There Is No Place For Fakes [EN]: Chapter 166

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“How could you just drop everything and surrender when they told you to!”

“What else could I do in that situation? How can a sword beat a gun?”

“That’s for you to figure out!”

“I’m not a swordsman, I’m a priest.”

Philomel watched the bickering duo ahead with a weary gaze.

“Can’t you be quiet for a bit?”

They glanced at Philomel, though they couldn’t see her, and whispered.

“It’s your fault I got told off.”

“The stranger was the one speaking much louder.”

“I said be quiet.”

“…….”

“…….”

Currently, Philomel was behind them, pointing a gun at their backs, being led to the location of the heart. Of course, she had put the Veil of Ignorance back on.

If they tried to lead her somewhere else, she would shoot. If they tried to reveal her presence to anyone, she would shoot. If they just acted suspiciously, she would shoot.

Those were the simple rules Philomel had set.

‘Good thing I have a revolver.’

When they reunited at the Grand Temple, the Emperor had handed Philomel his revolver.

“If it looks like you’re going to lose to that Escal brat in the match, don’t hesitate to shoot. Leave the cleanup to me.”

“……No, I can’t shoot him.”

“And the same goes for that Avery fellow. If he tries anything funny with you, shoot him.”

“Why would I shoot Nasarr!”

The conversation went something like that.

Philomel had no intention of shooting anyone, but she took the gun anyway. She figured it couldn’t hurt to have it.

The 뿅 hammer [sound effect hammer, likely a magical weapon] was much more effective against monsters, so there was no need to take out the gun….

‘But it’s a different story when the opponent is human.’

The intruder and the priest turned into docile sheep when she pointed the gun at them.

Moreover, the revolver Philomel had was none other than the Emperor’s.

Unlike other revolvers, which were heavy and had poor performance compared to their cost, this one was light and powerful.

After Philomel remained silent for a while, the priest said with concern.

“You’re not going to shoot us just because we had a little chat, are you?”

“D-don’t shoot!”

The two were terrified because they couldn’t see Philomel.

‘Honestly, I want to shoot them.’

Philomel bit her lip as she looked at the darkness surrounding their bodies. It was the Evil God’s protection, shielding her followers from corruption.

While these people were safe and sound, countless others were dying outside. All because of these humans who cooperated with Ieris.

Even Philomel, who believed that people should not be killed carelessly, felt a surge of murderous intent towards them.

‘But I can’t kill them now.’

The intruder wasn’t even in their own body, and if they died now, it would be difficult to close the rift. And the priest….

“Hero, have you ever shot someone before?”

The priest spoke to her.

“If I may offer some advice, it’s definitely not a pleasant experience. While you still can, put the gun down. A hero shouldn’t be harming people in the first place….”

He was one to talk, cooperating in the destruction of the world.

Philomel asked them.

“Why are you cooperating with the Evil God? There’s nothing good for you if this world is destroyed.”

The priest boasted as he replied.

“You only know one thing and not the other. He plans to destroy the current world and build a new kingdom.”

“So, you were promised a position in that kingdom?”

“Well, something like that.”

Did he really believe that? It was obviously just sweet talk to entice followers.

Veleron had said that Ieris’s goal was complete annihilation.

This time, Elencia spoke.

“I don’t care what happens to a game that doesn’t go the way the user wants. It would be better if it was destroyed.”

They were truly selfish people who only cared about themselves.

Thankfully, they relieved Philomel of the last bit of guilt she had.

“We’ve arrived.”

At that moment, the intruder stopped walking. They had arrived at the Evil God’s heart.

She pointed to the wall. Upon closer inspection, it was a door disguised as a wall.

“Ieris told me not to approach this door.”

Philomel gently touched the door.

As expected, it didn’t budge.

She rubbed the Ring of Red Flames as Veleron had instructed. Then, she brought the glowing ring to the door.

Crack. The door cracked and soon shattered completely.

“Ieris’s power so easily…!”

