Chapter 219: For Elize (4)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 219: For Elize (4)
God is a contemplative being.
As the Creator, He made the world, but thereafter, He did not intervene.
Like a father watching his children grow on their own, it was up to humanity to overcome their stumbles and suffering.
But humanity could not endure.
In their pain and despair, they craved a miracle and resented God.
Why do You not answer?
Why do You not save us?
God’s silence.
It was a question anyone might ask, but it always faded without spreading. However, the high clergy of the Holy Kingdom had long feared it.
What if miracles vanished, God’s will was no longer heard, and faith gradually withered?
Given the unique nature of the Holy Kingdom, sustained by faith, it was clear that such an event would cause it to crumble. It was something they could never allow.
If God would not act, how could they maintain faith?
The answer was processed divinity.
If they could process the power of pure faith to replicate miracles and create beings to manifest them, God’s silence would no longer be a problem.
Thus, the Apostles were born.
A prime example was Sigrid, the Flawless.
A being unmoved by emotion, unswayed by any personal interest. A machine-like existence that followed only pure law and order.
In Sigrid’s hand were the scales that weighed good and evil, and she had condemned countless sinners.
Not one chosen by God, but an artificial product crafted to act in God’s stead.
A fragment of a miracle, created by those who yearned for salvation.
And now, such Apostles stood blocking Karami’s path.
“It’s the Apostles!”
It was an incredibly rare sight to see them gathered in one place, as they never left their designated sectors to carry out their duties.
The eyes of these Apostles, too, were red.
“Reunion. Slave Reaper, what is your business at the Grand Temple?”
“I've come to see the Saint.”
“Absurd. It is out of the question for someone like you to meet the Saint. Leave now.”
“I'm sorry, but the Saint is my slave, so I can't just leave her behind. You have to take care of your own things.”
“Repetition. The Holy Kingdom is currently establishing a new order and cannot accommodate outsiders. Leave now. Otherwise, I will deliver judgment.”
Behind Sigrid, a pair of brilliant, luminous scales materialized.
The other Apostles also let out relaxed, dry chuckles as they prepared for battle.
Mirabelle, her brow furrowed, ground her teeth.
“How utterly arrogant. To speak of judging my Master. There is no one in this world who can pass judgment on my Master. Not even God himself.”
Thud.
She slammed her staff down, her fierce emotions pouring out.
Mana erupted from her.
The Reaper protecting Mirabelle swelled to the size of the temple itself.
Mortals who couldn't withstand the aura of death it exuded foamed at the mouth and fainted. But the Apostles didn't even flinch.
They weren't on the level of a dragon, but each one was powerful enough. Karami had picked them off individually before, but this was his first time facing the Apostles as a group.
The Apostles, plus an army of clergy.
Can I do this?
Yet even with all of them before him, Mirabelle didn't bat an eye. As if representing her emotions, her indigo mana flared menacingly.
“Young lady. I admit you are a formidable talent. But to protect the Slave Reaper while facing the five of us is impossible, even with a miracle. Therefore—”
CRRRRACK!
Just then, Constantine’s voice was scattered by the sound of the wind.
“A-A storm!”
To the east of Kassilon, a colossal whirlwind raged. It had absorbed the black clouds blanketing the sky, turning the storm itself black. It tore people and buildings from their roots.
“One thousand two hundred fifty-nine~”
A clear, sweet voice, unfitting for the atmosphere.
All sorts of spirits—fire, lightning, earth, darkness, light, and wind—followed behind their Servant, playing mischievously.
And on the opposite side, to the west.
“Aaaargh!”
“Hiek?! M-Monsters! Monsters are invading!”
Monsters typically seen in the east, including dokkaebi wielding clubs, appeared. These creatures, so-called yokai, poured out from an opened gate.
The king of the yokai.
The Night Parade of a Hundred Demons, commanded by the Gumiho.
Floating in the sky, Rin spread her tails like a fan and cast her magic.
“Fifty thousand~”
“Hey! Even if you add up all the numbers you’ve called out so far, it doesn’t reach fifty thousand! Are you trying to cheat?”
“Hmm~? But Rin’s eyes see fifty thousand~? Do you have any proof that I’m cheating?”
Why they had come here was long forgotten. Rin and Alfia were busy making a bet with the clergy as their targets.
Chaos.
Destruction.
Oblivion.
A city where no semblance of order could be found.
And yet, in all this chaos, not a single person had died.
The Master’s command was absolute.
It was thanks to Rin twisting fate to ensure no one was killed.
“Ah…”
Karami stared with a sense of futility at the buildings flying into the sky and becoming stars.
Fixing all of that is going to cost a fortune.
Rin and Alfia were competing to earn his praise, but unfortunately for them, what awaited was a scolding and punishment.
Though, the chilling part was that some people preferred punishment over praise.
“So that’s how you want to play? Those guys look pretty strong. If I catch them, it’s a million points per head, right?”
“What? Where did that rule come from all of a sudden?”
“Is fifty thousand any more believable? If you have a problem with it, you can just catch them yourself. Why?”
