The monster arena was always overflowing with people.
A match where humans and monsters fought—just hearing about it was enough to make one’s blood stir.
But the arena’s matches were not endless.
“All of today’s prepared matches have now concluded! How was it, everyone?”
With the host’s announcement, every match prepared for the day came to an end.
The spectators soothed their disappointment and promised themselves there would be a next time.
Those who had won money fervently hoped to earn even more next time, while those who had lost prayed for a chance to make it back.
Among them, Edwin’s disappointment was the greatest.
Not because he had lost money.
On the contrary, he had made an enormous sum.
“……”
Edwin was plunged into an ecstasy he had never experienced in his life.
In his hand was a pouch filled with gold coins; with only a few bets, he had earned an incredible amount of money.
For him, an apprentice priest, it was something beyond imagination.
But today’s matches were now over.
It was time to slowly get up and leave.
Matthew, who had been beside him, lightly patted Edwin on the shoulder.
“Hey, you really are lucky! Now let’s move somewhere else and have a celebratory drink!”
At Matthew’s words, Edwin raised his head.
Matthew was the one who had introduced him to the arena.
The reason Edwin had come to this underworld was absolutely not to sightsee at the arena.
As an apprentice priest, he had come to build up achievements before becoming a full-fledged priest.
When Matthew first approached him, he had been wary, but now all such feelings had vanished.
Matthew was someone to be grateful for.
If not for him, Edwin would never even have thought of setting foot in the arena.
And even if he had entered, would he have readily wagered money?
‘No.’
Edwin shook his head.
He might have simply watched and left.
In truth, for a priest who served the goddess to fall into such entertainment was an irreverent thing.
However, the pouch of gold coins in his hand made him rationalize it for himself.
‘I can use this money to help those in need.’
After consoling himself that way, Edwin bowed his head to Matthew.
The reason he had been able to win so much money was all thanks to Matthew.
“It is all thanks to you, Lord Matthew. Thank you very much.”
The way Edwin addressed Matthew had changed.
His gratitude was sincere.
Matthew, receiving his thanks, shook his head as if being modest, but Edwin was a man who knew how to repay kindness.
As someone destined to become an honorable priest, he knew all the more that he had to repay a debt of gratitude.
“I’ll pay for the drinks today.”
Matthew first pretended to reluctantly accept Edwin’s offer.
And so the two left the arena in good spirits.
He thought he had not enjoyed the matches for very long, but outside, it was already dark.
That must mean the matches had been that exciting.
As Edwin looked around in search of a tavern, one building caught his eye.
A plain building across from the arena.
Some of the people who had left the arena were entering the building across the street.
It was a strangely familiar sight.
‘…Ah!’
As he watched them, Edwin remembered what had happened during the day.
‘Was her name Sharia?’
He had been flustered because the place was so different from the atmosphere he had heard about when he first came to the underworld.
The one who appeared before him in his confusion had been a young girl.
The girl had pointed to that building and told him to come visit sometime.
‘She said someone named Sharia gives out bread and meat, didn’t she?’
Edwin had been impressed by the fact that there were people volunteering even in a place like this.
That was why he remembered that building.
Those entering now must be going to get a meal as well.
When Edwin silently stared at the building, Matthew, who was beside him, spoke up.
“Are you interested in the Twilight Church?”
The Twilight Church?
At Matthew’s words, Edwin came to his senses.
The very name, Twilight Church, sounded like a religious organization.
Even so, Edwin was an apprentice priest belonging to the White Order.
On the continent of Eldorad, no religious organization other than the White Order was recognized.
“…What kind of place is that?”
Anger colored Edwin’s voice.
Matthew, too, sensed the change in the atmosphere.
“Haha, I’ve never been there myself. I’ve only heard that they hand out bread and meat.”
Edwin already knew that much.
Perhaps they had simply named it the Twilight Church.
Matthew continued.
“And they say that if you visit, they hold a drawing and grant one benefit.”
“A benefit?”
“Yes. They supposedly treat you as a VIP at this arena and add an extra twenty percent to the money you win.”
At Matthew’s words, Edwin became interested.
Not only did they volunteer, but they even treated people as arena VIPs through a drawing?
That meant the Twilight Church and the monster arena were connected.
“Hmm…”
It was not as if he had become interested because of the benefit.
‘Is this person named Sharia perhaps running the arena as well?’
He had merely become interested in the person named Sharia, who was said to be doing volunteer work here.
Edwin was someone who would soon become a priest of the White Order.
If the Twilight Church truly was a religious organization like its name suggested, he could not simply overlook it.
‘Yes, this is no different from an investigation.’
While Edwin was lost in thought—
“What’s the matter? Do you want to go in there as well?”
