I Became a Foreign Worker Loved by Transcendents - Chapter 178: Survivor...?
Chapter 178: Survivor...?
It was common for those wandering in search of salvation to dream of ideals, regardless of where they found themselves.
And for them, vampires who secretly controlled them from behind the scenes were nothing more than part of the catastrophe they longed to eliminate.
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If these vampires held immense value as the ultimate material in the pursuit of their ideals, then surely, they would want to seize that opportunity.
âFoolish, utterly foolish. Beings who gained their uniqueness simply by chance⊠thinking they could defy the heavens simply because some began to rely on themâŠâ
Whether it was intentional or a result of madness, it ultimately created this current nightmare.
After recounting that fragmented story to me, he concluded with a sorrowful sigh.
âHow could they think they would be exempt from the harshness of this era? How could they not foresee that the desperate struggle of lesser beings would corrode themâŠ?â
At that moment, seeing even such a being lament, I felt a dark heaviness welling up from the depths of my soul, threatening to take hold of my mind.
Foreign beings, the vessel of a godânone of it felt close or real to me.
Even if I learned the truth, I couldnât grasp what I could do or what I should do nextâŠ
âIf it seems too much to handle, retreating is also an option.â
Lost in my confusion, his voice snapped me back, and I looked at Virgil once more.
Crack, crack. His body was succumbing to a rapid change rising from below his neck.
Even though resistance seemed impossible, he managed a weak smile as he looked up at me.
âYou donât have to understand everything. If you canât grasp it, just ignore it and run away. After all, both you and I are mere insects compared to foreign beings⊠Trying to handle what we canât by defying such a fate is foolish, isnât it?â
âWhat do you meanâŠ?â
âBut, young one⊠you didnât come here just to idly listen to an old manâs stories, did you? Following the note left by that fortune teller, you came to this dangerous place with purposeâsurely youâre no passive soul.â
His resolute voice followed his enigmatic words.
The straightness in his gaze as he looked at me made me feel that his words came from a place of absolute sincerity.
âYou are here because of your own will. There must be something that drove you to come here, something you cannot overlookâŠâ
Just as his words struck a chord in me, a thunderous sound reverberated through the space, causing it to shake.
As I heightened my guard, Virgilâs gaze began to shift towards the ceiling, as if he knew the source.
âSeems like thereâs a ruckus going on up above.â
ââŠDo you know whatâs up there?â
âA most charming young lady and pigs lusting after the filthiest creationâŠâ
Trailing off, his eyes slowly narrowed.
ââŠAnd probably a pitiable being who came to resist the fate that has befallen this land. It seems you might have an idea about that too.â
Yes, I understood that part far better than he did.
And it was only then that I realized something.
One reason I came here was because, by following Airiâs prophecy, I was secretly hoping it would lead to meeting her again.
âSo, what will you do now?â
But I still had no tangible link to her.
If danger awaited me beyond this point, it would be best to leave rather than face it unprepared.
âWill you leave now? Or will you risk moving forward?â
Yet, just like her, he was giving me a choice.
Would I turn away from these stories I couldnât bear, leaving this place to heed the foreboding danger?
Or would I step into the unknown, following the reason for my inner conflict, unaware of what awaited me?
âItâs your choice what you do. Whatever you seek⊠whoever you stand forâŠâ
He didnât force either choice on me.
Just like Airi, who had given me my mission.
âIn this harsh world, the will to resist must never be left to others.â
Teaching me that the fate I was born with wasnât imposed by someone else.
But something I had to fulfill by my own will.
-Rumble!
A continuous tremor shook the ground.
Francheska, realizing that even that had subsided at some point, took a moment to pull herself out of the flesh and gather her exhausted body.
No, saying she was exhausted wouldnât be quite right for a doll like her.
Her main body was overloaded, or her parts were broken, and so onâŠ
-Creak.
In any case, she could keenly feel her joints moving more slowly.
In the silence after the fierce battle, Francheska hurriedly fixed her joints with thread and took time to gather mana from her magic core.
ââŠAs expected, there are too many to handle alone.â
Her strength had its limits, and ultimately, the side with the greater numbers held the absolute advantage in a fight.
Moreover, unlike the immortal monstrosities, her body, even with emergency repairs, had limitations.
Therefore, she had to choose very carefully where to exert her full power.
So, she intended to save that limited power for when she confronted the witches or the power behind the Imperial family.
âBut why am I here now?â
Cleaning up the mess that happened in this landâŠ
Just cutting down and burning the immortal monsters she had never faced beforeâwas that really the path to humanityâs salvation?
Could using the last of her meager strength to exterminate the monsters in this land truly lead to humanityâs salvation?
ââŠNo, itâs not about salvation.â
She knew. Even if she exterminated all the monsters in this land, it would only remove one of the many threats targeting humanity.
Even knowing this, Francheska did not leave this place and intended to move forward.
Because she couldnât shake the thought that everything that happened in this land started with her.
âPerhaps I am the cause.â
Yes, this was not a journey for salvation but a journey of atonement to bear the responsibility she carried.
If she bore responsibility for all this, it might be more important than her mission.
If she hadnât allowed her existence to be the basis for myths, perhaps those seeking solace and salvation wouldnât have resorted to witchcraft research.
It was because of that research that the Anti-Humanity Alliance, an enemy of humanity, was formed, and from them came the disaster of monsters tangled with vampires and beastmen.
