The Villains I Taught Became Heroes - Chapter 92



91 – Religious War – 3

“…Looks like we’re heading somewhere nice, huh?”

Serin, dressed in combat robes for priests, said with a frown as soon as she saw us.

It wasn’t entirely surprising to see that reaction.

No matter how I thought about it, the outfits of Sowol, Lena, and Arisha looked more like they were going out for fun than preparing for a fight.

“Ugh. Well, whatever. The place we need to go is the back alleys of the capital of the Deorent Kingdom. We’ve discovered traces of the Asura cult there.”

“Is the location accurate?”

“Yeah. And I’ve also figured out that the kids in the back alleys are disappearing.”

They must be trying to use the children as sacrifices to gain the power of Asura.

If we’ve even caught wind of human sacrifices, there’s no time to waste.

“For now, we’ll infiltrate first.”

After all, our outfits are perfect for looking like tourists.

“Are you sure it’s okay?”

“Of course, it’s fine.”

Serin smiled brightly and approached me.

Then, she clasped her hands in front of me and began to pray.

She usually acts like a neighborhood punk, but she certainly is a priest.

Seeing her pray like that is incredibly reverent.

“May the Lord’s blessing protect you.”

Making the sign of the cross, Serin kissed my forehead and both cheeks before stepping back and entering the church.

As I watched her go in, I turned my body.

The three of them were staring at me with sullen faces.

“What. Why. What.”

“Well… I’ve been thinking this for a while, but Master, you seem really close to Serin.”

At Sowol’s words, Lena nodded in agreement.

And Arisha muttered with a look of shock on her face.

“…I never thought there would be anyone other than me who would get that close to the teacher…”

Come on, there’s no need to be that shocked just because I received a blessing.

If I leave it like this, it might go on forever.

“Don’t be like that. Come on, let’s go.”

I led the three of them, who were sulking, through the dimensional magic circle.

Our first destination was the Deorent Kingdom.

The kids remained gloomy until we entered the capital of the Deorent Kingdom, which hadn’t changed much since the last time we were here.

“Want to grab something sweet on the way? How about cake?”

“Master, I’m not a kid. I can’t just eat cake to cheer myself up.”

“Then let’s eat cookies.”

“…No, that’s not what I meant…”

“M-Master. W-What is your relationship with Priestess Serin?”

“We’re just friends.”

“Is it really okay for friends to kiss like that?”

“Don’t overreact about just a kiss on the forehead.”

“Sister Sowol. Do you bless like Serin does at the church?”

“Of course not. Just holding hands is enough when giving a blessing. I’ve thought this for a while, but Serin has been overly kind to the Master… Do you perhaps like him?”

The three of them narrowed their eyes.

Feeling their gaze upon me, I shrugged my shoulders.

“Ha. This popularity of mine. What should I do?”

“Right… What should we do… I just want to lock him away somewhere.”

“…Huh?”

“…That’s quite an interesting statement.”

“Eh?!”

“I-I know a good place…”

“Guys?”

If this continues, I really feel like I might get locked away somewhere.

I barely managed to stop the three of them, who were exuding a strange energy.

“Guys? This isn’t the time for that. Shouldn’t we rescue the kidnapped children before they become sacrifices for a human offering?”

“That’s right. Then let’s discuss this later.”

“Y-Yeah.”

For now, the crisis was averted.

Seeing the strange energy emanating from them settle down, I led them toward the alley.

The back alleys of the Deorent Kingdom were not much different from those of other countries.

There were many beggars, and many who glanced over this way.

But perhaps because I was armed, there were no fools who dared to approach recklessly.

“Is this the place?”

“Yes. This is it.”

It was a large, old building.

As I stepped inside what seemed to be a storage area, I was met with a strange smell and a clutter of odds and ends.

At first glance, it looked like an utterly ordinary warehouse.

“You said they went in here, right?”

“Yes. They haven’t come out since bringing the children in here.”

That means there’s a secret mechanism inside.

As I was about to use my senses to find the secret device, I smiled and gave Arisha’s shoulder a light tap.

“Want to give it a try?”

“Yes!”

With her eyes closed, Arisha began to use her senses.

If she utilizes the senses of a fighter, she should be able to easily locate the mechanisms in this place.

—

As expected, it wasn’t long before Arisha quickly discovered the device.

When she activated the secret mechanism hidden within the wall, a concealed door, obscured by clutter, swung open.

It was a staircase leading down to the underground.

