Rise of the OtherGod Apostle: Not a Cult Leader, but a Serf?!

#069Reader Mode

#069

Athanas couldn’t understand it.

Even if the world were to crumble around him, he claimed he would do nothing.

Of course, those words could have been a mere ruse, said to dissuade Athanas, possessor of [Retrograde], from taking action.

Yet, the ‘Fabio’ Athanas had come to understand was a man true to his word, one who would indeed remain a passive observer.

Even during our first encounter…

Fabio had lingered at the top of the basement stairs for a long time.

Despite the lengthy wait, he ultimately never went down.

When Athanas turned back time, though he did not engage with Fabio directly, the man still turned away from that threshold.

Despite being so afraid of [Retrograde], he didn’t check if another had obtained the power.

One could interpret his actions as stemming from caution, wary of the potential traps that might await below.

But more than mere caution…

“If I’d known I’d run into you today, I would have gladly hanged myself this morning! Better to die unseen than to be noticed by you!”

…Fabio seemed to lack the willpower to hold on to his sanity the moment he discovered someone had obtained [Retrograde].

Fabio’s attitude was consistent.

He didn’t want to know. He didn’t want to get involved. He didn’t want to stand out. He didn’t want to be discovered. He didn’t want to die…

He seems to believe that even the Saint can’t protect him.

What makes him so afraid?

[Retrograde]?

But wasn’t [Retrograde] a power bestowed by the Lord Himself?

“…Have you never doubted the supposed divine origin of this revelation? Questioned if it truly came from the Lord?”

When Fabio asked that question, Athanas’s conviction remained unshakable.

Who had the power to blind the Lord’s eyes and ears?

But as he met with Fabio more and more, cracks began to form in the foundation of his belief.

…Is [Retrograde] really a power permitted by the Lord?

The nightmares of a world ravaged by plague, where order unravels and chaos reigns supreme.

He clung to the belief that those visions were divine revelations because [Retrograde] really did exist in the hidden basement he witnessed in his dreams.

A power to turn back the hands of time, a force that defies the natural order.

Surely, the Lord would be aware of such an aberrant power hidden within the very walls of the Cathedral?

So, the fact that this power had fallen into his hands must undoubtedly be a manifestation of the Lord’s will and guidance.

But what if that power originated from something far more sinister?

Then it would mean he had mistaken the insidious whispers of an evil god for the Lord’s divine revelation.

Athanas’s mind was a tempestuous sea, tossed between two opposing shores. One side clung steadfastly to the belief that he must never question the Lord’s will. The other was gripped by a chilling fear that his unwavering faith might be precisely what the evil god desired.

Desperate for the truth, Athanas sought answers from Fabio, but his questions only served to terrify the man, yielding no answers in return.

As these failures mounted, the idea that [Retrograde] might indeed be a power born of darkness grew ever stronger. Resolute, he had decided to confess everything, including the existence of [Retrograde], to the Saint himself.

But why…

Why did he block the Apostle’s condemnation?

Because he doesn’t know he already possessed [Retrograde]?

But doesn’t he know that ‘Athanas’ would obtain [Retrograde] in the future?

If he were to die now, the future he so greatly feared would never come to pass…

“…Tell me the reason.” The sixth Apostle demanded without lowering his sword.

Trembling, Fabio answered, “D-Do you not know who this man is, Mr. Ter?”

“Athanas. A holy knight who dared to fabricate God’s revelation for his own ends and even committed perjury before an Apostle.”

“Not what you just learned! Have you never heard the name Athanas before?”

“…Should I have?”

“Of course! No, even if you don’t know, the Saint will surely recognize it! Please, ask him once! The Saint will tell you to stop right away!”

“Why?”

“Why, you ask…”

“Why such conviction? Why should the Saint know of him?”

“That’s…”

“Fabio. You know better than to commit perjury before the one who wields the sword of condemnation, do you not?”

Fabio gripped his clothes tightly. “…The truth is, I have more than just ‘Fabio’s memories. It was a lie when I claimed to have no recollection of being called by names other than Fabio. I dared to tell a lie before the Saint. I have memories from before I became Fabio, and that is why I know of Athanas.”

“What do you know?”

“…It is something all the other ‘Watched Ones’ would know as well. Please, ask the Saint. He will know.”

Sextus fell silent a moment, then sighed faintly. “The Saint has responded that he has never heard such a name.”

“…What?”

“He says the name Athanas is unknown to him.”

“That can’t be! Absolutely, absolutely can’t be…”

Fabio was extremely flustered and agitated. “What about the other Watched Ones? What did they say? Did they say they don’t know Athanas?”

“Fabio, what kind of existence is the ‘Athanas’ you speak of? Begin by telling me that.”

“Well…”

“I’ll erase that man’s memory with ‘Oblivion’, so speak freely without worry. Tell me everything you know.”

“Athanas is…” Fabio hesitated for a moment.

Athanas’s heart raced, pounding in his chest.

Finally, the moment had arrived when he would hear the truth he had so desperately longed for.

“…He is a savior who has saved this world before.”

A savior?

Me?

…Then why is he so afraid of me?

