Suddenly, there was a roar so loud that it popped my eardrums. A shock that made every bone and muscle in my body creak, and the sensation of blood flowing out of my limbs and body.

　I don't know what happened, I don't know what was done to me. All I know is that my body was thrown to the floorboards of the Great Hall of Worship with the ease of a feather being swept away.

　My eyes widened painfully, and my expression became distorted. He twisted his body while biting his back teeth, but he didn't even move a single finger in earnest.

　That's not good. There is a definite feeling that something fatal is slipping out of my body. Not blood, not flesh, but something close to the soul.

　Herd-Stanley's white blade is still stuck in my body, sucking up my heat. The treasure sword I had grabbed was no longer in my control.

　The one that flipped me off said, without even looking at me, that it was not interested in me. In the darkness, I could see only the familiar golden eyes with a dimmed glow.

The Great Temple of Hrimsrath, I have come to a familiar place. Often bad things happen here.

　It was as if he was muttering to himself. Something in the shape of an alueno grabbed Heldt-Stanley by the neck with one hand and lifted him up, moving his lips nonchalantly.

　It was a bizarre sight, too. At least Alueno's slender arms didn't seem to have the strength to lift Heldt easily. That is, unless it was Kalia.

　You'll be able to find a lot more than just a few things to do.

　Something in the shape of an alueno, but not an alueno. I had seen it before. A strange form that showed itself at the Mordor residence in the mercenary city of Belle Fain. That overwhelming demon who said he borrowed Alueno's body is there.

　Bite your back teeth hard. Just by doing so, a pain that directly grinds the nerves strikes your whole body, and you feel your flesh being gouged out as it is.

　I'm going to die, and I'm definitely going to lose this body. In that last light, I clearly understood that I was gaining consciousness.

It's a strange thing. Heldt-Stanley is the one who should be the savior, the one with the soul of a great hero.

　It's a strange thing to lose one's life in a place like this. The deformed man said this without much emotion. The golden eyes look slightly towards you. It was as if he were looking at an annoying rat on the ground.

　His breath was ragged as it escaped from his mouth. As usual, the body does not move, and all it can do is accept the words. The only thing that seemed to be there was the heat at the bottom of his heart, which was starting to get cold.

But you can rest assured. His soul is in my hands again. I will give him the life he deserves, just as the script says. For all the salvation and all the happiness in the world.

　My heart beats hard once more. Even though my body was about to go cold and all consciousness was about to be taken away from me, there was only a shimmering heat. My vision was fuzzy, as if it had collapsed, and my lungs refused to take in any breath.

　And yet, still. Only the eyes stared at it. I open my trembling lips.

"You're... You still like cheap words, don't you? What?　I wish you'd at least show your true colors. Or can't you speak a single word without borrowing someone's face?

　A faint voice, so faint that it seemed to be lost as soon as it was snatched and leaked into the air. That's all my throat could spit out anymore. It was beyond pathetic. There is an undeniable enemy there in the form of a childhood friend, but he won't move an arm or a leg.

　I think it would be much happier if I just lay here on the ground and died quietly. No, I'm sure it would have been.

　After all, at least then I would not have been subjected to the cruel hostility that seemed to pierce straight through my spine.

　In the form of an alueno, it speaks. In the form of an alueno, it speaks, an inorganic sound dripping from its mouth.

"Why, you're strangely hateful. Maybe it's because you're like Oufru, Rougis.

　It's so plain, there's no weight or feeling to it. It's just a series of overlapping sounds. Every time it strikes my earlobe, a feeling of dread runs through my limbs.

　My throat was dry and my will was about to be blown away. The gold opens its lips, caressing the hollow. "I am Altius the Divine," he said.

I am Artius, the divine spirit. "I am Artius the Spirit. He who sits in the world and reaches out to you. Are you satisfied now, human Lugis?

　It said, acting as if it was just stating the obvious.

　Altius the Divine. As soon as I heard the name, I felt as if my whole body was stirring. The name of the one and only God of the Great Sacred Faith, also called the God of Salvation. He told me that this was the identity of the people who were now moving around Alueno's body as they pleased, and that they were the ones who were turning against me.

　Give me a break, that's a terrible joke. I'm well aware that God is a joke, but I'd like to see a more serious one. Or at least someone sane enough to understand the language.



　After all, the man standing in front of me right now, wielding the sound as he pleases, has no semblance of sanity in his eyes. I can't even tell what he's looking at.

　Is he trying to say that humans and gods see things differently? If so, you should stay out of the human world. You can do whatever you want with your thoughts.

　I'm not sure what to make of it. You'll be able to find a lot more than just a few of them. Even though I couldn't move my body, my brain was telling me to get out of here.

　Right beside me, I saw its feet.

"Lugis. I'm going to give you a chance.

　It made an unpleasant noise and said something I'd heard somewhere before. My throat clears slightly. The colorless voice of Altius seemed to have an amused ring to it.

You will die if you do this. "You will die as you are... pathetically, foolishly, without salvation or happiness.

　That was definitely a certainty. Although my heart is heating up a little, I still feel the blood draining out of my body, and my nerves are still torn.

　Death. There is an unmistakable death there. The Grim Reaper was lying beside me with an unbelievable sense of presence. My eyelids, too heavy.

So I'll give you a chance. If you want salvation, if you want happiness. You can pray to me. I'll give you undeniable salvation. You deserve it now, not then.

　Now," God says, reaching out. It's not hard, he said, all you have to do is say the word and it becomes a prayer.

　--I wish for happiness in my hands. I prayed.

　It was strange. The inorganic voice, which had seemed so unpleasant earlier, now entered my earholes with a strange warmth. It seemed to be gripping my brain.

　My vision blurs. My breath was strangely ragged. My heart thumped harder and louder.

　Altius' voice spoke softly, as if urging me to speak. It was a soft voice, reminiscent of my childhood friend Alueno, a voice that I had missed so much.

　I open my lips. I had already decided what I was going to say. It was obvious. There was nothing else to say.

"You forget, Altius. I told you the woman I love doesn't speak as cheaply as you do.

　I can tell you that my voice is still scratchy and weak. But I don't care about that. There is still more that needs to be said. His cheeks flushed and he moved his lips hard in a distorted smile.

"And don't talk about Heldt-Stanley all you want. Heldt is a brave man. He's a hero I killed for. You talk about him like he's some useful thing. Aren't you getting a little carried away?

　He said, snickering. Just like that, without a second thought. I feel so good.

　I don't care. At any rate, I'm going to die. I'm not going to pray now when I'm so close. I'm not going to wish now.

　My wish is mine alone, and I don't have a single thing to offer the gods. That's enough for me to say.

　As he said this, he turned his eyes upward, and the expressionless face of Artius appeared in his vision again. The emotion is very hard to read. Indignation, humiliation, or disappointment. The only thing I could tell was that he didn't seem to be amused.

　Without saying a word, his thin, white hand slowly approached me. Strangely, I didn't feel disappointed or scared.

　I only wondered if Kalia, Fialaat, and Erdis were safe. That was the only thought that crossed my mind.

　And then, the moment his hand reached my eye...

　------ ohhh--ohh--ohh! -----!

　A huge scream that could have crushed the Great Temple itself fell on the temple.