In the small alley.
Ansu looked at the cultist, whose expression shifted from shock to ecstatic joy, wondering what kind of wild scenario the man was cooking up in his head.
He glanced toward the alley's entrance and continued his instructions. "The Squirrel Party has been exposed, and our cooperation with them is now over. Return to the cult's base immediately and report this news to the higher-ups."
Recalling the scene in the tavern, David nodded repeatedly. "Yes! Lord Hermit, I'll head back right away!"
The three cultists all looked at Ansu with expressions of profound gratitude. Without this deacon general, the cult's entire underground network would have surely fallen into crisis. Lord Hermit had practically saved the cult single-handedly!
"Thank you, Lord Hermit! Thank you for the rescue today! I truly don't know how to repay you..."
David wore an expression of absolute loyalty.
The debt to Lord Hermit could never be repaid!
"Alright, alright, stop with the flattery and get moving..."
Ansu felt that he had unintentionally won the adoration of the cult members. Thinking about how he had just performed another great feat, he worried he might be forced into another promotion when he returned...
Dammit, he was the Chosen One who hadn't even had the chance to save the world yet, and through a series of accidents, he was already becoming a high-ranking official in a cult...
This development was something he had never expected from the start...
After watching the three cultists depart, Ansu returned to the mouth of the alley.
By now, the battle in the tavern had reached its conclusion. Bodies were being carried out one by one, and the crowd of curious bystanders was growing larger.
"Lord Ansu, the situation is under control."
Freya looked toward the tavern, where all the customers were being loaded onto carriages. Only one member of the Squirrel Party who had resisted to the end remained alive, but he was unconscious and currently being treated with Holy Light divine arts by the clergy.
"Very well." Ansu nodded. Even if that Squirrel Party member survived, it didn't really matter.
In less than half an hour, everyone at the seaside winery stronghold would have evacuated. Once the other cultists lurking in the city received word, they would lie low and stop showing their faces.
"The Church is going to be very busy after uncovering the Squirrel Party's bombing plot. Freya, you should head back first," Ansu said with a smile as he bid her farewell.
"Lord Ansu..." Freya watched him hesitantly, her mouth opening slightly as if she wanted to say something.
"What is it?"
Freya took a deep breath, seemingly having reached a major decision in her heart.
Her pale gold eyes looked directly at Ansu as she suddenly asked, "The evil organization you're undercover in... it's the Echoes of Truth cult, isn't it?"
"Yes." Ansu nodded.
To be honest, the moment he uttered the slogan "Long live the Echoes of Truth, long live the God of Magic!" he had prepared himself for Freya to ask.
In truth, the fact that she only realized it today was a bit unbelievable to Ansu himself...
He could only conclude that the little Holy Maiden trusted him too much. This level of trust was likely a tier higher than that of family or even lovers.
Was this the power of faith...?
"It really is the Echoes of Truth cult..." Freya's gaze became extremely complicated.
"That is the Church of Holy Light's greatest enemy, the most evil and cruel cult in the Empire..."
Lord Ansu was actually infiltrating such an organization all by himself. How did he manage his daily life there...?
Did he live every day in fear, terrified that his identity would be exposed and he would be met with retaliation and punishment...?
The methods of cults were notoriously brutal!
"Lord Ansu, so... the matter with Archbishop Terry before, you obtained that intelligence in this way..." As Freya thought about it, everything suddenly clicked into place.
Why did he tell her to watch the three archbishops from the very beginning? Because he was undercover within the Echoes of Truth and had long known about Terry's secret conspiracy with the cult elders!
But... after that matter was resolved, why did Lord Ansu remain in the Echoes of Truth?
Was there some very important, unspeakable reason?
"Lord Ansu..." Freya couldn't help but worry for him. "Your life within the cult must be very unpleasant..."
"Well..." Ansu paused for a moment. He actually didn't know if it was pleasant or not...
At least it was quite pleasant when Celia was stepping on him...
"This can't go on forever. If you stay mired in the Echoes of Truth, how will you ever escape?" Freya's tone was tinged with sadness. When would the Lord Chosen One be able to return to the embrace of the Church of Holy Light...?
"Don't worry, there will be plenty of ways to escape in the future." Ansu gave a mysterious smile.
For instance, "dying" in front of Celia to fake his death, or taking Vera to secretly move to the south continent and enter a hidden paradise where no one could find them.
Or perhaps simply setting sail to find the elven pure land in the distant overseas.
In any case, he was familiar with the plot's development. Once he finished what he wanted to do, there would be many ways to make his exit.
Ansu couldn't help but recall his promise to Celia in the simulation.
Regarding that promise, he would of course keep his word, but as he had said, he would only help Celia once.
The most important time.
He would let her see her teacher's true face and pull her out of the abyss of despair from the original plot, avoiding her tragic ending.
Then, he would make a cool exit, keeping his achievements and name hidden!
Everything was going according to plan.
"Lord Ansu, you're being far too optimistic..." Freya let out a helpless sigh, coincidentally clashing with Ansu's internal thoughts.
"How could it be that easy to escape the Echoes of Truth? If you try to flee, they'll hunt you to the ends of the earth!"
"I know! The fate of those who betray the cult is so cruel it's horrifying..."
"No!" Freya suddenly grabbed Ansu's hand, pressing it against her chest as she began to pray with him.
"Lord Ansu is the one chosen by the gods, the one destined to change the world... such a tragic fate will certainly not befall you..."
Feeling the immense softness of the Holy Maiden's chest, Ansu closed his eyes and began to pray along with her.
Goddess above...
Do me a favor and just wipe out the Echoes of Truth already, so I don't have to worry about this every day...
Once it's done, I'll offer you sacrifices every day, with fresh fruits that never repeat.
After praying for a moment, they opened their eyes together. The worry in Freya's gaze had not diminished in the slightest.
"Looking at it this way, Lord Ansu's female boss—that bad woman who was ordering you around that day! She's a high-ranking cultist, isn't she?"
Ansu nodded. "That's right."
"That bad woman..." Whenever Freya thought of her, she felt an indescribable sense of repulsion.
This repulsion was very strange... because aside from snapping at her a few times, the woman hadn't actually done anything outrageous...
Strange, why was that?
Was it because she was so disrespectful toward Lord Ansu, who was so important to her, or was it because she was sometimes so... intimate with him?
Rate on N.U.
