LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 25 - The False God (2)
Translator: Marctempest
Editor/Proofreader: TempWane
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Chapter 25: The False God (2)
The patriarch’s office.
Though not as luxurious as the private quarters of nobles depicted in movies, it was spacious and tidy.
The thought that power was still power, even in a city-state, lingered only briefly.
I blinked, staring at the girl before me.
“…I think I understand why Sorab used such a phrase.”
She, who had just spoken incomprehensibly, introduced herself as Lysithea Krase.
Behind her stood the man I had seen before, Sorab, standing at attention.
She, as the head of the Krase family, was the patriarch who had summoned me.
Contrary to my expectations, she was a woman.
And a young one at that.
It was then that I realized I had misunderstood something.
There wasn’t a second ruling family in Yulistia.
I had failed to consider it because my only previous encounters with patriarchs were with the fat one and the skinny one.
Relief swept over me, causing my body to relax, but I quickly tensed up again.
Even so, the situation was strange.
If it wasn’t those two, then there should have been even less reason for someone to seek me out.
As I stared at her, trying to gauge her intentions, Lysithea gave a faint smile.
“It seems you’re uncomfortable with being brought here uninvited. I apologize. But since you’ve come all the way here, it seems you’re at least willing to talk. Am I right?”
She seemed slightly cautious, perhaps misinterpreting my expression.
Talk? I was dragged here because I didn’t want to die.
However, the treatment I received wasn’t as bad as I had expected.
Even if it was just a façade, I decided to play along for now.
“Get to the point.”
I began regretting my response almost immediately.
Why couldn’t I have stayed quiet?
Of all people, why did I have to provoke the patriarch, right here in the main estate?
Cold sweat ran down my back—or at least, it felt like it.
Lysithea’s expression momentarily stiffened at my icy retort, but she quickly smiled again.
“…You’re rather straightforward. Well, the introduction did go on a bit too long. Let’s get straight to the point, as you wish.
…Is this artifact yours?”
Despite her youth, the girl demonstrated remarkable emotional control.
Her slender finger pointed to the music box on the table, its music playing softly.
It was the “Celestial Music Box” I had used in a transaction.
I had been so preoccupied with assessing the situation that I hadn’t even noticed it.
But why was it here?
I was certain I had handed it over to the merchant Maurice.
“I didn’t give that to you.”
A sharp remark slipped out unintentionally.
For a frail-looking girl, she should have been visibly flustered.
Yet, Lysithea remained composed, unlike her delicate appearance.
Speaking softly, she exuded the poise of a ruler.
“I apologize to him, but this is not something an ordinary merchant should possess. It was necessary for the city’s well-being and to prevent disorder.”
Her unwavering gaze suggested she believed her reasoning was obvious.
The matter-of-fact tone nearly convinced me for a moment.
This girl was no ordinary child—her brazenness was remarkable.
No matter how extraordinary the music box might be, how could she justify stealing something lawfully traded under the guise of necessity?
I could almost hear Maurice’s wails in the distance.
Although her gentle demeanor swayed me, it seemed the records were accurate—this family, whether two or three branches strong, was corrupt.
Even if they didn’t lust after women, their greed for possessions was unimaginable.
“So, it is yours.”
My words indirectly confirmed my ownership.
Lysithea’s eyes sparkled as she began peppering me with questions.
“What’s the mechanism behind the music box? Who made it? Where did you get it, and how many are there?”
Her composed demeanor gave way to an excited curiosity.
The melody, inspired by the sun and moon, flowed through the air, the warm tones of the “sun” resonating beautifully.
“That’s too many questions.”
“Oh… I’m sorry.”
The girl quickly calmed down again.
I pondered.
But no matter how much I thought about it, I had nothing to tell her.
The Celestial Music Box was an event item in the game, and each player could obtain only one.
When asked where I got it, the answer was “in the game.”
Its mechanism? Who ever analyzed game items for their mechanics?
It seemed the girl appreciated the music box’s functionality.
The inserted melody was lovely, and its automatic playback was impressive, so it made sense.
She appeared to want additional ones.
I decided to be honest.
“You can’t get more.”
“What?”
“There’s no more. For anyone.”
I cut off any false hope with a firm tone.
Lysithea stared at me quietly for a moment, gazing into my eyes.
Her demeanor grew noticeably calm.
“…It seems you’re telling the truth.”
Disappointment and regret shadowed her expression.
Her immediate acceptance surprised me.
If she had wanted it that badly, wouldn’t it have been normal to press me further?
Not that I minded her lack of persistence.
“Then where did you get it?”
“I received it a long time ago.”
