Volu 4, Chapter 3: mories of Heaven – Part?3
That man held the ability which allowed him to cross the border between the living and the dead. He managed to change his soul into a Book while still living, in order to reach Heaven. Why and how did he go to Heaven? The answers to this weren’t recorded in the fragnt.
The man’s Book entered Heaven.
“…What is this…”
He could see. He should have been dead but was able to see. And he could feel. He felt the surrounding landscape and in the far distance, a trendous being.
At first he had seen a vast desert. The man walked along it and his feet sank. He didn’t know why, but he had to walk. He could understand sothing magnificent was in front of him. There was no reason for this. He only felt so.
In the anti, it started raining. The man murmured as he got wet.
“…It’s raining. A rain of souls.”
The man basked in it. Inside the rain he felt joy like never before. The joy of loving. The joy of being loved. Joy he could obtain. Joy contained in him.
While slling lovely flowers, he overlooked a splendid sea of clouds. Conquering various countries on horseback, days of peace have arrived. Feeling the subli souls of saints, his heart fluttered in wicked bliss, and while admiring lovely won, the loving man’s body shivered in their embrace.
While struck by this rain of souls, the man felt all the kinds of happiness in the world.
Before long, the rain ceased. The man started walking again.
The man noticed that the sand was made of people’s souls. Those who ascended to Heaven beco sand like this. And he also noticed at the sa ti that the rain was also made of people’s souls. The happiness evaporated from the sands, turned into rain and poured down again.
“Oh, right. These are True n.”
He was drenched in the happiness of True n. He had been reliving the happiness that True n have tasted until now.
I want more happiness, the man thought. However, he approached the limits of his ability. The man’s soul left Heaven and ca back to this world.
In his final monts the man had seen the huge presence that sat in the middle of Heaven. Both Heaven and that grand being were…
“O God!”
The man shouted.
The Book ended there.
“This is… Heaven.”
Al muttered. Her face was sweating. Her heart beat like a prancing horse.
“How was it? Although it was only inside this Book, you felt happiness that probably surpassed all you have felt until now. If you go to Heaven, you can taste even more happiness forever.
Do you understand what Heaven is?”
“…Amazing.”
“The Books of the believers of the Indulging God Cult go not to Bantorra Library, but are stored in Heaven. We protect this Heaven and fight so we could ascend to it.”
While putting away the Book showing Heaven, the Overseer of Paradise continued his explanation.
“What you have seen, that rain of souls, is a collection of people’s joy.
This happiness is extracted from the Books of dead people housed in Heaven and becos a rain. Those who ascend to Heaven are basked in it and taste the ultimate happiness.
By collecting the Books of those who reached happiness, Heaven becos an even more wonderful place. God wishes it and we also aim for that.”
Al nodded, her face flushed.
“We must send the Books of people in bliss to Heaven. However, there is no aning in sending people with only a small joy to Heaven.
Therefore, we produce happy people. We select people who should be happy, and we lend them our power so that their happiness will grow stronger. That is the mission of the Indulging God Cult.”
“…Umm, is Cigal one of the chosen people?”
“You truly are quick to understand.”
The Overseer of Paradise pointed at Al with his index finger.
“We call those who were chosen, like Cigal, True n.
The conditions to beco a True n are the size and purity of one’s desire. The greater the desire is, the purer the desire is, the greater their achieved happiness.
Cigal’s desire is imnsely vast and truly pure. If he were to achieve his desire and beco able to ascend to Heaven, it will make it a much more splendid place.”
The Overseer of Paradise kept talking.
“People like and you, who don’t possess a pure desire, cannot beco True n. Therefore, we serve the happiness of those True n. We are called False n.
And, for our service to True n and the Cult, we go to Heaven as a reward.
True n exist for God. And False n exist for True n. We exert our efforts so that God, and those of us who serve God, will be able to taste all the happiness of this world in Heaven.”
The Overseer of Paradise spoke while looking into Al’s eyes.
“Will you beco our ally?”
Al answered “yes” without any hesitation.
That surely was the sort of happiness she will not be able to know without joining the Cult. The joy of touching and devoting oneself to that subli being.
She will offer herself for Cigal, for Heaven. This was sothing she couldn’t know if she played her violin her whole life.
