God of creation system : The apocalypse

Chapter 25 : The Madman's Prophecy

Since they were determined to have me join Eskapa, Ataparag brought me to Eskapa's main base located in Galica to submit the list of people they had invited and who wanted to join as members.

As I recalled, Eskapa had a strict process where applicants had to pass three exams—something Xxv had previously gone through before Magdalena accepted her.

Xxv had failed two of those exams back then, passing only the physical exam inside a game, but Magdalena simply forced her way in anyway.

A few minutes passed as we walked down the hallway. People stared at me, and I had no idea how to react to being the center of attention.

"Wait, why does it look like everyone is staring at me?" I whispered to Ataparag.

"Ah... um... hehehe, probably still because of what happened yesterday, but don't be scared. The Queen already let you go, so no one is allowed to hurt you here," Ataparag reassured me.

They were probably wondering why I was showing up here when I was associated with the soul-eater they all feared.

We went up to the 2nd floor of the building and headed straight for Sei's office. Ataparag briefly spoke to the guards at the door to get permission for me to come inside, and a moment after, we were let in.

Inside, we found Sei and Aoi seated with three of her force's generals, looking as though they were in the middle of a meeting. Sei hadn't changed a bit—she still had food sitting right on her desk.

"Good morning, Your Majesty. I am here to submit the report and the list of those we invited to join our forces," Ataparag said, bowing.

I couldn't take my eyes off Sei because she was wearing a crown—something entirely new to me. Seeing that, Ataparag frantically grabbed my collar and forced me to bow.

"You have to show respect to Her Majesty as the Queen when she's wearing her crown," she whispered to me.

I wondered why that was necessary. The Eskapa soldiers usually just saluted her, and according to the design notes, I hadn't given her a crown in the system. Was there something about her I didn't know?

I had no choice but to bow and greet them just like Ataparag did. But mid-bow, Agane slammed her hands down on the table.

"What is this jerk doing here? What kind of nonsense are you pulling this time, Ataparag?" she demanded angrily.

Ataparag panicked instantly, flustered as she tried to explain.

"U-um, wait, General Agane, I just brought him along to submit the report and... and... I just wanted to get him used to things in case he ends up on my team," she stammered.

"End up on your team?"

A moment later, Aoi stepped in to explain that she had ordered for me to be placed on Ataparag's team if I passed the exam.

Hearing that, Agane stood up in fury, vehemently objecting to my inclusion because, as far as she was concerned, I was untrustworthy—even if Sei had pardoned me.

"What kind of madness is this? You want a soul-eater's companion to join us?"

She knew Sei had freed me out of pity, lacking sufficient proof that I had no malicious intent, but even so, accepting a soul-eater's accomplice into Eskapa was completely unacceptable to her.

I just smirked at her contempt.

"I just finished enduring Nyabu's judgment, and now here comes another one."

From what I knew, Agane the Wind Dragon came from a royal dragon bloodline in southern Kashin. The Warlord Raksa had destroyed her home simply because her people refused to submit to his empire, despite living on the Warlord's lands.

She had remained fiercely loyal to Sei because the Queen had saved her during the war, providing food and a new home for the few survivors of her kin.

I didn't know much else about her because she was only scripted to appear in the exact chapter where they fought during the upcoming rampage.

"I don't understand why you would do this, Vice Commander. I don't mean to overstep, but this isn't right," she insisted.

Aoi just smiled, calming Agane down so she could explain her perspective, firmly believing I wasn't just an ordinary person.

"Even if it's true that he's tied to the soul-eater, what could he possibly do against us? Besides, his presence is different from everyone else's."

"Presence?" I muttered to myself.

"Someone bestowed upon him a pure presence, much like that of our Supreme Commander—at least, according to Her Majesty," Aoi added, looking straight at me.

They were shocked by Aoi's words, doubting that I could possibly possess an energy signature resembling the person they regarded as a living saint.

"Absurd. How could someone like him possess energy like the Supreme Leader's?"

Aoi explained that most people couldn't sense it because I didn't naturally harbor energy from the heavens, but a lingering trace of a divine being's presence had been left within me—one that mirrored Magdalena's.

