How the Cult Saves the World

—Oh ho, the Emperor has asked for your help?

'Yes. What this letter says... put roughly, it's something like: Dear Kyros Church leader, I sincerely hope you will help me. That sort of nuance.'

—Oho, and beyond that?

'Beyond that...'

The rest of what the Emperor's letter said was simple. Since she could not put everything into the letter, she asked me to go to a specific location and meet with her "trusted aide" to hear the details.

It was exactly the kind of language that would remind you of an in-game quest. It was moments like these that made me freshly aware that this world was inside a game.

—I see. A trusted aide.

After I gave Kyros a brief summary of the letter's contents, he asked me.

—So then, child — what will you do? Will you help the Emperor?

'Hmm.'

—I know the Herpheon Emperor isn't affiliated with Diego Church, but those who worship that snake are thick around her.

'Yes. That's true. But... even so, she's going this far to ask for my help. I can't ignore that.'

—You're right, well considered. Child. Someday, when that snake is gone... the reward for having helped the Emperor could be considerable.

'Doing it for the reward wouldn't be right, though.'

—Nng. I know. It's just, with how much you have on your plate, I can't help calculating the advantages.

'Ha ha. Even a god can become calculating, it seems.'

—Didn't I tell you? Humans are ultimately beings fashioned after our own image.

'Still, Lord Kyros is several times more virtuous than most humans.'

—That's true. But being calculating doesn't mean one isn't virtuous.

'Yes, you're right. Anyway, I'm going to help the Emperor.'

—Very well. Just don't push yourself too hard.

'Don't worry.'

The moment I made up my mind to help the Herpheon Emperor while speaking with Kyros, a system message appeared before me.

[Sub Quest Triggered!]

[Sub Quest 'The Herpheon Emperor's Request' 1. <Make Contact with the Emperor's Aide!>

Content: You have decided to grant the Herpheon Emperor's request. Make contact with the Herpheon Emperor's aide.

Objective: Make contact with the Herpheon Emperor's aide within 48 hours (This quest is a linked quest)

Final Success Reward: ???

Upon Success: Discover next quest trace

Upon Failure: —]

[Will you accept?]

[Yes / No]

I skimmed through the quest and smiled faintly. Sure enough, the content was identical to what I had already known.

The quest "The Herpheon Emperor's Request" was a quest that appeared around the time the Continental War broke out in the original story. And naturally so — because this quest was ultimately tied to the war as well. The religious configuration was a little different, but still.

'To put it plainly...'

And so I had no choice but to accept the quest immediately. Handle this well, and as Kyros had said, I could receive a fair amount of reward from the Imperial family.

'On top of simple rewards, I could also gain the Emperor's trust.'

If I earned the Emperor's trust, it would be of considerable use going forward. Moreover, if the story hadn't changed in its details, the Emperor's aide within the quest was also someone quite close to her. Making a good relationship there would be someone who would help me time and again.

'It's bound to be that person.'

And so, tomorrow, I planned to go and meet the Emperor's aide.

'I could go right now, but first there's urgent work to get through.'

I'd had roughly a day and a half's holiday, but the tasks I needed to deal with immediately were piling up like a mountain. And even that was after Alphius had already taken care of some of it in advance.

"Phew."

I let out a small sigh and began going through the documents stacked on my work desk one by one. Having done this work for so long, speed reading had come naturally, so it didn't take too long to get through a single document.

—Back to work the moment you return.

'Even if war is about to come, there's work that needs doing. At the very least, the temple needs to keep running smoothly.'

—True. But as I said earlier, please don't overdo it. I worry you'll collapse before the war even begins.

'You know what they say about words becoming reality, don't you, Lord Kyros?'

—No, no, that won't happen! My child, you are several times — no, several tens of times stronger than others!

Kyros panicked and hastily denied it. Finding that amusing, I laughed out loud.

'Lord Kyros. I need to work — please don't distract me.'

I stopped laughing and spoke to him seriously. Kyros let out a small sigh.

—Nng. Understood. I won't interfere. I'll just go play somewhere else...

'Yes, yes. Go and play.'

After that, Kyros went quiet, apparently heading to another temple. Thanks to that, I was able to get through the work quickly.

Several hours passed. The sun had gone down and evening had arrived. I got up from my achy body and stretched, doing some simple exercises.

After that, I immediately contacted my subordinates who were far away.

"Zain."

[A, ah. Can you hear me?]

"Yes, I can."

Zain's voice, heard after several days, was rather welcome.

[Come on, Master. Please contact me more often. I was dying of boredom over here.]

"What's there to be bored about there? I've told you time and again — keep a close watch."

