Surviving without God

How the Ruler of the Oceans reacted, after hundreds of years, upon sensing the presence of a comrade she had believed lost. What skill Alphonse of Red Street left behind after displaying such unbelievable magnificence. That is something worth speaking about a little later.

Crack—

Gunther, dragging along his exhausted body that was barely able to stay on its feet, ran through the collapsing wreckage. The moment the Abomination—which had served as the “framework” and fused with the mansion—fell, the collapse of the building began accelerating with unstoppable force. In this world, fragments of Evil Gods begin returning to the bosom of their master the very moment their lives are cut off. Everywhere the Abomination’s flesh and bones rotted, spreading a horrific stench, and with each passing second pieces of the structure tore loose and crashed down.

Whiiiiin—

Seren Gless spun rapidly above the platoon members’ heads, intercepting the falling debris and rubble. It was a dangerous breakthrough. But there was no other choice.

Dimona. She had to be pulled out of the “ritual hall” before Albino arrived. Neither the support group nor even Seraz could hold Albino back forever. If he himself—half dead—and the exhausted Fourth Platoon were to collide with that man, it would be the end.

“The entrance to the basement should be somewhere here...”

Gunther quickly scanned the torn-up floor. The ritual hall was the very place where, in the game, the battle with Kate had taken place, and the same altar chamber where she offered sacrifices to Jean Daet whenever she found “high-grade food.” Since it was such a crucial area, Gunther remembered its location clearly. The deepest part of the mansion, the lowest floor. Now that the collapse was fully underway, any delay would make rescue impossible.

“...Found it.”

He reached for the hatch handle and glanced back at his comrades.

— For now, you two return to the middle level... Kh—

Tarsha lightly jabbed him in the side with her fist and wiggled her fingers.

— Look at that. Can’t even dodge a mage’s punch and still trying to give orders? If you want to go back, then scram on your own, nice and quietly.

— Damn... that’s a blatant violation of the chain of command.

— Didn’t you know? That’s the “face” of our platoon.

The other squad members chuckled and clearly had no intention of leaving first either. In the end Gunther sighed and had just turned back toward the descent into the basement when suddenly—

Scrape—!

The iron door in the floor opened by itself.

— ......?

No one had expected that. Gunther and the soldiers reflexively raised their weapons, but—

— ......

Gunther slowly lowered the tip of his sword.

Ding—!

— ...Gunther.

An unbelievable sight. From the iron hatch, an elf with silver hair and golden eyes timidly peeked out. Through the cracks of the collapsing mansion, beneath the pouring moonlight, Dimona stood there.

[Personal scenario “Silver Responsibility” updated]

✔ You found Dimona!

— Escort her out of here.

Bruises marked her face, and she looked quite exhausted, but it was definitely her. The sound of Parco and Levain’s jaws dropping could be heard—they were seeing Dimona for the first time.

— Whoa...

— Wow...

[Alphonse of Red Street asks to be summoned again]

— Unbelievable... She’s beautiful. So that’s why you were so desperate to save her?

While Tarsha teased Gunther, jabbing him in the side slightly harder than before, Dimona quietly called his name again.

— Gunther, you had a difficult time.

— ...Dimona.

The question was how she had managed to escape alone. Before Gunther could voice it, a middle-aged man climbed out of the hatch after her. He wore extremely expensive clothes, but his face was pale as that of a corpse. With a gaze completely devoid of life, he spoke first:

— Greetings. I am Giles Bellamor.

Bellamor. The moment that name sounded, the platoon’s weapons instantly aimed at him. However, Giles neither panicked nor resisted. He merely looked over them indifferently before freezing while staring at the ruined interior of the mansion. Gunther lowered his sword and calmly asked:

— Was it you who freed my companion, Giles?

— Yes.

— Why?

— Why, you ask...

Giles looked like a man who had suffered a profound loss. Especially when he looked toward the scattered remnants of the Abomination’s flesh—it seemed as if he might collapse to his knees and burst into tears at any moment.

— Because it was grandmother’s last request... Kate’s. Before she turned into “that.”

— ...Her request?

— Exactly. It was as if she suddenly came to her senses... she said she was sorry. I... I... ah, my daughter...

