Become their wicked yet gentle lord.

"Even without your help, it would be easy for me to gain their favor..."

Ryuka's tone was somewhat helpless. What kind of deity was this, using these things as bargaining chips...?

Is this how you test cadres?!

"Hmm... that's still different. Fine, I'll let you experience it..."

As Chloe spoke, the scene around Ryuka slowly changed, returning her to the courtyard she had been in before.

Within Ryūka's perception, all the serfs and slaves in the village appeared as dots of light of varying sizes, flickering and dancing.

"Is this... each believer's qualifications and level of faith?"

“That’s right.” Chloe’s voice echoed in his mind.

"Holy crap! You're still here!" Liu Xia shuddered. It seemed that this little female deity had stuck to him. Even though he wasn't in her temple, he could still hear her voice.

"How rude of me... In short, a high-level divine messenger who has contact with the gods can possess this ability, which is to discover those among the believers who are talented and loyal... If you agree, you will be our only divine messenger, so of course you will have this ability."

Furthermore, don't you find it strange that the 'Papal States' you mentioned actually control a relatively small population and resources? Logically, their military strength should be weaker than that of secular monarchies.

"Because it makes it easy to select loyal and exceptionally talented individuals for training..." Ryuka pondered to herself.

He thought of Luminova, that busty idiot who, aside from her slightly dim-witted appearance, possessed strength far exceeding that of her peers. She had the strength of a late-stage Grandmaster at around twenty years old…

How many Celestial or even Saint-level beings does the Holy See have?

No wonder the Otto royal family and their ancestors kept witches for a full thousand years; it seems they had no choice but to do so to make up for the power gap between themselves and the Papacy.

Intrigued by this ability, Ryūka became interested. Besides, Chloe was the highest-ranking being she could approach, and seemed quite approachable...

"How rude of you! Do you think we lack the majesty of the gods?!"

"No, no~ How could that be~" Ryuka chuckled and tentatively asked, "Um, Lord Chloe, what do you think about a 50/50 split?"

"I advise you not to be too greedy! The faith of believers is our own. Even if it is a divine messenger, directly using the power of the gods will gradually overwhelm the body, causing it to lose its will and become a puppet and loyal dog of the gods..."

Thirty percent is already quite an exaggeration, considering that the combined faith power shared by all the other gods' messengers usually doesn't exceed fifty percent. We're willing to give you this much because, on one hand, we're genuinely short-handed, hence our sincerity. On the other hand, you possess other powers and qualifications to balance this out, so you should be able to withstand thirty percent of the power.

Is it true or not, that they will become God's loyal dogs and puppets? Are those so-called religious fanatics like that?

Ryuka thought of Luminova again, unsure whether her fervor for the goddess stemmed from simple religious teachings or from this very mechanism.

This was clearly a good thing for the gods, but Chloe reminded herself of it.

"You're a really nice person..."

"Fool, our divine position is to protect those who have become slaves and lost their freedom. Wouldn't it conflict with the very nature of existence for our own divine messengers to become slaves? Gods would never do such a thing!"

That's why our divine messengers were weaker than others in the past..."

Crowell spoke softer and softer, but Ryuka found him becoming increasingly endearing.

Seemingly sensing Ryūka's thoughts, Chūer, sounding somewhat flustered, warned Ryūka loudly and quickly:

"So if you're going to be our messenger, you must never oppress others or take away their freedom without cause! Although I said you can take action against those among the believers who are of good character, it must be based on mutual consent! Do you understand?"

“You can’t bully others without cause…” Ryuga thought of the evil deeds she had done to Megan and Hafley and asked tentatively, “So, is it okay as long as there’s a cause?”

As she said this, Ryuka knew that Chloe must have scanned her consciousness and understood what she was thinking. She had expected to be rejected by this deity, but Chloe was surprisingly calm.

"Of course, it's still acceptable as long as there's a 'cause'. Hmm... it's easier to explain using your understanding of 'cause and effect.' If your act of revenge is reasonable in terms of 'cause and effect,' then it doesn't conflict with our priesthood."

However, it only means there's no conflict within 'the scope of our management'. But apart from that 'goddess', the power of other gods has long since weakened to the point of being unbearable. There are quite a few gods who have perished over the millennia, which is why you were able to obtain 'divine fragments'.

Furthermore, the horrific things you've done are nothing compared to the truly tragic fate of slaves. Don't underestimate the wisdom of the gods... You Lin Mei, you Lin Kong, you Lin Zai Zai, you...

If that were the case, Ryuka would have no worries. But listening to Chloe's voice, a certain curiosity still welled up within him.

"Hey, Lord Chloe, aren't you... cute?"

When it comes to deities, their images in the human mind are incredibly diverse, ranging from terrifying to benevolent. Is Chloe's demonic voice merely how she perceives herself?

Could this thing's true form be some indescribable object or flying pasta or something...?

Although the idea seemed arrogant to the gods and contained a certain presumptuous delusion, Kurowell's reaction was unusually calm and composed.

"It's very cute, by your human standards. After all, we used to be humanoid beings."

