Chapter 341

Rea‌d &o;​n K​ａt̂Rｅad̀i​nģＣa‍f​ė

Devil God.

Devil.

The criterion that divides the two is the ‘vessel’.

A Devil God manifested in a human body is a Devil.

A Devil is the incarnation of a Devil God, and the Devil God itself.

Theoretically, a Devil is a being where a Devil God and a human coexist in one body. However, there have been very few actual cases of this. In the distant past, Iris, who had reached the pinnacle of humanity, and the 7th-ranked Devil God Amon, shared a body by mutual agreement—the first and last time this happened. In most cases, it was a unilateral seizure by the Devil God.

They steal the body and absorb the soul and ego.

This is because the level of existence is one-sided. Devil Gods and humans are not equal. The very specifications of their souls are on a different dimension. Like a vast sea and a drop of dew, the overwhelmingly large Devil God cannot be compared to a human, and the insignificant human can only be absorbed without resistance. Therefore, the dominant personality of a Devil belongs to the Devil God. A Devil is ultimately a Devil God.

But what if.

Though it is infinitely close to impossible.

If a human overcomes the descended Devil God.

If they drive out the Devil God and regain control of the body.

If such a possibility, though nonexistent, miraculously materializes.

────Even then, that being is still a Devil.

A Devil God who has descended into a human vessel.

The only difference is.

The personality that moves the monster known as a Devil.

“You defeated Belial?”

Agares’s tone was even.

As calm as if asking a passing acquaintance how they were doing.

But the meaning contained in those words made Murmur deeply confused.

“Defeated…? Lucia defeated Belial…?”

That couldn’t be.

Belial had definitely devoured Lucia.

Even if the core was broken, there was no way it could be reversed by a mere Supernatural.

“It couldn’t be possible, could it?”

Agares’s subsequent statement affirmed Murmur’s denial.

That’s right.

Normally, it would be impossible.

Unless it was a special case like the ‘Chosen One’.

“However, the Blessed Saintess. Wouldn’t it be impossible to equate you with general cases?”

A being chosen in a different sense from the hero.

A girl loved by the four seasons.

The Needle of Causality.

“Diluting the Needle of Causality with the soul of a Devil God… nothing has been fundamentally resolved, but it would have been possible to disrupt fate for a while.”

The four seasons fixed fate with the Saintess as the Needle.

The awakening of the Chosen One.

The victory of mankind as a result.

Fixed fate cannot be changed.

The conclusion of mankind’s victory has already been determined.

Because of that, the Devil Gods were miserably defeated in every iteration.

“Astaroth’s handiwork, is it? Not a bad method.”

A miracle to make the impossible possible.

Shaking the Needle of Causality with the soul of the Devil God Belial.

Loosening the firmly fixed fate to create variables.

Thanks to this, Astaroth was able to seize the body of the Chosen One.

It would have been impossible if causality had been firmly fixed.

“You suppressed Belial and came here to help the Chosen One? Then it’s regrettable. You were a few steps short. Saintess, you’re too late.”

The previous Chosen One was sealed.

The body of the current Chosen One has been cleanly annihilated.

If she came to help, it was too late.

“…”

It was a fact she had been intuitively aware of, even without being explicitly told. Lucia bit her lip tightly. She had spent too much time getting used to her authority as a Devil. No, in fact, she still wasn’t used to it. She was too hasty and rushed over despite being insufficiently prepared. And even after doing all that…

“Saintess? What’s that… whatever, I get it. I don’t understand it well, but I’ve roughly grasped the situation.”

Murmur barely suppressed a sigh that had risen to the back of her throat and was about to burst out. As soon as one problem was solved, the next one came along. It was a headache, but it was okay. Since the problem had come to her, she could solve it this time. With Agares here, it wouldn’t be difficult.

“Lucia. You’ve been strangely annoying to me since a long time ago. Weak as you are, you were unnecessarily stubborn. Now you’re just a nuisance. Let’s end this tenacious relationship.”

If she had devoured Belial in reverse, the girl in front of her was a Devil God.

The 68th-ranked Devil God.

The Creator.

However, even if she became a Devil, she couldn’t freely use the authority of a Devil God. It was for the same reason that Supernaturals couldn’t properly handle their abilities at first. Lack of experience. If a human suddenly grew wings, could they fly? They would have to go through numerous trials and errors to learn the secrets of flight. Moreover, it wasn’t a Supernatural Ability, but the Authority of a Devil God. Supernaturals were blessings bestowed upon humans by the four seasons. In comparison, Authority was a power exclusively for Devil Gods.

Even if Lucia had obtained Belial’s power, she couldn’t exert the same level of power as Belial right now.

