I don’t guarantee a 100% perfect translation.
Feel free to correct me in the comments.
YAY, CHURCH CHAPTER!! WHAT EVERYONE LOVES!!!!
In a serious note, read them, they are about to become pretty good chapters.
Not much to say other than, watching “Restaurant to Another World” makes me hungry every time i watch an episode.
Enjoy the chapter.
Mayne stood at the top of the Tower of Babel, looking through the windows towards the snow-wrapped city of Hermes.
It’s been a while since the last large group of demonic beasts attacked the Holy City, the snow falling in the fields had time to settle down again, and the snowstorm had also weakened a lot. The residents of the city had welcomed this rare leisure.
These days should be a time to celebrate, but Mayne’s heart felt a little empty. In order to kill the monstrous giant hybrid species of demonic beasts, a team of God Punishment Army’s warriors went out of the walls and confronted these demonic beasts. In the end, 19 of those warriors were wounded and two had been killed. After the two beasts had their limbs cut off, they had been lying on the ground for a long time, and the guards at the wall had killed them with their thrown spears. However, compared to the losses of the God Punishment Army, what terrified Mayne was the magnitude of this attack of demonic beasts in a short time frame.
After being silent for a long while, he let out a heavy sigh trying to vent out his anger, and returned to his sit at the table, he opened the Holy Scripture, immersing himself in it again.
“Even if you turn it upside down, the contents will not change. Hasn’t His Excellency O’Brien agreed to see you yet?” Tayfun carried two cups of hot drinks into the circular hall, and placed one cup in front of Mayne.
“This is the third time I’ve made a request to enter the Cardinal Secret Area, but they still have not responded… I don’t know what His Excellency is busy with, at this critical moment.” Mayne said anxiously.
“Do not worry,” Tayfun interrupted him “you said it yourself, the Holy Scripture was written by the First Pope, so it’s unavoidable that it has some mistakes, after all, over 400 years have passed, who can guarantee that everything in it is accurate?”
“But this is different.” the Archbishop shook his head “If the date is interpreted wrong, it will be a catastrophe for us! We have already invested a great amount of power and energy for the unification of the Kingdoms, so that the strength of all the mainland can resist the Devil, but if the time left is shortened by half, we have no way to accumulate that many warriors of the God Punishment Army after these battles!”
“Quiet Sir Mayne.” The old Bishop smiled, and slowly drank the hot drink “It’s already happened, the fangs of hell appeared before us, no one can change that fact. But perhaps this was because of two reasons.”
“What reasons?”
“Take a sip with me first.” Tayfun said, while stroking his beard.
Mayne carried the cup closer, it seems like a cup of goat’s milk, but on closer inspection, it actually has a sweet fragrance to the nose “What’s in it?”
“Winter’s bloom.” Tayfun slightly smiled “Although drinking Dream Water directly is bad, doing it like this is acceptable, it can at least help you ease the tension, and soothe the nerves to help you sleep.”
Mayne took a mouthful of the goat’s milk, feeling a burning sensation transmitting down his throat, although the goat’s milk diluted with some winter’s bloom was mellow, it’s a drink he would never be able to get used to. After coughing twice, he wiped his mouth “Even if it’s a whole glass of Dream Water, at this moment I doubt it will allow me to fall asleep, will you speak now?”
“One possibility is that the Pope made a mistake. Regarding old people, they will often be light-headed, and as their memories fade, they will interpret them wrong, of this I have deep understanding.” Tayfun shrugged.
“It’s highly unlikely,” Mayne knitted his eyebrows while saying “this is related to the layout and structure of the church, and even a deciding factor of the fate of mankind, he must have been very careful while writing these things. What about the second possibility?
“The second scenario, due to some unknown circumstance, has caused the situation to change.”
The Archbishop waited for a moment, and saw that the other had not continued to speak, so he wondered. “Such as?”
“That’s it.”
“That’s it… What kind of joke is that? The situation has changed? Because of such a reason, all of our efforts are for nothing!? How can you be so irresponsible!?”
“Sir Mayne!” Tayfun voice suddenly was raised a few degrees “What are you demanding, a certain way to defeat the Devil? Do you really believe that by defending Hermes, the Devils will halt their advance?”
“…” Mayne was startled.
