I Became the Servant of the Blind Wicked Woman

To read over 260 fully translated episodes, patreon.com/Denji02

In the desolate wilderness, the priest of Enyalius who met me introduced himself as Demus.

"And what should I call you? I can't keep referring to you as 'the enemy of the Ten Towers' forever."

So, using 'L13' isn't even an option. Understandable, considering it's a Blasphemia codename they probably hate hearing.

"How about Utis?"

"Heh. You offer a name that's obviously a pseudonym."

I shrugged. My face doesn't leave much of an impression unless someone's spent considerable time with me.

So, while revealing my face didn't bother me, a name was a different story. I wasn't exactly prepared to pull off the kind of identity scam I did with Blasphemia's new recruits.

It was better to use a different name from the start.

"The nameless prophet with closed eyes. Quite symbolic."

Demus's words were difficult to interpret—whether he was mocking or merely commenting. After that remark, he quickly moved on.

"Where are we going?"

"You've never attended a Divine Cult gathering, have you? So you wouldn't know."

"I can guess you're using some kind of holy ground, seeing as Blasphemia's been tracking you for ages without success."

"Indeed. Blasphemia has pursued us for a long time. But—"

Demus rolled up his sleeve. Underneath was a tattoo of two snakes entwined around a staff—a symbol known as the caduceus.

Wait, isn't that symbol associated with the gatekeeper Pylaeus, not the war god Enyalius?

As soon as I had the thought, Demus grabbed the tattoo, tearing at it as if trying to peel off his own skin.

But instead of his skin being ripped away, leaving exposed muscle, only the golden symbol detached, floating in the air.

Demus channeled his divine power into the floating symbol, and it began to grow.

Finally, when the staff reached nearly two meters in height, the two snakes uncoiled and plunged into the ground, transforming into snake-shaped pillars. The space between the staff and the pillars was filled with the radiance of divine power. As the staff melted into the divine light, the golden glow intensified, forming a curtain of divine power between the snake pillars.

The two snakes glared at each other across the writhing curtain of divine energy. It was clearly a portal connecting one space to another.

"No one without the blessing of the gods can enter the sanctuary of the Divine Cult. Follow me."

Demus stepped naturally through the golden portal, and I followed close behind.

***

Footsteps echoed through a pristine, white marble corridor.

"They're coming."

It wasn't just one set of footsteps. The current leader of the Phoibos Cult, Hyacinth, muttered in a grave voice.

The prophet of Phoibos…

Once upon a time, there was a period when gods directly spoke to mortals, a time when humans could gaze upon the face of a god.

But that glorious era ended, and with the onset of the dark age under the wicked Mage King, the existence of prophets who could converse with gods faded into history.

The Divine Cult today was no different. Among the cult leaders and bishops, some claimed to receive divine revelations, but none claimed to hear the voice of a god.

Only subtle signs and symbolic dreams remained; those who could genuinely hear the voice of the gods had vanished.

The silence had lasted so long that even the most devout had grown weary.

Perhaps that's why the other cults supported the Pope's blasphemous plan when it was put to a vote…

But now, someone claiming to be a prophet communicating directly with the gods had appeared.

And not just any prophet—a prophet of Phoibos.

It was impossible to accept. After all these years of faith, how could the god who had remained silent for so long now speak through this person?

Hyacinth glanced around. Most of the others wore robes or veils that obscured their faces, making it impossible to read their expressions.

But Phoibos is a god who sees far. Hyacinth used his sanctum to gauge the emotions of the others.

Most seem to be cautious, observing…

Hyacinth's gaze fell on a veiled woman sitting on the other side of the round table. Though it was called a veil, it was more like a bridal veil, closer to transparent than opaque.

The semi-transparent veil barely concealed her features; her long golden hair was clearly visible.

This was Urania, the acting leader of the cult of Eleimon, the goddess of pleasure, ecstasy, and love.

Curiosity…

Though Urania was known for her impulsive and hedonistic nature, just like the goddess she served, Hyacinth hadn't expected her to show interest in a suspicious self-proclaimed prophet. He shook his head.

Two figures appeared at the end of the corridor.

The priests seated around the round table rose from their seats.

The golden chairs around the table were originally thirteen. Since the Pope was absent, one seat was empty, and with the representative of the Enyalius cult out to greet the pretender, another seat was vacant.

Eleven pairs of eyes focused on the two approaching figures, specifically on the self-proclaimed prophet following Demus.

Demus spoke.

"This is the one who prophesied Argyrion's actions and foretold the fall of the Torres Tower. When we first met, he called himself the enemy of the Ten Towers, and when we met again, he revealed his name to be Utis, the one who is no one. My fellow followers of the divine names, I ask that you extend a fitting welcome to the prophet of Phoibos."

Hyacinth thought.

