Chapter 308: Epilogue 1. Townia (2) |
“When everyone else is out partying, sticking around pays off, huh? Spit—Alright then, time for me to enjoy the festiv—!”
Thud!
The man collapsed forward.
“What a damn nuisance.”
Crack!
A military boot stomped down on the back of the man’s head.
A woman with sharp features walked forward.
“You are…?”
“My name’s Edis Karlen. Mercenary. But what’s a noble lady doing here? The shrine of the Nameless God isn’t in this direction.”
‘Nameless God.’
Pria blinked at the unfamiliar term.
“What, don’t tell me you came here without knowing?”
“What is this Nameless God?”
“Well, us mercs need someone to believe in.”
Pria narrowed her eyes.
Back when the Shards started running rampant, there had been a stir caused by a heretical group called the Tel Ikar Church.
Was this woman one of their lackeys?
“It’s not a cult. More like folk belief. You can come along if you’re curious. Just some worn-out legend—you might find it interesting.”
Thud!
Edis kicked aside the fallen man and began walking further in.
‘Nameless… God.’
Pria gulped.
And started following Edis.
“Did you know?”
“…?”
“The Shards that attacked this place ten years ago—turns out they were just a fraction of the real force. Not even a tenth, or a hundredth. If they’d come at us with full power…”
“You’re saying Townia would have been destroyed?”
“Oh? You catch on quick.”
Edis gave a dry chuckle.
Soon, the alley widened.
The legend of the Nameless God.
Pria had believed she knew the capital well, but she had never heard of this story.
“Can you see?”
Edis glanced to the side.
At the outskirts of the capital, along the widened alley, people wearing black goat masks were walking in a line.
“They’re followers of the Nameless God. They gather here once a year for a ceremony. Just a procession, so don’t worry.”
Edis took a goat mask from her cloak.
And placed it over her face.
“I brought an extra. Want it? It’s fun.”
“…Th-thank you.”
Priya accepted the goat mask.
‘What meaning is there in this?’
She didn’t know.
It almost seemed childish.
Letting out a sigh, Pria pulled the mask over her face.
“Victory.”
A girl walking beside Pria murmured.
“To the Nameless God… Victory.”
As if praying earnestly.
The girl in the mask walked slowly, hands clasped.
“Victory.”
Now a short man murmured.
Everyone gathered here was offering their own prayers.
“What are they doing?”
“Cheering him on.”
Edis replied.
Her eyes narrowed behind the mask.
“Somewhere out there, deep in the cosmos… the Nameless God is fighting.”
“…”
“Against countless enemies, over eons of time. To protect us.”
“To protect…”
Pria suddenly grew frantic and grabbed Edis’s sleeve.
“If that’s true, then the reason we weren’t destroyed is…?”
“Don’t take it too seriously. It’s just a story, no real proof. Just keep it in mind as a tale.”
Pria looked around.
Hundreds of masked people walking through the street.
A sight she could never see from the palace terrace.
‘These people…’
Were they marching?
Praying for the Nameless God’s victory?
“When will the fight end?!”
Pria clung to Edis.
Desperation in her eyes.
“When will the Nameless God return?!”
“No one knows. Some say decades, some say millions of years… some say never.”
“I can’t wait that long!”
“What are you getting so worked up for?”
Pria bit her lip hard.
“…Sorry.”
With tearful eyes, she looked up.
A sky full of stars. Then down again.
The believers continued their solemn march.
“Victory.”
Their voices joined in a low chorus.
“To the Nameless God… victory.”
Pria closed her eyes in prayer.
Beyond the darkness, an image appeared.
‘He’s fighting.’
A world beyond her senses.
A man swinging a sword across an eternity.
Dying, reviving,
Reviving, dying again.
He fought through repeated deaths and resurrections.
‘This is…’
Not what Pria had wanted.
‘Where is your happiness?’
No one turned to look at him.
Stripped of all humanity, unable to die or live, suffering endlessly.
That man could no longer be called “alive.”
‘A revenant.’
Pria reached out her hand toward him.
But it couldn’t reach.
The distance was too great.
‘Please… save him.’
Townia could fall.
Let the world burn and vanish.
All she wanted was…
Fwoosh!
At that moment, blinding crimson flames blocked her vision.
“Young lady.”
“Huh?”
Edis tapped Pria on the shoulder.
Pria looked around, dazed.
The vision in her mind was completely gone.
“What are you standing there for?”
“…Was it a dream?”
“What kind of dream?”
“…It’s nothing. Don’t worry about it.”
Pria shook her head and recalled the vision one more time.
Nameless God.
That was the man she had seen.
And in the final part of the vision—
‘He wasn’t alone.’
She felt as though someone was fighting by his side.
Wielding a sword wrapped in flame.
‘If someone else had gone to save him…’
Pria decided she would pray.
“To the Nameless God… deliverance.”
I'm currently Translating the following novels: Pick Me Up! | A Frontline Soldier Awakened as a Gamer In The War! | The 100th Regression of the Max-Level Player. If you want to support me and read more chapters please subscribe to my Patreon!
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