Repeat Vice - The Villainous Noble Doesn't Want to Die, So He Swore to Not Die As One of The Four Heavenly Kings - Chapter 91: The Will of the World

Chapter 91: The Will of the World

The royal capital, the cathedral of the Six Gods Church headquarters.

In a corner of its premises, there is a small, dark-colored chapel.

It is a building of the faction that worships the Dark God among the Six Gods, known as the Dark Faction.

Standing at the altar inside this black chapel, dressed in a jet-black coat, was Rofus.

In the center of the altar was a solemn, jet-black throne.

It was a throne prepared for the Dark God, one of the Six Gods.

Rofus slowly sat down on this jet-black throne, which held great religious significance for the Dark Faction.

Resting his chin on his hand and looking down imposingly from the altar, his appearance was that of the embodiment of the Dark God.

Seeing this, the priest of the Dark Faction—a man who had once been the tutor of the maid Yurika—knelt as if receiving a divine revelation.

“Oh… oh! What a profound and divine abyss…! Saint Fran’s words were true! ‘Black Mage’—no, Rofus-sama! Manifestation of the Dark Night! You are indeed the reincarnation of the Dark God!”

The excited priest’s words were met with Rofus’s gaze, as if looking at trash.

“You’re annoying. Begone.”

“With pleasure!”

The priest bowed so low that his head nearly touched the floor and then immediately ran out of the black chapel.

After confirming the priest had left, Rofus sighed and stood up from the throne.

At the same time, Saint Fran, who had been hiding behind a pillar, revealed herself.

“Good work.”

“Indeed. Don’t make me perform such meaningless charades again.”

Rofus shrugged at the smiling Fran.

“I’m sorry for the trouble. But thanks to you, we now have a place within the cathedral we can use freely. You are now a hero who saved the capital from the demon king’s attack. If you casually host tea parties as before, rumors would spread immediately.”

Fran grinned, while Rofus slumped his shoulders in genuine weariness.

“You were the one who made me a hero. Thanks to you, I even received such a distasteful title…”

Rofus grumbled but finally said, “Well, whatever,” and looked towards the chapel entrance.

“Enter.”

At Rofus’s command, two people who had been called and were waiting outside entered the chapel.

They were Vallum and Carla.

Vallum looked around the dark-colored chapel with curiosity, while Carla knelt before Rofus with a tense expression.

“Dark Knight Caldera, present.”

Rofus waved his hand dismissively at Carla, who bowed respectfully.

“At ease.”

Vallum tilted his head quizzically.

“So, what’s this about? Is it a continuation of that consultation?”

Carla instantly placed her hand on the hilt of her sword and directed a gaze filled with killing intent at Vallum for his disrespectful tone towards Rofus.

Vallum, reacting to the piercing hostility, tensed in surprise. But Rofus, looking annoyed, raised his hand to stop Carla.

“Don’t bother, he’s with me.”

“…Understood.”

At Rofus’s words, Carla withdrew her hostility and knelt again.

What a dangerous woman, thought Vallum, shuddering.

Fran, watching this exchange, burst into laughter.

“Rofus-sama’s companions are quite amusing.”

“What kind of sense of humor is that?”

Rofus looked exasperated at Fran, who was chuckling.

If he hadn’t intervened, Carla would have definitely attacked Vallum. Rofus wondered if Fran understood this as he shrugged.

“Fran, these are the ones I mentioned before. Take a look at them.”

“Ah, they are the so-called ‘Beast Slayers’?”

Fran narrowed her eyes slightly.

“Beast Slayers”—Vallum and Carla both reacted to the term.

Vallum and Carla had each killed a divine beast summoned by the ‘Second Demon King Raymond’—the divine bird Karura and the divine tiger Vayu, respectively.

Those who killed divine beasts were said to be cursed.

This was a well-known story in the kingdom, often told as a fairy tale.

Rofus himself had killed the divine whale Krishna, which the demon king Rath had turned into a demonic beast, and in doing so, had received a curse on his left eye and arm, which had yet to heal.

