The Elmest territory is still not completely cleaned up. The queen’s shadow has not been fully removed yet.

The priests enchanted by the queen scattered and fled after the incident, but due to Aksin-chan’s mistake, they were provided with a rallying point to gather once again.

The holy water, heavily imbued with the scent of the queen they worshipped and served. With this, they believed the queen’s resurrection was not a dream.

They began to collect the liquid with the goal of resurrecting the queen. They also gathered sacrifices to prepare a new body for the queen.

In such a situation, the scar-faced senior and the teary-eyed gay arrived in the Elmest territory.

“The request was to protect the siblings living in the Elmest Goddess Church building. When we arrived, except for a bit of hunger, they were in good shape. It was a relief.”

The scar-faced senior explained the situation to the boy and joined the group. There was no reason for the fallen priests to target such a gaunt boy, so they thought it best to move and bide their time.

“We’ve run right into them.”

We encountered the fallen priests trying to retrieve the queen’s information from the temple.

The fallen priests intended to eliminate any witnesses. Their plans could not leak to the outside.

The situation was quite dire. The leader of the fallen priests’ group possessed mythical-class power. It would be great if we could win in a fight, but the risk was high.

Moreover, there were two individuals under our protection. If the boy were to die in the fight, it would all be for naught.

Therefore, as the teardrop-marked rookie and the scar-faced senior, we judged that a direct confrontation was too difficult and somehow managed to escape the scene. We have been focusing on hiding and fleeing to continue protecting the individuals.

The two veterans tried various methods to relieve the pressure. They changed their base daily, sometimes disguised their identities, and even used money to cause confusion in the pursuit.

However, under the intensifying pressure of the fallen priests, the teardrop-marked rookie and the boy volunteered to become bait. It would be more helpful in many ways if the scar-faced senior remained. And indeed, it was.

This was the result. In a small inn room, the boy’s sister was sleeping soundly, and the scar-faced senior sat on the edge of the bed.

The senior, frowning, said,

“I’ve located the position using ‘Lorei’s Possession.’ It’s an underground facility. Whether it’s dark wizards or anyone else, those who have something to hide always dig their burrows underground…”

“Alright, let’s all grab our tools. Shall we go quickly? We’ll eat when we return.”

I dusted off my hands and stood up.

Evil God-chan followed out last after everyone left the room, placing a hand on the boy’s sister’s chin. And in an instant, she absorbed the queen’s wedge.

We all pretended not to see it.

—

Illusion magic is convenient. It overlays the appearance of a priest, applies perception inhibition, draws patterns that make one feel comfortable and drowsy when seen, and with a bit of hypnosis and a slight sound effect, infiltration becomes easy.

Look. The fallen priests are naturally accepting us.

“If the illusionist mages all knew how to use it like this, the Purple Tower would have been the unrivaled number one long ago, Mima.”

“In this world, all we need is magic-computers. The moment the information age arrives, the Purple Tower will rule the world.”

“I’m afraid of that actually happening…”

Then it becomes magic cyberpunk. The Megacorp Purple Tower would complete the empire that rules the world. From media business to the Big Brother plan, it’s perfect.

As I imagined Yuna becoming the new king and ruling the entire Earth, Evil God-chan slapped my thigh. She really has a habit of acting first with her hands.

“Do you think that’s possible?”

“What, why not. If the computational power is sufficient, wouldn’t the Purple Tower take over?”

“You’ve never fought with other mages, have you?”

“……..”

That’s true.

Strangely enough, I’ve had no trouble with mages from other towers. Even that sleazy professor from the academy became friendly, so there was no fighting, and Selvier was out of my league.

I’ve only seen the famous illusionist mage Baekseol of the Blue Tower indirectly. I’ve never actually crossed hands with her.

“If you were hit by a blast of hellfire, you’d be bawling your eyes out. Illusion magic isn’t about defense, it’s about evasion, so there’s no way to reduce the damage when you’re hit. You don’t have scales, so you’d probably burn to ashes in an instant.”

The words carried a strange emotion, so I asked, perhaps out of concern.

“…By any chance, is that from experience?”

“……..”

It seems the hellfire was quite painful.

The fact that illusion magic has no proper means to counter area attacks is certainly fatal. After all, illusion magic lacks physical force.

The hologram I painstakingly created has some physical force, but compared to the steel walls erected by the golden tower, it’s naturally weaker.

The only conclusion is that if you can’t dominate your opponent instantly, you lose.

Physical force is needed.

…I’m sure I’m not the only one who’s thought of this. During the long history of the tower, someone must have grappled with the task of materializing illusions. Perhaps even desperately. Without regard for means or methods.

I vaguely know that the result is Yuna. And that it left her with a memory painfully terrible.

Swoosh, swoosh. I gently stroked Yuna’s head.

“……..?”

Yuna looked up at me, startled. She seemed to like being petted, but her expression asked, ‘Why?’ I brushed it off as nothing.

