Chapter 306
Chapter 306
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Primary Stronghold (2)
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Kunra, an Apostle of Revelry, stared at the church priests for a while before finally shaking his head.
"No. On second thought, those heretics seem better than the church priests."
The church priests exuded deep maturity and piety from their very presence.
Just looking at them made it clear why the higher-ups had entrusted them with missionary duties.
For instance, the middle-aged priest who appeared to be the group's leader—
he gave off an impeccably pristine aura, as if he'd never touched a drop of alcohol in his life.
"No matter how high-ranking a church priest they are, once Revelry's touch reaches them, it's only a matter of time before they devolve into mere beasts."
However.
Another Apostle of Revelry, Nelsa, gazed at the church priest with a provocative smile.
Her expression brimmed with confidence that she could corrupt even the church's pure priests.
Kunra didn't bother denying Nelsa's confidence.
"Indeed. Before Revelry, all are equal. All are nothing but naked beasts."
"Then—"
"Even so, there's no reason to undertake unnecessary effort."
Kunra pointed at the group of heretics.
Those young priestesses retained an untainted aura much like the church priests—
but it seemed closer to naivety than true purity.
Kunra knew their type well.
They shunned Revelry out of ignorance, not true understanding.
"Yet once they taste Revelry, they soak it up uncontrollably fast."
"..."
"There's no need to leave such easy prey behind and take the long way around. We can approach the church after securing them first."
His words made perfect sense.
In the end, the two apostles reached an agreement.
"If we believe in that religion—would it help us adapt to this city?"
Soon.
A pair of man and woman approached the heretic priestesses hesitantly.
The otherworldly blank expressions from before were gone from the Apostles of Revelry.
Now they were playing the part of fresh country bumpkins arriving in the city, drawing out reactions from the heretics.
"Of course!"
The Apostles of Revelry smiled inwardly.
As expected, the heretics lit up at the sight of easy prey.
No prey is easier than an overconfident hunter.
They continued their act, hiding their true colors.
"Actually, this is our first time in a big city like this—"
"Hey! No need to spill all that unnecessary stuff!"
"What did I say!"
The heretics reacted immediately to their skilled performance.
"I completely understand how you feel. A foreign land outside your hometown is bound to feel strange and scary. In that sense, we—the priests of Akirin—are confident that our faith will be your sturdy pillar of support."
The heretic priestess Joanna spread her arms wide.
"Bondales. It's no exaggeration to say the entire city is filled with the grace of the Great One. Believe in Him, and you'll feel that grace too!"
"..."
"..."
The apostles shook their heads inwardly.
An unheard-of heretic god filling a prosperous city like Bondales with grace?
It was utterly absurd.
That was precisely why they'd targeted the heretics.
"Will you follow me? I'll introduce you to High Priestess Akirin."
Soon, they arrived at a shabby building renovated from a ruin.
"Looking for a pillar of support? You've come to the right place. I have so much to tell you."
It was the moment they faced their naive prey.
"Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. I'm High Priestess Akirin."
The deepest part of an unnamed cave near Bondales.
Once a goldmine known only to a few herbalists, it had now become a temporary hideout for a cultist group worshiping a Great Demon.
An artificial flame burned at the center of the cavern, illuminating the surroundings.
Thud.
Five figures fully cloaked in darkness stepped forward, revealing themselves.
Apostles of Revelry.
They were in the position of awaiting word from the advance team that had infiltrated Bondales.
"I just can't understand it."
One apostle muttered in dissatisfaction.
"Has Bondales ever been this chaotic lately? This is the perfect time to spread Revelry—yet here we are, hiding and endlessly waiting for scouts' reports. Aren't we no better than petty thieves?"
Some apostles nodded in agreement with her complaint.
But others coldly dismissed her opinion.
"What do you think is causing all that chaos?"
"You must know how many dangers are piling up in Bondales right now."
"The wielder of Rampage... the one controlling that demonic sword, no less. We mustn't act rashly until we grasp the target's exact strategy."
"Just in time—a letter from the advance team. Let's read it and calm those nerves."
"...The seal color?"
"Orange."
Orange seal for a bright outlook on the plan.
Red seal for a dark outlook.
As per prior agreement, their response strategy—from preliminary work onward—depended on the seal's color.
"Orange."
They eagerly tore open the seal and checked the contents.
"..."
Even the apostles who had voiced complaints earlier softened their expressions.
Infiltrating a group with Hero ties? A good start.
They satisfied, checked the next letter.
Orange seal again.
"Ooh...!!!"
The wielder of Rampage.
All apostles openly showed surprise at the name's early mention.
He was undoubtedly the key figure of concern for this plan.
The demonic sword the Hero possessed.
It would undoubtedly aid Revelry's return immensely.
"Quick, check the next one!"
By now, the grim cavern's mood was electric with excitement.
They immediately pulled out the next letter.
Orange again.
"Hm...?"
Their expressions twisted upon the next letter.
The first red seal.
"A mere heretic withstood Revelry's authority?"
They couldn't accept it, but their hands moved busily anyway.
The next seal was red too.
"Can't even bend one heretic to our will?!"
"Damn it, what the hell are they doing...!!!"
Confirming the next red seal, the apostles couldn't hold back their frustration.
Bam!
Bam!
Bam!
Urgent noises seemed to echo in their ears.
The letters were plastered with red seals.
"..."
Hoo.
The apostles, unknowingly holding their breath, finally exhaled in relief.
The seal had returned to orange at last.
The apostles breathlessly checked the next letter.
Orange seal.
Their hearts began pounding.
Contact with the Hero—far faster and more unexpected than planned.
And a positive outlook.
What results had they achieved?
Gasps escaped the apostles' lips at the opening line.
"Uh...?"
But that awe quickly turned to bewilderment.
Gasp...!
They flung the letter away as if it were on fire.
They couldn't bring themselves to read the rest.