Age of Struggle (3)
Kayden’s sword was vibrating at an alarming speed in front of Sirone’s neck.
It felt like something was being compressed endlessly, but it was never conveyed to Sirone.
‘Just one difference.’
The moment Kayden’s switch is truly turned, the law will break his will.
“Even Hexa’s ability Agape cannot completely cure emotional illness. “It may be easier now, but if we don’t solve the problem, a more terrible disaster will occur.”
You cannot fight against demons and the armies of heaven while relying on someone else’s abilities.
“Is that the reason? Was Maya that bad to you? If you had seen her with your own eyes…
“My conclusion is the same.”
Amy swallowed her saliva at the cold answer.
“I save you because you are my friend. So how do you set that standard? Someone who has been with me for more than a certain amount of time? Who helped me? Or should I line them up in the order I like them?” Kayden understood Sirone’s words, but his heart was still rebelling.
‘ Maya.’
When I heard the name Sirone, I could see her terrified expression.
“So you can’t help Maya?”
“I have one standard for emotional illness. “We only help as part of a strategy that can stabilize this world the fastest.”
“Maya is a strong person.”
Kayden truly thought so.
“Fighting is not the only strategy. Her songs can move people. There is enough awareness. “You can’t say it’s not in your plans, right?”
“Iruki almost died last night.” Amy looked back at Sirone with a surprised expression.
“But thanks to you, we got rid of a powerful evil. It’s an amazing achievement. Nade also fought for his life. “My friend Lian is wandering through hell, burning in pain.”
“…What do you want to say? “Do you think Maya can’t do that?”
“no.”
Sirone lowered Kayden’s sword.
“If I ask for help, Maya will do whatever it takes. “Is that really what you want?” “When Iruki used Overdrive, I knew it but didn’t stop him. Rather, the fight was fought with that in mind. That’s it. What I need is a comrade in arms with whom I can plan to die, not someone I have to take responsibility for whenever danger arises. And for such comrades, emotional illness must be suppressed in order to have the best performance ability.”
“Maya…
Sirone interrupted.
“Cayden, you are not qualified either. Do you know what war is? Do you know what happens to a woman captured by demons? Maya is a precious friend. That’s why I didn’t send him to the battlefield.”
Kayden couldn’t argue.
“The temple will open soon. Tormia, of course, and the kingdoms that are still alive will compete for supremacy. There are rumors that there are countries that have already joined hands with demons or colluded with heaven’s army. Listen carefully, Kayden. “The world is moving so fast and so unpredictablely.”
Only Sirone was drawing the whole picture.
“I don’t force it. If you don’t want to worry, you can just stay in your room. “It means fighting your emotional illness and quietly waiting for others to produce results.”
“What should I do?”
The Shirone that Kayden knew was not the type of person to nag without a solution.
“You said there was a reason you brought me here. “If Maya can be happy, I can do anything.”
“Protect Maya.” It was the only thing Kayden couldn’t do.
“Do whatever it takes to protect her, even if it means cutting her out of your heart.”
“And then what?”
“I will suppress Maya’s emotional illness. Maybe I can sing again. Sooner or later, the temple becomes a battlefield that reduces the entire world situation. There will be times when Maya will be needed. “But I can’t protect you.”
Kayden must protect it.
“I guess all I have to do is give up Maya. So that I can never truly love her.”
“I don’t think your heart is insignificant. No, actually, it’s really important. But the end of an era is coming. “If you want to be responsible for someone, you have to be prepared to be responsible for the world.”
“Okay, I got it.”
What would Maya’s feelings be like if she could sing again?
“Bring Maya.”
Kayden’s eyes were more lifeless than before as he put away his sword and went down to the basement.
Amy gave him a look of sympathy, but in reality it made no difference to her.
Sirone suppressed her emotional illness.
‘Comrade.’
For the victory of humanity, Amy do Sirone would have willingly chosen death.
‘are you okay. Still, we can fight together. Because Sirone is by my side now.’
That’s what it means to say that if you want to be responsible for someone, you have to be responsible for the world.
Sirone said.
“I’m sure Kayden will do well.”
If his feelings for Maya are not obsession, love has the power to burn him.
“Let’s wait until Maya comes.”
Sirone’s smile was sad, so Amy nodded more vigorously than usual.
Kayden, who returned to the bar, heard from the boss that Maya had returned from work.
“If you’re fooling me…
“It’s true! Should I lie and say that I will eat something else here? Please believe me!”
The boss, who was grabbed by the collar by Kayden, was embarrassed.
‘shit! ‘I got scabies.’ I knew this day would come ever since a big name named Maya came to audition.
Nevertheless, the reason she was hired was because in addition to business strategy, personal feelings were also involved.
Because there is nothing more fun than watching a world-famous singer deteriorate.
After throwing the president to the floor, Kayden went up to the stage and left the store through the back door.
‘I should probably stay home.’
Once I got the directions, I planned to go to the inn where she was staying.
The boss jumped up and spat.
“Kaaaaaak! “Something that looks like crap comes to me.”
I was making good money using Maya, but money was no longer an issue.
Like an addiction, the time I had with Maya as an employee stimulated my mind.
