When Sowol and I arrived at the Church, the priest, who was always in front of the Church, greeted us as usual.
“Welcome. May the light be with you…”
I exchanged greetings with him and looked around.
She should be here by now.
“Hey. Long time no see. I heard you were alive, but I didn’t expect you to actually be alive.”
A beautiful woman came walking leisurely from inside the Church.
It was Serin.
Perhaps surprised by her appearance, Sowol grabbed the hem of my clothes slightly.
I don’t know why she’s so surprised when they know each other.
“Saint, it’s been a while.”
“…Yes. It’s been a while. I didn’t expect to see you here.”
“Same here. I thought you would go on a vacation when you requested leave, but to be at the academy…”
Serin smiled mischievously, glanced at me, and then approached Sowol.
She began to whisper something in her ear, and as Sowol listened, her face turned bright red, and she started hitting Serin.
“Hahaha!! It hurts! Ouch!”
“You deserve more pain! For saying unnecessary things!!”
I grabbed Sowol, who was attacking Serin furiously.
I don’t know why she’s doing that, but considering Serin’s mischievous nature, I could guess that Sowol was teased.
“Don’t tease my disciple carelessly.”
I frowned at Serin as I pulled Sowol away.
Serin waved her hands at me with a smile, then sighed deeply and got to the point.
“As you said, traces of the Asura Cult were left on the Giant Rock Worm. It was very faint, so it would have gone unnoticed if it weren’t for a priest of my caliber.”
“What does that mean?”
“Before you guys came, a Giant Rock Worm appeared from the artificial ruins.”
Since then, I have felt uncomfortable and requested the Church investigate the corpse of the Giant Rock Worm to see if there are any traces of the cult.
And now the results have come out.
“By the way, it’s interesting. I didn’t know the Asura Cult could use the power of the Yellow Umbrella Cult.”
“The Yellow Umbrella Cult? What’s that again?”
“The Yellow Umbrella Cult is characterized by people carrying yellow umbrellas. Their individual combat power is weak, but they possess unique skills, including the ability to control monsters.”
This story was not included in the game.
So I focused on Sowol’s story, and she smiled bitterly as she reminisced about the past.
“It was when we were attacking cults in search of Grandmaster. One day, we ended up fighting a cult that used monsters to deceive people and claimed that being eaten by monsters was the path to enlightenment. That was the Yellow Umbrella Cult. They controlled various monsters to attack us. Thanks to that, we suffered quite a bit of damage, but we could still defeat them.”
“Could it be that the survivors joined the Asura Cult?”
“No. There were no survivors. Maybe they had already joined the Asura Cult before that.”
I snapped my fingers.
I think I roughly know how things have turned out.
One of the powers of the Asura Cult, which appears during the religious war event, is to summon the dead from the underworld and take away the powers they had when they were alive.
Using that, the Asura Cult used numerous secret techniques to harass players.
Perhaps in the game, the Asura Cult, coveting their power, annihilated them, which is why I didn’t know.
“The Asura Cult has such power?”
“That’s terrifying.”
“It’s not that great. The souls they can summon are of the same kind. That is, only other cultists.”
“Even so, if they can use the powers of cults as they please, they can’t be taken lightly.”
“Well… that’s true, but there are countermeasures, so let’s not worry too much.”
The important thing now is the Asura cultist inside the academy.
I have no intention of continuously watching them, causing confusion by acting up.
“By the way, why did traces of the Asura Cult that couldn’t be found no matter how much we searched appear here?”
Serin pondered with a serious expression, but I thought I had a rough idea.
In the original story, the Asura Cult reveals itself a little later.
Before that, they used to cause chaos in the world by moving other cults under their command.
But why suddenly at the academy?
“Why are you like that?”
“No. You did a really good job.”
Originally, she would have belonged to the Asura Cult, shared the wealth of the Eastern Merchant Group, and became a devoted follower of the Asura Cult, moving within the academy.
However, she became a Saint of the Church, not the Asura Cult, and went on to deal with the cults.
The number of cultists who fell at her hands was by no means small, and as a result, the Asura Cult lost many cults that they had to mobilize, in addition to a lack of funds.
The goal of the Asura Cult is to lead the world into chaos and manifest the Asura.
Originally, they would have used the movements of the cults and the chaos she would create at the academy.
But that has turned to nothing, so the Asura Cult had no choice but to move directly.
