Not All Heroes From Earth Are Bad [EN]: Chapter 259

The imperial palace in the capital, Gratiam.

In the upper levels of this place, which serves as both the Great Temple and the imperial palace, is the Pope’s private chapel.

The Pope stood in the middle of the chapel, arms wide open.

“Come to me!”

He could feel countless souls connecting to him.

His mind was elevated.

No, this was beyond mere ‘elevation’.

“I am the true god.”

Omniscient and omnipotent.

He felt like a god.

“What was I afraid of?”

Until now, the Pope had been afraid.

The magic he called the Empire’s Devotion.

He thought it was an unforgivable act, stealing the souls of everyone.

“I was wrong. This is a gift from God… where everyone can find rest.”

If this wasn’t a gift, what was?

Negative emotions that humans inevitably possess.

All the things akin to original sin disappeared, and only happiness and rest dominated the mind.

So, this was a gift.

A gift bestowed by the new god, Orban IV.

Whoosh…!

The surging divine power and the power of souls filled the Great Temple, beginning to materialize.

Like snowflakes.

The pure white divine power formed crystals and spread out from the chapel.

Even though it was based on human life force, no one could deny the beauty of this sight.

Perhaps it was even more beautiful because it was life.

Of course, there were no humans left in the capital, Gratiam, to praise this beauty.

Suddenly, the Pope raised his head.

“With this kind of power, you’ve only done that much? How pathetic. Pathetic. What have you been doing for the past five hundred years?”

The effects of this unprecedented magic, the Empire’s Devotion, were various.

But, if one were to pick the greatest effect, it would be the following.

To move the hearts of humans with divine power, sharing and dominating their souls and consciousness.

This required immense energy.

The Pope had been preparing for a long time to gather this, but it was still woefully insufficient.

Binding hundreds of millions of people was an impossible task to artificially gather that much energy.

Therefore, the Pope borrowed the power of God.

No, to be precise, he plundered it.

“Even if it’s a false name, this is a power worthy of being called God. Yet, you’ve been using this power to nurture heroes.”

The Pope shook his head.

“This is further proof that you are not a true god.”

The Pope was the closest to the true identity of God.

What everyone called the Deus [Latin for ‘God’].

It was merely a mass of energy.

A kind of mental aggregate created by the wishes and magic power of countless people.

It was quite different from the transcendent being that people imagined.

That’s why it was possible to steal its power in this way.

From the start, it was an existence that had no choice but to follow people’s wishes.

The idea itself was difficult, but once put into practice, it wasn’t as hard as he thought.

“Now, the false god is no longer needed. I will become the true god and make everyone happy.”

The Pope smiled kindly and clasped his hands together.

“To unite the continent as one.”

***

Abelson Marriott gasped for breath.

“Haa… Haa…!”

She almost got devoured.

The vast divine power filling her body.

It became a will and guided her.

A very warm and comfortable energy.

If she followed that path, she felt like she could let go of everything and sink into rest.

“That was close…”

She looked down at her thigh.

A sharp pen was stuck in it, stained with blood.

As soon as she felt something was wrong, she grabbed the pen and stabbed her leg.

If she had been even a little later.

If she had her mind taken away for even a second longer, she would not have been able to return.

‘What on earth happened?’

At first, she thought God had moved.

The foundation of divine power.

The being who answered her call and let her hear His voice.

She thought He had guided people with divine power, but then she shook her head.

‘This isn’t God’s way. In the first place, I didn’t even hear a voice.’

The sudden peace.

If she had followed that flow, could she really have reached rest?

She didn’t think so.

It was a sweet whisper.

It was closer to the temptation of the devil.

It was not a method that God would ever use.

It was also strange that He didn’t say anything to her.

‘Still no response…’

Just in case, she looked for God, but there was no response.

Even though she was the chosen one who could hear God’s voice anytime, anywhere.

She couldn’t feel God.

As if He had never existed in the first place.

Instead, the foreign divine power filling the surroundings caught her eye.

‘Could it be…?’

The divine power covering the entire capital of the kingdom, Scolbon.

As Abelson wondered about the identity of this, that’s when.

“Your Majesty! Are you alright!?”

The door burst open, and the Royal Knights rushed in.

Knight Commander Luca Hughes was startled when he saw the wound on Abelson’s thigh and approached her.

“Who did this…!”

“It’s okay. I did it myself.”

Abelson pulled out the pen, and the wound healed instantly as she used healing magic.

“More importantly, what’s going on? Suddenly barging into my office like this.”

“I apologize.”

Knight Commander Luca Hughes bowed his head.

“There’s a… no, a riot has broken out in the capital, Scolbon!”

“A riot…?”

“This place is dangerous. First, you must evacuate. I’ll explain the details while we move!”

“Okay.”

Abelson grabbed the mace she always carried with her and left the office with the Royal Knights.

Already, many people were collapsed in the hallway, bleeding.

Each one had a wound from being cut by a sword.

Abelson stared at the red blood on the Royal Knight’s sword.

“Sir Hughes. I need an explanation.”

“It was unavoidable. Along with a sudden earthquake, their eyes suddenly glazed over, and they started attacking everything around them indiscriminately.”

Knight Commander Luca Hughes scanned the surroundings with sharp eyes.

“Even some of the Royal Knights were attacked. I don’t know exactly what it is, but it seems to be a mind control type of magic.”

Abelson frowned at the words ‘mind control’.

‘Mind control on a Royal Knight? That’s impossible.’

Mind control is a very difficult, high-level magic.

It’s difficult to use even on ordinary people without any particular immunity, but to use mind control on a Royal Knight, how skilled of a magician would that require?

