Chapter 175
Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Raphael
‘Raphael.’
How could I not know that name?
‘One of the archangels representing Christianity.’
The name means God’s medicine.
Or God’s healing.
An archangel with the power to heal and cure human diseases, true to its meaning.
‘I thought I’d seen it somewhere—it’s the form of the angel described in the Bible.’
The common image of angels is divine humans with wings.
But the Bible more often depicts them in extraordinary forms—rarely human, usually highly unique and intimidating.
‘The Ophanim in the Bible appears as wheels covered in multiple eyes.’
This one has what seems like an infinite number.
All burning with pure white flames, though as their leader, it might differ slightly.
“Humans really rub you the wrong way, huh.”
I voiced my curiosity at the palpable hatred.
Of course, I already knew the answer.
『You were born from God’s grace, vast as the sea, and promised eternal bliss in the Garden of Eden. He recognized the first human as His child, granting dominion over all creatures and bestowing the name Adam.』
The primordial human, Adam.
『Yet he shielded the foolish woman swayed by the serpent’s tongue and cast himself out of eternal paradise. Greatly angered, He awaited their plea for mercy. But they merely multiplied and forgot paradise.』
From the tale I heard upon meeting him, the Creator despised humanity.
『God’s second child was cherished as part of Himself. His holy glory shone eternally behind him, filling eons with splendor—yet he bore sin for the spawn of unworthy sinners, betraying His Father’s hopes.』
His loathing ran so deep He imposed original sin and humanity’s most gruesome death.
If the Creator hated humans, His angels—His hands and feet—would too. Their reaction now proved it.
『Since that day, the Almighty God has sunk into despair, withholding even His voice from us. At the thought of His anguish and torment, wrought by you, even flames engulfing the world in terror would not quench. Our hatred endures until the stars fade or He covenants forgiveness.』
“I see.”
The wheel churned.
『But you are different. A wolf in sheep’s clothing.』
“What do you mean?”
『Your right eye harbors a mad clown peddling frenzy and laughter in dance. Flesh-bound humans would choke on its antics—so no human blood courses through you.』
The eyes on the spinning wheel blazed fiercer.
『Your left eye flutters with the robes of arrogant judges defying fate—a false messiah aping heaven, luring humans with sulfur flames and paradise unmade by God. Yet these are robes no human can don.』
Raphael indicated my chest.
『In your bosom lies a mongrel infused with the power of filthy vermin, forged by God’s sword—our beloved shepherd, the brightest star plunged into abyssal dark. A grotesque affair.』
A piercing sensation stabbed through my soul.
『Within lingers the trace of the first human: he who pitied the woman from his rib, betrayed God, forsook paradise for self-imposed penance, wandered ignorant of His sacred will, and endured eternal torment.』
The spinning wheel halted.
『How can this be called human?』
“First impressions are always disputed, so no complaints here.”
『Abhorrent hybrid, denial scathes not the stench. However...』
The grandest eye curved softly.
『I acknowledge you. In the beginning, God crafted the world; myriad irreverents coveted His work. Beneath His vigilant gaze, evils eyed the primordial creation.』
Clear benevolence.
『While God slumbered not, evils dared not assail it. But in His silence, like ravenous goats, they encroached the sacred realm. Crumbs from their forms birthed more evils, worms infested—His creation, though beautiful, grew perilously frail.』
An angel’s favor toward a human like me.
『Yet you safeguarded His creation from them time and again. Praise, worship, devotion, burnt offering to Him—truly faithful.』
Not for saving humans.
For preserving the Creator’s world.
‘Unlike Eastern Hell.’
There, transcendent involvement blocks merit accrual.
Here, no merit system—saving the world merits recognition, transcendent ties or not.
『Though evil nests in your bosom, you qualify to cross heaven’s gate.』
“What’s your heaven like?”
『Humans treading our heaven know no rage, hatred, sorrow, or greed. No death, no aging, no pain, no vexation. Only boundless grace and praise for God, eternally hymning Him.』
Sounds dull.
“I’ll mull heaven. Not dead yet. But I crave answers to curiosities.”
『How to escape this false purgatory?』
“No.”
Word was the Creator silent, angels inactive.
Strike now, or who knows when next an angel?
“Cosmology says the universe exploded from a tiny point at the start. Thoughts?”
Big Bang theory.
Evolution.
Dinosaurs.
Sundry sciences the Bible can’t explain.
“Vastly differs from God’s creation. Truth intrigues.”
Prime chance—can’t waste it.
“Enemy at U-hyun! Defense systems, activate!”
Aided by Kim Mi-ri, the Foundation’s ascent to Flat Earth met fierce resistance.
“Damn! Flying saucer UFOs! Peace treaty with the Greys, though!?”
