How the Cult Saves the World-Chapter 169

'Seluron disease? Why from Terdius's mouth….'

If it's the 'Seluron disease' Terdius is talking about, it was a disease that didn't appear in the original. But I did know this name.

Because I had seen it in a book when investigating Grandmother's 'Mana Burn'.

It was a rarer disease than even Malone's disease, and a rare disease for which even a treatment method wasn't yet known. Probably most people haven't even heard the name 'Seluron disease'.

But why did Terdius ask this question. I slowly nodded toward Terdius and answered.

"I've heard of it. I know it's a very rare disease with no known cure. Why do you ask?"

Then Terdius said with bitter eyes.

"It seems you don't know much about 'Seluron disease'."

Of course, since it's a very rare disease that didn't even appear in the original.

But why is Terdius acting like that.

At that moment, a message appeared before my eyes.

[Emergency Quest Occurred!]

[Emergency Quest <The Correlation Between Terdius and Seluron Disease>

Content: Find out why Terdius asked about 'Seluron disease'.

Goal: Discover Terdius's hidden secret within 30 minutes

Upon Success: Terdius's favorability slightly increases

Upon Failure: -]

[Will you accept?]

[Yes/No]

I was a bit surprised by the quest that suddenly appeared. Come to think of it, there was an emergency quest like this before when I was with Terdius.

'Roughly speaking, if I accept this quest, I can gain not only Terdius's secret but also favorability.'

Of course, discovering the secret was the biggest problem. But even without going through this quest, couldn't I find out somehow as the story progresses.

'What bothers me more is.'

It was precisely the 30-minute time limit. To discover another person's secret within 30 minutes. Isn't this too short? I'm not that close with Terdius, and although we've been entangled a few times, we're basically strangers.

'Moreover, seeing as it says it's a secret, isn't this content that only appears in this hidden route and not in the original?'

I who cleared the original countless times had no secrets about Terdius that I didn't know.

Seeing it being mentioned like this, it must be difficult to discover.

[This quest activates a 30-minute time limit according to the user's schedule.]

[To prevent difficulty increase due to this, one hint is provided.]

[Hint can be checked upon quest acceptance]

I understood that they set a 30-minute time limit according to my schedule. But did the quest have to appear in this situation only?

'No, and I could find out somehow at the banquet hall too, so isn't 30 minutes too short.'

I tried complaining toward the system, but as if it had already said everything it wanted to say, the system was silent.

'Still, they did give a hint to balance things out.'

Unavoidably, I had to accept the quest. As soon as I did, a hint appeared before my eyes.

[Hint: Terdius's family relations]

Terdius's family relations and Seluron disease. With only these keywords, there wasn't much I could infer.

'First, Terdius's family is...... only his younger brother.'

Because his parents died long ago.

Terdius's younger brother, Ivan Austin. A child who's now about ten years old.

'Then don't tell me Ivan has Seluron disease?'

In the original too, Ivan appeared frail. But he wasn't afflicted with an incurable disease like Seluron disease.

'Crazy...... it seems the hidden route variable came into play here.'

Is that why I couldn't see traces of Ivan when I visited Terdius's house? Because he's receiving treatment somewhere or something.

'The worst situation is...... he's already passed away.'

No, that can't be it. The reason Terdius is asking me about Seluron disease now must be because Ivan is still alive.

'Still, all this is just my speculation.'

Since I haven't found out for certain, I decided to ask him. I carefully broached the subject toward Terdius.

"Um...... do you have someone among your family or acquaintances who has 'Seluron disease'?"

However, Terdius had no answer. He just avoided the gaze that had been looking at me. This reaction meant affirmation.

"Seeing that there's no answer, I guess I'm right."

"……."

"I understand you don't trust me, but for any disease, patient information is needed for treatment. Because the treatment method can differ depending on age or current condition."

I brought out words to persuade Terdius within the scope of knowledge I knew. Then Terdius flinched.

Soon he let out a sigh like a complaint.

"Yes, that's right. My only family, my younger brother, is afflicted with Seluron disease."

At that moment, the quest was cleared.

[Emergency Quest <The Correlation Between Terdius and Seluron Disease> Cleared!]

[Emergency quest reward is being distributed.]

[Terdius's favorability has slightly increased.]

This seems to be the secret this world's Terdius has been hiding. Well, for him who had no real secrets in the original story despite acting tragic often, if he suddenly had some secret, it could only be this kind.

'By the way, Terdius even asking me about Seluron disease…….'

It's definitely because they couldn't treat it within the Diego Church. Then suddenly, a thought occurred to me.

'Perhaps Terdius is...... tied to the Diego Church with his younger brother held hostage.' 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

It was a speculation that made some sense. I had thought from before that Terdius might have been brainwashed by Diego. Whatever reason Diego wanted Terdius for, that evil god could have used Ivan as a hostage to create an opportunity to brainwash him.

