Chapter 12: Memories and Overwhelming Destruction 

『Eito. There’s a god living in this house.』

『Grandpa, don’t tell me you’ve developed chuunibyou at your age—ow!』

『Listen seriously.』

Even now, I remembered how gentle that fist to my head had actually been despite my reflexive complaint.

『This area has suffered countless disasters since ancient times. Storms came constantly. Landslides and flooded rivers were ordinary occurrences. Lightning sparked mountain fires, and during winter, avalanches and hailstorms were practically seasonal traditions.』

『And our ancestors still decided to live here?』

『Indeed they did. Back then, people feared such disasters as gods themselves. They believed the calamities could be appeased through worship and reverence.』

『Wouldn’t it have been easier to just move somewhere else?』

『They couldn’t. That’s why they remained in this cursed land. Our ancestors were apparently onmyouji, spirit mediums, and other people who possessed strange powers. According to legend, those powers caused them to be driven out from other lands.』

I remembered snorting dismissively at that story.

The idea that ancient people worshipped natural disasters as gods was believable enough. In older eras, when superstition and the occult still held power over society, that sort of thinking made sense.

But our ancestors being exorcists and mystics?

That sounded way too ridiculous.

At the time, I’d simply thought my stubborn old grandfather was making an unusually elaborate joke.

『However, civilization advanced. Society matured. Discrimination gradually faded away, and eventually everyone left this settlement behind. Now then—what do you think happened afterward?』

『…There was nobody left to worship the gods?』

『Exactly. So the people who moved away began entrusting their gods to those they were close to within the settlement. And as a result, every last god eventually got dumped onto— ahem. Entrusted to our family.』

…Wait.

Did he just say “dumped onto”?

『But during the great war, the records detailing how to worship each god were all destroyed in the fires. So my father—your great-grandfather—eventually said, “Well, we don’t know anymore, so let’s just combine them all into one.”』

『Wow. That’s insanely sloppy.』

『He was my father, you know? Do you really think he was a serious man? Anyway, that’s why the gods in our household shrine are all worshipped together now. The result is… well… they’ve kind of fused into some horrifyingly dangerous deity.』

『…I swear I just felt something staring at me from the shrine.』

I remembered unconsciously glancing toward the household shrine in the living room.

I couldn’t see anything.

And yet—

I distinctly felt something looking back at me.

『Well, it may be a dangerous god, but it isn’t an evil one. It grants all sorts of blessings to our family, the only people who still worship it. You’ve noticed them too, haven’t you?』

『…Like how I always win those lottery ice cream sticks?』

『Exactly, exactly. In my case, my horse-racing predictions hit perfectly every time.』

But then Grandpa continued, his tone quieter than before.

『Those aren’t the true blessings. The real blessing is this: if you genuinely pray for help… it will save you.』

『Save me?』

『That’s right. Even if your life is in danger, our god will absolutely come to your aid—』

『Grandpa?』

『…Well, to be more precise, it can be a bit of a heavy sleeper. Or perhaps it simply arrives late. In my case, it kept sleeping while I was on the verge of death, so I can’t guarantee anything… but it’ll probably save you. Most likely. Surely. Almost definitely.』

What the hell does “almost definitely” even mean?

I remembered silently grumbling to myself while Grandpa gently patted my head.

◇　◆　◇

…I remembered.

“Could it be… our household god?”

『……』

The black shadow glanced toward me with its countless eyes.

Then all the mouths covering its body twisted upward into crescent-shaped smiles.

Holy crap, terrifying!!

I couldn’t sense hostility or malice from it at all—

But its appearance alone was so grotesque it was genuinely horrifying.

“A god!? Don’t be ridiculous!! There is no way something this disgusting could possibly be divine!! Damn it… move!! MOVE, MY BODY!! MOVE ALREADY, DAMN YOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!”

Zereshia forcibly moved her body despite the paralysis inflicted by the god’s words.

Then she shouted an order.

“All of you, ready your swords!!”

“C-Captain Zereshia…”

“What are you doing!? Move!!”

“W-we can’t. We cannot disobey the words of that black shadow…”

“Useless trash!!”

The instant Zereshia drew her sword and pointed it at the black shadow—

『T W I S T』

“!?!”

The words made no sense.

Even hearing them directly, they were incomprehensible sounds.

And yet—

Somehow, instinctively, their meaning could still be understood.

It was revolting.

And then Zereshia’s sword twisted violently like soft clay.

“W-what!? Th-this is—! Damn it, Radiant Blade Mirac—”

『R I P』

“GYAAAH!? M-MY MOU—”

『C R U S H』

“!?”

Her mouth tore apart before she could finish chanting the miracle.

Then, with a wet crunch, her right hand exploded into pulp.

