Chapter 268: I’m Coming to See You Now (5)
Chapter 268: I’m Coming to See You Now (5)
A long, long time ago.
Before Righteous Light ever met the First Priestess, who looked so much like Helena.
Back when Righteous Light was not yet called Righteous Light.
The first thing the mass of light saw upon gaining self-awareness was… a lion hunting a water buffalo.
Looking back, it was an age of barbarism.
When the law of the jungle reigned supreme over all other laws, and survival was the only thing that mattered, how could one not consider it barbaric?
But for the mass of light that had just opened its eyes, such a judgment was impossible.
Ah, so this is what the world is like. To survive, one must kill and devour another.
Accepting the scene before it as the natural order, the mass of light found the lion to be a truly captivating creature.
Its massive frame. Its flowing mane. Its sharp teeth. And the strength to be the hunter, never the hunted.
The mass of light wanted to be like the lion. And so, it became one.
By mere will alone, the mass of light took the form of a lion and, from that day forward, became the ruler of the region.
It hunted every fierce beast in sight until everyone either fled at the mere sight of its eyes or crawled on the ground, exposing their bellies in submission.
It was smarter than any predator, wielded a mysterious power that no one else could touch, and never grew old or frail.
What a wondrous existence it was.
To the surrounding tribes, for whom life had become much easier now that the predators were gone, it must have seemed like a god.
It was then that the radiant lion met its First Priestess.
“You’re the lion the people here worship as a god, right? Let’s make a deal.”
A body as large as a house and claws as sharp as blades. Added to that was the overwhelming pressure exuded by a higher being whose very origin was different.
Everything that had forced even the fiercest beasts to roll onto their backs and made humans bow of their own accord failed to work on the girl before it.
Instead, her eyes simply sparkled with delight.
“Mhm, mhm. With this much power, you really wouldn't have any rivals, would you?”
The radiant lion was flabbergasted. This creature, who looked like she would die from a single flick of its paw, neither feared nor worshipped it.
But that was precisely why its interest was piqued.
Piqued enough to clumsily mimic the language of the humans who had previously offered up pathetic prey as sacrifices.
—Growl! A deal… what kind?
“You really can communicate!”
Mixed with a growl, the voice sounded threatening at first listen, but all that mattered to the girl was that conversation was possible.
“It’s simple! I’m going to change this world. Help me do it!”
—Change it?
“That’s right! A world where people don’t oppress others just because they have power, where they don’t devour neighboring tribes just because they’re hungry, and where they don’t deceive others for their own gain! That’s the kind of world I’m going to make!”
—…….
“With you and me, I know we can do it!”
Even to the radiant lion, which had never ventured beyond the plains, it was clear the girl’s words were a pipe dream.
After all, the world the lion knew was a brutal arena—a struggle of all against all.
However.
That brilliant blonde hair that resembled the sun. Those eyes as clear as jewels. The joyful smile hanging on the girl’s lips.
They stirred the lion’s heart.
It found the sight of the girl dreaming of an ideal to be beautiful. It deemed it more wondrous than any hunt.
And so, instead of a flat refusal, it searched for a reason to accept.
—If it is a deal, there must be something for me to gain. What can you give me?
“Everything I am. And I’ll make you the god of this new world.”
The girl reached out a small hand. The lion didn’t know what the gesture meant… but somehow, it felt like it should respond in kind, so it extended a forepaw.
The large paw and the small hand overlapped as one.
From then on, the radiant lion followed the girl as they wandered across the world.
Sometimes they used force to subjugate, and sometimes they used words to persuade, establishing rules in a world that previously had no constraints.
Occasionally, they fought others who were worshipped as gods, but they also became friends.
Many followers flocked to them, but many envious enemies arose as well.
Working alongside the girl was by no means easy, yet those days were profoundly satisfying.
It was perhaps not so strange that Righteous Light began to take after the girl.
How much time had passed since then? Before they knew it, everyone had begun to clearly distinguish between what should be done and what should not.
The boundaries had moved beyond mere religious taboos and were being called social norms.
The girl and the lion had drawn a line of virtue in a world where no such boundaries existed.
It was around that time that the radiant lion began to be called by the grand name of Righteous Light.
It was also then that the nebulous power of faith began to sublimate Righteous Light into an even higher existence, allowing her to share her power with others.
But the girl was slowly dying.
Her brilliant blonde hair lost its color and turned white, and her sparkling eyes would occasionally lose their focus.
No matter how much power Righteous Light shared, she could not stop the flow of time.
Even as an old woman facing death, the girl smiled boldly. Just like the day they first met.
