Ch.372[Epilogue] The Terrible Fate of the Enemies Left Behind

# Episode 1, The Resurrection Journal of Eidel Rheinland.

Production complete.

# Episode 2, Visiting Those Who Betrayed Humanity to Check on Their Current Situation.

Currently in production, riding on the wave of success.

Seti and I visited a prison. It was just one of many, so I don’t remember its exact name.

What matters is that the former queen is here.

“You mean Julia Magnus? I’ll bring her right away.”

The saint of the Magnus Order, Julia Magnus.

After the war ended, she was tried for terrorism and other charges.

The crime of betraying humanity and destroying peace.

The crime of causing significant confusion in federal society.

She was such a high-profile criminal that ordinary people couldn’t even visit her, but I’m different. I hold the title of humanity’s hero and expert on foreign gods.

Soon, a guard brought in a woman wearing prison clothes. Former Saint Julia. Though she looked visibly tired, her lustrous silver hair and clear blue eyes remained unchanged.

Her face turned pale the moment she saw me.

“H-how are you here…? Weren’t you dead?!”

“Don’t you watch the news?”

“I thought it was a lie!”

“Well, as you can see, I’m very much alive. What have you been up to these days?”

“Can’t you see what state I’m in?”

Julia fluttered her blue prison uniform and fumed.

“Why did you even come here? To mock me after I’ve been punished with additional charges while minding my own business? Fine. Go ahead and laugh if you want. I already know my life is over.”

“No, I actually have business with you.”

“Business?”

I pointed behind me. The documentary team from ‘Happy Day’ was waiting. The saint’s expression soured when she saw the high-quality broadcasting equipment.

“Who are those people? What are you trying to do now?”

“I’m thinking of shooting a documentary.”

“…A documentary?”

Julia snorted and turned away.

“Whatever it is, I’m not interested. What’s the point of exploiting a prisoner’s face? At least get me released first.”

Released, huh.

“Parole wouldn’t be impossible.”

Julia whipped her head back around.

“Are you serious?”

“Honestly, you don’t want to keep rotting in prison, right? You’re still young with your whole life ahead of you. I doubt you want to spend your 20s, 30s, or even beyond your 40s in here.”

“Can you really get me out of here?”

“That depends on you.”

Julia’s imprisonment was somewhat unjust. Upon investigation, I found that prosecutors from the Heresset faction had pinned the Order’s crimes on her.

“Are you in or out?”

“Uh, umm…”

Julia’s lips trembled.

“Take it or leave it.”

“…So, what do I need to do?”

***

After Sturm’s destruction, the Order’s activities were greatly reduced. But they hadn’t completely disappeared.

A cult is still a cult. With the Federation’s central authority weakened, it was the perfect situation for them to run rampant. They continued their missionary work and minor terrorist activities, primarily in the western planetary systems.

And.

The saint was still a holy figure of the Magnus Order.

Sturm’s agent. The first to contact an external god and receive revelations. The spiritual pillar of the Order and a woman of unparalleled beauty who captivated the hearts of many believers. That was Julia Magnus.

But there’s always a bigger fish.

Seti thought that if this temptress could be properly utilized, they could both make money and contribute to social stability.

“*Sob sob* I sincerely repent. My past self was foolish.”

The western region, where the Order was active, is the center of the Federation’s heavy industry. Seti’s company was also aiming to expand there. That’s why this documentary production held significant meaning.

The screen was recording the image of a repentant saint. This could be used as propaganda against the Order.

“Until now, I believed that Idea belonged to the foreign gods. But after witnessing Professor Rheinland’s sacrifice and efforts, I realized that true peace can be created by humans themselves.”

The saint, or rather Julia, bowed her head to me.

“I’m sorry for carrying out the terrorist attack on the research facility. I ask for your forgiveness.”

“Yes.”

I graciously accepted.

Of course, this was half scripted.

When I recall the scene of the particle accelerator facility—built with blood money—being partially destroyed, I still get angry. I couldn’t forgive the saint.

But what can I do? It’s all in the past, so we should reconcile. This approach would be better for the Rheinland family’s public image management anyway.

“Thank you for sharing. Lastly, do you have anything to say to the followers of the Magnus Order?”

“Yes.”

Julia nodded. She looked at the camera and spoke.

“Dear brothers and sisters. I feel deeply burdened for having led you down the wrong path. I apologize. There’s no need to rescue me, nor to continue the holy war. Please return to where you belong and lead honest lives.”

The impact of what the saint just said is immense.

In Catholic terms, it’s like the Pope coming out and telling people not to believe in their religion.

When this scene airs, the Order’s followers will surely watch it. I look forward to seeing their reactions.

