How the Cult Saves the World

It was not a difficult task to leave the Empire by carriage. The distance between the Holden territory and the border was short, and we could easily cross the border by bribing the soldiers guarding it with some conversation and money, just like last time.

Thanks to the carriage running for hours, we got out of the Empire. I had left the territory before, but it was my first time leaving the empire, so I felt a mix of excitement and nervousness.

'It must be similar to Woosebeop.'

The scenery outside the window of the carriage was as I expected. It was not a place with lush greenery, but a barren land on the verge of desertification.

The vast land felt dry and bleak, stretching endlessly. The carriage we were riding followed the road on the ground.

Some might be disappointed by this arid landscape, but not me. It was already a background I had seen in the original work.

'I never thought this would be my first desert experience.'

The Celeste continent, where the Herpheon Empire was located, had achieved rapid growth based on its beautiful nature and abundant food.

However, as time passed, many countries were born and disappeared, and great wars broke out several times. The nature within the continent was destroyed by human development.

The countries that were large in scale, such as the empire and the kingdom, could survive by being self-sufficient, but not those that were not.

For example, the natives who lived with the land without belonging to any country. Or small villages with few people.

Those who lived in harmony with nature, not the ones who ruined the world, were suffering.

'...And he is also one of those people.'

I was staring blankly out of the window, lost in thought, when I heard a rustling sound from somewhere.

I lifted my head and looked at where the sound came from. I saw Zain rummaging through my luggage bag diligently. He took something out of the bag with a bland face.

"What are you doing?"

I asked out of curiosity. Without looking at me, Zain started to move his hands skillfully. He held two long wooden sticks and a thick woolen yarn in his hands.

"Can't you tell? I'm knitting."

He wove the yarn with very proficient movements. He didn't stop talking while moving naturally. It seemed he was quite skilled.

"Why are you doing that all of a sudden?"

I couldn't understand and asked. Zain only moved his eyes and looked at me. He looked at me with disdain.

"Of course, because it makes money. We have a long way to go, so I'm doing it as a side job. And I'm bored too."

He's really amazing. I laughed hollowly at Zain's answer.

---Do you want to do it too, Young Master?

Suddenly, I heard Kyros' question.

'What? Me?'

---We have a long way to go, you said. Aren't you bored too?

'...No.'

Actually, I'm very bored.

---Really?

Actually, I want to do it too. It was too boring to just think blankly. Last time, when we went to Mount Beon, I was also very bored in the carriage.

Ahem, I cleared my throat and spoke softly.

"Zain."

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"Yes?"

Zain answered indifferently.

"Well... can I do some knitting too?"

It was very embarrassing to ask this after laughing at him just before.

"What? Really? You were just wondering why I was doing this."

Zain seemed incredulous and grumbled at me. But he still searched his luggage bag and handed me some spare knitting tools.

I happily took them and smiled brightly.

"But Zain, I don't know how to do this."

"Really, Master. You don't even know how to knit and you ask for it?"

He snapped at me openly now. But he had no choice but to bend since I was temporarily his master.

"Yeah. Teach me."

At that answer, Zain sighed softly.

"Geez, really. You're killing me."

He complained but he unraveled the part he had knitted so far. And then he told me.

"Come on, follow me. This is a needle."

"I know that."

"Shh! This is yarn."

This kid is ignoring me now.

"..."

But as a learner, I had no choice but to keep my mouth shut.

---

Late at night, somewhere in Aldone Kingdom.

A middle-aged man was running through a deserted alley.

"Huff, huff."

Behind him, a four-legged beast was chasing him. The black beast that blended with the darkness shone its yellow eyes and chased after the man relentlessly.

The man who ran away from the beast was blocked by a dead end in an instant. He reached out his hands to climb over the wall if possible, but it was too late.

"Aaargh!"

His sight was reversed in a flash. The huge front paw of the beast pressed down on his stomach and ribs.

"Ugh, ugh!"

The man writhed and tried to remove the beast's paw with his hands. But he couldn't match the beast's strength. And the man's struggle subsided under the pressure of the giant black panther.

Someone appeared behind the black panther.

"Why are you running away, Brother?"

The man who appeared with an expression that he couldn't understand looked at the man who was under the beast and opened his mouth with difficulty.

"Ugh, H, High Priest... pl, please spare me, ugh."

The man pleaded with the High Priest endlessly. But the High Priest of the Rizes Church's Aldone Branch, Hamel, approached him with a cold face.