“Everyone wants to win every fight, but so far, even against the Four Kingdoms, we had not won each and every battle, and that’s not mentioning the Devils from Hell!” He exclaimed loudly “Did you forget the teaching of His Excellency the Pope? Excessive effort and fear of the results is not much different. What you should do is accept that fact that step by step the closure is drawing near, and there’s nothing we can do about it.”
Fear… of the results. The heart of Mayne felt a shock, it was exactly as he said, he had fear; He was afraid of becoming the Pope, not being able to stop the Devil, and ultimately letting mankind fall to ruin by his own hands.
“I used to be like you.” Tayfun voice suddenly calmed down “But Heather’s death showed me that the results are, in many cases, unpredictable. The Months of Demons came too soon without warning, but we still tried to take Wolf Heart City, so the plans remained the same… But Heather died, and the tide of the war changed. But even so, we must still go on.” He got up and let out a sigh, after he patted Mayne on the shoulder, he walked towards outside the hall. “Even so… whether it’s five years, or ten years, you have to be steadfast in the end, not to find a way to win, but because it’s your duty, even if the result is contrary to what’s expected.”
The hall door closed, and Mayne was left looking at his empty cup, unable to utter a single word.
He had to admit that Tayfun had a point, but how could he not be afraid when he had to shoulder such a big responsibility.
Suddenly, a judge came in.
“Sir Mayne, His Excellency the Pope wants to see you.”
At last!
He immediately stood up, eagerly.
“Take me to the Cardinal Secret Area.”
◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊
The Cardinal Secret Area, deeply hidden in the underground of the plateau, was just as before, cold and silent.
As he walked into the Cardinal Secret Temple’s main hall, Mayne was startled slightly, today it was not arranged like when the transformation ceremony took place, all the candles in the hall were lit, the dense and numerous flames gave an orange outline to the hall. The chandeliers hanging from the ceiling were like the kingdom of God, bringing together all the stars.
His Excellency O’Brien sat on the throne, calmly looking at him.
Mayne felt something strange with this atmosphere, but suppressed his doubts back to a corner of his heart, before arriving to the throne, he knelt down with both hands touching the floor, his forehead slightly kissing the ground.
“Get up, child.” The Pope’s voice was very faint, it was hard to hear unless he concentrated on it.
Mayne straightened up his body, and saw the Pope’s weary and tired expression on his face, as if he had not rested for a long time. “Your Excellency, please pay attention to your body.”
“That’s of no use,” He smiled, the deep wrinkles filled his cheeks immediately “I will die soon.”
“Your Excellency, you will not…”
“No, listen to me, child.”
O’Brien interrupted the words of the Archbishop strongly
“I know my own condition, and without a doubt, the time of my death is near.”
He paused for a moment and took a deep breath.
“The purpose of today’s call, is to have you inherit the position of Pope.”
Release that Witch 
I guess, true leaders of the church will be revealed in coming chapters?
LikeLike
Thanks for the chapter.
Well, I hope Mayne actually realizes the church wrongdoings.
LikeLike
Actually no the church isnt wrong in its doings ; in fact i think that everything that they’ve done was the best thing to do for the greater good .
Killing the witches? Each witch gives them 10 god punishment soldiers which are most of the time stronger than any none extraordinary witch
Invading the kingdoms? Most if not all were already corrupt and suffering from infighting their lands can be be better used under their rule .
The church was the best thing to happen to humanity before roland and if i was in their place i would make their decisions despite sacrificing a minority(witches) for the survival of all of mankind
LikeLike
10? I honestly don’t remember the ceremony since it’s been like over 150 chapters, but wasn’t it 2 soldiers?
LikeLiked by 2 people
Yes, only two soldiers and a single witch were there if I recall correctly and only one soldier survived the process. Not sure if there were only two because they were the only ones they could fetch though, because they said it was difficult to find candidates but I don’t remember reading that one witch could be used for that many soldiers :).
Now I think about it, it is like an imperfect version of the Super-Soldier “serum” used to create the Captain America.
LikeLike
I remember the same, one witch for the possibility of two soldiers. The ceremony we saw had one success and one failure.
LikeLiked by 1 person
/// Small Sopiler alert ///
Atm. the ceremony to change a normal person into a god punishment soldier needs at least 50% blood of one witch (it must be of the same witch and can’t be of differt ones)!
So one witch can only change max 2 persons.
Then there is also a big chance of failure. Most people will not survive the process of change.
