Surviving as a Cult Leader in Another World

Selim, the Doctor of Theology.

He felt that the current situation in the Agarphe territory wasn't entirely bad for him.
'That Loras is dead, and Tristan is dead too.'
They were guys who always relied on muscles and strength, boasting about it, so Selim didn't like them. He was secretly relieved that they had died along with Oscar Archibald.
'Oscar Archibald was a messenger sent by the Archbishop himself to this territory. In other words, he was the eyes and ears of Archibald. But now that he's dead, they'll need a replacement.'
Selim thought he should appeal to Archbishop Archibald, whom he respected. And he believed without a doubt that only he could save the Agarphe territory from its plight.
'The era of discussing peace through strength ended with the Roman Empire. A leader must have wisdom. Just like the Founding King Unizer!'
As Selim was solidifying his ambition, he noticed the herb that Monk Hyde had brought in, supposedly as medicine for Dihon.
Witch's Weed, Digitalis.
Even a small amount of its leaves could cause death with symptoms like headaches, diarrhea, delirium, and paralysis.
'He brought in such a herb as medicine? Oh, Hyde. Your scheme is to kill the eldest son, Dihon, with poison, manipulate Lady Psyche, and take over the Agarphe family!'
Selim believed that his presence in Agarphe was a great blessing for the Agarphe family.
That's why he shouted at Hyde in front of his master, Parmas's name.
"If Hyde cures Dihon's illness using Digitalis, I will smash my head against the wall and die! But if his condition worsens or he dies─"
Then, the Count family would punish Hyde in a terrible way.
And Psyche would become a widow.
'I will marry Lady Psyche. She is someone who understands the strength of wisdom over physical strength. And above all, she's still a virgin. That foolish Hyde.'
Hyde had failed to obtain Psyche's purity, but Selim thought he was different. Because Selim's wisdom was like a treasure to Agarphe.
It was only natural and wise to have children and pass on that wisdom and knowledge.
This was because Selim believed without a doubt that his children would be intelligent.
However─.
Hyde's expression was incredibly gentle.
That bothered Selim.
"Hyde, say something!"
Just as Selim was shouting,
Hyde sighed and said,
"Selim is right. Digitalis is called Witch's Weed, and even a small amount can become a fatal poison that destroys the human body. However, if you finely chop the leaves and extract them with water, it can be used as medicine."
Using a deadly poison as medicine.
Could the cowardly Monk Hyde achieve the proper proportions that even his master Parmas in Florence would find difficult?
Selim didn't believe it.
"Lies! It's clear that you're planning to kill Dihon with poison! We must stop him now! Before a bigger accident happens!"
"You fool, a bigger accident is when you draw Dihon's blood by the bowlful and he goes into shock. Does a disease get cured by randomly drawing blood?"
"What? Are you ignoring the teachings of my master, Sir Parmas?"
"Yes, looking at you, it seems Parmas, who taught you, is also a moron."
"What, I, this, huh, really─! Take that back!"
Selim was speechless as Hyde not only ignored him but also insulted Parmas, who was great enough to be called one of the Six Knights of the Holy Church.
Boasting about having the famous Parmas as his master was always a source of pride for Selim.
When Selim told others, "This is what I learned from my master, Sir Parmas─," ignorant people would believe him even if he said he could create fire from ice.
That's how authoritative the name was, and it was true.
"You, are you insulting my master now! Are you crazy!"
"I won't say much. Count Doban. If you think this medicine I made will harm Dihon, please imprison me."
Hyde looked at Count Doban.
Doban.
He looked at Selim and Hyde with a troubled expression, and Selim, not being a fool, could see a glimmer of hope for Hyde in Doban's face.
'No!'
"Count Doban! This is not a fight between Hyde and me! It's not a simple ego battle! Think of it as a fight between Hyde and Sir Parmas, not Hyde and Selim!"
Doban.
He wasn't a cunning or wise man. His strength lay in bravely facing people on the battlefield, and he was indeed good at that.
But in this era of peace, when people were fighting for their lives, he was no different from a simpleton.
Yet, he was able to maintain his position as the Count of the great Agarphe family because he had excellent 'intuition'.
'My intuition has been accurate so far, but if I make the wrong choice this time, my son Dihon might really die! Honestly, Hyde has been doing a great job.'
Hyde.
Count Doban desperately wanted to believe him.
After all, how hopeful was the news that his son's illness could be cured?
In fact, the Count family had spent a lot of money buying all sorts of medicines, treatments, and even superstitious amulets that were said to be good for his son's illness.
'But Hyde, this guy is also suspicious. He suddenly appeared, cured my daughter's illness, and even defeated the Crescent Moon Sisterhood and Oscar Archibald at once.'
And now, there was even talk of a marriage proposal with Lady Milione.
And the fact that Archbishop Archibald himself wrote a letter saying he wanted to marry Hyde to his daughter bothered him.
Archbishop Archibald.
Doban had seen him on the battlefield, so he knew him well. He was a very snake-like man.
'Could it be that he was Archbishop Archibald's spy from the beginning? If you think about it that way, many things fall into place.'
Hyde was devoted to the Agarphe family. People's actions are usually based on the desire for 'reward', but Hyde had none of that.
Could there be a person who simply serves others without expecting any reward?
