Surviving as a Cult Leader in Another World

"Lady Psyche, have you ever seen the sea? Have you ever seen a vast horizon stretching out?"

Psyche frowned at my question.
It seemed like she was wondering what I was trying to say.
I picked up a nearby cup and answered simply.
"Let's say this cup is a ship sailing towards the end of that horizon. If this ship has a tall and magnificent sail reaching towards the sky, as the ship moves further away, it will gradually appear to sink downwards and become smaller, until only the sail is visible."
"Is that the reason why it proves the Earth is round? That makes sense."
Indeed, Psyche was an intelligent woman.
She grasped the core of what I wanted to say with just a simple explanation about the sea and the curvature of the Earth's surface.
There was no need to add explanations about lunar eclipses or how the length of shadows cast by the same stick differs depending on the location.
"But it's still completely different from the Church's teachings. According to the Church's teachings, isn't the Earth known to be flat like a plate?"
Psyche asked me if it wasn't different from the Church's teachings.
It was the same question she had asked before.
Having heard this question twice, I realized that whether the Earth was round or flat wasn't that important to Psyche.
"To answer your question, Lady Psyche, I need to explain the answer to the second question. The reason why it rains. How does the Church explain this?"
"It's known that God commands the saints to make it rain where it's needed. So, in areas where it doesn't rain, people hold rain rituals for the saints."
Psyche was right. I had been to areas where it didn't rain before, and they had statues of saints set up, and people were bowing and making a fuss.
Thinking about that time, I calmly explained.
"As I wrote on the answer sheet, rain is caused by water vapor. The water on the ground evaporates due to sunlight and freezes in the cold air at high altitudes, forming clouds. Clouds are a natural phenomenon created by the gathering of ice particles. When these particles become heavy, they fall towards the ground, and when they meet warm air, they become raindrops."
"Hyde, are you saying that clouds are not a phenomenon where angels or God reside in heaven, but simply a gathering of water droplets?"
Psyche frowned again. It was as if she had heard something unbelievable.
"Monk Hyde, this is also different from the Church's teachings. Don't you know that speaking like that carelessly can get you reprimanded by the inquisitors?"
I know.
The people of the Church in this world won't like what I have to say.
But it seemed like my answer resonated with Lady Psyche. I didn't miss the curiosity and surprise in her eyes.
Well, the Agarphe family was opposed to the Church.
I knew that the reason the royal family and the Church fought so fiercely was because they had conflicting theological and scientific viewpoints.
The Agarphe family, which was allied with the royal family, was a family interested in practicality, to the point of meticulously maintaining roads and even installing labor-intensive water supply systems.
Psyche, as a member of the Agarphe family, must have liked my scientific and practical answers. That's probably why she passed me in the preliminaries.
But at the same time, she seemed to be struggling a bit.
"Hyde, everything you said was a great answer. But it's all so different from the Church's teachings."
Psyche's expression was becoming complex, with a mix of various emotions. I thought it was a combination of doubt, curiosity, wariness, and anger.
If I may venture a guess, it's probably because Psyche, who pursues practicality as the daughter of Count Agarphe, is clashing with Psyche, who respects the Church's teachings as a devout believer of the Church.
For such a Psyche, I finally opened my mouth.
"The answer to all your questions lies in the answer to the last, third question. How many angels can stand on the tip of this pen?"
I picked up a quill pen that was placed on the podium in front of the chair. It was a quill pen thinner than my finger.
How many angels could stand on this?
"The Bible mentions the existence of angels. Then, what would the weight of a real angel be, and what would their height and appearance be like?"
The Church loved to talk about angels and demons. There were many testimonies from people who claimed to have seen angels, and there were also those who said angels appeared in their dreams.
The same goes for demons, the opposite of angels.
But, I dare say, I haven't even seen the tip of an angel's feather or a demon's tail in the five years I've lived in this world.
"So, Hyde, are you saying that an infinite number of angels can stand on the tip of this quill pen? You're the only candidate who wrote such an absurd answer."
"How would I know? Does the number of angels that can stand on a quill pen matter to our salvation? Does the fact that the Earth is round, or the principle of rainfall, matter to the salvation of our souls?"