Last the changed person is feeble minded or even a mindless doll. (I believe it was mentioned that at least in battle all god punishment soldiers are remote-controlled by one “commander-level” good punishment soldier.)
So the numbers are: 3 persons (2 nonal persons and 1 Witch) for 1 doll (good punishment soldier)
LikeLike
Yh i guess my memory was vastly inaccurate xD but still my argument still hold some truth even if its a 1.5 god punishment soldiers fot everywitch considering not all witches are able of combat and that even the combat ones are not a match for the devils excluding the rare exceed and awakened as seen when the entire witches union which was majorily combat specialized getting almost completly wiped by 4 or 3 devils if my memory serves me right
LikeLike
I agree, the church did its best. There weren’t enough combat witches so using less talented witches them to create more reliable soldiers was their best bet.
LikeLike
I disagree completely. There are certainly many different routes to take which are much better than the one the church chose. The church chose to keep the existence of the devils and most of their “advanced” technology a secret. In my opinion, a better way would have been to make all their knowledge public and unite the rest of mankind through a common enemy rather than by force and then work together with the witches to try to advance the civilization and weaponry knowing that there will be another invasion by the devils in 400 or so years.
Use the knowledge obtained from 800 years of history and the 2 attacks to look into causes of defeats and possible solutions. Probe the devils with an elite force of witches and try to find any possible weaknesses. For example, get a sample of that red gas which the devils can’t live without and see if there are ways to exploit that, etc.
Our own history shows that human advancement progresses by leaps and bounds under pressure and it is possible to, at least temporarily, prevent internal strife when there is a common enemy.
LikeLike
Just ask for roland for technology and explain the situation to him. It’ll work fine xP.
LikeLike
Isn’t the witch are the one that invent/experimented on the method of creating God Punishment Army? The escaping Federation witch from 400+ years ago.
LikeLike
Whether it was a witch who organized the church in its current form (I highly doubt that) or whether the project was hijacked, I don’t think we know that yet at this point in the story. Whoever it was, they chose the wrong route in dealing with the devil problem.
LikeLike
Yes, what you are saying would be the ideal situation. One rule and everybody working towards the same goal.
Still the current situation is different:
We know that currently there are 4 kingdoms + the curch.
We know that, apart from the curch, the technology is much lower than before the war. (And we know that most old weapons require witches to operate them, witches that currently are regarded as the devils minions.)
We do assume that the curch was established by the survivers of the last war. They have witches and superior technology
We don’t know the situation after the war of 400 yeas ago and we don’t know what lead to the current situation.
Why are there 4 kingdoms? Why was the curch founded as a religion and not another kingdom for example? Why did the curch not use its power to crush all other rules right at the beginning? Etc.
Fact is, the history is mostly forgotten (if I remember correctly even Graycastle had only very few information on history beyond 300 years) by the people.
The people ARE divided into 5 (4 Kingdoms + Church)
Most people can only think from today to tomorrow and even the nobles will only think / plan short term. Additionally the nobles will most time favor their own power.
The church could make everyone now aware of the threat of the devil and give them the “lost” technology, BUT in my opineon the nobles, will still favor their own power and will try to deal with the competiton (the other kings and other nobles) first instead of working together. (*)
We know that the food situation in all kingdoms is not optimal.
We know that the current armies consist in most parts of normal peasants and only a small part of trained knights.
So fielding an army against a physically and numerically superior foe (the devils) will be difficult for each kingdom.
While it might have been wise for the church to rule and take control of everything right from the beginning, they for unknown reasons did not / could not.
Now THEY are aware of the external threat and have made plans for far in the future (remember, according to their original prediction they would still have 50 years).
The church IS trying to unite mankind! Yet they so far are not storng enough (or willing to accept the resulting losses) to take all 4 kingdoms through open war. (So they try to destabilize the kingdoms internally first.)
They are prepairing for the war to the best of their abilities:
They are “recruiting” witches on a large scale. (They take in young orpan girls and assumed (mature) witches.)
They are thinking of new ways to fight the devils – apart form only using witches as a fighting force. (God punishment army and berserk pills)
Still, as not every witch can fight (best example are the witches in border town – the abilities of most witches are not usable for combat), but every witch could produce at least 1 puppet / god punishment soldier who is physically superior to the devils. They use those non-combat witches as “production material” for the soldiers. The combat able witches are “brainwashed” and made to work for the church (see Heather – the “assasin” who could change her appearance).
