Chapter 374: God And Human

The secretary of the Dominarch, Deca, did not follow the Golden Ark.

The scattered subordinates of the Dominarch had dispersed during the pursuit and scattered like dried water trails. Thus, as always, Deca had to gather them back together.

Of course, Deca did not forget to complain.

“Damn it, damn it…! After everything we’ve done for the Fallen Dominion!”

A trading company followed the fate of its Primarch.

In the Fallen Dominion, where the massive shadow of the Golden Lord loomed, a trading company needed more than just good technology to hold a competitive edge over other alchemists.

No matter how advanced an individual craftsman’s skills were, the influence a single person could exert was always limited.

That was why they needed a Primarch—an alchemist chosen by the Golden Lord to create value where none existed.

Only with such a leader could they become a force that would unify the Fallen Dominion.

“Damn you, Sir Hector! Do you think dying peacefully like that is enough? What about those who followed you, believing in your ideals?”

There were those who processed the stored food, those who transported the goods, and those scattered across the cornfields and cities.

The number of members from the trading company Deca managed to gather back together reached nearly five hundred.

That might not have seemed like a lot, but in the Fallen Dominion, where bonds between individuals were weak, a group of five hundred was extremely rare.

Considering that each of them owned a massive vehicle, the organized trading company was practically a moving city.

In the past, the sight of this grand procession would have filled him with pride, but now fearing it would all soon disappear, Deca couldn’t find it in himself to smile.

He bit down on his finger, his eyes glaring.

Blood seeped out from the crushed flesh.

“I will not let this happen. We can’t just scatter like this. If we divide up Sir Hector’s wealth, the trading company will lose its last pillar of support! Damn it, but which Primarch should I—?”

His muttered words, unheard by anyone, fell alongside droplets of blood.

Without a miracle, Deca’s lament would remain nothing more than a lament.

“I have heard your thoughts well.”

But then, as if by miracle.

Someone appeared before Deca.

It was a woman, her hood pulled deep over her face.

Except for her slender jawline, no part of her face was visible.

Judging by the bandaged fists peeking out from her sleeves, she seemed like a martial artist trained in Qi Arts.

Deca had no idea when she had approached.

He was about to snap at her in irritation, but something about her presence, which had arrived like destiny at his lowest moment, made him keep his mouth shut. He focused his attention on the newly arrived woman.

“Order is always necessary. A value that everyone believes in must be upheld, even if only to preserve faith itself. The Dominarch’s Drum Trading Company is the lifeline of the Fallen Dominion. It must endure, or its people will starve.”

She was right.

Deca’s thoughts resonated deeply with her words.

Why was it that people only knew how to cause upheaval without preparing for the aftermath?

If the Drum Trading Company disappeared now, half of the Dholes in the Fallen Dominion might starve to death.

“You are a part of the structure that upholds this land. Though this nation was once distorted by a Divine, it has nevertheless established its own order. Who would dare deny the contributions of those who built it? And you have contributed marvelously to it.”

A deep satisfaction welled up inside him, like an itch being scratched, washing away his resentment.

Deca nodded fervently.

Deca had contributed for sure.

The people of the Fallen Dominion had been fed because of him and the Drum Trading Company.

Deca had worked tirelessly.

Sleepless nights were routine to him, and some days, he had even risked his life.

Deca had been loyal.

He had worked with genuine dedication and earned Hector’s recognition, eventually rising to the rank of his secretary.

So wasn’t he entitled to something in return?

That was simply the way of the world.

“…W-Who… are you?”

“I am one who knows you, acknowledges you, and shall reward you.”

The woman removed her hood, revealing her face.

Over her ashen-gray hair, a radiant halo shone, subtly hinting at her identity.

“Oh…! Finally!”

…Of course, it wasn’t order and discipline that Deca had truly desired.

Grand ideals like the peace and prosperity of the Fallen Dominion were merely byproducts of his work under Hector; they had never been his real goals.

He was, at heart, a petty man—one who took pleasure in wielding borrowed power, reveling in authority as if it were his own.