[Of course I'm keeping a close watch. The key figures of the Beron Kingdom are under constant surveillance. It's just, doing it alone makes it boring, you know.]

"All right. I understand. But give me your report first. What's the current atmosphere in the Beron Kingdom like?"

[Right, that's the most important thing. Well... you might have already guessed, but just yesterday the Beron King passed away.]

"...I see."

What had to happen had happened. I slowly nodded and continued.

"So what happened after that?"

[Right now a funeral is being held inside Beron Kingdom, and there's a lot of talk regarding the succession to the throne.]

"Why is that?"

[Well, there had been talk about succession even before the Beron King passed, but the King's heir is still very young. So it seems a regent is to govern until the young prince comes of age.]

"And that regent?"

[It's been tacitly decided that it will be Duke Kilias, the late king's younger brother.]

"I see. Understood. For the time being, keep a close eye on Duke Kilias's side."

[Yes, I will do so.]

"If any problems come up, contact me immediately."

[Don't worry!]

After giving Zain one last instruction, I ended the call. The current situation was proceeding exactly as in the original.

'Still, there's some time yet...'

I deliberated briefly and then contacted Troy as well.

"Troy."

[Ah, Church Leader. It's been a while.]

"What's the situation in Hanlim lately?"

[Peaceful. Excessively peaceful, really.]

"Is that so? Then the people I asked you to watch..."

[I don't know why Church Leader wanted them watched... but there aren't any particular problems.]

"No major issues yet, I suppose. Still, keep watching at all times. There are those who occasionally target the beastkin of Hanlim."

[I know. Just like Church Leader said, I've got my eyes peeled on the lookout for any such types.]

"Good work. As long as you're watching them, Troy... it won't escalate to a serious situation."

[Understood.]

"Good. Please keep up the effort a little longer."

After finishing the communication with Troy, I pressed my throbbing head.

'The war between Hanlim and Beron Kingdom...'

That overture was to be set in motion by a single crime. One committed by a greedy individual.

'And that greedy individual has finally seized power.'

I would have to watch even more carefully from now on. To some it might seem like a small, trivial matter from which to start a war — but the quarrel triggered by this incident would soon grow into a tremendous war.

'Though in my eyes, it's not a small matter at all.'

It's a serious crime. And while the same is true in this world, it's something happening in the shadows.

'So I'll just have to hope that Troy... manages to stop it.'

If circumstances became difficult, I had a plan to move immediately myself.

I had been pressing on my throbbing head when I ended up using a healing skill on myself.

'Damn migraine.'

Just then. Knock knock — someone knocked on the Church Leader's office door.

"Come in."

As I felt the headache ease from the healing skill, I looked at whoever had come to the office. It was Terdius.

"Ah, perfect timing. Brother."

I had summoned him. Said he was going to train and then took quite a while, didn't he.

"Leviathan, what did you call me for?"

"Well... because I needed you, Brother."

I said with a smile, and one of Terdius's eyebrows twitched.

"Is it something serious again?"

I shook my head. And I guided Terdius toward one of the sofas as I added:

"It's not that serious. Have a seat first."

After confirming Terdius had sat on the sofa, I simply served him some tea.

"So what is it?"

"A request for help has come. From the Imperial family — or to be precise, from the Emperor."

Terdius, who had been about to take a sip of tea, flinched. If I had said it just a little later, he might have spat it out.

'Fortunately.'

Relieved, I watched as Terdius set down his teacup and added:

"That sounds like quite a serious matter."

"Well, it's significant to some extent, but it's not on the level of the Continental War."

"...Ha. So then."

I gave Terdius a brief explanation.

"So in short — though you don't know what the Emperor wants help with — you're going to meet the Emperor's aide and help them."

"Yes. It would be better to build a relationship with the Emperor while we're at it."

"But in the current situation when we don't know when the Continental War will break out?"

"...Mm. That's true, but there's still time. And who knows — maybe the Emperor will help us during the war."

I smiled faintly, and Terdius looked at me with narrowed eyes. It was a gaze that seemed to be weighing my true intentions.

"...All right. Leviathan, you must have a plan. I understand."

I grinned. This is exactly why Terdius is easy to work with.

"Then let's depart at dawn tomorrow."

***

Somewhere, in a distant dimension.

A lush green meadow bathed in warm sunlight.

Kyros sat there, watching Revelof sleeping soundly on a screen beyond.

"Now... we're nearly at the end."

Kyros looked at Revelof with slightly sad eyes. Then, before long, he reached out his hand toward Revelof through the screen.

Flash—

A pure white light flowed from Kyros's hand. And that light was instantly drawn into Revelof on the other side of the screen.

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