#18 Episode. The Second Sin (1)
Five sins.
The worst villains who will either destroy or rule the kingdom in the future.
Pride, Greed, Envy, Wrath, and Sloth.
These five sins become antagonists contributing to the world’s destruction and are enemies the player must inevitably defeat.
Characters closely tied to the game’s ending; thus, they’re not easy to encounter casually. You’d only meet them if you follow the main storyline without any “coincidental” setups—or unless you’re extraordinarily unlucky or lucky.
“But why do I keep running into them?”
Is my luck just that bad? Should’ve asked the Dark King for a horoscope!
“Still, let’s say meeting them is fine.”
Why does it have to be these guys?
Evan stared uneasily at Pride among the bandits.
Pride—so majestic in the game, ruling like a king—now looked pitiful. Bound with ropes, it was unclear whether this was a prisoner or a slave.
At least if they were the leader, it wouldn’t be so awkward.
This was more dramatic than even Lapis’ first appearance.
“Hey! You there! Do you want the carriage destroyed?”
“Get out of there right now!”
Bang, bang.
Pride didn’t get much attention after that because the bandits started threatening Evan with their weapons and gear clanging against each other.
Thanks to No. 5 pulling the carriage, they couldn’t approach easily—but how long would that last?
Meanwhile, they all muttered prayers while clutching their necklaces, acting overly devout, as if they were worshippers of some deity.
“…These aren’t bandits. They’re heretics, right?”
They look like bandits, sure, but that’s simple—they’re half-right.
Fallen worshippers. People who live hiding from the empire’s eye. What else can they do besides illegal activities?
Beggars, mountain bandits, thieves, pirates—you name it.
Since they don’t get along with the sea, most stay in the mountains, robbing travelers or nobles, or invading villages. That’s their best option.
So, heretics and thieves are practically synonyms.
In fact, in areas where Bishop Blake resides, they’re known as the Green Mountain Chief. The problem is, there’s been no intel about them being here in this region—at least not in the original game… maybe things are different now.
“Man, my luck is really garbage.”
Why do I keep meeting people like this?
Just as Evan sighed deeply inside,
“Evan, Evan.”
Crunch, crunch.
Lapis, munching on cabbage, tugged at Evan’s sleeve.
“Should we kill those people?”
“…Don’t talk about killing. Please refrain from such violent language.”
“Nng.”
Ugh, gives me chills.
Evan patted Lapis’ head to calm her down. She glared slightly outside, clearly annoyed.
Hmm.
If she keeps this up, the heretics might all die off.
“Can’t let them all die though.”
Heretics are important—not to players, but to Arthur, an ally who gains valuable experience points from them.
Arthur, the knight of the Full Moon Sect, follows the will of the moon for a reason.
His only blood relative, his younger sister, became a priestess of the sect. She fell ill but was saved by divine possession from the moon deity.
To repay the grace received by his sister, Arthur wields his sword solely for the moon.
Sir Arthur Moraiter, Knight of the Full Moon.
However, it’s said that even after receiving divine power, the priestess continues to suffer. Other gods keep coveting her vessel.
That’s why Arthur has to kill all heretics—to save his sister.
“For her salvation.”
“Great sigh.”
What to do?
Kaboom!
“Hey!”
“Not gonna work. Will this heavy butt move just because the carriage catches fire?”
Probably not.
The sin of pride trapped among the heretics—how to extract them?
“Mmm…”
There’s an easy way.
Annihilate them all. Send a few golems and Lapis, and it’ll be done in no time.
If there were a bishop-level figure, they’d have overturned this carriage already.
But…
“I just don’t want to see it.”
Not because I’m a coward—it’s just that my stomach feels off today. Seriously.
“Evan, if you don’t feel like doing it, I’ll quietly take care of it.”
Lapis made soft sounds while playfully swinging her fists.
“I can handle it in one hit!”
“…Calm down, Lapis.”
No way. Lapis isn’t about restraint—she’d start with killing.
This is precious experience for our main helper who takes over story progression when Evan can’t. Let’s just subdue them.
“Let me handle it.”
More precisely, my golems will.
Evan swallowed his next words and tapped his staff on the ground. Feeling No. 5 moving, the golems composing his staff began to split apart.
Small golems.
Not just for carrying loads, they could also maneuver to exploit opponents’ weaknesses.
Right then,
Kuuuuuwwaaaaaa!
A terrifying roar froze everyone in place.
Fear.
Looking out the window, there stood an unnatural monstrosity.
“Oh wow.”
It was bigger than an average adult, probably several times thicker too.
Crazy.
What is that thing?
An internal organ monster?
Yuck!
Disgusting!
It looks like an orc with its skin peeled off. Bones overlapping exposed intestines.
“Ah, man. So scary.”
Golems might get dirty handling this.
Evan quietly sat back down.
We can’t capture this with golems. Sure, we could, but it’d get messy.
Best to use expendables, like grenades or magic powder.
“…Lapis.”
Evan wiped his face nervously.
“Could you assist me?”
“Yes.”
Lapis grinned widely. Her eyes shone redder than the bloody creature outside.
…Did I ask for help from the wrong person?
“That’s what I’ve been waiting for!”
Chirrrrrrr!
Spreading her hands, magical threads shot out everywhere. Silver strands spreading like spiderwebs. The door opened smoothly as Lapis slipped out of the carriage.
“What, what is that?”
“It’s just a kid! Kill her!”
“Repent and return to the embrace of God, child!”
-Rooooooar!