A bitter smile touched Alfia’s lips.
A Wind Servant, reminiscent of a giant’s bust, materialized and enveloped Alfia.
“Lacking confidence?”
It was an attempt to overwhelm Rin with sheer presence.
Rin twisted her lips into a smirk.
As if to counter Alfia, a mass of pink spiritual power gathered and took the form of a giant Gumiho.
It had a Solar Eye and a Lunar Eye, perfect replicas of Rin’s own.
“Hmph~ Who said anything about lacking confidence?”
KEEEEEEAAAAAK!
The Gumiho let out a furious roar, as if to display Rin’s ambition.
Alfia drew her bowstring.
The Servant mimicked the motion, drawing a bowstring of its own.
Whoosh!
A bow and arrow of wind formed in the Servant’s hands.
A gale settled into the arrow.
The air distorted for a moment.
The once-transparent atmosphere wavered as the wind swirled and raged.
Sigrid, who had remained impassive until now, flinched visibly and quickly operated her scales.
Into one pan, she placed divine power.
What she desired was a fence to protect the lambs from the wolf.
Satisfied with the offering, the scales balanced.
She forced a miracle.
The shield of God manifested.
A radiant barrier, like a great fence, spread out from her.
At that moment.
Twang—.
Alfia released her bowstring. The Servant, one with her, released its bowstring.
A speed too fast for the eye to follow.
A trajectory that allowed no time to dodge.
The wind howled, churning the world.
BOOOOM!
An explosive torrent of air erupted as the arrow and shield collided, tearing apart the surrounding atmosphere. A fierce, flesh-rending gale swallowed all sound.
But the shield did not fall. It stood firm, unshaken even before the storm.
The soldiers let out sighs of relief.
“You’re not going to feel safe over something like that, are you?”
A sweet voice denied their hope.
The second arrow had already left its master’s bow long ago.
An arrow shot toward the sky.
A flash of light burst like a firework.
Green flames embroidered the heavens.
People stared blankly at the spectacle, but soon realized something was wrong.
The sky was distorting.
This was because hundreds of arrows were creating winds, and those winds were colliding to create new crosswinds.
A rain of storms.
Is that really okay?
Am I going to get swept up in this?
No sooner had Karami worried about this than a comfortable, indigo-colored barrier enveloped him like a second skin.
The Holy Knights raised their shields, and the priests clasped their hands in prayer. Black and white barriers rose to protect them.
Just as a faint sense of unease entered their minds, someone began to mutter a prayer in a cracked voice.
One by one, the falling arrows began to vanish.
“What’s this? The arrows are disappearing,” Karami wondered, watching comfortably from within Mirabelle’s defense. It was a strange feeling, like forgetfulness. The sense of having known something, but having forgotten it.
But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't recall it.
Mirabelle narrowed her eyes and stared intently at one spot.
There stood a man whose priest robes flapped ridiculously on his emaciated frame. In his hand was a black book.
The Forgotten Scripture, which existed but whose existence was forgotten.
Its purpose was not to perform God’s miracles, but to overturn God’s providence. To return something to nothingness, erasing memory as the price. A forbidden holy artifact.
Apostle, Anselm of Oblivion.
The world does not remember him.
Even those standing right beside him perceived Anselm’s existence only dimly.
Anselm was the same.
He knew nothing of his own name or past.
He was made for that purpose.
The one thing he did remember was his prayer.
The number of arrows, once in the hundreds, had been drastically reduced. To the eyes of the people, they had simply vanished.
They might have thought Alfia had gotten rid of them on purpose, but Alfia herself didn't know the cause.
The only one who knew why was Mirabelle, who held the Book of Omniscience.
The hundreds of arrows were reduced to mere dozens. That alone was still destructive enough, but thanks to their solidly constructed defensive wall, they were able to block it.
“Hmph? You were acting so high and mighty, but they blocked it all, huh?”
“Tsk. You interfered with some weird ability again, didn’t you?”
“Rin doesn’t know what you’re talking about~ She’s blaming others for her own failures~”
A conversation completely devoid of tension.
In contrast, the clergy had to swallow hard.
The fact that their opponents were so unfazed by such a powerful attack failing meant they could launch similar attacks over and over if they chose to.
If the day of ruin were to come, would it not be today?
The faithful offered their prayers.
Though God did not answer their call, they did not doubt. They no longer despaired. Because they had their Saint.
A pillar of light descended from the sky.
As if God himself were descending, Elize slowly came down from the heavens. As if witnessing God, all the believers, including the Apostles, bowed their heads.
At Elize’s appearance, both Alfia and Rin slowly wiped the smiles from their faces.
A presence on a different level from the Apostles.
If God were to descend, this is surely what it would feel like.
That was the kind of aura she had.
The spire of the Grand Temple.
Elize came to a stop before the cross.
She folded her hands neatly and gave a benevolent smile.
“Welcome, guests from the outside. I am the vessel of God, the Saint, Elize. I welcome you to the Holy Kingdom.”