How the Cult Saves the World

The Emperor's aide we were to rendezvous with was wearing a robe. And while at first glance it looked like an ordinary robe, it was not.

Because the back of the robe bore a black rose design. While various organizations sometimes had their symbols embroidered like that... the black rose design was used by one place and no other.

'Because the black rose is a design the Herpheon Emperor uses in secret.'

And so, thanks to that, we were able to identify the Emperor's aide without difficulty. I approached the aide together with Terdius.

We could only see the aide's back, but I already knew well that this person was a man. I came to stand beside the aide and whispered quietly.

"The black rose is in bloom."

When I spoke the contact phrase written in the Emperor's letter, the man listening to my words flinched slightly. Then he answered.

"It shall wilt before long."

It was the exact passphrase I had received in advance.

With a faint smile, I moved to the front and took a seat across from the man. At that, Terdius didn't sit beside me but stood behind me instead.

'He seems to be on guard.'

I had clearly explained that I had come here at the Emperor's request, yet he didn't seem to have let his guard down.

Well, that was understandable.

At any rate, I looked at the Emperor's aide sitting before me.

Orange hair and eyes that glittered like gold.

Anyone looking would immediately know he was a remarkably handsome man. And he looked faintly startled as he saw me and Terdius.

"Y, you..."

He then stammered with wide eyes.

It seemed he was especially startled by Terdius in particular.

The man had eyes that seemed to demand an explanation from me. Well, neither this man nor the Emperor were particularly fond of Diego Church.

'He must be startled to see Terdius, who had been a member of Diego Church.'

Though it seemed he hadn't received word of Terdius's change of allegiance. Understandable — he was a figure excluded even from the imperial court.

"...You need not worry. He is now a faithful servant of Lord Kyros."

I answered in a low voice with a smile.

Only then did the man's expression ease a little — though it wasn't entirely calm.

The man watched us for a brief moment, then slowly rose to his feet. I followed and stood as well.

"First... let us move somewhere else. To speak properly, we need a better location."

"Yes. Let's do that."

I followed the man as he walked.

The man quickly moved toward the inner part of the tavern and headed for the staircase to the upper floor.

'Now that I think about it, this tavern also served as an inn.'

Exactly as it had appeared in the original story.

I looked around quickly as I followed behind the man. There were no particular problems nearby as far as the man was concerned.

'No trace of Diego Church's presence either.'

No group was watching or paying attention to the man. And so I followed him with a little relief.

Before long, we entered a room at the end of the corridor. A space with faint signs of habitation — it seemed he had already been staying there for a while.

"Ah, er — I apologize. I was staying here first..."

The man apologized to us, looking embarrassed.

I shook my head with a kind smile.

"It's fine."

Even so, the man hastily tidied the room. After a little time had passed, we came to be seated face-to-face on the sofa in the room. Terdius still stood behind me.

'That really isn't necessary.'

As I quietly sighed to myself, the man removed his hood and greeted us.

"...How do you do. I am Cedric Her..., I am Cedric."

The man trailed off, but I already knew this man well.

This man was one who carried the blood of the Herpheon Emperor. In other words, an Imperial Prince.

"It is an honor to meet you, Your Highness the Second Prince."

I greeted him with genuine warmth.

At that, Cedric flinched and looked at me.

"You, you knew my identity?"

I slowly nodded.

It was actually natural for Cedric to be surprised.

I had never encountered him even by chance.

But through the original story, I knew him extremely well. The one the current Emperor had marked as Crown Prince, the person she hoped would rise to the next Emperor.

'Cedric Herpheon.'

The Second Prince, but a figure with far less power than even his younger brother, the Third Prince. In fact... he was as good as having no power at all.

And so he was more humble than the other princes, not arrogant, and gentle in nature. Because from a young age at the Imperial Palace, he had constantly been overlooked.

'But no matter how much the Emperor cherishes him.'

Thinking that, I spoke readily to Cedric.

"Yes. Because there is nothing Lord Kyros does not know."

"Ah... I see."

Cedric nodded, apparently genuinely believing it. Given the circumstances, it would be stranger not to believe it.

"And I myself am one who knows almost everything in this world."

"As expected... you are remarkable."

Cedric's eyes sparkled and shone.

While I was thinking that—

[Leviathan. He seems quite taken with you.]

A voice came from Terdius standing behind me. I merely smiled in response to the voice that had entered my mind.

[But aside from being loved by the current Emperor, he is someone who has little practical use.]

'It seems you know him well, Brother Terdius.'

