Chapter 102: Bone and Flesh , Blood (5)

Hus doubted the sight before his eyes.

Right in front of him, where the paladins were aiming their weapons at an apostle-level enemy, there was a familiar face.

Evan Allemier.

The eldest son of the Allemier family and his brother who always led Hus Allemier.

His blood relative who loved his family more than anyone and was loyal to the family.

He was standing there, wrapped in black lightning.

It was an incomprehensible sight.

It was also a sight that he should not understand.

The Evan Allemier in his memory was always a paladin who boasted of his devout faith.

That’s why Hus tried to deny the reality that he was facing.

“What? You’re saying that person is my brother?”

“…”

Hus’s voice echoed under the barrier he had created.

But Hus completely ignored Sion’s voice and stared at Evan, who was looking at him from afar.

Evan’s eyes, which were immersed in thick bloodlust, also showed signs of confusion for now.

Evan looked at Hus with a stiff face, spreading lightning around him, and then regained his composure and approached the main body of Cuebaerg.

He was trying to retrieve Cuebaerg, who was protected by the monsters.

The paladins raised their swords at Evan’s appearance, and Oren, the leader of the expedition, tried to attack Evan with the power of the holy sword.

“Stop! Everyone stop.”

“Hus? What are you talking about?”

Oren stopped his swinging sword with a puzzled look at Hus’s voice.

Thud. Thud.

Meanwhile, Evan did not stop moving.

He moved forward and scattered lightning around him.

The black lightning spread out in all directions, threatening the paladins who were nearby.

Crackle— Crackle!

The paladins quickly retreated back, raising their holy power at the sight of the approaching lightning.

In an instant, the front line that had been restraining Evan retreated back.

“That man is my family. So… let me talk to him.”

“Family? You mean that man is the missing heretic interrogator?”

“…Yes. He’s the person I’ve been looking for.”

“It’s clear that he has become an apostle of the evil god by his current state. There is no way to have a normal conversation with a fallen heretic.”

Fallen.

Hus’s heart sank at that word.

He knew what Oren was talking about.

They were in a situation where they were fighting against the evil god’s minions, so it was natural to judge Evan that way.

But Hus thought there was a misunderstanding.

Evan was a believer who had a pure faith before he was a paladin.

Everyone around him, including his family, acknowledged Evan’s faith.

So Hus thought that the current judgment of Evan was a mistake by the paladins.

Hus denied Oren’s words and tried to move forward.

“There must be something wrong.”

“Hus! It’s dangerous!”

“Brother… there’s no way he would fall for something like an evil god.”

“Hus! He’s an apostle of the evil god! If you approach him unarmed——!”

The distance between Evan and Hus narrowed gradually.

Evan’s eyes looked at him as he approached.

His face, which he saw up close, looked much rougher than before.

He must have gone through many hardships while he was out of sight.

Hus, who judged that way, opened his mouth to Evan, who had picked up Cuebaerg’s main body.

“Brother! I thought you were dead because you didn’t contact me!”

“…Hus.”

“But why are you here?”

Evan’s eyes looked at Hus for a moment.

His eyes were soaked with joy.

They were his brother’s eyes that always welcomed him.

But Evan soon lowered his gaze from him and looked at the white monster in his hand.

Hus’s face darkened at Evan’s attitude.

Evan lowered his gaze and asked him without looking at him.

“Hus. What are you now?”

“Huh? Brother, what kind of question is that…”

“I asked you what qualifications you have to stand here.”

Hus’s eyes naturally went to his clothes.

He was wearing clothes with the mark of the temple, and he was in a situation where he was carrying out an operation with the expedition team.

Hus realized then what Evan meant by his question.

Evan doesn’t know that Hus has become a hero of knowledge now.

Hus flicked his clothes and told Evan his identity with a confident voice.

He wanted to brag to Evan that he had become a hero chosen by the goddess.

He said:

“Brother, I have become a hero of knowledge.”

“…You have become a hero of knowledge?”

“Yes. I was chosen by the goddess of knowledge, and I have this mark of a hero…”

Hus looked at Evan with a face full of expectation.

For the faithful paladins, becoming a hero chosen by the goddess was a great honor.

Evan, who had a pure faith, would also be proud of Hus.

