A Wish to Grab Happiness

Volume 10, Chapter 251: The One who kills the Great Evil

Originally, words had no power.

Words could not move things. Words couldn’t even change the world. After all, words were just a list of sounds. So what happened here? There were certainly people who were fascinated by such words.

Did Filaret teach me that? Well then, how could I run away now? Some of those traits were the same as they used to be.

Then, I’ll show him. The city soldiers who wielded their spears in front of me were just human beings whose skulls were grabbed by Roseau’s words. I shall paint another idea from above their heads once again. However, the enthusiasm infused in their heads was suppressed by malicious intent.

「Altius as the almighty God of salvation is part of a weeping faith. It must be a wonderful faith for many, as they preach. But such lie is only valid in the Cathedral, Roseau.」

I spoke as if it were a clear fact. I bounced my shoulders and laughed through my nose. I tried to beat the opponent and its best reliance, which were words.

That was the best way to deceive people efficiently. Yes, with one step forward. I found that even a smile was floating on my cheeks.

The eyes of Philos’ city soldiers looked astonished rather than angry or contemptuous. They were human beings who had lived in a small city called Philos. Perhaps, there were even those who despised the god Altius secretly. If so, I should take advantage of it.

「How can you profess such vile words, Lord of Vice, Lugis? Are you not afraid of the one true God? You don’t deserve mercy, but at least you should know shame.」

Yes, Roseau replied to my words. His behavior was imposing. He was worthy to serve God in a way. So what about me? I didn’t worship the god of the Heraldic religion, or Saint Matia. I didn’t even worship the Elf Princess Eldith. By the way, that part remained ambiguous.

But if I had to choose either God or the devil, I’d definitely choose God over the devil. Even so, I did not think that God would welcome me openly after death.

I nodded lightly and opened my mouth next to Largud Ann, who shook her eyes anxiously by my side.

「I want to return those words as they are, Roseau. I should know shame? No, you are the one who should know shame. If Altius is the absolute almighty, how am I still alive right now? If I disobeyed the almighty God that much, shouldn’t I have returned to the soil already?」

I mocked Roseau’s words, and said them as if I was telling a plain truth.

What was important when deceiving others?

It meant to believe in a lie. It was a full belief using the mouth, gesture and facial expression. You had to entrust everything to that lie. Yes, you just had to distort yourself with a crazy idea. That’s why people were easily deceived. Therefore, a person who was not deceived should turn his or her back and run away quickly.

However, in front of me were humans who had been deceived, at least once. I felt like I could see Roseau’s lips distorting.

「God gives people trials. In the midst of hardships, only those who entrust their faith to the one God can be saved. You are, so to speak, what God has given us a trial…」

I ate the words that were spoken. What was a trial? Was it not a word meant to brainwash people over and over again? Why did they like that word so much?

「…Do you really believe that, Roseau? According to the teachings of the Great Holy Church, an immoral person should be immediately punished. But, I’m still alive, looking quite well, to be honest.」

I even went to the Church of the Great Holy Church when I was a kid, so I knew what I was talking about. The word immoral shook the eyes of the people around me.

Well then, let’s make a fool of it. Let’s grasp the hearts with the words of the great evil, which were more familiar than the words of a distant God.

「It’s not a trial. Look, Roseau, it’s just that Altius couldn’t kill me. I spit on the Great Holy Church and trampled on that doctrine. Even if he used the Great Holy Church’s army, he couldn’t even make me bleed.」

That was not exactly the truth, since I shed a lot of blood on the battlefield. But it was okay to exaggerate this much. When you told people things, it was important to look great and confident. Humility and honesty were good points, but they were also shortcomings that sometimes caused the value of a person to collapse.

With my mouth open, I changed my line of sight from Roseau to the surrounding city soldiers. I noticed that they kept holding their cheeks from getting distorted.

「So who of you if going to kill? The Great Holy Church’s army and even God could not kill me. Why is it that you can kill me?」

I opened my arms and spoke out loud as if I was welcoming a spear pointed at me. I told the city soldiers of Philos, and even the Heraldic soldiers, that no one could kill me.

I went one step further. I had nothing to worry about, and tried to show it to the surroundings. I showed no hesitation or upsetting feelings.

In reality, my heart was shaking as if it was hit by heavy rain. Chills crawled from my feet, and cold sweat licked my spine. Obviously, this was just like crossing a thin rope.

It felt like a comedy that could end abruptly if one city soldier raised a sword or swung a spear. If that happened, everyone around me would probably jump at me, as if I were a magnet.

Yes, the problem was, so to speak, the heat. The Philos’ city soldiers were now pointing their spears in a hostile manner to the Heraldic soldiers because they were full of heat because of Roseau.

Then, I should get rid of it and replace it with another one. For example, fear for fear.

「…What a great evil man you are. You are good at nonsense. God will teach you at your end. Yes, God will teach immoral people like you and Philos Trait and you’ll die miserably!」

My shoulders and eyebrows were slightly hidden in the rough voice.

Well, I was wondering if Philos Trait also succumbed to the pressure of the private assembly and betrayed the Heraldic Order. Rather, on the contrary, was she driven out as an immoral person by forming an alliance with us?

It was not surprising. In this world, the righteous were sprinkled with mud, and false words were brought to you. Because such a thing happened so naturally and majestically, I did not believe in God at all.

While distorting my lips, I looked attentively at the city soldiers. The only one who truly wanted to save them was Philos Trait. It was a pity that they believed in lies instead.

While taking a deep breath, I spoke so loud that my tone bounced off Roseau’s rough voice.

「…I told you Roseau. If Altius is the one and true God, then he should kill me here and now. Why not show it through one’s heart with an all-around power!」

I looked up and spoke to the heavens. The weather was fine as I threw my voice into the hollow. There was no sign of being rough at all. It seemed that I did well in drinking some ale last evening.

The sound of a horse-drawn carriage was beginning to echo in my earlobes. This sound was not the sound of Philos’ city soldiers. It was the sound of carriages and hooves of war horses. It was usually mercenaries that made such sound intersect. I’ve heard that they would join us eventually, though I was not sure when.

Then, let’s put on a little show. After all, I was having a meeting with a best friend for the first time in a long time. I shrugged my shoulders and said it while holding my chest. This was far from being an act of shame.

「So, who would like to kill me, huh? 」

I tried to involve everything around me as I spoke those words. The sound of the horses’ hooves approached me right from behind my back.