Corridor of Memories – Madias Temple
“From today onward, I shall serve as Lord Madias’s tutor. I am Priest Darla.”
The landlady looked down at Marty, who was dressed in a beautiful white robe, far more elegant than what she wore in the village. Her sharp gaze was somewhat intimidating. Marty seemed a bit frightened, hesitating to find her words in front of the landlady.
“Madias… but I’m Marty… It’s the name my deceased mother gave me…”
“Now that you are here, you are no longer Marty but Madias. You must learn to conduct yourself as a Holy Maiden.”
“Holy Maiden…?”
“A symbol of hope for the people, pure and closest to the Divine Being… that is the Holy Maiden. Now, Holy Maiden Madias, let us begin with the basic etiquette.”
What followed was a grueling training session that made me want to cover my eyes. Sitting, standing, walking—each had its prescribed manner, and any deviation would earn a sharp reprimand. It was a relentless cycle, day in and day out. Even during meals, we were told not to make noise or eat too greedily, with instructions that felt overwhelming.
“The Holy Maiden must be a symbol for the people! Refrain from vulgar gestures and speech!”
“Yes…!”
“Cast aside any desire to return to the village! The Holy Maiden does not prioritize personal desires! Even Lord Zeda was the same! He never complained, faced his own strength… and fulfilled the mission bestowed upon him!”
“Y-yes…”
I couldn’t bear to watch as Marty’s eyes brimmed with tears. Each scene felt like a relentless display of torment. Should I complain to Chronoel?
“I have heard that the previous Lord Zeda never uttered a word of complaint. If entrusted to you, then see it through.”
“…Yes.”
“If you understand, then never attempt to run away again.”
Marty spent her days devoid of smiles. She managed to escape the priests’ watchful eyes, but with her limited stamina, her range of escape was minimal. She was quickly caught and forced into a kneeling position for another lecture. It was exhausting. Why did Marty have to endure all of this? As a Holy Maiden? In the end, it was just so they could feel protected.
“If the drought continues, it will affect not just the crops but human lives as well. Holy Maiden, please calm the situation.”
“Yes.”
Inside the temple, Marty prayed while the priests watched over her like hawks.
“Holy Maiden Madias, we are from Tokaka Village. Recently, wild beasts have been attacking our homes, and we are in dire need of assistance…”
“Yes.”
Whenever someone came, the priests were always watching, and if Marty’s response was inadequate, she would be reprimanded later. Days passed in this manner, but gradually the priests stopped saying anything. Marty’s eyes had lost their vitality, reduced to merely following orders.
“Thanks to Holy Maiden Madias! We have been saved!”
“All glory to the Holy Maiden!”
People who came to pray praised Marty in front of her. Earlier, she had looked embarrassed yet pleased, but now it was different. She merely stared at them with a blank expression. It was as if she wanted to tell them that she was only doing what was expected, that she was just sitting there while they prayed.
Day after day, this was her life. Marty had little freedom, confined to the temple from early morning until late afternoon. When night fell, it was time for sleep, and the cycle continued.
“What is this temple…?”
“It was built by Marty’s grandfather, Zeda, to utilize his power. Faith formed a community, creating this unique culture. Those called priests were once mere villagers.”
“Then why didn’t Marty’s grandfather… Zeda, continue doing it himself? Why did he pass it on to Marty…?!”
“Perhaps due to his serious nature, he could find no other way to live. As he was revered, it became his conviction, which he passed down to his grandchild.”
I knew it was pointless to blame Zeda. Who was at fault? How did it come to this? If only Marty had no Divine Nature, she might have been happier. Yet, no one, not even the villagers, expected anything beyond Marty’s power.
This felt familiar. Yes, the Kingdom of Metallica. Just like those who sought to use Platiu for their own ends. No one ever tried to face Platiu as a person. For the sake of the nation or themselves, they would easily sacrifice a single child. So much time had passed since those ancient days to our current era, yet nothing had truly changed. Only the technology had advanced.
“Holy Maiden… Tokaka Village has been destroyed by the barbaric folk… My family has been killed… Please, avenge us…”
Even upon seeing the bloodied, lifeless body of a Tokaka villager, Marty remained eerily calm, as if she were observing an object. After the priests finished carrying the body away, they exchanged glances with Marty, silently urging her to respond.
