The Devil Who Grants Wishes

147 – Gaia (3)

[Ugh… Ugh…]

[Be patient. You have to be patient.]

‘What are you guys doing?’

The sight seen beyond the screen is truly shocking. Originally, I am not impatient enough to come to a conclusion in such a short amount of time, but to the extent that I can draw a conclusion with certainty.

A self-inflicted self-injury show is unfolding that literally knocks the forehead.

Because of the whipping, the flesh burst out and blood was scattered all over the place, and the blood that was scattered in that way turned the village into blood as I can see with the naked eye now.

The bastards who whip them whip them with all kinds of solemn expressions, and when it’s their turn to be flogged again, they accept the whipping without saying anything.

I have absolutely no idea why they are doing that.

According to what I’ve heard, it seems like they’re saying that they have to atone for Gaia… I think Gaia would rather hate it? There’s no way the god of life would stand still and do something as stupid as draining one’s life force.

First of all, to be honest, it sounds like hypocrisy. No, it’s not the same thing, it’s hypocrisy.

[Only like this… Only like this can I atone… keuh…]

These things, there are things that they whip themselves to relieve their guilt, but precisely, they are doing these things because they are afraid that Gaia’s anger will be directed at them.

Because they betrayed Gaia and served Seraphia, they are doing this out of fear that Gaia will punish them or abandon them.

The more the Elves are whipped, the more their fear disappears with pain, and they judge that Gaia will not be able to do any harm to them since they have gone this far with him.

I couldn’t use the devil’s emotion reading because I didn’t see it in front of my eyes, but even without it, the elves’ behavior was so linear in many ways, such as their facial expressions and tone.

However, such a large-scale disappearance wouldn’t happen with just whipping…?

‘Above all, Gaia wouldn’t want anything like this. How could those who have served Gaia for generations know more about Gaia than I do—… what is it?’

At that moment, something strange is caught on the other side of the screen.

There was only constant blood splashing, and the ground, which had not made any movement, was shaking. No matter what kind of earthquake happens, the whole thing does not shake, but it is literally like turning the soil upside down with a hoe or a hoe.

I guess I was the only one who was concentrating on the overall scenery looking over the screen and was able to recognize it.

Perhaps the cause of the large-scale disappearance will be seen soon-

[Wooddeuk-]

[Hey!]

The progress of the work was instantaneous.

Suddenly, vines protruding from the ground attacked the elves who were in the middle of a self-injury show, and eventually completely wrapped themselves around them. It’s so fast that even I can see an afterimage.

Even the vines are not simply wrapped around the body. As if it were a living creature, the elves squeezed their bodies so that they couldn’t even scream, and then wrapped themselves around the elves and returned to the ground from which they had sprung.

The world, which had been filled with self-harming elves just a moment ago, disappeared in an instant, as if it had never happened. Only a village full of bloodstains is visible.

[Ah, ah…]

Only Aren, who was able to escape the grip of the vine, is sitting in place and trembling.

All kinds of emotions are contained in those eyes. All sorts of emotions, such as questioning whether what he saw was correct, fear of losing his comrades right in front of him, and anticipation that this might not be a bad dream.

“…This.”

“I’ll have to watch my feet.”

As if watching a movie, the group huddled next to me and watched the screen looked down at the floor where we were standing with their faces frozen.

Despite the fact that the land we see now is so ordinary and natural, vines suddenly pop out from a place like this and drag people away. .

“What the hell are those vines? Do you know anything about them?”

“No… I don’t know.”

“Ummm…”

It seems that Irene is also embarrassed.

Irene answered Iris’ question in a daze, and even though she didn’t bother to read her emotions, it was enough to tell how embarrassed she was just by looking at her expression, tone of voice, and body language.

“Why didn’t Arnen get dragged by that vine?”

“Uh… because they didn’t get whipped—-… there are many elves who were dragged by the vines who didn’t get whipped. Hmmm…”

Iris, who is careful of her steps, tells her questions, and Lucia answers them immediately.