At Matthew’s words, Edwin came to his senses.
He was certainly interested, but he had promised to have a drink with Matthew for now.
Thanks to him, he had obtained a great many gold coins; what would happen if he broke his promise and went in there?
He would probably be cursed as a disloyal bastard.
Contrary to Edwin’s worries, however, Matthew answered with a smile.
“Didn’t I tell you at the beginning? That I would show you around this area. We can drink later, so if you want to take a look, it wouldn’t hurt to stop by.”
No matter how one looked at it, it was a kindness spoken out of consideration for him.
“Then, Lord Matthew, forgive me, but let’s briefly visit that place before going for drinks.”
Moved by Matthew’s character, Edwin began walking.
But Edwin did not see Matthew’s expression.
The twisted smile hanging at the corners of his mouth.
Within that smile lurked a wickedness like a devil tempting a newly born soul.
* * *
Edwin carefully set foot inside the Twilight Church’s building.
Unlike its plain exterior, the interior unfolded into a scene beyond his imagination.
‘…A sanctuary?’
The sight was grand enough that calling it a sanctuary would not have been an exaggeration.
Blue lighting, soft as if moonlight had seeped in, gently enveloped the space, and the floor was laid with luxurious tiles, giving the sensation of having stepped into an entirely different place.
“Huh… This is an impressive space. Wouldn’t you say?”
At Matthew’s words, Edwin nodded.
It certainly was an incredible space.
However, Edwin swept his gaze over the surroundings with an impassive expression.
‘It’s far too extravagant.’
In a way, it matched the name Twilight Church, but Edwin was instinctively on guard.
At first, he had thought they were simple volunteers, but seeing the interior, it was far from that.
More than anything, the atmosphere of this place seemed similar to a religious organization.
‘I need to look into this more.’
As Edwin looked around, someone approached.
“Ah, are you newcomers?”
The one who spoke was a man wearing a black robe.
It was the same robe the girl he had seen during the day had worn.
“Now, please take this.”
The man handed Edwin and Matthew a sheet of paper each and continued speaking.
On the paper Edwin received, the number “36” was written.
“Once the cult leader finishes speaking, we will draw numbers at random. The person holding the paper with the number drawn will be treated as a VIP of the arena. Please take care not to lose your paper.”
At the man’s words, Edwin’s eyes changed.
The word “cult leader” had clearly been included in what he had said.
‘Cult leader…’
If the Twilight Church were a normal volunteer organization, such a title should not exist.
In other words, this place was practically a religious organization.
‘They really were heretics…’
Edwin looked at the paper marked 36.
Judging from the fact that being chosen in the drawing would make one an arena VIP, these heretics and the arena were one and the same.
“……”
Edwin agonized for a moment.
If they truly were heretics, he could not simply ignore them.
Moreover, the money he had won at the arena also belonged to heretics, so as someone affiliated with the Order, he should not accept it.
Normally, the right thing to do would be to leave this place at once and go to a branch of the Order.
And for him, a believer in the goddess, even returning the gold coins he had obtained would be the proper course of action.
But Edwin pressed his lips tightly together and lightly shook his head.
‘It isn’t certain yet.’
It seemed right to investigate further whether this place was truly heretical.
Perhaps only the title was cult leader.
Above all, the phrase “VIP treatment at the arena” was far too enticing.
‘…It was more fun than I expected.’
The thrilling sensation he had felt during the arena matches still lingered in his mind.
As he thought of watching those matches and betting again, his hands began to tremble.
Not an ordinary duel, but a fight between humans and monsters.
Not only could he watch such entertaining matches, he could also earn a tremendous amount of money.
For him, who had lived an ordinary life in the White Order, it was an incredibly stimulating form of entertainment. And he was seized by a powerful temptation to become addicted to that stimulation.
‘I should watch a little longer.’
Nothing was certain yet.
What if he stirred things up for no reason, only for this place not to be heretical?
Since he might end up harming innocent people, Edwin was cautious.
Then suddenly, a thought occurred to him.
Even if the Twilight Church was heretical, wouldn’t it be fine as long as he continued winning money?
If he extorted the heretics’ money and used it for the Order, wouldn’t that actually be all right?
Whether they were heretics or not, even if they truly were heretics, Edwin only needed to enjoy the monster arena.
And if he happened to receive VIP treatment as well, he would be able to obtain even more money.
“Yes, that’s it!”
Having come up with a clever plan, Edwin unknowingly blurted the words aloud.
“What’s the matter?”
“Ah, it’s nothing. I just thought of something for a moment. Haha.”
He brushed off Matthew’s question appropriately and followed the man in the black robe.
