Chapter 236
This rain is really heavy.
The adjudicator stood in the wilderness, unable to see east, west, north, or south.
He seems lost here, but that's unlikely; reaching this level is itself the end result of getting lost.
But he felt lost, disoriented in this world.
In the wilderness, in the pouring rain. Under the sun, on the plain.
He searched everywhere, but found no place to stand. He wandered aimlessly here, as if countless people were watching him from the shadows.
Who doesn't know, and doesn't want to know.
He planted the spear in his hand into the ground and touched the cracked spear.
He wanted to look in the mirror, to see how ridiculous he looked.
But now it's raining heavily, and he can't see himself clearly.
How long have I been standing in the heavy rain?
He suddenly thought of this problem and then didn't know what to do.
It felt like he stayed for a short time, yet also like he stayed for eternity. It felt like he had been standing there the whole time.
He slowly leaned back and lay down in the rain.
Soaked in the decaying mud, he slowly sank halfway into it.
When I stopped breathing, I listened to my own heartbeat.
The sounds of thunder, rain, and his own heartbeat mingled together, yet he could easily discern their sources; despite the chaotic cacophony, he had no problem distinguishing them.
He was no longer human; he was now perhaps closer to a monster.
Half of his body slowly sank into the mud.
Come to think of it, I don't actually dislike this feeling.
He closed his eyes, and his mind slowly stopped working.
Perhaps I really need to rest and quietly figure out what I'm doing all this for.
He heard the sound of the cane, and a deathly gray glint appeared in his eyes.
“You look distressed.” The sound of the cane stopped, and the judge slowly sat up, looking at the old man standing there.
That was the Guardian of the Way; this was the first time he had ever known that the Guardian of the Way would leave his room.
"Are you disappointed in me?" the adjudicator asked in a soft, almost weak voice.
The adjudicator thought to himself that perhaps he really was a disappointment.
At this critical juncture, he helped some inexplicable fellow seize the Demon God's Seal, and failed. The Benevolent One didn't even feel like he'd used his full strength, yet he felt as if all his pillars had been shattered.
"Are you disappointed in yourself?" the Guardian said with a hint of helplessness. "You're a bit too concerned with the details. And from the beginning, you weren't trying to gain anyone's approval. You've already been approved by God."
"Why me of all people? I'm so naive and stubborn, so inflexible, I can't understand anything."
“I don’t know, just like I don’t understand why I was chosen as the Guardian.” The old man turned and left. “I need someone to lend a hand. Are you free now?”
The adjudicator had no choice but to stand up and sling the spear over his back.
The soil and water detached themselves from him at his command, as did the old man.
He possessed abilities most similar to those of a god, yet he was so fragile.
Perhaps God really doesn't choose people; anyone else would seem to be slightly better than this guy.
It's really terrible.
"If you want to hand over the Demon God Seal, you can try to persuade those who don't support it," the Guardian suddenly said. "It's a three-vote veto right now: me, Benevolence, and Honor. If you can convince one of them that she's safe, I don't mind releasing the child. We've already placed a sealing array on her, so if any problems arise, it'll be easy for us to resolve."
The adjudicator remained silent, following behind in the heavy rain.
"Why are you unwilling to give that child freedom?" he said softly. "I really don't know what's so terrible about a child whose power has been sealed. We've been cautious enough."
"What we fear is not the child, but the people who intend to exploit her," the Guardian said. "What do those people really want: the child named Lori, or the Demon God's Seal?"
The Arbiter paused, and the Guardian suddenly turned around and took the red crystal from his hand.
It was crystal formed from the heart of a benevolent person, and in the heavy rain, it looked like something buried.
"She entrusted this to you, huh? Haha, you know what? It took her almost seven hundred years to create this." The Guardian said casually, "But she entrusted it to you. Is it because she trusts you? Or does she think it's worthless?"
"What do you mean?" the Arbitrator asked, looking at the crystal with a hint of confusion.
"The reason why the Demon God Seal cannot be used by others is because of its power and consumption, and because normal people cannot bear the cost," the Guardian said softly. "But this is an exception. There are countless Demon Seals on it, all gathered there. In other words, as long as the Demon God Seal can be transferred there, this is the heart of the Demon God."
"The heart of the demon god?"
"What existed as a concept before the war, now lies on an indestructible vessel, upon which numerous demonic seals overlap. These seals, having neutralized each other's abilities and rules, collectively bear the cost of the demon god's seal." The Guardian's expression slowly turned serious: "This heart of the demon god, if obtained, allows anyone to wield the power of the demon god's seal."
"An indestructible base?" The Arbiter repeated, and roughly understood.
The heart of the benevolent, even when separated, has the meaning of restoration.
It won't be destroyed, or rather, it will be repaired the instant it is damaged. It's almost to the point where the concept of time no longer exists.
"Did the Benevolent One create this in order to become a demon god?" the Arbitrator said softly. "I thought she wouldn't go that far, no matter how confused she was."
"What's so confusing about that? I don't think she did anything wrong. It was a bold attempt. As a saint, she became a demon god, possessing both divine protection and demonic sustenance. She would be a monster that even I wouldn't know how to deal with." The Guardian paused and said, "What a pity, what a pity, she was just one step away from it."
......
By the time the judge returned to the church, a long time had passed.
He soaked in the water, in the pool filled with medicine, and felt his whole body slowly soften.
I definitely need to rest; I've been under a lot of stress lately.
After a long time without allowing my body to be in a relaxed state, I naturally felt like I had no bones left after having a chance to rest.
It would be best if this state could continue for a while longer; his mind is in a mess, and he doesn't know what he's thinking right now.
