How the Cult Saves the World-Chapter 173

A few days later, the Imperial carriage we were riding arrived at Rovel's temple. Upon arriving at the temple, I immediately decided to execute the plan I had only been thinking about for the past few days.

After much deliberation, I made one decision. The decision to travel the world and build my strength for the time being.

'There are no urgently pressing problems to solve now, and no quests that must be completed immediately.'

Now that I had gained some time, this was the optimal time to build strength.

Of course, I didn't plan to publicize that the Church Leader of the Kyros Church was absent. I planned to move quietly with my party, leaving the holy knights and priests in each branch and only taking Zain and Troy with me.

'Anyway, since there are portals, I can frequently check on the temple even if something happens.'

That way, while traveling the world, I planned to increase the number of believers, find holy relics, and do personal training.

'Right now, I should build my strength a little in places where they can't see, then face them in a stronger state.'

I still couldn't clash head-on with the Diego Church and the Rizes Church.

Setting aside the Rizes Church, to properly clear the main quest, I had to clash with the Diego Church, which had occupied the empire.

But with our current strength, defeating them was out of the question.

Terdius instantly defeated the Rizes's Second Child that I couldn't even lay a hand on. It was certain that someday I would have to face other apostles besides him.

So for a while, I would travel around regions other than the empire and gather as many believers as possible.

'That said, I can't travel to every corner of the Continent.'

Still, if I traveled mainly around quite influential kingdoms, I should be able to increase believers.

Upon entering the Church Leader's office, I also told Kyros about these thoughts.

—Hmm, child. If that's your thinking, it's not bad. But I'm worried you might overdo it.

'It's not quite......overdoing it. To you, Kyros, it might seem like overdoing it, but.'

—I see. Though I can't fully understand your intentions, it must all be for me.

Precisely, it was for me, not for Kyros.

'Yes. That's right.'

Then do so.

After receiving permission from Kyros, I contacted all the senior members in each region. To gather at Rovel's temple after the temple closed.

After some time passed, I faced the senior members gathered in the reception room. Not only Zain and Troy, who had just returned from a long journey, but all senior members including Alphius, Chester, and Sasha were present.

"Today I have something important to tell you all."

I brought up the topic to the senior members with a serious face. As I talked about my plan, just as I had told Kyros, Zain and Troy had quite shocked eyes, but the other senior members just nodded.

"N-no. Master, what is that right now......"

"Just as I said, Zain. For at least a few months to a maximum of half a year, I'm planning to travel the world."

"A-ah, yes. I understood that part. But why us specifically? No, Troy makes sense. This guy is basically a means of transportation. But why me......"

It seemed Zain really didn't want to go. But I was planning to definitely take this guy along. In the original, Zain was close to a 'growth-type overpowered character.'

And for this guy's growth, simple training wasn't all that was needed. Like in the original, he had to physically experience various incidents and accidents to directly realize and grow.

In other words, what Zain needed most was 'experience.' So I was definitely taking him.

It was similar for Troy. Not as a simple means of transportation as Zain said, but to take him as a stepping stone for growth together with Zain.

"Take this."

I didn't talk to Zain any further. Explaining was annoying, and I didn't feel it was particularly necessary. Rather, there was an easier way to persuade him.

So I pulled out a heavy money pouch from my pocket and threw it to Zain. Then his expression brightened for a moment before hardening. It was a look that said, 'Is this all for up to half a year of living abroad?'

"It's your salary. So I'll pay you that much every month."

"Master! I'll follow you to hell!"

Only then did life return to Zain's eyes. After he accepted, Troy naturally gave an answer that he would go with me.

"The sooner we depart the better, so let's make it two days from now."

After telling the two, I began preparing for a long journey. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

'During this long ordeal, I won't use the portal as much as possible.'

Unless something happened at the temple, I planned not to use the portal as much as possible. If I set foot in the temple with an easy mind even once, it seemed the meaning of traveling far would fade.

So I tightly prepared for the long journey. Still, it was relatively convenient since I could just stuff all the necessary luggage into my inventory.

'This much money is enough, and there's enough food to eat for a while.'

After finishing all the preparations and handling the temple's affairs, two days had already passed in the blink of an eye.

"Then have a safe trip!"

"A-always stay healthy!"

"......Have a safe trip."

On the morning of departure, the senior members were out to see us off. I greeted each senior member and didn't forget to give reminders. And finally, I stood before Grandmother.

"Always be careful and take care not to get sick."

