How the Cult Saves the World

Chapter 69

As I approached Zain, Troy, and Arhen, their eyes were fixed on me. They looked at me blankly, and then Zain slowly opened his mouth.

"Master, what was that power just now...?"

"Leader, how did you defeat a high-level monster in one blow?"

"Amazing, Leviathan."

Zain started the conversation, and Troy and Arhen joined in. I felt embarrassed by their words and scratched my neck.

"It was just luck."

I had no way to explain it, and it was partly true anyway. They seemed to accept my answer without much fuss. Maybe they didn't want to question it too much since we had already taken care of the enemy.

"But I'm sure that mermaid was trying to seduce you, Master."

Zain touched his chin and looked at me.

"I was shocked to see you fall for that monster."

"Do you think I would fall for that?"

"Well... you have a more beautiful face than anyone else, even in the mirror."

I was speechless at Zain's words, but I couldn't deny them either. Then Troy, who had been listening quietly, reached out his hand to me.

"I was worried that you might get caught by the mermaid, Leader."

I noticed that his hand had long and sharp claws.

"Hey, me too."

Zain also showed off his bow to me.

"Thanks, guys."

They were good guys. They bickered sometimes, but they were reliable.

---You did well, kid.

Suddenly, I heard Kyros' voice. But his voice sounded weaker than usual. What was wrong with him? Or rather, when did this start?

'Kyros, when did you come?'

---...A little while ago.

Kyros usually sounded cheerful, but he was strangely different now.

'Is something wrong? Did something happen at the temple of Rovel?'

I asked with concern, and I heard him sigh faintly.

---No. I was just a little surprised, that's all.

Kyros didn't say anything more. I didn't press him further, either.

By the way, did Kyros know about the 'Administrator'? Hmm. But the Administrator was the one who controlled the system itself, so even Kyros, who was set as a God, wouldn't know, right?

"How dare you, how dare you!"

At that moment, Celos, who was struggling in the binding circle I made, shouted.

"How dare you kill Helis...!"

Celos glared at me and yelled. I could see the anger and confusion in his trembling eyes.

"She was a child of Maseen. How could a mere human like you!"

Haha. This guy was really bad at reading the situation. If I killed the child of Maseen, whom he valued so much, shouldn't he be afraid of me?

Before I could say a word.

Thwack!

"Shut up."

Troy slapped Celos's neck.

'...That must have hurt.'

Celos's body went limp. I was glad he wasn't dead. I patted Troy's shoulder as a sign of praise and walked over to Arhen.

She looked at me with a serious face and said.

"Thank you, Leviathan."

"Don't mention it."

"You have such a great power, you must be confident. I feel embarrassed that I didn't trust you."

"What are you talking about? It's all thanks to Kyros."

I shrugged and exaggeratedly praised him. I wanted Kyros, who seemed to be in a bad mood, to hear it.

But there was no answer from Kyros. What was wrong with him? I was a little worried about his unusual attitude.

'...Or maybe he went back to the Temple.'

If something had happened at the temple, Kyros or the kids would have told me. So it should be fine.

"Anyway. We've dealt with the child of Maseen and Celos, but the job's not done yet."

There was more to do.

"Right. We have to save the people. There are still monsters left."

Arhen said with a determined look. I nodded at her and changed into a new robe.

'How many robes have I ruined today?'

I sighed softly as I put on the new robe, and Troy spoke up.

"Leader, what about this?"

Troy pointed at Celos, who was unconscious.

"That's up to the Princess."

I looked at Arhen and added.

"I'll leave the disposal of this guy to you, Princess. Is that okay?"

"Fine. I'll take care of him properly. For now, let's leave him here and move on."

Celos was in a coma, and he was bound by the circle I made, so he couldn't move even if he woke up.

So we left him in a corner of the hall and left the Palace.

---

"How many villas are there in the Palace?"

I asked when we had left the Palace, Arhen. She thought for a moment and answered.

"...Three."

"Then we should look around before we leave the Palace. There might be some survivors left."

"Right. That would be a good idea."

Arhen agreed and scanned the area. Then she saw a sword that the soldiers had dropped. She quickly grabbed it.

"Princess, do you know how to use a sword?"

Troy asked her casually as he watched her action. She nodded.

"Yes. I learned swordsmanship when I was young."

Kieek!

Before she finished her answer, a monster jumped out from somewhere and came at her.

She moved her body lightly and slashed the monster's neck.

