Ch.369Event (2)

I’ll post the emoticon announcement! Please wait a moment!

At this point, I have a question: how exactly does one become a devil worshipper?

Since the Devil War until now, people have become devil worshippers through various paths.

As I’ve consistently mentioned, devil worshippers have their hands in all underground activities and are mostly involved in illegal affairs.

Because of this, nine out of ten people deeply involved in crime are devil worshippers, but frankly speaking, they aren’t that dangerous.

They’re merely henchmen or ordinary(?) criminals. They’re only associated with devil worship, not directly connected to it.

Even if they left traces, no one would think it was the work of devil worshippers. People would assume it was just a large criminal organization rather than devil worshippers.

The truly dangerous ones are those who have been “brainwashed” from childhood. While criminals commit crimes for various reasons including desire, the brainwashed ones act proactively.

History proves how effective brainwashing can be. Especially when groups rather than individuals are brainwashed, it can lead to the worst wars.

Devil worshippers intensively utilize such brainwashing techniques, and their accumulated know-how makes people fall victim even when they’re aware of it.

Particularly in this world, unlike Earth, the exchange of “information” is significantly less. In other words, lack of information and environmental factors make it easier to fall into certain ideologies.

This might raise a question: in a world where gods exist and religious authority is powerful, how can people fall into devil worship?

Isn’t it strange that there hasn’t been even a sign of it since the Devil War?

But if you delve deeper into history, you’d understand. After the Devil War, all civilizations except Alfheim regressed to a reset level.

Furthermore, with the birth of the new “demon” race and the subsequent incidents, there was no time to pay attention to other matters.

Of course, devil worshippers haven’t been unscathed. When Sabre was engulfed in fanaticism and committed atrocities, devil worshippers also suffered greatly.

It was like catching a mouse while a cow was backing up, but unfortunately, this incident made devil worshippers more cautious.

They pretend to be ordinary people to avoid detection by “heresy inquisitors” like Kate, only revealing their true colors when the inquisitors are gone.

Only two people in the Church of Luminus can declare a “sanctuary”: the Pope and the Grand Inquisitor Kate.

Until the outbreak of the Racial War, humans were fighting among themselves, and elves were suffering from internal problems.

Beastkin, who hadn’t even established a civilization, weren’t worth mentioning, and demons were treated almost the same as devils.

Even dwarves, who were relatively normal, didn’t pay much attention to devil worshippers. They were busy supplying weapons for human civil wars.

Finally, with the outbreak of the Racial War, all conditions were met for devil worshippers to rampage without interference.

As a result, entire villages with little external communication often fell into devil worship, and they corrupted nobles and clergy.

In this way, the tentacles of devil worshippers gradually spread throughout the world, becoming dangerous enough to attempt devil summoning, though they failed.

Thanks to the Biography of Xenon, their existence has been revealed, but it will take a long time to eradicate them completely.

“Mom.”

“Did our Lora wake up?”

“Yes.”

In a house in an ordinary village, a cute-looking girl gets up and greets a woman.

With ordinary brown hair and brown eyes, she wasn’t particularly striking in appearance, but she was an early teenager with promising looks.

The woman, who seemed to have passed down those exact features, smiled at her lovely daughter.

“Breakfast will be ready soon, so wait at the table.”

“Okay.”

The obedient girl, Lora, trotted to the table.

When she arrived, she saw a sturdy-built man.

The man, presumed to be Lora’s father, was currently reading a newspaper, so his face wasn’t visible.

“Dad. Dad.”

“Hmm? Oh! Did our daughter wake up?”

But when his beloved daughter greeted him, he immediately stopped reading the newspaper and gave a warm smile.

His angular face with roughly trimmed beard and short hair was impressive.

They say daughters usually resemble their fathers, but fortunately, the girl took after her mother more.

Then, instead of sitting in her seat, Lora approached her father and silently spread her arms.

“Huggy.”

“Oh my. Of course.”

The man’s philtrum stretched at his daughter’s morning affection. There’s no need to explain how happy he was.