'In the first place, evil gods are such despicable existences.'

Of course, this is also just speculation.

"And this fact must not be disclosed anywhere."

While I was lost in thought, Terdius spoke with chilling eyes. This bastard, is he threatening me now? Such a threat even though favorability went up.

I sighed softly and swept back my disheveled hair.

"Are you threatening me now?"

"……That's not it."

"Those eyes and that tone are definitely a threat."

"It's not like that……."

"Never mind, I wasn't planning to disclose it even without threatening me like that. I don't have the hobby of carelessly spilling out others' weaknesses."

Even if Terdius is my enemy now, he was an existence I wanted to make my ally anytime. So there was no reason to specifically reveal the guy's weakness.

In the future, when he becomes my ally. I don't want to see the guy being attacked.

"……Yes, I'm sorry. I couldn't trust you."

"It's fine since there wasn't thick trust between us anyway."

I spoke with a smile toward the guy who was sincerely apologizing. Only then did the guy's expression relax.

'By the way, to think Terdius's younger brother really has an incurable disease.'

Since I only know the name of the disease, I couldn't be confident I could cure his younger brother.

'Still, my healing skill level has risen considerably too...... maybe I can do it if I investigate.'

I spoke to Terdius who was looking at me intently. It was driving in a wedge to pull the guy to my side.

"First, seeing as you've even told me about it, it seems to be quite a serious matter. It means treatment is impossible within the Diego Church."

"……That's right."

"Of course, I can't give you a definite answer that I can cure Seluron disease either. But I'll do my best to investigate. And if I learn something, I'll tell you."

Then Terdius looked at me with eyes that held at least some trust. It seems to be because of my track record of curing Malone's disease and Goblin Disease.

"By the way...... how should I contact you?"

Since we agreed on how to handle things going forward, the problem from now on was communication with him. I couldn't contact Terdius like I do with our senior members. And to exchange letters...... we both had our social positions.

"Do you have something that makes a sharp sound?"

"Sound?"

"Yes, sound."

At my question, Terdius easily opened his mouth as if he had already thought of such a thing.

Sound, if it's sound...... suddenly, one item stuck somewhere in my inventory came to mind.

"Wait a moment."

I slightly turned my body and pretended to fumble in my bosom while opening my inventory. And I took out a whistle from inside. Then Terdius let out a hollow laugh. It was the whistle Terdius had given me in the past.

"I don't know where you took it out from, but surprisingly. You're still keeping this."

"I roughly stuffed it in a magic pouch."

I spoke grumpily toward the guy while handing over the whistle. Terdius's hand that received the whistle soon turned black. The Evil God's power flowed into the whistle stealthily.

"Wherever you blow this whistle, I've made it so that I can hear it."

Like that, Terdius handed me the whistle covered with the Evil God's energy. Although it was repulsive enough that I didn't want to touch it, I had no choice but to accept it.

'It seems he put something like telepathy magic on it.'

Soon Terdius turned around.

"The banquet will be held soon, so I'll go back now. See you later."

"Ah, yes. Take care."

I responded roughly to the guy and laid back down on the sofa. And just before the guy's form disappeared.

"……Thanks."

Terdius's voice continued, barely audible.

Even after the black curtain surrounding the sofa area disappeared, I was a bit dazed.

'Did that guy just thank me?'

After Terdius left. I tried to go back to sleep, but I couldn't fall asleep.

'I couldn't sleep because Terdius's younger brother and Seluron disease kept circling in my head.'

Because I couldn't know what kind of life Terdius experienced in the Diego Church, what kind of life the guy lived in this hidden route, it was even more so.

'……I hope I'll find out everything someday.'

But just wracking my brain like this right now wouldn't produce any particular solution, so I got up from my seat.

It was almost time for the banquet to be held.

"Zain, Troy. Wake up."

I roughly kicked awake the two guys who were sleeping soundly without even knowing Terdius had visited.

But the guys didn't easily wake up.

"Wake up, come on!"

In the end, I had to roughly shake the guys to wake them up.

"Hyuk!"

"Uh, is it already meal time?"

Zain woke up startled, and Troy looked for food as soon as he opened his eyes. These hopeless bastards.

"You both snap out of it quickly. It's banquet time soon."

"Time already went by that much. Master, I want to sleep a bit more……."

"Do you want to get hit more, Zain."

"Of course I should naturally participate in the banquet."

Only then did Zain get up, and Troy had already gotten up at the mention of banquet.

I sighed looking at the guys and then tidied my appearance and groomed myself.

When everyone's preparation was finished.

Knock, knock.

"It's time to go to the banquet hall."

It was banquet time.