“…This is dire. If barbaric invaders are attacking from afar, this region will become barren. I have heard they wield weapons far superior to ours, not mere stones.”
“Superior weapons?”
“Stronger than stone, with lethal power. Thus, their strength will bring many sacrifices.”
“Strength brings sacrifices…”
“When development occurs, there will be those who dominate and those who are dominated. Greed will arise, leading to theft. Indeed, we humans should live in harmony with nature. Only then can we coexist…”
No, what is Darla saying? Even without development, you all are already dominating Marty. The scale may be smaller, but it ultimately remains unchanged. It’s only because Marty knows nothing that there are no conflicts. The Demon Lord Army, too, was trapped in hatred and knew nothing else but to fight. I once thought of the One-Winged Demon as my enemy, but it was never that simple. Even with Elmera, we were initially foes, but we came to understand each other, which is why we are together now. Even now, in Metallica, the true villains are always humans.
Corridor of Memories – Tokaka Village
“Hyah hyah hyah! Women! Booze! Women! Booze!”
“Shuchinikurin! Hyahhh hyahhh!”
The soldiers from the barbaric nation were creating a scene I wished to avoid. They screamed in madness, grabbing women with both arms and doing as they pleased. The ground was littered with corpses, many of which had been treated in horrifically senseless ways. Some soldiers even sat upon the bodies.
They resembled the Comet Wolf Brigade more than soldiers. If it were me from a while ago, I might have been unable to remain sane at the sight of the destroyed Ikana Village.
“From today, this place belongs to us, the Barbarians! Hyah hyah!”
“If you don’t get smart, this is what happens!”
“After all, we don’t use cheap stone weapons! We use iron! Hyah hyah hyah!”
They wore iron armor and wielded iron axes and spears, and they even had horses. Against that, how could fur and stone tools compete? They devoured the village’s food with reckless abandon. No matter how tightly I gripped Disballade, it wouldn’t reach them. This was something that had happened in the past. I told myself that, but anger still bubbled within me.
“Hey! Are there no other women?!”
“Get the busty one!”
“Oh! There’s one over there!”
“Mm?! What’s that? A kid?!”
Without a hint of fear, Marty walked through the village entrance and stood before the barbaric soldiers. The soldiers gathered around the campfire looked at her with curiosity for a brief moment before bursting into raucous laughter.
There were no priests in sight, and they had sent Marty alone into such a place. What kind of people were they?
“Hyah hyah hyah! Hey, kid! Come here and pour us some drinks!”
“I’ll make her a slave and sell her!”
“No way, I’ll take her! Ahihyahyah!”
“Strength brings… sacrifices… strength brings… domination…”
Her gaze was no longer solely on those horrid soldiers. She was amplifying her anger and sorrow, encompassing the village and the slain villagers within her heart.
“They’re telling you to come over…”
The soldier who stood up and approached her met his end there. To the other soldiers, it must have seemed as if he had vanished. In reality, just like the soldier who had sent me flying, he was sent soaring deep into the village. However, there was hardly any trace of his body left, as most of it had been torn apart mid-flight.
The remaining soldiers, unable to comprehend the existence of the bloodied, mangled soldier, stood there in shock.
“Hey, where did he go… Gweh!”
“Gyah!”
“Buhaah!”
One by one, they were sent flying. If even I felt pain from that single strike, there was no way these brutes could withstand it. In an instant, the soldiers realized they had been attacked by Marty and were wiped out. All that remained were the slain villagers and the soldiers.
“Ah…”
Suddenly, as if awakening from a deep slumber, Marty scanned her surroundings. She stumbled a few steps, trembling as she took in the sight of corpses and destroyed homes.
“I-I… did this…”
“Lord Madias, you have done nothing wrong. It is unfortunate about this village, but…”
From wherever they had been hiding, the priests emerged in droves. They had indeed thrown Marty under the bus. They spoke only of their own convenience, remaining safe while relying on others for protection. Why hadn’t anyone stopped such a horrific act? Both the villagers and these priests were mad.
“Pe-people are dead…”
“Lord Madias, you are not at fault.”
“I killed… I killed them…”
“Lord Madias, please hold on.”
“NOOOOOOOOOO!”
Marty fled from the scene, with the priests chasing after her. I couldn’t tell where she had gone, but it looked as if she was crying out for help toward the darkening sky.