Then the girl in front of her was just a slightly troublesome prey. No, with Agares here, it wouldn’t even be troublesome.

“Leave her alone.”

“What?”

Murmur, who had distorted the surrounding space to block her retreat, unknowingly questioned him.

“I said, leave her alone.”

“No, why?!”

This was a golden opportunity, wasn’t it? Why was he suddenly doing this? They had to deal with Lucia before she got used to Belial’s Authority! She could feel an intensely burning gaze even behind the white cloud mask. Agares didn’t even glance at Murmur’s gaze directed at him as she spoke.

“Murmur.”

“To let that thing use the power of a Devil God as she pleases…”

“I won’t say it three times.”

“…Tch, seriously.”

Murmur voiced her dissatisfaction, but couldn’t bring herself to retort. The other party was the 2nd-ranked Devil God. Grinding her teeth, she had no choice but to withdraw her Authority. If Agares was acting like this, there must be a reason. It was annoying that he wouldn’t tell her, but there was nothing she could do. Even if she was questioning it, she had no choice but to accept and follow.

Of course, Agares had a valid reason.

The Needle of Causality cannot be broken.

It was better to leave it as it was now, with its function as a Needle of Causality weakened.

Even this was temporary. The ending fixed by the four seasons still wouldn’t change. But the fact that the firmly fixed fate was shaking was enough.

Agares, who lightly dismissed Murmur’s resistance, looked at the girl again. Others might only see Lucia, but he could see it. The Noble Prince, the master of time, could see it clearly. The reason that allowed him to instantly recognize her as the Needle of Causality.

“…How absurd. Truly delightful.”

It was a thread.

A thin thread.

Much thinner than a strand of hair.

A thread that seemed like it would break if you touched it even slightly.

That kind of thread was covering the blessed Saintess. One, two, three, four, five… ten, hundred, thousand, ten thousand, hundred million… and more. In Agares’s vision, Lucia’s form couldn’t even be seen properly. Only an endless tangle of threads filled Agares’ eyes.

They were all traces of previous timelines.

The number of times the world had repeated its regression.

The number of times fate had been fixed by the Needle of Causality.

“Isn’t it amusing? The atrocities of the four seasons are ridiculous no matter how many times you think about them.”

“What are you… trying to say?”

“That your situation is laughable. The Chosen One. The Blessed Saintess. All just tools of the four seasons. Even if they whisper sweet nothings of love, that fact won’t change. They can be abused as much as they want for their purposes. Even if the tool breaks as a result, the four seasons won’t care. Just a tool. If it breaks, they can just make a new one.”

“…”

“Do you remember? You must, right? You have no choice but to remember. The time that has passed. The timelines that have disappeared. As the Needle of Causality, you have no choice but to remember, even if you don’t want to.”

…That was true.

The Blessed Saintess had no choice but to remember the previous iterations.

Even when time was turned back, the blessing of oblivion was not granted to her.

Once became twice. Twice became three times. Like that, it increased one by one. She endlessly wandered in the maze of time. As a result, Lucille had gone mad. It was infinite time that corrupted the Blessed Saintess. Even a huge rock would be worn away in the face of time, so how could a person be any different?

“Humans carry the original sin. They are sinners who deserve to die from the moment they are born.”

The four seasons who invaded the paradise of the old.

Usurpers who murdered the owner of paradise.

Humans were invaders who lived comfortably in the stolen land.

“Saintess, that goes for you too. Original sin flows in your blood. Dirty and filthy sin makes up your body.”

She was even more vicious than other humans in that she received the favor of the four seasons.

Originally, she was just a sinner he wanted to tear apart.

But…

“However, the pain you have received is too deep. Countless repetitions. The pain of wandering through the maze of time. Even this humble one cannot dare to imagine it.”

“…What are you trying to say since a while ago? The introduction is too long. Can’t you just get to the point?”

“If that pain is called atonement, then you have already paid enough for your sins. At least, that’s what this humble one thinks.”

“Huh?”

Lucia wondered if she had misheard Agares’s statement.

It was hard to believe that it was said by the leader of the hardliners who were at the forefront of the invasion.

She wondered if it was a trick, but the Devil Gods did not lie.

“Just once, I will give you a chance.”

“What… chance?”

“A chance to choose.”

Agares paused for a moment. He turned his gaze diagonally to look elsewhere. Beyond the empty ruins. He looked at the horizon. As if there was something there. After a moment of silence, Agares said softly.

“A chance to defect.”

Author Note

A/N (Author’s note):
Can I omit (the next note is… omitted) now?

Translator Note

T/N (Translator’s note):
Stop trying to omit something you omitted!!!

Anyway, noob proposal, should’ve killed everyone, smh!