Chapter 164

-…Could you explain in a bit more detail?

Nemi and Elysia were definitely suspicious. Preserving their strength to the utmost and defeating Modrig—that was the best outcome they could think of.

-For us right now, the immediate enemy isn’t the Dragon Chimera. If Oberta had taken control of it, things would’ve been troublesome, but that’s not the case. Don’t be fooled. Oberta merely joined hands with it.

-So, we don’t need to worry about it?

-It won’t bother us anymore. So, we don’t have a reason to worry about it either. But the Death God is different. Our confrontation with that thing is inevitable.

After secretly observing Yanid, I came to this conclusion. No matter how sweetly Oberta tempted her, Yanid didn’t even listen. The girl completely ignored the Evil God’s words.

That’s truly a relief. Just thinking about the Death God is overwhelming, but if Yanid had also tried to devour her, Hilrae would’ve had only one choice left.

To abandon her position, discard her forces, turn her back on her followers, and fall into a deep sleep like the young Death God once did. But that’s the worst-case scenario, one I don’t even want to consider.

Even if we preserve our strength and hide, without faith, we’ll slowly wither away. Slowly draining our Divine Power while waiting for the situation to improve is a dangerous gamble.

There’s no guarantee that things will get better in the future. Even if the Death God miraculously falls and the situation improves, by the time we reappear, no one will remember us.

If spreading the faith fails and we can’t gain new believers, she too will become a forgotten god and disappear. Like countless other deities before her, she’ll decline into a minor god and eventually fade away completely.

-Prosperity leading to ruin. Perhaps that’s just the natural cycle. But I think we can all agree that today isn’t that day, right?

No god here was prepared to face such an ending. While we still have strength, while there are still those who believe in us, while there’s still a chance, we must do something.

-Let’s persuade that priest to face the Death God. Even if we can’t do it, the god behind them will surely be able to drive out the Evil God.

-It’s not like I haven’t thought of that.

Nemi pointed out the crucial part.

-But the Ancient God… we can’t even begin to understand what it’s thinking. Though it’s a god bound by the Law of the Universe, we’re in no position to mock it.

The Ancient God isn’t as great as it seems. It’s a consciousness that accidentally took root in the Law of the Universe, which was never meant to have a will.

The three goddesses knew this well. That’s why the Ancient God is a mortal god, destined to one day be buried in flesh and disappear. Ironically, that’s what proves its strength.

What would it feel like for the Law of the Universe to be your own body? To feel like you’re scattered across the entire cosmos?

If I were to guess, it would feel like your mind splitting into a thousand pieces, spreading across countless worlds. And it’s not a fleeting sensation—it’s something you’d have to endure every hour, every second.

The three goddesses all agreed. If they were in the Ancient God’s place, their fragile minds would instantly scatter and vanish across the universe.

Like dropping a single drop of ink into the ocean, the remnants of what was once a goddess would disperse across the cosmos, leaving no trace.

At the point where it can endure such a threat and preserve its consciousness, the Ancient God is not something we can even dare to speak of. The idea of using it is utterly nonsensical.

At least, that’s what Goddess Nemi thought. The Law of the Universe is too vast, and the best course of action is to remain still and silent. Even the slightest movement could cause chaos.

-Then, is there another way? Even if we cooperate with the Empire, can we guarantee that we’ll surpass the Death God?

The three goddesses were in such dire straits that they had to consider such an uncomfortable possibility.

The more they measured the Death God’s power, the more their confidence waned. Eventually, the three of them looked at each other.

And then they entered into deep deliberation. Even as they did, they kept an eye on the events unfolding on the ground.

*****

“Saint of the Ancient God. I apologize, but may I ask you something?”

Suddenly looking up at the sky with a troubled expression, Archbishop Halonen asked a question. I was also left at a loss.

“Saint. If you used the power of the being behind you to drive out the Evil God, could you do the same with the Death God? This is a truly important matter. I can’t force you to answer, but I would be grateful if you could.”

“If its rank doesn’t surpass the Lord, then it’s not impossible. However…”

Whether it can be driven out remains to be seen.

This time, the Lord drove out the Evil God only because it had attached itself to a body that wasn’t its own.

In any other case, I can’t really guarantee it. Of course, in my case, I’d rather face the Evil God than an evil person. But driving it out—that’s something I’d have to think about.

“If the Death God hasn’t taken over someone else’s body, then it won’t be as easy to drive out as this time. I’ll need to assess the situation a bit more to give a proper estimate.”