The priest’s face was filled with shock. He must have been relieved, thinking that even if he brought Philomel here, the door wouldn’t open.

“I, Ieris!”

“Shut up.”

“Cough!”

Philomel pointed the gun at the priest’s throat, who was about to call out to the Evil God.

“Go in there.”

“N-no, I don’t want to. I know what will happen to me….”

Thud. Philomel forcefully pushed the priest through the broken door.

“Aaaagh!”

Soon, a desperate scream echoed from inside the room. As if waiting for it, several small monsters pounced on him.

“I, Ieris….”

No matter how much he called, the god he believed in wouldn’t come. The Evil God would be busy dealing with Veleron.

In fact, Philomel didn’t know that at this point, the Evil God was not only dealing with the Sun God but also struggling with another problem.

It was because of a human she had locked up in her base, thinking they would be a nuisance. That human was currently gleefully pouring their power into the rock where Ieris was sealed.

The Evil God’s main body wasn’t severely damaged to that extent, but it was quite annoying enough to draw her attention.

“Have enough come out?”

Philomel confirmed that no more new monsters were coming out and then swung the뿅 hammer.

뿅! 뿅! 뿅! 뿅!

The monsters all turned to ash and disappeared. However, the priest had already died.

“Now, you come in too….”

Philomel’s words were cut off as she turned to look at the intruder.

She had been screaming since the priest was attacked by the monsters, and upon seeing the gruesome state of the corpse, she collapsed. She had fainted.

“Is this a normal reaction….”

It was a sight that made Philomel frown as well, but it wasn’t shocking enough to make her lose her mind.

Perhaps it was because she had seen so much death on the ‘Stem.’

She tasted something bitter.

“Well, whatever.”

It was better this way.

Since she had fainted, Philomel didn’t have to worry about the intruder running away while she did what she had to do.

Philomel decided to leave the intruder’s body as it was for a while. There was no one around here anyway.

‘Is it because only important people are allowed to come and go?’

Philomel thought as she walked into the room. One step at a time, very carefully.

As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, the objects in the room became distinguishable.

The object located at the innermost part.

“That’s the heart….”

Something that looked like a real heart was throbbing.

Standing in front of the heart, Philomel took a deep breath.

“Hoo.”

She put her hand in her pocket and felt a smooth surface.

Soon, a notification window appeared in front of Philomel.

[Connected Heart (Nasarr)

Description: A reward given when clearing Nasarr’s route. The connected heart with your loved one protects you.]

After the conversation with Veleron, the notification window had flashed, and when she checked, this had been given to her.

A pretty heart-shaped jewel.

Even though it said it would protect her, it didn’t seem to have any special effects.

‘It’s warm.’

Still, it made her feel at ease when she touched it. It felt like Nasarr was really with her.

“Nasarr, give me courage.”

Philomel put the뿅 hammer and the revolver on the floor and took out Balvard’s sword from her backpack.

The sword shone faintly in the darkness.

She raised the dagger high.

“Eit!” [A battle cry]

Then, she stabbed the heart with all her might.

The blunt blade was surprisingly sharp. As if it had been made for this moment alone.

And then.

Aaaaaagh!

A chilling scream filled the ‘Stem.’ It was as if the ‘Stem’ itself was screaming.

‘As expected, once isn’t enough.’

The heart had a deep scratch, but it was still relatively intact.

Veleron had told her to keep stabbing until the heart was completely destroyed.

Stab! Stab! Stab!

“Disappear! Disappear!”

The ‘Stem’ writhed in agony.

Philomel stabbed the heart relentlessly. She had to finish before Ieris came.

But at some point, a sensation that made her hair stand on end washed over her.

“So it was you, Philomel.”

The voice came from the doorway.

Philomel stiffly turned her head towards it. The intruder, who should have been unconscious, was standing there.

No, it wasn’t the intruder.

Philomel knew. It was their second meeting.

“……Ieris.”

“Yes. Veleron wasn’t wasting his power for nothing.”

The Evil God had implanted her consciousness into Elencia’s body as well.