She said she learned it when she was young, but she still drew a clean and neat line of metal.

"I was too out of it to think of using a sword until now. It's been a long time, too."

Arhen shook off the monster's blood from the sword.

"I have to move now, and I want to save the people."

Arhen's words made my lips curl slightly.

'That's right. Arhen was always like that.'

Arhen Bahano's combat skills were not bad. She had the ability to handle low-level monsters, so her wielding a sword in this situation meant a power boost.

'I expected that from Arhen. She was locked in the tower by Celos because she couldn't disobey her father's orders.'

I thought as I swung my mace.

Following Arhen's directions, we headed to another villa.

Our group killed the soldiers and servants who had turned into monsters.

"Princess?"

"Sera!"

A maid who was running away from the villa called out to Arhen. Arhen turned her head at the unexpected voice and saw the maid. Her eyes widened in disbelief.

"Sera! Are you okay?"

"Princess, are you alright? People suddenly turned into monsters... Sob."

"It's okay, I'm fine."

Arhen hugged the startled Sera and comforted her. She briefly explained to me, Zain, and Troy who were with her.

"This girl was my maid until I was locked in the West Tower. I can't believe she's alive. I'm so glad."

Arhen gently stroked Sera's back.

"Sera, don't worry. Come with us."

"Sob, yes. Thank you. Princess."

Arhen sent Sera behind her. As if she would endure any threat first.

'Is this also part of her royal sense?'

I was impressed by her detailed character without realizing it. Then Arhen's eyes turned to him.

"Thank you, Leviathan. I wouldn't have thought of looking around the villa if it weren't for you."

"Don't mention it."

I smiled a business-like smile and swung my mace. Monsters vanished from my fingertips.

'I only said that because I already knew there were survivors in the villa.'

Our group found about fifty survivors as we searched the villa, and killed the monsters that threatened them.

After we finished cleaning up the Palace, our group and the survivors gathered at the castle.

"For now, these people should stay in the Palace. It's the safest place in Bahano right now."

"Right. And we should also bring in the survivors from the village."

"Is that okay?"

"Of course. The survival of the people is the priority."

Arhen gladly accepted my suggestion. In any country, the people were the foundation. The Royal Family was the one who supported and protected them. She could easily give up the Palace that was nothing but a shell.

"Then, let's go."

As soon as I finished my words, we left the Palace. Some of the survivors wanted to follow us, but most of them were wounded soldiers. So Arhen refused their request.

"Master, don't get hurt."

"Worry about yourself."

Zain smirked at me as we left the Palace. Troy came up next to me.

"Leader, call me if you need me."

"Okay."

Arhen also clenched her sword.

"Thank you for being with me."

With her words, the four of us left the Palace.

The scene that unfolded before us was horrific. People running away from low-level monsters, corpses, blood puddles, and monster fluids scattered all over the streets.

Whieek- Thwack!

The first one to start was Zain. His arrow, filled with holy power, pierced through a monster's head.

Troy and Arhen also ran towards the monsters.

Paat-!

I too increased my speed and released holy power at every monster I saw.

Kugukung!

My holy power collapsed a wall. My eyes widened slightly.

'I need to control my firepower better.'

I was barely able to control his power because the Administrator's buff was still active.

So I only released holy power at the monsters that were far away, and swung my mace at the ones that were close.

Thwack! Thud!

Kieek!

There seemed to be more monsters than I expected.

'The estimated number in the game was close to five thousand.'

The five thousand he saw in letters and the five thousand he felt with his eyes were different.

I bit my lips and moved my body. There were quite a few survivors in Bahano who couldn't escape the city.

No matter how much Arhen and Zain had evacuated them, the time was short and it was impossible to evacuate many people at once.

Thwack!

I killed a monster and took a breath.

"Haa, haa."

I had killed about thirty monsters that I could see, yet there were still monsters roaming around the streets.

'That means there were a lot of people who were addicted to Happy.'

The only good thing was that there were fewer corpses on the street than I expected.

'And most of the monsters are low-level, too.'

I snapped my neck and moved on. I looked around and saw Zain shooting arrows from the roof of a building. Near him, Troy was killing monsters with his claws. Arhen was also saving survivors and cutting down monsters.

They all looked fine for now.

'But it will be tough if those things come over.'

I turned my head and looked at the center of Bahano's square.

At the end of my sight, three mid-level monsters appeared.