The Best Cure for Those Returnees is a Beating

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Shin Mi-rae became the Apostle of God, a.k.a. the angel Rozelia.

Naturally, her life turned completely upside down from that point on.

A sinner who held onto false faith was reborn as the Apostle of God, receiving divine grace. This news spread like wildfire, eventually reaching all corners of the continent.

The religious world of the continent had been stagnant for hundreds of years while the gods had concealed themselves. In such times, Rozelia’s repentance drove the continent’s clergy into a frenzy of fervor.

The gods were still very much alive. They still loved us and watched over us.

Rozelia’s existence was the living proof of that.

Considering this, one who had originally become an angel was supposed to leave the human realm for the divine realm, but Rozelia was allowed to remain on Earth specifically as an embodiment of faith in Dion, spreading it throughout the continent.

…However, allowing her to live on Earth meant she had to meet her father at least once, as a new sister was born.

Not long after becoming an angel, Rozelia was guided by Seraph and headed to the divine realm.

She met her false deity, Dion.

In the divine realm, the gods lived in castles decorated to their liking. Most resembled the shape of earthly temples (though in truth, it should be said that earthly temples were modeled after the gods’ castles), but occasionally there were gods living in uniquely shaped castles.

Dion was one such case. True to his moniker as the God of War, Dion’s castle appeared as a fortress with high walls and soaring towers.

However, its scale was beyond comparison to any castle in the human realm.

The height of the castle walls rivaled mountain ranges, and the towers soaring above seemed to stretch endlessly into the sky. The length also easily surpassed the horizon, and one had to be several dozen kilometers away to grasp the full view of the castle.

Inside the castle, countless armies engaged in daily training and mock battles without exception.

All those armies were composed of lion souls.

Souls granted passage to heaven during the afterlife judgment gained the right to live in this divine realm. They thrived on the grace and blessing from the god they served during their lifetime and enjoyed eternal life.

As for the Apostle Dion, those who entered his domain, regardless of age or gender, would serve as Dion’s soldiers.

Though life was far from peaceful or restful, it wasn’t unhappy. Dion provided pleasures and delights for them that they could never taste on Earth, rather than simply treating lion souls as soldiers.

Initially, those who couldn’t adapt endured several decades of combat and rest and eventually transformed into faithful warriors, soaked to the marrow in Dion’s bloodlust. The castle was teeming with such outstanding warriors, more than one could count.

…If you ventured deeper past the training grounds of those soldiers, you would find the sanctuary where the angels resided.

Dion sat proudly on the throne of the palace located at that sanctuary’s center.

Dion took on the form of a giant measuring ten meters tall. His body was built with solid muscle, devoid of any excess fat, and countless scars adorned his skin like decorations. Wearing nothing but a white garment similar to that of ancient Greece, he seemed to flaunt his physique.

The audience hall was vast enough for someone like Dion to stroll freely, but the pressure emanating from him filled the entire space, weighing it down. No matter how much of an angel one might be, they would feel the tension under such oppressive circumstances.

– Thud. Thud. Thud.

And Seraph approached the grand throne with Rozelia in tow.

“O great Dion, I, Seraph, the glorious first spear, have come to see you, my father.”

“Hmm.”

As Seraph knelt and whispered, Dion replied with a languid nod of his head. His gaze shifted to Rozelia, who stood behind Seraph.

“And you are?”

“…O great Dion, I have come to see you as your father’s new daughter.”

Had she been Shin Mi-rae from the past, she would have been trembling with nerves and pressure. However, Rozelia offered her greeting with surprising composure. Dion responded with a short gasp of surprise.

“I heard you made a new angel. The story goes that someone who feared for their life reported the one who raised them as a father as a heretic and went so far as to grovel before the Apostle of God, begging for mercy and salvation.”

With each word Dion uttered, the sharpness of the thorns became apparent. Did he regard her with disdain? With unease, Rozelia looked up to meet Dion’s eyes.

“However, that was a sin committed in her human days. It is meaningless to dwell on it now.”

Yet, Dion did not intend to admonish Rozelia. Rather, a peculiar interest and amusement danced in his gaze as he regarded her.

