Chapter 183

The divine wrath triggered from the north swept across the land and the things that lived upon it as it moved south.

His believers and apostles would survive even among the frost-like flames. One could say there would be other creatures touched by the fire, but their life or death was irrelevant to the deity.

The fire that spread to the west met the apostle, but the deity's anger did not subside.

The apostle asked from within the blazing white flames.

"He was staying in the capital. But I thought he would have escaped and come here because danger approached."

[None.]

"He's not anywhere? Wasn't your avatar always connected to His Grace?"

[Lost. Descent impossible. Believer's magical power search. None. Nowhere, at no time.]

Leandros's heart instantly turned cold.

It was the first sensation he had felt since witnessing the Duchess's final moments.

But it was still too early to be disappointed.

"Lord of the Extreme Realm. I request that you withdraw the fire and return to the north. As I too am desperately searching for him, I swear to ensure His Grace's safety."

Duke Arenheit must surely be in the west. Judging by the circumstances, that would be correct.

Leandros unconsciously pressed down on his chest that was stirring without reason.

He shouldn't make useless assumptions about 'what if.' It would be more efficient to suppress his anxious heart and search the nearby villages for Arenheit first.

Then a voice whispered.

[Since when has a mere human dared to comfort a deity?]

Leandros, Amelia, and Russel all turned around at once.

There was a serpent that had been torn apart from within its body, now only a large head remaining.

With black scales scattered everywhere, gurgling and spilling black bodily fluids while lying on countless serpent corpses, the serpent god's head hissed.

[Since when have the descendants of humans been able to raise their heads under our authority?]

"...I should have burst your head instead of your body and come out."

[Apostle of the ice deity. Weak human, monkey tribe that hates serpents. Since when have you associated with the ancient gods you so fear?]

The serpent god was dying.

But its flickering tongue still glistened with life, shining with blood.

[Wretched monkeys, isn't this truly amusing? The lowly creatures who once worshipped with fear and terror, appeasing the ancient gods' wrath, now dare, dare to match themselves against what was called divine.]

"I don't know what you want to say, but I don't think I need to know."

Leandros drew his sword again, which shone brightly in the firelight.

The sword that would not rust in blood nor be dirtied by mud sang thinly in its master's hand.

Leandros, who had emerged from the flames, stood before the large head, but the serpent did not stop speaking.

[Among you humans, because of the 'vile traitor,' the ancient gods lost their radiance and were forgotten. And now even the Lord of the Extreme Realm, who was one of them, struggles against a mere human.]

"Is that the end of your last words?"

[There's a smell. From you comes the scent of The One Who Waits in Dreams and ice. Because of them, you will never obtain what you desire. What is lost once will not return. What you long for will break and crumble, lying beneath your feet.]

Lying beneath his feet.

Leandros had once, just once, placed someone he revered beneath his feet.

He still remembered that strange and solid sensation like a nightmare.

The suddenly arising sentiment instantly consumed him.

[Everything is because the star you were born under is enormous. You are a supernova that devours everything. The things you lose are because you devoured them. When desire is great, greed also grows.]

Was it because of the dream he had in the sea?

Leandros remembered the first day he had set foot in the ducal residence.

The reason he had felt the ducal residence was warm was because Hero was there.

But he knew the truth.

The retainers and servants who looked at him with unfavorable gazes whenever he passed.

Duke Hartmann, who wouldn't even look at his face.

He had made enemies at the ducal residence while relying on Hero's comfort, but that too was only for a fleeting moment.

On the day the ducal residence burned, he had to flee with Arenheit, who was still just young.

What had he been thinking then?

[You were a lonely one, and will be lonely for life, so those by your side will be immersed in unhappiness for life and meet miserable ends. Isn't that right, foolish one?]

The tip of Leandros's sword drooped slightly.

Russel noticed this and shouted.

"Senior, why are you trying to change your mind? That is an evil god born wicked from its very foundation!"

[How amusing are those who judge that the Lord of the Extreme Realm over there is a good god, while this body is an evil god. Come here, apostle of the strange god. Come closer.]

"Senior!"

[Aren't you curious about the one you seek? Aren't you asking about his whereabouts? My children are good at holding their breath underground, and at hiding somewhere with their long, thin bodies to eavesdrop. I will personally tell you.]

"Senior, you must not approach!"

[Human who killed me. Come closer.]

Leandros hesitated for a moment, then slowly moved his steps.

The serpent's eyes repeatedly opened and closed their thin pupils as death approached.

Black liquid overflowed from inside the serpent god's mouth, wetting its jaw and the ground.

Leandros listened carefully in front of the corpse of the giant serpent he had torn apart.

[I heard the death cries of my brothers... I heard the sorrowful sounds crossing the earth and cutting through the wind. Do not fear, their anger will not be directed at you. I see one standing among the ancient gods you killed. One free from fate pushed your back, so you must accept his karma accordingly.]

"No, that can't be."

[The end will come for him. It will not be the end he desired, so everything he has done will return to him! Even death will pass him by, so he will come to wish for death.]

"Shut that mouth."