“Read this. A letter from Count Marcus. He theorizes that the infamous Primal Demon King may have contributed to the birth of this Death God.”

His Majesty handed me a scroll. Before I could even step forward, the Princess hurriedly grabbed the unfolded scroll.

After skimming through it, her face turned pale. Soon, all of our faces changed as we read the scroll she brought. Only then did I understand the truth behind the fall of Elvenheim.

“The Demon King… creating such a powerful Death God…”

Is he tired of dealing with monsters and now trying to create gods? Is he assisting Epirna in the Eastern Plains to study divinity further?

For what purpose? Does the Demon King also desire to become a god? Or is the research itself the goal?

The Primal Demon King is such an alien existence that it’s impossible to interpret. Perhaps only he knows the reason.

But for whatever reason, it’s certain that he’s unleashing countless calamities. The continent wouldn’t necessarily be peaceful without him, but with him, it’s even less so.

“Father. Then, the reason the two Archbishops are here is…”

“Indeed. The Temple has also recognized the Death God. Given its ominous presence, they’ve decided to join hands and address the issue first.”

“That’s absurd! They attacked the Imperial Palace and caused this mess, and now they want to join hands?”

“Your Majesty. It’s precisely because they’re desperate that they’re willing to join hands.”

From the side, the knight known as Xerox spoke up. The two Archbishops’ expressions shifted slightly, but they closed their eyes and ignored the conversation.

“They are the ones who must protect the faith of the entire continent. They don’t want the Death God to shake the continent. For that, they’re willing to give up anything. This is likely the first and last time we’ll be able to negotiate with them under such favorable conditions.”

“Sir Xerox, that’s…”

“Ardein. Allying with the Temple is inevitable. Both we and the Temple have suffered great losses. Meanwhile, the Death God that has appeared feeds on the blood and flesh of others.”

Understanding the Princess’s dark expression, His Majesty nodded. But soon, he shook his head. In truth, His Majesty must resent the Church Country just as much as the Princess.

But he couldn’t express that resentment freely. That’s what it means to be the Emperor. Not just a human, but the face and symbol of the Empire.

“If we lose even once to that thing, that defeat will become its nourishment. The only way we humans can stand against it is by uniting as one.”

Such a person, the representative of the Empire, looked at me with eyes seeking an answer.

“Saint. But perhaps your god can provide a different answer. May I ask you to seek it?”

“To petition the Lord to drive out the Death God…”

I was at a loss. The Lord isn’t a magic wand. I wasn’t at all confident that He would grant such a convenient request.

It’s not a request for myself. But that doesn’t mean the Lord has a reason to grant it. Honestly, I know even less about the Lord I serve than I do about the Demon King.

“I’ll offer the prayer. But there may be no response.”

Still, it’s worth a try.

I clasped my hands and prayed. I explained the current situation to the Lord.

In truth, He probably already knows. In truth, He’s probably not even curious.

I knew that well. I haven’t entrusted any wishes to Him, and there’s no reason for Him to grant my desires.

I saw Him, far away in the distance. But He didn’t answer.

A believer can’t demand an answer from their god. Since He didn’t answer, I could only retreat. I finished my prayer and sighed.

“Your Majesty. It seems that will be difficult…”

A surprised expression. A flustered voice. Gasps from all around.

All of that—I couldn’t see it. I couldn’t hear it. As if someone had taken all the colors of the world, suddenly everything else appeared in black and white.

Except for those two colors, no one could retain their own hue. His Majesty, Roka, Lady Kisea—all appeared in black and white.

Well, I knew this would happen someday. My eyes shattered into fragments, yet I could still see clearly. I knew I’d go blind someday. It seems it starts with color blindness.

Even if I’ve gained the ability to see beyond light, I’ve lost the ability to see light itself. I’ve gained an otherworldly vision, but in exchange, I’ve lost my human sight. It’s sad, because it means I’m gradually becoming something less human.

Thinking that, I looked down and saw that my arms still had color. My clothes still had color. In a world where everyone had lost their color, only I retained mine.

-Apostle.

As if it had swallowed all the colors, with every breath, multicolored light softly spread around. I know that being. Their appearance hasn’t changed.

It’s just that before, I could only see the surface, not the essence.

Now, I can see a little more. It’s not that they’ve changed—it’s that I have.

-Created Apostle. Have you found the answer?

Above all, only one among the many angels calls me that.

The Lord’s messenger, the Angel of Light, has come to me once more. This time, not in a dream. They’ve descended directly into this reality.