Chapter 433: Sorting Waste (5)

High Priest Albert had fallen into deep despair. “

Hmm

... They’re killing innocent civilians...”

It was because he had received a report that the enemy outside the walls was brutally massacring hostages, and the enemy hadn’t even made any demands. They simply killed a hostage whenever the time came. No one said it out loud, but everyone could easily guess the reason.

They must be calling for me.

There was no need to say it aloud for everyone to understand the situation. To pretend not to know and remain in the temple, concerned only with his own safety...

High Priest Albert tightly shut his eyes.

That would be a wrong choice.

There was a line in the Solarian Church’s holy text.

Protecting the weak is the fastest path to becoming strong.

His god had also commanded them to protect the weak.

In the end, High Priest Albert opened his eyes and stood from his seat. “I shall go.”

“You must not!”

“Your Holiness, this is clearly the enemy’s ploy. As for the hostages... it’s already too late to save them.”

“Unless our allies rise from the ground or fall from the sky, rescuing them is impossible...”

Strong objections followed. The Holy Blood Order firmly believed they could not fall for such an obvious provocation. However, High Priest Albert remained resolute.

“They too are lambs watched over by the Solarian God. Though I am not worthy, as the one who represents the Solarian Church, I cannot forsake them.”

The Holy Blood Order had to protect the High Priest even at the cost of their lives, while the High Priest was willing to risk his life for his faith and conviction. The difference in their positions couldn’t be narrowed. Just then, a commotion rose at the entrance to the temple.

Feeling worn out from the argument, Albert rubbed his face and asked, “What is it now?”

“I’ll go check.”

One of the priests under command left the temple, then soon returned with two girls. They were being tightly restrained by the paladins guarding the temple.

“What, they’re...”

Recognizing them at once, High Priest Albert’s eyes widened. It was Helizabeth, a relative of Kai, and her close friend Rashya.

The paladin who had bound them bowed his head and reported, “They seem to be students from the academy, but they were acting suspiciously.”

“Suspicious? In what way?”

“We had gathered all the students and faculty in the auditorium for safety, but these two suddenly ran out, and they were heading toward the main gate...”

That was certainly suspicious. Unless they were colluding with the enemy, there would be no reason to risk approaching the gate.

“That does sound suspicious,” Teferen narrowed his eyes as he looked down at the two girls.

But Albert waved his hand and softened the heavy mood. “Everyone, ease your gazes. That girl is a relative of Commander Kai. I don’t know why they left the auditorium, but I’m certain it’s not what you’re thinking.”

“

Huh?

R-relative of Commander...?”

Teferen looked back and forth between Helik and Rashya with a bewildered expression. The person he respected most had become Kai. Naturally, he couldn’t treat his relative carelessly.

“Release them.”

“Y-yes, sir.”

The paladins released the tight grip on their arms.

“Ouchy...” Helik winced and scrunched her nose from the pain, then snapped her head up to glare at the paladin.

I’ve memorized that face. I’m gonna tell Kai later...

Having memorized the paladin’s face, Helik turned her gaze to Albert.

“

Hm?

”

Albert unconsciously flinched at her gaze.

Why...?

She was just a small girl. Yet there was an unexplainable dignity in her eyes.

“High Priest Albert,” Helik said in a soft tone.

The paladin beside her quickly scolded her. “You little... say ‘sir’ when you speak to him.”

Helik, who had just been scolded, said once more, “High Priest Albert, sir.”

“There we go, well done.”

Despite the paladin’s interjection, Helik continued without wavering, “I would like to speak with you privately for a moment.”

“That is not allowed.” One of the older members of the Holy Blood Order stepped forward shaking his head. “Even if you are a relative of the Commander, we cannot allow any situation that might put His Holiness in danger.”

Helik quietly stared at Albert.

Why is it that...

Perhaps because of the familiarity and warmth he felt from her power, Albert sorted through his confused thoughts and slowly said, “Give the two of us just five minutes.”

“Your Holiness!”

“Even if she’s still a child...”