Rolands way is similar. He too must fight the other kingdoms before he can fight the devils (he needs the manpower). Still he has more and better options to enable normal people to fight the devils.
(*)
Let me give an example: You and 3 other people of similar skill are normal employee at a company and get a chance in a lengthly job interview (at least few weeks or until a final decision is made) for a leading position. The winner will get to be a big boss with a high salery. The loosers will remain nomal employees earning just so so, or might even be demoted. If the other candidates conveniently “fall ill” and can’t continue the interview the remaining one would be the one choosen for the position. Now you all are told that in a few month time a current unknown employee will get the position of a CEO and will fire all current employees only to replace them with his friends. Now would you try ally with the other candidates and “fight” this unknown employee now (weakening your chances for the leading position) or would you first try to get the job and then try to fire the employee?
LikeLike
It seems you interpreting what you have read so far in the incorrectly. It has been stated several times in the story that all the major cities have been founded only about 300 years or so ago. Roland assumed that it was the Federation remnants who organized these cities and the 4 countries. Remember the Federation also had many factions and my guess is that each of the 4 countries correspond to one of those. Basically, the current civilization is built on the remnants of the Federation and these counties were not there in their current form before the said remnants took over (there is no history for the current countries going back more than 450 years if I remember correctly).
Another important point is that those remnants who helped organize the large cities and the countries were probably high ranked mortals who served the most senior witches and as such were not privy to the most sensitive information and most secret advanced technology. Only the church inherited those since one of 2 highest ranked witches was involved. Though I doubt that that witch envisioned the current state of affairs regarding witches (devil’s minions and such) so the project was probably hijacked by a really smart ‘mortal’ who hated the arrogant witches.
To sum up, when the Federation remnants made their way to this “savage land” there were no major local powers that needed to be united or placated, they are the ones who actually created them. There were tribes and small communities here and there but they were no match for even the Federation remnants so they are inconsequential. The church is also just a remnant of the Federation. These remnants, instead of organizing 5 different major powers needed to unite in the very beginning.
The major reason this happened is because there was no leader who came forth to help the transition and to get everybody to work towards the same goal of survival against the Devils. This begs the question, what happened to the transcendent witches and why did they just disappear? Were they betrayed and killed? Did the devils target them? Did they fight to the last? I doubt it and I’m sure we’ll find out eventually (probably through Agatha). What happened to those who created the ruins that Tilly found on the islands? Did they attempt to migrate across the sea?
As for the church, fighting the devils is not its only agenda. Without a doubt they have a beef with the witches and their other objective is to prevent the rise of powerful witches (which are not brainwashed by them) so they can’t stand up to them and fight for political power within the new humanity civilization. Look, I understand that there were those who resented the witches for being so arrogant and I’m sure some of the witches even harshly oppressed the ordinary population but that’s no reason for genocide. Especially considering that any girl can become a witch at random. These are innocent people. There is never a good reason for genocide.
Actually the church in its narrow-mindedness would’ve led to the destruction of humanity because it seems that unlike humans, the devils aren’t standing still and are progressing leading to faster expansion than was predicted by the church’s founders (which was based on historical data of 2 attacks). If Roland hadn’t transmigrated, humanity was doomed so the church way is definitely not the right way.
LikeLike
My guess is the people of that world simply aren’t as aware of the advancement of technology as we are.
I compare their situation with the middle ages, where little to no technological development happend for several centuries.
They can’t think along those lines of “advance technology until we can resist” or something.
Although I agree, what the church is doing is just stupid.
LikeLike
Its hardly the same thing what you have suggestes was already tried by the humans and witches in the first war of divine will where the humans and witches worked together but failed ; then again at the second war of divine will wherethe witches where in power Yet they lost Again only to be pushed to the savage lands aka modern mainland .
Sometimes if the pressure is too great and there is a huge gab between both opposite parties total annihilation is simply inevitable unless extreme measures are taken.
And while you said that humans under pressure evolve better means to get out of it faster , at the pace were exterminating the humans it was too fast, its like when native americans were getting cleansed by the colonist ; they were unddler extreme pressure and guess what? They were all exterminated but a few.
