Ch.340Changed Raid NPC. (6)

Divine Punishment. Or something called God’s Punishment—that’s what Militz Prime, the high priest dispatched from the Holy Nation, thought it was.

“W-what was that just now?!”

“A giant?! Is it a monster?!!”

“Injuries!! We have injured!! Urgent medical attention…!!!”

“E-enemy attack!! It’s an enemy attack!!!”

Having received the title of priest from the Holy Nation and been dispatched to live in the Empire for eight years, he couldn’t understand what the Holy Nation was thinking. When High Priest Torrens appointed him as a high priest by the Pope’s decree, collaborated with the Empire’s leadership to “prepare something,” and even brought a demon along, he genuinely questioned whether following the Holy Nation was the right thing to do.

“High Priest Militz!! Get a hold of yourself!! Your wounds are superficial!! The holy spell! Use the body strengthening holy spell…!!”

“…Divine… punishment.”

And now he believed that doubt had been justified.

The two massive dolls that suddenly appeared in this deep cave beneath the Imperial capital were overwhelming, terrifying, and even appeared sacred.

“Ha, haha. It’s divine punishment falling upon us for offering people as sacrifices to the demon…”

Some priests approached him, casting recovery spells and urging him to protect his body with strengthening spells, but what was the use of such things?

If that strike had been aimed not just at the sleeping demon but at him standing right beside it, he would have departed this world without even being able to confess his sins to the Lord.

“Enemy! A blonde woman! A red-haired girl!! And a glowing girl I’ve never seen before?! Anyway! The ones who were transported to the church have invaded the tunnel!!!”

“What about the demon?! What happened to the demon that was absorbing the sacrifices?!!”

“I don’t know!! It, it might have been killed by that attack just now…”

How foolish. Foolish, lowly, pathetic, and overflowing with sin. The people in pristine white priestly robes around him were blocking the golden woman, the red-haired girl, and the glowing girl who had appeared amidst the explosion—they looked like demon worshippers stained with sin confronting holy angels.

“Ira. No flames in the cave. The reason is…”

“Yes! If all the oxygen burns up, people might not be able to breathe!”

Such clear, pure voices. The blonde swordswoman holding a brilliantly shining silver sword that looked as if it had been personally crafted and bestowed by God, standing before the priests—she could easily be believed to be a true holy knight possessing both nobility and virtue.

And the red-haired girl shining as brightly as the sun, creating spheres of blue-glowing ice and life-carrying clear wind around herself and above her head—it evoked such divinity that one might wonder if this was how God appeared when creating heaven and earth. Beside her, another girl with a strikingly similar appearance wielding the same magic also glowed with mysterious light, inspiring nothing but reverence.

As he stood dazed, watching the two women delivering divine punishment, the priests who had been noisily barking beside him finally broke away and began rushing toward those figures. Ha, haha. What could they possibly do? Those are angels who have descended to punish us sinners.

Making that judgment, he knelt down and bowed his head as if awaiting punishment.

When the golden wind rushed forward, the white uniforms stained with sin turned crimson red as if repenting. When the sun-like girls’ hair fluttered, they froze the lives of those foolish ones who didn’t recognize their sins, as if telling them to repent until they confessed their sins in eternal frost.

Ah, aah. Divine punishment! This, this is the divine punishment the Lord has brought upon us!! The Holy Nation, and everything I’ve done, was indeed wrong!!!

“High Priest Militz!! Help us!! The enemies are strong!! If you don’t support us…?!!”

Another foolish one is struck down by the golden holy knight. Some cry out my sinful name, others the name of High Priest Torrens.

Aah! How foolish! When God’s messengers have come to punish our sins right before our eyes!!

Doing nothing, having no will, I simply engrave this moment of their actions into my memory. Now, now I too will soon be punished…!!

*Swoosh*

“Are you the highest-ranking priest here? What are you doing?”

“Sister, this man is crying?”

The noble golden holy knight holds her sword before me, and the red-haired girl who delivered the first divine punishment to open my eyes tilts her head looking at me. I quietly bow my head in gratitude and confession of sin.