[I was affiliated with Diego Church, so I had heard things about relations in the Imperial court as well. In any case, the Second Prince Cedric has a very weak base of support.]

'And the reason you think that?'

[He is the son of the current Emperor and a concubine of commoner birth. Because of his commoner blood, his base of support has been quite weak. Though he managed to survive because the current Emperor deeply loved both of them... but.]

Terdius couldn't easily continue.

[After the Second Prince Cedric's father died under mysterious circumstances, what little base of support he had completely crumbled. At present, taking the Second Prince's hand would be no different from grabbing a rotting rope.]

That was about right, according to Terdius.

[Regardless of the current Emperor's orders.]

'I understand what you mean.'

As Terdius said, there was no particular reason to take Cedric Herpheon's hand. But there were facts Terdius didn't know.

'The current Emperor truly loved Cedric's father — that is, her consort.'

And he became the first and last love of the current Emperor. While the Imperial court was now dominated by "Diego Church," the means the current Emperor had to protect the Second Prince she so dearly loved were nearly nonexistent.

The Second Prince Cedric was the only one loved by the current Emperor, the Crown Prince she had designated, gentle and virtuous in character, and filled with love for the Empire's people.

'In other words, the perfect candidate for the next Emperor.'

The only thing lacking in him was simply a "base of support." And that was precisely why the current Emperor had sent Cedric Herpheon to meet me.

Because among religions, the one that had nearly taken over the entire continent aside from Diego Church — that was our Kyros Church.

'And the current Emperor roughly predicts that Diego Church will fall someday.'

If her own downfall came sooner than Diego Church's fall — then she would need somewhere to entrust the Cedric she loved.

And the place the current Emperor had her eye on was none other than Kyros Church.

"...Our Mother's letter, you would have received."

"Ah, yes. That is why I came to meet Your Highness the Second Prince."

I answered Cedric with a smile.

At that, he forced a smile and slowly opened his mouth.

"Mother... that is, Her Majesty, has said that among all religious leaders at present, she trusts the Church Leader most."

From before I had met the Emperor to the time of our audience — and even after — the Imperial court would have been increasingly stained by Diego Church. Except for a few of her closest aides.

'So she had no choice but to seek help from me on the outside.'

It was as I expected, so I readily nodded.

"I see. I had roughly anticipated as much from reading the letter. So then, what is it you need my assistance with?"

"...It is because of the 'rebel forces.'"

Cedric opened his mouth cautiously.

This, too, was something I had already known.

The reason the Emperor had sent Cedric to me was to have him become close to me under the pretext of the rebel forces.

'Of course, the rebel forces issue is important as well.'

While I was briefly lost in thought, Cedric began explaining slowly.

"The rebel forces are a faction currently intent on harming Her Majesty. From what I have heard... they strongly oppose Diego Church."

In other words, they were a faction seeking to oust an Emperor being manipulated by Diego Church.

'They don't know what efforts the Emperor is taking to keep herself from being entangled with Diego Church.'

I nodded along as I continued listening to Cedric's story. According to his words, the rebel forces had been spotted in cities around the capital.

They sometimes staged demonstrations, sometimes committed attacks on Diego Church gatherings, and were not hesitant to level criticism at the Emperor.

"In any case, so Her Majesty is looking to find the rebel forces and punish them?"

I asked the Second Prince offhandedly.

He shook his head.

"No. That is not it. Her Majesty has instructed that first their base be located."

"And after that?"

"And then..."

Cedric opened his mouth with difficulty.

"As you know, Church Leader, neither my mother nor I trust Diego Church. That is why she sent me to you."

Cedric forced himself to continue.

"The rebel forces currently harbor a deep animosity toward Diego Church. And they have carried out attacks on Diego Church gatherings several times. And so Diego Church has also begun to move."

"To find the rebel forces?"

"Yes. That's correct. If Diego Church finds the rebel forces, they will mete out considerable punishment. Knowing that fact well, my mother sought the Church Leader's help."

At those words, I smiled faintly.

"As expected of Her Majesty. Even if they are rebel forces, they are soon to be her subjects — so she wishes to protect them."

At my words, Cedric smiled bitterly and nodded.

"That's right. Mother wants to protect her subjects. Diego Church said they would deliver 'punishment,' but in actuality it would be torture. And at the end of that torture..."

Cedric said with a sorrowful expression.

"In any case, our objective is to find the rebel forces' base, protect them, and persuade them. Will you please help us?"

Cedric asked me with earnest eyes. And I naturally nodded.

"Of course."

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