The words of the guardian cast a long shadow over him, causing him to reconsider the matter.
What exactly do they want?
Is it a demon's seal or a child?
He suddenly realized he had been too naive; he thought these guys would look down on the Demon God Seal compared to the child because of the demon.
The fact that the guy called Little Spider appeared so cleanly in front of him, and that he accidentally killed him in the end, left him with a huge psychological shadow.
This situation is really disheartening; the justice I've always believed in is being shaken.
"If protecting children requires a reason, then the world is doomed."
I remember clearly what Spider-Man said back then.
What disgusting words could come from such a monstrous creature? It was a monster, a repulsive monster, a despicable monster. The sight of such a monster blocking the way was enough to make one's blood run cold.
It was a monster that should have been banished, but he hesitated because he was protecting a child.
And what about herself? She was glittering with gold, like an angel, but she didn't even leave a way for a child to live.
It's really uncomfortable, extremely uncomfortable.
Therefore, he believed that everyone would want this child, just like Spider-Man, not because of her worth, but because of her as a person.
But that's not the case.
"Hey, is someone here?" The door was suddenly pushed open, and a man stood there looking at the verdict for a moment, then said, "Um, if you don't mind, can we soak together? I'm covered in blood and rainwater right now, and I feel terrible."
"Who are you?" The judge paused, looking at the guy called Ghost Duke.
"The one who runs errands for the benevolent." Ghost Duke didn't wait for his reply before soaking in the water, looking very comfortable as he slumped down on the side.
"Um, why are you here?" the judge asked hesitantly, looking around.
This is my room.
"Oh, because the Benevolent Ones' place completely collapsed, and even the lovely maid who took care of me got smashed and stuck. I'm going to clean myself up and see if the Benevolent Ones can restore me when they come back," Ghost Duke said casually.
He was talking about fish. He found the poor child; the collapsed house had left her body torn to pieces.
The reason he's here is because he's such a useless piece of trash.
In the end, I didn't make it to the end.
Walking to that airship was too much of a chore for an ordinary otaku. He couldn't bring himself to do it, so he went back to take a shower.
People with a kind heart are used to such things. After all, this guy called Ghost Duke has almost never been reliable.
When he came back, he needed to find a place to take a bath, but because of the damage, this is now the only place in the church where he can take a proper bath.
The adjudicator hesitated for a moment, but did not kick the guy out.
Because he also wanted to get to know this guy better, this guy had just been holed up in the dungeon for a long time. That's probably how the Benevolent One changed into what he is now.
"What exactly did you say to the Benevolent One?" the Arbiter asked Ghost Duke tentatively, staring at him in surprise. This guy was actually rubbing the ash off himself in the medicinal pool.
"Don't be angry, don't be angry," he thought, waiting for Ghost Duke's reply.
"Hmm? I can talk to you up to a month from now." Ghost Duke paused for a moment, then looked at him and said, "My job is to talk to people who are benevolent."
“Really?” The adjudicator paused, “I thought I would make her happy in a more vulgar way.”
"My lord, your thoughts are dangerous." Ghost Duke paused, then rested his head on his hand and said, "Um, your expression... you're not joking anymore?"
The adjudicator nodded, looking intently at Ghost Duke.
He genuinely believed that the benevolent person was lonely and bored because he had been single for too long, so he found a seemingly easy-to-bully guy to play with.
I was genuinely surprised when I was rejected.
“Be careful with your jokes. It’s been a long time since I’ve been hung up and sliced up by a benevolent person.” Ghost Duke’s expression was very serious: “If she hears what you’re saying, I’m guessing I’ll be subjected to some cruel things again.”
The adjudicator hesitated for a moment, then fell silent.
I'm definitely not good at dealing with guys like that.
"You seem to have something on your mind. What's wrong?" Ghost Duke didn't seem like a smart guy. He asked casually, "If you need some advice, I can tell you something."
"What do you think justice is?" the adjudicator asked, looking at him for a moment before pausing.
"Justice? It's really similar to the question of benevolence." Ghost Duke said, looking at the ceiling. "She asked me about love."
So what's your answer?
"Justice exists, and it exists objectively." Ghost Duke suddenly blurted out this sentence: "And the law follows the people's simple values; anything not stipulated by law is permissible..."
What are you saying?
"Don't mind me, I'm just spouting nonsense." Ghost Duke said while soaking in the water, "You've touched on a blind spot in my knowledge. I really don't know what justice is."
The adjudicator looked at him silently, paused, and then said, "So, what do you think is wrong?"
"I believe everything is just," Ghost Duke said casually. "Is this even worth discussing?"
"What do you mean?" The adjudicator was getting a little annoyed by this guy's words. He was indeed talking too much nonsense, like a chatterbox in a novel who was just padding out the word count.
"What we do, frankly speaking, is nothing more than the actions of a living being, using the banner of justice to do selfish things, using the guise of others' pseudo-justice to do selfish things. What's the difference? Everyone is always acting for something, whether for themselves or for others, so why care so much about the distinction?" Ghost Duke said softly, "I remember the Benevolent One saying something about you, that you are a manifestation of justice itself, right? So what exactly do you care about?"
“I don’t know what justice is anymore. I might have known before, but now I’m lost,” the adjudicator said.
“What you want to do is righteous. Since you have become the standard of value, then those who follow you will prosper, and those who oppose you will perish.” Ghost Duke said softly, then hesitated and looked at him, saying, “Do whatever you want. What’s the use of asking me, a lazy bum?”
The judge didn't speak. Ghost Duke yawned, looked at him, and slowly leaned against the wall and fell asleep.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com