Chapter 129

Unlike most traditional gods, with whom contact and interaction themselves are difficult, most evil gods were not difficult to summon, and the probability of them responding was high.

This was because evil gods actively sought out their corrupted followers.

“Or, they may intentionally plunge a human they fancy into misfortune to make them their follower. There are humans who are loved by an evil god because they are corrupt, and there are also humans who are corrupted because they are loved.”

For any god that watches over humans, a method to call upon them exists.

For that reason, in the numerous dungeons created from ruined dimensions, there were many cases where intellectuals with wrongful intentions brought disaster upon themselves.

“The most common case is for the purpose of revenge.”

“Revenge?”

“Rarely, there are also those who summoned an evil god simply desiring destruction.”

In the classroom for prospective priests, Kang Seo-dam continued his explanation.

“Do you all know about the Seven Deadly Sins?”

“Pride, greed, envy, wrath, lust, gluttony, and sloth.”

“Good, Sister Iruda. This is a concept that existed even before the Great Catastrophe, when people were not close to the gods.”

Kang Seo-dam nodded.

“After the Great Catastrophe, there were many changes in perception on Earth. Nevertheless, if that concept is still sound to this day, you can consider it to be because it has shown that much value.”

In the religious world, the Seven Deadly Sins were such a case.

“A prideful person does not try to learn. A greedy person does not share. An envious person loses the opportunity to grow, and a wrathful person does not endure. Lust easily blinds a person's eyes, gluttony makes one forget how to respect, and sloth becomes a matter of letting one's own value rot.”

Kang Seo-dam looked around at the students.

“Humans are social creatures that cannot survive alone. Especially the humans of Earth before the Great Catastrophe were quite weak compared to other creatures on the planet.”

“…….”

“Nevertheless, the Seven Deadly Sins still existed back then. Is there any brother who can guess why these were considered sins, regardless of being before or after the Great Catastrophe?”

The girl from Lowtail, Iruda, raised her hand.

“I can explain.”

“Please explain in front of the brothers.”

“As you mentioned, it is because humans are weak social creatures and must form communities, and for sustainable survival and development, they must not commit the sins mentioned above.”

“That was an exemplary answer.”

Kang Seo-dam scanned his surroundings again.

“Is there anyone who understood Sister Iruda's words?”

“Me.”

“Yes, Brother Cha Isold. I would like to hear your view.”

“I think it means we have to live kindly because if we’re selfish, we can’t all live together.”

“That was a precise summary.”

He expressed his affirmation.

“Just as good and evil are, the world is wide and humans are diverse, so if someone acts according to their own greed, someone else is bound to become unhappy. This is because resources are limited and not everyone has the same personality and desires.”

This was the method that humans, as social animals, chose for survival.

“There may be a brother who wants to say this. In a critical situation when dungeons are overflowing and monsters are pouring out, is it truly right to care for others instead of preserving oneself.”

Kang Seo-dam shook his head.

“This is not about judging the good and evil of human actions. Humans inherently exist, think, and act for themselves, so such human behavior can easily face evil. This is because choices that can satisfy everyone are extremely rare, so in the end, someone will even criticize your good deeds.”

Therefore, what was important was not the good and evil of humans.

“If I had faced the Great Catastrophe, I would have said this. Everyone, try to live well on your own.”

“Uh… uh oh….”

“Does it sound strange? But a priest is also a human, and humans exist for themselves.”

“…….”

“If even preserving oneself is called evil, then humans should not have existed in the first place.”

I will not brand even selfishness in the face of a life-threatening situation as a sin.

However, the act of giving when one has the means adds strength to the continuation of humanity.

So, then.

“Good and evil are not important in the theme of this class.”

They had to see the world.

“Look at the flow of the world.”

They had to broaden their horizons.

“Is this the Great Catastrophe? Are you currently at a scene where monsters are rampant? The world is gradually establishing a system and running towards peace, and as that speed increases, the number of people who receive the grace of life also rises on average.”

“…….”

“The most important thing for priests who serve traditional gods is the balance of the dimension. It is because this dimension, this world, this country must be maintained so that they and we can enjoy the grace of life for as long as possible. Therefore, do not be foolish, but contemplate good and evil.”

Kang Seo-dam stroked his chin.

“I know how absurd it must sound to be told to do good in a world like this. But if you wish to live and enjoy more, if you are one of those ordinary people, it would be best to become a faithful servant to the words of a god.”

He looked around at the students again.