“Among this year’s 1st years, many are from high social classes. If they die, the chaos that will ensue will be by no means small.”
The heir to the Deornt Kingdom.
The third prince, who the Emperor favors.
And that’s not all.
The relatives of prominent figures from all walks of life are stationed in the 1st year, so what would happen if they suffered great damage?
“Each country will move to investigate the neutral academy while harboring suspicions about each other.”
What if the Asura Cult exerts a little more power in the process?
If they get caught up in the schemes created by them, the countries may turn against each other, and the chaos will be by no means small.
“The Church also does not rule out such a possibility. There is talk of dispatching more personnel to the academy, but…”
It would be difficult to send more church combatants to the academy. After all, the academy is a neutral zone. No other troops can be stationed here except for the soldiers that the city has on its own.
“If there’s any consolation, you and the Saint are here.”
“Yeah. Leave it to me. I can’t coexist under the same sky as those Asura Cult bastards.”
Moreover, if they try to ruin the main story, there won’t be any holding back.
“Anyway, Serin. Don’t let your guard down and keep searching.”
“Got it. By the way, they’ve got guts. To think they would try to pull something here when you, the Saint, and the Colorless Archmage are at the academy.”
“Well… from their perspective, if they succeed, there’s a lot to gain, so there’s no reason not to try. Of course, they’ll try to pull something not only here but in other places as well. Don’t assume they’ll go all in here.”
“Understood. Anyway, good work.”
That’s all I have to say.
Serin went inside the Church, and naturally, when the two of us were left alone, I looked at Sowol.
“I brought you along because I thought you should know the progress as well. So always be careful.”
“Uh… Then why only me?”
Of course, Lena also fights against the Asura Cult, but this is something I want the Church to take care of.
Then, naturally, Sowol, who belongs to the Church, should know about it, right?
There are many other reasons, but there’s no need to say them all, so I lightly tapped Sowol’s back.
“Because I think you’ll do well.”
“…That means you trust me, right?”
“When have I not?”
I mean it.
Sowol has always done much better than I expected.
“…If I catch an Asura Cult member, is there any reward?”
“What reward could there be other than a praise sticker?”
I lightly waved the praise sticker I took out of my pocket.
Seeing that, Sowol’s eyes began to sparkle.
“You still have them?”
“Of course! They’re my treasure!”
Saying that Sowol took out a notebook from her bosom.
Looking at the praise stickers inside, I thought she was really amazing.
She has kept them for years.
“You haven’t forgotten, right? If I collect ten of these…”
“I know, I know. I promised to grant you a wish, right? I’m curious what wish you’ll make.”
I stroked Sowol’s head.
She smiled and accepted my touch, then gently grabbed my arm.
“Um. Are you done with your business?”
“Pretty much. Shall we head back?”
“Al, already?”
“If we’re done, we should go back and rest.”
“Uh…”
“Why?”
“Since we’re out, I wanted to walk around a bit more with you… Can’t we? I happen to have some things to buy… I want to stop by the village outside the academy.”
“Hmm…”
Walking around together.
Right. It’s not like I have anything particular to do.
“Okay. Because you’re pretty.”
“Hohohoho~! Of course~!”
Recalling old memories, I told Sowol, and she laughed as if in a good mood and stood next to me.
“Then shall we go!”
***
I recalled old memories.
Memories of visiting the village with him, eating tanghulu, and enjoying light shopping.
The time with him was no different from back then.
No, it was even more enjoyable.
Because she was no longer young like then.
Now, she had become a beautiful woman worthy of Lee Hyun’s taste.
‘Wouldn’t it be an understatement to call this a date?’
A young man and woman strolled through the village together, ate delicious food, and had a pleasant time.
Anyone would say this is a date.
Thinking that, her heart began to pound.
“Hohohohoho~.”
Humming, Sowol entered the room.
Riina, Arisa, and Lena, who were resting in the living room, raised their heads and greeted her.
“We, welcome back…”
“Where did you go?”
“We were going to have dinner… But you came late… Did you eat?”
Sowol responded to their greetings with a hundred-point smile.
Riina, puzzled by her bright mood, couldn’t help but ask.
“Did something good happen?”
“Yes! Something good happened!!”
“Wow! What is it?”
“I went on a date with Hyun!”
At her confident words, Lena stiffened, and the smile disappeared from Alicia’s face.