Al swore her loyalty to Cigal who wasn’t there.
Al was headed for an island. There was a training facility of the Indulging God Cult on it. It was lonely for her to not see Cigal, but if she was useless for him she wouldn’t be able to be at his side. She had to master Magic and beco a warrior.
On the ship were Al and a boy close to her in age. He was a boy who wore glasses and looked serious. His na was Winkeny.
“Why did you join the Indulging God Cult?”
Winkeny started talking to her.
“In order to serve Cigal-sama. And you?”
Winkeny seed troubled for a short while.
“Since my mother joined the Cult… I ca with her.”
“Do you know Cigal-sama?”
“I heard about him.”
Al spoke to Winkeny about how wonderful of a person Cigal was. He listened to her with a cold expression.
“I’m not really sure since I also just joined, but I think people like you are rare.”
“What do you an?”
“You’ll see when we get there.”
Al and the rest who’ve gathered on this solitary island at so distant sea withstood severe training. Those who gave up were discarded. Seeing dead people or those whose spirits were affected go out was a daily occurrence.
The morale of Al’s group was high. Everyone beca desperate to reach Heaven.
While living that sort of life, she started understanding the aning of Winkeny’s words.
“No-one honors the True n.”
She talked to Winkeny in between training. The two have beco friends.
“Yeah. That’s true.”
“They’re all just thinking about themselves going to Heaven. They only think of True n as tools that allow them to reach Heaven.”
“Right. Everyone’s objective is self-interest. These are False n.”
Al scorned her comrades. They’re so stupid.
“It just doesn’t fit them… they’re like pigs – they just greedily devour the bait known as happiness.”
“That is the Indulging God Cult.”
“Are you also like that?”
“I just happened to join the Cult. I have no place to go and nothing else to do. I only do my job.”
Winkeny was thoughtful and serious, but she didn’t like the way he spoke.
“Are you different, Al?”
“I am. I am connected to Cigal-sama. Only I am different.”
She was different. This was Al’s favorite phrase.
Once, an airplane ca to the island. The False n began clamoring. Winkeny ca to call Al who was resting in her room.
“Al, Cigal-sama ca to visit. He called for you.”
True n never ca to visit. And it was even the one she admired, Cigal. All of Al’s comrades focused their attention on her.
“It’s been a while, Al.”
She faced Cigal with her cheeks blushing. She had so much she wanted to say to him, but now that she actually t him she couldn’t form any words.
Cigal smiled as if telling her it’s fine, I understand.
“You seem to have gotten an interesting ability.”
“Huh?”
“It’s the sa ability as Hamyuts seta… our mortal enemy. Ha-ha, seems like it would beco useful.”
The False n looking at them from a distance started murmuring amongst themselves. Many of them wanted to work under Cigal. With just so brief words, Al seed to be the one to achieve a position close to him.
Al looked around her and snorted. What’re you making a fuss about. It’s only natural.
It was a dark expression unlike that she had while facing Cigal. Looking at him she had the face of a simple girl, while looking down the people around her she had an expression of arrogance. Al possessed these two expressions. Which one of them was the real Al?
“Did you make any friends?”
“One. His na is Winkeny.”
“And why are you friends with him?”
Al thought for a while. She simply talked with him, but she thought that kind of mundane answer will disappoint Cigal. What answer will make him happy?
“Because he appears to be useful.”
“That’s a good answer.”
Cigal smiled. Yes! She cheered in her heart.
“What about the other guys?”
Al thought again. How could she answer to make Cigal happy…
“They only look like stupid pigs to . I can’t make friends with them.”
“Indeed. They are pigs. As I thought you’re the kind of human I’ve imagined you to be.”
Cigal asked her about various topics. Al thought and answered as to fulfill his expectations.
Before long, she could naturally answer in ways that made Cigal happy, and thought of what would make him happy.
Her way of thinking could be called wicked, and Al also knew it. However, even acting wicked was fine if it made Cigal happy.
In this world, only Cigal and I are correct. Everyone else is but pigs. Al reaffird this while talking to Cigal.
Cigal then told her he wanted to listen to her violin. Al was surprised. She hadn’t practiced her violin in a while.
Although she was confused, she desperately played her violin. Cigal listened to it quietly.
