Ch.251251. Theology (2)

The Nature of Ma-Duk.

The reason this is considered the greatest challenge for all theologians in the world is simply because there is no consistency in this deity’s actions.

For example, the Life Goddess Debona, a representative benevolent deity, is famous for her kind nature, and therefore her actions and those of her order contain one clear intention.

As both the Goddess of Life and the Goddess of Healing and Treatment, she laments the meaningless deaths of innocent lives, while also striving to prevent death as much as possible without going against providence.

Debona’s temples treat the injured to the best of their ability even if they are not believers, and they provide treatment even to the most vicious and detestable criminals.

Additionally, they regularly provide medical services to the poor, distribute free meals, and help arrange and guarantee jobs for the impoverished who are trying to live diligently.

Furthermore, they deploy to smash the heads of undead or demons when they appear, and take on roles such as rooting out various demon worship organizations and evil deity cults that emerge in slums.

The deity of this temple, which is treated as “proof that hope still exists in the present world,” Debona of the Shining Hand, also bestows blessings upon those who do righteous deeds.

Stories of her granting halos to those who regularly donate despite not being well-off, or of Debona’s nuns ascending to heaven after dedicating their entire lives to helping the poor, are so famous they hardly need mentioning.

Just as benevolent deities consistently demonstrate their goodness, evil deities also tend to show a certain consistency in their actions.

For instance, Panima, the evil god of despair who wields the most power within human realms.

As both the evil god of despair and the deity of plunder and oppression, he acts as a patron for various criminal organizations.

Most of the northern barbarian tribes that primarily engage in plunder already consist of evil worshippers who revere Panima, and there is at least one criminal organization in each city that benefits from following him.

Additionally, Panima enjoys driving humans to despair through harsh treatment, then gradually tempting them in that state to slowly corrupt them into evil.

Particularly, the corruption that begins by using faith to place disguised curses on normal humans under the guise of blessings, causing something to grow from their bodies, is a method that perfectly embodies the concept of unfair treatment.

In this era where good deities clearly display benevolence and evil deities treat mortals like insects as if by instinct.

Paradoxically, Ma-Duk, an undeniably evil deity, possesses a peculiar duality.

Whether it’s to instill fanatical devotion in his followers or because he genuinely cares for them, the trust between Ma-Duk and his followers is quite strong.

His Vengeance Order operates on the fanatical belief that only revenge can make the world right, and the order’s scripture, containing its doctrines, continues to produce numerous red… followers.

The Vengeance Order secretly… or openly supports various acts of vigilante justice and revolutions occurring worldwide, and when other countries criticize these actions, the Dawn Empire cuts ties by claiming they are the actions of a small minority.

The Vengeance Order’s support for its followers is quite famous, and their revenge has become proverbial.

Because of this, they might easily be seen as red-faced fools who blindly support their own side, but that doesn’t mean the order approves of all followers of vengeance.

No, rather, they strictly regulate those who could tarnish their reputation.

The Vengeance Order personally suppressed and provided support for a vengeance cult that staged an uprising in a duchy of the Frankish Kingdom, and a certain heretic who gathered followers by claiming to be the son of the God of Vengeance was torn apart by the Hounds of Retribution that appeared openly.

Surprisingly, despite their extreme doctrine, the Vengeance Order manages its followers quite well, and the God of Vengeance openly displays a philanthropic love for all his believers, which has led to unexpectedly good relations with benevolent deities.

In fact, some of the benevolent deities in the pantheon have even ascended under Ma-Duk’s guidance, and he has a tendency to generously give without regard to whether someone is friend or foe if he likes them.

Additionally, he has led direct non-aggression treaties between benevolent and evil deities, has a reputation for handling his responsibilities fairly, and…

Jephthal of the Golden Hand, who has met him personally several times and built a private relationship, has publicly stated that even though he is an evil deity, he is not an evil person.

Particularly, his advocacy for an alliance against a common enemy (the Demon King) has gained widespread support, and while there may be conflicts among believers, it has at least provided an opportunity to establish a non-aggression treaty prohibiting all-out war between deities…

Nevertheless, Ma-Duk is ultimately classified as an evil deity.

Even the strict God of Justice acknowledges his fairness in clearly distinguishing the targets of vengeance, but the reason he is truly considered an evil deity is his excessive, merciless revenge.

It is well-known that he is criticized for treating the mere fact of having suffered harm as justification for torture, going far beyond simply returning the damage received to those deemed enemies.

It is common knowledge that criminals subjected to the “Eagle” punishment hang from street trees or lampposts in the Dawn Empire, and the prison gulags where serious offenders are taken are famous for having no survivors.

Additionally, the Dawn Empire under Ma-Duk is a state that allows absolutely no compromise, so despite being incredibly free by the standards of the era, punishment inevitably follows those who defy the state’s will.

The coexistence of this unique duality—chaotic-neutral and lawful-evil alignments—is essentially accepted as established theory by most theologians.

Therefore, Ma-Duk, who continues to torment countless theologians and graduate students today, is now—

《…He will be here soon.》

In the process of gathering his subordinate deities in one place.

※ ※ ※

A mountain range located in the divine realm of “Vengeance.”

Four beings with divine status had arrived at a secret meeting room within the mountain range.

And all the deities gathered here were Ma-Duk’s subordinate deities.

They were currently seated around a long rectangular table, having responded to Ma-Duk’s summons.

First to catch the eye was the War God worshipped by the minotaurs of the Great Plains.

Ugo-Duk, a lesser deity who is worshipped as Ma-Duk’s foremost subordinate deity.

Wearing armor made of animal hides combined with small metal plates, he carried a massive battle axe on his back. The fact that he was permitted to bring a weapon into the meeting hall alone indicated that Ugo-Duk was the primary subordinate deity.

Meanwhile, on the other side sat a deity with the appearance of a gigantic insect.

Reminiscent of a massive ant, her abdomen was so enormously swollen that she could not move on her own, requiring small insect-like humanoids resembling her form to carry her on a palanquin.

The Insectroid Queen—a newly ascended lowest-rank subordinate deity formed from the fusion of queen specimens of insect humans—insectroids—who had merged into one and ascended to reach this position.

That was the title by which she was known.

Next to the Insectroid Queen sat a white-haired man in modern attire reminiscent of a researcher, smiling.

While his appearance wasn’t exceptionally handsome, he was certainly pleasant to look at,

and his gray eyes, revealing a strange madness, momentarily evoked a chilling sensation.

His name was Lunifer Paicentrius.

Once active as the chancellor of the Dawn Empire’s Magic University, he had ascended after death to become a lesser deity of invention, exploration, and knowledge.

Among these deities, the final subordinate deity spoke with a smile.

Normally taking the form of a massive giant with an enormous body, but having reduced his size to fit into this meeting hall which, while large, was tiny by his standards—as befitting a deity.

His upper body, adorned only with ornaments, was covered in tattoos that were both elaborate and majestic, while his lower body was clothed in sturdy fur pants made from the hide of some ancient, unnamed beast.

A fallen member of the ancient divine race and ancestor of all giants, a Titan.

And this last survivor of the Titan race, who had now ascended to become a lesser deity of earth and agriculture—was the subordinate deity Philemon.

While these four subordinate deities were gathered and chatting amongst themselves,

suddenly, a deep red divine aura concentrated at the head seat across the table—

《…I see you’ve all gathered.》

At the end of the table where the head seat was located, the “Red God” revealed himself.