Ch.146Omen (1)

# Eastern Human Realm

Screams echoed across the land where a wide river meandered. The angels’ march to erase traces of demons had stained the world with blood.

“It was a false surrender. The God of Light is my only hope!”

“Is that all you have to say, heretic?”

“P-please, angel! I am innocent!”

The punitive force led by War Commander Asriel swept through several trading cities. They captured everyone who had signed Durin’s surrender letter and bound them at the execution grounds.

“I never followed the Goddess of Night, not once, and I never praised that demon.”

“…”

“It’s true. Please believe me.”

The city mayors pressed their heads to the ground. Some were even bleeding. The demons should have been occupying and ruling over them, but they had abandoned everything and retreated to the eastern frontier.

Some might mock this as stupidity, but Asriel disagreed. It was wise to acknowledge their tactical disadvantage and withdraw to more defensible positions. Above all, Heaven was now burdened with managing the occupied territories, which created numerous difficulties.

“I shall forgive the city. I acknowledge your purity.”

“Th-thank you, noble angel.”

The best option was to reabsorb the city. If the heresy inquisition had found them submissive to demons, they would have had to be completely erased from this land. Since that wasn’t feasible, they decided to focus on replenishing their forces.

“But your irreverence must still be punished. Bring forth all who swore loyalty to the demon.”

Of course, this wasn’t forgiveness. By ensuring punishment, they eliminated any precedent that surrendering to demons would spare one’s life.

“Please! Spare us!”

“AAAAARGH!”

Several rulers were dragged away by holy knights toward the blood-soaked execution grounds. Decapitated corpses greeted them. Voices trembling with fear leaked out.

“Carry out the execution.”

Axes revealed their blades above the trembling humans. Tears were of no use. As the holy knights brought down their weapons, the victims spilled blood without even having time to scream. Their convulsing bodies littered the ground.

The holy knight pushed the corpse away with his foot. Branded as a heretic who had met his end, the body was discarded onto a pile of corpses.

“There will be no next time.”

Blood splattered on the pure white armor evaporated due to holy power. The angel, enveloped in red vapor, was an object of terror.

The humans bowed their heads once more and pledged:

“We are grateful for your mercy.”

“May eternal glory be upon Heaven.”

Asriel accepted their praise with eyes that looked at them like insects. He knew their joy was still not directed toward God. They were merely grateful for having survived. They were no different from demons.

They should always be praising the God of Light.

“General. You must endure.”

An aide approached Asriel, who was openly displaying his displeasure.

“Didn’t the Archangel order us to focus on stabilizing the east until a negotiation offer arrives?”

The eastern region served as brief entertainment for warriors who couldn’t express their anger elsewhere. They mercilessly beheaded those singled out as the cause of defeat. In places where Asriel personally appeared, executions were carried out swiftly and relatively cleanly, but in places beyond his reach, atrocities occurred.

Just as demons had done, they impaled heads on poles or, worse, had them trampled into pulp by war horses.

They took out their anger over Rupiel’s death on innocent humans.

Nevertheless, the Archangel tacitly approved all these actions. In truth, he didn’t care at all.

Seeing too big a picture, he neglected the insignificant.

Asriel recalled the last conversation he had before descending to the human realm.

*

As usual, the Archangel was looking down at the human realm when he summoned the War Commander.

Asriel, who had been busy preparing for war, paid his respects.

“You called for me.”

“I see you’re accelerating war preparations.”

“Many angels are calling for revenge after our recent defeat. Even if we cannot defeat the demons, we intend to deal with all the traitors.”

“Stabilizing the east. An important task.”

Krazael was always composed. There was no urgency in his voice. Despite the accumulated defeats spanning hundreds of years, he showed no concern.

This could be interpreted as Heaven’s immense power, but it also alarmed others. Some feared that at this rate, the demon realm might actually launch an invasion. In fact, despite purging all opposition, a dissident group called the Committee had formed, and they did not trust the Archangel.

“I will reclaim Heaven through victory.”

“You remain loyal as ever.”

“Isn’t that the duty of the War Commander?”

“Then I want to ask Asriel, not the War Commander. Do you harbor any doubts?”

The Archangel turned to look at him. His voice was gentle but carried heavy authority.

“How could I commit such an irreverent act against the one who guided me to become War Commander? I simply follow.”

“Excellent.”

Krazael smiled. He seemed to feel rewarded for purging all the anti-demon faction, including Azakiel, and placing Asriel in position.

“Then I shall give you one more mission.”

“Please speak.”

“The vessel for the Goddess of Night is growing well, but her influence is having a profound impact on the demon realm.”

“After several victories, she’s essentially in the same position as the Demon King.”

“What we need is a god. Not a demon.”

“Do you wish for their annihilation?”

“The rest are unnecessary, so naturally.”

Krazael approached Asriel. He presented a sword to the War Commander who stood at attention.

“Do you know what this is?”

