Chapter 56

Silence, understanding, and shock.

If only the higher-ups had acted that way, perhaps the Holy Seongsin would’ve protected them, and we could’ve let it slide. Conversely, if only the lower-ranking individuals had behaved like that, we could’ve excused it by saying they lacked the strength to fight off the Outsider or something similar.

But evenly… three people.

Witnessing the god’s immense power firsthand and then learning someone fled from sacrifice set the hearts of those present within the Seongsin Church ablaze.

Had it been only the highest-ranking person, one might’ve paused before acting under the pressure of authority.

However, it was both the highest-ranking individual and someone below them.

When you see two such cases, all resentment aimed at the top naturally shifts onto the lower person.

“How dare you think of surviving alone! You didn’t pray properly!”

When one of the more radical members couldn’t hold back, the priests glanced at each other, identified the coward, and unanimously condemned the unchanged person. But the accused had no idea what everyone was talking about.

Because unless your brain is exceptionally slow, it’s hard not to notice when your hair turns purple.

Thus, their rebuttal came too late.

They were harshly criticized and branded as the worst kind of humans.

The sacred place where divine miracles occurred was instantly defiled.

The holiness that erased the Evil God was now tarnished, dragging the once-rising image of the Seongsin Church back down into the dirt due to humanity’s selfish desires.

By the time the Seongsin priests tried to salvage the situation, it was already too late.

Everyone saw it.

If this had only involved the Ansellus Kingdom, they could’ve returned home, made some excuse, and declared Ansellus heretical.

But representatives from other nations—royalty and nobles alike—were also present.

And they watched this spectacle from prime seats.

The Seongsin Church attendees here are veterans who’ve seen it all. Yet even they reacted childishly because of one crucial reason:

No matter what they do from now on, they’ll never enter the afterlife as defined by the Seongsin Church’s standards.

In short, their future became miserable due to their faith. Considering the era, in a society resembling our modern times, religion was everything. It’s hard to imagine a world without faith.

This isn’t a society where disbelief in gods goes unnoticed.

Under such intense circumstances, one person fled alone. The least spiritually disciplined among them snapped first.

Pointing fingers at those beneath them, they hurled accusations.

That anger spread like an epidemic.

One priest resisted, claiming they prayed correctly, while others refused to believe them.

It quickly devolved into a petty squabble.

And everyone witnessed it.

What will they think?

It’s hard to blame people for being bad when cracks run so deep in their hearts.

Is the Holy Seongsin truly a great deity?

Doubt began to creep in. Normally, such contemplation requires much time, but there’s someone offering alternative answers here. Those with insight recalled the response from that someone:

The Outsider.

What did he say again?

Freedom to believe in gods.

Or freedom not to believe.

Seeds of suspicion and desire sprouted.

Though still small, a select few intellectuals vaguely sensed changes coming.

Meanwhile, the woman Tungkeschuni covered her ears.

Because when the execution ended, a man shouted upon returning home, wondering why someone was in his house. Irritated, Tungkeschuni cursed him like swatting away a bothersome insect.

Click.

The jaw of the skull attached to her cane opened and closed, tearing the man’s head off as if bitten.

The nearby woman screamed in terror.

“This is annoying.”

Click again.

The skull’s jaw opened and closed once more, severing the woman’s head.

Tungkeschuni turned her gaze back to the window.

The tiresome show was over.

At first, it was amusing, but since the Outsider showed no reaction, it soon grew dull. Later, she anxiously observed, wondering if death was real—but yes, they died.

She liked that part.

Whether they truly died or returned to their original place remains unknown…

But if they’re alive, it’d be better not to return to this world. Reflecting on how she deliberately twisted details while writing books, she chuckled darkly.

Watching the disgraceful actions of the remaining Seongsin Church members brought laughter, but it was time to leave Ansellus Kingdom.

Because someone would soon come after hearing the screams. In other words, escape before getting caught.

Moreover, something felt unsettling. Tungkeschuni believed swift retreat was best during such days.

Most frustratingly, the Outsider mentioned her name at the end.

Though she wasn’t overly worried—after all, evil had perished—her timid nature made her uneasy whenever trouble arose, prompting immediate departure.

