Ch.103Sacred Work, Great Work, Evil Work, Killing Work

“I understand what you’re trying to say. I’ll need to discuss that part with my father.”

After muttering about the Golden King in confusion for a while, Asha finally regained her composure, took a cautious stance, and stepped back.

It wasn’t particularly disappointing. It was a natural reaction.

To achieve definitive results, we would need to attempt this on a much larger scale, so it would be difficult for her to make such a decision hastily on her own.

Still, I was satisfied with the outcome. Thanks to my persuasion, I received assurance that Demian’s greatsword would be replaced free of charge.

She just asked me to bring back the broken sword fragments later.

Whatever happens afterward would be up to Asha’s clan to decide.

I merely provided the idea; the decision and responsibility rest with them.

—-

I was relaxing in my room after sending Demian and Millia away.

Softly, I heard someone knocking on the door.

Who could it be?

Was there someone who would visit my room at this hour?

I set my cigarette on the ashtray and moved away from the window toward the door.

Judging by the presence, it seemed like a woman… but not Frider.

If it were Frider, she would have pounded on the door much harder.

Ah, perhaps it’s Lacy.

Sure enough, when I opened the door, a dazzling white greeted me.

“Lacy Elmaine Stardolf?”

“Yes. I’ve completed the purification ritual for the item I promised you. Do you have a moment?”

Lacy slightly extended the case she was holding.

“Sure, come in.”

I had sent Nigel to the training room, so there was no one else in the room.

He didn’t need constant protection anyway, so I wanted him to have some freedom.

I convinced him that to fulfill his duty as a guard, he needed to become stronger than he currently was.

I guided Lacy to the table and handed her some snacks I had set aside for later, along with a glass of water.

“Sorry, but I can’t offer you tea. You happened to visit when I’m alone.”

“This is more than enough. Thank you.”

Lacy calmly picked up a cookie and took a bite.

Elegantly chewing with her small mouth.

“So, you said the purification ritual for Frosting is complete?”

“Yes. Let me show you.”

Lacy placed the case on the table and opened the lid.

The gauntlet I hadn’t seen in a while still emanated its familiar cold.

“It doesn’t look much different.”

“Of course not. All I did was suppress the curse of madness. At least now, you won’t fall into madness just by wearing it. The cold remains the same, so your body will still suffer some damage. You’ll need to regulate its use accordingly.”

So it went from being completely unusable to something I could actually use.

Long battles would still be dangerous, but that was a satisfactory improvement.

“That’s enough. Are there any other precautions I should take?”

“Hmm…”

Lacy lowered her head for a moment, then looked back at me.

With an unreadable, expressionless face.

“You killed someone. This time.”

…Is she referring to the Viscount of Bernstein?

“Well… yes, I did. But it wasn’t intentional—”

A mistake that happened because I was drunk…

“…No, you’re right. It was my fault.”

I stopped myself from making excuses.

I remembered a man who had shot civilians while drunk and made the exact same excuse.

I had disposed of him with my own hands.

And here I was, about to make the same excuse. It suddenly felt disgusting.

I should acknowledge what needs to be acknowledged.

“I’m not reproaching you. I just wanted to tell you one thing.”

Lacy straightened her posture, leaned closer to me, and looked me in the eyes.

“Beware of the Karma of Murder. The karma accumulated by killing countless people. That ominous power will make you stronger than anyone else, but it will never bring you a bright future. In the end, it will destroy even its master.

…That has always been the fate of those who pursued the Karma of Murder.”

Advice imbued with prophetic certainty.

Her soft, articulate words embedded themselves in my mind.

Along with a slight bewilderment.

“Um…”

It’s good advice, but aren’t you the wrong person to give it…?

A woman who would likely lead the policy of exterminating non-human races.

“Isn’t killing all Werebeasts also considered Karma of Murder?”

“Of course not. You don’t seem to understand the concept of karma systematically.”

Lacy firmly shook her head.

Well, I haven’t really studied it in detail…

“I might as well explain it to you now. While the origin and implementation principles of karma are still being debated… the analysis of karma itself is actively progressing.”

Lacy moistened her throat with a sip of water and continued her explanation calmly.

“The Church classifies karma into four main types: Good Karma, Tale of Heros, Evil Karma, and Karma of Murder.”

Good Karma.

Karma gradually accumulated through good deeds done with pure intentions to help others.

“This is mainly accumulated by priests. Unlike warriors, it’s not manifested externally but dedicated to the deity. The miraculous power priests display is the reward for this.”

Tale of Heros.

The most common form of karma. A blessing where one’s achievements accumulate as power.

Subjugating powerful enemies, eliminating threats to save people, and surpassing one’s limits through training—all these fall under Tale of Heros.

“Judgment, subjugation, protection, transcendence. These are the foundations of karma.”

Lacy smiled slightly.

Evil Karma.

Karma that clings to those who harbor malice and harm others.

Assault, deception, plunder, rape. All kinds of evil acts except murder.

“This is the karma of base and vile individuals. The only difference from Karma of Murder is that they didn’t kill. Eventually, they will pay the price.”

And… Karma of Murder.

Ominous karma accumulated solely by killing innocent people.

The most violent and powerful of all karmas… but eventually, it turns on its master.

