68 Ch-99: Apocalypse (3)
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Ophelia froze in her prayers. The unimaginable had happened. She immediately figured out what was going on, her complexion turning blue.
"O Mighty Goddess… This is… I'm…"
Ophelia searched for an excuse, an escape, her emerald eyes darting in their sockets.
But no matter how much she digged, she couldn't come up with anything that could pass off as an excuse.
What she had said, what she had muttered to herself was nothing short of blasphemy.
And it was nobody else, but the Goddess herself listening on the other end.
There was no way out for her.
"That, that's not true…"
– Ophelia, my daughter. You have always been lacking in faith.
"Uh, me?"
– Indeed, you. Unlike the other Saintess Candidates, you haven't put your faith in me. On the contrary, you've have always doubted my actions.
"No, no. O Holy Goddess, I always…"
– The suspicions weren't enough? Now you want to lie to me too?
"…sorry. Please forgive your foolish daughter."
Ophelia realized she couldn't make excuses, so she begged for forgiveness. There came no response from the Goddess. Just as she was beginning to feel flustered, the voice of the Goddess came again.
– Ophelia. As you know, there are many believers who are more apt than you in the Church of the Kingdom of Prona. Even so, I chose you as the candidate for the Saintess. Why do you think I did that?
"…As a lowly devout, I cannot fathom the Goddess' intentions."
– You doubted my meaning, but you did not speculate to understand. Ophelia, I'm disappointed.
The chilling voice of the Goddess intoned.
Ophelia, a mere mortal, felt considerable fear from that alone.
It was the fear of a child being abandoned by her parents, thrown into the world without a pillar to lean on.
It was natural for her to feel such fear, for she had incurred the wrath of Goddess Iris, the ruler of the world and the mother of all things.
Struck by fear, Ophelia couldn't even keep her mouth from trembling, but Goddess' rebuke had just begun.
– The reason I chose you as a Candidate for Sainthood despite your lacking faith, was because I wanted to see how you'll change. Because I wanted to see you overcome the changed environment and the burden of duty and become a proud daughter of mine. But you've betrayed my expectations.
"O Goddess… I…"
– You weren't satisfied with your improved life. Despite not starving, sleeping in a warm bed, and being respected by everyone, you were more dissatisfied with the increased control than grateful. You couldn't give up your greed.
"That, that…"
– You haven't been able to control your lust, not even tried to control your sexual desire. Indulging in the pleasures of intercourse, forsaking your duties and obligations.
Ophelia's head became dizzy facing the endless accusations of the Goddess.
– You doubt me on every subject, and in the end, you even criticize me. I'm so sorry, Ophelia. All expectations I have for you are gone.
Expectations… gone…
As soon as those words were finished, the divine power that had been dormant within Ophelia began to dissipate.
"Goddess?!"
Flustered, Ophelia tried to rein control on the divine power somehow, but it was impossible.
It was no longer her power.
The divine power within her was dissipating, and the light that maintained her barrier was weakening.
"O Goddess! Forgive me, please forgive me! Please forgive this foolish and stupid daughter of yours!"
– I have already forgiven you so many times.
"I will never doubt you again. I will only pursue a life of servitude and dedication. Please forgive me…"
– Like I just stated, I've already forgiven you many times. Still, you were the same. I don't think it will change even if I add one more attempt to your list.
Kang! Khang!
A thin tentacle penetrated past one side of the barrier. The tentacles wrapped around a priest who was praying and dragged him out of the barrier.
"Aaaagh!"
The priest who was dragged out of the barrier was sucked of his life force and instantly turned into a withered mummy. The tentacle crushed the cleric in half and tossed it away, before lashing back into the barrier.
"Kyaah!"
"Move! Get out of the way!"
People ran and lunged away from the slimy limb.
However, there was a limit to escaping within the space-limited barrier, and in the end, a strong man was caught.
"S, Save me!"
The man grabbed another person.
"Let go, let me go! Aww!!"
Then one caught another and so on. They were woven together like sausages, and as many as five people were dragged out.
Shhesh!
