Upper-class district.
Streets that once brought as much leeway to its residents as the wealth they possessed, were now devoid of serenity, cause of mayhem. For the upper-class district sat in the center of the city, close to the royal palace.
The high concentration of demonic mana hindered breathing, and all kinds of tentacles, from giant tentacles to small and thin extensions, roamed and wreaked havoc.
For the common people, this place, which was the epitome of envy and jealousy, had turned into a pit of despair.
But even in that despair, there was a small hope.
On the outskirts of the posh district.
A golden light shone betwixt the boundary between the wealthy and the common people. No matter how mighty the Four Heavenly Kings might be, they could not cross that sacred light. Clouds of demonic mana touched by the light were purified and the tentacles burned.
– I, I lived. I’m alive.
– Oh Goddess Iris… Thank you. Thank you…
Those who were protected by the holy light were relieved.
They had no doubt that the blessing of the Goddess would keep them safe.
However, those borrowing the power of the Goddess were not having it easy.
This was especially true for Ophelia, the core of the barrier.
‘It can’t go on like this.’
There was no problem with the effectiveness of the barrier.
The barrier of light created by the prayers of the ten clerics and the Saintess Candidate was completely warding off the evil energy.
The problem was elsewhere.
“That way! Quickly!”
“You fools! Run when it’s time! That monster won’t be waiting for you!”
Neria and Eri, joined by Ophelia, immediately began the rescue operation. The rescue operation itself was not a concern. Because both women were great in their own way and capable. In addition, soldiers and guards were helping, so the rescue was going smoothly.
The difficulty arose because of that ‘smoothly’.
Because the rescue was going smoothly, the number of people entering the barrier increased rapidly. It meant that the inside of the barrier was starting to get cramped.
To the extent that after a while, they won’t be able to accept any more people into the barrier.
It did seem that the problem could be simply solved by widening the barrier, but there were things that had to be thrown away if the barrier were to be widened.
Things like the defense capability of the barrier and the standing capacity.
None of them were disposable , so Ophelia couldn’t decide easily.
‘It will be great if there are more church members…’
Half… no, even half of the half, and she wouldn’t have worried. However, there were only 11 people at present, including her. It was just one handful of many church officials.
‘Where’s everyone?’
They emphasized love and devotion, but in the time of need, what did they do? Ran away?
What were they if not cowards?
And they were the one trying to force upon her the ideals and will of Goddess?
Negative thoughts filled her head.
Ophelia shook her head and erased them.
‘I’m sure everyone is working hard elsewhere.’
Maybe they would see the light and come to help. All she had to do was to hold on until then…
“I can’t stand this any longer. This is crazy!”
A young male priest stopped praying and stood up. Despite his young age, he had a lot of divine power in his heart, and considered having a great future ahead of him.
“What are you doing? Please start praying again.”
“Saintess Candidate. No more… No more. I want to live.”
“Stop. Stop with this sick joke…”
“Sorry, sorry!”
The priest lowered his head and skittered out of the barrier.
“Hey, hey… stop! It’s dangerous to leave…”
Ophelia shut her mouth.
The priest ran past the barrier unimpeded and scuttled away while the tentacles, though unable to penetrate, lashed against the barrier.
‘How did…’
She opened her eyes wide and turned her attention to the monster that occupied a seat atop the vandalized palace.
‘…intentionally?’
Did it let go purposefully?
A Heavenly King?
Why?
‘…ah!’
Ophelia, belatedly realizing its intentions, turned her gaze to the other priests. Two of the priests who had been watching her stood up to run away like the first priest.
“Catch them!”
As Ophelia cried out, the dazed citizens came to their senses and grabbed the two priests who were trying to make a run.
“Leave me! Let go!”
“Crazy bastard. Like I’ll f**king let go off you bloodsuckers!”
The two resisted, but were soon subdued. It would have been nice if it had ended there, but the citizens seemed to be offended that they tried to run away, so they laid the two of them down and started beating them.
“Stop! Please stop it! Now is not the time for this insanity!”
“Shut Up! Damn… how much I donated to the church so far! But what did you all do for betterment? Filling your stomach with my money? If you’re going to run off, spit out my money, you bastards!”
The citizens didn’t listen to Ophelia’s pleas. She couldn’t actively stop them because she couldn’t move from her place, as hers was an important role in keeping the barrier stabilized.
Therefore, she asked other citizens, but they only watched, reluctant to intervene.
The fact that the priests tried to abandon them seemed to have hit their hearts.
So instead of stopping the assault, they chose to monitor other clergy. They approached other priests doing their prayer and applied unspoken pressure.
As if they wouldn’t let go if the priests tried to run away.
Even Ophelia, a candidate for sainthood, was not free from such pressure. Because they watched her with distrustful gazes.
Divine power that gathered in Ophelia kept decreasing. It was natural, she couldn’t possibly pray devoutly in such a situation. Most priests were having issues stabilizing their minds, loading the pressure on her.
As the situation continued, even Ophelia began to get annoyed.
She bit her lip hard.
‘Ah really…’
Why were they doing this?
They should have done just as they were told to.
The trying percentage of survival would have scaled up, so why were they so headstrong?
Why were Neria and Eri not coming to extend a hand in calming the situation?
Kane… Why did that son of a b!tch run away and made things so hard?
Why were the church personnel still not coming?
With the intensity of the light, how dumb one had to be to not understand the simple principles of the church? Or, better, how selfish?
She needed help.
She was having a hard time too.
Scared and tired.
Why was she trying so hard in the first place?
Because she was a candidate for Sainthood?
Did she even want it?
She didn’t, but it was the Goddess’ choice and that pushed her forward.
With unbridled expectations, the load on her shoulders increased.
If things go well, Goddess’ glory, if she shat, Ophelia’s lacking?
Damn church.
If it hadn’t been for the fact that her parents had abandoned her, she wouldn’t have been in this position.
Why did her parents abandon her…
Oh, right. Wasn’t that also a fate bestowed by the Goddess?
Haha. Yes. It was.
Damn Goddess.
Now she was having her butt bitten by the Demon Lord—
-Ah… Ophelia… My dear daughter… You’ve crossed the line…
A clear voice filtered directly into her head.
Ophelia quivered.
Because she could instinctively realize whose voice it was.
“…Goddess?”
H, How?
She didn’t say it out loud, she just expressed her dissatisfaction inside…
‘Ah.’
Ophelia recalled, she had been praying.