False Prophet (1)

A faint line appears on my neck. Trickling droplets of blood. The man was genuinely planning to slit my throat. If I took even one more step closer, he would cut my windpipe without hesitation. The priests, sensing the man’s unusual intensity, couldn’t easily move.

I stared at the sharply honed blade, lost in thought. Come to think of it, even after they cut off my limbs and pierced holes in my stomach, they seemed to have left my neck relatively unscathed. If you argue whether strangulation asphyxiation sex is healthy, I have nothing to say, but it’s better than getting cut, right? Would I die then? It’s all a relative assessment.

So, maybe just letting him slit my throat wouldn’t be so bad. It’s the first time, after all. First times are always exciting. I had resolved to restrain myself after having a child, but now that I’m faced with this situation, all sorts of desires are surging. I want to be showcased at the edge of life. The more I looked down at the knife against my neck, the more my body heated up. Even if I deny it verbally, this hopeless masochistic desire was my true feeling.

“You cowardly cultist bastard! Aren’t you afraid of divine punishment!”

Unlike me, whose depraved and degenerate fantasies were running wild, their eyes were filled with ominous murderous intent, looking extremely fierce. No one dared to move rashly, and the confrontation continued. The man gradually increased the distance, speaking to the priests.

“If there were a god, he would have killed me immediately and saved this poor lamb. Isn’t that the divine punishment you’ve been talking about?”

“Shut up! Everyone, raise your heads! The words of a cultist are not worth listening to!”

“Rather than believe in a god who doesn’t send even a piece of bread into my basket when I pray diligently with an empty stomach, I’d rather believe in a Demon.”

The man gritted his teeth, tightening his grip. A stinging pain surged. Just a little, but the blade digging into my neck tore the flesh and soaked up blood. The blood trickled down my neck to my chest, reaching my navel. The blood flowing down on the pure white skin was very noticeable. The priests’ eyes were bloodshot. If I hadn’t been taken hostage, they would have slaughtered him. I could feel that kind of rage.

Hmm. They could just attack, it wouldn’t matter. And it didn’t seem to be entirely because of me. The priests had also seen the clothes I had taken off. A white priest’s robe and my slightly expensive clothes. Judging by the number of garments, it was clear that someone else was here, but Terrial was hiding well, not showing her face.

I wonder if Terrial is hiding well. I was worried about the loaded crossbow. If I move carelessly and get hit… it’s game over immediately. However, contrary to my worries, the man didn’t seem very interested in Terrial. Did he even see her, or is one hostage enough? He grabbed my chin and lifted it, fixing my face so that my neckline was exposed.

“Eugeut….”

“Stop the pursuit until tonight. Then I swear I will release the girl.”

Funnily enough, I was fully playing my role as a hostage. A hollow laugh welled up, but I could only mumble because of the man holding my chin. The priests aimed their weapons, saying it was absurd.

“Do you think we would believe the words of a cunning cultist!”

“You have no choice but to believe.”

―Out of the depths I have cried unto thee, O Lord. The man closed his eyes and quietly recited a prayer. The ominous prayer of a lamb unable to bear sin. The man’s eyes turned red. At the same time, ominous Mana surged, settling in the man’s chest.

‘He bet his heart?’

From what I could gather, it was a kind of contract ritual. If he doesn’t fulfill the contract, his heart will burst and he will die. Interesting, but I don’t want to learn it. That kind of thing is a sorcery, as the priests said… that is, black magic. Magic tends to become closer to ‘sorcery’ the further it strays from creation, which is the essence of magic. One should not misunderstand, it was different from dark magic. In this world, dark magic is a term that refers to all magic that deals with dark attributes.

“….”

“What are you doing? Aren’t you going to swear too? Did you think I was the only one who would swear? Did you think I was that stupid? If you don’t swear within 10 seconds, I will slit her throat and commit suicide.”

“…Keuk.”

“Ten, nine, eight, seven….”

As the numbers were counted down, and only three seconds remained. The man put strong force on his arm. Blood spurted out.

“Kkeuheuk….”

Blood vessels snapped, and blood of a darker color flowed out. It seemed to have cut a little deeper. I bit my lip tightly to suppress the groan, tears welling up in my eyes from the pain. I don’t know how this desperate endurance looked to the priests, but it certainly hastened their decision.

The white-haired female priest hastily made a hand seal. Divine power permeated, enveloping their bodies.

“…In the name of God, for tonight. We will stop the pursuit.”

“Good. You should have done that sooner.”

A vow made in the name of God becomes a sin the moment it is broken, leaving a brand. A dark stigmata engraved from the forehead to the chest. Apart from the pain, it was more powerful than any other vow because it completely denied the life lived as a believer.

A cold silence passed. The man bit his lip, retreating backward. As the distance between them became faintly visible, a savage muttering was heard from afar.

“…Pursuit, suspended.”

There was no pursuit.

And so, I ended up being taken hostage, wearing only my underwear, heading towards the outskirts.

* * *

“Sister Hella….”

“…It’s my fault.”

Inquisitor Hella put down her morning star and sighed. It was her calling to exterminate cultists, even if there were unavoidable sacrifices, but when she saw the girl taken hostage, she had no choice but to lay down her weapons. To take a child hostage. What an immoral simpleton. She muttered inwardly, hoping for God’s mercy. Hella roughly untied her white ponytail and gritted her teeth. Her hair fell down smoothly.