Looking down at the staircase, devoid of any light, as if it were leading to the abyss of hell, Lena raised her hand. In that moment, a light appeared from her palm.

“Let’s go.”

The further we descended the stairs, the more peculiar I felt.

I didn’t like the oppressive air that felt as if it were hanging limply around us.

It seemed I wasn’t the only one feeling this way.

“Teacher. I feel strange.”

Arisha said, lightly gripping my arm.

With her keen senses, she might have been feeling an even stranger sensation. I took her hand in mine. Though she was trembling, I could see that her shivers calmed down a bit when I held her hand.

How far had we descended the stairs?

Just as the end came into view, strange sounds began to echo.

“…Master.”

Yes. It was the sound of pained groans.

The weak, almost extinguished moans indicated that the situation inside was far from good.

“Let’s hurry.”

Hastily moving my feet, we reached the bottom of the staircase, where a steel door awaited us.

The groans were coming from within.

“It’s locked.”

“Wait a moment, step aside.”

I took out my lockpick and inserted it into the keyhole.

After manipulating the lock a few times, the mechanism easily clicked open.

“Where did you learn that?”

“It’s part of a gentleman’s education.”

“…What exactly should a gentleman know, according to you, Teacher?”

I chuckled softly at Arisha, who was looking at me with a strange gaze, then I tightened my grip on the steel door.

From noble mtl dot com

– Creak…

As the door opened with an unsettling sound, the scene inside came into view.

It was a vast chamber.

In the corners of the wide space, stained with blood and flesh, there was an iron prison, and inside, I could see children on the brink of death.

“Who are you!!”

The figures in black robes, guarding the gruesome scene made of blood and flesh, shouted.

No, should we even consider them human?

It would be more accurate to call them b*stards wearing the guise of humanity.

“Master.”

So-wol, raising her sword, spoke in a chilling voice.

Even she, with her sense of justice, seemed unable to tolerate this situation. Truly, she is my disciple.

“Wipe them all out.”

As soon as my command was given, So-wol, Lena, and Arisha charged at the figures in black robes.

—

“An ambush!!”

Even the ones who had been lounging inside sprang to their feet, rushing to confront the three of us.

As I welcomed them, I left my disciples, who were fighting well on their own, and headed toward the prison.

The children, who had been reported missing, looked at me through the bars with faces filled with despair and pain.

“Please, save us…”

I saw a girl struggling to plead with me, her eyes dry of tears.

How terrified must she have been?

How much pain must she have endured?

As I met her vacant gaze, I used my healing spell.

“Ah…”

I could see the children recovering from their suffering and wounds.

As the faces of the children, who had been offered as sacrifices to Asura, began to relax, one of the Asura cultists who spotted me screamed in desperation.

“No!! They are sacrifices made for Asura!!”

“Shut up.”

I drew my dagger and swung it at the charging cultist.

The Asura cultist, struck by my attack, fell back, baring his teeth as he began to chant a spell.

His body swelled, and a dark energy began to rise, thick with hostility.

“I’ll kill you!!”

I could see the one empowered by Asura charging at me.

With a roar, I slashed down the one who lunged at me and turned to look at my disciples.

As expected, they were fighting well on their own.

Then I should focus on saving the children.

“Huuh…”

I gazed at the iron bars.

As the healed children stared at me blankly, I sent them back and swung my sword.

– Clang!!

“Th-thank you!”

“Thank you!!”

Hope hung in the voices of the children trapped behind the bars.

Just as those children, feeling the joy of being alive, were about to come out, I raised my hand to stop their movements.

“Stay there; we’re still in battle.”

“Y-yes!”

Seeing the children retreat to a corner, I watched my disciples fight. They were truly fighting well.

“Teacher! We’ve taken care of everything!!”

Arisha, who had taken down the last Asura cultist with her Arang-kwon, shouted brightly.

Nodding vaguely at her, who was seeking praise, I spoke to Sowol and Lena.

“Take care of the kids. We’re leaving right away.”

“Understood.”

While the two escorted the children, I ascended the stairs with Arisha. In the game, there had been another battle once we stepped outside.

Since Sowol and Lena had to fight while escorting the children, the actual combat would fall to me and Arisha.

“Are you going to be okay? It feels like we’ll have to fight again once we go up.”

“I don’t think I’ll be okay.”

“Yeah?”

What is that supposed to mean? Arisha glanced at the flustered Sowol and Lena, who were busy taking care of the children, and whispered in my ear.

“I think if you bless me too, I could fight well~.”

I really can’t let my guard down!