The God Slaying Hero and the Seven Covenants Chapter 57.1

Chapter 57 G.o.d

It was, a completely empty place.

As far as the eye could see, in all 360 degrees, both up and down; it was all pure white. Not a tinge of any other colour existed here and that is why ‘She’ was the one who lived here.

Praying to the G.o.ddess’ statue, that prayer would then reach her, and only after gaining her permission, one could enter this place.

It was tranquil and pure.

A sacred land where only a chosen few were allowed to enter.

It was that kind of a place.

“You’re finally here, eh?”

While in this place, even though she’s supposed to not be not visible, or rather just made of light, or should I say looks like a distortion……….anyway, even though she’s not supposed to have a physical body, she was currently, for some reason, sitting on a throne right in front of me completely visible.

Inside this white world, she was there with silver hair, elegantly wearing a white dress with silver embroidery, and the white skin that peeked out of her dress could charm anyone. Even the throne was made of silver, and the cus.h.i.+ons on it were made of a white material. Even though everything was so related to white, only her golden eyes, which was a different colour, stood out.

Her almost cold looking, calm eyes stared at me and her mouth was straight as a line.

Clearly, she was displeased.

Her smiling expression shown in her silver statue felt like it was nothing more than a rare expression from her. But still to think of her as beautiful even now, I guess as expected of a G.o.ddess eh?

G.o.ddess Astraera. The creator of humankind and the G.o.ddess of light.

The one who summoned us to this world and asked us to kill the Demon G.o.d.

And she, while looking more like a Queen, sat on her throne, with her legs crossed, looking down towards me.

“Why, Astraera-sama, you seem to be well——“(renji)

“No need for empty flattery. Raise your head.”

Floor——-well, since everything was white, it didn’t really feel like a floor but still, I tried to greet her normally while giving a customary kneel when she cut me off instantly. I knew she was not in a good mood but she actually seems pretty d.a.m.n p.i.s.sed right now.

Probably because I didn’t come to see her not a single time in the past one year.

As I raised my while thinking of a way to apologise to her, she continued to stare at me coldly. Because she had incredibly sharp features, she looked really scary. Almost as scary as an angry Utano-san, if I had to compare.

“Took you a while to come here, eh?”(ast) (T/N: ‘Ast’ for Astraera.)

But in her next words, I also felt some warm feelings of ‘thanking for the troubles’, or something like that.

She uncrossed her legs, as I heard some rustling of her clothes. And inside the tranquil s.p.a.ce, I felt a more gentle atmosphere seep in.

“This past one year, how were you?”(ast)

“……..Just as always.”

“I see.”

When I said that, it seems she understood what I meant as her way of speaking was very gentle. As I stood up and faced her directly, now her eyes were narrow with gentleness instead.

So she was just bluffing……….that’s really bad for my heart.

Feeling with my own body that her pressure had reduced, I felt relieved. It looks like in this one year, she’s grown even more human like as well.

While wondering whether I should be happy about that, I gave a deep sigh without letting her realize.

“How rude, the first thing you do after meeting me in such a long time is give a sigh?”(ast)

“It’s probably because you have become more human-like though.”

“Really? I don’t really understand though.”

She sure can talk.

While thinking about how serious she was, I gave another sigh. At that, her, almost cold, beautiful face gave a smile.

Her expression was, really similar to Eru’s. Well I guess it’s only obvious. After all, Eru was born by dividing out a part of Astraera’s own magical energy. It’s normal for Eru to be similar to Astraera in many ways.

Though their appearances are similar, their personalities are completely opposite. They’re more, if I had to say, like mother and her daughter.

Astraera, Eru and Ermenhilde. If I had to speak of their relations.h.i.+p, that’s the best way to describe it.

“The fact that you’re finally here means, I am allowed to presume that you’re finally ready to look forward again right?”(ast)

“Do as you please. But, its only because the world seems to be in danger again.”

“I see. Then, you will save the world once more, right?”

“If, the world really is in mortal danger that is.”

After a short pause.

“As long as my opponent is not another G.o.d.”(renji)

“I see.”

AS I said that while shrugging, she said that while sighing in relief. Looks like she really thought that I’d refuse.

She really still has a lot to learn.

I will, no matter what she says next, no matter what she wishes of me………if it is to save this world from danger, I will not refuse. That alone, I can say with pride.

“So?”(renji)

But, I will not face another G.o.d.

It’s the same even for this G.o.ddess. Even though she once said that she hates fighting but after having faced the Demon G.o.d, I can tell. This G.o.ddess is in a completely different dimension of power.

I can’t even think that I could kill her easily even if I fought seriously.

——–To kill G.o.ds, a sacrifice is needed. A lot of precious people need to be sacrificed for such a thing.

“Renji, are you aware of the abnormality widespread in this world right now?”(ast)

“The fact that the Demon G.o.d’s descendants are appearing in Imnesia, and that the monsters have begun to move more actively, is it?”

“Exactly. The more serious one is the former—-the fact that those descendants are still being born.”

Fumu.

So, as expected, they weren’t a random natural occurrence, but are truly the descendants of the Demon G.o.d. I was pretty sure already but being told that surely makes it easier to accept.

I recalled that black orc, and the black ogre that attacked the Magic city.

The skeleton I fought in the forest was——I wonder about that one.

There was one thing common between the black orc and the ogre. That was that they were both too weak for the Demon G.o.d’s descendants. No matter how specialised Ermenhilde is to kill G.o.ds, the descendants aren’t weak enough that they can be taken down by me alone. In contrast, the Skeleton was strong enough that even me along with Mururu couldn’t beat it at all.

