Chapter 160

18 years ago…

At the age of 11, Werner was holding Lorcha’s hand and running. Originally, Lorcha was supposed to be in a 3-hour lecture on magical history around this time, but the magic history instructor couldn’t handle Werner. To be precise, he was one of the mages of the Magic Tower who had been ordered to educate her, and he tried to resist as much as possible, but…

[Oh, you’re stopping me? I promised to go eat festival food with her, and I’m on my way after finishing some overdue tasks. So, shall we test who dies first while using magic? Ars…]

Hearing such a threat to use Ars Magia and blow up part of the capital, even the greatest mage had no choice but to yield. Lorcha was sometimes annoyed by this side of Werner, but for her, who could never resist, that side of him also inspired admiration.

“Ugh, I should’ve left a bit earlier. It’s already a holiday, and the streets are packed. Damn it, I just wanted to eat some squid skewers from the festival for once…”

Truthfully, Lorcha didn’t care much about festival food. Just being able to wander outside with Werner made her happy. Even without stopping by the festival stalls, she felt full, and even without watching fireworks or circuses, just talking with Werner was enough to make her happy.

“Then, shall we go to the cathedral? There probably won’t be many people there today.”

“The cathedral? To pray or something?”

“The area in front of the portraits of the Four Gods is always packed. Let’s take a proper look there today.”

“Tch, annoying.”

Werner clicked his tongue but still followed Lorcha’s suggestion. He always did that. Whenever Lorcha wanted to go somewhere or do something, he’d complain but still go along with it. And so, they took a carriage to the cathedral.

Seeing the dazzling splendor of the cathedral, Werner seemed quite displeased. No matter how grand the cathedral was, the fact that those who claimed to serve the gods decorated the interior so lavishly with jewels and gold bothered him greatly. Moreover, having once lived near a slum where children starved, he knew that just one of the golden decorations inside the cathedral could feed those children.

Even though Werner realistically knew that saving all of them was impossible, human emotions don’t always follow reason.

“Is it okay to look around inside?”

The vice-priest, who was about to tell the children to go enjoy the festival since it was a holiday, was utterly shocked. Werner, the companion of the Saint, and Lorcha, the daughter of the Tower Lord and Werner’s only known friend, had arrived together.

“Yes! Yes! It’s an honor! Please feel free to look around!”

Werner clicked his tongue at the insincere man, but for Lorcha, who had never leisurely explored the cathedral, the empty cathedral was a series of surprises. Plus, with Werner by her side, they could freely enter places normally restricted to staff.

“Wow, Werner, look! There’s a painting of the 10 Apostles who follow the Goddess! It’s the first time I’ve seen the original up close…”

“Who’s the strongest among them?”

Werner just wanted to fight the Apostles in the painting.

“Hmm… I’ve heard that the Apostle of Dreams is the strongest, followed by the Apostle of Time, and then the Apostle of Prophecy.”

“I want to fight them. Hey, who do you think would win if Zick fought the Apostle of Dreams?”

“Well… the Apostle of Dreams guides the dead to the underworld and manages souls, so I doubt they’d have time for that.”

“Unlike Zick, who seems free, these Apostles must be busy. Poor guys, dealing with a tyrant boss.”

At this point, Werner was practically asking to be charged with blasphemy, but none of the priests dared to grab the Archmage by the collar and accuse him of sacrilege. Of course, Werner just clicked his tongue at them.

They stopped in front of another painting. Lorcha was excited, and Werner found her excitement over a mere painting adorable.

“This is the scene where the Apostle of Dreams, still a nightmare, rebelled against the Goddess and was subdued, then commanded to serve as an Apostle. According to the scriptures, the rebellion almost succeeded.”

“Thinking about it, doesn’t the King bear some responsibility if a rebellion happens? The Goddess is a total tyrant. She beats those who defy her and then forces them to serve her with a leash. Total tyrant.”