“It’s a bit of a shame, but this is as far as I go. Can I leave the rest to you?”
—…Yes. Always.
Was it because of that final promise? Or was it that, surprisingly, being a god suited her?
Righteous Light continued to strive to do what was right even after the girl’s death.
From the moment one of the girl’s disciples unified the tribes to found a kingdom, to the present day where that kingdom was called an Empire.
Up until the moment her mere followers built grand structures and established doctrines, becoming what was known as the Church.
Righteous Light loved her believers, she loved the world, and she loved the divine name they called her by.
That was why, even as her physical body—unable to move as she wished—was being stained by malice, she continued to remind herself.
No matter how fierce her hatred for evil became, she would not cross the line.
Because she was Righteous Light.
Even if she was angry at her own helplessness, she would not use it as an excuse to compromise.
Because she was Righteous Light.
It was she who had taught them to be angry at injustice but not to be consumed by violence. It was she who had taught them not to foist their own despair onto others.
Beyond that, it was she who had defined countless taboos to draw a line away from the age of barbarism.
So, wouldn't it be pathetic to break the very rules she had created?
Righteous Light had lived as Righteous Light until now, and she would continue to do so.
…But she couldn't help her heart growing weak.
No matter how much she reflected on the past and defined herself, the divine power being corrupted from within was steadily eating away at her.
How much longer could she hold out? Which would run out first: her sanity, or the holy power maintaining the barrier?
She was used to battles where blood sprayed and bones shattered, but this silent struggle was a first.
Suddenly, a certain human she had been watching came to mind. A child who always produced results that exceeded her imagination.
But even so, it would likely be difficult for Yandel to appear like magic and perform a miracle this time.
She didn't know how they had deployed it so quickly, but once a Fallen Ritual was completed, it wasn't something that could be easily stopped.
If that were possible, Soaring Blue wouldn't have fallen, and Clara wouldn't be isolated in the fortress.
Righteous Light let out a small chuckle and lifted her head.
The chapel was as dark as the night sky. In its center, she saw her own towering statue.
The silhouette of a lion, cast in deep shadow.
*
“No matter how I look at it, this seems like a Fallen Ritual.”
The holy knights’ holy power recovery had suddenly been cut off. On top of that, they said they felt an inexplicable sense of emptiness and suffocation….
In H&A, this was a sort of warning line.
A warning that a Fallen Ritual was in progress, and that you were fucked, so you’d better prepare yourself.
To think they’d sacrifice several Bishops and an Archbishop to force the ritual to completion.
It would have been better if they’d caused an explosion or summoned a powerful monster or executive. At least those could be dealt with, however difficult.
But did she think there was a solution just because I recognized the nature of the veil? Iona’s expression brightened significantly.
“What is it, what is it? Does that mean you know how to break it, Student Yandel? What do you need me to do?”
“I do know the method to break it… the problem is, we can’t actually pull it off.”
A completed Fallen Ritual causes dimensional severance and distortion.
It cuts off the holy power and faith flowing from god to believer, or believer to god.
After that, the essence of the Fallen Ritual is to inject false faith into the vessel to corrupt a Good God into an Evil God.
To put it simply, it’s kidnapping, confinement, brainwashing, and corruption.
The spells Nana and Iona fired were likely all transferred to wherever Righteous Light’s true body was. Or perhaps they were tossed beyond a dimensional rift.
The reason the holy knights’ attacks seemed to work at least a little was because they clashed with the holy power of Reckless Roar being injected during the process.
If so, the answer was simple. You had to hammer it with a massive amount of holy power at maximum output.
By momentarily neutralizing the holy power of Reckless Roar and creating a hole in the ritual, the Fallen Ritual—its prerequisites shattered—would collapse uncontrollably.
“But with the holy power recovery cut off, it would be impossible even if we brought Lady Gertrude here.”
I let out a heavy sigh after saying that.
It would have been better if it were a lack of health or mana. There were plenty of recovery methods like blessings or potions for those.
The reason I was so full of energy right now, despite having gone through a fierce battle, was because I was being healed even at this very moment.
But holy power can only be recovered by receiving it from a god. Now that the connection with the god was severed….
“……Huh?”
I tilted my head while explaining to Iona.
What did I just say I was using to recover?
With a dazed feeling, as if something was just within my grasp, I looked up.
I saw Iona’s grim face and the discouraged holy knights. And in the distance, monsters were rushing toward us, drawn by the commotion of battle.
I adjusted my grip on my staff and spoke.
“I’m not sure if it’ll work… but I’ve thought of something I want to test.”
So, I needed them to buy me some time.