Chapter 724: Traces of Sin

Chzzz.

[Randa is-]

Chzzz.

[······Currently, the Tower of Magic is experiencing unexplained-]

Chzzz.

[For the safety of all citizens···.]

Chzzz.

[Despite the chaos, our Randa is-]

Everyone living in Randa knows.

That the proud Randa radio news channel reports a multitude of lies and slanders every year.

The reason was simple. Money.

Just like newspapers, the high-tech radio station was also operated by humans, and those humans also loved money.

So, as long as some appropriate bribes were given, they could hide the truth and even report a fabricated lie.

After all, freedom of the press allowed for a little bit of lying.

And, as I’ve said before, the people of Randa were not unaware of this.

Yet, no one ever made a fuss about it.

For one, the slandered articles, altered with lies, were actually quite entertaining, and besides, they sometimes reported the truth.

For example, the headline about the [chaotic times] just now was like that.

Randa was indeed in chaos. Really, really chaotic.

There was no need to look far.

Recently alone, the Pied Piper’s invasion, the discovery of contaminated zones during the city’s reconstruction, the invasion of countless zombie armies, and the Royal Army’s stationing in Randa were all major events that happened consecutively.

Each of these events could have led to the destruction or decline of the city.

However, the most threatening of them all was the last one, ‘the Royal Army’s stationing in Randa.’

It might sound strange.

Not the invasion of a monstrous being like the Pied Piper, not the unknown contamination, and not even the invasion by countless zombie armies, but the Royal Army’s stationing being the greatest threat?

But it was indeed the truth.

In terms of pure damage, the first three incidents might have seemed more serious, but while those were flesh and blood, physical, or mathematical damages,

The last, the Royal Army’s stationing in Randa, was an attack on the spirit, mind, and psyche.

Being protected by the Royal Army meant that the spirit of the Free City was being threatened.

Yet, Randa’s City Councilors and most of its citizens dared not argue against it.

Because they were afraid.

Afraid that if they drove the Royal Army out, the army of the dead that nearly destroyed Randa before would rise again from the sewers to attack the city.

After all, it was the Royal Army that had driven away the zombie army. Therefore, no one dared to think about expelling them.

Even when the Royal Army made demands that infringed on Randa’s freedom and pride or confined the City Councilors to their mansions.

A little bit of freedom was traded for safety.

In reality, there was indeed some peace.

But, as if displeased by the citizens’ choice, new chaos soon erupted in the Free City of Randa.

The Royal Army, stationed in Randa, attacked Y-District and Z-District to supplement their lacking manpower, and soon after, news spread that Woodsman Dave had returned.

This was no ordinary news. A strange atmosphere began to envelop the entire city.

In response to that atmosphere, shortly after, an emergency report came out about Dave attacking the Royal Army after raiding Randa’s prison and killing all the prisoners and guards.

It was on every radio channel.

Speculative articles flooded the radio. It turned out that the zombie army belonged to Dave, that Dave was behind every Dark Sorcerer, that Dave attacked the Royal Army to establish a city of Dark Sorcerers, that he planned to offer all the residents of Randa as a sacrifice.

Chwik.

Then, suddenly, every radio channel went silent for a moment, and a conversation started to play.

It was a conversation between Woodsman Dave and Major Billy Crowley of the Royal Army.

In it, Major Billy admitted with his own mouth.

That the ruling class of the United Kingdom, including himself, had sided with the Dark Sorcerer Puppet.

This confession, or semi-confession, shook not only the colonies of the United Kingdom but also Seeland, the main territory. The stock and futures markets suffered huge losses (in a bad way).

As the situation reached this point, most of Randa’s citizens holed up in their homes, praying for safety.

They wished this war, no, this disaster would end soon.

Yet, as if this truly were the end of the world, as rumored, the disaster did not stop.

Suddenly, a massive magic wave was detected in the sky over the Tower of Magic, and sporadic earthquakes shook Randa.

Rumble······!

Rumble······!

Artificial earthquakes, beyond natural limits.

“Mom!”

“I’m here, sweetie. Come here.”

“Is this really a curse?”

“No, don’t worry. It’ll be fine soon······.”

“Should I have sold my property and left earlier?”