Understanding the strength of the curse firsthand, Rofus had called Vallum and Carla to have Saint Fran perform a dispelling ritual.

If the curse they received was as strong as his, even Fran might not be able to lift it, but she could at least seal it.

Even if regular reapplication of the seal was required, it was better than being afflicted by the curse.

Rofus thought so and consulted with Fran to arrange this meeting.

However—Fran, after examining Vallum and Carla, tilted her head.

“…Do either of you have any physical ailments?”

“No? I’m fine.”

“…Nothing in particular.”

Vallum and Carla both shook their heads, denying any issues.

“Hmm…”

Fran squinted her eyes in thought and looked at Rofus.

“They are perfectly healthy. There’s no curse, nor any traces of one.”

“What?”

Rofus frowned at Fran’s unexpected words.

Despite having killed divine beasts, they weren’t cursed.

Did that mean the divine bird Karura and the divine tiger Vayu weren’t actually divine beasts?

As Rofus pondered, Fran elaborated.

“I don’t doubt that you two killed the divine beasts. However, from what I’ve heard, you defeated them through sheer strength, right? If so, there’s nothing unusual.”

“What do you mean?”

“In the fairy tale ‘The Man Who Killed a Divine Beast,’ the man deceived and trapped the divine beast, earning its enmity and a curse. But if defeated by strength, there’s generally no resentment. On the contrary, I sense awe and respect from the slain divine beasts towards you two.”

Fran continued.

“The law of the jungle is one of this world’s principles. Divine beasts are ascetic practitioners receiving blessings from certain deities, walking the path to becoming gods. Because they receive divine power, they are more faithful to the world’s principles than anyone else.”

“The world’s principles, huh.”

Rofus recalled what the wind god had once said: “Being a god means being bound by the world. While they can do many things, they also face many restrictions.”

However, Rofus himself was cursed in his left eye and arm.

Inconsistency, contradiction.

The one who had told Rofus this curse was from a divine beast was—

“…Rath.”

Rofus narrowed his eyes and muttered bitterly.

Hearing this, Fran widened her eyes slightly.

“Rofus-sama…”

“No… don’t mind it. You two did well. You may leave.”

Rofus reoriented himself and looked at Vallum and Carla.

“So it was just about a cleansing ritual? I’m surprised. I didn’t think you’d believe in superstitions, Rofus.”

Augus commented with a quizzical look.

Vallum laughed as if to say, “Is that all?”

For Vallum, the curse of the divine beast was nothing more than a fairy tale he had heard as a child.

However, that was the common understanding in the kingdom.

Rofus snorted and waved his hand impatiently.

“You’re annoying. Get out.”

“You’re more childish than I thought, Rofus.”

“Do you want to die?”

Rofus, with a vein throbbing on his forehead, created a Dark Ball in his hand, prompting Vallum to flee the chapel.

Sighing, Rofus turned his attention to Carla, who remained.

“You too. Leave now.”

Rofus said wearily. Carla stayed silent for a moment before speaking as if she had made up her mind.

“Young Master.”

“…What is it?”

“The lady here… she appears to be the symbol of the Six Gods Church—Saint Fran.”

“Yes, but… what of it?”

“I have something personal I would like to ask her… May I ask a question, Saint?”

“A question?”

Rofus tilted his head, curious, and looked at Fran, who smiled and said, “I don’t mind.”

“…She says it’s okay. Make it quick.”

“Thank you.”

Carla raised her head, looking directly at Fran, and asked,

“Saint, what is your relationship with Rofus-sama?”

“Huh?”

Fran’s eyes widened in surprise at the unexpected question, while Rofus glared at Carla with a menacing “…What?”

Fran, noticing Carla’s serious expression, hesitated before answering.

“Between me and Rofus-sama…?”

“Yes, if it’s not too much trouble.”

“Well…”

Fran glanced at Rofus, who had a vein throbbing in his forehead, and smiled seductively.

“…It depends on Rofus-sama, I suppose.”

Fran tilted her head and smiled sweetly.

Carla’s eyes widened, and she swiftly turned to Rofus, raising her voice to question him.

“Young Master!”