Count Doban, as a nobleman and a warrior who had been on the battlefield, couldn't believe that such a saint-like person existed.
"Alright, I'll trust you, Hyde. I wish you luck."
But.
Doban decided to trust his intuition over his reason this time as well.
Count Doban.
He was in a high position, but he was more indecisive and worried than one might think.
His contribution to the decline of the Agarphe family would be at least 30 percent.
But even so, the reason he was able to remain as the Count was probably because of 'luck'.
The luck of being born a nobleman.
And the luck of having me, Hyde, as his son-in-law!
Of course, theologically speaking, this wasn't luck.
It was all just cogwheels under the great 'providence'.
"Young Master Dihon, I know you're listening from inside. You must have heard your father's words just now, right? Please open the door so you can take your medicine."
I said to Dihon beyond the door.
Then, that Selim guy, not giving up, shouted pathetically,
"Dihon! Don't open the door! You'll die if you drink the poison! Listen to Selim! Haven't I worked day and night for you, Young Master Dihon!"
So he's trying to interfere with the treatment by showing off his close relationship with Dihon.
Selim's expression was now full of confidence, as if he was looking down on me.
Annoying bastard.
I knew you'd do that.
"Young Master Dihon, aren't you curious about the next story of 「The Village of the Back Alley Nymph」? The next part of the story, about what happens to the nymph Oinoe who's being chased by the nymph hunter, is written in this book."
The second volume of my life's masterpiece, The Village of the Nymph.
A perfect, pure, and excellent fairy tale that cannot be compared to the low-level combination of letters like 「The Way of the Beast」.
Dihon would recognize its value!
Creak-.
Dihon's door actually opened!
"The second volume is out? I want to read it right away!"
"Dihon, Young Master Dihon! What are you doing opening the door!"
Selim was now foaming at the mouth like a rabid dog. Ignoring him, I entered Dihon's room and handed him a small bottle of potion.
A wooden bottle the size of a thumb.
A few drops of potion inside.
It was a medicine made by finely chopping the leaves of Witch's Weed and extracting them with diluted water.
"Dihon, the choice isn't really ours. Whether you drink this medicine or not is up to you."
"...."
Dihon looked at me.
Then he seemed to look back and forth between Selim and Count Doban before finally looking out the window, his eyes burning with intensity.
Yes, being confined to a weak body for the rest of your life.
Wouldn't that be frustrating?
"I'll drink it."
That's right!
As expected of Psyche's younger brother.
Maybe it's because he takes after Count Doban, but he's decisive when it comes to making decisions.
However, Selim went crazy at this decision.
"No! This is madness! Why would you drink poison! Young Master Dihon must be crazy! Crazy is not normal! Yes! That's it! It's sorcery!"
What sorcery-.
But then Selim came into the room and started rummaging under Dihon's bed.
Then Dihon became very flustered, didn't he?
"S-Sir Selim!"
"Look at this! Here! The wicked book 「The Way of the Beast」 is hidden under your bed! Young Master Dihon is being seduced by this evil book!"
No, why is The Way of the Beast there?
While I was slightly flustered, Dihon, who was only 10 years old, blushed intensely and started screaming strangely, "Ah, uh, hot, ack!"
People were flocking to the commotion.
Soon, Selim spoke as if he had gained the upper hand.
"Hyde, did you give this blasphemous and wicked book to Young Master Dihon? You were trying to make him commit suicide by driving him insane and making him drink poison!"
What are you talking about?
I'm innocent when it comes to The Way of the Beast!
Of course, strictly speaking, it was my fault because I wrote the book!
But I don't know how that book ended up there.
That's when it happened.
"I gave it to him."
Someone appeared, parting the crowd.
It was Lady Milione.
"As the eldest son of the Count, he needs to know how the world works. And wouldn't he be bored if he stayed in his room all day? I know that feeling well."
Milione, you crazy bitch!
Giving a 10-year-old a crazy pornographic novel as a gift?
She was a truly insane woman.
However, Selim seemed greatly flustered because it wasn't me who gave him the book.
"Th-that's─Are you two in cahoots? Yes! You must be in cahoots! The two of you are scheming to take over the Agarphe family! Oh, I see it now! You two were in cahoots from the beginning!"
Murmur murmur-.
People were getting noisy at Selim's words.
"Young Master Dihon read The Way of the Beast?"
"Such a vulgar novel?"
"Honestly, it was well-written. The unit 'meter' is truly revolutionary. It's better than the vague 'feet'."
"No, even so, it's a bit much for a 10-year-old…"
I thought I should end this situation quickly because it was becoming troublesome in many ways.
Above all, Dihon's face, having been caught with the pornographic novel he was reading, was so red that he looked like he might actually commit suicide.
"Dihon! Make your choice!"
"...."
Dihon flinched at my words.
And after closing his eyes tightly, he drank the medicine in his hand.
Everyone gasped.
"Ugh, my, my heart, my body is getting hot─."
Sizzle sizzle-.
A faint reddish mist seemed to surround Dihon's body as he expressed strange sensations.
The first one to react was Milione.
"Aura?"
Aura.
It was one of the 'Three Miracles' that those who trained their bodies could emit.
For reference, the Three Miracles were Holy Power, Mana, and Aura.
"My body is warm! I've never felt this warm before!"