How the Cult Saves the World

Chapter 60

[Subquest 'Light of Hope' 5. <Bahano> Cleared!]

[You will receive the subquest reward.]

[Subquest updated!]

[Subquest 'Light of Hope' 6. <Capital Bahano>

Description: You have arrived at the Kingdom of Bahano within the time limit. Now it's time to check out the situation in the capital of Bahano.

Objective: Investigate what is happening in Bahano, the capital of the Kingdom of Bahano (This quest is a linked quest)

Success: Next quest clue

Failure: -

Final reward: ???

[Do you accept?]

[Yes/No]

Thanks to the carriage that ran hard for three days, we were able to reach the outskirts of Bahano quickly. I pressed the 'accept' button for the quest and looked out the window.

'How beautiful.'

The trees in Bahano were colorful. As I admired the pretty autumn leaves, the carriage sped towards the capital of the Kingdom of Bahano.

Meanwhile, I had been knitting diligently with the knitting supplies I received from Zain. But the result was as expected...

"You see, I told you not to do it so sloppily like you, Master.:

"I did just as you told me, why is it like this?"

I didn't know what the difference was between Zain and me, but I got scolded by Zain again.

"Oh dear, what a waste of yarn. How do you keep making rags? That's a skill too."

Zain kept nagging at me as he looked at my finished product. As if he was venting all the stress he had received from me so far.

And Troy, surprisingly, was much better at knitting than me.

"How's mine, Zain?"

"Oh, not bad for a beginner."

He was good enough to impress Zain. Unlike me, who had no learning skills, Troy copied the skills that Zain taught him very well. So Zain taught him more diligently.

Thanks to that, Troy quickly made a decent scarf, and my existence soon faded away. Even though we were in the same space.

'But still...'

I was glad that we arrived at Bahano without any major problems.

I took in the sight of Bahano Castle in the distance. The castle, which looked like a white palace, was quite huge. The carriage stopped at Bahano, where the castle was visible.

"Thank you very much."

I paid the coachman generously and got off. The two who had been knitting until just before seemed reluctant to leave, but it was time to move.

I went into a nearby inn with them. It was a bit pricey, but it was close to Bahano Castle.

"This is your room."

As soon as I entered the room that the innkeeper guided me to, I unpacked my luggage briefly and headed to the window.

"It doesn't feel like a capital."

Zain came next to me and looked out the window with me. He was right. The atmosphere of Bahano was not very good. Even though it was a capital.

'It looks like corpses walking around.'

Just looking at the people passing by outside, they all had no energy and drooped shoulders. Some had blue spots all over their bodies, making them look like they were in Rovel for the first time.

"That's right. The capital is already addicted too."

We already knew it since we had been looking out the window since we arrived at Bahano. Most of the cities in Bahano Kingdom were in this state.

There were an absurd number of people addicted to Happy.

According to Usser's Law, the current King of Bahano would also be seriously addicted to Happy, so how much more would his people be?

'But it's lucky that we arrived earlier than expected.'

There was still time left before a large-scale monsterization occurred. About ten days. My goal was to finish everything within that time.

---

Today, the first day we arrived at Bahano, I planned to rest. There was still plenty of time left, and the quest content was nothing but information gathering.

"Come on out! It's not good when it gets cold!"

"I know, stop nagging."

So we decided to eat at the restaurant on the first floor of the inn. Eating soup, salad, sausage, and beer felt like heaven.

'If only every day was like this.'

Unfortunately, time was not on my side.

---It looks delicious! I want to go out and eat too.

Kyros whined as he bit into a sausage. Even though he didn't need any food intake as a new God.

'I'll be in trouble if you pop out now.'

---Well, I'm just saying. At least that beer!

'You don't need anything anyway, Kyros.'

---Don't you feel any taste?

'Next time, okay?'

As I was coaxing and soothing Kyros. Troy, who was sitting across from me, came into my sight. Troy devoured the food as if he had been starving for days.

Oh, that guy. He must have been hungry for a long time.

He didn't get proper treatment in Aldone. I should have taken better care of him before we came to Bahano. Of course, we ate some jerky and simple bread on the way, but that must not have been enough.

I ordered a few more dishes for Troy. I had more than enough money anyway.

"It's better than I expected."

Zain seemed satisfied too, which made me happy.

Clang. The sound of the inn door opening was heard. Normally, I wouldn't care about that side, but by chance, I was sitting in the direction where I could see the entrance.

