Ch.94Divergence (1)

“The church headquarters has been occupied by demons. We have nowhere to return to.”

The subjugation force scattered after a single shock.

Humans were devoted to survival. They were too busy fleeing to care about the faith they had defended until now, making it seem almost laughable.

Lucretia gazed emptily at the scene.

The role of the amusing saint was coming to an end. While the beginning of the battle had been enjoyable, the approaching end was bleak. No one served Lucretia anymore. Except for a few fanatics who followed her to the end, everyone else abandoned their faith without hesitation.

As she opened her palm, she noticed her weakened psychic energy.

Despite supplementing her insufficient output with human souls alongside divine power, she was about to lose both.

Everything dissipated like a mirage, slipping through her fingers.

“You’re ruining everything after all.”

Lucretia lamented. No one could answer her pitiful question. The knights who had been captivated by her strength were all dead, and the cardinals who had once shown reverence were now hiding themselves.

They were trying to avoid the incoming wave of crusaders. Some would move to align with Durin, just as they had once followed the saint in the church. They were highly likely to act as if they had been demon worshippers all along.

She knew this better than anyone, having seen these contemptible faces firsthand.

“How many soldiers remain?”

“Including us, thirty in total.”

“Won’t you run away?”

“Our lives are dedicated to you, Saint. We will serve until the end. Lead us humble ones who have sworn revenge to cut through the crusaders and take the Pope’s head.”

The remaining elite forces knelt before her. The Black Brothers, who had barely survived against Berdia, pleaded with the saint. They showed their faith, wishing to walk the same path with her.

Their blind devotion was more sincere than anyone else in this world.

“Indeed, only you remain.”

Lucretia smiled.

Despite the church’s collapse, despite everything she had built as a saint crumbling, she was determined to face the approaching crusader subjugation force. It would have been an inspiring scene if recorded in history books.

The problem was that the person in question was Lucretia.

“Then I’ll enjoy my meal.”

“Pardon?”

“You said you’d dedicate your lives. I’ll use them right now.”

The saint’s unexpected response bewildered the knights. They had earnestly pledged their loyalty, but what was this response?

Confused, they raised their heads, only for a delicate hand to cover the face of their leader.

Darkness filled his vision. That was the last thing the knight ever saw.

“Kuhek!”

She tore out his psychic energy. His soul flowed into Lucretia’s hand. The reward for loyalty was miserably empty.

“Wh-what?”

The remaining knights were startled. Some assessed the situation and rose to their feet. They mounted their horses and fled at full speed, heading toward the church to avoid Lucretia’s reach.

The wise ones became wanderers like the scattered soldiers, leaving only the foolish dead behind.

Thud!

Their fate was no different. All became withered corpses rolling on the ground.

“First, I’ll gather some strength with this…”

Lucretia raised her head and looked beyond the horizon. She stared into the distance and muttered.

“I need to restore my power for now.”

She had to move quickly before Durin found and killed her. Before processing the frustration and anger of defeat, she showed an instinctive movement toward survival.

“There won’t be a next time, Durin.”

Crunch!

Of course, her body and mind were separate matters. Another innocent soul perished in her hand. A deep wound was carved into Lucretia’s heart.

#

The demons followed their warrior. They had reached this point after overcoming the nearly impossible past of the demon realm. They had defeated the traitor who had delivered the final blow during their decline and brought new power to this land.

When Durin returned to the church headquarters, all demons under the Southern Army dismounted and paid homage. They spread word of the great demon’s magnificence.

“The Regent will bring us a future.”

“His Majesty would be pleased to see this victory.”

“The Legion has written a new myth.”

Their confidence soared to the heavens. Though the celestial forces, including the crusaders, remained strong, the joy of striking down the traitor was so great that they didn’t worry about the path ahead. The Legion would move forward using this as nourishment.

An army that waged war without hesitation. Through victory, they would reclaim the shadow of past glory and someday engrave the status of demons in the human realm.

So that the memory of demons who perished in ancient wars would continue forever.

“Welcome back. Is it quite noisy around here?”