"Huh?" Ryuka was surprised by Chloe's reaction.

She's not angry at all? Seriously, to openly say she's cute, what a shameless deity. As for the fact that Chloe was once a humanoid being, Ryuka was both surprised and expected.

Kurowell sighed, her childish voice lecturing like an old woman's:

"Listen carefully, the moral standards of deities cannot be considered using human common sense, but rather using their divine status and personality, or rather, their very essence. Your ideas might be appreciated by a god of procreation or a god of indulgence. But if they are from a strict or ill-tempered deity, then you're in for a rough time..."

As for your delusions, it's normal for living beings to have such thoughts, so we forgive you. But we're much cuter than your delusions!

You should wait until you've collected enough fragments of the potential to condense a divine spark before thinking about that kind of thing. We don't dislike ambitious believers, you know. After all, ambition can be a good seed for slaves to develop a rebellious spirit.

As for how to collect the fragments of divinity that you're concerned about, I'll tell you once you've done enough for us~ I don't mind having someone become a new 'colleague'~”

Wow~ What a magnanimous deity! Although his voice sounds like a little devil, his heart is so broad...

This kind of personality is the kind that many people would want to call 'Mom'.

"Well, after all, most of our believers are pitiful children, so we should have this kind of magnanimity... How about it, do you want to become our divine messenger?"

"Sure, after all, if I don't agree, you might not be able to wait for the next suitable candidate. If I suffer retaliation because of this, I can't handle it."

Ryuka shrugged and made a joke.

"Well... how could that be... haha~"

"Crowne, you definitely don't mean that!" Ryuka felt a chill run down her spine. Being secretly targeted by a god was no good thing...

"Ahem! Anyway, just repeat the oath after us!"

A complex and obscure incantation surfaced in her mind. It wasn't in any language that existed on this continent, but Ryūka could understand its meaning. It was nothing more than a contract or oath, and with Chloe's guidance, Ryūka recited it smoothly.

An inexplicable force exerted itself on her body, and Liu Xia opened her eyes. It seemed that as long as she focused her mind, she could hear various silent shouts around her...

The slaves' obsession... Holy crap! What is all this?!

Surrounded by a multitude of resentful spirits, Ryuka felt as if she had entered the underworld. Even the normal scenery became distorted, and the world appeared to be a tapestry of vengeful spirits and flesh.

The serf's resentment, after receiving no response from Ryūka for a long time, seemed to be slowly stirring, its destination unknown.

The distorted scene made Ryuka uncomfortable, and after a moment of resistance, everything returned to normal.

"Well... it's been at least several hundred years since we've had a messenger of our gods, but the faith in us hasn't died out. When the believers' obsessions aren't dispelled, it becomes like this. What you see is a world only our messengers of gods can see..."

After making the vow, Chloe's voice seemed a little weak, which made Ryuka concerned.

"Crowell...sir? Are you alright?"

“If you don’t want to, then there’s no need for honorifics.” Kuroel’s tone was somewhat helpless. “It’s alright. I’m just weaker after sharing my power with you. I may have to sleep for a while before you build a temple for us and gather faith.”

"So, you need to remember what we're about to say."

"First, don't easily reveal your identity and abilities to other gods. Not all gods are as good-natured as we are. Of course, this is on the premise that you can come into contact with other gods..."

Secondly, whether it's a legend or a fairy tale, don't easily offend the real names of other deities, otherwise you'll be more easily discovered now.

Third, regarding your duties, aside from believers with very strong attachments, you generally won't encounter any resentment that requires your attention. Your daily work simply involves building our faith. If one person can't handle it all, you can recruit others to become your subordinate messengers. This is your responsibility as our highest-ranking messenger, but this will only happen after the temple is established.

Kurowell's voice grew weaker and weaker as he desperately tried to finish speaking.

"Finally, the world you just saw can be seen with a thought. It is caused by the resentment accumulated by believers over a long period of time, and it may even give birth to some monsters."

Although the Vatican would condemn them as emerging 'heretics,' that would prevent the souls of believers from receiving guidance and salvation. So, if possible, we hope you can do it...

The resentment of that poor person beside you... it's a little heartbreaking to talk about, but don't worry about it for now. It seems that such a 'monster' is luring towards this village..."

Kurowell's voice grew softer and softer, like an extremely tired child trying to stay awake.

The resentment of that poor person beside you... it's a little heartbreaking to talk about, but don't worry about it for now. It seems that such a 'monster' is luring towards this village..."

Kurowell's voice grew softer and softer, like an extremely tired child trying to stay awake.

Ryuka's consciousness responded quickly: "I understand, following it will lead us to that 'demon,' right? Leave it to me. As for the method to guide the soul..."

"Hmm... You just need to use my power. You're already a divine messenger, it'll be like instinct for you... My divine messenger, don't let me down..."

As he spoke, Kurowell's voice fell completely still...

Chapter 33 Suddenly He Came Back to Life

Although this world has all kinds of extraordinary powers, and even the existence of gods is no exception, the amount of information that Ryuka gained from his conversation with Chloe was still difficult for him to digest for a while.