"Spare me..."

Hamel's golden hair that reached his waist sparkled in the moonlight. His beautiful appearance looked even colder today.

The High Priest Hamel smiled kindly like a saint and said coldly.

"Why did you dare enter the underground, Brother? Didn't I tell you many times, Brother?"

Hamel frowned and looked at him with genuine pity. But the man's face turned pale.

"Th, that's... my wife, ugh, she's there, I was worried about her...!"

"Didn't I tell you many times? No ordinary believer can enter the underground. You know that too, don't you, Brother?"

Hamel said that as he crouched down next to the man. The man looked up at Hamel and begged earnestly.

"I, I was wrong, High Priest. Please, please..."

The man's pitiful plea did not soften Hamel's expression. He smiled sadly and took out a small dagger from his bosom. The well-sharpened blade reflected the moonlight and the man's breath stopped.

"Ugh!"

The cold blade aimed at the man's neck without a hint of hesitation.

"Don't worry, Brother. Your soul will be taken care of by Hamel."

"Please..."

The man trembled his lips and prayed desperately. Hamel smirked and lifted the dagger from his neck and brought it to his lips.

"You said you were worried about your wife, brother."

The icy blade parted the man's lips. The man followed Hamel's action obediently for fear of being cut. As his lips opened, Hamel took out a small white pouch from his bosom.

"Don't be afraid. I'll send you to her side too."

As he finished speaking, the white pouch touched the man's mouth. A blue powder poured out of it.

"Ugh, ugh!"

The man tried to avoid swallowing the powder somehow, but Hamel's hand twisted his mouth and forced him to take the Happy.

Blue spots appeared on the man's body in an instant.

Normally, he would make him addicted by giving him small doses regularly, but this time was different.

"You wanted to go to your wife's side so badly."

Hamel laughed mockingly and got up from his seat. The man who was overdosed with Happy lay limp on the ground.

"Bring him. We can't waste this precious sacrifice."

Hamel turned away from the man and a young man returned to human form from behind the black panther.

The half-beast, half-man figure with dark black hair and golden eyes followed Hamel's order silently with unfocused eyes.

He carried the lifeless man over his shoulder and followed Hamel quietly.

---

"Hmm."

I yawned out of boredom. I stretched lightly and scanned outside the window.

It had been about a week since we left the Empire. We stayed overnight on the way and passed through a few villages.

During that time, Zain made about ten pieces of knitting work, and I barely made one scarf.

Zain evaluated my scarf like this.

'Did you make a rag with this precious yarn?'

I was so ashamed by his cold gaze that I decided not to knit anymore.

And Zain's knitting works were really high-quality. He knitted hats and gloves unlike me, and even made bags. I was amazed to see him do that.

I shoved my scarf into my inventory and didn't even look at the knitting tools.

'Are you not doing it anymore?'

'I'll just watch you do it.'

'You're not good at everything, Master.'

'Shut up.'

But watching Zain knit made time pass faster and I didn't feel that bored.

And when dawn broke.

We finally arrived near Aldone Kingdom.

Aldone Kingdom was a place we had to pass through on our way to Bahano Kingdom.

It was a small country with less population and no big features compared to the Bahano Kingdom.

But it was a popular tourist destination for its beautiful white buildings and clear sky.

We planned to rest here for a few days and then leave.

"Wow, it's really pretty."

Aldone Kingdom was beautiful even from afar. The white buildings shining under the morning sun were truly unique.

"I agree."

I was also admiring when the carriage we were riding passed through the gate of Aldone Kingdom.

Right after the system message appeared.

[Subquest 'Light of Hope' 1. <Finding the Light> Cleared!]

[Subquest reward will be given.]

[Subquest updated!]

[Subquest 'Light of Hope' 2. <The Beast of Aldone Kingdom>

Content: You have arrived at Aldone Kingdom within the time limit. Find out the secret hidden here.

Goal: Find traces of the beast in Aldone Kingdom within a week (This quest is linked to another quest)

Success: Next quest clue

Failure: -

Final success reward: ???

[Do you accept?]

[Yes/No]

As soon as I saw that the quest was updated, I was about to press accept. But then I paused for a moment, wondering if I had seen it wrong.

I scrolled down the quest content again and realized that I wasn't mistaken.

It wasn't a mistake.

'...The quest content.'

It's different from Woosebeop.