Episode 1196 Reorganization (2)
Nerga.
A religious being born of Verden’s passion while supporting the Black Sea punitive force that entered the Gate above Lake Pendren, and amagical being possessing the characteristics of a transcendent being of the magic world because it was constructed using the 8th-tier super-level magic
Giant of Insult.Apostle of Curse.
In addition to this, he, who has been called the ‘Ferocious Monster’ and ‘One-Eyed Calamity’ since appearing in the war, was now in the Kingdom of Estiria.
Roafra, the underworld.
I mean the dark side of the Kingdom of Estiria, which Verden once dominated.
Clatter…
Nerga stroked the silver spoon and fork adorned with sophisticated patterns with a look of wonder.Having inherited Verden’s memories, he possessed basic common sense akin to the continent’s common language, but actually experiencing things was a different story.
As I turned my head, the scene of the underworld unfolded before me.
From the gray royal castle surrounded by an underground lake, where the master of Wintert and the king of the underworld resided, the eternal night streets characteristic of Loafra were clearly visible.
It is an egg soup topped with freshwater crayfish in a vegetable broth simmered mainly with green onions.
[… … .]
A mage from the Silent Security, a mage order of Eon specialized in special operations, placed the dishes on the table one by one with brief explanations. Ashe stepped back to prepare the next dishes, Nerga gazed at the rich soup.
Verden said.
There is no need to replenish nutrients through eating, but since I heard it is permissible to consume, I prepared this. There is still time before the glory of the dead arrives, so take your time and enjoy it.
[I understand, Father.]
There are plenty of varieties, so choose according to your preference.
Nerga nodded again and observed the soup. Then, like a curious child, he poked at it with his spoon before scooping up a full bowl.With his other hand, Nerga traced a line across his lower face from left to right.
Crunch…
The lower part of the face, which had nothing but a single eye, split open, and a mouth emerged. Teeth sprouted, and a tongue formed. It was a sight that would terrify anyone who saw it.
Thump.
Nerga savored the egg soup. He rolled it around on his tongue for several minutes before swallowing it, and then put the freshwater crayfish and soup into his mouth together.
Verden asked.
How does it taste?
[I like it. Especially chewing on the crayfish flesh. It is enjoyable to think of chopping up and dissecting these vermin that follow their fate.]
“…So you like things with a good texture.”
Verden turned on the communication device.
Prepare it with meat. Juicy but not mushy, and in large quantities.
[I obey your command, Your Majesty!]
Steaks of various cuts classified as top-quality were soon served.
[… … !!]
Nerga took a big bite of the meat and completely emptied the plates. The sight of him piercing the center of the steak and opening his mouth widewas indeed terrifying .To be honest, it was like a giant devouring a dwarf whole… Well, anyway, as expected, he seemed satisfied, perhaps because it suited his taste.
“It’s still a bit chaotic with so much to clean up from this war, but how is it in Eon? Is everyone treating you well?”
[Their loyalty to Father is quite something. A pristine zone completely devoid of the dirty feeling of fate… There are many wounded, so I haven’t been able to properly face the Statuses yet, but they seem to be people worth keeping by my side.]
Everyone has their own unique personality, so it won’t be boring.
The two talked while eating a late lunch.
Nerga can be considered an Apostle—that is, one of Verden’s confidants. This is because Nerga is a being born of the hatred Verden harbored throughout his life.
I can share forbidden knowledge with that guy.
Alpha and Beta, next is Nerga.
Of course, it would have been more efficient to gather everyone involved and discuss the matter, but Verden deliberately chose to repeat the same information multiple times.Leisurely, and at a leisurely pace.Efficiency must be valued, but it cannot be everything. Relationships are the result of time and density, and to Verden, what mattered was always ‘everyone’.
Fate and soul.
[Souls… … are. the. ingredients… …?! Ah. As. Indeed. As. Though! Those. Who. Follow. Fate. Must. Be. Discarded! No. Their. Existence. Very… …!! Must be… …!!!!]
devil.
[Indeed… Father. Your. Believers. Souls. Twisted. While. Resisting. Fate. The Abandoned… Father. Then. How about. Twisting. the souls. of. all beings. and transforming them into demonic species. Along with that. Let’s crush. the Luas cultists. who are hostile to demons.]
Revision of taboos.
[Do not trust ‘you’. Even your good intentions are likely a wicked scheme. The one who rules over vermin is, in the end, nothing but a vermin. He is also a mother who abandoned an unwanted child—a devil born of fate.]
Meeting with the first Demon King.
[Do not give Oldarc your trust, either. She is the one who abandoned her creations, Alpha and Beta. Therefore, it is only right that she, too, be abandoned. I have a good idea. Let us build an orphanage somewhere on the outskirts and abandon both ‘you’ and Oldarc there.]
… … Should I really call him an apostle of curses?
