PMEVBO 120

All I needed to manifest my divine power was the potion that Bechard made and gave me.

It was just that there was a price I had to pay to get it.

Bowing my head to the floor like an animal to take the potion, chewing and swallowing a butterfly whole, being locked in a room filled with preserved butterflies, and everything else… it was all a price I had to pay. The price I had to pay to gain his cooperation.

They were things I never wanted to go through again. But I didn’t care.

‘Butterfly, do you hate this? If you do, shall I stop?’

…Because it was all my choice.

It didn’t take long for me to realize that Bechard was a crazy bastard. So if I didn’t think I could handle it, I should have just quit, whether at the start or along the way. Yet I started it, and I didn’t quit.

Bechard is a terrible person. He used the manifestation of divine power as an excuse to do all sorts of crazy things to me. But it was none other than me who gave that bastard the chance to do so.

Because I wanted to manifest divine power, even if it meant doing it that way.

In the end, I got what I wanted. Isn’t that enough?

‘You did it because you wanted to.’

Yeah, that’s right. I did it because I wanted to.

If what I went through back then was abuse, then I was an accomplice to that abuse. …So I wasn’t a victim.

The assault incident that set the city ablaze was an accident that occurred during the process of manifesting my divine power. After that, I was exiled to Duke Hayut’s castle and was incarcerated in Hell for the crime of causing the Hayut Massacre.

I hadn’t even seen Bechard in the past seven years. What’s more, it felt as though the memories of the 25 years I’d lived as Kang Je-in had been inserted into that time as well.

That was why I couldn’t understand it. Even though I’d only seen his face for a moment, I found myself unable to move like a frog bitten by a snake.

“Where does it hurt? I told you so. You shouldn’t have run off just now, you idiot.”

“……I’m fine.”

I really was fine. It was just my damn body overreacting; my mind was perfectly clear.

I wiped the cold sweat from my chin with irritation.

────【 System Notification 】────

Level-up conditions have been met.

Would you like to level up now?

Yes/No

────────────────────────

It was a familiar window. Of course it was. I’d seen it the last time I leveled up too.

It didn’t show up the first time I leveled up, but it’s been showing up ever since?

I guess this was how leveling up was going to work from now on.

…I’ll level up eventually, but it doesn’t have to be right now.

Last time, I chose ‘Yes’ without thinking. Then this damn system knocked me flat on the floor of the prison cell’s bathroom. I had to lie there unconscious and defenseless for three or four hours.

This place was even less suitable as a spot to pass out than the prison cell bathroom. Without meaning to, my gaze drifted toward the Pope’s lounge. There was no need to think twice. I immediately selected “No.”

I let out a sigh of relief as the level-up window obediently disappeared. Just as I was finally catching my breath, I saw Atsula crouching with his back to me.

“Hey, what are you doing? Get on my back.”

“What?”

“Are you deaf? …I said get on my back.”

At this point, I couldn’t help but laugh. I knew exactly why he wanted me to get on his back. He must be trying to take me to the doctor.

Wow… I never thought I’d live to see a day like this.

But it would be better if days like this never came. …It was just awkward. It was awkward for me, but that bastard would probably feel awkward too if he knew who he was doing this to.

Instead of climbing onto his back, I took a few steps back and leaned against the wall.

“I’m fine. You don’t have to do that, Archbishop Abet,”

Atsula turned his head around. The way he craned his neck nearly 180 degrees to glare at me made him look like a ghost from an old folktale. In a voice filled with irritation, he said,

“Fuck, what’s ‘fine’ about this? If you’re fine, why are you shaking like a leaf?”

Only then did I realize my hands were trembling, and I hurriedly hid them behind my back. I tilted my head to one side and smiled.

“So what? Even if I’m not fine, what’s that got to do with you, Archbishop?”

At that, Atsula’s expression became a sight to behold. He jumped to his feet and walked toward me. Then he slammed one hand against the wall and growled.

“Hey, are you done talking?”

“Well, sort of.”

“Hah.”

Atsula’s hand, which had been coming at me to grab me by the collar, dropped to his side. Even though he was glaring at me with a murderous look, Atsula ultimately stepped back without touching a single hair on my head.

I knew that, given his rotten personality, this counted as him being kind.

…But why is he being kind with me?

It’s disgusting.

Just then, another status window appeared.

────【 System Notification 】────

Activating virus removal process.

During this process, the player will temporarily lose consciousness.

Progress: 0% (0/100)

This process may take several hours.

──────────────────────

……Huh?

The vaccine’s been ready for ages, yet it’s been sitting idle all this time and decides to run the treatment right now……?

Fuck… Is this system crazy?

I forced myself to stay calm and checked the status window again. The content wasn’t much different from what I saw during the last level-up update. At this rate, there was no point in postponing the level-up just a moment ago. I had no idea what grudge this system had against me to be doing this.

At least, it didn’t look like I was going to die.

[Stop Process]

────【 System Notification 】────

Cannot request to stop process.

──────────────────────

Why…!?’

A help window popped up.

You can only request to stop a process once.

※Already used

……Is that why my request to stop the process was rejected just now?

When did I ever use “stop”……

Since I fell into this world, the only “stop” I’ve ever used was my finger¹. I used it to flip off this shitty system.

The player will temporarily lose consciousness in 30s

(30s)

“Hah.”

The moment my mind went blank, Atsula’s gaze bore into my face.

“……Hey, you need to go see a doctor right now. If you don’t want to die, shut up and follow me.”

Atsula, his face set in a grim expression, roughly grabbed my wrist. I twisted my wrist free even though it hurt. I didn’t want to lose consciousness here, even if it killed me.

So I just ran.

I have to hide somewhere…

I couldn’t think of any other way.

“Hey! Fuck, where are you going!”

Soon after, the sound of footsteps followed. But I didn’t have the luxury of looking back.

10s

My head started spinning. My heart ached as if it were about to explode, and my vision began to turn white. It was just as I turned the corner in the hallway. A hand reaching out from an open door grabbed mine.

The hand was cold, different from Atsula’s. As I flinched at the body temperature that reminded me of someone, I was helplessly pulled into the room.

The next moment, I was cradled in someone’s arms. I tried to lift my head to see who it was, but a hand gently cupped the back of my head. I couldn’t detect any scent from the person’s shoulder, where my face was buried.

I lost consciousness as I felt someone pat my back.

***

As the countdown ended, Lucariel’s body went limp. Iser held Lucariel even tighter. He pressed his lips to his temple, which was damp with cold swstolen contenteat, as he looked at the report screen.

─────【 Report 】─────

Recovering memory errors caused by

the ‘Weapon of Brainwashing’

(Hayut Massacre, XXX Hayut)

Note: After memory recovery, mission performer will regain consciousness

────────────────

Iser hugged Lucariel tightly in his arms and whispered.

“…I’m scared, Lucariel.”

Just then, the sound of Atsula’s footsteps came from beyond the door.

Perhaps because the number of clergy above the rank of bishop had dwindled, there were many empty lounges on the third floor. The room where Lucariel and he were was one of them.

‘Since this is the only empty room around here, he’ll be barging in any second.’

And as expected, the sound of the doorknob clicking and turning came from the other side. Iser wasted no time and manipulated the panel.

PMEVBO 120

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