Chapter 384: Heaven and Hell
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 384: Heaven and Hell
“What is that… a statue? How…”
“It is a wooden statue carved directly from the World Tree. There were some complaints from the elves, but it was a necessary task.”
“…”
“We could not tolerate them daring to worship the World Tree. So we transformed it into a great and majestic statue of the magnificent Blood Dagger. It turned out to be more effective than I thought.”
For some reason, I could feel an immense sorrow emanating from that World Tree statue. It was likely the coalesced emotions of the elves. Come to think of it, I saw quite a few elves dressed in priestly robes. Most of the elves remaining here were favorable to us Green Skins, but to see them change their religious beliefs showed me that Baek Ahyeon had built an empire far grander than I had imagined.
“This is insane… Is this place really heaven?”
“Many of the faithful call it so. This is paradise, Ms. Choi Seulgi.”
“I really want to live here…”
“You are, of course, welcome. We will provide you with the best possible room. From my own room, you can see the entire Temple City at a glance. Heh heh. I shall invite you later.”
“You… you promise?”
“Of course.”
Listening to their conversation, I couldn’t help but realize my prediction was correct. The two of them got along better than I expected. They just hadn’t had a proper conversation yet.
“It looks so alive. Really… if I could, I’d want one for my home…”
“There are special wooden statues distributed only to high priests. Normally, one must reach a certain level, but…”
“Can you give me one?”
“Yes, of course. We have various goods—no, holy artifacts. The poses and colors vary depending on their intended use, so it would be faster for you to see them for yourself. I will let you have whichever one you desire.”
“Thank you.”
Unless I misheard, she definitely said “goods.” Baek Ahyeon’s fangirling was on a whole other level. Even to my eyes, the statue carved from the World Tree was absurdly magnificent. To be precise, it looked like my form after merging with Mistilteinn. As I stared closely at the statue and muttered quietly, Baek Ahyeon’s excited voice immediately rang out.
“Mistilteinn?”
“You… you recognized it! O Savior! Yes! Th-this statue was created in awe of the Savior’s form as you performed miracles after becoming one with Mistilteinn!”
She was overly excited.
“Oh… you’re right. That stem-like tail…”
“I knew you would recognize it too, Ms. Choi Seulgi.”
“But hasn’t it only been a year?”
“Yes. In truth, we modified the statue that was originally in its place. The artisans and technicians struggled, but creating such a majestic work of art requires sacrifice. They were all paid handsomely, so it was likely a good thing for them as well. Of course, the mobilized Japanese…”
The emotions clustered on that one side must belong to the Japanese.
“I see…”
In fact, the World Tree statue wasn’t the only thing to see. Statues of me stood tall throughout the city.
“The statue you see over there is made of gold. I was inspired by the sight of the Savior wielding Gram, the Sword of Sorrow.”
“Ah…”
“The Savior’s appearance at that moment shone brighter than anyone else, so I thought gold was the most fitting material.”
“It’s too far away to get a good sense of it… how big is it?”
“You will be shocked when you see it up close. As it happens, there is a statue near the temple, so let us go see it.”
“Okay.”
It wasn't just Baek Ahyeon. Choi Seulgi was also incredibly excited. It felt like I was watching the faces of fanatics arriving in Akihabara.
“Inside the temple, there are various artifacts, records, and masterpieces depicting the Savior’s anecdotes, but I don’t think we’ll have time to show you everything.”
“There are paintings, too?”
“Yes, there are paintings. We tried various styles, but the Romanticism that was popular in old Western Europe seemed to suit him best, so we focused our work in that direction. There are paintings in other styles, but these are by far the most popular.”
“I… I want to see one.”
“You will likely be able to see one on the way.”
As we slowly walked on, a massive painting began to come into view. No, it was closer to a mural. The painting, which filled an entire wall, looked not just grand, but holy.
“Wow…”
- The Savior Reaching Out to a Lowly Follower.
That was the title of the painting. It depicted me catching Baek Ahyeon as she fell from the sky, but my appearance was clearly beautified. I wasn’t that handsome. The humans around us looked like demons. In the midst of a bloody, flesh-splattering war, the man and woman holding hands seemed to be a good match. As I was once again marveling at my painted face, a completely unexpected comment came from Choi Seulgi.
“Hmm… I think he’s even more handsome in person…”
“Yes, I think so too. We went through several revisions, but it was impossible to capture the Savior’s sacred aura. The first Japanese man commissioned for this piece, for the crime of insulting the Savior’s face…”
“The crime of insulting his face?”
“Was torn to death.”
“He deserved it. If he drew it even worse than this…”
“…”
In other words, this work had already been revised several times. The first person to take on the project was Japanese, and to be torn to death for the crime of insulting my face… there could be no death more pitiful. He must have been skilled enough to boldly take on the challenge, but who would have known the result would be the end of his life?
Just as Baek Ahyeon boasted, the painting’s depiction was incredible. To be honest, I had never seen a painting of this quality even on Earth. Of course, that was to be expected. The people who painted this…
‘They painted with their lives on the line.’
It was a work of art born on the boundary between life and death, so it was no surprise it was of this quality. As I stood there with my mouth agape, I heard Choi Seulgi’s voice.
“If… if you have any spares, c-could you… give me one?”
“…”
“Is that not possible?”
