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We’ve Moved! If you notice any missing, empty, or incorrect chapters, please leave a comment below, and we’ll fix it as soon as possible. Regular updates will resume on June 10th. Thank you for your patience!

I became a cult leader in a game: Chapter 32

Episode 32 – There was a place to stop by before heading to Evren Linden’s mansion. After getting into the carriage driven by Bonnie and letting her wait, Charles got off the subway and transferred.

Clang. Clang.

‘It’s nothing compared to modern subways, but it’s fascinating.’

In modern history, the first subway was in the UK. It opened in 1863, which was a year before the death of King Cheoljong in the Joseon Dynasty on the Korean Peninsula.

Charles, who had taken the subway through the darkness to the other side of the city, arrived at Saint-Cyr Street. The sky was filled with dark clouds, and it was already raining outside. Charles had brought an umbrella.

A quite shabby-looking building. It was an ordinary house, close to the factory district. There were several reasons why Charles came to this house. To meet a man named Biltwatch.

In the game, many people called him the best engineer. Charles was moving to recruit him. To be precise, it was an investment. When he pressed the doorbell, footsteps were heard from inside.

The man who appeared wore a work apron and a monocle. He looked like a middle-aged man with a long face and a mustache. He tilted his head and asked.

“What is the matter?”

“Are you Mr. Biltwatch?”

“Yes. Who are you?”

“Nice to meet you. My name is Charles Hexen. I’m here to talk about an investment.”

“What? Well, please come inside.”

Following Biltwatch inside, Charles saw a house converted like a garage. Biltwatch was a member of the middle class of Metropole and was creating something new using the inheritance from his father.

It was a car. Next to the area converted like a garage was a car being modified. In time, Biltwatch would establish an automobile company called Ford.

“This is a car.”

“Ah, where did you hear about it?”

Biltwatch asked while serving black tea.

“I saw it in the newspaper. The one about inventors seeking investment.”

“Ah, you saw the one in the Metropole Times. Yes, I am working on creating a car to replace carriages.”

Biltwatch tried to shake hands but realized his hands were oily, so he wiped them on his apron, though the oil remained. Charles smiled and shook his hand. Although his gloves got dirty, he didn’t mind.

“I am a bit of an investor with some funds. While expanding my business including wine, I saw your car in the newspaper and thought this was true innovation, so I contacted you.”

“Ah, indeed! Cars will become the innovation to eliminate all carriages within the next ten years.”

“How is the development progress going?”

Charles conversed with Biltwatch. This was a strategy often used in the game. Seeing the potential, making an investment promise before other investors do. By initially donating 30,000 pounds, he captivated Biltwatch’s heart.

“We will consider additional investments based on the future progress.”

“You won’t regret it.”

Biltwatch’s eyes sparkled as if he had met a savior, and Charles earned his favor. Whoever dislikes money, show me.

Charles put on his fedora, nodded, and left. Although he had no connections to the occult and never would, the investment he made now would return in the future.

After finishing the investment appointment in the morning, it was already noon when he took the subway back. He headed to Evren Linden’s mansion in Bonnie’s carriage that was waiting in front of the subway.

“…….”

Charles thought he saw something wrong. Evren Linden’s mansion was… entirely black.

-Master! Is this really the mansion?

-The address seems right. Bonnie wouldn’t get the address wrong.

-Hm, something… something’s not right…

Faginarekordo mentioned the strangeness. The mansion’s high walls made it feel like a prison. Thick concrete walls with barbed wire on top to prevent climbing over.

A man of East Asian appearance appeared at the mansion’s entrance. With narrow eyes that made him look squinting, dressed in a uniform like a guard.

“Who are you?”

“We are here by the invitation of Mrs. Evren Linden.”

Bonnie said while handing the guard an invitation from her pocket. Others may not notice, but Charles caught the emotion on the guard’s face. It was an expression mixed with contempt and bother.

“Confirmed.”

The manner was polite, but the underlying oddness was bothersome. Following the guard’s lead, Charles could observe the mansion.

Inside the high walls, there were two buildings arranged in an L shape. One was big but smaller than the other.

The shorter side was the main house, and the long side was the annex.

What was peculiar was that there were children visible in the long annex building. Curious children peeked through the windows at the incoming visitors but quickly pulled the curtains upon seeing who it was.

“Please, come this way.”

Charles was guided to the entrance of the main house. After alighting from the carriage, he put Faginarekordo into his pocket and moved. Unlike outside, it was shaded.

Upon entering, a peculiar smell hit his nose. It seemed like the smell of chemicals, but he couldn’t identify it. But he was sure it wasn’t a typical mansion scent.

‘Is there a ward here?’

In the reception room, Charles found Mrs. Evren Linden. She was dressed in loose black clothes and greeted him with a faint smile. The makeup on her face was plastered with a faint scent of chemicals.

“Welcome. I must express my gratitude to you.”

“No, not at all, Mrs. Linden.”

“I am very impressed with your detective skills. If it weren’t for you, my daughter would still be trapped in the deep darkness.”

“…….”

