148. Saint Estia and the Church (2)
A dark auditorium.
A pitch-black room where nothing could be seen.
We quietly rose from our chairs and began to move.
*First target is...*
The holy knights who'd be troublesome if they grouped together.
I carefully approached a nearby holy knight.
"...Hare and Luna. You two take the opposite side."
"Got it!"
"Y-yes...!"
The two disappeared into the crowd of believers who were crying out in surprise.
A moment where their trained movements shone.
The holy knight began shouting to calm the crowd.
"Everyone quiet!! The lights went out because your faith is lacking!! Lower your voices and pray right now!!"
"...No, that won't do. The believers need to scream louder."
"What are you-"
Thunk-
Before the holy knight could finish speaking.
I plunged my sword into his throat.
"Kyaaah-!! H-Holy Knight sir-!!"
A nearby believer who got blood splattered on their face confirmed the holy knight's death.
Though annoying, this situation of loud screaming was actually good for me.
Because someone's screams echoing in the darkness amplified others' fear of the dark.
"Ky-kyaah-!! P-please save me-!! G-Goddess-!!!"
"I don't want to die! I don't want to die! I don't want to die!"
"P-please grant us salvation!! Give us holy water!!"
What a mess.
The auditorium had turned into chaos in an instant.
The holy knights raised their voices to control the believers, but were flustered by people rushing to grab the holy water that had fallen on the floor and those screaming in fear.
It meant the stage was perfectly set for us to move efficiently.
"Kuh, kuuk..."
One.
"Uup-!!"
Two.
"Uuugh..."
Three.
With the help of darkness, we easily dealt with the holy knights.
Except for one.
Eric.
That holy knight alone.
"...Fighting that guy now would drag things out. Too many eyes watching."
"Mister! I knocked them all out!"
"M-me too...! I dealt with all of them...!"
"Good, well done. We've thinned their numbers enough, so let's move quickly. The auditorium is still dark."
I'd deal with that guy when I got the chance.
For now, we'd go elsewhere.
Toward where the Demon King was hiding.
"Hey, holy knights!! Control the people right now!!"
"..."
Avoiding Holy Knight Eric's eyes.
We left the bodies of holy knights in the dark auditorium.
And disappeared quietly like mist.
"Ehehe!! Holy knights are nothing special!!"
Luna walked down the corridor with a hearty laugh.
She repeated what had just happened again.
"Mister, you know what I did!? When the holy knight was yelling 'Quiet! Be quiet!' I approached and just bam! Knocked him out right away! How was that, did I do well!? Tell me I did well!"
"Do you really need to make the story of knocking out a holy knight that long?"
"It's not cool if I say it like that! A hero's tale of valor should always be cool!"
That's true.
People wouldn't read a hero's tale that wasn't cool.
To prepare for retirement, it was important to accumulate cool tales of valor.
I placed my hand on Luna's head.
"Then remember this moment well. The fact that you're destroying the Church. Don't miss a single detail."
"I-if I publish that as a tale of valor, it'll be a disaster! That won't do!"
While it wouldn't damage the Goddess Church in the Empire.
If the Goddess Churches in other countries heard about Luna, it could lead to a religious trial.
Realizing this, Luna refused while sweating profusely.
"Today's events are a secret just for the Hero Party! It must never leak out! Got it!?"
"...Yes, I'll keep your secret."
"You guys too! Say you'll keep the secret! Understand?"
"..."
"I said speak!"
Even under Luna's pressure, the other kids kept their mouths firmly shut.
Their faces said they couldn't be bothered to respond.
*Where did the hero's authority... disappear to?*
To be precise, that chick made her own authority disappear.
A hero who should be serious was so carefree.
Hare and Saten, who were relatively mature, didn't even bother responding.
Still, seeing how they listened to Luna regarding combat, they must acknowledge her skills to some degree.
"I'm the hero! Answer quick-"
"Wait, everyone stop."
I extended my hand to halt the Hero Party's steps.
Then I quietly listened, searching for sounds around us.
*Is this... the sound of wind?*
Hare also seemed to sense that strange presence, as she clung to my arm and pointed in a direction.
A wall in the empty corridor.
However, it was a wall that felt somehow off.
"You sensed it too, Mister. I can hear wind coming from over there..."
"Hare? You're too close, don't you think? Hmm?"
Hare ignored Luna's words and continued explaining.
"...Definitely, the other walls are in enclosed spaces so there's no way wind could blow... but I can only hear wind from this spot."
Tap tap-
I knocked on the wall once to confirm Hare's words.
*As I thought.*
There's an empty space behind this.
Surely it's a passage leading to the Church's secret space.
I turned around to look at the Hero Party and said,
"Listen carefully everyone, there's a space behind this."
