Chapter 57

"No, I read about it in one of the books when I was researching magic," Lalitha replied. Her teacher had warned her not to tell anyone, especially people from the temple, that she had learned white magic from her. Lalitha didn't understand the reason behind her teacher's rule, but she had promised not to disclose the information. Pope Damianus wasn't surprised by her response since there were records in the magic towers containing information about the Fate Thread. Although he still had some doubts, he chose not to dwell on it further.

"I understand now. That explains why the statues of the goddess in the city depict her differently. I have another question. Has the goddess ever returned to her realm after leaving?" Astaroth followed up with another inquiry.

"No, unfortunately, apart from the founding Pope of Sanctavia, no one has seen Goddess Seraphiel. However, when a new priest assumes the role of Pope, they have the chance to meet the goddess in the realm of gods," Pope Damianus replied with a mysterious smile.

"I understand you must have many questions about the Goddess Seraphiel, but I cannot share everything with you. Why don't you tell me what you're searching for, and I will explain what I can," offered Pope Damianus.

"Well, we're particularly interested in the original story. I've read the accounts written in books and records, but there is no mention of the demon king or how he came into this world," replied Astaroth.

"Hmmm... Yes, that is true. The records only captured the victorious moment. There are a few rare books that contain information about the demon king, but they are not kept in Sanctavia. Most of those books are in the possession of the King of Feyrith, who was more of a collector than someone interested in history," responded Pope Damianus.

"But the church does possess some information about the demon king. He was our most formidable enemy of all time. In certain written records, it is mentioned that the demon king was born in Acrania. However, that is not entirely accurate. The truth is that the host of the demon king was born in Arcania and had a peculiar encounter one day, which made him the perfect vessel for the demon king," explained Pope Damianus. He proceeded to tell the story of the boy who became the demon king.

The story begins with a boy who was born into an ordinary family in a now-destroyed city. Despite being normal in every way, he inadvertently becomes a vital part of the protagonist's tale. His body becomes the vessel for the Demon King, yet his name is forgotten, and history fails to trace his existence until after the war between Goddess Seraphiel and the Demon King. In the Demon King's final moments, he imparts this aspect of his story to the goddess.

The once-normal boy had experienced such intense experiences that he willingly forfeited his soul to become the next Demon King, desiring to bring about the world's destruction. His cries for devastation reverberate throughout the depths of hell, awakening the slumbering Demon King.

The boy had lost his parents during a devastating famine that had decimated half of the country's population. He was sold as a slave to wealthy individuals in a distant land. His formative years were marked by torture and sexual abuse. The boy lost his sight, hearing, and the use of his limbs. The mental and physical agony persisted day after day, pushing him to the brink of madness. In that desperate moment, surrounded by darkness, he made a solemn vow. If any entity were listening, he would eradicate the entire human race if granted power. He pledged his soul to this vow, offering humanity as a sacrificial tribute.

The intensity of his vow reverberated in the demon realm, awakening the slumbering demon king. The demon king devoured the vow, considering it a binding contract, and manifested in the human world. Unaware of the presence of the demon king by his side, the boy, stripped of his senses and consumed by his shattered mind, remained oblivious. When the demon king entered his consciousness, he discovered that the darkness within the boy was a perfect match for him. In the boy's final moments, a peaceful transformation occurred as the demon king took possession of his body, mending both his broken form and shattered psyche. As the metamorphosis concluded, the boy ceased to exist, replaced by the reborn demon king.

Pope Damianus paused and took a sip from his cup, feeling the weight of the story bearing down on him. He glanced at Astaroth and Lalitha, who listened to the tale of the demon king's birth without displaying much reaction. This unnerved the Pope, as their calmness seemed suspicious, particularly emanating from Astaroth, whose aura exuded malevolence. That feeling had persisted since their first encounter. Pope Damianus had sought this meeting to ascertain if the Church's Prophecy was coming to pass. The Prophecy had been bestowed upon the second Pope during his final days. On his deathbed, he had received a vision from the Goddess Seraphiel, who foretold the imminent rebirth of the demon king. This time, he would manifest in his true form, eschewing the need for a host vessel.

"What are your thoughts on the story thus far, Astaroth?" Pope Damianus inquired.

"It portrays the boy's profound suffering, with no help forthcoming—no hero to burst through the door and rescue him," Astaroth responded, stopping short of mentioning the absence of a goddess descending to save the boy.

"I understand what you wish to convey. Frankly, I'm uncertain whether the goddess would have intervened had the boy fervently prayed to her," Pope Damianus vocalized what lay in Astaroth's heart. The Pope, having lived a long life and gained ample experience, knew that whenever this story was discussed, there would be those who sided with the demon king, claiming that the goddess could have prevented the tragedy by averting it in the first place.

"That's surprising. One would expect that as Pope, you would staunchly defend the goddess," Astaroth retorted.

"Yes, I will defend the actions of the goddess. There are many things we do not understand, including the actions of the goddess. I believe she could have come in and helped the boy, but there could be other things going on. If there was no demon king, Sanctavia would never have been founded," Pope Damianus continued, emphasizing his point.

"Hmm, that is true as well. In the grand scheme of things, we may all be pawns in their games," Astaroth replied, considering the broader perspective.

"Hohoho, maybe you are right," Pope Damianus chuckled heartily.

"Could you continue the story? It has been refreshing to hear directly from you rather than reading through the written stories," Astaroth suggested.

"There is not much that you haven't discovered. As you know, the demon king, after he came into this world, ravaged different countries. The first country he destroyed was where the boy suffered. I am not sure if it was intentional on the part of the demon king or if it was because the people there were among the first to raise an army against him." Pope Damianus continued.

Once the Demon King appeared in Arcania, he announced his presence to all the different kingdoms within the realm. Portals to his demonic realm were opened across various continents, unleashing legions of demons. Naturally, the human kingdoms were caught off guard, and in the first few months, many kingdoms were crushed by the invading demons. However, the residents of Arcania gradually rallied and began pushing the demons back toward their portals.

In response, the Demon King reassigned his forces, placing several of his generals in charge of the ongoing onslaught. It took the demons forty days to crush all the kingdoms, reducing the human population to a mere ten thousand. The other races, such as elves, dwarves, gnomes, trolls, and goblins, also suffered a significant decrease in numbers. With the fall of the kingdoms, the Demon King established his rule over Arcania, marking the beginning of the era of demonic dominance.

The demonic rule didn't last long; one day, the goddess descended and led the different races in a united front against the demon king. She summoned angels and deities to engage in battle after battle. From among the various races, champions emerged and fought alongside Goddess Seraphiel. Among them were three champions from the human race: a swordsman, a witch, and a priest. These three individuals fought with unwavering determination and displayed exceptional bravery. Unfortunately, the swordsman and the witch perished in the final battle, but the priest managed to survive. Impressed by his resilience, Goddess Seraphiel elevated the priest to the position of Pope and established the holy land of Sanctavia.

"That's the entire story. From that point forward, our country has been expressing gratitude to the goddess through the Festival of Thanks, and residents of Acrania from all over come on this day to receive her blessings," Pope Damianus concluded.

"Thank you for sharing the story with us, Pope Damianus. It has been enlightening," both Astaroth and Lalitha expressed their gratitude to the Pope.