Lackey's Seducing Survival Odyssey

Chapter 1677: Wakey~ Wakey~! You little fucking c**t

[A/N: This chapter only uses Lycorian Language as [ ” ” ]]

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Aether/No.25’s POV

One could say that somewhere between birth and death lies the true meaning of existence. Every soul born into this world carried that purpose within itself, whether it understood it or not.

To live.

To experience joy and sorrow, victory and failure, love and loss.

Every life, no matter how insignificant it appeared from afar, was a story struggling to unfold before time eventually brought it to an end.

Yet…

My gaze slowly drifted across the ruined landscape before me.

Corpses littered the earth from one end of the horizon to the other, transforming what should have been fertile grasslands into a graveyard without boundaries.

Some bodies had been crushed beneath unimaginable force, leaving little behind except twisted flesh and shattered bone. Others lay blackened by fire, their forms frozen forever in the final moments of agony.

A cold wind swept through the ruins, carrying ashes into the crimson sky above.

Did death truly have to arrive in such a way?

These people had never sought greatness.

They had never marched into war dreaming of conquest or power.

Most of them had probably spent their final morning thinking about ordinary things.

A family waiting at home.

A child expecting a gift.

A meal they wished to share before sunset.

Simple dreams and… Simple lives.

Yet all of it had ended here.

“Why, Mother Clara…?” The words escaped my lips almost unconsciously as I lifted my gaze toward the heavens.

“Why did you do this to these people? What sin did they commit to deserve this?”

The sky itself seemed wounded. Crimson clouds stretched endlessly above the world, while rivers of scarlet light flowed through them like blood leaking from invisible wounds hidden beyond reality.

The sight possessed a strange beauty.

“My Lord.”

The gentle voice broke through my thoughts.

Turning toward its source, I saw a woman approaching from behind. Her white robes remained untouched by the blood and destruction surrounding us, flowing softly around her slender figure as she walked across the battlefield.

White ribbon escaped from beneath her hood, and an elegant staff rested within her hand.

Her posture remained perfectly straight.

A faint smile touched my lips.

“Prophetess? When did you arrive?” I asked, turning fully toward her. “Had I known you were coming, I would have arranged a proper welcome.”

The words themselves sounded warm enough.

The voice carrying them did not.

Even I could hear the coldness hidden beneath the surface. Emotion had long since abandoned my tone, leaving behind something distant and… strangely hollow.

She merely smiled and shook her head.

“There is no need for that, My Lord. Besides, I have never enjoyed attracting attention. The fewer eyes looking in my direction, the more comfortable I tend to be.”

A small chuckle accompanied her response, though it faded quickly when her gaze wandered to my cold, emotionless face.

I nodded lightly. “Then you didn’t come all this way simply to admire the scenery.”

The Prophetess released a slow breath.

“No. Unfortunately, I bring news. The Gaius Terravita Empire has secured another victory.”

My expression remained calm, though something inside me tightened.

The Prophetess lowered her eyes.

“The Aquaris Naiadae Empire has fallen.”

A sharp pain twisted through my chest as countless memories surfaced within my mind.

My pure white eyes trembled slightly before I slowly lowered my gaze toward the ground.

Another Empire gone.

Another civilisation erased.

Another countless number of lives reduced to memories.

“Their Chosen Ones fell as well,” the Prophetess continued quietly. “None survived.”

I closed my eyes briefly before opening them once more.

“I see.”

That was all I managed to say.

The Prophetess watched me for several seconds before continuing.

“At this point, only one Empire remains besides ours.”

I already knew the answer before she spoke it. “Umbrionis Void.”

A weary sigh escaped her lips.

“Yes. Unfortunately, their situation is deteriorating rapidly. Reports indicate they have already lost nearly half of their territory. Entire cities have disappeared from the maps. Defensive lines continue collapsing faster than they can be rebuilt. Their soldiers are exhausted, their resources are dwindling.”

She paused briefly before looking toward the distant horizon.

“To be honest, My Lord, I do not believe they can endure much longer.”

The silence between us stretched once more.

“And after they fall…” she said quietly.

“They’ll come for us.” I finished as it echoed in my head.

The Prophetess slowly nodded.

“Indeed… this is the last land they need to secure,” the Prophetess said as she pointed to the sky.

When I looked back… everything, the crimson sky faded from my view. The rivers of blood vanished from my view. The battlefield disappeared from my view.

In its place stood peaceful grasslands stretching beneath a calm blue sky while gentle winds rolled through fields of emerald green… The current Aurora Empire, those things… were nothing but a memerioes of those… fallen empires… those dead bodies.

The golden letters floated within the sky like stars carved into reality itself. The names of Empires shimmered amongst values and symbols beyond our understanding.