"Huh?"
"Lady Psyche, in truth, you probably already know. What the truly important questions are. Isn't the real question, how can my soul be saved?"
"Hyde, are you saying that angels don't exist and are invisible beings, even though you're a monk?"
Psyche frowned.
I remembered a time in elementary school when I had a big fight with my deskmate because I told her, "Santa doesn't exist. Santa is actually your dad."
She was a cute kid, but she had tears in her eyes and yelled at me, "Santa exists!"
Psyche seemed to be that kind of person too.
Soon, Psyche asked,
"Then, Hyde, what do you think about demons? Do you think thinking about demons is also irrelevant to salvation?"
Demons.
Satan.
The Devil.
Ancient religions loved to define, name, and write books about these beings.
In fact, knowing their names and attributes is the same as asking, 'How many angels can stand on a pen?'.
Does it matter?
"The only thing that matters is restoring my spiritual relationship with the Lord. The reason why modern theology is going astray is because it forgets this fundamental principle and wastes time thinking about angels and demons."
I answered confidently.
Then Psyche frowned even more.
"Hyde, I think you're misunderstanding something. Angels may not be easily visible to the human eye, but demons exist in the world and are still roaming this land. We must fear them. Those cursed Great Sin Seats."
"Huh?"
"The Seven Great Sin Seats. You can't be a part of the Church and not know them, can you?"
"Ah."
I was suddenly speechless.
My lips felt dry. I started to become conscious of the position of my hands and tongue, and I suddenly felt the urge to urinate.
Seeing me flustered, Psyche looked at me with narrowed eyes and said,
"So, it seems you're also afraid of the names of living demons. Are you scared?"
"…To be honest, I am scared. I don't think anyone fears those names more than I do."
I answered honestly.
I couldn't bring myself to lie.
Psyche pouted at my honest answer.
"It seems you couldn't even pretend to be brave in front of the woman you fell in love with at first sight. Fine, Hyde. That's the end of the questions. You can leave now."
I had a lot to say, but nothing came out of my mouth.
Of all times, the mistakes of the past five years had to catch up to me at the end of the interview.
I should have lied and said it was okay.
But I really didn't want to lie.
Especially not to Psyche, whom I have a crush on, in this new life that I've been given!
Knight Loras was walking down the hallway with great confidence.
He was always full of confidence.
He was like that when he won second place in the knights' tournament, and he was like that now, having written all the correct answers on the answer sheet and become a 'preliminary groom candidate'.
No, this was the moment when his confidence was at its peak in his entire knightly career.
'What the shape of the Earth is. What the principle of rainfall is. I know all of these things. Of course, we learned from the same teacher when we were young! These questions are for me.'
Knight Loras had grown up with Psyche in the Agarphe territory since childhood. They had the same teacher and learned the same things.
The questions Psyche asked were also among the things their teacher had taught them. Therefore, Loras was convinced that Psyche favored him.
'Psyche wants to marry me too. But she was engaged to the royal family and was sick, so she was trying to remain faithful. After she recovered, she wants to marry me.'
Loras thought that he, the most capable and popular man in the Agarphe territory, was a good match for Psyche.
Loras himself also thought that Psyche was the best match for a perfect man like himself.
Psyche was the most beautiful woman in the Agarphe territory and was one of the women praised as the 'Three Flowers' in the kingdom.
A woman admired by all men.
He was very happy at the thought of having such a woman as his wife.
'In that sense, it's fortunate that Hyde cured Psyche's illness. Hyde, that guy was a tool for my happiness!'
As he was thinking this, Eliezer, the old servant who managed most of the mansion's affairs, approached and bowed to Loras.
"Sir Loras, Lady Psyche requests your presence in the reception room, along with Doctor of Theology Selim."
"With Selim?"
Doctor of Theology Selim was the only man Loras considered a rival. He was also a man who had learned under the same teacher as Loras and Psyche.
If Loras was the best warrior in Agarphe, Selim could be said to be the smartest man in the Agarphe territory.
Soon, a brown-haired, nerdy-looking man faced Loras in front of the reception room.
Selim and Loras.
The two destined rivals exchanged sparks with their eyes for a moment.