Sextus’s brows knitted together in deep skepticism. “Saved the world before? Then why wouldn’t I know about it?”

“Because it hasn’t happened yet. No, it will never happen now that you Apostles are in the Dark Realm. But all the Watched Ones definitely witnessed it. In that reality, Athanas was a hero, a shining beacon of hope, a savior who restored order to a world consumed by chaos.”

“The being from beyond the stars showed you these visions?”

“…Yes. Athanas, the Heretic Slayer. There isn’t a single Watched One who wouldn’t recognize that name.”

The Heretic Slayer?

An eerie title for a supposed savior.

Athanas mulled over the unfamiliar terms – Watched Ones, being from beyond the stars, Heretic Slayer…

“Of course, what I saw could have been lies fabricated by evil beings, and Athanas could be a nobody. But what if it was a fragment of the truth? Are you going to kill someone who could become a savior over such a trivial matter?”

“Forging a revelation is no trivial matter.”

“Then there must be a reason! A proper reason why he had to do it…!”

Fabio turned to look at Athanas desperately.

“Athanas, why did you do it? Why did you make up the revelation?”

…Probably 5 minutes left. If I stall any longer, I won’t be able to stop Fabio naturally after turning back time.

Athanas instinctively calculated the time left.

A lengthy conversation was not an option here.

“…Why are you so afraid of me?”

“What? You choose to ask that now? Answer the question! Do you wish to lose your head? You, of all people! What could possibly be going through your mind…”

“That is my answer. I was simply curious about the reason for your fear. That’s why I wanted to learn more about you, even if it meant forging a revelation.”

“… I beg your pardon?”

“What is it about a ‘Heretic Slayer’ that made you so afraid of me?”

“No, not right now…”

“There’s no time, so answer quickly. If you just answer, I’ll also reveal the entire truth to you.”

“That’s a lie.” Sextus’s voice was as cold as ice. “Fabio, step away from him. That man has no intention of speaking the truth.”

“What…”

“…He’s carefully counting the time. Why? Does he possess some hidden trump card? Or is there a limit to how long he can inhabit that body?”

“A-Are you suggesting Athanas is being controlled at this very moment?”

“Who can say? What’s certain is that he doesn’t fear the sword of condemnation bringing death. Could he act so boldly if it were truly his own body?”

“Then what should we…”

“There’s a simple way to discern the truth.”

Athanas felt a searing jolt of agony, like a bolt of lightning piercing his flesh. Glancing down, he saw the hilt of a dagger jutting from his thigh, crimson blood seeping from the wound.

“…Does it hurt?” Sextus tilted his head. “Strange. Those fully controlled usually can’t feel pain. Perhaps you only received orders? Yet you show no fear of death. Were you promised resurrection, I wonder?”

Athanas gritted his teeth against the pain.

With an Apostle here, it will be impossible to ask anything further.

“Regardless, your suspicious behavior remains. Fabio, come here.”

“Wh-What did you do that for? You could have sufficiently checked if he feels pain through other means! Like spraying lemon juice in his eyes! The femoral artery runs through the thigh…”

Far from retreating, Fabio spread his arms as if to shield Athanas and drew close. “Athanas, don’t move. If the knife shifts and touches the artery, it’s dangerous.”

“…Why do you keep defending him? I told you he is lying.”

“We can find out the reason now, can’t we? You can discern truth from lies, Mr. Ter, so there’s no way he can deceive you! The suspect has no intent to flee, so using such excessive force…”

“Fabio.” Sextus rounded on him, murderous intent rolling off him in waves.“Do you place more faith in the revelations of an Othergod than the word of an Apostle?”

…Othergod?

“Why would an Othergod reveal a savior to you? No, did you truly witness such a thing? That deceiver could have tampered with your mind, to make you believe he is the savior of order.”

“That can’t be! I have a blessing that prevents any mental manipulation!”

“…How can you be certain that interference doesn’t only guard against blessings from the Order? An Othergod might be toying with your thoughts freely, without your knowledge. You just don’t realize it.”

“That’s…” Fabio faltered.

“Fabio. You are the plaything of an Othergod. That being from beyond the stars does this merely to witness how many times it can make you despair. Can you even trust your own memories?”

“Of course I-“

“Do you remember how many times you have died?”

“How… how many times I’ve died?”

“You see? You don’t remember, do you?”

“No, I…”

“Why would the Othergod erase your memories of death yet leave recollections of that man? Perhaps it wanted you to place your trust in him, only to suffer betrayal?”

“What are you… no, the other Watched Ones definitely…”

“What of them? Even if they share the same memories, how does that prove them true? Just because many possess fabricated memories, that alone does not make them real.”

“No…” Fabio gripped his head, confusion and doubt flickering across his face. “No, that can’t be right. The game… it was only a game. We must have all been drawn into it somehow…”

His mumbling in a low voice was near incomprehensible.

Only fragmented words like how to prove, evidence, could be heard.

…2 minutes left.

There was something he had to ask before turning back time.

“Fabio,” he said urgently. “Did the ‘savior’ Athanas you knew have the ability [Retrograde]?”

Fabio went rigid at the words, as if transformed to stone.

“…Retrograde?”