As Lora nestled in the man’s broad embrace and he showered his beloved daughter with love, she noticed the half-folded newspaper the man hadn’t completely put away and read the headline aloud.

“Xenon’s declaration of war… A full-scale battle against devil worshippers disguised as an event?”

“…!”

Snap!

When his daughter read the headline aloud, the man’s face turned pale, and he immediately threw the newspaper away.

He was so flustered that he didn’t even think to fold the newspaper but threw it on the floor.

Lora looked at the man with a puzzled expression, not understanding his strange behavior.

It was a suspicious action by anyone’s standards, but the young girl was too innocent to notice.

“Dad.”

“Y-yes?”

“What does ‘event’ mean?”

Instead, she asked about an unfamiliar word. The man lowered his gaze slightly to look at Lora.

Her brown eyes were filled with curiosity. He swallowed hard and carefully began to speak.

“…Event is used in various contexts. Ceremonies and festivals are events, and unexpected occurrences can also be called events. It’s usually used when something positive happens to you.”

This seems like normal education.

“I see. Then is offering sacrifices to the Father of All Things also an event?”

“Of course. But since ‘event’ is used in a broad sense, it’s not commonly used.”

If only the girl hadn’t mentioned the “Father of All Things.” Notably, all signs of embarrassment had disappeared from the man’s face, replaced by joy.

Whether it was because he had successfully navigated a dangerous moment or because she had mentioned a term he liked.

Lora nodded after hearing his explanation. If dad said so, it must be true.

“Meal’s ready. Lora, go back to your seat.”

“Okay.”

At the woman’s announcement that the meal was fully prepared, Lora returned to her seat.

The couple sat facing each other, with Lora sitting next to her mother.

Simple but appetizing food was laid out on the table, showcasing the woman’s cooking skills.

Eager to eat, Lora reached out, but the woman stopped her.

“Lora. Shouldn’t we pray before eating?”

“Can’t we just eat?”

“No. We can eat all this food thanks to the Father of All Things. We must express our gratitude to him.”

“Hmph.”

After the woman’s detailed explanation, Lora pouted briefly but then folded her hands neatly. The sight of her tiny hands folded together was incredibly cute.

The woman smiled at her daughter’s adorable appearance before reverently folding her hands and closing her eyes. The man across from her did the same.

Then, without any prompting, they began to pray in solemn voices.

“We address the Father of All Things. For today’s daily bread…”

“We address the Father of All Things. For today’s daily bread…”

“We address the Father of All Things. For today’s daily bread…”

A family reciting prayers at a pace that was neither too slow nor too fast.

On the surface, they appear to be devout believers, but the fact that they pray to the “Father of All Things” reveals who they are.

Those whom the public calls devil worshippers. The group that has caused significant damage to the world since the Devil War.

They are praying with solemn postures, truly as if praying to a “god.”

“May we find truth in a false world.”

“May we find truth in a false world.”

“May we find truth in a false world.”

The devout prayer came to an end. The three opened their eyes and unclasped their hands as soon as the prayer finished.

As they opened their eyes, a slight change occurred in them. First, their pupils became unfocused, and an unknown black energy began to ripple.

This was no different for Lora. She felt a strange drowsiness.

It was like being stuck in a sticky swamp and struggling. If she stayed still, she might feel comfortable, but it was so unpleasant that she resisted instead of accepting it.

“Phew…”

“Haah…”

The couple’s heated breaths penetrated Lora’s ears. Feeling suddenly alert, she closed her eyes tightly and then opened them, looking around.

The black energy that had just appeared was gone without a trace, leaving only an ordinary couple.

“I hope it helps the Father of All Things.”

“Me too. I should contribute with my modest strength. Our Lora will too, right?”

“Y-yes.”

Lora reluctantly gave an affirmative answer to the man’s question. Her brown eyes were filled with fear of unknown origin.

The man seemed satisfied with her forced agreement and nodded.

