‘My divine status is being chipped away.’
I could feel it clearly.
In this very place, the awe and worship directed toward me were visibly decreasing.
Since there were only a few hundred people here, one might think it was not a big deal.
But no.
It was a big deal.
The people here weren’t just ordinary Awakeners; they included believers of the Order of Victory.
They were the foundation of my faith and yet, that awe and worship were disappearing rapidly?
‘A highly calculated act.’
There had been a highly calculated act behind all these results.
Salmora appeared right after I had dealt with the Demon Clan and reverted the few remaining demons back into humans.
Because of that, I became a murderer who killed those who could have been turned back into humans, while they became heroes who saved precious lives in this dramatic crisis.
Because of that stark difference, faith had thinned.
Normally, I would have eliminated those who were an eyesore.
Jealousy and envy?
No.
No matter how I looked at it, removing someone who still carried Salmora’s presence was the wisest decision for the future.
But I could not do that.
‘They are strong.’
Emile and Leon.
This father and son were strong.
Especially Leon Ricard — his strength was an unknown territory even to me now.
If it had been Emile alone, I would have removed him even if I had to push myself, but I could not gamble on a situation where victory was not guaranteed.
Especially now.
The surrounding gazes were stinging.
If I were to start a battle with them here, there was a high probability I would not win, and it would lead to misunderstandings.
That misunderstanding would be what I mentioned earlier — that I tried to eliminate someone who could revert the Demon Clan back into humans because I was blinded by jealousy and envy.
I didn’t care about people’s misunderstandings.
But the problem was that my divine status would thin because of it.
Perhaps Emile, this man, wanted exactly that.
He wanted to isolate me and drastically reduce the status I had barely managed to obtain.
“We were too late. Unfortunately, there don’t seem to be any others left to revert besides these few.”
There was a thorn in his words.
It was a scolding for me handling things too hastily rather than him being late.
“No. It is not too late yet!”
The person speaking emphatically was one of the bishops currently leading the Order of Victory.
“Have you prepared enough of the cure to revert those who have turned into demons?”
To that question, Emile replied, “Yes. It’s a bit in short supply because we made it in a hurry, but it will be enough to save those in the vicinity.”
“Then there is no reason to hesitate.”
The bishop’s gaze turned toward me.
It was a show of will to go and save people in the nearby cities, not just in Paris.
“…I suppose we should.”
Most of the demons currently spread across the world were individuals mutated due to the demonization of humans.
If they could be reverted to humans, the massive damage suffered in the past could be recovered.
“Let’s go.”
Salmora, wearing the mask of a man named Emile, gave a meaningful smile and began to walk at the head of the group as if leading them.
The Awakeners and believers followed behind him as if it were only natural.
***
I stared at them silently for a moment before following their lead.
“Development of a cure that can revert human-turned-demons!”
[Numerous individuals in the United States, Russia, China, and Japan have already been restored through the cure.]
[Exterminating the Demon Clan isn’t everything. Voices of criticism ask if we’ve used overly harsh methods until now.]
[The United States, Russia, China, and Japan oppose South Korea’s hardline policy.]
“Damn it!”
Hosik Jeong, who was checking the media content that was constantly being uploaded, slammed his desk roughly.
“Just a while ago, they said they were desperate for our cooperation, but now!”
The development of a cure that could treat demonization — naturally, that was welcome news to everyone, including Hosik Jeong.
The problem was that the happy news of the cure’s development was accompanied by growing criticism of South Korea’s hardline policy.
Isn’t it truly ridiculous?
Those who once begged for their lives and requested South Korea’s help were now changing their attitude and raising their voices in criticism.
It was as if they had been waiting for a time like this.
“It seems they were uncomfortable with South Korea standing at the center of the world,” Minister Kim Chaun said.
“Then is France okay?”
Following South Korea, the country standing at the center of the world was France.
Not long ago, even their president had requested help through a direct reply, but now their shoulders had become quite stiff.
It was all thanks to the developer of the demonization cure, Emile Ricard.
“Since the United States, Russia, China, and Japan are blatantly pushing them…”
Although their power had weakened recently, they were long-standing great powers.
Their influence over the world, starting with the media war, was still strong, and once these four countries decided to push France, South Korea had no choice but to become a target of criticism in an instant.
Their gazes, expressing frustration, turned to one side.
I said nothing in response to their looks.
The current flow was something even I could not do anything about.
A cure that no one thought could be made had been developed.
It was only natural for all the world’s attention to be focused on it.
And it was a natural progression for them to take this opportunity to keep South Korea and me in check as we moved toward the center of the world.
“…Ahem. Still, isn’t the power of the Order of Victory still incredible? At this rate, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say it will become the supreme religion.”
Minister Kim Chaun threw out a comment to change the subject.
“That’s true. If it’s the Order of Victory, it could expand its influence across the entire world, surpassing even Christianity of the past.”
