Chapter 25: On Golgotha Hill
The gazes of everyone gathered on Ryuguin.
“Stop blaming Mika and the others already!!”
Ryuguin shouted intensely, his expression earnest.
“They haven’t done anything wrong! Mika! Angelica! Eris! None of them are at fault! If you must blame someone, then blame me!”
With a face that radiated a spirit of compassion for the three, he continued.
“They were just following my orders! Therefore, all the responsibility lies with me, the leader of the Hero Party!!!”
Tears welled up and trickled down Ryuguin’s cheeks.
“Mika, Ange, Eris… I’m truly sorry for all the hardships I’ve put you through…”
It felt like a scene from a drama. His expression was the most beautiful it had ever been, the tears sparkling as they fell and soaked the ground.
“I also want to apologize to everyone who has suffered because of me. Once this matter is resolved… I will go and apologize to them.”
With Ryuguin’s sudden confession, many were enveloped by the strange atmosphere he exuded.
“Was I… foolish? Then what should I have done? Someone, please tell me the answer… I beg you.”
Ryuguin placed both hands around his neck.
“If by committing a sin, I could save all the people and make everything go well— I thought that was the case.”
His hands tightened around his neck gradually. It was a pose reminiscent of a tragic hero. Ryuguin’s soliloquy was about to begin.
“That day— the day I was summoned to this world alongside Yamada.”
Ryuguin’s expression was one of deep contemplation.
“I have no way of knowing how Yamada felt. However, before arriving in this world, I was summoned to a strange space.”
Of course, I had no such memory. When I was summoned and awakened, he had been unconscious, mumbling something about ‘Mama’ in his sleep…
“It was a white space devoid of anything. I should have been on my way to school, but suddenly I found myself in an unfamiliar place. There was no way I wouldn’t be confused… But I scolded myself for almost screaming out of fear and somehow managed to move forward. Then I saw a figure.”
Ryuguin swallowed hard.
“There stood the God. I knew it at a glance. The expression on his face, approaching old age, was stern, and it had such an air of authority that I almost bowed my head in submission. His eyes were like those of a statue I had seen in my previous world—the one who accepted crucifixion for the sake of all people. Though his form was different, the resolve and divinity that emanated from him were unmistakable.”
Ryuguin spoke, but I felt a chilling sensation from beside him.
“I was so nervous in front of him that I couldn’t voice my thoughts. He explained succinctly what would happen next and how I should act, commanding me to do so.”
But that wasn’t all, Ryuguin continued.
“If I did not comply, he warned that the world would perish, and countless humans would die. However, I couldn’t nod in agreement right away… because, of course, how could I? There was no way I could agree to such terrible things…”
His regretful expression was striking.
“The God said: If I acted according to his words, shadows would be cast, and the darker my shadow became, the more the light would shine. With each instance, a strong light would shine upon Yamada, the Holy Knight, and the world would follow the path of salvation.”
Ryuguin wiped away the tears flowing from his eyes repeatedly with his sleeve.
“Since being summoned, I acted as the God commanded. Of course, I had my resistances. If I acted according to the God’s will, I would undoubtedly be branded as inhumane, someone who did not understand humanity…”
Just like now, Ryuguin self-deprecated.
“And more than that, I would end up hurting many people. So at first, I was hesitant. I wondered if I should really obey the God’s orders. However, the more I investigated this world, the more I listened to stories, the more I felt the threat of Nexbee. It is said that Nexbee has already driven many S-rank Seekers to their deaths. I imagined it. I couldn’t help but imagine it. It was… a nightmare of an imagination. Monsters that humanity could barely defeat with all their might would emerge in droves from Nexbee. For those monsters, it didn’t matter if you were a warrior or not. They would trample over peace without a shred of mercy, wielding the scythe of death. Men, women, children, and the elderly would be ravaged and slaughtered. It was an imagination of the end of the world… Therefore, I thought, therefore I thought—”
Tears shimmered in Ryuguin’s eyes.
“When I was first summoned, I decided to try acting as he instructed. And what happened? The Labyrinth that had been deemed impassable for years was conquered in just six months. I should have been happy, but the base nature of my being couldn’t allow me to rejoice… Only the thought, ‘Shouldn’t I really be following him?’ grew larger in my heart. In the meantime, the Light Labyrinth was conquered, the Labyrinth of Power was conquered, and one wonderful result after another was brought to humanity. At this point, I had no choice but to obey the God’s command.”
Ryuguin choked on his words but struggled to weave them together.