How the Cult Saves the World

I felt a gaze on me and looked up. It was Arhen, the Princess. She smiled and waved at me.

'...Is she calling me?'

I was doubtful because there were so many people around. Then she opened her mouth.

"Leviathan. Come here."

She was calling me indeed. But how could I get through this crowd? As I thought that, the people's eyes turned to me and they slowly made way.

They realized that Arhen was calling me and they moved aside one after another.

"He's the one who saved us."

"Yeah. He defeated the monster in the square."

As I walked along the path that opened up among the crowd, I heard them murmuring. I felt a mix of embarrassment and pleasure.

After a short walk, I arrived in front of Arhen.

But when did they get here?

On both sides of Arhen, Zain and Troy were standing.

Zain saw me and waved his hand with a bright smile. Troy also winked at me.

"Leviathan, and Zain, Troy."

Arhen called out our names from the makeshift wooden stage. Then Zain and Troy rushed to my side.

"Thank you. We could move forward because of you."

Arhen said sincerely and seriously. I met her eyes and nodded.

"No, it's nothing."

Actually, it's true. It's all thanks to me.

"All the people here owe their lives to you."

That's right. It's because I ran around like crazy. But I swallowed the words that were about to burst out.

"Yes! You saved us!"

"You saved my daughter too!"

"Thank you! And thank you, Princess!"

The people kept thanking us. Their greetings continued until Arhen raised her hand.

When she gestured, the surroundings became quiet. Then she thanked us again.

"I thank you once more. As a representative of these people, and as a daughter of a shameful father."

I looked at her and gave a business-like smile. And I shamelessly said.

"Then, can I do something?"

"Yes."

Arhen agreed without a hint of doubt in my action.

I coughed lightly and turned to the people.

It was time to use the item.

"Some of you might still be addicted to Happy."

I said and looked around. I saw some people with blue spots here and there.

I confirmed them and opened my inventory. Then I used the 'Large-scale Purification Zone'.

It was time to finish this long and tedious schedule.

Whooosh-!

A white light burst out from me. It soon enveloped everyone and spread out. Beyond the capital, to the whole Bahano kingdom.

I changed my outfit to a priest's robe at that moment.

But...

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'...Why am I floating?'

For some reason, my body started to rise slowly to the sky. I closed my eyes for a moment in the endless white light and opened them.

I was already as high as the top of the Palace. And the white light was softly shining on my whole body.

'It looks like I'm ascending...'

I forced a smile and sighed inwardly. I looked down and saw that all the people's eyes were on me.

Zain, Troy, and Arhen also looked at me with wide eyes.

"Oh my."

"What is this..."

[Master, are you really not a mage?]

Between the people's admiration and astonishment, Zain's communication came.

"No. This is just the power of Kyros."

I tried to make an excuse.

[The people of Bahano kingdom witnessed an amazing sight!]

[Now they will focus on your actions!]

[For 10 minutes, the probability of all the people here becoming Kyros's followers increases by 50%!]

I laughed bitterly at the system message that appeared.

"Ha, haha."

Yeah. I wondered why it didn't show up. But did I have to be exploited like this?

I closed my eyes tightly and opened them. And when I slowly opened my mouth, the admiration and astonishment in my ears subsided.

"This is all the will of Kyros, whom I serve."

I stretched out my arms to the sky.

"He guided us to this place."

This much showmanship should be enough. I don't need to say more.

I lowered my arms and looked at the people with one eye closed and opened.

[Title option 'Fan Service' activated successfully!]

[12,382 people of Bahano kingdom became Kyros's followers!]

...What?

What?

10,000 people?

Wait. Is there something wrong with my eyes? Does this make sense? Really more than 10,000 people? These people?

I was so surprised that I opened my eyes wide. My body was already on the ground.

"Kyros!"

"Our savior!"

The people's thunderous cheers continued, but I couldn't hear them properly.

[The effect of the skill 'Follower of Beauty' has improved!]

[Follower of Beauty (Passive)

Grade: Mythical

Description: A total buff for the followers of Kyros, the god of beauty. The effect increases as the number of Kyros's followers increases.

Current total number of followers: 13,982

Current acquired effect: The skin becomes noticeably better.]

I was stunned by the system windows that popped up one after another.

My skin became noticeably better? Before, it was just improving, but now the effect was really enhanced.

No, that's not important right now. The number of followers is close to 14,000?

I had barely gathered over 1,000 followers with great difficulty until now.

'Wow, this is unbelievable...'

I felt like crying from the mix of disappointment and joy.

• My child! You are amazing!

'Ka, Kyros.'