“Thank you for giving me this final moment to confess my sins.”

“Excuse me?”

“Huh?”

*Head tilt*

For eight years in the Imperial Church, I tried to help many people according to the Lord’s teachings. Through the reputation I built, I was able to form a small friendship with the Imperial family, which ended up aiding the Pope and High Priest Torrens in causing this situation. The Holy Nation appointed me as a high priest because they liked that I was acquainted with the Chancellor, and I thought they would command me to help more people through this position, but the reality was different.

[We summoned a demon of greed using heretics. It requires quite a lot of sacrifices to satisfy it, so we will consume heretics who don’t believe in God as offerings under the will of the Holy Nation and the Lord. Don’t worry. Thanks to this, I was able to have very pleasant conversations with the Imperial family and the Chancellor, currently the highest authority. You just need to follow the will of the Pope and the Lord.]

I thought it wasn’t right, but I didn’t resist. I followed their instructions, and I was actually helping to consume thousands of Imperial citizens who came here after being advised to evacuate as sacrifices for the demon.

I deceived those who trusted me and came here, putting them into that prison disguised as a shelter and helping to convert them into energy for the demon. Even while doubting that the Pope and the High Priest might be wrong, I lost the will to question due to the strong divine power they wielded.

This is all sin committed due to my weakness. As I confess this to the angels…

“Uh, sister? Are they angels?”

“No. I think he’s calling Ira and the [Connector] angels. And he seems to be calling me a holy knight?”

“I beseech you three to punish this sinful one by your hands.”

Please end it here, please prevent me from committing any more sins. As I make this request, the three who had been punishing and hunting demon followers until just now look at each other with bewildered expressions, as if the venom had been drawn out of them. They withdraw their swords and staffs, and carefully part their beautiful lips, which inspire awe just to look upon.

“So, you mean… you have no intention of opposing us? Are you saying that if we ask, you’re willing to help treat those Imperial citizens over there?”

“Yes! If that is your final command to me! Even if I must sacrifice this wretched life!!”

“Um, then. Can you also stop those empty suits of armor moving up there? Can you do that?”

“Yes!! If you command it, I will dispel the holy spells cast on this church within an hour, even at the cost of my lifespan!!”

Ah! The noble messengers of God, after hearing my confession, are giving me a chance to cleanse my sins even a little!!

The tears won’t stop. With these terribly stained hands, they’re allowing me to save those I was driving to death, giving me a chance to repent for my sins even slightly—I weep in gratitude for their broad and beautiful hearts. After receiving permission to rise, I immediately deactivate the altar where the superior demon was, then rush to the prison to dispel all the holy spells.

Normally it would take more than 30 priests working together to dispel such spells, but if I use my lifespan as well, there’s no reason I can’t do it alone. Thus, repenting for my sins, I restore the Imperial citizens I had imprisoned and was killing.

“…Sister, I’m scared of that person.”

“Y-yeah. Me too. I’m a bit scared too. Is he really a fanatic?”

I heard the voices of the two expressing disgust at my actions, but I think that’s only natural. After all, it must be because their hearts are so pure and clean that they didn’t kill me immediately but gave me time to repent.

High Priest Militz Prime didn’t notice at all that the two people were slightly trembling as they watched him crying and laughing while treating people, as he continued working, even at the cost of his own lifespan.

*

*CRASH!!!*

*BANG! BANG!*

“Their numbers aren’t decreasing.”

“How annoying. I wish we could just collapse the Imperial Palace.”

“That would put the others in danger, absolutely not.”

“I’m just saying it would be nice.”

I feel a bit sorry for the assistant who doesn’t mention at all that it’s because this is the country’s historical and authoritative palace ‘where the Imperial family lives’—is it because I’m getting old?

As I zap the incoming holy knights and the Imperial knights who have significantly progressed into undeath with lightning, I glance slightly at the assistant. His red eyes are not looking at the enemies threatening his life with hatred, but with regret for those he couldn’t protect. Tsk, this is why I told him not to come.

“Headmaster, I’m curious about something.”

“Hmm. Speak.”