Meanwhile, a new hole was opened into the barrier. A new tentacle forced its way in and snatched a lady away, who had considered her safe on the other end.
"Quaaaaaaaa!"
Creepy screams ensued.
Ophelia's eyes trembled.
"Ah… Agh… O Merciful Goddess, forgive them… please forgive them. I may be a sinner, but they are not. Everyone is someone's child, father, or mother. Please have mercy…"
– Ophelia, my foolish daughter. Don't ask me for mercy. You could have saved them. The failure to do so is entirely your fault.
"My… is it…? This..?"
How was this her fault?
She did her best to stop the Heavenly King.
However, others did not cooperate and participated in the effort, creating danger.
– And why didn't they listen to you, a candidate for Sainthood? Why? It's because you're not trustworthy enough to entrust their lives with.
Not trustworthy?
– I… I did my best…?
– Best? Don't talk lacking tact. You lack faith in me. A Saintess Candidate who doubts her faith? No matter how glamorous your title looks, in the end you holed it into an empty shell. They must have felt it subconsciously.
An empty shell…
– You wonder why my other sons and daughters didn't come to help, right? Then I'll ask you back. Why should my children seek you and risk their lives to help?
"That, that's because… Love and devotion are the teachings of the Church, so dedication to the people…"
– My children are already committed.
"…huh?"
– They're already committed. They're saving people all over the city.
"Well, then this…"
– Yes. Even after seeing the light barrier you created, they didn't join. Because you're not trustworthy. Judged from what you've shown them all these years… They couldn't help themselves into making that judgment.
Kang! Kang! Kang!
The barrier was broken at the same time Ophelia's divine power completely dissipated.
– So everything that happens from now on is your fault.
The barrier shattered and the tentacles rushed in, as if they had been waiting for that exact moment.
"Run!!"
"There is nowhere to run. Everyone's struck!!"
Unlike how it let the priest go untouched prior, the tentacles blocked every alley. The remaining tentacles moved swiftly towards the people who were searching for an escape.
A thin tentacle pierced a middle-aged man's heart.
"Khkh..?!"
The middle-aged corpse, deprived of its life force, was tossed high into the sky.
"Honey!"
The dead man's wife blanched and ran toward her husband, who had been thrown away. Chuk! She was lashed off by tentacles that swung like whips, pinning her to a building.
No, for the lifeless and crushed form was now just a splash of raw meat.
"Ah…"
Ophelia looked at the hunk of meat with quivering eyes. That woman was the lady who had earlier shed tears, thanking her for saving their lives when Ophelia had saved her.
"Kyaaaaaaaaa!!"
Hearing a scream, Ophelia jolted her head around.
A young woman who was flailed by her arms and legs let out her scream. Slowly the tentacles tore at the skin of her stomach. Flick! The woman's blood flicked on Ophelia's face.
Ophelia didn't hastily wipe it off.
She put her hands together and prayed fervently.
"Ah… Goddess. O Goddess Iris. Please forgive me. Please forgive me for being stupid, dull and foolish. I will accept my sins. They are not guilty of anything. Please have mercy…"
"Ugh, aaaa!! Run away!"
"Please…"
"Dad! Daddy!!!!!
"Please…"
Despite her earnest prayers, the Goddess did not respond.
Something did interrupt her prayers though — screams.
A young man who was being dragged across the floor by tentacles.
As he met Ophelia's eyes, he cried out to her in terror.
"Saintess! Help!"
Ophelia raised her body. She stumbled forward and brandished her mace from her waist.
Pak.
The mace slammed down on the tentacles, which held the young man, impotently.
She raised the mace and pummeled again.
Pak! Pak! Pak! Pak! Pak! Pak!
The force swinging the mace gradually increased.
She hollered, striking her mace as if she were mincing meat.
"Leave him! Let go!!"
Ophelia did her best.
Sadly, it had little effect. The flesh which the mace had dented remained such for a while, and then filled up again.
"Saintess?! What are you doing? Divine power! Please use your divine power!"
"…"
She could no longer use divine power.