“You know you can’t sell it now anyway.”

Regardless of age, gender, wealth, or education, everyone in Randa was gripped with a mix of fear and hope as the situation worsened.

Then, something finally happened to bring it all to an end.

“Kyakakakaka━━!!”

“Grrraaah!! Graah-!!”

“Rumble···! Rumble······!!”

The zombified army returned.

Clang-Clang!

Bang-bang-bang-bang-bang.

Boom!

Just as during the first attack on Randa, the army made of corpses crawled out of the sewers, the River Sem, and even directly burst from the ground, invading all of Randa.

No district was spared: administrative areas, industrial zones, wealthy areas, middle-class neighborhoods, or slums.

At that moment, every citizen of Randa was paralyzed with fear, and even the Defense Force and the Royal Army, which had once driven away the zombie army, froze.

The Royal Army hadn’t defeated the zombie army with their own strength, but with Puppet’s will.

Now that same Puppet had launched another attack, and citizens, police, the Defense Force, and even the Royal Army were all powerless, watching helplessly.

It might sound like a pathetic excuse, but honestly, there was nothing they could do.

With countless zombies pouring into the city in perfect formation, what could anyone have done?

Even knowing they might invade again, there was no way to prepare.

Just as the nightmare of the past seemed to be repeating itself.

Snap-!

A snapping sound came from somewhere, and in an instant, a brilliant white light engulfed all of Randa.

It was so quick that citizens almost doubted their eyes.

But it was no illusion.

“Th-they···they’re······.”

The proof was in the zombie army, which turned to ash without even being burned.

“Krooo···grgh···?”

“Aah······uh······.”

“·········?!?”

“Th···uh···?”

As the brilliant white light passed by, every single zombie, Zombie Puppet, and Golem Zombie that had appeared throughout Randa turned to ash.

So easily, it was almost hollow.

Not only that. Though the people didn’t know, even the zombies and Golem Zombies still hiding in the sewers, ready to surface, and the Zombie Puppets created from high-ranking magic users, druids, and dark sorcerers all turned to ash too.

Without even the slightest resistance.

But the most incredible thing was that no humans or objects were hurt, only the zombies.

“······.”

“······.”

“······.”

Those who instinctively realized this remained silent, almost on cue, clasping their hands together as they all looked in the same direction.

Toward the Tower of Magic.

***

Whirr·········!

Everyone in Randa was now focused on the Tower.

In the central plaza of the Tower stood two figures.

Neither of them were human, so calling them ‘beings’ was more fitting.

One of them stood with an indifferent expression, while the other kneeled in despair.

The reason for that despair was simple.

The zombie soldiers, Zombie Puppets, and Golem Zombies this being had carefully created over the course of hundreds of years had been incinerated with a mere flick of the finger.

Everything painstakingly accumulated over centuries had disappeared in an instant.

This was beyond a matter of strength, speed, or destructive power.

It wasn’t about skill or power but closer to a miracle.

It was like a bolt of lightning striking down a heretic opposing a god.

What was even more surprising was that the one who performed this divine miracle had an indifferent, almost empty expression on their face.

Even though they had reduced countless zombies—their enemies who had fervently opposed them—to ashes with a single flick, they showed no sense of accomplishment or satisfaction.

As naturally as they would breathe, walk, or speak, they accepted their own miracle as a given. Unreasonably so.

And it was in this sight that Puppet felt a deep sense of despair. At the same time-

“-Didn’t you just say, Puppet, that you didn’t like beings like me?”

“······.”

“I’ve thought about it. Why don’t you like beings like me······ Puppet. You resent the gods, don’t you?”

“······.”

“Because, while everything in this world was created by the hands of gods, creatures like you weren’t. And you can’t bear that fact.”

Puppet’s hands and feet began to tremble as they listened silently to Oliver.

The trembling grew more intense, and soon, Puppet let out a beast-like growl and attacked Oliver.

Tearing up a book they had pulled from thin air and throwing it at him.

But the power, no more than residual embers from the Archive (Paper), crumbled away before even reaching Oliver’s body, vanishing without leaving even a trace of ash.

“You never received the blessing of the gods, Puppet.”

“Aaaah━━!”