“It’s fine. I may be old now, but in my youth I once ran across battlefields. Please allow me this.”

There was no one present who didn’t know that. Unlike some of the corrupt high priests who came before him and rose to power through money or politics, Albert had started as a common priest and climbed all the way up to the position of high priest. When such a respected figure made a polite request, the Holy Blood Order members looked at one another.

“Please signal us at once if anything happens.”

“Five minutes only.”

“We’ll wait outside.”

As the Holy Blood Order left the temple with Rashya, High Priest Albert rose and approached Helik. With a gentle smile like a neighborly grandfather, Albert lowered himself to Helik’s eye level.

“What did our little young lady want to say to this old man?”

Helik put on a nonchalant face and slowly said, “Albert.”

“If you don’t want to call me ‘sir,’ you can call me Grandpa.”

“Grandpa? That’s amusing. I’ve been watching over you since you were in diapers.”

Helik smiled and stood to her full height. That made her taller than Albert, who was still crouched.

Albert put on a stern face, not understanding her words. “You shouldn’t tease adults like that.”

However, Helik didn’t respond. She simply drew her power. The inside of the temple turned bright as if it were midday.

Albert quickly raised a hand to shield his eyes and looked up at her through a squint. Thanks to the bright divine power, a halo had formed and it was hard to look directly at Helik.

Wait, this divine power is...

Albert's expression grew grave as if he had realized something. He turned his head and stared at the particles of divine energy floating through the temple. Unable to resist merely looking, he reached out and touched them.

So pure...

It was purer than any holy power he had ever seen. The one who had shown him the purest and most radiant holy power until now had been none other than Kai. But this power was on an entirely different level even compared to his.

Of course, that was only natural, as holy power was the materialization of a god's conviction, and Helik’s holy power was naturally the most pristine form of the Solarian Church’s essence across all dimensions.

Fwoosh!

The divine energy that filled the temple vanished like a ghost. While Albert remained dazed like a possessed man, a familiar voice echoed in his ears.

“As expected of the Middle Realm, this much must be the limit.”

It was a slightly silly voice, like a child pretending to sound like their father. But the moment he heard it, Albert’s eyes widened.

“Th-that voice... There’s no way...!”

Helik cleared her throat and glanced at Albert. “

Uh

... well, nice to see you.”

He opened and closed his mouth several times as if unsure what to say, then finally managed to say, “Could it be... Could you truly be Helik?”

A holy power pure beyond comprehension, and to top it off, the voice, though heard less often these days, was identical to the one who had delivered revelations to him since childhood.

Helik nodded at Albert’s question, “

Yup

, it’s me.”

Albert lost all words at Helik’s statement and collapsed onto the floor. The dignified and charismatic image of the Solarian God in his mind crumbled to pieces.

“

Ha-haha... hahaha!

”

Albert unintentionally let out a hollow laugh, then lowered his head and ran a hand over his hair.

“Truly... I still can’t believe it.”

“Believe it anyway.”

“Yes, I will believe.”

Albert looked up at Helik with a gentle smile.

She’s far more accepting than I expected...

Surprised by his reaction, Helik activated her brain to its fullest and tested him. “You’re not upset that I deceived you?”

“I did not follow you because of your appearance. I believed in your words, your thoughts, and the wisdom and teachings you gave me. That is what I believed in and followed.”

“I-I see.” Feeling awkward, Helik twirled her hair as she said, “Anyway, there is one reason I’ve revealed my identity to you.”

“I am listening.”

“Atroc is killing innocent citizens outside the wall.”

“How did you know that?”

“When one becomes a god, one can at least sense the events occurring nearby.”

“I see.” Albert looked up at Helik with eyes full of reverence.

Feeling burdened by that gaze, Helik turned her head away and muttered, “They are calling for me.”

Albert’s face grew grave in an instant. He thought they were after him, but now he realized the truth.

“They know you are here...?”

“Muldine must have told them.”

“Oh my...”

“Albert, help me leave the castle.”