“That is difficult. Unlike the mass-produced statues, these paintings hold great religious value… especially since many of them contain stories related to me… If even one were to go missing, it would be a bit…”
“Ah…”
“However, I can introduce you to the artist. It would be possible for you to get a painting to your liking, Ms. Choi Seulgi. He is working on another piece right now, but I can have him give you his turn.”
“Really?!”
“Yes. For a comrade, something like that is simple.”
“I wonder what I should ask for…”
Baek Ahyeon’s bright smile and Choi Seulgi’s visibly brightening expression. I couldn’t help but think that their meeting could be even more dangerous than Ratga and Wanhee’s.
“However, you must not kill him, even if you don’t like it. He is the most talented one we have here. I’ve only just realized that the rumor about Japanese people being good at drawing is a lie.”
It was just that Baek Ahyeon’s standards were too high.
“And you must guarantee his sleeping hours. The last one collapsed from exhaustion a few days ago. Of course, we got him right back up, but… it seems that rushing things doesn’t produce a good work of art.”
“Right… it would be good to provide some rest time.”
“It must be that his faith is still lacking. If he had faith, he would not collapse while painting a masterpiece.”
“…”
If I weren’t Blood Dagger, I would have gotten out of this place immediately. Contrary to Baek Ahyeon’s somewhat brutal words, the faces of those living in this temple looked incredibly happy.
Of course, that was probably because there were no Japanese people here.
The followers of Baek Ahyeon and the elves all had smiles blooming on their faces. Eventually, my curiosity got the better of me, and I quietly spoke.
“How are the followers living here?”
“Ah! Everything is free. They find their own work to do and offer prayers. When it is mealtime, they eat the freely distributed food together and then pray again. Of course, they can also order what they want separately. The elves tend to order vegetables. The same goes for the elves who are on the front lines, protecting our lands. Many priests are deployed, and various forms of support are provided. There have been no fierce battles, but we have yet to suffer a single casualty. It is all thanks to the Savior.”
At Baek Ahyeon’s words, Choi Seulgi muttered.
“It really is heaven…”
“It is all thanks to the Savior. There is no suffering here.”
It was only natural.
If you wanted to work, you could work. If you wanted to play, you played. If you wanted to eat something, you ate it. This Temple City was, quite literally, a paradise.
“What about defenses against invasion?”
“Naturally, we have them. Without strength, we cannot protect anything. The Savior’s holy army is prepared to lay down their lives at any moment. You will be astonished when you see them with your own eyes. The entire force is composed of believers who can wield divine power. They are Holy Knights.”
I had to admit that I had been underestimating the military power Baek Ahyeon held in the East.
It felt like a stock I had bought long ago had snowballed and finally arrived. It wasn’t just the countless pieces of fan merch; she had been steadily developing this Temple City. And to a frightening degree.
Dong!
Dong!
Dong!
At the sudden ringing of a bell, I glanced at Baek Ahyeon, and she spoke again.
“Ah! It is mealtime.”
It seemed evening was already approaching.
“When it is mealtime, everyone gathers at a designated place to pray before having their meal of gratitude.”
“A designated place?”
“Yes. A designated place. It was the believer Lee Wanyong’s idea. They don’t necessarily have to gather there, but everyone tends to eat together.”
I was becoming very curious. I turned my head slightly and could see a group that had just finished praying to me and was now beginning their meal. Smiles bloomed on everyone’s faces.
“Is that place also a designated location?”
“Yes, it is.”
I didn’t need to hear the answer to why they ate in designated places; I could see it with my own eyes. The sight of them gathering leftover food scraps and dumping them onto the floor came into view. The scraps that fell to the floor passed through the magically treated ground and dropped into the basement below.
“Those above cannot see below, but those below can see above. The wicked demons who lack faith all live in the underground city, eating the food scraps that fall. Even that will be far from enough for them.”
In other words, in the hell unfolding underground right now, they could hear and see the sounds of these people laughing and chatting. It wasn’t just the meals. They were watching everything—the beautiful city and the faces of those living happy, comfortable lives. It was no wonder the elves had converted.
Only then did I begin to see what I hadn’t before. The corners of the elves’ mouths, as they threw food waste and filth onto the floor, were clearly turned up in a smile. Their eyes, I could now see, were filled with the same madness as Baek Ahyeon’s.
“Can you check the situation below if you want to?”
“Of course. The elves, perhaps because of their thirst for revenge, mostly wish to see the Japanese below. We also have various welfare programs related to vengeance. The most popular is the right of summary execution, which allows them to tear apart anyone they dislike.”
“Below is…”
“It is likely a scene of utter chaos.”
I could have confirmed it by channeling magic into my eyes, but I didn’t particularly want to right now. After all, it was already decided that I would enter the underground city once.
‘Fuck… this is so fucking cruel…’
I was the one who had requested the design, but the city that had been completed was even more demonic than I had imagined.
Even I had to admit, it was an incredibly cruel city.
Literally heaven and hell. I didn’t need to be told what the situation below was like. Before long, I felt a massive amount of sorrow pouring into me.
“The cursed demons who cannot be saved are likely looking up at this place, bitterly regretting their past actions.”
“I see.”
A far greater amount than I expected was flowing in. It was only natural that I wanted to see the situation below for myself. I quietly spoke to Baek Ahyeon.
“Can I go in?”
“We can enter right now.”
Experiencing it once probably wouldn’t hurt.