episode_0022

The Kareldeen Empire. Especially the Ruastar Church within it deserves retribution. The reason is right in front of me, Flimia. Just by seeing the saint being sold like merchandise in the adjacent buildings, there was no room for rebuttal. However, the one who has been rolling around in this world is not me but Holly Trust. Flimia.

“Flimia, what do you desire?”

“I want to uproot the corruption of the Ruastar Church and stop the wars waged by the Kareldeen Empire.”

Flimia’s wish was clear. Even in this moment, she desires peace. However, as everyone knows, peace is not achieved through mere dialogue or reconciliation.

“Flimia, I can grant both things you’ve mentioned. But I’ll say this for certain. Many people will die. More than you can imagine.”

“…”

There was no response, but Flimia’s eyes showed a resolute determination. To instill confidence in her decision, I pointed to the corpse of Elcardo beside me and spoke.

“You need not feel guilt. If I had peacefully persuaded this scoundrel, would he have helped the saintesses in the market find freedom? There are those who will never change until they die. People who only give up what they possess when they die. Sadly, most of the possessors fall into this category. What we are about to do is to restore everything to normal.”

It was a brief statement, but it would have resonated with Flimia more than any other words.

“If you just ask for help, I can resolve everything. I may not be a damn miracle worker, but I have the ability to forcibly reclaim peace.”

Flimia bowed her head to the ground. Her devout figure was truly so beautiful that it was breathtaking.

“Please help. Restore freedom to the saintesses oppressed by the church, bring peace to the people of other countries suffering from the invasion of our Kareldeen Empire. Even if countless people die in the process, if that is the only way to break free from this hellish yoke, please, make it so.”

The girl’s prayer moved my heart, and I immediately took action. I opened the door and stepped outside.

Choi Ye-bin was about to step forward and prepare for battle, but I gestured for her to step back behind me.

“You don’t need to take a stand here.”

As I reached out to the sky, energy began to be drawn from Elcardo, whom I had killed earlier. His blood coalesced, and in an instant, a red mass began to float in the air.

“W-What are you doing! Stop right there! This is a forbidden magic area!”

One of the guards near the nuns’ market shouted upon seeing me. Knights nearby drew their swords and started rushing towards me. However, soon after, needles made of blood coalesced from the red mass and dashed towards the men.

“Ugh…”

One of the men rushing towards me fell. His blood coalesced back into a form before it even touched the ground. The man’s body collapsed entirely, soaked in blood. The crimson mass grew slightly larger.

“Sorcerer… Everyone, attack the sorcerer all at once!”

Knights scattered around began attacking me from various directions simultaneously. It seemed they believed that even a blind sword strike would give them an advantage.

It was a foolish thought. The only way they could survive was to abandon their comrades and flee.

“Kill them.”

With those few words, grotesque creatures made of blood from the crimson mass screamed as they burst forth. Nearly ten wolf-like creatures mercilessly tore into the men.

With each death, the blood they spilled gathered into the mass, creating an even larger, more beautiful circle.

Before long, the battlefield fell silent.

No one stood on the ground, and all the bodies lay dried and twisted on the ground. I began walking with the bright red mass floating in the air.

Squelch

The nuns trapped in the market. I systematically broke the locks on the doors and entered the room.

“Come out.”

One house. Every house I passed, I saw girls soaked in despair. They eyed me warily. Nevertheless, I paid no mind and ushered all the holy maidens outside.

There were about 50 people. The girls trembled in fear and shed tears. It was a situation open to misunderstanding. With so many people dying around them and someone who seemed like the culprit calling them out, they must have thought they would die too.

I immediately cleared up their misunderstanding.

“Leave.”

The girls either didn’t hear me properly or were frozen in place.

“The ones who were watching over you, I’ve killed them all. So leave this place. You are free.”

Only then did the holy maidens, with tears streaming down, kneel before me and pray. Some cried out as if their prayers had been answered, and some adored me.

In an instant, I had killed around twenty people, but in turn, many others regained their freedom. Ironically, someone’s death became the key to restoring the freedom that others had longed for.

After expressing gratitude to me for a while, the girls left for somewhere. Some said they would follow me, as they might be caught by the organization even if they fled on their own. But I refused. There was no need for that.

“The organization will fall apart. So don’t worry, find your own path and leave. I promise you, they will never pursue you.”

Finally relieved, the holy maidens each found their own way. All that remained were dozens of empty houses and the bodies of knights strewn on the ground. For a moment, I gazed blankly at the grotesque scene I had created.

The grotesque seemed to crave dead people’s blood even more, like a living organism.

“[More deaths… Let them feel the eternal torment of the living…]”

Auditory hallucinations. One of the side effects of massacre magic. This much is bearable.

“Truly… are you becoming a god…?”

Philemia stared at me blankly. It was natural, considering she had shattered the hell that seemed to forever bind her in an instant. I gave her a brief answer.

“I am no god. My magic is simply specialized in killing.”

[Someday, you too will be devoured by them, just like me.]

Ignoring the voices in my head, I continued walking forward and spoke to Philemia.

“Philemia, take me to the most active battlefield.”

“Are you not heading to the academy or the royal palace?”

“For now, we need to put a stop to meaningless fights.”

Philemia nodded and began leading the way.

—

The Imperial Palace of the Karelden Empire.

A man sat on a chair there. Expensive drinks were scattered around him, and beside him, lovely girls twisted their bodies, vying for his attention.

Someone approached the man and spoke.

“Your Majesty, I have something to report.”

The Emperor of the Karelden Empire responded with an exaggeratedly drunken voice.

“Oh, who might this be? Isn’t it Priest Ryanston? I’m quite satisfied with the saint you sent me.”

Eventually, the Emperor whispered to the man’s ear.

“By the way, shouldn’t you send more saints? The ones I’m playing with are getting tiresome. It would be better if you sent me those with exceptional divine power. They have good stamina, too. Hahaha!”

Despite the man laughing heartily, Priest Ryanston did not join in. He discreetly glanced at the surrounding saints and quietly spoke to the Emperor.

“Your Majesty, the saints that were kept in the market have escaped.”

“What do you mean?”

“The guards around them were attacked. Judging from the traces, it seems that dozens of mages were involved. It appears to be the work of the enemy.”

“Hm…”

The Emperor of the Karelden Empire pondered for a moment, then patted the man’s shoulder and laughed boisterously.

“If the enemy takes care of all the defective goods, isn’t that a favor to us?”

The Emperor laughed heartily and drank his alcohol.

“Unfortunately, we couldn’t sell the defective goods, but I suppose that’s unavoidable. We’ve already sold all the items with some marketability, and the remaining ones have significant defects that won’t sell for several months. Besides, the knights who were supposed to be guarding them weren’t worth much anyway, so don’t worry about it. I won’t hold you responsible. If you have time to worry about such trivial matters and report to me, then go and distribute more saintesses.”

The Emperor, wielding unrivaled power. Amid waging plunder wars in the empire’s name, he, inebriated, enjoyed carousing with the saintesses as if they were his lovers by his side. The saintesses, who should have been tending to the wounded on the battlefield, poured drinks and sang songs by his side.

Emperor of the Kaorelden Empire. He feared nothing, and nothing frightened him.

It was around evening when the Emperor heard the tragic news from the commander of the knights about the dire situation on the battlefield.

“Your Majesty… a major… incident has occurred. Monsters on the… battlefield…”

The commander of the Kaorelden Empire’s knights, unable to fully convey the situation, collapsed, spilling blood, and died.