A World Where You All Are The Villains - Chapter 59

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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59.

The interior was shrouded in darkness.
From the outside, it appeared to be at least five stories tall.
Yet upon entering, there was only a long corridor and a staircase descending into the underground facility.
Two bulky figures in white robes stood before it.
Unlike those outside, they bore no visible status indicators—they weren’t Awakeners.
“You’re late. Please come this way, brothers.”
Dressed in the same robes, they urged us forward without suspicion.
“Simply descend the staircase.”
We followed their guidance down into the underground facility.
The dark staircase seemed to stretch endlessly.
Doors leading to other levels appeared intermittently, but all were sealed shut.
As if Serge had visited this place before, he passed through them without hesitation, continuing downward.
As we descended further, indistinct sounds began to echo faintly.
By the time we’d reached what felt like the fourth underground level, we finally arrived at the depths.
This time, the door stood wide open.
The vast chamber was packed densely with countless people dressed in white robes like ours.
They all knelt with their hands pressed together—a sight that sent chills down my spine.
From a platform at the front, a man in a white robe delivered a sermon in a resonant voice.
“…Sephirot has opened the dimensional gate to save humanity corrupted by evil and to purify this world drowning in sorrow!”
“Ah, blessed Sephirot…!”
“Save us!”
The moment the man finished speaking, the followers erupted in fervent exclamations.
“What nonsense they’re spouting.”
Serge clicked his tongue and muttered between the cries.
For once, I agreed with him.
“You there! What are you doing?! Sit down at once!”
A man standing guard beside the door suddenly shouted at us.
“Just sit down.”
I quickly whispered to Serge.
I worried he might lose his temper and threaten to slaughter everyone on the spot.
Fortunately, Serge complied without a word, dropping to the back with a heavy thud.
Though he sat with his legs crossed carelessly and his arms folded.
I was relieved enough by that, and carefully knelt beside him.
The sermon was reaching its crescendo.
“Do you all believe in the miracles of Sephirot?”
“We believe! We believe! We believe!”
“Excellent! Today, The Purifier has graced us with their presence to perform a miracle for the child of Raymond, who has provided such tremendous support to our faith! Raymond! Please come forward and share in this glorious moment!”
‘The Purifier?’
My ears perked up at those words.
Serge’s eyes sharpened in tandem, his gaze turning keen.
At that same moment, one of those kneeling suddenly rose to their feet and ascended the platform.
And without hesitation, he removed his hood to reveal his face.
“Waaah! Raymond! Raymond!”
Everyone who saw the middle-aged man began chanting his name in unison.
The hall quickly erupted into chaos.
Serge murmured softly.
“Baron Gavent.”
“Do you know him?”
“Not personally. But there were rumors that his only son went mad after being exposed to Magi.”
At those words, I turned my gaze back to the platform.
Baron Gavent stood there beaming, his face flushed with emotion.
Certainly, if his son had become an Erosion Bearer and he was attending this pseudo-religious gathering, he couldn’t be in his right mind.
Drrrrrr―
That was when it happened.
From the right side of the platform, several large figures in white robes appeared, dragging something massive covered in black cloth.
The speaker approached it and removed the drape.
Whoosh―!
And at the sight that was revealed, I couldn’t suppress my shock.
“Krrgh! Hack!”
“Grrr, krgh….”
Inside a massive cage fit for containing large beasts were Erosion Bearers crammed together.
All of them had their limbs bound tightly with chains to prevent them from thrashing, their mouths gagged.
“Ah, Father!”
“Harry! Mother!”
“Sob, my dear…!”
Moreover, the Erosion Bearers appeared to be the families of the believers, and sobs erupted from various corners of the hall.
Despite the inhumane treatment—no different from caging beasts—not a single person raised an objection.
‘Insane… What in the world are they doing?!’
As I stared at the cage with trembling eyes.
Suddenly the crowd cheered, their attention drawn elsewhere.
“Waaah! It’s The Purifier!”
“Ah, The Purifier! Please give us a chance too!”
At the sound of their voices, I snapped back to attention and turned my head.
From the left side of the platform, a figure of slight build in a white robe was walking forward.
‘Is that… Ruellin…?’
The hood was pulled down deeply, obscuring their face from view.
She walked up to Baron Gavent and suddenly gestured toward the cage.