Had he served under a different Primarch, he might have caused untold harm.

But now, chosen by the Saintess, Deca had become a true patriot of the Fallen Dominion.

“I shall personally see to it that you receive the treatment you deserve.”

“A-Ah….”

There is no heaven, nor hell.

Only graves remain, left behind in solitude.

And yet, gods deceive those who stand on the brink of death.

They whisper to humans that they are not mere beasts, and that they live for a higher purpose.

That the present is merely a stepping stone to the grand ideals yet to come.

That even in death, they can find joy in having contributed to that cause.

Perhaps this was not what Deca had truly wished for, but did it even matter?

Human faith was often that fragile.

The Saintess of Steel, Feruel, issued her solemn command to her new disciple.

“Lead this humble servant to Claudia. That is your duty.”

“…Yes! I will obey!”

He remained a petty man—one who sought shelter under greater authority.

Deca knelt before Feruel, pledging himself to her cause with newfound devotion.

With it, his heart soared in exultation.

The Regressor’s declaration that she would kill a god left the Thunderarch momentarily speechless.

｢You’re saying you’ll kill the Thunder God? A wandering stranger is going to fulfill Claudia’s long-standing wish?｣

If it were as easy as words made it sound, Claudia wouldn’t have had to cower in fear inside their homes every time the storm clouds rolled in.

The Regressor’s claim was too absurd to be believed, yet too enticing to dismiss outright.

｢More than anything… that boy exudes an eerie certainty. He wouldn’t be so confident if he didn’t have some means to accomplish what he’s saying. There’s no harm in entertaining the offer.｣

Though it seemed a bit too easy for the ruler of a city to accept such a claim, well, that was just how things went with the Regressor.

After a brief pause, the Thunderarch finally spoke.

“…Whether that’s the truth or just bluster, we’ll find out once we reach Claudia.”

Muttering to herself, she abruptly turned on her heels and strode out of the cabin. The footsteps that had rumbled like thunder were silent now that she had let go of her aggressive stance.

So she no longer saw the need for a battle of wills?

Maybe her power naturally projected her emotions into her actions—so much so that even Mind Reading wasn’t necessary.

“For now, I shall escort you all to Claudia as honored guests.”

With that, the Thunderarch extended her invitation in a much more formal tone.

Like all major cities, Claudia had many squatters clinging to its outskirts.

Before reaching the true city, the Golden Ark passed by dozens of slums.

Those who couldn’t even qualify as Dholes—people who couldn’t survive without relying on the city—had set up makeshift camps around the mountains, eking out a desperate existence.

But that was not a part of Claudia.

The city’s boundary was more definitive than a national border, marked by two-meter-high electrified steel fences.

Everything beyond the fence was outside of the city.

The true Claudia began only within that perimeter.

Standing before the fence, the Thunderarch extended her hand.

An unseen force surged forward, gripping the steel gate.

With a resounding creak, the two-meter-high iron doors swung open.

With unshakable confidence, she led the way inside.

“Welcome. This is the Village of Cloud—Claudia.”

The first impression of Claudia was hazy—not because of anything inherently mysterious, but simply because the city was shrouded in thick fog.

However, as we moved deeper, an awe-inspiring sight unfolded.

Towering steel structures greeted us.

A massive building, at least thirty stories tall, loomed over us, its upper levels narrowing as it ascended.

At its peak, steel branches stretched outward in every direction, resembling a colossal tree forged from iron.

Beneath its sprawling canopy, smaller yet still impressively tall buildings clustered together as if huddling under its shade.

As we observed the sight, the Thunderarch explained.

“That is a Lightning Tower—a steel structure built to shield us from the Thunder God’s wrath. If the sky darkens and lightning suddenly strikes, do not panic. Simply take shelter beneath the tower’s canopy and you will be safe… Ah.”

Covering her mouth slightly, she added,

“But I suppose that advice doesn’t apply to you. I doubt something like lightning would pose a problem for you.”

“No, no, please tell us everything. This is important.”

“Woof! Woof!”

