Ch.77Human Realm (2)

Under the sky, there was no living body.

The corpses of holy knights who had called out to God lay strewn across the field.

The sky was filled with the scent of blood and ash.

Those who had died without a scream maintained their silence beneath it.

“I’m bored.”

The Holy Woman muttered as she gazed at the scattered embers.

Though she was the very cause of this devastation, her expression remained impassive. No emotion dwelled in her golden eyes.

She walked steadily forward, not even bothering to wipe the blood dripping from her hands.

“There’s hardly any reaction at all.”

She looked up at the sky. The sun, hidden behind clouds, refused to show itself.

Only dark energy illuminated the world. The heaven that the dead had so desperately longed for had not properly descended.

“If you want to match my level, send someone worthy. Auriel.”

A complaint directed at the archangel who would be overseeing the human realm from the highest place.

Though uncertain if it would reach him, she put her heart into it, hoping for a response.

“Holy Woman. The air is cold. Please come inside.”

A warrior who had been quietly observing the scene knelt down. Though not imploring, his loyalty ran deep.

“Please leave the battlefield cleanup to the soldiers and look forward to the next opportunity.”

“Next? Who knows when another archangel will come. At this rate, I’ll just conquer the entire human realm while waiting.”

“I eagerly await that day.”

The conversation between the two with opposing emotions was strangely misaligned.

It was remarkable that they communicated at all, as each simply stated what they wanted to say.

“I thought the archangel commander would descend first, but they keep sending strange lower-ranked ones.”

“Each one was powerful enough to be revered by the papacy.”

“That’s only how they appear to you. To me, they’re incredibly weak.”

“Weren’t they archangels who nearly devoured the demon realm?”

“Those ones? Really?”

The Holy Woman burst into laughter. Her tone suggested disbelief.

“The true archangels haven’t even descended yet. So far, only the castoffs have come.”

“When the human realm is in crisis, why would the heavens do such a thing?”

“Because those chosen by the God of Light are few. They’re probably trying to eliminate as many competitors as possible. They used to send them like this in the old days too.”

“Then the angels we’ve been worshipping…”

“Had absolutely nothing to do with heaven’s will. They were probably dreaming of returning to heaven by gathering faith again.”

“So God truly doesn’t watch over us with love.”

“That’s right, abandoned children. You’re merely resources.”

Every word she spoke so calmly was blasphemous. Had the papacy heard this, they would have sent inquisitors in rage, but they couldn’t. The Holy Woman’s power was too formidable. Having killed all the angels who had descended to the human realm, no one dared oppose her.

“I thought there would be different amusements here, but I got bored faster than expected. There’s nothing here except your worship.”

“Please become our god.”

“See? Always the same words. Get out of my sight, you’re disgusting.”

“Please save us.”

The soldier who had bowed his head deeply rose again. He walked away, pushing through the corpses of the holy knights.

“It seems there’s only you after all.”

The Holy Woman didn’t look back. She was still gazing up at the sky.

The clouds that obscured it were never reflected in her eyes. There was only one thing she was watching.

-Flutter!

A bird with strange wings. A peculiar being with round eyes surveying the world.

The Holy Woman reached out toward it.

“Are you watching? I’m doing well here.”

There was a wistfulness about her. It wasn’t exactly longing, but she seemed to desperately want something.

“I told you before. You’re the only demon worthy of challenging me.”

She pulled out an old memory.

A dark night. That day when she was reminded once more of her duty of protection while looking out over the castle landscape.

“You’ll come soon, won’t you? Durin.”

She clenched her fist tightly.

At the same time, the world began to distort. The world turned red and was engulfed in black fighting spirit.

Demon Lord Lucretia, who had escaped. Her power began to consume the human realm.

“I’ll be waiting.”

Crack!

The world went dark.

#

The rulers of each continent continued their deliberations.

They needed to formulate a plan to mobilize the demon realm’s forces and march into the human realm now that the former Demon Lord’s existence had been confirmed.