The nearby vice-priests trembled with indignation, but none dared to step forward and point out Werner’s rudeness. They were afraid of the backlash if they hurt him, especially after a priest once bumped into Werner on the street, called him an orphan with a lowly mother, and was struck by lightning. Werner hadn’t even used magic, but the lightning from a clear sky only added to his infamous reputation.

“Wow, look here! It’s the portraits of the Four Gods!”

Lorcha, who loved mythology, was even more excited. Werner had no interest in such things but was just humoring her.

“The 1st God, the 2nd Goddess, the 3rd God, and the 4th Goddess who currently rules our world.”

Werner stood before the 1st God. The painting depicted a kind and benevolent man.

[Why do people suffer? Why do people hurt each other? Why do they kill? Why do they die?

It is because they have not attained enlightenment. It is because they meet the end of their lives before achieving true enlightenment. It is because their ascetic practices are insufficient.

Then, I shall ascend to the throne of God and liberate people from suffering. From now on, people shall be freed from suffering. Anything that obstructs the path to enlightenment shall disappear.

People who live under my reign, reincarnate. Repeat endless ascetic practices with infinite reincarnation to seek enlightenment. Then, you shall one day reach the true state of Nirvana.

Let us all, having attained enlightenment and entered Nirvana, escape the suffering of this world and achieve true peace.

Under the law of ‘Mandala Nirvana,’ let us seek enlightenment together.]

In the world of the 1st God, people endlessly repeated lives of asceticism to seek enlightenment, and those who achieved it ascended, freed from suffering.

“What a selfish jerk. He’s dragging everyone else into his own desires…”

Werner, knowing that many still followed the 1st God, kept his mouth shut.

Next, Werner stopped before the painting of the 2nd Goddess. She was a beautiful, enchanting blonde woman.

[God, you are truly a damn fool. Who wanted such asceticism? I just want to be happy now. I seek nothing but happiness and pleasure.

I want warm sunlight, not the rain of maggots and fleas. I want to eat and play, not a life of eternal hunger and meditation.

What is enlightenment? What is Nirvana? To me, it sounds like compromise. I will not compromise but deny and confront you directly.

I hate and deny you, and I shall ascend to the throne of God.

My people, become my puppets and dance on my stage until you die. Then, happiness will find you.

Praise me, and the demon king shall fall to the joy of good. I promise eternal harvest and a peaceful life if you follow my words.

So, my puppets, forget about enlightenment and suffering, and live happily on my stage, intoxicated by reality.]

“She’s just a crazy woman threatening everyone to follow her will to make ruling easier.”

Werner couldn’t understand the 2nd Goddess. Next was the 3rd God, who had killed the 2nd Goddess but yielded the throne to the 4th God.

His portrait was unique, with a helmet covering his face.

[This world is twisted. I deny it. I tried to cut through the twisted world and live alone in eternal solitude.

But this world is too lovely. No matter how much it hates me, throws stones at me, I love this world too much.

Thus, I shall end this false play for you. For that, I shall willingly become evil.

But even if I, tainted by evil, ascend to the throne of God, tragedy will only repeat. Thus, I shall yield this throne to one of perfect virtue.

So, beloved future God, I beg you. Lead and protect these lovely, weak people. Embrace them with love.

If you can do that, I shall willingly turn to dust and disappear.]

“What an irresponsible jerk. He wants to do the fun part but leaves the dirty work to others…”

Werner froze before the last God’s portrait. A hidden memory flashed through his mind.

The 4th Goddess had her eyes covered with cloth.

[The attention of God is nothing but poison to the world. So, my people, live freely.

Live freely, experiencing diverse lives as colorful as the sands of the beach.

I shall cover my eyes and not interfere with providence. And I shall have my Apostles guard that providence.]

Seeing the beautiful maiden’s portrait, Werner’s eyes welled with transparent tears, and without realizing it, he uttered a nostalgic word.

“Uh… Mother…?”

No one heard it, and Werner himself didn’t realize he had spoken it.

But the fact that he had uttered that word was undeniable.