To Seoul (2)

To Seoul (2) — Hanmaum Guwon Cult, First Floor

Hahahaha—

The first floor, where I arrived alongside my executives, was already in the full swing of a festival in full bloom with laughter. A red carpet ran from the central staircase to the statue, its edges prettily decorated with all manner of white flower petals.

Clink—

With the rattling of rifles, the knights lined up in formation along the red carpet, one after another.

"Waaaah—!"

"It's the Cult Leader! The Cult Leader is here!"

"We love you! We love you, Cult Leader!"

Beginning with the cheers and applause of the believers that rang out at just the right moment, two familiar children came scampering toward me. It was Shin Jihoon, rescued from the department store, and Park Himchan, Kim Eunbyeol's son.

"Hahaha— take your time, children. Take your time."

Park Himchan was so nervous he nearly twisted his ankle, and I swept him up in a hug alongside Shin Jihoon, who had walked up beside him, beaming brightly.

As I gazed fondly at the children in my arms, a garland of fresh white flowers was draped around my neck. Startled laughter spilled out of me as I patted their backs, and they carefully stepped away before crying out in bright, eager voices.

"Thank you for protecting us again today, Cult Leader!"

"Our Chan-ie is picking out suspiciously clever things to say today… Did his mother teach him that?"

"Uh… no! It was my own idea!"

"Hahaha— our Scribe Believer has been giving him some strict coaching, I see!"

When I looked at Kim Eunbyeol with a light laugh, her face had flushed tomato-red. She wore an embarrassed smile as I ruffled Park Himchan's hair, then turned to Shin Jihoon.

"And you, Jihoon—keeping well, I trust?"

"Yes! I've been~ reading~ the books~ you gave me~ very~ diligently~"

"Good. We'll be building a school before long and bringing in teachers, so you'd best prepare yourself well in advance. Understood?"

"I will~ keep it in mind~ and keep~ it ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠in mind~ again~"

"We simply must hold an oratory contest for the cult! That way our Jihoon can win a prize, too!"

Hahahaha—

At my little joke, all the believers responded with warm, contented smiles. The believers looked at the two children with tender eyes, then turned their gazes back to me.

I walked slowly along the red carpet and stepped up onto the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠platform set before the statue. From there, I looked down upon my faithful believers. Believers clustered snugly around dozens of round tables, tables laden with fine food, and a glass of wine in each of their hands.

I raised the wine prepared on the platform and smiled as well.

"The wine flows freely, so don't anyone rush too fast! I'm particularly worried about Believer Kim Cheolsu, whose face has gone so very red."

"Hahaha— my apologies, Cult Leader!"

Hahahaha—

I flashed a grin at Kim Cheolsu, who hung his head in embarrassment.

"You should be apologizing to the person beside you, not to me. Your wife's glare is quite terrifying. Believer Kim Cheolsu, protect your back."

"Huh? Wh— oh dear—"

Kim Cheolsu flinched as he met his wife's frigid, gusting glare. Hahahaha—

And as the believers laughed even louder, I lifted my wine glass higher still. Meeting each of their shining eyes one by one, I poured mana into my voice.

"We have so very much to celebrate together. And we will have even more in the days to come. Each time we do, I intend to hold a grand festival. Ah— at those words, our Vice Cult Leader is clutching her head, I see."

On cue, Seong Gaeul shook her head with a smile. That smile spread to everyone, and they too raised their glasses and waited for my next words.

"If there is joy tomorrow, then tomorrow is also a festival of the cult. The day after that will be no different. I'm sure someone out there envies us and might say: if every single day is a festival, then it's not really a festival, is it? But to that person, I would only ask in return."

I tilted my head and gave my wine glass a little swirl. The believers' eyes, fixed on the swaying wine, wavered along with it.

"Why shouldn't every single day be a festival?"

At my playful question, the believers answered with bright laughter. Utterly divorced from the world outside—days of laughter that those trudging through hell could never even dream of. A grand festival that I bestowed, and that only the cult could hold.

"Is prayer only ever kneeling and folding your hands? Prayer is nothing so special! Today, our prayer will be sharing a drink together! Warm your bodies that much more, laugh, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠and talk with the person beside you! Hold each other warmly!"

With those final words, I downed the wine in my glass in one gulp. The sharp sweetness searing down my throat drew my eyes into crescent moons all on their own.

"Now! Let us pray!"

Answering my toast, the believers drained their glasses in unison. A sharp breath spreading at once, and a surge of heat. The eyes of the brightly laughing believers grew that much more hazy.

"And what did I tell you to do next?"

The moment my words ended, conversation blossomed riotously from every table. Jeong Shinwoo and Lee Gyeongmin traded jokes, slapping each other on the shoulders. The old folk rescued from the department store refilled one another's glasses. Whatever the joke was, they laughed so hard their wine filled and emptied, filled and emptied again. Those rescued from Star Light Church shared food with laughter. Seo Hyewon, whom I hadn't seen in a while, was handing lobster meat she'd peeled to the auntie beside her. Kim Cheolsu, who had taken a scolding like a bombardment and gotten his back thoroughly whacked, hugged his wife with a face about to burst red—and his wife's face, shaking her head as if to say she couldn't handle him, was a perfect decalcomania of his own.

