NOVEL NEXT Chapter 45
iWhoosh, Whip. Whee~♪
A shadow with glasses whistled a chilling tune as he hung his lab coat on the hanger.
The old research room was filled only with a musty smell of mold.
A chill emanated from the machine set up to preserve corpses fresh, carrying a scent of ammonia.
As he took it all in, the ‘Doctor’ who had just returned to his dwelling recounted the events of the play he had just seen with a cool smile.
“……”
Being cooped up in the lab for 24 hours would only slow down one’s brain. Considering that, he disguised himself as a regular person and took a short outing.
Recently, the name of the new hero candidate, Phantom, had been circulating among people.
He had learned about the premiere of his horror play, Cthulhu Mythos, coinciding with the prince’s birthday.
Moreover, he even got information that the subject was an ancient demon that had rampaged before the Heavenly Church’s evangelism.
‘Given the research trends, I thought it might provide some reference, so I went to see it.’
The hero candidate truly lived up to his name. The Doctor’s expectations were not in vain.
His pen, in the form of a play, brought the Doctor a new realization.
iSwoosh, Wheeek~ ♬
Whistling ominously again, the Doctor recalled a funny rumor circulating in the capital recently.
“Is the Necronomicon a real book? Hehe.”
The bizarre magical tome filled with records of the Great Old Ones from Cthulhu Mythos.
Of course, he didn’t know if the rumor was true, but still, it was quite an interesting speculation for a bunch of fools.
Why, you ask?
Because the Doctor himself possessed a similar ‘ancient text’ that closely resembled the Necronomicon.
bShhhh!
The sound of the pages of an unsettling old book turning.
Looking at the artifact filled with strange hieroglyphs, the Doctor adjusted his skewed glasses.
Another magical book titled ‘Codex of the Dead’, written in an ancient language.
It was something he had acquired a long time ago, but regrettably, he had been struggling to decipher it until now.
Not only was the unique structure of the irreverent hieroglyphs difficult. There were excessively numerous descriptions that made it hard to discern the true meaning.
However, today, that too would change.
“When the stars align correctly, a being from another realm regains its flesh and awakens.”
Muttering, the Doctor squinted his eyes, recalling the attributes of the Great Old Ones featured in Cthulhu Mythos.
Of course, he knew it was merely a fictional play.
The Doctor was a scholar who had been accumulating knowledge across various fields for a long time.
He had studied hell and demons for a sufficiently long time too.
But what truly mattered was the sparkling inspiration provided by Cthulhu Mythos. And from that inspiration, he gained an entirely new perspective.
A novel and sharp perspective that finally allowed him to grasp the complex strands within the magical book, the Codex of the Dead.
“I believe it was the hero candidate Phantom? Indeed, my junior.”
Chuckling ominously, the Doctor muttered to himself.
“To give such a valuable gift to a senior you’ve never met. I suppose I should visit someday to express my gratitude?”
Finishing his sentence, the Doctor raised the brightness of the magic lantern at his side a few notches higher.
With the increased brightness, the display case near the research desk became visible.
And within that display case, an old badge shone with a glimmering light.
A badge made of precious orichalcum, identical to those held by the hero candidate Phantom and the protagonist of the sword, Maya.
…And it was the day the Doctor obtained a hint on how to properly interpret the Codex of the Dead.
Unbeknownst to anyone on the continent, a small part of the celestial constellation in the sky finely shifted.
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“The Necronomicon is a real book! All the records inside are true!”
“Phantom Writer actually wrote the Cthulhu Mythos based on the contents of the Necronomicon!”
“Close the windows! Lock the doors! We are all dead men!”
Suddenly, an absurd rumor spread throughout the capital.
It was unclear who spread the baseless gossip, but the unfounded fears of the populace rapidly escalated.
The content of the rumor was surprisingly straightforward.
In truth, the Necronomicon was a record written by a reclusive prophet known as Howard Lovecraft.
Phantom had supposedly met Lovecraft, read it, and expressed it through a play.
Of course, people didn’t spread the rumor without any evidence.
The last lines from the human actor Lovecraft as the curtain fell on the puppet show Cthulhu Mythos.
Those grim few words had a significant impact on the mindsets of the people in the capital.