The heretics and the blood-colored monster charged.
Evan silently mourned inside.
After going through all the trouble to catch the sin, they’re attacking the sin itself. Technically, this should count as natural causes, right?
*
The fallen heretics.
Still somewhat famous within the empire, albeit for negative reasons.
“Believing in a lost god? Believing in any god is laughable.”
“Might as well believe in superstitions instead.”
Their influence weakened with each generation. Instead of growing stronger, they grew weaker, losing divine power and fading into obscurity.
Still, they had hope.
Bishop Blake.
Known as the Lord of Green Mountain, a former bandit turned regional ruler and one of the remaining leaders of the heretics. Many believed he could restore their past glory.
But even that reputation crumbled.
Just days ago.
Arthur, the Knight of the Full Moon.
The bloodthirsty paladin wiped out the mountain stronghold.
“Son, flee. Only you… only you are the hope.”
The bishop fought him and was incinerated violently. Barely clinging to life with only his heart left intact, the remaining forces scattered.
Some fled to other kingdoms,Others returned to the empire,And some became “mutants,” worshiping new gods.
Drake, son of Bishop Blake, decided to stay on the continent and plan a comeback. He sought cooperation from the Bluebeard Baron and the Alchemist’s Tower.
He handed over many precious artifacts:A skull emitting ‘Eternal Night Smoke,’ which only those with decent curse resistance could endure,‘Covetous Insects’ that consumed leftover flesh and grew rapidly,and ‘Undecaying Corpse Fragments’ that maintained skeletal forms and emitted constant stench.
While waiting, they noticed outsiders visiting.Though their identities were unknown, the sight of a carriage pulled by strange creatures suggested wealth.Thus, they decided to ambush.
Plan: Grab valuables quickly and run.
If things went south, they’d kill the captured slave as a last resort.
“Kkkkrraaaagh!”“Why, oh God, have you forsaken us?”
Before the brutal scene unfolded, everything seemed perfect.
Until the girl swung her hand, and thread-like projectiles sliced through the air. Those enhanced by divine power and capable of casting spells fell indiscriminately.
“Aaaaaargh!”
A blood-soaked heretic stepped forward.
His eyes flashed red.The power of wrath imbued through drugs. Though it drastically shortened lifespan, it amplified strength fueled by anger.
Effective against normal foes, perhaps.But their opponent was a girl born with the destiny of wrath.
Swish… snap!
The charging momentum faltered as one leg got cleanly severed. The heretic collapsed in a heap.
“My-my god… This can’t be…”
Drake watched in despair as longtime comrades, survivors of Arthur’s massacre, died meaninglessly.
At the hands of just one person!
“Why doesn’t God save us?”
Then, the bound slave spoke.
“God was supposed to save you, right?”
“…Yes. Our Lord will save us.”
“Really? Why?”
“Shut up, Spuer!”
Spuer ignored Drake’s reprimand.
“To God, you’re just plankton. Why bother with plankton?”
“…”
“If He cared, shouldn’t you have fled earlier or grown stronger?”
“…”
“Believing in something intangible leads to this.”
“You insolent brat! Our rituals are just magic with different names!”
“Gah!!!”
Drake shook his head wildly, confused by Spuer’s whispered words. Like thorns, they planted seeds of doubt in his mind.
Oh God! Why do you test me so?!
“I don’t believe in intangible things like your god. Instead, I can become tangible and give you power.”
“…What nonsense is this?”
“Untie me. Then I’ll show you. The power to slay the demon approaching you.”
The sin of pride.An unawakened child still.Yet untainted potential.Ready to bloom anytime, craving nourishment.Spuer’s sweet tone caused hesitation in Drake’s expression.
Then,
“Too noisy.”
Whiiiiirrrr! Snap!
“K-k-k-choke!”
Magic threads wrapped around Drake’s neck, lifting him high. Like a captured prey dangling limply. Yet considerate enough to avoid strangulation, binding him upward instead.
“Huh? What’s this?”
Spuer’s eyes widened.
“You have incredible power…”
“Noise.”
Snap!
“Kyaak!”
Spuer grabbed his forehead.A hard punch from Lapis.It hurt like hell.
“It hurts!”
“Yeah, that’s why I hit you.”
Lapis shrugged as she spoke.Spuer glared at her.
The moment their eyes met.They instantly realized.
“Ah.”“Ah?”
That they both carried ‘destiny.’
One destined for wrath,The other for pride.
Both fated to destroy the world.
“Huh? There’s another one like me?”
While Spuer’s eyes widened in shock,Lapis thought differently.
“Is this… coincidence?”
No way.Just like Evan found her (though unintentionally), did Spuer find them too?Once could be a coincidence, but twice isn’t.
This is inevitability.Perhaps even fate.
“Could all this have been predicted?”
To come all the way to this distant estate?
Creepy!The Goosebumps rising all over felt closer to excitement than fear.
“Evan, you’re amazing!”
In Lapis’ mind, enlightenment blossomed.
“So you planned all this!”
Of course, Evan.The sole savior who stopped the endless fate, exclusively for Lapis.Looking at the carriage.
The gaze watching her from inside felt like a deity granting purpose to a follower.
“Yeah, I understand, Evan. Your will.”
Lapis nodded firmly and approached Spuer.She knew what to do.
“I need to enlighten this kid about true destiny.”
Playing on the world-ending fate under Evan’s grand plan.The massive flow of destiny Lapis herself hadn’t fully grasped yet.
To offer the honor of joining here.
