Ch.161Persistent Ill Fate (2)

A battlefield where friend and foe are intermingled.

There was no safe ground left. The Hero swept through everywhere, killing every human in sight, creating a scene straight out of hell.

“Any survivors?”

“None, sir.”

“Damn it.”

Justiani, who had rushed out of the fortress too late, cursed. Five villages had already burned to nothing. Not even corpses remained. Only the soot left on the ground gave a faint indication of the atrocities that had occurred.

“What kind of Hero is this?”

Humanity’s greatest warrior meant to hunt demons. But there were no demons in this land. They were watching from afar, likely enjoying the brutal massacre humans were inflicting upon each other.

Purification.

The goal the Holy Knights had proclaimed for hundreds of years. It was also their fervent wish to eliminate those who worshipped anything other than the God of Light and bring salvation to those who kept the faith.

He had believed it was right.

He had felt happiness in killing non-believers and apostates to please God.

For the first time, he was seeing all those scenes from a step away. He couldn’t help but see himself overlapped with the image—the Justiani of days past who had swung his sword, buried in faith.

The Justiani of the past who had mercilessly butchered some screaming human.

“Were we truly fighting demons all along?”

“Lord Justiani. Get a hold of yourself. We’re still on the battlefield.”

“Battlefield? A war, by definition, is crossing swords with an opponent whose beliefs clash with yours. Who would call this scene a battlefield? This is a massacre. A one-sided massacre!”

Justiani’s fists trembled.

“The heretics—at least those heretics—never touched civilians. They even embraced them for the sake of spreading their doctrine.”

“Among them were those who thirsted for human blood. We knights have killed countless such creatures.”

“Then let me ask again. Who is thirsting for blood here? Who is coveting life!”

The knight couldn’t answer the harsh question for a moment. He knew it too.

“Lord Justiani. You were the one who said it.”

The knight gripped his scabbard tightly.

“Protect them. Protect the people, and if the Hero interferes, defend them even if it means making an enemy of the Hero.”

“That’s right, brother.”

“Honestly, I’m afraid. I can see what will become of us if we fight the Hero.”

It would be fortunate if they died by the Hero’s hand. Even if they were lucky enough to survive, the Papal State would brand them as heretics. Having opposed God’s representative and humanity’s greatest sword, they would inevitably be judged as having sided with demons.

“My life’s work is at risk of being negated. Is it still worth drawing my sword?”

“We are knights.”

Justiani gripped the frightened knight’s shoulder.

“We have a duty to protect the vulnerable behind us.”

The fundamental reason for living as knights in the Papal State, before being Holy Knights.

“The God of Light commanded us to spread salvation. It’s our turn to carry that out.”

“They have betrayed us.”

“They didn’t betray us. They simply saw a way to survive by following that man Conrad.”

“Weren’t you the one who was most enraged by their behavior and ordered the army to advance?”

“That was my foolishness. Didn’t I do exactly what the heretics did? I’ve realized it once more.”

Justiani stepped back. Light was flowing from his body. A warrior who inherited the blood of angels. He showed firm resolve as he thought of his mother who must be watching from somewhere in the heavens.

“Provide aid. And protect them.”

“Lord Justiani.”

“Let’s go. I have made up my mind.”

The knights gathered there looked at each other. Their hearts returned to the beginning.

“Yes, we will do so.”

They responded to Justiani, recalling the promise they had made that day.

“So please lead us…”

Just as the one at the forefront was about to begin the grand investiture ceremony with proper etiquette—

“So this is where you all were.”

A chilling voice poured cold water on the atmosphere. The startled knights all turned their heads toward the source of the voice.

“You’re doing something pathetic. How many people have died in this war? You seem so at ease.”

A young girl was casually sitting on a log strewn in the corner of the clearing.

“W-when did you get here…?”

“Tsk. It’s been a while, but not really that long. Just long enough to eavesdrop a bit.”

“That’s not the important issue here.”

Justiani pushed through the Holy Knights and stepped forward.

“Stop this massacre, Hero. You have seen too much blood.”

“Not a good topic to start with. I was deliberately trying to avoid it since our opinions seem too different.”

“This is not something to be glossed over.”

He demanded of the Hero without fear.

“I would like you to accompany us to the fortress first. We plan to devise a strategy to defeat the demons there.”

“I’m already showing you the answer. Just kill them all and be done with it.”

“I demand once more that you stop, as there are innocent people among them.”

“Are there innocent people in this land?”

The Hero sneered at Justiani.

“In this world, there are only allies and enemies. Conrad who betrayed you and the southerners.”

“Maybe not Conrad, but not the southerners. There are still people in this land who seek the church.”

“After I kill all the demons, such people will still be alive, won’t they?”

There was no getting through to her. The Hero was adamant. In his decades as a knight, he had seen many heretic inquisitors and exclusive knights, but never someone so impenetrable. Because of this, he could be certain.

His experience told him the answer.

This Hero was not aiming for salvation.

“You only desire battle.”

“That’s why I accepted the Pope’s offer to become the Hero.”

“Then I have no choice but to stop you.”

Saaaaa—

Holy power erupted. The golden wave released by Justiani began to envelop the earth.

A power meant to protect. The Holy Knight who sought to execute God’s will dedicated his body and soul.

“Yes. So it comes to this after all.”

On the ground where sparks flew, an overwhelming wave pressed down on the Hero. But the young girl only smiled. Not yielding, but rather pushing back.

“This is actually more fun.”

Kwaaaaa—

Black flames shot up into the sky. The energy embraced by the Goddess of Night absorbed even the sacred light.

“I didn’t really want to play house again.”

The young girl extended her hand. At its end was a sword. The sharpest edge birthed by death came to the Hero—no, the former Demon Lord.

“……”

Silence fell simultaneously. There was no trace of the knights’ solemnity here.

Only a girl desiring carnage and those challenging her existed in this pitch-black space.

Hoooo.

Lucretia exhaled a long breath. With the shattered silence, she slid down to the floor.

Splash.

A sound like stepping in a shallow puddle was heard as she touched the ground.

Splash, splash.

The sound grew more intense with each step of her delicate feet. A viscous energy was felt along with it.

It wasn’t refreshing. Not a clear energy. In the dark space, with only the girl visible, the truth of this world couldn’t be discerned.

“Khaak!”

Resisting the darkness that tried to bury everything quietly, one Holy Knight expelled a breath. With strong willpower, he broke free from his physical constraints and drew his sword.

“Kup!”

He needed to summon holy power quickly. For the invisible Lord Justiani. He had to exert strength here.

As a result of desperately squeezing out his power…

“One.”

The girl’s chilling voice was heard. When the startled Holy Knight raised his head, he could briefly see a figure passing by his side.

And that was his final moment.

“!”

Despite the terrible pain, he couldn’t scream. His throat was cut before he could. Blood was added to the world full of moisture. The half-severed head of the Holy Knight fell to the ground, cut surface first. A small ripple formed.

Saaaaa…

At that moment, the world changed. It was no longer dark. Black flames rose, illuminating the sky.

Hwaaaak!

It wasn’t the sound of holy power erupting. This was the world of death arranged by the Goddess of Night. It was the sound of blood mist slowly spreading, rising from there.

The others, except for the dead knight, could now see.

How the self-proclaimed Hero had sucked the life out of humans.

“Who’s next? Who will cross swords with me? I came here with this one desire.”

The black flames were souls. Countless screams flowed through them. The death throes stimulated primal fear.

“So I hope you won’t die so easily. I want a proper fight in this world without demonic energy or holy power.”

Lucretia, who had obtained the Goddess’s trace.

Here, she was Death itself.