Giles’s shoulders trembled. Tears rolled from the corners of his wrinkled eyes. Without noticing it himself, Gunther dug his nails painfully into his palms. There was only one reason she would do something so strange right before descending into madness.

“...Mari.”

For a moment silence reigned. While the crashing mansion shook the air, unexpectedly Dimona spoke first:

— I took everything necessary.

Only then did Gunther notice the large bag in her hands and immediately recall one of the “easter egg” points.

● Secret

After reading Marien’s memories, you realized a certain secret. The coordinates of the hidden underground structures of the “Bellamor Mansion” have been engraved into your mind. This is the place where Kate Bellamor keeps her most valuable possessions.

Dimona briefly added:

— When I hacked the device in the room where they were holding me, a hidden chamber opened. I took the items that were inside.

After that she handed the bag entirely to Gunther without the slightest hesitation. Despite the urgency, Gunther could not help checking its contents. And—

“.......”

His gaze met a horrifying form staring at him from inside a glass vessel.

A cold premonition ran down Gunther’s spine. This disgusting insect was definitely part of Luthien’s grand conspiracy. He immediately covered it with the “newly obtained skill.”

At that moment his comrades threw curious looks at him.

Uuuuumm—

From afar a pair of headlights rapidly approached. It was the car Parco had gone to retrieve. Making a dramatic turn, he braked in front of them. The boarding was instant.

— I-I’ll jump in the trunk!

Blanc was the first to squeeze into the trunk compartment, followed by Dimona and the rest of the platoon. Though the car had only four seats, the interior was spacious enough for everyone. Gunther took the front seat. The relatively smaller Dimona, Tarsha, and Levain squeezed into the back. If they pressed closer, even Giles would fit. Gunther looked back at Giles, who stood alone among the ruins.

— ...This area will collapse soon. I’ll drop you somewhere safe.

But even as he spoke, he already knew the answer.

— Go without me.

Giles’s voice was dry. In his gaze there was already the resignation of a man who had decided to share the fate of this house.

“...Nothing to be done.”

Gunther quietly sighed, clenched his fists, and stepped out of the car. Then he knocked on the trunk.

— Blanc, get out.

It seemed another person would have to sit here.

***

Vrrrroom—

The moment the wheels stopped, the stagnant air began to crackle with dangerous electricity. Priest Albino arrived at the Bellamor estate accompanied by only two attendants. The old man’s walk was usually filled with noble composure, but today everything was different.

A hundred years ago he had lovingly and carefully created this “Vessel,” and now it had been shattered. Worse still—the connection with Morphesia’s mother had also been severed.

“This cannot be.”

They had marked nearly all the main forces of Night Raven in Border City. Anyone who posed even the slightest threat had long been lured outside the city. The remaining small fry could not even touch the Bellamor mansion. Impossible.

“Did those rats from the Society of Forgotten Books interfere? Did those cowards dare such a bold move?”

There was no answer. Therefore, abandoning all dignity, he drove his aging body through the pre-dawn chill. However, even he did not expect his path to be blocked right at the entrance to the estate.

Dozens of Public Security Bureau vehicles lined the gates, and a bright yellow barricade tape blocked the passage. Police officers with radios in their hands moved everywhere. But something else irritated Albino far more.

“A crowd? At this hour?”

A considerable number of Upper City residents had gathered nearby, raising a murmur. Albino quickly surveyed the surroundings.

“This is...”

He noticed signs of a deliberately ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ set large fire. Nothing draws people like the spectacle of flames. Someone had intentionally summoned them here.

“...So that I cannot act openly.”

When the gazes of the people focused on Albino—the official head of the Luthien diocese and a high-ranking priest—he clenched his teeth inwardly but outwardly displayed a benevolent smile. After all, some of his foolish parishioners were present.

“Who did this...”

It was then that a woman leisurely holding a cigarette between her teeth entered Albino’s field of vision. Her perfectly pressed uniform contrasted sharply with her loose manner of behavior. Gray hair slicked back. The rebel, Seraz Bolton.

Naturally Albino knew her well. The fastest-rising officer among the Bureau’s younger ranks and a trusted person of the mayor. A woman supported fanatically by the most hard-headed cops in the department. ...And also his next target.