“My new daughter, I ask you this: as my daughter and the Apostle of God bearing my name, what do you think is the most important virtue?”

“That would be….”

As Rozelia pondered Dion’s question for a moment, she cautiously replied.

“…Is it faith?”

“Hahahaha-!”

Dion laughed heartily at her answer. The laughter echoed throughout the audience hall, a physical pressure that rattled the castle’s walls and pillars.

“…Heh, this is surprising. You’ve only just become an angel and still think with a human mindset. It’s a refreshing reaction. It has been five hundred years since a new angel was created.”

Saying this, he kindly elaborated to his newly born youngest daughter, regarding her incorrect answer.

“Faith is what the gods require from humans. The apostles, as representatives of the gods, are the same. You are no longer someone who possesses faith; you will become the object of faith itself. So from now on, you must grow accustomed to being believed in, rather than believing in something.”

“…Yes, I will keep that in mind.”

From the moment she became an angel, questioning her faith in Dion was pointless.

Even if she tried to reject Dion, as an angel, she could only be loyal to him deep within her soul. It was because she had been newly ‘made’ to act that way, so it became meaningless to weigh the value of faith now.

“Then, as an angel who serves Dion, what is the most important virtue?”

Dion clenched his fists toward the two angels and said.

“It is strength.”

Angels are the representatives of gods.

This did not merely mean conveying the words of the gods.

When required, they would annihilate the enemies of the gods on their behalf. That was the role given to angels. Thus, the ability to repel any enemy was the most important virtue for Dion’s angels.

“Seraph over there is known as my first spear. The reason is that she is the strongest among my angels. In my domain, strength is law and everything. Do you understand?”

“Yes, I will keep that in mind.”

“…Hmm, words alone may not suffice. It’s better to experience it directly at least once.”

– Thud.

Saying this, Dion rose from his throne.

– Thud. Thud. Thud.

As Dion approached, Rozelia felt the oppressive force emanating from him intensify. When he stood directly before her, she found herself trembling involuntarily under the immense pressure.

“Rozelia.”

– Goooood!

The moment the voice flowed from Dion, overwhelming divine power began to emanate from him. Rozelia, who had been kneeling, lost her balance and placed her hands on the ground.

– Kwaaaaah!

The ground shook, and the very axis twisted.

Caught in a pressure that felt as if space itself was twisting, Rozelia deeply realized within her heart.

This is a god.

A being so overwhelmingly powerful that it makes one think twice about rising against him, the very pinnacle of all things.

“Are you afraid?”

She was afraid. Shin Mi-rae would have said so.

However, even as she struggled to breathe under the strong pressure, strangely, she felt no fear at all.

Rather, as she bowed her head before him now, the emotion swelling in her chest was the complete opposite of fear.

The sense of reassurance from knowing that this powerful being was her lord. The tranquility and comfort obtained through the act of submission.

Ultimately, she even felt a rapturous pleasure, and Rozelia gently lifted her head. In her glazed eyes dripping with intense delight, Dion’s majestic figure was clearly captured.

He said that in this realm strength is everything.

If that is so, then the strongest in this domain is everything in this domain.

The massive fortress stretching to the horizon, the countless soldiers training within it, and the beautiful, formidable angels serving him.

All these were meaningless compared to Dion.

In this place, Dion was everything and the only existence. Rozelia felt this fact deeply and trembled. It was a shiver born not from fear, but from ecstasy.

“Rozelia, I have great expectations of you.”

And Dion whispered to Rozelia.

“Soon, the day will come when you will prove your worth. Until that day comes, enjoy your brief respite.”

“You may leave now.” With that, Seraph took Rozelia and left the audience hall.

– Thud.

As she stepped out of the audience hall, Rozelia sank to the ground. The rebound from escaping the pressure that filled the hall caused her body to go limp.

“Rozelia. Maintain your dignity as a representative of the gods. Do not show a disgraceful appearance.”

“Yes, I will keep that in mind. Sister… um, by the way… why did Father say he has particularly high hopes for me? And the day to prove my worth is coming soon…?”

