“I’m actually a member of the Blood Cult.”
This revelation occurred at the Royal Social Sciences Research Institute in Easton, just before the assault on the Seventh Death Squad.
Lloyd’s confession caused a commotion.
The village chief, who had been nearby, dropped his frying pan in shock.
“W-What did you just say? You’re a member of the Blood Cult?!”
“Exactly as it sounds. I’m part of the Blood Cult. Didn’t it show?”
“You’ve gone mad! I thought you were crazy, but now I’m sure of it!”
The absurd confession created an even more ridiculous uproar.
Watching the situation unfold, Yulia Estrid sighed deeply.
“Lloyd, could you explain with a little more context?”
“Yes. I used to be part of the Blood Cult.”
“…”
Yulia gazed at Lloyd for a moment, sensing that he had a deeper meaning behind his words, then spoke on his behalf.
“Lloyd was sold to a Blood Cult leader through a sl*ve auction. He was forced into the cult after that. As a sl*ve, he had no choice, and he even had to consume ‘Kudoku’.”
“Ugh, how did you manage to stomach that?”
“Well, I eventually rescued him from his position as a strategist within the cult. For the record, I was officially cooperating with the cult at the time. That’s how I got him out.”
“Hmm…”
The village chief folded his arms and gently rubbed his forearms.
“As far as I know, those who consume those worms lose their sanity. More precisely, their personality is said to be controlled by the cult. But Lloyd doesn’t show any signs of that. In fact, he doesn’t even have the distinctive aura of a Blood Cult member.”
“You seem to know a lot about the Blood Cult.”
“… Let’s just say I have some history with them.”
The village chief trailed off and stood up, righting the chair he had knocked over before sitting down again.
“So, how did you deal with the worm? Based on Lloyd’s current condition, he’s definitely not a cultist. I trust my instincts.”
Lloyd grinned widely at the chief’s question.
“Really, you can’t tell?”
“I’ve lived long enough to be cautious, but no, I can’t tell.”
“If someone like you can’t detect it, then no one else will either. Good, that’s what I needed to know.”
Swoosh.
As Lloyd spoke, he rolled up his left sleeve, revealing the Blood Cult’s symbol clearly etched on his forearm.
The chief’s eyes widened.
“…It’s real.”
“Of course, I’m not under any control.”
“How?”
“Something else devoured the worm.”
“Devoured? What do you mean? And why is the symbol still there?”
“Because there’s something far more terrifying than the worm inside me.”
Although he hadn’t consumed the Kudoku, the symbol had still appeared on his body.
He had already figured out why.
‘Ortega must be considered an entity above Kudoku by the Blood Cult.’
Something far worse than the worms resided within him.
No, what resided inside him was what the cult worshipped.
The God of Blood and Ash.
A being who, after witnessing the depths of evil, ascended through the body of a human.
Lloyd suppressed the terrifying presence that quivered with delight, eager to speak of its own story.
“The important thing is, I can’t hide this symbol, no matter what I do.”
The Blood Cult is a headache for the entire continent.
That means it must be eradicated.
If exposed, it meant immediate execution, no questions asked.
It was vital that he remain undetected.
And he had to find a way to make sure no one discovered it.
“Have you tried washing it off?”
The chief’s remark made Yulia glance at him in disbelief.
“Seriously? You think washing will get rid of it?”
“Well, you never know until you try. Maybe it’ll just scrub off.”
“This isn’t leftover food stuck to a dirty dish…”
Lloyd cut in, interrupting their conversation.
“I’ve tried washing it off, but it didn’t work. Even scrubbed it with a bath towel, but nothing.”
“Then it’s not going to work.”
“What on earth are you two talking about?”
As confusion spread through the group, Lloyd made his conclusion.
“In any case, today, I want to try something new.”
Bang.
He placed a series of vials on the table.
“These are potions I got from Marlio’s workshop. Even if I pass out after drinking them, just check to see if the symbol disappears.”
Thus, the clinical trial began.
◆
And finally, today.
Lloyd stood in front of the inquisitor, shrugging.
“Being treated as a member of the Blood Cult out of nowhere? Aren’t inquisitors from the Holy Palace supposed to be more skilled than this?”
His remark, biting and direct, cut deeply.
Asmail bit his lip slightly before breaking into a smile.
“Are you saying you’d like to experience my inquisition firsthand?”
“No, not exactly.”
Lloyd rolled his eyes dramatically.
“But you could at least give me some context. If you’re going to lock someone up in a terrifying place like this, shouldn’t you explain why?”
Inquisitor Asmail.
He was an unexpected variable Lloyd hadn’t accounted for.