"Yes, Grandmother. Don't worry. And Grandmother, if you don't feel well, make sure to take the healing potion I gave you."

"Don't worry about me, Levi. My dear."

Grandmother pulled me into a tight embrace. And after the hug ended, she bowed to me politely.

"Then have a safe trip, Church Leader."

After saying goodbye to Grandmother, I finally left the temple together with Zain and Troy.

'When I come back......I'll be stronger.'

I made a vow while watching the rising sun.

Diego Church headquarters, somewhere.

Torches were burning here and there in the corridor, but it wasn't easy to gauge visibility. Nevertheless, there were two men walking through the corridor without care.

"Ah, I'm really tired."

Among them, the man with rippling purple hair, Khalid, yawned widely. Half a year ago, a new arm was positioned on his left arm that had disappeared.

Though its color and size were completely different from a human's—it was green—Khalid moved his arm nonchalantly as if he had adapted.

However, that was only for a moment. When the ugly arm entered Khalid's view, he quickly covered his arm with his cloak.

Because it didn't match his beautiful body at all. Still, he hated being one-armed, so he had no choice but to just attach an orc's arm.

"Damn Rizes Church......I'll definitely uproot them all someday."

While Khalid ground his teeth toward the Demon God beside him, the man next to him was listening to Khalid's words in one ear and letting them out the other. He had no choice.

'Ivan......'

Recently, it was because of his younger brother whose condition had worsened.

"Ha, at times like this I really miss the pretty one from the Kyros Church."

At that moment, due to the name he hadn't heard in a long time, Terdius's gaze turned to Khalid.

"Do you have news about that guy?"

When Terdius asked with slightly livelier eyes, Khalid's lips twisted up.

"You're amazing too. Being as obsessed with the pretty one as I am."

"Obsession, is it obsession."

Yes, this was obsession. Perhaps the only salvation that could save his younger brother, and the one who could pierce through his blocked mind again.

That would be Leviathan.

"Well, anyway, the last sighting of the pretty one was...... the Constanto Kingdom."

"Constanto would be located in the northwest of the Continent."

"Right. If we roughly predict the next route, it would be around the Sele Mountain Range."

Terdius pondered while listening to that story.

Before he knew it, half a year had passed since Leviathan disappeared. Though they publicly said they were reducing external activities due to the Kyros Church's internal affairs, he had noticed that wasn't the reality.

From about a month after Leviathan left Holden Territory. After that, Terdius tracked Leviathan's whereabouts.

But because Leviathan moved around so unpredictably, it was difficult to fully grasp his movements. Occasionally, Khalid would bring news like now, but even this wasn't accurate information.

"Don't rashly go looking for that guy, Fifth Apostle."

Terdius, having finished thinking, told Khalid. Then Khalid smiled.

"I told you. I went looking for the pretty one several times but didn't meet him at all."

"Yet you keep trying, so I'm telling you."

"Well, it's not like I'm planning to harm him. You're really too much."

Though Khalid spoke playfully, Terdius's expression didn't soften. Though he didn't know what wind had blown for Leviathan to embark on a long journey, Terdius hoped he would return quickly.

He warned Khalid because he didn't want Leviathan's journey to be prolonged due to Khalid.

"But isn't it strange?"

Khalid casually brushed off Terdius's warning and asked. When Terdius looked at him with eyes asking what he meant, Khalid added.

"I mean Leviathan. Everywhere that guy appeared, people all became believers of the Kyros Church."

"......Yes. I heard so."

"Strangely, all outside the Empire, not within it. How did he manage to increase believers so much in places with no foundation in just half a year?"

While listening to that story, Terdius's lips rose slightly. It was such a small emotional change that even Khalid couldn't easily notice.

Terdius very much welcomed the news that the Kyros Church's believers were increasing day by day.

He didn't know the reason himself. Just, if the Kyros Church grew even larger like this.

'Someday, even I......'

It was because he had a premonition that the day might come when even he could be liberated from this damn Diego Church.

Northeast of the Celeste Continent. Sele Mountain Range.

Though it was midsummer in the Herpheon Empire, a blizzard was raging in the Sele Mountain Range.

It was a region of winter year-round, with falling snow.

And through the fiercely swirling snowflakes, three human figures revealed themselves.

Among them, the handsome man walking in the center spoke.

"We've arrived."

Looking at the small kingdom in the snowy mountains, the Sele Kingdom, he smiled with satisfaction—it was Revelof.