I Became the Apostle of an Evil God Chapter 48

“…T-That is true…”

Amidst a dead silence, Van alone answered with a hesitant face. Well, they say a meddling sister-in-law is more detestable than a nagging mother-in-law… wasn’t it something like that? He was pointing out that Orma had also stood by and just watched, so why was he suddenly stepping forward to debate whether to punish them or not? Thinking about it that way, it wasn’t an entirely incomprehensible mindset.

“Then if it were you, Lord Orma… what kind of punishment would you hand down?”

“Well, do I really have to punish them?”

Oh… It was a merciful statement, quite unlike Orma. However, whether he knew his apostle’s eyes had turned bright and sparkly or not, Orma sank into thought for a moment before beginning to carelessly toss out his unrefined ideas.

“How about just wiping out their whole race? For your information, to me, death is closer to a reward than a punishment. Yeah, that would be a bit annoying… Trying to die comfortably is pretty impudent. But if we’re talking about imprisonment, isn’t the Black Field Wood too comfortable? It’s practically a peaceful passing, a peaceful passing. I’d rather imprison them in Rima, the hell where I used to be…”

“…T-Then won’t they die? Ordinary humans cannot endure the temperature of Rima.”

“Ah, they can’t resurrect, can they? Sigh… Handing out punishments is a difficult and tedious business.”

Whatever. They were already being punished by Muhwi anyway, so was there any need to waste thought on it? Orma spoke as he shrugged his shoulders.

His tone was casual, completely oblivious to whether he noticed the snake tribe members’ faces draining of color as they trembled and stared at him with expressions like condemned criminals awaiting execution.

However, it was still too early to rest easy. Orma chuckled once more, his golden eyes flashing with a predatory gleam.

“They will realize soon enough that simply breathing and living is a torment. What an enviable thing, to be able to die if you want to. Ah, right. I just thought of a good punishment. Why don’t you all try living forever in this state? Even if hot, stinging flames burn your entire body, you won’t die. Just like the black grass scattered all around here! The agony repeats where the flesh that just burned away regenerates, and the flames burn that spot all over again. If you truly wish to live forever even by doing that, I will gladly bestow my blessing upon you.”

…It was a speech truly befitting an evil god. Remembering that Orma possessed the power to maintain or fix something in place, Van hastily shook his head to stop him.

“I-Is there really any need for you to expend your strength to punish these people, Lord Orma? They are already undergoing punishment from the god Muhwi… and as you can see, this place is already no different from a living hell.”

Fortunately, Orma shut his mouth at the words of his apostle, who was sweating profusely as he pleaded earnestly. You lot better count yourselves lucky; I’m letting you off because my sweet apostle is adorable… Thinking that to himself, he let out a sneer and turned his head away.

“…Those are not wrong words. This place is already hell. It has already been a full month since it became like this, and those who touched the holy fire eventually burned to death on the spot.”

The snake tribe elder, who had still been listening quietly to the conversation between Orma and Van while prostrated flat, spoke up.

Their destruction was already predetermined. Do they not say that a cornered rat will bite a cat? Since they were fated to die anyway, they wanted to try everything within their power. Driven by spite, they tried every single method to survive.

Unluckily spotting and kidnapping Jaena as he passed by the vicinity was merely an action taken for the sake of that scarce possibility. Enveloped in fields that would never burn away, the snake tribe trapped inside the eternally blazing fire was in a state no different from being placed in a hot pot awaiting death.

‘So… well, it’s a pitiful situation.’

Van thought to himself, letting out a small sigh. In truth, although he intended to save Jaena, he had no intention of clearing the ‘hidden quest’ itself, which instructed him to save them through proselytization.

The reason was simple. From the very beginning, the purpose of this journey he had decided upon was solely to prevent destruction and end the calamity. And at the center of it all was Orma.

Whether he had set foot into a game world or been reborn into it… none of that mattered to Van anymore. When he kept trimming and cutting away all the unnecessary, cluttering branches inside his mind, the sole remaining one was Orma.

Thus, he became the very reason for Van to live in this world.

Yet that very Orma was yearning for death and fearing becoming a complete god, was he not? Though he didn’t know how to make it happen, Van worried for Orma. He desperately wished for Orma to be happy and desired for Orma to do exactly as he pleased.

Of course, if the unnecessary death or suffering of others was demanded in that process, he would hesitate, but regardless, Orma had surprisingly listened well to Van’s advice or requests and stayed well-behaved until now.

