How the Cult Saves the World

Chapter 39:

The child who saw us was startled and tried to back away. But she couldn't go far because of her injured leg.

Jain stepped forward to approach the child. But, the child flinched. I grabbed Zain's shoulder and shook my head.

Then, I crouched down a little distance away from the child and matched her eye level. I greeted her softly.

"Hello. Sorry for scaring you. I'm Rev... Leviathan. This is Zain, my servant."

I introduced myself like that because I had been wearing the artifact glasses ever since I left the territory.

Zain pouted his lips as if he was displeased, but I ignored him.

"Are you... Outsiders?"

The child's expression showed a slight decrease in wariness. I smiled and answered.

"We came to this village a few hours ago. And by chance, we heard that you were trapped here."

"You want to... help me?"

"Yes."

The child stared at me blankly for a moment, then opened her mouth slightly.

"Then please help me. Me, no, our village..."

[A subquest has occurred!]

[Subquest Vampire Extermination

Content: You have to exterminate the vampire that rules Bayers and liberate Bayers.

Goal: Exterminate the vampire ???

Reward: ???

Failure: -]

[Do you accept?]

[Yes/No]

The quest title is the same as in HSAW. By the way, what is the reward..? In HSAW, the reward was only experience points. I did the quest a few times because the reward wasn't bad.

But this time, it wasn't about getting a reward.

I pressed [Yes] right away. If I finish this well, maybe I can turn the whole village of Bayers into believers of Kyros.

Even if the population of this village was small, it was more than 300 people. Even if I can only make half of them as believers, it would still be a huge profit.

"Don't worry."

I spoke to the child with a business-like smile. The child nodded her head.

Now that the quest was accepted, it was time to do what I had to do. I winked at Zain, and he understood my intention and approached the child. He untied the rope that bound the child's wrist.

As Zain tried to help the child stand up, the child staggered.

"I'm s- sorry. My leg hurts..."

"It's okay. Lean on me."

Zain supported the child and moved slowly. The two left the room, and I stayed there for a while.

"Hmm..."

I couldn't just leave it like that.

-Hey, what are you doing alone?

I opened my inventory and took out a small glass bottle. Then, I activated my 'Heal' skill on it.

A small and bright light seeped into the glass bottle.

I had experimented with applying my 'Heal' skill in various ways while using it. This was the result.

White-colored potion was created in the glass bottle.

Yes, 'Heal' skill could be stored in the form of a potion. Just like how mages store their magic in scrolls.

[Congratulations!]

[The level of your skill 'Heal' has increased.]

Oh, did I already fill up the experience points? I didn't use the skill much, but I guess I used it up to ten times already.

[Heal (Active) LV.2

Grade: Legendary

Description: The effect increases proportionally to the skill level.

LV.1 Heals wounds and fatigue of living beings.

LV.2 Heals the minds of living beings.

LV.3 ??? (Locked)

LV.4 ??? (Locked)

LV.5 ??? (Locked)

Experience Points: 0/20]

By the way, the effect of level 2 is to heal the 'minds' of living beings. That's not bad. No, wait, heal minds..? This... No, I should hold back my excitement for now. Just in case.

By the way, previously, the experience points needed to level up were 10, but now they are 20.

'That's too much of an increase.'

Oh, maybe it increases by 10 each time? Hopefully, it's not doubling every time.

-Wow, you're really good at applying your divine power!

I heard Kyros' admiration as I walked out of the room. 'Heal' was a skill, but it was based on applying my divine power, so I tried it out just in case. I didn't expect it to work so well, though.

When I returned to the room, I saw Zain and the child sitting on each bed. I went to the tired-looking child and handed her the healing potion.

"What is this?"

"Drink it. You'll feel better."

The child obediently took the potion and drank it. As she did, the wounds all over her body began to heal. She noticed the change and jumped up from her seat.

"Huh..? My leg doesn't hurt. Th-thank you."

The child bowed her head to me. Zain poked my side.

"Master, what did you give him?"

"A high-grade potion."

The only potion in this world that could heal wounds was the high-grade potion made by alchemists. So I casually said that, and Zain's eyes widened.

"How much is that..?!"

"Quiet. You're making her nervous."

The child started to fidget because of the money-grubber.

"I'm s-sorry. I didn't know... I'll pay you back somehow."

I shook my head.

"It's okay. You don't have to pay me back."

"But..."

The child's eyes trembled. I pretended to be nice and smiled.

"I have a lot of money, so it's okay."

I was staying in this cheap inn, but it was true.

Z: "I'm sorry. I was surprised by him. He's telling the truth, so you don't have to pay him back."

"What? Yes... alright..."

The child finally calmed down when I added my name.

"What's your name?"

"Yuri."

So her name was Yuri. I didn't know her name until now, even though I was doing the vampire extermination quest.