LikeLike
@The Enlightened Lord, there is no “greater good,” since “good” is not measurable. So, one “good” does not outweigh another “good.” People that claim to be doing the ” greater good,” do it for themselves and their group. Hence, other groups suffer and helps rationalize their evil acts. It is mostly based on cost and benefits, and motives. We can look back throughout history and see how many people have suffered because of the “greater good.”
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well i agree but change the greater good to “for the sake of the largest number of lives to be kept” and my point still serves the purpose.
This of course is completly in a hypothetical world where roland didnt come so its baseless ; but without Roland the church is Humanity’s last hope
LikeLike
They are evil organization, no matter what is their objection. Don’t just counting the witches they had sacrificed but also all the witches who lives on sorrow because of their doctrine, who died on fighting against them, who was burned by their own people. Do you know how hurt it is to be accused for a thing that we don’t even know? To be hated by the world? By your family?
LikeLike
Also all the little girls they raped with the “best intentions”….
LikeLiked by 1 person
I want you to remember what happened to Taquila . Total Extermination , men women children and the old All were killed and only a handeful survived. Now i want you to remember that this wasnt taquila only , every human settlement suffered the same fate making taquila the last.
Now im attempt to you use similar words to yours.
Do you you know how it feels to see everyone you ever knew killed and slaughtered, to see your siblings and parents wittling down one by one as you suffer thro a war of extermination against the devils only in the end to see the last city be destroyed and its denizens banished to the savage lands.
I want to think how would those few survivors that escaped the devils feel . They would simply try everything in their power to never let it happen again Ever . While you dont seem to have the stomach to do what the church have done you cant really blame them (as a whole , not the fucked up ones) for the desperate act in sacrificing the witches
LikeLike
At least devils only kills human and anyone who died know why they died. Thr way you justifying what the church doing is like justifying someone who robed and killed a child because he don’t have anything to eat. No matter how horrible our condition, “hunting” our kind and butchering them like a lifestock is never be the “right” solution. I’ll rather fight together and die together than seeing my own child be butchered to make a lifeless weapon.
LikeLike
The problem however is their methods, i do agree to a certain extent that their methods of using witches who did not had battle capacity was efficient to create powerful soldiers, but at the same time they tried to use a old fashioned method to create a powerful army rather than trying to create better tecnology who could serve their purpose, they were too narrow minded, they thought that these non extraordinaire witches could serve no other purpose if not being sacrifices and i call that narrowminded. Humans are not stupid if they are only given the chance and the motivation they could demonstrate a use for it.
Of course placing fault in everything is easy, and it took someone learned like Roland to bring their full potencial, given their owened knowledge, this was maybe the best they could do, but i still criticise the fact they did nothing to further it (knowledge).
LikeLike
Mayne feels too much responsibility so I think he’ll be ‘win at all costs’ kind of pope. Meaning he’ll be willing to do even more horrible things if it means better chances against the Devils.
LikeLike
I’m pretty sure he already does, he just sees it as a necessary evil for the greater good. He has said it before God isn’t necessarily good he just supports the winner.
LikeLike
Thanks for the chapter!
LikeLike
Wrong wrong wrong….in my opinion. Cancer(Demons) and Chemotherapy(killing witches/make soldiers). Cancer is life threatening, so is using radiation on the human body. But it is effective against cancer. Doctors use chemotherapy to kill cancer and stop after the cancer is gone. The church, on the other hand, continued to use chemotherapy and forgot why they started in the first place! Not right.
LikeLike
Thanks again for the new chapter =D
LikeLike
I suspect what is going to happen now. I’m not going to say anything, but if my premonitions are true, it will be very shocking
LikeLike
I actually lovechurch chapters, they are full of lore about the world……and comon sense.
Thanks you for the treat 🙂
LikeLike
They are the only meritocratic organisation around.
LikeLike
Thanks you for the chapter.
LikeLike
Thanks for doing this chapter! 😇
LikeLike
for me, not realy fan church story
they just get eaten by demon
LikeLike
As always Seki, thanks for the great work.
LikeLike
Im guessing after the fall of the old witches organization and technically losing everything they ever worked for. Akaris may have decided to take a different route, and with going full out with the Gods Punishment Army idea. Probably wrote everything necessary for the next generation of civilization to win the war against the Devils,.. and formed the beginnings of the Church and its foundation. If it goes that route I can see Agatha finding out eventually and kind of breaking down from the knowledge
LikeLike
thanks.
LikeLike