“No, more than that, you said a riot broke out in the entire capital…?”

“Yes. It’s not certain, but it seems that this mind control phenomenon is happening throughout the capital.”

“There’s no way that’s possible…”

This is different from a Royal Knight being controlled.

Mind control happening throughout the capital?

It’s physically impossible.

Even for the most skilled magician.

In that moment, the situation she had just experienced flashed through Abelson’s mind.

“That warmth… if you follow it, do you lose your mind?”

“Pardon? What are you talking about?”

“It’s nothing.”

Nothing is certain yet.

First, she needs to find out exactly what’s happening.

It was then that she heard the commotion.

“Hahahaha!”

“Kill them! Kill those who do not follow the guidance of God!”

“Kyaaaa!”

The bizarreness of screams and laughter being heard simultaneously.

The Royal Knights stepped forward and blocked the way.

“They’re here, Your Majesty. Step back.”

Soon, a group of people appeared at the end of the hallway.

The people, all covered in blood and smiling, saw Abelson and the Royal Knights and rushed at them without hesitation.

“Hehe…! According to God’s will…!”

“According to God’s will!”

The people ran down the hallway at a terrifying speed.

Judging by their attire, they were definitely ordinary servants and maids working in the palace.

However, their movements were faster than even well-trained soldiers.

Dada dada dada-!

The ones who came running like beasts clashed with the Royal Knights in an instant.

“Cut them all down! You must not harm His Majesty’s body!”

“Yes!”

The battle was one-sided.

No matter how fast their movements, they were the Royal Knights, the kingdom’s best elite.

They were not beings that ordinary people without weapons or armor could stand against.

Swish, swish-!

Torsos were split in half.

Severed arms and legs were scattered haphazardly.

The red blood soaked the hallway and became a puddle, flowing like a stream.

“Die! You who do not follow God! You are not worth living!”

“Hahahaha! Die! Die!”

Even as they were stabbed and cut by swords, the people did not back down.

Rather, they laughed.

No fear could be seen on their faces.

Only joy and elation.

Or, only comfortable rest existed.

“These crazy bastards…!”

People who had no fear and threw their bodies to attack the knights.

Like leeches, they clung on and wildly swung their fists, and if that didn’t work, they even bit off ears with their teeth.

Their strength was more than double that of ordinary people, so even the Royal Knights had no choice but to struggle.

“Hoo… Is everyone alright?”

“Yes. There are some injuries, but nothing serious.”

A little time passed.

Finally, everyone fell.

Knight Commander Luca Hughes checked on Abelson.

“Your Majesty. Are you alright?”

“Yes. I’m fine, but…”

Abelson’s fist clenched tightly.

The people who just died.

They were all familiar faces.

Ordinary people who lived their lives faithfully, working day by day.

She couldn’t understand why those people had to experience such a death.

Then, a man came into Abelson’s sight.

“That man. His wound is healing!”

The man’s abdomen was severely cut open, and his intestines were exposed.

His wound, which should have killed him no matter who looked at it, healed and began to twitch.

“Heu, heuheu! God is with me…!”

Stab-!

A sword was stuck in the man’s forehead.

The man, who had been trembling, soon stopped moving completely.

“Unless you cut off their breath, any wound will heal. It’s as if a high-ranking priest is using healing magic.”

Knight Commander Luca Hughes turned around and spoke to the Royal Knights.

“Destroy their heads or hearts. Or, cutting off their necks would be good too.”

“…”

“Keep in mind. You have to think of what we’re fighting as undead, not people.”

“Yes.”

The Royal Knights’ expressions darkened heavily.

The fact that they had to use their swords to protect the country against their own people pained their hearts.

But there was no choice.

Unless it was certain what magic they were under and how to reverse it.

They were enemies to be cut down now.

They were no different from the undead.

“Let’s keep moving.”

The Royal Knights and Abelson quickly headed out of the palace.

This was Knight Commander Luca Hughes’s judgment.

“We need to go somewhere with no people for now.”

“Why?”

“Many citizens live in the capital. We don’t know how many of them have been mind-controlled. Even if it’s the palace, it’s the same as a grave if we get surrounded.”

Abelson nodded silently.

It was easy to see that the Knight Commander’s judgment was correct with just a little thought.

They didn’t know how many people had been affected by this phenomenon.

If they were surrounded, even the Royal Knights wouldn’t be able to hold out.

“It’s the entrance!”

After a while, the Royal Knights and Abelson left the palace.

They had cut down hundreds of people just on the way here.

They had saved a few people who were still sane along the way, but the number wasn’t that high.

“Kyaa…!”

“The teachings of God…! Follow…!”

“Die! Hahaha…!”

As soon as they came out of the palace, all sorts of noises washed over them.

The screams and laughter, which could be heard clearly even from a distance.

Abelson bit her lip tightly and kicked off the ground.

“Your Majesty!”

“Just a moment! There’s something I need to check.”

Abelson quickly jumped up to the palace’s spire.

Her physical abilities were also trained to the point where she was not far behind the Royal Knights, so the movement was instantaneous.

Finally, Abelson arrived at the high spire, and the scenery of the capital, Scolbon, unfolded before her eyes.

Koo-oong…! Kwang-!

Explosions and flames were heard from all directions.

“Kkeuaaaa! Save me!”

“Mom! What’s wrong? Momaaa!”

“Heeheeheeheeheehee!”

“Rest! It is to find rest!”

Humans were tearing each other apart, killing and eating each other.

Abelson’s mouth opened without her realizing it.

“… This is hell.”

The end of rest was a new hell.