Hus expected a fierce reaction from Evan as he approached him closer.

But what came out of Evan’s mouth was the opposite of what he hoped for.

“So you’re my enemy.”

The cold answer pierced Hus’s ears.

Blink. Blink.

Hus blinked several times, unable to believe the story unfolding before his eyes.

But the scene reflected in Hus’s eyes remained unchanged.

Evan Alemier was wearing a gauntlet that gave off a sinister feeling, looking down at Cuebaerg.

The situation he faced was not a dream.

Evan had declared that he had become his enemy, with Hus in front of him.

“Wh-what?”

“I said you’re my enemy from now on.”

“What do you mean… why do we have to be enemies?”

It was an incomprehensible story.

Evan was his blood and a member of his family, as well as a brilliant teacher who always led him.

But Evan had become his enemy.

It was an unacceptable situation for Hus.

If he told this fact to the elders of his family, they would ridicule him and blame him for making up such a story.

Yet Evan’s expression was still serious.

He moved his gauntlet and added to Hus.

“Didn’t you say you’re the hero of knowledge? It’s just a matter of having different roles.”

“Brother, what are you talking about…”

Before Hus could finish his sentence, Evan raised his head.

His emotionless eyes slowly met Hus and the other heroes.

At the same time, cracks appeared on the wings behind Evan.

Crackle. Crackle.

The shockwaves of lightning spread in all directions, and black lightning flickered irregularly in Evan’s hand.

Hus felt uneasy and stepped back at the sight of Evan wrapped in dark energy.

Evan, who was looking at the expedition members, opened his mouth in a blunt voice.

“Let me introduce myself to the poor heroes here. I am the second apostle, Evan Alemier.”

“——.”

“The sword that exists for the sake of the great one.”

As soon as Evan finished introducing himself,

Hus dropped the hieroglyph he was holding in his left hand.

Thud.

The hieroglyph that fell to the ground floated in the air by magic.

Even though the artifact was floating by itself, Hus did not pay attention to it.

He had heard the story he did not want to hear.

“······.”

The second apostle.

Evan’s words meant one thing.

The Evan in front of Hus’s eyes was no longer a noble paladin who served God.

Evan Alemier had fallen.

And he became the second apostle who served the evil god.

“The second apostle······?”

Hus’s voice trembled as he heard Evan’s words.

He had affirmed with his own mouth what he had to deny with all his might.

He had to accept the cruel reality that faced him.

The brother in front of him was not the Evan he knew.

He was an apostle of God who served the evil god.

And for the hero of knowledge, he was an enemy of humanity who had to be annihilated.

“I see you finally understand what I’m saying.”

Evan, who scattered dark lightning, came forward.

The paladins who were maintaining the front line also approached Hus with tense expressions.

They were wary of each other.

The two factions were incompatible with each other.

The killing intent that vividly touched Hus’s skin proved that fact.

Hus reached out to his eyes covered with a bandage and sighed.

He did not want this kind of ending.

“Brother… no, you…”

Hus’s breath became rough as he looked at Evan.

Hus Alemier.

He had worked hard all his life.

There was always a bright light shining in front of Hus.

A light that was intense and warm at the same time.

The one standing in front of him was always a person close to perfection.

Hus had always been compared to Evan, but he tried to become a person worthy of his family name.

To move forward a little more.

To stand shoulder to shoulder with his brother someday.

“That’s why… why…”

When he achieved what he aimed for, he wanted to be recognized by others.

He wanted to be acknowledged by the adults who always compared him to Evan.

He wanted to be acknowledged by Evan, who always told him to become a person suitable for his family name.

What he needed was his family’s recognition.

That’s why he was so happy when he became the hero of knowledge, and he looked forward to Evan’s reaction.

He thought that Evan, who always told him to become a person suitable for his family name, would be happy to hear the news.

He must have been happy.

But Evan’s reaction was very different from his expectation.

“Why…? Why did you side with the evil god…?”

Hus’s eyes, which were bloodshot, stared at Evan.

His breath became faster as he looked at Evan.

Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump.

His heart pounded violently, and his blood rushed through his body.

His head was burning with hot blood, and his breath was leaking with anger.

The world he longed for no longer existed.

Everything had collapsed.