Chapter: 597
Damn the sun.
Damn the next saint.
Damn my master.
‘Damn my fate.’
I rubbed my eyes with my paw, feeling tears threatening to spill. My situation was pitiful, but crying in front of others was even more pathetic and painful.
Yet the more I rubbed my eyes, the more sorrowful I felt.
‘Why do I have to be here?’
I was death itself. At a time when countless gods roamed the land, amidst innumerable wars and conflicts, I was one of the Four Calamities—a being of fear and dread for all in this continent.
Even among gods, we were feared and avoided. Mortal followers wouldn’t even dare lift their gazes in front of us. Plenty had vainly declared they’d punish our sins, only to crumble under our power.
That was one of the Four Calamities—four despairs that no living being could escape. I, among them, was the ultimate endpoint of all life—death.
‘That was certainly the case.’
And here I was, attending a service to praise the sun. I had to listen to the worship of this so-called Son of the Sun. What a truly humiliating experience.
“…Enough already.”
In the midst of it all, with my ears damp, tail held tight, and back paws fluttering incessantly, I bitterly opened my mouth.
“Aw-oo!”
“Bbeow!”
“Buuuu-?”
“Stop it…”
I was being toyed with like a plaything by these three little munchkins. Seeing myself like this made the memories of my past glory all the more painful.
Who would dare call this sorry figure death? The god that once commanded fear across the continent?
“Wow, must be nice to receive so much love. You won’t be kicked out of your house.”
“Yeah. With three little ladies adoring you, no matter what trouble you cause, it will just end with a mild scolding.”
“I wish I was cute like that.”
“Duktsur…”
I gritted my teeth at the jabs from my former comrades, who were once also known as the Four Calamities.
Cute? Calling this death cute?!
‘How could they used to tremble in fear before me?’
Though I’d shrunk due to centuries of sealing, I once was a majestic being cloaked in pitch-black fur, looking down upon mortals. I looked nothing like this neighborhood mutt.
“Someday… if I grow back to my original form… then…”
“Then you’ll be a big, cute guy.”
The famine chimed in, causing the pestilence and war to chuckle.
Damn them all. They laugh, believing they still look normal.
‘Why me?’
A surge of unfairness and resentment welled up in me. Unlike me, who had been reduced to a sad state, the three of them, although small, still looked quite normal—pestilence appeared as an eagle soaring the skies, war as a majestic tiger, and famine, though somewhat ambiguous, took on a decent sheep-like form.
This had to be a conspiracy by that damn sun. Since I was already mightier and more dignified than the others, I must be under special scrutiny. It couldn’t be anything else!
“Quiet down; the service is about to start.”
Just as I was grinding my teeth in frustration, a white-haired elf demanded our silence.
“Yes.”
“I’ll be quiet.”
“…….”
Pestilence immediately hushed, war nodded, and famine curled up into a fluffy ball.
Seeing those three subserviently obey the elf’s command, I couldn’t help but chuckle. It was hard to believe that I was equal to those creatures.
So I’ll publicly reject this. I can at least obey a normal-looking black-haired human!
“I—”
“Our daughters. Come play with Mommy, not Jangsaeng.”
The three little children who were playing with me were whisked away into the elf’s embrace.
Hmmm.
‘Just this once, I’ll let it slide.’
It’s not like I’m letting them cling to me again or anything.
It’s just that causing a ruckus in a gathering of sun worshippers wouldn’t yield any good, so I’m holding back.
‘Those little imps are so quiet now.’
Soon, an unpleasant feeling crept up on me. After tormenting me, they now settle into their mother’s arms, quietly sucking their fingers. Why did they act peacefully with her, yet torment me?
‘Those damned offspring of the sun’s foliage.’
I was annoyed with the sun, and I hated those plants that cling to it as well. And those little imps were hybrids carrying the blood of elves, favored by the vegetation.
I was given a bizarre name by the sun’s son, treated like a servant by a human linked to the sky, and beaten by the acolyte of that vegetation. The more I mulled it over, the more unforgivable it felt. How could I get so entangled with those three as soon as my seal was lifted?
“Thank you for gathering for your precious time, fellow believers.”
As I pondered whether I should have stayed sealed in a pit, the son of the damned sun finally made his appearance.
Great. That bastard is making a fuss about worship and wasting my precious time, doesn’t he?
‘Hmm?’
As soon as I laid eyes on the Sun’s son, an unsettling feeling rose within me.
It felt off. Though his appearance hadn’t changed since I first saw him, the energy he exuded felt subtly different.
Yet, there was nothing wrong with his divine power. That guy still held unwavering faith toward the damned sun, receiving equal favor in return. There were no issues with his religious status.
Still, something felt shifted. Expressing it is tricky, but it’s certain that something significant had happened to this next saint.
“What’s going on?”
“Strange. Was he always like that?”
The unease I felt wasn’t mine alone, as pestilence and war also whispered to each other.
“Huh?”
The whispers even reached the back row where lust was sleeping.
“Wow, looks like he’s taken a step forward.”
“Huh?”
“What?”
Lust, who dropped that ominous remark, didn’t care for our gazes and returned to his slumber.
What an unhelpful guy. If you have something to say, at least finish your thought!
*
I heard the whispers from the Holy Water fellows in the back row, but they weren’t bothersome enough for me to care, so I tried to ignore them.
I was trying to ignore it.
“Strange. Was he always like that?”
“He’s taken a step forward?”
Until they muttered ominously about Tannian.
When it comes to matters regarding the next saint, even commoners need to pay attention. The well-being of the next saint is crucial.
But now these former gods, once mighty, are all suddenly mentioning Tannian’s anomaly? Of course, that would put me on high alert.
‘What’s going on?’
But it felt strange. Even the former gods, now stripped of their divinity, could sense this alteration from afar. Thus, the priests of the Dawn Sect, who are close by, surely couldn’t have missed it. Among those priests, there might even be some of higher rank!
No way would high-ranking priests conduct a service if they sensed any issue with Tannian’s body or mind. He couldn’t casually come out like this if something were wrong.
‘…Has something indeed gone wrong?’
As I scrutinized Tannian’s face, I noticed something odd.
At a glance, it wasn’t noticeable, but now it seemed strangely flushed, like someone suffering from a high fever.
This was confusing. Just a while ago, he was perfectly fine, right? Did he catch a cold in that brief moment?
‘Should I tell him to stop?’
No, that wouldn’t be right. From the looks of the service, he’d assessed himself as fit.
And besides, there’s no guarantee it’s merely a cold. If it were just a cold, the holy water folks wouldn’t be talking about him having changed or taken a step forward.
‘Let’s just keep an eye on it.’
I straightened up and adjusted my posture, deciding to listen attentively. I had to be prepared to respond immediately in case anything happened to Tannian.
If something were to go wrong with the next saint in the Empire, it could shake everything for at least half a year.
Fortunately, the service finished without a hitch.
Yet just as I was about to rejoice in its smooth conclusion, a priest approached me with horrifying news.
“Brother Tannian requests a private audience.”
That was indeed a dreadful and fearsome piece of news. If he’d simply wanted to say goodbye, he would have gathered our entire family. And if it were a work-related matter, he would’ve sought the Emperor. The mere fact that he wants to see me alone implied a third reason—something beyond a farewell or work.
With trembling steps, I headed toward Tannian. I hoped it wasn’t a reason I could handle. I wished it was something trivial.
“How do you confirm love?”
“…What?”
Then, unexpectedly mundane yet serious reasoning awaited me.
Love? Out of nowhere, what the heck is this all about?
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