Capital of Gatren, Gratiam’s Imperial Palace.
On the upper floor of this place, which serves as both the Grand Cathedral and Imperial Palace, there is a chapel exclusively for the Pope.
The Pope stood in the middle of the chapel, his arms spread wide.
“Co to !”
He felt countless souls connecting with him.
His mind was elevated.
No, this cannot be expressed rely as ‘elevation.’
“I am the true god.”
Omnipotent.
It felt like becoming a god.
“What was I afraid of?”
Until now, the Pope had been afraid.
The magic he nad the Empire’s Sacrifice.
He thought this was an unforgivable act of extorting everyone’s souls.
“I was wrong. This is… A divine gift that allows everyone to find peace.”
What else could this be if not a gift?
The negative emotions that humans inevitably possess.
Like original sin, all of these disappear, and only happiness and peace dominate the mind.
So this is a gift.
A gift bestowed by the new god nad Orban IV.
Whoosh…!
The divine power and soul force that rushed in not only filled the Grand Cathedral but began to materialize.
Like snowflakes.
Pure white holy power ford crystals and spread out from the chapel.
Although it’s based on the human life force, no one can deny the beauty of this sight.
Perhaps it’s even more beautiful because it’s life itself.
Of course, there were no humans left in the capital, Gratiam, to praise this beauty.
Suddenly, the Pope raised his head.
“With such power, is that all you could do until now? How laughable. It’s ridiculous. What exactly have you done for the past five hundred years?”
The Empire’s Sacrifice, this unprecedented magic, has several effects.
However, if one were to na its greatest effect, it would be this,
Moving the hearts of those with holy power, sharing and simultaneously controlling their souls and consciousness.
This requires enormous energy.
The Pope had prepared for this for a long ti, but that alone was far from enough.
It’s an act of binding millions of people – gathering that much energy artificially is virtually impossible.
That’s why the Pope borrowed the power of god.
No, more precisely, he extorted it.
“Even if it’s a false na, this is power worthy of being called divine. Yet you were using this power rely to nurture heroes.”
The Pope shook his head.
“This too must be proof that you’re not the real god.”
The Pope is the person who has co closest to knowing god’s true identity.
What everyone calls the Deusis god.
It was rely a mass of energy.
A kind of collective consciousness (spiritual body) created by the wishes and magical power of countless people.
It was quite different from the transcendent being people imagined.
That’s why it was possible to steal its power like this.
After all, it was an entity that could only follow people’s wishes.
While the concept itself was difficult, actually implenting it wasn’t as hard as expected.
“Now we no longer need a false god. I will beco the real god and make everyone happy.”
The Pope smiled benevolently and clasped his hands.
“I’m going to unite the continent.”
***
Abelson Mariette was breathing heavily.
“Huff… Huff…!”
She almost got devoured.
The vast holy power filled her body.
It beca a single will trying to guide her.
Such warm and comfortable energy.
It felt like if she followed that path, she could let go of everything and sink into peace.
“That was close…”
She looked down at her thigh.
The sharp pen was stuck in, staining it with blood.
As soon as she felt sothing was wrong, she grabbed the pen and stabbed her leg.
If she had been even a little later.
If her mind had been taken for even one more second, she wouldn’t have been able to return.
‘What exactly happened?’
At first, she thought it was god moving.
The foundation of holy power.
The being that responds to her call and lets her hear its voice.
She thought he had guided people with holy power, but then shook her head.
‘This isn’t god’s way. I didn’t even hear the voice to begin with.’
The peace that ca suddenly.
If she had followed that flow, would she have truly reached peace?
She doesn’t think so.
It was a sweet whisper.
It was closer to a devil’s temptation.
Definitely not the way god would use it.
It’s also strange that there was no word to her.
‘Still no response…’
She searched for god hoping perhaps, but there was no response.
Even though she was the chosen one who could hear god’s voice anywhere, anyti.
She couldn’t feel god.
As if it had never existed from the beginning.
Instead, she noticed the alien holy power filling the surroundings.
‘Could it be…?’
Holy power covering the entire capital city of Scolbon.
Just as Abelson was wondering about its true nature.
“Your Majesty! Are you alright!?”
The Royal Knights burst in as the door opened.
Knight Commander Luka Hughes saw the wound on Abelson’s thigh and rushed over in shock.
“Who did this…!”
“It’s fine. I did this myself.”
Abelson pulled out the pen, and when she used healing magic, the wound healed instantly.
“More importantly, what’s happening? Suddenly bursting into my office.”
“I apologize.”
Knight Commander Luka Hughes bowed his head.
“There’s a rebellion in the palace… No, in the capital, Scolbon!”
“Rebellion…?”
“It’s dangerous here. We need to evacuate you first. I’ll explain the details as we move!”
“Alright.”
Abelson grabbed the mace she always carries and left the office with the Royal Knights.
Already, many people were collapsed in the corridor, bleeding.
Every wound was from sword cuts.
Abelson looked at the red blood on the Royal Knights’ swords.
“Lord Hughes. I need an explanation.”
“We had no choice. With a sudden earthquake, their eyes suddenly went blank and they started attacking everything around them indiscriminately.”
Knight Commander Luka Hughes surveyed the surroundings with sharp eyes.
“Even so of the Royal Knights were affected. I’m not sure exactly what it is, but it seems like so kind of mind control magic.”
Abelson frowned at the words ‘mind control’.
‘Mind control on Royal Knights. That’s impossible.’
