When Allen asked the gathered crowd if there were any pagans here, a mother holding her baby said, "It's not paganism, it's the Gushala Holy Church. It's the Gushala Holy Church," she shouted loudly.

(So there are believers in this town too. It's amazing how passionate you can be about your faith.

　Allen has no faith.

　He was brought to this world by the god of creation, Elmea.
　It is because of him that he has been able to devote his life to it.
　I may be grateful to Elmere, but I don't have faith in him.

　I haven't had faith since a previous life.

　We've played many games with right and wrong, angels and demons.
　When Allen was a player named "Kempy" in a previous life, he was a holy knight.
　In fact, it was a warrior who changed careers from warrior to holy knight, but the dark knight was also an option in his final career change.
　So you could have been on the wrong side of the profession.

　The reason why I chose to be a holy knight is not because I was full of justice.
　The holy knight got skills that were effective against monsters and the dark knight got skills that were effective against people.
　The holy knight was the only choice because he played to hunt a lot of monsters and get stronger.

　On Christmas day we would play the game while eating fried chicken and cake from the supermarket.
　This was the way I spent Christmas when I was Kenichi in a previous life, when I started working and living alone.
　On this day, I only thought that players would log in less and less.

I'm sorry. I'm sorry for being on fire and shouting 'paganism'.

　Apologizing to the mother who held the baby in her arms.

There are pagans in this town too? How is this to be seen?

　Apparently, not all the followers of paganism have become demonic beasts.

　In addition, although he apologized to his mother, Allen still considers this religion to be paganism.
　Although Allen doesn't believe in God, he believes that people are free to have their own religion.
　However, he is not tolerant enough to allow this religion that seems to have killed so many people indiscriminately.

　Our priority is to go to the cities attacked and destroyed by the evildoers and save them.
　And it appears in the grimoire's log that the pagans and the grimoire's log were the pagans that surrounded this city of Neal.
　It's clear from the way they were dressed that these people who used to live a normal life have become evil monsters.
　There were people dressed as priests and people dressed as townspeople.

　We can't solve the problem until we find out why they became evil monsters.
　I think it's safe to assume that the hexenbiest army is up to something.
　If I find out how he became a monster monster, I might be able to find out what the evil king's army is up to.

　Thinking that, Allen checked to see if there are any evil believers in this city.

No, no, I'm fine. ......

　The mother holding the baby replies.
　She hugs the baby and calms and warns him against Allen, who screams at her, but does not know what it is.

So, why didn't you, a follower of the Holy Church of Gushala, go to the Church City of Theomenia three days ago?

"It's ....... This child is still small...

　Allen has started something, and there is no one to pay attention to it, but no one to stop him.
　Even Nikolai seems to have figured out Allen's purpose.
　He's quietly observing the events.

I see. So there are a lot of believers who couldn't be there for the guru's execution three days ago because of the circumstances.

　Many followers of the pagan religion gathered in Theomenia.
　But I thought that maybe not all of them were there, so I called out to them to see if they were in town.

　There were small children, old parents and grandparents, and some believers who could not go because of distance and other reasons.

It's a country without serfs. The day of the guru's execution would have been crowded because there were no restrictions).

　There are no serfs and no slaves in the Kingdom of Elmar.
　There are many countries in this confederacy, including republican countries, that are free of serfs.
　I have heard that many of them were created by influential people who became independent from the Ghiamut empire or were excluded from it.
　The fact that some leaders opposed serfdom and slavery is another reason why there are no serfs or slaves.

　In this turmoil, it is likely that the Elmeric countries were targeted because they do not have serfs who do not have freedom of movement.
　Perhaps they have long thought that Elmar is the best place for this turmoil to happen.

I understand. By the way, what are the requirements to join the Holy Church of Gushala?

(Maybe the conditions aren't as stringent.)

"It's ......

I'll answer that question for you. It seems that there are some conditions to attain a high position. But I've heard that anyone can drink the 'holy water' poured from the chalice just to join the pagan religion.

　Nicolai answered for his mother, who seemed uncomfortable answering the question.
　Even in the presence of believers who claim to be Gushala holy, the priests of the Elmerian Church seem to say clearly that they are not "Gushala holy" but "paganism".
　It is apparent that there is a conflict with the Elmerian Church.

Holy water?