However, because Van possessed an unidentified system window, Orma’s changes occurred as an irresistible force. He had only observed closely until now, but it had become certain. As faith rises, Orma gradually draws closer to becoming a ‘god.’

Saving the snake tribe through proselytization? One look showed that it would be easily resolved if he broke the restriction placed upon them and extinguished the holy fire. But if that happened, his faith would rise under the pretext of clearing the quest, and Orma would face yet another change.

He didn’t know what kind of change that would be. Perhaps it could be a positive change. He might consider it nothing special, just like the prayers of his apostle and believers reaching him that Orma thought little of. But if, by some miracle, that change made Orma unstable…

“Look at this, Van. Look at how my body is right now.”

The image of Orma soaked in blood after creating sharp darkness of his own accord to gouge his flesh and slice his bones remained deeply branded in Van’s mind like a stigma. He had a sorrowful face, as if no matter how hard he tried, he could not deny the fact that he had become a monster. That sight had been so heartbreaking and dizzying. Van never wanted to see that shocking and horrific form ever again.

Trauma… Yes, that incident became a trauma. Now, Orma’s anxiety was Van’s anxiety.

Therefore, although he felt bad for the snake tribe’s plight, he didn’t plan on helping them. If anything, things might have been different if they weren’t related to the quest, or if the quest content was simply to find Jaena. Had that been the case, he would have felt pity for them again and asked Orma if he could save them.

He knew that if left like this, they would die, and though he felt guilty because of it, still…

Everything visible in the surroundings was pitch black and blood red. The snake tribe members looked entirely resigned, as if they had accepted death. Not a single soul harbored a speck of hope, but since they had done everything they could and it simply hadn’t worked out, they seemed to have no regrets either.

…Ugh. At the guilt welling up once more, Van couldn’t bring himself to look all the way and hung his head low. He scrambled to think of any excuse to ignore them and pass by.

Yeah, right. Van’s god is heartless anyway. A terrible cynic, full of nothing but pessimistic thoughts… and he envied and jealously coveted everything that was capable of dying. Even now, the only thing he’s ultimately thinking about is envying the death that will break upon them. So if I don’t ask him to save them, he absolutely…

“So what should we do, Van?”

“…Pardon?”

“How do we save these things? Do I just need to smash the restriction that kept them trapped here? Or should I extinguish the holy fire for them?”

Astonishingly, Orma asked for a way to save the snake tribe with a bored face. Asking how he should go about saving them.

…Orma was! His god was! Thinking of saving them first when Van hadn’t even brought it up!

Utterly shocked, Van couldn’t even answer, letting out a sharp gasp as he stared blankly at Orma.

“…What’s with that look? Why are you staring at me like that?”

Who are you? You’re not Orma! Van swallowed his saliva hard, suppressing the urge to scream those words aloud.

His shock quickly gave way to deep emotion. …Our boy—no, our god… has become kind. He offered to save humans first without even being asked! Since he couldn’t say those words to anyone, he merely cried out inside his heart, profoundly moved. For Orma to suggest saving humans first. If this isn’t a miracle, what else is?

“No, why…”

On the other hand, Orma was completely at a loss when Van’s clear, sky-blue eyes began to sparkle and well up with tears.

Did I say something wrong? Seeing him hang his head low while listening to the snake tribe’s story, it was obvious he was feeling pity and compassion for them. He figured Van had been agonizing over how to word it so that a foul-tempered evil god would save them. Tsk, tsk. My needlessly kind and gentle apostle…

Orma had simply opened his mouth first because he recalled Van’s face pale with fright from a nightmare early this morning. No matter what he said or did, it was certain that Van would gladly help them anyway.

“Lord Orma…”

But why was he acting like this? What was up with this burdensome gaze? At first, his train of thought ground to a halt because Van looked like he would burst into tears at any moment. But right after, didn’t Van clasp his two hands tightly together as if praying and look up at him with an expression full of awe?

Orma blinked blankly, entirely unaware that Van had been sinking into a belated self-reflection inside his mind, thinking, ‘Have I become stained by Orma? Is it right to look away and walk past them? Has being the evil god’s apostle corrupted me…?’ Before long, Van, who had finished his reflection and repentance, spoke with a solemn face.

“If you will only grant permission, Lord Orma, I will save them myself.”

“….”

Overwhelmed by that blindingly straight gaze, Orma couldn’t even manage a reply and merely nodded his head.