“The wicked will inevitably fall, and all things eventually move in the right direction. That is the teaching of Elpinel. I would be pleased if you kept this in mind.”

Having finished her long explanation, Lacy seemed a bit thirsty and brought the water glass back to her lips.

Her snow-white neck, like a marble sculpture, moved several times.

“There’s something I don’t understand. If defeating enemies is Tale of Heros, and killing innocent people is Karma of Murder, what kind of karma accumulates when killing innocent Werebeasts?”

“Tale of Heros, of course. There’s no such thing as an innocent Werebeast. From its very beginning, karma is a power humans obtained to resist non-human races. All non-humans cannot escape the original sin of their ancestors. No matter how much time passes.”

Whether this statement came from her personal belief, the doctrine of the Church of Elpinel,

or whether karma actually works that way.

I won’t know unless I verify it myself.

“Then, may you be at peace until we meet again.”

Lacy rose from her seat, having finished our conversation.

I left Frosting on the desk and returned to the ashtray by the window.

…The cigarette I had set aside had long since burned down to the end.

Three days later, Frider came to me with a request form.

======[Perneisia]======

In a dim room filled with the smell of alcohol.

Reading a letter illuminated by the light of a salamander, Perneisia frowned deeply and gulped down the hard liquor in her left hand.

A burning sensation washed down her throat and stomach.

After emptying the bottle in an instant and carelessly tossing it aside, Perneisia summoned her last bit of patience to finish reading the letter.

A secret letter sent from Alvheim, the land where she was born.

Ancient fairy language densely covered the magic-infused paper.

——–

Perneisia Mercellius Epiraxus.

We have heard that the human empire is currently in an unstable atmosphere due to succession rights issues.

Investigate and report on the detailed progress, and intervene to intensify the conflict if possible.

If the matter is successfully resolved, we will grant limited permission for you to return to the embrace of the World Tree.

——–

‘Reports, intervention… senile old fools. Do they still think I’m their subordinate?’

Perneisia crumpled the letter and threw the wadded paper to the salamander while reaching for a new bottle.

The salamander ate the magic-infused paper and grew slightly larger. Its light also became somewhat brighter.

Frowning at the suddenly brightened light, Perneisia gripped the bottle upside down and struck the salamander with it.

With a short scream, the shattered fireball scattered into pieces.

The room sank back into darkness.

‘They’ll allow me to return to the embrace of the World Tree? Ridiculous bastards.’

Perneisia gritted her teeth.

Even in her drunken state, she could barely contain her disgust.

It was those old ones who had forcibly exiled her, who had been devoted to the fairies from the beginning.

Disgusting filth whose brains had been rotting for over eight hundred years without dying.

Her coming here was ostensibly for friendship with the Empire, but in reality, it was the result of a sordid power struggle.

A conflict between the elderly elders of the old generation and the rapidly growing new forces through military achievements.

This was the result of her defeat by the elders’ power.

Most of the core members of the new forces had either disappeared or become servants… essentially slaves to the elders.

Since it was difficult to deal with Perneisia in the same way, they completely banished her from Alvheim and threw her into the Empire.

—-

For the first five years, Perneisia still had a small hope.

A belief that other fairies would rebel and protest against the elders’ cruel unilateral actions.

How many battles had they fought for Alvheim?

Being torn apart in the bombardment of dwarves.

Back then, the fairies who had praised them as true guardians—surely they wouldn’t discard them like worn-out shoes now?

With faith in her kin, Perneisia waited for five years.

Enduring the next five years required considerable patience.

Yes. The Senate would be at the height of its power, so even if they wanted to protest, they would need sufficient time and preparation.

I can wait this much.

She comforted herself with such thoughts, suppressing the anxiety, impatience, and disappointment that kept surfacing.

It was probably around this time that she began to drink.

And then, another five years.

Now, only disgust remained.

All her comrades were dead.

Either they had become puppets who lost their sense of self through 15 years of slavery, or they had taken their own lives in final resistance.

The fairies did not help her or her colleagues at all.

No, they probably forgot about them completely. Because it wasn’t their business.

The world had found peace, and the need for warriors had greatly diminished.

It was a rational response, if anything.

So Perneisia decided to think rationally too.

It was impossible for her alone to confront Alvheim and the fairy elders.

So she would wait for an opportunity to come.

The Empire would eventually wage war against the fairies again.

Whether initiated by the Empire that rejected non-human races, or by Alvheim blinded by past glory.

She would quietly bide her time until that day.

Calmly, without arousing any suspicion.

Falling asleep drunk every day, recalling memories of rushing through battlefields with old friends in her dreams.

‘The embrace of the World Tree…’

Perneisia let out a bitter laugh. Indeed, it was an idea befitting old people with hardened minds.

Did they really think such a thing would still have meaning to her?

The World Tree is the god of fairies.

A deity that exists with roots spread out in the material world, not in a higher dimension.

Although its power to intervene in the world has weakened compared to before, it is still the great mother who protects the fairies.

‘A god who abandoned us.’

Her distorted smile was filled with malice.

She knew.

The World Tree is a god.

But fundamentally, it’s just a giant tree.

Yes.

And trees.

Burn in fire.

Gulping down more liquor, the fairy who dreamed of deicide laughed endlessly.