Lucael was the one who provided Abelus with information about the Enraka Sect.
Lately, Abelus’s entire focus had been on the Enraka Sect, more specifically on the sacred relics kept by the cult.
Now that the Goddess’s relic had chosen him, he had to accelerate the execution of his plan.
He was the only one who had to gather the relics and wield their great power.
Today, he had accepted Lucael’s invitation and attended a service at the Enraka Temple, pretending to be a believer.
Of course, this was not because he intended to become an Enraka Sect follower, but to talk with Lucael about the relics and then meet the “Being Close to God” deep within the temple.
Lucael tilted his head and studied Iris.
Wearing glasses, her face looked ordinary at first glance, but on closer inspection, he could tell she was quite attractive.
He stared intently at Iris, a meaningful expression crossing his face.
“Ah, she’s quite a cute lady. Her name was… Iris, wasn’t it? It’s her first time here today, right?”
“Really? I want to know more details…”
Abelus crossed his arms, his sharp violet eyes persistently scanning Iris’s back.
His unnervingly intense gaze drew a smile from Lucael’s eyes.
“I don’t know much either… other than the simple personal details listed on the believer registration form. Ah… I see. So Abelus, you’re into that type? Cute and… innocent-looking?”
“That’s not it. Let’s move somewhere else to talk. There are too many eyes here.”
Naturally, Abelus had no intention of revealing any information about Iris to Lucael.
When Abelus denied it outright, Lucael swallowed a laugh.
Of course, the gaze was clearly driven by interest.
This was their third meeting.
Abelus’s first impression was extremely cold, and during the second meeting, his indifferent way of speaking had cemented an image of a psychopath.
Yet, here was this side of him.
It was surprising that Abelus, who seemed interested in nothing but research material, was drawn to Iris—and Lucael himself was beginning to take an interest in her as well.
Lucael glanced narrowly at Iris’s back, then turned away, putting on a smile for appearances as he beckoned Abelus.
“Yes. I’ve already prepared everything.”
Meanwhile, Iris was sweating nervously, pretending to stretch while not leaving the chapel.
The two men were quite a distance away, so she couldn’t hear their conversation, which frustrated her.
No matter how much she strained her ears, the noisy surroundings muffled everything.
She wished she had a skill to enhance her hearing in moments like this.
Glancing back, she confirmed Abelus and Lucael had disappeared, then licked her lips.
Sigh, I should have followed them. Too bad. No, that would have raised suspicion. Hoo, still… I should have done something.
She felt this regret because she had no idea that Abelus had already discovered her identity.
Had she known, she wouldn’t be feeling regret—she would be fleeing in terror.
The randomly triggered <Perception> skill had not activated this time, so Iris hadn’t noticed anything unusual happening just moments ago.
“Iris! Have you finished registering as a believer?”
“Yes, Grandma. It’s… all done.”
At that moment, the elderly woman who had been talking with the neighborhood elders approached Iris.
An expression of concern crossed Iris’s face as she met the grandmother’s gaze, along with a sense of frustration.
She wanted to warn the grandmother and the other elders about the evil of the Enraka Sect and advise them to stop coming here, but she couldn’t.
There was no evidence.
In moments like this, she wished her Headskill was a wide-area attack.
There really isn’t a way to stop this… Sigh. In a place full of every kind of skill, it’s unbelievable there isn’t one to snap people out of brainwashing. I have to find one somehow.
Sighing, Iris descended the stairs of the central chapel alongside the grandmother.
The grandmother, wearing a bright expression, said she planned to spend an enjoyable afternoon with the village elders.
Iris decided to attend the Youth Group Service instead, aiming to deepen her acquaintance with Lucael and further understand the Enraka Sect.
I have to steal Lucael Priest’s skill… At least copy it. To pull Grandma and her friends out of here…
If stealing the brainwashing skill proved difficult, she planned to learn it and build a new religious building across the street.
She wanted to reduce the number of victims by any means possible.
As Iris descended the stairs, hiding her frustration, she suddenly stopped in place.
She had just spotted someone she never expected to see here.
Her honey-colored eyes narrowed.
What? Why is Johannes here?
Under a towering tree some distance from the stairs, Johannes, dressed in a Black Priest’s Robe, was talking with a priest in white robes.
Iris was the only one who had noticed him.
She quickly bent her knees and hid her body among the low flowers.
The grandmother saw this and tilted her head in confusion.
“Iris, what’s wrong?”
“Oh, nothing. Grandma, have fun with the neighbors. I’m just going to the restroom and then I’ll attend the Youth Group Service. My stomach feels a bit…”
Iris smiled awkwardly and held her belly.
The grandmother frowned in concern.
“Oh dear, I don’t think anything was wrong with your meal earlier… Are you sure you’re okay? Should we go to the hospital?”
“It’s nothing serious. You go ahead. I just need to go to the restroom…”
When the grandmother moved closer in worry, Iris quickly shook her head.
Then she pointed toward the stairs, frowning as if she were in pain.
The grandmother shrugged and nodded.
“Alright, alright. Iris, if you still don’t feel better after going to the restroom, call me and we’ll go to the hospital. I’ll be out shopping with the elders.”
“It’s nothing. Don’t worry, have fun.”
Fearing Johannes might overhear her real voice, Iris whispered softly.
She then gave the grandmother a quick nod and shakily climbed the stairs.
The grandmother’s friends greeted her warmly from behind.
“Oh, the granddaughter is already so devout.”
“Beautiful Iris, see you again next time.”
“Haha, yes…”
Faking a stomachache while hiding and climbing the stairs was difficult.
Once she confirmed the grandmother and her friends had left the church, Iris let out a sigh behind a pillar.
Why was Johannes here?
And wearing a Black Priest’s Robe at that.
She had never heard that he had joined any religion.
It was strange.
Black Priest’s Robe… That means he’s not an ordinary person. What’s going on? I can’t ask him directly.
No, what was there to be afraid of in asking?
If not Johannes, she could ask someone else.
She caught a passing priest and pointed toward Johannes standing under the large tree.
“Excuse me. Do you know who the man in the Black Priest’s Robe is? I don’t think I’ve seen him before.”
“Huh? Oh, that man over there? It’s understandable you wouldn’t know him. He rarely attends layman events.”
“Is that so? Who is he?”
A bad feeling settled over Iris.
She asked cautiously, hoping her intuition was wrong.
The priest’s answer was exactly what she feared.
“He is Johannes, the Prophet’s Son. He’s highly praised as the next potential Master. Why do you ask?”
“Oh… I see. I just thought he didn’t seem ordinary, so I was curious.”
Iris swayed briefly but managed to steady herself.
She didn’t want to seem suspicious in front of the priest.
Just yesterday, she had gone jogging with Johannes—never imagining that he was one of the main villains from a story.
Her image of him had recently improved, but maybe the negative impression from the beginning was right after all.
She recalled their innocent conversations with a bitter aftertaste.
The shocking truth she had never expected made her dizzy.
Trying to steady herself, Iris suddenly realized something that made her inwardly gasp.
If he was the Prophet’s Son…
Johannes was a villain who could read minds. Then… has he ever read my thoughts?
She blushed red recalling all the negative thoughts she had harbored about him over the past fourteen years.
Even recently, she had thought harsh things like, “Pathetic loser, a kid who can’t live up to his size, who would date someone like him?”
That Johannes had read all those thoughts and still tried to befriend her was incomprehensible.
Could he have deliberately approached her after realizing he was a hero, using his mind-reading skill?
When her thoughts reached that far, Iris’s face hardened coldly.
Her small hands trembled slightly with a sense of betrayal toward Johannes.