Chapter 67 – A Quiet Conversation In The City Of Edona

From the plaza in front of the auditorium of the Royal Academy of Magic, the white-masked entity that had escaped through the haze of blood sluggishly ran through the city streets late at night.

“I… I re-rece-received… t-too mu-much da-damage…”

Why am I being chased away like this? Alvesta thinks with a mind that no longer works, and an obsession with a deep-rooted delusion.

“C-co-could i-it be, be t-the sm-smell of… b-blo-blood?”

Normally, he would have noticed it sooner, but… the delusion that had not ceased since he took on this form 200 years ago had prevented him from making sound decisions.

Yes, even at this moment, it would not let him decide on withdrawing from the Royal Capital either.

“…I-I c-ca-can’t… st-stop…yet, I…have to….wa-wake up… as-as ma-many o-of, of my brethren a-as I, I…c-can!”

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Looking back, everything started to get out of control when an injured Adventurer from the Eastern Woodlands returned to the city of Edona.

“Uh, uah…”

When the male Adventurer was brought to the treatment center of the Holy Church, he had a high fever and was vomiting blood, although in small quantities.

“… What do you think, Father?”

“It seems to be a fever with bleeding, but… Healing magic does not work on it; The only thing we can do for him is to pray, so I would like to speak with his companions…”

Aleph had a somber look as he replied to Jill, the nun who was standing behind him.

As always, I can only pray for the people who have a low survival rate because healing magic would not work on them. I had been a priest for over 10 years now, and I have found myself praying for people who are dying more often than not.

In the general theory of the Church, the “redeemed” and the “unsaved” are defined by God’s will according to their daily behavior. This doctrine is a deep-rooted majority in the Holy Church, and I have been taught that since I was an apprentice.

In other words, God’s salvation is extended to those who have done good deeds and who have a high level of faith… not that there was ever any doubt.

Does this mean that the people suffering from sickness and death have not done any good deeds? Can you say that to a family holding a patient’s hand in prayer?

“… It’s outrageous that I would dare question God’s will.”

I crossed my arms in front of my chest and bowed my head, ashamed of myself for having thought such an insolent thing even for a moment.

“Is something the matter?”

“… No, it’s nothing. Jill, there is a possibility of being infected, so please rinse off the blood on your hands and change your clothes, I’ll do the same.”

“Yes, Father. It would be terrible if the children in the orphanage were also possessed by the disease.”

Afterward, I informed the Adventurer’s companions of the same thing and also asked them to contact the owner of the inn where they had stayed. In hindsight, there may have been other measures that could have been taken if I had any knowledge of medicine.

But as a priest acting on behalf of God’s miraculous Holy Magic, I was afraid to study medicine because I doubted its power, and there was no way I would have that knowledge.

I have heard of tales of doctors saving patients of whom Healing magic was ineffective, but they were saved by the Lord’s Will and not by the Doctors… not at all.

(If I had poorly studied medicine, then it would create doubt in my mind about the Lord… how frightening!)

But, little did I know that I would later on despise that idea with all my heart…

The next day, following the first Adventurer, the inn-keeper’s daughter and the Adventurer’s colleagues presented with the same symptoms and arrived at the treatment center on wobbly legs.

“Father, this is…!!”

“We don’t know yet how serious this disease is, but… it’s definitely an infectious disease! Send word to the Feudal Lord’s deputy and urge him to take measures against it.”

“Yes, I will send Anna over!”

“I present to you a miracle of healing, EX Cure Light!”

“Uhh….ugh… Father…”

A strong, Holy Light envelops the innkeeper’s daughter, Liana, as she lies in bed, but her condition shows no signs of abating.

I know that Healing magic is not a panacea. It’s not just a simple injury, but the fact that it doesn’t work on some diseases is confirmed in the history of the Holy Church.

“Liana, stay strong. I am well aware of your faith and your daily actions. Surely, the Lord will not forsake you.”

