In a pitch-black space where all colors had vanished, there was an unsettling sense of nausea.
Of course, it’s only natural.
The Disaster God of War had descended upon the world.
Just the thought of welcoming the esteemed presence made sweat trickle down my spine. The weight of the oppressive atmosphere was suffocating, making even the simple act of breathing feel burdensome.
I raised my head, clearly tense.
The girl sitting on the throne of corpses flashed a benevolent smile.
– “You’ve done quite well for someone so stingy with their spending. I’ll commend you.”
Her long, flowing red hair reminded me of the calamity that burned the battlefield.
Her eyes, dark and grimy like black powder, radiated menace.
War.
The root cause that would one day annihilate humanity.
The sharp screams and countless bullets raining down on the battlefield, as the Disaster God turned mangled corpses into her throne.
I looked up at the calamity disguised as a beautiful girl.
“How have you been?”
– “Not bad. It got a bit boring once the Racial War ended… Luckily, it’s become fun again.”
Was she referring to the conflict between the Valtarian Empire and the cultist forces?
Or rather, the fierce competition still raging across the continent?
Whichever it was, it was horrifying.
I felt a chilling discomfort at Lierre’s genuinely joyful laughter.
“I have a question.”
– “Go ahead. I’m in a good mood right now. The tribute presented by my loyal apostle is quite pleasing.”
The goods transported by the wagon were treasures provided by the Holy Kingdom.
Shiny gold coins twinkled, and exquisite jewelry adorned with beautiful jewels shone bright.
It was enough to satisfy any unbridled greed.
Proving this fact, Lierre showed blatant interest in the gold and silver. The Disaster God was undeniably greedy, demonstrating that war was a foolish act ignited by desire and avarice.
“What happened to the Calamity of Tyranny and the Calamity of Famine… I’d like to know their whereabouts, which were thought to have been eradicated long ago.”
– “Hmm.”
Was it due to the ominous prophecy that foretold she would one day descend upon the world and annihilate humanity?
Many heroes, fearing the realization of such a prophecy, sacrificed themselves nobly to defeat the calamities. They elevated the Earth Mother Gael, who showed them how to vanquish the Calamity of Innocence, to the status of Creator Deity.
“Isn’t it a ridiculous story? The lofty achievements of defeating the calamities to preserve humanity have now become the reason for the world’s impending doom…”
A wry smile escaped my lips.
It’s all a contradiction.
From start to finish, it was contradictory.
The sacrifices and efforts to save humanity regrettably led to the end of the world. As the calamities were vanquished, the world gradually started losing its permanence.
– “Tyrrany and Famine are likely being controlled by the Earth Mother, that wretched puppet master.”
“What?”
What do you mean by that?
A puppet?
Didn’t they get defeated or sealed?
Surely Tyranny was defeated by the heroes of the Evelas Empire. And Famine was said to be sealed away by Beatrice, the surrogate daughter of the Earth Mother, and the supreme archangel.
But that was not the case.
What I had believed to be true until now was merely smoke and mirrors cleverly concocted by someone. The Disaster Gods of Tyranny and Famine became mere specters of a distant past, yet they hadn’t met a true end. I breathed heavily as I listened to Lierre’s explanation.
– “If the Calamity of Innocence truly was extinguished, the concepts of Tyranny and Famine would have completely disappeared.”
“…”
– “Yet today’s reality shows us that Tyranny and Famine continue to wreak havoc all over the continent. Foolish crowds still mourn under the burden of tyranny, while those robbed of tomorrow’s hope by plagues and natural disasters suffer from famine.”
“…That’s true.”
I crossed my arms and fell into thought.
Lierre observed me with an intrigued expression, remaining silent.
“Why didn’t the Earth Mother seal away Tyranny and Famine?”
– “It’s safer to control them as puppets, rather than sealing them away somewhere in the world. The Earth Mother is a coward who prioritizes her own safety above all else. She’s likely set many safety measures in place for when the calamities are released in the future.”
Many, including myself, had been deceived by the Earth Mother.
And Tyranny and Famine were manipulated by her.
Just how far should one trust?
I scanned Lierre’s significant expression with skeptical eyes.
– “Oh! How insolent, Edanant! How dare you question the Divine Oracle! If you don’t want to suffer the wrath of the heavens, offer me those sweet macarons you presented last time!”
“Did you truly like them that much?”
– “Well… they had a cheap sweetness, but it wasn’t too bad.”
