Shadow of the Hidden Cult

On the bed lay a child who had finally drifted into uneasy sleep after pained groans, her face pale as she curled up tightly. This girl was definitely... Hilary.

I pressed my hand to the mark once more, but as expected, nothing happened. Then I tried wiping it off with my finger. And then... yellow ink smeared across my fingertip like cheap dye, and the pattern vanished.

As I thought... It was unmistakably fake.

So this kid didn't actually go through the inspection? Not only that—she'd even faked it to fool everyone.

Suspicious.

Two questions lingered. Was this girl really the "one tainted by evil" the nuns were searching for? And was she the one who'd ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠poisoned the children's food?

I looked down at Hilary again. Cold ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠sweat beaded endlessly on her forehead, her pallid face shrunken from exhaustion. Clutching her stomach with furrowed brows, she looked like she was enduring severe abdominal pain. Her breathing was ragged and irregular, as if she might vomit any second.

She's not like the others I knew...

And I'd definitely seen her eating the same food as the rest of us. She didn't seem to be faking the pain right now, either.

To avoid suspicion, she poisoned herself too...? Something like that?

It was confusing. Honestly, I didn't have the means to figure it out easily right now.

But I know the simplest solution.

I gazed down at her, a faint smirk tugging at my lips.

There's no quest here... so why should I handle it myself?

Keeping an eye on her, I sat by the infirmary entrance, waiting for the attending nun to return.

She soon came back into the room.

"Oh, you're... Teresa, right? What brings you here?"

"Well... my stomach feels a bit queasy. It's not bad, but just in case."

The nun hurried over in surprise, scanning me up and down with worried eyes.

"Let me see..."

She gently placed her hand on my forehead and nape. A faint light spread, and I felt holy power flowing in—like it was probing deep into my body, checking every detail of my health.

A moment later, she opened her eyes and tilted her head.

"Hmm... that's strange. Nothing seems wrong. If anything, you're too healthy."

"Haha..."

I hadn't expected her to call me healthy.

"Guess it was just my imagination then. Sorry to bother you over nothing."

She looked down at me sternly, like a scolding teacher.

"Didn't I tell you earlier? If anything feels off, even a little, come straight to your attending nun?"

"Yes...?"

Her gaze was deadly serious.

"Ignoring your body's warning signs—even if they seem minor—is like missing a chance to treat an illness before it worsens. Next time you feel anything unusual, don't brush it off as 'it's nothing.' Come find me right ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠away. Got it?"

"...Yes."

Seeing me nod obediently, her expression softened a bit.

"Good. Still, just to be safe, rest here a little before you go."

She pointed to an empty bed inside the infirmary.

"Yes. Thank you."

I bowed politely, then got up and headed to the bed she'd indicated. On the way, I deliberately tripped over my own foot, tumbling toward the bed where Hilary lay.

"Are you okay!?"

"Ow ow ow... Sorry. I tripped."

"Aigoo... Be careful!"

The nun rushed over in alarm.

"Are you dizzy or anything?"

"No, nothing like that..."

She offered her hand, helping me up herself, then bent down to check on Hilary, who was lying where I'd fallen nearby.

"!"

Her eyes locked onto Hilary's nape, where the mark had vanished, and she froze in shock. She glanced at me briefly...

"...Lie down on the empty bed for a bit. I... I need to step out for a moment."

"Yes."

Clutching her skirt, she hurried out of the infirmary.

I lay on the empty bed as instructed, quietly observing.

Now... let's wait for the results.

Moments later, the infirmary door burst open. Several nuns and priests rushed in, breathless and straight to the child's side. Vanessa was among them.

"..."

I pulled the blanket up to my head, holding my breath like a mouse, eavesdropping on their conversation.

"It's confirmed. This mark is fake. She never underwent the inspection."

The nuns checked the girl's condition, then began the inspection ritual—just like they'd done with me and the others that morning.

Soon, the results came in.

"How is it?"

"...Unfortunately, she's not the Al Sar cultist we've been looking for."

My heart dropped like a stone.

What did she just say?

Meanwhile, the conversation continued.

"I see."

"Her mind has been manipulated too."

"As expected... Could this be linked to the children's food poisoning?"

"Very likely. Manipulating her mind to slip poison into the food without her knowing wouldn't be hard."

"But why? What's the point of throwing away a pawn like this?"

That was my question.

"...She must have been the target."

"The target?"

"No, just thinking aloud. For now, we need to move her elsewhere for a deeper investigation."

"...Yes, I'll help."

They carefully placed Hilary on a stretcher and carried her out.

As the door closed and the commotion died down, I slowly emerged ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠from the blanket, staring blankly at the empty bed.

...Why the cult?

A chill ran through me, dread sinking in.

And what about that girl...?

My head spun in confusion.

Are they after me? But why?! Infiltrate all the way here for just me!?

But... I shook my head.

No... that can't be. The cult was wiped out. No survivors.

Even if any remained, they had no reason to target me by attacking the church—their worst enemy. To them, I was just another disposable sacrifice for their god.

It's fine... nothing's certain yet...

That night, anxiety kept me awake. Even during dawn training, I couldn't shake it off, constantly scanning my surroundings.

At morning prayer, Vanessa gave me a fresh mark. In class, I kept watching the other kids' behavior.

A cult infiltrator was here. And their target might be me.

The realization hit hard.

At lunch, I ate quietly with Marie and left the dining hall early. On the way to the courtyard, she asked cautiously.

"Resa... you're not really sick, are you?"

"No, I'm fine."

"But... you've looked off all day."

"No need to worry. Like I said, I'm fine."

Then it hit me—something odd. I stopped and turned to her.

"Come to think of it, why are you fine? You were there yesterday too."

"Huh? But... I didn't eat the food."

"That's why I'm asking. Why didn't you eat anything?"

"...You know I hate sweets."

How could I trust that? It could be groundwork she'd laid to fool me ages ago.

This is weird.

But then Marie suddenly approached.

"!?"

As I stepped back, she lunged and hugged me tight.

No way!?

I tried to push her away.

"Just a second... it'll be quick."

Her voice was so earnest that I hesitated. In that moment, she murmured a prayer. A soft light bloomed from her, seeping deep into my chest. Warmth spread like melting ice in my frozen heart.

"How's that? Better than last time, right?"

"...Huh? Oh, yeah..."

"Hehe... I've been practicing hard."

No huge difference in effect, but the duration was noticeably longer.

In just a few days... this much progress?

"This is...?"

"What do you think? I just learned it. It's a divine technique to ease anxiety and bring mental peace... seemed perfect for you right now."

As she said, the heavy weights crushing my chest melted away, leaving soothing calm.

"Thanks. I feel more settled thanks to you, Marie."

"Hehe... Glad to hear it."

"Sorry for snapping earlier..."

"It's okay."

I patted her head.

Yeah... even if they are here, they can't touch me now.

This was the monastery—they couldn't act freely. If anything, they were restricted.

Even if it's true... no need to fear.

Fear would just cloud my judgment. Objectively, I held the advantage.

I need to think about how to handle this, not cower.