“Alright, that’s it for today! Thank you for your hard work!”

The ‘Happy Day’ documentary team flowed out like the tide. Seti, who officially had no connection with them, remained behind.

“Hee, heehee. Ihihi.”

My sister’s expression was truly a sight to behold. Her eyes sparkled like gold dust, resembling gold coins.

Julia asked the prison guard:

“But will this really help me get parole?”

“If an inmate shows sincere remorse for their crimes…”

Julia is still young. If she hadn’t been born and raised on a frontier planet, she might have been studying normally at a college. Thinking about it that way made me feel sorry for her as an educator.

The recording continued over several days. We had to film those scenes that in regular observational documentaries would be skipped with a simple “a few days later.”

During this time, I was preparing for the new semester while helping Seti. If someone were to criticize me for having too much free time, I would say:

Research funds… get… duplicated…

“What a fine thing you’re doing.”

“Huh?”

It was around the fourth visit to the prison, late at night when I was returning to school. Someone was standing in the middle of the path between the campus buildings.

She was small in stature. Her youthful face showed both mischief and arrogance. For some reason, I could also sense killing intent.

Android or human?

Whichever she was, she wasn’t an ordinary girl. I swallowed dryly and opened my mouth.

“Who are you?”

“What? You forgot me?”

“Um, hmm.”

Think, Eidel.

That arrogant tone no less than Zernya’s. Plus that hostile attitude. I must have seen her somewhere.

“I’m Matonica! Sturm’s primary avatar!”

“Ah!”

No wonder she seemed familiar.

“But why do you look like that?”

The reason I couldn’t recognize Matonica was partly due to her appearance. Unlike her previous sophisticated look with flagpoles and trumpets, she now looked completely destitute.

“Your clothes are all torn. Your face is covered in soot.”

“It’s all because of you!”

Matonica screamed.

“You saved the world? Fine, that’s good. But that doesn’t change the fact that you indirectly killed our master! He was the savior of my life!”

Matonica rushed toward me, spewing her grievances. She had no weapons, but unlike before, I couldn’t help but be flustered.

After dealing with the Laplace-type foreign god, for the past year, no one had shown hostility toward me. Being softened by peace, I had completely forgotten how to respond.

“Take responsibility!”

Matonica’s fist drew an arc. Unfortunately, neither Rustila, Sonia, nor Ireh were around me now. Cartesia? She’s not showing up, busy with something. The only one with me was Seti, who had returned together.

And even more unfortunately.

Matonica no longer had the power of an avatar.

Unlike before, her movements were slow. I could see and dodge them.

Swoosh! Swoosh!

“Enemy! Enemy! Enemy of Sturm! You filthy privileged scum!”

I had been exercising regularly to keep up with my wives. The difference in reflexes was clear. Matonica panted as she threw her next punch.

But that punch never landed. Matonica tripped over a stone and fell. With a thud, her face hit the ground.

“Ugh, urgh. Damn it… I, I…”

Growl.

“I’m hungry…”

“You’re just taking out your frustration on me because you’re poor now.”

“S-shut up.”

Seti and I looked at each other and shrugged. Seti stepped forward and pulled something out.

Click.

It was a gun.

Of course, not a real gun.

“Hands up.”

“…What’s that? It’s a money gun.”

“Don’t resist or I’ll shoot.”

“You little girl…”

Matonica gritted her teeth.

“Do you think I’ll fall for such a threat? Even though I’ve spent a year digging through garbage cans without proper food, my pride as an avatar hasn’t been broken! You filthy family! As a subordinate of Sturm…”

I sighed and interrupted her.

“Didn’t that Sturm or whatever foreign god say something to you at the end?”

“Yes, he did. He told me to survive until the end. That’s why I’ve been struggling to live on, even when I wanted to die.”

“That’s right. Because it’s all over now.”

I gestured to Seti and continued.

“It would be better for you to quietly accept this money shower.”

Brrrrrr.

Banknotes streamed out of the money gun. Although paper money has become less common in this era, it still functions as currency.

The bills fell on Matonica’s head and knees. Her expression went blank.

“You know what money is, right?”

“…”

“With that much, you can wear nice clothes, take a clean shower, and eat plenty of delicious food. Even an avatar needs basic necessities.”

“Uh, uh, uhh.”

Seti grinned and pressed the button again.

Brrr, brrrrrr!

“Heck, heack! Heck heck heck!”

Watching Matonica instantly transform from a noble avatar to a slave of money, I realized:

The true protagonists behind the creation of the gravitational bomb weren’t me, other professors or researchers, or the government.

It was those with money.

It was entrepreneurs like Seti who created peace in this world.