“Then another question will arise. What if one becomes a priest of an evil god who loves destruction and imbalance, not a traditional god? What if one is not an ordinary person who desires the grace of death instead of the grace of life, and wishes to enjoy daily life by chatting with friends and having delicious meals… is it okay not to be a faithful servant.”

Kang Seo-dam nodded.

“Thus, we return to our initial topic.”

He took in the students with his eyes.

“In the dungeons of numerous ruined dimensions, hunters see the consequences of disasters brought upon by intellectuals with wrongful intentions. This is because quite a few gods can be summoned with very light qualifications and simple knowledge.”

Even a very weak scholar can summon an evil god.

If he only knows what the evil god he wishes to summon wants and the procedure, no, even if he only desires a disaster that will grant his own corrupt wish, the evil god will answer him.

“Furthermore, some evil gods even agree to a deal with a human through very simple materials and rituals. Someone succeeded in a summoning by offering a mere rat as a sacrifice, someone summoned one by drawing a simple picture, and someone brought forth a disaster by reciting only a short prayer.”

Even to a human’s faint groan, an evil god responds quickly.

“This is because hatred and disillusionment reach a god much faster than gratitude and praise.”

An evil god speaks to a human when they are at their weakest, and disaster strikes in an instant.

“Because traditional gods were born within providence, many of them are inexperienced in dealing with such negative prayers. Most gods are not even aware of an insignificant individual like a human, so how could they understand their wishes, and would that understanding even be proper? The probability of that is low.”

“Then how can we receive a god’s response?”

“The easiest way, as I mentioned earlier, is to summon an evil god. Evil gods who wish to use human’s negative emotions or blatant greed are mostly experienced, and thanks to that, they are skilled in dealing with humans.”

Kang Seo-dam said, pointing to the numerous materials displayed on the screen.

“The fact that most gods who enjoy amusement are evil gods can also be explained by that reason.”

Evil gods, who have the most experience dealing directly with humans, were likely to be skilled at understanding and imitating such humans.

That is why they can respond instantly to a human's call.

Kang Seo-dam clicked his tongue.

“First and foremost, in Korea, all evil gods are targeted for subjugation, with the exception of some recognized by the government and the religious circles.”

“Ah, so that’s why evil gods are monsters….”

“That is correct. Therefore, even if you see an evil god that seems very gentle and benevolent, you should not easily make a contract or rely on them. They are very well-versed in humans.”

They especially enjoyed corrupting young priests like these.

“Quite a lot of evil gods enjoy corrupting humans.”

“Why is that?”

“I am speculating that it’s literally because it’s fun.”

“…Fu, fun….”

“Do not forget that to a god, a human is, at best, a toy.”

Even if the grace they bestow could be objectively called ‘love’ in human eyes, that ‘love’ could ultimately be just a single glance from a god.

The standards of gods and humans were strictly different.

“No matter how much they cherish and love you, they will not cry like family when you die. They will not build your tombstone, nor will they prepare a warm meal for you when you are struggling and sad. You can only hope for that from another human.”

Kang Seo-dam looked at the slightly fed-up expressions of the brothers.

“That being said, you do not need to be afraid of serving a god.”

“But then, aren’t we just being used in the end?”

“If you put it that way, we humans are also using the gods.”

“Isn’t that a little different…?”

“What would you do if a passing ant were to follow you?”

To that, the priests opened their mouths one by one.

“I think I’d take it home and raise it.”

“Wouldn’t I give it food?”

“I’d probably run away, wondering why it’s following me.”

“Isn’t it possible that I wouldn’t see it because it’s too small?”

“I would check to see if there’s a problem.”

Kang Seo-dam asked in turn.

“How would you raise the ant if you took it home?”

“Um… wouldn’t I give it a house? You know, those ant farm kits.”

“What kind of food would you want to give it?”

“…I’m not sure, a grain of rice? Star candy? Wouldn’t I give it something like that?”

“Why did you think you would run away?”

“How can an ant recognize and follow me, it’s strange, isn’t it? It's not even human. Someone must be pulling a sinister scheme.”

“Would you be concerned if you didn’t see it because it was small?”

“That… wouldn’t I not know in the first place? I probably wouldn’t even know it was there.”

“How will you check if there is a problem?”

“Just by catching it…? Looking over its body, or, well….”

Kang Seo-dam asked one last time.

“Are you confident you wouldn’t crush a small ant while holding it in your hand?”

“…If I’m unlucky, I think it might get crushed.”