That’s how she survived while other witches were killed.

Having lived long enough to redefine herself from a knowledgeable spellcaster into a wicked curse-user, Tungkeschuni left the collapsed bodies of the man and woman behind and stepped outside.

There, she found a child trembling on the ground. Judging by appearance, these were likely the parents Tungkeschuni just murdered.

“Who… who are you?”

“Me? Tungkeschuni.”

Knowing leaving traces causes inconvenience, she revealed her name to the child. Raising her cane, she stabbed the child in the chest.

From experience, she knew piercing the lungs prevents any screams.

A sharp bone tore through the child’s chest and burrowed inside. Strangely, blood didn’t spill onto the floor; instead, it flowed upward along the bone into the cane.

Once the child stopped breathing, satisfied that sufficient hatred had been gathered for her curses, Tungkeschuni turned and departed.

Dark night fell.

Two decapitated corpses lay on the ground, alongside a stabbed child.

Yet the child lived.

Ordinarily, survival would’ve been impossible given the grievous wound.

Witnessing their parents’ murder must’ve been utterly despairing.

Being helplessly targeted by the very murderer must’ve been horrifying.

Light plummeted downward.

Farther than the abyss inhabited by evil monsters.

Beyond even the surface of solid waters, light collided with something it shouldn’t have crossed.

That “something” offered itself.

The Outsider stained the light black and blessed it.

His blessing rebuilt flesh.

The gaping hole in the chest vanished, replaced by an alien substance coursing through veins instead of blood. Though too young to kill out of vengeance, the memory of enmity remained strong.

Skin turned blue, hair purple, whites of eyes blackened, and irises glowed unnaturally.

Karma slowly began its cycle.

On that fateful day,

The child remembered their sworn enemy.

And the Witch of Joy gained an unforeseen foe.

—

Wow, Tungkeschuni sure knows how to create enemies!

I glimpsed memories from the light that fell beneath the surface.

There was a family living happily, or rather, comfortably, in the capital of a kingdom. For no reason, a witch appeared and slaughtered them.

On the day when Seongsin’s holy light melted everything, the child was discovered watching from another house and killed by Tungkeschuni.

Yasle’s memories already hinted she wasn’t entirely good, but I didn’t expect this much.

That girl,

Dakoda, remembered Tungkeschuni’s name. Who knows how she’ll grow up, but if luck favors her, maybe she’ll steal Tungkeschuni’s warmth.

With personal expectations in mind, I examined the first world after my demise.

Despite the Seongsin Church’s embarrassing display, surprisingly, nothing changed. Apparently, their impromptu patchwork of impressive speeches didn’t yield much effect.

Still, fortunately, those blessed by me weren’t harmed by the Seongsin Church.

Of course, I know why.

Out of twenty Seongsin priests,

Three unblessed ones were murdered during their journey back. Shockingly, they justified it by saying, “We’re doomed for hell anyway, so we need to save our lives now.”

Surprisingly, Martin proposed a new path.

Believing in another god.

And that god is me.

Ugh.

Honestly, I don’t want to be called a god. I tried not to declare myself as such, but they accepted it anyway.

Unexpectedly, priests and paladins readily embraced this.

Apparently, a folk belief existed—a god aiding the vengeance of desperate souls. I thought it would’ve disappeared, evolving into either the Future Hope Church or Miregan Church, but its roots ran deeper.

So deep that oppressed individuals couldn’t legally live near cities.

This revelation—that their suffering was actually divine blessing—moved them. They had already resigned themselves to falling into hell.

Thus, they killed the three unblessed individuals. Despite curses hurled by priests, none took effect, so they ignored them.

Upon returning to the Seongsin Church headquarters, they creatively recounted their story.

The evil god surrendered peacefully in exchange for conversion, and the survivors converted willingly. As collateral, we suffered this fate, but we still believe in the Holy Seongsin.

You can excommunicate us if you wish. But please forgive the rest.

Truly exemplary followers everywhere. Headquarters hesitated over the purple hair but ultimately accepted it instead of excommunication.

As for the three?

Traveling routes are treacherous.

Encounters with bandits leading to death were common.

The Seongsin Church gradually twisted ever so slightly.

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