How the Cult Saves the World

Chapter 4

I recalled the functions of the HSAW in my head one by one.

'Inventory, skill, status window. Is this all there is?'

There were more functions in the HSAW, but for some reason, I could only use these three.

First, the inventory was the same as I had seen before. A space where I could put in items infinitely, nothing more.

The skill window was surprising to see just by being opened. This world was a hidden route in the game, so it made sense that there was such a window. I shouldn't have any skills...

'But, why do I have one?'

[Beauty of God (Passive)

Grade: Mythical

Description: A mythical-grade skill for the first believer of Kyros, the God of Beauty. This skill increases your beauty in proportion to your faith in Kyros.]

As I read the skill description, I wondered.

Would this be helpful to me?

Well, Revelof's face was already handsome, to begin with. Of course, not as much as Kyros. He was from a godly realm after all.

'...No.'

When I saw Kyros, I almost felt a thrill.

Then maybe,

'Maybe I can increase my fans, no, my believers with my face like celebrities do?'

For a moment, I imagined myself doing fan service like celebrities.

...I can't do that.

No matter how I think about it, I can't do that.

'...No, but still, people can't spit on a smiling face. So let's try to smile more.'

Yeah, that's right.

I decided to do that and moved on to the next one.

Status window. This was a bit unexpected.

[User: Revelof Holden (Jeong Ji-hyun)

Age: 25

Birthday: December 25th

Religion: Kyros Faith

Job: Leader of Kyros Faith]

This was more like a profile than a status window. I thought there would be levels or stats since this was a game world. It was kind of disappointing.

'...No. Maybe it's better that there are no levels or stats.'

Levels and stats have limits. If I recognize those limits and fail to overcome them, then what?

'Wouldn't that be more unfortunate?'

-That's a good attitude to have.

"Ugh!"

I was startled and got goosebumps when I suddenly heard Kyros' voice. Even though we were mentally connected, it was embarrassing to be caught in such a situation.

'Don't read my mind whenever you want!'

-What's so shameful about it? We are mentally connected to each other anyway.

'Stop saying such embarrassing things!'

-Hehe. Okay, okay. I got it.

'Stop teasing me with that tone!'

-Aww, don't be so uptight. You can close your mind if you don't want me to hear it.

'Really? How do I do that?'

-Just imagine a lock in your mind and close it. You can also lock away any memories that you don't want me to see.

I tried to do as Kyros said. I imagined locking away my memories before the possession in a huge space and also putting a lock on my mind. And then, I cursed at Kyros in my mind.

'Oh, it really works?'

-Hmm. But, I think I can guess what you were thinking anyway.

'Yeah, sure you can.'

I didn't know how much Kyros had read my mind before, but there was one thing for sure. He didn't know that this world was a game world.

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If he knew everything I thought, he would have realized that this was a game world and felt very confused. But, he didn't show any of those signs.

Maybe there was some kind of filtering system or, maybe our mental connection wasn't that strong enough to make it possible. Both were plausible explanations.

Anyway, now I could relax. If I had to compare, Kyros and I were like talking on the phone with each other.

"Phew."

I let out a sigh of relief and finished what I was doing. I looked carefully at the status window to see if there was anything else. But there was nothing special.

'By the way, now being the leader of Kyros Faith is my job.'

It felt like I had officially become a cult leader when I saw the word 'leader' on my job title. It felt like my nose was pierced.

'I'm a cult leader.'

I unconsciously slumped my shoulders when Kyros shouted indignantly.

-Cult? How can it be a cult when I exist?

'Yes. You're right. That's true. But from Diego Faith's perspective, we are a cult.'

-Well, that's true but...

Even though I couldn't see Kyros' face, I felt like he was more dejected than me.

Should I comfort him? I wondered when suddenly a message appeared.

[A new function 'Religion Status' has been added.]

[You have acquired the title 'Leader of Kyros Faith'.]

['Leader of Kyros Faith': You are the leader of Kyros Faith, the religion of the God of Beauty, Kyros! Your beauty increases slightly in proportion to your faith in Kyros!]