“You… received it?”
“Yes, a long time ago. There’s no one left who can give it now.”
The developers who had hosted the event didn’t exist in this world.
Yet Lysithea looked at me with astonishment.
“You… just who are you…?”
She seemed genuinely shocked.
I tilted my head in confusion.
What I said wasn’t that surprising.
Was she just a sensitive child?
The now-silent Lysithea and the taciturn Sorab.
The serene melody filled the stillness of the room.
At last, Lysithea shifted the topic.
“…Do you know about the Serpent God that has taken over the city?”
It was impossible not to know.
“In parts.”
“They call such beings ‘false gods.’”
Her tone was deeply serious.
Brushing back her black hair, she continued.
“This term originates from the research of the theologian, Sir Agnatz. I heard it directly from his disciple, so it must be true.”
Agnatz again.
Was he more famous than I thought?
If he coined the term “false god” for these deities, he must have been quite skilled.
“And?”
“They say you massacred the followers of the Serpent God.”
Was this Sigila’s report?
Since it was true, I nodded in acknowledgment, and she nodded back.
The girl pursed her lips for a moment, as if choosing her words, and then poured out her thoughts.
“I don’t know who you are. I’m also curious about how you came to have such power. But my situation is very desperate.”
At that point, I could guess what she was about to say.
So I tilted my head once more in puzzlement.
Weren’t the corrupt patriarchs all exploiting the Serpent God?
Is there a division even among them, or is this another misunderstanding?
Either way, my answer was the same.
“Would you help in subjugating the Serpent God…?”
“No.”
I preemptively cut her off with a firm refusal.
As I’ve said repeatedly, no matter how minor a deity it might be, it is still an abnormal monster.
Even with relics, it was a dangerous task.
Lysithea gave a faint smile.
“…I see.”
Silence returned.
Like the setting sun giving way to the rising moon, the atmosphere turned somber.
She asked in a low voice.
“Quellière, what does it mean to be desperate?”
Her words seemed rather abrupt.
“Does thinking about it day and night mean you’re desperate?”
A fragile smile wavered like a mirage.
I didn’t know her full circumstances, but had the torment from the Serpent God taken a heavy toll on her?
It was a cryptic remark, so I answered instinctively.
“Desperation is different from obsession or urgency.”
“…You say such things.”
Suddenly, I looked around the room.
It was the patriarch’s room.
Luxurious.
This young girl was the head of an entire family.
I didn’t know what had transpired, but why was I here?
It was a city I passed through fleetingly, without forming any particular connections. I was here solely by the patriarch’s orders.
For her to summon me, even chasing after the wind, she must have been in a desperate situation.
“My childhood was nothing but darkness.”
“Darkness?”
“Yes… So this sliver of unexpected hope feels terrifying. If it fails, it feels like it’s truly the end.”
Before I knew it, her voice carried an earnestness.
At that moment, her tone shifted slightly, and a gaze unbefitting a girl pierced me.
“That’s why… I’m asking even someone as enigmatic as you. To increase even the smallest chance.”
Her words struck me as odd.
To increase even the smallest chance?
It was as if…
Knock, knock—
At that moment, there was a knock on the door.
When the patriarch gave permission, a family servant entered and bowed. He reported.
“Dame Anasha and the knights of Grypheon’s ducal house have departed.”
I was startled without realizing it.
In contrast, Lysithea nodded, and I quickly grasped the situation.
So, Anasha successfully secured reinforcements.
And it seemed preparations for the Serpent God subjugation were already complete.
It wasn’t a bad development.
If they handled it themselves, it would be easier for me, and the city would regain its peace.
But why did this foreboding feeling linger?
“Grypheon?”
I had heard of it, but I didn’t know much.
However, as a ducal house, its influence must be considerable, and its knights’ prowess would go without saying.
These weren’t ordinary appointed knights but knights from a ducal family.
How they managed to bring the duke’s confidants was a mystery, but that wasn’t the important part.
When I urgently asked for an explanation, Lysithea responded.
“The subjugation will be led by Sir Salun, the leader of the knights. The group includes Dame Anasha, a wind-element mage, and six ducal knights.”
Six ducal knights.
That phrase echoed in my ears like a refrain.
My judgment was swift.
That wasn’t enough.
Even if they were ducal knights, to capture a divine opponent through conventional means required a hero.
There was a reason I had sought relics.
Even for someone like me, with overwhelming elemental advantage, the Serpent God wasn’t an opponent I could defeat head-on.
…The subjugation would fail.
If that were the end of it, there wouldn’t be a major issue.
There would be casualties, but I had already resolved to prioritize my safety over a dozen lives.