[What rises shall sink, and what sinks shall rise! The day the horrifying beings dream while waiting in the abyss shall surely come when the crumbling human civilization falls!]
In reality, it was merely an excerpt meant to provide a creepy ending from the horror short The Call of Cthulhu.
However, the judgment of those entranced by the rumors in the capital was different.
Just as modern people misinterpret the works of the astrologer Nostradamus to assert the Earth would end in 1999,
the people of this world distorted the context of that line, believing it was a warning that demons would rise from the primordial darkness.
Once matters escalated like this, the Vanderbeune Theater Company and Phantom quickly moved to deny the rumors, but once a fire catches, quelling it is no easy task.
As is often the case with conspiracy theories, there was no reason to believe explanations; it was easy enough to fabricate.
“Actually, Phantom Writer promised Lovecraft not to reveal his existence!”
“Even reclusive Lovecraft met Phantom under the condition he’d be presented as a fictional character?!”
“I hear Phantom even cast a life-threatening sorcery to ensure he wouldn’t break that vow!”
As rumors swirled and spiraled outrageously, spreading like a word-of-mouth tale that galloped a thousand miles.
Even if people claimed they didn’t know who Phantom was, and hadn’t seen Cthulhu Mythos,
the notion that demons lay beneath humanity’s foundation waiting for the time of resurrection was itself eerie.
Even the citizens of the capital were in a frenzy, so the folks outside the capital had no reason not to be completely deceived.
As a result, a collective wave of hysteria over demons swept across the entire Empire.
It was as if the 1939 radio drama The War of the Worlds, which was mistaken for an actual alien invasion, had humorously been reenacted.
“We, we’re all going to die! If Cthulhu wakes, we’re all doomed!”
“Cackling! Hastur is coming! The King in Yellow is coming to make a mess of us with his tentacles!”
“Ah! Look! At the window! By the window!”
“Calm down! The fish demon Dagon is fiction! There’s nothing outside the window!”
“No! There’s a spider the size of a fist by the window!”
“Yikes, no way!”
…However, from Phantom’s perspective, he was a million times relieved that such fear didn’t lead to extreme riots or apocalyptic beliefs.
Thanks to the devoted priests and dedicated councilors spread throughout the Empire, who were tipped off by the capital’s parish beforehand.
They did their best to reassure everyone that “The Heavenly God will protect us.”
In their teachings, the Heavenly God was a great and good being who creates life and governs providence.
Even if Cthulhu truly existed, they believed humanity would remain safe from its claws.
Thanks to that, the Empire began to gradually free itself from the exaggerated hysteria.
In contrast, the fear that seemed to have diminished in the capital, however, manifested in a completely absurd manner outside the capital…
…That was, an attempt to preemptively prevent the resurrection of the demons within Cthulhu Mythos.
Without knowing the setting of R’lyeh from Cthulhu Mythos, the locals only grasped the rumor of Cthulhu’s dormant state from hearsay.
Centered around them, madness spread, insisting they must contact government agencies to locate the cradle of the demons.
“Let’s stop the resurrection of the demons ourselves!”
“Find the lair of the ancient demons! And seal it forever so it never rises again!”
“Gyaaah! Demon-worshipers trying to resurrect demons! How dare they threaten the world!”
Excited crowds began to brandish scythes and pitchforks, organizing vigilante groups. They began rummaging through the ruins near the capital.
If the origin of a ruin seemed uncertain or related to demons, they searched the surroundings thoroughly.
If they found even the slightest hint of suspicion, they rushed to report it to the guards without hesitation.
As a result, the guards nationwide except for the capital were tormented by all kinds of false reports like villagers who fell for the boy-who-cried-wolf fable.
“No! That’s just the ruins of an ancient city-state that fell, ma’am!”
“Hmph! Nonsense! Then how do you explain these ominous patterns found on the walls and pillars?”
“That’s just the markings left by passersby for fun, how many times must I say it?!”
“Look here! The ornament carved into the ruins! It looks just like Dagon from Cthulhu Mythos
!”“That’s just a fish relief; it’s merely a symbol wishing for a bountiful harvest!”
“The plump woman nude painting found in that suspicious studio at the corner of the town! Isn’t such bizarre art something only demon-worshipers share?!”
