20demayo Chapter 74: The Gods Do Not Exist in the Sky
Chapter 74: The Gods Do Not Exist in the Sky
Chapter 74 - 74: The Gods Do Not Exist in the Sky
[Ding, ding, ding—]
[The church bells ring, echoing in the air]
[This is a remote small town in France, a simple and unadorned rural place]
[There is only one church in this small town]
[Today, many people have gathered in front of the church]
[Puppeteers and magicians are holding a charity performance in the square, and the children in the town have all gathered around]
[Sitting in a café facing the square]
[You savor the rich coffee as you observe the harmonious scene before you]
"It's so peaceful~"
Moran took another sip of coffee.
He was dressed in a distinctive and holy priest's robe, perfectly blending into the street scene.
Indeed, he was twenty-four years old and a priest.
This was not his first time coming here for coffee.
[You were born into a Christian family]
[From birth, your talents led your parents to have high expectations for you; they believed you could inherit their legacy and create brilliance anew]
[Even the church held you in high regard]
[You displayed your talents throughout your youth, and while others thought you were immeasurable, it wouldn't be surprising if you became a cardinal in the future—]
[You did something astonishing]
[You did not follow the path set by your parents but chose to become a low-level agent of the church]
[Completely severing the possibility of rising to the higher echelons of the church]
[Agents have the highest priority on the battlefield and at the scene]
[As soldiers, they are granted certain rights and freedoms, the price being the deprivation of opportunities for advancement]
[However, even as an agent]
[You still joined the burial agency through your strength and achievements, becoming a member of this extralegal organization within the church]
[No one understood why you made this choice]
[And you didn't need to understand]
"According to my parents' arrangements in this life, becoming a cardinal is meaningless; the power struggles within the church are just as fierce as those in the Clock Tower.
Although agents have no real power, in some ways, having strength grants the greatest freedom."
Moran mused as he sipped his coffee.
He had chosen to join the church out of respect for his parents, who had given him life.
Moran himself had little interest in the church.
Naturally, he chose a position of freedom.
Two years ago, he submitted an application to the church and came to this remote town in France to take over the church.
Of course, Moran had his own purpose.
[You are aware that this small town will attract the Twenty-Seven Ancestors, and at least six Ancestors will gather here]
[The reason is that Roa is about to revive]
[He has invited the Twenty-Seven Ancestors to come here to hold a ceremony through his own arrangements]
[The purpose is to capture the True Ancestor Princess]
"Unfortunately, this simulation does not include my history as a True Ancestor; I wonder if Arcueid and Altrouge remember me..."
Moran revealed a complex expression.
He had gone through the church's records to
[You gave a positive response]
[Afterward, Noel joyfully retreated back into the café]
[Perhaps she didn't even realize how lucky she felt]
[This was a huge surprise for her]
"I'm at an age where I can't be cruel enough to directly refuse such a pure-hearted girl..."
Moran turned and walked down the main street of the town.
He was thinking about the ceremony that the Twenty-Seven Ancestors would hold in this city.
If all went well, it would be on Christmas Eve.
Noel's house was conveniently located in the center of the town.
At that time, whether to protect people or deal with enemies, he could act more conveniently.
[You head towards Elesia's house]
[On the way, you think about how to deal with Roa]
[In the last simulation, as a True Ancestor, you didn't give Roa any chance to reincarnate, killing him with a single strike of conceptualization]
[This time, the situation is different]
[In this sub-quest, Roa is already in the process of reincarnation, making it quite difficult to kill him completely]
[From the moment Elesia was born as a fetus]
[Roa's soul has taken root within her]
[While pondering a solution, you have already arrived at Elesia's home]
[Under the guidance of Elesia's parents]
[You come to her room]
[It feels quite abrupt, just like that you have arrived]
[Elesia is an ordinary twelve-year-old girl]
[Her parents run a regular bakery]
[However, one day after her twelfth birthday, an abnormal change quietly descended upon her]
[While playing with friends]
[She would inexplicably want to break the delicate necks of those around her]
[When seeing a beggar on the street]
[She would feel a strange joy at the thought of stabbing that malnourished belly]
[The impulsive feelings came without any warning or pattern]
[It was as if she might forget her own name]
[Covering her mouth with her hands to stifle the screams and the tears threatening to spill, she wanted to escape from the madness]
[Wanting to destroy everything she could]
[Her expression would twist with joy]
[The girl, educated in modern ways, did not believe in unscientific things]
[She mistakenly thought this situation was just a small destructive impulse that everyone experiences]
[This was undoubtedly wrong]
[She should have more faith in the divine, not fear her own nature, and should seek help immediately]
[Of course, the first place she thought of was the bakery]
[Where you always greeted her warmly]
[Perhaps she once thought about explaining it to you, but as she got closer, the urge to destroy within her overflowed uncontrollably.]
[The girl couldn't take a single step closer to the one she admired.]
[The growing intent to kill was terrifying.]
[It was as if another self existed within her, and such things were impossible to share with others.]
[Elesia locked herself in her room all day.]
[She prayed for the madness to end soon.]
[However, that sealed door suddenly opened, simply because someone stepped into this space.]
[The minuscule dissatisfaction.]
I[n an instant, it expanded to an infinite size.]
[Looking at her father, who wore a worried expression and wanted to talk to her, and her mother, who forced a smile through tears.]
[And the detestable priest— you.]
[With her weakened body, having not eaten for a long time, she lunged at her parents' throats, wanting to gulp down their blood.]
[The world collapsed.]
[God does not exist in the heavens.]