<845 – Pact of the Soul (6)>
There may be instances of gods betraying humans, but never humans betraying gods.
In this world, the powerful hold the rights, and those without rights beg for help.
But can we really say that the Satisfaction Goddess Apnonia, who withdrew in solitude after suffering immense losses in an instant, has betrayed humanity?
Nepher-tem was simply taken aback by the fact that a divine class could crumble in such a derisory manner.
What kind of being is Apnonia?
She is the cruel deity who has made her family and her entire life a misery.
The runes of misfortune extracted from her body were handed over to the Director of the Foundation via Oknodie, and the story that the Director wielded the misfortune’s fate like a weapon, tainted by darkness, reached her ears.
The pinnacle of humanity.
It was a battle between the Seonhwang, who could perhaps be described as infinitely close to that position, and the Director, and between the Director and the awakened Oknodie.
That scene is also remembered by Nepher-tem, who participated in the final battle with the Foundation.
Ba-dum!
“That goddess Apnonia who granted such incredible powers…”
Bzzz!
Even just sneaking a peek at the pact of the soul that Oknodie made caused her immense damage, forcing her into urgent seclusion for recovery.
No matter how one thinks about it, this is no ordinary situation.
“If that’s true, the soul pact Oknodie made is even more dangerous. How severe must the contract be if it’s too dangerous to comprehend?”
“I’m sorry… As the newly appointed Saintess Director of the Saintess Alliance, with just the title of Apnonia’s Saintess, I can no longer offer help.”
“No. Nepher-tem, senior, you’ve already taken great risks and suffered significant harm. A saint who borrowed the power of a god caused the god to lose their power…”
Duh-duh!
Ishtar felt a hundred apologies wouldn’t be enough.
Her unreasonable request had effectively snatched away Nepher-tem’s potential for growth, as well as the future prosperity of all of Apnonia’s followers.
Yet Nepher-tem was one who had lived her life cursed by Apnonia.
Her devotion to the deity was almost non-existent.
Deep down, she thought it served her right.
Thump!
“I’m truly fine. If satisfaction comes with growth through suffering, then the trials endured by that goddess should be overcome in order to finally become someone worthy of universal worship. Even the sudden crisis of her divine class is merely a trial that makes Apnonia more like herself.”
Ishtar, unaware of Nepher-tem’s treacherous true feelings, felt a genuine sense of awe in front of Nepher-tem’s fortitude, who could console others after experiencing her own decline alongside the deity and the church she served.
In adversity, a person’s true nature is revealed, and Nepher-tem’s essence was that of a true saint, deeply considerate and compassionate, unlike anything one would expect in this world.
She was convinced that Nepher-tem was not simply appointed Saintess Director instead of her comrades and allies such as Yufi or the widely supported Saintess Titosso for no reason.
Bzzz-bang!
“I cannot turn a blind eye to your predicament, senior. Now, the hardship you’re facing is as much a debt I must repay as Oknodie’s difficulties.”
“I really am okay…”
“It’s just that it doesn’t sit well with me. Let’s go together. I know someone who can help in situations like this.”
Nepher-tem was intrigued.
“Are they the One God?”
“No, Sofemia doesn’t acknowledge the existence of other divine classes. If she hears news, she would rather aim to attack the secluded Apnonia.”
“Then are we going to seek help from Yufi, the Saintess of theheadless Golgotha, who is a member of our Saintess Alliance and also part of the warrior party?”
“No. I don’t think Apnonia, the Satisfaction Goddess, would easily evade a situation she’s facing with the God of Decapitation Golgotha.”
“Then who are we going to seek help from…?”
“Isn’t it obvious? In the Middle Realm, there is an even more reassuring supreme being than the gods.”
Gulp!
Nepher-tem trembled as if struck by lightning.
“If a student is in trouble, they seek help from the professors, and if it’s a serious situation that even the professors cannot assist with, then they must borrow the principal’s strength.”
“Y-yes, although that’s true… But doesn’t our academy operate a bit unusually? It feels like we should be asking them not to stir up more trouble rather than for help!”
“Just trust me, senior. After going through various events with Oknodie, I realized how futile all the preconceived notions in the world are.”
Thud-thud!
All those who possess dark mana are merely potential demons and can never fight alongside humanity.
The order led by the Empire cannot be defied, and humanity must not oppose the Empire.
The gods are absolute, and humans should devote themselves with loyalty, just as one does to their parents.
From the Foundation to the Empire, and to the gods.
All knowledge has been turned upside down.
Even within the Foundation, there are saints, and no matter how wicked a power might be, it can be used for good deeds and benefit the future of humanity, depending on the will of its wielder.
Even the once invincible Seonhwang met death, and the Holy Central Empire is becoming a dark empire that belies its name day by day.
It has been revealed that the gods betray and violate humans, playing with their destinies like toys.
“The Principal might, contrary to our perceptions, be a good person. At least, I don’t want to prejudge based solely on what others have said before actually experiencing it myself.”
Bzzt!
“The attitude itself is correct, but… it’s morally upright yet…! I just can’t shake the feeling that it’s really not true…!!”
Nepher-tem, a first-year student who had eaten countless meals at the academy, stamped her feet anxiously.
Regardless, Ishtar, who refused to conform to the standardization of incidents due to Oknodie, had fully bought into the notion that the Principal might not be a bad dragon after all.
Through the existence of the Goblin Warrior, she learned that even monsters can break free from their species’ destinies; so why would dragons necessarily be evil?
