Chapter 199: Choice (2)
Laothir blinked. He slowly moved his head and looked around. Although his head wasn’t working properly, he questioned the very fact that he had regained consciousness.
‘How in the world……?’
He clearly remembered the last scene he saw before losing consciousness.
The massive pillar of light falling from the sky and the Archangel. And the Great Demons of hell, radiating an aura so powerful that he couldn’t dare to oppose them.
And even a part of the huge debris that flew towards him. No matter how strong a Holy Knight he was, bestowed with the title of Paladin, the impact from a moment ago was enough to warrant instant death.
But he was alive, and quite well at that.
“……?”
As he carefully raised his arm, something caught his eye. To be precise, he felt it. Divine energy and light, powerful strength.
A level of sensation he had never experienced before, even before he was injured, no, even when he was in peak physical condition.
Paladin Laothir could then feel another energy dwelling within his body.
The question arose and was naturally resolved at the same time. The energy residing in his body, clearly belonging to the Archangel, reminded him of what had happened while he was unconscious.
“……Ah.”
He let out a short groan due to the dizziness caused by the surging power and memories, and soon realized that his tongue, which had been lost by the Great Demon’s gesture, had regenerated.
It wasn’t an easy fact to accept, but rather, it was a minor detail. Right now, an immense power he had never experienced before resided within his body. A tremendous power that even he, a Paladin recognized as having the most outstanding skills and talent, found difficult to comprehend.
‘Archangel Azriel.’
The name came to mind instinctively. He clenched his fists tightly.
An additional effect that occurred simultaneously with receiving a portion of Azriel’s power. What happened while he was unconscious came to mind as vividly as if he had experienced it himself.
He had no choice. The Archangel’s unilateral will was exercised relentlessly, and Laothir realized.
That he would now be bound to this place.
The Sanctuary of the Archangel of Envy, Azriel.
And the Archangel and the Great Demons. The fifth sanctuary, where the promise made by the two colossal forces, staking their very existence, was bound as a single covenant.
‘Perhaps.’
The clash of immense powers. Due to the aftermath, the square was cracked in many places. It looked as if the entire area supporting the square was collapsing, unable to withstand the massive amount of power.
However, many people still hadn’t escaped.
Laothir, standing up with composed movements, continued his thoughts as he looked around.
‘Perhaps I will be trapped here forever.’
Light was slowly filling the area. Now, this place, as a sanctuary, would conceal its appearance. This place, where the covenant made by the supreme beings slumbered, would never open until all other Catacombs and sanctuaries lost their light.
A virtually impossible condition.
“……”
However, Laothir raised his arm with a calm expression. He had something he had to do right now.
Something that only he could do, no, something he had to do.
He knew all too well now that the Archangel or the Great Demon wouldn’t care about the lives of insignificant humans.
The sun was setting. And the surrounding ground, where the collapse had accelerated, was shaking precariously.
Looking at the people escaping in the distance, the Paladin raised his sword.
Fwoosh!
The newly acquired powerful energy dwelled in the holy sword, emitting a dazzling radiance. He could no longer go beyond this vicinity.
Then.
“……Haa!”
With a short burst of energy, he threw the holy sword into the air.
Unlike him, the crude sword, not bound to the place, soared over the slowly descending veil of light and into the collapsing square.
And.
Whoosh—!
In an instant, a curtain of light spread out from the sky like an umbrella, covering the square.
And the tremors that had been unsettling the ground gradually began to subside.
“Lo-Look over there!”
“The Paladin’s holy sword……!”
People who were running away screaming looked up at the sky with faces mixed with relief, awe, and joy.
Although a significant portion of the ground had already sunk low, the power emanating from the Paladin’s holy sword was more than enough to help those who hadn’t escaped yet.
Exhale. Laothir, standing as if rooted to the spot, watched the holy sword slowly lose its light and fall to the ground in the distance, as if it had done its duty.
The weapon he had never been separated from for a single moment. It was his beloved weapon, which he would probably never see again, but he had no regrets.
The sunset slowly began.
Reddish light streamed down beyond the almost fully formed veil of light.