She couldn't bear to say that, so she struck harder with her mace.
The young man made out a part desperate and part puzzled expression.
"Saintess? Can't you hear me? Holy Maiden!? Holy lady… You son of a bitch! Divine power! Use your divine power—"
The young man was tossed aside.
He sailed swiftly and disappeared from Ophelia's sight in an instant. The only thing left in place was a long bloodstain left by the young man's clutching palm.
As she stared, blankly, someone shouted.
"Saintess! Help me!!"
Ophelia came to her senses and turned her head in the direction of the voice. The moment her eyes met the woman who had asked for her help, thick tentacles blew away the woman's upper body.
"Ah…"
"Saintess! Here!!"
She turned her head.
An old man who called for help was crushed by the tentacles.
"O Saintess, please!"
The man had a hole in his stomach.
"Saint… help me…"
A woman sagged down.
The building collapsed and covered the woman.
Tang!
The mace fell to the floor.
Ophelia's lips trembled.
"Sorry…"
People were dying.
"Sorry…"
These were the people who had been living their lives like normal people hours ago.
"Sorry…"
They were the ones who had once bowed their heads to her, thanking her for saving their lives.
The parents who paid their gratitude.
They were…
Crying, shouting, screaming for help.
But Ophelia… she couldn't help.
Because she was no longer a candidate for Sainthood.
She was just a woman with slightly higher muscle strength.
""
She could do nothing but watch people die horribly right in front of her eyes.
Ophelia flopped down on her knees.
She closed her eyes and put her hands over her ears.
"Sorry. It's my fault. It's all because of me. Sorry, sorry."
She should have been patient.
She should have endured.
She shouldn't have complained.
She shouldn't have doubted.
Had it been…
Had it been so, none of this would have happened.
It was all her fault.
Really… sorry.
She was sorry… Her heart seeked forgiveness…
– You can't run away.
Ophelia was overcome with pain that seemed to set her eyes on fire.
"Kyaaaaaa!!"
Unable to overcome the excruciating pain, Ophelia slammed her head on the floor.
– Open your eyes. Don't run away from your exploits.
"No, no! I don't want to!"
Ophelia scratched the floor with her fingers, trying to contain her pain. However, the pain gradually got worse. It was agony should have left her unconscious, but she could not pass out.
In the end, Ophelia failed in her resistance.
She opened her eyes and was able to run away from the burning pain.
Instead, she had to hear the screams and the sight of people dying en masse. However, the aspect of the scream was different from before.
They no longer asked Ophelia for help.
They uttered words of resentment and curses at her, and some did not stop there.
"This bitch! Why did you remove the barrier!!"
A man kicked Ophelia with a face full of rage. She fell to the floor and he began to trample her.
Not knowing when he would be killed by the tentacles, he didn't care and assaulted her.
Then a strange thing happened.
The tentacles were leaving out the man who assaulted Ophelia.
The people who noticed that fact gathered around Ophelia. They started beating her like the first man.
They kicked her in the face and stomach, and trampled on her hips and sides.
The tentacles did not touch them, and confirming that the hypothesis was real, they began to channel their resentment into violence.
"Why! Why didn't you save my son!"
"You said you were a Saintess Candidate! Why can't the glorious Saintess maintain a single barrier?!"
"I recognize her from the time she went around bare-chested. Are you actually not a whore, but a Saintess Candidate!?"
Ophelia repeated the same whenever that happened.
"Sorry…"
"Sorry…"
"It's my fault…"
"Sorry…"
A blood vessel burst and a liquid mixed with her blood and tears flowed down her cheeks.
Gradually.
Slowly.
Ophelia was breaking from within, and was about to be broken completely.
"What kind of insane shit these crazy bastards are pulling? Hey! You guys, get.. Huh? Ophelia?"
An inaudible voice hit her ears.
At the same time, the beating also stopped.
Ophelia slowly raised the arm that covered her face. She could see the red-haired handsome man looking at her with a bewildered expression.
"He.. Hero..?"
You can read fully translated chapters, including the last chapter, for $20.
p(a)treon.com/Daoist02