“Leave.”

Carla was promptly kicked out of the chapel.

＊

After Vallum and Carla left, only Rofus and Fran remained in the chapel.

For the other purpose of their visit, Fran had Rofus sit on a chair below the altar.

“Now, Rofus-sama, please stay still.”

“Yeah, I’m counting on you.”

Fran stood in front of the seated Rofus and gently cupped his cheeks with her hands.

A divine magic circle unfolded around Fran.

She was adjusting the multiple layers of seals on the curse afflicting Rofus’s left eye and arm.

Reapplying the weakening seal magic to suppress the curse’s encroachment.

Fran performed this adjustment once a year.

Having done it many times, she re-applied the seal in less than five minutes.

“It’s done, Rofus-sama.”

“Thanks, as always.”

As Rofus started to stand, Fran gently pressed his shoulder to stop him.

“…? What is it?”

“Just stay like this for a moment.”

Rofus looked confused.

Fran smiled, then lifted her leg and placed her knee on the chair, straddling Rofus.

She lowered herself onto Rofus’s lap, wrapped her arms around his neck, and pressed her body against his.

With their faces so close that their noses touched, Fran blushed slightly.

Rofus squinted, looking into Fran’s blue-green eyes.

“…What are you doing?”

“Well, when Lady Kaldera asked earlier, it made me think—I agreed.”

“…You’re too close.”

Rofus tried to pull his face away in annoyance to put some distance between them, but Fran, slightly hurt, continued without showing it.

“…Until now, I have held back because of Lady Yurika. But Rofus-sama, you have recently opened your heart to other women, haven’t you? And not just one.”

Receiving a slightly accusing look from Fran, Rofus turned his eyes away, feeling burdened.

“Where did you… well, I suppose it’s pointless to ask you that—did you use a ‘Divine Oracle’ for something so trivial?”

“It’s not trivial to me. Not at all.”

Fran responded seriously to Rofus’s exasperated remark.

Rofus sighed deeply and looked straight at Fran.

“…So, what do you want with me?”

“…”

Fran answered with silence.

A long silence passed between them.

Finally, Fran exhaled in defeat and stepped away from Rofus.

“…Sorry, I lost my composure.”

Fran averted her eyes in embarrassment, and Rofus replied, “No…”

“…Consider what you carry. I have the Lightless family—I can’t shoulder the Six Gods Church too.”

Fran looked at Rofus in astonishment, her mouth agape.

“You were thinking that seriously…”

“Of course, we both have responsibilities.”

Fran chuckled.

“You underestimate yourself. If you wanted, you could carry this entire country. Isn’t that right, Black Mage, the hero of the kingdom?”

“This country is too heavy to be carried by individual strength alone.”

“And besides,” Rofus added, “I simply dislike the Six Gods Church.”

Fran burst out laughing, holding her stomach.

“Heh… Rofus-sama, I am still a saint, you know?”

“That doesn’t change anything.”

“Is that so? Well, yes. If you dislike something, you dislike it. Preferences are important.”

Fran wiped tears of laughter from her eyes and sighed.

“…Then, I shall reform the Six Gods Church to suit your tastes. I’ve been neglecting it, but first—I’ll start by removing the corruption within.”

Fran grinned mischievously.

“Do it in moderation,” Rofus shrugged.

With the business concluded, Rofus turned to leave the chapel.

Fran suddenly clasped her hands in front of her chest and closed her eyes in a serene expression.

It was not the face she usually showed to Rofus but that of the saint, the symbol of the Six Gods Church.

Saint Fran spoke.

“Rofus-sama—I have a message to convey.”

“…?”

Surprised by Fran’s sudden change, Rofus tilted his head in confusion, wondering who it was from.

“‘The contract has been fulfilled’—these words were received through a ‘Divine Oracle.'”

“‘Divine Oracle’… From which god?”

“It is not from a god.”

Fran shook her head calmly at Rofus’s question.

And then she answered.

“——It is the will of the world.”

Fran’s quiet words resonated strangely.

Her answer left Rofus even more puzzled.

However, Fran did not explain further.