For about ten people, that was my stance.
“…No.”
“Pardon?”
A chill ran down my spine.
Six ducal knights wouldn’t be able to kill the Serpent God, but they could pose a significant threat.
That was the problem.
If they couldn’t kill it… they shouldn’t provoke it.
“Quellière?”
When I abruptly stood up, Lysithea looked at me in confusion.
I had no time to respond.
As much as I didn’t want to, I had to go.
Maybe it was just paranoia, and nothing would happen.
Still, I needed to check the situation.
With the relic in hand, no great disaster should occur.
The catalyst I gripped tightly glowed with a blue light.
I immediately turned my back and left.
*
“···A Serpent God, you say. The world truly is full of wonders.”
Anasha clung to her last lifeline.
Bulizé looked up at her with a complicated expression.
The emerald-green hair flowed softly.
“You’re saying you need my help?”
I couldn’t remember exactly what I said.
All I knew was that I had desperately pleaded with Bulizé, who had appeared amidst the chaos caused by the Duke’s private soldiers.
Strangely, the words I uttered were hazy, but the girl’s face remained vivid.
She had been smiling.
It was a faint, indistinct smile.
“······All right, I’ll help. But only on my own authority and discretion. Let’s settle the debt and gratitude all at once.”
Anasha thought the girl had become remarkably mature.
It might have been because of her.
She didn’t ask for an explanation.
Bulizé also kept her words brief as she assembled the lineup.
Before long, six Ducal Knights stood before her.
It was overwhelming, even bewildering.
Each one of them was far greater than Anasha herself, who had made a name as an adventurer.
But she did not refuse.
She had already resolved to abandon any pretense.
“Thank you, Anasha.”
Bulizé’s eyes were detached, as if she had cut something away.
Anasha bowed deeply before turning away.
Upon arriving in Yuristia, she sought out the head of the Krase family.
The woman was also aware of the corruption in both families.
“I’ll station soldiers at the mountain pass. Good luck.”
The young patriarch, who resembled Bulizé in some ways, readily agreed.
There was no reason to oppose subjugating the Serpent God, a source of trouble.
Although the subjugation itself was entrusted to the seven-person team, they decided to deploy additional troops in case of any commotion.
“Something feels off.”
“Agreed, Leon.”
After completing some preparation time, they infiltrated the mountain where the Serpent God had made its lair.
Sir Salun glared into the forest teeming with dark energy.
“They said its diameter exceeds fifteen meters, and it commands a horde?”
“Also, most conventional weapons can’t even scratch it. That’s all we know so far.”
At Anasha’s tense tone, the knights exchanged glances. Salun stroked his chin.
“You’ll handle the horde. As a mage, you should be adept at dealing with a large number of enemies. The minions will fade once the summoner is defeated··· so hold them off until we take it down.”
“Understood.”
“Its immense size is a weapon in itself··· but we’ve slain countless such beasts before. Nothing to worry about. The real problem is that our blades don’t seem to work well against it.”
Salun scoffed and unleashed his power.
A radiant light ignited along the blade.
“The city’s soldiers probably didn’t have the ability to imbue their weapons with energy. Scales are tough, but scales are still just scales—nothing we can’t handle.”
“That makes sense···.”
Clearly, these warriors were on an entirely different level compared to the ones before.
Anasha felt a spark of hope.
Step, step. Leaves and weeds swayed with each footstep of the group.
As if sensing intruders, the insects chirped shrilly. When the suffocating dark energy enveloped them, it revealed itself.
The Serpent God.
Sssaaaak-!
With an unsettling cry, the beast’s massive limb slammed down in front of them.
Its overwhelming form was terrifying, but the knights reacted with calm precision.
“There it is!”
At the signal marking the start of the battle, flames burst to life on their blades.
They charged toward the Serpent God’s head, confronting it head-on.
Their blades, imbued with energy, aimed for the serpent’s neck, and one knight leaped into the air.
“Leon!”
At that moment, the knights sensed something was amiss.
It wasn’t because Leon was injured.
They had anticipated injuries and were prepared.
The problem was that the Serpent God was unscathed.
Their energy-infused strikes had barely left scratches.
【Pathetic worms···.】
A crushing pressure enveloped them.
The knights realized they were hearing the voice of a god. It was laced with disgust and irritation.
Even after being struck by attacks that could slice through any monster, it barely reacted.
And that was to be expected.
The faint divine power had transformed an ordinary serpent into a god. Its body had been drastically enhanced.
Using swords and spears to fight it head-on was like trying to crack a rock with an egg.
Yet the knights, unaware of this truth, were troubled.
