How the Cult Saves the World

I set down the documents I had been reviewing, tidied up my desk, and stepped out of the Church Leader's office.

According to Alpheus, my mother and Sevenus were currently in the reception room.

I walked quickly toward the reception room, and on the way, asked Alpheus to attend to the two of them so they wouldn't feel uncomfortable in the meantime.

At that, Alpheus replied in a cheerful tone.

[Yes! I've already finished preparing and am on my way to the reception room.]

As expected, Alpheus always knew exactly what was on my mind.

"Thank you as always, Alphi."

Still, I wondered what had brought my mother and Sevenus all the way here.

'And for both of them to come together, no less.'

That almost never happened. Not unless it was something serious.

'Could something have happened in the territory?'

I had a sudden uneasy feeling. It would have been better if I could think of something specific, but having no idea at all only made me more anxious.

Deep in thought, I walked on and soon found myself in front of the reception room where the two of them were waiting.

Before entering, I checked my appearance. Since I had been doing paperwork up until just a moment ago, there wasn't much out of place.

'This should be fine.'

After all, I didn't want to present a disheveled appearance as the leader of the Kyros Church.

Knock knock.

I knocked and immediately opened the reception room door.

"Hello, My Lady. Brother."

I greeted the family members I hadn't seen in a while with a bright smile. My mother smiled back and returned the greeting.

"How have you been, Church Leader?"

"Yes, quite well. And you both?"

"We've been well too."

Sevenus's expression hadn't changed much, but even so, his gaze wasn't quite as guarded as it used to be.

'Truly remarkable progress.'

Ever since the two of them had become members of the Kyros Church, it had become noticeably easier to be around them.

"In any case, what brings you all the way out here? Has something happened in the territory, by any chance?"

I asked my mother with a serious look. She shook her head.

"Not at all. Nothing has happened. I simply have a favor I'd like to ask of you, Church Leader."

"A favor?"

I was a little taken aback by her words. If she had something to ask of me, she could have sent a letter or a messenger.

"Hehe, don't we look any different from usual to you, Church Leader?"

At my mother's words, I took a more careful look at the two of them. As for what was different from usual... there was one thing.

Both my mother and Sevenus were dressed more lightly than normal.

They were people who almost always wore their military uniforms, yet today they were dressed casually, as though heading out on a holiday.

"...You do look a little different."

"Yes. We're planning to go on a vacation. And the favor I wanted to ask is—would you be willing to give Revelof a little time off?"

"Pardon?"

I was startled by her words. A vacation?

"I'd like to spend some time on a family vacation with Revelof. Would even two days be possible?"

Our church is not a company. To think she would come and ask my permission for something like this.

'My image still doesn't seem great, does it.'

Well, no. In this world, most people who belong to a religious order can't easily go out without the permission of their leader... in a way, I suppose this is perfectly natural.

Even so—a vacation. I was tempted to decline, but the conversation I'd had with Kyros earlier weighed on my mind.

And on top of that, it wasn't just anyone—it was my mother and Sevenus who had come in person.

'There's no reason to refuse, either.'

I stayed quiet for a moment, and felt both my mother's and Sevenus's gazes on me. Both of them were looking at me with eyes that seemed to plead for me to let Revelof go. Their lips were smiling, certainly, but their eyes told a different story.

—This works out perfectly, child! Go enjoy a vacation with your family. As important as that Diego business is... it's still only two days with your family.

'...Understood.'

I let out an inward sigh, then did my best to smile and replied.

Two days should be... fine.

"Yes. Very well. I will grant Brother Revelof two days of leave."

"Really? Thank you so much."

"Not at all, My Lady. And from now on, you may speak directly to Brother Revelof. Our Kyros Church is quite flexible in that regard."

"Understood."

"Then please wait just a moment. I'll go and fetch Brother Revelof."

I rose from my seat with a smile.

"Thank you, Church Leader."

Receiving their thanks, I slipped out of the reception room.

***

I headed straight back to the Church Leader's office, took off my leader's robe, and changed into my priest's vestments. I also tucked the glasses I had been wearing into my inventory, then reached out to Alpheus.

"Alphi, I'm going to need to be away for about two days."

[Yes, Church Leader. Has something happened with your family?]

Alpheus asked back with a surprised voice.

"Nothing like that. They're asking me to... go on a vacation with them."

[Ah, I see! That's wonderful. I was actually a bit worried watching you work without any rest, Church Leader.]

So Alpheus had been thinking the same thing.

"Right. So while I'm gone, please take good care of the temple."

[Yes. Don't worry!]

After changing, I walked quickly toward the reception room. When I opened the door—

"Levi! My baby!"

"Levi!"

An enthusiastic welcome—completely at odds with when I had visited just a moment ago as the Church Leader—greeted me.

"Mother, Brother. How have you been?"

"Yes. Levi. And you? You look a little thinner. No, actually—sit down first."

"Yes. Come, sit down."