“Please express the emotion you would feel at that time, sister.”

“A bit… sorry? Gross?”

“I see.”

He spoke to the priests.

“This is how the gods perceive you.”

“…….”

The children who did not know turned pale, and the children who had been guessing at such words let out sighs.

Kang Seo-dam, after observing their expressions, continued.

“If a god loves you and takes you in, you will be imprisoned in a safe and peaceful fetter. If a god misinterprets your cries and gives you power and wealth you cannot handle, you will easily be broken.”

“…….”

“Some gods may find it unbelievably gross and disgusting that a human has sought them out. And some gods will not even perceive you no matter how desperately you call. It can be like that.”

He looked at the child who had answered last.

“If there is a god who tries to understand and be considerate in a clumsy way, you could die by their touch. And no god will be sad even if a human dies like that.”

If that incident sparked their interest in humans, they would seek out another follower, and if it instead created an aversion, they would not even give a glance to humans for the rest of their lives. That was what a god was.

“In very rare cases, there are humans who receive a god's normal affection. We call these beings Saintesses and Saints, and they become a medium connecting the great existence of a god and humans for their entire lives.”

“I heard that the Saintess of the Lady Moon Cult communicates with the god! They said she is a living god, the next Lady Moon.”

“Yes, she is a very important figure. And because of that, the Saintess of the Lady Moon Cult will never be able to leave the cult for her entire life, and will always be confined within the god's touch and gaze. This is because her vessel is so large that she is the only person who can treat the god as an ordinary being.”

“…….”

“That is far from what we commonly call human happiness.”

Kang Seo-dam said firmly.

“Do not try to understand the gods. Do not expect anything from a god, and do not try to use him. A god’s enmity may be an easily understandable disaster, but a god’s favor is also a disaster comparable to it.”

“…….”

“A god is nature and fate with a will. Just as we humans find food in nature and do not question the approaching fate, do so. Then you will avoid disaster.”

He added.

“That is how to coexist with the gods.”

“…I’m even more scared now….”

“A priest can open the possibility of communication with a god simply by their existence alone.”

“But….”

“Someday, a god who is a good match for you will come.”

Kang Seo-dam said with his characteristic blunt face.

“But if you end up serving a god who is not a good match, there would be no greater disaster than that.”

“…Yees.”

“So what I want to say is, try to keep your heart as virtuous as possible.”

“What?”

“As I keep saying, it is generally the evil gods who respond fastest to a human’s negative emotions.”

And an evil god is also a god.

“In that case, you will face a disaster you could never have imagined.”

Haven't I been telling you about the dangers of the gods until my mouth was sore?

“One day, you may come to want something with all your life. It could be gold, silver, and treasure, it could be some ideal lover, or it could be revenge on the people who made you miserable. Or you might be swept up by a simple impulse and fall into the thought of wanting to ruin everything.”

But.

“If you hear a god's voice then, do not answer.”

The one who pushed you into the pit of misfortune could have been that very god.

Humans who are easily tempted and broken in the face of sin will grab onto what they don’t even know is a rotten rope.

In the first place, a god who speaks to a human when they are most pained and struggling, a god who gives an opportunity, could never be called a god of benevolence and abundance.

It was highly likely to be an evil god who was waiting for that person to be thoroughly broken.

“Rather, express your anger with your own power, use someone else to throw society into chaos, and let your two human hands grasp madness and wield it. Kill a passerby, set fire to a sleeping person's house, take out their intestines while they are alive.”

“…Th, that’s too….”

“That will cost you less than responding to an evil god. One who expresses their greed using an evil god will not be able to properly resolve even their own greed, and will devastate their surroundings. It would be a path where your own heart feels more refreshed and the surrounding damage is less if you take matters into your own hands.”

If an evil god who is skilled at dealing with humans gets involved, no one can be saved.

Whether it's the ringleader, or the bystanders around them.

Whether they are guilty or not, such things would not be a very important perspective for an evil god.

“If you get entangled with an evil god, no one can be satisfied, and no one can be happy. That is why every intellectual who summoned an evil god for revenge was confirmed to have died after writing words of regret. The same goes for the summoners who only wanted destruction.”

Their souls would still be left neglected in the evil god’s clutches.

“Be wary of the gods, and exclude the evil gods.”

“…….”

“Then you’re halfway there.”

At that.

“…….”

“…….”

Cha Isold was sweating profusely.

Kang Seo-dam and Iruda looked at him with very subtle gazes.

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