"Yes . It is what the pagan gurus call holy water. It's a clear liquid, and it seems to prove that you are a believer by drinking it. It seems to be non-toxic, but I don't know what it is.

You know your stuff.

"Yes. It was a faith with so many disturbing incidents that we, as the Church of Jerusalem, could not afford to overlook it.

Did the priest drink too?

That's true. I've heard that some of you have been drinking to investigate.

　There were times when the priest would poison them to see if they were drinking something strange for missionary purposes.
　As a result, they did not seem to find anything suspicious.



(I see.) The holy water seemed harmless, but it was actually poisoned or something, turning believers into pagan monsters. So why didn't the mother become an evildoer? (Did she have to be there?

　Let me summarize what I've just heard.
　I am sure that this incident was probably caused by the demon king's army, but I don't know its purpose.
　Elmar, for religious and political reasons, had no serfs or slaves, and there were no restrictions on their movement.
　Many followers gathered in Theomenia, the capital of the church, to oppose the execution of the guru.
　Anyone who drank the holy water could become a believer in paganism.
　Even the priests drank it for poisoning.

Poison. Is that a delayed effect?　No, is it more convenient to say that drinking holy water alone does not make you an evil person?

"I see. ALLEN. So you're saying that you can only be effective by touching the flames of the pillar of fire that rose up in Theomenia. It only works when you see it or something.

Perhaps you're right, Keel. I'm sure it's because you want to spread it all out right now, all at once, that you've done this elaborate thing.

　If the poison would turn into the evildoer the next day, no one would trust him and he couldn't propagate his evil religion.

(I'm sure the Demon King's army had its own reasons for turning him into an evildoer all together. But is it poison?

　Allen grabs a flavored vegetable from the storage, made with the Awakening Skill of Grass C summoner.
　It's an elixir that cures all kinds of abnormalities.
　There has never been a condition that couldn't be cured, such as poison or paralysis.

I used it earlier. Are you going to try it again?

"Oh, Cecil. Maybe before you became an evil man.

　It didn't work on the pagan who had turned into a hexenbiest, but I thought maybe his mother, who was still in her right mind, would use it.

What?

"What?　What!
Something's coming up!
"Ongyaaah!

　From his mother's back, something pitch-black emerged.
　A horrible black shadow with no contours, writhing painfully, dispersed into the air.
　To his mother's surprise, the baby cried out in surprise.

I'll take it as a given that it worked. There were a few others.

　Because the effect of the flavored vegetables is a radius of 50 meters, it seems that besides the mother holding the baby, several other people, a black shadow went out of the back .

What is this . What is this?

It's called demon fruit, a valuable fruit from the World Tree of Rosenheim. It worked. I'm glad I brought it along for the occasion.

　In response to Priest Nikolai's question, Allen lies fluidly.
　I see, Nikolai looks at the proof of royalty, Sophie the High Elf.
　He seems to understand that the royalty of Rosenheim also helped in this case.
　At the mention of the World Tree, the genie god looks at her with difficulty, but she doesn't seem to be deterred.

''Such a valuable thing: ......

No, we had to find a countermeasure, but the effect is not yet clear. But the effect is not yet clear.

　The people of the city have calmed down now that they know they've been saved, and they are obviously dubious about the black shadows that have gone out of their backs.

'Yes,'

"If possible, please have the person who went out of the black shadow move to a safe and sturdy place and keep an eye on them. Please don't do anything inconsiderate.

　Perhaps we've seen one solution, but that doesn't mean the pagans won't growl too.
　I will tell Priest Nikolai that some isolation is necessary.

Now, since the spice shop is within a 50-meter radius, we need to get some people together and make sure it works on everyone in town. And I need a supply of golden beans.

　Allen thought about the future as he checked his inventory of gold and silver beans, heavenly blessings, and flavored vegetables in storage.
　A year's worth of supplies for the Central Continent, Rosenheim, and the Baukis Empire, and we still have over 10,000 in stock.
　I'm not going to disseminate it for nothing, but it won't run out.

What are we going to do now?　It's the salvation of the city, right?

I guess so. Hmm?　Oh, I see, hmm.

What's going on?

　As Allen gives him a difficult look, Keel asks suspiciously.
　His friends also notice something is wrong with Allen.

No, they got Merus at Theomenia.

""What?"

"It seems that there is a demon god,

　Merus, who had been sent to check on the situation, has been killed.
　It's still a long way from being resolved, thought Allen.