The Game Difficulty
Is
Crazy
Chapter 27
The day before.
After finishing his meeting with Cardinal Grazia, Glenn returned late in the evening to the lantern-lit mansion.
Not long after, Romina’s group, who had gone to the Black Cult’s archive, also returned.
“Oh, you’re here already.”
“You came back late?”
The archive was a place that could be visited within half a day, but Romina and Ridenhall returned at almost the same time as Glenn.
“What is it? Did something happen?”
“Yeah. There was something strange.”
“……Strange?”
A look of doubt appeared in Glenn’s eyes.
Soon, Romina and Ridenhall walked over and sat across from him.
Since Tasha and Hawkney had not returned yet, it was a good time to talk.
When Romina gave a small signal with her eyes, Ridenhall began to speak.
“Following your instructions, Brother, I infiltrated deep into the Black Cult’s archive by following this woman.”
I was worried just in case, but it seems Romina remembered it well.
Recalling the complicated entry method needed to reach the deepest part of the Black Cult’s archive, Glenn nodded.
“And?”
“As instructed, I gathered information about the Cult’s prophets.”
“The problem is, those bastards’ locations changed compared to last time.”
Romina added while twirling her red hair around her finger.
Glenn’s eyebrow twitched.
“They changed locations? How?”
As he spoke, Glenn recalled in his mind the movements of the Black Cult prophets he had personally confirmed last time.
Total number: seven.
‘Prophet Litera’ – Archive
‘Prophet Bellostan’ – Cult Headquarters
‘Prophet Chel’ – Appears anywhere
‘Prophet Lamansor’ – Eastern Continent
‘Prophet Girof’ – Cult Headquarters
‘Prophet Vanproxy’ – Elchisco
‘Prophet Cluny Sisters’ – Capital
That was the situation as of the latest update.
But in the short time since then, their movements had changed drastically.
“They’re all heading to the Cult Headquarters.”
“Huh……?”
At Romina’s answer, the doubt in Glenn’s eyes deepened.
“At first I thought I saw it wrong, so I checked several times. But I’m pretty sure.”
“As far as I know, the Black Cult avoids gathering their prophets in one place unless it’s something very serious.”
Glenn silently nodded.
Ridenhall was right.
Because of the risk of being wiped out all at once, the Black Cult always kept their prophets—their highest priests and executives—scattered.
“……Then that means something serious really did happen. I don’t know what they’re plotting again.”
The light in Romina’s amber eyes cooled rapidly.
“Glenn. Do you know?”
“Yes.”
Glenn’s ash-gray eyes shed their doubt and carried a heavy, serious light.
“It looks like we’re heading for an all-out war with the Black Cult.”
“An all-out war… is that what you mean?”
“What? Weren’t we the ones supposed to ambush them and wipe them out?”
That had been the plan.
But since the Black Cult had made a bold move, the original plan needed some reinforcement.
“They seem determined.”
“Determined…? Why? If they gather like that, does something bad happen?”
“Yes.”
There had been such a case in the original work.
An incident where all the prophets gathered at the headquarters under the Cult Leader’s call.
The event name: Day of Fate.
An event where, under the Cult Leader’s direction, the Black Cult proceeds with the final stage of their plan.
Their ultimate goal is for their god, Kalungod, to descend upon this world, and an unprecedented large-scale human sacrifice takes place.
They’re finally rushing it.
In the original work, the Day of Fate event happens when their plan is progressing steadily, and they conduct human sacrifices using the citizens of the Papal State whom they had drawn into the Cult.
But for some reason, the Black Cult had accelerated their plan, and judging from the circumstances, it seemed they were preparing to offer thousands of cultists as sacrifices.
And the chance that I’m the reason they rushed it is damn high…
He had no choice but to admit it.
If the Black Cult, which should have remained quiet until the middle of the scenario, suddenly went off on its own route, the one who caused it could only be Glenn.
Removing Beveluga was probably the decisive factor.
Without Beveluga, the mind sorcerer who was corrupting the Papal State from within, they were likely trying to carry out their plan through their own sacrifices.
“Is it… okay?”
Romina looked at him with concern.
Even Ridenhall, who usually gave optimistic responses, quietly watched Glenn’s reaction.
“Yeah. It got a bit annoying, but it won’t be a big problem.”
What Glenn had said to Romina and Ridenhall the day before was sincere.
Regardless of whether the Black Cult sped up their plan, what they had to do on this side remained the same.
In the end, we’re still gathering our forces and attacking their headquarters.
If they had been caught unaware, it would be different.
But since they were already preparing to wipe them out, there would be no major disruption.
The only annoyance was that the targets, who should have been unaware and swept away in a large-scale purge, were now gathered in one place and taking a defensive stance.
Our strength should already be enough, but I should make some extra insurance.
Considering possible interference from a Lunatic Trial, the forces Glenn had secured so far were honestly not enough to feel completely safe.
Even with how thoroughly we prepared for Luceria’s secret meeting, it still turned out like that.
Fortunately, since preparations had begun early, there was still enough time to secure additional strength.
With a bit more determination added to his once-relaxed gaze, Glenn headed straight for Luceria’s office in the grand cathedral.
By coincidence, Luceria was in her office with Bishop Roderick.
“You came at just the right time, Brother. I also have a lot to tell you.”
As always, with her holy and benevolent demeanor, Luceria personally brewed black tea for Glenn.
Glenn and Luceria sat around a small round table and shared information.
First, Glenn told them that he had secured the support of the Inquisition.
Luceria and Roderick’s mouths fell open in shock.
“C-Cardinal Grazia promised her support?”
To them, Cardinal Grazia Delleda was known as an eccentric who paid no attention to any movements inside or outside the Papal State or the cathedral, focusing solely on heresy trials.
She was known as an extremely closed-off person who did not exchange information with outside organizations and judged heretics only through the Inquisition’s internal intelligence.
Hearing that such a person had promised support was shocking.
Roderick, the calmer of the two, tried to connect the recent death within the Inquisition to Glenn, but he couldn’t find a clear answer.
“How did you manage that?”
“The method isn’t important. What matters is that we can receive the support of the Inquisitors, one of the cathedral’s strongest forces. Isn’t that right?”
When Glenn smiled softly, Luceria nodded with a bewildered expression.
She then showed clear delight at the unexpected increase in strength.
“How are things on your side, Saintess?”
“Our side?”
Luceria briefly turned her head and exchanged glances with Roderick.
