Viers’s cultivation session was disturbed when Wesk and Abe returned forty minutes later. Both were injured but nothing fatal, just like Viers. During his meditation, only one crystal was used up and turned into dust. Viers pocketed the remaining three.

With the cult’s retreat, the church was able to focus on the Ghoul and put it down not long after. However, it didn't matter for the three of them because they already held off the church’s forces according to their duty.

Abe took out some medical supplies and bandages from the inside of the house. After recuperating and tending their wounds, Wesk asked Viers about his ‘work’. The three of them sit in a circle on the floor with their tops off and their wounds bandaged.

Summer was approaching and the chill started to fade, tonight the temperature was quite ideal.

Viers told them about his opponent’s death without telling much detail on the fight itself. Viers also told them how he ‘acquired’ a sword from an equipment shop.

“Are you going to take that from me?” Viers asked without changing his intonation.

At first, he thought he should hide his spoils of war but he had no confidence he could hide the sword without them knowing, now or in the immediate future. So he decided to come clean, partially. The dagger and the pendant were hidden beneath his neatly folded robe. Viers was mum about both pieces of equipment, safely hidden from unnecessary attention.

“Of course… is what I like to say. We are forbidden to steal and harm one another. Those that break the rules, shall be met with heavy punishment. If the senior members harshly exploited the junior members, how could the new blood grow? Be grateful, I heard not all the seven cults offer such protection for their new members.”

Abe took Viers’s new sword and halfway unsheathed it.

“Not bad, water-type sword, hmn? Even if I can't use it, I could sell it for some crystals. We Path-seekers never have enough crystals. You’ll understand this as you rise higher in strength. But you got it fair and square so it's yours.”

Oh but I do. Believe me, I know the plight of money all too well. Very few people don’t have money problems, in this world or any other. Also, ‘fair and square?’ Funny how he said that.

“Steal and harm… not kill? ” Viers asked.

“Better you experienced it yourself, try to kill me.” Wesk opened his arms wide, exposing his chest.

Viers didn't hesitate and tried to let out a fatal Arte. When he did so, his blood felt as if it was frozen and his heart almost stopped beating.

“See? That's the effect of the agreement you signed with your blood when you joined. We all have it so we cannot kill each other. Stealing and harming won’t provoke the agreement effect but the cult imposed it nonetheless. If you’re ‘caught’ that is.”

So if it is done discreetly, then all is well? Heh, evil cult indeed.

“Still, when there are people, there are conflicts. To resolve such cases, we got duels between members; with rules of course. The winner is in the right. Not all duels need to be until your opponent's death, but there were a few such duels in the past year.” Abe added.

“...Why the sudden amiable treatment? I thought you both are colder than this, like our earlier meeting. Especially you, Abe.” Viers felt confused.

“We respect strength, you’ve shown yours by killing your opponent. Your enemy, that Leon guy, was not weak by any means. I thought you would be dead at this point, let alone killing him. I am pleasantly surprised. Hahaha, ouch...” Wesk slapped Viers’s back a few times while laughing and his injury was hurting.

“What if I killed him by resorting to foul play and trickery?” Viers wanted to sate his curiosity.

“It doesn't matter how you did it, what matters is the result.” Snorted Abe.

“I second that. Now drink, hahahah.”

“...I like that philosophy. It's nice to find like-minded people.” Viers flashed a smile.

Viers took another look at the two members of his little group. They both were only a few years older than him and they didn't flaunt their seniority. Viers felt pleased, at least for now.

Abe was red-brown haired with fair complexion. He was a bit pale-skinned in Viers’s opinion and he was still wearing his green snake bracelet even after taking his top off.

Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

Wesk had wavy black hair on shoulder length with matching black eyes but his body was quite thin. Viers suspected Wesk was not a warrior-type combatant.

“So, does our cult often launch an operation on this scale? Won't it disturb the public order in Luxore?” Viers relaxed his sitting posture.

“No, the last Ghoul outbreak was six or seven months ago. Usually, we engage in a more subtle endeavor. This is our own ‘backyard’ so to speak, rocking the place too much is foolish.” Wesk said while drinking some wine. Abe was also drinking while Viers did not.

“I wonder how many died… shouldn't there be quite a panic? There’s still the ongoing boar crisis in the south, right?”

“I reckon the casualties would be less than one hundred, pretty mild if you ask me. As for panic, it won't. People grieve for their loss... then carry on with their lives. It's not like they have anywhere else to go. Moving to cities is expensive, moving to rural villages means more danger. Most Idler could only accept what life throws at them. A hundred lives are nothing compared to this town's population.” Abe shrugged.

