CH 61

TN: The doomsday cult is singular. It is one organization, not different groups.

There was no conversation between Arjen and Iris as they traveled back to the Capital. Arjen used to travel ahead of the caravan, but now he matched its pace. The new carriage had large windows, replacing the muddy, rain-soaked one. Arjen gazed at Iris’ face through the window.

“How did we not find signs of the Doomsday Cult while we were there?”

A knight riding with them asked.

“…Or perhaps we saw them and thought nothing of it.”

“I hate to think of that possibility the most.”

The knight frowned. Bactins. Memories of the destroyed harbor flashed through Arjen’s mind. The magistrate’s words stated that it could not be restored and that the inhabitants would have to be moved elsewhere.

“Men who truly wish this world to end. To think that such lunatics walk unharmed, and we can’t even identify them. Some of us struggle to fight the Disasters, while others have the nerve to worship those damn things. You’ve got to be kidding me.”

The knight near them shuddered. Arjen did not answer. This time he remembered the battle with the Kraken.

A rising tide. Cities drowning under the sea. Mountains and forests slowly crumble against the waves. Tentacles that the Kingdom’s finest knights had to cling on.

“Regardless, if there’s a chance to capture them, I’m in.”

“…I hope so.”

It was a knight who had been at the battle. Arjen waved off the knight’s words and looked up at the sky. It was empty. In the ominously deep blue of the sky, the tiny moon floated hazily.

***

A familiar face greeted Arjen and Iris upon their arrival in the Capital.

“You’ve arrived sooner than expected. I assume you’ve heard the story before you came?”

Iris’ head snapped up at Bishop Andrei’s question, and she nodded. Shadows settled beneath her eyes. Her blond hair that shone like the sun was pale, and her eyes that sparkled as blue as a lake were as empty as the sky. Bishop Andrei stared at her, then closed his eyes and sighed.

“Iris, you don’t look in the best shape. Don’t you think you should rest and not overexert yourself?”

“…No. I don’t think so.”

She shook her head and started to pace.

“I, uh, need to see for myself, and if I missed this meeting, I’ll….”

Arjen, who would typically have stopped Iris, did not for once. If he tried to stop her now, her mind would probably collapse. The world that had shown its true colors to the Saintess was too much.

“Well, then, let’s go. Mercenary….”

Bishop Andrei looked at Arjen with narrowed eyes, then gave a slight nod as if something had dawned on him.

“You may follow me. I know you’re only hired by Iris, but I think you’d be useful in this job.”

“You say that as if I’m supposed to follow your orders.”

“Of course not; I’m not arrogant enough to put you beneath me. It’s just that…”

He spat out a hollow laugh and shrugged.

“We’ll need some good hands to help us.”

The Bishop arrived at the palace with Arjen, Iris, and a few men in priestly robes following him. He seated everyone near each other, then stared at the door, seemingly waiting for someone.

“…Who else is coming.”

“Yes. It’s a joint effort, so people from the Royal Palace of Kairos are also coming.”

Arjen frowned slightly at the sound of approaching footsteps. Strong. The presence alone was powerful enough to make Arjen sit up and take notice. Before he could fully comprehend who it belonged to, the door to the conference room burst open. Arjen’s expression hardened at the sight of the figure in the doorway, and beside him, Iris’ pupils widened.

“Elroy the Hero greets Her Majesty the Queen.”

The Queen smiled softly at his greeting. The Hero glanced away from her, caught sight of Arjen and Iris, and raised his eyebrows in surprise.

“Perhaps I am giving you too much to do.”

“…You need not worry.”

The Hero’s voice was stiff. Inwardly, Arjen wanted to kick himself. Heretics and Disaster worshippers. It would be strange if it didn’t involve the Hero. Elroy exchanged a brief greeting with the Queen, then turned to the Saintess, the Mercenary, and the Bishop.

“Greetings, Bishop Andrei, and….”

He turned to face his old comrades, and one corner of his mouth lifted. It was not a sneer but a smile born from embarrassment.

“Iris, Arjen.”

***

‘Did Bishop Andrei summon them?’ I tried to rack my brain, which was instantly dazed as if I’d been hit with a sledgehammer. What was more annoying was the Bishop gave me a sly smile as he watched my expression change. ‘I could understand why the Saintess was here. But why is Arjen sitting here? Did Bishop Andrei coerce him somehow?’

He’s not the kind of guy to get involved in something like this on his own accord.

‘I suppose they have their reasons. I agreed to help, so I will. However, I wonder if they are willing to work with me.’

“Have a seat, Hero. I wanted to talk to you more.”

Bishop Andrei called to me as I stood there dumbfounded. I let out a long sigh and took a seat. Georg was looking at the two people beside the Bishop similarly puzzledly. Iris didn’t seem to realize Georg was there, and Arjen nodded his head in greeting.

“Now, you know the basic story, so let’s move on, and I’ll tell you the details.”