◆ Corridor of Memories, Near Madias Temple ◆
Marty stood at the edge of a high cliff. The priests must have lost track of her, as they were nowhere to be seen. Had she been running until nightfall? Despite her frail body, she had managed to escape. Perhaps this was also a “miracle.”
“What is Marty doing?”
“Ah! She jumped!”
Marty leaned forward and stepped off the cliff. It wasn’t that high, but for her, a fall could mean serious injury. Yet, she did not crash to the ground. Just before impact, her body seemed to pause in mid-air, as if gently lowered by an unseen force. A chilling sensation coursed through me. The young Marty had tried to end her own life, and the power of miracles wouldn’t even allow that. It wasn’t just humans; Marty was bound even by her own strength.
“Why…!”
Marty repeatedly returned to the cliff, jumping off again and again. A few times, she stumbled and fell before she could leap. Each time she jumped, she collided with nearby rocks but sustained little injury, rolling onto the ground. Even with her clothes caked in dirt, Marty continued to seek death.
“Why… why, why! I want to die! I can’t take this anymore…!”
After yet another failed attempt, she lay on the ground, tears streaming down her face, and I could no longer bear to watch.
◆ Corridor of Memories, Madias Temple ◆
“…What a tragedy. Lord Madias’s homeland has been ravaged by storms and floods…”
“Couldn’t Lord Zeda have done something?”
“According to the survivors, they remained in the village until the end, praying amidst the storm…”
“Could it be that even Lord Zeda’s power was insufficient?”
“Who knows… perhaps he exhausted his strength.”
The priests whispered among themselves, but Marty was listening intently from the shadows of a pillar. When she heard that her beloved grandfather had died, I expected her to cry, but she did not. She quietly slipped away from the scene, her emotions seemingly extinguished, showing no interest in anything.
“Lord Madias. The barbarian tribes that attacked Tokaka Village three years ago are closing in. Several nearby villages have already been ravaged; it’s only a matter of time before they reach us.”
“Storm.”
“…What do you mean by that?”
“Flood.”
“I don’t quite understand…”
Hearing that someone greater than him, Zeda, had perished in a disaster, he must have thought that was the strongest force. This would surely lead to repeated assaults on the Kingdom of Metallica.
“Kurinka, it’s been three years, but… Marty hasn’t changed at all.”
“Yeah… I thought it was due to the influence of Lord Chronoel’s power…”
“I’ll admit that’s likely true. However, it seems that miracles do not permit even death from old age.”
Like the “doubt” held by the person Zeyel turned to ash, divine nature is not always benevolent. Miracles can manifest in various ways, even bringing about things Marty does not desire. Although the scenes jump around, a lot must have happened over those three years. I was beginning to dislike watching it. But it felt as if Lord Chronoel was urging me to keep watching, and I couldn’t voice my desire to leave.
◆ Corridor of Memories, Village of Data ◆
“Let’s make a bloodbath of the barbarians!”
“Let them know what happens when they dare to touch our village!”
Unlike Tokaka Village, they were resisting those soldiers. They built walls and countered with catapults and arrows; even when flanked, they fought back with iron farming tools. This village had iron and seemed to be somewhat skilled in combat. They tripped the horses with ropes, beating them down with farming tools as they fell.
“It seems that Data Village has been in frequent conflict with neighboring villages since ancient times, and their preparations may have paid off. Darla, what do you think?”
“We might be able to avoid the tragedy that befell Tokaka Village. Lord Madias, we need your strength… Lord Madias?”
As usual, Darla was trying to send Marty into that bloody chaos. But Marty merely watched the battle with vacant eyes. When Darla called out to her several times in confusion, it happened.
“AAAHHHH!”
“Hey! What are you doing?!”
“My insides hurt! It hurts!”
“What are those guys? I don’t know, but it’s a chance… GAHHH!”
As the soldiers suddenly writhed in agony, the same fate befell the villagers. In an instant, the soldiers were slaughtered without a chance to fight back, and the villagers began to attack as well.
“Lord Madias! The villagers over there are our allies!”
“Subjugation through development…”
“Huh?! What do you mean by that?”
“Storm, flood.”
Rain began to fall, quickly turning into a torrential downpour. The ground cracked, and underground water gushed forth, flooding the village. The wind picked up, becoming a raging tempest. Houses, roofs, and the walls and catapults that had protected the soldiers were all caught up in the chaos, indiscriminately sweeping away both friend and foe.