“When I return to the empire, I’ll offer you a mountain of macarons.”
As I confirmed my promise, Lierre, who had been seated on the throne of corpses, began to bounce up and down in joy. It was as though her mental age had regressed, fitting her childlike appearance.
Wouldn’t it have sufficed to present just macarons instead of all that treasure?
Next time, macarons, just macarons.
“…Wait a second.”
– “What is it, Edanant?”
While lost in silly thoughts, a question that I must ask Lierre bubbled up unconsciously.
“What about the Disaster God of Death?”
– “Of course, they are still alive.”
“No…! I saw them perish! Without a doubt, he is dead!”
– “I told you, Edanant. The Calamity of Innocence doesn’t truly vanish. It only disappears from the world momentarily.”
I had seen it clearly.
The end of Death at the hands of the Earth Mother’s divine status.
The Scepter of White Night.
It had cut off the Demon King’s immortality.
The author of the work had proclaimed that the Absolute Evil met its end at the hands of Maximilian and Beatrice in the final chapter. Therefore, I just could not accept Lierre’s words.
– “The lying wretch has deceived you… No, you.”
Why?
That thought almost reached my throat, but no further inquiries were allowed. The dark shadow that had devoured the colors around us began to fade slowly.
– “Edanant.”
The Disaster God seated on the throne of corpses spoke.
– “Release the Calamity of Innocence, now reduced to a puppet. To prevent the end of the world… you must break the world as defined by the Creator Deity.”
“I also feel that way, but I don’t know the whereabouts of the calamities or how to free them.”
– “Calamities are naturally drawn to one another. You will meet soon enough. Perhaps you’ve already crossed paths.”
“……”
Thus, our dialogue came to an end.
The Disaster God vanished.
Only the throne of corpses remained.
I stood there, dazed as if I were dreaming.
Yet it became clear through the treasures that had vanished in an instant that it wasn’t just a fleeting illusion.
*
Ludmilla was worried that the cultist forces might invade the Valtarian Empire. The repeated assaults by the cult had left her in a state of extreme anxiety.
Could the Earth Mother have aided us?
Even after briefly leaving the Imperial City, nothing had occurred.
As she sighed in relief at the report from the Holy Knight, the princess turned back, somewhat downcast due to not having met Edanant even after coming all the way to the Boemon Kingdom.
“E-Edanant!”
“…Ludmilla?”
When the wings of the Red Dragon flickered like flame,
Ludmilla miraculously came face to face with the hastily returning Edanant.
It was an unexpected reunion.
Her expression lit up, revealing how much she had missed him.
“Are you hurt?! Didn’t you have a clash with the warrior Maximilian and… your brother!”
“The rumors spread quickly. It seems they’ve already reached the Imperial City.”
As if ‘clash’ was a bit exaggerated.
No,
It was highly exaggerated.
If the Warmonger had truly fought the warrior, the Boemon Kingdom would have vanished without a trace from the map. Edanant sighed at the exaggerated rumors, casting a glance at the worry-ridden Ludmilla, and offered a faint smile.
“I’m fine.”
“You always… cause me nothing but worry!”
The princess pouted, showing her discomfort.
Edanant displayed an awkward expression in response.
“I had no intention of causing you concern, but I guess it’s turned out like this.”
“With Sword Saint Regnas appearing, and now the warrior Maximilian… it’s like a continuous stream of accidents.”
Ludmilla checked Edanant’s well-being and turned away. It was an expression of dissatisfaction with seeing the man who only caused her worry repeatedly.
I had to calm her down somehow.
Instinctively sensing the crisis, Edanant stretched out both hands and hugged Ludmilla from behind.
Thud-.
As the fabric of clothes brushed together, they came into close contact.
Ludmilla reacted with a start.
“E-Edanant…!”
“I apologize for always making you worry.”
I hadn’t expected to go this far.
Ludmilla’s face flushed instantaneously at Edanant’s bold display of affection.
Her red eyes trembled dangerously.
It seemed as if she would breathe fire at any moment, intending to release the heat concentrated in her face and chest.
“Ah…! Ugh! U, aahhh!”
Ludmilla’s shoulders stiffened.
Instead of the hot flames, bizarre sounds erupted incessantly from her mouth.
“……”
Meanwhile, the silver-haired Saintess watched the scene unfold cautiously, her hands reaching out slowly.
Within her slender grasp, a thunderous bolt cradled with crackle was writhing.
A remarkable princess.
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