In the capital of Intis, Trier.
Ebner stood casually atop a tall building, overlooking the Tulip Central Avenue—the road built during the Roselle era that led directly to the Prime Minister's Office.
At this moment, the entire eight-lane avenue was packed with people. They surged forward together toward the building Roselle had modeled after the White House—an unstoppable human flood.
"Work!"
"We want work!"
"The Prime Minister is ruining the country!
"He must step down!"
The shouts of thousands—tens of thousands, perhaps even more—merged together, growing louder and clearer.
This march had been triggered mainly because Charlie Delien had signed another decree the previous day, and this one was even more "conservative" than any before. He actually wanted Intis to return to how it was before the Roselle era—no more privately owned factories, with only the state, the churches, and major families allowed to operate them…
The order seemed like an attempt to curry favor with the churches and noble families, but it was naïve. The times had changed. Even the Soller family wouldn't dare dream of completely discarding the capital outside their control.
Let alone anything else—just the unemployment it had already caused was enough to "destroy" Intis!
There is definitely someone pushing this march from behind… likely people from the churches… Both the Church of the Eternal Blazing Sun and the Church of Steam have people secretly organizing it…
As I suspected, the reason the churches allowed this madman, Charlie Delien to act so recklessly was likely to make ordinary citizens and the powerful families completely lose faith in the current system, making it easier to replace the government…
As for the deeper purpose… it should be that the churches want to take this chance to clean out all the 'monsters and freaks' lurking within Trier.
After all, George III's attempt to ascend as the Black Emperor could be concealed from the churches, but certainly not from the gods… They must have foreseen that a world-spanning war was imminent…
In fact, Feysac's early preparations weren't even subtle. If Loen hadn't been purposely turning a blind eye, the signs would've been discovered long ago!
Anyway… as for Trier, demons, evil gods, and even Outer Deity Blessed have infiltrated the upper echelons. If they aren't cleaned out before war arrives, should they be allowed to run rampant when the gods are too occupied to intervene?
A nationwide upheaval, a "movement" that changes the political structure, can easily uproot all those unstable elements…
Heh, and the Delien family will be hit the hardest. Their internal makeup is so complicated that even I cannot fully 'discern' how many factions have planted people inside!
Thinking about it now, it's because Intis has no angel family anchoring the nation. It's far too easy for cults to infiltrate the top. During the eras of Sauron and Roselle, such things were nearly impossible.
And now, once the churches and gods are too occupied to intervene, disasters will erupt immediately.
Standing on the rooftop, Ebner observed the fate of the marching crowd and soon "discerned" all the schemes and plans behind it.
But something is wrong with these people's 'rivers of fate.' Why are they all gradually flowing toward a dead end?
Is something major going to happen at the Prime Minister's Office?
Noticing the sense of wrongness growing stronger, Ebner immediately stepped forward and vanished from the rooftop.
...
Inside the Prime Minister's Office—the White House—Prime Minister's secretary Marvin stared nervously at Tulip Avenue through the window. His originally handsome face was filled with terror, and sweat trickled down his forehead.
It wasn't that he had never seen such a crowd before, nor heard the overlapping shouts of so many people. He had even participated in and led marches far larger than this.
But back then, he had been one of the marchers—one of the "punishers."
Today, he was one of the targets being "punished."
He subconsciously looked to both sides of the crowd and was shocked to find that the policemen and soldiers who should have been stationed to supervise the march were far too few. Compared to the vast sea of people, they looked like tiny splashes of foam against crashing waves.
Damn it! Was a march of this scale not reported? But an unreported march should've been dispersed halfway!
Did the Police Headquarters and the Capital Guard deliberately allow it?
Yes… the march still looks orderly and hasn't turned into a riot… that must mean there are plenty of organizers and leaders!
Thought after thought flashed through Marvin's mind, and his expression grew increasingly grim.
"Step down!"
"Make the Prime Minister step down!"
"Beat Delien to death!"
The cries became more synchronized and more thunderous. Coupled with the densely packed heads filling the avenue, the sense of oppression was overwhelming.
Secretary Marvin snapped back to his senses and instinctively turned to look for the Prime Minister to discuss countermeasures. But the instant he turned, a sharp pain struck his chest.
He stared blankly as a man pulled his hand out of Marvin's chest—holding Marvin's still-warm, still-beating heart—and began eating it.
Marvin recognized him. He was one of the Prime Minister's newly recruited bodyguards. His surname… seemed to be Nors…
His consciousness began fading. In the final moments of his life, he saw a member of the Machinery Hivemind rushing over desperately…
"Too late… The Prime Minister seems to be summoning something…" Marvin used the last of his strength to shout at the Machinery Hivemind member.
Unfortunately, only his lips moved. No sound emerged.
A moment later, the roar of a steam-powered machine gun filled the room, and the demon who had been eating hearts was instantly riddled with demon-hunting bullets designed to target evil forces.
A bearded man in the front confirmed the demon's death under his teammates' cover. Then he crouched beside Marvin, checked briefly, and finally shook his head.
"Captain, Secretary Marvin was just an ordinary person. This kind of wound can't be saved."
The man addressed as Captain nodded slightly and, while staying alert to the surroundings, quickly instructed:
"Once the demon's Beyonder characteristic precipitates, regroup with the Archbishop immediately."
He paused, then looked at the team's only female member—a Sequence 7 Witch—and ordered, "Secretary Marvin seemed to want to say something… Before his spirit dissipates, do a séance. I'll keep watch."
The Witch did not hesitate and began performing the séance. Moments later, she suddenly clutched her head and screamed in agony.
"What happened?!" Both the captain and the bearded man were shocked and instantly went into response mode.
One pulled out incense to stabilize her mind, while the other raised his gun at her head, ready to act if she showed signs of corruption.
After several minutes, the Witch finally regained a sliver of clarity. She screamed hysterically:
"Hurry! Evacuate everyone immediately!
"The Prime Minister… he… he summoned a monster into himself!"
"Monster?"
The captain and the bearded man exchanged a glance, then immediately used their communication devices to report to the Archbishop.
...
Meanwhile, not far from the Prime Minister's Office, atop another building, Yaldabaoth—dressed in a red formal suit—quietly observed the white structure, as though he could see directly through the walls into the underground.
Suddenly, the corners of his mouth lifted into an exaggerated smile.
"So you finally couldn't suppress yourself!
"You stopped caring about the lives of the Nors family long ago…
"But they're still your 'anchors.' If they all die here, you won't be doing well either, will you?
"The hidden contingency arranged by the 'Dark Side of the Universe,' the one given the final remnant of the 'Abomination' characteristic, who secretly advanced to Sequence 1 without being discovered by the Mother Tree of Desire—
"Nors Fárbauti!"
...
On the other side of Trier, four "young girls," each stunningly beautiful in their own distinct way, gathered together and looked toward the Prime Minister's Office.
"As expected, another disaster has begun!"
The girl in the yellow dress sighed with a hoarse yet magnetic voice.
(End of chapter)