42 – Cult (2)

“ah… .”

A sigh was heard from Elaine, who saw the man.

A shaking pupil and an arm that began to shake rapidly.

When only silence flowed, exchanging glances with each other, a man’s low voice was heard.

“I was looking for it for a long time. Miss Elaine. The Patriarch will be happy to see you come back like this.”

“ah… No, no. What came back… .”

“Are you a religious person?”

I asked while hiding Elaine, whose condition had deteriorated rapidly, from the man’s gaze.

The man standing upright with his arms crossed did not look like a normal person no matter how he looked at it.

The muscles that have risen to a certain extent are swollen in the habit, and the stocky physique and tall height.

‘It seems that most of the denominations in the game were only shady ones.’

The church is not a group that excels in military force to the point of being in the forefront, rather than behind the scenes.

In the first place, do religious groups that serve God need military force?

In that respect, the man in front of me seemed somewhat distant from religion.

“you’re right. My name is Hatoon, a member of the Mercian Order that serves the supreme spirit, Mercia. May I ask your name?”

The man he introduced as Hatoon bowed his head slightly and said hello.

‘Mercia?’

It’s a familiar name.

It seems that the name of the church to which the saintess belonged was Mercia?

I remembered when I heard the name.

In the game, the saintess introduces herself as a saintess of the Order of Mercia.

The Church of Mercia was the largest in the empire and was a historic place with a record of producing saints in the past.

“It’s Lian Altane.”

“Altein… okay. Then how did you come here… ?”

“That, that’s-”

“I have something to ask you.”

I answered while interrupting Elaine.

Then Hatun’s sharp eyes come out and he starts to look at Elaine in turn.

It looks like he is making his own judgments by scanning my body from the bottom to the top.

I spread my legs slightly and tilted my upper body so that I could move at any time.

From the first meeting, he openly showed that he was on Elaine’s side.

They even sent people to catch her.

If I’m not careful, even I may not be able to respond.

Since he wasn’t a monster, he couldn’t use his attitude, but that doesn’t mean his swordsmanship was completely useless.

The problem is Elaine.

It is questionable whether he will be able to fight while protecting her in case of emergency.

I would rather go to other churches, but most of them were located outside the capital. The capital and its surroundings were the territory of the Mercian Church, so it was difficult to go anywhere else.

In addition, if there were any records about Ishtar left, it was highly likely that it was the Order of Mercia, which was the largest and had produced saints.

Due to the nature of the Church of Mercia, which is large but not exposed to the outside world, it was impossible to tell it to outsiders. Elaine’s companion was necessary.

As expected, Hatun welcomed Elaine.

Elaine is… It doesn’t seem very pleasant.

“I see. If you are Miss Elaine’s companion, we also welcome you.”

“If I go alone, will you let me in?”

“Sorry, but I don’t think that will work. We cannot let outsiders in alone.”

“You can’t be alone, but you can stand together?”

“Anyway, if there is a person involved, the identity verification will be done to some extent.”

Can I check here and let you in?

You’re aiming too blatantly for Elaine.

I knelt down and whispered in Elaine’s ear.

“What are you going to do? If you are going to go back, now is the time.”

“… I’m fine.”

The look of Elaine, who shook her head saying it was okay, was not a good expression at all.

Shall I go back too?

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Just when I was about to say that I would go back, I heard Hatoon’s heavy voice.

“Come to think of it, you said you had something to ask.”

The eyes of Hatun, who spoke with a soft smile, were not laughing at all.

It sent me a sharp gaze, like the eyes of a beast looking at its prey.

“The fact that you dared to come to the church must be information that only the church can hear.”

“… .”

“I will guide you. I swear I will never lay my hands on Miss Elaine.”

‘What should I do?’

Excluding the Altyn family, only the Saints of the Order of Mercia at that time knew about the curse passed down through Ishtar and the Altean family.

The saintess had failed to remove Ishtar, and the related data must have gone to the Mercian Church to which she belonged.

Elaine also has a determined look.

I chinned Hatun and said.