“…A good sound. Much better than when we first t. Just as I anticipated.”
“Why?”
“It is a cruel sound.”
Al finally understood. This man hadn’t listened to the violin’s sound. He listened to Al’s heart. He could feel with his excellent hearing that he raised Al into a cruel girl.
“Please beco a full-fledged warrior soon. Then I could always listen to your violin.”
Al was joyed. Cigal was waiting for her.
Afterwards, Winkeny had said to her,
“Cigal-sama seems to gain pleasure by making money.”
“Yeah.”
“…Frankly speaking, I don’t like him very much. Money being his entire happiness feels sowhat wrong.”
“You’re so stupid, Winkeny. You don’t know anything.”
Al said and sneered at him.
After having grown strong and brutal, Al left the training facility. Obviously she went to be at Cigal’s side.
Cigal had already dominated the top of the underworld. Not only the underworld, but he also had control on the public business world.
His assets have already beco comparable to those of an entire country. If he kept going like this, it was thought that he would surpass the Ever-Laughing Witch in 10 years.
Even then Cigal wasn’t satisfied. He ordered everyone to find new ways of making money.
Drugs, gambling, extortion, exploitation.
Al received orders that deviated from the proper course of n and gleefully conducted them.
The city was, in fact, under Cigal’s control. The citizens were drowning in drugs, and as for the security forces that were supposed to be cracking it down, Cigal had the governnt and bureaucrats that supervised them under his control as well.
The industry and comrce were also ruined, so the city beca quiet. Everyone always clearly heard gunshots and cries of children.
Al stopped a certain person in the city.
“Where are you going?”
The man turned around. Al wasn’t Cigal’s only subordinate. This man, who worked as both Cigal’s secretary and chief of staff, was another close aide.
“…I’m leaving. I can’t follow Cigal-sama anymore.”
“Hmph, why?”
Al asked with her hand on her sword hilt.
“I can’t follow Cigal-sama anymore.
Al, look at this city. If we continue like that, the Ard Librarians will make so move.
We can handle the governnt or the Present Managent Agency, but there’s nothing we can do against the Ard Librarians.”
“So what?”
“Also, I can’t understand how Cigal-sama thinks. He seems to be happy at people’s misfortune rather than at making money. Does he really desire money?
What is that guy thinking?”
“You can’t understand it because you’re trash.”
While saying so, Al pulled out her sword.
“You can’t understand Cigal-sama’s noble feelings.”
Al hamred the sword’s hilt into the man’s stomach while saying so. He collapsed while spewing out blood and vomit.
“You have no value in being a False Man. You should be a at.”
She made contact with the Indulging God Cult’s headquarters and told them she had a new at. The tied-up man had been deprived of his mories using the water of Argax and beca cattle.
An errand man ca from the headquarters. The one who ca to recover the new at was Al’s friend, Winkeny.
“Hello, useless.”
Al thus greeted the friend she didn’t see for a long ti. Cigal looked happily at this.
“Why did you turn this man to a at?”
“This bastard couldn’t understand Cigal-sama’s ideals.”
Al kicked the tied-up man while saying so. He groaned. Winkeny looked at him, frowning.
“Al. I ask this while being ashad of my ignorance. I also don’t understand Cigal-sama’s ideals.”
“Since you’re useless explaining it to you would be a waste of a ti.”
Cigal tilted his glass and put in between his lips.
“Hey Al. Even if he’s useless, is he not your friend? Please explain it to him.”
“Understood, Cigal-sama.”
Al started talking. During this she trampled the man under her foot.
“This man – no, all of the trash in this world – made a misunderstanding.
They think that happiness is sothing to be shared. That everyone in the world can beco happy. You are probably also like that.”
“I won’t deny this for now.”
“That is wrong. There is only a limited amount of happiness in the world. As all people in the world are struggling for their own share, they are competing for the happiness of the world. The world’s trash doesn’t know this.
Happiness should only belong to those that have value. Trash must not possess happiness.”
This was a word for word reproduction of what Cigal had once told her. The one talking now wasn’t Al. It was Cigal, who sat behind, that talked while borrowing her mouth.
“…So that’s why people are unhappy.”
“You have always been one to quickly understand, Winkeny.”