“I don’t know. Angels are the representatives of the gods, but they are not gods themselves. If Father said so, there must be a reason.”

Being the first spear didn’t mean she knew everything.

She simply understood as much as she could and would follow that word.

It was unnecessary for angels to question anything. Rozelia nodded in agreement with Seraph’s words.

After that audience, Rozelia returned to the human realm.

She dropped out of college. Instead, as the only angel in the human realm, she invested most of her time conveying the word of God and spreading faith.

The only personal time she often had was when she visited Park Yoo-jin. Even as she began to serve Dion deep within her heart, Park Yoo-jin remained a precious friend and family member to her.

Thus, Rozelia grew increasingly concerned about Yoo-jin these days. She noticed that Yoo-jin had visibly become depressed since Kim Jae-hyuk’s death.

…Still, when Rozelia visited, Yoo-jin would greet her with a smile, saying she was glad to see her. However, people around them said she had lost her enthusiasm for everything to the point that it was noticeable.

How could she help Yoo-jin?

Rozelia thought but couldn’t come up with a clear answer.

‘…Perhaps I should just ask Yoo-jin to become an angel like me?’

For a moment, she entertained that thought but quickly shook her head. It wasn’t that easy to become an angel.

To wish for the one in ten thousand luck twice, even as an Apostle of God, would be punished by divine wrath.

Rozelia thought so.

But an opportunity to put that thought into action would come unexpectedly.

“War… you say?”

“Yes, return to the divine realm at once. You must stand at the forefront with me.”

At Seraph’s words, Rozelia, who was on her way to meet Park Yoo-jin, was struck with panic.

War.

Seraph said that a war had broken out among the gods.

Why did this war occur? She didn’t know that fact. Surely, there must be reasons known only to the gods.

It wouldn’t be surprising if there was a tremendous and inevitable reason that neither humans nor even angels like her could dare to guess.

However, the reason wasn’t important. What mattered was that since a war had broken out, she would have to fight as Dion’s spear.

‘Perhaps what Father said back then was about this war.’

Soon, “The day will come when you will prove your worth,” Rozelia recalled.

It hadn’t even been six months since those words were spoken. From a human perspective, it truly felt like it would be ‘soon.’

With that thought in mind, Rozelia returned to the divine realm and was immediately deployed to the front lines. The god who turned the magnificent Dion into an enemy was as follows.

The God of Thunder, Jedi-on.

The God of Wind, Silphidra.

The God of Fire, Asras.

The God of Agriculture, Turental.

The God of Earth, Stoi.

The God of Fate, Verdios.

The God of Truth, Kasper.

The Goddess of Dawn, Rodri.

The Goddess of Spring, Maynis.

The Goddess of Love, Regammon.

The Goddess of the Moon, Archite.

The Goddess of Justice, Aurine.

The Goddess of Freedom, Lirhi.

Most of them were well-known even on Earth, corresponding to major gods with countless devotees.

On the other hand, not a single deity stood on the side of Dion.

Rozelia found this fact puzzling, but soon recalled the previous lesson that questioning was unnecessary for angels and headed into the battlefield.

In terms of numbers, it appeared that Dion was at an overwhelming disadvantage.

The war of the gods fundamentally utilized the angels and lion souls at their command as proxy battles. A god’s death meant the annihilation of all beings under their realm. Therefore, a god would only take the battlefield in assured victory or during dire crises.

In terms of proxy battles, Dion was undeniably in a favorable position.

Unlike other gods who had built ideal paradises in their domains, Dion had raised his followers as soldiers for thousands of years. It was obvious which side held the advantage.

Moreover, Dion’s angels, the apostles, showcased overwhelming performance on the battlefield. Among them, notably, it was the youngest, Rozelia, who had just become an angel, who particularly shone.

Isekai people are born with talents suitable for living in that world.

For Rozelia, her talent was her affinity for divine power, which was synonymous with her suitability as an angel.

Possessing an unprecedented level of divine power aptitude, she swiftly climbed to the peak among angels as well. The title of “Dion’s First Spear,” previously held by Seraph, soon became hers after the war commenced.