[Are you curious about his whereabouts? He is not here. Half of him is in a land without divine blessing, half was offered as sacrifice to an ancient one. Not a drop of blood was wasted. Not a piece of flesh remained! Suffer, wretched monkey tribe! May you be cursed forever!]

"Shut up!"

Surprisingly, the serpent's head leaped up from that spot.

Unbreakable sharp teeth glinted eerily.

Amelia screamed, and Russel reflexively tried to rush out.

But before the serpent's fangs could pierce Leandros, the flames that had been undulating like a backdrop behind them rose violently and struck them.

Amelia, who had been tightly closing her eyes under Russel's cloak that had reflexively wrapped around her, slightly opened her eyes at the sudden quietness.

"S-Sir Russel."

"Dear God... my goodness."

Russel, who had slightly raised his head, groaned lowly.

Before them was a cliff incomparable to anything they had seen in their lives.

A clear, clean cliff made of pure ice.

The cliff that had completely covered half of the broken prayer house was as solid as if it had been there from the beginning.

Beyond the solid wall, the giant serpent's head was preserved as if it had been cleanly severed.

The two people, who had been blankly staring at the scene of the divine body preserved with its mouth fiercely open, shifted their gaze to Leandros.

Leandros was staring at the flames that stood protectively before him.

No, strictly speaking, he was looking at the serpent god's head preserved beyond it.

His face was wrapped in an anxiety they had never seen before.

Half to the earth, half to an ancient one.

No blood or flesh remained.

No, that wouldn't happen. That was just a serpent. A giant serpent that had wagged its tongue to provoke his anxiety.

But if he felt there was a meaningful passage in it, was that his delusion?

Even if His Grace had met such a fate, he had a duty to recover His Grace's intact remains.

"Sir Nabilov."

"Y-yes? Did you call me?"

"His Grace doesn't seem to be here. You should go to the east with Miss Amelia."

"The east?"

Wasn't there some god in the east too?

Russel's eyes widened as he looked back and forth between Amelia and Leandros.

Amelia was equally surprised.

"B-but, Sir Leandros. We d-don't have the same power as you. At b-best, dealing with demonic beasts is our l-limit!"

"I know. But you must go."

"D-do you have a plan?"

At Amelia's question, Leandros's head slowly turned.

The flames behind him were bright, so his face was covered in dark shadows.

Unable to see his expression, he said.

"Isn't there a deity right before our eyes?"

"Th-then."

Amelia looked at the fire that scattered cold air.

The silently flickering flames had no eyes, yet she felt as if they were looking down at them.

Through the darkness, Leandros's toneless, dry voice suggested.

"Become his apostles. Lady Arnold, Sir Nabilov."

* * *

The entire sky was red.

His eyes were captivated by this twilight moment when he couldn't tell if the sun or moon had risen.

An utterly ominous world.

At the same time, a signal announcing the finale of this play.

Though he was barefoot, there was no discomfort in running. Following the memories of his previous life, he arrived at the prison, where not even a guard stood.

Only a couple of spears lying ownerless on the ground were visible.

What was happening outside? Why couldn't he see people anywhere in the royal palace?

He couldn't properly remember anything after falling from the wall.

He didn't know the reason.

He was just moving to find what he could do since awakening.

Under the carelessly fallen spears lay a small bundle of keys. It was probably the prison keys the guard had been carrying.

After gathering the key bundle, he opened the heavy, rusted door, and a damp smell wafted out.

The wet smell of moss and mold brought up unpleasant memories from the past. But he couldn't stop here.

Going down the wet stairs, he raised his voice while examining the dark prison where not a single torch was lit.

"Arndt!"

The sound reflected in the narrow corridor echoed faintly. As he went inside, stepping on dirty puddles on the floor, there was a small clanking sound of metal.

"Arndt? Is that you? Where are you?"

"Your Grace! Here, over here!"

"Arndt!"

This was maddening.

Arndt was imprisoned in exactly the same cell where he had been in his previous life.

Arndt, who was kneeling on the floor with both hands bound behind him, let out a small cry as soon as he saw him.

"Is it really Your Grace? Are you truly His Grace? Dear God, thank you, truly thank you!"

"Before thanking God, let's think about escaping this prison first."

When he showed Arndt the key bundle, Arndt asked in surprise.

"Are those prison keys? How did you get them?"

"I don't know. Someone had thrown them on the ground outside."

"Don't joke even at a moment like this!"

"It's true. There's no one outside right now. I didn't meet anyone on the way here. Not even a mouse is lurking around."

"Not even guards?"

"No one."

In the previous iteration, the lock seemed to have been quite high up.

Sure enough, when he looked up, a large lock was dangling at a precarious height.

"Can you reach up there? If I give you the key, can you open it?"

"My hands are tied, Your Grace."

Damn it.

He eventually had to tearfully perform his acrobatic show for the second time for Arndt's jailbreak.

Though Arndt's pitying gaze was a bit painful, he was fortunate to be able to open the lock faster than last time.

Of course, even after Arndt came outside, they couldn't cut the rope binding his hands. They decided to find something sharp outside and carefully stepped out.

But the moment he stepped one foot outside.

It was Yurik walking across the wide prison courtyard toward them.