They entered the reception room and simultaneously gasped at the sight of the beautiful Psyche.
'I can't breathe! She's so beautiful, you wouldn't think she was ill for two years! I'm going to have this woman today!'
Loras and Selim took their seats.
Psyche asked them indifferently,
"Sir Loras, can you explain the answers you wrote on the answer sheet? First, the first question. What is the shape of the Earth?"
"The Earth is round like a ball."
Loras answered with great confidence. He still vividly remembered the shock he felt when he heard that the Earth was round like a ball when he was young.
Soon, Psyche raised an eyebrow and asked,
"How can you prove that?"
"Prove?"
How could he prove that the Earth was round? He had heard something about it, but he couldn't remember, so he was racking his brain when the nerdy Selim intervened.
"My Lady, you can tell by looking at a ship on the horizon. The reason why you see the sail first when a ship approaches from the horizon is because of the round shape of the Earth."
As he said this, Selim glanced at Loras. Loras felt like his insides were churning and his face was burning as if his score had been deducted.
'I need to get more points somehow!'
Loras could only think about doing better than Selim. Just then, Psyche asked Selim with narrowed eyes,
"Then, Selim, why does it rain?"
"Isn't it because God performs miracles to benefit the land? If you look at Amos 4:7, it says…"
"That's enough. The explanation is sufficient."
"Indeed, you are the wisest in Agarphe, My Lady."
Selim smirked.
Loras hated the sight of it so much that he wanted to jump out of his seat and leave.
Psyche said,
"Then, Selim, how many angels can stand on the tip of this quill pen?"
"That's a debate that has been actively discussed in the Church's council for the past five years. The most persuasive argument is Archbishop Archibald's Seven Angels theory."
Archibald.
Psyche frowned at the name.
"Selim, do you admire Archbishop Archibald?"
"Of course. As a theologian, a believer, and someone who dreams of becoming a priest, who wouldn't admire Archbishop Archibald? If I may say so now, if I become the Count's son-in-law, I will join hands with Archbishop Archibald and further revive the Church in this Agarphe territory."
Selim's ambition was grand. He was so passionate that it was strange to see him clenching his fists and trembling, even though he didn't usually exercise.
When Psyche gave a vague answer, "Indeed…", Loras cheered inwardly.
'Selim, you idiot! You spend all day reading the Bible and books, so you can't read the situation! The Agarphe family is practically enemies with the Archibald family! Selim, you stupid bookworm!'
Loras felt good that Selim's score had been significantly deducted.
Selim, who wanted to join hands with the Archibald family and hand over the entire Agarphe territory, would never be chosen by Psyche.
Then the only one left was himself.
As Loras anticipated his victory, Psyche rose from her seat.
"Then, Sir Selim and Sir Loras, this is my last question. You know the Deadly Sins who is causing a riot in the Durgien region, right? What should we do with him?"
An additional question.
Loras thought this special treatment was his chance.
He stood up, clenched his fists, and pounded his chest, shouting,
"My Lady, if you give the order now, this Loras will form a subjugation force, capture those wicked criminals, and make them kneel before you!"
"Oh, Loras, aren't you afraid of the Great Sin Seats?"
"What is there to fear as a knight of Agarphe!"
Even he thought it was a very cool answer.
A complete victory, not even giving Selim a chance to answer.
Psyche seemed impressed by this as she smiled.
"Alright, you can all leave now. I'll announce the results myself in an hour. Please gather everyone in the garden."
Psyche dismissed Loras and Selim.
An hour later.
Lady Psyche, as beautiful as a flower, appeared before Loras, who was having the longest and happiest hour of his life.
Loras's heart pounded as if it would burst.
He felt like everyone was looking at him.
Indeed, Loras was the most promising candidate among the finalists!
Soon, Lady Psyche opened her mouth.
"I will announce the results. My marriage partner is Wooden Plaque Monk Hyde."
Crackle-.
Loras heard the sound of his sky crumbling.
He felt like he was falling without a foothold to the round Earth below, and his vision blurred.
'What? What did she just say? She's going to marry an orphan whose origins are unknown, instead of me, Loras? Is she crazy! Psyche's illness must not have been cured yet!'