NOVEL NEXT Ch. 78
Chapter 78: Citadel (4)
Nidra was momentarily stunned by my strike.
There was no pain, but a sharp sting pierced deep within.
It was humiliation.
A feeling he’d never experienced since Hel created him.
Even the countless powerhouses visiting the Coast of the Dead avoided facing him seriously,
so Nidra never had a true fight.
Whether due to fear of a divine agent or simply accepting fate,
he’d never had a chance to clash with strong opponents.
“This…”
The arrogant Reaper commander couldn’t hide his shock at this first humiliation.
The unfamiliar feeling turned to rage,
and his insides boiled like lava on the verge of eruption.
“I’ll kill you!”
Nidra summoned his golden spear and thrust it at me.
The sharp blade tore through the air.
But I stood still.
Tap.
Just before the attack landed, Hel quietly stepped in front of me.
“Enough.”
Hel blocked the spear with his index finger.
Whoosh!
A shockwave shook the space, and a gust swept through.
The overwhelming force revealed how serious Nidra’s attack was.
And how strong the one blocking me is.
Blocking such power without recoil was impossible for anyone.
Unless they were a god.
And the one before me was indeed this world’s god.
“He touched you. Twice. So we’re done, right, Nidra?”
Hel calling his name directly made Nidra drop his spear and kneel.
“I’m sorry! I got carried away.”
“It’s fine. But I’d prefer no further objections to me appointing them as Reapers.”
“…Yes! Understood!”
A brief pause.
But as his god, Nidra obeyed without further protest.
“So, it’s settled?”
As Hel mediated, I stepped forward, extending my hand.
Nidra nearly swatted it away but, feeling Hel’s gaze, reluctantly shook it.
Grip!
From Nidra’s grip, I read his true feelings.
Still dissatisfied.
But I showed no reaction.
Whether Nidra was unhappy or not, Hel’s support nullified his grounds.
“With the qualification issue resolved, we’ll start work immediately.”
“Already?”
“No reason to delay. The longer Gaiard and I stay, the more it disrupts the order you seek, Lord Hel.”
“True.”
Hel looked down at the turquoise Citadel from the colossus statue’s window.
“Is there really someone who knows Ernst’s secret?”
The city below housed countless souls.
Even Hel didn’t know if answers lay there.
I’m looking forward to it. Will they find the answer?
***
“Remember, having Reaper rank doesn’t give you the right to judge.”
“We wouldn’t, so don’t worry.”
“Any nonsense, and I’ll come for you.”
“Oh, scary.”
Even after leaving the colossus statue, Nidra issued quiet warnings before departing to oversee souls.
“Why does that guy hate the living so much?”
“From what I see, he hates you. Ever seen him say anything to me?”
Gaiard’s words made me recall past events.
“Huh?”
“See?”
“No, why?”
“You tend to stir things up everywhere.”
I seriously reflected on Gaiard’s words.
“…I didn’t start it.”
On second thought, others usually provoked me first.
“Even so, you’re kind of…”
“Shut up. That’s an order.”
Gaiard closed his mouth but frowned.
Ignoring him, I looked down at the Citadel’s scenery.
“This city’s too big to investigate together efficiently. Let’s split up. I’ll take the west, you take the east.”
“Got it. Meet back when the central clock tower chimes noon.”
“Good.”
The only time marker in the Citadel was the clock tower under the colossus statue.
Visible from anywhere, it was our reference as we parted.
“See you later.”
Gaiard, wearing a Reaper mask, flew off first,
and I gazed west.
Ernst is important, but I should also look for someone who knows about the Empire.
I had another goal.
I was curious about what happened to the Empire in my past life, right after my death.
Before, escaping was my priority, so I didn’t linger on it, but now things were different.
With some leeway, I wanted to know more about my past life.
I’d better hurry.
Thus, alone without Gaiard, I set out to investigate Ernst and learn about the Empire’s fate after my death.
My first step began with a conversation with a soul.
In the city of the dead, souls appeared faintly as they did in life,
moving busily past each other.