Bishop Andrei began in a calm voice.

“The doomsday cult is currently centered around Bactins.”

I could feel the blood draining from my head. My hands gripped the armrests of my chair. Bactins. The attack of the Third Disaster happened before I entered Elroy’s body. It was defeated using the Mercenary’s plan. I didn’t see what happened first-hand, but the presence of worshippers there told me indirectly how bad it was.

“As you know, Bactins is practically rubble at the moment. They’ve set up temporary settlements to house the refugees, but it will take time to rebuild the city. In the meantime, they’ve been relocated to other cities.”

The Queen nodded, taking in Bishop Andrei’s words.

“As a temporary settlement, its sanitary conditions are not the best. The patients are recovering too slowly, and if an epidemic were to break out there, there’s no guarantee that the healthy residents would survive.”

“Yes. Your Majesty’s judgment is certainly correct, but I’m told a few inhabitants could not accept the decree.”

Bishop Andrei faced the Queen.

“They have a strong attachment to the land, and many live off the fishing industry. It will be difficult for them to move elsewhere. We need to get the restoration underway as soon as possible, and those doomsday cultists are in the way.”

He said so with a sigh. The Queen kept a calm face, but right now, she must have felt the gravity of the situation.

“We could ignore them and push them away, but that would irreparably aggravate public opinion, which is why I’m glad to have your help this time.”

“No, we’re rather glad to have the tail of the heretics we’ve been tracking for a long time.”

Bishop Andrei shook his head and clenched his fists.

“These fanatics target the chasms of the mind and the weaknesses of the heart. They then slowly fill those gaps with darkness.”

There was a faint tone of anger in his voice.

“About three thousand.”

Everyone’s faces hardened at the number that came out of his mouth.

“By our estimate, that’s the number of people who have been taken over and brainwashed in Bactins. Even as we speak, their number continues to grow.”

“And what does the Holy Land want to do?”

“Arrest the ringleaders, and hold a joint trial with the Kairos Kingdom, though we wouldn’t mind if they were executed on the spot.”

Bishop Andrei’s eyes narrowed further.

“As for the remaining three thousand people….they shall be at your Majesty’s disposal.”

“I’ve left a message with the local magistrate of Bactins. Make sure word doesn’t spread to the other provinces. I want this done as quietly as possible.”

“Yes, I will.”

The Bishop finished speaking with the Queen, then turned to us.

“We won’t need a lot of people. It’s best not to let them know Inquisitors have entered the city. We will act as members from the Kingdom investigating.”

He stood up and raised his head.

“May Heaven punish those who betray the light of God.”

***

Marianne’s appearance without her nun’s habit felt out of place. She wore robes and carried her Holy Spear. Bishop Andrei’s appearance was even worse: he was dressed like a court noble of the Kingdom, complete with glasses. He looked like a newly appointed interior minister.

“Hero, are you aware that the core of the doomsday cult is human sacrifice?”

The Bishop said with a cold sneer.

“The leaders and worshippers never force people to sacrifice themselves; they induce and brainwash their followers into offering themselves. Human sacrifice connects them to the evil gods, shares their power, and proves their faith.”

He adjusted his glasses.

“In the end, the best outcome is if they were able to reform themselves, but….”

As if that would happen.

With that, the Bishop looked ahead. By the time we reached Bactins, the fall rain was falling heavily. I shivered as I stared at the post-war ruins.

(Those doomsday cultists were thriving for a reason.)

Holy Sword said, horrified. Right beside me, the shattered steeple of a church stuck to the ground like a spear point.

“Elroy.”

Georg called me. He, too, was looking around with a grim expression. But his countenance brightened as he put a hand on my shoulder and lowered his voice.

“Now is not the time to dwell on the past. Everyone but you decided to allow its landing. It’s all our fault, not yours.”

“….”

I didn’t answer Georg’s words and kept my eyes on the city. I wanted to ask the owner of this body what it was like back then. What was going through his mind when he was destined to protect this world? When he succeeded, and when he couldn’t protect it after all. I could only remember a few moments in the original where they described how he felt. ‘The original Elroy was always regretful and angry.’

“It’s terrible.”

I muttered. Georg sighed heavily and nodded.

“I know we should have listened…”

“Stop. I was weak, and I couldn’t protect the city. There is no time to dwell on the past.”

I shook my head in dismissal. No amount of recounting the battle with the Kraken would heal the wounds the people and city had suffered. Suddenly, I see Iris and Arjen walking side by side. Iris didn’t make eye contact with me at all. Arjen glanced at me occasionally but didn’t come over and speak to me.

“…Let’s go.”

I said, turning away from them.

It was only a short time before we arrived at the two-story building where the Bactins magistrate was waiting. It was one of the few intact buildings among the surrounding ruins, but the first floor was as much a ruin as any other.

“Welcome, Bishop, and….”

He looked at me and frowned slightly.

“…Hero.”