Happiness bloomed on every face. And that genuine happiness would make them—and me—all the stronger.

I checked the Proof of Faith lighting up the first floor brilliantly enough to dazzle, then took to the air.

Reaching the great statue, I stretched my hand out toward its right breast. White light flowed down my right hand and seeped into the statue.

Vuuuuuum—

At the low resonant hum, the believers' eyes turned toward the statue. The moment the considerably long infusion of faith ended, a pillar of light slammed down onto the statue.

Flassh—

The white marble churned like clay. The colossal statue, which had simply gazed straight ahead, clumped together into a rounded orb. Then it stretched out once more, transforming into an entirely different form.

Ooooooh—

The believers gasped in awe at the statue, now all the more sacred and majestic. I, rendered in radiant white marble, hovered in the air gazing down upon the believers. Both hands spread wide in bloom, the hems of its robes rippling as if a wind still blew—even now. That appearance, utterly untouched by gravity, was indeed befitting the product of a Holy Relic's power.

The long-awaited new authority of the Cult Leader Statue had been unlocked.

While I was examining the Cult Leader Statue's new authority, another notification window popped up.

For now, I obviously tapped N, then found the Cult Leader Statue in the sanctuary management tab.

Maximum stage reached for the statue's level. That meant there were no more authorities left to unlock.

Disarmament was undoubtedly a fine authority, but it was no jackpot on the level of the Heavenly Barrier I'd gained at level 2. Think of it as adding a finer mesh behind the first sieve. It occurred to me that the Cult Leader Statue, as a Holy Relic, was probably a relic devoted wholly to the purpose of safety.

I understood it well enough, but I couldn't entirely hide the disappointment that leaked out anyway. I'd been hoping for some cheat-tier authority to rival the Heavenly Barrier. A healing skill, a warp gate—or at the very least, a skill that expanded the Heavenly Barrier. I supposed that had simply been too greedy. Then again, even if it was a starter-pack ace, a power that solved everything would be a catastrophic balance break.

But this was absolutely no moment to be sulking. Every eye in the hall was turned toward the newly sanctified statue and to me, floating before it. Slowly turning my body toward the believers, I called out with a bright laugh.

"Your faith and your obedience have forged a safer sanctuary!"

"Aaaaah—"

"From this day forth, no armament that I have not sanctioned will exist within the sanctuary! Only the faithful knights of the cult shall protect the believers with the Sword of Faith!"

"Ooooooh—"

I asked again of the believers who could not contain their wonder and joy.

"Believers! Are you not glad?"

"We are glaaaad!"

"And what do we do on a joyful day, as I have taught you?"

At my sly question, every eye and mouth curved into a circle. They screamed themselves hoarse at me.

"A festival—!"

"That's right! Enjoy yourselves! Today! And tomorrow as well! The cult's festival shall go on!"

"WAAAAAAAH—!"

Leaving behind the believers sinking ever deeper into their addiction to happiness and festival, I descended toward the central staircase. Behind me, the air was already thick with believers' singing and the clink of wine glasses. I smiled at the executives and knights hurrying toward me, and spoke gently to Seo Taesan, who reached me first.

"This festival was held to honor the knights from the start. All of you, stop guarding me and go enjoy the festival."

"But, Cult Leader…"

"Hahaha— it's quite all right. With a barrier this much stronger, what is there to worry about? Go on."

"…Yes, understood."

Having read the look in my eyes, Seo Taesan marshaled the knights and led them into the festival. I could see the believers lighting up at the sight of the knights, beckoning them over to their tables.

"What a shame, truly. If Seo Taesan had been an Awakened, I'd have seated him at the head of the Vigilantes without a second thought."

"Hehehe— that's right."

"Right, right. Dad's always right."

The moment the listening believers were gone, Yoon Ayoung and Joo Joohye melted like magic, and I wrapped one around each arm as I climbed the stairs. As the riotous sounds of the festival receded, Seong Gaeul beside me spoke up.

"Are you really going to leave them as they are? 'Knights' in name only—those kids can't do anything without your telekensis backing them up."

"I know. I know all of it. Do I look like someone who'd order a real banzai charge against the zombie hordes?"

After all, they had done nothing but pull the triggers. It was I who suppressed the charging speed of the incoming zombies. I who guided their bullets to shatter the zombies' heads. I who filled the magazines and loaded the rifles. They had become my loyal believers, but that hadn't made them truly transcendent knights.

And I had no intention of sending them outside the sanctuary, either. Only once I'd discovered a reliable way to strengthen them would external operations begin. The system probably called them a Vigilante Corps precisely because it understood my intentions so well. Of course, I had no special buildings or items for them yet, either.

Which was all the more reason I had to go to Seoul. My top priority, without question, was uncovering what lay hidden ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠there. For the time being, my days would be spent outside the sanctuary more than within it.

Which meant that today…

A three-way is still too much.

One at a time. I smiled as I looked at my most cherished executives.

"Shall we begin our own private festival?"