Certainly, it is so strange that, as you said, Arenne was not dragged along by being tied to that vine. Even though all the elves who had the same conditions as Aren were tied to vines and dragged away, Aren is alive and well.

It wasn’t even that I was alone in a lonely place. I was in the middle of the village, so I could observe the process of the disaster up close.

“…faith.”

At that moment, Celestine’s words pierce our ears. No matter how much they guessed, everyone who couldn’t come up with an answer turned their heads to look at her after hearing Celestine’s words.

“There is only one difference between those elves and Aren, the presence or absence of apostasy.”

“…Certainly, all the elves in the Great Forest abandoned Gaia and served Serapia at least once.”

After returning from Kael, I remember what Gaia said when she came to visit me. It is said that he ran to express his gratitude for defeating Serapia and freeing his foolish followers, namely the elves.

According to Gaia, all the elves in the Great Forest once abandoned Gaia and served Serapia.

Aren wasn’t in Great Forest at the time, and he was under the protection of magicians in Eilyu Festival, and he hadn’t abandoned his faith in Gaia… Hmm.

Certainly, in the current situation, there is no other answer than that. The only difference between Aren and those elves is this.

“… Gaia isn’t such a great person.”

The problem is, the Gaia I know would never make that choice.

As can be seen from the fact that she ran to me thanking her for freeing the elves, Gaia doesn’t particularly punish her followers even if they betray her. In a mindset that values life above all else, even when it does, it doesn’t punish in a way that takes a life.

First of all, it’s already too late.

If you’re going to punish it, it should have been done at the time of the apostasy, so why come now?

“…I have to go to the World Tree first. Lena, is Arwen alright?”

“Yes, yes… But I’m afraid of the ground so I don’t want to go out.”

Lena, who takes care of Arn in a small house, says that as if in trouble.

Well, I saw in front of my eyes how vines would come out of the ground, tie up my people and drag them into the ground, but I guess I won’t be able to look at the land as casually as I used to.

“Hey, hey… Go, don’t go… Don’t go… Lena…”

“We’re going to the Great Forest now. If you’re alone here, you won’t have our protection.”

When he went back into the house and said that while facing Arn, Arn’s expression turned dark in an instant.

Arn’s expression and gestures are begging Lena not to leave me alone, and Lena looks at the slightly damaged Arn and makes a complicated expression.

Me too.

Whoa… It’s so bittersweet to see a girl I’ve known for a long time ruined like this.

“Now, go through this portal. When you pass through the portal, there will be a girl named Irine. She will know everything without saying anything about the circumstances, so just rest quietly until we finish our work.”

“I’m sorry…”

His expression is still full of anxiety, but his condition has improved considerably to the extent that it can be said that it is definitely better than before.

Aren, who is clutching his chest as he watches the portal I made, slowly looks at me, Lena, and the portal, and then nods modestly.

**********

‘Ugh…’

Where is this?

Even if I open my eyes, I can’t see ahead. I spread my hands in front of my eyes and wave them, but I can’t see anything.

It can even shake its head back and forth, as well as its back and limbs, but the sense of incongruity is not a joke to the extent that it cannot be considered to be moving. It’s like… I’m dreaming.

No matter how much you move your body in a dream, it’s the kind of discomfort you feel because your body isn’t really moving.

What the hell is this-

[Are you awake?]

At that moment, a very refreshing voice pierced my ears. To the extent that just listening to it blows away all worries and creates the illusion that you are recuperating in the middle of a deep forest.

When I turn my head to the place where I hear that voice, the space where I can’t see anything is filled with green light, and beyond that light, I can see a being that we elves have longed to meet but couldn’t find.

Gaia.

The god and creator of us elves.

I can make out the expression he’s making, even though I can’t see him properly because there’s so much brilliance.

loneliness and sadness