Chapter 74 - Another Spoiler

The last scene I remembered was the moment Mammon pierced my heart with his long, awl-like arm.

The chilling and terrible sensation of my heart bursting remained vividly in my mind, and I still remembered the feeling of my body growing cold and sinking into water.

I seemed to briefly see a vision of the Goddess Lilia appearing before me and then disappearing.

And then...

It was comfort.

Very comfortable.

A soft and comfortable feeling that had no pain, unhappiness or fear gently enveloped my entire body.

When I was thinking I didn't want to wake up from that hazy happiness.

[It's done. You'll be fine now.]

A warm voice reached my ears.

I raised my head at that voice that sounded like an auditory hallucination coming from an unreal feeling where I couldn't distinguish if it was a dream or illusion.

I felt some woman embracing me.

I could see several pairs of wings on her back.

The wings on the right were brilliantly white to the point of being holy, and the wings on the left were black that made me feel disgusted just looking at them.

And strangely, I saw one of those black wings trembling, then slowly changing to the same white as the right side.

What is this?

Is this another vision of world destruction shown by my prophecy ability that only moves on its own when it feels like it?

I turned my gaze to try to see the face of the being holding me.

But I couldn't see her face.

I couldn't see the face of the being holding me because of the brilliant golden light that seemed like it would blind me.

"Who... Who on earth are you?"

When I asked that in a drowsy voice, she caressed my cheek.

[That's not for me to answer. It's not me, but you who should answer. What do you want me to be?]

What kind of nonsensical words are these?

Is she trying to do a Zen dialogue?

"Where am I? Am I dead? Is this hell? Is it heaven?"

[That too would differ depending on how you define it. Where do you want to be? Do you want to be in hell? Do you want to be in heaven?]

Isn't that an obvious question.

"Heaven. I hope it's heaven."

[Then that's how it will be. Amael. Remember. Everything will change according to your choice. If you choose it to be heaven, it will become heaven.]

She lightly kissed my forehead.

[You who will be lonely in suffering from now on. Move forward.]

The light began to grow thicker.

I flailed my arms.

"Who are you!? Who are you!?"

She never answered.

And the next moment.

Suddenly, a chilling sense of reality abruptly came to me.

Didn't my heart clearly get pierced?

But what is this?

This body that's excessively healthy?

This mind that's perfectly clear?

At a moment that didn’t make sense logically.

I came to hold one hope.

Right.

I must have died.

I died once.

Since Mammon himself descended and finished me off, my soul must have been shattered and more.

Please.

Let it be the familiar ceiling of my studio apartment when I open my eyes.

Let my hand grab the smartphone next to my pillow when I wave it.

Let there be cars and densely built concrete buildings before my eyes when I open the window.

Please, I beg you.

Korea.

It must be Korea...

"S-Saint!! Saint!!"

Ah.

No.

I closed my eyes and opened them again just in case, but that didn't change the scene before my eyes.

Grandpa Yodel.

I saw Grandpa Yodel.

And I saw the holy knights of the Order of Grace lined up behind him.

I could clearly and definitely see the image of a crying eye engraved on their armor.

Ah.

It's not Korea.

I didn't die.

No.

My heart was pierced by Mammon.

Then shouldn't I be dead normally?

Why am I still alive?

No, why on earth!!

"Saint!!"

"Ah, Saint!!"

"Prophet of Grace!!"

"Praise Lilia!!"

Seeing the scene of group worship I hadn't heard in a long time, I felt bewildered rather than happy.

No, it wasn’t just anything else, but Mammon himself descended and made me into a donut, yet I didn't die, so what am I supposed to do?

What do I have to do to be able to die!?

Should I be happy?

Should I be depressed?

I couldn't tell either, so I was blankly staring at Grandpa Yodel.

"Saint. I think you should go see the Princesses first."

Grandpa Yodel wiped his tears and held out his hand to me.

"She says there are things to discuss for maintaining public order and cleaning up in Scrap Yard. Can you go?"

