How the Cult Saves the World

The population of Belseth Village was only about a hundred people, so the village itself was not particularly large. The number of homes in the village was roughly fifty.

And at the center of that village stood a single tall tower. It rose to about fifteen meters—a fairly sizable structure to have in such a small village.

Moreover, two Holden family knights were stationed at the top of the tower. They appeared to be continuing to monitor the Giant Trolls' route through reinforced telescopes.

Even from a considerable distance, their presence was conspicuous—if the trolls had paid any attention to their surroundings, they might well have noticed them. One could only hope the creatures were too dim to look. Meanwhile, upon arriving near the entrance of Belseth Village, a short distance from the central tower, my mother drew her horse to a halt.

We all dismounted after her. At that moment, the knights who had been standing by inside the village came forward.

"My Lady!"

"Yes. What's the current situation?"

"Yes! The Giant Trolls are now approximately five minutes away from arrival!"

"Nearly upon us."

My mother exchanged a few words with the knight, then immediately turned to face the rest of the knights lined up behind her.

"All forces, prepare for combat with the Giant Trolls."

"Yes, My Lady!"

At my mother's command, the knights moved in disciplined order. True to a unit that had weathered countless battles against monsters, they assumed their formation with swift precision.

The knights at the central tower of Belseth Village would continue monitoring the Giant Trolls' route, while my mother, Sevenus, and the knights planned to intercept before the Giant Trolls reached the village entirely.

—You look worried, child.

'...Understandably, yes. I can't help it.'

Kyros spoke to me in a concerned tone.

—Even so, your mother and brother are quite strong, aren't they. The knights too, of course.

'Yes. They are strong. But... the monsters coming toward us right now are not ordinary monsters.'

—Yes. Because of the Black Arc.

'Yes. Even if it's a counterfeit, they still won't be easy to deal with.'

—Ordinary people would struggle, certainly—but even with Black Arc, your mother and brother aren't ordinary people.

'They're both above average, but... five Giant Trolls armed with Black Arc will still be difficult to take down entirely.'

I'll grant that they surpass the ordinary. But at most, three would be their limit.

Perhaps because of my heavily furrowed brow, Kyros asked me in a worried tone.

—Then, child, will you step forward yourself?

'I'm not sure. I'll watch the situation, and if it truly comes to the point where I need to step in, I will.'

—But then your identity will be revealed.

'...I've already prepared myself for that to some extent.'

—I see. If you're all right with it, understood.

In the middle of my brief exchange with Kyros, my mother appeared to have finished giving orders to the knights. At that moment, Sevenus came to my side.

The sight of Sevenus—not in his usual neat attire but in casual clothes with a sword belted at his waist—looked a little unfamiliar.

"Levi."

"Yes, Brother."

Sevenus looked at me with a serious gaze. Then he reached out and gripped one of my shoulders. His expression appeared largely unchanged, but his eyes were filled with worry.

"Do not come out from here. If you go beyond the village entrance, there's no telling what might happen."

I had no real intention of listening to Sevenus anyway. But I didn't want to worry him and my mother right now, so I nodded and replied.

"Yes. Understood."

"Good. And if things come to..."

Sevenus seemed to find it hard to continue, and fell silent for a moment. But then, with the same composed, clear-eyed gaze as always, he spoke.

"If all defensive lines are broken—do not think of anything, and run."

"...!"

That meant: if my mother, Sevenus, and the entire knight unit were all struck down—run and save myself.

Could it be that they already knew there was no real chance of winning?

"But, Brother!"

I called out to Sevenus urgently. He shook his head with a faint smile.

"I know what you're about to say. But you also know that all of this is something we must do."

Yes. I knew it well. And that was exactly the problem. I knew all too well what the people of the Holden County family carried on their shoulders when they fought.

And so I could not stop them.

"So remember my words, Levi. Remember them well."

With those words, Sevenus walked away. He soon went to my mother, who had finished her preparations for departure. He said something to her, and then both their gazes turned to me.

My mother and Sevenus looked at me and simply smiled. I stared back at them for a moment, then quietly nodded.

"All forces, march."

My mother gave the order to the knights and immediately stepped out through the entrance of Belseth Village. Sevenus and the knights followed after her.

And I, trailing a little behind, watched their retreating figures. Seeing them like that, my resolve grew even firmer.

'I will protect these people, no matter what it takes.'

The faint hesitation that had still existed within me until a moment ago vanished entirely.

—It seems your resolve is completely set.

'Yes. I had been planning to help them to begin with, but... my resolve has hardened even further now.'

—Why is that?

'Because I have properly witnessed their determination for the first time.'

Until just a few minutes ago, I had been thinking rather carelessly. I had figured that even if they were in danger, I would be there to save them—so it was fine.

Yes. Perhaps I had still thought of them as nothing more than characters in a game. A world I could control and steer with my own hands.

I would never have thought so deliberately—but somewhere, beneath it all, that feeling had apparently remained.

'But... no.'

At the very least, my mother and Sevenus—I wanted to protect them. These two were... my family.

