Bang!
Upon reaching his destination, Terdius forcefully opened the door to the laboratory, as if he intended to break it down, without saying a word. The researchers, who had been busy with their work, all turned their eyes toward him.
"Uh...? Third Apostle?"
Terdius ignored their gazes and walked straight toward a specific area: the director's office at the back of the first floor, where Meos, the Sixth Apostle and director of the research institute, was.
"Third Apostle! Wait a minute!"
"Even if you are the Third Apostle, you cannot enter the director's room without permission!"
The researchers shouted, rushing toward him seeing Terdius was acting strange.
Terdius's eyes grew cold.
"Are you blocking my path right now?"
He asked in a low voice.
At his words, the bodies of the researchers froze for a moment, like mannequins.
The title of 'Apostle' within the Diego Church was virtually absolute, just below the main god Diego. The apostles were basically the true power behind the Church.
It was absurd that mere researchers under the Sixth Apostle could stop Terdius, who held the third position.
"I'm sorry, but Sixth Apostle..."
Terdius was taken aback by the researcher's words. Even though they were both apostles, there was a clear difference in rank. Terdius was the Third Apostle, while Meos was the Sixth.
However, these researchers held only the name of the Sixth Apostle in high regard.
"Everyone relax. It's okay if it's the Third Apostle."
Just as Terdius's anger was about to rise, the door to the director's office opened, and a man appeared. He looked extremely tired, wearing only a white gown.
A haggard young man in his late twenties walked precariously, sweeping his long, white hair back, as if he were about to collapse on the floor at any moment.
Seeing him, Terdius forgot all about brotherly love for a fellow apostle. He immediately ran to the young man.
"Keok!"
"Sixth Apostle, you rascal..."
Terdius grabbed Meos by the neck and glared at him.
"D-Director!"
"Sixth Apostle!"
The researchers were startled and rushed to tear off Terdius. But at that moment, Meos waved his hand at them as if it was okay.
"Why... Why did you release it into the world?"
Terdius's low voice rang in Meos's ears. Then, Meos released Terdius's hand that was holding his neck. Perhaps to hear an answer, Terdius let him go easily.
"Cough!"
Meos coughed several times, his face reddening, then he smiled brightly.
"First, calm down, Third Apostle. Let's go inside and talk. There are too many eyes on us here."
Meos opened the door to the director's office. Terdius glanced around after his action before heading inside.
Click.
After the door clicked shut, Terdius stood by the door rather than sitting. This was a subtle way of signaling that he didn't intend to stay long and only wanted answers to his questions.
But, Meos, unlike him, smiled, sat on the sofa and even poured himself tea.
"Come sit down, Third Apostle. It's been a while since you visited my lab. Let's have some tea together."
Meos never lost his smile, despite his exhaustion. His calm demeanor only made Terdius frown deeper.
"The tea can wait. But more importantly, tell me why you did this."
Terdius's low voice echoed through the lab. Meos took a sip of tea and then responded calmly.
"Actually, about that... I received a revelation not long ago, for the first time in a long time."
"...What? Revelation?"
"Yeah. A revelation."
Meos answered with a soft smile, but Terdius couldn't hide his shock.
The 'revelation' of the Diego Church meant hearing directly from Diego. All apostles received revelations from Diego and became apostles.
And even after becoming one, they were often given further revelations. But of courses, the First Apostle received the most revelations among them.
Anyway, it wasn't unusual that Meos, the Sixth Apostle, had received one.
'The problem is...the content of the revelation.'
But the revelation that Diego gave to Meos was to spread Goblin Disease. Terdius couldn't help but feel suspicious.
Perhaps noticing the doubt in Terdius's eyes, Meos smiled brightly and spoke.
"How can mere mortals like us fully understand the will of the Lord?"
Terdius closed his mouth at those words. In the past, he would have immediately agreed with such reasoning, filled with loyalty to Diego.
But now, he couldn't accept it. He was probably the only one in the Diego Church who saw through the absurdity of it all.
"... Right."
Terdius barely managed to speak before leaving the office.
If Diego was truly behind Meos, there was nothing Terdius could do about it.
***
"Master, here are the ingredients you asked for."
As dawn broke over Holden Estate, Zain returned.
I looked at the two materials Zain had brought: the gills of a flower croaker and the whiskers of a poisonous catfish.
"Thank you for your hard work, Zain."
The quantity and quality of the materials were better than expected. I took the money pouch from my bosom and handed it to Zain.
"You don't need to!"
Zain accepted the money bag with a bright smile and without hesitation. After that, I immediately began preparing the ingredients.
-Child, what are you going to do with them?
'If I combine these two ingredients with the herbs I have, I can make a remedy for Goblin Disease---if not a full cure.'
Plus, the materials Zain had brought weren't just useful as a palliative.