As they walked down the silent corridor, two doors appeared.
One was labeled “Auditorium,” and the other “Truth.”
“Please enter the door marked Truth.”
No sooner had the man finished speaking than Matthew opened his mouth this time.
“I need to use the restroom. Go in first.”
“Ah, the restroom is this way.”
Matthew and the man left.
Edwin looked around once more, then approached the door marked Truth.
“……”
Just in case, he stirred a little divine power, but he detected nothing.
It meant that, at the very least, this was not a place related to black magic.
Edwin felt slightly disappointed.
If not for the title of cult leader or the term Twilight Church, it would have been an utterly ordinary place, and such things only invited misunderstanding.
‘Should I watch a bit longer?’
Edwin opened the door.
Beyond it was a small room, and in one corner, an old man was sitting.
“Huh?”
He had opened the door and entered, only to find a small room, and he was flustered.
Hadn’t they said the cult leader would appear?
And quite a few people had entered the building.
Yet here, there was only himself and the old man.
“I must have come to the wrong place.”
Perhaps the man had told him incorrectly.
Maybe he should have entered the door marked “Auditorium,” not “Truth.”
Just as he was about to go back outside—
“You have found your way here properly, Lord Edwin.”
The old man opened his mouth.
Edwin turned his head to look at him, and he could not help but be startled once more.
He had clearly been an old man, but the being before him now was a young person.
More than that, how he had learned Edwin’s name was also a mystery.
“My introduction is late. My name is Kaleido. I am a scholar who studies illusion magic.”
With those words, Edwin’s eyes closed.
* * *
At the same time.
Beyond the door marked “Auditorium,” something else was taking place.
The inside of the auditorium was spacious.
Unknown patterns were drawn on the ceiling and walls, creating a mysterious atmosphere.
With a long aisle in the center as the standard, dozens of chairs were arranged in neat rows on either side.
The seats were already filled with people settled into place.
Their faces were a mixture of reverence and anticipation.
Regardless of age or gender, one could tell from their attire alone that people from all walks of life had gathered there.
And the platform at the very front was draped with a cloth embroidered with ornate golden thread.
Standing atop it was none other than Sharia, the leader of the Twilight Order.
“My beloved followers. Today, Brother Matthew has brought a ‘lost young soul’ with him.”
Waaaah!
The crowd cheered at Cult Leader Sharia’s words.
The term “lost young souls” referred to those not affiliated with the Twilight Order.
And bringing such people to the Twilight Order came with a wide variety of benefits.
Bread and meat were a given, followed by material rewards.
Thus, those who encountered the Twilight Order would even bring their own family or acquaintances.
Those family members and acquaintances would then bring still others and attend the Order’s gatherings.
They were barely getting by as it was, so receiving money for bringing more acquaintances made for quite a decent profit.
The Twilight Order, which had not been established long, expanded its ranks by scattering money in this manner.
“Remember, everyone. Those who devote themselves to our Twilight Order shall receive tremendous rewards befitting their dedication. And to the most loyal follower of all shall be granted the glory of truly becoming one with Him! Therefore, until that great day when He descends, let us all serve with our whole hearts and might! Twilight!”
“Twilight!”
Everyone shouted in unison at Cult Leader Sharia’s words.
Sharia read from the script below, stirring up the atmosphere.
She had been awkward at first, but by now she could play the part of the cult leader with ease.
– The followers of the Twilight Order can one day become one with Him.
This was the ultimate benefit and seat of glory that the Twilight Order promised.
– The moment you become one with Him, you shall be liberated from suffering.
Some thought this meant receiving enormous rewards and being freed from poverty.
Others dreamed of rising in status and being liberated from a life of slavery.
But in the Twilight Order, becoming one with Him meant exactly that, taken literally.
It meant being a “sacrifice.”
The act of ascending the altar oneself and offering oneself up as a sacrifice to Him.
By offering themselves as sacrifices of their own volition, they would be freed from worldly pain and anguish.
Moreover, they would obtain eternal rest in His embrace—what else could this be but glory?
This was precisely what it meant to become one with Him.
But the followers did not know this truth.
Even the Eclipse members who had operated alongside them before the founding of the Twilight Order did not know its meaning.
This was a truth known only to the cult leader Sharia and the vice leader Lucas.
The act of offering fellow humans as a sacrifice might have felt horrifying, but to Sharia, it was nothing at all.
For Sharia was both the leader of the Twilight Order and a black mage who genuinely dreamed of the Evil God’s resurrection.
The believers would offer themselves up as sacrifices on their own even if she did nothing; it was simply a matter of sitting back and watching.
Cult Leader Sharia called them by this name.
“…Fanatics.”