Mind control is an extrely difficult high-level magic.
It’s already tricky to use on ordinary people with no immunity, but how exceptional a mage would one have to be to use mind control on Royal Knights?
“No, more than that, you said there’s a rebellion in the entire capital…?”
“Yes. Though I’m not certain, it seems this mind control phenonon is occurring throughout the entire capital.”
“That can’t be possible…”
This is on a different level from Royal Knights being controlled.
Mind control throughout the entire capital?
It’s physically impossible.
Even for the most exceptional mage.
Suddenly, Abelson rembered what had just happened.
“That warmth… Following it makes you lose consciousness?”
“Pardon? What do you an?”
“It’s nothing.”
Nothing is certain yet.
First, she needs to figure out exactly what’s happening.
That’s when they heard the commotion.
“Hahaha!”
“Kill them! Kill those who don’t follow god’s guidance!”
“Kyaaaa!”
A bizarre mix of screams and laughter could be heard.
The Royal Knights stepped forward to block the way.
“It’s them, Your Majesty. Please step back.”
Soon after, a group of people appeared at the end of the corridor.
All of them wearing bloody armor and smiling, they charged at Abelson and the Royal Knights without hesitation.
“Hehe…! According to god’s will…!”
“According to god’s wiiill!”
People running down the corridor at frightening speed.
Looking at their attire, they were clearly ordinary servants working in the palace.
However, their movents were even faster than well-trained soldiers.
Dadadada-!
Those who ca running like beasts instantly clashed with the Royal Knights.
“Cut them all down! We must not let Her Majesty be hard!”
“Yes!”
The battle was one-sided.
No matter how fast they moved, these were the Royal Knights, the kingdom’s elite.
They were not beings that ordinary people without weapons or armor could face.
Slash, slash-!
Bodies split in half.
Severed arms and legs scattered everywhere.
Red blood soaked the corridor, forming pools and flowing like streams.
“Die! Those who don’t follow god! Not worthy of living!”
“Hahaha! Die! Die!”
Even when stabbed and cut, the people didn’t retreat.
Rather, they laughed.
Their faces showed no fear whatsoever.
Only joy and ecstasy.
Or peaceful rest exists.
“Such madn…!”
People with no fear whatsoever, throw their bodies to attack the knights.
They cling like leeches, swinging fists randomly, and even bite off their ears with their teeth if nothing else works.
With strength more than twice that of normal people, even the Royal Knights had to struggle.
“Phew… is everyone alright?”
“Yes. There are so injuries, but nothing serious.”
After so ti passed.
Finally, everyone had fallen.
Knight Commander Luka Hughes checked on Abelson.
“Your Majesty. Are you alright?”
“Yes. I’m fine, but…”
Abelson’s fist clenched tight.
The people who just died.
All familiar faces.
Ordinary people who had lived their lives faithfully working day by day.
She couldn’t understand why such people had to face this kind of death.
That’s when Abelson noticed a man.
“That person. His wounds are healing!”
The man’s abdon was deeply cut with his intestines exposed.
His wounds, which should have been fatal to anyone, started healing and then began to twitch.
“He, hehe! God is…!”
Crack-!
A sword pierced between the man’s eyes.
The man who had been trembling soon completely stopped moving.
“Unless we completely end their breathing, any wound will heal. Just like a high priest using healing magic.”
Knight Commander Luka Hughes turned and spoke to the Royal Knights.
“Destroy the head or heart. Or cutting off the neck would work too.”
“…”
“Rember. We must think of what we’re fighting not as people but as undead.”
“Yes.”
The expressions of the Royal Knights beca heavy.
It pained their hearts to have to cut down their own citizens with swords ant to protect the nation.
But there was no choice.
As long as it wasn’t clear what magic had affected them and how to reverse it.
For now, they were enemies to be cut down.
No different from the undead.
“Let’s keep moving.”
The Royal Knights and Abelson quickly headed outside the palace.
This was Knight Commander Luka Hughes’s judgnt.
“For now, we need to go sowhere without people.”
“Why?”
“Many citizens live in the capital. We don’t know how many have been affected by the mind control. Even if it’s the palace, if we’re surrounded it would be like a tomb.”
Abelson silently nodded.
It takes just a little thought to know the commander’s judgnt is correct.
Not knowing how many have been affected by this phenonon.
If they happen to get surrounded, even the Royal Knights wouldn’t be able to hold out.
“The entrance!”
Shortly after, the Royal Knights and Abelson left the palace.
The number of people they had to cut down to get here exceeded hundreds.
Though they saved so people who were still sane along the way, there weren’t many.
“Kyaa…!”
“Follow…! God’s teachings…!”
“Die! Hahaha…!”
As soon as they ca out of the palace, all sorts of noise hit them.
Screams and laughter clearly audible even from far away.
Abelson bit her lip hard and kicked the ground.
“Your Majesty!”
“Just a mont! There’s sothing I need to check!”
Abelson quickly jumped up to the palace spire.
Since her physical abilities were trained to be no less than those of Royal Knights, the movent took only a mont.
Finally reaching the high spire, the entire view of the capital Scolbon spread out before Abelson.
Boom…! Bang-!
Explosions and flas coming from all directions.
“Arghh! Help !”
“Mom! What’s wrong? Mommy!”
“Hehehehehehe!”
“It’s peace! We’re finding peace!”
Humans were tearing apart, killing, and eating other humans.
Abelson’s mouth opened without her realizing it.
“… This is hell.”
The end of peace is a new hell.
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