“T-that’s my commission to the studio! Everyone has their taste, you know, sir!”
“Ugh! Phantom, you bastard-!!”
As soon as there was a moment to say this looks eerie and that looks suspicious, it almost reached the level of a witch hunt reminiscent of reality on Earth.
Due to the burning suspicion of the dwellers, the guards eventually all started to exhibit neuroses.
…It was on one of those days, when the absurdity continued on.
<> <> <> <> <>
“There’s no doubt! Demon-worshipers are gathering here to plot their resurrection! I saw their strange group heading this way!”
“Yes, yes. I’m sure, elder.”
“Is there any doubt? Let’s hurry.”
In a small outskirt town situated tens of kilometers from the capital of the Holy Empire.
The villager, an old man in his seventies, drooled as he led the guards to the site of an ancient castle that had collapsed over 700 years ago.
And looking at the agitated back of the old man, the young soldiers who followed him could only let out deep sighs.
Just this week alone, there had already been 30 reports of supposed gatherings or traces of the demon-worshiping forces.
And, naturally, all 30 cases turned out to be total flops.
“It’s already been a century since we wiped out all the demon-worshipers; when are we going to stop going in circles with this?”
“Really, what was that Phantom character thinking? I’m suffering because of these stuck-up folks.”
“Damn it. Not doing a patrol outside the capital is a sin, I guess.”
In response to the puppet horror play Cthulhu Mythos, which was causing an immense storm in the capital,
the provincial soldiers who were bearing the brunt of the backlash bitched about the traveling theater group and the great author while grinding their teeth.
The past cleansing operations constantly carried out by the Heavenly Church’s sect in conjunction with the respective governments.
Because of that, the human betrayers serving the demons had long been thought to have been wiped out, right?
While news of monsters or bandits appearing was frequently heard, there hadn’t been even a single report about a demon-worshipping ritual being discovered while on duty.
“Ugh. Just my luck. I’m retiring next month, and this will be the hell of it.”
The older captain from the guards led his subordinates, fiddling with the hilt of the sword at his waist, lamenting.
Since the old man was being so stubborn, he had been ordered from above to play along for a while.
But, of course, neither he nor his subordinates were following the old man’s lead with any serious intent.
After all, this report would inevitably be a wild goose chase.
They just hoped to finish the investigation quickly and get back to enjoy a cold beer.
…But just as they had delved deep into the site of the castle,
bRumble……!!
A heavy noise suddenly rang out in the dark room, as if moving a heavy stone.
Next, a secret door with a stonewheel from the floor swung open with a loud creak.
An entrance that no one among the local residents had noticed made its identity known right in front of the eyes of the old man and the guards.
And stepping confidently from the stairs below the secret door were…
“Uhuhuh. Thank you for your hard work today, Glorious Comrades.”
“The arrogant and foolish church folks have no idea we’ve been steadily growing our power underground.”
“The resurrection of the Great Demon King is imminent. Let’s strive to prepare for the day the demons from hell rise.”
…Surprisingly, they were genuine demon worshippers draped in blood-red robes, carrying bowls filled with skulls and goats’ blood.
“Wha?!”
“Ehh?!”
The guards and demon worshippers froze, taken aback by the unexpected encounter.
A heavy silence hung between them, lasting what felt like an eternity.
And in the next moment, the captain of the guards, the first to regain his composure, urgently drew his sword.
“A, aah! Demon-worshippers! Arrest them all-!!”
“Ah! Yes! Surround them so they can’t escape! Peter, block that stone door from closing again!”
“Eek! We’re caught-!!”
“W, how were we discovered? Security was supposed to be perfect until now!”
“AAAAAH! Great Demon Monarch! Please save us!”
“Save your plea for the Great Demon Monarch! You’re all going to hang!”
That day, thanks to Phantom and the Vanderbeune Theater Company, the villains thought to have perished a century ago were captured.
Traitors who had colluded with the demon race from the North and wormed their way beneath the empire while trying to take advantage of demonic powers.
The betrayers who volunteered to play the role of human servants for demons had been revealed in an instant.
Not through elaborate military operations, nor through cold and meticulous intelligence operations.
…but simply thanks to the residents’ keen reporting spirit, sparked by the ripples of Cthulhu Mythos.