Chapter 102
Just because it was visible didn't mean it was close.
The Rocky Mountains were formed by haphazardly piled rocks.
Naturally, there was no proper climbing path.
Unable to use Body Modification, I was just an ordinary man, and Kanya was frail to begin with.
Our climb took three days.
During that time, Kanya and I talked a lot.
Mostly about food.
Kanya said she had no memory of ever eating proper food.
So I described all sorts of dishes I'd eaten, and Kanya would listen intently, her eyes sparkling each time.
At night, to escape the cold mountain winds, we'd huddle together in rock crevices and sleep.
No more Followers appeared.
The two of us continued our trivial conversations, walking and walking towards the summit.
And so, after three arduous days of climbing, one morning.
“If you pour sauce over mashed potatoes and top them with asparagus and meat...”
“Jericho.”
Just as I was in the middle of describing a steak I'd once eaten, Kanya cut me off, bringing my explanation to an end.
We were at the summit.
There was nowhere left to climb.
Despite being the highest point, the summit of Talahaim's Rocky Mountain was enveloped in a terribly quiet and calm stillness, not a single breeze stirring.
Kanya and I stared blankly at the surrounding landscape for a moment.
“See that triangular rock over there, where two boulders seem to lean against each other? That's the Goddess's hidden temple. Only I can enter it. I've been told measures were taken to ensure no one else can find or enter it.”
Kanya silently stretched out her hand and pointed at the distant rock.
I gently nudged Kanya's back.
“Go on, Kanya.”
Kanya took a few steps at my urging, then stopped.
“Jericho.”
She stared intently at me for a long time.
“I believe I have the right to know the truth. I'll ask one last time. Why are you helping me so much? Who exactly are you?”
It was a question that was bound to come.
“I'm the one who has to bear your suffering in your stead.”
After a moment of deliberation, I said.
“I'm a very bad guy, so it feels more appropriate for me to bear it than you. There's something bad inside me. Something truly evil.”
I'm just a man who wants to meet his end at the hands of the Three Demon Lords, not this girl in front of me. So this must be the proper explanation.
“So, Kanya. Don't mind me. No matter what happens to me, never look back. Go and seize your salvation with your own hands. You deserve it. Remember all the foods we talked about on the way here? Just think about eating them. You deserve to be happy. More than anyone.”
At my words, Kanya looked at me with a complicated expression.
“Tell me your name. Jericho isn't your real name, is it?”
“It is my real name. More precisely, it's my family name.”
I stroked Kanya's head.
“Amael. Jericho Amael is my name.”
Kanya placed her hand on my chest at my words.
“What circumstances led you to help me until now? Why could you use such absurd abilities? Why won't you still tell me clearly? I don't know anything. But I swear this one thing.”
Kanya bowed her head respectfully.
“I will remember you, Amael. I will never forget you for my entire life.”
After saying that, she turned and began to walk towards the triangular rock.
As Kanya approached, a violent tremor emanated from the rock, and then the ground sank, revealing a staircase.
Kanya glanced at me one last time, then descended the stairs and disappeared.
I watched her retreating figure for a long time, then approached the stairs and stood there.
No one will be able to enter.
Whether they send Followers.
Or the Demon Kings themselves descend.
I will block them with all my might.
And I hope that I get caught by the enraged Demon Kings and my soul is destroyed.
In the meantime, I hope Kanya succeeds in ascending Velia and obtains salvation.
I waited.
And whether it was misfortune or fortune.
I didn't wait long.
The blue sky suddenly split apart.
And slowly.
Something massive began to descend.
***
What descended was something beyond human comprehension.
My limbs trembled.
It was hard to stand properly, but I desperately tried to compose myself and remain still.
And then.
Three beings descended onto the summit of the Rocky Mountain, about five meters away from me.
One long-haired woman who looked like a terribly emaciated anorexic.
One giant man, over two meters tall, clad in full armor.
And one child standing with a languid expression.
The three began to stare at me silently.
Cold sweat broke out.
I clenched my fists and gritted my teeth.
“Seeing as you've come down yourselves, Kanya must be quite important, huh?”
I carefully examined the memory of the Follower I had extracted and absorbed into my mind.
According to his memory, three Cults would be mobilized for Kanya's pursuit.
Envy. Sloth. And the Cult of Wrath.
Those must be the three of them.
“Kanya has already gone down. You're a step too late. You absolutely cannot pass. If you want to pass, you'll have to kill me and cross.”
I wanted to try a more original provocation, but this was the best I could manage.
Even standing before a hungry tiger and bear wouldn't feel like this.
Just facing them felt like my mental strength was being completely drained.
I earnestly looked at the Three Demon Lords.
Surely they're angry enough by now. Now, please kill me.
As I was having such thoughts and somehow enduring the presence of the three.
One of the Demon Kings who were looking at me moved.
The languid-looking girl who had been standing at the very back stepped forward.
[The Goddess of War was never our priority. Amael. You were our priority.]
I almost fell to my knees at the single word the girl uttered with a smile.
The feeling of hearing a human voice and a booming voice echoing in my head simultaneously was truly bizarre.
Seeing me stumble, the girl laughed even louder.
[Amael. Let's talk. We are not your enemies. We are different from the Gods of the Pantheon. We want you to do well.]
Playfully, the girl made a gesture of waving her hand.
“A Demon King wants me to do well? Don't lie so much.”
Despite my sharp words, the girl still had a smiling face.
[That's right. To be more precise, we intend to use you. We want you to come over to our side. We hope you'll come to our side and help us destroy the Pantheon and the Evil God.]