“Guide me.”

“… This way.”

*

After walking along the Hatun through the empty lot and walking through the deserted alleys, before I knew it, I came to a temple-like place with a huge stone gate.

Looking back, I saw a completely different landscape from what I had seen on my way here.

‘… Was there a place like this in the capital?’

It’s like you’re in a completely different world

The dull alleys and old houses vanished, and lawns and trees filled the place, forming a green forest.

The refreshing smell of air came in, and just being there seemed to clear my lungs.

“Be patient and enjoy yourself. It is one of the tenets of our church. If you walk through a back alley full of stale smells, where no one comes, and step out with faith, you will see a sight like this.”

“Your appearance is fine.”

“The inside will be nice too.”

“… .”

drooling-

When Hatun touched the stone door, the sheep door began to open with the sound of a millstone grinding.

‘Five.’

Unlike what it looked like from the outside, the inside was spacious.

Red pillars are set up here and there, and torches with blue fire are lighting up the inside.

There was a convenient tool called a magic lamp, but a torch also had its own charm.

Besides, it wasn’t just fire, it was blue fire mixed with mana, so its durability was no different from that of a magic lamp.

“Welcome.”

After walking along the black carpet for a long time, I met an old man waiting there along the stairs.

Heh heh, an old man with a friendly smile slowly approaches me and extends his hand to me.

“Nice to meet you. Count Altane.”

count.

It’s the first thing I hear when I come here.

How long has it been since you were treated on an equal footing, excluding employees?

“You know my name. you are?”

“This is the current Patriarch Allegri, the backbone of the Church of Mercia.”

“Patriarch?”

“To put it simply, he is the one who leads the Mercian Church.”

I know that.

A person who establishes the doctrine of the church through generations, presents the way forward, and holds the actual authority of the church itself.

His word determines the course of the church.

Why did such an important person come to meet me like this?

“… .”

It was obvious that it was because of Elaine.

I naturally stood in front of Elaine and said.

“Why is such a great person here?”

“As you can see, the position of Patriarch is not a very busy one. Except for the end of the year or the beginning of the year, we always celebrate like this in the church.”

Allegri brushed his beard.

His white, dark beard is crushed by his touch.

And even though it was a brief moment, I didn’t miss out on Elaine.

‘But these bastards.’

“But it’s kind of disappointing that a person called the Archbishop of the church can’t manage his gaze.”

“… hahahaha.”

“That is rude.”

Then a woman’s voice intervened. The voice came from above.

When I looked up, I could see a nun leaning against the railing on the second floor. She spoke to me from the second floor railing with hostile eyes.

“Insulting the Patriarch means ignoring our Mercian Order. You probably don’t even know that.”

“I know. But he gave my party a dirty look. That’s just what I said.”

“Bae, Count. I’m fine.”

“this guy!”

The nun jumped from the second floor and landed next to Allegri at once.

The owner of a strong impression with dark red hair.

She frowned and questioned Allegri next to her.

“Patriarch. A man like that cannot be brought here. I have to kick you out-“

“Scarlett. calm down. I’m fine. I’m sorry, Count Altane. There must have been a misunderstanding somewhere.”

Damn there is a misunderstanding.

Do you think I don’t know the gaze I sent to Elaine from the first time we met?

I further attached Elaine behind me.

It wasn’t coming either.

“As she said, I don’t think I fit in here. Let it go back like this.”

“May I?”

As I tried to turn my back, Hatun, who had been watching silently, spoke to me in his characteristic heavy voice.

I stopped and looked at Hatoon.

“What do you mean?”

“It sounds like you had a pretty important purpose.”

“It is no longer needed. Come with me, Elaine.”

“Now, hold on a minute—”

It was when I pushed Elaine’s back and tried to move forward.

“Altein… I remember now.”

I stopped.

“Surely the name of a loyal subject who was favored by the emperor when the saintess was in our church a long time ago… Obviously Altain… tire… . ah.”

Even though it was the same voice as before.

“Altaic.”

For some reason, I think Allegri is smiling.