There was no feeling of gratitude in her expression. Rather, her momentarily revealed eyes were like a predator’s, thinking about how to deal with its prey.

At that moment, a strange sound was heard from afar. Children laughing and giggling.

“Huh? There are children in this house?”

“Oh, you didn’t know. I run an orphanage. This house, though large, feels too quiet and empty.”

“Then the other building must be entirely an orphanage. Did your husband agree to converting the house into an orphanage?”

“He was fine with it.”

It was odd. Charles found it suspicious. Someone who converted their house into an orphanage?

“The reason I invited you is to request your deduction skills one more time.”

“What’s the matter?”

“There are a lot of children at the orphanage, but sometimes they disappear because the mansion is too big. We searched for the missing child with all the staff but couldn’t find them.”

“Are you sure the child is in the mansion?”

“Of course.”

Evren Linden faintly smiled. Charles felt his question was foolish. The mansion’s surrounding wall could trap even an adult man inside.

Honestly, if the guards had sniper rifles, he would believe it was a prison given the strictness.

“The commission fee for this job won’t be much, but I would be very grateful if you could find the child.”

Charles would usually reject such a commission, but he came to uncover Mrs. Evren Linden’s secret. So naturally, he decided to accept.

“Let’s do it.”

“Oh. That’s good. Monsieur Montfer――.”

A butler in a neatly pressed suit appeared behind Mrs. Linden. He was a tall, old man with straight posture, and his white hair was full, but there was an old scar across his cheek.

“You called, Madam.”

“Please guide the detective around the house and assist him as needed.”

“Understood.”

As Charles stared at the old man’s scar, Mrs. Linden said,

“Hoho, he participated in the war when he was young, and that’s an old war wound. Don’t be too frightened.”

“Ha ha. Don’t worry. This way, please.”

The butler Montfer faintly smiled and gestured with his hand. As Charles followed him, the chemical smell grew stronger. Montfer explained,

“We recently disinfected the house, so it might smell a bit.”

“Why disinfect?”

“The madam has a compulsive cleanliness disorder. She always keeps the house disinfected.”

“Hmm.”

Come to think of it, Mrs. Linden always wore white gloves. Compulsive cleanliness disorder. Such a person running an orphanage and bringing children into their home?

Charles detected not just the scent of chemicals but something else in this mansion. It felt like the pungent stench of a sinister plot wafting through the air.

The disinfectant smell faded somewhat upon reaching the longer building of the L-shape.

“Where did the child go missing?”

“The child was last seen in the kitchen.”

Upon entering the kitchen, there was the smell of meat dishes. It seemed like meat pies were being made. The chef, a chubby man in his 50s with a catfish-like beard, was there.

“Ah, Mister Butler. What brings you here?”

“Chef. This is the detective who will help find the missing children.”

“Is that so? What brings you here?”

“They say the children were last seen here?”

When Charles asked, the chef wiped his sweat and replied.

“Indeed.”

“Please tell me about the missing child.”

“The child’s name is Gwen. Light-colored hair, somewhat bluish-black. She’s a mixed-race of South Asian and Caucasian descent. Her hair reaches shoulder length and she is 10 years old.”

As the chef talked, Charles inspected the kitchen. The hygiene was appalling enough to make him frown instinctively. The wheat seemed normal, but the leather sacks containing it looked quite old, and the floor had grimy stains.

Several pots were battered and dented here and there. The oven was quite large. It seemed a meat pie was baking inside, but the area around the oven didn’t look very sanitary either.

Charles wouldn’t be surprised to find rats. Maybe if he searched the crevices, he could find rat holes.

He found a lie from Mrs. Linden.

‘Searched for the child with the staff? Hardly seems likely. She probably instructed others and did something else herself.’

There was no way someone with compulsive cleanliness disorder would come to such a filthy kitchen. Just breathing here would likely make her feel nauseated.

“Would it be alright if I explore alone from now on? I need to investigate various places.”

“Yes? Ah, of course.”

The butler replied begrudgingly. Charles saw through his intentions.

‘They plan to follow and monitor me from a hidden position. Undoubtedly Mrs. Evren Linden’s orders.’

-Would it be necessary to monitor when they are asking to find a child?

-Perhaps finding the child isn’t their true objective.

Charles decided to explore the eerie mansion alone. Even knowing he was being followed, the information he could gather was worlds different from what others could.

Tiny hairs, smells, even the smallest irregular changes were all processed as information by Charles.

-Did you find anything yet?

-There were bloodstains.

They weren’t from an animal. Various clues seemed to be leading Charles to a bizarre conclusion.

We’ve Moved! If you notice any missing, empty, or incorrect chapters, please leave a comment below, and we’ll fix it as soon as possible. Regular updates will resume on June 10th. Thank you for your patience!
I Became a Cult Leader in a Game

I Became a Cult Leader in a Game

게임 속 사이비 교주가 되었다
Score 6.6
Status: Ongoing Type: Author: Released: 2022 Native Language: Korean
While enjoying a game called “Cult Leader Simulator,” Kim Yeon-su found himself trapped inside the game he was playing. He knew that this world was destined to perish…

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