“I do not. Forgive this foolish sinner.”

“It is a sacred sword that demons wielded long ago when they lived together with Heaven.”

“A sacred sword?”

Asriel couldn’t contain his curiosity and raised his head. Krazael was holding a black hilt. It had indescribable patterns that couldn’t be called beautiful, but one could feel the divine power within.

“I can feel the goddess’s power.”

“Night cut off her flesh with this sword. She killed herself to prevent the God of Light from fully absorbing her divinity.”

It was a terrible method. At the same time, it revealed the desperate situation of that time.

“You must deliver this sacred sword.”

“Perhaps to the vessel?”

It was Asriel’s conjecture that this might be the key to be given to the demon who would resurrect the goddess.

But Krazael shook his head.

“The vessel will fulfill its duty once it obtains the body stored beneath the Papal Territory. The sword is unnecessary.”

“Then…”

“I said I don’t need the rest of the demon realm.”

The Archangel handed the sword to the War Commander.

“One who will kill their own kind with the sword that dismembered a god.”

“…”

“Fate has ordained it, so delivering it will be sufficient.”

“Does he know about this?”

This time, he nodded. It seemed there had been prior discussions.

“When she first arrived in the human realm, I detected it first and made a proposal.”

He had already been making moves behind the scenes. This was before Azakiel had gone to the demon realm to wage war.

“If this mission succeeds, the board will be complete.”

“Great Archangel, please allow me the honor.”

“Fate has already chosen you, so why do you plead?”

Krazael smiled benevolently.

“Go forth and fulfill it.”

“As you wish.”

*

The Celestial Knights focused on rescuing their comrades captured by demons.

Although they had a strong desire to wash away the wounds of defeat, they couldn’t continue fighting without the Archangel showing resolve. Reluctantly, they chose the option of dialogue with demons.

Negotiation.

It was the worst humiliation in Heaven’s history. Though they had been defeated by demons before, they had always dismissed it as a small number of personnel acting independently. Now, for the first time, they were about to record that they had initiated negotiations.

The Committee and other anti-Archangel factions strongly opposed. They insisted that continuing the war was the right choice, but all objections were ignored.

Moreover, the number of detained angels was three thousand.

They couldn’t abandon them all and wage war. Even if they launched a rescue operation, victory against Durin was not guaranteed. With no will to proceed and only a small force, they would meet the same fate as Azakiel, who had died in the demon realm.

Gradually, the fervor died down.

The controversy that had heated the Papal Territory came to an end. Instead, voices praising the Archangel grew louder. By dispatching War Commander Asriel to save the eastern region from falling into demon hands, public sentiment quickly turned around.

“The World Tree will soon follow.”

“Would Heaven collapse after just one defeat?”

It created an opportunity for faith to become even stronger. Confusion was suppressed, and preparations for the next holy army began.

“Indeed. A race that never accepts defeat.”

There was someone who had watched this scene from beginning to end. From the high cathedral in the Papal Territory, they quietly looked down at the streets below.

They observed the world leisurely, just as the Archangel looked down upon the human realm.

-There’s no need to fight battles you cannot win.

The day they first set foot in the human realm using an ancient gate flashed through their mind.

-Fate has called you. Don’t you want to live here doing what you please?

The hooded figure spoke. It was a very captivating voice.

-If you become a suitable opposing force, I’ll guarantee your freedom.

-You want me to ruin your territory? Are you sane?

-Faith needs fear to be maintained. Just as your kind chose terror to survive.

The other removed their hood. Golden halo and white wings.

Noble energy spread in all directions.

-What do you say, shall we make a contract? It wouldn’t be bad to shape the world together.

-An angel and a demon? Is that possible?

-You could return as the king of the demon realm.

-Sorry, but I left because I hated obligations. That damned will to protect…

-If you join us, that won’t be necessary.

At that moment, they could feel it. Someone was looking down on them.

As a higher being, they could immediately sense it.

Fate. She had come here.

-Isn’t duty just a struggle to return to Heaven? If not, there’s no need to care.

-It’s a bit boring to be stuck in the demon realm.

-You can fight as much as you want in the human realm. Even in Heaven, there are fools trying to fulfill their duty of salvation.

A smile spread. The two facing each other smiled at one another.

-Then I’ll be the king of the demon realm, and you’ll be the ruler of Heaven.

-If that happens, we can fulfill our desires while living in peace. It means you can enjoy all the benefits you had as king while only indulging in pleasure.

-As long as we respect each other’s territories.

Reflecting on that conversation, there was still opportunity left.

Though they had lost greatly in defeat to Durin, territories could be restored.

Negotiation.

The negotiation the Archangel spoke of was still valid.

The throne didn’t matter. The right to enjoy freely. A life of indulging in pleasure after escaping from cursed obligations.

“As long as I live, I will never let it be taken away.”

The former Demon King, Lucretia, desired only one thing.