Hearing those words, I finally remembered.

Right.

I incited the workers and caused a general strike, and this was how it ended up, right?

I got up from my seat with a long sigh.

I failed to die again.

With the Evil God's fragment too.

This time too.

Why can't I die as I want?

But anyway.

Since I couldn't die and ended up alive, shouldn't I clean up the mess I caused?

"Please guide me."

Because I didn’t want the workers of this city to suffer.

Almene and Iomene maintained cold and calm expressions without even raising an eyebrow when they saw me, despite surely being glad inside.

The atmosphere of the place where they were sitting now was not a situation where they could greet me warmly.

Inside the grand conference hall of the Town Hall, where all administrative and political decision-making for Scrap Yard takes place, factory owners and laborists.

Figures from the Pantheon and imperial family that Iomene and Almene seemed to have brought were gathered together, creating a heavy atmosphere where it seemed difficult to even breathe.

"So you're saying the fundamental cause of all this situation lies with us, Mr. Byers?"

"Yes! I said it lies with you!! You traitor who violates imperial law!! I knew you laborists were fishy, but I never imagined you'd go so far as to join hands with demon followers!! And don't call my name! Call me Mr. Mayor!"

"Demon followers came from among the factory owners too!! Yet you ignore that completely and only frame the laborists as criminals? How splendid! I could pluck out your eyes and throw them away, Mr. Byers. They don't seem to be functioning properly anyway!!"

"Karl Renaro!! You damn son of a bitch!! Call me Mr. Mayor!! Where's your safety!?"

"Enough!! Enough!! Both sides be quiet!"

Only after Gerson, the Grand Priest of the Silent Order whom I had seen at my heresy interrogation last time, raised his voice loudly did both sides finally close their mouths, but the vicious atmosphere flowing between the two sides didn't easily disappear.

"Respected Princesses. Various dignitaries of the Pantheon. And various inquisitors of the Black Fortress. That person before your eyes. Karl Renaro, the ringleader of the laborists, has already violated imperial law several times. He is a person who has committed countless acts of terrorism against public authority and tried to destroy legally operating businesses," the mayor of Scrap Yard, whom Karl Renaro had consistently called Mr. Byers, said that in a polite and cultured voice while pointing at Karl Renaro.

"Moreover, although I haven't grasped it accurately, I heard that the Saint collapsed after being attacked by demon followers while among them. Isn't it obvious then? They are people who joined hands with demon followers and tried to murder the Saint. Arrest them immediately and execute them on charges of heresy or whatever."

"You son of a bitch Byers!! It's slander! We didn't try to murder the Saint!!"

Ignoring Karl Renaro who was bursting with anger, the mayor looked at me as I entered the room and smiled brightly.

"Saint! You've come at a good time! Please testify! Weren't you attacked while among the laborists? Please state that fact!! Shouldn't the inside story of the situation be clearly revealed?"

Mayor Byers looked at me with eyes full of hope, and Karl Renaro turned his gaze with an expression that said he didn't know what expression to look at me with.

The last time we met.

The relationship between Karl Renaro and the laborists and me wasn't in such a pleasant state.

I told them what would happen to them, and they rebelled against those words.

In the meantime, Mammon suddenly intervened and caused a riot, and this is how it ended up.

Karl Renaro and the laborists exchanged glances and whispers for a moment, then he stood up, looked at me and opened his mouth, "Saint. Don't you know? Don't you know how the workers of this city have lived? How they have been treated?"

He opened his mouth with difficulty, "We had no choice but to rise up. We believe that you will understand that our intentions were pure. You who declared a general strike for the workers!!"

"Pure, huh? I wonder if lawbreakers like you should even use that word. The situation is extremely simple. These laborist terrorist bastards made a contract with demons to destroy Scrap Yard and businesses, and as a result, they attacked the Saint who tried to help the city with a pure heart!"