Although the momentum of South Korea and myself was faltering, that was not the case for the Order of Victory.
They had annihilated the Demon King and his foundation, the God of Darkness.
No matter how much a cure was developed, that achievement was at a level no one could dare to match.
Therefore, the power of the Order of Victory was expanding day by day, to the point where it could rival the stronghold of past Christianity.
“As long as the Order of Victory remains healthy anyway, South Korea won’t lose its current initiative,” Minister Kim Chaun guaranteed.
It was true that the Order of Victory was a strong support.
But.
“I wonder. Will things really go as planned?”
At my question, they looked confused.
“Pardon? What do you mean…”
These people did not know Salmora.
He was a man who pursued perfection.
The fact that he had revealed himself meant that he was prepared for every situation.
And that preparation would surely include something regarding the Order of Victory, which could become the world’s supreme religion.
“Click.”
I pressed the remote and turned on the TV installed in the room.
There was no need to flip through channels.
Every channel was currently preparing to broadcast the same press conference.
[Emergency Press Conference: Emile Ricard (Live)]
An emergency press conference was displayed in the upper right corner.
And the subject was none other than Emile Ricard, who had recently become the center of attention.
“A press conference? Suddenly?”
Hosik Jeong and Minister Kim Chaun focused on the TV at the unexpected press conference.
-“There is something I haven’t been able to reveal, so I would like to take this opportunity to speak.”
On the podium, Emile Ricard was speaking leisurely into a cluster of microphones.
Beside him, Leon Ricard sat with a serious expression.
-“I first apologize for not being able to reveal the truth out of concern for the global impact.”
Emile looked into the camera and bowed politely in apology.
“See! I knew that guy was up to something!” Kim Chaun clapped his hands, rejoicing at the sight of him apologizing.
He looked no different from a typical villain celebrating someone else’s misfortune.
“Shh!” But Hosik Jeong gestured for him to be quiet.
Having shut their mouths, they focused again.
-“Leon Ricard, whom I introduced as my son — in fact, he is not my biological child.”
It wasn’t actually that surprising.
Most people would have imagined something like side effects of the cure.
It was only natural to think that way, considering he was talking about personal matters at a press conference the whole world could see.
And specifically about biological parenthood, which didn’t even need to be revealed?
One couldn’t help but think that wasn’t all.
-“Leon Ricard. To be precise, Leon, excluding the surname Ricard, is a body inhabited by the soul of a great god.”
“A-A god?!”
“…!!”
Hosik Jeong as well as Kim Chaun looked flustered at the sudden statement.
It was because the emergence of a new god, especially one associated with a cure, was bound to be a threatening force to the Order of Victory.
And those anxieties were proven correct without fail.
-“I know that faith in the God of Victory has recently become strong. Yes. The God of Victory is a very powerful deity who guarantees victory to all who worship him. He could be seen as a Supreme God.”
For some reason, he began to build up the God of Victory.
But I knew.
The grander the buildup, the more shocking the main point would be.
Therefore, I had no choice but to wait for his next words.
‘What on earth is he hiding?’
Just as he said, the status of a Supreme God is unique.
It is a one-of-a-kind existence that is nearly impossible to reach, recorded only a few times in history.
If so, what was the card that Salmora had prepared?
-“But Leon — no, Lord Leon — has far surpassed even the Supreme God…”
He knew how to build tension.
Without finishing his sentence, he drank some prepared bottled water, making everyone anticipate what was next. As expected of Salmora.
He showed excellence not only in schemes but also in oratory.
But for that to succeed, simple oratory was not enough.
The following content had to contain something that could satisfy everyone’s expectations.
What could possibly surpass me, a Supreme God?
I also waited for his next words with anticipation.
And then.
-“…The God of Creation. Dwelling within Lord Leon’s body is none other than Taecho, the God of Creation. He is an omnipotent being and the God of Gods who created all other gods!”
At Salmora’s shocking statement, I could not say anything for a moment.
The God of Creation?
Taecho?
Of course, I knew of that existence but Taecho was an illusion within the truth that had never once revealed itself.
Because that existence was…
‘Something that can only happen when light and darkness become one.’
Others might not know, but I knew. Light and darkness.
Unless the two gods split from Taecho were merged into one, Taecho would not appear.
‘Wait?!’
And then, a fact suddenly occurred to me.
The Goddess of Light had not been seen lately.
“Could it be…?”
What if Salmora had enticed the Goddess of Light?
As for the power of darkness, he, whose foundation was the Demon Clan, could have obtained it somehow.
If he had succeeded in winning over — no, deceiving — the Goddess of Light and gathering light and darkness into one?
But was that possible?
No, even if it were possible, could a vessel exist that could contain Taecho?
Along with my suspicion, the one on the TV calling himself Leon — no, Taecho, the God of Creation — stood up.
And then…
-Flash!
Soon, he began to announce his appearance to the world, radiating an immense light and a presence befitting a God of Creation.