As a Reaper, I naturally drew their attention as I walked.
“Let me ask you something.”
I grabbed an old man and threw a question at him.
Souls were usually intangible,
but the Reaper’s armor and power transcended such limits.
“Y-Yes? Did I do something wrong…?”
My Reaper mask was enough to instill fear in the old man.
Reapers upheld order and sometimes punished souls, making them symbols of dread.
“No, I just have a question.”
“Yes?”
A Reaper speaking kindly was highly unusual.
Not just the old man, but other passing souls began casting curious glances.
Hm, better use this rank. Shall I be a bit authoritative?
I shifted my demeanor, asking in a commanding tone.
“I ask you. Are you from the continent?”
“Y-Yes, that’s right.”
“Then, from the Becken Empire?”
“No. Imperials don’t live here.”
“They live separately? A divided district?”
Despite my one-sided questions, the old man answered diligently.
Such was the typical dynamic between Reapers and souls.
“Yes, toward the wall, that’s where they gather.”
The soul pointed in a direction.
“The western end?”
“Yes. Most there are from the Becken Empire.”
“Got it.”
“Can I go now…?”
I nodded, releasing him.
The old man sighed in relief and vanished among the souls.
The western end… Even in death, humans live by their living maps?
The Becken Empire’s origin was Lake Kiern in the continent’s west.
Though its territory later expanded vastly, its roots were always western.
Even in death, Imperials gathered at the western end.
Whether due to their homeland or another reason was unclear.
But it was clearly their hub.
And, unlike reality, they were oppressed and banded together in their own district.
“Cruel Imperial bastards!”
“They’re dead, so why come here to live?”
The Becken Empire historically invaded other nations, aiming to dominate the continent.
Countless souls who lost families and homes to them resented and shunned Imperials even here.
“The Reapers are clueless. Those bastards should be thrown into the sea.”
“Exactly. Thinking of my family killed by them still makes my blood boil.”
No boundary was drawn,
but I could tell at a glance I’d reached the Imperials’ district.
They’re discriminated against here. Makes sense. To other kingdoms, the Empire was an invader.
The Becken Empire.
Starting with the first Emperor, Gerhard, they consistently showed ambition to unify the continent.
Under Tarkin I, led by Mikhail Reverk and Robern, they achieved their largest territory,
crushing and destroying numerous kingdoms in the process.
In my current era, under Tarkin III, the territory had shrunk,
but their infamy remained strong.
As a result, souls here bonded over hating the Empire, collectively oppressing Imperials.
To them, I’m probably a monster too.
I was a tool for the Emperor’s ambitions.
Though I believed I fought for a greater cause,
I couldn’t deny contributing to their losses.
That’s why I stood here.
Instead of ignoring or avoiding my past,
I wanted to face the consequences of my actions directly.
I need to know. What became of the things I did.
At that moment, an Imperial soul appeared before me.
“What’re you looking at, you bastards! Blaming us for dying because you were weak?”
Unlike other Imperials, this soul was highly belligerent.
He confronted kingdom souls, asserting himself boldly.
“Oh! Reaper! Help me out! These guys are causing a ruckus!”
Seeing me there, the souls panicked.
“No! We weren’t trying to cause trouble…”
“Sorry!”
Step step.
As my footsteps echoed, the air seemed to freeze.
The enraged souls quickly changed expressions, trembling in fear.
“N-No, that’s not…”
“Sorry! Please forgive us!”
“…”
Seeing their sudden shift, I stopped in place.
Then, I did something that shocked everyone.
“Urgh…!”
I grabbed the Imperial soul’s throat.
“Looks like if you disappear, this all gets resolved.”
The choking soul thrashed desperately, but my grip didn’t budge.
My gaze was cold, my voice laced with icy mockery.
“Don’t you think? You, who were a knight of Robern?”
“How… How do you know that…”
The anger seeping through my mask felt like a blazing flame.
It wasn’t mere rage but a deadly heat that could burn souls.