Mayor Byers stood up and pointed at Karl Renaro and the laborists.

"Arrest those terrorists! Those criminals who tried to destroy sound imperial businesses and overthrow the rule of law are the root cause of this whole situation! It will be over if you just arrest them!!"

The laborists glared at the factory owners and Mayor Byers with boiling expressions as if they would kill them at those words, but that was all they could do.

Iomene and Almene looked at me.

"Is that statement true? Saint? We need you to clearly state the facts so we can make a judgment."

"Karl Renaro is indeed someone who has been wanted for violating imperial law for a long time. Is it true that they really made a contract with demons? I think you, who saw it closest, would know better than anyone else, Saint."

Everyone looked at me.

Karl Renaro and the laborists were looking at me with anxious expressions, and the factory owners were looking at me with victorious faces.

I didn't answer.

From the perspective of the laborists trying to start a revolution, it was no different from the worst situation.

Public power had suddenly rushed in and seized control of the entire city.

The imperial family and Pantheon probably hadn't been on the side of the laborists until now.

Of course they wouldn't be.

They were people who went around shouting that religion is the opium of the workers and openly violated imperial law while terrorizing factory owners who had legally established and operated businesses.

With one word from me.

They would all die.

Just by moving my tongue, they would all die, but I didn't do that.

"I would like to talk with Karl Renaro and the laborists here. Could you arrange a place for a moment?"

***

A small room next to the conference room.

The laborists and I ended up sitting silently on sofas.

Iomene and Almene questioned whether it was the right judgment to put terrorists and me in the same room again, but ultimately followed my opinion.

"Saint. We rose up for the workers. Don't you know?"

Karl Renaro, who had been maintaining silence, carefully opened his mouth after a long time, "We rose up because we couldn't stand seeing those capitalist pig bastards treat people like parts and exploit them. Yes, it's true. We committed several illegal acts. We had no choice because imperial law itself wasn't on our side. You who led the general strike and treated people while sparing sleep and food for the workers... should understand, right?"

At those words, I could only smile bitterly.

Although their methods were violent and radical, their passion alone was nothing if not pure.

But I also knew all too clearly what end that pure passion would ultimately lead them to.

"The Holy Woman of the White Order gave this to me."

I took out a well-organized folder that I had just received from Almene.

"Because the Mammon followers were so suddenly exposed, they didn't have time to destroy the materials needed for running the organization, so all the evidence remained intact. They say all kinds of key evidence poured out even from just lightly searching the hideouts hidden on the ground and the base underground."

Mammon.

The followers of the Demon King of Greed ran their organization thoroughly like running a company.

They aimed to maximize the supply of resentment with minimal expenditure by making detailed plans.

Thanks to that nature, documents explaining how they were planning for the future were also very well organized, and what was in my hand now were those documents.

I handed those documents to Karl Renaro and the laborists.

They carefully received those documents and began to read.

And soon.

Their eyes begin to widen.

"I... become the director of a camp and take the lead in monitoring and brainwashing countless workers?"

One of the laborists muttered in a trembling voice after reading the documents, "I give orders to starve millions of workers to death?"

Karl Renaro's voice was trembling too.

And that wasn’t all.

"To increase steel production, I collect all the metal objects from homes to produce low-quality scrap metal? And in the process, cut down all the trees and destroy the natural environment?"

"I'll incite teenagers and children to brainwash them?"

"I'll humiliate intellectuals... and have them killed in the middle of the city in front of everyone?"

While everyone was quietly shocked in trembling voices.

One female laborist raised her voice with a shout, "I isolate women and make them endlessly hate men to ultimately produce cancers of society? That's impossible!! I, I'm someone who has worked harder than anyone for the women's liberation movement! There's no way I would do such a thing…!!"

Everyone seemed to be greatly shocked.

But what could they do?

"It would have happened exactly as written there. Everyone. I, a foreseer, guarantee it. Without a single letter being wrong, it would have been realized exactly like that."

That was reality.