At most, he had expected someone under the Holy King’s influence—a high-ranking priest filled with ambition for power—to question him.
Someone who had strived to take the place behind the Holy King, only to have their dreams shattered with the arrival of the Saintess.
‘The Holy Palace must be divided into two factions right now.’
One centered around the Saintess, the ‘Orthodox faction’, and the other, the ‘Anti-Saintess faction’, seeking to resist what they saw as an unworthy replacement for their power.
Lloyd’s target was someone leading the Anti-Saintess faction, someone who had likely joined forces with the Blood Cult and the Second Princess.
Of course, identifying that person wasn’t going to be easy.
Whoever it was, they had hidden their true intentions while secretly working with the Blood Cult within the Holy Palace itself. How was an outsider like him supposed to uncover their identity?
‘That’s why I let myself get captured.’
The downfall of the Seventh Death Squad.
Only the leader of the Anti-Saintess faction would be upset by that.
So, he thought that getting arrested would bring him directly to his target.
But now, standing in front of him was Asmail, the inquisitor.
A man who had dedicated everything to Deus, the Holy Kingdom’s God. He was an exception, standing outside the political games of the Holy Palace.
It was unclear whether he was on the side of the Orthodox faction or the Anti-Saintess faction.
He might even be simply devoted to the Holy King alone.
An anomaly.
Lloyd needed to figure out the reason, even if it meant taking some risks.
“In summary, I’m just curious why someone like me, a devout follower with nothing to hide, would be captured.”
Lloyd’s casual tone made Asmail’s smile grow even wider.
“Are you claiming to be a follower of Deus?”
“Of course.”
“Really? I don’t feel even a hint of Deus’s grace from you. And I despise liars, as much as Deus does. Have you even been baptized?”
Asmail’s smile sent a prickling sensation over Lloyd’s skin.
‘What an absurd monster.’
Resisting the urge to scratch his arms, Lloyd forced a smile back.
“I haven’t been baptized.”
“Then how can you claim to be one of Deus’s lambs?”
“Well, isn’t it true that no child is born on this continent without Deus’s grace? Even if someone doesn’t worship him directly, deep down, everyone serves him in some way.”
It might have sounded like an excuse, but it was actually a solid argument.
The teachings of the Deus Church spread on the very foundation of such beliefs.
This was something he had learned from Aria, the Saintess.
“That’s…”
Asmail fell silent.
As expected, someone blindly devoted to God was weak when it came to logic.
Seizing the moment, Lloyd pressed further.
“So, why am I being interrogated? Surely, I deserve to know the reason?”
“…Because I heard something.”
“Heard something?”
“You were right, so I will explain.”
This was easier than expected.
Asmail, as if his mind had gone momentarily blank, began to speak obediently.
“Not long ago, a messenger arrived at the Holy Palace. It’s not unusual, but this one exuded an especially strange aura. He went to report to one of the high priests.”
Asmail’s voice trailed off as he turned and began walking toward the tools of his trade.
Lloyd, in a hurry, discreetly licked his sleeve.
Clunk, Clunk.
Like a seasoned physician, carefully selected his tools as he continued speaking.
“After tracking them down, I found you. I began to think you might be connected to that individual. I’m not sure what’s happening within the Holy Palace, but something ominous is definitely stirring.”
Lloyd had gained a wealth of information—far more than he had expected. And with that, he began to feel uneasy.
“Is it really okay for you to be revealing this much?”
“Deus has spoken.”
Step.
Asmail took a step forward, a thin blade, resembling a scalpel, gleaming in his hand.
“If you have wronged someone, you must give back in equal measure. I unjustly suspected you, so it’s my duty to share an equal amount of information with you.”
“That’s… comforting, I guess.”
But why the knife?
Lloyd’s silent question must have been clear enough, as Asmail smiled.
“Deus also said this: Do not learn too much, for it may bring about your downfall.”
“… You crazy b*stard.”
“Why the hostility, brother? You simply learned more than you should have.”
“You’re the one who told me.”
“You asked, brother. I simply answered.”
Step.
Asmail came to a stop in front of Lloyd, slowly raising the hand holding the scalpel-like blade toward Lloyd’s left arm.
“I do not kill recklessly. Deus has commanded me not to. However…”
Ssssh.
The blade sliced through the fabric of Lloyd’s sleeve with ease, the cloth parting neatly as it fell away from his arm.
“My destiny is to guide those who stray from Deus back onto the right path.”
Rip.
The fabric split all the way to his shoulder, leaving Lloyd’s arm exposed.
Asmail’s grin grew wider, stretching almost unnaturally.
“I wonder what kind of person you truly are, Brother. I’m looking forward to finding out.”