I sat down, overwhelmed by the two of them fussing over me. And before a barrage of questions could rain down on me, I quickly spoke first.

"I heard from the Church Leader. But a vacation out of nowhere—you could have given me some advance notice."

"You're right, I should have. I only decided on the vacation last night, quite suddenly."

Just as I was wondering if my mother had always been this impulsive, Sevenus added an explanation.

"Mother has been feeling physically run-down lately, so we decided to go for some rest."

That surprised me. My mother had been feeling that unwell?

"Pardon? Mother, are you feeling quite ill?"

"It's not that serious. I simply felt I needed a rest, as there's been so much happening lately."

"What did the doctor say?"

"Just that fatigue has accumulated. So don't worry."

With that, I finally relaxed. But just to be safe, I added,

"Mother, I have some healing potions the Church Leader gave me—let me give you a few."

"I'll be fine, really. It's nothing that requires that."

"No, I'm worried and can't just leave it at that. The Church Leader's healing potions contain the power of Lord Kyros, so your fatigue will vanish in no time."

"Hehe, all right then."

Having finished speaking with my mother, I stepped out of the reception room—both to go and fetch the healing potions and to quickly pack the few things I'd need for the vacation.

The two of them said they would wait in the carriage, so I was able to move on my own.

Back in the Church Leader's office, I first prepared a special healing potion for my mother.

'Letting it absorb a good amount of holy power...'

I controlled the quantity of holy power the same way I did when using a healing skill, and infused it into the potion.

Then I stuffed some clothes into a simple travel bag and left the Church Leader's office.

Near the main gate of the temple, the Holden family carriage was parked. Perhaps because the family head and direct heirs were traveling together, a contingent of elite knights was visible.

"It's been a while, Young Master. I trust you've been well?"

"Me? Well enough."

I greeted Fanatic and the other knights, then boarded the carriage where my mother and Sevenus were waiting.

"Welcome, Levi."

"Sit over here."

I took my seat, acknowledged their greetings, and settled in. My place was beside Sevenus, but the carriage itself was quite large, so there was a fair bit of space between us.

As soon as I was seated, the carriage slowly began to move.

'It feels strange to be Revelof Holden again after so long—rather than the leader of the Kyros Church.'

Not bad strange—just that it brought back memories of when I had first arrived in this world.

'Back then, I never imagined it would turn out like this...'

Thinking that as I gazed out the window, I suddenly found myself thinking of my grandmother.

"Mother, isn't Grandmother coming on the vacation with us?"

"Ah. No. She said she'd be spending time with a friend."

If it was Grandmother's friend, it was almost certainly the Archmage Jenna.

"I see. So where are we headed?"

"Not too far. About an hour by carriage—there's a villa near a place called 'Belseth.'"

Sevenus said with a faint smile.

"It's a villa in the mountains, so the air is good, and there's a valley nearby as well."

"Is that so..."

"Levi, you went there a few times when you were young—don't you remember?"

Sevenus asked, but I couldn't recall. I shook my head, and he added,

"Well, you were very young then. About six years old, I think."

At that age, it was understandable not to remember.

"By the way, Levi."

While I was talking with Sevenus, my mother suddenly called out to me. Her expression was a little worried.

"Yes, Mother."

"Is anything happening at the temple?"

"Pardon?"

"Every time I visit the temple, it's hard to catch a glimpse of your face."

"Yes. I've been wondering about that as well."

Even Sevenus chimed in. Oh no—I'd been neglecting to see these two far too much.

"Ah, no, it's not like that... I've been doing a bit of ascetic training from time to time."

"Ascetic training? Is it because you want to become a High Priest?"

"Ah, yes. That's part of it."

"Even so, we'd love to see your face more often."

When my mother put it like that, I had no choice but to nod.

"Yes. I will."

I couldn't exactly tell them I was busy because I was the Church Leader.

Honestly, from the bottom of my heart, I wanted to reveal my true identity to both my mother and Sevenus.

'But I can never seem to find the right moment.'

I wanted to come clean, but it had been over a year and a half of deceiving them—the words wouldn't come easily.

'And the longer time passes, the harder it will be to reveal the truth.'

Thinking that, my heart felt heavy. But one day, I definitely wanted to confess everything to them.

Just as I had with my grandmother.

Even if I didn't know exactly when that day would come.

"Oh, Sevi—are you going to knit?"

While I sat lost in my own thoughts, my mother's voice brought my gaze back to reality.

Sevenus, at some point, had taken out knitting supplies and begun knitting.

And as if he had been practicing more since I last saw him, he was knitting at an astounding speed.

"Levi, Mother—I have a set for both of you as well."

Noticing our stares, Sevenus handed us each a set of knitting supplies.

How convenient—I hadn't packed any.

I smiled and started knitting. And watching my mother pick up the yarn and needles, I smiled faintly.

I was prepared to teach her if she didn't know how.

But my mother...

"Wow."

Was an absolute master of knitting.

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