“That’s outrageous!” Albert shouted without realizing it.

“Y-you scared me! And that was rude...”

As Helik hesitantly mumbled, Albert quickly bowed his head.

“I apologize. It slipped out... but you must not go outside. It’s too dangerous.”

“Albert, have you forgotten all my teachings?” There was a slight trace of anger in her voice. “When you were twenty-three and went on the Parayan expedition, what revelation did I give you then?”

“You told me that saving one ally is a far greater deed than killing one more monster or reclaiming one more piece of land.”

“And now that you are older, have you forgotten all of that?”

“No! But... but if you go out now, you will...”

You’ll die. Albert couldn’t bring himself to say it aloud.

But Helik, understanding his worry, patted his shoulder. “Don’t worry too much. Kai is always protecting me.”

“Kai is nearby?”

“

Mhmm

. He’s hiding, planning to finish Muldine for good this time.”

Though she didn’t know exactly where.

“In that case...”

“I need to step out so the enemy lets their guard down. That way Kai can move more easily.”

“Indeed.”

Albert once again looked at her with eyes full of reverence. Even though she was a god, her willingness to risk herself for the sake of humanity was something that deeply moved him.

“Then please allow me to personally escort you.”

“I permit it.”

Helik gave a small nod.

“Oh, right.” She didn’t forget to warn him. “If you speak of my appearance elsewhere, I shall bring divine punishment upon you. A god’s wrath is very, very terrifying.”

***

“

Hmm

.”

When Atroc saw Helik’s appearance, he stopped the massacre of the hostages. However, a slight doubt crept into his mind.

What in the world is she relying on to act like that?

He felt like he could tear Helik to pieces right then if he simply unleashed his power, and sure enough, the order came.

—What are you doing? Finish it when the opportunity comes.

Muldine’s command rang out over the plains. At the voice filled with malice, the Legion of Darkness fell to their knees, and the paladins and priests trembled with fear.

Atroc also knelt and said, “Shall I be the one to finish it, or will you do it yourself as originally planned...?”

—The Helik I know may be a fool, but not

that

much of a fool. Something feels off. Proceed alone for now.

“Yes.”

Atroc lowered his skull to the plains and performed the highest form of salute. At that moment, he glanced at the palm of his hand.

“The ground is a mess...”

Of course, it was raining. But even considering that, the condition of the plains was far from normal, as if someone had overturned it once already.

I must be overly sensitive before the big moment.

Just as Atroc shook his head and started to rise from the ground, a sword shot up from underground and pierced into his brow.

“

Mm!

”

As Atroc fell backward in shock, screams erupted from all around. Because they were all kneeling, no one reacted in time to the ambush from below. The attackers who had successfully pulled off the ambush began to claw their way out of the earth. They were fifty dullahans, their eyes blazing with red flames.

Wait, dullahans? This is...

Atroc casually pulled the sword from his skull and looked around. But Kai was nowhere to be seen. At that, Atroc let out a sigh of relief.

Right, that guy is definitely dead. There’s no way he could show up here. This is just a fake, a decoy army of dullahans made to scare me.

When an adventurer died, they couldn’t appear again for three days. That was a rule inscribed into this world by the gods. However, that only applied if Kai had truly died.

There’s no way he would have survived that attack...

Typically, there wouldn’t be. Yet, an inexplicable unease crept over Atroc. If it were him,

if it were that man who shattered every plan he and Muldine had planned out, was it possible he had once again defied expectations and survived?

Rumble!

Rain poured down as if the sky had split open, and with it, lightning crashed. Lightning was generally known to travel at a speed of 100,000 kilometers per second. But Atroc’s vision, far beyond the bounds of ordinary perception, could see even that lightning clearly. From the moment electrons discharged to form the bolt, to the instant it split and radiated its fleeting majesty.

“But then... Why...?”

Atroc forced his stiff neck to turn. Even with his extraordinary vision, there was one being he had failed to notice approaching.

"That's because I'm faster than lightning."

Kai snapped Atroc’s neck without a single warning.