Perhaps. No, this would probably be the last glimpse of the outside world.
Laothir knew all too well that the Archangel wouldn’t care about his will.
And he knew now.
This immense power that revived him, when he should have originally met a normal death, might be closer to a curse than a blessing.
“……”
Finally, the veil of light was complete. With the disappearance of the blinding red light, the Paladin slowly closed his eyes.
🔹🔹🔹
“Within the same world.”
The light in front of his eyes slowly faded, and a familiar voice was heard.
“Some see despair and ugliness.”
The same space. Different time’s events disappeared, and in the returned reality, the Paladin asked me.
“And some see hope and beauty.”
The light faded once more.
The Paladin’s face, having exhausted all the power imbued with the Archangel’s will, looked strangely peaceful. His condition, with his body crumbling in various places, was clearly not normal, but he now looked like a person with proper emotions.
“During that long time, what did you see?”
I looked around. The space overlapped with reality.
The last space revealed after closing the seven Catacombs and four sanctuaries. The Sanctuary of the Archangel of Envy, Azriel.
“Well.”
I answered briefly as I watched Laothir slowly crumble.
It was a phrase that wasn’t very useful in most cases, but the Paladin’s expression seemed satisfied after hearing my answer.
“Laothir.”
I called his name.
“There is always a choice, for anyone.”
Just as he had asked the incomparably wicked Black Mage five hundred years ago if he had any intention of repenting.
The Paladin, finally finding peace, smiled faintly as he listened to my words.
“Choice.”
His gaze shifted to my hand.
The holy sword, emitting a bright light.
“If you are a priest, you should wish for today to be like tomorrow, not yesterday.”
He continued, looking at the longsword that was once in his hand.
“……Astrid Elliger.”
His name was slowly called. Laothir slowly raised his right hand and extended it towards me.
A simple gesture, as if giving a blessing.
However, it was the words of a Paladin, not a minion of the church hunting Black Mages or a servant of the Archangel.
“I absolve you of all your sins.”
Words delivered like a declaration.
“……”
I smiled slightly at the small acknowledgement given at the last moment. Then, I moved forward.
It was a short sentiment for the great Paladin, but it wasn’t the time to hesitate.
Finally, all the sanctuaries were closed, but.
‘Not yet.’
It wasn’t over yet.
🔹🔹🔹
—!
The wave of power felt as soon as I took a step.
Behind the figure of the Paladin, slowly disappearing into dust after losing all his power, a rather majestic voice was heard.
-Astrid.
With the Paladin’s disappearance, the last fifth sanctuary closed, and the owner of this hall finally began to reveal his presence.
-Astrid.
Crackle. The fierce flames of the brazier flickered white, burning menacingly. But I didn’t stop and continued walking.
-Astrid.
As my name was called three times, Azriel’s massive wings cast their shadow on the ground.
An overwhelming presence. One of the five celestial masters looked straight at me and spoke.
“I almost didn’t recognize you because the mark of original sin has been erased.”
The Archangel’s voice resonated through the space as he landed on the ground. But I didn’t answer.
It wasn’t just him who appeared here.
“Astrid, hello? I almost fell for it at first too, you know.”
A child’s voice laced with laughter.
“It’s Astrid. I should have expected it.”
A woman’s voice filled with coquettishness.
“A mage who backstabbed both the Archangel and the Great Demon at the same time! As expected of you!”
The clown’s voice, filled with excitement. They were words containing welcome.
But I knew all too well what kind of cruel interest they had in my soul, behind those friendly faces.
“……Damn demons.”
“You all don’t have much power left, do you? There’s no time to waste on a human like this.”
And the solemn voices of the two other Archangels who newly appeared.
I looked at the beings that newly revealed themselves, as if seeping out from everywhere.
Modesty of Modesta.
Purity of Amadrid.
Temperance of Radechione.
And the two Archangels, Parmellion of Avarice and Mircielne of Pride.
Not the ones who revealed themselves while consuming their power in the process of destroying the seven Catacombs and four sanctuaries, but the ones who waited, seemingly observing, even as their symbols were destroyed.