“It’s a storm!”
“Retreat! Retreat!”
“Fools! Kill the enemy!”
“You’re the fool!”
The soldiers were in such disarray that they didn’t even know who their commander was. Meanwhile, the underground water began to surge with incredible force from every direction. The villagers had never imagined that so much water flowed beneath their village. Even if they hadn’t, Marty could do it. With the power of miracles, she was about to bring destruction. She was targeting those who had begun to fight, those developed humans.
“Lord Madias! Enough already!”
Darla focused his energy and unleashed a Fireball. It was unmistakably a Fireball. That man could use magic. When the one they had praised so highly, Marty, refused to listen, he suddenly launched a full-scale attack. His expression was pale with fear, and deep down, he might have realized that Marty was already broken.
“It… disappeared… GYAHHH!”
Of course, it was extinguished before the miracle. As the priests panicked and could do nothing, Darla was sent flying. The priests, unable to grasp what was happening, ran toward the direction Darla had been thrown.
“Darla…! How could this happen…?”
“What has become of Lord Madias?!”
“The water… this place is dangerous! We need to escape… UAAAHHH!”
The priests fled, leaving behind what remained of Darla’s body, but the tsunami of underground water surged toward them from behind. The priests, unable to resist, were swallowed up, dying without ever understanding what had happened to Marty.
“Run! Run!”
“It’s the Divine Being! We have incurred the wrath of the Divine Being!”
“If that’s the case, what have we done?! Why this punishment?!”
Innocent villagers screamed as they were engulfed by Marty’s unreasonable attack. The entire village was swept away, and at this point, it didn’t matter whether they were soldiers or villagers. Whether they were invaders or defenders, in Marty’s eyes, they were all to be eliminated.
“Subjugation has been thwarted…”
Only we knew that this distorted thought would eventually extend to the world itself. Floating above, Marty watched the village being swept away, already indifferent to the lives and deaths of others. It seemed that all she felt was that she had done what needed to be done.
◆ Corridor of Memories ◆
“…That should be enough.”
The images of the past faded, returning to the empty space. Lord Chronoel’s voice was tinged with sorrow. Everything we had witnessed had occurred in the past. Words failed me for the moment. It was all too overwhelming, too tragic.
“What happened to Marty after that?”
“If it weren’t for Zeyel, who descended into the human realm to cause trouble, I would have never noticed this devastation. I had been so uninterested in the human realm.”
“Was it you, Lord Chronoel, who brought Marty to the Celestial Realm?”
“Driven to desperation by the rampaging Marty, the humans offered their prayers to the Divine Being. It was then, upon receiving a report from Zeyel, that I first descended into the human realm… and took that child in.”
“The humans… forced Marty into the Celestial Realm, didn’t they?”
At Kurinka’s blunt words, Chronoel hesitated for a moment. Why did he wear such a sorrowful expression?
“Initially, I intended to eliminate her if she posed a threat to the Celestial Realm. Perhaps I should have done so back then. To be unable to recognize a threat as a threat and be swayed by emotion… it’s regrettable.”
“What do you mean?”
“In order to become a True Angel, one must abandon their child if they have one. I had a child… long ago. I couldn’t help but see her face in Marty, and so I poured as much love as I could into her.”
“Is that why that girl’s room looked the way it did…?”
“Those who abandon their children to gain power carry a heavy burden. In the end, I couldn’t guide her onto the right path and allowed her to become a god of the Celestial Realm.”
The turmoil in the Celestial Realm under Madias’s rule could be said to be this man’s fault. It felt strange that someone so burdened by guilt could be a Divine Being. While Zeyel flaunted his white wings and acted like a god, Chronoel was troubled and sorrowful. With the barrier between the Celestial Realm and the human realm, it seemed there truly were no gods at all.
Even the Divine Being worshipped by the Uzei Religion was ultimately Marty. Though she possessed the miraculous gift of Divine Nature, she was just a girl who had been shattered. If having immense power made one a god, then Kurinka and I could easily become gods ourselves.
“Did you continue to observe the human realm after you ascended to the Celestial Realm?”
“I was the one who showed Marty the state of the human realm. All of it is my responsibility…”
As Chronoel’s voice, filled with regret, echoed in the air, I noticed the rubble scattered around us. When we emerged from the Corridor of Memories, there stood Marty, frozen in the same posture as after our battle.
