NOVEL NEXT Celeste had been in a pretty good mood lately.
The Cathedral she'd built for the Sun God was expanding smoothly, and judging by their growing power, the gods themselves seemed to be drawing closer to this world.
Moreover,
"…"
Now that she had someone she could trust to stand by her side.
…She thought of Egostic, and smiled quietly.
And so Celeste continued to live her life, day by day.
She may have been labeled a villain, but she never thought of herself as one.
She was always doing her best to do what the Sun God wanted her to do, which was to conquer the world through Cathedral for the benefit of humans.
Even if there was backlash…it didn't matter, she thought, because it was the words of the ignorant masses who didn't understand the deeper meaning.
Then one day when she was in a good mood because of a memory from a few days ago she found herself in the prayer room, quietly, dressed in her saintly robes, her silver hair flowing.
Celeste was kneeling on her knees with her eyes closed, praying to the Sun God, thinking about all sorts of things.
…Faster than anyone else, in fact.
She sensed something unusual.
‘…What is it?’
Surely, she was just praying as usual.
The power within her began to surge, almost as if it were beating in time with her heart to announce the arrival of something.
"Ugh…"
That was the moment Celeste was grabbed by her hair.
"Ugh…!"
Suddenly, she felt something huge land on her head.
‘His' voice rang out.
[Hello, humans.]
And in that moment, Celeste, the only saint of his in this world, heard the voice and realized.
‘Ah. This is the voice of God.’
The voice of the Sun God, as she has always believed and as if to prove it the Sun God slowly began to speak.
[I am the one who ruled over you, the one who was once called the Sun God. It is good to see you again, my children.]
"Ah…!"
At his words, Celeste momentarily forgot her pain and let out a heartfelt exclamation of joy.
It is He. He has come, indeed.
He has come, at last, to save the world.
He who loved humans, who cared about the world.
It was then that she thought with such joy.
[And while I was gone. You have grown up, indeed, indeed…]
[Horribly.]
"Oh…?"
She didn't understand his next words for a moment.
Moo, what are you talking about?
Haha. Did I hear him wrong?
Before she could think so and as if giving her no chance to escape, the god continued firmly.
[Let me tell you in advance, lowly beings]
[I will judge you]
[In 1????????????8??????????0????????%?????????????@???????????!????????, I will descend myself to judge your sins.]
His words, clear and certain, were like a sentence.
Clear wrath and murder was heard in a voice that promises to judge all.
While Celeste listened, mesmerized, His words came to an end.
[Until then, spend the time atoning and wait in agony for the destruction to come.]
[Death is the only fitting end for you.]
At last, the long words of the Sun God came to an end.
And so, at last, the overwhelming feeling that had overwhelmed her was gone.
…Celeste, still cowering at one side of the prayer hall, stared off into space, her gaze soulless and desolate, and muttered in a trembling voice.
"Why…?"
God, why?
Why? Why are you doing this to us?
Why, why. Why…?
And that's when she thought.
"Ugh…"
Only to realize that, once again, she felt a great sense of intimidation.
She tensed, wondering if he would speak again.
"Uh…?"
In front of her eyes, a holy white light blazed brightly and from within it, a voice, clearer than ever was heard.
[My child, Celeste…]
"God…!"
At His words Celeste fell to her knees and looked up into the light.
God had come for her, for her alone.
The original her would have been infinitely moved by it but now that she had glimpsed God's true intentions, only confusion and fear remained.
With trembling eyes, she gazed up at the light.
Finally, the voice of God came again.
[How well you have grown, my most faithful servant.]
"I thank thee…"
[There is one thing I would like to ask of you.]
His words continued nonchalantly, as if he didn't hear her but up until this point, she had been hopeful that maybe God's earlier words were just a warning, that maybe he was telling her to take charge and control this world but Celeste's hopes were crushed by his next words.
[Until I arrive, you will destroy this world first.]
[You must eliminate as many humans as you can, for the sole purpose of eliminating more humans.]
[The power I have given you is the ability to unleash the powers of other superhumans and bring them under your control. With that power, judge this world first.]
"Ah, ah…"
His words are firm, leaving no room for argument and compelled her to stain her hands with blood.
Even as she despaired deeply his next words were enough to send her into even deeper shock.
[And this is the most important thing.]
[Get rid of the Star Child.]
[Somewhere in this world, there is a person with the power of the stars. He is the most dangerous. Eliminate him first, and quickly. Do you understand?]
"Ah…"
At his words, a person immediately appeared in front of her eyes.
The one who had always smiled, who had always been there for her, who had always been by her side.
The one who had laughed and said he believed in the Sun God, even though he had the power of the stars.
To get rid of him, with his own hands?
The unbelievable words were enough to bring her back to her senses.
"Wait, wait, wait! Why on earth…"
[I'm counting on you, Celeste, please don't disappoint me.]
But her words were cut off by the Sun God's next words.
Only then did Celeste realize.
"Ah…"
The god hadn't been listening to her in the first place.
The message had been a one-way street and just like that, the light faded.
She collapsed in the prayer room, alone.
She stared in disbelief, her mind struggling to process the truths she now knew.
"Ah…"
Celeste had always been a firm believer.
That the Sun God who had saved her must be a Great God and that he would one day save the world.
This belief was reinforced when Egostic found ancient records in the Sun God's ruins that said he ruled the world.
But,
[You must eliminate as many humans as possible, for the sole purpose of eliminating more.]
His voice was so clear and murderous.
God was not what she thought.
He wished for the destruction of the world, not its salvation.
"….."
What to do now?
The realization dawned on Celeste, and she sat dead-eyed and silent in the prayer room.
I've lived my whole life for God.
Trusting in Him, following Him, living for Him who had saved her.
And now what?
Should she follow His command to destroy the world?
[Eliminate the Star Child.]
Should I also follow His words to kill Egostic?
‘…That. That, I can't…'
"Ah…Hmph."
That's what she was thinking, even before she realized it.
“Celeste, are you all right?”
From beyond the prayer room door, she heard footsteps, then a familiar voice spoke right beside her.
She turned her head to look….and saw the raggedly dressed Egostic, who had rushed to her aid as soon as the incident occurred.
Only then did she realize what was happening.
"Ah, eh, Egostic…"
And with that, she grabbed him.
Celeste, sobbing, muttered to him.
"…Egostic, I, uh, what should I do…God, God…"
Celeste was completely broken now.
She had only ever known one god but now she felt completely and utterly lost.
With no one to turn to, no idea what the hell to do, she was lost.
In the midst of it all….There could have been a sense of betrayal that God was not the God she thought he was and so, as she clung to Egostic, confused. "Shhh. Just calm down, calm down."
Egostic said with a calm expression.
At that, Celeste opened her mouth with a slightly trembling voice.
"How, how can I calm down…! The God I've believed in and followed all these years… the God… the God… He gave me such a command, and, hmmm…"
He told me to kill you…
When she couldn't get the words out, she broke down, helpless.
Egostic stood before her and spoke quietly.
"Celeste."
"Why did we, uh, follow the Sun God?"
…?
"What…?"
Though Celeste didn't know it then, it was in that moment that her fate was sealed.