As the game religion is based on christianity (buildings, clothes, people, believes), it shouldn't be wrong to assume there is a Pepe the Pope, but he just wasn't mentioned, mostly because we aren't so far in the game.
Also church is machiavellian if you ask me, mainly because... it's a church. By they excuse of Faith they indoctrinate people to gain influence, funds and followers. And they use those assets, they use any means necessary to fight thier secret war against daemons, because they think it's the only way to save humanity and the world.
War between Farquaad and Shortquaad is a great asset to the church. War taxes means increased fundings to war and to the church. And there are also offerings on masses blessing soldiers, paying for services of sisters hospitallers healing soldiers and thier medications and more reasons which writting would turn this into a essay.
Also, thanks to war, church is gaining more followers, becuase people who doesn't earn or have enough money to pay taxes become beggars, bandits or... join the church searching for a bed and war meal not knowing in how great shit they stepped in. And after church taught and cared for those it won't let go of them so easy. It's not about telling about it to the outside world, as little people would believe in it anyway, and those who does are heretics and traitors. It's about resources they put in those people to indoctrinate and teach them. Those costs have to at least balance themself.
I wouldn't be suprised if the cult working in Arenfield turned out that way because of a church. Or, to be more precise, because of a group formed inside Church to use any means not only necessary but possible to them to fight and win the war against daemons, even by turning people into beasts and using daemons to fight other daemons. And now MC and Mira are going to... happily knock on thier door, not knowing they stepping into the maw of a beast.
Well, by looking and Chyos work I can tell already Liandra's boyfriend is either died in a accident or is cheating on her with a maid and MC is going to find out about it either by accident or by doing a little investigation about him. And then will be options to either tell and prove it to her (Love route), after telling her about it she want's to revange on him with MC (Corruption route), or MC didn't find out/is not telling about it, thus her boyfriend is fucking two girls and MC can spy on them and by blackmailing him also join with maid and, after some corruption, with Liandra too(NTR route).
