Regnum Aetern: Dual Rebirth

Chapter 153: New leader of the cult

The start of the meeting was announced, yet no one took the initiative to speak. Everyone looked at each other, wondering who was going to start first.

Just then, an elderly priest calmly raised his hand.

"Let me start by saying that we must give the Prophet the burial he deserves. Even if he was technically a priest during his last moments, giving him the burial reserved for the priests would be inadequate and disrespectful to all that he did for this cult."

Everybody nodded in unison.

"Of course, is that even a question?"

"Nobody would think of doing otherwise."

"He was a priest like us in name only."

Rolf nodded.

"Since everyone is in agreement on this matter, we will give the Prophet the burial reserved for the high priest. With that settled, let’s move on to the next agenda."

He briefly looked at everyone in attendance.

"Let’s discuss what our next course of action is going to be now that the Prophet has passed away."

This was the biggest predicament they had to deal with. The Prophet was extremely important for the cult’s survival because he could foresee ‌future threats and warn them in advance. Even with humanoid monsters of Feralscar and the empire hunting them down, the cult had survived until now all because of that single reason.

But with the Prophet gone, they had completely lost that protection.

Rolf spoke in a grave tone.

"While it is extremely saddening that the Prophet is no longer with us, someone needs to take the role he used to fulfill and lead this cult."

This was supposed to be the high priest’s job. But since there was no high priest, they needed to elect someone from among the priests to take the role. The cult couldn’t go on without a leader, especially after they had lost the power of future sight.

The priests sitting at the round table once again all looked at each other, wondering who was going to speak. But then, a young priestess raised her hand.

"Is that really something that needs a discussion? It is obviously going to be Priest Adrian." She looked around. "Or am I alone in having this opinion?"

Nobody said anything. Even Rolf remained silent.

Most people present here also shared her thoughts, even though they weren’t so quick to voice it.

Rolf glanced at Nelliel sitting a few seats away. Her expression also said the same thing.

He looked at everyone one last time and slowly parted his lips.

"...Looks like everyone is in ‌agreement."

***

Adrian sat motionlessly on the rubble, looking at the cracks running across the sky.

Just then, Alisardarc, who was sitting on his shoulder, suddenly broke the silence.

[Feeble One, they have elected you as the cult’s new leader in the meeting, just as you had said.]

Adrian nodded.

"It was an obvious outcome."

The black bird looked at him with a doubtful gaze.

[I disagree. There are plenty of other priests who have greater popularity and leadership than you. While I am not saying that this outcome doesn’t make sense, I wouldn’t say this was obvious.]

"No," Adrian shook his head. "It really was obvious. The others don’t have something that I do. I have legitimacy."

Even though nobody mentioned it due to the Prophet, most of the cultists thought of Adrian as the vessel of their supposed god ever since that unknown object had fused with him.

’On that note...’

Adrian looked at himself.

Even after that strange unknown object fused with him, Adrian had never felt any different than before, nor had it given him some sort of power as he had imagined.

It was supposed to be a fragment of the god the cult worshipped.

’The Progenitor of Life.’

According to the teachings of the cult, the Progenitor of Life was the being who created life, and so all life belonged to him. Every moment they got to live was a debt to this god that they were supposed to constantly repay through praising and worshipping him. And so, those who refused to repay their debt of life were heretics.

In essence, the cult believed that every other living being besides the ones part of the cult were heretics.

But from what Adrian had managed to learn in these five years, there was absolutely no proof of this Progenitor of Life’s existence. No record or anything like that. It might as well have been something the founder of the cult simply made up.

Adrian turned to the black bird and spoke after some hesitation.

"Alisardarc, was that thing that fused with me really a fragment of some god?"

[...]

The black bird only stared at him quietly, causing Adrian to furrow his brow.

"This is a command; answer me. And if you don’t know, then say so."

[...]

The bird still didn’t reply.

’So it’s the restriction from the Eternal Realm, huh? What a waste.’

Having conversed with the bird for so long, Adrian had become aware of just how much Alisardarc knew. Sadly, the restriction from the Eternal Realm made it so that the bird couldn’t say most things.

But just then, he heard Alisardarc’s deep abyssal voice.

[I can’t say much because of the restriction, but the answer is both yes and no at the same time.]

’What does that mean?’

The bird added after a pause.

[You don’t have to worry too much, though; it will not affect you in any way. This would’ve been the case no matter who it had fused with.]

Adrian narrowed his eyes.

’I see, so it could’ve fused with someone else besides me too.’

He had briefly entertained the thought that he was some chosen one, but apparently not. And since Alisardarc had so confidently said that it wasn’t going to have any effect on him, it must be true.

’Although I would’ve liked it more if I had gained some new power because of this fusion, but whatever. At least it’s not going to affect me negatively.’

After that, Adrian returned to his assigned room in the underground settlement.

Not long after that, some of the priests entered his room and informed him of what was discussed in the meeting. They then told him their unanimous decision to make him the new leader of the cult.

Adrian made sure to refuse a few times and only accept after they insisted a bit.

After that, a funeral was held for the Prophet. And the one leading the funeral was Adrian—the person who killed him.

When all of that was done, Adrian was formally given the title of Saint of Truth, the one who would succeed the Prophet of Truth and lead the cult.

And now, Adrian stood before all the cultists, about to give a few words as the Saint of Truth.

He was standing on an elevated platform, and the location was the ritual hall, the place where it had all started.

Every single cultist was present, looking at him silently, waiting.

Adrian took a deep breath and slowly opened his mouth.

"With Lord Prophet gone, the shield that had protected us for so long is gone too. We are now under extreme threat, and the future is uncertain. Having taken the mantle, I had to think about how I am going to lead this cult to prosperity."

He paused and met the crowd’s gaze.

"I don’t wish to ruin what Lord Prophet had protected all his life. But I realize that we can’t go on the same way any longer. Things need to change. If we need to survive and prosper, we can no longer remain passive. We must take a step forward. We are going to make it so that the entire world sings praise of the Truth. That is the only way, and I am going to make it happen!"

The quiet ritual hall was suddenly filled with cheers.

"Praise the Saint of Truth!"

"Praise the Progenitor of Life!"

"May the Truth continue to guide us all!"

Adrian stared at the cheering crowd. He observed everyone’s reaction one after another.

Every single priest had a smile on their face as they looked at him, the priest candidates looked overjoyed, and the believers continued cheering. Even that stupid girl named Nelliel had a bright smile on her face as she cheered.

’It looks like I can make full use of them all now.’

He turned around and slowly began walking towards the exit.

’It’s finally time to return to House Ravenshade.’