“Do you think I'd side with you?”
“[Will you then just be used by the Pantheon and die? We, at least, are honest, so will you die being used by those insidious beings?]”
The words coming from the girl's mouth felt like they were subtly digging into my mind.
[The Gods of the Pantheon are not as benevolent as you think. They are merely thoroughly using you as a being to amplify their faith. Their condition is not very good, you see. So they have to use everything they can.]
The Pantheon.
Beings who have been silent until now.
Beings who poured out unfortunate prophecies and curses about throwing me into Hell, then disappeared.
At the girl's words, the anger deep within my heart subtly raised its head.
[If you're going to be used anyway, wouldn't it be much better to be used by us? We won't impose a heavy burden on you and pretend otherwise. We will pay you back as much as you work for us. We can fulfill what you desire.]
The child took a step towards me and extended a hand.
[I will help you live happily with the women you love. You will no longer suffer from fear and pain, nor worry about the future. You want to know the truth, don't you? Why are you suffering? Why did Lust enter your soul? I will tell you that too. Take my hand, Amael. We will become your strong patrons and companions.]
They were sweet words.
But as expected.
I couldn't believe them.
“I don't want the entire world to become unhappy because of me.”
[Amael, If you just take our hands, what you worry about will not happen.]
“How can I believe those words? Believe a Demon King's words?”
[The moment you come over to us, all balance will be broken. Amael. You are a much more important being than you think. If you just come over to us, Pandemonium will become the most powerful Deity. You will be able to control this World as you wish.]”
“I...”
“[Imagine. A World without war. Without unhappiness. Without human wickedness. If that is what you desire, it will be so before overwhelming power without conflict. You. You can make it so. Don't you want to mold this World as you wish?]”
The being before me was a Demon King.
I shouldn't listen to the sweet words she was speaking.
I knew in my head that I had to refuse, but...
It was an undeniable fact that a corner of my heart had stirred slightly.
“What exactly do you want from me?”
[It's very simple, Amael. Very simple. Accept me. Accept me deep in your heart. Then all your worries will be solved. Come over to us, not the Pantheon. Amael.]
The child extended a hand to me.
[Take it, human Child. The benefits are infinite and there are no losses, so not taking it would be foolish.]
I stared blankly at the hand extended before me.
*Should I take it?*
To be honest, the thought of the Pantheon getting screwed over made me strangely happy.
*What I wish for isn't grand.*
*No.*
*It never was grand, not once.*
I just want to live a small, happy life.
*But Saint, Pantheon, Demon King of Lust, whatever...*
It felt like huge stories I couldn't handle were forcibly piling up behind my back.
*If I take this, can I be at ease?*
Everything is as I wish.
Will it become like that?
It would be a lie to say I didn't feel like taking it.
*Honestly, it's true that I felt like giving up everything several times a day.*
*Why on earth do I have to go through all this suffering just to die?*
“The women I love: Can I live happily with them?”
[Of course, Child.]
“Can I create a peaceful world? A world without sorrow?”
[If you wish.]
“I want to live quietly. I don't like complicated and grand things. Can I... live like that?”
[I will grant you everything you wish for. I swear on my name.]
The smile on the child's lips grew wider.
Her voice was soft and sweet.
So sweet that I just...
I strongly felt like just taking her hand.
*Yes.*
What I originally wished for was a small, everyday life with my wives, wasn't it?
They say I can get what I want right away, so why shouldn't I accept?
Just take it, Amael.
Just take it and be at ease.
How long will I wander around wondering if someone will kill me?
*How long will I live a life of wandering, unable to be happy and at ease with my wives?*
They say if I just take this, everything will come true.
Let's take it.
*Take it and just...*
Just be at ease.
The moment I unconsciously raised my hand halfway.
I felt a thorn, hidden within the soft flesh, catch in my throat.
“If I take this hand, then what will happen to the Gods of the Pantheon?”
[They will pay the price for using you, Amael. All of them will die.]
“Is the Goddess of War one of them?”
[Yes. That will happen.]
“Then what about Kanya? Kanya's soul is intertwined with the Goddess of War. If Velia dies, Kanya dies with her.”
Kanya was not a simple Chosen One.
Like me, she was a being with a Deity, itself residing in her soul.
If the Deity were destroyed, she would not be unharmed either.
This was information I learned from the memory extracted from the Follower.
At my words, the smile disappeared from the child's lips.
[She's just a human, Amael. What are you hesitating about? If you don't take this hand, you'll continue to be used by the Pantheon.]
The girl extended her hand as if urging me.
[Worry about yourself, Amael. Just take this hand. Isn't it very simple?]
“I hate the Pantheon, but I didn't mean I wanted to kill them. Besides, I don't want Kanya to die.”
[Amael. If they are alive, chaos will not disappear. Trust me. This is the fastest and most effective method. You just need to change your mind. Amael. Take my hand.]
The child extended her hand even further to me with an urgent tone.
I looked at the extended hand for a moment.
And then I had to let out a hollow laugh.
“Killing all the Pantheon, huh.”
Thanks to Kanya, I came to my senses.
I wavered for a moment at the well-packaged comfort extended before me, but if I were to take this hand, wouldn't the outcome be obvious?
The beings before me were Demon Kings.
A happy ending, such a thing...
It was clear there wouldn't be one.
*Can one guarantee a normal and quiet life?*
*Can they create a world without sorrow and pain?*
*It's a lie.*
*Therefore.*
“I refuse.”
This is the correct answer.
The child's expression crumpled in annoyance.