The two Kings of Beasts barked desperately in agreement.

Seeing both me and Azzy subtly trembling, the Regressor looked at us quizzically.

“You’re usually fearless. What’s gotten into you now?”

“What do you mean? Fearing lightning is instinct. If you get struck, you’ll die.”

“Woof!”

Azzy barked in agreement.

Sudden booms and flashes, an unpredictable force that could bring death in an instant—lightning was one of nature’s most terrifying disasters.

Animals, in particular, had every reason to fear it.

Even with all our experience avoiding it, the primal terror remained.

Humans could predict it, take shelter, or even bargain for safety, but lightning was as capricious as it was powerful.

If you got hit, you died.

And even if you survived, the pain was beyond excruciating.

No wonder it was among the first things humans deified.

The Thunderarch nodded in understanding.

“That’s normal. Beastkin, in particular, tends to hate Claudia for that reason…”

The Regressor, like an eager student, chimed in,

“Because their fur will get damp from the mist, or get charged with static from the lightning?”

“Exactly. How did you know? That’s not common knowledge for outsiders.”

The Thunderarch looked genuinely impressed.

“It just made sense.”

｢I heard about it in the last timeline.｣

There she goes again, showing off her past-life knowledge.

I get it, you want to flaunt what you know, but… are you sure about this?

Every time you do that, you’re practically advertising that you’re a Regressor.

Eh, whatever.

It’s not like I can just say, “Hey, maybe stop dropping so much future knowledge before you get caught?”

I’ll just leave her be.

The number of people living beneath a single Lightning Tower easily exceeded a thousand.

And there wasn’t just one or two of them.

Against the backdrop of the distant cloud waterfall, more than ten Lightning Towers could be seen.

The grandeur of the largest city in the Fallen Dominion was overwhelming.

The Thunderarch continued her explanation.

“The outer districts, where the mist is less dense, are primarily residential areas. The inner sections, closer to the waterfall, are industrial zones. Seventy percent of the Dholes wandering the Fallen Dominion were born and raised in Claudia. There was some commotion when news spread that the Golden Lord was coming… but thanks to all of you, we were able to save the city. Wither—no, the new Golden Lord.”

Hearing her name so suddenly, Peru hesitated before responding.

“…Yes.”

“Take a good look. This city operates independently, but it is still a part of the Fallen Dominion. The choices you make will determine the fate of this city.”

Peru’s already pale complexion darkened further. With the weight of responsibility pressing down on her, she weakly replied,

“…That’s why I came to ask for your help, Thunderarch.”

“No. This is something you must do.”

“…I lack the experience for such an important role. It would be better if someone as capable as you took over.”

“The Golden Lord also lacked experience when he was entrusted with ruling a nation. Yet he became the ruler of the Fallen Dominion—or rather, something closer to a god. That was because of his power.”

It was hard to tell whether the Thunderarch was trying to pressure her or encourage her.

“I am undoubtedly a remarkable person. Compared to me, you fall short.”

“…So that’s why—”

“But it was you who was acknowledged by the Golden Lord. You, Witherarch, the one who now wields that Golden Bell. With it, you have the power to create or destroy the Fallen Dominion as you see fit. No matter how exceptional I am, I am only human. My role is to oversee this city and serve the god I follow—that is the extent of my ability.”

It was unclear whether she was boasting or humbling herself, but one thing was certain: the Thunderarch was drawing a clear distinction.

Elkid, the Thunderarch, who was cloaked in lightning and wielded near-unlimited power within Claudia’s borders.

No matter how much she despised the Golden Lord, she still acknowledged the vast system he had built.

…From my perspective, whether it was Peru or the Thunderarch, both wielded powers beyond human limits so it hardly seemed different, but regardless.

“The Golden Lord was a terrible god, but I will help you become a god worthy of serving.”

In other words, this was the strongest support the Thunderarch could offer.

｢…A god? I don’t have the ability for that…｣

Of course, the person in question was practically dying from the pressure.

And so, we made our way to the deepest Lightning Tower in Claudia.