Ch.419Symbol of Unity. Celestia (1)

The capital of the Bereshit Federation. Celestia.

While the entire city was busy with beautification efforts to welcome the approaching Solar Flagship, a noisy war of words was unfolding in the Capitol building located in the eastern part of Celestia.

“How dare you utter such nonsense before the Sun! The followers of the divine are fervently stepping forward to set the world right, yet you refuse to participate in war out of fear of its devastation—if that’s not nonsense, what is!”

“Sun, Moon, or Star—what’s impossible is impossible! Do you know how tight our country’s annual budget is? If we rashly commit to supporting this war, our citizens will be the only ones who suffer!”

The reason for this argument was quite simple.

They were discussing whether the Bereshit Federation, the established power in this region, should support this ‘Holy War.’

If the Bereshit Federation joined, the regional situation would instantly tilt to one side. The power of a federation comprising 17 cities was that formidable. However, as always, the representatives knew very well that while starting a war might be their decision, ending it would not be within their control.

The moment they rashly raise the flag of war, they cannot withdraw until the war ends. It’s either victory or defeat. They cannot carelessly make a self-destructive move that could end the centuries-old history of this federation in an instant.

“The entire world is already at war, and if we alone remain idle, we’ll surely be marked as neutral parties! Don’t you know the cautionary tale of Myers?”

“That’s…”

“Moreover, the Sun will soon arrive in Celestia. Though powerful and great, the Sun is by no means merciful. Their actions thus far have proven that! On that day, when the Sun walks among us, can you boldly declare that you refused to answer the call to holy war?”

“…”

But the overall atmosphere was shifting toward participation—as servants of the Sun, of course.

It was difficult to refute when they cited the cautionary tale of Myers Hills, which perished after fighting a two-front war as a neutral party despite its intentions. And with a deity soon to arrive on this land, no one could say they would not participate in the Sun’s war.

“Since ancient times, abandoning faith has meant death…!”

Because the war advocates possessed the cheat key of faith, the peace advocates were inevitably pushed into a defensive position.

In this world where ghosts appear on nearby mountains, spirits play card games in the subway, phantoms rummage through leftover ancestral rites tables during holidays, and the wailing of evil spirits echoes every night, going against the will of “God”—a real concept and existence—truly meant death, as they claimed.

“…Then let’s ask directly!”

“…What?”

“The Sun! Whether this Bereshit Federation should raise the flag of war, or if we may remain peaceful with the Sun’s tacit consent! We can simply ask directly! I will ask personally! That would end this pointless wordplay! Wouldn’t it?”

“That… ahem!”

As the situation unfolded this way, Merkos Yurek, the leader of the peace advocates and representative of the Citizen Party, took the initiative. His proposal immediately dampened the enthusiasm of the war advocates, and Aileen Chester, the leader of the war faction and representative of the National Party, merely watched Merkos with a sour expression.

“This federation… this Bereshit Federation is not merely an alliance of cities! Respected representatives, this federation is proof that humans can feel attachment even away from their homeland, and living evidence of humanity’s ability to unite and progress toward advancement! And in this Capitol building, which is both symbol and heart! For us, who stand here with the votes and support of citizens, to point fingers and fight with each other… do you truly think this is right?”

“No… ahem…”

“Cough! Cough!”

As the atmosphere calmed again and the Citizen Party representative admonished the representatives with a resolute tone, those who had cooled down began clearing their throats to dispel their embarrassment. His words were correct. Their power and authority were not birthright but delegated through the citizens’ support.

Yet here they were in the Capitol building, a symbol of federation unity, getting caught up in the topic of faith, pointing fingers with flushed faces and spitting as they spoke. If the citizens knew about this, their political careers could end that very day.

However, Representative Merkos didn’t seem to intend to stop there.

“Just because God exists, must we believe? In the end, God is merely a kind of parasite that originates from us and gains power from us.”

“!”

“My goodness! Such dangerous words…!”

“Representative Merkos!”

“Be quiet!”

*BANG!*

Just as the commotion was about to erupt again, the Citizen Party representative struck the podium and subdued the audience once more.

“Is this the Sun’s federation? Is this a country of Sun worshippers? We have survived and prospered by our own strength, from the era of extinction until now when the Sun has been revived! Yet half of us are trying to hand over this human nation to a transcendent being, and the other half are trying to submit to that being!”

“Without God, who will protect us from the transcendent horrors of other worlds? Without the Sun, this world will fall back into darkness!”

“Then we’ll illuminate it again! Let me quote the Sun’s words that you so love. We owe a debt to Saburo, and we continue to owe it. Does that mean we’ll keep owing forever? The newly born Sun said they would build an empire made through the dedication of all people, not one maintained by the sacrifice of a single person. Are we not included in that ‘all’? If they gain power from us, they should listen to our opinions! If they try to take what we’ve built with just a word, aren’t they usurpers and invaders?”

“This is blasphemy…”

“Drag him out! Drag him out now!”

“Even if we fall before overwhelming power, even if the collective will of the majority crumbles before the power of the few, we must protect what we have built! Don’t submit and become slaves! Die as humans! This is the nation we built. This is the country we will live in! Even if we lose sovereignty before the empire’s might, as long as we don’t lose our traditions and history, we can still call ourselves humans of Bereshit!”

“If we don’t submit to God, what do we have left?”

“A life as free humans! A life waiting as dignified individuals who won’t have their dignity taken by any being! Just as we aren’t slaves to our parents despite being born from them, we don’t have to become followers of a deity just because we received grace from them!”

If Viktor were here, he would have jumped up and applauded like a seal.

That resolute attitude and determination to assert one’s dignity and independence as a being without submitting to the divine glory—isn’t this the magnificent hymn of humanity that great people around the world should take as a model?

If you bow in submission, you’ll die as a martyr of faith; if you turn and flee, you’ll be condemned as a deserter. So stand up and fight. And die. Only death can conclude life and tie up a story.

Don’t live on your knees; die on your feet. Even if you’ve received grace from God, you have no obligation to repay it; even if this world is maintained by God, there’s no reason to be grateful for it—isn’t that what the party representative is saying?

What an exemplary human specimen! A model of a subjective and independent personality! The Sun’s beliefs prove that his words are a hundred times right and just. Just as those born from parents eventually break free from subordination and elevate themselves as parents, he is, at this moment, expressing his opinion before representatives and committee members who have been delegated power by citizens, accepting all criticism and condemnation.

This was the triumph of human will and determination, the ultimate expression of humanity’s pioneering spirit.

“Humans are social animals and political beings. Aren’t all of us gathered here, including myself, proof of that? Yet we’re going to surrender our sovereignty to a single great predator? This land is what we pioneered and call our homeland! Even if the Sun can determine the fate of this land…”

*Gasp… gasp…*

Merkos breathed heavily. Only one final sentence remained.

Some looked at him with admiration, some with unfamiliarity, and others as if he were a monster.

But it didn’t matter. As long as he could leave this one sentence, he would have achieved his purpose for coming here.

“They cannot determine the fate of the people living on this land.”

Look, listen, and finally engrave it in your memory.

In Celestia, this symbol of unity, I proclaim the birth of a great human.