Even Dion was taken aback by her rapid growth. Though he knew she had outstanding aptitude as an angel, Rozelia’s progression greatly exceeded his expectations.

In other words, she surpassed even the expectations of the gods.

This was an occurrence that normally wouldn’t happen. It was an event that should never happen under normal circumstances.

Accordingly, Dion asked Rozelia, “You’re remarkably talented; do you have any idea why?” In fact, Dion had merely inquired without much expectation, feeling it was a low-risk question.

However.

“Perhaps it’s because I come from another world.”

Rozelia’s follow-up answer astonished Dion. Rozelia candidly shared her origins, and after hearing her account, Dion asked her again.

“Does this mean that Yoo-jin, who grew up like a sister to you, also comes from another world?”

“Yes, that is correct.”

“Is that so…”

Upon hearing this, Dion summoned Park Yoo-jin to the divine realm without hesitation. Just as he had done with Shin Mi-rae, he turned her into an angel through Seraph.

“AAAAAAAH!!!”

Hearing the delicate scream reverberate through the audience hall, Dion wore a satisfied smile. But it didn’t take long for that smile to contort into disappointment.

“…It’s a failure.”

To be precise, it was half a success. Dion observed the trembling half-angel fallen on the audience hall floor and thought so.

At first glance, her exterior had changed remarkably. Perhaps due to their common origins, the appearance of the angelic Park Yoo-jin bore a strong resemblance to Rozelia. The only difference was that Rozelia had red eyes while Yoo-jin’s were blue.

However, while their appearances might be similar, in every other aspect, it could only be deemed a failure.

Rozelia had absorbed a substantial amount of the divine power contained within Seraph’s blood. Yet, Yoo-jin barely managed to absorb one-tenth of that divine power.

Could it simply be a difference in talent? She found it strange that an unfaithful child was forcibly fed divine blood yet became an apostle. From this alone, one could argue that Yoo-jin possessed a divine power aptitude comparable to Rozelia’s.

Nonetheless, the reason for such underwhelming results was certainly…

“It’s due to her lack of will.”

While Rozelia had a genuine desire to become a true apostle of God, Park Yoo-jin possessed neither faith nor ambition. That difference in determination likely led to this outcome.

“Tsk. I wanted an angel to help us on the battlefield, but with this, she’s utterly useless.”

In this war, angels were supposed to serve as asymmetric power and trump cards to be deployed as needed. There was no way he could assign such an incompetent angel to such an important role.

“Father, then what will you do with this child?”

“Carrying around a failed creation as an angel would lower the standing of all angels. Dispose of her.”

“As you command—”

“Wait, just a moment…!”

At that moment, Rozelia urgently interjected. She desperately pleaded with Dion.

She swore to work even harder than her share. She would train Park Yoo-jin to become an angel that could fulfill her role. Various other arguments followed.

In the lengthy plea, which Rozelia herself could hardly remember, she finally managed to gain Dion’s reprieve. He instructed her to take the new angel as her subordinate and make her fulfill her role within a year.

“I’m so relieved, I’m truly relieved, Yoo-jin. I will definitely make you a proper angel. Then we will forever be able to serve under Father Dion’s grace together…!”

After leaving the audience hall, Rozelia helped the staggering Park Yoo-jin, her face brimming with hope. However, Yoo-jin looked back at Rozelia with a bitter expression.

It was probably because she was a half-failed angel. She had no respect or faith for Dion.

To her, Dion had merely been a means of survival in the past and, now, an arch-nemesis who had taken away both Kim Jae-hyuk and Shin Mi-rae from her.

“Oh, right. Now that I’m an angel, I need a new name, right? Originally, it would be Seraph’s job to name you, but since she left first, I’ll give you a name! How about… um, Ro… Ze… Rosemary? What do you think of Rosemary? It’s similar to my name, so it feels like we’re real sisters, right? Isn’t it nice?”

Oblivious to Yoo-jin’s true feelings, Rozelia happily gave her a new name.

“…Well, the name is nice.”

Yoo-jin, who couldn’t bear to spit in her face, found herself becoming Rosemary against her will that day.