Nerga’s extreme remarks were enough to provoke shock and a hollow laugh. A negative thought form. If Verden himself were filled with malice, he might have looked like this.
anyway.
After the meal, dessert was served.
Nerga took a sip of coffee and chose rich cocoa and premium chocolate pastries.Surprisingly, he seemed to have similar tastes to Aisha.
[By the way, Father. Why. Did. You. Come. Here. Have. You. Had. You. Delivered. The. Information. Could. Have. Done. At. the. Grand Hall.]
You don’t really need a special reason to have a meal together as a family.
[……family!]
Nerga flashed his large single eye.
Verden said.
“Since the current Daejeon Hall is crowded in many ways, I thought dining out would be suitable for a conversation just the two of us. I needed this time too.”
Eating Out!
“It is my first time dealing with the eldest son of the Sado family, too.”
Eldest son!!
Since Eloris serves as an apostle to two gods, Nerga is effectively the foremost among Verden’s pure apostles. However, the title of “Apostle Family” was attached to him.Because Alpha often called Verden “Dad,” Alpha came first in terms of order.
To think you think of me that way…!!!
Regardless of whether Nerga was a conditional eldest son or whatever, he bent over and covered his head.It was a pleasant shock.He wanted to curse his past self, who had been terrified in advance that he might be abandoned at an orphanage because he was an unwanted child to his father.
“Since Gharun says he will be taking a rest for the time being, I will inquire about the weapons suitable for you later. It feels a bit late to call this a birth celebration, but it should still be completed before the declaration of the end of the war. Of course, you must first meet Gharun’s standards, but I’m sure you won’t have any trouble.”
Weapons for Nerga.Birth commemoration.
In other words… … a birthday present!!!!
Nerga recalled the child’s birthday, which he had known only as a concept.
It was celebrating a child’s birthday by enjoying gifts and fried chicken with the family that the father had bought on his way home from work.
Of course, although the majority of families in society today do not celebrate birthdays, there was always a birthday in an ideal family.
I want to hate, curse, and crush the wretched fates that torment my father. I want to decapitate them and present their heads to him. I am the one who fills the void left by my father’s weakness. I will select every element that makes him cry, hate it, and kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill—
Nerga’s joy turned into hatred. Having thus contained his happiness, he calmly composed himself and bowed respectfully.
[I will not disappoint you, Father.]
I’ll trust you.
Verden shifted his gaze to the side, feeling what it was like to become a father without being married, like a responsibility without pleasure.
The servants have arrived just in time.
* * *
Lucy, the girl possessed by one of the soul fragments of Lunesica Anternoa, the second servant of the glory of the dead, was engulfed in an unfamiliar tension.
Even when I was beaten by thugs in a back alley and starved to death while unable to move. Even whenI died, was resurrected thanks to Lunesica’s soul, and left the city.Even when I ate delicious food.Even when I resurrected mighty undead in the hidden ritual hall of the ancient empire.Even when I led the undead to encounter the undead legions of the Xerion Empire and waged war for the first time… … .
It had always been a continuous series of tensions, but now something was fundamentally different. It probably wasn’t because I had crossed over from the Western Continent to the Eastern Continent for the first time.
Master, there is something here.
Upon entering the Ash Fortress of Roafra, Lucy instinctively sensed the presence of an unfamiliar soul.The other black mages of the Glory of the Dead did not sense the soul like she did, but they were sweating profusely or trembling.
The corpse possessed by one of Lunesica’s other soul fragments spoke.
“That’s right, there’s a monster here.”“A monster?”“He’s our king, too.”
Lunesica whispered softly.
King of the Dead.
Footsteps were heard.
thud!
The door to the underground of the fortress opened. The two corpses containing fragments of Lunesica’s soul knelt first, and the others immediately paid their respects.
“O Great Death!”“I greet the new King of Corpses!”
Their praise, which was practically a scream, rang out loudly.
It was enough to make my skin tingle.
Lucy, too, reflexively submitted and cautiously raised her gaze. Just what kind of person was the King of Corpses? She soon saw the gray-clad man.
‘uh?’
Lucy’s innate soul-sensing ability was shattered into pieces and then put back together. It felt as if she had been crushed by a massive mountain range and then reborn.
My mind and body trembled belatedly.
For the first time in her life, Lucy realized that there was someone as terrifying as starving to death. The sheer scale of their souls was on a completely different level.
Bugs… … We are bugs.
Lucy’s self-perception plummeted to an extreme.
Normally, Lunesica would have told him to snap out of it, but today was an exception. Even she, a transcendent being, was being overwhelmed by Verden.
What is that soul?
Although Lunesica staged a rebellion using a soul fragment that had seeped into the main body and lost Akand’s arm, she died immediately afterward and did not witness the final battle firsthand.She was unaware of Verden, who had awakened the stature of an Absolute Being during the process of executing the Old King.
Refined through war… … .
I have no choice but to admit it once again.Draven was right.
Verden is indeed our king.