"A secret passage?"
"You could say that."
"Mister, I get that there's a space. What do you plan to do next? Should I break the wall with magic?"
Saten stepped forward confidently, raising her staff.
I had a feeling she was showing off the staff she received from me.
I spoke to Saten in a gentle tone.
"I'd like to see your magic. But it doesn't seem like the right time."
"...Why not? Don't you think I can break the wall?"
"No, that's not it. We don't know what kind of mechanism might be behind the wall. For example, there could be a space that collapses if the door is forced open."
"Hmm, I see. That's a bit disappointing."
Saten put her staff away with a regretful look.
*Seeing that there's a passage here... the key should be nearby...*
Luna and Hare were already looking around the corridor searching for the key.
"Who's there!?"
"Oh, a holy knight! Take this!"
Of course, in the process they encountered a holy knight on patrol.
But Luna and Hare subdued him quickly and easily to avoid complications.
"Huh? Hare! That person! He's not moving?"
"I-it's your imagination... He's just knocked out..."
"Really?"
Anyway.
We looked around searching for clues to the secret passage.
"...I don't see the key to the passage."
"I know."
But Luna and Hare expressed frustration, unable to get a grasp on it.
Perhaps because Luna and Hare looked too pitiful.
Estia sighed and stepped forward.
"Ugh! What are you doing! Can't even find this one thing! Are you idiots?"
"...Why are we idiots? I don't want to hear that from anyone, especially not you."
"Shut it! You didn't even pay for treatment! You talk too much! You're just idiots!"
"What, why don't you try finding it! Why are you calling us idiots!!"
"Ugh. Ugh."
Estia shook her head and sighed.
Then she immediately turned and approached with confidence.
*Could it be...?*
As if confirming my expectation.
Estia pressed the handle of a torch hanging in the corridor.
Luna shouted in disbelief at the result.
"N-no way! How did you know!?"
"Hmph, that's why you're idiots. You idiots! Couldn't even find this one thing!"
Rumble-!!
The wall rose up, revealing a secret passage.
I calmed my surprised heart and looked at the confident Estia.
"You knew about the key to the secret passage, Estia?"
"Of course! I was the Church's Saint! I obviously know about doors like this!"
Shrug-
Estia raised her shoulders and declared confidently.
From her reaction, she seemed to know what was at the end of this passage.
So I decided to ask her.
"Estia."
"Yeah, why Oppa?"
"This passage you know about. What's at the end of it?"
"Umm, you'll know when you see it! I'm too lazy to explain with my own mouth!"
Estia answered in a cheerful tone and walked toward the passage.
However, I was uneasy about Estia.
Because the last expression I saw on Estia's face before entering the passage was stiff.
I erased the useless thoughts from my head and spoke to the Hero Party.
"Now, you all hurry and follow Estia. We can't leave Estia alone."
"Estia's not a kid, she'll be fine!"
"It's not for that reason... Never mind. Just hurry and walk."
"Yep~"
Following Estia, the kids also headed into the passage after her.
I didn't know what would be at the end of this passage.
But judging from the foul smell flowing out, the result didn't seem good.
After sending all the kids into the passage, just as I was about to follow them into the passage.
Text began appearing in my vision.
[The Hero Party headed into the passage. What will Jun-woo do?]
[1. Go with the Hero Party.]
[2. Deal with the pursuing holy knights.]
"...They heard the sound of the passage opening. This got troublesome."
"Huh? What did you just say, Mister?"
"Number 2. You all go ahead, I'll follow soon."
"W-wait Mister! Where are you going leaving just us-"
"Be quiet, go ahead and wait."
I wonder if doing what Estia did would work.
I quickly pressed the torch handle before the Hero Party could exit the passage.
I could hear the kids calling for me.
But fortunately, I was able to trap them in the passage.
"I'm enough here alone, so you all go ahead."
Because the person I needed to face was here.
I confirmed the group of holy knights gradually revealing themselves.
Holy Knight Eric, dragging his comrade while his sword tip was stained with blood.
When he saw my face, he shouted indignantly.
"You fucking bastard!! How dare you come back here after kidnapping the Saint!!"
"Is it okay for a clergyman to get that angry?"
"Y-you son of a bitch!!"
Eric's face flushed red with anger.
I looked at his idiotic face and tightened my grip on my sword.
There was no need to exchange words with him.
He'd be dead soon and unable to speak anyway.
*...Even talking to that trash is a waste.*
With a merciless heart, I glared at the group of corrupt holy knights.
*Lucky that the opportunity came so quickly.*
To think they were living healthy with those faces after conducting such unconscionable experiments.
I wasn't planning to kill them easily.
Absolutely not.