Surviving as a Cult Leader in Another World (Going up)

The Falkeia region was located quite close to Florence.
In the first place, the city of Florence itself was situated between the Durgien and Falkeia regions.
"Hyde, I'm bored."
The Rem River, which flowed through Florence, dividing it in half.
As we were traveling north on a fairly large ship along the river, Milione Archibald whined like a kindergartener.
It had been a week since we left the city of Florence.
During this week, Milione Archibald had been surprisingly well-behaved and even showed signs of wanting to meditate in her room.
However, it seemed she had reached her limit.
"I said I'm bored!"
Pinch.
Milione pinched my side as I was standing on the deck, enjoying the surrounding scenery.
Does Milione not know that the Archibald family is in ruins?
"Lady Milione, you need to behave and stay quiet. If you cause trouble now, there's no one who can protect you."
In other words, Milione Archibald was like a kite with its string cut. Slowly fluttering and falling from a high place – that's her situation.
She must know that herself.
"I'll be quiet if you entertain me."
I'm a devout clergyman, not a comedian or a clown, but a sense of humor is quite important for a priest.
If the sermon is only stiff and didactic, it's bound to be boring. Pastors and priests should also practice speaking in a way that entertains the audience, like entertainers.
Fortunately, I had a good sense of humor.
"Tomorrow is gone─, do you know who said this famous quote?"
"What's that? What quote? Socrates?"
"The answer is a Mayflies."
Because it's a Mayflies.
A Mayflies has no tomorrow.
As I was thinking to myself that it was a very funny joke, a vein popped out on Milione Archibald's forehead.
That meant she was angry.
"I'm so dumbfounded that I'm angry."
Don't get angry.
If you get angry, this ship will break and we'll all drown.
Soon, Milione let out a sigh.
"More importantly, stop using those weird honorifics. I think I'm getting more bored and tired because you're being so stiff. Just call me Mili comfortably."
"But how can I casually address Lady Milione, the daughter of a prestigious family?"
"I said it's okay."
"Alright, Mili."
"...."
Mili seemed momentarily flustered. She probably didn't expect me to drop the honorifics right away, did she? I'm the type of person who drops them without hesitation when asked.
Soon, she seemed to be moving her lips as if to say something, but then she turned her head away and looked at the flowing river.
"Hyde, do you know anything about the Falkeia region? Isn't this your first time there?"
That's right.
Just like Florence was my first time, Falkeia, the neighboring region, was also my first time.
But I had read about it in books, so I answered as much as I knew.
"I heard it's by the sea, so there are many cities with beautiful harbors. I heard that the Orleans Count family has ruled the region for generations."
Orleans.
The family's banner emblem was a giant kraken wrapping around a ship.
Ruler of the Sea.
Administrator of the Eastern Sea.
Well, it was a family famous for such names, right?
"I heard that the Orleans Count family was a powerful force at sea until the United Kingdom was subjugated under the Unizer royal family. They must be very influential."
While the Agarphe Count family of Durgien was a prestigious family, but declining due to the war 20 years ago, Orleans was a family of victors.
Indeed, among the ships traveling up and down the Rem River, many had the Orleans family's symbol, the Kraken, on their sails.
As I was admiring the sight, Milione Archibald said,
"The Orleans family owns 30 ships."
"That's amazing."
"Right? They're all merchant ships, but they can be armed as warships in times of war. There's even talk that Orleans will soon be elevated to a marquis by the Pope's decree. Thanks to their contribution in the war 20 years ago."
The war between the royal family and the Church that took place 20 years ago.
Its aftermath still seemed to be sweeping through the United Kingdom. It was a huge war that split the country in half.
Corpses littered the fields, teeming with maggots and crows. Orphans, the sick, and widows increased dramatically, and there was only sorrow.
Disembarkation.
As I got off the ship, I felt the ground swaying.
Because I had been on the ship for so long, the feeling of being on land felt strange.
"This is Veneto, which can be called the capital of the Falkeia region."
It was a beautiful city where the river, the sea, and the city blended harmoniously. Florence was also quite a large and wonderful city, but this place was just as splendid.
The sight of boatmen rowing their boats along the river flowing through the city made me feel as if I was visiting Venice, a tourist destination in Europe.
"Where do we have to go to get to Grande Convent?"
I looked around, trying to find a carriage or something similar.
Then Mili frowned.
"Why are you in such a hurry? We can take our time. Grande Convent is just a boring place. There's nothing good about getting there early."
Well, that's true for you!
But for me, it was the place where Psyche was.
I was already excited at the thought of going to Grande Convent quickly, meeting Psyche, and abandoning Milione.
Swish-.
Soon, Milione raised her hand.
"See that island in the sea?"
Caw, caw-.
The sea where seagulls were flying.
There really was an island there.
It was a large rocky island with dark cliffs, visible even from afar, and it looked gloomy despite the fact that it was noon with the sun shining brightly.