I stared at them silently, watching as several names that had once shone proudly no longer existed.

Then my eyes settled upon Aquaris Naiadae.

The golden letters flickered weakly.

Slowly and Painfully.

Like a candle struggling against the final breath of wind.

One by one, the letters dissolved into particles of light before vanishing completely from existence.

The name simply disappeared.

As though it had never existed.

Only Three Empires remained.

As I continued staring at the remaining names suspended in the sky, the Prophetess tightened her grip around her staff before finally speaking again.

“My Lord…” Her voice carried unusual hesitation. “There is still another option.”

I glanced toward her.

She met my gaze directly.

“You could help them.”

For several moments, neither of us spoke and…

“If you joined forces with Umbrionis Void,” she continued carefully, “their chances of survival would increase dramatically. The balance of power would shift overnight. Perhaps together you could stop what is coming before it reaches our borders.”

I understood her reasoning.

She wasn’t wrong.

That was what made the choice so painful.

A faint smile slowly appeared upon my lips, though no happiness accompanied it.

“These people need their God, Prophetess.”

My gaze drifted beyond the horizon where countless villages and cities rested beneath my protection.

“God cannot abandon them once again.”

The words felt heavier than any weapon that hurt my body.

“I still remember their faces. Their prayers… Their fear. I remember standing powerless while hope slowly disappeared from their eyes. I remember the silence that followed when they finally realised nobody was coming to save them.”

The smile on my face became increasingly bitter.

“If I leave now… There won’t be anything”

The wind brushed against my pure white hair as I continued staring toward the distant lands entrusted to me.

“They don’t need another warrior. They don’t need another conqueror. Right now, they need something far more fragile.”

The Prophetess remained silent.

“They need hope.”

My voice softened.

“If their God abandons them again, that hope dies with me. Without hope, suffering becomes unbearable. Despair takes root. People stop believing that tomorrow can be better than today.

And…

Once that happens, the battle is already lost regardless of who wins the war.”

A quiet laugh escaped my lips, carrying far more sadness than amusement.

“This God cannot abandon them like… Mother Clara”

The Prophetess lowered her gaze. For several moments, she remained completely silent, her expression filled with conflict. Eventually, however, she bowed her head respectfully.

“I understand, My Lord.”

Her voice was soft.

“Whether I agree with your decision or not, I understand it. And I respect it.”

I nodded silently.

The Prophetess stepped closer and allowed her gaze to wander across the thriving landscape stretching beneath the afternoon light.

Life flourished everywhere.

Children raced through the streets with carefree laughter, chasing one another between stone pathways lined with flowers.

Merchants called out to passing customers while musicians filled the air with cheerful melodies.

Families gathered beneath shaded courtyards, sharing meals and conversations without fear.

It was the kind of peace most Empires could only dream of possessing.

Far in the distance, rising proudly above the city like a beacon carved from white marble and sunlight, stood a colossal temple whose towering pillars and gleaming walls dominated the horizon.

The structure possessed a beauty that seemed almost timeless… as though it had always belonged there!

The Prophetess stared at it for several moments before speaking, her voice carrying a faint trace of nostalgia.

“It looks exactly like the ancient times.”

I followed her gaze toward the temple and simply nodded. “Is that so?”

The architects had built it according to records recovered from the Elven Library after the destruction of the Zephyra Empire.

The Prophetess continued watching the people gathered around the massive structure. Some carefully painted murals across its surface, while others carved intricate patterns into stone with patient dedication.

There was no exhaustion in their movements, no resentment at the labour.

If anything, they looked proud to be there.

“Your people must love you deeply,” she murmured, a gentle smile hidden beneath her hood.

“Look at them. Nobody forced them to do this. They’re working because they want to. Every brushstroke, every stone they place, every carving they finish… they’re building something precious to them. You can see it in their faces.” Her gaze lingered on the temple before she glanced toward me.

“It’s a place filled with love.”

I simply watched it.

Then the Prophetess asked, “Did you give it a name?”

A faint smile touched my lips.

“Yes.”

“And what did you call it?”

“… Umbra Sanctum.”

She repeated the words quietly to herself before releasing a small chuckle. “For such a beautiful place, that sounds surprisingly dark.”

“Perhaps.” My eyes remained fixed upon the temple. “But I like it.”

The white walls reflected the light beautifully, casting a warm glow across the surrounding city.

Everything looked peaceful… Everything looked safe.

Then my vision flickered.

The world twisted.

For a single horrifying moment, another reality overlapped the one before me.

The temple still stood in the distance.

But it was no longer beautiful.

Its towering walls had collapsed inward, leaving only shattered ruins stained crimson. Massive cracks split the once-pristine pillars apart while blood covered the stone pathways leading to its entrance.