“Right.” Wesk took a sip.

“I’m sorry, Idler?” Viers asked about the unusual word.

“Not Path-seeker, thus Idler. The church encourages people to not use the word though, discriminatory and all that... I used to be one, a street rat. Until the cult found me, it turns out I have tier 3 poison affinity. Without the cult, I would still be polishing shoes for coppers. Now I’m saving for the tier 4 upgrade.” Abe caressed his snake bracelet.

“Same, I’m an orphan but the cult took me in. In a few months, I should have enough crystals and merit for my tier 4 upgrade.”

“Mmm.” Viers only nodded.

M*ggles seems like a nicer word but whatever. So the people in this world see the non-power people as second-class citizens? What a depressing thought…

How long did it take for Earth to have social equality again? For those Path-seekers that could destroy cities with impunity, would they see the non-powers as the same race? Well, this dilemma is way over my head. I will leave this problem for the Mr. MLK of this world.

Old Viers’s parents could do magic. Their magic is pretty weak in my old memory, perhaps they are only level 0 and untrained in combat but they certainly are not this Idler. Yisha and perhaps Sherry should be the same.

“So you two have been with the cult for some time then, how are they treating the new members? I joined so I could be strong, that’s the only thing that matters to me.” Viers changed the topic to something that interested him more.

“Pretty good actually, the higher-ups are quite generous in giving us resources. Take it this way, only quests with Bronze-rank difficulty or more give Mana-crystals as its reward. Which is above Glass, Obsidian, and Iron ranks. Waaay above what a newbie Path-seeker could accomplish.” Wesk was shaking his head left and right.

“In adventurers guild’s standard, Glass until Iron difficulty quests won't give much money. Each Mana-crystals worth a hundred gold coins and Path-seekers only see crystals as the only currency that has any worth. Copper, silver, and gold coins are for Idler’s usage, we need mountains of money compared to them.”

“A hundred gold coins, meaning a Mana-crystal, could allow a civilian to live like kings for months... for us though? A crystal is horribly insufficient, I needed to consume ten crystals in the span of three months before the piss-poor past me could attempt an Intio Advancement.” The youth with the moniker of Gravestone reminisced about his predicament a few years before.

“I think you’ll get about ten crystals for your achievement today, now you know how generous the cult is to us? They want to make us stronger! The stronger the members are, the stronger the Cult of Dumuzin as a whole.” Abe grinned.

“Mmm.” Viers didn't say much, he simply nodded while thinking.

Generous? I wouldn't use that word, not after what I know. Pity, they don't watch Enemy Exposition News Channel.

“What does the cult have that we can use to get stronger? Do they have loads of Arte collections? High-quality magic equipment?”

“Yes for Arte, yes for equipment. We got a training area with a demon-like instructor for polishing your combat skills, blacksmiths and craftsmen for specially made items, varieties of rare potions and medicine, secret and forbidden techniques... you can have all of them if your pocket is deep enough. Behold, this beauty is specially made for me and it improves my power by quite a lot.” Abe showed Viers his bracelet.

“Hm...” Viers scratched his chin.

Whatever they’ve got, it is definitely not as grand as they claimed. Luxore’s cult is just a branch and it's in the ‘newbie area’ so to speak. There are no level 5 or above in the vicinity... I think. That means the area Luxore town stood is too barren in the eyes of this world’s powerhouses. So what's good, definitely only good for the lower level Path-seekers.

I joined the cult to be strong and what they can provide is definitely more than the Training Center. This is a good opportunity for me, I will get what I can, get stronger as fast as I can, then leave the cult to be destroyed at the hands of a bunch of teenagers carrying the banner of justice and spouting something about morals.

Viers raised his mug of fruit juice and called for a toast.

“To our health.” Said Viers.

“Bwahah, ‘health’? Poor boy! To the Cult of Dumuzin!” Wesk replied.

“To Lord Dumuzin! May the world bask in his magnificence.” Abe merrily raised his mug.

The three of them clicked their mug and drank heartily.

Poor sods, they don't know they are doomed. When would they die? This year or the next? Definitely in less than five. Here’s my real toast to you both, Wesk and Abe. May you both have a slightly easier death than the other cultist.

The cult and Dumuzin care not for our lives. You both will die, for the cult or because of the cult... but not me.

I will survive.