~Chapter 143~
“What… are you talking about?”
It seemed that just before entering the temple, slightly purifying the man had been effective.
Though I had been kind, my firmness earlier had changed—he now showed a human reaction of surprise.
‘It was a deliberately sudden remark, though.’
But it was also sincere.
[Hidden Skill ‘Purification’ Activated!]
[Active Skill ‘White Silence’ Activated!]
In truth, I was slightly tired from using the ‘Child Role’ skill inside the super-reality, but I could not miss this perfect opportunity to wipe out the cult.
“Have you thought about my question?”
I spoke while slightly purifying the man when he was about to be offered as a sacrifice.
I was asking for help.
If he still had faith in me, could he give me the chance to help a God who had abandoned him?
Now it was his turn to answer.
White light lingered in my hand.
Without hesitation, I placed my hand on the man’s shoulder.
He flinched. I felt the large man’s startle, but for some reason, he did not shake my hand off.
‘Time to get clean, former knight.’
The light transferred entirely from my hand into him.
“……!”
His body trembled lightly, then shook violently.
Startled, he looked quickly toward Dad.
“Father…”
“It’s fine. Endure the backlash.”
I frowned slightly. No, it looked like trouble to anyone who saw.
“…But Father, you were fine before.”
“I am used to pain.”
That remark was worse left unheard. It only made me sad. I gripped Dad’s hand tightly.
“…Besides, this man was not only corrupted but also brainwashed. My case is different.”
Carefully, hesitantly, I sensed Dad watching me.
There was only one meaning to it—don’t worry, he was fine.
It made me quietly angry.
Why had Dad grown so accustomed to pain?
‘…Those damned cult bastards. I will punish them for this.’
Without fail. They would pay for neglecting and abusing a devoted hero who had been corrupted.
While gripping my small hand tightly in resolve, a sound made me look up.
Tap.
A mask lay alone on the ground.
Raising my head, I saw the man’s face—ordinary but firm… no, handsome.
He seemed around Dad’s age or slightly older.
The strange dark green eyes no longer looked murky or oppressive.
Instead—
The man shed tears.
“Ah… ahh……!”
Huh… crying?
It wasn’t strange.
Even in games, purified corrupted knights cried like this.
But seeing it in reality was disarming.
‘If I can’t comfort a crying child, I have even less chance with a crying adult!’
I quickly looked up at Dad.
When I silently asked for help, Dad stared at me as if asking why, then nodded as if he understood.
“Stop it. We’re in enemy territory.”
…Ahh. My father, no emotion—what is that?
‘But he is right.’
I understood immediately.
“Yes… hic… sniff…”
The man quickly wiped his tears away. …Rubbing them so hard must have hurt.
“Sir Derick… no, Hero… I don’t suppose you remember, but on the Western Front…”
“I know. Sir Patrick.”
The man’s eyes widened.
“One of the finest in the Second Western Order of Knights. I wonder why I see you here.”
Dad’s low and calm voice seemed to soothe Patrick.
Patrick wiped his face again and straightened up, forcing a smile.
“During the battle, I heard my village—where my family lived—was attacked. I rushed there. Though my wife died… my daughter was alive. I tried to save her.”
Patrick’s voice shook as he spoke.
“Fanatics took my daughter hostage and threatened her. Powerless… I could not help but be captured. I am ashamed, but I wanted to save my daughter even if I had to throw away pride and honor.”
No one could blame him. Dad and I remained silent to comfort him.
“Then I was sold to this village. My last memory… was seeing Lord Braham giving money to the fanatic who captured me…”
“And your daughter?”
“She is in this village.”
Patrick’s voice choked, dull and weak.
Fortunately, she was in the same village.
Patrick said that like himself, his daughter would not remember him.
Thinking of the harsh conditions for children here made my expression darken.
“In time, my daughter too… would have been offered as a sacrifice. Then… probably by my own hand.”
His hand trembled.
“I would have given my beloved daughter—without memory—myself…”
I said nothing, waiting for him to calm.
‘Cruel bastards.’
This place deserved to disappear. And they must pay for their crimes.
Now, the real matter began.
“It’s fortunate your daughter is safe. If she is here, I can help her.”
“And you…?”
Patrick glanced between me and Dad, then fell silent. He seemed cautious.
He must have guessed at least part of what had happened to me.
“There’s no time. I’ll ask directly. How many fighters are here? How many knights like you?”
“Fifty combatants. Considering men mobilized in emergencies, eighty to a hundred. And mid-level knights like me… eight to ten. Counting lower knights and novices, about twenty-five in total.”
That meant half of the standing forces were former holy knights or equivalent.
“If I release the brainwashing, will they follow you? What do you think?”
“Yes. Probably. They all hate this place. Otherwise, brainwashing wouldn’t be necessary.”
He was right.
“Good. I will overturn this place. That’s my trial.”
I poked my chest lightly with my finger, smiling faintly.
“Before we start, will you swear to keep everything you learn here a secret?”
“…Yes! Of course.”
Patrick swore without hesitation, pledging his sacred power and being.
Then he hesitated and asked me.
He seemed tense.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve used sacred power. Will God… still need me?”
“God should be apologizing to you. He abandoned his child.”
“…!”
I joined my hands in prayer.
“I am thankful you accepted again a God who abandoned you.”
I meant it.
It was God who had abandoned a faithful knight.
“Ah… indeed… you are.”
“Shh.”
I covered my mouth with my finger. Even with the oath, I could not speak it anywhere.
They say walls have ears.
“Shall we go meet your comrades, Sir Patrick? Let’s overturn it all.”
“…Yes!”
Patrick picked up his mask and put it on. His step was noticeably lighter than before.
Though brainwashed, Patrick seemed deeply trusted as a captain here.
“I will select those to search the temple. Those called should come to my room.”
Whenever he called someone, his subordinates visited without suspicion.
I released the brainwashing of those Patrick had chosen.
I decided to say it was thanks to the tool I brought from the cult.
Thus, instead of completely purifying the knights’ corruption, I only lowered it to a tolerable level.
‘Fortunately, none were as corrupted as Sir Patrick.’
In truth, I could not perfectly purify everyone yet, so it was an unavoidable choice.
If I had tried to do them all, I would have collapsed before finishing.
Looking at their faces restored like this, I thought—
‘They might be more capable than I thought.’
As evening approached, we had freed the brainwashing of all our intended targets.
“Before dinner, they will be least alert. Both the non-combatants and the officers here.”
“Good.”
Those freed from brainwashing continued to wear their useless masks so as not to arouse suspicion.
One hour later, as the evening sky darkened, more than twenty combatants stormed the building where the officers resided.
A newly formed knight squad.
Their target was the Director of this place—Braham.