As she untied her bound hair, the reason she had been struggling to suppress was also released. A murderous aura flowed. Her wide eyes were horribly bloodshot, looking very savage. This was the same for the other female priests. The sound of the flowing wind was somehow eerie.

A vow with a heart on the line. An absolute vow that cannot be broken by any roundabout means was fulfilled with his heart as a witness. However, even though she had received a firm vow, she was not at all reassured.

False Prophet Heriot….

He is a sorcerer. A heinous human trash who dug up graves to obtain materials and sacrificed four young children in experiments. There were countless other crimes that had not been discovered.

However.

That was not the reason why the Holy See and the temple were grinding their teeth and pursuing him.

He gathered people. He gathered them and made them participate in following his will. He plunged people into a bottomless swamp of countless sins. The number was so large that it was impossible to catch him by simply cutting off the tail.

Heriot’s main target was the marginalized people of the outskirts. He propagates the absurdities of the world to win them over, and gives them definite benefits to make them follow his will.

False Prophet. He was clever. The reason for gathering people was also to supply ‘experimental materials,’ but the real purpose was different.

Organization.

Distribution accordingly.

If the initial suppression fails, they may have to cut off only the tail forever. What’s even more troubling is that the majority of the people in the outskirts support Heriot. Heriot gave those who followed him definite gains. He made them bodies that didn’t have to starve and didn’t have to be sick. That’s how he built up popularity. That’s how he built his own territory.

Heriot calls it a blessing and salvation, but the reality was nothing but filthy. How can embalming souls and turning bodies into something close to corpses be a blessing? Those who have passed through his hands are never saved even after death and are treated as dolls forever.

But.

The people of the outskirts received the procedure even though they knew it. They were the marginalized. Drawn to the brilliance of the east, they gave everything to embrace that light, but in the end, they could not embrace it and were pushed out. Those who have not embraced the light tend to yearn for it more. They yearned more intensely than those who lived without knowing the light. The light they had once seen was so brilliant that they could never forget it. They could not refuse the one word that promised to give them light.

Without even knowing that it was a false light.

“What is Vice-Priest Shemel doing?”

Failed pursuit.

Hella opened her mouth, imagining Shemel rummaging through the 3rd district by now. She had finally cornered him, but failed again. It was even more painful because this was the first time she had pursued his true body and injured him. But apart from that, she had to report what she had to report. And she had to accept the punishment accordingly. Since she was the commander of the 3rd group to which she belonged, she had to accept all responsibility.

“We have discovered and dismantled the outer research center in the 3rd district.”

One of the female priests, holding a crystal ball, closed her eyes and murmured. It was a sacred object that allowed those who possessed crystal balls to share their vision.

“Tell the 2nd district that Heriot has appeared….”

Hella tried to report, regaining her unbridled reason…

―Hiccup.

A small, delicate hiccup was heard from behind a rock by the lake. Hella quickly checked the clothes placed on the rock and quietly ordered her subordinate, so that only she could hear.

“…Recover the clothes and identify who it is. If they are identified as cultists, execute them immediately.”

She picked up the morning star. A heavy weight. Hella silenced her footsteps and approached the lake.

“….”

Carefully. So as not to give room for retaliation, she took a stance to attack immediately and approached. Passing the clothes placed on top, Hella was able to see an unexpected person.

A girl with white hair like herself. A troublemaker of the temple who always went outside to find fun things after the service. But she soon gave up and cleaned, still a kind and diligent child.

“Terrial?”

Trainee Priestess Ha Terrial.

“P, please save me. I’m sorry, p, please. Please….”

She was begging with a face that looked like she was about to faint at any moment.

“Sister Terrial! What on earth are you doing here…”

“S, save. Please save me. Hiccup… Save, me….”

Hella had a headache when she saw Terrial, who was in a panic and couldn’t even speak. What on earth was Terrial doing here? She might be related to the girl who was taken hostage. Hella raised her hand and ordered her subordinates.

“Everyone! Recover Terrial and return!”

“Are you going to return?”

“No. I will search the surroundings.”

“…The vow will be broken the moment you interfere with his escape in any way.”

“It’s okay. I’m just looking around.”

The subordinates carried Terrial and returned to the temple. Hella watched the scene with a miserable heart.

‘Where on earth did he come in from?’

The soldiers should be blocking the outer entrance. Filled with questions, Hella searched the surroundings and found a slightly shabby fortress wall. She carefully examined the fortress wall and found a small hole.

‘A dog hole….’

Hella, determined to block this hole as soon as she returned, eventually couldn’t overcome her rising anger and smashed only the innocent trees with her morning star.

* * *

“Hoo. I’ve finally shaken them off. I’m so glad you were here. I express my gratitude. What’s your name? My name is Heriot. As you can see, I’m being chased by those damn crazy bitches… but it’s a great relief that I’ve earned one night. It’s all thanks to you. Oh, the blood is flowing too much. Hey, are you listening? Should I give you some medicine? All I have right now is powdered medicine made from ground Hamanta roots, but that should be enough. I deliberately avoided the vital points when I cut you. I’m not such a violent person.

“Shut up, yo….”

“You still have the strength to speak after shedding so much blood? You seem to have better stamina than I thought. You’re worth studying. More than that, I’ll treat you greatly when we arrive at the village. I thought it was really over this time. Isn’t this a miracle of God! After all, God hasn’t abandoned me. They call me a false prophet, but I am also just a lamb with faith. And, is it a serious crime to heal the bodies of the sick and poor and feed them? Interfering with my research…”

“Eueuk….”

My ears felt like they were about to burst.