I called out to her as the fever made her restless.

“Hahah, maybe I’m not so good then. I’ve killed quite a few monsters, after all.”

The female adventure next to us joked. She may be sick, but she probably hates the gloomy atmosphere.

“You have also saved people by killing those monsters, and the Lord knows that.”

“I hope so.”

Both this cheerful female adventurer and the good-natured Liana were unable to walk on their own after ten days or so, just like the first adventurer.

By that time, countless cases of infection have also sprung up, including Liana’s parents.

The infection spread through the blood, saliva, and vomit of the patients, and was further carried by rats and other small animals that lived in the city.

Moreover, the treatment centers of the Holy Church in each section of the city could no longer hold any more patients, and the hospitals run by the doctors were already in a similar state.

“Father, it’s painful…”

“…I wonder if it’s because I skipped the morning prayers this morning.”

“…… Do not worry about it, you would not be punished for such a thing.”

(I’m sorry, I could only pray for you.)

At this point, there was no way the children in the orphanage were safe, and every single one of them was already lying down on their beds.

… Furthermore, I have also begun to exhibit some signs of the infection. I probably would not be able to move in a few days as well.

And so, on the 15th day, the male Adventurer who was first infected passed away, and the next day, Liana and several others who were infected early on followed soon after. On the 17th day, the children of the orphanage will also die sooner than the others, considering the time of infection.

No one was going near the Churches, Hospitals, or other health facilities where patients were housed anymore. I could barely even walk now.

I managed to muster the last of my strength and headed for the chapel.

I was not going there to pray. I was going there to confirm something.

There are also patients lying around in the chapel. I managed to reach the altar and kneel without stepping on them.

“My, my Lord … Milly, who died just now, has only lived six years. Did that girl commit some kind of sin?”

There was no answer. Of course. In all the times that I have stood at this altar, not once did the Lord answer me.

“Leo often overslept and missed the morning prayers, but is it enough to cost him his life….?”

As I expected, there was still no answer.

So I repeated my questions and my prayers, and as I lay on my deathbed, I finally understood.

“There… there is no God!!! Even if… ugh, even if there were, there would be no saving grace!”

How much attention does a being that is so far beyond humanity really pay to a short-lived being like a man? I do not know either, but I do know one thing.

Prayers are pointless!!

The next thing I had was self-loathing. I have saved countless lives with my healing magic, but I had done nothing for those whom it did not work on. At this point, regret surged through me.

I also felt anger towards God, but even his existence was unclear to me that there was no point in lashing out at something that may or may not be there.

I felt that even the relationship between Holy magic and God is only questionable when it comes to this place, and the fact that even some monsters deal with it shows that.

“I-if I don’t tell them… that prayers are worthless… that we have to use our own power as humans to overcome it…”

However, I am almost at death’s door. My sight is already so blurred that I can barely see.

(Oh, what a shame … I wish I could have shared the insights I gained with someone else.)

That was the last time Aleph died, but a white death mask appeared on his face.

Even if he was a Priest, the quality of his magic and his regrets were enough to trigger a reaction… In cases like these, it was still rare for a dead person to resurrect as an Undead.

“Gu… Uuhaaah!!”

However, in his case, he seems to have become a half-immortal monster… but he still acts to clear up his regrets.

“I… I have to tell them… that faith… is worthless!!”

He thought with a mind imprisoned within the delusion.

And so, the white-masked monster appeared and, seeking self-reliance, showed the pointlessness of prayer by causing the “Bleeding Disease”, a pseudo-hemorrhagic fever that is spread through blood-borne magical interference.

Thereafter, he would visit other cities to recreate the “Bleeding Sickness” that afflicted the city of Edona until his magic ran out, and if his power was exhausted, he would go to sleep for a while without being noticed.

Thus, the people came to call him “Alvesta of the Black Rain”, one of the Seven Plagues.

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