Surviving as a Cult Leader in Another World (On Pause)

The son-in-law of the Count's family, which once ruled the world.

The husband of the most beautiful woman, called one of the "Three Flowers of the Kingdom."
I took the seat that everyone coveted.
No more worries about where to sleep.
No more worries about what to eat. I had more time to pray and meditate every day.
"Hyde, look at this. Do you think it suits me? This white dress, I mean. Does it feel too extravagant? The territory's economy isn't doing well these days…"
The new bride, Psyche, loved trying on different clothes.
She hadn't been able to change her favorite clothes often due to two years of feigning illness, so she kept changing into new clothes as if to relieve her frustration, and she loved showing them to me.
"Anything you wear suits you, Lady Psyche."
Psyche was the most perfect clothes hanger among the people I had ever seen. Her long legs and slender figure made any outfit look good on her.
"Hyde."
Psyche frowned slightly at my sincere compliment.
Didn't she like my compliment?
I was about to immediately decide to give a 5-minute speech praising Psyche's appearance when she opened her lips first.
"Hyde, I'm not your 'lady', I'm your wife. Please stop addressing me like a high-ranking noble. We're family who sleep in the same bed. Aren't we?"
Indeed.
It seemed she didn't like me calling her "lady."
Maybe it felt distant.
We've been married for three days, but we haven't even touched each other's fingertips, so maybe she's feeling a sense of distance.
"Psyche."
I called Psyche's name without any title.
It was very awkward and unfamiliar.
Did lovers who decided to give each other nicknames or pet names feel the same way I do now?
Soon, Psyche blushed and covered her face with her hands.
"It's more embarrassing than I thought!"
"Then should I call you 'lady'?"
"No, there's no need for that! Because Hyde, you and I are husband and wife."
Psyche's words made me feel good.
Yes, I am Psyche's husband, and Psyche is my wife.
That should be enough.
Just then, the maid who was folding the blanket next to us snorted softly. "Hmph. As expected, My Lady is too good for him."
It seemed that many of Psyche's maids still didn't think highly of me.
What was this maid's name again?
Was it Dorna? I was thinking when Psyche said,
"Hyde, shall we go for a walk together today as well? I want to show you the market in the territory today."
The weather was sunny and warm.
Psyche loved taking walks.
It was Psyche's daily routine to walk around the territory every day, checking on the people's faces and greeting them.
But I shook my head.
"I don't have time for a walk today."
"Why? Hyde, didn't you enjoy walking with me?"
Psyche looked worried. Her pretty face made her expressions even more vivid, and it made my heart flutter for no reason.
It wasn't that I didn't enjoy walking with Psyche.
It was rather enjoyable.
Even just watching Psyche look at flowers or birds from the side made me smile.
That's how great a beautiful woman is.
"Psyche, I'm going to look around the Agarphe territory church today. Priest Manaan is in a coma, and all the assistant priests are dead, so someone has to take care of the church."
"Oh, you're right. Hyde, you said it was your dream to revive the church and expand it into a large cathedral, right? I think it's a wonderful dream. I'll do my best to help you!"
Building a pioneer church and turning it into a huge megachurch.
It's the ultimate dream that anyone who dreams of becoming a pastor has thought about at least once.
And Psyche said she would do her best to help me achieve that dream.
Yes.
So what if we haven't even touched each other's fingertips as a married couple?
If our hearts are aligned and we support each other towards the same goal, that's love.
I thought I made the right decision marrying Psyche.
Then Psyche added,
"But I heard that a new priest will be assigned to the Agarphe territory church today. I think he'll arrive in the territory before lunchtime."
A new priest is being assigned?
Lunchtime.
While I was eating, the territory became noisy.
I went outside to see what was going on.
"Make way!"
"The VIP is arriving!"
Clank, clatter-.
About twenty soldiers in chainmail were entering the territory.
For a moment, I thought a war had broken out, and my eyebrows twitched. But the moment I saw a familiar face, my appetite disappeared.
"Dear brothers and sisters, I am Oscar Archibald, the newly appointed priest in charge of the Agarphe territory church from this moment on!"
Silver Plaque Bishop Oscar Archibald.
A Silver Plaque priest, who could have lived comfortably as a bishop in a decent city, has come to be the priest in charge of a declining territory?
It wasn't just Oscar.
"Make way!"