“Tsk! “If I knew it would be like this, I would have touched it.”
Cracking, crackling.
The sound of hard peanuts being chewed was heard from the corner of the store.
“what? “Who is there?”
The boss narrowed his eyes and saw that a man was still sitting at the table.
“The store is ruined. Sales are over. Get out quickly.”
“…It’s not Yahweh.”
“what’?”
The president crumpled his face and walked closer to the sharp, non-human voice.
“What are you? “If you’re drunk… Wow!” The fork that flew out of the dark hit the president’s forehead and his body flew all the way to the stage.
In the silence, the being in the dark opened its mouth.
“If this happens, the plan will be disrupted.” He pushed the chair and stood up, walking towards the wall with his hands in his pockets.
The moment he touched the wall, black smoke rose from his body and instantly penetrated the material.
Wearing a hood pulled down and mingling with the crowd, the place he headed was the city square.
Even the fountain was broken and dozens of people were gathered in a place where muddy water was flowing.
“Everyone, please repent.”
In the center, a man with a short beard and priestly robes was preaching.
“God loves you. The pain you are experiencing now is also a test given by God. So…
“Stop talking bullshit!”
A man in shabby clothes holding a bottle of alcohol shouted.
“How many gods are there? Do you know what happened to the people who came here and said things like that? Everyone got stoned and jumped! God? I feel like I’m dying in pain every day, but what’s wrong? I abandoned my children, my wife, and my home, and I was left alone! “What on earth can God do for me like this?”
The people had neither the energy nor the will to fight back, but there was a coldness in their eyes.
The priest, who had been watching the man for a moment, nodded with a narrow smile.
“Anything. If you believe in God, you can do anything. He will give you a nice house, a nicer wife, and even take away your pain.”
Only then did people start to get excited.
“Really? “Can this fucking disease really be cured?”
Many religious figures have preached here, but this was the first time such blatant doctrine was preached.
The priest nodded happily.
“of course.”
A scrawny woman asked.
“Who is that god? “What kind of god is this?”
“The name is not important. You’ve probably heard the names of many gods. But in fact, God has no name. “Every god you know is actually the identity of the god I am about to tell you about.”
It was absurd, but plausible.
“Then prove it! “If God is God, he can bring back everything I lost!”
“great. Come to me.”
As soon as I agreed, the atmosphere became warmer and people’s eyes became brighter.
As the man approached with a skeptical look on his face, the priest put his hand on his shoulder and said,
“Are you ready to follow God’s doctrine?”
“of course. If only it would cure my illness. Oh no, it’s not necessarily because of that, but…
“Haha, it’s okay. God is benevolent. Of course, you have to let them achieve what they want. “A god who only gives us pain and tells us to follow him is fake.”
“If that is the case, I will believe it. “What can I do?”
After hearing the words of the man who had suddenly become a priest, the priest made eye contact and spoke.
“Do what you want.”
“yes?”
“Listen to your heart. What do you want? Do you want to own a house? Do you want to hold a wonderful woman and have countless treasures?”
The man answered as if he was possessed by something.
“…yes.”
“do.”
The priest pointed around.
“If there is a house you want, that is your house. If there’s a girl you like, take her. If he ignores you, hit him. No need to worry. In God’s presence you are perfectly safe.”
“Anyway…
honestly, it wasn’t something I didn’t want to hear.
After throwing everything away due to emotional illness, who on earth gave me this kind of comfort?
“Look carefully. This is God.” The priest took out the inverted cross pendant he was wearing around his neck and held it out in front of him.
“Have you suffered from the suffering caused by false gods? That is sin. A true God doesn’t hurt you. Repent. “Ask for wrongdoing.”
The man shed tears.
“I was foolish. “God, please hear my prayer.”
The priest turned the man around.
“Now take away from those who believe in false gods. No need to worry. Now that God has remembered your face, you can enjoy everything. “He has become a king.”
“I am the king.”
As the man walked away, the frightened people began to slowly retreat.
“Ah ah…
When I saw that face full of fear, a terrible impulse arose in my heart.
“It’s all mine!”
Among those running away, one woman was grabbed by her hair by a man.
“Give it to me! This and this too!”
I snatched up a shabby cloak to withstand the early morning cold and a piece of leftover bread.
It was the most precious thing to them who gave up a lot to follow the guidelines.
“No! “There’s nothing else to eat!”
“shut up!”
When the man raised his fist, the woman hissed and covered her face with both arms.
“Ha ha.”
The man, who was breathing heavily, finally realized what he had gained.
“It’s bread. Besides, the cloak is now my cloak.”
I can’t believe I can get something so easily.
“Oh my god.”
The man took a bite of bread and his needles leaked out.
“God it’s delicious. Delicious.”
The man realized something and looked back at the priest with a surprised expression.
“does not it hurt. Emotional illness…
According to the behavioral guidelines, we are told to break down the types of food and give them up one by one.
However, in order to survive, you will have to leave at least one last piece of food.
For women it was bread and for men it was wine.
“I don’t feel sick even though I ate bread. “I can’t believe it! I’m really cured!”
The moment they heard those words, the people who were running away looked back with surprised expressions.