Now all that remained was a harmonious meal. The man picked up his utensils first, beginning what appeared to be a peaceful family meal.

Lora also shook off the uneasiness and put her mother’s delicious cooking in her mouth.

“Honey. How’s the situation these days?”

“It’s chaotic. That person…”

The man was about to curse but glanced at Lora. She was currently focused on eating, but cursing wasn’t appropriate.

“…That person has really started to give us trouble. Have you seen the newspaper?”

“Of course. It’s frustrating for us when someone who doesn’t know the truth holds power.”

“We should have resolved this earlier. We were too complacent just because it was a book.”

While the couple conversed, Lora eavesdropped on their conversation.

She couldn’t understand what they were talking about, but judging by their serious tones, it seemed to be a grave matter.

However, through the “intuition” she had developed over the years, she realized it was an issue she shouldn’t interfere with. Food was more important right now.

“Lora.”

“Hmm?”

While she was hastily eating, the woman called her gently. Lora flinched and looked at her.

The woman kindly wiped the sauce from the corner of Lora’s mouth with her finger and spoke in an admonishing tone.

“Our Lora shouldn’t read such wicked books. What’s always important is the word of the Father of All Things. Understand?”

“Yes.”

“Good girl, our daughter.”

Lora grinned as the woman gently stroked her head. Anyone could see it was the smile of a girl raised with abundant love.

Thus, the pleasant breakfast ended, and as the woman was clearing the dishes from the table.

“Lora.”

“What is it, Dad?”

“Don’t forget your education today.”

The man, who was reading the unfinished newspaper, spoke in a flowing voice. However, Lora’s reaction was alarming.

As soon as she heard the word “education,” her face instantly turned pale. Her already fair face turned a sickly blue.

Her hands began to sweat, and cold sweat dripped from her forehead. She spoke with a stuttering voice.

“E-education?”

“Yes. We agreed you’d have it today, didn’t we?”

“B-but… you said if I memorized all the prayers, I wouldn’t have to…”

Swish-

At his daughter’s resistance, the man lowered the newspaper, revealing his eyes. Lora took a sharp breath as soon as she saw those eyes.

Until breakfast, he had clearly been an affectionate father, but not anymore. Only the appearance of an “educator” remained.

When Lora lowered her gaze at the intimidating look, the man placed the newspaper on the table and spoke heavily.

“Lora.”

“…”

“Are you defying the words of the Father of All Things?”

“N-no.”

“Then why?”

To the consecutive questions, Lora answered in a crawling voice.

“…I don’t like it.”

“What?”

“I don’t like… the pain…”

As she said this, Lora gently held one arm with her hand. It was like she was touching a painful area.

Seeing this reaction, the man seemed unconcerned and smirked before speaking.

“That’s what education is. You grow by overcoming such pain. It’s a necessary obstacle to find the truth.”

“…”

“Other children are receiving education too, aren’t they? It’s not just you. Our entire village exists for the Father of All Things.”

“Is that… so?”

“Yes. That’s how it is. Dad was like that when he was young. So was your mom.”

At the man’s explanation, Lora held her throbbing arm and looked away. When she did, she saw the woman nodding in agreement with the man’s words.

She didn’t like the pain. But her mom and dad explained that this was normal.

The villagers were no different. Everyone worshipped the Father of All Things, and no one expressed any dissent.

The moment someone did, terrible pain followed. Hadn’t she received severe caning when she once expressed dissent?

Then it must be right. The more she resists, the more pain follows.

Lora nodded with a drooping face.

“…Okay.”

“Good. Dad believes our daughter will become an excellent ascendant. That’s what the lord said when he received the ‘revelation,’ right?”

“Yes…”

“Then go to the basement first. Dad will soon…”

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Before the man could finish his sentence, a loud noise penetrated their ears. The sound of someone roughly knocking on the door.

At the noise, everyone in the house turned their gaze toward the door.

“Who could it be at this early hour?”

“Could it be Mr. Jake coming for a hangover cure after drinking yesterday?”