'Even if I am not the real Revelof Holden.'

I considered myself to have a family in this world—Mother, Sevenus, and Grandmother. Thanks to them, I had received a warmth I had never experienced in my previous life.

'Now it's my turn to give something back.'

I watched the departing knights, then slowly began to walk—following behind them.

Before long, my mother, Sevenus, and the knights had left Belseth Village. I stayed behind as Sevenus had asked, watching the situation from as close to the entrance as possible, without leaving the village.

Outside the entrance of Belseth Village stretched a lush green meadow. As the evening glow slowly faded—

Five Giant Trolls came into view. The Giant Trolls, with their enormous dark-blue bodies, gripped massive clubs in their hands, befitting their tremendous size.

'Their faces may look stupid, but that raw strength of theirs is nothing to take lightly.'

As I thought that, my mother, Sevenus, and the knights charged forward. All of them were brimming with fighting spirit.

I watched the battle anxiously. The strategy, at a glance, was straightforward.

Since each Giant Troll was moving at a different pace, they appeared to be planning to take down the ones that arrived first, one at a time.

My mother and Sevenus rushed the nearest Giant Troll. Their swords sliced into its legs—precisely targeting the right leg, severing the thick, massive limb.

Thud—!

With its right leg cut off, the Giant Troll lost its balance and collapsed. Seizing that opening, the knights surged in to finish it off.

'One handled cleanly.'

But the real problem started now. Two of the remaining four Giant Trolls appeared simultaneously.

My mother and Sevenus moved to rush at one of them as they had before, but the Giant Trolls—having witnessed the tactic used just moments ago—were not so easily fooled.

Whoosh—!

One Giant Troll swung its club. That tremendous force sent a fierce gust of wind rushing outward. A dozen or so knights were sent flying backward.

But my mother and Sevenus endured that force and leaped forward again—severing another Giant Troll's leg.

'Going smoothly.'

The Giant Trolls, counterfeit Black Arc embedded in their foreheads, hadn't developed much in terms of intelligence, so it seemed they were just barely manageable.

But at that very moment—

"Watch out! New ones have joined!"

"Everyone, don't let your guard down!"

"Yes sir!"

I could hear my mother's and Sevenus's shouts, and the knights responding.

Just as the second Giant Troll was being dispatched, the remaining two Giant Trolls joined the fray.

Meaning the knight unit now had to contend with three simultaneously.

And right then, it seemed the Giant Trolls had begun to use their heads—they started to be wary of my mother and Sevenus.

Whoosh!

Two of the Giant Trolls swung their clubs violently, sending the knights flying once again. As a result, Mother and Sevenus were completely isolated.

Their speed was enough to keep them from being grabbed by a Giant Troll, but the problem was that three Giant Trolls were targeting both of them at once.

Crash—!

At that very moment—Sevenus was seized in the hand of one of the Giant Trolls.

'No...!'

The Giant Troll's massive hand was visibly tightening around Sevenus's body, as though it would crush him.

The instant I confirmed that sight, I immediately opened my inventory. I pulled out the glasses and the robe and put them on, then drew my club as well.

Dash—

Any further deliberation was pointless. Worrying about what might happen afterward—that sort of concern was pointless too.

I moved my body with a single-minded purpose: to rescue my mother and Sevenus.

Before I knew it, I had left Belseth village, and was passing by the knights who had been knocked to the ground.

Flash—

And first, I directed a powerful burst of holy power at the arm of the Giant Troll that was gripping Sevenus.

The holy power that surged from my body tore straight through the troll's arm.

"Gh—hgh—!"

Sevenus immediately dropped to the ground, freed from the Giant Troll's grip. He appeared to be breathing harshly, but fortunately, he didn't seem to have sustained any serious injuries.

Thud—!

At that moment, I saw my mother blocking a Giant Troll's club with her sword. The troll's overwhelming strength pushed her backward.

I immediately transformed my mace into a holy sword. Then I channeled holy power throughout my entire body.

Dash—

I leaped lightly into the air and swung my sword directly at the Giant Troll.

Slash—

The head of the Giant Troll that had been attacking my mother fell to the ground.

These were creatures that everyone had been risking their lives to fight just moments ago—and yet for me, fighting Giant Trolls was laughably easy. Thanks to the holy relic I had obtained previously, my holy power had increased by a full five times.

"Th-that person is...!"

"The leader of the Kyros Church?"

"Ch-Church Leader?!"

At that point, I could hear the knights—who had come to their senses amid the chaos—murmuring in confusion. And not only them: Mother and Sevenus were looking at me with startled eyes as well.

But I paid it no mind and kept moving.

Slash—!

I finished off the Giant Trolls that still had life in them.

Thud, thud—

Once I confirmed that the last Giant Troll's breathing had completely stopped, I shook the troll's fluid off my holy sword.

"...Church Leader."

When all was settled, my mother and Sevenus, who had been quietly watching the scene, came toward me.

"What is the reason for the Church Leader being here?"

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!