“No! Check the mark! Nazi-made!”
“Nazis with UFOs?!”
Foes were formidable.
Fanatic-forged high-tech arsenal; combat prowess the Foundation couldn’t dismiss lightly.
“This ain’t working!”
“Shit! Anti-grav offline too!?”
Their chief peril: faith.
Flat Earth belief clashed with rival physics, crippling 90% of airship functions.
“Lizard spawn incoming again!”
“Ugh! Real reptilians are smart, meek, peaceful—these freaks what?!”
Shields failed.
Auto-repair failed.
Intruder teleporter failed.
“Grraaawr! Blood vengeance begins!”
“Reptilians don’t laugh like that! Normal laughs!”
“You truth-deniers know squat!”
“I got a reptilian buddy, y’know!?”
Their tech defied believers’ physics.
“Behold OOPArts essence from ultrancient tech!”
“OOPArts? Hoax! Or misinterpretation!”
Battle dragged, Foundation yielding ground.
“Whew, hectic.”
『We losing?』
Kim Go-dok and Shin Young-moon, hunkered for breath, conferred.
“Prepping one-shot camp-blaster barrage.”
『Oh! Anti-grav cannon? That work?』
“Ella’s crew centering it—near success. Promising.”
『Hm.』
Kim eyed Shin’s pensive look.
“You planning to use your power?”
『Delays doom us—world ends. Collateral-heavy, so I’ve held back. But apocalypse looms; no quibbling. Fail, my deepest apologies.』
“No, spot on. Unleash it.”
Shin shut his eyes.
Power triggered—inner realm.
‘What I love ain’t mahjong.’
Core ability: inner shadow mahjong win boosts luck by hand complexity.
Rigorous honing unlocked true might.
‘What I love is...’
Gambling.
Mahjong didn’t ruin him.
That parlor was an illegal den; gambling hooked him.
“Ah, pinch absolute!”
Shadow at inner table welcomed.
“Overcome crisis? Bet type?”
『Dice odd-even, then over-under.』
“Hit parity, then half-plus or not?”
『Yup. Bet even, over.』
Two dice.
Even sum and 8+ to win.
“Dual stakes—success yields quadruple luck quadrupling.”
『Wait, scratch that.』
Shin aborted.
‘Enough?’
Quad luck might reboot mere functions.
‘War victory demands grander fortune!’
Shin altered.
『...Bet switch. Exact number, single die: 14.』
“Max wager. Success: finest outcome possible, totals irrelevant. Fail...』
Shadow grinned.
“Direst calamity strikes.”
『Roll.』
“Dealer’s your servant.”
Shadow rolled.
Shin inhaled deep.
‘Please, please!’
Dice settled.
7, 7.
Sum: 14.
『Nailed it!』
“Lucky devil. Congrats.”
Shadow dissolved.
“Savory luck awaits.”
Peeping Kim Go-dok queried.
“Over?”
『Yep! Success!』
Airship shuddered.
Massive laser lanced groundward.
『Anti-grav cannon fired true.』
Ground pulverized—foe base unscathed.
“...Shoulda gone bigger?”
『Huh?』
Shin protested.
『Max bet, though?』
『Thus false creator’s realm fused with God’s creation. History rewrote; false genesis rooted the world. Result unchanged, He left it be.』
Raphael chat: delightful.
『Myriad God-mimics envied this world, etching marks. A reeking one coveted life, seeding power in flesh depths—sparking evolution, veiling God’s forms. Souls unaltered, He cared not.』
Big Bang theory.
Evolution theory.
『Dinosaurs: regrettable. Purpose was...』
Even dinosaurs.
『...till they vanished from Earth.』
I wiped involuntary tears.
‘Thanks, Pachycephalosaurus.’
Heroic, Triceratops.
Sacrifice outshone stars, Megalodon.
Noble vanquished, Brachiosaurus.
‘Tyrannosaurus, greed o’erdid it.’
Dino era’s secret.
‘Eternal vault.’
More queries beckoned—no time.
『No heaven crossing? I depart. False purgatory burns.』
“Burns away—what of me?”
Raphael faded.
Darkness ignited white flame.
『Exit as entered.』
Regained senses: kneeling at ritual site.
“Mayhem central.”
Ceiling breach: UFO swarm.
Buildings crumbled, fires roared, smoke choked.
Heat-borne papers fluttered to me.
[Underground Blueprint]
[Measures for Managing the Flower Garden Most Treasured by the Cult Leader]
[Flower Garden Elevator Blueprint]
[Flower Garden Elevator Password]
Flower garden, eh.
Cult leader, not chairman.
“Blueprints scream top priority.”
Time for a visit.