Chapter 54
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 54
Chapter Title: It's the Worst.
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“Does the temple know they’re innocent?”
“We’ve already received multiple reports. They’re all devout believers, so there’s no reason for them to lie to us, and that’s why we believe it.”
“Then why send someone there again?”
Even though they already knew the truth there.
Why send someone anyway?
Such doubts naturally arose.
“Shan, what we need isn’t the truth.”
“...What?”
“If they’ve undergone a demon worshipper’s ritual, they all must be purified by fire.”
A trace of bitterness lingered in the priest’s eyes.
That made it all the more repulsive.
He knew those words were extreme, something no true believer should utter, yet he said them anyway.
Still, I couldn’t bring myself to get angry because I already knew what he was about to say.
“The very existence of innocent demon worshippers unrelated to demons must never be known.”
“Because their existence itself is a danger.”
“Exactly. Imagine how people would react if they learned even one innocent person was mixed in among the demon worshippers.”
The priest smiled wryly yet stated his opinion boldly.
“Shan, you know this, don’t you? Demon worshippers have infiltrated the capital, and an entire city was swallowed before. Even now, with demon worshippers branded as evil, these incidents keep happening. If the public learned there are innocents among them, what chaos would ensue? If people started feeling sympathy for them? And if the demon worshippers exploited that—what kind of hell would unfold then?”
“So innocent demon worshippers shouldn’t exist in this world.”
“Yes.”
The priest answered firmly.
“That’s why we seek not the truth, but a lie to eliminate these innocent demon worshippers.”
“A priest saying such things.”
“We believe in God, but we’re only human—how could we be perfect? If committing one evil preserves hundreds of goods, then we must do it.”
“Conviction?”
“My own conviction.”
He framed it as his personal belief, not the temple’s.
“Then why send Ellie there specifically?”
“Innocent demon worshippers shouldn’t exist in the world, but Ellie was different. She’s quite pretty, isn’t she? Her aura was ambiguous due to her inner energy, but she seemed closer to an ordinary person than a demon worshipper, so we gave her a chance.”
“A chance.”
His voice was kindly, but the content was utterly cold.
The ‘chance’ meant Ellie’s fate would be decided by how she handled this.
The temple already had intel on the place.
There was no need to send her to extract it.
Yet they did—to test her.
“Disgusting.”
“Is there anything more foolish in the human world than chasing purity?”
Words no believer in God should say flowed out all too naturally.
However.
I couldn’t call the priest before me corrupt, let alone evil.
“Shan.”
“What?”
“I heard you’re heading out on the subjugation operation.”
“Yeah.”
“Come back safely.”
I looked at the kind-faced priest.
His eyes weren’t smiling.
“Is there truly no other way?”
“No.”
Kill them all.
That was the greatest mercy I could offer.
“Having their skin peeled off alive, strung up in the square for stoning, then burned... Better I send them off cleanly and painlessly with my own hands.”
“What about running away?”
“Then I’d be the one skinned, stoned, and burned.”
I’m no saint; I had no intention of enduring such horrors.
If these people all fled, I’d regret it, but I’d have to steel myself.
“Don’t you still have a day until the five-day mark?”
“But waiting another day won’t change anything.”
“...Then, since you won’t use the full five days as promised, will you give me the remaining day?”
“...Yes, accepting death suddenly isn’t easy.”
“Exactly.”
“I’ll give you one day—exactly until this time tomorrow. But don’t try to run. I’d have to get ruthless then.”
“We knew this day would come when the temple discovered us.”
The village chief accepted the situation calmly.
As if he’d long been waiting for this day.
I left the chief’s house.
A village I’d stayed in for just four days.
I hadn’t grown attached, and not a single day had been peaceful.
The villagers’ grotesque appearances and auras made my stomach churn; I’d wanted nothing more than to leave quickly.
Yet now that it came to this, my heart felt heavy.
Like a lump of iron weighing it down.
As I walked the mountain path, people greeted me warmly, but I didn’t respond once.
Why were these people so unguarded?
Did they even grasp their situation?
Was keeping this a secret really right?
Frustration built with no clear answers.
I wouldn’t sleep tonight.
I was tired, but guilt weighed heavier.
It wasn’t my first kill, nor my first innocent.
Why was my resolve crumbling now?
I felt pathetic.
“Maybe...”
Am I claiming it’s for their sake when really I’m just picking the simplest solution to avoid headaches?
Maybe there’s a better way.
Such thoughts filled my head.
“Once this is over, instead of the capital... maybe just live alone in the mountains.”
Trying to blend in despite my nature only led to messes like this.
Knowing I’m a walking nuisance yet craving company—wasn’t that my ugly selfishness?
I grabbed my sword and headed to the cave stairs.
I knew if they tried to flee, they’d have to use those stairs—so I’d guard them.
Ideally, I should’ve refused the chief’s request for extra time.
If he blabbed, I’d be in trouble.
Even if they knew nothing of fighting, sheer numbers could overwhelm me; if they escaped, the blame would fall on me.
I knew all that, yet I granted it.
Reckless.
Stupid.
No helping it.
Clutching my sword, I leaned against the cave wall and sat.
I crushed a crawling bug under my finger.
Closed my eyes, let time pass.
After today, nine days left.
Maybe sooner.
Sounds came.
People gathering somewhere.
They bustled about.
Smoke rose from the mountaintop.
A signal fire.
Signaling someone.
Should I stop it?
Unclear, so I did nothing.
Soon, the chief approached me.
He asked for two days.
Promised no fleeing, no trouble for me.
I allowed it.
I needed time to prepare my heart too.
Even if that signal was some trick, if so, my guilt would vanish—and that’d be fine.
I stayed awake through the sleepless night.
Movement below the cave stairs.
Families of the villagers.
They brought food, stayed, talked with their kin.
Then I understood.
This was farewell.
Last words before death, final meeting.
Some gazes held resentment toward me, but more pity.
Why look at me that way?
I was the villain massacring innocents—deserving scorn, not sympathy.
Yet they pitied me.
Hard to grasp, sleep evaded me; on the second day, even more came.
No lavish food due to drought hardships.
But sharing meals with family seemed joy enough.
As if it were their last.
They talked through the night—calmly, sadly, angrily, joyfully.
This was the mountain folk’s funeral.
Some families approached, pressing copper coins into my hand, pleading earnestly.
“He suffered terribly from illness... Please, make his end painless.”
I had no words for them.
They knew what I’d do next.
Yet they asked anyway.
They knew too.
That this life wouldn’t last.
And the end was near, so all adorned it their way.
Two sleepless nights, yet no sleep came.
The second day the chief requested waned.
Yesterday, four jumped off the cliff to spare me trouble—selfishly, perhaps.
Of 153 villagers, 149 remained.
They gathered, watching me.
My words to them were meaningless.
“...I’ll try to make it painless.”
I drew my sword.
“Close your eyes.”
Toward the chief first.
Most accepted death; some trembled in fear.
Cries echoed on the mountain; the accepting held the fearful’s hands.
“...Sorry.”
I swung.
Repeated.
After 149 swings.
A massive pool of blood formed, sticky with a foul stench; both blades in my hands were ruined.
I wanted to collapse.
It hurt.
But not over.
Left like this, their bodies would be desecrated.
I hoisted corpses.
Blood and filth soaked me; I ignored it.
One by one.
Into the chief’s house, set it ablaze with them inside.
Crackling—the burning house; I covered my face with both hands.
Only after all ended did nausea surge; I forced it down.
Bit my lip.
Really, it’s the worst.
Villain E → Villain F
Assassination Sword D → Assassination Sword C