The man shouting at the people in front of Oscar.
The knight wearing a blue cross-embroidered cloak over his silver armor was Loras.
Loras of the Holy Knights.
And the one-eyed knight, Baldwin.
Two Bronze Plaque knights in plate armor and twenty soldiers armed in chainmail. This was enough force to devastate a small village.
"Archibald!"
Soon, Count Doban grabbed the railing of the terrace with his hand.
Crack-.
The wooden railing made a strange cracking sound as Doban muttered angrily,
"Those Archibalds, they actually brought troops under the pretext of the church!"
Archibald's soldiers entered the mansion's garden without any resistance. The peaceful day was suddenly filled with the sound of military boots.
"Count Doban, it's an honor to meet you."
Oscar Archibald, with his long hair like a gigolo, entered the mansion's guest room and bowed elegantly and politely.
Count Doban asked with an angry expression,
"Lord Oscar, haven't you brought too many of Archibald's soldiers? The people of the territory are uneasy, thinking a war might break out."
"I apologize. But wasn't the previous priest in charge, Manaan, brutally attacked by heretics within the territory? It seems that the Agarphe territory soldiers alone are not enough to maintain order…"
"Hmph."
As Doban couldn't hold back his anger, Oscar smiled leisurely.
"Count, the soldiers of the Holy Knights are the Lord's swords prepared for the faithful. They will do their best to maintain order in the Agarphe territory from today onwards, so don't worry."
That was true.
Originally, the soldiers and knights belonging to the Holy Knights were troops for all people, even though they were part of the 'Church' community.
Of course, that wasn't the case 5 years later, but…
Anyway, Oscar's excuse was good.
"Oscar Archibald, you orchestrated the despicable attack on Priest Manaan and then used him as an excuse to bring soldiers into the Agarphe territory. It's quite comical."
I said.
Then Loras, who was looking at the flowerpot in the reception room next to me, got angry.
"How dare a mere son-in-law speak such nonsense to the Bishop? Lord Oscar attacked Manaan? Your slander could endanger the entire Agarphe!"
Clang-.
He looked as if he was about to draw his sword from his waist at any moment.
Loras, you bastard, you've completely become Archibald's man in the few days I've been enjoying my honeymoon.
But Loras's words were also right.
I was no longer a street urchin or a wandering priest, but an Agarphe.
Now that I had more to lose and more responsibilities, I couldn't speak as freely as I used to.
"Well, I was just saying that it could be that way based on my imagination. But the way you're reacting makes it even more imaginative."
I smiled.
Then Oscar Archibald returned the smile with a very generous face.
"Wasn't it determined that the Crescent Moon Sisterhood attacked Priest Manaan? They said their symbol, the crescent moon, was drawn in blood at the scene."
That was true.
But such forgery can be done easily.
Soon, Oscar Archibald clenched his fists and shouted,
"How dare they enter the territory of the venerable Count's family and even murder a priest? The Crescent Moon Sisterhood! We cannot stand idly by and watch their outrageous acts! Count, let's drive them out together!"
"Hmph, are you just going to stand by and watch while saying that? Have the Durgien churches ever listened to our requests for support to drive out the heretics? Only our soldiers will die."
Count Doban didn't seem to be maintaining his title as Count just for show. And it seemed like he had quite a bit of experience suffering losses in troops and finances due to Archibald's schemes.
Oscar didn't back down and said,
"Durgien is a very vast land. My father can't possibly take care of every corner. But this time is different. As proof, Sir Loras is with us, isn't he?"
"What proof is it that Loras, this bastard, is showing his face in front of me?"
"Sir Loras is from Durgien, he is more skilled than anyone else, and he knows the geography of this area well. He will be more courageous than anyone in cutting off the heads of the Crescent Moon Sisterhood."
Oh, he's clever.
Is this Oscar Archibald's idea?
No, it must be Archbishop Archibald's strategy.
Indeed, he was worthy of being the man who stood at the forefront of the Church in the fight against the royal family and ruthlessly crushed the royal forces.
When I was branded as the heretic Lust, it was Archbishop Archibald who was the biggest obstacle to invading the royal capital.
My adversary from 5 years ago.
I wonder how it will be in this life.
A welcoming event was held in the Agarphe territory to celebrate Priest Oscar's inauguration.
The soldiers he brought with him ate and drank so much that it was a waste of money.