Shurrr—

Albino walked toward her. However Seraz paid absolutely no attention to his approach and simply muttered something under her breath while staring at her tablet. A level of insolence Albino had never encountered.

— A maid outfit...? Regrets not seeing it? What the hell are you babbling about, glasses...

Then she dropped the cigarette butt and looked at him with the most innocent expression.

Her hoarse low voice sounded:

— What brings you here at this hour, Your Grace?

— You seem very busy, Commissioner Seraz.

Albino smiled softly again, though his patience was already wearing thin. If he were younger, her head would already be rolling along the pavement.

— I received an urgent message from Lady Kate and came immediately. Is it not the duty of a servant of the gods to visit a faithful parishioner and long-standing patron of the cult if misfortune befalls her?

Seraz’s reply was short.

— Awoo~~.

A yawn more like a wolf’s howl. Rubbing her watery eyes, she muttered:

— Your words are full of wisdom. But what can be done? The mayor, suspecting some ominous conspiracy in these parts, ordered the entire district sealed off. How could a mere commissioner like me go against the direct order of the mayor?

In truth, for Seraz this was a massive gamble. No matter how rebellious she was, she had never provoked the head of the diocese this openly before. In the long run it promised nothing but losses—for her and her subordinates.

But now—it was all or nothing. The returning mayor had hinted at total war with Luthien. Those monsters had been the first to target the few honest police officers left in the Bureau. Now she didn’t care about anything anymore.

...And above all, she had decided to bet on Gunther. In the police world, where failing to read people quickly drags you to the bottom, Seraz had been the most successful. And she felt it. That boy was different. Just look—even this madness had ended in success.

Albino could not help but sense this shift in atmosphere. A fury he had not felt in years rose inside him.

— ...It seems the mayor favors you greatly.

— Oh yes, of course. Anyway, are you finished? I prefer not to be distracted by pointless chatter while on duty.

At the moment Seraz lit another cigarette and smirked, an irresistible urge stirred inside Albino. He would kill this insane bitch in the most agonizing way possible. Everyone even remotely connected to her would be wiped from the face of the earth.

But for now... he had to retreat. He could pressure the Bureau later, investigate the details of the case, obtain evidence—but here and now he could do nothing.

“If only the mayor had not returned...”

The influence of the woman who held the foundation of Border City—the “Labyrinth”—in her hands was enormous. So enormous that even some commissioner dared to rebel against him. As Albino, grinding his teeth, was about to leave—

Ding—!

A cheerful notification sound rang from Seraz’s tablet. She muttered, unable to believe her eyes:

— Ha, lunatics. Here? You’ve got to be kidding me.

Seeing the smile spreading across her scarred face, Albino felt a vile premonition. A very, very vile one. And at that very moment—

Vrrrrooooom—!

The faint distant roar of an engine instantly turned into a deafening thunder. An artifact car under the movement buff of “Flying Ahead of the Wind” shot across the dark territory of the estate like lightning. A pair of headlights flashed their high beams wildly. Every spectator’s gaze was drawn to that blazing light.

— W-what is that?! It’s coming straight at us!

— C-could it be?!

— Out of the way!

...At the edge of the property there was a gentle slope. Everyone present instantly understood what the driver intended.

BA-BAM—!

Like a spark, the car launched from the edge of the slope and soared into the sky. The angle was perfect. The speed and height were such that nothing could stop it now.

Even Albino was momentarily stunned. Who would imagine criminals breaking through head-on like this? His lips trembled slightly.

— These...

At the highest point of the jump the car seemed to freeze for an instant. It almost sounded like someone inside was cheering, but that did not matter. Against the distant night lights in the windows, silhouettes flashed. And in that moment—

Albino, possessing dynamic vision far beyond human limits, saw it clearly. From every window, middle fingers were pointed straight at him. The fact that Seraz burst into laughter at that exact moment was clearly no coincidence.

— Aha-ha-ha-ha, villains! Catch them~~!

.

.

.

Thus Gunther and his group safely reached the elevator that Seraz’s people had started in advance. Now Gunther only had a few problems left to solve.

[The Ruler of the Oceans searches for her old comrades in tears]

...For example, this one?