Volume 3 Chapter 8 [Church SIDE] The Fury of Cardinal Silvio
Horace absolutely wrecked the 7th division.
His punch didn't just heal the wounds, it kept the pain there while making the body work normally.
No matter what healing magic was used, the pain never went away.
That's how it worked.
All healing magic and similar spells focus on the wound, not the pain, so they couldn't heal it.
But the punches were so powerful, they kept everyone writhing in agony.
The 7th division couldn't even leave.
So, someone had to be called to carry them back to the Great Church.
The 7th division's captain had this 'emergency alarm' kind of thing, so they used that to summon help.
No voice, no image──just a signal, a magic tool.
They'll come.
While Horace was busy with reconstruction work in the town, the Great Church would send someone to pick them up.
Everyone's perfectly fine, but their armor's busted, shields are all over the place, and their faces are pale as ghosts.
The captain will be stammering, trying to explain it.
Of course, not everyone got it. Some idiots attacked Horace with a sword out of nowhere while he was working.
There's always that kind of fool. After kicking them out of town, I destroyed their armor and made them feel nothing but pain. That was enough to 'teach' them, and I sent them packing.
Too out of place.
Winning or losing wasn't even the issue.
Yeah, that's the guy──the 'hero's master'──who built a whole community just to take down the Demon Lord, all by himself.
Facing someone like him, it's only natural for anyone to think, "I don't want to fight."
* * *
"The 7th division was completely wiped out. The reinforcements from the 25th squad lost morale the moment a few of them went down?! What the hell?! They're all fired! Useless idiots who can't even do their damn jobs──kick 'em out of the knights!"
In the Cardinal's office at the Great Church, Silvio was absolutely furious.
Horace, still working on the reconstruction, was staying in the town.
The knights who returned earlier had their report delivered to the Great Church.
And when the people of the Great Church saw Horace's "cards"──his extraordinary abilities──they were stunned and terrified.
But Silvio, consumed by rage, wasn't fazed at all.
"──Honestly, isn't it pretty much expected that they'd be 'unable to fight'?"
"Instructor Remi, are you back again to get in my way?"
"Not really?"
Remi, with a bright smile, walked into the office and threw some cold logic at Silvio──but it seemed to go right over his head.
"I don't plan on getting in your way. After all, there's no stopping you, is there?"
Remi pulled out a newspaper article.
"This article, about the pastor who took gems and turned monsters back into people... I've been pissed ever since I read it."
"And rightfully so. It's a technique to save people. But they're not teaching anyone, they're not taking jobs to help people. It's because of lazy fools like this that the world won't be saved! Those with power, those with skill, have a 'duty' to use it!"
Silvio was seething with rage, but Remi just looked calm.
"Yeah, there are people who think those with power have a duty to use it for others."
"What's wrong with that? It's justice! Power is a special gift from the gods! It should never be hoarded, it should always be used for the good of society!"
"Hmph."
Remi seemed to be thinking deeply...
"The gods grant mercy to humans... huh? I read this 'holy scripture' stored in the Church, and it said that gods created humans based on their own bodies..."
"That's right. It's proof that humans are superior to other species..."
"So, is it just 'cause the gods modeled us after themselves that we're so greedy and shameless?"
"Don't be absurd! Gods wouldn't do something like that!"
"Well, can't say they did. It's easier to believe there's a 'god' at the end of our evolution, at least."
Remi's idea of 'humans evolving into gods' is sort of like the 'world conference' of the Bloodline Nation's way of thinking.
"Can't think of a stronger word than 'god.' So, 'god' is our limit. We must grow as humans," that's the world conference's view.
"What's your point?!"
"People say gods give us compassion, but has Mr. Silvio ever given a fruit to a struggling monkey?"
"..."
"Never, right? Higher beings can't see or understand the troubles of lower ones. If you can't understand a monkey's words, you won't know if it's struggling. So, giving 'fruit to a struggling monkey' isn't something humans can do. If that's how it is with us and apes, it's not like that with gods and humans, is it?"
Remi is smirking.
"No, gods aren't like that! We recognize them through faith, not words!"
"Oh, I see. That's not what I expected you to say."
Remi nods.
It seems she's quite impressed.
"That's beside the point. I'm... I'm definitely not forgiving Horace!"
Silvio grows angry.
"If I'd known this technology... I could've saved my daughter from being consumed by the gem and turned into the 'Demon Lord' 15 years ago! How could I ever forgive Horace for hiding this technology? AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
Silvio's scream echoed through the office for a while.
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