"Why that island."
"Grande Convent is on that island. If I remember correctly, the boat that travels between the island and the mainland only runs once a week. There's no point in rushing."
I see.
Upon closer inspection, it was true that the boat to that "Stone Island" wouldn't be available for another two days, just as Mili said.
Unintentionally, our schedule had become free for two days.
"Should we get a room at an inn?"
I wonder if there's an inn where we can stay.
As I was thinking that, Mili frowned.
"Are you thinking of making Lady Milione Archibald sleep in a cheap inn like a vagrant? I'm the daughter of Archbishop Archibald."
"Didn't you hate your family?"
Besides, your dad isn't an archbishop anymore.
Of course, it seems like he'll be reinstated soon, but seeing Milione's fickle behavior in many ways made me frown.
Milione said,
"Hyde, there's a villa owned by the Orleans Count family nearby. I remember visiting it before. We'll go there and stay as guests. We're qualified enough."
Is that so?
Now that I think about it, it sounded like a good idea.
"Let's go, Hyde!"
"No, before that, I'll stop by the church."
Any city.
No matter what territory it was, it was always my routine to visit the church community first. With that in mind, I headed to the church in Veneto.
It was a stone building with a blue-painted roof, small in size but charming in its own way.
Creak-.
As I opened the door and entered, I saw priests with their heads shaved clean.
"Who are you?"
"I'm Hyde, the priest in charge of the Agarphe territory."
Clink-.
I proudly showed the bronze cross plaque hanging around my neck. The priests looked at my face and then at each other's, and then they rejoiced.
"Oh! A priest from the Agarphe territory! And I've heard the name Hyde before! Oh my, such a famous person has visited our church!"
The bald priest's name was Tarco.
He was a bishop wearing a silver necklace, and technically my senior, but he seemed like a rather easygoing person.
"The Veneto Church welcomes you. Lady Archibald, it's an honor to meet you. I'm sorry to hear about Archbishop Medici's demotion, but he'll be reinstated soon."
"Nice to meet you, Bishop Tarco."
Swish-.
Milione greeted him elegantly and humbly.
Seeing that, the bronze plaque priests who were watching from afar exclaimed, "She's more well-behaved than I heard," and "She's as beautiful as the rumors say."
"So, Lord Hyde and Lady Milione, what brings you to Veneto?"
"Lady Milione here is planning to enter Grande Convent for about a year, and I'm here to meet the Abbess on the orders of His Holiness the Pope."
"His Holiness the… ?"
Tarco seemed greatly surprised.
Well, if I heard that I had to go to a convent on the orders of the President of the United States, I would be surprised too.
The authority and glory of Pope Gregory were no less than that of the US President.
Swish-.
Soon, Bishop Tarco, the bald man, beckoned me.
He led me to a quiet and secluded place behind the confessional, checked his surroundings, and asked in a low voice,
"Is it because of Lady Lucy?"
"Lucy?"
"I'm talking about Lady Lucy Emma. I heard her condition is getting worse. Now she even crawls on the ceiling upside down. I heard she's possessed by a very wicked ghost."
"Ah."
So, the name of the woman possessed by a ghost was Lucy Emma.
Milione didn't tell me the details, so I only found out her name now.
"I'll see the situation for myself when I get there. More than anything, I need to see if she's really possessed by a ghost."
She said she was possessed by a ghost, but I actually thought it might be schizophrenia.
That's what I was thinking.
Bishop Tarco grabbed my wrist with a serious expression and said,
"I met Lady Lucy about five years ago. I had to go to the convent to give a short lecture. Let me tell you…"
Bishop Tarco started trembling.
He dabbed his forehead, which was starting to sweat, with a handkerchief.
"Brother Hyde, never listen to Lady Lucy's words. Countless exorcists and priests have been frustrated and broken there. That 'Stone Island' is dangerous."
Is it that bad?
But I wasn't really worried.
I'm the most devout and pious priest, Hyde, am I not?
"If she's really possessed by a ghost, I'll drive it out in one fell swoop."
I'm confident.
I'm not just anybody.
However, I could tell that Bishop Tarco of Veneto was a good person. I said to him, "Come visit the church in the Agarphe territory sometime," and left the church.
As Mili was stretching languidly, saying, "That was boring."
Clatter-.
A carriage stopped in front of us.
"Are you Priest Hyde and Lady Milione Archibald?"
The coachman asked us.
There was a small flag on the carriage, embroidered with a giant kraken wrapping around a ship in purple thread.
"We've come to escort you from the Orleans family. Lord Aaron Orleans and his wife would like to welcome you as guests. Would you like to come with us?"
Aaron Orleans.
And his wife?
"Is his wife's name Cathy Orleans by any chance?"
"Yes, it is."
So they really got married?
Really?
As I was thinking how amazing I was, Milione Archibald pulled my arm.
"They finally got married! Wow! This will be fun! Let's go quickly! Quickly! Let's go now!"