The Principal Omoshiroi is the kind of person who could easily transcend their species’ nature.
Isn’t it precisely because of the Principal that the Middle Realm is peaceful and has strong foundations?
“Principal. I have a request.”
Hmm? A warrior is making a request to me?
“Yes.”
The Principal twisted his smirking face and mockingly snorted.
Ha-hah! Don’t you dare think you can make armor from the scales that fall off my body.
“That’s not the kind of request I came for.”
Weapons are useless. Handing out claw care to students is like leaving a fish shop to a cat!
“I didn’t come to find crafting materials. I came to seek your wisdom.”
Oh? Seeking wisdom?
Curiosity arose in the face of the world’s most mischievous and wicked visage.
Ishtar felt like she was making a colossal mistake, but brushed aside that feeling, attributing it to her preconceived notions of the Principal.
“It’s about a recent incident that occurred in the Deadly Realm concerning the pact of the soul; it seems Oknodie has already entered into a pact and Apnonia has taken significant damage.”
“It’s true. As her Saintess, I can vouch for that. Her divine power and authority on the ground have significantly diminished.”
Ishtar’s explanation and Nepher-tem’s testimony.
Realizing that this was not a joke but a serious matter, the Principal initially worried that he would become bored or disinterested but found himself still intrigued.
Just a moment, I’ll go ask.
“Eh?”
The Dragon Principal casually spoke as if going to meet a neighbor’s friend, opening a dimensional gate and projecting his spirit body.
To the believers of the gods, it’s something seen as a dream.
Visiting the divine realm with ease and directly encountering a god.
The fact that such a thing was possible at any time shocked both Nepher-tem and Ishtar.
Wow, the Principal is more amazing than I thought!
Ishtar was pleasantly surprised.
Ugh, if the Principal set his mind to it, he could probably lecture in the divine realm too…
Nepher-tem felt a bad surprise.
Ten seconds.
Twenty seconds.
After a brief visit, the dimensional gate opened again, and his spirit body returned, settling back into the Principal’s form.
Nepher-tem desperately tried to ignore the divine trinkets of Apnonia hanging from the Principal’s tail.
Whatever kind of mischief that rascal Dragon Principal did to Apnonia was definitely something a student couldn’t handle.
Fortunately, the Principal responded sincerely to Ishtar’s question, showing less interest in Nepher-tem.
The god who made a soul pact with Oknodzie is the God of Love, Atalaxia.
“Eh? Isn’t the God of Love one of the weaker gods among the 24 mainstream divine classes?”
Why do you think that?
“Well… the powers they grant are somewhat lacking. Blessings for pregnancy control, increasing fertility, boosting crop yields, blessings that make people fall in love at first sight, and so on…”
Right. The God of Love conquered the powers of the gods of fertility and abundance and absorbed their powers. So do you understand the hidden workings of these powers?
The workings of divine powers.
A question she never thought to consider before.
“Isn’t it based on one related function, widening its scope for application and achieving extensibility? Since it’s the God of Love, it would likely start with the love function.”
Then have you ever seen someone who possesses the function called love?
No.
Ishtar could firmly negate that.
“Emotions cannot function as functions themselves. If they could, then people crushed by life would all have the rage function like berserkers. But I understand that the Berserk function related to anger does not build up just by feeling angry. Love would be the same.”
That’s correct. A divine class representing a single emotion only causes linked phenomena; when you interpret that divine status, it’s ultimately founded on entirely different functions.
“Then what function does the God of Love actually base itself on?”
The Principal confidently declared in a firm voice.
‘Paralysis.’
“Excuse me?”
A bizarre function that doesn’t readily connect with love.
The sudden appearance of the paralysis function confused both Ishtar and Nepher-tem.
Atalaxia’s love signifies a forced tranquility devoid of pain and worry.
Her followers warp their perception of the surroundings and render all disputes worthless.
The truth revealed by the Principal was an application method that simply could not be believed to belong to the powers of a benevolent deity.
Thus, in situations where reproduction must not occur, it induces reproduction while paralyzing both the sense of reality and economic values.
It paralyzes the judgment of value and aesthetic senses towards individuals lacking allure as sexual partners, forcibly pairing them up.
All conflicts and wars are also subjects of paralysis, and ultimately, in Atalaxia’s world, there exists no possibility for improvement. All dissatisfaction is denied, and one’s true feelings become paralyzed and hidden.
In fact, it was worse than the evil gods.
Unlike the priests of the evil gods, who at least have the awareness that they are committing evil deeds, the priests of Atalaxia, a benevolent deity, have no realization that they are committing wrongful acts at all.
It paralyzes the personality, thought processes, and value systems of others.
It rapes the very elements that make up a person.
People, organizations, nations.
Moreover, it paralyzes all elements of an entire world that oppose it.
And thus, the being born from this is none other than the God of Love, Atalaxia, a member of the mainstream 24 divine classes.
Therefore, Atalaxia’s ultimate ideal is an unchanging hell that can never be altered.
Without feeling pain, worry, or resistance, one can only submit to the will of the god.
With such a deity, Oknodie made a pact of the soul.
Isn’t it quite amusing? Just think about what Oknodie was paralyzed by Atalaxia and what he gained in return.
A massive evil presence unlike anything orchestrated by the Seonhwang or Foundation.
Just the awareness of such evil deeds had chills running down Ishtar and Nepher-tem’s spines.
Atalaxia was no longer just a benevolent God of Love to them.
She was an unimaginable evil deity that even their common sense couldn’t measure.