The one who should be speaking for all the cults, the Pope of the Church of Churches, is absent. That means I have the right to speak first.

Hyacinth stepped forward with confidence—or perhaps with anger. The other priests sat back down as they saw him approach.

With a fierce demeanor, Demus stepped in front of Hyacinth. Six steps separated Demus and Hyacinth. Six more steps separated Demus from Utis.

Twelve steps in total as Hyacinth addressed Utis.

"I, Hyacinth, the rightful leader of the Phoibos Cult, speak now. The Phoibos Cult does not recognize someone like you. You, who call yourself no one, reveal your true identity to me!"

***

I had expected some resistance, so this much wasn't surprising. What was surprising was that the other cults seemed to be holding back.

Unlike the other priests who concealed their faces, Hyacinth, like Demus, left his face exposed. Was he intent on making this a confrontation between the Phoibos Cult and… the Phoibos Cult?

"I don't know you either."

"What?"

"But I do know one thing. The people gathered here are enemies of the Ten Towers. And since I am also an enemy of the Ten Towers, if you can't trust me as a friend, surely you can trust me as the enemy of your enemy?"

Hyacinth's face twisted slightly at my words.

"You claim to be the prophet of Phoibos while you don't even recognize the leader of—"

"Hey."

The interruption came from one of the priests seated in the golden chairs. Judging by the depth of the voice, it sounded like it belonged to a young man. Perhaps an adolescent boy?

"Say 'fuck the Ten Towers.'"

What?

"You're the enemy of the Ten Towers, right? Then say 'fuck the Ten Towers.'"

"Fuck the Ten—"

"I want my love fortune told!"

A sudden interjection. The high-pitched voice clearly belonged to the veiled blonde woman.

"Urania, what are you doing? Ideological verification is an important step."

"Proditor, please. Demus has vouched for him. The issue isn't whether he's an enemy of the Ten Towers; we need to see if his prophetic abilities are real!"

With the words of these two, it felt as if something had snapped.

"What's the secret to passing a Blasphemia interview?"

"The high-frequency blade you're carrying, it's not a standard Blasphemia tool, is it?"

"Is it true that in the Blasphemia dungeons, you eat stew through your nose?"

"Where's the child of the Bacchus Cult?"

Though some priests still remained silent, the roundtable meeting room had turned into a chaotic mess. Demus covered his face with his hand.

Demus cautiously approached and whispered to me.

"Not so long ago, there were only a few who behaved so disgracefully…. Please understand. After decades of only hearing bad news, this is the first hopeful event. Everyone's emotions are running high."

I forced a bitter smile. I wasn't here to deliver hope—I was here to deceive them.

In the midst of the excitement, Urania and Proditor were the loudest.

"Can you tell my love fortune?"

"Say 'fuck the Ten Towers.'"

"Tell my love fortune!"

"Fuck the Ten—"

"Enough!"

Hyacinth's voice, brimming with fury, cut through the commotion. He had indulged their antics for a few moments, but it seemed he had finally reached his limit.

"As the one responsible for this cult, I demand that everyone maintain their dignity! I am the one conversing with this man right now!"

***

Silencing the uproar with his angry shout, Hyacinth once again glared at Utis.

"You asked us to believe that you are the enemy of the Ten Towers, so I will test your ability to oppose them with wisdom and prophecy as you claim."

Utis nodded calmly. His

closed eyes and smiling lips gave the impression of someone who had transcended the world, observing from a higher plane. Everything about Utis irritated Hyacinth.

"Speak! You, who dare to call yourself a prophet!"

No matter how skilled you are, you won't know this.

This was the most secret prophecy Hyacinth had glimpsed. Not even the other cult leaders knew it; it had been shared only with the Pope.

It was impossible to answer correctly unless one had been chosen by a divine relic.

"What is the greatest tribulation that will befall this world?"

Utis's smile deepened slightly. Hyacinth assumed he was trying to cover up his confusion with an air of composure.

You can talk all you want about the Great Hunt by the Ten Towers or the Overflow of the Extra-Dimension, but you won't touch the truth. I'll expose your fraudulence to everyone here.

Slowly, Utis opened his mouth.

"…Demon King."

The voice was so quiet. Too low to hear.

"If you're a prophet, speak your prophecy aloud!"

A faint blue light flashed from between Utis's closed eyelids. The light grew, casting a shadow over the roundtable.

No.

The saturation of the world dimmed.

In the suddenly darkened vision, a mist gathered behind Utis.

It wasn't just any mist. It seemed to be woven from the world's most ominous elements.

In the center of this mirage-like vision, a shadow cloaked in an indescribable, radiant light appeared.

Using that terrifying light as a backdrop, Utis's blue eyes gleamed as he spoke his prophecy.

"The Return of the Demon King"

To read over 260 fully translated episodes, patreon.com/Denji02