Chapter 53

What I did to infiltrate the church. It was ---

"Tanuki neiri"

Yes, I pretended to be asleep.

The plan was to get carried to the church's secret room.

This way, it would seem like the couple had successfully administered the sleeping potion, and the others would let their guard down.

So,

"Miss Renny, please start the battle immediately if anything happens."

"Okay. Samyu, you do the same."

"Yes!"

Samyu and I confirmed with each other and then slumped onto the dining table.

The empty plates on the table would make the cult members believe we were asleep.

After confirming that Samyu and I were pretending to sleep, the couple left through the front door. Soon, heavy footsteps could be heard. I opened my eyes slightly and saw men who looked like the ones from the Slanita Finance office.

Well... The church was so clean and sacred, but these people looked like ordinary thugs.

It would be tough for ordinary people to resist them.

"Hey, you did a good job."

"Yes... Please be gentle; I'm just pretending to sleep."

"We know. The priest told us to."

The men snorted at the couple's words.

Then, each of us was carried on the shoulders of different men, and we left the house.

We were heading to the church. I couldn't see the front since I was carried on a shoulder, but I could tell from the scenery. I checked the [Exploration Bracelet] with my eyes half-open, and the golden magic stone was glowing softly. There must be a secret room here, and the children are inside.

"Alright, open it."

"Okay."

The men stopped in front of the altar.

I confirmed with my eyes half-open that one of the men took a red crystal from his pocket.

"Oh!"

"What, did you wake up?"

I couldn't help but let out a sound.

The man carrying me turned me so that I could see his face.

No, no, I have to pretend to be asleep.

"...Zzz"

"No, you're still asleep."

I relaxed my body and tilted my head.

The man seemed to think I was asleep and put me back on his shoulder.

As the strongest four-year-old, I'm good at pretending to be asleep.

"What's wrong?"

"I thought you woke up, but it was just my imagination."

"You're overthinking it. One child waking up isn't a problem. We can carry them."

"You're right."

The men talked as they moved to the back of the altar.

When the priest showed us around, we didn't see this far, but it seems there was a magical device behind the altar.

Yes, it was the same as the one in the mayor Schultem's house in Slanita. The hidden door, the basement, and the mechanism to break it. It was exactly the same.

That's why I couldn't help but let out a sound when I saw the red crystal, but I managed to cover it up.

"Hey, step back."

"Okay."

One of the men called out and inserted the red crystal into a depression behind the altar. A rumbling sound was heard.

A section of the floor, which the men had moved away from, was slowly moving.

Then --

"Samyu, entrance."

"Yes, this seems to be the entrance to the secret room."

I communicated with Samyu through [Mental Sensitivity]. Samyu was probably also pretending to be asleep and observing the surroundings.

"Alright, let's go. The elf to the priest, the children to the cell."

"Should we put them with the others? The beastmen are strong, right?"

"Even if they are beastmen, they're still kids. They can't do anything."

"You're right."

It seems Samyu and I will be taken to different places.

"Miss Renny, it looks like we'll be separated. What should we do? Should we fight here?"

"Samyu, can you handle it alone?"

"Yes, I think I can. I don't plan to lose."

"Then, let's keep it this way. Samyu, please take care of the others."

"Understood."

I know where the entrance to the secret room is, and it would be fine to take them all down, but I need to talk to the priest and the children. So, it's good that we'll be separated.

I can handle it alone, and Samyu is strong.

So, we were carried as planned.

Behind the altar, a staircase leading underground appeared. We went down the stairs and walked through a stone-walled corridor. The man carrying Samyu opened a door halfway down the corridor and went in. The priest was probably in there.

The men opened another door further down and entered a room. I could see through the gap in the door that there were many men inside. It seemed to be a waiting area for the men.

The last man carrying me stayed in the corridor. We arrived at a door at the end of the corridor, which was locked with a large padlock. A man was sitting in a chair next to the door, keeping watch.

"Open it."

"Okay. A new child?"

"Yeah, we plan to sell this one soon."

"Wow, a beastman child is rare and should fetch a high price."

"Yeah, the priest doesn't need beastmen."

While talking, the guard opened the padlock and removed the bolt.

The door opened, and the man carrying me entered the room. There were --

"Didn't you cause any trouble?"

-- children.

"1, 2, 3... 8. Good, everyone is here."

The man pointed at each child, confirming their presence. The oldest child looked like a high school student, and the youngest seemed younger than me.

The children huddled together in the corner of the room, trembling in fear.

"These are your new companions."

With that, I was rolled onto the floor.

"Why... Why is there another child...?"

The oldest child spoke hesitantly, looking at me.

The man laughed cruelly.

"Your parents drugged this one."

"Papa and Mama..."

"To protect you, this beastman child was tricked and brought here. You can see your parents, but this one will never see them again. They'll be sold tomorrow. Poor thing. It's all your fault."

The man's voice was sticky and --

"Just for one day, but be nice to each other. After all, this one will be sold for your sake. Poor thing."

The children bowed their heads at his words.

It seemed he was using this kind of manipulation to control their minds.

Locked in the basement, seeing their parents only briefly, and hearing this repeatedly. The children's will to resist must have been broken.

... It made me feel sick.

"I came here because I decided to."

I got up from the floor where I was rolled.

I clenched my fist and pulled my elbow back.

"Ah, you're awake --?"

"I've been awake the whole time."

The man looked surprised, his eyes wide.

I aimed a punch at his lower abdomen.

"Cat punch!"

My fist, aimed diagonally upward, hit the man's lower abdomen. Then --

"Turn to stone!"

"Ughh!!"

-- the man was embedded in the stone wall.

"Alright."

One down.

I relaxed my fist, looking at the man embedded in the wall.

Then, a chorus of voices rose.

"Wow, amazing!"

"Strong...!"

"How can you do that!?"

"Are you okay? Does it hurt?"

The children, who had been huddled in the corner, surrounded me. Some were excited, others worried. They all looked anxious.

So, I raised my thumb on the [Cat's Hand Glove].

"I came to save you."

-- Let's go home!