground, the feel was still unfamiliar.

Bernator wandered around every corner of the alley before stopping at a dead end. Had he already noticed her?

Yelena removed her hood first. He was someone who truly treated battlefields like his own home. She knew from meeting him several times. His temper was truly formidable, so it was better not to do anything that might irritate him.

“Marquis Bernator.”

“Yelena the Inquisitor, was it.”

“Yes. I thought you might be lost, so I took the liberty of following you.”

“Hmph… how trivial.”

Marquis Bernator removed his hood. The scar running across his lower jaw and under his eyes was quite a crude wound for a noble.

“Shall I guide you to the VIP section?”

“Yes. I was planning to take care of some business anyway.”

Hmm… ‘planning to take care of some business’… what kind of business?

But Marquis Bernator’s temper was no joke to ask about that.

“Yes, then I’ll guide you.”

Rather than asking questions, Yelena obediently guided the way.

*

Waaaah-

The noisy cheering of people could be heard.

Looking down, she could see heads of various colors. If this were Korea, she would only see jet-black heads.

Clang- Clang- Clang

The bell in the plaza rang three times.

The most senior Central Church Bishop, who had come out as the Pope’s representative, cleared his throat several times before placing his staff near his mouth and speaking.

“We will now proclaim a new Saint according to the will of 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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