Did they not reveal themselves even at the moment the Catacombs and sanctuaries closed, in preparation for this moment?
I looked at them and laughed coldly. It wouldn’t make much difference.
The rest of them would be peeking out from their respective lairs, dragging their injured bodies to see this place.
“It seems the other guys couldn’t contain their curiosity!”
Six out of twelve. Modesta, the Great Demon of Modesty, looked around and chuckled.
“It doesn’t make much difference. To be precise, we bought first-class tickets in exchange for patience.”
“It’s better than peeking and struggling to lift your feet like the other fools!”
Modesta, the Great Demon in the form of a young girl, smiled proudly as she pretended to tiptoe.
“Three against three! This is strangely balanced!”
The man in the flamboyant clown costume rubbed his palms together and looked at the Archangels.
“Don’t be stupid.”
Archangel Parmellion, who received his gaze, replied coldly.
“Haven’t you all forgotten what almost happened last time?”
Having glimpsed Paladin Laothir’s memories, I also knew. The phenomenon that occurred when the powers of both sides clashed temporarily in this place last time.
Glance. Archangel Azriel, looking up at the sky, stepped forward and spoke.
“The time has come.”
The words of the Archangel were uttered. Then, the space began to shake.
The firmly bound covenant. The power of the covenant made by the supreme beings, staking causality, was opening the sky.
—!
It was an amazing sight. Not only for me, but for the rest of them as well.
“God will deliver judgment.”
Azriel’s voice flowed out like a declaration.
In the faint purplish landscape visible above the torn sky, no presence of any being could be felt, but everyone here was certain.
That something above, called God, would soon put an end to the long wager made over humans.
“……”
There was no resistance. Both sides believed they would win.
Faith and belief, fear and distrust. They, who had received contrasting offerings from their respective followers, viewed the world with opposing perspectives.
The moment when the supreme beings remained silent, waiting for something imminent that even they didn’t know.
“Ah.”
I looked at them and slowly stepped forward.
I could feel the starlight seeping from the torn sky, shimmering and flowing down on me.
“……!”
Archangel Azriel was the first to sense something strange.
“Choice……!”
He hurriedly raised his shining golden spear, with an expression as if he had realized something belatedly.
The Great Demons also looked at me with hardened expressions.
“You are not qualified!”
A desperate cry. The Archangel’s shining spear, imbued with immense power, aimed at me.
Whoosh—
The massive golden spear, thrust towards me with tremendous wind pressure, stopped before it could reach me.
It wasn’t because of me. Even if I mobilized all my magic, I could barely block it, but I didn’t possess the power to stop the Archangel’s movements like that.
“Well, Azriel.”
I whispered softly, looking at the shining spear stopped in front of me.
“I think He has a different opinion.”
“This can’t be……!”
The power that bound him.
“Damn it, such an absurd coincidence─!”
Coincidence.
It was a word not often used among believers, as it could deny the omnipotence of God itself.
“No, no.”
I continued, smiling.
“It’s not a coincidence.”
I could feel the shocked gazes of the three Archangels and three Great Demons, unable to move.
“This is causality, Azriel.”
“Nonsense, this is a matter for God to decide! How dare a mere human─”
The Archangel with the envious face raised his head. The brilliantly opened sky. The vast stars visible beyond the torn clouds.
“Perhaps, in other words……”
I could feel it.
The meaning and greatness of turning the impossible into possible, reversing the irreversible.
“We could call it a miracle.”
The words were whispered. With a most chilling smile.
“Get out of our world.”
At the end of the finally reached goal, I spat out coldly.
“You damn parasites.”
—!
Suddenly, a tremendous wave spread from the sky.
“No, no. This can’t be. This can’t be─!”
“Astrid, you damn─”
“The damn traitor finally!”
The desperate voices of the Archangels and Great Demons couldn’t continue to the end.
—!
A wave of starlight containing no sound. The knot tied to causality by the Archangels and Great Demons, staking their very existence, was finally being untied.
Eternal banishment.
With the choice of a human with proper qualifications, everything within the shining space began to crumble.
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