I Was Kidnapped to Another World and Forced to Become a Hero

Ch. 11 - Into the Depths of the Church

A pattering of footsteps came from behind Fleur, who sat with her head down, no longer struggling to free herself. "It's too late..."

Before long, the party found themselves surrounded. Countless black-robed and hooded figures looked down on them in silence, lined around the edge of the terrace.

"What the hell. Were y'all just up all night waiting for us?" Kamiro said.

"How did they even know we were coming?" Ayu said.

Earla stood in place. She tried to avoid the many stares fixed on the party. "T-They must have been alerted somehow."

"So... I'm guessing you won't give us back our friend, and just let us leave, right?" Kamiro said.

Fleur looked up with a subtle, saddened smile upon hearing his comment.

"..." The cult members stood mostly still and silent; a couple of them glanced at each other for a moment before returning their gaze to Kamiro.

Kamiro chuckled. "Of course not."

A loud yawn came from deep in the hall behind Fleur, while the torches' light showed a shadow of a man coming forward. "What is with all the ruckus?" He clapped twice, and the clanging from within the three large cells below seized.

The man stopped next to Fleur, and all the other cult members put their fists over their hearts and turned their attention toward him. He wore the same outfit as the rest of them, except his was mainly white, with some red trimmings, and he held a leather-bound book under his arm.

"Oh, goodie, visitors!" The man curtsied to the party below. "I am Lesorugus DiLacon. Welcome to our humble... abode." He spread his arms out while he looked around the dungeon. "It grows on you."

Guess we know who's in charge... Kamiro didn't know what to make of the eccentric man.

The party glanced at each other, and Ayu made a circling motion with her index finger at the side of her head.

"Huh? What are you—" Two of the black-robed cult members stepped up and restrained Fleur's mouth again.

"Oooh, so this is her," Lesorugus said. His eyes widened when he looked over Fleur, visible through the small holes on his hooded mask. And he probably had a creepy smile underneath, too. "Why did no one wake me when she arrived!?" His calming voice flipped, and even some of the cult members seemed startled.

"..." But they remained silent.

"Just kidding! Who knows what cutting into my beauty sleep might have caused?" The man rubbed his face over his hooded mask.

What the hell is wrong with this guy?

Lesorugus massaged Fleur's shoulders, and she refused to release her hate-filled glare. The man didn't seem to mind; he gave an audience to the party below who had the same glare as Fleurs' locked onto him.

"It had been quite a while since the branding spell had been activated on one of the members." Lesorugus broke out in deranged laughter. "The poor fool never would've guessed what would happen if he spoke of us!"

  "...You are a sick man," Earla said.

"Sick? But on the contrary. This world is sick." He snickered. "I'm only trying to help cure it. The Demon Lord has been away for too long. Once we awaken her... everything will get better." He poked Fleur's nose while he spoke with an upbeat tone. "And your sacrifice will help us achieve that."

Fleur almost toppled over while she struggled, tied on the chair.

"Now, now, settle down. It's not anger you should be feeling. ...It's despair."