Ch.319The Coast of Discord. Cape Bartholomew (1)

Cape Bartholomew.

True to its name as a cape—a landform where part of the mainland juts out sharply—a massive lighthouse stood on the protruding point.

However, the lighthouse’s purpose was quite different from the usual. As if to showcase the first civil war that took place here, it had thousands of lights permanently positioned to illuminate the remains of ancient warships exposed above the coastline.

“Is this meant to show us the scars of this place… Impressive.”

Victor said this while gazing at the warship remains, which were illuminated at an angle as if on display in a museum.

Despite tens of thousands of years having passed, the wreckage remained embedded in the coastline, boasting a rock-like solidity. Though the paint had faded under eternal light and the frames were bent, they never concealed their form, as if demonstrating their resolve to never sink despite the salty sea breeze and crashing waves.

“Should I praise their determination? Or condemn them for shedding blood in vain… Standing here, I can’t help but wonder.”

“If fighting for what one believes in ultimately leads to destruction, could you really condemn them?”

“Well… it’s difficult. Even as a god, I couldn’t save one man’s family. Humans can only be saved by human hands. Those who rely on gods for salvation ultimately only receive a postponement of suffering.”

Victor answered Simon thus while gazing at the gradually approaching lighthouse.

With his eyesight, he could even see the lighthouse keeper’s face.

The sight of them gaping at the massive battleship blocking the sky almost made him chuckle involuntarily—they looked like children—and those gathered at the base of the lighthouse, appreciating where the light converged, seemed like dust pushed into a corner.

“…Oh no.”

“What’s wrong?”

“…It’s nothing. Just a headache.”

Victor began to methodically correct his thoughts.

The lighthouse keepers are not children, and the people down there are not dust. They are, like him, created or born beings—personalities and living creatures worthy of respect.

The longer he lived as a god, the colder his view of humans became.

Like people who step on ants and dismiss it with “Oops, a mistake” before continuing on their way.

Even the metaphor above naturally substituted humans for ants, evidence that his personality was already being significantly eroded by his divine nature.

It was only because of Victor’s powerful mental fortitude built through his harsh life experiences, and having companions like Simon to speak openly with, and his wife who experienced similar symptoms, that he remained as he was. If he had neither Simon nor Raisha, he would have become like a machine blindly racing toward the goal of establishing an empire.

Saving Curtis—while he would have done so—would have changed from punishing Karluk’s rulers for taking no action despite people like him to punishing them for taking no action “until someone like this attached himself to me.”

Moreover, this was only because his divine nature was that of the altruistic and benevolent Sun who had burned for humanity for 350,000 years. If he had become Karyl’s avatar, blood would have flowed wherever he went.

Humans and gods cannot coexist.

There are only gods who lead and humans who follow.

The result of forcing them to coexist… will ultimately end badly.

“…You’ll be fine. You’re still Victor. Victor Walker. Leader of the Iron Walker Party and survivor of Parsifal. As long as you don’t forget that, you can remain yourself until the end.”

Simon, who understood this well, comforted him with dark eyes. Victor smiled bitterly, and Simon, seeing the eyes of one who had grown from boy to man, nodded with a stern expression.

*

“I bring joyous news, the Sun God has arrived in this land. Rejoice and worship. The God walks among us on this earth, and nothing can harm you!”

First, the priests of the Sun, acting as missionaries, disembarked from the shuttle.

Since the Sun God descended to earth in the Belka Archipelago, the enormously increased followers of the Sun rushed to hand over their valuables to the missionaries while calling out the Sun’s name. The priests, maintaining solemn expressions, recited verses from scripture while quickly pocketing the offerings.

“The Sun is coming! He will establish the Empire anew!”

“The ancient empire shall be reforged under the Sun’s radiance to usher in a new era! The calendar of mortality shall end, and a new empire shall follow!”

Each time the priests spoke, the crowd shouted in excitement.

The streets were paralyzed with marchers, and the Sun’s priests wielded swords while speaking of the Sun’s miracles and the power of the coming empire to control the public sentiment.

“He was born human like us and was reborn as a god through great achievements! Who could stand against Him who burned Himself to awaken as a god to destroy evil in Belka? Even Moneta, who holds one of the Four Thrones, fled miserably with terrible screams before His blade!”

“Believers! Welcome Him! He will see your suffering and comfort you! As in Karluk, let those who suffer seek Him! Any injustice will be annihilated before His justice!”

In the bustling summer of November, a shadow gradually falls over the crowd marching beneath the intense heat of the sun.

“It’s the Sun’s flagship!”

“What an enormous size! Truly worthy of being called a god’s flagship!”

Parting the clouds and blocking the sun, the Sky Warden arrived at Cape Bartholomew on the Hurichel continent.

Soon, Victor and his companions descended to the ground aboard Shuttle No. 1.

As the hatch opened and he appeared, the crowd immediately erupted in cheers and voluntarily knelt.

“The God is among us!”

Faith filled with madness is more dangerous than anything, but also useful.

Victor felt extreme self-loathing for viewing humans as means to an end, but unfortunately, the circumstances surrounding him were not comfortable enough to affirm his philosophy.

The Order of the Two Moons was under attack from all sides, and the explosive growth of the Four Great Gods’ Order as his pilgrimage continued was about to make his brain explode.

The wealth obtained from relics was all one-time, so they couldn’t rely on financial power indefinitely, which is why the priests accepted offerings without hesitation. After all, the money wasn’t for luxury but for war funds.

“Citizens of Cape Bartholomew. Behold me. I am Victor Walker, the Sun God and founder of the new empire. With my arrival here, light and heat will finally spread throughout Hurichel. Your faith will become the cornerstone of the new empire. Whatever hardships come, do not falter but act on what you believe.”

“The Sun has blessed us!”

“With the power of light and heat, we will create the future!”

“Glory to the new empire! The 13 continents will be united again!”

Victor waved to the cheering crowd with a solemn expression as he slowly made his way toward the lighthouse.

People called his name loud enough to hurt his ears, women fainted from extreme joy when their eyes met his, and children climbed trees and utility poles to gaze at him with adoring eyes.

He is not yet a god.

Just a human being consumed by divinity.

He is not yet an emperor.

Just a crusader silently walking toward his place and the mission he must accomplish.

But if he is neither god nor emperor, is he human?

“…”

His footsteps halted abruptly, then resumed.

He cannot remember his childhood. Is this the price of growth? Or the erosion of divinity? He doesn’t get drunk when he drinks, and whenever he lies in bed to sleep, memories of the terrible Eclipse Era pierce his brain.

He can no longer remember what Eileen looked like, and even the memory of standing on Parsifal’s cliff looking at the horizon has gradually faded away.

What was the texture of the clouds he caught in Crusis? How beautiful were the waterfalls and leaves of Maximus Gorge in Miriam?

He cannot remember. No, he remembers, but no emotion comes. It’s just like looking at faded sepia-toned photographs preserved in glass frames—only a dull resonance remains.

And Victor was terrified of this.