âAnd perhaps I might have to fight himâŠâ
But if she turned away from all that and leftâŠ
The person who had taken root in her heart might end up as an enemy standing in her way.
-Bang!!
Ignoring such a future, Francheska broke through the door leading to the innermost part of the residence, moving her creaking body.
As she steeled herself for what lay ahead, she began to take in the surroundings of her destination.
The assembly hall of the papal residence. The place meant to accommodate the largest number of believers.
Yet, unlike the places she had passed, this hall was eerily well-kept.
The marble floor was so polished it gleamed, despite the occasional bloodstain.
Stained glass, cracked from impact, still shone with vibrant colors.
And in the sunlight filtered through the mist, a statue of the goddess stood, surrounded by a mass of monstrositiesâŠ
ââŠWhat is this?â
Yes, it was a swarm.
She had encountered monsters before that had fused together, growing in size, but nothing compared to the horror before her.
Rather than bodies connected, it looked more like melted flesh, congealed and heaped togetherâŠ
Unlike other monsters where she could distinguish limbs and heads, here, the only identifiable feature was what could be called âmouths.â
-Uh, ahâŠ
Mouths that surfaced from the melted flesh, tearing it apart as they crawled and swam within, opening and closing.
What came from them was not a scream, but a cacophony of misery.
Whimpers, despair, wailsâŠ
As they spat forth something dark and red, it continued endlessly.
âA vampireâŠâ
Realizing the aura emanating from it, Francheska took a trembling step back.
âAnd that of a True AncestorâŠ?â
Having faced a True Ancestor before, she immediately understood.
What stood before her was born from the True Ancestors, the powers ruling humanity and the masterminds behind everything.
For some reason, these beings had merged into one, repeatedly melting and congealing, endlessly vomiting the grotesque mess they had created.
âHow on earthâno, who?â
Beings with not only immortal lifespans but also formidable power.
Even hunters like herself couldnât fully exterminate them, as they hid stealthily and cunningly toyed with their targets.
How could such cunning beings end up in the ruins of this sanctuary, reduced to a grotesque factory churning out monsters?
Could this truly be possible?
âHave you come to pray?â
A voice reached her then.
After only hearing the screams of monsters, the human language instantly caught her attention.
The figure standing there wore pristine white robes, exuding an aura of purity that sharply contrasted with the surrounding horrors.
âOr have you come to receive holy water?â
Though her face was hidden by a veil, the voice revealed her to be an âelderly woman.â
The formal attire, the old ageâŠ
Even without having met her directly, anyone familiar with the empireâs affairs would immediately recognize her identity.
âPope Martina?â
Pope Martina.
The current head of the Friga Order, known to hold authority equal to that of the Emperor within the Order.
And to the despairing humanity, she was a spiritual pillar.
âPope⊠are you referring to me?â
Yet when her name was spoken, she shook her head in denial.
âPerish the thought. How could a lowly servant like me be called by such a sacred title?â
âWhat do you meanâŠ?â
âOh, yes. There was a time when I considered myself special. I believed I was the chosen one, the savior leading the despairing masses.â
In the incomprehensible situation, Martina finally fell to her knees.
With her head bowed, she looked like she was praying to someone she worshiped.
âBut now, I know the truth.â
In that state, she spokeâor rather, wept.
âI am no savior, but a lowly lamb who could do nothing but submit to evil forces. All I can do is serve as the proxy of the one who guides meâŠ!â
âWhat do you mean? A proxyâŠ?â
âThe angel! The angelâs guidance given by Friga!!â
A powerful shout erupted from her aged throat.
Her voice, spewing what could be called reverence, began to fill with ecstasy.
âIt was all ordained by the angel. We were saved by following their teachings, blessed to gather the parasites mocking the suffering into a foundation to shape the vessel of our godâall thanks to the angelâs guidance from Friga!â
Yes, the Pope had gone mad.
And Francheska, sensing the power from her excitement, realized she was the culprit behind this grotesque situation.
More precisely, as the âexecutorâ rather than the mastermind.
âBut merely driving them out isnât enough. There are still too many things in this world that torment us⊠We must give those who seek salvation a chance. A chance to receive fragments of Godâs essence into their bodies.â
That meant that behind her, the mastermind of all this chaos, the true puppet master, was present.
Seemingly unaware of Francheskaâs heightened vigilance, Martina proudly pointed to the congealed flesh on the ground.
âCome now. You, too, who have come seeking salvation, must drink the holy water. Only that will allow us, Godâs servants, to resist the worldâs crueltyâŠâ
-Slash!
Sharp threads sliced through the air as Francheska raised her hand.
The relentless assault sliced through Martinaâs surroundings, purging the foul energy nearby.
âBut whyâŠ?â
But that alone was not enough.
The opponent was a formless entity, akin to a âspirit.â
âWhy are you⊠posing as an angel beside the pope?â
Realizing that this being was the source of Martinaâs madness, Francheska let her hostility show. The dissipating energy coalesced into mist, forming a distinct shape.
âWell, this is surprising~ I thought you were just a little girl to my liking, but you immediately noticed where I was hiding~â
âI was going to watch a bit more and then go to that child, but⊠looks like I can have a little more fun before I go~â
A creature far from a holy angel.
An embodiment of lust with a wicked grin.
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