How the Cult Saves the World

Chapter 41:

[Warning! You have killed the 92nd child of Mashin, 'Shalom'.]

[Mashin might notice your existence.]

The system warned me, but it wasn't a big problem. According to the narrative of HSAW, Shalom was treated no differently than a discarded child by Mashin. It would take years for Mashin to check on Shalom, who was out of his interest.

After leaving the banquet hall, I entrusted Yuri to Zain. I had to check the system windows that had piled up.

The next thing that followed the system's 'warning' was the window that appeared as soon as I killed Shalom.

[Subquest Vampire Extermination cleared!]

[Subquest reward will be given.]

[You have acquired 'Mission Time (Bayers)'.]

I received a reward for clearing the subquest.

'Mission Time?'

It was a name I had never seen in HSAW. Even though I had acquired the reward, I had nothing in my hand, so I opened the inventory and checked.

There was a new item in the shape of a white feather in the inventory.

[Mission Time

Grade: Legendary Item

Description: For 10 minutes, the residents of Bayers will pay attention to you. The probability of those who pay attention to you becoming a follower of Kyros Faith increases by 50%! (One-time item)]

'This is...!'

Unconsciously, I widened my eyes. This item had the same effect as the event that occurred when I saved people from the underground prison of Rizes Church.

The so-called 'Follower Generator'!

I didn't expect the reward to be this! I would have regretted it if I had ignored Bayers' quest and moved on. Although the item itself was limited to a one-time use, it was a big deal.

I was about to smile with satisfaction when Kyros' voice came to me.

---My child, you were amazing! How did you think of such a way to defeat the monster?

'Right. That was me.'

---Yes, yes. This is why I watch over my little bird!

Honestly, it wasn't really all that cool. I just used the trick I did in HSAW.

"Master."

After checking the notifications, Zain, who was supporting Yuri with one arm, called me quietly. When I turned my eyes, he pointed at something with his hand.

There were six figures at the end of the castle corridor. Their faces were familiar.

They looked like zombies, with their joints twisted grotesquely as they glared at us. Thick saliva dripped from their open mouths, and their arms and legs were twisted.

That wasn't all. Their whole bodies were dyed blue, and their eyes were bloodshot.

They looked no different from the people affected by the 'Happy' drug that Rizes Church had poisoned their followers with before.

"Those are the ones who dragged us here."

"I know."

They were the ones who broke into the inn and made us kneel before Shalom. I stared at them and took out the holy relic mace from my inventory. Zain was surprised when I took out something from thin air, but I ignored him.

I knew very well who they were who dragged us here.

They were Shalom's closest aides. Mashin's power seeped more easily into humans whose nature was evil.

Shalom's closest aides were the most evil among Bayers' people. They had no conscience or remorse. That's why they submitted deeply to Shalom and served by his side while offering their own townspeople as sacrifices, unlike other residents.

'Maybe being brainwashed also contributed to some extent... But still, they can't be forgiven.'

They were born close to 'evil'. Even if they were left alone, they would easily commit murder or crimes that matched it. Of course, some of them had already done so.

Anyway, when Shalom died, the brainwashing that had been cast on the village was all lifted. But since they had been affected by Shalom's power for a long time, they had absorbed his power up close, so even after Shalom disappeared, the brainwashing didn't end. And since they had received Mashin's power directly from Shalom, they became monsters when, Shalom, who controlled them, disappeared.

'I can't cure them at my level yet. Purifying monsters is only possible in the later part of the story.'

In other words, they were now nothing but monsters that couldn't be helped.

"Grrr!"

The humans that had become monsters roared like beasts and ran towards us.

"Zain, take good care of Yuri."

"Don't worry about that and be careful yourself."

His tone was blunt but his words were full of concern. It made me laugh. I smiled and ran down the corridor. I swung my mace at the head of the monster that ran ahead.

Puck!

The mace in my hand drew a fast and sharp hit. I was able to move much lighter thanks to the cure of Maloney's Disease and the training from Fanatic. The speed was also faster than when I faced the monsters in the crack before.

Crack!

The monster's head flew off as it hit the mace. The flying corpse with twisted joints was disgusting. I felt a bit of guilt because it looked like a human just a few hours ago.

But, they were no longer human. They were just evil monsters. Maybe it was because the blood they shed was a different color, or maybe it was because of the divine power that Kyros gave me; I was able to wash away the guilt faster than I thought.

"Krrr!"

After killing two monsters, another one ran at me with its mouth wide open, as if to bite and tear my neck. Its teeth and nails, which were so sharp that they couldn't be seen as human, were closer to a beast's.

I dodged the two arms that flew at me by turning my body and hitting the monster's neck from behind.