I take my eyes off the assistant who keeps moving his gun barrel without looking at me, and grant permission for the question. He asked something that didn’t suit him at all.

“Is teleportation still impossible? I’d like to gather the others again if possible.”

“Foolish question. If that were possible, I would have done that first instead of waking you up.”

Normally, such emergency teleportation could at most transport just myself. Even that was forced by using magic power violently. And though I didn’t mention it, I even suffered internal injuries due to external interference. If I were to use teleportation now, I’d truly be flung onto a path of death.

“Right. Sorry, it was a stupid question.”

“Stay calm. There’s no place more dangerous than the Imperial Palace, and as long as we hold out here, your companions won’t be in trouble. Originally, my disciple and that mountain keeper have entered the ranks of the strong beyond human bounds. The only thing you need to worry about is your own body.”

“That’s…”

I snort in response to the red gaze that seems to ask how I know about my disciple’s strength. I don’t know what she’s been up to, but in the mere two months and half I haven’t seen her, my disciple’s total magic power has far surpassed mine.

She seemed to be trying to hide and suppress it, but her education in that area is still lacking, showing technical deficiencies. Of course, I don’t bother to explain that much and silently continue clearing the enemies before us. The assistant draws the sword at his waist and changes the subject.

“Hey, that one at the very back. Isn’t it dangerous?”

“Hmm. I’ve been sensing it for a while, but I’ve left it alone since it hasn’t shown signs of movement.”

In truth, if I didn’t have internal injuries, I would have zapped that one first with lightning, but I don’t mention that. Priests who are clearly not undead, and in front of them, a priest holding a mace with some kind of gleaming feeling. I noticed that their divine power and what they call holy spells are all concentrated on that one person, but I doubt my attack would be effective from this distance, especially with my internal injuries.

“…You, tell me honestly. Are you injured somewhere?”

“Yes, honestly speaking, I have internal injuries. When I teleported, I had to suppress external interference as much as possible, which caused considerable shock.”

“Tsk. Then, should I just…”

“If you’re thinking of the attack you showed in the Marquis’s territory, forget it. If he dodges, it will penetrate the castle and destroy the external spells as well. Though he looks stupidly standing there, he’s constantly watching us.”

Since it’s obvious that the others would get involved, I tell him to stop. Hearing this, the assistant clicks his tongue even louder than before and begins to methodically clear the knights before us with his sword. Hmm, truly refreshing. Though he’s swinging alone, it feels like watching more than 20 veteran knights coordinating their swords simultaneously.

As we continue hunting the undead with the assistant…

*Tap*

“Finally decided to move, have you?”

The priest at the back who seemed to be preparing something finally starts coming forward, and the undead that had been endlessly pushing toward us simultaneously stop and begin to make way. Ha, a handler of divine power being escorted by undead. I truly wonder what this world is coming to.

“Greetings, Headmaster Naika of Neti, leader of the Neti.”

“Calling the head of the Academy, a place of learning, a leader—you must be a bit lacking somewhere, child.”

“Hahah! I apologize for that. And the person beside you, would that be this country’s princess, Princess Ragni Bluemoon Ottoman?”

“If you’re asking because you don’t know, how about I pluck out those rotten fish eyes of yours?”

“My, my, being criticized by such mature ladies hurts my heart.”

The exaggeratedly acting fellow is full of openings, but somehow I don’t feel like attacking. Rather than thinking of a surprise attack…

‘All my nerves and life experience are telling me. To be thoroughly defensive.’

Despite being a good five meters away, I feel the pressure as if that huge mace is right in front of my face. Of course, I don’t show this outwardly, but he seems to know even that, lightly swinging his mace before planting it in the ground and beginning another exaggerated action.

“I am the High Priest Phido Torrens Mar…”

*BOOM!!!*

A blue beam shoots at the fellow who was greeting us with excessive formality. Slightly surprised by the sudden attack, I look to the side to see the assistant shrugging his shoulders and looking at me with a prim expression.

“He was too full of openings.”

And I wasn’t particularly curious about his name anyway. The assistant looked at me as if asking if there was a problem.

“Hmm. That was a very correct choice.”

I praised the assistant for the first time in a while.