Chapter 97
By that time, countless cases of infection have also sprung up, including Liana’s parents.
The infection spread through the blood, saliva, and vomit of the patients, and was further carried by rats and other small animals that lived in the city.
Moreover, the treatment centers of the Holy Church in each section of the city could no longer hold any more patients, and the hospitals run by the doctors were already in a similar state.
“Father, it’s painful…”
“…I wonder if it’s because I skipped the morning prayers this morning.”
“…… Do not worry about it, you would not be punished for such a thing.”
I’m sorry, I could only pray for you.
At this point, there was no way the children in the orphanage were safe, and every single one of them was already lying down on their beds.
… Furthermore, I have also begun to exhibit some signs of the infection. I probably would not be able to move in a few days as well.
And so, on the 15th day, the male adventurer who was first infected passed away, and the next day, Liana and several others who were infected early on followed soon after. On the 17th day, the children of the orphanage will also die sooner than the others, considering the time of infection.
Nobody was going near the churches, hospitals, or other health facilities where patients were housed anymore. I could barely even walk now.
I managed to muster the last of my strength and headed for the chapel.
I was not going there to pray. I was going there to confirm something.
There are also patients lying around in the chapel. I managed to reach the altar and kneel down without stepping on them.
“My, my Lord … Milly, who died just now, has only lived six years. Did that girl commit some kind of sin?”
There was no answer. Of course. In all the times that I have stood at this altar, not once did the Lord answer me.
“Leo often overslept and missed the morning prayers, but is it enough to cost him his life….?”
As I expected, there was still no answer.
So I repeated my questions and my prayers, and as I lay on my deathbed, I finally understood.
“There… there is no God!!! Even if… ugh, even if there were, there would be no saving grace!”
How much attention does a being that is so far beyond humanity really pay to a short-lived being like a man? I do not know either, but I do know one thing.
Prayers are pointless!!
The next thing I had was self-loathing. I have saved countless lives with my healing magic, but I had done nothing for those whom it did not work on. At this point, regret surged through me.
I also felt anger towards God, but even his existence was unclear to me that there was no point in lashing out at something that may or may not be there.
I felt that even the relationship between Holy magic and God is only questionable when it comes to this place, and the fact that even some monsters deal with it shows that.
“I-if I don’t tell them… that prayers are worthless… that we have to use our own power as humans to overcome it…”
However, I am almost at death’s door. My sight is already so blurred that I can barely see.
(Oh, what a shame … I wish I could have shared the insights I gained with someone else.)
That was the last time Aleph died, but a white death mask appeared on his face.
Even if he was a priest, the quality of his magic and his regrets were enough to trigger a reaction… In cases like these, it was still rare for a dead person to resurrect as an Undead.
“Gu… Uuhaaah!!”
However, in his case, he seems to have become a half-immortal monster… but he still acts to clear up his regrets.
“I… I have to tell them… that faith… is worthless!!”
He thought with a mind imprisoned within the delusion.
And so, the masked monster appeared and, seeking self-reliance, showed the pointlessness of prayer by causing the “Bleeding Disease”, a pseudo-hemorrhagic fever that is spread through blood-borne magical interference.
Thereafter, he would visit other cities to recreate the “Bleeding Sickness” that afflicted the city of Edona until his magic ran out, and if his power was exhausted, he would go to sleep for a while without being noticed.
Thus, the people came to call him “Alvesta of the Black Rain”, one of the Seven Plagues.
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