Those two were newborn, but the latter one was there from a long time. That was the only way to possibly make it coherent. We had simply failed to find and kill that Skeleton during our journey to subjugate the Demon G.o.d. The Orc and the ogre were newborn and had not yet grown mature. That’s why they lacked experience, and——-were weak.

Considering that we didn’t go near the forest back then indeed, it all makes sense.

“One, question.”(renji)

“Go ahead.”

“I definitely killed the Demon G.o.d Nayfell, with these two hands.”

“Yes, you did.”

“Then why are new descendants being born still? Wasn’t it the Demon G.o.d himself who gave birth to them?”

“It’s because Nayfell’s corpse still exists.”

“………………”

Those few words, made me choke. As if my heart had been grabbed, it felt tight and painful inside.

“…….corpse?”

“Yes. You should have received something from Zwenelia correct?”

Being told that, I recalled——the Demon Go’s heart. Beautiful like a crystal but much harder than that——-ominous, abominable, detestable fragment of his heart.

It’s what the Spirit G.o.d Zwenelia sent to us through Mururu.

“That fragment of his heart?”

“Does it look like his heart to you?”

Her words seemed to imply as if our perception of it was not correct.

No, it’s not impossible. All we think we know about the G.o.ds is nothing more than what we theorized and nothing more. Maybe our perception is flawed. And because of that we accepted that without a doubt.

Games, movies, mangas and novels. A lot of things existed in our world. In such things a lot of diverse ‘info’ about such beings of other world, like monsters, G.o.ds, beastmen, demihumans, and fairies exist in ma.s.s quant.i.ty. And some of it did seem applicable in this world as well.

Like monsters and beasts in forest being afraid of fire, water monsters being weak to lightning. Water beast fire, lightning beats water, earth beats lightning, and winds beats earth. The basic knowledge and concepts about elements etc did indeed become one of our weapons in this world.

Though as this wasn’t a game there were different set of problems but still——the knowledge we held was used by us with confidence.

That’s why even against the Demon G.o.d……..by smas.h.i.+ng the [heart] that lay in the centre of his body that surely seemed like just his weakness, I destroyed all of his body till nothing remained. I thought that it was enough but……..it seems like that [heart] was its actual true body.

“Meaning?”(renji)

“Since you broke its main body, the number of parts it broke into turned into descendants in turn.”

The moment I heard that, my shoulders felt unbearably heavy. My head hurt like crazy and I used my fingers to press on the temple of head.

Does that mean, I am the cause of this?

“But, the problem doesn’t lie there.”(ast)

“Hm?”

“Felt a bit relieved?”

“…….thanks for the kind words.”

“Oh, you’re way of speaking has turned back to normal.”

“Thank you very much.” (T/N: Renji speaks formally with her but in the previous line he speaks like would normally so he fixes it here.)

When I spoke it that way again, she gave a laugh.

Even though the world is in danger, she’s calm as usual. Seeing her, I gave a sigh again.

“So, do I have to go around killing the descendants now?”(renjI)

“That would be great on its own but, I doubt you’d make it in time.”

“What do you mean?”

I felt an ill omen when she said that.

If the newborn descendants are the threat to the world, why does she say that I won’t make it in time? Exactly [what] will I be late for?

Waiting for her answer, I stayed quiet.

“The danger to the world is that the Demons are trying to revive Nayfell.”

“Revive….”

Repeating what she said like parrot, I searched through my memories thinking of something similar I had heard before.

I found it soon enough. Back when I faced that demon at magic city, this is what that demon had said. That the Demon Lord Shelfa was refusing to revive the Demon G.o.d.

Thinking of that, it seems a portion of demons, whether it be the majority or the minority, are in favour of this and the Demon Lord isn’t interested in it.

I can’t imagine what that battle maniac is thinking at all but I don’t really need to either. I won’t know till I ask it directly myself.

“But the result will be—–Renji, you should know it well as you made a similar wish.”(ast)

“………aah.”

When I wished to revive Eru, Ermenhilde was born…….it seems Nayfell will also be revived as a completely different existence.

That must be what Astraera means.

Now what kind of a G.o.d this [completely different existence ]is——is that not the problem?

“Even I do not know what kind of existence it is.”(ast)

“What do you mean?”

“That is, whether it will hold the will of Nayfell—one of the 3 pillars of this world or will it be nothing more than an avatar of destruction…….or is it just a mere vessel.”

“And you don’t know that.”

“There have been countless times when G.o.ds have revived beings of their own creation, for eg. humans or demihumans, but for an existence that isn’t even a descendant to revive a G.o.d, this is the first case after all.”

I guess, it is.

Even though Eru was born of the G.o.dess’ own magical energy, even the G.o.ddess herself was unable to revive her properly.

Then what would happen if mere Demons tried to revive their Demon G.o.d, I can’t even imagine.

Even though the world was in danger, I felt a bit of déjà vu,—–probably because I did something similar.

I got to meet my partner Ermenhilde but I’m sure Nayfell—-will become something different as well. It was a sad thing and painful……….once more, so many will get sacrificed.

That Demon G.o.d, no amount of hate is enough for that thing. If it revived as he was before…….I will again, fight with all my strength. Even while knowing how many sacrifices may arise to do that.

He said he was bored.

Just like Astraera wishes to look over the people who live in this world, just like Zwenelia like to sleep in peace and quiet,…….that monster, wished for strife and conflict.

Whether his will remains, or just his strength, or maybe he would be just a vessel. But—–I will not ignore a G.o.d who wishes for strife.

(Part 2 soon)