I Became The Villain The Hero Is Obsessed With

Chapter 396

396 – The Revelation of God (3)

After receiving the revelation from God,

I immediately went to Celeste and upon seeing her current state, quietly finished my thoughts.

‘…She’s in a very unstable condition.’

Just as I had expected.

With tears brimming in her eyes, sitting weakly on the floor with a confused expression, trembling.

Of course, it was natural.

In the original work when the omen of ruin came, she had fallen into turmoil and despair.

…With my words, how great must the sense of loss be for her, who had firmly believed the Sun God was a benevolent god until now?

It probably feels like the ground she stood on collapsed.

And because of that.

Now was the opportunity.

While she feels deep despair towards the Sun God, confused and not knowing what to do.

…In other words, right now when she is most unstable.

Was the best chance for me to lead her as I wished.

Everything I had done so far was for this moment.

Thus I opened my mouth and spoke these words:

“Lady Celeste.”

“Why did we follow the Sun God?”

“…What?”

With a solemn expression, that’s how I spoke, and she looked back confused and responded:

“We followed the Sun God because… he was a benevolent god. Because we knew he had saved our lives, and would likewise save this world.”

That’s what I said.

Yes.

This was exactly what I had been whispering to her all along.

‘The reason we believe in the Sun God is because he is a good god.’

…In truth, Celeste probably had no reason for believing in the Sun God. It was just blind faith.

But the moment I defined a ‘reason we believe in the Sun God’.

Naturally, she would accept it as if it was a hypnotic suggestion. Like a premise.

That’s how I created the premise.

We don’t simply believe in the Sun God.

We believe ‘because’ he is a good god.

And that statement means.

…If the Sun God is not a good god.

Then we need not believe in him.

“…Yes. But… but, *sob* I don’t know anymore. Now, now I don’t know what to do…”

Still sitting with knees on the floor, grabbing me and lowering her head, she weeps like that.

Then Celeste started telling me about what had happened earlier in a choked up voice.

“Egoistic. Actually… God personally came to me and spoke.”

Thus Celeste told me everything that had transpired between her and God.

That God had told her to destroy this world before his own descent, in place of him.

Saying her purpose should solely be removing more humans, and her power was in fact given not to save people but to slaughter them.

…And to eliminate those with the power of the stars, she said.

“I don’t know… Egoistic. I just don’t know what I should do…”

Watching her completely collapsed while clinging to me and asking that,

“Lady Celeste, first, please calm down. Okay?”

I gently embraced her.

…She seems much more seriously affected than I expected.

Seeing the leader of the experienced villains acting like a young girl this fragile made my heart ache a bit.

Had she ever shown such a collapsed state until now?

This is probably…

the reaction when someone’s lifelong beliefs come crashing down.

And in front of her like that.

“*sob*”

“There there. First, calm down, calm.”

With a sorrowful expression, I stroked the back of the weeping her in my arms.

Then with a stern face, I pretended to ponder in front of her for a moment.

As if struggling with some difficult problem, and suffering.

Keeping up that expression.

“….Ah.”

Then as if having reached some conclusion.

I looked into Celeste’s eyes, then closed my own tightly.

With a determined expression.

I grabbed her shoulders and said:

“Celeste. Listen.”

At my words, she arduously raised her head and looked up at me.

Gazing at Celeste’s radiant silver hair and tear-filled golden eyes.

I began speaking calmly, as if having come to a conclusion after long deliberation.

With firm resolve and certainty in my eyes.

I opened my mouth.

“Celeste. The reason we believed in the Sun God, is because we thought he was a god for humanity.”

“The Sun God will save the world like he saved us. In the past and present, he thinks only of humans, caring only for us. Though he cannot be here now due to unavoidable circumstances, surely one day he will return and lead us again…”

“However.”

“Now, we’ve realized he is not that kind of god at all… And even in this situation where he is trying to destroy the world with only evil intent for some unknowable reason.”

“Should we really follow his words?”

“….What?”

At my words, she looked at me confused, as if she had misheard or couldn’t understand what I was saying.

Now, this part is critical.

I started continuing the conversation as seriously as possible, with determination.

“…I don’t think so.”

“If God is going down the wrong path, and we call ourselves the faithful, then even if it means death, it is right to stop him from making the wrong choice.”

“Moreover now, God is not who we thought… And is even trying to destroy the world using you as a tool.”

“I think… we must stop God.”

“All of us together, even if we must oppose the one trying to destroy humanity.”

“I’m certain we must do so, together.”

After rapidly saying all that, I let out my breath.

…And added one last line.

“…What do you think, Lady Celeste?”

And at my words.

Celeste’s reaction was…

“I, I…”

Unable to continue, just trembling while looking at me with tearful eyes.

She seemed even more confused by my words than before.

…However.

‘…She’s shaken.’

Just the fact that faced with me suggesting betraying the god she served her whole life, she showed confusion rather than anger.

From that alone I knew she was shaken now.

In other words, just a little more push here.

Thus.

*Grab*

I promptly took her hand and

Smiling gently, opened my mouth.

“Lady Celeste. Do you remember what I told you before? That I would always be by your side. I said I’m always on your side.”

“…Yes.”

“And… I mentioned this just days ago as well. Even if the people of the world turn against you, I alone will stay with you. No matter the opponent, I will protect you.”

“Now seems to be the time to keep that promise.”

“Celeste.”

Looking straight at her, I opened my mouth and spoke seriously.

“If protecting you means opposing God, then… Only to protect you, I will stand against God.”

“Because to me, you are far more important than some unseen God.”

“Until death, for your sake, I will defend this world against God.”

“…Celeste.”

Saying that.

I gently stroked the hair of her shedding just a single tear.

With a tender smile, I opened my mouth.

“When I asked why you believed in the Sun God… You answered that when everything in your life was in ruins, the God saved your life, so you began following him.”

“And now… I will save you. I will protect you. I will give your life new direction.”

“So please, believe in me now. I will take responsibility and save this world, correcting the God going down the wrong path.”

“I will be the pillar you can rely on.”

“Celeste… So will you join me?”

I extended my hand as I spoke those words.

A demon’s whispers.

Yes. What I had said until now was no different from a demon’s whispers.

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Don’t think too deeply.

Rely on me.

I’ll handle all the hard things. Just depend on me… in other words, lean on me.

We aren’t betraying God. Only correcting a God on the wrong path.

So come with me.

In truth, for this moment, I had poured all my time since Katedral.

To make Celeste take my hand.

Thus.

“….”

From midway through when I was speaking, letting down her silver hair and bowing her head silently listening.

Soon, still facing down with her expression hidden, she murmured to me quietly.

“…Eugestic.”

“Yes.”

“Do you know how long I believed in the Sun God?”

Saying that, she let out a hollow laugh.

“From my childhood until now. For decades, I’ve lived my whole life only following Him. How can I live according to His will? What is for His sake? What would please Him?”

“…I see.”

“So, the old me probably would have… even hesitating, ultimately followed Him if He told me to destroy the world. Because in the end, I was reborn thanks to Him. I had the duty to follow Him.”

“But… but, now…”

Saying that.

She raised her head and looking at me with reddened golden eyes.

Then she confessed to me in a trembling voice.

“…All because of you, I’m abandoning everything.”

“You have to take responsibility for me… completely. To the end. Understand?”

As she grasps my hand and says this to me.

I firmly clasp her hand in return, looking into her eyes as I speak.

“Yes. I understand. I will definitely take responsibility until the end.”

…is what I should have said.

But instead.

I succeeded in finally pulling Celeste, the greatest variable leading to ruin, over to my side.