Puck! Crack!

The monster with a broken neck turned into dust and disappeared.

---You're doing well, my little bird! Swing harder!

As I moved my body while listening to Kyros' enthusiastic cheering, there were only three enemies left.

"Haa."

My body was lighter than before, but I couldn't help but breathe roughly. However, I couldn't stop now. At this moment, the remaining three monsters were trying to kill me. I tried to avoid their attacks by bending my waist.

Whizz~! Puck!

A backup shot came. A faint but white arrow stuck in the monster's head.

I glanced back and saw Zain holding Yuri with one arm and pulling the bowstring with his mouth, shooting arrows.

Puck!

The arrow with a faint white light killed another one of the monsters.

That kid, he already knows how to use divine power?

In the original work, he was indeed a promising character who was considerably significant. His speed was impressive. I smiled and killed the last monster with my mace.

The blue and black liquid shed by the monsters stained my mace. I shook it off and headed for Zain and Yuri.

"Good job, Zain."

"Right? I think I'm pretty cool too. I feel like I've gotten stronger thanks to Kyros' power."

I looked at him happily and then turned my eyes to Yuri. Yuri's expression was not good.

"Yuri, I'm sorry. You must have been scared."

I asked carefully and Yuri swallowed her saliva and shook her head calmly.

"I was a bit scared, but I'm fine."

She's mature.

"But... You two saved me, right? And our village too, right? Thank you."

I nodded and added,

"Yes. As you know, there will be no more sacrifices in this village."

* * * * *

"Huh? Someone's coming out!"

"What? Really?"

As we approached the huge entrance of the castle, we heard voices from outside. Come to think of it, it was like this in the original work too.

I pushed the entrance with my hand and went outside. For a moment, I couldn't open my eyes because of the strong sunlight. Then, when I opened my eyes,

"Yu, Yuri?!"

"Those people are outsiders!"

"Ho, how...?!"

The villagers who had been freed from Shalom's brainwashing were standing with their weapons in their hands, looking surprised. Their weapons were not all that impressive. Some of them had spears or swords, but many of them had household items, like knives or frying pans.

They had run out to save Yuri, who was trapped in the castle after the brainwashing was lifted.

"Ah, Dad?!"

"Yuri!"

Yuri, who was supported by Zain, found her dad and ran towards him. Yuri's injured body had healed in the morning, and she had only passed out for a while before regaining consciousness, so she could easily hug her dad.

"Dad!"

"Yuri, oh, my child!"

The villagers' eyes were drawn to the two of them, and then they turned to us.

"What's going on?"

"There must have been a monster in the castle..."

They didn't know what was going on and murmured. When Yuri got out of his dad's arms, she started to explain to the villagers.

"These two people defeated the monster in the castle! It's thanks to them that we don't hear that voice anymore!"

Clang, clang---!

The weapons fell from the villagers' hands as they heard Yuri's words.

"Is, is that true?"

"Oh my! Finally..."

Tears of joy and freedom flowed from the villagers' eyes.

"We're free, finally!"

Among the happy people, Yuri's dad hugged his daughter and apologized endlessly.

"I'm sorry, my child. I, I..."

"It's okay, Dad. It couldn't be helped. Because of that voice..."

"Sob, th- thank you. Thank you so much!"

Yuri's dad looked at us with tears and thanked us.

"Thank you, thank you."

"You're our benefactors."

"Hick... thank you."

The villagers who realized the situation also thanked us.

I looked at them and counted the number of villagers with a friendly smile.

About 200 people at a glance. Surely the 'Mission Time' I got would make Bayers' people pay attention to me. Then, would the people who weren't here also pay attention?

As I thought so, I reached to take out 'Mission Time' from my inventory.

At that moment, a feather popped out of my inventory.

Whoosh~

At the same time, a bright white light spread from the feather. It was a huge light that seemed to cover the whole village.

I didn't miss the gap and touched the priest's robe in my inventory that was still open.

Once again, the light that dyed the world faded away. The light had all flowed into my body.

And after the light disappeared, I was wearing a priest's robe on my body.

A whopping 30% increase in the chance of making someone a follower by using this robe!

If HSAW's basic probability calculation system was correct, then adding 50% of the feather effect and 30% of the priest's robe effect would make the probability of these people becoming my followers 80%.

I sincerely hoped it was 80% when more people came out of their houses. Maybe it was because of the item effect. They gathered in a hurry.

The number was about the same as Bayers' total population.

'This should be considered a ready-made feast, right?'

I cleared my throat softly and straightened my back. Then, Zain tilted his head at me and whispered in surprise.

"Master, what on earth did you do?"