How the Cult Saves the World

Seeing Grandmother using formal speech with me, I smiled faintly. Then I took off the glasses I had on and said:

"It's all right, Grandmother. Please speak comfortably with me."

After all, the hour was already late and in the Church Leader's office there was only Grandmother and myself.

"Very well."

After hearing Grandmother's reply, I put down the document I had been reading and got up from my seat. Then I walked toward the sofa and gestured to Grandmother.

"Please sit down first, Grandmother."

"Thank you, Levi."

First, before talking with Grandmother, I put out some tea. Then I handed it to her and sat down across from her.

"You haven't gone home yet."

I asked because normally Grandmother would have already left work at this hour. Grandmother answered with a faint smile.

"Right. Levi, I have a favor to ask you."

"Hmm. Could it perhaps be something you'd ask Church Leader Leviathan?"

Grandmother shook her head at my question.

"No, it's not that. But...... I can't say it's entirely not that either."

"What? What do you mean?"

Finding it hard to understand Grandmother's words, I asked back, and Grandmother laughed out loud.

"Ha ha. I am asking both you as the Church Leader and as my grandson Revelof."

As I was wondering what sort of favor among those Grandmother might have for me—

Grandmother added with a smile.

"Levi, you gave the officers a day's holiday tomorrow, didn't you."

"Ah, yes. I did."

"Then could you please spend that time for our children?"

"What? The children......"

"Why, naturally I mean Sasha, Alphi, and Chessy. I'm planning to take the children on a picnic, and I'd like you to come along as well."

At Grandmother's words, my mouth fell slightly open. Come to think of it, they were the children who had been with me from the very beginning, yet I hadn't been able to pay them much attention.

And so I had meant to spend more time with the children whenever I had the opportunity.

'On top of that, I recall it was mentioned that the officers met through draws all have souls with separate previous lives.'

I didn't know exactly what kind of beings those were.

—Child, it seems you're curious about the officers' existence.

I must have thought it in a way that Kyros could hear without realizing. Still, the timing was convenient — I had planned to ask him.

'Yes. Of course I'm curious. Because Lord Kyros mentioned certain things about that before.'

—Every one of those children endured much suffering in their previous lives. And so, pitying them, I gathered their souls. And since they are all pure and virtuous souls, they wished to help me. They wanted to repay me for having gathered them.

'Don't tell me, so that's why......'

—Right. And so I shared my power with them and asked them to help you. Wishing that in this life they would please be happy. Of course, they are also guaranteed their next life.

'I see. Souls who endured much suffering in their previous lives......'

—Yes. They carry sad stories. But right now they have all forgotten those memories. Only their pure and virtuous souls remain, so don't feel too sad for them.

'Yes. Understood.'

Still, I couldn't help the way my heart went out to them. I made a vow that someday, when all of this was over, I would spend much more time with the other officers too.

For now, at least, I decided to pay attention to the children.

"Could that by any chance be Sasha's idea?"

I asked Grandmother with a smile. I was simply curious whose idea it had been.

"Ha ha, it was Sasha's and mine. Sasha proposed it to me first, and I said we should go together with the other children too."

Judging by that, Sasha had clearly wanted to go on a picnic with only Grandmother. But Grandmother would have thought she couldn't take only Sasha without the other children.

"Hmm, yes. Understood."

I nodded and answered Grandmother. At that, Grandmother's expression brightened.

"Thank you, Levi. I worried this time too that you'd be too busy to come with us."

"Well, this holiday includes my day off too. By the way, where will we be going?"

"Since it was decided on short notice, somewhere nearby. We plan to be back by evening, so don't worry."

"Yes, all right."

With that brief exchange with Grandmother done, she got up from her seat.

"Then I'll head off first to prepare for the picnic tomorrow."

"You're going to prepare it yourself, Grandmother?"

"Ha ha, of course — it's a special picnic with the children."

"I'm looking forward to it."

"Then have a good night, Levi."

Grandmother gave me a light hug, then slipped out of the Church Leader's office. I saw her off and sat back down at my work desk.

To quickly get through what remained so that I could rest for tomorrow's holiday.

"Child! Wake up!"

My consciousness slowly returned. The very moment I came to from a deep sleep, what I heard was Kyros's voice.

It reached me the way it usually did — through the mind — but this time it felt vivid, as if he were speaking right in front of my face.

I slowly opened my eyes, and on my chest was a gray ball of fluff. Before I knew it, the corners of my mouth curled up, and my hand reached out toward that fluffy bundle.

"Good morning, Lord Kyros."

I gently stroked Kyros's fur as he took the shape of a puppy — a rare occurrence — and used my other hand to rub the corners of my eyes.

"So you've finally woken up."

At that, Kyros seemed to smile. For some reason, Kyros seemed particularly in high spirits today.