The title system existed in the original work, so I didn't mind it much, but I had never seen the title 'Leader of Kyros Faith' before. The effect was the same as the Beauty of God's skill, so I skipped it.

But what about the religious status? I had a rough idea of what it was just by looking at the name. But did the function open because I recognized myself as a 'leader'?

Hmm...

As I opened the religion status, a window similar to the system window I had seen before, appeared. But there was a difference.

[Religion Status (Kyros Faith)

Leader: 1 (Revelof Holden)

High Priest: 0

Paladin: 0

.

.

.

Total number of believers: 1]

This is just like statistics.

But the function itself didn't seem bad. It looked like I could check people's names and positions in the religion. Then, I noticed something that caught my eye.

"...Oh, no."

That's when I fully realized the reality I was in. The total number of people in the religious status was only me.

'Wait a minute... Only one person?'

I was shocked beyond words by one realization that crossed my mind.

I didn't realize it even after creating a religion myself.

Yes, that's right. That one number referred to me.

That meant, the real protagonist of this world, Terdius Austin, was... My enemy.

The owner of HSAW, Terdius, had been a believer of Kyros Faith since about a year before the original work started. And, more than half of the continent believed in Kyros Faith.

But now it was different. Kyros Faith had just been established, and I was the only believer.

That meant Terdius was at least not on my side, and at worst, he could be a Diego Faith.

'I should say it's almost certain.'

I pondered for a moment.

Then I concluded.

'...There's no choice.'

Even though I became enemies with the original protagonist, it didn't matter.

My main goal was to convert people to Kyros Faith, regardless of the original work or anything else.

Of course, there was a stumbling block.

'Diego Faith...'

Maybe the world would end before I finished my main quest.

Diego was a vicious, evil god.

'But in three years, anything can change.'

At least I had an advantage in terms of information.

'Well, if I really need him, I can try to woo him to my side later.'

By the way, the difficulty had increased dramatically as the system said.

I didn't know if anything else had changed, but if it followed the original flow somewhat,

'There are many things I can use.'

There was no need to think too complicatedly.

If I thoughtfully used the information I had, I would somehow manage.

"Phew."

I breathed deeply. I felt like I could live now.

Maybe it was because I had a nosebleed and fainted during a meal 2 days ago. My physical condition deteriorated rapidly after checking the system.

I endured the pain that felt like stabbing my whole body and took some painkillers that were in my room. After that, I fell asleep as if I fainted and repeatedly woke up from my sleep.

From time to time, my mother and Sevenus came to see me worriedly, but now I was fine.

'Although, I don't know when I'll faint again.'

-My lamb, do you know how worried I was?

Come to think of it, I think I heard Kyros' worried voice every time I was conscious.

'I'm sorry for making you worry.'

-No, no, what do you have to be sorry for?

Kyros burst into tears again. I ignored him and looked at Paul.

"Paul, I want to go out today."

"Sir? But your condition is..."

"I'm much better now."

"But if you go out and faint again..."

"It's okay, Paul. I don't faint for a few days after fainting once. And, I'm not going far. I'm going to Elyn, the closest town to the mansion."

Paul's resistance was broken by my words. It was true, after all.

"...Okay, I understand. Then I'll get ready."

In the end, Paul left the room with his hands and feet up. I ate the food that he had prepared for me in the room and thought.

'Well, I can go out now.'

But, I had to be alone to buy the cure for Malone's disease.

'I have to hide my identity while getting rid of the escort knights...'

There was no way. I had nothing right now. Of course, there were items for disguise in the game.

'In my current state, I can't possibly get them. That's the problem.'

They only existed in other cities, so I couldn't go that far with this body.

-Do you need help?

As I was eating and thinking, Kyros' voice came to me. He seemed to have stopped crying.

'Yes. I have to avoid being recognized by anyone.'

-My lamb, let me help you.

'What?'