『S H A T T E R』

“Ghh… st-stop—”

『C O L L A P S E』

“GYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!”

Cracks spread through her left arm before it shattered apart entirely.

Her right leg rotted away into dust.

It wasn’t a battle.

It was absolute, merciless domination.

If Grana’s stories were true, Zereshia was an elite among the Inquisition Knights—a warrior forged through brutal training.

And yet she couldn’t resist at all.

The Inquisition Knights watching this horrific spectacle completely lost their will to fight.

“Eight… what is that?”

“It’s probably… the god we worship in our shrine…”

“I see. I can certainly feel overwhelming divine power from it. However…”

Raphiel tilted her head slightly as she stared at the black shadow that had reduced Zereshia to helplessness as easily as crushing an insect.

“…There are too many. It feels as though countless gods have merged together into one being.”

Then—

『T E A R』

“GUH!?!”

『B E N D』

“GYAH!?!”

『B R E A K』

The black shadow continued speaking over and over, tormenting Zereshia with terrifying precision.

And all the while—

It smiled.

That grotesque grin looked almost evil itself.

Zereshia must have realized what word would come next.

Because suddenly, terror consumed her face.

“H-hi… no… stop… don’t say it… PLEASE DON’T SAY IT!! Spare my life!!”

『D I E』

“Stop. If you tell her to die, I’ll get angry.”

『――』

At my words, the black shadow fell silent.

Then, almost childishly, its mouths puffed outward in visible dissatisfaction.

“No means no. …You’re the god protecting our family, right? Then I don’t want you killing people.”

『T H A T　W O M A N』

“Hm?”

『K I L L E D　E I T O’ S　P R E C I O U S　P E O P L E』

“……”

The “precious people” it referred to were probably the villagers of Papel.

And if Zereshia had been telling the truth, then—

Just as that thought crossed my mind—

The village chief suddenly wandered toward us from the direction of the village.

“Ooh, looks like you all made it out safely.”

“Eh!? Ch-chief!? You’re alive!? Wait—are you a ghost!?”

“Who are you calling a ghost, brat!? I still plan on living another hundred years!!”

At that point you’re basically a yokai!!

“…What about the villagers?”

“Alive. Every last one of ’em. Though the Inquisition Knights are all lying unconscious over there.”

“Eh? W-what happened…?”

“Well now, ya see—”

Just as the village chief began explaining what had happened in the village—

Zereshia suddenly regenerated her body with a healing miracle, pulled a hidden knife from her clothes, and lunged toward him, pressing the blade against his throat.

“Perfect!! Oi, heretic!! If you don’t want this old man dead, then do something about that monster!!”

“…Hah. Little girl. You don’t seem particularly intelligent.”

“W-what did you say, you old—”

It happened in less than a blink.

One moment the village chief was standing there—

The next, Zereshia was on her knees.

And now it was her throat being threatened by a knife.

The one holding the blade was the village chief himself.

Eh?

Wait—

WHAT!?

Why was the village chief suddenly holding a knife to her throat!?

“T-that movement just now… impossible!! Eight-san!! What is the village chief’s full name!?”

“Eh? Umm… I think it was Full… Fullchin? Something like Full-something-chin?”

“Fuldretch, perhaps?”

“Ah, yeah! Something like that!”

“Grana, do you know something?”

In response to Raphiel’s question, Grana spoke in a voice filled with utter disbelief.

Her eyes were sparkling with excitement.

“Y-yes, Raphiel-sama!! That movement just now—it was identical to the techniques of my master, the Sword Saint Lepart!! No… its sharpness surpassed even his!! Which means that gentleman must be Master Lepart’s own teacher!!”

Grana practically trembled as she continued.

“The great hero who invaded the Demon Continent alongside the summoned Hero eighty years ago and casually slaughtered half the Demon King’s generals!! The strongest Holy Knight in recorded history—Sir Fuldretch Gainstein!!”

“Heh heh. Makes an old man blush knowin’ there are still folks who remember me.”

“Wait… the village chief was actually someone insanely amazing!?”

“Indeed I was. Though I may not look it, I’m acquainted with most of the temple’s cardinals. Most of ’em are my juniors, too.”

Whoa.

That’s absurdly impressive.

“Well then, Eight. I already beat up every Inquisition Knight who tried attacking the village and tied ’em all up nice and proper. Don’t ya think an old man deserves a reward for all that?”

“…What exactly do you want?”

“Alcohol!! Soju!! Sake!! Whisky!! I want booze from another world!! And if ya refuse, I’ll strip buck naked and do handstands around your house forever!!”

Please don’t.

And while we’re at it—

Please give back the tiny bit of respect I almost started feeling for you.