"Lord Kyros, you look especially cheerful this morning."

"Of course! Today is the picnic day! I've been looking forward to it since yesterday!"

Kyros bounced up and down on my chest. The tiny fluff ball's weight was as good as nothing, but every time Kyros jumped, his fur flew about.

"Achoo!"

I sneezed and caught Kyros with both hands. Then I set him down beside the bed and got up.

"Lord Kyros, if you jump like that your fur will fly."

"Nng, hurry and get up. We need to go on the picnic!"

"Yes, yes. I know. I'll get ready quickly."

After giving the puppy Kyros's fur one more stroke as he brimmed with childlike excitement, I headed to the bathroom. I washed up quickly and changed into casual clothes.

'Since today is a picnic day, there's no need to wear robes.'

Still, I put my glasses on. With preparations done, it was already nearly time for the appointment with Grandmother.

'She won't have arrived before me, will she?'

Making my way toward the officers' exclusive lounge where we had agreed to meet, I let out a wide yawn. Even so, Kyros clung right to the top of my head and urged me along.

"Quickly, quickly, let's go, child."

"Yes, yes. Understood."

I took this god who was like a small child and walked at a quick pace. And before long, I arrived at the lounge.

"Levi, come in."

"Church Leader! Good morning! Lord Kyros has come too!"

"Ch, Church Leader. Lord Kyros. Did you sleep well?"

"......Welcome, Lord Kyros. Church Leader."

Contrary to my expectation, it seemed everyone had been waiting for quite a while already.

And so I stepped into the lounge receiving greetings from Grandmother and the three children. But there was someone I hadn't anticipated.

"Ah, hello, Church Leader! L, Lord Kyros!"

"You're late, Leviathan."

Ivan, startled at seeing Kyros in puppy form, and beside him Terdius who was holding Ivan's hand.

Ivan, well — he got along well with the children, so one could say it made sense for him to come along. But I couldn't figure out for the life of me why Terdius was here.

"Brother Ivan, welcome. But Brother Terdius, why on earth are you......"

I asked Terdius while trying my best to smile. At that, Terdius looked at me with his usual expressionless face and said:

"Obviously I'm accompanying them as an escort. This time's itinerary involves not only you, Church Leader, but Ivan as well."

"No, even so there's no need to come along."

When I spoke with a nuance suggesting he reconsider, the reply came not from him but from Grandmother.

"Ha ha, Levi. It's fine. A picnic is always more fun with more people."

"I understand that too, but...... for this picnic, not only I but you as well are here, Grandmother, so I thought there would be no need for an escort."

The one currently teaching all the officers save Ivan was none other than Grandmother. So Terdius accompanying as an escort seemed excessive.

'Just read the room and step back.'

Well, Terdius isn't so uncomfortable that I'm troubled by his presence — but this was nominally a "picnic."

"With my accompanying, the Knight Commander will be more at ease."

"......Understood. Let's go together then."

The moment my approval was given, everyone except Terdius was pleased. This has me feeling like the villain somehow.

Shaking off the uneasy feeling with effort, I left the lounge together with the officers.

"Wow, it's really fast!"

"Isn't it, Brother Ivan? That's because this carriage has a special magic placed on it. The Holy Knight Commander is acquainted with an Archmage and received it as a special gift!"

I leaned back against my seat, listening to Ivan and Alphius's exchange.

Just as Alphius said, for this picnic we were using the carriage Grandmother had received from the Archmage Jenna Lewis.

The carriage Jenna Lewis had gifted was a rare and precious thing not found anywhere in this world. Naturally, not even money could buy one.

The speed was of course fast, and there was zero shaking. Moreover, whoever "Jenna Lewis" set it for simply had to picture a desired destination and place their hand on the carriage, and it would move automatically.

Even the fuel was the great mage's own magic power, so one could travel great distances with ease without spending any effort.

On top of that, the interior size could also be set at the time of entering the destination, which was how it could accommodate our large group right now.

'I wonder if this is what self-driving cars back in the modern day felt like......'

Though I had neither the money to own one, nor had I ever ridden in one.

'Magic really is a cheat-like ability.'

I marveled inwardly as I watched the children and Kyros, who were bubbling with excitement. Kyros in puppy form was so worked up that he was drifting and floating around inside the carriage with the children.

And the chaperones — myself, Grandmother, and Terdius — behaved calmly as always. Grandmother largely played along with the children, while I and Terdius quietly stared out the window.

Not much time passed before the carriage quickly left Holden territory.

And in an instant, we arrived at the picnic location.

'This is......'

I smiled faintly.

The picnic location this time was none other than a tall mountain nearby.

And here, Grandmother owned a beautiful mountain lodge.

A laugh escaped me involuntarily at the beautiful natural scenery visible through the window.

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