◆ Ruins of Avangarde Royal Capital ◆
“Time in the Corridor of Memories is practically nonexistent.”
Indeed, it felt as if no time had passed since I fought with Marty. She looked up at me with dirty clothes, her gaze steady and unwavering. Perhaps it was because Chronoel was present that she remained calm for now.
“Chronoel, why didn’t you show us Marty’s past before the battle?”
“To let my guard down could cost lives. Besides… I wanted to entrust her to you.”
“Entrust her to us?”
“Whether to kill or spare her is beyond my control…”
“What a selfish god you are.”
Aboro descended from the sky, landing heavily and scattering debris as he stood confidently. Oh right, he had been fighting Rulud. From the looks of it, he didn’t seem to have struggled much; as expected of Aboro.
“Aboro, you aren’t thinking of fighting Chronoel, are you?”
“I had some inclination, but I killed Rulud, my primary target. Dealing with an old man like him is more than enough for me.”
“I see… If Rulud is dead, then the Holy Nation of Uzei is finished as well. But the damage here…”
One could say that the Kingdom of Avangarde had been destroyed. Only a few remained alive, and I had no idea what had become of the Nation of Kashiram. Even with the enemies gone, peace was still a distant dream. There was too much lost, and the wounds in my heart were not easily healed.
“…I wonder if Ikana Village is safe. I had been too desperate to remember.”
“I hope I can do something about it…”
“Ah, is that an airship?”
As if looking down upon the desolate land, an airship from the Kingdom of Metallica approached us. I immediately recognized who was aboard. It was that person’s specialty to appear unexpectedly in times like this.
As expected, it was Genia who walked down the ladder from the airship. Platiu was with her too. I thought she had been left in Ikana Village, but perhaps Genia had brought her along.
“Everyone’s here. Is that child the Arbitrator God Madias?! No, no, I can’t believe she’s just a child…”
“I haven’t said anything yet.”
“I can tell; I’m a genius, after all.”
“Alright, and what of it?”
“Despite being utterly exhausted from providing support everywhere, can’t you at least give me some praise?”
“You’re a remarkable genius. Now what?”
“…Ah, fine. More importantly, I have a significant revelation to share.”
A flicker of anxiety pierced my chest. It should have been over, but what was Genia about to say?
“I had been so focused on Madias that I overlooked something. It’s about Zeda, the Religious Founder of the Uzei Religion, also known as the Eternal Spirit Emperor Rulud. To put it bluntly, he must not be defeated.”
“But Aboro killed Rulud… wait, what?”
“Huh?”
Aboro wore a clueless expression. He seemed to have an inkling of what this significant revelation was, yet he feigned ignorance. Normally, I would find such a cute side of him endearing, but this time, it was far from amusing.
“Why was he sealed away by the Heroic Clan instead of being killed? Why was he sealed in a place other than the Abyss Cave, the site of the Festival of Calamity? Why does he bear the title of Spirit Emperor? Oh dear… I underestimated him, thinking he would be insignificant to you, Rua.”
This drawn-out conversation only heightened my anxiety. As if responding to my unease, Marty quietly stood up beside me. Unlike before, a sinister smile twisted her lips, radiating a sense of malice.
“Fufufu… I’ve finally done it.”
What echoed from Marty’s mouth was unmistakably the voice of Rulud.
◆ Shin Report ◆
Just like Aboro, there are those born as warriors,
And some who can change due to their environment.
There are things here that cannot be defined by good or evil alone.
They live like stones,
And in this age, it’s difficult to ask others for compassion.
Yet, no matter how many hundreds or thousands of years pass,
I believe the essence of humanity remains largely unchanged.
If change were possible, then Metallica would not have fallen,
And Platiu would have found happiness.
There would have been no need for jealousy or conflict.
Ah, dealing with children is exhausting.
One after another, one after another, and then one more,
Huh?
Rua says to take it easy,
And even Rua has that kind of look in her eyes.
Rulud, who has played his hand well, is now truly frightening.
Rua nods.
As a side note, that woman named Daria who appeared in the past,
Neither of them has noticed, but her words were reminiscent of someone.
Yes, she bore a resemblance to that Arelid.
My true suspicion is that if she had a child,
She might very well be an ancestor of the Heroic Clan.