We moved to the prison first. Rescuing the hostages was the priority.

It seemed they weren’t too concerned with the health of their sacrificial offerings, as the prison environment was quite harsh. It was a dirty, smelly space. Dried bloodstains remained, uncleaned.

There were only two in the prison. A small boy and a teardrop-marked gay.

After putting the priest on watch to deep sleep by massaging his neck, I dispelled the illusion magic that covered my party and revealed our identities. Then I greeted them warmly.

“It’s been a while, teardrop-marked gay.”

“……..?”

The teardrop-marked gay mulled over my words, then his neck flushed. With a voice tinged with slight resentment, he protested.

“There’s a monster that has reached metamorphosis, how could I not get caught and escape? Sir. Isn’t it the client who’s wrong for deploying 2-star personnel for such a task…?”

“I’ve beaten metamorphosis without even filming it.”

“…You haven’t changed a bit.”

While I was giving him a hard time, the evil deity-chan seemed a bit hesitant. It was as if… his body was stiffening from the creeping guilt.

The boy looked pitifully skinny and ragged.

If only I hadn’t taken the unnecessary dirty money, if only I had just cured the boy’s sister without throwing a tantrum, was that what he was thinking?

To instill some courage in him, I patted the evil deity-chan on the back and pushed him forward.

“…Hey!”

“Ah, hurry up and talk. We need to sweep up the remnants of our queen quickly, and go enjoy the Hero Festival. What’s so hard about that, why are you clinging on in fear?”

“It’s none of your business, really…!”

Fuming with indignation, he seemed embarrassed by his own hesitation. Striding over to the iron bars of the cell, he pressed his face against them.

“…Hey. I kept my promise.”

“Thank you. I prayed hard, every single night. It seems the goddess has finally granted my wish this time. So, does that mean you can be cured…?”

“Yeah. The crazy wizard here fixed me up nicely. Now, it’s just you who needs to come out unscathed. Come on out.”

“What a relief…”

The boy smiled. How could one describe that smile? It seemed he was immensely pleased to see his hardships finally rewarded. He stood up and bowed repeatedly to us.

Then, our eyes met.

Black hair and red eyes. The two women by his side. It must have reminded him of the fact-based slander he had heard about Evil Spirit-chan.

Rumors that Evil Spirit-chan had become a guinea pig for magic experiments, or that her body had been toyed with in various ways. The boy cautiously asked to make sure.

“The wizard, um. You’re the apprentice of the Purple Tower Master, right…?”

“Yeah, that’s me. Why?”

“……”

He hesitated.

Without using magic or even concentrating, I could see right through what he was thinking. He was probably debating whether to ask me not to torment Evil Spirit-chan.

With the fear that if he made such a request, I might, in a fit of rage, curse his sister… Along with such anxious thoughts.

I crouched down to meet the boy’s gaze and grinned wickedly, like a perverted wizard with a maniacal taste.

“Right. I did that.”

“What?”

“Everything you’re thinking is correct. Evil Spirit-chan is scheduled to be used for my magic experiment tonight as well. So, do you have something you want to say to me?”

“……”

Could he muster the courage for Evil Spirit-chan, who had saved him and his family?

“Hey, don’t do it!”

“Ah!”

Evil Spirit-chan kicked me as I crouched down. It seemed like she was telling me to stop teasing. I deliberately fell over with an exaggerated reaction.

“Dragon Scale.”

Creeeak. Screeeeech!

Evil Spirit-chan’s arms were covered in black scales. Then, she grabbed the iron bars with both hands and exerted her strength. With a painful sound, the bars bent and a gap opened.

“Come out.”

“Ah, okay…”

The boy emerged hesitantly from the prison. Inside, left alone, the tearful idol Kay gazed sadly through the bars that seemed too narrow to pass.

And though he looked as if he was pleading for someone to open the prison door, no one came to help (Yuna tried, but there was no way to pry apart the iron bars except by sublimation).

In the end, he had to wriggle through the tight gap, grunting with effort.

“Now then… Pinballes, take them and join up with the senior. The Tower Master, Evil God-chan, and I will clean up here and head out.”

“Isn’t the vanguard missing?”

“What are you worried about? The Tower Master is here, it’s fine. Besides, it’s just a fairy tale level here, right?”

“Then, yes. I’ll return. But don’t get even a scratch. If you… come back unharmed, I’ll tell you a risqué joke.”

His voice was almost a whisper, as if crawling into a mouse hole, but I listened intently, casting three layers of magic on my ears and even turning on a recording spell.

This is life. I moved forward, buoyed by the spell Pinballes had cast.

“Let’s go for a no-hit clear!”

“…You lecherous fool, really!”

Yuna grumbled a bit.

—

It should be called an underground temple.

In a space that could fit about thirty people, at the end of the wall, there was a platform about ankle-high. And on it, an altar was lavishly decorated with all sorts of gold leaf.

