Evil Gods Don’t Save People

Leonard collapsed on the floor, out of strength as he desperately called for the Old Man in his mind. However, the Old Man wasn't answering. Neither did the goddess or the Church.

He felt despair as his saw his captain facing Megoses.

They were losing.

He couldn't do anything.

Captain was about to die.

If only he had the strength.

If only he had digested his potion properly.

If only he had told them about the acting method-

Leonard gritted his teeth.

He had to do something.

He clenched his hand.

Actually, there was only one thing he could do right now.

If the Old Man wasn't going to help…

Leonard opened his mouth, remembering the paper he had seen in Old Neil's house.

Faced with no way out, Leonard Mitchell recited the honorific name of an evil god that he had stumbled upon.

He was ready to give up on his soul if it could save his captain.

In a low voice, Leonard began, a glimmer of determination in his eyes, "The Fool that doesn't belong to this era…"

This is reasonable.

"The mysterious ruler above the gray fog."

Pallez didn't stop him.

"The king of yellow and black who wields good luck."

Please.

"Please, save us."

If only he were stronger.

"I will do anything."

After reciting the honorific name of an evil god, Leonard had expected to be struck down by lightning.

Maybe he would lose control, his body could be taken over, or they could be saved.

Anything that could change the status quo.

However, none of that happened.

There was no answer.

Leonard had lost the last sliver of hope he held onto.

Then, he saw his captain reach for his heart, no external help there to stop him and unable to muster enough strength to open his mouth and shout for him to stop.

Maybe there was another way.

There should have been another way.

Please, anyone, anything…

His captain fell to the ground.

That was the last thing he saw as Leonard last consciousness, the child of the True Creator now free to destroy anything.

Was this how he died?

***

Above the gray fog, the Fool received a prayer and clicked on the crimson star.

"The Fool that doesn't belong to this era, the mysterious ruler above the gray fog, the king of yellow and black who wields good luck."

He noticed that the one praying was the same Nighthawk he had seen when the old man influenced by the Hidden Sage was dying. That should be how he had obtained his honorific name.

"Please, save us. I will do anything."

Through the crimson star, he could also sense the aura of the True Creator.

Was He trying to resurrect through a child?

The Fool saw the destruction caused to the Blackthorn security company, the poet on the ground watching his captain facing the child of the True Creator, the threat it would pose to the city…

He could have stopped it.

Then, the other man reached for his heart, tearing it out of his body as the poet could only stare in despair.

However, the Fool didn't do anything to stop it.

He only watched, his head resting on his hand, indifferent as the poet lost consciousness and the other died.

Would he have moved if it had been a member of the Tarot Club in this position?

He didn't know.

Did he not intervene because he didn't want to be noticed by the True Creator or because he simply didn't care?

Now, the child of the True Creator was set loose.

The Fool still didn't act when the 'child' wreaked havoc, conveniently heading out into the city while leaving behind Saint Selena's ashes.

A man entered, picked it up and left. He was the culprit for all of this.

Then, an angel of the Evernight goddess appeared to deal with the child of the True Creator before it could do anything to Tingen's inhabitants.

In a second, the 'child' was erased out of existence. If the Blackthorn security company hadn't been destroyed and people weren't lying dead there, it would have seemed as if nothing had actually happened.

Now finished, the angel looked up at the sky and stared at him through the crimson star, making eye contact.

The Fool cut off the prayer.

***

Contrary to what he thought, Leonard didn't die.

Why?

When he woke up, everything had been dealt with.

Why was he the only one left alive?

Nevertheless, his captain was still dead.

He would avenge him.

Leonard was completely out of his mind, trying to process the situation but also refusing to accept it.

If only he had listened to the Old Man.

If only-

Suddenly, his vision was covered in crimson.

He was now sitting at a table in a space full of gray fog, a mysterious figure staring at him.

Where was he?

At the same time, he also knew the answer.

"Are you the Fool?"

When he recited that honorific name, he was ready to die.

Now, his captain was dead and he had to pay for the consequences of his actions.

Was this how he died?

No, he still had to avenge his captain before that.

He had nothing to lose.

If only the god had helped.

Before the evil god could answer or dispose of him, Leonard grabbed the last straw he could hold onto and spoke up.

"Please help me get stronger so that I can get revenge, I'll do anything. No, I don't care what you do with me, but at least kill Ince Zangwill."

It didn't cross Leonard's mind that the god had voluntarily decided to not help him. How would he react if he knew?

The Fool stared at the one he had pulled into Sefirah Castle that so bravely demanded help. Then, he let out a bit of his mythical creature form to intimidate him.

Around Leonard, the gray fog started to boil, moving slowly and getting thinner to reveal faint symbols on the Fool's body. The symbols were filled with madness, making his mind dizzy as he began to hear ravings in his ears.

Leonard's body was shaking.

It reminded him that he was facing a god.

Then, the fog settled down and the ravings stopped.

Leonard could only look down and wait in silence as the Fool tapped the table, lost in thought.

This time, the Fool did not care that this silence made the Low Sequence Beyonder more and more uneasy.

Finally, the evil god made a decision.

"I won't help you."

Leonard wanted to protest but didn't dare to, his only choice being to accept it and resign himself. He clenched his hands into fists.

Meanwhile, the Fool ignored his reaction and continued.

"Instead, you should get stronger and get revenge by yourself."

He waited for the end of the god's explanation.

"I hold a gathering here every Monday at 3 pm, Backlund time. Pick your code name."

Without leaving him the freedom of choice, the god made a deck of cards appear.

Now that didn't really look like an explanation.

Leonard leaned forward and randomly took one before looking at it.

"Eh?"

It was the Star.

"Can I pick another card?" He blurted out.

Wanting to be mean, the Fool stared at him and turned him down.

"No."

Leonard didn't protest any further.

Now having recovered from his previous depression, Leonard was quite shaken.

He hadn't expected that reciting that honorific name would make him meet an evil god and join a gathering.

Did this count as betraying the goddess?

No, it didn't. He still believed in the goddess.

At least, joining the gathering could be seen as a good thing. It would help him get stronger.

He finally relaxed, knowing that he could only accept how the situation turned out. Leonard even wanted to put his feet on the table but restrained himself.

Then, the god sent him back, now alone above Sefirah Castle once again.

The Fool leaned back into his chair and sighed.