“Everyone, fall back!”
A whirlwind of blades swept through.
Though the Serpent God’s scales remained intact, the necks of the black serpents swarming around it were severed.
The knights took a step back.
“Sir Salun. What now······.”
“Increase the output of your energy to the maximum. It’s not that our attacks don’t work at all—exploit the openings.”
The radiance of their blades grew even brighter.
The energy coursed through their swords and spread across their bodies, tinting their eyes a vivid blue.
The knights charged into the sea of black serpents.
Anasha supported them with her magic.
······Perhaps the Serpent God was an even more monstrous being than they had anticipated.
She had been confident, but it might have been an overestimation.
Unease crept up, but there was no turning back now.
A chaotic skirmish broke out.
The knights moved freely, slashing through their foes.
The Serpent God’s skin, though still resilient, became easier to cut than before.
But then, the Serpent God roared and lunged, sinking its teeth into Salun.
“Sir Salun!”
Crunch. With an ominous noise, Salun swayed back and forth in response to his nodding movements.
Yet, he was a true knight.
Despite having broken bones, he swung his sword with superhuman determination.
【Kieeeek-!】
The Serpent God writhed as its tongue was severed.
Its massive body tumbled, causing an earthquake across the forest.
A knight hurried to support Salun, who had barely been freed. He struggled to speak.
“···Retreat.”
“What?”
Anasha was taken aback.
“Retreat? What do you mean-”
“I felt it the moment I severed its tongue. This is not a task for a knight. It was a mistake to assign this force.”
“Even so······.”
Anasha’s eyebrows trembled slightly.
Her opinion didn’t matter, and the knights immediately stomped the ground.
The front line quickly receded.
As the cityscape came faintly into view, a scream pierced the air.
“Kyahhh!”
It was the scream of a city dweller.
Though people appeared faint from this distance, the immense figure of the Serpent God was unmistakable.
At that sound, Salun muttered under his breath.
“If we’re not careful, the city could be harmed. For now······.”
His words couldn’t continue.
Because the Serpent God charged toward the city.
“······!”
Without sparing a glance at the stunned Anasha, the Serpent God roared.
Its eyes gleamed with a crimson light that hadn’t been there before—a manifestation of ‘Berserk,’ a state that occurred when a minor god sensed danger.
Rage consumed its reason.
Only ruthless slaughter could appease the god—a divine judgment upon foolish creations.
It was the nature of a flawed god who hadn’t ascended to true divinity.
“Damn it, it’s coming this way!”
“This is insane···!”
The soldiers stationed at the entrance trembled as they aimed their bows.
They cursed the patriarch.
No one had told them to risk their lives.
A tidal wave of countless snakes surged forward.
Ahead of them, the Serpent God slid down, ramming into the outpost at the entrance.
Soldiers were sent flying, and the city descended into chaos in an instant.
“How, how could this happen···!”
Anasha bit her lips so hard they bled.
It was her fault.
Regardless of her intentions, this catastrophe was her doing.
The maddened Serpent God wouldn’t stop until it turned the city into a wasteland.
This was why mortals should not intervene.
Attempting to subdue a god with a human body had brought divine punishment upon them.
She resented herself, and she resented the heavens.
Was it truly wrong to protect the city she loved? Were all her efforts—pleading with a young girl, doing everything she could—utterly futile?
Why had the heavens sent a wicked god to the city? Could it be that gods themselves were the root of all evil?
······There was no salvation in the world.
Despairing, Anasha lowered her head.
She wanted to block out the sights and sounds and disappear somewhere far away. Then she could escape this dreadful cacophony.
The dreadful cacophony······.
“···Huh?”
It was silent.
The Serpent God’s roars, the hissing of the black snakes, the screams and wails of the citizens—all of it was gone.
Had she gone deaf? She raised her head.
“Ah.”
Something cold touched her cheek, and she raised her hand.
It was snow. Bitterly cold.
She looked up at the sky, her eyes widening.
A snowstorm was raging.
The sun, which had been shining just moments ago, had vanished.
Though it was a familiar sight, it was far grander and more magnificent than before.
Anasha stared blankly ahead. It wasn’t hard to deduce what was happening.
She just had to follow everyone’s gaze.
“······.”
Beyond the frozen baby snakes and the Serpent God’s venomous eyes, through the citizens’ confused stares, there she was.
Step by step.
A fierce wind carried the snow.
Amid the freezing battlefield, she walked alone.
Like everyone else, Anasha could only watch.
Quellière, the lofty and alluring woman, calmly approached the Serpent God.
In her hand, the blue crystal she held radiated a dazzling light.