Lift your head.
The glory of the corpses who had betrayed the Xerion Empire following Lunesica raised their heads in unison. Viola of the Skeleton, Nosa, and others. Those who had been killed by Verden in the past found it difficult even to look at him.
Verden said.
“Do not degrade the dignity of the intellect. Do not restrict freedom. Recognize your responsibility.”“…….”“You have not observed any of the three commandments I advocate. To resurrect the Old King, and for the sake of the Old King, you stopped at nothing. For the past 800 years, you have been the evil of this continent. You have abandoned the value of your own existence. And you remain so now.”
The servants resurrected by the power of the Old King remained silent. It was because they could not refute it. The Old King’s words about establishing an immortal world were a lie.Lunesica had said so.Since all the black magicians who did not believe Lunesica were dead, everyone believed him to be right, and indeed, the Old King’s deception was true.
“Then, reaching the present, you joined Runeshka in pursuing the truth and rebelled against the Xerion Empire. For the former king had betrayed us first. As a result, we were able to save lives that should have originally perished because of you… but you would not dare to think that this constitutes atonement.” “H-
Viola, her head caught in Verden’s gauntlet, gasped for breath.Her tears would not stop.
“Destroy your magic circuit, or die.”“…….”“That is the rule for punishing commandment violators in Eon.”
Losing all hierarchy and falling from wizard to mortal to barely survive… … or facing the judgment of death and giving up one’s life.
It was a choice between death and death.
The corpses containing fragments of Lunesica’s soul rose and walked forward.
“As a transcendent being, I cannot lose my ideals. I will die as a transcendent being.”“Your last words.”“A world where souls do not suffer…….”
Lunesica closed her eyes.
May our path also follow your ideals.
She was convinced that she would die when the war ended. Of course. There was no way Verden would let her live, as she was one of the founders of the Glory of the Dead.Lunesica awaited her fate, wondering if she would be able to reunite with Draven in a world without heaven.
It was then.
“Listen to me until the end.”“……What?”“I will remember the traitors of humanity who aided the glory of the dead and plotted the resurrection of Arkhand.”
Verden intended to punish the Glory of the Dead for violating the commandments once the war ended, but he changed his mind after realizing the relationship between fate and the soul.
Even their deaths become prey to fate.
A follower of fate would have eliminated it without hesitation, but the Glory of the Dead could become a new asset depending on Verden’s choice—instead, a true traitor hunting down followers of fate hiding among the world.
“They are called traitors to humanity, but their true identity is the Followers of Fate. They are operating in the shadows not only among humans but also among beastmen, elves, and dwarves, and Arkhand was the Sixth Apostle who worships Fate.”“……!!”“It is they who deceived and manipulated you, guiding your lives according to their will. Therefore…… I will give you a third choice.”
Verden’s presence weighed heavily on the air.
Confront the followers of fate and atone. Atone and give value to your deaths, which have been reduced to worthless waste and puppets. And, at the end of life and death, embrace a new order.
The servants saw the king.
The immortal world that I will complete.
The true immortal world that the Glory of the Dead had pursued was a world where souls do not suffer. It completely overlapped with Verden’s ideal.
Every soul is merely material.Every soul is already discarded.
Therefore, the liberation of the soul was a domain that Verden was rightfully supposed to oversee.
“Choose. How will you die?”“I will burn my soul and body alongside Your Majesty’s enemies, and only then will I die a worthy death!”
Landerk of Manyeon, who had spread the Blood-Crying Plague across the continent, bowed his head.Kaesilus, Viola, Nosa, and the servants of the present and past, who had been killed by Adrian and Verden in the Republic of Beldirn, also chose the third option.
Lunesica stared blankly at Verden for a moment, then bowed down. He was different from the old king. He was clearly looking in the exact same direction as her.
“Give your command, Your Majesty.”“The Glory of the Corpse shall henceforth serve as the ‘Judge’ over the hidden side of Eon. Commanding him is my Apostle—Nerga.”
Nerga revealed itself from the darkness. A massive single eye atop a body of the abyss that reflected not even light stared directly at them.Lunesika glared. A monster. That is the very embodiment of a monstrosity made of black magic.
“High Inquisitor, Nerga. I grant you full authority.”
[Yes, Father.]
Nerga smiled with his eyes.
[I shall condemn fate.]
I got goosebumps all over my body.It was tremendous malice.
Master, I’m scared.
Lucy inwardly thought that she might have joined an evil organization that couldn’t even be compared to the crime syndicate of the back alleys.
* * *
After transferring the Glory of the Dead to the position of Judge of Eon, Verden found the next Apostle.
Apostle of Sacrifice – Cain.
His blue eyes flickered as he experienced a resurrection that even Verden had never experienced.
It brings back fond memories to see you again like this, Senior.
Cain showed respect as if praying.
“No, would it be better to call you Lord rather than Senior now?”
God and the apostle had much to talk about with each other.
