The Forgotten God
"Our holy god desires it! You sinners! Join the holy war! Wash away your past sins and set foot in the heavens..."
What the fuck, that's some next-level bullshit! How the hell are religious fanatics the same here as on Earth?!
After the visit from those two grand dukes caused all sorts of chaos, a few days later, while I was inspecting our business operations around the city, I stumbled upon a group of Holy Kingdom priests spouting nonsense like some cult from back home.
To sum it up, it was pretty much what Vanessa had mentioned before. They were appealing for people to join the noble holy war to drive out Magus Civitas—those filthy demons who summoned ugly devils to this land in the name of their god.
Of course, words alone wouldn't cut it in the North Continent, where criminals had settled. In this dump where the scum of humanity gathered, nothing came free. Knowing that, they were offering proof of divine forgiveness for sins in the name of god: an [Indulgence].
Proof of absolution for your sins, granted by divine will.
Accepted across all kingdoms under Holy Kingdom influence as validation that holy warriors have joined the sacred war as servants of god.
No kingdom's laws can punish these sins— the Holy Kingdom guarantees their cleansing.
Big deal— you still gotta survive the fucking battlefield for it to mean shit! What a load of crap!
"Heh heh heh~ Aren't they just the most foolish flock? You think their god will really guide their souls to the heavens for that?"
"Please... just don't cause any trouble and behave, okay? You listening? Halphas?"
"Of course~ Since I've decided to serve you as boss and stick around to watch, your orders are absolute, right? Heh heh heh..."
I'm gonna die of anxiety!
I'd originally planned to inspect with Rina or some of the other crew, but Halphas threw a fit about being bored out of her mind in the mansion and insisted on tagging along. So here we were.
If I'd left her at the mansion...
'Ah~ So boring, so dull~ I wanna make war! Should I just kill 'em all? This land's been wiped out once anyway, right? Smashing everything would feel so gooood~?'
'You crazy bitch!!--'
'So let me come with you~♥ I'll be good and listen~?'
'Boss! Eliminate this harlot right now!'
'Please!~ Don't you know love and peace?! Just stay quiet!! I'll take you along!!--'
...My pathetic fate, stuck babysitting this walking time bomb...
What the hell did I do wrong in my past life? All I remember is getting crushed under work!
"Heh heh heh~ It's fun watching these idiots' pathetic antics for once. Gods don't save anyone anyway~"
"Halphas. You know much about the god these guys worship?"
"Of course! All the other demons know too. But sadly, I can't tell you."
"Huh? Why not?"
"It's that absolute command from the boring demon king of justice who rules Hell: [Never speak of the holy god's will or that being!] Something like that."
"That justice-obsessed demon, Lucifer? Why?"
"Heh heh heh... Let me tell you one thing for sure. Do you know why Lucifer conquered Hell? He deluded himself that if he subdued it, that almighty god would let him return to the heavens. Of course, even then, the almighty god didn't take him back."
"No way? So that self-righteous prick conquered Hell on his own dumb assumption? That's why Vanessa..."
"Yep~ Baal lost in Hell like that and got obliterated? That's what everyone thought... but somehow her soul escaped to the mortal world and reincarnated in a mortal body. This time as that elf."
"So that's why Vanessa looked like an elf on the outside... Her true form... Nah, she'll tell me herself later. Thanks for spilling."
"Heh heh heh~ One more thing. Do you know who decided there are 666 demons?"
"Huh?"
"The god and angels worshipped in those fancy temples. And Lucifer—they ranked the strongest 666 demons back then and named them. Basically a curse. Renaming them without permission."
"Renaming?"
"Some of those called demons... existed as gods long, long, looong ago~? But as faith in them faded, replaced by the gods preached by the Holy Kingdom's followers, they were forgotten, twisted, and turned into demons~♥"
!!!
Halphas dropped the bombshell that some demons were originally gods. She glanced at the priests in the distant square urging people to join the holy war, her eyes flashing with chilling murderous intent for a split second before she smiled and turned back to me.
"I used to be the [Goddess of War]~? Gathering the souls of those who died honorably on the battlefield, granting them rest. Blessing the souls of those who met noble ends, spreading their pride and names far and wide."
"But now you're just a war-crazed lunatic who only thinks about fighting?"
"Kyahahaha!~♥ Love the brutal honesty! Yeah! I'm insane~♥ Stripped of all my divinity, no humans worshipping me anymore—this world is something I want to smash and once loved. Call it a love-hate thing! But I don't hate all humans. They're still endlessly warring, fighting forever, their battle spirit burning high!~♥"
A forgotten god harboring love-hate for humanity because of it...
This world had way more secrets than I'd imagined.
She didn't elaborate further. Was that also due to Lucifer's pact on Hell? Made me wonder if demons not lying was tied to some pact too. But I decided not to press now.
"Heh heh heh~♥ You're so entertaining. Good call sticking around to watch."
"What?"
"Come on~ I was gunning for your lives not long ago? Even if Baal stopped me, a normal human would feel deep contempt, wariness, or fear toward me... But in your heart, it's not contempt—more like handling a troublemaking kid? Kyahahahaha!—A short-lived human daring to think of me, Halphas, like that! What a hilarious freak! Kyahahahaha!~♥"
"I've spent 16 years in this shithole life seeing every beggar-ass thing imaginable. Gods, demons, monsters—I've gone numb to it all! Happy now?!"
"Heh heh heh~♥ As a fallen ex-god, want me to make a fun prophecy?"
"Huh? Prophecy?"
"Sure. In ancient times, warriors prayed to me through shamans for prophecies on upcoming wars~? Weather on battle day, terrain, enemy movements—that kinda thing. War-related only."
...
"So here's your prophecy right here. You'll fight even more wars ahead. True peace won't come easy for you. Brace yourself, boss? Kyahahahaha!~♥"
"Even so, I'll never give up on peace for my family. I'll fight to the end. No matter what!"
"Heh heh heh... That's the spirit! Peace always demands war prep! History proves it. No power, no peace! I've seen your resolve and heart—today's a great day~♥ We'll get along fine from now on~♥"
"Yeah. Just behave! If war breaks out, you can rampage all you want!"
"Kyahahahaha!~ Can't wait for that day!~♥"
…
"Oh! One more thing. Watch out for the demon worshippers who've set up shop here."
"Huh? Why? Aren't they demons too?"
"Hell's split right now—faction hoping Baal revives someday, and Lucifer's loyalists. Lucifer holds the throne, so his side dominates. But..."
"Vanessa's existence is out to the other demons? And that's all because of you?!"
"Kyahahaha!~♥ But I had no idea! Who'd think Baal would revive here in an elf body!~ And you know who destroyed this land originally? Lucifer's contractor. The tiny survivors? Demon worshippers—specifically, contractors sworn to Lucifer and his demons."
…
"Well~ You said it yourself, and yeah, I'm the cause. Plus, I'm dying to know more about you and Baal. I'll keep the vermin off you as best I can~♥"
"Take some damn responsibility! Please!"
"Kyahahahaha!~ Of course!~♥"
If the demon worshippers here are Lucifer loyalists or contractors... like Halphas prophesied, I might be in for endless wars.
**
… … …
The wave of depravity begins to stir.
A new war cloud looms over the North.