Clang!
At that, the burly men unlocked the cage and opened its door.
From within, they roughly dragged out a single Corruptor whose face was half-decayed and crumbling.
“Grraaagh! Kieeeek!”
“Oh, Anderson! My poor son!”
Baron Gavent cried out toward the Corruptor with anguish.
“Step aside.”
The burly men forced the Baron back, then compelled the Corruptor to kneel before the woman.
“Grrgh, grraaagh….”
Having been exposed to Mana for quite some time already, the Corruptor offered little resistance.
In that state, it would die soon.
Yet no one seemed to care.
“Now, now! Everyone, please remain calm and bear witness. To this moment of miracles…!”
Just then, the speaker calmed the excited congregation.
As the interior fell silent in an instant, the woman moved.
In her hand was a golden chalice that resembled a holy grail.
As she lifted it high, the burly men removed the gag from Baron Gavent’s son’s mouth and forced his head upward.
Glug, glug, glug….
The woman tilted the chalice and poured its contents into the Corruptor’s mouth.
‘…Blood?’
The viscous liquid that dripped was entirely black, like oxidized oil.
Much like the nosebleed that Awakeners shed when they go berserk.
“Grrgh! Cough, grraaagh!”
After pouring the mysterious liquid entirely down the son’s throat, the woman lowered the chalice and placed one hand upon Baron Gavent’s son’s head.
A moment later.
Whoooosh―!
White light erupted from her hand as if she were performing a purification.
I watched without breathing, and suddenly grew confused.
‘…It’s not green?’
Moreover, in my distraction, I hadn’t noticed that no numbers appeared above the woman’s head.
She wasn’t an Awakener.
‘…Then what is that light?’
It was as I watched the unfolding sequence in bewilderment.
Suddenly, Baron Gavent’s son began trembling violently.
“Grrgh… Grraaaaaaagh!”
Then he began convulsing.
“S-stay still!”
Several burly men rushed in to restrain him, but it was insufficient.
“Hngh!”
“Ahhhhh!”
The Erosion Entity’s tremendous force sent them tumbling down one after another.
The woman also withdrew her hands and staggered back in terror.
“Grrrrgh! Kraaaaaaagh!”
The Erosion Entity remained sprawled across the platform, eyes rolling back as its body convulsed violently.
At least it wasn’t making movements to bite or harm anyone—small mercies in such a nightmare.
Crack, crack-crack-crack….
Yet the sight of its limbs bent backward like something from an exorcism film looked anything but natural.
‘This isn’t a purification reaction. What did they do? Why isn’t anyone taking action?’
Everyone stood transfixed, merely watching the Erosion Entity writhe across the floor, none of them intervening.
As my anxiety began to mount.
“Kheugh!”
Suddenly, with a final, piercing shriek, the Baron’s son ceased his thrashing.
A moment passed.
Then he slowly rose to his feet, his body straightening.
His face was half-decomposed and grotesque, his pupils dilated pitch-black from the demonic corruption, staring blankly ahead.
In that state, he opened his mouth and spoke.
“Father….”
The clarity of his pronunciation made my eyes widen in an instant.
‘He’s been purified…?’
That couldn’t be right.
If he’d truly been purified, his blackened pupils should have returned to normal first….
“Heavens! Anderson, my son! You’ve finally returned to me!”
“Waaaaaaaah!”
Yet the cascade of cheers and applause drowned out any further thought.
“Behold! The miracle of Sephirot! The glory of our order, the divine power of The Purifier!”
The speaker cried out with fervent emotion.
The woman presumed to be Ruellin had also returned to her position at some point, waving her hands triumphantly.
“Oh, Sephirot!”
“Please grant salvation to our child as well, Purifier!”
“Praise! Praise! We believe! We believe!”
Cheers and prayers mingled chaotically.
I seized the moment to whisper to Serge.
“…Your Highness, is that woman truly Ruellin?”
“Who knows.”
He tilted his head skeptically, staring into empty space, when suddenly one corner of his mouth curved upward with a bitter smile.
“Shall we find out?”
“….”
“Look ahead, Princess.”
I turned my head with a puzzled expression, complying without resistance.
Whoosh!
In that instant, the hood covering the woman’s head was swept away without a trace of wind.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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