Kyros praised me with a bright and cheerful voice, as if he had just returned. He finally looked like his usual self.

• The number of followers increased so much in an instant!

'That's right. I didn't expect this either. It's really amazing.'

I was sincere, not just saying it. But wasn't that purification done by Kyros's power anyway? Well, it's not important to question that.

• You worked hard, my child. You really did a lot.

Kyros's voice touched me sincerely.

'Thank you, Kyros.'

My heart was pounding hard, but I pretended to be calm and smiled at the people.

---

"Master! You are awesome!"

"Kyros!"

The countless people gathered in front of the Bahano Palace cheered for Leviathan and Kyros.

Two figures were watching them from afar.

"Wow, he captured so many people in one go. He's amazing, isn't he?"

Khalid muttered with a smirk. Next to him, Terdius was standing blankly.

A scene similar to what he was seeing now flashed through his foggy mind.

The crowd that welcomed him, and Terdius smiling among them.

It was something that wasn't in Terdius's memory, but somehow it felt like it had happened.

No, to be exact, it felt like it should have happened.

"Third Apostle, what are you going to do?"

It was Khalid's voice that brought Terdius's mind back to reality.

"What do you mean?"

Terdius glared at Khalid with a cold look, as if he hadn't been spacing out. Then Khalid pointed at Leviathan surrounded by the crowd.

"Leviathan. He's gained so much power, it seems like we'll have to deal with him soon, don't you think?"

Khalid smiled with his eyes narrowed.

"It's fine to do it now."

Terdius' brow furrowed at his words.

"...Well. I don't think it's that serious yet."

Khalid's eyebrow twitched slightly at his answer.

"Oh, really? But look. See that woman over there. She's the only surviving royal of Bahano, and she's likely to take the throne."

Khalid pointed at Arhen Bahano, who was wearing a tattered robe.

"But this is just my guess, but I have a feeling that if she becomes the queen, she'll declare Kyros' religion as the state religion."

Then, one of Terdius' eyebrows twitched slightly.

"Then, the First Apostle will naturally hear about it, even if we don't report it to him."

Khalid didn't add anything more. He didn't need to, because Terdius knew.

"I don't care."

"Hmm, if you say so."

Khalid didn't show it, but Terdius' mind was dizzy.

If the First Apostle orders him to eliminate Kyros' religion, would he be able to carry out that order?

He began to doubt himself.

"Anyway, if you're going to clean up Kyros' religion, I'd like you to leave Leviathan to me."

Khalid licked his lips with his tongue and said greedily. Terdius turned to him.

"That won't happen."

Terdius had a cold look in his eyes and brushed his hair that was blowing in the wind.

He was determined to keep Kyros's religion from reaching the First Apostle's ears.

Soon, the two men's figures disappeared.

---

"Wow, it's the Master!"

"Really? Where?"

"There! Isn't that the Master?"

"Yes! Zain and Troy are with him too!"

"Wow, he's a hero!"

I pulled down the hood I was wearing lower at the voices of the citizens. And I clenched my teeth and said softly.

"You guys, don't you want to wear hats?"

And when I looked at Zain, he was waving his hand at the people who were flocking to him. He tapped my shoulder and smiled.

"Ha, Master, you're too much. You should enjoy this time. You feel like a hero for once. No, are you a real hero?"

I bit my tongue at his answer. His face was full of sincere smiles, unlike his usual business-like ones. This kid, he's having fun.

"Troy, how about you wear a hat too."

I casually asked Troy, who was standing on my left. He wasn't smiling, so I thought he might cover his face.

But my hope was mercilessly crushed.

"I don't mind the humans' hospitality, Master."

Heh, Troy too...

I felt weird being the only one wearing a hat. I was embarrassed to take it off, but I had no choice but to lower the hood.

"Woah!"

The people's cheers grew louder and I hurried my steps.

It had been about three days since the battle in Bahano.

The heat in the capital Bahano was quite hot. Most of the people recognized us, and we were welcomed wherever we went.

'I should have stayed in a decent palace like Arhen said.'

It was my mistake to return to the inn where I had stayed before.

The people's hospitality was nice, but only at first. As the days went by, it became harder to endure the heat. Damn.

---My child, how about enjoying it together.

Kyros was also very excited.

He had no choice. The number of followers was increasing day by day.

After I saved Bahano and floated in the air, the number of followers increased steadily as the story spread through the people's mouths.

Thanks to that, I received a lot of power from Kyros and my physical condition improved greatly.

But this hospitality was new to me and I felt awkward.

"We're almost there."

Thankfully, we reached our destination soon.