On top of the altar was a golden dish, gathering the liquefied information of the goddess.

The candles placed all around lit up the space, but it was not enough, as the underground was devoid of sunlight. It was dark. The shadows changed shape with every flicker of the candles.

About ten priests were praying towards the golden dish from below the platform, and atop it, a skinny high priest who seemed to be their leader was conducting the service.

“The day of our goddess’s resurrection is not far off. It is soon, everyone.”

He wore a ceremonial hat heavy enough to weigh down his neck, and his body was wrapped in secular extravagance. There wasn’t a single spot without gold.

Seeing the priests bowing incessantly towards the golden dish, my urge to tease Evil God-chan cooled. Did they really want to adorn what they worship so much? To make it look admirable to others?

So much for sanctity.

“Tch.”

“Tsk.”

I clicked my tongue in disdain. But strangely, at the same time, I heard a sound like someone else failing to click their tongue.

Turning my head, there was Evil God-chan. She was also looking for the source of the clicking sound, which had happened simultaneously. Yuna murmured upon seeing this.

“…You two are quite alike.”

“Not at all.”

“No way!”

As if I resembled someone who couldn’t even click their tongue properly or make a snapping sound with their fingers.

Amidst the commotion, they seemed to notice our presence, one by one turning their gaze this way. The gaunt high priest also stared in our direction.

Our eyes met. His gaze was more direct than I expected. Not the eyes of someone whose reason was clouded.

From noble mtl dot come

“Uninvited guests have arrived. What brings you here?”

“We need to reclaim the contents of that golden dish.”

“To covet the sacred relic of the goddess, how irreverent.”

“That’s not the goddess’s artifact. It’s the residue of the succubus queen. If you were unaware, surrender now with your hands up. I’ll consider leniency.”

The high priest spoke decisively.

“I know. The whispers every night belonged to her, not a broken goddess.”

“…You knew? So, you believed in the imposter of the goddess even knowing her true identity? Was the pleasure of dreams so delightful that you worshiped a nightmare as a goddess?”

“Brother, please do not insult my faith. I have vowed to serve her with unwavering belief. Unlike the broken goddess, she harbored a grand purpose.”

“The goddess is broken.”

Hearing my musing, the high priest’s expression twisted in anguish. It was the emotion of a long-held belief betrayed, leaving a weighty wound.

Thump, thump, thump!

The high priest pounded the altar with his fists.

“Yes. The goddess is broken. The will of the great heavens should reside in a place high above, revered by all. But the goddess did not.”

“Hmm.”

“And compared to that, what about her? She wanted to stand tall above the goddess’s seat. Her noble intent was enough to follow wholeheartedly.”

The queen’s words linger in my memory. According to what I heard from Phingballez, she spoke of escaping fate. But contrary to such grand words…

In the end, the queen’s deeds were nothing but a repetitive task of devouring people and fattening herself.

What she desired was to ascend to an omnipotent position and play with others—a vile wish. A goal no less ugly than the goddess’s, if not uglier.

The high priest must know this truth. He believed, knowing it, because the goddess did not please him.

I reached a conclusion.

“You just wanted to believe in something… grand. It was enough for you that someone, a truly great being, existed above you.”

“Such beings are not even fit to be toys, Mima. They lack amusement.”

Disqualified as humans, disqualified as toys. I’ll dispose of them.

Charalalak!

Evil God-chan stepped forward, her arms covered in dragon scales, and I prepared my magic incantation. Yuna lightly raised her fingers.

Then, the high priest said something unexpected.

“But still, I believe in the broken goddess.”

“……?”

What nonsense is this? Just moments ago, you were bad-mouthing the goddess, and now?

As I stood there dumbfounded, Akushin-chan tensed up even more. Then, she warned me.

“Hey, Mima. That guy seems to know something. He’s going to use divine power.”

“What? No, what did you say?”

Would the goddess, not being a fool or an idiot, bestow divine power after being cursed to her face? And to think, he’s committed all sorts of heresy and evil deeds.

If I were a god, I would have struck down with divine punishment right away.

Fwooosh──!

However, from the archbishop’s body, divine power erupted to a ludicrous degree. And then.

“Succession Metamorphosis – ‘Cogwheel: Freeze.'”

“No, what?!”

“Why, why is it working⋯⋯?!”

Yuna and I let out surprised cries.

From behind the archbishop, a bluish ice emerged, branching out in all directions like tree limbs. The clicking sound of cogwheels could be heard. It was the power of the goddess.

What in the world, it’s not like I’ve been deceived like a fallen holy knight. Even the guy who switched from hating the goddess to serving the queen can use divine power?

It’s a laughable matter.

If the net of heaven were this loose, they wouldn’t have been able to build such a church in the first place. Which means.

2. The goddess is falling apart for some reason. She’s so broken that she would bestow divine power even to those who flatter her with their lips.