'There's one more very important thing left.'
First, I began making the palliative. It was easy to prepare by mixing the ingredients with a few herbs I had in my inventory.
I hurried to the priests' quarters, which were being used as an isolation ward for the infected, carrying the final vial with the finished product.
***
Thanks to the quick actions of Alphius, Chester, and Sasha, all four Goblin Disease patients in Holden's estate were gathered at the temple.
It didn't take long to reach the priests' quarters. The families of the patients, who were waiting in the hallway, saw me and rushed toward me.
They were the parents or siblings of the children. Some were believers in the Kyros Church, while others were not.
"Ch-Church Leader! What happened? Did you find a cure?"
"Can my child get better?"
After Alphius, Chester, and Sasha brought the children in, it was my first time meeting the guardians. Like Hervandes, they were desperately asking for help. I calmed them for a moment.
"Okay, brothers and sisters, calm down for now. You need to stay calm in situations like this. Otherwise, you might waste time."
Only then did they quiet down. I held up the bottle of medicine I was carrying and showed it to them.
"This is a hastily made palliative. It's not a cure, but it will prevent the condition from worsening. I need to give it to the children now, so could you please step aside for a moment?"
The guardians stepped back as I softly spoke. I entered the isolation room and went straight to Elenis, who was breathing heavily.
"...!"
About three minutes passed in silence.
After taking the palliative, Elenis's expression relaxed, and she seemed to fall into a peaceful sleep. Her breathing became noticeably calmer.
"Th-thank you, Church Leader."
"It's still too early to thank me, brother."
I consoled Hervandes and moved on to the next patient. This time, the patient was not a Kyros believer, but a resident of Elwin.
"Ch-church Leader, you can cure my daughter, right? If you cure her... I'll give you anything you want, truly anything."
The child's mother appealed to me in tears. I patted her shoulder and spoke gently.
"Don't worry. Lord Kyros will take care of these young brothers and sisters, no matter the cost. He is a God who treats life with only love."
"Ah, Lord Kyros..."
After that little comforting talk...
[Angela Michel becomes a follower of the Kyros Church!]
The woman in front of me had become a believer. Given the circumstances, I wasn't particularly happy.
After giving the patients palliatives and reassuring their guardians, I left the priests' quarters.
I disinfected the area and then called for Zain and Troy.
While waiting for them, I looked out the window of my office at the scenery of the territory.
'Sevenus... Thank you.'
Thanks to Sevenus's hard work, the perimeter of Holden's estate had been sealed off since dawn.
Now that day was breaking, an announcement would soon be made to the people of the estate about Goblin Disease.
"Alphi, Chessy, Sasha."
I looked out at the estate and sent messages to the children.
[Yes, Church Leader. Go ahead!]
[I- I'm listening!]
[...Yes.]
"While I'm away, keep a close eye on the situation within the territory. If there are any patients with Goblin Disease, bring them to the temple and isolate them. Don't forget to disinfect them."
[Don't worry, Church Leader!]
[Yes, yes! I will do my best.]
[...Yes.]
After finishing my instructions to the children, Zain and Troy, who had arrived without me noticing, entered my office. I quickly checked them and then took a robe out of my inventory and put it on.
"You're coming with me."
***
Knock, knock---
The surrounding scenery changed quickly. Thanks to Troy's transformation into a black panther, we were able to cross the boundary of the estate in an instant.
Even though Holden Estate had been sealed off, I had no choice but to leave.
'Of course, if I had revealed my identity as the leader of the Kyros Church, I would have had no trouble leaving the territory.'
Still, I wanted to minimize the time spent. So, I rode on Troy and we silently climbed over the wall.
"Troy, just keep running like this for now."
"Okay, Leader."
As I gave directions to Troy, I heard Zain's voice from behind me.
"Master, where are we going now?"
I immediately answered his question.
"We're going to find the key ingredient for the cure to Goblin Disease."
"What is the key ingredient, Leader?"
Troy asked, clearly curious. I paused for a moment, unsure whether to share the details. But since we're all in the same boat, I couldn't keep it a secret.
"Blood of the Goblin King."
I could feel both Zain and Troy gasping at my answer.
"Could it be that, Master, you're going to catch the 'Goblin King' right now?"
Zain asked again. I nodded and confirmed.
"Yes."
"But, haven't you heard about the Goblin King? He's so cruel---he's killed so many people!"
Strictly speaking, the Goblin King killed those who ventured into his territory.
From Zain's point of view, or the perspective of ordinary people, it was natural to think of it that way.
Besides, the "Goblin King" was different from ordinary goblins.
"I know. But it's something I have to do to save the children."
And I had no idea how many lives across the Continent would be lost if I, who knew the solution, didn't act sooner.
With the sense of that weight, I fell silent.