”You go. I will be there in a few,” Zach replied calmly. “I also need to change my clothes.”
”Okay.”
”Don’t forget to close the door.”
”Yeah,” After saying that, Victoria left the room.
Zach looked at the closed door and suddenly fell to his knees. He coughed blood and laid down on the floor because of the unbearable pain.
He told the girls that he was perfectly fine and had no side effects of using the Demon King’s blessing, but he lied. He didn’t want to worry them, and he couldn’t get the summit canceled.
It was important for him to gain new followers as they increased his soul powers. He had already used more than half of his soul powers when he transformed into a demon.
His body had become crippled from inside and outside, but he managed to move using one of the demons as a shadow cloak and ordering it to move as per his commands.
”Cerberus, you bastard! Why did you tell them everything?!” Zach yelled at his shadow.
[Unlike you, I am not a good liar,] Cerberus replied.
Zach’s face twitched from the sides as he said, “Hiding something doesn’t make you a liar.”
[I am not sure about that.]
SIGH!
”And because you told them the truth, I had to lie to them about my condition. They often say you tell 100 lies to protect one, but it became the opposite here. Or maybe not since I lied on my accord.
But I had no choice. I can’t slow down. I have wasted more than enough time. I have to get even stronger and clear this game as soon as possible. I have to save everyone. I have to… save my father…”
His voice became faint as he spoke, and his breath turned slow. He closed his eyes and passed out but woke up a few seconds later and changed his clothes.
’I almost passed out there, didn’t I?’
He got up and left the room while walking slowly with the help of the shadow clock.
’Fortunately, the only thing I need to do at the summit is to give a speech. I can speak without any pain or problems, so the summit itself is not going to be terrible. I just hope that everything goes right and I get at least a few thousand followers.’
The realm Zach was staying in was the second most populated realm after the beginner’s realm. While the number of players ascending was increasing day by day, many players had given up and were happy with what they had.
They didn’t want to ascend and risk their lives. They had money, a place to stay, and food to eat. And they completed personal quests, NPC quests, and Guild quests to earn a living.
They preferred to live a slow and peaceful life without any risk. And they were the people Zach was targeting his religion at. He wanted to make their life even better without asking anything in return.
Zach walked to the stage and sat on the chair to relax himself.
’Nice. Staying in one position is my biggest relief right now. As long as I am not moving my body, I feel relaxed.’
The NPCs worshippers had already arrived and gathered on the sides, while only a few players had arrived.
Ninia came to check on them and left after a few seconds.
’She is getting worried more than she has to. There are still around 10 minutes left for the summit to start, and I know the humans. They won’t come at the given time at such parties and functions.
They always come late because they think the others will come late too. They all have the same mentality, and thus, everyone comes late and delays the function.
Well, whatever. I shouldn’t say much. After all, I was one of them who was always late.’
Five minutes passed, and the players had begun to arrive. As expected, Ninia looked happy and relieved when Zach glanced at her.
’I think I understand why she is so sensitive about all this. She is my prophet and has taken the responsibilities she shouldn’t. If something bad happens, I bet she would blame herself. If the summing had flopped, she would have blamed herself.
I already warned her about this before, but I guess it didn’t have much effect. I have to do something to at least decrease her responsibilities. But what?
If I got a second prophet, she would think that I wasn’t satisfied with her. Damn, this is actually tougher than handling the harem.’
As Zach was lost in his thoughts, a group of undead demons— whom Zach had sent on the dungeon expedition— returned and appeared in front of Zach.
”You guys came at the right time.” Zach tapped his finger on the chair and said, “Cerberus, come out in your puppy form and help me commute with them.”
Cerberus emerged from Zach’s shadow, not in a puppy form, but in the mini form. He didn’t want to look weak in front of the other undead.
”…” Zach shook his head in disbelief and said, “Translate them for me, will you?”
[Of course.]
Zach looked at the undead army and asked, “How many of you died?”
A rank five demon, whom Zach had appointed as a leader for the undead demons, said something to Cerberus.
[He said five were severely injured, so they retreated to the shadows, and ten were mildly wounded. The rest of them are unscathed.]
”That’s good news. I will heal the injured demons if they aren’t automatically healed by taking the rest by tomorrow.”
”How many floors and dungeons did you clear?” Zach asked.
[All of them, or so he says,] Cerberus conversed. He then scoffed out loud and added, [He is probably lying to get your praise.]
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