Corpses littered the grounds in endless numbers.

Men.

Women.

Children!

The children who had been laughing moments ago now lay motionless amongst broken stone. The women decorating the temple walls had been butchered where they stood. Elderly citizens sat slumped against bloodstained pillars with lifeless eyes staring into nothingness.

The music was gone, along with the beautiful laughter.

“My Lord?”

The Prophetess’s voice reached me from somewhere beyond the nightmare.

“Hah… Hah…”

A sharp breath escaped my lungs as the horrifying image shattered apart.

The blood vanished.

The corpses disappeared.

The ruined temple returned to its original form.

Once more, children laughed in the distance.

Once more, the city lived.

I felt the Prophetess step closer before her hand gently settled upon my shoulder.

“This is the path you chose,” she said quietly.

I remained silent.

“You must walk it to the end, no matter how much it hurts.”

At those words, understanding settled between us.

She knew.

Perhaps everything…

Perhaps not everything…

Perhaps not every vision haunting my thoughts…

But she knew enough.

A weak smile appeared on my face.

“They call me… The God,” I said quietly while staring toward the city below.

“And yet, when I look at myself, all I see is a Sinner.”

The Prophetess fell silent for several moments. Even now, despite everything I had become, I still couldn’t see through whatever concealed her face beneath that hood.

A defence that even my powers refused to penetrate.

Eventually, she spoke.

“Yes. You are a sinner, Child.

You are indeed a Sinner”

“But that is not all you are.”

She turned her gaze toward the countless people living their lives beneath the shadow of Umbra Sanctum.

“You gave these people happiness when the world was falling apart.

You gave them safety when others offered only fear.

You gave them hope when despair seemed inevitable.

You protected them without asking for worship.

You guided them without demanding loyalty.”

The wind stirred her white robes as she continued.

“And look at what they have given you in return.”

My eyes followed hers.

Families.

Laughter.

Life!

The simple joys that existed because they still believed tomorrow would come… that’s living… That’s LIFE!

“Their love,” she said softly. “That isn’t something you forced from them. It isn’t something you demanded. They chose to give it freely.”

The Prophetess looked directly at me.

“Yes, you are a sinner. I won’t deny that. But to these Billions of people…” Her gaze shifted toward the city.

“…You are their God.”

“And no matter what happens in the future… You will always be their God.

So stop looking only at your sins and acknowledge what you’ve accomplished as well.”

For several moments, I couldn’t find a response. The wind continued to sweep across the hills while distant laughter drifted upward from the city below.

Eventually, I smiled.

A genuine one.

Small and Fragile… But genuine.

“Can I… see your face?”

The question caused her to freeze.

Slowly, she stepped backwards and removed her hand from my shoulder.

I noticed the hesitation.

“I didn’t mean to offend you,” I said gently.

The Prophetess lowered her head.

For the first time since arriving, vulnerability entered her voice.

“I am… not beautiful.”

I frowned.

Before I could answer, she continued.

“I don’t even look like a woman anymore.”

A warm smile touched my lips.

“I can see your soul.”

Her head lifted slightly.

The soul hidden beneath countless layers of mystery shone brighter than any light I had ever witnessed.

It possessed a beauty untouched by appearance, untouched by age, untouched by suffering.

Truthfully…

It was breathtaking.

“It’s far more beautiful than you think,” I said quietly. “Please. Just one last time…”

The Prophetess stared at me for a long time. It felt as though she were searching my expression for deception and finding none. Slowly, her hands rose toward the edge of her hood. The fabric trembled slightly between her fingers as she prepared to reveal what she had hidden for so long.

Then she stopped.

Her entire body froze.

When she spoke again, every trace of warmth had disappeared.

The voice that emerged felt cold… Almost frightening!

“C-Can you… kill me?”

My thoughts halted instantly.

“What?”

The Prophetess remained motionless.

Her hidden gaze never left mine.

“Can you kill me?”

Before I could respond, before I could even begin to understand the meaning behind that question, an unfamiliar voice exploded inside my mind.

“Wakey~ Wakey~! You little fucking cunt!”

The world shattered.

The sky fractured into countless crystalline cracks. The city broke apart. The temple collapsed into fragments of light. The Prophetess herself fragmented like glass struck by an invisible hammer.

Everything died.

Darkness flooded my vision.

The pure white light within my eyes vanished completely.

Then, from somewhere deep within that endless darkness….

Waaa… Waaa… Waaaa…

The lonely cry of a child.

I felt… I knew this cry.

A voice I knew?

A voice I could never forget?

Yet even that sound gradually faded away, swallowed by the darkness until nothing remained at all.