Al put more strength to her trampling foot.
“It is exactly so. If soone becos unhappy, then another person receives only that portion of happiness. If everyone but Cigal-sama becos unhappy, at that mont he will reach the perfect happiness.”
Winkeny hid the feelings in his chest and stared at Al.
“You’ve changed, Al.”
He muttered.
“No, nothing changed.”
Al snorted and kicked the man at her feet. Winkeny grabbed his body.
“I have another question.”
“Yes?”
“Can you make everyone in the world unhappy? Not only a single country. For this you have to destroy the Ard Librarians.”
“A good question, Winkeny-kun.”
This wasn’t Al but Cigal who opened his mouth.
“There is a thod. I have the ans to defeat our nesis, Hamyuts seta.”
A small Book fragnt was in Cigal’s hands. Winkeny probably didn’t know the Book’s owner, but Al of course did.
It was the Book fragnt of the Ever-Laughing Witch, Shiron Booyacornish.
After Winkeny left, Al and Cigal conversed. Al snuggled up next to him, gently leaning on him.
“You’re the only one. The only one to understand my ideals. No-one else can understand them.”
Cigal said.
“You don’t need this city anymore.”
Al said.
“The ti of Shiron’s prediction approaches. I must soon hasten my preparations in earnest.”
“Do you still need anything? We already have the bombs and the pathogens.”
“It’s still not enough. I must have the strength to kill Hamyuts.”
“Maybe add Ganbanzel’s Monster?”
“Al. Don’t you want to see it? That arrogant woman, prostrating on the ground.”
“I see, I now understand, Cigal-sama.”
After saying this, he pulled out another Book fragnt.
“I have received this Book from Lascall Othello yesterday. Recorded inside is the location of the Magic Blade hidden by the Ever-Laughing Witch.”
Al understood even without being told. Going to get it was her job.
“Oh, Al, it’s about ti. Please detonate the ats.”
Saying so, Cigal pointed out of the window.
They have been holding an experint to confirm the power and efficiency of human bombs. Looking outside the window at the city, many explosions occurred here and there. From where Al was it looked just like if gray flowers blood inside the city.
“Cigal-sama.”
She muttered. She started walking towards the city that was filled with the dead and injured.
“Al is happy. I wonder if it’s fine for soone of this position to be so happy.”
Even if it was evil, even if it was twisted, even if it was like an illness, she could probably call it nothing other than love.
Even Al had to make a desperate effort to reach the depths of the mountains. Shiron hid her weapon there.
The Ever-Laughing Magic Blade Shlamuffen. It was known to be the most fierce and brutal among the morial Weapons. The spider legs happily attached themselves to Al who liked fresh blood.
When she returned she showed this to Cigal.
Even while she wasn’t around the preparation kept steadily progressing. The bombs that would be used as a distraction; Dragon Pneumonia that would be spread in Toatt Mining Town; the intelligence about the movents of the Ard Librarians. The preparations to kill Hamyuts were getting completed.
“I shall use that Magic Blade.”
Al said. Cigal himself was also quite good, but Al would beat him. In order to not risk Cigal it would be better for her to challenge that woman one on one.
However, Cigal shook his head.
“No, this is mine.”
“Then I will stay around to assist.”
“Assist? That will not be necessary now.”
His voice sounded sowhat anxious. It was different than usual.
“Then what should I do?”
“Just go sowhere.”
“…Huh?”
Al instinctively asked back. Cigal looked at himself. This was the look he once gave to Winkeny and his aide. It was the face of disdain he showed to everyone except Al.
There was no reason for him to look at her like this. Al was supposed to be the only one who understood him.
“Why?”
“So noisy. I told you to go sowhere.”
Al tried clinging to him. However, Cigal no longer looked at her.
“Aah! Why doesn’t anyone understand my ideals!”
He threw his wine at the floor. And then he spit.
“You worthless trash. Why did I have such an idiot by my side? How could I think you understood ? Don’t be so conceited. I can’t even stand seeing you.”
Cigal kept cursing her for several hours. His handso face was distorted in anger.
Al pathetically withstood that. No matter how much she was abused by him, she couldn’t even think about talking back to him.
Why, she only kept asking this in her mind.
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