Only Ludmila maintained her composure. The sorceress who moved according to glimpsed futures stood beside Durin. She smiled slightly as she observed the Legion caught in a festive mood.

“Anyone would think this is a Demon King’s coronation. Don’t you agree?”

“His Majesty will arrive soon. Refrain from disrespectful remarks.”

“He’s not here, so it doesn’t matter. You’re so stiff.”

“This place is now under the Castle’s rule, His Majesty’s land. We must always serve the highest one according to the law…”

“Argh! I get it. Enough. I’ll observe the etiquette, so stop nagging.”

Ludmila grimaced. The Regent acted meticulously even amid the joy of victory. Without arrogance, thinking only of duty, he walked toward the sanctuary of the fallen Dark Church.

Boom!!

Creak…

As he opened the heavy stone door, human prisoners gathered in clusters greeted him as spoils of war. Fearful eyes turned toward him. Some even fainted upon first encountering the great demon.

Durin accepted all emotions graciously. More precisely, he paid them no mind.

“You’re not enforcing discipline like before. Is it because they’re humans?”

“The divine artifacts take priority now. If we entrust control to Berdia, he will perform the task admirably.”

“That friend certainly has the ability.”

Dealing with Lucretia’s followers, monitoring the crusaders who had blockaded the southern continent, establishing a new church, preparing for the Demon King’s arrival—the tasks were mountainous.

Thanks to Berdia and his subordinate generals working tirelessly, Durin had some time. He continued his path without wasting a moment.

“Good. Then let’s go right away.”

“Where is it located?”

“In the cemetery at the deepest part of the cathedral. The place where the prophets, whom humans have looked to instead of God for centuries, sleep.”

“Is it a form where power is exchanged, buried within remains?”

“Don’t overthink it. A divine artifact is just that—a divine artifact. Since it represents God’s power itself, it cannot mix with humans. It might float around separately at most.”

Ludmila opened the way. Passing through the divided crowd of prisoners, they saw a twisted gargoyle positioned on the other side.

“It’s a style that can be seen in the demon realm.”

“They probably used it without knowing its meaning.”

“We can explain its purpose later.”

At the end of the humans’ gaze stood a towering door. Durin stood before it. He could feel the power that Lucretia had wielded from beyond, incomparably deeper.

A trace left by the Night Goddess who once divided this world.

The final stand of demons in the human realm.

“Are you ready to accept it?”

Ludmila asked. It was like a question of destiny.

The will he had felt in the previous battle whispered.

“Let’s go in.”

He remained unchanged.

As always, he chose to charge forward without hesitation.

#

Whoosh…

Upon entering, they felt a torrent. A vortex of death swirled around the ceiling. Though it held the darkness of night, a faint blue dawn within it showed thin streaks of light.

“To think you would overcome the previous Demon King.”

In the dim space, the hero muttered. He who had been conversing with his companion looked at Durin.

“This too must be the guidance of fate.”

“Did you become a sorcerer while I wasn’t looking?”

“Standing before the future makes one that way. Durin, unlike you, I’m human. When faced with great power, I can’t help but think many thoughts.”

He was detached. Though he harbored fear, he never showed it. His demeanor, seemingly transcending humanity, appeared almost deliberate.

“I’ve been waiting. We should see the divine artifact together.”

“Did you receive a revelation?”

“No. This is my will.”

The hero stood before the great demon.

“The paths are connected through the artifact.”

“Ludmila told me as much.”

“Fate has answered, but I must see and judge for myself.”

He looked back. The altar at the center of the vortex in the distance was their destination.

“I want to confirm whether the revelation that led me into such pain truly held a greater purpose.”

“Do you doubt your god?”

Durin asked. The hero’s steps toward the artifact halted. It was hesitation. The hero, who had acted as if he were a different person without being consumed by revenge, revealed his emotions for the first time.

“…”

Yet he did not express it. He responded so impassively that the expressions of his watching companions became subtle.

“I have no doubt. Only a price to pay.”

The hero’s face was as unstable as the swirling death. Was this also the intention of fate?

Durin inwardly gauged the future.