I even wondered if the Archibalds brought so many soldiers to Agarphe as a strategy to drain their finances and further destabilize their economy.
The shameless Loras appeared with a glass of alcohol and spoke to Psyche, who was next to me.
"Psyche, you've become even more beautiful since you got married. I thought you would never get married. You swore to remain pure for life. But you actually got married. What about your oath?"
Loras's words seemed to contain a subtle taunt.
As if he was saying, "You decided to become a chastity advocate, yet you got married?"
Soon, Psyche smiled.
"I'm still keeping my oath. With my husband Hyde. I dare say there is no other man in the world as faithful as my husband Hyde."
"You're keeping your chastity even though you're married?"
Loras's expression changed dramatically.
He blushed as if he had been insulted, and then burst into laughter as if he had finally realized something.
"Yes! That's it! That's right! That's wonderful! As expected, Lady Psyche has a wonderful husband. She's still a virgin even though it's been days since she got married!"
Loras, you bastard.
He's laughing as if he's going to die.
Looking at him, I said,
"Sir Loras, it's good to laugh a lot. I'll give you a 'blessing'. I hope you can laugh a lot at trivial things in the future. Laugh until you die."
"Haha! Yes, thank you! Newlywed Hyde! Virgin Lady Psyche! What a wonderful couple. There's no couple like this in Durgien, no, in the entire kingdom. Hahaha!"
Loras laughed as if it was the funniest thing in the world.
He couldn't stop laughing, and even though he drank water, he kept bursting into laughter as if he couldn't help it.
"It's such a wonderful story! I want to tell Dihon about this too. Where's Dihon? I don't see him at the party either. Dihon!"
Who is Dihon?
As I felt puzzled, Loras smirked at me.
"What, you don't even know who Dihon is? Dihon is Lady Psyche's younger brother and the only legitimate son of the Agarphe family. You've become a son-in-law, but you haven't even seen him?"
I knew Psyche had a younger brother.
It was the first time I heard his name was Dihon.
Soon, Loras asked in a voice only I could hear,
"You haven't even held My Lady's hand, and you haven't even seen the face of the Count's legitimate son and your brother-in-law. Lord Hyde, it seems you're not being recognized as family as much as you thought."
That was true.
Only the Count couple and Psyche treated me like family.
Other than them, the servants and maids in the vast mansion ignored me and often talked behind my back.
Is that why I haven't seen my brother-in-law's face until now?
As I remained silent, Loras, feeling good about his intellectual superiority, started bragging about things I didn't even ask about.
"Do you know why Lady Psyche made the vow of chastity? It's because of her brother, Dihon. You haven't even heard about this even though you're a son-in-law. My Lady, do you even love this man? Haha!"
"Sir Loras! If you continue to insult my husband, I'll slap you! I mean it! And stop laughing! This is a warning!"
"Haha! I can't stop laughing…"
"Loras! It seems you don't know that insulting my husband Hyde is an insult to me, Psyche, and an insult to the Agarphe family!"
SLAP!!!!
A loud sound echoed, and at the same time, Loras collapsed on the floor.
"Gah! Ugh!?"
Loras's face, sprawled on the floor, quickly turned red, which was only natural.
Psyche was strong enough to wield a greatsword as big as her body like chopsticks.
If you got slapped by Psyche, it would probably hurt as much as being slapped full swing by a volleyball player.
I would have died.
Despite that, Loras didn't stop laughing.
"Haha! I can't stop laughing. Is it because it's so funny!? What is this, why…"
"Someone, anyone, get this rude man out of here! Quickly!"
While Psyche was angry at Loras, I thought about the words he had blurted out.
Psyche made a vow of chastity because of her brother?
This was the sense of dejavu I felt when I heard about Psyche's vow of chastity!
Then if I solve that problem…?
Even a broken clock is right twice a day.
Even the useless Loras's mouth can be helpful sometimes.
I thought it would be good to tidy up the inside of the house before facing external enemies.
And I decided to give Loras, who helped me with my plan, a little reward.
"Sir Loras, it's good to see a handsome face laughing. But too much of anything is bad. If you want to stop laughing, why don't you try chewing on some castor beans? They're fatally toxic, but they're very effective in stopping laughter. You might die, though."
With those words, I moved on.
Dihon, the younger brother!
I'm going to meet him!