Durin should have attended as regent, but he had more pressing matters to confirm. A quiet balcony in the Demon Lord’s castle, rather than the royal hall, was the appropriate place.

“Your Excellency. What brings you to seek me out?”

The fallen angel Yursael prostrated himself before him.

Having just accepted demonic energy, he was showing extreme deference. The regent opened his mouth while gazing at the late-night scenery.

“I need information about the celestial realm.”

“I will tell you everything I know.”

“I’m curious about the archangel commander’s intentions.”

The regent expressed the one question that had occurred to him while reviewing all the information delivered by the scout beasts.

“I understand that the celestial realm was watching the Demon Lord’s movements and couldn’t pay attention to the demon realm. Is that correct?”

“That is so.”

“But according to the information gathered from the human realm, the celestial realm’s movements are still passive.”

The human realm was being ravaged by the Demon Lord.

It seemed that some archangels had gone to respond, but compared to her power, they were insignificant. As a ruler, he couldn’t understand why the one who knew this fact better than anyone wasn’t personally leading the human realm.

“Your Excellency. Do you know about the division in the celestial realm?”

Yursael asked cautiously. Durin nodded.

“I’ve heard that during the celestial realm’s long golden age, hostility toward the demon realm decreased, and during that time, many power struggles occurred.”

“Those like Archangel Azakiel, who wanted to focus on the demon realm, were the main instigators of conflict. Having a primal hatred for demons, they inevitably clashed with the higher-ups who were only passionate about collecting faith.”

“And so they perished in the last war without receiving significant support, did they not?”

“The forces he brought were probably the remnant forces left in the celestial realm.”

Those forces had disappeared due to defeat. In other words, the anti-demon faction in the celestial realm had been completely erased.

Just as the demon realm had erased traces of the previous era, so had they. Only in a different direction.

That’s why Durin couldn’t help but wonder.

“Then they should be paying more attention to collecting faith from the human realm, but they still aren’t.”

“Because there is something even more important.”

“Speak, Yursael.”

“The favor bestowed by the God of Light. Angels are beings that always crave God’s love.”

Just as demons are obsessed with the spirit of struggle, angels also endlessly yearn for something.

That’s how Yursael explained it.

“Regardless of the faith that can overflow at any time, those who receive God’s love are limited.”

“Is there inequality in grace?”

“It has been so since the beginning. We dare not ask why. Angels simply follow because God has decreed it so.”

The obedient and the expelled.

While there were clear differences between the two, the internal conflicts that festered ultimately flowed in similar directions.

“Demons kill each other to survive, and angels kill each other to be loved.”

“That’s why I pledged allegiance to the demon realm, Your Excellency. The complacent celestial realm can no longer restore its former glory.”

“Speak honestly that it was to protect your father and people. I don’t like flattery, Yursael.”

He chuckled and turned away. Though the conversation wasn’t over, Durin was heading elsewhere, causing Yursael to hastily grab him.

“I haven’t fully explained about the celestial realm yet. From the conflict between the archangel commander’s forces and the non-mainstream, to the details of the human realm’s crusade. I will tell you everything.”

“Not necessary.”

But Durin was merciless. He spoke firmly, as if no more dreadful stories were needed.

“That’s something to report to the Demon Lord. I need to quickly strengthen the legion and refine plans for advancing into the human realm.”

“Your Excellency.”

“The celestial realm has not yet advanced into the human realm. That fact alone is sufficient.”

He walked into the darkness.

“The land that has fallen into chaos will soon become a battleground between the celestial and demon realms. When the Demon Lord is not yet interested and things are dragging on, that will be our opportunity.”

Both the celestial realm and the Demon Lord were proceeding complacently, thinking only of their own safety.

Time allotted by fate. At the end of the path he had walked with endurance, a battlefield awaited where he could paint glory.

“As regent, I will prepare for war. I seek nothing more.”

The memory of ruling the demon realm as regent was his last.

A painful memory that should be buried with the past era. Durin, having returned to his legion, was ready to embrace his destiny.

#

“I can’t muster any strength.”