"A fragment of divine potential, is it real or fake? Am I qualified to become a god?"

Honestly, I only started all these actions because I was dissatisfied with my current situation after transmigrating. All my actions were simply following my heart. Suddenly I learned that there are gods in this world, and that I even have the qualifications to become a god...

"Having been told all this, it's impossible for him not to feel anything at all, but..."

If a god exists, it means the Papacy is not merely a religious entity; there is indeed a goddess residing behind them. However, according to Chloe, most followers do not know the goddess's real name, but the core members of the Papacy are likely an exception.

And then there's the Otus Empire, which has been able to keep pace with the Papacy, which has a deity in charge, for so long; they are probably not as simple as they seem.

Not only did Hetia mention the thirteenth princess's strange precognitive abilities, but Otus's ancestor was none other than King Kranar, who slew the cruel witch! Are you free, Lin Mei? Are you available...?

Based on Chloe's reaction, the power of cruelty seems to be the power of some kind of god. King Kranar, who was able to defeat the cruel witch, must have a complicated background.

As for the 'Curse of the Witch Bel' that arose after King Kranar went mad, and the fact that the Otus royal family is still keeping witches to this day, it's probably not as simple as twisted love, hate, and entanglements of interests...

"Tsk, knowing all this doesn't give me any excitement about becoming a god. Instead, I feel like the world is getting more and more dangerous... If there really are other gods, I might be finished off in the blink of an eye..."

Liu Xia's head was getting more and more ache, especially the character of the thirteenth princess. If she knew of his existence before carrying out the series of plans in Linhu Territory, then wouldn't he become a pawn being watched and manipulated?

Anxiety is like being alone in the dead of night, with no light and dangers lurking in the darkness...

But Ryuka quickly gave up thinking about it.

"Whatever, thinking about it is useless. Just do what needs to be done. After dealing with the resentment of the Kuroel followers and gaining some faith energy, I'll go back and continue figuring out how to toy with Heflian!"

That's right. With my current strength, thinking about these things is just worrying unnecessarily. Even if I am inexplicably killed by a god one day, I should live life to the fullest until then.

Ryuka unleashed the power of the divine messenger, and the distorted world reappeared before her eyes. Following the writhing, drifting resentment, she arrived at a mass grave near the village.

When a serf died, his family had to pay a large sum of money to his master for funeral expenses, but after they died, they were simply thrown into a pit and buried.

That's considered good; some corpses are even decomposed and flow into the black market, since they are excellent materials for certain necromancers.

At this moment, the resentment of those who died unjustly hundreds or even thousands of years ago has solidified into a twisted and terrifying ball of flesh on this cemetery, seemingly gestating something.

'By day I believe...by night I pray...salvation, salvation...'

A delirious murmur flooded my mind, a sound like trillions of snakes and insects coiling and rubbing together, unsettling just to hear. Though it spoke of faith, the intense resentment and malice emanating from the fleshy mass spoke otherwise.

'Why... I prayed, I suffered, but there was no response... Lord Chloe...!'

Ryuka had a premonition that if she revealed her identity, the other party probably wouldn't obediently let her pass on, but instead would hatch from the egg and attack her frantically...

"No wonder, even though the Holy See has controlled the Central Continent for nearly a thousand years, heretics still emerge from time to time. It's probably not just the area under Chloe's jurisdiction; it's likely the same for other gods and their followers. That's why heretical forces can't be eradicated completely..."

However, the constant emergence of twisted heresies proves that they are messengers of the true God... Perhaps the Vatican is using this method to maintain its rule.

Although the ball of flesh before her was terrifying and disgusting, the power it emitted wasn't strong, falling within the range that a high-ranking officer could handle. Ryūka relaxed and spoke to the ball of flesh:

"Lord Chloe has sent me to guide you. Before your souls pass away, do you still have any lingering attachments?"

Cheers, sobs, blame... a surge of intense emotions flooded Liu Xia's mind in an instant, almost bursting her spirit.

Give me back my internal organs...

Give me back my skin...

Liu Xia smiled helplessly. These resentments were from too long ago and had become so distorted that communication was impossible.

Only the lingering resentment that led Ryūka here was easily caught by Ryūka.

"Your wish is to take care of your family and avenge the landlord, right? Don't worry, I guarantee it in the name of Chloe's messenger, so don't get involved with them. Go to Chloe's temple and wait for reincarnation, but she's resting now, so you may have to wait a while..."

After the binding divine oath, the resentment in Ryuka's hand slowly dissipated, and the corpse remaining in the courtyard closed its eyes...

Thank you, Your Excellency...

At the same time, a faint power surged into Ryuka's consciousness; it seemed to be the power of the believers' faith.

"Next, we need to deal with what's in front of us."

Ryuga looked at the violently throbbing ball of flesh and decisively drew his longsword.

The fleshy ball suddenly exploded, scattering foul-smelling liquid and maggots. The not-yet-fully-mature demon hatched from its egg, resembling a collection of countless mutilated corpses, with countless illusory soul faces attached to this unformed demon.