“Ha. This guy, really. Does he think this is a place to cure hangovers?”

As if it was a common occurrence, the man stood up dismissively. Lora watched his back for a moment before moving her feet.

She was heading to the basement, which was established for a special purpose. It’s not unusual for houses to have basements.

Every house in the village had a basement, so Lora thought this was normal.

“Who is it?”

“Ah. Excuse me. Is this…”

Some sounds were heard from behind, but Lora continued to move mechanically. She was currently descending the stairs.

It got darker as she went deeper into the basement, and an impenetrable darkness settled, but it didn’t hinder her at all.

She was familiar with it. So familiar that she could now walk with her eyes closed.

‘This is right…’

Talking to herself, she reached the end of the stairs. There was a firmly closed iron door, like one that would contain a “criminal,” and a small window to peek inside.

Creeeeak-

Lora carefully pushed the door open. An unpleasant sound penetrated her ears due to the lack of oiling.

When the thick iron door opened, what came into view were various “educational” materials, including “playground equipment.”

A whip was rolled up and hanging on the wall, and there was even a skewer that would be used for torture.

It was by no means suitable for playground equipment or education; rather, it was closer to torture equipment. However, Lora didn’t recognize this at all.

Because her parents and the villagers had taught her so. That all these were stepping stones for “growth.”

Swish-

Before the man arrived, Lora slowly began to undress. She first took off her top.

Exposing just the upper body was enough for education.

Eventually, Lora’s upper body was completely exposed, revealing a body just entering puberty.

Including scars and marks caused by “education.” Not only were there blue bruises on her arms, but the condition of her back was severe.

Scars from whipping remained intact, as if they hadn’t been treated in time, and even burn marks were vivid.

Burn marks as if a skewer had been heated in fire and pressed against her skin. These were truly traces of “torture.”

Thud- Thud- Thud-

‘He’s coming…’

Footsteps were heard beyond the door she hadn’t closed. Lora trembled at the thought of the upcoming education.

However, consumed by fear, she didn’t notice that there was more than one set of footsteps.

Furthermore, while her father usually came bare-handed, now someone was carrying a torch.

“These people are really crazy. The entire village has been consumed by devil worshippers?”

“That’s highly likely. I heard they were cursing the Biography of Xenon, calling it a wicked book.”

“Good grief. But what is this place… huh?”

But something was strange. This wasn’t her father’s voice.

Lora turned around in confusion, opening her eyes. And she could only blink in surprise.

People she had never seen before were looking at her with shocked expressions, holding torches.

They definitely weren’t villagers. The villagers had never worn such equipment.

She quietly opened her mouth with a puzzled expression.

“Who… are you?”

“Why is there a child… what are those scars?”

“There’s even a whip here? No, damn it. These are torture devices? There’s even a skewer.”

“Wow… these crazy bastards. Quickly call a cleric. This is serious.”

Strangers making incomprehensible sounds. Where had her father gone, and why were these people in the basement?

While she was unable to grasp the situation, the man holding the torch slowly approached.

“Little one. Are you okay? Can you stand up?”

“…Who are you, mister?”

“…Mister?”

The man muttered, seemingly shocked at being called “mister.” But soon he regained his composure and answered.

“Let’s go outside first. Okay?”

“B-but… my dad will come to educate me…”

“…Education?”

The man frowned at the word “education.” From Lora’s perspective, his face looked fierce, so she couldn’t help but shrink back.

Then, after scanning the basement filled with torture devices, he asked in a disbelieving voice.

“…Don’t tell me this ‘education’ involves using those?”

“Yes…”

“Since when have you been receiving it?”

“Since I was 7…”

“How old are you now?”

“12…”

“These crazy bastards. Get up now.”

“B-but my dad…”

Lora, thoroughly brainwashed, refused to get up until the end. Deep confusion was etched in her brown eyes.

The man looked at her with pitying eyes before covering her damaged body with his cloak to hide it.

Then, gently stroking her head, he gave a witty answer.

“Just think of it as playing hooky.”