That is, the person who came in could see me too.

"...Uh."

And I almost dropped the sausage I was eating. The person who entered the inn was a very tall figure wearing a robe.

Even though he was wearing a hood, I recognized who he was.

His stature was very familiar to my eyes. He was much taller than ordinary people, with broad shoulders and muscular thighs.

'Why is he here?'

I quickly turned my eyes away. But he seemed to have noticed me too, as I felt his gaze.

Thud, thud.

His footsteps sounded louder than usual in the noisy restaurant. Please, I hope he doesn't recognize me. Or at least pretend he didn't.

I wished for that, but the world was not on my side.

"I didn't expect to see you here."

His low and heavy voice pierced my ears clearly, despite the noise around us.

Damn. I swallowed a curse and lifted my head. There he was, standing next to me and looking down at me.

Why do I have to meet him here again?

How come there are so many coincidences?

Of course, I knew that there was a Diego Church apostle in Bahano Kingdom, as it was in the original work.

But of all places in this vast capital, I had to run into him at the inn where I was staying.

'Damn.'

I forced a smile.

But still... maybe it's not so bad. If it was another apostle, I don't know, but since it's Terdius.

I tried to think positively and took a sip of beer.

"That's right."

But why is he standing still?

Terdius looked around and then turned his eyes to me.

"It seems like there's no seat left. Do you mind if I join you?"

Oh, come on. There must be one somewhere. I looked around with that hope, but it was really crowded with customers. There weren't that many tables in the first place.

...Damn it. I wanted to kick him out, but my conscience pricked me a little.

It was because I had left Terdius unconscious in his cave and left. And just then, Zain, who recognized him, greeted him without any tact.

"Oh, nice to see you again. I'm glad you look fine. If you can't find a seat, you can sit here."

He said that with a business-like smile, and I felt a surge of anger. But I couldn't vent it because Terdius sat next to me.

"Yeah. Thanks to whom."

Terdius said that and glanced at me. There was no malice in his eyes, but somehow his words had thorns. It stung.

"Master. Do you know him?"

Then, Troy, who had buried his face in the plate and was engrossed in eating, asked me. There was salad sauce on his mouth. I handed him a napkin and answered.

"Uh, just a little."

It was very awkward to say how I knew him. I didn't reveal who he was in his cave either, so how could I say that he was a Diego Church priest here? Fortunately, Terdius didn't bother to explain his identity either.

'My throat is dry.'

I gulped down the beer. Actually, I had been drinking ever since Terdius appeared, but I didn't feel any buzz.

Meanwhile, the food and beer that Terdius ordered came out soon. He ate without saying much.

What is it? Did he not come looking for me? Did he just stop by for a meal and ran into me?

'...That would be a relief.'

---My child, he seems quite friendly to you. That's fortunate.

'Is that so?'

---Yes. He's behaving well now. If he wanted to harm you, he would have done it already.

Hmm, I groaned and got up from my seat. It was hard to sit at the same table with Terdius.

"Excuse me."

I told Zain and Troy that I would go to the bathroom and got up.

The dining table that had been comfortable until then became bleak as soon as Terdius appeared. So I pretended to go to the bathroom and headed to my room.

'I'll just stay here until he leaves.'

I thought as I entered my room.

"Leviathan."

He followed me without me noticing and entered the room naturally.

"No, why did you follow me here? And when did you follow me?"

"Since you got up from your seat. Didn't you notice?"

...I didn't notice. Was I that dull?

No, it was all because the inn was complicated inside.

"Anyway. Do you have something to say to me?"

I tried to change the subject and saw his lips curl slightly. Did he come here to tease me?

No way. That's not it. Terdius had one reason to look for me.

"I came here to deal with the Rizes Church in Bahano. And I want some help from you in the process."

That meant he wanted my help in breaking through Maseen's Blessing. I had done it before in Robel.

"...Sorry, but I can't do that. We're here only for missionary work."

Now that I knew that the Diego Church apostle in Bahano was Terdius, he wouldn't harm me, so it wouldn't be too dangerous. So I used missionary work as an excuse.

"...Is that so."

Oh, maybe he'll back off easily. He accepted it calmly, which was unexpected.

"Then leave Bahano as soon as possible."

...Huh?

"What? Why?"

"Because you might get involved."

What is he trying to do?

At that moment, one setting flashed through my mind.

'Could it be... no way?'