Even as Puppet attacked, Oliver paid no attention and continued speaking.

Puppet continued to scream and attack Oliver.

Not to kill, but to silence that cursed mouth. Those words were more painful than any attack Puppet had endured in hundreds of years.

“Unlike the world created by the gods’ deep wisdom, you exist only because you were made. Like a pine tree made into a chair leg.”

“Aaah!! Gyah━━!!”

“That’s why you were born without a blessing and can’t enjoy one now. You have no warm human blood, and no flesh to feel the world’s blessings.”

“Huhuuk···! Huuuu······!”

“Although you may appear to enjoy those blessings by stealing other bodies through your Zombie Puppets, it’s just an illusion, not the real thing. You already know that. You can’t truly experience anything, live any kind of life, belong anywhere, or truly connect with others. You’re just a creature. A lonely, solitary entity.”

“Aaah····! Aaaaaaaaah━━!”

Screaming while attacking Oliver, Puppet soon collapsed to the ground with a bigger wail.

Attacking despite being exhausted after the big fight had drained their strength.

Still, Puppet continued to lash out, desperate to silence Oliver.

They even threw nearby chunks of stone, acting out pathetically.

The powerless fragments of stone slowed as they approached Oliver, eventually just dropping straight to the ground.

“Even if there are other creatures, most of them don’t have as strong a sense of self as you do. Your pride makes it impossible for you to accept them as your kin. That’s why you feel even more alone, and that must have made you even more resentful.”

Oliver approached the kneeling Puppet.

Puppet tried to move backward in their seated position, trying to distance themselves from Oliver.

But Oliver kept approaching Puppet.

“Now that I see it, it all makes sense. Your goal was to create souls and bring people back to life, but through your Zombie Puppets, you pursued research irrelevant to that goal—things like tasting food or feeling the wind. You just wanted to experience the feelings of being alive, of enjoying the blessings of this world. You wanted to prove that you weren’t fake. I get it now.”

With each word, Puppet’s mental state cracked further, and with every break, more of Puppet’s hidden information leaked out, covered up until now by the Devil.

The more Puppet’s mind wavered, the more became visible.

“That’s also why you took Lily. You didn’t really need Eve (Extract), what you needed was someone to truly connect with. You were lonely.”

“Aa······. Aa······!”

Clutching their chest in torment, Puppet desperately tried to activate teleportation magic with their last bit of strength.

Attempting to escape from Oliver by any means. But it failed.

Oliver did not allow it.

“It’s regrettable though. Eve and Pandora probably have already subdued Lily.”

Failing at teleportation, Puppet was now halfway into a panic, crawling on all fours in a desperate attempt to flee.

“Haah! Haahah·····aaah━━!!!”

Turning around, Puppet was terrified and fell back on their rear.

For Oliver was right in front of them.

Puppet tried to flee in the opposite direction, but for some reason, they found themselves blocked by a wall. A wall that hadn’t been there just moments ago.

Puppet didn’t know what was going on but knew one thing for sure—there was nowhere left to run.

“And furthermore, you won’t be able to save Lily. Just like how you tried to strike me but failed.”

Cornered, with nowhere left to go, Puppet cowered.

Oliver knelt down close to Puppet and whispered.

“Just as you’ve failed to become human after hundreds of years defying the gods, you will continue to fail from now on. For hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands of years, you will keep failing. Because you were not crafted by the hands of the Almighty but born as an unblessed imitation by some frail old man. And more importantly—”

Squish!

In that moment, during Oliver’s words and the delicate silence where no interruptions were wanted.

Out of nowhere, something appeared, thrusting a spike-shaped knife between Oliver and Puppet.

Oliver responded as usual, with a swing of his hand, while the entity that appeared countered with a giant spike-like knife.

Thus, Oliver’s hand and the spike collided.

Schwaaash!

The two pushed away from one another.

And it was Oliver who was forced to take a step back.

What’s more, a tiny, tiny cut had appeared on Oliver’s hand.

“······”

Oliver stared at that small cut for a long while, then looked ahead at the entity that had intervened between him and Puppet.

“Unbent Knee.”

The Prince of Hell, artificially created by Puppet, now stood in front of Oliver.