As I asked Kyros back, a white sphere of light appeared in front of me. This was the same light as when I got hit by a stick...! Maybe he was trying to manifest himself again? But no.

The light of the sphere faded and formed a shape. Unfortunately, Kyros didn't have enough power to manifest himself. And what appeared was...

"...Glasses?"

They were glasses with large round lenses.

[You have acquired the holy item 'Cognitive Dissonance Glasses'.]

They looked like ordinary glasses, but they were holy items. I checked the item information right away.

[Cognitive Dissonance Glasses (Holy Item)

Grade: Mythical Item

Description: Glasses imbued with the power of Kyros, the God of Beauty. They distort the cognitive ability of others who look at the wearer.]

It seemed that if I wore these glasses, other people wouldn't recognize my face. This is not bad at all? When I do my cult--- No, leader work, I can wear these glasses and take them off normally.

'Thank you, Kyros!'

-Hm, yes. It's nothing. I would have liked to manifest myself and give it to you personally, but... Anyway, even if you wear those glasses, your appearance will remain the same, but others won't realize that you are the second son of the Holden family.

Ah, I understand. It's like a hypnotic effect that makes me look like an ordinary person while keeping my dazzling appearance.

'Thank you so much, Kyros. You gave me another holy item!'

-For my beloved believer, it's only natural. Ahem, but there's something.

'Yes, Kyros?'

Kyros, who had been very enthusiastic, coughed timidly and added.

-I might not be able to make any more holy items for a while.

'What?'

-Making a holy item consumes a lot of power each time. In the future, when my power becomes stronger, I'll be able to make them more often, but...

Kyros trailed off in a gloomy tone. It wasn't unexpected. But, I had hoped to get more holy items since he gave me one from the start. It was a pity, but I had already obtained a weapon and a disguised item, so I had what I needed.

'It's okay, Kyros.'

I comforted Kyros, who was still gloomy, and put the glasses in my inventory.

I got on the carriage with the Holden family crest and finally breathed a sigh of relief.

It was hard to go out.

The knights assigned to escort me were originally four. But, I adamantly refused.

I couldn't move freely with too many people.

I had to act with all my might in front of Paul, who saw me off.

"It's okay. Don't worry too much, Paul. Besides, it's more uncomfortable for me if they swarm around me like this..."

I was going to the most bustling place in the territory anyway, so I asked him to reduce the escort by half. I said I was too burdened by it.

Thanks to that, I was able to go out with only two of the most skilled knights from the Holden family.

I wanted to walk there since it was close to the destination, but I had to get on the carriage because of Paul's fierce opposition.

And, it took less than 10 minutes for the carriage to arrive at the destination.

The carriage stopped in a quiet alley and the door opened and the knights reached out their hands to me.

"Please get off, sir."

It was a well-known fact that the second son of the Holden family was frail, so it was natural.

But it was embarrassing to be supported by sturdy knights as I got off.

"Thank you."

I got off the carriage and put on a robe and came out of the alley with the knights.

It was my first outing since I woke up in this world and without realizing it, I was excited.

'This is the most bustling town in Holden territory.'

Elyn.

The streets of Elyn were similar to what I had seen in the game. There were shops from the medieval era and lively citizens everywhere.

'It's amazing to see it like this.'

I stopped for a moment and looked around. It felt real that I had come here.

The voices of merchants from all over, the laughter of children running around, the sounds of lovers' affection.

They were all nice to hear.

Well, except for the last one.

And even though there were so many people, no one recognized me.

'I haven't gone out since I was very young.'

It's comfortable and nice.

"Sir, do you have a specific destination?"

I shook my head at the knight's question.

"No. I just came to look around..."

That's when it happened.

There was someone who stood out among the crowd.

A man with a head taller than most people and a beast-like huge body caught my eye.

Dark black hair and jewel-like red eyes, a beautiful appearance that no one could deny.

And yet, no one approached him because of his overwhelming aura that made him hard to approach.

Like me, they all just looked at him.

'...Why is he here?'

He was none other than the protagonist of HSAW.

Terdius Austin.