Only God

In Schiller's mind, the word "atonement" no longer existed.

Once a person err, there was never a chance for regret, let alone atonement. All a person could do was to bear the endless punishment in Hell.

"If you put it that way, the Mortal World becomes a court of judgment, and everyone is a suspect awaiting trial."

Sofia let out a breath and said softly.

What Schiller said seemed so reasonable that even if she wanted to object on an emotional basis, she simply didn't know where to start.

"The Mortal World should indeed be a court of judgment."

Schiller said softly,

"If we do not judge, how can people know they are guilty? And how can we warn them not to commit evil?"

Sofia nodded with difficulty, unable to refute Schiller.

Actually,

the Fairy Queen wanted to ask:

Does good and evil really need a dividing line?

Or,

do people really have no chance of redemption?

But she knew that such questions would never shake Schiller's convictions.

And for Schiller, those questions had already been answered with utmost certainty.

Good and evil really do need a dividing line, and there is no chance for atonement.

Sofia fell silent, lost in thought for a long while before she finally spoke slowly:

"Do you know, Schiller.

The fairies once visited the dreamscape of a philosopher.

This philosopher believed in a world of the weak and the strong."

Schiller replied:

"I do not know this philosopher.

But I do know, there are many philosophers who harbor the notion of survival of the fittest and a hierarchy.

Do you mention him specifically because there is something different about him?"

Sofia said in a low voice:

"Perhaps there is no difference.

This philosopher was once a True Believer but later renounced his faith publicly.

He criticized salvation, sacrifice, and grace. He argued that the strong have the right to choose sacrifice, the right to choose salvation, and the power to bestow grace… and that the relief, alms, and even self-sacrifice demanded by the True Religion are hypocritical."

Schiller raised his eyebrows and said:

"From this perspective, I somewhat agree with him."

Sofia nodded and continued:

"He was a skeptic and an agnostic. In his view, God's salvation and sacrifice were not selfless, but had ulterior motives.

He said, if the weak wanted to control their fate, they had to strive with all their might to become strong, to set the rules for the world. If suffering is before you, you must overcome it, not seek solace in any faith."

The Great Angel smiled and said:

"That makes sense."

The statement was in Danschel's language.

Sofia could tell that the thoughts of that philosopher aligned strangely with Schiller's.

Only, the strong in the philosopher's mouth became the righteous in Schiller's, and the weak in the philosopher's mouth were the villains in Schiller's.

Linking the two together, the strong could restrain their evil thoughts and ultimately become the righteous, while the weak would often succumb to evil and become villains.

The weak were naturally more prone to crossing the line between good and evil.

"Do you know what his ultimate fate was?"

Sofia asked.

"What was it?"

Schiller asked.

"Struggle, endless struggle."

Sofia sighed,

"He kept insisting on becoming strong, but he never could, he kept insisting on overcoming suffering, but he was defeated time and again.

Finally, he realized that he could not become strong and could not overcome suffering.

In this world, some people are naturally weak, how can they live like the strong? Some sufferings are insurmountable, how can one not seek the comfort of faith?"

Schiller was momentarily stunned, as if touched by her words, his lips parted as though silently repeating something.

Sofia thought, perhaps it was a series of "no's."

And so, as if making her last effort, she spoke softly,

"Do you know what that apostate Philosopher said before he died?"

Quickly, a voice like a struggle under the executioner's knife answered,

"What did he say?"

"He said,"

Sofia spoke slowly,

"God,

save my soul.'"

............…

What did Sofia's words leave in Schiller's heart?

Perhaps nothing at all.

Schiller's determination would not change because of Sofia's words.

The so-called Philosopher's story was merely an insignificant tale after all.

The experiences of that apostate were certainly moving, but in the end, it was because he could not become strong, could not overcome adversity.

A problem that seemed insurmountable to one person was but a trifle to another.

Schiller, born a just man, was also the natural born strong man spoken of by that apostate Philosopher.

For this reason, the challenge faced by that Philosopher seemed, in Schiller's eyes, to be no challenge at all.

Unable to refute Schiller, Sofia had placed her hope of turning a Great Angel back on a mere story, which was nothing short of fanciful thinking.

To Schiller, the story had been heard and nothing more; he had not let it stop his own actions.

That day, he ascended to the Historical Star, attempting to merge the three powers closest to divine, only to be repelled by the Historical Star.

That massive, unknowing Star fought hard against the other two powers.

This baffled Schiller.

The unconsciously aware Historical Star actually resisted the merging of those three powers.

Although Schiller did not understand why, he had found a good method to merge the three powers.

This method originated from the group of Divines once led by Dragon God Endora, who created the Primordial Church in an attempt to overturn the Law of God.

For this, they had forged the steps toward Ascension, trying to make Anos the new master of the Thunderbolt Star.

Although Dragon God Endora and the other Divines ultimately failed, Schiller located the method for Ascension in the city beneath the city within the Historical Star.

After the Great Angel modified it, he transformed it into a good method to merge the three powers.

Simply put, just like the current Thunderbolt Star, the Historical Star was without a master.

To dominate the power of the Historical Star and merge it with the other two powers, one must become the master of the Historical Star, the Divine of the Historical Star.

The method may sound simple, but it is fraught with difficulties.

Dragon God Endora and the other Divines waited a thousand years for Anos, who was compatible with the Golden Heart.

And for the Historical Star, far mightier than the Thunderbolt Star, how long must one wait?

Schiller was not willing to wait thousands of years for this.

He feared the longer he waited, the more likely his plots would be exposed.

So, he made a slight change and shifted his approach.

He did not need to find a suitable master for the Historical Star.

He chose to use Devils to corrupt the Historical Star, to transform it until, one day, it would adapt to him.

What form the Historical Star would take under the influence of countless mortal evil thoughts, Schiller was eager to see.

Standing on the deep red surface of the Historical Star, he raised his hand, and a dark, thick soul substance crowded out.

It resembled proliferating masses of flesh, surging out in all directions.

That was the mortal Heart Demon removed by the Great Angel.

"Sofia, since you're so worried,"

Staring at the dark soul substance in his hand, Schiller spoke softly,

"then, I'll leave a little something in the Devils."

After those words, Schiller extended his other hand, on which lines of light rapidly drew an Array.

Then, Schiller crouched down and dispatched the dark soul substance into the ground.

Booming,

A magnificent Palace rose from the ancient earth amidst loud noise.

That was the Palace of Devils,

and the prison of Devils.