"One possibility is that he crossed paths with a higher being from the heavens."

A moment later, a thought struck me. Was the "higher being" they kept referring to who left this presence Koko, since she was a divine angel?

"Wait... so that jerk of an angel was actually real?" I thought to myself.

"Ah... but come to think of it, she probably left that on me when she threw me down here into this world."

I began to wonder if I should just tell them right now about Koko, or if they'd think I was just making up another story.

"Should I tell them about Koko?"

What would happen if I mentioned that I already knew their future? It was only August, which meant there was still a month left before the rampage Sei and her group were scheduled to participate in.

Doubt and anxiety began to gnaw at me. My conscience felt heavy at the thought of keeping quiet about a disaster I knew could save them.

"The victory Sei brings to Eskapa will grant them massive rewards, but that very triumph in the game is what seals their doom."

"I know their future, but is it right to tell them? Will anything even change if I tell them that all of them are going to die after the rampage?"

"Ah... um... forgive me, Lady Sei, but there's something I need to say."

Sei's expression remained completely blank as she ate and stared right at me. She didn't stop me from speaking, so I pressed on.

"A few days from now, the Columbuses—including you—will receive an invitation to a rampage taking place next month."

"I just want to warn you: do not join it. Leave it to others," I added.

Silence fell over the room for several seconds. Not a soul made a sound. I swallowed hard, my nerves spiking as I waited for their reaction.

"What kind of nonsense are you spouting?" Agane snapped.

"You probably think I'm crazy and just making things up, and I can't prove what I'm saying. But if you don't join, you can prevent a tragedy that will destroy your home."

"Stop right there! Who do you think you are, speaking like that in front of our Queen?"

Agane slammed her fists down again, demanding I shut my mouth.

"Oh man, Nathaniel, please don't cause trouble here," Ataparag panicked, frantically waving her hands and begging me not to do something that would get me killed right in front of their Queen.

"Do you know you could have your tongue cut out for lying and fabricating stories in front of Her Majesty?"

I could only shake my head. It felt like there was nothing I could do to make them believe me and follow my warning, yet I knew that if I did nothing, the predetermined tragedy would play out.

"I'm not trying to cause trouble or anything. I just don't want you to get hurt, Sei."

Sei didn't answer right away. She just stared at Aoi, then slowly stopped eating and put down her fork.

"It is rare for someone like you to have knowledge of the rampage—something usually restricted to those of the highest ranks," she said, pulling out a handkerchief to wipe her mouth.

"Tell me, mister, what exactly do you know that we don't?" she added.

I let out a frustrated sigh.

"Even if I tell you what I know, I have no proof that it will happen, and you'll all just think I've lost my mind."

"There's no problem with that, mister. I have plenty of free time today, so I'll allow a madman to speak his mind in front of me."

Agane immediately objected to Sei's decision to listen to me.

"Your Majesty, this is blasphemy! Why would you allow yourself to listen to the lies of a human?"

Sei raised her right hand slightly, silencing Agane instantly.

"Whether I choose to believe this man's words or not is entirely my decision to make," she stated.

The room fell silent once more, and no one dared to argue further. Given the opening, I gathered the courage to spill what I knew about the upcoming Columbus rampage.

"Let me tell you what I know."

The rampage involves twenty Columbuses, and the rules of the game are simple: whichever group manages to collect one thousand points from the island's monsters first wins.

However, points can also be stolen by defeating another group's leader. There's no doubt about their incredible combat skills; they even managed to outmaneuver several other Columbuses.

"That's right. You will succeed in this game and emerge victorious in the end, which will bring you immense recognition and wealth," I continued.

"Hmm... I don't understand. If you're saying we're going to succeed in the Rampage, why did you tell us not to join in the first place?" she asked.

"Because right after the Rampage, you are all fated to die."

Shock rippled through everyone in the room, including Ataparag, who was desperately trying to hush me.

"Nathaniel, please, stop talking like that."

"You heard right, Your Majesty. You will die along with Galica."