"Then, Yuri, why did your father lock you up?"

She didn't seem to be insane. When I asked, Yuri's eyes became moist.

"I, I am... A sacrifice."

"What?"

When I asked again as if I misheard, the child repeated.

"I am a sacrifice."

-A sacrifice? Does she mean human sacrifice?

Kyros was also shocked.

"That son of a b!tch."

I grabbed Zain's shoulder, who cursed in front of the child, and calmed him down.

"Shh, calm down."

"But, she said she's a sacrifice."

"We don't even know what kind of sacrifice she is. Maybe it's not really a human sacrifice..."

"It is... A human sacrifice."

I sighed softly. I wanted to deny it, but I couldn't.

It was an infuriating story even when I saw it in the HSAW. And now that I experienced it in reality, I was also angry. But I had to restrain myself from showing rage in front of the child. Yuri was still trembling.

"Yuri. I'm sorry. You were scared, right?"

"I, I'm okay."

As I comforted the child, Zain let out a big sigh.

"Phew, Yuri. What the hell is going on here? Just what is this village..?"

Then, Yuri spoke hesitantly.

"Our village offers a sacrifice once a year. We have to."

"Who do you offer the sacrifice to? And, do you really do human sacrifice?"

Yuri nodded and continued.

In Bayers, they offered the most beautiful man and woman from the village as sacrifices once a year. To their master.

And this year, Yuri was chosen as one of them. Yuri's father willingly gave his daughter as a sacrifice and locked her up in the room so she wouldn't run away.

"What kind of crazy thing is that...!"

Zain exclaimed.

"Then, does this have anything to do with the missing case 13 years ago?"

Zain asked me with shaky eyes.

"Probably."

It all started when 'it' settled in this village 13 years ago.

On the day of the incident, 'it' kidnapped about twenty people in a short time to feed on human blood.

But when the mass disappearance caused a stir, it gradually reduced the number.

"But the sacrifice is voluntary."

Zain said with a puzzled face.

It started with a disappearance, but now it's a sacrifice.

"How can that be?"

That's when it happened. Flash, the sky lit up. Soon after, rumble--- the thunder roared.

I turned my eyes to the window and whoosh, the rain started to pour down.

Bang!

The door opened roughly. Six guards stormed into the inn.

I, Zain, and Yuri were startled and jumped up from our seats.

"What do you want from us?"

Zain spat out in a defiant tone, hiding behind me. This kid, he clearly didn't sound scared, but he put me in front of him. I sighed involuntarily. Was Zain annoyed or just lazy? I was about to say something when the guard spoke harshly.

"Ha! Look at these brats. Max is unconscious, and the sacrifice is missing. It's all because of them."

The man who was standing in front of the others glared at us fiercely.

"Master, what should we do?"

Jasin asked me quietly. No matter how big the guards were, they were just ordinary people. If we wanted to, we could shake them off easily.

I locked eyes with the leader of the group. He was staring at me with malice, but then, his lips curled up wickedly.

"Ho ho, look at that guy. He looks better than Sebastian, don't you think?"

Then the others also chimed in.

"Yeah, he does. Let's take him as this year's sacrifice!"

The men started to approach us.

-Kid! Get away from them!

Kyros called me urgently. I grabbed Zain, who was about to rush at them, and whispered.

"Wait. I have a plan."

Soon after, the men roughly grabbed my body.

* * * * *

Zain, Yuri, and I were dragged by the men. Our wrists were tied behind our backs with ropes. It was uncomfortable but bearable.

Whoosh---

As we were pulled out of the inn, the rain poured over us. The flesh stung and my eyes squinted involuntarily.

[Master, is this okay?]

Zain's voice came to me.

[Don't worry.]

[But...]

Zain couldn't continue.

"Move faster!"

"Why are you so slow?"

The men pushed us along with insults.

We arrived at a dark alley. There was a shabby carriage parked inside. The men threw us into the cargo compartment. We were pushed by their force, but we didn't fall.

"Yuri, are you okay?"

The carriage started to move and Zain opened his mouth. The rain was pouring down, so his voice wouldn't leak out of the compartment.

But even when Zain called her carefully, Yuri didn't answer. Yuri's eyes were unfocused.

"Yuri..?"

Zain called her again with a surprised look, but it was the same.

"Zain."

"Master, Yuri's condition is strange."

"Didn't you feel a little sting when it rained?"

He looked at me with a puzzled expression. But he still answered me.

"Ah... yes. It didn't hurt, but it felt prickly. Like being stabbed by a needle."

"This village rains often. It rains every few days, so people don't mind getting wet."

"... So?"

Zain's eyes became serious. I looked at him and spoke slowly.

"But the rain in Bayers also started 13 years ago."

Rumble!

The thunder sounded in the distance."