At the same time.

The hero was still in the punishment room. Being one blessed by the Creator God, he was always under surveillance.

The Golden Guard, who were supposed to protect the Demon Lord, guarded the surroundings, and sorcerers constantly bound him.

Having a record of destroying a castle protected by the highest sorcery, he was specially managed.

“How should I put it? Should I say I feel empty?”

“Don’t push yourself, Kael. Now is the time to rest.”

“I’m too healthy to rest.”

The hero gave a bitter smile. His restored arm and healthy body felt strange.

He thought he would live as a slave after being defeated in the demon realm, but the situation was the opposite.

Despite being restrained, he was treated well. Durin didn’t bother him with trivial matters, and his companions were also accommodating him as much as possible. If this was the fate of those who suffered at the hands of demons, human warriors would march to the castle without fear.

Not only honor but also perfect aftercare.

The more he thought about it, the more he wanted to laugh.

“Don’t think about other things now. We don’t know what they’ll do later to save Eili.”

“Ah, that’s right.”

The hero answered vaguely. It was ambiguous.

The pain and suffering of losing a companion felt like the distant past. The once-resurrected body had separated the memories.

The power of one who fights on behalf of humanity. He finally understood what it meant to switch to a new body, as he had heard long ago.

“Eliya. Do I seem strange to you?”

The hero asked the elf. He borrowed another’s perspective to examine his own emptiness.

“Well…”

The elf hesitated for a moment. She was uncertain what to say in this situation.

At times like this, the straightforward dwarf warrior Turan stepped in.

“You seem like a different person. You’re just observing.”

“Am I that indifferent?”

“Yes. Unless you were smashing the Demon Lord’s castle like when you first woke up. Now you’re quietly enjoying life as a prisoner.”

Enjoying it.

He couldn’t deny it. He hadn’t been this relaxed in recent times.

Looking back, as a hero who received revelations from angels, he never rested. He killed those who followed demons and erased rebellious groups with impious hearts from the map. As far as his holy power reached, his sword cut off all hearts heading toward the demon realm.

“Turan.”

“Don’t call me so sentimentally. It makes you seem like a completely different person.”

“I just think I understand why I’m being so docile.”

The hero looked around at his companions and said:

“I’ve lost my direction. I can’t see the future.”

“Even with the goal of saving Eili?”

“That’s the heart of the human Kael. Not the hero.”

Once again, he observed. He thoroughly became a third party and examined himself.

“I can’t hear the revelation. I don’t know what I should do.”

It was pure wandering. The demon realm, untouched by celestial light, couldn’t provide guidance to the hero.

Previous heroes, even after defeat, returned to the human realm to receive new revelations, but he had nothing, trapped here. He only held power in his hands.

“What can I do as a hero?”

“Kael…”

The elf couldn’t hide her sympathy. To be honest, she felt the same way, which gave her a sense of kinship.

A revelation different from what the hero received from the celestial realm. That small whisper had led them all here.

It was certainly a divine revelation, but doubts were inevitable. According to the demons, they would eventually advance to the human realm, but she couldn’t dare to gauge what they could do there.

She would do anything to save Eili, but she didn’t want to imagine what would happen if it turned into a great betrayal of humanity.

That’s why she sank into silence.

For what purpose should they fight, and whom should they protect?

Creeeeak-

“Hero. The Witch of Prophecy seeks you.”

A voice that opened the door broke their contemplation. They thought it was Durin, but it was a soldier in golden armor.

A demon with ominous eyes called for them.

“She says to speak with the regent.”

“Is it time to return to our world?”

“Don’t ask me, ask His Excellency. He will answer everything.”

Having finished his business, the soldier closed the door mercilessly. With a chilling sound, the soldier disappeared.

“So our future ultimately depends on the demon realm regent.”

The hero couldn’t hide his dejection. He lay back down on the bed.

Eliya quietly watched him and prayed inwardly.

If God is listening to this voice, please show us the way.

May we not become the ones who bring ruin to the human realm.

She desperately hoped.